The Athletic's Adam Jahns expects the Bears offense to feature more deep passes this season. "[HC Matt] Nagy’s offense has always been vertical," Jahns writes. "His practices in the offseason program and camp have featured plenty of shots down the field, including this year with [Andy] Dalton and [Justin] Fields in OTAs and minicamp. Nagy wants to be aggressive down the field. It’s in his playbook and in his nature as a coach and play-caller." QB Mitchell Trubisky struggled throwing deep over the past few seasons -- but it's a strength of Fields' game. More deep shots would be particularly good news for speedy WR Darnell Mooney.
The Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran predicts that RB Javonte Williams will lead the Broncos in carries this season. He adds that RB Melvin Gordon could open the season as the starter with Williams getting a bigger and bigger role each week. "The Broncos traded up in the second round for Williams and they weren’t high-fiving and fist-pumping in the draft room because he will watch this year," O'Halloran writes. This will be an important backfield to monitor in August. Williams has climbed into the 5th round in recent FFPC best-ball drafts, while Gordon has slid into the late 8th.
Raiders QB Derek Carr talked up 2nd-year WR Henry Ruggs after minicamp. “Man, he’s been impressive,” Carr said via The Athletic. “The way he’s running routes. He’s being violent in his cuts. I think something clicked in his head. Just like with everybody, you play a season in the NFL, you go back and watch the tape and you’re like, ‘Wow, I know what it takes now.’ And you either do it or you don’t. And he’s showing already that he said, ‘Nah, I’m going to do it.’ And it’s been so impressive.” In 2020, the Raiders miscast Ruggs as a downfield WR, helping contribute to a poor 26-452-2 line (13 games). The ‘Bama product has added weight this offseason and will start opposite either Bryan Edwards (the WR2 favorite) or John Brown. Ruggs is well worth a look in the double-digit rounds of best ball drafts.
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott's personal trainer believes he's "way quicker, way more elusive" than he was even a few months ago. "I don’t think Zeke has ever worked like this in the offseason," trainer Josh Hicks added. We thought Elliott looked sluggish at times last season, when he averaged a career-low 4.0 yards per carry and ranked a middling 26th among 47 qualifying RBs in Pro Football Focus' Elusive Rating. So it's good to hear he's putting work in this offseason. “Zeke looks great,” QB Dak Prescott said. “He’s in the best shape of his life. Looking fast." With Prescott back and hopefully better health on the offensive line, Elliott is an obvious 2021 bounce-back candidate.
Titans WR A.J. Brown missed spring workouts and is still rehabbing after undergoing offseason surgery to both knees. "I am not getting impatient, but excited," Brown said. "I am excited to get back on the field, and get back out there with my teammates, just to be out there again. I have been rehabbing, and I have been taking it slow. And I'll be back out there soon." Details on Brown's injuries and rehab have been scarce. We'll see if he's ready for the start of camp next month or is forced to open on the PUP list.
ESPN's Todd Archer hears that Cowboys WR Amari Cooper (ankle) is expected to be ready for the start of training camp. He missed spring practices after undergoing ankle surgery this offseason. "They'll just monitor him and see how it goes" in camp, Archer adds. We'll be keeping a close eye on Cooper, who is going in the 3rd round of early fantasy drafts.
The Athletic's Paul Dehner expects "monster numbers" from Bengals RB Joe Mixon this season. Dehner projects Mixon to play around 80% of the offensive snaps and add 15-20 receptions to his previous career high of 43. That'd make Mixon a shoo-in for RB1 numbers with a shot at the top 5. He's an exciting pick at his current mid-2nd-round ADP.
Bengals TE C.J. Uzomah declared himself 100% recovered from last year's torn Achilles and was a full-go in OTAs and minicamp, according to The Athletic's Paul Dehner. Uzomah opened last season as Cincinnati's starter, tallying 11 targets before going down in Week 2. Dehner confirms that Uzomah is expected to play ahead of TE Drew Sample this year -- assuming he regains pre-injury form. A pass-heavy Bengals offense helps Uzomah's fantasy outlook. But he figures to be battling RB Joe Mixon for the title of 4th option in the passing game behind WRs Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
Adam Jahns of The Athletic calls Marquise Goodwin the Bears' #3 WR based on OTAs and minicamps. Goodwin didn't play a single snap last season, but Jahns points out the WR's speed as the deciding factor. Damiere Byrd sits 4th in the projection, with Dazz Newsome and Anthony Miller slotting 5th and 6th, respectively. At bottom, we don’t see a Chicago WR beyond Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney emerging for fantasy.
Washington HC Ron Rivera called RB Antonio Gibson's improvement this offseason "exciting." Gibson ran for 795 yards and 11 scores on 4.7 yards per carry as a rookie last year -- despite totaling just 33 carries in college. "You can tell he's matured, got a better feel and understanding," Rivera said. "Those natural instincts that you look for, the intangibles that guys that have been playing the positions their whole career naturally have. You start to see those come to light with Antonio." RBs coach Randy Jordan added that Gibson's comfort in the running scheme is "like night and day" between last year and this year. Washington is also looking to expand Gibson's role in the passing game this season. There's big-time breakout potential here.
The Chiefs believe they need to make more plays in the short and intermediate passing games, according to NFL Network's James Palmer. Palmer notes that the team is looking to get the RBs more involved in the passing game (which we've heard multiple times this offseason) and adds that rookie TE Noah Gray could emerge as a factor with an increase in 2-TE sets. It's a situation to track this summer. There's certainly room for a 3rd viable fantasy option to emerge in Kansas City behind WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce. We might also just see Hill and Kelce set new career highs in target share this year.
Chiefs DE Frank Clark was arrested Sunday night in L.A. after police spotted an Uzi (submachine gun) in his car, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. The situation will certainly get a review under the league's personal-conduct policy. We'll see whether it ultimately costs Clark any games.
49ers RB Trey Sermon has "made a strong first impression, particularly as a pass-catcher out of the backfield," according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Sermon soaked up 1st-team reps in minicamp with RBs Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert sidelined with knee issues. The pass-catching comment is particularly noteworthy since Sermon arrives to the NFL with a modest 48 receptions across 4 college seasons. We'll be keeping a close eye on this 49ers backfield in training camp and preseason. Sermon has been leaving the board in the 6th round of recent FFPC best-ball drafts.
According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Ravens WR Rashod Bateman has given the Ravens, “every reason to believe he’ll be a significant contributor from Day 1.” Zrebiec adds that Bateman “hasn’t looked like a rookie.” It's tough to expect consistent fantasy contributions given a run-heavy offense and the presence of Mark Andrews, Marquise Brown and Sammy Watkins. But there’s a real chance that Bateman’s role grows as the season rolls along. He's heavily discounted with a WR62 price in FFPC best ball drafts.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was a full participant in minicamp and doesn't sound at all worried about the left foot injury that required surgery after the Super Bowl. “I don’t see any problems moving forward,” Mahomes said. “Obviously I’m going to continue with the rehab and work to strengthen it. I feel I had good OTAs, a good minicamp. I was able to move around and do the things I needed to do.” Barring a setback, the foot will be a non-issue this season.
Jets TE Chris Herndon "failed to separate himself" from the rest of the team's TEs in OTAs and minicamp, according to The Athletic's Connor Hughes. In fact, Hughes says that both Tyler Kroft and Ryan Griffin looked better and have worked ahead of Herndon lately. We're still over 2 months away from Week 1, so the situation is far from settled. But it's not the report you were looking for if hoping for a bounce-back season from Herndon. We'll see if he can turn it around in August.
The Athletic's Connor Hughes believes it "might not be long before [Jets RB Michael] Carter starts to see the lion’s share of reps." The rookie has had a "promising" spring and early summer, according to Hughes, and looks like the most explosive and best receiver of the Jets' RBs. Hughes does add that the Jets "prefer a running-back-by-committee approach, so guys like Tevin Coleman, Ty Johnson and/or La'Mical Perine will be involved. But Carter is the most exciting of the group and has a chance to emerge as a weekly fantasy starter this year.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan confirmed that QB Jimmy Garoppolo is in the driver’s seat to start Week 1. "I definitely see it as Jimmy's the starter," Shanahan said via CBS. "But if Trey's ready to compete, I have no problem with it. I don't sit there and say, 'Hey, we're not playing a rookie quarterback. We have to rest him the first year.' … I don't really make any decisions like that until I actually have an opinion on it. And that'll take to how I see him in camp. If he comes in and he's playing at a high level and we think he gives us the best chance to win, we wouldn't hesitate to do that [start him Week 1]." While Garoppolo will likely start Week 1, he’ll almost certainly turn the keys over to Lance at some point in 2021.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins has been the talk of minicamp. QB Joe Burrow said Tuesday that Higgins looks "completely different" than he did as a rookie and is "going to have a big year." Then OC Brian Callahan said the next day that Higgins has gotten "markedly more explosive." The Clemson product is coming off an excellent rookie season, tallying 67 catches, 908 yards and 6 TDs. He faces increased target competition with the arrival of rookie WR Ja'Marr Chase. But there's room for all 3 Bengals WRs (including Tyler Boyd) in what figures to be a pass-leaning offense without a real threat at TE.
Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire put an emphasis on his pass catching ability this offseason. “Talking to Coach [Andy] Reid and also Pat [Mahomes], there are some things we’re implementing to get the ball to the back and just spread it out more,” Edwards-Helaire said via the Kansas City Star. “That’s one of the reasons why I chose to work on my hands and just be more of a threat.” CEH went on to discuss his route-running potential both out of the slot and outside. As beat writer Sam McDowell points out, the Chiefs moved former WR coach (and NFL WR) Greg Lewis to RB coach. Call it a potential edge for a guy who caught 55 balls as an LSU senior. CEH remains a breakout candidate.
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