Packers‘ backfield is shaken up
The Packers threw us a curveball when they placed AJ Dillon on season-ending injured reserve. Marshawn Lloyd has missed much of the offseason with various injuries, the latest of which is a hamstring problem that could sideline him for Week 1. Emmanuel Wilson is set to back up Josh Jacobs until Lloyd is healthy. Wilson looked spry on his 14 attempts in 2023, rushing for 85 yards while adding four grabs for 23 yards.
The injuries also guarantee a Herculean workload for Josh Jacobs early in the season.
#Packers HC Matt LaFleur on Josh Jacobs:
“I just get so excited that he can do it all. He can be a weapon in the passing game — not only as a pass-blocker, but also out of the backfield catching the ball, he’s got great hands… He’s just a tough, rugged runner and I don’t… pic.twitter.com/lQA7dSYJou
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) August 7, 2024
As someone who hasn’t drafted much Jacobs this summer, I fear we’re in for a top-five fantasy performance for at least the first month, and possibly much longer.
Elijah Mitchell done for the year
Possibly the biggest shakeup of the cutdown date was Elijah Mitchell being placed on season-ending injured reserve. Jordan Mason was pushing him for the RB2 job before the injury and is now locked into that role. Given that he hasn’t even been taken in every Best Ball draft, I’ll be making him a priority over the final week of drafting SZN. Mason should be drafted in the top 150 until Week 1 kicks off.
Kimani Vidal and Brenden Rice make the roster
The Chargers kept two late-round fantasy darlings in running back Kimani Vidal and receiver Brenden Rice. They also kept the players who were potentially competing with those two for roster spots in Jarrett Patterson and Simi Fehoko. Vidal seemingly passed Patterson on the depth chart before the Chargers’ final preseason game and Fehoko is purely a special teamer, so I wouldn’t be too worried about either player’s addition to the roster. Vidal is a high-upside contingent play and the starting duo of Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins is more than underwhelming. Rice has dusty veteran DJ Chark and first-round bust Quentin Johnston standing between him and a starting role.
Kendre Miller hits IR
Kendre Miller will miss at least the first four games of the year while on injured reserve. With Jamaal Williams registering as one of the least efficient backs in the league last year, Taysom Hill—the only football player Dennis Allen likes—could be the team’s de facto RB2. Hill is a tremendous value on any site that lets you use him as a tight end.
Broncos make big changes
The Broncos cut Tim Patrick and Samaje Perine, paving the runway for younger players to see more snaps. In the second week of the preseason, Perine didn’t play with the starters and Jaleel McLaughlin got in the mix behind Javonte Williams. McLaughlin ran a route on 8-of-12 Bo Nix dropbacks. McLaughlin ranked top-five in PFF receiving grade and yards per route run last year. He was also an electric runner. Putting him in the Perine role could lead to a breakout season from the former UDFA
Patrick ran with first-team offense throughout the preseason, but that may have been to drum up some interest on the trade market. Marvin Mims got a few series with the starters in the Broncos’ first two preseason games and all of the notable names took the third game off. That painted him as a distant WR4, but he could now step in as the clear third receiver in the rotation.
Deneric Prince and Kadarius Toney are gone
Despite seeing plenty of run ahead of Clyde Edwards-Helaire in camp, Deneric Prince was cut while CEH and fullback Carson Steele were kept. The team signed Samaje Perine on Wednesday. CEH has missed much of camp due to an illness but is returning to practice. He is trusted in pass protection and as a receiver out of the backfield, but Perine led all running backs in yards per route run last year and can also handle business in pass pro. I expect Perine to take that role from CEH to start the year. Steele will play a mix of fullback and running back. He could even fill some of the pass-catching role vacated by Jerick McKinnon. Both players are viable dart throws in deep leagues.
Kadarius Toney was also cut. He had a shot to take the field for some gadget touches and return duties. Mecole Hardman should see those reps now.
Royce Freeman and Malik Davis get cut
The Cowboys cut Royce Freeman and Malik Davis. Deuce Vaughn made the roster but the team quickly added veteran running back Dalvin Cook. Cook was showing major signs of decline in his final year as a Viking before signing with the Jets. He then posted abhorrent efficiency numbers in New York, averaging -1.2 rush yards over expected per carry. That mark would have ranked last in the NFL if he had enough carries to qualify. As far as veteran signings go, this is as good as it gets for Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott.
D’Onta Foreman cut
The Browns cut D’Onta Foreman and left Nick Chubb on the PUP list, meaning he will miss at least four games. That leaves Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong as the primary options until Chubb returns. Ford was treated as the clear starter in the preseason while Strong was stuck battling for the RB2 (3?) gig with Foreman. Given that, we should expect Ford to see plenty of work for upwards of half of the season.
Odell Beckham remains out
Odell Beckham was put on the PUP list at the start of camp and will remain there for at least the first four weeks of the regular season. Given Beckham’s recent injury history and lack of production, it’s hard to say if he will even have a role when he comes back. That leaves veteran Braxton Berrios and rookie Malik Washington to fight for the WR3 role. Neither player emerged as the clear bet for the job in camp and the preseason, but we want to be betting on the young players with unknown upside when presented with the gamble. Mike McDaniel gushed about Washington during the draft and that hasn’t stopped through the preseason.
#Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel on what he liked about Malik Washington’s performance:
“Aggressiveness. He played as though the game was slow to him, it slowed down… We hadn’t gotten the chance to see something that we saw in college from him, that he put on display tonight, which… pic.twitter.com/lq9Jrj8NPz
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) August 24, 2024
He’s far from a sure thing, but Washington is the type of bet on play-making upside we should be making once 53-man rosters are settled.
Trey Sermon back in the ranks?
The Colts beat reporters were adamant that Trey Sermon had the RB2 gig locked up throughout the offseason and they proved to be prescient at the roster deadline. Despite Sermon still dealing with a hamstring issue, the Colts cut 2023 fifth-round pick Evan Hull. They kept Tyler Goodson. Sermon is now expected to practice this week. He should be drafted as the clear backfield backup to Jonathan Taylor.
Jonathon Brooks on PUP
The Panthers placed rookie running back Jonathon Brooks on the PUP list. He will miss at least four games. Chuba Hubbard will see all the touches he can handle until Brooks is available.
3. Beyond Diontae Johnson, the rest of the wide receiver depth chart is fluid. There’s a bit of sorting to do, including who won’t make the final 53.
4. The #Panthers will run it a heck of a lot this season, and Canales is a big fan of Chuba Hubbard’s style. Don’t sleep on that. pic.twitter.com/AUJraGozsb
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) August 12, 2024
Head coach Dave Canales has spoken glowingly of Hubbard this offseason and Miles Sanders doesn’t appear to be much of a threat for touches. Sanders played 2-of-12 snaps with the starters in the Panthers’ final preseason game. He didn’t see a carry or target. Hubbard will be a high-end RB2 until Brooks returns.
