Niners S Jimmie Ward is dealing with a hamstring injury. According to ESPN's Nick Wagoner, HC Kyle Shanahan called it "worse than others" and said Ward is in danger of missing Week 1. It's not a big storyline for IDP purposes, but Ward has a place in deep leagues. His absence would be a slight knock on the team defense as well.
Titans reporter Jim Wyatt writes that “it’s clear [Robert] Woods is feeling better each day, and he’s showing up more and more.” Woods, 30, has recovered nicely from a mid-November ACL tear. He projects as the co-#1 target alongside rookie WR Treylon Burks. See which Titans WR we rank higher for the 2022 season.
Titans WR Robert Woods avoided the PUP list to open training camp. He's about 8-and-a-half months removed from tearing his ACL and isn't even wearing a brace on the surgically repaired knee. It looks like Woods will be close to 100% by the time Week 1 rolls around.
Texans WR John Metchie has been diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. "I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirits and I expect to make a recovery at a later point in time," Metchie said in a statement. "As a result of this diagnosis, I will likely not be playing football this season. My main focus will be on my health and recovery." We'll keep tabs on Metchie and wish him the best in his recovery. The 2nd-round rookie projected as Houston's slot receiver once recovered from his torn ACL. The Texans are now left with WRs Chris Conley, Phillip Dorsett and Chris Moore behind Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins. TE Brevin Jordan might also benefit from Metchie's absence.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, WR Stefon Diggs said he wants to finish his career in Buffalo. The 28-year-old mentioned how it would be a “dream” to team up with his brother, Cowboys DB Trevon Diggs, but that’s unlikely in the short-term. Stefon, of course, signed an extension in April that keeps him under contract through the 2027 season, so his words match his actions. (Trevon is signed for 2 more seasons.) If the Bill plays out his entire contract, he'll be a 35-year-old free agent.
The Cowboys and TE Dalton Schultz failed to agree on a longer-term extension before Friday's 4 p.m. deadline. That means Schultz will play out this season on the franchise tender. It shouldn't mean any alteration to Schultz's fantasy football outlook, though that could change if he holds out for any portion of training camp. Schultz has been going right at or a little ahead of where he belongs relative to other TEs in recent fantasy football drafts.
The Athletic's Paul Dehner believes the Bengals are no longer interested in making RB Joe Mixon a 3-down back. Dehner notes that Mixon's usage on 3rd downs fell off precipitously late in the season and through the playoffs. Over his final 9 games, Mixon played just 17 3rd-down snaps compared to RB Samaje Perine's 83. But, Mixon averaged 4.3 targets over those 9 games vs. just 2.7 over his first 11. Losing 3rd-down snaps obviously isn't ideal and will probably keep Mixon from joining the top tier of fantasy RBs. But he's still capable of RB1 production as the clear lead back in a strong Bengals offense.
Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz will report to the start of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Schultz skipped last week's OTAs as he angles for a long-term deal. He's currently scheduled to play 2022 on the franchise tag. "No deal imminent, but contract talks have picked up in recent days," Pelissero tweeted. We'll continue to keep an eye on the situation, but it doesn't look like there's holdout risk with Schultz.
Texans WR John Metchie ran routes at close to full speed in Tuesday's minicamp practice. The rookie seems to be making good progress in his recovery from December's torn ACL. It's still unclear if he'll be ready for Week 1. But, once healthy, Metchie has an opportunity to carve out a significant role in Houston's passing game.
Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz is skipping the rest of voluntary OTAs over frustration with contract negotiations, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Schultz has already signed his franchise tender, which locks him in for the coming season. The 2 sides have until July 15 to agree on a longer-term deal. If that doesn't happen by the deadline, Schultz will play out the 1-year deal and hit the open market again next March. The fact that he has already signed the tender should keep any contract impasse from impacting Schultz's availability for 2022.
Titans WR Robert Woods was running through individual drills at Wednesday's OTA session. He's now close to 7 months removed from his torn ACL and seems to be on track in his rehab. Barring a setback, Woods has a good chance to be ready for Week 1.
Titans WR Robert Woods is happy with his recovery so far from last November's torn ACL. "I actually feel like they're kind of holding me back a little bit," Woods said. "I am trying to get back as well as I can, just doing everything (trainer) Todd Toriscelli has me doing, trying to stay focused and be patient with it. Right now I feel really, really good, getting going, being able to do some things." It sounds like Woods is on track to be ready for Week 1, which will be about 10 months after his knee injury.
In a video posted to Instagram, Titans WR Robert Woods appears to be moving around without issue. In the minute-long clip, the 30-year-old can be seen going through footwork drills and sprints at what looks close to full speed. Woods tore his ACL in mid-November, so he’ll be about 10 months removed from the injury come Week 1. We’ll track his rehab all summer long.
According to league insider Aaron Wilson, Texans WR John Metchie “wasn’t encumbered by a knee brace” in rookie OTAs. The rookie, ~5.5 months removed from an ACL tear, was considered a “limited” participant. “I talked about us initially just taking everybody through a certain amount of tests to see exactly where they are,” HC Lovie Smith said. “We’re in the process of seeing exactly when John would be ready to go. Eventually, he will be ready to go. There’s a lot that he can do before that. He’s not 100% yet, but in time he will be.” Metchie’s a redraft long-shot, although he’s worth monitoring as he gets further removed from the injury.
The Texans added Florida RB Dameon Pierce in the 4th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Pierce was stuck in committee backfields at Florida, never topping 106 carries in a season. But he flashes on tape an impressive blend of power and make-you-miss ability on tape. Pierce led all 173 RBs with 100+ carries last year in Pro Football Focus rushing grade and finished 5th in Elusive Rating. He also tallied 36 catches over his final 2 college seasons. Pierce was 1 of our favorite sleepers in this year’s RB class and lands in a wide-open Texans backfield alongside Marlon Mack, Rex Burkhead, Royce Freeman and Dare Ogunbowale. He could make a 2022 fantasy impact and is a target in dynasty rookie drafts.
The Texans added Alabama WR John Metchie with the 44th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Metchie is rehabbing a December ACL tear that prevented him from working out in the pre-draft process. We’ll see if that threatens his availability for the start of his rookie season. Metchie is coming off a big 96-1,142-8 line, leading ‘Bama in catches and finishing 2nd to Jameson Williams in yards and TDs. He ran about a third of his routes from the slot and was much more effective there, averaging 3.59 yards per route vs. just 1.83 from the outside. At 5’11, 187 pounds, Metchie looks like a slot receiver as a pro. He’s not an explosive athlete but is an effective route runner with reliable hands. Consider him a high-floor prospect with a relatively low ceiling. Once healthy, he should quickly carve out a significant role in Houston alongside Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins.
The Texans selected DB Jalen Pitre in the 2nd round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Pitre opened his Baylor career as a LB and continued to make his greatest contributions near the line of scrimmage. He racked up a ridiculous 29.5 tackles for loss (including 6 sacks) over the past 2 seasons while playing safety and slot corner, adding 4 INTs and 9 passes defensed. At just 5’11 and with near-average speed for the position, Pitre projects as primarily a box safety in the pros. Going to Houston in Round 2 should give him a good shot at starting right away.
The Texans took CB Derek Stingley with the 3rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Stingley arguably enjoyed his best season as a freshman, when he snared 6 INTs and defensed 15 passes for the national-champion Tigers. Stingley seemed the regress the past 2 years. That span included losing 10 games to a torn ligament in his left foot last season. Stingley should be an immediate starter in Houston but doesn't project as a high-level IDP contributor.
Texans HC Lovie Smith says he's a fan of QB Davis Mills. "If you look at all of my comments about Davis, I am a believer in him and what he's going to do," Smith said Monday, according to NFL.com. "If you just go back and look at the plays that he made, throwing the ball downfield last year, so many good things that he did, and that's as a rookie." Smith also sounds confident in Mills leading the 2022 offense. "The improvement that you see from year one to year two is normally a big improvement, and that's what we're gonna get from him." Words don't necessarily mean commitment, of course. And we'll see whether Houston adds a QB at any stage of the upcoming NFL Draft. But combine Smith's comments with what had to be considered an impressive debut for a 3rd-round pick in a bad offense, and we're betting Mills leads Houston's offense for at least the coming season. He's available very late in early fantasy football drafts and not highly rated in dynasty right now.
The Bills and WR Stefon Diggs have agreed to a 4-year, $104 million extension with $70 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Tyreek Hill is the only WR with more guaranteed money in his contract. This extension tacks on to Diggs' old deal and keeps him under contract with Buffalo through the 2027 season. Diggs will be 34 at that point, so he's basically tied to QB Josh Allen for the rest of his career.
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