FFToolbox - Rams reporter guesses RB Tre Mason will see 8-10 carries per game plus 6 more

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Rams reporter guesses RB Tre Mason will see 8-10 carries per game
Colts HC Chuck Pagano on RB Trent Richardson: 'Fully expect him to have a great year'
Browns RB Ben Tate will enter training camp as 'slight favorite' to start
Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski may begin training camp on PUP list
Bryce Brown: A super sleeper hiding in plain sight
Chiefs QB Alex Smith looking for $18 million/year extension
UPDATE: Browns QB Brian Hoyer healed up, ready to go for camp

Rams reporter guesses RB Tre Mason will see 8-10 carries per game

Posted: 19 Jul 2014 02:31 AM PDT

Rams reporter Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com has softened on his earlier expectations for rookie running back Tre Mason. In May, he wrote that he wouldn't be surprised if Mason overtook Zac Stacy for the starting job. In a chat on Friday, it was the exact opposite. Wagoner said he would be surprised if such a change occurred. quot;Mason has a ways to go on things that go beyond simply running the football," Wagoner said. But that doesn't mean Mason will be a total afterthought. Wagoner said about 8-10 carries per game for Mason "is probably about right." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Mason is struggling with pass protection, as most rookie running backs do. If he can't get that down, it will hurt his chances for playing time. Head coach Jeff Fisher said earlier this year that Stacy has what it takes to be a true workhorse, He took on heavy workloads often as a rookie last season but averaged less than four yards per carry. The Rams may be hoping that Mason can provide some electricity in their running game while also giving Stacy some extra breathers. If Mason gets 130-160 carries, that would cut into Stacy's value significantly. He is currently being drafted as a high-end RB2, but that position probably needs to fall a bit if Mason is going to have as much work as is being speculated here. Mason is a high-priority handcuff and could have standalone flex appeal in some weeks.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano on RB Trent Richardson: 'Fully expect him to have a great year'

Posted: 19 Jul 2014 01:50 AM PDT

Colts head coach Chuck Pagano understands the difficult transition running back Trent Richardson had to make last year. Traded from Cleveland prior to Week 3, Richardson was installed as the Colts' lead back even though he was learning the offense on the fly. It played a role in a very disappointing season for Richardson as he averaged just three yards per carry and less than 40 yards per game. He ended up losing his starting job late in the season to Donald Brown. But a new season is upon every NFL team, and Pagano thinks this one will be a good one for Richardson. quot;Coming in under the circumstances which he did would be tough on anybody," Pagano said of Richardson to USA Today. "Certainly having a year under his belt and a full offseason ... he's put the time in and has a better understanding of the offense. The expectations are what they are, and I think Trent expects probably more of Trent than anybody else. "Fully expect him to have a great year." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Vick Ballard and Ahmad Bradshaw will push Richardson, but it's unlikely that they will pose a serious threat for the starting job if Richardson plays up to his talent. Ballard and Bradshaw are also coming off of season-ending injuries which required surgery -- Ballard tore an ACL prior to the season while Bradshaw couldn't play past Week 3 due to a neck injury. I am a believer in T-Rich. Besides fully comprehending the playbook, he needs to run with more confidence and use his power to his benefit. He has the ability to add to his value by catching 40-50 passes. Perhaps a fifth-round ADP is too rich for some, but I'm buying Richardson at his current low-end RB2 spot.

Browns RB Ben Tate will enter training camp as 'slight favorite' to start

Posted: 19 Jul 2014 01:21 AM PDT

All eyes of the NFL media will be on Johnny Manziel when the Browns open training camp next week. Fantasy owners should focus their eyes a few yards behind the rookie quarterback and to an important and fairly even running back battle. According to Vic Carucci of the Browns' official website, Ben Tate will enter camp as a quot;slight favorite" to begin the season as the starter ahead of third-round rookie Terrance West. But Carucci writes that "it wouldn't be the least bit surprising if [West] ends up winning the starting job ...." Why? "He's more of a glider than a runner, showing remarkable nimbleness despite his powerful, 5-foot-9, 225-pound frame," Carucci wrote of the rookie. "West seems like a natural in the Browns' outside-zone-blocking scheme. He shows the necessary patience to allow gaps to form as the offensive line moves laterally and the necessary ability to plant a foot and explode through the hole. He's also big enough and strong enough to shake tacklers, but has the speed to tear away from them in the open field." Carucci notes that Tate is already experienced with a zone-blocking scheme; he ran in one for four years in Houston. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Not to be forgotten, Carucci mentions that Isaiah Crowell, a former top high school recruit and undrafted free agent, has impressed coaches and could be a key backup if he can beat out Dion Lewis for the No. 3 gig. But the men to really watch here are Tate and West. This is going to be a fun one. The Browns are going to run a lot this season with an offense designed by Kyle Shanahan and most likely executed by Manziel, a fantastic scrambler. If both backs remain healthy, I think this will become a timeshare, but West is the smarter selection right now. Tate has an extensive injury history in his four seasons and is being drafted on average about three rounds before West.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski may begin training camp on PUP list

Posted: 18 Jul 2014 09:03 PM PDT

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski, still dealing with knee issues, said he's unsure if he'll be on the active/PUP list when training camp opens. Gronkowski missed the first six weeks of the 2013 season, was super-productive over the next seven, then hung it up during the final three weeks and the playoffs. When he was on the field, Gronkowski was his normal self. He averaged 5.5 receptions and 84.5 yards in those seven games, with his best performance coming in the Patriots week nine game with Pittsburgh. Gronkowski caught nine balls for 143 yards and a touchdown in that game. The active/PUP or preseason PUP list is different from the regular season PUP list. If a player is on the PUP list at the start of the regular season, he cannot be activated until after week six. Players on the preseason PUP list can be activated at any time during the preseason. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Gronk reminded all of us why fantasy football players--and Tom Brady--need him to play. Not only did he average 17.45 ppg in PPR leagues the seven games he played in, Gronk also had a streak of four straight games with a receiving touchdown. He's as effective a TE as we've seen in recent memory. Along with Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints and Julius Thomas of the Denver Broncos, Gronk lands in the top tier of fantasy tight ends, and it's not even close when you drop to the next one. This seems like a precautionary statement more than anything. Monitor it, but as long as Gronk is playing in the preseason, he's a top-flight fantasy option at tight end. 80 catches for 900 yards and 10 touchdowns is about what we have him projected out at. With a full season of good health, exceeding those numbers is very possible in the Patriots offense.

Bryce Brown: A super sleeper hiding in plain sight

Posted: 18 Jul 2014 04:44 PM PDT

The Bills led the NFL in rushing attempts last season and are anchored by two injury-prone RBs. Enter Bryce Brown!

Chiefs QB Alex Smith looking for $18 million/year extension

Posted: 18 Jul 2014 02:13 PM PDT

Speaking to Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star, Chiefs QB Alex Smith said he has one year left on his his 2012 deal and is looking for a new contract, quot;I'd love to have it done," Smith said in a phone interview on Thursday. "I love Kansas City, I love the coaching staff, the players. … But when you're talking about this many years and that type of deal, you want it done right." When asked about his contemporaries in quarterback's Tony Romo, Matt Stafford and Jay Cutler whom all make around $18 million per year, Smith said "certainly when you're talking about comparables and what the marketplace is for a quarterback, certainly you're looking at that, and I feel like my body of work of the last three, four years is right up there with a lot of those guys." Smith is expected to make about $7.5 million this season and be a free agent after 2015. chiefs/article756019.html#storylink=cpy When asked about his contemporaries in QB's Tony Romo, Matt Stafford and Jay Cutler whom all make around $18 million per year, Smith said, "certainly when you're talking about comparables and what the marketplace is for a quarterback, certainly you're looking at that, and I feel like my body of work of the last three, four years is right up there with a lot of those guys." Smith is expected to make about $7.5 million this season and be a free agent after 2015. Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article756019.html#storylink=cpy Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article756019.html#storylink=cpy Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article756019.html#storylink=cpy FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's highly debatable whether he should be paid that much or even signed to a long term contract. Since his time with the 49ers and now with the Chiefs, he has always been a better game-manager than a playmaker. Kansas City is in no rush to get a deal done at the moment and also have other areas to focus on, especially the defensive unit after getting rid of star cornerback Brandon Flowers this offseason. In 2012 he was injured and only played 9 games, and in 2013 he was a QB12. He is a middling QB2 option this season.

UPDATE: Browns QB Brian Hoyer healed up, ready to go for camp

Posted: 18 Jul 2014 08:26 AM PDT

The following is an update to my colleague Brian Murphy's previous news item. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com had a chance to speak with Browns QB Brian Hoyer about how his knee is healing after missing most of last season with a torn ACL. Hoyer said he's been cleared by team trainers and insisted he's ready to go, quot;"I was begging them to let me practice, they said once training camp comes there won't be any limitations, but I'm geared up and ready to go and excited. I can't wait for next Saturday.'' When on the field for 3 games last year he put a surprising 5 touchdowns and one 300 plus passing yard game. He'll be in a battle for first string duties with rookie Johnny Manziel. FANTASY ANALYSIS: If Hoyer wins the starting job, he'll still have a tough time putting up decent numbers this year. The Browns have suggested they'll be looking to run the ball more by acquiring veteran running back Ben Tate along with rookies Terrence West and Isaiah Crowell in the draft. There is also the issue of losing his best receiving target in Josh Gordon. Hoyer is a QB38 in our preseason rankings.