David Johnson has officially retired from the NFL after seven seasons in the league with three teams.
David Johnson, former All-Pro running back for the Arizona Cardinals, has announced his retirement from professional football.
Johnson’s career began in 2015, when he was drafted 86th overall by the Arizona Cardinals. He quickly made a name for himself earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2016. He rewarded fantasy owners with a monster season, rushing for 1239 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, while also providing 80 receptions for 879 receiving yards with four more receiving touchdowns.
An unfortunate wrist injury derailed his 2017 season for the Cardinals, and he’d be a contributor to their team through the 2019 season. Johnson would eventually go on to play for the Houston Texans from 2020-2021, and finally with the New Orleans Saints in the 2022 season.
The Buffalo Bills have reached an agreement with Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a one-year deal.
The Bills offseason wide receiver shopping spree continues as they signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling (MVS). Buffalo has already signed Curtis Samuel, Chase Claypool, Mack Hollins, and Quintez Cephus this offseason (Cephus has since been released.) They also drafted Keon Coleman in the second round of the NFL Draft.
MVS will be 29 years old when the season begins. Last season with the Chiefs, MVS brought in 21 receptions for 315 yards and a touchdown. Those were all career lows for the veteran. Valdes-Scantling career year came four years ago when he was with Green Bay, when he had 690 yards and six touchdowns.
With all depth these wide receivers joining the Bills, this looks to be like a fantasy managers nightmare. As of now, it will be tough to know which wide receiver to start each week. As for MVS, in dynasty you should hold him for now to see how it plays out. In start ups or redraft leagues you can take a flier on him in the later rounds.
Tank Dell was recorded running routes this week after suffering a broken leg that ended his 2023 season, along with a gunshot wound this offseason.
Tank Dell took to Instagram to show his fans that he’s had a solid recovery from the gunshot wound he suffered in Florida earlier this offseason. In the video, Dell demonstrates the tremendous speed he brought to the league in his rookie season that helped him boast 15 ppr points per game.
There remains concern that Dell will make a full recovery from the broken leg he suffered against the Broncos in week 13 that ended his 2023 season. Titans new Running Back, Tony Pollard, suffered a similar injury in the 2022 playoffs and admitted he wasn’t 100% recovered until week 11 last year. While the video of Dell working out is a great start, we’ll need to keep a close eye on camp reports to get a read for if he’ll be ready to be an immediate contributor at the start of the 2024 season.
Fantasy Managers should exercise caution with Dell, as the arrival of Stefon Diggs in Houston, along with the potential for Dell’s injury to follow him into 2024 make his best ball ADP of 43 seemingly rich. He remains an incredible asset in dynasty leagues, as he is tied to C.J. Stroud long-term.
Former Las Vegas Raider, and Fourth-Round pick by the Ravens, Anthony Averett, signs a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Anthony Averett was a previous starter for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, where he started six games. His best season as a starter was for the Ravens in 2021 where he started fourteen games and led the team with three interceptions. Coming into Steelers rookie camp, he has a chance to help bolster a secondary that lost Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan this past off-season.
Bringing in his veteran experience should help the young defensive back room, providing depth and a refreshed secondary. Averett now gets to play along former teammates in Patrick Queen and DeShon Elliott (Baltimore Ravens) as well as former teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama).
The Detroit Lions have signed QB Jared Goff to an extension worth $212 Million and $170 million guaranteed.
The Detroit Lions have been handing out a lot of money this offseason. The Lions have made Penei Sewell the highest paid offensive lineman, Amon-Ra St. Brown the highest paid wide receiver at the time of the signing (AJ Brown signed a couple days after), and now they have the second highest paid quarterback annually in Jared Goff.
Goff was once deemed to be a mediocre quarterback when drafted number 1 overall by the Rams. When traded to the Lions he had a resurgence, helping improve the Lions offense with his quarterback play. Goff led the Lions to their first NFC North title since 1993 and their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991. The Lions have rewarded Goff with a bag full of money making him the second highest paid quarterback annually with a contract extension of 4-years worth up to $212 million, and $170 million guaranteed.
Goff emerges with an extension while a group of other quarterbacks still awaiting a new deal include division rival Jordan Love, Dak Prescott, Tua Tagovailoa, and Trevor Lawrence. It is yet to be seen which one of these quarterbacks will come out with the largest bag but for now Goff can sit back and enjoy his well-deserved extension.
As for fantasy, Goff has finished top 10 in each of the last two seasons. There has not been much turnover in the offense as they have the same offensive coordinator, running back group, and very little changed with their receiving core. Hendon Hooker is still a stash barring injury to Goff. Jared Goff is the perfect second quarterback to have in your SuperFlex dynasty leagues.
The New York Giants have signed WR Allen Robinson to a one-year deal.
Allen Robinson has found a new home with the Giants after spending the 2023 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former Pro Bowl wide receiver will look to make an impact in a wide receiver room that struggled in 2023. While he hasn’t had over 400 receiving yards since 2020, he is still only 30 years old and capable of making an impact.
Robinson joins a wide receiver group that now includes Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton, and Isaiah Hodgins. Many of these players have disappointed and/or struggled with injuries during their short NFL careers. However, the talent is undeniable, and the unit should be much improved in 2024, despite their quarterbacks’ limitations.
For fantasy purposes, Robinson can remain on waivers other than in deeper dynasty fantasy football leagues. He may be a steady part of the offense, but Robinson isn’t anything more than a WR4 or WR5 barring injuries. Regardless, he could be valuable in leagues with multiple flex positions when bye weeks arise.
