Welcome to the 2014 NFL Training Camp Blog! Everyday I’ll be reporting on all of the fantasy worthy news, notes and nonsense from around all 32 NFL training camps. If you want more in-depth knowledge on how to become a better fantasy football player, check out the 210 page Fantasy Football Draft Guide. We’ve got 550+ players ranked, 30 winning strategies from the best players in the world, every coaching system, offensive line and rookie broken down like you have never read before. Plus, you can get is ALL FOR FREE when you deposit into a NEW DraftKings account.
Here is the Training Camp Report for Saturday August 9th:
Anything Interesting Happen Tonight?
Yes I purposely waited until after the Lions/Browns game tonight to write this piece. By now you all know how I feel about Johnny Manziel and his future in the NFL. I have never been more sure about a player in my entire life which honestly does scare me just a bit. But upon watching Manziel’s first pro action I am even more confident of my initial prognosis.
The simple fact is that his game doesn’t work at in the NFL. You can’t just prance around over and over again without consequence at this level. Manziel ran four drives this evening and took two pretty significant hits to the head. The Browns medical staff had to check him out for a possible concussion as well though they concluded that he was fine to continue. This was his FIRST FOUR DRIVES!! What’s going to happen after his first 16 games?
For the game Manziel was 7-11 for 63 yards passing and added six carries for 27 yards on the ground as well. He should be able to rack up some huge numbers in the preseason as this is the time when defenders are least used to contact. It’s also the least talent he’ll face in the NFL as well.
Overall I just don’t see how anybody could watch Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel tonight and come to the conclusion that Manziel is best for the Browns offense right now.
Another Thing
With all of the hype surrounding Johnny Manziel’s debut, some people might have not realized just how much the Browns offense has changed from last year. Those of you still holding out hope for Josh Gordon and drafting him (insane!) ahead of many other very good players should take note of the change in scheme here in Cleveland.
The Browns threw the football more than the Broncos last year. Think about that for a minute. The Cleveland Browns threw the football more times than the team that broke just about every team passing and scoring record in NFL history. No matter what happens with Gordon’s suspension he won’t/wouldn’t have nearly as many targets, receptions, yards or TD’s as he did in 2013. The Browns are a running team now with a much better defense. If Josh Gordon was assured of 16 games this season he still wouldn’t crack my top five WR’s.
Brown Out
Very curious situation tonight in the Texans/Cardinals game in which Bill O’Brien’s squad got absolutely pummeled 32-0. We all knew that Arian Foster was not going to play due to his hamstring, back or vagina being too hurt but where in the hell was Andre Brown? Brown was supposed to be the first RB up for Houston tonight but he was nowhere to be found.
It is possible that O’Brien decided to hold Brown out for precautionary reasons but that was not the case just Friday when he addressed the media. Nobody in the Houston organization is talking about it but there is definitely something strange about Andre Brown’s absence from the game tonight.
Good Man
Indianapolis Colts TE Dwayne Allen is entering his third season in the NFL since the Colts made him the 64th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He left college early to enter the draft and was just a few credits short of his degree. After a moderately successful rookie season, Allen played just one game in 2013 after sustaining a hip injury requiring surgery.
Unlike many young athletes though, Allen didn’t slack off or get into trouble during his time away from football. In addition to rehabbing like a madman to help him recover quickly from hip surgery, Allen also went ahead and finished off his Health Science Degree from Clemson University.
Allen attended his graduation ceremony on Saturday just two days after the Colts 13-10 loss to the Jets. Not only did Allen officially become the first in his family to graduate college this morning but he got on a flight and flew back to Indianapolis to attend the Colts practice this afternoon. I was a big fan of Dwayne Allen going into this season as I think he will easily outproduce Coby Fleener. But I am now an even bigger fan of Allen after seeing just how hard working he really is.
Injuries
Jets $38 million man Eric Decker is now nursing a quad injury suffered in the Jets victory against the Colts on Thursday. Decker hauled in two receptions in his Jets debut for just 12 yards. Decker has already missed practice time this summer with hamstring and foot injuries as well. Too soon to say that Decker is the guy who will disappear now that he has his money but he definitely fits the profile in my opinion.
The 49ers are low on WR bodies at the moment with both Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd on the sidelines nursing injuries. Crabtree’s injury has been a very hush hush type of deal around 49ers camp this summer. Most people are saying that he simply has some general soreness in his hamstring but there are whispers that he is indeed having some soreness with his repaired Achilles. Either way, Crabtree is going to have to get on the field soon in order to hold onto his fantasy value as we approach the regular season.