Ezekiel Elliott will miss time with tweaked hamstring.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will miss some workouts during training camp due to a hamstring injury.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Wednesday the No. 4 overall pick will "miss some time" with a sore right hamstring, per the team's official website.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the injury is just a tweak and that Elliott's move to the sideline is precautionary.
Elliott's hamstring flared up Tuesday during practice and the running back was unable to finish the workout.
Jones said the team doesn't have a timetable for Elliott's return to the field, but the Cowboys will be very cautious with their first-round investment.
The Ohio State product is predicted to have a big role as a rookie. A dual-threat back, Elliott has the ability to carry the load on a three-down basis for a Cowboys offense that wants to get back to its ground-and-pound ways behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
The Cowboys' backfield as a whole is banged up early in camp. Darren McFadden is on the active/non-football injury list after undergoing elbow surgery last month. Pass-catching back Lance Dunbar continues to rehab last year's knee injury. Free-agent pickup Alfred Morris is slated to get the majority of first-team carries until Elliott returns to practice.
Jones added the team doesn't plan to add a running back to its training camp roster at this time. Rookie Darius Jackson and Rod Smith round out the depth chart.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will miss some workouts during training camp due to a hamstring injury.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Wednesday the No. 4 overall pick will "miss some time" with a sore right hamstring, per the team's official website.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the injury is just a tweak and that Elliott's move to the sideline is precautionary.
Elliott's hamstring flared up Tuesday during practice and the running back was unable to finish the workout.
Jones said the team doesn't have a timetable for Elliott's return to the field, but the Cowboys will be very cautious with their first-round investment.
The Ohio State product is predicted to have a big role as a rookie. A dual-threat back, Elliott has the ability to carry the load on a three-down basis for a Cowboys offense that wants to get back to its ground-and-pound ways behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
The Cowboys' backfield as a whole is banged up early in camp. Darren McFadden is on the active/non-football injury list after undergoing elbow surgery last month. Pass-catching back Lance Dunbar continues to rehab last year's knee injury. Free-agent pickup Alfred Morris is slated to get the majority of first-team carries until Elliott returns to practice.
Jones added the team doesn't plan to add a running back to its training camp roster at this time. Rookie Darius Jackson and Rod Smith round out the depth chart.
'Mutual interest' between Nick Foles, Dallas Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys spent all of last season churning through injured and ineffective quarterbacks. 2016 is off to a similar start.
With backup passer Kellen Moore expected to be out three to four months with the broken ankle he suffered on Tuesday, the 'Boys already have eyes for the league's most available veteran passer: Nick Foles.
"It really seems they're going to have to take a hard look at the veteran quarterback market, and the name to watch is Nick Foles," NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday on NFL Network, per team sources. "There is legitimate interest. I'm told the Cowboys -- that would be the name if they are going to bring in a backup."
NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported that Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones has talked to Foles agent. The Cowboys are one of a handful of teams interested in Foles and there's a chance he could sign with a team as early as Wednesday, Garafolo added.
Foles is likely the best option for the Cowboys at this point. The team's other top options, according to Rapoport, include executing a trade with the Browns for Josh McCown or plucking Jimmy Clausen out of free agency.
The Cowboys have fourth-round rookie Dak Prescott on the roster, but the team lacks an experienced veteran behind starter Tony Romo. Cowboys fans could argue that owner and general manager Jerry Jones didn't do enough to bolster this ultra-critical position in the offseason, especially after watching Dallas burn to the ground last autumn when the combination of Moore, Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel floundered in Romo's place.
Rapoport noted that Dallas did its homework on Foles even before he was released by Los Angeles, saying: "They did work on him when the Rams were trying to shop him. There's a lot of mutual interest there for the Cowboys and Nick Foles."
With Foles sitting on his couch jobless and the Cowboys in desperate need of another camp arm, we wouldn't be surprised to see this deal go down much sooner than later.
The Dallas Cowboys spent all of last season churning through injured and ineffective quarterbacks. 2016 is off to a similar start.
With backup passer Kellen Moore expected to be out three to four months with the broken ankle he suffered on Tuesday, the 'Boys already have eyes for the league's most available veteran passer: Nick Foles.
"It really seems they're going to have to take a hard look at the veteran quarterback market, and the name to watch is Nick Foles," NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday on NFL Network, per team sources. "There is legitimate interest. I'm told the Cowboys -- that would be the name if they are going to bring in a backup."
NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported that Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones has talked to Foles agent. The Cowboys are one of a handful of teams interested in Foles and there's a chance he could sign with a team as early as Wednesday, Garafolo added.
Foles is likely the best option for the Cowboys at this point. The team's other top options, according to Rapoport, include executing a trade with the Browns for Josh McCown or plucking Jimmy Clausen out of free agency.
The Cowboys have fourth-round rookie Dak Prescott on the roster, but the team lacks an experienced veteran behind starter Tony Romo. Cowboys fans could argue that owner and general manager Jerry Jones didn't do enough to bolster this ultra-critical position in the offseason, especially after watching Dallas burn to the ground last autumn when the combination of Moore, Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel floundered in Romo's place.
Rapoport noted that Dallas did its homework on Foles even before he was released by Los Angeles, saying: "They did work on him when the Rams were trying to shop him. There's a lot of mutual interest there for the Cowboys and Nick Foles."
With Foles sitting on his couch jobless and the Cowboys in desperate need of another camp arm, we wouldn't be surprised to see this deal go down much sooner than later.
Flight of the bumblebee (uniform) over in Pittsburgh?
Say so long to the bumblebee.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' 1934 throwback kit, colloquially known as the "bumblebee uniform," has been an annual staple since its debut as part of the team's 80th anniversary celebration in 2012. According to Mark Kaboly of the Tribune-Review, the team will end the flight of the bumblebee after the 2016 season.
The jerseys, while not the most aesthetically pleasing of get-ups, were certainly memorable and never failed to move the needle on social media. Plus, Ben Roethlisberger kind of looks like the Hamburglar in this outfit, which was always kind of cool.
Fear not, fans of variety. The Steelers will have a second alternative uniform this year. They'll debut their black-on-black Color Rush unis on Christmas Day against the Ravens. Hopefully this won't pose a challenge for the optically-challenged among us.
Say so long to the bumblebee.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' 1934 throwback kit, colloquially known as the "bumblebee uniform," has been an annual staple since its debut as part of the team's 80th anniversary celebration in 2012. According to Mark Kaboly of the Tribune-Review, the team will end the flight of the bumblebee after the 2016 season.
The jerseys, while not the most aesthetically pleasing of get-ups, were certainly memorable and never failed to move the needle on social media. Plus, Ben Roethlisberger kind of looks like the Hamburglar in this outfit, which was always kind of cool.
Fear not, fans of variety. The Steelers will have a second alternative uniform this year. They'll debut their black-on-black Color Rush unis on Christmas Day against the Ravens. Hopefully this won't pose a challenge for the optically-challenged among us.
Navorro Bowman agrees to extension.....FOUR-MORE-YEARS.
QB Nick Foles agrees to deal with Chiefs.
8 takeaways from Wednesday.
Since Tony Romo displaced Drew Bledsoe in October of 2006, the Dallas Cowboys are 78-49 (.614) with their starting quarterback in the lineup and a woebegone 7-20 (.259) when forced to turn to the backup.
The Cowboys have only themselves to blame for their dire straits with Romo on the sidelines over the past few years.
Owner Jerry Jones emphasized the importance of a quality backup quarterback when he handed borderline starter Kyle Orton a $5 million signing bonus in 2012. Since Orton's July 2014 release, though, the front office has scrimped on the position, hyperbolizing the virtues of limited third-string castoffs such as Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore as legitimate insurance policies.
Just a week after swinging and missing on a trade attempt for Broncos first-round pick Paxton Lynch, Jones hyped Moore's "it" factor despite the NCAA legend's substandard NFL size and arm strength.
When Moore broke his ankle in Tuesday's practice, Jones was hit with an overdue wake-up call. The team's brass can no longer afford to sugarcoat the backup quarterback job behind one of the game's most brittle starters.
To that end, the Cowboys are kicking the tires on a couple of proven starters with the potential to operate as significant upgrades.
NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday that executive vice president Stephen Jones touched base with the agent for former Pro Bowl MVP Nick Foles, recently released by the Rams; however, Foles agreed to terms with the Chiefs on Wednesday night. Even better, the team is looking into a trade for relegated Browns veteran Josh McCown, per NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
Should Jones pull off a swap for a capable stand-in such McCown, the Cowboys will have a chance to enter the season with their strongest quarterback room of the Romo era.
Here's what else we learned from Wednesday's action in training camps around the league:
1. Moore isn't the only injured Cowboy. First-round running back Ezekiel Elliott will miss upcoming practices with a tweaked hamstring. His absence is considered precautionary at this point.
2. Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter is upsetting the depth chart in Tampa, elevating former Harvard standout Cameron Brate ahead of Austin Seferian-Jenkins at tight end. Brate caught our attention as a rookie for his underrated skill set as a receiver and obvious rapport with Jameis Winston.
Intending to "end the mystery," Koetter also announced that Adam Humphries is locked in as the team's No. 3 receiver.
3. Elsewhere in Florida, the Jaguars are starting to mix second-round linebacker Myles Jack in with the starters. Although Jack's eventual position is likely in the middle, his best chance to start is to unseat Dan Skuta at strong-side linebacker.
4. Second-round rookie wideout Michael Thomas continues to turn heads in Saints camp:
5. Speaking of turning heads, the Martellus Bennett experiment is going according to plan in New England. Bill Belichick acknowledged that the tight-end situation is as impressive as it's been in his 18 years with the Patriots. Rob Gronkowski has been so dominant that The Boston Globe is worried about ruining the confidence of the defensive backs assigned to cover him in practice.
6. The outspoken brother tandem of Michael and Martellus Bennett made waves Wednesday, thanks to an ESPN The Magazine profile that featured controversial comments on Jay Cutler, Sam Bradford and J.J. Watt.
Cutler's response to Martellus Bennett's shots: "Hopefully Tom (Brady) can do a better job of finding him than I did."
7. A pair of veteran free agents visited teams in hopes of finding new homes. Former Bengals defensive back Leon Hall met with the Giants, while former Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes worked out for the Dolphins.
Since Tony Romo displaced Drew Bledsoe in October of 2006, the Dallas Cowboys are 78-49 (.614) with their starting quarterback in the lineup and a woebegone 7-20 (.259) when forced to turn to the backup.
The Cowboys have only themselves to blame for their dire straits with Romo on the sidelines over the past few years.
Owner Jerry Jones emphasized the importance of a quality backup quarterback when he handed borderline starter Kyle Orton a $5 million signing bonus in 2012. Since Orton's July 2014 release, though, the front office has scrimped on the position, hyperbolizing the virtues of limited third-string castoffs such as Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore as legitimate insurance policies.
Just a week after swinging and missing on a trade attempt for Broncos first-round pick Paxton Lynch, Jones hyped Moore's "it" factor despite the NCAA legend's substandard NFL size and arm strength.
When Moore broke his ankle in Tuesday's practice, Jones was hit with an overdue wake-up call. The team's brass can no longer afford to sugarcoat the backup quarterback job behind one of the game's most brittle starters.
To that end, the Cowboys are kicking the tires on a couple of proven starters with the potential to operate as significant upgrades.
NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday that executive vice president Stephen Jones touched base with the agent for former Pro Bowl MVP Nick Foles, recently released by the Rams; however, Foles agreed to terms with the Chiefs on Wednesday night. Even better, the team is looking into a trade for relegated Browns veteran Josh McCown, per NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
Should Jones pull off a swap for a capable stand-in such McCown, the Cowboys will have a chance to enter the season with their strongest quarterback room of the Romo era.
Here's what else we learned from Wednesday's action in training camps around the league:
1. Moore isn't the only injured Cowboy. First-round running back Ezekiel Elliott will miss upcoming practices with a tweaked hamstring. His absence is considered precautionary at this point.
2. Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter is upsetting the depth chart in Tampa, elevating former Harvard standout Cameron Brate ahead of Austin Seferian-Jenkins at tight end. Brate caught our attention as a rookie for his underrated skill set as a receiver and obvious rapport with Jameis Winston.
Intending to "end the mystery," Koetter also announced that Adam Humphries is locked in as the team's No. 3 receiver.
3. Elsewhere in Florida, the Jaguars are starting to mix second-round linebacker Myles Jack in with the starters. Although Jack's eventual position is likely in the middle, his best chance to start is to unseat Dan Skuta at strong-side linebacker.
4. Second-round rookie wideout Michael Thomas continues to turn heads in Saints camp:
5. Speaking of turning heads, the Martellus Bennett experiment is going according to plan in New England. Bill Belichick acknowledged that the tight-end situation is as impressive as it's been in his 18 years with the Patriots. Rob Gronkowski has been so dominant that The Boston Globe is worried about ruining the confidence of the defensive backs assigned to cover him in practice.
6. The outspoken brother tandem of Michael and Martellus Bennett made waves Wednesday, thanks to an ESPN The Magazine profile that featured controversial comments on Jay Cutler, Sam Bradford and J.J. Watt.
Cutler's response to Martellus Bennett's shots: "Hopefully Tom (Brady) can do a better job of finding him than I did."
7. A pair of veteran free agents visited teams in hopes of finding new homes. Former Bengals defensive back Leon Hall met with the Giants, while former Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes worked out for the Dolphins.
The dream is dead: Ryan Fitzpatrick cut his damn hair.
Ryan Fitzpatrick cut his hair. Damn it.
One day after we publicly wondered if the Jets quarterback's hair had become sentient, Fitzpatrick showed up at team headquarters with a buzz cut. Fitzpatrick had the choice: Rule the bouffant or let the bouffant rule you. He chose the former.
It's a better look ... I guess ... but not everybody was down with the decision.
"Clearly, I'm disappointed in him," said center Nick Mangold, who looks like this. "He looks like a tennis ball. But, on the other hand, his beard is still intact and I'll take beard over head hair."
Todd Bowles, who is a) bald and b) a guy with a lot of work to do in his very real job as Jets' head coach, was asked about his quarterback's follicle situation.
"I really don't have a comment," Bowles said. "It's hot, so to not have a lot of hair is good."
Last November, a slumping Fitzpatrick cut his hair and the Jets won five straight games as he set the team's single-season touchdown record. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Fitzpatrick visited the barber after the Jets' offense sputtered through an ugly practice on Tuesday.
And what happened Wednesday? Fitzpatrick had his best practice of camp, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini, throwing touchdown passes to four different receivers.
"I rubbed his head for good luck this morning," Mangold said, "and we carried on."
Ryan Fitzpatrick cut his hair. Damn it.
One day after we publicly wondered if the Jets quarterback's hair had become sentient, Fitzpatrick showed up at team headquarters with a buzz cut. Fitzpatrick had the choice: Rule the bouffant or let the bouffant rule you. He chose the former.
It's a better look ... I guess ... but not everybody was down with the decision.
"Clearly, I'm disappointed in him," said center Nick Mangold, who looks like this. "He looks like a tennis ball. But, on the other hand, his beard is still intact and I'll take beard over head hair."
Todd Bowles, who is a) bald and b) a guy with a lot of work to do in his very real job as Jets' head coach, was asked about his quarterback's follicle situation.
"I really don't have a comment," Bowles said. "It's hot, so to not have a lot of hair is good."
Last November, a slumping Fitzpatrick cut his hair and the Jets won five straight games as he set the team's single-season touchdown record. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Fitzpatrick visited the barber after the Jets' offense sputtered through an ugly practice on Tuesday.
And what happened Wednesday? Fitzpatrick had his best practice of camp, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini, throwing touchdown passes to four different receivers.
"I rubbed his head for good luck this morning," Mangold said, "and we carried on."
Leon Hall agrees to contract with New York Giants.
Leon Hall will join the New York Giants.
NFL Media's Mike Garafolo and Rand Getlin reported that the sides agreed to terms on a deal that brings the veteran cornerback to the Big Apple, per two people informed of the agreement. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport added it's a one-year deal that pays out up to $2 million, per a source informed of the contract.
The 31-year-old Hall visited the Giants on Wednesday, but initially left without a contract. The Cincinnati Bengals -- who lost first-round corner William Jackson to injury -- were also interested in the veteran.
Hall is coming off a solid 2015 campaign, compiling nine passes defensed and two interceptions. Entering his 10th season, however, the corner has dealt with a litany of injuries throughout his career. He's blown his Achilles tendon twice and underwent offseason back surgery -- one reason for his late signing. He's reportedly healthy now.
Hall adds veteran depth to the Big Blue's corner group, which includes the highly paid Janoris Jenkins, veteran Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and first-round pick Eli Apple. Hall is a slot specialist whose snaps could push Apple down the depth chart if the rookie isn't ready for full-time duty. With the addition of Hall, Apple has the luxury of learning instead of being tossed in the fire without a safety net.
Signing Hall is the latest move to completely overhaul one of the NFL's worst defenses. The Giants added defensive linemen Oliver Vernon and Damon Harrison early in free agency to revamp the front four. Hall, Jenkins and Apple solidify the back end. Now, if only Big Blue had upgrades at linebacker.
Leon Hall will join the New York Giants.
NFL Media's Mike Garafolo and Rand Getlin reported that the sides agreed to terms on a deal that brings the veteran cornerback to the Big Apple, per two people informed of the agreement. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport added it's a one-year deal that pays out up to $2 million, per a source informed of the contract.
The 31-year-old Hall visited the Giants on Wednesday, but initially left without a contract. The Cincinnati Bengals -- who lost first-round corner William Jackson to injury -- were also interested in the veteran.
Hall is coming off a solid 2015 campaign, compiling nine passes defensed and two interceptions. Entering his 10th season, however, the corner has dealt with a litany of injuries throughout his career. He's blown his Achilles tendon twice and underwent offseason back surgery -- one reason for his late signing. He's reportedly healthy now.
Hall adds veteran depth to the Big Blue's corner group, which includes the highly paid Janoris Jenkins, veteran Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and first-round pick Eli Apple. Hall is a slot specialist whose snaps could push Apple down the depth chart if the rookie isn't ready for full-time duty. With the addition of Hall, Apple has the luxury of learning instead of being tossed in the fire without a safety net.
Signing Hall is the latest move to completely overhaul one of the NFL's worst defenses. The Giants added defensive linemen Oliver Vernon and Damon Harrison early in free agency to revamp the front four. Hall, Jenkins and Apple solidify the back end. Now, if only Big Blue had upgrades at linebacker.
Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict has been medically cleared for practice today. He comes off the active/non-football injury list.
Michael Vick is training in Florida and hoping for one final NFL season.
Wide receivers Alshon Jeffery (muscle tightness) and Eddie Royal (concussion) and tight end Zach Miller (concussion) are not practicing on Thursday at Bears camp.
The Chicago Bears signed FB Darrel Young and waived FB Joe Sommers. OL Amini Silatolu has also passed his physical.
The Chicago Bears signed FB Darrel Young and waived FB Joe Sommers. OL Amini Silatolu has also passed his physical.
Jets CB Darrelle Revis, reiterating what he told ESPN New York 98.7 FM last week, told WFAN radio he's open to the idea of switching to safety in the future. Revis, 31, still believe he can play corner "at a high level." But, as he told ESPN last week, safety is "something I'd want to gravitate to. It's definitely a conversation."
Bucs backup quarterback Mike Glennon was NOT traded. He was missing from practice today. It was an excused absence. His wife Jessica gave birth to a baby boy at 6:20 last night.
The Falcons have waived rookie linebacker Torrey Green, who was accused of sexually assaulting two women and groping another last year at Utah State. Logan (Utah) Police captain Curtis Hooley told ESPN on Thursday that Green wasn't charged in any of the alleged incidents. Hooley said Cache County district attorney James Swink also declined to prosecute the cases. TMZ Sports reported Thursday that the district attorney's office was actively investigating whether Green sexually assaulted the women and groped another. "We were not able to get enough evidence to charge him," Hooley said.
People are filing in for Broncos practice, set to start at 9:30 this morning. A group of officials on hand today as well to work practice and it means the Broncos players and coaches will hear a presentation soon on new rules as well as this season's points of emphasis for the league's officiating crews.
First look at the Rams new home.
3 Boom or Bust wide receivers.
Hype train or smoke screen: Coates, Thomas, Strong.
We all know that the long months of the offseason can cause fantasy owners to artificially build up the stock of players' potential. These situations only get crazier the closer we get to the season. Sometimes these boosts are hype trains that fantasy owners should gleefully board on the way to a league-winning investment in a player. Other times, the buildup is just a smoke screen caused by overblown praise from the team, or a misdiagnosis of the player or their situation. The key to deciphering each individual case is to follow a steady drumbeat building tempo throughout the offseason from OTAs, into training camp and peaking in the preseason. In this edition, we'll look at two second-year receivers with newfound opportunity and a rookie who fell into a perfect situation.
Sammie Coates, WR, Steelers
The Steelers should have the NFL's most dynamic and unstoppable offensive attack. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, they just cannot seem to get their dynamic foursome of weapons on the field at the same time. Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant were all on the field together for a mere 16 snaps a season ago.
Pittsburgh once again won't get to enjoy the spoils of their collection of riches. Martavis Bryant is set to miss the entire 2016 season after multiple violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy. His absence opens up some opportunity on the Steelers wide receiver depth chart.
Bryant owned a 21 percent share of the team targets after he re-joined the team in Week 6 after a different four-game suspension and subsequent one-game injury. Analytics expert Warren Sharp notes in his 2016 season preview, "the Steelers were the most pass-happy team in the NFL if you exclude games started by (Mike) Vick and (Landry) Jones ... they were still slightly more pass-happy than average in 2014 as well." Whoever ends up absorbing the majority of Bryant's vacated targets will matter in fantasy football.
The most logical player to assume Bryant's target share is fourth-year receiver Markus Wheaton. He currently goes off the board as the WR41 in the ninth-round on Fantasy Football Calculator. You can make the case that he's a good value there in this offense, but Wheaton utterly disappointed when asked to be the No. 2 last year during Bryant's suspension.
Wheaton averaged just 1.8 receptions and 45.6 yards per game in the first five games without Bryant. 31.6 percent of his yardage game on a fluky long touchdown from Michael Vick against the Chargers (his lone catch of the game). Wheaton showed better as the third receiver for the team. After a stretch of dreadful production Wheaton averaged 79.3 yards and scored four times during the last six games of 2015.
Wheaton doesn't get a tangible statistical bump without Bryant in the lineup, lending credence to the idea he's best suited to do battle with No. 3 cornerbacks:
It feels as if the book is out on Wheaton now at this point in his career, who likely lacks the sort of upside you're looking for in a late round stab. So, we look a little further down the depth chart for potential sleeper appeal in this offense.
Offensive coordinator Todd Haley pushed the spotlight on second-year wideout Sammie Coates saying he had a "tremendous offseason." Long-time beat writer Ed Bouchette asserted that second-year receiver Sammie Coates will be the player who benefitted most from Bryant's absence, has a real chance to be the No. 2 and reported he was told multiple times Coates "worked out like crazy" to get into great shape. From the looks of early practices, Coates reportedly carried over that positive momentum into some strong showings.
It's interesting that apparently conditioning was Coates' biggest hurdle as a rookie, because his physical build and athleticism were his top selling-points as a prospect. Coates came to the NFL sporting a rocked-up 6'1, 212-pound frame and proceeded to crush the drills. After ripping off a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash, Coates posted elite scores in the broad jump (96th percentile), vertical (95th) and bench press (96th). He's as much an athletic specimen as any receiver that's entered the NFL in the last few seasons.
Some of that athletic ability earns Coates easy comparison to Martavis Bryant, the player he'll attempt to replace in Pittsburgh. However, Coates' biggest weakness coming out of Auburn was his ability to track the football over his head, something Bryant did on a regular basis on deep passes through two years as a pro. I put Coates through a small sample Reception Perception study before he was drafted in 2015 and the results were quite poor. Bryant can separate at will and is one of the more fluid athletes at the position across the NFL. As a collegiate, Coates was a bit more stiff coming in and out of breaks.
I'm far from sold on Coates' ability to correct his flaws and long-term viability as a regular starting receiver, but I think the wise move is to ignore them provided his price stays as low as it is right now. Coates currently comes with a 13th round ADP on Fantasy Football Calculator. That asking price is more than fair given his tangible measured athleticism and the wealth of positive buzz out of Steelers camp. Even if he just stays within the double-digit rounds, I'm in on Coates for redraft this year.
The Steelers offense won't be as proficient without Martavis Bryant (they average a touchdown less per game when he sits) and Coates doesn't have the individual ceiling of his predecessor. However, we still want to mine for potential sleepers from these pass-happy offenses run by high-end quarterbacks. Right now, Sammie Coates fits the bill to a tee and comes at a great value. It would be foolish to ignore the clear drumbeat building for Coates.
Michael Thomas, WR, Saints
Marques Colston held down the role of the Saints big possession receiver for the entirety of his 10-year career and racked up over 1,000 targets. New Orleans made a direct move to replace Colston after releasing him earlier in the offseason by taking Ohio State Michael Thomas in the second-round of the NFL Draft.
The early reports out of Saints mini-camp were largely positive. Drew Brees, never one shy away from showering young players with praise, took note of Thomas' ability to adjust mid-route and never repeat the same mistake. He carried that positivity over into camp where teammates raved over a one-handed catch and Rod Walker of the New Orleans Advocate dubbed him "the best player in (Saints) camp."
Praising his ability to win the ball in traffic, Walker wrote of Thomas, "Even when he is covered, he has found ways to come up with a reception. He has easily been the best player in camp so far."
Thomas stands out in a receiving corps which features Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead as the starting receivers at under 6-foot-0. The Ohio State product checks in at 6-foot-3 and over 210 pounds. He offers a skill set that neither of the two receivers ahead of him do, which will help him get on the field early. Thomas should immediately slide into Colston's vacated position as the big slot receiver. He will be a mismatch for small cornerbacks in contested situations and comes with more than enough quickness to create requisite separation.
Running routes from the slot won't be the only spot where Thomas' size comes in handy. Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate theorized that Thomas could serve "as security inside" inside the 10-yard line. Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead combined for just two of Brees' 10 touchdowns thrown inside the 10-yard line, which was his lowest total of the last five seasons. With his size and ball skills, Thomas could make a killing in the red zone as soon as this year.
Even just at the close of the first full week of training camps, Michael Thomas is already running with a world of hype on his shoulders. Fantasy owners have to wonder if he can live up to the billing. To me, Thomas was a clear top-five wideout in this past year's draft.
Reception Perception is a methodology I created to evaluate the wide receiver positon that measures how often they get open on each route, against specific forms of coverages and more. Michael Thomas posted an above average success rate versus coverage score when facing man and press coverage, with 69.4 percent and 66.7 percent, respectively. His success rate versus zone coverage of 82.8 percent was the second highest figure among the prospects charted by Reception Perception. As the big slot receiver in New Orleans, he'll have to sift through plenty of zones in the middle of the field. He also came in third in multiple tackles broken rate (13.3) in the open field among the charted prospects, finishing behind only Corey Coleman and Laquon Treadwell.
Prior to the NFL Draft, I noted that due to his style of nuanced and detailed route-running, Michael Thomas' fantasy success would hinge on his landing spot. I personally shy away from player comparisons because I'm bad at them, but one of the best made this draft season was Rumford Johnny aligning Michael Thomas with Michael Crabtree. The veteran receiver didn't fit well with Kapernick but excelled with a more timing-based passer last year in Oakland. Luckily, for Thomas he landed in a dreamlike spot for his abilities. Everything that he does well fits perfectly with that Colston role in New Orleans.
Michael Thomas currently goes off the board in the mid-13th round of fantasy drafts and offers plenty of upside in that range. There are plenty of mouths to feed in New Orleans and Thomas' role might directly overlap with Coby Fleener's. There's a chance the two will cannibalize each other running middle of the field routes flexed into the slot and competing for red zone targets. Without question there will be some weekly volatility in Thomas' numbers but he should still push for 100 targets in a highly-coveted role in an elite offense.
If he continues earning hype into the preseason, expect his draft price to go up. Even if it does, there's a clear drumbeat building here for the rookie and we should follow it. There are not many better upside plays in the double-digit rounds.
Jaelen Strong, WR, Texans
As a rookie, Jaelen Strong didn't make much of an impact with just 14 catches on the season. He couldn't work past the veteran ahead of him and reportedly weighed as much as 231 pounds after checking in at 217 at the NFL Scouting Combine. Coach Bill O'Brien openly criticized Strong for his conditioning during last year's offseason camps.
However, contributing to the quiet drumbeat that seemed to go unnoticed were the positive reports regarding Strong that he began building late last season. Strong worked his way down to 197 pounds by December and looked "noticeably faster" to observers. Strong said, ""I took the coaching, I took the criticism, I took everything, and just got right," and O'Brien called him one the team's most improved players and noted "how far he's come" after a slow rookie season.
ESPN Texans reporter Tania Ganguli said she did not expect Will Fuller to be a Week 1 starter and instead pointed out how impressive Strong was in OTAs. Most fantasy owners sold their stock on the former third-round pick after Houston took Fuller and Braxton Miller in this year's NFL Draft, but both have questions in their profile that they could start slowly.
There's a good chance that Strong will open the season as the top receiver across from DeAndre Hopkins with Cecil Shorts in the slot. Nate Washington held that positon last year and averaged 6.7 targets per game. All of the Texans moves this offseason suggest they want to spread the ball around more in 2016 after DeAndre Hopkins absorbed over 190 targets last season. The Texans play with great pace on offense, ranking first and eighth in plays run over O'Brien's first two seasons. There is more opportunity for new faces in Houston's offense than many imagine.
We don't have much NFL film to work off of for Jaelen Strong, though I like the limited selection more than I imagined I would, but he was a productive college player at Arizona State. He profiles as a big possession and boundary receiver, but Strong did rip off a 4.44 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and posted a vertical jump in the 98th percentile. His best asset is the ability to consistently win contested catches.
The fantasy world has largely ignored this steady positive drumbeat for Jaelen Strong. He currently does not have an ADP on more casual sites like Fantasy Football Calculator, but even the sharpest of drafters aren't reacting to this story. Strong is all the way down at WR86 in MFL10 ADP and goes off the board in the mid-17th round. That's an insane value for a potential ascending player.
Strong needs to continue to build up the tempo of his drumbeat with some strong preseason outings, but he's passed every level of the test so far. He's well on the path to building the foundation for a breakout season.
Hype train or smoke screen: Coates, Thomas, Strong.
We all know that the long months of the offseason can cause fantasy owners to artificially build up the stock of players' potential. These situations only get crazier the closer we get to the season. Sometimes these boosts are hype trains that fantasy owners should gleefully board on the way to a league-winning investment in a player. Other times, the buildup is just a smoke screen caused by overblown praise from the team, or a misdiagnosis of the player or their situation. The key to deciphering each individual case is to follow a steady drumbeat building tempo throughout the offseason from OTAs, into training camp and peaking in the preseason. In this edition, we'll look at two second-year receivers with newfound opportunity and a rookie who fell into a perfect situation.
Sammie Coates, WR, Steelers
The Steelers should have the NFL's most dynamic and unstoppable offensive attack. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, they just cannot seem to get their dynamic foursome of weapons on the field at the same time. Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant were all on the field together for a mere 16 snaps a season ago.
Pittsburgh once again won't get to enjoy the spoils of their collection of riches. Martavis Bryant is set to miss the entire 2016 season after multiple violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy. His absence opens up some opportunity on the Steelers wide receiver depth chart.
Bryant owned a 21 percent share of the team targets after he re-joined the team in Week 6 after a different four-game suspension and subsequent one-game injury. Analytics expert Warren Sharp notes in his 2016 season preview, "the Steelers were the most pass-happy team in the NFL if you exclude games started by (Mike) Vick and (Landry) Jones ... they were still slightly more pass-happy than average in 2014 as well." Whoever ends up absorbing the majority of Bryant's vacated targets will matter in fantasy football.
The most logical player to assume Bryant's target share is fourth-year receiver Markus Wheaton. He currently goes off the board as the WR41 in the ninth-round on Fantasy Football Calculator. You can make the case that he's a good value there in this offense, but Wheaton utterly disappointed when asked to be the No. 2 last year during Bryant's suspension.
Wheaton averaged just 1.8 receptions and 45.6 yards per game in the first five games without Bryant. 31.6 percent of his yardage game on a fluky long touchdown from Michael Vick against the Chargers (his lone catch of the game). Wheaton showed better as the third receiver for the team. After a stretch of dreadful production Wheaton averaged 79.3 yards and scored four times during the last six games of 2015.
Wheaton doesn't get a tangible statistical bump without Bryant in the lineup, lending credence to the idea he's best suited to do battle with No. 3 cornerbacks:
It feels as if the book is out on Wheaton now at this point in his career, who likely lacks the sort of upside you're looking for in a late round stab. So, we look a little further down the depth chart for potential sleeper appeal in this offense.
Offensive coordinator Todd Haley pushed the spotlight on second-year wideout Sammie Coates saying he had a "tremendous offseason." Long-time beat writer Ed Bouchette asserted that second-year receiver Sammie Coates will be the player who benefitted most from Bryant's absence, has a real chance to be the No. 2 and reported he was told multiple times Coates "worked out like crazy" to get into great shape. From the looks of early practices, Coates reportedly carried over that positive momentum into some strong showings.
It's interesting that apparently conditioning was Coates' biggest hurdle as a rookie, because his physical build and athleticism were his top selling-points as a prospect. Coates came to the NFL sporting a rocked-up 6'1, 212-pound frame and proceeded to crush the drills. After ripping off a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash, Coates posted elite scores in the broad jump (96th percentile), vertical (95th) and bench press (96th). He's as much an athletic specimen as any receiver that's entered the NFL in the last few seasons.
Some of that athletic ability earns Coates easy comparison to Martavis Bryant, the player he'll attempt to replace in Pittsburgh. However, Coates' biggest weakness coming out of Auburn was his ability to track the football over his head, something Bryant did on a regular basis on deep passes through two years as a pro. I put Coates through a small sample Reception Perception study before he was drafted in 2015 and the results were quite poor. Bryant can separate at will and is one of the more fluid athletes at the position across the NFL. As a collegiate, Coates was a bit more stiff coming in and out of breaks.
I'm far from sold on Coates' ability to correct his flaws and long-term viability as a regular starting receiver, but I think the wise move is to ignore them provided his price stays as low as it is right now. Coates currently comes with a 13th round ADP on Fantasy Football Calculator. That asking price is more than fair given his tangible measured athleticism and the wealth of positive buzz out of Steelers camp. Even if he just stays within the double-digit rounds, I'm in on Coates for redraft this year.
The Steelers offense won't be as proficient without Martavis Bryant (they average a touchdown less per game when he sits) and Coates doesn't have the individual ceiling of his predecessor. However, we still want to mine for potential sleepers from these pass-happy offenses run by high-end quarterbacks. Right now, Sammie Coates fits the bill to a tee and comes at a great value. It would be foolish to ignore the clear drumbeat building for Coates.
Michael Thomas, WR, Saints
Marques Colston held down the role of the Saints big possession receiver for the entirety of his 10-year career and racked up over 1,000 targets. New Orleans made a direct move to replace Colston after releasing him earlier in the offseason by taking Ohio State Michael Thomas in the second-round of the NFL Draft.
The early reports out of Saints mini-camp were largely positive. Drew Brees, never one shy away from showering young players with praise, took note of Thomas' ability to adjust mid-route and never repeat the same mistake. He carried that positivity over into camp where teammates raved over a one-handed catch and Rod Walker of the New Orleans Advocate dubbed him "the best player in (Saints) camp."
Praising his ability to win the ball in traffic, Walker wrote of Thomas, "Even when he is covered, he has found ways to come up with a reception. He has easily been the best player in camp so far."
Thomas stands out in a receiving corps which features Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead as the starting receivers at under 6-foot-0. The Ohio State product checks in at 6-foot-3 and over 210 pounds. He offers a skill set that neither of the two receivers ahead of him do, which will help him get on the field early. Thomas should immediately slide into Colston's vacated position as the big slot receiver. He will be a mismatch for small cornerbacks in contested situations and comes with more than enough quickness to create requisite separation.
Running routes from the slot won't be the only spot where Thomas' size comes in handy. Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate theorized that Thomas could serve "as security inside" inside the 10-yard line. Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead combined for just two of Brees' 10 touchdowns thrown inside the 10-yard line, which was his lowest total of the last five seasons. With his size and ball skills, Thomas could make a killing in the red zone as soon as this year.
Even just at the close of the first full week of training camps, Michael Thomas is already running with a world of hype on his shoulders. Fantasy owners have to wonder if he can live up to the billing. To me, Thomas was a clear top-five wideout in this past year's draft.
Reception Perception is a methodology I created to evaluate the wide receiver positon that measures how often they get open on each route, against specific forms of coverages and more. Michael Thomas posted an above average success rate versus coverage score when facing man and press coverage, with 69.4 percent and 66.7 percent, respectively. His success rate versus zone coverage of 82.8 percent was the second highest figure among the prospects charted by Reception Perception. As the big slot receiver in New Orleans, he'll have to sift through plenty of zones in the middle of the field. He also came in third in multiple tackles broken rate (13.3) in the open field among the charted prospects, finishing behind only Corey Coleman and Laquon Treadwell.
Prior to the NFL Draft, I noted that due to his style of nuanced and detailed route-running, Michael Thomas' fantasy success would hinge on his landing spot. I personally shy away from player comparisons because I'm bad at them, but one of the best made this draft season was Rumford Johnny aligning Michael Thomas with Michael Crabtree. The veteran receiver didn't fit well with Kapernick but excelled with a more timing-based passer last year in Oakland. Luckily, for Thomas he landed in a dreamlike spot for his abilities. Everything that he does well fits perfectly with that Colston role in New Orleans.
Michael Thomas currently goes off the board in the mid-13th round of fantasy drafts and offers plenty of upside in that range. There are plenty of mouths to feed in New Orleans and Thomas' role might directly overlap with Coby Fleener's. There's a chance the two will cannibalize each other running middle of the field routes flexed into the slot and competing for red zone targets. Without question there will be some weekly volatility in Thomas' numbers but he should still push for 100 targets in a highly-coveted role in an elite offense.
If he continues earning hype into the preseason, expect his draft price to go up. Even if it does, there's a clear drumbeat building here for the rookie and we should follow it. There are not many better upside plays in the double-digit rounds.
Jaelen Strong, WR, Texans
As a rookie, Jaelen Strong didn't make much of an impact with just 14 catches on the season. He couldn't work past the veteran ahead of him and reportedly weighed as much as 231 pounds after checking in at 217 at the NFL Scouting Combine. Coach Bill O'Brien openly criticized Strong for his conditioning during last year's offseason camps.
However, contributing to the quiet drumbeat that seemed to go unnoticed were the positive reports regarding Strong that he began building late last season. Strong worked his way down to 197 pounds by December and looked "noticeably faster" to observers. Strong said, ""I took the coaching, I took the criticism, I took everything, and just got right," and O'Brien called him one the team's most improved players and noted "how far he's come" after a slow rookie season.
ESPN Texans reporter Tania Ganguli said she did not expect Will Fuller to be a Week 1 starter and instead pointed out how impressive Strong was in OTAs. Most fantasy owners sold their stock on the former third-round pick after Houston took Fuller and Braxton Miller in this year's NFL Draft, but both have questions in their profile that they could start slowly.
There's a good chance that Strong will open the season as the top receiver across from DeAndre Hopkins with Cecil Shorts in the slot. Nate Washington held that positon last year and averaged 6.7 targets per game. All of the Texans moves this offseason suggest they want to spread the ball around more in 2016 after DeAndre Hopkins absorbed over 190 targets last season. The Texans play with great pace on offense, ranking first and eighth in plays run over O'Brien's first two seasons. There is more opportunity for new faces in Houston's offense than many imagine.
We don't have much NFL film to work off of for Jaelen Strong, though I like the limited selection more than I imagined I would, but he was a productive college player at Arizona State. He profiles as a big possession and boundary receiver, but Strong did rip off a 4.44 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and posted a vertical jump in the 98th percentile. His best asset is the ability to consistently win contested catches.
The fantasy world has largely ignored this steady positive drumbeat for Jaelen Strong. He currently does not have an ADP on more casual sites like Fantasy Football Calculator, but even the sharpest of drafters aren't reacting to this story. Strong is all the way down at WR86 in MFL10 ADP and goes off the board in the mid-17th round. That's an insane value for a potential ascending player.
Strong needs to continue to build up the tempo of his drumbeat with some strong preseason outings, but he's passed every level of the test so far. He's well on the path to building the foundation for a breakout season.
