NFL Kickoff is TOMORROW! We finally made it through the NFL offseason. Hope you have your buffalo chicken dip recipes ready, lucky jerseys picked out, and fantasy football lineups set, because it is finally time! Before we put a bow on the offseason, though, there are a few last-minute NFL rumors and headlines to cover, so let's dive in!

 

 

 

Latest NFL News & Rumors This Week: 

Today's top NFL News and Rumors feature an update on the Alijah Vera-Tucker injury and Hunter Luepke's contract extension!

Alijah Vera-Tucker Injury Update

Going into the NFL season, possibly the biggest strength for the New York Jets on offense was their young and talented offensive line. Unfortunately for them, just days before the start of their season, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered an upper-body injury that is rumored to be a torn tricep. If true, this would end his 2025 season before it even started. 

Vera-Tucker was having an impressive camp and was expecting to make a push for his first-ever Pro-Bowl nomination before receiving the injury news. He is getting a second opinion to confirm the injury and see if surgery is necessary. The former first-round pick is set to be a free agent next offseason. The Jets will now have to shuffle up their offensive line to protect Justin Fields ahead of their season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Hunter Luepke Contract Extension

How about some fullback love!? The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension with fullback Hunter Luepke worth up to $7.5 million with over $5 million guaranteed. The third-year fullback will now remain in Dallas after racking up just over 900 combined snaps on both offense and special teams. See, Dallas fans? Jerry Jones does know how to pay your stars!

 

 

 

Fantasy Football News & Rumors

Make sure to set your lineups, because with the start of the NFL season comes the start of the fantasy football season; so let's dive in! Check out our latest Fantasy Football News & Rumors below, including a Travis Etienne usage update and updates to NFL depth charts ahead of Week One. 

Travis Etienne Usage Update

Last season, Travis Etienne was going off of fantasy football draft boards as the RB8, just to finish as the RB42 in points per game. While last year was incredibly disappointing, Etienne could be in for a bounce-back year with new head coach Liam Coen. 

When asked about Etienne, Coen said that Etienne will be used as a playmaker, lined up in different spots, and expected to lead the Jaguars to chunk plays and scoring opportunities. There have been a lot of question marks about the Jaguars' backfield, as last year, Tank Bigsby took away a lot of the touches from Etienne. They are now listed as co-starters on the Jaguars depth chart and were drafted as the RB30 (Etienne) and RB41 (Bigsby). If Coen is telling the truth and Etienne can bounce back, he could be one of the best values in fantasy football, as just two years ago, he finished as the RB6 in points per game.

NFL Depth Charts Cause Fantasy Shakeup

With Week One beginning tomorrow, everyone is keeping their eyes on the official NFL depth chart releases for potential fantasy football implications. While some depth charts might hold more weight than others, and they are always subject to change, a few might be worth discussing.

First, the Denver Broncos listed RJ Harvey as their second-string running back behind veteran JK Dobbins. While this might not be the biggest surprise in the world, as rookies tend to need to work their way up, Harvey (RB22) was being drafted well before Dobbins (RB33). Both backs will likely play a significant role in their Week One matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

The Green Bay Packers are confirming their confidence in rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden by listing him as a starting wide receiver alongside Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs. In most fantasy drafts, Golden was being drafted as the first Packers' receiver off the board as WR41. Golden is expected to have a massive impact, as Reed is playing through a significant foot injury. 

Finally, fan favorite Jacory (Bill) Croskey-Merritt was listed as the RB4 behind Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, and Chris Rodriguez This came as a shock to many people, as his emergence seemed to be a big reason for the willingness of the Commanders to move on from Brian Robinson Despite being listed as the fourth RB in the depth chart, Croskey-Merritt was working as the second back in drills today behind Ekeler.