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Player Notes

  • Report: Juwan Johnson suffered lower leg injury
    NOF’s Nick Underhill reports Saints TE Juwan Johnson suffered a lower leg injury and is expected to miss a “good amount of time.”

    Advice: The report of Johnson’s lower leg injury comes after the Saints concluded minicamp and he is expected to miss extended time, likely into training camp. The Saints tried out UFL TE Sal Cannella today and also have Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill, and UDFA Dallin Holker on the roster. Later updates will give an idea of just how long Johnson will be out. He totaled 37 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns last season, finishing as a fantasy TE2. If he is healthy for the beginning of the season, Johnson will be at TE2 value once again. Rotoworld Today, 7:05 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    271st
  • Past Achilles injury
    Rogers (Achilles) was spotted participating during Commanders' OTAs, Bryan Manning of USA Today reports.

    Advice: Rogers missed all of Washington's 2023 campaign due to a torn Achilles tendon, but it now seems as if he's moved past the issue. The 26-year-old appeared in 11 games in 2022, catching five of his six targets for 64 yards while playing 375 total snaps (158 on offense). Now that Rogers is back at full health, he's expected to compete for a depth role in the Commanders' tight end room. Rotowire.com Today, 2:08 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    861st
  • Dealing with minor injury
    Bellinger has been limited during spring practices due to an undisclosed injury, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: It's the second time the tight end has been in the news this week after Darren Waller's retirement put Bellinger in good position for a starting job. The Giants also have rookie fourth-round pick Theo Johnson as a potential receiving threat at the position, but Bellinger figures to handle most of the first-team reps at the start of training camp. Coach Brian Daboll downplayed the injury Wednesday, so he seemingly expects Bellinger to be ready for camp. Rotowire.com Today, 8:44 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    319th
  • Nearing return to field
    Coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that Dulcich (hamstring/foot) is doing "really well" physically at this stage of the offseason, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

    Advice: Payton adds that Dulcich could return to the field this week during minicamp. Once the 2022 third-rounder is back in action, he'll look to carve out a key pass-catching role in a tight end corps that also includes Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull. Dulcich has played just 12 games through two NFL seasons and has repeatedly struggled with hamstring injuries. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 12:35 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    314th
  • Kelce on retirement: ‘keep going until the wheels fall off’
    The Athletic’s Nate Taylor reports Travis Kelce plans to play through two-year contract.

    Advice: The veteran tight who will turn 35 this season, understands the questions about when he’ll hang up the cleats, but says he “really can’t put a timeframe” on it. Kelce also acknowledged the opportunities that he has outside of football, but still enjoys coming to work. While he’s shown slight signs of decline, his chemistry with Patrick Mahomes is unmatched and as long he’s playing, Kelce is a threat. He still has the competitive fire that’ll keep him amongst the top tight ends in football. Rotoworld Yesterday, 11:02 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    93rd
  • Retirement made official
    The Giants placed Waller on the reserve/retired list Monday, Howard Balzer of GoPHNX.com reports.

    Advice: Waller informed New York of his intent to retire Sunday, and the team has wasted little time in officially putting the transaction forth. The 31-year-old's retirement frees up $11.9 million in cap space for the Giants this season, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com, but it leaves the team with $6.6 million in dead money both this year and in 2025. Waller's lone season in New York produced just 552 yards plus one touchdown across 12 games, but he'll best be remembered for a phenomenal two-year stretch from 2019-20, when as a standout for the Raiders he exceeded 1,100 receiving yards twice and combined for 12 touchdowns on 197 catches. Rotowire.com Monday, 2:01 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1063rd
  • Looking sharp this spring
    Coach DeMeco Ryans said Jordan has improved and regularly makes highlight plays, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

    Advice: Jordan nonetheless finds himself in a tough position for the final year of his rookie contract, as the Texans re-signed starting tight end Dalton Schultz in March and drafted Cade Stover in the fourth round. They also have two fullbacks on the offseason roster and one of the best WR groups in the league, making it tough for Jordan to get on the field regularly as a second tight end. The 2021 fifth-round pick did well with his limited chances last year, catching 17 of 21 targets for 219 yards and two touchdowns, but there's not really a path to role growth without Schultz suffering an injury. Rotowire.com Monday, 8:10 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    436th
  • May start as a rookie
    Johnson and Daniel Bellinger will compete to be the Giants' top tight end after Darren Waller decided to retire, Darryl Slater of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

    Advice: Johnson ran a 4.57 40 at the combine while checking in at 6-foot-6, 259 pounds, vaulting him to the early fourth round of the 2024 Draft (107th overall) even though he never topped 341 receiving yards in any of his four seasons at Penn State. He did score 11 TDs over his final two years, and there's a nice opportunity for immediate playing time in New York following Waller's retirement. Bellinger is a 2022 fourth-round pick who entered the NFL with a similar profile, having run a 4.63 40 at 6-foot-5, 253 pounds, after never topping 357 yards or three TDs in a season during his four years at San Diego State. Bellinger has played 1,262 snaps on offense through two years in the NFL while catching 55 of 63 career targets (87.3 percent), but his low rate of targets per route (12.3 percent) and lack of big performances (single-game high of 43 yards) suggests he may fit better as a No. 2 tight end long term. Johnson thus seems like the more intriguing prospect for fantasy, although he comes with some of the same concerns and is only five months younger than Bellinger. Rotowire.com Monday, 7:19 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    277th
  • Intends to re-sign with Bears
    Lewis is meeting with Chicago on Monday with the intention of re-signing for the 2024 season, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports.

    Advice: Lewis appears set for a second campaign in Chicago after playing in all 17 regular-season contests last season. He's regarded as one of the league's top blocking tight ends and sprinkled in some contributions as a receiver in 2023, catching four of five targets for 29 yards and a score. His Week 16 touchdown was notable in that it made him the oldest tight end in NFL history to record a receiving score. Lewis turned 40 years old in May and will be embarking upon his 19th professional campaign in 2024. He's unlikely to make a significant impact on offense or in fantasy, but he'll boost the Bears offense with his blocking while serving as a positive locker room presence. Rotowire.com Sunday, 1:14 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1004th