Wolfe: ‘A lot more big slot’ work for McMillan

Yesterday, Slater indicated that Montgomery will likely have “slightly” more work than RB Woody Marks this year. She went on Good Morning Football to clarify her comments today, saying the Texans envision “meaningful roles” for both players. NBC Houston’s Aaron Wilson reported something similar earlier this month. Early in June, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported that the Texans view Montgomery as “a potential three-down back if needed.” It sounds like that might not be needed. Slater notes, “one issue” is that both players must buy in to the idea of a split backfield, albeit with Montgomery in the lead role. Slater indicates that Montgomery wanted more work than he was getting with the Lions last year, and that the Texans “seemed like an attractive spot” for him. Houston, however, believed Montgomery would be “great for our guy, Woody Marks, who we already saw flashes from.” First-team training camp reps should help us assess whether a 55-45 split is in play. Stay tuned.

Great news all around. Giants veterans report for training camp on July 28th, giving us a timeline to monitor. Since Nabers is not going on the active/PUP list, one assumes he has a chance to participate, likely in a limited capacity, right away. Raanan adds that Nabers is still rehabbing his right knee, and that “when he runs, how he runs and when he can practice will be deduced based off his every move.” Nabers’ 2026 outlook is far from certain, but his upside remains high.

Per Wolfe, McMillan lined up in the slot on 15.0 percent of snaps last season — PFF lists him at 15.5 percent — and the Panthers plan to “double that, if not more.” Getting more opportunities to run routes against safeties and linebackers is always a good thing for fantasy purposes. Wolfe adds that McMillan added “about 8-10 pounds” this offseason, which could help him muscle through traffic over the middle. He finished as the PPR WR16 last year. Upping his slot work increases his odds of beating that finish this year.

Wolfe adds that the team hopes Brooks forms “a one-two punch” with RB Chuba Hubbard early in the year, before taking over as the starter in-season. Brooks becoming the next Mr. Unlimited in training camp is a little surprising because Wolfe said the team plans to use a committee early in the year, but obviously, training camp practices are less intense than live games. Per Wolfe, Panthers sources say Brooks has looked “incredible” thus far, albeit playing in pad-less spring practices. Brooks is currently available in Rounds 8-9 in best ball formats and makes for a high-upside pick, although he is, of course, not without risk.

The Raiders and Mendoza were reportedly at a standstill over how his signing bonus would be paid out. Mendoza wanted it to be a lump sum, while the Raiders wanted to pay it in installments. Regardless of that minor detail, the value of the contract and that it is fully guaranteed were both set in stone the moment Vegas selected him. The deal also includes a fifth-year team option.

Tillman posted a few big games in 2024 and garnered some breakout hype heading into 2025. He struggled to find much of a role, let alone put up decent counting stats, amid another lost season for the Browns. He has been rumored to be a trade candidate heading into his fourth year, but it seems unlikely that any team takes a shot on him at this point. Isaiah Bond is ahead of him on the depth chart and Tillman doesn’t play special teams, making it hard for the Browns to justify keeping him around.

Per Wolfe, Scourton was in tears as he left the field and the entire team gathered around the cart before he exited practice. Scourton will undergo testing for the injury, but the optics are unfortunately concerning. A 2025 second-round pick, Scourton totaled five sacks across 17 games, eight of which were credited as starts. He was set for a larger role this year, but that may have to wait.

Talking with Peter Schrager on his podcast, Coen almost laughed at the idea that Hunter might play exclusively on one side of the ball this year. Early offseason reports suggested Hunter might play primarily on defense after suffering a season-ending injury during his rookie season. Every subsequent report from local beats and all the quotes from the coaching staff have made it clear that Hunter remains a two-way player. Coen did note that they are still determining how much he will play on both sides of the ball, but it sounds like a part-time role on offense is the floor. Given the barrage of information suggesting Hunter will play on offense, a WR57 price tag for last year’s No. 2 overall continues to look absurdly cheap.

It’s no surprise that Smith is expected to see more work in 2026. The team traded A.J. Brown to New England in the offseason and Makai Lemon won’t replace all of his vacated production as a rookie. All reports from the offseason have suggested that the Eagles believe Smith is ready to be a true No. 1 receiver, including these quotes from Sirianni. He noted that every time Smith has seen an uptick in opportunities, he’s taken advantage of them. As the top target-earner on an offense that should rebound this year, Smith has a chance at WR1 numbers if things break his way in 2026.

Speaking on The Schrager Hour, Coen talked up Tuten’s ability to create yards after contact and his straight-line speed. Coen also noted Tuten’s prowess as a red zone runner. Tuten is the presumed starter with Travis Etienne gone, but Chris Rodriguez should still see plenty of work. Coen also coached Rodriguez at Kentucky, giving him some extra familiarity with the offense. Tuten is the higher-upside bet, and early drafters are treating him as such, selecting him as the RB25 compared to RB42 for Rodriguez. It’s likely that one of these two backs pays off their ADP, but it will be hard for both to return value in the same season.