2 days agoDenver Broncos rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix continues to impress the coaching staff after having taken part in rookie minicamp and two weeks of voluntary organized team activities. "He's doing well," head coach Sean Payton said. "He's picking it up, and there's a lot that's going in. He's throwing it extremely well." Nix was selected with the 12th overall pick in April's NFL draft to be the team's franchise signal-caller, and he's competing this offseason with incumbent Jarrett Stidham and former first-rounder Zach Wilson. The 24-year-old has plenty of experience with 61 collegiate starts and appears to have picked things up quickly. We'll have a better idea of how good of a shot Nix has to start under center in Week 1 for the Broncos. If Nix is starting for the Broncos in 2024, he'll be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex leagues.Source: The Athletic - Nick Kosmider
2
days
agoDenver
Broncos
wide
receiver
Marvin
Mims
Jr.
said
he's
feeling
better
heading
into
his
second
year
in
the
NFL,
and
the
electric
return
man
will
also
get
more
chances
to
return
kicks
in
2024
with
the
new
league
rules.
Mims
averaged
26.5read more...
3
days
agoNew
York
Jets
running
back
Tarik
Cohen
has
not
played
in
an
NFL
game
since
the
2020
regular
season,
but
the
28-year-old
signed
with
the
organization
on
May
29
in
hopes
of
keeping
his
career
alive.
According
to
Jets
reporter
Brandyn
Pokrass,
Cohenread more...
3 days agoThe Buffalo Bills released veteran punter Matt Haack on Friday, according to NFL.com. The 29-year-old spent three days on Buffalo's practice squad during the 2023 postseason and re-signed in March, but he's already being let go. Haack entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017 out of Arizona State and has appeared in games for the Bills, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, and Indianapolis Colts. Overall, he has punted 432 times for an average of 44.5 yards per attempt and has 160 punts downed inside the 20-yard line in 99 career games.Source: NFL.com
3 days agoNew York Jets running back Israel Abanikanda did not get any reps with the first-team or second-team offense during Friday's OTAs, according to Jets reporter Brandyn Pokrass. Pokrass said he is falling down the depth chart and could be a cut or trade candidate this offseason. Following Abanikanda's 1431-yard, 20-touchdown rushing season in 2022 at Pittsburgh, he was selected by New York in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he rushed just six times for 22 yards and caught six passes for 11 yards. After New York drafted Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (fourth round) and South Dakota State running back Isaiah Davis (fifth round) in April's draft, the writing was on the wall for the 21-year-old speedster. Fantasy managers in deep dynasty leagues can consider continuing to stash Abanikanda, but he's unlikely to make an impact in 2024.Source: Brandyn Pokrass
3 days agoChicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams reportedly had plenty of expected rookie struggles at last week's OTAs, but Zach Pearson of Bear Report said he had one of his best showings during Friday's seven-on-seven period. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of USC completed 13 of his 14 passing attempts and threw a touchdown to DJ Moore. Needless to say, it's not a good idea to overvalue reports from practices with no live rushers on defense, but any sign of growth is encouraging. While rookie quarterbacks usually struggle in real life and fantasy football, Williams arguably has the best supporting cast any No. 1 overall pick has ever had. With pass-catchers like Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D'Andre Swift, Cole Kmet, and Gerald Everett surrounding him, he could post low-end QB1 numbers in Year 1.Source: Zach Pearson -- BearReport.com
3 days agoThe Buffalo Bills signed former Olympic wrestler Gable Steveson on Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 24-year-old will attempt an NFL career as a defensive tackle. Stevenson took home a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 275-pound division. This is an intriguing low-risk, high-reward signing for Buffalo, and his development will be worth monitoring this offseason. Wrestlers have translatable skills to the football field, particularly the ability to manage leverage, which could help Steveson hold his own on the line of scrimmage.Source: Adam Schefter
3 days agoWhen New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton returned to voluntary organized team activities this week, fellow wideout Isaiah Hodgins appeared to be the odd man out. Slayton didn't miss a beat in his return to the field, either, catching a crossing route from quarterback Daniel Jones in a 7-on-7 period and also catching two passes from backup Drew Lock. Hodgins had a quiet practice on Thursday after being the leading first-team receiver last week. Slot receiver Wan'Dale Robinson continues to be moved around the field. After the Giants took LSU wideout Malik Nabers in the first round of this year's NFL draft, Hodgins' stock immediately took a hit. In addition to Robinson, Jalin Hyatt also figures to have a bigger role in the offense in 2024.Source: The Athletic - Dan Duggan
3 days agoWith Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor taking a personal day at organized team activities on Thursday, it allowed for more running back reps for Trey Sermon, Tyler Goodson and Evan Hull. Both Sermon and Goodson broke off a couple big runs. Behind Taylor this year, the backup RB roles and reps are very much in the air among Sermon, Goodson and Hull now that Zack Moss is in Cincinnati. The 23-year-old Goodson is probably considered the biggest long shot to earn the No. 2 role this year behind Taylor, but the fact that he's being given reps with the first-team offense in OTAs means he has an early shot. The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa saw his first 13 carries in six games (one start) last year and gained 87 yards on the ground. He also added six receptions for an additional 34 yards.Source: 107.5 The Fan - Kevin Bowen
3 days agoIndianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell continues to flash his potential during organized team activities this offseason and made one of the plays of the day on Thursday during a 7-on-7 period. The highlight-reel play explains why the Colts took a swing on Mitchell in the second round of the draft despite just one year of big-time production in college. He had 55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023 at Texas and ranked first among receivers in this year's draft class with 81.8% of his catches resulting in a first down or touchdown. "He's been making a ton of plays out here the past couple of days," head coach Shane Steichen said. The 21-year-old is certainly one to watch, but his production could be sporadic in his rookie campaign if all of Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Alec Pierce can stay healthy.Source: The Athletic - James Boyd
3 days agoNew England Patriots kicker Chad Ryland isn't a roster lock in 2024 after his difficult rookie season after being selected in the fourth round in 2023. The Patriots signed Joey Slye to compete with Ryland for the kicking job this summer. During organized team activities on Wednesday, he made four of his five field-goal attempts, with his lone miss coming from just beyond 40 yards. The 24-year-old didn't get all that many opportunities to kick field goals in his first year in the NFL in an atrocious Patriots offense, and he made just 64 percent of his 25 attempts. The booter from Maryland has plenty of leg, but he's going to need to be more consistent to lock down the kicking job in 2024. Even if he holds off Slye, Ryland can be ignored in most fantasy football leagues.Source: The Athletic - Chad Graff
3 days agoNew England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, a second-round pick in 2022, is putting together a productive stretch of offseason practices during voluntary organized team activities. Thornton has impressed before during offseason workouts, although it has yet to translate to regular-season production. He was arguably the most active receiver on the field in the practice open to the media on Wednesday. The 23-year-old so far has been labeled a bust, and things won't get easier in 2024 with a new regime in town and after the Patriots took rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in this year's draft. Thornton entered the offseason as a potential roster cut, but if he continues to show out during offseason practices, he should stick around as receiver depth in New England. Thornton has been limited with injuries in his first two seasons and has only 35 catches in 22 games.Source: The Athletic - Chad Graff
3 days agoNew England Patriots veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who spent a year running offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt's offense with the Cleveland Browns, is definitely ahead of the other QBs on the team during offseason workouts. Brissett has run the offense smoothly and is smart about distributing the football. So far, he's gotten all the No. 1 QB reps in practices open to the media, and it's clear the other QBs, including first-round rookie Drake Maye, look to Brissett for advice and tips on the offense. Maye, the No. 3 overall pick, will likely still make his NFL debut in 2024, but at this point, it would be a surprise if Brissett isn't starting in the Week 1 regular season opener. Maye, who will surely benefit from some time learning from Brissett, should only be drafted in dynasty/keeper leagues this fall.Source: The Athletic - Chad Graff
3 days agoSeattle Seahawks new head coach Mike Macdonald said "his practice habits are awesome" when discussing wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba's big day at organized team activities this week. The feeling inside the organization was that Smith-Njigba really improved in that regard as his rookie season progressed, along with his wrist healing later in the year. After Seattle selected him with the 20th overall pick last year out of Ohio State, the 22-year-old caught 63 of his 93 targets for 628 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games (three starts). While those numbers might have been a bit disappointing for some given his draft pedigree, you also have to remember he did it with both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett ahead of him on the receiver depth chart. Seattle may be impressed with his work ethic, but it's probably going to take an injury to one of Metcalf or Lockett to take the next step for fantasy managers.Source: ESPN.com - Brady Henderson
3
days
agoIt's
clear
that
the
Detroit
Lions
want
second-year
running
back
Jahmyr
Gibbs
to
be
more
involved
in
their
offense
in
2024
after
he
rushed
for
almost
1,000
yards
as
a
rookie
and
finished
third
in
the
league
in
yards
per
carry
(5.2).
Headingread more...