Tag: waiver wire

Shaquem Griffin stays in Seattle as Seahawks add him to practice squad

The Seattle Seahawks waived linebacker Shaquem Griffin during initial roster cuts but were able to add him back to the practice squad.

The Seahawks waived fan-favorite defensive end/ linebacker Shaquem Griffin during initial roster cuts on Saturday but were able to add him back to the practice squad Sunday morning. Griffin will remain in Seattle for now with his twin brother, cornerback Shaquill Griffin.

Seattle selecting the Griffin brothers in back to back NFL drafts made for a number of heartwarming stories for football fans around the league. The twins also spent their college days together playing for the University of Central Florida Knights.

Griffin became the first one-handed player to be drafted into the NFL in the modern area.

In Seattle, he has has been utilized on mostly special teams but was given a test run rotating in at the edge position last season to bolter the Seahawks’ pass rush. Perhaps another year will help with his development as he continues to make his case for the active roster.

Griffin’s twin, Shaquill, will be playing in the final year of his rookie contract and also has every reason to continue to compete.

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LIVE TRACKER: Seattle Seahawks 2020 practice squad signings

Tracking all the reported signings as the Seattle Seahawks begin to form their 2020 NFL practice squad.

The Seattle Seahawks, like all teams around the league, had to trim their rosters down to 53 players by Saturday’s deadline. Most of the players who were cut were then placed on the waiver wire.

The claiming period for all players placed on waivers expired Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. PT.  Teams can now start to establish their practice squads of up to 16 players, which can consist of up to six veterans regardless of the number of accrued seasons they have in the NFL due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Before the practice squad is official set, we’ll be tacking all reported signings throughout the day, so check back often. The newest information will be added to the top of this list.

Wide receiver Lance Lenoir

Wide receiver Aaron Fuller

Defensive back Ryan Neal

Cornerback Gavin Heslop

Cornerback Jayson Stanley

Tight end Stephen Sullivan

Wide receiver Cody Thompson

Linebacker Shaquem Griffin

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Tracking 2020 Saints practice squad signings, waiver claims

The New Orleans Saints released a wave of players in NFL roster cuts, but have the opportunity to re-sign many of them to the practice squad

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Nearly 900 NFL players had their contracts wiped out with teams at the league’s roster cuts deadline, putting many of them onto the waiver wire.

Some of the players released by the New Orleans Saints have returned to the practice squad, while a few others may get fresh starts with new teams. We’ve collected all of the latest reports and roster moves below, and will continue to update the list as more information becomes available, so check back often.

But first, a quick refresher on how the practice squad rules will look different in 2020. The new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association expanded the practice squad from 10 contracts to 12, but the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the NFL to widen it again to 16 members.

Additionally, up to six of those players may be veterans with unlimited NFL experience (in the past, only those with three or fewer accrued seasons were practice squad eligible). Teams must designate four practice squad players as being protected from poaching by other teams each Tuesday during the regular season.

Now that the housekeeping is out of the way: here’s who is waiting in the wings in the Big Easy:

Signed to the Saints practice squad

  • Quarterback-turned-tight end Tommy Stevens is returning to the Saints practice squad after passing through waivers, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. He’ll get an opportunity to continue to develop while working with familiar coaches.
  • Undrafted rookie cornerback Keith Washington Jr. is also signing with the Saints practice squad, as announced by his representatives at Icon Sports Consulting. Washington really came on as training camp progressed and could climb the depth chart later this season.
  • The Saints expect to sign backup offensive lineman Cameron Tom to their practice squad, reports Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Tom is a versatile pro who can play both guard and center, and it’s always good to have players with NFL reps to their credit ready to call up.
  • NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported that rookie linebacker Joe Bachie is signing with the Saints practice squad. Bachie received more guaranteed money in his contract than any other Saints undrafted rookie, and the coaching staff clearly liked what he showed in training camp.

Former Saints on new teams

  • Veteran pass rusher Mario Edwards Jr. joined the Chicago Bears, agreeing to a deal overnight. Because he is a sixth-year pro, he wasn’t eligible for waivers and could immediately hear out offers from other teams.

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Broncos made no player claims, lost one player on waiver wire

The Broncos lost a linebacker on the waiver wire.

The Denver Broncos did not place any claims on the waiver wire this weekend, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

That’s not surprising given that general manager John Elway said on Saturday even that the team did not plan to be active on the waiver wire.

“I think we feel pretty good about where we are, kind of excited about the football team we have,” Elway said.

Denver did lose one player on the waiver wire. After being cut Saturday, linebacker Justin Hollins was picked up by the Los Angeles Rams. In L.A., Hollins will be reunited with defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who served as the Broncos’ outside linebackers coach last year.

Denver probably would have tried to sign Hollins to the practice squad had he cleared waivers. The Broncos will not be bringing back wide receiver Juwann Winfree, according to Klis. Winfree cleared waivers and will likely land on another team’s practice squad.

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Colts hold 13th spot on the waiver wire

Colts should be active on the waiver wire.

While Saturday is a big day around the league because every team is reducing its roster down to 53 players, the following day is just important for the Indianapolis Colts.

The following day is when teams can make waiver claims on players who have been waived by other teams. Waiver claims must be made by 1:00 p.m. ET, which is the deadline before teams can begin constructing their practice squads—this year it will be 16 players instead of 10.

>>>READ: Breaking down the initial 53-man roster<<<

The Colts are always active on the waiver wire the day after the big cutdown day. It’s where they found the likes of Kenny Moore (2017), Pierre Desir (2017) and Al-Quadin Muhammad (2018).

The waiver order before Week 1 is made up from the 2020 NFL Draft order and won’t be impacted by trades. So despite the Colts having traded the No. 13 pick for DeForest Buckner, they still hold the No. 13 spot on the waiver wire.

There are a few positions the Colts may target on the waiver wire. They are currently only carrying three tight ends but with Trey Burton expected to miss at least the first few weeks of the season with a calf injury, that could be a position they target.

It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Colts put a claim on cornerbacks Sidney Jones or Rasul Douglas, both of which may be intriguing projects for Indy at a position that needs depth.

The waiver day is always an important one for the Colts and even though it will be a bit more difficult to analyze players without preseason tape, Chris Ballard and his front office staff will be looking to make some additions on Sunday.

Three NFL players the Dolphins should strongly consider on waivers

Three NFL players the Dolphins should strongly consider on waivers

The NFL’s wave of roster cuts begun yesterday and with it comes no shortage of temptations for the Miami Dolphins. If the Dolphins are intent to work over the waiver wire from yesterday’s cuts, there are a number of talents who would be home run propositions for the team given where Miami sits in their roster rebuild. Who, among Friday’s reported cuts, makes the most sense for the Dolphins?

Here are three waiver wire candidates the Dolphins should consider.

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

RB Dare Ogunbowale

Pass catching ability. Special teams skills. These are the hallmarks of Ogunbowale’s game — and that makes him an enticing option for the Miami Dolphins. Yes, the Dolphins boast Jordan Howard and Matt Breida at the top of the depth chart. But Ogunbowale is a more experienced version of Patrick Laird — and Ogunbowale offers an impressive resume on the special teams units. The only reason Ogunbowale is on the waivers is because Tampa Bay signed Leonard Fournette to go along with 2020 3rd-round pick Ke’Shawn Vaughn and 2018 2nd-round pick Ronald Jones — making the former Wisconsin Badger an unfortunate casualty to more prominent names in the running game.

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Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: NFL schedule release edition

This week in Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly, we take a look at the 2020 NFL schedule release.

The NFL schedule release is always a big event for die-hard football fans and that includes elite fantasy football owners too. It is key to see when the top players have bye weeks, do they have games in good weather later in the year, key matchups, and to figure out how you can best maximize your fantasy football team based on the new NFL schedule.

In this week’s Fantasy Football Weekly, let’s look at all that and more as we dive into the 2020 NFL schedule.

Detroit Lions Fantasy Focus

The Detroit Lions have a very tough start to their schedule, an early bye week, and no primetime night games. They do have 15 out of 16 games that should be in good weather or a dome, 14 of the 16 games are 1:00 PM EST starts, and a heavy home schedule to end the season.

I’d expect the good weather and dome games to favor the current multi-dimensional Lions offense and should allow them to throw it very well throughout the year. I also think that will help their run game too where they should see a marked improvement on the ground with fantasy rookie standout D’Andre Swift from Georgia now in a Lions uniform.

Fantasy performers to focus on for the Lions would be hard to identify as I’m not sure there will be many top-scoring stars for Detroit when it comes to fantasy football. In this case that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as I see this as a very balanced offense that will spread the ball around to many different players each week. I could see a bit of a dip for Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, but increased production for Kerryon Johnson and T.J. Hockenson.

This schedule isn’t an easy one, but it does have some good fantasy football elements for the Detroit Lions. The key will be playing well through that first stretch of tough games, staying healthy, and spreading out defenses with all their weapons. I expect their players to be solid fantasy football players in 2020, but not guys that will win your league for you.

Team Bye Weeks

Week 5: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers

Week 6: Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks,

Week 7: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans

Week 8: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins

Week 9: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles

Week 10: Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers

Week 11: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers

Week 12: No Teams On Bye

Week 13: Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Intriguing Lions Fantasy Football Games

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, Sunday, September 13, 2020 (Home and Season Opener), 1:00 PM, EST

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, September 20, 2020, 1:00 PM, EST

New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions, Sunday, October 4, 2020, 1:00 PM, EST

Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, October 25, 2020, 1:00 PM, EST

Houston Texans at Detroit Lions, Thursday, November 26, 2020, 12:30 PM, EST

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions, December 27 or 28, 2020 (TBD)

Final Word

It may seem like a minor thing, but the NFL schedule can have a major impact on your fantasy team. I still say take the best players in your draft and figure out the bye weeks as you go, but making sure you don’t have multiple top players on a bye week later in the season could be a key to you making the playoffs or your team being on the outside looking in.

Another strategy I’ve seen is to load up on bye weeks for all your top players and then even if you lose that week all of your players are then available for all other weeks. This strategy is pretty risky and doesn’t leave much room for injuries or trades to make it work as intended. I feel you should use the information above though to make good decisions while in your drafts, but the NFL schedule is only one of the many factors to be considered and shouldn’t be the reason you win or lose your championship.

You can find Derek on Twitter @DerekOkrie for all your offseason fantasy football needs.

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Check out game-by-game score predictions from around the NFL Wires network:

Buf / Mia / NE / NYJ // Bal / Cin / Cle / Pit // Hou / Ind / Jax / Ten // Den / KC / LV / LAC //// Dal / NYG / Phi / Was // Chi / Det / GB / Min // Atl / Car / NO / TB // Ari / LAR / SF / Sea

7 fantasy football waiver wire claims to make ahead of Week 16

Seven targets to target, claim and add on the fantasy football wavier wire ahead of Week 16.

It’s championship weekend in fantasy football. Maybe you’re out, but maybe you have a title to play for.

Injuries, suspensions and other circumstances don’t care about that, though. Week 16 might be the perfect time for one last ditch late season move to make ahead of the big weekend.

Here are seven wavier wire claims to make in fantasy football ahead of Week 16:

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

 QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

The Dolphins and Bengals faceoff in a meeting of bottom-feeders in this one. While it’s tough to bet on the Dolphins to win games this year, it’s easy to bet on Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing the ball a lot. In nine games since returning as his team’s starter, he’s averaging 37.6 pass attempts per game and gets a few yards here and there on the ground. Beating the Bengals usually requires running the ball, but the Dolphins don’t really have a run game, either.

Percent owned in ESPN fantasy leagues: 15.7%

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8 fantasy football waiver wire claims to make ahead of Week 15

Fantasy Football: Adds, waivers, wavier wire for Week 15.

Need a fresh face for your fantasy football roster this week even if it’s the postseason?

It’s never too late for a few extra points to continue to add to your win column. Don’t stop searching for pieces now.

Here are eight waiver wire claims to make in fantasy football ahead of Week 15:

Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

QB Ryan Tannehill

Folks still aren’t picking up Ryan Tannehill, but that’s fine, we’ll keep adding him here. The Titans’ new starter, and probably going forward to next season too, had another multi-touchdown outing last week against the Raiders with three. That’s four games in a row with multiple sores. He did have an interception, but it was his first one since Week 9. This week he has the Texans, who were upset and lit up by Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock last week.

Percent owned in ESPN fantasy leagues: 40.1%

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Lions Wire Fantasy Football Weekly: Week 13 Preview

Lions Wire’s weekly examination of what happened in fantasy football last week and a look forward at what to watch in the upcoming week.

As fantasy football owners we all have a multitude of things to be thankful for. Maybe you are thankful for drafting Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey, or Michael Thomas high in your fantasy drafts. Or, maybe you took some sage advice (wink-wink), waited to draft a quarterback and then snagged Lamar Jackson with one of your late-round picks.

Hopefully, you are thankful when you look at the standings in your fantasy league and you have more wins than losses. If you haven’t been derailed by injuries or bad roster moves, please be thankful.

As we turn the page to Thanksgiving and the fantasy playoffs, let’s take a look at Week 13 in the National Football League.

Bears at Lions fantasy focus

Football at 12:30 pm on Thanksgiving is a tradition in Detroit. Often it doesn’t matter what the Detroit Lions record is headed into this game they often seem to play well on this big day where they have the national stage. I don’t see this year being any different.

The Lions have had a tough season and have been riddled by injuries all year. They are starting their backup quarterback, a running back they found a couple weeks ago, and a defense that has been missing key pieces all year as well. For all these reasons, I feel they will come out and play one of their better games this season. They will give us something to cheer about right before the turkey comes out of the oven.

Fantasy players to watch in this one are Bo Scarbrough (RB Lions), Allen Robinson (WR Bears), Danny Amendola (WR Lions), David Montgomery (RB Bears), and Tarik Cohen (RB Bears). Don’t be surprised if the Lions pull out a couple of trick plays and change up their defensive schemes to try to get a win in this game that we are all so thankful to have in Detroit.

Start/Sit

Start
Sam Darnold (QB Jets)
Saquon Barkley (RB Giants)
Julio Jones (WR Falcons)
Jack Doyle (TE Colts)

Sit
Carson Wentz (QB Eagles)
Chris Carson (RB Seahawks)
Tyler Lockett (WR Seahawks)
Kyle Rudolph (TE Vikings)

Top-3 projected players by position

Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Jameis Winston, Buccaneers

Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey, Panthers
Leonard Fournette, Jaguars
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

Wide Receivers
Michael Thomas, Saints
Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
Davante Adams, Packers

Tight Ends
George Kittle, 49ers
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Darren Waller, Raiders

Team Defenses
Panthers
Bears
Steelers

Waiver wire options

Dwayne Haskins (QB Redskins)
Devlin Hodges (QB Steelers)
Rashaad Penny (RB Seahawks)
Jonathan Williams (RB Colts)
Mecole Hardman (WR Chiefs)
Deebo Samuel (WR 49ers)
Jack Doyle (TE Colts)
Mike Gesicki (TE Dolphins)

Intriguing games and players in Week 13

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, Thursday 12:30 PM, EST

  • CHI: Tarik Cohen (RB), David Montgomery (RB)
    DET: Danny Amendola (WR), Bo Scarbrough (RB)

Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys, Thursday 4:20 PM, EST

  • BUF: Josh Allen (QB), Devin Singletary (RB)
    DAL: Ezekiel Elliott (RB), Michael Gallup (WR)

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons, Thursday 8:20 PM, EST

  • NO: Alvin Kamara (RB), Tre’Quan Smith (WR)
    ATL: Matt Ryan (QB), Julio Jones (WR)

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • CLE: Kareem Hunt (RB), Nick Chubb (RB)
    PIT: Vance McDonald (TE), Benny Snell (RB)

San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST

  • SF: Tevin Coleman (RB), George Kittle (TE)
    BAL: Lamar Jackson (QB), Mark Ingram (RB)

New England Patriots at Houston Texans, Sunday 8:20 PM, EST

  • NE: Tom Brady (QB), Julian Edelman (WR)
    HOU: Deshaun Watson (QB), Kenny Stills (WR)

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks, Monday 8:15 PM, EST

  • MIN: Dalvin Cook (RB), Kirk Cousins (QB)
    SEA: Rashaad Penny (RB), Josh Gordon (WR)

Now What

This might be the final week you have to either make or miss the playoffs. If so, do all you can to score one more point than your opponent and hope you don’t have a crucial injury that costs you the week. Do all you can to win, as that is all that matters, but also enjoy these last few weeks of fantasy football.

I hope you enjoy this great holiday. Family, food, and football. It doesn’t get much better than that. We all have many things to be thankful for. Be thankful if you didn’t draft Odell Beckham (WR Browns), Joe Mixon (RB Bengals), and Kerryon Johnson (RB Lions) in most of your leagues like I did.

In all seriousness though, this is the time of year where we all count our blessings and remember to be grateful. Please cherish the time you have with those close to you this Thanksgiving. Indulge in homemade food and as always please enjoy both your football and fantasy football this holiday season.