49ers say QB Colin Kaepernick will start Week 7

Oct 17, 2016

On Monday afternoon, San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly confirmed what likely didn't come as much of a surprise: Colin Kaepernick will remain the starting quarterback for the game Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Related players: Blaine Gabbert

Fantasy Impact:

Kelly thought Kaepernick played "OK" but could obviously improve. His numbers were similar to what Gabbert has posted but did misfire on open receivers.

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WR Martavis Bryant applies to be reinstated

ESPN

2 hours ago

Suspended former Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders wide receiver Martavis Bryant has formally applied to the NFL for reinstatement, a source told ESPN on Monday.

Bryant sent an email to league officials Saturday, requesting reinstatement from an indefinite suspension the league imposed in December for Bryant's repeated violations of the league's drug policy.

Bryant, 27, was a fourth-round pick by the Steelers in 2014 but has missed 36 of a possible 80 regular-season games since then because of suspensions.

Fantasy Impact:

The story went on to say since the end of last season, a source said, Bryant has worked with the NFL and the NFL Players Association on ways to address his mental health and put him in a position where he feels his application for reinstatement has a chance to succeed. He has submitted to drug testing over the past couple of months and has consulted with the league and the union to find mental health professionals and get proper medication.

Cardinals Beat: RB David Johnson could get 30-35 touches

AZCenral.com

3 hours ago

By all accounts, David Johnson will be a fixture in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense this year and it won’t be a shock if he averages 30-35 touches a game.

“My role this upcoming season, from talking to the coaches, is that I’m hopefully going to get the ball a little bit more,” Johnson said. “… I’ve talked to guys (familiar with Kingsbury’s offense) like Christian Kirk and he said a lot of people have heard (Kingsbury) doesn’t run the ball, but he told me personally that that their running backs have gotten the ball a lot. I’ve heard he’s really good at putting his guys in open space, especially running backs, and giving them open space to try to get the yards catching the ball and doing things like that.”

Fantasy Impact:

Kingsbury hasn’t divulged any real details about the offense, but did say of Johnson, “I think he’s going to be really excited with what we do.” The story added during his six seasons as the head coach at Texas Tech, Kingsbury’s running backs ran the ball a ton, but only twice did anyone top the 1,000-yard mark. Johnson’s goal is to obliterate the 1,000-yard rushing mark in 2019 and do what he almost did three years ago, which is to also top 1,000 yards or more as a receiver.

Cards WR Larry Fitzgerald impressed by QB Kyler Murray

AZCenral.com

3 hours ago

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley told "The Dan Patrick Show" in March that Kyler Murray was "a tremendous leader" a sentiment Larry Fitzgerald concurs.

Fitzgerald was impressed by Murray's immediate confidence with the Cardinals during their three-day minicamp in June.

"I know him running Lincoln Riley's offense (at Oklahoma) is very similar to what Coach Kliff Kingsbury runs, but on the first day he's calling audibles and getting us in plays that are favorable to the offense," Fitzgerald told SI. "So I was really impressed by his ability to take a leadership position first day at offense. I was impressed with how smart he is, how determined he is. His future is extremely bright."

Fantasy Impact:

Murray said he probably knows the system better than anyone on the Cardinals right now, but added that's his job. Fitz mentioned Murray makes the audibles quickly, and once the players adjust, the offense will run faster. Murray is already a top-10 QB in our rankings coming in 10th and we obviously think he has a shot to put up QB1 numbers in his first season.

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