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Training Camp Notes: DeAndre Hopkins, Arian Foster back and more

Catch up with the all the news from around training camps Sunday, including DeAndre Hopkins showing up, Arian Foster being activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list and all the rest. 

  • Reinstated from the Reserve/Did Not Report list, DeAndre Hopkins' publicity stunt certainly had short legs. He checks out as a high-end receiver who will garner attention in the first round of most drafts. However, don't forget he averaged just six grabs and 79 yards over the final six weeks of the regular season with only two scores. The floor is still high, but it's going to be tough to repeat his 2015 line.
  • It didn't take Arian Foster long to take the field, but don't expect to see much from him during the preseason. And the 29-year-old veteran likely won't be pushed much in camp. He's been limited to just 25 games over the past three seasons, but remained an elite fantasy option when on the field. In the middle rounds of drafts, Foster is an excellent ceiling chase. At that stage, everyone has a degree of risk, after all.
  • Talking of ceiling selections, Colin Kaepernick split first-team duty with Blaine Gabbert to start training camp Sunday. The offensive weapons won't offer much help, but Gabbert barely tips the scales for our fantasy purposes. Kaepernick can at least pad the points column with his legs, which keeps him very much a signal caller to track for those in SuperFlex and two-QB settings. We've also seen Kaepernick produce at a high-end level, so he doesn't even need to fully rebound to be serviceable again.
  • Le'Veon Bell completed back-to-back practices in full Sunday. He's just nine months removed from tearing both his medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, remember. While the real news surrounds his suspension, those taking the early-round risk on Bell at least have his health to cling to. With a Week 8 bye, Bell won't have much fantasy impact until the fantasy stretch drive, assuming the ban sticks.
  • Sticking in Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger is healthy, for now. The absence of Bell for the first four games of the season will likely drive his fantasy stock down, but it's actually Martavis Bryant who could be missed more. DeAngelo Williams was excellent whenever called upon last season, after all. Still, Roethlisberger is 34 and coming off a season with just 12 games played. In single-QB setups, you can find similar results at the position much later than the asking price for Roethlisberger.
  • In the Denver backfield, Ronnie Hillman injured his back Sunday, and the running backs coach commended Devontae Booker's pass protection skills and readiness for the league. After four years of underwhelming play from Hillman, Booker is a strong camp away from No. 2 duty for the Broncos. Monitoring which offense Booker's repetitions come with over the coming weeks is encouraged, as he could boast enough standalone value in a supporting role to suffice as a flex option during bye weeks. As it stands, in most settings, Hillman checks out as nothing more than a desperation flier.
  • Don't fret Matt Forte not practicing because of a hamstring injury. He'll sit atop the depth chart and sits in a solid fantasy situation now that Ryan Fitzpatrick is back in the fold. Just note, Forte never hit double-digit touchdowns in his prime, and Khiry Robinson has already been discussed as a short-yardage, goal-line back. Plus, Bilal Powell offers a similar skillset to Forte with far fewer miles on the engine. It's much wiser to make Forte a priority in PPR settings, as well.
  • Tony Romo rarely practices during the season, so it's no surprise he sat out the walkthrough and practice Sunday. Don't sweat it. However, it certainly should reassure the fragility of the veteran hurler. Romo will have to thrive on efficiency this year, too. Dallas is going to run the ball, and the ideal Cowboy game script will have him toss it up 25 times a game. In 2014, Romo attempted just 435 passes through 15 games, remember. He's currently outside the top-12 quarterbacks and likely best utilized as a streaming option and in daily contests when Dallas lands a juicy matchup.
  • Stevie Johnson was unable to put any pressure on his right knee when exiting practice Sunday. There will be more news to come on this front, but with Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin, Antonio Gates and Danny Woodhead top dogs in the passing attack, what exactly was to be expected from Johnson? If Johnson misses significant time, Gates and Woodhead likely benefit the most because Johnson is more of a possession option at this stage of his career.
  • Ameer Abdullah upped his on-field activity through the weekend after appearing in a non-contact jersey to open camp Friday. He's been running with the first-team offense, but it's also currently unknown if he's been fully cleared for contact. Looking ahead, the 2015-preseason darling burnt enough fantasy owners that his current stock is ripe for profit. The post-hype back will look pretty as your RB3 and is worth targeting aggressively in the middle rounds.