Fantasy Football News and Rumors

[Chef99]

Injury roundup: Bills RB Karlos Williams hospitalized
By Kevin Patra

• Around the NFL writer
• Published: Aug. 17, 2015 at 12:42 p.m.
• Updated: Aug. 17, 2015 at 12:59 p.m.

Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams is hospitalized, coach Rex Ryan announced Monday.

The rookie tailback "was in a lot of pain" when he woke up Monday, Ryan said.




The extent of the injury is currently unknown.

Williams led the Bills in carries with 14 during Friday night's 25-24 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He earned 40 yards on the ground with one touchdown and added two catches for 23 yards

Williams has impressed the coaching staff during training camp enough to leap Bryce Brown on the depth chart. Williams is a tough, aggressive, physical runner and possesses good hands in the passing game.

Williams has a shot at to push for a full-time role to start the season and was on the verge of potentially knocking Brown off the roster.

 

[Yellow Fuzzies]

Injury roundup: Bills RB Karlos Williams hospitalized
By Kevin Patra

• Around the NFL writer
• Published: Aug. 17, 2015 at 12:42 p.m.
• Updated: Aug. 17, 2015 at 12:59 p.m.

Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams is hospitalized, coach Rex Ryan announced Monday.

The rookie tailback "was in a lot of pain" when he woke up Monday, Ryan said.




The extent of the injury is currently unknown.

Williams led the Bills in carries with 14 during Friday night's 25-24 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He earned 40 yards on the ground with one touchdown and added two catches for 23 yards

Williams has impressed the coaching staff during training camp enough to leap Bryce Brown on the depth chart. Williams is a tough, aggressive, physical runner and possesses good hands in the passing game.

Williams has a shot at to push for a full-time role to start the season and was on the verge of potentially knocking Brown off the roster.

We get this news the day after FuzzyPower picks him up.

 

[Chef99]

Cardinals To Sign Chris Johnson
August 17th, 2015 at 5:20pm CST by Zach Links
The Cardinals and Chris Johnson have agreed to a one-year deal, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The deal is worth up to $2MM, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

We heard one week ago that Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians wasn’t overly thrilled with the play of his running backs so far this summer, and intended to discuss outside options with GM Steve Keim. The ground game was a weak spot in Arizona last season, as the team’s leading rusher,Andre Ellington, totaled just 660 yards, averaging 3.3 yards per carry. No other Cardinals back had more than 250 rushing yards.

Now, the Cardinals have Ellington poised to bounce back with Johnson, third-round rookie David Johnson,Stepfan Taylor, and Kerwynn Williams as potential complements to Ellington. Chris Johnson, who turns 30 in September, is now six years removed from his 2,000-yard season, which came back in 2009.

Last season for the Jets, Johnson ran for just 663 yards, the first time in his career he recorded fewer than 1,000 yards in a season. However, he averaged a respectable 4.3 yards per carry in 2014, and claims to be in great shape this year after being shot in a drive-by shooting during the offseason.

 

[Brees#1]

Well I didn't draft Ellington at least. This is bad news.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Jesus that makes for one clusterf*ck of a backfield.

 

[Chef99]

Jesus that makes for one clusterf*ck of a backfield.

Yeah.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Yeah.

I've drafted Ellington in 2 leagues now. Neither is for money though.

 

[Chef99]

I've drafted Ellington in 2 leagues now. Neither is for money though.

I think he'll still come out on top eventually as long as he stays healthy.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I think he'll still come out on top eventually as long as he stays healthy.

I hope so! He looked good in his first game back.

 

[Chef99]

I hope so! He looked good in his first game back.

Yep he did. Just to play devil's advocate, here's an interesting tweet:

Evan Silva ‏@evansilva 23m23 minutes ago

Chris Johnson, who was *terrible* last year, averaged a full yard per carry more than Andre Ellington did.

19 retweets 27 favorites

 

[Chef99]

And here's another side heard from...

 

[Chef99]

Eli Manning Wants To Be NFL’s Highest Paid QB
August 17th, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Zach Links
One would think that the recent deal struck between the Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers would pave the way for a pact between the Giants and Eli Manning, but that might not be the case. Manning’s agent is seeking a deal that would pay him higher than Rivers or Aaron Rodgers or any other quarterback in the game, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Currently, Rodgers is the highest paid QB in the NFL with a substantial deal that takes him through 2019. The Packers signal caller is slated to $110MM over the next five years thanks to an extension that includes a $33,25MM signing bonus, $54MM guaranteed. The average annual value of Rodgers’ deal comes out to a healthy $22MM, and one has to imagine that while Manning could approach that AAV, he won’t be able to secure the same kind of contract overall.

A deal would make sense for both sides, giving the veteran quarterback some security beyond this season, and allowing the team to create a little cap flexibility. However, he’ll likely have to come down on his demands in order to get something done. Manning, 34, started off slowly in 2014 under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, but eventually hit his stride, throwing for 4,410 yards and 30 touchdowns on the year. Those totals fell just short of his career highs, ranking as his second-best marks in 11 NFL seasons. With a year under his belt working with McAdoo and Odell Beckham Jr., and Victor Cruz on his way back from a season-ending knee injury, Manning looks poised for another strong season in 2015.

Manning is currently in line to earn a $17MM base salary in 2015, counting for $19.75MM against the cap. After averaging $16.25MM on his last contract, the two-time Super Bowl MVP figures to be in line for at least a modest raise this time around.

In addition to Rivers, Ryan Tannehill, Cam Newton, and Ben Roethlisberger are among the signal-callers who have signed new deals in 2015 averaging between $19-22MM per year. Roethlisberger’s pact, which averages $21.85MM annually, seemed to be a logical point of reference in the talks between Manning and the Giants – after all, both QBs entered the league as first-round picks in 2004, have earned three Pro Bowl nods, and have won a pair of Super Bowls. Not in the eyes of Tom Condon, however, who is aiming much higher.

 

[Chef99]

Bears running back Matt Forte has come to the realization that this season might be his last in a Bears uniform, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes. “All I can do is talk to them about it and they can say yes or no. They said we’re not talking about that type of stuff right now, so all I can do is play football. I’ve come to the realization that every run or catch that I may have might be my last in a Bears uniform, so if they don’t want to re-sign me, I’ll have to play somewhere else,” Forte said.

 

[averagejoe]

Chris Johnson, who was *terrible* last year, averaged a full yard per carry more than Andre Ellington did.

According to 1 site, the Cards O-line was ranked 29th. Like I said in another post, I give Ellington a lot of credit playing through a foot injury, a hip pointer, and a sports hernia... plus knowing that Palmer was out and the defense knew the Cards were going to run, and the aforementioned terrible O-line.

 

[Stomp]

Giants' Victor Cruz no longer limited at all, expects to play in preseason game vs. Jaguars | NJ.com

 

[Chef99]

Giants' Victor Cruz no longer limited at all, expects to play in preseason game vs. Jaguars | NJ.com

Wow, this is pretty surprising. I figured it would be a tougher comeback journey than it seems...
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/08/giants_victor_cruz_no_longer_limited_at_all_may_pl.html

 

[TREFF]

The fellers on ESPN radio this morning were discussing why the Cowboys should sign Ray Rice...pretty nice reasons, hope Jerry was listening

 

[TREFF]

Wow, this is pretty surprising. I figured it would be a tougher comeback journey than it seems...

Ryan Williams thought he was 100% numerous times the past three years yet never played a down in a game. He's going to have issues even if he does play. .swelling, pain, stiffness, have to have fluid drained. (Likely every week)..he'll be questionable virtually every week I'm guessing

 

[Chef99]

Bills GM: Taylor's 'got everything you're looking for'
By Marc Sessler

• Around the NFL Writer
• Published: Aug. 18, 2015 at 11:15 a.m.
• Updated: Aug. 18, 2015 at 11:37 a.m.

While EJ Manuel ponders his flameout in Buffalo, another Bills quarterback is feeling the love.

The Buffalo News noted Monday that "Tyrod Taylor Fever is spreading" after the Bills passer guided the second team to back-to-back touchdown drives in Friday's preseason loss to the Panthers.

Taylor was just 5-for-8 passing for 49 yards through the air, but added another 47 yards rushing off six carries. He generated first downs, confused the defense and drummed up points, bringing more electricity to the affair than WYSIWYG-arm Matt Cassel or the underwhelming Manuel.
"It's a production-based business," Bills general manager Doug Whaley said Monday, per Tyler Dunne of The News. "He produced with the twos so we're excited for him to get in there Thursday (against Cleveland) with the ones to see what he can do. Everybody knows what he can do with his feet. But I'm impressed with a couple of his throws.

"He's got everything you're looking for," said Whaley. "We just have to make sure he can produce when his time's called."

It's intriguing to hear Whaley gush over Taylor after Buffalo's GM hand-picked Manuel in the first round two offseasons ago. That said, Taylor -- if he keeps this up -- is an outstanding fit for Greg Roman's offense. The Bills are going to run the ball a ton, but Roman brings a history of working with fleet-footed passers.

Whaley acknowledged that Buffalo thought about Seattle's mobile Russell Wilson when they signed Taylor this offseason.

"I mean, yeah," Whaley said. "Yeah. Obviously him and how Greg had (Niners quarterback Colin) Kaepernick, that's the new-age guy. And it puts the defense in a bind. Because even if you have everything covered, you still have to account for him and his legs."

Buffalo's quarterbacks struggled all summer, but cornerback Stephon Gilmore raved over Taylor's August development, saying: "He just has no fear."

"You can just tell -- he has no fear. He wants to make the big plays and he's not afraid to throw it up," Gilmore said. "... Some quarterbacks have fear. When everything's going, life is good. But he's not scared to bounce back in any way."

Whaley pointed to the Browns game -- Taylor's biggest outing to date -- saying that "it's up to him" to keep the good feelings going.

Bottom line: If Taylor produces, he's going to be talked about next week as the heavy favorite to start Week 1.

 

[Trudem]

Wow, this is pretty surprising. I figured it would be a tougher comeback journey than it seems...

I will wait till the lights come on before listening to this