3 hours agoAccording to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, speaking on ESPN's SportsCenter on Saturday morning, the Minnesota Vikings are "pretty motivated" to get a deal finalized with wide receiver
Justin Jefferson. The 24-year-old has been a menace for opposing defenses since entering the league, amassing 392 catches for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns. Understandably, he wants a lucrative extension, and while there hasn't been much movement on that front, it appears a deal could be reached in the "coming weeks," one that could be "market-altering." Although Jefferson no longer has
Kirk Cousins slinging him the ball, the wideout should still be taken early in the first round in nearly every fantasy draft heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Jeremy Fowler
3 hours agoAccording to Chris Roling of USA Today, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
Joe Burrow (wrist) looked "great" on "most of his throws" during the team's recent OTAs. The signal-caller, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury in a game against the Ravens in mid-November, also "added muscle to his frame." Without question, injuries have been Burrow's biggest issue since entering the National Football League as the No. 1 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. However, if he can remain on the field, he could be a top-five fantasy quarterback, just like in 2022, when he threw for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Fortunately, it appears Burrow is taking the steps necessary to ensure he stays healthy during the 2024-25 campaign.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Chris Roling
11 hours agoDallas Cowboys All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons has not been present for any of the team's voluntary organized team activities the last couple weeks. Head coach Mike McCarthy said that Parsons was "in really good shape" but that there is "work to do" with a new defense he will have to catch up on. McCarthy thinks Parsons' next step is to take on more of a leadership role with the younger players and said Parsons' absence at OTAs was a missed opportunity to do that. The Cowboys are in a bit of a transition on defense in 2024 after seeing defensive coordinator Dan Quinn leave to the take the head-coaching job with the division-rival Washington Commanders. Despite not being at OTAs, the 25-year-old former 12th overall pick in 2021 out of Penn State is an elite pass-rusher and will be expensive in IDP fantasy leagues as one of the first defensive players off the board.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: DallasCowboys.com - Nick Harris
11 hours agoChicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus called new running back
D'Andre Swift "a weapon back" when asked why the team moved so quickly to sign him in free agency back in March to a three-year, $24 million deal. "You know we really needed that guy that can really operate on third down and even on first or second down and be a weapon in the deep part of the field and the short part of the field and take it the distance. And he's got a lot of gas," Eberflus said. Swift posted his first 1,000-yard season with the Eagles in 2023 and had career-bests in yards, carries (229), first downs (50) and yards per game (65.6). The Bears' offense now has a lot of dangerous weapons around rookie quarterback
Caleb Williams, but in fantasy, it may be hard for Swift to match his 2023 exploits with
Khalil Herbert and
Roschon Johnson also demanding backfield touches.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com - Grant Gordon
11 hours agoBaltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson and the reigning NFL MVP has been absent for four of the team's first five voluntary organized team activities, including the last one on Thursday. With Jackson gone, veteran backup
Josh Johnson has led the first-team offense. "It's this time of year; it's a voluntary time," head coach John Harbaugh said. "It's really not something that we comment on. We can't, and that's just the time of year it is. So I can't speak for anybody that's not here." Jackson has been a regular at the team's OTAs, other than in 2022 when he was engaged in contract talks. He's in the second year of a five-year, $260 million contract. At age 27 last year, he became the youngest two-time NFL MVP since the merger, setting career-highs with 3,678 passing yards and a 67.2% completion rate. Fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned about Jackson's OTA absences.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
11 hours agoPhiladelphia Eagles tight end
C.J. Uzomah (knee) was present for voluntary organized team activities this past week. Uzomah's 2023 season with the New York Jets ended early due to a knee injury, but he's apparently recovered and ready to go with his new team. In 12 contests (eight starts) in his second year with the Jets last year, Uzomah was barely utilized, catching eight of his 12 targets for 58 yards and one touchdown. He wasn't all that much better the year prior, catching 21 of 27 targets for 232 yards and two scores in 15 games (13 starts). The 31-year-old veteran has nine years of NFL experience but will mainly just serve as tight end depth for Philadelphia in 2024, making him pretty irrelevant for fantasy purposes. However, if
Dallas Goedert were to miss time with injury, Uzomah could be worth some waiver-wire consideration.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Philadelphia - Dave Zangaro
11 hours agoDenver Broncos rookie first-round quarterback
Bo Nix continues to impress the coaching staff after having taken part in rookie minicamp and two weeks of voluntary organized team activities. "He's doing well," head coach Sean Payton said. "He's picking it up, and there's a lot that's going in. He's throwing it extremely well." Nix was selected with the 12th overall pick in April's NFL draft to be the team's franchise signal-caller, and he's competing this offseason with incumbent
Jarrett Stidham and former first-rounder
Zach Wilson. The 24-year-old has plenty of experience with 61 collegiate starts and appears to have picked things up quickly. We'll have a better idea of how good of a shot Nix has to start under center in Week 1 for the Broncos. If Nix is starting for the Broncos in 2024, he'll be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Nick Kosmider
11
hours
agoDenver
Broncos
wide
receiver
Marvin
Mims
Jr.
said
he's
feeling
better
heading
into
his
second
year
in
the
NFL,
and
the
electric
return
man
will
also
get
more
chances
to
return
kicks
in
2024
with
the
new
league
rules.
Mims
averaged
26.5
read more...
1
day
agoNew
York
Jets
running
back
Tarik
Cohen
has
not
played
in
an
NFL
game
since
the
2020
regular
season,
but
the
28-year-old
signed
with
the
organization
on
May
29
in
hopes
of
keeping
his
career
alive.
According
to
Jets
reporter
Brandyn
Pokrass,
Cohen
read more...
1 day agoThe Buffalo Bills released veteran punter Matt Haack on Friday, according to NFL.com. The 29-year-old spent three days on Buffalo's practice squad during the 2023 postseason and re-signed in March, but he's already being let go. Haack entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017 out of Arizona State and has appeared in games for the Bills, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, and Indianapolis Colts. Overall, he has punted 432 times for an average of 44.5 yards per attempt and has 160 punts downed inside the 20-yard line in 99 career games.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
1 day agoNew York Jets running back
Israel Abanikanda did not get any reps with the first-team or second-team offense during Friday's OTAs, according to Jets reporter Brandyn Pokrass. Pokrass said he is falling down the depth chart and could be a cut or trade candidate this offseason. Following Abanikanda's 1431-yard, 20-touchdown rushing season in 2022 at Pittsburgh, he was selected by New York in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he rushed just six times for 22 yards and caught six passes for 11 yards. After New York drafted Wisconsin running back
Braelon Allen (fourth round) and South Dakota State running back
Isaiah Davis (fifth round) in April's draft, the writing was on the wall for the 21-year-old speedster. Fantasy managers in deep dynasty leagues can consider continuing to stash Abanikanda, but he's unlikely to make an impact in 2024.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Brandyn Pokrass
1 day agoChicago Bears quarterback
Caleb Williams reportedly had plenty of expected rookie struggles at last week's OTAs, but Zach Pearson of Bear Report said he had one of his best showings during Friday's seven-on-seven period. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of USC completed 13 of his 14 passing attempts and threw a touchdown to
DJ Moore. Needless to say, it's not a good idea to overvalue reports from practices with no live rushers on defense, but any sign of growth is encouraging. While rookie quarterbacks usually struggle in real life and fantasy football, Williams arguably has the best supporting cast any No. 1 overall pick has ever had. With pass-catchers like Moore,
Keenan Allen,
Rome Odunze,
D'Andre Swift,
Cole Kmet, and
Gerald Everett surrounding him, he could post low-end QB1 numbers in Year 1.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Zach Pearson -- BearReport.com
1 day agoThe Buffalo Bills signed former Olympic wrestler Gable Steveson on Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 24-year-old will attempt an NFL career as a defensive tackle. Stevenson took home a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 275-pound division. This is an intriguing low-risk, high-reward signing for Buffalo, and his development will be worth monitoring this offseason. Wrestlers have translatable skills to the football field, particularly the ability to manage leverage, which could help Steveson hold his own on the line of scrimmage.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
1 day agoWhen New York Giants wide receiver
Darius Slayton returned to voluntary organized team activities this week, fellow wideout
Isaiah Hodgins appeared to be the odd man out. Slayton didn't miss a beat in his return to the field, either, catching a crossing route from quarterback
Daniel Jones in a 7-on-7 period and also catching two passes from backup
Drew Lock. Hodgins had a quiet practice on Thursday after being the leading first-team receiver last week. Slot receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson continues to be moved around the field. After the Giants took LSU wideout
Malik Nabers in the first round of this year's NFL draft, Hodgins' stock immediately took a hit. In addition to Robinson,
Jalin Hyatt also figures to have a bigger role in the offense in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Dan Duggan
1 day agoWith Indianapolis Colts running back
Jonathan Taylor taking a personal day at organized team activities on Thursday, it allowed for more running back reps for
Trey Sermon,
Tyler Goodson and
Evan Hull. Both Sermon and Goodson broke off a couple big runs. Behind Taylor this year, the backup RB roles and reps are very much in the air among Sermon, Goodson and Hull now that
Zack Moss is in Cincinnati. The 23-year-old Goodson is probably considered the biggest long shot to earn the No. 2 role this year behind Taylor, but the fact that he's being given reps with the first-team offense in OTAs means he has an early shot. The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa saw his first 13 carries in six games (one start) last year and gained 87 yards on the ground. He also added six receptions for an additional 34 yards.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 107.5 The Fan - Kevin Bowen
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