San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is expected to start for Sunday's preseason battle against the Saints. However, the signal-caller will likely play sparingly. Purdy spent all of last offseason recovering from an elbow injury. Yet, he still threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 picks during the 2023-24 campaign, adding two scores off 39 carries. With Purdy coming off a Super Bowl appearance, expectations are higher than ever. Fantasy managers should view him as a week-to-week starter in most formats, especially with Christian McCaffrey (calf), George Kittle, Deebo Samuel Sr., and possibly Brandon Aiyuk at his disposal.

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New York Giants linebacker Micah McFadden (hip) won't return to Saturday's preseason matchup with the Houston Texans. The 24-year-old was injured after tackling Dameon Pierce in the first quarter and remained down. Of course, any injury is never good. However, it's even worse that McFadden was carted off the field. The 2022 No. 146 overall pick has spent his first two years with the Giants, totaling 160 tackles, three sacks, four fumble recoveries, and one pick. McFadden was replaced by Darius Muasau and will likely undergo further testing soon.

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Tennessee Titans edge rusher Arden Key won his appeal and will not be facing a six-game suspension to begin the 2024 regular season, according to a league source. Key was facing a six-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policies, but now it appears as though the 28-year-old pass-rusher will be with the team for their Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions. The former third-rounder by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2018 out of LSU had a career-high-tying 30 tackles (17 solo), six sacks, 12 QB hits and two forced fumbles in 17 games (nine starts) in his first year with Tennessee in 2023. Key isn't much of a fantasy option in IDP leagues, though, with only 20 career sacks in six seasons with four different teams. This is great news for the Titans' defense heading into the start of the season this fall.

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Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said to expect rookie first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels to play one to two offensive series in Saturday's preseason contest versus the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe came away very impressed with Daniels after watching him in a joint practice with the Dolphins on Thursday. The 23-year-old second overall pick out of LSU led the offense to five straight touchdowns during a red-zone drill on Thursday against Miami and looks comfortable and confident with the Commanders' scheme heading into his first NFL campaign. In his NFL debut last week against the New York Jets, Daniels went 2-for-3 for 45 yards and ran for a three-yard TD while playing only one series. So far, Daniels looks like the real deal and should even have QB1 upside in favorable matchups in fantasy in 2024.

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Because of the season-ending injury to Minnesota Vikings rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee), Jaren Hall will likely make the 53-man roster out of training camp as the No. 3 behind Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens. The fifth-round pick a year ago is still raw, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Mark Craig writes that we still have no idea if Hall has a long-term future in the NFL, even as a QB2 or QB3. Hall served in mop-up duty in the preseason opener and wasn't very good until the very end of the game. He completed four of his first 12 passes for 32 yards but then completed two of his last three passes for 31 yards to set up the win. It's likely that Hall will get most of the work in the preseason game on Saturday against the Cleveland Browns and then start the preseason finale next week versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Atlanta Falcons rookie first-round quarterback Michael Penix Jr. came onto the field in Baltimore on Saturday in street clothes and appears unlikely to suit up for the preseason contest against the Ravens. The Falcons are planning to hold veteran Kirk Cousins (Achilles) out for the entire preseason, too, so it looks like we'll see a lot of Taylor Heinicke and John Paddock under center for the Falcons on Saturday. In his NFL debut last week in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, the 24-year-old Penix went 9-for-16 for 104 yards. There's a good chance Atlanta tries to trade Heinicke before the start of the regular season, especially if they're sold on the early development of Penix, so Saturday will give Heinicke a chance to audition for other NFL teams looking for more QB depth. Penix could be the direct backup to Cousins in his first year in the NFL.

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New York Giants first-round rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (ankle) will play in the team's preseason game on Saturday against the Houston Texans after suffering a mild ankle injury recently in training camp practice. We will now get to see Nabers working with quarterback Daniel Jones for the first time in an NFL game, although the first-team offense probably won't stay in the game for long. Nabers also suited up in the team's preseason opener last week against the Detroit Lions, but he wasn't targeted at all by quarterback Drew Lock. The 21-year-old's ankle injury is a thing of the past, and he should be the most targeted wideout on the Giants in his first year in the NFL. Nabers, the second receiver taken in this year's NFL draft, has all the skills to become a WR2 for fantasy managers right away, but that will all depend on the health and productivity of Jones.

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New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) is set to make his preseason debut this year against the Houston Texans on Saturday. Jones was likely to play in this game all along after sitting out last week's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, but now it's official. The 27-year-old suffered an ACL tear in his knee last year and had surgery in November, but he was fully cleared for the start of training camp and is fully expected to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. Jones probably won't get more than a series or two on Saturday, with Tommy Devito expected to play most of the game due to Drew Lock's (hip) injury. Jones, a former first-round pick, is entering a make-or-break year with the G-Men. The addition of first-round rookie receiver Malik Nabers should help, but until further notice, Jones should be considered a low-end QB2 option in fantasy.

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is reportedly seeking a new contract, according to Kole Musgrove of USA Today. Smith's current contract is set to expire after the conclusion of the 2025 season. NFL insider Mike Garafolo said on Jason Puckett's podcast that both sides have discussed a new deal. Garafolo further noted that it could be something that is settled by Week 1, but the Seattle front office is not in a rush to get the deal done. While Smith may be entering his age 33 season, he does not have a lot of miles on him as he served as a backup for several seasons with the Jets, Giants, and Seahawks before taking over the starting role. Smith is worth drafting as a low-end QB2 in superflex formats but could have some upside, given the high-quality pass catchers on his offense.

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love expressed the importance of using team practices to push the offense forward. Love stated that the value of a practice rep is to "push the limit." Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette noted that Love tended to focus more on check-downs in camps last summer as he was in the process of learning the playbook. However, this camp is much different as the Utah State product has had his eyes downfield throughout the summer. In his most recent practice, he opened the session by throwing a 16 and a 20-yard completion consecutively. After getting off to a slow start in his full season as a starter, Love caught fire down the stretch and was the No. 2 overall QB from Week 10 to 17. Love will be a popular pick in fantasy drafts as he looks poised to take another step forward in his second full season.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb's representatives met with the team on Thursday to discuss a new contract. The star wide receiver has been holding out of training camp as he is seeking a new contract. According to USA Today, the Cowboys presented their former first-round selection a contract slightly under $33 million, which would make Lamb the second highest-paid receiver in the sport, only behind Minnesota's Justin Jefferson. While it is still not known what figures the former Oklahoma product is seeking, this is a good sign nonetheless, as both sides are clearly making progress. CeeDee Lamb enjoyed the best season of his career last fall as he caught 1,749 receiving yards, which placed him second in the league. In addition, he scored 12 touchdowns and caught a league-leading 135 receptions. Lamb is worth selecting in the first picks of your fantasy draft given the pure volume he will see in the Dallas offense.

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Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram enjoyed a nice joint practice on Thursday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Engram caught a nice 30-yard pass from Trevor Lawrence down the middle of the field over Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David. Rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr. also enjoyed a nice practice this day as he has continued to grow in the offense and was seen connecting with Lawrence on a deep ball. Engram enjoyed the best season of his career last fall as he averaged 13.5 PPR points per game, which placed him fourth among all tight ends. Overall, he scored 230.3 PPR points, which put him second at his position, only behind rookie Sam LaPorta. With Calvin Ridley now in Tennessee, Engram should be in line for another high-target share this season and is worth taking at his current Yahoo! ADP of 73.6.

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Indianapolis Colts running back Evan Hull has seen extensive work with the second-team offense during joint practices with the Arizona Cardinals. Trey Sermon (hamstring) had previously cemented himself as the Colts' second-string RB, but that was before he left Sunday's game against Denver early after injuring his hamstring. As of Wednesday, head coach Shane Steichen had no timetable for Sermon's return. In his wake, Hull has taken the role and ran with it. If Sermon were to miss extended time, Hull would be on fantasy manager's radars as the preferred handcuff to back up Jonathan Taylor. Whoever emerges as the handcuff to own would not hold stand-alone value, though they would be a critical fantasy asset if Taylor missed any time. For now, we'll take the wait-and-see approach regarding Indianapolis' backup to own in fantasy drafts.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (undisclosed) was absent from practice again on Friday after leaving Wednesday early for an undisclosed reason. When asked by the media about Vele's absence, head coach Sean Payton said "he'll be fine." Payton did not offer specifics on the body part in question, though it does seem to involve a lower extremity, and he added that the wideout could suit up Sunday when Denver takes on the Green Bay Packers at home. The Broncos drafted Vele in the seventh round (235th overall) of April's draft out of Utah, and while he wasn't expected to make much of an impact in his rookie season -- he's balled out over the last week, and the excitement is building around him. Vele isn't your typical rookie, -- making his NFL debut at 26 years old -- but he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, and Denver's WR room is ripe for the taking behind Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Josh Reynolds.

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When asked about the status of his wideouts, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn praised wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus for his strong camp. The Commanders' wide receiver room has been a hot topic this Summer as Washington continues to look for its second WR behind veteran Terry McLaurin. "We're right in the middle of it," Quinn said when asked about the competition between his pass-catchers -- "I've been really impressed with Olamide." Known for his route-running and reliable hands, the sixth-year wideout has put himself in the category of a serious contender regarding the starting job. This will be a camp battle worth monitoring, as it was presumed Jahan Dotson had the inside edge in this role. Dotson is listed as the current WR2 on Washington's unofficial depth chart, but Zaccheaus will also have Dyami Brown and rookie Luke McCaffrey to contend with for playing time. He's nothing more than a late-draft dart throw or waiver-wire fodder until the situation is more concrete. Zaccheaus is Yahoo!'s WR145.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been showing off his chemistry with quarterback Geno Smith during joint practices with the Tennessee Titans. With Tyler Lockett (leg) missing time recently, Smith-Njigba has been thrust into a more prominent role, and he's not disappointing. There has been reported "obvious" chemistry between Smith and JSN, as Seattle's signal-caller has gotten more used to the second-year wideout's timing and tempo in his routes. "I just love the way JSN works," Smith said, "Jaxon is prepared every single day." It isn't just his teammates singing his praises, either. When asked about the former first-round pick, Titans head coach Brian Callahan called him "one of the better slots as a young player." It's a crowded WR room in Seattle, but the Ohio State product has an excellent chance to build off of his rookie year in 2024. JSN would garner breakout consideration if either Lockett or Metcalf missed any time. He's Yahoo!'s WR40 in ADP.

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With Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) still out, Easton Stick will make another start in the preseason game on Saturday versus the Los Angeles Rams. Stick underwhelmed in the preseason opener last Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks, going 5-for-13 for 31 yards and an interception. He evidently showed enough in training camp practices this week to hold off Max Duggan and Luis Perez, though, in what is turning into an unexpectedly tight QB competition for the backup role to Herbert in 2024. Stick looked better in practice this week but still had his ups and downs. If the 28-year-old struggles again this weekend, don't be surprised if Perez or Duggan see more starting reps in practice next week with Herbert still out. The bottom line here is that if Herbert ends up missing time in the regular season, the Bolts' offense could be in serious trouble.

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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie first-round wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. stood out while working out of the slot in Thursday's joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and continues to receive praise from the coaching staff. "He continues to grow, and just he and Trevor Lawrence keep talking and working. That's what's going to take, you're not going to be a finished product right away, but if he continues to improve and just learn with the offense, grow with the offense. But he's been doing a really good job," head coach Doug Pederson said. On his only catch in his NFL debut last weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs, the 21-year-old caught a 41-yard pass from C.J. Beathard. Although the Jaguars added Gabe Davis in the offseason, Thomas, the 23rd overall pick in the draft, has the chance to push for the WR2 role in Jacksonville and is worth a late-round flier as a WR4/flex heading into his first year in the NFL.

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The Athletic's Tashan Reed writes that Las Vegas Raiders running backs Ameer Abdullah and rookie sixth-rounder Dylan Laube are in a position battle to determine who will be the third-down running back behind Zamir White and Alexander Mattison. Neither Abdullah nor Laube made much of an impact in the preseason opener last weekend against the Minnesota Vikings, so the competition remains a toss-up as of right now. The 31-year-old Abdullah probably has a leg up just because of his familiarity with the offense after catching 19 of his 24 targets in 2023 for 131 yards in 17 games played. However, unless one of White or Mattison miss time with an injury this year, it's hard to foresee Abdulla or Laube having much fantasy appeal outside of very deep PPR leagues.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder is currently listed as the No. 2 QB on the second depth chart of the 2024 season that the team released before their second preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. It doesn't mean that the QB battle for the No. 2 job between Ridder and Clayton Tune is over this summer, though. Ridder is trying to secure the backup job behind Kyler Murray in the desert this year after quickly flaming out in Atlanta after the Falcons took him in the third round in 2022. Both Ridder and Tune will get plenty of action in the final two preseason games with Murray not playing at all until Week 1. Ridder struggled with turnovers for the Falcons and quickly proved that he wasn't their franchise signal-caller in 19 games in two seasons. He's off the fantasy radar for now.

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