Updating a previous item, Ke'Shawn Vaughn actually remains on the Bucs' reserve/COVID-19 list. (Source: Jenna Laine on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Media members covering the Bucs thought they had spotted Vaughn at practice today but that wasn't the case. The rookie remains away from the team for now and continues to fall behind Ronald Jones, LeSean McCoy, and Dare Ogunbawle. Coach Bruce Arians recently referred to Jones as "the main guy" in his backfield.
Thu, Aug 6th 3:16pm EDT
By Dave Kluge
2018's 19th overall pick Leighton Vander Esch recently said that he is fully recovered from his neck injury and "I’m back better than I was with my strength before I got hurt. I feel amazing. Just excited.” (Source: Todd Archer on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Vander Esch played nine games last season before injuring his neck and shutting down his promising sophomore campaign after piling up 140 tackles as a rookie. The Boise State product is ranked as our 18th overall linebacker, mainly due to injury concerns. He's ranked as high as fourth by some experts and is a great IDP option if his injury is truly behind him.
Wed, Aug 5th 7:50pm EDT
By Brad Camara
The Dolphins are "cautiously optimistic" that WR Preston Williams (ACL) will be ready by Week 1, per Barry Jackson and Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. (Source: Miami Herald)
Fantasy Impact: Williams had recently been cleared for football activities, but the Dolphins are easing him back into action. "There’s no assurance he will be deemed ready for Week 1, though Miami is cautiously optimistic he will be, the Miami Herald added. He passed his physical and is progressing well. But Miami is being cautious." Williams hauled in 32 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns across eight games his rookie season. If healthy, he is projected to be the second or third option in the Dolphins' passing attack. The 23-year-old is currently 51st among all wide receivers in the latest expert consensus rankings.
The Eagles placed OL Brandon Brooks on the active/PUP list. (Source: Philadelphia Eagles on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Brooks tore his Achilles in July and is out for the season. This certainly hurts the Eagles' run-blocking unit. Jason Peters was since brought back to the team as a replacement.
Wed, Aug 5th 12:33pm EDT
By Brendan Tuma
Steelers WR Diontae Johnson says he's "100 percent" following offseason sports hernia surgery. (Source: Brooke Pryor on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Johnson suffered the injury in Week 2 last year and still managed to haul in 59 receptions for 680 yards and five touchdowns on the season. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider the atrocious quarterback play Pittsburgh got in 2019. Johnson, a third-round pick last year, is a wildly popular breakout candidate in fantasy right now.
D.J. Reed is out for the 2020 season with a torn pectoral muscle. (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
Fantasy Impact: Mostly a special teams CB and FS in the nickel, Reed will have to wait another season to break out from a backup role. Given the recovery timeline of the injury, 49ers' general manager John Lynch stated, "[It's] ultimately, too difficult to keep a roster spot for something that might go into December." Emmanuel Moseley's fantasy stock slightly climbs as a result of Reed's absence, but there is plenty of depth at DB in the late rounds of your fantasy drafts.
The Lions activated CB Justin Coleman off the reserve/COVID-19 list. (Source: Detroit Lions on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Coleman never developed symptoms and his stay on the list was a short one. He'll be the Lions' primary nickel back this year.
Tue, Aug 4th 5:22pm EDT
By Brendan Tuma
Jimmy Garoppolo says his surgically repaired knee feels "night and day" better than it did in 2019. (Source: Matt Barrows on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: “It’s able to whatever it needs to do at this point," Garoppolo said. It's certainly good news as "Jimmy G" has become a favorite late-round quarterback option for fantasy managers entering the season. The 49ers open the year with tilts against the Cardinals, Giants, Jets, Eagles, Dolphins, and Rams. Garoppolo is set up well to get off to a fast start.
Mohamed Sanu (ankle) passed his physical and has been activated from the active/PUP list. (Source: Field Yates on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: This comes just two days after Sanu was placed on the list. He shed his walking boot back in May and has been living full-time with a coach, so he's taking this rehab seriously. Sanu flopped following a midseason trade to the Patriots last year but that can be partially blamed on his ankle woes.
QB Matthew Stafford has been activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list. (Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Stafford was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday, but was activated due to a “false-positive” result. In a statement released by the Lions, “Matthew does not have COVID-19 and never has had COVID-19 and the test in question was a false positive.” “Also, all of Matthew’s family have been tested and everyone is negative.” This is sigh of relief for Stafford and he should be all systems go for the preseason. Stafford is borderline fantasy QB1 and currently 12th among all quarterbacks in the latest expert consensus rankings.
Tue, Aug 4th 11:38am EDT
By Brendan Tuma
Washington coach Ron Rivera is "pleasantly surprised" by the recovery Alex Smith has made from his devastating leg injury. (Source: The Washington Post)
Fantasy Impact: Rivera added that he could "envision" Smith entering the team's quarterback competition if he continues to progress well. The 36-year-old broke his leg in 2018 and eventually required 17 surgeries. It's a heart breaking story but it's tough to view Smith as a genuine option to start until we see him actually playing on a football field. Dwayne Haskins should still be viewed as the team's starting quarterback.
Ben Roethlisberger worked out on Monday and on Tuesday morning said "My arm feels really good. I threw a lot of balls yesterday.” When asked about waking up the next morning he said “it feels great.” He also disclosed that he tore three flexor tendons off the bone which is what required the elbow surgery. (Source: Aditi Kinkhabwala on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: At 38-years-old, Roethlisberger's return has been watched closely by fans and experts. There was a lot of uncertainty as to whether he would make a comeback at all after opting for elbow surgery last fall. After almost a year off though, Roethlisberger is saying that he is throwing pain-free and appears to have made a full recovery. In 2018 (Roethlisberger's last full season) he threw for a league-high 5,129 yards on a whopping 675 attempts (fourth most of all-time). He'll have some adjustments this season as he'll be without superstar Antonio Brown for the first time since 2010, but a developing corps of Juju Smith-Schuster, James Washington, and Diontae Johnson should benefit from having the gunslinger veteran back under center.
The 49ers activated WR Richie James from the reserve/COVID-19 list. (Source: David Lombardi on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The 24-year-old is still recovering from wrist surgery and is expected to be out until mid-August. He'll provide receiver depth for San Francisco this season.
Browns S Karl Joseph (foot) has been placed on the active/PUP list from an injury that ended his 2019 season with the Raiders. (Source: Jake Trotter on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The former 2016 first-round pick joins the Browns after four productive season with the Raiders. There is no new setback or injury for Joseph and he is on schedule to play when the season kicks off in just over a month.
LB Anthony Barr has been activated from the Vikings' reserve/COVID-19 list. (Source: Minnesota Vikings on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Barr was activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list and has been cleared to return to action. He racked up 79 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble across 14 games in 2019. Barr is one of the leaders of the Vikings defense and is expected to return to his starting SLB role. The 28-year-old is currently 84th among all linebackers in the latest expert consensus rankings.
TE Will Dissly (Achilles) passed his physical, but he is still expected to be eased along slowly, per Seahawsks HC Pete Carroll. (Source: Joe Fann on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Dissly tore his ACL in early October and has now suffered season-ending injuries in back-to-back campaigns. He passed his physical, but the Seahawks will bring him back slowly. Seattle signed Greg Olsen this off-season to be the team's No. 1 TE. Dissly is expected to be ready by Week 1, but with the arrival of Olsen, he's mainly a stash in tight end premium leagues. The 24-year-old is currently 29th among all tight ends in the latest expert consensus rankings.
Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny has officially been placed on the PUP list after suffering a torn ACL in Week 14 last season. (Source: Bob Condotta on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Placing Penny on the PUP was expected as he’s rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered in December last season. Head coach Pete Carroll told reporters that Penny will report to camp on Thursday to start the testing process, but that the team is in no rush to speed up his recovery timeline. From the sound of it, Penny could miss at least half the season, which led to the Seahawks signing veteran RB Carlos Hyde in the offseason. Chris Carson (hip) is coming back from an injury of his own, but Carroll has said he should be all-systems-go come the regular season. Carson looks like a solid lock to be an RB2 with obvious RB1 upside this season.
The New York Jets have waived WR Quincy Enunwa, who was set to spend the entire season on the PUP list with a neck injury. (Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: It’s been a rollercoaster ride of late for Enunwa who just hasn’t been able to stay healthy in New York. At least he’s guaranteed $6M for the 2020 season, but I’m sure he’d rather be playing in the NFL. 2021 will be his next real opportunity to join another team and see if he can still play.
Henry Ruggs III says he is fully recovered from the thigh injury he suffered this offseason. (Source: Scott Blair on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: It was always believed to be a minor issue. Ruggs is ready to go for his first NFL training camp and has a chance to start Week 1. He was the first receiver selected in the 2020 NFL draft and comes with plenty of upside in both redraft and dynasty formats right now.
The Giants placed Leonard Williams (hamstring) on the active/NFI list. (Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Williams is looking for a multi-year extension so this hamstring injury isn't ideal timing. However, it isn't expected to be a serious issue. The 2015 first-rounder should ultimately be ready to go for the start of the season.
