Shark Bites are the latest fantasy football news & NFL updates. Draft Sharks has been in business since 1999. And when we started, redraft was the dominant form of fantasy football. Check out what we've learned about this most basic form of fantasy football along the way.
Lions RB D'Andre Swift missed Wednesday's practice with an ankle injury. He didn't appear limited at all during Sunday's loss to the Eagles. We'll see about the severity of the ailment. Jamaal Williams would be in for a big workload boost if Swift misses time.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen (hamstring) is out for Thursday night's game vs. the Chiefs. His injury isn't believed to be serious, but he was always unlikely to play on the short week. We'll see if he can make it back for Week 3. Allen's absence will push Josh Palmer onto the field in 2-WR sets and puts him on the WR3/Flex radar.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Chargers WR Keenan Allen's hamstring injury is not expected to be a "long-term" deal. But Pelissero confirms that Allen is "unlikely" to be ready for Thursday night's showdown with the Chiefs. That's obviously a big loss for the Chargers but frees up targets for Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer and Gerald Everett. See where all those guys sit in the Week 2 Rankings.
Lions RB D'Andre Swift ran well in Sunday's loss to the Eagles, racking up 144 yards and a TD among 15 carries. A 50-yard, 1st-quarter scamper certainly helped, but Swift also averaged 6.7 yards across his other 14 attempts behind an O-line that looked strong. RB Jamaal Williams stepped in for 11 carries that turned into just 28 yards, but he also siphoned 2 short-yardage scores. That figures to be at least a mild issue for Swift all season. But he more than doubled Williams in playing time Sunday (47 snaps to 23) and more than doubled him in pass routes (26-11), despite just a 3-2 target edge. So rather than lamenting the missed 2 TDs if you're a Swift drafter, you should be happy about the 2nd-round fantasy pick's outlook. Williams, meanwhile, should be on a roster in any league of 12+ teams and makes plenty of sense as a reserve in many 10-team leagues. He'll have trouble delivering standalone value but has a short trip to relevance if Swift goes down.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen hurt his left hamstring in the 1st half of Sunday's game vs. the Raiders. He's officially questionable to return, but we'd be surprised if he did. We'll update his status when we know more.
Update: Allen has been ruled out.
Bears rookie S Jaquon Brisker recently had surgery to address the thumb injury he suffered in the team's preseason opener, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Brisker reportedly has a decent chance to return for Week 1.
The Athletic’s Adam Jahns considers Bears TE Cole Kmet the team’s #2 option in the passing game. No surprise there, but per Jahns, Kmet has earned the “trust” of Justin Fields and OC Luke Getsy. The young TE snagged 2 of 3 targets from Fields for 31 yards in Thursday night’s preseason game, carrying over what's been a strong training camp showing. There’s clear TE1 potential here.
Bryan Perez of Bears Talk writes that "no Chicago Bears player is having a better start to training camp" than TE Cole Kmet. OC Luke Getsy says they're moving the 3rd-year TE around the formation and that he's doing everything well, including running some routes from out wide. "I think he's on the brink right now of taking his game to another level," Getsy says. "So I am hopeful that by the time we get through this camp, he is ready to be a rock star for us, because we're going to need him to be." That need is key, as Kmet looks like the favorite to follow WR Darnell Mooney as top targets. Kmet has been a value pick outside the top 12 TEs in PPR drafts all year.
According to Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns of The Athletic, S Jaquan Brisker and CB Kyler Gordon have "been two of the Bears' best playmakers since their draft selections." The Bears took both in the 1st half of Round 2 of the NFL Draft. Each rookie appears headed for a starting gig. We'd bet on Brisker having the stronger chance at IDP relevance this season.
Lions HC Dan Campbell comped RB D’Andre Swift to Alvin Kamara. “It goes without saying, Swift is one of our most explosive players on offense,” Campbell said. “Like, literally, we feel like, ‘All right, man, if we set this up right and there’s any space, this guy can take it to the house.’ He’s got that ability, and so — my gosh, man — you want those guys out there every play.” Swift has missed 7 games over the past 2 seasons, but there’s top-5 PPR upside here if his health cooperates.
Panthers beat writer Ellis L. Williams believes new OC Ben McAdoo’s “up-tempo and quick-release concepts” should add YAC opportunities for WR DJ Moore. Williams envisions Moore thriving on quick-hitters and downfield routes, similar to how a young Odell Beckham excelled with McAdoo in New York. “It’s long and it’s treacherous, but it’s built for the NFL,” Moore said regarding McAdoo’s playbook. “The playbook is long, like some of the verbiage is long. You just got to be able to study and comprehended. But it worked when he was calling it in New York and all the places that he’d been.” Improved QB play will remain the key to unlocking Moore’s upside. Entering year 5, he’s never topped 4 TDs in a single season.
The Lions are hoping to get RB D’Andre Swift to play through the pain more in 2022. Note that the talented RB has played 13 games in back to back seasons. “Injuries happen, but one of the things Swift and I had a conversation about -- is you’ve got to be able to play through some of these injuries as a running back,” RB coach (and former pro) Duce Staley said recently. “We all know there’s a difference between being injured and hurt. As soon as you step in this building as a running back, Day 1 training camp, you’re not going to feel the same. There will be some things you have to fight through.” Per beat writer Kyle Meinke, Swift bulked up a bit over the offseason. Only 23, Swift’s consistency should improve in a revamped Detroit offense.
Bears OC Luke Getsy spoke about his first impressions of TE Cole Kmet. “I’ve been very impressed with Cole,” Getsy said. “Again that mindset that we’re trying to set, he’s been a great example of that as well. And you go back to that thing we talked about before, just the ability, the flexibility as a player, I think he has all that stuff. So I’m excited to see him have a bunch of different roles in our offense. Some players that are out there they’re kind of like this is what they do well. But I think the more guys that you can get in a system that can do a bunch of different things, the more success you’re going to have and I think Cole is one of those guys.” Kmet played all 17 games last year, notching 60-612-0 on 93 targets. A favorable target outlook remains in year 3, and a TE1 finish is certainly within his range of outcomes.
Penn State S Jaquan Brisker went to the Bears in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft. Brisker averaged 6.3 tackles per game in 2020, and 5.3 per game last season. He didn’t offer much in the big-play categories. Brisker offers nice versatility, though, and tested well athletically. Chicago returns Eddie Jackson at safety but sports an opening at the other spot, which could mean quick IDP value for this Round 2 pick.
The Bears spent their 1st pick of the 2022 NFL Draft on CB Kyler Gordon in Round 2. The former Washington Husky tested just average speed wise but sports decent size at 6'0, 194 pounds and brings intriguing athleticism. Gordon didn't deliver much on the numbers front, with just 2 career INTs and 12 passes defensed.
The Chargers signed TE Gerald Everett to a reported 2-year, $12 million deal. That contract makes him the favorite for starting duties in a top-notch passing game. Everett set career highs across the board in Seattle last season with 48 catches, 478 yards and 4 TDs in 15 games, finishing 20th among TEs in PPR points per game. That was 1 spot ahead of Jared Cook, who was the Chargers' lead TE last year. Everett might not reach TE1 territory in 2022 but should bring exciting weekly upside.
The Panthers are giving WR D.J. Moore a 3-year extension worth $61.9 million, with $41.6 million guaranteed. That puts Moore under contract for 4 years in total. Now he just needs a QB.
The Bears claimed RB Darrynton Evans off waivers from the Titans. The 2020 3rd-round pick was a total bust in Tennessee. We'll see if the change of scenery gets him going, but Evans' best-case scenario in the short term is winning Chicago's #3 RB job behind David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. Evans remains off the redraft radar.
The Titans released RB Darrynton Evans. He totaled just 16 carries and 4 targets in 6 appearances over the past 2 seasons, but it's still surprising that Tennessee is already throwing in the towel on the 93rd overall pick of the 2020 draft. We'll see where Evans resurfaces, but he's obviously off the redraft radar for now. He's a tepid hold in dynasty.
Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun Times writes that TE Cole Kmet “simply hasn’t been a game-changer, so unless there’s clear evidence that suggests he’ll get there next season, that position goes on the [offseason] shopping list.” Indeed, 2022 is probably a make-or-break year for Kmet. Last season, he failed to find the end zone and ranked mid-pack in yards per catch and yards per target. We’ll see if Chicago adds a veteran or mid-round rookie. For now, consider Kmet no more than a TE2 in early best ball drafts.
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