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 Tuesday July 29th:
It’s Getting’ Hot In Herre
It’s about mother effing time!! I spent the majority of last year shredding Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith for running what equated to a day spa during training camp last season. He let players come and go as they pleased, allowed them furlough, gave them frequent water breaks and treated every minor injury with rest and relaxation. Just because the Falcons train in a town named Flowery Branch, doesn’t mean they have to play like it. Thus, it was no surprise when the Falcons completely tanked to a 4-12 record and last place finish in the NFC South.
When the Falcons agreed to let the HBO Hard Knocks cameras film their camp this year I realized that maybe things would be different this summer. And as it turns out that assumption has turned out to be true.
This year the Falcons are allowing full on tackling during practice, running more than ever and even performing the controversial Oklahoma Drill in which two players square off against each other until one runs the other out or knocks him down. Talk about a change of scenery.
The aggressive nature of the new Falcons training camp has run over several times in terms of on the field scuffles. There have already been three fights between Falcons players including a Gabe Carimi/Stansly Maponga dust up, a Ryan Schraeder/Jacques Smith brawl & Jake Matthews/Kroy Biermann squabble.
I know that most of you probably don’t realize that this is actually a very good sign for a football team. The more a team fights together during training camp the stronger their bond will be when the regular season opens up. I can’t wait to see it for myself when Hard Knocks debuts here in a couple of weeks. But let me just say that I am feeling much better about the Falcons now then I was a week ago.
In Other Falcons News
It was only a matter of time before Steven Jackson hurt something so it is only fitting that he has been labeled as “out indefinitely” with a hamstring injury. So, I guess that Devonta Freeman will get an opportunity to show what he can do with the first team offense here for at least a couple of weeks. For more information on what I think about Freeman, check out my Rookie Report I did on him just last week.
Sleeper Alert
One thing that you will never learn from the scouting combine numbers is what a player’s true makeup is. Hell Jeffery Dahmer can seem like a decent, personable guy in a 15 minute interview. The fact is that teams have no idea what kind of player they are really getting until training camp begins. The Miami Dolphins are really happy these days with their second round pick Jarvis Landry.
Landry has been one of the first to arrive and last players to leave practice every single day. His routine consists of catching 20 minutes of intense cardio before and 60 extra passes from the Juggs machine after every practice. The Dolphins coaches are absolutely thrilled with the work and dedication of their young WR. Landry is in a terrific situation here in Miami as he will likely be the Dolphins slot receiver when the season starts. If he continues to put in this kind of effort it will most definitely show up on the field this season.
Loose Ball
Tennessee Titans rookie RB Bishop Sankey is trying to do his best Omar Epps impression in training camp this summer. You may recall that Epps portrays Darnell Jefferson, star RB for the ESU Timberwolves in the 1993 film “The Program.” Jefferson had a habit of putting the ball in the ground during practice and thus he was forced to carry a football around with him all day everyday. If anybody else returned the ball, Jefferson would have to sit out the next game.
Well Bishop Sankey has already put the ball on the ground three times in four practices and it is starting to infuriate the coaching staff. Sankey had a couple of fumbles in college and doesn’t the ideal high and tight grip technique which at this point has got to be a concern. Rookie RB’s with fumbling habits do not make wise investments in fantasy football. We will continue to monitor this situation throughout camp but keep it in the back of your mind before you select Sankey in your drafts this year.
Quick Hits
Arian Foster is sitting out of Texans camp due to stiffness in his hamstring. As a result the team signed little known RB Tim Cornett to fill in some of the depth while Foster is out. It’s not believed to be a significant injury so Foster should be back at the helm by early next week.
Seahawks holdout RB Marshawn Lynch has already racked up $455,000 in fines from missing the first week of training camp. The new fine procedures in the NFL has scared off so many would be holdouts from actually following through on their threats. I would expect Lynch to get back in camp by the first week of August.
Being named DeMarcus in Dallas is evidently not a good thing. Cowboys first round pick DeMarcus Lawrence has suffered a broken foot and will be out 8-10 weeks. This is a significant loss for a defense that was also reeling from the loss of DeMarcus Ware this offseason.
Sad news from Giants camp where RB David Wilson suffered a neck stinger this afternoon and had to be rushed to the hospital for further evaluation. Wilson is said to be alright and in fine spirits but this could significantly damper his comeback attempts this year or perhaps ever.