2023 Fantasy Football Pro Forecast

The Facts: Williams' comeback from last year’s season-ending knee injury took a step forward recently when he returned to practice on a limited basis at the team’s OTA workouts. Williams said that “we’ll see” when he thinks he will go from limited to full participation in the team’s practice sessions, but added that all is moving along well in his recovery as the team nears the end of its offseason program. “I mean it’s been a long process but everything is going good,” Williams said. “I’m ready to get back out there.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: The Broncos signed Samaje Perine as a free agent this offseason and there’s been some talk about adding more help to the backfield to make sure the team is fully stocked should Williams hit a snag, but all appears to be on track for a return to action for the 2021 second-round pick.

The Facts: Pittman’s offseason work has been interrupted by an injury. HC Shane Steichen told reporters on Friday that Pittman is dealing with a hip injury. Steichen indicated the issue is a minor one and the team will likely make sure it has totally healed before Pittman returns to the field. Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: Pittman had 99 catches for 925 yards and four touchdowns for the Colts last season. He’s in the fourth and final year of the contract he signed as a 2019 second-round pick. Steichen also said that three rookies are dealing with injuries. Third-round wide receiver Josh Downs hurt his knee, fifth-round tight end Will Mallory has a foot injury, and fifth-round cornerback Darius Rush has hamstring trouble.

The Facts: HC Arthur Smith said Friday that he expects “everybody” to be ready for the season. That includes Pitts, who continues his rehab from surgery on the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Smith repeated several times that the Falcons are going to be “smart” with Pitts’ return. Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: He declined to elaborate on a timeline or offer more details about Pitts’ rehab. Pitts was not spotted by reporters at either of the organized team activities open to reporters, Michael Rothstein of ESPN reports. “We’re trying to be smart. We know we’re planning to play 20, 21 games,” Smith said Friday. “So when you do that, you need to be ready to go, peaking, ready to roll Sept. 10 and play our best football at the end of the year. So, that goes into mind. ...” Pitts injured his knee in Week 11 against the Bears and underwent surgery to repair it. He did not return last season. Pitts, who also had a hamstring injury last season, made 28 receptions for 356 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. In 2021, he became the second tight end in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 yards as a rookie, earning a Pro Bowl berth.

The Facts: Despite providing promising bursts in his rookie campaign, g Dulcich's first NFL season was ultimately derailed by injuries and overall offensive struggles for the Denver Broncos. None of the Dulcich optimism has dimmed in the infant days of the Sean Payton era, though. Following Thursday's organized team activities, Payton had surely glimpsed Dulcich's potential and very much liked what he saw. "I've been lucky enough to -- I've had (Jeremy) Shockey, (Jason) Witten, Jimmy Graham, and I'm probably leaving out a few guys," Payton said. "I'm not saying this young player [will be just like them], but he's got traits that are exciting and today was one of those days where you begin to have a vision." Reported by NFL.com

Diehards Line: Payton's vision for Dulcich could potentially be beyond just playing tight end and taking on the "joker" position. "The 'joker' player for us is not a receiver," Payton explained. "It's either a running back or a tight end with exceptional ball skills and then you can work matchups. We've had that at the running back position]. Reggie Bush was the ‘joker,’ Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara. Those were all unique players, not just in the running game, but they had passing game skill sets that allowed you to do multiple things, and I think Greg does, too." Though not mentioned by Payton, the Saints' Taysom Hill is the name most often associated with the "joker" position. Hill's overall skill set has made him a dangerous option as a gadget player. Though Dulcich portends to be a more traditional tight end than Hill, he was a wide receiver when he starred for St. Francis High (La Canada, California). He was also a backup QB for the Golden Knights under the late Jim Bonds. Thus, the versatility is there.

The Facts: June 1 has come and gone. The ability to spread the cap hit over two years has arrived. Other teams with previous June 1 cuts have realized the cap relief from the official departure of the player’s salary from the roster. The stage is set for a potential trade of Cook. Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: As PFT suggests, the handwriting has been on the wall for weeks. The Vikings have decided to make a value play for Alexander Mattison, who has played well when called upon to do so during his first four NFL seasons. He’s not a home-run hitter like Cook, but in an offense that looks to be ready to focus on the passing game, the Vikings can take the position that Cook is a luxury they don’t need to afford. As noted by Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, Mattison has served not as a complement to Cook but an injury replacement. On five occasions, Mattison received more than 20 carries in a game, when Cook was unable to play. In those five games, Mattison rushed for 522 yards, an average of 104.4 yards per game. That extrapolates to a 1,774-yard season, assuming he can handle the week-in and week-out grind of being the starter. With so many weapons in the passing game, the Vikings might not need 20 carries from Mattison. Regardless, he has shown he can get it done — and he re-signed for a lot less money than they’re due to pay Cook. So where will Cook go? If there’s a team that will pay him the $10.4 million he’s due to make this year — and to give the Vikings something for the contract — the deal could be done. As soon as today. Stay tuned.

The Facts: The Cowboys have some work to do on long-term contracts with some of their star players. One of those is Lamb, who is under contract through 2024. Lamb is scheduled to make a $2.520 million base salary in 2023 and count $4.458 million against the salary cap. He will make a fully guaranteed salary of $19.7 million on his fifth-year option for 2024. Lamb wants a long-term deal, and the Cowboys want to sign him to a long-term deal. Thus, the two-time Pro Bowler isn’t sweating his future. “Quite honestly, I’ll be 100 percent honest, I’m not even distracted,” Lamb said Thursday. “The money, definitely worried about it, but it’s not something that’s on my mind everyday or when I come to the building. I’m not thinking about how much money I’m going to make if I do this. It’s really all about coming in, showing my worth and letting everything else handle itself.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: Lamb is confident a deal will get done at some point, and he’s leaving contract talks to his agent. His focus is on getting better at his craft. “That’s for my agent,” Lamb said. “I’m trying to play. That’s what I’m here to do and that’s what I love to do. ...” Lamb, 24, set career-highs in catches (107), yards (1,359) and touchdowns (nine) in 2022.

The Facts: This year, the absence of the Packers’ starting quarterback made it harder for him to connect with new receivers. This year, the new starting quarterback is there, and he’s working to get comfortable with the guys who will be catching his passes. As noted by Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Love and Romeo Doubs demonstrated their connection during Wednesday’s OTA session. In a two-minute drill, Love completed seven of 10 passes, with four catches by Doubs. “I’m just making sure I’ll be there for him,” Doubs said, via Wood. “That’s my biggest phrase right now. As long as I’m there for him, I feel like everything else will take care of itself.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: HC Matt LaFleur praised Doubs for getting back to the form he showed before an ankle injury derailed his rookie season. “It’s good to see him pick up where he was at, at one time, and very encouraged by his progress and just his overall knowledge,” LaFleur said, per Wood. “You can tell he feels comfortable. I think really all the guys who were a part of it last year as rookies, it’s amazing how far they’ve come up to this point. ...” It definitely helps to have them working with the starting quarterback. And pointing that out doesn’t count as disparagement of the former starter.

The Facts: Stroud took first-team reps this week in organized team activities. Although it has been billed as a quarterback battle between Stroud and Davis Mills, the No. 2 overall pick is expected to start. Stroud, who was second in the rotation behind Mills last week, has done nothing in practice to disappoint. “C.J. is progressing well,” HC DeMeco Ryans said this week. “Each day, he continues to get better, continues to get more comfortable with the verbiage of the offense and his command of the huddle. I thought this week he has been really good, coming off of a long weekend. It was very eye-opening how on it he was. ... He did an awesome job in our situational periods, So, he is definitely progressing in the right direction, and the sky is the limit for him.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: Jerrod Johnson seconded that assessment, saying Stroud is “already way, way ahead of pace” with his footwork and timing. Stroud has spent his first few weeks in the NFL picking anyone and everyone’s brain. That includes Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke and the team’s veteran defensive players. He has impressed with his football IQ and his thirst for knowledge. “His deliberateness and intent to try to get better — he’s literally grabbing everybody he can on the field,” Burke said. “So, he’s been very sort of intentional about learning and just learning defense, too, like what did you call there, what was that coverage, or what did you do here. I respect that from him.”

The Facts: Pollard fractured his left fibula in the divisional round playoff loss to the 49ers. He has spent the offseason working his way back. “Right now, I’m feeling really good about where I am — a little bit ahead of schedule,” Pollard said Thursday. “Being able to get out there for the walkthrough parts and to be out there with the team, get out there and get my feet wet. I’m not really limited at this point. It’s just [about] being smart with it. Just trying to work my way back in slowly and make sure I’m in tip-top shape so there’s not a fall-off.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: Pollard had a career-high 258 touches last season, including 26 in the postseason. The Cowboys running back is expected to see even more this season with Ezekiel Elliott no longer on the roster. He’s ready. Pollard participated with the first team during the Cowboys’ organized team activities. He has not lost a step. Indeed, he feels like he’s gained one. “Honestly, I feel faster,” Pollard said. “I feel like I’ve got a lot of juice in me.” Pollard, 26, expects to be fully cleared before training camp and in the lineup when the Cowboys open the 2023 season against the Giants on Sept. 10. “I’ll be ready,” he said. Pollard signed the franchise tag that fully guarantees him $10.091 million his season, and the sides have until July 17 to work out a long-term deal. Otherwise, the Cowboys will have to wait until after the season to negotiate with Pollard’s camp.

The Facts: Garoppolo may be out until training camp after undergoing foot surgery in March. But even though Garoppolo’s contract includes an injury waiver over the foot injury, HC Josh McDaniels said on Thursday that he’s not worried about Garoppolo being unable to play. “I have no anxiety,” McDaniels said in his Thursday press conference, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “You guys might have anxiety. I don’t have any anxiety.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: McDaniels continued, “I’m not going to put a timeline on it or a day or anything. But like I said, I have no anxiety. Feel pretty good about it.” When later asked why he doesn’t feel any anxiety about Garoppolo’s availability, McDaniels smiled and replied, “I don’t worry about the things I can’t control, you know what I mean? Like I said, I have very good information that would tell me that we’re going to be fine. So, again, nothing has happened that would’ve changed that. That’s why I feel that way. ..." While Garoppolo has been at the Raiders facility during the offseason program to rehab his foot and participate in meetings, the quarterback isn’t on the field getting reps with his new teammates. McDaniels noted that Garoppolo’s presence in the building means something and players around the league don’t participate in voluntary offseason work for various reasons. ... The Raiders also have Brian Hoyer, Chase Garbers, and rookie Aidan O'Connell on the roster and they’ll be handling the QB duties until Garoppolo is able to return.