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OFFSEASON? THERE IS NO OFFSEASON HOWDY FRIEND. ... Sure, the 2012 season is officially over. Congratulations to the NFL Champion Baltimore Ravens and their fans. ... But the end of one season means it's the start of a new one. In this case, that means it's time to start looking ahead to 2013. And we'll be doing just that in coming week. So check back often. We'll have plenty of goodies for you -- starting with:
NEWS UPDATES: Injury updates and other breaking items of interest will be posted in the News & Views section (also seen in the column directly to your right).
More in-depth coverage is available on the Headline News page.
OTHERWISE: Feel free to holler if you have any technical problems. Now let's start gearing up for the 2013 season!!
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Free Fantasy Football - Diehards News and Views
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The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Gronkowski underwent surgery on his back Tuesday to correct a spinal issue and will soon begin rehab in the hope of returning to action in late August, a person informed of the prognosis told USA TODAY Sports. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Patriots don't divulge injury information publicly, said the optimistic view is that Gronkowski will be back to work just before the end of the preseason.
Reported by USA Today
Diehards Line:
As USA Today's Mike Garafolo went on to explain, the problem is Gronkowski has been inactive since the Patriots were eliminated from the postseason in late January, first because of a nagging arm infection related to his broken forearm and now because of his back surgery to correct a problem that's been nagging him since last season. "In other words," Garafolo wrote, "by no means is Gronkowski expected to be in top form leading up to Week 1. ..." Indeed, Garafolo added that "Gronkowski will surely begin training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list." That said, he's eligible to come off at any point, though if he remains on PUP come Week 1, he can't even practice until Week 6. At that point, he'd have a three-week window to begin practicing, with another three-week window to be added to the 53-man active roster. ... Stay tuned. More undoubtedly to come.
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Gronkowski's Back Surgery Set; Week 1 Status Is Not
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Jun 15,2013 |
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Browns Shutting Richardson Down Until August
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Jun 4,2013 |
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Crabtree Suffers Torn Achilles Tendon During OTAs
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May 22,2013 |
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Fantasy Notebook: AFC East; What About Gronk? Miller Time In Miami?
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May 8,2013 |
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Rodgers Gets Five-Year, $110 Million Contract From Packers
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Apr 26,2013 |
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Fantasy Notebook: AFC West; Manning Up Faster; Charles Is It
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Apr 19,2013 |
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Fantasy Notebook: AFC North; Big Ben's Issues; T-Rich Rising?
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Apr 11,2013 |
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Fantasy Notebook: AFC South Look Ahead; Questions Start With CJ2K
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Apr 3,2013 |
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Palmer To Cardinals Official; Veteran Moves In As New Starting QB
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Apr 2,2013 |
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PAY MONEY for College Fantasy Football!?
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NewEnglandPatriots7 |
Jun 15, 13 |
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Who would you draft
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gmanc |
Jun 14, 13 |
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Keeper Questions/Considerations - asking since there is life on the boards :-)
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saeapp |
Jun 6, 13 |
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Thoughts on some young WRs
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monkeybone |
Jun 5, 13 |
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Andy Dalton, what....
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Dookie |
Jun 3, 13 |
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Draft Strategy
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DudeDrew12 |
May 28, 13 |
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Who do I keep?
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rangdangdoo |
May 22, 13 |
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Keeper Draft Trades
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DudeDrew12 |
May 18, 13 |
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Andre Brown
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soldnottold03 |
May 16, 13 |
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Where are you diehards?
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jberlins |
May 10, 13 |
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Increasing Optimism About Rob Gronkowski's Week 1 Availability?
(6/19 12:23 AM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Gronkowski underwent surgery on his back Tuesday to correct a spinal issue and will soon begin rehab in the hope of returning to action in late August, a person informed of the prognosis told USA TODAY Sports. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Patriots don't divulge injury information publicly, said the optimistic view is that Gronkowski will be back to work just before the end of the preseason.
Reported by USA Today
Diehards Line:
As USA Today's Mike Garafolo went on to explain, the problem is Gronkowski has been inactive since the Patriots were eliminated from the postseason in late January, first because of a nagging arm infection related to his broken forearm and now because of his back surgery to correct a problem that's been nagging him since last season. "In other words," Garafolo wrote, "by no means is Gronkowski expected to be in top form leading up to Week 1. ..." Indeed, Garafolo added that "Gronkowski will surely begin training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list." That said, he's eligible to come off at any point, though if he remains on PUP come Week 1, he can't even practice until Week 6. At that point, he'd have a three-week window to begin practicing, with another three-week window to be added to the 53-man active roster. ... Stay tuned. More undoubtedly to come.
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Is Aaron Hernandez Being Uncooperative With Police?
(6/19 12:19 AM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... The Hernandez situation remains fluid and confusing. Both SI.com and ABC reported that police are searching Hernandez’s North Attleboro home. The investigation was sparked by the discovery of the body of a Hernandez “associate” in the vicinity of a car rented to Hernandez, roughly a mile from his residence. According to ABC, a pair of Hernandez’s friends tried to leave the home during the search, but were stopped by police at the end of the driveway leading to the structure. Per SI.com, both were taken away by police, but not handcuffed.
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
The Patriots, who don’t usually say much of anything, have remained true to form. “I am aware of the reports, but I do not anticipate that we will be commenting publicly during an ongoing police investigation,” Patriots spokesman Stacey James said in a statement. As PFT's Mike Florio notes, Hernandez, who according to ABC wasn't cooperating with authorities, repeatedly has been described as not a suspect, but it’s unusual to say the least that the home of someone who isn’t suspected of committing a crime would be searched. And according to Florio, that's the key fact here. Even though there currently is no reason to believe Hernandez committed a crime, the authorities were able to persuade a judge that the house potentially contains something that would help find the killer. ... Remember: Hernandez was already spending the offseason dealing with recovery from arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Now we can apparently add being part of a murder investigation -- and not cooperating (really?) -- to the list. As Florio suggested, it's generally a good idea to be cooperative with police when there’s no reason to not be. ... Stay tuned.
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Aaron Hernandez Questioned -- But Not A Suspect -- In Homicide Case
(6/18 5:37 PM PT)
The Facts:
Hernandez was questioned by police investigating a possible homicide in this town 40 miles south of Boston. A source with knowledge of the investigation said Massachusetts State police spoke to Hernandez on Monday and were interested in possibly searching his home. Hernandez is not believed to be a murder suspect, according to a source, but a vehicle rented in his name has emerged as a key piece of evidence in the investigation.
Reported by SI.com
Diehards Line:
All this after the Sun Chronicle of Attleboro, Mass., reported on Tuesday that police identified a rented 2013 Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island license plates in connection with the possible homicide. According to the paper, the vehicle is registered to Enterprise and investigators were hoping to analyze it for fingerprints. A source said Hernandez's name is tied to that rental vehicle. A jogger found the body of a 27-year-old Boston man on Monday in an North Attleboro clearing, less than a mile from Hernandez's home. According to SI.com, a source close to Hernandez acknowledged a connection between the player and the case, but would not elaborate.
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Callahan Excited To Take Some Of The Load Off Garrett
(6/18 5:36 PM PT)
The Facts:
The hullabaloo over the Cowboys' play-calling situation finally is quieting down after Jason Garrett admitted he handled the situation incorrectly. OC Bill Callahan, who will call plays in the NFL for the first time in 10 years, is looking forward to the challenge of helping to get "America's Team" back to the playoffs. "Excited would be the word, would be the adjective, that I would use," Callahan told the Cowboys' official website Monday. "I'm really excited. Anxious now. I wish we could continue working like we've been here, because the situation coach (Garrett) has put us in has been tremendous."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Callahan said that while he will call the plays, the offensive game plan will be "a collective effort across the board." Characterized by NFL.com's Kevin Patra as "an offensive guru," Callahan last called plays in the NFL as the Oakland Raiders' head coach in 2003. He was fired after the Raiders posted a 4-12 record that season. Callahan hopes calling plays for the Cowboys will free up Garrett to focus on other aspects of the game. "I told Jason, if there's any opportunity I can help serve you as a coordinator, if I can call plays, if I can take something off your plate ... then that's great," he said.
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Report: Rob Gronkowski's Back Surgery Successfully Completed
(6/18 4:26 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... Surgery on Gronkowski’s back has concluded, a source told PFT’s Mike Florio on Tuesday. It is believed the surgery, conducted Tuesday, was successful, the source told PFT.
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Diehards Line:
As PFT's Mike Wilkening notes, at present, it’s not yet certain when Gronkowski -- one of the game’s top all-around performers at his position -- will again be ready to play. But there has been speculation suggesting he could miss the first month of the regular season. The Pro Bowl tight end was bothered by a forearm injury /infection late in the 2012 campaign and into this offseason before the back issue became a primary concern. ... Stay tuned. More as developments warrant.
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Cowboys Taking It Easy On Miles Austin
(6/18 12:47 AM PT)
The Facts:
The Cowboys gave Austin a day off during the mandatory mini-camp last week, and he sat out some of the voluntary practices before that. It was by design. The Cowboys were trying to protect Austin from himself, getting him off the field every now and then to keep him from overworking his hamstrings. He said he thinks it helped. “It’s one of those things where, you can’t not do it and then do it and tell the difference,” he said last week at Valley Ranch as the team wrapped up the offseason. “But I feel good now.”
Reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Diehards Line:
As Star-Telegram staffer Carlos Mendez reminded readers, Austin has been slowed by hamstring problems each of the past two seasons. He missed six games in 2011, and last year he missed part of training camp because of hamstrings. He played in all 16 games, but he couldn’t finish either game against Washington because of hip and ankle injuries. In addition to having the Cowboys going easy on him (and paying attention to keeping him hydrated), the ongoing issue have been enough for fantasy owners to back off a bit. That could make him a strong value play come September. If he's healthy.
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Ryan Broyles Expects To Be Ready Week 1
(6/18 12:07 AM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Broyles returned for Lions mini-camp this week and participated fully all three days, and although he’ll use the six-week break to continue rehab and strengthen small muscles in his right knee, Broyles expects to be ready for the 2013 season. “I’m out there doing full practices right now so in a couple months I feel like I’ll be pretty good,” said Broyles, adding he’s going full blast in the weight room. “You don’t really know what your body’s going to feel like until you go out there. I’m just going to continue to ride it out.”
Reported by the Detroit News
Diehards Line:
When Broyles tore the ACL in his right knee last December, he knew exactly what kind of painstaking recovery he was in for because he’d already suffered the same injury in his left knee (Broyles tore the ACL in his left knee during his senior year at Oklahoma in November 2011). The Lions could use more receiving options in 2013 and coaches are excited to see Broyles' recovery nearly coming to a close. “He’s made a lot of progress,” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. “He’s out there now and I don’t see any reason why he’s not going to continue with that progress.” That ongoing progress is something fantasy owners will want to keep watching.
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Ronnie Hillman Thinks He Can Carry The Load
(6/18 12:06 AM PT)
The Facts:
Hillman knows the scouting report. He's not big enough. He can't take a pounding between the tackles. He's best-suited as a change-of-pace back. "You get that when you're a smaller guy," the Broncos running back said on Monday. "Obviously, getting 22 carries in negative 13-degree-weather against the Ravens (in the divisional playoffs), they shouldn't have much else to say about that if they're paying attention."
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Hillman put on 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason, bulking his frame up to 200 pounds. He said the Broncos actually want him to drop weight and play in the 190- to 195 range. With Willis McGahee out of the picture, rookie Monte Ball and Knowshon Moreno stand as Hillman's chief competition for playing time. Ball has a very good shot to be Denver's lead back when the dust settles. Still, as NFL.com's Dan Hanzus suggests, Hillman should be able to carve out his own niche if he is able to improve as a blocker. In Denver, protecting the quarterback is of utmost importance.
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Arian Foster Says He'll More Than Likely Be Ready For Training Camp
(6/17 12:33 AM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... Foster was sporting crutches three weeks ago after going down with what HC Gary Kubiak termed a "pretty good calf strain." But WR Andre Johnson quickly downplayed the severity of the injury. Now, Foster is doing the same. "Yeah, it's going good man," Foster told FOXSports.com. "It's just a small calf strain. News is dry in the offseason, so it made headlines." Foster said he "more than likely" will be ready for training camp, thanks in part to daily use of a hyperbaric chamber to speed up the healing process.
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Given his status and past fantasy production, Foster's calf is going to be one of the big storylines of the summer -- until he proves it's not. As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling suggested, an early return would suggest Foster will be safe to draft for those comfortable with his declining per-play effectiveness and heavy workloads. He remains one of the most reliable backs in the league. Just bear in mind that game tape from late 2011 and 2012 suggests Foster has lost the extra gear that once turned a 10-yard hole into a 40- or 50-yard gain.
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Santonio Holmes' Reveals Full Extent Of Last Year's Injury
(6/17 12:31 AM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... Neither Holmes nor New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is confident of the wide receiver's availability for training camp, much less the season opener. Now we have a better idea why that's the case. Holmes revealed that his Lisfranc fracture was diagnosed as a Grade 4 injury, which is the most serious variety. He had a joint separation and a muscle tear in the middle of his foot, according to ESPNNewYork.com. A plate was removed in a March follow-up surgery, but two screws will remain in his foot permanently.
Reported by NFL.com
Diehards Line:
Although Holmes has set the beginning of training camp as his "target date," none of the Jets beat writers has been buying it as a realistic timetable. He's yet to begin running and cutting. In fact, Holmes hasn't even disclosed whether he has started jogging. With Holmes' Week 1 status up in the air, the Jets are "looking at all possibilities" at the position after a disappointing showing by their wide receivers in last week's mandatory mini-camp. Free-agent options include Brandon Lloyd, Austin Collie, Laurent Robinson and Chaz Schilens. As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling suggests, Lloyd easily is the most attractive option.
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| Player | Pos | New |
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| Cribbs, J. | WR | OAK |
| Jones, F. | RB | PHI |
| Blount, L. | RB | NWE |
| Ivory, C. | RB | NYJ |
| Bess, D. | WR | CLE |
| Gronkowski, C. | RB | SDG |
| Morrah, C. | TE | SFO |
| Wallace, S. | QB | NOR |
| Graham, S. | PK | CLE |
| Sanders, E. | WR | PIT |
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