Training Camp Preview: NFC East
Mon Jul 25 11:37am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Gallup could be slowed early
This is the fifth in a series of training camp previews. The previews give you a quick look at each team, going over position battles and injuries to watch in camp. The season is right around the corner.
Eagles
The Eagles made some moves this offseason, hoping to bring their team to a new level. The big move was adding receiver A.J. Brown, giving Jalen Hurts an elite receiver on his side. This should be a huge boost to the offense. Expectations are going to be very high for the Eagles. The big thing to watch this camp will be the development of Hurts. Philadelphia needs Hurts to up his game if they hope to improve and make a run at the Super Bowl. Hurts and his teammates train at the Philadelphia Eagles NovaCare Training Complex in Philadelphia, Pa.
Position battle: Miles Sanders is fully expected to start, but the Eagles aren’t going to just hand him the job. He has been up and down in a starting role and the Eagles have never fully committed to him as their No. 1 back. So he will get some competition from Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott for work. Hopefully, Sanders can separate himself from the competition, but this hasn’t happened to date. It is a situation to watch.
Injury watch: Miles Sanders has missed time because of injury each of the past two seasons, missing nine games during that stretch. He has yet to prove he can withstand a full season as a three-down back in the NFL. Sanders needs to shed that label if he hopes to start and play a big role in the Eagles offense this season.
Giants
The Giants made a lot of moves this offseason, most notably adding coach Brian Daboll. He is considered a great offensive mind, so the Giants hope he can transform an offense that struggled last year. Much of the focus for camp watchers should be how Daboll impacts players on that side of the ball, especially guys like Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay. We will get to see all the Giants in action at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center at East Rutherford, N.J.
Position battle: The Giants have a lot of receivers, looking to grab playing time this year. It really is up in the air, especially if you consider the team has a new coaching staff. They are going to play the guys that catch their eye and deserve the work. Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson are all candidates to earn significant playing time this year. And whoever starts should have some fantasy value in an offense that has a chance to be much improved.
Injury watch: Sterling Shepard is returning from a torn Achilles’ tendon suffered in Week 15 last season. He has a long road back but is holding out some hope he might be ready for Week 1. That might be a little wishful thinking, but there is a chance. He also could miss some games to start the year because of the injury. This is an injury situation to watch during training camp. HIs status is up in the air for the start of the season.
Cowboys
There are always high expectations for the Cowboys and this year will be no different. Dallas has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball and an owner that can be impatient. This could be a make or break year for the coaching staff. They will need to get the Cowboys performing in a hurry if they hope to make a long run in the playoffs this year. Dallas trains at the Marriott Residence Inn in Oxnard, Calif.
Position battle: Michael Gallup is not expected to be ready for the start of the season, leaving an opening for the other starting job opposite CeeDee Lamb. The two top candidates for that job are James Washington and Jalen Tolbert. There is a lot of buzz for Tolbert right now, but he is going to need to keep making plays and showing well in camp. Washington is an established veteran with past starting experience, so don’t discount him to start over Tolbert. This isn’t a given right now.
Injury watch: Michael Gallup is trying to return from a torn ACL. He is holding out hope to be ready for Week 1, but nothing is set for him right now. Gallup has a real chance to miss a few games to start the year as he recovers from his serious knee injury. We should get a better idea of his injury status during camp and preseason action, though. If Gallup is out there practicing and looking good, don’t count him out to be ready for Week 1.
Washington
Washington had a lot of turmoil with their day to day operations once again, so hopefully this doesn’t the team on the field. It hasn’t in the past, but you never know. The team has a new quarterback once again, hoping to have solved that problem that has plagued the team in recent years. Carson Wentz now gets to take over and try to establish himself as the franchise quarterback. He should be the big talk of camp, trying to bring more consistency to the offense. Washington has training camp at The Park in Ashburn, Va.
Position battle: Terry McLaurin is the No. 1 receiver and top target for Washington, but the other starter is up for grabs. Curtis Samuel was a big addition to this roster last season but couldn’t stay healthy. The Commanders drafted Jahan Dotson this season, adding more talent to the receiver room. Dotson should have a good chance to start from day one, but Samuel has a track record and the coaching staff likes him. Samuel could keep that starting job if he proves to be healthy and is making plays on the field.
Injury watch: Starting tight end Logan Thomas tore both his ACL and MCL last season. He has made good progress from the injury, though, and could be ready for Week 1. But there seems a better chance that Thomas will miss some time early in the year. He has a long history of injury, so the Commanders won’t rush him back unless he is fully healthy.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
The Dallas Cowboys officially picked up hybrid defensive end Micah Parsons' fifth-year option for the 2025 season on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the move. Parsons' salary is worth $21.32 million as a defensive end, which is the position at which he played the majority of his snaps in 2023. The 24-year-old former 12th overall pick in 2021 out of Penn State has been a beast rushing the passer so far in his first three NFL seasons. He's made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons and has a total of 213 tackles (142 solo), 40.5 sacks, 51 tackles for loss, 89 QB hits, eight passes defended, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) in 50 regular-season starts. Parsons had 64 tackles and a career-high 14 sacks in 2023 and will once again be a highly coveted pass-rusher in IDP fantasy formats this fall.
From RotoBaller
Word around the league is that the Washington Commanders have advocates in their building for both LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and North Carolina QB Drake Maye. However, almost everyone polled for The Athletic's story believed Daniels was destined for Washington with new general manager Adam Peters hot for Daniels. The belief from rival teams is that the Commanders had been leaning toward Maye much earlier in the pre-draft process, but Daniels has done enough to lock himself into the No. 2 pick. One executive from a team outside of the top 10 wouldn't rule out a brief Daniels slide, perhaps down to No. 4. Still, it's highly unlikely Daniels drops out of the top five. If he goes to D.C., he'll be favored to start from Day 1 in his rookie season.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson (leg), offensive guard Austin Corbett (knee), pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney and running back Tarik Cohen (Achilles) have all been taking part in drills during voluntary offseason workouts this week. Meanwhile, offensive guard Chandler Zavala (knee) and linebackers D.J. Wonnum (quadriceps) Amare Barno (knee) weren't participating in drills. Thompson, who suffered a fractured fibula in Week 2 last year against the New Orleans Saints, is the most notable name of this group. The 30-year-old should be ready to go for training camp and the preseason later this year as long as he doesn't suffer a setback before then. The former 25th overall pick in 2015 out of Washington recorded 100-plus combined tackles in each of his previous four seasons with Carolina before getting hurt in 2023.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson has requested to be traded from the Bengals, according to a league source. Hendrickson is due to make $15 million in 2024 and is looking for more long-term security than the Bengals have been willing to offer. It remains to be seen if the 29-year-old's wish will be granted with the first round of the 2024 NFL draft coming on Thursday evening. The former third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2017 out of Florida Atlantic has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons with the Bengals. In 17 starts in 2023, he had a career-high 43 tackles (28 solo), a career-high 17.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 25 QB hits and three forced fumbles. Even if he heads to a new team for 2024, Hendrickson should still be in play as a weekly starting defensive lineman in IDP fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
The Dallas Cowboys are currently meeting with free-agent running back Ezekiel Elliott's representatives around the facility on Wednesday, a day before the start of the 2024 NFL draft, according to a source. There has been mutual interest from both sides in a reunion this offseason as the Cowboys look to bolster their running back position after losing Tony Pollard in free agency. As of right now, Dallas' RB room consists of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Royce Freeman and Snoop Conner. The 28-year-old Elliott had 184 carries for 642 yards (career-low 3.5 yards per carry) and three touchdowns while adding 51 catches for 313 yards and another two scores through the air in 17 games for the New England Patriots in 2023. At this point in his career, Zeke needs volume to be fantasy relevant, and that probably won't happen if he returns to Dallas.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Chargers are set to undergo a rebuilding phase following the hiring of head coach Jim Harbaugh and the departures of longtime offensive weapons Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams. L.A. has been rumored to be a top landing spot for Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison or LSU wideout Malik Nabers, but Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report suggests they are likely to pick an offensive tackle if they stay at pick No. 5. Notre Dame's Joe Alt is expected to be the first player at the position off the board. Alt has been mocked to the Tennessee Titans at pick No. 7 for much of the offseason, so the Chargers picking the 2023 first-team All-American would shake things up drastically. The Chargers have a lot of options with teams potentially trying to move up for a quarterback, so they are one of the key teams to monitor in the first round on Thursday.
From RotoBaller
The New York Giants are in an interesting predicament at the quarterback spot. The organization signed Daniel Jones (knee) to a four-year, $160 million deal last offseason, but he didn't play well in 2023, and he is coming off a torn ACL. There has been plenty of buzz surrounding New York selecting a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that they could pass on a quarterback if North Carolina's Drake Maye isn't available at pick No. 6. "Most teams believe if Maye is off the board, the Giants' most likely scenario is to go wide receiver to land a player who can help an offense that was last in the league in yards after the catch in 2023," Russini wrote. If the reports are true, look for New York to target LSU's Malik Nabers in that draft slot. That said, Washington's Rome Odunze is likely in consideration as well.
From RotoBaller
University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has seemingly been rising draft boards this offseason, and NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that he could enter the discussion to be one of the first four quarterbacks off the board. "It's been assumed the top four QBs are Williams, Daniels, Maye, and McCarthy," Russini wrote "But don't be surprised if Penix enters the discussion come Thursday." Penix, who will be 24 years old during his rookie season, had a monster two-year stretch with Washington after four injury-riddled campaigns at Indiana. In 2022 and 2023, combined, the lefty posted 9,544 passing yards, 67 passing touchdowns, and 67 interceptions. He ran between a 4.51 and 4.57 forty-yard dash at the Huskies' Pro Day, so his 226 career rushing yards might not demonstrate his full rushing ability.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a monster 2023 season, throwing for 4,575 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He led Detroit to the No. 3 seed in the NFC and the organization won two playoff games in a single postseason for the first time since 1957. On Wednesday, the team signed Pro Bowl wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackle Penei Sewell to high-dollar four-year contract extensions, but Goff is reportedly not close to agreeing to a new long-term deal. According to Adam Schefter, no new deal is "imminent" as of now. This will be an interesting development to watch play out, as the former Los Angeles Rams No. 1 overall pick is entering the final year of his contract in the Motor City and could become a free agent next offseason.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Lions have signed wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: The contract is basically a four-year, $120 million extension with $77 million guaranteed, the most ever for a wide receiver in NFL history. It's a huge haul for St. Brown, who has quickly established himself as one of the best players in the NFL. After his 119/1,515/10 season last year, the Lions were going to either pay him or risk losing him after his rookie deal expired. They've clearly chosen to build around him and he should be firmly cemented as a WR1 in dynasty moving forward. St. Brown is an easy target for any team looking for a premier centerpiece to their dynasty team as the best could truly be yet to come.
Dynasty | The Steelers are not expected to pick up the fifth-year option on the contract of Justin Fields. Dynasty Analysis: This isn't much of a surprise as the Steelers would be on the hook for $25 million in his fifth year and don't even know if they want him as their long-term starter at this point. Pittsburgh is likely going to go into the season with Russell Wilson as their starter but also quietly evaluating Fields to be a possible successor. We'll see what happens but Fields looks like a player who could be a sneaky buy in the next few months leading up to the season as his ADP has tanked.
Dynasty | The Bengals are picking up the fifth year option on the contract of Ja'Marr Chase. Dynasty Analysis: Consider this a placeholder as Cincinnati now needs to prepare to make Chase the highest paid receiver in the league. Amon-Ra St. Brown has set the market with a four-year, $120 million extension ($77 million guaranteed), so the Bengals are going to need to assemble a few armored cars here soon. Chase and Justin Jefferson should both be set to sign historic deals and while the option being picked up buys the Bengals one more season, dynasty managers shouldn't worry about him hitting free agency any time soon. Chase remains a bona fide candidate for the top overall selection in dynasty leagues.
Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning recently talked with Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and said the Broncos are interested in him with the 2024 NFL draft beginning on Thursday night. "I know Denver is very interested in him and it sounded like a place he'd love to come to but it's a little bit out of his control," Manning told Denver Sports over the air. McCarthy played in a pro-style offense at Michigan and led the Wolverines to the national championship earlier this year. He wasn't allowed to throw the ball that much in college, but he really impressed at his pro day and has been rising up draft boards ever since. McCarthy is a candidate to go in the first five picks on Thursday night, although it seems unlikely that Denver has the ammunition to pull off a trade up into the top five this year to select McCarthy, especially after trading for Zach Wilson on Tuesday.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell agreed to terms on a four-year, $112 million contract extension with the Lions on Wednesday that makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL. The deal also includes $85 million guaranteed. The Lions were active in keeping several key contributors of their offense around for the long term, as they also gave receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown a four-year extension that makes him the highest-paid wideout in the league for the time being. Sewell, who was drafted seventh overall in 2021 out of Oregon, has made the Pro Bowl each of the last two years and was a first-time All-Pro in 2023. The 23-year-old has been a big reason for the Lions' resurgence in the last two years.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) was fully cleared for football activities earlier in April, his doctor informed teams in a letter. Howard is currently a free agent and battled a foot injury last year that limited him to 13 games with the Miami Dolphins. In those 13 games, he had 45 tackles (36 solo), an interception and 12 passes defended. Now that the 30-year-old defensive back appears to be fully healthy, he should be able to sign with another team in advance of the 2024 season this fall. The four-time Pro Bowler was a second-round pick by the Dolphins in 2016 out of Baylor and has a total of 331 tackles (258 solo), two sacks, eight tackles for loss, 29 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 95 passes defended, four forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries (two returned for TDs) in his eight years in Miami.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers did a simple restructure of the salary of pass-rusher Alex Highsmith's contract on Wednesday to create more than $7 million in salary cap space, according to a source. The Steelers will convert a portion of Highsmith's base salary in 2024 into a signing bonus. The 26-year-old former third-round pick in 2020 out of Charlotte has put up 21.5 sacks in the last two years and had 57 tackles (34 solo), seven sacks, eight tackles for loss, 18 QB hits, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and two forced fumbles in 17 regular-season starts in 2023 in his fourth year in the league. Along with All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt, Highsmith is a key member of the Steelers' defense moving forward.
From RotoBaller
The Baltimore Ravens signed wide receiver Rashod Bateman to an undisclosed contract extension on Wednesday that ties him to the team through the 2026 season. Bateman was able to stay healthy in 2023, but he was overshadowed by rookie first-rounder Zay Flowers and finished with a disappointing 32 catches for 367 yards and just one touchdown on 56 targets in 16 regular-season games (12 starts) in his third year in the league. The 24-year-old former 27th overall pick in 2021 out of Minnesota hasn't lived up to his first-round billing and has found the end zone just four times in three years. The Ravens continue to say that Bateman is going to have a bigger role in the passing attack in 2024, but fantasy managers will want to see it before they believe it.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't expected to pick up quarterback Justin Fields' $25 million fifth-year option, according to league sources. The Steelers acquired Fields from the Chicago Bears last month for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick. Fields and Russell Wilson will now both be entering the last year of their contracts in 2024. Wilson is fully expected to open the 2024 campaign as the starter under center for Pittsburgh, but if he falters, Fields will get a shot to prove that he belongs with the Steelers beyond this season. The 25-year-old showed some improvement late last year with Chicago, but it wasn't enough to keep him as the franchise signal-caller in the eyes of Bears brass. Fields' fantasy stock is obviously way down entering next season, but he could become a high-upside waiver-wire pickup if Wilson is benched.
From RotoBaller
The Detroit Lions agreed to a four-year contract extension with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on Wednesday that is worth $120 million with $77 million guaranteed. The deal makes St. Brown the highest-paid receiver in the league and ties him with Miami's Tyreek Hill in average annual value ($30 million). The 24-year-old former fourth-round pick in 2021 out of USC has been an excellent value for Detroit. He's made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons and put up career-highs in catches (119), targets (164), receiving yards (1,515) and touchdowns (10) in 16 regular-season games in his third year in the NFL in 2024. With Quarterback Jared Goff still peppering St. Brown with targets in 2024, he'll continue to serve as a high-end WR1 for fantasy managers.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Bengals exercised the fifth-year option for wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase on Wednesday, as expected. Chase is now officially locked up through the 2025 season. The 24-year-old former fifth overall pick in 2021 out of LSU has made the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons in the NFL and set a career-high with 100 catches on 145 targets for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games in 2023, despite the fact that quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) missed considerable time with a season-ending injury. Chase's seven touchdowns in 2023 were a career-low, but he should bounce back in that department in 2024 as long as Burrow can stay healthy all year. Chase's fantasy arrow continues to point up and he should be considered a top-tier WR1.
From RotoBaller
