Fantasy Football 2023: Training Camp Roundup (9/1)

Training camps provide our first look into NFL players and teams as we prepare for the upcoming fantasy football season. Information will now begin to flood our social media timelines, leaving us to determine the subsequent fantasy impact. It’s a matter of knowing which information matters, and which should be ignored.

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 2023 NFL regular season.

Today, let’s review the major news from Thursday.

Jeff Wilson Placed on IR

Jeff Wilson, who had missed all of the preseason dealing with an undisclosed injury, was placed on IR and ruled out for at least four games. Head coach Mike McDaniel expressed his concern for Wilson’s ability to protect himself managing pain in his midsection and limited mobility with his hand. Wilson’s agent Drew Rosenhaus is hopeful he’ll be back by Week 5.

Raheem Mostert is in line to be the feature back for Miami, coming off a career year in 2022. In seven games without Wilson last season, Mostert averaged over 15 opportunities (15.6) and 78.3 scrimmage yards. Head coach Mike McDaniel also stated that fourth-round rookie, De’Von Achane is set to return sooner, recovering from a mild AC joint sprain.

Kendre Miller Hurt … Again

Third-round rookie Kendre Miller missed practice due to a hamstring injury. He suited up in the Saints’ last preseason game, returning from a knee sprain, and is now listed as questionable for Week 1.

Health has continued to be an issue for the first-year back after an MCL sprain in his final season at TCU. With Alvin Kamara serving a three-game suspension to open the season, 2022 rushing touchdowns leader Jamaal Williams is in line for a bell cow role facing little completion for touches. Pseudo tight end Taysom Hill could see an uptick in usage as a rusher to spell Williams. Hill handled a career-high 96 carries last season, totaling 575 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns.

Cooper Kupp Suffers Setback

Cooper Kupp suffered a setback in practice as he worked to return from a hamstring injury. His status for Week 1 is to be determined, currently listed as day-to-day. Head coach Sean McVay said, “There’s a difference between ‘return to play’ and ‘return to performance.’ We want ‘return to performance’ for Cooper Kupp, and we know how special of a player, how special of a person he is. We want to make sure that we’re smart with that and getting him back to feeling like the Cooper Kupp that we all know — and that he is able to play the way he is capable of, whenever that is. Whether that’s Sept. 10 or not, we’ll continue to monitor that and control what we can control.”

If Kupp were to miss time, Van Jefferson and Tutu Atwell appear to be the favorites to start in two wide receiver sets. Fifth-round rookie Puka Nacua also has sleeper appeal on a barren depth chart. Nacua led BYU in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons, totaling 91 receptions for 1,430 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns in 2021-2022. He also posted career-highs as a rusher last season, handling 25 carries for 209 yards and 5 scores on the ground.