NFL Player News

The Jets moved back one pick in a trade with Minnesota before landing Fashanu. A Washington D.C. native, Fashanu (6’6/312) was rated as a high three-star recruit from the 2020 prep class and took a redshirt his freshman season before earning a modest 85 snaps in his second year. He earned the starting LT spot in 2022 and immediately thrived as a blind side protector, allowing just one hit with zero sacks before going down for the year after eight games. Despite the early exit, Fashanu’s easy athleticism and foot speed made him very tough to beat on the loop despite facing off against a slew of very talented Big Ten Edge rushers. Though he flashed enough in his redshirt sophomore season to draw first-round buzz, 2023 was the year that solidified Fashanu’s place among the elite OT prospects. He earned the fourth-highest PFF pass blocking grade in FBS with a minuscule 1.9% pressure rate last year while allowing zero sacks in his entire collegiate career. While the PSU sentry’s pass pro acumen was B10 caliber right out of the box, his run blocking prowess took a little more time to develop. His 59th percentile run block grade in 2022 was a disappointing mark, and all five penalties he committed during his Penn State tenure were on run plays. What stands out is the leap he made in that department this year, pacing the Nittany Lions’ OL with a pristine .3% blown run block rate on 338 run snaps. His lightning-quick burst off the snap allows him to cut off edge defenders on outside runs and race to beat defenders to his spot on the move. While Fashanu’s 9.44 RAS checks most of the testing boxes we were hoping to confirm, his diminutive 8.5” hand size jumps off the screen when compared to his fellow hulking contemporaries. Despite that potential flaw, Fashanu projects as a solid NFL tackle. He will also get the benefit of learning from Morgan Moses and Tyron Smith, two veterans guards with great resumes, as a rookie.

Pierce followed consecutive no-shows in practice with a full sessions Friday, drawing the questionable tag for Week 13 against the Patriots. His status is suddenly one to follow for the Colts as both Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin have been ruled out. Pierce’s presence likely moves electric rookie Adonai Mitchell into the slot.

The team attempted to trade the failed former first-round pick at the trade deadline but were unsuccessful, ultimately resulting in his release. He will first pass through waivers before being able to sign with an interested team.

Ekeler will not miss the next four games after suffering a devastating concussion in Week 12, making him eligible to return for the season finale in Week 18 against the Cowboys. Brian Robinson will hold down the lead role in the backfield while Jeremy McNichols will likely see his involvement in the offense increased without Ekeler.

The team has been rather mum with the state of his injured knee, now exposing that the severity is much worse than initially reported. It’s a devastating blow for a player on a one-year prove-it deal following a career mired in injury. Dobbins fell just short of career highs in yards (766) and touchdowns (eight) in 11 games in 2024. While unclear whether the team has designated him for return, there is still an outside chance he returns to finish the regular season before hopefully appearing in the postseason for his new team.

Milano will make his season debut in Week 13 against the 49ers after suffering a torn biceps in training camp. A week of full practices for Milano capped his lengthy recovery process. Now ready to return to the field as a defensive captain, Milano should immediately boost a Buffalo defense allowing just 19.5 points per game through two-thirds of the 2024 season.

It will be interesting to see what the Eagles do at wide receiver considering DeVonta Smith is listed as questionable with his own hamstring injury. Now down Wilson, expect Jahan Dotson to see a more robust role in the offense regardless of the status of Smith on game day.

Conner was set to hit free agency after the season, but Arizona decided to lock him up before it came to that. The 29-year-old running back is 15th in scrimmage yards with 993 in 11 games so far this season. While it’s unclear how much of Conner’s deal is guaranteed, it’s unlikely that the extension for the two-time pro bowler will cause significant salary cap issues for Arizona in the future. This extension seals last year’s third round pick Trey Benson’s fate as purely a handcuff for at least another year.

Williams’ signing follows an Ian Rapoport report indicating Lions DE Josh Paschal “may miss some time” following an MRI on his injured knee. Williams has tallied 32 quarterback pressures and 2.5 NFL sacks since entering the league as a 2020 undrafted free agent.

Watson, additionally, had a brutal deep drop that likely would have been a score in the game’s opening three plays. He beat out Juju Smith-Schuster as the fifth option in the passing game today, but the lesson with the Chiefs right now is that they are going to spread the ball around. Watson will be a deep-leagues only play in Week 14, as he is every week.

He almost did it. Worthy managed a completely normal-looking 5/54/0 line on six targets where he was just a normal wideout with no hints of disappointment. He even caught a ball off the turf that was overturned in his favor by replay. But the Chiefs went for the jugular at the two-minute warning, sent Worthy deep, and the classic 2024 Worthy tale of an incomplete deep pass played yet again for us all. Worthy is a WR4 option in Week 14, but not one we’re particularly excited about against the Chargers.