Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) was a full participant in practice on Friday for the second day in a row and is not included on the final injury report for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. There was some panic about Pitts' status this week when he was limited on the first official injury report back on Wednesday, but that concern is now gone and he'll suit up this weekend. The 23-year-old former first-rounder had high expectations coming into the NFL as fourth overall pick in 2021 out of Florida. He responded immediately with a 1,000-yard season in his rookie year, but it came with just one touchdown. Pitts underwhelmed the last two years, but he also hasn't worked with great QBs. Many folks are expecting his fourth season to be his best in 2024 now that QB Kirk Cousins is leading the offense. Pitts should be locked into fantasy lineups in Week 1.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is questionable to play against the New England Patriots due to ongoing contract disputes. Speaking to reporters after practice, Chase said he'd play without his sought-after extension but he feels a deal is close. Coach Zac Taylor said "We'll see" in regards to his star receiver suiting up. Chase sat out of training camp and admitted that he'll be limited if he is active on Sunday. The Bengals' number two receiver, Tee Higgins, is listed as doubtful after tweaking his hamstring in practice. A lack of top options could spell trouble for Joe Burrow's Week 1 projections, but it will mean more opportunities for WR Andrei Iosivas and TE Mike Gesicki. Chase is still a WR1 if he's active but fantasy managers should temper expectations.

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New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson (hip) said his hip responded well during Friday's practice session, and he's optimistic he'll be ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday versus the Cincinnati Bengals, barring an unexpected turn of events. Gibson was added to the injury report on Thursday and was limited in practice with his hip injury. The 26-year-old could be questionable on Friday's final injury report, but Gibson appears to be on the right side of questionable right now. If he's active for his Patriots debut, Gibson will be the backup to starter Rhamondre Stevenson in an offense that isn't expected to be very dynamic while being run by either QB Jacoby Brissett or rookie Drake Maye. Gibson should be on fantasy benches if he's active in Week 1, while JaMycal Hasty could rise to a backup role behind Stevenson if Gibson is held out.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) is officially listed as doubtful for the team's season opener on Sunday. Higgins tweaked his hamstring during Thursday's practice and missed practice on Friday, despite saying he felt "amazing" on Thursday. Higgins has a lengthy history of hamstring issues and it now appears that he'll miss his first game of 2024. Fellow wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is listed as questionable due to ongoing contract disputes. Andrei Iosivas is in line for more playing time and could be the team's de-facto top wide receiver against the Patriots if Higgins and Chase don't suit up.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) is no longer on the team's injury report and is cleared to suit up against the New York Giants on Sunday. The second-year wideout was carted off the practice field in mid-August with a high-ankle sprain but returned to practice in full on Friday. After taking advantage of Justin Jefferson's extended absence in 2023 (70 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns), Addison's production is expected to take a dip in 2024 with Sam Darnold quarterbacking the team. Addison should be viewed as a boom/bust WR4 against the Giants.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is hopeful about his chances of playing against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. Speaking to reporters after participating in practice, Wilson said he's taking his injury day by day and he wants to play on Sunday if he's available. The calf issue has been bothering the veteran quarterback throughout training camp and any aggravation or setback this close to the season doesn't bode well. The Steelers didn't rule Wilson out on Sunday. However, beat reporters who cover the Steelers seem to believe the team is inching closer to starting Justin Fields against the Falcons. Fields would be a fantasy football upgrade at quarterback, but a downgrade for the pass catchers in the offense.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) is questionable ahead of the team's matchup against the Tennessee Titans. In what was initially described as a cleat issue by GM Ryan Poles, the veteran receiver was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. His status was upgraded to a full participant on Friday. While officially listed as questionable, Allen appears to be trending in the right direction to make his debut as a Chicago Bear. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Chicago passing game, but top wide receiver DJ Moore may get shadowed by star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed on Sunday. That could open up more opportunities for Allen. He's a low-end WR3 for the matchup against the Titans.

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Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (finger) is not carrying an injury designation into the team's divisional matchup against the New Orleans Saints. While limited in practice earlier in the week, Sanders practiced in full on Thursday and Friday. Although rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) is on the PUP list and will miss four games, there still isn't a fantasy-worthy role for Sanders on the Panthers. He'll be the direct backup to Chuba Hubbard on a low-powered offense. The former Eagle averaged a career-low 3.3 yards per carry in his first season in Carolina in 2023.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers and tight end Pat Freiermuth have agreed to a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension. The 25-year-old secured 60+ receptions in his first two professional seasons before his production declined in 2023. Still, there's optimism surrounding the former Penn State Nittany Lion in 2024. With an unproven wide receiver corps behind George Pickens and Arthur Smith's utilization of tight ends, Freiermuth could be the team's second-leading target earner. However, Smith does also tend to deploy multiple tight ends. Freiermuth is ranked right on the TE1/2 line against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Tennessee Titans kicker Nick Folk will start the season in Chicago taking on the Bears in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. Folk was the #19 kicker last year but the ranking wasn't emblematic of his effectiveness. It was a career-year for the 39-year old veteran, who finished first in the NFL with a 96.7% conversion rate. The Titans have a completely revamped offense which should score more than 17.9 points per game (26th overall), meaning Folk will have many more opportunities to score fantasy points. However, Chicago has one of the best defenses in the league and is playing on their home turf in Week 1. With the Titans offense still unproven, Folk is probably better left on waivers for opening weekend.

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The Carolina Panthers have ruled out tight ends Tommy Tremble (hamstring, back) and Ian Thomas (calf) for the team's season opener against the New Orleans Saints. Both players did not participate in any practices this week. Rookie fourth-round pick Ja'Tavion Sanders is now in line to start in his NFL debut. Converted veteran wide receiver Jordan Matthews and Messiah Swinson will back up the rookie. Bryce Young and the Carolina offense aren't expected to pick up a lot of yards through the air. Sanders should only be rostered in Dynasty formats.

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Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears takes on the stout Chicago Bears defense in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. Spears played second-fiddle to future Hall-of-Famer Derrick Henry last season who bolted for the Ravens in free agency. Even with Henry receiving the lion's share of the work, Spears was able to snag 52 passes, tied for ninth among RBs in 2023. Tony Pollard came over from the Cowboys on a fairly lucrative deal, but Spears should still have a major role in this new-look versatile offense. The Bears in return basically all of their stud defensive line from a unit that ranked #1 in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. It will be very tough to run on this front, but with Spears' passing game chops he should see enough work to warrant deeper league flex value, with a slight upgrade in full-PPR formats.

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Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard heads to Chicago to face the Bears on NFL opening weekend. Pollard came to Nashville by way of Dallas on a 3-year, $21.75M deal this offseason after an underwhelming year as the Cowboys lead back. He now takes over a Titans backfield that is without superstar workhorse Derrick Henry, but retains the shifty Tyjae Spears who flashed quite a bit last season and should get a sizable workload. Titans Offensive Coordinator Nick Holz recently said the backfield will likely be a 50/50 split which brings Pollard's value down some, but he should still be the 1A to Spears' 1B in the backfield at least to begin the year. Week 1 will be anything but easy traveling to the Chicago and their #1 rushing defense from last year, which should be elite once again in 2024. Consider him a low-end flex for Week 1.

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The Tennessee Titans have officially ruled out safety Jamal Adams (hip) for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Week 1. The writing was on the wall for Adams to be out for the season opener when he missed his second straight practice on Thursday. The 28-year-old oft-injured defensive back apparently wasn't able to get back on the field on Friday. Adams missed most of training camp this summer due to soreness in his hip and will need more time to get ready for the 2024 campaign. He's no longer on the fantasy radar in IDP leagues as a backup safety for the Titans this year. With Adams ruled out against Chicago, expect rookie Julius Wood to operate as the team's backup strong safety this weekend behind Amani Hooker.

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Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley heads into a Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The veteran wideout revitalized his career last season in Jacksonville with over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns, helping him secure a large payday from the Titans this spring. With DeAndre Hopkins now 32 and in his last year of his contract, Ridley figures to be the WR1 for this offense captained by sophomore quarterback Will Levis. Week 1 presents one of the toughest matchups all year with the Chicago Bears and their formidable secondary led by lockdown corner Jaylon Johnson, who also just signed a massive extension in the offseason. The good news for Ridley owners is that Hopkins is likely to see more of the All-Pro in coverage, meaning the former Alabama star should have his fair share of chances to exploit this defense. Ridley checks in as a low-mid tier WR2 for Week 1 of the NFL season.

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Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo takes on the Chicago Bears in an NFL opening weekend matchup. The former fourth-round pick was a popular breakout candidate last season, and while that didn't pan out due to the ineffectiveness of Ryan Tannehill at QB, Okonkwo was much more productive when Levis took over as the starting quarterback. There's some post-hype sleeper vibes around Okonkwo heading into year three, but he is still at best the fourth target in this offense behind Ridley, Hopkins, and Pollard/Spears at the moment. With the Bears ranking middle-of-the-pack against tight ends last season and Okonkwo near the bottom of the pass-catching pecking order, he's better left on fantasy benches in Week 1.

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The Tennessee Titans defense will face 2024 #1 pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears in Week 1. This unit was at or below average in most statistical categories last season leading to a #26 finish among fantasy defenses. The Titans signed some big names for their secondary including star cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, as well as veterans Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams. This should immediately give them a borderline top-10 secondary and help force more turnovers through the air. DT Denico Autry is gone along with his 11.5 sacks, but Jeffrey Simmons and Harold Landry are back in the mix along with 2024 second-round pick T'Vondre Sweat who should be an impact run-stopper. Chicago presents a stiff test with two elite receivers in Keenan Allen and DJ Moore, along with 2024 #9 overall pick Rome Odunze to form one of the best receiving corps in the league. QB1 Caleb Williams hasn't played a regular season snap yet, but he has all the tools to succeed sooner rather than later. Throw in D'Andre Swift and you have countless weapons on offense, which should prompt fantasy managers to leave this unit on waivers for Week 1.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis travels to Chicago to take on Caleb Williams and the Bears in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. The Kentucky product started eight games last season due to the inept play of Ryan Tannehill and showed major flashes throughout his short stint as the lead signal caller in Nashville, all while dealing with a horrible offensive line. With revamped protection and receiver core that now features Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, Levis has a huge opportunity in front of him to prove that he is "the guy" for this franchise, and it starts with a tough test on the road against Chicago in Week 1. The Bears ranked in the top half of the league last season in total yards allowed, but most of that was bolstered by their #1 rushing defense. Stopping opposing quarterbacks was not their strong suit, but they did add former Titan / All-Pro safety Kevin Byard in the offseason, which should give that unit a major boost. While Chicago gave up considerable yardage total through the air, they actually led the NFL with 22 interceptions last season. Because Levis is still mostly unproven and has a tough road test against a stout defense, he should only be started in deeper superflex formats.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf), who left Thursday's practice after reporting what the team called calf tightness, was seen on the practice field on Friday. There have been conflicting reports on Wilson's status for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Wilson's status is firmly up in the air, mainly because of how cautious the team's medical staff has been with Wilson's injury that he initially suffered in training camp. However, head coach Mike Tomlin said the team has no worries that the 35-year-old won't be available this weekend. The fact that Wilson is on the field on Friday is a good sign that he'll be able to suit up and make his Steelers debut. If Wilson is active, he'll be a midrange QB2 in an offense that lacks receiving talent for him to work with.

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Tennessee Titans veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee) is listed as questionable for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, according to head coach Brian Callahan. Hopkins was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday and will now be a game-time decision on Sunday morning. The good news for fantasy managers that are considering using the 32-year-old in their starting lineups as a WR4/flex this weekend is that offensive coordinator Nick Holz said on Thursday that the Titans expect Hopkins to have a big role on offense if he does suit up. Still, Nuk's questionable status makes him more of a shaky WR4/flex option entering Week 1 action. If he doesn't end up getting the green light on Sunday, it will mean more targets for Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, Treylon Burks and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo.

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