NFL Training Camp Notebook: Part One

Is DTR worth a flier in dynasty after HOF game?

Matthew Berry, Jay Croucher, and Connor Rogers provide their takeaways from the Hall of Fame game, discussing Zach Wilson's future behind Aaron Rodgers, a potential late-round dynasty flier in Cleveland, and more.

Arizona Cardinals

Clayton Tune has been splitting first-team reps with Colt McCoy in training camp and all signs point to the rookie showing well so far. Tune is far from a lock to open the year as Arizona’s starter—Kyler Murray hasn't even been ruled out for Week 1 yet—but could be an upgrade over McCoy. The journeyman ranked 46th in EPA per dropback last year and had one of the lowest aDOTs in the league.

First-year offensive coordinator Drew Petzing praised rookie receiver Michael Wilson for his efforts to transition to the NFL’s more physical corners. Wilson has also flashed some big plays early in camp and, most importantly, is the only Cardinals receiver who was selected in the draft and is over 5’9 or 180 pounds. Wilson is 6’2/213. On the Rotoworld Football Show, Cardinals beat reporter Johnny Venerable mentioned Wilson as a strong candidate to start in two-receiver sets.

Multiple beat reporters including Venerable have anointed Keaontay Ingram as the backup to James Conner. Ingram has also gotten a few positive reviews in camp. This backfield is far from settled, but if the season started today, I would bet on Ingram as the RB2.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have their starting quarterback, running back, No. 1 receiver, and tight end slots settled, so their camp doesn’t feature many battles with fantasy implications. On the bright side, Bijan Robinson has excelled as a pass-catcher and Mack Hollins hit his seventh and eighth growth spurts this offseason.

Hollins is a good bet to take hold of the Falcons’ second starting wideout role, though their lack of passing volume makes that job mostly unappealing for fantasy drafters.

Head coach Arthur Smith has talked up Cordarrelle Patterson’s versatility, possibly signaling a return to the hybrid role he played in 2021.

Baltimore Ravens

ESPN’s Jamison Hensley noted Odell Beckham and Zay Flowers “are solidifying themselves as the top two wide receivers in Baltimore” after nearly two weeks of camp. Rashod Bateman has been out while dealing with a lingering foot issue, so Hensley’s prediction could change upon his return. However, time is running out for Bateman to make a good impression on new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

Isaiah Likely is having another strong camp and John Harbaugh said his expectations for the second-year tight end are “nothing but the highest.” Monken ran plenty of heavy packages at Georgia, but he also had Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington to play with. Likely’s role depends on Bateman’s ability to ramp up to speed once healthy. If he’s not limited and gets enough reps in the new offense, expect enough three-receiver sets to eliminate Likely from the fantasy conversation.

Buffalo Bills

The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia said James Cook “seems destined for at least over half of the offensive snaps this season if he continues this level of play.” That was a few days after offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey noted Cook has “three-down potential.” With Nyeim Hines out for the year, Cook could take on plenty of rushing work while also serving as the team’s primary option on passing downs.

Buscaglia called rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid a “significant component” of the first-team offense, though he later charted Kincaid with just three targets on 37 Josh Allen pass attempts over a stretch of two practices.

Trent Sherfield popped up on that list with the second-most targets and has made a few plays with the first-team offense. He could usurp Khalil Shakir as the team’s third receiver with a strong camp.

Carolina Panthers

Terrace Marshall has made a number of strong catches in camp and is at least pushing to get into the mix in three-receiver sets. Marshall barely took the field as a rookie and was dreadfully inefficient when he was out there. In his second year, 2022, he showed signs of life with 28 catches for 490 yards.

Byce Young was named the starting quarterback to no one’s surprise.

Raheem Blackshear has gotten some run with the first team and has potential as pass-catching option. Frank Reich also mentioned him as a standout in practices earlier this year.

Chicago Bears

A pair of young receivers showed up in Chicago’s two-minute and red zone drills. Justin Fields found rookie receiver Tyler Scott for a 48-yard gain that would eventually lead to a D.J. Moore touchdown. Chase Claypool later reeled in a back-corner touchdown in the end zone. Claypool has been active in camp after missing a few practices while on the PUP list. After struggling to do much during his first half-season in Chicago, a full offseason to build chemistry with Fields and learn the offense appears to be what Claypool needed to reignite his career.

Roschon Johnson spent the start of training camp with the backups and has since been out of practice with an undisclosed injury. He remains a fun bet to turn things on later in the year, but expect a one-two punch of Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman in Week 1.

Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals coach Zac Taylor has been complimentary of presumed starting tight end Irv Smith. There isn’t much competition for Smith on the roster, so it’s safe to say he is locked into a starting role.

Chris Evans and Chase Brown have both gotten some work with the first-team offense. Taylor is clearly trying to figure out which one will serve as Joe Mixon's backup and Trayveon Williams is currently unavailable because of an ankle sprain. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer noted that pass protection will be the biggest factor in determining who the RB2 is.

Evans had a nice blitz pickup earlier in camp while Brown was a willing but technically flawed blocker in college.

Cleveland Browns

Amari Cooper has been on the sidelines for much of camp with a seemingly minor injury. This has left more reps up for grabs and Donovan Peoples-Jones has been dictating the targets in his absence. David Bell started training camp with the first-team but quickly gave way to Cedric Tillman and Daylen Baldwin.

The Athletic’s Zac Jackson noted that Kevin Stefanski has been rotating his receivers heavily to start training camp, so nothing is set in stone yet. However, things appear to be trending toward a clear lineup of Cooper and DPJ as full-time players with newcomers Elijah Moore and Tillman vying for routes.

Dallas Cowboys

Rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker landed on the NFI list with a partial plantar fascia tear, leading to Jake Ferguson running with the ones. With rookie tight ends typically struggling to produce and Schoonmaker missing a chunk of the offseason, Ferguson is set to dominate the team’s tight end reps.

Malik Davis appears to have the lead on the RB2 gig with Ronald Jones suspended for the first two weeks of the season. Mike McCarthy also named Davis, along with Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle, as a capable goal line back. He didn't mention Deuce Vaughn, the undersized rookie who has been turning some heads in camp.

Denver Broncos

KJ Hamler is stepping away from the team while getting treatment for a heart condition and Tim Patrick will miss the year with a torn Achilles’ tendon. That leaves the WR3 gig up for grabs and Marvin Mims managed to come back from his hamstring issue at just the right time.

Sean Payton brought in familiar faces with Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey this offseason, so it’s not a foregone conclusion that Mims slots into the third receiver role. His usage will be worth monitoring closely as he gets up to full speed.

Payton said Javonte Williams, who is recovering from a torn ACL, LCL and PCL, will play in the preseason. He will seemingly wait until the second preseason contest, typically the dress rehearsal, to put Williams on the field. Assuming there are no setbacks, it's looking like Williams will be ready and capable of a normal workload by Week 1.

Detroit Lions

Jameson Williams has had a rocky start to his second season. It started with a six-game suspension for gambling and continued with a tweaked knee, dropped passes, and a small scuffle with a teammate in training camp.

There have also been high notes including this gem of a deep catch. Still, buying into him for fantasy purposes feels like an unnecessary risk at this point.

Jahmyr Gibbs said he is playing “more wide receiver with the Lions than he ever did in college.” Gibbs lined up as a receiver on 19 percent of his offensive snaps in college, a pretty high number for a running back. His usage as a rookie screams “offensive weapon” in a good way, but also in a way that may limit his runs at the goal line.

Sam LaPorta drew praise from offensive coordinator Ben Johnson early in camp, with Johnson saying, “He's earned the right now to be in that first-team huddle with Jared and that offensive line.” LaPorta has also gotten reps with the second and third units, but it doesn’t look like much stands between him and a starting role in Week 1.

Green Bay Packers

Reports have generally agreed that the Packers offense looked shaky at the start of camp, but there have been highlights as well.

For fantasy drafters, the highlight has been second-round rookie Luke Musgrave getting the bulk of the reps with the first-team at tight end. Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber called the starting job “his to lose.”

Fellow rookie Jayden Reed also appears set for a starting role. The slot receiver could also see some manufactured touches like this carry that he house-called.

Houston Texans

NFL Network’s James Palmer said Tank Dell is a name “that keeps coming up.” Dell could be what Patrick Daugherty calls a “PPR scam” as the team’s primary slot receiver, though his size (5’8/165) may limit the number of reps he sees as a rookie.

Palmer also noted John Metchie looks “rusty from a football standpoint.” It’s still great to see the second-year receiver back on the field after missing his rookie season while battling leukemia.

Indianapolis Colts

With Jonathan Taylor requesting a trade and Zack Moss suffering a broken arm, Evan Hull and Deon Jackson have both been getting reps with the ones in camp. Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter noted Hull’s ability to pick up the offense quickly and commented on Jackson’s home-run speed. Hull has also shown off his pass-catching prowess in camp. Should Taylor be traded, the two would likely form a committee until Moss returns or another back joins the fray.

Rookie receiver Josh Downs hasn’t run exclusively with the starters, but he has consistently connected with Anthony Richardson while showing off his shifty route-running and impressive hands. His primary competition for slot duties is Isaiah McKenzie, and he may have a leg up on the veteran.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Calvin Ridley hadn’t lost a step in his first practices as a Jaguar, but he did eventually go down with a toe injury. Ridley is back practicing in a limited capacity, so the issue doesn’t seem serious.

Sports Illustrated's John Shipley noted that rookie running back Tank Bigsby punched in a pair of touchdowns during a red zone drill. Bigsby’s hands have also been impressive in camp. If he continues to show well during August, Bigsby could take an uncomfortable number of touches off Travis Etienne's plate.

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Kansas City Chiefs

Deneric Prince and Justyn Ross have been the talk of the town in Kansas City. Prince, a UDFA addition this offseason, appears to have the kick return duties all but locked down. Though he wasn’t a pass-catcher in college, he’s been sure-handed in training camp and could be a better backup to Jerick McKinnon than Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Ross was a UDFA last year. He was a dominant receiver at Clemson as a freshman, logging more receiving yards than Tee Higgins and Hunter Renfrow, but a spinal condition later cost him an entire season. He returned for a final year in 2021 but failed to put up the same, jaw-dropping numbers. He’s now fighting for a roster spot with the Chiefs. If his highlights are any indication, Ross is doing everything he can to make the backend of the 53.

Hype aside, the Chiefs appear to have a set rotation at receiver sans Kadarius Toney, who can be considered questionable for Week 1 with a knee injury.

The team likely wants Rashee Rice or Toney to take on the outside role opposite Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but that has yet to happen for various reasons.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Athletic’s Tashan Reed laid out the backfield situation without Josh Jacobs well, noting Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah have been splitting the starting reps. As expected, he said White handled the bulk of the work between the tackles with Abdullah working as the primary back on passing downs.

Per Josh McDaniel, rookie tight end Michael Mayer received a “baptism” at the hands of Maxx Crosby in the team’s first padded practice. Crosby tossed Mayer around in a drill that saw the rookie attempt to block one of the best EDGE defenders in the league. Mayer could lose out on blocking reps to veteran Austin Hooper, but his upside as a late-round tight end shouldn’t be affected by a lone practice.

Los Angles Chargers

Quentin Johnston wowed onlookers early in camp with a high-point catch straight out of the Mike Williams playbook. Also out of that playbook came Johnston falling directly onto his ribs.

Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller have both gotten reps alongside Justin Herbert. Both backs have also seen some usage in the passing game. It’s possible one or both are used to help lighten Austin Ekeler’s workload this year, though it doesn’t look like a clear favorite has emerged yet.

Los Angeles Rams

The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue penciled in the winner of a camp battle between Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell as the team’s third receiver. Both will receive plenty of reps at different positions with Cooper Kupp sidelined. Nacua makes more sense as a mainstay of the Rams’ three-wide set when compared to the considerably undersized Atwell, but he still needs to prove he’s up to the task of facing NFL defenses before Sean McVay hands him the reigns.

Matthew Stafford name-dropped second-year running back Kyren Williams during the second week of camp, saying Williams can be an asset on the ground and through the air when Cam Akers needs a break. It looks like he has the early line on the RB2 role in LA.

Miami Dolphins

Braxton Berrios appears to have the lead over Robbie Chosen for the WR3 gig in Miami. The Dolphins committed roughly three times as much money to Berrios before factoring in his massive edge in guarantees. Berrios is also an All-Pro returner, giving him more utility.

Devon Achane and Raheem Mostert have each broken multiple long runs. Both backs have also been notably involved in the passing game. The Miami backfield is barreling toward a three-headed committee to start the year.

Minnesota Vikings

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis said that neither of the Minnesota backup running backs—Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride—have looked overly impressive in camp. Chandler’s reps have been inconsistent while McBride still has a lot of work to do to fully understand the playbook on top of making the leap from UAB to the NFL. Lewis mentioned the possibility of the Vikings adding a free agent running back.

Jalen Nailor didn’t play much as a rookie but leveraged his top-flight speed into 19.9 yards per catch (on nine catches). He got a surprising amount of run as the team’s third receiver early in camp and made a handful of nice catches. Nailor isn’t likely to earn a fantasy-relevant role this year, but he could shave some routes off of KJ Osborn's role.

New England Patriots

Rhamondre Stevenson has been limited in practice, giving both Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong cracks at snaps with the starters. Per The Athletic’s Chad Graff, neither back has looked impressive. With the threat of a free agent addition looming, I wouldn’t be taking shots on the potential backups in New England yet.

Tyquan Thornton has been splitting his reps between the first and second team, but the only time he has seen the ball is with the backups. Fantasy drafters have assumed he was a safe bet to be one of the team’s three starting receivers, but that looks far from guaranteed at this point.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss noted that Hunter Henry has been Mac Jones’s go-to target in the red zone. Henry was tied for a team-high in red zone targets last year, though the offense wasn’t mounting scoring drives at a particularly high clip. If the offense rebounds this season, Henry could be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

New Orleans Saints

Kendre Miller opened camp on the NFI list but was back on the field after a few days. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill was quick to note his impressive hands—a skill he didn’t show off much in college—and later said he was flashing “in all phases.” In years past, the Saints have made one back a workhorse when Alvin Kamara was sidelined. Miller and Jamaal Williams will likely break that paradigm whenever Kamara is suspended as the rookie appears ready to handle his fair share of the backfield duties.

Michael Thomas was cleared for full practices but has not said he’s back to 100 percent yet. Thomas has played in 10 games over the past three seasons and still doesn’t seem to be at full strength. At this point, it’s fair to wonder how much his body has left in the tank.

Taysom Hill has targets, pass attempts, and carries in camp. If you think he can’t keep getting away with this, think again.

New York Giants

Every citizen of New York, even the Jets fans, has been forced to mention how tall, fast, and unguardable Darren Waller has been. They won’t stop talking about it.

Jalin Hyatt mostly worked with the third-stringers in minicamp, raising some concerns about the rookie’s ability to contribute this year. Things have turned around for Hyatt in camp as he has been in the mix for time with the starting offense. The third-round pick has made his case to the coaching staff, punctuated with plays like this.

Parris Campbell may still be a better bet to land the starting slot role in Week 1, but if anyone is going to turn things on down the stretch, it will be Hyatt.

New York Jets

The Jets pulled out all of the stops to woo Dalvin Cook during his visit to New York, but money is the real barrier to his arrival. For now, Michael Carter appears to have the inside track to the RB2 role. Zonovan Knight could also be ahead of rookie Israel Abanikanda on the depth chart as he (along with Carter) was held out of the Hall of Fame Game.

Corey Davis has been peppered with targets from Aaron Rodgers. Garrett Wilson has missed time with an ankle injury, but it looks like Davis is at least holding off Mecole Hardman for the WR3 gig.

Philadelphia Eagles

Five different running backs have gotten reps with the first team in the opening weeks of training camp. D’Andre Swift has been extremely active as a pass-catcher. Kenneth Gainwell also has strong hands and has been working on his pass-blocking chops in the offseason.

Rashaad Penny got the opening snap of training camp but isn’t a factor on special teams or as a pass-catcher. That leaves Trey Sermon fighting an uphill battle to usurp Philadelphia mainstay and special teams ace Boston Scott for the final spot in the backfield.

Pittsburgh Steelers

George Pickens is doing that thing he does again.

Jaylen Warren got the "in the best shape of his life" treatment at the start of training camp and has been working with the ones alongside Najee Harris. He won’t be overtaking Harris for the RB1 role anytime soon, but he may overthrow Harris on third downs and the two-minute drill.

San Francisco 49ers

Elijah Mitchell is expected to miss a week or more with an abductor strain. 49ers beat reporter Rob Guerrera said on the Rotoworld Football Show that Jordan Mason had been a standout and was pushing Mitchell for the RB2 role. This will give him the window to make a push Guerrera foreshadowed.

Seattle Seahawks

First-round rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba took only a few minutes to put on a show. No one is expecting him to topple Tyler Lockett or DK Metcalf as a rookie, but he entered the league with an elite profile and has done nothing to change that notion so far. He could be a spike-week producer early in the year who blossoms when the fantasy playoffs hit.

Seventh-round pick Kenny McIntosh got his first shot with the starters earlier in camp while Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet were sidelined. He didn’t disappoint and caught Pete Carroll’s eye. The head coach said McIntosh has been “explosive and innovative with his running and his cuts.” He also mentioned the rookie’s hands. McIntosh is off the radar in all red-draft formats, but he is a name to know for dynasty leagues.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cade Otton appears to be stepping into the full-time role of TE1 in Tampa Bay. There isn’t much competition for him on the roster and he has consistently run with the starters. Otton is a strong bet for routes and is free in all fantasy formats.

Jeremy Fowler said it’s Rachaad White’s show in Tampa Bay and mentioned both Chase Edmonds and Ke’Shawn Vaughn as complimentary options. Offensive coordinator Dave Canales referred to Vaughn as the RB2 heading into camp, but he only looks valuable as a possible handcuff to White.

Canales also said the quarterback competition between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask has “absolutely” tightened. Per Bailey Adams of the Pewter Report, as of Tuesday, Mayfield had thrown five interceptions in camp to Trask’s one. Even if Mayfield wins the starting gig, he has artificially shortened his own leash so much that it seems impossible for him to make it through the season without getting benched.

Tennessee Titans

Mike Vrabel said Chig Okonkwo’s blocking “has to improve.” He said Chig is a willing blocker but also noted his technique needed to get better because he wasn’t getting any bigger. Austin Hooper ran 148 more routes than Chig last year despite the rookie looking more explosive and dynamic on every snap, route, and target. With an H-back frame, it’s fair to wonder if Chig will be able to take on a full-time role in 2023.

It looks like Treylon Burks will be moving around the formation more often this year with DeAndre Hopkins taking on the X role. Less attention and more schemed touches could help the former first-round pick hit his stride.

Tyaje Spears has taken his lumps in camp including fumbling on what sounds like a comically brutal hit from Azeez Al-Shaair.

Spears also dropped a pass from Will Levis on a wheel route earlier in camp but has received strong reviews as a blocker. He remains the favorite to be the team’s RB2, but his standalone value is questionable at best.

Washington Commanders

Antonio Gibson compared his role in Eric Bieniemy’s offense to the role J.D. McKissic had previously played for Washington. He mentioned the two-minute drill and passing downs as part of his role this season.

A Logan Thomas pass attempt!!

In all seriousness, third-year tight end John Bates doesn’t appear to be pushing Thomas for the starting gig and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has already called his system “tight end friendly” this offseason. Like Otton, Thomas profiles as an unexciting tight end who quietly scores just as many points as players going many rounds before him.