Patriots HC Bill Belichick said Tuesday that WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is "ready to go" for the start of training camp. JuJu missed most of spring practices dealing with the knee injury he suffered in last year's AFC Championship Game. We'll see if it becomes an issue again at any point ahead of Week 1. Smith-Schuster isn't an exciting fantasy pick but does project as the favorite to lead New England in targets this year.
Lions WR Jameson Williams suffered a leg injury on Monday and is expected to miss the next couple of days, HC Dan Campbell said. This obviously doesn't sound like a serious issue, but Williams could use all the reps he can get after playing just 78 snaps in his 2022 rookie campaign. He, of course, is suspended for the first six games of this season for violating the league's gambling policy. We'll let you know when Williams gets back on the practice field.
Jets WR Corey Davis shared his thoughts following an offseason of trade/cut rumors. “All of that was out of my control,” Davis said. “It was kind of a long offseason. There was a point where there was uncertainty. Obviously, with all the moves going on, it’s hard not to think that. It’s still a business, but I’m happy to be here. Happy they kept me.” New York added WRs Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman. But HC Robert Saleh said all offseason that the team intended to keep Davis. The 28-year-old is under contract for one more season, and he’s essentially free in current fantasy drafts.
Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles told reporters Tuesday morning that WR Russell Gage has a "little bit ways to go" to be healthy enough for training-camp practices. Gage likely has more missed practice days than receptions since joining Tampa Bay last offseason. Fortunately, he sits at the very end of drafts in ADP -- when he gets selected at all. Don't expect Gage to be an impactful fantasy asset for 2023.
The Giants and RB Saquon Barkley have agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $11 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. That total would beat the RB franchise tag by a little, and the two sides had passed the league deadline for a long-term contract. Most importantly for fantasy football managers, the agreement means Barkley will start training camp -- and, barring injury, the season -- on time. Uncertainty over his contract has pushed Barkley later in Round 2 in many recent drafts. He's a good pick anywhere in that round, across 1-QB formats. He can even make sense as a Round 1 consideration, according to our 12-team PPR fantasy football draft guide.
Seahawks Edge Uchenna Nwosu has agreed to a three-year extension that will pay him $45 million, with incentives that could push it up to $59 million, according to multiple reports. In his fifth season -- and first with Seattle -- Nwosu set career highs in solo tackles, assists, sacks, tackles for loss, QB hits, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. It was just his second season as a starter. Seattle clearly believes Nwosu has more. See where he stands in our IDP rankings.
According to multiple reports, Saints rookie RB Kendre Miller (knee) passed a physical on Monday. As a result, he's been removed from the non-football injury (NFI) list and will be ready to participate in training camp. Miller sustained a right MCL injury at TCU during the College Football Playoff semifinal in January. This ailment kept Miller out of workouts during the pre-NFL Draft process, though the Saints still felt comfortable enough to spend a 3rd-round pick on the strength of his film. He only had a brief stint on the NFI list (July 18) after being expected to miss much more time, so it's notable that he'll be in line to fight for a role in camp with RB Alvin Kamara and free-agent signee Jamaal Williams. It's difficult to say how much of a workload Miller will have from the jump in such a crowded room, however. Miller would conceivably benefit from a possible Kamara suspension stemming from a 2022 off-field incident, though seemingly nothing is imminent. Even so, we'll be sure to track the Saints' backfield as the summer evolves.
The attorneys for Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill and Hill's accuser issued a joint statement that the parties have "resolved their differences" after an altercation in mid-June. With no formal charges against Hill, it seems unlikely that he'll face any NFL discipline for the incident. We just nudged Hill up the WR Rankings.
The Bears have removed WR Chase Claypool from the PUP list. That means he can begin practicing with the rest of the team Wednesday. It seems as though we don't need to worry about any physical issue here. Now we'll see if he can find enough targets.
The Commanders are signing K Michael Badgley, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Badgley will compete with incumbent Joey Slye. Try to avoid drafting both until the situation gets cleared up.
The Raiders and CB Marcus Peters have agreed to a one-year deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Peters instantly looks like a favorite to start for a weak Raiders D. He lost seven total games to injuries over the past two years, but has remained an INT and TD-return threat when healthy. Peters isn't a big factor for IDP teams but can make your week in a big-play, large-roster format.
The Ravens have placed WR Rashod Bateman on the PUP list to open training camp. Bateman had a cortisone shot earlier this offseason in the foot that ended his 2022 prematurely. We'll be watching his progress closely through training camp. Bateman could lose ground to WR Odell Beckham Jr. and/or rookie WR Zay Flowers if he's out long.
49ers RB Jordan Mason has flashed "noticeably better" receiving skills this offseason, per The Athletic's Matt Barrows. It was a reported area of focus for Mason, who tallied only 26 career catches (in four seasons) at Georgia Tech. The former UDFA excelled in limited rushing action as a rookie, and he could ascend to the RB2 role if Elijah Mitchell’s injury woes continue. Circle Mason as a deep sleeper on your fantasy cheat sheet.
Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney is expected to be ready for the regular season opener, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Toney underwent an offseason “cleanup procedure” on the knee he aggravated on Sunday. With Toney sidelined, look for Sky Moore’s ADP (WR50 on Underdog Fantasy) to continue rising.
Bengals insider Jay Morrison believes the coaching staff remains a "fan" of RB Trayveon Williams. The 25-year-old owns only 55 career touches. Still, Morrison believes Williams could fill the “Samaje Perine role” – if he can outperform rookie Chase Brown in pass protection. The Bengals open training camp on Wednesday.
ESPN’s Nick Wagoner writes that QB Brock Purdy’s rehab “has gone just as he and the Niners hoped.” Wagoner strongly believes Purdy will be cleared to practice at some point during training camp. San Francisco opens the regular season at Pittsburgh in roughly seven weeks, so there's time for him to reacclimate. Still, view our QB rankings, and you won't find Purdy in a draftable range.
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski talked up WR Elijah Moore's versatility on Monday. "To have a player that can play outside and inside, I think, is very valuable," Stefanski said. OC Alex Van Pelt made similar comments back in June. Moore has been one of the buzzier players of the offseason so far and looks set to play a big role in the Browns offense. Read more on Moore's fantasy upside in our Sleepers article.
Chargers WR Josh Palmer missed offseason practices with an undisclosed injury. He's the Chargers' projected WR4, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, behind Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and rookie Quentin Johnston. (No surprise there.) We’ll keep an eye on Palmer’s participation in training camp, but he’s only worth drafting in deep fantasy formats.
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Monday that WR Amari Cooper's injury isn’t a long-term concern. Stefanski even said that Cooper might get back on the practice field today. We'll keep an eye on him, but consider Cooper's fantasy stock unaffected.
Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson was carted off the practice field Monday morning after suffering a non-contact knee injury, according to multiple reports. We'll await an official diagnosis, but this obviously sounds pretty serious. A healthy Gardner-Johnson would be a candidate for both the primary slot CB role and some safety work. We'll see about Detroit's defensive plans going forward.
Update: NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the injury doesn't appear to be serious, according to team sources.
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