There's a lot going on at training camp right now. Thirty-two teams in 32 different locations with hundreds of reporters chronicling everything from the starting running back battles to which kickers are making their attempts in simulated late-game sessions. It's way too much for any one person to keep up.
But it's worth knowing what is going on, especially at wide receiver, where close to half the league still has Fantasy relevant battles to sort out. Every year we see guys flash in training camp, and while not all of them end up making an impact or even winning a spot in the starting lineup, occasionally, a difference-maker gets a chance and thrives.
Who might be that guy this season? And who is taking the lead in the various battles across the league. We're going through training camp reports from every team in the league to highlight who has stood out and who is building buzz so far.
Here are the NFC team notes:
Training Camp Standouts
NFC WR
NFC East
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Amari Cooper has been out a few days with a sore heel, and second-year receiver Michael Gallup has reportedly stepped up as the No. 1 option. He started to play a bit better in the second half of his rookie season after the Cowboys acquired Cooper, and he seems to have improved again this offseason. As Dak Prescott told The Athletic: "He's a beast."
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One of the themes of the early part of training camp has been the connection between Carson Wentz and DeSean Jackson, who has continued to make big plays. Not only is Jackson a real sleeper for Fantasy purposes, but he could make everything easier for everyone else in the Eagles' offense with defenses having to respect his big-play ability.
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Not much is expected to come from Washington's passing game, but Jay Gruden has been gushing about Terry McLaurin and what he could bring to the offense. During a recent question about Josh Doctson and Paul Richardson, Gruden went out of his way to talk up McLaurin after offering perfunctory praise of the other two.
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With Golden Tate suspended for the first four games of the season and Sterling Shepard recovering from a fractured thumb, there's an opportunity for someone here to step up. Unfortunately, it just doesn't seem like anyone has really made headlines so far, but Shepard did earn some praise for his performance in the first practice without Shepard or Corey Coleman.
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NFC North
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Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and Anthony Miller are cemented atop the depth chart, but The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain notes that Javon Wims is a player to watch this preseason, thanks to the strong camp he is having.
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Chad Beebe seems to be in the lead for the third receiver role in this offense, and Pete Prisco reported Beebe has the coaching staff excited about his potential. There may not be a ton of opportunities on a team that wants to run the ball first and second, but if something happens to Adam Thielen or Stefon Diggs, maybe Beebe could become Fantasy relevant.
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Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison seem locked into starting roles behind Davante Adams, and while others behind them have flashed, we haven't necessarily seen anyone step up, according to reports. Rodgers did praise the gains Valdes-Scantling has made in his preparation and approach to practice, something that could be key to getting in the veteran passers' good graces: "A guy like Marquez, went through some spells last season when he wasn't practicing the right way all the time, has totally changed. And now he's a leader when it comes to practicing the right way. I think he's done a great job."
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The Athletic's Chris Burke said rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson was the team's best pass-catcher over the first four days of training camp, which doesn't necessarily fit here, except to say that between Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay, there may not be much room for another wide receiver. Not that anyone has really stepped up so far, though it was nice to see that both Golladay and Jones put together some big plays in joint practice with the Patriots on Monday. Given what could be a more run-heavy offense, both receivers will need to make an impact down the field to live up to their draft spots.
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NFC South
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If you're looking for a sleeper in this Saints' offense — something Fantasy players have usually derived quite a bit of value from in the past — Emmanuel Butler may be the guy. The undrafted free agent from Northern Arizona has drawn comparisons to (who else), Marquese Colston. Butler is a good athlete, but disappointed in his final two seasons in college.
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Is Curtis Samuel going to emerge as the No. 1 option for the Panthers? It hasn't necessarily happened yet, but he has drawn rave reviews in training camp. Maybe they need to be a bit closer in ADP than they currently are — Moore is going about 50 spots ahead in ADP.
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There is considerable hype around Chris Godwin, and there's been no indication that he has disappointed so far. In particular, his red-zone work has drawn praise. Godwin was solid last season, and just think how much better he can be if he and Jameis Winston can avoid those games where they just can't get on the same page, like last December's memorable-in-the-wrong-way 1-for-10 showing against the Saints.
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It'd be nice if I could unearth some kind of sleeper here to recommend, but this is a top-heavy offense, with Calvin Ridley trying to join Julio Jones among the ranks of the elite. He put in work with Jones and Mohamed Sanu in the offseason and has drawn praise from quarterback Matt Ryan on his improved hands this summer. That's a good person to draw praise from if you're a wide receiver.
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NFC West
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If all goes according to plan, the Rams won't have much need for anyone beyond Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, or Cooper Kupp. With Kupp making it through contact practices, it seems like everything is going according to plan.
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D.K. Metcalf has been dealing with an oblique injury in recent days, but he was impressing in camp before the injury. Hopefully this won't derail him, and he and Russell Wilson have put in extra work in drills and on the sides to make sure they are on the same page. Wilson has had nothing but positive things to say about the rookie, recently telling The News Tribune: "I mean, obviously, DK Metcalf doesn't look or get any better in terms of his talent level. He's as smart as it gets, too. He wants to learn." Given his physical tools, that's great to hear.
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Maybe we're underrating Dante Pettis? Kyle Shanahan recently told reporters he believes the second-year receiver has the best chance of emerging as the team's top option at wide receiver, and Richard Sherman backed that up: "I know what he's capable of. If he wasn't capable of being incredibly successful and being a great player — a No. 1 receiver — in this league, then who am I to try to pull something impossible out of him?" Getting to work across a veteran DB like that everyday at camp can only help. The only thing that should give you pause? Pettis has apparently had some trouble hanging on to the ball lately, and was reportedly working with the twos Tuesday.
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Even if you're just moderately plugged into NFL news, you've probably heard that absolutely everyone at Cardinals' camp has praised sixth-round rookie KeeSean Johnson. He is likely the No. 3 wide receiver and a starter now, and has made up for his lackluster speed with the kind of route running that gets noted in seemingly every report out of camp. In what could be a fast-paced, high-volume passing offense, Johnson has the potential to be Fantasy relevant from day one.
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