NFL training camps around the league begin this week. With that comes intrigue based on position battles, projected in-season usage, rookie breakout candidates, injuries, and player contract issues. All of these are important to monitor whether you're a hardcore fantasy football player, a fan of a particular team, or just an NFL fan in general.
So without further ado, let's take a look at the most interesting training camp stories that you should be paying attention to.
1. Cleveland Browns Starting Quarterback Battle
With the exception of per ESPN. That's a far cry from how he started the 2013 after forearm and back surgeries, missing six games to start the season. We currently have Gronk ranked as our third-best tight end, which reflects his risk. However, $1 million workout bonus, and Johnson is unhappy with the rebuilding going on in Houston.
We've written about per ESPN, but could be the last man standing in 2014 if the brittle Spiller goes down or if Jackson finally shows signs of being a geriatric.
10. Will a Rookie Wide Receiver Become Relevant in Fantasy Football?
Five wide receivers went in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft, headlined by Buffalo's Sammy Watkins and Tampa Bay's Mike Evans, who were picked fourth and seventh overall, respectively.
Watkins plays with a mean streak, and has rare after the catch acceleration. He figures to be involved in many aspects of the Bills passing game, and is the favorite to be the top rookie wideout this year.
But Evans may have something to say about that. He joins the basketball-sized receiving corps of the Buccaneers. Evans excels with jump balls, where he can use his height and jumping ability to win physical matchups in the air and in the end zone. A good NFL wide receiver comparison would be Alshon Jeffery. That comparison would suit Evans just fine, as he worked in the off-season with Jeffery's teammate Brandon Marshall, and will be playing with quarterback Josh McCown, who Jeffery had his more productive games in 2013 with. Scoring 8 to 10 times is certainly not out of the question for Evans.
Other rookie wideouts who figure to make an immediate impact include Philadelphia Eagles wideout Jordan Matthews, who already has been called the best wide receiver on the team, Carolina's Kelvin Benjamin, who has questionable hands but is a physical matchup nightmare in the red-zone, and New Orleans slot wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who "only" caught 128 balls in 13 games last season. As a result, there's no shortage of intrigue or options among the rookie wide receivers, and it will be interesting to see who gets going first when preseason games get underway. Remember though, most rookie wide receivers don't pan out in fantasy football.