Buffalo Bills second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid is one to watch in 2024 as a player that analysts are expecting to emerge as a star playmaker for the team with receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis no longer in town. "If I were trying to pinpoint somebody that I thought was the most talented player in that group, and the guy that did have a chance to become the most important player in that pecking order, he's probably the one that I would go with," The Athletic's Robert Mays said. Kincaid's depth of target increased from six yards to nine yards when offensive coordinator Joe Brady took over in the second half last year. The 24-year-old could be quarterback Josh Allen's most trusted weapon in the passing game now, giving him upside to be a high-end TE1 in fantasy in just his second year in the league in 2024.

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ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that the Minnesota Vikings are loosely targeting a return around Week 7 for injured tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee), who is still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL that he suffered late last year. Hockenson has opened the 2024 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, as expected, meaning he has to sit out at least the first four games of the season. Fantasy managers expecting Hockenson to be full-go by Week 5 should think again, though. The 27-year-old should be stashed in an IR spot in all fantasy leagues, but it's more likely we won't see him make his season debut until around the midway point, and when he does return, he could be eased back in. Until Hockenson is able to return as the Vikings' top pass-catcher, Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver are expected to share tight-end duties in Minnesota.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (foot), who practiced in full on Wednesday, will be added to the Week 1 injury report on Thursday after the Chargers said they were advised to do so by the league. According to the Chargers, nothing has changed since Herbert practiced on Wednesday, other than getting guidance from the NFL. Herbert says he's feeling 100% despite missing several weeks in training camp with a plantar-fascia injury. Even though the 26-year-old is being placed on the injury report, it shouldn't mean much in terms of his health for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders at Sofi Stadium. The biggest knock on Herbert's fantasy value entering 2024 campaign is that he's in a run-first offense now and lost his favorite weapons from the past several seasons. He'll be a clear QB2 in fantasy in Week 1 against the Raiders.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine is expected to fill the void left behind by Jerick McKinnon's departure, head coach Andy Reid said. Specifically, this means that Perine will primarily get involved as a pass-catcher and blocker. Reid also noted that Perine is an intelligent player who runs well. Last year, the veteran running back tallied 238 rushing yards, 455 receiving yards, and one touchdown. Given that he is a trusted pass-catcher in one of the NFL's best offenses, Perine could sneak into the RB3/FLEX tier in PPR leagues this year. However, he can be left on the bench in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams denied reports that he wasn't happy. 'If I were (unhappy), I wouldn't be here right now,' Adams said.

Fantasy Spin: He'll be 32 before the end of the season and still had 103 catches last year. He wound up being the WR10 and will have QB questions again this season. He's still a very consistent, safe WR1 option, but his big-game potential is dwindling.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams says there is no truth to reports he is not happy in Las Vegas. Former wide receiver DeSean Jackson made the original claim that Adams refuted and according to an ESPN article said he has never spoken to Jackson about his current situation with the Raiders. The 31-year-old receiver out of Fresno State recorded 103 catches for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns for the Raiders last season. With an unsettled quarterback situation this year, the outlook is a little less rosy for the veteran receiver but Adams is still one of the most talented wide receivers in the league.

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New York Jets wide receiver Malachi Corley could be a healthy scratch against the San Francisco 49ers this week, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. This would leave the Jets with five active receivers. Rosenblatt notes that Corley, a rookie, would likely need to prove his worth as a returner in order to be active for the season opener. Regardless of whether he dresses or not, Corley is merely a depth piece in New York and can be avoided in all redraft leagues.

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New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) is expected to be on a limited workload when the season begins, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Williams is recovering from a torn ACL. He signed with the Jets this offseason, offering a veteran presence in a receiver room that will look to thrive alongside quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The 29-year-old receiver peaked at WR12 in 2021 but hasn't otherwise finished inside the top 30. He'll likely fall outside the top 36 (FLEX range) this year given his ongoing recovery and the expectation that he'll have less volume in New York than he previously did with the Chargers.

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New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard is expected to have a larger workload when the regular season begins this week, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. His additional volume is a direct result of Mike Williams (knee) opening the year on a limited workload. Lazard was quiet in 2023, catching just 23 passes for 311 yards and one touchdown. This year, however, he gets to play alongside Aaron Rodgers and will open the season with some extra volume. These factors won't be enough to put Lazard on the fantasy year, but don't be surprised if you hear his name called more often over these first few weeks of the season.

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The Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams draws one of the toughest matchups in the very first game of the year against the Kansas City Chiefs. For the most part, this defense has a lot of the same pieces from last year which saw them as one of the best units in the NFL. Two big losses were the defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald and linebacker Patrick Queen. Former third-round draft pick Trenton Simpson will step into Queen's absence while Zach Orr takes over as the coordinator. Superstar safety Kyle Hamilton looks to build off a tremendous season while the rest of the secondary added some rookies. While fantasy managers should be comfortable playing this team every week, the first game could be a difficult one against Patrick Mahomes and company. With that being said, they should be able to produce enough to be in the top half of defenses.

On the initial Week 1 injury report for the New Orleans Saints, cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip) was listed as limited due to a lingering hip issue that has persisted since training camp in California. Lattimore's 2023 season was marred by injuries, with an ankle problem restricting him to just ten games and a kidney laceration limiting him to seven games the previous year. These health issues fueled trade speculation during the offseason, but the Saints opted to retain him. He is expected to start on Sunday if he is healthy enough, which would significantly boost the Saints' defense against a Panthers offense projected to struggle. If Lattimore cannot play, it could provide a notable advantage to Bryce Young and the Panthers' receiving corps.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington (quad) was limited in Wednesday's practice. It appears Washington has picked up a minor injury, and it's good news for his Week 1 status that he could participate in a limited fashion. Miami plays their home opener against the in-state Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, and the rookie wideout has an excellent shot to contribute to the Dolphins' offense early on in his career. Both Odell Beckham Jr. (undisclosed) and River Cracraft (upper body) are slated to miss the first four games of the season on the PUP, and Washington will be competing with Braxton Berrios for snaps behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. While Berrios is a competent NFL veteran, the rookie sixth-round pick has displayed his explosiveness during the preseason and has a favorable chance to play his way into a role if he can remain healthy. He's presently a strong stash in dynasty leagues.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell (quad) returned to practice in limited fashion on Wednesday. The third-year wideout has been on the shelf since Aug. 10, when he sustained a quadriceps injury against the Green Bay Packers. Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. also returned to practice. It remains to be seen whether or not Bell will be ready to suit up for the team's home opener against the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday. The Purdue product is listed as a second-string WR on Cleveland's depth chart heading into Week 1 and has totaled just 38 receptions for 381 yards and three touchdowns on 58 targets across his first two seasons. He faces increased competition for those targets in 2024 due to the Browns' acquisition of Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku's strong performance in the latter part of last season. Bell is currently nothing more than a best ball dart throw in his current situation.

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Washington Commanders RB Austin Ekeler has caught more than 50 passes in each of the last five seasons, and he has averaged 74.8 receptions per year in that span.

Fantasy Spin: Brian Robinson Jr. will likely handle a lot of the work on early downs, but Ekeler should handle the third-down duties and could be a frequent safety valve for rookie Jayden Daniels. Ekeler is still a flex option, especially in PPR formats.

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Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson (toe) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice. A toe injury has plagued the second-year running back -- one he picked up early on in the preseason and hasn't seen any live action since the Hall of Fame game. It would seem he has a decent shot at suiting up for the Bears' regular-season home-opener against the Tennessee Titans due to him at least participating minimally. Johnson is currently slated to open the year as Chicago's third-string RB behind starter D'Andre Swift and backup Khalil Herbert. Even if the former Longhorn can find his way to the field, it would be tough to rely on him for more than groundwork with the loaded wide receiver corps around him. Additionally, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is not known for his propensity to check it down to his running back. Johnson can be safely left on the waiver wire for the time being sans dynasty and deep leagues.

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When asked about his running back rotation Wednesday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles stated that Rachaad White would be given the first crack at touches in the backfield rotation. "I think it will be a game-by-game basis," said Bowles. "You normally go with the hot hand, but since nobody has played yet, obviously Rachaad [White] starts and then we'll kinda go from there and see how the other guys are used." It's an interesting statement by the Bucs' coach, as he may be hinting at more of a split in Tampa Bay's backfield than initially anticipated. White led all running backs in the NFL in snaps last season (861) and took on a workhorse role in his sophomore year. The third-year RB was one of the better pass-catching weapons out of the backfield in 2023 but did not exhibit nearly the same efficiency as a runner. While it's most likely just a head coach attempting to lessen a player's load, this is a situation to monitor, as White would lose value if backup Bucky Irving were to eat into his workload.

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The Los Angeles Chargers released their first official depth chart of the 2024 regular season on Tuesday and listed running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins as co-starters, with rookie Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins behind them as depth. Both Edwards and Dobbins have operated in offensive coordinator Greg Roman's system before in Baltimore. Edwards should handle most of the team's short-yardage, goal-line situations after scoring 13 rushing TDs with the Ravens in 2023. However, Dobbins looked explosive in training camp after coming off two major injuries the last few seasons. Dobbins is the more elusive back in space and could surprise as a pass-catcher out of the backfield in deep PPR leagues if he can stay healthy in 2024. Edwards will be a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex in his Chargers debut in Week 1 versus the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday.

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While Los Angeles Chargers second-year wide receiver Quentin Johnston showed dramatic improvement as a route-runner in training camp and the preseason this summer, The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that his hands are still a concern. Johnston had several drops in camp, but the former first-rounder should still offer more than he did in 2023 in what was a disappointing rookie campaign. The problem for fantasy managers that drafted Johnston in dynasty/keeper leagues last year is that he's opening the 2024 season as the WR4 in LA behind Joshua Palmer, rookie second-rounder Ladd McConkey and deep threat DJ Chark (hip). The 22-year-old went undrafted in most standard-sized fantasy leagues, although he could jump into the starting lineup this Sunday against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders and be a DFS sleeper if Chark is unable to play.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) was listed as a full participant in the team's first official practice of the regular season on Wednesday and should be ready to roll for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday night against the Detroit Lions. Nacua returned to a full practice last week after initially injuring the bursa sac in his knee way back on Aug. 4. It's something worth watching, but fantasy managers shouldn't have any reservations about starting the star second-year wideout in lineups this weekend. The 23-year-old former fifth-rounder last year out of BYU took the league by storm right away, finishing with a 105-1,486-6 line in 17 regular-season games. Even with veteran wideout Cooper Kupp back to full health in 2024, Nacua showed last year that he has WR1 upside for fantasy managers on a weekly basis.

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Los Angeles Rams rookie running back Blake Corum was listed as the team's top kick returner on special teams on the club's first official depth chart of the 2024 season. Not only is Corum listed as their top kick returner, but lead back Kyren Williams is expected to open the year as their top punt returner. It remains to be seen if this setup will last all year, but it will certainly open both Corum and Williams up to added injuries in the return game. Williams is the unquestioned lead back in LA's backfield after an impressive year in 2023, but the 23-year-old Corum is expected to have a sizeable workload behind him to take some pressure off. At the very least, the Michigan product should be handcuffed to Williams in fantasy, but he could also have some standalone fantasy value as an RB4/flex in what could be an explosive Rams offense if quarterback Matthew Stafford stays healthy.

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