The NFL season kicks off in 15 days, and we still have no idea when Andrew Luck will show up. Fantasy football drafts are in full swing, so that's no good for the Colts or fantasy owners. He's falling down ADP and rankings as you read this. Elsewhere in the NFL, Jakeem Grant and Dontrelle Inman have signed new contracts, Ronald Jones is dealing with injury, and the 49ers wide receiver breakdown is what we thought it would be. Some of these names probably aren't too bold on your cheat sheet, but especially in deep leagues with bigger benches, these players could all be relevant at some point this year.
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DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2019 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Andrew Luck injury update
Luck won't practice this week, Colts head coach Frank Reich announced Monday. Reich said Luck's injury remains a matter of "full speed movement versus pain tolerance." Indianapolis hopes to know Luck's Week 1 status by Monday, Aug. 27.
Even when the Colts make new statements about Luck, there doesn't seem to be any more certainty in this situation. His ADP has now fallen to fifth among QBs, and with each passing day, he'll continue to slide a bit more. Until we know more, it's hard to draft Luck or any Colts offensive players with confidence. Jacoby Brissett is a solid backup, but he's no Luck, and there are plenty of safe QB options you can grab at a cheaper price.
2019 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker | Top 200
Dontrelle Inman fantasy outlook
After being released by New England, Inman signed with the Chargers, according to NFL Network. He'll be competing with Travis Benjamin, among others, for the backup WR spots in L.A. behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
There isn't a lot of inspiration behind Allen and Williams, so Inman should have a shot at making the Chargers and even carving out a role. It doesn't hurt that the best year of Inman's career came with the Chargers and Philip Rivers, when Inman caught 58 passes for 810 yards in 2016. Those stats came in a year that Allen missed all but one game, so if Inman makes L.A., he's a name to be aware of if you draft one of the Chargers' top wideouts.
2019 PPR RANKINGS:
Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Top 200
Jakeem Grant signs extension
The Dolphins signed Grant to a four-year extension, per NFL Network. Grant has been working his way back from a lower-leg injury that ended his 2018 season prematurely, but he's expected to be ready for Week 1.
Someone has to make plays in Miami, and the Dolphins locking Grant up long term suggests he might have a bigger role than he's had in the past. He's the primary return man for Miami, showcasing his potential for big plays. In an offense that will be playing catch up a lot, Grant could find himself with more opportunities. However, with just 39 career offensive touches, he's not yet someone fantasy owners in standard leagues need to worry about.
DRAFT STRATEGY AND RANKINGS TIERS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST
Ronald Jones injury update
Jones has been dealing with swelling in his knee this week, according to ESPN. He hasn't practiced since Tampa Bay's last preseason game, which took place Friday. Jones rushed twice for seven yards before his night was over, although the only video people have found that looked like it could've been an injury was on the opening kickoff, before those runs.
Jones is one of our favorite RB sleepers this season because of his status as a post-hype player with a new coaching staff and fresh start. He's been quiet in the preseason, though, and this injury doesn't help his cause. Peyton Barber should split carries with Jones, at least in the early going, and Dare Ogunbowale has starred in the preseason to the point that he may have an early-season role, too.
FANTASY SLEEPERS:
8 QBs | 14 RBs | 11 WRs | 11 TEs | 6 D/STs | One from each team
49ers WR depth chart
It's been the rookie wide receivers in San Francisco, Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd, generating all the preseason buzz, but they weren't the first-teamers on Monday night, as Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin registered all 11 snaps with the first team (plus five for Jordan Matthews). Samuel and Hurd didn't step on the field with Jimmy Garoppolo, per Adam Levitan.
There was early-camp buzz that Goodwin could be cut, but that doesn't seem likely. Garoppolo didn't look good at all Monday, so that's a concern, but it seems like Pettis and Goodwin are still the leaders for starting jobs. In our rankings, Pettis is worthy of being drafted.