If you want to have a dominant fantasy draft, you should be paying close attention to who's making plays out on the gridiron, who's turning heads and who's moving up depth charts. For those of you who might be too busy with the everyday rigors of life to keep tabs on the serious movers and shakers, I'm here to keep you updated on the news you need to know and what it means for your team.
Here's a list of 10 players, most of whom you know and a few that beginners might not, who have experienced some level of increased fantasy value after the first week-plus of training camp. Be sure to keep tabs on these players in the weeks to come ... who knows, you might just unearth a bargain or sleeper.
1. Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts: If there have been any negative reports on Luck and his return from shoulder surgery, I haven't heard them. He's slated to play a quarter in the Colts' first preseason game, and if all goes well you're going to see his ADP (average draft position) start to rise. Still, Luck could be an absolute steal for owners who land him in the late rounds of their re-drafts.
2. Rex Burkhead, RB, New England Patriots: I was on the Sony Michel bandwagon, and I still like the rookie to make an impact. However, the fact that he's dealing with knee problems concerns me when it comes to his early-season role. This ailment also opens the door for Burkhead to be the lead back and keep the role for the duration. His ADP is going to start rising, while Michel's stock declines.
3. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns: His pep talk on the first episode of Hard Knocks aside, we have seen the Browns trade Corey Coleman despite questions about Josh Gordon's return to the team. Rookie Antonio Callaway is also in the news due to off-the-field issues, and the Dez Bryant rumors have cooled. These situations in are fluid, but Landry is looking better. For now.
4. Marquise Goodwin, WR, San Francisco 49ers: A league winner in the second half of last season, Goodwin has been a star at Niners camp. His rapport with Jimmy Garoppolo is strong, and he's looked so good that I've seen him drafted ahead of teammate Pierre Garcon is some mocks. The speedster is no doubt one of the early risers of camp with added value in best-ball formats.
5. Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks: We all thought Rashaad Penny was a lock to be a featured back for the Seahawks this season, but Carson has looked like the lead runner in camp. Even if Penny does make a move and emerge atop the depth chart, Carson doesn't look like he's going anywhere. If a backfield committee emerges, it would put Penny on the bust train and make Carson a nice late pick.
6. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: One of my favorite deep sleepers, Godwin has earned rave reviews in training camp and looks like the starter opposite Mike Evans with DeSean Jackson seeing more work in the slot. The downside for the Penn State product is that there are a lot of mouths to feed in the offense, but he's now very much on the fantasy radar and well worth a look in the late rounds.
7. Keelan Cole, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: Cole, who showed flashes of potential last season, has been the best wideout in Jaguars camp thus far. In fact, our Dan Hellie put up a fantasy alert after spending some time watching the team practice. While the Jags are loaded at the position, you have to like Cole as a potential late-round steal in fantasy drafts. Keep him on your deep sleepers list.
8. Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions: Reports out of Lions camp suggest that Johnson has done well in pass protection, which is a must if he's ever going to be a true three-down back at the NFL level. That could be a tough goal to accomplish as a rookie, as the Lions field a crowded backfield that also includes LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick. Still, Johnson has a lot of upside in drafts.
9. John Ross, WR, Cincinnati Bengals: Remember Ross? He was a first-round pick in the NFL draft last year but did nothing as a rookie due to injuries. However, the Bengals decision to cut Brandon LaFell leaves Ross as the favorite to start opposite A.J. Green. A burner who can stretch defenses, Ross is now in the late-round conversation in an offense that should be much improved.
10. Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins: Rookie tight ends typically don't make a big fantasy impact, but it's notable that Gesicki is drawing positive reviews as a pass catcher. He does need to work on his pass protection, but the rookie out of Penn State has a clear path to a starting job with Julius Thomas no longer on the roster. He's developing into a worthwhile late-round flier in drafts.
Notes:John Brown has reportedly been a stand out performer at Ravens camp. A former 1,000-yard wideout, he's the favorite to earn a starting role behind Michael Crabtree. Brown's big issue has been missed time due to his health, but he's looking like a nice late-round pick in traditional and best-ball formats. ... NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport told me via text that Duke Johnson has had a "fantastic camp" and is "indispensable" in the offense. He's clearly the Browns back to target in PPR formats, ahead of Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb. ... Corey Coleman's value rose after being dealt to Buffalo, where he's projected to start opposite Kelvin Benjamin. However, he's going into maybe the league's worst quarterback situation and won't warrant more than a late-round flier. ... Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post told me that Kenyan Drake is still the favorite for backfield touches in Miami, but that "Frank] Gore will vulture TDs." As good as Drake was during the second half of last season, one has to wonder if some are underestimating the fantasy impact of the 35-year-old Gore. ... NBC's Peter King has called rookie wideout [Deon Cain "the big star of (Colts) training camp: in a recent tweet. Ryan Grant is looking like the favorite to start opposite T.Y. Hilton, but nothing is for certain at this point. Cain needs to be on your draft radar with a seemingly healthy Luck under center.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy news, notes and analysis!
