Atlanta Falcons reporter Joe Patrick writes that Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was the most impressive pass-catcher of the group in terms of volume and ability early in training camp. As camp progressed, Pitts' volume changed and he was catching balls on shorter routes at times. The biggest change is that it seems he's not the player used primarily to stretch the field vertically like he was last year. New quarterback Kirk Cousins also has better anticipation than the previous QBs Pitts has worked with and can deliver the ball in ways that allow for more run-after-the-catch opportunities for Pitts. Last year, Pitts was hampered by injuries and he looked much better in camp this summer. Most fantasy football pundits are expecting a bounce-back year for the 23-year-old in 2024 with Cousins in the fold as a midrange TE1.

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Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz is listed as the team's starting tight end on the depth chart entering Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Behind Ertz, the Commanders have listed John Bates as the No. 2 and rookie Ben Sinnott as the No. 3. It confirms the idea that Sinnott is merely a dynasty/keeper stash in 2024. The 33-year-old Ertz is no longer the fantasy stud he was in his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he'll enter the regular season as Washington's top pass-catching tight end on a team that lacks experienced receiving depth for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Ertz miss most of last year with a quadriceps injury with the Arizona Cardinals, but he could be a sneaky TE2 rebound candidate if he stays healthy this year in Kliff Kingsbury's offense. At best, Ertz could be peppered with targets as a security blanket for Daniels.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that rookie third-round wide receiver Roman Wilson (ankle) has already worked in practice this week and that he's optimistic that Wilson could be available to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday versus the Atlanta Falcons. Despite missing most of training camp and all of the preseason, the 23-year-old Wilson has a shot to suit up this weekend for his first NFL game. Fantasy managers obviously won't want Wilson anywhere near their starting lineups in deeper leagues, mainly because of the fact that he hasn't had much time in the offense yet. We should have a better idea of his status for Week 1 once the team releases their official injury reports later this week. To open the year, Wilson will likely be the WR4 in Pittsburgh behind George Pickens, Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III.

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Updating a previous report, left tackle Trent Williams, an 11-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, agreed to a long-term contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday to end his holdout, according to sources. The move puts Williams in line to play in the team's Week 1 regular-season opener next Monday night against the New York Jets, which is excellent news for all of San Fran's offensive weapons, most notably quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey (calf). The 36-year-old Williams held out for all of training camp, accruing more than $4 million in fines for missing every practice and all three preseason games. He had been owed $20.05 million this year under the six-year, $138.1 million deal he signed in 2021. Williams ranked as the best pass-blocking tackle last year with a 95.8% pass-block win rate.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that running back Jaylen Warren (hamstring) has already practiced this week and the head coach is optimistic that Warren will play in Week 1 on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Warren said that he practiced on Monday and that he plans on playing this weekend as well, so fantasy managers should feel confident that they'll have him available in the season opener, even if he's listed on the first official injury report on Wednesday. The 25-year-old will continue to operate in a timeshare with Najee Harris in the Steelers' backfield, but Warren proved last year that he can be a pretty reliable weekly RB3/flex for fantasy managers despite sharing touches with Harris. Warren finished as the RB25 last year in half-PPR scoring with 784 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 149 carries while adding 61 catches for 370 yards through the air.

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Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones is optimistic about having a standout season, crediting the team's training staff for potentially preparing him for the best year of his career. Jones noted that he feels the "I'm ready to have the best year of my career" heading into a new season, thanks in part to a 30-45 minute "prehab" routine given to him before practices. Despite his impressive durability in the previous four seasons, where he played 62 of 66 games, Jones missed six last season due to hamstring and knee injuries. Once he was healthy, he made a significant impact, surpassing 100 rushing yards in his final five games and helping the Packers nearly advance to the NFC Championship Game. During that stretch, Jones carried the ball 102 times for 584 yards, becoming a crucial part of the offense. While it's important not to overvalue Jones based on past performance alone, he remains a strong RB2 option in fantasy leagues if drafted at the right price. For added security, consider pairing him with his backup, Ty Chandler, in the later rounds of your draft.

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Trent Williams, an 11-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle, and the San Francisco 49ers are working to finalize a deal. Williams returned to the Bay Area Monday night after an offseason absence from the team. While there are still a few details to address, the deal is expected to be completed this week, aiming for him to be ready for the Week 1 opener next Monday night against the New York Jets. In 2023, Williams was the top pass-blocking tackle in the NFL with a 95.8% pass-block win rate. The 49ers averaged 6.05 yards per carry when running to the left side behind Williams, compared to 4.45 yards per attempt on other runs. Last season, Williams missed two games, played through an injury in another, and had only 12 snaps in a meaningless Week 18 game against the Rams. The 49ers were 0-4 in those games but 12-1 otherwise. His presence is crucial for the 49ers' offense, particularly for running back Christian McCaffrey, the consensus top overall pick in fantasy.

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Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey (calf), who has been sidelined with a strained calf for most of training camp, is anticipated to return to practice on Tuesday. Although the team won't release a detailed injury report on his participation until Thursday, his return to the field is a promising sign of his availability for the season opener. McCaffrey has been limited to side-field workouts in recent weeks, but it appears he can join team drills as the 49ers begin their Week 1 preparations. Injuries have been a concern for McCaffrey in the past; he played only ten games combined during the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Carolina Panthers. However, he has rebounded strongly, playing all 17 games in 2022 and 16 games last season. In 2023, McCaffrey led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards, added 564 receiving yards, and scored 21 total touchdowns, earning him the Offensive Player of the Year award. While McCaffrey seems on track to be ready for Week 1, it's wise to draft his backup, Jordan Mason, as a precaution. Mason will become a must-start running back if McCaffrey misses any time.

From RotoBaller

Carolina Panthers linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (illness) did not practice on Monday as he deals with an illness. This shouldn't be a major concern early in the week, but his status is worth monitoring when the team is required to release their first official injury report of the season on Wednesday. Clowney signed a two-year, $20 million contract to join the Panthers this offseason following a 9.5-sack season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has had an up-and-down 10-year career with the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and Ravens, but he is productive at times and is tasked with helping replace Brian Burns, who was traded to the New York Giants.

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye is expected to be named the starter at some point during the 2024 NFL season, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. While Jacoby Brissett gets the nod Week 1, Howe expects that the Patriots will turn to the No. 3 overall pick at some point this year. He notes that "the variables between the team's record and the line's performance have made it a guess as to when that would happen." In other words, if the Patriots get off to a hot start, the Patriots may ride with Brissett. Similarly, if the offensive line can't do a good job in pass protection, the Patriots may play Brissett in order to preserve Maye's health. Once he does take over as the starter in New England, Maye will be a high-end fantasy QB2.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell impressed during the preseason and is trending toward being the team's primary slot receiver when the regular season kicks off this week, according to fantasy football analyst Jared Smola. Indianapolis spent a second-round pick on the Texas product, and it now appears he's poised to start in place of the injured Josh Downs (ankle). Even with a starting role, Mitchell might not be worth deploying right away in fantasy football. He's still behind Michael Pittman Jr. in the receiver room, and he'll also lose some opportunities to rushing threats Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson.

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Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis looked efficient during his first preseason in the NFL. Although the Kentucky product was held to just two yards in the first week, he bounced back with an impressive 58 yards on eight carries in the second week, good for an average of 7.3 yards per carry. He also caught three passes for 19 yards throughout the preseason. The Bills held Davis out of their final preseason game, a real indication that they have plans to use him down the stretch in 2024. He's not the fastest player, but there's a real chance that he can be more productive around the goal line than James Cook. With real touchdown upside, Davis should be viewed as a potential RB3/FLEX play with RB2 upside if Cook gets hurt.

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers did not play any snaps alongside quarterback Gardner Minshew II during the preseason, according to fantasy football analyst Jacob Gibbs. This is significant because Minshew was named the Raiders' starting quarterback, and it would have been ideal for Bowers to get some game action with him before the regular season kicked off. That wasn't the case, but there's still time for them to establish a rapport during practice leading up to Week 1 and early in the regular season. Bowers is still a generational talent at tight end and should be treated as such. He's a first-round pick in dynasty leagues and a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end in redraft leagues.

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Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze had plenty of opportunities to establish a connection with quarterback Caleb Williams during the preseason. According to fantasy football analyst Jacob Gibbs, Odunze was the Bears wide receiver who spent the most time on the field with Williams during the three preseason games even more than veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. This bodes well for Odunze's stock in 2024 as he's already started to get on the same page with his quarterback, a fellow rookie. The No. 9 pick will still have to compete for targets with Moore and Allen, but he's trending in the right direction. Odunze should be drafted in all fantasy leagues and will open the year with low-end WR3/FLEX upside.

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New York Giants CB Adoree' Jackson is a candidate to return punts if WR Gunner Olszewski doesn't play in Week 1, head coach Brian Daboll said on Monday, Sept. 2.

From TheHuddle

Updating a previous report, Free-agent RB Leonard Fournette (Bills) worked out for the Indianapolis Colts on Monday, Sept. 2.

From TheHuddle

Los Angeles Chargers DE Joey Bosa (hand) was no longer wearing a club on his surgically repaired hand at practice Monday, Sept. 2.

From TheHuddle

Los Angeles Chargers WR DJ Chark Jr. (undisclosed) was not on the field during the media access portion of practice Monday, Sept. 2.

From TheHuddle

Free-agent WR Phillip Dorsett (Broncos), WR Jahcour Pearson (XFL) WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (Panthers) and WR David Wallis (Patriots) recently worked out for the New Orleans Saints.

From TheHuddle

Cincinnati Bengals rookie offensive lineman Amarius Mims (pectoral) returned to practice on Monday. The Bengals' O-line has struggled in recent years, which led to Mims being drafted 18th overall in 2024. Mims is not currently listed as a starter, but he should be an important rotational piece. The Bengals still have the No. 21 PFF-ranked O-line in the NFL. Should Mims perform as expected, he will surely boost that ranking. With quarterback Joe Burrow having dealt with various injuries throughout his career, the health of Mims is something to monitor.

From RotoBaller