Cowboys RB Tony Pollard is expected to be ready for training camp, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Pollard's 2022 season ended with a fractured left fibula on January 22, but his recovery has gone smoothly based on reports throughout the offseason. That leg injury shouldn't be a factor by the time this coming season kicks off. Pollard sits inside the top 10 RBs in our 2023 PPR Rankings.
Titans OC Tim Kelly gave his thoughts on QB Will Levis’ ability to throw with different speeds. That, of course, proved problematic at Kentucky. “I think that’s part of learning how to be a professional quarterback,” Kelly said. “Yeah, he can sit there and he can rip it. He’s got a strong arm. But it’s also, to use the baseball reference, having a different pitch in your bag, too, if you need it. It’s not just having it — it’s knowing when to use it, the location of the balls, and all that.” Per long-time beat writer John Glennon, Levis’ accuracy has remained an issue in offseason practices. The 24-year-old remains just a dynasty stash.
WR Treylon Burks has been QB Ryan Tannehill's "favorite target" throughout OTAs, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official website writes. "It seems like Tannehill connects with Burks at the start of every period, and I haven't seen Burks drop a ball intended for him yet in the open OTAs," Wyatt adds. Frankly, it'd be disappointing if Burks wasn't Tannehill's favorite target considering the sorry state of Tennessee's pass-catching corps. But that's part of Burks' 2023 fantasy appeal: He has a chance to dominate Titans targets. The second-year WR is a legitimate breakout candidate this year.
It's no surprise that Seahawks S Jamal Adams and LB Jordyn Brooks have not participated in OTAs. Each is coming off a 2022 leg injury, and HC Pete Carroll said Thursday that it'll be a while before we know when to expect either player back. "We don't have time frames," he said, according to The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar. "We won't really know for another good six weeks, eight weeks or something like that. ... They've got their eyes set on getting back and getting ready to go for the season. Whether they can make it, we'll find out." You can tell by our 2023 IDP rankings that we're not betting on Brooks being ready early in the season. He tore his right ACL in Week 17 and doesn't seem like a good bet to return to full strength at any point in 2023. Adams sustained a far less common quad tendon injury in Week 1. That timeline would seem to indicate he has a much better shot than Brooks at being ready by September. But the fact that Carroll is addressing their returns similarly says you should be cautious with your Adams expectations. He sits conservatively in DB3 territory of our IDP rankings.
Cowboys RB Tony Pollard supplied an update on his health. Recall that he sustained a fractured fibula in January. “I’m a little bit ahead of schedule,” Pollard said on Thursday. “I’m not really limited at this point, it’s just being smart with it.” In other words, the 26-year-old is on track for full clearance come training camp. A top-8 fantasy season looks attainable if Pollard’s health cooperates.
Bengals WR Tyler Boyd addressed his contract situation on Tuesday. The 28-year-old is entering the final year of a 4-year, $43 million deal. “I know I’m going to be a free agent next year, and at the end of the day, it will come down to money,” he said. “I have a great, strong feeling that they will come with an offer to where it’s still going to be tough for me to leave ’cause this is my family. I spent my whole career here.” Boyd also admitted he’s behind Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins when it comes to the Bengals’ contract priorities. For 2023, at least, Boyd remains a bench stash who's best utilized when either Higgins or Ja’Marr Chase are inactive.
Cowboys RB Tony Pollard (leg) is on the field for OTAs this week. HC Mike McCarthy called these "reduced-tempo" workouts, but the fact that Pollard is doing anything after his January fibula fracture is encouraging. We'll continue to track his progress, but he should be ready to rock come Week 1.
Jon Machota of The Athletic gave an update on the health of Cowboys RB Tony Pollard. “From everything I’ve heard, I think Pollard will be fully healthy by the start of the season,” Machota said. “They might ease him in during training camp.” Pollard suffered a left fibula fracture on January 22, but Dallas showed some confidence in the 26-year-old by applying the franchise tag in March. Pollard is routinely drafted as a top-8 fantasy RB.
Jaguars OC Press Taylor gave his early impressions of WR Calvin Ridley at OTAs. "I've been really impressed with Calvin,” Taylor said. “I've watched every snap Calvin's played in the NFL, just like a lot of our guys have. So we're very confident in the player we're getting.” Taylor also praised Ridley’s preparation and work ethic. Meanwhile, beat writer John Shipley wrote Monday that Ridley’s off to a great start in Jacksonville. “Ridley simply moves differently than any other wide receiver on the field,” Shipley observed. “The pacing and tempo in his routes, the quickness of his feet, and his ability change up his approach to routes even when he isn't getting the ball all stand out.” Fantasy drafters certainly expect Ridley to rebound quickly, as his current Underdog Fantasy ADP stands at WR17. See where he slots in our 2023 WR rankings.
Titans WR Treylon Burks commented on his health ahead of OTAs. Burks struggled with asthma for parts of his rookie season but is confident he can control the condition better in 2023. "I feel faster because I can breathe," Burks said via The Tennessean. "I didn't go to train at the beach or anything. I stayed here. I wanted to stay around the facility, to make a connection with the coaches but also to get ahead on things.” The second-year WR added that he was “clueless” when he first turned pro. "My biggest things was not repeating what I did last year, coming into the offseason," he said. "I feel like I've mastered that.” The Titans certainly anticipate a big leap forward, as no significant offseason investment arrived at WR or TE. At WR35, Burks is fairly priced in early FFPC ADP.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport revealed more information on Titans rookie RB Tyjae Spears' right knee. Spears has torn the ACL in that knee twice, most recently in 2020. A medical check at the Combine revealed "a full thickness cartilage loss and no ACL in his knee. Plus arthritis," Rapoport said. "It is unclear how long he is gonna be able to [play.] Is he gonna be a one-contract guy?" Spears' Round 3 draft capital is a mark in his favor. But the longevity question is especially problematic considering Spears is unlikely to make an immediate fantasy impact behind Derrick Henry this year. He's no better than a Round 2 pick in dynasty rookie drafts.
Titans GM Ran Carthon says RB Tyjae Spears is a three-down RB, according to John Glennon of the Nashville Post. We're not taking this to mean Spears will get workhorse usage. But it does indicate the team can see him fitting any situation. We'll see whether RB Derrick Henry remains on the team when the 2023 season begins. As it is, there's at least 2024 upside to Spears.
The Titans selected Tulane RB Tyjae Spears in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Spears is the small-school darling of this 2023 class. He put up monster numbers over his last two seasons at Tulane, including a total of 1,837 scrimmage yards that ranked 4th in the NCAA in 2022. He wasn’t a highly regarded high school recruit and didn’t do much early in his career due to an ACL tear in 2020. He even considered quitting the team and going home during the rehab process. But Spears persevered. He’s an incredibly flexible athlete with great elusiveness and long speed. One of the dangers with Spears is his frame (5’10, 201 pounds), especially given how skinny his legs are and his injury history. That said, it seems likely his pass-catching skills will get him on the field in Tennessee. That’ll be his main role for 2023, assuming Derrick Henry sticks around. Spears has the talent to emerge as Tennessee’s lead back come 2024.
The Titans traded up to select Kentucky QB Will Levis in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. At Penn State, Levis sat behind QB Sean Clifford – a projected UDFA. So the Connecticut native transferred to Kentucky in 2021. That year turned up his most promising tape, both as a passer and a runner. But when Kentucky lost several key pieces to the NFL — including WR Wan'Dale Robinson — Levis’ play dipped. He also dealt with several 2022 injuries (shoulder, foot, finger), although he missed only two games. With a bodybuilder’s frame, Levis checks boxes for arm strength, toughness, and experience in a pro-style offense. Still, his game needs serious refinement — and that’s concerning at nearly 24 years old. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes, Ryan Tannehill is entering the final year of his contract, one that doesn’t call for any guaranteed money. At a minimum, Levis looks poised to compete for Tennessee’s starting job in 2024.
Kentucky QB Will Levis' left toe is "problematic" for at least one team that's considered drafting him, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Levis missed two games last season with what's been reported as turf toe. He believes the toe has healed, per Mortensen, but another team believes Levis will eventually need surgery. This at least partially explains why Levis dropped out of the first round on Thursday night. We'll see where he ends up landing -- and whether this toe remains a problem. But his dynasty value has taken a big hit.
The NFL announced Monday that it has reinstated Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley. The 28-year-old hasn't played since Week 7 of 2021. Ridley initially left the team for personal reasons. The league then suspended him for all of 2022 after revealing that Ridley had placed football bets while he was away from the Falcons. Jacksonville acquired the wideout last November for a fifth-round 2023 NFL Draft pick and a conditional fourth-rounder for 2024. (That can become a third- or second-round pick.) The Jaguars now add Ridley to an offense that got quality fantasy football output from WR Christian Kirk, WR Zay Jones, and TE Evan Engram in 2022. Projecting the 2023 target shares will be a challenge, but each remains an upside player. Ridley's best ball ADP has been all over the place this early draft season. He has climbed as high as WR16 in Underdog drafts and currently sits 20th there, four WR spots ahead of Kirk. FFPC drafters, meanwhile, have Ridley 29th among WRs -- two spots behind Kirk. The two also sit close together on other draft sites. Keep the ADP variations in mind as you decide both whether and where to draft each Jaguars wideout. The collective talent can only help QB Trevor Lawrence, who's going eighth at the position in FFPC drafts right now.
As expected, the Cowboys are applying the franchise tag to RB Tony Pollard. That will cost the team $10.1 million on a one-year deal, if the two sides can't agree to a longer-term contract before the July 15 deadline. Pollard's anxiously anticipated breakout this past season made Dallas' move inevitable. There is still some question about whether the team also keeps RB Ezekiel Elliott around. Cowboys leadership has spoken as though that's the plan. And HC Mike McCarthy intimated in February that he split with former OC Kellen Moore because McCarthy wants a more run-leaning offense. The ankle injury that knocked Pollard out of the playoff loss to San Francisco isn't expected to affect his 2023 availability or contract negotiations with the Cowboys. You'll have to pay up if you want to draft him, though. Pollard's already going 13th among RBs in best ball ADP.
Though Tulane RB Tyjae Spears chose not to participate in the 40-yard dash at Sunday’s NFL Combine, he had a great day running through drills. Spears displayed his receiving skills and sudden cuts and solidified his status as an intriguing upside prospect. We’re excited to dig more into Spears in our upcoming Dynasty Fantasy Football Value series, previewing the entire 2023 rookie class.
QB Will Levis measured in at 6’4, 229 pounds at the NFL Combine. He passed on running the 40-yard dash, citing a turf toe injury that popped up in October. On the field, Levis’ performance gave evaluators another chance to see his effortless arm strength. The Kentucky star remains a likely top-10 NFL pick.
New Titans OC Tim Kelly is excited to expand TE Chig Okonkwo's role in 2023. "We're gonna look to continue to grow his skills and his abilities so we can utilize him more," Kelly said from the Combine on Tuesday. "When the ball found him, he caught it. And he was good with the ball in his hands." Okonkwo finished his rookie campaign with 32 catches for 450 yards and 3 TDs. His underlying metrics scream big upside going forward. Okonkwo's 84.6 Pro Football Focus receiving grade and 2.61 yards per route run were both top 3 marks among 31 rookie TEs with 40+ targets over the past 10 seasons. Highlight his name as 1 of 2023's top breakout candidates at TE.
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