NFL Player News

We knew Welker was headed to San Francisco, but we did not know the position. It’s a promotion for Welker after he spent two years as an offensive assistant in Houston. Welker turns 38 in May. His 903 receptions are 22nd in NFL history, but for some reason it has been Julian Edelman generating Hall-of-Fame chatter instead.

Newsome was limited throughout most of training camp due to his shoulder injury, but the veteran corner says the shoulder “will not be a factor” as he prepares for Week 1’s game against the Bengals. Newsome was once thought to be a cap casualty by the Browns this offseason, but remains on the roster and is expected to play a key role as the team’s second corner opposite Denzel Ward. Newsome, 25, totaled 27 tackles and one interception in 13 games for the Browns last season.

Coker has already been placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the first four games of the season. However, Canales’ most recent comments suggest the second-year receiver could be looking at an absence that extends beyond the four-game minimum. The Panthers re-signed Hunter Renfrow late last week, giving them an easy replacement for Coker in the slot, but we wouldn’t expect Renfrow to have much fantasy upside at this time. We will provide any additional updates on Coker as they come available.

This news comes just days after the team declined to specify a return date for the star corner, who first suffered the injury on July 28. There will still be time for Gonzalez to take the practice field before the team has to decide on his availability heading into the weekend, but an early absence isn’t a great start. If Gonzalez is unable to go, second-year corner Charles Woods is listed behind him on the depth chart and would presumably draw the start.

Bourne spent the first four years of his career with the 49ers before joining the Patriots during the 2021 offseason. He has never surpassed 800 yards in a season and was phased out by the Patriots this offseason, which ultimately led to the team’s decision to release him. The Niners are dealing with multiple injuries at receiver, which could create an immediate opening for playing time for Bourne should the two sides reunite. According to Schultz, if Bourne and the Niners don’t agree to a deal, he is scheduled to visit with the Commanders on Tuesday.

A former UDFA who made the Steelers’ 53-man roster during the 2022 season, Warren is now being rewarded for his efforts with a multi-year extension. Since joining the Steelers, Warren, who will receive $12 million in guaranteed money on his new deal, has rushed for 346-1,674-6 while adding another 127 receptions for 894 scoreless yards over that span. The fourth-year back is set to open the season as the Steelers’ RB1, but will have to fight off rookie Kaleb Johnson, who was drafted with the No. 83 overall pick in this year’s draft. Warren profiles as a decent RB2 for fantasy based on his expected volume, but his underwhelming touchdown production has limited his upside thus far in his career. He’s far from a must-start in Week 1 against the Jets.

There’s no way to know what we should expect from Waller, who is attempting to return to football after a year away and missed most of training camp. The veteran tight end could see a very limited workload in Week 1 as he returns to action, and shouldn’t be counted on in fantasy until we see him earning a reliable snap share and/or target share.

Achane is expected to return to practice on Monday and will play in Week 1 if he doesn’t suffer any setbacks, per McDaniel. The Dolphins’ RB1 should see a solid workload in his season debut after averaging 17.1 opportunities per game last season while totaling 1,499 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. His status will be one to track throughout the week, but it’s safe to say things are trending in the right direction to start the week.

According to a Fort Lauderdale PD report, one witness to the incident involving Crow “stated he observed (Crow) with his arms around the victim as if he was going to perform a takedown,” while also noting that the victim’s legs “were off the ground” and the victim “looked terrified.” A second witness said Crow was “throwing slaps and trying to grapple the victim” before law enforcement was contacted. The team appears willing to let the legal process play out before making any decisions on whether or not Crow will remain with the team.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Bengals plan to start Pennel on the practice squad with plans to elevate him “early in the season.” Pennel has spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs, totaling 29 tackles and three sacks in 20 games while also notching four TFLs. The veteran has played primarily in a depth role during his career, starting in just 25 of the 138 games he’s appeared in. He’ll likely see a similar role with the Bengals once he’s elevated to the active roster.

Judkins still hasn’t signed his rookie contract, but the rookie second-rounder could finally be back with the team after spending all summer away following an arrest for domestic battery. Judkins’ return may not lead to immediate playing time, as he’ll likely need some time to get into football shape and get acclimated to the offense. He’ll likely earn his way on the field at some point this season, but it’s hard to imagine Judkins making an immediate impact in the early part of the season. Jerome Ford and rookie Dylan Sampson remain the preferred targets in fantasy drafts.