4 weeks agoThe Cincinnati Bengals mildly surprised by not taking a single running back in this year's NFL draft, which means
Zack Moss is in line for lead-back duties in his first year in Cincy in 2024. Moss will be the prime candidate to assume the third-down role with his extensive experience pass-blocking (68 opportunities last year, 15th in the NFL), and holding up relatively well.
Chase Brown will also be involved as a complement to Moss, but after the Bengals didn't add a single RB in the draft, Moss' fantasy arrow continues to point up heading into 2024 after he impressed in
Jonathan Taylor's absence with the Indianapolis Colts in 2023. "No. 1, I think he'll be really good in the screen game because he's the kind of guy you get in space and has lateral quickness to make the first miss," offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
4 weeks agoAccording to ESPN's Adam Schefter, free-agent wide receiver
Michael Gallup intends to ink a deal with the Raiders. The Cowboys released the wideout mid-March, saving the club nearly $10 million. But he's now heading to Las Vegas, where he will reportedly sign a one-year, $3 million contract. Gallup's best season was in 2019, with the 28-year-old amassing 1,107 yards and six touchdowns off 66 receptions. Since then, his production has declined. Gallup also tore his ACL late in 2021, which hindered his chances of turning things around. With that said, Gallup could have trouble getting consistently involved in Vegas, considering he'll presumably be behind
Davante Adams and
Jakobi Meyers on the depth chart. The quarterback situation also won't help his fantasy potential. Yet, Gallup could have a few decent outings with the Raiders, and his stock will rise if Adams or Meyers goes down with an injury at some point during the 2024-25 campaign.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
4 weeks agoThe Atlanta Falcons picked up the 2025 fifth-year option on tight end
Kyle Pitts on Monday, according to a source. Although the former fourth overall pick in 2021 out of Florida hasn't exactly lived up to his draft status, there's no way the Falcons weren't going to pick up his option. Pitts was a Pro Bowler in his rookie year, when he went for over 1,000 yards receiving, but he played in only 10 games due to injury in 2022 and has underwhelmed with six total touchdowns in his three NFL seasons. Atlanta's QB situation hasn't helped his cause, though. With a new coaching staff in town and with quarterback
Kirk Cousins running the offense in 2024, Pitts' fantasy stock is trending up despite back-to-back disappointing campaigns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Field Yates
4 weeks agoThe Washington Commanders signed former Notre Dame quarterback
Sam Hartman as an undrafted free agent. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Hartman is getting a $20,000 signing bonus and $225,000 base salary guarantee from Washington, potentially signaling they want to keep him around beyond offseason activities and training camp. In five years at Wake Forest and one at Notre Dame combined, the 24-year-old threw for 15,656 yards, 134 touchdowns, and 49 interceptions. He added 978 yards and 20 touchdowns as a runner. The Commanders selected LSU quarterback
Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick and has former No. 2 overall pick
Marcus Mariota on the roster, so Hartman will likely be the QB3 in 2024 -- at best. The two-time All-ACC performer is one of the most high-profile UDFA's in this year's class.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Tom Pelissero
4 weeks agoDespite having
Javonte Williams,
Samaje Perine, and
Jaleel McLaughlin on the roster, the Denver Broncos selected former Notre Dame running back
Audric Estime in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The 221-pound bruiser likely saw his stock fall after posting a 4.71 forty-yard dash time at the NFL combine, but Sean Payton and company stopped the fall. In a media availability after the draft, Payton called Estime a " first and second-down runner" with experience in a pro-style offense. With Williams posting just 3.6 yards per carry last season and Perine having a limited role, Estime could be in play for early-down work right away as a rookie. His fantasy upside will be limited, but any role as a fifth-round rookie would mean exceeding expectations.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Mason - DenverSports.com
4 weeks agoThe New England Patriots released offensive tackle Conor McDermott on Monday, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. The 31-year-old started five games at left tackle last season for New England, but after the team drafted Penn State offensive tackle Caedan Wallace in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, McDermott is being let go. He has 17 career starts in 55 games on his resume, so there could be interest from another organization for veteran depth purposes.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Mike Reiss -- ESPN
4 weeks agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars announced on X that they have picked up the fifth-year options on 2021 first-round picks
Trevor Lawrence and
Travis Etienne. This move keeps the former Clemson duo under contract through the 2025 NFL season. Lawrence, the former No. 1 overall pick, has played well in spurts and led the team to a playoff win. He seemingly regressed from 2022 to 2023, but he's shown enough to warrant the team rolling with him for at least another two years. After missing his entire rookie season with a lisfranc injury, Etienne has rushed 478 times for 2,133 yards and 16 touchdowns and caught 93 passes for 792 yards and one score as a receiver in 34 games.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Jaguars On X
4 weeks agoThe Miami Dolphins have picked up the fifth-year option on star wideout and former No. 6 overall pick
Jaylen Waddle, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. This is a no-brainer for the organization after he racked up 251 receptions for 3,385 yards and 18 touchdowns during the first three seasons of his career. Even with
Tyreek Hill in town, Waddle has remained a 1000-yard receiver and is one of the best No. 2 options in any passing game around the NFL. Although Waddle set career lows in receptions, yards, and touchdowns last year, he should be primed for a bounce-back campaign if he can stay healthy. He missed three contests in 2023. He's now under contract through the 2025 NFL season.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
4 weeks agoThe Minnesota Vikings have exercised the fifth-year option on standout offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The No. 23 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft has earned a Pro Football Focus grade of at least 82.4 over the last two seasons and is widely viewed as at least an above-average player at the position. With rookie quarterback
J.J. McCarthy slated to take over the franchise at some point in the 2024 season, locking up key offensive linemen should be a priority. With this move, Darrisaw will be under contract with the Vikings through the 2025 campaign.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
4 weeks agoFollowing this year's NFL draft in which the Minnesota Vikings didn't take a single receiver,
Brandon Powell,
Jalen Nailor and
Trent Sherfield are all candidates to fill the No. 3 receiver role heading
read more...
4 weeks agoThe Buffalo Bills will exercise the fifth-year option on 2020 first-round pick Gregory Rousseau, according to a league source. The defensive end will now be under contract for 2025 at $13.387 million guaranteed, both in actual base salary and against the salary cap. He has one year remaining on his current deal that will count $3.693 million against the 2024 salary cap. The 30th overall pick out of Miami in 2020, Rousseau has totaled 17 sacks in his three seasons in the NFL, with five coming in 2023 and eight coming in 2022. The 24-year-old pass-rusher will now stick around in Buffalo for at least the next two seasons and could sign an extension with the team down the road. He played a career-high 585 defensive snaps last year and will remain a key piece of Buffalo's defensive line.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: WGR550 - Sal Capaccio
4 weeks agoThe Kansas City Chiefs and All-Pro tight end
Travis Kelce agreed to terms on Monday on an undisclosed two-year contract extension to make him the league's highest-paid tight end, according to sources. The deal was completed by his long-time agent, Mike Simon. Still one of the best tight ends in football at age 34, the former third-round pick in 2013 out of Cincinnati has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last nine seasons and finished the 2023 regular season with 93 catches (121 targets) for 984 yards and five touchdowns in 15 starts. The four-time All-Pro selection is still a high-end TE1 for fantasy purposes coming off back-to-back Super Bowl championships, but he's also much more of an injury risk than he's ever been.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 weeks agoSince the Indianapolis Colts didn't address the departure of
Zack Moss by taking a running back in this year's NFL draft, the team seems content with
Trey Sermon,
Evan Hull and
read more...
4 weeks agoAfter the addition of rookie wide receiver
Adonai Mitchell in the second round of this year's NFL draft, Indianapolis Colts wideout
Alec Pierce will compete with Mitchell on the outside for the No. 3 role this season. Michael Pittman Jr, who signed a three-year, $70 million contract extension this offseason, will continue to see the lion's share of the targets, with
Josh Downs manning the slot as the No. 2 option. The 23-year-old Pierce only had 32 catches for 514 yards and two touchdowns last year and will now be battling a much more dynamic pass-catcher for a role in the Colts' offense in 2024. Not only is Mitchell a superior athlete, but his production (55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023) speaks for itself.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
4 weeks agoStandout defensive tackle Christian Barmore and the New England Patriots reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension with a maximum value of $92 million on Monday. The deal was negotiated and confirmed by agent Nicole Lynn of Klutch Sports. The deal contains $41.8 million in guarantees in the largest deal that the Patriots have given out since
Tom Brady. The 24-year-old former second-rounder in 2021 out of Alabama earned the big extension by recording 133 tackles (74 solo), 12.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 32 QB hits, nine passes defended and one forced fumble in 44 games (11 starts) in his first three years in the NFL. He had a career-high 8.5 sacks in 17 games (six starts) last year and will stick around in New England as a key piece on the interior of their defensive line for years to come.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
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