Fantasy News

Eagles running back Ryan Mathews is excused from the team's minicamp.

Mathews suffered a neck injury to the C6 and C7 vertebrae at the end of last season, and he's still rehabbing that while he's away from the team. The Eagles have made it sound like Mathews isn't in their plans, and the signing of LeGarrette Blount amplifies that. Mathews, who is due $5 million this season, probably needs to get to 100% before anything can happen with his future status.

Via: Turron Davenport 6/14/17 - 11:20 AM ET

Jay Ajayi wants to be the best running back in the NFL.

Every running back in the league wants to be the best, but Ajayi said he knows he has to do it all "to be considered the best at the running back position," so he focused on improving his pass catching ability this offseason—he wants to be a true three-down back that stays on the field as much as possible. Head coach Adam Gase said Ajayi is much more advanced mentally than he was at this time last year, and said that Ajayi is asking "beyond next-level" questions about the offense. Ajayi has had quite the turnaround after being a healthy scratch at the start of last season. There's been a lot of talk about the bruising running back getting upwards of 300-350 carries this season; that, along with his pass game role looking to increase, Ajayi might be a total steal if his ADP remains in the second round in 2017 fantasy drafts.

Via: ESPN 6/14/17 - 10:32 AM ET

Carson Palmer will work on "drastic" changes to his footwork.

When the Cardinals break minicamp, Palmer plans to continue to work hard and make some changes to his game. He says the biggest change will be to his footwork, but he'll also work on building arm strength and going through mental parts about the offense. Palmer wants to make sure his footwork change becomes consistent so he doesn't have to think about it mid-drop. After taking a step back last season from his awesome 2015 season, Palmer—and the Cardinals—are looking to bounce back this season. Palmer working hard to improve at this age is great to see, and he definitely has a chance to be a real fantasy bargain this summer, as he's not currently ranked as a top-15 fantasy quarterback and can put up QB1 numbers.

Via: ESPN 6/14/17 - 09:15 AM ET

Rookie running back Joe Mixon has dropped ten pounds since being drafted by the Bengals.

Mixon said he was 238 pounds, but is now down to 228. A lot of players seem to gain weight when going through the draft process, but Mixon isn't having a problem shedding that weight. Eating healthy and dropping weight seems to be helpful for most running backs, as it keeps them healthier and lighter on their feet. Mixon is back around his playing weight after losing the ten pounds, and the former Oklahoma Sooner will be competing with Jeremy Hill for the starting running back job this season.

Via: ESPN 6/14/17 - 09:05 AM ET

Todd Gurley could be more involved as a receiver this season.

Because Gurley has shown the skill set to catch the ball out of the backfield, head coach Sean McVay, who described Gurley as “a much more complete player than maybe a lot of people would think,” might look to get him more involved in the passing game. Gurley actually had 43 receptions last season, but perhaps they can bump that up and also get more explosive plays out of it. Lance Dunbar has also gotten praise and is likely to be used as a third down back, however. Still, the Rams are likely going to try to ride Gurley. He is a good bet to bounce back from his 3.2-yard per carry season last year. Gurley’s success might come down to the offensive line improving.

Via: Los Angeles Rams 6/13/17 - 09:56 PM ET

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti implies the Ravens won't be signing Eric Decker.

On a conference call with Ravens season ticket holders, Bisciotti said that he doesn't think they have room for "starter at wide receiver now." After the signing of Jeremy Maclin, Baltimore might have the best trio in the NFL with him, Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman, and they also have depth with Michael Campanaro and Chris Moore. Obviously Decker will be playing for a team this season, as he's a highly productive receiver, but interest from teams hasn't been made public yet. The Eagles—who inquired about Jeremy Maclin as he remained unsigned over the weekend—could get in if the price is lower for Decker. The Browns and Niners—who both have a ton of cap space—are also teams to keep an eye on.

Via: Jeff Zrebiec 6/13/17 - 09:49 PM ET

Joe Flacco compared running back Danny Woodhead to Ray Rice.

The Ravens quarterback said, "ever since we lost Ray Rice, we haven’t had a type of back that’s quite like how Ray was and quite like how Danny is in the passing game." Woodhead was certainly a reliable target out of the backfield for Tom Brady and Philip Rivers through the years. Flacco and Woodhead also said they are both have had almost instant chemistry and a feel for each other. Woodhead is completely recovered from his torn ACL suffered in Week 2 last season, and he was a big addition for the Ravens. He'll be a solid asset in PPR leagues this season.

Via: Baltimore Ravens 6/13/17 - 08:43 PM ET