The majority of today's news was regarding the health statuses of wide receivers around the league. In addition, three Bengals had positive news reports, and there's also a running back battle brewing in San Francisco.
In Green Bay, head coach Mike McCarthy is looking to have Jordy Nelson repeat his role of 2016 as both an outside and slot receiver. This is excellent news, as Nelson will be the beneficiary of being moved around the formation to dictate favorable matchups. Although he's 32-years-old, and it's possible he'll begin to slow down, his expected role minimizes much of that risk, as defenses will struggle to properly account for him. He's reasonably priced in fantasy drafts as he's typically one of the first 10 WRs off the board.
The news isn't quite as glowing in Philadelphia for Jordan Matthews, since Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that although the receiver's practicing in full, he doesn't appear to be at full strength. With the team having added additional offensive weapons in the off-season, Matthews could see a reduction in target share. In addition, if he's not fully healthy, Carson Wentz could build chemistry with other teammates during camp, making Matthews a very risky selection in fantasy drafts.
Meanwhile, reports on Mike Williams are a bit more optimistic, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com stated that the rookie responded positively to a second epidural, which may allow him to return at some point during training camp. However, the more time he misses during camp, the less likely he is to develop a rapport with Philip Rivers, who already has a number of reliable pass weapons he trusts. Unless he finds his way onto the field quickly, he'll be a high-risk selection in fantasy drafts.
Another receiver with an injury update is Sammy Watkins, who participated in some drills, though he didn't appear hampered when on the field, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW. The good news is that this was the practice plan all along by head coach Sean McDermott, but fantasy owners will rightfully be nervous to trust the young WR due to his injury history. Fantasy managers will need to keep hearing positive news throughout camp to draft Watkins based on his tantalizing potential.
Moving to Carolina, rookie speedster Curtis Samuel has a strained hamstring, and his return date is unknown, according to Bill Voth of Panthers.com. Should he miss significant time, it's difficult to foresee him getting in enough work with the offensive unit, which would make him a player to have significant concerns about during fantasy drafts. For now, we'll take a wait-and-see approach in the hopes he'll be back on the field before long, but consider the caution flag waving for now.
Staying at the wide receiver position, John Ross has been cleared for practice, though his shoulder injury is expected to limit him until he's completely healthy. His ability to be on the field will provide him the opportunity to gain chemistry with Andy Dalton, which will be quite important as the rookie will be, at best, the third in line for targets behind A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert. Ross projects to be an explosive playmaker, and he's being selected as a reserve in fantasy leagues, making him a potential upside selection in drafts.
Sticking with the Bengals, reports are even better for Tyler Eifert, who has been cleared fully for training camp, as he's returning from a back injury. Earlier in the off-season, he had been limited, but the remainder of his recovery must've gone quite well. Although he's being drafted as roughly the sixth tight end in fantasy leagues, should he be able to put together a healthy season, he has the ability to produce as well as any tight end not named Gronkowski. The good news for fantasy managers is that his injury risk has been baked into his average draft position.
After all of the entries about pass-catchers, finally we'll finish with a few running back situations:
Carlos Hyde and Joe Williams could be battling during the entire month of August to see who'll be the 49ers' starting running back to start the season. Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay area talked about how Hyde is excited to play in the new offensive system while Williams figures to challenge for the starting role. Although Hyde was recently praised for being in excellent shape by GM John Lynch, this will likely be his last year with the team, so it's unclear as to how committed to Hyde they'll be. Meanwhile, Williams was selected in the fourth round, and is a favorite of head coach Kyle Shanahan. Preseason game action will likely begin to provide a bit of clarity as to how this battle may shake out.
With running backs always being at a premium in fantasy leagues, ESPN's Jenna Laine is reporting that the Bucs hope that Jacquizz Rodgers can play in place of Doug Martin while Martin serves his three-game suspension to start the season. Rodgers made five starts for the team last year and took advantage of significant volume to emerge as a solid fantasy option. Although the Bucs have other players competing at RB, Rodgers could be a great pick late in fantasy drafts should he lock down that role.
Finally, Giovani Bernard was cleared to take part in Friday's practice as he recovers from the ACL he tore on November 20. Although he may be eased into practices, this certainly helps him as he tries to remain as the team's primary receiving back despite the team's significant investment in Joe Mixon. Bernard's health will be something to monitor closely throughout camp.