This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
What a great day! Almost half of the NFL teams have opened camp, so we're going to have a fantastic month and a half leading up to Week 1. Let's get right to Tuesday's news:
• As expected, Aaron Rodgers reported for the first day of Packers training camp, as Packers president Mark Murphy verbalized that to a fan, which was reported by ESPN. Obviously, Rodgers' ADP is sure to make him one of the top eight QBs off the board in fantasy drafts, and although that may be justified, don't forget that he's coming off career highs in TD passes (48) and completion percentage (70.7). He actually had thrown just 51 TD passes in 2018 and 2019 combined, so even though he played at an elite level last year, expecting a repeat of his 2020 numbers may be a bit optimistic. Also, for a QB who was a strong running threat for much of his career, he's had three of his four lowest rushing totals of his career the last three years.
• Many have struggled in early drafts as to whether to select Deshaun Watson. He was actually taken in the 18th (and final) round of the Pros vs. Joes draft I was in Monday. And maybe that wasn't a bad idea after finding out that although the NFL review of the allegations against Watson are ongoing and active, there are currently no restrictions on his participation in club activities. Although this report provides no clarity as to his status for the regular season, it sounds like there is a non-zero chance that he plays for part or all of the season. Of course, Watson's on record stating he doesn't want to play for the Texans complicates matters, but in any case, fantasy GMs need to at least consider this update in drafts.
• To say Odell Beckham's first two years in Cleveland have been disappointing would be an understatement, but the team received good news, as he passed a physical and won't be placed on the PUP list after recovering from ACL surgery. Although many fantasy managers have been burned after drafting him, it's important to note that the newly installed offense last year didn't start clicking until the latter part of the 2020 season, and a fully healthy Beckham could see plenty of light secondaries, potentially making him a draft-day bargain after the top 25 WRs are off the board.
• The addition of Curtis Samuel to the Washington roster this offseason was an exciting move for a player coming off a season with more than 1,000 rushing/receiving yards as the third option in Carolina, but the groin injury that forced him to sit out June minicamp has now landed him on the PUP list for the start of training camp. Although he could return at any time, he's missed valuable reps as he learns a new offense, and the more time he misses, he could find himself behind in his acclimation to the offense. That said, he's currently being drafted as the WR41, and unless word comes out that this injury will linger, he still appears to be a value in most drafts
• Although the 49ers used the third pick in this year's draft on Trey Lance, coach Kyle Shanahan said that there is not an open competition at QB, and Jimmy Garoppolo is the starter. Before an injury-plagued 2020 season, Garoppolo completed 69.1 percent of his passes while posting a 27:13 TD:INT ratio while leading the team to an appearance in the Super Bowl. Although fantasy managers are drafting Lance as a top-15 QB while leaving Garoppolo outside the top 30 at his position, there's a chance that Garoppolo not only begins the year as the starter, but if he plays well, he could retain that position.
• Throughout the offseason, the Bears have committed to Andy Dalton being under center Week 1, and nothing has really changed on that front. However, when coach Matt Nagy was asked if Fields can impress enough during camp to change that plan, the coach avoided the question altogether despite being very clear with his answers to such questions the last couple months. Although it would be somewhat shocking if Fields wasn't the starter sooner rather than later, it's still far from a lock that the rookie will be on the field to begin the season. Currently, Fields is being drafted just outside the top 15 at his position while Dalton is typically going undrafted, as fantasy GMs realize the upside that a mobile QB like Fields provides in fantasy scoring systems.
• Despite getting the first rep at QB in Broncos camp, Drew Lock is expected to share work evenly with Teddy Bridgewater throughout preseason. The winner of this camp battle could potentially have differing impacts on the receivers. Should Lock win the job, his propensity to throw the ball deep would seem to mesh well with Courtland Sutton and KJ Hamler while Bridgewater's accuracy in the short area of the field would seem better suited to Jerry Jeudy and possibly Noah Fant. For fantasy managers especially interested in the Denver receiving options, the QB competition will be important to monitor.
• Even though offseason reports seemed to indicate that Zach Ertz may no longer be in the Eagles' plans, the veteran TE reported to camp. But it isn't clear if he'll be with the team Week 1. Regardless of where he plays this season, it was troubling that he posted just a 50 percent catch rate and a fifth-percentile 2.7 yards after the catch last year in his age-30 season. Spending a late-round pick in drafts in the hopes that he returns to past levels of performance in understandable, but the longer he goes into camp without a clear role in the passing game, the less likely it will be that he'll see a target share that will make him the fantasy star he's been in the past.
