The Panthers and WR Robby Anderson have agreed to a 2-year, $29.5 million contract extension. Anderson was set to hit free agency next offseason but is now signed in Carolina through the 2023 campaign. It's confirmation that he remains a big part of the Panthers' passing game after ranking 8th among WRs with 138 targets last year.
The groin issue for Lions RB D'Andre Swift has been downplayed throughout camp, but HC Dan Campbell says he doesn't yet know what the injury will mean for the regular-season opener. "We don't know if he's gonna be there," Campbell said, via Chris Burke of The Athletic. "We don't know, even if he is, how much we're going to get out of him." Campbell said the team would work him hard in practice Tuesday to test his conditioning. We'll watch for further indications of Detroit's plan leading up to Week 1. In the meantime, Jamaal Williams remains a high-upside play in low-RB3 to RB4 range of fantasy football drafts.
Bills WRs Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis have been placed on the COVID list as close contacts to a staff member who tested positive for the virus. Beasley and Davis, of course, are unvaccinated so must stay away from the team for 5 days. This particular instance won't impact their 2021 campaigns -- but both guys come with elevated risk because they're unvaccinated.
The Cowboys have started rookie Micah Parsons and converted S Keanu Neal at LB in each of their past 2 preseason games. It looks as though that pair will lead the playing time at the position. Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch did mix in heavily with the 1st-team defense against Houston on Saturday, though. The ascension of the 2 new guys is noteworthy. Smith has been a full-time player and carries 1 of the league's largest cap numbers among off-ball LBs (nearly $10 million), and LVE is a former 1st-round pick who has dealt with injuries the past couple of years. Parsons, of course, arrived in Round 1 of this year's draft. Neal has history with new DC Dan Quinn, having played for him in Atlanta. The exact playing-time breakdown in this crowded corps is likely still working out, so we're wary of over-committing to any Dallas LB in IDP leagues. Parsons looks like the player with the highest upside and makes for a nice LB3 option (if he lasts). Neal could be a worthwhile late flier in deeper drafts. We've updated our projections for the group this week.
K Rodrigo Blankenship has won the Colts’ starting job. Per Adam Schefter, the team waived veteran K Eddy Pineiro this morning. Blankenship was awesome last year — connecting on 32 of 37 kicks — so this move isn’t a surprise. He sits 6th in our kicker rankings.
Bears HC Matt Nagy told reporters Tuesday morning that QB Justin Fields will start the 3rd and final preseason game and play about 2 quarters. Don't get too excited, though. Nagy also said QB Andy Dalton will sit "because he's the Week 1 starter," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. We'll gladly take the extra exposure for Fields anyway. Even with Dalton still on track to open the season, it's just a matter of time before Chicago shifts to its new franchise QB.
Saints QB Jameis Winston got the start in Monday night's preseason game vs. the Jaguars and took full advantage of the opportunity. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 123 yards and 2 TDs to WR Marquez Callaway across 3 possessions. QB Taysom Hill came on in relief, finishing 11-of-20 for 138 yards and a score. HC Sean Payton declined to name a starter after the game. But, at this point, it'd be a major surprise if Winston wasn't under center for the opener vs. the Packers.
Saints TE Adam Trautman will get an MRI on the foot he injured in Monday night's preseason game vs. the Jaguars, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. X-rays on the foot came back clean. We'll continue to keep you updated on Trautman's status, but we'd avoid him in fantasy drafts until we know more.
Saints WR Marquez Callaway caught 5 balls for 104 yards in Monday night's preseason game against the Jaguars. That included a 43-yard TD on a play that drew a defensive pass-interference call, as well as a 1-handed reception or 29 yards. "Every time the lights turn on, [Callaway] does an amazing job," QB Jameis Winston said afterward, per Pro Football Talk. In addition to WR Michael Thomas being out, the Saints have also gone without WR Tre'Quan Smith in each of the 1st 2 exhibitions. The team also lost TE Adam Trautman to injury against Jacksonville. Callaway seems to be seizing the opportunity and should open the season in New Orleans' starting lineup. He looks like the best bet to lead Saints WRs in targets while Thomas is out.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Jaguars RB Travis Etienne suffered a mid-foot sprain in his left foot Monday night and is "out indefinitely." ESPN's Stephania Bell adds that recovery time for the injury can vary widely, so there's more to learn about the specifics of Etienne's situation. For now, the rookie should drop into the double-digit rounds of fantasy football drafts. James Robinson, meanwhile, becomes a solid-to-good RB3 with upside well into RB2 range. We'll see how much his ADP spikes this week. Carlos Hyde also becomes a late-draft consideration.
ESPN's Steve Levy said during the Saints-Jaguars Monday Night Football broadcast that HC Sean Payton told him, "If you’re asking me today, my #2 RB is Tony Jones.” That follows reports that RB Latavius Murray could be on the chopping block. Jones got the start vs. Jacksonville, although he and Murray both played 8 snaps with starting QB Jameis Winston. We'll keep an eye on this battle, but it's a situation to avoid in fantasy drafts until we get some clarity.
The Cardinals on Monday activated DE J.J. Watt off the PUP list. Watt had been easing back in after he hurt a hamstring during the conditioning test at the start of camp. "We wanted to make sure we were really cautious, make sure he felt 100 percent before we got him back out there," HC Kliff Kingsbury said before practice, per ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. Watt added: "We definitely took our time." Barring some setback, expect Watt to be ready for the season.
Eagles TE Dallas Goedert "is quietly having an outstanding training camp," insider Eliot Shorr-Parks writes. Goedert is reportedly leading the team in catches (39), targets (46) and TDs (6) in practices. He's been slipping in drafts lately as it looks more and more like TE Zach Ertz will remain with the team -- and play a sizable role. But Goedert remains the Eagles' biggest TE talent and even has a shot to lead the team in targets this season. He's at least a lower-end TE1 and still has upside into the top 6 at the position.
Patriots TE Jonnu Smith (ankle) was a full participant in Monday's practice, according to NESN's Zack Cox. Smith was sidelined for a week, but we can now cross him off the list of injured played to worry about.
Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill participated in Monday's practice. He was a late scratch from Friday night's preseason game with a tight hamstring, but it looks like a non-issue now.
Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle) practiced on Monday, according to beat writer Matt Derrick. It sounds like CEH was limited after injuring that ankle in Friday's preseason game -- but the fact that he was out there at all is an excellent sign. Edwards-Helaire should be ready to go come Week 1, but we'll continue to keep a close eye on his status.
Rams RB Darrell Henderson is considered "day to day" with his thumb injury, according to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue. Testing revealed no ligament damage to the thumb. We'll keep an eye on him, but Henderson should be fine for Week 1.
Jaguars RB Travis Etienne left Monday night's preseason game against the Saints with a foot injury and is officially questionable to return, according to ESPN's Field Yates. Jacksonville obviously has no reason to push him back into the exhibition. We'll see how serious the issue is beyond that.
Saints TE Adam Trautman went to the locker room on a cart during Monday night's preseason game. He had been getting checked for a foot or ankle injury in the sideline tent before riding to the locker room. We'll keep an eye on this situation. According to Pro Football Focus' Nathan Jahnke, TE Nick Vannett saw his playing time increase after Trautman's departure while TE Juwan Johnson's role appeared unchanged.
Rams RB Darrell Henderson injured his thumb in Monday's practice. Both NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter report that it's a minor sprain. Schefter adds that Henderson is expected to be ready for Week 1. It's still not an ideal development for a guy who has had trouble staying healthy -- and is now being counted on in an expanded role. We'll keep you updated on Henderson's status. There's no clear-cut handcuff to Henderson right now after RB Jake Funk started over RB Xavier Jones in the 2nd preseason game. The Rams could still add to the backfield before the start of the season.
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