3 days agoDallas Cowboys tight end
Jake Ferguson broke out as the team's starting tight end in 2023 with 71 catches for 761 yards and five touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl nod. "It's his consistency and his passion — his energy," said head coach Mike McCarthy. "And, really, it's his growth as a football player. We talked a little bit about his weight, and I think he's done an outstanding job in his transition phase of it. He's having a great offseason." Ferguson has so far shown that he has the entire package the Cowboys are looking for on offense. Realistically, the 25-year-old third-year tight end could be quarterback
Dak Prescott's No. 2 target behind receiver
CeeDee Lamb in 2024. Ferguson led all TEs in targets inside the 20-yard line last year and should be considered a low-end TE1 in fantasy with the upside for more.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: DallasCowboys.com - Patrik Walker
3 days agoSeattle Seahawks new head coach Mike Macdonald said his coaching staff plans to make wide receiver
DK Metcalf a "moving target" for defenses this year. "I can tell you this: We want to get DK the ball a lot, too," Macdonald said. The Seahawks and new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb plan to move Metcalf around and get him the ball often after he ended the 2023 campaign on a sour note, catching just one pass for 10 yards in the season finale. Still, the 26-year-old made his second Pro Bowl and topped 1,000 yards receiving for the second straight season and the third time in five years while also visiting paydirt eight times. Fantasy managers won't complain about the Seahawks using Metcalf more creatively, including more in the slot, to make him more productive. Treat him as a solid WR2 wideout in fantasy drafts this fall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
3 days agoNew York Jets running back
Breece Hall (lower body) was held out of minicamp practices as a precaution with a minor lower-body injury. "I'm just focused on continuing to get better and just to keep building my body up for the season," Hall said. "I could practice right now. I feel great, but the coaches are really cautious with me, and I appreciate them for that. It has been a good time still being a part of everything. I do all the walkthroughs and stuff we've been doing." Last year, Hall didn't practice until late August after coming off a torn ACL, but he still racked up 1,588 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. It may raise some eyebrows that he's dealing with an injury this offseason, but as long as he's fine in training camp, fantasy managers should have no worries taking Hall as a top-three fantasy RB in the first round of drafts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NewYorkJets.com - John Pullano
3 days agoNew York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal (ankle) had surgery to fix a small fracture in his ankle in early January, but he had participated in some individual drills in the first two open organized team activity practices. However, head coach Brian Daboll said the team "backed off" the 2022 first-rounder recently. Neal was in the facility rehabbing for the first half of minicamp practices before riding a stationary bike on the sideline. The 6-foot-7, 340-pounder was laboring as he walked around the practice fields this week. This doesn't bode well for Neal's status heading into training camp next month. We'll keep a close eye on his status this summer as the Giants look to massively improve what was a terrible offensive line in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Dan Duggan
4
days
agoNew
York
Giants
wide
receiver
Darius
Slayton
(undisclosed)
left
Tuesday's
practice
due
to
an
undisclosed
injury
after
appearing
to
slip
while
running
a
route.
He
got
up
and
walked
off
the
field
gingerly.
The
nature
of
Slayton's
injury
still
isn't
known,
but
head
read more...
4 days agoCleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett (hamstring) tweaked his hamstring early in minicamp drills this week, but that "he'll be fine." The Browns and Garrett aren't going to take any chances in June, and the 28-year-old defensive end should be ready to go for the start of training camp at the end of July. Garrett should be one of the first five defensive ends off the board in IDP fantasy drafts this fall after winning Defensive Player of the Year honors in his seventh year in the NFL. In 16 regular-season starts, he accumulated 42 tackles (33 solo), 14 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 30 QB hits, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Garrett is a pass-rushing beast and has had double-digit sacks in all but his rookie campaign for Cleveland back in 2017. He's hat at least 14 sacks in each of the last three years.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
4 days agoCleveland Browns wide receiver
Amari Cooper continued his holdout on Thursday for the final day of the team's mandatory minicamp while he seeks a long-term contract extension. Cooper is heading into the final year of his current deal in 2024 and is looking for more security on an extension after posting career-highs in receiving yards (1,250) and yards per catch (17.4) despite playing with four different quarterbacks in 2023. The 29-year-old former fourth overall pick in 2015 by the Raiders out of Alabama added 72 receptions and five touchdowns in 15 regular-season games. It's unknown if this holdout will extend into training camp next month, but if it does, Cooper's fantasy stock as a WR2 will dip further after the Browns added
Jerry Jeudy in a trade with the Broncos this offseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
4 days agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars and quarterback
Trevor Lawrence agreed on a five-year, $275 million contract extension on Thursday, which includes $200 million guaranteed ($142 million at signing), according to a source. The $55 million average salary in Lawrence's deal ties him with Cincinnati Bengals QB
Joe Burrow for the top mark in that category in the NFL. The 24-year-old former first overall pick in 2021 out of Clemson made his first Pro Bowl in his second season in 2022 and has had back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons, although Lawrence and the Jaguars offense struggled down the stretch last year as he battled through injuries. Overall, his 2023 campaign was a step back after he finished as the QB7 in fantasy the year prior. Lawrence lost
Calvin Ridley but gained rookie Brian Thomas and
Gabe Davis and has plenty of targets, but he's best drafted as a QB2 with upside in fantasy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
4 days agoThe New England Patriots signed second-round wide receiver
Ja'Lynn Polk to a $9.694 million rookie deal on Thursday that includes a $3.87 million signing bonus. Polk had been relatively quiet in organized team activities open to the media before Monday of this week, when he caught a touchdown pass from quarterback
Jacoby Brissett. He has come as advertised to the team's decision-makers and has embraced the steady installation of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt's playbook, showing a good understanding of a larger menu of plays. Coaches in the building have been impressed with his high-end physical skills that have them believing he'll be more than just a role player in the receivers room in his first NFL campaign. The 22-year-old will have the opportunity to earn playing time on a team without a clear leader at the position, making him worth a late-round flier in deep redraft leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
4 days agoThe New Orleans Saints restructured tight end
Taysom Hill's contract on Thursday, converting his base salary for 2024 to free up some salary cap room. Hill's cap number went from $15.7 million to $6.8 million with the move. The 33-year-old continues to be listed as a tight end for fantasy purposes, but he's apparently being involved more as a running back/fullback in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme during offseason workouts.
Juwan Johnson's foot injury will also open up more pass-catching opportunities for Hill in training camp this summer as a traditional tight end. Most of Hill's production in 2023 came as a quarterback in wild-cat formations for the Saints. His versatile skill set makes him intriguing as a TE2 in fantasy, but it has been nearly impossible to predict how the Saints will use him on a weekly basis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NewOrleans.Football - Nick Underhill
4 days agoNew Orleans Saints running back
Alvin Kamara skipped the team's final mandatory minicamp practice this week due to contract-related reasons, according to his agent, Brad Cicala. Kamara was in attendance for minicamp but didn't take part in on-field workouts as he seeks a new contract. The 28-year-old veteran has two years left on his current deal, and not much progress has been made on a new contract. The former third-round selection in 2017 was a Pro Bowler in each of his first five seasons in the league and has surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards in all seven of his campaigns for the Saints. However, Kamara has never been a 1,000-yard rusher and had a career-low 694 rushing yards and five touchdowns in 13 games in 2023. Kamara is more attractive in PPR leagues for his pass-catching prowess. Keep in mind that he's averaged 4.0 yards per carry or less in the last three seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 days agoAfter a thorough review of the Philadelphia Eagles' signing of running back
Saquon Barkley, the NFL informed the team on Thursday that the investigation did not discover sufficient evidence to support a finding that the anti-tampering policy was violated. The league reviewed phone logs, text messages and other documents related to Philadelphia's free-agency strategy and decision to sign Barkley. The NFL also interviewed several members of the organization, including Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni, as well as Barkley and Penn State head coach James Franklin. Unlike the Atlanta Falcons and their pursuit of quarterback
Kirk Cousins this offseason, the Eagles will not face any fines or loss of future draft picks for their signing of Barkley.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
4 days agoEven though Denver Broncos wide receiver
Courtland Sutton showed up for mandatory minicamp this week after being absent at voluntary organized team activities, he hinted that he could hold out of training camp next month as he seeks a long-term contract extension. He's entering the third year of a four-year, $60.8 million extension that he signed back in 2021. Sutton has a $13 million salary in 2024 with only $2 million guaranteed. The 28-year-old wants a bigger contract after scoring a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2023. "You know we'll see, we'll see what happens," Sutton said when asked if he'll show up for training camp if his contract negotiations remain at a stalemate. Sutton will be the unquestioned WR1 in Denver now that
Jerry Jeudy is gone, but the QB situation isn't ideal, and he will be facing major regression in the TD department in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
4
days
agoLos
Angeles
Chargers
head
coach
Jim
Harbaugh
said
that
running
back
Gus
Edwards
(undisclosed)
"has
been
on
a
really
good
track"
and
is
"likely"
to
be
back
for
training
camp
at
the
end
of
July.
Edwards
worked
off
to
the
side
with
trainers
read more...
4 days agoPittsburgh Steelers running back
Najee Harris, who had his fifth-year option declined by the team last month, attended mandatory minicamp this week but didn't participate at all. Harris also declined every interview request and hasn't done interviews since January. He said he'd talk to the media next month at training camp. Harris isn't believed to be dealing with an injury this offseason, and head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the fact that the RB didn't take part in minicamp workouts this week. In a contract year now, the 26-year-old has slimmed down as he looks to show out before hitting the free-agent market next March. The former first-rounder will probably never be as productive as he was in his rookie campaign in 2021, but he's been durable and reliable in Pittsburgh's backfield.
Jaylen Warren's emergence has capped Harris' fantasy upside, although the Steelers should remain heavily committed to the run in 2024 under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
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