4 days agoHouston Texans running back
Dameon Pierce saw his numbers take a hit in his sophomore season in 2023 while being relegated to a complementary role behind
Devin Singletary. Pierce rushed for 416 yards and only two touchdowns while averaging 2.9 yards per carry while also dealing with an ankle injury. He had 939 rushing yards and four TDs as a Pro Bowl alternate in his rookie season. The Texans traded for Pro Bowl RB
Joe Mixon this offseason and signed him to a three-year, $27 million extension while also drafting rookie
Jawhar Jordan, but they still have plans for Pierce in 2024. The 24-year-old figures to be a chance-of-pace option behind Mixon and on kickoff returns. Pierce has looked strong, compact and quick during OTAs this week. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said, "I think him and Joe as a one-two punch, would be very beneficial for us all."
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
4 days agoCleveland Browns quarterback
Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is throwing every other day as he continues to rehab from his season-ending shoulder surgery last year, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. Watson was seen throwing passes at organized team activities on Tuesday, which means he took the day off on Wednesday while still taking part in individual and team drills. Stefanski said that Watson is "making great progress" and "looked like himself to me" after having surgery last November to fix a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his right shoulder. General manager Andrew Berry said he expects Watson to be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season. The 28-year-old has clear QB1 upside when healthy, but the three-time Pro Bowler is also a pretty big injury risk, as he's played in just 12 games with Cleveland the last two seasons due to injuries and suspension.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
5 days agoDetroit Lions wide receiver
Kalif Raymond (knee) was photographed participating in OTAs on Wednesday, via the team website. There hasn't been much information available regarding Raymond's status until this latest development, which suggests that he has made progress in his recovery ever since missing the NFC Championship in January. Raymond managed to carve out a role on offense despite competing for targets with plenty of offensive playmakers. He finished 2023 with 35 catches, 489 yards, and one touchdown over 17 games (three starts), serving as a reliable option for
Jared Goff. This year, Raymond will once again be in play for a non-zero target share given his familiarity with Detroit's offense. However, he remains off the fantasy radar in most formats as he operates behind the likes of
Amon-Ra St. Brown,
Jameson Williams, and
Sam LaPorta.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Lions
5 days agoDallas Cowboys running back
Ezekiel Elliott has started to lose his grasp on the top role in the team's backfield. "Elliott is being viewed as the leader of the [running back] room, but it is already beginning to look like a committee approach as he and
Rico Dowdle split nearly all of the first-team reps on Wednesday," wrote Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com. This will be an important competition to watch as offseason programs unfold and both Elliott and Dowdle compete for more opportunities. Elliott, of course, has spent most of his career with the Cowboys but did join the Patriots for the 2023 season. He's not getting any younger, but Dallas still values his experience and pass-catching skills, both of which could boost his fantasy value down the stretch. Dowdle has youth on his side, though, and it sounds like there's a real chance he could push to earn just as many touches as Elliott.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Patrik Walker
5 days agoKansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised new wide receiver
Marquise Brown at organized team activities on Wednesday. "Hollywood (Brown) does a nice job at receiver. Looks like he and Pat are developing a chemistry," Reid said. Anytime Mahomes is developing chemistry with a receiver, fantasy managers should take notice. The speedy Brown made a highlight-reel, one-handed catch during 7-on-7 drills on Wednesday and appears to have put the heel injury that bothered him last year in the rearview mirror. Tight end
Travis Kelce is going to remain a favorite target of Mahomes in 2024 as long as he's healthy, but the 26-year-old Brown has an opportunity to become heavily involved as well, especially with
Rashee Rice likely to be hit with a suspension from the league. The former 25th overall pick by Arizona in 2019 out of Oklahoma had a 1,000-yard receiving season in his final season in Baltimore in 2021.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Aaron Ladd
5 days agoSeattle Seahawks rookie tight end
AJ Barner (hamstring), who didn't take part in rookie minicamp, is still sidelined during organized team activities this week due to a hamstring injury. It remains to be seen if Barner's hamstring issues will keep him sidelined for the start of training camp at the end of July, but he's still missing valuable repetitions as he tries to learn Seattle's offense heading into his first NFL season. The 22-year-old was taken in the fourth round of last month's NFL draft and was considered more of a project at the position, so he was unlikely to play a key role in 2024 anyway. When healthy, he's going to provide the Seahawks with depth at the tight end position behind
Noah Fant,
Pharaoh Brown,
Will Dissly and
Colby Parkinson. At best, Barner may be a red-zone weapon for the Seahawks offense down the road.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Brady Henderson
5 days agoThe Seattle Seahawks are in the early stages of installing new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's offense during organized team activities this spring. However, quarterback
Geno Smith feels that he has "a really good grasp" of the offense so far and that it fits his skillset in a few ways. "I feel like I'm a dropback passer and I feel like this is a dropback offense," Smith said. The signal-caller went on to describe it as "an offense that's going to spread the ball around and trust the quarterbacks to make the right decisions... pre-and-post snap. I feel like that's something I'm really good at." A spread offense would be good for Smith and his receivers. The 33-year-old was a Pro Bowler in each of the last two years, but he was definitely not as productive in 2023 and missed two games with injuries. Smith probably won't ever be as good as his 2022 campaign again, but he can be a serviceable No. 2 in superflex fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Brady Henderson
5 days agoIndianapolis Colts tight end
Jelani Woods (hamstring) is back in action at organized team activities this week after missing all of last year due to hamstring injuries. Woods caught a pass on Wednesday from second-year quarterback
Anthony Richardson while running a post route on air. The 25-year-old third round pick in 2022 out of Virginia will be competing for targets with
Kylen Granson, who is in a contract year, and
Drew Ogletree, but if he can stay on the field in 2024, he'll have some TE2 sleeper appeal with Richardson running the offense in Indy. In his first year in the NFL in 2022, Woods caught 25 passes on 40 targets for 312 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games (two starts). The Colts' tight end room has been one to avoid for fantasy managers for a while, but Woods is certainly worth watching this summer.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
5 days agoIndianapolis Colts second-year quarterback
Anthony Richardson (shoulder) made his return to 11-on-11 action during organized team activities on Wednesday on the day he turned 22 years old. It's the first time the media got a look at him in a practice/game since last October. It looked as though Richardson didn't miss time at all with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The former first-rounder went 4-for-6 in two 11-on-11 periods, and the motion and velocity on his throws looked normal. There are some days Richardson said he feels "a little achy," but it's part of his recovery process. Unless soreness pops up, Richardson is expected to have no restrictions in offseason workouts as he heads into Year 2 in the NFL. The 22-year-old injured his throwing shoulder in just the fourth game of his rookie year in 2023, but Richardson was already showing why he has high-end QB1 upside if he can stay healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 107.5 The Fan - Kevin Bowen
5 days agoBaltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson, last year's NFL MVP, said that he dropped weight this offseason to "be more agile." Jackson said he weighed 205 pounds, which is 25 pounds less than his 2022 weight and 10 pounds less than last year. The 27-year-old is already the most prolific running QB in the NFL, as he's gained 5,258 yards on the ground in his first six seasons in the league, 1,399 more than any other signal-caller. He led the NFL by averaging 5.5 yards per carry in 2023, but that was his lowest in any full season. Jackson had nine runs in his first three seasons in which he reached a maximum speed of 20 mph or faster, but he's managed just one of those runs in his last three seasons. He doesn't think the weight loss will impact how he takes hits, and it shouldn't deter fantasy managers from taking him as a high-end QB1.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
5 days agoDallas Cowboys wide receiver
Jalen Tolbert looks like he has added muscle this offseason, according to Nick Harris of DallasCowboys.com. The 25-year-old is expected to have a more significant role behind
CeeDee Lamb and
Brandin Cooks this season, and his added bulk could help him take a step forward. After catching just two passes in just eight games as a third-round rookie in 2022, Tolbert caught 22 passes for 268 yards and two scores in 2023. After the team moved on from
Michael Gallup this offseason, his path to the WR3 role is more clear. It's also worth noting the Cowboys will have to replace 67 targets vacated by
Tony Pollard after he signed with the Tennessee Titans at the start of free agency, so there could be more targets up for grabs in the short and intermediate areas of the field for Tolbert.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Nick Harris - DallasCowboys.com
5 days agoIndianapolis Colts wide receiver
Ashton Dulin (knee) did not practice on Wednesday as he works his way back from a torn ACL suffered in training camp last year. The 2019 undrafted free agent out of Malone University has had a limited role on offense during his five years with the organization, but he earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2021 for his special teams ability. Assuming he's healthy and makes the 53-man roster this year, he projects to open the season as no better than the team's No. 5 wide receiver behind
Michael Pittman Jr.,
Adonai Mitchell,
Josh Downs, and
Alec Pierce. For now, he's not worth fantasy consideration in any format.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Jake Arthur
5 days agoPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver
Parris Campbell was a frequent target for quarterback
Jalen Hurts during Wednesday's practice, according to Eagles reporter Brandon Lee Gowton.
A.J. Brown and
DeVontaread more...
5 days agoIndianapolis Colts wide receiver
Michael Pittman Jr. (knee) left Wednesday's offseason practice early after taking a fall during a team period. The 26-year-old limped off the field with trainers, but head coach Shane Steichen said he "should be fine." Pittman reportedly just bumped his knee, but organizations are going to be extra careful with their stud players at this point in the offseason. The 2020 second-round pick had an excellent 2023 campaign while playing mostly with quarterback Gardner Minshew. He caught 109 passes for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns. It's tough to know what to expect out of him with a healthy
Anthony Richardson and
Jonathan Taylor to begin the 2024 season, and the team drafted Texas wideout
Adonai Mitchell in the second round of last month's draft. Either way, he remains the No. 1 option in the passing game for the Colts, and another 1,000-yard season should be the expectation.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: James Boyd -- The Athletic
5 days agoKansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Xavier Worthy (hamstring) is not participating in OTAs on Wednesday after tweaking his hamstring earlier in the week. While it's concerning that the 165-pound wideout is already dealing with an aliment, it's too early in the offseason to have a takeaway from this report. The No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Texas is one of the most intriguing rookies for fantasy football this season, especially given the off-field concerns surrounding second-year wideout
Rashee Rice. Worthy was an exciting prospect after posting 197 receptions for 2,755 yards, and 26 touchdowns in three collegiate seasons, and his stock grew after he set the NFL record for the fastest official 40-yard dash (4.21). Assuming he can get past his hamstring injury and stay healthy, he should have spike weeks catching passes from
Patrick Mahomes in his debut season. All that said, his slight frame could mean he'll be more prone to injuries.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Courtney Cronin
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