1 month agoNew Orleans Saints offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk (knee) could miss the entire 2024 season due to lingering knee issues. The 29-year-old missed five games last year, and head coach Dennis Allen said his knee is not responding the way they had hoped. This is a cloudy situation for now, but there will be further updates as the 2024 campaign approaches. Ramczyk was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by New Orleans and has started 101 games for the organization. He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time All-Pro. Needless to say, his absence from the lineup could negatively affect
Derek Carr and the team's running backs and wide receivers.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport
1 month agoThe Chicago Bears signing of former Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles running back
D'Andre Swift was one of the first moves of free agency, and head coach Matt Eberflus suggested he will be a passing game weapon for the organization. "We just felt that
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1 month agoThe Pittsburgh Steelers are signing running back/wide receiver
Cordarrelle Patterson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Patterson enjoyed the best season of his career under current Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Atlanta, so the move gives the veteran a smidge of fantasy relevance in 2024. In 2021, Patterson rushed 153 times for 618 yards and six touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 548 yards and five scores. He finished that campaign as the RB9 in PPR leagues. However, he posted just 219 yards of offense last season and turned 33 years old on March 17. In all likelihood, he will primarily be used on special teams and as a gadget player in the new-look Pittsburgh offense. Patterson holds the NFL record for kick return touchdowns (nine), and this move was made on the same day the league approved a revised kickoff.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
1 month agoThe Seattle Seahawks traded for former Washington Commanders quarterback
Sam Howell on March 14. Although the franchise has already declared
Geno Smith as the starter in 2024, general manager John Schneider said he "absolutely" believes Howell can be a full-time starter again in the future. Howell started 17 games for Washington last season, throwing for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. He flashed upside and mobility, but the turnover woes proved to mark the end of his short tenure with the Commanders. With Smith turning 34 next season, Seattle will likely have to eye his replacement in the near future. It's not necessarily going to be Howell, but it sounds like the Seahawks are keeping the light on for him moving forward. The North Carolina product doesn't have immediate fantasy value, but he might be worth stashing in Superflex and two-QB dynasty leagues.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Brady Henderson
1 month agoNew Tennessee Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed agreed to terms on a new four-year, $76.4 million deal on Tuesday, according to sources. The deal includes $55 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus to make him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league. The new contract comes after the Titans acquired the 27-year-old defensive back from the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. Sneed was a big reason why the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl ring this past season and will now operate as Tennessee's top cornerback for the foreseeable future. The former fourth-round pick by KC in 2020 out of Louisiana Tech had 78 tackles (60 solo), five tackles for loss, two interceptions, 14 passes defended and a fumble recovery in 16 regular-season starts in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
1 month agoThe Dallas Cowboys and quarterback
Dak Prescott have a mutual understanding of his contract situation, according to sources, with no offers from Dallas despite Prescott being in a contract year. "We are where we are, locked and loaded for this year," owner Jerry Jones said. With no indication of a new deal coming, it looks like the 30-year-old signal-caller will play out the 2024 season on the final year of his contract. The three-time Pro Bowler threw for 4,516 yards and a league-high 36 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in one of his best showings, but the Cowboys fell flat in the playoffs yet again. There's still time for the two sides to work something out to help ease the burden of Prescott's $55.46 million salary cap hit this year. Fantasy-wise, Prescott will be a QB1 consolation prize after the elite names at the position come off the board.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
1 month agoThe NFL announced that this year's Hall of Fame game, the first preseason contest of 2024, on Aug. 1 will feature the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. The game will feature the upstart Texans, who won a playoff game in 2023 under first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback
C.J. Stroud against a Bears team that is expected to take USC QB
Caleb Williams first overall in the upcoming draft. The league will also hold two games on Christmas Day this year, which falls on a Wednesday. Last year's Christmas Day tripleheader drew historic ratings, with all three games ranking among the top-five Christmas Day NFL games on record, dating back to 1988.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
1 month agoNFL owners on Tuesday agreed to move the trade deadline to Tuesday after Week 9 of the 2024 season. In addition to moving the trade deadline back, three penalty categories -- intentional grounding, roughing the passer and hits out of bounds -- were added to the list of plays that replay assist can advise officials on. Teams can also use a practice-squad player as their emergency No. 3 quarterback on game days after requiring that player to be an existing member of the 53-man roster in 2023. Replay officials will be authorized to suggest a real-time reversal of a penalty on "specific, objective aspects of play when clear and obvious video evidence is present." It's a step toward creating the NFL's own version of a "sky judge," but one that gives the on-field referee the final word.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Seifert
1 month agoNFL owners approved a new hybrid kickoff rule on Monday, according to a source. After years of tweaked turned one of the game's most exciting moments into a "dead, ceremonial play," the league hopes the change will lead to fewer injuries and more returns. The format originated in the XFL. In 2024, kickers will continue to kick from the 35-yard line, but the other 10 players on the kickoff team will line up at the receiving team's 40-yard line. At least nine members of the return team will line up in a "setup zone" between the 35- and 30-yard lines. Up to two returners can line up in a "landing zone" between the goal line and the 20-yard line. No one other than the kicker and returner(s) can move until the ball hits the ground or hits a player inside the landing zone. No fair catches will be allowed. The rule change on kickoffs should mean more kicks returned in 2024 and better starting spots for offenses.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
1 month agoThe Green Bay Packers signed free-agent kicker
Greg Joseph to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday, according to his agent, Brett Tessler. Joseph kicked for the division-rival Minnesota Vikings the last three seasons and holds the NFL record for game-winning kicks in a season (five) and the Vikings record for longest field goal (61 yards). The 29-year-old went 83-for-101 on his field goals and 112-for-124 on extra points during his time in Minnesota. In addition to Joseph, the Packers have last year's sixth-rounder,
Anders Carlson, on their roster, but Carlson struggled mightily in his rookie season and could now be on his way out. Joseph finished the 2023 season as the No. 24 kicker in terms of overall fantasy points and should be on the streaming radar in 2024 with Green Bay.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Brett Tessler
1 month agoTennessee Titans wide receiver
Calvin Ridley is expected to see a lot of targets in his first year with the team in 2024. "You're looking at a very similar role to what
Ja'Marr Chase played," Titans head coach Brian Callahan said. The new Titans head coach previously coached Chase as the offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals. Ridley might not be the overall talent that Chase is, but his fantasy price is going to go up considerably if the Titans indeed use Ridley similarly to how Chase is used in Cincinnati. With the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023, the 29-year-old was mostly used as a deep threat on the outside and finished with the second 1,000-yard season of his career and eight touchdowns in 17 starts. If he's running more intermediate routes out of the slot in 2024, Ridley's fantasy ceiling could be even higher.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: This Is Football - Kevin Clark
1 month agoGreen Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur implied that we'll see more of new running back
Josh Jacobs in the passing game than the 40 catches per year he averaged in five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. "Just studying him, I think
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1 month agoCleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said on Monday that they are close to reaching contract extensions with both head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry. In the last four seasons with Stefanski and Berry at the helm in Cleveland, the Browns have made the postseason twice and even won a playoff game against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns have gone 37-30 in the regular season since both men were hired. They've gone 1-2 in the postseason but advanced to the playoffs last year despite season-ending injuries to key players like
Deshaun Watson,
Nick Chubb, Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills. It remains to be seen how long their new contract extensions will be, but both Stefanski and Berry have earned the right to stick around longer.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
1 month agoPittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward (groin) had a cleanup procedure this offseason to help fix a lingering issue with his groin and core-muscle surgery from in-season, but head coach Mike Tomlin doesn't think Heyward's recovery would linger into the training programs this offseason. "I'm not anticipating it to be a factor by the time we get to training camp," Tomlin said. The 34-year-old veteran should have missed 12 weeks last year after his initial surgery, but he powered back quicker than that. He also dealt with a knee issue that kept him from practicing fully throughout almost the entire season. The six-time Pro Bowler could bounce back in IDP fantasy leagues in 2024 if he's completely healthy. Heyward had only two sacks in 11 starts in 2023 but recorded 20.5 sacks the previous two seasons combined.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Steelers Now - Nick Farabaugh
1 month agoWhile New York Giants president and CEO John Mara still has faith in quarterback
Daniel Jones (knee), he told reporters on Monday at the NFL meetings that he wouldn't stop general manager Joe Schoen from taking a quarterback in the upcoming draft. "I think the Daniel (Jones) we saw in 2022 is the real deal. I still have all the confidence in the world in him. … Yes, I think we all expect him to be the starter in 2024," Mara said. Jones is no lock to be ready for Week 1 in 2024 after tearing his ACL last year, but the Giants continue to stay that when he's healthy, he'll be the team's starter under center. The G-Men aren't giving up on the former sixth overall pick in 2019 out of Duke, but 2024 might be his make-or-break season. Drafting a QB this year would give the Giants some insurance at the position.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
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