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Training Camp Preview: NFC East

Mon Jul 15 11:09am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Prescott in make or break season


This is the first in a series of training camp previews. The previews give you a quick look at each team, going over position battles and injuries to watch in camp. The season is right around the corner.

Cowboys

The Cowboys are always a team to watch in training camp, mainly because of the high expectations for the team. But this year the expectations could be even higher with Dak Prescott possibly in a make or break year. He will need to play at a high level and produce in the playoffs if he hopes to continue to start and land a big contract with the Cowboys. There will be a lot of pressure on Prescott this season. The Cowboys open camp on July 24 at the Marriott Residence Inn in Oxnard, Calif.

Position battle: The running back spot is the big one for the Cowboys this training camp. This spot is truly up for grabs with Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Royce Freeman battling it out for playing time. Elliott is the favorite to start but will need to show he still has something left in the tank. Dowdle is the big wild card. He is the younger option that showed well at times last year. If he can take a step forward, he could emerge as the lead back in this high-powered offense.

Injury watch: Dak Prescott scared some when he was spotted in a boot recently. He was battling some sort of ankle injury but it was considered minor. He is expected to be just fine for the start of camp. It is something to maybe keep an eye on, though, just to be sure. Ankle injuries can linger.

Eagles

Philadelphia had a great regular season but fizzled towards the end and in the playoffs. This will put more pressure on the team to perform the entire season. There is a ton of talent on this team, especially after adding running back Saquon Barkley to an already high-powered offense. It will be intriguing to see how Barkley is used on the offense, making it one of the big storylines in camp. Barkley and his teammates get things started on July 23 at the NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia.

Position battle: There really isn’t much to decide in Philadelphia but one spot to watch is the backup running back position. Kenneth Gainwell is the returner but he will have rookie Will Shipley to compete with for that job. Shipley is a talented three-down back that has already impressed in his short time in Philadelphia. Gainwell has produced well at times but been a little inconsistent. Starter Saquon Barkley can have some injury issues, so figuring out the back that might end up getting the most work if he were to get hurt could be a big plus for fantasy owners.

Injury watch: Dallas Goedert is not currently injured but injuries have been an issue for him in recent seasons. He has missed games each of the last five seasons. Injuries are always a concern when it comes to Goedert. But if healthy, he can be a big producer at fantasy tight end. Keep an eye on him during training camp to see how he looks and plays.

Giants

New York has a lot of questions once again, mainly offensively. Do they have the right quarterback to lead the team? Who is going to step up at receiver? How will the team replace superstar Saquon Barkley at running back? And lastly, will the offensive line hold up over a full season? All these questions will be closely monitored this training camp, which kicks off July 16 at the Quest Diagnostics Training Facility in East Rutherford, N.J.

Position battle: The Giants are a mess at receiver. They have all sorts of openings. Rookie Malik Nabers might be about the only sure thing out of the group. He is expected to be the No. 1 receiver this season. But after him, you have Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Isaiah McKenzie, Isaiah Hodgins and Allen Robinson vying for playing time. It really is anyone’s guess who might emerge out of that big group of receivers. We should have a better idea after seeing these guys in camp and preseason action.

Injury watch: Starting quarterback Daniel Jones is returning from a torn ACL, suffered in Week 9 last year. This is a major injury to return, so Jones is no sure thing to be ready for Week 1. The good news is his offseason progress has been really good. All signs point towards him being ready for the start of the season. Just make sure he keeps progressing in camp and doesn’t have any setbacks before pulling the trigger on him come draft day.

Commanders

The Commanders have a lot of new this season, including a franchise quarterback and head coach. These two aspects of the team will be the main focus of training camp for Commanders fans to watch. Washington will need to hit on these two if they hope to get the franchise headed in the right direction once again. Washington gets camp started on July 18 at the OrthoVirginia Training Center in Ashburn, Va.

Position battle: The tight end position is up for grabs in Washington this year. The Commanders drafted Ben Sinnott, who is the future at the position, but also signed veteran Zach Ertz. These two will battle it out for the right to start. Ertz has reportedly been a top target in offseason workouts, so he might have the early lead for the job. Either way, the starting tight end could carry good fantasy value in Washington with a rookie quarterback at the helm. The tight end can be a nice safety net for a young player.

Injury watch: Austin Ekleler had an ankle injury last year that caused him to miss three games and be limited in others. Nagging injuries have slowed him in recent years. He isn’t getting any younger and this might be his last chance to play a big role in an offense. Ekekler will need to show he is healthy and still has something left in the tank if he hopes to get consistent playing time.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
D.K. Metcalf Oct 11 10:30am CT
D.K. Metcalf

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf had a poor game on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers. Metcalf finished the game with three receptions for 48 yards. Metcalf had been cruising this season and entered the game as the WR11 in fantasy. However, the 49ers more or less dominated the Seahawks and limited Metcalf's upside. Metcalf also had a couple of near-miss touchdowns in this game. Unfortunately, Metcalf's performance will set fantasy managers back heading into the weekend. However, there should be no panic or concern over his performance. Quarterback Geno Smith still threw for over 300 yards and Metcalf earned eleven targets. His catch rate was abysmal, but that kind of volume is sure to continue to translate to fantasy points. Metcalf will look to get back on track in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Brandon Aubrey Oct 11 10:20am CT
Brandon Aubrey

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey remains the top kicker heading into Week 6's matchup with the Detroit Lions. Aubrey missed a kick last week, going 2-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points. He will look to bounce back this week in a dome environment in Dallas in what projects to be a high-flying offensive battle. The 29-year-old is the top kicker option this week and offers week-winning potential. Start him in all leagues that utilize kickers.

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Noah Fant Oct 11 10:20am CT
Noah Fant

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant matched his season-high catch total of six on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers. He also set a new season-high in receiving yards with 63. Fant has been a useless fantasy asset all season but if you happened to stream him this week then you were likely pleasantly surprised by the outcome. The Seahawks wound up throwing the ball 52 times, so it is no surprise that so many pass catchers were able to receive solid volume in this game. Even with a nice game from Fant, he is still too inconsistent to trust in fantasy football. However, if this trend continues then he would be worth an add off waivers.

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Kenneth Walker III Oct 11 10:20am CT
Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III was inefficient on the ground in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers. However, Walker earned eight targets for the second straight game. Walker is not known as a pass catcher. That is a role that typically falls to backup running back Zach Charbonnet. Even so, the new Seahawks regime seems to be changing that narrative. Walker has earned 24 targets in 2024 which is 13 off of a career high. The Seahawks have also found themselves trailing quite a bit over the last three weeks which could contribute to Walker's volume in the passing game. Still, the passing game work is giving Walker a nice floor in fantasy and propelling him into the high-end RB1 conversation. If this trend continues in Week 7, then it may be safe to say that Walker will see solid passing game volume all season.

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Geno Smith Oct 11 10:20am CT
Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith had a rough outing on Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers. Smith threw for 312 yards and continued his 2024 trend of throwing for exactly one touchdown. However, he threw two costly interceptions as the Seahawks were unable to keep pace with a 49ers team that was opportunistic on turnovers throughout the game. The outing was disappointing for Smith as he was coming off two straight games with at least 22.56 fantasy points. However, Smith has now thrown for at least 312 yards in three of six games in 2024. At some point, the touchdown numbers should increase. Unfortunately, the Seahawks find themselves in a rut as they have lost three straight games. Smith often plays better when the Seahawks can play with a lead, which has not been the case lately. Hopefully, Smith can get back on track in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Jaxon Smith-Njigba Oct 11 10:20am CT
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba's target share continues to remain high. He seems to have found some consistency as Thursday's game against the San Francisco 49ers marked his third straight with at least seven targets. He has consistently kept pace with the targets earned by DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Smith-Njigba's only issue is that he has not scored many touchdowns. Quarterback Geno Smith has only thrown six touchdowns on the season and has thrown exactly one in every game so there have not been a lot of touchdowns to go around. Still, Seattle's offense continues to have to throw at a high rate to keep up with more challenging opponents as the season progresses. That will bode well for Smith-Njigba's volume throughout 2024.

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Tyler Lockett Oct 11 10:20am CT
Tyler Lockett

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett earned eight targets on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers. Lockett turned those targets into four catches for 65 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Lockett had been solid for fantasy all season and it was great to see him score his first touchdown to deliver WR2 value this week. He finished tied for third on the team in targets but paced the pass catchers in receiving yards. Lockett continues to be a safety valve for quarterback Geno Smith. He has now racked up 40 targets in six games this season. His 339 receiving yards through six games puts him on pace for 960 on the season. If he can continue to receive solid volume and the touchdowns increase, Lockett could creep up the fantasy radar even farther.

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Jake Ferguson Oct 11 10:10am CT
Jake Ferguson

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is a no-brainer start heading into Sunday's matchup with the Detroit Lions. The home game has the highest implied point total of any game this week (52), and Dallas will lean into the passing game per usual with Detroit's third-ranked run defense on the other side of the ball. Ferguson has averaged over eight targets per game since returning from injury in Week 3 and will continue to see a healthy workload on Sunday. Start the 25-year-old in all formats, as he has TE1 overall upside this week.

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Micah Parsons Oct 11 10:10am CT
Micah Parsons

The Dallas Cowboys' defense played one of their better games in Week 5, as they held Pittsburgh to just 17 points. They had three sacks and forced two fumbles, stringing together a solid fantasy outing after struggling the previous few weeks. This week, they welcome the red-hot Detroit Lions into town. Detroit is coming off of a bye having scored 42 points in their prior game against Seattle. They will be well-rested with plenty of time to prepare a game plan, creating a tough matchup. Trevon Diggs (ankle/illness), Eric Kendricks (calf/shoulder), and Micah Parsons (ankle) have all missed significant practice time this week and could cause Dallas to be short-handed on the defensive side of the ball this week. Look elsewhere for your fantasy defense for Week 6.

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CeeDee Lamb Oct 11 10:00am CT
CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb disappointed fantasy managers in Week 5 with five receptions for 62 yards. This week, Lamb is in a prime position for a big week. The Cowboys welcome the Detroit Lions to town in a game with the highest implied point total (52) of the week. Detroit's rush defense is sound, creating an environment where Dallas may lean even more into the pass than usual. They do not have a shutdown corner, meaning Lamb should draw favorable matchups. The 25-year-old grades as the WR1 overall this week and needs to be started everywhere.

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Jalen Tolbert Oct 11 10:00am CT
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys receiver Jalen Tolbert is coming off of the best game of his career in which he caught the game-winning pass against Pittsburgh. Tolbert is a strong flex option in Week 6's matchup with the Detroit Lions. Detroit's tough run defense will only lead Dallas to lean even heavier into the pass, creating plenty of opportunities for Tolbert to get involved with Brandin Cooks (knee) on injured reserve. Tolbert solidified himself as Dallas' WR2 last week and is a safe start with a high ceiling in a potential shootout this week.

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Dak Prescott Oct 11 9:50am CT
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott remains a top fantasy option ahead of Week 6's matchup with the Detroit Lions. Prescott is currently third in the league in passing yards per game behind just Geno Smith and Jordan Love and should continue to put up big numbers against Detroit's softer secondary. The Lions' defense has been a pass-funnel defense all season long, as they rank third in run defense but sixteenth in pass defense. Their defensive weaknesses match up well with Dallas' offensive strengths, creating a potential shootout with many fantasy points to go around. Prescott should benefit, as he grades as one of the top quarterback options for Week 6.

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Rico Dowdle Oct 11 9:50am CT
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has asserted himself as the workhorse running back over the past two weeks, most recently taking 65% of rushing attempts in Week 5's win. Although Dowdle should see a heavy workload in Week 6 against Detroit, the matchup is one of the toughest on paper. Detroit has allowed the seventh-least fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, likely making Dowdle a touchdown-dependent option this week. With that being said, there will likely be a lot of touchdowns in this game given that it has the highest projected point total of any game this week (52). Dowdle grades as a low-end RB2 option this week.

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Ezekiel Elliott Oct 11 9:50am CT
Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has seen his role diminish in the past few weeks. Elliott has taken a clear step back to Rico Dowdle, who had 22 touches compared to his six last week. This week, Dallas draws a tough running back matchup against Detroit. With Elliott's diminished workload along with a tough matchup, he should not be started anywhere this week. Elliott can be safely dropped in most formats, as he now serves as Dowdle's handcuff.

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Andy Dalton Oct 11 8:50am CT
Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton revived the offense for a couple of weeks until they ran into the Chicago Bears defense in Week 5. Dalton watched the end of the game from the bench as Bryce Young returned under center for a bit in the fourth quarter. In Week 6, the Panthers will take on the Atlanta Falcons who have some holes in their defense but haven't given up too many big fantasy outings to opposing quarterbacks. They're averaging 17.3 fantasy points allowed per game which slots them right in the middle of the pack. The Falcons offense, led by Kirk Cousins, will likely come out firing against a weak Panthers defense, so this game could turn into a huge passing effort from Dalton as long as he plays the entire contest. With a banged-up receiving corps, however, it doesn't seem too likely that Dalton will register a big week.

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Jonathan Owens Oct 11 8:40am CT
Jonathan Owens

Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) has officially been ruled out for the team's Week 6 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Brisker has been one of the leaders of a very good defensive unit that has kept the Bears in striking distance every game. They enter this week as a top-four unit in terms of fantasy points scored so far this season. Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens are the next two safeties on the depth chart and Hicks will likely be the one to take over for Brisker in this game. The Jaguars finally bounced back with a win in Week 5, but Trevor Lawrence has proven to slip up more often than not, so this defense has serious potential.

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Chuba Hubbard Oct 11 8:20am CT
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has enjoyed some big fantasy success over the last few weeks since Andy Dalton took over as the starting quarterback. He's registered finishes of RB7, RB7, and RB5 in half-PPR formats across those weeks. After a brief offensive improvement to win their first game, the offense has slowly returned to the not-so-great version we've seen before. Now, Hubbard goes up against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6 who are the fifth-toughest defense against opposing running backs. They're only allowing an average of 15.9 fantasy points per game to backfields. Hubbard remains the best starting option from the Panthers' offense, but his upside is limited if the Falcons can get out to an early lead.

From RotoBaller

Zamir White Oct 11 8:00am CT
Zamir White

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (groin) did not participate in practice on Thursday, his fourth DNP in a row since last week. He wasn't able to suit up for their last game against the Denver Broncos after picking up a groin injury during practice last week. Now, it seems he's on his way to miss another game. White hasn't been able to find a rhythm as the lead back this season, and Alexander Mattison earned more carries even when White was playing. Since the Raiders haven't played with a lead very often, the backfield has suffered on top of that. If White still can't get on the field this week, Ameer Abdullah will slot in as the backup to Mattison again.

From RotoBaller

Russell Wilson Oct 11 8:00am CT
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) technically won the starting job in training camp, but hasn't been able to take the field due to a calf injury. In fact, the Steelers were ready to trot him out as the starter in Week 1 until the calf flared up a few days before kickoff, allowing Justin Fields to step in earlier than expected. Since then, Wilson has dressed as the emergency QB and has slowly worked his way to taking second-team reps. Head coach Mike Tomlin didn't explicitly say that Wilson would eventually take his spot back, but he said that "the door is ajar" in terms of a potential QB swap. While Fields has looked much improved from his days with the Chicago Bears, the passing game leaves a lot to be desired. Wilson may get the chance to see if he can breathe new life into it.

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Jakobi Meyers Oct 11 7:50am CT
Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders wide receivers Davante Adams (hamstring) and Jakobi Meyers (ankle) both registered DNPs for Thursday's injury report. Reports last week suggested that Adams would be healthy by this week, but as the week has progressed, he's increasingly been unlikely to play in Week 6's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is all while the team is looking for trade partners for the superstar receiver even though the trade market looks like it's going cold due to their asking price. Meyers, on the other hand, reportedly "seemed fine" and missing practice was more to make sure he's healthy by game time. Fantasy managers should still monitor his status leading up to the mid-afternoon kickoff on Sunday.

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