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Around the League
With so many roster cuts and trades taking place yesterday, a lot of guys are now looking for new jobs with new teams. In addition to guys looking for new teams to call home, we also have guys being waived today after surviving roster cuts yesterday. Let’s take a look at what the latest news is.
De’Angelo Henderson signed on with the Jets on their practice squad. Henderson was cut by the Broncos in somewhat of a surprise move and will now try to find a way onto the Jets roster. He is someone to monitor and could make some noise if Crowell were to suffer an injury.
Breshad Perriman will work out for the Jets in hopes of landing a contract. Even if he were to land a deal, he would be behind Anderson, Kearse, Enunwa, and Pryor.
Cardale Jones was waived by the Chargers after losing the backup QB battle to Geno Smith . Jones might land somewhere, but he’s far from fantasy relevant. He simple doesn’t have what it takes to be a NFL QB.
Paxton Lynch was waived by the Broncos. Lynch failed to hold off Chad Kelly for the Broncos backup QB job and will now have to try to make a presence somewhere else. Someone is going to sign him.
Mike Gillislee visited with the Saints today and left the meeting with a one-year contract. Gilislee will likely operate in the Mark Ingram role and could be fantasy relevant for the first couple weeks while Ingram is out. He is someone to pickup in your league.
Amara Darboh was claimed off waivers by the Patriots after being let go by the Seahawks. Darboh is only 24 and has some talent, but for now he is still not fantasy relevant even with Tom Brady as his QB.
Antonio Gates signed a contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. Do not rush to your waivers to make a claim on him though, he is 38 and has seen his numbers decline in four straight seasons. However, it is nice to see the Rivers to Gates connection back in business.
The Ravens have decided that Lamar Jackson is their number three QB, while Robert Griffin will be the team’s primary backup. I wouldn’t buy too much into this, if Flacco goes down with injury, Jackson will be thrust into the starting role.
Dolphins Coach Adam Gase stated that he believes Mike Gesicki is ready for a “starter-like role.” This is hardly shocking news, but it is a positive note for those taking a flyer on the rookie TE late in drafts.
Dan Bailey will head to New York and take a visit with the Jets on Monday. After winning the kicking job, Jason Myers could soon be out of the job he just won. Bailey’s career field goal % of 88.15 is good for second best in NFL history, only behind Justin Tucker .
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Injury News
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The Eagles confirmed that Jay Ajayi will play week 1 against the Falcons. He is expected to return to practice tomorrow.
Carson Wentz has still yet to be cleared for contact. Already ruled out for week 1, his week 2 status is starting to look murky as well. Nick Foles will start the first game for the Eagles and could have some streaming appeal in 2QB leagues.
Sony Michel participated in positional drills today. He is still likely to be OUT for week 1, but this is a good sign towards his week 2 availability.
Adam Sheehan is being placed on injured reserve and will be out at least the first eight weeks. Trey Burton should be an every-down player. Burton is a very nice target the drafts starting around round 7, for anyone who has a last minute draft.
Chris Warren will undergo knee surgery after being placed on IR yesterday. Warren led the NFL in rushing yards during the preseason with 292. Oakland will role with Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin as their top two backs.
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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