RB Darren Sproles re-signs with PHI
The Eagles—who already had Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and others on the depth chart—signed the receiving specialist as they go all-in on a title in 2019. Sproles may struggle to have much standalone fantasy value, so this is a ding on Sanders and Clement more than anything else, while Smallwood and Adams will need an injury or Philly to keep five running backs to make the team.
NE RB Sony Michel placed on PUP list to start camp.
Michel isn’t quite ready to get on the field after offseason arthroscopic knee surgery, which will give rookie third-rounder Damien Harris a chance to get important summer reps. The Patriots won’t hesitate to play the guys that give them the best opportunity to win now, so Michel will hopefully get on the field soon to pickup where he left off in the postseason. Consider him a low-end RB2.
NE WR Julian Edelman expected to be sidelined three weeks with a thumb injury.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report the injury based on a photo of Edelman’s thumb in a brace at the receiver’s youth camp, but he should have plenty of time to be ready for the regular season. Timing is obviously key—especially for the Patriots—but if there’s a guy that can afford to miss time, it’s Edelman. We’ll see more of N’Keal Harry and Braxton Berrios in the meantime.
TEN TE Delanie Walker avoids PUP list to start camp.
The veteran tight end is returning from a serious ankle injury that kept him out basically all of last season, but his positive status allows Tennessee to gel together offensively with Walker and the upgraded receiving corps (Corey Davis, Adam Humphries, and A.J. Brown) surrounding quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Bengals sign CIN WR Tyler Boyd to contract extension.
Coming off a 76/1,028/7 line, Boyd inked a four-year, $43-million deal to stay in Cincinnati through the 2023 season, which is clearly a good sign for his role in new head coach Zac Taylor’s offense. And for those concerned about A.J. Green returning to limit Boyd’s production, the Pitt product was on pace for 98 receptions for 1,240 yards and ten scores in eight games with Green active last season.
LAR WR Cooper Kupp not placed on PUP list.
Kupp tore his ACL in the middle of last season and was fully expected to be ready for Week 1, but this is still a great sign as Los Angeles looks to make another deep playoff run. Excluding the two games he was injured in last year, Kupp caught 35 passes for 527 yards and one touchdown per game. All three of Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Kupp could be top-20 options in 2019.
3,000-yard season the goal for ATL WR Julio Jones?
Jones told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he might “mess around and go three (thousand yards),” insisting he’s “going crazy this year.” Julio has never been one to chase stats, and him going off for even a 2,000-yard campaign (which has never been accomplished) would obviously benefit the team. We may not see Jones in preseason action as the team looks to keep him healthy, but he should be a first-round pick in all formats.
NO WR Michael Thomas is holding out of camp.
Add the star receiver to a list that includes Melvin Gordon and Ezekiel Elliott as high-profile fantasy options that have chosen to stay away from their team as they seek a new contract. Thomas is reportedly looking for the deal worth over $20 million annually, so the Saints are understandably not budging, and it would probably be unwise to eventually give in—because paying a receiver isn’t the blueprint to win a Super Bowl. Still, we would bet New Orleans finds a way to get Thomas on the field.
NYG WR Sterling Shepard fractures thumb.
The team announced that Shepard will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis, so this is a less-than-ideal start for the new No. 1 receiver. On the bright side, it’s better for an injury to happen now than closer to the regular season, and Shepard will probably be back for Week 1. We’ll see if Corey Coleman and others can step up behind Golden Tate in preseason action.
WAS RB Derrius Guice says he was a “full participant” to start camp.
There was a report earlier in the month that suggested Guice wouldn’t be ready for the start of training camp due to a hamstring injury, but he was on the field with his teammates this week. The second-year back wasn’t fully confident when discussing his Week 1 status, but that’s probably just him taking things one day at a time more than anything else. Adrian Peterson may remain Washington’s lead back, but fantasy owners would feel a lot better about Guice if he can play in the preseason.
Huh didn’t think Guice would be ready.
He is and I’m drafting him lol.
So Boyd will actually be good again. Thanks for the stat on his stats with Green.
My draft neeeeeds to get here
Thomas ain’t worth that.
Agree
Sanders way up.