August 2013 4for4 Player News Articles

The Steelers released Jonathan Dwyer Saturday, eight days after they traded for former Cowboys first-rounder-turned-castoff Felix Jones. Pittsburgh gave Jones plenty of work in the final two preseason games and apparently he did enough to earn a roster spot -- at Dwyer's expense.

Dwyer, the former sixth-round pick of of Georgia Tech, arrived at training camp 20 pounds lighter, and looked impressive during the preseason. But the Steelers drafted Le'Veon Bell in the second round of the April draft, and even though he's sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a mid-foot sprain, coach Mike Tomlin felt good enough about Isaac Redman, LaRod Stephens-Howlingand Felix Jones to move forward without Dwyer.

This is a somewhat surprising move considering Bell is still on the shelf, but the team apparently tired of Dwyer's attitude and liked Jones enough to make the move. This might also bode well for Bell, who is already out of his walking boot.

The Patriots cut QB Tim Tebow.

This could be the end of the line for Tebow in the NFL.

The Packers released QB Vince Young.

B.J. Coleman is currently the QB2 behind Aaron Rodgers.

Don't be a bit surprised if the slowest runner yet easily the best pass blocker of the group is lined up next to Aaron Rodgers as the Packers' third-down back.

That would be John Kuhn, who performed capably in that role last season and down the stretch in 2010, when the Packers won the Super Bowl.

Eddie Lacy has been pretty good in pass protections, so don't be surprised if he gets some work in this role as well. His talent may earn him snaps on all downs.

Dez Briscoe's shoulder injury could keep him out 4-6 weeks. Evaluation ongoing. May need surgery. Complicates Redskins 6th WR spot.

Giants RB David Wilson, at least for now, is the focal point of the ground game. Last season, Andre Brown emerged as the Giants’ most lethal goal-line runner, scoring eight rushing TDs in 10 games before his season came to an abrupt end because of a broken left leg. Brown seemed to have that role sewn up this summer, too.

“Going into it, (goal line) was mainly his job,” Wilson said. “We had a package where he was the guy to go in and get those tough yards. Now that he’s out, I’m gonna definitely have to step up.”

But HC Tom Coughlin said he’s not worried about Wilson handling short-yardage duties.

“David Wilson, he runs in there hard,” the coach said. “I don’t have a problem with that at all. He’s powerful, he’s compact, he has tremendous leg strength, which is his forte.”

Wilson definitely gets a bump with Brown sidelined for 4-6 weeks, but don't be surprised if the Giants kick the tires on a few veteran RBs (like Willis McGahee, Michael Turner or Beanie Wells).

The Giants seem optimistic that WR Victor Cruz will play, though according to a source, they plan to be cautious next week during practice to protect his bruised left heel. The star receiver still has not been cleared to practice on Monday, although he’s hoping he will be after two more days of treatment this weekend.

At the moment, he said “everything feels good.”

This is a situation to monitor in practice next week. We're expecting Cruz to play, but he clearly isn't 100 percent. Rueben Randle would get a big bump if Cruz can't go.

Given the tempo of the offense and the amount that Kelly is going to run the ball, expect all three to see action on gamedays. The pecking order is obviously LeSean McCoy, Bryce Brown, Chris Polk. McCoy is set for a monster season, Brown has shown big-time talent if he can hold on to the ball, and Polk looks much-improved from the player we saw a year ago.

Brown is the player McCoy owners want to acquire in a handcuff situation.

I'm told if Jets OC Marty Mornhinweg has a vote in the QB competition, his vote is for Geno Smith… even if Mark Sanchez is healthy.

Smith will likely take over as the starter at some point this season, but he is not a very good fantasy option

Patriots will carry TE Rob Gronkowski on their 53-man roster and not place him on PUP, per league sources.

This is the clearest indication yet that the Patriots expect Gronkowski to be available at some point early in the season. Hopefully he can stay injury-free for owners who invested an early round pick in the talented tight end.

Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta hasn't been ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair his dislocated, fractured right hip with the Ravens leaning toward placing him on injured reserve-designated to return next week.

Pitta had a bone fragment removed from his hip, but didn't sustain any ligament or cartilage damage, which is why the Ravens are holding out some hope of him potentially making a late-season return.

"He's working really hard," HC John Harbaugh said. "He's had no setbacks, and there's optimism."

Pitta is a player to monitor as the first half of the season wears on, but there's no reason to draft/add Pitta given all the capable options currently available late in drafts or on the waiver wire.

Giants HC Tom Coughlin on the potential workload of David Wilson with Andre Brown sidelined:

"You have to do what you have to do in order to win. It is a game of strength and endurance and power and that kind of thing. David is a guy who has outstanding endurance and strength. I’m not aware of what the number might be, but I’m sure we’ll work that out."

The limiting factor when it comes to snaps for Wilson will probably be his ability to hold up in pass protection. The team reportedly likes Ryan Torain in that role, but Wilson is far more dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield.

HC Gary Kubiak on RB Arian Foster: "Obviously I don't think Arian's going to be a 30 carry guy on opening night."

Foster will get enough work to be ranked as a fantasy RB1, so don't be too worried about Kubiak's comments.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak says Wade Smith still not working with team. DeAndre Hopkins still hasn't passed final concussion test.

This is starting to get worrisome. Hopkins suffered a concussion during a car accident in college and has been slow to recover from his mid-August head injury. Hopkins owners should have a backup plan in place for Week 1.

Rough, early timeframe for Giants RB Andre Brown: 4-6 weeks, per source.

The timeframe is long enough that owners shouldn't fret about releasing Brown for a decent upside play on the waiver wire. Don't cut Brown just to cut him, but if there's a player you like on the wire, pull the trigger. As September winds down, keep Brown in mind as a potential midseason pickup.

The Giants like former Redskins running back Ryan Torain -- who was the next running back into the game after Andre Brown got hurt -- as a pass protector. And Da'Rel Scott got significant action Thursday night for the first time this preseason and looked good as a runner. Rookie Michael Cox has impressed as a runner and a kick returner, but he likely has more to learn in protection.

Torain may fill in for Brown, but isn't a threat to David Wilson's workload.

Giants WR Victor Cruz (foot) is unsure if he'll practice on Monday. But is he going to play on opening night? "In my mind, I am," he said.

Hopefully Cruz isn't only starting in his mind. Rueben Randle and Hakeem Nicks would both get a bump if Cruz can't play, along with TE Brandon Myers.

49ers RB LaMichael James has a sprained MCL.

He is expected to miss three weeks. Kendall Hunter is the clear cut handcuff for Frank Gore.

The Patriots releases TEs Jake Ballard and Daniel Fells.

The moves indicate that the Patriots feel good about Rob Gronkowski returning sooner rather than later. It's also a vote of confidence for rookie Zach Sudfeld, who figures to get plenty of work, especially with Gronk out.

The gag is that the Bengals drafted Giovani Bernard to be their new short-yardage back after the 5-9, 208-pound rookie slammed it over from the 1 to start Cincinnati's scoring in Thursday night's 27-10 victory over the Colts at Paul Brown Stadium in the preseason finale.

That marked Bernard's third one-yard scoring run this season it and it got him thinking about a guy he knew in college.

"A.J. Blue," Bernard said of his North Carolina teammate. "Every time we got close they put him in there. He was a big back. We'll see how it goes in the regular season."

If Bernard isn't pulled around the goal line, then he could have an even bigger impact in his rookie season than we're projecting (#25 in PPR, #29 in standard). We're assuming BenJarvus Green-Ellis will get most of the goal-line work, but that hasn't been the case in the preseason.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" that Jets QB Mark Sanchez is viewed as unlikely to be ready for Week 1, according to several sources involved in the situation.

Geno Smith is likely to get the start. Neither player is very compelling in fantasy.

Just one thing mattered after Thursday night’s meaningless 28-20 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Andre Brown, the bruising half of the Giants’ 1-2 punch at running back with David Wilson, was standing in front of the media in the locker room without the aid of crutches, and he was promising to return soon.

It wasn’t exactly good news, but it was far rosier than it had seemed hours before, when Brown limped off the field just before halftime and was quickly diagnosed with a fractured left leg. At the time, it seemed as if Tom Coughlin’s decision to play Brown well into the first half had led to disastrous results, striking down one half of the Giants’ thunder-and-lightning rushing attack.

But Brown said afterward that the fracture was “not that bad of a break, a tiny little crack in it.” He added that he won’t need surgery, and he doesn’t even think he’ll need the team’s short-term injured reserve designation. His leg was in a walking boot after the game.

“No, I would love to stay active,” Brown said. “That’s how I feel. I feel I can come back from this ... in a couple weeks.”

Still, the Giants will lose Brown for at least a few weeks, and while Coughlin admitted he didn’t have all the details, he did say that Brown would “take a while” to return. And that’s hardly a good prospect for a team that hoped to rely on Brown this season.

Unless there is a good option on the waiver wire, we're recommending a wait-and-see approach with Brown. If he ends up on PUP (missing the first six weeks), he can be cut. If he doesn't, it means the team expects him to play relatively soon. He offers RB3/RB4 value when healthy, but he has a long history of injury. We'd categorize his last two fractures as mainly bad luck, but it's hard to ignore his track record. David Wilson obviously gets a bump, especially to start the season.

Redskins QB Robert Griffin III has been medically cleared to play.

As expected after a summer of positive news, Griffin will be ready for Week 1. He looks like a good pick in the 7th or 8th round in a "wait on QB" strategy.

Buccaneers TE Tom Crabtree down with a leg injury. Looks serious at this stage. Cart coming out to get him.

Crabtree was competing with Luke Stocker to start for the Bucs.

Eagles TE James Casey left Thursday's game with a hamstring injury.

Brent Celek is inching up the TE rankings.

Patriots leaning towards moving TE Rob Gronkowski to 53-man roster on Saturday. Still not likely back before at least late September.

It's not a sure thing, but it looks like Gronkowski may avoid PUP, which means the Patriots believe he'll be available to play early in the season. We're expecting him to miss 2-3 games in September, so he's a worthwhile pick in the 3rd or 4th round, depending on risk tolerance. Pair him with Zach Sudfeld or another mid-to-late round TE like Jordan Cameron or Jared Cook, and you should get excellent production out of the TE spot.

Giants running back Andre Brown suffered a fractured left leg in Thursday's preseason finale against the New England Patriots.

Brown broke his fibula in the same leg last season.

As of right now, it is unclear whether or not the injury will keep Brown out for the entire season. He walked off the field under his own power. Nonetheless, the Giants short-yardage back and strongest blocker out of the backfield will be out for a significant period of time.

We'll know more soon, but for now we're assuming Brown misses approximately eight games, which means David Wilson gets a boost as the clear #1 RB for the Giants. Da'Rell Scott, rookie Michael Cox and Ryan Torain are vying for snaps behind Wilson. We'd confidently take Wilson in the mid-to-late 2nd round. He's not a proven workhorse back like Steven Jackson or Maurice Jones-Drew, but he has a ton of upside. For more on Wilson, be sure to read Senior Editor John Paulsen's A Closer Look.

The Kansas City Star's Sam Mellinger set the over/unders for a few Chiefs statistics, including...

Jamaal Charles touches: 280

Dwayne Bowe catches: 65

We project Charles for 313 total touches; he averaged 298 during the 2010 and 2012 seasons. We project Bowe for 75 catches, which is his pace over the past three seasons. We'll take the over on both.

Mike Goodson won't count on the 53-man roster during his four-game suspension. Who is the third-down back until Goodson returns? Bilal Powell did it last season, but he's had a couple of drops and pass-protection issues. Keep an eye on former Jets RB/KR Leon Washington; he's on the bubble in New England.

Powell did have a bad drop against the Giants, but has otherwise been solid this preseason and continues to sit atop the Jets' depth chart, though the team may just be trying to motivate Chris Ivory. Goodson has finally reported to camp.

Rookie Christine Michael showed some giddy-up on that 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, but that was only his second-most impressive play in Green Bay. He single-handedly caught a pass out of the backfield and turned it into a 25-yard gain.

Not only did Robert Turbin look a little less explosive when he got the ball, but he failed on a blitz pickup of Clay Matthews, resulting in one of the Packers' three sacks of Wilson. The fact that a running back – alone – was assigned to block one of the league's top pass rushers is evidence that the scheme was as much to blame as execution on that sack, but there's going to be a pretty fierce competition to see who gets more carries this season: Turbin or Michael.

Michael has the momentum and has big-play ability, so if Marshawn Lynch were to go down, we'd probably see both Michael and Turbin involved in the running game.

Patriots WR Danny Amendola looks like he's in tip-top shape. He tweaked a little something in the Aug. 16 preseason game against the Buccaneers, but it was nothing to be concerned about and he's already back on the field.

Amendola shouldn't have a problem surpassing 100 catches if he can stay healthy, but that has been a problem throughout his career. He's a high-upside 4th round pick in PPR formats.

Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart can be a beast when he’s healthy – remember that 206-yard game he had against the Giants in 2009? But he hasn’t been healthy for a while now. Stewart was placed on the physically unable to perform list Tuesday, meaning he must miss Thursday’s exhibition against Pittsburgh and at least the first five games of the season.

Stewart may not play the whole year, either – there’s no certainty that five games (and one bye) worth of missed time will get him healed. If he doesn’t play at all this year – and he won’t be eligible until the Oct. 20 game against St. Louis – then DeAngelo Williams sure better not get hurt.

Those who watch Panthers practice regularly have seen Stewart, the Panthers’ second all-time leading rusher behind Williams in both yards and rush touchdowns, grimacing in pain even after slight exertion. So obviously he’s not right. He had surgery on both ankles in the offseason. He also missed the final seven games of last year with injuries.

It certainly appears that Williams will be the RB1 for the first five games and perhaps longer, with the way Stewart's recovery has seemingly stalled. Consider Williams an RB3-type with some upside. His ADP has climbed into the middle of the 6th round.

Bears WR Brandon Marshall confirmed on Twitter that he will play in Week 1.

Fantasy owners worried about his Week 1 status should feel relieved, as it appears that this was much ado about nothing. The hip will continue to be a concern, but his availability seems solid.

Broncos QB Peyton Manning commented on the team's RB situation:

"I don't think you can get every question answered in the preseason," Manning said. "We have some young players, we have some first-year starters, potentially at tight end, and we're going to have a young running back. Montee Ball is going to play a lot."

This situation is one that we're avoiding, but we wouldn't be surprised if a Denver RB hold significant value at some point during the season. The trick is picking the right one.

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said TE Zach Miller is ahead of schedule and will play tomorrow.

Miller had three straight top 11 finishes while with the Raiders, but hasn't made much noise in Seattle other than the 12-190-1 he posted in two 2012 playoff games.

GM Thomas Dimitroff said they are hoping Roddy White will be available for the season opener vs. Saints on 9.8.

We don't usually like the word "hope" when hearing teams talk about a player's availability. White has been one of the most dependable wideouts in the league and we're expecting him to suit up come Week 1. Don't be shocked if he's not 100 percent, however.

WR Brandon Marshall is upset Bears have not taken his concerns about his hip injury seriously.

We're not exactly sure where this is headed, but don't be surprised if Marshall starts falling in fantasy drafts. He's not happy with his hip, but it's unclear whether or not there is something significantly wrong with his hip. We don't think there is, as he hasn't missed any practice time, but there is a bit of smoke here.

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll says WR Sidney Rice be ready for opener.

If healthy, Rice should be solid for the Seahawks, who will need his services with Percy Harvin on the shelf for most of the season.

Why is Brandon Marshall taking four days away from the Bears? It's his previously scheduled follow-up appointment after offseason hip surgery.

The Bears said this was for "personal reasons," which is clearly not the case. The appointment was apparently "previously scheduled," so it doesn't appear he had a setback with his hip.

A day after Brandon Marshall turned a question about Jay Cutler’s comfort level in the Chicago Bears’ offense into an answer about his role in the offense and the health of his hip, the wide receiver was beginning a four-day excused absence from the club.

“This was a planned-out miss today for personal reasons,” HC Marc Trestman said. “I let him go for personal reasons. But something that has been part of the offseason plan since started training camp.”

Marshall vented on Tuesday when asked about Cutler’s fit in the offense.

“I'm still trying to figure out my role and my place in this offense,” Marshall said. “Trying to get healthy and we'll see where it takes us.”

There's no reason to panic here, but we might shy away a bit from Marshall in the 2nd round on the off chance that there's something larger going on with the hip. The Bears attributed Brian Urlacher's absence to "personal reasons" and he was receiving medical treatment on his knee.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks Rams WR Chris Givens will see more targets than Tavon Austin.

We currently project Givens to catch 57 passes compared to 72 for Austin, but with a higher YPR and more touchdowns. We have Givens ranked ahead of Austin in both standard and PPR formats.

Shortly after the start of training camp last year, Trent Richardson underwent knee surgery and missed all four of the Browns’ preseason games. This time around, the second-year running back was able to build that timing and find that rhythm through training camp and the preseason games.

“It’s so much better,” Richardson said. “Last year, I just went right into the fire. Now, it’s time to get better and better each day. The offensive line is making better communication. (Quarterback) Brandon (Weeden) does what he does in communicating with the offensive line. Everything is on point. Our coaches are communicating with the offense, getting the plays in and out. With the timing, it’s a big, important thing. I think it’s gotten so much better over the past few weeks."

There are a lot of positive vibes surrounding T-Rich this season. He's our #10 RB in standard formats. Our only concern is his inability to stay healthy so far in his career.

TE Travis Kelce, a third-round draft pick who showed great promise early in training camp, missed last week’s game at Pittsburgh because of a knee injury.

The Chiefs run a lot of formations with two tight ends, and Fasano leads the club with eight receptions for 69 yards in the preseason.

Fasano, who signed with the Chiefs as a free agent during the offseason, believes the young players can fill Moeaki’s role, especially Kelce.

“Travis has come a long way, even from spring,” Fasano said. “For a rookie, he has a lot of confidence, and a great skill set. Losing Tony, if that were to happen, would definitely be a loss, but our tight end position will be able to step in and fill the void.”

With Tony Moeaki out indefinitely with a shoulder fracture, Kelce and Fasano are suddenly on the deep league TE radar. Fasano figures to play more, but it's tough to say who will see more targets. It depends on how quickly Kelce develops.

Roy Helu has secured a spot on the Washington Redskins’ season-opening roster as a backup tailback behind starter Alfred Morris, according to offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

Helu could have some value in PPR formats as Morris didn't show a whole lot in the passing game in 2012. Morris has reportedly been working on that part of his game and could emerge as a viable third-down back. Helu would step in if that doesn't pan out.

Broncos RBs Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball have gone back and forth, splitting reps with the starters on offense throughout training camp and the preseason. While Hillman had the upper hand, albeit slightly, through offseason workouts and three preseason games, two fumbles in the past two games combined -- both of which were returned for touchdowns -- have now jumbled the order a bit. Ball got some additional work with the starters this week, but neither is expected to play much, if at all, in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals.

Then there is the matter of Knowshon Moreno. Because he is more proficient in pass protection than the other two, Moreno has gotten some premium snaps with the starters of late, including in the two-minute drill to close out the first half against the Rams on Saturday night. And that's no small item, given that Ball missed a block in Seattle that resulted in quarterback Peyton Manning taking one of the hardest hits in his time with the Broncos, a play Ball called the "worst feeling, seeing a future Hall of Famer get hit like that.''

All of which only makes the committee a little bigger.

This doesn't look good. Ball figures to have the most long term potential, but he has had his troubles in pass protection, and that's not going to fly in the Broncos' offense. We could see a full-blown RBBC with Ball and Hillman splitting carries and Moreno in on third downs.

It's been clear from watching Chip Kelly's offense operate this summer that the 6-4, 255-pound Brent Celek still is going to be a big part of the Eagles' passing game.

Despite playing 82 percent of the team's offensive snaps, Celek was targeted just 83 times last year. That was just five fewer than wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who only played in 11 games. That will change this year. In Chip Kelly's offense, the tight ends seldom are asked to stay in and block on pass plays.

Celek was written off after the James Casey signing and the Zach Ertz draft pick, but it appears he has held onto the starting job. He'll enter the TE2 discussion.

In addition to Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert has yet to play in a preseason game as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Panthers HC Ron Rivera said he is hopeful – “fingers crossed” – Tolbert will be back for the Week 1 game against Seattle.

Rookie running back Kenjon Barner, the sixth-round pick from Oregon, has been out since spraining his ankle last week against Baltimore. Barner is still wearing a protective boot, and Rivera called his status day-to-day.

That leaves DeAngelo Williams, the franchise’s career rushing leader, and a pair of undrafted backs in Tauren Poole and Armond Smith, who have six career carries between them – all by Smith.

Rivera doesn’t anticipate the Panthers signing any free-agent backs.

“We feel good about DeAngelo and the young running backs that we have in place right now,” Rivera said. “And we’ll go forward with those guys.”

Williams' ADP has risen into 6th round, but if Stewart returns, Williams would be basically useless. He has posted the #7 and #4 FP/touch over the past two seasons, so there's upside here, but late-season uncertainty of workload should temper full-season expectations.

The Colts are confident they’ve got a smart arrangement with Darrius Heyward-Bey installed as the No. 2 receiver and T.Y. Hilton No. 3. Heyward-Bey, at 6-2, 219 pounds, brings some important qualities to the offense that justify keeping him on the field. The ability to factor in the running game, as he pointed out, is high on the list for a team that wants to run the ball more consistently and successfully.

Hilton finished as the #24 WR playing significantly fewer snaps than the Colts' WR2, Donnie Avery, so we wouldn't worry too much about his per snap production. The main concern is that the Colts run a lot of two-TE sets which will make it difficult to keep Hilton on the field. We still like him as a fantasy WR3, though his upside may be somewhat limited if the depth chart doesn't change.

Redskins QB Robert Griffin III will start their Monday night opener against the Eagles.

No surprises here. The news has been uniformly positive all offseason and Griffin should be drafted as usual in the middle rounds. The only question mark with him is whether he alters his game (i.e. runs less) due to his previous injury. He is an adept passer, so he can still score plenty of fantasy points even if he doesn't run as much.

Now that RB DuJuan Harris is out for the season, the Packers may have to ride rookie Eddie Lacy, who despite a rough outing against Seattle in which he totaled minus-5 yards rushing on eight attempts has been impressive so far.

“He’s going to have to step up and probably have a larger role,” G Josh Sitton said. “He’s going to have to grow. He can’t be a rookie anymore.”

However, there are concerns about Lacy’s conditioning and injury history that may prevent HC Mike McCarthy from giving his rookie a greater workload than was originally planned.

Lacy's ADP has risen drastically in the last few weeks given good play in the preseason and now Harris's injury. He's likely to go at some point in the late 3rd/early 4th round in fantasy drafts this weekend.

Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins suffered a concussion during a car accident in college. More recently, he was slow to recover from a concussion suffered in the preseason, but has been cleared to play.

It isn't time to hit the panic button with Hopkins, but it's good to know a player's history when pulling the trigger on draft day. He's a high-upside WR4, but does not come without baggage.

Former Packers QB Graham Harrell agreed to contract terms with Jets, according to a source.

The loss of the two tailbacks (Montario Hardesty and Dion Lewis) elevates Browns RB Brandon Jackson into the backup role behind Trent Richardson.

"Brandon is a reliable guy,'' said coach Rob Chudzinski. "I have no issues with Brandon. Trent will be the guy that we're counting on in a lot of different ways. We have to do a good job of keeping him fresh throughout the course of the season. I’m looking forward to seeing Brandon in the (Bears) game.''

The Browns cut FB Owen Marecic became expendable when Chris Ogbonnaya showed he could block for Richardson this preseason as well as play tailback.

Ogbonnaya could play a Mike Tolbert-type role in Norv Turner's offense given the lack of talent behind Richardson.

Is Giants WR Victor Cruz really sure that he'll be ready to play in the opener?

"Yeah, absolutely," he said. "I knew initially that (his bruised heel) was just a small bump in the road and that I just needed some time off to get some down time off the boot and off the foot and get things going the right way."

Cruz says his foot feels better and knows he still has some time to recuperate before taking on Dallas Week 1. If there's still a chance to get Rueben Randle has a handcuff, it's probably a good idea, but Cruz looks like a go to open the season and should be a solid play.

Seven months after hip surgery and 11 days before the start of the regular season, Bears wideout Brandon Marshall still isn’t feeling comfortable.

“It’s one of those things where I’m just trying to get healthy for Week 1,” he said Tuesday after practice at Halas Hall. “So you’ve got to have a game plan coming off surgery, a third hip surgery.

“So yeah, I’m not where I want to be right now. It’s a little frustrating. But we’ll see.”

Marshall said “some people might think I need to be farther on than where I am, so it’s a little frustrating not being where I want to be right now and maybe being pushed a little bit.”

HC Marc Trestman said Marshall has good days and “days that haven’t gone so well for him” with his hip, but he hasn't missed a lot of time. Marshall is still among that "top-6" WR class this year, but if you're concerned, maybe bump him down to the bottom of the top-6 or the top of the next tier.

A person with knowledge of the Robert Griffin III situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic, said he senses that the pending exam of Griffin’s knee by Dr. James Andrews is being regarded by many at Redskins Park as merely a formality.

RGIII has been back to himself at practice and teammates spoke out on just how good he looked in the story. Although you still want official word, which should come on Thursday when the Skins play Tampa, it appears the team is assuming the best.

Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who sustained a hairline fracture in his right (throwing) thumb 10 days ago, said today he’s “still on schedule” to be able to play against Kansas City Sept. 8.

Gabbert hasn’t practiced or even gripped a football since he was injured against the New York Jets Aug. 17. He has worn a splint on the thumb and has been on the practice field each day as a spectator.

The next step for Gabbert is gripping the football.

“We’ll know more tomorrow and in the next couple days,” he said in the Jaguars locker room. “It’s coming up quick.”

Gabbert will have to play with pain if he’s able to start against the Chiefs.

Broncos OC Adam Gase said team will use all of the RBs "by committee'' and "we've never shied away from that.''

That has been the talk all along, but it's especially true since no one has really stepped up in camp or in games. Ronnie Hillman's hurt himself with fumbles while rookie Montee Ball just hasn't been cutting it in pass blocking. Veteran Knowshon Moreno will likely see time too. Ball still has the most potential of the three and has been running with the first team as of late.

The Seattle Seahawks have made their last roster moves to reach the 75-man limit, including putting wide receiver Percy Harvin on the reserve physically unable to perform list.

Not a shock. Harvin will miss the first six games of the season but he's actually expected to miss about three months of the season. Talk is he could be back before December.

The Raiders put rookie running back Latavius Murray on the injured reserve list. The team had said he had a minor ankle injury. Earlier in the offseason, it appeared as if Murray would have a chance to be Darren McFadden’s primary backup with a chance to be a major contributor. The sixth-round draft pick from Central Florida is big, fast and skilled.

Rashad Jennings will remain McFadden’s backup. Reportedly the team questioned Murray's attitude early this offseason so perhaps this is a message to get him back on track.

Packers running back DuJuan Harris will be placed on injured reserve after re-injuring his knee in Friday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, coach Mike McCarthy said Tuesday.

Harris told reporters that the injury was to his patellar tendon.

He had previously injured the knee in offseason workouts and missed the first half of training camp.

Harris ended last season as the starter and was expected to provide a 1-2 punch with rookie Eddie Lacy. Lacy now, potentially, becomes an every down back and will likely see his fantasy value and ADP rise as the final drafts of summer take place. On Johnathan Franklin, Alex Green and James Starks stand in Lacy's way for carries.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano expects TE Coby Fleener to be ready for Sept. 8 opener vs. Raiders.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano expects TE Dwayne Allen to be ready for Sept. 8 opener vs. Raiders.

The Carolina Panthers will go without the help of running back Jonathan Stewart for the first six weeks of the season.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that the team has chosen to place Stewart on the regular-season physically unable to perform list after a doctor weighed in negatively on the back's surgically repaired right ankle Tuesday.

Stewart won't be eligible to play until Oct. 20, when the St. Louis Rams visit the Panthers in Week 7.

That means DeAngelo Williams will take advantage. He should get a bump in rankings and now has RB2 potential. Rookie Kenjon Barner could get some work and maybe Mike Tolbert gets some goal line work, but Williams should be the guy.

As expected Isaac Redman, not Jonathan Dwyer, will be starting RB for Steelers if LeVeon Bell doesn't play opening week.

Redman (stinger) will sit out third straight preseason game. HC Mike Tomlin plans to look at Jonathan Dwyer, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Felix Jones. He added that the team knows what it will get from Redman and he wanted to look at the other backs. Redman likely won't carry a full load and this could be another committee situation until Bell is back.

QB E.J. Manuel probably will need to be cleared for full practice by next Wednesday for the Buffalo Bills to be comfortable enough to start him in the season opener against the New England Patriots.

Bills coach Doug Marrone gave insight into a realistic timetable that would allow Manuel to return from a knee procedure and play Sept. 8. If Manuel can't play, then Jeff Tuel would become the first undrafted rookie to start on opening day in the modern NFL.

"If the doctor said, 'You're not going to get him on that field until Thursday, and then he'll be ready to play on Sunday,' I would be concerned about doing that," Marrone said. "If they said, 'Hey, we can get him on that field on Monday or Wednesday, I would see how he played and make a decision."

The team is preparing to go with rookie Jeff Tuel if Manuel can't play. We now have a cutoff date in place, so those with Manuel should have a good idea about Week 1 well in advance. The Patriots defense could present a decent enough matchup to make Manuel an option to consider - at least 2QB leagues.

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said TE Heath Miller is looking "great.'' Remains on PUP.

Bouchette tweeted later that Miller could come off the PUP list when the Steelers get down to 53. The team plans to look hard at home after final preseason game.

Jets sign kicker Dan Carpenter and release Billy Cundiff.

Carpenter is a career 81.9% kicker while Cundiff was just 75.5%. Carpenter is only 10-for-20 in his career from 50-plus yards, though. Either way, it's an upgrade, but the Jets offense is going to have to get him in position first...

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew's foot has held up in camp and he got his work in during the last two preseason games. Everything about No. 32’s progress has been positive.

MJD is going in the third round, which is a nice spot to grab a RB2 with the potential to get back to top-10 form. He's ranked 15th on our RB list, but if he can stay healthy another 300-plus carry season is certainly possible. If QB Blaine Gabbert can continue to improve and the Jags develop a passing threat with Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon, that will only help elevate MJD's production. Either way, he's succeeded before working with a lot less...

Undrafted rookies Kenbrell Thompkins and Zach Sudfeld will play huge roles with the New England Patriots. Throw in Aaron Dobson as a starter and rookie Josh Boyce getting snaps, and the Patriots will have one of the youngest groups of pass catchers in the league.

Oakland QB Terrelle Pryor has shown a knack for improvisation even if he's not always accurate. He's more equipped to play behind a brutal offensive line. He'll start the team's preseason finale while Matt Flynn sits out with a mysterious arm injury. It's Pryor's job to lose now.

Eagles HC Chip Kelly said RB Bryce Brown is expected to practice today. Doesn't think there are any issues.

Beat reporters called it an ankle tweak, but it looks like he'll be a go. He's battling with Chris Polk for RB2 snaps, and fumbles continue to be an issue for Brown.

Rams HC Jeff Fisher told Jim Rome that versatile WR Tavon Austin will do all kinds of things in the Rams’ offense this season, but there’s no way the Rams are going to give opposing defensive coordinators a look at those things before the games count.

“We have a pretty good idea but we haven’t shown it yet,” Fisher said. “He’s not had a lot of production in the preseason, only because it makes sense to hold those types of things for the regular season.”

Austin returned two punts last week, one for 81 yards and one for 23 yards, and Fisher said those plays were a hint of how much of a threat Austin can be in the open field.

Austin ranks 44th among our receivers in standard, but jumps to 36th in PPR. A look at his standard ADP tells a lot about the hype. Austin is going in the 8th round, which is three, four rounds earlier than just about everyone around him in our rankings (Sidney Rice, Emmanuel Sanders to name two). While there is reason to be excited, it can also be a warning to temper expectations a bit.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett benched running back DeMarco Murray during last week’s preseason game after Murray fumbled. Murray says that if Garrett was trying to get his attention, he didn’t need to.

That’s because, according to Murray, Murray is not a fumbler and knows that holding onto the ball is essential.

“I know how important the ball is,” Murray said, via WFAA. “I wouldn’t say it got my attention. I know how important the ball is. You can’t fumble. Since I’ve been carrying the ball since high school, college, even here, I’ve never been a fumbler. I won’t be so I’m not worried about it.”

The story points out that Murray has only fumbled four times in 386 regular-season touches in his two-year career, so he can make a pretty good case that he really isn’t a fumbler. Murray makes for a pretty good RB2 candidate on your fantasy team with an ADP of the fourth round. We rank him 17th among our RBs.

Bill HC Doug Marrone: RB C.J. Spiller will return to the Bills on Sunday. He's been excused for personal reasons.

Spiller left the team indefinitely to be with his family in Florida after the suicide of his step-grandfather, Hubert Allen, Jr. Allen Jr. allegedly killed two people and shot two others before killing himself on Saturday.

Troubled running back Mike Goodson has returned to the New York Jets after missing most of the preseason to deal with personal issues.

But don't expect to see Goodson on the field any time soon.

The Jets, in announcing Goodson's return Monday night, also announced that Goodson will be suspended the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Goodson likely still has a spot on the team after the Jets released Joe McKnight. Still, when he returns, he'll at least be behind Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. He's also likely not in football shape.

The Washington Redskins still await word on Robert Griffin III's status for the season opener. But there doesn't appear to be any question as to whether backup Kirk Cousins will be ready.

"No doubt at all," Cousins said.

Cousins sprained his right foot in the Redskins' preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 19. X-rays and an MRI ruled out torn ligaments as well as a Lisfranc injury.

Cousins participated in practice Monday but said he's still not 100 percent when it comes to rolling out or quick changes of direction, the story said. If RGIII doesn't play, Cousins may actually be an emergency, QB2 option against what's been a very poor Eagles secondary.

Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker, who was held out of Saturday’s game because of an ankle injury he suffered in Seattle, was back with the starters in Monday’s practice. He, like most of the Broncos regulars, is not expected to play in Thursday night’s preseason finale.

Giants DL Jason Pierre-Paul had same back surgery, performed by same doctor, as Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski did, two weeks earlier.

JPP is just coming back to camp now (off the PUP list) for the Giants. Obviously recovery times can vary depending on the patient, but the key is whether or not Gronk goes on the PUP list or comes back sometime in September like some recent reports indicate. 4for4.com Senior Editor John Paulsen updated his feelings on where to take Gronk in drafts, and you can read that article here. Basically, he says a pick in the 3rd/4th round is now acceptable given the turn of events. However owners should be prepared for the worst and draft a rising TE late, like Jordan Cameron or Gronk-handcuff Zach Sudfeld, for example.

Raiders HC Dennis Allen was asked if RB Darren McFadden (shoulder) will play in the season-opener. "Absolutely."

Allen didn't know if RunDMC would play on Thursday but there seems to be no doubts he'll be ready to go Week 1. McFadden should benefit from the Raiders going back to a power running game, but McFadden isn't getting a lot of love in drafts and often slips due to injury concerns. He's currently ranked 23rd among our backs with an ADP of the fourth round.

Jets wideout Santonio Holmes practiced for the first time since being taken off the physically unable to perform list Friday. He had been out for 10 months following foot surgery.

Wide receiver Austin Collie isn’t in the 49ers’ plans. Collie has a nice NFL resume (his 173 career catches are the second-most on the team among WRs behind Anquan Boldin) but Jim Harbaugh indicated during training camp Collie wasn’t fully recovered from the ruptured patella tendon he sustained last year. On Sunday, Collie didn’t play until late in the third quarter and had an eight-yard catch in 14 snaps.

Wide receivers Quinton Patton, Marlon Moore and Jon Baldwin likely aren’t going anywhere so Collie was buried down the depth chart pretty deep. He could find work later in the season.

Jonathan Stewart meeting with doctor tomorrow. We could know by tomorrow afternoon if he goes to PUP for the regular season.

DeAngelo Williams would get a bump in value if Stewart can't play Week 1, or especially if he goes on the PUP list. There were grumblings that the team wasn't ruling him out to begin the year, but it seems very unlikely he'll be ready to go.

Yes, it was Broncos RB Montee Ball working with Peyton Manning's first-team offense.

Klis' tweet added that Ronnie Hillman was carrying around a football everywhere. Hillman had another preseason fumble leaving the door open for Ball, or even Knowshon Moreno. But it appears the team is going to try Ball. Ball had been struggling in pass protection up this point, a big no-no when Manning in your QB.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said RB DuJuan Harris getting a second opinion. Not sure on availability for opener.

This could mean even better news for Eddie Lacy owners.

Cardinals HC Bruce Arians said TE Rob Housler has a high ankle won't play Thursday.

A high ankle sprain means he'll likely miss some regular season time as well. Housler was getting some early-summer attention but we rank him just 29th, which is TE3 material. Jeff King would likely be up next on the depth chart.

Chargers WR Malcom Floyd is practicing for first time since suffering knee strain.

Floyd appears on track for Sept. 9 season opener. He's ranked 40th on our list and is a decent late round option to add depth to your roster. We see him as a low-end WR4.

Reporter Field Yates said that tight end Rob Gronkowski worked "extensively" with an assistant strength coach off to the side. Gronkowski - recovering from surgeries on his back and forearm - caught passes and took part in agility drills.

The story mentions that Gronk still isn't expected to play Week 1, but a mid-September return has been the most recent report to surface. If that's the case, Gronk will likely avoid the PUP list - causing him to miss the first six games. TE Zach Sudfeld continues to get some attention and is worth a late-round flier, at least until Gronk returns.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano says he can see Darrius Heyward-Bey's progress, let early camp bumps turn into consistency. Says his confidence is "sky-rocketing."

The bigger news is that T.Y. Hilton will remain the WR3 for now. He's only been seeing snaps in three-WR sets which means Heyward-Bey will start opposite of Reggie Wayne. We still rank Hilton way ahead of Heyward-Bey on our WR list. But with DHB seemingly on track for more snaps, keep an eye on him as a possible pickup, either on the wire or on upcoming drafts. His name hasn't been called much on fantasy draft day.

Giants WR Victor Cruz is walking around the facility without a boot.

Cruz was expected to be ready for Week 1 despite being held out the rest of the preseason. That certainly still seems to be the case. If Rueben Randle is still on your wire, he's worth drafting as a handcuff to Cruz or Hakeem Nicks.

Patriots WR Danny Amendola, who was held out of practices and preseason game last week, returned today.

We kept hearing the injury was minor, and according to Reiss, his availability for Sept. 8 was never in doubt.

The Buffalo Bills will plan on starting undrafted rookie quarterback Jeff Tuel in their regular season opener if EJ Manuel cannot play, coach Doug Marrone said Monday.

The Bills host the New England Patriots in their regular season opener on Sept. 8.

Manuel remains sidelined after undergoing a minor procedure on his left knee last week. Marrone said that while he hopes the 16th overall pick will be ready to play in Week 1, the team will make preparations for Tuel to start.

It's no surprise the Bills are preparing Tuel. The key part of the story, though, is "if E.J. Manuel cannot play." If Manuel is ready it seems like there's no question he'll get the start. Tuel could get some garbage production in this game if the Patriots manage to pull away, but with so many other options it's better to go in another direction.

The battle for the Detroit Lions' No. 2 tailback job is heating up, but Joique Bell isn't sweating it.

Maybe because he's in control.

Bell, competing with Mikel Leshoure for the gig, is having a terrific preseason.

Bell seemingly has outperformed Leshoure, both in practices and games.

In last week's game against the Patriots, Bell rushed five times for a team-high 52 yards and caught two passes for 49 yards, including a nifty 38-yard second-half catch that featured several broken tackles. Something Leshoure has failed to do, the story points out. If he wins the job, Bell will back up Reggie Bush. Bell isn't getting drafted, but if you own Bush, Bell may be someone to consider in the last round.

"Yeah, I'm ready," running back Lamar Miller said. "I just feel like I'm ready. I can help this team win. I'm ready."

He should feel ready because Miller thinks he won the starting running back job Saturday night.

"I do feel like I won the job," he said.

Miller gained 35 yards on eight carries. That's a 4.4 average. It included a 20-yard run. With Daniel Thomas gaining 3 yards on seven carries -- a 0.4 yard per carry average -- I do not disagree.

Lamar Miller is your starting running back.

The apparent competition was "neck-and-neck" for a while with Thomas. But Miller is clearly the better of the two, and perhaps the team was looking to light a fire under Miller who had a mostly quiet preseason. We rank Miller 21st, but he slipped a little when his job wasn't secure. He's a pretty decent, low-end RB2 option who had his ADP fall to the 5th round in 10-team formats.

According to the Washington Post, the Redskins will have some tough decisions to make as far as RB cuts go:

Keiland Williams seems to have overtaken Evan Royster, having gotten more opportunities and tasting success, as well. Rookies Chris Thompson and Jawan Jamison haven’t done a lot. Thompson has two fumbles, but could help himself with special teams play – mainly returns. Not sure you can justify keeping four running backs, though.

Alfred Morris is the starter while Roy Helu is the third-down back and RB2.

Jaguars RB Justin Forsett has missed the entire preseason so Jordan Todman is a lock to make the 53-man roster on Friday.

Forsett was supposed to be MJD's backup but Todman has looked good and it's possible he jumps ahead on the depth chart. The handcuff to MJD can be a valuable roster spot...

The Chargers' faith in RB Ryan Mathews appears unshaken [after a preseason fumble].

Aside from the fumble, for which Mathews and coach Mike McCoy agreed Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell deserves some credit, the 25-year-old has shown good vision behind a more physical offensive line. He has 26 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown in three games.

The preseason fumble was his first. Mathews has lost seven of 12 career fumbles on 675 regular-season touches, according to the story. It doesn’t appear it will put Mathews in the doghouse. But even so, Danny Woodhead and Ronnie Brown figure to cut into Mathews’ workload this year. Mathews is clearly the most talented of the backs and would have low-end RB2 potential. Right now he ranks as a RB3 for draft purposes.

Tim Graham tells us Bills QB Kevin Kolb almost certainly done for year with concussion.

The tweet added that Kolb didn't do well post-game answering questions like "where are you" and "what's your name." This explains the Bills QB shopping spree on Sunday, signing free agent Matt Leinart and trading for Lions' Thaddeus Lewis. Looks like, if ready, the Bills QB job is now E.J. Manuel’s going forward.

Texans RB Arian Foster missed most of the last three months of real football practice because of a strained calf and a sore back. He returned to practice last week amid concern he might be ready for the start of the season but not ready for a 325-carry grind.

“I’m fine,’” said Foster. “My body feels great. I actually think all this time [off] might help.

“You ask any player: ‘How’d you enjoy the lockout season?’ Great time. You had a chance to train without [having to] practice every day. When you got back to training camp, everyone felt fresh. That’s exactly how I feel right now. Over the past couple of months I had the chance to just train and rehab and work on my body and didn’t have all those carries in training camp. Even during camp I got a long rest [because of the back injury]. It’s usually a grind. Now I feel fresh. I feel rejuvenated.”

Foster thinks missing camp will help him over the long haul of the season. But as we’ve seen before, injuries can crop up, like hamstrings for instance, with RBs who haven’t got their work in camp. Foster has been dropping in drafts and we consider him a low, first round pick after spending time in the top-four. He could be quite a value if he returns to expected form.

49ers HC Jim Harbaugh more or less officially proclaimed that Colt McCoy is the team's No. 2 quarterback.

"I thought he played very well," Harbaugh said. "I feel good right now that Colt's the backup."

McCoy was hardly perfect Sunday. He threw a bad interception on his first series of the night. But when given the ball on three more offensive possessions, McCoy settled into a smooth groove and played his best football of the summer, producing a field goal and a touchdown.

Earlier in the day, reports were the team was shopping McCoy, then other reports said he restructured his contract. He’s no Colin Kaepernick, so if he has to ever fill in don’t expect Kaepernick-like numbers as a plug-and-play replacement. The 9ers would likely have to completely change their offense.

It sounds crazy, but tight end Jason Witten has been an afterthought in the Dallas Cowboys' red-zone offense.

The eight-time Pro Bowler caught a NFL-record 110 catches for a tight end in 2012, and his 1,039 receiving yards tied for fourth-most in league history at that position.

He was targeted just once in 2012 and it resulted in a touchdown. Meanwhile, the top four red-zone scorers last season were tight ends -- Rob Gronkowski, Heath Miller, Kyle Rudolph and Tony Gonzalez. Dez Bryant led the Cowboys with three red-zone scores, tied for 18th in the NFL.

The story points out that Witten's responsibilities are different in the red zone. There are times where he has to help block a defensive end or outside linebacker and, by the time he releases into the field of play to become a target, quarterback Tony Romo has already gone through his progressions. The Cowboys hope the offensive line improves in 2013 so Witten won't have to chip in as much. And with a focus on two tight-end sets, perhaps James Hanna or Gavin Escobar will block so Witten can become a target. It all spells good news for owners of Witten, who is easily a top-five TE in any format, but we especially like him in PPR formats, ranking him second behind stud Jimmy Graham.

The Bills traded LB Chris White to the Detroit Lions for quarterback Thaddeus Lewis.

Buffalo also signed Matt Leinart today. They are hopeful E.J. Manuel will start Week 1, but this could be insurance, or it could be the team is concerned they will be short at QB to begin the season.

Raiders are going to rest QB Matt Flynn with sore arm, HC Dennis Allen said.

Terrelle Pryor got the first team reps. Pryor has outplayed Flynn in preseason games and is starting to gain some fantasy momentum, so Flynn's sore arm comes at a bad time for him. It's looking more and more possible Pryor could end up with significant time at QB the way things are trending...

Bills to sign QB Matt Leinart after workout today.

The Bills are hoping not to use Leinart and that E.J. Manuel will be ready Week 1. But if he's not, Leinart likely plays since Kevin Kolb may not be cleared from his concussion. There wouldn't be a lot of reason to sign and play Leinart in Week 1 of your fantasy season...

Packer's WR Jordy Nelson back at practice.

Great news for owners who took him with hopes he'd be back for Week 1, or for those who took him before he missed time. While there has been no mention of of Week 1 yet, the chances look pretty good he'll play. Nelson's ADP dropped to fifth round, but we projected him for similar stats to teammate Randall Cobb who is going in the 3rd. If Nelson can stay healthy, he would be a great value in the 5th.

Packer's WR Randall Cobb back at practice.

Cobb shouldn't be in danger of missing Week 1, but nevertheless it's good to hear. He's considered a low-end WR1 and we have him ranked 11th. He's going late-third round for his ADP, which may be a little higher than his value. But in a passing offense like the Packers, he's got a ton of potential.

Raiders TE David Ausberry (shoulder) won’t practice this week, but the Raiders hold out hope he’ll be ready for the regular season. Ausberry was a frontrunner to start at tight end before the injury.

Cardinals tight end Rob Housler (ankle) is expected to have an MRI.

Cardinals wide receiver Andre Roberts (quadriceps) is expected to have an MRI.

Raiders HC Dennis Allen said only that QB Terrelle Pryor will probably get some work with the first-teamers in practice this week.

"That's a position we're still continuing to evaluate," Allen said.

Pryor threw for a touchdown and ran for one Friday night, leading the Raiders to 20 straight points after they had fallen behind the Bears 27-0.

Starter Matt Flynn hasn't been impressive and Pryor continues to impress, scoring more points in the preseason. And, Allen hinted in a comment in the story he'd go with the QB that gives the team the best chance to score.

The performance of TE Matt Furstenburg made the Ravens more comfortable releasing Visanthe Shiancoe.

It could also be a good sign that Ed Dickson has a shot to return for Week 1, or if not soon after.

EJ Manuel is expected to miss the remainder of the preseason , but Bills HC Doug Marrone is holding out hope that the Bills top draft choice can be ready to practice the week leading up to the season opener against New England.

“That’s what I’m hoping for,” said Marrone. “He had the procedure done and he was with us on the field the other day just watching and observing. I think we just have to wait until that period where the doctor looks at him and says, ‘Here’s where we are.’ Because people recover so differently from minor stuff.”

He almost has to be ready... With Kevin Kolb having a concussion, the Bills would have to turn to either Jeff Tuel or a free agent. Both Matt Leinart and John Beck are expected to workout for the team.

In the race for Denver's starting running back, only one thing is certain: It cannot be Ronnie Hillman.

Knowshon Moreno, one of those much-maligned first-round draft choices of former coach Josh McDaniels, might not be an inspirational choice to start the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, but his experience probably would allow coach John Fox the least reason to stare with apprehension at the ceiling at night.

After Hillman's fumble at the goal line resulted in a 106-yard return of his turnover for a touchdown by Seattle a week earlier, St. Louis defenders were obviously targeting Hillman's tender ego. Sharks smell blood, and the Rams ripped the football from Hillman after he caught a pass from Manning in the second period. Linebacker Alec Ogletree turned the mistake into a St. Louis touchdown.

With a 1-yard touchdown run during the third quarter, rookie Montee Ball again demonstrated legs that keep churning when tough yardage is required. But, according to the story, Ball also dropped an easy pass in the red zone, and his ability to protect Manning on pass plays is a work in progress. It seems like a process of elimination that Moreno could end up getting more looks. We currently don't have any of the Denver backs ranked higher than 30. We do have Ball the highest for now (31st), due to having the most upside. At the moment, all of them are risky draft picks.

The Indianapolis Colts' no-coast offense sliced and diced the preseason darling Cleveland Browns Saturday night. In the midst of wrapping sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck in a praise blanket, Colts coach Chuck Pagano pointed to the one thing that could doom his offense in 2013.

"He's running way too much," Pagano said after the Colts' 27-6 victory. "I know that. He's running way too much. We've got to do a better job of keeping him clean."

Keeping Luck safe was a goal heading into the offseason, but those efforts might have been hindered when left tackle Anthony Castonzo left Saturday's game with a right knee sprain, according to the story. Luck actually ran 62 times last season, collecting 5 TDs. If the team has its way, those perhaps forgotten numbers by fantasy owners, may take a hit.

Jets to take a look at QBs Matt Leinart and John Beck.

Both are also working out for the Bills. This could be a sign that Mark Sanchez's shoulder injury may keep him sidelined a bit.

Cardinals RB Rashard Mendenhall has a minor knee sprain. Should be back Week 1.

Good news, and owners will likely have him for Week 1. As the story points out, Mendenhall has dealt with tendonitis in his right knee during training camp. He suffered an ACL tear in his right knee in the 2011 regular-season finale with Pittsburgh. He's ranked 31st among our backs, putting him as a borderline RB3 on your fantasy team.

Jets QB Mark Sanchez has an injured right shoulder and will not be in the lineup Thursday night when the team wraps up its preseason slate at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. His status is day-to-day.

It's being called a should bruise. After replacing Geno Smith in the fourth quarter, Sanchez hurt his right shoulder in what was essentially mop-up duty. While day-to-day may not be serious, it could have been a total disaster for HC Rex Ryan. Rookie Smith threw three interceptions in the game and perhaps isn't ready. The story says Sanchez appeared to be surprised when he was told to enter the game in the fourth quarter. He warmed up quickly and rushed on the field. Sanchez entered the game thinking he wasn't going to play, a source said.

Buffalo quarterback Kevin Kolb was treated for concussion-like symptoms after getting kneed in the back of the helmet in the Bills' preseason game Saturday against the Washington Redskins.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller left Saturday's game with an apparent knee injury but returned to action.

No worries here.

Packers are releasing QB Graham Harrell.

Vince Young will back up Aaron Rodgers.

Panthers WRs Joe Adams and Domenik Hixon returned to practice on Saturday.

Assuming Kendall Hunter has no issues in his return from his Achilles injury, LaMichael James will be the 49ers' third running back.

James' role as the No. 3 running back could be minimal. The most likely role would be when the 49ers spread things out as part of their read-option game.

Hunter is the right player to draft as Frank Gore's handcuff.

Mike McCarthy might find it impossible to pass on Vince Young’s talent when it comes time for the Green Bay Packers coach to pick his No. 2 quarterback, even given Young’s limited knowledge of the offense.

Working from a limited play list against the Seattle Seahawks on Friday night, Young took a big step toward beating out Graham Harrell for the No. 2 quarterback job in the Packers’17-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field.

Whatever his shortcomings as a pure passer, the 30-year old Young demonstrated the athleticism that can turn a bad play into a good one, and probably made himself the front-runner to back up Aaron Rodgers. In his two series, Young ran for 39 yards and put up a touchdown and 130.7 passer rating.

The expectation is for the 28-year-old Danny Woodhead to be assigned in the Chargers offense a role resembling what Darren Sproles knew during the final years of his 2005 to 2010 tenure. Only a small sample will be seen in Arizona, but Woodhead figures to be active in the third-down and two-minute offense this season. The Chargers can line him up in the slot. Considered a more natural rusher than Sproles, he can motion back into the backfield and pose a threat as a runner, even on early downs.

This role as a complementary piece to Ryan Mathews in the passing game has proven to be productive one.

We like Woodhead as a cheap RB3/RB4 in PPR formats that can be had in the later rounds.

Raiders HC Dennis Allen on re-opening the QB competition between Matt Flynn and Terrelle Pryor: "I think obviously we have to look at it. I think when you look at it I don’t think Matt [Flynn] played well in this game. Obviously, I thought Terrelle [Pryor] came in and gave us a spark. I thought he played well in the game. I think that’s something that we have to go and look at it. I’m not going to make any decisions on anything, obviously, tonight. I want to get a chance to go back and look at the tape and see how things went. But it was obvious that Terrelle gave us a little bit of a spark tonight.”

Uh-oh, it appears that Flynn has flopped with his second team in as many years. Pryor won't have much fantasy value given the current state of the Oakland offense, but he's a player to monitor.

Packers RB DuJuan Harris rushed just three times for 2 yards before sustaining a knee injury at the end of an 11-yard screen pass in the middle of the second quarter.

Although Harris made it to the Packers' sideline without assistance, trainers immediately turned their attention to the running back's right knee. He was seen sitting with ice on the knee, but he was able to get up and walk shortly thereafter, according to multiple reports. Harris didn't return to the game, which the Seahawks won 17-10.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported that Harris' knee injury is not believed to be serious, according to someone who has spoken with the running back. Harris will undergo tests Saturday.

The injury would further clear the way for Eddie Lacy, who was not impressive against the Seahawks, rushing for -5 yards on eight carries. His momentum from camp should carry him through to the starting gig, though Alex Green and Johnathan Franklin also got work on Saturday night. Lacy looks to be a solid RB2/RB3 pick in the 4th round of 12-team drafts.

Will Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith find Dwayne Bowe? The Chiefs have had Smith play it safe in the first two preseason games, and he’s hardly looked downfield. Bowe will command double coverage until someone, be it Donnie Avery, Devon Wylie or newly acquired A.J. Jenkins proves he can get open as the second receiver and stretch the defense. But not to have targeted Bowe yet in preseason doesn’t make a lot of sense.

While it would be nice to see Smith and Bowe hooking up with regularity, it is not terribly alarming that Smith hasn't targeted Bowe through two preseason games. Bowe is by far the team's best receiving option so the duo should get on track soon.

Steelers RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, signed in free agency during the offseason, has a mild sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his knee and could miss the remainder of the preseason.

This could explain the Felix Jones trade.

There's a belief among many people in NFL circles that running quarterbacks will pay the price this season, more than they did last fall, against defenses that are not going to be as tentative and under-prepared. That's a potential problem for the league.

"Every guy I've talked to is going to go after the quarterback," said Hall of Fame coach John Madden, co-chairman of the NFL's safety committee. "That's going to be their answer. If you watch what they did last year, a lot of guys played the quarterback. If he pitches, get off him. If he keeps it, tackle him. Now, they're just going to go after him whether he pitches or not."

When a quarterback tucks the ball and runs upfield, he becomes a running back and therefore loses the generous protection afforded quarterbacks in terms of when and how they can be hit. It's an ominous loophole.

Those fantasy owners with Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson should be aware in this shift in strategy from the defensive side of the ball.

The Broncos want to put wide receivers Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the field together along with tight end Julius Thomas, who isn't their best blocker but shows enormous potential as a pass-catcher — he leads the team with eight catches for 105 yards in the preseason.

But to get those four on the field, they'll need a running back that can pick up the blitz so they don't have to send in another blocking tight end to replace one of Manning's targets.

That's where fifth-year veteran Knowshon Moreno might come in.

Gase said Moreno has taken on some of the veteran leadership duties that McGahee used to provide.

"He's done a good job of helping the younger guys," Gase said. "I would say his ability in pass protection to explain some things, when we get out on the field, he's seen more than the two young guys. And he does a good job of explaining those things. He can communicate with them really well."

Ronnie Hillman (ball security) and Montee Ball (pass protection) are struggling for different reasons right now, and neither player is running the ball particularly well, so Moreno might work his way back into the rotation as the team's best pass blocking RB.

Vikings WR Jarius Wright has passed NFL concussion protocol but won't travel to SF this weekend.

Ron Jaworski, the former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst, said on Mike and Mike in the Morning that when Robert Griffin III warmed up before this week’s preseason game, he looked like a fundamentally different passer than he had last season.

“I was watching him throw the football — there were a few clips — and I was concerned in the weight transfer,” he said. “I didn’t see the clean mechanics I’ve seen in the past. I’m not there every day, I’m not a doctor, but he just looks a little different right now. It’s pregame, it was warmup, people can discount that. I’m just saying from my eye, I didn’t see the clean drops, the weight transfer, stay on that back foot, snap the hips, that I’d seen out of him.”

We don't know with what seriousness Griffin was warming up for a preseason game he wasn't going to play in, but Jaworski's comments carry weight in the scouting/analyst community. We still wouldn't hesitate to draft Griffin as the #10-#12 QB off the board.

Texans RB Arian Foster went through all of practice today.

Foster will inch up our rankings with every setback-free practice. He's one of the league's best RBs and it appears that his preseason injuries may be behind him. His status as a solid first round pick depends largely on the risk tolerance of each individual owner.

David Wilson and Andre Brown are both currently listed as first-team running backs on the Giants depth chart. But you can expect Wilson to be the one in the backfield on the Giants' first series in Dallas on Sept. 8.

General manager Jerry Reese said as much on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" Friday morning on ESPN Radio.

"We expect [Wilson] to be our starter, and be in the backfield with Andre Brown, who had a terrific season going last year until he got hurt," Reese said. "[Brown's] had the injury bug a little bit since he’s been in the league. But if he can stay healthy, and David Wilson comes on like we expect him too, we think we can have a pretty dynamic backfield."

This is going to be something of a timeshare, but the Giants' running game is productive enough to support two quality fantasy RBs.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Thursday that rookie running back Le'Veon Bell has a mid-foot sprain in his right foot, but the injury is not as severe as initially feared and he is "optimistic and encouraged" how Bell's foot has responded.

Tomlin said Bell would not play in a preseason game Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field, but would not speculate on a possible return date. But he said Bell does not need surgery and that the injury is not a Lisfranc sprain similar to the one incurred tight end Matt Spaeth two weeks ago. Spaeth had surgery to repair the tear and will be out at least 8 to 10 weeks.

"We don't have a long-range schedule [for his return]. We'll treat it conservatively with rehab and declare him out this week. But in the big scheme of things, that is encouraging news."

More from the Post-Gazette: "Bell's injury is not as serious as the team initially feared, but he could be out up to six weeks because of a small ligament tear in his right foot."

It seems like the more that people comment on Bell's injury, the less we know. It was widely reported that Bell had sustained a Lisfranc injury, but now Tomlin is saying that it's not as severe as initially feared (yet he's unwilling to disclose any kind of timetable). We'll go with the six-week recovery for now, which would put Bell back Week 6 since the Steelers have a Week 5 bye. This means Bell could be a useful fantasy asset for the last 11 weeks of the season, though re-injury or a lingering injury are possible. We moved him to #38, assuming he misses the first quarter of the season and is used at approximately 80% capacity of a normal RB1 for the final 11 games.

Buccaneers RB Doug Martin has just three carries in two preseason games and left last week's 25-21 loss to the Patriots after taking a shot to the head during pass protection. Martin said his concussion tests were negative and he is 100 percent healthy and has practiced all week. However, Martin said he'd understand if the coaches hold him out as a precaution.

We wouldn't worry about Martin; the Bucs are just being careful with their franchise RB.

CSN Bay Area named WR Brice Butler the best offensive player in Raiders camp.

The rookie receiver started training camp mired on the third team. Roughly a month later, he’s running with the No. 1s. His ascent was assured by smooth route running and ability to make the big catch.

While he didn’t have the awesome camp Rod Streater had last season, Butler has made his way into the rotation with solid play. He leads the team with five preseason receptions for 108 yards and a signature touchdown catch.

He secured a 30-yard TD by his fingertips in the exhibition opener that is the play of the preseason thus far and showcases how good the seventh-round pick can be.

Butler should be monitored, but the Raiders' offense is a mess, so there's no one outside of Denarius Moore and perhaps Rod Streater that merits attention in most fantasy formats.

The question posed to 12 veteran players this week: “If you had to pick one —and ONLY ONE — player who has impressed you the most during camp, who would it be and why?”

The winner: Ace Sanders, receiver and punt returner (5 votes)

Even the veterans who are casual college football watchers knew Denard Robinson because he played a high-profile position (quarterback) and made high-profile plays (touchdowns) for a high-profile program (Michigan).
But Sanders has been a revelation.

“Everybody’s saying Ace, right?” kicker Josh Scobee said.

Just about.

“He’s just a special talent,” linebacker Russell Allen said. “Obviously we haven’t played in a regular season game yet, but so far, he’s been fun to watch.”

Sanders is a player to monitor, especially early in the season with Justin Blackmon suspended for four games.

Source says Eagles have traded RB Felix Jones to the Steelers. Eagles get back LB Adrian Robinson.

Jones wasn't in the mix for work behind LeSean McCoy, so he doesn't have a whole lot of upside in Pittsburgh despite the absence of Le'Veon Bell. The trade may be an indicator that the Steelers aren't optimistic about Bell's short-term availability.

Receiver Danny Amendola remained home in Foxborough, not making the trip to Detroit. Amendola has been hobbled, but it is not known if his injury is to his ankle or foot. A source previously said that the Patriots don’t have long-term concerns with Amendola and he is fully expected to be ready to go Sept. 8 when the Patriots visit the Bills in the regular-season opener. In Amendola’s place, fifth-year receiver Julian Edelman played every snap in the first half except for a fourth-down, short-yardage run. He had three catches for 18 yards.

Edelman has been playing as Amdendola's direct backup, so owners who use a 4th round pick on Amendola on draft day may want to draft Edelman in the final rounds as a handcuff. This injury is a reminder of his overall fragility.

Eagles QB Michael Vick is ready to play the way that made him famous - and he's not worried about injuries that could come as a result.

"I'm going to have the opportunity to do what I want to do in this offense and run the football," Vick said. "And yes, I will be a threat."

Vick spent the offseason preparing for more running. His carries per game fluctuated from 8.3 in 2010 to 5.8 in 2011 to 6.2 in 2012. He's noticeably bigger - he said last month he added four pounds of muscle to withstand more hits.

Vick's arrow is pointing up in Chip Kelly's offense. He'll take his shots downfield and it sounds as if he plans to run as well. He has QB1 upside, but is better used as part of a QBBC.

Patriots rookie WR Kenbrell Thompkins continues to impress and show a connection with Tom Brady.

Danny Amendola was sidelined with an undisclosed injury, so Thompkins became Brady’s go-to guy, catching six passes from the starting quarterback for 93 yards.

He later worked with backup Ryan Mallett, adding on two more catches as he finished the night with eight receptions for 116 yards. He was the top receiver for both teams.

“Since he got here, he’s been willing and eager to do whatever it takes and whatever the team asks of him,” Brady said of the undrafted rookie. “He made a lot of good plays down the field. We really needed that. He’s done a great job.”

Unfortunately, the Thompkins hype is going to get into full gear after his performance on Thursday night, but fantasy owners need to remember that 1) Danny Amendola was out, so Thompkins was seeing additional targets, and 2) it came against the Lions, who made Jordan Cameron a household name earlier in the preseason. We obviously like Thompkins (currently #45 in PPR and rising), but owners should be careful not to go overboard when drafting him.

Panthers have not given up hope that RB Jonathan Stewart could be ready for their opener, but probably not realistic.

DeAngelo Williams is becoming an interesting middle round pick, but he's not guaranteed a starting job even if he stays healthy due to the possible return of Stewart. Williams has been very productive when given a healthy workload; he was #7 in FP/touch in 2011 and #4 in 2012. Ideally, he'd be a RB4 with upside, but he's starting to be drafted as a RB3.

Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins is still in phase 1 of the concussion program. Ruled out for Sunday.

He's been in the first phase for a while. This is definitely something to consider when deciding who to draft in the 10th/11th round. There are healthier options out there (i.e. Kenbrell Thompkins, Alshon Jeffery, Chris Givens, Golden Tate, etc.).

Cardinals RB Ryan Williams (knee) returned to practice on Thursday.

The team has expressed frustration with Williams who will vie with rookie Stepfan Taylor for backup duties behind Rashard Mendenhall.

WR Mohamed Massaquoi agrees to a deal with the Jets, source says.

Steelers RB Isaac Redman moved ahead of Jonathan Dwyer on the depth chart, in part, because Dwyer reported for spring practices weighing an estimated 260 pounds. He is down about 25 pounds after HC Mike Tomlin expressed considerable disappointment with his conditioning.

Dwyer is the team's leading rusher with 83 yards on 20 carries in two preseason games, including 68 yards against the Redskins.

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Dwyer looked pretty shifty on Monday night while Redman sat out with a stinger. It remains to be seen how the team will split up the touches while Le'Veon Bell is sidelined. This could devolve into an ugly RBBC.

Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett laughed off the suggestion that he should be concerned about being targeted zero times in the team's passing attack over the first two weeks of preseason action.

"In the preseason those catches don't get you any extra checks," Bennett said with a smile. "In the regular season those catches do. We'll take it up a notch. We're not even showing our full hand right now. It's a poker game right now. We have the advantage not showing our hand so nobody knows what our offense is. We are just running basic plays."

Bennett should have a solid fantasy season in Marc Trestman's pass happy offense, but Jay Cutler doesn't generally lean too heavily on his TE, though Greg Olsen did have a nice season while he was with the Bears.

Packers WR Jarrett Boykin practiced well this week, further strengthening his grip on the No. 4 berth. As a rookie, Boykin played 92 snaps and caught five passes. One of his most obvious shortcomings was a glaring lack of aggressiveness after the catch. On Saturday night, Boykin started and played 28 snaps. On his first targeted attempt, he beat cornerback Janoris Jenkins on a slant for 7 yards. On his second, he ran a stop-start sideline comeback route against the press coverage of nickel back Trumaine Johnson, putting the defender on his heels and making the catch 9 yards downfield. Johnson (6-2, 204) came up for the tackle but Boykin made him miss.

Boykin will be fantasy relevant if any of the other Packer receivers miss time due to injury. Keep him in mind as a late-round flier if you have Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson or James Jones on the roster.

Over the past 72 hours, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin says the team is encouraged that RB Le'Veon Bell is responding well to treatment of mid-foot sprain.

Bell said in an interview that he should be back "pretty quick," but initial timetables have him returning in around six weeks.

Six weeks of recovery would give Bell a shot at playing in Week 4, but the team has a Week 5 bye, so it makes sense to expect a Week 6 return. Keep in mind that these mid-foot sprains can linger -- Maurice Jones-Drew tried to rest his Lisfranc injury and missed most of the 2012 season. Bell should be drafted as a risk/reward RB4 type.

"He's just one piece of what we're putting together right now," Broncos OC Adam Gase said of TE Julius Thomas. "We're still in that phase of figuring out who's going to be where. And once Joel (Dreessen) comes back, it's figuring out the roles of him, (Jacob) Tamme, Julius, Virgil (Green)."

But here's what's indeed exciting about Thomas — this uber-athleticism. We're seeing it in glimpses — they're more conspicuous than the mistakes that Gase and his guys catch. Have you caught some of these catches made by Thomas? For instance, when he glided downfield to make the pretty catch on what turned out to (almost) be the ugliest play of the preseason, when Montee Ball allowed Peyton Manning to be crunched post-pass. Overall, Thomas leads the Broncos with eight grabs in the two preseason games for 105 yards, good for an average of 13.1 and a long of 31 yards.

Gase seems to be minimizing Thomas's role at the moment, referring to him as "just one piece" of the offense while going on to list all the other tight ends. Still, he has looked like a great weapon in the preseason, so he's a sleeper to monitor at TE.

QB Robert Griffin III on Wednesday practiced full speed against the Washington Redskins’ first-string defense for the first time since he injured his right knee on Jan. 6 in a playoff loss to Seattle.

If healthy, Griffin has top 5 potential, but his ADP has been lingering in the 7th round. The updates this preseason have been universally positive, so he should be ready to go Week 1.

Cardinals HC Bruce Arians on WR Michael Floyd:

"He has improved dramatically from the first minicamp to now," he said Monday. "Route running, his understanding of concepts, hot (reads), the whole package.

"He's bought in. He's playing two to three different positions. I'm really pleased with where he's at right now."

Once again, the team's quarterback is seeing much of the same.

"He's still young," said Carson Palmer. "That's what you don't realize about Mike, because he is very mature for his age, but he seems like he's in year four or five. He's only in year two."

Floyd averaged 54 yards in his last eight games, including an 8-166-1 performance in Week 17 against the 49ers. Assuming he sees starter's snaps, he'll be a breakout candidate with Carson Palmer and Bruce Arians in town.

Giants WR Hakeem Nicks looked the best I've seen him at camp today. In end zone drills he had a nice grab right before the pylon. In the next set of drills, he nabbed a pass while leaping and spinning.

Nicks is trending up as he seems fully recovered from the groin injury that was bothering him earlier in camp. Rueben Randle is a wise handcuff for Nicks owners.

Texans RB Arian Foster, asked if he'll be ready for the regular-season opener vs the Chargers on Monday Sept. 9: “Yeah, I’ll be ready.”

Things have been trending in the right direction over the past few days for Foster, who has been cleared to return to practice. He's once again a reasonably safe pick in the middle of the first round, but we'd like to see him on the practice field before we start taking him in the top 4 or 5 again.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak wouldn’t rule out rookie receiver DeAndre Hopkins for Sunday’s third preseason game against the Saints.

Hopkins suffered a concussion early against the Dolphins Saturday night. Kubiak said he’s in “phase one” of the NFL’s five-stage protocol designed to protect players recovering from concussions.

“Can you make up five stages between now and Sunday? Yes, you can,” Kubiak said. “But we’ll see. He’s day-to-day.”

Hopkins should be fine by Week 1, but he's missing reps and additional concussions become more worrisome if they should occur. Prospective owners shouldn't let this dissuade them from drafting Hopkins in the 9th or 10th round. He should make an immediate impact as the Texans' WR2.

In the wake of meetings with Dr. Andrews, Redskins HC Mike Shanahan says QB Robert Griffin III remains on same path: "If there's no setbacks, he should be ready to go."

The news has been universally positive for Griffin this spring and summer, so this confirms the writing on the wall. Griffin will be out there Week 1 barring something unforeseen. He's a high-upside pick in the middle rounds. He's been coming off the board in the QB9 to QB11 range in most drafts.

Raiders RB Latavius Murray had his ankle scoped yesterday.

The Colts traded RB Delone Carter to the Baltimore Ravens.

49ers RB Kendall Hunter is expected to play on Sunday according to HC Jim Harbaugh.

Hunter will likely serve as Frank Gore's primary backup and is a smart handcuff for Gore owners.

Packers HC Mike McCarthy injury update: Randall Cobb was in a limited status. He's very close. [Jordy Nelson] is very close. I feel pretty good about them. Cobb could play Friday.

We're not sure what "very close" means to McCarthy, but it certainly sounds good. If Nelson plays a full season, then he'll be a nice value at his current 6th-round ADP.

Steelers believe Le'Veon Bell has Lisfranc injury. They are hoping will not require surgery but won't be sure until he gets it double checked.

Adam Schefter added: "Steelers rookie RB Le'Veon Bell is expected to be out six weeks with a Lisfranc injury."

Ouch. This is very bad news for Bell owners. Six weeks doesn't completely kill his value, and depending on the discount, he may be worth a later pick. Isaac Redman was running ahead of Jonathan Dwyer for most of camp, but Dwyer looked good on Monday night while Redman sat out with a stinger. This could devolve into a RBBC with Dwyer, Redman and LaRod Stephens-Howling in on third downs. Dwyer and Redman are only worth late-round fliers until we get more clarity on the pecking order. We've moved Bell down to #49 in standard formats, but will revisit his projection as more information becomes available.

Packers WR Randall Cobb (bicep) is back in pads on Wednesday, though he is not participating.

It's a good sign that the bicep injury is not too serious, though we'd like to see him participating fully. For now, draft Cobb as you normally would.

Texans RB Arian Foster coming off PUP today.

Foster owners should rejoice, as it's the first major step in his returning to game action. We suspect he'll be eased into practice, so don't expect him to put in full practices right away. The move indicates that the pain in his legs is either gone or greatly subsided. He is worth consideration in the middle of the first round -- we've moved him up to #7 in standard formats and #8 in PPR -- but owners should still target Ben Tate as a handcuff in the middle rounds.

Bears QB Jay Cutler on WR Alshon Jeffery: "[Alshon Jeffery], I think has probably had the best camp out of everybody on offense. He's done a great job this offseason of getting better, getting physically stronger and gaining my trust. I love throwing it to him."

Brandon Marshall was also highly complimentary of Jeffery earlier in camp. Jeffery is shaping up as a breakout candidate in Marc Trestman's pass-heavy offense.

Cardinals TE Rob Housler has zero catches in two games and has been targeted only once -- Carson Palmer's first pass attempt last week against the Dallas Cowboys.

HC Bruce Arians, when asked about the lack of balls thrown in Housler's direction, said the 25-year-old is "a given to me, so I don't need to see that part. Right now, we're not featuring Robby a lot in the passing game. It's more blocking, and I think he's improved tremendously."

"We know he can run and catch," Arians said. "If we want to feature him, we've got a bunch of packages where we can feature him."

We'd like to see Housler more involved in the passing game in the preseason, but we're not expecting him to stay in and block regularly after Arians basically said he was a WR playing TE earlier in the summer. This lack of involvement is driving his price down, so he's still a nice upside TE2 that can be had in the later rounds. Arians will want to use Housler's speed in the seam.

Everyone is singing the praises of Packers tight end Jermichael Finley this training camp.

From the head coach, to the offensive coordinator, to his position coach, to the starting quarterback, all unanimously agree that Finley is playing some of the best football of his career.

“He’s having his finest training camp, I think it’s clear-cut,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy on Tuesday following practice.

Finley has a tantalizing skill set, but drops have been a serious problem throughout his career and he tends to put the blame on some mysterious lack of chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. But over the last seven games of 2012, Finley averaged 4.6-57-.14, which equates to TE10 numbers over the course of a full season. HC Mike McCarthy said that Finley was a 'different man' after the team's Week 10 bye, so Finley's strong finish may translate to 2013.

Jared Veldheer’s loss hurts the Raiders on several levels. The offensive line must shuffle and adjust without its star left tackle. Not only does it deplete the Raiders depth, it constricts plays Greg Olson can call.

“I think it changes how we’re going to use everybody, to be honest with you,” Olson said. “It’ll impact how we use Darren McFadden, it’ll impact how we use Marcel Reece. You don’t lose a player like that and think that you’re not going to have to change some things or do some things differently.”

Although stats don’t show it, Veldheer was a major component of this offense. He’s a perfect fit for the power, gap-creation blocking scheme and bought precious seconds for passes downfield.

Without an adequate replacement on the roster, Olson is left to wonder whether some aspects of his scheme still work.

We have moved Darren McFadden down to reflect the loss of Veldheer but he should return in a few weeks and be able to play through the injury.

Two weeks after undergoing knee surgery, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson is unsure whether he'll be ready for the start of the regular season.

When coach Mike McCarthy initially announced Nelson's surgery, he expressed hope that the 28-year-old's absence would only extend through the preseason. Though Nelson claims his rehabilitation is "progressing right on schedule," he also said that he's "slowly progressing."

With the Packers 20 days away from playing in San Francisco for their regular-season opener, Nelson has some doubt that he'll be on the field with his teammates for that game.

"You never know," Nelson said Monday in the locker room.

"I wasn't going to be able to be 100 percent. It was something I would have been able to play through if it would have happened in-season or something, but there was enough time that we kind of took the chance that if everything went smooth we could get in and out during training camp and hopefully have a healthy 16-game season."

When drafting Nelson, fantasy owners should assume he misses 1-2 games to start the season. He looks like a good value in the 5th round and is an excellent value in the 6th, provided he plays 14+ games.

The Patriots have been without Rob Gronkowski since the start of training camp, and have been preparing for this exact situation. In case you haven't heard, tight end Zach Sudfeld has emerged in practices and in games, and looks like a lock to be the top tight end when the Patriots take the field against the Bills.

We have Sudfeld ranked as a TE2, but he has significant upside in the Patriots offense if he can earn an Aaron Hernandez-type role after Gronk returns.

As Vikings WR Greg Jennings approaches 30, it's natural to question whether he has lost a step.

WR coach George Stewart insisted that's not the case. "What I've seen from Jennings is a guy who isn't an aging veteran. He still has juice," Stewart says.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier has been encouraged by what he's seen from Jennings. "He's still got that burst, he's still got that ability to make plays after the catch, and he's still got great hands," Frazier says. "We're looking forward to him making some of those plays for us."

Frazier, a former cornerback, adds that Jennings remains an elite route-runner. "You don't have to be a blazer because he knows how to run routes, knows how to set DBs up, and he understands different coverages," Frazier said. "That's a big asset of his."

Other than some strange comments about his former QB, it has been a quiet offseason on the field for Jennings, who is expected to carry the load as the Vikings' WR1. His ADP has slipped into the 8th round, and he's a reasonable value at that point in the draft as a solid fantasy WR3.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw was in full pads on Tuesday.

Bradshaw is trending up. If his foot is good to go, he'll hold low-end RB2 value in 2013. Unfortunately, he's not easy to handcuff since Vick Ballard is being drafted based on his 2012 performance.

Bills HC Doug Marrone provided an update on how E.J. Manuel is making out now a couple of days removed from surgery. He’s still on crutches, but has already begun the rehab process.

“Yeah it’s good. We worked with him (Tuesday),” said Marrone. “I saw him rehabbing working his butt off, and we’re working with him now keeping him mentally prepared. Everyone has to develop, so what we’ve done is make sure that just because he had this procedure and is not on the field we want to keep developing him in the classroom, making sure he’s going so we’re pushing him hard from that aspect.”

It's good news that Manuel is already rehabbing because it means the surgery went well and that it was minor in nature. He should win the starting job once he gets healthy.

Benched on Saturday night, then buried in a crowded backfield Monday morning.

It has been a rough few days for James Starks in his bid to earn a berth on the Green Bay Packers for a fourth straight year.

Alex Van Pelt, who made the decision to pull Starks after he fumbled against St. Louis, cautioned against attaching undue significance to the rotation this week.

"He started the first game," Van Pelt said, referring to Starks. "We're just trying to make sure guys have the right opportunities through rep count. DuJuan's been taking a lot of the reps this week just to catch him up."

In all likelihood, Starks is battling with Alex Green and Johnathan Franklin for an opportunity to be on the team's active roster. This is shaping up to be a Eddie Lacy/DuJuan Harris backfield.

It's become highly notable when New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marques Colston actually practices two consecutive days like he has Monday and Tuesday, considering how little Colston has participated in training camp because of an aching foot injury.

Colston admitted Tuesday he's not 100 percent healthy at this point despite dressing out for practice the past two days.

"That's OK," Colston said. "I'm working towards it. I still have couple of weeks yet (until the regular-season opener vs. Atlanta). I'm still taking my time with it."

Colston has missed more than a dozen practices throughout the duration of camp thanks to a foot injury that lingers to last season. He started training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list, but returned for a couple of practices leading up to the preseason opener against Kansas City.

Fantasy owners should not let this dissuade them from drafting Colston in the 4th/5th round of 12-team drafts. He should be able to play through whatever pain is experiencing. He did not miss a game last season.

K Rian Lindell has agreed to contract terms Tuesday night with the Buccaneers.

Lawrence Tynes may be headed to IR with a toe injury. Look for Lindell to kick for the Bucs this season.

Raiders OC Greg Olson on the inconsistencies of wide receiver Denarius Moore: "A lot of it is going to be on Denarius. To me, it’s that whole character issue, becoming a self-starter, becoming a self-motivated person, and a lot of it comes with maturity. I think he’d be the first guy to say we’re constantly on top of him . . . we’ll just coach him up, but I think he’s becoming a more mature player and a more mature person. A lot of players will tell you, `Boy, I wish I had been more mature as a younger player.’ And I think that maturity will happen for Denarius."

Moore's stock has taken a hit with his inconsistent camp and the team's other offensive woes, but someone has to catch the ball in Oakland and it's likely going to be some combination of Moore, Rod Streater, Marcel Reece and Darren McFadden. The Raiders are likely to be trailing quite a bit, and that means lots of pass attempts. As an upside WR4/WR5, Moore isn't a bad option.

The Dolphins have not decided on a starting running back for their regular-season opener in less than three weeks, and anyone doubting that merely has to monitor what the team is doing as well as saying. Ask coach Joe Philbin if the starting job is open, and he interrupts the query before it reaches the question mark.

“Absolutely,” Philbin said Tuesday.

That answer came only minutes after the Dolphins finished their first regular-season-style practice in preparation for Saturday night’s dress rehearsal game in which starters will play into the second half against Tampa Bay at Sun Life Stadium.

And in this important practice leading up to this important exhibition game, running backs Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas shared first-team snaps in 11-on-11 drills.

Miller has started every exhibition game and until Tuesday was taking a majority of the first-team snaps. But he had that fumble in the preseason opener and last Saturday against Houston dropped a pass on third down that caught Philbin’s attention.

This is discouraging news for Miller owners who thought they had drafted a clear starter, but the team is putting a lot of emphasis on a botched handoff and a dropped 3rd down pass. Senior Editor John Paulsen watched most of Miller's carries from 2012 and came away impressed, so Miller is still a player to target in the 4th or 5th round, if he were to slip that far after this news. We believe Miller is the more talented back, and talent should win out in the end.

Browns RB Dion Lewis will likely be placed on season-ending injured reserve after undergoing surgery on his fractured left fibula.

Lewis was in line to be the RB2 behind Trent Richardson. Chris Ogbonnaya and Brandon Jackson will likely battle it out for those duties now.

After taking time out of training camp and the preseason to fulfill commitments he made to his family, TE Tony Gonzalez is ready to fulfill the commitments he made to the Falcons when he signed on to play one more season.

Despite missing practices and two preseason games, Gonzalez was back at it and participated in team activities on Sunday and Tuesday. Watching him at practice, it was as if he had been there all along — mainly because, in a way, he was.

We rank Gonzalez 5th in standard leagues and 3rd in PPR leagues, with a projected 83-catch season on the horizon. He's got an ADP of the 7th round, which means you can wait on the position and still get a top-five player at TE.

RB Jonathan Stewart will miss his third straight preseason game Thursday night at Baltimore and Panthers coach Ron Rivera isn't ruling out the possibility of putting the running back on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

If that happens, Stewart would miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

"At this point anything is an option," Rivera said following Tuesday's practice. "What you're hoping is you can get him on the football field and we'll see once the doctor gets a chance to look at him."

A spot on the PUP list for Stewart is a huge bump in value for DeAngelo Williams. We rank Williams 34th with an ADP of the 10th round, but that would surely change if Stewart is lost for the first six games. Rookie RB Kenjon Barner has seen increased action in Stewart's absence as well.

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll seemed to indicate that Sidney Rice might not play this week, or in the exhibition season, saying the goal is to be ready for the beginning of the season.

Golden Tate and Jermaine Kearse have looked good, even though it's only preseason. An addition of Rice would only help the group overall.

With less than three weeks before the season opener, time is running out for the Chiefs to identify their starting wide receiver opposite Dwayne Bowe.

Free agent signee Donnie Avery will get the first shot at it after he was elevated to the starting X position on Tuesday in the wake of the trade that sent Jon Baldwin to San Francisco for A.J. Jenkins in an exchange of disappointing first-round picks.

“This is why I came here,” said Avery, a six-year veteran who caught a career-best 60 passes for 780 yards and three touchdowns last year at Indianapolis. “I love the offense. It’s a great opportunity for me to make plays … you have to take some of that pressure off Dwayne. With my speed and ability, I can do that.”

The story points out that Avery got off to a slow start, missing most of the offseason program due to a sprained ankle. Then he had to bide his time with the second unit while the club gave Baldwin every chance to justify its investment in him. With no more Baldwin, Avery is still pretty far down our list of receivers.

Dolphins OC Mike Sherman reiterates how close the competition for starting RB is: "I think Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas are competing neck-and-neck."

Miller owners who already spent at least a third round pick on him could be in full panic mode right now... Miller is the better back, if going by nothing but Thomas' past performances in the league. Perhaps this is a final wake up call for Miller to pick it up. He gets a tough test in the Bucs rushing defense in Week 3 of the preseason, but it seems like he'll need to perform well.

Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola was absent from practice for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.

A source indicated to ESPNBoston.com that the absence isn't cause for major concern. More specifically, Amendola is dealing with a minor injury issue that is not head-related. The nature of the injury beyond that is unknown.

After missing practice for both of the team's preparation days before their third preseason game against the Lions on Thursday night, the likelihood that Amendola will play in Detroit has decreased.

It seems as if Amendola will be fine, but if he doesn't play Thursday night, it's a good opportunity to get a look at a trio of rookie receivers - Kenbrell Thompkins, Josh Boyce and Aaron Dobson - as well as veteran Julian Edelman. Thompkins and Dobson, specifically, are starting to gain some fantasy momentum.

Victor Cruz is in a walking boot and is using crutches due to a bruised heel.

But the New York Giants wide receiver sees himself playing in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 8 after escaping serious damage to his left heel.

"Hopefully I can be back before then," said Cruz, who was upbeat Tuesday and didn't seem overly concerned about his injury. "But I do envision myself being on the practice field getting ready for that Cowboys game and getting ready to go down to Texas to play those guys.

Cruz said the MRI just showed some blood in the area where the swelling is, "no tear, nothing wrong with the bone -- everything's fine," according to the story.

Redskins QB Kirk Cousins' MRI on his foot was negative, source tells FOX Sports. Expected back for season opener. May play next week.

The Redskins need the insurance of Cousins, even with Robert Griffin III expected to be ready for Week 1 as well. It's a good matchup for either QB against an Eagles defense that isn't supposed to be very good. If for some reason neither QB could play, Rex Grossman would get the call.

Noticeably to teammates, Chargers RB Ryan Mathews has been carrying an added confidence of late.

He's rushed 12 times for 64 yards through two exhibitions. While feeling faster physically, he said the game is slowing down mentally and that he's learned to trust his instincts more entering his fourth season.

Mathews gives credit to the offensive line, but it's still not expected to be a strong point of the team. While Mathews is clearly the most talented back, he'll still compete with Danny Woodhead and Ronnie Brown, leaving Mathews ranked at 27th among our RBs - a clear RB3 right now.

Chip Kelly met with his quarterbacks on Tuesday to them he has chosen his starting quarterback for the regular season.

It will be Michael Vick, not Nick Foles taking the snaps come Week 1. The announcement came as somewhat of a surprise, as Kelly was only expected to name a starter for Saturday's game against Jaguars.

Through two preseason games, Vick has been stellar. He is 13-15 passing for 199 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also has two rushes for 20 yards.

The news isn't surprising but the timing is. Many felt the Eagles wanted to wait as long as possible because Vick seems to thrive when there is competition. Now that he's been named the starter, it will be interesting to see how comfortable he gets. For those who already drafted Vick, he was a great late-round, value selection, but his ADP will likely climb a bit after this announcement. He seems to be a good fit for Chip Kelly's system because he gets rid of the ball quickly, and in the past, holding on to the ball is what led to turnovers. If he can keep himself healthy, he is a QB2 on fantasy teams with the potential to be much more.

Nearly a month after his foot waffled, it finally gave Jets WR Santonio Holmes the green light to run around before the Jets’ second preseason game on Saturday night. Holmes appeared sharp running routes at three-quarters speed and catching passes from fellow dinged-up teammate Geno Smith.

Holmes’ impending return will provide more than simply a jolt to a Jets offense that looked out of sorts at practice on Monday.

The Jets are hoping Holmes will be ready by Week 1, which is a big improvement over the expectations just a short time ago. There's no doubt the team needs Holmes in the passing game, but the story also points out that his presence will be an immense help for Geno Smith's development this season. Holmes is ranked 87th on our list and is well off fantasy radars right now.

Brandon Weeden has been named the Browns' starting quarterback.

Coach Rob Chudzinski announced his decision on Monday, ending weeks of speculation about whether Weeden would start the season opener against Miami on Sept. 8.

Chudzinski said Weeden has earned the job with a strong offseason, training camp and preseason. Weeden started 15 games as a rookie last year, but Chudzinski and the Browns' new coaching staff wanted to see improvement from the 29-year-old — and they have.

Weeden was pushed in camp by veteran Jason Campbell. Weeden started off strong last season but didn't finish on fire by any means - just five TD passes over the final eight games. There reason to be excited about his potential with young WRs like Greg Little and Josh Gordon, an up-and-coming TE in Jordan Cameron and a young RB in Trent Richardson. But even with all that we rank him 28th in what is just too deep of a QB class this year. He's worth a shot in deep leagues and could even start a game or two depending on matchups. He will play six games against tough division defenses like Cincy, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, however.

The Vikings had plenty to be excited about in WR Cordarrelle Patterson’s preseason debut, a four-catch, 54-yard effort in last week’s 27-13 loss to Houston. As offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave likes to say, confidence stems from demonstrated performance. And in Patterson’s first NFL action under the lights, he met the challenge.

All of the rookie’s receptions came from backup quarterback Matt Cassel, who targeted him eight times. Best of all in Friday’s effort against Houston, according to Musgrave, Patterson was on point with his assignments.

“He was where he was supposed to be,” Musgrave said. “The quarterbacks want to know that guys are going to be dependable, be at the right depth, come out at the right angle and he was that way. You could see a bunch of passes that he caught, those balls were thrown early on anticipatory throws. And quarterbacks are starting to trust him.”

Patterson has plenty of promise as a playmaker, and as the story points out, the coaches are also still aware he needs much more coaching as he learns to refine his route running. Patterson has been learning the ropes from teammate Greg Jennings as well. Patterson ranks just 72nd on our WR list and is among a boatload of receivers who aren't getting drafted. However, Patterson's ADP is the 12th round so he's garnering some attention in drafts as a potential late-round sleeper.

Tom Brady's left knee injury wound up being much ado about nothing, but the New England Patriots quarterback continues to wear a hefty brace in practices, as he did Monday.

That comes at the request of the big man above, team owner Robert Kraft.

"I had (the brace on) today. Everyone was very pleased," Brady said Monday, per the team's official website. "Kraft felt pretty strongly about me wearing it. He said, 'What's the problem?' I said 'I'll wear it, I'll wear it.'"

Brady was injured last Wednesday in a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He tumbled to the ground after Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn bull-rushed Patriots offensive tackle Nate Solder, who fell into Brady. Reports eventually called it a bruise. Brady was himself against the Bucs in the game, starting out 11-for-11.

All signs point to Robert Griffin III being ready for Week 1, but the Washington Redskins' quarterback has yet to be cleared for action.

NFL.com's Jeff Darlington reported that Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, general manager Bruce Allen and team owner Dan Snyder met with Dr. James Andrews on Monday to talk about RG3's recovery process.

"I did talk with Dr. Andrews before the game," Shanahan told reporters after Monday's preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. "He feels great about Robert's progress."

The story said that Andrews is going to re-evaluate RGIII after the Tampa game and then will make a decision, at least from his perspective, where he's at. If there is no setback, Shanahan thinks (RG3 will) be ready. Andrews also feels it's not necessary to play him in the preseason. The article said Griffin put on a display during Monday's pregame warm-ups. Seven months removed from major reconstructive knee surgery, RG3 cycled through full-speed dropbacks and ran a 50-yard sprint in front of Andrews. RGIII is supposed to wear a knee brace this season, which will likely limit him a bit, but he's falling to the seventh round or so in a lot of drafts.

The Lions first-team offense has yet to produce a touchdown in two games. It gained 68 yards in two series against the Jets, 88 in five drives against the Browns. They converted just seven first downs in seven drives.

QB Matt Stafford, 14-for-24 and 132 yards, has completed six passes to wide receivers, three to Calvin Johnson against the Jets and three to Patrick Edwards against the Browns. Take away a 28-yarder to Johnson and an 18-yard catch and run by Reggie Bush, and Stafford is averaging 7.2 yards on his other 12 completions.

It's only two preseason games. With the starters likely to play a lot in Week 3, there is plenty of time to build the momentum the team seems to need before the season starts. There's too much talent here to move any Lions down your board in a moment of panic.

What the Patriots do with TE Rob Gronkowski also could impact quarterback Tim Tebow, who is on the roster bubble in New England. Should New England place Gronkowski on the PUP list, it would give the Patriots additional roster flexibility that could mean carrying a third quarterback.

But if Gronkowski is not placed on PUP and stays on the roster, that will be one fewer spot available on the Patriots' roster.

Tebow hasn't been impressive for the Pats in the preseason and with a much more capable Ryan Mallett as the QB2, Tebow would only make the team as the third quarterback. With new reports saying Gronk could be back by Week 3, it seems Tebow's roster spot could be in jeopardy.

You may be seeing Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski sooner, rather than later. How about Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

According to a source, Gronk is doing very well in his rehabilitation from back and forearm surgeries performed in May and June. He's "right on schedule" for a mid-September return. In fact, he's healed and advanced to the point where he would be close to playing Week 1 in Buffalo, the source said.

However, the more realistic time frame for him to be ready and in "football shape" would be shortly after, right around Game 3 against Tampa Bay assuming there are no setbacks.

As the story points out, if that's the case, the Pats likely wouldn't keep Gronk on the PUP list, causing him to miss the first six games of the season. The article goes on to say that, unless the Pats play it very safe, it would appear they'd take him off the PUP list with thoughts of having him as early as Game 3, or perhaps Game 4 in Atlanta. We've heard all along his rehab had been going well, but this is a very optimistic outlook for him.

Kirk Cousins got his second start of the preseason because Redskins franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered in January.

With 11:50 left in the second quarter of the Monday Night game against the Steelers, Cousins dropped back to pass, didn't find any receivers open, and took off running towards the sidelines. Except Pittsburgh linebacker Lawrence Timmons beat him to it, tackling the second-year quarterback by the ankles.

Cousins limped back to the huddle before sitting down in the middle of the field and pointing to his right foot. He eventually hobbled to the bench where he was examined by the Redskins' medial staff.

Cousins didn't return to the game, but the team announced at halftime that X-rays of Cousins' right foot were negative - and it was diagnosed as a mid-foot sprain. With Robert Griffin III out of the preseason, most likely, the team went to veteran Rex Grossman. That's not a direction they want to go in come Week 1...

Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell didn’t last long in his first NFL game before heading to the trainers. Bell carried the ball four times on the Steelers first offensive drive, but Jonathan Dwyer was on the field with the offense for the Steelers second possession.

Bell, meanwhile, was on the bench getting looked at by trainers. The Steelers announced that Bell was done for the night because of a right foot injury a short time later, ending his first NFL game action almost as quickly as it started.

The injury is being called a mid-foot sprain by the Steelers, which of course opens the door to Lisfranc. Bell missed the first preseason game because of a left knee injury and then was in and out of practice last week for the same reason. If Bell, who was running a lot with the first team, was to miss time, Dywer and Isaac Redman move up on the depth chart as well as LaRod Stephens-Howling. At this point, all indications are that Redman is ahead of Dwyer, but Dwyer looked pretty good last night (68 yards on 14 carries), while Redman (stinger) was held out.

It’s only Monday, but already Cardinals HC Bruce Arians said RB Ryan Williams “probably” will not play against the Chargers Saturday because of the knee. Answers are few and far between.

Arians said, “He needs to start playing. Can’t evaluate him unless you play.”

Arians isn’t sure yet what it means for Williams’ chances at a roster spot, and there is still an opportunity for Williams to “play a bunch” against Denver in the preseason finale. That would mean Williams would actually have to come back first though.

In an update to the story, Williams said it’s still the irritation under the “fatty pad” in his knee causing him sharp pain. According to the story, Williams said he doesn’t even call it an injury. He added that he wasn’t willing to say he was nervous about his spot on the roster, mostly because he figures worrying about it wouldn’t help. But, the team is clearly not happy with him missing time.

Rams announce that RB Daryl Richardson will be their starter over Isaiah Pead, he was their 7th round pick last season. Pead was their 2nd.

It's not really a surprise as HC Jeff Fisher and the team hinted at this recently. Pead is suspended for game one anyway, but aside from that, Richardson has been better in camp. We rank Richardson 29th among our running backs, which puts him in the RB3 zone, with ADP of the 8th round. Pead will likely still steal some work away when he returns, but for now, Richardson is the guy to target in drafts.

Bucs head coach Greg Schiano had this to say about running back Doug Martin:

“Doug Martin is doing well. He was out there today, he practiced. [We were] precautionary, we didn’t hit him, but he could have been [hit] if we wanted, just figured it wasn’t worth it right now. He got all of his work without getting touched which is a little bit more like in-season practice for him today.”

Good news for Martin, who scared owners and potential owners in week 2 of the preseason with a knee to his head trying to block. Martin is considered a top-three running back in just about any format this draft season, especially with not a lot of proven talent behind him to steal work.

Lions WR Ryan Broyles certainly hasn't been hesitant to get back on the field following an ACL injury suffered last December.

In fact, it's easy to forget he suffered that injury at all. His practice time has far exceeded his rest time throughout training camp and he played in his first live game this past week at Cleveland.

The way he put it: "Your body shows up some days and some days it doesn't. This has been one of the most challenging things of my life, coming off two ACLs. I'm out here trying to compete at a high level.

"Mentally, like I said, I'm 100-percent. My body thinks differently from day-to-day."

We think Broyles has WR3 potential, although it may be a slow start to the season for him until he gets his body back to normal. We rank him 50th with an ADP of the 13th round, so he's getting taken late as player who certainly has upside as Detroit's WR2.

Saints releasing WRs Steve Breaston and Patrick Crayton indicates Kenny Stills and Nick Toon have the lead for the Saints No. 3 and No. 4 WR Spots

Stills had a great week 2 of preseason and we have him climbing our rankings a bit. The WR3 and WR4 jobs on the Saints obviously don't get the targets they would on most teams, thanks to TE Jimmy Graham and RB Darren Sproles.

Packers WR Jordy Nelson has been going inside the Don Hutson Center during training camp practice and working out on the indoor field for the past couple days as he recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery performed two weeks ago.

Nelson wouldn't say exactly what the procedure consisted of, but he said he was able to run much faster than one would expect after surgery and is "on schedule" as far as the doctors are concerned.

"Our main goal is San Fran," Nelson said. "And that’s just a goal. You never know what could happen. We’ll just continue to go day by day."

The story mentions reports saying it was nerve tissue. If he's not ready Week 1, it looks like he'd be a go soon after that at least. We had Nelson on par with Randall Cobb this year, only Nelson was falling a round or so lower in drafts than Cobb. He's certainly still worth drafting.

Ravens tight end Ed Dickson returned to practice Monday for the first time since sustaining a slight tear of his right hamstring during an open practice at Navy on Aug. 4.

Dickson appears ahead of schedule and could be back on the radar as a TE2 option in drafts. He wasn't expected to be ready Week 1. The team did sign aging vet Dallas Clark, who could steal some work away from Dickson if he proves to be effective.

It is "not realistic" to expect New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who underwent offseason back and forearm surgery, to be ready to play in the team's regular-season opener against the Bills in Buffalo, sources familiar with the situation said Monday.

"It's a huge stretch to think he could play against the Bills," the source said.

Despite that, another source said Gronkowski "looks great, is doing great" during his workouts at the Patriots' training facility, where he has been running and lifting.

The story says progress is being made, but the big question right now is if he'll stay on the roster or placed on the PUP list. Of course, the PUP list would sideline him for the first six games of the season. Where to take Gronk is one of the bigger questions of the draft this year. Even missing the first six games, he'll make an impact for your team when he finally does get on the field. If he lasts to the 5th, we're okay with him there. Unfortunately, knowing the Patriots as we do, most fantasy drafts will likely be over by the time we find out anything. Zach Sudfeld could be a nice late-round option in drafts, but either way, expect the Pats to run more and/or use more three WR sets.

CSN Bay Area said "the QB Colin Kaepernick-to-TE Vernon Davis connection was seemingly unstoppable."

The story gives high praise to both players but said the duo made at least 12 impressive connections during the 16 open practices the media was allowed to attend. We rank Davis as the number-two TE option in standard formats behind Jimmy Graham, but you can get Davis a little later in drafts. He appears to be a great value.

Despite Texans RB Arian Foster missing another tentative target date, head coach Gary Kubiak said Monday he believes the team’s star running back will be ready for the Sept. 9 season-opener at San Diego.

Kubiak said that if he had an official date for Foster’s return, “I’d give it [to] you.”

Kubiak said he's been watching Foster work out, basically going through camp on his own. He added that Foster hasn't been "standing around," which leads to him being optimistic Foster will be ready. Either way, getting Ben Tate seems like a must for Foster owners, or potential Foster owners. Even if Foster is ready Week 1, it's hard to imagine him not sharing duties with Tate to start the season.

A few days after lamenting his inability to join teammates in practices, Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Monday.

Walker is returning from arthroscopic knee surgery for the second time in two summers. He has acknowledged that his recent left knee scope was more serious than the one on his right knee that limited his production last season.

Walker thinks it will take a few weeks before he feels normal again and added the toughest part will be getting in football shape, according to the story. He's not really on the fantasy radar right now, coming in at 28th on our TE list.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano said the MRI on TE Coby Fleener's sprained knee came back negative. He'll be out a few days.

Fleener wasn't playing well when he was in there, and it seems his stock has fallen a bit. Right now, there are plenty of other TE options to look at in drafts.

Packers RB DuJuan Harris first RB reps, Eddie Lacy second, Johnathan Franklin third.

Just when it looked like Lacy's job... Despite the order in practice today, Lacy still seems set to be the feature back for the Packers this season. Although by many accounts, Harris will have a role in the offense. Lacy is still looking like a pretty good third round RB pickup.

Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts is expected to return to practice Tuesday after being out since straining his left calf muscle in a practice on Aug. 5. Shorts has yet to play in the preseason, but should make his debut Saturday against the Eagles.

Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno is back at practice today. Missed two days and the game last week.

It will be interesting to see where Moreno stands following an unimpressive outing by both Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball in preseason week 2 against Seattle.

A.J. Jenkins is going to get a fresh start.

The San Francisco 49ers traded their former first-round draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday.

A short time later, the Chiefs announced Jenkins had been dealt for fellow receiver Jon Baldwin, another former first-round pick who has struggled to make an impact in the NFL.

Seems like a change of scenery deal for both players. Jenkins has really fallen on the 49er depth chart since being a 2012 first round pick. Meanwhile, Baldwin, a 2011 first round pick, had been dropping balls in KC this preseason, including one in a game against the 49ers, ironically. Baldwin seems like he would have a better chance to be productive as the 49ers are desperately looking for a WR2 and a vertical threat. Jenkins looks like he'll battle Donnie Avery and Dexter McCluster for snaps in Kansas City behind Dwayne Bowe.

Dallas running back Lance Dunbar suffered a sprained left foot that could keep him out of the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the New York Giants.

Dunbar is in a protective boot and could need 3-4 weeks to return, according to a source. Dunbar had a 43-yard catch against Arizona last Saturday but fumbled at the end of the play. He returned to the game and did not mention being hurt in the locker room after the 12-7 loss to the Cardinals.

Dunbar is expected to see third-down duties and back up starting RB DeMarco Murray. The story also reminded us that Murray's sprained foot last season caused him to miss six games last. Joseph Randle is next up on the depth chart and has played pretty well in preseason games thus far.

It’s tough to assess a Vikings offense built around RB Adrian Peterson when Adrian Peterson isn’t around said offense.

That will change in the first half of Sunday’s nationally televised preseason game against the reigning NFC champion 49ers in San Francisco.

HC Leslie Frazier wouldn’t say how long Peterson will play in the game, according to the story, but it looks like the first half - at the most - even though it's typical starters play into the third quarter in preseason week 3. Due to see a heavy workload in 2013, the Vikings are just taking it easy with the consensus number-one pick in most fantasy drafts.

Jaguars coach Gus Bradley names Blaine Gabbert starting QB.

Just seconds later, Long tweeted that Gabbert will also miss the rest of the preseason, but is expected to be ready to go for Week 1. Gabbert played pretty well against the Jets in preseason Week 2, enough to earn the starting job. Up until that point, neither Gabbert nor Chad Henne had done much of anything to stand out. Owners of WRs Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon, and even RB Maurice Jones-Drew owners, should hope Gabbert continues to build off his last performance. Last season, Gabbert's per target production to Shorts was good, but he didn't throw it to Shorts as much as Henne did.

The oft-injured Packer RB James Starks is as healthy as he has ever been for training camp; he has missed only one practice, because of an illness.

But his fourth-quarter fumble won’t help his chances. He played only nine snaps but did not get another one after he coughed up the ball, which the Packers retained because Rams linebacker Daren Bates was out of bounds when he recovered the fumble.

If there’s a veteran in danger of getting cut, it might be Starks, who has missed 26 of a possible 48 regular-season games the last three years.

Two weeks after his abysmal 3-for-8 field goal performance in the team’s scrimmage, Packers K Mason Crosby went 3-for-3, including a solidly hit 48-yarder.

It was the kind of performance Crosby needed, especially after he didn’t get any chances to kick in the preseason opener against Arizona. This may have helped him gain an edge over challenger Giorgio Tavecchio, who missed a 49-yarder and went 1-for-2.

“I’ve just got to build off of that,” Crosby said. “I hit my 48-yarder as well as I wanted to.”

The Packers kicker will be highly-sought in drafts, but if it remains Crosby, his struggles last season and early camp shouldn't be forgotten...

Colts WR T.Y. Hilton continues to impress. Hilton has been one of the Colts’ best players so far, a star in the making, a guy who can make big plays.

Hilton had another TD catch, his second of the preseason. As the story describes, the second-year pass catcher climbed the ladder and brought it down, then got both feet in bounds in tight quarters for the score. Ranked 30th, he's a borderline WR3 or 4 available in the 8th round, but the sky seems to be the limit for him and he could end up being a very solid pick at that point in drafts. There's been nothing but great things said about him this offseason.

Patriots RB Shane Vereen looks like the kind of multi-threat weapon the Pats could use out of the backfield to take some of Aaron Hernandez’s touches.

Soft hands, can break a tackle, makes linebackers miss.

“This is going to be a year we really have to grind it out,” said Vereen.

It's nothing we haven't been preaching for a while here at 4for4.com. We're high on getting Vereen near the middle of drafts. His ADP is the seventh round in 10-team standard leagues and he makes a real nice RB3.

Packer RB Johnathan Franklin's game, based on the off-season and first three weeks of training camp, hasn't fit as well in the NFL.

Franklin, 5 feet 10 inches and 205 pounds, can't get out of neutral. He rushed seven times for 17 yards in the intrasquad scrimmage and nine for 23 in the first two games.

It's just 16 carries, but Franklin's average of 2.5 yards is about on par with the way he has practiced, too.

"He looks like his numbers," a personnel man said. "He's not a real impressive guy. He plays small, and he doesn't play fast.

This story certainly doesn't paint a great picture for Franklin, and further cements Eddie Lacy as the Packers starting RB. According to the story, the scouts said Franklin ran hard from scrimmage in college, but that hasn't been evident in the pros. Renowned for his pass protection, Franklin's been only adequate there. The article went on to say that with Randall Cobb injured and possibly being phased out of the return game, the Packers have been force-feeding Franklin into a role he never played in college. He has encountered some ball-security issues in practice and hasn't done anything returning in games.

Bills announced the release of veteran K Rian Lindell.

Buffalo drafted Dustin Hopkins in the sixth round this spring, despite Lindell making 21-of-24 in 2012. Hopkins should get a bit of a bump up the rankings with this news and will only be helped with EJ Manuel back healthy and running the offense.

We asked 4for4 Scout at 101 ESPN in St. Louis to give us his thoughts on Isaiah Pead's performance against the Packers on Saturday night:

Isaiah Pead's night was largely a wash. On his first carry of the game, he got to the edge with purpose while picking up 9 yards. Later in the first half, he caught a dump-off pass from Sam Bradford, made a nice move to shake a defender on the sidelines, and picked up 10 yards in the process. But on the very next play, he chose to bounce a run outside instead of following his guard through the hole, which resulted in a loss of a yard instead of a potential gain. Despite starting and playing the majority of the first half, he converted his 12 touches into just 29 total yards while failing to make much of an impact. And while some of that can be blamed on the Rams' shoddy run-blocking, Daryl Richardson continues to run with more decisiveness and remains the favorite to start early in the season.

That said, there was one takeaway from Pead's night that you won't find on the stat sheet. He did a great job picking up the blitz on two separate pass plays in the first half, including on Bradford's 57-yard completion to Chris Givens in the first quarter. Seeing as how blitz pickup has been a problem for Pead this offseason, at least he shined in that area on Saturday night.

The Rams RB situation is being closely monitored by fantasy owners this preseason. At this point, it appears as if Richardson is well ahead of Pead, while Zac Stacy is an afterthought. While there is some risk here, Richardson is looking like a nice RB3 with some upside in the 6th/7th round. Pead can be had cheaply in the later rounds.

Colts TE Coby Fleener has a mild knee sprain and will not return.

As La Canfora also pointed out, Fleener had a rough outing when he was on the field.

RB Roy Helu can focus on contributing to the Washington offense. Coaches have him in a third-down role, which will showcase his pass blocking and ability to catch the ball. He’s also faster than Alfred Morris, so there’s big-play potential anytime he’s in on first and second downs.

Helu could have some deep PPR value. At the same time, it will likely limit Morris' value in the passing game. It was a role that increased for Morris a bit at the end of last year. Morris should catch more than 11 passes this season, his total from 2012, but Helu looks like he'll play a bigger role in the passing game.

Jet RB Chris Ivory’s return allowed for the first time this preseason an accurate glimpse at how the Jets running game will operate.

The verdict? A gameplan that fuses Bilal Powell’s versatility with Ivory’s power.

Powell was again the focal point, carrying the ball nine times for 68 yards out of a variety of formations -- including four times in the “Wildcat.”

The Jets eased Ivory back into action cautiously. He had six carries and 13 yards.

Giants HC Tom Coughlin says WR Victor Cruz jammed his heel and is sore. He says has no more information on Cruz and hopes it's not a long thing.

Cruz left Sunday night's preseason game against the Colts to get an X-Ray on his foot, which initial reports called a bruised heel - to now a jammed heel. A new report says he will miss the remainder or the preseason, because this week is too soon and the final game starters usually don't play. Cruz should be fine, but if you own Cruz or Hakeem Nicks, it further drives home the point that Rueben Randle is a great WR handcuff for either of those guys. Randle is available late in drafts.

The 49ers expect WR Michael Crabtree to return at some point this season. The earliest an athlete who suffered a full tear like Crabtree can be expected back on the field is about six months. That means he could be back as early as November.

The story indicated the team would likely ease Crabtree back into action, so it's a long time to carry Crabtree on your roster with the hopes if him being productive for the fantasy playoffs.

The Broncos are officially calling WR Wes Welker's ankle sprain "minor."

Looks like he'll be listed as day-to-day and has avoided a high ankle sprain, which likely would have kept him out quite some time. Welker is looking like a solid WR2 in PPR formats and we rank him 20th overall. Despite all the other targets in Denver, we still see Welker catching 87 balls this season.

Steelers TE Heath Miller probably won't be back at least for the first month of the season and perhaps longer.

Except for Ben Roethlisberger, no player is more important to both the running and passing games than Miller, a blocker nonpareil and the team's best receiver last season.

Matt Spaeth is also out right now, so David Paulson and Jamie McCoy are getting called to duty. But as the story points out, in no way do they resemble Miller. The Steelers badly want to regenerate their running game, and getting Miller (and Spaeth) back will help Le'Veon Bell and the other backs, so this is a bit of a blow to the offense.

Texans HC Gary Kubiak said RB Arian Foster got injections before Minnesota game. Kubiak said, "They tell me these injections take time. We're taking our time."

Foster’s back pain has crept into his legs, thus the injections. Per McLain, Foster will not return to Monday’s practice as the team hoped, and he will likely miss the entire preseason. McLain added that if he’s Kubiak, he has to be concerned about Foster being ready for Week 1. If you already drafted Foster, getting Ben Tate off your wire – if he’s still there – is a good idea. If you are keeping Foster, you may have to target Tate a round or two higher than you hoped now. If you're drafting soon, we'd recommend shying away from Foster for most of the first round. It sounds as if he may be ready for Week 1, but then again, he might miss 1-2 games as well. We'll update our rankings today so you can get an idea of how far we're moving him down our boards.

We asked our injury expert, Russ Manalastas, about Foster's injury and he had this to say: "Not sounding good for him heading into season. If oral meds, rehab and injections aren’t reducing Foster’s back/leg pain, next route most doctors would go is surgery. Many moving parts when it comes to back pain that goes into legs but surgery now a possibility if Foster doesn’t improve significantly. Being a physical therapist addressing the pain first and foremost is the key as diagnostic tests, etc. are overused and results are many times coincidental to symptoms."

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said WR Mario Manningham will start season on PUP.

Manningham will miss the first six games of the season and can come back Week 7 against Tennessee.

The search for a quality backup passer behind Jay Cutler rages on.

The Chicago Bears announced Sunday that Trent Edwards has been signed to a contract, adding him to a pool of reserves that includes Josh McCown, Jordan Palmer and Matt Blanchard.

It's another clear signal the Bears have no interest in making JaMarcus Russell a part of the team. Edwards and Palmer joined Russell for a Friday workout with the team, triggered partially by Blanchard suffering a fractured knuckle on his non-throwing hand.

Browns OC Norv Turner said he thinks RB Brandon Jackson has done good job & can compete for number-two spot. Said Chris Ogbonnaya good third down back.

With Dion Lewis out, a spot behind behind Trent Richardson appears up for grabs.

It seems the 49ers almost have to keep QB B.J. Daniels on the 53-man roster. If they expose him to waivers with the plan of bringing him back to the practice squad, some team will claim him. Because of his strong arm (he has the most arm talent on the team behind Colin Kaepernick) and his running ability, Daniels now has a legitimate chance to open as the No. 2.

He's competing against Colt McCoy and Scott Tolzien and neither have been very impressive up to this point.

Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles said he still had some soreness in his right foot and leg.

In other Tweets from Teicher, he said Charles called it a "weird" injury and said he doesn't want to sit and wait any longer, wants to see if "it's getting better or worse." Sounds like even Charles is unsure how the foot will respond to taking to the practice field, which he will do today. But the good news is he practiced without hesitation on Sunday, according to an ESPN story.

Through two preseason games, the Carolina Panthers offense hardly resembles itself from the previous two seasons.

There have been no read options, no quarterback keepers, zero Wildcat formations and barely any play action.

But this isn’t what the Panthers’ offense under Mike Shula is predicted to look like in his first year as offensive coordinator after taking over the position vacated by Rob Chudzinski. Instead, Carolina – like every team in the NFL – is running a vanilla brand of its playbook, using what quarterback Cam Newton calls its “bread and butter” plays and apparently leaving out the jelly.

Newton has had just four play-action snaps in his 45 total plays this season. That's not how the season should play out, but the team does want to keep Newton in the pocket more. That hasn't really affected his draft rank. He sits behind the top-three Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning as pretty much the fourth-best option for QBs in drafts. With an ADP of the fourth round, if you really want Cam you should have a shot at getting him.

Cardinals WR Andre Roberts -- not Michael Floyd -- appears to be the second option in the Cardinals' passing game.

Floyd is considered a bust-out candidate this season but seems to be off to a slow start. However, there is still plenty of potential there, especially in a decent enough QB situation with Carson Palmer, that Floyd is worth a late round pick as a WR4 on your roster.

Jaguars rookie wide receiver Ace Sanders continues to make an impact for the Jaguars. He'll have a big role to start the season.

With Justin Blackmon suspended the first four games, Sanders has a chance to step in alongside Cecil Shorts and make a name for himself. The key will be the play of QB Blaine Gabbert, however.

While Broncos QB Peyton Manning's passing game was running on all cylinders, the backfield showed problematic signs Saturday night.

Ronnie Hillman saw the bulk of the first-team work, but he was pulled from the game after a goal-line fumble. Meanwhile, rookie Montee Ball whiffed on a pass block, leading to big hit on Peyton Manning.

The story pointed out how these are troubling signs in a Manning-centric offense where the tailback's primary responsibilities are ball security and protecting the quarterback. Seems like neither tailback is stepping up to take control of this camp battle. We've been hearing all along that this will be a committee situation.

With Seahawks WR Percy Harvin sidelined and Sidney Rice resting, Golden Tate continues to look like a prime breakout candidate as Russell Wilson's favorite target.

The Seahawks might have their Percy Harvin replacement.

WR Jermaine Kearse was flat-out flying on a 107-yard kickoff return. That was his second touchdown, having reeled in a 12-yard scoring pass while playing with the first-team offense.

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick has compared Kearse to Victor Cruz on the heels of a strong training camp.

Kearse can likely be had in drafts, but when Sidney Rice comes back he'll still be third to Rice and Golden Tate. As always, he's a guy to keep an eye on as there is usually a lot of WR options to come and go on the waiver wire.

The connection between Aaron Rodgers and Jermichael Finley is stronger this year than last.

Finley had a 25-yard reception and a 33-yard catch-and-run on his way to 78 yards on four receptions Saturday night. With Greg Jennings out of the picture and Jordy Nelson easing into the regular season, don't be surprised if Finley comes through with a career year in a contract push.

Finley is looking like a pretty nice option as a TE who can be taken in the middle rounds of drafts. Drops have always been a concern, but it seems like he's gaining back trust in Rodgers.

Blaine Gabbert put together the kind of performance that the Jacksonville Jaguars were waiting to see. It was the type of game that sews up a starting job. Then he got hurt.

Gabbert left Saturday night's 37-13 preseason loss to the New York Jets with a sprained right thumb after playing for a quarter and a half. The Jaguars announced that the quarterback was scheduled to come out of the game at that point anyhow, and coach Gus Bradley said afterward that X-rays were negative.

"It doesn't feel too well, but at the same time, we're going to see what the deal is and just move on," Gabbert, who wore a brace on the thumb, told NFL.com's Kimberly Jones.

It's unfortunate for Gabbert and the Jags because to this point both Gabbert and Chad Henne had not show very much. Gabbert was seen shaking his right hand after hitting one of the Jets' helmets on a follow-through. He completed 13 of 16 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown in a hurry-up offense that played well to the third-year pro's strengths. This performance isn't going to make you want to go out and draft him, but it's certainly a ray of hope for WRs like Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon (suspended first four games), who are decent fantasy options.

Miami Dolphins tight end Dustin Keller suffered a season-ending knee injury in Saturday night's preseason game against the Houston Texans, a source told FOX Sports.

The good news for Keller is the source said the injury is not believed to be career-threatening and that he could be back to work next spring. Keller will undergo an MRI on Sunday to confirm all of these initial fears.

This is obviously a big loss for the 'Fins and QB Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins will ask Charles Clay, Michael Egnew and rookie Dion Sims to step up. What's even sadder for Keller is he turned down a four-year deal, instead signing a one-year contract in hopes of a bigger pay day after 2013. There was serious concern that it was a potential career-threatening injury, but that no longer looks to be the case.

Broncos head coach John Fox revealed that WR Wes Welker suffered a right ankle sprain after hauling in the Broncos' lone touchdown. There was no word on the severity of Welker's injury.

The injury wasn't obvious to a lot of the media so perhaps that can be a bit of good news. However, the team will likely sit out Welker for a while to assure he's back to 100-percent before the season. We'll continue to update his situation...

Houston Texans rookie WR DeAndre Hopkins suffered a concussion.

After the game, Texans coach Gary Kubiak confirmed Hopkins did sustain a concussion and appeared disoriented on the field.

"He didn't run the route, didn't get his depth, was just stumbling all over the place," Kubiak said, via The Associated Press. "So we got him out."

Hopkins will have to go through protocol to get back on the field and it's likely he misses preseason game 3, the story said. However, he's still expected to keep the WR2 job across from Andre Johnson. Various early predictions said he could haul in up to 60 passes this season. He's a late-round sleeper option.

A team would always prefer to find out that the injury is a sprain as opposed to a torn ligament.

The Titans believe that is how things have played out for WR Kendall Wright, who left Saturday night’s game against the Bengals in the second quarter. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean reports that “early indications” are that Wright, who did not report hearing the telltale pop when he got hurt, avoided a torn ACL after having x-rays and an MRI taken of his right knee.

Wright said it was very stiff and was obviously concerned about it, but it looks like he may have dodged the torn ligament bullet. He'll likely sit out the remaining preseason games. If he misses regular season time, Nate Washington gets a bump up.

Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson didn’t miss a beat when he returned to practice Saturday after he missed the second exhibition game of the season with a knee bruise.

Johnson and quarterback Matthew Stafford connected on several pass plays, including some deep balls, as the offense continues to try to hit its stride.

No worries here.

Vikings WR Jarius Wright suffered a concussion Friday. Will have to pass NFL testing protocol before returning to practice.

Jets beat writer Manish Mehta with a series of tweets about WR Santonio Holmes:

From what I'm seeing... don't be surprised if Santonio Holmes plays in Jets season opener vs Bucs on Sept. 8.

This is by far the most I've seen Santonio Holmes do since the start of camp. Looks like tonight was an important step in his return.

Santonio Holmes looks impressive. Just made a great over the shoulder 40-yard grab from Geno (running about 3/4 speed).

Santonio Holmes just wrapped up about a 20-min catching session w/Geno Smith. Looked good running routes (about 3/4 speed). Very good.

This is the first positive report we've heard about Holmes in weeks. He's worth a late-round pick as a WR5 with possible WR3 upside.

Running back Jamaal Charles will be back in the lineup when the Chiefs return to practice Sunday, coach Andy Reid said Saturday. But Reid said he wasn’t certain whether Charles would play in the next preseason game next Saturday night against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

Charles should be drafted early in the first round. We aren't worried about the foot injury.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger on WR Antonio Brown:

What have you seen from Antonio? What do you expect from him?

The sky is the limit. He can be as good as he wants to be. I have seen growth in him and improvements, and that is what we want to see. He has come along as a number-one guy.

Dolphins RB Lamar Miller will be the starter this season, but Daniel Thomas has been practicing well and will likely be the goal-line and third-down back. Miller said he wants to be an every-down back, and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman said recently that he could see Miller as a three-down guy. But Thomas is better in pass protection and is holding onto the ball in practice — fumbling was an issue for him in his first two seasons.

If Thomas does play on third downs and is the goal line back, it will put a significant dent in Miller's upside.

Patriots TE Zach Sudfeld is listed at 225 pounds, so he's hardly cut from the same cloth as Rob Gronkowski. Yet, Sudfeld's receiving ability should put him in a position to succeed in an Aaron Hernandez type of role, and Sudfeld has even improved enough as a blocker to earn more chances to stay on the field in one-tight end formations.

Sudfeld is a good handcuff for Rob Gronkowski owners and could graduate to a larger role in the Patriots offense. Other than Kenbrell Thompkins and Danny Amendola, the WR corps seems to be unsettled, so if the Pats want to play two-TE once Gronk returns, Sudfeld is the obvious choice. He's an interesting upside pick in the later (10th-13th) rounds.

Buccaneers RB Mike James rushed for 81 yards on 15 totes with Doug Martin sidelined on Friday night.

James appears to be the favorite for backup duties and should be a cheap handcuff for Martin owners on draft day.

To this point, Eagles QBs Michael Vick and Nick Foles have both had first team reps, but today Vick got all the first team reps.

It appears that Chip Kelly has made his decision. Vick has looked composed in two preseason games and has moved the offense well. He is a high-upside QB2.

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Eddie Royal sustained a bruised lung during Saturday morning's practice, the team said in a statement.

Royal was taken off the field to a hospital in an ambulance after landing on his back while making a catch in practice.

The Chargers said Royal is also being "evaluated for a concussion." All other initial tests have been negative.

We hope Royal is stable and makes a full recovery. The injury is another blow to an already banged up Charger receiving corps. Malcom Floyd returned for a limited practice, which is some much-needed good news for this team.

Bills announced QB E.J. Manuel will need to undergo "a minor knee procedure" an will be out rest of preseason.

Manuel looked primed to win the Bills' QB competition. Now Kevin Kolb will have a chance to get a ton of reps in Manuel's absence. It sounds as if this procedure on the knee may be a scope, which usually keeps athletes out 2-4 weeks. After the procedure, the team didn't lay out a timetable for Manuel's return, but he'll likely be day-to-day as camp winds down, leaving it open that he can still win the job. He's been the better option in camp so far.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has a minor ankle sprain and it likely will prevent him from playing again this preseason, according to a source familiar with the injury.

If this were the regular season, White would play, the source said. But the Falcons do not want to push him before he's ready in the preseason.

No worries here. White will be ready to go Week 1.

Chargers WR Malcom Floyd doing light jogging, catching passes on side field.

Floyd is a low-upside sleeper that should be available in the later rounds of fantasy drafts. He has gained 60 yards and/or scored a TD in 16 of his last 22 games, but turns 32 in September.

Packers RB Eddie Lacy is expected to make his preseason debut. He missed the opener because of a hamstring injury and was limited in practice this week, but Mike McCarthy said he was hopeful Lacy would be cleared to play against the Rams. Lacy was impressive during the scrimmage, but he hasn’t wrapped up the starting job quite yet. McCarthy said this week he still considers DuJuan Harris to be his starter, although Harris won’t play because he is easing his way back after a knee injury.

We expect Lacy to win the RB1 job, but the Packers will use different backs in different roles.

Make whichever argument you'd like in favor of Kevin Kolb. "It was only his first game!" "He was going up against the first team of a good defense!" "He's just coming off an injury!" It really doesn't matter, because in the opinion of many (including your author) the competition to be the Week One starter for the Bills is now a dead issue. Kolb was indecisive, didn't take many chances down the field and missed many of his intermediate targets. His stats, 13-of-21 for 111 yards and an interception make it sound a little better than his day was, but Kolb did himself no favors. Couple that with E.J. Manuel's drive to begin the second half where he went 6-of-6 including a touchdown toss to Brad Smith, and the conclusion for many is consistent: the rookie needs to be named the starter this year. He's the best man for the job and has outperformed Kolb throughout training camp and now in an individual preseason game.

Manuel has some potential in fantasy circles, but the Bills figure to be run-heavy behind C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. If Manuel shows he's capable, they will open up the passing game as the season wears on.

One game into the preseason, Daryl Richardson has a strong hold on the starting job at running back. He hasn’t clinched the spot, but he’s getting close. Isaiah Pead needs to bounce back from his lost fumble against Cleveland.

Given the uncertainty of his situation, Richardson is a middle-of-the-road RB3 in both standard and PPR formats. If he remains the starter, he should outplay his current draft position.

Panthers WR Domenik Hixon, thought to be the leading candidate for the position when he signed as a free agent in March, is on the clock.

While Hixon and Armanti Edwards sat out Thursday’s game at Philadelphia with hamstring injuries, David Gettis turned in another strong performance with five catches for 82 yards in the Panthers’ 14-9 loss.

Coming off two injury-plagued seasons after a promising rookie year, Gettis is a factor again.

The job doesn't hold much fantasy value, but whoever wins the job could become relevant if something were to happen to Steve L Smith or Brandon LaFell.

Geno Smith is on the verge of losing the Jets’ quarterback competition fair and square, no matter how much general manager John Idzik tries to rig it.

Mark Sanchez has been better in camp and it looks like he'll start in Week 1.

Patriots WR Kenbrell Thompkins started alongside Danny Amendola against the Tampa Bay.

He caught one pass for four yards, but started ahead of Aaron Dobson and Julian Edelman. He has five catches for 26 yards in two preseason games and has generated the most buzz of the Patriots' WRs not named Danny Amendola. If he wins the starting job, he should be a WR3/WR4 in the New England offense.

Buccaneers RB Doug Martin's night got off to a bad start and got only worse. But he did escape a major injury.

A missed block by Martin contributed to QB Josh Freeman taking a sack on the Bucs' first offensive play in Friday's 25-21 preseason loss to the Patriots. Later, Martin, in pass protection again, went low on Patriots DE Chandler Jones, and one of Jones' knees struck the top of Martin's helmet.

Martin was wobbly but went to the locker room under his own power. He said he passed concussion tests and could have returned to the game.

Great news for Martin owners as he escaped major injury and didn't suffer a concussion.

Buccaneers RB Doug Martin left Friday night's preseason game against the New England Patriots with an apparent head injury, and the Bucs said his return is questionable.

Martin took a knee to the helmet while in pass protection. He subsequently was examined on the sideline, then taken to the locker room.

Stay tuned for more details. We wouldn't shy away from Martin in the first round, but this is something to monitor over the next few days.

Bills WR Steve Johnson (hamstring) is inactive for Friday's game.

This isn't surprising. Johnson only returned to practice this week, and the team is probably wise to ease him back into game action.

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said still no timeline on Percy Harvin, but that reports from the surgeon were positive.

"We just know that the surgeon that did the work was thrilled with the way he came back the days right after the surgery, and his ability to get range of motion and things were way ahead of schedule, so that’s a great sign," Carroll said. "We’re hopeful, whatever that means. We won’t know, it’s going to take a good month before we can figure if he’s even going to have a chance to come roaring back out of it, but it looks like all of the signs are very good. So we’ll see what that means, but we’re not putting any weeks on it. We don’t know."

We would only recommend rostering Harvin in leagues with an IR spot or large (18+) rosters. It's doubtful that he'll be much use this season.

Raiders rookie WR Brice Butler had a solid showing in the exhibition opener, but he needs to repeat that effort on Friday to continue his ascent up the depth chart. The seventh-round pick worked some with the first team during this week’s practice and seemed comfortable working in the slot.

He should get passes from Matt Flynn and Terrelle Pryor and must be consistent and sure-handed to gain their trust. A word of caution: While Butler made to spectacular grabs for 70 yards and a touchdown, he was also targeted three other times without a catch. Butler said he wasn’t happy with his entire performance, and vowed to improve on it in New Orleans.

Anquan Boldin and Kyle Williams appear to be ahead of the 49ers' other wide receivers. Rookie Quinton Patton has been unable to catch passes during training camp due to an injury to the index finger on his left hand, but his spot on the roster is secure.

It took a while for the writer to mention Austin Collie. The 49ers' WR2 spot won't hold too much fantasy value, not with Boldin and Vernon Davis (fingers crossed) eating up most of the targets.

A league source tells PFT that Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles will not play against the 49ers in the Alex Smith Bowl on Friday night as a result of the foot injury he suffered earlier this week. As coach Andy Reid said on Pro Football Talk on NBCSN earlier this week, Charles would play if this were a regular season game but it isn’t and there’s not much sense risking further injury to a player who will do a lot of heavy lifting on offense for K.C. this season.

Third-round pick Knile Davis will get a chance to show off his skills in Charles’ absence with Shaun Draughn and Cyrus Gray also moving up a notch on the depth chart for this game and, it seems, the rest of the summer.

There's no point in bringing Charles back unnecessarily for a meaningless preseason games. The Chiefs know that he'll be able to do what they need him to do when the games start to count.

Seahawks TE Zach Miller will come off PUP today per HC Pete Carroll.

Miller didn't do much during the regular season (38-396-3), but he did post 12 catches (on 15 targets) for 190 yards and a TD in two playoff games against the Redskins and Falcons. He's just 27, and had a couple of very solid seasons for the Raiders in 2009 and 2010.

Steelers RB LeVeon Bell is practicing today.

It's a good sign that Bell is back so quickly after tweaking the knee this week. If all goes to plan, he'll be the team's #1 RB in Week 1.

Giants WR Hakeem Nicks (groin) will play Sunday.

Nicks' ADP has taken a hit this offseason due to the injury, and he's often available in the 5th round of 12-team drafts. He has a lot of upside if healthy and can be easily handcuffed to Rueben Randle. It's also a plus that it's not his knees that are bothering him.

And while I expect the Saints' most polarizing offensive weapon, running back Mark Ingram, to have his best season yet, I still have him at a reasonable 860 yards and eight touchdowns.

We are not quite as optimistic, projecting Ingram for 746 yards and 5.5 TDs.

The assumption is Antonio Brown would take over Wallace's role as the No. 1 receiver. But in my two of days at camp, Emmanuel Sanders was the one who stood out the most. Roethlisberger's best deep throws went to Sanders, and the quarterback was in a better rhythm with Sanders on crossing routes. This is a big year for Sanders, who will be a free agent after the season.

Brown has had a better career thus far, but Sanders could surprise and make this more of a WR1 and WR1a situation in the Pittsburgh passing game. With Wallace gone, both players are nice picks, but Sanders comes at a reduced price in the 9th-11th rounds.

In eight series over the first two exhibitions, Panthers QB Cam Newton has guided just one touchdown drive – on a short field (18 yards) last week following Norman’s interception of Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler. The other seven series have produced four punts, two field goals and an interception.

Newton completed eight of 17 passes for 112 yards Thursday. It was the kind of inconsistent performance Newton has said he wants to eliminate.

Newton overthrew Steve Smith several times, including a fade route after the Panthers had driven inside the Eagles’ 10 late in the first half. But Rivera was not worried about Newton’s showing.

“I thought he did some nice things. He got us down there twice in scoring position,” Rivera said. “We did miss a couple throws. But he was running for his life twice, and both times he overthrew the ball. I'm not sure you put that on the quarterback alone.”

New offensive coordinator Mike Shula kept his calls conservative, but it's hard to know how much of that is his philosophy or simply not wanting to reveal too much.

Newton got off to a slow start in 2012, but finished on a tear. We wouldn't worry too much about preseason struggles, though it should be noted that he's playing for a new offensive coordinator this season.

Peter King: "I think the single-best player we saw on our tour was St. Louis tight end Jared Cook. What a catch radius. How he caught only 44 balls last year in Tennessee I’ll never know."

Owners who have drafted Cook before are justifiably wary of going down this rabbit hole again, but Cook's situation has changed and the buzz in OTAs and training camp has been uniformly positive. Once the top tier of TEs are gone, Cook is a player to target in the 9th or 10th round.

As the team’s leading returning rusher, it stood to reason that speedy Daryl Richardson would be the odds-on favorite to win what many figured would be a close battle to claim the starting running back job.

Since camp has begun, Richardson has done nothing to endanger that status and, in fact, has probably put a bit of distance between himself and competitors such as Isaiah Pead, Terrance Ganaway and rookies Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham.

A week after Richardson looked sharp in the preseason opener against Cleveland with 24 yards on four carries, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer confirmed that Richardson is ahead, but also noted that there’s still time for one of the others to make a push.

“I think Daryl played really, really well last week,” Schottenheimer said. “I think Isaiah’s definitely got to play some catch-up. But again, we’re not just looking at one game. He’s got a whole preseason to look at. We were very pleased with the way Daryl played last week. They’ve both done really well in practice. Would I say Daryl has the lead? Sure, but there’s a ways to go, and we expect good things from Isaiah this weekend.”

“I think Isaiah’s done some amazing things in training camp,” Schottenheimer said. “Obviously he was disappointed last week in the fumble. We talked about that with him. We said, ‘Hey, don’t let one play take away all the great things you’ve done.’ He’s made play after play, so again, try to get him some more reps. Obviously he’s still a young player. You’ve got to teach him. But build on the great things he’s doing out here on the practice field and carry that over to the field.”

At this point, Richardson is the RB to own in the St. Louis backfield, though Pead could press him for touches as the season wears on. Consider Richardson a middle-of-the-road RB3 with upside if he earns a big workload.

Lions WR Nate Burleson is supposed to be Matthew Stafford's No. 2 receiver, but instead dropped two balls against Cleveland and has yet to record a catch in the preseason. In fact, Stafford has completed passes to only two receivers in all of the preseason (Johnson and Patrick Edwards), despite Johnson not even playing against the Browns. Part of the problem is Burleson, who is struggling to gain separation and not completing catches when he does.

From a fantasy standpoint, as long as he stays healthy, it's only a matter of time before Ryan Broyles passes Burleson on the team's depth chart.

On offense, Eagles RB Chris Polk bounced back after a subpar first game. He ran five times for 24 yards, but … he fumbled as the Eagles were driving. Not good. Bryce Brown didn’t play because of a quadriceps injury and I still believe he has the nod as the backup, but Polk could make headway next week. He’s just got to secure the ball.

This is a situation to monitor for LeSean McCoy owners. Brown should have the edge, but Polk has been turning heads at camp.

Colts TE Dwayne Allen out of boot, catching passes from equipment guys.

The team is optimistic that he'll be ready for Week 1.

Even in practice, while Chiefs QB Alex Smith has taken shots down the field with deep passes, he’s been mostly content to throw shorter routes in front of the coverage.

But Dwayne Bowe, who during the spring predicted he would lead the NFL this season in catches and receiving touchdowns, said he isn’t worried.

“We’re progressing,’’ he said. “Coach says we’ve got to crawl before you walk. As long as you’re moving the chains, the offense will be productive. It’s preseason. We’re working on the mechanics of getting the ball thrown deep. It’s all a process. We’ve got one game down, three more to go and then the real season starts. And that’s when you’ll see Bombs Over Baghdad.’’

Smith is still going to throw a lot of passes in Andy Reid's offense, so he should be a decent QB2 based on volume alone. Eventually, he'll have to throw the ball deep. He was solid in that part of the game while in San Francisco, but was aided by the 49ers' strong running game.

Lions RB Joique Bell saw five touches on Thursday night, while Mikel Leshoure received just one carry.

Bell is the correct handcuff for Reggie Bush, who hasn't been the most durable back throughout his career. Bell is a nice late-round flier in deeper formats.

Redskins GM Bruce Allen on QB Robert Griffin III: "He is ahead of schedule. We've had no setbacks (knocks on wood) and the plan is for him to play in Week 1."

This has been our assumption since Griffin looked good in minicamp and OTAs. He's a fine starter that can be had in the middle rounds.

This year, through two exhibitions, the Chargers RB Ryan Mathews is rolling. He carried the ball nine times for 45 yards Thursday night in a 33-28 loss to the Bears. This marked his second straight productive effort, and a healthy one at that, as the regular season nears. He rushed three times for 19 yards against the Seahawks last week.

“You get used to game situations, how your linemen block and how they handle certain situations,” Mathews said. “They're doing a great job, and I've just got to do the easy part: pick a hole and run through it. That's what I'm doing.”

For Mathews, coach Mike McCoy said “the future is now.”

“The way that (he) ran the ball was outstanding,” McCoy said. “We ran the ball efficiently tonight. I think the way he's running the football (is) what we're looking for in our back.”

Given his productive and healthy preseason, it's time to start considering Mathews as a RB3 in he middle rounds.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson sat out Thursday’s game with a bruised knee, but HC Jim Schwartz said there’s no real concern over the injury.

“We just held him out, really precautionary,” Schwartz said. “Wanted to make sure that it was completely behind him before we put him back out. He sat out (Tuesday’s practice), so we just wanted to make sure. I think he’s going to be just fine.”

No worries here. Fantasy owners should draft Calvin as they normally would.

Eagles QB Michael Vick refused to name himself the starter, though he did provide a rare glimpse into his soul, when he credited Kelly with restoring his confidence. Maybe Vick was among the people who thought he was done here after last season’s 4-12 debacle.

“When things don’t go well and everybody’s pointing their finger at you, sometimes it can hurt your confidence,” Vick, 33, said. “I read everything that was said. I lived it.”

Vick said when he sat down with Kelly, “his main goal was to help me get back into top shape, get me comfortable, and to a point where I could believe in myself again.” Vick said he “fell in love with the game again, and I’m grateful for that.”

Vick has looked sharp and comfortable in two preseason games and is very likely to start for the Eagles in 2013. He is a high upside QB2, contingent on his staying healthy.

The Falcons starters turned in a crisp performance while jumping on the defending Super Bowl champions, but wide receiver Roddy White suffered an ankle injury. He left the game in the first quarter and did not return Thursday night.

White, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who has put up six consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, has started 128 consecutive regular-season games.

Now, the 129th start is in question.

White did hop up quickly to complain about a pass interference penalty that went uncalled, which would indicate that the ankle injury is not severe. He is listed "day to day" and the injury is considered minor.

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back LeVeon Bell aggravated his left knee Thursday, according to coach Mike Tomlin.

Bell was hit by a teammate during a non-contact drill. It appeared that Bell thought the play was finished when he was taken down.

Tomlin said Bell will be evaluated later.

Bell didn't take another snap in practice and had his left leg heavily wrapped. He never left the field and took the wrap off when practice ended.

The injury is taking some wind out of the rookie's sails. We still view him as a low-end RB2 with upside, presuming he can stay healthy. Isaac Redman appears to be the next in line for touches.

Montee Ball is still slightly behind Ronnie Hillman in the Broncos' RB rotation.

This is shaping up to be a RBBC, as is usually the case with HC John Fox.

Titans WR Kenny Britt returned to practice on Thursday after missing three straight days.

He had swelling in his balky knee. It's not a good sign for a player who needs a productive season in the final year of his contract. He has WR1 upside, but needs to stay healthy.

Ravens' Dennis Pitta will see hip specialist Dr. Bryan Kelly in NYC this week for further evaluation to determine if he can play this year.

Don't hold your breath. Pitta's injury is more severe than Percy Harvin's so it's doubtful that he'll be back this year.

Jaguars just put WR Cecil Shorts (calf) through a pretty intense workout. Guessing he'll return next week.

Shorts finished as the #22 fantasy WR despite starting the season behind Justin Blackmon and Laurent Robinson on the depth chart and missing two games due to injury. After the Jaguars' Week 6 bye, Shorts averaged 5.2-86-0.56 which project to #6 WR numbers. If the Jaguars can get decent play out of the QB position, Shorts will be a nice mid-round pick this year.

Signed to a four-year, $17.5 million contract on March 14, Titans TE Delanie Walker remains on the physically unable to perform list after having arthroscopic left knee surgery last month to repair an injury from offseason workouts.

The Titans hope Walker might be able to start practicing in some capacity as early as next week, but he acknowledged there’s a chance he will miss all four preseason games.

Craig Stevens figures to back up Walker, though he may be the better athlete. Stevens has 4.59 speed and is a decent receiver. He's not draftable -- Walker isn't either, really -- but this is a situation to monitor.

Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green hadn't caught a ball against the defense in three weeks, but in the last public workout of training camp at Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday morning his hands and the 60ish-degree temperatures ushered in the fall season.

Green, who bruised his knee on the first day of training camp, caught everything but flak. He caught deep ones, comebacks, hauled in two red-zone touchdowns on his patented fade route, and generally behaved like he never had a day off.

The knee is a non-issue. Draft him as you normally would.

Dolphins WR Mike Wallace isn't a strong practice performer, he struggled in his contract year and he's just been set with generational wealth. I heard that Dolphins corner Nolan Carroll, not exactly a household name, pretty much had his way with Wallace through OTAs, he's already been nicked up in preseason and he's a guy who shows up in flashes more than on every drive, the way you would expect the fourth-highest paid receiver in the game to do so.

We're skeptical that Wallace will have a big impact in his first season in Miami, especially since he has had trouble building chemistry with QB Ryan Tannehill. We currently have him ranked #30 in standard formats.

Michael Egnew was supposed to be the Dolphins’ future at tight end when he was drafted in the third round last year. But he didn’t catch a pass in 2012, was criticized by coaches on Hard Knocks last year and seemed like a candidate to be cut this offseason. The Dolphins have a new rookie tight end they really like in Dion Sims, along with Dustin Keller and h-back Charles Clay.

But on the final day of training camp today, when asked which players have really stood out to him, Coach Joe Philbin went to Egnew first.

“Mike Egnew really improved an awful lot,” Philbin said. “He’s a guy we’re excited about.”

Dolphins starting running back Lamar Miller is expected to sit behind Daniel Thomas on third downs. But Miller said today that he wants to be an every down back. “That’s my goal, nobody wants to come out of the game,” Miller said. “That’s something I’ve been working on, just trying to be a complete back so I can be in on third down.”

Philbin praised Thomas’ pass protection skills earlier this week which is crucial on third downs. But Miller said he’s “doing good” in pass protection and Philbin also said that Miller is improving there.

Per the Miami Herald, GM Jeff Ireland praised Lamar Miller but added “I don’t think it’s just going to be Lamar’s position. We’ve got a good running back in Daniel Thomas that’s certainly making some noise.”

He said he believes Miller and Thomas will each have a “breakout season” and “they’re a pretty good one/two punch.”

Thomas has apparently had a good camp so this could be more of a timeshare than we we're first expecting. Miller is still a nice looking pick in the 3rd or 4th round and is a better overall back than Thomas is.

The good news for Browns RB Montario Hardesty this week was that his injured right thumb wasn't broken, but dislocated. The bad news was that he'll undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Thursday, and a source told cleveland.com that he'll miss the first two to three regular-season games.

Dion Lewis fractured his fibula in tonight's game, so backup duties will fall to Chris Ogbonnaya and Brandon Jackson for the time being.

With Jeremy Maclin out, Riley Cooper likely will be paired with DeSean Jackson in most of the Eagles' two-wide-receiver sets.

Cooper has sleeper potential, but likely won't see enough targets to be fantasy relevant in Chip Kelly's run-oriented offense. Over the last two seasons, Cooper averaged fantasy WR4 numbers in games where he saw 5+ targets.

Texans HC Gary Kubiak said he's hoping to get Arian Foster back at practice Monday. He's been out with back injury. His calf is fine.

We've moved Foster down a bit in our rankings due to minor concerns about the back injury. It would be good to see him back on the practice field.

Saints TE Jimmy Graham: "[Drew Brees]and I are already in mid-season form. ... Right now, we're more dynamic offensively than we've ever been."

At 27, Graham is healthy coming off a perceived down year despite leading the Saints with 85 receptions. He also piled up 982 receiving yards and nine touchdowns despite playing through a debilitating left wrist injury that required surgery after the season.

"Last year was very difficult playing all season with that much pain," said Graham, who won't reveal whether the wrist was broken. "But that's football.

"I'm going to be a man and play for this team no matter what."

Graham's per game numbers slipped (from 12.3 PPG in 2011 to 10.1 PPG in 2012), but he was battling injuries throughout the season, so there's a good possibility that he'll bounce back in 2013. His targets stayed relatively steady (9.2 TPG in 2011, 9.0 in 2012), indicating that his role hasn't changed much. Given the current state of the TE position, Graham is about as solid as it gets. He holds extra value in PPR formats. We like him in the 2nd round, maybe even the 1st depending on format.

Chargers QB Philip Rivers on WR Vincent Brown: “He's everything you'd want in a wide receiver.”

Brown started four games as a rookie. He was raw, understandably between the lockout and a hamstring injury in training camp, but the ability was there with 13 catches, 234 yards and a touchdown in those starts.

“He runs great great routes, he's strong to the ball, he has huge hands, he has range, and he's a guy you trust,” Rivers said.

"He's an easy guy to throw the ball to," Rivers said. "He's so smooth, so strong to the ball, so sharp. ... If he can be out there on a consistent basis, which obviously if he is healthy he will be, people are going to say, 'Shoot, he's one of the staples of (their) offense.'"

As the WR3 in 2011, Brown averaged 2.4-41-.25 in eight games, and posted a solid 1.12 fantasy points per target (FP/T). With Danario Alexander out for the year, he figures to be the top WR in the San Diego offense. Injuries are a concern, however. Consider him a fringe WR3 with upside.

Patriots released veteran WR Michael Jenkins.

“For the first time in my career we’re going into the second year of an offense,” Rams QB Sam Bradford said after Tuesday’s late afternoon workout, attended by owner Stan Kroenke, among others. “It’s amazing how much difference it makes when you’re not having to learn an offense. I don’t think the average fan realizes what it’s like trying to learn something as opposed to fine tuning it. ”

Bradford could break out this season with a new set of weapons and some consistency at offensive coordinator.

In just his sixth practice with the team, QB Vince Young has really started to get comfortable in the Packers' offense and has gotten rid of a lot of the rust that he came in with.

During an individual drill in which the quarterbacks faked a handoff and rolled out to throw a pass into the target netting, Young was on top of his game. Rolling to his left and throwing across his body, Young went 3 for 3 in the drill, successfully landing each of his passes into the small netted opening. He was by far the most accurate quarterback in that drill, even better than Aaron Rodgers.

In team drills, Young was throwing downfield with much more frequency than he had been. He connected with Myles White down the seam and later hit Matthew Mulligan for a touchdown.

"Vince Young is clearly different today than he was this time last week," McCarthy said. "He's progressing. We've been able to spend some extra time with him. It's been beneficial."

This comes as comforting news for Packer fans, as Young could serve as a solid stopgap option if Rodgers were to get injured.

Bills WR Steve Johnson and Brad Smith returned to the practice setting from their hamstring injuries. Both Smith and Johnson participated in individual position drills and each got a couple of reps in 7-on-7.

The QB situation is not good in Buffalo, but Johnson still has WR3 value, especially in PPR formats.

Redskins TE Fred Davis continues to look good in practices, and HC Mike Shanahan said that because of the positive results the tight end has displayed, he expects Davis to play roughly half of next Monday’s game.

Over his last 19 games, Davis has averaged 6.9 fantasy points, which would have been the 11th-highest average in 2012. The problem is that he has only played 19 games in two seasons. (He missed four games in 2011 due to suspension after failing multiple drug tests.) His Achilles is obviously a concern, but it's a good thing that his situation isn't changing for the worse. If both he and Robert Griffin III are healthy, we can expect low-end TE1 numbers along the lines of Jermichael Finley.

Packers RB coach Alex Van Pelt confirms what was obvious today: "(Eddie Lacy) stands out (in) pass protection …shows better against those guys."

DuJuan Harris is running ahead of Lacy at camp, but it's (probably) just a matter of time before Lacy wins the RB1 job. If he's doing good work pass protection as well, he could be come a three-down back.

Patriots QB Tom Brady expects to play in Friday's preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL.com's Albert Breer reported Thursday. The game will come just two days after Brady suffered a bruise to his left knee at Wednesday's joint practice with the Bucs.

It doesn't look like there is anything to worry about here.

MRI on Patriots QB Tom Brady's knee was negative and he now is considered day to day, per ESPN source with knowledge of injury.

There doesn't seem to be much to worry about at this point. Brady will be back soon, though the injury scare is a reminder of how things can spin out of control from a news standpoint in the digital age. As with Malcom Floyd, it's always a good idea to wait for confirmation of an injury before making any drastic moves.

The Jaguars plan to get RB Maurice Jones-Drew some carries Saturday night against the New York Jets. If so, it would be Jones-Drew's first game action since injuring his left foot last October and his first preseason work since 2011.

It's a great sign for MJD that he's going to play on Saturday night and it will give us a chance to see how he runs in the new zone blocking scheme, if the Jaguars choose to use it.

The Dolphins released K Dan Carpenter.

Caleb Sturgis will kick for the Dolphins in 2013.

After weeks of anticipation, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III took the next big step in his recovery on Wednesday when he participated in 11-on-11 drills for the first time.

Griffin took 16 total snaps and completed seven of his 10 pass attempts while facing the scout team.

Griffin is on pace to return Week 1 and is a nice pick in the 7th/8th round of 12-team drafts.

When the Chiefs said X-rays were negative on running back Jamaal Charles‘ foot, we pointed out that negative (which is positive) X-rays may not be dispositive.

Since then, we’ve reported that Charles’ foot is “fine.” However, that doesn’t mean he’ll play in the team’s second preseason game, against the 49ers.

As one source with knowledge of the situation has explained it, don’t be surprised if Charles doesn’t play. However, don’t be alarmed, either.

Per the source, Charles would play if it were a regular-season game. Which means that, by the time the regular season arrives, Charles will play.

The key here is that he would play through the injury if it were a regular season game. He should be good to go for Week 1.

Packers HC Mike McCarthy on WR Randall Cobb: Won't go (in practice) tomorrow. Let (biceps) swelling calm down. As far as game in St. Louis, he'll be a stretch.

The Packers are just being cautious with Cobb, who will be their playmaker out of the slot.

Rookie running back Le'Veon Bell has jumped from third team to atop of the Pittsburgh Steelers' depth chart without taking a snap in the preseason.

Bell, who was listed behind Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer last week, was held out of the preseason opener because of a knee injury. In the depth chart released Wednesday, Bell was elevated to the co-starter spot with Redman.

Bell is going to be Pittsburgh's RB1 if he stays healthy and doesn't fall on his face in terms of pass protection or ball security.

Colts TE Coby Fleener in full pads today. Must have taken care of concussion protocol.

It looks as if his concussion was not severe or that it wasn't a concussion as all. Draft Fleener as you normally would.

There was a bit of a scare on Wednesday at New England Patriots camp, where quarterback Tom Brady went down and grabbed his left knee after an incomplete pass in 11-on-11 drills in a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A fan's video appears to show Bucs defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn push Patriots offensive lineman Nate Solder into Brady's leg just after he threw the ball. Brady immediately went down and grabbed his leg.

After limping to the sideline under his own power, Brady missed one play before rejoining and completing the drill. Following the drill, Brady huddled with coach Bill Belichick, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and head trainer Jim Whalen and it was determined that Brady would not continue to practice.

He jogged off the field with Whalen under his own power. The severity of the injury is unclear, but whatever Brady felt on play was enough that the team wanted to be cautious.

Update: Ian Rapoport on Twitter... What I'm hearing from a source on Patriots QB Tom Brady's knee: "It's not serious."

It's a good sign that Brady was able to jog off the field under his own power. More info to come, but for now, don't panic.

WR A.J. Green back on the Bengals practice field for first time since he bruised his knee two weeks ago. Primarily individual drills.

Draft Green as you normally would. His return leaves plenty of time for the knee to heal.

Raiders QB Matt Flynn is just not going to have success throwing longer than 25 yards, been clear all camp. Coaches have accepted that.

Flynn's arm looked adequate when he was with the Packers, but the reports out of Oakland have not been kind. If Flynn continues to have trouble throwing deep, it is definitely not a good thing for Denarius Moore, who makes a living with his speed.

If Seahawks WR Golden Tate could turn back the clock and give himself advice as a rookie, what would it be?

"You've actually got to put in the work," he said, "and that's when you'll see the difference."

You certainly have witnessed the results with Tate, who not only caught 45 passes last season, but more tellingly, the guy who once struggled with the precision of his routes has become one of the team's most dependable targets.

"He's the highest tester in terms of assignments," HC Pete Carroll said.

Tate has climbed his way up to #40 in our standard WR rankings and is an interesting WR4 to name in the middle to late rounds on draft day. There is a lot of opportunity in the Seahawks' offense with Percy Harvin out and Sidney rice dealing with pain in his knee.

Browns RB Montario Hardesty will undergo knee scope.

It's looking more and more that Dion Lewis will backup Trent Richardson.

Patriots Zach Sudfeld took a majority of the first-team work at tight end during team drills while Daniel Fells and Jake Ballard sat on the sideline.

There was a moment where Tom Brady yelled at Sudfeld for not getting to the ground in a drill simulating a late-game situation, but Sudfeld has been one of the most impressive Patriots throughout camp, and he carried it over into joint practices by consistently getting open against the Buccaneers linebackers and safeties. Sudfeld went 2-1 in the one-on-one coverage drills with the Patriots running backs and tight ends vs. the Buccaneers linebackers and safeties. He also caught a team-high three passes in 11-on-11 work, including a touchdown against safety Keith Tandy.

Sudfeld might be the right player to handcuff to Rob Gronkowski. He's been getting glowing reports from camp and it looks like he would start if Gronk misses time at the beginning of the season.

It was easy to forget early in training camp that receiver Ryan Broyles was only eight months removed from ACL surgery. He was participating almost daily at practice, though not quite every rep.

Broyles' practice time has tapered off recently in a plan to thwart off any soreness (which he said he had last week) or setbacks. He sat out Tuesday's session.

"We're flexible with his schedule, but he's been going about two days on and one day off now," HC Jim Schwartz said.

This is not much reason for concern, as soreness is to be expected after surgery. The key is that Broyles continues to practice fully with some regularity. He's a threat to beat out Nate Burleson for WR2 duties in Detroit

Packers RB Johnathan Franklin hasn't shown any "wow" factor yet. He has been adequate, not special, as a pass blocker. He's tough and quick, but has struggled making headway between the tackles partially due to size.

The assumption is that Franklin, as a fourth-round pick, has the team made. But Lacy figures to get most of the carries, Harris pass-protected almost as well as he rushed in 2012 and Starks has enjoyed an injury-free, competitive camp.

It sounds as if Lacy has distanced himself for Franklin, though Harris is still in the mix given Mike McCarthy's recent comments. We'd feel comfortable drafting Lacy in the 5th round of 12-team drafts. Franklin may not even be his handcuff at this point. Harris appears to have that honor.

Redskins HC Mike Shanahan praised Alfred Morris's preparation, setting the bar high for his second season.

“A lot of people come out of college and they just don’t spend the time on catching the ball. He has spent a lot of time in the offseason catching the football, running routes and you can see that hard work has paid off because he’s a lot more natural,” Shanahan said. “It gives you another dimension.”

Thanks to his offseason dedication, Shanahan said Morris has a much better chance of staying in the game on third down, as he brings the most weapons to the huddle.

“[Morris] has always been a blocker – he’s got that strength – but he does have a different type of gear and he does have excellent hands. You just couldn’t see it right away because he didn’t work on it,” Shanahan explained. “There have been a lot of backs in the past that have been in colleges that really don’t throw the football a lot. They emphasize the running game and Alfred was one of those types of guys.

“He’s elevated his game and he will be able to catch the ball and be a lot more instrumental in our passing game.”

If Morris starts to catch passes, watch out. He only caught 11 balls last season and we currently have him projected for 22 in 2013. If he gets into the 30-35 range, he'll have Marshawn Lynch-type value in PPR formats. It's difficult to project a huge jump in catches now that Roy Helu is back and healthy.

Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew has missed only one practice and the team’s lone preseason game so far and both were coach Gus Bradley’s decision.

Out the entire off-season following late December foot surgery, Jones-Drew has been one of camp’s bright spots, steadily increasing his first-team reps each week.

So will Jones-Drew be on the field against the New York Jets?

“I won’t know until Saturday,” he said after practice today. “It’s just one of those things. You have to prepare yourself to play. If I get the green light, I get it. If I don’t, I’ll go back to work next week and do it all over again.”

On Saturday, Bradley gave a “we’ll see,” answer regarding Jones-Drew facing the Jets.

MJD is moving up the rankings with a healthy camp. Our main concern is with the Jaguars' offense as a whole and the team's decision to move to a zone-blocking scheme in the running game, which effectively destroyed Darren McFadden in 2012. MJD may be better suited for the ZBS, but only time will tell.

Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles is doing rehab work by marching up and down the steep grassy hill next to indoor facility.

This indicates that Charles's injury is not serious. Expect him back later in the preseason. Owners should try to acquire Knile Davis as his handcuff.

Patriots rookie receiver Kenbrell Thompkins has consistently taken top repetitions and Tuesday was no different. He made one of the most remarkable catches of training camp, reaching around Buccaneers cornerback Rashaan Melvin and snaring a one-handed pass from Tom Brady by pinning it against Melvin's back. Thompkins' consistency has been impressive throughout camp.

Thompkins is one of the bigger surprises of training camp and is still mostly flying under the radar in fantasy drafts (ADP in the 13th round). If he keeps this up, he'll definitely be worth consideration in the 11th-13th rounds on draft day.

Texans RB Arian Foster was supposed to be ready for the start of practice July 26, but it is going on three weeks now and he’s still on the physically unable to perform list with calf and back issues.

“Any time guys aren’t on the field, you’re concerned (about) when they get back. But as far as are we concerned about him at this point, no, we know what we’re going through,” Gary Kubiak said. “We know where we’re at, so we’ve got time.

“Do I want him out here? Yes. He needs to work to get ready for the season, and I think we’re awful close to doing that.”

While recuperating from the calf injury, Foster developed a sore back.

“I think his calf is fine, but his back’s bothering him a little,” Kubiak said. “There’s some tightness in his back, and we’re trying to find the right moment to get started in the process."

We're generally not concerned about Foster's status for Week 1, but it would nice to see him healthy and practicing. We currently have him ranked #5 in PPR formats, but that tier of RBs is very tight.

Quarterbacks Nick Foles and Michael Vick are expected to play through the first half of Thursday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Tuesday.

Kelly said last week that Foles would start the second exhibition game after Vick started the first. The first-team offense and defense are likely to play the entire first half against Carolina.

By all accounts, Vick is leading this competition. If he wins it, he'll be a high-upside QB2 on draft day.

Browns HC Rob Chudzinski revealed that second-string running back Montario Hardesty suffered a dislocated right thumb during practice Monday and won’t play Thursday. Hardesty was hurt while catching a high direct snap, but he returned to action Tuesday on a limited basis, participating in individual drills. He wore padding or a soft cast on his thumb.

“We padded him up, and he was OK,” Chudzinski said. “He went out and did some individual drills in practice today, and we’ll see about him for next week.”

Hardesty is currently the backup to Trent Richardson, but Dion Lewis (whom OC Norv Turner compared to Darren Sproles) is nipping at his heels.

A league spokesman confirmed to The Star the team was instructed to activate Bradshaw after it discovered he briefly participated in an Aug. 4 walk-through. There was no accompanying fine for the PUP violation.

“If it was left up to him, he’d want to go (Tuesday),” Pagano said. “We’re going to protect him from himself and bring him along just like we said we were ... err on the side of caution and he’ll be day-to-day.”

“We’re just going to take it slow,” Bradshaw said following the morning walk-through. “I feel great now. I feel I’m ready to go.

“It’s just a process I have to go through to be ready for the pounding and practices every day.”

Does he feel 100 percent?

“Oh, definitely,” Bradshaw said. “I guess that was part of the misinterpretation last week and I’m just ready to go ... We just want to take it slow, make it last the whole season.”

Bradshaw has finished in the top 20 in both PPR and standard formats in the last three seasons, but the Colts' running game is not as productive as the one he was a part of in New York. Still, if healthy, he should be a very solid RB3 with RB2 upside, assuming he wins the starting gig in Indianapolis.

Rex Ryan is a defensive-minded coach who, in the past, has preached a Ground & Pound philosophy on offense. Ryan has said he's not married to that philosophy, but he also wasn't pleased that the Jets called only 16 running plays in the preseason opener -- compared to 42 pass plays.

You never want to have just [16] rushes -- or whatever it was in a game," Ryan said Tuesday. "You don't want that. But will we throw the ball more than we run it? That's certainly a possibility."

Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, known as a pass-happy coach in his years with the Eagles, was asked in a separate interview if he has spoken with Ryan about achieving offensive balance.

"Who said you need to be balanced?" Mornhinweg said. "You score points throwing the ball. Now you're getting into a philosophical situation. Look it, we don't care how we get it done -- running, passing, we don't care who gets the credit. It's whatever it takes to win the next game."

Given the current state of the Jets' QB situation, these comments are somewhat puzzling. If the team moves to a pass-first mentality, it could impact the upside of Chris Ivory who is by far the best fantasy prospect in this offense. Mornhinweg was the OC in Philadelphia where the Eagles were definitely pass-first. On the flip side, if Geno Smith wins the job, he could have some low-end QB2 appeal in a pass-happy attack.

Chargers HC Mike McCoy says WR Keenan Allen (knee) was sent to athletic trainer's room midway through practice to get treatment.

He had knee problems in Cal, so this is something to monitor during camp. Allen is in line to be the WR3 or WR4 for the Chargers depending on the status of Malcom Floyd (sprained knee). At this point the rookie is only worth a late-round flier.

Browns RB Trent Richardson will play a couple series vs. Detroit.

RB Andre Ellington (concussion) back at Cardinals practice Tuesday.

It could be significant news because Ellington may end up knocking out Ryan Williams of the RB2 spot behind Rashard Mendenhall if Williams' knee continues to be an issue.

Giants WR Hakeem Nicks likely to go in Sunday's preseason game.

After the final practice of training camp open to the public wrapped up this evening, Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said he’s not ready to name a starting quarterback, and he described the competition as a tight race, even though Brandon Weeden has taken every snap with the first-team offense throughout camp.

“I think it’s still close and we’re finding out every game, and these games are important opportunities for guys to show what they can do,” Chudzinski said.

Weeden impressed last week in the Browns’ 27-19 win over the St. Louis Rams in the preseason opener, completing 10-of-13 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown and posting a passer rating of 127.7. He’ll start again Thursday night when the Browns host the Detroit Lions, and Chudzinski said his plan is to play most of the starters until midway through the second quarter and possibly the entire first half.

But Chudzinski also made it clear he wants to keep to pushing Weeden with second-string quarterback Jason Campbell and third-stringer quarterback Brian Hoyer working behind him on the depth chart.

Third-year Panthers quarterback Cam Newton spent most of training camp in the pocket, with new offensive coordinator Mike Shula only occasionally breaking out the read option.

Newton interacted more with teammates – whether it was making one-handed catches before practice or playing cards between meetings.

Seems like all good signs for Newton. The story also added he's been working real well with WR1 Steve Smith. He could easily be the fourth QB taken in just about any draft, behind Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. He'll still collect the rushing yards and TDs despite the team wanting him to stay in the pocket more.

Colts TE Coby Fleener did not practice today due to a concussion.

Rams TE Lance Kendricks passes physicals and removed from Rams active PUP list.

Panthers WR Ted Ginn Jr. is a major upgrade as a kick returner. Though he didn’t return any kicks against Chicago, Ginn has made it look effortless when he brings kicks out of the end zone during special teams drills. Expect Ginn to break a couple of long ones this season.

Panthers WR Steve Smith, 34, has to slow down at some point, but it hasn’t happened yet. He snares everything with his hands, gets behind defensive backs and has good chemistry with QB Cam Newton.

We rank Smith 20th and as a low-end WR2. If you wait on WR, he's certainly a guy you can probably live with in the 7th round.

Panthers WR Armanti Edwards had four years and three position coaches, but the former Appalachian State quarterback is finally looking like an NFL receiver. He could be the No. 3 wideout if he returns quickly from a hamstring injury.

Looks like Edwards has passed Domenik Hixon, who has hamstring issues of his own. Hixon was considered someone who could take some time away from Brandon LaFell if all went right, but that appears to be far from the case right now.

We were led to believe Ravens TE Dennis Pitta's 2013 season had been wiped out after he underwent surgery to repair a dislocated hip two weeks ago. That may not be the case.

We learned Monday that an unnamed Baltimore Ravens coach told TheMMQB.com's Peter King that Pitta could return at some point this season. The coach didn't know the percentage chance, but said "it's not zero."

A day later, Ravens coach John Harbaugh has confirmed the team's hopes for their starting tight end. Harbaugh explained Tuesday that Pitta hasn't gone on injured reserve because they want to be sure he's actually done for the year first.

It's still probably a long shot, and certainly doesn't seem worth it to hold him on your roster most of the season for a chance at what is likely one or two games. But deep leagues and deep keeper leagues may have a savvy owner or two who can take him late, stash him away and then just give up a late round pick to keep him in 2014.

Cardinals running back Ryan Williams underwent a platelet-rich plasma injection in his ailing right knee about 10 days ago. Williams is just one of many athletes to receive such injections, which are designed to send highly-concentrated platelets, the part of blood that helps us heal, to the injured area.

The patient’s blood is drawn and then put through a centrifuge. That concentrates it down to 7-10 times the normal amount of platelets. The substance is then injected into the injured area.

“It tricks the body into regenerating,” said Dr. Luga Podesta, an orthopedic surgeon at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

He likely won't play in the Cards next preseason game, but the story says the hope is Williams returns to activity as his body dictates. He probably wouldn’t jump back into full action, but work back gradually. The sense is his roster spot could be in jeopardy, as much as the Cards like his ability. Rookies Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington are next up on the depth chart should Williams not make the cut. It likely means more of a workload for Rashard Mendenhall, too.

Aside from Anquan Boldin, Austin Collie the only healthy(ish) receiver on the 49ers roster who has been a steady contributor at the position in the past. The early signs have been good.

Collie is picking up the offense quickly, made two big catches against Denver and seems focused and eager to resume his career. The risk, of course, is his propensity for injuries, especially concussions. Collie still hasn't gone full bore due to last year's knee injury.

Still, all signs are pointing in the right direction for him.

Collie is certainly trending up our charts. He's 66th at the moment but that would change if he were to win the WR2 job. Injuries are a concern but he was always a reliable target when he was able to stay on the field.

Although Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles remained sidelined Tuesday, it's now clear that the star running back's injury is minor. After being evaluated by two orthopedic doctors, Charles is listed as "day to day." The Chiefs have ruled out any long-term issue such as a Lisfranc injury, reports Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star.

Charles could be back on the field as soon as Wednesday, but we would still expect the Chiefs to play it cautiously and hold him out of Friday's game versus the San Francisco 49ers.

It tells us so much, yet so little, but at least we take take from this that the injury is not serious. Continue to draft Charles as a top-four fantasy back, and if you're still unsure, here is another blurb from the story to help make you feel better:

"Reid will try to dictate coverages and exploit mismatches by lining Charles up as a traditional tailback, as the deep back in the pistol, as a slot receiver and even split out wide."

Every indication on the practice field -- as in EVERY indication -- is that Bronco RBs Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball are going to share the workload in a variety of down-and-distance situations. And Knowshon Moreno and Jacob Hester figure to at least be in the third-down mix as well at times.

The recent spate of injuries at the position has left the Steelers with David Paulson as their No. 1 tight end, and that is not about to change soon.

The Steelers are not planning to add a tight end other than players such as Michael Palmer and Nathan Overbay to their roster because they plan on getting Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth and David Johnson back at various points this season.

Miller remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list after having offseason surgery to repair three ligament tears in his knee, including the anterior cruciate ligament. The Steelers have not set a timetable for his return, but he appears to be on a schedule similar to the one Rashard Mendenhall was on in 2012 when he came back from offseason ACL surgery.

Per Texans HC Gary Kubiak, RB Arian Foster's calf is fine, the normal being smart with him kind of comments. Foster working on side field.

The longer he stays out, the more you have to wonder. Owning Ben Tate if you draft Foster is looking to be a better and better idea.

The Eagles added depth to their depleted wide receiver corps Monday afternoon, acquiring 24-year-old Jeff Maehl from the Texans in exchange for offensive lineman Nate Menkin -- who the Eagles acquired from the Texans a year ago.

Maehl, who played for Chip Kelly at Oregon, was undrafted in 2011. He’s had a couple stints on the Texans’ practice squad and played in three games in 2011, mainly on special teams. He didn’t catch any passes.

Maehl adds some extra legs at camp for a depleted group of Eagles WRs. He likely won't make much of a fantasy impact, but is expected to compete for a special teams job. The Birds don't have much of a WR2 option at the moment, so it's possible you can lump him in with a group that includes Riley Cooper, Damaris Johnson and Russell Shepard. Maehl was the only 1,000-yard receiver at Oregon under Kelly. The Eagles have talked about signing another WR after cuts are made around the league.

There was no change in the quarterback derby Monday as both Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne struggled at times and the offense didn’t appear in synch. Gabbert hit on 10 of 20 in the 11-on-11 drills; Henne was 11 of 16 with two fumbles.

Asked if he was disappointed that neither quarterback had gained any separation through two-and-a-half weeks of camp, offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said: “We look at it is if they’re continuing to improve, they’re going to continue to stay close. If neither is improving, they’re going to continue to stay close.”

Coach Gus Bradley said his tentative plan is to let the offense know on Friday who is starting at quarterback against the Jets on Saturday night.

It seems to be a pretty ugly situation as no one is taking charge of this battle. Unless something changes, it affects the value of WRs Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon (who is suspended for the first four games). They will likely put up some good games but it's also likely there won't be a lot of consistency either.

Eagles TE James Casey did not garner a snap with the starters last Friday night against the Patriots, pointed to how difficult it will be for HC Chip Kelly to get all three of his top tight ends (Brent Celek, Zach Ertz) on the field, even with the expected bump in plays per game because of the up-tempo offense.

Of more interest was how the Eagles coach Chip Kelly lined up his tight ends against the Patriots last week, specifically Brent Celek, who played all 21 snaps.

Celek was all over the place and from four of five formations either blocked or ran pass routes. He started eight plays lined up as a halfback - at one end of the offensive line or another, a step back. Four times he started from the traditional tight end spot to the left or right of the tackle. He also lined up four times in the slot, three times split wide, and twice he started in the backfield to the left of the quarterback in the shotgun.

"In this offense, you've got to know every position, and they can just interchange you anywhere," Celek said Monday. "And it's fun. It's a new experience. You get to do different things. Guys like it."

Celek stayed in to block on 11 plays. Last season, Celek blocked around the same percentage of plays (470 of 888 snaps). As much as rookie Zach Ertz will be a part of the offense, his development as a blocker will probably keep Celek as the No. 1 tight end.

There had been some talk in Philly that Celek may actually be the odd man out with Zach Ertz, James Casey and Clay Harbor, who has been getting work with the WRs. But Ertz has struggled from the blocking aspect, something that Celek is pretty good at, and Casey didn't get any work with the first team against the Pats, so that seems unlikely right now. When healthy, the Eagles will have a capable offensive line that should limit Celek having to pass block, something he's been called on to do a lot over the last several years. Until we see more, no Eagle TE is more than a low-end TE2 option to draft right now and probably won't even get drafted in typical leagues. But Celek and Ertz certainly have some potential in this offense.

As much as Eagles rookie TE Zach Ertz will be a part of the offense, his development as a blocker will probably keep Brent Celek as the No. 1 tight end.

Ertz, who often split wide at Stanford, was not asked to run-block much in college. But he will be required to do so in Kelly's system. Celek blocked out of every formation. Ertz did as well and struggled against the Patriots.

Ertz's blocking could limit his playing time for a while until it improves, but his future looks pretty bright. That will likely limit his fantasy production, despite the fact he could gets some targets. Right now, it appears Celek is the clear TE1 on the Birds. Ironically, James Casey received no snaps with the first team.

RB Knile Davis, the Chiefs' third-round draft pick, stepped into Jamaal Charles' place with the first-team offense for the remainder of Monday's practice. Davis had already moved past veteran Shaun Draughn and second-year running back Cyrus Gray to No. 2 on the depth chart.

"He went down. I had to get in, step in and play my role," Davis said. "[Reid's] whole goal was to build a team where if one man went down the next man would step up."

Reid said that the reps that Davis got with the first-team offense were invaluable.

In Philly, Andy Reid always had a reliable backup to Brian Westbrook in Correll Buckhalter. When BWest would go down, Buck always stepped in and got the bulk of the carries as Reid rarely, if at all, used a committee approach at RB. If you're a Charles owner, Davis may be a guy to target late in drafts as a potential handcuff. He should be around very late, and you may even get a lot of "who?" responses...

Panthers HC Ron Rivera added that he's optimistic about the health of running back Mike Tolbert (hamstring).

Tolbert could return to action in the "next week or so."

Panthers coach Ron Rivera added that he's optimistic about the health of running back Jonathan Stewart (ankle).

Stewart is still on target to be ready for the start of the regular season.