Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper finished with six grabs for 64 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's loss to the 49ers. Cooper was the most productive Dallas wideout, although he wasn't as potent as tight end Dalton Schultz, who led the team with seven catches for 89 yards. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old capped off another solid year, although he wasn't as effective as he was over his previous two seasons. However, if Cooper can remain healthy, he has plenty of fantasy potential, although the emergence of CeeDee Lamb as the No. 1 receiving option may certainly lower his ceiling for the 2022-23 campaign.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett may begin his career as a starter. However, as expected, he'll have to get through Mason Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky to earn the right. Pickett, who was the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, finished his final college year by throwing for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns, and seven picks. Though Trubisky is currently the favorite to be under center for the Week 1 encounter against the Cincinnati Bengals, the 23-year-old could overthrow him during training camp. Yet, whether or not Pickett will be an impactful fantasy option right away is an entirely different story, especially considering his lack of experience at the professional level.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (knee) is expected to skip upcoming OTAs. During Week 8 of the 2021-22 season, the veteran tore his ACL and damaged his MCL, forcing him to miss the remainder of the year. Fortunately, he is progressing well, but the team will continue to take a cautious approach regarding his rehab. Winston had played relatively well before succumbing to the ailment, compiling 1,170 yards, 14 touchdowns, and three picks, although he only completed 59% of his throws. Nonetheless, not only does the 28-year-old hope to be ready for Week 1, he plans on being a full participant at training camp over the summer. He'll have some capable options on the receiving end, so he could be a serviceable backup for fantasy managers this season if he can get healthy.
Free-agent wide receiver Marquise Goodwin is signing with the Seahawks, with the terms of the deal undisclosed. The veteran finished last season in Chicago by catching 20 receptions for 313 yards and a touchdown throughout 14 appearances. Goodwin, 31, is still considered one of the quickest wideouts in the league, so he should fit in well with head coach Pete Carroll's deep-ball offensive approach. However, he isn't expected to have a prominent role, although he may occasionally find the end zone during the year.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (shoulder) didn't take part in the team's organized team activities last week, as expected, but he's expected to be good to go for training camp this summer. Higgins is no longer in a shoulder sling as he rehabs from labrum surgery in March. The 23-year-old should be ready for the start of the regular season as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks in training camp. Higgins was even better in his sophomore season in 2021, recording his first 1,000-yard receiving season. When all was said and done in the regular season, he had 74 receptions on 110 targets for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns in 14 starts. Higgins should once again be highly coveted in fantasy drafts in Cincy's pass-happy offense.
The Cleveland Browns officially re-signed pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney to a one-year deal worth $11 million on Sunday, according to a source. The two sides agreed to terms on Wednesday, but they needed to finalize a few things before the deal became official. The 29-year-old has battled injuries throughout his career since being the first overall pick by the Houston Texans in 2014, but he is a difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball when he's healthy. Clowney, a three-time Pro Bowler, had 37 tackles (24 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 19 QB hits, nine sacks and two forced fumbles in 14 starts for the Browns last season. He will continue to wreak havoc alongside All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett in 2022.
New England Patriots players are "alarmed" so far with what they've seen from the team's offensive coaching staff. "There is a high-level of concern about what is going on with the Patriots," Boston Sports Journal's Greg A. Bedard said. It's something to watch, but we shouldn't jump to conclusions just yet with head coach Bill Belichick's coaching staff. The Patriots never officially named a new offensive coordinator after Josh McDaniels left for the head-coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders. This is a storyline to watch closely as we approach training camp this summer. Second-year quarterback Mac Jones figures to be affected the most by the team's offensive changes heading into the 2022 campaign.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has been impressed with rookie wide receiver Jerreth Sterns, an undrafted free-agent pickup out of Western Kentucky. Sterns had 150 catches for 1,902 yards and 17 touchdowns in his final season in college and is expected to compete with Devin Thompkins and Kaylon Geiger for a spot on the team's active roster this summer in training camp. Sterns had a total of 370 catches for over 3,800 yards and 35 touchdowns in his collegiate career between Western Kentucky and Houston Baptist. Chris Godwin (knee) may not be ready for the start of the regular season, so the Bucs could have plenty of opportunity in the receivers room behind Mike Evans early in the year. Sterns is one to keep an eye on.
Free-agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney remains without a team, although there are plenty of clubs interested. However, the Browns remain hopeful the 2014 No. 1 overall pick will be back on the roster. Clowney, who has yet to log an entire season since entering the league, finished the 2021-22 campaign with 37 total tackles, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles. While Browns fans undoubtedly would love to see him return, he should remain a sought-after commodity for IDP managers for years to come, regardless of where he calls home this season.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Amari Rodgers finished his rookie year with only four catches (eight targets) for 45 yards. He also spent time as a return man on special teams. However, with a miserable inaugural season behind him, wide receivers coach Jason Vrabel recently touted Rodgers, stating, "he already looks faster and stronger than he ever did. He's in the best shape of his life." Unquestionably, the Packers are looking for someone to take over as the No. 1 option after Davante Adams was sent to Vegas. Though Rodgers may not be that person, he is worth consideration from managers looking to hit a home run very late in fantasy drafts ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (knee) remains unsigned. Beckham, who is coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered during the Super Bowl, will likely find a team at some point. However, speaking to NFL Network's Rich Eisen, Rams head coach Sean McVay stated he would like the 29-year-old back on the roster. The oft-injured wideout has unquestionably lost a step or two over the years. He will probably have plenty more impactful showings throughout the remainder of his career. Yet, his days as a consistent fantasy difference-maker are likely far behind him, regardless of where he's playing in 2022-23. If it's back in Los Angeles, Beckham will have to contend with Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson II, and Van Jefferson for the attention of Matthew Stafford.
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