This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
Here are the top fantasy headlines in the new from Friday.
-Dalvin Cook stated unequivocally that he'll be present and participating in Minnesota's training camp practices, which all but conclusively puts to rest the possibility of the star running back holding out. His injury concerns are significant (shoulder/knee/hamstring) and only mounting with time, but at this point it seems safe to assume Cook won't miss any time over labor complications. In a narrowly-channeled Minnesota offense short on wide receivers, Cook should be one of the league's few true workhorses at running back. A top-five return would be far from surprising for Cook, whose elite talent level is beyond questioning.
-Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the first running back to work with the Chiefs first-team offense Friday. It's a checked box rather than a boost for the rookie's value, because it would have marked a downgrade for CEH if he weren't the first running back in drills. It makes sense for the Chiefs to specifically focus on Edwards-Helaire given the shortened amount of time to prepare him, and as a rookie he likely needs more attention than the veterans he's competing against, especially returning Chiefs like Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson. DeAndre Washington lurks in the background as well, but as a free agency pickup he probably has catching up to do relative to Williams and Thompson.
-CeeDee Lamb opened Dallas' training camp mostly working in the slot, which would make him the presumptive heir to the Randall Cobb position from last year. Amari Cooper and to a lesser extent Michael Gallup will also get slot looks over the year, but it probably always made the most sense to make Lamb the team's primary slot receiver. With a generally lower depth of target and shielded from press coverage, the slot is likely the lowest-difficulty task among Dallas' three receiver positions, so it makes sense to give that to the rookie. Lamb can definitely play outside too, though. Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer Clarence Hill offered effusive, almost hyperbolic praise for Lamb on Friday.
-Lamb wasn't the only rookie receiver making noise Friday, as Jacksonville's Laviska Shenault was a consistent recipient of praise from media present for the Jaguars practices. SI's John Shipley observed that Shenault "certainly looks the part in WR drills" and was "moving really well for his size." At 6-1, 227, Shenault already has a highly-developed build, so if he continues to impress in practice he'll be able to project well for whatever workload the Jaguars set aside for him.
-The Colts official web site wrote up some hype for Jonathan Taylor and Parris Campbell, attributing two of the best plays of the day to the two speedy prospects. Both plays were receptions from Philip Rivers, with Taylor taking a crossing route for a touchdown while Campbell burned the defense deep for a long touchdown reception. We already knew both players are fast, but it's encouraging to hear them doing well and doing well working with Rivers specifically.
-Jets rookie second-round pick wide receiver Denzel Mims is out with a hamstring injury that evidently might be of the multi-week sort. Jets coach Adam Gase reportedly expressed some amount of concern about Mims' injury, whereas veteran running back Frank Gore has a hamstring injury and Gase all but waved off any concern. The more time Mims misses, the better chance Vyncint Smith has at earning the second outwide wide receiver role with the Jets. Breshad Perriman should be the first outside receiver while Jamison Crowder runs unchallenged in the slot.
