We scour the news around the NFL to bring you what matters most to you and your dynasty team: the most current news on players, both superstars and the relative unknowns, and analysis to decipher the respective situations. These are many of the major stories and are not meant to be an exhaustive look at all the recent happenings around the league.
The Latest Updates
August 28 Saturday morning, Ian Rapoport broke the news that the Jacksonville Jaguars were trading Gardner Minshew to the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional sixth-round pick. This is a curious move for Jacksonville and a great move for Philadelphia. Coach Urban Meyer had Minshew and rookie Trevor Lawrence splitting practice reps throughout training camp, reducing much-needed practice for Lawrence. He then trades Minshew for less than what Sony Michel fetched. Crazy. For the Jaguars, it is a great move to add depth. He may start games this season if Jalen hurts falls flat. Even if he never plays a snap for the Eagles, and walks in free agency, Philadelphia will get a comp pick greater than it paid to acquire the quarterback.
August 29 On Saturday, Baltimore Ravens tailback J.K. Dobbins was forced from the preseason game with a left knee injury. He had his leg bent backwards. It was awkward. We will know more in the coming days, but this is worrisome for a top, young player. Gus Edwards steps into the starting role as Dobbins is now expected to miss the entire season. Also, keep an eye on TySon Williams, a second-year undrafted rookie. He seems to have passed Justice Hill. In the game that Dobbins was injured, Williams gained 42 yards on four carries.
August 29 Sunday morning, the news broke that T.Y. Hilton will miss a few games to begin the season. Notable beat reporter, Stephen Holder, tweeted, "NEWS: With the regular season 2 weeks away, Colts WR T.Y. Hilton is expected to miss multiple weeks with an unspecified injury, multiple sources tell @zkeefer and I. The injury is *not* considered season ending." Adam Schefter piggy-backed the tweet with, "Colts’ WR T.Y. Hilton is being evaluated for an upper back/neck injury, per sources, and it is uncertain how much time he will miss." Expect Michael Pittman and Parris Campbell to pick up the slack. It sure seems like Indianapolis is snakebit with the injury bug.
August 20 After thinking Myles Gaskin was the guy all offseason, fantasy managers were confused and maddened when he was mired in a committee in the first preseason game. When asked, coach Brian Flores said that he plans to play the tailbacks situationally. Flores said, “We are going to use them situationally as best fits their skill set and what’s best for the team … Myles Gaskin can play first, second, third down, but depending on the situation, we may put another player in there. Malcolm Brown is a little bigger, what you may consider a power back. Myles is change of pace, good quickness. Salvon Ahmed has good speed, coming out of the backfield. They all played well in the preseason game.” Calling Gaskin a change-of-pace back is not comforting to the fantasy community. At this point, we still like Gaskin, but not at his current value. Brown and Ahmed are the types of waiver-wire steals we always seek. Miami has the foundation for a potent offense so each has upside. The trick will be usage and predictability.
August 24 Rookie tailback Travis Etienne injured his foot Monday night. Tuesday morning, Ian Rapoport tweeted, "#Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, spotted on crutches after the game, suffered a Lisfranc iniury and will have further tests today, source said. X-Rays were negative so the belief is it’s just a sprain. Exams today will determine how long he’s out." Etienne was deemed out for the season on Tuesday. It is a tough loss for the Jaguars and the rookie. Of course, James Robinson benefits. But, so does Carlos Hyde.
August 25 The New England Patriots traded Sony Michel to the Los Angeles Rams for a 5th- and 6th-round picks, which will convert to a 4th-rounder if the Rams acquire a 4th in comp picks. This is a huge move for both teams as it solidifies Damien Harris's position as lead back and opens a path for sensational rookie Rhamondre Stevenson. Also, dynasty managers are encouraged to monitor J.J. Taylor's usage as he flashed in preseason. For the Rams, Michel impedes Jake Funk and Xavier Jones but should have little impact on Darrell Henderson.
August 21 Keep an eye on the Clyde Edwards-Helaire injury. He left the Friday night game against the Cardinals. Adam Schefter reported Saturday morning, "Chiefs’ RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire sprained his right ankle last night. 'They got to check it (today), do what they do there,' said Andy Reid. 'It’s tender now. It doesn’t look like a high-ankle sprain. That’s always a good thing. They’ll double-check it.'”
August 20 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed veteran tailback Giovani Bernard to play a role. It was not until the training camp and preseason that we saw what it might be. Bernard is outstanding in the passing game and is decent as a runner. He might be the best fantasy back on the Buccaneers. When asked about Bernard’s role, coach Bruce Arians said, Bernard is "already going to be a major part of the offense." The coach followed it up with, “[he] has been more than pretty good … He’s already going to be a major part of the offense." We are envisioning a role similar to what James White had with quarterback Tom Brady. White was a fantasy RB2 most years. Bernard has that type of fantasy upside.
August 20 The fantasy demise of David Johnson has received little ink. He has been reduced to third- and fourth-team duties behind Philip Lindsay and Mark Ingram. When asked about the reduced role, Johnson said, “Obviously, as it’s going on, in the moment it’s tough … But I think in the long run, it will just help out the team as a whole. Obviously...it might take a little bit longer to figure out what’s going on, figure out different ways to beat the defense and running the ball like that … but other aspects...catching the ball or pass protection, I don’t think so.” For fantasy, we need to focus on the running back targets as the Texans will be playing from behind often. Lindsay and Johnson are expected to share that role.
August 27 The New York Giants have been beset with injuries. While Saquon Barkley is on the mend, hoping to be at full speed by Week 1,newly-signed receiver, Kenny Golladay, has missed almost four weeks with a hamstring injury. Daniel Jones is far from a viable fantasy option without Golladay, as proven last year. We are advising to acquire Golladay if his price drops due to the injury. He is still a quality NFL receiver.
August 20 Houston Texans receiver Anthony Miller dislocated his shoulder shortly after his trade from the Chicago Bears. Earlier in the week, coach David Culley said he is hopeful Miller can see the field this season. Still only 26 years of age, it would not be a surprise to see him hit waiver wires. Miller has fantasy upside so 2022 could be his breakout. We all can dream, right? He had shoulder surgery in 2019 so the current injury could be just a re-injury.
September 1 Sunday, Tom Pelissero tweeted, "#Vikings starting TE Irv Smith Jr. is expected to undergo surgery for a meniscus injury that will sideline him for at least the start of the regular season, per sources." Wednesday, Adam Schefter tweeted, "Vikings’ TE Irv Smith underwent surgery to repair his meniscus this morning. With a 4-5 month recovery timetable, it is most likely to end his season, per sources." This explains the trade for Chris Herndon.
August 24 Sleeper alert! Beat reporter, Katherine Terrell, wrote a couple of days ago that second-year receiver-turned-tight end Juwan Johnson "seems headed for a Jared Cook-type role" for New Orleans in 2021. Trautman was nicked up on Monday night so race to your waiver wire for Johnson. Even though Adam Trautman has been the guy dynasty managers have targeted after the Jared Cook departure, Johnson could be the guy for fantasy. Trautman is a good blocker so - when healthy - he may stay in-line more than fantasy managers would like.
August 27 The ascension of rookie tight end Kylen Granson has been overshadowed this preseason by the injuries to Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson.Ace beat reporter, Stephen Holder, reported last week that he expects Granson to be featured in the passing game. The time to acquire Granson is before Week 1. While Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox may get more snaps than the rookie, we expect the youngster to dominate targets, especially in the red zone.
Everything
Quarterback News
August 28 Saturday morning, Ian Rapoport broke the news that the Jacksonville Jaguars were trading Gardner Minshew to the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional sixth-round pick. This is a curious move for Jacksonville and a great move for Philadelphia. Coach Urban Meyer had Minshew and rookie Trevor Lawrence splitting practice reps throughout training camp, reducing much-needed practice for Lawrence. He then trades Minshew for less than what Sony Michel fetched. Crazy. For the Jaguars, it is a great move to add depth. He may start games this season if Jalen hurts falls flat. Even if he never plays a snap for the Eagles, and walks in free agency, Philadelphia will get a comp pick greater than it paid to acquire the quarterback.
August 6 During the Hall of Fame game, ex-Cowboys star Troy Aikman gave a word of caution on quarterback Dak Prescott, “The Cowboys are downplaying it, but I think when your franchise quarterback is missing the amount of time he's missing, I tend to think it's probably a little bit more significant than what they have led on." Given Aikman’s propensity of all-positive Cowboys blurbs, this is concerning. An absence will impact the entire offense as evidenced by the 2020 season.
August 11 Both Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter voiced optimism today that Carson Wentz will be ready for the season opener. This is great news, even if he misses only a week or two.
July 30 Aaron Rodgers signed a reworked deal and reported to camp. The situation is now settled. For now.
June 13 Kyler Murray's fantasy upside is tied to his high-volume passing offense and rushing ability. Fantasy managers should take note of Murray's comments last week about desiring to run less, "Honestly, the way I see it is, my legs should be a luxury ... And it kind of wasn't like that last year. It was me having to run for us in a sense. Once my shoulder was banged up and I wasn't trying to put myself out there and take those hits, we hit a lull. Honestly, I think it was a lesson for us. We can't be one-dimensional. We've got to be better in all aspects of the game." File this away in case Murray has an off-year without the rushing totals. Murray averaged over 51 rushing yards per game in 2020 and even had a 100-yard rushing outburst against Miami in Week 9. The athletic quarterback also added 11 rushing totals on the season. His ability to make plays on the ground may be the difference between you winning your fantasy season and possibly missing the playoffs.
July 3 There has been little written about New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, so it was a welcome sight when beat reporter Connor Hughes said the rookie looked "so comfortable" in offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur's offense during OTAs and minicamp. Hughes went on to say Wilson was “accurate, aggressive and regularly in control" through the spring camps. With the cache of weapons, Wilson could have a strong rookie campaign. The Jets added Corey Davis and Elijah Moore this offseason. The ceiling is high for a team likely playing from behind most games. Garbage time could make Wilson a fantasy hero.
May 26 Tyrod Taylor is the favorite to start Week1 for the Texans. The veteran started the first game last year for the Chargers, a win over the Bengals. Before Week 2, a team doctor punctured a lung while trying to administer a pain medicine injection. He ceded the starting gig to rookie Justin Herbert, and the rest is history. Houston drafted Davis Mills in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. While many will get excited about Mills, he will have a tough time passing Taylor on the depth chart until later in the year, assuming Watson is suspended or traded. Fantasy players should cheer for Mills to have a good training camp as Taylor will not be able to pass well enough for Brandin Cooks and the receivers to be fantasy viable.
Running Back News
August 29 On Saturday, Baltimore Ravens tailback J.K. Dobbins was forced from the preseason game with a left knee injury. He had his leg bent backwards. It was awkward. We will know more in the coming days, but this is worrisome for a top, young player. Gus Edwards steps into the starting role as Dobbins is now expected to miss the entire season. Also, keep an eye on TySon Williams, a second-year undrafted rookie. He seems to have passed Justice Hill. In the game that Dobbins was injured, Williams gained 42 yards on four carries.
August 24 Rookie tailback Travis Etienne injured his foot Monday night. Tuesday morning, Ian Rapoport tweeted, "#Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, spotted on crutches after the game, suffered a Lisfranc iniury and will have further tests today, source said. X-Rays were negative so the belief is it’s just a sprain. Exams today will determine how long he’s out." Etienne was deemed out for the season on Tuesday. It is a tough loss for the Jaguars and the rookie. Of course, James Robinson benefits. But, so does Carlos Hyde.
August 25 The New England Patriots traded Sony Michel to the Los Angeles Rams for a 5th- and 6th-round picks, which will convert to a 4th-rounder if the Rams acquire a 4th in comp picks. This is a huge move for both teams as it solidifies Damien Harris's position as lead back and opens a path for sensational rookie Rhamondre Stevenson. Also, dynasty managers are encouraged to monitor J.J. Taylor's usage as he flashed in preseason. For the Rams, Michel impedes Jake Funk and Xavier Jones but should have little impact on Darrell Henderson.
August 20 After thinking Myles Gaskin was the guy all offseason, fantasy managers were confused and maddened when he was mired in a committee in the first preseason game. When asked, coach Brian Flores said that he plans to play the tailbacks situationally. Flores said, “We are going to use them situationally as best fits their skill set and what’s best for the team … Myles Gaskin can play first, second, third down, but depending on the situation, we may put another player in there. Malcolm Brown is a little bigger, what you may consider a power back. Myles is change of pace, good quickness. Salvon Ahmed has good speed, coming out of the backfield. They all played well in the preseason game.” Calling Gaskin a change-of-pace back is not comforting to the fantasy community. At this point, we still like Gaskin, but not at his current value. Brown and Ahmed are the types of waiver-wire steals we always seek. Miami has the foundation for a potent offense so each has upside. The trick will be usage and predictability.
August 21 Keep an eye on the Clyde Edwards-Helaire injury. He left the Friday night game against the Cardinals. Adam Schefter reported Saturday morning, "Chiefs’ RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire sprained his right ankle last night. 'They got to check it (today), do what they do there,' said Andy Reid. 'It’s tender now. It doesn’t look like a high-ankle sprain. That’s always a good thing. They’ll double-check it.'”
August 6 Miles Sanders is a scary player for dynasty managers. For example, beat reporter, Eliot Shorr-Parks, wrote this week that he expects Sanders and Boston Scott to "basically split touches" this season. Yuck! Considering Sanders is valued highly by the dynasty community while Scott is basically free on the waiver wire, this speaks more about Sanders than Scott. The team does not value him as highly as the fantasy community. Add in the Sanders injuries and he is a player we are avoiding. Plus, rookie Kenneth Gainwell will see action sooner than later.
July 23 Last week, Los Angeles Rams tailback Cam Akers suffered a torn Achilles' tendon while training. He will the entire 2021 season while recovering from the injury. Akers was primed for a breakout season before the injury. Now, Darrell Henderson is expected to take on an expanded role. Of note, Henderson has not proven himself to be durable so far, but will get a chance in 2021. While the Rams could sign a veteran, the Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue said signing free agent Todd Gurley is a "non-starter" for the Rams. Of the ripple effects, quarterback Matthew Stafford and receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are the likely beneficiaries. Los Angeles should pass more frequently without a viable running game.
August 20 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed veteran tailback Giovani Bernard to play a role. It was not until the training camp and preseason that we saw what it might be. Bernard is outstanding in the passing game and is decent as a runner. He might be the best fantasy back on the Buccaneers. When asked about Bernard’s role, coach Bruce Arians said, Bernard is "already going to be a major part of the offense." The coach followed it up with, “[he] has been more than pretty good … He’s already going to be a major part of the offense." We are envisioning a role similar to what James White had with quarterback Tom Brady. White was a fantasy RB2 most years. Bernard has that type of fantasy upside.
August 20 The fantasy demise of David Johnson has received little ink. He has been reduced to third- and fourth-team duties behind Philip Lindsay and Mark Ingram. When asked about the reduced role, Johnson said, “Obviously, as it’s going on, in the moment it’s tough … But I think in the long run, it will just help out the team as a whole. Obviously...it might take a little bit longer to figure out what’s going on, figure out different ways to beat the defense and running the ball like that … but other aspects...catching the ball or pass protection, I don’t think so.” For fantasy, we need to focus on the running back targets as the Texans will be playing from behind often. Lindsay and Johnson are expected to share that role.
July 16 Confirming prior reports, vaunted beat reporter Mike Reiss said Damien Harris is the New England Patriots' "surefire No. 1" backfield option. Reiss is plugged into the Patriots, so fantasy managers should take heed. There is not much behind Harris for early-down work, just rookie Rhamondre Stevenson and Sony Michel. Michel is not a roster lock. Per Reiss, coach Bill Belichick said Harris is "off to a really good start in preparation for the season." He followed it up with, "Damien works extremely hard at all phases -- certainly his conditioning and training, running game, passing game, protection, route running, catching the ball." A couple of things work against Harris’ fantasy upside, namely quarterback Cam newton stealing red zone carries and New England playing from behind, leaving fewer early-down carries for Harris.
July 16 This is the time of year that coaches give reporters unrealistic expectations. One such was Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy telling beat reporters that he wants tailback David Montgomery to get 20 rushing attempts per game. Nagy then put a caveat that it depends on how the game is going. He said, “Depending on what the game is, what's happened the last couple years and why some of David's carries -- which aren't low -- haven't been quite as high as a lot of guys get it in four-minute mode in the fourth quarter … That's where they can get those extra four or five carries, which can bump them into the top five, you know, with 20 rushes a game. That's our goal … We want to have the lead so that we can give him the ball, so he has touches." Tarik Cohen is back healthy and will claim the passing-downs work. While 340 carries is a little unrealistic for Montgomery, fantasy managers should be encouraged about the comments.
May 26 There was much ink spilled over Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer telling reporters that rookie tailback Travis Etienne was working mostly as a receiver in rookie camp. The part of the quote that is often omitted is Meyer saying that the team has faith in the first-round pick’s rushing abilities and wants to use him in a variety of situations. Per Meyer, “Worst case scenario you have a running back that's elite with receiver skills.” Most pundits immediately assumed a Percy Harvin-like role for Etienne. This would not be a bad thing for Etienne’s fantasy profile. With James Robinson and Carlos Hyde already in the backfield, any way to scheme touches for Etienne is welcomed. There is another consideration often forgotten. The Jaguars do not have much talent. This team will be bad and playing from behind often. It could set up Etienne as the pass-catcher in garbage time.
May 26 The Athletic's Jay Morrison got fantasy footballers in a frenzy last week as he reported that tailback Joe Mixon would remain on the field almost full time. Mixon is undervalued in dynasty leagues as he could benefit from the firepower in the passing game. Also, Giovani Bernard signed to play in Tampa Bay. This leaves Samaje Perine as the primary backup for Mixon in 2021. If Mixon benefits from a prolific passing attack, so would Perine if Mixon misses time. He makes a great stash in deeper leagues.
June 25 Yes, this is the time of year the hype and smoke get thick, but the steam behind Washington tailback Antonio Gibson seems real. Running backs coach Randy Jordan said is "like night and day" compared to last year. Head coach Ron Rivera said of Gibson, "You can tell he's matured, got a better feel and understanding … Those natural instincts that you look for, the intangibles that guys that have been playing the positions their whole career naturally have. You start to see those come to light with Antonio." While this seems to indicate an emergence for the second-year pro, he will still need to beat out J.D. McKissic for third-down duty to live up to fantasy expectations. Gibson was hyper-efficient scoring touchdowns as a rookie and will need increased volume to hit fantasy gold, as some home.
May 26 This is the time of year where head coaches say crazy things, and fantasy players must read with a filter. One such quote came from Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio when he said last week that the team would "utilize all three" of their running backs this season. Melvin Gordon is a proven star. The Broncos also traded up in the draft to select the hard-charging Javonte Williams. We expect Gordon and Williams to split touches similar to last year with Gordon and Phillip Lindsay. After Lindsay signed in Houston, Denver signed Mike Boone, previously with the Vikings. We expect Gordon, by far the best receiver of the three, to dominate touches. Fangio has always liked using a committee, but Boone should be seen as insurance for the other two. Fangio’s quote is mistakenly seen as an even split of touches between the three. What he said was, "Hopefully this year with our three backs — Boone being one of them, who we really like that we signed in free agency — we'll get a nice flow and get a good understanding and philosophy of the system which we'll take from week to week to utilize all three of them," In the same press conference, Fangio told reporters that Gordon will likely be the team’s leading ball carrier. Boone should see special teams duty and an occasional series unless one of the other two is injured.
Wide Receiver News
July 23 Ian Rapoport dropped a bombshell Friday when he announced, “The #Saints will start the season without WR Michael Thomas after ankle surgery that happened in June, rather than immediately following the season.” Rapoport continued with a report that Thomas could miss the first few weeks of the season due to a four-month rehabilitation schedule for the ankle surgery. Combined with the loss of Drew Brees, Thomas’ upside was limited to begin with, even before the ankle surgery. He is a player to avoid at current dynasty value.
July 9 Long-time Dallas reporter Mike Fisher said last week that star receiver Amari Cooper will be "cutting it close" to be ready for the start of training camp. Cooper is still recovering from ankle surgery. Cooper is set up for a big year with Dak Prescott healthy. We will continue to monitor Cooper’s health through training camp.
August 27 The New York Giants have been beset with injuries. While Saquon Barkley is on the mend, hoping to be at full speed by Week 1,newly-signed receiver, Kenny Golladay, has missed almost four weeks with a hamstring injury. Daniel Jones is far from a viable fantasy option without Golladay, as proven last year. We are advising to acquire Golladay if his price drops due to the injury. He is still a quality NFL receiver.
June 7 The big news this week was the Julio Jones trade. The Atlanta Falcons gave Jones and a 2023 sixth-round pick, and the Tennessee Titans gave a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-rounder in return. Jones has been elite every year of his ten-year career, averaging 1,565 receiving yards per season before the injury-riddled 2020 season. Titans general manager Jon Robinson told Peter King, "Missing time last year, what were the circumstances surrounding that? And based on our evaluation of him, he’s healthy and doesn’t look like he’s lost anything to us.” The Titans have a strong receiving duo with Jones and A.J. Brown. Two of the most physically gifted players of all time. For fantasy, the big winner might be quarterback Ryan Tannehill. He has been a low-end QB1 option the past two seasons and not has more weekly upside with the two play-making receivers.
May 26 The salary cap forces unwanted decisions. One such decision is the Atlanta Falcons potentially trading Julio Jones. The new regime has a large rebuild effort ahead of them, making the potential trade more palatable. We see a declining, yet still spectacular, Jones. The issue is two-fold: he wants to play for a winner and the team needs to create cap space to sign this year’s rookies. Making matters more difficult is the team’s asking price (a first-round pick) and Jones’ guaranteed salary of $15.3 million for 2021 and $19 million salary number for 2022. Not many teams have the cap space to take on the salary, much less pay the extravagant price for the 32-year-old Jones. There are ample rumors going around about where the star receiver wants to play in 2021, but he may not get a choice given so few teams have that much cap space available. To illustrate how awesome Jones has been in his ten-year career, he has started at least 13 games in eight of the ten years, has the most receiving yards in the NFL over this time period, and has averaged 95 yards per game throughout his career. Graham Barfield tweeted out statistics about Jones’ impact on quarterback Matt Ryan, “Matt Ryan’s splits with/without Julio Jones since 2012:
With Julio (122 games)
- Passing yards per game (YPG) — 293
- YPA — 7.9
- TDs per game — 1.9
- INTs per game — 0.7
- Win percentage — 0.53
Without Julio (22 games)
- YPG — 260
- YPA — 7.2
- TDs — 1.6
- INTs — 1.1
- Win% — 0.27
Jones makes a great buy candidate in dynasty leagues as he still has a few years left of elite production.
August 6 Beat reporter, Zac Jackson, was one of many reporting last week that receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones was "absolutely lighting up" Cleveland Browns training camp. He has always had the talent as evidenced by his recruiting profile as the top receiver in the high school recruiting class. The time is coming where he will not be cheap to acquire.
August 13 Rashod Bateman left practice yesterday and Adam Schefter offered an update today, "Ravens’ HC John Harbaugh said first-round pick Rashod Bateman will miss 'a number of weeks' with the groin injury that he suffered at Tuesday’s practice." On Friday, Tom Pelissero tweeted, #Ravens WR Rashod Bateman had core-muscle surgery today with Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia and all went well, per source. Coach John Harbaugh said the team hopes Bateman makes it back sometime in September." This will delay any breakout hopes until at least midseason. The Ravens have a bevy of receivers capable of playing well for quarterback Lamar Jackson.
June 13 This weekend, beat reporter Hays Carlyon tweeted a bit of news that caused many to adjust their dynasty rankings, "I asked somebody in the Jaguars building: Who is the player that the coaches are buzzing about? The answer was Laviska Shenault". This was just a week after coach Urban Meyer called out Shenault's teammate D.J. Chark, “I just didn’t like his size. His strength, I just thought, was way below average, way below what we expect from our receivers, and he was told that ... He’s a big guy that played little last year, and that can’t happen. Guys like Mike Thomas and (for Flordia player under Meyer) Louis Murphy are those big, strong, fast receivers, and he’s got to play big and strong.” Shenault should be a target for savvy dynasty players.
August 29 Sunday morning, the news broke that T.Y. Hilton will miss a few games to begin the season. Notable beat reporter, Stephen Holder, tweeted, "NEWS: With the regular season 2 weeks away, Colts WR T.Y. Hilton is expected to miss multiple weeks with an unspecified injury, multiple sources tell @zkeefer and I. The injury is *not* considered season ending." Adam Schefter piggy-backed the tweet with, "Colts’ WR T.Y. Hilton is being evaluated for an upper back/neck injury, per sources, and it is uncertain how much time he will miss." Expect Michael Pittman and Parris Campbell to pick up the slack. It sure seems like Indianapolis is snakebit with the injury bug.
June 19 The New York Jets wide receiver situation will be a mess for fantasy players this year. Last week, the team convinced Jamison Crowder to halve his salary for 2020, guaranteeing him a spot on the team. With newly-signed Corey Davis and rookie Elijah Moore added, Crowder will be a situational player. Crowder’s presence may limit Moore’s year-one upside. Further, the crowded receiving corps may make each of the three inexpensive to acquire, and all three are good long-term bets for fantasy viability, even if it means Crowder will be elsewhere in 2022. Keelan Cole was also added in free agency and has been playing in front of second-year player Denzel Mims. Beat reporter Ralph Vacchiano wrote second-year Denzel Mims was one of the team's few receivers to not play with the first team on the first day of minicamp. The Athletic's Connor Hughes reported that Cole, not Mims, has a spot in the Jets' three-receiver sets. This was with Crowder on the sideline. Crowder’s presence pushes Mims to the fifth receiver. Ouch!
July 3 Thankfully, the Chargers had a coaching turnover this offseason. New offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi brings his version of the Saints offense to Los Angeles. Beat writer Daniel Popped expects receiver Mike Williams to play the “X” receiver position, the spot Michael Thomas occupied while Lombardi was in New Orleans. It is far too early to predict Thomas-like production from Williams, but he is a high-ceiling player with Justin Herbert under center.
July 30 After reworking Aaron Rodgers’ deal, the Packers also traded for Randall Cobb to reunite with Rodgers. The price was just a sixth-round pick. It is a small price to pay to keep the veteran quarterback happy. Cobb, now 31, spent the first eight seasons in Green Bay. He should man the slot and see the second-most targets among receivers. The trade offers a golden opportunity to trade for rookie Amari Rodgers as he will struggle to see the field as long as Cobb is healthy.
July 16 The Houston Texans are a mess. One player to monitor during training camp and preseason is the rookie receiver, Nico Collins. Beat writer Aaron Reiss said Collins "should have a chance to see a lot of snaps early." He went on to say it is because of a lack of competition at the position, outside of Brandin Cooks. The issue for Collins, Cooks, and the other receivers is the potential of having Tyrod Taylor under center. Collins was a day-two pick in April’s NFL Draft and is a size/speed specimen. The fantasy upside will come from garbage time in lopsided affairs.
August 20 Houston Texans receiver Anthony Miller dislocated his shoulder shortly after his trade from the Chicago Bears. Earlier in the week, coach David Culley said he is hopeful Miller can see the field this season. Still only 26 years of age, it would not be a surprise to see him hit waiver wires. Miller has fantasy upside so 2022 could be his breakout. We all can dream, right? He had shoulder surgery in 2019 so the current injury could be just a re-injury.
July 9 Veteran Boston-area reporter Tom Curran said this week that he would "put (his) cash" on Jakobi Meyers being "the most reliable and productive Patriots wideout in 2021." He is the second media member to supports Meyers. Any improvement in quarterback play would vault Meyers into fantasy WR3 territory. On a related note, former first-round pick N'Keal Harry requested a trade. Expect New England to grant the wish and invest in other players.
June 19 Beat reporter Andrew Callahan said, "don’t be surprised if Jakobi Meyers looks like" New England’s top receiver during the team's minicamp. He added that Meyers had a strong spring. The team lost Julian Edelman to retirement but added Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. Meyers had a few strong games as a rookie in 2020 and is primed for a breakout in 2021. On the flipside, Callahan reports that the former 2019 first-round pick will be fighting for a roster spot. We expect Harry to be a late-summer trade candidate. Meyers is one of our favorite players to acquire this offseason. He is cheap with upside. The youngster just needs improved quarterback play to take the next step in his development.
July 24 Mike Garafolo broke the news Saturday night that the Chicago Bears traded disgruntled receiver Anthony Miller to the Houston Texans for a second-round pick. Miller was phased out in Chicago and Houston needed receiver talent. This represents a fresh start for Miller.
July 9 Beat writer Nate Taylor wrote last week that Mecole Hardman will enter training camp as the Chiefs WR2. He steps into Sammy Watkins’ shoes and could have a fantasy-viable season. Hardman’s speed adds a dimension to the Kansas City offense. He will compete with Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson for the role.
July 3 Beat writer Nate Taylor reported last week that Mecole Hardman "has made sizable improvements, whether it’s his route running, his consistency when catching the ball or his overall demeanor on the practice fields." Hardman has a golden opportunity with Sammy Watkins now in Baltimore. Fantasy managers expected more during Hardman’s first three seasons, so his value is low, making the speedster a viable “buy” opportunity. His speed should help the offense as a whole and we expect coach Andy Reid to find the best way to leverage his blazing foot speed.
Tight End News
August 29 Sunday, Tom Pelissero tweeted, "#Vikings starting TE Irv Smith Jr. is expected to undergo surgery for a meniscus injury that will sideline him for at least the start of the regular season, per sources." We expect him to miss at least the first three game and up to the first half of the season. Tyler Conklin will step in if healthy.
July 30 With many teams struggling to find a long-term answer at tight end, Washington locked up Logan Thomas for three more years. The deal gives the former quarterback $24 million and $10.3 guaranteed. Last year, Thomas showed that he was worthy of an extension and the team obliged. Hand it to the team brass as they have added weapons for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the form of Curtis Samuel and Thomas.
July 23 The Dallas Cowboys passing offense is expected to be elite in 2021. One of the most underrated pieces of the offense will be tight end, Blake Jarwin. Jarwin is already practicing with the after tearing his ACL in the 2020 season opener. Dak Prescott is back under center, and the Cowboys will be tough to stop. Jarwin is a good receiver and able to make plays after the catch. He is a solid fantasy TE1.
August 24 Sleeper alert! Beat reporter, Katherine Terrell, wrote a couple of days ago that second-year receiver-turned-tight end Juwan Johnson "seems headed for a Jared Cook-type role" for New Orleans in 2021. Trautman was nicked up on Monday night so race to your waiver wire for Johnson. Even though Adam Trautman has been the guy dynasty managers have targeted after the Jared Cook departure, Johnson could be the guy for fantasy. Trautman is a good blocker so - when healthy - he may stay in-line more than fantasy managers would like.
August 27 The ascension of rookie tight end Kylen Granson has been overshadowed this preseason by the injuries to Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson.Ace beat reporter, Stephen Holder, reported last week that he expects Granson to be featured in the passing game. The time to acquire Granson is before Week 1. While Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox may get more snaps than the rookie, we expect the youngster to dominate targets, especially in the red zone. Note the blurb below. He has been a favorite of the coaches all long.
August 6 In the “players to remember” category, keep an eye on rookie tight end Kylen Granson. Albert Breer said last week that Granson has "justified Frank Reich's pre-draft love." If that is not a ringing endorsement – not to mention the coach seeking confirmation bias – we do not know what is. With just Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox ahead of him on the depth chart, we could see a fast ascension by the rookie.
June 25 One of our favorite tight-end sleepers is Gerald Everett. Known for his overly optimistic views, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said he expects Everett will be "a real threat in the throwing game" in 2021. Carroll continued, "He’s like a wide receiver, he’s got terrific after-the-catch run ability, really aggressive and he’s a good blocker, too, and he knows the system inside and out." Let’s remember that Everett followed new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to Seattle. Everett will climb out from under Tyler Higbee’s shadow and have the opportunity to showcase his skills. Will Dissly was able to be a top-6 fantasy option in spurts, so the ceiling is high for Everett with Russell Wilson under center.
June 7 Many in the fantasy community are recommending Anthony Firkser as a sleeper. Long-time Titans beat writer Terry McCormick threw cold water on the idea over the weekend by tweeting, “Robinson said #Titans are still monitoring the TE position. Likes what they have, but constantly looking at what's available or may become away.” As if the Julio Jones trade did not hurt Firskser’s value and upside enough, this tweet should give pause.
July 3 Jets beat report Brian Costello opined that Tyler Kroft might be the team’s starting tight end this season. Costello said, "Kroft has been one of the bigger surprises of the spring … He has seen a lot of time with the starting unit and...could beat out Chris Herndon for the job if Herndon does not shake out of the funk he was in last year." With limited fantasy upside, it is probably best to avoid New York’s tight ends, but Kroft makes for a great stash in deep leagues. Herndon failed to live up to potential in 2020 and this is his make-or-break season.
June 25 One rookie who should be the target of all dynasty players is Kansas City Chiefs fifth-round pick, Noah Gray. He has warranted rave reviews from all onlookers. Beat reporter Adam Teicher noted "it's easy to see" how Gray "could get a significant amount of playing time" as a rookie. Coach Andy Reid has not always allowed an easy rookie path, so Gray's buzz is notable. If the Chiefs go to more two-tight end sets, as some predict, Gray could see the field. Also, he would benefit if All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce were to miss time.
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