May 2023 4for4 Player News Articles

This has been the hope for DeAndre Hopkins for some time. The Cardinals had trade talks for months, and they heated up before the draft. Ultimately, no deal. Now, he's a free agent.

Related Players: Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Michael Wilson

We will have to wait and see what other team will be heavily impacted by the eventual signing of Hopkins, but as of now we can expect a target increase for each of Brown, Moore, and, likely, third-round rookie Michael Wilson.

Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is not participating in the team’s OTA practices this week as he continues to recover from the left foot injury he suffered late last season, coach Josh McDaniels said Thursday. While McDaniels declined to discuss specifics, team and league sources said Garoppolo had surgery in March after signing with the Raiders. His recovery timeline from that procedure is unknown, although McDaniels acknowledged he “could be” out until at least training camp.

Related Players: Brian Hoyer, Aiden O'Connell

Per the article, "the sense is that the Raiders aren’t worried about Garoppolo being ready for the start of the regular season in September." That's all fine and well, but not only does Garoppolo have a lengthy injury history, but he's also in a brand new offense that doesn't have the deepest talent after Davante Adams. Jimmy G's fantasy value was already questionable, and this should further diminish his outlook.

The players projected at the top of the depth chart are Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore. But Mahomes, at this point, doesn’t know which of his teammates is the favorite to be the No. 4 receiver. Rookie Rashee Rice, a second-round pick, didn’t make any major mistakes Wednesday and caught an easy touchdown pass from backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Receivers Richie James and Justyn Ross were also impressive with their targets.

Related Players: John Ross

This is an interesting observation from beat writer Nate Taylor, as the current order of the KC depth chart according to Underdog ADP is; Toney, Moore, Rice, MVS, Richie James. Not only that, but Rice is going almost three entire rounds prior to Valdes-Scantling even though it seems he may be behind him in 3WR-sets.

We're still very early in the process and the rookie could very easily find the field more as the summer months move on, but MVS might need to be in higher consideration.

Per Zac, "Jerome Ford got the first action (and first carry) in the first team drill. Chubb’s absence makes this an even bigger spring for Ford, who impressed the team’s decision-makers as a rookie but appears headed for a much larger role this season."

It looks as if it was just a general rest day for Nick Chubb.

Related Players: Demetric Felton, John Kelly

It looks like all systems go for Jerome Ford as the team's locked-in RB2, barring anything unforeseen. Ford was used sparingly in his rookie season, but the fifth-round rookie looks poised to take over the backup role that is currently vacant with Kareem Hunt sitting in free agency. Chubb should have a monster workload this season, but it doesn't mean we should ignore Ford in fantasy.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed K Brandon McManus, the team announced today. Additionally, the team has waived K Riley Patterson.

McManus, a nine-year veteran, has appeared in 144 games since 2014, all with Denver. In his nine seasons, McManus has converted 81.4 percent (223-of-274) of his field goal attempts and his 40 made field goals of 50-plus yards are third most in the NFL over that time span. His 946 total points are fifth-most in the NFL since 2014.

Things are heating up as we get some kicker news down the pipeline. As a team, Jacksonville scored the ninth-most points per drive and kicked the 11th-most field goals per game. Kicker enthusiasts rejoice; McManus has landed in a nice spot.

Per Tim, "Purdy is QB1. Nothing is guaranteed or permanent in football, but the entire premise of the 49ers’ QB situation, at this point, is that Purdy is first among equals because he earned it last December and January. Everything else — Lance’s practice time, Darnold’s arrival, the blurry timeline for Purdy’s return to full-go action — is about caution, not uncertainty."

Related Players: Trey Lance, Sam Darnold

Beat writer Kawakami repeated, in many different manners, that the only thing keeping Brock Purdy from a Week 1 starting job is the health of his elbow; Lance and Darnold are insurance policies, not hurdles. Purdy is scheduled to throw during the final week of May, which will give us a better idea of his standing for Week 1.

Chargers star running back Austin Ekeler will remain with the team after $1.75 million in incentives were added to his deal this season. Ekeler is set to enter the final year of the four-year, $24.5 million extension he signed in 2020.

Related Players: Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller

Despite months of trade rumor possibilities, Ekeler isn't going anywhere. The workhorse role remains his for the taking, making him a top fantasy priority.

Commanders TE Armani Rogers did, in fact, tear his Achilles yesterday, source said following his MRI. He plans to have surgery next week from expert Dr. Robert Anderson and should make a full recovery. But out indefinitely.

Related Players: Logan Thomas, John Bates, Cole Turner

Rogers was a 2022 UDFA who had a decent amount of playing time during his rookie year, but didn't get a ton of run at receiver, turning in a 5-64-0 campaign. This may open the door to more playing time for 2022 fifth-rounder Cole Turner, who logged 245 snaps last year, with a majority of those coming in run blocking.

Per Dianna, "Aaron Rodgers off to the side, favoring his ankle, checking it. Something clearly not right."

If Rodgers is dinged up at this point, that's likely the last we'll be seeing of him in the early OTA procedures. Though he likely wants to build chemistry with his new teammates, there's no reason to risk anything at this point. Luckily, two of his receivers have already worked with him in Green Bay.

Rashod Bateman took another step in his recovery from foot surgery, joining the Ravens on the field Monday for the first practice of OTAs.

While Bateman will likely be eased back into action this summer, it's a good sign for an integral part of the Ravens' offense in 2023.

Related Players: Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers, Devin Duvernay

If Bateman is on the field throughout the Summer to learn new Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken's system, there's no reason to believe he won't be the team's WR1. Bateman is a good target in best ball leagues, where his big-play potential has been flashed in the past. He is currently ranked as the WR41 at 4for4, but could be moving up if we continue to get positive reports on his health.

Brandon Staley says his expectation is that Austin Ekeler will be here for mandatory minicamp.

Despite months of trade rumor possibilities, it doesn't look like Ekeler is going anywhere. The workhorse role remains his for the taking, making him a top fantasy priority.

In the wake of five players being suspended in April, the NFL is investigating a second wave of potential violations of its gambling policy, multiple sources told ESPN. The uptick in gambling-related issues comes five years after a landmark ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Seven NFL players, at least one assistant coach and an undisclosed number of team employees have been found to have violated the league's gambling policy in the past five years. Former Detroit Lions receiver Quintez Cephus, former Lions safety C.J. Moore and former Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney were suspended in April for at least one year for allegedly betting on the NFL. The same penalty was levied against Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley in 2022, when he was with the Atlanta Falcons, and former Arizona Cardinals defensive back Josh Shaw in 2019.

A full-season suspension is an obvious killer to any player's fantasy outlook in the short-to-long term, so we will keep our eye on these developments.

Steelers GM Omar Khan says he's "finishing up" an extension for QB Mitch Trubisky -- a move that makes a ton of sense for both parties.

Trubisky -- a 2022 captain -- is a quality, vet backup and good locker room guy. His cap hit was also set to be $10mil in 2023.

Trubisky is in a decent situation, with a young pass-catching group and an improving offensive line. If something were to happen to Kenny Pickett, he would be an interesting option in deep SuperFlex leagues

Broncos coach Sean Payton said Saturday the team expects running back Javonte Williams to be ready for the start of training camp, the most optimistic timeline given yet for the third-year starter recovering from a major knee injury he suffered last October.

Related Players: Samaje Perine, Tony Jones

Williams, a second-round pick in 2021, suffered an ACL tear in Week 4 against the Raiders last season and sustained other damage in the knee as well. Being ready for the start of training camp would represent a relatively rapid recovery for Williams, whose absence was felt significantly by Denver’s league-worst offense last season.

We'll need more positive reports before we can feel wholly comfortable drafting Williams in ongoing best ball leagues. It still feels very likely that the team may add an additional veteran piece to this equation.

Former Colts and Falcons QB Matt Ryan announced he is becoming an analyst at CBS.

It would be a surprise if this were not a retirement announcement, even though Ryan explicitly said, "this is not a retirement post." Even in your deepest 2QB Dynasty leagues, Matt Ryan does not need to be rostered.

Kyle Shanahan said Trey Lance’s lower body is fine, and he’s throwing the ball very well at the start of the team’s offseason program because his finger is no longer an issue, either. Still, the 49ers consider Brock Purdy to be the top quarterback on the depth chart after winning eight consecutive games after taking over for Jimmy Garoppolo last season.

Related Players: Sam Darnold

We are assuredly going to be hearing news all over the place in regard to the 49ers QB situation from now until August, so it's important not to take one piece to heart. Purdy is still apparently four months out with his own injury issues, which puts his timeline basically right up against Week 1. If that's the case, we can only assume that Lance will get another chance to start the season, though Sam Darnold's helmet looms large in the background if the team opts to go in that direction.

We'll keep you posted.

The only change that has happened within the last few weeks is the Vikings’ addition of UAB running back DeWayne McBride in the seventh round of the draft.

While it’s easy to salivate over McBride’s early-down potential, his learning curve will be steep. Pass protection assignments will require study. The Vikings also have faith in Alexander Mattison, whom they re-signed in free agency, and Ty Chandler, whom the team drafted in 2022.

Dalvin Cook has dealt with injuries through most of his NFL career, including an offseason surgery to repair a shoulder injury. An interested team would have to take on his contract which currently makes him the fourth-highest paid RB I'm the league.

He is currently ranked outside of the top-12 RBs in 4for4's rankings.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are poised for an offseason quarterback competition between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask that could last deep into training camp.

Asked Wednesday about the balance between naming a starter early so he can get extra reps in the offense and allowing the competition to run its course, new offensive coordinator Dave Canales cited his experience last year during the Geno Smith-Drew Lock battle in Seattle.

The Tampa Bay job is sneakily a good one for fantasy purposes, as the team decided not to move on from any of their veteran pass catchers, despite many rumors to the contrary. Superstars Mike Evans and Chris Godwin may be aging, but they're still a fantastic one-two punch, while Cade Otton and Rachaad can pull their weight at their respective positions.
We would assume that Mayfield has the initial leg-up here since the team went out and got the former first round pick, who has 69 starts under his belt. Compare that to Trask, who has nine dropbacks to his name.

Free agent tight end Foster Moreau, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma earlier this year, has agreed to a contract with the New Orleans Saints, the team announced Wednesday. Terms were not disclosed, but agent Joe Linta told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Moreau's contract is for three years and worth $12 million, including $8 million guaranteed and $3 million in incentives.

Related Players: Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill

Moreau has the go-ahead to return to the football field next week. The Saints will begin their OTA sessions on May 23, although it's unclear yet how much he'll participate. The Saints have been in need of a veteran tight end after trading Adam Trautman to the Denver Broncos during the 2023 draft. Trautman told ESPN that he requested a trade in February and that the Saints brought in some veteran tight ends during free agency, including Moreau.

Zac Taylor and OC Brian Callahan repeatedly brought up Trayveon Williams when asked about Samaje Perine's replacement

Lines like "The more investment we've given him with playing time, the more he's paid off"

Related Players: Chris Evans

With the legal issues still hanging over Joe Nixon's head, this is incredibly important from a fantasy perspective. Perine had a large roll in the offense that increased even further in the NFL Playoffs. Williams is being drafted a huge 50 picks after Chase Brown in current Underdog drafts, and 16 picks after Chris Evans.

Even if wele don't boost Williams way up the rankings, we should be keeping our eye on this situation.

Per Baumgardner, "Keaton Mitchell has legit “goodbye” speed (4.37-second 40 and 1.5-second 10-yard split) plus a 38-inch vertical at just 5-7, 179 pounds. The obvious limitations are in the size department. When this guy puts his foot on the ground and turns the corner, though, he darn near breaks the sound barrier. He’s gadgety but could be a lot of fun in Baltimore’s offense."

Related Players: J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill

The actual fantasy output of Baltimore RBs always seems to fall below its potential, and a lot of that is, of course, due to how much ground Lamar Jackson soaks up. The odds are very low that Mitchell will produce tangibly during the 2023 season, but he should be an interesting name to keep in mind for deeper dynasty leagues.

They (the Seahawks) wanted a slot receiver who understood zone coverage and how to feel underneath defenders and make himself available to the quarterback. They needed someone who was more quick than fast, but at the same time, crafty and explosive with the ball in his hands. Against man coverage, their preferred receiver needed to be proficient at the line of scrimmage and have a wide catch radius.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the perfect fit for Seattle’s offense.

Related Players: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett

The article mentions that the Seahawks ran a below-average amount of 11 personnel (53% of their plays), yet it was the team's most popular player grouping. The drafting of JSN should give a clue as to how they will prefer to run their offense this coming season, and all three receivers should have their moments, barring injuries.

If Metcalf and Lockett cut their prerequisite 100+ target seasons, it's difficult to see how Smith-Njigba has a ceiling outcome 2023 season. All three options are top-50 WRs in our current rankings, with Metcalf leading the way as the WR15.

The #Dolphins have signed TE Tyler Kroft to a one-year deal, per agent
Mike McCartney.

Related Players: Durham Smythe, Eric Saubert, Elijah Higgins

The Dolphins let Mike Gesicki walk this offseason but didn't do anything to replace the passing game specialist outside of sixth-rounder Elijah Higgins, who will likely be transitioning from the wide receiver position. Kroft has been bouncing around the last few seasons and hasn't produced much since his breakout 42-404-7 2017 season with the Cincinnati Bengals.

This situation is almost assuredly going to be rotational, with Durham Smythe being the de facto TE1. His previous career highs (34-357-0) came during the 2021 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ interest in wide receiver Kadarius Toney goes back well before they acquired him in a trade last season with the New York Giants. They were hopeful he would fall to them in the 2021 draft and then tried to trade for him last spring before finally getting him out of New York last fall.

It’s no surprise then that the Chiefs believe Toney is first in line to be their next No. 1 wide receiver.

Related Players: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, Richie James, Rashee Rice

The sky is truly the limit if Toney truly secures the position of being Patrick Mahomes' number one target. Though we did see in the first season without Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs didn't necessarily operate in the way that had with Hill; they spread the ball around much more. Juju Smith-Schuster technically operated as the WR1, but he finished as the WR41 in half-PPR points per game (9.1).

Toney's explosiveness should yield a better result if he is often the first read.

The article repeatedly emphasizes the need to be patient with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, insinuating that he may not get the job until later in the season -if at all during the rookie campaign.

GM Chris Ballard is quoted as saying, "not to crown him" just yet, while Assistant GM said, "We drafted him not for what he is,” he said, “but what he could become.”

Related Players: Gardner Minshew

Get ready for an offseason of quotes just like this. We'll need to read between the lines in this, and the many subsequent articles that are sure to touch on this exact subject. Here in mid-May, it looks like Gardner Minshew may be starting the season behind center, yet Richardson is coming off the board in the ninth round of Underdog drafts.

The Colts have released quarterback Nick Foles, the team announced Friday.

Related Players: Gardner Minshew, Anthony Richardson

With the team going and getting free agent Gardner Minshew to later pair with their first-rounder Anthony Richardson, it only makes sense to keep the depth chart free from muddle while also allowing Foles to test the waters with other teams. Maybe the veteran will rejoin Frank Reich, who is now down with the Carolina Panthers.

The Chiefs have officially re-signed RB Jerick McKinnon today. McKinnon played an integral role for the Super Bowl champs last year, leading the team with 9 TD catches, and was named a team captain during the playoffs.

Related Players: Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire

As we can expect, it's a yearly occurrence that the fantasy community clamors over who the Chiefs could take at running back during the draft, and once again, it was a low priority in 2023. Outside of UDFA Deneric Prince, the team didn't bother with the position, leaving the incumbents another chance to prove themselves.

McKinnon had eight TD receptions in Weeks 13-18 last season, and is in a great spot to continue his success in the passing game out of the backfield.

The #Packers have agreed to terms with QB Jordan Love on a new contract through 2024. Hours before the deadline for Green Bay to exercise Love’s option, the sides instead agree to a one-year extension that replaces Love’s existing deal.

Eight days after shipping Aaron Rodgers to the Jets, the Packers locked in Love for one more year. The team didn't take any of the receivers they were linked with in the first round, but they added a tight end in round two and wide receivers in the second, fifth, and seventh rounds.

If the offensive line can stay healthy, they can easily be a top-10 unit, and Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are still there as a fantastic one-two punch. Love is clearly still unproven but his infrastructure is probably better than many are giving him credit with.

The Broncos are picking up the fifth-year option on WR Jerry Jeudy, locking him in for 2024. No surprise, they had plenty of interest from teams wanting to trade for him, but Jeudy is a big part of their future.

Related Players: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Marvin Mims

"Plenty of interest" seems like quite the stretch, considering the rumors that the team was shopping both Jeudy and Courtland Sutton for months now. The team also spent a second-round pick on Marvin Mims. A fading Russell Wilson needs all the help he can get, but this could possibly point toward a future trade involving Sutton.

As it stands, Jeudy finds himself somewhere in the WR3 range for fantasy.

The Bills have signed RB Latavius Murray to a one-year deal.

Related Players: James Cook, Damien Harris, Nyheim Hines

The signing of Murray likely impacts Damien Harris rather than any other back currently on the Bills' depth chart. Harris is also on a one-year "prove-it" deal and operates in essentially the same capacity as Murray has in recent years. In fantasy aspects, Harris and Murray will likely vulture each other's goal-line carries, while Josh Allen will eat into both of their upsides.

James Cook is more than likely the only player we truly want in this backfield as he looks to take a sophomore leap in 2023.