2 days agoBaltimore Ravens wide receiver
Rashod Bateman has struggled to begin his NFL career, racking up just 93 receptions, 1,167 yards, and four touchdowns in his first 35 games. According to Ravens reporter Jonas Shaffer, the former first-round pick has remained underwhelming this offseason. "Bateman has had a quiet start to minicamp. He had a short catch early in Tuesday's practice, but his snaps seemed to dwindle later in the session," Shaffer wrote. "On Wednesday, Jackson targeted him just once, when Bateman was well covered by Mullen on a shot play and his deep pass fell incomplete." Offensive coordinator Todd Monken said he expects a great year from Bateman, but the early reports from minicamp are less than ideal. Unfortunately, Bateman is likely capped as the No. 3 option in a low-volume passing attack, which limits his upside. The 24-year-old is a fine best-ball flier, but it would be a surprise if he's a weekly contributor in traditional fantasy football leagues.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Shaffer
2 days agoNew Orleans Saints tight end
Juwan Johnson (foot) is scheduled to undergo foot surgery next week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Johnson suffered the injury during Wednesday's minicamp practice and is expected to miss a significant chunk of time. However, the team is hopeful he'll be ready for the start of the regular season. In Johnson's first year with
Derek Carr, he caught 37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games. He's been a fantasy football sleeper for the last few years and will remain one in 2024, so long as he can recover and get back to action. In his absence,
Foster Moreau will likely handle TE1 duties, though
Taysom Hill could see more work at that spot for the remainder of the offseason.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
2 days agoThe Chicago Bears are signing wide receiver
DeAndre Carter, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The 2015 undrafted free agent has spent time with nine NFL organizations, including the Bears in 2020. Overall, the 31-year-old has tallied 108 receptions for 1,259 yards and six touchdowns. However, he has returned 132 punts and 118 kickoffs in 94 career games, so that's likely why Chicago was interested in bringing him in. Carter is likely to compete with third-year wideout
Velus Jones Jr. for return-man duties, a role that could be more important following the updated kickoff rules in 2024. With
DJ Moore,
Keenan Allen, and
Rome Odunze on the roster, it'd be a surprise if Carter makes an impact as a receiver.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Jordan Schultz
2 days agoFree-agent edge-rusher Takkarist McKinley is signing with the New York Jets, according to NFL.com. The 2017 first-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons out of UCLA is set to join his seventh organization in his seventh year in the NFL. He has appeared in games for the Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Los Angeles Rams and has racked up 98 tackles, 20 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two pass deflections in 64 career games. Although he's unlikely to ever live up to his draft status, he could contribute to a dominant defense as a rotational edge rusher. He'll look to compete with Micheal Clemons and Will McDonald IV to play behind Haason Reddick and Jermaine Johnson in 2024.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoThe Philadelphia Eagles were under investigation for potentially violating the league's anti-tampering policy, but the NFL announced the team will not face punishment. The league found no evidence of tampering in regards to the signing of Pro Bowl running back
Saquon Barkley. The Falcons, on the other hand, lost a 2025 fifth-round pick and were fined $250,000 for tampering with
Kirk Cousins,
Darnell Mooney, and
Charlie Woerner.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoThe Atlanta Falcons will have their 2025 fifth-round pick revoked following the NFL's investigation into potential tampering. The Falcons violated the anti-tampering policy with quarterback
Kirk Cousins, wide receiver
Darnell Mooney, and tight end
Charlie Woerner. In addition to the pick loss, the team was fined $250,000, and general manager Terry Fontenot was fined $500,000, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. All things considered, this is a mild punishment. The Falcons have Super Bowl aspirations after signing Cousins to a $180 million contract this offseason, and the punishments will not affect their 2024 campaign.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport
2 days agoNew England Patriots wide receiver
Kayshon Boutte had been relatively quiet in the early portion of spring workouts, had a coming out party in the final minicamp practice on Wednesday. He received more opportunities with
Tyquan Thornton out of practice. Boutte was next in line with the first-team offense behind
Jalen Reagor, who was used as the "X" receiver. Four of Boutte's catches on Wednesday went for touchdowns. The 22-year-old sixth-round pick last year has a lot of competition in a mediocre New England receiver room in his second year in the league. In 2023, he had just two receptions for 19 yards in five games played. For now, Boutte is merely a player to watch in minicamp this summer to see how the Pats' wideout corps shakes out. Boutte could also be facing a suspension to open the 2024 campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Herald - Doug Kyed
2
days
agoNew
England
Patriots
tight
end
Hunter
Henry
has
been
the
top
dog
at
the
position
so
far
in
offseason
workouts.
Henry
has
been
reliable
between
the
numbers
for
the
team's
quarterbacks.
Along
with
Henry,
seventh-round
rookie
Jaheim
Bellread more...
2 days agoNew England Patriots rookie first-round quarterback
Drake Maye continues to make strides at mandatory minicamp this week. Maye nearly matched veteran
Jacoby Brissett in repetitions for the second consecutive open practice on Monday, and there's more juice to the offensive operation when Maye is at the controls. His arm talent and athleticism allow him to, in flashes, elevate players around him. It's exactly what the Patriots want to hear of the No. 3 overall pick, who has the playmaker gene, but they understandably don't seem to be in a rush to start Maye as their QB1 to open the regular season, especially with the remaining pieces of the offense being a work in progress in a new offensive scheme. Maye's early impressiveness will make him an even more popular draft pick in dynasty/keeper leagues, but he's probably not going to be much of a redraft target.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
2 days agoWashington Commanders new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury appears to be using some two-running back sets during mandatory minicamp this week involving Brian Robinson and
Austin Ekeler. In what will be a vastly different offense under Kingsbury in 2024 with rookie first-round quarterback
Jayden Daniels at the helm, Washington figures to use Robinson as more of the between-the-tackles, early-down back, with Ekeler serving as the primary pass-catcher out of the backfield. The 25-year-old Robinson had 43 targets in 2023, but he stands to lose a hefty amount of targets to Ekeler this year. With more competition from Ekeler, B-Rob is going to need to remain productive and hold onto the football to be a viable RB3/flex for fantasy managers in standard-scoring leagues. Ekeler should be more valuable as an RB3/flex in point-per-reception formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Washington Post - Sam Fortier
2 days agoLos Angeles Rams tight end
Colby Parkinson will add "real value" to the offense during the 2024 season, head coach Sean McVay said Wednesday (via Cameron DaSilva of The Rams Wire). Specifically, the Rams like Parkinson's size and catch radius, leading them to believe that he could be open the year as their No. 1 tight end if
Tyler Higbee (ACL, MCL) isn't good to go. In such a scenario, Parkinson would rank as a low-end TE2 even though he has just 57 catches, 618 yards, and four touchdowns over his previous four years.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Cameron DaSilva
2 days agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars have signed free-agent wide receiver
Austin Trammell, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. The 25-year-old and product of Rice University spent his last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, primarily operating as a returner on special teams. He returned 25 punts and six kickoffs last year, and he only added four catches for an extra 29 yards through the air. This move has no fantasy significance and should merely be viewed as part of the Jaguars' approach to building depth on offense and special teams.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Aaron Wilson
2
days
agoNew
York
Giants
wide
receiver
Wan'Dale
Robinson
said
he
has
hit
some
GPS
numbers
that
he
has
never
reached
before,
saying
it's
a
"night-and-day"
difference
between
now
and
where
he
was
at
this
point
last
year
while
rehabbing
an
ACL
that
he
read more...
2 days agoMinnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that he'd call quarterback
Sam Darnold his No. 1 QB at the moment this offseason, even though the Vikings haven't had to put out a depth chart yet in 2024. It's not a surprise with the team slow-playing first-rounder
J.J. McCarthy's development during offseason workouts. On top of it, the 27-year-old Darnold has looked really good at mandatory minicamp and has taken all of the first-team repetitions to this point. All signs point to Darnold seeing most of the first-team reps in training camp this summer, too, before opening the regular season as the starter under center in Minnesota. While the Vikings offense could be the best that Darnold has ever worked with, he'll be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex leagues in 2024. McCarthy, meanwhile, will have his chance to prove he's the starter in 2024 as well, but he's more of a dynasty/keeper asset for now.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Ben Goessling
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks second-year wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (shoulder) left Wednesday's practice at mandatory minicamp with a shoulder issue, but head coach Mike MacDonald indicated it's not a serious injury. Receiver
Laviska Shenault Jr. (toe) also left practice early after injuring his toe. It's possible that Smith-Njigba is held out for the rest of minicamp as a precaution, but the 22-year-old should be ready to rock at the end of July for the start of training camp. Despite being behind both
DK Metcalf and
Tyler Lockett on the receiving depth chart in his rookie campaign in 2023, Smith-Njigba impressed with 63 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games played. The former first-rounder didn't see much downfield work, though, and will face a second straight season as the WR3 in Seattle. Consider him a WR4/flex in fantasy with upside for more in Year 2.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Seattle Times - Bob Condotta
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