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Former All-Pro RB David Johnson announces retirement

Sun May 19 5:00pm ET
Field Level Media

Running back David Johnson, who was named an All-Pro and Pro Bowler following a standout 2016 season, announced his retirement from the NFL Sunday.

On his Instagram page, Johnson said in part, "I'm looking forward to my next career path in life. I don't know exactly what that will be, but I hope it will bring me the same passion, excitement, and love as football did!"

Johnson, 32, was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He ran for 581 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie before his encore performance resulted in a breakout season in 2016.

Johnson led the NFL with 2,118 yards from scrimmage that fall -- 1,239 rushing yards, 80 receptions for 879 receiving yards and 20 total touchdowns -- and was named first-team All-Pro and nominated to the 2016 Pro Bowl.

Injuries limited him to a single game in 2017 before he rebounded with 1,386 scrimmage yards in 2018. But he only exceeded 1,000 yards once more in his career, during his first season with the Houston Texans in 2020.

He last played for the New Orleans Saints in 2022, appearing in five games.

Over his eight-year career, Johnson rushed for 4,071 yards and 39 touchdowns, adding 277 receptions for 2,805 yards and 18 touchdown catches.

He ranks 10th in career rushing yardage with the Cardinals (3,128 yards) and is tied for third in rushing touchdowns (33).

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Austin Ekeler Jun 14 9:20am ET
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Trevor Lawrence Jun 14 2:13am ET
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Dynasty | The Jaguars have signed quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: Lawrence and the Jags agree to a five-year, $275 million contract extension with a reported $200 million guaranteed, including $142 million up front. Lawrence also received a $37.5 million signing bonus. It's a massive contract for a quarterback billed as the "next great thing" but realistically performing as "the next good thing." Lawrence is currently ranked as our QB9 and that seems about right for a player who has yet to really show he's truly an elite fantasy option.

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Marcus Maye Jun 14 1:03am ET
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The Miami Dolphins officially signed free-agent S Marcus Maye (Saints) on Thursday, June 13.

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Jordan Phillips Jun 13 10:53pm ET
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New York Giants DT Jordan Phillips (wrist) has not participated in minicamp and was limited to individual work during offseason activities as he recovers from wrist surgery.

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Calais Campbell Jun 13 8:43pm ET
Calais Campbell

Free-agent DE Calais Campbell (Falcons) agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins Thursday, June 13, according to sources. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

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Myles Garrett Jun 13 5:13pm ET
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Updating a previous report, Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett (hamstring) is expected to be fine despite suffering a hamstring injury during practice Thursday, June 13, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski.

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Lamar Jackson Jun 13 4:23pm ET
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Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson could earn more pre-snap responsibilities in his second year under offensive coordinator Todd Monken, according to recent comments from quarterbacks coach Tee Martin. 'It takes him understanding how we're blocking things up front to get us to the best run and the best pass for whatever coverage we're facing. He's accepted it and done a heck of a job of getting us into the right play, and today was probably the best day in a long time of him really just having the freedom to do what he wants to do. We saw some really good plays and some positive gains with him doing that today,' Martin said.

Fantasy Spin: Jackson reportedly dropped 20 pounds this offseason and appears to be taking on more of a leadership role than he ever has in 2024. The addition of Derrick Henry - combined with what should be a more explosive Jackson than we have seen in recent years - could set up the two-time NFL MVP for another career year. Jackson should be considered a strong overall QB1 candidate this season.

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Marlon Humphrey Jun 13 4:03pm ET
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Baltimore Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey (undisclosed) has been limited to mostly individual work this offseason, but head coach John Harbaugh suggested after the team's final minicamp practice on Thursday, June 13, that Humphrey 'should be ready for training camp.'

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Taysom Hill Jun 13 3:33pm ET
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New Orleans Saints QB Taysom Hill reportedly agreed to a restructured contract that converted his base salary to a signing bonus and lowered his salary cap number from $15.7 million to $6.8 million.

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Myles Garrett Jun 13 3:13pm ET
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Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett (hamstring) suffered an apparent left hamstring injury during an early defensive line drill during minicamp practice on Thursday, June 13.

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Marcus Mariota Jun 13 2:43pm ET
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Washington Commanders QBs Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota each saw significant snaps with the first team during the spring and nothing has been determined yet in regards to which one will start the season, according to head coach Dan Quinn on Thursday, June 13.

Fantasy Spin: By all accounts, Daniels has been sharp so far - a sentiment that Quinn confirmed Thursday. It would likely take a meltdown of epic proportions for the No. 2 overall pick in this spring's draft to not win the job. Assuming that is the case, Daniels' combination of anticipation and athleticism should make him a strong fantasy QB1 option right out of the gate.

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Alvin Kamara Jun 13 2:23pm ET
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New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara skipped the team's final mandatory minicamp practice on Thursday, June 13, due to what is believed to be contract-related reasons, according to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com.

Fantasy Spin: Kamara will get nearly a $10 million bump on his base salary over the last two years, so that is likely not the issue. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports the two sides have been discussing a contract restructure for a few months, likely with an eye on 2025 when Kamara is set to make $25 million. Expect the two sides to get something worked out over the next month or two to keep Kamara in New Orleans at a much lower number past this season.

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DeAndre Carter Jun 13 12:13pm ET
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Free-agent WR DeAndre Carter (Raiders) signed an undisclosed deal with the Chicago Bears, according to sources Thursday, June 13.

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James Cook Jun 13 12:10pm ET
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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook dropped five passes last season, which ranked sixth among all qualified running backs. Early in offseason activities, the third-year pro out of Georgia has continued to struggle in that area, according to Bills reporter Alex Brasky. "James Cook allowed a pass to bounce off his hands, high into the air near the start of team drills at Wednesday's mandatory minicamp." Brasky wrote, "Cook encountered issues with drops last season and has done little to ramp down those concerns during offseason activities." While this is somewhat of a concern, it can often be overplayed when analyzing a player's fantasy football value. After catching 44 passes for 445 yards and ranking second among running backs in yards per reception, the team is unlikely to pull back his receiving workload. That said, rookie fourth-rounder Ray Davis caught 62 passes over his final two collegiate seasons in the SEC and could become a factor on third downs.

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Jonathon Brooks Jun 13 12:10pm ET
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Romeo Doubs Jun 13 12:10pm ET
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs has had an "outstanding" offseason, according to head coach Matt LaFleur. The 2022 fourth-round pick hauled in 59 passes for 674 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and he delivered a six-catch, 151-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Wild Card win over the Dallas Cowboys. The 24-year-old should remain one of Jordan Love's favorite targets in 2024, though the team's pass-catching group is crowded with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft. Given the uncertainty of the target pecking order, all of the Green Bay receivers and tight ends have an ADP outside the top 70 picks, and Doubs presents a potential value pick at his 138.4 ADP in classic FFPC drafts.

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Marquise Brown Jun 13 12:10pm ET
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Juwan Johnson Jun 13 12:10pm ET
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New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (leg) suffered a lower-leg injury and is expected to miss a good amount of time, according to sources. While it's unclear if Johnson is now a candidate to miss the start of the 2024 regular season, at the very least he's going to miss the start of training camp next month and valuable repetitions as the team looks to get ready for next season. The 27-year-old's injury will open up more reps for the likes of Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill, rookie Dallin Holker, Michael Jacobson and Tommy Hudson this summer. Johnson took a step back in 2023 and finished with 37 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (11 starts) in his fourth year in the NFL. Even if Johnson is ready for Week 1 of the regular season, Hill will probably cut into his targets enough to keep him as a low-upside, touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy.

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Joe Burrow Jun 13 12:10pm ET
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