This article is part of our NFL Barometer series.
The long-awaited start of training camps is progressively unfolding around the country this week, although Hall of Fame Game participants Chicago and Baltimore have already been hard at work for several days. Some early reports from the Bears' practices in particular helped guide a couple of Trending Up selections this week, and a couple of early contract snafus influenced two others.
Without further ado, let's delve further into the outlook for players at skill positions as the curtain begins to officially lift on preparations for the 2018 season:
Trending Up
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield, Browns: Expectations were naturally already high for the first overall pick, despite plenty of talk earlier in the offseason that Tyrod Taylor was the likeliest candidate to open the season under center. The fully guaranteed $32.68 million contract that Mayfield signed Tuesday is a very tangible reminder of the extent of the Browns' investment in him, and the urgency they'll consequently have in getting him on the field. Naturally, training camp and preseason games will be a pivotal battleground between Mayfield and Taylor, but keep in mind that head coach Hue Jackson doesn't exactly have the luxury of time on his side in his quest to prove he can get the franchise going in the right direction.
Mitchell Trubisky, Bears: The Bears are already hard at work in training camp, and Trubisky has reportedly provided plenty of reason for optimism while operating new head coach Matt Nagy's fast-paced scheme. The second-year signal caller
The long-awaited start of training camps is progressively unfolding around the country this week, although Hall of Fame Game participants Chicago and Baltimore have already been hard at work for several days. Some early reports from the Bears' practices in particular helped guide a couple of Trending Up selections this week, and a couple of early contract snafus influenced two others.
Without further ado, let's delve further into the outlook for players at skill positions as the curtain begins to officially lift on preparations for the 2018 season:
Trending Up
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield, Browns: Expectations were naturally already high for the first overall pick, despite plenty of talk earlier in the offseason that Tyrod Taylor was the likeliest candidate to open the season under center. The fully guaranteed $32.68 million contract that Mayfield signed Tuesday is a very tangible reminder of the extent of the Browns' investment in him, and the urgency they'll consequently have in getting him on the field. Naturally, training camp and preseason games will be a pivotal battleground between Mayfield and Taylor, but keep in mind that head coach Hue Jackson doesn't exactly have the luxury of time on his side in his quest to prove he can get the franchise going in the right direction.
Mitchell Trubisky, Bears: The Bears are already hard at work in training camp, and Trubisky has reportedly provided plenty of reason for optimism while operating new head coach Matt Nagy's fast-paced scheme. The second-year signal caller has apparently been very proficient on the deep passes that Nagy's system often calls for, and his ability to extend plays in the pocket should certainly come in handy within an offense that often asks receivers to run slow-developing patterns. Just as encouraging are reports that one of Trubisky's most frequent targets in drills has been offseason acquisition Taylor Gabriel, whose speed figures to make him a natural fit in an aggressive downfield attack.
Running Back
David Johnson, Cardinals: Johnson is reportedly at full health after missing almost all of last season with a wrist injury, and he put concerns about any type of holdout to rest when he arrived at the team facility for training camp Monday. The 26-year-old racked up a whopping 373 touches back in his last full campaign in 2016, and that was with the Cardinals arguably sporting a deeper offensive unit overall. With the depth at receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald now highly questionable, a new quarterback in Sam Bradford, and top tight ends Jermaine Gresham (PUP-Achilles) and Ricky Seals-Jones (potential NFL discipline) having question marks attached to their availability as training camp opens, Johnson could be in for another massive workload after a year of resting his legs.
Wide Receiver
Taylor Gabriel, Bears: As alluded to in Trubisky's entry, Gabriel has been one of the early standouts of Bears camp, regularly making plays on a wide variety of routes. That much was particularly evident Monday, when the former Falcon reportedly hauled in passes both in the middle of the field and down the sideline. Naturally, his top-end speed and the fact that new head coach Matt Nagy helped facilitate Tyreek Hill's ascension during his time in Kansas City has expectations for Gabriel fairly high. At least in the early going of camp, he seems to be doing plenty to validate them.
Jamison Crowder, Redskins: After three solid seasons with Kirk Cousins under center, the shifty and slot-savvy Crowder may have found his true football soulmate in new quarterback Alex Smith. The offensive profile of the two appears to be a near-perfect mesh, as Smith primarily has a well-earned reputation as a cautious field general who heavily favors the short-to-intermediate passing game. That just so happens to be Crowder's domain, as evidenced by his career 11.7 YPC. Smith was already talking up Crowder's body control and ability to read coverages after working with him in OTAs and minicamp, so the fourth-year wideout could be in a for a solid uptick in production in 2018.
Calvin Ridley, Falcons: Julio Jones' current contract issues only add to Ridley's rosy outlook, but he was already trending in the right direction heading into training camp. The first-round pick was expected to garner a significant role as a No. 3 receiver at minimum from the moment he was selected, with the possibility of surpassing solid but unspectacular veteran Mohamed Sanu for the No. 2 wideout role also in play. A potential multiple-week holdout by Jones during training camp and into the early portion of preseason would presumably afford Ridley a golden opportunity for an accelerated learning curve through a notable boost in reps.
Tight End
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins: Gesicki has gone somewhat under the radar in terms of early-round rookie skill players this offseason, but the smooth pass catcher is walking into a situation that could be very favorable to his fantasy success. The Penn State product compiled 105 receptions for 1,242 yards and 14 touchdowns over his last two college campaigns and essentially slots in as the unquestioned No. 1 tight end on the Dolphins depth chart as camp opens. Gesicki boasts outstanding measurables for a 6-foot-6, 247-pounder, including a 4.5 40-yard dash and 41.5-inch vertical. With MarQueis Gray and A.J. Derby as his top two competitors for the starting job, Gesicki appears destined to open the season as a three-down player.
Trending Down
Quarterback
Sam Darnold, Jets: Darnold already had two capable veterans to contend with in Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater as he heads into his first NFL training camp, and he's now officially a holdout after not reporting with the rest of the team's rookies Tuesday. Every day of classroom preparation and reps that Darnold misses as a first-year player is magnified, especially after having only played two seasons at USC. Darnold's absence doesn't figure to be an extended one, but coupled with the fact he'd already been christened the No. 3 quarterback by head coach Todd Bowles before his contract became an issue, his arrow is pointing downward at present.
Running Back
Thomas Rawls, Jets: Rawls' outlook is relatively bleak, as he's believed to be on the roster bubble as camp opens. The 24-year-old captured the imagination of fantasy owners with an impressive 13-game run in 2015 during which he churned out 830 yards at an impressive 5.6 yards per tote, but that's proven to be the high point of his career thus far. A myriad of injuries, spotty offensive line play in Seattle and an inability to find or create his own running room led to Rawls averaging 3.2 and 2.7 yards per carry, respectively, over the last two campaigns. He landed in the Big Apple on a one-year deal with no guaranteed money, making it exceedingly easy for the team to part ways with him if they determine he's not a clear upgrade over the likes of Elijah McGuire and rookie sixth-rounder Trenton Cannon.
Wide Receiver
Kenny Britt, Patriots: Britt will open training camp on the PUP list with a hamstring injury, an ailment that first surfaced in early June. The development potentially puts the veteran's already tenuous chances of securing a roster spot on shakier ground. Not only is the New England receiver depth chart a crowded one – even with Julian Edelman (suspension) set to miss the first four games of the regular season – but in the past, head coach Bill Belichick has demonstrated a willingness to go with a makeshift wideout corps that doesn't always possess a lot of name value. Britt carries some decent NFL pedigree following a 1,000-yard campaign two seasons ago with the Rams, but a combined 20 receptions in 2017 with the Browns and Patriots and his current absence aren't doing him any favors.
Tight End
Lance Kendricks, Packers: Kendricks is another former Ram whose career seemed to be trending in the right direction just two seasons ago, but who could now be in danger of losing his roster spot. The 30-year-old's 50-catch campaign in 2016 hinted at a possible breakout, but Kendricks instead underwhelmed with an 18-catch, one-touchdown debut campaign in Green Bay last season while failing to separate himself from the likes of Richard Rodgers at tight end. The Packers then proceeded to ink Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis this offseason, an upgrade in overall competition for Kendricks to say the least. With Graham serving as an athletic, down-the-seam option and Lewis an accomplished veteran blocker who's also shown a knack for finding the end zone over his long career, there ultimately may not be a role for Kendricks by the time the initial 53-man roster is finalized.
