News: 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh indicated that
Michael Crabtree's torn right Achilles will not cost him the entire season. With surgery already done, it is believed Crabtree will return within six months. Linebacker
Patrick Willis said Crabtree went down after making a "simple, normal cut" after going in motion and before starting his route during 7 on 7 drills. "Crab is one of those tough guys. He can get hit hard, and he'll bounce right back up," Willis told the
San Jose Mercury News. "Yesterday he stayed down a little longer than normal. You say a little prayer and hope it wasn't as bad as it looked. Unfortunately it is."
Analysis: Crabtree was expected to post ridiculous numbers in 2013 after becoming Colin Kaepernick's go-to receiver last year and his promise to dedicate himself to being the Niners' top receiver this year. Eventually he should return and contribute to the Niners but the earliest it seems he could be back is Week 12 at Washington. If you draft Crabtree with what would now be a late-round pick, you'd have to dedicate a bench spot to him for most of the regular season with no guarantee you'd get him in your lineup at 100 percent, if at all. We'd rather spend the same late-round pick on Anquan Boldin or maybe even A.J. Jenkins knowing both will see a lot of work in San Francisco with Crabtree sidelined.
News: During Wednesday OTA practice in Baltimore, receiver
Tandon Doss split a lot of first-team work with
Deonte Thompson and made several nice catches according to the
Carroll County Times. Included in that was a touchdown grab in team drills.
Analysis: Doss is considered a good route runner with good size (6-foot-2, 207 pounds). Holding off Thompson, among others, will be key for him to have any chance of seeing playing time this summer. Outside of Torrey Smith it's unlikely any Ravens wideout will get picked in drafts this summer.
News: The
Carroll County Times reports Ravens cornerback
Lardarius Webb and linebacker
Jameel McClain are "on schedule" with their injuries according to coach John Harbaugh. Both worked in individual drills for most of practice on Wednesday. "Very encouraged with Lardarius and Jameel, really throughout [their whole recovery process]" Harbaugh said. "They have both done a great job with their rehab [and] they have had no setbacks."
Analysis: Webb will be leaned upon as a capable Fantasy DB this season after he posted awesome numbers in 2011. We'll see how he looks in training camp but he should end up getting picked late. The same can't be said for McClain, who probably won't start unless things break the right way for him in camp.
News: The Browns signed ex-Packers receiver
Tori Gurley and waived quarterback Thaddeus Lewis.
Analysis: Neither player carries enough Fantasy value to warrant use.
News: There's still no trial date for
Marshawn Lynch's arrest for DUI last July according to the Alameda Court District Attorney's office. A motion was filed to suppress evidence in the case; a July 5 date has been set to settle that in advance of a trial. Lynch entered a not guilty plea last August. He was not in attendance for the start of OTA workouts in Seattle this week.
Analysis: A guilty plea followed by a suspension from the NFL might be the only way to slow down Lynch at this point. He worked out with the team earlier this offseason and looked great. While the Seahawks added Percy Harvin and drafted Christine Michael, both speedsters who can snag carries from Lynch (as will Robert Turbin), he's still believed to be in line for close to 275 touches and work at the goal-line. That's the kind of running back you want with a first-round pick. Lynch will get taken between third and seventh overall in every draft this summer.
News: Kendall Hunter (Achilles) and
Kyle Williams (ACL) were both present for the stretch and individual drill portions of 49ers OTA workouts on Wednesday according to the
San Jose Mercury News. However once team drills started both players went to side fields for conditioning work with trainers. "I’m not going to comment on the timetable. But, they’re progressing really well," coach Jim Harbaugh said of both players as they continue to rehab from their injuries.
Analysis: Hunter might end up being the best handcuff option for veteran Frank Gore since it figures he'd see a lot of work ahead of LaMichael James if Gore were to miss significant playing time. That's assuming he's healthy. Williams will compete for playing time in training camp this summer in the wake of Michael Crabtree's torn Achilles sidelining him for most of the season. That's assuming
he's healthy. While Hunter could be a late-round pick we suspect Williams won't get drafted at all this summer.
Gore takes it easy in OTAs
Frank Gore, RB, SF
9:09 AM
News: Niners running back
Frank Gore stretched with the team and did individual drills before sitting out the rest of OTA practice on Wednesday according to the
San Jose Mercury News. He did not appear injured.
Analysis: The Niners have to take it easy with Gore, who is now 30 years old and has nearly 2,000 carries over his career including postseason games. He had 321 carries over 19 games in 2012, an average of 16.9 per game. At first there was a belief that average might dip a little bit knowing Gore would share with LaMichael James and Kendall Hunter but with Michael Crabtree getting hurt there could be more of a reliance on the running backs in 2013. Your best move is to call Gore a No. 2 Fantasy running back with obvious upside to be a No. 1 and draft him by the end of Round 4. But you must handcuff him with either a very nice No. 3 option a few rounds later or grab Kendall Hunter with a late-round pick, if not both.
Ball expected to make 'impact'
Montee Ball, RB, DEN
5/22/2013
News: Denver offensive coordinator Adam Gase said Wednesday the team has high expectations for rookie running back
Montee Ball. “He’s trying to pick up the offense," Gase said. "He’s a rookie. There are a lot of things going on, and he’s trying to pick it up as quick as possible. Obviously drafting him in the second round, we’re looking for him to make some kind of impact for us and be able to be on the field five, six plays and work together with that group of running backs.”
Analysis: Ball has the chance to start for the Broncos, especially if Willis McGahee and/or Knowshon Moreno are released prior to training camp. Keep an eye on what happens with Ball, who is likely to share playing time with Ronnie Hillman. We view Ball as a No. 2 Fantasy running back with upside. He's worth drafting in Round 5 in most standard leagues.
News: The unlucky offseason for Lions running back
Mikel Leshoure continued during OTA workouts Wednesday. First, the team signed running back
Reggie Bush, which dropped Leshoure on the depth chart. Then on Wednesday, Leshoure was not participating in team drills because of an injury, according to the
Detroit News. "He's battling some stuff," coach Jim Schwartz said. "He can do some individual stuff but he's not ready to do any team work."
Analysis: We hope Leshoure is OK, and it sounds like he should be fine for training camp. Keep in mind he had an Achilles injury as a rookie and battled some ankle problems in his comeback. As long as Leshoure is back for training camp he should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy running back, and he's worth drafting with a mid-round pick. Keep in mind that even though Bush is the new starter for the Lions, Leshoure should work at the goal line, which will keep his value sustainable in the majority of standard leagues.
News: The
Carroll County Times reports Ravens cornerback
Lardarius Webb and linebacker
Jameel McClain are "on schedule" with their injuries according to coach John Harbaugh. Both worked in individual drills for most of practice on Wednesday. "Very encouraged with Lardarius and Jameel, really throughout [their whole recovery process]" Harbaugh said. "They have both done a great job with their rehab [and] they have had no setbacks."
Analysis: Webb will be leaned upon as a capable Fantasy DB this season after he posted awesome numbers in 2011. We'll see how he looks in training camp but he should end up getting picked late. The same can't be said for McClain, who probably won't start unless things break the right way for him in camp.
