The injury hammer dropped hard in the second week of the preseason, wiping out the 2015 season of Packers wideout Jordy Nelson before it could even begin. That opens the door for Davante Adams, who is expected to move into the starting lineup in Nelson’s place. It also means Jeff Janis and Ty Montgomery will fight for the value third receiver role once populated by Adams. Janis had three catches in Green Bay’s preseason tilt with the Steelers, while Montgomery returned three kicks. There’s also talk the team may pursue ex-Packer James Jones if he’s released by the Giants.
One veteran receiver the Packers were reportedly sniffing around latched on with another team. Longtime Colt Reggie Wayne signed a one-year deal with New England, where he’ll add depth to a receiving corps that has been working without starters Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell most of the preseason. The roster spot for a receiver opened up when the Patriots put Brandon Gibson on IR with a knee injury. As far as Wayne being a fantasy factor in New England, going the veteran route worked for Randy Moss but not for Chad Johnson; the way Wayne played last season, he’s likely too far along the downslope of his career to produce much fantasy help.
- Be sure to check out “10 Stats That Matter From Week Two of the Pre-Season.“
Rams rookie Todd Gurley has been cleared to practice with the team, St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher reported. “We’re gonna progress him slowly, but he’ll be able to participate in the 7-on-7 team drills,” Fisher said. “So we’ll take it slow but it’ll be fun to get him on the practice field.” Fisher reiterated that Gurley won’t see action in the preseason but did not do the same to reports that the Rams expect Gurley to miss the first two games of the regular season. So it’s good news for Gurley’s fantasy prospects, but it still sounds like plenty of Tre Mason through at least the early portion of the season.
Geno Smith is also back at practice, though he was wearing a non-contact jersey and only stretched with teammates before starting his rehab work with trainers. Jets head coach Todd Bowles said that Smith has been cleared for light jogging and throwing, but he did not comment as to whether the initial six-to-ten week timetable for Smith’s return to full action has changed.
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The Vikings traded for Mike Wallace in the offseason, but Teddy Bridgewater apparently has another receiver in mind to be his go-to guy. Following the Vikings’ preseason win over the Raiders, Bridgewater singled out Charles Johnson for his performance—specifically a 10-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. “You talk about that touchdown he had… with the defensive back all over his shoulders,” Bridgewater told ESPN. “Charles, he’s a big, physical guy. He showed that he’s going to be big for us this year.” Wallace and Johnson both currently sport ADPs in the seventh round, but given Teddy’s comments it looks like Johnson may be the better value.
Finally, Arrelious Benn will spend his third straight season on Injured Reserve. The former second-round pick tore his ACL in 2013 and suffered a concussion in training camp last year. Now a Jaguar, Benn fractured his collarbone in the preseason game against the Giants. With the latest move Benn hasn’t seen the field since 2012, and his career catch total stands firm at 59.
