The Ravens backfield was shaping up to be a crowded mess with West, Kenneth Dixon and Danny Woodhead all slated to split snaps this season. But with Dixon set to undergo season-ending knee surgery, things have cleared up a little bit -- mostly in West's favor as a between-the-tackles runner. Yes, the team did sign Bobby Rainey but until further notice, he doesn't appear to be a big threat to West.

This isn't intended to be a full-fledged downgrade of Reed. Signs point to his being placed on the PUP list with a toe injury more of a short-term precaution than any harbinger of doom. Just consider it a reminder of the risk associated with drafting the talented but oft-injured player. Reed has never started more than nine games in a season. Manage the risk accordingly.

The early Rams depth chart has the rookie Kupp listed as a probable starter this season, confirming what plenty of people believed when the team spent a third round pick. His likely role in the offense will involve being a bigger slot receiver, but his game as a quality intermediate route runner with above average hands should serve Sean McVay and Jared Goff well. It wouldn't be a surprise if Kupp led all rookies in receptions this year.

Don't look now, but there's some confusion with the Eagles wide receiver corps. Matthews hasn't worked out with the team for nearly the entire offseason as he deals with tendinitis in his knee. The team says it's not serious, yet reports that Nelson Agholor has performed well in practices and is pushing for the slot receiver job should open some eyes. With Philly adding Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith as potential outside threats, someone will be on the outside looking in. Being absent won't help Matthews' cause.

Booker's rookie season was not the sort of thing his pre-season truthers were looking for as he struggled with fumbles and general underperformance. Now comes word that Booker will miss the next 6-8 weeks while recovering from a wrist fracture. That will certainly put him behind in a muddled backfield that features incumbent starter C.J. Anderson and veteran Jamaal Charles all vying for touches.

The Browns are having a very open audition for the quarterback spot with Cody Kessler expected to take the lead in the preseason. However, it's far from a certainty that Kessler starts the regular season in that role. Reports from Browns camp suggest that the competition is wide open and that the rookie Kizer looks like the leading contender to be the starter. Then again, some of those same reports indicate that Brock Osweiler will also get a serious look at the gig. So there's that.

Training camp has barely begun, and the Ravens are already dealing with injury troubles. In addition to Kenneth Dixon being gone for the season, Flacco could miss anywhere from 3-6 weeks while dealing with a back issue. The team is downplaying the issue, saying Flacco might only need one week's worth of rest before he can return to the practice field. If that's really the case, then this isn't a big deal. If he will miss an extended period, we might revisit this topic.

What would a preseason Stock Watch column be without some #BSOHL (Best Shape Of His Life) love? Then come on down to Carolina where not only is Cam Newton looking slimmer but Benjamin is reportedly looking "leaner" and "quick off the ball" in practices. His current sixth-round ADP is heavily influenced by his underwhelming 2016 campaign. But with 16 touchdowns in two seasons, he projects a lot of potential reward as a draft value.

What's the opposite of #BSOHL? It's whatever is going on with John Ross. The speedy Bengals rookie had offseason shoulder surgery and is reportedly still a couple of weeks away from being on the practice field. The belief was that Ross could eventually slide into Cincy's WR2 role ahead of Brandon LaFell and Tyler Boyd. For now, that uphill climb has gotten steeper.

It's always nice when we get a little clarity on how backfield roles will shake out. The look inside Detroit's crystal ball suggests that Riddick could see more work in the red zone, absorbing some of the 22 targets Anquan Boldin saw in that area last season. It's definitely good news for Riddick, but will it be enough to make him a usable asset on a regular basis? Or will it just work to sap any real production from Ameer Abdullah? Stay tuned.