The Chargers have restructured WR Keenan Allen's contract, shaving $8.9 million off his 2023 salary cap number, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. That's big for two reasons: 1) The team opened the offseason with one of the league's worst cap situations. 2) That plus Allen's contract had driven speculation the Chargers would cut or trade him. You can now bet on that not happening. And that makes Allen a strong value in current best ball drafting. His ADP has sat in WR3 range since 2023 drafting began. Even with big-time injury issues last year, Allen still finished the season 12th among WRs in PPR points per game and 13th in half-PPR. L.A. also restructured WR Mike Williams' contract to save another $5.5 million in cap space.
Weighing in at 6’0 and 219 pounds, Texas RB Roschon Johnson showed good promise at the NFL Combine on Sunday. His official 4.58 40-yard time left a little to be desired, but his 1.52-second 10-yard split ranks tied for 3rd with fellow Longhorn teammate Bijan Robinson and Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs. Johnson looked fairly fluid in running drills and displayed competent pass-catching ability as well. It'll be intriguing to see if he did enough to hear his name called on Day 2 of the NFL Draft in April.
Lions HC Dan Campbell suggested from the Combine on Wednesday that the team is still trying to figure out how to best manage and deploy RB D'Andre Swift. "We thought we had a recipe going into the year, and it didn’t work out," Campbell said. “He got a little bit banged up and then by the end of the year he started to feel better and his production started to go up." Swift appeared in 14 games last year but was limited in the majority of them by ankle and shoulder injuries. "Let’s find another way to see if we can help him stay on the field, you know? I already know he’s doing that for himself, so we’ve got to do that on our end," Campbell added. "What can we do better by him? Can we? Because he’s too talented. He’s too talented to not have out there. He’s an explosive athlete.” It sure doesn't sound like the Lions plan on giving Swift a ton of touches in 2023. But if he can at least hang on to a significant passing-game role, he'll keep himself in the RB2 mix in PPR leagues.
The Panthers named Thomas Brown their new OC. The 36-year-old spent the past 3 seasons working under Sean McVay in Los Angeles, serving as RBs coach and then TEs coach. He bounced around the college ranks prior to that, with his only OC experience coming at Miami from 2016 to 2018. Those offenses finished just 54th, 60th and then 105th in total yards per game. The first 2 were pass-centric attacks, while the 3rd shifted toward the run. Brown will be working under offensive-minded HC Frank Reich in Carolina. We'll see who ends up calling the plays. There's a good chance that Brown is working with a rookie QB in 2023. The Panthers hold the 9th overall pick of this spring's draft and only have QBs Matt Corral and Jacob Eason on the roster currently.
The Athletic's Daniel Popper considers WR Keenan Allen 1 of the Charger's most likely salary cap casualties. (L.A. is currently about $23.5 million over the projected 2023 salary cap.) Allen missed 7 games and most of 2 others with hamstring trouble this past season and turns 31 in April. But he averaged 10.4 targets, 7.5 catches, 84 yards and .5 TDs over 8 healthy regular-season games. And he ranked 12th among 96 qualifying WRs in yards per route run. Allen would draw plenty of interest on the open market if he is released. His departure would be a significant boost to WR Mike Williams and especially WR Josh Palmer. Palmer averaged 7.3 targets, 4.6 catches and 49 yards across 8 games with Allen out or limited this past year.
The Panthers are hiring Frank Reich as their next HC, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Reich was fired by the Colts in November after getting off to a 3-5-1 start. But he went 37-28 across his first 4 seasons in Indianapolis, despite losing QB Andrew Luck just prior to the start of the 2019 campaign. Three of those 4 Colts teams finished top 9 in points; 2 of them ranked top 10 in total yards. Prior to arriving in Indianapolis, Reich spent 4 seasons as an OC -- 2 with the Chargers and 2 with the Eagles. Reich's offense was middling in his 1st season in both stops but improved to finish top 9 in yards in year 2. We'll see how Reich fills out his new staff, but this is a rock-solid hire for Carolina. The Panthers, of course, still need to find an answer at QB after cycling through Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker this past season. Mayfield is now with the Rams, while neither Darnold nor Walker is currently signed for 2023.
Chargers TE Gerald Everett snagged 6 of 8 targets for 109 yards and 1 score in Saturday’s loss at Jacksonville. He paced the team and yardage and was on the receiving end of Justin Herbert’s lone TD. The former Seahawk ended his first year in L.A. as the TE13 in PPG, boosted by injuries to Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. Everett, 28, is under contract for 1 more season.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen finished Saturday's Wild Card game with 6-61 on 13 targets. The massive workload represented a 30.2% target share. It also meant that Allen, 30, finished his 10th pro season with 9 straight games of 5+ catches. He’s currently under contract for 2 more seasons.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore caught 6 balls for 117 yards and a TD in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers. Carolina pumped its passing volume way up, attempting 37 throws after topping out at 24 attempts across QB Sam Darnold's 1st 4 starts this season. Moore still accounted for 27% of targets, 26% of receptions and 34.3% of receiving yards. He'll be a fairly easy play against the Saints for leagues that play through Week 18.
Lions RB D'Andre Swift delivered a pair of TDs in Sunday's lopsided win over the Bears. He rushed 11 times for 78 yards, including a 17-yard TD early in the 2nd quarter. Swift added a 21-yards TD catch midway through the 3rd quarter, accounting for most of his 39 receiving yards on 4 catches (4 targets). The 15 touches marked Swift's 3rd most of the season. It was just his 2nd game with double-digit carries since the season opener. It was also Swifts 1st multiple-TD game since December 2020. He'll face a generous Green Bay RB defense in Week 18.
The Colts have placed EDGE Yannick Ngakoue on IR. He popped up on the injury report Friday with a throat issue that we haven't seen details for. He'll obviously miss the final 2 games now. Indy should remain in solid shape at the edge spots, with Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo as the starters. Both sit among our top 20 D-linemen in the Week 17 IDP rankings.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen dominated the receiving work in Monday night's win over the Colts. He racked up 11 catches for 104 yards on 14 targets, 45.2% of the team's total pass attempts. WR Mike Williams and RB Austin Ekeler tied for 2nd with 4 targets apiece on a limited passing night. Williams caught all 4 for 76 yards. The Chargers get a home date with the Rams in Week 17, a matchup that has been near-neutral for WR scoring on the year.
Seahawks RB Travis Homer sprained an ankle in Saturday's loss to the Chiefs, HC Pete Carroll said afterward. We'll see about the severity, but Homer is off the fantasy radar as long as RB Ken Walker is healthy.
Lions RBs combined for just 22 rushing yards on 12 carries in Saturday's loss at Carolina. RB D'Andre Swift rushed 4 times for 12 yards and caught just 1 of his 5 targets for 13 more. Jamaal Williams posted 7-11 rushing and caught both of his targets for 3 yards. The whole Detroit offense gets a positive matchup back home with Chicago in Week 17, but the RBs won't be exciting plays.
Bears HC Matt Eberflus announced today that the team is placing LB Jack Sanborn on IR for the left-ankle injury that knocked Himont of Sunday's loss to the Eagles. That will end the rookie's season. Joe Thomas stepped in for Sanborn in that game and figures to start over the final 3 weeks. LB Nicholas Morrow becomes the best bet for tackles at the position. You can find him in our Week 16 IDP waiver-wire article.
Bears RB Khalil Herbert (hip) will be designated to return from IR and practice this week. HC Matt Eberflus hinted last week that Herbert was on track to return for Week 16's meeting with the Bills. He averaged 9.3 carries and 54 rushing yards over his last 6 games alongside David Montgomery but totaled just 2 targets during that stretch. Herbert ranked 28th among RBs in non-PPR points across those 6 weeks; 31st in PPR. He's worth owning in most fantasy leagues -- but more as a Montgomery handcuff than Week 16 starter. Herbert's return is a slight ding to Montgomery's fantasy value.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore entered Sunday's game questionable with an ankle sprain but finished as the offense's lone bright spot. He caught 5 of 6 targets for 73 yards and Carolina's only TD in the loss to the Steelers. Moore should be a solid-to-good fantasy option against the Lions in Week 16 and Buccaneers in Week 17.
Bears LB Jack Sanborn injured his left ankle in today's loss to the Eagles and did not return. He was ruled out before the end of the game, which doesn't bode well for his Week 16 outlook. We'll watch for updates on Sanborn's status.
Lions RB D'Andre Swift led the team in rushing yards for Sunday's win over the Jets, tallying 52 on 8 attempts (6.5 per rush). He trailed RB Jamaal Williams by 5 carries (13-33) and watched another 6 go to Justin Jackson (for 16 yards). Swift garnered 9 targets, a season high and 2nd most on the team. He caught 5 for a mere 23 yards (4.6 per reception). Only WR Amon-Ra St. Brown drew more looks. He caught 7 of his 10 for 76 yards.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (ankle) is active for today’s game vs. the Steelers. He was downgraded to limited participation on Friday after putting in full workouts the previous 2 days. It’s safe to assume Moore won’t be at 100% today, adding risk to his fantasy profile.
Search
