Deonte Banks Could Make Impact From Day 1
4 weeks agoNew York Giants head coach Brian Daboll constantly reiterates that training camp this summer will be a competition for starting spots, but rookie cornerback Deonte Banks could have the biggest impact from Day 1. The first-rounder will likely be the starter opposite top corner Adoree' Jackson. Jackson isn't signed beyond next year, though, so Banks could quickly become the face of the position group in New York. He will compete with Cor'Dale Flott, Aaron Robinson and Nick McCloud this summer. Given the team's first-round investment and Banks' man-coverage abilities, it's expected that he will be starting right away in his first NFL campaign.Source: The Athletic - Charlotte Carroll
Isaiah Foskey Could Be Rotational Pass-Rusher
4 weeks agoNew Orleans Saints rookie pass-rusher Isaiah Foskey has an opportunity to emerge as a potent pass-rusher opposite Cam Jordan in his first NFL season. Carl Granderson might be the favorite to start, but Payton Turner is closer than not to being labeled a bust, and Marcus Davenport is gone. Foskey has a reasonable chance to at least be a rotational pass-rusher in his first NFL season. He fits the Saints' size profile for a 4-3 defensive end at 6-foot-5 and 264 pounds. The 22-year-old was productive in college in his last two seasons at Notre Dame, too, with 11 sacks in each season. He also led FBS with six forced fumbles in 2021 and blocked four punts in college.Source: The Athletic - Larry Holder
Chad Ryland To Compete With Nick Folk
4 weeks agoThe New England Patriots traded up in the fourth round of this year's NFL draft to take kicker Chad Ryland, who will technically compete with Nick Folk for the job in training camp this summer. However, teams don't draft kickers in the fourth round just to cut them in September. Ryland is a big-legged kicker who spent four years at Eastern Michigan before transferring to Maryland last season. He can handle kickoff duties. With Maryland, Ryland made 19 of his 23 field-goal attempts, although he was successful on only three of his six tries from 50-plus yards out. There's a chance that Folk handles field-goal attempts for New England this year, while Ryland handles kickoffs.Source: The Athletic - Chad Graff
Jordan Addison Should Make An Immediate Impact
4 weeks agoMinnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds, which raises durability concerns, but the Vikings wouldn't have taken him in the first round of this year's NFL draft if they didn't think he could thrive immediately. His separation skills at multiple levels will create flexibility for head coach Kevin O'Connell in the types of route concepts he can draw up. O'Connell won't allow defenses to jam Addison to take him away. As long as the 21-year-old pass-catcher stays healthy, he will impact defensive coverages until they can no longer devote all of their resources to stopping All-Pro Justin Jefferson. Addison is in a great situation for immediate production, but fantasy managers in single-year leagues should still temper expectations slightly.Source: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
Cam Smith Could Get On The Field Right Away
4 weeks agoMiami Dolphins rookie cornerback Cam Smith is a fine athlete whose ability to play inside and out and his love for making plays in the running game should get him on the field right away in his first NFL season, even in a secondary that already boasts two top talents in Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard. Smith is a little unrefined in terms of his technique, but landing on a team with two All-Pro corners to learn from is a dream scenario. The 22-year-old was taken in the second round of this year's draft excelled at breaking up passes in college and impressed scouts at the combine. Smith lacks elite size, so he may be better off on the inside matchup up against smaller slot receivers.Source: The Athletic - Jim Ayello
Romeo Doubs Could Lead Team In Catches
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Matt Schneidman predicts that Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs will lead the team in catches in 2023 in quarterback Jordan Love's first full season as the starter under center. After Doubs, Scheidman goes with Christian Watson, running back Aaron Jones, rookie tight end Luke Musgrave and rookie receiver Jayden Reed. Doubs finished his rookie year in 2022 with 42 receptions for 425 yards and three touchdowns, and he wasn't as heavily involved in the passing attack as Watson. However, Doubs and Love could have more chemistry than we know, so that's something to watch once training camp kicks off in late July. If Doubs becomes a favorite target for Love, he will slowly start to rise up draft boards.Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Jayden Reed Could Play The Slot Right Away
4 weeks agoGreen Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed gives the team's receiver room something it doesn't have in terms of size and speed, and he could play the slot right away in his first NFL season. Reed was taken in the second round of this year's draft. The 23-year-old stands at 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, and while his production probably won't stand out, he definitely has the skillset to become a starter quickly for an inexperienced Packers receiving corps. He could also factor into the team's return game on special teams. There's a good chance that Reed immediately becomes one of the team's three starting receivers in 2023, but that doesn't mean he'll be a productive fantasy starter in his rookie year.Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
David Bakhtiari Unlikely To Be Traded
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Matt Schneidman thinks the odds are astronomically low that left tackle David Bakhtiari is traded during the 2023 season. However, there's a much greater chance that the team looks to get rid of him next offseason, but the Packers won't need to move on from him just because of the direction the team is heading age-wise. Cutting Bakhtiari after this season would free up $21.5 million in salary cap space ahead of the final year on a contract extension he signed in 2020. The 31-year-old was one of the league's best offensive tackles in 2022 when he was healthy, but this season will be about proving that he can stay healthy.Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
Von Miller Could Miss Start Of Regular Season
4 weeks agoBuffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller's (knee) ACL tear in late November of last year could put him in jeopardy of missing the start of the 2023 regular season, regardless of how optimistic he might appear to be about it. Considering Miller's age (34) and how important he is to the team's playoff push, so the Bills will certainly be careful with him in the lead-up to the season. The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia suggests that the Bills could save Miller from himself by putting him on the Physically Unable to Perform list to begin the year, which would cause him to miss at least the first four games. Miller was off to a great start in Buffalo last year before his injury, racking up eight sacks in 11 games. However, with the potential for missed time early on, he'll be a much more risky selection in IDP drafts.Source: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
Khalil Shakir, Deonte Harty To Compete For Slot Role
4 weeks agoBuffalo Bills wide receivers Khalil Shakir and Deonte Harty will compete to be the starting slot receiver in a more traditional 11-personnel look this summer at training camp. However, whoever wins the job could concede a lot of snaps to first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid, who is expected to be lined up a lot as a receiver in his rookie year. Shakir, Harty and Trent Sherfield can also play outside in the Stefon Diggs role if needed, and Sherfield and rookie Justin Shorter can both fill in for Davis if he were to miss any time. There is opportunity for Shakir and Harty to carve out a nice role for themselves in this offense, but it's unlikely to be a prominent fantasy one if Kincaid is as heavily involved as everyone expects him to be.Source: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
Damien Harris, Latavius Murray Could Be In Competition
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Joe Buscaglia suggests that Buffalo Bills running backs Damien Harris and Latavius Murray could be in a competition to see who the complementary rusher behind James Cook will be in 2023. Both Harris ($1.4 million) and Murray ($802,500) received substantial guaranteed money from the Bills. Unless he suddenly takes to the offense this summer in training camp, Nyheim Hines will likely be a kickoff and punt returner on special teams with some offensive snaps sprinkled in. Harris has had a tough time staying healthy in his career, so Murray could carve out a fantasy relevant role as a touchdown-dependent power back in Buffalo if Harris misses more time due to injury. If everyone is healthy, Cook will be the only startable RB for the Bills in fantasy lineups.Source: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
Kyle Allen Likely To Win Backup Job In Buffalo
4 weeks agoThe Buffalo Bills' backup quarterback job will be more of a competition in 2023 than it was this past year between Kyle Allen and Matt Barkley. Allen is the likeliest to win the job behind Josh Allen with the Bills successfully getting Barkley to the practice squad in past years. Kyle Allen, 27, has made 19 career starts in the NFL in his five seasons, with two coming last year for the Houston Texans. In 23 career games with the Panthers, Commanders and Texans, he has completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 4,734 yards, 26 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. Even if Kyle Allen is forced into starting duties at some point in 2023, he won't be anything more than a low-end QB2 play in superflex leagues.Source: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
Ezekiel Elliott A Rumored Option For Buccaneers
4 weeks agoFree-agent running back Ezekiel Elliott could be an option for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Elliott hasn't garnered much interest on the free-agent market this offseason after he and the Dallas Cowboys parted ways following the 2022 season. Tampa Bay was expected to open the season with Rachaad White as their bell cow but they appear to be open to the idea of adding depth in the backfield. White would likely still lead the way with Elliott operating as the RB2. Fowler went on to say that Elliott returning to the Cowboys is still an option.Source: Dov Kleiman on Twitter
Hendon Hooker Looking At A Redshirt Year
4 weeks agoDetroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker is probably looking at a redshirt rookie year, according to head coach Dan Campbell. Hooker is still rehabbing a torn ACL and the Lions appear to be committed to Jared Goff as their starter in the near future. Hooker could be a long-term answer at the quarterback position for the Lions but he is unlikely to make an impact in 2023. He remains a stash in Superflex dynasty formats.Source: Pro Football Talk
Miles Sanders Could See More Work In Passing Game With Panthers
4 weeks agoCarolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders could see an uptick in work in the passing game with his new team, according to reports. ESPN staff writer David Newton reports that the Panthers would like to get Sanders back to the 50-catch range that he finished in as a rookie back in 2019. Sanders caught just 16 passes in 2022, his final season with the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Panthers do emphasize Sanders in the passing attack, he could flirt with RB1 numbers in 2023.Source: ESPN.com