This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
We're now officially less than a month away from Week 1, and teams are getting close to putting in some padded practices, but we still have a solid flow of news to cover today.
· It's possible that the 1,190 yards and 11 TDs that Kenny Golladay posted last year can be improved upon, especially after offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is working with him on ways to take his game to the next level with the hopes making him the type of WR who dictates how the defense must deal with him. Regardless of whether those strategies work, Golladay's numbers may be on the rise, as he recorded four games with at least 117 yards in eight games with Matthew Stafford at QB, but just one 100-yard game without Stafford. Simply having Stafford around for the entire season may be all it takes for the receiver to outperform his ADP, which is currently WR7.
· After missing the first three sessions of Raiders camp, Josh Jacobs (undisclosed) returned to practice. There's not much to add, as it appears the second-year back is healthy and ready to resume his role as the primary back for the team, who is fairly priced as a player with an ADP of pick 15 and the 11th RB off the board.
· In another note that's mostly an update, Chris Carson returned to practice after missing time due to a couple of family situations, so he should be drafted as usual. He's reasonably priced just outside the top-20 RBs, but if he continues to struggle with fumble issues, the Seahawks signed Carlos Hyde, who could take work away from Carson, which adds an element of risk when selecting him on draft day.
· Despite getting the rookie treatment by running with the second team, Jerry Jeudy was using his ability to accelerate in and out of breaks to present problems for the defensive backs trying to defend him, and his signature ability as a route runner seems to be translating well in the early days of practice. With Tim Patrick joining top WR Courtland Sutton on the outside, Jeudy is likely to be the primary slot receiver to start the season. He's currently being drafted outside the top-100 picks, as well as the top-40 WRs, so there's not a lot of risk in drafting him at his ADP, as he may not only see regular snaps in Week 1, but his role could grow throughout the season.
· Staying in Denver, Noah Fant explained that the new offense (coached by Pat Shurmur) is focused on creating and exploiting mismatches. With Fant being one of the most athletic TEs in the league who averaged an excellent 14.1 yards per reception as a rookie, he could be in line to continue his ascent in year two. However, he'll need QB Drew Lock to show improvement in order to take the next leap as a downfield threat, but he's fairly priced outside the top-12 TEs who can typically be acquired just inside the first 100 selections as an upside play.
· Since coach Andy Reid is classified it as minor, it may not be a big deal, but when Sammy Watkins missed practice with a groin strain, fantasy owners need to take notice. As a player who hasn't played a full season since his rookie campaign in 2014, any injury is worth monitoring, though at least this year, his fantasy value has fallen to a place where he's close to free in drafts with a current ADP of WR55 and outside the top-140 picks. Should he return to practice soon, he's well worth a late-round flyer in the hopes that his significant snap counts turn into at least flex level production.
· Due to an undisclosed illness, Kenny Stills has been activated from the active/non-football illness list and is ready to practice. However, with Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks seeming like locks for starting work along with Randall Cobb being best suited for a slot role, it seems likely that Stills will be ticketed for a reserve role. That said, Cooks and Fuller haven't always been the models of health, it wouldn't take much for Stills to see a prominent role throughout the season, and since he's going undrafted in many leagues, he's a player to monitor on most waiver wires.
· After a short absence while dealing with a minor hamstring injury, Frank Gore was back at practice, allowing him to continue competing for backup work behind Le'Veon Bell. With Bell likely set to take an overwhelming majority of backfield touches, there may not be much work to go around for Gore and rookie La'Mical Perine, but whichever emerges as the backup would have increased fantasy value should Bell be forced to miss time.
· Although his window of being a solid fantasy producer are likely in the rear-view window, 32-year-old Chris Hogan signed with the Jets. With the top three spots on the depth chart seeming firm with Breshad Perriman, Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims, there are a slew of unproven players filling out the receiver room, so should the team have WR injuries, Hogan could earn his way into seeing snaps, though he's currently not a recommended target in fantasy drafts.
· In leagues that use kickers, it should be notes that Graham Gano will sign with the Giants once he passes his physical and COVID-19 testing. Should he perform at the level he did in Carolina, he has a great chance to be on the team for the entire season, and he's a reasonable fantasy option once the top kickers are off the board.
· We all could use some good news to close out today's news, so let's start with a report from Washington's official site that announced Alex Smith was activated from the active/PUP list and has been cleared for football activity after undergoing 17 surgeries on a leg injury he suffered in 2018. Although he's not yet taking contact, he'll have a chance to compete for a starting job. In the event that he can overtake Dwayne Haskins for the job, the veteran would have appeal as a third QB option in leagues that start two QBs, as Washington is likely to trail in many games, which would likely cause them into favorable game scripts that could provide increased pass attempts.
