Fantasy News Home

Maurice Jones-Drew getting in shape
Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 11:04am

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew is recovering from Lisfranc surgery on his left foot. He arrived for the team's offseason conditioning program out of shape -- he hasn't been able to run full speed since December -- but believed the extra weight would come off by training camp. He had hoped to be running by the end of May.

Last month, Jones-Drew got permission to leave organized team activities and start working out on his own in Miami.

"It sounds like he's making good progress and that his weight is coming down," Bradley said. "It feels like the workouts are going good down there."

The best evidence will be when he returns to Jacksonville for a mandatory, three-day minicamp next week. The trip might also include a talk with investigators and possibly a chat with teammates.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 10:43am

For the first time in years, Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald is studying at night in the off-season, although with new HC Bruce Arians, Fitzgerald is never sure what’s going to be on the test the next day. Fitzgerald might study his usual position, the “X,” then be asked to do something completely different, like play the “Z” (flanker), or the “F,” which is sort of a slot position.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 10:37am

Broncos TE Jacob Tamme has been out there with the first team. Besides the youthful competition at his position, Tamme may also be affected by the addition of slot receiver Wes Welker. Last season, there was a nice mix between Tamme and slot receiver Brandon Stokley. They ranked third and fourth on the team with 52 and 45 catches, respectively.

Even if in the interest of balance Welker's stats drop from his 112-catch average in six previous seasons with New England to around 80 this year with the Broncos, Tamme doesn't figure to have as many balls thrown his way.

Jamaal Charles to be featured in passing game
Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 11:14am

"You've seen [RB Jamaal Charles] sprint out of the single receiver, and he'll come out of the backfield," Chiefs OC Doug Pederson continued. "He's a guy that needs to move around, and (one) you can put in different positions, motion out the back, shift him from the backfield. He catches the ball so well that you have to take advantage of that offensively."

Charles ranked 22nd among NFL tailbacks last season in terms of total targets (48) and was 13th in 2010 (61). Meanwhile, in Andy Reid's West Coast scheme, LeSean McCoy wound up eighth in targets in 2012 (67) and was first in 2010 (97).

"I think you can use (Charles) more in the passing game," Pederson said.

Trent Richardson (shin) out until August
Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 10:14am

Browns RB Trent Richardson out until August. Team worried leg injury could develop into stress fracture.

Jason Pierre-Paul to have back surgery
Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 10:08am

Giants pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul will undergo back surgery today, source says. Hopes to be ready for Week 1.

DeSean Jackson recovers from demotion
Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 10:05am

“There were times when I was going with the threes, times when I was going with the twos, things like that,” said Eagles WR DeSean Jackson in a one-on-one conversation with Birds 24/7. “There was a point where I went into Chip Kelly’s office and talked to him face-to-face to see what was going on with that.”

Kelly told Jackson what he has stated publicly: that there is no depth chart, everyone on the roster will get a shot and nothing will be handed to you based purely on past performance.

“He just expects everyone to do things a certain way. He was asking everybody to do the same thing. For myself, I just had to really hear it from his mouth to get that rapport with him and be on the same page with him. When I went in there, he said he expects everybody to buy into the system and do everything the right way,” said Jackson. ”And if there is any little thing a player doesn’t want to do, that’s his way of reacting to it. The best thing I did was go talk to him instead of just sitting back and being mad.”

“I think one of the biggest reasons was the offense was kind of new to myself and I never really had to learn every position in the offense [under Andy Reid],” said Jackson. “At the beginning of the process I didn’t know the full offense and I didn’t know every play, so that probably had to do with why I was moved to different teams and things like that. Now I am all-in on the offense and I’m very familiar with the whole system. It’s a good thing that I am able to learn that and know what everyone is doing instead of one person.”

Ryan Tannehill says Lamar Miller is the starter
Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 10:01am

Appearing on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" on Monday, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill stated without equivocation that RB Lamar Miller is well ahead of 2011 second-rounder Daniel Thomas and rookie Mike Gillislee.

Asked who the Dolphins' starting running back is, Tannehill replied without hesitation: "Lamar Miller right now. He's doing a great job this offseason, really has a great handle on the offense and he's doing a great job protecting. ... They can (all) run the ball but being able to understand the pass game, understand the checkdowns and where they're protecting really makes a big difference and makes me more comfortable."

Tuesday, June 4, 2013, 9:12am

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald feels fellow WR Michael Floyd is on the verge of a big season.

Vincent Brown rotating in with the starters
Monday, June 3, 2013, 8:04pm

Vincent Brown's participation level has risen steadily during the Chargers' organized team activities. In the third week, it reached a new height.

The wide receiver mixed in with the starters Monday for the first time this offseason, rotating with Malcom Floyd opposite Danario Alexander. While too much can be made about a player's June practice reps, Brown is expected to see a pronounced role in his third season.

That role would have come in 2012 if not for an August broken ankle. The former third-round pick out of San Diego State missed the entire year with the preseason injury, but he is fully recovered now.

Coach Mike McCoy said he anticipates Brown will "without a doubt" be a big part of the team's offense.

"He's been great," McCoy said. "We laid out a plan for him early on, and he's one of those kids who want to go full speed, 100 miles per hour every play. So we were holding back a little bit when we first got on the field, and it's just a process we're going through to make sure we're doing the right thing with him. But he's on board 100 percent with us, and he's done a great job."

Monday, June 3, 2013, 11:52am

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, who was forced to miss the team's playoff loss to the Packers last season in Green Bay because of a deeply bruised throwing triceps, was throwing well and with plenty of velocity in team drills last week at Winter Park.

"It feels good; there are no aftereffects," Ponder said of his arm.

Monday, June 3, 2013, 10:48am

Eagles QB Michael Vick: “As crazy as it may sound, I never carried the football correctly. And that’s partly my fault because my coaches always got everybody in a circle and did a four-points-of-pressure drill, and I never paid attention, thought I was doing it right. Now I know how to hold it. It feels comfortable, it’s tight, so I’m just trying to challenge myself each and every day and that’s what I’m doing.”

Sunday, June 2, 2013, 11:41am

New Titans tight end Delanie Walker suffered a knee injury on Friday that required an MRI.

Sunday, June 2, 2013, 10:42am

Updating a previous item, Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles was taken for precautionary X-rays on his toe that came back negative.

Saturday, June 1, 2013, 11:14am

Cordarrelle Patterson’s role was a bit more defined this week, though neither piece of information we received comes as a huge surprise. Patterson said the Vikings want him to learn the split end position for now (Jerome Simpson's current position), and they’ll move him around in their formations once he’s mastered that. He also will be a kick returner instead of a punt returner, since the Vikings still have Marcus Sherels to do that.

Patterson still has quite a bit to learn from receivers coach George Stewart, but he’s already heard from Greg Jennings the importance of refining his route-running, and Stewart said he’s fine with where Patterson is right now.

“He’s learning football as expected,” Stewart said. “He’s not a guy that you look at that’s behind on things. He’s sharp. He always comes and talks through things. Jarius Wright does a good job of staying with him. He always comes to my ear and asks questions. He’s very inquisitive, which I like. He’s picking up things extremely well.”