NFL Player News

The No. 2 overall pick of the 2009 draft has seen two of his first three seasons cut short by multi-game concussions, but new coach Jeff Fisher believes “that stuff’s behind him now.” Fisher says there’s “no doubt” in his mind Smith will “return and be able to play.” That would be only half the battle for Smith, however, as he’s been amongst the league’s least effective tackles the past three seasons. Due $10 million in 2012, Smith will be released if he isn’t amenable to a massive pay-cut, and is unlikely to open next season higher than third on the depth at tackle if he remains in St. Louis.

Pittman and fellow receiver DK Metcalf both returned to practice on Monday after being sidelined since August 8th due to undisclosed injuries. Both players expect to be ready to go for Week 1’s game against the Falcons in a few weeks, and Monday’s return suggests they’re will on track to playing when the games officially count.

Metcalf hasn’t practiced since suffering an undisclosed injury on August 8th, but the veteran receiver said last week that he expects to be ready for Week 1 against the Falcons. The Steelers saw several key players return to Monday’s practice, along with WR Michael Pittman, who had also been sidelined with an undisclosed injury since August 8th.

The Patriots also received a 2028 seventh-round pick in the deal. While Boutte gets a chance to earn a role with the Texans following the loss of Jayden Higgins, Reed will likely serve as added depth for the Patriots secondary. Reed appeared in seven games last year as a rookie while making one start, with most of his snaps coming on special teams.

The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report the transaction. Boutte now gets a fresh start in Houston after being phased out of the Patriots’ offense following the additions of Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown this offseason. The 24-year-old receiver is in the final year of his rookie contract and has a chance to step into an immediate role for the Texans after they lost Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL last week. Boutte totaled 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season and has averaged 15.0 YPR in his last two seasons. He’s been used primarily as a field stretcher by the Patriots and will likely see a similar role in Houston, which could make meaningful fantasy production hard to come by.

Glenn said the same last week, so it’s good to know plans haven’t changed. That said, the rookie tight end has been sidelined since early August after suffering a setback in his recovery from offseason hernia surgery, so it’s hard to imagine him having much of an impact in Week 1, even if active. We’ll continue to get updates on Sadiq until he’s back on the field, but at least he appears to be on track to meet Glenn’s return timeline. In addition to Sadiq, Glenn said he also expects CB D’Angelo Ponds (calf) to return for Week 1.

Lemon returned to practice last week and was seen running with the first-team offense on Monday. Speaking with the media after Monday’s practice, Lemon confirmed that the hamstring injury he had been dealing with was in the same leg that had given him problems earlier this offseason. He’s missed a lot of time, but the rookie first-rounder has just under three weeks to get up to speed and be ready for the season opener, so we’ll see if he can get there. Lemon is worth a late-round pick in fantasy drafts, but shouldn’t be put in lineups until we see how he’s used in game situations.

According to Commanders beat writer Ben Standig, Croskey-Merritt reporters saw him “pull up at the end of a catch-and-run in Thursday’s practice.” The fact that he’s still working in a limited capacity suggests this isn’t anything to be too worried about at this time, but “Bill” is the latest of several Commanders players to already be dealing with injuries in camp. Washington has been without Rachaad White (hamstring) since the team’s joint practice with the Dolphins, leaving unproven rookies Kaytron Allen and Robert Henry, and veteran Craig Reynolds as the only healthy backs in camp.

White is still sidelined with a hamstring injury that he tweaked during joint practices with the Dolphins ahead of the Commanders’ first preseason game. White’s injury isn’t thought to be anything too serious, but the team is unlikely to rush him back with just under three weeks to go until they need to begin planning for Week 1 against the Eagles. White is expected to serve in a passing-down role for the Commanders this season after being signed to a one-year deal earlier in the offseason, and he has reportedly had a strong camp. It’s hard to know how much standalone value he’ll have during the early part of the season, but a reliable role could make him a viable FLEX option in half- and full-PPR leagues.

Hall suffered a strained groin at last Monday’s practice and is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks. While he won’t be practicing at full capacity any time soon, this is an encouraging report on Hall, who has 20 days to get ready before facing the Titans in Week 1. Head coach Aaron Glenn said last week that he expects Hall to be ready for the season opener, so for now we’ll continue to monitor his progress in the coming days in anticipation of a full return soon.

Judkins missed the last two days of practice due to a “nagging injury,” per head coach Todd Monken. Monken said last week that he wasn’t worried about Judkins overall, and his short absence suggests this is nothing to be overly concerned about. Judkins has had a solid camp since returning from the brutal leg/ankle injuries he suffered late last season, and profiles as a high-end RB2 with a chance for more upside if he can improve on last year’s rookie totals.