NFL News & Analysis

5 things you need to know for Sunday

BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 17: Leonard Fournette #7 of the LSU Tigers runs with the ball during a game at Tiger Stadium on September 17, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Good morning football fans! Here are the five things you need to know coming out of Saturday to get your morning started right:

  1. One of the biggest storylines coming out of the draft was whether fourth overall pick RB Leonard Fournette had enough ability as a pass-catcher to be used like typical running backs these days. Well, it will be some time before the answer is known for sure, but Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone said he’s happy with what Fournette has shown as a receiver in the team’s OTAs so far. If Fournette can contribute more as a pass-catcher than he did as LSU, he’ll be a more versatile weapon for Jacksonville.
  2. After missing a big chunk of his 2016 to injury, New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski is reportedly a “full go” at OTAs, per a Boston Herald report. Gronkowski had the second-highest tight end grade in 2016 at 88.2, which nonetheless was the second-lowest grade of Gronkowski’s career. A full healthy Gronkowski in 2017 would be a big addition to an already-stout Patriots offense.
  3. The Los Angeles Chargers offense line was one of the team’s key weaknesses in 2016, but QB Philip Rivers told the team’s website he’s excited about what the unit can do in 2017. Rivers specified the left side of the line, and Matt Slauson and new 2017 addition Russell Okung, as an area where the Chargers can especially hurt a defense. There is plenty of room to improve on PFF’s 31st-ranked pass-blocking line from a year ago.
  4. Ex-Vikings running back Matt Asiata found a new home, signing with the Detroit Lions on Saturday. The running back had spent his entire career with Minnesota before the signing. He’ll likely battle Dwayne Washington for a roster spot behind Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, and Zach Zenner, but if he makes the squad, Asiata could offer pass protection and goal-line capabilities.
  5. The saying goes that you can’t win your fantasy draft in the first rounds, but you can lose it. PFF Fantasy’s Brandon Marianne Lee looks at the fantasy situation in 2017 through that lens, identifying two players in each of the first five rounds who might be riskier than current conventional wisdom might indicate.
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