Fantasy News

Josh Adams underwent shoulder surgery, according to multiple reports.

Adams played through a labrum injury late last season, which likely limited his effectiveness. He’ll now miss the start of offseason training, but he should be ready to go for training camp at the latest. With Jordan Howard now in the mix for Philadelphia, Adams will be vying for a backup role with the Eagles and does not look like a highly-recommended fantasy option for 2019 at the moment.

4/15/19 - 11:59 AM ET

Adam Thielen has agreed to a four-year extension with the Vikings.

His agency announced the deal, and it’s worth $64 million with the chance to reach $73 million with incentives, so it’s a $16 million per season with a potential max value of $18.3 million per season. This puts Thielen among the highest-paid wide receivers in football on a per-year basis, and it keeps Thielen and Stefon Diggs both locked up for Minnesota through the 2022 season. Thielen was just a second-team All-Pro in 2017, and he followed it up with an even better season statistically last year, with 113 receptions, 1,373 yards, and nine touchdowns, though his yards per reception dipped to 12.2 after he was at 14.0 the previous two seasons. From a fantasy perspective, this doesn’t change Thielen’s value much if at all for 2019, but he’ll remain a high-floor option for the foreseeable future with the Vikings.

4/12/19 - 05:10 PM ET

The Panthers signed Chris Hogan.

It’s surprising that Hogan has been available on the open market this long, but the two-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots has a new home. Hogan spent his first three NFL seasons in Buffalo and his past three in New England, mostly having a secondary-type role as an all-around receiver that won’t make noise if the ball doesn’t come his way. He should be a great pickup for the Panthers, who will likely go into the season with D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Hogan as their top three receivers. It’s difficult to see Hogan’s fantasy value getting much better as he leaves Tom Brady, but the 30-year-old is a good player that could deliver some startable fantasy weeks in 2019.

4/12/19 - 11:24 AM ET

The Jets are signing Ty Montgomery, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Montgomery visited the Jets and comes away with a one-year deal that’ll allow him to potentially learn a long-term deal next offseason. While Elijah McGuire is also in the mix for New York, Montgomery is in some ways similar to the playing style of starter Le’Veon Bell, so he’s the early favorite to backup the All-Pro runner. The Jets are paying Bell to carry a heavy workload for the offense, so there isn’t likely to be enough backfield work for Montgomery to provide solid fantasy value in standard-sized leagues. He could be one of the better handcuffs in fantasy for 2019, though. Real-life wise, this is a strong addition for the Jets, as the former receiver Montgomery can contribute as a runner, receiver, and returner.

Via: Adam Schefter 4/11/19 - 05:08 PM ET

Christian McCaffrey does not want the Panthers to decrease his workload.

According to David Newton of ESPN.com, McCaffrey said: “I played in every game last year, felt great. I can do it again. I feel I can do it over the next may years. … I would definitely like the ball as much as possible. … That’s why I train.” McCaffrey played over 91% of Carolina’s offensive snaps last season, and he was on the field for 75 more snaps than any other running back in the league—so it makes sense that the Panthers will explore scaling back his workload to ensure he stays fresh for all 16 games (and hopefully into the postseason) and for many years. But it’s a good sign that McCaffrey, who seems to train extremely hard, doesn’t want less work moving forward. The former Stanford star was a workhorse in college, and he’s become a workhorse in the NFL; he looks to be one of those guys that can carry a heavy workload and still remain fresh and durable throughout seasons. Also, talk of McCaffrey’s stature is probably a little overblown, as he’s built solidly and works hard in the weight room. Don’t be surprised if McCaffrey gets another 300+ touches in 2019—he’s just too good of a player to have off the field.

Via: ESPN 4/11/19 - 09:11 AM ET

David Johnson says Kliff Kingsbury told him the running backs will get the ball a lot in his offense.

There’s been some talk about the Cardinals hiring Kingsbury potentially being bad news for Johnson’s fantasy value, as the air raid offense will throw the ball a lot and do a lot of plays from the shotgun. But it sounds like Kingsbury plans to utilize Johnson a good amount—and he’d be foolish not too. DJ also added that he actually loves running from the shotgun: “I did that in college. That’s all we did in college is the gun, a read-option-type thing. I think it really opens up more space for me and makes me able to read the defense a little bit more.” With dual-threat Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray expected to be the No. 1 pick for Arizona, that’d take more pressure off Johnson and will make those read-option-type things headaches for opposing defenses to contain. Johnson owners in dynasty leagues should be pulling for Murray being the pick on April 25, but there shouldn’t be much concern about the star running back getting the ball in his new offense.

Via: AZCardinals.com 4/11/19 - 08:38 AM ET

The Giants are finalizing a four-year extension with Sterling Shepard, according to Mike Garafolo.

It will be worth $41 million, which is certainly a nice chunk of change for the former second-round pick, especially considering New York signed Golden Tate—a similar talent—to a four-year deal worth $37.5 million in free agency. The team clearly believes both guys can play inside and outside, though, so we can expect a quick-strike passing attack to compliment Saquon Barkley and the running game. Shepard is still just 25 and is coming off a 66/872/4 line. This extension will make it less likely that the Giants spend a premium pick on the position in this month’s draft—making Shepard and Tate both low-end WR2/FLEX options.

Via: Mike Garafolo 4/10/19 - 04:56 PM ET