April 2015 4for4 Player News Articles

Carlos Hyde will have to move on from Frank Gore's mentorship and carve out a bigger role in 2015, a year that figures to showcase a new-look 49ers team. Besides the changing of the guard in the 49ers backfield, Hyde has undergone another major change this offseason.

His body is different. Hyde slimmed down 15 pounds since his rookie year.

General manager Trent Baalke touted Hyde as one of the most noticeably different players in the team's offseason program.

Hyde is expected to take over as the team's primary ball-carrier, with Reggie Bush assuming the passing down role. Given Bush's presence and Hyde's 4.0 YPC during in his rookie season, Hyde is probably being overdrafted as he's been going at the beginning of the 3rd round of early PPR drafts. Expect 250 or so carries and a somewhat limited role in the passing game, though there is upside here if the new offense falls into place.

The San Francisco 49ers may only be two days into minicamp and a few weeks into the offseason program, but Torrey Smith said Wednesday that the chemistry is already building between him and his new quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

The two aren’t new acquaintances; Smith said that he and Kap had trained at the same facility in past offseasons. He referenced Kaepernick’s “cannon” and how it differs from the strong arm of his former Baltimore Ravens teammate Joe Flacco.

“Joe (Flacco) has a great arm, probably the strongest arm in the league, but Kap’s is something different with that velocity,” Smith said. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s something different.”

“He’s doing a great job,” Smith said. “Ya’ll aren’t out there, but some of the throws he made yesterday were ridiculous.”

“It was cover two and I had a conversion,” Smith said. “It turned into a deep route and there was a small, a really small window for him to make the throw between (Antoine) Bethea and myself. If he put too much air on it, the ball is going to get tipped in a real game, and I’m going to get knocked out. But, he threw it where only I could get it and I didn’t break stride. And it was on a rope, 35 yards on a rope. It would have been a touchdown. It was ridiculous.”

It was reported earlier in the offseason that the team planned to utilize Kaepernick’s running ability to a greater degree. Kaepernick ran the ball 12 more times in 2014 than he did in 2013 for an additional 115 yards, so it's not like he abandoned the scramble. It sounds like it's more about utilizing the read-option as a larger part of the offense. If that's the case, it could be a boon to Kaepernick's fantasy value. He was the #14 QB in 2014 after finishing #9 the season before, though his overall production only dipped by 11 fantasy points. He's a bounce-back candidate provided new OC Geep Chryst can design an offense that can move the ball. Chryst previously served as the OC for the Chargers in 1999 and 2000, but his offenses ranked 26th and 28th overall in that span. Any gains that Kaepernick can make as a thrower (due to his offseason work with QB coach Dennis Gile and former Rams/Cardinals QB Kurt Warner) will only help his overall value, and early reports describe a 'radically different' throwing motion.

Broncos RB Montee Ball once again finds himself buried on the depth chart, this time behind C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman in Denver, and he envisions a similar story unfolding.

The Broncos' third-year running back predicts — not smugly but almost sheepishly — that he'll surpass Hillman and unseat Anderson, whose spectacular second half of 2014 earned him a Pro Bowl berth and the Broncos' starting tailback job.

"C.J. deserves the No. 1 spot right now. I'm most definitely going to try to work to get it back. And I believe that I will," Ball told The Associated Press during a break at minicamp this week. "I like coming in and being the underdog, just keeping my head down, my mouth shut and just working."

The clear-cut starter a year ago at this time after rushing for a 4.7-yard average his rookie year, Ball never regained his explosiveness or his starting job after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in August.

Ball blames the three-week layoff for weakening his core, which he believes in turn led to the torn right groin that landed him on injured reserve, limiting him to a paltry 172 yards on 55 carries for a 3.1-yard average and a single TD in 2014.

"I went back out there and it was just all downhill from there because I believe by having a weak core from having the surgery and not being able to work out my core for a good three weeks everything just lost its balance and my groin went out," Ball said. "I'm not blaming anyone because I looked them in the face and said, 'I feel great. I feel 100 percent.'"

Anderson starts the offseason as the starter, and it's his job to lose, but he's one of the riskier running backs currently going in the first three rounds due to his "half-year wonder" status and the presence of Hillman and Ball.

Cowboys running back Joseph Randle, who was facing a domestic violence investigation, will not be charged.

Prosecutors in Wichita, Kansas, cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to charge Randle, according to Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram.

Randle is in the mix for more carries given DeMarco Murray's departure. In 2014, he averaged 6.7 YPC on 51 totes, so he has some upside behind the Cowboys' talented offensive line. This is especially true if the team doesn't pick a running back early in the draft.

Rams HC Jeff Fisher says WR Brian Quick progressing well in shoulder surgery rehab; threw out possibility of him participating (with protection) in some OTAs.

Quick was posting solid WR3 numbers in both standard and PPR formats before his injury in Week 8. He's currently the 50th WR off the board at the end of the 10th round. The arrival of Nick Foles should be good for his prospects in 2015.

Joe Thomas sees a transformation in quarterback Johnny Manziel.

In an exclusive interview with NFL Media's Andrea Kremer, Cleveland's Pro Bowl left tackle heaped praise on Johnny after saying earlier this month that the Browns passer "lost probably a lot of trust" among teammates with the way he handled himself as a rookie.

"The way he is now is night and day from last year," Thomas said Tuesday. "He has a bright future ahead of him."

Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden told Kremer that Manziel has been a workhorse around the facility, staying later to study the new offense.

"He has the it-factor. He has what you can't teach," said Haden, adding: "Actions speaking louder than words. He's putting forth those actions. That's all he can do."

The Browns need a quarterback, and maybe Manziel can turn his career around after a very disappointing rookie season. Drawing praise from players like Thomas and Haden is a good start.

Even though the Browns have revamped their passing game with wide receivers Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe, coach Mike Pettine has been clear Cleveland will go as far as Crowell – and fellow rookie Terrance West – can take them.

Instead of developing a rivalry for who gets the most carries, Crowell and West have embraced each other, and have even made a pact together. Somehow they kept it under the social media radar, but Crowell flew up to Baltimore this offseason to get some workouts in with West, and, in turn, West flew down to Atlanta.

That pact? Both Crowell and West want to rush for 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Crowell said the offense is generally similar to last season’s scheme, but there will be distinctions.

Two hints from Crowell: The pass protection is different and we will see him more as a receiver out of the backfield.

Once the Browns were done with Ben Tate (Week 11), Crowell out-touched Terrance West 90 to 68 over the final seven games, but West had the last laugh, turning 20 touches into 106 yards and a TD against the Ravens in Week 17. (A seemingly healthy Crowell touched the ball five times for 22 yards.) The Cleveland running backs averaged 26.6 carries per game, so if the new offense does indeed feature the backs as receivers, there should be 30 or so touches for Crowell and West to split each week. Last season, HC Mike Pettine was handing out touches based on practice performance, so Crowell's current ADP (in the 5th round) seems steep given his uncertain workload and Cleveland's projected offensive struggles.

After catching 45 passes for 469 yards as a rookie in 2013, many were expecting Patterson to have a breakout season in '14. Instead, he had just 33 catches for 384 yards while losing his starting job.

"This year is going to make me or break me, and I hope I step up and have a good role in this offense," Patterson said.

"Just route running. Growing up, I was always athletic and could just do anything. I'm in the NFL now, so I just have to focus on my craft and just work at route running, getting in and getting out of breaks and stuff like that."

The newly-acquired Mike Wallace, a former Pro Bowl selection, hopes he can help Patterson bounce back from his disappointing season.

"Definitely, I'm going to," Wallace said. "We're going to work together a lot."

Patterson was a big disappointment in fantasy circles in 2014, and expectations will be tempered heading into the season. He's no longer expected to play starter's snaps, so the pressure will be off and he can (hopefully) grow as a route runner and all-around receiver. He's going very late (14th round) in early fantasy drafts.

Bears running back Matt Forte was named the 2015 Brian Piccolo Award winner on Tuesday. But Forte was not present at the ceremony and is set to sit out the Bears’ voluntary minicamp.

Coach John Fox said during the ceremony that Forte, who is looking for a contract extension, was not at Halas Hall. The Bears’ first minicamp practice is Tuesday afternoon. Forte also has missed the Bears’ voluntary workouts this month.

Forte has finished in the top 4 in both PPR and standard formats in the last two years, but his usage (especially in the passing game) was up under former OC Marc Trestman. He’s likely to see a drop in targets, but should still be good for 50-60 catches under new OC Adam Gase. Provided that his holdout doesn’t continue into the summer, Forte should deliver on his mid- to late-1st round ADP.

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown didn’t report to the start of the team’s offseason conditioning work along with his teammates and his absence was tied to a report that he was looking for a new contract and mulling an extended absence that could lead him to miss mandatory work at both minicamp and training camp. Brown chimed in later in the week to say that he was hanging out with his new child and was looking forward to getting back to work with the team.

The wait for his return to the team’s facility wasn’t a particularly long one. The Steelers posted some pictures from Monday’s workout session and Brown is among the featured players.

There was a report that Brown was planning to hold out for a new contract, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Counting the playoffs, Brown has caught at least five passes and/or a touchdown in 38 straight games. He followed up a #3 finish in PPR formats in 2013 with a #1 finish (in both PPR and standard formats) last season. He’s an extremely safe pick in the first round of PPR drafts and is currently the first receiver off the board in early best ball drafts.

Pitta has fractured and dislocated his hip both times, which has cast doubt on his ability to continue his playing career. Pitta isn’t sure whether or not he’ll be able to play, but he said Saturday that he’s “feeling good in workouts” while waiting to find out if he gets the green light to make a full return to action.

“We still have some time to be able to assess where I’m at,” Pitta said, via the Baltimore Sun. “I sure hope that I’ll be on the field next year. That’s my hope; that’s my goal. We’ll just see if we can get there.”

Pitta turns 30 in June, so he's no spring chicken. If he is able to play this season, it'll be a big boost for a Baltimore passing that lost Torrey Smith this offseason.

At the league meetings last month, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer tried his best to reason with a fan base clamoring for more of wideout Cordarrelle Patterson.

"There's no question he is, again there's another young guy that came out early and made a splash his rookie year because of his unique speed and his unique athletic traits," general manager Rick Spielman told The Star Tribune. "Sometimes you have to go through some growing pains where you have to realize it's more than just that. It's more than just relying on your athletic skill set and what it takes to be a great receiver in this league."

On the bright side, Spielman thinks Patterson has turned a corner in that respect.

"I think Cordarrelle has really grown up a lot," Spielman said. "I know what he has done this offseason dedicating himself to being the best receiver he can be, and how serious he is taking that, we're very excited about the future with Cordarrelle."

Patterson will likely play behind Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace, at least. He didn't crack the 15 percent mark in snaps played over the final five weeks of the season.

Regarding the Jets running game, expect Chris Ivory and Stevan Ridley to share the bulk of the load. One of those two might get 20 to 30 carries more than the other guy, but it won't be a huge gap, provided both backs stay healthy all season.

With Chris Johnson out of the way, it looked like Ivory might be one of the more attractive middle round sleepers at his position, but the team’s decision to sign Stevan Ridley has thrown his status up in the air. He’s a career 4.7 YPC runner, and has averaged 4.4 YPC in two seasons with the Jets. It would have made more sense if the Jets had paired Ivory with a speed back/receiving threat like C.J. Spiller, but the arrival of Ridley is a concern. If the two players do indeed split carries, neither will carry much reliable fantasy value.

John Brown burst onto the scene with fire during his rookie campaign. The Arizona Cardinals' speedster posted 48 receptions for 696 yards and five touchdowns, with several of those scores being of the big-play variety.

However, his production waned late in the season. Brown posted just 127 yards on nine catches the final month of the regular season, including a goose egg in Week 14. He then compiled just 34 yards on four catches in the playoffs.

While the atrocious quarterback situation played a big part in Brown's production reduction, his body also began to break down.

"At the end of the season my body started going down, I started losing weight," Brown told the team's official website. "This year I'm trying to focus on being able to keep this weight on as the season goes on."

After playing at 173 pounds in 2014, Brown said he is already up to 183 and plans to add more weight through the offseason.

The hope here is that the added weight doesn't negatively impact his speed. Brown finished as the #49 WR in standard formats and #53 in PPR. He saw a hefty 103 targets as a rookie, and with Larry Fitzgerald back and Michael Floyd still in the mix, it's doubtful that Brown's usage will increase too much. If Carson Palmer is healthy, however, the whole passing offense could take a step forward, and that would push Brown into fantasy-relevant territory.

The Titans have agreed to terms on a deal for former Colts receiver Hakeem Nicks, according to sources familiar with the situation.

"I'm nowhere near finished, man, and I want to prove that to the world and everybody," Nicks told FOX Sports' Mike Garafalo recently. "That's definitely my mentality, but I don't even want to talk about it. I feel like I got into that situation last year talking about it. I'm about to just go out there and prove it.

"I can't even describe the feeling to you. It's like a burning sensation inside of me. I just want to be the best. I know I have to work hard at it; it's something that's in me. It's just in me and takes over me."

Nicks was underwhelming in Indianapolis, catching only 55% of his targets while posting 38 catches for 405 yards and four touchdowns. The Titans also added Harry Douglas this offseason, so he and Nicks will join a receiving corps that already includes Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter. There isn't much fantasy value here.

Chargers RB Branden Oliver is driven with an insatiable desire to make a bigger impact in 2015. True to form, he is not resting on his laurels, stressing a number of areas he wants to improve upon in order to fulfill his potential.

“My power, strength, speed and agility I am focusing on,” he said after a recent workout at Chargers Park. “I want to get better at everything. I don’t really focus on just one particular thing. I like to be well rounded and won’t limit myself to one area. It is always best to work at everything. I worked out the entire offseason Monday through Saturday. I took three weeks off after the season ended but worked out every week after that.”

Still, there is one aspect he wants to improve upon the most. “I want to break more tackles. I would also like to be a little more explosive.”

Oliver is also confident he can take his game to the next level in 2015 because he is far more comfortable than he was as a rookie.

“They will come easier this year because I’m more comfortable and know the offense. Now I can just go out there and ball. This year is very different. I feel so much better coming in. I’m more confident. I’m gelling with the guys and am more open to them because I know them better. It’s really just crazy to be going into my second year already! But I feel real good.”

When asked about the state of his running back corps, GM Tom Telesco said, "I'm not saying we wouldn't add somebody, but we don't need to." This is a situation to watch during the draft -- if the Chargers don't add a runner during the first two days, it's very possible that Oliver will go into the season as the starter with Donald Brown as his primary backup and Danny Woodhead as the passing down back. In that scenario, Oliver’s ADP would rise from its current level (12th round) and Woodhead would be a nice value in PPR formats.

Raiders WR Michael Crabtree admitted he has a chip on his shoulder after a frustrating free-agency experience left him with a one-year, prove-it deal that guarantees him only $1.3 million. (He can make another $400,000 for 70 catches or 900 yards, $1.4 million for 100 catches for 1,400 yards and $400,000 for being named to the Pro Bowl.)

“I have a lot to prove,” Crabtree said. “A lot to prove. Ain’t got nothing to lose and have a lot to prove.”

“I would say the year prior to last year was me recovering, trying to get back right,” Crabtree said. “This year I don’t feel a thing. Just go out there and play.”

After a disappointing free agency experience, Crabtree will be motivated, but his role in Oakland is unclear. The team already has James Jones, Rod Streater and Andre Holmes, and it's not clear just how many snaps Crabtree will earn as he joins that group.

“Being in one place for a long time, the past two years have been pretty frustrating,” Colts WR Andre Johnson said, via ESPN.com. “Just being here is like a breath of fresh air for me.”

Part of that breath of fresh air has to include playing with Andrew Luck after cycling through several quarterbacks while with the Texans. Matt Schaub was the most accomplished player of that group and Johnson showed them all some kindness by putting a unnecessary qualifier on his assessment of Luck’s skills.

“He throws a great ball,” Johnson said. “Probably the best quarterback I’ve ever played with. I’m excited about the opportunity.”

Johnson will likely start opposite T.Y. Hilton. It’s a big upgrade from a quality-of-quarterback standpoint, as he has never played with one as good as Andrew Luck. His targets are likely to take a hit, however. He averaged 9.7 T/G in 2014, while Hilton and Reggie Wayne led the Colts with 8.7 and 7.7 T/G, respectively. So this looks like a case of the targets dropping but the quality of those targets increasing. After finishing in the top 10 (in PPR) in five of his previous six seasons, Johnson finished #28 in 2014. He’s turning 34 this offseason, so it may be foolhardy to expect a huge bounceback season, but low-end WR2 numbers in PPR formats seem reasonable.

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald, who signed a two-year, $22 million contract in February, cautioned against expecting the same kind of production we saw during his prime, when at least 90 catches, 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns seemed to be the norm.

"No, it's not possible," he said. "And it's only that reason because of the role that I play. It's a different role. I just don't have the opportunities down the field. I'm more inside, I move the chains a lot more.

"In terms of putting up the big numbers, it will be difficult, but in terms of my effectiveness, of providing first downs, being able to make tough catches for my team, I'm still going to be able to do that."

Fitzgerald averaged 5.3 catches for 81 yards and 0.33 TD in six games with a healthy Carson Palmer. Extrapolate that pace over a full season (85-1,296-5.3) and it's about what Mike Evans (PPR) and Golden Tate (standard) scored as last season's #13 WR. If Palmer stays healthy, Fitzgerald should be a great value at his current 9th-round ADP in early PPR drafts.

Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz's rehabilitation from a serious knee injury has so far gone as planned. Both the Giants and Cruz expect him to be ready for the season opener on Sunday night, Sep. 13, against the Dallas Cowboys.

"Absolutely. There is not a doubt in my mind that I'll be out there playing on the field [Week 1]," Cruz said Thursday. "Obviously it's just a matter of getting myself back to 100 percent.

"I definitely, as of right now, there is zero doubts in my mind that I'll be playing in that first game and continue to be at 100 percent and playing at the level I'd like to be playing."

Cruz tore his patellar tendon in mid-October, and despite Cruz's confidence, it's no sure thing that he'll be back for the start of the season. He's probably a player to avoid this season unless his price drops so much that he becomes a value in the later rounds. He's not going to get the same number of targets given Odell Beckham's emergence as a top-flight wideout.

Saints WR Brandin Cooks was really starting to hit his stride when he suffered a season-ending thumb injury in Week 10 last year. Of all the rookie receivers who burst into the scene in the NFL last year, Cooks was actually leading all rookie receivers with 53 receptions at the time of his injury. And the Saints were starting to consistently hit on some deep balls to the 5-10, 189-pound speedster.

Drew Brees said he and Cooks have already spent some time training together this offseason in San Diego, where Brees calls home base when he's not in New Orleans.

"Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah," Brees said when asked if Cooks is one of the guys he's excited to watch develop. "Man, I love everything about him, his makeup, and then just his physical ability. I mean he's got all kinds of talent."

Through Week 11, Cooks was the #22 WR in PPR formats and #25 in standard scoring systems. He caught at least five passes in seven of 10 games, and may lead the Saints in targets with Jimmy Graham no longer on the roster. Solid WR2 numbers are well within reach.

The Dolphins are signing veteran WR Greg Jennings, source confirms.

Jennings still has a bit of gas left in the tank, but isn't the player he once was with the Packers. He'll provide veteran leadership and depth behind Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry.

Jagaurs QB Blake Bortles said he spent two months in the offseason in California and was mentored at times by quarterback guru Tom House.

“Tightening mechanics,” Bortles said in explaining what House did for him. “Throwing with not just all arm, using the whole body and figuring out how to do that. Having a checklist and being able to say it was a bad throw and this is what went wrong and this is how you fix it.”

The Jaguars coaches weren’t allowed to start working with Bortles and the other players until the offseason program started this week, so the two-month workout helped Bortles work on fundamentals.

Bortles also spent four days throwing to tight end Julius Thomas and three young Jaguars, Marqise Lee, Clay Harbor and Tony Washington.

Bortles also got his weight down to 238 after finishing the season at 250.

Bortles averaged 12.0 fantasy points per game, which led to a #24 finish at his position. He's a passer who could make a leap in his second season if the Jaguars can give him time to throw and he can clean up his fundamentals. The receiving corps is young but talented, with Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns and potentially Justin Blackmon all capable of producing when given the opportunity. The team signed Julius Thomas to provide a dangerous weapon at tight end. Bortles averaged nearly 30 yards rushing, so he offers some baseline production as a runner.

Steelers WR Antonio Brown seeking new deal. Won't attend offseason workouts, mulling holdout from minicamp, training camp, sources say.

Brown has three years remaining on his current contract which will pay him an average of $7.65 million per season. Holdouts are never good, so this is a situation to monitor this offseason. Brown was the #1 receiver in PPR formats in 2014 after finishing #3 the year before.

Eagles TE Zach Ertz did his homework and was told that retired offensive line coach Hudson Houck still trained players. So he called Houck, who mentored Hall of Famers Anthony Munoz and Bruce Matthews at Southern Cal and coached the great Cowboys lines of the 1990s, out of the blue. Soon after, they spent two weeks together in San Diego working on blocking.

Ertz' time with Houck was just one part of his offseason plan. He spent a month focusing on strength training, another on circuit training and additional time on mixed martial arts training. He also sought out former tight end great Tony Gonzalez, who instructed Ertz on the importance of preparation and tenacity.

The 24-year-old Ertz's goals are high. He said he wants to be mentioned someday alongside Gonzalez and others in the NFL pantheon of tight ends. But he knows he can't get there if he's playing only 50 percent of offensive snaps, as he did last season.

There's ample reason, though, to believe that Ertz will finally become a focal point of Chip Kelly's offense. He caught a franchise-record 15 passes against the Redskins in the penultimate game of last season. And when asked to explain last month how he'll compensate for the loss of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, Kelly prominently mentioned Ertz.

"I think he's still growing, and I think Zach will be the first one to tell you that," Kelly said at the NFL meeting. "I think he's working extremely hard in the offseason at continuing to get better."

Ertz was the #13 TE in both standard and PPR formats despite only playing half of the Eagles’ snaps in his second year. Ertz played mostly (73%) on passing downs, so if his playing time is going to increase, a majority of the additional snaps are likely to come in run formations. Still, there’s upside with Ertz if he begins to see starter’s snaps. The Eagles lost their leading receiver -- DeSean Jackson and then Jeremy Maclin -- in back-to-back seasons, so there will be opportunity from a targets standpoint. If Chip Kelly moves Jordan Matthews outside, then Ertz is a candidate to fill Matthews role in the slot, assuming Kelly is willing to play more two-TE sets to get Ertz on the field. Ertz is currently going in the 8th round of early PPR drafts.

Broncos HC Gary Kubiak's relationship with WR Cody Latimer dates back 13 months. Latimer visited the Baltimore Ravens leading up to the 2014 draft, meeting with Kubiak, then the Ravens' offensive coordinator. He told Latimer their paths would cross again. Their intersection in Denver — sooner than either expected — brings lofty expectations.

"He showed a lot of flashes from me watching (film of) him in practice," Kubiak said. "A lot of times being a rookie can be over- whelming. I think it's time for him to make a big jump, not just a little jump. Obviously his playing time is fixing to pick up, and it needs to pick up. We need him."

Kubiak has a reputation for preferring two-TE sets over three-WR sets, which may limit Latimer's upside. The Ravens' WR3, Marlon Brown, played 40 percent of the snaps last season, so it remains to be seen if Latimer gets enough run to be fantasy relevant. He's at best the Broncos' WR3 behind Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Kubiak's tendencies mean that Latimer will have to carve out snaps -- they won't be handed to him.

“I feel really, really good,” Chargers RB Danny Woodhead said, flashing his trademark grin. “I really do. As far as the injury goes, that is something I’m not even thinking about. I’m thinking about trying to get better. I’m focusing on working on what I can do to be better than I was last year. Obviously I wasn’t able to play a lot of games, so I should say I want to be better than I was that first season here.”

“It’s been a long process,” he said of his recovery from a broken fibula. “But definitely it makes you hungrier when the game is taken away. It makes you realize how blessed you are to play it. Not that I didn’t understand that before, but when it is taken away for such a long amount of time, it makes you even hungrier. You miss being out there with your brothers. I’m excited for this season. I’m always excited, but my mentality might even be younger and hungrier than ever before.”

Woodhead is signed through the 2016 season, so assuming he's fully healed, he should resume his role as the Chargers' passing down specialist. In 21 games with the Chargers (including the playoffs), Woodhead has averaged 11.0 touches (4.1 catches) for 58 yards and 0.43 touchdowns, which equate to #13 RB numbers in PPR formats (#21 in standard). The team is expected to draft a running back this month, but it's unlikely that they'll trust a rookie on third downs when they have Woodhead at their disposal. He should continue to be a terrific value in the later rounds, especially in PPR formats.

Just as he got comfortable last year, Jaguars RB Denard Robinson was injured. Add to that a new offensive system he will begin to learn this week. The foot is fine — Robinson said he was cleared to do everything in February. The role is to be defined — so he has spent the offseason working on catching passes and pass protection techniques.

“I just line up as a receiver and run routes and then run flares out of the backfield,” he said. “I feel a lot better than I did before.”

As for pass protection, new coordinator Greg Olson is expected to put a premium on it for running backs to play. Per Times-Union game charting, Robinson was on the hook for four sacks last year.

Robinson saw at least 10 touches in eight games last season and averaged 12.5 fantasy points in PPR formats, and that equates to #13 RB numbers when extrapolated over a full 16-game season. At this point, the Jaguars are expected to draft a running back, so Robinson's position atop the depth chart is tenuous at best. A healthy Toby Gerhart would also be in the mix.

49ers GM Trent Baalke says RB Carlos Hyde is down into the mid 220-pound range, his lowest weight since early in college, and looking "extremely good."

Hyde is expected to take over as the team's primary ball-carrier, with Reggie Bush assuming the passing down role. Given Bush's presence and Hyde's 4.0 YPC during in his rookie season, Hyde is probably being overdrafted as he's been going in the middle of the 3rd round of early PPR drafts. Expect 250 or so carries and a limited role in the passing game.

Cardinals beat writer Bob McManaman on WR John Brown:

He's got the hunger to strive to be better and I know how he cherishes the opportunity he's getting with the Cardinals. HC Bruce Arians loves him and the respect is mutual. I expect big things from Smokey this season.

Brown finished as the #49 WR in standard formats and #53 in PPR. He saw a hefty 103 targets as a rookie, and with Larry Fitzgerald back and Michael Floyd still in the mix, it's doubtful that Brown's usage will increase too much. If Carson Palmer is healthy, however, the whole passing offense could take a step forward, and that would push Brown into fantasy-relevant territory.

The NFL's premier running back is officially back.

The league announced Thursday that Adrian Peterson will be reinstated Friday as an active NFL player and may participate in all scheduled activities with the Minnesota Vikings.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports, via a source involved, that Peterson will face no further suspension upon reinstatement. U.S. District Judge David S. Doty will decide in October how many game checks the Vikings star will lose, per Rapoport. It could be as many as three or as few as zero.

The Vikings released a statement Thursday indicating that they "look forward to Adrian re-joining the Vikings."

Throwing out his one-game season in 2014, Peterson never finished outside of the top 6 on a per game basis in standard formats (or outside the top 11 in PPR) in his previous seven seasons. He's now on the wrong side of 30, but his legs should be fresh after taking a full season off to deal with his criminal case last season. He and the Vikings have had a tumultuous relationship over the past eight months, and Peterson has made inferences that he'd like to play somewhere else in 2015. For their part, the Vikings say they want him back, and his contract makes him a very difficult player to trade. If he's back in Minnesota, then his 2.02 ADP in early drafts sounds about right. He has top 5 potential, but there is a lot of water that has to flow under the bridge at this point in his career.

On the cusp of his 13th season, Chargers TE Antonio Gates has only one year remaining on his contract and is acutely aware of his expiring clock. He no longer attends voluntary workouts, nor has he done any route running this offseason.

“With injuries and whatnot, I played a little bit more than they expected me to play last season,” he says. “I was playing the whole game. How I feel next year, it depends on how much volume they have me doing. I’d like to come in on third-and-7s, red zones, those situations. That’s what my contribution is at anyway.”

Ladarius Green will once again be an intriguing late round pick, but it's hard to see him posting TE1-type numbers with Gates still healthy and available. The future Hall of Famer finished #2 in standard formats and #3 in PPR, posting 69 catches for 821 yards and 12 touchdowns. It was his 4th-best fantasy season of his career, production-wise. We'll see if the team agrees with his "reduced role" perspective.

The Giants don't know whether and to what extent Victor Cruz will recover from his severe knee injury. He may not be ready to start training camp, and even if he is, he's likely to be on a somewhat limited program as the team works him back slowly from his torn patellar tendon. There's a chance he misses a game or two, and a strong chance he's not 100 percent even when he does return to game action.

This doesn't sound very good, at least for 2015. What the Giants do at the position in the draft will be telling. They have Rueben Randle locked in as a starter, but OC Ben McAdoo typically calls a lot of three-receiver sets, so whoever plays the slot might be fantasy relevant.

Browns TE Rob Housler, 27, confirmed the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals were interested in signing him, but he said he ultimately chose the Browns partly because of the opportunities he expects to receive in new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo’s scheme. Housler emphasized the coach affectionately known as “Flip” wants to move him around a lot in the offense and feature him as a vertical threat in the middle of the field.

“It was a big factor,” Housler said of weighing the pass-catching opportunities each of his suitors would likely grant him. “I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum where I’ve been a part of targets and a part of the flow and rhythm of the offense, and I’ve seen where it goes other ways. For me, I want to be a big part of the offense. So that was a big consideration. I’m confident in my ability, and I just want to be able to contribute.”

Housler should get plenty of chances as the Browns try to compensate for losing Cameron, whom they attempted to re-sign before he bolted to Miami.

Housler signed a one-year deal with aligns with his expectation that he'll be a big part of the offense. He has great athleticism for his position, but so far that athleticism hasn't translated to on-field production. Part of the problem is that he was an afterthought in the Arizona offense, but it sounds as if the Browns intend to utilize his speed down the seam.

Dolphins beat writer Chris Perkins believes that WR Jarvis Landry is the player most likely to have a breakthrough season in 2015:

A breakthrough season would be improving on the 84 receptions for 758 yards and 5 TDs he had last year as a rookie. There’s a good chance that happens now that TE Charles Clay and WRs Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson are gone. Tannehill is familiar with Landry, and Landry showed he’s got good NFL skills. He’s got good hands and can get YAC (Yards After Catch).

Landry was the #42 WR in standard formats and #30 in PPR, so as a high-volume slot receiver, he's going to have more value in PPR formats. The Dolphins lost four of their top six most-targeted players: Mike Wallace, Charles Clay, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson. They have been replaced by Kenny Stills and Jordan Cameron, but Landry's role should expand as well. He only played 62 percent of the snaps on the season, and didn't start playing consistent starter's snaps until Week 9. Over the final nine weeks, Landry was the #15 WR in PPR formats (and #23 in standard). He is currently the 24th WR off the board in early PPR drafts.

Saints beat writer Mike Triplett estimates the touches in the team's backfield:

Mark Ingram's 255 touches last year were the second most by any running back in the Sean Payton era (behind only Deuce McAllister's 274 in 2006) -- and Ingram did that in just 13 games played.

Combine that with the four-year, $16 million contract New Orleans gave Ingram this offseason, and I don't expect a dramatic drop-off in his workload in 2015. However, the Saints do have the luxury of keeping Ingram fresh if everyone stays healthy.

Assuming everyone stays healthy, I'll go with something like:

Ingram 240 touches (950-1,000 rushing yards)

C.J. Spiller 150 touches (400-plus rushing yards, 500-plus receiving yards)

Khiry Robinson 90 touches (350-400 rushing yards)

As Senior Editor John Paulsen broke down in The Case for C.J. Spiller, 150 touches (80 carries, 70 catches) would result in a #19 RB finish in PPR formats. Even if the the Saints give Spiller more carries (96) and fewer catches (60), Spiller's projected production would result in a #20 RB finish. Over the last two weeks, Spiller has been the 27th RB off the board in early best ball PPR drafts. Ingram has been the 15th RB taken, so if we assume 1,100 total yards, nine touchdowns and 30 receptions, he would finish with 194 FP (PPR), which happens to match his total from last season. He was the #14 RB in only 13 games played in 2014. A healthy Robinson is a concern for Ingram, however. The Saints wanted to increase Robinson's role prior to his Week 7 injury (fractured arm), so we may see more of an even split in the running game between the two backs if they both stay healthy.

WR Michael Crabtree announced on Twitter that he has signed with the Raiders.

Crabtree hasn't been himself since his Achilles injury, but there is opportunity in the Raider receiving corps. The problem is -- he's not markedly better than James Jones, Andre Holmes or Rod Streater, so Crabtree could end up anywhere from first to fourth in the pecking order by the time preseason rolls around.

Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders is a big fan of WR Cody Latimer, a 2014 second-round pick who played just 37 snaps as a rookie.

"On my Twitter, I'm vocal about Cody because I believe in Cody," he said. "Cody is a special player. He has strong hands and is a physical tool. I think this is going to be the year that he jumps onto the scene. I think he's going to have a big year and I'm happy he's on my team and in our receiver group."

In past seasons, Latimer would jump out as a breakout candidate in a Peyton Manning-led Broncos offense. This year could be different, however, with the team expected to lean harder on their running game in Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme.

Latimer is going to have a bigger role. How much bigger remains to be seen.

Latimer is a player to monitor this offseason, especially with the news that Sanders is going to play the slot in three-receiver sets. Latimer had a disappointing rookie season and wasn't even able to beat out Andre Caldwell. However, it takes time to earn Peyton Manning's trust, and the franchise didn't draft him in the second round to ride the proverbial pine.

Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders says coaches have told him he'll play more in the slot in the three-WR set this year.

Sanders performed very well in the slot last season, though he spent a majority of the time on the outside. He'll continue to play outside in two-WR sets and then move inside when the Broncos add a receiver to the formation. Sanders finished #5 in PPR formats and #7 in standard formats after catching 101 passes for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns. With TE Julius Thomas gone, we wouldn't expect Sanders' targets to drop much, so his 3rd round ADP in early drafts looks quite reasonable. We expect Cody Latimer to compete with Andre Caldwell for snaps in three-WR sets.

The makeover of Colin Kaepernick was so noticeable, tight end Vernon Davis wondered if his eyes were deceiving him.

“When I saw him yesterday, I didn’t even know that was Colin,” Davis said Friday after the final day of the first week of the 49ers’ offseason program. “Seriously, he was working on his drop-back. ‘Who was that?’ You guys are in for a treat. He looks like a totally different guy.”

Kaepernick spent 10 weeks at the beginning of the offseason in Arizona working on his mechanics with private quarterback coach Dennis Gile. He also spent about one day a week on the mental aspect of the game with two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner.

“I feel like there’s been quite a bit of change,” Kaepernick said. “Obviously, it’s noticeable. Vernon said something to me right away when we started throwing. But I just want to do everything I can to make sure I’m getting better and doing my part to help this team win.”

Neither Kaepernick nor Davis spoke specifically about the mechanical changes, but Kaepernick said everything he did was aimed at becoming a better quarterback to enable the 49ers to win more games.

It was reported earlier in the offseason that the team planned to utilize Kaepernick’s running ability to a greater degree. Kaepernick ran the ball 12 more times in 2014 than he did in 2013 for an additional 115 yards, so it's not like he abandoned the scramble. It sounds like it's more about utilizing the read-option as a larger part of the offense. If that's the case, it could be a boon to Kaepernick's fantasy value. He was the #14 QB in 2014 after finishing #9 the season before, though his overall production only dipped by 11 fantasy points. He's a bounce-back candidate provided new OC Geep Chryst can design an offense that can move the ball. Chryst previously served as the OC for the Chargers in 1999 and 2000, but his offenses ranked 26th and 28th overall in that span. Any gains that Kaepernick can make as a thrower will only help his overall value.

Roy Helu, 26, looks like a perfect fit for Oakland’s new up-tempo offense that will often feature a no-huddle approach. ESPN scout Matt Williamson thinks Helu can be one of the Raiders’ most productive offensive weapons even though it will be in a limited role.

Williamson thinks Helu can do what like new New York Giants back Shane Vereen did in New England. Vereen had a total of 148 touches last season.

“While he isn’t great in protection, I think he will be a very valuable piece and a quick safe option for Derek Carr in this up-tempo passing game and offense overall,” Williamson said. “Helu has been extremely productive on a per-snap basis.”

Helu has averaged 2.69 catches per game in his four-year career, and is expected to serve as the team's primary passing down back while Latavius Murray and Trent Richardson compete for early-down duties. The Raiders are planning to move to a more up-tempo offense under OC Bill Musgrave, who spent last season working for Chip Kelly in Philadelphia. Helu is likely to be fantasy relevant in PPR formats, though the explosive Murray should hold the most fantasy value in 2015.

Troy Polamalu's clock to Canton can start now. The definitive Pittsburgh Steeler of the team's recent titles has decided to retire, the team announced on Friday. Polamalu first told the Herald-Standard (Uniontown, Pennsylvania) Thursday about his decision.

"I did not seriously consider playing elsewhere," Polamalu said in a phone interview with Jim Wexell. "It was just whether or not I wanted to play."

We can't say that Polamalu re-defined the safety position because he was one of a kind. It's not like there are youth coaches out there teaching kids to play like Polamalu because his unique skill set would be impossible to recreate. Who else could have made leaping over the line of scrimmage a signature move?

An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Polamalu was one of the most dominant safeties in league history during his four seasons as a first-team All-Pro player. He won the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year by mixing big plays, run stopping, well-timed blitzes and a rare instinct for knowing what opposing players would do.

Do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still believe in running back Doug Martin? Coach Lovie Smith told a gathering of team suite holders on Thursday that "we haven't seen the true Doug Martin yet," per Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune.

Smith went on to praise Tampa's stable of backs -- including Bobby Rainey, Mike James and Charles Sims -- while noting that new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is excited to see what a healthy Martin can accomplish in 2015.

Three years removed from a sizzling rookie campaign that saw him rumble for 1,454 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, Martin has been slowed by shoulder, knee and ankle injuries over the past two seasons. After burning through opponents for 4.6 yards per carry as a rookie, he's logged just 3.6 yards per tote since.

As the story also pointed out, Martin played last season behind a terrible O-line. There's also been a lot of hype surrounding Sims, who could cut into any kind of workload Martin would get this season. However, the story also pointed out it's entirely possible the Bucs look to trade or release Martin before the season.

The Cleveland Browns are getting tight end help, signing Rob Housler to a one-year deal on Thursday.

Housler, 27, recorded 84 catches and 871 yards from 2012 through 2013, but he saw limited targets in 15 games for the Arizona Cardinals last season, with only nine receptions and 129 yards.

Housler has one career touchdown in 55 games. He has elite speed for his position, recording a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the 2011 NFL combine, helping him secure a third-round selection in that year's draft.

The Browns were in need of help at the position after Jordan Cameron signed a two-year deal with the Miami Dolphins earlier this offseason. The Browns' current depth chart at tight end also includes Jim Dray and Gary Barnidge, who combined for 30 catches and 398 yards and zero touchdowns, so Housler has a chance to emerge as the team's TE1. This isn't likely to make him a fantasy starter, however.

The Steelers will begin the 2015 season without their top running back. The NFL has suspended RB LeVeon Bell for three games without pay for violating its substance-abuse policy, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

Bell has appealed the ruling, ESPN reported. The tailback has also been docked a fourth game check by the league, per Schefter.

If the suspension holds, Bell can take part in preseason games and training camp before serving his ban away from the club.

Bell’s suspension stems from a DUI charge last summer. He was sentenced to probation, and the charge, along with a marijuana possession count, can be removed from his record if he completes 15 months of service. His former Steelers teammate, LeGarrette Blount, has garnered a one-game suspension for the incident.

Obviously losing Bell for any stretch is a major blow to the Steelers offense. Bell emerged as one of the game’s star dual threats at the position in 2014, racking up more than 2,000 rushing-receiving yards. Ex-Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams figures to have a bigger role with Bell out of the Pittsburgh lineup to begin next season. This could drop Bell a few slots come draft time, but given his workload and last year's success, he should still be a very desirable draft-day selection.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that the Jets are signing running back Stevan Ridley to a one-year deal, according to a source close to the situation. Ridley joins the Jets after spending his first four seasons in New England.

Ridley joins a Jets backfield that includes Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. Ridley's final season with the Patriots ended in October after he tore his ACL and MCL. An opportunity to play in Chan Gailey's offense was a contributing reason to Ridley's decision to choose the Jets, the story said. As the story also points out, Ridley is an established power back who does his best work between the tackles. The same skill-set can be attributed to Ivory, who might find himself on shaky footing under a new regime in New York. The Jets could still use a home-run hitter type back -- if they grab one in the draft, Ivory might be the odd-man out. Of course, Ridley has had ball-security issues throughout his career but has proved to be an effective fantasy back, and certainly has some potential with the Jets, but will likely have his value capped by the other Jet backs.

Chargers beat writer Eric D. Williams feels WR Keenan Allen will benefit from the loss of Eddie Royal and see more time out of the slot.

Williams feels Allen has short-area quickness and will be able to move around more to create miss-matches. The Chargers also signed Stevie Johnson who can play the slot, but Williams thinks Allen benefit the most. Allen started off his sophomore season slowly after being a second-tier fantasy WR last summer, but did show signs of his successful 2013 rookie year later in the 2014 season.

LeGarrette Blount will begin next season on the bench.

A league spokesperson informed NFL Media on Tuesday that the New England Patriots running back has been suspended without pay for the first game of the 2015 regular season for violating the NFL Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse.

The sixth-year back played a core role during New England's Super Bowl run after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in mid-November. After running for just 266 yards over 11 games with the Steelers, Blount hammered defenses for 281 yards over New England's final five games of the regular season. He blasted opponents for another 189 yards over three playoff tilts under coach Bill Belichick.

Blount is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices. He'll be permitted to make his season debut Week 2, the story added. It's a brief suspension, but Blount's absence puts New England in a pinch out of the gate. Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen are gone, leaving Jonas Gray, James White, Brandon Bolden and James Develin next up to get work.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that WR Denarius Moore has signed a one-year deal with the Bengals. The deal comes after Moore visited with the Bengals late last week.

Moore caught 33 passes for 618 yards and five touchdowns while also running for one score that season and he followed that up with seven more touchdown catches the next year. He continued to play a prominent role in the offense in 2013, but drifted into an insignificant role with Oakland last season.

Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was the head coach in Oakland when Moore was a rookie during the 2011 season. The problem for Moore's fantasy potential is he'll be behind A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, Marvin Jones and the recently re-signed Brandon Tate, at least heading into OTAs and camp.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Peterson will meet with the NFL this week to discuss reinstatement, per a source informed of the situation.

The meeting is ahead of schedule for Peterson, who was supposed to be eligible for reinstatement on April 15.

Updated reports on Monday said the meeting will take place on Tuesday. Peterson, who agreed to a plea deal in November of no contest to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault, is still on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Having some clarity on Peterson's situation could soon answer some of the lingering questions surrounding the face of Minnesota's franchise and if he'll play for the Vikings again since there has been a growing sentiment from Peterson's camp that he'd prefer to play elsewhere. The Cardinals and Cowboys have both been rumored destinations.

HC Jeff Fisher on WR Kenny Britt:

“It didn’t surprise me because obviously I know Kenny, the production didn’t surprise me,” Fisher said, via ESPN.com. “I can kind of share the same issue Kenny does and that’s we think he can be better. I think he can do better. He thinks he can be better. He thinks he can be more productive. He’s looking forward to the offensive changes. I think yeah, we should see a lot more out of Kenny this year.”

Britt was effective when he was targeted consistently. He averaged 4.4 catches for 73 yards and 0.29 TD in the seven games in which he saw at least six targets. Those are solid WR2 numbers, but the Rams didn't use him consistently enough to make him a trustworthy fantasy starter. The arrival of Nick Foles will help the passing game, and Britt should benefit.

Sources: Bills WR Sammy Watkins had a surgical procedure on his hip area early this offseason. Watkins reportedly suffered a hip injury in the team's 26-10 victory over the Cleveland #Browns Nov. 30.

It was a tale of two seasons for Watkins, who averaged 4.8 catches for 74 yards and 0.63 TD in the first eight games; he was the #12 fantasy WR going into his team's Week 9 bye. Over the final eight weeks, he averaged 3.4 catches for 49 yards and 0.13 TD, and was the #48 WR from Week 10 to Week 17. The timing of his hip injury (Week 13 vs. CLE) is interesting, because Watkins was already in a slump, posting just 10 catches for 94 yards in the three previous games. Matt Cassel brings some stability at quarterback, but he's no better than Kyle Orton, so we're not expecting a huge jump for Watkins in OC Greg Roman's run-oriented offense.

There’s been a lot of wide receiver news this offseason, but all the while, Colts WR Donte Moncrief appears poised for an even bigger second season in the NFL.

“This guy can make plays. He’s big. He’s fast. He can stretch the defense, all those types of things,” said Pagano. “It’s a learning process, and he’s going to be better in year two than he was in year one. He’s going to have more opportunities.”

The question is to what extent will Moncrief’s production increase. There are a lot of options in the passing game for Andrew Luck, not even factoring in tight ends Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener.

Overall, Moncrief played more than 50% of the snaps in just six games (week 8 at Pittsburgh when Reggie Wayne was out & the last five weeks of the season). In those six games, Moncrief accumulated 18 receptions, 301 yards, and all 3 of his TDs.

That’s more than 56% of his catches for the year, about 68% of his yards, and 100% of his touchdowns for the season...in just six games, the only games where Moncrief played a majority of the snaps. The picture is getting clearer as to why the 6’2”, 221 pound burner is expected to get more opportunities in 2015.

In those six games, Moncrief averaged 3.0 catches for 50 yards and 0.50 touchdowns, but that split includes both huge games (3-134-2 vs. Washington, 7-113-1 vs. Pittsburgh) and disappearing acts (a goose egg vs. Houston, 2-5 vs. Dallas, 3-16 vs. Tennessee), so his production was all over the place. Moncrief's ADP took a two-round hit (6th to 8th) once the Colts signed Andre Johnson, and the signing certainly takes some of the wind out of Moncrief's sails. But both Reggie Wayne (859 snaps) and Hakeem Nicks (576 snaps) are gone, so there may be room for both Johnson and Moncrief to play starter's snaps. The question is how often the Colts go to two-TE sets since Dwayne Allen should be healthy after missing six games last season. When either Allen or Wayne were out, Nicks played 59% of the snaps. When both were in the lineup, Nicks played just 45% of the snaps. Moncrief is still going to be a breakout candidate, but his playing time is up in the air.

Eagles WR Jordan Matthews will likely play more in 2015 - and he could spend more time on the outside, where Jeremy Maclin was featured.

"I think you would think that I might get a whole lot more outside reps now just because Maclin is gone, but I already had talked to coaches, and they were already going to implement me more on the outside as opposed to just the inside regardless," Matthews said. "I don't think that's a crazy, huge deal."

HC Chip Kelly said last week that he can envision Matthews playing "a lot of different spots." Kelly kept Matthews in the slot because they wanted him to learn only one position as a rookie. Now that Matthews is more comfortable entering his second season, that role can expand.

If Matthews moves outside, he'll surely see his snaps played increase from his rookie season (65%) and he should be able to improve on his #25 finish in PPR formats. The team signed Miles Austin, who played mostly in the slot while with the Cowboys. Josh Huff and Zach Ertz could also see snaps in the slot.

Statistically, 2014 was Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald's worst season since his rookie year in 2004.

His two touchdowns were a low for his career. His 63 receptions and 784 yards were the fewest since 2004. But there are reasons to think Fitzgerald can post better statistics in 2015, provided he and quarterback Carson Palmer stay healthy.

In Palmer's last five starts before a season-ending knee injury, Fitzgerald caught 31 passes for 461 yards. It was clear that he and Palmer were starting to click.

"Both guys were very comfortable in the offense," coach Bruce Arians said at the NFL owners meetings last week.

"He has progressed so much, I don't think there is any doubt they can go down on an option route, and Carson will know where he is going and the ball is on time. Larry is going to make the big, physical catches inside. He's a true mismatch inside."

$11 million per season (Fitzgerald’s re-worked deal) is a high price to pay for a soon-to-be 32-year-old who is coming off of his worst fantasy season of his career. However, there is a reason for optimism: Fitzgerald averaged 5.3 catches for 81 yards and 0.33 TD in six games with a healthy Carson Palmer. Extrapolate that pace over a full season, and it's about what Mike Evans (PPR) and Golden Tate (standard) scored as last season's #13 WR. The Cardinals obviously believe that he’s worth keeping around.

When Dolphins RB Lamar Miller went back and watched film from last season, he saw flaws.

He didn’t break enough tackles, so he put on seven pounds of muscle in the University of Miami weight room to get up to 225 pounds.

And he didn’t catch enough passes (38 in 2014, with six drops).

So Miller has spent the offseason in front of the Jugs football-passing machine. He has worked on technique with standout wide receiver Andre Johnson, who’s now a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

And he runs routes for Ryan Tannehill with the team’s other young skill-position players.

Miller carried the ball 219 times for 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 38-275-1 on 52 targets in the passing game. This resulted in a #9 finish in both standard and PPR formats. Despite this, the team doesn't seem completely sold on Miller as a feature back and is looking to shore up the position in the offseason. It's good to hear that he's putting on some muscle and is working on his flaws to hopefully take his game to the next level.

After his disappointing first season, OC Joe Lombardi said TE Eric Ebron is working with quarterback Matthew Stafford on chemistry and route running.

"I think that's going to be a big key to our growth is to get more production from Eric, and I think he's ready to do that," Lombardi said Tuesday, per the Detroit Free Press. "I know he's been making some trips to Atlanta to work with Matt already this offseason, so he's -- the thing you like about Eric is he's a bright kid and he works hard and he wants to be good. So we expect very big things from him moving forward."

"There's a big learning curve, obviously, for any rookie, and the tight end position is one that requires a lot," Lombardi said. "As you look back, if you're self-critical, you might say maybe we asked a little bit too much of him, from that perspective. So I think there's just a volume that he struggled with early, but he was productive and, again, for anybody, the second year's always where you see the biggest jump."

Ebron turned 3.8 targets into 1.9 catches for 19 yards and 0.08 TD as a rookie. He played half the snaps, so his lack of production is somewhat alarming. Tight end is a tough position to learn as a rookie, so there is some reason for optimism given Ebron's skill set.

While Lions play-caller Joe Lombardi remains knee deep in Detroit's game tape from a season ago, one theme has already emerged from his studies: It's time for more big plays from Matthew Stafford.

"Our biggest thing is, in order to win football games, you've got to first not lose them, and I thought that he played smart football, and sometimes to a fault," Lombardi said Tuesday, per Ashley Dunkak of CBS Detroit. "We'll look for him to maybe take a few more chances this year with the football. He's got the arm to do it. He's got the receivers to throw it to."

After three straight top 10 finishes, Stafford was the #17 QB in 2014, though he was only a couple of touchdowns out of the #13 spot. As the 10th QB off the board in early drafts, it's possible that Stafford is being overdrafted, though if he's being encouraged to take more chances, it could boost his fantasy numbers.

If Andre Johnson has lost a step -- as Texans owner Bob McNair intimated last week -- the wide receiver's new coach hasn't seen it on game film.

"You don't see a huge drop-off numbers-wise," coach Chuck Pagano said, via ESPN.com's Mike Wells. "Maybe in touchdowns. But you still see a guy who is more than capable of stretching the defense. Certainly somebody who an opponent can't just line up and say, 'Don't worry about Andre Johnson.'"

If defenses still opt to send extra coverage toward T.Y. Hilton, Pagano expects Johnson to take advantage as a "big, possession type guy" on the underneath routes that an injury-ravaged Reggie Wayne couldn't convert in the second half of last season.

"He's a big body guy that can still separate, create separation," Pagano continued. "He's got a big catch radius. But again, the contested catches that you see on tape. It's very difficult to match up."

Johnson will likely start opposite T.Y. Hilton. It’s a big upgrade from a quality-of-quarterback standpoint, as he has never played with one as good as Andrew Luck. His targets are likely to take a hit, however. He averaged 9.7 T/G in 2014, while Hilton and Reggie Wayne led the Colts with 8.7 and 7.7 T/G, respectively. So this looks like a case of the targets dropping but the quality of those targets increasing. After finishing in the top 10 (in PPR) in five of his previous six seasons, Johnson finished #28 in 2014. He’s turning 34 this offseason, so it may be foolhardy to expect a huge bounceback season, but low-end WR2 numbers in PPR formats seem reasonable.