Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce, who will enter the 2024 season as the backup to new lead back Joe Mixon, has looked good early on in training camp. Pierce was more decisive on his runs on the first day of camp on Saturday and could form a strong 1-2 punch with Mixon if he continues to look this good once the pads go on and to open the regular season. The 24-year-old former fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Florida nearly ran for 1,000 yards in just 13 games in his rookie season in 2022 before disappointing in his sophomore year in 2023 and losing the starting job to Devin Singletary. Pierce could excel with Houston moving to an outside-zone scheme, but as long as Mixon stays healthy, he probably won't be anything more than a handcuff option in fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

The Jacksonville Jaguars placed defensive lineman Arik Armstead (knee) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Saturday. Armstead is not ready to practice with the rest of the team for the start of training camp after he had surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee this offseason. Barring a setback in the 30-year-old's recovery, though, Armstead could be activated from the PUP list and be ready to go for the start of the 2024 regular season in Week 1 in September. The former 17th overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2015 out of Oregon racked up 302 tackles (177 solo), 33.5 sacks, 43 tackles for loss and 88 QB hits in his nine seasons with the Niners before joining the Jaguars this offseason. He played in only 12 regular-season games in 2023 and had just 27 tackles (15 solo) and five sacks.

From RotoBaller

The Athletic's Daniel Popper thinks Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers Joshua Palmer, rookie Ladd McConkey and DJ Chark Jr. will start in 11 personnel packages to begin the 2024 season. McConkey was mostly playing the slot in spring practices, Palmer can play inside and outside, and Chark fits as a true X receiver due to his size, speed and contested-catch ability. Palmer could emerge as quarterback Justin Herbert's top target because he's already established rapport with Herbert and is the most complete receiver in the Chargers' receiving corps. But McConkey is extremely refined as a route-runner and will push for targets immediately. As of right now, it looks like former first-rounder Quentin Johnston is the No. 4 after displaying poor route-running and key drops in his rookie campaign. Palmer has plenty of opportunity in 2024 and is worth a late-round flier as a fantasy sleeper.

From RotoBaller

The Denver Post's Troy Renck believes that Denver Broncos running backs Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine are competing for one roster spot in training camp and the preseason this year as the Broncos look to improve what was a very lackluster rushing offense in 2023. Williams is entering his fourth NFL season and averaged 3.2 yards per carry over the final 10 games last year. The poor efficiency could be attributed to it being his first full season coming off a serious knee injury, and he looked bigger and stronger this spring. Perine is a trusted third-down weapon that excels in pass protection. Rookie Audric Estime is going to make the team, and if he really impresses, it could put Williams' spot in jeopardy. We'd be surprised if the Broncos outright cut Williams, but it's a reminder of how far his fantasy stock has fallen after he had RB1 upside heading into the 2022 season.

From RotoBaller

The Carolina Panthers placed veteran outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quadriceps), offensive tackle Yosh Nijman (undisclosed), outside linebacker Amare Barno (knee) and wide receiver Jalen Coker (undisclosed) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Friday. Wonnum had surgery on his left quadriceps muscle in December, so it's not a big surprise that he won't be ready for the start of training camp next week. It remains to be seen if he'll come off the PUP list before the start of the 2024 regular season, but if he does, the 26-year-old should be a starting edge rusher for Carolina on the opposite side of Jadeveon Clowney. The former fourth-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 out of South Carolina tied his career-high with eight sacks in 15 games (14 starts) in 2023 and also recorded a career-high 62 tackles (33 solo) while adding seven tackles for loss, 15 QB hits and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.

From RotoBaller

Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich basically has already said that rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd won't ride the bench like AJ Dillon did as a rookie. Lloyd brings shiftiness and explosiveness to the position, a much different element than Dillon brings, and it was evident during offseason practices. The Packers will want to see more of that from Lloyd in training camp this summer, as well as an ability to pass protect and catch passes. Head coach Matt LaFleur likes his backs to be well-versed in all aspects of the position. Josh Jacobs is the clear lead back for the Packers heading into the 2024 season, so Lloyd may be left to the waiver wire in standard 12-team leagues, but the third-rounder's combination of power and speed make him an intriguing big-play threat. Playing time and fumbling issues could be Lloyd's biggest obstacles as he heads to the next level.

From RotoBaller

Two-time Pro Bowl safety Eddie Jackson reached an agreement on Friday with the Baltimore Ravens on an undisclosed one-year deal, according to sources. Jackson scored six defensive touchdowns for the Chicago Bears in his six years with the organization and will now bring his talents to Baltimore's secondary in 2024. The 30-year-old was selected by the Bears in the fourth round (112th overall) in the 2017 NFL draft out of Alabama and made the Pro Bowl in two straight seasons in 2018 and 2019, his second and third seasons in the league. He was released by Chicago in February and should serve in a backup role behind Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton in his first year with the Ravens. Jackson has racked up 459 tackles (355 solo), two sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 15 interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), 44 pass breakups, 10 forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries (three for TDs) in 100 career starts.

From RotoBaller

The Chicago Bears are working to formulate a plan for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams some reps in the preseason this August. The Bears will play their first preseason game on Aug. 1 against the Houston Texans in this year's Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. The Bears want to give the No. 1 overall pick ample action in preseason games and have been discussing it since the spring. Chicago believes the reps Williams gets in practice against the Bears defense will also be valuable, and they'll also have a joint practice with the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 15. The former USC QB is hoping to learn the team's offense "as fast as possible" as he heads into his first NFL season as the starter in Week 1 this fall. The 22-year-old was clearly the most NFL-ready signal-caller in the 2024 draft class and could have low-end QB1 fantasy value in the right matchups in his first year with the Bears.

From RotoBaller

The Carolina Panthers placed running back Jonathon Brooks on the Active/NFI list on Friday night. The rookie, who suffered a torn ACL in November while with his collegiate squad, can be activated at any time. However, he will be forced to miss the first four contests if he isn't cleared to play before the 2024-25 campaign starts. Brooks, the No. 46 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, began his career behind Bijan Robinson at Texas. But after taking over as the lead option in 2023, he ran for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns off 187 touches, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. At any rate, Brooks will likely be brought along slowly once he's healthy enough to return to the field. Although he could work his way to the top of the depth chart at some point, he may not make an immediate impact for fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Running back Kenyan Drake announced his retirement on Friday. The 2016 No. 73 overall pick played for five teams after entering the NFL, making stops in Miami, Arizona, Las Vegas, Baltimore, and Green Bay. Throughout his career, he established himself as a legit dual-threat back, amassing 3,866 rushing yards and 1,655 receiving yards while totaling 41 touchdowns in 104 regular-season contests. Although Drake wasn't as potent near the end of his time in the National Football League, he still had more than a few productive years for fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has requested a trade. Dynasty Analysis: This saga continues to have more twists and turns than a summer ice cream cone. In the end, this much is cleawr - Aiyuk wants his money and doesn't care who gives it to hijm. Under contract for 2024, this is going to put San Francisco in a tight spot. They clearly don't have the salary cap room to accommodate Aiyuk but also won't just give away a player they still have under contract. In short, this is a mess. All dynasty managers can really do is wait and see what happens as Aiyuk's dynasty value is in total flux.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

The Chicago Bears placed veteran tight end Gerald Everett (undisclosed) on the Non-Football Injury list on Friday. The Bears didn't give a specific injury for Everett, but he did injure his knee in the Week 18 regular-season finale with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 30-year-old is now in Chicago in 2024 and will serve as a backup at the position behind Cole Kmet when he's healthy, which will make him unattractive in the vast majority of fantasy leagues. The former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 has only gone over 500 receiving yards once in his career and has never scored more than four touchdowns in a single season, so his upside was already limited. In 15 games (12 starts) for the Bolts last year, Everett hauled in 51 of his 70 targets for 411 yards and three touchdowns. It remains to be seen if Everett will even be ready for the start of the regular season.

From RotoBaller

New Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon said he sees himself having a heavy workload with a role that he's been preparing for in his first year in the Texans' offense. As long as Mixon is able to stay healthy, he will be Houston's clear lead runner after finishing fifth in the NFL in carries with 257 in 17 games in 2023 in his final year with the Cincinnati Bengals. The 27-year-old racked up 1,034 rushing yards on his 257 carries, which ranked in the top 10 in the league at the position, although his 4.0 yards per carry left a lot to be desired. Mixon is probably going to need to be more efficient as a runner in his first year in Houston to finish as an RB1 in fantasy, because fantasy managers probably won't be able to count on him being as involved in the passing game for the Texans as he was in Cincinnati. But in Houston's ascending that is led by impressive second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, Mixon should at least be a strong RB2 target in fantasy drafts.

From RotoBaller

The Seattle Seahawks placed seven players on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday, including starting right tackle Abraham Lucas (knee), who had knee surgery after the end of the 2023 season. In addition to Lucas, the Seahawks placed linebackers Jerome Baker (wrist) and Tyrel Dodson (undisclosed), cornerback Lance Boykin (undisclosed), safety Jerrick Reed II (knee), linebacker Drake Thomas (knee) and nose tackle Cameron Young (undisclosed) on the PUP list. Lucas, 25, missed 11 of the team's 17 games in 2023 due to his knee injury and now won't be ready for the start of training camp practices next week. However, he can be taken off the PUP list at any point during camp and still has a chance to be a part of Seattle's starting offensive line in Week 1 of the regular season.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Vikings No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy signed a four-year, fully-guaranteed rookie contract on Friday that is worth $21.85 million and also includes a $12.71 million signing bonus and a fifth-year team option, according to sources. McCarthy won a national championship at Michigan in his final season in college and is now hoping to be the Vikings' next franchise signal-caller, although it won't come right away. Former first-rounder Sam Darnold is fully expected to open the year as the starter under center in Minnesota, with McCarthy learning on the sidelines. Most evaluators don't see a ton of upside in McCarthy at the next level, but it doesn't mean he won't be making some starts later on in the 2024 campaign. McCarthy can be avoided in single-year fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

The New Orleans Saints put tight end Juwan Johnson (foot) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday. It means that Johnson won't be ready to join the rest of the team in practices for the start of training camp next week after he had surgery for a foot injury that he suffered in minicamp this offseason. However, the 27-year-old should work off to the side for the start of camp and still has a shot to be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season in Week 1 this fall. If Johnson is limited or out to begin the season, Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill will have more opportunities to catch passes at the tight end position in the Big Easy. Johnson took a step back in 2023 with quarterback Derek Carr at the helm, catching 37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (11 starts). When healthy, he checks in as a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE2 in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears TE Gerald Everett (undisclosed) was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list on Friday, July 19.

From TheHuddle

Houston Texans RB Joe Mixon is preparing for a heavy workload, he told reporters Friday, July 19.

Fantasy Spin: Mixon should have a strong workload enough to give him the floor of an RB2 in fantasy with some touchdown upside given the strength of the Texans offense.

From TheHuddle

Dallas Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks was on the same page with QB Dak Prescott during OTAs and minicamp this year, according to The Athletic's Jon Machota, who noted that their connection particularly stood out on deep balls and it was clear the duo had spent a full year working together.

Fantasy Spin: Machota opined that Cooks, if healthy, was capable of an "800- to 1,000-yard season with double-digit touchdowns" as the clear No. 2 receiver in Dallas. Cooks has struggled the last two years, but prior to that he'd topped 1,000 yards in six of his previous seven seasons. Entering his age-31 season, Cooks figures to be available late in drafts where he might deliver nice value as a reclamation project.

From TheHuddle

Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb (knee) is expected to be placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list when training camp begins.

From TheHuddle