Tuesday, August 12, 2014

FFToolbox - Texans RB Andre Brown cut plus 16 more

FFToolbox - Texans RB Andre Brown cut plus 16 more

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Texans RB Andre Brown cut

Posted: 12 Aug 2014 04:38 AM PDT

The Texans cut RB Andre Brown from their roster Monday, according to ProFootballTalk. The move comes after Brown did not play in the Texans preseason game Saturday night, and follows reports that Brown had been relegated to fifth on the Texans' RB depth chart. With Brown gone, Texans RB Arian Foster will be backed up by RBs Jonathan Grimes, Alfred Blue and Dennis Johnson. FANTASY ANALYSIS: So much for Andre Brown being the new Ben Tate. Brown had signed a one-year, $645,000 contract to play in Houston this season, and obviously the Texans did not believe he was worth that money. Don't be surprised if we hear he's trying for another NFL roster this preseason, but be very hesitant to draft him. If the Texans parted ways that quickly, something's not right for the former Giants standout. As for Foster's handcuff situation, Grimes appears to have first dibs on backup duties in Houston.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski takes part in 7-on-7 drills

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 07:41 PM PDT

Rob Gronkowski participated in 7-on-7 drills today, according to CSN's Tom Curran via Twitter. This is the first time Gronkowski has participated in group drills during training camp. Previously he'd been working on the sidlelines individually or with Darrelle Revis. Gronkowski is recovering from a combination ACL/MCL tear. He's unlikely to play this preseason, but hopes to be back for Week 1 of the regular season. FANTASY ANALYSIS: This is good progress for Gronkowski, but also a reminder of how far he still needs to progress to be ready for the season. He's being taken as the second TE overall right now, ahead of Broncos TE Julius Thomas. So owners are not factoring in the risk that Gronkowski misses time at the beginning of the season. Whenever he does return, he'll have gone about nine months without playing live football, so there may be some rust at first. When he's on the field, Gronkowski is a must-start. But if you plan on taking him, make sure to monitor his progress closely.

Experts Sleepers, Busts and Breakouts Announced

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 06:41 PM PDT

Scout Fantasy enlisted six of the world's most accomplished, distinguished and winning high-stakes pros to recommend their picks for Breakout Player, Bust Player, Sleeper, Comeback Player and Stash and Cash (or deep sleeper). These selections are their own personal picks and they have provided their own insights for every choice.

2014 Fantasy Football Busts

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 04:41 PM PDT

Our writers have classified the following players as busts for 2014. We will be updating this list throughout the pre-season.

2014 Fantasy Football Sleepers

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 04:41 PM PDT

We have classified the following players as sleepers for 2014. We will be updating this list throughout the pre-season.

Bengals WR Marvin Jones breaks foot, may miss six weeks

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 04:36 PM PDT

On Saturday, Bengals WR Marvin Jones went down with a foot injury. It has now been confirmed he broke his foot and could potentially miss six weeks. He could also be placed on I.R./designated to return, which allows teams to place one player per season on injured reserve and then bring them back later in the season. He would have to stay on that list for eight weeks before he could return. Jones was penciled in as the No. 2 receiver opposite A.J. Green, but had already missed some of preseason with an ankle injury. WR Mohamed Sanu has had a strong camp and will take over WR2 duties in Cincinnati. FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's a blow to the Bengals but not as serious as it might indicate. Head coach Hue Jackson has a run-based approach, which would have left limited targets to Jones anyway. If anything, the rest of Bengal offensive weapons such as RB Giovani Bernard, TE Tyler Eifert, and A.J. Green are likely to get an increased share of targets and may see an increase in value from the Jones loss. Unless you have deep benches, there are better options to keep on your fantasy team than to get tangled up in Jones and Sanu. Avoid the situation for now.

Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley quick to change tune on WR Marqise Lee

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 03:13 PM PDT

On Saturday, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley was critical of rookie WR Marqise Lee's effort on plays saying quot;Run your routes every time [as if it is] coming to you. You can't change speeds. You can't choose when and when not to." After sitting down with Lee to get an explanation of the lackluster performance, Bradley was quick to recant his previous statement on Monday, "A couple of things that came up where he was unsure of positioning of the defense and the route in terms of how he should attack it. So, there was confusion on his part that we got cleared up. He is extremely focused, really competitive, really driven." Lee was taken No. 39 overall in the 2014 draft and is expected to start opposite WR Cecil Shorts. FANTASY ANALYSIS: It was a bad attempt to get his rookie WR motivated and Bradley is simply backtracking on his comments. Lee has been noted for his work ethic and has had a decent training camp so far. Lee might be the best talent in the wide receiving corps with the exception of Justin Blackmon, who might never play another game in the NFL. He is a WR4 with upside, and a nice dynasty stash.

Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch being investigated for 'alleged assault'

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 01:05 PM PDT

Seahawks superstar RB Marshawn Lynch is being investigated for "allegation of an assault and personal property damage" in Bellevue, Washington. In the statement, Bellevue police said "[We] are in the process of gathering the facts of this alleged incident, including verifying whether or not Mr. Lynch was in fact involved. No arrests have been made. There is no further information available at this time." The incident happened Sunday morning and was reported by a woman living in a Bellevue apartment. Police specifically noted the complaint quot;does not include any allegations of domestic violence or sexual assault." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Lynch is one of the best RBs in the NFL but can't seem to keep his nose clean. It should be noted that these are only allegations, but he's had a lengthy trend of off-the-field issues which include weapons charges, reckless driving and a hit-and-run, all of which were separate incidents. It also doesn't help that he held out for a new contract this offseason, which some observers thought was unwarranted. Either way, Robert Turbin and fantasy-favorite Christine Michael will be waiting to take over if this thing heads down-hill quickly. If Lynch escapes the allegations, he'll still be a RB1 option.

Raiders RB Latavius Murray required two surgeries on ankle

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:39 PM PDT

CSN Bay Area is reporting RB Latavius Murray required a second surgery in December. The first surgery came last year while playing as a rookie, he suffered an ankle injury in Oakland's first preseason game. The second was to quot;tighten things up". Head coach Dennis Johnson noticed the difference thus far in camp, "I think now that he's back to being healthy, I think we're seeing a little bit more the type of back that we felt we were going to get when we drafted him. I think, to this point in camp and really through the first preseason game, he's done well." FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's good news for Murray who is running behind Maurice Jones-Drew and injury-prone Darren McFadden. He doesn't hold much redraft value if one of the former doesn't get injured this year, but Murray should be stashed in all dynasty formats. He'll have RB3 value with RB2 upside if he sees playing time.

NASCAR Picks for Michigan

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:26 PM PDT

Top 30 NASCAR Sprint Cup driver rankings for Pure Michigan 400: 1. Kevin Harvick, 2. Brad Keselowski, 3. Jimmie Johnson, 4. Joey Logano, 5. Jeff Gordon, 6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 7. Kasey Kahne, ...

Scoutlook: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Backfield

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:13 PM PDT

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Texans RB Andre Brown may be fifth on depth chart

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:01 PM PDT

Questions have surfaced after Texans RB Andre Brown has been healthy in preseason but didn't see a snap in Houston's first preseason game. Jonathan Grimes had started the game with RB Arian Foster sitting out due to a back injury, followed by rookie Alfred Blue and second-year player Dennis Johnson. When asked about playing time on Monday, head coach Bill O'Brien said quot;Andre Brown is battling but RB is a tough spot for the team." FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's a situation to monitor. Brown was brought in to the Texans this past offseason and was expected to backup injury-prone Foster. If he doesn't improve his depth chart status, Brown could be a let-go when roster cut-downs have to be made. We'll see if and how he performs in the second preseason game.

Redskins WR DeSean Jackson nearing return after injury

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 11:42 AM PDT

The Washington Post is reporting Redskins WR DeSean Jackson is healed up after suffering a mild ankle injury in an August 6th practice. The newly acquired Washington deep-threat hasn't practiced since that day, but ran full speed on Monday, catching several TD passes from quarterback Robert Griffin. Jackson is ready to go for the second preseason game versus the Cleveland Browns next week, saying "Yeah. I'm going to be out there, flying around with my teammates." FANTASY ANALYSIS: It seemed to more of a precaution holdout of Jackson by the coaches. There was no need to rush him back for the first preseason game where he might only play a few snaps anyway. Jackson can be considered a low-end WR2/high end WR3 this year, and has an ADP in the early 5th round.

Steelers WR Martavis Bryant struggles versus Giants

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 10:32 AM PDT

Rookie WR Martavis Bryant recorded a drop, a muffed punt, and a fumble in the Steelers preseason opener versus the Giants on Saturday night. Bryant did not play a snap with the offensive starters, and only saw the field with the team's third- and fourth-string lineups. The Steelers drafted the 6-foot-5 WR in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Bryant had a miserable NFL debut, committing errors at just about every opportunity. The fumble was especially costly, as it came on the Steelers' final drive of the game, as they attempted to return from a four-point deficit. Bryant's phsyical tools are perfect - he's big, fast, and can jump. But it looks like this season he'll be developing on the practice field more than in stadiums. Steelers second-year WR Markus Wheaton looks to have the WR2 job locked down, and Bryant will need to work hard just to make the Steelers' final roster. Dynasty league owners should keep an eye on Bryant, but redrafters should not spend a pick on him. At this point, he's far more of a prospect than a producer.

Titans RB Bishop Sankey impresses head coach Ken Whisenhunt in opener

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 10:18 AM PDT

Ken Whisenhunt singled out rookie RB Bishop Sankey as a player who impressed him in the Titans' preseason opener versus Green Bay on Saturday night. Sankey carried 13 times for 37 yards, and also caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. Among the highlights were a 23-yard catch-and-run, and a five-yard touchdown catch. Sankey has reportedly demonstrated throughout training camp that he is a complete back, able to hit holes hard, catch balls out of the backfield, and pass-protect. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Sankey looked solid in the first NFL action of his career. His 2.8 YPC average isn't anything to write home about, but in the passing game, he was excellent. Given the chops he showed as a receiver, PPR owners may consider Sankey a value pick in his average draft position of 57th overall. It's also worth noting that Titans RB Shonn Green saw red zone work, including a 13-yard touchdown run. Don't count on Sankey seeing goal-line carries this year with Green on the roster. But despite that, Sankey still looks likely to be an impact rookie in fantasy this year.

Steelers RB LeGarrette Blount takes red zone carries in preseason opener

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:57 AM PDT

LeGarrette Blount saw red zone work with the Steelers' starting unit in Saturday night's preseason opener against the Giants. RB LeVeon Bell started for the team and took the first two carries before Blount was substituted in to handle work inside the 20-yard-line. Blount also stayed on the field for a third-down play, something that's not been a typical manner of usage in Blount's past with the Buccaneers and Patriots. When asked about the workload split, Blount said quot;I don't know how they're going to (split up playing time)," but added "ain't nobody going to sign me to sit me." FANTASY ANALYSIS: It was surprising to see Blount on the field for a third down, and it's not a development Le'Veon Bell's owners should be excited about. Additionally, it looks very likely now that Blount will handle a great deal of the Steelers' red zone work. At 6-feet and 250lbs, Blount is built to do heavy lifting up the middle. Bell took 85% of the Steelers red zone carries last season, highest in the league. Bell scored eight times last year, but all eight touchdowns came on red zone carries. He did not score a single touchdown from outside the 20-yard-line. If Bell loses a substantial portion of that work, as it looks like he might, his fantasy production could drop off severely. Bell is being drafted as the eighth RB overall - a spot that may be too high with Blount getting into the mix this season.

On The Clock: Antonio Brown vs. Alshon Jeffery vs. Keenan Allen (PREMIUM PREVIEW)

Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:42 AM PDT

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