Another day, another Cleveland Browns quarteback update. After the team released its depth chart on Tuesday, revealing Johnny Manziel as the second-team quarterback, coach Mike Pettine announced that Brian Hoyer would start the team's first preseason game against the Detroit Lions. That's to be expected as Hoyer has been in the lead throughout the offseason. We'll check back in a couple of weeks to see if things remain staus quo.
Who are we kidding? There will probably be more in the next day or two.
Since it's hard to talk one rookie QB without another, things are still trending well for Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota. Matt Cassel will get the start for the Vikings on Friday against the Raiders, but coach Mike Zimmer says Bridgewater will work with the first team after Cassel leaves the game. The Vikes' coaching staff has been enamored with the rookie ever since he set foot on the practice field, and Friday will be his first chance to show that he's up to the task of swiping the job away from his veteran teammate.
Going deep
Plenty of news in Dallas has swirled around Tony Romo's recovery from offseason back surgery, with fans and fantasy enthusiasts wondering how the Cowboys quarterback will be affected. According to quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson, the biggest change could be with Romo's ability to throw the deep ball. That is worrisome not only for Romo's production this season, but also for the potential of Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams to be big-play guys. However, with Scott Linehan now calling the offense in Dallas, it's likely the 'Boys will find other ways to get the ball in the hands of their best playmakers.
Meanwhile, Ryan Tannehill is reportedly having a tough time with the deep ball as well. However, his difficulties in connecting with Mike Wallace have had less to do with injury and more to do with chemistry. Wallace was brought to Miami to be a deep threat and it was hoped that after a rough season in 2013 the duo could get it together this season. So far it hasn't happened, but we're still holding out hope. Chalk this up as another reason Wallace is slipping in drafts.
Quick outs
» In other Dolphins news, Knowshon Moreno has been activated from the physically unable to perform list and is now available to practice with the team. When Moreno signed with Miami during free agency he looked to be the back to target in fantasy drafts. However, after so much missed time Lamar Miller has surpassed him on the depth chart while Daniel Thomas and Mike Gillislee have taken the opportunity to grab some extra touches.
» Toby Gerhart won't be on the field when the Jaguars open the preseason against the Buccaneers on Friday as he continues to nurse an injured hip flexor. While it's a blow to his fantasy sleeper status, there's no reason to panic since it's not likely that he would have played more than a couple of series anyway. In his stead, look for Jordan Todman to get some extra work with the first-team offense.
» Odell Beckham is still working through an injured hamstring to get back on the field and Giants coach Tom Coughlin says the rookie is "getting close." Giants fans and fantasy owners alike are waiting to see what the rookie is able to do, especially since the team had high hopes after drafting him. The biggest concern is that hamstring injuries can sometimes be nagging things. It will be best to dampen any of the hype around the LSU product until we actually see something from him.
» Earlier this summer, Around The League published a list of training camp tropes. A player saying that he and/or a teammate are capable of enormous stats would be right at home on that list. Enter Julio Jones, who says he and Roddy White are both capable of topping 1,500 receiving yards this season. While it seems like a big goal, it also doesn't seem unreachable considering the way the Falcons offense works. Now that Tony Gonzalez is out of the mix, there are plenty of extra targets to go around and plenty of them could go in the direction of Jones and White.
Marcas Grant is a fantasy editor for NFL.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarcasG.
