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Breece Hall and Jets hoping to avoid holdout
With the New York Jets slated to begin training camp on July 19, second-round draft pick RB Breece Hall looked like he may be a holdout candidate. But after not reaching a deal, the rookie has been in the building all morning in order to reach an agreement just in time for training camp. (Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, Hall’s approach to his rookie contract was likely influenced by Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre who received three years fully guaranteed on his deal. Hall is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Jets today. Hall was the first running back taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, and the Jets invested strong capital in the Iowa State product, taking him 36th overall. Hall is expected to split the load with 2021 draft pick RB Michael Carter, but to what extent isn’t certain. The common assumption is that Hall with brace the bulk of the workload, though, which is reflected in his average draft position of RB22 in PPR formats, according to FantasyPros. Hall is an all-around running back capable of working all three downs, but he may cede some third-down work to Carter. Regardless, he is expected to be a top performer in his rookie season and has a high upside tied to a possible ascension from second-year QB Zach Wilson. He currently has the second-best odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year according to DraftKings.
Deshaun Watson and Browns ‘privately bracing’ for eight-week suspension
Mike Florio reports that per a league source, the Cleveland Browns are anticipating Deshaun Watson’s suspension to last on “the higher end of things” regarding the reasonably expected two-to-eight-week range of punishment. (Source: ProFootballTalk)
Fantasy Impact: After recent news of no estimate for Watson’s suspension length, the possibility of missing eight games instead of the entire season might just return Watson to 2022 fantasy relevance in time for most drafts. When on the field, Watson is considered an elite Top 10 fantasy QB, with potential to finish as the position’s leading scorer every week. The situation is certainly one to monitor- proceed with caution when drafting Watson until the suspension duration is completely confirmed.
Albert Okwuegbunam will have to compete to start
According to Mike Klis of 9News, TE Albert Okwuegbunam will have to compete with rookie TE Greg Dulcich for the starting TE position. (Source: Mike Klis, 9News)
Fantasy Impact: Okwuegbunam is entering his third season after being drafted in the fourth round by the Denver Broncos. After the Broncos traded TE Noah Fant as a part of the trade for QB Russell Wilson, Okwuegbunam was the expected starter. The Broncos decided to add some competition by taking Greg Dulcich in the third round in 2022. Klis says that Dulcich was getting first-team reps in OTAs and minicamp before suffering a core muscle injury. Both are expected to be available for training camp, but they will force one another into competition for the starting job. Okwuegbunam has just 44 career catches, but he has shown flashes as a high-level athlete while backing up Noah Fant. He is currently going on average as the TE17 in PPR fantasy drafts according to Fantasy Pros.
T.J. Hockenson contract extension reportedly a priority for Lions
According to an ESPN report, the Detroit Lions are expected to prioritize a contract extension with Pro Bowl TE T.J. Hockenson in the coming months after exercising his fifth-year option earlier this offseason. (Source: ESPN)
Fantasy Impact: The Lions selected Hockenson with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and although he was able to step in immediately and contribute at the NFL level, he hasn’t completely broken out for fantasy managers yet in his first three seasons. Hockenson finished as a mid-range TE1 in the only season that he didn’t miss time due to injury, but he hasn’t produced at an elite level while playing a position in fantasy where there are few true difference makers. However, there is plenty of reason to believe that Hockenson will take the next step in year four as TEs usually require a few seasons under their belt before hitting their prime and he will continue to be a primary target within an improving offense. The Lions’ addition of former Alabama WR Jameson Williams might be the biggest reason to be excited about Hockenson in 2022. Williams has elite speed and defenses must account for him to prevent getting beaten deep, which in turn should open up the middle of the field for Hockenson. Lions QB Jared Goff has been one of the most reluctant deep passers in the league throughout his career, meaning Hockenson could see more mid-level targets against one on one coverage than he has received in previous years.
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