Minnesota Vikings tight end Robert Tonyan (back) left practice due to back spasms, and his return timeline is still uncertain. If Tonyan's injury proves severe and he misses a significant amount of time, the Vikings' tight end situation could become problematic. T.J. Hockenson (knee) the team's primary tight end, is only seven months removed from an ACL tear in his right knee and is not expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. He is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, with no clear timeline for his return. Typically, recovery from an ACL tear takes 9-12 months. Tonyan was brought in to fill Hockenson's pass-catching role, but without both Hockenson and Tonyan, the Vikings' tight end group consists of Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, N'Keal Harry, and Trey Knox. With limited options at tight end, the focus shifts to increasing targets for critical players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Aaron Jones.

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On his second day back from his pre-training camp hip injury on Wednesday, Green Bay Packers rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd (hip) returned to team repetitions after only doing individual work on Tuesday. It's good news for the 23-year-old as he attempts to learn a new offense entering his first year in the big leagues. While he's going to start the preseason as the team's RB3 behind Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillon, the explosive third-round selection could easily surpass Dillon on the RB depth chart, especially if Dillon continues to look sluggish like he did in 2023. The 5-foot-9, 220-pounder will merely be a sleeper option in deeper fantasy leagues to begin the 2024 season, but as long as he can stay healthy, he should become a bigger part of Green Bay's offense later this year.

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The New England Patriots and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux agreed to a two-year contract extension on Wednesday that is worth up to $21 million and includes $16.5 million in guarantees. The deal was completed by Drew Rosenhaus, Jason Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha. The Miami Dolphins selected Godchaux in the fifth round (178th overall) back in 2017 out of LSU, and the 29-year-old defensive lineman has come into his own the last three years in Boston after spending the first four years of his NFL career in Miami. Godchaux isn't on the IDP fantasy radar, but he's accumulated 81 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, nine QB hits, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in three years for the Patriots. He has not missed a game in his three years with the Pats.

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Dallas Cowboys LB Eric Kendricks (back) did not participate in practice Wednesday, July 31, because of back tightness.

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Washington Commanders WR Damiere Byrd and WR Dax Milne were released Wednesday, July 31.

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Free-agent WR Willie Snead (49ers) signed with the Miami Dolphins Wednesday, July 31. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. The team also waived DT Mario Kendricks.

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters at training camp on Wednesday that his starters will play in the preseason. That means fantasy managers should catch their first glimpse of rookie quarterback Bo Nix under center during the Aug. 11 preseason opener against the hosting Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, but Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson should also see their fair share of snaps this summer. It also means we should get some clarity on the pecking order at running back in Denver. Javonte Williams figures to get the first crack as the Broncos' lead back after Payton praised him during the first week of camp, while veteran Samaje Perine mixes in to try and keep his spot on the roster. The workloads of the speedy Jaleel McLaughlin as well as rookie fifth-rounder Audric Estime will also be worth monitoring.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (undisclosed) is back practicing at Wednesday's training camp. After leaving Monday's practice and missing Tuesday's session, Bateman is back on the field for the Ravens on Wednesday after his undisclosed injury was downplayed. The 24-year-old deep threat will have a chance to cement himself as superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson's No. 3 option in the passing game behind star wideout Zay Flowers and All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews in 2024, but he'll need to do a better job of staying healthy this year after dealing with a Lisfranc injury in the past. After posting a healthy 14.5 yards of average target distance in Baltimore's potent offense last season, Bateman profiles as a post-hype sleeper in the final rounds of 12-team fantasy drafts this summer.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is having a pre-planned rest day at training camp on Wednesday, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. Jefferson's absence from Wednesday's session is simply for maintenance purposes, so fantasy managers don't need to be alarmed. It remains to be seen, however, if Jefferson will take the field for the Aug. 10 preseason opener against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. The 25-year-old All-Pro wideout missed seven games a year ago due to a strained hamstring, but that didn't stop him from putting up over 1,000 yards in just 10 appearances during 2023. After notching the fourth-most yards per route run (2.95) over 364 routes run and sixth-most yards per target (10.7) across his 100 targets, Jefferson is a cinch selection in the middle of Round 1 of fantasy drafts as Minnesota's alpha target.

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New Orleans Saints LB Demario Davis (hamstring) left the Wednesday, July 31 practice early due to an unspecified hamstring injury.

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Entering his fourth season and coming off a new contract extension, New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson looks the part of a franchise running back at training camp. The 26-year-old says he's in great shape, and he's also excited for the offense's future. A big reason for that revolves around new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who is implementing an outside zone scheme for the Patriots' running backs. Stevenson noted that Van Pelt's scheme is the same one he ran in college at Oklahoma. Stevenson showed his potential in 2022, rushing for 1,040 yards along with 69 receptions and 421 receiving yards. Last year, however, he dealt with a thigh bruise and high-ankle sprain before being shut down after 12 games. New England's offense isn't likely to score a lot of points in 2024, rendering Stevenson a volume-driven RB2 option, with Antonio Gibson likely poaching some third-down work.

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The New York Giants had their first day of training camp practicing in pads Monday. That meant an emphasis on the run game, which was a reminder that running back Devin Singletary is going to carry a massive workload this season. Behind him, the Giants have 18 career carries from the rest of their RBs. His success will largely be contingent on the offensive line, but the 26-year-old former third-round pick showed well during his second-half surge in 2023 as the Houston Texans' lead back. Over his final nine outings (all starts), Singletary averaged 17.1 carries for 76.6 yards and 2.3 receptions for 16.8 yards with eight total touchdowns from Weeks 10 through 18. The Giants sport what figures to be a bottom-10 offense once again, however, likely limiting Singletary's fantasy upside on a weekly basis, but he should make up for a lack of high-scoring performances with heavy workloads as a volume-based RB2/3 play.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (illness) returned to practice at training camp on Wednesday. Brown was sidelined for a couple of days due to an illness, but he's back in action at camp on Wednesday. The 27-year-old star wideout registered a pitiful 5.7 yards per target over 101 targets a year ago in the desert with the Arizona Cardinals, badly fading after a hot start and missing four games with a sore heel, but he'll have a great chance to bounce back as a fringe WR2/3 in fantasy drafts with superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2024. After dropping just one pass over his 51 receptions, Brown should at least give the Chiefs' offense some stability this year after it was plagued by receiver drops last year. With the Rashee Rice situation in a state of uncertainty, Brown's ADP could rise or fall based on when or if Rice gets suspended.

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New York Jets defensive back Michael Carter II(ankle) is dealing with an ankle injury, according to head coach Robert Saleh, but he doesn't believe it will be a long-term issue going forward. Carter's impact may get overshadowed at times by New York's vaunted cornerback duo of Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, but he's still an integral component of the Jets' defense after giving up the second-fewest yard per catch (7.7) and yards per target (4.3) among qualifying cornerbacks over 15 games last season. The 25-year-old former fifth-round pick out of Duke has plenty of time to get healthy ahead of the regular season in September, but he may not be ready for the preseason opener on Aug. 10 against the visiting Washington Commanders.

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New England Patriots DT Davon Godchaux agreed to a two-year contract extension worth up to $21 million on Wednesday, July 31, according to his agents. The deal includes $16.5 million guaranteed.

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New England Patriots running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson are locked in as the 1-2 punch in New England's backfield, but it's anyone's guess what will happen behind those two. Kevin Harris has been repping as the RB3 during early training camp practices, but the competition for the RB3 role will be decided in preseason games, where Harris, JaMycal Hasty and undrafted rookies Terrell Jennings and Deshaun Fenwick will likely get most of the snaps. Harris, 23, has had a small role in the Patriots' offense in his first two years in the league, combining for just 34 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns while adding three catches for 58 yards last year. The former sixth-rounder likely has the leg up on the RB3 role, but unless an injury occurs to Stevenson or Gibson, he belongs on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues.

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New England Patriots first-round rookie quarterback Drake Maye has looked like a rookie so far in training camp. Working with a backup offensive line isn't doing Maye any favors, but he's also just 21 years old with only 26 collegiate starts under his belt. The former North Carolina signal-caller is now running a much different offense than he was in college where he's reading out progressions and is tasked with operating in structure. It's going to take more reps for Maye to get his timing down. He looks his best when they get him on the move and he's attacking single coverage on the outside. The jury remains out on whether Maye can eventually be the team's future under center, but for now, Maye continues to adjust to a brand-new offensive system. He's almost certainly going to open the 2024 season as the backup to veteran Jacoby Brissett.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir has been showing that he's a trusted asset for quarterback Josh Allen during training camp practices. Shakir had one of the biggest plays of the day on Tuesday, and it was a reminder of how much Allen trusts him in late-game situations. It started early in Shakir's rookie season, when he was the recipient of an Allen pass late against the Ravens in 2022. Shakir's role grew to a nearly high-snap player last year, and now the stage is set in 2024 for the Shakir-Allen connection to continue. The 24-year-old has been one of the most consistent, dependable players in camp so far. As things look now, Shakir should operate in three-wide sets to open the season in Buffalo, alongside rookie Keon Coleman and veteran Curtis Samuel. In deeper fantasy leagues, he might be worth a flier as a WR4/5 bench asset.

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The Indianapolis Colts continue to rotate rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce with the starters and the second unit in training camp practices. Michael Pittman Jr. is the team's unquestioned WR1, with Josh Downs slated to operate as the No. 2, so as of right now, it looks like Mitchell and Pierce are competing for WR3 duties to open the 2024 regular season. Mitchell, 21, was the 52nd overall pick in April's NFL draft out of Texas and is a physical specimen with speed to spare. From a pure physical standpoint, Mitchell has much more upside than Pierce. It would be a surprise if Mitchell didn't earn the No. 3 job by season's end if Pierce starts the season in that role. Neither pass-catcher will probably be drafted in standard 12-team leagues, but in deeper formats, Mitchell is the better upside bench stash.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has faded into the background at training camp in the last few practices as he attempts to battle for a prominent role on offense in 2024. Valdes-Scantling has yet to make a strong impression in the passing game during team drills, and his opportunities with quarterback Josh Allen and the top unit have dwindled as a result. At one point, MVS was on a side field working with the second and third units, which was more notable with Chase Claypool (toe) out. It's still early, but it's been clear that he hasn't been on of the top five receivers this summer. Second-year wideout Tyrell Shavers has outplayed Valdes-Scantling and offers more versatility. Claypool has also had his moments before getting injured. If the Bills decide to move on, they'd eat $2.25 million in dead cap money.

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