June 2022 4for4 Player News Articles

The Green Bay Packers have waived backup QB Kurt Benkert.

Related Player: Jordan Love

Benkert was utilized as the backup in 2021 over Jordan Love, so the decision to let Benkert find a new home is a boon for Love. Any improvement from Love is great for the Packers in the event Aaron Rodgers misses time.

The New England Patriots have signed WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey.

LJH is a big target that will get a chance to try and carve out a role for a receiver room devoid of consistency. Humphrey is just a guy unless cuts/injuries attack the Pats' wideouts.

Ravens HC John Harbaugh addressed reporters Thursday, and among the topics were the rehabs of RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Harbaugh told reporters it is too soon to tell if they will be ready for training camp, and therefore the season.

Related Players: Mike Davis, Justice Hill, Tyler Badie

The Ravens have run with a loaded backfield for a while and the statuses of Dobbins and Edwards are leans to why Mike Davis was added to the RB room. Rookie Tyler Badie is also going to be in the mix early on as a Ravens draftee. Justice Hill will be a member of the Ravens forever at this point.

In a tweet sent our Thursday morning, Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert updated folks saying that he is close to 100% health following knee surgery last year.

Mostert is expected to compete for work behind Chase Edmonds. His competition includes Sony Michel, Myles Gaskin, and Salvon Ahmed, among others. The Dolphins backfield is one of the most difficult to gauge ahead of training camps beginning in July.

The Detroit Lions have added TE Devin Funchess. The former wideout will compete for a bottom-of-the-roster spot.

Funchess heads to the state that housed his college career. He has a tough road to fantasy relevancy, but it is good to see him healthy.

Speaking to the media Tuesday, WR Darnell Mooney said that rookie wideout Velus Jones Jr. is standing out. "When he gets the ball, you're going to see, he can fly," said Mooney. "He's going to be a playmaker, for sure."

Jones is a 25-year old rookie and could already be showing his ceiling as a rookie. The good thing is he is being embraced on offense and is being praised for his speed by another fast receiver. Jones's fantasy floor is bottomless, but if he can grasp the offense immediately, there is plenty of space for upside in his game.

Lions 1st round pick Jameson Williams is not expected to be ready for training camp following ACL surgery following the National Championship game January 10.

"If Williams doesn’t practice at all in training camp, he could be a candidate to go on the physically unable to perform list, or open the season on injured reserve with a designation for return," writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. "Either designation would force him to miss at least four games, pushing his Lions debut to at least the Week 5 game in New England. The club is off the following week, so if he doesn’t play in New England, his debut might not occur until Oct. 23 in Dallas."

Related Players: Kalif Raymond, Josh Reynolds

While not a surprise, it is a sobering report. Look for Josh Reynolds, a midseason acquisition last season, to get the most looks in Williams' stead in three-wide sets.

Rams HC Sean McVay told reporters Tuesday that RB Kyren Williams broke his foot in practice last week and will be back sometime in the early portion of training camp.

This is bad news for the rookie as he looks to gain his...footing...in the Rams offense and with legit backs ahead of him on the depth chart. Williams is a dynasty add only for 2022.

The Buffalo Bills have signed WR Tavon Austin to a one-year deal.

Related Player: Isaiah McKenzie

The low risk addition of Austin helps with special teams more than anything, but also may be a clue to whether Isaiah McKenzie is in for a larger role with the offense. Something to watch going forward.

RB Marlon Mack signed with Houston in the offseason and projects to be near the top of the running back depth chart alongside Rex Burkhead. He was brought in because of his success in five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. "Marlon has been a productive player in the league and we look at his best years he's had," Smith said after Wednesday's OTA. "Sometimes you need a change, change of scenery, a new team."

"I know he's fit in well with our group," Smith said. "We feel like we have a plan for him and we like the running back position, not just him."

Related Players: Dare Ogunbowale, Royce Freeman, Darius Anderson, Dameon Pierce

Mack has more production than any back not named Burkhead on the Texans roster and has been positively boasted by Lovie Smith. That is Smith's M.O. and is not a coach that pulls punches when lifting his players. Mack can be an interesting late-round pick with 15-carry upside on a team looking for consistency at the running back position.

Bears beat reporter Courtney Cronin gave a detailed look at the new Bears offense being installed, and a lot of it revolves around QB Justin Fields and moving. “I don't want to get too much in detail with it, but Justin’s on the move a lot, and I think he does well with that,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “That’s been exciting to see, and you see the types of throws he can make with his legs and on the run and off-schedule.”

Cronin also touched on Fields and Eberflus' relationship getting stronger and his ability to pick up the offense. “We have to be on the same page, always,” Getsy said. “That’s where I feel like he’s grown, is communicating with me so well now, things that he’s feelings, things that he sees and so that part of it has just been tremendous for a young guy to be able to do that.”

Second-year tackle Teven Jenkins also commented on how the offense looks from his point of view. “It is a big difference,” Jenkins said of the scheme. “It’s a lot faster pace, a lot more up-tempo, getting around, setting edges, all that stuff. How that affects you is you got to slim down a little bit more, get faster, speeding up in certain areas.”

The article also focuses on RB David Montgomery and his role in the new offense.

The Bears offense is one of the biggest question marks for fantasy players ahead of 2022 drafts. Even if the coaching staff is just blowing smoke towards reporters, what the offense is doing in OTAs is at least foundational for expectations this season.

The Atlanta Falcons are signing WR Cameron Batson. Batson has been cleared from ACL surgery completed seven months ago.

The Falcons add another wideout to compete to make the team. Batson has never caught more than 12 passes or 100 yards in a season but goes to a team desperate for any signs of talent at receiver.