theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Dynasty Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team PPR leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values for each position.Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values

It's hard to win it all in the NFL. It's even harder as a long shot. Since 1977 - the earliest available year of preseason data - only six teams have entered the season with longer than 30-1 title odds and ultimately hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at year's end. Only three have done so in the last 38 years.When it happens, though, it pays off in a big way. The 2017 Eagles won the Super Bowl as 40-1 long shots; the 2001 Patriots were 60-1 entering the campaign; the 1999 Rams cashed as 150-1 afterthoughts. Any one of those bets hitting would justify chasing such a ticket each and every NFL season.So, who could reward long-shot bettors in 2021? Here are four teams priced longer than 30-1 who could crash the party in February:Washington Football Team (+3700) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyHow much faith do you have in Ryan Fitzpatrick? If you believe in his ability to stabilize an offense, then there's a lot to like about Washington, which is a competent quarterback away from unlocking a new level on offense.Terry McLaurin has emerged as a star despite years of instability at quarterback, while fellow wideout Curtis Samuel has long been an analytics darling without the passer to support it. Antonio Gibson was a top-five running back in 2020, per PFF, while the offensive line graded out as a top-10 unit and returns four of five starters with solid depth, too.This defense ranked in the top five in seemingly every meaningful stat in 2020 and could be even better this year behind an elite D-line, led by reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young. This all falls back to Fitzpatrick, who has shown enough magic to justify betting Washington at long odds.Miami Dolphins (+3800) Elsa / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Dolphins are among my biggest buys this offseason in every futures market, and I'm bullish on their chances to develop into a Super Bowl contender after an impressive offseason addressed the team's key needs.Brian Flores' group exceeded expectations with a 10-win season in 2020, led by a ferocious defense that ranked fifth in points allowed per drive and added two impact rookies in April's draft in Jaelen Phillips and Jevon Holland. On offense, Miami averaged 26.4 points in Tua Tagovailoa's seven full games as a starter - which would have ranked just outside of the top 10 across an entire season.Now the Fins' second-year passer will have a full (and healthy) offseason under his belt as the team's starter, and he'll enjoy a much more dynamic offense with Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle streaking down the field. If Tagovailoa flashes the promise he showed at Alabama, and this defense continues to pressure opposing QBs at an elite rate, then watch out.Chicago Bears (+4500) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyI've been all over the Bears since the day after Super Bowl LV when they were priced at 50-1 with an elite defense but had major questions at quarterback. They've since signed Andy Dalton to start the season and drafted Justin Fields as his eventual successor - maybe as soon as a few weeks into the year. But, their price has hardly moved.Chicago has won at least eight games in each of Matt Nagy's three years despite lackluster QB play, thanks to a defense that ranked in the top 10 in DVOA in each of those three seasons. That should be the case again this campaign, as the Bears boast All-Pro talent at all three levels.This is a Super Bowl roster with a long-shot price based purely on the quarterback. The sky is the limit if Fields gets his shot and plays like he did at Ohio State or Dalton returns to Pro Bowl form, which he nearly did in 2020.Carolina Panthers (+8000) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyMuch like the Bears, the Panthers entered this offseason with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball but a glaring hole at quarterback. They've seemingly answered it by trading for Sam Darnold, who struggled in three years with the Jets but is still a former top-three pick with loads of arm talent.He'll have plenty of opportunities to turn his career around in Joe Brady's air-it-out scheme, especially with three electric wideouts in D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Terrace Marshall at his disposal. That's not to mention do-it-all star Christian McCaffrey, who is just two years removed from his historic 1,000-1,000 campaign before missing most of 2020 with injury.The larger questions are on defense, though that side of the ball is stacked with former first-rounders at all three levels and will surprise under second-year coordinator Phil Snow, whose defense started six rookies for at least one game in 2020. There's risk here, but this roster is much better than its 80-1 price suggests if the pieces come together.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is signing a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, he confirmed to reporter Josina Anderson.Wright spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Seahawks before visiting the Raiders as a free agent last month. He will reunite with Gus Bradley, who coached him in Seattle before joining Las Vegas as defensive coordinator this year.The Raiders have been actively shopping the linebacker market recently. In addition to Wright, the club also recently acquired Denzel Perryman in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. Like Wright, Perryman also had prior experience playing for Bradley.Wright has started 140 games and earned one Pro Bowl selection since the Seahawks drafted him in the 4th round of the 2011 draft. The linebacker has logged 941 career tackles, six interceptions, and 13.5 sacks.The 32-year-old appeared in all 16 games last campaign, registering 86 tackles, 11 TFL, and one interception.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy isn't getting drawn into Cam Newton rumors.When asked Thursday about reports that his team was considering adding Newton as Dak Prescott's backup, McCarthy lauded his current crop of quarterbacks."I think (Newton) has a ton of football left," said McCarthy, according to USA Today's Jori Epstein. "We're very excited about the group we have."The New England Patriots surprisingly released Newton on Tuesday and handed the starting job to first-round rookie Mac Jones.Dallas has an inexperienced quarterback room behind Prescott, who is returning from a season-ending ankle injury and is also nursing a shoulder issue.The Cowboys kept Cooper Rush as their No. 2 quarterback on cutdown day before claiming Will Grier off waivers Wednesday. Rush has just three career passes, while Grier made his two career starts in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers.Newton struggled in his lone season starting for the Patriots, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The veteran threw for 2,657 yards and a career-low eight touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He also had 592 yards and 12 scores on the ground.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said Thursday that all players, coaches, and staff members are fully vaccinated, according to The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud.The Buccaneers join the Atlanta Falcons as clubs to have all players fully vaccinated.Both the NFL and NFLPA have strongly encouraged league personnel to get vaccinated. The league has incentivized franchises that surpassed the 85% threshold by easing restrictions.Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette confirmed he is vaccinated after initial hesitancy. "You can still catch it, but it makes it a lot better to have the shot," Fournette said, per ESPN's Jenna Laine. The 26-year-old added that his desire to be "the best teammate" possible served as a motivation.Meanwhile, Tampa Bay removed kicker Ryan Succop from the team's reserve/ COVID-19 list. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and offensive linemen Earl Watford and Nick Leverett currently remain on the Bucs' reserve group.The Buccaneers will host the first contest of the 2021 regular season when they take on the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 9.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley "has a strong chance" to play in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 12, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.While the Giants reportedly won't decide on Barkley's status until next week, the team is optimistic he will be able to suit up.The 24-year-old suffered a torn ACL and damage to his meniscus in Week 2 of last season and didn't appear in the preseason.New York has insisted it won't rush Barkley's return, with head coach Joe Judge saying in late July that he's "thinking long term" with his star tailback.If Barkley is unable to play in the opener, the Giants will turn to Devontae Booker as their starter. Booker rushed for 423 yards and three touchdowns with the Las Vegas Raiders last campaign.Barkley burst onto the NFL scene with a 1,307-yard season after being taken with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft. He had another 1,000-yard campaign in 2019.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts activated quarterback Carson Wentz, center Ryan Kelly, and wide receiver Zach Pascal off the COVID-19 list, the club announced Thursday.All three players were reportedly deemed close contacts of a staffer who tested positive, resulting in their placement on the reserve group.Wentz has been working toward being ready for the Colts' regular-season opener after undergoing foot surgery last month. He returned to practice toward the end of August and was slated to fully participate in team drills this week before ending up on the COVID-19 list.The 28-year-old was acquired in a trade this offseason following a difficult 2020 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Wentz completed a career-low 57.4% of his passes and tossed 15 interceptions last season.Additionally, the Colts placed Sam Ehlinger and T.Y. Hilton on injured reserve. Hilton underwent surgery to address a neck injury and will miss at least three weeks, general manager Chris Ballard said Wednesday. Meanwhile, Ehlinger is reportedly set to miss five-to-six weeks after spraining his knee in the final preseason game.The Colts will open their season at home against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 12.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For player prop markets, we always try to determine who to back lower on the board, as there's rarely much value on the favorite. We tend to discuss reasons not to back the chalk and pick out guys who appear ready to make the leap.However, when it comes to the NFL rushing title market, it's impossible to ignore the King.PlayerOddsDerrick Henry+400Dalvin Cook+550Nick Chubb+800Jonathan Taylor+1000Christian McCaffrey+1000Saquon Barkley+1300Ezekiel Elliott+1500Antonio Gibson+2000Joe Mixon+2000Aaron Jones+2000Najee Harris+2500Josh Jacobs+2800Gus Edwards+2800Chris Carson+3000Sony Michel+3000Lamar Jackson+3300Miles Sanders+3300David Montgomery+3500Clyde Edwards-Helaire+4000James Robinson+4400Mike Davis+4500Alvin Kamara+5000D'Andre Swift+5000Austin Ekeler+5500Damien Harris+6500Raheem Mostert+10000Derrick Henry (+400)Unless the Titans accidentally lit their playbooks on fire, threw their computers and hard drives into said fire, and collectively used the memory-deleting wands from "Men In Black" to forget that run plays exist, they should continue to run Henry to near perfection, even with former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith now in Atlanta. The Titans also get their cornerstone of the offensive line, Taylor Lewan, back from ACL surgery. Henry's per-game yardage compared to the competition allows for him to even miss a game or two.The honor is Henry's to lose. If someone told you there was a relatively easy-money +400 bet you could make now and get paid in early January, you'd probably be all over it. But we're conditioned to not take the chalk in these markets when there's a wealth of lucrative options.Gus Edwards (+2800)Let's say you're a terrible person and hope for a significant injury to Henry. All is fair in love and war ... and sports betting, after all. Henry's had more than 700 touches in the last two years, so injury isn't out of the realm of possibility. Plus, just three running backs have won the rushing title in three consecutive years (Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, and Emmitt Smith). An injury to Henry would drop the rushing-yardage target to a more attainable mark of around 1,500 yards, making a number of players possible contenders.The obvious ones are listed around 10-1, but since we're already dealing with an unlikely circumstance, we might as well play a long shot or two in the betting market. The Ravens were the only team to attempt more runs than the Titans last season. Part of that is Lamar Jackson zooming around, but with J.K. Dobbins injured and Mark Ingram in Houston, Gus Edwards has a clear path to a ton of carries.Damien Harris (+6500) The Patriots finished third in rushing attempts last season thanks in part to the 137 that came from Cam Newton. While Mac Jones won't be repeating that, the Pats also won't see eight men in the box as they did with Newton struggling to throw deep and being a constant threat to run. New England dealt Sony Michel to the Rams, paving the way for 20-plus carries per game for Harris. If he can maintain his 5.0 yards per carry from last season - or improve on it, given the softer schedule - he'll be a legitimate challenger in this market.Raheem Mostert (+10000)I'm convinced that all you'd need for a 100-1 shot to get home here - other than a Henry injury - is Mostert to stay healthy for 17 games and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan let him loose. Mostert maxed out at 17 carries once last season and missed over a month due to injury, so perhaps those two needs are in concert. Mostert's speed pops off the screen, and the 49ers' run-game design is the closest thing to ballet you're going to see on NFL Sundays. Adding Trey Lance's legs also helps throw defenses off the scent, while Mostert's explosiveness makes him a constant threat to take it to the house.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank shared details about how the relationship between the franchise and star receiver Julio Jones came to an end on Tuesday.Following 10 years with the Falcons, Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans in June. The deal came less than two seasons after Jones signed a three-year, $66-million extension with Atlanta. Blank believes the relationship deteriorated during those contract talks."It's easy to look back with hindsight and say, 'Should we have done that?' Look back at the Julio situation in 2019. We, being (former GM) Thomas (Dimitroff), (former coach Dan) Quinn, the player and his agent (Jimmy Sexton), were all kind of at odds with each other," Blank said to Jeff Schultz of The Athletic."We got a contract done. We felt it was very generous. It made him the top paid receiver in NFL history. But for whatever reason, he felt it wasn't sufficient respect. I don't know why he'd feel that way, but he did feel that way."Blank believes the two parties never recovered from that point.In 2020, Jones' age-31 season, he missed seven games due to injuries, particularly a hamstring ailment. But of notable concern to Blank was Jones' waning practice habits."Look, he gave us 10 great years. He's going to be a Hall of Fame player. He was a good teammate for all that period of time. (But) his ability or willingness to practice the way he did early in his career was different. There were some people who were in the building who had an effect on him. He wanted out, and the last thing coach (Arthur) Smith wants is a player who doesn't want to be here."The Falcons traded the two-time All-Pro for a 2022 second-round draft pick and a swap of late 2023 picks.- With h/t to Pro Football TalkCopyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears remain steadfast in bringing rookie quarterback Justin Fields along slowly.Bears general manager Ryan Pace defended the team's decision to keep veteran Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback despite Fields' impressive preseason performances, stating "there's no need to rush" the first-rounder, according to Matt Zahn of CBS Chicago."We feel good about Andy," Pace said, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.Pace said Fields has been everything the Bears thought he could be when they traded up to the No. 11 pick to get him in this year's draft."We obviously knew about the arm talent, the athleticism, the work ethic, all of those things. But when you get (Fields) out there in an NFL environment, he stays calm in the moment. I think his heart rate stays low, he processes fast," Pace said, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic."He goes through progressions. I think you feel like you see a lot of young quarterbacks who kind of stare down an intended target - you see him working through his progressions, which I think is really good to see from a young quarterback," he added.However, Pace didn't budge on starting the season with Dalton under center or provide a timeline of when the Fields era might begin."We'll know when we know," Pace said, per the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Kit and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Jeff Ratcliffe of FTN joins Boone to discuss the latest news and the players whose stock has risen or fallen during the preseason.

New England Patriots wide receiver N'Keal Harry will begin the season on injured reserve with a shoulder ailment, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.Harry will miss at least the first three games of the season as a result of the move and will be eligible to return in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 3.The former first-round pass-catcher suffered the injury during New England's second preseason game. He was initially considered week-to-week after reportedly avoiding a major issue.The 23-year-old had requested a trade this offseason after two disappointing campaigns. However, the Patriots kept Harry, with head coach Bill Belichick recently saying he expects the Arizona State product to have "a big contribution to our team," according to Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports.Harry has amassed just 45 receptions for 414 yards and four touchdowns through 21 appearances with the Patriots.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL season is just over a week away, and there's still plenty of value in the division markets, where plus-money wagers can pay off in a big way. We already broke down the best bets to win each division in the AFC.Here are the odds for every division in the NFC and our best bet to win each one:NFC NorthTEAMODDSGreen Bay Packers-160Minnesota Vikings+225Chicago Bears+400Detroit Lions+2500This market was more interesting when Aaron Rodgers was trying to force his way out of Green Bay, but his presence alone doesn't necessarily mean all is well with the Packers. Rodgers' MVP-level brilliance in 2020 masked some underlying issues with Green Bay's offense (especially along the line), and its defense is due for regression with a new coordinator and depth concerns at every level.That opens the door for the Bears, whom I've been high on all offseason thanks to their elite defense and an upgrade at quarterback. Andy Dalton should provide enough stability to help Chicago maximize its skill-position talent; if Justin Fields can steal the starting job and show what made him a top-15 pick, the division title is well within reach.Pick: Bears +400NFC EastTEAMODDSDallas Cowboys+125Washington Football Team+240New York Giants+400Philadelphia Eagles+450Washington won this division a year ago despite a revolving door at quarterback, thanks to a young defense that ranked in the top five in seemingly every relevant category. Now, the team installs veteran gunslinger Ryan Fitzpatrick into an offense teaming with Pro Bowl-level talent and returns the core of that elite defense from a year ago. What's not to like?The Cowboys may be the best team in this division when at full strength, but that's a lot to ask of a group that fell apart last year without Dak Prescott, who's still battling a shoulder ailment as he recovers from a gruesome ankle injury that sidelined him for most of 2020. Dallas would be more intriguing as an underdog, but with such a short price on the Cowboys, take the safer squad at better odds.Pick: Washington +240NFC SouthTEAMODDSTampa Bay Buccaneers-200New Orleans Saints+300Atlanta Falcons+750Carolina Panthers+1000The Saints have won this division for four straight years, but even the biggest Jameis Winston truthers would admit it's an uphill battle for New Orleans to best the defending Super Bowl champions across a 17-game season. The Buccaneers return every starter from last year's title group - the first time that's happened in the salary cap era - and are a worthwhile bet even at short odds.That said, I'm bullish on the Panthers, who have the offensive scheme and dynamic weapons to unlock Sam Darnold in his first year away from the New York Jets. Their defense is littered with first-round picks and should improve in Matt Rhule's second season at the helm. Tampa Bay will likely win this division, but I'll gladly take a shot on Carolina at this price.Pick: Panthers +1000NFC WestTEAMODDSLos Angeles Rams+140San Francisco 49ers+190Seattle Seahawks+260Arizona Cardinals+550The NFL's most competitive division also features its most compelling race at the top. The Rams had the league's best defense in 2020 and replace an inconsistent Jared Goff with record-setting passer Matthew Stafford, while the 49ers were the most injured team a year ago and retain the core from that 13-win group in 2019.San Francisco might be the safer bet here, given the high-level roster talent and relative consistency from what we've already seen. Yet the upgrade at quarterback can't be overstated for Los Angeles, which looks like a lock to win 11 or 12 games if Stafford stays healthy. If he performs how many expect him to in Sean McVay's offensive scheme, the upside is even higher.Pick: Rams +140C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts will place T.Y. Hilton on injured reserve after the wideout underwent surgery to alleviate pain from a neck injury, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Wednesday, according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic.Hilton will miss at minimum the first three weeks of the regular season, Ballard said."Surgery went well," Ballard added, per Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star.The GM expects the veteran pass-catcher back "sooner than later." He said the procedure was "not major" but was necessary to provide Hilton some relief, according to Stephen Holder of The Athletic.The 31-year-old deep threat signed a one-year, $8-million deal to stay with the Colts this March. He's spent his entire nine-year career in Indianapolis since being selected in the third round of the 2012 draft.After topping 1,000 yards in five of his first seven seasons, Hilton put up 501 yards in 2019 and 762 yards in 2020, scoring five touchdowns in each campaign.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL season is just over a week away, and there's still plenty of value in the division markets, where plus-money wagers can pay off in a big way. Here are the odds for every division in the AFC and our best bet to win each one.AFC NorthTEAMODDSCleveland BrownsEvenBaltimore Ravens+115Pittsburgh Steelers+400Cincinnati Bengals+1800The Ravens were the favorites to win this division as recently as this week before losing sophomore star J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending knee injury. Is that enough to fade them as division champs? Baltimore still has a starting-caliber back in Gus Edwards and a former MVP in Lamar Jackson, who is primed for a bounce-back season after a health-challenged 2020.The Browns have a legitimate Super Bowl roster and are rightfully priced as contenders in this division. Still, there are more questions around quarterback Baker Mayfield and head coach Kevin Stefanski than there are about Baltimore's duo of Jackson and John Harbaugh. Bet on the better team here at the slightly better price.Pick: Ravens +115AFC EastTEAMODDSBuffalo Bills-160New England Patriots+300Miami Dolphins+380New York Jets+1700I loved the Bills a year ago at +200 to win this division, which wasn't in doubt once the Patriots collapsed early in the year. Buffalo is still the best team in the AFC East with a stacked roster and MVP-level quarterback in Josh Allen, but there's too much regression risk to lay such a short price.Instead, give me the Dolphins, who invested two early picks in April's draft to improve a defense that already ranked in the top five in points allowed per drive in 2020. On the other side, Tua Tagovailoa is healthy with a full offseason to prepare as the starter and is surrounded by a more dynamic receiving corps than a year ago.Pick: Dolphins +380AFC SouthTEAMODDSTennessee Titans-120Indianapolis Colts+140Jacksonville Jaguars+650Houston Texans+2200The Texans are an absolute mess on both sides of the ball, and the Jaguars are clearly a year or two away with a first-year coach and quarterback and developing roster. That leaves this division as a two-team race between the Titans and Colts, who both finished 11-5 a year ago and have improved their rosters over the summer.The safer bet is Tennessee, which added former All-Pro receiver Julio Jones to an offense that ranked fourth in points and second in yards in 2020. Indianapolis should improve this year with Carson Wentz at the helm, but his availability is an open question entering the season and lingers over any futures bet for the Colts.Pick: Titans -120AFC WestTEAMODDSKansas City Chiefs-310Los Angeles Chargers+490Denver Broncos+600Las Vegas Raiders+1600Is there any justification for betting against the Chiefs other than price? They've won this division for five straight seasons with a 26-4 record against the AFC West in that span. Even an unlikely injury to Patrick Mahomes - he's missed just two games with injury in his three years as a starter - probably wouldn't be enough, as his team has gone 1-1 and averaged 25 points in his absence.He should be able to stay upright behind an overhauled offensive line, which was the easiest vulnerability to attack heading into this season. If the Chiefs' big gambles pay off up front, it's hard to envision fewer than 12 wins, which should be enough to take this division with ease.Pick: Chiefs -310C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After an offseason filled with trade speculation, Zach Ertz says his relationship with the Philadelphia Eagles has been "mended," according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo."This is the place I want to be, this is the place I want to retire," Ertz said Wednesday.The longtime Eagles tight end headed into the 2021 offseason with a cloud of uncertainty over his future. The two sides couldn't agree on a new contract prior to last season and Ertz reportedly drew trade interest throughout the offseason. However, the Eagles were reluctant to move him without receiving suitable compensation."I'm moving on from everything that happened this offseason," the 30-year-old said. "There have been apologies."Ertz wouldn't elaborate on whether he felt the Eagles organization treated him honestly, calling it a "moot point," according to The Athletic's Zach Berman."They were standing firm to what they believe was fair. I can't fault them for that," Ertz added.A second-round pick in 2013, Ertz has spent all eight years of his career with Philadelphia. He was consistently one of the club's top pass-catching options, recording over 700 receiving yards in each season from 2014-19. However, he was limited to 11 games and a career-low 335 yards last season.Ertz is entering the final year of his contract and is set to earn $8.5 million in base salary, per Spotrac.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears signed wide receiver Breshad Perriman to a one-year deal, his agent confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Perriman was cut by the Detroit Lions on Tuesday after signing with the club in March and despite already being guaranteed $2 million of his $2.5-million contract.The 27-year-old totaled 505 yards receiving and three touchdowns in 12 games for the New York Jets last season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots are rolling with the future at quarterback, and Cam Newton is suddenly looking for a new home.Bill Belichick surprised the NFL world by releasing Newton on cutdown day Tuesday and handing the starting job to rookie first-rounder Mac Jones.With just over a week until the regular season begins and little space remaining in quarterback rooms, Newton's options for playing this year aren't extensive, and they likely depend on his willingness to take a backup role.Here are six landing spots for the former MVP.Dallas CowboysJerry Jones and Co. are already reportedly exploring bringing in Newton. Dak Prescott - who's coming off a major ankle injury that ended his 2020 campaign - is firmly entrenched as the Cowboys' franchise quarterback, so Newton would have to accept the fact he'd only play in 2021 if Prescott was injured again.Prescott dealt with a shoulder issue through training camp and didn't appear in the preseason. While he will seemingly be ready for Week 1, Dallas already knows how rough things can get without its starter. Replacing Cooper Rush - who has just three career passes - with the far more experienced and explosive Newton could be the difference between winning and losing the NFC East if Prescott's shoulder ailment forces him to the sidelines.The Cowboys would offer Newton a chance to remain in the national spotlight, even if he doesn't play, ahead of an offseason that could be a career crossroads. If he is called into action, Newton could revive his stock by playing with one of the most talented supporting casts in the league.Baltimore Ravens Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / GettyAs in Dallas, Newton would join Baltimore knowing for the first time in his career that he was firmly the No. 2 quarterback behind Lamar Jackson. After releasing Robert Griffin III this offseason, the Ravens could be interested in adding a veteran insurance policy for their franchise player.Sophomore Tyler Huntley won the backup job over Trace McSorley after a spectacular five-touchdown performance in the preseason finale win against Washington. Huntley is a good stylistic fit for offensive coordinator Greg Roman's scheme, but Newton would also be capable of replacing Jackson without requiring dramatic changes, and he brings considerably more experience.Moreover, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is a big fan. Harbaugh heaped praise on Newton prior to his team's matchup with the New England Patriots last season, calling him "a super-talented, extremely dangerous quarterback."Houston TexansThe Texans seem to be chucking up a prayer when it comes to the 2021 season. The roster lacks star power, and Deshaun Watson is being investigated by police and the NFL after 22 women sued him for sexual misconduct, leaving Tyrod Taylor positioned to be the team's starting quarterback.Newton could at the very least be a more competitive option than Taylor. Even at his best, Taylor has never completed more than 64% of his passes in a season (minimum 10 starts). Despite all the talk of Newton's decline in 2020, he still surpassed that figure, completing 65.8% of his throws.Labeled a game-manager for most of his career, Taylor may give the Texans the best chance to not lose games, but Newton's upside, while limited at this point, provides a better opportunity to win. If Newton is still aiming to be a starter in the NFL, the Texans are likely his best option.Pittsburgh Steelers Joe Sargent / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Steelers have been linked to Newton for much of the last two years, and it makes sense on paper. Ben Roethlisberger is 39 and two years removed from elbow surgery. His play also went downhill last season due to a knee injury.Roethlisberger can't be relied on for durability at his age, especially behind what could be a spotty offensive line. While Newton's accuracy would likely be a downgrade from Roethlisberger's or even Mason Rudolph's, his ability to use his legs would bring a touch of creativity to the Steelers' offense and make him a serviceable backup.Seattle SeahawksThe Seahawks would be a major wild-card destination for the former league MVP. But the prospect of Newton backing up Russell Wilson in Seattle is intriguing.Newton would have to beat out Geno Smith, which is far from a guarantee, but he's got an advantage over the former New York Jets quarterback in one area that the Seahawks value highly: vertical passing.The Seahawks have flourished behind Wilson's marvelous moon-ball throws, and Newton still showed signs of life in that department last year. Out of all quarterbacks with at least 25 deep passing attempts, Newton ranked first in the league in on-target percentage with 70%, according to Sports Info Solution.Washington Football Team Streeter Lecka / Getty Images Sport / GettyThis should have been the most obvious spot for Newton. He won his MVP award and made a Super Bowl appearance with Washington head coach Ron Rivera while they were with the Carolina Panthers, and Ryan Fitzpatrick's hold on the starting job should be far from unassailable.After news of Newton's release, however, Rivera insisted he was happy with his group of quarterbacks. Still, we aren't ruling out a reunion. Newton may wait to sign until sometime during the season, and Fitzpatrick's long history of volatility might lead Rivera to reconsider.It's one thing to sell fans on rolling with Fitzpatrick - who performed solidly with the Miami Dolphins over the last two seasons - rather than adding Newton. It's another thing to sell them on Taylor Heinicke rather than Newton as the replacement for a struggling Fitzpatrick, especially if Washington's defense looks playoff-caliber again.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints will host the Green Bay Packers in Jacksonville in Week 1 while they're displaced due to Hurricane Ida, they announced Wednesday.The Saints evacuated to Dallas before Hurricane Ida ripped through Louisiana, leaving much of New Orleans without power. The team is expected to spend the week practicing in Dallas before heading to TIAA Bank Field for the season opener.Saints coach Sean Payton said Tuesday his club is preparing to spend the first month of the season away from home amid the damage in New Orleans. After opening the schedule against the Packers, the Saints will embark on a two-game road trip.The Jacksonville Jaguars play their home games at TIAA Bank Field but are on the road Week 1. The Saints couldn't play at AT&T Stadium in Dallas because the venue hosts a concert the day of the game.The NFL requires all games to take place at its stadiums for reasons related to the replay review system.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith will miss four-to-five months after undergoing surgery to repair his meniscus, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.While a meniscus trim would have come with a shorter recovery timeline, the full repair means Smith could be unavailable for the entire 2021 campaign.Smith was due for a starting role this season after backing up Kyle Rudolph for his first two years. The Alabama product registered 365 yards and five touchdowns in 2020, a slight uptick from his production as a rookie.The Vikings reinforced the tight end position Tuesday, acquiring Chris Herndon from the New York Jets. Herndon had 502 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2018 but has tailed off drastically since. Minnesota also has Tyler Conklin and Brandon Dillon on its active roster.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has decided to play out the remainder of his contract and test free agency in 2022, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Haden previously approached the Steelers for a contract extension in hopes of his finishing his career in Pittsburgh, Schefter adds. He's in the final season of a two-year, $22.4-million contract."Joe has never been an (unrestricted free agent) before and is excited about that opportunity," Rosenhaus said. "We expect him to have a very strong market."Haden is scheduled to earn $7 million in base salary this season, which is tied for the seventh-most among all cornerbacks, according to Spotrac.The 32-year-old spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Cleveland Browns before signing with the Steelers shortly before the 2017 campaign. He's spent the last four years leading the team's cornerback group, recording 10 interceptions and 48 pass breakups.The Steelers have had multiple departures in their secondary this offseason, leaving Haden and Cameron Sutton as the only experienced cornerbacks remaining on the roster. Slot corner Mike Hilton signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent and Pittsburgh released Steven Nelson earlier this year.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wide receiver Mike Evans agreed to a contract restructuring to create as much as $8.94 million in cap space, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.The Bucs will reportedly turn Evans' $12.25-million base salary into an $11.18-million bonus and a veteran's minimum salary of $1.075 million.Tampa Bay could either add two void years to the wideout's contract to create $8.94 million in cap savings or spread the bonus over his remaining three years to create $7.45 million, added Auman.Evans' previous cap hit of $16.64 million was the highest on the Bucs. He's entering the third season of a five-year, $82.5-million extension.The 28-year-old set an NFL record last season by becoming the first player to record seven consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns to start their career.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars clarified their cutdown day strategy after head coach Urban Meyer said they considered players' COVID-19 vaccination statuses."Availability is one of many factors taken into account when making roster decisions," the Jaguars said Wednesday in a statement. "We have vaccinated and unvaccinated players on our roster, and no player was released because of vaccination status."Ultimately, decisions are based on a player's ability to help the Jaguars win. We educate our players and respect personal decisions as it pertains to the vaccine. We want to keep our players, staff, and families safe as we comply with protocols related to both health and safety and competition on game days."Meyer said Tuesday that vaccination status was "certainly in consideration" as the Jaguars trimmed their roster to reach the 53-man limit. The NFL Players Association called Meyer's revelation "a concern" and plans to investigate it.Though players don't have to reveal their vaccination status publicly, the Jaguars are on track to field one of the five least vaccinated rosters in the NFL, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that his decision to part ways with quarterback Cam Newton was solely based on football reasons.Belichick insisted Newton's vaccination status was not considered, adding that "there's a lot of factors involved" when deciding the best course for the 53-man roster, according to Patriots Wire's Henry McKenna.On Tuesday, the Patriots made the shock move to release the former MVP and hand the starting job to rookie first-rounder Mac Jones.In early August, Newton refused to say if he had been vaccinated, saying it was "too personal" to discuss publicly.Newton missed five days last week after a "misunderstanding" regarding the re-entry protocol following a team-approved medical appointment. Only fully vaccinated players are exempt from the testing period before returning to the team facility.Jones has impressed during training camp and the preseason after being selected with the No. 15 overall pick in this year's draft. Belichick said the first-year field general had proven he could run New England's system the way the team wanted."First of all, he's had a high level of production," Belichick said, according to Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper. "I feel like he's been able to show an ability to do things the way we want them done at a productive level."He's young, I'm sure he'll continue to learn and grow. We'll see where that goes. That's why we drafted him, and I think he’s come in and performed at a level that supports that."Jones will make his first NFL start on Sept. 12 against the Miami Dolphins and former Alabama teammate Tua Tagovailoa.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Opportunity is everything in fantasy football. If a player can't get on the field, they won't have a chance to produce on your roster.The following depth charts are designed to give fantasy owners insight into the players who are projected for starting roles, as well as the backups who are next in line in case of injury or ineffectiveness.These depth charts reflect a combination of current rosters and projected fantasy value.Fantasy Depth Charts

A last-place team in the NFL has bounced back and won its division the next year in five of the last six seasons.As we turn our attention to the upcoming campaign, here's every last-place club from 2020 ranked according to that team's chances of winning its division in 2021.8. Detroit Lions2020 record: 5-11Notable movesSignedTraded forDraftedWR Tyrell WilliamsDL Michael BrockersOT Penei SewellRB Jamaal WilliamsDT Levi OnwuzurikeLB Alex AnzaloneDT Alim McNeillCB Ifeatu MelifonwuIt's hard to imagine the Lions winning the NFC North for several reasons.Detroit is going through a big rebuild after hiring first-year head coach Dan Campbell and trading Matthew Stafford, its all-time passing leader, to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff. The jury is still out on Goff, who will be working with one of the league's worst receiving corps. At least the Lions' offensive line looks solid, and running back D'Andre Swift could break out in his second season.The team's defense is also concerning. The unit allowed a league-worst 32.4 points per game in 2020, and PFF ranked it dead last. Granted, Detroit addressed its defense during the draft, and an extra year of experience should help the development of some young defenders, such as cornerback Jeff Okudah. However, there isn't enough talent for the Lions to match up against top opponents yet.This is a long-term project in Detroit. Other NFC North clubs, like the Minnesota Vikings and especially the Green Bay Packers, field better rosters and are steps ahead of the Lions.7. New York Jets2020 record: 2-14Notable movesSignedTraded forDraftedWR Corey DavisDE Shaq LawsonQB Zach WilsonEDGE Carl LawsonG Alijah Vera-TuckerS LaMarcus JoynerWR Elijah MooreWR Keelan ColeRB Michael CarterG Dan FeeneyOT Morgan MosesLB Jarrad DavisThe Jets got their man in first-year coach Robert Saleh, and drafting Wilson second overall was also the right decision. But both the quarterback and head coach face big challenges. Wilson needs to fix an offense that ranked last in 2020 scoring, while Salah, a former defensive coordinator, needs to improve a struggling unit.New York added interesting weapons during the offseason. Davis is an upgrade at receiver coming off a breakout year, and a deep receiving corps still features Moore, Cole, Jamison Crowder, and Denzel Mims, who battled injuries as a rookie last year and could bounce back. And although the offensive line is still a work in progress, Vera-Tucker and Moses should help Wilson and his running game right away.Defensively, Lawson's season-ending injury leaves a hole for the Jets, who spent big money on the star edge rusher. The linebacker group will look different with C.J. Mosley back after he opted out last season, along with rookie Jamien Sherwood stepping in for the injured Davis during the first half of the season. The secondary, led by safety Marcus Maye, lacks overall depth and star power at corner.New York enters the season as the AFC East's worst team on paper. If Wilson takes the NFL by storm and the club's latest signings pay off, the Jets could make a surprising move up from last place. Still, New York likely doesn't have a legit shot of going from worst to first in a division with the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and Buffalo Bills one year after winning just two games.6. Cincinnati Bengals2020 record: 4-11-1Notable movesSignedDraftedDE Trey HendricksonWR Ja'Marr ChaseCB Chidobe AwuzieOL Jackson CarmanCB Mike HiltonDE Joseph OssaiOT Riley ReiffDE Cameron SampleDT Larry OgunjobiThe clock is ticking for coach Zac Taylor, who's 6-25-1 over two seasons with the Bengals. Cincinnati did improve last year in comparison to 2019, and the team spent during free agency for the second straight year. But there are still too many unanswered questions on the roster.How will Joe Burrow look after tearing his ACL and MCL last November? He should benefit from a strong receiving corps in Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Tee Higgins, but the second-year passer struggled during camp despite saying he feels he's recovered physically.Additionally, although Joe Mixon seems poised for a bounce-back campaign after an injury-plagued season, the offensive line remains a liability in both pass- and run-blocking. That could change if Carman, Reiff, and 2019 first-round left tackle Jonah Williams step up.Cincinnati also needs to fix a defense that recorded a league-low 17 sacks in 2020. That's why the club handed a big contract to Hendrickson after he broke out with 13.5 sacks for the New Orleans Saints last year. But Cincy's front seven still needs more at linebacker. And while there's plenty of depth at cornerback, it won't be easy to find a new No. 1 to replace William Jackson.If the Bengals can stay healthy, they should be able to meet expectations and avoid underperforming. But unless Burrow takes a huge leap during his sophomore campaign, Cincinnati is highly unlikely to go from worst to first in a division featuring three playoff-caliber teams in the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns.5. Atlanta Falcons2020 record: 4-12Notable movesSignedDraftedRB Mike DavisTE Kyle PittsWR/KR Cordarrelle PattersonS Richie GrantS Erik HarrisG Jalen MayfieldS Duron HarmonAtlanta finished last in the NFC South for the first time since quarterback Matt Ryan arrived in 2008, but expect the team to rebound.Although the Falcons hired a new head coach in Arthur Smith and traded away Julio Jones, the club kept Ryan to avoid a full rebuild. The signal-caller's prime may be behind him, but his 4,581 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2020 show there's something left in his tank.Atlanta's pass-catching corps is solid despite Jones' departure, as Calvin Ridley is more than ready to be the No. 1 guy, and Pitts is the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history. But Ryan might need to throw over 600 times again; Davis isn't a proven three-down back, so Atlanta's rushing offense could be weak. There's also uncertainty along the Falcons' offensive line after it lost James Carpenter and Alex Mack. There are young linemen available, but they may not be ready to step into starting roles.On the other side of the ball, only tackle Grady Jarrett and linebacker Deion Jones stand out, as most of Atlanta's defenders aren't proven. A.J. Terrell, entering his second year after being drafted 16th overall, could help turn things around in the secondary alongside Grant.Their usual combination of offensive firepower and defensive speed will fuel the Falcons, and they could produce a surprising season if the team finds ways to win close games - Atlanta was 2-8 in one-score contests last year.The Falcons take a big hit on this list for being in a division with two teams that won 11-plus games in 2020. It'll be tough to beat the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Saints, who should still be competitive despite Drew Brees retiring.4. Jacksonville Jaguars2020 record: 1-15Notable movesSignedTraded forDraftedCB Shaquill GriffinDT Malcom BrownQB Trevor LawrenceS Rayshawn JenkinsRB Travis EtienneWR Marvin JonesCB Tyson CampbellDT Roy Robertson-HarrisWR/KR Jamal AgnewRB Carlos HydeAll eyes will be on the Jaguars in 2021 for Lawrence's and coach Urban Meyer's NFL debut. Things got off to a rough start for this offense with Etienne's season-ending injury, but Lawrence's cast still includes explosive receivers and a running back room with Hyde and James Robinson, who topped 1,000 yards in 2020. However, the offensive line - ranked 19th and 25th in pass- and run-blocking by PFF, respectively - has plenty of room for growth.Meanwhile, Jacksonville's defense is coming off a disappointing campaign, but it could bounce back. The defensive line will have new contributors Brown and Robertson-Harris, while the pass rush should improve with K'Lavon Chaisson entering his second year and Josh Allen returning from injury. Plus, cornerback CJ Henderson returns after his injury-plagued rookie season and the secondary gets two new starters in Griffin and Jenkins.Though the Jaguars might need a few years to reach their full potential, they could already benefit from an unstable AFC South. If the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback issues continue, the Tennessee Titans will likely be Jacksonville's biggest challenge. Tennessee might not be as well-rounded as other AFC contenders, but it's clearly a step ahead of Jacksonville, which ranked last in the division in each of the last three seasons.3. Denver Broncos2020 record: 5-11Notable movesSignedTraded forDraftedCB Ronald DarbyQB Teddy BridgewaterCB Patrick Surtain IICB Kyle FullerRB Javonte WilliamsOT Bobby MassieOL Quinn MeinerzThanks to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos face the same problem as the Falcons: They play in the same division as the best team in their conference. But Denver has a well-rounded roster that could be very competitive with the right quarterback.So is Bridgewater the right guy? The 28-year-old won Denver's quarterback battle over Drew Lock, earning what could be his last chance as a starter. Bridgewater has been accurate, completing 68.8% of his passes since 2019, but he'll need to improve his touchdown production. Denver has an interesting duo of running backs in Melvin Gordon and Williams, and a deep pass-catching corps featuring Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and Noah Fant. This group did struggle with drops in 2020, but the return of Sutton (who made only one appearance last year) and another year of experience for Jeudy should help.If the offense figures things out, the defense will likely get the job done. The Broncos had the NFL's seventh-best defense last year, according to PFF - the highest-ranked unit among the teams on this list. And it's now welcoming the return of linebacker Von Miller (who missed 2020 with an injury) and the arrivals of Fuller, Darby, and Surtain.Denver did a solid job of upgrading its roster this offseason. As unrealistic as it is to imagine the Broncos competing against the Chiefs for the AFC West's top spot, Denver's only a couple of pieces away from becoming a real threat.2. Philadelphia Eagles2020 record: 4-11-1Notable movesSignedTraded forDraftedS Anthony HarrisQB Gardner MinshewWR DeVonta SmithLB Eric WilsonC Landon DickersonDE Ryan KerriganDL Milton WilliamsRB Kenneth GainwellNot every team with as many holes as the Eagles can dream about winning the division. But Philadelphia, which was devasted by injuries last year, will have a healthier roster and a new quarterback under center. Plus, the Eagles play in the NFC East - the easiest division in which to go from worst to first - and they have the easiest schedule in the league (based on last year's records).The Eagles will go as far as second-year passer Jalen Hurts can lead them. As a rookie in 2020, he made four starts as Carson Wentz's replacement and went 1-3, but he did show promise. The Eagles should also have a comparatively healthy offensive line after tackles Andre Dillard, Lane Johnson, and Jason Peters, along with guards Isaac Seumalo and Brandon Brooks, missed a whopping 56 games combined last season. Finally, although Philadelphia's receiving corps remains unproven, the addition of first-rounder Smith and another year of development for Jalen Reagor should help.Led by a solid front four, Philadelphia also bolstered its struggling linebacker corps and secondary in the offseason. Wilson is still a liability as a tackler, but his coverage skills fill a need. Harris, who led the NFL in interceptions in 2019, is an instant upgrade at safety. Questions remain at cornerback, however, after Avonte Maddox struggled while playing outside corner last year and Darius Slay underperformed.The Eagles aren't the best NFC East team on paper. But this division turned out to be up for grabs last year, and the Washington Football Team, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants don't look like they'll be real juggernauts this year. It seems like anything can happen.1. San Francisco 49ers2020 record: 6-10Notable movesSignedDraftedC Alex MackQB Trey LanceLB Samson EbukamG Aaron BanksDE Arden KeyRB Trey SermonS Tavon WilsonCB Ambry ThomasDL Maurice HurstThere's a reason why the 49ers were the best team in the NFC and almost won the Super Bowl two seasons ago. They can hurt opponents in many different ways, featuring a dynamic running game, an explosive passing attack, and a solid defense. San Francisco wouldn't even be on this list if an absurd amount of injuries hadn't destroyed its 2020 campaign.Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, running back Raheem Mostert, defensive end Nick Bosa, linebacker Dee Ford, and cornerback Richard Sherman each missed at least eight games, with four of them being sidelined for a minimum of 10.Garoppolo, Kittle, Samuel, and Mostert are expected to be healthy, which means coach Kyle Shanahan will have all of his offensive weapons available. Plus, an already solid offensive line welcomes a six-time Pro Bowler in Mack.San Francisco is also one of just two teams on this list that had a top-10 defense last year, according to PFF. The 49ers boast a premier front seven, and Bosa's return should make the pass rush effective again. The secondary is the team's weakest unit, but it's still an above-average group. Cornerback Jason Verrett stood out last season, playing at least 13 games only for the second time in his career. It's crucial for the 49ers that Verrett mostly stays on the field, since they aren't deep at corner after Sherman's exit.San Francisco enters 2021 with a roster almost as good as the one it had in 2019. Granted, the NFC West is arguably football's best division. But the 49ers own a good recent record against divisional opponents, including three of their six wins in 2020. The Niners are 8-4 versus the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and Los Angeles Rams since 2019.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Numerous transactions will come raining down as teams finalize their 53-man rosters ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.Stay up to date with every club's cuts in the tracker below:Arizona CardinalsS Shawn Williams, WR KeeSean Johnson, OL Shaq Calhoun, RB Tavien Feaster, OL Michal Menet, DL Cam Murray, CB Picasso Nelson, WR A.J. Richardson, LB Evan Weaver, P Ryan Winslow, LB Bryson Young, DB Chris Banjo, CB Jace Whittaker, WR Andre Baccellia, DB James Wiggins, LB Terrance Smith, WR Greg Dortch, LB Kylie Fitts, OL Sean Harlow, DL Margus Hunt, OL Koda Martin, DL Josh Mauro, TE Bernhard Seikovits, TE Ross Travis, LB Reggie Walker, CB Daryl Worley, OL Marcus HenryAtlanta FalconsCB Delrick Abrams, DL Eli Ankou, OL Willie Beavers, WR Trevor Davis, DL Zac Dawe, ILB Emmanuel Ellerbee, RB D'Onta Foreman, OL Matt Gono, WR Juwan Green, TE Parker Hesse, RB Caleb Huntley, S Dwayne Johnson, OLB Kobe Jones, OL Sam Jones, P Dom Maggio, OL Ryan Neuzil, WR Antonio Nunn, S JR Pace, TE John Raine, WR Chris Rowland, OL Joe Sculthorpe, OLB Tuzar Skipper, DL Chris Slayton, OL Kion Smith, ILB Erroll Thompson, TE David Wells, CB Chris WilliamsonBaltimore RavensWR Devin Gray, WR Siaosi Mariner, OL Michael Schofield, TE Tony Poljan, DL Justin Ellis, LB Pernell McPhee, DB Anthony Levine Sr., TE Eric Tomlinson, DE Chris Smith, LB Otaro Alaka, WR Deon Cain, DT Aaron Crawford, OT Adrian Ealy, TE/FB Ben Mason, RB Nate McCrary, WR Jaylon Moore, OT Foster Sarell, DT Jovan Swann, K Jake Verity, WR Binjimen Victor, DB Nigel Warrior, QB Trace McSorleyBuffalo BillsQB Jake Fromm, QB Davis Webb, RB Antonio Williams, WR Tanner Gentry, WR Isaiah Hodgins, WR Steven Sims, TE Jacob Hollister, LS Reid Ferguson, CB Olaijah Griffin, CB Cam Lewis, CB Nick McCloud, CB Rachad Wildgoose, S Josh Thomas, DE Mike Love, DT Brandin Bryant, OL Jordan Devey, OL Bobby Hart, LB Joe Giles-Harris, LB Marquel Lee, WR Brandon Powell, CB Tim Harris, RB Kerrith Whyte, OL Jack Anderson, TE Quintin Morris, TE Nate Becker, OL Jamil DouglasCarolina PanthersQB Will Grier, CB Rashaan Melvin, K Joey Slye, WR Keith Kirkwood, S Kenny Robinson, RB Reggie Bonnafon, OLB Christian Miller, LB Paddy Fisher, LB Jonathan Celestin, RB Darius Clark, WR Ishmael Hyman, WR Omar Bayless, RB Spencer Brown, DL Frank Herron, OL Mike Horton, CB Jalen Julius, TE Stephen Sullivan, OL Aaron Monteiro, WR C.J. Saunders, OL Sam Tecklenburg, S Doug Middleton, RB Rodney SmithChicago BearsWR Dazz Newsome, WR Riley Ridley, RB Ryan Nall, RB Artavis Pierce, TE Scooter Harrington, OL Adam Redmond, DL Daniel Archibong, DB Dionte Ruffin, WR Chris Lacy, DL Sam Kamara, WR Isaiah Coulter, OL Dieter Eiselen, DB Thomas Graham Jr., OL Arlington Hambright, K Brian Johnson, WR Jon'Vea Johnson, DL LaCale London, DB Tre Roberson, LB Charles Snowden, DB Teez Tabor, LB James Vaughters, OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr., CB Artie Burns, DB Marqui Christian, CB Desmond TrufantCincinnati BengalsDT Mike Daniels, TE Thaddeus Moss, DE Noah Spence, QB Kyle Shurmur, LB Joe Bachie, DE Amani Bledsoe, CB Tony Brown, P Drue Chrisman, S Trayvon Henderson, LB Keandre Jones, G Michael Jordan, DT Kahlil McKenzie, CB Winston Rose, K Austin Seibert, WR Trent Taylor, G Keaton Sutherland, RB Jacques Patrick, TE Mason Schreck, CB Antonio Phillips, OT Gunnar Vogel, WR Scotty Washington, HB Pooka Williams Jr., HB Trayveon Williams, DT Renell WrenCleveland BrownsWR Khadarel Hodge, QB Kyle Lauletta, DL Sheldon Day, DB Sheldrick Redwine, LB Tegray Scales, DL Curtis Weaver, TE Jordan Franks, WR JoJo Natson, DT Marvin Wilson Jr., TE Kyle Markway, DL Porter Gustin, DL Cameron Malveaux, DB Brian Allen, DB Elijah Benton, DB Emmanuel Rugamba, OL Colby Gossett, LB Willie Harvey, DL Joe Jackson, RB John Kelly, S Jovante Moffatt, OL Javon Patterson, FB Johnny Stanton IV, OL Alex Taylor, LB Elijah LeeDallas CowboysQB Garrett Gilbert, QB Ben DiNucci, S Darian Thompson, DL Ron'Dell Carter, S Tyler Coyle, DT Austin Faoliu, S Steven Parker, OT Eric Smith, CB Deante Burton, LS Jake McQuaide, TE Jeremy Sprinkle, DT Justin Hamilton, WR Johnnie Dixon, WR Osirus Mitchell, WR Reggie Davis, WR Aaron Parker, RB Brenden Knox, RB JaQuan Hardy, FB Nick Ralston, TE Nick Eubanks, TE Artayvious Lynn, OT Isaac Alarcon, C Braylon Jones, WR Brandon SmithDenver BroncosQB Brett Rypien, LB Curtis Robinson, OT Drew Himmelman, FB Adam Prentice, WR Kendall Hinton, TE Austin Fort, TE Shaun Beyer, OL Austin Schlottmann, CB Saivion Smith, DL Isaiah Mack, WR Tyrie Cleveland, LB Derrek Tuszka, CB Mac McClain, RB Stevie Smith, WR Seth Williams, OT Quinn Bailey, RB Damarea Crockett, S Trey Marshall, CB Mac McCain III, CB Parnell Motley, WR De'Mornay Pierson-El, RB Stevie Scott III, DE Marquiss Spencer, LB Barrington Wade, OT Cameron Fleming, CB Nate Hairston, DL Shamar StephenDetroit LionsWR Geronimo Allison, WR Breshad Perriman, K Randy Bullock, CB Corn Elder, K Zane Gonzalez, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, WR Sage Surratt, LB Tavante Beckett, LB Rashod Berry, S Jalen Elliott, DT Bruce Hector, G Tommy Kraemer, TE Alize Mack, WR Javon McKinley, RB Dedrick Mills, T Darrin Paulo, CB Mike Ford, WR Victor Bolden, DT Miles Brown, DB Alijah Holder, OL Evan Heim, WR Damion Ratley, OT Dan Skipper, OT Tyrell Crosby, RB Craig Reynolds, LB Jahlani Tavai, TE Brock WrightGreen Bay PackersWR Equanimeous St. Brown, CB Stephen Denmark, CB Rojesterman Farris, RB Dexter Williams, QB Kurt Benkert, DL Abdullah Anderson, WR Reggie Begelton, G Ben Braden, OL Jacob Capra, OL Coy Cronk, CB Kabion Ento, S Innis Gaines, LB Tipa Galeai, LB De'Jon Harris, WR Damon Hazelton, TE Bronson Kaufusi, DL Carlo Kemp, K JJ Molson, DL Willington Previlon, LB Delontae Scott, P JK Scott, RB Patrick Taylor, S Christian Uphoff, OL Cole Van Lanen, LB Ray Wilborn, WR Juwann WinfreeHouston TexansQB Jeff Driskel, OL Danny Isidora, TE Ryan Izzo, CB Rasul Douglas, OL Carson Green, RB Buddy Howell, CB Shyheim Carter, LB Tae Davis, CB Cornell Armstrong, OL Jordan Steckler, TE Antony Auclair, WR Alex Erickson, DL Jaleel Johnson, WR Chris Moore, LB Hardy Nickerson, LB Derek Rivers, LB Joe Thomas, G Cole Toner, WR Keke Coutee, G Hjalte Froholdt, CB Ka'dar Hollman, OL Ryan McCollum, S Jonathan Owens, DL Paul Quessenberry, WR Jordan Veasy, G Lane TaylorIndianapolis ColtsS Sean Davis, CB Holton Hill, LB Curtis Bolton, S Ibraheim Campbell, TE Kahale Warring, DT Andrew Brown, WR Tarik Black, CB Anthony Chesley, DT Kameron Cline, S Shawn Davis, G Jake Eldrenkamp, TE Farrod Green, WR DeMichael Harris, RB Deon Jackson, LB Malik Jefferson, LB Isaiah Kaufusi, RB Benny LeMay, OT Carter O'Donnell, WR Tyler Vaughns, OT Will Holden, QB Brett Hundley, C Joey HuntJacksonville JaguarsS Josh Jones, CB Corey Straughter, LB Quincy Williams, DT Doug Costin, CB Lorenzo Burns, WR Jalen Camp, WR Jeff Cotton Jr., RB Nathan Cottrell, TE Tyler Davis, TE Ben Ellefson, WR Josh Hammond, WR Collin Johnson, WR Tevin Jones, QB Jake Luton, OL KC McDermott, RB Devine Ozigbo, OL Austen Pleasants, DB Brandon Rusnak, OL Badara Traore, OL Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms, WR Pharoh Cooper, WR Phillip Dorsett II, OL Jermaine Eluemunor, WR Devin Smith, WR Laquon Treadwell, S Jarrod WilsonKansas City ChiefsRB Derrick Gore, CB Zayne Anderson, RB Darwin Thompson, QB Shane Buechele, WR Dalton Schoen, WR Darrius Shepherd, DE Demone Harris, LB Omari Cobb, DE Austin Edwards, DB Devon Key, OL Wyatt Miller, WR Maurice Ffrench, C Darryl Williams, G Yasir Durant, CB Marlon Character, LB Emmanuel Smith, DB Rodney Clemons, DT Tyler Clark, CB Dicaprio Bootle, WR Cornell Powell, DE Tim Ward, OT Prince Tega Wanogho, CB BoPete Keyes, WR Gehrig Dieter, WR Marcus KempLas Vegas RaidersCB Isaiah Johnson, TE Matt Bushman, G Lester Cotton Sr., DT Matt Dickerson, WR Keelan Doss, RB B.J. Emmons, DE Gerri Green, RB Garrett Groshek, OT Devery Hamilton, OL Jaryd Jones-Smith, S Dallin Leavitt, C Jimmy Morrissey, OL Jeremiah Poutasi, RB Trey Ragas, LB Max Richardson, DT Niles Scott, WR Dillon Stoner, WR DJ Turner and DL Kendal Vickers, WR John Brown, TE Derek Carrier, S Karl Joseph, OL Patrick Omameh, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, LB Asmar Bilal, TE Alex EllisLos Angeles ChargersK Michael Badgley, LB Jessie Lemonier, CB KJ Sails, LS Cole Mazza, OL Tyree St. Louis, OLB Davin Bellamy, LB Nate Evans, OT Darius Harper, WR John Hurst, TE Matt Sokol, CB Donte Vaughn, DL Willie Yarbary, LB Emeke Egbule, WR Michael Bandy, RB Darius Bradwell, CB John Brannon III, DL Cortez Broughton, LB Cole Christiansen, DB Ben DeLuca, DL Breiden Fehoko, LB Joe Gaziano, G Nate Gilliam, G Ryan Hunter, WR Tyron Johnson, TE Hunter Kampmoyer, WR Jason Moore Jr., WR Joe ReedLos Angeles RamsCB Brontae Harris, OL Jeremiah Kolone, WR Jeremiah Haydel, OL Jordan Meredith, CB Donovan Olumba, DB Troy Warner, WR Landen Akers, RB Otis Anderson, DT Eric Banks, TE Kendall Blanton, OT Chandler Brewer, DL Earnest Brown IV, DT Marquise Copeland, DE John Daka, DB Dont'e Deayon, DB Jake Gervase, DB Tyler Hall, WR Trishton Jackson, LB Micah Kiser, WR J.J. Koski, LB Justin Lawler, DB Kareem Orr, LB Christian Rozeboom, OT Max Pircher, RB Xavier JonesMiami DolphinsC Matt Skura, LB Benardrick McKinney, CB Tino Ellis, DL Tyshun Render, WR Khalil McClain, RB Jordan Scarlett, OT Adam Panke, LB Josh Harvey Clemons, CB Cre'Von LeBlanc, C Cameron Tom, CB Javaris Davis, RB Gerrid Doaks, LB Shaquem Griffin, S Nate Holley, LB Kylan Johnson, DT Benito Jones, RB Patrick Laird, DE Jonathan Ledbetter, WR Kai Locksley, WR Kirk Merritt, LB Calvin Munson, TE Chris Myarick, WR Malcolm Perry, G Durval Queiroz Neto, QB Reid Sinnett, DE Jason Strowbridge, FB Carl Tucker.Minnesota VikingsRB Ito Smith, C Cole Cabral, DT Zeandae Johnson, RB Ameer Abdullah, LS Andrew DePaola, G Dakota Dozier, DE Everson Griffen, CB Tye Smith, OT Zack Bailey, FB Jake Bargas, Tuf Borland, QB Jake Browning, TE Zach Davidson, S Myles Dorn, G Kyle Hinton, DT Hercules Mata'afa, WR Myron Mitchell, CB Parry Nickerson, WR Whop Philyor, RB A.J. Rose, Jr., DE Kenny Willekes., TE Shane Zylstra, WR Chad Beebe, S Luther Kirk, G Dru Samia, QB Nate StanleyNew England PatriotsQB Cam Newton, G Alex Redmond, DB Adrian Colbert, DL Montravius Adams, WR Kristian Wilkerson, WR Isaiah Zuber, DB Myles Bryant, TE Matt LaCosse, DB D'Angelo Ross, DB Dee Virgin, OL Will Sherman, DL Bill Murray, WR Tre Nixon, DL Tashawn Bower, OL Korey Cunningham, OL James Ferentz, K Nick Folk, QB Brian Hoyer, CB Michael Jackson Sr., DL Akeem Spence, DL Nick ThurmanNew Orleans SaintsRB Devonta Freeman, OL Christian Montano, DL R.J. McIntosh, OL Derrick Kelly, CB Natrell Jamerson, DB Eric Burrell, LB Shaq Smith, OL Caleb Benenoch, FB Alex Armah, WR Chris Hogan, OT Jordan Mills, CB KeiVarae Russell, QB Trevor Siemian, DT Damion Square, G J.R. Sweezy, receiver Kevin White, WR Kawaan Baker, DL Josiah Bronson, CB Grant Haley, DT Albert Huggins, LB Wynton McManis, CB Bryan Mills, DB Deuce Wallace, WR Easop Winston, TE Ethan WolfNew York GiantsRB Corey Clement, WR David Sills, OL Chad Slade, QB Brian Lewerke, WR Alex Bachman, WR Austin Mack, OL Jonotthan Harrison, OL Kenny Wiggins, LB Ifeadi Odenigbo, WR Damion Willis, WR Matt Cole, TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart, TE Jake Hausmann, RB Sandro Platzgummer, OL Jackson Barton, OL Jake Burton, OL Brett Heggie, DL David Moa, DL Elijah Qualls, LB Ryan Anderson, DL Willie Henry, LB Devante Downs, LB Niko Lalos, DB Madre Harper, DB Chris Johnson, CB Jordyn Peters, LS Casey KreiterNew York JetsQB Josh Johnson, RB Josh Adams, DB Lamar Jackson, WR Lawrence Cager, S Bennett Jackson, DL Jeremiah Valoaga, DB J.T. Hassell, OL Corey Levin, LB Aaron Adeoye, DL Hamilcar Rashed, QB James Morgan, TE Ryan Griffin, DL Ronnie Blair, LB Noah Dawkins, TE Daniel Brown, WR Vyncint Smith, S Sharrod Neasman, TE Kenny Yeboah, DB Elijah Campbell, OL Grant Hermanns, WR DJ Montgomery, OL Jimmy Murray, OL David Moore, LB Camilo Eifler, LB Del'Shawn Phillips, DL Tanzel Smart, OL Isaiah WilliamsPhiladelphia EaglesWR Travis Fulgham, QB Nick Mullens, DE JaQuan Bailey, RB Elijah Holyfield, TE Cary Angeline, LB Rashad Smith, WR Marken Michel, RB Jason Huntley, OL Ross Pierschbacher, DB Michael Jacquet, WR Andre Patton, DB Craig James, DL Raequan Williams, S Andrew Adams, OT Le'Raven Clark, RB Jordan Howard, DT Hassan Ridgeway, TE Richard Rodgers, CB Kevon Seymour, S Grayland Arnold, OL Kayode Awosika, WR John Hightower, DE Matt Leo, G Sua Opeta, S Elijah Riley, LB JaCoby StevensPittsburgh SteelersP Jordan Berry, TE Marcus Baugh, S Lamont Wade, RB Tony Brooks-James, CB Shakur Brown, DT T.J. Carter, WR Anthony Johnson, CB Lafayette Pitts, G Malcolm Pridgeon, WR Mathew Sexton, LS Kameron Canaday, WR Rico Bussey, WR Cody White, RB Trey Edmunds, RB Jaylen Samuels, OL Rashaad Coward, OL B.J. Finney, OL Chaz Green, OL John Leglue, TE Kevin Rader, LB Cassius Marsh, LB Quincy Roche, LB Jamar Watson, DB Mark Gilbert, DB Arthur Maulet, DB Donovan StinerSan Francisco 49ersOL Senio Kelemete, WR Travis Benjamin, OL Jake Brendel, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, RB Wayne Gallman II, CB Dontae Johnson, WR Jordan Matthews, TE MyCole Pruitt, QB Nate Sudfeld, DL Eddie Yarbrough, DE Alex Barrett, WR River Cracraft, DL Darrion Daniels, OL Alfredo Gutierrez, LB Justin Hilliard, RB Josh Hokit, OT Corbin Kaufusi, S Jared Mayden, OT Colton McKivitz, CB Alexander Myres, OL Dakoda Shepley, LB Elijah Sullivan, WR Nsimba WebsterSeattle SeahawksCB John Reid, WR Darece Roberson Jr., TE Ian Bunting, TE Cam Sutton, DT Myles Adams, OT Tommy Champion, S Aashari Crosswell, LB Aaron Donkor, G Greg Eiland, WR Aaron Fuller, WR Penny Hart, CB Gavin Heslop, DT Jarrod Hewitt, G Jared Hocker, WR Cade Johnson, RB Josh Johnson, G Pier-Olivier Lestage, C Brad Lundblade, TE Tyler Mabry, S Joshua Moon, LB Jon Rhattigan, CB Will Sunderland, WR Cody Thompson, WR Travis Toivonen, WR Connor Wedington, LB Lakiem Williams, DT Robert Nkemdiche, CB Damarious Randall, G Jordan Simmons.Tampa Bay BuccaneersQB Ryan Griffin, WR Jaydon Mickens, CB Antonio Hamilton, TE Tanner Hudson, LB Joe Jones, TE Jerrell Adams, LB Elijah Ponder, WR Travis Jonsen, OT Jake Benzinger, WR Cyril Grayson, S Javon Hagan, LB Ladarius Hamilton, G Jonathan Hubbard, CB Herb Miller, TE Codey McElroy, DL Benning Potoa'e, DL Kobe Smith, OT Brandon Walton, CB Chris Wilcox, OT Brad Seaton, TE Jerell Adams, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter, RB C.J. ProsiseTennessee TitansLB John Simon, S Clayton Geathers, DL Freedom Akinmoladun, LB Cassh Maluia, DB Nate Brooks, DL Kobe Smith, CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, S Jamal Carter, Woodrow Hamilton Iv, OL Cole Banwart, WR Fred Brown, FB Tory Carter, OT Christian Dilauro, WR Dez Fitzpatrick, TE Miller Forristall, OL Derwin Gray, RB Javian Hawkins, LB Jan Johnson, DT Naquan Jones, WR Mason Kinsey, TE Jared Pinkney, LB Wyatt Ray, G Jordan RoosWashington Football TeamRB Peyton Barber, CB Jimmy Moreland, OL Beau Benzschawel, DL William Bradley-King, WR Tony Brown, WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, OL Keith Ismael, CB Danny Johnson, LB Jordan Kunaszyk, DL Devaroe Lawrence, S Cole Luke, OL Wes Martin, LB David Mayo, QB Steven Montez, LB Jared Norris, S Jeremy Reaves, DL Bunmi Rotimi, OL David Sharpe, OL David Steinmetz, CB Linden Stephens, OL Jon Toth, LB Joe Walker, RB Jonathan Williams, TE Caleb Wilson, DL Daniel Wise, DL Gabe Wright, WR Isaiah WrightCopyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars took everything into account prior to submitting their final roster cuts on Tuesday, including a player's vaccination status."Everyone was considered. That was part of the (considerations such as) production, let's start talking about this, and also is he vaccinated or not?" Meyer said, according to ESPN's Michael DiRocco. "Can I say that was a decision-maker? It was certainly in consideration."Meyer noted that the league's protocols are much more strict for unvaccinated players. Vaccinated players will enjoy a mostly pre-pandemic level of day-to-day activity at team facilities, while unvaccinated players will operate under restrictions introduced during the pandemic.Vaccinated players don't need to quarantine if they come into contact with someone who has COVID-19.Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen was placed on the team's COVID-19 list on Aug. 23 and missed Jacksonville's last two preseason games. Though he hasn't shared his vaccination status, Allen has worn a mask during interviews."Well Josh Allen's never had (COVID). He's not played in two weeks," Meyer said. "So he's never had COVID. I don't know if I'm allowed to say that, but he's never had COVID. So that's pretty punitive."The NFLPA will open an investigation into Meyer's comments."This is a concern and we are going to look into it," NFLPA assistant executive director of external affairs George Atallah said to Mark Maske of the Washington Post.The Jaguars waived or released 24 players while getting down to the 53-player limit.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots released quarterback Cam Newton and named rookie Mac Jones their starter, reports Jim McBride of the Boston Globe.Newton shared a message on his social channels confirming his departure, and the transaction was later made official by the Patriots as part of their 53-man roster cutdown announcement.

The Arizona Cardinals placed cornerback Malcolm Butler on the reserve/retired list on Tuesday.On cutdown day, the Cards named a 52-man roster but left one open spot.Butler reportedly has been contemplating retirement as he deals with a personal matter.Butler signed a one-year, $3.25-million deal with the Cardinals in March after he was released by the Tennessee Titans following three seasons with the team.Prior to that, he spent four years with the New England Patriots, where he was the hero of Super Bowl XLIX after intercepting Russell Wilson at the goal line in the dying moments of the game.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Vikings are acquiring tight end Chris Herndon from the New York Jets for draft pick compensation, agent Malki Kawa told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Minnesota will send a 2022 fourth-round pick to New York in exchange for Herndon and a 2022 sixth-round selection, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The move comes just days after Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. suffered a knee injury that reportedly will sideline him for at least the start of the regular season. Smith's exact timetable is yet to be revealed.Herndon is expected to have a big role in Minnesota. The 25-year-old, who's entering the last year of his rookie contract, racked up 31 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns last season.Selected in the fourth round in 2018, the Miami product set career highs with 502 yards and four touchdowns on 39 receptions as a rookie. He appeared in just one game in 2019 due to a four-game suspension and subsequent rib injury.The Vikings released Kyle Rudolph in March, ending the longtime tight end's 10-season stint in Minnesota.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

I was reminded last week of my first (and only) paintball experience. After being told not to fire the gun before entering the "battle zone," I couldn't help myself and pulled the trigger. Safely, and off to the side, I shot a ball into the ground, as harmless as a Mitch Trubisky rollout. It didn't matter, as I was busted by management, and my punishment was the firing squad - I was forced to run across the field while my "friends" were encouraged to launch freely.In the NFL Passing Yards Leader market, we want to back quarterbacks who also launch freely and are a little more accurate than an amateur paint sniper.PlayerOddsPatrick Mahomes+350Dak Prescott+600Tom Brady+650Josh Allen+850Matthew Stafford+1200Matt Ryan+1400Aaron Rodgers+1400Justin Herbert+1400Russell Wilson+2000Joe Burrow+2500Jameis Winston+2500Kirk Cousins+2800Ryan Tannehill+2800Baker Mayfield+4000Derek Carr+4000Kyler Murray+4000Sam Darnold+5000Tua Tagovailoa+5000Trevor Lawrence+5000Ben Roethlisberger+5000Jared Goff+5000Ryan Fitzpatrick+5000In order to find someone to bet, we must start by looking at first-half defensive metrics.In order to put up an unusually high yards tally, you need plenty of attempts, and, in turn, urgency. This is created by a negative game script - as early as possible. Deshaun Watson led the NFL in passing yards last season, and his Texans allowed the fourth-most first-half points. Only the Jaguars, Lions, and Cowboys used more, but each was forced to use multiple quarterbacks in 2020.If all things were considered equal, Patrick Mahomes would be an easy bet every year. He came close last season but was a little too good, as the Chiefs were able to rest him in the final week, which allowed Watson to leap ahead. If he can play all 17 this year, he'll be full value at the short price of +350.Josh Allen (+850)Allen would be an exception to the rule. He'll likely have a few fourth quarters off on a good Bills team, but the offense is quickly veering to a point where offensive coordinator Brian Daboll might never run the ball again. The volume could be so high early in games that Allen won't need the second-half urgency typically required to lead the NFL in passing.Justin Herbert (+1400)Some expect regression for Herbert, but don't bank on it. The Chargers now have a legitimate coaching staff, with Joe Lombardi taking over the play-calling, and he loves the deep ball. That plays into Herbert's strength. Lombardi also adopts a pass-heavy approach on first down, which the previous staff was allergic to.Herbert's 289.1 yards per game last year also came without the easy yardage that Austin Ekeler historically provides in the short passing game. In theory, the Chargers should be in fewer trailing situations, but this team is still all too familiar with late-game urgency.Joe Burrow (+2500)Burrow played in 10 games last season. After his first NFL appearance, he averaged 316 yards against teams not named the Steelers or Ravens and had 203 yards in one half before his fateful injury against Washington. The bad news is Burrow has to play both the Steelers and Ravens twice this season, but he'll likely be trailing late and won't be taken out for poor play.If he can stay healthy, any improvement against the AFC North's defensive Goliaths could push him to the 300 yards-per-game mark, especially with a terrific trio of wide receivers to throw to.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton made it official after the preseason: Jameis Winston will begin the year as the team's starting quarterback."Jameis is going to be our starter. He's done a great job, he's earned that," Payton said Tuesday, per Saints staff writer John DeShazier.Winston and Taysom Hill were pit against one another in a quarterback competition to determine who would succeed retired legend Drew Brees. They each started one preseason game, and Winston emerged as the clear winner after throwing two long touchdown passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 23."Both he and Taysom competed their tails off. It's always difficult when you don't have the full offseason that you're looking for or the full preseason, but we feel real good about that room," Payton said. "We've got four players that are going to be a part of that room. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate how those guys have handled it."Payton pointed to a number of Winston's strengths when discussing how the former first overall draft pick won the job."The No. 1 thing is leading your offense and moving the ball and scoring points. We fell like he's got the unique skill set with his arm talent where he can get the ball down the field," Payton said. "He's done a really good job of working through some of the progressions."While it's disappointing news for Hill, the Saints still envision an important role for the Swiss Army knife. Hill has seen time as a runner, tight end, and special teams specialist during his three-plus seasons in New Orleans."I've got a very clear vision relative to how he's going to help us this year, no different than the vision we have with Jameis," Payton said. "Those two are both going to be extremely important if we're to play well and win games this year."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans waived rookie wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick in Tuesday's final round of roster cuts after trading up in the 2021 NFL Draft to select him in the fourth round.Fitzpatrick finished the preseason with three catches for 58 yards and a touchdown over two appearances. He had 43 receptions for 833 yards and three touchdowns in his final year at Louisville.The Titans sent fourth-, fifth-, and seventh-round picks (126th, 166th, and 232nd overall) to the Carolina Panthers to climb 17 spots for Fitzpatrick at No. 109 overall. They could look to bring him back with their practice squad if he clears waivers.The Titans denied Fitzpatrick a roster spot one year after trading 2020 first-round pick Isaiah Wilson to the Miami Dolphins before he debuted. Wilson fell out of favor after a host of off-field issues, and the Dolphins cut him shortly after acquiring him in a swap of future seventh-round selections.Shortly after drafting Fitzpatrick, the Titans used another fourth-round selection on Rashad Weaver, who they later discovered was charged with simple assault one day earlier.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins are denying a report that owner Stephen Ross wants the team to trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.Though the Dolphins have not explicitly denied having any interest in Watson, the team said Tuesday that Ross "does not force football decisions" and "believes in" quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, according to Jackson.Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported earlier Tuesday that Ross "really wants" to acquire the disgruntled Watson. Miami's response came minutes after the initial report.The Texans aren't expected to deal Watson before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET roster cutdown deadline, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Though a move isn't imminent, the Dolphins are reportedly considered front-runners to acquire Watson.Miami head coach Brian Flores recently refused to address the Watson trade rumors, saying he remains confident in Tagovailoa. The second-year passer posted a 6-3 record while completing 64% of his passes for 1,814 yards and 11 touchdowns against five interceptions as a rookie in 2020.In addition to the Dolphins, the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Philadelphia Eagles have also been linked to Watson, who requested a trade from the Texans earlier this year.Teams continue to monitor Watson's status off the field. The 25-year-old faces 22 lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate behavior, and 10 women have also filed criminal complaints against him.The Texans are reportedly seeking a trade package that includes three first-round selections and a pair of second-rounders for Watson, but interested teams have reportedly angled for protected picks in case the signal-caller faces a suspension.However, Houston refuses to give protections as part of the deal, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.Watson had limited participation during training camp and didn't appear in any preseason games. He was the fourth quarterback on the Texans' depth chart during camp behind veteran Tyrod Taylor, rookie Davis Mills, and Jeff Driskel, whom Houston released on Tuesday.Watson has become one of the NFL's top signal-callers since being drafted 12th overall in 2017. The three-time Pro Bowler, who signed a four-year extension in September 2020, has averaged 4,308 passing yards and 31 touchdowns against 11 interceptions per 16 games since entering the league.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles have waived wide receiver Travis Fulgham, a source told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.The Eagles could still bring back Fulgham on their practice squad if he goes unclaimed on waivers, Garafolo adds.Fulgham was the Eagles' leading receiver last season with 539 yards. But he's since fallen down the pecking order, losing significant snaps to John Hightower, Greg Ward, and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside in the preseason.The 25-year-old exploded onto the scene during a Week 5 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, catching 10 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. He followed up his Week 5 showing by registering over 70 receiving yards in each of Philadelphia's next three games.But Fulgham's playing time diminished as the 2020 season progressed; he failed to play over 50% of offensive snaps in any of the Eagles' last five games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys plan to explore the possibility of adding Cam Newton following the quarterback's surprise release from the New England Patriots on Tuesday, a source told ESPN's Jordan Schultz.Newton would join Dallas as a potential backup for Dak Prescott. The Cowboys' quarterback depth chart currently features only Cooper Rush after the team released Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci on Tuesday. Rush, who joined the club in 2017, has attempted just three passes in his career.Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle last October. The 28-year-old successfully recovered from that ailment, but his participation at training camp was limited due to a shoulder injury. Prescott didn't appear in any preseason games despite initially saying he intended to play in at least one.The two-time Pro Bowler, who set career highs with 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2019, is poised to return when the Cowboys open the 2021 season against the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 9.Newton, 32, posted a 7-8 record with the Patriots last year while throwing for just 2,657 yards and eight touchdowns against 10 interceptions. The former NFL MVP also rushed for 12 scores.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is expected to land on the physically unable to perform list, sidelining him for the first six weeks of the 2021 season, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Saints have a bye in Week 6, which means Thomas will miss at least five games and could potentially return against the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 25.Thomas, who underwent surgery during the offseason, is coming off an injury-plagued campaign that limited him to seven regular-season appearances. The three-time Pro Bowler reportedly ignored calls from his coaches for three months before rejoining the Saints in June, and the team subsequently discovered he needed ankle surgery.Drafted in the second round in 2016, the Ohio State product quickly established himself as one of the NFL's top pass-catchers, leading the league in receptions twice. Thomas was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 after topping the NFL with 1,725 receiving yards and setting a single-season record with 149 catches.The 28-year-old signed a five-year, $96.25-million extension in July 2019, but he caught only 40 passes for 438 yards in 2020.With Thomas sidelined, Marquez Callaway and Tre'Quan Smith are expected to carry the load at wide receiver for the Saints, who recently tabbed Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback over Taysom Hill.Elsewhere on the offense, New Orleans tight ends Adam Trautman and Nick Vannett were injured during the preseason. Although both reportedly avoided major injuries, they're at risk of missing multiple games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore will miss at least six games to begin the season after landing on the physically unable to perform list, his agent confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Gilmore spent the offseason recovering from quad surgery, though he appeared in two of three games this preseason.The 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year has reportedly been seeking a new contract for some time. The Patriots appeased him with a salary increase last year but left his 2021 figure of $7 million untouched.New England boasts solid depth at cornerback with J.C. Jackson, Jonathan Jones, and Jalen Mills, but the secondary will surely be tested without its top defender.Gilmore, who turns 31 in September, had three pass breakups and an interception over 11 outings last season en route to his fourth Pro Bowl selection. He was an All-Pro in 2018 and 2019 and reeled in a career-high six picks in 2019.Players who begin the season on the PUP list cannot practice until Week 7. Once a player starts practicing, his team has three weeks to activate him or place him on season-ending injured reserve.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints believe they'll have to find a temporary home for the first month of the NFL season in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, head coach Sean Payton said Tuesday.The Saints, who evacuated to Dallas before landfall, are looking into the possibility of practicing at either SMU or TCU and playing their home opener at AT&T Stadium."We think that'd be something that's very realistic," Payton said, according to USA Today Sports' Jori Epstein.The Dallas Cowboys occupy AT&T Stadium but begin the season with a two-game road trip. The Saints host the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 before heading out for two road games of their own. The Cowboys and Saints are both supposed to play at home in Week 4, which marks the beginning of October.Payton noted the Saints can return to New Orleans earlier if the city is equipped to handle them. In 2005, the team played the entire season outside New Orleans in light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday, flooding homes across the state and destroying the power grid. It could take weeks for officials to restore power in various regions.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers will keep All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari on the physically unable to perform list, sidelining him for at least the first six games of the season, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Green Bay placed Bakhtiari - who's recovering from a torn ACL suffered late last season - on the PUP list to begin training camp. The 29-year-old said in July he was unsure if he'd be ready for the Packers' regular-season opener.The 2013 fourth-round pick has protected Aaron Rodgers' blind side since entering the league. He's started 118 games over his career, earning three Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro nods.Elgton Jenkins figures to shift from left guard to left tackle with Bakhtiari sidelined. A second-round pick in 2019, Jenkins has started 30 games over the past two seasons and was a Pro Bowler in 2020.The Packers' offensive line was one of the best in the NFL last season, allowing just 21 sacks over 16 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints are releasing running back Devonta Freeman, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.New Orleans signed Freeman to a one-year deal last month, but the veteran failed to impress in preseason action. He totaled 18 yards on the ground against the Jacksonville Jaguars and just 6 yards against the Baltimore Ravens.The 29-year-old's release likely locks in Latavius Murray for the immediate backup spot behind star running back Alvin Kamara.Freeman was coming off a disappointing 2020 campaign with the New York Giants. He made four starts but averaged only 3.2 yards per carry.The 2014 fourth-round pick spent his first six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He last rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2016.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are working to restructure the contract of wide receiver Mike Evans to create additional cap space, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.The Buccaneers can convert Evans' $12.25-million base salary into a signing bonus to gain additional cap relief, Fowler adds. That would reduce the wide receiver's team-high $16.64-million cap hit.Tampa Bay has just $270,339 in cap space, according to the latest report from the National Football League Players Association.Evans has been a consistent force for the Buccaneers since they drafted him seventh overall in 2014. He's recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his seven NFL seasons.The 28-year-old also played a prominent role in Tampa Bay's run to Super Bowl LV, and his 1,006 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns led the team last season.He's entering the third year of a five-year, $82.5-million deal, according to Spotrac.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr is nursing a knee injury that's sidelined him from practice since Aug. 5, ESPN's Courtney Cronin reports.The chances of the four-time Pro Bowler playing in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals are "50-50," sources told Cronin.Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was optimistic about Barr's recovery."He's doing really good. We've got a good plan for him to get him ready to go," Zimmer said, according to Cronin.A torn pectoral kept Barr sidelined for all but two games in 2020.The 29-year-old restructured his contract this offseason and is now scheduled to hit free agency in 2022.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded cornerback Sidney Jones to the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced Monday.Jacksonville received a 2022 sixth-round draft pick in return, Schefter adds.The Philadelphia Eagles selected Jones in the second round in the 2017 draft. He played in 31 games (14 starts) for the Eagles across three seasons before being cut ahead of the 2020 campaign. Jones then signed with the Jaguars and appeared in nine contests last season, recording two interceptions and a forced fumble.Jones should provide depth for a Seahawks cornerback group currently fronted by Tre Flowers and Ahkello Witherspoon. Shaquill Griffin, Seattle's top corner a year ago, signed with the Jaguars in free agency in March.The Seahawks ranked second-last in pass defense last season, giving up 4,560 yards and 23 touchdowns through the air.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed that fully vaccinated players and staff members will be tested weekly throughout the 2021 season, the league announced in a statement that NFL Network's Tom Pelissero obtained.Vaccinated players and staffers previously were tested once every two weeks.A second weekly test will also be available for players with "vulnerable cohabitants," adds Pelissero.The NFL has made several changes to its COVID-19 protocols since the 2020 season ended, including easing restrictions for vaccinated players. Unvaccinated individuals must still undergo daily testing and wear face coverings while indoors.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance has a small "chip" in his finger and is expected to miss about a week, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Lance looked to be holding his thumb after his throwing hand hit a helmet during Sunday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco. Shanahan reportedly said Lance sustained a small fracture but wouldn't reveal which finger was injured."It wasn't bothering him much because he just thought it was jammed on that helmet," Shanahan said Monday, according to David Bonilla of 49ers Web Zone. "And then when you get all the images on it, it's a micro-chip of a bone that's off. He chipped it, which is a small-chip fracture, which is worse than a jam."He added: "He can't take snaps and do all that stuff right now, so we've just got to rest it for seven days ... Hopefully, he'll be good next Monday when we get into practice."Lance, selected third overall in this year's draft, is currently competing for the starting role with veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Although Shanahan has yet to pick his Week 1 starter, he recently said he has a good idea of who will win the position battle.San Francisco opens its 2021 campaign when it visits the Detroit Lions on Sept. 12.The 49ers have experienced injury issues at quarterback recently, with Garoppolo missing 10 games last year. The 29-year-old has missed 23 contests due to injury since 2018.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Malcolm Butler is dealing with a personal matter and considering retirement, sources told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson announced an initial $1 million donation to the Gulf Coast Renewal Fund to aid the recovery after Hurricane Ida's devastation, the teams announced Monday.Players and staff from both organizations are safe and accounted for after the Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday, causing a significant disturbance to the region's electricity and resulting in multiple deaths."We know there is much work to be done to restore power and other infrastructure," Benson said in a statement. "We have been in touch with government leaders at every level to offer any assistance we can, including the use of any of our facilities - all of which have sustained only superficial damage."If the city's infrastructure allows, the Caesars Superdome will be operational for the Saints' season-opening game versus the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 12, according to the team.Meanwhile, the NBA's 2021-22 campaign is well over a month away. The Pelicans' first preseason tilt at the Smoothie King Center isn't scheduled until Oct. 6, and the club said the facility sustained just minor exterior damage and will be ready. The team's regular-season home opener against the Philadelphia 76ers is slated for Oct. 20.In the interim, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has accepted the teams' invitation to use parts of their shared Ochsner Sports Performance Center to aid the relief efforts.Benson hopes her franchise's on-field and on-court success can buoy the spirits of those in the storm-stricken region."We greatly look forward to representing our city, state, and region this season as we work together to restore our community," she said. "We know how much winning games can unite and inspire people in our region and we can’t wait to take advantage of that responsibility and opportunity."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every year, an offensive player wins NFL MVP. Oftentimes, that player does not win Offensive Player of the Year. It's a strange nuance for an award that often rewards record-setting statistical seasons over generic offensive impact.A brief look at recent winners tells the whole story. Derrick Henry rushed for 2,027 yards, fifth-most in NFL history, to win the award in 2020. Michael Thomas shattered the NFL record for receptions (149) in his 2019 campaign. And 2018 winner Patrick Mahomes approached records for passing yards (5,097) and touchdowns (50) in his stellar MVP season.So who can threaten history this campaign? Here are the odds to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year (50-1 or shorter), along with a few of our favorite values on the board:PLAYERODDSDerrick Henry+700Patrick Mahomes+700Christian McCaffrey+1000Aaron Rodgers+1200Dalvin Cook+1400Josh Allen+1500Alvin Kamara+1600Davante Adams+1600George Kittle+1600Nick Chubb+1600Lamar Jackson+1800Saquon Barkley+1800Tom Brady+1800Travis Kelce+1800Kyler Murray+2000Russell Wilson+2000Stefon Diggs+2000Matthew Stafford+2200Tyreek Hill+2200Calvin Ridley+2500Dak Prescott+2500DeAndre Hopkins+2500Ezekiel Elliott+2500Jonathan Taylor+2500Justin Herbert+2800Justin Jefferson+3000Michael Thomas+3000Taysom Hill+3000Antonio Gibson+3500Austin Ekeler+3500Chris Carson+3500Najee Harris+3500Raheem Mostert+3500Aaron Jones+4000Baker Mayfield+4000J.K. Dobbins+4000Joe Mixon+4000Julio Jones+4000Kirk Cousins+4000DK Metcalf+5000Damien Harris+5000Deshaun Watson+5000Matt Ryan+5000Ryan Tannehill+5000Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints (+1600)Conventional wisdom says Kamara is due for regression in his age-26 season, the first without Drew Brees leading the Saints offense. But what if New Orleans builds its new offense around its star back? If it does, the upside is there for a potentially record-setting season.Since his rookie campaign in 2017, Kamara ranks second in scrimmage yards (6,164) despite recording fewer than 300 touches in each of the last four seasons. He averaged 6.3 yards per touch in 2021 and led the league with 21 rushing and receiving touchdowns on 270 touches. If that number jumps closer to 310 or 315 - still well below the league leaders each year - then watch out.Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams (+2200)Only four active quarterbacks have thrown for more yards than Stafford since he entered the league in 2009. And the longtime Lions gunslinger has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in eight of the last 10 seasons despite being surrounded by a shoddy O-line and subpar weapons for most of his career. Now he joins a Rams unit loaded with talent in Sean McVay's stellar offensive scheme.Stafford already holds numerous career and single-season passing records, and he'd need to average 323 passing yards per contest in this year's 17-game schedule to break Peyton Manning's record (5,477) from 2013. Stafford has averaged at least 310 yards in three different seasons - including 2019 - and has an outside shot at this record in McVay's offense. Even without it, his gaudy stat line will be enough for consideration, anyway.Austin Ekeler, RB, Chargers (+3500)Ekeler rarely cracks the list of household names that most bettors would consider for an award like this, but he deserves to be among them. The Chargers' versatile back averaged 102.1 scrimmage yards in his nine full games in 2020, which would've ranked fourth across an entire season.It isn't unreasonable to expect that number to climb in 2021 behind an improved offensive line and alongside an emerging star in Justin Herbert, who targeted Ekeler nearly 50 times over the final six games of last season. If he can key Los Angeles' first playoff berth since 2018, he'll have a shot.Darren Waller, TE, Raiders (+6500)A tight end has never won this award, and only two receivers - Thomas and Jerry Rice - have ever claimed it. So why bet Waller here? Simply put, the Raiders pass-catcher is a superstar hiding in plain sight and shouldn't be priced as such a long shot, regardless of precedent.The 6-foot-6, 255-pound star ranks in the top seven in yards (2,341), receptions (197), and targets (262) since 2019 after a pair of 1,000-yard seasons. Waller averaged 130.8 yards over the final five games of 2020 - a 2,223-yard pace across 17 contests - and is a serious threat to break Travis Kelce's single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end (1,416). If Las Vegas continues to use him as the focal point of its passing game, he's in line for a monster campaign.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.