Imagine a parallel universe where NFL coaches said what they really meant. Scouting players would be so easy. You just see who's making waves at camp and read quotes about who they expect to have a really big year. Then you take those guys for your fantasy team and reap the rewards.
Ah, that was fun, wasn't it? Now back to reality.
Woody Marks is going to get a lot of opportunities in 2026. So will DeVonta Smith. Blake Corum will be a big factor on offense. Bhayshul Tuten will have a big year. That's what the coaches say, anyway. And to be sure, some of what they claim will actually happen. But when it does, it's not because they saw something in July and decided to share it with you. It just happened to come true. As they say, a broken clock is right twice a day.
Coaches say things like that for a number of different reasons, and virtually none of it is related to the truth. Maybe they want to motivate a player or let them know they plan to keep them happy. Or maybe they want to motivate a teammate and let them know that they need to step it up or lose snaps to this guy. Hey, maybe they want to give something to the team's official media partners (who usually pay for access) so they throw out a quote that ends up being an article on some website.
Here's my point: Whatever research you're doing today, don't include what coaches say regarding players. They're meaningless and have no relation to reality. And it's not like you can infer that the opposite is true, and they're always trying to mislead you. That type of information would actually be valuable if you could identify it. No, these quotes truly mean nothing.
Now, you already know to take these things with a grain of salt. I'm saying that's not enough, and when you're searching for any football-related information, your subconscious will give artificial weight that might influence your decisions a month from now. You need to actively guard against that kind of influence, because it can ruin your draft. When you're deciding between two guys and the seconds are winding down on your pick, your brain will pull random bits of information out of what seems like nowhere. But it just might come from a throwaway quote from a head or positional coach who just wanted to say something over the summer. And it might stick with you, especially if it's something you want to believe anyway. That's a danger to your title prospects.
Again, I'm not saying any of this definitely won't happen. If Corum carved out a greater role, it won't shock anybody reading this article. Maybe the Ravens really will find creative ways to get Zay Flowers the ball. But maybe they won't. If a new coaching staff doesn't make him an elite receiver, nobody will be surprised. It's just talk. That's all.
So what can you trust in late July/early August? I'd start with the PUP list as camps begin. George Kittle is on it. Malik Nabers isn't. The Lions have both their starting safeties on it. Patrick Mahomes isn't. You can't coach-quote your way on or off the Physically Unable to Perform list. And while it won't tell you who definitely will or won't be ready for week 1, it's definitely a sign regarding a player's injury progress. If you stick to actions and not words, I think you’re building a good foundation that will help you in the weeks to come.
Are you reading or hearing anything that you think will come to fruition? How do you filter out the meaningless quotes from the valuable nuggets of information? What coaches appear to be the most honest and forthright to you? Share your thoughts below.
