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Sunday Training Camp Notes: Bad news on the Dion Lewis front

(Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)

Good news for John Brown, and not so good news for Dion Lewis highlight the training camp notes for Sunday.

  • Dion Lewis is set to miss eight to 10 weeks and likely begin the season on the PUP list. He's scheduled to undergo a minor procedure on his left knee, but his previously repaired ACL is sound. Lewis showed as a high-end running back last season, but his track record is short, whereas his injury history is lengthy. There will be a time when Lewis presents value in drafts, but league settings and roster formats will also have an impact on how viable it is to stash him. New England has a Week 9 bye, too, so there really is a limited window for Lewis to be a fantasy contributor during the fantasy regular season. Lewis' absence should open up more opportunities for James White in the passing game, and White is a potential late-round option in PPR settings.
  • As mentioned, John Brown was cleared for practice Sunday, and he should up his repetitions and workload leading into the season. Brown was extremely efficient with his targets last season and turned 101 looks into 65 catches, 1003 yards and seven scores. And while some will look at the crowded receiving corps as a negative, there are plenty of targets to go around in the high-powered offense, and Brown is a solid WR3 to target in the middle rounds. He has a high-floor option entering his third season.
  • Sticking with the Cards, Larry Fitzgerald was back at practice Sunday after missing time with a sprained MCL. The 33-year-old veteran doesn't appear to be in jeopardy of missing time to start the season, but it wouldn't be shocking if he saw limited action leading into Week 1. Fitzgerald is a coming off a monster season with 109 catches, 1215 receiving yards and nine scores, yet his fantasy stock is receiving a huge discount. There might be some peaks and valleys, but Fitzgerald was a WR1 last season, so there's currently plenty of negative regression built into his current sixth-round ADP.
  • Jeremy Langford practiced Sunday and was not wearing the protective boot he donned Saturday. It's a sound sign the injury is minor, and he shouldn't be downgraded due to health at this point. Langford projects to continue being a polarizing commodity because of all the noise surrounding his stock. He was inefficient with his work last season, and there have been talks of a committee backfield in Chicago, but Langford's atop the depth chart for now. Given the unknowns, it's a steep asking price in the early middle rounds.
  • Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Thomas Rawls is on track to be ready to for Week 1, and the 2015 breakout back could begin to climb draft boards leading into the season. His three-game stretch from Week 11 through Week 13 highlighted Rawls' upside, as he averaged 5.72 yards per carry for 435 rushing yards and scored four times. The Seattle offense enabled Marshawn Lynch to be an annual fantasy powerhouse, and Rawls should slide seamlessly into the role now. If you start a draft WR-WR, Rawls is a strong target for your No. 1 running back.
  • Also on the Seahawk injury front, head coach Pete Carroll said Jimmy Graham's knee is progression following tests over the weekend. Graham is unlikely to see any preseason action, and could miss time to start the season. At this point, he's an extremely risky fantasy commodity given his poor start with Seattle last year and questionable status following his torn patellar tendon -- a significant injury to return from. The risk may be worth the reward in the double-digit rounds of drafts, but expectations should be kept in check with Graham still a non-participant in practice.
  • Eric Ebron was a more active participant in practice Sunday, as the third-year tight end jogged, caught passes and walked through blocking drills. He's working his way back from an ankle injury sustained Aug. 6, and his Week 1 status is still unclear. Once healthy, Ebron has nice upside in the pass-happy offense to produce as a middling TE1. The addition of Anquan Boldin might cut into Ebron's looks around the end zone, though, and Ebron hasn't been able to stay healthy early in his career, either. He's a late-round option for those who wait at the position.
  • Doug Martin is expected to be a limited participant in practice Monday. He's nursing bruised ribs, which kept him out of the preseason game Saturday. Week 1 isn't currently in jeopardy for Martin, and he projects as the feature back for Tampa Bay. However, Charles Sims showed well last year and will spell Martin, but entering his fifth season with improved surroundings should keep Martin within the RB 1 range. He's worth targeting as a second-tier rusher beginning in the late second round.
  • While Jordy Nelson is returning to practice Monday, he might miss the entire preseason. Head coach Mike McCarthy noted there will be an emphasis on work between Aaron Rodgers and Nelson in practice, but fantasy owners certainly would prefer one of their top picks seeing some game action leading into Week 1. Nelson has been a fantasy star in the past, and he should be a solid contributor again in 2016. However, he's also going in the second round of drafts, and the best days of the Green Bay offense might be in the rear-view mirror.