This Star RB Could Hold In For A New Contract

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Happy Wednesday, good people! It’s a beautiful day here in Michigan and it’s going to be made even better as we get veterans reporting to training camp for the first time today. We’ve got several news items that happened over the past 48 hours, along with my latest WR Rankings before things get a massive shake up with training camp injuries, etc. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. The Latest Fantasy Football News Bucky Irving — RB (TB) Bucky Irving tells Fox 13 he will be “good to go” for training camp Speaking at his annual youth football camp, Irving confirmed he’s ready for camp after dealing with the effects of offseason shoulder surgery. The Bucs’ RB1 missed some OTA time but was able to get on the field in some capacity, and with pads coming on in days, this is great news. There’s been talk of a possible committee approach with Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker also in the mix, making camp reports on touch distribution critical to monitor. Tucker Kraft — TE (GB) Packers hope to get a contract extension done with Tucker Kraft NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports the Packers are looking to extend Kraft, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. Kraft is recovering from a torn ACL that ended his 2025 season but is trending toward being ready for Week 1. Since earning a full-time role in 2024, Kraft has totaled 82 receptions for 1,196 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging an impressive 14.6 YPR. A deal could get done in the very near future with training camp approaching. Makai Lemon — WR (PHI) Makai Lemon (hamstring) says he will be “100 percent” ready for the start of training camp The 20th overall pick of this year’s draft has been sidelined with a hamstring injury for most of the offseason but is preparing to be a full go when the Eagles take the practice field on July 29th. Lemon is expected to take on a big role after the Eagles traded A.J. Brown to the Patriots. However, DeVonta Smith has been the offseason talk and is expected to command significant targets as the WR1, and Philly has been among the most run-heavy teams since signing Barkley in 2024. Jacoby Brissett — QB (ARI) NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the Cardinals are “in agreement” that QB Jacoby Brissett “deserves more money.” The Cardinals are slated to enter the season with Brissett as the starter, but Brissett’s contract calls for just $1.5 million in guarantees this season. The 33-year-old desires a starter-level contract and could be a candidate for a hold-in. Rapoport reports the team agrees that Brissett deserves a pay bump and the two sides have been negotiating “for months”, though a deal has not yet been reached. Sam LaPorta — TE (DET) ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Lions TE Sam LaPorta (herniated disc) was fully cleared for training camp. LaPorta underwent surgery last year for a herniated disc, ending his 2025 season early. The surgery seems to have fixed the issue as Fowler reports the 25-year-old was “fully cleared earlier this month.” With training camp coming up, this is a good sign for LaPorta to be a full participant. The Lions will need him healthy to learn the offense under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing before the season starts. Terrell Jennings — RB (NE) Patriots placed Terrell Jennings (undisclosed) on the active/non-football injury list. He can be pulled off at any time. Jennings was the RB3 last year for New England when healthy and figures to be…