Good morning. Wish this didn't hit so close to home:

I’M even tired of my own injury excuses. But seriously, if Derrick Henry stayed healthy I would’ve had a 3-peat. Let's get into it. 

Market Watch

Davante Adams is too good to have behind 5 other WRs. He's finished top-5 every healthy season & Raiders paid him to feed him. Easy to forget that Robert Tonyan has less target competition than when he finished TE3 in his last full season (2020). Tee Higgins & Gabe Davis are talents but I prefer alpha 1's in those rounds.

You can find our fully updated rankings here. 

Hype

Risers: The Other Jets RB & Sterling Silver

ESPN's Jets beat Rich Cimini wrote that Michael Carter is "still RB1" for the Jets. Carter and Breece Hall split reps in the first preseason game, but Carter started and played w/ starters last week. Hall's snaps were exclusively with the second unit.

For a backfield that looks more like the Broncos than the Panthers, Carter is worth taking at his current ADP (RB38). 

With Sterling Shepard officially back, @DDuggan21, Giants beat reporter, thinks Shepard will "lead the team in receptions."

Dan added that Shepard has "everything [new Giants HC Brian] Daboll is looking for in a receiver: Good route runner, creates separation, smart, has feel for zones, good hands, tough. The only issue, obviously, has been durability."

Scott Barrett: "Crazy stat, especially in light of Dan's prediction: Sterling Shepard has hit 17.0 fantasy points in 5 of his last 5 healthy games with Daniel Jones active (averaging 23.1 FPG). And over his last 11 healthy games with Jones active, he averages 9.1 targets (~WR9) and 17.4 FPG (~WR11)." Basically free, Shepard's worth stashing.

Fallers: Players trending downwards

Injured last season, Giants WR Kadarius Toney has already undergone a knee scope and had setbacks earlier in camp. Yesterday, he was recorded at practice with a leg/hamstring issue (video). "You can tell he doesn’t look comfortable yet."

Raiders HC Josh McDaniels "isn't concerned about the absence of Darren Waller" but also "didn't feel comfortable" making a prediction about Waller's status for the season opener. 

NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco believes disappointment RB Trey Sermon is on the roster bubble headed into the final preseason game. Sermon's not an NFL RB, is he.

@JackHammer_NFL charted his 49ers RB rankings after 18 training camp practices and 2 preseason games. His list: 1) Elijah Mitchell 2) Jeff Wilson Jr. 3) Jordan Mason 4) JaMycal Hasty 5) Ty Davis-Price 6)Trey Sermon

Content of the Day

1) "Potential surprise trade and cut candidates from around the NFL: Sources weigh in" by Doug Kyed of PFF. Players moving to new situations can have huge impacts on fantasy rankings. Two notable players Doug covers: 

• Mike Gesicki - "The Dolphins have 'brought up' Gesicki's name to other teams." Gesicki "played receiver last year, [and] the last three, four years." Dolphins have him at a true TE now - not his specialty. Avoid unless traded.

• Darrel Williams - Remember him? From the Chiefs? Darrel is drawing trade speculation after a great camp from Eno Benjamin.

2) "2022's Worst ADPs and Rankings On Sleeper, NFL, CBS, Yahoo, and ESPN Fantasy" by Hayden Winks of Underdog. Compares ADPs on Underdog Fantasy's Best Ball contests (which many consider sharpest) to the ADPs on season-long platforms. Screaming values include:

• Courtland Sutton (34th on Underdog vs just 62nd in season-long)

• Rashod Bateman (54 vs. 92)

• Amon-Ra St. Brown (59 vs 106)

3) One of the best in the business, JJ Zachariason (@lateroundqb) did an AMA on Reddit that covers everything from overall strategy to draft targets. Check it out here. Two targets from JJ:

"Elijah Moore: My models love him, and I'm banking on talent from a second-year wideout. We should aim to get second-year WRs in the middle rounds of our drafts. Their hit rates are bonkers."

"David Njoku: Been my top go-to late-round tight end this year. Brissett has tight end-heavy tendencies, and he could blow up down the stretch with Watson."

Quotes

Had to include this

“It’s very easy for me not to be Deshaun” - Jacoby Brissett, on how tough it is to try not to be Deshaun Watson on the field.

Overtime

Quick Slants

• Deandre Hopkins still has it (nasty catch video)

• From Patriots practice: "Damien Harris left, did not return." - @ZackCoxNESN. Seemed minor per reports.

• Cowboys All-Pro LT Tyron Smith was injured at practice. Per @FBInjuryDoc, these injuries "look nastier than they end up being" (video). Would be a massive loss for the Boys.

• Jaylen Waddle has an "undisclosed injury." - @DanielOyefusi. Monitoring.

• Reddit thread on "Some of your Golden Rules of fantasy football." #1: Never put a Thursday Night player in your flex spot.

Tweet of the Day

I know, this isn't funny, but look at how stacked the 2017 draft class was. 

Is it us, or does 2017 being 5 years ago make you feel old? Time to go trade for Elijah Moore. Have an epic day. 

Jake, Eddie, Matt & Coach Wehler.