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Champions Draft Results

Wed Jul 3 10:36am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Hurts was first quarterback picked


RealTime Fantasy Sports is proud to present you the results of our “Champions Draft." The draft this season once again consists of the top rated fantasy players on our site. We invited players rated near the top of our Top Fantasy Players report. So this is the best of the best on our site.

In this column, we'll give you a round-by-round look at the draft. Each round includes some notes on that round, talking about what just went down. Hopefully, this gives you some insight into the draft and helps prepare you for all your drafts this coming year.

Before we get to that, here is a quick overview of the league format. We used the same rules as we do for the "All-Pro" fantasy leagues on our site. So you can view the entire set of rules on our main page for that game. But here is a brief look. Each team starts a quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, a tight end, a defensive/special teams, a kicker and a flex player (RB, WR or TE). Scoring is pretty standard. Touchdowns are worth six except for passing touchdowns, which are worth four. And it is a points per reception league, giving every player a point per reception. Defenses get points for sacks, interceptions and fumble recoveries. The rules are pretty standard with how many leagues operate these days.

ROUND 1

 1. Ballers - Christian McCaffrey RB, SF

 2. Birds - CeeDee Lamb WR, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Bijan Robinson RB, ATL

 4. Super Paurs - Breece Hall RB, NYJ

 5. Wreckingcrew - Tyreek Hill WR, MIA

 6. PaurPlay - Justin Jefferson WR, MIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Amon-Ra St. Brown WR, DET

 8. Bubbles Army - Ja'Marr Chase WR, CIN

 9. HORNS - Jahmyr Gibbs RB, DET

 10. Goodfellas - Puka Nacua WR, LAR

 11. Suncoast - A.J. Brown WR, PHI

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Saquon Barkley RB, PHI

NOTES: The first round was pretty chalk, going very similar to the current ADP. These savvy owners didn’t take many chances with the first round. There were five running backs and seven receivers picked in Round 1. It was not a surprise to see no tight ends or quarterbacks picked in the first round. The only mild surprise was seeing Jonathan Taylor failed to get picked this round. He normally goes at the end of the first round, but didn’t in this one.

ROUND 2

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jonathan Taylor RB, IND

 2. Suncoast - Garrett Wilson WR, NYJ

 3. Goodfellas - Sam LaPorta TE, DET

 4. HORNS - Travis Etienne RB, JAX

 5. Bubbles Army - Davante Adams WR, LV

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Chris Olave WR, NO

 7. PaurPlay - Josh Jacobs RB, GB

 8. Wreckingcrew - Kyren Williams RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - Devon Achane RB, MIA

 10. CRUNCHY - Derrick Henry RB, BAL

 11. Birds - Isiah Pacheco RB, KC

 12. Ballers - Marvin Harrison Jr. WR, ARI

NOTES: Sam LaPorta was the first tight end picked, getting taken by Suncoast this round. He went a tad sooner, having an ADP of 24.99 but he wasn’t going to last to Suncoast when he picked again, so he had to pull the trigger now if he wanted him on his roster. . . . This was a running back heavy round, seeing seven go off the board. This is normally a trend in many drafts with a lot of owners going receiver in the first round. . . .Isiah Pacheco might have been the only surprise running back of this round. The Birds selected him with the 11th pick. This wasn’t too far off his ADP, though, normally going pick 26.62. . . . .Marvin Harrison continues to be the first rookie picked on draft day. The Ballers picked him with the last pick, making him the 24th pick overall.

ROUND 3

 1. Ballers - Drake London WR, ATL

 2. Birds - Michael Pittman Jr. WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Nico Collins WR, HOU

 4. Super Paurs - Deebo Samuel WR, SF

 5. Wreckingcrew - James Cook RB, BUF

 6. PaurPlay - Travis Kelce TE, KC

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Rhamondre Stevenson RB, NE

 8. Bubbles Army - Rachaad White RB, TB

 9. HORNS - Stefon Diggs WR, HOU

 10. Goodfellas - Joe Mixon RB, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Mike Evans WR, TB

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aiyuk WR, SF

NOTES: This round was a little more receiver heavy once again, having seven go off the board. This seems to be a trend in a lot of drafts, having owners get two receivers and a running back after three rounds. . . . .Travis Kelce is the second tight end picked, which is a little unusual for him, but definitely a trend. Kelce has an ADP of 30.8, going after LaPorta in most drafts. Paur Play is hoping he has at least one more big season in him. . . . .It is always interesting seeing how owners value the two top receivers for the Texans. Nico Collins went before Stefon Diggs in this draft. Collins was picked third this round by CRUNCHY while the HORNS picked Diggs with the ninth pick.

ROUND 4

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jaylen Waddle WR, MIA

 2. Suncoast - Jalen Hurts QB, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - D.J. Moore WR, CHI

 4. HORNS - DeVonta Smith WR, PHI

 5. Bubbles Army - Josh Allen QB, BUF

 6. Crusty GON Pod - D'Andre Swift RB, CHI

 7. PaurPlay - Patrick Mahomes QB, KC

 8. Wreckingcrew - D.K. Metcalf WR, SEA

 9. Super Paurs - Amari Cooper WR, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Kenneth Walker III RB, SEA

 11. Birds - Lamar Jackson QB, BAL

 12. Ballers - Trey McBride TE, ARI

NOTES: This was a quarterback heavy round, seeing four go off the board. Jalen Hurts was the first quarterback selected, getting picked by Suncoast. He went ahead of Josh Allen, who normally is the first quarterback picked in drafts. . . . .Trey McBride was the third tight end picked, going to the Ballers with the last pick in this round. McBride is flying up draft boards this year after this strong finish last season. He has an ADP of 48.2, so this spot for him is not out of the norm. . . .There was just two running backs picked this round after seeing at least four picked each of the first three rounds. D’Andre Swift and Kenneth Walker were the backs picked this round.

ROUND 5

 1. Ballers - Zay Flowers WR, BAL

 2. Birds - Mark Andrews TE, BAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Aaron Jones RB, MIN

 4. Super Paurs - Cooper Kupp WR, LAR

 5. Wreckingcrew - C.J. Stroud QB, HOU

 6. PaurPlay - Alvin Kamara RB, NO

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Kyle Pitts TE, ATL

 8. Bubbles Army - Dalton Kincaid TE, BUF

 9. HORNS - Anthony Richardson QB, IND

 10. Goodfellas - James Conner RB, ARI

 11. Suncoast - David Montgomery RB, DET

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - George Kittle TE, SF

NOTES: David Montgomery was one of the top league winners last year but falls to the fifth round of this draft, going to Suncoast with the 11th pick. Fantasy owners have concerns for a repeat season from Montgomery, having an ADP of 68.9. This could end up being a make or break pick for the defending champ. . . . .Cooper Kupp is another polarizing figure this season. He was a very early pick last year, but goes to the Super Paurs with the fifth pick in Round 5. He has taken quite the fall in drafts, having an ADP of 46.5. . . .There were four tight ends pick this round. Dalton Kincaid is the biggest mover from last year. The Horns picked him with the eighth pick. Kincaid is normally the fifth tight end off the board, so Horns might have gotten a little value with him being the seventh tight end selected with this pick.

ROUND 6

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Malik Nabers WR, NYG

 2. Suncoast - Najee Harris RB, PIT

 3. Goodfellas - Jaylen Warren RB, PIT

 4. HORNS - Zack Moss RB, CIN

 5. Bubbles Army - Christian Kirk WR, JAX

 6. Crusty GON Pod - George Pickens WR, PIT

 7. PaurPlay - Calvin Ridley WR, TEN

 8. Wreckingcrew - Jordan Love QB, GB

 9. Super Paurs - Zamir White RB, LV

 10. CRUNCHY - Tee Higgins WR, CIN

 11. Birds - Jayden Reed WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Tony Pollard RB, TEN

NOTES: The one pick that stands out in this round was the Birds taking Jayden Reed with the 11th pick. He has an ADP of 86.9, so they might have went a little early on Reed. He certainly has potential after scoring eight touchdowns his rookie season, but the Birds might have been able to get him a few rounds later. . . .The quarterback position slowed down a little this round with Jordan Love the only quarterback selected. He goes with the eight pick to Wreckingcrew. Love was fifth overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year, so getting him after the elite guys are gone could turn out to be good value for Wreckingcrew. . . . .Some running backs that could be splitting work this year flew off the board. Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Zack Moss, Zamir White and Tony Pollard were all picked. They all have some question marks about playing time but if one emerges, they could be great value in Round 6.

ROUND 7

 1. Ballers - Terry McLaurin WR, WAS

 2. Birds - Jonathon Brooks RB, CAR

 3. CRUNCHY - Rashee Rice WR, KC

 4. Super Paurs - Joe Burrow QB, CIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - Evan Engram TE, JAX

 6. PaurPlay - Diontae Johnson WR, CAR

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Keenan Allen WR, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Austin Ekeler RB, WAS

 9. HORNS - Chris Godwin WR, TB

 10. Goodfellas - Tank Dell WR, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Javonte Williams RB, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Raheem Mostert RB, MIA

NOTES: Our first rookie running back was picked this round, seeing the Birds take Jonathan Brooks with the second pick. Brooks could start the year slow, recovering from his knee injury, but could be a huge factor down the stretch for the Birds. Brooks went around 10 spots later than normal, having an ADP of 64.3. . . .Rashee Rice is a player facing a possible multi-game suspension. If not for that, he would be going much higher. Instead, he falls to CRUNCHY with the third pick this round. Rice has an ADP of 81.6, so he goes about where he normally does in drafts. If he can end up avoiding a suspension, this pick will be a huge steal for CRUNCHY. . . .Raheem Mostert is another intriguing player to watch in drafts. He was a league winner for many last year but is not getting drafted like that. AlwaysBetOnBlack gets him with the last pick this round. Mostert has an ADP of 84.8, so most drafters are not betting on a repeat of his huge season.

ROUND 8

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brian Robinson Jr. RB, WAS

 2. Suncoast - Marquise Brown WR, KC

 3. Goodfellas - Dak Prescott QB, DAL

 4. HORNS - Nick Chubb RB, CLE

 5. Bubbles Army - Devin Singletary RB, NYG

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Tyjae Spears RB, TEN

 7. PaurPlay - J.K. Dobbins RB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Blake Corum RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - David Njoku TE, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Jake Ferguson TE, DAL

 11. Birds - Christian Watson WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Trey Benson RB, ARI

NOTES: Nick Chubb is returning from another major injury and lasts until the fourth pick of Round 8. He has big question marks, but the Horns could take a chance on him with three quality backs already on his roster. . . .The Ballers took a chance on rookie Trey Benson in Round 8. After taking Christian McCaffrey with the first pick, the Ballers filled up other positions on his roster before taking chances on running backs later in the draft. . . . .There were seven total running backs picked this round. Many owners are hoping to find that great mid-round value, looking for the Raheem Mostert of this season.

ROUND 9

 1. Ballers - Zach Charbonnet RB, SEA

 2. Birds - Ezekiel Elliott RB, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Kyler Murray QB, ARI

 4. Super Paurs - Ty Chandler RB, MIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - DeAndre Hopkins WR, TEN

 6. PaurPlay - Chase Brown RB, CIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Caleb Williams QB, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Jordan Addison WR, MIN

 9. HORNS - T.J. Hockenson TE, MIN

 10. Goodfellas - Gus Edwards RB, LAC

 11. Suncoast - Courtland Sutton WR, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Trevor Lawrence QB, JAX

NOTES: Three quarterbacks go this round, giving every team at least one quarterback except one. Ballers is the only team that doesn’t have a quarterbacks after nine rounds. The three quarterbacks picked this round were Kyler Murray, rookie Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence. . . .Teams continues to load up on mid-round running backs with five getting of the 12 picks being running backs. None of these backs are sure things but both Ezekiel Elliott and Gus Edwards have some touchdown potential on their teams. . . .DeAndre Hopkins is not getting drafted as he was in the past. He goes with the fifth pick to Wreckingcrew. This spot is even later than normal for Hopkins, who has an ADP of 79.6.

ROUND 10

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Xavier Worthy WR, KC

 2. Suncoast - Dallas Goedert TE, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - Ladd McConkey WR, LAC

 4. HORNS - Keon Coleman WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR, SEA

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Jerome Ford RB, CLE

 7. PaurPlay - Jameson Williams WR, DET

 8. Wreckingcrew - Rico Dowdle RB, DAL

 9. Super Paurs - Mike Williams WR, NYJ

 10. CRUNCHY - Brian Thomas Jr. WR, JAX

 11. Birds - Curtis Samuel WR, BUF

 12. Ballers - Brock Purdy QB, SF

NOTES: Round 10 is the round of the rookie. There were four rookie receivers picked this round, including Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey, Keon Coleman and Brian Thomas. These are four receivers that all have the chance to emerge as top playmakers in their respective offenses. . . . .Ballers is the last team to take a quarterback, picking Brock Purdy with the last pick in Round 10. Purdy was seventh overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year. . . . Suncoast was the last team to select a tight end, taking Dallas Goedert with the second pick. Goedert can be erratic but has a high weekly ceiling in his offense.

ROUND 11

 1. Ballers - Kendre Miller RB, NO

 2. Birds - Josh Downs WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Rome Odunze WR, CHI

 4. Super Paurs - Gabriel Davis WR, JAX

 5. Wreckingcrew - Brandin Cooks WR, DAL

 6. PaurPlay - Jahan Dotson WR, WAS

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Cole Kmet TE, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Brock Bowers TE, LV

 9. HORNS - Jerry Jeudy WR, CLE

 10. Goodfellas - Jayden Daniels QB, WAS

 11. Suncoast - Tyler Lockett WR, SEA

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aubrey K, DAL

NOTES: We had our first team take a second quarterback. Goodfellas took rookie Jayden Daniels with the 10th pick. They picked Dak Prescott two rounds earlier, giving him what could be a potent one-two punch at quarterback. . . .Our first kicker was picked. Brandon Aubrey was taken with the last pick this round by AlwaysBetOnBlack. It is a tad earlier than normal for our first kicker. Aubrey has an ADP of 133.1. . . .The top tight end in this year’s draft, Brock Bowers, was picked by Bubbles Army with the eighth pick. Bubbles is hoping Bowers is the Sam LaPorta of this year’s rookie class.

ROUND 12

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Dallas Cowboys Def/ST, DAL

 2. Suncoast - Jakobi Meyers WR, LV

 3. Goodfellas - Kimani Vidal RB, LAC

 4. HORNS - Khalil Shakir WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - MarShawn Lloyd RB, GB

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Antonio Gibson RB, NE

 7. PaurPlay - Justin Herbert QB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Pat Freiermuth TE, PIT

 9. Super Paurs - Jared Goff QB, DET

 10. CRUNCHY - Kirk Cousins QB, ATL

 11. Birds - Tua Tagovailoa QB, MIA

 12. Ballers - Chuba Hubbard RB, CAR

NOTES: AlwaysBetOnBlack took the first kicker and followed that by picking the first defense. The Cowboys defense is the first off the board, giving AlwaysBetOnBlack both the Cowboys kicker and defense. . . . .There were a couple rookie running backs picked this round. Kimani Vidal and MarShawn Lloyd don’t have a clear path to playing time with their respective teams but have some potential if given the opportunities. . . .Four teams took backup quarterbacks this round. It is interesting to see Justin Herbert fall so far, but he has question marks because of a new offense and lack of playmakers in the passing game.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Ray Davis Aug 17 9:40pm CT
Ray Davis

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis found plenty of room to run in Saturday night's preseason win over the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, taking the ball eight times for 58 yards in the victory. Davis had a long pickup of 19 yards on the ground, leading the team in rushing yards on Saturday against the Steelers after totaling only 21 yards in last weekend's preseason opener. Starter James Cook remains Buffalo's obvious lead back to begin the season, but Davis is primed for his fair share of involvement as a change-of-pace back on a Bills team that placed more of an emphasis on the running game during the second half of last year. The 24-year-old rookie fourth-rounder has a versatile skillset and can be used in both early-down and pass-down situations, but he's best suited as an RB4/5 stash for fantasy managers in the final rounds of drafts.

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Riley Patterson Aug 17 9:40pm CT
Riley Patterson

Washington Commanders kicker Riley Patterson carried over his struggles from last week as he went 2-for-4 on field goal attempts on Saturday evening. Patterson missed his two attempts from 49 yards and 43 yards, respectively, while he converted on a 46 and a 38-yard attempt. Last week, the 24-year-old went 0-for-1 from 39 yards out, while Ramiz Ahmed went 1-for-1 from 40 yards out on his lone attempt. While Patterson is currently the only kicker listed on the Washington depth chart, as Ahmed was cut earlier this week to make room for wide receiver Martavis Bryant, his inconsistency this preseason could open the door for a kicking competition. Fantasy managers should continue to pay close attention to the depth chart over the next few weeks as the starting kicker on the Commanders could be viable in standard leagues if Jayden Daniels is able to quickly adjust to the NFL.

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James Cook Aug 17 9:40pm CT
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook got involved in Saturday night's preseason victory over the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, rushing six times for 25 yards in the win. Cook tacked on a six-yard catch on Saturday against Pittsburgh, running for a long gain of eight yards. The star third-year back trailed only superstars Christian McCaffrey and Breece Hall among RBs with 1,567 yards from scrimmage in 17 games as Buffalo's lead back last season, but even though incumbent veteran Latavius Murray is no longer around to vulture touchdowns from him, Cook now has rookie fourth-rounder Ray Davis to worry about in the backfield this fall. Davis is a threat to siphon the occasional carry on early downs and also has pass-catching ability, but Cook will start the season as a surefire RB2 option in what became a run-heavy Bills offense during the second half of last year.

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Brian Robinson Jr. Aug 17 9:40pm CT
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Jayden Daniels Aug 17 9:30pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels performed well in his second professional game on Saturday evening against the Miami Dolphins. He went 10-for-12 with 78 passing yards and 13 yards on the ground on two attempts. The former number-two overall pick led the offense for two possessions compared to just one last week. On the first possession, he hit Dyami Brown for three catches and Terry McLaurin for two. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. shined in the second drive, but Daniels did complete two nice passes to tight end John Bates for 20 total yards. Fantasy managers should continue to pay attention to who Daniels targets in the final preseason game, as he is clearly building a connection with Brown, who caught 55 receiving yards last week. The former Heisman winner will be a popular pick in redraft leagues at his 105.6 Yahoo! ADP, given how poised he has looked through his first two professional games.

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Dyami Brown Aug 17 9:30pm CT
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Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown shined once again on Saturday evening and is making a strong case to be the No. 2 wideout in the nation's capital. On Saturday, Brown saw three targets from Jayden Daniels, which tied Terry McLaurin for the most looks from the rookie quarterback. Brown caught all three of these targets in the opening drive for 19 yards. Earlier this week, head coach Dan Quinn expressed that there is still an open competition for the No. 2 wide receiver spot on the depth chart and currently, Brown may be in the lead. Last week, Brown caught 55 yards, which was highlighted by an impressive 42-yard catch. Fantasy managers should continue to pay close attention to how Brown finishes the preseason, as he could be a steal in deeper leagues this fall.

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Quintin Morris Aug 17 9:20pm CT
Quintin Morris

Bills tight end Quintin Morris sustained a shoulder injury during Buffalo's 9-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Morris finished the game with two catches on four targets for 20 yards and led the team in targets. It was a low-scoring defensive affair on Saturday, and Buffalo racked up a ton of injuries, including backup QB Mitchell Trubisky and veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling. While Morris is listed as the third-string TE on the Bills' unofficial depth chart, he is reportedly a strong favorite to make the team as such. It is similar to the other Buffalo injuries tonight, as the severity is unknown, but there is sure to be an update shortly. The third-year TE has spent more time on special teams than offense throughout his first two seasons and is a distant third option at tight end behind Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid.

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Dennis Allen Aug 17 9:00pm CT
Dennis Allen

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen has opted to play his starters again this Sunday when they square off against the San Francisco 49ers. The sentiment around the team is that the starters will see "a decent amount of work." This is an apparent deviation from how things unfolded last season when the Saints' first team saw just one drive in the preseason opener and nothing after that. Allen could be straying from his previous habits for many reasons, including how last year played out for New Orleans. There is also a chance this is in response to the Saints' joint practices with the 49ers being canceled due to "mounting injury concerns" by San Fran's coaching staff. It remains to be seen exactly how much run the offensive and defensive first teams will get. However, Allen could opt to play his starters a bit longer than usual to get them some extra competitive snaps as we creep toward the regular season.

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Jaren Hall Aug 17 8:40pm CT
Jaren Hall

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall played most of the second half against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, looking sharp in his limited passing opportunities. The 2023 fifth-round pick completed four of his five passes for 87 yards and two scores, including an incredible 71-yard bomb to Jeshaun Jones. The Vikings were ahead by multiple scores for much of Hall's playtime, so he did not have many chances to show off his arm, but he was effective when he could. The second-year quarterback bounced back from a disappointing first preseason game, as the backup quarterback position in Minnesota has been in flux with rookie J.J. McCarthy (knee) being placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Hall made his case to be on the 53-man roster for the Vikings and will need to fight off Nick Mullens and newly signed Matt Corral for the opportunity.

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Marquez Valdes-Scantling Aug 17 8:40pm CT
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) will not return to the team's preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Valdes-Scantling caught a ball in the second quarter, and after being taken to the ground, he remained down for an extended period of time. The Bills' training staff actually stabilized his neck before he sat up and was escorted over to the blue medical tent. He was carted to the locker room shortly after. MVS's night would end with one catch on one target for eight yards. Although the veteran wideout was mobile, neck injuries are no small matter, and the injury's severity is unknown. While MVS is not listed as a starter on Buffalo's depth chart (WR5), this would be a blow to the offense as Josh Allen is missing 241 targets from 2023 with the departure of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. He's Yahoo!'s WR117 in ADP.

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Mitchell Trubisky Aug 17 8:30pm CT
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (knee) will not return to Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bills backup scrambled out of the pocket late in the second quarter but came up limping, walking gingerly after being tackled. The severity of the injury is unclear at this time. He'll finish his day 9-of-13 for 86 yards and one interception. Superstar quarterback Josh Allen was in line to start the game, but after a survey of the field pregame, head coach Sean McDermott elected to start Trubisky instead and keep Allen out of harm's way due to poor conditions. Depending on the results of his testing, it is possible that Buffalo will decide to add some veteran help to its QB room. Third-string signal-caller Ben DiNucci is currently the only healthy quarterback behind Allen -- fourth-string QB Shane Buechele (neck) already resides on IR. We're likely to get an update on Trubisky's status shortly.

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Patrick Mahomes Aug 17 8:20pm CT
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looked sharp again in Saturday evening's preseason defeat to the visiting Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium, completing eight of his 14 passes for 93 yards in the loss. Perhaps Mahomes' most noteworthy play of the day on Saturday against Detroit came when he flipped a pretty eight-yard pass behind his back to top target Travis Kelce during the first quarter. This might have been it for the six-time Pro Bowler and two-time MVP as it pertains to exhibition action this summer, but KC's first-team offense may get one more chance to tune things up in Thursday's preseason finale against the Chicago Bears. Mahomes had a down 2023 regular season for the defending-champion Chiefs and is now likely to be without veteran wideout Marquise Brown (shoulder) for the start of 2024, but he remains a cinch top-tier QB1 in fantasy drafts as arguably football's most dominant player.

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Rashee Rice Aug 17 8:10pm CT
Rashee Rice

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice put together a productive outing in Saturday evening's preseason loss to the visiting Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium, reeling in four of his five targets for 35 yards in the defeat. Rice's longest gain of the game came on a 14-yard short pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the first quarter on third down to keep an eventual scoring drive alive on Saturday against the Lions. The star second-year slot receiver is seeing his fantasy ADP come surging upward in recent weeks, as there remains no real clarity on whether or not he'll be suspended due to off-field incidents earlier this offseason. As it stands, it's looking more and more likely that Rice will begin the season as Mahomes' clear-cut top wideout with Marquise Brown (shoulder) sidelined, and he should at least be a midrange WR2 bet when available this year.

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Evan McPherson Aug 17 8:10pm CT
Evan McPherson

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson was the team's only source of offense during Saturday's preseason loss to Chicago. The 25-year-old began the preseason by missing a kick in the Bengals' first preseason game versus the Bucs. However, he got it together on Saturday, nailing a 54-yard attempt. McPherson, who recently agreed to a three-year, $16.5 million contract extension, was at his best as a rookie. But if the Bengals offense can return to form, he'll have plenty of chances to make a difference for fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Trayveon Williams Aug 17 8:00pm CT
Trayveon Williams

Cincinnati Bengals running back Trayveon Williams had six carries for 22 yards in Saturday's loss to the Chicago Bears. He added two catches for 19 yards. Cincinnati rested most of the starters on offense, opening the door for others to get involved. While Williams wasn't as productive on the ground as Noah Cain, it likely won't impact his place on the depth chart heading into the 2024-25 campaign. With that said, as long as Zack Moss and Chase Brown are healthy, Williams probably won't get enough snaps to make him a viable fantasy option.

From RotoBaller

Deneric Prince Aug 17 8:00pm CT
Deneric Prince

Kansas City Chiefs running back Deneric Prince flashed some big-play ability in Saturday evening's preseason defeat to the visiting Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium, rushing seven times for 47 yards in the loss. Prince also caught one of his two targets for seven yards on Saturday against Detroit, most notably breaking away for a 41-yard scamper in the second quarter to help set up an eventual scoring drive for the Chiefs. The 24-year-old power back might be making some inroads on KC's No. 2 job in the backfield as he battles with incumbent veteran Clyde Edwards-Helaire for the role, but he still has some work to do if he wants to become the top backup to workhorse starter Isiah Pacheco this fall. Prince has one more chance to leave an impression on the coaching staff in Thursday's preseason finale against the Chicago Bears.

From RotoBaller

Jermaine Burton Aug 17 7:50pm CT
Jermaine Burton

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton had just one reception for 19 yards in Saturday's preseason loss to the Bears. The rookie had a stellar showing in the Bengals meeting with the Buccaneers, catching three of his four targets for 82 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, Burton couldn't keep the momentum going, although most of his time was dedicated to returning kicks. At any rate, the 23-year-old may not be involved consistently during his inaugural campaign. However, Burton could climb the depth chart in the next few years, especially if Tee Higgins doesn't return. Cincinnati will close out the preseason with a Thursday night encounter with the Colts.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Worthy Aug 17 7:50pm CT
Xavier Worthy

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy made a big impact in Saturday evening's preseason loss to the visiting Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium, catching three of his six targets for 62 yards and a touchdown in the defeat. Worthy added an 11-yard carry on Saturday against the Lions, with his score coming on a 22-yard reception from backup quarterback Carson Wentz in the first quarter. This was the kind of showing the Chiefs and fantasy managers were hoping to see out of the 21-year-old rookie first-rounder out of Texas, who stepped up in the absence of veteran wideout Marquise Brown (shoulder) and is looking at a more pronounced role in KC's passing game to begin the season. Set to be QB Patrick Mahomes' primary deep threat in the early going, Worthy is a high-ceiling WR3/flex pick in the middle rounds of drafts.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren Aug 17 7:40pm CT
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren left his team's Saturday preseason game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury. Warren gained one yard on his lone carry and added two catches for 14 yards before departing during the second quarter with the team calling him doubtful to return. Seeing as this is a preseason game, Warren's night is most likely over. Fortunately, the veteran running back has several weeks to get healthy before the Steelers' Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Warren has been expected to team with Najee Harris to form a one-two punch in the Pittsburgh backfield this season. If Warren's injury were to stretch into the regular season, look for Harris to operate as the team's bell-cow with a sprinkling of Cordarrelle Patterson mixed in. Stay tuned.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Nailor Aug 17 7:30pm CT
Jalen Nailor

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor played only one drive but saw two looks in the team's second preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. The third-year wideout reeled in one of his two targets for an impressive 31-yard nab on 3rd-and-7 as he continues to impress for the competition of third wide receiver on the Vikings. The two players ahead of Nailor -- Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison -- did not play, giving the former sixth-round selection an opportunity to shine. Given the open-ended nature of Addison's pending court hearing and possible suspension, wideout depth is critical to assess. Nailor has answered the call well in both preseason games, bringing in four receptions for 94 yards in his three preseason drives so far. He's the clear favorite for a Vikings team that loves to use three-receiver sets.

From RotoBaller