Per James Palmer of NFL Network, Broncos RB Javonte Williams has been cleared for contact to open training camp. Williams, who tore his ACL and LCL against the Raiders in Week 4 last year, also avoided landing on the PUP list to begin camp just seven months after surgery. These pieces of news certainly bode well for his chances to make a fantasy impact as the lead back in a Sean Payton-led offense. Any RB returning from a multi-ligament injury requires keeping a close eye on, so we'll be sure to watch his progress as we get closer to the beginning of the season. We have Williams placed conservatively in our current RB rankings, but he could be a riser if we get further positive reports further into August.
The Cowboys placed TE Luke Schoonmaker on the non-football injury list. He's still dealing with the plantar fasciitis that sidelined him for much of the spring. Schoonmaker landed in a wide-open Cowboys TE corps. But the missed practice time doesn't bode well for his chances of carving out an early-season role. TE Jake Ferguson is probably the better bet for production out of the gate.
The Cowboys and CB Trevon Diggs have agreed to a five-year extension worth $97 million (plus incentives), according to multiple reports. The $19.4 million annual average ties Diggs for fifth at the position. The deal comes as no surprise. Diggs heads into just his fourth year and won't turn 25 until late September. He announced himself to the public with a league-leading 11 INTs in 2021. That number (predictably) tumbled in 2022, but Diggs improved in coverage. One measure: He allowed a career-low 12.1 yards per catch, down drastically from 18.7 in 2021. Diggs also saw 10 fewer targets in coverage last season despite playing 80 more snaps in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. Expect the young CB to remain an inconsistent contributor in fantasy football leagues. Diggs sits low in our 2023 IDP rankings.
NFL Network’s James Palmer reports that Broncos RB Javonte Williams (knee) is not expected to start training camp on the PUP list. That would mean there’s no chance for him to open the regular season on the PUP. That’s obviously great news for his early-season outlook and the overall status of Williams’ knee. He’s been going at a low-risk level in early fantasy football drafts
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio writes that there's "been chatter in league circles regarding hesitation arising from the possibility of a suspension" for RB Dalvin Cook. That helps explain why Cook still hasn't been signed after the Vikings released him in early June. Cook reportedly offered his domestic violence accuser $1 million to send a letter to the NFL “relieving Mr. Cook of any wrongdoing," according to The Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Rochelle Olson. Cook's trial won't begin until 2024, but there's some belief that the $1 million offer is a sign of guilt that could spur the NFL to take action. We'll continue to keep you updated on Cook's legal situation and free-agency market. His Underdog Fantasy ADP has sunk into Round 8.
It's not hard to figure out why new Panthers WR Jonathan Mingo made it into Round 2 of the NFL Draft. He averaged 15.7 yards per catch for his SEC career, including 16.9 his final season at Ole Miss. Then he ran a 4.46-second 40 time at the Scouting Combine and notched 89th-percentile measurements in the broad and vertical jumps -- at nearly 6'2 and 220 pounds. So what's not to like? Mingo caught just 39 passes across his first two college seasons. He seemed on his way to a breakthrough junior year before a foot fracture disrupted things. And even in his best (fourth) season, Mingo still trailed teammate Malik Heath in receptions and yards. That makes it tough to expect Mingo to immediately lead an NFL WR corps in production. The rookie sits just ahead of Adam Thielen to lead Panthers WRs in Underdog ADP. But you won't find him nearly so high in our WR rankings. Carolina doesn't sport an impressive group at the position, but be careful about overrating the rookie on that factor.
Broncos RB Javonte Williams says “the plan” is for him to be medically cleared in time for training camp. No surprise there, as Williams put in some work at OTAs. He wouldn’t commit to suiting up for Week 1, saying it’s the Broncos’ decision. The team will certainly use the next two months to assess his readiness. We’ll track Williams’ progress closely in training camp, but for now, our RB rankings assume 14 games for the former Round 2 pick.
New Panthers RB Miles Sanders is clearly in line to lead the team's rushing after signing the biggest free-agent contract for any RB that switched teams this offseason. HC Frank Reich called him "a three-down back" in June, according to AP. And Sanders said he's excited to reunite with RBs coach Duce Staley, who "knows what I can really do." He certainly seems to be expecting more receiving work. But Sanders' past three years have been pretty terrible in that area. He went from 3.1 receptions per game as a rookie to 2.3, 2.2, and 1.2. And his 10.2 yards per catch fell to 7.0, 6.1, and 3.9. Sanders has also seen his Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade decline each year. RB Chuba Hubbard doesn't look like a great bet to steal a big role after seeing his work decline in Year 2. RB Raheem Blackshear, however, caught 123 passes at 9.9 yards per catch over a 5-year college career that spanned two stops. There's also room for the Panthers to import a veteran such as Kareem Hunt. Sanders carries some upside from his mid-RB2 position in our fantasy football rankings. Just make sure you don't overrate him simply because you can't see who else in the Carolina backfield would claim significant opportunity share.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders is in a strong situation to provide fantasy value this year. The Panthers gave Sanders the biggest RB contract in free agency by total money ($25 million), guaranteed money ($13 million), and average annual salary ($6.25 million). HC Frank Reich and company want Sanders to be their feature back, and they place a lot of faith in his abilities to shoulder large responsibilities. “Miles is a three-down back, and he can do a little bit of everything," said Reich during OTAs. "He’s explosive, he’s fast, and he has good vision and patience. Really smart. And on third down, when he has to block, he’s a willing blocker.” There isn't a ton of competition behind Sanders, either. Chuba Hubbard logged just 6.3 carries and 0.9 targets per game in 2022 following the Christian McCaffrey trade, and Raheem Blackshear and Spencer Brown combined for 44 touches in last year’s Panthers backfield. We project a major workload for Sanders in 2023, though his ceiling will depend on how many scoring opportunities the Panthers' offense will have with a rookie QB at the helm. See where we have him slated in our current RB rankings.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott missed 5 games last year with a right thumb fracture. Back healthy, he’s looking to play a full season for the first time since 2019. As Nick Harris of the Cowboys’ official site writes, “the new offense [with HC Mike McCarthy as play caller]… has been constructed completely around Dak.” Prescott, with two years remaining on his current deal, might also receive an extension this summer. Currently, he’s scheduled to count nearly $60 million against Dallas’ 2024 cap. Before then, Dak will look to capitalize on the arrival of WR Brandin Cooks, who gives this unit a more dynamic 11 personnel. Prescott ultimately projects as a low-end QB1 for fantasy managers.
It looks like the market for free agent RB Dalvin Cook is heating up. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have made a formal contract offer to the veteran back. Jackson went on to say that “there's mutual interest" and that Cook "has called Miami a 'perfect fit'.” NFL Network's Tom Pelissero also recently spoke about Cook on The Rich Eisen Show, stating that the veteran has received "multiple offers" from various teams, so the Fins will not be alone in their pursuit. Cook showed some signs of decline last season, averaging his fewest rushing yards per game (69.0) since 2017 and losing significant target share. Wherever he ends up, we're probably not talking about a slam-dunk RB1 in fantasy anymore. But he should have a role worthy of mid-round draft consideration. Cook landing in Miami would throw an already busy backfield -- Jeff Wilson Jr., Raheem Mostert, and 2023 rookie De'Von Achane -- into an absolute frenzy. Keep an eye out for further updates.
Jon Machota of The Athletic believes RB Malik Davis is “the most likely candidate” to earn Dallas’ RB2 job. His competition includes Ronald Jones and rookie scat back Deuce Vaughn. As Machota admits, the team could bring in a veteran to share the load with Tony Pollard. We’ll see how this situation develops in training camp. For now, outside of ultra-deep formats, Davis isn’t someone we’re looking to buy. The former Florida Gator brings some pass-catching chops with 54 receptions over his final two college seasons. But Davis also went undrafted last April following his redshirt senior campaign. He'll turn 25 in November.
ESPN's Jordan Raanan has come away from minicamp believing WR Parris Campbell will be a "big part" of the offense this season. "See him as top producer out of the new WRs this season," Ranaan tweeted. "At one point Tuesday. He caught three straight passes. Working mostly out of slot." Campbell is one of a plethora of primary slot receivers on the Giants roster, along with Wan'Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard, and Jamison Crowder. It sounds like Campbell is the early favorite to win that job, but he's still not an exciting fantasy pick in what figures to be a run-leaning offense featuring RB Saquon Barkley and TE Darren Waller.
The Vikings are releasing RB Dalvin Cook, according to multiple reports. The move (or a trade) has been anticipated all offseason. His departure leaves Alexander Mattison as the top candidate to lead Minnesota's backfield, and there's big volume upside. Cook ranked 11th among RBs in opportunity share last season, the team's first under HC Kevin O'Connell. Ty Chandler, DeWayne McBride and Kene Nwangwu will compete for roles behind Mattison. Cook now hits the open market, ready to significantly alter the RB projections for some new team. Check our fantasy football RB rankings for updated numbers.
Per ESPN’s Todd Archer, Cowboys TE Luke Schoonmaker is dealing with a case of plantar fasciitis. He was seen wearing a protective boot on his right foot at OTAs. The Round 2 pick enters the summer looking to earn snaps for a Cowboys squad now without Dalton Schultz.
Broncos RB Javonte Williams (knee) practiced in a limited capacity during Thursday's OTA session, HC Sean Payton said. These are half-speed, pad-less practices -- and it's unclear exactly what "limited" entails. But the fact that Williams was on the field at all after October's multi-ligament knee injury is encouraging. Payton said earlier this month that he expects Williams to be ready for training camp. We'll continue to keep a close eye on his rehab.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will sign an extension this offseason. Dak is under contract through the 2024 season, but his cap number rockets from $26.8 million (2023) to $59.5 million in 2024. “Cowboys leadership has been very clear, publicly and privately, that they're all-in with Dak," Graziano writes. “They want him to be a Cowboy for his entire career.” Prescott, who turns 30 in July, projects as a low-end QB1 for 2023.
Broncos HC Sean Payton said Saturday that he expects RB Javonte Williams (knee) to be ready for the start of training camp. "His rehab is going well," Payton said. "A good chance he’s ready. Hopefully might not start on PUP." Williams is working back from October's multi-ligament knee injury. GM George Paton was optimistic about Williams' availability for Week 1 back in February but was non-commital when discussing the situation again in April. It's unclear if Williams has made significant progress over the last month or if Payton is wearing rose-colored glasses. Williams carries substantial risk until we see him back on the field, but he's reasonably priced at an 8th-round price tag in Underdog drafts.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer hears that RB Dalvin Cook is now likely to remain with the Vikings for the 2023 season. "The Vikings have told other teams they're cap clean now, so there’s no urgency at this point to offload Cook," Breer writes. It sounds like Cook might still be available if another team was hot for him, but that seems unlikely considering Cook's age (28 in August), injury history, and cap hit ($14.1 million). We'll continue to keep an eye on this situation, but you should be drafting for now as if Cook will be a Viking this season.
The Cowboys chose RB Deuce Vaughn in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. Vaughn, of course, is best known for standing just 5'5 and 179 pounds. He got workhorse usage at Kansas State the past two years, though, with 528 carries and 91 receptions over that span. Vaughn might need return duties to help him make the active roster, but we'll be watching eagerly to see if he can work into an offensive role. There's room to climb a depth chart that currently includes Tony Pollard, Malik Davis, Ronald Jones, and Rico Dowdle. Vaughn will be just a late-round target for dynasty rookie drafts.
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