Pierre Garcon: "I'll be healthy enough to play" in 2013
Source: The Washington Post
Wide receiver Pierre Garcon said in a televised interview Thursday that he’ll be sufficiently healthy to play for the Redskins in the 2013 season but he still might not be at full capacity.
“I’ll be healthy enough to play,” Garcon said during an appearance on the NFL Network, according to a transcript provided by the league-owned TV channel. “I can’t say I’ll be 100 percent, but I’ll be back out there helping the team in any way possible.”
Garcon said previously he would not undergo surgery for the torn ligament near the second toe in his right foot that plagued him last season. He said during Thursday’s TV appearance that it’s unclear how fully he will participate in offseason practices with the Redskins.
Fantasy Impact:
Garcon had the #27 PPG average among WRs even though he struggled with a foot injury throughout the year. Not counting his abbreviated return in Week 4 and Week 5 (4-44 combined) or his first game "back" in Week 11, Garcon posted 5.1-66-0.5 in eight other games (including the playoffs). That equates to #19 WR numbers. Obviously, this talk of not being fully healthy is cause for concern.
Victor Cruz intends to re-sign with Giants
Source: Yahoo Sports
It appears that entertainment mogul Jay-Z's budding influence on the sports world is about to help wide receiver Victor Cruz stay with the New York Giants.
Cruz, who has spent more than a year haggling with the franchise over a long-term deal, not only was moved to Creative Artists Agency through his relationship with Jay-Z, but has told at least two people that he plans to stay with the Giants long-term. Cruz, according to two sources, wants to take advantage of the business and marketing opportunities he envisions with Roc Nation, the marketing company Jay-Z (whose real name is Shawn Carter) founded.
"[Cruz] told his agents not to sign him with another team because he wants to work with Jay-Z," a source said. "There might have been a couple of teams interested, but he didn't want to go anywhere."
Fantasy Impact:
It's an interesting bit of news that may decrease Cruz's leverage in negotiations, since the Giants now know he doesn't really want to sign elsewhere. Cruz knows he has a good situation in New York and now everyone else knows he knows it too.
Rob Gronkowski going to "hold off" on surgery for now
Source: The Boston Herald
Rob Gronkowski won't be having surgery to check on the status of his infection, and ultimately install a new plate in his left forearm just yet. According to one source familiar with the proceedings, the decision for now is to have the Patriots tight end delay the surgery for several more weeks. Earlier today we thought he would continue with antibiotic treatment but we have since learned he has finished his six-week course of antibiotics.
''Gonna hold off for a few weeks to make sure infection gone before going back in,'' a source close to the situation said.
Eventually, surgeons will have to go in once again to put in a new plate that's holding the bone together. The required healing time for that surgery is roughly 10 weeks. The scenario everyone wants to avoid is having the infection linger and persist further, and show up when they go back in to change the plate. That scenario puts the start of the season in jeopardy for Gronkowski.
So for now, surgery is on hold with the hope the infection has finally cleared.
Fantasy Impact:
At this point, we still have 20 weeks to go until we hit September and the start of the season, so it's no time to panic. Obviously, the lingering nature of his arm injury makes him a much more risky pick in the early rounds of fantasy drafts.
Patriots sign RFA Emmanuel Sanders to offer sheet
Source: Jason La Canfora, Twitter
The Patriots just submitted an offer sheet on Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders.
They also agreed to terms on a one-year deal with WR Julian Edelman.
Fantasy Impact:
The Steelers have five days to match the Patriots offer to Sanders, but are in a tough salary cap situation and may not be able to do so. Sanders was set for a promotion to WR2 in Pittsburgh after the departure ofMike Wallace, but may instead be fourth in the pecking order for targets in New England after Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Danny Amendola.
Schwartz: Reggie Bush will catch 60-80 passes in 2013
Source: Tim Twentyman, Twitter
Lions HC Jim Schwartz said RB Reggie Bush could potentially catch 60-70-80 passes next season.
Fantasy Impact:
Bush caught 294 passes in 60 games over five seasons with the Saints. That's 4.9 catches per game, which equates to 78 receptions if he's able to play 16 games. In other words, it's not an unreasonable goal for Schwartz and the Lions. He also averaged 70.5 total yards and .483 TDs per game while with the Saints. Those are fringe RB2 numbers in standard formats and fringe RB1 numbers in PPR. His involvement in the Detroit passing game is clear, so the question is — will Bush get the 8.7 carries per game he saw in New Orleans, or will the Lions use him more in the running game? That answer, coupled with his ability to stay healthy, will drive his fantasy value in 2013. Keep in mind that Mikel Leshoure is a very capable goal line back, so he is likely to vulture some red zone touches, limiting Bush's upside.
Shanahan: RG3 will "set a record" in ACL recovery
Source: Pro Football Talk
The talk that Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is making an unprecedented recovery from reconstructive knee surgery continues.
Two weeks after Dr. James Andrews, who performed Griffin’s surgery, referred to Griffin’s recovery as “superhuman,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said in an interview on NFL Network that Griffin’s hard work in rehab is already leading to significant progress.
“He’s over at the facility, rehabbing all of the time. He’ll set a record for coming back because that’s how hard he works,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan cautioned, however, that the Redskins won’t rush Griffin and won’t even have an estimate for when he’ll be back to full-speed on-field work until training camp starts.
“He is ahead, but there’s a process. It takes time. Robert will do it the right way and we’ll find out in July exactly where he’s at,” Shanahan said. “He will not come back until he’s 100 percent.”
Shanahan also continues to say that the read-option offense, which some people think exposes Griffin to too many hits, actually protects Griffin. Shanahan says the biggest thing he wants Griffin to pick up is knowing when to slide at the end of a run.
Fantasy Impact:
If Griffin is on track to start Week 1, we'll have unprecedented depth at QB with the addition of RG3,Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick to solid fantasy starter status. Regardless of his status, owners would be wise to wait until the 5th round or later to draft a QB.
Who said there’s an offseason in fantasy football?
