June 2018 4for4 Player News Articles

Robert Turbin announced on Twitter that he will be suspended for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing drugs. Adam Schefter confirmed the suspension will be four games in length.

Turbin was expected to fill the "big back" role for the Colts to open the season, but he will now be unable to play until Week 5. That gives Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, and Jordan Wilkins increased opportunities, particularly in goal-line situations. It is possible Turbin returns to no stable role in the offense.

Updating a previous news item, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston has received official word from the NFL that he has been suspended for three games. He will not appeal.

Ryan Fitzpatrick figures to start the three games in Winston's place, but Ryan Griffin is expected to compete for the job. You can find our previous analysis of the situation at the link below:

https://www.4for4.com/news/nfl-plans-suspend-buccaneers-qb-jameis-winsto...

Speaking on NFL Total Access, rookie wide receiver Christian Kirk said he expects Sam Bradford to start at quarterback come Week 1.

"I mean, to be honest, you know, just with what the coaches have said, and just the way it's looking, I'm pretty sure Sam's going to start, but you never know. Training camp, you know, provides opportunities for Josh to go out there, show what he can do as well."

This isn't a surprise considering the contract Arizona is paying Bradford, but it seems based on Kirk's quote that Rosen would have to play out of his mind to take the starting job away to open the year. This is good news for David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, who stand to benefit from a veteran taking snaps.

In an interview with WTHR, Andrew Luck stated that he will be working out with the Colts WRs in the coming weeks.

"Yeah, I will,” Luck said. “I won’t divulge too many secrets on that. But I absolutely will. It’s part of the plan.”

This is yet another positive sign for Luck as his rehab continues with eyes on a Week 1 return to the lineup. After being the No. 17 quarterback off the board in May, Luck has risen to No. 13 over the past two weeks. The value window for Luck is closing rapidly.

The Chiefs have been, to some extent, caught off guard by how badly WR Sammy Watkins wants success, how much he wants to make good on his contract, how much he wants to be another strong receiving option.

They're asking him to learn all of their wide receiving positions, and he hasn't flinched.

"We're moving him all over the place, and he's handled it," coach Andy Reid said. "We've overloaded him with that. That's how we do it in this offense. That's something new for him. You can tell he's a guy that takes it away from here and studies. When we're doing all these different formations, you've got to do that. You just can't get it all when you're here. You've got to go back and you've got to review, and he's done that and he's really limited the mistakes for all we've given him."

As the story said, Watkins may not put up big numbers given the other targets on the team, but being able to play all of the WR positions should only help him. Watkins went on to say Reid is making him a better player. Watkins is currently ranked 41st on our standard WR list.

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman appealed his suspension on Monday, but no decision was immediately reached.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, a ruling may not come until next week.

Pelissero said if Edelman wins he could have the suspension vacated, and a loss could mean he can fight it in federal court. Edelman retained prominent attorney Alex Spiro to assist in his defense. Spiro, based out of New York, has represented several celebrities, including the late Aaron Hernandez, rapper Bobby Shmurda, and NBA players J.R. Smith and Thabo Sefolosha.

The contract negotiation saga of LeVeon Bell has been a long and winding one, but Monday night, Bell provided what might be considered a glimmer of hope. Appearing on NFL Network's The Top 100 Players of 2018 Reactions show, Bell let on that negotiations between himself and the Steelers on a long-term deal are in better shape than they were a year ago.

"Obviously, the people in the organization try to do what's best for them and I'm trying to do what's best for me," Bell said. "We're working on it. We're a lot closer than we were last year at this time. That's what I'm happy about. None of that matters if we don't get it done. Hopefully we'll try to get something done. That's what I'm looking forward to. I got confidence we'll get it done. I want to do it."

As the rest of the story said, for a while now, Bell has been angling for a long-term contract that keeps him in Pittsburgh but the two sides have been unable to come to an equitable agreement. The Steelers ended up using the franchise tag on Bell last offseason and, after holding out for much of that offseason in an attempt to create leverage, Bell played out the season on the tag.

Mike Williams has called his rookie season a “bad year.” No one will argue with that.

The Chargers receiver dealt with a nagging back injury all year, finishing with only 11 catches in 10 games.

“This is a big year for Mike,” receivers coach Phil McGeoghan said, via Ricky Henne of the team website. “Obviously, everyone evaluated him at the combine when he was coming out. He was an unbelievable talent. I tell all the young guys that the biggest year in their whole career is between their first and second year."

McGeoghan went on to say Williams has been phenomenal in the team's room and everyone feels responsible to help him improve and get him up and running. The story said everyone with the team vows the real Williams will show up this season.

According to Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb is recovering from an ankle injury, which may keep him off the field for the start of training camp.

On June 4, Cobb participated in OTAs with media present. But then Packers veterans were excused from minicamp. But Cohen apparently ran into him at the airport, and Cobb was in the boot, which he described as “temporary” (as opposed to the dreaded permanent walking boots). Cobb did not say whether he had surgery or how or when the injury happened.

According to the story, the team apparently is not concerned about his availability for the start of the regular season, and is willing to ease him back in during training camp.

New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman will appeal his four-game suspension on Monday, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano.

Edelman reportedly tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. News of his suspension was leaked on June 7, the final day of Patriots' minicamp.

According to the rest of the story, Edelman and his team plan to launch a "vigorous defense" that will center on two key points. The substance for which Edelman tested positive reportedly wasn't recognized by the league's drug testers (a test is presumptively positive if a player's testosterone to epitestosterone ratio is greater than 4-to-1, according to the league's policy on PEDs). Edelman's defense also plans to highlight the league's apparent mishandling of "documentation and delivery" of the test results.

Broncos head coach Vance Joseph said Royce Freeman “absolutely” has a chance to be the team’s starting running back this year, according to ESPN.

Related players: Devontae Booker

Freeman is accustomed to being a lead back, as the story goes on to say. He was a four-year starter at Oregon, who finished his career with 947 carries for 5,621 yards and 60 touchdowns, plus another 79 catches for 814 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. It's obviously still early, but it doesn't seem like great news right now for Booker owners who were assuming the back would slide right into a primary role.

A.J. Green—who turns 30 next month—does not appear to feel any urgency to address his own contract situation.

“I signed a deal and I’m comfortable with the deal and I just live with it,” Green told The Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday. “After that’s up, we go back to the board. I don’t really get caught up in what’s the money like because I signed my deal and it was the highest paid at that point. It’s going to always go up. So you can’t keep up with that.

“…At the end of the day I just want to play football. I got my contract. I’m set for life. Now I can just go out there and play.”

The story was about Green showing support for Julio Jones wanting a new contract, but Green seems to be OK with his situation. As the story said, the two are linked after Green went fourth and Jones sixth in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Donnel Pumphrey looked a little better this spring, but he needs to have a great training camp. Right now, I have the Eagles keeping four running backs: Jay Ajayi, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement, Matt Jones. If they keep five, Pump has a real chance; he’d just need to beat out Wendell Smallwood for that final spot. I think he has a decent chance, but I haven’t seen enough to give him a roster spot. He’s a player I’ll be watching extremely close at training camp.

The return of Sproles really makes it tough to keep Pumphrey in 2018. The emergence of Clement in a passing-down role last year also could indicate Pumphrey make not make it through camp.

When the Saints released tight end Coby Fleener in May, head coach Sean Payton said that Fleener was still dealing with symptoms from the concussion that ended his 2017 season and nothing has changed over the last month.

Fleener spoke to Don Banks of The Athletic about where things stand and said that he’d still like to play during the 2018 season, but that the symptoms are “still there, unfortunately.”

The story went on to say there’s no timetable for that to change and that leaves Fleener, who has been diagnosed with five concussions over the course of his career, unable to say he’ll be back on the field with confidence.

The word from Arizona at the end of the team’s offseason program was that rookie QB Josh Rosen has done well, but that Sam Bradford remains the likely choice to start at quarterback for the Cardinals come September.

Trying to keep that spot on the depth chart hasn’t gotten in the way of Bradford aiding Rosen’s transition to the professional level, however. Bradford told Rosen after the draft that he would be an “open book” for the first-round pick and Rosen said Bradford’s been true to his word.

Rosen said during minicamp that Bradford has been “helping me out a ton” and that he’ll return the favor any way he can during his rookie season, according to the story. This is only good news for those interested in the Cards QB situation, especially given Bradford's injury history. Rosen could be under center as the starter sooner than later.

The Bucs' running back competition is just heating up, and a virtual unknown in rookie Shaun Wilson could push veteran Charles Sims out the door. Wilson, an undrafted free agent out of Duke, showed during minicamp that he has some solid hands and special-teams ability. Considering the team re-signed Sims late this offseason and it's only a one-year deal, his roster spot is far from guaranteed as the Bucs' third-down back, a spot that Jacquizz Rodgers could also hold.

If Sims were cut, this would raise the projected volume for rookie Ronald Jones. There's a lot that needs to shake out in this backfield, but one fewer option on the roster could clear up the mystery surrounding touches in this backfield between Sims, rookie Ronald Jones, Peyton Barber, and Jacquizz Rodgers.

The one-year deal Seattle gave WR Brandon Marshall in May includes only $90,000 guaranteed, which is reflective of his age (34) and uncertain health as he comes off surgeries on his ankle and toe. The Seahawks' ideal scenario would have the 6-foot-5 Marshall getting back to full speed before the season and giving Russell Wilson the big target he lost when Jimmy Graham left in free agency. But if Marshall isn't progressing as well as hoped and/or if the Seahawks decide there's more value in keeping a younger receiver instead, they could move on relatively painlessly before the season begins.

This would only further solidify Doug Baldwin as a high-floor WR option in the late-second/early-third round of fantasy drafts with fellow WR Tyler Lockett a trendy sleeper in the double-digit rounds.

Alex Smith has already seemed to develop a trust in his slot receiver, Jamison Crowder. Washington has other targets who pleased Smith—and he still hasn’t worked with tight end Jordan Reed. That won’t happen until some point in training camp as Reed recovers from toe surgeries.

But Crowder is the most proven of the wide receivers, with three consecutive 60+ catch seasons as he enters his fourth year. There’s a reason Smith smiles when asked about Crowder, a receiver he clearly clicked with this spring.

Crowder has finished as the WR33 and WR31 over the past two seasons, respectively, due to getting fewer than 15 percent of Washington's targets. In fact, no Washington pass-catcher has received more than 16.2 percent of team targets under Jay Gruden. However, the article does note Smith owns a combined 102.8 quarterback rating when targeting slot receivers over the past five years. That’s third-best in the NFL over that time for quarterbacks who have made at least 30 starts, trailing only Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Crowder could be the WR to own in Washington, especially at his ninth-round ADP, but his upside appears limited.

Both Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley and running backs coach Fred Kitchens have suggested that Cleveland will ride the hot hand at running back in 2018.

“Ultimately, all three of those guys can run our running game,” Kitchens said, via the team’s website. “Duke can do a few more things in the passing game. Ultimately, we feel like that is a position of strength. Coach [Bill] Parcells taught me a long time ago, do not turn a position of strength into a weakness. You would like to keep it a strength, and we are fortunate that is where we are.”

It sounds as though there will likely be no clear-cut lead runner in Cleveland between Duke Johnson, Carlos Hyde, and Nick Chubb. However, Kitchens' commentary on Johnson in the passing game does indicate that the team still plans on using him there. His 188 receptions over three seasons and ADP outside of the top 30 at running back are reasons why our own TJ Hernandez can see Johnson as a potential value (full column linked below).

https://www.4for4.com/2018/preseason/running-back-value-cleveland

Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman quoted an AFC scout who stated that "Tyrod Taylor could keep Baker Mayfield on the bench for years".

There are a number of factors that keep this from being likely, Taylor's one-year contract for one, but it adds steam to the idea that Taylor could start all year over the rookie if things are going well. Head coach Hue Jackson has been adamant that Taylor is the starter, despite Cleveland using the first overall pick to select the Oklahoma product.

Updating a previous item, Adam Schefter has confirmed that the NFL is planning to suspend Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston three games for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Ian Rapoport also reported that in addition to the suspension, Winston must meet certain criteria related to his conduct in order to return to the field. This suspension could come as early as tomorrow, or next week.

Related players: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Griffin

This will not be an ideal start to the 2018 season for Winston, who is now entering year four of his NFL career. Ryan Fitzpatrick figures to start the first three games of the season for the Bucs. In 2017, Fitzpatrick completed just 14-of-33 passes sent the way of top wideout Mike Evans, meaning this suspension could prove to be a huge blow to Evans' early-season value. DeSean Jackson, meanwhile, could stand to benefit from the quarterback swap. He caught 60 percent of his 30 targets from Fitzpatrick in 2017, scoring two touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick also completed 7-of-10 passes to O.J. Howard for 110 yards and a touchdown, while completing 7-of-15 passes to Cameron Brate for 74 yards and a score. The three-game suspension effectively kills Winston’s draft value, which was already lingering in the double-digit rounds.

Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson plead no contest to charges of reckless driving. He will receive six months of probation.

Now that the legal system has run its course on Anderson's offseason run-ins with the law, we will see what the NFL does in terms of discipline. After being arrested twice in a nine-month span, the league could look to send a message. A suspension would be unlikely to extend past the first two games of the season.

The Falcons are expected to make an adjustment to Julio Jones’ contract in lieu of an extension, according to CBS Sports NFL business analyst Joel Corry.

“It would be a mild surprise if the Falcons extended the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver's contract since he has three years remaining,” Corry said. “It's more likely for the Falcons to make a minor adjustment to Jones' contract by adding unlikely-to-be-earned incentives or increasing his 2018 compensation by taking money from his 2019 base salary.”

Similar moves have been made to placate other elite skill players such as Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski. Whether or not this would be enough for Jones to end his holdout remains to be seen, but we've seen time and time again that NFL players lack a lot of leverage in these circumstances. Expect Jones to start out wide for the Falcons come Week 1.

Both Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur indicated that Marcus Mariota will run more in 2018.

“Obviously, (we want to move Mariota) around, get him out of the pocket,” Vrabel said. “That’s something that he does as a special player with his athletic ability, and his ability to throw on the move.”

Added LaFleur: “You don't ever want to take that element, that creativity, his ability to create off-schedule … you never want to take that away from a quarterback that has the athleticism that Marcus has.”

After accumulating over 2,200 rushing yards in three collegiate seasons, it has been a bit disappointing that Mariota has only rushed for 913 yards in three NFL seasons. That said, it sounds like the new coaching staff is going to take the shackles off of the offense, and that should yield more fantasy production for Mariota. Of 13 quarterbacks with at least 40 rush attempts in 2017, Mariota was second only to Dak Prescott in fantasy points per rush. He should break his career-high of 60 attempts in 2018.

ESPN Tallahassee radio host Jeff Cameron said that the NFL will suspend Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston for an alleged incident with an Uber driver in Arizona in March of 2016.

“The Winston camp is prepared for the NFL to levy a suspension of some kind,” Cameron said. “The thought from the Winston camp is that would be a maximum of three games. I do not know at this time whether or not they plan to appeal, and I do not know that three games is an accurate number. I’ve been told that would seem to be the maximum number of games that the suspension could be. It’s also likely that it’s less than that and it’s one game.”

This would be a huge blow to the young quarterback entering his fourth NFL season, who made major strides in 2017 when he wasn't dealing with an injury. In the 11 games Winston threw at least 15 passes, he averaged over 300 passing yards—20 more yards than NFL-leader Tom Brady. Ryan Fitzpatrick figures to get the start in any games Winston is forced to miss.

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson was clear that Jay Ajayi would be the team's top RB this upcoming season.

“Came in last year and obviously proved to us that he can handle it,” Pederson said. “He’s definitely going into camp as the No. 1 guy. It takes nothing away from what Corey [Clement] did or what [Darren] Sproles has done here, Wendell [Smallwood], [RB Donnel Pumphrey] is coming back, Matt Jones. You’ve got guys that are going to compete in that role.”

Pederson did add that the Eagles will still rotate running backs, but this is night and day from a year ago when he didn't name a lead back prior to the season. Ajayi got off to a slow start with Philadelphia after being traded from the Dolphins, but averaged 13.8 carries and 1.8 receptions over his final six appearances (including the playoffs). Ajayi could flirt with the 260 carries he had with Miami in 2016 when he finished as the No. 11 running back in PPR leagues.

Kirk Cousins‘ connection with his new receivers is a work in progress.

The Vikings quarterback invited Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs to Atlanta in April for a throwing session before organized team activities. They continued to get to know each other during the team’s offseason program.

“It’s a process of saying, ‘Hey, this is the way I’ve done if for six years. You’ve done it a different way for five years. Let’s try to talk about why you’ve had success, why I’ve had success. Let’s find some middle ground; let’s decide whether I’m going to learn your way, you’re going to learn my way,'” Cousins said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.

Cousins has no firm plans to work with his receivers off site before training camp, but feeling “a little behind the eight ball,” he will stay in his playbook, the story said.

Penciled in as the Texans’ returner, WR Keke Coutee is competing with Braxton Miller for the slot position.

“He’s in the long mold of those Red Raiders,” Texans receivers coach John Perry said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “He’s done a good job. He’s working hard. He shows up every day. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. If he continues to do that, I can see him moving forward.”

Miller is said to be "on the right path" after offseason workouts, however, he hasn't been able to stay on the field, which gives Coutee a solid chance to play a significant fantasy role this year. Keep his name on your radar.

Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri will likely be making some history in 2018.

Vinatieri is well within striking distance of the NFL records for career points and field goals, both of which are currently held by Morten Andersen, and he’ll close in on others with a season that’s in line with what he’s done during his first 22 years in the league. If he does post such a season, it sounds like he’ll be looking to continue to pad his totals during the 2019 season as well.

Vinatieri was quoted as saying he loves playing in the NFL today as much as he did 23 years ago when he started. He added he's not looking to hang up his cleats anytime soon.

For the first time in his NFL career, Marcus Mariota is enjoying an offseason without the pain and burden of rehabbing an injury.

It’s allowed him to focus on football, and after tossing more interceptions than touchdowns in 2017, the Titans’ franchise quarterback is retooling his mechanics, notably working to widen his stance when throwing the football. The improved legwork should increase his accuracy.

The story said Mariota is also working to stay on the field, which is partially tied to his decision-making outside the pocket. The team wants him to play smarter when he's on the run. He's entering his fourth season but has yet to play a full 16 games because of injuries.

Colts tight end Eric Ebron was a draft bust in Detroit, but he might be ready to make his mark in Indianapolis.

That’s the word after the Colts wrapped up their offseason workouts, and coach Frank Reich said he loved what he saw of Ebron.

“He’s really smart,” Reich said of Ebron, via the Indianapolis Star. “I knew that because we did our homework before he got here. We knew he was a smart player. But he’s like really a highly intelligent football player. And that’s really good because you want to use a guy with the versatility that he has and move him around and call all kinds of things with him. That helps. And he’s an explosive athlete.”

Reich comes from the Eagles, who loved to use the tight end last year, especially with Zach Ertz and Trey Burton. With a successful return of QB Andrew Luck, Ebron, the former 10th-overall draft pick (2014) may turn fantasy heads at some point this year.

A year after the Browns thrust then-rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer into a Week One starting role, the Browns appear intent to do the opposite with their latest rookie QB, keeping quarterback Baker Mayfield on ice for as long as possible.

If that’s the plan, Mayfield is making it easy for the decision makers to implement their strategy. Here’s an assessment of the competition, if there is one, between Mayfield and Tyrod Taylor, from Dan Labbe of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: “This is where I tell you that, based on the six practices of OTAs and minicamp that were open to the media, Mayfield did not look ready to compete with Taylor for the No. 1 quarterback job.”

Keep in mind it's only been six practices and things can change quickly, but as of now, it seems as if the deck is stacked in Taylor's favor, as the story put it.

Don’t expect any one running back to carry the load in Green Bay this season.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the demands of the position are such that running backs Jamaal Williams, Ty Montgomery, and Aaron Jones will all be better off if none of them get too many carries.

“The fact of the matter is we’re going to go running back by committee,” McCarthy told ESPN. “But if one of them would emerge as that full-time guy then you have to have that ability to...adjust to that."

Things can change quickly in the NFL. Just because the Packers are planning to do this now, in June, it doesn't mean that's how things will end up come September. However, it doesn't make fantasy life easy for those drafting sooner than later. In PPR leagues, we currently have Williams ranked as our No. 45 RB, Montgomery is our No. 51 ranked RB, and Jones comes in as our No. 54 ranked RB. Williams and Jones sport 10th-round ADPs, while Montgomery is being drafted, on average, in the 14th round.

Kenny Golladay is 6-foot-4. He's listed at 218 pounds. He has 4.5 speed and can jump through the building.

In other words, he looks like a No. 1 receiver. But in this offense, he doesn't have to be a No. 1 receiver. With Marvin Jones and Golden Tate back, he's probably a WR3.

And that's part of what makes him an excellent candidate to become the offense's breakout player of the year.

Golladay showed flashes last year when he caught 28 passes for 477 yards and 3 touchdowns. But if the offseason program is any indication, he's headed for even bigger things in 2018. He consistently chewed up the first-team defense, especially in the red zone, where he so deftly uses that rangy frame to go up and get passes even the likes of Darius Slay can't get to, according to the story. But fantasy expectations probably still need to be tempered for now because Tate and Jones still have a presence.

According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the Colts plan to limit Andrew Luck’s work throughout the summer to make sure there are no setbacks, including days off during training camp. They also plan to monitor his practice reps, to try to mirror his workload during the regular season.

Seems like Luck is still very much recovering from his shoulder injury. However, it seems like it's going to continue to put him behind in terms of repetitions and learning the new system.

Texans General Manager Brian Gaine said in May that the team hoped to have running back Donta Foreman on the field when training camp starts this summer, but it doesn’t sound like that’s how things will play out.

The story went on to say that Foreman will continue rehabbing his torn Achilles in Houston until camp and says he’s “not trying to rush anything” as he works with the medical staff to figure out the best plan for getting him back to the player he was before the injury. Hitting that mark is “looking really good right now,” but Foreman isn’t sure he’ll get there before the start of the regular season.

The Seahawks signed veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall late in May, but he never participated in any team drills before the team ended their offseason program with last week’s minicamp.

Coach Pete Carroll said that Marshall was being cautious due to a hamstring issue and that the team expects he’ll be ready to start a fuller workload once camp opens this summer.

Carroll was quoted as saying they are just making sure Marshall doesn't have a setback, but as the story pointed out, Marshall missed most of last season with an ankle injury and had toe surgery to repair a lingering problem during his ankle recovery.

The Bills wide receiver corps is one of the league’s thinner ones heading into training camp, which would seem to bode well for 2017 second-round pick Zay Jones‘ chances of seeing a lot of playing time once September rolls around.

While that may be the case, General Manager Brandon Beane made it clear last week that Jones won’t be guaranteed anything this season.

“He’s not just going to necessarily go right to the top of the line,” Beane said during an appearance on WGR 550, via NewYorkUpstate.com. “He’ll have to earn his way. Part of that will just be just getting his feel. He’s only played with Nathan Peterman. He has not got to play with Josh Allen or AJ McCarron yet. So that bond there will just have to form.”

Related players: Kelvin Benjamin, Andre Holmes, Jeremy Kerley

Jones had a quiet rookie season dealing with a shoulder injury. As the story pointed out, it's not an overwhelming list of WRs, so Jones certainly has a chance to make his mark and earn a key role in the offense.

Chris Carson has been the most impressive of any running back this summer, and general manager John Schneider has said that at times, Carson looks like the best player on the field. After adding 10 pounds of muscle, Carson was the first name head coach Pete Carroll mentioned when asked which player impressed him the most in terms of the shape he was in when he reported back for offseason work. It'll make for an interesting battle for the starting job.

Seattle spent a first-round pick on RB Rashaad Penny, and it's universally accepted that you cannot truly evaluate RBs until they are in full pads in training camp and the preseason. It's hard to imagine Penny doesn't get a sizable portion of the backfield touches in this offense, given the draft capital spent on him. Carroll has also praised Penny's pass protection, crucial given how bad the offensive line has been. However, this at least puts Carson on our radar as a late-round flier in drafts if Penny struggles. He's a name to monitor this preseason.

Dion Lewis saw a career-high 36 percent of the offensive reps in New England last season. With injury concerns and size limitations, there will likely be a cap on Lewis' workload. But he still could match or even surpass his workload from last season and still leave plenty on the bone for Henry.

Last season, DeMarco Murray claimed 63 percent of offensive snaps to Derrick Henry's 40. A reasonable June estimate for 2018 would be a similar workflow, with Henry getting about 60 percent and Lewis 40 percent.

Our projections currently have Lewis at 180 carries and 44 receptions, 51 percent of the touches projected between Henry and him. Last season, Henry saw 187 touches. So even though our projection for him is only 49 percent of the touches between Lewis and him, it is still a total of 209 touches, an increase from last season. We expect Lewis to get the bulk of the receptions out of this backfield, making him more valuable in PPR formats. Also working in the Titans' backfield's favor, the entire starting offensive line returns from last season.

Ralph Vacchiano got in two questions to Odell Beckham as he left the practice field Saturday: "Will we see you at camp?" “Yes sir. Yes you will,” he said.

"So no holdout?" Beckham replied: “No. No holdout.”

His plan is indeed to be at camp on time, a source familiar with his plans told SNY. But the source said it remains a fluid situation because so far his contract talks are going nowhere. So yes, his feelings could change.

Nothing like a good "source familiar with his plans" to cloudy up Beckham's clear-cut statement. Regardless, Beckham remains an elite fantasy WR option, who is a big-time value when he slips into the top of the second round.

ESPN's Rob Demovsky reports that Packers running back Ty Montgomery "has been a mainstay on the field in certain key packages— including the no-huddle and two-minute drills—during offseason practices".

It was once thought that the converted wide receiver would return to his original position with Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones both impressing as rookies in 2017. That does not appear to be the case, as the veteran Montgomery is in line for a significant role for 2018.

Playing with Aaron Rodgers in the no-huddle and two-minute offenses would net Montgomery plenty of receptions, and therefore, PPR value. He is currently the No. 46 running back off the board in fantasy drafts.

Jets wideout Terrelle Pryor was in a walking boot during minicamp as he recovers from an injured ankle. He hopes to be ready by training camp.

"I believe so," said Pryor, adding that the decision will be that of Bowles and head athletic trainer John Mellody. "But, for now, in my mind, I'll be there the first day."

Pryor enjoyed a breakout season in 2016 with over 1,000 yards and a top-24 PPR finish, but he was unproductive in 2017 in Washington before suffering an ankle injury. If he can get healthy and back in form, he would be a welcomed addition to a lackluster Jets receiving corps. Pryor is currently the No. 71 wide receiver off the board.

Michael Gehlken reports that the Raiders "fear potential NFL discipline might be imminent" for Martavis Bryant. It is believed to be substance abuse related.

After missing all of 2016 for his second infraction of the substance-abuse policy, this would likely be another lengthy suspension for the mercurial wideout. It would be wise to avoid Bryant in fantasy drafts until we receive more information on his situation.

Seattle wideout Tyler Lockett stated that he was somewhere between 75 and 80 percent last season after coming off of a leg injury, but is now fully healthy.

This would explain why Seattle was okay with letting Paul Richardson go in free agency, and bringing in only the aged Brandon Marshall to replace him. Lockett was a force to be reckoned with to start his career as a receiver and returner, but took a step back in 2017. If he is truly fully healthy, he should be a steal as the No. 59 wide receiver off the board in fantasy drafts.

The Indy Star indicates that overlooking Robert Turbin in the Colts running back race "would be a mistake", based on some comments from head coach Frank Reich.

“I think he brings an element of size and power and strength to the mix,” Reich said of Turbin. “We have Nyheim and (Josh Ferguson) and Marlon, when he gets back (from shoulder surgery), who has some juice. Then we have a couple guys who kind of provide us with some size and power. And Turb is one of those guys. And he’s shown it. But what I like about him is not only has he shown that size and power and strength, he’s smart, he’s good in protections and he’s good enough of a route runner that he can be a three-down back.”

Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines are currently the only running backs being drafted from the Colts in fantasy drafts, but it appears as though Turbin could make some noise as a between-the-tackles grinder with touchdown upside, particularly if Andrew Luck is healthy and ready to go Week 1. Keep him on your watch lists as the offseason progresses.

Todd Bowles said Josh McCown will start at quarterback come training camp, followed by Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold. He indicated things could still change before Week 1.

While the Jets selected Darnold third overall, it appears they are willing to let the rookie develop before thrusting him into the starting lineup. The veteran McCown is still the favorite to open the year as the Jets starter.

Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams is recovering well from offseason knee surgery and is expected to be ready for training camp.

The Pro Bowl left tackle is a critical member of Washington's offensive line. He should be in the lineup and ready to protect Alex Smith's blind side on Opening Day.

Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni gushed about rookie wide receiver Deon Cain on Wednesday.

“Deon is built like you want a wide receiver to be built. He runs how you want a wide receiver to run. What’s impressive about him is he can really get out of breaks. To me, that’s what separates really good receivers in this league. He can separate at the top, which combined with the other two things I said, can really make him a person that we think can develop.”

T.Y. Hilton is a lock as the team's top wide receiver, but the second spot is wide open in a passing game that looks even more appealing with Andrew Luck on the mend. The sixth-rounder Cain will compete with veterans Chester Rogers and Ryan Grant, as well as fellow rookie Daurice Fountain (fifth round).

The Saints signed running back Terrance West to an undisclosed contract. He was selected for the team over Jamaal Charles, who also worked out for the team on Wednesday.

A move like this was to be expected for New Orleans, who will open the season without Mark Ingram for the first four games. West is expected to fill his role in some capacity, which means that Alvin Kamara may not see a tremendous increase in usage during Ingram's suspension. This is something that head coach Sean Payton has hinted at all along. This won't stop Kamara from being a bona fide first-round lock in PPR leagues, but West could have some real value to start 2018. Ingram was the No. 7 running back in PPR points per game in 2017.

The Cowboys and guard Zack Martin agreed to a six-year, $84 million extension, that comes with $40 million guaranteed.

It is a huge chunk of change for the Pro Bowl guard, but well deserved. The contract ensures that he will be present in Dallas to block for both Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott in 2018 and beyond.

Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has what has been described as a "frustrating" knee injury, and will miss all of minicamp. He still expects to be a full participant once training camp opens up.

“Just something that’s been bothering me over time,” said Smith-Schuster of the injury. “Kind of just adds up and lets me know, ‘Yo, I need to get it checked out.’ We got it checked out.”

It isn't time to panic just yet, but certainly this isn't a great start for a wideout looking to build upon a fantastic rookie campaign. Smith-Schuster finished 2017 as the No. 12 wide receiver in PPR points per game, and is currently coming off the board as the No. 18 wideout in fantasy drafts.

Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert was absent from minicamp on Tuesday, and did not participate with a helmet on Wednesday. When asked if Eifert would be ready for training camp, Marvin Lewis said, "I can't tell you that. When they tell him or release him to do what he can do then he'll be ready to go".

This does not sound terribly optimistic for Eifert, who has missed a whopping 40 games over the past four seasons due to various injuries. Most recently, Eifert had surgeries to repair his ailing back and to remove a cyst from his knee. He currently looks like a major gamble as the No. 14 tight end off the board in fantasy drafts.

Hunter Henry sustained a torn ACL in practice last month, leaving Virgil Green as the only tight end on the roster that has caught a pass in an NFL game and drastically changing his role for the upcoming season. Green, who signed with the Chargers as a free agent in March after playing seven seasons for the Denver Broncos, had been expected to serve mainly as a blocking complement to Henry.

Instead, Green might finally get his chance to be used more in the passing game, especially in the red zone. It was how Green was expected to be featured coming out of college at Nevada, but he never caught more than 22 passes in a season, with 48 of his 71 career receptions coming in the past three seasons.

The story added the Bolts are expected to use more three-WR sets, and we had a story recently about RB Melvin Gordon possibly getting more involved in the passing game. It's certainly no lock Green sees the kind of workload Henry was supposed to see.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was surprisingly absent from the team's first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday (June 12).

The story said head coach Sean Payton said Thomas was excused from the practice session, but he didn't elaborate on the reason the receiver wasn't with the team. Thomas' absence is especially surprising because he participated in the optional organized team activities the previous three weeks, according to the story.

It's only been seven months since Deshaun Watson needed surgery on his right ACL, but according to those around him, it's hard to tell the second-year quarterback is still coming back from injury.

On Tuesday, running back Lamar Miller said he wouldn't even know Watson was injured if the Houston Texans' coaching staff wasn't easing him back into his on-field work.

"I can't really notice any issues with his knee, other than his coaches holding him back from certain drills," Miller said. "He's very confident after his success in his rookie season, and he's definitely ready to take that next step."

At the beginning of organized team activities, Watson took the field with his teammates for the first time since he tore the ACL in his right leg in an early November practice. On Tuesday, Watson didn't wear a brace on his right knee for the first time this offseason in the practices that have been open to the media, the story said.

It went on to say that during OTAs the quarterback has been participating in 7-on-7 drills, but sitting out the team drills involving players rushing the passer. Watson has said all offseason he expects to be at full strength by training camp and be the Texans' starting quarterback to open the season against the New England Patriots.

While Dalvin Cook is ahead of schedule and is slated to be the centerpiece of the Minnesota Vikings’ offense, head coach Mike Zimmer appears to be happy with last year’s No. 1 runner Latavius Murray.

“Latavius had a great spring,” Zimmer said Tuesday. “He looks way better than he did at this time [last season]. Obviously at the beginning of training camp last year when he was hurt, but he was out there today and I said, ‘you’re running the ball really good.’ He’s seeing things well, he’s making good cuts, and I think there will be good competition.”

Related players: Mack Brown, C.J. Ham, Mike Boone, Roc Thomas.

The two have been splitting first-team reps the story said. There is still a battle for the No. 3 RB job set to take place between Brown, Ham, Boone, and Thomas.

The Bengals continue to play it conservatively this spring with Tyler Eifert’s surgically-repaired back, although head coach Marvin Lewis was surprised his starting tight end wasn’t on the field for Tuesday’s first practice of mandatory minicamp.

“He was here all morning and then all of a sudden he wasn’t,” Lewis said after practice. “I’m sure he’s being dealt with in some kind of medical fashion. That’s the only reason a guy wouldn’t be here.”

The Bengals have pretty much kept Eifert out of team work this spring as he recovers from the back surgery that limited him to just two games last season. But there’s an air of mystery around his comeback. Lewis said Eifert has been feeling good about things and so has the team but they still need to see where he's at.

Mark Ingram said he was not holding out for a new contract when he decided to skip the New Orleans Saints' OTAs and offseason conditioning program. Rather, he just wanted to change up his regimen and work out on his own heading into his eighth NFL season.

But the Pro Bowl running back, who returned Tuesday for the team's mandatory minicamp at a slimmer 215 pounds, said he has been "working my butt off" with his longtime trainer in South Florida. And he said he will fully participate in training camp.

This counters a story from earlier today that said Ingram wanted a new contract. Ingram, who is also facing a four-game suspension to start the 2018 season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, said he'll be prepared to "jump right in immediately and make an impact" when he returns in Week 5, according to the story.

The Baltimore Ravens don't view a quarterback controversy between Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson.

The Ravens see it as an opportunity for quarterback creativity.

Throughout the offseason, Baltimore has been putting Flacco and Jackson on the field at the same time. With Flacco playing quarterback, Jackson has lined up at multiple positions.

Head coach John Harbaugh said he's looking to see what putting two QBs on the field at the same time can do for the offense. The story said Jackson doesn't do drills at other positions, but it's expected Jackson will be active on game days and perhaps have certain packages.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was "cleared to practice" prior to mandatory minicamp this week, according to head coach Pat Shurmur.

Beckham did some individual drills and ran some routes against air (no defenders and no contact) on Tuesday. The running of routes was something he didn't do at OTAs earlier this spring.

As we had in a story from earlier today, the team hoped Beckham would take part in team drills at minicamp, but Beckham's preference is to avoid team drills and stay safe in his recovery process, it seems. Beckham, of course, is also looking for a new contract which is likely playing a role in his decision to avoid drills.

Saints running back Mark Ingram is on the field at Saints practice.

Ingram, who has skipped all of the Saints’ voluntary workouts this offseason, showed up today for the first day of mandatory minicamp in New Orleans.

That was the expectation, as Saints coach Sean Payton previously said Ingram would be there.

As the story explains, Ingram thinks he deserves a new contract after he had the best season of his career in 2017, with 230 carries for 1,124 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, plus 58 catches for 416 receiving yards. Unfortunately for Ingram, the emergence of Alvin Kamara makes it easy for the Saints to say they don’t need to invest any more money in the running back position. Ingram will be suspended for the first four games of the season.

Colts coach Frank Reich wasn’t lying when he said quarterback Andrew Luck was “real close” to throwing actual footballs.

Today he did, though only to people very close to him.

Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star was like the guys who get video of Bigfoot, providing the footage of what was thought to be a mythical creature.

The story went on to say Luck apparently threw about 10 passes, mostly to retired wideout Reggie Wayne, and they were all around 10 yards. It’s the first time anyone has seen Luck throw a football since last October’s failed attempt to come back from shoulder surgery.

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson is skipping this week's mandatory minicamp in hopes of getting a new contract, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

The story said the two sides have been in discussions regarding a new contract and are hopeful a new deal will be reached before the start of the season. Johnson is due to make $1.8 million this season, and the team can franchise him in 2019 and 2020.

The Bills drafted Josh Allen to be their next Jim Kelly, and the Bills will try to get Allen ready for his new role quickly.

On Tuesday, head coach Sean McDermott said Allen will get first-team reps at this week’s mandatory minicamp.

Related players: AJ McCarron

The story pointed out this seems to be a clear indication the Bills will give him every chance to win the starting job as of Week 1. McCarron had hoped to get a chance to play at least part of the season, and that may still happen. But he’s going to have to earn his playing time by showing he’s better than Allen, the story added.

Joe Flacco needs to make up for lost time. The Ravens forfeited two of their 10 voluntary offseason practices last week after breaking NFL rules. It's the third time since 2010 that the NFL has disciplined coach John Harbaugh and his team for an offseason violation.

Related players: Michael Crabtree, John Brown, Willie Snead

As the story said, this impacts the chemistry-building of Flacco and Baltimore's revamped passing game the most. Among the 19 wide receivers and tight ends on the roster, 12 are in their first year with the Ravens, including Crabtree, Brown, and Snead. What helps is the Ravens starting training camp a week earlier than usual. Baltimore's first full-team practice is scheduled for July 19 because the Ravens play in the Hall of Fame game.

Giants coach Pat Shurmur suggested last week that WR Odell Beckham could receive full medical clearance in time for Tuesday’s start to the minicamp, but there’s been no word of that clearance this week. Josina Anderson of ESPN reports that there was “discussion” inside the team on Monday about making such an announcement with hope that Beckham would do some “team reps” during minicamp.

Anderson also reports that Beckham’s “preference” is to not do any team work at this point in his return from injury.

Obviously, this likely has a lot to do with Beckham wanting a new contract. He doesn't want to step into team drills and risk another injury. CBS Sports reported Tuesday Beckham is running routes and looks good. If he doesn't work with the team beyond that, and the contract lingers into training camp, it will obviously be a distraction for the whole team.

LeGarrette Blount, the team's leading rusher with 766 yards on 173 carries in 2017, is now with the Detroit Lions. And even with Darren Sproles poised to come back from his season-ending knee injury and promising second-year back Corey Clement in the fold, Jay Ajayi is poised to be the featured back.

"I'm pretty sure that Jay is excited about being able to go out there and dominate and being able to be that guy," assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley said. "I know Doug (Pederson) is excited about it also. We'll see."

Despite being in a committee last year after joining Philly, the loss of Blount should mean more work for Ajayi—even with Sproles and Clement in the mix as well. Ajayi is no stranger to being the featured back. In 2016, he had 260 carries, ninth-most in the league, on his way to earning Pro Bowl honors with Miami.

There is no quarterback controversy in Philadelphia.

"I think inside he's very hungry," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said of Carson Wentz before mandatory veteran minicamp at NovaCare Complex on Tuesday. "I would be. As the leader of the team, the face of the franchise, he was drafted to be our guy long term. Listen, I still believe this is Carson's team. I don't think differently about that. But yeah he's chomping, he's ready to get back out there."

Related players: Nick Foles

The story said if the season had to start today, it would likely have to be Foles under center. But Wentz is quickly working his way back, and indications out of Philly seem to be he will be ready to go when the season starts. After Foles won the Super Bowl, the fact Wentz was having an MVP-like year before the ACL injury seems to be forgotten.

After participating in mandatory minicamp, New England Patriots stars Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski will skip the final week of voluntary Organized Team Activities, according to Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network.

This was an expected development, as Brady and Gronkowski skipped the two weeks of OTAs prior to minicamp.

Brady said he's skipping for personal reasons, while Gronk will opt to train on his own, the story said.

The Atlanta Falcons will open their mandatory minicamp without Julio Jones, one of their most important playmakers.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team was informed Monday that Jones will not be present when the three-day minicamp opens on Tuesday.

Jones is looking for a new deal, but the team felt confident Jones was going to show to the mandatory camp. Jones still has three years left on his deal, but is only the seventh-highest paid WR in the game, according to the story.

With Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Kareem Hunt, and Travis Kelce in the lineup, Chiefs opponents are going to have to make some tough calls about how to deploy their defenders this season.

Those choices could leave less-than-stifling coverage on wide receiver Chris Conley, who missed most of last season after tearing his Achilles in the fifth game of the season. Conley has been working on the field throughout OTAs and that’s gone well enough to leave him feeling like he’s nearly back to where he wants to be.

Conley was quoted in the story as saying he's "feeling really good" and things are "pretty close back to normal." As the story pointed out, it's all good news for new QB Patrick Mahomes who will have a lot of speed at WR to work with.

Odell Beckham Jr. is getting closer and closer to not setting foot on the field until he gets his new contract.

That was the report in late March—that he won’t do anything until he receives the final reward he clearly deserves from the Giants. And with mandatory minicamp happening this week, Beckham reportedly will be there. The question is whether he’ll be on the field.

Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reports that Beckham is “scheduled to travel into town today with plans of attending the team’s mandatory minicamp practice which starts Tuesday.”

The key word in the report? “Attending.” Because attending isn’t participating.

As the story pointed out, Beckham can’t participate until he is medically cleared to do so. That’s yet to happen, due to the broken leg he suffered last year. If/when clearance comes, Beckham will have a decision to make. And if he practices or plays without a new contract, he’ll have to worry about suffering another serious injury before getting his payday.

Chatter regarding a potential trade of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski continues to bubble up from time to time in part because Gronkowski has yet to get a new contract. And a new contract won’t be coming in the immediate future.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, a new contract for Gronkowski is “likely,” but “nothing is imminent.”

According to the story and the source, there is still plenty of work to do. While a trade is possible, Gronk was quoted as saying that was 'fake news.'

A 20-year-old Kerryon Johnson is the Lions' long-term play, which means they need to make him a long-term player. A metamorphosis is about to start. At Auburn, Johnson had to find ways to survive running into the teeth of athletic defenses like Alabama and Georgia with just 6 feet and 213 pounds to throw around. He weaved in and out of series but averaged 25 carries a game in his final 10 contests. He topped 30 carries three times along the way.

Related players: LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick

Johnson realizes he's likely not getting 25-30 carries a game at this point, especially with Blount as a bruising back who will run between the tackles and Riddick a proven pass-catching back. Johnson is only ranked 43rd on our list which means he's a depth option for now, but he could certainly have more value as the season goes on.

The loss of tight end Hunter Henry to a torn ACL has led to questions about whether the Chargers will bring Antonio Gates back for another season to bolster their passing offense.

They have resisted such a move to this point and part of the reason may be their confidence in running back Melvin Gordon.

Gordon only caught 22 passes during his time at the University of Wisconsin, but had 74 in his first two NFL seasons before moving up to 58 catches last season in a progression that has offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt pointing to the running back as part of the solution to Henry’s absence, the story said. We already have Gordon ranked seventh in PPR formats, but he may have huge fantasy value if you can get him early in the second, as ADPs currently indicate.

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman has acknowledged he is facing a four-game suspension under the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, but he also said he doesn’t know what happened. It appears the league’s drug testing experts aren’t completely sure what happened either.

According to Albert Breer of SI.com, Edelman’s result was triggered by a substance that wasn’t immediately recognizable, and the drug testers are still analyzing it.

The story said it's not unprecedented for drug testers to need time to determine what substance a player took. It also said Edelman’s test took place a couple months ago, during the offseason. That means that whatever substance he tested positive for, it wasn’t a stimulant like Adderall. Use of stimulants in the regular season is considered a performance-enhancing substance issue, but during the offseason it’s considered a substance abuse issue.

Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks said recently that it is “hard to say” who will be the team’s No. 2 wide receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald, but one of the competitors believes he will make it an easy call before the regular season gets underway.

The Cardinals signed Brice Butler as a free agent this offseason and his starting experience over five years with the Raiders and Cowboys is limited to seven games. Butler, who has 73 career catches, doesn’t think that will keep him from making it clear that he’s the best choice for such a role in Arizona.

Related players: J.J. Nelson, Cobi Hamilton, Chad Williams, Christian Kirk

As the story said, Butler's limited starts have him in the same boat as the rest of his competition. Keep in mind, one of these guys could very well have a significant fantasy role this season.

Free agent running back Chris Johnson’s chances of getting another NFL gig have potentially gotten a little slimmer.

The man once known as CJ2K, who in his prime was regarded as one of the best running backs in the game, faces a misdemeanor battery charge in Florida.

The story went on to say he allegedly assaulted a valet at a restaurant in Tampa Bay. The alleged victim suffered a bloody nose and a cut lip. Parking-lot surveillance cameras captured the incident on video. Johnson was identified by the owner of the club, and the victim separately picked Johnson out of a lineup.

When the Falcons convene on Tuesday for a mandatory minicamp, the biggest question continues to be whether receiver Julio Jones will be there.

Jones skipped all Organized Team Activities, reportedly because he’s not happy with his contract. And while he has denied it during an impromptu discussion with TMZ, the prevailing view continues to be that he’s sending the team a message about dissatisfaction with his compensation package, which averages $14.25 million and pays $10.5 million this year.

The story said it's not clear what Jones wants, other than more money. Some think he's not happy being the eigth-highest paid WR, or that teammate Matt Ryan has a bigger contract, according to the story. Jones has been working out with Terrell Owens and some think Owens could be influencing Jones.

In the four practices open to reporters this spring, rookie tight end Mike Gesicki of Penn State has been a non-factor. He has even looked lost at times.

As a result, his reps have largely come with the backups this spring, behind returning veterans A.J. Derby and MarQueis Gray.

Now, if the calendar read early September instead of early June, this would be a flashing red light. Instead, it's one of the countless unresolved storylines as the Dolphins near their summer break.

Rookie tight ends rarely make much of a fantasy impact, though Evan Engram posted top-five numbers last season thanks to a series of injuries to the Giants’ receiving corps. Mike Gesicki is a great athlete and can really fly down the seam with his 4.54 speed. He’ll also provide Adam Gase with a big target in the red zone. Jarvis Landry vacated 161 targets from last year, and the Dolphins have only signed Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola to replace him, so there are plenty of targets up for grabs. However, it's clear Gesicki still has a lot of learning to do in this offense at this early juncture.

Frank Reich loves what Eric Ebron has shown this spring, including in the classroom. Ebron is lining up all over the field and lauds the versatility that this offense prides itself on.

Ebron is still presumably behind Jack Doyle on the tight end depth chart, but with Ebron's history of being an ineffective blocker, it's possible Doyle could run fewer routes this season. Nevertheless, the Colts are lacking an established second option in the passing game behind T.Y. Hilton. Ebron's athleticism and red zone ability makes him a name to watch this summer.

Andrew Luck threw in four practice settings in mid-October. Soreness and swelling led to his rehab being restarted after that.

This would have Luck going roughly 250 days since he last threw a football, far less than the previously reported 523 number that has been circulating the interwebs. It is still a concern that Luck hasn't thrown in the eight months since that October setback, but it does shed a little more light on the process that has led to this point. It also gives more logical backing to head coach Frank Reich's commentary that Luck is expected to throw soon, given that an almost equitable amount of time has passed as when he first attempted to throw again.

Among the changes Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian feels need to be made in 2018, he mentioned he would like to get Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman more touches in the passing game.

“They didn’t get enough touches, catching the ball out of the backfield,” Sarkisian said. “We have to find those opportunities for them.”

After combining for 85 receptions in 2016, Freeman and Coleman had just 63 in 2017. Catching more passes would be an obvious boost to the PPR value of each running back. Freeman finished No. 14, while Coleman finished No. 26 in PPR points per game in 2017.

Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, who missed all of 2017 with a knee injury, has not been seen practicing for the last two weeks.

This is particularly notable given the four-game suspension recently doled out to Julian Edelman. Mitchell is a player who has dealt with knee injuries dating back to Georgia, where he suffered an ACL tear, and another knee injury requiring arthroscopic surgery. Mitchell also missed two games in 2016 due to a knee strain. The path to relevance appears to be opening even wider for the likes of Jordan Matthews and Kenny Britt.

The Browns are signing running back Duke Johnson to a 3-year contract extension worth $15.6 million, including $5 million guaranteed.

The extension will make Johnson the eighth-highest paid running back in terms of average annual value. While this makes the signing of Carlos Hyde and draft selection of Nick Chubb all the more head-scratching, it indicates that Johnson's role with the Browns is safe. He has caught 188 passes in his three NFL seasons, including 74 in 2017. Last year, he was the No. 11 scoring running back in PPR formats, but he is currently being drafted outside of the top 30 at his position.

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing substances policy. Edelman is appealing the suspension.

A shocking development for the veteran wide receiver coming off of an ACL tear, Edelman will likely miss the first four games of the season. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2013, Edelman has seen 25.8 percent of the targets from Tom Brady. In his absence, expect Chris Hogan to see a bump in target share, while Jordan Matthews, Malcolm Mitchell, and Kenny Britt fight for an opportunity to start in two-wide sets. Of those players, Matthews has the best fantasy finish in a given year, completing 2015 as the No. 16 scoring fantasy wide receiver in PPR formats.

According to Bills head coach Sean McDermott, Josh Allen has been practicing with the third team, while AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman split first-team reps.

It is not terribly uncommon for rookie quarterbacks to start the offseason program at the bottom of the depth chart, but it is still somewhat notable given the true disaster the rest of the quarterback depth chart is for Buffalo. Perhaps most notable is that Peterman and McCarron are splitting first-team reps, indicating that Peterman could be in line to open the year as the starter should he play well.

Jay Gruden says watching Derrius Guice catch the ball has been exciting.

Redskins quarterback Alex Smith expressed similar sentiments in an interview with Finlay earlier this week. It seems as though Guice, once thought to be a first- and second-down runner only, will have a better shot to contribute in the passing game than expected. That would be a significant boost to the rookie's value in PPR formats.

Dolphins offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains expressed that both Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage were capable of playing on all three downs.

"When he walks through the door, you draw them up like that,” Loggains said about Kalen Ballage. “Drake is a guy who can play all three downs. Kalen can do it as well.”

Last week, Dolphins coaches left it open-ended as to who would start at running back between Drake and veteran Frank Gore. Today, it appeared clear that Miami continues to be intrigued by Ballage's physique and skill set. Once thought to be a one-man show, this backfield is shaping up to be quite messy for fantasy owners.

Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur indicated that Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis will both be used frequently in the Tennessee offense for 2018.

“Until you get the pads on and really get going through preseason, I look at them both as 1A and 1B,” LaFleur said. “I feel confident in both of those guys. They both bring a little bit different qualities to what they do. But I think we’ve got two really good backs that we’re excited about.”

Fantasy owners are expecting 2018 to be a breakout year for Henry, but they may want to temper those expectations. While Henry will likely lead the team in carries, the gap between he and Lewis, who ran the rock 14.6 times per game over his final 11 regular season contests in 2017, remains to be seen. Lewis is also expected to be the primary receiver out of the backfield. 4for4 ADP has Henry going in the late-third round, while Lewis is not coming off the board until the middle of round five.

The main storyline from Tuesday's practice were the returns of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, who both skipped the team's voluntary OTAs. But it didn't look like they skipped a beat.

Gronkowski, in particular, looked like his old self. The tight end made the play of the day, hauling in a pass from Brian Hoyer while in double coverage from Jordan Richards and Damarius Travis down the left sideline for a touchdown. He spiked the ball into the hill next to the field and celebrated the play with Chris Hogan.

The Cardinals have a three-day minicamp next week and it looks like they will drop the curtain on their offseason program by giving quarterback Sam Bradford more to do.

Bradford has been limited over the last couple of months as the team tries to do whatever it can to make sure that his oft-injured knee doesn’t get overworked at this point in the calendar. On Tuesday, head coach Steve Wilks said that the process has gone well.

“I think he’s on schedule,” Wilks said, via the team’s website. “He feels real confident right now with how his knee feels. Again, we are doing a great job in-house with the trainers and strength and conditioning coach and getting him where he needs to be. I think from a mental standpoint, he’s feeling pretty good.”

The story added the team plans to “ramp up” Bradford’s work in the final week of the offseason program and identified different looks from a blitz standpoint as well as a two-minute offense as areas that they hope to focus on with the veteran quarterback.

The Detroit Lions have desperately tried to improve what has been a weakness, signing and drafting players to improve their running game.

Detroit ranked last in the NFL last season in rushing offense and has been among the league’s worst on the ground offensively in recent seasons.

Lions general manager Bob Quinn has made it a priority to fix the problem.

He signed veteran LeGarrette Blount in free agency and moved up in the draft to select Kerryon Johnson in the second round.

Related players: Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington

The story said the newcomers will compete with or perhaps push out Abdullah in what has become a crowded backfield with running backs Riddick, Zenner, and Washington also on the roster. The team also selected lineman Frank Ragnow 20th overall to help give the run game a boost.

Dalvin Cook’s workload ramped up this week, after he received the green light to participate in team drills at Vikings Organized Team Activity practices.

It was another step in the right direction for the Vikings running back, who suffered a torn ACL in early October at home against the Lions.

And while it has been eight months since his injury, Cook offered assurances and positive vibes Tuesday afternoon while speaking with the Twin Cities media.

“I’m still that same guy. You just have to pick up from where I left off,” Cook said. “I’m just going out there and playing football.

“I’m still Dalvin Cook. I haven’t left. The motivation is still there,” Cook added. “The talent is still there, just a little older – that’s it.”

The story went on to say in Tuesday’s session that was open to the media, Cook looked like his old self. He took a handoff and cut up the middle, showed some burst going out for a route and even stepped up in pass protection. We have Cooked ranked seventh among our RBs.

The Dolphins drafted Mike Gesicki in the second round because of his incredible athleticism.

It’s something quarterback Ryan Tannehill is excited about already.

“He’s flashed a couple of times,” Tannehill said Tuesday. “I think it was last week, he made a great one-handed catch down the sideline on a deep pass. He’s young; he’s learning. He’s going to take his bumps along the way, but he works really hard."

Production from the tight end position would be a nice help for the Dolphins, the story pointed out. Due to injuries and failure to live up to expectations, tight ends Jordan Cameron and Julius Thomas did not provide much of a threat for Tannehill over the past two seasons. The tight end position as a whole can be a struggle for rookies but there's no doubting Gesicki's talent, and we have him ranked 15th on our TE list at this point.

Dolphins coach Adam Gase has said a few times that this roster is built the way he wants it, particularly when it comes to receivers, and he’s brimming with confidence about how the passing game will look this season.

With Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker staying on as starters, plus the addition of Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson, the receiver room has undergone significant change. The team is also intent on using running back Kenyan Drake as a pass-catching threat and has a potentially dynamic tight end in second-rounder Mike Gesicki.

Related players: Ryan Tannehill

The team is without Jarvis Landry, who saw almost 27 percent of the targets last year, according to the story. But, the piece added, distribution should be a little more widespread this season, which may make life difficult for fantasy owners, but could increase the value of Tannehill at QB.

The Dolphins didn’t bring beleaguered quarterback Brock Osweiler on as a favor, or to be merely a “camp arm.” There is a belief in the organization that they can salvage a player who’s been discarded by Houston, Cleveland, and Denver in the last two years, and they’re already seeing some strides.

QB coach Bo Hardegree said the team is doing some things mechanically with Osweiler to make everything more consistent. Hardegree worked with Osweiler in Denver, too, the story said, and he overlapped with HC Adam Gase.

Jets wide receiver Terrelle Pryor has not been practicing with the team recently and has been spotted at OTAs with a walking boot on his foot.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the reason for the boot is that Pryor had a “minor cleanup procedure” on his foot. Pryor ended last season on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

Pryor is expected to be ready for training camp this summer and he’ll have to make up for lost time as he bids for a spot on the roster, the story said. After a 1,000-yard season with the Browns two years ago, Pryor caught just 20 passes for 240 yards with the Skins last year.

As much as anyone, the Redskins need 2016 first-round pick Josh Doctson to take a significant step forward. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound receiver played just two games as a rookie due to recurring Achilles’ tendon injuries that began during that offseason. A pulled hamstring last August further slowed his development and he finished the 2017 season with 35 catches for 502 yards and six touchdowns. This is his first fully healthy offseason as a professional.

Doctson said he “absolutely” feels in a better place this year, is able to run full sprints and everything else and wants to be more efficient, according to the story. He certainly showed signs last year of why the Skins took him in the 2016 draft, showing size and physicality. He's expected to start opposite of Paul Richardson this year with Alex Smith as the team's new QB.

Joe Flacco has consistently found Michael Crabtree during the first two weeks of Baltimore Ravens offseason practices, whether it's over the middle, along the sideline or in the corner of the end zone.

The impressive part isn't the number of times Flacco has hit the Ravens' biggest free-agent addition. It's the effortlessness it takes for Flacco and Crabtree to connect, as if they were playing pitch and catch in the backyard.

Their chemistry appears to go beyond the six practices on the field.

The Ravens have lacked a true No. 1 receiver as of late, and Flacco seems to have struggled as a result. Last season, Mike Wallace led the Raves with 748 yards, and as the story pointed out, there were 39 other players who totaled more.

Christian McCaffrey will have an even bigger role in the Panthers' offense this season.

McCaffrey, the team's first-round draft pick in 2017, carried the ball 117 times for 435 yards and established a franchise rookie record with 80 receptions. He finished the season with seven touchdowns.

While McCaffrey led the Panthers in receptions, he'll be counted on to carry the ball more after the team parted ways with its all-time leading rusher Jonathan Stewart. Panthers two-time NFL Coach of the Year Ron Rivera believes McCaffrey is up to the task, saying he can be a running back who carries the ball 200 times this season.

Related players: C.J. Anderson

McCaffrey's size was always a question mark, but the story added Rivera commented, "Yeah, why not," to the prospect of McCaffrey carrying the ball 200 times. Anderson will surely factor into the offense, but it sounds like the team has seen enough of McCaffrey to give him a bigger role this year.

The Cleveland Browns have signed RB Nick Chubb.

Related players: Duke Johnson, Carlos Hyde

Chubb will have to battle Hyde and Johnson for playing time this year, which may not lead to a ton of fantasy opportunities. Still, Chubb is our No. 54 ranked RB in standard leagues, which puts him in the range of guys like Corey Clement, Donta Foreman, and Ty Montgomery.

Jets fourth-round draft pick Chris Herndon was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated on Saturday.

The Miami Herald reports that Herndon, who played his college football at the University of Miami, was arrested after crashing his car early Saturday morning in New Jersey.

A 6-foot-4, 253-pound tight end, Herndon had 40 catches for 477 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Hurricanes. The Jets took him with the 107th overall pick in this year’s draft.

Tajae Sharpe wrapped up practice recently and immediately headed to the JUGS machine for extra work.

It’s part of the daily routine for the Titans receiver, who appreciates it all even more after missing the 2017 season with an injury.

“It just feels great to be back out here with the guys,” Sharpe said. “Missing all of last year was tough, so I am just excited to be back.

“We are all starting with clean slates, so we all have to prove ourselves. We just have to compete and get better each day.”

Related players: Corey Davis, Taywan Taylor, Rishard Matthews

Sharpe has made a nice recovery from the foot injury that resulted in him being placed on Injured Reserve in 2017. A fifth-round draft pick by the team in 2016, Sharpe caught 41 passes for 522 yards and two touchdowns during his rookie season. It looks like Sharpe will have some competition to battle back to a top-three WR spot in 2018.

Giants coach Pat Shurmur told reporters that WR Odell Beckham Jr. will "possibly" be medically cleared for next week's team minicamp, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.

Shurmur added that he expects Beckham—in the final year of his rookie deal—to attend the mandatory sessions.

As we reported earlier today, Beckham was a no-show for Monday's OTAs. He injured his ankle in October. He did attend voluntary camp in April and a portion of OTAs last month, but has been limited because of the ankle injury.

Odell Beckham Jr. might be finished volunteering his practice time.

Beckham did not show up Monday for the Giants' seventh of 10 voluntary organized team activities, marking the fourth straight practice he has missed. He attended the first three OTAs as well as the three days of a voluntary pre-draft minicamp.

Beckham's practice time thus far has been limited to individual running and catching drills as he rehabs his surgically repaired ankle, but coach Pat Shurmur said last week that his team's star wide receiver is "pretty close" to gaining clearance to return to practice on a full-time basis.

As the story goes on to say, the reason Beckham's continued absence is a big deal is because it feels like a precursor to a potential training camp holdout. Beckham wants a long-term contract extension as the highest paid receiver in the NFL—more than $17 million per year—and the Giants haven't shown much urgency to get a deal done.

Welcome back, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. The two captains haven't been participating in the Patriots' voluntary offseason program, but owner Robert Kraft said he expected them both to be present at mandatory minicamp.

Related players: Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Braxton Berrios, Jordan Matthews, Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett

These camps are considered mandatory. As the story said, the key to having Brady at minicamp will be to develop connections with a group of receivers that hasn't spent a lot of time with the QB. Author Mike Reiss said this could be the week where a small part of the foundation is laid.

The Bears took Matt Nagy out of his job as the Chiefs offensive coordinator in order to make him their new head coach, but they aren’t taking all of the Chiefs out of Nagy.

Nagy told Dan Pompei of The Athletic that he estimates the offense in Chicago will have a 70–80 percent similarity to the one in Kansas City.

“It will be different in some regards, which is only fair to our coaches on offense and the ideas they have,” Nagy said. “But the identity is going to be the same. It will feel very similar to Kansas City’s. We’re in the lab now. That’s the fun part. All the coaches are giving their ideas and thoughts. Coach [Andy Reid] always said he had 51 percent of the say. So ultimately, he had final say. Now I have that. There are plays I liked that Coach [Reid] didn’t like, so now those plays are in.”

Related players: Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Trey Burton, Mitch Trubisky, Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen

There has been some hype around the Bears offense this offseason. The key will be the progression of Trubisky, of course. But based on the names listed above, there is certainly some proven talent heading into the 2018 season.

Lions running backs coach David Walker this week described second-round pick RB Kerryon Johnson as a "three-down player.”

However, the Lions would like to believe they’re in a spot where they don’t have to use Johnson as an every-down workhorse this early in his career.

NFL teams have traded up for just five running backs in the first three rounds of the last four drafts: Melvin Gordon, Kareem Hunt, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, and Johnson.

It should be noted it was easier to forecast early volume as rookies for Gordon and Hunt, due to a lack of competition in the backfield at the time. However, at this point last offseason, there was certainly ambiguity in the backfields of Kamara on the Saints and Cook on the Vikings, for Cook at least until mid-to-late August. That type of ambiguity in the backfield can lead to discounts in fantasy drafts, where Johnson is currently being drafted in the eighth round or later. Detroit aggressively traded up for him, using premium draft capital in an offseason where they are looking to overhaul their running game.

Former Cowboys WR Dez Bryant is expected to remain free until the start of training camp, sources say, barring a big injury at his position. He has received plenty of interest, but he's being patient and selective.

The belief is Bryant wants to play on a one-year 'prove it' deal for a winning team. Perhaps, he hasn't gotten an offer like that. It's impossible to project his fantasy value at this point, until he signs with a team. Picking him in best-ball drafts before he signs is nothing more than a spin of the roulette wheel. Anything higher than a WR4 or double-digit rounds is too early, given the other WR options still available in most drafts at that point.

The Arizona Cardinals have welcomed David Johnson back to the field during organized team activities with something he's never had before in the NFL.

A true fullback.

During his first three seasons, Johnson played in the fullback-less offense of former coach Bruce Arians, who didn't shy away from his dislike of the position.

Johnson is quoted in the article saying it makes his job a little easier, which is welcome news to fantasy owners, who already have sky-high expectations for him coming off an injury last season. Johnson also ran behind a fullback in college, and his new RB coach Kirby Wilson said he's always coached a fullback. This move may be out of necessity though, as the Cardinals are thin at WR behind Larry Fitzgerald, meaning far less 3WR sets in 2018. It will likely also mean more defenders in the box against Johnson. Either way, Johnson is locked in as an elite high-volume RB option in 2018 fantasy drafts, but this is a curious wrinkle to watch in the preseason.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr. has been suspended for four games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

It would have been an uphill battle for Bolden to see any action this season, even on one of the NFL's most wide open wide receiver depth charts. This infraction now has his roster spot in jeopardy.