NFL Player News

Castillo has been a starter in San Diego since A.J. Smith made him the 28th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He’ll have to compete hard to keep those duties in 2012. Castillo can’t seem to stay healthy, and he was largely ineffective on game days in 2010 and during his one appearance last season.

For reference, Mitchell was clocked at 20.99 mph during his 2023 rookie season. It’s common for players to claim that they have made substantial physical gains every offseason, regardless of their actual gym habits and rehab program successes. An albeit pad-less 1.41 mph increase certainly suggests that Mitchell has successfully rebuilt his once compromised knee. Mitchell averaged 7.8 carries, 1.5 targets and 11.3 PPR points per game (RB32) during his Weeks 9-15, 2023 hot streak. Derrick Henry’s presence likely prevents Mitchell from returning to that same usage peak, but Mitchell has a chance to become fantasy-relevant if he can come close.

In an article by Adam Jahns at The Athletic, Jahns reports that Loveland was “spotted in uniform, accompanying staff members to other practice fields” on the third and final day of minicamp. It’s far from a return to practice, but according to Jahns, head coach Ben Johnson said, “at some point here in camp, we should get the green light” for Loveland to return to action. The Bears used the No. 10 overall pick in this year’s draft on Loveland, who underwent shoulder surgery earlier in the offseason. The former Michigan man should have a chance to unseat veteran Cole Kmet for the starting job this offseason and could have some sneaky fantasy upside after Johnson comped him to Lions tight end Sam LaPorta, who played under Johnson in Detroit.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Richardson was not expected to undergo surgery on his shoulder. However, Fowler adds that Richardson underwent a scan on his shoulder that revealed no structural damage. Per Fowler, Richardson has thrown, at times, 100-plus passes a day as he prepares for his quarterback competition with Daniel Jones. The shoulder injury, while inconvenient, appears to be mostly inflammation that should subside with time, allowing for a return to training camp with rest and relaxation. Already considered by some to be the odd man out when this summer’s battle concludes, this early injury won’t do anything to help Richardson gain an inside edge on Jones, who was already splitting starter reps in OTAs.

It doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but in case there was any doubt, Raanan said the Giants and their receivers view Wilson as the leader at the position right now. Wan’Dale Robinson said as much when asked about Wilson earlier, while Raanan also went on to point out the various throwing workouts Wilson scheduled with the team after signing with them. It’s worth noting that rookie Jaxson Dart also worked more with the second team offense this week, per Raanan, but the team will likely continue to bring him along slowly as they prepare to eventually hand him the keys. While it’s highly unlikely Wilson will start all 17 games this season, even if healthy, he sounds like a lock to open Week 1 as the starter, even with training camp still to come.

Whether he likes it or not, Lazard remains tied to his former quarterback/GM Rodgers. The 29-year-old vet has enjoyed his most productive seasons when playing alongside Rodgers, which makes a potential trade to the Steelers a very real option, especially when you consider the Steelers’ lack of receiver talent behind DK Metcalf. That said, Florio reports a source “with knowledge of Lazard’s thinking” believes Lazard “sees a very real potential benefit to proving his ability to function at an acceptable level without Rodgers as his quarterback.” This doesn’t mean the Steelers won’t attempt to facilitate a trade for Lazard, who gave up $8.5 million in guaranteed money to play with the Jets. But if the Jets give him any say in the matter, he may opt to stay with Gang Green over continuing his tour with Rodgers.

Speaking on Good Morning Football, Rapoport noted that Rodgers once said he would play this season for $10 million. While the exact terms of Rodgers’ deal are not yet known, Rapoport believes his deal will closely resemble the $10 million figure, with Rodgers having the opportunity to earn more through incentives. Rodgers isn’t coming to the Steelers to cash in on one last payday, but rather compete for what he hopes is another championship. Whether or not that comes with the Steelers is to be determined, but the future Hall of Famer is clearly willing to take a pay cut to find out, and the Steelers are just as desperate to see what he can offer over the likes of Mason Rudolph and rookie Will Howard.

The team itself used the “agreed to terms” lingo, stressing the deal was contingent on a physical. Nevertheless, the Steelers know what they are getting into. The 41-year-old will pass his examination and get to work replacing last year’s Justin Fields/Russell Wilson combination. Rodgers appeared in physical free-fall last season, but he still remained more middle of the pack in most advanced metrics. Rodgers did struggle over the middle of the field, though that is not where the Steelers’ primary weapons roam. Rodgers will obviously struggle for top-20 fantasy value himself. The question is if he can keep DK Metcalf in the top 18 at receiver, or perhaps make Pat Freiermuth a more consistent option. We are not holding our breath.

Brown had previously been mentioned in the same breath as incumbent receiver Parker Washington, but here, Oehser lists Brown among the Jaguars’ top receivers along with Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. Oehser describes all three as being fast and fluid while noting “Brown in particular continues to show easy speed.” Technically, stretching the field while Thomas and Hunter rack up targets could qualify as playing a huge role in the offense for Brown, so June drafters should take a measured approach in responding to Oehser’s commentary. Still, if he’s able to lock up the No. 3 wideout role on a fantasy-friendly aerial attack, Brown should be on late-round radars.

Franklin has generated a number of explosive plays thus far, leading Payton to celebrate Franklin’s ability to run after the catch. The report comes from The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider, who adds that Franklin “has looked impressive” through two organized team activities and is “playing faster than he was at this time last year.” Franklin must sustain high-quality play over the next three months in order for these comments to matter. A big offseason could vault Franklin ahead in the pecking order behind Courtland Sutton, but Denver doesn’t seem likely to rely on any of their non-Sutton receivers in a fantasy-interesting way this year.

Campbell acknowledged that this is a conservative projection, giving Rodriguez at least some chance to return sooner. The Lions’ defense was hit hard by injuries last season, so the front office added a bevy of defenders via both the draft and free agency. Hopefully, Rodriguez returns in full force in time for a playoff push.