July 2019 4for4 Player News Articles

Patriots beat reporter Evan Lazar reports, "In a positive development, second-year running back Sony Michel was a full participant in practice for the first time this summer. Michel had an offseason cleanup procedure on his knee, and the team eased him back into action. Michel looks good, making hard cuts without hesitation and with slightly more quickness than last season."

Getting back to full work is great to see for Michel. It doesn't look like the team will try to limit his work, which could mean they aren't that worried about his knee. Damien Harris remains as someone to watch, but Michel will likely hold down the top spot as long as his knee holds up.

NFL Network's Jane Slater reports on her conversation with a source close to negotiations for a new deal with Ezekiel Elliott, "How close is this Zeke deal to getting done? A source informed told me, 'close? Nope.' So, what are the sticking points? The guarantee? Length? 'Everything.'”

Despite some recent optimism, there doesn't seem to be a new deal on the cusp of getting signed for Ezekiel Elliott. The most important date remains August 6th, as that's the day Elliott will need to report to camp if he wants to accrue a season toward free agency. If Elliott blows by that, we have a problem in Dallas.

Silverstein tweets, "RB Aaron Jones not practicing due to some hamstring tightness he felt at the end of practice yesterday."

Aaron Jones' injury sounds innocuous enough, but Jones has had hamstring trouble in the past. His running mate Jamaal Williams has been out the last four practices due to a hamstring injury while Dexter Williams has looked good getting work with the first team. Jones remains the lead back and unless his injury turns out to be long-lasting, his upside in fantasy remains high.

Rookie receiver Parris Campbell will miss his third day of practice with a hamstring injury.

Coach Frank Reich was full of superlatives for Parris Campbell's ability on Sunday and that's also the day Campbell tweaked his hamstring. Hamstring issues are fairly common early in camp and this could be a non-issue, but they also can linger. Keep your ear to the ground.

There is plenty of praise going around for KeeSean Johnson:

“So far, early on, KeeSean Johnson has looked fantastic,” general manager Steve Keim told the NFL Network Sunday. “He’s a guy that I think could break out as a rookie.”

“He’s picked up the system really, really quickly,” coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “He’s a smooth route runner. We knew that coming out. We thought he was one of the top two pure route runners in the draft and it shows. He can get in and out of breaks, he has great hands and he makes competitive catches as you’ve seen throughout the first couple of plays.”

Most beat writers who have chimed in have KeeSean Johnson as their No. 3 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk. Arizona will run plenty of wide receiver sets that will get Andy Isabella and others involved, but the No. 3 job is going to see more overall work and should be coveted in this offense for fantasy.

Jordan Reed has suffered from toe problems the last few years and has never put together a full 16 games in his career, but he does say, "my feet are definitely getting stronger, way stronger than last year. I feel more explosive, and I feel a lot better."

Onlookers have praised Reed this training camp, saying he looks healthy and quick. Right now Reed is the top receiver in Washington if he can stay healthy, but as we know, health isn't Reed's forte.

The New Orleans Saints WR1 got P-A-I-D.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that the Saints and star receiver Michael Thomas reached a five-year, $100 million contract extension, per a source informed of the deal. The deal includes $61 million in guarantees, added Rapoport.

We reported yesterday this was close to happening. Thomas becomes the first non-QB offensive player to garner a $100 million contract. The 26-year-old also now sits atop the WR market, surpassing Odell Beckham's $18 million-per-year average, the story said. It went on to say Thomas broke the record for receptions in his first three seasons, hauling in 321 tosses and compiling 3,787 yards with 23 TDs. In 2018, Thomas' 85-percent catch rate (125 catches on 147 targets) topped the league, and he generated 75 receiving first downs, third-most in the NFL. Thomas is ranked second on our WR list and makes for a great late first, early second round pick according to ADP.

Bruce Arians with praise for Ronald Jones, saying it will be a good battle between him and Peyton Barber.

Per John Paulsen, for owners going WR/TE-heavy in the early rounds, Barber is a good target later in the draft. If the new regime can get Barber’s YPC up from 3.7 to 4.0, and he scores two additional touchdowns, he’s looking at a low-end RB2 finish.

Meanwhile for Jones, there have been multiple positive reports about his play in spring workouts, but The Athletic’s Greg Auman still believes that Barber is the starter and is likely to lead the team in rushing yards.

The Los Angeles Chargers and tight end Hunter Henry each carried expectations for a breakout campaign going into last season.?

The Chargers delivered by finishing 12-4 and reaching the postseason for the first time since 2013, but Henry had to watch from the sidelines because of a torn ACL.

Recharged physically and mentally, Henry is ready to help deliver on those personal and team goals in his fourth year.

"I'm feeling good, feeling awesome," Henry said. "I think I'm gaining more and more confidence."

With another seven months to fully heal, Henry finds himself performing at an even higher level in training camp and has made a series of standout catches during the first week, according to our story. Henry is our fourth ranked TE heading into drafts.

The Jets were able to exhale Tuesday after wide receiver Jamison Crowder was cleared to return to practice, one day after an injury scare.

Crowder left Monday’s practice after injuring his left foot. Crowder limped off the field and was examined by team trainers and doctors before heading inside early. Jets coach Adam Gase said later that Crowder would undergo an MRI exam and other tests on the foot.

Apparently, there were no issues. The team announced Tuesday afternoon that Crowder had been medically cleared and is expected to practice Wednesday. The Jets had a day off from practice Tuesday.

Baltimore Ravens first-round pick Marquise Brown passed his physical Tuesday, the final hurdle before he gets on an NFL field for the first time.

Brown, the first wide receiver selected in this year's draft (25th overall), could practice as soon as Wednesday, the story said. He has been recovering from foot surgery in January. Brown didn't participate in any of the spring workouts and was put on the non-football-injury list to start training camp.

When news broke this morning that A.J. Green underwent ankle surgery, it seemed at least a possibility the Bengals receiver could miss some regular-season games.

That, indeed, is the case.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL reports that “based on what they found cleaning out the ankle, [Green] is now expected to miss a few games.”

If Green is out eight weeks, that means he would miss the first two games, which wouldn't take into consideration getting back into playing shape and practice once he's back. HC Zac Taylor commented in the story that the ankle surgery today was "a little more extensive than we initially thought."

Pat Shurmur said it's business as usual as he installs his Giants offense this summer, preparing as if receiver Golden Tate will be in the Opening Day lineup.

But the reality is, he almost certainly won't be.

The 30-year-old Tate may be appealing the four-game suspension he got for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, but "there's almost no way" his appeal will be successful, according to an NFL source. Multiple other sources agreed, saying the NFL's policy is "unforgiving" and "rigid."

The story went on to say the best Tate could hope for, the sources agreed, is that the suspension gets reduced from four games to three or, even less likely, two. But not everyone agreed that a reduction was even a possibility. When his impending suspension was revealed last week, Tate released a statement saying he was prescribed a drug by a fertility planning specialist, "and just days later I discovered it contained an ingredient that is on the league's banned substance list."

Raiders TE Darren Waller making plays in camp like Raiders WR Darren Waller. Vaulted over CB Keisean Nixon to high-point a 20-yard pass. Still has to prove he can produce consistently in featured role, including as blocker. But flashes in passing game are there.

Per John Paulsen, the Raiders let Jared Cook (68-896-6) walk without even offering him a contract, and have basically handed the keys to Waller to see what he can do. Waller is a converted receiver with ridiculous measurables now that he’s moved to the tight end position: 4.46 40-yard dash, a 99th percentile speed score, an 89th-percentile burst score, an 82nd-percentile agility score and a 96th-percentile catch radius per Player Profiler. We have him ranked 18th among TEs, with seemingly plenty of room to improve on that this season.

Giants QB Daniel Jones hasn't seen a first-team snap at training camp.

Related players: Eli Manning

Raanan went on to tweet it "might happen" this summer, per coach Pat Shurmur. Shurmur went on to say the team has a plan for how the QB situation is going to play out. Shurmur said, "Just let it unfold for you."

Miles Sanders, the second-round rookie, has looked the part when given the chance. The Eagles are slowly integrating Sanders into the offense after he missed all of the offseason program workouts with a hamstring injury.

On Tuesday, Sanders displayed versatility in team drills. With tackling permitted in practice, Sanders made a few impressive runs through contact. During 11-on-11 drills, the running back scored a short-yardage touchdown through a wall of bodies.

Related players: Jordan Howard, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement

We're seeing all kinds of news about the Eagles backs, all of which is positive. Early reports said Sanders would eventually eat away carries from Howard. More recent reports have Howard looking great as well, while dominating first-team reps. One thing Sanders needed to work on was receiving, according to beat writers, but according to the story, Sanders looked natural catching the ball. This is likely shaping up to be a committee backfield, at least early on.

The Saints took a look at a couple of free agent running backs in recent days, but there was no word of a meeting for Rob Kelley ahead of Tuesday’s announcement that the former Washington back has joined the team.

Kelley spent the last three seasons with Washington, but only played two games and carried the ball four times last year. Kelley’s best year came in 2016 when he ran 168 times for 704 yards and six touchdowns while adding 12 catches and another touchdown as a receiver.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has a strained calf muscle that could sideline him for two weeks, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The good news is nothing has really changed for the longterm. Though Henry is in a walking boot, the source said the injury is not considered serious and the team is being cautious. Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Monday he doesn't like to put timetables on injuries because each situation is handled differently.

Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green had surgery today on the ankle he injured in practice last week.

Green had what is viewed as a minor clean-out procedure, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports.

Rapoport later added, "Following surgery, based on what they found cleaning out the ankle, he’s now expected to miss a few games, I’m told. Not ideal."

The updated recovery timeline means that Green's stock will continue to take a hit. We currently project him to play 12 games, which makes him our No. 22 receiver in half-PPR formats.

RB Damien Williams and S Jordan Lucas are both here but don’t appear to be practicing today.

Reports say there doesn't appear to be a longterm concern for Williams and the injury, and the Chiefs are likely just being cautious with their starting RB.

Beat reporter James Palmer said there is optimism the Saints and WR Michael, a no show at camp, can agree to a new deal "sooner than later."

Palmer said the team really misses the competitive drive Thomas brings to the team. His competitiveness drives practices, according to teammates. The good news is, Palmer went on to say, there is some chemistry building between the other WRs and QB Drew Brees.

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was “ready to roll” for training camp. Until he wasn’t.

Zak Keefer of TheAthletic.com reports that Luck’s lingering calf problem will keep him out of practice on Tuesday.

It will be the second practice missed by Luck in only four days. He participated in only individual drills during the first practice of training camp. The story went on to say HC Frank Reich has said that the team is being cautious with Luck, citing the Kevin Durant injury as a reason for doing so.

As the NFL preseason becomes increasingly meaningless, teams are increasingly deciding not to risk injury to their star players. Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is the latest example.

Jones told reporters that he will not play at all in any of the Falcons’ preseason games this year.

Jones didn’t play in the preseason last year, and the year before he appeared in just one preseason game and didn’t catch a pass. Although Jones and the Falcons are in the process of renegotiating his contract, there’s no indication that sitting out the preseason is any kind of contract holdout, the story said.

Coach Brian Flores says Ryan Fitzpatrick has become the front-runner in the Miami Dolphins' quarterback competition ahead of Josh Rosen.

Speaking before practice Tuesday less than a week into training camp, Flores said Fitzpatrick has run the offense well, shown great leadership and been more productive. But the first-year coach said the competition involving the two Dolphins newcomers will continue.

Fitzpatrick, who is entering his 15th NFL season, worked with the first team throughout offseason drills. Fitz had some glimpses last season with the Bucs before struggling, then alternating with, then losing the job to Jameis Winston.

Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill spent most of the offseason in the headlines because of off-field matters, but Tuesday finds him making news because of something that happened on the field.

Hill rode in the front seat of a cart from the Chiefs’ practice field to get medical attention before Tuesday’s practice was over. According to reports from the session, Hill got hit by defensive back Bashaud Breeland on a passing play and then limped to the medical tent by the practice field.

Hill took off his helmet and pads while being checked out in the tent for what appeared to be a right leg injury. Adam Schefter has since reported it's a bruised quad injury. Hill may miss some time but should be fine. We'll continue to monitor and update.

The Broncos look like a share-the-load operation. So far in camp Phillip Lindsay, a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie last season, Royce Freeman and Devontae Booker have already taken plenty of practice snaps dispersed across the first- and second-team offenses. They already know, at least they are already preparing for the idea, their "touches" will be a moving target.

One thing that's for certain, Broncos coach Vic Fangio and offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello believe the run game should have a significant place in the Broncos' offense, even in a league that is more pass-happy than ever, the story said. Seems like a nightmare for fantasy owners. While Lindsay led the way last year, we've heard good things about Freeman during the offseason. We currently have Lindsay 24th on our RB list with Freeman at 42nd in PPR.

Matt LeFleur has preached a run-centric plan to help set up things for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and there’s reason to believe him given not only what he did as a playcaller last year with the Tennessee Titans but also what backs have done in the Sean McVay-Kyle Shanahan system that LaFleur intends to mimic.

Even before No. 2 running back Jamaal Williams dropped out of practice last week because of a hamstring injury, Aaron Jones clearly repped as running back No. 1.

Throughout the offseason, the company line was how well Jones fit not only in LaFleur’s run scheme -- which relies heavily on outside zone plays -- but also how much the offense uses backs as receivers, and that appears to have held true, the story said. Jones led all RBs last season with a 5.47 yards per carry average.

Reunion: Free agent RB Alfred Morris has agreed to terms with the Cowboys, per his agents the Katz Bros.

Related players: Darius Jackson, Tony Pollard

Rapoport mentioned Morris averaged almost 5 yards per carry for the Cowboys two years ago, so he's familiar with the offense. It's perhaps looking like this Elliott holdout could get ugly as each day passes. If it lasts into the season, Morris could very well at least see a split with Jackson while Pollard is still the favorite to see passing down work.

Kareem Hunt, who looked explosive in spring practices, has clearly been embraced by his teammates. "That's my boy," said second-year running back Nick Chubb, who stands to lose some work when Hunt returns. "Kareem, he is really cool. He came in and we hit it off right away. Just picking up the playbook and having fun. He's a lot of fun to be around."

Hunt is on pace to be recovered from his groin injury and back at practice midweek. The Browns are still negotiating with the league about allowing Hunt to remain with the team during his eight-game suspension.

Don't hold your breath for a Duke Johnson trade anytime soon. Maybe around the midseason trade deadline.

Related players: Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt

The story went on to say if the team is in great health and Hunt is still on track to return, they make think about moving Johnson. But right now the Browns are about having as much veteran depth as possible right now.

Phillip Lindsay survived his trip to the chiropractor.

According to Mike Klis of KUSA, the Broncos running back was back on the practice field Monday, healed from his latest unusual mishap.

Related players: Royce Freeman

Lindsay had recovered from offseason wrist surgery, but was out of practice over the weekend with back soreness. As we've reported over the weeks, Freeman has looked good early on and even though Lindsay is the favorite to lead the way, Freeman could take some touches.

As the Falcons prepare for their preseason opener against Denver in Thursday night's Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, there is no leader in the competition to be Devonta Freeman's backup. Several contenders have flashed different strengths in training camp, creating the possibility of a deeper rotation than in recent years.

"Today I would say it would be a different kind of shared role," Quinn said after Monday's practice.

"I'm not discouraged by any of them at all. I'm more encouraged," Quinn said, adding: "There hasn't been a separation" in the competition.

Related players: Ito Smith, Brian Hill, Kenjon Barner, Qadree Ollison, Tony Brooks-James.

Second-year back Ito Smith ran for 315 yards and four touchdowns before a season-ending knee injury last year. He would seem to be the favorite. Quinn mentioned Hill's improvement and said Barner's versatility is suited for "third-down stuff."

Carson Wentz and DeSean Jackson, in their fourth training camp day together, connected on several highlight-reel plays, including a screen pass that Jackson took to the house and a couple deep balls.

Jackson has more 60-plus yard TDs than anyone else in NFL history. Author Reuben Frank said it doesn't look like Jackson has missed a step from his first time around with the Eagles, and added the two have clicked together in a hurry.

Charles Robinson, Rams beat writer recently tweeted: Rams feel good about Todd Gurley and RB depth. I’d wager Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson combine for 35% (or more) of RB snaps.

It seems like Gurley could get a lighter load this season to assure he's ready to go in the postseason. Robinson went on in his tweet to talk about Henderson, and called him "very interesting." He said the plan is for Henderson is to be a Chris Thompson-type. Thompson’s 2016 Redskins film under McVay was a flexible mismatch role. If this holds true, Henderson would have PPR value.

RB Jerick McKinnon (knee) remains on PUP, but Kyle Shanahan said he could be activated soon.

Related players: Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida

Maiocco is estimating Thursday, after the team's first day off at camp. With the addition of Coleman, McKinnon's value from last year before his knee injury takes a hit, and he's ranked 38th on our RB list while Coleman comes in at 29th.

Raiders running back Josh Jacobs will be the 2019 NFL offensive rookie of the year — if Raiders coach Jon Gruden gets what he wants.

Jacobs, selected out of Alabama with the 24th overall pick in the draft, said on NFL Network that Gruden has told him that the Raiders are expecting that of him.

According to the rest of the story, the Raiders seem like they are going to put Jacobs in a position to accomplish that goal. Jacobs is likely to get a lot of carries in Gruden’s offense, and also a lot of catches: Jacobs said he has been practicing at wide receiver in addition to running back, and the Raiders expect to use him all over the field.

Cowboys training camp is underway in Oxnard. Ezekiel Elliott is still not present.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones briefly addressed the situation on Sunday night.

"You don't have to have a rushing champion to win a Super Bowl," Jones said in a one-on-one interview with CBS 11 Sports on Sunday.

Jones has previous experience in this department. In the 1992 season, Emmitt Smith became the first-ever rushing champion to be a member of a championship team as the Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII.

In Elliott's absence, Darius Jackson and rookies Tony Pollard and Mike Weber will have the opportunity to make an impression of their own in Kellen Moore's new offense during training camp.

Jones went on to say in the story: "Consequently, when we are looking at putting Zeke's contract in place, we've got to realize that the ultimate goal is to win the Super Bowl. So, you've got to do all of the things along with having Zeke that allow you to have other players so that you can win the Super Bowl."

Other reports today said Elliott is on his way to Mexico to train, like he did during his suspension.

A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry both missed a third straight day of practice for the Titans.

Henry is dealing with a lower leg injury but the team isn't concerned about him for the long haul. Brown, meanwhile, has an undisclosed injury.

With Robert Griffin III sidelined, the Ravens are expected to sign QB Joe Callahan, pending a physical, source says.

Related players: Lamar Jackson

Reports today said Josh Johnson turned down a contract from the Ravens, so the team will turn to Callahan as a backup. The former Packers backup saw action with the Eagles last preseason. Baltimore OC Greg Roman coached Callahan in ‘08 at Holy Spirit HS, the tweet said.

Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner is ‘'concerned'' about the number of touches running back Christian McCaffrey had last season, about 320. That doesn't mean McCaffrey will be used less. Turner just wants to be smarter about using his star so he's playing less but perhaps getting more touches.

Turner said in a video that carries take more out of you than the completions. He added McCaffrey played over 90% of the plays last year and a lot of those he was "running a swing or getting out of the way." Turner said they need to get someone else on the field to that, but at the same time not minimize McCaffrey's touches. It sounds like McCaffrey will get his work, but maybe see less time on the field.

Asked by reporters on Sunday whether Jameis Winston is where HC Bruce Arians wanted him to be at this point in camp, Arians said, “Maybe ahead.”

“Consistency — it’s just solid,” Arians said. “He is seeing the kitchen sink on defense."

Arians said the consistency dates back to the offseason program. Arians added the biggest thing is for Winston to cut down on interceptions. Winston comes in 12th on our QB list making him a low-end QB1 fantasy option.

Norv Turner on Curtis Samuel: “He’s becoming an outstanding route runner.”

Samuel started getting regular work in Week 11. In his final seven games, he averaged 3.9 catches for 53 yards and 0.43 touchdowns, which equates to a 62-846-7 pace over a 16-game season. He basically matched the production of D.J. Moore in that span. We’re expecting low-end WR3 numbers from Samuel in 2019. He ranks 35th on our list.

It is obviously early, but so far Jordan Howard is dominating carries with the 1st-team offense. Not even a close second.

Related players: Miles Sanders, Corey Clement, Darren Sproles

We did have a report a few weeks ago that said Sanders would eventually "eat away" carries in the offense. Keep in mind, Sanders fell behind in OTA workouts after an injury, so it's not surprising Howard is dominating now. Either way, this situation is shaping up to be a full-blown committee.

Eagles beat writer Reuben Frank said one of the popular sideline topics among the beat writers during practice is Corey Clement. There’s a school of thought that with Miles Sanders, Jordan Howard and Darren Sproles guaranteed roster spots, 2018 Eagles rushing leader Josh Adams and Wendell Smallwood back from last year and Boston Scott also in the mix, Clement could be a roster casualty.

I say no freaking way.

The Eagles do have a crowded backfield, but Sproles is expected to see mostly punt return duties, so the Birds could end up keeping five backs. Frank pointed out that Clement's efforts down the stretch in 2017 and in the Super Bowl can't be forgotten. Frank also called him "the best receiving back on the roster and one of the better blocking backs."

Slot receiver Jamison Crowder, a key piece in the Jets' offense, was taken to the locker room with an apparent left ankle/foot issues.

As the tweet added, Crowder missed seven games last season with the Redskins, but that was his right ankle. Reports say Crowder was able to walk off on his own.

Saints released WR Cameron Meredith, according to a source familiar with the situation.

We reported yesterday how much the team thinks WR Emmanuel Butler has stood out so far early in camp, so maybe this is at least somewhat related. But Meredith has battled an ACL injury and only played in six game last season.

RB Damien Williams and S Jordan Lucas not practicing Monday with hamstring issues.

Related players: Carlos Hyde

Williams left practice early on Sunday, according to reports, and right now there is no indication if it's a serious hamstring injury or if the Chiefs are just being cautious with Williams. Williams is expected to be their top RB and is ranked eighth among our RBs heading into drafts.

LeVeon Bell finally got a day off from drug testing Sunday.

But the Jets’ new running back still missed time during practice because of leg cramps. He was more involved in the offense during team drills, though after one run he delivered a brief scare, hobbling off to the sideline to be looked at by trainers. He came back and later took more reps in seven-on-seven, before running into the issue again.

Coach Adam Gase said he was not concerned about Bell’s health and didn’t think it would be something he’d need to monitor.

It sounds like the team believes it was all just leg cramps, and head coach Adam Gase said the team is emphasizing hydration, especially in the beginning of camp.

Browns QB Baker Mayfield said: “[Odell Beckham] can do things I’ve never seen before,” Mayfield said, via Albert Breer of SI.com. “The pure talent is unreal. As we grow chemistry together, it can be pretty special. He makes my job easy. I’m happy to be able to be at camp with him and get better every day.”

Right now things are definitely warm and fuzzy as Beckham earlier said Mayfield's arm strength "is completely different" than anyone he's played with in the past. The story went on to say Mayfield believes he is a “much better” quarterback than he was at the end of last season and Beckham’s arrival is one of the reasons why people expect the Browns to be a much better team in 2019 than they’ve been in some time.

Quarterback Joe Flacco said that WR Courtland Sutton taking first and second team reps benefits him.

“He’s a guy that learns with a lot of reps and once he gets those reps, he never makes the same mistakes again and he has a really good feel for how to do things,” Flacco said. “That’s really the bottom line with him. You’ve just got to get him out there, get him the reps and let him build his confidence from there.”

The story said that Sutton’s dud of an opening practice feels like a month ago and he has rebounded to be mostly steady. Sutton is in a good spot to get noticed as Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles tendon) and DaeSean Hamilton (hamstring) battle injuries.

As we were talking to Ravens coach John Harbaugh about QB Lamar Jackson’s capacity to run, former coach Brian Billick told him Cam Newton’s high was 139 rushes in a season. Harbaugh, without hesitating, said: Take the over.

Jackson averaged 18.7 PPG in his eight starts, throwing for 159 yards and 0.7 touchdowns while adding 80 yards and 0.57 touchdowns as a runner. The Ravens hired ground-game aficionado Greg Roman to coordinate the offense so it’s crystal clear that the team will continue to emphasize the run with Jackson at quarterback. He will continue to rack up points with his legs, but it’s doubtful that Roman will be able to maximize Jackson’s ability as a passer. Jackson should be a high-floor fantasy quarterback in 2019.

Once again, Lamar Jackson finds Miles Boykin deep down the sideline. Boykin, a third-round pick, is having a fantastic start to camp.

Related players: Marquise Brown, Willie Snead, Chris Moore

Boykin is taking advantage of his situation. First-round pick Brown is still out with a foot injury so he's mainly competing against Snead and Moore. We already had Boykin as the third WR among the Ravens, but keep in mind this is going to be a run-first team and it's only early in camp.

Derrick Henry has been sidelined early in training camp.

Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Sunday that Henry is dealing with a lower leg injury and there is no timetable for the running back's return.

The Titans running back was reportedly spotted in a walking boot during Friday's workout. Henry has since missed practice.

We reported earlier today that Henry was again out of practice. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tennessee is "not worried" about the injury and Henry's issue "should not be a big deal."

As the Vikings sort through candidates for their No. 3 receiver job, they can pick from a range of different skill sets: Rookie Dillon Mitchell and second-year man Jeff Badet bring more long speed to the group, while 2019 draft pick Bisi Johnson excelled with his quickness in college. Brandon Zylstra and Chad Beebe — when they’re healthy — provide a physical option and a smooth route-runner.

Before any of them makes a strong play for a bigger role in the Vikings offense, however, they’ll have to get a better handle on the basics.

Related players: Irv Smith, Kyle Rudolph, Jordan Taylor, Laquon Treadwell

The story summed it up well: It remains to be seen how much the Vikings will lean on a third receiver. They could make greater use of two-tight end sets this fall, with second-round pick Smith joining Rudolph, and spend less time with three receivers on the field. The Vikings will still need options beyond Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, though, and competition among their young players, as well as such veterans as Taylor and Treadwell, figures to continue through camp.

The day Redskins fans waited for since the NFL Draft back in April arrived. Dwayne Haskins showed that he can be a special quarterback on Sunday, dialing in touch passes and throwing a few lasers as well.

It was by far the best Haskins has looked in a Redskins uniform.

Related players: Colt McCoy, Case Keenum

The story said early in the session, Haskins called an audible that worked well, when they resulted in false starts or sacks past days. The story added all three QBs actually played well and it was perhaps the best day for all three. It will be a camp battle to continue to watch.

When first offense first took firmd in a two receiver set the two receivers were Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.

Related players: Jaron Brown, David Moore

Metcalf is just 80th on our WR list but so far early reports have been positive on the rookie. He'll be battling with Brown and Moore for playing time behind Lockett.

Colts head coach Frank Reich has been impressed with rookie WR Parris Campbell.

Related players: T.Y. Hilton, Devin Funchess

Campbell, the rookie out of Ohio State, put on a show with two red zone TDs. After that, Reich said: "What he did in the red zone weren’t hybrid, gadget, slot receiver type plays. They were legit, NFL, I’m going to be a stud receiver plays.” Campbell is 65th on our WR list and third among Colts WRs behind Hilton and Funchess. Looks like Campbell is at least in the mix for a WR3 role.

Saints rookie WR Emmanuel Butler has been turning heads through three days.

The tweet included a video of Butler talking to the media after he continued to impress in camp. HC Sean Payton went out of his way to say Butler is getting noticed, despite being an undrafted free agent. Butler is in a battle to make the team and likely won't be drafted in typical fantasy leagues.

The Panthers activated linebacker Jermaine Carter and receiver Torrey Smith from the physically unable to perform list after the players passed physicals.

Both players were working their way back from knee injuries.

Smith, 30, had career lows in catches (17) and yards (190) in his first season in Carolina. He played 11 games and started six.

Raiders OC Greg Olson: “We’re really excited” about rookie slot WR Hunter Renfrow.

The tweet went on to say Renfrow has stood out between rookie practices and the first two days of camp with veterans. So far he's been as advertised with route-running and hands, the tweet added. But so far he hasn't cracked our WR list and likely won't get drafted in typical leagues.

The New York Jets will have a busy backfield this season.

LeVeon Bell is the star of the running backs group, of course. But, Ty Montgomery and Bilal Powell, and perhaps even Elijah McGuire and Trenton Cannon could all play significant roles in Adam Gase's offense.

Through four training camp practices, it has been clear that Gase likes the idea of mixing and matching his backs while using them in various ways. There could be multiple ballcarriers lined up at different spots on a given play, presenting a big-time challenge for opposing defenses.

Bell will be the primary ball carrier, obviously, but it seems like the rest could also be involved in all aspects of the offense. The team likely can't keep all five backs listed above, and there have been stories that McGuire and Cannon could be on the roster bubble. Right now, the Jets are taking it easy with Bell and likely making sure to get a good look at the rest of the backfield.

The Bills are loaded at running back, with LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore leading the way. But a rookie is getting plenty of chances to show what he can do.

Via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com, Devin Singletary got “a ton” of first-team reps at practice on Sunday.

Singletary was a third round pick this past draft, which is significant for running backs. This is likely a case of just keeping McCoy and Gore fresh, but the story mentioned McCoy's production last season and his $6-plus million salary all leading to speculation the team could ask McCoy to take a pay cut - or possibly even move on from him.

Ravens quarterback Robert Griffin III practiced on Sunday, broken thumb be damned.

Via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, Griffin suited up for practice, the morning after suffering a fractured thumb. He also caught some passes with his uninjured left hand.

Related players: Lamar Jackson

RGIII is still expected to miss 4-8 weeks with the broken thumb but the story said his roster spot should be safe and he'll back up Jackson.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown was placed on the non-football injury list after reporting to his first training camp with his new team on Friday. Word was that the issue that led to his spot on that list was minor and those reports were confirmed on Sunday.

Brown has been activated from the NFI list and he’s cleared to practice with the team.

The story went on to say it’s unclear whether he’ll be limited at all during the session, but getting off the list after missing one practice is a move in the right direction for Oakland. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said in May that he wasn’t planning to play Brown in the preseason, although that plan could presumably change if the team thinks he and quarterback Derek Carr need more time to build up their rapport, the story added.

The Rams' "veteran plan" for Todd Gurley includes sitting out each preseason game and taking it day-by-day at practice. Gurley practiced on Saturday after being held out of OTAs and minicamp, but sat out a number of plays and occasionally watched the first-team go without him. When he was on the field, there was no noticeable hindrance in his movement.

The Rams are obviously looking to keep Gurley healthy when December and January come around, after his knee injury cost him the final two regular season games last season. So far Gurley has looked good according to teammates, but there will be days when he doesn't practice.

An MRI revealed that Bengals’ WR A.J. Green has torn ligaments in his left ankle that is likely to sideline him six to eight weeks, source tells ESPN.

Green is not expected to be ready for the regular-season opener at Seattle, Schefter went on to say. The team was hoping it was going to be a four-week ankle sprain recovery, but this is obviously a big blow to the Bengals offense.

Tight end Delanie Walker didn’t practice after two strong days to start training camp.

Running back Derrick Henry and wide receiver A.J. Brown missed their second straight day of practice.

Walker, who missed nearly all of last season with an ankle injury, was a bit shaken up after making a diving catch on Saturday, but he looked OK afterward, the story said. The Titans are likely just being cautious with Walker. Coach Mike Vrabel called Henry and Brown day-to-day on Friday, though on Sunday he said Henry had no timetable and said he had a lower-leg injury.

Jay Gruden said Trey Quinn has the slot spot locked down. Zero surprise considering uncertainty over who would be next.

Quinn is just 72nd on our WR list but will certainly be available later in drafts for anyone who wants to take a shot at any upside. He replaces Jamison Crowder. A few guys will get reps there, including UDFA Steven Sims. Cam Sims said he's worked there too; he's learning all three spots, the tweet went on to say.

John Ross sat out the Bengals first practice of training camp with hamstring tightness.

Head coach Zac Taylor said that the team is not worried about a long-term absence for Ross and Geoff Hobson of the team’s website reports that he may not return to the field for a week or so.

You know who's having a fantastic training camp? Jordan Reed. You know who's not having a fantastic training camp? The people who are being asked to cover Jordan Reed.

The two dominant storylines here revolve around the three-man QB competition and Trent Williams' absence. If you search beyond those, however, Reed's performance through three practice days has to be the most important development.

We all know injuries are a concern with Reed. But as the story pointed out, Reed's 2018 season was disappointing, but not for the usual reasons. The tight end appeared in 13 out of 16 contests, which was the second-most of his six-year career. However, he wasn't much of a factor, totaling 54 grabs, scoring only twice and posting his lowest catch-rate as a pro by far. We rank Reed 18th, so he's certainly obtainable for anyone who wants to take a chance.

According to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said that the team never considered any penalties beyond suspending Tyreek Hill from offseason activities while the league investigated.

Hunt said he spoke with Hill recently about his return.

“It was a very frank conversation talking to him about his responsibility as he comes back to be a Kansas City Chief,” Hunt said.

The NFL said it would not punish Hill for the incident between him and his fiancée, of which there are tapes of them discussing the injuries to their son. Hill wasn’t charged with a crime by local authorities. Hill has been on the practice field this weekend, the story went on to say.

Patriots WR Maurice Harris has been the best wide receiver in camp by a decent margin. He tied James White with a team-high eight catches during team periods Friday. Harris looks terrific.

We've seen some praise about Harris before in the early-goings of camp. He currently hasn't cracked our WR list but he could also be someone to at least keep an eye on, especially in this offense where anything seems to go. It's still early.

Will Fuller has made a full recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered last year, and he remains one of the most dangerous deep threats in the game.

Fuller is on track to play in the Texans’ season-opener against the New Orleans Saints.

This is still the opinion of the beat writer, but Fuller has looked good so far and the story mentioned a one-on-one match with Johnathan Joseph where Fuller beat him. The story added despite Fuller's durability issues, he hasn't lost his 4.28 speed. Fuller has averaged 4.1 catches for 71 yards and 1.0 touchdowns—which are high-end fantasy WR1 numbers—in 11 games with DeShaun Watson, but he has missed 15 games over the past two seasons. If he can stay healthy, he should return great value on his current seventh round ADP.

We've heard this before about Derek Carr. He’s got some athletic skill, and perhaps he should take advantage of it from time to time and move around a little bit. No one is asking him to be Michael Vick or even Rich Gannon, but a rushing first down every now and then would be advantageous toward moving the chains.

“I need to do it better. In the second year of a system, you can get through progressions faster,” Carr said. “In my head I can eliminate certain coverages and then get out and extend it whereas last year I was trying to do it so perfect. And we had too many sacks, and they weren’t all on the offensive line. That’s my fault. I take the blame.”

Related players: Antonio Brown

Carr said coach Jon Gruden has told defensive backs on occasion to jump routes, forcing Carr to consider running. The ancillary benefit is that Brown (once he returns from injury) excels at getting open when a quarterback has been extended. Of course, Carr hasn't always been completely healthy as of late either.

Jones is using every available chance during the early days of training camp to work on his skills in the passing game. A goal of his from the time last season ended was to make himself a more well-rounded running back, and with the opportunities he’s sensing will come his way in new Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s offense, both urgency and incentive exist.

“I’ve done a lot of work,” Jones said after the Packers’ second practice of training camp Friday. “If he’s going to be putting me out there at wide receiver or using me in different ways in the pass game, I have to be ready. I’m confident in my hands. I’m going to continue to work them and be ready for when my number’s called.

It's pretty clear that Aaron Jones is the Packers' lead back this season and we are all here for it. He's currently being a bit undervalued in early drafts, as he's coming off the board in the late-third round as RB17, while 4for4's John Paulson has him ranked at RB14 with 227 projected PPR points.

Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes that Darius Jackson, the Cowboys' sixth-round pick in 2016, received first-team reps at practice today, while Ezekiel Elliott is holding out of training camp in search of a new contract.

Jackson has bounced around the league since 2016, also making stops in Cleveland and Green Bay before returning to Dallas. Jackson has six career carries, which all came in Week 17 of last season. Hill notes that Jackson is getting first-team reps now because he is the most experienced running back among the available players. But the team does have plans for Tony Pollard, the Cowboys' fourth-round pick out of Memphis. Pollard is expected to be the change of pace back behind Elliott, while Mike Weber is expected to challenge Jackson to be Elliott's primary backup.

Updating a previous item on Giants WR Golden Tate's possible suspension, the receiver issued a statement regarding his medicine taken for fertility planning that led to him using a banned substance. Tate says he took a prescription in April as he and his wife saw a specialist for fertility planning and later found out the medicine contained an ingredient that is on the NFL's banned substance list. Tate reported the situation to the Independent Arbitrator of the NFL's Performance Enhancing Substance policy and spoke with his coaches and general manager, stating he did all this well before a failed test was confirmed.

Tate has full confidence he will win his appeal as he states this treatment had no effect on the upcoming season and he "did not, and could not have undergone this treatment in April for any competitive advantage." Tate has essentially admitted to taking a banned substance, which may be enough for the NFL to uphold a suspension, whether that's the four games he currently faces or a lesser suspension. But Tate is ready to fight this suspension, as it seems clear this was not taken with football in mind, rather for himself and his wife. A decision is expected to be made before the regular season begins.

In checking out Steelers' practice Friday, Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot notes WR Donte Moncrief opened as the starting wide receiver opposite Juju Smith-Schuster in 12 personnel.

Moncrief has the early edge on James Washington in the pecking order after garnering plenty of buzz during spring practices. During Saturday's practice, Kozora notes that the first team 11 personnel during warmups also featured Smith-Schuster and Moncrief with Eli Rogers in the slot. Washington is currently ahead of Moncrief by five spots in our wide receiver rankings, so this is another wide receiver battle worth monitoring.

Terry McCormick of TitanInsider reports RB Derrick Henry suffered an injury during Friday's practice, likely an ankle or foot, and had his foot placed in a walking boot.

He was not on the practice field Saturday, but McCormick does not believe the injury is serious and only expects Henry to miss a few days of practice. Head coach Mike Vrabel did not give an update Saturday, noting the team's policy does not allow the team to address such matters at the moment but did consider Henry "day to day" after Friday's practice.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green was carted off the field in practice today, according to The Athletic’s Jay Morrison.

According to Morrison, Green was batting for a contested catch with cornerback Dre’ Kirkpatrick and came up gimpy. There were differing reports on the specifics of the injury but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting is it a sprained ankle. If that’s the case, then the Bengals may have dodged a serious bullet, as Green’s expressions suggested the injury may have been worse. Green will get an MRI. Rapoport says the team may exercise extreme caution throughout the preseason with Green.

New York Giants WR Golden Tate is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Substance policy but is appealing the suspension, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Schefter reports Tate believes he has a legitimate case to win his appeal, so keep a close eye on this story as it develops. The Giants just cannot catch a break with wide receivers thus far, with Tate facing suspension, Sterling Shepard dislocating his thumb and Corey Coleman tearing his ACL. As it stands, Cody Latimer, Darius Slayton and Russell Shepard are the top receivers currently available for the Giants, which will at least give them extra reps with the first team.

The Detroit Lions released running back Theo Riddick Saturday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

This is a semi-surprise, but the release of Riddick signals the Lions have a ton of confidence in second-year running back Kerryon Johnson as the full-time running back in their offense. Johnson is currently our No. 12 running back in PPR scoring.

Oakland Raiders WR Antonio Brown will begin training camp on the non-football injury list, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

It’s likely just a move to give the star receiver rest as a veteran early in training camp. He may not play much during the preseason but enough to get himself acclimated with his new offense and QB Derek Carr. But this is unlikely to affect Brown negatively.

ESPN Dolphins writer Cameron Wolfe believes RB Kalen Ballage can win the starting running back job in training camp.

Wolfe says head coach Brian Flores talked about how Ballage has done a “great job” this offseason. Wolfe also notes that Ballage has “got a lot of run with the 1s” and he doesn’t expect a “full Kenyan Drake show in 2019.” This is a bit surprising as there seemed to be a lot of hype on Drake heading into the offseason but it looks clear early on that Miami is still high on the former Arizona State running back. We’re still only a few days into training camp, so change can happen fast, but for now, Drake falls on draft boards.

New York Giants WR Corey Coleman suffered a torn ACL during Thursday's practice, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Giants are now dealing with multiple injuries at the position after Sterling Shepard dislocated his thumb on Thursday as well. But Coleman's injury is very unfortunate as he was competing for the third or fourth wide receiver role on the Giants behind Shepard, Golden Tate and, at the very least, battling with Cody Latimer. This now opens the door for fifth-round pick Darius Slayton to push for one of the last spots on the depth chart. An unfortunate setback for the former first-round pick.

WR Allen Hurns signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, per Adam Schefter.

Mere days after Hurns was released by the Dallas Cowboys, Hurns was quickly found a new home in Miami. Assuming he is recovered from the ugly injury he suffered in the playoffs, which it sounds like he has, Hurns will join a group of receivers that includes DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson, Kenny Stills, Jakeem Grant and Brice Butler. None are highly touted at the moment, with Wilson being the highest ranked at No. 58. So there may be room for Hurns to get work on the field. Keep an eye on Hurns’ health and ability on the field during camp, as well as his connections with whichever quarterback emerges between Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, RB Melvin Gordon and the Los Angeles Chargers have recently exchanged proposals, but "there is mounting pessimism that Gordon will not be reporting anytime soon and his holdout threatens to go into the regular season."

Gordon is entering the final year of his contract and is set to make about $5.6 million, 11th-highest according to Spotrac among running backs. Schefter also reports that "Gordon told the Chargers through his representation that if he does not receive a new deal, he'll sit out and demand a trade." While it might be unlikely the Chargers actually trade Gordon, this battle seems to set to drag on for a while. While Gordon is out, Austin Ekeler will be the biggest beneficiary, with Justin Jackson and Detrez Newsome also in line for work. Our John Paulsen notes that even in games where Gordon played last season, Ekeler still averaged 8.5 touches per game for 68 yards and 0.45 touchdowns. The more work Ekeler receives during camp, the more RB2 upside he brings to the table. At the moment, in our current PPR rankings, Gordon sits at No. 21 among running backs while Ekeler is at No. 30 and brimming with potential.

Sterling Shepard fractured his thumb, the Giants say. He is week-to-week. Extremely tough break on day one of camp.

Set to be the Giants WR1 this season, this could certainly be a blow if he isn't ready to go at the start of the season. Monitor his progress, but for now, Shepard's ADP is in the eighth round as WR37. 4for4 has him ranked a bit lower as WR41.

NFL Network's Jane Slater tweets, "My sources tell me Ezekiel Elliott is not on the flight to LA. Again, he has until Friday am to show up at camp though. Players have chosen to fly on their own in the past."

The fact that Ezekiel Elliott isn't on the team charter is interesting because yesterday's reports had him showing up for the flight to California. Like Slater says in her tweet, Elliott could still hitch a ride to training camp by himself, so the holdout hasn't officially begun. Stay tuned for the continuing adventures.

DaeSean Hamilton isn't practicing today due to a hamstring injury suffered on Wednesday.

DaeSean Hamilton is set to run out of the slot this season in Denver and has some value in fantasy with the starting job. This hamstring injury is early in camp and likely not going to hinder his progress much, but if it lingers, he will lose fantasy value.

Beat reporter Bob Condotta jumped the gun on Chris Carson not practicing and so did we. Condotta just tweeted, "Chris Carson now in helmet practicing. So appears all good."

Return to your regularly scheduled running backs in Seattle. Chris Carson is practicing to start training camp and should remain the lead back in a run-first offense.

Chris Carson is at practice, but among those not practicing. He was also out all of the offseason program after knee surgery.

Chris Carson is set up for a big workload in Seattle's run-first offense this season, so his inability to practice after a clean-up procedure in May is concerning. Rashaad Penny gets a big boost if Carson has trouble coming back 100%.

Trent Taylor is the 49ers’ top slot receiver. He looked good during offseason program. I expect him to lead the team in receptions.

There will be a lot of mouths to feed in San Francisco, so even leading the team in receptions could be a lower number than most teams, but Trent Taylor is free in drafts right now and Matt Maiocco isn't one for hyperbole.

The Saints have reported and WR Michael Thomas has not arrived at the facility, sources tell me. He’s seeking a new deal and the two sides are not there yet. Until they get there, he’ll stay away.

Michael Thomas holding out is something to keep a close eye on, but at this point, the danger level doesn't seem to be on "extreme" just yet.

Kalen Ballage takes first snap in team drills at running back.

This is the first day of training camp, but Kalen Ballage getting the first snap of is meaningful, as it shows us that Kenyan Drake isn't entrenched as the starter. Camp and preseason should help us get a better handle on the situation, but for now, we may want to reevaluate Drake's ADP.

Brian Flores said Albert Wilson will work individual drills to start training camp as he comes back from his hip injury.

Albert Wilson put up great efficiency numbers last season, but lack of touches and a hip injury slowed him down. It looks as though he'll be eased back into practices, but he's on the right track to be a full go for the season and could win the slot position in Miami, making him a decent flier in most leagues.

"I’m looking forward to continuously, gradually [returning to] 7-on-7 to team [and] hopefully 1-on-1’s," Sanders said. "Hopefully in two or three weeks here, I’ll be full speed and full go all the way around."

Sanders dove to make his first catch during the 7-on-7 period, and he said he asked his teammates afterward if he needed to make quite that effort to haul in the pass.

"I don’t know if I had to dive," Sanders said. "But when I caught it, I said ‘I’m back, baby.' It felt good. I’m looking forward to tomorrow [and] keep on getting better.”

News for Emmanuel Sanders and his recovery from Achilles surgery continues to be positive. As long as he doesn't have any setbacks, it looks like he'll work his way back into the WR1 role again, making him a value at his current ADP, but probably not for long.

"[Godwin] should fit perfectly in what we're doing," Arians said on the Jim Rome Show Wednesday. "We can use him in the slot, we can use him out wide, so he'll never come off the field."

Chris Godwin has already secured the coveted slot position in Bruce Arians' offense, but the fact he will move outside in two-receiver sets can only push his workload higher. This season is setting up well for Tampa Bay's passing offense yet again, making Godwin a tough player to pass up in your drafts.

Amidst the running back's contract extension negotiations, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told reporters Wednesday that he "anticipate[s]" Elliott will be on the plane with the team, adding, "I've heard nothing different on that."

Garrett's comments echo reporting from NFL Network's Jane Slater, via sources informed of Elliott's plans, that the Cowboys are "optimistic" that the running back will on the team plane on Thursday.

Ezekiel Elliott is primed for yet another big fantasy season and it looks like he's going to play nice for now and not holdout. Any kind of holdout is concerning for a player's health after returning and also for his cohesion with the offense, so this is good news as long as these reports come to fruition.

Jay Gruden said Derrius Guice has been cleared and will not be limited.

The last we heard, Derrius Guice had suffered a hamstring injury while rehabbing, so healthy and no limitations are exactly what you wanted to hear for their starting running back as training camp opens. Washington's offense isn't going to help elevate Guice in fantasy, but if he can stay healthy, he should be the lead back on a team that will want to run.

Ron Rivera on training camp plan for Cam Newton: There will be a pitch count, but “we believe he’s ready to roll.”

Cam Newton won't go on the PUP list but will have his reps monitored to keep wear and tear off his throwing shoulder. Even with these limitations for practice, this is good news for Newton and the Panthers. Add in a healthy Greg Olsen and Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel as targets and Newton's fantasy upside remains high.

Detroit Lions running backs coach Kyle Caskey said at the start of training camp Wednesday that he won't do anything to artificially limit Kerryon Johnson's touches.

"Kerryon’s as tough as any of them, so I don’t foresee any problems with anything coming about," Caskey said. "I’m not going to sit there in a game and say, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s got a number of touches, we got to get him out,’ or anything like that. He is one of those guys that he’ll give you everything he’s got."

Kerryon Johnson worked behind slug-like LeGarrette Blount for much of last season but he excelled whenever the ball came his way and slowly took over as the lead back. This year he'll go in as the No. 1 and shouldn't have any limitations as the every-down lead. Johnson's upside is extremely high in fantasy if he can stay healthy.

Falcons coach Dan Quinn said WR Julio Jones is about 10 days to two weeks away from fully participating in practice.

The Falcons will take it slow with their star receiver, much as they've done throughout his career. Despite missing his share of practices, Julio Jones has only missed three games over his last five seasons. He remains a top fantasy producer and showed that he can actually find the end zone with eight touchdowns in his last nine games of 2018.

Greg Olsen says he’s been “100 percent” for months now and is ready to go in training camp after missing the better part of two seasons with broken bones in his feet.

Greg Olsen has battled foot ailments the last two seasons but does come into this year in better shape than last. If he can stay healthy, there's little doubt that he will contribute Top-10 fantasy tight end numbers yet again. But his injury history, age and the punishment tight ends take, could push backup tight end Ian Thomas into a strong waiver add this season.

The Colts — based on data they've found, and data the NFL has found — have a plan to be cautious early. Tons of injuries happen first 7-10 days of camp. They'll be limiting a few coming off injuries: Andrew Luck (calf), Deon Cain (ACL), Jack Doyle (hip), and Ross Travis (ACL).

The fact that Jack Doyle didn't land on the PUP list after recovering from hip and kidney injuries is great news for his availability to start the fantasy season. He will likely get plenty of time off after losing 25 pounds this offseason, but getting in limited practices is a good start. Eric Ebron gets the biggest deduction in playing time and fantasy value with a healthy Doyle available.

Ryquell Armstead, a fifth-round selection from Temple University expected to push for the backup job behind starter Leonard Fournette, sustained a hamstring injury late in the on-field portion of the team’s offseason program. He will start training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list but can come off the list at any time.

Ryquell Armstead starts the season off on a bad hamstring, which is not going to help him win the backup job behind Leonard Fournette anytime soon. He'll need to get back to practice quickly and make some noise if he is to make any kind of impact early in the season.

Melvin Gordon, seeking a new contract, informed the Chargers early this morning that he will not report to training camp when the rest of the team reports today, per source familiar with those talks.

It's now official, Melvin Gordon is holding out for a new contract. The team and Gordon are at an impasse and all reports point to the Chargers holding strong in their stance. There is plenty of speculation concerning Gordon's thinking, but until we see him show up to camp, he'll be a risky fantasy pick.

Receiver Geronimo Allison reports for his fourth NFL training camp but his first where he's main focus will be playing in the slot. "I like it," Allison said. "Coming in, I've always been that utility guy, that versatile guy to kind of move around. I'm loving it. I'm getting comfortable inside and outside, and I'm going to make the most of every opportunity."

Last season 11.2% of Allison's snaps came from the middle of the field, so this isn't entirely new territory for the Packers' wideout. He's is currently coming off draft boards as WR46, in the 10th round, while his teammate Marques Valdes-Scantling's ADP is WR49 as an 11th rounder. Both guys present value if Aaron Rodgers returns to doing Aaron Rodgers' things in 2019.

The Tennessee Titans placed tight end Jonnu Smith on the active/PUP list to begin training camp, per Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com.

The Titans also placed DT Jurrell Casey on the list with a knee injury as well as kicker Ryan Succop, and placed DT Jeffrey Simmons on the non-football injury list. Smith is still recovering from a torn MCL suffered in December and has not practiced yet this offseason. It's unfortunate for a player who was expected to take a step forward in the Titans' offense with Delanie Walker coming off an injury as well and getting up in age. The Titans' official website is already considering Smith questionable for Week 1 against the Browns. If Smith is placed on the reserve/PUP list after the preseason, he would miss the Titans' first six games. Walker is currently the No. 12-ranked TE by 4for4 in standard formats while Smith is outside the top 50.

The Buffalo Bills have placed RB Frank Gore on the Non-Football Injury list to begin training camp, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Gore is far past the stage of his career where he has earned the ability to skip some practices at training camp, as this is move is likely just to give Gore some rest and keep him as fresh as possible for the season. He is fully expected to be ready for the start of the season and is among a group of running backs competing for looks in Buffalo including LeSean McCoy, T.J. Yeldon and rookie Devin Singletary.

New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman will miss about three weeks due to a thumb injury, per Adam Schefter and Field Yates of ESPN.

Edelman held his youth camp over the weekend and was wearing a brace over his thumb. Schefter points out it is unclear if he suffered a break or sprain of his thumb while catching a pass. In any event, Edelman will miss some time and there's a good chance he will not play in the Patriots' preseason opener on August 8th against the Detroit Lions, though he may not have played even if he was healthy, as starters tend to see very little playing time in the first preseason game. With Edelman out, Schefter and Yates expect more practice reps for receivers such as first-round pick N'Keal Harry, Phillip Dorsett, Braxton Berrios, Dontrelle Inman and Maurice Harris.

Mike Klis of 9News believes Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay may be utilized more in the passing game. Klis writes "New Broncos’ offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello dropped hint Sunday that suggested Lindsay might get more touches through the passing game. The 5-foot-7 ¼ Lindsay was seen splitting out wide and matched up by various linebackers several times during 11 on 11 team periods Sunday."

Lindsay exploded onto the fantasy scene as an undrafted rookie in 2018 with 1,037 rushing yards and nine touchdowns and caught 35 passes on 47 targets for 241 yards. As Klis alludes to, getting Lindsay more involved in the passing game would help preserve the body of the small running back. The Broncos are expected to throw the ball more with new quarterback Joe Flacco and more touches in the passing game for Lindsay can only add to what is already a viable option among running backs. After averaging 15 touches per game in 2018, a jump to 20 per game is not out of the question. 4for4 currently has Lindsay as a backend RB2 option in PPR formats at No. 24.

The New England Patriots have placed WR Demaryius Thomas (Achilles) on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp, per Field Yates on ESPN.

Thomas is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered last December and signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in April. The once star receiver has now endured two torn Achilles and is on the downhill trend of his career at 31 years old. It's possible he is facing an uphill battle for a roster spot with the Patriots, who also spent a first-round pick on Arizona State's N'Keal Harry. The Patriots also have the option of placing Thomas on the reserve/PUP list, which would mean he will miss the first six games of the season. Thomas is currently ranked No. 115 among wide receivers.

The New England Patriots have placed RB Sony Michel (knee) on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp, per Field Yates on ESPN.

The Patriots are likely playing it safe early on with Michel as camp begins, who had his knee scoped during the offseason. As with all players placed on the Active/PUP list, Michel can be taken off the list at any time and resume a normal practice schedule. Continue to draft Michel as you normally would. Michel is currently ranked No. 33 in standard formats among running backs, six spots behind James White at No. 27.

The Houston Texans placed star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (shoulder) on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp, per Field Yates of ESPN.

The Texans also placed DE J.J. Watt on the PUP list, according to Yates. This is likely just a precautionary move for the Texans as they begin training camp, allowing Hopkins time to recover. The team can take either player off the list at any time. There should be no worry that Hopkins will be on the field when the Texans open on Monday night, September 9 against the New Orleans Saints.

While speaking after practice Friday, Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio was asked about rookie quarterback Drew Lock and he was quite honest about Lock. Per Mike Klis of 9News, Fangio said of Lock "his college offense had no carryover to pro offenses. He was under duress a lot ... I don’t think he’s as far along being an NFL-ready QB as he could have been. … He’s not a QB yet. He’s a hard-throwing pitcher who doesn’t know how to pitch yet.’’

Not that there was much of a chance Lock would unseat Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback this season anyway, but this quote from Fangio shows Lock has a long way to go before becoming a starter. It speaks to why he went from a presumably top-ten pick in the draft among those in the media to the No. 42 selection. The issues with Lock's contract didn't help his cause either. Either way, there is not a lot of love, fantasy-wise, for the quarterback situation in Denver, despite the weapons on offense. Flacco is ranked No. 30 among quarterbacks, while Lock is not in the current top 41.

While discussing if Houston Texans' quarterback DeShaun Watson is poised for a breakthrough this season, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle says "If the blocking is upgraded and the receiving corps is healthier, Watson could generate huge numbers and emerge as an elite passer in his third NFL season."

Despite being sacked a league-high 62 times in 2018 behind a porous offensive line, Watson still managed a top-five fantasy season with 4,165 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. Watson also added 551 rushing yards and five interceptions. With DeAndre Hopkins still in his prime and Will Fuller expected to return, Watson should continue to put up tremendous numbers this season. Watson is currently 4for4's No. 2 quarterback, behind Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes.

The NFL has decided not to suspend Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver Tyreek Hill after the league did not find any evidence he did not assault his son, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. In their official statement, the NFL said "local law enforcement authorities have publicly advised that the available evidence does not permit them to determine who caused the child's injuries."
The NFL also added "similarly, based on the evidence presently available, the NFL cannot conclude that Mr. Hill violated the Personal Conduct Policy. The NFL did keep the door open in case further evidence does become available. "If further information becomes available through law enforcement, the pending court proceedings, or other sources, we will promptly consider it and take all appropriate steps at that time," said the NFL.

With this decision from the league, Hill is now free to join the Chiefs during training camp and all preseason activities. Hill was currently being selected near the beginning of round four, but that position will almost certainly rise now that there is no immediate threat of a suspension looming.

First-round pick Marquise Brown has been placed on the Non-Football Injury list for the start of training camp.

Brown had Lisfranc surgery in February and coach John Harbaugh had hoped he would be ready to go for training camp. He has participated in individual drills and likely will be ready to go by Week 1, but this delay doesn't help his chances to be useful for fantasy early in the season.

Raiders beat writer Vic Tafur's assessment for Jalen Richard for this season, "Gruden said Richard reminds the coach of Charlie Garner and is deserving of a bigger role. And then he drafts Josh Jacobs in the first round to be a three-down back. Richard will probably split backup carries with Doug Martin and will lose a good chunk of those 68 catches last year to Jacobs. "

Richard should continue to be the preferred receiving back over Doug Martin, but as long as Josh Jacobs stays on the field all three downs, Tafur's prediction will be spot on and a good reason to like Jacobs this year.

Related players: Josh Jacobs, Doug Martin

Palmer tweets, "Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay (wrist) in on the first team rep of camp and gets the handoff. Didn’t take a single handoff all offseason. Good sign."

Phillip Lindsay quickly shows us that he's still the No. 1 back in Denver and according to Vic Fangio, he has no physical limits to start camp. Royce Freeman isn't going away, but he'll need to wow the new coaching staff to do any significant damage to Lindsay's fantasy upside.

Fangio says, “Lindsay’s ready to go,” and that players coming off injuries will be on “different protocols” as they get worked back. “We’ll ease them in, but we’ll get them in quickly."

This confirms what Phillip Lindsay said a few days ago about his health. With a new coaching staff in town, Lindsay has yet to practice, while Royce Freeman has gotten time in front of the new staff this offseason. Vic Fangio is a defensive-minded coach and will likely want to slow the game down with the run, which should give both Lindsay and Freeman enough work for fantasy relevancy, but Lindsay will go into training camp with the lead for touches based on a great rookie season.

John Elway: "Emmanuel looks good. He's not going to go on PUP. We're going to work him in slowly but he will be practicing."

Emmanuel Sanders is working his way back from Achilles surgery, which is a tough injury to come back from at 100%, but the fact that he won't go on the physically unable to perform list to start training camp is great news. His recovery isn't over just because he'll start practicing, but he should have plenty of time to fully integrate into Vic Fangio's offense and start building a rapport with new starting quarterback Joe Flacco. If Sanders looks back to full speed, Courtland Sutton's prospects will take a hit as the Broncos likely focus on defense and the run game in 2019.

Titans beat writer Jim Wyatt on their tight end depth chart, "I do think Delanie Walker will be ready for the start of the season. At this point, I can’t speak as confidently about Jonnu Smith. He hasn’t practiced all offseason after last year’s injury, and coach Vrabel hasn’t provided any insight on his condition."

It looks like Delanie Walker should be ready to go by Week 1, but second-year tight end Jonnu Smith's status is up in the air. Smith doesn't have much fantasy value at the moment if healthy, but he is behind 35-year-old Delanie Walker who is coming off an ugly broken ankle, which gives him a path to the starting job.

Related players: Delanie Walker

Longtime Titans beat reporter Jim Wyatt: "In five games in the month of December, Henry’s rushing totals included 97 carries for 625 yards and eight touchdowns. Henry set a franchise record with 238 yards in a game vs. the Jaguars, and he piled up 170 yards a week later in a win over the Giants. His 625 yards were the most by any NFL player in any calendar month in 2018. So what will Henry do for an encore? Well, OC Arthur Smith said he intends to ride Henry, who is headed into the final year of his contract."

The plan is for Derrick Henry to take over the lead role in Tennessee much like he did to end the 2018 season, but those are lofty expectations. The good news is that the Titans seem more intent than in the past to push Henry as the no doubt bell cow back and with Henry looking for a contract, he'll have the motivation to couple with increased opportunity.

When the Denver Broncos open training camp Thursday, the team may do so without second-round draft picks Dalton Risner and Drew Lock, KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis first reported Tuesday. The news has since been confirmed by multiple media outlets.

Risner, who is projected to be the starting left guard this season, was selected 41st overall, one pick before Lock at No. 42. Being that he was a higher selection, Risner wants to be paid more than Lock.

Lock, a quarterback, wants more guaranteed money than his new teammate because QBs are usually among the highest-paid positions in the NFL. That’s also fair, but it’s debatable if it’s worth holding out over.

Related players: Joe Flacco

While Flacco is likely the starter, Lock will obviously miss key time in camp if he's not there. He's expected to be the backup QB this season with Kevin Hogan and Brett Rypien the only other QBs on the roster. Rookies are to report Wednesday.

Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate are set and Darius Slayton figures to find his way onto the roster. After that, jobs are up for grabs, with Cody Latimer, Corey Coleman and Bennie Fowler competing for one or possibly two spots. Coleman should have an edge, based on his talent, but he must continue to show progress and attention to detail, traits that eluded him in Cleveland.

The author said Coleman is the most intriguing, given his pedigree (2016 first-round pick of the Browns) and skill set. He showed flashes last season and if he has matured, maybe the Giants have something. Speedster Slayton, a fifth-round pick from Auburn, looked quite good in the spring but it is tough for rookies to make much of an impact. Coleman has a chance to be the teams WR3.

Minnesota Vikings running back Roc Thomas has been suspended for the first three games of the regular season for violating the NFL's policy and program on substances of abuse.

The league announced the punishment Tuesday, the week before training camp begins. Thomas can participate in preseason practices and games. If he makes the team he'd be eligible to return to action Sept. 23.

Washington is giving rookie Dwayne Haskins a chance to win the starting job over veteran Case Keenum.

Running back Adrian Peterson makes it clear who he expects to start opening day.

“With Case Keenum, the quarterback runs everything, right?” Peterson said this weekend at SportsCon 2019 in Dallas, via Patrik Walker of 247Sports. “Offensively, we really look good with Case Keenum back there. He’s a veteran. He’s been in the league for a long time. He’s a gunslinger. He’s a guy that’s going to throw the ball and spread it around.”

The story said Peterson is high on Haskins, too, believing all the former Ohio State star needs is time and reps. But there might not be enough time or enough reps to get Haskins ready to start Week 1. Keenum, 31, has started 54 games, including 39 in the past three seasons. He became a bridge quarterback once Washington drafted Haskins 15th overall.

Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders believes playing in Week One is a realistic goal after tearing his Achilles last year, but doesn’t believe that he needs to be doing everything when training camp opens in order to reach it.

Whether he takes it or not, Sanders said, via Nicki Jhabvala of TheAthletic.com, that he is “definitely not going to be full go” when the team resumes practicing this month.

The story went on to say Sanders said Tuesday that he isn’t sure he will be taking the team’s conditioning test on the first day. If he doesn’t, he could land on the physically unable to perform list. Sanders would not be able to practice while on the list, but could be activated at any point.

When football season starts, Rob Gronkowski may feel differently about his decision to walk away. But will he actually come back?

A source close to Gronkowski pegs his potential for a first annual unretirement at 40 percent.

For now, Gronk isn’t thinking about football. He’s enjoying his life, he doesn’t need the money, and he’s having a blast. The question becomes whether Gronkowski misses his teammates and/or the games after August becomes September. While he won’t miss dealing with training camp and the preseason, he could miss the game once they start playing games that count.

Gronk has lost 18 pounds, but still looks impressive, according to the story. The thought of helping the Patriots win a record-setting seventh Super Bowl could very well draw Gronk out of retirement. Gronk could also be looking to skip camp and join the team after a few weeks. He's a risky, late-round pick if we don't hear any more updates by the time we get close to the start of the season.

As for how playing time shakes out, I think Jordan Howard begins the season as the lead back and Corey Clement begins the season as the primary third-down back, but Miles Sanders eats away their snaps and touches as the season goes on.

Related players: Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, Boston Scott, Donnel Pumphrey

The story went on to say Sanders is a talented young back playing catch-up after missing OTAs, and it’s going to be hard to keep him off the field if he takes the expected strides. The story also mentioned BostonScott winning the fourth RB spot, meaning Wendell Smallwood and Josh Adams could very well get cut. Both played key roles last year after injuries to Corey Clement and Jay Ajayi.

A source familiar with the talks between Dallas and Ezekiel Elliott said Monday that the impasse hasn’t yet reached that crisis point.

The story said the Cowboys were hoping to put Elliott on the back burner for now and focus on extensions for QB Dak Prescott and WR Amari Cooper, but Elliott appears ready for his now - with two years left on his rookie deal. The story added Elliott needs to report to camp by Aug. 6, which would preserve his accrued fourth season and keep him on track for unrestricted free agency following his fifth season. Nothing is official as of yet, but Elliott at least seems to be weighing his options.

It took a little time for Saints tight end Jared Cook to officially join the team. Since then, the team apparently has been spending plenty of time coming up with ways to use him.

“New tight end comes in for us this year,” coach Sean Payton recently told Chris Simms. “Jared Cook from Oakland. We’re gonna expand the package that includes him.”

The story went on to say in his first season working with Raiders coach Jon Gruden, Cook had a career-high in catches (68), yards (896), and touchdowns (six). We rank Cook seventh among our TEs so he's a great spot to produce fantasy numbers in New Orleans.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With DT Grady Jarrett locked up for the next four years, the #Falcons will turn their attention to a deal with WR Julio Jones. That might take a while, I’m told, but it’s now their most pressing priority.

In a story from a few weeks ago, and restated in Rapoport's tweet, Jones has said publicly he believes in owner Arthur Blank getting it done.

The Cardinals are still going to run the ball and David Johnson will be the bellcow. But his receiving skills, all but ignored last season, should come back to the forefront.

The story says Johnson should fit perfectly into Kliff Kingsbury's offense. He's still considered the team's best offensive weapon, especially heading into Kyler Murray's rookie season.

The rehabilitation process for Alex Smith has taken a significant step forward. The Washington Redskins quarterback has had the external fixator, which he had worn since breaking both lower bones of his right leg last November, removed nearly eight months later.

Smith’s wife Liz made the announcement on Instagram with a picture of Smith holding the contraption that held his leg together for months. She wrote: “The last 8 months have been nothing short of crazy. Although it’s not over, today is a big milestone. We are shedding the weight Alex has been carrying (literally and figuratively). It’s one step closer to the goal. The resilience, determination and mental fortitude of this man is unmatched.”

Smith has expressed optimism about his future, but the gruesome injury that snapped both his tibia and fibula has put his career in danger. The removal of the fixator is another step in a positive direction, even though he is a long way from returning to the field, the story said. The Redskins are set to begin training camp July 25 with first-round rookie Dwayne Haskins and veterans Case Keenum and Colt McCoy competing for the starting quarterback job.

The feeling around the team at the end of the offseason program was that Phillip Lindsay would be set to go once the team got to training camp. Players begin reporting to camp in a few days and Lindsay said that he’d give himself a green light to do everything in practice.

“In my mind I’m ready. I’m 100 percent,” Lindsay said, via Mike Klis of KUSA.

Related players: Royce Freeman

Lindsay has been rehabbing his wrist injury, which caused him to miss the final game of last season. We feel Lindsay's stock has taken a hit as positive reports about Freeman came out during spring workouts. Lindsay is still the favorite to lead the team in carries, though the ground he’s on is not as stable as it should be given the production of his rookie season.

Chargers running back Melvin Gordon isn’t being coy about his intent to hold out until he gets a new deal. Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott apparently is, at least for now.

Per a league source, Elliott has privately said that he will hold out of training camp unless he gets a new contract.

As the story said, the Cowboys haven’t focused on giving Elliott a new contract, largely because they don’t have to. They have instead focused on players with more immediate paths to free agency, from defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (who has signed) to quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver Amari Cooper (who haven’t). Prescott and Cooper are due to become free agents next year. Elliott, the fourth overall draft pick in 2016, has two years remaining on his rookie deal, given that first-round selections are subject to a fifth-year option.

Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano said, technically, Golden Tate is the replacement for Odell Beckham. They're not expecting a Beckham-like season from him, but they paid for a receiver who had been a pretty consistent, 90-catch, 1,000-yard guy since 2014, until last year (when he was traded midseason).

Related players: Sterling Shepard

Vacchiano went on to say they don't need 90-1,000 yard production out of him, but they expect something close. He has to be dangerous enough to take the pressure off Shepard (who we just posted a story where Vacchiano called him the team's top WR) and good enough that the Giants don't have to be reminded all season about the guy they let get away.

Beat writer Ralph Vacchiano said Sterling Shepard got the semi-big contract and now, with Odell Beckham gone, it's pretty clear he's the Giants' No. 1 receiver.

He's the best receiver the Giants have and their best bet for sustaining a passing game. If he takes a step back now that he's in the spotlight, the Giants' passing game isn't going to work at all.

Related players: Golden Tate

Vacchiano didn't really hold back on Shepard despite naming him the top WR. He went on to say so far in his career Shepard's done nothing to suggest he's capable of being a top WR. He's been a possession-like slot receiver who sometimes erupts for a big game. But he needs to have those big games consistently now. We rank Shepard 41st on our WR list and available in the eighth round in 12-team leagues.

Adam Gase is promising to use Enunwa in multiple ways.

The Jets gave Enunwa a four-year, $36 million contract extension last December to keep him from becoming a free agent. Former general manager Mike Maccagnan gave Enunwa that deal, so it will be interesting to see how new GM Joe Douglas and Gase feel about Enunwa.

The presence of Jamison Crowder will allow Enunwa to play outside more and become more of a complete wide receiver.

Related players: Robby Anderson

Staying healthy has become a challenge for Enunwa, whose physical style hurt him last year. Gase has stressed that Enunwa sometimes needs to go down instead of fighting for every inch in order to keep himself healthy. That will go against Enunwa’s instincts, but it will be interesting to see whether he can adjust his style of play and stay on the field more. Enunwa is 54th on our list behind Anderson and Crowder.

Beating Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for franchised players to sign long-term extensions this year, the San Francisco 49ers and kicker Robbie Gould reached agreement on a two-year, $10.5 million fully-guaranteed deal that, including an option clause, can turn into a four-year, $19 million deal that includes $15 million guaranteed, league sources tell ESPN.

It is likely to be the only deal done before the deadline, per sources. The other two players facing a deadline are Houston linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and Atlanta defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Clowney will not get a deal done before the deadline, per sources, and it will be difficult for Jarrett to get one as well.

The 49ers have an option in which they can pick up the remaining two years on Gould's contract by the 17th week of the 2020 season, per source. To do that, the 49ers would have to fully guarantee Gould $2.25 million at that time, and then another $2.25 million on April 1, 2021.

Rookie running back Miles Sanders will face two opponents during training camp this summer: the Philadelphia Eagles' defense, and time.

Sanders, the dynamic back out Penn State who was taken 53rd overall by Philly in the 2019 NFL draft, sat out most of the spring with a hamstring injury, robbing him of precious reps as he acclimates to the pros. That leaves just training camp and the preseason for Sanders to show the coaching staff he is ready for a significant role right out of the chute.

"I fully expect him to come in ready, come in healthy, ready to go," coach Doug Pederson said. "We have to get him in the mix early. Definitely have to see exactly where he is mentally from all the mental reps that he took this spring, and slowly work him into the mix and see just how he can help us on game day."

Related players: Jordan Howard, Corey Clement

The story said Sanders' rise to the top could be gradual with Howard in the picture and the fact the Eagles have been most successful when using a committee approach at RB. Howard is quietly third in the NFL in rushing since 2016. We had a story on Sanders recently that said he still needs to work on ball security, pass blocking and receiving.

Antonio Callaway was, perhaps, at his best when the Browns had various other elements clicking on offense. That should be the case on a weekly basis in 2019, providing an opportunity for Callaway to thrive and exploit some potential mismatches while opposing defenses try to stop Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry and other weapons in the Cleveland offense. “We have been very pleasantly and very happy with how he came back from the offseason ready to go,” Mayfield said. “Just how quick he is and you can tell he has been working on his craft. That is very exciting to see that. You bring in a guy like Odell and you re-sign some guys, and he is going to try and compete with them. That is the most important part. Competition brings out the best in them and Callaway is doing that.”

Related players: Rashard Higgins

The story said this may be the most talent the Browns have had at WR - ever. Callaway is ranked just 90th on our list and is going to have to fight for targets with not only Beckham and Landy, and possibly even HIggins, but also TE David Njoku.

During a recent interview with USA Today, Dak Prescott explained why he won't be offering the Cowboys a discount on his new contract, and basically, it comes down to the fact that NFL revenues keep going up, which means the salary cap keeps going up, which means the Cowboys can afford to pay him market price.

"For somebody to say you can only take so much because of the salary cap or you can only do this or that, I don't know how fair that is to say," Prescott said. "Because with gambling, with everything going into this league, everything is going to continue to keep going up."

Prescott is headed into the final year of his rookie deal. Through the first three years of his career, Prescott only made a total of $1.62 million, so you can see why he wants to be paid at market price, the story said. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Prescott's camp "broached" a price point of $34 million per year, which is likely what their client will get.

Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s offseason work got a rave review from quarterback Aaron Rodgers and part of the reason may be because of who the wideout has been working out with. Valdes-Scantling is being tutored by Randy Moss as he prepares for his second NFL season.

Valdes-Scantling has a similar build to Moss, but the 2018 addition to the Hall of Fame’s advice has not centered on how to be more like him. Valdes-Scantling said Moss has advised him not to “try to emulate anybody” and be his own player once he’s back on the field for the Packers.

Julian Edelman and first-round draft choice N'Keal Harry are locks in the Patriots' receiving corps, and it's wide open after that.

Braxton Berrios, who can provide added value as a punt returner, would be on my initial 53-man roster projection.

Mike Reiss is pretty tied into the Patriots and he has Berrios making the team. He said the Pats are transitioning the offense with Rob Gronkowski retired and he thinks Berrios projects as a Danny Amendola-type who can also return punts. He reported Berrios has reported early to try and grab a spot.

For Ronald Jones, the best thing about this year is it’s not last year.

He is taking an Etchosketch approach, shaking it up to erase a forgettable rookie season.

“Last year was a disappointment for me,” Jones said Saturday at SportsCon 2019 in Dallas. “I’m putting in the work to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Related players: Andre Ellington, Peyton Barber

Jones put on a lot of muscle in the offseason and it's his goal to lead the rushing attack this season in Tampa Bay. It's certainly possible as last year the Bucs rushing game wasn't great despite being led by Barber most of the season, and early reports say Barber will again lead the attack this year. We do rank Jones ahead of Barber in PPR formats, but just 47th on our RB list.

David Njoku said that it was exciting to learn Odell Beckham would be on the Browns and that the receiver has proven to be a good fit in his first months with the team.

“Phenomenal, really,” Njoku said, via NJ.com. “He’s a great teammate and a great person. We all know what he brings to the table. He makes crazy plays and we’re excited to have him on the team. I actually knew him prior to him getting traded . . . same old dude.”

Njoku was in California working out with Beckham, quarterback Baker Mayfield and others recently. He said it was great to work on “timing and chemistry and ball placement” ahead of a season that sees high expectations attached to the Browns for the first time in decades. Beckham’s presence has something to do with that, but Njoku notes it is up to the entire team to “take advantage of this opportunity.”

Washington running back Derrius Guice is downplaying the hamstring injury that may cause him to miss the start of training camp.

When a fan on Twitter told Guice that a lot of people are freaking out, Guice replied, “For no reason.”

Related players: Adrian Peterson

In another tweet, Guice indicated that reports about his health are overstating the concern, saying: “I don’t listen to the noise. I know what’s going on with me.” A report we had over the weekend said Guice could miss the start of camp, this after missing all of last season with an ACL injury.

Injuries have limited C.J. Prosise to 10 games, 12 carries and nine catches over the last two seasons.

Prosise was able to work throughout the offseason, however, and head coach Pete Carroll said last month that he’ll get a shot to compete if he can remain healthy this summer.

“It has been great to see him healthy,” Carroll said, via the team’s website. “He has been fit throughout, he’s really strong, worked out really hard in the offseason to get his strength right, and his weight is up, but he’s fit and has really been able to do a little bit of everything. So to add him into the competition is really nice. So we’re fired up about C.J. being back.”

Related players: Rashaad Penny, Chris Carson

The Seahawks drafted Penny in the first round of the 2018 draft and the plan in the backfield for this year appears to start with a Penny/Carson combination at the top of the depth chart. But it looks like Prosise could be a factor this season assuming he can stay healthy. The Seahawks were second in rushing attempts last year.

Washington Redskins running back Derrius Guice suffered a hamstring injury Friday and is now considered questionable for the start of training camp, per Erin Hawksworth of 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C.

Guice was already recovering from a torn ACL suffered last preseason and is now in danger of missing even more time with his second injury in as many seasons in the NFL. Adrian Peterson will continue to operate as the starting running back while Guice recovers, so monitor the situation and his injury closely.

New York Jets tight end Chris Herndon has been suspended for the first four games of the 2019 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Herndon was expected to be an integral part of new head coach Adam Gase’s offense with and a strong target of quarterback Sam Darnold. Now, for the time being, either Daniel Brown or rookie Trevon Wesco will step in until Herndon returns in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys, as their bye is in Week 4.

Adam Schefter reports that Johnson signed with Drew Rosenhaus' agency and that he is still seeking a trade. Schefter also gives us some context for Johnson's switch in representation when he tweets, "keep in mind, Rosenhaus helped facilitate a trade for the Browns and his client, Emmanuel Ogbah, and got Breshad Perriman out of his deal in Cleveland."

Johnson wanted out of Cleveland after the Browns signed Kareem Hunt, but the team never budged. We'll see if Rosenhaus can change their minds.

Johnson was an afterthought on the field last season despite his ability and a change of scenery would likely be a boom to his fantasy output. If his new representation can get the Browns to budge on dealing Johnson, his landing spot would dictate his fantasy upside, but there's a good chance his new team would give him more work than the Browns did last season when he saw an anemic 5.4 touches per game.

Los Angeles running back Melvin Gordon has informed the Chargers that unless he receives a new contract, he will not report to training camp and he will demand a trade, his agent Fletcher Smith told ESPN.

Unless he has a new deal, Chargers’ RB Melvin Gordon will not report to training camp, not when he currently is scheduled to be heading into the last year of his contract, a fifth-year option, worth $5.6 million dollars.

We could see a one-two punch from Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson if Gordon misses playing time. 4for4 has moved Gordon down and Ekeler and Jackson up in our rankings and currently see Gordon as a second-round pick to avoid, as the Chargers may not pay him with those two waiting in the wings.

Related Players: Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson

Eagle's beat reporter Lori M. Nichols feels that Arcega-Whiteside "made a major case for playing time during the offseason program. He bullied defensive backs, at times, with his leaping ability. He is a clear size-strength mismatch in practice."

Of course, he still needs to show that in pads when training camp ramps up, but if he does, "the Eagles will need to get him on the field right away. While he has been pegged as a major red-zone weapon, his route-running ability and reliable hands may help him carve out an even bigger role behind Jeffery, Agholor and Jackson."

The simple fact for fantasy is that the Eagles have too many weapons with Zach Ertz, Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Nelson Agholor and Dallas Goedert crowding the target chart. Arcega-Whiteside will likely need injuries ahead of him to be a viable fantasy piece in most leagues this season. And if he does carve out a role, it will end up spreading the ball out even thinner for the non-Ertzs on the team. In the end, Carson Wentz will see the most benefit from this news.

Andy Reid says that Damien Williams "will be the full-time starter for the year" and that he "has earned the right to be that guy." Reid goes onto say that Williams "wants to do this thing" and has taken on the challenge to be the starter.

Damien Williams spent four years with the Dolphins, averaging under four-yards-per-carry, but exploded with Kansas City for 416 yards and three touchdowns on 73 touches after Kareem Hunt was released last season. The question is, can Williams keep up that kind of pace for a whole season and will Carlos Hyde be able to cut into his workload? Those are legitimate questions, but Williams has the job right now, has proven he works well in Kansas City's offense and should continue to be put into advantageous positions under Reid.

Related players: Carlos Hyde

Sanders speaking on NFL Total Access believes the battle for snaps is "definitely going to be competitive. That's what I like about rooms likes this. It was like this at Penn State. It was a very talented running back room. But I'm just used to that stuff: competing and making each other better. Nobody's really going to be the star running back, I think . . . the ball's going to be spread out a lot, and that's what I kind of like, too."

His comments come after beat writer Jimmy Kempiski wrote on Monday that he expected Jordan Howard and Corey Clement to start ahead of Sanders early in the season.

The Eagles running back situation, as usual, will be a pebble in the shoe of fantasy footballers. The hope for many was that Sanders would take over early and win the majority of the looks, but an offseason hamstring injury and veteran Jordan Howard to leapfrog, it doesn't look like we'll have a clear understanding of their workloads anytime soon. For now, Howard has value at his ADP, but be wary of this situation

Related players: Jordan Howard, Corey Clement.

The good news for 49ers Nation is Jimmy Garoppolo feels good.

“I really do,” the quarterback said. “The rehab process has gone really well. Knock on wood. We haven’t had any setbacks. OTAs went about as well as I could have hoped for and now for training camp hopefully we’ll be full go with team drills and all that stuff. We’re moving in the right direction. We’ve just got to keep going day by day and keep stacking them together. It’s a long process, but we’ve come this far, so why stop now, right?”

Garoppolo does not expect to start on the physically unable to perform list, planning to be full go on Day One.

Garoppolo tore his left anterior cruciate ligament during a Sept. 23 game against the Chiefs. He got one snap in 11-on-11 drills during organized team activities. But he has no restrictions, cleared to do everything. We also just posted a story about him working with QB guru Tom House to improve mechanics.

Kliff Kingsbury hasn’t divulged exactly how he plans to utilize his pass catchers, but he’s said he wants to move Larry Fitzgerald around to keep defenses honest and that Christian Kirk will play a key role because of his talents and how well he knows the offense.

Beyond that, it remains to be seen what type of roles the rookies will play, although they all figure to get a chance to play a lot.

Related players: Kevin White, Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler, and KeeSean Johnson

According to Kingsbury, it starts with Fitzgerald, who quickly developed a strong chemistry with Kyler Murray during offseason workouts, the story said. Fitz is expected to be used as a security blanket.

Despite the uncertainty of Emmanuel Sanders’ injury, Broncos’ general manager John Elway did not reinforce the receiver position by bringing in a proven veteran or two. Why? Elway wanted to give his young core receivers – Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton and Tim Patrick – room to grow.

Sutton, as the most talented of the young trio, is the key. Based on his offseason work with Flacco, Sutton does have a great chance to meet his own expectations and become the team’s No. 1 receiver.

The story said the team didn't have the money to add to the group of WRs after spending on other positions. And so the Broncos’ receiver group must count on the healthy return of Sanders and the continued improvement of Sutton, Hamilton and Patrick in year two.

Jamison Crowder had an impressive spring. He is extremely quick and looked fully healthy. The combination of Crowder, LeVeon Bell and Chris Herndon should give Darnold plenty of options in the middle of the field and create headaches for opposing defenses. Adam Gase will create mismatches with Crowder and if he can get a linebacker on him, watch out.

Crowder returned punts in Washington and he could get a look in that unsettled role with the Jets, but they are clearly more interested in him as their starting slot receiver.

The story pointed out Crowder is a potential huge weapon for Darnold and the Jets and that Gase has had success with slot receivers like Wes Welker, Jarvis Landry and Danny Amendola in the past.

Tom Brady threw to Rob Gronkowski during a private workout Monday on the UCLA campus, a source told MassLive. Gronkowski retired in March after a nine-year career in New England that should one day land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former All-Pro tight end is in Los Angeles for the second annual Monster Energy $50K Charity Challenge Celebrity Basketball Game set to tip off at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on Monday night.

The story said Gronkowski told The Rich Eisen Show last week he’s enjoying retirement, but said, “I can’t really say how I’m going to feel about it when the games start rolling around and everything.”

Corey Clement spent some of spring practices running on a side field, but he has not yet practiced with the team. Realistically, Clement is the only running back on the team the offensive staff can count on to be a contributor in the passing game, and is the clear "passing down" back with Darren Sproles not on the roster. The Eagles need him to be healthy for the regular season.

Related players: Miles Sanders

Clement was huge for the Eagles in 2017 in both the run and pass, which included 100 receiving yards and a TD in the Super Bowl, but in 2018 he dealt with injuries so the Birds need him to get back to form in 2019. Sanders, the story said, needs to work on pass protection, receiving and ball security in camp, but is already behind due to an injury this spring.

Jordan Howard will likely be the starter to start the season, and he'll be sort of the physical "meat and potatoes" guy who will (a) get you the yards that are blocked up for him, (b) handle the lion's share of the short yardage situations, and (c) grind out carries in the second half if the team is able to get comfortable leads on their opponents.

Related players: Miles Sanders

The story said Howard is an upgrade in all three of those departments from last year. Meanwhile, Sanders missed time in the offseason workouts and is behind as a result, according to the story. He'll also need to work on ball security, pass protection and receiving.

Cam Newton began throwing regulation-size footballs again during spring workouts, including a team livestream during minicamp in June. That was the first time the public had seen Newton throw since the Week 15 loss to New Orleans. He progressed from throwing to stationary targets one day, to shorter routes the next, and finally to intermediate routes 20-25 yards down the field.

Which brings us to the present, with Newton slated to be a full participant when training camp opens July 24 at Wofford College in Spartanburg.

The Panthers have long set training camp as their expectation for Newton’s full return. The hope is he can continue developing a camaraderie with young receivers D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel, as well as to rekindle his connection with running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end Greg Olsen.

As the story said, Newton struggled with “frustrating” shoulder soreness and tightness over the second half of last year, culminating with him sitting out the final two regular-season games. After the season, Newton had an arthroscopic procedure that was described as a “clean-out” rather than to repair any specific injury. It was said the cartilage damage was much less severe than originally suspected.

Jimmy Garoppolo is going to summer school before starting training camp with the San Francisco 49ers.

Garoppolo is spending part of his down time between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp on July 27 working in Southern California with quarterback guru Tom House.

House has run a quarterback academy in Huntington Beach called 3DQB where he helps passers refine their throwing mechanics. House has worked with several star quarterbacks over the years, including Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer. Garoppolo has been spending time working on his mechanics all offseason as he comes back from season-ending knee surgery.

Jaylen Samuels isn't sure when or how he'll share the same backfield with James Conner on game days. Samuels just knows "little two-back sets" are going to happen at some point, and he can't wait to see it.

"I’m pretty sure it’s going to be something special put into the offense," Samuels said. "They will have us start off in the backfield or I can start out wide or motion out."

Feeling refreshed after knee and ankle injuries over the past two years, Conner is prepared for a workhorse role. Meanwhile, Samuels wants to show he's more than just a pass catcher. But as the story said, the Steelers typically have embraced the workhorse-back model. In Conner's rookie year, he was second on the team with 32 carries. Not a single No. 2 tailback surpassed 100 carries in a season when Bell played 12 or more games. Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman in 2012 comprised the team's last true split attack. DeAngelo Williams thrived when LeVeon Bell was out of the lineup but didn't play much when Bell was healthy.

“You talk about a young dude who’s up and coming, it’s going to be James Washington,” JuJu Smith Schuster told ESPN, via NFL.com. “A guy from Oklahoma State, came to the Steelers his rookie year, started off slow but figured it out and got the ropes down.

“This past summer workouts that we had, he’s been doing amazing, a great job. I’m super excited to see how he does this year. He’s our guy that’s going to sneak up on everybody.”

Here is our breakdown on Washington:

The former second-rounder was highly productive in college, racking up 145 catches for 2929 yards and 23 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Oklahoma State. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver in 2017 and was a favorite of #ReceptionPerception creator Matt Harmon as he evaluated last year’s draft class. After a strong preseason—catching seven passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns—Washington had a quiet rookie year, catching just 16 balls for 217 yards and a touchdown on 30 targets, but there wasn’t much room for Washington in the offense with Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster gobbling up 166+ targets apiece. Even though he was playing fifth fiddle in the passing game, Washington still played 55% of the snaps and had two of his best games late in the season, posting 3-65 on four targets against the Patriots in Week 15 and 3-64 on three targets in Week 17 with Brown sidelined. As a receiver who is very likely to see 100+ targets from Ben Roethlisberger in a potent offense, Washington is definitely in the WR3 mix this summer and has the upside to finish in the top 20.

Because the Ravens’ offense will lean heavily on the ground attack, and because Nick Boyle is the unit’s best blocker, he’ll likely be the starter most games and could once again lead the group in snaps. The Ravens made it a high priority to re-sign him to a lucrative three-year contract this offseason for a reason, because he’s a valuable chess piece in Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman’s highly-schemed rushing attack. Boyle has also proven capable enough as a receiver (23 catches for 213 yards) to surprise defenses from time to time and keep them more honest.

With that said, Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst could be in store for “breakout” seasons that put them on the field more often. Andrews put up great stats as a rookie, catching 34 passes for 552 yards and three touchdowns. If offseason practices are any indication, he could be a featured receiving target as a big body over the middle or even split out wide. Andrews has also focused on becoming a better blocker this summer, which would get him on the field in more situations.

Andrews has also focused on becoming a better blocker which could keep him on the field more, while Hurst is considered the most complete TE on the team and is a former first round pick. We have Andrews ranked 20th on our TE list while Hurst is 54th.

Last summer, the Falcons adjusted Julio Jones' contract to get him into training camp on time.

That apparently won’t be an issue this year.

Via TMZ.com, Jones said he wouldn’t hold out of training camp as he awaits his latest (deserved) raise.

“Mr. Blank gave us his word. . . . That’s golden,” Jones said. “[Blank’s] word is that it’s going to get done. . . . There’s no stress on my end. I’m not thinking about it.

“[Blank] makes it easy for me to go out and just work every day and not have one of those situations where there’s a holdout or anything like that.”

Jones has two years left on his current deal, and Blank said earlier this offseason he expected both Jones and franchise-tagged defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to be “Falcons for life.”

Titans tight end Delanie Walker said in May he was “85 percent” recovered from last year’s ankle injury.

Late July might not be enough time to get him to 100.

Walker told Jenny Vrentas of SI.com that he wasn’t sure if he was going to start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

“I’ll leave that up to the coaches,” Walker said.

Walker suffered an ankle injury in the opener last season, and began doing some individual drills during OTAs. The Titans held him out of June’s minicamp, which makes it seem more likely they’ll ease him into camp, the story went on to say. We rank Walker 12th on our TE list.

The hope is that Jack Doyle be ready to go when camp opens and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni said he’s looking forward to having Doyle back with Eric Ebron and Mo Alie-Cox at tight end.

“It’s exciting to know that he is making a full recovery from his hip, from his kidney and we are going to have the Jack Doyle that we had at the start last year,” Sirianni said, via the Anderson Herald-Bulletin.

Doyle injured his hip early in the season and missed five games before returning to the lineup. He played four more times before lacerating his kidney and winding up on injured reserve. We rank Ebron 9th and Doyle 14th heading into drafts.

Jets new coach Adam Gase wants to expand Robby Anderson’s role beyond running fast in a straight line.

“We’re just going to keep trying to think of ways to get him the ball, ways to create variety in his routes,” Gase said. “Instead of just doing one or two things, maybe we can open that thing up to five, six, seven things to where he’s a threat on multiple levels whether it be underneath, intermediate or down the field.”

In 2017, Anderson caught 63 passes for 941 yards and seven touchdowns, and though his numbers were down across the board last year (50-752-6), he finished the season strong. In Weeks 14-16, he had 312 receiving yards and three touchdowns, showing a connection with Sam Darnold that has led to optimism, the story said. We rank Anderson 27th on our WR list heading into drafts.

Since Ryan Tannehill arrived in Tennessee, Mike Vrabel repeatedly has had to answer questions about Marcus Mariota‘s hold on the starting job. The Titans coach has never wavered.

But the questions aren’t going away.

Vrabel again had to address the topic this week during a conference call for the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament. He again gave Mariota a vote of confidence.

Vrabel went on to say Tannehill's job as the backup is to "push the guy in front of him." Of course, Mariota has to stay healthy for this to hold true. He's getting paid $20.9 million this season as the team picked up his fifth-year option and it's certainly a make-or-break year for the QB.

The Lions signed Jesse James and Logan Thomas as free agents before drafting T.J. Hockenson in the first round and Isaac Nauta in the seventh round. That group got a lot of work in the offseason program as the Lions regularly worked on formations featuring three tight ends during OTAs.

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell talked about the “flexibility” the new group of tight ends brings to the offense and said he’s enjoyed figuring out how to put all of the pieces together for the 2019 season.

Running back Josh Jacobs, one of the team’s three first-round picks in April, is the only Raiders draft pick still unsigned and league sources say the negotiations have not been going well. There is a growing sentiment that Jacobs will not be at camp when rookies report on July 23. (The official start of camp — when the veterans report — is three days later.)

The holdup appears to be a payment schedule for his signing bonus. Any time missed in camp will put Jacobs behind the other RBs and could at least affect his workload early on in the season. He's expected to be the team's top back this year and we rank him 20th at the position.

Longtime Bengals beat writer Paul Dehner Jr. believes that new head coach Zac Taylor will look to use Bernard more this season. Last year the receiving back saw just 7.6 touches per game, the lowest number in his career and coach Taylor has a "repeated vow to use all of his running backs more to keep Mixon fresh as the season progresses." Dehner also mentioned Todd Gurley's knee trouble and that it likely would inform coach Taylor's usage of Joe Mixon.

Dehner predicted 11-13 touches per game for Bernard, which would be a significant jump and would likely lower Mixon's ceiling, but bringing the Rams offense to Cincinnati should help Mixon even if he loses a few touches. It might be asking too much for Giovani Bernard to get close to 13 touches a game, but if he can get 9-10, his fantasy viability as a flex play would get a boost.

The NFL head office has released a statement regarding Elliott's Las Vegas incident, saying, "Commissioner Goodell determined there was no violation of the personal conduct policy and no further action is warranted."

That's a wrap on Elliott's possible discipline. You are now free to go about your business as you draft him early in the first round of your fantasy leagues.

Allison started strong in 2018, but a concussion and hamstring injury cut his season short. He's now back and healthy and has a new head coach and likely more dynamic offense with Matt LeFleur.

“He’s the guy who’s been working a lot in the slot, and he’s used to playing a little more outside, but this is making him a little more dynamic,” Adams said. “I think Matt has really tested him or challenged him to widen it out so he can play multiple spots. … Him being able to move around right now and be healthy, be himself and just play, being able to have all those things, it’s going to be dangerous.”

Allison appears to be the slot receiver in Green Bay now and at 6'3" 202 pounds, he should be a presence underneath. Allison says he is aware of LeFleur's propensity for taller "utility" receivers over the middle and believes his ability meshes well. Green Bay's offense could be a work in progress come Week 1, but with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, Allison is going to have a say in fantasy this season.

After meeting with Roger Goodell on Tuesday, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo believes Ezekiel Elliott's apology to the league and Goodell has stemmed the tide of a short suspension. At the moment there is no official word from the league, so there is still a chance Elliott could see discipline, but that would be more surprising than no suspension at this point.

Elliott is on extremely thin ice with the league, but if this report proves true, his fantasy stock remains firmly in the Top-5 in both PPR and standard fantasy leagues. In dynasty leagues, managers should be more wary, as any slip up could knock him off the field for an extended period.

The Texans could have used Donta Foreman last season. They plan to use him a lot this season.

Foreman spent 2018 rehabbing from an Achilles’ tear, playing only one game and getting only nine touches. He’s healthy now, so the Texans expect to get the best version of Foreman.

“He’s light-years ahead of where he was last year at this time, coming off the injury and everything,” Texans running backs coach Danny Barrett said last month, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I still think he’s continuing to work hard. I think he’s had a good offseason to date. The time away from here, I thought was well spent for himself. Getting ready to go physically, and I think mentally, right now, is what I look at is each and every day."

Related players: Lamar Miller

The story said the Texans need Donta Foreman to stay healthy this year to back up Miller. The Athletic’s Aaron Reiss, who covers the Texans, said recently, “Lamar Miller will remain the team’s lead back.” Miller is a good target for owners who go WR-heavy early in the draft or are looking for a third RB in the sixth round.

After meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday to discuss an incident from May that didn't involve an arrest but did involve handcuffs, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott released a statement to apologize for what he called a "poor decision."

It's still not known if Elliott will face a suspension.

"I need to work harder to ensure I do not put myself in compromised situations in the future. I am rededicating myself to use all of the resources that the league has made available. But in the end, it is up to me and I am determined not to be in this position again," he said.

In a video, Elliott appeared to push an even staffer into a guardrail that toppled over. Elliott was handcuffed but not arrested. He could still face discipline from the NFL.

Patrick Mahomes said in June that he’s focused on improving his footwork heading into the 2019 season and the Chiefs want him to sharpen up other details of his game as well. Mahomes isn’t just working on his game, though.

He told Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports that he’s working to get his body fat into single digits after getting as low as 12 percent last season. The ketchup-loving quarterback said that he’s cleaned up his nutrition to help with that pursuit and he’s seen results already.

Mahomes was quoted as saying he's got more muscular and has less baby fat. His goal is to feel as fresh as possible at the end of the season.

Michael Gallup's rookie year wasn't bad, but it should be remembered for what it could have been. He recorded 33 catches for 507 yards and two touchdowns, all of which ranked in the top 10 among rookie receivers, but it should have been so much more.

Gallup was one of the most inefficient receivers in the league when targeted 20-plus yards downfield, posting an abysmal 33.3 reception percentage (52nd among the 89 WRs who saw at least eight such targets).

The piece said QB Dak Prescott was to blame in part, but so was Gallup who needs to improve his route running. The story feels Gallup has already proven capable of making adjustments and the writer thinks he'll have potential for a "sophomore soar." We have Gallup 65th on our WR list heading into drafts.

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has expanded his circle of workout partners beyond Mark Wahlberg.

Wide receiver Jarvis Landry shared pictures and video of him, Mayfield and other members of the Browns working out in California on his Instagram account. A full roster of the players in attendance is unknown, although wideout Rashard Higgins is in one of Landry’s pictures and tight end David Njoku has posted from the workouts as well.

Related players: Odell Beckham

It's not believed that Beckham is working out with the rest of the crew, although, as the story said, no one is really sure. Landry had an undisclosed injury in OTAs, so the two are likely trying to play catch up. The story added Landry is running without any obvious issues in the posted social media videos.

The production hasn't matched the investment. And that means receiver Josh Doctson is likely entering his final season in Washington. There have been flashes; there has been frustration. There have been others to blame; there are times it's all on Doctson.

Regardless, Doctson appears to have found a peace with his situation. Experience combined with age, an offseason trip to Rwanda and some spiritual reading have left Doctson in a better place mentally.

Related players: Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon

That's how Doctson will enter this season when the Redskins begin training camp on July 25. The Skins didn't pick up his fifth-year option in the spring and they drafted two receivers in late April, McLaurin and Harmon.

Seattle has six tight ends on its roster heading into camp — fewer than it usually has, which is likely in large part because of Fant. Those six are: Will Dissly, Ed Dickson, Jacob Hollister, Nick Vannett, Tyrone Swoopes and Justin Johnson, the latter an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State.

When I did a 53-man roster projection following minicamp, I kept three tight ends — Dissly, Vannett and Hollister.

Bob Condotta is the author and believes Dissly, who we have as the highest ranked Seattle TE, could end up on the PUP list to start camp and added the team will be patient with him and his patellar tendon injury. Hollister was acquired in a deal with the Patriots and the team seems high on him because of his speed. The story said Dickson will be 32 at the start of camp and the team could save $3.55 million by releasing him.

Cellphone video obtained by TMZ shows suspended Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt being questioned by Cleveland police officers outside a downtown Cleveland bar.

Hunt was not arrested and Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said no police report, body camera video or other documentation exists related to any incident involving Hunt.

The incident happened sometime late Saturday outside the Barley House on West 6th Street.

Social media was buzzing today about Hunt in a possible bar fight in Cleveland, but there was not a police report nor any proof. The owner of the bar doesn't believe there was a physical altercation, according to the story. The story added the Browns are aware but have no comment.

A year after James Conner was the workhorse before getting injured, the Steelers added rookie Benny Snell and perceive a heartier role for pass-catching back Jaylen Samuels. Speaking with NFL Network for an interview that will air on NFL Total Access Monday night, Conner suggested he's preparing for a similar workload to last season.

"I'll have a similar role. I'm healthy, first and foremost, I'm 100 percent healthy now. We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Conner said of his workload this year.

Conner admitted there has been no deep discussion on his role this offseason, so he may only be speculating as rumblings out of Pittsburgh suggest spreading the ball around. As the story added, Tomlin has preferred his offense to use one back, and Conner proved last season he can be a dual threat. We think Conner is still deserving of a pick in the late first round, but his workload isn't a given right now.

WR Emmanuel Sanders said being available for the Broncos’ opener “feels realistic.”

Related players: DaeSean Hamilton, Courtland Sutton

As the tweet went on to say, Sanders isn't committing to a concrete timetable. But, it also went on to say Sanders is confident he can have a pro bowl season coming off his Achilles injury. Hamilton and Sutton should be in for nice seasons as well, and that could especially be true if Sanders has any setbacks or just isn't quite up to speed early in the season.

Free agent tight end Lance Kendricks has settled a marijuana charge stemming from a 2017 arrest.

Kendricks pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge in a Wisconsin courtroom last week and received a sentence of six months on probation in return. Per the Associated Press, the charge will be dismissed if Kendricks does eight hours of community service and that at least half that time needs to be done at four Milwaukee high schools.

As the story points out, even as a free agent, Kendricks is subject to discipline from the league as a result of the arrest. Falcons guard Jamon Brown and Packers running back Aaron Jones were each suspended two games last year for similar offenses while Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata was suspended one game this year after being cited for marijuana possession in his home, the story said.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in New York on Tuesday to discuss a May incident in Las Vegas, according to a source.

Archer went on to say Elliott was briefly detained by police, however a player can be subject to penalty under the personal conduct policy without an arrest. Keep in mind Elliott was suspended six games in 2017 under the personal-conduct policy, stemming from an alleged incident in 2016 involving a former girlfriend in Columbus, Ohio, but he was not arrested or charged by police.

Eagles RB coach Duce Staley said he’s happy with how both RBs Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders approached their first taste of the offense and with the growth they showed before it was time to scatter until training camp.

“I think that you talk to those guys, they’ll all tell you that . . . to get better, which you want those guys to think that way, be humble, especially when it comes to catching the ball and understand where to be,” Staley said, via PennLive.com. “That’s one of my things as far as route running. You’ve got to understand the offense, and you’ve got to understand the progression of the offense, which is very important. And for those two guys to come in and kind of learn that rather quickly, I’m very pleased.”

Related players: Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood

A lot will need to be sorted out when it comes to the Eagles RBs. Sanders had an injury in early team workouts so he may be behind a bit. That could leave Howard and Clement splitting work early in the season. But Sanders is expected to be ready for camp and a force this year. We actually have Sanders ranked as the back to own in Philly but there looks to be a lot of mouths to feed in the backfield.