ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Las Vegas Raiders first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers is going to be difficult to keep off the field in 2024. Bowers has been as advertised as a playmaker in training camp while also proving stouter as a run-blocker than anticipated. His versatility has been evident early on. Michael Mayer will be a factor at the position, but Bowers seems inevitable. "Brock is different," head coach Antonio Pierce said. "He's a tight end, because that's what he's labeled as, but he can play all over the field. ... He's even more special with the ball in his hands." The 21-year-old was easily the best TE prospect in this year's draft class and figures to have low-end TE1 value immediately in fantasy as a safety blanket for either QBs Gardner Minshew or Aidan O'Connell. It's possible Bowers will be the team's second leading receiver behind Davante Adams.

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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Stefon Diggs are among the team's healthy starters that will play in the second preseason contest on Friday on the road against the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers. Stroud and the rest of the starting offense were held out of last week's Hall of Fame game against the Chicago Bears, but they'll get some action in the second preseason game. The 22-year-old Stroud and the rest of the starters that play on Friday will likely only play for a couple of drives, at the most, but it will give us our first look at his connection with new wideout Diggs in a game setting. Stroud's marvelous first NFL season in 2024 has vaulted him into midrange QB1 status in fantasy circles, especially after the addition of Diggs this offseason. Diggs, meanwhile, will see his fantasy stock fall in a new environment in which he'll have more competition for targets.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers activated running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (undisclosed) from the Non-Football Injury list on Friday after he passed a physical. Patterson will now be able to join the rest of his teammates in practice at training camp. The 33-year-old followed Arthur Smith from Atlanta to Pittsburgh and will most likely serve as the team's kick returner on special teams. The former 29th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2013 out of Tennessee produced a career-high 695 rushing yards and eight touchdowns for the Falcons in 2022 but fell back to Earth big time in 2023, seeing 50 carries for only 181 yards. In Pittsburgh's backfield, he's third on the depth chart behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren and will most likely be used sparingly as more of a gadget player when he's not returning kicks.

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The Minnesota Vikings acquired cornerback Nahshon Wright from the Dallas Cowboys on Friday in exchange for cornerback Andrew Booth, according to sources. The trade is pending physicals on both players. Wright was taken in the third round (99th overall) by Dallas in 2021 out of Oregon State and produced just 37 tackles (27 solo), an interception and five pass breakups in 32 games (three starts) in his first three years in the league. The 25-year-old defensive back figures to be a backup at cornerback in Minnesota behind Shaquill Griffin in his first year in the NFC North. Booth, a second-round selection (42nd overall) in 2022 out of Clemson, will also likely be a backup in his new home in Dallas. The 23-year-old has 20 tackles (19 solo) and one pass breakup in his first two years in the NFL in 23 games (two starts).

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said on Friday that rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix will start the team's second preseason game next week at home against the visiting Green Bay Packers. Jarrett Stidham, who opened training camp as the starter on the unofficial depth chart, is starting the preseason opener at Lucas Oil Stadium this Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Stidham entered the offseason with a leg up in the QB competition this summer, mainly because of his experience last year in Payton's offense. It doesn't mean he'll be starting in the Week 1 season opener in Seattle against the Seahawks, though, and both Stidham and Nix have been splitting first-team reps in camp to this point. Stidham may be the safer game manager to begin the year for Denver, but the Broncos drafted Nix in the first round for a reason. Neither QB profiles as anything more than a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues this year.

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The San Francisco 49ers announced on Friday that they released tight end Logan Thomas. It remains to be seen if Thomas' release has anything to do with a hamstring injury that kept him out of some training camp practices in the last week. He was set to serve as depth at the tight end position behind All-Pro George Kittle after signing a one-year deal this offseason, but now he'll be looking for an opportunity elsewhere. Eric Saubert will now be the primary backup at the position in San Francisco for Kittle. Injuries have been the story of Thomas' career for the most part and have kept him from reaching his true potential. The 33-year-old did manage to play in 16 games in 2023 in his final year with Washington and caught 55 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced on Friday that quarterback Jarrett Stidham will start the team's preseason opener on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium against the hosting Indianapolis Colts. Rookie first-rounder Bo Nix will start the second preseason game next week in Denver versus the Green Bay Packers. Nix will also appear after Stidham leaves the game on Sunday, with Zach Wilson following Nix. Stidham opened training camp atop the team's unofficial depth chart and has had the edge to win the starting job to open the 2024 regular season, mainly because of his experience in Payton's offense from a year ago. Stidham and Nix have split first-team reps at camp, and if Nix outperforms Stidham in the preseason, there remains a chance that the rookie could start in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. Whoever wins the job in Denver will be a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues, at best.

From RotoBaller

The San Francisco 49ers have made a renewed effort in recent days to strike a long-term deal with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, according to sources. The situation is fluid and other teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, are still in the mix. But now a return to San Fran appears increasingly possible. Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz writes that Aiyuk had a sit-down meeting with head coach Kyle Shanahan and others in the organization where "some open and candid thoughts were expressed." There is optimism Aiyuk won't be dealt now after it looked like the two sides relationship was fractured beyond repair just a few days ago. The likeliest landing spots for Aiyuk are Pittsburgh and Cleveland, and both locations would most likely be bad news for his fantasy value in 2024. If the 26-year-old former first-rounder stays in the Bay Area, he'll be a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 target in fantasy.

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Dynasty | Falcons wide receiver Rondale Moore has sustained a knee injury and is out for the season. Dynasty Analysis: He's already been placed on IR, so this is official. Moore was hoping for a fresh start with the Falcons this season after never really breaking out in Arizona. Unfortunately, he fell behind Ray-Ray McCloud early in training camp, then went down with this injury in practice. It's a tough break for Moore, who is going to be a tough hold in a dynasty league. Meanwhile, Darnell Mooney and McCloud likely get a short-term bump as a result.

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Dynasty | Free agent wide receiver Robby Chosen has signed with the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: The player formerly known as Robbie Anderson (and briefly as Chosen Anderson) will attempt to make the 53-man roster, though that could prove tough as he's bounced around the league in recent years. The news here may be the fact the 49ers are improving their depth chart in the hopes they can move Brandon Aiyuk here soon. Stay tuned.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock (oblique) is dealing with a bad bone contusion and strained oblique from Thursday's preseason game against the visiting Detroit Lions in East Rutherford. He's expected to miss some time, but no surgery is required. Head coach Brian Daboll said the Giants could potentially add another QB with Lock sidelined a bit. With that said, Lock will have about a month to recover if he wants to get back in time to back up starting signal-caller Daniel Jones for New York's regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Sep. 8 at MetLife Stadium. As for next Saturday's preseason contest against the hosting Houston Texans, it's fair to expect Jones to make an appearance in the first quarter before third-stringer Tommy Devito replaces him and soaks up the lion's share of the remaining snaps during exhibition play.

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If the Atlanta Falcons stick to their plan, quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) will enter the regular season without any game action this year. Cousins did participate in the joint practices on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Miami Dolphins, but he's unlikely to suit up during the preseason. Head coach Raheem Morris is fine with where the signal-caller is at in his recovery from last season's torn Achilles and believes Cousins will be ready for the regular-season opener, which is set for Sep. 8 against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Although Cousins will be 36 years old by the time the season starts and is coming off a serious injury, he was playing at an MVP level before going down last year, throwing for 291.4 yards per game with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight starts for the Minnesota Vikings. Treat him as a fringe QB1/2 to begin his first season with Atlanta.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is unlikely to play in the preseason, but if they had to play a regular-season game, he said he'd be ready. "I'm going into Year 9, I've had a lot of experience," Prescott said Thursday. "I think all of that carries into my confidence to say I could play a game right now." The Cowboys held a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, and Prescott looked sharp in his team-drill work against the Rams' first-team defense, completing several passes to wide receiver Jalen Tolbert and tight end Jake Ferguson. With All-Pro wideout CeeDee Lamb not practicing, his top target was veteran receiver Brandin Cooks. The 31-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was the runner-up for the NFL MVP Award in 2023, leading the league with 36 passing touchdowns and 410 completions in 17 appearances. Prescott is a midrange QB1 pick in fantasy drafts after the top-tier options are off the board.

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The Philadelphia Eagles plan to play quarterback Jalen Hurts and their starters for a series in Friday's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. It could be more depending upon how the series goes, but the first-team players are at least expected to make an appearance on Friday against the Ravens. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect to see the stars and veterans for more than a handful of snaps, though. With elite rushing upside, Hurts has cemented himself as one of fantasy's weekly matchup-proof QB1 bets entering 2024. Last season, he piled up a ridiculous 44 red-zone carries to go with 15 rushing touchdowns in 17 appearances for the Eagles. The 26-year-old two-time Pro Bowler is now also surrounded by one of the top supporting casts in all of football to bolster his fantasy package.

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The Minnesota Vikings appear unlikely to have starting running back Aaron Jones against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium. He was held out of practice on Thursday for an undisclosed reason, watching from the sideline. It remains unclear what's keeping Jones out of action for the Vikings, but fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned for the time being. Jones is entering his age-30 season during his first year in Minnesota, lining up as the team's lead back and a midrange RB2 option in fantasy to begin 2024 after producing the second-most yards per route run (1.85) at his position among qualifiers in 2023 with the division-rival Green Bay Packers. Additionally, the former Pro Bowler surpassed 115 scrimmage yards in each of his final five appearances of the campaign, including the postseason.

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Dallas Cowboys running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle have both gotten their share of first-team reps in training camp this summer. In the joint scrimmage with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Dowdle looked very good with his opportunities. With that said, it might've been the best day of camp so far for Elliott, who was decisive in his cuts. His burst was on display as well to hit running lanes and quickly make it to the second and, at times, to the third level of the defense. Dallas' backfield is becoming a compelling storyline to watch for fantasy managers entering 2024, and Sunday's preseason opener against the Rams should help provide some clarity on this situation. As it stands, Elliott should be deemed the early favorite to lead Cowboys backs in snaps and carries this season, as his value in pass protection figures to be invaluable, while Dowdle remains a late-round sleeper with plenty of upside.

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The New England Patriots are releasing wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Friday, according to a source. The writing was on the wall all offseason after the Patriots snagged rookie wideouts Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in April's NFL draft. Smith-Schuster was a non-factor for the Patriots last year, even after Kendrick Bourne (knee) tore his ACL, finishing with just 29 catches on 47 targets for 260 yards and one touchdown in 11 games (seven starts). The 27-year-old wasn't targeted at all in the team's preseason opener on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions while playing 11 offensive snaps. He'll look to latch on with another organization before the start of the 2024 regular season, but even if he does, he'll likely be off the fantasy radar. The release of Smith-Schuster is good news for Jalen Reagor and KJ Osborn as they look for roles in New England's receiving corps.

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ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner will be a factor in the offense this year, considering his strong training camp and Michael Gallup's retirement. The Raiders were counting on Gallup for 40-plus catches in 2024, so that production will now go elsewhere. "All of a sudden he's had a great offseason and is getting plays at wide receiver and he's flashing -- balls down the field, plays across the middle, screens," head coach Antonio Pierce said of Turner. "He's got a thick body, built like a running back, so hopefully we can get some YAC out of him." The 27-year-old will be competing for the WR3 role with Tre Tucker behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. Unless Adams or Meyers miss time with an injury, Turner will most likely be off the fantasy radar in this offense.

From RotoBaller

The Las Vegas Raiders themselves aren't expecting a juggernaut offense with either quarterbacks Gardner Minshew or Aidan O'Connell running the show. "We're probably not going to be, to be honest, a juggernaut offense," head coach Antonio Pierce said. "Would I love to be? Yeah. To sit here and say we're going to score 30 points a game, that's not realistic." Pierce has deemed the QB battle at 50-50 right now, with both Minshew and O'Connell to play one quarter each over the first two preseason games before a winner is announced. Minshew is good when the pocket breaks down, while O'Connell can deliver accurate balls in the pocket. Neither signal-caller will be much more than a low-upside, low-end QB2 in fantasy, and the winner of the battle will likely come down to who takes better care of the football.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has "really, really, really stepped up his game" in Year 2 with the team, according to head coach Antonio Pierce. "Since the offseason, he's been lights-out," Pierce said. Things couldn't have gone much better for Meyers in his first season with the Raiders in 2023, especially considering the quarterback situation, as he finished with 71 receptions (106 targets) for 807 receiving yards and a career-high eight touchdowns in 16 starts. He also rushed for two scores. The 27-year-old pass-catcher is almost certainly going to face touchdown regression in 2024, especially since he'll be working with either O'Connell again or newcomer Gardner Minshew. Meyers' numbers in the other receiving categories could also take a step back after the addition of rookie pass-catching tight end Brock Bowers.

From RotoBaller