NFL News & Rumors This Week: Jordan Addison, Brandon Aiyuk & More

Can you feel it? Fantasy football is in the air! Most of the Scott Fish Bowl Drafts are either underway or done which means that redraft season is finally upon us. And with that, the Fantasy Alarm 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Guide is available now! Grab your copy now for all your favorites like Yin & Yang Tight End Rankings as well as rankings from Howard Bender, Jim Bowden and myself!

Top NFL News & Rumors This Past Week

As we proceed through the NFL offseason, we’ll be doing a quick roundup of NFL news every Friday to keep you looped in on the goings on that are ongoing. First, we’ll take a look at the big NFL news that even the most casual of fans might find interesting. Then we’ll dive into the news and rumors that could help out the deep cut fantasy football players out there. A little something for everyone!

Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison Arrested For Alleged DUI

• The star wide receiver was reportedly arrested near LAX under suspicion of driving while over the legal limit. This comes merely days after his rookie teammate, Khyree Jackson, was killed by a drunk driver. Last year, Addison was also pulled over for driving 140 miles per hour but claimed it was due to a vet emergency. Following the incident, Addison removed mentions of the Minnesota Vikings from his social media accounts. 

San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk Requests Trade

• Brandon Aiyuk has been in talks for a new deal with the San Francisco 49ers and, after those talks have stalled, he has now formally requested a trade. When A.J. Brown was with the Tennessee Titans, he did something similar and was promptly traded to the Philadelphia Eagles (who then paid him). Aiyuk’s teammate (who has the same agent as Brown) made the same request and the 49ers opted to pay him. It will be interesting to see what the 49ers do this time around.

Jacoby Jones, Former Ravens WR & Super Bowl 47 Star, Dies At Age 40

• Reports confirmed that former Ravens and Texans player Jacoby Jones has passed away at the age of 40. No official cause of death has been cited as of now but it is believed that he passed away in his sleep. At the time of his death, he was the wide receiver coach for Alabama State. Tributes to Jones continue to pour in from former teammates and coaches across the football world.

Miami Dolphins Assessing Damage On Stadium After Copa America

• The final game of the Copa America soccer tournament was held in Miami at Hard Rock Stadium this past Sunday. But there were issues of overcrowding after more tickets than seats were sold to patrons (and some patrons without tickets attempted to enter). This reportedly has led to “significant damage” to Hard Rock Stadium after the break. It’s yet to be reported exactly the cost of the damage, but there was clearly extensive vandalism after walls and barricades were broken down by attendees.

Denver Broncos Hall Of Famer Terrell Davis Placed In Handcuffs On Flight

• The former Broncos running back said he was “in shock” after he was placed in handcuffs on a United Airlines Flight. A flight attendant on the flight claimed that Terrell Davis reached back and hit him. Davis claimed that he tapped the attendant while asking for a cup of water. They did not interact again for the remainder of the flight but, upon arrival, Davis was placed in handcuffs and escorted away.

New York Giants Hall Of Famer Lawrence Taylor Arrested On Felony Warrant

• In more serious matters, all time great linebacker Lawrence Taylor was arrested on Wednesday on a felony warrant for failing to report his residence change as a registered sex offender. Taylor was required to register as a sex offender after he pled guilty in 2010 to patronizing an underaged prostitute in New York. He was sentenced to six years of probation. This is not the first time that Lawrence has failed to report an address change as he was arrested on the same charges in December of 2021. 

Fantasy Football News & Rumors

This part focuses on important updates related to fantasy football from different offseason practices and meetings:

• Anytime a player requests a trade, the rumors begin on where he will end up. Brandon Aiyuk has been rumored to the Raiders to join former coach Antonio Pierce, as well as the Commanders to join his friend Jayden Daniels (who he has appeared on video with now multiple times. He’s also been rumored to be traded to all other 29 teams on social media.
   
• Davante Adams claimed he “signed off” on the Raiders benching Jimmy Garoppolo. I wonder who he will choose to start out of Aiden O’Connell or Gardner Minshew?
   
• Mike McDaniel said there would be “supreme competition” at the running back position for Miami in a recent interview but also added that the whole group was “pretty much led by Raheem [Mostert]”. We already know that Mostert and breakout star De’Von Achane will both mix in, so the question is how much Jaylen Wright will factor in?
   
• Per OC Zac Robinson, the Falcons plan to play Kyle Pitts at both tight end and wide receiver and that Pitts is “basically learning two different positions”. After running ~70% of his routes from a wide receiver spot last year, it’s no surprise that he would be asked to play some WR in the new scheme as well.
   
• Falcons OC Robinson also added that they will find creative ways to get Bijan Robinson the ball, “like the Niners do with Christian McCaffrey”.
   
• It’s that time of year folks. Running back quads and running back squats. This time around it was a viral video of Nick Chubb squatting 540 pounds coming off a serious knee injury:

• Some fantasy-relevant players have landed on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) and non-football injury (NFI) lists as we head into training camp:
  • Nick Chubb, CLE, RB (PUP)
  • Ricky Pearsall, SF, WR (NFI)
  • Tucker Kraft, GB, TE (PUP)
  • Mike Williams, NYJ, WR (PUP)
  • Juwan Johnson, NO, TE (PUP)
  • Chris Olave, NO, WR (NFI)
  • Keaton Mitchell, BLT, RB (PUP)