Fantasy News

Odell Beckham Jr. is “pretty close” to being fully cleared, according to Giants head coach Pat Shurmur.

OBJ hasn’t been give the full OK from doctors to practice fully, but it’s only a matter of time. It’s great that Beckham has decided to show up to OTAs despite not yet getting the contract he wants, and he’ll likely be on the field in full capacity whenever he’s ruled 100%. The talk of a trade and/or not stepping foot on the field seems like a thing of the past.

5/29/18 - 12:06 PM ET

Marcus Mariota might not wear a knee brace this season.

Mariota has been working out during OTAs without the knee brace that he’s been wearing since he injured his knee during his rookie season back in 2015. Now over a couple of years removed from that injury, the former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback probably wants to try and give it a go without the brace. Mariota says he feels comfortable without the brace, adding that the brace “felt restricting.” However, he did note that he has to be smart about his health and might ultimately decide to still wear the brace this season. One way or another, a knee brace doesn’t really have an impact on Mariota’s fantasy value. The best part about this offseason for him is that he’s able to fully participate after he wasn’t last season, as he was recovering from his broken leg suffered on Christmas Eve 2016. Look for a sharper and much statistically-improved Mariota this season.

Via: TitansOnline.com 5/29/18 - 11:50 AM ET

Christian McCaffrey says he’s “gained about five pounds of good muscle” this offseason.

McCaffrey has always been understated in the size department, but he does look noticeably more muscular in pictures that have been snapped of him over the last several weeks. The second-year running back says he’s worked on everything: “my core strength, my upper body strength and my lower body.” McCaffrey is looking to use the added bulk to break more tackles this season as he gets ready for what should be a heavier workload in 2018. Weight gain can be troublesome for some running backs if they lose speed, but the good news is McCaffrey says he wants to play “where I feel fastest, where I feel most explosive, where I feel most comfortable.” These five pounds shouldn’t hinder McCaffrey’s dynamic ability as a runner and receiver. C.J. Anderson signing with Carolina put at least a slight dent in the McCaffrey’s fantasy value, but the young running back is one of our favorite selections in the second or third round of fantasy drafts, which is where he’s going according to early ADP.

Via: Panthers.com 5/29/18 - 07:59 AM ET

Tyler Eifert says he is “on schedule” in his recovery from back surgery, according to Cincinnati.com.

Eifert has participated in the start of OTAs on a limited basis, but says he feels “good.” Eifert says starting the offseason training limited has been part of the plan to stay monitored as we progress through here. I don’t want to go out there and have any setbacks or anything, so just methodically moving forward.” The big tight end is expected to be 100% for training camp this summer, which would be an excellent sign as he looks to stay healthy for a Bengals offense that is counting on him in 2018. Eifert offers a lot of touchdown upside at the tight end position for fantasy drafts this season, and his durability will be the biggest concern.

Via: Cincinnati.com 5/27/18 - 04:19 PM ET

Malcolm Mitchell has been working at TB12, according to multiple reports.

TB12 is of course Tom Brady’s training center located in Foxborough right near Gillette Stadium. Mitchell has dealt with knee issues dating back to his college career at Georgia, and he’s certainly aware of what his quarterback’s training method has done for his career. After missing all of last season with a knee problem, Mitchell could be a huge factor in New England’s offense in 2018; and working with the TB12 team could potentially lead to Brady having more trust in his young receiver, who he already appeared to have a lot of trust in during Mitchell’s rookie season a couple years ago.

5/27/18 - 11:33 AM ET

Jake Butt (knee) is back to 100%.

After not playing at all during his rookie season and eventually getting placed on injured reserve in early November because of the knee injury suffered in his final game at Michigan, Butt is thankfully back to his normal self. New Broncos quarterback Case Keenum says that watching Butt on the field he “had not idea that it was even a knee issue. You can’t even tell.” It’s really great to see Butt is 100% after the knee injury caused him to go from a potential early-round pick to a fifth-rounder, and he’ll be competing for Denver’s starting tight end job this season. If Butt stays healthy, he’s probably the favorite to open the season as the top tight end for the Broncos, which could lead to some backend TE1 value in 2018.

Via: Denver Post 5/25/18 - 08:06 PM ET

Joe Flacco says he’s quickly developed chemistry with new Ravens receiver Michael Crabtree.

Jamison Hensley of ESPN says Flacco, when asked about his new receivers, said Crabtree is “the guy, because he’s got a little different way that he runs the routes. He’s really crafty with it, and he knows when to break away from guys and how to get open.” You don’t want to look too much into practices and statements at this time of year, but Baltimore has an entirely revamped receiving corps this season. The progress that is built during the spring could carry over to the preseason and then the regular season, and it looks like Crabtree is someone that Flacco is going to put a lot of trust in. Crabtree has touchdown totals of nine, eight, and eight over his last three seasons, and he’ll be a decent bet to match that in his first season with the Ravens.

Via: Jamison Hensley 5/25/18 - 01:12 PM ET