July 2024 4for4 Player News Articles

It’s one day in pads but Rico Dowdle is the best RB here and there’s not a lot to argue about there.

Related players: Royce Freeman, Ezekiel Elliott, Malik Davis, Deuce Vaughn

It was just a day ago it looked like, based on comments from Stephen Jones, Freeman may end up as the team's RB2 behind Elliott, and Dowdle might be battling with Davis to just make the final roster. It was just one day, but it's another example how quickly things can change. This will be a situation to watch because Elliott isn't expected to dominate the backfield like in days past, so the RB2 should have some fantasy value.

Bears receiver D.J. Moore has agreed to a four-year extension. It has a base value of $110 million with $82.6 million guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.

That’s a new-money average of $27.5 million.

Moore had two years left on his prior contract. He was due to make $15.85 million in 2024 and $14.85 million in 2025. He’s now under contract for six years at $130.35 million. It’s an average from signing of $21.725 million, the story said. As for Moore's fantasy outlook, the team also acquired target-hog Keenan Allen and drafted the talented Rome Odunze in the first round, so Moore’s target competition got a lot stiffer. Even with a quarterback and possible OC upgrade, it will be hard for Moore to overcome all the target competition to remain a fantasy WR1. We rank him 18th on our list heading into drafts.

Sources classify Steelers WR Roman Wilson, who was carted off with an ankle injury, as week-to-week.

The post went on to say Wilson will be "OK." He could miss some time, but the injury does not appear serious according to the rest of the post.

Quarterback Russell Wilson injured a calf during the team’s conditioning test. On Tuesday, he finally participated in training-camp practice. It was also the first training-camp practice of 2024 in pads.

Via 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, Wilson took a few snaps in 7-on-7 and executed a handoff in 11-on-11 drills.

Obviously it wasn't a high workload, but Wilson says he feels good and is getting better every day. The story said the team doesn't seem to be rushing Wilson back into a full workload as HC Mike Tomlin said he's "slowing down the progress" and playing it day-to-day. Wilson remains a low-end QB2 heading into drafts.

Today’s QB update: Jarrett Stidham was once again the most steady QB. Along with good decision making, Stidham also had two completions for 15 yards.

Related players: Zach Wilson, Bo Nix

Nix once again displayed his speed on the ground, but struggled to find much beyond five yards down the field, the post went on to say. Other Bronco beat writers seem to be right in step with this saying Stidham was the most productive followed by Nix and Wilson. It's possible Stidham could be a bridge starter at QB until Nix is more polished.

Raiders rookie RB Dylan Laube might be making a move on the depth chart.

Related players: Zamir White, Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah

Bonsignore's post went on to say Laube has been getting first team reps in the third-down offense, and, he's looked impressive with the ball in his hands. White looked good himself last season, but it was only a four-game sample size. Laube has a chance to make a big jump on the depth chart and is a player to watch this offseason. It sounds like from the post he at least can be the team's third down and change of pace back if the trend continues.

Rookie wideout Roman Wilson was carted off the field after getting hurt during Tuesday’s practice. Reporters at the workout said it looked like Wilson injured his left foot or ankle.

Related players: George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III

There is no further word on the how serious the injury is. But any missed time in camp for a rookie can be bad news. We reported on Monday that while there are high hopes for Wilson to take on the team's WR2 role, he was running behind Austin in the pecking order.

For those thinking the RB2 battle was firmly between Michael Carter and rookie Trey Benson, Emari Demercado has something to say.

Throughout camp, Demercado has been a common occurrence subbing in for starter James Conner during first-team work.

It’s only been one day of pads, the story went on to say, but Demercado's pass-protecting ability, which earned him valuable playing time as a rookie, has been on display early on. The story went on to say keeping Murray upright is crucial to a successful season, and it’s clear the Cardinals are liking what Demercado is bringing to the table so far. It went on to say behind Conner and Demercado, Carter got first crack at second-team reps, with rookie Trey Benson subbing in for the veteran. Given the draft capital the team paid for Benson, it should only be a matter of time before he starts to make a move up the depth chart.

Panthers placed veteran RB Rashaad Penny on the reserve/retired list Tuesday. The 28-year-old Penny played five years for the Seahawks and spent last season with the Eagles.

Related players: Jonathon Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders

Penny barely saw action last year with the Eagles coming off a strong half season with the Seahawks back in 2022, this was despite the Eagles need for a bigger, bruising back. This season in Carolina, Penny was likely well behind the rookie Brooks, Hubbard and Sanders in the Panther backfield.

Taysom Hill has never had a clearly defined position during his eight seasons with the Saints, and he won’t have one this year either.

“He’s gonna do a lot of stuff. He’s gonna run routes from in line, out wide, out of the backfield, he’s going to block, he’s going to run the ball out of the backfield, I think he’s going to do a lot of stuff. He’s going to line up at the quarterback position at some point in time. I think he’s an awesome weapon to have,” Allen said.

Of all the tight ends, Hill’s fantasy value depends most on the scoring format in question. In standard scoring, he was the TE7 last year. In half-PPR and full-PPR, he was the TE10 and TE15, respectively. With a new offensive coordinator (Klint Kubiak) in town, Hill’s role is very much up in the air. Hill said that he had a “positive” conversation with Kubiak about his new role, so he seems like he’ll be content with his usage. Of course, Hill is not even TE-eligible in some leagues, but that’s where we rank/project him since that’s the only real position that he’s startable.

During an appearance on NFL Network Monday, Cooper Kupp said that his good health and the chance to work out with quarterback Matthew Stafford has him feeling primed for a return to his desired form.

“I feel good. We got a lot of good work in this offseason,” Kupp said. “The best thing about this last year was just being able to feel healthy and have a full offseason of work, not just for myself in terms of working out and building my body back up but also having that time with Matthew, being able to get on the field and work through things together.

The key for Kupp has been his ability to get a normal offseason under his belt. Kupp ended the 2022 season on injured reserve and then started the 2023 season the same way, which has helped make it feel like it’s been even longer since he was the NFL’s offensive player of the year, the story said. The story added this offseason has been a lot smoother for Kupp. He returned from a hamstring injury to play 13 games last year and he’s been able to work without any health concerns since the Rams’ season ended against the Lions in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said on 1053 The Fan that veteran RB Royce Freeman has “really impressed.”

“We were just talking about it last night at the scout dinner, ‘What in the hell was he doing sitting around out there?’ An interesting guy to just have been sitting there. He’s a great 2-3 combination in terms of what he can do as a backup. He’s a big, thick guy. And he’s a hell of a special teams player as well. He’ll be a good addition and great complement to (Ezekiel Elliott). And then we’ll let these young guys between (Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis) and those guys battle it out.”

The post said the Cowboys were surprised Freeman was available when they signed him to a one-year deal in April. This could be just talk, but the thought by many was the Zeke and Dowdle would be the Cowboys 1-2 punch at running back. However, the comment by Jones indicates that Freeman could have a much bigger role. For those of you in dynasty leagues, and Freeman is on the wire, he may be worth picking up just in case.

"Nothing against Elijah Mitchell, but Jordan Mason runs at a very high level." - 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan on Mason earning reps at RB2 when Christian McCaffrey isn't in.

Related players: Isaac Guerendo

Guerendo is going to miss some time at camp and with the rookie out of action, it could mean the RB2 role ends up going to Mitchell or Mason. Mitchell struggles to stay healthy at times, but has excelled in the starting role before. It could just be coach-speak about Mason, but it's also worth paying attention to, especially if you're looking to handcuff McCaffrey this season.

Troy Frankin's been coached pretty vocally and pretty hard out there.

You see flashes here and there, but I don't think he's likely to be starting, let alone a big part of the plan this year.

Related players: Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims, Tim Patrick

Sutton, Mims and Reynolds are probably the starters with Patrick first man off the bench, Albright went on to say in his post. Franklin has been a popular later-round target in dynasty formats but it doesn't appear he's going to have re-draft value just yet.

It has been a bit of a slow start for Brian Thomas Jr., but he looked the best he has all camp on Monday.

Related players: Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis

The story went on to say there are still areas of his game that have to be ironed out, but it is clear that when the Jaguars let Thomas do what he is best at, he can make plays. Thomas has a chance to jump right into the team's WR2 role behind Kirk, however, Davis is lurking on the depth chart as well. Thomas is 36th on our WR list and is a middle-round target for those looking to add him.

Steelers WR Roman Wilson has been coming out of his shell at training camp. He stacked great days over the weekend, making his best catch as a pro on Sunday, and he seems to be developing some rapport with Fields and Kyle Allen.

Related players: George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III

The story said it hasn’t been a secret that Wilson didn’t have a great OTAs and minicamp with the Steelers. Wilson has a chance to win the Steelers WR2 role and likely just needs to pass Jefferson to do so. Austin, who was also listed in the story as a camp "winner" will be in the mix as well. Wilson is a third round pick from this past spring.

Lamar Jackson told reporters on Monday that he was dealing with a “bug” that he’s finally been able to shake.

“I feel wonderful,” Jackson said. “Good to be back. Back out with my guys, back with the coaching staff.”

Jackson missed four of the team's first five practices and but said he felt he remained “locked in” and that his “mind was still in it” while he was off the field, so he doesn’t feel he has a lot of catching up to do now that he’s working again, the story said.

WR Jacob Cowing (hamstring) will likely be out approx 10 days total

RB Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) will be out several weeks.

Related players: Elijah Mitchell, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Jordan Mason

It's always tough for rookies when they miss time in camp. Guerendo was said to be battling for the RB2 spot with the often-injured Mitchell. The Niners traded up to get Guerendo who was having a nice spring. Meanwhile at WR, the team got back Pearsall today but Cowing was trying to work his up with the depth chart as well.

With Saquon Barkley out today at practice, beat reporter Zach Berman wrote it's clear the Eagles love Will Shipley's skill set in the passing game.

Related players: Kenneth Gainwell

Berman went on to say the Eagles used Shipley a lot in the slot during the spring, and he was one of the top backs in this year's draft in terms of receiving ability. Despite having D'Andre Swift last season, the Eagles didn't use their RBs much in the passing game as they traditionally have over the last many years. However, that could change this year with new OC Kellen Moore.

First day of pads has some good news for the 49ers: Ricky Pearsall is in pads and practicing today.

Related players: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Jacob Cowing

It's good news Pearsall is back in the lineup for the 49ers. Aiyuk has been a hold-in so far at camp, so this is a chance for Pearsall to get some valuable work. The Aiyuk situation could be an interesting one as some say he could still be moved if the team can't get a deal done with him. If that happens, Pearsall's value could soar as a result. And that would also open the door a bit for Jennings and another rookie, Cowing. Assuming Aiyuk does return, Pearsall could be looking at a WR3 role.

One week into camp, it continues to look like Jacoby Brissett will be the Patriots' starting QB Week 1.

Related players: Drake Maye

Other outlets have said Brissett is having a great Monday at camp so far today. Graff's post went on to say, "Maye's future is bright. All the traits are there. But Brissett entered with a lead in the race for QB1 and has been better so far." On top of that, others reported things were moving a bit fast for Maye today. It looks like Brissett is on pace to start the season as the QB.

While Nick Chubb is on Cleveland’s physically unable to perform list, the running back has been making steady progress in his return to the field.

Reporters on the Browns beat have taken note of Chubb’s work on the side, with the back putting in some sprints after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 last year.

Related players: Jerome Ford, D'Onta Foreman, Nyheim Hines

The Browns say they are pleased with the work Chubb has put in, as well as the progress he's made. The story added Chubb still has a little ways to go. Perhaps also key was the team hasn't put a timetable on Chubb's return, saying it's a day-to-day progress. So for now, owners are left to wonder what they'll see from Chubb this season. We rank Chubb 37ths on our RB list. But if Chubb can get back to practices during camp, it could mean a huge boost in value for those who already drafted him as the 37th RB off the board. The Browns brought in Foreman to pair with Ford as insurance in case Chubb can't return to form. And even if he's ready for Week 1, he'll likely be eased back in.

The Rams drafted running back Blake Corum with the idea that he’ll be an immediate contributor as the backup to Kyren Williams. Early in training camp, they’re liking what they’re seeing.

Rams running backs coach Ron Gould says Corum is getting a lot of reps with the starters in camp because he deserves them.

“This is something that is earned,” Gould told theRams.com. “And I think he’s done a fabulous job of coming in, learning the system, and when we’re asking him to go in, he’s ready to go. He’s been a pro’s pro. He’s a young man that is very passionate about the game. He cares, he studies it, he rewrites his notes, he’s asking a lot of a lot of great questions. So these are the things that I’ve seen. And then he’s got in in practice, and he’s executed at a very high level.”

This could be one of the bigger stories to follow this offseason and right into the season - how much time will Corum take away from Williams. But as our own John Paulsen points out, Williams owners may not have too much to worry about. Williams was the RB2 on a per-game basis while handling 21.7 of the team’s 28.0 backfield touches in his 12 games played. Even if his touches fall to the 18.0-19.0 range–or 64% to 68% of the team’s backfield touches–he’s still looking at 16.5-17.5 (half-PPR) fantasy points per game. That would have been good enough to remain the RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey.

As part of the changes after last year’s poor finish, the Eagles hired Kellen Moore to be their offensive coordinator, replacing Brian Johnson.

In a press conference over the weekend, Moore noted that quarterback Jalen Hurts has been “really smooth” in operating the offense early on in training camp.

Moore is now Hurts’ third OC in the last three years, following now Colts head coach Shane Steichen and Johnson. Hurts has the weapons around him to succeed, as well as his rushing ability, and as a result is ranked second on our QB list heading into drafts. Reports out of Eagles camp have said the offense looks different vs. last year with more motion and more creativity overall. Despite the team's struggles in the second half of the season, Hurts was still the QB2 last and the QB3 in 2022.

Greg Dulcich is back on the field at the outset of training camp and has wasted little time reminding observers why he can be an impact player if he’s on the field. If he can just, at long last, stay healthy.

Like in a Saturday red zone drill, where he hauled in a touchdown in the back corner of the end zone on a pretty throw from Bo Nix.

“Each day you’re seeing a glimpse and you are seeing plays,” head coach Sean Payton said. “Most importantly for the player, you’re seeing his confidence. … That’s really player growth. You can’t wish for that. It can’t be false confidence. It’s generally earned and it’s from accomplishing something. I think we’re seeing that with Greg.”

Dulcich has been missing for the Broncos quite often over the last two seasons. It seems like a long time ago he was the talk of dynasty leagues for his potential at the position. He only played in two games last season and didn't make it through either game. Dulcich has mostly been plagued by hamstring and foot injuries. He can certainly be had later in drafts if you want to take a chance on him as he's just 42nd on our list.

I preface this by saying, yes, I know it’s very early, but …

Malik Nabers has that special quality the Giants have not had since Odell Beckham Jr.: he demoralizes defenses.

Stapleton went on to say he thinks Nabers might be better at the top of his routes than OBJ was as a rookie. He added that it could be the case that even though Nabers is covered, he's still open. Nabers was obviously hyped during the draft so he continues to prove his ability at camp. Some even considered him the top WR prospect, ahead of Marvin Harrison. Nabers is ranked 27th on our WR list heading into drafts, but has some things working against him with the Giants.

But before Matthew Judon and Co. dominated team periods, the Patriots’ young pass-catchers finally flashed. Javon Baker badly beat Christian Gonzalez, the Pats’ best corner, for a reception in 1-on-1 coverage drills. Later, Baker collected an over-the-shoulder grab at full speed to clinch the play of the day.

Kayshon Boutte bested Gonzalez, too, for a disputed catch deep downfield in the same drill. Seventh-round rookie tight end Jaheim Bell also extended for a 1-handed effort over safety Kyle Dugger during 1-on-1s, and second-round rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk pocketed three receptions in team periods.

Related players: Drake Maye

The story said overall the defense won the day, but that's to be expected. The story added these flashes are the moments the team will point to as progress, especially with a new coaching staff, and a rookie QB in Maye. The story added the coaches will study practice film like game film, "determining whether these flashes are peeks into their future or mirages born from the summer heat," the story added.

Head coach Shane Steichen said that that the team will not ask Anthony Richardson to run the ball less often and owner Jim Irsay said on Sunday that he’s on board when it comes to wanting Richardson to play his game rather than limit himself due to the risk of injury.

“I really don’t,” Irsay said, via Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star. “That tackle that happened, it could happen at any time. It’s a physical game. He has to seize the opportunity to use his feet when he can and protect himself as well. He knows that."

Richardson’s ability to make plays with his feet as well as his arm is a big reason why the Colts drafted him early in the first round in 2023, so it’s not surprising that they still want that to be a part of his game, the story went on to say. Richardson is ranked sixth on our QB list entering the season, despite playing just two full games. While we may not know everything about Richardson yet, he flashed the ability of fantasy stardom with seven touchdowns in about 2.5 total games of action last season.

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase missed his fourth straight day of practice to bring camp.

Chase continues his “hold in”. He is at camp, just not participating in practice as he seeks a new contract following the market explosion this offseason, including Justin Jefferson getting $35 million per year on his new deal. Chase is set to make just under $5 million this season and about $21 million next season on his fifth-year option. The Bengals also have Tee Higgins playing on the franchise tag this season after the two sides didn’t reach a long-term agreement this summer.

Jordan Love and the Packers have agreed to a 4 year $220M contract, that makes him the highest paid QB in NFL history. He also gets a record $75M Signing Bonus plus $155M in new full guarantees.

The Packers offensive ascension went into overdrive in the second half of last season and now Love feels like a locked-in QB, regardless of what WR rotations they decide on. Nearly everyone on that side of the ball is young, making the sky the limit for the Franchise QB.

Bengals signed former UFL St. Louis Battlehawks standout WR Hakeem Butler.

Butler was a fantasy wonder dream coming out of college with his size/speed combination but never quite caught on. If he makes the team he would (once again) be an interesting Dynasty stash in deep leagues.

The 'Fins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with $167.1 million guaranteed,.

Tua should be considered a fringe QB1 until Tyreek Hill hits an age cliff, which doesn't seem to be anytime soon. This locks the QB with Mike McDaniel, making him valuable in Dynasty as well.

When the Cardinals signed veteran Zay Jones in the off-season, it created competition for second-year receiver Michael Wilson. But Wilson ran with the starters and led that group with three receptions. He is aiming to build off a rookie season in which he had 38 catches and 565 yards on 58 targets

Tight end Trey McBride and rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. are likely to absorb most of the Cardinals' target share, but if Wilson is playing over Jones, there still might be enough left to make him fantasy relevant. He is currently ranked as the WR60 on 4for4.

Malachi Corley still has a “long way to go” with his route running, Robert Saleh said. The next two weeks will be good for him because he’ll see extra reps with Xavier Gipson hurt (leg injury).

Extra reps are certainly not a bad sign, but it's still up in the air how much fantasy usage the rookie will have in 2024. If Gipson were to miss extended time —with Mike Williams' availability still up in the air— Corley could scoot up fantasy rankings a little bit.

Lions K Michael Badgley is out for the rest of the season after tearing a hamstring during practice Thursday and the team deciding to place him on injured reserve.

The team is set to work out kickers, so no word on who the team is bringing in yet.

Panthers signed former Buccaneers wide receiver Deven Thompkins, who spent the past two seasons with the Buccaneers, where he was with Carolina HC Dave Canales.

Related Players: Ihmir Smith-Marsette, David Moore, Terrace Marshall

Thompkins could have a long road to make the team after being released by the Buccaneers earlier this offseason. The former Utah State Aggie was taken as a UDFA in 2022, and has 35 total targets through his first two seasons.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that QB Russell Wilson is dealing with a calf issue that he woke up with and he’s considered day-to-day. Justin Fields took the first-team reps.

A murky situation continues to get murky, and it's unlikely to clear up any time soon. Wilson was reportedly the shoo-in as the lead guy through times this summer, but if Fields ends up shining with his opportunities, we can imagine that sentiment flipping. We'll keep an eye on the situation, but neither QB is an obvious click in fantasy as it currently stands.

The Broncos signed WR Courtland Sutton to a restructured contract that can pay him up to $15.2 million this season, including $1.5M in new incentives.

Sutton reported to training camp on time, and Denver sweetened the deal for one of its team leaders.

Related Players: Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims, Tim Patrick, Troy Franklin

After a year-plus of trade rumors, the Broncos have locked in their WR1. Sutton is the clear clubhouse leader to top the team in targets, but everyone behind him is still a question mark, including Franklin, who played with QB Bo Nix in Oregon.

The best-case scenario, in my opinion, would be if Jelani Woods puts together a huge training camp and earns the starting job. The 25-year-old missed all of last year due to repeated hamstring injuries and revamped his body this offseason in hopes of staying healthy. If Woods can remain on the field, he’s the one tight end on Indianapolis’ roster who has all of the physical tools to be a constant mismatch, while creating explosive plays and blocking well enough to stay on the field.

Related Players: Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree

The Colts once again have a huge swath of tight ends on the roster, but we have to assume those names will be pared down by the 53-man roster cuts. Woods had a literal 10/10 RAS score while coming out of the 2022 NFL Draft, setting a record for the highest score out of the 997 tight ends who tested between 1987-2022. He can be a legit fantasy asset if he's the clear-cut TE1, and should be on streaming radars if that ends up being the case.

The Colts’ most intriguing position battle throughout training camp will be at wide receiver, with Alec Pierce and rookie Adonai Mitchell battling to secure the third spot alongside Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs.

Boyd surmises that Pierce may have "plateaued", which gives us insight into why the Colts targeted Mitchell in the second round of the NFL Draft. Even if the rookie wins the job, Mitchell's place in redraft leagues is iffy at best. He currently ranks outside the top-80 in 4for4's rankings.

The potential is definitely there for Dalton Kincaid to be one of their top targets in 2024. However, from the looks of things on the first day of camp, those expecting Kincaid to usurp the full-time role from Dawson Knox this year and push the veteran tight end into a backup may have their hopes dashed.

Buscaglia continued, "So while it’s fine to believe Kincaid can better his very strong rookie season output in 2024, it’s important to note his role went back to early season levels after Knox’s return from injured reserve last year."

This definitely isn't *good* news, but we have to remember what the state of the wide receiver room is in Buffalo at the moment. Kincaid can still shine while rotating with Knox, but does he have the top-3 upside we thought he had going into Year 2? Maybe not.

After missing the past few days of practice due to a stomach virus, Lamar Jackson returned today.

Related Players: Josh Johnson, Devin Leary

There's probably no predictive value in this, but it sure seems like Jackson gets sick more than any other NFL player. Regardless, if he's on the field, he's a locked-in top-3 option at the position and should be treated as such in your fantasy drafts.

Colts GM Chris Ballard told reporters that QB Anthony Richardson will be a full go during training camp. “I'm not expecting any limitations right now,” Ballard said.

Related Players: Joe Flacco

We're not expecting anything to keep Richardson off the field come Week 1, making him a possible top-5 QB option in fantasy football.

While they moved quickly to sign Tony Pollard in March, they don’t project the former Cowboy will play a similar role to the one that Travis Henry filled in Tennessee. Last year’s third-round pick Tyjae Spears is also on hand and head coach Brian Callahan made it clear on Tuesday that he expects both players to see plenty of time in the offense this season.

“The fun part for me is: How are we going to deploy those guys?,” Callahan said, via the team’s website. “Maybe they both play at the same time, maybe one gets hot and you let him run, maybe we just rotate back and forth. I don’t know what that’s going to look like yet. But they are both going to play quite a bit of football for us, and I don’t view either one of them as a starter or a back-up. They are both starting players to me.”

Not exactly what fantasy owners want to hear. The statement makes a lot of sense and probably shouldn't come as a surprise. However, many consider Pollard and Spears to be of the same mold. As you would expect, the expectation of both players seeing lots of time puts a hit on their rankings. We have Pollard ranked 32nd and Spears 34th, with Pollard's ADP in the 8th round and Spears' the 9th round. Hopefully we get a better feel by the time fantasy drafts come around, but it looks like both players could be Zero RB targets for those using that approach.

The Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford have come to an agreement on a reworked contract, avoiding a holdout to begin training camp.

We reported Monday that although things were quiet on both sides about a potential deal, Stafford was expected to show up to camp today. The story said head coach Sean McVay announced the agreement at his Tuesday press conference. McVay was scheduled to speak hours before his presser actually began, but he was part of the meeting between the Rams’ brass and Stafford’s representation, finalizing the new deal.

Running back Alvin Kamara left the Saints’ mandatory minicamp early last month because of issues with his contract that have not been resolved, so his status for the team’s training camp in Irvine, California has been up in the air for the last month.

Saints veterans reported to camp on Tuesday and, per multiple reports, Kamara is among them.

The next question will be whether Kamara will practice with the team on Wednesday or if he is holding in by reporting to avoid the fines he’d incur by holding out, the story said. It went on to say Kamara is due a salary of $10.2 million this season and is under contract for 2025, but has a cap hit of over $29 million and is not due any guaranteed money.

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said Tuesday the team's three quarterbacks, including rookie Bo Nix, will open training camp getting equal time with the starting offense but offered no guarantee how long that rotation would last.

Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson split the work with the starting offense during the offseason program and will split the work initially when the team begins its training camp practices Wednesday.

Payton made it clear if one of the quarterbacks earns more work with the starters early on, he will get more. Nix, of course, is the rookie selection from this past spring and reports say he had a good spring. The story added Payton had lauded Nix's maturity, decision-making, accuracy and composure throughout the Broncos' offseason program.

While he’s still seeking a new contract and has requested a trade, receiver Brandon Aiyuk will not hold out.

Per a report from NFL Media, Aiyuk is reporting to training camp.

Related players: Deebo Samuel, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Jacob Cowing

Aiyuk, 26, is slated to make just $14.124 million in 2024 on his fifth-year option. The No. 25 overall pick of the 2020 draft, Aiyuk has demonstrated throughout the offseason that he would like to receive a new contract from San Francisco or be traded to another team willing to give him a new, lucrative deal. But to this point, the 49ers have not expressed a willingness to sign Aiyuk to the deal he desires or move him to another team, the story went on to say. The 49ers drafted Pearsall and Cowing this past spring, but Pearsall is starting camp on the NFI list, according to reports.

The Browns and star WR Amari Cooper have agreed to a restructured one-year contract, guaranteeing his $20M and adding an additional $5M, per multiple sources.

Cooper earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection last season after a career-high 1,250 receiving yards and 5 TDs, and is poised to be the team's WR1 again this season. Last year, in his ninth season, Cooper set career-highs in receiving yards per game (83.3) and yards per reception (17.4) en route to a WR14 finish. He was the WR9 in 2022. Cooper is entering his 10th season, which is when receivers’ production tends to fall off of a cliff, per Ryan Heath’s excellent Age Curves study. Cooper’s splits with and without Deshaun Watson were similar, so that’s not much of a concern. Cooper’s career-highs last season are reason to be optimistic that his production won’t fall off too much in 2024. His WR27 ADP seems like a solid value given the age discount.

49ers TE George Kittle dropped to 214 pounds — a 30-pound loss — after his core muscle surgery (he wasn't able to work out).

Kittle is now fully healthy and back to 240-243 pounds, the rest of the tweet said. Last season, Kittle averaged 5.1 targets per game in 14 games with Deebo Samuel, and saw 18 targets in the two games Samuel missed. In the six games that Samuel has missed over the last two seasons, Kittle has averaged 5.2 receptions for 84 yards and 1.0 touchdown. He’s basically THE fantasy TE1 when Samuel is out and just another TE1 when Samuel is active. Keep in mind that Kittle is entering his age-31 season, though his advanced metrics are still elite.

49ers rookie WR Ricky Pearsall injured his hamstring. Because it happened away from the facility, he is — by rule — on the NFI list instead of the PUP list.

Related players: Jauan Jennings, Jacob Cowing, Ronnie Bell, Chris Conley

GM Lynch anticipates Pearsall will miss the "first block" of training camp practices — which means the first four sessions, according to the rest of the post. Jennings has been the next man up for the Niners for the last couple seasons, but the rookie Cowing could be an interesting name to watch as well.

Matt LaFleur said he didn't think rookie RB MarShawn Lloyd (hip) would be out too long. He said probably would miss the next couple of days.

Related players: Josh Jacobs, A.J. Dillon

Lloyd has impressed in spring and it appears he'll be the team's RB2 behind Jacobs once the season gets started. Dillon is likely the third option and while reports say he's in great shape, Lloyd looks like the back you want to own as a backup to Jacobs.

Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco says that he worked to get more flexible.

Related players: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Deneric Prince

Goldman also added in his post that Pacheco worked with the wide receiver coach as well, which could be an indication of more targets in 2024. We currently rank Pacheco 11th on our RB list and project him for 45 receptions this season. The Chiefs really didn't address their RB room so Pacheco leads the way over CEH and Prince.

The Bengals would like to get receiver Ja’Marr Chase signed to a second contract at some point, though it’s unlikely to happen this season.

It’s become more and more clear, however, that the team is planning to move on from Tee Higgins after 2024.

Related players: Jermaine Burton

Higgins signed his franchise tender in June and the two sides unsurprisingly did not reach a long-term deal by last week’s deadline. On Monday, Bengals owner Mike Brown noted the salary cap when explaining why Cincinnati has not signed Higgins to an extension, the story went on to say. For those in dynasty leagues, or for those who just like to look ahead, the rookie Burton could be the one who eventually slides into the WR2 role if in fact the Bengals move on from Higgins after this season.

The Colts have left their top tight end role open to Jelani Woods, and if his offseason work to reshape his lower half can create a sustainable year, he could break out in the biggest of ways with a play designer like Shane Steichen and a downfield quarterback like Anthony Richardson in a run-heavy, play-action-heavy offense.

It's the second-straight day for Woods hype. On Monday, we reported the Colts could use a lot of three-TE sets this season, but it would be Woods who has the biggest upside and the potential to break out. As this story pointed out, it's not hard to picture Woods excelling on Steichen's tight end screens, in the run-pass-option game and up the seam when safeties commit to Michael Pittman Jr. Woods is just 29th on our TE list, and while he could climb as we get closer to drafts, it looks like he should be available late in fantasy drafts this year for those who want to take a chance on that breakout.

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye made steady progress throughout the spring, suggesting he could begin pushing veteran Jacoby Brissett for the starting role as early as Week 1. Maye's physical skill set passed the initial eye test, with the arm talent, size, and athleticism of a modern quarterback, which is what made him an intriguing option at No. 3 overall.

The other angle from a starting quarterback perspective is that the Patriots signed a bridge in veteran Jacoby Brissett. The idea was to have the option to ease Maye, or whoever the Pats drafted, into things rather than throwing them into the fire on a rebuilding team. There's an argument to be made that Brissett should start initially, buying time for the pieces around the quarterback to solidify themselves before Maye takes over.

The story did say, "there were moments when Maye was the best quarterback on the field during minicamp and OTA sessions. He made his fair share of in-rhythm throws, displaying improving footwork and timing within structure, while his deep ball accuracy was as advertised based on his college film." The story went on to say, "the next step for Maye is to continue building on the good habits he developed in the spring."

Looks like Puka Nakua, Cooper Kupp and a bunch of other Rams players reported to camp last night, but QB1 (Matthew Stafford) wasn't one of them...

All eyes on No. 9 today.

Today is the actual day Ram players are required to show up for camp, so Stafford could still arrive today. Stafford, of course, would like a contract extension and both sides have been silent. Another beat writer, Jourdan Rodrigue, pointed out that Stafford did take part in camps all spring, so there is little reason to believe he won't show up for the start of training camp.

Rico Dowdle, an undrafted, 26-year-old running back, functioned as the Cowboys No. 2 running back behind Tony Pollard in 2023 at the age of 25, but in 2024, there's the chance he may end up leading Dallas in carries in the regular season.

"Definitely, he's had a good off season, looks great," HC Mike McCarthy said at Cowboys OTAs on May 30. "You know, I think just like anytime these guys have a chance to really hone in their training. So, Rico's done an excellent job there. Very comfortable [with him]. He's very, very bright, very instinctive football player. So, he's definitely one of the the lead lead guys in the room as far as his experience here, but also his understanding of the offense."

Related players: Ezekiel Elliott, Deuce Vaughn

Dowdle was listed among five potential Cowboys breakout candidates for this coming season. Dowdle compared his running style to Elliott's, just smaller in size, and he believes he is more of an all-around RB. In the story, Elliott said he views himself as a starter but also wants to keep himself fresh for a stretch run and potential playoff run, meaning Dowdle could get significant work in the offense. The Cowboys RB situation is just one of many things to keep an eye on this offseason.

A contract extension for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase may not be imminent, team president Mike Brown indicated Monday.

At the team's annual media luncheon, Brown was asked whether negotiations will continue into the regular season. While the longtime head executive said, "opportunities can arise unexpectedly" and the team is open to agreeing to a deal if it is right for the club, conditions aren't currently ideal to sign Chase to a contract extension as veterans prepare to report for camp on Tuesday.

Related players: Tee Higgins

Both Chase and Higgins are looking for new contracts. There have been a few reports out about Chase today, and earlier there was one that said the team will "bend over backwards" to keep Chase in Cincy. Brown added Chase is "the next one" to get signed and "he knows that," however it doesn't sound like it will happen soon.

Jelani Woods missed all of the 2023 season due to hamstring injuries, but he offers something none of the other tight ends have shown, an impressive size-speed combination that could make him a devastating downfield target.

Indianapolis will likely use at least three tight ends heavily on offense this season.

Related players: Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Adonai Mitchell, Alec Pierce, Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor

Pittman and Downs are the team's top-two WRs with rookie Mitchell and Pierce also battling it out for time. Granson led the way at TE last year but as the story said Woods has the potential to bust out. The use of three TEs certainly indicates the Colts are going to be run-heavy this season. However, any of the team's TEs could be passing options as well in that formation, so the situation is worth monitoring this summer.

QB Sam Darnold will take the majority of first-team snaps when camp opens, Kevin O'Connell reiterated.

Related players: J.J. McCarthy

Darnold was expected to be the bridge quarterback when the team signed him and also drafted McCarthy in the first round. McCarthy should also see first-team reps, but it seems like the Vikings are sticking with Darnold as the QB1 plan, at least early on in the season.

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell announces T.J. Hockenson will be placed on the PUP list to start training camp.

Related players: Josh Oliver, Robert Tonyan

This comes as no surprise. However the Vikings say Hock is well ahead of schedule at this point. Hockenson is likely to be eased back into action when he does return later in the season, and will also be dealing with another new QB at the helm. As we point out, Hockenson will be just 7 months and 10 days out from his injury at the Week 1 mark.

Zac Taylor just told the Bengals local media that QB Joe Burrow has been fully cleared for contact

Paul Dehner added in a similar post that Burrow, and the rest of the starters, will get playing time this preseason, according to Taylor. The post added Taylor said he will continue to be proactive in easing Burrow through camp with eyes on being in top form closer to season.

Jordan Love will not practice until he has a new deal, Brian Gutekunst says.

Love’s camp informed Packers of that decision Saturday, the tweet went on to say. The move makes sense from Love's side of things, as he's poised for what many think is a huge year after turning the corner last season. The good news, according to the tweet, is Gutekunst says a deal could get done in the coming days. However, that's not a lock as big deals take time. Gutekunst added, “I feel we’re close.”

New York Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones expects to be full-go at training camp next week. He underwent surgery on a torn ACL in November and was not fully cleared in the spring.

The story went on to say the Giants veterans report to training camp on Tuesday. Their first practice is scheduled for Wednesday. Jones, who was throwing and playing without any limitations with 500 kids at his first official football camp, did not suffer any setbacks this summer that would keep him from being ready for Day 1 of training camp. The Giants had him following a plan this spring with their sights set on full clearance by late July. Jones is not expected to start on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, the story added.

This offseason was different for Ravens tight end Mark Andrews.

After missing eight games last season with a severe ankle injury, he said he didn’t feel like himself again until late March or early April. He took up Pilates as he searched for unique ways to get back into form.

His 11 games in 2023 were his fewest as a pro as the veteran dealt with the first long-term injury of his career. The Ravens fared fine in his absence, but the void he left was obvious. Now Andrews, recuperated from the injury, enters his seventh training camp armed with a fresh perspective but the same optimism.

“I feel 100%,” Andrews said. “A lot better than I ever have.”

Related players: Isaiah Likely

Since his rookie season, Andrews has never averaged less than 50 yards per game and has averaged 0.48 touchdowns per game in his last three seasons. If he can play 16 games at those rates, he’s looking at 800 yards and 7.7 touchdowns, according to our own John Paulsen. He's third on our TE list.

Texans OC Bobby Slowik called RB Joe Mixon a "workhorse" in every regard.

Smith had nothing but good things to say about Mixon in this clip. He said he was "fun to coach" and he would love to be used as a passing threat, a blocker, as a decoy or running the ball. He added Mixon knows what it takes to win. If you're high on Mixon this year, he's currently 17th in our RB rankings, coming off the board in the fourth round, so you'll certainly get your chance.

The Texans signed veteran running back Cam Akers Sunday.

Akers was in for a tryout Sunday and came away with a contract. The former Viking and Ram now joins a Houston backfield that added former Bengal Joe Mixon in free agency and still has Dameon Pierce. Devin Singletary signed with the Giants. Akers is recovering from his second torn Achilles suffered last November against the Falcons.

Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed was placed on the Non-Football Injury list Sunday.

The Packers reported for camp Sunday and will hold their first full practice Monday but Reed will not be among those participating. There wasn’t much in terms of an injury for Reed and this could just be a precautionary move by the Packers. Reed is coming off an impressive rookie season with almost 800 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Reed is currently going in the first round on average in 12-team drafts.

The Jets announced Thursday that Mike Williams will begin training camp on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list alongside fullback Nick Bawden and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor.

Related Players: Garrett Wilson, Xavier Gipson, Malachi Corley, Allen Lazard

Locker goes on to state, "In mid-June, head coach Robert Saleh said Williams, 29, likely will follow a similar recovery that running back Breece Hall took last year after his torn ACL, meaning limited snaps until the regular season begins."

With the WR's ADP falling into the 11th round and later, he's worth a stab to gamble on a return to form from Aaron Rodgers.

Nick Chubb will likely be placed on the active/physically unable to perform list next week heading into camp, meaning he can be activated and start participating in team drills if he’s ready and remains eligible for the opener at Cleveland Browns Stadium. PUP players can work out and rehab with the team, but not take part in team drills.

Related Players: Jerome Ford, D'Onta Foreman

Signs are pointing toward a slow build-up for Chubb, which means he's not likely to see a full workload (or any at all) to begin the season. Ford is a fantastic pick in redraft leagues in the 11th round, though his place in the pecking order might be in serious jeopardy by the second half of the season.

The New Orleans Saints have placed TE Juwan Johnson, DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, LB Nephi Sewell and DE Chase Young on the physically unable to perform list, placed T Ryan Ramczyk on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, placed WR Chris Olave on the non-football injury list

In a follow-up tweet, Nick Underhill mentions that Olave is "battling a little back tightness. Not a significant situation and he'll be fine." It seems like this is more precautionary than anything. We'll keep an eye on the situation as we get through training camp.

The Packers placed Zach Tom and Tucker Kraft on the active/PUP list to begin training camp. They both tore pectoral muscles in the spring, but Matt LaFleur didn’t expect them to miss much of training camp, if at all.

Related Players: Luke Musgrave

It doesn't seem like this will keep Kraft off the field by the time the regular season rolls around, but Musgrave may have already taken over the TE1 role by then. With how many young, ascending wide receivers Green Bay has, this tight end competition is likely to negate either TE for fantasy purposes, though each will be on streaming radars if the other misses any time.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence on Friday near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the California Highway Patrol confirmed to NFL.com on Sunday.

Related Players: Justin Jefferson, Brandon Powell, Trent Sherfield

With the details still a little murky, it's hard to say if there will be any sort of suspension handed down from the league. Reportedly, Addison was found sleeping behind the wheel, blocking lanes of traffic. This would be the second legal issue the receiver has faced in as many offseasons. We'll keep an eye on this story as it develops.

I see Gus Edwards as the clear lead back. The secondary touches are open for competition, though if J.K. Dobbins is healthy, I think he wins that job. Edwards was nursing an injury in the spring, but according to Harbaugh, he should be ready for camp.

Related Players: Kimani Vidal

"If he's healthy" is what we've been saying throughout the entirety of Dobbins' career. He has sadly had multiple major lower-body injuries, and the Chargers signed him to a very minimal contract. Vidal remains an interesting late-round fantasy addition for an L.A. team we are expecting to run the ball a ton.

Dak Prescott gives an update on why he was recently wearing a walking boot. He says there’s “absolutely nothing” wrong with his ankle.

Related Players: Cooper Rush, Trey Lance

The QB dismissed concerns about his surgically-repaired ankle, writing off soreness due to a couple hard practices. It seems like the boot was more precautionary than anything, but it's a situation we'll keep an eye on.

Similar to Kadarius Toney, Moore had a disappointing 2023 season and finished the season with a knee injury. Also similar to Toney, Moore needs to reestablish his role within the offense, whether as a primary slot receiver or a trusted all-around receiver, such as seven-year veteran Justin Watson.

If Moore is released or traded on cutdown day, it would create $1.29 million in salary-cap space for the Chiefs with less than $500,000 in dead money, according to Over the Cap.

Related Players: Justyn Ross, Mecole Hardman

The former second-round pick has had a difficult time carving out a role in Kansas City, hauling in only 43 receptions across his first two seasons. Undraftable in typical season-long leagues, Moore would be a Dynasty drop as well if he leaves one of the best offensive situations in the NFL.

Bucs have said they’ll use Chris Godwin in the slot, after shifting him outside last year with an eye on avoiding injuries. It’s the role Cooper Kupp had with the Rams when Coen was there.

Related Players: Mike Evans, Trey Palmer, Jalen McMillan

Godwin had been around the 70% slot range over the previous three seasons before logging only 37% of his snaps from inside last year. If he returns to that role in 2024, we might not see a ton from rookie Jalen McMillan to begin the season. Through four years at Washington, McMillan lined up in the slot nearly two-thirds of the time, including a 92% rate in '22.

Godwin's explosive games have lessened recently, but he still makes an intriguing low-end WR3 in fantasy.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, spotted here in a protective walking boot, is dealing with a very minor foot sprain and has been for a few days. It’s not considered to be anything that should affect his preparation for 2024.

Related Players: Cooper Rush, Trey Lance

A walking boot doesn't sound especially "minor", but we'll keep an eye out for updates over the next week. Former first round pick Trey Lance could be an interesting stash for deep Dynasty leagues where he remains on the waiver wire.

We all know the elephant in the room with Brandon Aiyuk. The Steelers need a top-level wide receiver to pair with George Pickens and have been linked to Aiyuk for months now. Whether it’s conjecture or something to it, we will never know unless general manager Omar Khan pulls off a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. It doesn’t look like a sure bet. But with Khan, there’s always a chance.

A trade for Aiyuk would obviously lower Pickens' value, but probably the former's as well. No one is confusing Arthur Smith for Kyle Shanahan.

This hypothetical would do wonders for Deebo Samuel, Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle.

It is too early to know which direction it will head, but as the Patriots are currently on break before their first training camp practice July 24, one thing can be decisively stated about Polk's initial work: His toughness and relentless mentality reflected well on the culture Wolf and Mayo hope to create.

Related Players: DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Kendrick Bourne, Javon Baker

Reiss would later remark that Osborn, Douglas, and Polk could be the team's "top three targets if everyone is healthy." It's an interesting group to target, considering we have no way of knowing exactly how things will shape out. Douglas and Polk make for great late-round dart throws.

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports that Lamb is not expected to report to training camp in Oxnard, California if he has not come to an agreement with the team on a new pact. The Cowboys hold their first training camp practice on July 25.

Related Players: Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, Ryan Flournoy

A little extra work for third-year Jalen Tolbert would be promising after he finished his first two seasons with a combined 24 receptions. While we don't expect Lamb to miss any regular season time, we'll keep an eye on the situation.