ESPN's Jeremy Fowler describes the Los Angeles Chargers' feeling on quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) as concern but not panic. They of course want their $52 million-per-year QB getting live reps in their new offense, but the hope and expectation remains that he will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season. Herbert will spend two weeks in a walking boot as he nurses plantar fascia, an the sense is that if he needs a bit more time in the boot, the Chargers will give it to him. Pain tolerance is usually an issue for this type of injury, but Herbert has shown a penchant for playing through pain. The bottom line, though, for fantasy managers is that Herbert is losing valuable reps in the run-heavy, play-action work that will be fairly new to him under offensive coordinator Greg Roman's system. Without his best playmakers from seasons past and now with an injury heading into the regular season, Herbert has slipped to QB2 territory in fantasy.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie second-round wide receiver Ladd McConkey (lower body) isn't fully healthy in training camp this summer, but his do-it-all prowess gives him significant upside in fantasy, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. McConkey has a little bit of Stefon Diggs to his game, as well as a little Zay Flowers. Fowler writes that McConkey is a sudden mover who can live up all over the field. If he can grasp the Chargers' offense quickly, he could take off in his rookie season. The 22-year-old from Georgia is missing out on valuable reps with quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) in training camp, though, and LA's offense is expected to be much more run-heavy in 2024. But skills-wise, McConkey has what it takes to succeed at the next level and is worth a late-round flier as a WR4/5 in fantasy drafts.

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A slight trend that has taken shape for Buffalo Bills starting running back James Cook in training camp this summer has been some ball-security issues near the end of his plays. On a handful of occasions, Cook has allowed the football to hit the ground, and it happened twice at practice on Wednesday. However, The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia wouldn't expect it to impact Cook's time on the field at this point. However, that could change if his ball-security issues carry into the regular season. For now, Cook is still the team's unquestioned RB1 by a good margin, and it will remain that way until further notice. The 24-year-old had four fumbles in 2023. Power running isn't Cook's forte, but he's a strong pass-catcher and should be more valuable as a high-end RB2 in point-per-reception leagues going into his third year in the NFL.

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Baltimore Ravens rookie first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins (shoulder) injured his shoulder early in the second half of Friday's preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. The injury appeared to occur when Wiggins dove for a tackle. He did not return to the game after going into the medical tent on the sideline. Before his injury, the 20-year-old defensive back had three pass breakups. In addition to Wiggins, safety Sanoussi Kane left the game due to a stinger after a big hit in the middle of the field. Head coach John Harbaugh didn't have updates on Wiggins or Kane following the game. Wiggins should be a factor for Baltimore's secondary right away in his rookie season in 2024 as long as the shoulder injury he suffered on Friday isn't a long-term one.

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Free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore (shoulder) said that he's flying out on Sunday to visit with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday. Gilmore is presumably healthy now after having offseason surgery on his shoulder back in February. The former 10th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2012 out of South Carolina played in 17 regular-season games with the Dallas Cowboys last year and finished with a career-high 68 tackles (54 solo), two interceptions, 13 pass breakups and a forced fumble. The 12-year-old NFL veteran and five-time Pro Bowler proved last year that he can still make an impact for a team when healthy and will now visit with interested teams to prove that he's worth a roster spot as he heads into his 13th NFL season.

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Things were not going to plan early in training camp for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who was signed late during spring workouts in mid-May, but he's responded well over the last two weeks and has seen his time with quarterback Josh Allen during team drills steadily grow. It has come as Buffalo's receiver battle has thinned out a bit. Outside of Tyrell Shavers, Chase Claypool (toe) hasn't practiced in over a week, and with each passing day of non-participation, he likely sees his chances of making the team slightly decrease. Justin Shorter has also been hurt, and KJ Hamler mostly works with the second unit. Given the guaranteed money given to MVS, his odds of making the team seem quite good as of now. However, he still has Khalil Shakir, rookie Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins ahead of him on the depth chart.

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Houston Texans rookie tight end Cade Stover led all tight ends in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with three catches for 32 yards. His performance featured a crucial 16-yard reception that helped secure a key first down and contributed to a Texans touchdown. Notably, Stover caught C.J. Stroud's first pass of the game, demonstrating Stroud's confidence in him despite Stover not being the primary read. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio have praised Stover highly, suggesting that although Dalton Schultz is the top tight end, Stover could have a significant role early in the season. This development makes Schultz a less appealing late-round fantasy option and positions Stover as a potentially valuable pickup if Schultz misses any time.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (fibula) caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud midway through the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The score followed Dell's impressive 22-yard punt return, which was extended by a late hit penalty on Pittsburgh. On the ensuing drive, Stroud connected with Dell on a perfectly executed pass to the left side, where Dell evaded several defenders to reach the end zone. Dell, who saw his season cut short last year by a broken fibula and faced further challenges this offseason after being shot in Florida, demonstrated that he has fully recovered. Despite the presence of top receivers Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Dell himself, there was no clear indication of how targets will be allocated among them. Fantasy managers were eager to assess Dell's health, and he delivered a strong performance.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Robert Woods led the team with four catches for 42 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also, he drew a defensive pass interference call, underscoring his impact on the game. With Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, and Noah Brown seemingly securing their roster spots, the competition for the remaining two spots is intense. Despite strong practice performances, former second-round pick John Metchie III has been underwhelming in games, with just two catches for 11 yards and a drop over two preseason games. Xavier Hutchinson, who caught five passes for 56 yards last week, had a quieter outing on Friday but added 19 rushing yards. Ben Skowronek, acquired from the Rams, brings versatility and blocking prowess but failed to catch any passes on Friday. Though the most expensive option, Woods is valued for his blocking and veteran presence, which could be crucial in determining the final roster spots.

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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud connected with receiver Tank Dell for a 34-yard touchdown reception midway through the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stroud finished the night 2-for-4 with 41 yards and a touchdown. The scoring play showcased the explosive passing Texans fans grew accustomed to seeing from him during his rookie season. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. He led the Texans to an AFC South championship and secured a victory over Cleveland in the wild-card round. It will be hard for Stroud to live up to the unbelievable hype building this offseason, but he and Tank Dell already seem up to the task.

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Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce started the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers but struggled to make an impact, managing just four carries for four yards. The team averaged only 3.1 yards per carry against primarily the Steelers' second-team defense. Receiver Xavier Hutchinson, known for his running skills, recorded the longest carry of the night with a 19-yard run. Without that carry, Houston would have accumulated just 61 rushing yards. Dare Ogunbowale added a touchdown following a muffed punt recovery in the second quarter, but it was his only significant play. Rookie Jawhar Jordan showed improvement from the Hall of Fame game, leading the Texans with 22 rushing yards. Cam Akers made a notable impact in the second half, with nine touches for 41 yards, displaying the burst that has generated preseason excitement. With vital offensive linemen Laremy Tunsil, Tytus Howard, and Shaq Mason sidelined the expectations for the running game were lower. Assessing the run game's potential without starter Joe Mixon in the lineup remains challenging.

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Baltimore Ravens running back Rasheen Ali received the most touches in the backfield during the team's 16-13 loss in their preseason debut. The fifth-round pick took 10 carries for 26 yards and caught one of his three targets for four yards. He wasn't able to find much room on the ground in his first game, but he'll continue to get plenty of opportunities during the preseason while Keaton Mitchell (knee) is still on the mend. Owen Wright was the top back in this contest, but Ali will be one to watch for all of the dynasty managers out there looking for a diamond in the rough candidate.

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Devin Leary was the only one on the team to find the end zone in the 16-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday. The rookie out of Kentucky completed six of his 10 passes for 37 yards and scored on a one-yard QB keeper in the fourth quarter which tied the game at 13. On the unofficial depth chart, Leary is listed as the third-string QB behind Josh Johnson, but he looked better than the tenth-year veteran. Leary will likely get some more work in the next couple of preseason games while fellow rookie Emory Jones could get a drive or two as well.

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The Los Angeles Chargers have "major plans" for wide receiver Quentin Johnston this season, and offensive coordinator Greg Roman intends to manufacture opportunities for the second-year player, according to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Specifically, the Chargers want to give him more opportunities to produce after the catch, which is an area where he's excelled in the past. Los Angeles really liked what it saw in Johnston coming out of TCU and is ready to help him elevate his game despite a frustrating rookie campaign in which he caught just 56.7 percent of his targets and also logged three drops. Given that Johnston could start alongside Josh Palmer in the Los Angeles offense, he's an intriguing investment at his current Yahoo ADP of 182.

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Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman spoke highly of J.K. Dobbins (Achilles), saying he is "as good as anybody" when healthy, according to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Dobbins has endured several major season-ending injuries before, but his offseason recovery has gone quite well and he's in the mix for the lead-back role with Gus Edwards. Both Edwards and Dobbins showed flashes of promise during their time together in Baltimore, but neither should be viewed as anything more than an RB3/FLEX option heading into the 2024 fantasy football season. As it stands, managers favor Edwards (Yahoo ADP of 100) over Dobbins (Yahoo ADP of 168) in redraft leagues.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs "has had the most consistently good showing so far and has separated himself as Love's go-to guy in any situation," according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. It's been challenging to decipher reports about the Packers' wide receiver corps this offseason, but Graziano seems convinced that Doubs has emerged as Green Bay's top option. He even noted that Doubs should be the preferred Packers wide receiver in fantasy football leagues. That goes against the trends we've seen recently in Yahoo ADP, which has Jayden Reed being drafted as WR36, Christian Watson as WR41, and Doubs as WR56. That puts Doubs just one slot ahead of Dontayvion Wicks (WR57). Of course, the Packers' depth chart will continue to take shape over the next few weeks, so we should have more clarity on Doubs and his teammates by Week 1 of the regular season. In the meantime, though, it sounds like he might be a steal in the 11th round of fantasy drafts.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Tip Reiman "should carve out a role" this season, according to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Even though the third-round rookie is clearly a notch below Trey McBride on the depth chart, the expectation is that Reiman will still get looks within Arizona's offense. The insiders note that Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing previously spent three years in Cleveland where he supported solid production from both David Njoku and Harrison Bryant. In their analogy, Graziano and Fowler likened McBride to Njoku and Reiman to Bryant. Bryant caught 24 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie in 2020. Perhaps we should expect similar production from Reiman in 2024.

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New York Jets wide receiver Jason Brownlee isn't a lock to make the 53-man roster but can help his cause by performing well in Week 1 of the preseason, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Cimini notes that Brownlee had a slow start to camp but has started to trend in the right direction recently. As a result, it's imperative that he continues his "positive momentum" in order to make a push for a roster spot. Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Xavier Gipson, and Malachi Corley are all locks to make the team, which means Brownlee is competing with the likes of Allen Lazard, Irvin Charles, Lance McCutcheon, and Malik Taylor. The 25-year-old played in seven games (five starts) as a rookie last year, catching just five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. He's firmly on the roster bubble and can be avoided in most fantasy formats.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Chris Blair caught two passes for 45 receiving yards in Friday's 20-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The 26-year-old did lead the team in receiving on only three targets. He reeled in a gorgeous 41-yard long ball from Michael Penix Jr., the first-round draft pick for the Atlanta Falcons. The 26-year-old former XFL player looks to be nothing more than a depth piece for this season, but it was a great showing from him nonetheless on Friday.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Casey Washington caught three passes on nine targets for 27 yards in a 20-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins Friday night. Despite the heavy volume for the 23-year-old receiver, he wasn't able to do much with it. The rookie out of the University of Illinois was able to log an impressive 12.4 yards per reception in the limited time he received in college on 122 receptions in 55 total games. Although, he was only able to find the end zone four times during his five years in college. There are no expectations for Washington to be used on the offense as the team's fifth wideout on the depth chart, but the early heavy volume is a positive side for the rookie receiver.

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