Per Jackson, organized team activities and mandatory minicamp “offered clues” about Monken’s use of motion and how he plans to “hunt mismatches in the quick passing game and use misdirection to create space and passing lanes for the quarterback.” That said, Jackson also believes that either TE Harold Fannin or fellow rookie WR Denzel Boston will be the “leading receiver.” It remains to be seen whether Monken will actually dial up a high target volume for an X-receiver like Boston. He featured WR Zay Flowers, who Concepcion has been likened to, as the top target-earning wide receiver with the Ravens. If Concepcion only gets a few designed looks per game, it will be tough for him to produce reliably in fantasy. If he can be more than that, even while earning targets behind Fannin while Boston stretches the field, Concepcion can return FLEX value in his first season.
Gall really dug into Ward’s play and coach Robert Saleh’s qualified responses on the matter. We’ll spare you the details on the latter subject, but it is safe to say that Gall is displeased with both parties. Per Gall, Ward “frequently” overthrew receivers downfield and found it hard to complete passes in the flats, especially checkdowns to the right side of the field. Keep in mind that the Titans are installing a new offense, and Saleh did say that Ward fared well on the unscripted plays, so there is at least something positive here. The Titans retake the field next week for mandatory minicamp. Hopefully, Ward delivers a bounce-back performance then.
Kirchner spent the last 16 seasons working for the Seahawks alongside the Vikings’ recently hired GM Nolan Teasley. Kirchner spent the last seven seasons as the Seahawks’ vice president of player personnel and “is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top talent evaluators.” The Vikings also hired Andrew Healy as an assistant general manager. He previously served as the Browns’ vice president of research and strategy and will now serve as the team’s secondary football executive.
Noel has been “making waves” in organized team activities and mandatory minicamp and has “all the makings of a second-year breakout,” running as the first-team offense’s primary slot receiver. Koch believes WR Tank Dell (knee) could face a slow ramp-up process and will likely play on the outside most of the time, rather than in the slot. The Texans’ sixth-round rookie WR Lewis Bond is apparently Noel’s only real competition for the slot role, which is to say, he has almost none. If Noel can carry this momentum into training camp, he has a chance to return FLEX value, or more, this season.
McCarthy fielded questions from reporters after practice on Tuesday and was asked about Heidenreich at the very end. McCarthy kept things short, but complimentary, saying Heidenreich is an instinctive, natural football player with an excellent skill set, who has had a tremendous start. The Steelers’ coach adds that Heidenreich has “picked up the offense” and has “positional flexibility.” Notably, the Steelers are listing him with an RB/WR designation on their team website. Heidenreich has a long way to go before becoming fantasy-relevant, but McCarthy’s words are encouraging.
Per Shipley, Washington is now “in a full-time role on offense,” and believes the Jaguars are ready to let him “take his chance and run with it.” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said earlier this offseason that he wants to “unlock” Washington’s post-catch potential. Recently, he celebrated Washington’s ability to line up out wide, in the slot, run routes at all three levels and his improvements in reading coverages pre-snap. Last season, Coen employed three-wide receiver sets at the league’s third-highest rate (70.9 percent). If he does so again, the offense might be able to produce usable fantasy stat lines for Washington, WR Brian Thomas Jr. and WR Jakobi Meyers. If Coen shifts even 5-10 percent toward two-wide receiver sets, things could get slightly volatile. We should learn more in training camp. Stay tuned.
The knee issue began bothering Landry in December, and cost him a couple of games. It remained a problem throughout the Patriots’ failed Super Bowl run, but across the Patriots’ full season, Landry still ranked second on the team with nine sacks. Reiss notes that Landry, 30, still projects as the starter, so this does not sound like an overly serious issue.
Reports from mid-May indicated that the Buccaneers might use a running back committee, including Gainwell and incumbent RBs Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker. It seems as though a two-player backfield may be taking shape, with Irving slated for 1A duties ahead of Gainwell. Sources tell Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds that Gainwell “has quickly picked up” OC Zac Robinson’s playbook and is excelling as a receiver out of the backfield. As a runner, he has demonstrated the requisite speed to hit the edge in wide zone and an ability to see the cutback lanes, while also proficiently running between the tackles. Gainwell and Irving have reportedly gotten along “fantastically.” A friendly, split backfield could be in play this season.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters last week that he expects Pickens to attend mandatory minicamp this week, which is scheduled to run from June 16-18. Schottenheimer quickly clarified that Pickens has not “committed” to doing so. When asked if he plans to attend, Pickens reportedly shrugged and said, “uhhh” before a representative stepped in to end the conversation. Pickens is set to make $27.3 million this season by playing on the franchise tag this season. He is still seeking a long-term extension, but the front office “has made it clear that it does not plan to extend Pickens this offseason.” Should Pickens skip minicamp sessions, he would be fined daily. It is tough to guess as to what will happen here, but minicamp absences would likely drive Pickens’ ADP downward. At this time of the year, we advise buying the dip.
Allen played on 66.0 percent of the Jaguars’ third downs and 65.9 percent of the snaps in the two-minute drill as a rookie last year. Both situations are valuable for fantasy purposes, though the role is not big enough for Allen to offer standalone FLEX value. If Allen does maintain both roles, it might negatively impact RB Bhayshul Tuten’s target-earning potential.
Shipley notes that the Commanders allowed Rodriguez to enter free agency for a reason. Although he is “an expert at getting downhill and breaking tackles,” his passing down abilities remain “underdeveloped.” With RB LeQuint Allen slated for the primary passing down role, Jaguars coach Liam Coen must choose between Rodriguez and RB Bhayshul Tuten for the starting role. In late April, Shipley said he expected Rodriguez to lead the team in carries. It seems as though Tuten now has a chance to do so. Rodriguez is currently sidelined after undergoing a procedure on his left foot. Shipley does not believe his absence is a big deal “at all,” but Tuten has been playing very well in practice. If one of them can meaningfully separate from the other, it will pay off in fantasy.
A to Z Sports’ Mauricio Rodriguez detailed Blue’s offseason performance in two recent articles, labeling Blue “the biggest winner” at Cowboys OTAs. Early last week, we heard that Blue was rotating in behind RB Phil Mafah, so these new reports are very intriguing. Rodriguez notes that Schottenheimer tends to be transparent with the media, and the Cowboys’ coach was very complimentary of his second-year back. Schottenheimer and Blue had a “very candid” exit interview after last season, and Blue has shown up with a “night and day” difference in his demeanor this year. Schottenheimer also referred to Blue as being “football brilliant.” If he can continue to do his part, the Cowboys will use Blue’s “speed and explosiveness” as a complement to RB Javonte Williams this year. After a disappointing rookie season, Blue has seemingly bought himself another chance to earn the RB2 role in training camp. Stay tuned.
Shipley names an MVP at the end of each offseason cycle. Last year, WR Parker Washington took home the honor, and while Washington “has been really good again” this year, as has QB Trevor Lawrence, Thomas’ showing at mandatory minicamp puts him in the lead. Per Shipley, Thomas was now just winning on nine-routes last week, he was also creating separation as a route-runner and winning “over the middle of the field against the Jaguars’ top available cornerbacks.” Thomas struggled as a centerfield receiver last year. Improving his performance in that area was high on the to-do list, and it sounds like he did it. The Jaguars have three more organized team activities sessions before going on break until training camp. Multiple Jaguars have turned in strong showings, and there are only so many touches to go around, but Thomas could end up being a best ball bargain at his current WR31 ADP.
McDaniel runs a fantasy-friendly scheme, particularly for wide receivers. His play designs setup players to run for extra yardage after the catch. His frequent use of fullbacks, and moderate use of two-tight end sets, reduces the wide receiver position’s target competition quality. We can expect Chargers wide receivers to produce efficiently. Whether individual wide receiver produce voluminously comes down to whether two players can lock up the top-two starting roles. With WR Ladd McConkey likely operating as the WR1, Johnston and WR Tre’ Harris are set to compete for WR2 snaps. Martinez includes an intriguing clip in which McDaniel instructs Johnston to continue developing his already-strong “drive phase,” at the beginning of his routes. If Johnston can secure a dominant snap share as the WR2, he can easily return value on his current WR43 ADP in best ball.
Lloyd’s 2025 season ended with calf and hamstring injuries. The Packers held him out of team drills early on during OTAs, briefly causing a scare. Apparently, this was just precautionary. Lloyd’s successful offseason began in California, at the Meyer Institute of Sport, where Lloyd worked to prepare his body for his third NFL season. Evidently, his time there was successful. Lloyd will take a short break before resuming virtual work with Dr. John Meyer. Lloyd will also “practically have the undivided attention of the Packers’ training staff” from now until training camp. After a recent arrest, starting RB Josh Jacobs’ 2026 season outlook is clouded. If Lloyd can remain healthy, he will serve either as a capable No. 2 running back or, potentially, as a fill-in starter for the Packers this season.
Glenn reportedly wanted to use his backfield in a similar fashion last season before Allen went down in Week 4, according to an article published by ESPN. This would be potentially brutal news for fantasy managers eyeing Breece Hall in drafts, although it is worth pointing out that in the three complete games both Hall and Allen played together, Hall appeared on 59 percent of the team’s snaps while Allen played on 29 percent of snaps, and Davis just 15 percent. Hall also had 51 total opportunities over that span, while Allen and Davis combined for 22 opportunities. Time will tell if Glenn and offensive coordinator Frank Reich really do lean into this “three-headed monster” idea, but it’s hard to imagine Hall, who recently signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract, losing enough work to be forced out of the mix as a fringe RB1/RB2 given his three-down skillset. That said, both Allen and Davis could serve as viable late-round handcuffs for Hall should he ever miss time.
This comes after Keim spoke with Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough, who may also reportedly double the 23.8 percent of two-tight end sets the Commanders ran last season under Kliff Kingsbury. Keim noted last month that Washington’s offense was running “a lot more” plays from under center during practices that were open to the media this offseason, signaling massive changes to the scheme for Jayden Daniels entering his third season. Additionally, Daniels could see more bootlegs, which could create better opportunities for him both as a passer and as a runner if things break down and he needs to take off and run. Daniels’ sophomore season was marred by injuries and subpar play last season, as he regressed in nearly every metric in the seven games he appeared in, throwing for 1,262-8-3 while completing 60.6 percent of his passes and averaging just 39.7 rushing yards per game. Despite last year’s struggles, there’s hope that the new offense under Blough, coupled with the addition of free agent signings in Chig Okonkwo and Rachaad White, will help Daniels get back to his 2024 form when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year. There’s still a lot to learn about this offense, but Daniels’ rushing upside should keep him safely locked into the upper echelon of fantasy quarterbacks this season.
It’s a good sign. There’s no reason for the Lions to push LaPorta at this point after having surgery on his back in November. Detroit is taking the cautious approach with the 25-year-old tight end, holding him out of positional and team drills. Ideally, LaPorta will be ready for next month’s training camp.
Campbell said that Branch hasn’t had any setbacks in his recovery from a torn Achilles, but wouldn’t put a timeline on the 24-year-old safety’s eventual return. Branch attended practice in a T-shirt and shorts on Thursday. Campbell jokingly set the timetable for Branch to return in December, just so the media would stop asking about it. Christian Izien and Chuck Clark continue to take the first-team safety reps for the Lions in practice with Branch and Kerby Joseph (knee) sidelined.
Back in Michigan for a charity event, Ragnow met with the Detroit media and opened up on his retirement and failed comeback attempt. Ragnow, who turned 30 in May, said he didn’t plan on retiring last summer, but his body had other ideas. He admitted to feeling guilty watching the Lions struggle without him during the season, which is when he made what he called the “bonehead decision” to try to play again. Ragnow suffered a Grade 3 hamstring strain that derailed his comeback attempt. In typical Ragnow-like fashion, the resilient center wasn’t aware the injury was so severe. He made it clear he has no plans to try another comeback, closing the book on a career worthy of the Lions’ Ring of Honor. The Lions have moved on as well, signing C Cade Mayes to a three-year contract in free agency this offseason.
Noel has been “making waves” in organized team activities and mandatory minicamp and has “all the makings of a second-year breakout,” running as the first-team offense’s primary slot receiver. Koch believes WR Tank Dell (knee) could face a slow ramp-up process and will likely play on the outside most of the time, rather than in the slot. The Texans’ sixth-round rookie WR Lewis Bond is apparently Noel’s only real competition for the slot role, which is to say, he has almost none. If Noel can carry this momentum into training camp, he has a chance to return FLEX value, or more, this season.
McCarthy fielded questions from reporters after practice on Tuesday and was asked about Heidenreich at the very end. McCarthy kept things short, but complimentary, saying Heidenreich is an instinctive, natural football player with an excellent skill set, who has had a tremendous start. The Steelers’ coach adds that Heidenreich has “picked up the offense” and has “positional flexibility.” Notably, the Steelers are listing him with an RB/WR designation on their team website. Heidenreich has a long way to go before becoming fantasy-relevant, but McCarthy’s words are encouraging.
Per Shipley, Washington is now “in a full-time role on offense,” and believes the Jaguars are ready to let him “take his chance and run with it.” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said earlier this offseason that he wants to “unlock” Washington’s post-catch potential. Recently, he celebrated Washington’s ability to line up out wide, in the slot, run routes at all three levels and his improvements in reading coverages pre-snap. Last season, Coen employed three-wide receiver sets at the league’s third-highest rate (70.9 percent). If he does so again, the offense might be able to produce usable fantasy stat lines for Washington, WR Brian Thomas Jr. and WR Jakobi Meyers. If Coen shifts even 5-10 percent toward two-wide receiver sets, things could get slightly volatile. We should learn more in training camp. Stay tuned.
Per Jackson, organized team activities and mandatory minicamp “offered clues” about Monken’s use of motion and how he plans to “hunt mismatches in the quick passing game and use misdirection to create space and passing lanes for the quarterback.” That said, Jackson also believes that either TE Harold Fannin or fellow rookie WR Denzel Boston will be the “leading receiver.” It remains to be seen whether Monken will actually dial up a high target volume for an X-receiver like Boston. He featured WR Zay Flowers, who Concepcion has been likened to, as the top target-earning wide receiver with the Ravens. If Concepcion only gets a few designed looks per game, it will be tough for him to produce reliably in fantasy. If he can be more than that, even while earning targets behind Fannin while Boston stretches the field, Concepcion can return FLEX value in his first season.
Gall really dug into Ward’s play and coach Robert Saleh’s qualified responses on the matter. We’ll spare you the details on the latter subject, but it is safe to say that Gall is displeased with both parties. Per Gall, Ward “frequently” overthrew receivers downfield and found it hard to complete passes in the flats, especially checkdowns to the right side of the field. Keep in mind that the Titans are installing a new offense, and Saleh did say that Ward fared well on the unscripted plays, so there is at least something positive here. The Titans retake the field next week for mandatory minicamp. Hopefully, Ward delivers a bounce-back performance then.