The Las Vegas Raiders are not tendering restricted free-agent wide receiver DJ Turner (knee) this offseason, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. While Turner will now be an unrestricted free agent and free to sign with any team, the Raiders are open to re-signing him. The 28-year-old former undrafted free agent caught 16 of his 29 targets for 158 yards and a touchdown in 12 games (six starts) for Vegas in 2024 before landing on Injured Reserve with a knee injury. He added five carries on the ground for 33 yards and a touchdown. Although he didn't move the fantasy needle at all in his third year in the NFL, it was a notable increase in role for Turner after he had just a single target in 19 games (no starts) in his first two years with the Raiders. Regardless of where Turner ends up playing in 2025, he's likely to remain well off the fantasy radar.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner (knee) has been placed on the injured reserve on Tuesday. Turner suffered a knee injury during last week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The severity of the knee is unknown, but it appears to be enough to force Turner to miss the next four games. The 27-year-old has put together a fairly quiet season with 16 receptions for 158 yards and one touchdown in 12 games. His absence should mean that Terrace Marshall Jr. gets more snaps on offense. However, Marshall probably won't see enough playing time to warrant rostering in any fantasy formats. Tre Tucker could benefit with a few more targets, but he has been boom-or-bust this season.
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DT Turner II (clavicle), who has taken over a starting role this year, is feared to have suffered a fractured clavicle in the Sunday night loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, according to sources. Turner is getting a second opinion on Monday, but he'll likely be forced to miss the rest of the season. The 24-year-old defensive back came down hard on the turf at SoFi Stadium while breaking up a pass on Sunday night and stayed down before trainers came out to check on him. He was questionable to return to the contest but never made it back in the seven-point loss. Turner, a second-rounder last year out of Michigan, will finish his second year in the NFL with 29 tackles (24 solo) and eight pass breakups in 11 games (six starts). It's a blow to an already shaky Bengals secondary that has been dominated the last two weeks by the Ravens and Chargers.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner is a roster lock and is projected to be the team's WR3 behind Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Tre Tucker, according to The Athletic's Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed. Turner was already a great special teams player but has sealed his spot by making plays on offense while being lined up all over the field. Jalen Guyton is general manager Tom Telesco's guy from the Los Angeles Chargers and seems like a reliable option with some speed. Tyreik McAllister's punt return for a touchdown in the preseason finale on Friday night against the San Francisco 49ers may have sealed him the final WR spot over Kristian Wilkerson. Wilkerson is more likely to be signed back to the practice squad. Turner, 27, has no catches in his first two years in the NFL and is unlikely to be on the fantasy radar unless one of the players ahead of him on the WR totem pole goes down with an injury.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner will be a factor in the offense this year, considering his strong training camp and Michael Gallup's retirement. The Raiders were counting on Gallup for 40-plus catches in 2024, so that production will now go elsewhere. "All of a sudden he's had a great offseason and is getting plays at wide receiver and he's flashing -- balls down the field, plays across the middle, screens," head coach Antonio Pierce said of Turner. "He's got a thick body, built like a running back, so hopefully we can get some YAC out of him." The 27-year-old will be competing for the WR3 role with Tre Tucker behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. Unless Adams or Meyers miss time with an injury, Turner will most likely be off the fantasy radar in this offense.
Jalin Hyatt, Matt Bergeron Could Go In First Round
Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, Michigan cornerback D.J. Turner and Syracuse offensive tackle Matt Bergeron are three players that could vault into the first round of Thursday night's NFL draft as surprises, according to NFL executives. Up to six cornerbacks could be taken in the first round, starting with Illinois' Devon Witherspoon and Oregon's Christian Gonzalez. Up to five receivers could sneak into the first round, including Boston College's Zay Flowers, Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba, TCU's Quentin Johnston and USC's Jordan Addison. It's also very possible that the first pass-catcher off the board on Thursday night is Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.
The Las Vegas Raiders have cut wide receiver Albert Wilson. The 30-year-old was signed to the active roster in Week 5 but did not see the field for any offensive snaps. The team has now moved on following its Week 6 bye as DJ Turner has been activated from Injured Reserve. Turner is expected to be involved on special teams but should not make much of an impact on offense unless Hunter Renfrow (hip) and Mack Hollins (heel) are ruled out against the Houston Texans on Sunday. Still, Davante Adams would be the only receiving option worthy of fantasy consideration in this scenario.
