Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Keep track of all the latest fantasy football injury info to know.
Suffice it to say, keeping up with injuries during the fantasy football draft season is tremendously important. All gamers should follow along to avoid any potential mishaps as it never hurts to stay in the know.
The most notable names from the traditional pool of skill players are in focus below. We’ll continue to monitor their statuses throughout the remainder of the summer.
Talking RB handcuffs, recent NFL news, and players to reach for in fantasy drafts.
In this episode, Steve and Harley bring you B.P.N. NFL news, RB handcuffs to target, and players to target earlier than their ADP. So Huddle up, tune in, and get Blitzed!
The most important fantasy stats from Week 3 action.
There aren’t a great deal of ultra-important lessons to glean from Week 3 of the NFL preseason as many teams continued to sit starters on both sides of the ball in effort to let the youngsters have one last chance at securing a roster spot.
A few items come into focus, though, and before we take a closer look, one potential scenario jumped off the screen: The Green Bay Packers are in deep trouble if Aaron Rodgers misses time. The 38-year-old veteran remains spry, but holy guacamole is Jordan Love not prepared for the NFL.
After a pandemic-stricken rookie season in 2020 and a sophomore campaign of learning the ropes in a still-impacted format, the return to normalcy in his third year appears to have done nothing for his on-field maturation. The presumed heir apparent wasn’t even the best reserve quarterback of the lot in Week 3. While it is just one game, there haven’t been many career bright spots from the primary backup to suggest this team will even be competent should something happen to No. 12. Fingers crossed the Packers don’t need to rely on Love at any point this year.
New York Jets wideout Denzel Mims gets an honorable mention for his 7-102-1 line vs. the New York Giants. It was a quality showing put forth by a former top prospect whose near future likely is with a different ball club, though he still has no fantasy value at this time.
In any case, what else have we learned that will have an impact on fantasy football plans in 2022 drafts and beyond?
The fellas discuss draft blunders, auction strategy, and top WRs and TEs.
In this episode, Steve and Harley bring you B.P.N. NFL news, the biggest draft blunder ever, a discussion about the top wide receivers and tight ends, and some auction draft talk. So Huddle up, tune in, and get Blitzed!
The guys talk top quarterbacks and running backs and a look at their Scott Fish Bowl drafts.
In this episode, Steve and Harley bring you B.P.N. NFL news, a discussion about top 12 quarterbacks and running backs, and a look at their Scott Fish Bowl drafts. So Huddle up, tune in, and get Blitzed!
What you need to know about from preseason’s final week.
NFL preseason Week 3 provided a few glimpses of promising youth and reminded us which players are still fantasy football bosses. Unfortunately, all of the good was overshadowed by the story of the week: Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) tearing an ACL in a totally meaningless contest.
As we collectively lament the decision to play Dobbins, let’s take an optimistic stance and review the good things for fantasy footballers to celebrate.
QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: A week after looking unlike himself, Mahomes was surgical vs. the Minnesota Vikings. He found Tyreek Hill on an exceptional 35-yard touchdown along right the sideline, a ball Mahomes nearly overthrew if not for Hill having a transmission that would make a European supercar envious. Mahomes tossed another score and finished 8-for-9, 117 yards, the two scores, and a perfect passer rating. The point being, he’s already in midseason form.
Star fantasy quarterbacks: Speaking of midseason form, Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady and Buffalo’s Josh Allen warrant mentions, too. The oldest quarterback in the game ended his night 11-for-14, throwing a TD to go along with 154 yards. Allen was good for 194 yards and a pair of scoring strikes on 20 of 26 attempts. While one can say it’s beyond reckless to start these guys in the preseason (and it is), thankfully the both escaped unscathed and showed they’re ready to pick up where each left off in 2020.
WR Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills: The second-year receiver acted as the No. 1 with Stefon Diggs (knee) out of the game, corralling all five of his Allen-thrown targets. The highlight of his day was a 31-yard connection as he crossed the goal line. While Diggs is expected to be fine for Week 1, there still is much to like about Davis after a seven-touchdown rookie season in this high-scoring offense.
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San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks: Fantasy football owners are used to seeing running back rotations making for frustrating lineup decisions. San Fran head coach Kyle Shanahan employed this madness at quarterback between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance against the Las Vegas Raiders. It took five offensive plays before we saw the rookie enter the game, and the two would be interchanged during the first several series. Garoppolo scored a rushing touchdown, and Lance followed the former New England Patriot’s lead with one of his own later in the first half. Neither Garoppolo (4/7, 64-0-0) nor Lance (6/13, 46-0-0) impressed through the air, however. Get ready for what could be an unpredictable situation!
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots: The workload was slim this weekend for Stevenson, yet he managed to find the end zone yet again, bringing the three-game preseason total to five scores. Despite the small sample size in Week 3, he mustered 4.8 yards per carry on five totes, adding a pair of grabs for 17 yards. No more Sony Michel illustrates the confidence Stevenson’s strong play has inspired.
QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: Even without his top pair of receivers, the No. 1 overall pick reinforced why he is a generational talent. Lawrence pitched an 11-for-12 game with 139 yards and a couple of scores vs. the Dallas Cowboys, including a well-timed corner route to Laviska Shenault Jr. Lawrence will force his way into fantasy lineups this year.
QB Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers: One game in the preseason shouldn’t be overvalued, of course, though it’s nice to see Darnold looking comfortable and in control. He finished 19 of 25 for 162 yards and two touchdown throws. He found former New York Jets target Robby Anderson (2-15-1) and rookie Terrace Marshall Jr. (3-43-1), an LSU product who has looked the part of a future fantasy starter thus far. At any rate, Darnold didn’t all of a sudden become a coveted selection in conventional settings, but his play should inspire confidence in adding Anderson, D.J. Moore (6-48-0), and even Marshall in deeper formats.
New England Patriots quarterbacks: Mac Jones continues to look poised and is primed for a strong NFL career. He threw for 156 yards and a touchdown on 10 of 14 passing, avoiding a turnover in the contest. Cam Newton hardly saw any action during Week 3, but the little bit he played was far from pretty stats-wise: 2-for-5, 10 yards, and an interception, which wasn’t his fault. The turnover aside, it is increasingly difficult to envision Newton being able to hold off the surging first-rounder this year.
RB Javian Hawkins, Tennessee Titans: One of my favorite deep sleepers prior to being an unexpected cut by the Atlanta Falcons, Hawkins was claimed off waivers by the Titans and thrust into action with almost no time to get more than a few pages into the playbook. It should be pointed out that the Titans run a similar offense as to what Hawkins was learning in Atlanta under last year’s Tennessee OC. This obviously is the Derrick Henry Show, but Hawkins could have just played himself onto the roster and into fantasy lineups — if something were to take Henry off the field for long. Keep tabs on whether Hawkins survives Tuesday’s cuts.
RB Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles: The rookie made his mark on the ground and through the sky in this one. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry on five totes, putting one of them into the end zone. As a receiver, Gainwell added 27 of his 59 total yards, securing all four of his targets. RB Boston Scott (2-49-1) also showed well in the passing game, so it will be fun to see how this plays out in the regular season. Gainwell is much better as a true rusher, although he is buried on the unofficial depth chart. Maybe Tuesday’s cut day will bring a surprise that moves him up the pecking order. If nothing else, consider it a pleasant look into the future for dynasty leagues.
WR Quintez Cephus, Detroit Lions: A second-year receiver, Cephus flashed a tiny bit in 2020. He currently is listed as a second-stringer on the unofficial depth chart, ahead of rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is going well ahead of Cephus in fantasy drafts. Although St. Brown should have a larger role in the regular season, Cephus landed three balls for 35 yards and a score with starting QB Jared Goff watching from the sideline. Cephus could work his way into relevance given that Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman are atop the depth chart. Stash Cephus in your memory bank as a possible wavier target.
RB JaMycal Hasty, San Francisco 49ers: The backfield is jam-packed, which means it’s no lock Hasty even is on the final roster. His inclusion here stems from a 6-55-2 line that came against reserves. He has sparkled a number of times now this preseason. Hasty doesn’t have any draftable value, although he could be one of those guys who winds up on rosters late in the year if injuries grant him a path to playing time.
The showings you need to know about from preseason’s second week.
NFL preseason Week 2 is nearly a wrap, and there aren’t as many worthwhile takeaways for fantasy football purposes as we’d like to see. Most teams rested key players, and a lack of play-calling complexity doesn’t give a fair measure of the level of competition.
Nevertheless, we still have a handful of performances to examine in relation to fantasy football drafting as it enters the stretch run.
Note: We will provide an update after Monday Night Football, as needed.
San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks: Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo (3/6, 15 yards) wasn’t awful, despite throwing an interception that was not entirely his fault. The pass intended for Brandon Aiyuk sailed a little too high but was still catchable. It deflected into the hands of rookie corner Asante Samuel Jr., and that was the end of Jimmy G’s night. Rookie Trey Lance came in to lead the Niners to a pitch-and-catch score in the late first half, and he returned in the third quarter to laser a pass in for his second TD throw of the contest. Garoppolo’s seat has to be getting a little warmer.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots: Two preseason games have netted the rookie four rushing touchdowns. Stevenson (15-66-2) looks every bit the part of a capable fantasy commodity. It wasn’t all rosy, however, as he was credited with a fumble lost. The real question will be just how much action he sees in a logjam of a backfield. If nothing else, Stevenson will make the 53-man cut day awfully interesting in New England.
New England Patriots quarterbacks: Both Cam Newton and rookie Mac Jones were sharp in a decimation of the Philadelphia Eagles. The former ended his night with 103 yards and a score on a nearly perfect 8-for-9 passing. Jones turned in 146 yards and didn’t turn over the ball. He finished with 13 completions on 19 attempts.
Washington Football Team running backs: Second-year back Antonio Gibson put any fears of his toe injury to rest with a spry effort in limited time. He tallied 47 yards on nine touches, snagging a pair of passes. The primary backup job could belong to Jaret Patterson after a 16-71-1 day on the ground. The rookie pitched in another 25 yards as he landed all three targets sent his way. Peyton Barber totaled four yards on as many touches and may have slide into the fourth spot on the depth chart after the extensive, successful showing by the slightly undersized Patterson.
QB Zach Wilson, New York Jets: The No. 2 overall pick completed all but two of his 11 throws for 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns vs. the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. Wilson looked decisive, poised, and ready to carve up any second-string defense the league has to offer. For as exciting as it may be to watch a Jets offense offer a spirited showing, it has to be taken in with measured perspective. The Packers hardly played anyone of consequence, and Wilson faced vanilla scheming. That said, even this kind of performance is a step in the right direction as far as Jets quarterbacking goes. He remains no better than a QB3 in 2021 leagues but has given dynasty leaguers a little glimpse of what could be ahead.
WR Corey Davis, New York Jets: Wilson threw 11 times, and six of them ended up going toward Davis. The former Tennessee first-rounder snared four passes for 70 yards, gaining chunks of 14, 24 and 27 yards. The two have shown a hint of chemistry thus far, helping build confidence in Davis’ stock as a WR3.
WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: Maybe there’s something to watch here, but it’s not going to be a deal-breaker for devout believers in Chase shining as a rookie. He dropped two passes from backup Brandon Allen in this one, and a third pass, slightly errant, couldn’t be corralled. Objective outlooks of Chase should leave room for mistakes and rust — he is a rookie who didn’t play last year, after all.
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RB Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins: Following a slide in ADP after news of a three-pronged backfield approach, Gaskin may have ended his skid with a pair of touchdowns by land and air. His 10 touches produced 71 yards of offense against a suspect Atlanta defense. The rest of the backfield didn’t play poorly by any stretch, and it’s unlikely Gaskin will see more than 12-15 touches on a given week, but it very well could be enough to return at least flex results each week.
Denver Broncos quarterbacks: Teddy Bridgewater received the start in this one and methodically marched the team to a scoring drive, showing a connection with second-year receiver Jerry Jeudy (2-40-0). The Broncos later turned to Drew Lock with the twos, and it didn’t go so well for the young quarterback. He protected the ball, although the backup offensive linemen didn’t hold up their end of the bargain for Lock himself. It will be interesting to see which quarterback starts in Week 3 of the preseason. Don’t expect a starter to be named prior to that contest.
Washington Football Team quarterbacks: It was an uneven performance by Ryan Fitzpatrick (7-for-13, 96 yards), whereas Taylor Heinicke definitely didn’t hurt his chances in the starting quarterback battle. The former Panther racked up 80 yards through the air and another 26 on the ground, completing 11 of his 13 attempts. Neither quarterback did enough to ice the other in the competition, so onward we go one more week before gamers get a firm answer.
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins: Efficiency was the name of Tagovailoa’s game in this contest. He completed 11 of his first dozen throws and led the team to a pair of quick scores. Only two of his throws went for more than 10 yards through the air, though, and he showed command of the offense throughout the first half. The hope here is the return of Will Fuller and maturation of Jaylen Waddle can help open the offense. Through the past two weeks, Tua has done enough to warrant midrange QB2 optimism.
Chicago Bears quarterbacks: The return of Buffalo Bills backup Mitchell Trubisky overshadowed the duo of Andy Dalton and Justin Fields in this one. The Chicago pair combined for 20 of 36 passing, totaling 226 yards, one score and an interception. Andy Dalton accounted for both the TD and pick, as well as 146 of the yards. He has wrapped up the Week 1 starting spot, per head coach Matt Nagy. Amassing 46 yards on four carries, Fields’ athleticism continues to be his saving grace; it’s only a matter of time before Dalton falters and the rook gets his number called.
TE Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger was dealing against the Detroit Lions, finding the rookie tight end on a pair of short scoring strikes. Freiermuth saw one more target near the stripe from Mason Rudolph on a pass that was far from an easy grab. While veteran Eric Ebron is the starter and led the team in yardage in this game (59), it’s nice to see Freiermuth show some utility for gamers in dynasty formats. Another silver lining is Ebron has been all too acquainted with injuries in his career.
What is worthy of your attention from the first full week of preseason play?
It feels nice to watch live games again. This year, we have three full weeks of preseason action. The opening week is mainly give unheralded players a chance to make rosters, so take a measured approach in your response to the performances. Overreacting to one week of preseason play isn’t a good look!
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots: The rookie rusher exploded with a pair of scores on 10 carries, finishing the game with 127 rushing yards. He capped it off with a winning TD jaunt of 91 yards. For perspective, he ran nine other times for 4.0 yards per tote. Did the big day increase his likelihood of cutting into the rotational share with Sony Michel (6-26-0) and Damien Harris (4-17-0)? It surely didn’t hurt. If anything, it put Michel’s roster spot closer to being in jeopardy. Stevenson could prove to be a worthwhile gamble as a late-round choice; if you’re drafting in the next week, recognize this situation is far from settled after one preseason contest.
QBs Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos: The two quarterbacks failed to separate themselves from one another after the first preseason outing. Both looked the part of what we expect from them, however. Lock completed five of his seven throws for 151 yards and a pair of scoring strikes, while Bridgewater missed only one of his eight attempts. He ended up with 74 yards and a TD toss of his own. This is exactly what the team wants to see … both QBs doing what they do best and pushing each other. Lock is the gunslinger type, which was reflected in his stat line, and the game-managing Bridgewater took the safe route to six points. This one may go down to the wire.
RB Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos: Fantasy gamers should be plenty pleased with what Williams delivered. He finished with 29 yards on five totes (5.8 YPC) and secured first downs on consecutive attempts to open his career. The stat line would have looked prettier had it not been for a TD-negating penalty after Williams displayed power and vision. The rookie is poised to be a weekly factor in fake football plans.
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins: It was a mixed bag for the 2020 first-rounder as Tagovailoa completed eight of his 11 attempts for 99 yards, showing his chemistry with tight end Mike Gesicki had carried over from last season. The interception is disconcerting, however, given it came in the end zone as he tried to throw late into double coverage. Those mistakes will happen for a quarterback with only 10 game appearances under his belt. Expect the coaching staff to hammer home ball security and not trying to do too much. Overall, it was a promising outing. Tua is an intriguing risk-reward QB2 decision late in drafts.
QB Justin Fields, Chicago Bears: The Bears made no secret of Fields’ extensive playing opportunity. He was given seven series, starting off on the shaky side of things, but it all came together in a 14-for-20 effort that resulted in 142 yards and a wide-open touchdown throw. He ran five times for 33 yards and scampered into the end zone. Andy Dalton looked like Andy Dalton: 2-for-4, 18 yards and no first downs. The Fields hype train is full steam ahead. His passing skills should be inconsistent, though the running ability will separate him some weeks, and it allows for more creative play-calling. While Dalton has been named the starter already, head coach Matt Nagy has to be second-guessing himself right about now.
QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: From one rookie first-rounder to the first overall pick of this past spring’s draft, Lawrence looked about what was to be expected. He finished 6-for-9 for 71 yards. The highlight of his day was a brilliantly placed throw to wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. after Lawrence surveyed the field behind excellent pass protection … a glimpse of what’s to come.
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QBs Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints: A tale of two QBs trending in opposite directions … Hill (8/12, 81 yards, 1 INT) started hot but faded, whereas Winston did the exact opposite. The former Buccaneer ended with 96 yards, a touchdown and a pick (shocking, right?!?) on his 7-for-12 day. No separation just yet, but the evidence Winston will be more effective for fantasy receiving commodities continues to grow.
QB Mac Jones, New England Patriots: It was a respectable showing from Jones in his NFL debut. He connected on 13 of 19 passes for 87 yards without a score or turnover. He looked comfortable and was his natural self on the move. The Alabama product dropped a 50-yarder in a bucket that was a sure touchdown if Kristian Wilkerson hadn’t butterfingered one on an otherwise quality night for the receiver. Cam Newton was good for 49 yards from four completions on seven tries. His most memorable play was getting lit up by Washington DE Chase Young. Is the gap closing between Newton and Jones? It’s hard to think anything otherwise.
QB Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo started, as expected, and Lance’s first series was a three-and-out dud. He returned for the next drive to set the fantasy world abuzz with an 80-yard touchdown to WR Trent Sherfield on a classic Kyle Shanahan design (play-action rollout). Lance finished with mediocre stats otherwise, completing only five of 14 throws for 128 yards. He didn’t get intercepted, at least. … Not a first bad game back after missing all of 2020’s college season.
QB Zach Wilson, New York Jets: A brief appearance came with a rather frenetic pace for an offense had been anything but in recent memory. Wilson completed all but three of his nine attempts for 63 yards, lasering a first-down strike to Corey Davis in tight coverage. The Jets looked lively, and their prized rookie passer resembled every bit the part of a No. 2 overall pick. He was decisive and delivered after what has been a rocky training camp.
WR Quez Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles: Despite securing just one of two targets, Watkins gave the offense an explosive 79-yard play on a screen pass. He demonstrated vision and athleticism, traits the Eagles may desire to mix in with similar skill sets of Jalen Reagor and DeVonta Smith (knee). Reagor displayed quality route-running traits in the game, and Smith is nearing a return to practice any day now. Watkins belongs on your radar but isn’t quite draftable just yet.
RB DeeJay Dallas, Seattle Seahawks: Even with Rashaad Penny inactive, Dallas didn’t touch the ball on offense until the third quarter. He’d go on to finish with 69 total yards and a 43-yard scoring grab on fourth down. Current and prospective Chris Carson owners should keep close tabs on Dallas’ next two appearances.
