4 weeks agoIndianapolis Colts wide receiver
Michael Pittman Jr. (knee) left Wednesday's offseason practice early after taking a fall during a team period. The 26-year-old limped off the field with trainers, but head coach Shane Steichen said he "should be fine." Pittman reportedly just bumped his knee, but organizations are going to be extra careful with their stud players at this point in the offseason. The 2020 second-round pick had an excellent 2023 campaign while playing mostly with quarterback Gardner Minshew. He caught 109 passes for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns. It's tough to know what to expect out of him with a healthy
Anthony Richardson and
Jonathan Taylor to begin the 2024 season, and the team drafted Texas wideout
Adonai Mitchell in the second round of last month's draft. Either way, he remains the No. 1 option in the passing game for the Colts, and another 1,000-yard season should be the expectation.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: James Boyd -- The Athletic
4 weeks agoKansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Xavier Worthy (hamstring) is not participating in OTAs on Wednesday after tweaking his hamstring earlier in the week. While it's concerning that the 165-pound wideout is already dealing with an aliment, it's too early in the offseason to have a takeaway from this report. The No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Texas is one of the most intriguing rookies for fantasy football this season, especially given the off-field concerns surrounding second-year wideout
Rashee Rice. Worthy was an exciting prospect after posting 197 receptions for 2,755 yards, and 26 touchdowns in three collegiate seasons, and his stock grew after he set the NFL record for the fastest official 40-yard dash (4.21). Assuming he can get past his hamstring injury and stay healthy, he should have spike weeks catching passes from
Patrick Mahomes in his debut season. All that said, his slight frame could mean he'll be more prone to injuries.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Courtney Cronin
4 weeks agoBaltimore Ravens running back
Keaton Mitchell (knee) is "on schedule" with his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in Week 15 of last season. However, the speedster won't take part in training camp this summer, and he's likely to miss at least a few games early in the 2024 campaign. This is no surprise given the usual timeline to return from a major knee injury. After going undrafted last year out of East Carolina, Mitchell rushed 47 times for 396 yards and two touchdowns. His sample size was small, but his 8.4 yards per carry led all running backs, and he flashed his splash-play upside. The 22-year-old should be stashed in dynasty formats, but he has a slim chance of being a significant fantasy contributor this year behind
Derrick Henry.
Justice Hill is slated to begin the season in the RB2 role, though fifth-round rookie
Rasheen Ali could make a run at it.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
4 weeks agoJacksonville Jaguars wide receiver
Christian Kirk (groin), who missed the final five games of last season with a groin injury, said he's feeling good and healthy this spring during organized team activities. The Jaguars receiving room lost
Calvin Ridley and
Zay Jones this offseason but added
Gabe Davis via free agency and took Brian Thomas in the first round of the NFL draft. Especially with Ridley out of the picture in 2024, the 27-year-old Kirk is the team's most experienced pass-catcher who should be the favorite to be quarterback
Trevor Lawrence's most trusted target. Before getting hurt last year, the former second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 out of Texas A&M had 57 catches (85 targets) for 787 yards and three touchdowns in 12 starts. In his first year with Jacksonville, Kirk had a career-high 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: First Coast News - Shaaz Peerani
4 weeks agoDallas Cowboys tight end
Luke Schoonmaker (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out throughout organized team activities. Schoonmaker had shoulder surgery this offseason, but his hamstring injury is what is keeping him off the field this spring. He missed all of his 2023 rookie spring with a foot injury. The Cowboys took Schoonmaker in the second round of last year's draft out of Michigan, and he caught only eight of 15 targets for 65 yards and two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in 2023 while working in a backup role behind
Jake Ferguson. Schoonmaker has had trouble with injuries early in his NFL career, but as long as he's able to get back on the field for training camp this summer, he should have a chance to be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season. Barring an injury to Ferguson, Schoonmaker can be left to the waiver wire in most redraft fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Michael Gehlken
4
weeks
agoThe
Dallas
Cowboys
are
excited
to
work
with
backup
quarterback
Trey
Lance
this
summer
after
trading
for
him
before
the
2023
season.
Lance
served
as
the
No.
3
behind
Dak
Prescott
and
Cooperread more...
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Chargers rookie second-round wide receiver
Ladd McConkey is already developing a connection with quarterback
Justin Herbert at organized team activities this week. McConkey played both inside and outside on Monday, but the majority of his snaps with the first-team offense came in the slot. The 22-year-old from Georgia has a real opportunity to become a key piece of the Chargers' passing game in his rookie season with both
Keenan Allen and
Mike Williams moving on in the offseason. He should start in three-wide sets with second-year wideout
Quentin Johnston and
Joshua Palmer, and McConkey's speed and versatility could make him a reliable target for Herbert. The Bolts figure to run the ball more under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, but McConkey is in a situation to be worth taking a late-round flier on in deeper fantasy leagues this fall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
4 weeks agoCleveland Browns quarterback
Deshaun Watson (shoulder) threw on the first day of organized team activities on Tuesday but is scheduled for a day off on Wednesday, the only day of the week open to the media.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (hip) is still recovering from his hip injury and is also not expected to throw Wednesday. Watson threw during some individual drills on Tuesday and looked great after having offseason right-shoulder surgery. He said Dr. Neal ElAttrache wants him to be conservative during OTAs and minicamp so that he can be as healthy as possible for training camp this summer. Watson had his fractured shoulder socket and partially torn labrum fix in November. The 28-year-old said he's throwing full speed, and he should be ready for Week 1 of the regular season as long as he doesn't have any setbacks before then. Watson has QB1 appeal in fantasy, but he's also a big injury risk.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
4 weeks agoSan Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey has been absent for voluntary organized team activities this week, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said he wasn't worried bout McCaffrey given how hard he trains in the offseason. "It's like everyone else," Shanahan said. "It is voluntary, and I'm not too concerned about Christian." The 2023 NFL rushing champion was present for last year's sessions, but apparently he's taking more time to train on his own in his second offseason with the team. Fantasy managers considering taking CMC with the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts this fall shouldn't be concerned at all after the do-it-all back had 272 carries for 1,459 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns while catching 67 passes for 564 yards and another seven scores in 16 regular-season starts in his first full season with the Niners.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
4 weeks agoSan Francisco 49ers wide receivers
Brandon Aiyuk and
Jauan Jennings have not yet reported for the team's offseason program. Aiyuk is seeking a long-term extension that will make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the league, while Jennings has yet to sign his one-year, restricted free-agent tender and is also interested in a long-term deal. Their absences this week have made receiver Deebo Samuel quarterback
Brock Purdy's favorite target. Jennings will most likely show up for mandatory minicamp next month, but the 26-year-old Aiyuk could be a candidate for a holdout if the two sides can't make progress in contract talks by then. If he plays out his fifth-year option in 2024, he'll make $14.12 million. Aiyuk has now had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and put up a career-high 1,342 yards and seven scores in 16 regular-season starts in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
4 weeks agoSan Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall has generated significant optimism throughout the beginning of OTAs. According to David Lombardi of The Athletic, Pearsall "looked good, caught several passes, and generated some real separation" during 7-on-7 work Tuesday. A first-round pick out of the University of Florida, Pearsall primarily caught passes from No. 1 quarterback
Brock Purdy on Tuesday, suggesting the rookie could at least have some sort of role on offense in 2024. Fantasy managers can take a flier on him in dynasty leagues, but he's just too hard to trust in redraft formats at the moment.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: David Lombardi
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver
Jordan Whittington has quickly caught the attention of The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue, she wrote in an article on Tuesday. Rodrigue acknowledged that "it's a sample size without pads on," but she has been impressed by Whittington's play energy away from the ball despite contact being limited. The University of Texas receiver was selected in the sixth round of last month's draft, joining a very talented Rams receiving core. He won't be able to compete with the likes of
Cooper Kupp or
Puka Nacua for a large target share, but it sounds like Whittington has still turned some heads and could be headed for a somewhat significant role in 2024.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Jourdan Rodrigue
4 weeks agoNew York Jets head coach Robert Saleh said it's a "possibility" that cornerback Sauce Gardner will travel with the opposing team's No. 1 wide receiver this year. It wouldn't be an exclusive setup, though, but it could happen more than it did last year. Gardner has quickly become of the better lock-down corners in the NFL after being taken with the fourth overall pick in 2022 out of Cincinnati. The 23-year-old was a first-team All-Pro in each of the last two years and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022. As such, opposing quarterbacks rarely chose to test him last year. He finished the 2023 campaign with 57 tackles (41 solo) and 11 passes defensed without an interception. Matching him up against more WR1s could give him more action in his third NFL season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini
4 weeks agoDallas Cowboys All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons was not at organized team activities on Monday but said that he will be back for in-house and national media responsibilities next Tuesday, May 28, and for mandatory minicamp next month. This week's workouts are voluntary, and Parsons is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, so without a long-term contract extension, he's going to train on his own for now. As things stand now, it doesn't sound like the 24-year-old defensive star is contemplating a holdout this summer. Parsons has made the Pro Bowl in each of his three NFL seasons and was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021. As long as he's healthy, Parsons is one of the most productive pass-rushers for IDP fantasy managers. He has 40.5 sacks in just three seasons with Dallas.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Jane Slater
4 weeks agoGreen Bay Packers tight end
Tucker Kraft (pectoral) and offensive lineman Zach Tom (pectoral) are both dealing with pectoral injuries, and head coach Matt LaFleur said on Tuesday that both players will be out until at least the start of training camp. Neither Kraft nor Tom took part in organized team activities on Tuesday. Both Kraft and Tom were key contributors in 2023 for the Packers, with Kraft catching 31 of his 40 targets for 355 yards and two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (eight starts) in his rookie season. The 23-year-old had his arm in a sling on Tuesday and will miss valuable offseason reps heading into his second season in 2024. When Kraft returns to full health, he'll likely play second fiddle to
Luke Musgrave, which makes him one to avoid in standard 12-team fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Packers Wire - Zach Kruse
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