The NFL is into “Phase Three” of the off-season, which is the final stage of the off-season program before contact practices begin with the start of training camp in late July. We’ve seen a steady stream of news since OTAs (organized team activities) started in late May, and it always gets a little more interesting in June when veteran players are required to report for one mandatory minicamp unless they have an excused absence.
I went team by team to round up the most important fantasy headlines coming out of all 32 workouts. You can also check out every headline in our News Feed. I’ll be updating this article through June 15, which is the final day of team activities in Phase Three. Check back often for regular updates!
Notes
Any ADP data used in this article is based on the last month of drafts with our partners over at Underdog Fantasy.
Each news item will have a date at the end of it for when it was updated or added to the article.
American Football Conference
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
- The Bills traded up for Dalton Kincaid late in the first round, but OC Ken Dorsey threw a little cold water on Kincaid’s potential role out of the gates this season. Dorsey said at OTAs, “We’re nowhere close to knowing what the big picture is going to be because we have to learn him and he has to learn us.” Rookie TEs typically struggle to make significant fantasy impacts, and Kincaid is one of the most severely overdrafted TEs with his current ADP sitting at 119 (TE11). The Bills are also among the favorites to potentially add another ball hog, DeAndre Hopkins, next to Stefon Diggs. (May 31)
Miami Dolphins
- None of note.
New England Patriots
Tyquan Thornton, who was listed at 6'2”, 183 pounds as a rookie, spent the off-season bulking up to help his durability after he missed time for a broken clavicle early last season. New OC Bill O’Brien prominently featured him in the schemes installed in a My 31 practice, and Thornton’s 4.28-speed stood out in the non-padded practice. Thornton (184, WR81) is the only player outside of Rhamondre Stevenson that I’m currently targeting from the Patriots in early best ball drafts. (June 1)
The Patriots forfeited two voluntary OTAs for violating the league’s off-season rules, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The two missed voluntary practices won’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a missed opportunity for OC Bill O’Brien to implement his offense on the field. (May 25)
New York Jets
Breece Hall isn’t participating at OTAs but HC Robert Saleh is optimistic he’ll be ready for Week 1 while noting that Hall is already hitting 22 mph on their GPS system. Hall tempered expectations in his own press conference saying he doesn’t want to jeopardize his future by returning too soon, but he importantly noted that he’s been cutting on the field in addition to his running. Hall’s ADP (30, RB11) has slid a bit in recent weeks and we could get a nice buying opportunity if he continues to fall with the tepid news out of Jets camp. (June 1)
Aaron Rodgers suffered what he called a “tweaked” calf in a pre-practice run, but he doesn’t believe his injury is “too serious.” It’s a bit of an ominous start for New York’s new quarterback, but it sounds like his calf injury should be a minor issue moving forward. He’ll miss out on some reps with his new Jets teammates, but his tweaked calf shouldn’t affect his ADP (112, QB15) moving forward. (May 24)
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson told the media that he’ll be doing “less running and more throwing” when asked about Baltimore’s offense under new OC Todd Monken. I wrote after the draft that Jackson was likely to have fewer designed runs with Monken leading the offense after averaging 9.0 FPG as a runner since becoming Baltimore’s full-time starter in 2019. The Ravens finally threw him a bone by signing Odell Beckham, drafting Zay Flowers, and hiring Monken to call plays, who is an Air Raid guy at heart. Jackson has never topped 3200+ passing yards and averaged more than 210+ passing YPG just once in his first four full seasons. Baltimore’s passing game should finally open up some to offset some of the production he loses as a runner, but I’m concerned enough about his dip in rushing production to be below market on Lamar as my QB6 behind Joe Burrow and Justin Fields. (May 25)
Rashod Bateman practiced at the start of OTAs after he needed surgery in November for a Lisfranc foot injury. Adam Caplan told us in our forthcoming Town Hall series that Bateman suffered the worst type of Lisfranc injury but that he returned to running this off-season. Bateman was Lamar Jackson’s no-doubt top option in a weak WR corps last season, but GM Eric DeCosta brought in Odell Beckham and Zay Flowers to compete for targets this off-season. Bateman’s ADP (96, W46) is a bit inflated considering the capital the Ravens used on OBJ ($15 million guaranteed) and Zay (2023 first-round pick) in a passing attack that already has Mark Andrews. (May 24)
Cincinnati Bengals
- None of note.
Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson had multiple deep connections with Marquise Goodwin during a May 31 practice, and OC Alex Van Pelt noted afterward that the coaching staff prioritized creating more explosive plays in the passing game this off-season. The Athletic’s Zac Jackson noted that Elijah Moore has been used on short passes that let him create after the catch, and he’s been used in motion and all over the formation. The Browns acquired speedy WRs Moore (4.35-second 40-time) and Goodwin (4.27) and drafted Cedric Tillman with their first pick to play alongside Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Watson is likely to be my most-drafted quarterback at his relatively cheap ADP (84, QB9), and I recently bet over his passing yards total of 3500.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook. It’s also not difficult to stack Watson with Moore at his reasonable ADP (97, WR48). (June 1)
Jerome Ford is working as the top back in the first round of OTA practices with Nick Chubb taking the voluntary workouts off. The Browns let Kareem Hunt walk in free agency and they’ve been noticeably quiet at the position this off-season. The Athletic’s Zac Jackson wrote that Ford is headed for a much larger role after he “impressed the team’s decision-makers” as a rookie. Cleveland could still make a move behind Chubb later in the summer but it looks like the team is currently content with Ford and their RB depth chart for the moment. Ford has been one of my favorite final RB picks with his rock-bottom ADP (196, RB60) considering Chubb hasn’t played more than 70% of the snaps in any season and more than 56% just once in five years. He also missed seven games in 2020-21 before playing all 17 contests last season. (May 25)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Allen Robinson has worked mostly out of the slot in his first workouts with the Steelers, an area where he’s run at least a third of his routes in four of his last five seasons. Robinson has been limited in OTAs by a foot stress fracture he suffered, which cut short his disappointing one and only season with the Rams after Week 11. A-Rob is merely a final-round pick in best ball drafts for Kenny Pickett stackers, and his biggest impact will be felt as a big target near the goal line after Pickett posted a league-low 1.8% TD rate. (May 26)
AFC South
Houston Texans
John Metchie was reportedly a full participant in Phase 1 of Houston’s off-season program in April after missing his rookie season for acute promyelocytic leukemia missing practices, but he’s sitting out practices in the final stage for a hamstring injury. HC DeMeco Ryans categorized the injury as a strain and said Metchie will be ready by training camp. It’s a concerning development since he could use the maximum number of reps he can get after a lost first season, and hamstring injuries can linger if not properly healed. The Texans used significant capital on Tank Dell (2023 third-round pick) and Robert Woods ($10 million guaranteed) this off-season, which indicates they’re not completely sold on Metchie’s availability for this season. Metchie is still more than worth drafting at his rock-bottom ADP (187, WR81) since he has a path to being the top target for second-overall pick C.J. Stroud, but his summer is off to a shaky start. (May 24)
Dameon Pierce (ankle) and Nico Collins (foot) are both practicing at OTAs after each of them finished 2022 on the injured reserve. It’s not a huge shock that both players are back to full strength since the tanking Texans had little incentive to rush their two young skill players back to action late last season. Both Pierce (63 ADP, RB20) and Collins (141, WR63) will face additional competition for touches after Houston loaded up at the skill positions this off-season, but their ADPs are far from prohibitive in what should be an improved Texans offense.
Indianapolis Colts
Jelani Woods (hamstring) and rookie Josh Downs (knee) missed the first round of team practices at OTAs, but HC Shane Steichen categorized Downs’ injury as “nothing major.” Woods is looking to emerge at the top of Indy’s TE depth chart ahead of Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson while Downs is hoping to be the team’s slot receiver ahead of Isaiah McKenzie. (May 30)
HC Shane Steichen had Anthony Richardson split first-team reps with Gardner Minshew in the first OTA workout open to the media. Steichen said it’s a major step in their evaluation of Richardson, who turned just 21 years old on May 22. It’s clear that Steichen isn’t going to hold the fourth overall pick back this summer as long as he continues to show he’s ready to take on more responsibilities. Richardson isn’t a lock to open as the team’s starter in Week 1 with his most important benchmarks lying ahead in training camp and preseason action. Still, his early progress and premium draft capital make him the odds-on favorite to take the first snaps against the Jaguars on Sept. 10. (May 26)
Jacksonville Jaguars
ESPN’s Michael DiRocco believes the Jaguars will be cutting back on Travis Etienne’s workload after he handled 74% of the RB carries following James Robinson’s trade. The Jaguars signed D’Ernest Johnson and selected Tank Bigsby in the third round to beef up their RB room behind Etienne. OC Press Taylor said the breakdown of snaps and touches won’t be decided until the season. Etienne added that more of a committee would help with the “wear and tear” on his body. His ADP (37, RB12) has been trending in the wrong direction since Jacksonville selected Bigsby and it won’t be long until he settles into the fourth round this summer. (May 30)
Calvin Ridley is turning heads with his on-field performance at OTAs, and he’s “ahead of schedule” with his knowledge of the offense heading into his first year with Jacksonville. OC Press Taylor and the Jaguars coaching staff have watched every snap of Ridley’s career this off-season to put him in the best position to succeed in Jacksonville. Ridley last took an NFL field in October 2021, but he’s quickly knocking off the rust after missing last season for his gambling suspension. Ridley has plenty of new target competition from Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, and Zay Jones, but he’ll be Trevor Lawrence’s most-talented receiver if he can return to his old form. Ridley is dripping with upside after seeing some of Zay’s blow-up games on the perimeter last season, but he’s being drafted near his ceiling (35, WR17). (May 25)
Tennessee Titans
- Treylon Burks has consistently been Ryan Tannehill’s favorite during OTAs — not that Tannehill has many choices with his league-worst receiving corps — and reporter Jim Wyatt noted that Burks has yet to drop a pass during OTAs. Burks (74, WR39) and TE Chig Okonkwo (130, TE12) aren’t sexy fantasy options in Tennessee’s run-heavy attack, but they’re headed for huge target shares in an offense that is likely to be playing from behind more with an aging Derrick Henry at running back. (June 1)
AFC West
Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson is in the midst of learning a new offense for the third straight off-season, and he sported a trimmed-down physique at OTAs. He said he feels “leaner and meaner” but wouldn’t disclose how much weight he’s lost from last season. I’m not going to put a whole lot of stock into Wilson’s slightly altered figure, but it’s at least a sign that the oblivious Wilson is aware that the heat is on him after the franchise hired Sean Payton to fix last season’s debacle. (May 26)
Javonte Williams surprisingly was dressed and participated in Denver’s first OTA session open to the media, albeit a walk-through practice. He was seen cutting and running routes during individual drills as well, and HC Sean Payton said Williams worked in a limited capacity. It’s a positive sign in his recovery from multiple ligament tears last October, but I’m still hesitant to put too much emphasis on a light practice in May. Williams’ ADP (91, RB29) has been sliding for most of the off-season, but it could rebound with his participation at OTAs. (May 25)
Kansas City Chiefs
- None of note.
Las Vegas Raiders
- Jimmy Garoppolo is sitting out OTAs as he continues to recover from a left foot injury that he initially suffered in early December while playing with the 49ers last season. The Athletic’s Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur reported that Jimmy G had surgery on his foot in March after the Raiders discovered he needed a procedure during a physical before his signing. HC Josh McDaniels acknowledged Garoppolo could be out until at least training camp, but Las Vegas doesn’t seem too concerned about the issue since they went through with his signing even after they discovered he needed surgery. The Raiders do have the ability to terminate the agreement up until he passes a physical and is active for at least one game. Jimmy G’s durability issues are inescapable at this stage of his career. He suffered three season-ending injuries in six years with the 49ers, and he had shoulder and thumb surgeries last off-season. I won’t talk anyone out of drafting Jimmy G as a QB3 at his rock-bottom ADP (189, QB26), but the vibes are already toxic in Las Vegas after Davante Adams voiced his displeasure with the team’s front office. Adams has burned anyone who has doubted him the last three years, but I’ll be below market on him this summer. (May 30)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Austin Ekeler ended his contract dispute and will stick with the Chargers after $1.75 million in incentives were added to the final year of his current contract. Ekeler posted a staggering 107 receptions on 128 targets last season to easily pace all NFL RBs. He was by far the biggest beneficiary of former OC Joe Lombardi’s horizontal passing attack, finishing as the RB1 (22.1 FPG) in 2022 and the RB2 (21.7) in 2021. New OC Kellen Moore will want to push the ball more downfield, and Cowboys RBs combined for the ninth-fewest targets at the position last season with 85, which equated to a 15.2% share. Ekeler was already a prime regression candidate thanks to his 38 touchdowns over the previous two seasons, and his 17.9% target share from 2022 should also take a step back. With all that said, Ekeler is still my RB2 in Underdog drafts in the middle of the first round after Cooper Kupp, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce go off the board. (May 24)
National Football Conference
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Michael Gallup said he’s feeling “springy again” at OTAs after averaging an ugly 30.3 receiving YPG in his first season off his late-season 2021 ACL tear. HC Mike McCarthy put some of the blame on Dallas’ coaching staff for Gallup’s down season, noting that Gallup played almost exclusively as the X receiver and ran too many go routes. McCarthy wants to move Gallup around more and to diversify his route tree, but he’ll also face stiffer competition for WR targets with Brandin Cooks added this off-season. I’ve warmed up a bit to Gallup since Dallas’ quiet draft at wide receiver, but his ADP (144, WR65) is in line with where I think he should be drafted. (May 26)
Tony Pollard, who fractured his fibula in late January, is practicing in Dallas’ “reduced-tempo” OTAs — the team was fined for too much physicality in OTAs the last two years. Pollard has been expected to be ready for training camp and his participation in OTAs is a strong sign his off-season rehab is going well. He’s worked his way to the top of the depth chart after the Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott this off-season, and HC Mike McCarthy has said he wants to “run the damn ball” after firing pass-happy play-caller Kellen Moore. The Cowboys are candidates to add a back later this summer, but the efficient Pollard — he owns career averages of 5.1 YPA and 8.3 YPR — is still set to see the most volume in his fifth season. (May 25)
New York Giants
- The Giants have one of the league’s deepest receiving corps, and their senior-most tenured WR is trending toward defending one of his spots on the roster in training camp. Sterling Shepard was spotted running routes in 7-on-7 drills during OTA workouts, which indicates he’s ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in Week 3 last season. Shepard has been Daniel Jones’ top target when on the field in recent years, and he wouldn’t a bad bet to lead New York in receiving if he was guaranteed to stay available. That’s big if since he’s missed 34 of his last 66 contests (51.5%) the last four years, including 24 of his last 34 games (70.1%) the last two seasons. The good news is that he’s absolutely free (WR116 ADP) if you want to stack him with Daniel Jones with the final pick in drafts. (May 26)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Dallas Goedert is working with Philadelphia’s WRs this spring “to sharpen his routes and releases” and to pick the brains of studs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, per Dave Zangaro. His receiving YPG and catch rate have risen in four straight seasons, but he’s had trouble scoring, with just 19 career TDs on 341 targets (5.6% rate). Goedert is a bit of the forgotten man in Philadelphia’s potent passing attack, which includes three Eagles (Brown, Jalen Hurts, and Smith) being drafted inside the first two rounds, but drafting him is the easiest way to get a piece of this passing game with his ADP of 68 (TE6). (May 24)
Washington Redskins
Ron Rivera told our John Hansen that the Commanders want to get Brian Robinson more involved as a receiver on early downs. Robinson finished with just nine receptions in 12 games as a rookie after posting 35/296/2 receiving in his final season at Alabama. B-Rob is never going to be a prolific receiver but he has more potential in the passing game than he showed in 2022. It’s also understandable that the Commanders didn’t want to put too many passing-game responsibilities on Robinson’s plate after he was just before the season and lost valuable practice reps. Rivera also talked about using Antonio Gibson’s speed on perimeter runs and using him as a mismatch piece in the passing game. Robinson (106 ADP, RB34) and Gibson (122, RB40) are two of the best fantasy values on the board right now, especially when you consider how run-centric Rivera wants to play with essentially a rookie QB in Sam Howell. (May 25)
Intriguing second-year TE Armani Rogers suffered a torn Achilles while running at OTAs. He’ll undergo surgery next week, and the injury could cost him the 2023 season. Rogers played quarterback at UNLV and Ohio before transitioning to TE as an undrafted free agent last year, which is reminiscent of the path his teammate Logan Thomas took to the NFL. Rogers was unlikely to make his way to fantasy relevance in 2023, but the Commanders have one of the NFL’s weakest and most wide-open TE depth charts with Logan Thomas and John Bates at the top. (May 24)
NFC North
Chicago Bears
- Darnell Mooney missed the start of voluntary workouts because he’s still “progressing” in his rehab from his ankle injury suffered in late November. Mooney said he had tightrope surgery to repair his broken fibula and that he had screws inserted into his foot during an appearance on the St. Brown Brothers’ Podcast in mid-May. He also noted he’s been running and that he just started to cut on his repaired ankle. Mooney’s role in Chicago’s passing attack was already up in the air with D.J. Moore added to the mix, and it doesn’t sound like he’s a lock to be ready for training camp. I haven’t been interested in Mooney at his current ADP (123, WR55), but it could dip to a more acceptable spot if he misses mandatory workouts in June. (May 24)
Detroit Lions
- David Montgomery left a May 25 OTA practice early with a left leg injury, which left a few more reps for rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who previously battled a minor ankle issue during rookie camp. Montgomery’s injury should be monitored in future OTA workouts, but it appears he avoided a major injury scare since no additional news has been reported since the incident. (May 26)
Green Bay Packers
- Rookie Luke Musgrave is earning first-team reps in Green Bay’s wide-open competition at tight end during OTAs. HC Matt LaFleur called him different from the other TEs he’s had in the past, noting that he’s a quick learner with elite speed and a large target, to boot. The 42nd overall is a bit of a raw prospect entering the league and the Packers selected Tucker Kraft 36 picks after him, but Musgrave stands out as an intriguing final pick (213, TE32) for Jordan Love stackers. Musgrave could emerge as a waiver wire target at some point this season in a wide-open passing-game pecking order in Green Bay. (June 1)
Minnesota Vikings
- Jordan Addison is sitting out OTAs with what HC Kevin O’Connell characterized as a minor undisclosed injury. Addison picked up the issue at the end of rookie minicamp and O’Connell added that they're being overly cautious with their first-round pick. We’ll keep an eye on Addison’s health moving forward but his absence in OTAs should affect his rising ADP (67, WR34). (May 31)
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
- None of note.
Carolina Panthers
- Hayden Hurst missed the start of off-season workouts as he recovers from sports hernia surgery, while D.J. Chark was held out of team drills after undergoing off-season ankle surgery. The Panthers are shaping up to have a wide-open battle for targets in 2023, and they’ll each miss out on some early reps with first-overall pick Bryce Young. Adam Thielen is the slight favorite to lead the Panthers in targets, but Chark will see more valuable downfield targets and offers more fantasy upside. It’s tough to get too excited about Chark with his durability concerns, but at least his current ADP (148, WR66) isn’t too prohibitive. Hurst is an inefficient receiver who will be playing with a rookie quarterback under a head coach, Frank Reich, who likes to spread snaps around to his entire TE room. (May 24)
New Orleans
Jeff Duncan reported that the Saints brought in Jon Gruden during the first week of OTAs to help with the installation of their offense with Derek Carr joining the roster this off-season. Carr had some of his best seasons in Gruden’s West Coast offense in 2018-21, and he’s transitioning to a similar offense in New Orleans that Sean Payton helped to install. Payton learned much of his offense during a one-year stint as a QB coach under OC Gruden for the 1997 Philadelphia Eagles. The Saints also signed Foster Moreau and Bryan Edwards to help Carr’s transition to a new franchise. New Orleans is going all-in on Carr after handing him $100 million guaranteed over four years this off-season. The Saints face the easiest schedule based on win totals and Carr could have a deep receiving corps if Michael Thomas is able to stay healthy, which makes him a value QB2 at his ADP (146, QB19). (May 30)
The Saints signed Foster Moreau to a three-year deal with $8 million guaranteed in early May, which came after he stepped away from football in March following his diagnosis with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. HC Dennis Allen said he expected Moreau to participate in OTAs at the time of his signing, and the former Raider TE did as his new coach expected with a full workout on May 23. Moreau is thankfully in good health and trending toward being ready for padded practices in training camp. Juwan Johnson was shaping up to be a must-target TE2, but he’s lost momentum since Moreau arrived in New Orleans, with his ADP dipping to 158 (TE18). Johnson’s contract (two years, $8.5 million guaranteed) indicates that he’ll be the top weapon at the position, but these two TEs will be locked into a committee. It doesn’t help that new QB Derek Carr has played the last four seasons with Moreau and likely lobbied for his Las Vegas teammate. (May 25)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- HC Todd Bowles said Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask are splitting first-team reps this off-season. The competition for the starting job isn’t exactly off to a blistering start based on the local news TV low-light reel of passes that’s gone viral since the start of OTAs. Trask has slimmed down to around 220 pounds the last two years after coming into the league around 240 pounds, and he’s done it to help out with his mobility in Dave Canales’ offense that features more rollouts and bootlegs. Mayfield is still the favorite to win the job in training camp, but Tampa’s QB situation is shaping up to be a headache for former fantasy studs Chris Godwin (57, WR29) and Mike Evans (66, WR32). Godwin said he didn’t feel at 100 percent in his first season back from his ACL injury in 2022 but that “a lot of my explosion is coming back” this off-season. (June 1)
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
- After months of speculation, the tanking Cardinals finally parted ways with DeAndre Hopkins, eating $22.6 million to void the final two years of Nuk’s contract. Hopkins is widely expected to seek out a contending team as his next destination like Kansas City or Buffalo. Nuk is still one of the NFL’s biggest ball hogs after averaging 10.7 targets per game last season, and he’s remarkably averaged 9.9 targets per game over the last nine seasons. The concern is that he could be losing a step as he enters his 11th season at 31 years old. He matched a career-worst mark in YPR (11.2) and had his second-worst average in yards per target (7.5). Hopkins still averaged a solid 1.98 yards per route run, and it’s notable that Colt McCoy threw the majority of passes in four of his nine games in 2022. Marquise Brown is the clear top beneficiary in Arizona after averaging 80.8 receiving YPG and 10.7 targets per game in six games that Nuk sat for a PED suspension. I hope you loaded up on Hollywood while you could because his ADP (78, WR39) is sure to rise by at least a round in the upcoming weeks. Hopkins’ release could also be a signal that the Cardinals will be in no rush to get Kyler Murray (141, QB19) on the field early in the season. I hope you grabbed the Arizona Cardinals under 5.5 wins back when I released it in April because Arizona’s win total continues to plummet after the draft. (May 26)
Los Angeles Rams
- None of note.
San Francisco 49ers
- Brock Purdy officially resumed throwing the week of May 29 according to GM John Lynch. Lynch also called Purdy the “leader in the clubhouse” for the starting job but added that the job will be “open for competition.” Purdy underwent throwing-elbow surgery on March 10, and he’s on track to be ready for the season opener against the Steelers on Sept. 10. Trey Lance has taken the first-team reps to start the off-season with Sam Darnold leading the second-team offense. Kyle Shanahan said the reps would even out as Darnold became more familiar with the offense. Lance also sported a “smoother, more compact delivery” after working with throwing coach Jeff Christensen this off-season. Purdy remains on pace to quarterback one of the NFL’s best offenses, which makes him a steal at his ADP (196, QB27) after throwing for multiple TDs in his first seven NFL starts. (Updated June 1)
Seattle Seahawks
- None of note.
