San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk appeared on The Pivot on Friday. Of course, the topic of his contract with the team was addressed. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported a few days ago that both sides had a "good meeting." However, that may not be the case. "Throughout this process, there have been times when we're super close," Aiyuk said during the podcast interview. "There's days and times, like in the past month or so, where you could say we're pretty far apart." The wideout indicated that both sides were closer to an agreement when the negotiation process began. But recent deals for other wide receivers around the National Football League changed things. Aiyuk finished the 2023-24 campaign by amassing 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. He's also demonstrated his durability, missing just one regular season game in the last three years. The 26-year-old is entering the final season of his current deal, so his value to the other 31 teams in the NFL will increase if he continues to produce. Nonetheless, Aiyuk's fantasy stock is at an all-time high heading into the 2024-25 campaign, even though he'll share a field with Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride enjoyed a solid season in 2023, hauling in 81 of his 106 targets for 825 yards and three touchdowns. He finished as the TE7 in PPR leagues, and he was the TE3 from Week 7 on after Zach Ertz was placed on Injured Reserve. However, Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing believes the best is ahead for the young tight end. "I certainly feel like he has another level that he can take his game to," Petzing said. "And we're gonna push him to try to get him there." The 24-year-old could enter the elite tier of fantasy tight ends in 2024, and many view him as the dynasty TE2 behind Sam LaPorta. McBride's ADP in 2024 FFPC best ball drafts places him as the third tight end off the board, and although he will compete for targets with Marvin Harrison Jr., he has overall TE1 upside.

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The Baltimore Ravens signed free-agent wide receiver Keith Kirkwood on Friday, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic. Kirkwood took part in mandatory minicamp on a tryout basis earlier this offseason and performed well enough to earn a roster spot ahead of training camp. The 2018 undrafted free agent out of Temple has played in 30 total games for the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints and has racked up 24 receptions for 294 yards and three touchdowns. He has also played significant special teams snaps during his career.

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Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick missed seven games last season due to injury, and it was the first year dating back to high school that he recorded zero interceptions. In 2024, Fitzpatrick and the Steelers are expecting a return to his ball-hawking ways. "The biggest thing is as coaches, our job is to try to get all of our guys in the best position as possible so they can play as well as they can and play up to their abilities," defensive coordinator Te Teryl Austin said. "And so last year I probably failed in that regard. We tried to have him do too much stuff, and I think I'm going to get back to really what makes him special." Austin's comments signal that the team will give him more freedom this year, which could help him become fantasy-relevant in IDP leagues once again. The former first-round pick out of Alabama scored the third-most fantasy points among defensive backs in 2021 and the 12th-most in 2022.

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Arizona Cardinals second-year pass-rusher BJ Ojulari added 10 pounds and shortened his stride in an effort to impress during his first full offseason in the NFL, and it has worked so far. Ojulari showed an improved set of pass-rush moves that could help him break into the rotation in a deep outside linebackers room in Arizona. He missed time last season because of hamstring and knee injuries that kept him sidelined until training camp. Now that he's healthy in 2024, Ojulari has shown why he was a second-round pick (41st overall) last year out of LSU. In 17 games played in his rookie campaign last year, the 22-year-old produced 40 tackles (23 solo), four sacks, five tackles for loss, six QB hits and one pass breakup for the Cardinals defense.

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The Athletic's Alec Lewis writes that Minnesota Vikings first-round rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy definitely won't be starting in Week 1 of the 2024 regular season, and he probably won't start in the first quarter of the season. There's even a scenario in which he shouldn't be expected to start at all this year, depending on how Sam Darnold fares. It's not a referendum on McCarthy's talent or his minicamp performance, but rather the team's long-term developmental plan for him. If Darnold, a former first-rounder himself, is dominating and winning in his first year in Minnesota, it will make it easy for the coaching staff to keep McCarthy on the sidelines while he learns. But if Darnold is struggling and the team isn't competitive, it will be hard for head coach Kevin O'Connell to quiet the noise for McCarthy. The bottom line is that McCarthy should be avoided in redraft fantasy leagues.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Tyrek Funderburk, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Appalachian State, picked off quarterback Kyle Trask on the first day of mandatory minicamp this month and had a second interception on Day 2 off quarterback John Wolford. "He's a guy that's flashed out of pads," head coach Todd Bowles said. Funderburk still has a ways to go before we're talking about him for a 53-man roster spot, but he'll be a name to watch from Tampa's secondary once the pads come on at training camp at the end of July. It wouldn't be the first time the Bucs hit on an undrafted defensive back, though, as cornerback Christian Izien started as the team's nickel corner in 2023 after going undrafted. Pass-rusher Markees Watts and receiver Rakim Jarrett are also former undrafted free agents that remain on the Bucs' roster.

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Minnesota Vikings second-year wide receiver Jordan Addison produced one of the most notable springs of any Vikings player during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp this offseason, taking full advantage of his first NFL offseason to set himself up for an even better year after impressing as a rookie in 2023. Addison was hurt and missed most of the team's spring workouts last year after he was the 23rd overall pick in the draft. Still, he was one of four players in modern NFL history to record at least 70 receptions, 900 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie campaign. He showed a natural instinct for getting open and developed a reputation for making tough catches as well. Addison has a bright future, but fantasy managers in 2024 may want to temper expectations a bit now that quarterback Kirk Cousins is gone. He's a fine WR4/flex target but could be a bit more inconsistent with Sam Darnold throwing him the pigskin.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton refused to comment on whether he plans to attend training camp, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Sutton, who is still seeking a contract extension but remains in a "stalemate" with the Broncos, admitted he considered skipping minicamp. He remains optimistic about getting an extension signed before training camp begins. "We'll see what happens,'' Sutton said. "We've got a month to be able to get things situated and hopefully things get situated. ... This is where I want to be, this is home, this is where I want to hoist the Lombardi trophy, this is where I want to retire.'' The 28-year-old is coming off a relatively modest 2024 campaign in which he caught 59 passes for 772 yards but did record a career-high 10 touchdowns. With Jerry Jeudy shipped off to Cleveland, Sutton is in line to operate as Denver's No. 1 wide receiver. However, a quarterback room featuring Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Zach Wilson leaves a lot to be desired. Inconsistent quarterback play could keep Sutton in the WR3 tier for fantasy football this year.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles recognized tight end Cade Otton for his durability and willingness to learn multiple systems, according to Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire. "His durability has been outstanding," Bowles recently said. "We've called on him a lot as a rookie. It's hard to believe he's only a third-year guy coming up. His durability has been outstanding and he's had different coordinators each year, so his ability to adapt and learn, He's had different coaches, it's not like he's had the same position coach or had the same offensive coordinator. So, to learn different things and tweak his game to fit what we needed him to do is outstanding." The 25-year-old tight end is looking to build on a campaign in which he caught 47 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns. He's the top tight end in Tampa Bay, and although he'll lose plenty of volume to Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rachaad White, he' still a mid-range TE2 for fantasy purposes.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is an exciting young asset for fantasy football, but since he will share the field with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen while catching passes from a rookie quarterback, his upside in Year 1 could be limited. According to Michael Smith of Pro Football Talk, he is a contender for the team's punt returner role. This could indicate that the team will bring him along slowly as a receiver during the regular season, but it's always a bonus to have additional special teams value. Barring an Allen or Moore injury, it would be a surprise if Odunze finishes as a top-24 wide receiver in his rookie campaign, though anything is possible for an elite collegiate prospect.

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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll earned his opportunity with the organization after one year as Alabama's offensive coordinator and four seasons as the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator. However, assistant coach Mike Kafka ran the Giants' offense in 2022 and 2023. This offseason, ESPN's Jordan Raanan observed Daboll calling plays, with Kafta serving in a complementary role. If Daboll keeps the play-calling duties into the 2024 regular season, it could provide a boost for New York's attack. However, that is far from a given considering the lack of high-end assets among their 11 starts on offense. Daboll is credited with helping Josh Allen develop into an All-Pro quarterback, but Daniel Jones has proven to be limited through his first five NFL campaigns.

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Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler was an elite fantasy football producer for a few of his seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, but last year was disappointing for the veteran and fantasy managers. Ekeler posted 179 attempts for 628 yards and five touchdowns and caught 51 passes for 436 yards and one touchdown en route to an RB26 finish in PPR leagues. He was selected as a top-three running back in PPR formats, so it was far from ideal. However, the former undrafted free agent is confident he will bounce back in 2024. "You're going to get the best version of myself always, no matter what," Ekeler told NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. "There's been this controversy out there, like, 'Oh Austin said he doesn't want 300 carries, 'cause that's what the Chargers said.' I've never had that many carries ever. So, I don't know why everybody's in an uproar. It's not that I don't want to touch the ball. It's the way that I've had the most production is when I'm able to split between catching and running the ball. If I'm healthy, I'm going to be on the field and I'm going to be producing." The 29-year-old is slated to share the backfield with Brian Robinson this season, but as long as he maintains the clear pass-catching role out of the backfield, he should be a weekly flex option in PPR and half-PPR setups. He is usually available after the top 25 running backs are selected.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua came out of nowhere and delivered arguably the greatest season for a rookie pass-catcher ever. The BYU product caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season and posted 181 yards in his first playoff game. However, the Rams believe he's in better shape and could make strides in Year 2. "His body is totally different," wide receiver coach Eric Yarber said. "He looks just like Cooper. He's lost so much body fat and gained so much lean muscle, which enabled him to move more efficiently now. And he has better body control. But he did exactly what I said. And you're seeing some of the results right now." The 23-year-old was a top-four wideout in PPR leagues last season, and it sounds like he's doing the right things to remain a fantasy football WR1. Although he might see some regression with a fully healthy Cooper Kupp, he should maintain his spike-week upside.

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Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes (hamstring) played just 12 games the last two seasons due to injuries, making it easy to write off the 2021 first-round pick as an injury bust who will never work his way back into the starting lineup. However, after battling knee, foot and hamstring injuries, he made it through the offseason program and is poised to win a starting job back in 2024. "I just say this is my story and I'm embracing it," Stokes said. "I'm embracing the full story. I ain't going to feel sorry for myself. At the end of the day, I'm blessed. I'm one of the people in this locker room. I'm definitely blessed just to have a story." It's no surprise that Green Bay declined the 25-year-old defensive back's fifth-year option, but Stokes could re-emerge as a valuable contributor in the secondary this year if he can stay on the field.

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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he's been impressed with defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike's (back) recovery from a back injury, describing him as "having a really good spring." Onwuzurike is looking for a bounce-back season in 2024 after needing spinal-fusion surgery for an injury he suffered in 2022. His strength and explosiveness have shown up during offseason repetitions, and he's hoping to be an asset once again for the Lions defense. The former second-rounder in 2021 has had his development derailed by injuries, as he's recorded just two sacks and made zero starts in his first three years with the team. "Redemption. I got to show people what I can do," Onwuzurike said during mandatory minicamp. "I got to show myself what I can do."

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Washington Commanders safety Darrick Forrest (shoulder) suffered a season-ending fractured shoulder last October is healthy and excited for the 2024 under new head coach Dan Quinn. A fifth-round selection (163rd overall) by the previous regime in 2021 out of Cincinnati, Forrest has played in 30 games (16 starts) for Washington in his three seasons, amassing 124 tackles (78 solo), four interceptions, nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his time in D.C. He went from being a special teams contributor in 2022 to being a key piece of the secondary, but his shoulder injury last year kept him replicating that success in 2022, in which he finished second on the team with 88 tackles and a team-high four picks. Forrest earned the starting safety spot last year before getting hurt.

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It's unclear how much playing time Washington Commanders rookie linebacker Jordan Magee will receive in his first year in the NFL, but the fifth-round pick made a strong first impression during offseason workouts, enough to where a position of weakness the past several years for Washington can now be considered a strength. They already had Jamin Davis but also signed starters Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu in free agency. Because of the newcomers, the Commanders are trying Davis as an edge rusher in 2024. The team likes how Magee played in coverage this spring and they also think he showed he can be an effective blitzer. "He doesn't carry himself like a rookie," defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said. "You would not know that with the way he handles himself, the way he absorbs information. He doesn't [make] a lot of mistakes."

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Carolina Panthers linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quadriceps) is a candidate to begin training camp at the end of July on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Even though Wonnum had surgery on his left quadriceps in December, the Panthers signed him to a two-year deal this offseason. The 26-year-old will not be ready for the start of camp, and his availability for the start of the regular season could also be in question. When he's fully healthy, though, he's expected to be a key pass-rusher at the linebacker position for the Panthers defense. The former fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 out of South Carolina, Wonnum racked up 171 tackles (105 solo), 23 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, 49 QB hits, 11 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown in his first four years in the NFL with Minnesota.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper told a representative from Betr that he's "trying to get paid this year." The 30-year-old continues to skip mandatory minicamp and pay the corresponding fines in order to build leverage as he seeks an extension from the Browns. He's due to hit free agency next year, and while he can presumably cash in on such an opportunity, he remains interested in expediting the process and signing a new deal with Cleveland. Just months removed from a 72-catch, 1,250-yard campaign, Cooper finds himself ranking as a very reliable WR2 option in most fantasy leagues.

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