Patriots | No depth chart at RB in New England

New England Patriots RBs Mike Gillislee, Rex Burkhead, James White and Dion Lewis form a ‘deep, talented group’ and any one of the four could be featured at any given time, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Footballguys View: Oh that tricky Bill Belichick. It’s true, any of these Patriots RBs could be the featured back given the one-off gameplans the team uses on a weekly basis. That makes things problematic for fantasy owners trying to navigate this situation. Gillislee is banged up with a hamstring problem and Burkhead has been looking fantastic in the preseason. White is also there to make plays as a runner/receiver. You can get White and Burkhead in the 10th and 12th rounds respectively right now in 12-team PPR leagues.

Vikings | Bucky Hodges showing ‘steady improvement’

Minnesota Vikings rookie TE Bucky Hodges, who lined up mostly as a receiver in college at Virginia Tech, has perhaps made his greatest leap as a blocker this summer.

Footballguys View: Hodges wasn’t much of a blocker in college, but he’ll have to improve on that in the pros. He’s a big target (6’6″) who can make plays above the rim, and he’s certainly a dynasty prospect we’re adding and keeping an eye on.

Panthers | Cam Newton to suit up?

Updating previous reports, Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton (shoulder) is on track to play Thursday, Aug. 24, in the third preseason game, according to head coach Ron Rivera.

Footballguys View: Newton has been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, so his practice reps have been monitored closely in training camp. If he does play in the ‘dress rehearsal’ game, then we don’t think he gets as many reps as other starters will this week around the NFL.

Bills | Jordan Matthews on track for opener

Buffalo Bills WR Jordan Matthews (chest) is on schedule for Week 1, according to head coach Sean McDermott.

Footballguys View: Matthews has been confident that he’s going to be ready when the season opens up. The Bills need bodies at the position and Matthews should be their primary slot guy. He’s going off the board at WR44 (9.12) in 12-team PPR leagues.