Rudolph,Kyle On the field in 83% of the team snaps, yet only received 73 targets. This despite a above average 67% reception rate and respectable 10.1 YPR. Clearly underutilized, given the woes in their passing game. Tight now he's a TE2 with upside.

Kendricks,Lance Now that Cook is gone, there's some potential for a fantasy relevant season. He's about average in both his Reception rates and YPR. Rookie QBs tend to gravitate towards their TEs, so this is a projection that will remain fluid during the preseason.

Allen,Dwayne Disappointing injury laden season in 2015, but with Fleener out of town, Allen is the clear cut receiving TE option. Doesn't have the best hands as evidenced by a historically sub par 58% completion rate but makes up for it by breaking tackles, which translates to a more robust YPR on each catch. Low end TE1 coming in, that will require a decent backup on draft day.

Fleener,Coby Increased his reception rate to 64% last season, and with the move to Brees country, he could be in for a big season.

Green,Ladarius Moves to a another favorable TE friendly system where he won't have to compete with Antonio Gates for targets. Doesn't offer the same reception rates as Hmiller, but makes up for it in average distance (11.6 per catch). This is a bit of a fluid situation as Jesse James could emerge here as well.

Ertz,Zach Underutilized in the first half, then tore it up I the 2nd half with 46/539 yards, two 100 yard games, 6 QS, and a 72% reception rate. Highly talented receiver, but will be shifting to a new offensive system...so there are some unknowns here. However it is reported that Doug Pederson will emphasize the tight end position this season.

Davante Adams (GB) - The Green Bay Packers released their first official depth chart and combine-darling Jeff Janis was mysteriously missing.  Currently getting slotted as the WR3 for the Packers, Davante Adams is trying to shake off a disastrous second season as a professional. On the surface, it's easy to write him off along with the first published depth chart, but looking a little deeper, there are a couple attractive things about Adams this season.  The first, and most obvious, is that Jordy Nelson will most likely be back, which means Adams will not be asked to be the team’s WR2 as he was at the beginning of 2015.  In fact, since Randall Cobb played mostly out of the slot last season, Adams typically drew the opposing team's top corner last year, one of the reasons he had an abysmal 53% catch rate.  Now that Jordy is back, the quality of coverage should decrease for Adams, giving him a little more room to operate.  The next reason also has to do with Cobb playing the slot, but it's mainly because slot receivers are on the field less frequently than players who line up on the outside.  If Adams can hang on to the WR3 job in Green Bay, there's some definite upside considering the negative "groupthink" opinion on him.    

Allen Hurns (JAX) - The buzz surrounding Jacksonville's fantasy stars this pre-season has been centered around their likely regression due to an improved defense.  The Jaguars played from behind a lot last season, giving players like Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns many opportunities to pad their stats during garbage time.  Obviously, Jaguars’ improved defense will cut into garbage time opportunities this season.  On top of that, closer games will also mean more usage of the running game.  The Jags brought in Chris Ivory to help pound the ball on the inside and he should see a fair share of the red zone short yardage situations in 2016 that were previously thrown to Robinson and Hurns.  The former remains an elite wide receiver talent, but Hurns was largely successful due to opportunity, particularly in terms of touchdown catches.  If the opportunities decrease, it will be nearly impossible for Hurns to repeat last season.  Don't pay a premium for his touchdown catches from a season ago.  

Sammy Watkins (BUF) - Good news came out of Bills camp on Wednesday when Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News reported that Sammy Watkins has a chance to practice with the team on Monday.  Watkins has maintained that he's on track to be ready to start in Week 1 after undergoing foot surgery this offseason.  Expectations need to remain tempered since practicing doesn't necessarily mean he's 100%.  Nonetheless, this is obviously good news and seems to jibe with the newsflow this pre-season. Watkins has the talent to take the next step forward this year, especially when you consider that his quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, will also have another year of experience under his belt.  With an aging LeSean McCoy and the off-the-field issues for Karlos Williams, the Bills may be forced to rely even more heavily on the pass this season after finishing tied for 8th in the NFL with 602 pass attempts in 2015.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE) - According to the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter revealed that Cameron Brate, not Austin Seferian-Jenkins, is currently sitting atop the Buccaneers depth chart at tight end.  Koetter went on to say that "the guys that are playing the best are going to play.  Catching up for some guys is knowing what they're doing.  Catching up for other guys is you've got to play better, and he (Seferian-Jenkins) falls into that category."  ASJ is definitely the most talented tight end on their roster, but it's clear that there are some things going on behind the scenes that aren't sitting well with his head coach.  Dropped passes have been his biggest issue so far in his pro career, so this is probably what Koetter believes ASJ needs to improve.  On the bright side, his 40% red zone conversion rate is very good.  His ADP is in the 20^th round right now, but will likely fall even further after yesterday’s news.

Kellen Moore (DAL) - Dallas backup quarterback Kellen Moore broke his ankle in practice on Tuesday and will reportedly miss 3-4 months.  Normally, injuries to backup quarterbacks wouldn't influence your fantasy roster construction, but in the case of Tony Romo's backup, it could be a different story.  The 'Boys had the highest rated pass- and run-blocking offensive line last season, helping to boost both their quarterback's performance and value.  Meanwhile, Romo has been an injury magnet throughout his career.  Early reports are that Dallas is exploring the possibility of signing recently released Nick Foles, or exploring trade candidates like Josh McCown or Mike Glennon.  Whoever ends up joining Dallas would instantly become a name to file away in case Romo gets injured.  

Martellus Bennett (NE) -Excitement has been growing in New England since the Patriots signed tight end Martellus Bennett over the off-season. Nostalgic thoughts of the early 2010's Rob Gronkowski / Aaron Hernandez combination have flooded minds of many a Patriots fans over recent months as the team finally signed a legitimate offensive threat for Tom Brady and company to move back to 12 personnel packages with 2-tight end sets.  Coach Belichik was quoted by CSN New England praising his two tight ends saying that they "both block.  They can both catch down the field.  They can run intermediate routes, they're both huge targets."  Getting the respect of the Patriots' head coach is step one of having a successful offensive season and it certainly looks like Bennett has checked that box.  Don't expect Bennett to be able to perform like Aaron Hernandez circa-2011, but he's definitely worth rostering as a flier.  

Rashad Jennings (NYG) - According to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants will utilize Rashad Jennings as a lead back this season as opposed to the running back by committee approach that they used last season.  When talking to the media on Tuesday, Giants' running back coach Craig Johnson said "obviously if it was like we finished the year - like Rashad finished - that would take take of a lot of problems".  That finish, as Johnson was eluding to, was 432 yards on the ground over the final 4 games with an excellent 5.46 yards per carry.  If this report plays out as Johnson expects, this would make Jennings a great value at his current ADP.  The backfield in New York remains crowded, so a full workload is anything but guaranteed, but for now he's the guy to own.  

Cody Latimer (DEN) - A second-round pick in 2014, Cody Latimer hasn't made much of an impact on the NFL field yet.  That could all change this season according to FootballGuys' Cecil Lammy.  Lammy tweeted that he has seen Latimer "make a ton of plays in practice, big-time athletic ability".  Of course, none of this will mean anything unless he can learn the playbook and crack the wide receiver rotation.  Head coach Gary Kubiak has historically implemented extremely run-heavy playbooks and with the mess the Broncos currently have a quarterback, it's even more likely that he goes back to his bread and butter.  Between Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, that doesn't leave many targets for Cody Latimer.  It's probably safe to write this off as pre-season noise, but it's worth saying that this will be the magical 3rd  NFL season for the Broncos' receiver.  

Colin Kaepernick / Blaine Gabbert (SF) - Both Colin Kaapernick and Blaine Gabbert having been given new leases on their NFL careers with Chip Kelly in San Francisco.  Based on a report in The Sacremento Bee, Matt Burrows believes that both quarterbacks are in a close battle for the starting job with each seeing "equal amount of practice repetitions with the 49ers' first-team offense so far in training camp".  Kelly will likely let these two duke it out until a clear winner presents himself.  It's difficult to project the 49ers offense this season, especially considering the lackluster wide receiver corps that the 49ers will roll out this season.  Even in a fast-paced, high temp offense, it's difficult to get excited about either of these quarter backs this season. 

Ezekiel Elliot (DAL) - When dealing with rookie running backs, even the smallest bit of news could create a significant impact.  Amid his legal issues, Elliot also suffered a hamstring injury during Tuesday's practice and Cowboys' Vice President Stephen Jones suggested that the team will be conservative with their bell cow, insinuating that we're dealing with a "week-to-week" rather than a "day-to-day" recovery.  If true, this can mean one of two things.  On one hand, it can be a sign that the Cowboys already view Elliot as their starting running back and they want to make getting him ready for Week 1 be their ultimate goal.  On the other hand, an extended absence as this point in camp could cause Elliot to lose reps and familiarity with the offensive line to fellow running back Alfred Morris.  All indications are they the Cowboys are simply being cautious, but if Morris is impressive, he could steal some workload in the early going.  Morris is a near must-draft for owners who decided to draft Elliot in the first round.  

Josh Doctson (WAS) - One of the many intriguing rookie wide receivers, Josh Doctson has high expectations going into this season for the Washington Redskins.  Unfortunately, Doctson injured his achilles during workouts in May and he has been unable to practice since the injury occurred.  With just over a month away from kickoff, concerns are mounting for the rookie, especially since he has seen in a walking boot earlier this week.  While both Doctson and the team have denied a setback, the wide receiver will need to get on the practice field soon if he hopes to contribute this season.  Wide receiver is one of the most challenging positions to learn as a rookie (a big reason why receivers are known to break out in their 2nd or 3rd years) and missing training camp won't help with the transition.  

Jameis Winston (TB) - Entering his second season with Tampa Bay, Jameis Winston has managed to escape lofty expectations despite being a former 1st-round pick.  Flying under-the-radar, Bucs beat writer Joe Kania went on record saying that Jameis Winston has been the most impressive player in camp so far, adding that "Day by day, he gets better and better" and that he "completed nearly every pass he threw" in 7-on-7 drills.  Take this with a grain of salt since this could just as likely be an indicator of the poor Tampa Bay defense as much as it could be progress for the second-year year passer.  Nonetheless, Winston has the tools to be a very interesting fantasy quarterback one day and should be on the radar of everyone in start-up dynasty drafts.  Over his final 7 games of the regular season, he finished with passer rating >80 in 5 of those games and finished the season averaging 328 passing yards over his last 3 games.  

Tyler Boyd (CIN) - Second-round wide receiver Tyler Boyd has been raising eyebrows in Bengals camp this pre-season as he fights for a starting position with Brandon LaFell.  Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday, Andy Dalton mentioned that Boyd has "taken a huge jump from OTAs to camp, he's made some tough catches and has been impressive", which is consistent with the beat writers' reports that we have heard about the rookie all summer. More than likely, LaFell will wind up starting opposite of A.J. Green, but Boyd has a great shot at becoming the team's primary slot receiver.  There are plenty of targets to go around with the loss of both Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu.  

Wendell Smallwood (PHI) - Wendell Smallwood was forced to miss Wednesday's practice after suffering a quad strain during Tuesday's session.  Head coach Doug Pederson mentioned that Smallwood was "still a few days away from getting back out there".  Timing couldn't be any worse for the rookie, who had been getting reps with the first team offense in the absence of Ryan Mathews (ankle).  Darren Sproles has been getting some buzz as being the primary handcuff to the injury prone Mathews, but we know from previous experience that Sproles can't handle an every down role.  Expect Smallwood to eventually be the primary backup for Mathews and a guy who could see a big workload in the middle of the season if Mathews gets injured again.  

Dez Bryant (DAL) - The Dallas Morning news reported that Cowboys wide receiver coach Derek Dooley believes Dez Bryant is "rusty.  He's got a lot of work to do and he knows it.  He's still got his skills.  The good news is his foot is great, moving around well. He'll get back into his rhythm."  A little rust has to be expected from Bryant, who only played in 9 games a year ago, although likely played hurt through most of them.  Before last season, Bryant had 3 straight seasons of 16 games played, so hopefully 2015 was just a blip on the radar of an overall healthy career.

Average Draft Position (ADP) should never be the end-all, be-all when it comes to mapping out your draft.  Still, it serves as a top signifier of ‘the way the wind is blowing,’ as we get closer to Week 1.  Let’s be honest, that magazine you bought on the way to the draft room was put together back in mid-June.  It’s missing key injuries have changed the roster make-up.  It’s missing rookies who’ve emerged in camp.  And, of course, it’s missing the results of all the many training camp battles that will have concluded in August.  In other words, it’s missing a load of the most important things!

My goal over the next month-plus is to follow the trends and movements, to tell you why a certain player is going up or down, and to give you my take on whether or not it’s warranted.  Our numbers will come from the National Fantasy Football Championship, courtesy of their director, Greg Ambrosious. 

Contained within the Fantistics Draft Software is the ability to choose different ADP providers (ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, NFBC, MFL, MFL PPR, and blended). Other than the usefulness of using the different ADPs to know what others are thinking, this also allows us the ability to complete different mock drafts using different ADP sources, giving you a different draft in each scenario. Click on the Web update feature in the Draft Advisory Software to download the latest ADPs today.

·         Feeling Fine with Foster and the Fins

When Arian Foster (41^st at RB, 134^th overall) plays, Arian Foster succeeds.  Over the course of a half-dozen years working out of the Texans’ backfield, Foster parlayed 70 games into an average of nearly 90 yards rushing per game and a very impressive total of 65 TDs.  Of course, as everyone knows, the problem is that Foster is missing chunks of action every year.  His fragility and contract pushed Houston to move on and in just the last couple of weeks he found a new home in Miami.

Since the news broke that he would be in South Florida, the vet has certainly seen interest lift.  Foster has moved well inside the top-50 at his position (that number was in the 60s before the signing) and he has gone as high as inside the top-20 among RBs in some NFFC get-togethers.  As it stands, Foster is a better bet for per-game success over his competition with the ‘Fins ... Jay Ajayi (27^th at RB, 80^th overall) and Kenyan Drake (60^th at RB, 211^th overall).  Miami has made no secret of how strong he has looked in the early days of camp.  Assuming health, by the time your draft rolls around in mid-to-late August, you should expect Foster to be a name regularly found inside the top-25 at his position.

Frankly, he’s probably worth it.  Again, on a per-game basis he can perform like an RB1.  But, can you expect more than 12 games?  I would say no.  But, I still say ‘yes’ to the investment with the follow-up understanding that you should draft another RB in the next two rounds.  You have to back him up with a viable asset.  That’s just the fact when it comes to rostering Foster.  His talent is definitely top-20, but his history demands you continue to invest behind him.

·         Here come the Splits

Another day, another warning when it comes to NFL backfields.  In 2016, it’s darn-near impossible to find a running back who has free reign and indulgence in his team’s backfield.  Looking to Week 1, you can probably say that about Adrian Peterson (5^th at RB, 14^th overall), Todd Gurley (2^nd at RB, 6^th overall), Lamar Miller (7^th at RB, 20^th overall), Mark Ingram (9^th at RB, 31^st overall), Carlos Hyde (16^th at RB, 52^nd overall), and LeSean McCoy (14^th at RB, 45^th overall) are the only RBs who start the season healthy, set for 15+ carries, and without an immediate threat to their role.  That’s a sea change from a decade ago.

In the past seven days we have heard that the Jets, the Cardinals, the Falcons, and the Chiefs, could start the new campaign with at least a slight backfield rotation.  What do all of those teams have in common?  Well, their assumed number-1 runner is currently going as a top-12 RB in drafts.  New York says they would like to limit the hits and work for Matt Forte (12^th at RB, 42^nd overall).  The Cardinals have an on-going infatuation with Chris Johnson (62^nd at RB, 231^st overall), limiting David Johnson’s (3^rd at RB, 8^th overall) opportunities.  The Falcons have readily admitted that Devonta Freeman (6^th at RB, 17^th overall) and Tevin Coleman (42^nd at RB, 135^th overall) will share chances.  And, in Kansas City, the Chiefs are (correctly) wary of asking too much from Jamaal Charles (8^th at RB, 25^th overall) as he comes off another major knee injury and nears his 30^th birthday.

Running back is a minefield of uncertainty.  A good deal of even the top guys have an inordinate amount of bust potential.  I would never tell you totally avoid them.  The nature of the beast is that risk will be inherent with nearly every single tailback.  So, the only surefire way is to load up on quantity.  In a draft with 16 rounds, my goal would be to walk away from the table with five-to-six options at the position.

·         Blue Light Specials

If it’s not yet another silly query about the viability of Josh Gordon (71^st at WR, 214^th overall ... but, as high as 65^th overall in at least one draft over the past week!), then it’s the inevitable question about ‘sleepers.’  Believe me, it’s the bane of a fantasy experts’ existence!  Still, you can’t be in the biz, unless you have some names handy.  So here are a couple that caught my eye over the past week.

The first is the very boring Joe Flacco (22^nd at QB, 125^th overall).  One thing I love about Flacco is that he literally costs nothing and he may throw as many passes as any other QB in football.  An unreported number from last year is that Flacco averaged over 41 pass attempts per game.  That’s a shockingly high number for a guy who isn’t going among the top-5-to-6 at the position.  Getting a back-up QB on your fantasy team who throws that much, has a proven record of stability in play, and who can post ‘250-and-2’ with ease, is a huge plus.  He won’t set the world on fire, but I’ll take a chance with any slinger who figures to drop back 40 times per game in ’16.  Baltimore’s defense is filth this year and they should be trailing quite often.  That means a lot of 2^nd half pass attempts.

Elsewhere, I find some level of interest in the unheralded Chris Hogan (58^th at WR, 158^th overall).  He’s made the move from Buffalo to New England in the offseason and appears to be a direct descendant of new teammates, Julian Edelman (21^st at WR, 32^nd overall) and Danny Amendola (76^th at WR, 233^rd overall).  Both of those guys are injured with lower body issues and that won’t be the last you hear of them being banged up this year.  Hogan was an immediate target of the Pats in free agency and that usually bodes well for opportunity.  New England wanted him because they’re worried about the bumps and bruises on Edelman and Amendola.  Hogan will need the guys in front of him to falter or limp, but I think that’s a near-given.  In a PPR-set-up, Hogan makes for a tempting 6^th and final WR on your roster.

·         All About the Benjamin?

The unnecessary (at least in fantasy circles) Stevie Johnson (78^th at WR, 238^th overall) could be shelved for half the year or more after tearing his meniscus.  This opens a spot for a guy like Tyrell Williams (135^th at WR, 374^th overall), but he’s not the reason for this write-up.  Instead, Johnson’s slip-up furthers the case of Travis Benjamin (41^st at WR, 96^th overall).

Benjamin is a new arrival in San Diego after breaking out in Cleveland last year with 68 catches, 988 yards, and five scores.  He’ll run as the second banana to Keenan Allen (10^th at WR, 17^th overall), but that’s still a productive spot to call home.  After all, Philip Rivers (12^th at QB, 89^th overall) will throw and throw often again this year.  Benjamin has a very good opportunity to replicate last year’s success with the Browns, while also adding another three-to-four touchdowns to his total from ’15.  I believe that Johnson’s injury provides more targets and more action in the passing game for Benjamin, rather a sudden uptick in opportunity for someone like Williams.  If I could secure him as a 4^th WR on my squad, I’d call it a nice win.

Marshall,Brandon - NYJ/WR: Brandon Marshall has been as steady as they come over the years, posting multiple 1000-yard seasons with three different teams. Now 33, he has lost a bit of speed but his game has always been more about using big frame to get open and win jump balls. Last season he pulled in 109 passes for 1,502 yards and 14 TD’s and with Ryan Fitzpatrick now back in the fold for the Jets there’s no reason to suggest that the veteran will not once again prove to be a No. 1 fantasy wide out in 2016.


Ajayi,Jay - MIA/RB: Miami running back Jay Ajayi was held out of Monday's practice due to a knee injury. He was was restricted to riding a stationary bike on the Dolphins’ sideline. They are calling it a bone bruise in his left knee. He is considered day-to-day. With Ajayi out Monday, newly signed Arian Foster (Achilles) was able to take most of the first-team reps.

Lynch,Paxton - DEN/QB: Rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch is "really, really stepping up" at recent practices, according to head coach Gary Kubiak. Lynch is really raw and reportedly looked terrible back in May’s mini-camp. Still, with only Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian ahead of him on the depth chart a strong August could raise him up the depth chart quickly. He makes for a nice dynasty target, but owners in redraft formats are best to take a wait-and-see approach with the youngster.

Wallace,Mike - BAL/WR: Mike Wallace worked with the first team during Baltimore’s practice on Sunday. He started camp off on a sour note when he field his conditioning test, but with Steve Smith and Breshard Perriman both still banged up, the Ravens will look for the veteran to have a large role early on. Wallace mustered just 39 catches for 473 yards and two touchdowns last year in Minnesota.

Taylor,Tyrod - BUF/QB: The Bills are hopeful to reach a long-term deal with quarterback Tyrod Taylor before the season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Taylor emerged last season with 3,035 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air to go along with 568 yards and four scores on the ground. Fantistics projects the Buffalo signal caller as one of the best values at the position heading into fantasy drafts this August. According to the Fantistics Projection Software notes: Above average .79 FP per attempt in 2015, with a decent 25% Red Zone success rate on runs within the Red Zone. Came through with 5 Quality Starts in final 8 games, and this came despite not throwing for over 300 yards in any of his games. Schedule stays neutral with 7 favorable and 4 neutral matchups. Favorably his offensive line is considered one of the best in protecting the pass rush.

Fleener,Coby - NO/TE: As if the Coby Fleener hype train was already going fast enough, quarterback Drew Brees added to it when talking to reporters on Monday. "As a tight end in this offense, you get a lot of opportunities, you get a lot of favorable match ups, and you can be a guy that catches a lot of balls," Brees said, "and I certainly see him in that role." Benjamin Watson, who left in free agency, had 110 targets in the New Orleans offense a year ago.

Pryor,Terrelle - CLE/WR: The buzz continues to come out of Browns’ training camp about wide receiver Terrell Pryor. The team has moved him to the “Z” receiver, which should give him a greater chance to win the job. New head coach Hue Jackson has allegedly drawn up some special plays for the former quarterback. His fantasy value remains minimal at this point, but he’s definitely a player to keep on during the preseason.

Randle,Rueben - PHI/WR: After not getting much attention in free agency this offseason, veteran receiver Rueben Randle could be fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster in Philadelphia. Former Rams wide receiver Chris Givens is establishing himself ahead of Randle in three receiver sets early on in camp, according to NJ.com. Givens is a better deep threat and is only 26 years old. Given the state of the quarterback situation for the Eagles, owners are best to avoid Randle even if he is able to win the job.

Palmer,Carson - ARI/QB: Since Bruce Arians showed up in Arizona, Carson Palmer has emerged as solid QB1 fantasy option as he has averaged 278 yards per contests with 70 passing touchdowns in 38 games. Durability is the biggest concern with Palmer as he has suffered two season-ending knee injuries and also had some issues with his throwing arm in recent years.

Cousins,Kirk - WAS/QB: After he won the job outright in Washington, quarterback Kirk Cousins was impressive last season. During the season’s second half Cousins completed 74 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns and only threw two interceptions. With Jay Gruden calling the plays in D.C. the team has averaged 274 passing yards per game over the last two years. Fantistics projects the signal caller to throw for 4,211 yards and 29 touchdowns which make him a fringe QB1, high-end QB 2 option.

Allen,Dwayne - IND/TE: Injuries have plagued Dwayne Allen for each of the past three seasons, but that didn’t stop the Colts from giving him a new deal worth $7 million a year this offseason. With Coby Fleener departing via free agency, the depth chart is clearing up for Allen to have a big role in 2016 if he can stay healthy. Other than injuries, Allen has also had a tough time catching balls as he dropped six of his 51 targets over the past two years. With Rob Chudzinski now calling the plays, Allen could see a boost. The coordinator has had a knack for creating opportunities for tight ends to be successful. His last two starting tight ends (Greg Olsen and Jordan Cameron) averaged 75 catches and six touchdowns.

Walker,Delanie - TEN/TE: Delanie Walker led all tight ends last season with 94 receptions in 2015, but repeating that mark will be a challenge. For starters, the Titans have added more weapons this offseason and with second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota getting more comfortable in the pocket he may not check down as much as he did during his rookie campaign. Walker is two inches shorter than any other starter in the league, but he’s still effective in the red zone. He’ll be 32 years when the season starts, but Walker should have another good season or two left in the tank.

Crowell,Isaiah - CLE/RB: Hue Jackson’s arrival to Cleveland should bring hope to Browns’ fans and fantasy owners alike, especially those that take a shot on Cleveland running backs. While there has been a lot of buzz, and rightfully so, around second-year back Duke Johnson, owners shouldn’t let Isaiah Crowell fall off their radar. Jackson’s last four offenses have averaged 134 yards per game and all of the scored at least 16 rushing touchdowns. The Browns often played from behind last year and even went they weren’t trailing they went a bit pass crazy. In the three games where he had 15 carries, Crowell was productive with yardage outputs 72, 145, and 88 yards to go along with four touchdowns. He’s dropping into the middle rounds of most drafts now, but Crowell still possesses RB2 upside and is an even better option in standard formats.

McCoy,LeSean - BUF/RB: At times when LeSean McCoy was on the field a year ago he looked like a high-end RB1 in the Bills’ run-first offense. Remarkably, McCoy is still only 28 years old and enters this season in full health, unlike a year ago. He averaged 75 yards rushing and 24 receiving last year, but only scored five times. With Karlos Williams facing a four-game suspension and coming into camp extremely overweight and not much depth behind him, McCoy is poised for a large workload right out of the gate. He should be viewed as low-end RB1 entering the season and makes for a great grab for owners that go wide receiver in the first couple of rounds.

Hyde,Carlos - SF/RB: After his big opening game in 2015 when he went off for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns, things went downhill quickly for San Francisco running back Carlos Hyde. There are plenty of reasons for optimism heading into 2016; including new head coach Chip Kelly now calling the shots for the 49ers. Even though the Eagles failed to make the postseason in each of the last two years, the team did have success on the ground. Philly finished 9th and 14th in rushing, averaging 117 yards per game during that span and ranking as the best team in short-yardage situations. The Eagles scored 31 touchdowns on the ground the past two years compared to the 49ers’ 14 rushing scores. Hyde has slimmed down since last year and appears to be at 100 percent as preseason action nears. He is proving to be great value at the backend of Round 3 and early Round 4 so far in early drafts.

Cooks,Brandin - NO/WR: New Orleans wide receiver Brandin Cooks has averaged over five catches per contests during his first two seasons in the league and he’s just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. He have five quality starts in the second half of 2015 and caught 55 passes for 775 yards and eight touchdowns in his last 10 games of his sophomore season. The youngster is capable of making big plays in the Saints’ passing game as evident by his scoring plays of 71, 60, 54 and 38 yards a year ago. He’s a better option in PPR formats than standard leagues. Despite the early success, Cooks best football appears to still be ahead.

Cook,Jared Has only averaged a meager 52% completion rate with a slightly above average 12 YPR. Can Aaron Rodgers tap into a talent that has yet to emerge? Not willing to gamble on that in traditional sized leagues as anything but a backup.

Gronkowski,Rob Continues to put up massive numbers coming from the TE position. Consistently averages 17+ FPG, with a Fantasy Points per attempt hovering around 2 points per! He was blanketed in the Red Zone however, which dropped his success rate from 75% in 2014 to only 35% last season. Plays almost every down when he's healthy, and a legitimate first round selection.

Graham,Jimmy Injury concern as he recovers from a torn patellar tendon in his right knee (Week 12). Could start the season on the PUP. On top of that he clearly was not utilized as many hoped that he would be in his first year with Russell. Additionally his 11% Red Zone success rate was a pretty big disappointment. Has some value in the late rounds as a hold and stash type selection.

Watson,Benjamin Drew Brees resurrected his career after the departure of Jimmy Graham, Registered a very encouraging 12 FPG last season with a slightly above average 67% reception rate. Was in on 85% of the snaps in NO, but that's not going to be the case now that he's in Baltimore. Expect a significant regression here as he'll be sharing time.

Miller,Zach Stepped up for the Bears in the 2nd half last season with an impressive 13 FPG and 2.34 FP per attempt. His 50% Red Zone success rate was solid. Played like a top 10 in the 2nd half, and should land in the top 15 this season.

Clay,Charles Posted a disappointing 4 QS in his 13 games last season. His 9.4 FPG is top 25 material, but there is room for upside in the Red zone where he posted a 78% success rate.

Helfet,Cooper - SEA/TE: Helfet suffered a cracked bone in his foot on the very first play of practice Sunday. Seattle faces some uncertainty with starting TE Jimmy Graham on the PUP list as he still rehabilitates from the patellar tendon he tore last season. Helfet popped up as an option in deep PPR leagues last year but now who knows when he will be able to practice again. Luke Willson’s value will continue to increase as long as Graham and Helfet are both out.

Beckham Jr,Odell - NYG/WR: OBJ suffered a minor injury in practice Sunday when fellow Giant Janoris Jenkins (one of the Giants big free agent acquisitions) collided with him and reportedly “cleated” the star’s left ankle – leaving it sore and bloody. He was eventually carted off the practice field to the locker room after trying to work through it. There is nothing to worry about here but he may be limited in some upcoming practices.

Johnson,Steve - SD/WR: The underrated receiver injured his right knee during Sunday practice in San Diego and will undergo an MRI to determine the extent. Hopefully, the results will be positive because Johnson would be a nice sleeper pick in larger leagues. Keenan Allen and newly acquired Travis Benjamin are both higher than him on the depth chart but Allen is injury prone and Benjamin isn’t a proven receiver. Johnson’s numbers last year (495 yards/3 TDs) would have been much better if he didn’t miss six games due to a hamstring issue, but even if he does come back from his current injury, he will have to prove he can stay healthy.

Romo,Tony - DAL/QB: The team recently expressed its thoughts that even though Romo is coming off yet another collarbone issue, he should be a full go for most, if not all of training camp. Unfortunately, he is already set to miss some early practices. In addition to his collarbone, there have been some photos circulating on the internet – showing Romo on the heavier side – but isn’t that what training camp is for? To get back into game playing shape? Supposedly, Romo’s collarbone has been “reinforced” which will make it harder to break when contacted and that is great news. His fantasy numbers are always strong when healthy but if you do draft him, you always have to draft a higher than usual backup.

Yeldon,TJ - JAX/RB: The second year back underwent minor ankle surgery this offseason and as a result was not ready to practice as training camp opened this week in Jacksonville. Despite scoring only two rushing TDs he showed he could be a productive NFL back and a strong receiver – catching 36 passes. The team kept his touches down to break him into the long NFL season slowly so his numbers could have been much better, but we have to factor in the presence of newly acquired Chris Ivory – the human bowling ball. Most experts project Ivory as the short yardage back which could steal a bunch of scoring plays from Yeldon.

Cook,Jared - GB/TE: The backup to Richard Rodgers is struggling with a foot injury that will keep him sidelined for some time. The team expects him to return hopefully after the second week of preseason action - which would still leave him far behind the learning curve in a new offense. This development only strengthens R. Rodgers’ stranglehold on the position but we still like the athletic Cook’s presence in an Aaron Rodgers-led offense.

Forte,Matt - NYJ/RB: Forte tweaked his hamstring as training camp started late last week in Jets Land and he has yet to practice since. The team doesn’t think it’s serious and is just being overly cautious, which is the smart thing to do at this point of the year. Forte is set to do big things in an offense that can be explosive at times – especially with Ryan Fitzpatrick re-signed. Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is the only man in the world who knows how to effectively use Fitz and now with an upgrade at RB, defenses will have even more trouble defending Gang Green.

Martin,Doug - TB/RB: Martin was close to being left for dead at the beginning of last season, but a funny thing happened – he played so well he got a new $35 million contract to stay in Tampa. He finished with his best season since his rookie year in 2012 – rushing for 1,402 yards, 4.9 YPC (!) and caught 33 passes for 271 yards. With strong armed Jameis Winston, Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, the strength of the TB offense is the pass which opened a lot of room for Martin. Now with a proven offensive minded Dirk Koetter as head coach, Martin will see how to build on Martin’s surprising success in 2015.

Roethlisberger,Ben - PIT/QB: With all the bad news circling the Steelers about Martavis Bryant’s suspension and Le’Veon Bell’s possible suspension, one bit of good news is that Big Ben is 100% healthy following that brutal hit against Cincinnati in the playoffs which sprained his AC joint. The Steelers are such that the offense comes close to collapsing when Roethlisberger isn’t in there, especially when missing key players on offense. On the negative side, he is 34 years old and doesn’t bounce back from hits the way he used to. He missed four games last year which killed some owners (like me) but when he did play, he was as lethal as ever.

Kaepernick,Colin - SF/QB: The embattled QB was cleared for all football activity last week (following three surgeries) and now will receive equal first time reps with Blaine Gabbert at the start of training camp according to head coach Chip Kelly which is actually a nice surprise. Unfortunately, Kap has a lot of things working against him as he tries to reclaim his throne – ownership doesn’t want him, he lost a lot of the locker room the way he handled parts of last season, there isn’t a lot of talent on the Niners offense and his health issues. Even at his peak, Kap was a spotty fantasy player, looking great at times but mediocre at other times as the Niners were a run heavy team. That has all changed now and the thought is if Kap can’t make it with Kelly, he won’t make it anywhere.

McCoy,LeSean - BUF/RB: With his offseason legal troubles in his rear view window, McCoy is looking to get off to a much better start than he did last year. McCoy was dogged by injuries early on but when he returned, he should how productive he could still be, especially as a receiver out of the backfield. He recently told the media in Buffalo that he is at his lightest weight in many years and feels great. With a run-based offensive coordinator in Greg Roman, McCoy will see the ball as much as ever, especially with backup Karlos Williams suspended to start the season.

Eifert,Tyler - CIN/TE: The oft injured tight end will only need a walking boot for another week or so before he can take it off and start getting into playing shape. His offseason ankle surgery that took place in May had a three month recovery window which puts his return right in the middle of preseason. Now, the team believes he will be ready to go when the regular season comes around but we will wait and see how his ankle responds to actual vigorous exercise and practice drills. Nevertheless, his 13 TDs last year show how productive he can be when healthy so despite his early season status being questionable, he is worth a high pick.

Peterson,Adrian - MIN/RB: Arguably the best running back in the game has pulled a hamstring already in training camp and will take it easy until he feels better. With training camp just starting, any injuries are treated very cautiously because of the long season ahead, particularly when it comes to the running back position – a position that has a career life expectancy of around four years. I always liked how the SD Chargers treated LaDainian Tomlinson in the preseason – they never played him – and it extended his career. Minnesota should take note as Peterson gets up there in age.

Jones,Julio - ATL/WR: The oft nicked but fantasy terror has come out of the gate slow this weekend with a sore leg that has limited his time in practice. The team has always managed Jones’ health woes well so expect Jones to be treated with extreme caution. He has played through pain a lot the last two seasons as he has missed only one game but when you catch 136 passes like he did last year, defenders get a lot of chances to tee off on him.

Hopkins,DeAndre - HOU/WR: Just as soon as the NFL community wrapped its head around the stud receiver skipping the first day of training camp, he indeed reported the next day (Sunday). After his ridiculously productive 2015, Hopkins wants a pay raise even though he is still under contract. This could have dragged on for a bit but it didn’t which is great news for Hopkins’ fantasy prospects. Despite the terribly inconsistent QB play in Houston last year, he was targeted 192 times! He caught 111 of those targets for 1,521 yards and 11 TDs but even so, Hopkins needs all the time available to build chemistry with Texans new QB Brock Osweiler.

WR Antonio Brown - The pound for pound best wide receiver in all of football. A year ago Brown went for 1,834 yards receiving on 136 catches with 10 touchdowns and 9 games over 100 yards receiving. With three straight years of at least 1,000 yards receiving and 8 touchdowns, you have to consider Antonio as the number one pick in your fantasy drafts. With an ADP of 1.01 you have to have stones larger than mine to fade him for someone else. Big Ben and Brown will be lethal once again.

WR Doug Baldwin - It’s so hard to believe the play Baldwin is becoming. In 2015 Baldwin had 7 touchdowns inside the red zone on 17 targets. Russell Wilson really trusts Doug to catch the ball going across the middle, but we can’t sleep on his big play making ability either. Baldwin finished 2015 with 14 touchdowns and only one game where he caught less than three passes. It will be hard for Baldwin to duplicate the touchdowns in 2016 but you are getting a steal at his current ADP of 4.08.

RB Carlos Hyde - Will Chip Kelly grind Carlos Hyde like he did McCoy for two seasons in Philly when Shady went for 300+ carries in back to back years? That is hard to tell. What we do know is Hyde can be productive when he is healthy. Hyde has missed 11 of 32 games since being drafted, that is very concerning. However if you are taking Hyde at his ADP of 3.04 you are really banking on him to be on the field and getting close to 250 carries. If that happens you have a great value on your hands.

WR Golden Tate - Life without Calvin Johnson, is going to be interesting for Golden Tate and the Lions. You can look at it as more balls will come his direction, or you can say without Calvin to hold the safeties will Tate even be open? Here is the thing Tate is a PPR machine for his ADP of 5.04, you’re looking at a guy that should lead the team in receptions, coming off an solid 2015 season. Stafford will still look to Tate across the middle and if he pushes 90 catches again in 2016, you will be very happy.

QB Philip Rivers - Rivers wants to improve his short passes accuracy in 2016. One thing you can always count on with Rivers is the ball will be thrown all across the field. After throwing for 4,793 with 29 touchdowns and 9 games where he threw for more than 300, you might ask where can he really improve. A lot of people don’t like drafting Rivers and he is 15th ranked QB on our sheet at the moment, but there is little to no doubt he will pushing 5,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2016.

RB DeMarco Murray - A little bit of a wild card here, it is hard to account for anything Murray did in 2015. Chip and DeMarco never really saw eye to eye, now they are both out of Philly. The Titans have indicated they want Murray to be a workhorse back for them in 2016. You’re obviously going to be taking a gamble here, and I would prefer to get him after his ADP of 5.07 but if the Titans give him the opportunity Chip didn’t he will be closer to 2014 DeMarco than the 2015 edition.

WR Kelvin Benjamin - The return of Benjamin is upon us. After missing all of 2015 due to an ACL injury, the Panthers are happy to have him back. A lot of people are down on the third year talent but it’s not all warranted. Someone has to catch balls and score touchdowns for the Panthers other than Greg Olsen. In his rookie season Benjamin went for 1,008 yards and 9 touchdowns, not to mention his shaky hands he had in 2014. Kelvin isn’t a guy you should be reaching for, but don’t be surprised to see Cam develop great chemistry with him in 2016. Benjamin can easily outperform his ADP of 4.05.

WR Allen Robinson - Blake Bortles loves to look at Robinson in the redzone and we love touchdowns. In 2015 Robinson had 12 touchdowns inside the redzone, really impressive stuff. On the year he had 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. After really coming onto the scene a year ago, expectations are high for Robinson and the Jaguars. We should expect another 1,000 plus yard season with double digit touchdown upside. You may just have to grab him in the first round with his ADP sitting at 1.12 at the moment.

QB Blake Bortles - If you love Allen Robinson, then you love Blake Bortles. Bortles has all the tools and weapons to be a top five producing fantasy quarterback. In 2015 Bortles threw for 4,428 yards to go along with 35 touchdowns and 6 games throwing for over 300 yards. Robinson isn’t his only target either, Allen Hurns and Rashad Greene are going to be called on a lot in 2016. I for one wouldn’t be afraid to take Bortles ahead of his ADP that sits at 5.12 on our sheet.

QB Matt Ryan - Matty Ice had one of the most impressive, unimpressive seasons in a while in 2015. It is really hard to believe with Julio Jones catching balls the guy couldn't throw for more than two touchdowns in a single game a year ago. Yes you read that right, not one game with more than two touchdown passes. However he did throw for 4,591 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Don’t go reaching for Matt Ryan but if you are going to wait it out before taking a quarterback you can get Ryan late, maybe even off the waiver line after your draft.

RB Devonta Freeman - The surprise of all surprises in 2015, was this man. After compiling 1,056 yards on the ground with 10 touchdowns and adding 578 yards receiving with 3 touchdowns, were asking a lot for a repeat performance. Freeman touched the ball 337 times in 2015 and the Falcons are already talking about an easier workload in 2016. All things considered Freeman has a really fair ADP of 2.07 and don’t be afraid, the man is still going to make an impact every week.

WR Anquan Boldin - After being acquired by the Detroit Lions, Boldin will look to become the third option on his new team. Anquan isn’t a guy you need to draft on draft day but a guy I would recommend targeting as a potential waiver pickup during the season. The Lions are thin as is with pass catchers and Stafford will throw to anyone with hands, could make for a nice mid season pick up.

WR Amari Cooper - We really need to see Amari take the next leap in red zone scoring. In 2015 he only had 8 targets inside the redzone but manage to score twice. The rest of his game is fine, Amari caught 72 balls for 1,070 yards and really came on during the second half of the season. Amari has an ADP of 3.02 which feels a little high, but we are all expecting him to take the next leap in his second season. As well as improve his chemistry will Carr that will only increase his red zone looks.

RB Lamar Miller - Why should you take Lamar Miller at his ADP of 2.06? For starters, Miller is no longer a Miami Dolphin, the Texans are going to use him and use him a lot. Bill O’Brien loves to run the football, since being the coach for the Texans they have ranked 1st and 5th in rushing attempts in the NFL. Lamar is looking to get near 300 total touches in 2016, the world will finally see the back he is capable of being.

QB Teddy Bridgewater - The word around town is Teddy has learned to throw the deep ball, do we believe it? Not sure, but if he can improve on it at all he will make huge strides as a fantasy relevant quarterback. In 2015 Bridgewater only threw for 3,332 yards with 14 touchdowns, also his rushing attempts were way down for the kind of athlete he is. In 2016 the Vikings are planning on using a more shotgun centric offense which should only help showcase what Bridgewater is naturally good at, extending plays with his feet. Teddy is far from a QB1 level talent but makes for a nice QB2 to have when you need a spot start.

Jones,Julio - ATL/WR: The Falcons’ were very helpful to the media when it came to Julio Jones saying that he in fact tweaked “something” in the first day of practice. Sarcasm aside, Coach Dan Quinn says that he’ll be back in their Friday so there really isn’t anything to worry about. Jones flourished in Kyle Shanahan’s offense in year one catching 136 passes for 1,871 yards on 203 targets. All of that was without any sort of threat on the field besides himself to catch passes. With bringing in Mohammed Sanu and drafting Austin Hooper, there are more options for Matt Ryan which will take into Julio’s target, but his catch percentage should go up.

Dixon,Kenneth - BAL/RB: There was a scare in Ravens camp when Kenneth Dixon was hurt as the end of practice and had to be helped off the field. Good news for the Ravens came saying the injury was just a slight MCL sprain and he’s being listed as day-to-day. Dixon is getting some love in the Fantistics’ fantasy projections as they list him as the #45 RB thanks a lot to his receiving abilities out of the backfield as he’s projected for the 29th most catches out of the backfield.

Green,Ladarius - PIT/TE: Following offseason ankle surgery, Ladarius Green is starting the season on the PUP list as the team will ease him back into being ready having to fill the void of Heath Miller who retired this offseason. Green gives Ben Roethlisberger a legitimate TE receiving option who could be in store for a huge season now that he doesn’t have to battle Antonio Gates for the targets at the position. Fantistics has him projected as the #13 best TE and he’s currently being drafted in the 8th round of drafts.

Forte,Matt - NYJ/RB: Matt Forte sat out Thursday’s practice with a tweaked hamstring, but he’s expected to be back within the week for the Jets. Forte was the big offseason addition to the offense and will likely play a huge role for the Jets this year. Chris Ivory ran for 1,070 yards for the Jets last season and left to join the Jaguars meaning there are a ton of carries up for grab and Forte should get almost all of them. Ivory was not a huge threat out of the backfield, but Bilal Powell received 64 targets and you’d have to think we can take some from him and give them to Forte as he’s two years gone from a 102 catch season and a 44 catch season last year. He averages 60 catches a season and he’s had to battle with top WR options before for looks so I’m not worried about him going to an offense that is so WR focused.

Floyd,Leonard - CHI/LB: Floyd left the Bears practice on a cart Thursday, but apparently it was just due to an illness that he’s been battling for the last few days and tried to work through. Right now, Floyd is listed as the backup at ROLB for the Bears but like all first round picks most teams will likely try to get him on the field as much as he can. He can play a bit of inside and while he may be a little on the small side, he can run with probably every tight end and a large majority of slot wideouts so if he can prove he can play the run at this level at an average level there’s a chance he gets significant playing time.

Rawls,Thomas - SEA/RB: Thomas Rawls is slated for a huge season for the Seahawks, but he’s getting off to a slow start as he’s not going to be ready for the start of camp. Rawls says that his rehab is going terrific and he’s running and cutting already and everything is going well. He’s going to be the lead back on an offense that LOVES to run the football and Fantistics has him going for 1,145 yards and 8 scores. In Fantistics’ Insider notes: Rawls was a top 10 back when healthy and averaged .80 points per touch. He’s in stores for a big big season.

Graham,Jimmy - SEA/TE: Jimmy Graham isn’t going to be ready to start training camp for the Seahawks but the team expects him to be ready for the season opener. Last year was a disaster for Graham as he only caught 48 passes for 605 yards and two touchdowns. This year he enters the season as the #14 tight end in our projection systems, and there’s going to be a point where he falls far enough that he will become a value. He’s currently going two rounds behind Ladarius Green and he’s got identical projections to him.

McFadden,Darren - DAL/RB: Darren McFadden received a bone scan that his elbow is healing well and he’s supposed to be ready for the regular season. After a huge 1,000 yard season last year, the team went out and drafted Ezekiel Elliot #4 overall and it sounds like he’s going to get most of the carries from the get go. However, McFadden makes for one of the best handcuffs in football and absolutely needs to be drafted in every league because if Elliot were to suffer an injury or be slow to start, the Cowboys have a chance to win this year and shouldn’t hesitate to put McFadden back in there if needed.

Bell,Le'Veon - PIT/RB: Le’Veon Bell spoke to the media for the first time since the news broke that he was facing a four game suspension for missing a drug test. He and coach Mike Tomlin said that his appeal for the suspension will be heard in the second week of August. For teams drafting late this is good news because you can wait and adjust if his suspension does get reduced, but if you’re drafting between then and now and you have to decided when it’s time to pull the trigger on him. For me, there’s no way I let him get past the middle of the second round as he’s one of the true game changers in fantasy. Even with missing four games, he’s still Fantistic’s #4 back going into the season.

Galette,Junior - WAS/LB: Galette was confirmed to have torn his achillies for the second straight season and will miss all of 2016 for the Redskins. It’s a shame that since coming over to Washington from the Saints that he hasn’t been able to set foot on the field. The Redskins defense was slated as the #10 defense in Fantistics’ projections for 2016, and without having any impact from Galette last year I don’t think they should move down too much.

Browns, Cleveland - CLE/D: The Browns said Thursday that they are going to name their starting QB for week one before their first preseason game on August 12th. This means that the Browns are going to likely name Robert Griffin III or Josh McCown as the starter. For fantasy purposes, neither rates very highly in Fantistics’ projections as the 33rd and 35th best QBs respectively. Obviously for fantasy reasons I’d want to see RGIII inserted as the starter because although you definitely aren’t drafting him in single QB leagues, he could make for a high upside gamble in two QB leagues. For instance in 12 team leagues, Matt Ryan, Teddy Bridgewater, Jay Cutler, and Brock Oswiler are QBs 24-27 that could be the tail end of the two QB “depth chart.” However in between Oswiler and RGII there is Jared Goff, Mark Sanchez, Sam Bradford, Blaine Gabbert, and Paxton Lynch and to be honest I probably take the homerun shot on RGIII and pick up a Bradford if RGIII shows he still doesn’t have it.

Cruz,Victor - NYG/WR: Cruz has avoided the PUP list and is supposed to take part in the teams’ practice on Friday. Honestly, him avoiding the PUP list may have saved his spot on the roster as he was injured in October 2014, and then hurt his calf last season which cost him the entire system. There are reports that the teams’ second round pick Sterling Shepard is impressing early on, meaning that Cruz might already be third on the pecking order for Eli Mannings’ targets. If he had been forced to miss any extra time, there could have been a chance that he fell even further and the Giants could have been faced with a decision on whether he’d be healthy again.

Fitzpatrick,Ryan - FA/QB: Todd Bowles came out Thursday and said what we already assumed, that Ryan Fitzpatrick is going to be the Jets starter this year from day one. Fantistics has Fitzpatrick slated as the 19th best QB on the board now that he’s signed with the Jets, with projections looking at 3,710 yards and 30 touchdowns. As long as Fitz has Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker outside to work with he’s going to be fantasy usable on most weeks. The Jets also brought in Matt Forte this offseason, who is among the best in football at catching the ball out of the backfield, and if second year wide out Devin Smith can make strides, there’s a solid chance he can climb into the top 15 at the position.

Kelvin Benjamin (CAR) - Kelvin Benjamin managed to avoid the PUP list to begin camp and he passed the conditioning test on Wednesday.  This is really good news for the big Carolina receiver who missed all of last season with a torn ACL.  Benjamin returns to an offense that looks much different than the last time he stepped on the field.  Newton has emerged as a legitimate QB1 and has become a threat to both throw and run the football.  With that said, we also saw the Panthers throw the ball nearly 50 fewer times in 2015 than in 2014.  Kelvin saw his fair share of red zone targets in 2014 and figures to regain a large share of the targets that he lost to Greg Olsen last year, but the rise of Devin Funchess will prevent Benjamin from getting anywhere close to the 145 targets he saw as a rookie.  Unfortunately, Benjamin had a lot of success due to pure volume in 2014, but his overall efficiency was really low.  He'll need to reduce his drops and improve his route running before he can be considered among the best of his loaded 2014 draft class, especially since he'll have to try to repeat that performance on significantly fewer opportunities.  

Ryan Mathews (PHI) – The Eagles placed oft-injured running back Ryan Mathews on the PUP list to begin training camp earlier this week, but it doesn’t appear the ankle injury is serious.  CSN Philadelphia reiterated this fact on Wednesday when they reported that Mathews was seen walking into the team’s facility without a limp.  While this particular injury doesn’t appear serious, it’s important to mention Mathew’s lengthy injury history.  In recent years, Mathews has missed 9 games related to 3 different concussions, broke his collarbone and missed 3 games, sprained his MCL in his knee and missed 8 games and has suffered several other various ailments.  In fact, 2013 was the only season in his 6-year career where he managed to play 16 games.  Ryan Mathews owners would be wise to make a late round investment in rookie Wendell Smallwood as insurance. 

Darren McFadden (DAL) – How did Darren McFadden use the offseason to prepare to battle Ezekiel Elliot for the starting running back position?  By breaking his elbow, of course.  Luckily, Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole came bearing good news for McFadden owners on Wednesday, stating that The running back’s recent bone scan results came back “good” and he remains on track to be available Week 1.  Of course, we don't know how involved he will be during the pre-season and despite the off-the-field issues with Elliot, the Cowboys also brought in veteran Alfred Morris to shore up their backfield.  With all this competition, it's difficult to see a clear path to significant playing time for him.  McFadden resurrected his career in 2015 by rushing for over the century mark for the first time since 2010 and finishing with an average 4.6 YPC.  The outlook would obviously change if Elliot faces any type of discipline by the NFL, but for now, McFadden is nothing more than a late round prayer. 

Eddie Lacy (GB) -  Weight and conditioning has always been an issue for the Packers’ 4^th year running back. Fortunately, based on reports out of Packers camp in the Milwaukee-Sentinel, Lacy showed up looking fit and worked all off-season with famous P90X trainer, Tony Horton.  Fantasy owners may find it hard to trust Lacy this season after he fell into a timeshare with James Starks midway through 2015, but it certainly sounds like the running back worked his tail off to prepare for this year.  Last season was a down year for the entire Packers offense.  Without Jordy Nelson, the team struggled to build their historically strong passing attack, giving defenses more opportunities to stack the box against Lacy.  Now that Jordy is back, look for this offense to get back on track and Lacy to again post numbers closer to what he did in 2014.

Bruce Ellington (SF) - Entering training camp, Torrey Smith is listed as the WR1 on the San Francisco 49ers depth chart, but Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee believes "he appears to be a major component and is in excellent position to be the 49ers’ break-out player on offense."  Before that, he also mentioned that "Ellington can line up in the slot, go in motion for a handoff or even come out of the backfield".  Chip Kelly has long been recognized for him obsession over "gadget" players like Ellington, so this may be something to pay attention to in the coming weeks.  Ellington can be had for pennies and definitely sounds like the type of upside gamble that you should take at the end of your drafts.  

Jeremy Langford (CHI) - One of the more interesting position battles this summer will be taking place in Chicago's backfield.  Last year's breakout, Jeremy Langford, will be battling second-year Ka'deem Carey and rookie Jordan Howard for touches this season.  Since the draft, Bears beat writers have viewed Langford as the early-down back, with the physical Howard most likely to play short-yardage or goal line downs.  However, on Wednesday we learned that Jeremy Langford showed up to training camp 8-10 pounds heavier as he spent the off-season bulking up to try to win the job outright.  It remains to be seen if his now 220 pound frame will be able to sustain the workload of a workhorse back and if the added weight will have any negative consequences, like cutting down on his acceleration.  As it stands right now, Langford still has a lead on the job, but an impressive camp from either Carey or Howard could muddy up the waters. 

Antonio Gates (TE) - Time for the obligatory "daily narrative" from training camps.  According to ESPN, Philip Rivers wants his longtime tight end, Antonio Gates, to break Tony Gonzalez's career touchdown record.  Gates is just 7 touchdowns shy of Gonzalez's 111, and while last year was filled with reports that Gates was slowing down, he still finished the year with the second-most targets on the Chargers.  Rivers and Gates share one of the best chemistry among any NFL duo and for that reason, Gates is easily a starting tight end on any fantasy team.  Despite missing the first four games of last season, Gates still finished with the second-most red zone targets among all tight ends, more than Rob Gronkowski, Jordan Reed or Greg Olsen. If you take him as your top tight end, be sure to grab a backup as injury insurance.

Ezekiel Elliot (DAL) - According to TMZ Sports, "Ezekiel Elliot's not out of the woods yet...because his accuser in the domestic violence case has gone to the city prosecutor -- which has launched a full investigation into her allegations".  Elliott (and four witnesses) has been adamant that there was no wrongdoing, but we'll have to wait and let the investigation run its course.  At this point, it doesn't appear there is sufficient evidence in the case against Elliot, so unless something else surfaces that hasn't already been mentioned, it's likely the accuser won't gain any traction here, either.  For what it's worth, the police already said there wasn't enough evidence to make an arrest.  Continue to draft Elliot in the first round of fantasy drafts, despite the news of the investigation. 

Paxton Lynch (DEN) - Paxton Lynch told Jeff Legwold of ESPN that he believes he has a shot at being the starting quarterback for the Broncos this season.  Speaking on Wednesday, Lynch said "I definitely think I have the opportunity to better myself and put myself up in that position to play right away or sooner than I had thought," Lynch said. "I knew those guys were going to be ahead of me just because of experience -- Trevor his experience in the offense and Mark his experience in the league and me being a rookie, and this is the first time I've seen a playbook like that." There's no question that the Broncos are going to be willing to make this situation an open competition, but as Lynch hits on in the second half of his quote, learning an NFL playbook as a rookie quarterback is one of the most difficult things to do, let alone building chemistry with his receivers and line.  This is likely just noise and excitement coming out of the opening day at camp, but the first-round selection should be given every opportunity to develop quickly and could potentially see game action during the season if Sanchez struggles.  Lynch is currently #3 on the depth chart behind Sanchez and Trevor Seimien.  For what it’s worth, Broncos beat writer Andrew Mason also mentioned on Wednesday that coach Gary Kubiak was disappointed with the way Lynch played in spring workouts, but has been impressed with his improvements so far.  He also said he doesn’t have a timeline for determining which of his quarterbacks would be the starter. 

Jared Cook (GB) - The Packers announced on Tuesday that newly signed tight end Jared Cook would begin training camp on the PUP list.  However, Ian Rapaport is reporting that based on discussions with Mike McCarthy on Cook's medical report, the move was mostly precautionary and he shouldn't be inactive for very long.  Cook has a great opportunity to finally play in a highly efficient offense after spending all of his career in Tennessee and St. Louis.  Perpetually tagged in pre-seasons as a potential breakout candidate, Cook has always struggled to take the next step. From a pure talent and physical standpoint, Cook has everything that you would want from a tight end.  Unfortunately, laziness and lack-of-focus have led to plenty of missed blocks and dropped passes over the recent years, so he's going to need to straighten out that aspect of the game to beat out Richard Rodgers.  With the return of Jordy Nelson, there won't be as many "free" targets to go around, but the overall efficiency of the offense should increase, which will benefit Cook.

Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ) - The drama of the pre-season has certainly been the dialogue back-and-forth between the Jets and free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick.  The latter had been holding out for a better contract, while the former has stood their ground with their allegiance to Geno Smith.  That all came to an end on Wednesday as the two sides came to an agreement on a 1-year contract worth $12.9M.  The news definitely boosts the fantasy values of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, but Fitzpatrick is nothing more than a backup, streaming option for most fantasy leagues.  The Jets strength of schedule gets a little tougher this season, so it may be difficult for the quarterback to repeat the 31 TDs and 3,905 yards that he had a season ago. 

Le’Veon Bell (PIT) – Profootball talk reported on Wednesday that there’s a “strong sense” among football circles that Le’Veon Bell would not be likely to win his suspension appeal from the league.  Bell’s reasoning for the appeal is centered on the fact that he changed his cell phone number, so he did not know the league was requesting a sample for drug testing.  Sure, good luck with that one, Le’veon.  We’ve pounded the topic pretty heavily over the last few days, but Bell obviously remains one of the more difficult valuations that fantasy owners will face this drafting season.  To make matters more difficult, two of his best defensive matchups all season will come during his suspension when the Steelers take on the Eagles and the Redskins.  So in what type of leagues should you reach for Bell?  Anytime you’re in a format that has a larger percentage of teams make the playoffs, Bell becomes an intriguing possibility for your squad.  For example, if you’re in a 12-team league that takes the top-8 teams for the playoffs, you might be able to recover from the 4 weeks without your running back to be able to finish 8^th overall.  On the flipside, if you’re in a 12-team format where only 4 teams make the playoffs, taking him in the 2^nd round is a pill that’s a little more difficult to swallow. 

Jordy Nelson (GB) – The Packers placed Jordy Nelson on the PUP list on Monday, raising speculation that he had suffered a setback in his recovery from right knee ACL surgery. Luckily, Nelson clarified the issue on Tuesday and said that he’s currently dealing with tendonitis in the left knee, not the surgically repaired right knee.  It’s not unusual for recovering athletes to over-compensate during their rehab, which can unintentionally put undue stress on the opposite side of the body.  Fortunately, both Nelson and the Packers have reiterated that this was a minor setback and the ultimate goal remains to be ready for Week 1.  There are a lot of fantasy owners riding on Jordy Nelson this year, regardless if they are a Nelson owner, a Rodgers owner, or any other Packers player.  In general, the rehabilitation process for ACL injuries has improved significantly over recent years and it’s not unusual for a player to feel 100% back to normal within 6-12 months of the surgery.  Nelson is 9 months removed. 

Hakeem Nicks (NO) – Nicks signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, giving the team a little extra depth at the wide receiver position.  Currently, Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead sit atop the Saints’ depth chart, but rookie Michael Thomas has been generating a lot of buzz early in camp.  Still just 28 years old, Nicks has primarily played with the Giants in his career, but he has failed to play regularly for any team since 2013.  When he has been on the field, Nicks has struggled with drops (completion percentage <60% every year since 2010).  The Saints just released veteran Vincent Brown, so Nicks is a logical addition, but with a crowded corps of receivers, there’s no guarantee he’ll make the team out of camp.

Arian Foster (MIA) -  The love affair between head coach Adam Gase and newly signed Arian Foster continued on Tuesday when the team’s website published the following quote from the coach: “"I really like his skill set. I've been an admirer of his for ... I don't know how long he's been playing. It just feels like forever. A great opportunity for us, him still being out there.”  After Foster signed, the obvious conclusion that most of us assumed was that he would handle the majority of the workload, particularly on passing downs.  The news flow since the signing hasn’t wavered from this thought, in fact, most of it has only strengthened the idea that Foster could conceivably see the lionshare of touches.  There’s always an opportunity for Jay Ajayi to make things interesting during training camp, so don’t get too excited about Foster just yet, but it certainly looks like Foster continues to have the edge. 

Contained within our player projections software is a notes column. Here is where we point out some statistical indicators that are relevant to our 2016 projections. This morning we'll take a look at some of the Tight  Ends that will be part of your 2016 draft (In no particular order):

Barnidge,Gary The Browns Gary Barnidge was the 3rd best TE last season, is his 8th round ADP a value? It sure is. Barnidge was consistent throughout the 2015 season, registering 11 Quality Starts, and posting a 13.1 Fantasy Points per game average in the 2nd half. Consider that in 2015, when he was targeted with 2 or more passes in the Red Zone, there was only 1 game in which he didn't score a TD. This despite the additional coverage that he drew all season. In 2016, he will be better off if Josh McCown wins the starting role, and if rookie receiver Corey Coleman can step right in, Barnidge can once again provide his owners with significant value. Some regression expected, but we still consider him a top 7 talent at the position.

Witten,Jason Solid 74% completion rate, but production came in spurts as evidenced by his meager 4 QS in 2015. Obviously missed Romo, but at 34 he's running on low. Despite this he's a lock almost every season to be a top 10.

Tamme,Jacob Showed some fantasy relevance in 4 games last season, and caught a solid 73% of targets but wasn't a Red Zone consideration with only a 14% Success rate. Now with rookie Hooper in the mix, he's a deep reach in most leagues.

Bennett,Martellus Essentially missed the 2nd half of 2015. Moves on to New England, where he becomes an interesting piece in a system that once supported 2 fantasy viable Test. Overall his value does take a hit as he's not likely to achieve the success he had in 2014 when he averaged 13.6 FPG. That said he'll be serviceable on occasion, and a top 5 if Gronk gets injured.

Olsen,Greg 3rd in the league at his position in targeted passes, but the frequency led to some predictability in the Red Zone in the 2nd half when he only scored 2 TDs and overall registered a subpar 25% Red Zone success rate. With Benjamin back in the fold, some of that predictability will be diminished. Regardless he's a top 5 fantasy TE almost every season.

Walker,Delanie Had his best season ever with rookie QB Mariotta. 10 QS, 16.2 PPG, 133 targets, 87/1088 yards, and 242 PPR fantasy Points was 4th best in the league. That said, the Titans are expected to run the ball more, especially in the Red Zone, so some regression is expected.

Langford,Jeremy - CHI/RB: Langford impressed mightily as a rookie in spot duty for the oft injured Matt Forte last year – rushing for 537 yards and six TDs and catching 22 passes and one TD. In fact, Langford’s potential was one of the reasons the Bears were confident in letting Forte go, but on the other hand, they weren’t confident enough to pass up on impressive college RB Jordan Howard in the draft earlier this year. Chicago knows it needs to avoid Jay Cutler carrying the offense with his gunslinging ways because that never ends well, so the running game remains key. The departure of offensive coordinator Adam Gase albeit is a negative as is the threat of a running back by committee situation since Langford hasn’t proven he can handle the lead rushing load for 16 games, but Langford will be a nice low end RB2/high end RB3 in most league formats if he has a strong preseason.

Gordon,Melvin - SD/RB: When Gordon finished up his college playing career in Wisconsin, he looked like a can’t miss prospect but now there are doubts everywhere. He had a horrendous rookie year that saw him score ZERO TDs and left him in need of microfracture surgery which is usually the death knell of the many athletes that undergo it. There are examples of a healthy return such as former RB great Garrison Hearst many years ago and Gordon does have youth on his side. SD has beefed up its offensive line but Gordon will be a gamble even as a RB3 unless he really does return for training camp like he said he would and impresses during the preseason.

Thomas,Demaryius - DEN/WR: Despite the Super Bowl ring, most fans memories of Thomas in 2015 was a whole lot of dropped passes in big situations. It all started with the infamous game in snowy Denver against New England when it appeared he dropped everything that was thrown at him. It continued into the playoffs – resulting in a disappointing run of seven catches for 60 yards and no scores. Thomas faces an unpredictable 2016 with an unsettled QB situation (Mark Sanchez…ugh) so his draft value will drop to WR2 in most leagues.

Robinson,Allen - JAX/WR: Robinson had a breakout 2015 season – just his second in the league – scoring 14 TDs and racking up 80 catches for 1,400 yards on 151 targets! Blake Bortles took the Jacksonville offense to great heights last year with Robinson being the key beneficiary. The Jags have been loading up on offense through free agency and the draft for years but finally broke through with actual results last year. 2016 should be an even better year due to all the experience the young team soaked up but Jax needs to learn how to win games and not just get caught up in shootouts. Either way, Robinson was arguably the best deep threat in all of football last year (17.5 YPR) and will continue to thrive as a WR1.

Carr,Derek - OAK/QB: Carr had a strong fantasy season last year but did regress over the last quarter plus – throwing seven INTs in his last five games. Oakland’s offense was untouchable from Week 2 to Week 9 but opposing defenses started catching on to what they were doing and made it tougher on Carr who started to lock onto receivers early and did not have a reliable running game to help him out. He put too much pressure on himself and wasn’t helped a great deal by an inconsistent defense. With the defense adding some free agent studs this offseason, the pressure will be on Carr to take his game to the next level, or has the league caught up to him and the Oakland passing scheme?

Murray,DeMarco - TEN/RB: Murray had a terribly disappointing first season in Philly, mostly because he wasn’t used right, but was doing cartwheels as soon as word came down that he was traded to Tennessee. What is the best thing a young QB can wish for? If you said a stud RB to become the focus of the offense, you are correct. Marcus Mariota showed a world of talent last year without a running game, now with Murray in town and being used the right way (running up the middle and not laterally), expect a big bounce back year. Don’t expect 392 carries like in 2014 when he was with Dallas, but he will pound that rock up the middle in excess of 300 times! He will be drafted in most leagues as a RB2 but could be a steal as a lower tier RB1.

Smith,Torrey - SF/WR: Smith was a disastrous fantasy pick last year because he was a part of one of the worst offenses in the league. The Jim Tomsula-led 49ers will be remembered for a lot of things (all bad) but the inability to scheme and get a proven playmaker the ball on a regular basis was terribly embarrassing. 33 catches? In comes new head coach Chip Kelly who is a proven offensive mind with some decent parts to work with. We don’t know who is going to start at QB despite ownership’s obvious preference for Blaine Gabbert over Colin Kaepernick, but Kelly’s rep is to put a system together that even an average QB can look great at times (i.e. Nick Foles). Additionally, Kelly’s offense is at its best when there is a deep threat (Kelly getting rid of DeSean Jackson was terrible in hindsight) because it allows space which he is a master at manipulating.

Wilson,Russell - SEA/QB: Wilson had the best fantasy season of his four year career in 2015 – a lot of which had to do with Marshawn Lynch’s injury prone season. With the now retired Lynch not at full strength for long stretches of last season, Seattle’s offense went from run-based to pass-based, and did quite well due to Wilson’s uncanny improvisational ability in the pocket. Even without Jimmy Graham who missed a big chunk of last year due to injury, Wilson was a one man band, scrambling and throwing for his life. He was helped by rookie RB Thomas Rawls before he was lost for the season due to his own injury, but it was Russell’s show last year. He threw for 4,024 yards, 34 TDs and rushed for 553 yards. On the downside, no Lynch allowed opposing defenses to tee off on Seattle’s suspect offensive line and hammer Wilson like he’s never been hammered before (was sacked 45 times!). If he can stay upright, Wilson is a solid mid to lower tier QB1.

Rodgers,Richard - GB/TE: Most fans remember Rodgers as the guy who caught that incredible Hail Mary pass from Aaron Rodgers against Detroit late last season, but the third year TE emerged as a reliable TE fantasy option. He increased his TD total from two his rookie year to eight last year and even more importantly, Aaron Rodgers started consistently looking his way in the red zone – showing he had the stud QBs confidence. Rodgers will be a TE1 option in some league formats which is fine but with Jordy Nelson returning and Eddie Lacy looking to be in actual good shape this year, there is only one ball to go around to all these proven fantasy stars.

Perriman,Breshad - BAL/WR: The potential star WR has been riddled with injuries since he was drafted last year by Baltimore, but looked to be raring for a big start to the 2016 season until he partially tore his ACL. The team is hoping that he can actually return at some point in the preseason but that is a big if. Another big if is if he lost any of his rocket fast speed due to so many knee issues. Perriman will not be a popular draft pick but keep an eye on his progress because stranger things have happened.

Abdullah,Ameer - DET/RB: Abdullah had surgery for a torn labrum right after the regular season ended so he should be fine to go when training camp starts soon. With Joique Bell no longer a Lion, the second year former Husker will be the lead back but should share carries more than your typical back – thus limiting his value. The speedy cutback specialist struggled mightily at the beginning of last season but became more comfortable with a more defined role when Detroit switched offensive coordinators to Jim Bob Cooter. He received about 15 or so touches a game which led to increased averages for both run and catch. With Megatron gone, it will be interesting to see how Detroit responds, but Abdullah remains a gamble as a high end RB3.

Watkins,Sammy - BUF/WR: Watkins is progressing well following offseason foot surgery and is reportedly set to go when training camp starts later this week. The third year receiver has had his share of the injury bug during his short career but his woes appear to be more fluke related than chronic. He shook off a terrible start to last season and finished with six TDs in his last six games. He is far and away the best receiver on the Bills and QB Tyrod Taylor impressed many last year with his progress throughout the season. Watkins will be drafted as a low tier WR1/high tier WR2 so he will be a hot commodity.

Watt,JJ - HOU/DL: The IDP beast underwent back surgery this past week which may be much bigger news than is being let on by the team. He is scheduled to be out for 2 months which puts his return at the end of September – so it is with certainty he will miss some regular season action. A herniated disc is nothing to take lightly and can linger for much longer than he is out, so how will he respond being double and triple teamed as usual? Watt will still likely be picked #1 off the IDP board for defensive linemen because he backs up the hype (17.5 sacks/76 tackles last year) that accompanies him but he may face some early season blues.

Green,Ladarius - PIT/TE: Green will have the daunting task of filling in the void left by recent retiree Heath Miller – one of Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite targets of all time. The four year veteran Green has always impressed San Diego fans with his athleticism at such a formidable size (6’6”, 240 lbs) but has never had that breakout type season to validate such fuzzy feelings. He is coming off a career high 4 TDs last year on 37 receptions so the Steelers felt that was good enough to sign the long time Antonio Gates-backup. It should be noted that Green is coming off minor offseason ankle surgery but all reports indicate he will be fine for 2016. He projects as a high end TE2 but could easily drop in drafts because of the uncertainty of being in a new offense.

Williams,DeAngelo - PIT/RB: With fantasy stud but injury prone Le’Veon Bell most likely missing the first four games of the season due to a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, for the second straight year, Williams will be the Steelers’ lead running back out of the gate. RBs usually hit the decline post 30 years old but because the 33-year old Williams shared carries during his many years in Carolina, his legs are fresher than his age would indicate. On 200 carries in 2015, Bell rushed for 11 TDs and caught 40 passes. Both Williams and Bell were injured at the tail end of last year – which forced the Steelers to start Fitzgerald Toussaint in the playoffs – but both backs were fantasy gold when in the lineup. Pittsburgh’s offense has consistently been high octane for years but Ben Roethlisberger showed last year he is no longer indestructible and Martavis Bryant will be out the entire year due to suspension, and with Bell’s status, Williams should be a strong middle round pick in most leagues.

Notes prepared by Fantistics Jasbir Singh.