Well, that was brutal. NFL Preseason Week 3 that is. Not only did we see a giant door swing open in the Kansas City backfield for rookie running back Kareem Hunt due to teammate Spencer Ware tearing his PCL, but a couple of significant fantasy assets at wide receiver also went down for the entirety of the 2017 season, as Patriots veteran Julian Edelman and breakout candidate Cameron Meredith of the Bears both suffered ACL injuries.
With those potentially high-volume targets now out of the mix from their respective passing attacks, there are obviously some suddenly new opportunities for other New England and Chicago route runners alike. If you have already completed your fantasy football drafts for the year, then the two wide receivers below could well be available on your waiver wire. In the event that you still have one or more drafts to come, listen up.
Kevin White (CHI)
White was the seventh overall selection of the 2015 NFL Draft, and so far, to put it bluntly, he has been a bust. That may be a little harsh, seeing as how an inability to remain healthy has been the primary reason for that. The former West Virginia standout has played a mere four games over his first two years in the NFL. Ironically enough, it is an injury that has cleared the way for yet another prime opportunity for White to emerge as a playmaker in Chicago.
With Meredith sidelined, White is now poised to become the de facto No. 1 wide receiver for the Bears. He could certainly be in line to see something in the range of 10-12 targets per game, and as long as he stays on the field and hauls in at least half of those looks, we could be looking at a legitimate WR3 in standard-depth formats with some fair upside to boot.
For what it’s worth, White has the endorsement of new veteran teammate Victor Cruz, who told reporters earlier this week that “this is the year he (White) has to take over.” Cruz went on to declare that White is “ready for that.”
Chris Hogan (NE)
Even with Edelman out of the picture in the Pats’ passing game, there are still plenty of mouths for Tom Brady to feed in New England. Although new addition Brandin Cooks may indeed turn out to be the biggest overall beneficiary of Edelman’s absence, Hogan is the guy who warrants the highest uptick in fantasy stock.
During his first season (2016) with the Super Bowl Champs, Hogan saw less than four targets per game and caught a grand total of 38 passes over 15 regular-season games. However, he managed to rack up 680 yards and four scores on those grabs while leading the NFL at 17.9 yards per receptions.
Hogan also delivered for the Patriots when the lights were shining the brightest. Over three playoff games, he gained 332 yards on 17 receptions and hit paydirt twice during a 180-yard performance in the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers.
With the sudden opportunity for additional targets, Hogan’s penchant for the big-play alone makes him worthy of WR4 consideration in most leagues. By the way, don’t turn a blind eye to fellow Patriots Malcolm Mitchell and Danny Amendola either.
Player News
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.
Colts EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles) said he is expected to be cleared for training camp.
Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles in training camp last year and did not play in the 2024 season. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Colts. He now has one year left on his deal and will be looking for a rebound season as he stares down free agency in 2026