New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady posted a video on his Instagram of him throwing to suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon. He has been suspended indefinitely by the league for multiple violations of the substance-abuse policy, but there is a "chance" that Gordon could be reinstated by training camp next month. This is further proof that the Patriots think Gordon will become eligible to play at some point in 2019. With New England's lack of receiver depth, they really hope he's available to them eventually. If active, Gordon is a fantasy relevant receiver with big upside after he caught 40 passes for 720 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games for the Pats in his first season with them last year.
The Green Bay Packers waived tight end Michael Roberts (shoulder) with a failed physical on Wednesday less than a week after he was cut by the Lions following a voided trade to the Patriots. The 25-year-old landed on Injured Reserve last year with the shoulder injury and has appeared in 23 games for the Lions with 13 catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns after being a fourth-round pick in 2017. He can go on being ignored in fantasy leagues even if he latches on for good with another squad.
Carolina Panthers tight end Ian Thomas (leg) was seen riding the stationary bike on the sidelines during offseason practices, and his left leg was wrapped in a sleeve. Head coach Ron Rivera said he is hopeful Thomas will be ready to go for training camp and the preseason. Thomas figured to have a large role heading into 2019, but veteran Greg Olsen is back. As long as Olsen (foot) can remain healthy, Thomas will likely see sporadic playing time. However, Olsen's health has been a major concern over the past two seasons, and Thomas could be just one play away from a big role. He is one to remember for waiver wire purposes during the season.
Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Keesean Johnson is one of the three rookie receivers the team brought in during the draft, along with Hakeem Butler and Andy Isabella. Johnson didn't run the quickest 40-yard dash of the trio at the NFL Scouting Combine, but wide receivers coach David Raih likes Johnson's game. "You could put a glass of water on his head and he could run 80 yards without spilling a drop," Raih said. "He's like a motorcycle. It's all one piece." The trio of rookies will have a fierce battle for targets behind future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald and second-year wideout Christian Kirk. One rookie will likely have a larger role, while one might be the fourth or fifth receiver and fighting for crumbs. It's a battle to watch in training camp and the preseason before investing too much.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Ricky Seals-Jones (neck) has been able to participate in organized team activities (OTAs), but he and fellow tight ends Charles Clay and Maxx Williams are finding the looks rather scarce in head coach Kliff Kingsbury's new spread offense. Early on in offseason practices the Cardinals have used a 10 Personnel package frequently, featuring four wide receivers, one running back and no tight ends on the field. RSJ, Clay and Williams might be fighting for scraps in the offense, and their fantasy outlooks are rather bleak at the moment.
The Arizona Cardinals released veteran cornerback David Amerson, meaning Robert Alford will either remain at right cornerback during the absence of Patrick Peterson (six-game suspension), or move left during his suspension. If he moves, Byron Murphy and Tramaine Brock would compete for the starting job at right cornerback for the first six games. The team also has Nate Brooks, Chris Jones, Deatrick Nichols and Brandon Williams jockeying for position. It's going to be a spirited battle in training camp and the preseason, and the Cardinals defense should be improved heading into 2019, but not necessarily enough to warrant fantasy consideration outside of the deepest leagues.
Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds is making adjustments on the field and trying to put himself in better shape for a larger role in 2019. "I come on that field every day a lot more confident in my abilities," Edmonds said. "Last year was kind of walking on eggshells, and my mentality was more like to not mess up, as opposed to just make big plays." He played the spread offense in college, and is excited by head coach Kliff Kingsbury's new scheme, too. David Johnson will be the bellcow in Arizona, as long as he is healthy, but Edmonds is a player to watch in deeper fantasy leagues, particularly in PPR formats.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich has made it clear that running back Marlon Mack will carry the load in the backfield, with Nyheim Hines handling third-down duties and Spencer Ware battling with Jordan Wilkins and Jonathan Williams for the backup job. Ware was signed as a free agent this offseason. The 23-year-old Mack is the back to own in Indy after rushing 195 times for 908 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games in his second NFL season. If Mack can stay healthy for an entire season, he should eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground in this potent offense. Hines may struggle to see as many targets in the passing game with rookie Parris Campbell handling the slot, but he'll still be useful in PPR formats as a flex type.
Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken's transition as the new offensive coordinator hasn't gone as smoothly as planned this offseason, causing head coach Freddie Kitchens to play a larger role in running the offense than he originally intended, according to sources. Kitchens has been doing more in offensive meetings and has been gathering input from assistants to make decisions on how the scheme will play out this year. Kitchens was already expected to continue calling the offensive plays when Monken was first hired. Monken led the Bucs to the top passing game in the league in 2018 with 320.3 yards per game. It's unclear if this transition to Monken will affect Cleveland's offense negatively in the long run, but for now it shouldn't influence any of the Browns fantasy relevant players in one way or another.
Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay skipped minicamp last week in hopes of landing a new deal, and he's unsure if he'll report to training camp next month either. Defensive tackle Damon Harrison also sat out of minicamp this week as he seeks a new deal. Both players forfeited $250,000 of workouts bonuses this spring. Slay is scheduled to make $12 million this year and has two years left on the extension he signed in 2016. Harrison also has two years left on his deal and will make $6.75 million in 2019. The Lions have been reluctant to renegotiate contracts of players with multiple years left on their deals, so Slay and Harrison may be barking up the wrong tree. Slay, 28, is coming off his second straight Pro Bowl season and has 11 interceptions over the last two years.
