Rumors began swirling from Cleveland-based fans and reporters yesterday that RB Kareem Hunt may have been involved in another concerning off-field event. Hunt, who will miss the first eight games of the season due to a suspension related to last year’s violent video release, was signed by the Browns early in the offseason. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Hunt had been questioned by police outside of a Cleveland bar last weekend but that no charges were filed. Whatever might have happened in that bar seems to be a non-issue from a legal perspective but is yet another reason for concern for fantasy players choosing to invest in Hunt.
According to Fantasy Football Calculator, Hunt is being selected as the RB35 in redraft leagues, which seems like a massive gamble given the already known eight-game ban and the presence of young starter Nick Chubb. For reference, Hunt is being selected ahead of potential young starters like Miles Sanders and Ronald Jones.
Want to play the long game with Hunt in a dynasty league? There is another issue to consider. Hunt signed a very team-friendly deal with the Browns, making him a restricted free agent following the 2019 season. This means if the Hunt experiment goes poorly over the next few months, Cleveland can let him walk and be done with the situation for less than a $1 million investment. If Hunt can stay out of trouble and plays well in the second half of the season, he remains under team control for a very reasonable price tag. Other than the PR hit, this has been a win-win play for the Browns.
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Positional Notes
QB
Despite reports from OTAs that suggested rookie QB Daniel Jones outplayed veteran QB Eli Manning, the incumbent suggested he doesn’t see this as a competition. This is only a matter of time before Jones takes this job, which could happen as early as Week One.
RB
Steelers RB James Conner, who recently suggested the team could use a committee backfield, now says he expects his 2019 role to be similar to his breakout 2018 year. Conner remains the Pittsburgh starting RB but expect to see Jaylen Samuels and rookie Benny Snell find a role as well.
The Bills gave veteran RB Frank Gore and rookie RB Devin Singletary first-team reps at their recent mini-camp. Veteran RB LeSean McCoy is still with the team as well and suggested he expects to play a similar role to last season but with these three backs and pass-catcher T.J. Yeldon, one likely has to go. That could be McCoy.
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell today to discuss his recent off-field incident. Elliott was detained following an altercation at a spring music festival but was not arrested. This is another minor issue for the star runner but we’ve seen these add up and result in a suspension in the past, namely his six-game ban in 2016. This has the chance to become a major story for the repeat offender.
WR
Broncos veteran WR Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles) considers a Week One return to the field as realistic. This would be a major surprise given the significant late-season injury he suffered just months ago. With young WRs Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton next in line, Sanders is widely still being viewed as the Broncos WR1 despite the potential he misses a portion of the regular season.
New Steelers WR Donte Moncrief continues to draw praise from those in the organization. Most recently, WR coach Daryl Drake praised Moncrief’s ability to quickly pick up the offense following his year in Jacksonville after leaving Indianapolis. Moncrief is the clear favorite for the Steelers WR2 role entering training camp.
In a shocking turn of events, or perhaps just a public perception experiment, recent reports suggest the Chiefs and WR Tyreek Hill could explore contract extension talks if the current investigation of the receiver has a “positive outcome.” Following the accusation that Hill was responsible for his son’s broken arm, a damning audio tape was released, causing the police to re-open their investigation. Hill remains likely to draw some type of league suspension and is a long-term risk from a fantasy football perspective.
TE
Things are looking up for Bengals TE Tyler Eifert, who is back with the team following his nasty ankle injury from last season. Although Eifert sat out mini-camp, Cincinnati OC Brian Callahan said Eifert is “trending in the right direction.” While Eifert’s lengthy injury history remains a major concern, he is still the most talented tight end on the roster and a fantasy sleeper.
Another TE returning from a serious injury is Seattle’s Will Dissly. As a rookie a year ago, Dissly was a major surprise contributor early in the season before suffering a torn patella tendon, ending his season. Because of the injury, Dissly is being overlooked in fantasy leagues and he’s unlikely to be ready for training camp, which is another strike against his value. With so many targets available for the Seahawks, Dissly will be a player to monitor early in the season.
Quick Hits
Steelers DB Joe Haden wants a contract extension, but his agent says there is “nothing happening” currently. Haden is entering the final year of his contract…Cowboys DT Josh Brent was arrested on multiple charges last weekend, including public intoxication. Brent is still on probation after his drunk driving incident years ago that resulted in the death of teammate Jerry Brown. This incident could send Brent back to prison…Redskins rookie RB Bryce Love is not expected to be ready to start the season, which could mean he lands on the PUP list…
