4 days agoCarolina Panthers rookie running back
Jonathon Brooks (knee), who was the first RB taken in this year's NFL draft in the second round (46th overall), is on track to be ready to participate in training camp this summer. The 20-year-old tore his ACL in November, but the injury didn't come with additional ligament damage. Brooks has already resumed running. The Texas Longhorn alum racked up 1,139 rushing yards and also had 286 receiving yards in 11 games in his final collegiate season in 2023 before tearing his ACL. He'll enter a crowded backfield in Carolina alongside
Chuba Hubbard and
Miles Sanders. The Panthers plan to utilize all three RBs in 2024, but given Sanders' struggles last year, Brooks will have the opportunity to leapfrog him on the RB depth chart eventually if his knee holds up. Still, Brooks will be more of a dynasty/keeper asset in fantasy in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
4 days agoThe Denver Broncos have informed quarterback
Zach Wilson and his representatives that they won't pick up his fifth-year option, according to sources. The Broncos acquired the New York Jets' former second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft early last week and then selected QB
Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in this year's draft. Wilson's option would have been for a guaranteed $22.408 million in 2025. The Jets will pay a significant portion of Wilson's $1.055 million base salary in 2024, and he's now headed for free agency next spring. Wilson, Nix and
Jarrett Stidham, who started the final two games in 2023 when the team benched
Russell Wilson, will compete for the starting job in Denver in training camp this summer. It's a fresh start for Wilson, but he has not looked like a starter in his first three years in the league with a 57% completion rate, 25 interceptions and 23 touchdowns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Legwold
4 days agoThe Indianapolis Colts posted a video of quarterback
Anthony Richardson (shoulder) throwing at offseason spring practices, and he appears to be fully healthy after needing season-ending shoulder surgery in his rookie season in 2023. The 21-year-old is expected to be ready to take part in organized team activities in May and June, although the Colts could choose to ease him in. The former fourth overall pick last year out of Florida played in just four games in 2023 due to a head injury and his shoulder ailment, but he flashed high-end QB1 upside in that small sample size by throwing for 577 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while also picking up 136 rushing yards and four touchdowns. There's obvious injury risk involved because of his propensity to take off and run, but fantasy managers can't deny the upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
4 days agoThe San Francisco 49ers were engaged in trade talks involving wide receivers
Brandon Aiyuk and
Deebo Samuel leading up to the draft, but the team elected not to trade either of their star receivers, with all signs pointing toward both being on the 2024 roster. Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the assumption was that he'd be the odd man out after the team paid Samuel and other star players. Samuel still has two years left on the deal he signed before the 2022 season. San Fran has been to at least the NFC Championship game in four of the last five seasons, and losing Aiyuk or Samuel would almost certainly make the team worse in 2024. The 49ers can afford to keep both this year, but an Aiyuk extension would likely reduce his $14.124 million salary cap number for 2024. Samuel's fantasy value would have likely taken a hit with a move out of the Bay Area.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
5 days agoThe Arizona Cardinals have chosen not to pick up defensive end Zaven Collins' fifth-year option, according to general manager Monti Ossenfort. With the move, Collins will be in the final year of his rookie deal in 2024 and will become a free agent next March. It's a surprising move after the 24-year-old former 16th overall pick has recorded 166 tackles (103 solo), 5.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 12 passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 50 games (39 starts) in his three years in the NFL. Collins isn't exactly on the IDP fantasy radar as a defensive lineman because of his lack of sacks, but he should continue to be a starting edge defender for Arizona in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
5 days agoThe Arizona Cardinals took running back
Trey Benson in the third round of this year's NFL draft, and it's unlikely that he will take over lead-back duties from
James Conner this year, even though Conner hasn't shown that he's up to bell-cow duties in the NFL. Mainly because of injuries, Conner has posted between 200 and 250 touches in each of the last four seasons with the Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers, never playing in more than 15 games. Conner has been a pretty big injury risk for fantasy managers, but when he's been on the field, he's been impressive. The 28-year-old had 5.1 yards per touch in 2023. However, with Benson now in the fold, Arizona's backfield could easily evolve into a platoon situation that turns both Conner and Benson into solid RB2 candidates.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - KC Joyner
5 days agoThe Green Bay Packers selected former USC running back
MarShawn Lloyd with the 88th overall pick in this year's NFL draft, and The Athletic's Matt Schneidman writes that he could compete for the backup to new feature back
Josh Jacobs in 2024. The Packers re-signed
AJ Dillon this offseason, but he might not be a lock to make the final roster. The Athletic's Dane Brugler doesn't think Lloyd has the profile of a high-volume back, but he has the ability to spark an offense with his mix of patience, burst and promise as a pass-catcher. Green Bay may want to take some of the load off Jacobs -- in five seasons with the Raiders, Jacobs ranked second in the NFL in carries and rushing yards since 2019. Lloyd will at least compete with 2023 undrafted RB
Emanuel Wilson for the No. 3 job.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
5 days agoDenver Broncos running back
Javonte Williams will be the team's unquestioned lead back in 2024 if he's healthy, and the team is hopeful he'll more closely resemble the RB who rushed for 903 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season. However, rookie
Audric Estime, who was taken in the fifth round of this year's draft out of Notre Dame, could quickly put himself in the mix in 2024. He had limited wear and tear in college and could be the goal-line answer in the backfield that the Broncos missed in 2023. The 20-year-old stands at 5-foot-11, 221 pounds and is a powerful and physical runner. He had 1,341 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns for the Fighting Irish in 2023 on 210 carries. At best, Estime might be a touchdown-dependent, goal-line guy, but he's a long shot to carve out much fantasy value as long as both
Samaje Perine and
Jaleel McLaughlin stay healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Nick Kosmider
5 days agoThe Denver Broncos surprisingly took quarterback
Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in this year's NFL draft, adding to a QB room that already included
Jarrett Stidham and former first-rounder
Zach Wilson. The Broncos were in no rush to name Nix the starter last week after drafting him, and he hasn't even thrown his first pass in rookie minicamp. Neither Stidham nor Wilson have had much experience or success at the NFL level, but it's clear that Denver won't rush Nix if he's not ready. With that said, the former Oregon signal-caller has every chance to win the job in his rookie season in 2024. The best bet going into Week 1 this fall is that either Stidham or Wilson will open the year as the team's starter under center, giving Nix time to develop and learn. Nix won't be a realistic option in 2024 redraft fantasy leagues, nor will Stidham/Wilson, outside of superflex leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Nick Kosmider
5 days agoFormer Philadelphia Eagles running back
Boston Scott reached an agreement on an undisclosed one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, according to sources. The Rams backfield now boasts
Kyren Williams, rookie third-rounder
Blake Corum, Scott and others. In addition to those three, LA also has
Ronnie Rivers and
Zach Evans as backfield depth. The 29-year-old Scott was mostly a complementary third-down, pass-catching back in his six years with the Eagles but was never a big part of the offense. The former sixth-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2018 out of Louisiana Tech has never gone over 374 rushing yards in a single season, and his seven-touchdown campaign in 2021 was an outlier. Barring injuries, Williams and Corum figure to see most of the Rams' backfield touches in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
5 days agoThe Buffalo Bills signed undrafted free-agent running back
Frank Gore Jr., according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. The son of a five-time Pro Bowler and potential Hall of Famer, Gore Jr. spent four seasons at Southern Miss and compiled 4,022 rushing yards, 26 rushing touchdowns, 692 receiving yards, and four receiving scores in 47 career games. He was projected to be a late-round pick by many analysts, but he was not one of the 15 ball carriers selected on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft. With
James Cook and fourth-round rookie
Ray Davis all but guaranteed roster spots, Gore Jr. will likely need to beat out
Ty Johnson and
Darrynton Evans to have a chance at making the 53-man roster.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Cameron Wolfe
5 days agoUndrafted free-agent running back
Cody Schrader signed a deal with the San Francisco 49ers to take part in their rookie minicamp, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The 24-year-old began his collegiate career at the Division II level at Truman State in 2018 but saw limited action until his 2021 campaign. During that season, he rushed 300 times for 2,074 yards and 25 touchdowns. He then transferred to Missouri as a walk-on and vastly exceeded expectations. In two seasons in Columbia, he racked up 2,372 rushing yards, 328 receiving yards, and 23 total touchdowns. Although he's likely a longshot to make the Niners' 53-man roster, the 2023 unanimous All-American has experience with being overlooked and counted out, so it will be interesting to see if he can make an impact in the NFL for one of the 32 franchises.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Jordan Schultz
5 days agoThe Cleveland Browns signed veteran center Brian Allen, according to his agency. The 28-year-old was selected with the No. 111 overall pick (fourth round) by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 NFL Draft and played in 50 games (32 starts) for the organization. However, his role in L.A. faded over the last two seasons, as he started just seven games in 2022 due to injuries and did not log a start in 2023 after losing the position battle to Coleman Shelton. He'll likely compete with third-year center Dawson Deaton for the backup center job behind Ethan Pocic in Cleveland this year.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoLong-time NFL defensive back Chris Harris Jr. is retiring after 12 seasons. The 34-year-old was originally undrafted out of Kansas in the class of 2011 and played nine years with the Denver Broncos, two years with the Los Angeles Chargers, and one year with the New Orleans Saints. The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection compiled 621 tackles, six sacks, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 22 interceptions, and 101 pass deflections in 172 career games. He started opposite Aqib Talib for the legendary 2015 Broncos' defense that won Super Bowl 50 in Peyton Manning's final year in the NFL. Harris is not a Hall of Fame candidate on paper, but he enjoyed a spectacular career, especially considering he went undrafted.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
5 days agoThe Baltimore Ravens have picked up the fifth-year option on linebacker Odafe Oweh, the team announced on X. The No. 31 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is now under contract with Baltimore through the 2025 season. Though Oweh's first 45 NFL games, he has racked up 99 tackles (73 solo), 13 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one pass deflection, and 14.5 run stuffs. The former Penn State Nittany Lion hasn't been a star since entering the league, but he's a productive rotational pass rusher on a strong defense. He might see more action this year after the departure of Jadeveon Clowney.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Ravens
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