Riley Cooper to Assume Jeremy Maclin Role?
With Maclin down for the count with an ACL tear, someone has to step up. While Damaris Johnson seems like the most talented receiver with upside behind DeSean Jackson, Cooper is the one who will get the first shot at Maclin’s role.
Cooper has been underwhelming in the chances he’s gotten thus far in his career. According to Pro Football Focus, in the seven games that Cooper receiver 70 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, Cooper managed just 19 catches for 206 yards (29.4 yards per game). Arrelious Benn is another option, but is seen as mostly a blocking receiver and has been banged up through his entire career.
Before the end of the season, I’m expecting Johnson to take over the No.2 wide receiver void that Maclin has left wide open. However, Jackson’s fantasy value is the biggest beneficiary of this injury, plain and simple. Expect him to see him used as a complete receiver in 2013.
Marcedes Lews Pass-Catching Role to Increase
Lewis hasn’t been much of a fantasy name since he broke out for 10 touchdowns in 2010. Although his six-foot-six-inch, 272-pound frame is a perfect prototype for an NFL tight end. However, with the addition of Luke Joeckel, there is no reason his receiving role shouldn’t increase in 2013, as he won’t have to stay in-line and block.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Fisch sounds like he is on board with that theory, via the Associated Press: “We need him to be more than a blocker. We’re trying to use this camp to see what he does best. There’s a lot of positives. He’s 6-6 and 260 points. When you have a guy like that, you have to find ways to get him the ball.”
Broncos Center Dan Koppen Tears ACL
What a tough break. The team already lost starting center J.D. Walton for most of the 2013 season due to his lingering ankle injury. With Walton down and out, Koppen was expected to take the starting center role. No longer. Expect the team to turn to Philip Blake, Manny Ramirez, or Chris Kuper if they are looking to stay in-house. Otherwise, they could turn to the free agent market. There’s not much fantasy impact here, if any.
Cardinals First-Round Offensive Guard Jonathan Cooper Agrees to Terms
The deal is for four years and is worth $14.55 million. It’s all guaranteed money and includes offset language. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians confirmed that the first-round pick will keep his spot with the first-team in camp despite holdout.
Jets Sign First-Round Corner Dee Milliner
Milliner’s deal is a four-year deal worth $12.66 million fully guaranteed including a $7.588 million signing bonus – almost all of which will be paid before October 15, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. $5 million of the bonus will be paid by August 15. The signing leaves just Titans offensive guard Chance Warmark as the last to unsigned. Warmack is currently in a battle for offset language and has already missed the first five days of training camp.
Joique Bell Running Mostly With Second Team
Bell is widely seen as the more talented running back competing for the No. 2 RB job behind. He was more efficient on a per-carry basis than his competition, Mikel Leshoure, last season. Bell rushed for 5.0 yards per carry, while LeShoure rushed for a meager 3.7. Bell is also a much better receiver out of the backfield. In 2012, according to Pro Football Focus, Bell score a 7.8 in the passing game with 146 less snaps than LeShoure, who scored a 0.0 -- a complete non-factor through the air. Behind Reggie Bush -- a pass-catcher himself -- Bell just makes sense as the handcuff over LeShoure.
Darrius Heyward-Bey Working as Colts No. 2 Receiver
This news comes via Mike Chappell, an Indianapolis Colts beat writer since the day the team came to Indianapolis. This is important because Pep Hamilton, Indianapolis’ new offensive coordinator, is expected to have four every-down pass catchers: two wide receivers and two tight ends. Only one of those spots is available – the No. 2 wide receiver job -- and T.Y. Hilton was expected to compete with Heyward-Bey for that spot.
However, Heyward-Bey seems to have a firm grip on that role for the time being, although it still remains a situation to watch throughout camp. While Hilton’s fantasy football draft position is much higher right now, and it should drop in the coming weeks if this is a continuing trend. I’m expecting Heyward-Bey to open the season as the starter opposite Reggie Wayne.
Ryan Mathews Playing Snaps With Second Team
According to Fox Sports, Mathews is being forced to earn his job under new head coach Mike McCoy. Mathews has worked with both the first- and second-teams in camp so far while both Danny Woodhead and Ronnie Brown cycle in. It’s not a good look for Mathews fantasy value, which I was becoming high on. McCoy said this of the situation: “I’ve been raised with John Fox in this league. We always played with a couple of backs. It doesn’t matter who is in there. Keep them fresh.”
Michel Gehlken of the Union-Tribune San Diego also said, via Twitter, that “there’s no doubt” that the Chargers backfield will be a rotation with Mathews and Woodhead. Gehlken mentioned that Woodhead is too good on passing downs for the Chargers to keep him off the field. It sounds as if Woodhead could play a similar role to what he did with the Patriots in 2012. It’ll be interesting to see if this situation changes in camp, but as of now, the idea of a running back by committee take a big hit on Matthews’ fantasy value.
Jonathan Baldwin Working as Chiefs No. 2 Receiver
This is according to the Kansas City Star. Sounds like free agent signing Donnie Avery hasn’t exactly worked out for Kansas City. Jon Baldwin was running as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver with Devon Wylie at No. 2 while Dwayne Bowe was sidelined in recent practices. McCluster filled the first-team slot position while Wylie – typically a slot receiver – moved outside. Andy Reid said he like what he saw from Baldwin when he joined the team, and now it looks like, in his third year, Baldwin will finally get a starting job.
Quick Hits
Dolphins wide receiver Armon Binns' 2013 season is over before he even took a preseason snap. The receiver tore his ACL and MCL in camp. Binns was having a good camp and was a lock for the roster. Binns is a former member of the Bengals and had a bit of potential as the Dolphins No. 4 wide receiver in 2013.
The Ravens confirmed that tight end Dennis Pitta will miss the entire 2013 season after undergoing surgery on his hip. Pita both dislocated and fractured his hip and has a long recovery road ahead of him.
Bears second-round rookie Jon Bostic is practicing “almost exclusively at middle linebacker”, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. It’s according what he was expected to be doing in camp – learning the role of Brian Urlacher. Although, for now, Bostic is working with the second-team defends.
In Seahawks wide receiver news, Golden Tate should be on your radar. Head coach Pete Carroll said via CBS Sports that Tate is in nearly every package the team runs and added that they will use him in deep passing game as well as shallow, tempo passing game, across the middle. It’s worth mentioning that Russell Wilson has a strong bond with Tate and Tate could very well be the beneficiary if Percy Harvin is out for the year.
Add Tom Coughlin to the list of players and coaches that have talked up Rueben Randle. After Hakeem Nicks missed team drills with a groin injury, Randle showed more flashes. According to ESPN New York, Coughlin said the following on Randle: “His spring was better and then he came back lighter and he looks good. He seems to be more serious, more intent. He had a lot to learn in that first year and it seems like some of the messages are getting through.” Randle is one of my favorite late-round upside picks.