Mon Jul 15 11:09am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
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.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ainias Smith caught six of nine targets for 36 yards during the team's 3-26 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The fifth-round rookie finishes the preseason on a high note, leading the Eagles receiving corps in targets by a four-target gap from the next closest receiver. Smith only caught eight balls in total this preseason and failed to reach 50 yards total in receiving. With Jahan Dotson recently being acquired this past week and names like veteran John Ross having strong preseason performances, it will be tough for the 23-year-old to make the final roster. Smith will likely land on the practice squad after the team makes their final cuts.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell caught both of his targets for 34 yards during the team's 3-26 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The former Indianapolis Colt finished a quiet preseason as a starter on Saturday but faces the chance of not making the final roster heading into the regular season. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jahan Dotson are locks to make the final roster, but Campbell, rookie Ainias Smith, John Ross, and Kendall Minton are all fighting for the final few spots with none making a strong case for themselves over the others. The 27-year-old will likely latch on to the practice squad or be scooped up by a wide receiver-needy squad heading into Week 1 of the regular season.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Tyrion Davis-Price took 12 carries for 56 yards and lost a fumble during the team's 3-26 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The 23-year-old was given the start on Saturday but has an uphill battle to make the roster with Saquon Barkley, Kenneth Gainwell, and rookie Will Shipley getting a rest to end the preseason. Davis-Price committing a turnover in his lone start likely didn't help his chances of making the final roster. The former San Francisco 49er will likely land on the practice squad if he is cut in the coming weeks leaving the trio of Barkley, Gainwell, and Shipley as locks to make the Week 1 roster.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (ankle) left the team's preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills early on Saturday after landing awkwardly completing a catch in the second quarter. The 24-year-old hauled in 2-of-3 targets for 11 yards while contributing 27 yards on two punt returns and a field-flipping 46 yards on his lone kick return. Smith-Marsette was productive before he picked up the injury and is expected to be the team's returner this upcoming season. Barring the severity of his ankle issue, that could still be the case. It's a bit early to tell how impactful the NFL's new kickoff rules will be come the start of the regular season. However, fantasy managers may want to keep the Iowa product on their radar as a sneaky option, depending on how your league values return yards. His Yahoo! ADP is far down enough that he'd be best suited as a prospective waiver-wire add.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett completed six of nine passes for 58 yards during the team's 3-26 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The former first-round pick played the entire first half and ended the preseason with his third-straight underwhelming performance. While Pickett has started all three preseason games and has not played with any of the starting receiving corps, he has done little to nothing. While third-string quarterback Tanner McKee had a poor performance as well Saturday, he has looked much better this preseason and has made a strong case to be the No. 2 option behind starter Jalen Hurts. Because the Eagles made a trade for him this offseason, the 26-year-old will likely be the backup come Week 1. With that said, McKee is a name to watch this upcoming week.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee completed 13 of 21 passes for 115 yards, threw one interception, and lost a fumble during the team's 3-26 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The 24-year-old had been making a strong case to challenge Kenny Pickett for the No. 2 spot but ended the preseason on a low note with two turnovers. With that said, McKee still looked better as a passer than Pickett Saturday proving that he can push the ball downfield while the offense was inept with Pickett. The former Steelers starter will likely end up as the top backup to starter Jalen Hurts come Week 1. Still, McKee should have safely secured himself the emergency quarterback role with his overall strong preseason totals.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Justin Shorter caught two of his three targets for 15 yards in Saturday afternoon's preseason loss to the visiting Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium. Shorter's long gain of the day came on a 10-yard reception in Saturday's defeat to the Panthers. The 24-year-old wideout was a fifth-round pick out of Florida by the Bills in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he didn't see the field in any capacity during his rookie season in Orchard Park a year ago. Shorter still has a chance to make Buffalo's final 53-man roster as depth for the receiving corps, but he'll probably end up being a healthy inactive on gamedays more often than not while the team is healthy.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys running back Royce Freeman ran the ball eight times in the Cowboys preseason finale, gaining 35 yards. He was targeted once in the passing game, making a catch for a seven yard gain. Freeman's usage in the preseason essentially locked up his role as the third running back on the depth chart, behind Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle. Freeman would need injuries ahead of him in order to develop real fantasy relevance, but he's worth keeping an eye on just in case.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Ryan Flournoy scored another preseason touchdown in the Cowboys preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. Flournoy was targeted three times, making all three catches for 30 yards. He also added four yards on the ground with his lone rushing attempt. The sixth-round rookie's touchdown came in the second quarter on an 11-yard pass from Trey Lance. Flournoy had a fairly impressive preseason, but he's likely still not in a starting role once the regular season begins.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Jaret Patterson led the team in carries for the third straight preseason game. In the finale, Patterson carried the ball six times, gaining 27 yards. He added one catch on two targets for an additional 12 yards. Patterson is third at best on the Chargers depth chart behind Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, but his usage in the preseason shows that he may indeed be part of the team's plans on offense, at least as a depth piece.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver KJ Hamler saw a variety of usage in Saturday afternoon's preseason loss to the visiting Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium, catching each of his three passes for 11 yards and rushing three times for 21 yards and a touchdown in the defeat. Hamler, a wideout by trade, lined up as a running back before plowing his way past the end zone for a short Bills score in fourth quarter on Saturday against Carolina. After Hamler missed all of 2023 as he stepped away from football altogether for treatment of a heart issue, it was nice to see the 25-year-old former second-round pick make a significant impact in the preseason finale. There's a chance Buffalo keeps him on the 53-man roster as depth for the receiving corps following this solid performance, but Hamler is unlikely to see many opportunities in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn ran the ball nine times in the Cowboys preseason finale, gaining 53 yards. He was targeted twice in the passing game but was unable to come up with either catch. Vaughn ended up with the most carries among Cowboys running backs, although quarterback Trey Lance led the team with 11. Vaughn is buried on the depth chart and likely ticketed for a special teams role, but he's shown some rushing ability in case injuries strike the top Cowboys runners.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance struggled in a preseason loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. Lance attempted 49 passes, completing 33 of them for 323 yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions. He added 11 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown, leading the team in both carries and rushing yards. It was a strong game on the ground for Lance, but the passing game wasn't clicking, as the Chargers defense was all over Lance for the five picks and also two fumbles. If Lance makes the team as the third quarterback, he'll be behind starter Dak Prescott and backup Cooper Rush.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills running back Darrynton Evans made his case to make the final roster in Saturday afternoon's preseason defeat to the visiting Carolina Panthers in Orchard Park, tying for the team lead in receiving with three catches for 28 yards and a touchdown while adding 15 rushing yards on three carries. Evans certainly put together a nice day on Saturday against the Panthers, shedding a tackle and high-stepping his way across the end zone to give the Bills a lead in the second quarter, but his performance was overshadowed by undrafted rookie Frank Gore Jr., who also scored but produced a whopping 101 yards. Evans, 26, is not as likely to make Buffalo's 53-man roster following Gore's standout showing, and he probably wouldn't be any greater than the No. 4 back on the depth chart even if he does stick around.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Derius Davis touched the ball once in the Chargers preseason finale, but he made it count. Davis took the ball up the sideline for a 70-yard touchdown run, breaking tackles and avoiding defenders along the way. It was an impressive run for the former fourth round pick, but he appears to be headed for a special teams role as a returner who may occasionally fill in on offense.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Simi Fehoko scored a long touchdown in a preseason win against the Dallas Cowboys. Fehoko was targeted twice, making two catches for 85 yards and a touchdown. His score came on a huge throw from Easton Stick that ended up as a 78-yard touchdown pass. Fehoko dominated the Chargers passing game in preseason play, but he's not expected to see much time on offense once the regular season begins.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore Jr. made a statement in Saturday afternoon's preseason loss to the visiting Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium, rumbling for 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. He caught one of his two targets for no gain. It was one chunk pickup after another on Saturday against Carolina for Gore, who plowed his way into the end zone for a Bills score in the third quarter. None of James Cook, Ray Davis, or Ty Johnson made an appearance in the preseason finale, so it was left to Gore and Darrynton Evans to compete for a spot on Buffalo's roster, with the former passing his final test with flying colors. While Evans hit paydirt through the air, Gore outproduced him in the yardage department in a big way, likely giving the 2024 undrafted rookie a leg up in the competition over the incumbent veteran.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Easton Stick played all of Saturday's preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys, leading the Bolts to a 26-19 win. Stick attempted 29 passes, completing 12 for 187 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He added 17 yards on the ground on four carries and took two sacks. Most of Stick's production came on a 78-yard touchdown pass to Simi Fehoko in the second quarter. Stick is the likely QB2 for the Chargers, a position that could be critical this season with starter Justin Herbert dealing with a foot injury that could linger into the season.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in both of his targets for 26 yards in the team's 24-17 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions. Although he lost six yards on his first reception, the third-year pro made up for it on the very next play with a 32-yard gain on a perfect deep pass from quarterback Russell Wilson. The pair was pulled from the contest immediately following the opening drive, which resulted in a touchdown. Barring any last-minute surprises, Pickens appears primed to enter the regular season as Pittsburgh's undisputed WR1. He offers plenty of upside in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts with the Steelers' offense expected to improve in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore Jr. (knee) is scheduled to undergo X-rays after suffering an injury during Saturday's preseason finale. This is a shame considering how well Gore has been playing in the preseason. He rushed for 101 yards on 18 carries with one touchdown before exiting on Saturday. He's competing with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson for the backup role behind James Cook. Gore doesn't have a great fantasy outlook right away with Cook being the workhorse back in Buffalo. However, he has decent potential and is a solid hold in deep or dynasty formats, assuming the results from his testing come back negative for any significant damage.
From RotoBaller