A chaotic end to the preseason involved countless roster cuts, continued holdouts, some contract signings, and a confusing “running back carousel.” Owners are scrambling to keep track of who to start in Week 1. Here’s what you need to know:
— The Chargers opened the door to a possible trade on Saturday after it was reported that the organization would be delaying contract extension talks with Melvin Gordon until the end of the season. As of Tuesday, however, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport did not seem optimistic about the possibility of a trade. The situation remains fluid, but it is very possible Gordon misses time. In his absence, Austin Ekeler is a RB2 with RB1 upside, and even if this contract impasse ends, Ekeler is an extremely valuable handcuff to roster given Gordon’s injury history. Justin Jackson should also benefit from Gordon’s absence, and if coach Anthony Lynn’s past is any indication, the Chargers will lean on a running back-by-committee system.
— Six-time Pro Bowler LeSean McCoy signed with the Chiefs on Sunday on a one-year, $4 million deal after being cut from the Bills the day prior. McCoy was highly productive under coach Andy Reid during their time with the Eagles, and the likely scenario for the 31-year old running back is splitting carries with Damien Williams. Since his addition to the depth chart will inevitably cannibalize Williams’ workload, Williams drops to the low-end RB2 range.
— The Bills’ choice to release McCoy was undoubtedly influenced by rookie Devin Singletary’s development in the offseason. They hope that Singletary, a third-round pick, will eventually take over the starting role in Buffalo. In the interim, Singletary will split carries with Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon, making him only a flex option at this point, especially since Gore will probably vulture some short yardage and goal line work.
— With Ezekiel Elliott’s six-year, $90 million extension, Tony Pollard can be moved to your bench. If you drafted Pollard, do not think of it as a bust: He likely went in late rounds of your drafts and is still worthy of a bench spot if you have space on your roster. He remains a valuable handcuff to Elliott as the next guy up in Dallas.
— Amari Cooper was a full participant in Wednesday’s Cowboys practice and fantasy owners should feel confident using him as a WR1 as long as he stays healthy. The team also inked right tackle La’el Collins to a five-year, $50 million deal on Tuesday, which is good news for anyone who owns stock in this Cowboys offensive unit.
— After suffering a foot injury in the Panthers’ third preseason game against the Patriots, Cam Newton is off the injury report and appears ready to go for Week 1. Any lower limb injury to a mobile quarterback like Newton warrants concern, but the 30-year old former NFL MVP told reporters on Wednesday that he “feel[s] like a rookie again.” Barring any future setbacks or injuries, Cam is a must-start every week.
— The Bengals signed Giovani Bernard to a two-year, $10.3 million contract extension on Tuesday. Bernard has never been the feature back in Cincinnati, and this extension should not affect Joe Mixon’s value as a RB1 in fantasy.