What’s Happening
According to Mike Kaye, Keelan Cole has been getting the majority of reps with the first team offense. Cole was fantastic down the stretch for the Jaguars catching 42 passes for 748 yards and three touchdowns. He was able to gain playing time due to injury and inconsistent performances by the other pass catchers on the team. He has big play ability and is perfect player out of the slot for Blake Bortles. With the talk that Donte Moncrief has not performed well, Cole could be in for a big role and year with a miniscule ADP.
Adrian Peterson signed a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins today. The Redskins have been hit hard with injuries to their backfield after losing rookie Derrius Guice for the year as well as Byron Marshall and Samaje Perine both suffering more minor injuries. Peterson had some good moments last season, but they were also marred by being released by New Orleans and a Cardinals offense that struggled with inconsistent play at quarterback and by the offensive line. The Redskins struggled with massive injuries to the offensive line last season, which really stunted their running game. If the line can stay healthy, it will be one of the better groups in the league and with a healthy Chris Thompson returning, he and “All Day” could be a very nice one-two punch.
According to Kyle Meinke, Kenny Golladay has been the preferred player in two-wide receiver sets over Golden Tate . Golladay has been my favorite sleeper this season as he showed huge playmaking potential last year, but was never given the role to exploit his talents. It seems that the latter may be changing. One would expect the Lions to run mostly three receiver sets and when they run two-receiver sets, they will likely be running more often than not, so this may not overly effect Tate’s value, but it is definitely something to watch in the third preseason game versus the Bucs.
Josh Allen looks to be the favorite to start Week 1 for the Bills after AJ McCarron reportedly broke his collarbone over the weekend. However, it sounds like the report of McCarron’s demise may have been a bit premature. Either way, Allen has already been named the starter for the third preseason game versus the Bengals. Allen is raw, but has a lot of talent, though there are questions about how much talent there is in the receiving corps in Buffalo. Expect the Bills to rely a ton of LeSean McCoy , but this preseason game should be a good indication of Allen’s favorite targets in the passing game. If he performs well, he could easily steal the starters role long term.
Quick Hits
Josh Gordon has officially returned to the Browns and practiced today. Early drafters can breathe a sigh of relief.
Cowboys guard Zack Martin had an MRI on his left knee. The results were negative. This is good news for Cowboys skill position players as the Dallas line should continue to be one of the stronger units in the league.
According to Darren Urban of azcardinals.com, Christian Kirk has impressed coach Steve Wilks. Kirk is competing for a starting role with the Cardinals and is an interesting sleeper in fantasy this year. While he is best suited for the slot, a spot that Larry Fitzgerald typically plays out of, the Cards have a lack of playmakers in the passing game, so they should let Kirk play if he earns the spot.
Joe Williams will miss at least the first week of the season with a broken rib. This may shed a bit more light on the recent signing of Alfred Morris .
Alshon Jeffery , who had offseason shoulder surgery, practiced on the sidelines during the Eagles practice today. This is a good sign that he is progressing and has a shot to play Week 1.
According to reports, there are multiple teams interested in acquiring Teddy Bridgewater . With talk that Sam Darnold could start Week 1, Bridgewater is becoming expendable for the Jets. He should likely be traded soon.
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