San Francisco 49ers rookie first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (shoulder) didn't play at all in the preseason due to an aggravated shoulder injury that traces back to his college days, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Pearsall last practiced in training camp on Aug. 6, but the good news is there is not enough significant structural damage to call into question his rookie season. Shanahan said he hopes Pearsall returns to practice this week, and if he does, it's a good sign for his availability for the regular-season opener on Monday night, Sept. 9, against the New York Jets. The 23-year-old partially dislocated his shoulder when he first hurt it in college, but it didn't stop the Niners from taking him 31st overall in April. His injury has added a wrinkle to the Brandon Aiyuk saga and should also be concerning to fantasy managers that have already invested in Pearsall in dynasty/keeper formats.

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that the team's starters will not play in the preseason finale on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens. Along with quarterback Jordan Love, running back Josh Jacobs, wide receivers Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks and tight end Luke Musgrave will not suit up for this one as the Packers try to avoid injuries to their key players as they prepare for the start of the 2024 regular season in two weeks. The next time we'll see Love running Green Bay's offense in a competitive game will be on Sept. 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles. A lot will be expected of Love in his second full season as the starter after he threw for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 picks in 17 regular-season games in 2023 before upsetting the Cowboys in the playoffs. His big season catapulted him to low-end QB1 status in fantasy formats.

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The San Francisco 49ers situation with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains unsettled, and the former first-rounder's long-term standing with the organization remains very much in the air. The two sides continue to work on a long-term contract extension, but nothing has been agreed upon yet. It was a good sign that Aiyuk traveled with the team to Las Vegas for their preseason finale on Friday night, but until something gets done contract-wise, Aiyuk won't be back on the field. The Niners do have an extension offer out there for Aiyuk, and the final year of the extension could be tweaked a bit to seal the deal. The Pittsburgh Steelers still have their trade offer for Aiyuk on the table, with it essentially being up to the 49ers to decide whether they want to trade him or continue working toward an extension. It remains to be seen what direction this goes, but the 26-year-old's fantasy value will be highest if he stays in San Fran.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson made a solid impression in the Raiders' preseason finale, snagging three catches for 35 yards and a touchdown in Friday's 24-24 tie to the San Francisco 49ers. While this performance boosts his chances of making the final roster, fantasy managers should temper their expectations. Even if Wilkerson secures a spot, he's likely to be no higher than fifth or sixth on the depth chart. In the Raiders' offense, this translates to minimal regular-season opportunities, barring multiple injuries ahead of him. His preseason touchdown showcases some red-zone potential, but Wilkerson's fantasy relevance will be severely limited with established targets like Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers ahead of him. At best, he's a name to remember for deep dynasty leagues or as a potential in-season waiver wire option if injuries decimate the Raiders' receiving corps. For now, Wilkerson remains off the radar in all but the deepest of fantasy formats.

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Ramel Keyton turned heads with a team-leading four receptions for 76 yards in the Raiders' preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers. While this performance certainly helps his case for making the 53-man roster, fantasy managers need to maintain perspective. Even if Keyton survives final cuts, he'll be buried behind established veterans and higher draft picks on the depth chart. His impressive 19.0 yards per catch average in this game hints at big-play ability, but opportunities to showcase this in the regular season will likely be few and far between. Keyton is competing for one of the final receiver spots, which typically translates to special teams duties rather than offensive snaps. For fantasy purposes, Keyton is nothing more than a name to file away in case of multiple injuries to the Raiders' receiving corps during the season. He's not draftable in any fantasy format at this time.

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Las Vegas Raides quarterback Nathan Peterman completed 12-of-19 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, showcasing his poise and experience in Friday's 24-24 tie to the San Francisco 49ers. Despite this, his path to fantasy relevance remains obstructed by Aidan O'Connell, who seems to have the inside track for the backup quarterback position behind Gardner Minshew II. Peterman's familiarity with the Raiders could aid his case for a roster spot, but from a fantasy perspective, this performance doesn't elevate him beyond a deep-league watchlist candidate. Even if secured, his role projects to be behind O'Connell, rendering Peterman largely irrelevant for fantasy rosters unless significant changes or injuries alter the depth chart. Fantasy managers should monitor the situation, but Peterman's fantasy impact looks minimal for the upcoming season.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Chris Conley drew praise from head coach Kyle Shanahan earlier this week. Shanahan was asked how the 49ers would approach the wide receiver position in the event that Brandon Aiyuk doesn't suit up for the team in Week 1 and beyond. He expressed confidence in the team's in-house options at the position, including Conley. "Conley's had a hell of a camp," Shanahan told KNBR. "He came on strong for us last year, did a hell of a job for last year, and made a number of plays going into the playoffs, in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl. He's been on a lot of teams, too, where he's done it for a while." Shanahan also went on to mention that the team trusts its rookies, as long as they can stay healthy. Aiyuk remains a 49er and Deebo Samuel, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings are all ahead of Conley on the depth chart, but the veteran should still carve out a role, and it's no secret that the team trusts him in key, high-leverage moments down the stretch.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan appears set to rank third on the depth chart behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. "It's a foregone conclusion among reporters he's won [the] WR3 job," tweeted Adam Levitan of Establish The Run. Jenna Laine of ESPN echoed this sentiment in a recent article, writing, "McMillan will line up opposite Evans with Godwin in the slot." The Buccaneers have been able to support three fantasy-relevant receivers before, albeit in the Tom Brady era, so there's a chance McMillan could have some appeal in deeper redraft leagues. Plus, even if he doesn't deliver steady production in the No. 3 role, he'd become an immediate FLEX option in most lineups if Evans or Godwin suffered an injury.

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Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft is expected to have a big role within the offense this season, according to an observation from Zach Kruse of Packers Wire. Ever since returning from offseason surgery, Kraft has wasted no time making an impact in training camp. Green Bay has utilized him in the passing game in a variety of ways, and it sounds like he's formed a strong rapport with Jordan Love already. While Kraft is technically listed second on the depth chart behind Luke Musgrave, the latest buzz about Kraft indicates that the two could really split duties at the tight end position. Kraft played at least 90 percent of offensive snaps in six of the Packers' last seven games in 2023, and he didn't miss a single snap in Week 14. Make no mistake: Kraft is going to get involved. He's worthy of consideration for a bench spot in deeper redraft leagues.

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The Los Angeles Chargers continue to have a heavily-contested competition for the No. 3 running back role, according to Eric Smith of the team's official website. Smith notes that it's possible the team carries four running backs, but that's far from a given. In the event that they stick with three, the team will deploy Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins as its top two running backs with Isaiah Spiller, Kimani Vidal, and Jaret Patterson all competing for the final spot on the depth chart. Perhaps the most prominent name is Vidal, who impressed in Week 2 of the preseason and cost the Chargers a sixth-round pick just a few months ago. However, Spiller has familiarity with the system and Patterson has gone under the radar to make a real push for a roster spot, too. Saturday's clash with the Dallas Cowboys will give these three backs one more opportunity to separate themselves from the competition before rosters trim down on Tuesday.

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The Denver Broncos believe that running back Audric Estime can become a three-down back following some development, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Specifically, the team would like to see him "smooth out some rough edges as a receiver and get more consistent in pass protection" before deploying him on a three-down basis. Estime ran for 1,341 yards during his final season at Notre Dame, adding 18 touchdowns and another 142 yards through the air. With Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin also pushing for touches, it's unclear exactly how the Broncos will use their running backs to start the season. Estime will certainly carve out a role, though.

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New York Jets wide receiver Malachi Corley "can contribute immediately as a screen [and] gadget player, a la Deebo Samuel," according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Evidently, the rookie is expected to have a role within the offense as early as Week 1. However, Cimini also notes that Corley still projects as the Jets' WR5, though he can solidify his standing on the roster by contributing as a returner. Corley drew plenty of hype as soon as he was drafted this year, but it sounds like fantasy managers will have to wait a little while before seeing him have a steady role in the offense. For now, he's an appealing dynasty option but can be avoided in redraft leagues.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Jase McClellan finished Friday's preseason game rushing 12 yards on four attempts with one catch on one target for 11 yards in a 31-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although he didn't see much usage in this game due to very minimal offense and time of possession by the Falcons, McClellan finished with solid numbers overall to finish the preseason. McClellan averaged 4.0 YPC on 24 attempts to close out camp, and with Carlos Washington Jr.'s poor performance during the preseason, the strong showing could move him up to the third-string running back to start the season.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Carlos Washington Jr. finished his preseason with an inefficient seven rushing yards on four attempts while pitching in one reception for seven yards in Friday night's 31-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Washington finished the preseason the way he began it, and it can't bode well for his spot on the depth chart with the beginning of the season right around the corner. Although he did find the endzone one time, Washington finished the preseason with an abysmal 2.4 YPC on 29 attempts. Jase McClellan outperformed him in every way during camp, and it wouldn't be surprising to see McClellan jump Washington as the RB3 on the depth chart to begin the season.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Spencer Brown led the team in rushing in Friday night's preseason finale with 51 yards on 11 rushes with no targets in the air in a 31-0 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brown impressed Friday night even though the team did nothing on the offensive side overall. Despite zero work in the passing game this preseason, the young running back had an impressive 5.1 YPC in 15 attempts in the two games that he played. The positive play is always a good sign during this time, but unfortunately for Brown, he will be nowhere near the playing field for the Falcons this upcoming season with at least four running backs ahead of him on the depth chart.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Casey Washington finished Friday's final preseason game with two catches for 32 yards on six targets in a 31-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. There was no production or efficiency on the offensive side from Taylor Heinicke and the rest of the Falcons. Still, it was another good sign that Washington led the team in targets for both of the preseason games in which he played. KhaDarel Hodge and Ray-Ray McCloud III are firmly ahead of Washington on the depth chart as the No. 3 and 4 wide receivers, meaning a lot would have to go his way to have any fantasy relevance in 2024.

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Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram caught four passes for 48 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-0 win against the Atlanta Falcons. Engram was a matchup nightmare for Atlanta's backups, especially in the red zone, capping each of Jacksonville's first two drives with a short touchdown. With Travis Kelce getting older, the top of the tight-end rankings has never been wider open. Engram is one of the numerous guys this year with TE1 overall potential. On Yahoo, his ADP is 91, slotting him in at TE8, just after Kyle Pitts. With Calvin Ridley gone, the 29-year-old has huge potential as possibly the top receiving option for Trevor Lawrence. He finished as the TE2 last season, nine points behind Sam LaPorta. Engram could be a massive value in the middle of the draft for those looking to wait on the tight end position.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne put up 46 rushing yards on seven carries and three yards on one catch in a 31-0 win against the Atlanta Falcons. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry, and his longest run of Friday's game was 19 yards. The third-year running back looked explosive on the ground against Atlanta's defensive backups and will be a bell-cow once again this season. Etienne currently goes at RB10 and 22nd overall on Yahoo, which feels a little low given his potential volume. He finished as the RB3 last season but was inconsistent down the stretch. However, with a revamped offense and improved offensive line, fantasy managers shouldn't worry about the former Clemson back as a second-round pick with a first-round upside. Managers looking for a running back in the second round should feel good about picking Etienne.

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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed eight of 10 passes for 92 yards and two touchdown passes to Evan Engram in a 31-0 win against the Atlanta Falcons. He also added a nine-yard rush. Lawrence made the most of his two drives against Atlanta's defensive backups, leading nine-play, 92-yard, and 13-play, 62-yard touchdown drives. While the Jaguars lost Calvin Ridley this past offseason, Lawrence's chemistry with Engram, Christian Kirk, and Travis Etienne out of the backfield should help the offense remain solid. The former No. 1 overall pick currently goes off the board 16th among QBs on Yahoo, just after rookie QBs Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams. Lawrence has the combination of great arm talent, solid rushing ability, and past fantasy success to finish as a top-12 QB. He is an intriguing upside option for fantasy managers waiting on quarterback.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught one pass for a team-high 38 yards in Friday's 31-0 preseason win against the Atlanta Falcons. The LSU product hasn't touched the ball much this preseason, but he's made big plays when he has. BTJ's speed should get him on the field early on, with his main competition for playing time being Gabe Davis, who was signed this offseason from Buffalo. Typically, rookies become valuable in fantasy as they improve later in the season. Given the first-round WR's draft capital and path to playing time, he could easily fall into that category and become a league winner down the stretch. With an ADP of 128, fantasy managers who believes in the talent should take a shot on Thomas as a bench stash.

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