Today’s Best Bets
Sam Choudhury
It can be hard to prep for fantasy football during training camp and the preseason. Things happen every day that might be a huge deal for fantasy … or might be no deal at all. Sometimes we can figure it out, but sometimes it’s just a matter of paying attention to what happens to know what might matter just so things don’t slip through the cracks.
So each day in this space, we’ll take a trip through the top news and takeaways around the league’s training camps to offer up what fantasy managers need to know as we head through draft season and into the 2022 NFL regular season.
Tom Brady Returns to Practice
The good news: Tom Brady is back at practice.
The bad news: He must not have lasted long on The Masked Singer.
Undoubtedly the weirdest story of the 2022 training camp season so far, Brady’s planned 10-day absence from training camp — in the middle of August — came to an end. Nobody knows the actual reason for the absence, but we suppose it doesn’t really matter anymore, because the GOAT is back.
Brady’s ADP remained steady through his absence, but if we pushed later and later into August, the nerves may have grown. Mike Evans suffered a minor injury but will be OK, Chris Godwin is nearly 100% back and Julio Jones is popping up on “Training Camp Highlight Reel” Twitter, so Brady enters 2022 with an elite skill group once again.
Baker Mayfield Named the Starter in Carolina
This news surprises nobody, but it’s good to have it locked in a few weeks before the season. Baker Mayfield is clearly better than Sam Darnold, but we’d be lying if we said there was a massive fantasy impact here. This is good news for Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore at the macro-level, but it’s not enough to move the needle on either player.
As for Mayfield himself, he’s barely on the radar in 2QB leagues.
Romeo Doubs Expected to be a Contributor Right Away
So says Aaron Rodgers:
Romeo Doubs has been making noise in training camp for the last month, especially as fellow rookie Christian Watson missed significant time and is now in catch-up mode. Doubs is certainly worth a late-round flier at this point with targets wide open on the post-Davante Packers.
Logan Thomas Activated from PUP, Returns to Practice
Logan Thomas was activated from PUP and practiced on Monday for the first time all offseason after an ACL tear last season. Prior to his return, the Commanders had just two healthy TEs — Armani Rogers and Eli Wolf.
The lack of competition for TE targets in Washington means Thomas could be in line for a role as soon as he’s healthy enough and in shape. He still only practiced in individual drills and acknowledged that he might not be ready for Week 1. A September return seems likely, though.
Thomas is 100% free in fantasy drafts. This news doesn’t mean he needs to be drafted — and he’s certainly not on the radar in 1 TE leagues — but if your league starts two TEs, he should probably be on your list toward the end of the draft if you wait at the position.
Kenyan Drake on the Roster Bubble in Vegas
If this happens, it’s neutral for Josh Jacobs, great news for Zamir White, and a potential headache for fantasy managers everywhere.
That’s because Kenyan Drake as a free agent would not last too long. He’s not starter-level caliber, but he’s certainly good enough to fit into a rotation. Houston, Buffalo, Miami and Kansas City all immediately come to mind.
The news here is to wait with bated breath. Drake finding a new home could really mess up one of your late-round RB picks.
Kayvon Thibodeaux Out at Least 3 Weeks
The top-five pick suffered an MCL sprain Sunday, and we got word Monday that he will be out at least three weeks and could miss New York’s season opener.
The Giants play the Titans in Week 1, but the fantasy impact here is liminal, if it exists at all. (Kayvon Thibodeaux is known more for his pass-rushing than run-stuffing abilities, so it’s not significant news for Derrick Henry’s Week 1 outlook.)
