This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
In any other year, we'd spend today's news talking about the first full slate of preseason games, but instead, we'll have to settle for a few pieces of news to delve into.
· Starting in San Francisco, Deebo Samuel isn't expected to be ready for Week 1 based on comments from coach Kyle Shanahan. Of course, this falls in line with earlier whispers, though it seemed as if the door was being left open for an early return from the Jones' fracture he suffered. Due to the injury, Samuel is being drafted outside the top-40 WRs in average drafts, which seems to bake in the downside that may come along with him missing time. However, there have been multiple occasions in which a player struggles to play up to expectations during the same season in which this injury occurs, so there is added risk when spending draft capital on Samuel. Should he return to full health, though, he'll be a steal on draft day.
· Staying in the bay area, after earlier reports that suggested Jimmy Garoppolo was playing without any type of knee brace, Eric Branch of the SF Chronicle is reporting that the QB is still wearing a light brace on the knee he injured in 2018. Regardless, Garoppolo played very well last year, and the brace is unlikely to have any tangible impact on his ADP, which currently sits at QB21. Although being drafted as a QB2, he has spike week upside, especially in games that have a likelihood of shooting out.
· In addition to the previous 49ers' news items, the team signed WRs J.J. Nelson and Tavon Austin. It's possible that Austin sees time as a kick returner while possibly seeing occasional carries as a runner with possibly a few pass targets, though it's unlikely he'll have a prominent role in the offense. With him joining the team this late in the preseason, he'll likely have a tough time moving higher than fifth on the depth chart. In terms of Nelson, he's totaled just 100 yards over the past two seasons, and he's unlikely to be more than a depth option for the team.
· Moving over to Tampa Bay, in one of the least shocking stories of the summer, coach Bruce Arians said that Tom Brady had a good first few days of camp as he acclimates to the new offense. With Brady typically being selected as the ninth QB off the board in drafts, it's difficult to have great fantasy expectations for Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and possibly Rob Gronkowski without expecting Brady to also post strong numbers, making him a player who easily could outproduce his ADP in this optimal situation.
· Continuing with Bucs' news, the WR depth chart after Evans and Godwin could potentially provide some fantasy usefulness, especially if injuries beset either of the starters. On that note, coach Bruce Arians has been impressed by Justin Watson, who possesses 71st percentile speed and 88th percentile explosiveness, and with him showing off his speed in practice, he could emerge as a fantasy option, though not necessarily someone to target in fantasy drafts, as he's still competing with rookie Tyler Johnson and Scotty Miller. Should Watson emerge from the pack, he'll be a player to monitor on the waiver wire.
· In yet another story that's not exactly surprising, the Chargers' official site is reporting that Keenan Allen is expected to maintain his role as the team's primary receiver. That said, his recent ADP is WR24, which is the lowest it's been in years, and should he dominate targets, he could easily outproduce that ADP.
· Finally, Mason Crosby was removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list and returned to practice. He's currently being drafted just outside the top-12 kickers, though he's a reasonable option for fantasy managers after the top kickers are off the board.
