2022 Dynasty/Fantasy Camp Notes (8/03/22)…
A daily collection of notes and commentary from training camps -- wanting to discuss the big news or give some tidbits you might not see anywhere else…
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1) Bears backfield…
Like it or not, David Montgomery has captivated another coaching staff with his ‘hard work’ ethic…so, get ready for another RB2 season -- RB1 touches/treatment + RB3 offense/RB3 talent = solid-ish RB2.
Those remembering the flash of Khalil Herbert last season, when he filled in -- it was just a flash. It wasn’t as great as I remembered when I re-watched some of the tape of his couple start games from 2021. And I hear barely a camp peep on him from the mainstream or my inside sources. But I hear all about Montgomery.
I hear more about rookie Trestan Ebner, the 6th-round pick out of Baylor, then I do about Herbert…and Ebner is definitely getting attention making plays, flashing runner and receiver skills a la some Tarik Cohen mentions. Ebner is much bigger than Cohen, but he is a talent…worth watching…to be a passing game weapon usage this season, ahead of Herbert perhaps.
2) Tampa Bay WR Inflation…
I’ve been operating on the thought that Julio Jones is that ‘veteran guy’ who is long past his prime and is a nice ‘hand’ to have for a serious contending team like Tampa Bay…but not a FF producer anymore.
Watching Julio in Tennessee last season, watching tape in detail to see if he had any ‘it’ -- he really wasn’t the same player as he used to be, not close. Still plausible but didn’t have the feet to get open and beat DBs like he used to. Still savvy and uses body position well to be available for the QB -- but not the guy he was.
All that to say… Watching some camp tape of Julio in practice, in drills in Tampa -- he looks fantastic, footwork wise. As good as he has looked, to my (trained) eyes, in a while. If Julio has a little bit more in the tank…it has ramifications for all the Tampa Bay WRs.
Evans-Godwin-Julio would be an all-star team. But that’s leaving out Russell Gage, which how can you? It’s even more of an amazing group, potentially with Gage and if/when Godwin back.
The Bucs see a closing window with Tom Brady, and they’ve rushed to supply him with weapons. The Packers see a window with Aaron Rodgers and lost their ace WR, lost their #2 outside WR (MVS)…and are hoping a never-before #1 WR emerges (Lazard) + ancient Randall Cobb stays active + a rookie or washed Sammy Watkins will be the ticket.
More on the TB WR group for FF, and more on a WR lurking in the weeds behind the big four in the Subscriber Notes Extra.
*SUBSCRIBER NOTES EXTRA…(see these notes on the subscriber version)
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3) Bears Defensive Playcaller…
The Bears got a steal when they grabbed Nick Morrow in free agency from the poorly run Las Vegas Raiders. Now Morrow has become an instant starter…the defensive playcaller…manning the middle on a team likely to be down a lot/on defense a lot being run at a bunch to salt away victories. Could be a sweet IDP pop for Morrow in Chicago this season…and, or at minimum he will cut into Roquan Smith’s lofty/usual IDP outputs.
4) We had a couple great points/questions brought up by audience members on last night’s video Q&A…all stemming from the issues with Van Jefferson’s knee, and what might happen at the #3 WR slot.
I had my theory on who the eventual #3 WR might be, and it is not any mainstream player like OBJ nor little Tutu -- and that set off great questions/comments that hit on an outside #3 option that makes ALL the sense in the world, a scenario I mentioned weeks ago…but also something happening within all this that presents an interesting FFPC pinball action.
Some great ideas/concepts to discuss, and the reverberations that could affect Kupp and ARob among other things. So much juiciness, and we’ll discuss that in the Subscriber Notes Extra section.
*SUBSCRIBER NOTES EXTRA…(see these notes on the subscriber version)
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