Fantasy Football Daily Notes – Panthers and Niners backfields take shape, plus two veteran receivers to bend

Read ESPN’s fantasy football notes every weekday to stay on top of the news you need to know and get a head start on the fantasy football content coming to ESPN.com and the ESPN Fantasy app today and tomorrow.

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The news: Panthers coach Matt Rhule said at a news conference that he is unlikely to make a decision on the starting quarterback for the second preseason game on August 19.

What it means in fantasy: Baker Mayfield was traded to the Panthers in May and the Panthers gave up the draft picks. I’d be shocked if he lost this quarterback fight to Sam Darnold. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Panthers quarterbacks posted a QBR of 30.3 last season. Darnold was the only non-rookie with a lower QBR than Mayfield, with a QBR of 35.1 last season and suffered a shoulder injury.

go deeper: Mayfield is just one season away from a solid 2020 campaign in which he led the Browns to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance for the first time since 2002. He threw 3,563 yards and 26 touchdowns that season. He’s an improvement on Darnold, which bodes well for DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey.

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The news: Panthers head coach Matt Rhule discussed his plans for Christian McCaffrey in 2022 and suggests he will continue to play a similar role.

What it means in fantasy: This sounds like music to fantasy managers given McCaffrey’s recent production per game. In the past two seasons, he played just 10 games, but averaged 115.9 yards and 21.8 fantasy points per game. The Panthers also worked off-season improving their offensive line. An influx of first-class free agents and a selection from the first round provided the necessary talent.

go deeper: Jonathan Taylor should be #1 overall but if you have the 1.02 don’t hesitate to select McCaffrey.

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The news: According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, Elijah Mitchell will continue to be the starter on the run back.

What it means in fantasy: This is the news fantasy managers wanted to hear. With an average of 29.3 hasty attempts per game, the 49ers were sixth in the league. Mitchell averaged 18.8 touches per game last season. He had five games with over 100 rushing yards. This was the most by a rookie in 49ers history. You should feel very comfortable lining up Mitchell with his average design position of RB23 in our live concept trends.

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The news: After an operation on his shoulder, Jimmy Garoppolo is now allowed to practice without restrictions, but the 49ers seem to have no trading partner for him.

What it means in fantasy: He works separately from the team in training camp and may not be swapped until late in the month or early in the season should a team suddenly find a need.

go deeper: With Garoppolo’s salary and situation, a team he could be traded to, and immediately relevant to the fantasy, would be the Falcons, where Marcus Mariota is currently starting Week 1. Garoppolo could be seen as a low-end QB2 if given. a chance to start. For now, he can only be used as a pilot in deeper leagues where more than 24 quarterbacks are included.

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The news: Kareem Hunt joined training today after his recent training camp, according to ESPN’s Jake Trotter.

What it means in fantasy: On Saturday, Hunt skipped team practice in training camp in an attempt to secure a new contract. He’s in the final year of the deal, but the reality is Hunt didn’t have much influence. He has averaged 13 touches per game since joining the Browns in 2019 and averages 0.8 fantasy points per touch. Hunt will continue to play a key role in the Browns’ backfield in 2022.

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The news: The Vikings’ new coaching staff has “embraced” Adam Thielen in the red zone, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reports.

What it means in fantasy: This is great news given the new coaching regime and it sounds like Thielen is going to play a part. Fantasy managers should keep this in mind as Thielen is the WR33 in our live concept trends. /p>

go deeper: Since 2018, Kirk Cousins ​​and Thielen have combined 39 touchdowns, the third most among the quarterback wide receiver duos.

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The news: JK Dobbins will be re-evaluated Monday, according to Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

What it means in fantasy: Currently on the PUP list, Dobbins is recovering from a torn ACL. Despite his public claims that he is healthy and ready to go, the Ravens are unlikely to rush him back. In a Ravens offense that finished third last season with 30.4 rushes per game, Dobbins is bringing a lot of uncertainty heading into the season. /p>

go deeper: At his average draft position, I’d rather prioritize Breece Hall, Diontae Johnson or DK Metcalf. It would be a good idea to hold off on selecting Gus Edwards late – currently he’s the RB55 – if you’re still determined to get familiar with the Ravens backfield.

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The news: Nico Collins is the “clear” No. 2 receiver in the Texans’ camp, according to ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime.

What it means in fantasy: Collins was one of my favorite players to aim for in the double-digit rounds of fantasy drafts, and he should be one of yours too. Collins caught 33 passes for 446 yards and one touchdown during the 2021 season, despite basic rookie struggles and quarterback inconsistency, and you can see his potential on film. He has been highly praised by coaches and teammates, as well as publicly by quarterback Davis Mills. A breakthrough second season is in store for Collins.

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The news: Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Michael Thomas was taking part in team exercises for the first time and looked excellent.

What it means in fantasy: The standout of this was that Thomas played just seven games in 2020 mainly due to an ankle injury and missed the entire 2021 season following ankle surgery. During his first four seasons of his career, Thomas had at least 1,100 receiving yards in four consecutive seasons. It would be nice if fantasy managers had a crystal ball to see if Thomas can be the superstar he was before he hurt his ankle. You should be willing to take a risk on him at his current average draft position of WR28.

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The news: Khalil Herbert is expected to see more use this season from Bears’ new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

What it means in fantasy: Although David Montgomery is healthy, Herbert put in a lot of work during the training camp with the attack of the first team. In an odd move, Montgomery has seen some special teams in action, something novice running backs rarely do. But it’s best not to overreact to this news. Montgomery’s career average of 18.6 touches per game. He expects a similar workload, but it would be wise to prioritize drafting Herbert in double-digit rounds. If Montgomery ran out of time, Herbert could be a league winner.

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Today on ESPN.com and on the ESPN Fantasy App

Next Tuesday:

Matt Bowen identifies players who have the skills, but just need a chance to become fantasy stars.

Fantasy Focus podcast: Double Trouble with the Chiefs and Raiders.

In case you missed it:

Eric Karabell’s annual Do Not Draft list highlights the big names you should let others take.