• Tony Romo returned to the practice field Saturday for the first time since his back surgery last season. Romo had a strong practice, apparently showing no ill-effects from the season-ending injury. The Dallas QB reportedly showed good accuracy and velocity on his passes and did not seem to favor his back at any point during the practice. Assuming Romo's recovery continues as planned, he should be viewed as a high end QB due to the bevy of weapons he has at his disposal. Obviously, Romo is no spring chicken, but at age 34, there is still reason to believe he has something left in the tank. The potential is there for another great fantasy campaign in 2014.
• Rob Gronkowski is being eased back onto the field, participating in 11-on-11 drills at less than full speed as he continues to recover from a torn ACL and MCL suffered last December. However, despite the Patriots' obvious caution with their star tight end, everything appears to be on track for Gronkowski to start in Week 1.
• Odell Beckham continues to be limited by a hamstring injury. The rookie wideout has not practiced at full speed for close to a week, despite showing signs of improvement by moving around better and participating in receiving drills. Beckham has the opportunity to be an impact WR in his rookie season, but he needs the necessary reps to contribute right away.
• Cordarrelle Patterson continues to heal from a left foot injury. Patterson has been limited to jogging and participating in walk-throughs but is expected to be healthy enough to practice in the next few days. Patterson is an explosive threat on offense and special teams, and if he's healthy when the season starts, he could could be an impact fantasy performer this season.
• Le'Veon Bell left practice early with tightness in his hamstring Sunday. Although the prognosis for Bell's hamstring appears positive, it would not be surprising to see him get some rest to make sure the hamstring is completely healed. Assuming the injury is not a long-term issue, Bell has an opportunity to be a top-tier RB this season. Bell showed marked improvement as last season progressed and has zero competition for the starting job. There is a lot to like about Le'Veon Bell this season -- as long as the hamstring does not turn into a nagging injury.
• Bernard Pierce returned to practice Sunday after leaving Saturday's practice early. Pierce, who had offseason shoulder surgery, claims to be fully healthy and his return to the practice field helps support that assertion. With Ray Rice's 2-game suspension, not to mention Rice's poor 2013 campaign, Pierce has the opportunity to push for an increased role in the Ravens offense this season.