According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Patriots QB Cam Newton’s completion percentage and adjusted accuracy rate in training-camp practices have declined this year vs. last summer. The veteran has also thrown more INTs. That’s worrisome, given that he’s had more time within the offense, should be healthier than a year ago and finds improved talent among the pass-catchers. Howe sees a window for Mac Jones to potentially assert himself as 2021 starter over the next couple of weeks, though such a shift would obviously require HC Bill Belichick deciding to make it happen.
Niners HC Kyle Shanahan told reporters Sunday that there is no imminent plan to increase 1st-team reps or QB Trey Lance. “I don’t know,” Shanahan said, according to Pro Football Talk. “I haven’t really defined that for myself either. Just when I think it feels right, when he seems ready, when I think the team seems ready. I mean, we’ll continue to mix him in there. But I don’t plan on just doing that completely." Lance completed 5 of 14 passes in his preseason debut Saturday, including an 80-yard TD to WR Trent Sherfield on his 2nd throw. Shanahan said after the game that the rookie produced "some good and some bad" in his 1st action.
Patriots TE Jonnu Smith sprained his left ankle in Sunday’s practice. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports that it’s a low-ankle sprain. “No firm timetable on his return, but based on the initial diagnosis, it isn’t considered a serious injury,” Reiss says. We’ll see how long Smith sits. Hunter Henry, of course, is already out with a shoulder injury. So New England suddenly looks thin — for the moment — at TE. That means opportunity for a WR corps without much separation so far.
Packers QB Jordan Love hurt his right shoulder in Saturday night’s preseason opener. An MRI came back clean, though, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and Love is “unlikely to miss time.”
Texans WR Anthony Miller suffered a "slight" dislocation of his right shoulder in Saturday's preseason opener. He's scheduled for an MRI, which should give us a timetable for his return. Miller has twice hurt his left shoulder as a pro and also dealt with a shoulder injury in college -- although we don't know if that was the left or right shoulder. We'll update his status when we know more.
Jets HC Robert Saleh labeled WR Elijah Moore (quad) "day-to-day" and hopes to get the rookie back at practice this week. It's confirmation that Moore's quad injury isn't anything to worry about. Consider his fantasy stock unaffected.
Giants HC Joe Judge said WR Kadarius Toney aggravated an injury at the end of this past week. Judge wouldn't disclose the injury or give a timetable for Toney's return. It's the latest setback for the rookie, who has had an eventful last few months. Toney is a long shot for fantasy value at least early on this season.
The Eagles have upgraded WR DeVonta Smith from "week to week" to "day to day" on their injury report, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Smith was reportedly running sprints on a side field with a trainer, helmet on, during the team's Saturday practice. It sounds like he's close to returning from his knee sprain -- with nearly a month still to go before the regular-season opener. Now looks like a good time to take some shots at a lower-priced Smith in fantasy football drafts.
Washington has finally activated WR Curtis Samuel off the PUP. His return to practice this week will mark his 1st action since sustaining a groin injury in June workouts. We'll see how quickly Samuel can knock off the rust and whether there's any reason to worry about lingering groin issues. ESPN's John Keim says Samuel will start off doing position drills but sitting out full-team work, "build up conditioning and work back in." The PUP stay has knocked Samuel's ADP down. As long as he doesn't climb too quickly, the situation could make him a value in August drafts. Washington has also released RB Lamar Miller and WR Kelvin Harmon.
Vikings WR K.J. Osborn is the current leader for the #3 role, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic. Dede Westbrook -- who signed just before training camp -- remains limited by his recovery from the ACL tear that ended his 2020 season in October. And Bisi Johnson went down with his own ACL tear during camp. Osborn -- a 5th-round pick last year -- has yet to see a regular-season target but got on the field as a returner in his rookie campaign. He closed out his college career with a 50-547-5 receiving line as a graduate transfer to Miami. Running 3rd among Vikings WRs isn't likely to make him fantasy relevant unless something happens to Justin Jefferson or Adam Thielen. But keep Osborn's name in mind for that possibility.
Vikings rookie RB Kene Nwangwu left Saturday night’s preseason game early with a knee injury and did not return. If he misses extended time, Nwangwu might have trouble displacing Ameer Abdullah in the return game. Neither figures to be fantasy relevant in 2021 unless both Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison go down
Texans WR Anthony Miller was carted off the field in Saturday’s game against Green Bay. Per team insider Aaron Wilson, Miller “appeared to have injured his right shoulder or arm.” The former Bear has undergone a pair of surgeries on his left shoulder since turning pro. Keke Coutee would figure to handle full-time slot duties if Miller misses substantial time.
Update: Wilson tweeted that Miller has a "slight" dlslocation and will undergo an MRI. We'll let you know when we learn more.
Broncos HC Vic Fangio said he was pleased with the performance from each of his top 2 QBs in Saturday's preseason opener against the Vikings. Drew Lock started, completed 5 of 7 passes for 151 yards and tossed a pair of TDs -- including an 80-yard connection with K.J. Hamler. Teddy Bridgewater then went 7-of-8 for 74 yards and another TD. "I don't think any separation happened today," Fangio said of the QB competition afterward, according to Andrew Mason of DNVR. Bridgewater is expected to start the next game.
Broncos RB Melvin Gordon sat out Saturday's preseason opener with what HC Vic Fangio called a "minor" groin injury. Fangio added that Gordon isn't expected to miss much time. We'll see when he's able to get back on the field. Rookie RB Javonte Williams started Saturday's game and carried 5 times for 29 yards.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott's Saturday MRI on his strained shoulder showed that his injury is "healing well," according to ESPN's Todd Archer. The QB did some on-field throwing before Friday night's game against Arizona and emerged without issue. He reportedly hopes to practice this week and potentially play against Houston in the next preseason game.
Dolphins RB Malcolm Brown started Saturday's preseason opener vs. the Bears. Per Pro Football Focus' Nathan Jahnke, Brown out-snapped RB Myles Gaskin 16 to 7 with the 1st-team offense. Gaskin then played into the 2nd quarter with Miami's backups. "You saw all 3 backs played, all 3 of them got carries," HC Brian Flores said after the game, referring to Brown, Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed. "Pick one out and put them in, basically. We like all 3 guys. They all do good things. And I think we saw that today. And [we'll] just keep working all 3 guys." That sure sounds like this will be an ugly committee backfield. We'll get another look at the rotation in Miami's 2nd preseason game. But, for now, we've moved Gaskin well down the RB rankings and Brown up.
Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz missed the team's 2nd preseason game with a "minor" ankle sprain, according to the Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken. "Fully expected to be ready for start of season," Gehlken adds. We'll see when Schultz is able to get back on the field, but his absence will give TE Blake Jarwin a shot to lay claim to the starting job.
Seahawks S Jamal Adams has been sitting out training-camp practices amid a stalemate in negotiations on his contract extension. But eternal optimist HC Pete Carroll doesn't expect that to carry over into the regular season. “Oh, I’m not even thinking about that at all,” Carroll told The Seattle Times this week. “I don’t know. I can’t even imagine that.” We'll see about Adams as the regular season draws closer.
Titans RB Darrynton Evans left Friday night's preseason game after a non-contact knee injury in the 1st quarter. Tennessee deemed him questionable to return, which could be a good signal on the injury's severity. We'll keep an eye out for updates, though. Jeremy McNichols stepped in after Evans left.
Giants WR Sterling Shepard is having an impressive camp and has been QB Daniel Jones' favorite target, according to insider Matt Lombardo. And that was reportedly the case even before WR Kenny Golladay went down with his hamstring injury. "The expectation entering this season was that free agent newcomer Kenny Golladay would vault to the top of Jones’ target hierarchy, and even before the high-priced addition suffered a hamstring injury last week, that just didn’t happen," Lombardo writes. "Meanwhile, Shepard has consistently been making plays, and consistently been among Jones’ first reads, perhaps a harbinger for the kind of season ahead for the longest-tenured Giant." Shepard is never an exciting fantasy pick but has finished as a top 34 WR in PPR points per game in 3 of 5 seasons -- and never finished lower than 45th. He's a strong bet to beat his current WR64 ADP.
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