July 1, 2025
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac said on the Rich Eisen Show that Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt is in a stalemate with the team regarding a contract extension because he "wants to be the highest-paid non-quarterback" in the league. Watt will turn 31 years old in October, so the Steelers don't want to do an extension for anything less than five years in order to spread the money out in terms of guarantees and a signing bonus. The Steelers want to bring Watt, one of the most disruptive defenders in the league, but they know it's not a smart business decision after they noticed a decline in his performance last year when he dropped from a league-leading 19 sacks in 2023 to 11.5 last year in 17 regular-season starts. The Steelers usually don't play hard ball with their stars, but this is something that could stretch well into training camp and the preseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Gerry Dulac
July
1,
2025
The
Athletic's
Joe
Buscaglia
has
Buffalo
Bills
wide
receiver
Joshua
Palmer
listed
as
a
sleeper
after
signing
a
three-year
deal
with
the
team
in
the
offseason.
Buscaglia
writes
that
Palmer's
potential
role
and
impact
in
this
read more...
July 1, 2025
The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia lists Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Laviska Shenault Jr. on the bubble watch heading into training camp. Shenault is likely best suited for the X receiver role behind
Keon Coleman, and his run-after-the-catch skills and speed give him a real shot to with the kickoff-return job. The Bills made a low-cost investment in Shenault after liking him in the pre-draft process before his draft year. Despite all those things that Buscaglia mentions, he also writes that the odds are that Shenault doesn't make the team beyond training camp because they'll have answers elsewhere to the value he'd provide. If the 26-year-old doesn't make the 53-man roster, he'll be a prime candidate to be stashed on the practice squad for depth. Shenault caught just five passes for 36 yards as mostly a kickoff returner in 2024 with the Seahawks and Chargers.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
July
1,
2025
Carolina
Panthers
running
back
Raheem
Blackshear
will
"almost
exclusively
be
a
special
teams
player"
in
2025
if
the
team
elects
to
keep
a
fourth
RB
around
beyond
training
camp,
writes
The
Charlotte
Observer's
Alex
Zietlow.
The
read more...
July
1,
2025
The
Charlotte
Observer's
Alex
Zietlow
writes
that
Carolina
Panthers
running
back
Rico
Dowdle
will
split
carries
with
rookie
Trevor
Etienne
as
the
backups
to
lead
back
Chubaread more...
July 1, 2025
The Charlotte Observer's Alex Zietlow writes that Carolina Panthers running back
Chuba Hubbard "will still get the overwhelming majority of the touches" this year. Hubbard was the team's bell-cow back in 2024 with 712 snaps. He carried the ball 250 times, which ranked 11th in the NFL and second among all RBs who played 15 games or fewer. Zietlow thinks that number will drop a bit this year as the Panthers look to keep Hubbard fresh, with
Rico Dowdle and rookie
Trevor Etienne splitting change-of-pace carries. The 26-year-old had his first 1,000-yard rushing season with a career-high 10 touchdowns in 15 starts, adding a carer-high 43 catches for 171 yards and a score through the air. There's a good chance 2024 ends up being Hubbard's career year, as Dowdle should be much more effective than
Miles Sanders was behind Hubbard last year. Fantasy managers should target Hubbard as an RB2.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Charlotte Observer - Alex Zietlow
July
1,
2025
New
York
Jets
running
back
Breece
Hall
has
had
a
turbulent
start
to
his
NFL
career.
The
first
ball
carrier
selected
in
the
2022
NFL
Draft
(No.
36
overall)
suffered
a
torn
ACL
in
Week
7
read more...
July 1, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt has been in the thick of trade rumors this offseason, and the team's activity on the trade market on Monday has only fanned the flames of those rumors. However, NFL.com's Bobby Kownack reports that the Steelers have no intention of trading Watt and remain focused on agreeing to a deal with the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Watt is heading into the final season of his four-year, $112 million contract extension that he signed ahead of the 2021 campaign, and the Wisconsin product has tallied at least 11.5 sacks in each of the three full seasons he has played in since. Watt is one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, so it would be a surprise if the Steelers did not eventually come to an agreement with their 2017 first-round selection. In 121 career games, Watt has tallied 462 tackles (331 solo), 108 sacks, 33 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, seven interceptions, 50 pass deflections, and 75.5 run stuffs.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
July 1, 2025
The NFL Players Association is not expected to engage in formal negotiations with the league and its owners on a potential 18-game regular season until at least early next year, according to people familiar with the deliberations. It makes it unclear on when an 18-game season could be implemented, according to The Washington Post's Mark Maske. The union could be in position to launch formal negotiations with the NFL and its owners after its annual meeting of player representatives in March. Some owners had hoped to have an 18-game season as early as 2027 or 2028, but it might be unrealistic to expect that to happen in 2027. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and other league leaders have not pressed the union to begin negotiations. When formal negotiations do begin, they could be contentious, as many of the players already think a 17-game season is too long.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Washington Post - Mark Maske
July
1,
2025
Pittsburgh
Steelers
reporter
Mark
Kaboly
said
on
93.7
The
Fan
that
the
team
has
had
talks
with
free-agent
wide
receiver
Tyler
Boyd.
It
comes
a
day
after
Boyd
said
he's
"absolutely"
be
interested
in
playing
for
the
read more...
July 1, 2025
The Miami Dolphins are finalizing a trade with the New York Giants on Tuesday for former Pro Bowl tight end
Darren Waller, who is coming out of retirement, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Waller retired last summer after catching 52 of his 74 targets for 552 yards and just one touchdown in 12 games (11 starts) with the G-Men in 2023. Miami was desperate for an addition at tight end after trading
Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins and Giants are also swapping late-round draft picks in the Waller trade. Waller will turn 33 in September and hasn't played more than 12 games since his Pro Bowl season in 2020, but he should automatically become Miami's top pass-catching tight end. The volume alone should make him at least a TE2 target with upside in fantasy, but don't expect him to replicate Smith's numbers from last year in Miami.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
June 30, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers see new cornerback Jalen Ramsey as an outside corner, a slot corner and potentially as a safety, according to Mark Kaboly. The Steelers acquired Ramsey, tight end
Jonnu Smith, and a seventh-round pick in 2027 from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a fifth-rounder in 2027 on Monday. The presence of cornerbacks Joey Porter and Darius Slay will allow the Steelers to get creative with the 30-year-old Ramsey, who could be more of an IPD fantasy asset if he plays more slot corner and safety in 2025. The former first-rounder and seven-time All-Pro continued to play at a high level last year with the Dolphins, racking up 60 tackles (39 solo), one sack, six tackles for loss, two interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 17 starts. Despite losing Fitzpatrick, the Steelers' secondary should remain strong this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Mark Kaboly
June 30, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers view new tight end
Jonnu Smith as a tight end, a slot wide receiver and a fullback and will use him in a hybrid role in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's offense. Despite already having tight end
Pat Freiermuth, the Steelers acquired Smith, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and a 2027 seventh-round pick from the Miami Dolphins on Monday in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. Smith will reunite with Arthur Smith after posting a 50-582-3 line in 2023 with the Atlanta Falcons. At the time, the 582 receiving yards were a career-high for Smith until he went off for 88 catches, 884 yards and eight TDs with Miami last season. The 29-year-old will now be working with veteran quarterback
Aaron Rodgers in what's expected to be a run-first offense. The move to Pittsburgh is definitely bad news for Smith's fantasy upside as a TE1 in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Mark Kaboly
June 30, 2025
ESPN's Adam Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday that there is no update on contract talks between the Washington Commanders and wide receiver
Terry McLaurin, "and that's the problem." "There is quite a gap between what both sides want right now and they have not made any progress," Schefter said. Schefter goes on to say that he'd be surprised if the Commanders look to move on from McLaurin via a trade, regardless of how disgruntled the wideout might be. McLaurin is entering the final season of a three-year extension he signed in 2022 and is looking for a hefty extension after posting his fifth straight 1,000-yard season with a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2024. He's reportedly seeking a deal that would pay him around $30 million a year, but the Commanders seem hesitant to give that to a receiver that will turn 30 this September. In fantasy, McLaurin is a solid WR2 target going into 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
June
30,
2025
The
Las
Vegas
Review-Journal's
Vincent
Bonsignore
reports
that
the
Las
Vegas
Raiders
are
not
interested
in
trading
tight
end
Michael
Mayer.
It
comes
after
reports
that
the
Miami
Dolphins
were
interested
in
acquiring
Mayer
from
the
read more...
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