We scour the news around the NFL to bring you what matters most for 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 not meant to be an exhaustive look at all of the recent happenings around the league.
This past week, the Seattle Seahawks signed quarterback Russell Wilson to a four-year deal, taking him through 2019. Wilson received a $31 million signing bonus and $60 million in total guarantees. The length of the contract (four years) is ideal for the young passer. He will be able to possibly sign two more huge contracts in his career. Seattle is working to lock up the young nucleus. We hand it to the Seahawks for taking a proactive stance on the roster moves.
Several in the media have reported that Houston tailback Arian Foster will undergo surgery on his groin and begin the year on injured reserve/designated to return. If so, this would mean Foster would be eligible to play beginning Week 10 of the NFL season. We do not recommend picking up Alfred Blue or Chris Polk, they are merely fodder you would never want to start on your fantasy team. Keep an eye on which veteran signs with the Texans. This move alone will illustrate the lack of trust in Blue and Polk. Arian Foster had surgery Friday to attach his groin muscle to the bone. Keep an eye on his prognosis. There is a chance that Foster can avoid injured reserve and play sooner ... but it is too early to know at this point in time.
The St. Louis Rams have been effusive in the positive buzz for rookie tailback Todd Gurley. Coach Jeff Fisher said, "Todd did a great job on the conditioning test … He's not 100 percent. He's not ready to play in a game right now. ... We'll just kind of add things as we move forward." Gurley is looking good for week one. We do expect him to split time with Tre Mason for the first few weeks of the season. The Rams invested in the offensive line and will want to run the ball early and often to keep the pressure off quarterback Nick Foles.
The Chargers beat writers have doused cold water on the Melvin Gordon hype train. Kevin Acee recently said rookie Gordon is struggling with pass protection in Chargers' camp. With Danny Woodhead back healthy, Gordon may see limited snaps early in the season. We expect San Diego to run the ball frequently and use this pair of backs in situations to take advantage of mismatches.
The Cleveland Browns running backs have found it difficult to stay healthy so far in training camp. First, Duke Johnson Jr tweaked his hamstring. While this may not seem like a major injury, it is keeping the rookie out of camp, slowing his transition to the NFL. Browns coach Mike Pettine said Sunday that the hamstring injury will keep Johnson out "a little while." The positive is that a slow start may lower the price required to acquire Johnson in dynasty leagues. Then, last Saturday, Terrance West suffered a minor calf injury. He was already running behind Isaiah Crowell, and the injury will solidify the notion.
The Lions are anxiously awaiting good news on the recovery of Joique Bell, trying to return from knee and Achilles injuries. Coach Jim Caldwell said, “… like I said, I'm not sure how long it's going to take … I do know one thing, that he's coming along quickly, and we'll see what the doctor says. I can't put an exact timetable on it right now. That's the tough thing about even talking about medical. Sometimes you don't know." Bell is the lone proven big back in the Lions deep backfield. One player who has shined is rookie Ameer Abdullah. As time progresses with Bell sidelined, Abdullah keeps carving out a larger role in the offense.
Martavis Bryant will undergo a minor procedure to address an infection in his elbow. This is really non-news but we included it in the article just to bring calm to the situation. Bryant will be back in a week or two. This news, along with the strong play of Markus Wheaton, will lead some dynasty owners to discount the talented Bryant. If anything, a buying opportunity has presented itself.
Via Twitter, Adam Caplan stated that Vikings receiver Charles Johnson is"the real deal." Caplan saw Johnson's strong play up close at Minnesota's camp. The maturation of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will only help Johnson's production. As will the return of Adrian Peterson to the lineup. His value in dynasty leagues has yet to catch up to the potential Johnson brings. He is a big, fast athletic freak who needed a year to acclimate to the NFL. That time is now. Johnson's ascension is now.
With veteran players, the nagging injuries add up quickly. Keep an eye on Falcons pass catcher Roddy White who has required regular draining of his knee. It is never a good thing to have fluid building up on the knee. White said, "It's not a concern to me because it's just like a little irritation … My cartilage in my knee is not smooth. It's kind of rippled. You can elect to have surgery, but I just decided not to because I'm not a surgery guy. I just don't want to do it." So, the veteran will be 34 years of age this November and the injury could have prompted surgery? This is enough of a red flag for us to wave the “sell” flag. See if you can acquire rookie Justin Hardy or veteran Leonard Hankerson on the cheap. The odds are not strong that White plays all season.
It is always sad when a rookie gets injured early in training camp. Well, Jets rookie receiver Devin Smith broke three ribs and partially punctured a lung in his first practice. Ouch! The recovery schedule should take up to six weeks, but the missed practice time is a huge loss. So, expect the second round pick back at practice at the beginning of the season, after missing all of the preseason.
Even with Victor Cruz looking almost healthy, the New York Giants signed receiver James Jones. To be fair, Rueben Randle has struggled to develop into his potential and Cruz is coming off the nasty patellar tendon tear last Fall. Jones said he signed with the Giants because of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. They were in Green Bay together. Back to Cruz. The reviews have been very positive. Expectations should be tempered. It will take time to get his burst back. But, the good news is that Cruz is running and moving on the injured knee. He is fully expecting to play Week 1.
In dynasty leagues, there is not a cheap tight end with the upside of Jordan Reed. Many owners were concerned when he underwent a procedure this past May. The good news is that he received a stem cell shot, not going under the knife again. Beat writer Mike Jones even stated that Reed has been cleared for training camp. With Niles Paul waiting in the wings, Washington is expected to use both tight ends frequently.
Feel free to email me (Tefertiller@Footballguys.com) with feedback. Also, I am on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/JeffTefertiller), LinkedIn, and Google+, so you can ask me questions on one of these as well.