Fantasy News

The NFL has officially suspended Julian Edelman four games for violating the league’s PED policy.

Edelman’s appeal in which he reportedly argued the NFL mishandled his test results didn’t work, and he’ll now miss Weeks 1-4. The Patriots have matchups vs. Houston, at Jacksonville, at Detroit, and vs. Miami in Edelman’s absence. At this point, it’s up in the air how the roles in New England’s receiving corps will shake out—particularly with Malcolm Mitchell’s uncertain status because of knee issues. Jordan Matthews, who has traditionally played in the slot through his first four NFL seasons, is probably the favorite for the primary role in the slot with Edelman out. Chris Hogan could also work the slot more to start the season.

7/3/18 - 07:14 PM ET

Aaron Jones has been suspended two games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

This isn’t a surprise after Jones was arrested last October and admitted to smoking marijuana during a traffic stop. Unfortunately, it is a significant blow to the second-year back’s chances of coming out on top in a backfield competition with Ty Montgomery and Jamaal Williams this summer, and he could find himself third on the depth chart when he returns in Week 3 of the regular season. As a rookie, Jones rushed 81 times for 448 yards (5.5 YPC) and four touchdowns, and he’s been bulking up this offseason in an attempt to improve in pass protection. The preseason and training camp will still provide Jones an opportunity to showcase his talents, but Montgomery and Williams get an obvious boost after the suspension.

7/3/18 - 03:58 PM ET

Jay Cutler says he’s “probably” retired from football.

On his wife Kristin Cavallari’s reality show, “Very Cavallari”, she asked him if he’s 100% done with football, and Cutler said “not 100%” but probably. Cavallari asked when he’ll know for sure, and Cutler said September, so it sounds like Cutler will again be available if a team wants to bring him in if an injury occurs. Last season was probably a unique match with the Dolphins and Adam Gase, though, as Cutler and Gase have a good relationship that made it work. Cutler has the ability to keep playing, but it doesn’t seem likely.

Via: Kristin Cavallari 7/3/18 - 08:40 AM ET

Matthew Tabeek of AtlantaFalcons.com believes the “arrow is pointing up” for Austin Hooper.

Tabeek, who covers the team closely, has been high on the third-year tight end all offseason, and he expects him to get better this season. With Levine Toilolo no longer in Atlanta, it could mean a slightly bigger role for Hooper this season, though the team did add first-round receiver Calvin Ridley to the offense. Tabeek says he expects Hooper, who has three touchdowns in each of his first three seasons, will be a bigger weapon in the red zone this season. Ultimately, it might be difficult to be a consistent fantasy option with so many weapons on offense, but the former third-round pick Hooper is someone to keep an eye on as someone that’s likely to be on most waiver wires to start the season.

Via: AtlantaFalcons.com 7/2/18 - 03:01 PM ET

Aaron Jones has gotten “bigger” and “stronger” this offseason.

Many players can lose some explosiveness if they put on more weight, but Jones is still a young player in his second NFL season, and both he and Packers running backs coach Ben Sirmans don’t feel he’s lost any explosiveness with the added weight. After a couple of knee injuries last year, Jones placed an emphasis on his lower body, with the hope of making him more durable while also helping him break more tackles. Jones said: “I’m bigger all around. That’s something that’s going to help me in pass protection and that’s something I want to get better at. I’m stronger, so definitely when a defender who’s bigger than me comes up I can hold my ground this year.” Jones also added, “I still feel just as explosive as I was, if not even more,” so it doesn’t sound like gaining weight will cause any issues. This should be seen as a positive sign for the 2017 fifth-round pick as he competes for a nice role in Green Bay’s offense.

Via: Packers.com 7/2/18 - 02:52 PM ET

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes JuJu Smith-Schuster is “due for at least 100 targets in 2018.”

As a rookie last season, Smith-Schuster had 79 targets but turned it into 58 receptions for 917 yards and seven touchdowns. While keeping his catch rate that high might be a bit of a stretch, more volume is definitely a good sign for his fantasy value. In 2017, 36 players had over 100 targets—including all 15 players that had over 1,000 yards receiving. That many targets does not ensure statistical success, but if Smith-Schuster hits that number, it’s hard to see him not again delivering very strong fantasy value in his second NFL season.

Via: ESPN 7/2/18 - 10:16 AM ET

Robert Turbin says he’s getting suspended for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Turbin beat the media to the story, which he says was important to him so he can apologize to those that matter to him. Turbin took responsibility for his error and says he hopes it educates and informs other players. It’s reportedly a four-game suspension for Turbin. The Colts have a pretty wide-open backfield with first-year head coach Frank Reich, but this missed time could hurt Turbin as he looks to compete for a nice role. This suspension could potentially lead to Turbin getting released if the roster spots get really tight in Indy.

Via: Robert Turbin 6/29/18 - 02:15 PM ET