This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
Injury Notes
- After all the offseason drama about contract clauses and the Raiders wanting an out in case Jimmy Garoppolo was still having trouble with his foot, the former 49er reported to camp and passed his physical Sunday without any problems. Garoppolo has played a full NFL schedule exactly once in his career, of course, so it's possible other health issues will arise down the road, but for now he seems to be in the clear. The 31-year-old could be a sneaky fantasy option this season; coach Josh McDaniels' offense is QB-friendly, and if Josh Jacobs does end up holding out to begin the regular season, the Raiders could lean more heavily on Davante Adams and the passing game to produce points.
- The Broncos got some good news as Javonte Williams avoided the active/PUP list to begin camp. The third-year running back has looked like he was on track for Week 1 most of summer, but this provides further reassurance for fantasy investors. Samaje Perine was brought in this offseason to help reduce Williams' workload after last year's devastating knee injury, but if the 2021 second-round pick out of North Carolina gets back to peak form, he should have a big role in Sean Payton's offense.
- Rashod Bateman wasn't ready to report to camp Friday as he continues his recovery from Lisfranc surgery, but he ended up being only a couple days behind schedule and was taken off the reserve/did not report list Sunday, which presumably means he'll practice soon. The third-year wideout looks like a high-risk, high-reward fantasy option in 2023. Wideouts don't always return to their pre-surgery form right away after Lisfranc injuries, but the 23-year-old is young enough that a full recovery is likely. The switch from Greg Roman as offensive coordinator to Todd Monken, whose Tampa Bay attacks ranked top 5 in passing yards in consecutive years during the Jameis Winston days, also could signal a big shift for the Baltimore offense, though Bateman will fight for targets from Lamar Jackson with Mark Andrews, Odell Beckham and 2023 first-round pick Zay Flowers.
- On the flip side of the injury coin, Amari Cooper showed up at camp seemingly fully recovered from offseason core muscle surgery, only to suffer what was described as a "minor tweak" during Sunday's practice. The Browns weren't forthcoming with what body part exactly got tweaked, but they did say it wasn't directly related to the surgery. Depending on your perspective, that's either good news in that there was no complications from the surgery, or a bad sign for an aging wide receiver (29 is getting up there for a wideout) who might be drifting into his injury-prone years. Cooper's missed only two games the last four seasons, however, so I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his ability to play through "minor tweaks." He's also topped 1,100 receiving yards in those last three healthy campaigns, and Deshaun Watson has to play better this year than he did in 2022. Doesn't he?
- For those focused on finding sleepers and dart throws, it's worth noting that Kadarius Toney is already dealing with an injury, picking up a minor knee issue while working with the punt return unit Sunday. The 2021 first-round pick of the Giants has the talent to put up massive numbers catching passes from Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, but he's managed to suit up for only 19 games across his first two NFL seasons, and there's a reason New York gave up on him so quickly. Toney's probably best left to deep best ball formats for now, in the hopes he comes through with a big game or two before his next breakdown.
- The Lions placed veteran wide receiver Marvin Jones on the reserve/NFL list to begin camp, but didn't specify a reason for the placement. Whatever it is likely will be a non-issue once the regular season kicks off, but with Jameson Williams suspended to begin the year, recent acquisition Denzel Mims could suddenly have a clear path to a significant role if Jones ends up being sidelined for any length.
- Another depth wideout sidelined to begin camp is Chase Claypool, who landed on the active/PUP list Sunday. The reason for the placement wasn't disclosed, but Claypool dealt with a soft-tissue injury during OTAs and skipped June minicamp. The former Steeler did little last season after joining the Bears, but there is a possibility Chicago's passing game takes a big leap forward in 2023 if Justin Fields follows in the footsteps of QBs like Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts and has a Year 3 breakout. Even if he's healthy come Week 1, how much Claypool can get in on that action with DJ Moore and Darnell Mooney on the depth chart ahead of him is a separate question, though.
Job Battles
- This early in camp, there's little to report on the job battle front, but the Packers have one at tight end between rookies Luke Musgrave (42nd overall in the 2023 draft) and Tucker Kraft (78th overall), plus holdover Josiah Deguara, a third-round pick in 2020. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic likes Musgrave to come out on top and claim the starting role, but he notes that whoever wants to win the job in Matt LaFleur's offense will need to prove themselves as a blocker, and chemistry with Jordan Love as a pass-catcher will be a secondary consideration. Musgrave and Kraft both have a size edge on Deguara, so the rookies could end up dominating snaps at the position if they can hone their blocking technique quickly enough.
