Player News
Review the latest player news for a specified group of players.
News: Cruz will sign his free agent tender from the Giants on Friday, ESPN's Josina Anderson reports. (Jun 14)
Impact: The deal is worth $2.879 million, though Cruz is still seeking a long-term deal with the Giants. He skipped the team's mandatory minicamp earlier this week and could have had his tender slashed by over $2 million had he continued to sit out past June 17. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 11:21a ET)
Overall Rank: 54
Position Rank: 16
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: The Broncos have released McGahee, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. (Jun 13)
Impact: While Ronnie Hillman and Knowshon Moreno remain on the Broncos' roster, this move would appear to pave the way for rookie Montee Ball to start the season as the team's lead back. In terms of the 31-year-old McGahee, he's still a competent back when healthy, so he should find a new gig before too long. He joins a list of name brand running back free agents that also includes Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, Beanie Wells and Brandon Jacobs. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 10:50a ET)
Overall Rank: 114
Position Rank: 30
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Roethlisberger (knee) skipped practice Tuesday, the first day of Pittsburgh's three-day minicamp, but is confident he will be fine for training camp, according to Steelers.com. "I've been off crutches for a couple of days now," said Roethlisberger. "I'm moving around good. I think I could play Sunday if I had to." (Jun 12)
Impact: Obviously Big Ben is overstating his recovery, but it appears that there is nothing to worry about after having his right knee "cleaned up" last week by Dr. Jim Bradley. "It feels great," said Roethlisberger. "I saw Dr. Bradley (Tuesday) morning and he was pleasantly surprised with the range of motion and where we are and the swelling. It feels great." (Source: RotoWire / Time: 5:14p ET)
Overall Rank: 75
Position Rank: 15
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Gordon was suspended for the first two games of the regular season and fined two extra game checks for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports. (Jun 7)
Impact: Gordon will lose a total of $148,894 for the violation and will be able to return to the Browns' active roster on September 16. The sophomore wide receiver will still be eligible to play in the preseason and practice with the team throughout the suspension period. The suspension will definitely be a slight hit on his value come draft day. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 4:29p ET)
Overall Rank: 96
Position Rank: 38
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Roethlisberger underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday to "snip some loose or frayed cartilage" that was causing the quarterback some discomfort, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. (Jun 5)
Impact: Though Roethlisberger will miss next week's minicamp, he is expected to be ready to go for the Steelers' training camp. The report notes that Roethlisberger underwent a similar surgery on his left knee back on Oct. 10, 2005. He missed just one game following that in-season scope. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 3:07p ET)
Overall Rank: 75
Position Rank: 15
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Though coach Rob Chudzinski said that the Browns will hold Richardson (lower leg) out for remainder of the team's mini-camp, he expects the running back to be ready for the start of training camp, Will Burge of espncleveland.com reports. (Jun 4)
Impact: The Browns don't want to push Richardson at this stage, which makes sense, but assuming the running back is indeed able to participate in training camp without setbacks, his draft status shouldn't be affected by his current leg issue. Meanwhile, top backup Montario Hardesty figures to see added practice reps, with Dion Lewis, Chris Ogbonnaya, Brandon Jackson and Miguel Maysonet in the team's backfield mix as well. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 1:00p ET)
Overall Rank: 16
Position Rank: 10
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Gronkowski will reportedly require back surgery that is tentatively slated for mid-June, according to NFL.com's Albert Breer. (May 29)
Impact: On the plus side, Gronkowski's surgically-repaired forearm is evidently healing up well, with no sign that the lingering infection the tight end had been dealing is resurfacing. While a precise timetable for Gronkowski's recovery has not been outlined, he is expected to be sidelined for at least part of training camp. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 3:53p ET)
Overall Rank: 39
Position Rank: 4
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Foster (calf) is on crutches and won't return to the field before training camp, the Houston Chronicle's Stephanie Stradley reports. (May 29)
Impact: It sounds like Foster is expected back for training camp, but with a player of his caliber there is always concern that a relatively minor injury like a calf strain could turn into a nagging issue. While fantasy owners shouldn't be scared off by the crutches, it's a bit troubling that Foster has offseason injury questions for the third year in a row. Of course, things turned out alright the last two seasons, and at this early juncture there isn't any solid reason to doubt his status for Week 1. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 2:05p ET)
Overall Rank: 3
Position Rank: 2
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Foster left practice Tuesday with a strained calf, the Texans' official team website reports. (May 28)
Impact: Foster's injury, depending on its severity, could see him sit out some OTA practices to ensure he is fully healthy before he gives it another go. With a player of Foster's caliber, a nagging injury in a setting like this is certainly something the Texans will look to avoid. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 2:18p ET)
Overall Rank: 3
Position Rank: 2
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed that Crabtree indeed suffered a torn right Achilles tendon and underwent surgery Wednesday to repair it, the San Jose Mercury News reports. (May 22)
Impact: The report adds that Crabtree suffered a complete tear of his Achilles, while noting that Harbaugh indicated that the wideout is not expected to miss the entire 2013 season. That said, Harbaugh declined to give a timetable for Crabtree's return, with a late-season return probably representing a best-case scenario here. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 6:48p ET)
Overall Rank: 1000
Position Rank: 353
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Gronkowski underwent an MRI on his back and may require surgery to correct a disc issue. (May 17)
Impact: Gronkowski is already dealing with complications from arm surgery, and he is undergoing a fourth surgery on his arm next week. Gronkowski is scheduled to meet with a spine specialist following the procedure to determine whether or not surgery will be required on his back. In 2009, he underwent surgery to "shave down" a disc in his back, but the present issue is not believed to be related. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 3:38p ET)
Overall Rank: 39
Position Rank: 4
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Blackmon has been suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy, John Oehser of Jaguars.com reports. (Apr 30)
Impact: Blackmon will be allowed to take part in training camp and preseason action, but he will not play in Weeks 1-4 due to his suspension. The Jaguars are rather thin at the receiver position, and Blackmon's suspension means Jordan Shipley or Mohamed Massaquoi will likely open the season as the starter opposite Cecil Shorts. Blackmon will be eligible to return to the team Sep. 30, and unless the Jaguars decide to penalize him further, he will make his debut Week 5 against the Rams. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 4:40p ET)
Overall Rank: 126
Position Rank: 50
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: The Packers selected Lacy in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, 61st overall. (Apr 26)
Impact: Health issues and a lack of impressive pre-draft workouts pushed Lacy this far. Make no mistake about his talent -- if Lacy gets over the hamstring and turf toe issues that followed him throughout the pre-draft process, Lacy will be a standout producer for the Packers. The problem is that these little injuries nicked up Lacy much more than one can acknowledge comfortably. His health is a legitimate red flag. His talent is gold, though. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 8:33p ET)
Overall Rank: 197
Position Rank: 59
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: The Steelers selected Bell in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, 48th overall. (Apr 26)
Impact: Bell is a throwback runner who lacks speed or flashiness, and he's a nice fit for a Steelers squad desperate for reliability at running back. Bell is big and durable, and he makes the most of each play thanks to his strong vision, excellent patience and fluid short-area movement. Bell isn't an obvious bruiser, but he falls forward and is surprisingly good at slipping through traffic. He's one of the top fantasy targets to emerge from the draft so far, because it's difficult to see guys like Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman holding off Bell for long. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 7:44p ET)
Overall Rank: 187
Position Rank: 56
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: The Jets selected Smith in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, 39th overall. (Apr 26)
Impact: It's quite a tumble for Smith, who most considered the top quarterback in the draft. It's a nice selection for the Jets, though, because aside from occasionally slow reads, Smith shows everything necessary to start at quarterback in the NFL. Smith's accuracy is generally good, and a 4.59-second 40-yard dash at the Combine revealed better speed than expected. It's difficult to see Smith starting less than eight games in 2013. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 7:09p ET)
Overall Rank: 182
Position Rank: 31
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: The Bengals selected Bernard in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, 37th overall. (Apr 26)
Impact: Bernard lacks burning speed, but his great vision and smooth short-area movement make him an explosive runner. He also has standout ball skills, making him a strong screen pass and punt return option. While he's unlikely to displace BenJarvus Green-Ellis as Cincinnati's starting and goal-line runner, Bernard is skilled enough to approach flex relevance in 12-team PPR leagues. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 6:59p ET)
Overall Rank: 213
Position Rank: 63
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: Rodgers and the Packers agreed to a five-year, $110 million contract extension Friday, according to the Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. (Apr 26)
Impact: The deal will make Rodgers the highest paid player in NFL history. Fantasy owners should expect a big 2013 from Rodgers, who has led the league in passer rating each of the last two years. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 5:03p ET)
Overall Rank: 2
Position Rank: 1
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: The Bills selected Manuel in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, 16th overall. (Apr 25)
Impact: The Bills successfully duped media into believing Ryan Nassib was the team's top draft target at any position, not to mention quarterback, yet it was Manuel who the Bills had in mind all along. The Florida State star tests well in interviews and has a rare combination of size and athleticism, so he provides versatility between traditional offenses and zone-read approaches. Manuel had rather consistent anticipation and accuracy issues at Florida State, but some of that may have been due to predictable playcalling and questionable coaching. Buffalo certainly hopes that's the case, anyway. Manuel might not start in Week 1 for Buffalo, but Kevin Kolb and Tarvaris Jackson can't hold him off for long. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 10:05p ET)
Overall Rank: 186
Position Rank: 32
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0
News: The Rams have selected Austin in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, eighth overall. (Apr 25)
Impact: The Rams traded with Buffalo to secure the eighth pick, and in the process they've secured the draft's most explosive talent on offense. While his lack of size at 5-foot-8, 174 pounds is a concern, Austin is incomparable as a prospect, possessing open-field running skills that just can't be found at the receiver position. But Austin isn't merely a receiver. His skills almost demand the recognition of a new position, because he's almost as comfortable playing out of the backfield as he is split out wide, and his casual dominance in both roles at West Virginia indicate that he is indeed very comfortable at both spots. Austin should also provide immediate All-Pro returner potential if the Rams should use him there. Austin should inherit the slot role previously held by Danny Amendola, and as a result he should get a sizable target count as a rookie. If he can decisively earn the slot snaps in St. Louis, Austin should be on the WR3 radar in many leagues. (Source: RotoWire / Time: 9:09p ET)
Overall Rank: 199
Position Rank: 74
% Started: 0.0
% Owned: 0.0