We didn’t get much clarity for fantasy football purposes, but an NFL football game was played last night between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. One game down, more to go, and plenty of training camp practices in between. This week during NFC training camp, all of the teams had their first full-padded practices. As NFL coaches continue to evaluate, so do fantasy football managers. Positional battles, injury news, and other team reports are constantly changing the outlook on our favorite players’ seasons. Check out below everything that went on in the NFC this past week and how to manage the news moving forward.
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What’s New at Training Camps in the NFC
Arizona Cardinals
Veteran wide receivers, AJ Green and Christian Kirk have both been sidelined with minor injuries this week in training camp. Green’s best days are likely behind him. Kirk did return Thursday, but he has been underwhelming and inconsistent so far in his career.
Meanwhile, rookie, Rondale Moore is taking the opportunity in their absence by showcasing his 4.29 40-yard dash speed. If this continues, the 2021 second-rounder could be the number two receiver behind reliable stud, Deandre Hopkins. That’s a position worthy of a fantasy football roster spot given that Arizona ran the third-most offensive plays last season.
If all of the above players are healthy, Moore could be stuck in a fight for targets each week. He does, however, have a chance to command the 412 snaps from the slot that recently retired Cardinal, Larry Fitzgerald, leaves behind.
Running back, Eno Benjamin is working his way into this offense despite having no involvement his rookie season in 2020. If he continues to have a presence, this backfield could shape into a three-back committee of James Conner, Chase Edmonds, and Benjamin. Keep in mind quarterback, Kyler Murray, is also a top rusher for this team.
Atlanta Falcons
We finally got our first Kyle Pitts highlight of his rookie training camp. The 2021 fourth overall pick may be the first rookie pass-catcher taken in fantasy football drafts. If you don’t value Pitts as a top-5 tight end, you likely won’t have him on your roster this season. He’s been known to go off the board as high as the fourth round.
There is a lot of skepticism that Atlanta may still sign a veteran back to this roster. In the meantime, Qadree Ollison is emerging as the Falcons’ backup running back behind Mike Davis.
If Ollison is as good as advertised early on, the team may not see a need to bring in an experienced veteran and form a committee. Continue to consider Davis as a solid RB2 with weekly RB1 upside as each day passes without any additions to the backfield.
Carolina Panthers
Sam Darnold’s performance from Wednesday’s training camp practice is one to get excited about. After a reportedly miserable start to the week, Darnold bounced back, throwing three red-zone touchdowns during mid-week drills. This is encouraging considering the Panthers ranked 28th in red-zone scoring last season.
The touchdown recipients on those plays were wide receivers, Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore, as well as, the likely first overall fantasy pick, running back, Christian McCaffrey. Moving on from Teddy Bridgewater in favor of Darnold indicates the team believes he is an improvement to the offense. That said, I expect all of the above players to retain their 2020 value at the very least.
Christian McCaffrey is receiving a ton of praise from Carolina beat reporters claiming he looks to be in mid-season form. After running for a long touchdown during Thursday’s practice, Run CMC is making the case, again, as to why he is the top player in fantasy football. There aren’t any concerns in 2021 about his injuries from last season.
Chicago Bears
The training camp battle continues at the quarterback position in the Windy City. Justin Fields is gaining momentum, especially amongst the fans. Head coach, Matt Nagy still insists it’s Andy Dalton’s job.
It will only be a matter of time before Fields takes over. Allen Robinson will be the biggest winner, for fantasy football purposes, when he does.
If you spend your first two picks on non-wide receivers, Robinson is a juicy target in the third round as a reliable WR1. He is a top-10 receiver with legitimate top-5 potential when Fields gets under center. This will likely be the best quarterback he’s played with in his career. Robinson has finished no worse than the PPR WR7 over the last two seasons.
Running back, Tarik Cohen is likely weeks away from getting any work in on the training camp practice field. His return from a torn ACL last season is on hold. This opens the door for Damien Williams as the backup to David Montgomery.
Cohen currently has an ADP (RB52) higher than Williams (RB60). It’s time to adjust the rankings. Williams is the clear-cut passing option during training camp thus far. The last time he played in a football game was the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV win where he rushed for 17/104/1 and caught 4/29/1 to help secure the title. He looks like the handcuff to Montgomery with potential weekly flex value.
Dallas Cowboys
The biggest story out of Cowboys training camp is the team’s “conservative” approach to Dak Prescott’s shoulder rehab. Head coach, Mike McCarthy, stressed the importance of preventing the quarterback’s soreness from developing into a more serious injury. His shoulder injury is being treated as a “baseball injury.”
While we won’t see Dak throwing much at training camp the next few weeks, he’s still a top-5 option at quarterback. I am admittedly more hesitant than I originally was to use one of my top four or five picks on him until I hear promising news about his shoulder.
McCarthy also stated last weekend that Ezekiel Elliott’s role could be dialed back in preparation for a potential playoff run. That may be true, but Zeke is still the bell-cow back in Dallas. Even if he sees a slight decrease in carries, the team is paying him too much and he is too talented to sit during red zone and passing down opportunities. With all that said, his backup, Tony Pollard, remains one of the top running back handcuffs for the 2021 fantasy football season.
Another week goes by and fans continue to drool over more Ceedee Lamb highlights out of training camp. His fantasy football ADP is creeping up and will continue to once HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series kicks off next week.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper says he is close to 100% and returning to the practice field. With the aforementioned Lamb receiving all of the attention, Cooper could come as a value in fantasy football if managers continue to let him slip down the draft board. He’s currently projected to start Week 1 and has an average draft position of a fourth- or fifth-round wide receiver, notably behind Lamb.
Detroit Lions
To no surprise, TJ Hockenson continues to command the praise as the Lions’ best offensive player so far in training camp. It usually takes at least three seasons before a tight end becomes relevant or breaks out in fantasy football. It just so happens to be Hockenson’s third year in the league.
Rookie wide receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, had a solid day of training camp once the pads were on. With his combination of size and speed, he could prove to be a mismatch for opposing defenses. He even got into a scuffle with a frustrated rookie cornerback during team drills. Then, he beat another defender off the line a few plays later for a would-have-been long touchdown.
The most seasoned pass-catcher on the roster, Tyrell Williams, is back in action after dislocating his pinky. He is five years removed from his only 1,000+ yard season and did not play football last year.
To keep it simple, Hockenson is the Lion pass catcher you want. It isn’t out of the question for one of the wide receivers to present weekly flex value. Consider the handful of them as possible waiver wire adds after the season gets going in redraft leagues.
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is back. The best highlight out of the Packers’ training camp thus far is the 2020 MVP placing a perfect pass into a netted basket 40 yards downfield. Let me take this time to remind you that wide receiver, Davante Adams, is the top option at the position for the 2021 season.
If for whatever reason Rodgers is unable to play, second-year quarterback, Jordan Love, is feeling more comfortable ahead of this season. Considering the Packers spent a first-round pick on him last year, Love’s ability in the preseason is worth monitoring in the event he is under center at any point this season and supporting the fantasy football value of Packers offensive players.
Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford is dealing with a thumb injury after banging his hand against a player’s helmet during practice earlier this week. Based on his history of playing through countless injuries, he, nor anyone, feels this one should be anything to worry about. He did injure this same thumb last season but did not miss any time. It’s still early in training camp and he is expected to be fine for his Rams debut in Week 1.
Top receiving targets, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods are key contributors in training camp thus far. The two each have top-20 ADPs at wide receiver and will likely live up to that value, if not better.
Stafford is also utilizing tight end, Tyler Higbee, in a lot of the 7-on-7 drills. This is a great sign to bet on him as a breakout player at the position. If you can’t land one of Kelce, Waller, or Kittle, then Higbee is a great name to keep in mind later in your fantasy football draft.
Desean Jackson is gaining a lot of attention from his teammates as the deep threat receiver we’ve known him to be. The key to DJax’s success will be his health. He may be worth a very late-round flier in best ball formats as he’s usually good for one or two big performances. I need to see him on the field consistently before I add him to my redraft roster at any point this season.
Minnesota Vikings
So far, the Vikings’ training camp is one of the biggest victims of a Covid-19 outbreak. Rookie quarterback, Kellen Mond, tested positive for the virus, which held starter, Kirk Cousins, out of practice until Thursday, as he was considered a close contact.
When Cousins was out there, a strong connection with tight end, Irv Smith, was clear. Considering that veteran, Kyle Rudolph is no longer on the team, Smith is a breakout candidate at that tight end position. He is getting a lot of looks in red-zone drills during the early practices at training camp.
Furthermore, if Smith’s rapport with Cousins continues, he could cement himself as the third option in the passing game. He is a great tight end to target in later rounds right now as a player who could become a weekly starter sooner than later.
A player assuming that third pass-catcher role before, wide receiver, Olabisi Johnson, tore his ACL during practice at training camp last weekend. This opens the door a bit wider for recent signee, Dede Westbrook, to earn a spot on the roster. While not a consideration for fantasy football at this time, it’s a name to keep in mind in the event Justin Jefferson or Adam Theilen are forced to miss time at any point this season.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints quarterback battle continues. Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston have gotten nearly equal shares of first-team reps during training camp. With no end in sight, the first preseason game should be a great look at who could have the upper hand.
Over the weekend, the team brought in running backs TJ Yeldon and Devonta Freeman for workouts. Freeman signed soon after and has joined the team with a good shot to be the RB3 behind Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray.
His presence shouldn’t be a threat to Kamara, who is the focal point of this offense. He could, however, jeopardize Murray’s status as a top fantasy football handcuff.
New York Giants
Veteran, Alfred Morris, is the newest member of the New York Giants running back room after signing a contract earlier in the week. He is now the sixth running back on the roster as Saquon Barkley continues his rehab from a 2020 season-ending knee injury.
This may raise a few red flags in relation to Barkley’s status for Week 1, but it’s still too early to tell. Head coach, Joe Judge, claims Barkley is making strides in his rehab and keeping up with the same volume and intensity during training camp as those out on the practice field.
The biggest indication of Barkley’s status will be who remains on the team when it’s time for roster cuts. Until then, you have to monitor this news daily and go with your gut as to where you feel comfortable selecting Saquon if you are drafting soon.
I believe Saquon plays Week 1 and would use a mid-to-late first-round pick on him. If I do, I am definitely keeping Devontae Booker, his current backup, on my radar later on in fantasy drafts.
Top free agent signing, wide receiver, Kenny Golladay is out with a hamstring injury. The Giants say he avoided a major injury and he is expected to miss two to three weeks. This is extremely disappointing for Golladay’s value as his time spent catching passes from Daniel Jones in training camp is valuable. Nonetheless, he should be fine for Week 1.
Any time missed by Golladay will raise the value of wide receivers Sterling Shepard, Kadarius Toney, and Darius Slayton. None of which would be anything more than WR3s any given week, but they’re all going mostly undrafted in redraft formats.
Philadelphia Eagles
For the second year in the row, the Eagles’ first-round draft pick is out with an injury during training camp. Rookie wide receiver, Devonta Smith, suffered a sprained knee last weekend. He will be on the sidelines for the next two to three weeks.
This is a total buzzkill as Smith is set to miss valuable time learning this new offense. Luckily, Smith comes from a borderline professional offense from the University of Alabama where he played with, now Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts.
If Smith isn’t on the field during the preseason, I understand knocking him down a bit from his current WR32 ADP. However, top first-year receivers of the past, Odell Beckham, Jr. and Justin Jefferson, for example, still had an impact after slow starts to their rookie campaigns. Don’t give up on Smith too quickly.
Wide receiver, Jalen Reagor, is back on the field after starting out training camp on the sidelines with lower body tightness. He did make the case as the top pass catching option with his best practice yet on Thursday.
Zach Ertz continues to display a veteran presence in this offense which could be bad news for tight end, Dallas Goedert. As long as Ertz is on this roster, I won’t be spending a seventh or eighth round pick on Goedert, which is where he is currently coming off the draft board.
Running back Miles Sanders is just barely out-touching Boston Scott 35 to 29 so far in training camp. Scott is in line to be the change of pace back as well as the top pass-catching option out of the backfield. This trend, if it continues, would make me question if Sanders can live up to his RB18 ADP.
San Francisco 49ers
The Trey Lance takeover in the Bay Area seems imminent. It’s impossible to find a negative report surrounding him thus far out of Niners training camp. Yet, San Fran General Manager, John Lynch, insists that Jimmy Garopollo is playing his best football yet. Head coach, Kyle Shanahan, has doubled down saying there are no plans to give Lance first-team reps.
One teammate claims Lance has “the best arm” he’s ever seen “hands down.” Another report says Lance has spent the most time on team-issued iPads studying the playbook. On the field, Lance is accurate, especially downfield, as he’s thrown for multiple impressive touchdowns.
Unnamed sources claim Lance could be “Mahomes 2.0.” If he does win the starting job before the season, he could be considered a top-12 option with even higher upside at quarterback. When he does, every 49er will get a boost in value for the upcoming fantasy football season. Draft accordingly. The Trey Lance hype train is leaving the station. All aboard!
Seattle Seahawks
Most of the highlights out of Seattle’s training camp so far are Russell Wilson bombing the football to deep threat, Tyler Lockett. Often considered a boom-or-bust option at wide receiver in fantasy football, Lockett could be a steal in drafts this season. He is a big piece of the team’s future, having just signed a four-year extension in April.
Lockett has finished as a top-20 wide receiver in each of the last three seasons and is currently coming off the board as WR23 in 2021 drafts. If you don’t want to, or can’t, get your hands on DK Metcalf early, but want a piece of this passing game, Lockett will usually be available around the fifth/sixth-round turn.
Keep tight end, Gerald Everett, on your radar. The former Ram spent the first part of his career with, now Hawks’ offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, who was the passing game coordinator in Los Angeles. If Waldron incorporates more tight end usage into the Seattle offense, Everett will be an early waiver wire pickup in the 2021 fantasy football season if he goes undrafted.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback, Tom Brady, turned 44 years old this week. If you want to bet against Brady having success in 2021, be my guest. I don’t see any reason to believe he doesn’t live up to his top-10 quarterback ADP.
The Buccaneers are the first Super Bowl winning team in NFL history to return all 22 of their starters the next season. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown are the only pass catchers worth drafting.
The tight end room looks to be more crowded with OJ Howard’s return this week. I know Rob Gronkowski had an awesome Super Bowl performance. I’m just not using a draft pick on him expecting consistent production for 17 games at this point in his career.
Washington Football Team
The biggest concern for fantasy football purposes with this team is running back Antonio Gibson’s recovery from turf toe last season. Gibson is entering his second season with a better quarterback, wide receivers, and four out of five offensive line starters returning.
The 2020 RB12 isn’t worried about the aforementioned turf toe. Most of the pain Gibson was experiencing was when he was changing direction, making cuts. He claims that no longer applies. Gibson is looking more and more enticing as an option in the second round in fantasy football drafts with less risk than he once carried.
Wide receiver, Curtis Samuel, remains on the reserve/Covid-19 list. Quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, is looking to tight end, Logan Thomas, more during practice as a result. Thomas could build on last year’s breakout and is a good bet to finish inside the top-10 this year at the tight end position. With a similar build to Mike Gesicki, Fitzpatrick’s tight end in Miami last season, Thomas is likely to see a lot of red zone targets in 2021.
For more Rankings and Analysis please check out our full 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.
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