5 mins agoThe Athletic's Doug Haller writes that there is a lot of optimism from the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, with the biggest reason being that quarterback Kyler Murray is on the field. Murray was off to the side working with the team's conditioning staff at this time last year while trying to recover from ACL surgery. Murray's recovery affected Arizona's entire season in 2023 after he missed the first nine games. He spent the rest of the year learning a new offense and trying to find his way back, and it showed. An offseason built around Murray should make a difference in 2024. The 26-year-old put in extra work with his receivers on weekends, trying to perfect rhythm and timing. Murray probably isn't going to be an elite passer, especially given the lack of standout options at receiver in Arizona besides rookie first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr., but his elite rushing ability should give him a solid fantasy floor as a low-end QB2.Source: The Athletic - Doug Haller
16 mins agoThe Atlanta Falcons' new offense under head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will clearly run through second-year running back Bijan Robinson. "In as simple of a form as you can possibly make it," Morris said, "it's 'get the ball to Bijan as much as you can in as many ideal situations that you possibly can.'" Robinson's 214 carries for 976 yards and four touchdowns made him the top-rushing rookie in 2023, and he also caught 58 passes for an extra 487 yards -- the fourth-most among RBs -- and also had four receiving TDs. His 272 touches ranked 12th among NFL players last year, and Robinson finished 10th with 1,463 total yards from scrimmage. The 22-year-old expects to be more of a runner than pass-catcher in 2024, and with more total touches likely coming his way, he should easily be considered a top-three fantasy RB.Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Terrin Waack
20 mins agoAtlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) is returning from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Week 8 of the 2023 season with the Minnesota Vikings, but he has expressed confidence he'll be full-go by training camp at the end of July since his arrival in Atlanta in March. That sentiment didn't change throughout the offseason program, and Cousins' participation in all aspects of the team's offseason program is promising. Cousins said he did everything at organized team activities, but it will be worth watching if he continues to do everything in training camp. The 35-year-old signal-caller will be in a non-contact jersey, but everything else should be business as usual. Cousins will still have plenty of weapons around him in Atlanta, but it's a downgrade in receivers and he's coming off a significant injury towards the end of his career. At best, fantasy managers should consider him a midrange QB2.Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Terrin Waack
15 hours agoKansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs was arrested for the second time in a month after he was booked on a domestic-violence/burglary charge in Alabama on Sunday morning and released, according to online records. On May 30, Buggs turned himself in after he was charged with two misdemeanor counts of second-degree animal cruelty in Tuscaloosa. His agent, Trey Robinson, has alleged his client is a victim of an ongoing "subversive campaign" to force the closure of the hookah lounge he owns in Alabama. The 27-year-old was originally a sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 out of Alabama. He played the first three years of his career in Pittsburgh before spending 2022 and 2023 with the Detroit Lions. The Chiefs signed him to their practice squad in January and re-signed him to a futures deal in February.Source: ESPN.com
17 hours agoCleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper recently held out of mandatory minicamp. The wideout, entering the final season of a five-year, $100 million deal, wants an extension. General manager Andrew Berry, while speaking to the media on Monday, acknowledged the situation while also mentioning Cooper's importance. "He's obviously been a high-level, Pro-Bowl caliber receiver. But he's also a great teammate, and he's a great professional," said Berry. "We'll navigate the business considerations, the business aspects, as it goes, but he is a big part of our team." Cooper finished his second year in Cleveland by amassing a career-high 1,250 yards with 72 catches and five touchdowns. Barring injury, it's reasonable to believe he'll remain a top fantasy receiver throughout the 2024-25 campaign, especially if Deshaun Watson (shoulder) returns to form.Source: Charean Williams
18 hours agoCleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) was recently throwing during 7-on-7 drills. While that was a promising sign for fantasy managers, general manager Andrew Berry painted a more encouraging picture. "First and foremost, Deshaun has really worked his tail off," Berry told the media on Monday. "He's really actually ahead of schedule. He's thrown the ball well." The 28-year-old should be ready to go for Week 1 after undergoing shoulder surgery in November. But the real question is if he'll bounce back from a forgettable 2023-24 campaign. Although there's a good chance Watson will, he's still hard to trust to be the No. 1 signal-caller on any fantasy roster.Source: Charean Williams
18 hours agoLos Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey signed his four-year rookie deal on Monday. The 22-year-old was selected with the No. 34 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He played 39 games at Georgia, starting 21, and totaled 119 catches for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had four more scores on the run. McConkey has received positive reviews from teammates this offseason, and with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams no longer on the roster, the rookie is worth considering late in fantasy drafts heading into the 2024-25 campaign.Source: Charean Williams
21 hours agoKansas City Chiefs rookie offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia has shared first-team reps with Wanya Morris this offseason, but the first-year player out of BYU is trending toward being the Week 1 starter at left tackle. Suamataia was selected with the No. 63 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, so the fact that he's already taken first-team reps is promising. In 2023, Patrick Mahomes was the second-most-hurried quarterback (60) in the NFL, which contributed to the team lacking a downfield passing game for the first time in his career. The organization brought in Suamataia to potentially alleviate that issue, and gaining valuable reps from the start of the regular season could prepare him for the team's postseason run in search of becoming the first franchise to win three consecutive Super Bowls.Source: Charles Goldman
22
hours
agoKansas
City
Chiefs
rookie
tight
end
Jared
Wiley
is
already
getting
reps
with
the
starting
offense,
according
to
reporter
Charles
Goldman.
"Wiley
might
turn
out
to
be
the
biggest
surprise
of
the
2024
NFL
draft
class
for
Kansas
City.
He's
already
getting
aread more...
22
hours
agoAtlanta
Falcons
wide
receiver
Casey
Washington
has
a
tough
road
to
playing
time
as
a
rookie,
considering
he
was
a
sixth-round
selection
in
the
2024
NFL
draft.
However,
Falcons
writer
Daniel
Flick
reports
that
the
Illinois
product
is
making
waves
this
offseason.
"After
rookieread more...
22
hours
agoKansas
City
Chiefs
running
back
Carson
Steele
and
Deneric
Prince
are
behind
second-team
running
back
Clyde
Edwards-Helaire
on
the
depth
chart
this
offseason,
but
either
player
could
enter
the
fantasy
football
radar
inread more...
22 hours agoMiami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane had an explosive rookie season. The 2023 third-round pick posted 800 yards and eight touchdowns on just 103 carries and added 27 receptions for 197 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver. However, he's looking to develop his route-running and overall receiving skill set, according to Dolphins reporter David Furones. "Two specific goals Achane has this offseason:" Furones wrote. "Get stronger to better withstand the hits taken in the NFL and improve on his route-running to get the ball more often in the passing game." Achane led all Miami running backs with 37 targets last season, and he has a clear path to doing it again since Raheem Mostert isn't much of a pass-catcher, and rookie Jaylen Wright didn't show much as a receiver at Tennessee. Any extra receiving work could elevate Achane into the next tier of fantasy running backs, so this is a good sign for his potential upside in Year 2.Source: David Furones
23
hours
agoThe
Pittsburgh
Steelers
needed
wide
receiver
Van
Jefferson
to
stand
out
during
offseason
workouts,
but
he
didn't.
Spring
practices
typically
don't
mean
a
ton,
but
nothing
has
jumped
out
to
suggest
that
Jefferson
can
be
a
difference-maker
in
2024
with
both
read more...
24 hours agoPittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington struggled last year during spring workouts, and nothing has changed a full year later. Washington has proven himself as a solid blocking tight end, but he's not going to be a 30-catch guy based on what we've seen from him in his second offseason. Even in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's tight-end-friendly scheme, fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't expect Washington to have much more offensive output than he had last year, when he went for seven catches on 10 targets for 61 yards and no touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (seven starts). The 22-year-old former third-round pick last year out of Georgia doesn't figure to be on the fantasy radar in redraft leagues in 2024 unless Pat Freiermuth misses time with an injury.Source: The Athletic - Mark Kaboly
24 hours agoPittsburgh Steelers former first-round quarterback Justin Fields still has plenty of talent, but he has lots of obstacles to overcome for an opportunity in his first year in the Steel City in 2024 with veteran Russell Wilson in front of him. Fields didn't get many first-team repetition in offseason practices. His arm strength, speed and playmaking abilities with his legs are undeniable, but he showed inconsistent accuracy and relied on his feet too quickly after his first read during offseason workouts. The 25-year-old signal-caller is still a work in progress and is going to start the year as Wilson's backup. Fields should still be rostered in all dynasty/keeper leagues, but unless Wilson is eventually benched or misses time in 2024 due to injury, Fields' fantasy stock in single-year leagues is at an all-time low.Source: The Athletic - Mark Kaboly