FFToolbox - Bears TE Martellus Bennett expected to have bigger year plus 14 more

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Bears TE Martellus Bennett expected to have bigger year
Bengals TE Tyler Eifert expected to be ready for training camp after injury
Packers would like to raise RB Eddie Lacy's snap count
Daily Golf Rankings for OPEN Championship at DraftKings #DFG
Broncos GM John Elway: TE Julius Thomas isn't Jimmy Graham
Jerricho Cotchery expected to be Panthers' No. 1 WR, 'every spot after that is open'
'Word out of San Francisco' is 49ers RB Frank Gore will see 50 fewer carries this season
Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray thinks he can handle 300 carries
Closer Look at Rashad Jennings and the Giants' backfield
Titans WR Justin Hunter gets compared to Randy Moss
Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch to see reduced workload
'A massive spike in production' possible for Bengals WR Marvin Jones
Chargers WR Malcom Floyd had as good a spring as one player can have
Seahawks WR Percy Harvin will remain a kickoff returner
Bengals beat reporter: RB Giovani Bernard to see 300 touches

Bears TE Martellus Bennett expected to have bigger year

Posted: 17 Jul 2014 05:29 AM PDT

Rich Campbell at the Chicago Tribune believes quot;Martellus Bennett is poised to build on his breakthrough first season" with the Bears. Tight ends coach Andy Bischoff also had praise for Bennett mentioning "The things we've identified for him as improvable areas, he is all over it." Bennett had some issues staying healthy last season but should be good to go this year. FANTASY ANALYSIS: There are two possibilities with Bennett -- he could become a legitimate TE1 with defenses focusing on Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte, or his production becomes capped because there are only so many receptions to go around in the offense. For fantasy purposes, you can consider him a TE2 with TE1 upside.

Bengals TE Tyler Eifert expected to be ready for training camp after injury

Posted: 17 Jul 2014 04:54 AM PDT

Bengals.com editor Geoff Hobson says Eifert bruised his shoulder on the first day of mini-camp and missed the rest of OTAs. He also specifically mentions that Eifert directly addressed concerns it had nothing to do with the neck injury he suffered during the 2013 playoffs All systems are green for him heading into training camp and competing with Jermaine Gresham for starting TE duties. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Yes, there will be a competition for TE duties this year. Eifert seems to be the better talent but they both split playing time last year and the official Bengals website has Gresham listed with the first-team offense. It's a situation to monitor through training camp and preseason.

Packers would like to raise RB Eddie Lacy's snap count

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:03 PM PDT

Packers running back Eddie Lacy was on the field for 637 snaps last season, about 62 percent of the team's total play count. In 2014, the Packers want more. ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky wrote Wednesday that the team would like to keep Lacy on the field for more plays this season in an effort toward Green Bay's quest to average 75 plays per game. quot;That means Lacy will have to perfect his pass-blocking skills," Demovsky wrote. "It also could mean more opportunities to catch the ball coming out of the backfield." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Last we heard about the Packers' plans for Lacy this season, they wanted to reduce his workload. As I wrote a few weeks ago, that is a stupid idea. As Demovsky wrote today, keeping Lacy's on the field longer may not mean an increase in carries, but it could give a little boost to his PPR value. Lacy is locked in as a top-five fantasy back.

Daily Golf Rankings for OPEN Championship at DraftKings #DFG

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 07:43 PM PDT

This article is designed to help you win OPEN Championship at Draftkings - Daily Fantasy Golf:

Broncos GM John Elway: TE Julius Thomas isn't Jimmy Graham

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 07:35 PM PDT

Now that the game's best tight end has gotten paid, Julius Thomas must be licking his chops as he gets ready to enter his walk year. Broncos general manager John Elway knows this, and is telling Thomas to hold his horses. He's good, but he's not that good. quot;Even though Julius had a tremendous year for us, he's only [played] 23 games," Elway told USA Today on Thursday. "We want Julius to be a Bronco for a long time and we think he has tremendous upside, but he's not at that level." Elway said he is open to talking to Thomas' representation during training camp and the preseason about a new contract, but he won't negotiate during the season. Thomas broke out in 2013, catching 65 passes for 788 yards and 12 touchdowns. He will make $645,000 in salary this season. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Graham caught 86 passes for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, although he did play in two more games than Thomas. There is reason to believe Thomas will get better, but yes, he is not in Graham's league at the moment. A healthy Rob Gronkowski is the only other TE who can be considered on that lofty perch. But that's no big deal to us. Thomas doesn't need to be Graham; he is a stud tight end in his own right, and worthy a third-round pick in re-draft leagues.

Jerricho Cotchery expected to be Panthers' No. 1 WR, 'every spot after that is open'

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 07:08 PM PDT

More from ESPN's John Clayton. He provided a short primer about the wide receiver battle coming up in Panthers training camp. Despite the fact that Carolina spent a first-round pick on Kelvin Benjamin, Clayton says that Jerricho Cotchery is expected to open camp as the team's No. 1 wideout, and quot;every spot after that is open." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Clayton also writes in small doses about the messy receiving corps in Seattle, New England, and St. Louis as well as the 49ers' backup running back battle, on which I have already chimed in. You can see it all via the link below. Cotchery may be atop the depth chart according to Clayton, but fantasy owners consider Benjamin to be the de facto No. 1. He is the only Panthers wide receiver who shows up on FFToolbox's WR ADP chart. Cotchery, Tiquan Underwood, and Jason Avant are nowhere in sight. You're not considering any of those players until the later rounds, so why not shoot for the upside that the gigantic Benjamin possesses instead of settling for the 32-year-old Cotchery?

'Word out of San Francisco' is 49ers RB Frank Gore will see 50 fewer carries this season

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:36 PM PDT

Marshawn Lynch isn't the only NFC West running back who should be bracing for a 15-20 percent cut in his carries this season. ESPN's John Clayton wrote Thursday about 10 under-the-radar position battles entering training camp. He touched on the 49ers' situation at backup running back and who among them -- Marcus Lattimore, Carlos Hyde, specifically -- will win the No. 2 on the depth chart. No matter whom the winner is, Clayton writes: quot;The early word out of San Francisco is that Frank Gore might get 50 fewer carries this year." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Kendall Hunter wasn't mentioned in the blurb even though he is still Gore's backup. It's looking like Hyde has the most upside for this season since we just don't know if Lattimore's body will ever respond the way it used to before a series of horrible knee injuries in college. Hyde could carve out an early role as the team's goal-line back. Gore carried the ball 276 times last season. Do the math, and this assumes Gore will likely see 220-230 carries if Clayton's source is true. If I had to come up with a comparison from 2013, I think Gore profiles as a slightly richer man's BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Or perhaps Fred Jackson with fewer catches. He'll have a decent yards-per-carry average and probably still run for 1,000, if barely. Gore is only a low-end RB2 with the arrow pointing down. The Niners figure to put the game on Colin Kaepernick's shoulders more often in 2014.

Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray thinks he can handle 300 carries

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 05:58 PM PDT

Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray's three-year career has been shortened every year due to injuries. Those injuries and restrictive workloads have kept him from getting close to 300 carries in any season. But if he was ever tasked with taking on that many carries, Murray believes he would do just fine. quot;If [the coaches] decide to do that with me, of course," Murray told FOXSports.com when asked if he could handle 300 carries. "Whatever they decide to do with me, I think I can handle it." Although he missed a couple of games with a knee injury last year, Murray played in a career-high 14 games and gained 1,474 yards from scrimmage. FANTASY ANALYSIS: A lot is put into whether a running back will get 300 carries or not, but it really is overblown. Only eight RBs have reached that mark in the past three seasons. Nine running backs did the trick in 2004 alone. Three hundred carries is an archaic benchmark in today's NFL. Running backs are now catching more passes, and it's the number of total touches that matters. If Murray ever plays a full season, he'll probably take on 240-250 carries with 50 or so receptions. And you know what? He'll be a rock-solid RB1. The only problem is he has never made it through a season healthy. Murray is still being rightfully drafted within the first 20 picks because he is a powerful multi-purpose player in a high-powered offense. You just need to make sure you also pick up backup Lance Dunbar for those weeks Murray will inevitably miss.

Closer Look at Rashad Jennings and the Giants' backfield

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 05:22 PM PDT

A fantasy analysis of why Rashad Jennings could be a great value and productive runner in New York.

Titans WR Justin Hunter gets compared to Randy Moss

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 04:47 PM PDT

Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter experienced a tough rookie season, full of growing pains, mental lapses, and unfulfilled promise. But those high expectations remain for the 23-year-old Hunter heading into his second season, and he can be a very good player in this league if he meets those highest expectations. A very, very, very good player. Teammate Michael Preston thinks the sky is the limit for Hunter and compares him to a young Randy Moss. quot;I know how great a player Randy Moss was, and in my mind, there's no reason Justin can't be the next greatest player," Preston said Monday. "I just want to be there to support him. I know he's going to grow, make a great leap this year, and impress the city and fans with his talent." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Of course, Randy Moss had more than 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns as a rookie. Hunter ... did not do those things. In terms of athleticism, there are some resemblances. Hunter is 6-foot-4, a tremendous leaper and has 4.45 speed. He's been previously compared to A.J. Green, too. The Titans are really pushing Hunter to make an impact this season. Whether he will or not depends on the improvements not only he makes, but Jake Locker as well. I don't have as much faith in that second part, so I'm not a huge Hunter fan in re-draft leagues. He is more of a WR5 in my opinion. His raw abilities should make him a target for every dynasty leaguer.

Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch to see reduced workload

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 04:22 PM PDT

Beat writer Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times mentions Lynch could see about 2-3 less carries per game which means 32-48 less carries this season. He also notes that could mean increased workload for Christine Michael although specifically mentioning Robert Turbin is still in the picture quot;and it's probably hasty to completely discount Turbin in this conversation — recall how enthusiastic Carroll was about his play in the spring, noting that Turbin had battled a knee issue last season that has since been repaired." The Seahawks want to reduce wear and tear, and plan to reduce Marshawn's workload to keep him from getting injured and fresher. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Even with less carries a game, Lynch can still easily be a RB1. The Seattle offense is run-heavy and relies on establishing a run-game to free up the passing game. The real question is who will get the majority of those snaps between Turbin and Michael? Both have talent and could feasibly be interchanged throughout the year. It's anyone's best guess at this point, although it's worth mentioning Michael(RB49) has a significantly higher ADP than Turbin(RB72) in our rankings.

'A massive spike in production' possible for Bengals WR Marvin Jones

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 03:04 PM PDT

Marvin Jones' 2013 stat line looks good, but it doesn't look like anything too exciting. Now, 10 touchdowns are impressive, but 51 catches and 712 yards in 16 games? Most people would probably look at that, shrug, and move on. What they don't know is that Jones was on the field for only 44 percent of the Bengals' snaps last season. Jones snap count rose through the final month of the season, topping out at 77.7 percent in Cincinnati's postseason loss to the Chargers. Such usage is expected to become the norm this season, and Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer wrote Tuesday that more snaps and an improving rapport with quarterback Andy Dalton quot;could mean a massive spike in production" for Jones. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Only three players scored at least six touchdowns last year on fewer than 725 snaps. Jones was one of those players, and notched 10 in 555 snaps. Dehner obviously believes Jones can be one of the best receivers in the NFL -- he writes that Jones and A.J. Green might be the best WR duo in the league right now. While such an opinion will lead to some eyes rolling, Jones is a superb playmaker who could be a ridiculous steal at his current tenth-round average draft position.

Chargers WR Malcom Floyd had as good a spring as one player can have

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 02:31 PM PDT

Just making it back from last year's career-threatening neck injury is enough to celebrate Chargers wide receiver Malcom Floyd. But he has apparently come back as a player with something to prove. Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego wrote Monday that Floyd would have been his choice for spring MVP -- if such an award existed. Krasovic said Floyd's spring quot;was as good as spring can be." Philip Rivers targeted him often in practices, and Floyd "won more than he lost." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Floyd is more important to the Chargers than fantasy owners. They need his speed and length to complement possession receivers such as Keenan Allen and tight end Antonio Gates. Floyd, 33 in September, has never topped 900 yards in any of his 10 NFL seasons. He is a great example of perseverance. Everyone should be rooting for him, just not drafting him.

Seahawks WR Percy Harvin will remain a kickoff returner

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 02:12 PM PDT

Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times wrote Sunday about the competition that will take place in camp for the right to be the Seahawks' punt returner. Safety Earl Thomas was the front-runner at the end of mini-camp, according to head coach head coach Pete Carroll. Condotta brings up a handful of names who may become the main punt returner or take part in a committee. One of those names is wide receiver Percy Harvin, but besides never having returned a punt as a pro, he's already busy with another job on special teams: He is already slated to be the Seahawks' kick returner, according to Condotta. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Harvin has an impressive history as a kick returner. Prior to missing almost all of the 2013 season, Harvin had returned a kickoff for a touchdown in four consecutive years. He led the league in yards per kickoff return in 2011 and 2012. But ... is this a smart way to utilize a player working on the second year of a $67 million contract with a fully-guaranteed $11 million salary in 2014? Moreover, do the Seahawks really want to heighten Harvin's injury risk after what he went through last year with his hip and a postseason concussion? I know injuries sometimes crop up through dumb luck, but it would be dumb for the Seahawks to not realize how injury-prone Harvin has been over the past two years. With Golden Tate gone, he has even more importance to their passing offense. He is still tremendously fast, and it's easy to understand a coach's desire to get as much as he can out of a difference-making player. Yet much like with Darren McFadden, this feels like the impetus of something bad waiting to happen. Harvin is a high-risk WR2 in fantasy. And I can't call him high risk/high reward, because there haven't been many rewards for receivers in Seattle's offense lately. No team has thrown fewer passes than the Seahawks since the beginning of 2012. That's not going to change, especially after a Super Bowl victory.

Bengals beat reporter: RB Giovani Bernard to see 300 touches

Posted: 16 Jul 2014 10:19 AM PDT

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner Jr. expects RB Bernard to see an increase in workload in the 2014 season. Dehner predicts 230 carries and 70 receptions for the second-year RB. Last year Bernard produced 1,209 total yards and 8 TDs on 170 carries and 56 receptions. The Bengals spent a second-round pick on former LSU RB Jeremy Hill in this year's draft. FANTASY ANALYSIS: This news follows a report yesterday that the Bengals backfield would run by committee, so it's hard to know what to make of the situation right now. The workload Dehner discussed - 300 touches - would be a massive increase for Bernard, and one would expect his fantasy production to improve accordingly, especially given Bernard's proven big play ability. However, this is the time of year when coaches and those surrounding them say things like quot;we'll run him until he pukes," so the prediction should be taken with a large grain of salt. Bernard is currently ranked as the ninth overall player by FFToolbox.com.