(The Fantasy 5 is a quick-hit wrap-up of some of the biggest news topics of the day for fantasy football players, giving you advice you need to improve your team.)
We’re less than one week away from actual NFL football. Sure, it’s the preseason. And yes, it’s the Hall of Fame game. But come on, it’s football. Finally.
With camp in full swing for most NFL teams, there’s a lot to get caught up on. Here’s today’s Fantasy 5:
1. Panthers have big plans for Christian McCaffrey?
So says ESPN Panthers beat reporter David Newton, who observed a number of short passes and screens thrown to the rookie at Thursday’s practice. Newton was careful to note that he saw “nothing great” from McCaffrey, but that the former Stanford standout “is so fast on his cuts” that it left the crowd “gasping for air.” He also said it’s clear that Carolina has big plans for McCaffrey.
Let’s dissect Newton’s take for fantasy purposes. McCaffrey is no doubt going to be involved in the passing game. He was arguably the best overall receiver in this year’s class. However, the thing that could limit his fantasy value is his work as a runner. Jonathan Stewart is still there, and despite entering his age-30 season, he’s going to see a bulk of the early-down work.
That lack of volume as a runner ultimately lower’s McCaffrey’s fantasy floor and puts a cap of his overall upside. At this point, he’s still best viewed as an RB2, which is precisely where he’s going in ADP as a fourth-round pick.
2. No Le’Veon Bell. No worries
As expected, the Steelers running back was not in attendance at the first day of Steelers training camp. Bell is playing under the franchise tag and is seeking a long-term deal. He’s expected to hold out until the middle of August or perhaps even as late as the end of August.
For fantasy purposes, this is a non-story, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Bell led all NFL players in touches per game last season with 28.0. He remains locked in as either the first or second pick in fantasy drafts.
3. The DeVante Parker hype continues to grow
He was one of the most frequently touted breakout candidates this offseason, and the hype gained more momentum on Thursday. Here’s the headline at the Miami Herald: “DeVante Parker blows up first day of Miami Dolphins training camp.” Parker reportedly caught a 32-yard score on the second play of the initial team period and then posted up a defender in the end zone to catch another score.
Parker certainly has breakout potential, but the note about his end-zone score is especially interesting. Surprisingly, Parker led the Dolphins receiver corps with 10 end-zone targets last season. Kenny Stills was next with six, and Jarvis Landry had just one end-zone target. This is important information because players who are targeted in the end zone has the greatest chance of scoring.
While we could see a slight uptick in Landry’s work in the end zone, Parker appears to be the preferred option. Julius Thomas should also see his share of targets in that region of the field. But at this point, Parker’s hype appears to still be deserved. He’s a very appealing upside option in the eighth round of fantasy drafts.
4. A decision is coming for Ezekiel Elliott
We’re still waiting on the NFL, but Jerry Jones thinks it’ll be very soon. To be more precise, Jones said he thinks “we’ll have a decision imminently.” He then went on to reiterate his point that he sees no evidence of domestic violence in the presentation from Elliott and from the league.
It’s still unclear how imminently the league will provide its decision, but the Cowboys have been in camp since this past Saturday and are slated to play their first preseason game in less than a week. At this point, fantasy drafters should stay the course and continue to draft Elliott in the No. 3 spot. We’ll readjust if a suspension is level. That being said, Elliott will remain a first-round pick if the suspension is short (one or two games).
5. Injury roundup
With teams back in camp, we’re now going to be faced with the inevitable injuries that are always a part of the game. Through today, there are injuries to three players of note, while two others seem to be fully healthy.
- Jordan Reed opened up Redskins camp on the active/PUP list with a toe injury. He’s also reportedly dealing with an ankle injury. Washington doesn’t view either injury as serious, but Reed is a player with a lengthy injury history. It’s too early to downgrade Reed in fantasy rankings, but those who draft him should be very conscious of his associated injury baggage.
- Joe Flacco is dealing with a disc injury in his back. The timeline has been all over the place with this injury. Some have suggested a three- to six-week recovery, but the team has said he’ll only need a week of rest. While Flacco is only on the fringes of fantasy relevance in all but 2QB leagues, his presence is very important for the Baltimore pass catchers. Ryan Mallett is currently the Ravens’ backup.
- Devontae Booker has a fractured wrist and will undergo surgery on Friday. He’s expected to be back for the regular season. Booker is likely the No. 3 in Denver and only has handcuff value at this point. He’s likely to go undrafted in most fantasy drafts.
- Sammy Watkins avoided the active/PUP list and practiced on Thursday. A fully healthy Watkins is a dangerous fantasy weapon. If he remains on the field, Watkins should be considered an upside WR2 who has slightly more fantasy value in standard scoring systems.
- Cameron Meredith was also on the field when Bears camp opened up. Meredith suffered a thumb injury during OTAs. Meredith is fine to draft as a WR4/flex option.
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