Retired QB Tom Brady told Robin Lundberg of Sports Illustrated that he’s “certain” he won’t play football again. “I’ve tried to make that clear, and I hate to continue to profess that, ‘cause I’ve already told people that lots of times.” Rumors circulated that Brady, now a part owner of the Raiders, might return to play for the team. We're inclined to believe the 46-year-old (in August) has played his final NFL game.
Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly believes TE Pat Freiermuth will reach 100 catches in 2023. Call it a truly bold prediction. Over the past 10 years, only Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Darren Waller, and Zach Ertz have tallied at least one 100-catch season. Freiermuth hit 60 and 63 catches over his first two NFL seasons. Check the TE rankings to see our detailed projections for Freiermuth.
RB Alexander Mattison sits second on the Vikings' depth chart right now. But he'll climb a peg if RB Dalvin Cook is traded or released. And HC Kevin O'Connell sounds confident that Mattison could handle the lead role. “It’s been really good to see Alex Mattison take a few more reps and really show that all three-down kinda ownership that he’s been capable of for a long time,” O’Connell said Wednesday. Mattison has shown the ability to handle hefty workloads in the past. He's topped 20 touches five times over the last three seasons. His RB29 ADP in recent FFPC drafts will prove to be a bargain if Cook departs before Week 1.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen suggested the team will attempt more deep passes under new OC Kellen Moore. “Obviously, Justin [Herbert] has a cannon,” Allen said. “Mike [Williams] goes deep. He has a new guy named Quentin Johnston. He can go deep. We’re probably going to be going deep.” Justin Herbert wasn’t particularly aggressive last year. Only 9.7% of his attempts traveled 20+ air yards, while his average depth of target (aDOT) sat at just 7.0 yards. But given the arrival of Johnston and a solid O-line, Herbert should be someone you’re targeting in fantasy drafts.
The Broncos signed K Elliott Fry. He's currently the only kicker on the roster after Denver cut Brandon McManus last week. Fry has attempted just six NFL FGs, though, so expect the Broncos to add competition.
Colts WR Josh Downs is missing this week's OTAs with what HC Shane Steichen called "a little bit of a knee issue." That obviously doesn't sound like anything significant, but the missed reps aren't ideal for the rookie. We'll let you know when Downs gets back on the field. If healthy, he has a good shot to win the Week 1 starting slot job. WR Isaiah McKenzie is Downs' primary competition for that spot.
Giants WR Sterling Shepard is running routes in 7-on-7 work, according to insider Art Stapleton. It's good progress as Shepard works back from a torn left ACL suffered on September 26. He re-signed with the Giants in March on a 1-year deal worth just $1.3 million with $0 guaranteed. So Shepard isn't even a lock to make the final roster -- although Stapleton says, "I think the speculation on here about Shep not making the team is very premature. Would not count him out." We'll see, but Shepard isn't worth a pick in early best-ball drafts.
Per Patriots beat writer Mark Daniels, RB Ty Montgomery “looks like the leader” for the team’s third-down back role. The 30-year-old missed nearly all of last year with an injury. Montgomery’s injury history extends well beyond 2022, so he’s far from a lock to cap Rhamondre Stevenson’s upside. Also note: Stevenson proved solid as a pass-catcher in 2022, ranking top-7 among RBs in targets (88), catches (69), and yards (421). We’ll track this storyline throughout training camp.
Steelers WR Calvin Austin said he’s healthy and a full participant in OTAs. The 24-year-old missed last year with a Lisfranc injury requiring surgery. Austin now figures to slot in as the WR4 behind Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Allen Robinson. But further decline from Robinson could supply Austin — an explosive slot —with more opportunities. He’s also competing for a role on returns.
Jets HC Robert Saleh spoke confidently about RB Breece Hall’s chances of playing in the Monday night opener vs. Buffalo. "He looks good. He looks strong. He looks powerful,” Saleh said at OTAs. “He's learning. I'm excited for him to get back on the field. I'm very optimistic he'll be ready for week 1. He's already hitting over 22 [MPH] on the GPS. He looks freaking good." Hall's been setback-free following his late-October ACL/meniscus injury. Now, the second-year pro has about 13 weeks to round into form. He currently projects as a top-12 fantasy RB.
The Athletic’s Nate Taylor believes Chiefs TE Travis Kelce is “skilled enough to be the Chiefs’ top passing option” for two more seasons. “An argument can be made that Mahomes is so brilliant, from the pocket and improvising out of the pocket, that perhaps he and Kelce can continue to connect for at least 1,000 yards the next three years,” Taylor concludes. Kelce, 34 in October, has hit 1,000 yards in seven straight seasons. He showed no signs of decline last year, but that’ll be a topic worth revisiting each offseason. For now, Kelce remains king of the TE rankings.
Bengals WR Tyler Boyd addressed his contract situation on Tuesday. The 28-year-old is entering the final year of a 4-year, $43 million deal. “I know I’m going to be a free agent next year, and at the end of the day, it will come down to money,” he said. “I have a great, strong feeling that they will come with an offer to where it’s still going to be tough for me to leave ’cause this is my family. I spent my whole career here.” Boyd also admitted he’s behind Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins when it comes to the Bengals’ contract priorities. For 2023, at least, Boyd remains a bench stash who's best utilized when either Higgins or Ja’Marr Chase are inactive.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer spoke to NFL executives on free-agent WR DeAndre Hopkins and found mixed opinions on what the 31-year-old has left in the tank. “Not much," one executive said. "He can’t run anymore.” Another was more optimistic: “He’s still a good player. Good route runner, big, physical target that can play a ball in the air. He’s still a threat.” The Cardinals spent the offseason trying to trade Hopkins but found no suitors willing to pay his $19.45 million salary. Per Breer, the Chiefs and Bills were the only two teams that engaged Arizona in trade talks. Those two teams sound like two of the favorites to sign Hopkins now that he's a free agent. Either landing spot would be good for his fantasy football value. Stay tuned.
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is not at this week's OTAs. "I hope to see him as soon as possible," HC Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday. "But I think as we work towards minicamp we'll have a real clean cut plan of what that looks like, and hopefully get some work ... It's one of those things that we've had great dialogue throughout the offseason. A lot of that will stay between Justin and I. But I just know that he's getting work, wherever he's spending this offseason. Look forward to having him here when he decides to come up." Jefferson's absence is likely related to ongoing contract negotiations. There's been no talk of a holdout at this point, but we'll continue to keep a close eye on the situation. Minnesota's mandatory minicamp is June 13-14.
Vikings WR Jordan Addison is missing this week's OTAs with an undisclosed injury. “We’re being overly cautious with him right now,” HC Kevin O’Connell said. “Something that popped up toward the end of rookie minicamp. Nothing serious at all. Kind of a day-to-day thing that we’re working through.” Addison is at least with the team this week, soaking up the new offense. The missed reps aren't ideal for a rookie, but this doesn't sound like something that'll impact Addison's 2023 campaign. We'll let you know when he gets back on the field.
Bills beat writer Matt Parrino came away impressed with RB James Cook at OTAs. “Cook looks bigger and quicker in his second OTAs after the Bills took him in the second round back in 2022,” Parrino wrote. “He’s the odds-on favorite to be the team’s starting running back and he looked the part on Tuesday." That last part is particularly interesting (and debatable). Cook brings more big-play ability than Damien Harris, who signed a low-cost one-year deal in March. But Harris projects as a bigger factor near the goal line. And we know about Josh Allen’s rushing in close. (He carried 15 times inside the 10 last year, scoring five times.) Cook’s receiving performance will be key, and there’s at least an opportunity there. New Texans RB Devin Singletary leaves behind 52 targets -- 20 more than Cook saw as a rookie.
Jaguars HC Doug Pederson complimented his team’s RB depth. “I feel really good about that room,” Pederson said. “There's a lot of depth there. There's some great competition that's going to show up with training camp. This is one of our stronger rooms on the team, and we're excited about that.” Travis Etienne returns, but Jacksonville spent a Round 3 pick on Auburn’s Tank Bigsby. ESPN reporter Michael DiRocco points out that Etienne handled a hefty 74% carry share following the James Robinson trade — a mark the Jags don’t want repeated. See our projections for this new-look backfield.
The Cardinals announced that they have released WR DeAndre Hopkins. Trade rumors have swirled around the veteran all offseason. This move clearly indicates that the team couldn't find a suitable partner. That almost certainly comes down to the money involved, as Hopkins carried a $30.75 million cap hit for 2023. By waiting for the release, other teams can now negotiate their own deal with Hopkins rather than pay his huge existing contract. Arizona moves on with Marquise Brown as the lead WR. He was scoring in WR1 range last season before fracturing a foot and getting Hopkins back from suspension. Rondale Moore figures to operate as the No. 2 WR. The big question will be how much time he spends in the slot vs. outside. Candidates for the 3rd WR spot include veteran Greg Dortch and third-round rookie Michael Wilson. Dortch is clearly a slot guy, having spent 82.5% of his career pass snaps there. Wilson stands 6'2, 213 pounds and ran 76% of his college routes outside. Of course, Arizona also might play more 2-TE sets under new coaches, if Zach Ertz makes it back from his ACL tear in time to join second-year TE Trey McBride. For now, move Brown and Moore up your draft board, and consider taking late best ball shots on Dortch and Wilson. We'll continue watching the recovery of QB Kyler Murray (ACL tear). See where everyone sits in our updated fantasy football WR rankings.
The Jaguars traded K Riley Patterson to the Lions in exchange for a 2026 conditional 7th-round pick. It was originally reported that Patterson would be released, but the Lions evidently didn't want to let him hit the open market. Patterson will presumably compete with K Michael Badgley for the starting job this summer. The winner will be squarely on the fantasy radar in an ascending Detroit offense.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott gave his take on the health of WR Michael Gallup. “[He’s] starting to come back into who Michael Gallup is and feel himself. That’s a guy that I’ve got a lot of trust in," Prescott said. "He’s getting his feet under him, and he’s going to be better.” Gallup tore his ACL in early January, 2022, and labored through last season. Dallas added Brandin Cooks over the offseason, but Gallup profiles as a low-risk flier at WR79 in ADP.
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