2023 Fantasy Football Training Camp News August 18: Anthony Richardson & Sam Howell Named Starters
Training camp and preseason games are well underway which means actual NFL football is right around the corner! It’s time to set those draft dates, lock down our fantasy football rankings, and figure out how we’re going to beat ADP. The best way to do all that, as always, is to secure your copy of the Fantasy Alarm NFL Draft Guide available now but we never stop providing you the NFL news, rumors, and notes that help keep you up to speed - which is what we are doing today!
There’s a lot going on right now so we’re going to break things down into three sections. First, we’ll give you the big NFL news stories of the week. Then we’ll look at both players leaving with ailments (the injuries) as well as guys returning to the playing field (the outjuries). Finally, we’ll wrap it up with some of the “popcorn news” from around the league in the Training Camp Hype section. So let’s get to it!
Latest NFL News
Dalvin Cook to the New York Jets, Ezekiel Elliott to the New England Patriots
- Dalvin Cook has inked a one year deal with the New York Jets while Ezekiell Elliot signs with the New England Patriots. We did a full write up on the fantasy football impact which can be found here.
Joe Mixon found not guilty of “aggravated menacing”
- Joe Mixon had his day in court after being accused of waiving a gun at a woman and was found not guilty. He still has a second pending issue to be litigated concerning a teenage who was shot near his home - that is a civil case rather than a criminal investigation.
Sam Howell, Anthony Richardson, Brock Purdy, CJ Stroud Named Starters
- It’s “announce the starting quarterback season” in training camp. Most of these guys were outright named the starter while Kyle Shanahan’s comments that Brock Purdy would need to “melt in practice” to lose the job pretty much solidify that job too.
Blind Side Drama With Michael Oher
- Michael Oher recently came out and said that he was NOT adopted as the movie The Blind Side depicted and instead he signed a conservatorship that the Tuohy Family used to make money off his name that was not shared with him. The family then offered a rebuttal that they not only didn’t make money off the movie but were disappointed that Oher tried to shake them down for $15 million before coming out with the story. There’s more drama right now with this story than the film itself!
Former Baltimore Ravens Running Back Alex Collins has Passed Away
- It’s been reported that Alex Collins unfortunately died in a motorcyle accident on August 13, 2023. Coach John Harbaugh commented that “Alex was a joy to be around and someone whose light shined brightly”.
NFL Injury Updates
Injuries
- Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage suffered a season ending knee injury on Wednesday morning
- Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks suffered an LCL sprain that could cause him to miss the first few weeks.
- Lions receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and Jameson Williams (hamstring) both suffered injuries in practice. ARSB will miss a couple days of practice while Jameson Williams will reportedly sit out the rest of preseason.
Outjuries
- Broncos running back Javonte Williams will play 10 to 12 plays in this week’s preseason game, according to head coach Sean Payton.
- Jets running back Breece Hall returned to practice though it was reported that he still has knee soreness at times.
- Saints running back Kendre Miller returned to practice on Thursday.
- Zach Ertz has been cleared for full football activities coming off ACL and MCL tears.
Fantasy Football Training Camp Updates
GET AMPED UP
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson continues to shine for the Browns amid reports that the passing game with Deshaun Watson has been “completely unimpressive thus far”.
- Rookie Jordan Addison made a nice snag in the first preseason game but there is also some hype around KJ Osborn with suggestions from Vikings beat writers that maybe he should be the full time wide receiver opposite of Justin Jefferson.
- Early on in camp it was George Pickens that was pumping out the highlights but recently it’s been Jahan Dotson with catches like this.
- Day three running back Deuce Vaughn has been a fun story this off-season and now there are reports that he’s seeing an “increased workload” with the starting offense.
- Rachaad White has now been called a three down back by both the head coach and offensive coordinator as the hype train rolls on.
- Antonio Gibson is hoping to prove truthers right as he says that, in the new offense with Eric Bienemy, he’s “running outside, lining up wide, being used everywhere.”
- Romeo Doubs has apparently been the wide receiver opposite Christian Watson with rookie Jayden Reed playing the slot but coming out for two wide. Doubs made an impressive touchdown catch in the preseason game as well.
Get the Fantasy Alarm 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide today!
Related NFL Links:
- 2023 Fantasy Football ADP Report
- Fantasy Football Best Ball Advice
- Fantasy Football Dynasty League Strategy
- 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Zero RB Overview and Draft Strategy
- 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Tight End Dynamic Tier Fantasy Football Player Rankings
- 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Top 10 Fantasy Football Busts
Player News
Chiefs released TE Anthony Firkser.
Firkser joined the Chiefs’ practice squad halfway through the 2024 season after he was released by the Jets. He appeared in three games for the Chiefs and four for the Jets, not seeing a target and primarily playing special teams last season. The 30-year-old veteran last caught a pass in the NFL for the Falcons in 2022 and was a productive rotational tight end for the Titans from 2018-2021. Now a free agent, Firkser will look to support a team’s tight end depth in 2025.
Bills signed WR Elijah Moore, formerly of the Browns, to a one-year contract.
Cleveland placed the rarely-used free agent tender on Moore earlier this week, allowing the Browns to potentially net a compensatory pick if he signed elsewhere. Moore’s visit with the Bills proved fruitful and he will now play for “up to” $5 million. Moore struggled to find his footing after the Jets traded him to Cleveland and he went for a measly 538 yards in 2024. He will now get another chance to reset things in Buffalo, but Moore is far from a guarantee for playing time with the Bills.
Patriots did not exercise the OL Cole Strange’s fifth-year team option for 2026.
The move, or lack thereof, doesn’t come as a surprise. Strange was a stunning first-round selection by Bill Belichick in 2022, with Sean McVay saying he thought the Rams would have a shot at landing Strange with the 104th pick. Strange suffered a torn patellar tendon late in the 2023 season that cost him most of 2024. A left guard by trade, Strange made two starts at center last year. A replacement-level player at best, Strange enters his contract year in need of a breakout season.
Cowboys waived RB Malik Davis.
Clearing roster space for their rookie class, the Cowboys also parted ways with OG Jack Anderson, LB Brock Mogensen, and OT Earl Bostick Jr. Davis spent 2024 on the Cowboys’ practice squad and signed a reserve/futures contract with them at the end of the season. He is a long-shot to make an NFL roster this year.
Jets QB Jordan Travis retired from the NFL after one season.
Travis suffered a catastrophic ankle injury late in his final season at Florida State in 2023. The Jets took a shot on him in the fifth round of the draft, but Travis suffered a setback in his recovery and did not play as a rookie. In his statement via the team, Travis said his leg never responded the way he had hoped and the medical staff advised him to return. It’s a sad ending for a player who had a future in the NFL before his tragic injury.
Packers have exercised DT Devonte Wyatt’s fifth-year team option for 2026.
The 27-year-old, who was the 28th overall pick in 2022, has played in 47 games in three seasons with the Packers, recording 12.5 sacks, including five in 2024. Wyatt, who will make $13.9 million in 2026 (per OverTheCap), was the Packers’ highest-graded defensive lineman last season, per PFF.