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Howdy Reader,
Welcome in.
As the NBA Finals heat up and Father’s Day creeps closer, the NFL offseason just reminded us it’s never really quiet. On Tuesday, the Broncos added running back J.K. Dobbins and yeah, that definitely takes some wind out of our RJ Harvey sails.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on that one for you. Because in fantasy, crowded backfields create chaos. And opportunity.
Also in today’s mix: Josh Fahlsing takes a fun look at Tee Higgins and how he stacks up historically to some other prime WRs playing the "Robin" role to the "Batman" WR1 on their teams.
And of course, Bob Harris has the News and Notes to keep you sharp heading into another big week of offseason shifts.
Let’s dig in,
J
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📣 Voice Of The Footballguy 🎤
📊 POLL RESULTS: In our last issue of the Daily Update, we asked you Footballguys:
Which rookie RB takes control of his backfield first?
And the Footballguy says: I trust TreVeyon Henderson more than the Patriots do.
TODAY: Clayton Gray’s deep dive into how player values are shifting in high-stakes NFFC drafts reveals one clear trend — quarterbacks are climbing.
Among the biggest movers this week: Lamar Jackson surged 6 spots, Jayden Daniels climbed 4, and Bo Nix jumped 8. But which of these rising QBs most deserves the boost?
So today, we ask you Footballguys:
🗳️ POLL: Which rising QB most deserves their recent NFFC ADP surge?
When you vote in the Poll below, you'll see the current standings, and we'll post the final results in the next edition of the Daily Update.
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| 🗳️ POLL: Was staying with the Bengals best for Tee Higgins’s fantasy value? |
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J.K. Dobbins, the Comeback Player of the Year finalist, is signing with the Broncos on a one-year, $5.25 million deal, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.
Our view: It's not a huge surprise. Head coach Sean Payton likes to use a two-back system and seemed interested after Dobbins first visited the team last Thursday. Now that it's come to pass, Footballguy Cecil Lammey expects Dobbins to serve as the 1A to rookie RJ Harvey's 1B in Denver's backfield. Still only 26, Dobbins had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and nine TDs in 13 games last season with the Chargers.
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Tee Higgins: Not the Average Sidekick
By Josh Fahlsing - Exclusive to Footballguys
The following feature is a free preview of our content. If you like it, click here to sign up for access to our Footballguys Premium Subscriptions, and you'll get all of our content. We're so sure you'll love it that we have an industry-leading 30-day MoneyBack Guarantee, so there's zero risk.
Tee Higgins and the NFL's Greatest Robins (i.e., No. 2 receivers)
I can't lie. I was really looking forward to Tee Higgins leaving the Cincinnati Bengals and becoming the alpha receiver in someone else's passing game. I didn't think there was any way he'd return to play Robin to Ja'Marr Chase's Batman for another season, let alone sign an extension. But much like Gotham itself, nothing with the Bengals is ever quite predictable.
RELATED: See all of our 2025 Player Spotlights here.
It got me thinking. Where does Higgins stack up among the best Robins in NFL history? What kind of production can we expect from a player who could be Batman on another team, but instead chose to stay in Ohio and continue playing the sidekick?
What Makes a Great Robin?
For this discussion, a Robin is a high-end No. 2 wide receiver who plays opposite an even more dominant No. 1. These are players with alpha-level talent but who share an offense with a bigger dog.
So who fits that mold? To answer that, I looked back at wide receiver duos since 2000 who played together for at least three seasons, where the second option was clearly good enough to lead a passing attack on another team. We're not just talking about productive No. 2 receivers. We're talking about wideouts who could have been a team's WR1 if not for sharing the field with a superstar.
We're not comparing Higgins to the best wide receiver twos of the past 25 years. We're comparing him to players who had the skill to be a true No. 1 but happened to share the spotlight.
Let's look at the numbers.
Wayne is a textbook Robin. He played across from a future Hall of Famer and benefited from the defensive attention Harrison drew. His numbers were nearly on par with Harrison's, but it was always clear who the lead dog was.
Boldin, like Wayne, had to share targets with a future Hall of Famer. Yet he still produced like a borderline No. 1 wide receiver. Their tandem worked because Boldin was able to carve out his own production despite Fitzgerald's dominance.
Holt is an interesting case. He was technically the Robin, but he led Bruce in every major category during this span. That was just the nature of the Greatest Show on Turf. Either receiver could explode on any given Sunday.
Godwin also flipped the script at times, finishing with more receptions and nearly as many yards as Evans during their four-year run. He may not have had the red zone dominance, but his week-to-week volume was elite.
Moss was the touchdown machine, but Welker was the chain mover. Game to game, either could carry the offense depending on the scheme and matchup.
How do Higgins and Chase Compare?
Tee Higgins actually arrived in Cincinnati before Ja'Marr Chase, but the duo has now played four full seasons together. That makes them directly comparable to the Wayne-Harrison, Boldin-Fitzgerald, and Bruce-Holt pairings.
CONTINUED...
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3. CLE: Stefanski: Joe Flacco Getting Fewer Reps Was Intentional
Source: Profootballtalk.com - Josh Alper
Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett are competing with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders for the starting job with the Browns, and the first day of mandatory minicamp saw the youngest players get the most work. After the session was over, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters at a press conference that the rep count was part of a plan to get the fullest possible evaluation of all the players. "We try to be intentional about everything," Stefanski said. "Certainly, Joe had fewer reps today. That's obviously on purpose. Just trying to get as much evaluation on the guys as we can."
Our view: Practice reps in quarterback competitions are always closely monitored and the most watched one this year may be in Cleveland. That being the case, it's easy to read too much into the day-by-day workloads. Thye good news? As PFT suggests, the Browns aren't going to be making any Week 1 decisions in the immediate future, so there will be a lot more counting of reps to come before September gets here. We'll be following along.
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4. WAS: Terry McLaurin A No-Show For Mandatory Minicamp
Source: NFL.com - Nick Shook
After participating in offseason workouts until the start of organized team activities, Terry McLaurin did not report to mandatory minicamp, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday, per sources. Washington's minicamp began Tuesday and runs through Thursday. Players who skip mandatory minicamp practices are subject to fines, per the collective bargaining agreement.
Our view: McLaurin signed a three-year, $68.2 million extension with Washington in 2022, but is entering the final year of that deal in 2025 and is seeking a new contract prior to taking the field. Averaging $23.2 million on his current deal, McLaurin is 16th in annual average among wide receivers -- and second on his team behind new addition Deebo Samuel ($23.8 million per year). At this point in the offseason, McLaurin is protecting his greatest asset -- his health -- while money is still on the table.
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5. PIT: T.J. Watt not at camp
Source: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt is not attending the team's minicamp Tuesday, June 10.
Our view: Watt is seeking a new contract as he enters the final year of an extension he signed in 2021, with a base salary of $21.05 million. Watt currently sits as the seventh-highest-paid edge rusher in average annual salary at $28.003 million. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, talks with Watt haven't progressed in Pittsburgh. But when it's struck, a new deal should come in well above that for one of the NFL's best pass rushers. Watt has finished with double-digit sacks in six of the past seven seasons -- with only the injury-shortened 2022 season as the outlier.
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6. CIN: Trey Hendrickson absent
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Howe
Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is not at the team's minicamp Tuesday, June 10.
Our view: As NFL.com notes, the veteran pass rusher has been trying to get a new deal for the past several years. This offseason, things turned contentious, with no progress made on an extension. The club allowed Hendrickson to seek a trade earlier this offseason, but interested teams shied away from giving up draft capital and paying the salary he's seeking. Hendrickson has said he has no plans on playing for Cincy without a new contract. Skipping minicamp, which will subject him to more than $100,000 in fines, is the next phase of what continues to be a protracted battle.
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7. IND: Anthony Richardson still without a timeline
Source: The Athletic - James Boyd
Updating an ongoing story, Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson (shoulder) remains without a timeline to return after visiting Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the surgeon who operated on Richardson's AC joint last year, in Los Angeles for a checkup, according to head coach Shane Steichen.
Our view: As Profootballtalk.com reminded readers, Richardson had surgery to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder after suffering an injury during his rookie season. Steichen noted last week that Richardson had reported soreness in the throwing shoulder during the offseason program. Richardson is competing with Daniel Jones to be the Colts' starter to open the season. While it seems likely Richardson will return at some point during training camp, Jones will benefit from the opportunity to begin separating himself in the battle between the two former first-round picks.
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8. MIA: Jonnu Smith absent
Source: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
Miami Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith is not at the team's minicamp Tuesday, June 10.
Our view: Smith is seeking a new contract in Miami after setting a club tight end record with 884 receiving yards on 88 catches with eight touchdowns last year. Smith is set to earn $4.1 million in 2025. While the Dolphins had some discussions about trading Smith, no deal has come to pass. As NFL.com notes, head coach Mike McDaniel has acknowledged Smith is a vital cog in the Dolphins offense. Miami would be hard-pressed to fill that role if it were to trade the 29-year-old. Remember: Smith will be subject to more than $100,000 in fines for missing the three-day session.
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9. ATL: Kirk Cousins attends minicamp
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins reported for mandatory minicamp Tuesday, June 10, according to The Insiders. 'We're moving forward and it's about how we as a team and as a quarterback room can be the best we can be in 2025,' Cousins said.
Our view: While Atlanta has turned the page to second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the club is set to keep Cousins as a backup for 2025. Cousins would like to be a starter, but absent an injury, it appears starting slots for the coming season have been filled. Cousins will make $27.5 million in base salary for the 2025 season on the four-year contract he signed as a free agent last offseason. Though he had attended some of the Falcons' voluntary workouts, it's unclear what level of participation Cousins will have with the club this week.
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10. BUF: James Cook in the building
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Buffalo Bills RB James Cook is attending minicamp Tuesday, June 10, but it's unclear if he'll participate as he seeks a new contract.
Our view: Cook did not attend the team's voluntary portion of the offseason program. But the fact that he's in attendance for minicamp could be a positive sign of negotiations, even if Cook doesn't do much on the field. A second-round pick in 2022, Cook is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons and led the league with 16 rushing TDs in 2024. Cook's RB14 Average Draft Position and the associated late-third-round price aren't far off his RB11 finish last season.
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That’s it for today, Folks.
Thanks for reading. And thanks for being a Footballguy. Whether you’re chasing minicamp buzz, or just stealing a quiet moment between NBA Finals games and Father’s Day planning, we’re grateful to be part of your day.
We’ll be back tomorrow with more of what you need to stay ahead of the game (and your league).
Peace, Love and Fantasy Football,
J
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Written By Joe Bryant. News by Sigmund Bloom, Bob Harris, and Cecil Lammey
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