NFL training camp previews for all 32 teams.

[Greenbacks]

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Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

Pick: No. 1 overall

College: Texas A&M

The top pick in the draft is well regarded by talent evaluators I surveyed around the league, many of whom named him as the player from this year's rookie class they'd have picked first if they were starting a new franchise. But few of those same evaluators named Garrett as the most likely rookie to succeed in Year 1, which likely has more to do with the state of the rest of the Browns' roster than it does with Garrett specifically.
People in the Browns' building say they're thrilled with Garrett and that he's so far been everything they'd hoped he would be. Of all the guys on this list, he's likely to get the most playing time and the largest role this season.

 

[Greenbacks]

Derek Barnett, Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: No. 14

College: Tennessee

The Eagles are enjoying the Derek Barnett experience in practice. I asked Doug Pederson about him, and the second-year head coach grinned. "He's relentless," Pederson said. "His finish is tremendous."
Defensive teammate Jordan Hicks smiled, too. "He's got a motor, man," Hicks said. "As the game slows down for him and his awareness continues to grow, the techniques, the different pass-rush moves and everything he's expected to be in this defense will continue to come. But his pass rush is very good and his motor, that's one thing I noticed, his motor. He doesn't ever quit on a play. He's constantly chasing balls downfield. He's just constantly going, chasing that ball."
Expect Barnett to fill a role in the Eagles' defense as a situational pass-rusher this season and expect his snap counts to increase later in the year and into Year 2 as he refines more aspects of his game.

 

[Greenbacks]

Charles Harris, Miami Dolphins

Pick: No. 22

College: Missouri

Harris told me he's benefiting from being around veteran Dolphins defensive linemen Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh and particularly Andre Branch. He said Branch is the guy he follows around in line at the cafeteria, eating the same stuff he eats.
"I think he's very talented, and he has the ability to rush outside and inside," Suh said of Harris. "Not getting too detailed into our packages and things we have going on, but he's going to be put in one-on-one positions to make plays for us as a pass-rusher, as well as in the run game. He's going to come in on first and second down, and so with those pieces and his God-given athletic ability, he's going to be able to be a force for us."
I'd expect Harris' rookie-year volume to be similar to Barnett's, though given what Suh said maybe not only in passing situations. The Dolphins have enough veteran depth on the defensive line that they can work him in as a rotational player while he gets his feet wet.

 

[Greenbacks]

Takkarist McKinley, Atlanta Falcons

Pick: No. 26

College: UCLA

Shoulder surgery in March limited McKinley's involvement in the Falcons' offseason program, but his workload has increased in recent weeks, and he's another one whose name drew smiles from coaches and teammates in Falcons camp.
More than one person said they're enjoying the dynamic between McKinley and 2016 NFL sack leader Vic Beasley Jr. "They're so different, and they play off each other very well," one Falcons coach said. "Vic's kind of the quieter, polite guy and Takk is -- well, he's got a lot of personality, let's just say."
McKinley's role is likely to increase later in the season because of the time he missed in the spring and summer recovering from the surgery.

 

[Greenbacks]

Taco Charlton, Dallas Cowboys

Pick: No. 28

College: Michigan

The Cowboys view Charlton as a project pass-rusher who needs time and reps to work on developing and refining his moves. Suspensions on the defensive side of the ball could result in a greater need early in the season for Charlton to snag the pass-rushing snaps for which the Cowboys deem him ready, but don't be surprised if his role is limited to start while coaches work with him on being more consistent with his assignments in practice.
This isn't a knock on Charlton, who has had a strong camp. It's just that he's not a finished product, and coaches often hesitate to trust rookies in big spots until they're 100 percent sure they're ready.

 

[Greenbacks]

T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: No. 30

College: Wisconsin

J.J.'s kid brother turned heads with his stellar preseason debut and could be a bigger factor for the Steelers in Year 1 than many people might have thought at the draft. The Steelers have been impressed with the speed with which Watt learned the playbook, and he has shown more than expected in terms of instincts and the ability to maneuver when the play changes on him.

 

[Greenbacks]

Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams, Baltimore Ravens

Pick: No. 47 (Bowser) and No. 78 (Williams)

College: Houston (Bowser) and Alabama (Williams)

<article class="ad-300"></article>I'm lumping these two rookies together because in the time I spent at Ravens camp, it was clear the team expects to lean on them a good deal in 2017. Multiple people there told me Williams, in particular, has impressed with the variety of pass-rush moves already at his disposal -- a wider array of moves than they've come to expect from first-year guys. And Bowser's athletic ability is evident in practice.
"He's looking really good," veteran safety Tony Jefferson said of Bowser. "And Tim Williams, he's a great pass-rusher. Still a little raw, but he can rush, and he's got a bunch of moves. But we've got a bunch of veterans, as well, who can help the young guys in those situations."
A return to health for veteran Terrell Suggs will help the Baltimore pass rush more than anything, but if one or both of these rookies comes on quickly, it would provide an infusion of youth the Ravens need.

 

[Greenbacks]

Better rookie season for Christian McCaffrey or Leonard Fournette?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There was little to no debate before the NFL draft that LSU's Leonard Fournette was the top-rated running back.
Stanford's Christian McCaffrey and Florida State's Dalvin Cook were rated second and third, with the order depending on who you asked.
The draft went accordingly, with Fournette going No. 4 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and McCaffrey No. 8 to the Carolina Panthers.
Cook? He fell all the way to Minnesota at No. 41 in the second round.
But the real measuring stick comes on the field. Nothing will be decided on Thursday night when the Panthers face the Jaguars in Jacksonville, but it opens the door for debate: Who will have the better rookie season?
Fournette won't play for the second straight week because of a foot injury. But he looked good in the first preseason game, rushing for 31 yards (on nine carries) and a touchdown against New England.
McCaffrey has rushed 10 times for 66 yards and a touchdown in two games. He also has two catches for 39 yards.
They likely will be battling for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
NFL Nation reporters David Newton and Mike DiRocco are here to make a case for what to expect from each:

Newton on McCaffrey: No disrespect, but the Panthers likely would have selected Christian McCaffrey over Leonard Fournette even if both players were available at No. 8. The Panthers believe he offers that much in terms of what they want to accomplish offensively. That they signed 30-year-old lead back Jonathan Stewart to a one-year extension through 2018 before the draft strengthens that case.
As special as Fournette is, he is in many ways a younger version of Stewart. McCaffrey may not be the lead back that Fournette will be with the Jaguars, but he could be on the field more. He's going to play running back, slot receiver and wide receiver. He's going to line up behind the center in the Wildcat formation. He's going to return punts, and he can return kickoffs if the Panthers need him. He's going to be a workhorse, just not in the traditional sense that Fournette will be. McCaffrey will be on the field with Stewart, not instead of him.
Fournette may rush for more yards, but McCaffrey will have more all-purpose yards. Remember, in 2015 this kid broke Barry Sanders' NCAA record for all-purpose yards, recording 3,864. Look for him to get 20-25 touches per game, if not more. McCaffrey also will mean more to Carolina's offense in the sense that he'll take pressure off quarterback Cam Newton and provide a threat at the slot receiver that Newton hasn't had. McCaffrey has brought the screen pass back to Carolina's offense and showed how effective that can be with a 38-yard catch and run in Carolina's preseason loss to Tennessee on Saturday.
As Stewart said early in training camp, “I can tell you now there's not going to be anybody in this league that can cover him one-on-one.'' McCaffrey will get more one-on-one opportunities because of his position flexibility, because the offense will be designed to put him in those situations.
McCaffrey also will benefit from Carolina having a better defense than the Jaguars. Thus, he will have more opportunities to rack up yards and score.
Both players are special, but McCaffrey will have a more special rookie season.

DiRocco on Fournette: There's no question Leonard Fournette will be the Jaguars' main back in 2017, even with 2015 second-round pick T.J. Yeldon and 2016 free agent-signee Chris Ivory on the roster. Before we go any further, let's get this settled: Fournette will get at least 250 carries this season. That's 15.6 per game, and the 6-foot-1, 228-pound Fournette is more than capable of handling that (he averaged 19.3 per game in three seasons at LSU).
The distribution of those carries will be interesting to watch. Ivory, who led the AFC in rushing in 2015 with 1,070 yards, is a physical runner like Fournette, and coach Doug Marrone has had Ivory starting with the first team throughout camp and the preseason – the coach wants the rookie to earn the starting spot. It's safe to say he will at some point, but don't be surprised if it's Ivory as the starter for the first few weeks.
The Jaguars drafted Fournette fourth overall to play ball-control offense and pound on teams to wear them down and minimize the amount of work quarterback Blake Bortles has to do. Don't be surprised if the Jaguars opt to give Fournette the bulk of his carries in the second half of games -- provided the games are close and the Jaguars are trying to run clock to salt away a lead or wear the opposing defense down.
Fournette may not be the polished receiver that McCaffrey is, but he will be a factor in the passing game, too. The knock on him coming out of LSU was that he wasn't a good receiver, but he's proved that to be wrong by catching almost everything thrown his way in camp.
Former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor called Fournette a “beast,” and another former Jaguars back, Maurice Jones-Drew, said he believes Fournette will continue the tradition of backs the Jaguars have had. That's high praise since Taylor is the team's all-time leading rusher and a borderline Hall of Famer and Jones-Drew is right behind him.

 

[Greenbacks]

It's a new Gronk: He's playing in the preseason and eating like Brady.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has changed his tune when it comes to the value of preseason football. It’s part of how he’s evolving in his eighth season in the NFL.
In 2015, Gronkowski talked about how practicing was enough, saying, “If you’re going full speed in practice, that can get you super ready for Week 1.” On Tuesday, three days after he played in his first preseason game since 2012, Gronkowski highlighted how much value he now sees in suiting up in the exhibition season.
“I’m glad I was out there. It felt good just to get the game speed. You can never get enough reps. You can never get enough practice reps. So it felt great to go out there and get my feet wet and see what it’s all about again,” he said.
On Saturday night against the Houston Texans, Gronkowski played 14 snaps but wasn’t targeted with a pass. Nonetheless, he felt it was a productive experience.
“I just felt the benefit when I was out there; the speed of the game, live game speed. It’s been a while for me,” he said. “I felt the benefit of getting in sync blocking-wise, the cadence and everything like that. I’m taking all positives out of it.”
Acknowledging how this is a different approach, Gronkowski added, “No matter what it is, preseason, I’ll be ready to play 60 minutes. The past has been the past, but it was great going out there and getting some work.”
This is just one part of the new outlook for Gronkowski, as he has made some other notable changes in returning from a third career back surgery. Specifically, he’s adopted parts of Tom Brady’s diet, while making a full-scale commitment to other physical-based work at Brady’s Sports Therapy Center (in addition to his regular load in the team's strength program).
Gronkowski said Tuesday that some of Brady's meals are “kind of hard to eat” while others “are really, really good.” One thing he said hasn’t been a problem for him is giving up coffee and alcohol.
“I don’t do that stuff right now. It’s football time. I never really have done that stuff during football time,” he said.
“… My eighth season now. It just feels good to be out there practicing every day with the guys. … I don’t think there’s such a thing as feeling 100. If you’re feeling 100, that probably means you’re at home just chilling working out. Everyone is going through something. I feel good, though.”

 

[Greenbacks]

[h=1]Jonathan Williams among 2017 deep fantasy sleepers.[/h]By August, the act of proclaiming players a "fantasy sleeper" has become as tedious as a trip to the DMV. People have their own hot takes as to who can actually be a sleeper, and for those of us who do this for a living and have been writing sleeper-filled missives since Atlanta was up 28-3, there are few stones left unturned.
Nevertheless, in an effort to help those of you in deeper leagues or who want a leg up on the competition in your casual league, below are 10 players with extremely low ADPs (average draft positions) who could surprise if the fantasy cookie crumbles the right way. Some of these players are starters already, others have minimal obstacles to a featured role.

 

[Greenbacks]

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1

Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals



Carson Palmer went from MVP candidate in 2015 to fantasy bust in 2016, but looking back on it, the hate has gone too far. Palmer struggled in 2016, especially early, but he was without two of his top-three targets for much of the year ( Michael Floyd, John Brown). Once he adjusted to his new reality, he bounced back, averaging 17.6 fantasy points per game over his final nine contests. Looking ahead to 2017, his receiving corps should be better (assuming John Brown gets healthy, more on that later), but the most appealing part of Palmer's outlook is his early season schedule. Three of his first four opponents finished in the bottom 10 in terms of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, but also in the bottom five in passing DVOA, per Football Outsiders. Palmer should be able to exploit those matchups for even reasonable fantasy success, and if he doesn't you can cut him and look for another streamable quarterback on the waiver-wire.

 

[Greenbacks]

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2

Jonathan Williams, RB, Bills



Deep sleepers at the running back position are hard to come by, which is why we generally turn more toward handcuffs. And there aren't many handcuff running backs more appealing than Jonathan Williams. The Bills led the league in rush attempts over the last two years and more importantly run the ball 61 percent of the time in the red zone during that span. LeSean McCoy is set up for another fantastic season, but he is 29 years old with over 9,300 career touches under his belt. Even if he doesn't get injured, the team will likely spell him at times as they did in 2016, when they gave Mike Gillislee 101 carries. Williams should have some low-end appeal as the change of pace back in a run-heavy offense, but carries massive upside in the event LeSean McCoy misses any amount of time.

 

[Greenbacks]

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3

Joe Williams, RB, 49ers



There are numerous road blocks obscuring Joe Williams' path to fantasy stardom in 2017, but there are certainly situations where he could end up having several fantasy relevant weeks. Williams appears to be third on the 49ers running back depth chart behind presumed starter Carlos Hyde and veteran backup Tim Hightower. He'd need an injury to one or both of those two to see significant snaps in the regular season, but Hyde hasn't played a full season yet in his career and Hightower is a 31-year old veteran who was out of football from 2012-2014. It's not exactly as if early-career Adrian Peterson is starting ahead of Williams. Williams has game-changing ability, as evidenced by his 1,407 rushing yards during his final collegiate season (1,300 of which he accumulated in just seven games). Head coach Kyle Shanahan pounded the table for the team to draft Williams, as general manager John Lynch initially had Williams off his board. It might not even be worth drafting Williams yet except in deeper leagues, but he's an important name to watch on waivers as the season progresses.

 

[Greenbacks]

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4

DeAndre Washington, RB, Raiders



This one is pretty cut and dry: Marshawn Lynch is old and the last time we saw him in the NFL was battling core and back injuries. His backup in the high-octane Raiders offense will have plenty of fantasy value. Washington was efficient with his opportunities in 2016, and so far appears to be the No. 2 option for the Raiders. Jalen Richard made the splashier plays last year, but Washington is the player to roster in this race.

 

[Greenbacks]

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5

Chris Conley, WR, Chiefs



While Tyreek Hill is sliding into the more exciting and fantasy relevant wide receiver role in Andy Reid's offense, Chris Conley merits some consideration as well -- even in more of a possession-style role. An athletically gifted receiver, Conley has yet to put it all together on the football field for the Chiefs, but that's partially due to a lack of opportunities. To date, his career-high in targets is 69 from 2016. With Jeremy Maclin and his 76 targets from a year ago out of the picture, Conley could see a nice bump up in his usage. Hill and Travis Kelce will lead this team in targets, but don't underestimate Conley's ability to turn short passes from Alex Smith into big gains for fantasy points. Given his availability late in drafts, Conley is certainly worth a flier for wide receiver-needy teams.

 

[Greenbacks]

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6


Kenny Golladay, WR, Lions



If you follow pretty much any fantasy writer on Twitter, you've likely seen praise showered upon the Lions' rookie wide receiver Kenny Golladay. And there's a lot to like too, a 6-foot-4 athletic specimen who made splash plays in the preseason and is now earning first-team reps in practice. HOWEVER, talent can only carry players so far in fantasy. The cold hard truth of reality washes over us with this lesson time and time again in fantasy. What truly matters is opportunity, and as I detailed on Twitter Golladay's path to opportunity is rife with obstacles. Golden Tate should lead the team in targets again, while Marvin Jones, Eric Ebron and Theo Riddick will all be ahead of Golladay in the pecking order for targets. The Lions total number of offensive plays has dropped in three consecutive years, as have Matthew Stafford's pass attempts, shrinking the overall pie Golladay is attempting to cut into. Moreover, 2016 was the first year in Stafford's career where four players saw 14 percent of more of the targets, perhaps signaling a maturation of the passer under offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. Stafford used to funnel far more of his passes into one or two players, but under JBC he's been more judicious with his targets. Golladay makes this list not because he's set to inherit massive opportunity starting in Week 1, but because if Tate or Jones gets injured (or Golladay somehow leapfrogs Jones on the depth chart), then Golladay becomes very worth our fantasy attention. He's worth a stash in deeper leagues but don't reach for him over guys with easier paths to volume if his ADP continues to climb.

 

[Greenbacks]

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7

Jaron Brown, WR, Cardinals



I want to believe in the John Brown bounce-back in 2017. I really do. But he's already dealing with a quad injury and missed tons of time last year with sickle-cell related ailments and a concussion. All of this caused head coach Bruce Arians to announce fifth-year receiver Jaron Brown the team's No. 2 wideout. This could all be bluster and a means to motivate John Brown to get back on the field and the other wide receivers to step up. However, if there's truth to this sentiment, Brown could fall into a wealth of opportunity. When John Brown emerged as the No. 2 wideout back in 2015, he saw 101 targets, catching 65 of them for 1,003 yards and seven scores. A lot would have to happen for Jaron Brown to find himself receiving that type of workload, but as a late-round flier he could be worth a shot -- especially if he continues to play a lot in the preseason.

 

[Greenbacks]

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8

Paul Richardson, WR, Seahawks



Often times, playoff production can help signal a breakout performance the following year. It happened in 2010 with Jordy Nelson, and it could happen again this year with Paul Richardson. Now, I'm not projecting Richardson for 1,200-plus yards and 15 touchdowns (Nelson's 2011 production), but the kid looks ready for the spotlight. Over the final four games of 2016 (including the playoffs), Richardson caught 15 of 21 targets for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Extrapolating those numbers to a full season (SMALL SAMPLE SIZE ALERT) puts him in the range of 850 yards and eight touchdowns, or smack dab in the middle of the WR3/flex tier for fantasy scoring. Richardson picked up where he left off in the first preseason game with another highlight reel catch but injured his shoulder in the process. If he returns to full health before Week 1 (as the team expects), he could be the missing piece that takes this Seahawks passing offense to new heights. A WR3 in the late rounds with breakout potential is a pick worth taking a flier on.

 

[Greenbacks]

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9

Coby Fleener, TE, Saints



Coby Fleener's arrival in New Orleans last year was met with fanfare and Mardi Gras-like celebrations in the fantasy community. Some sites/analysts had him as high as the TE2 for the year, though I wasn't buying the hype. Fleener largely disappointed, but still finished as the TE12 thanks to the position having a bit of a down year. That has pushed Fleener's draft stock so far down in 2017 that he's now become one of the more attractive late-round tight end values. The opportunity was there in 2016 as Fleener saw 16 red zone targets. He just didn't make the most of them, converting only two into scores. Fleener said he struggled to pick up the playbook last year and is expecting to be "more effective" in Year 2. A better understanding of the offense combined with more opportunities ( Brandin Cooks is now in New England) sets Fleener up in a great position to outperform last year's pedestrian totals of 631 yards and four total touchdowns.

 

[Greenbacks]

RANK
10

Cameron Brate, TE, Buccaneers



Even though his eight touchdowns tied for the league lead among tight ends, Cameron Brate is currently being undervalued in 2017 fantasy drafts. Granted, that's what happens when your team uses a first-round pick on a high-profile rookie tight end (O.J. Howard) and you went undrafted out of Harvard. So far, early reports from the Buccaneers camp are that Howard will be featured more as a pass-blocker as a rookie, while Brate will maintain his pass-catching role thanks to the rapport he built with Jameis Winston last season. The duo was lethal in the red zone, as Brate tied for the fourth-most red-zone targets among tight ends (16), and all eight of his scores came in the red zone as well. Tight end is a touchdown-dependent fantasy position, and Brate is an excellent scoring threat with a defined role in an ascending offense. He's a great option to target if you wait on the position.