4 weeks agoThe Dallas Cowboys signed free-agent running back
Royce Freeman to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday, according to a source. The former third-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2018 out of Oregon spent last year with the Los Angeles Rams and had 77 carries for 319 yards and two rushing touchdowns in 14 regular-season games (zero starts) while adding a 13-yard catch on two targets. Even with
Tony Pollard departing via Tennessee in free agency this offseason, it might be tough for Freeman to make a huge impact in Dallas' backfield in 2024 alongside the likes of
Rico Dowdle,
Deuce Vaughn and
Malik Davis. The Cowboys could also add more competition at the position via the upcoming draft. At best, Freeman could be a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex option in fantasy in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
4 weeks agoThe San Francisco 49ers signed free-agent wide receiver
Trent Taylor to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday. It will be a reunion between the two sides after the Niners selected Taylor in the fifth round (177th overall) in 2017 out of Louisiana Tech. The 29-year-old pass-catcher spent the first three years of his NFL career in the Bay Area before two years with the Cincinnati Bengals. He went catchless on two targets in 17 games (zero starts) for the Chicago Bears in 2023. Taylor is most likely to pitch in on special teams for the 49ers after
Ray-Ray McCloud III left in free agency this offseason. In his six NFL seasons, Taylor has 87 receptions on 137 targets for 834 yards and three touchdowns, with most of the production coming in his first two seasons with the 49ers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 49ers.com - Lindsey Pallares
4 weeks agoWhile Cleveland Browns running back
Nick Chubb (knee) has been working hard in the weight room, there's no timetable yet for his return in 2024. "I don't know that we'll go past today and this week at least that's the way I'm looking at it," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "I can promise you he's working very hard early in the morning. He's here, he's attacking his rehab. That's the best way I can put it. When he's ready, he'll be ready." The 28-year-old suffered a gruesome season-ending knee injury in Week 2 of last year. While he'll be sticking around with the team in 2024, it's unclear if he'll be ready by training camp this summer or if the Browns will be forced to ease him into the fold in the opening portion of the 2024 campaign. Because of the uncertainty around how Chubb will bounce back, it will make him an extremely risky RB1 in fantasy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
4 weeks agoJacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Trevor Lawrence missed just one game last season, but he dealt with multiple injuries to his lower and upper body that could have affected his play in 2023. In a media availability on Tuesday, the former No. 1 overall pick
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4 weeks agoCleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said he is "not sure" when running back
Nyheim Hines (knee) will practice with the team for the first time. The 27-year-old is rehabbing from a torn ACL that he suffered off the field last offseason as a member of the Buffalo Bills. Despite that, the Browns signed him to a one-year, $1.15 million deal after free agency began. Since being traded to the Bills in the middle of the 2022 campaign, Hines has rushed for negative three yards and caught five passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Cleveland has
Nick Chubb (knee),
D'Onta Foreman, and
Jerome Ford on the roster. That said, it'd be surprising if Hines has a role in the offense this season, but he could be a factor in the kick return game if he can work his way back from the unfortunate injury.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 weeks agoVeteran wide receiver
Rashard Higgins and linebacker
Christian Kirksey are signing one-day contracts with the Cleveland Browns to retire with the organization, the team announced on Tuesday. Higgins was selected by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft and racked up 137 receptions for 1,890 yards and 12 touchdowns in 82 games from 2016 to 2021. He spent the 2022 season with the Carolina Panthers but did not log a snap. Kirkey was a 2014 third-round pick by the Browns and played for the team until 2019 before brief stints with the Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and Buffalo Bills. Overall, he secured 779 tackles, 16.5 sacks, seven interceptions, and 34 passes defended in 114 career games.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
4 weeks agoThe Atlanta Falcons secured quarterback
Kirk Cousins this offseason on a four-year, $180 million deal, setting them up to have above-average quarterback play for the first time since
Matt Ryan parted ways with the organization. However, the team is not
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4 weeks agoCleveland Browns quarterback
Deshaun Watson (shoulder) told reporters on Tuesday that he is "throwing full speed" with no limitations on motion or velocity. The 28-year-old said he's making 40-yard and 60-yard throws while following his doctor's lead, and the plan is for him to participate in OTAs in late May or early June in some capacity. However, the former Pro Bowl quarterback and the organization are likely to be careful with him during that time and focus on getting him 100% ready for training camp. Watson was limited to just six games last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, and he has only played in 12 total games over the last three years. Although it's been a long time since he has delivered strong fantasy numbers, his QB21 price tag in early FFPC drafts makes him worth taking a flier on for the 2024 campaign.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Zac Jackson
4 weeks agoKansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that former rugby star
Louis Rees-Zammit will be started off as a running back in his transition to the NFL game in 2024. Reid said it's "not an easy transition, but he seems to be wired" for the professional game due to his experience in rugby. Rees-Zammit is getting acclimated to the team by working with quarterback
Patrick Mahomes and company in Texas during in-person work. "We'll start him off at the running back position, get him to feel comfortable with that going forward here," Reid said. The head coach also said Rees-Zammit will get looks from special teams coordinator Dave Toub in the return game once the team gets into offseason work. The signing of the rugby star was interesting this offseason, but Rees-Zammit will be a long shot to become fantasy relevant in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pro Football Talk - Josh Alper
4 weeks agoNFL Network's Cameron Wolfe threw cold water on the idea that the Miami Dolphins could take a quarterback in Round 1 of the upcoming NFL draft. Instead, Wolfe thinks the team will go after either an offensive or defensive lineman at pick No. 21 overall. Wolfe said he'd "be shocked" if the Dolphins took a signal-caller in the first or second round this year. In addition to their offensive and defensive-line needs, the Dolphins could also use help at tight end. Don't forget that the Dolphins have only two picks in the top 150 this year, so spending a luxury pick on a QB seems like a reach if they plan on eventually extending Tagovailoa for the long term. Although nothing is official with an extension for Tagovailoa yet, all signs point to him staying in Miami long-term, so it would make sense for the Dolphins to hone in on more protection for him early in this year's draft.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
4 weeks agoThere is "nothing imminent" on an agreement between the Miami Dolphins and free-agent wide receiver
Odell Beckham Jr., according to general manager Chris Grier. Beckham was in the facilities a few weeks ago to meet with the Dolphins and an offer was made, but it doesn't sound like the two sides are particularly close to getting anything done. OBJ would offer some more receiving depth for the Dolphins behind one of the best one-two receiver punches in
Tyreek Hill and
Jaylen Waddle if he were to sign with Miami. The 31-year-old former 12th overall pick of the New York Giants in 2014 out of LSU is clearly past his prime due to several significant lower-body injuries, but he can still splash for some big games as a deep threat. Beckham had 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular-season games (six starts) in Baltimore in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
4 weeks agoMiami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier told reporters on Tuesday that the team plans to pick up the fifth-year options for wide receiver
Jaylen Waddle and pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips prior to the deadline. These moves don't come as much of a surprise, especially for Waddle, after he put up his third straight 1,000-yard season in 2023 to begin his NFL career. The 25-year-old is the first pass-catcher to do that in franchise history, and it's even more impressive doing it alongside All-Pro wideout
Tyreek Hill the last two years. Hill's presence limits Waddle's overall fantasy upside, but he's proven these last two seasons that there's still plenty to go around for Waddle in Miami's high-octane offense. Waddle will now be guaranteed to stick in Miami for the next two seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 weeks agoDetroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker (ankle, foot) said on Tuesday that he underwent surgery on his ankle and foot this offseason. The surgery was related to an injury that he's been dealing with since college. Decker said he feels great walking around now. He'll be limited this spring but should be fine for the start of the 2024 regular season this fall. Despite not being 100 percent healthy last year, the 29-year-old only missed two regular-season games for the Lions and played in all three of their playoff contests. The former 16th overall pick by Detroit in the 2016 NFL draft out of Ohio State is one of the big reasons why the Lions' offense has soared in recent seasons as he's protected quarterback
Jared Goff's blind side.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Free Press - Dave Birkett
4 weeks agoDenver Broncos wide receiver
Courtland Sutton did not report on Monday for the start of voluntary offseason workouts as he seeks a new contract, according to a source. Sutton is going on his 10th starting quarterback in seven seasons in Denver and has only $2 million guaranteed left on his current deal. He had 10 touchdowns in 2023 while ranking 56th in the league in targets (90). The former second-round pick in 2018 out of SMU also had 59 receptions for 772 yards last year, but now that
Russell Wilson is in Pittsburgh and the Broncos currently have
Jarrett Stidham as their starter under center, Sutton is due for some big regression (mainly in the TD department) in 2024 if he sticks around in Denver. Even with
Jerry Jeudy also gone, the 28-year-old Sutton could struggle to come close to another 1,000-yard season with more questions at QB.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
4 weeks agoThe New Orleans Saints re-signed cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles on Monday after not tendering him as a restricted free agent. Jean-Charles spent the 2023 campaign with the San Francisco 49ers and Saints and will now return to the Big Easy in 2024 after finishing last year with a combined four tackles (three solo) in eight games (zero starts) with both teams. The 25-year-old Florida native was originally a fifth-round selection by the Green Bay Packers in 2021 out of Appalachian State and spent the first two seasons of his NFL career in Green Bay, recording just seven solo tackles in 20 games played (zero starts). Jean-Charles will merely be hoping to make New Orleans' active roster this summer out of training camp.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Howard Balzer
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