Fantasy Football News, Stats and Analysis (2024)

Broncos' Greg Dulcich: Nears return to field

9h ago

Coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that Dulcich (hamstring/foot) is doing "really well" physically at this stage of the offseason, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

Payton adds that Dulcich could return to the field this week during minicamp. Once the 2022 third-rounder is back in action, he'll look to carve out a key pass-catching role in a tight end corps that also includes Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull. Dulcich has played just 12 games through two NFL seasons and has repeatedly struggled with hamstring injuries.

Texans' Brevin Jordan: Looking sharp this spring

2d ago

Coach DeMeco Ryans said Jordan has improved and regularly makes highlight plays, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Jordan nonetheless finds himself in a tough position for the final year of his rookie contract, as the Texans re-signed starting tight end Dalton Schultz in March and drafted Cade Stover in the fourth round. They also have two fullbacks on the offseason roster and one of the best WR groups in the league, making it tough for Jordan to get on the field regularly as a second tight end. The 2021 fifth-round pick did well with his limited chances last year, catching 17 of 21 targets for 219 yards and two touchdowns, but there's not really a path to role growth without Schultz suffering an injury.

Giants' Theo Johnson: May start as a rookie

2d ago

Johnson and Daniel Bellinger will compete to be the Giants' top tight end after Darren Waller decided to retire, Darryl Slater of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

Johnson ran a 4.57 40 at the combine while checking in at 6-foot-6, 259 pounds, vaulting him to the early fourth round of the 2024 Draft (107th overall) even though he never topped 341 receiving yards in any of his four seasons at Penn State. He did score 11 TDs over his final two years, and there's a nice opportunity for immediate playing time in New York following Waller's retirement. Bellinger is a 2022 fourth-round pick who entered the NFL with a similar profile, having run a 4.63 40 at 6-foot-5, 253 pounds, after never topping 357 yards or three TDs in a season during his four years at San Diego State. Bellinger has played 1,262 snaps on offense through two years in the NFL while catching 55 of 63 career targets (87.3 percent), but his low rate of targets per route (12.3 percent) and lack of big performances (single-game high of 43 yards) suggests he may fit better as a No. 2 tight end long term. Johnson thus seems like the more intriguing prospect for fantasy, although he comes with some of the same concerns and is only five months younger than Bellinger.

Giants' Daniel Bellinger: Competing with rookie to start

2d ago

Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson will compete to be the Giants' top tight end after Darren Waller decided to retire, Darryl Slater of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

Bellinger and Johnson both are fourth-round picks with impressive physical specs and less impressive college production. Bellinger has a huge advantage in terms of NFL experience, having played 1,262 snaps on offense through two seasons, including 12 instances taking more than 80 percent of snaps in a game (mostly games that Waller missed). The problem is that Bellinger hasn't been much of a receiving threat even with 4.63 speed, catching 55 passes for 523 yards and two touchdowns while drawing just 63 targets on 512 routes (12.3 percent target rate). The sky-high catch rate (87.3 percent) shows that Bellinger has held his own as a dump-off target, but he hasn't done much else, with 43 being his single-game high for yardage and just 36.4 percent of his career receptions going for first downs. Both Bellinger and Johnson are taller, heavier and faster than the average NFL tight end, but it isn't clear either has the pass-catching skill to make a dent in fantasy.

Bears' Marcedes Lewis: Intends to re-sign with Bears

2d ago

Lewis is meeting with Chicago on Monday with the intention of re-signing for the 2024 season, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports.

Lewis appears set for a second campaign in Chicago after playing in all 17 regular-season contests last season. He's regarded as one of the league's top blocking tight ends and sprinkled in some contributions as a receiver in 2023, catching four of five targets for 29 yards and a score. His Week 16 touchdown was notable in that it made him the oldest tight end in NFL history to record a receiving score. Lewis turned 40 years old in May and will be embarking upon his 19th professional campaign in 2024. He's unlikely to make a significant impact on offense or in fantasy, but he'll boost the Bears offense with his blocking while serving as a positive locker room presence.

Darren Waller: Informs team of intent to retire

2d ago

Waller informed the Giants on Sunday that he plans to retire, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Waller had been contemplating retirement since shortly after the Giants' season ended in January, and it became more apparent in recent weeks that he was leaning toward hanging up his cleats. The veteran tight end didn't attend OTAs, and the organization was well aware that he was potentially not returning for the 2024 campaign. Waller is walking away from the NFL at the age of 31 having played eight seasons in the league -- two with the Ravens, five with the Raiders and one with the Giants. He accumulated 350 career receptions for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns over 86 regular-season games. New York drafted Theo Johnson in the fourth round of this April's draft, and he'll presumably compete with 2022 fourth-round pick Daniel Bellinger for the team's lead role at tight end.