Minnesota Vikings No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy signed a four-year, fully-guaranteed rookie contract on Friday that is worth $21.85 million and also includes a $12.71 million signing bonus and a fifth-year team option, according to sources. McCarthy won a national championship at Michigan in his final season in college and is now hoping to be the Vikings' next franchise signal-caller, although it won't come right away. Former first-rounder Sam Darnold is fully expected to open the year as the starter under center in Minnesota, with McCarthy learning on the sidelines. Most evaluators don't see a ton of upside in McCarthy at the next level, but it doesn't mean he won't be making some starts later on in the 2024 campaign. McCarthy can be avoided in single-year fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

The New Orleans Saints put tight end Juwan Johnson (foot) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday. It means that Johnson won't be ready to join the rest of the team in practices for the start of training camp next week after he had surgery for a foot injury that he suffered in minicamp this offseason. However, the 27-year-old should work off to the side for the start of camp and still has a shot to be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season in Week 1 this fall. If Johnson is limited or out to begin the season, Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill will have more opportunities to catch passes at the tight end position in the Big Easy. Johnson took a step back in 2023 with quarterback Derek Carr at the helm, catching 37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (11 starts). When healthy, he checks in as a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE2 in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears TE Gerald Everett (undisclosed) was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list on Friday, July 19.

From TheHuddle

Houston Texans RB Joe Mixon is preparing for a heavy workload, he told reporters Friday, July 19.

Fantasy Spin: Mixon should have a strong workload enough to give him the floor of an RB2 in fantasy with some touchdown upside given the strength of the Texans offense.

From TheHuddle

Dallas Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks was on the same page with QB Dak Prescott during OTAs and minicamp this year, according to The Athletic's Jon Machota, who noted that their connection particularly stood out on deep balls and it was clear the duo had spent a full year working together.

Fantasy Spin: Machota opined that Cooks, if healthy, was capable of an "800- to 1,000-yard season with double-digit touchdowns" as the clear No. 2 receiver in Dallas. Cooks has struggled the last two years, but prior to that he'd topped 1,000 yards in six of his previous seven seasons. Entering his age-31 season, Cooks figures to be available late in drafts where he might deliver nice value as a reclamation project.

From TheHuddle

Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb (knee) is expected to be placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list when training camp begins.

From TheHuddle

New York Jets quarterback Jordan Travis (leg) has been placed on the non-football injury list on Thursday. This doesn't come as a surprise considering Travis is still recovering from a leg fracture from November. The fifth-round pick can return at any point during training camp since he was put on the list before camp started. Travis is unlikely to have fantasy value during the 2024 season. He's expected to serve as the third-string quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor. Fantasy managers in redraft formats can feel free to avoid Travis. However, dynasty managers have more incentive to hold Travis with Rodgers possibly retiring after the 2024 season.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (back) has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. Fantasy managers don't need to panic with fantasy draft season quickly approaching. According to Nick Underhill, Olave is dealing with minor back tightness and should be fine soon. The former first-round pick should serve as the team's primary offensive option once again. He has been a stud since entering the league with two straight 1,000-plus yard campaigns. Fantasy managers shouldn't need to monitor this situation with the young stud only dealing with a minor back issue.

From RotoBaller

New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) has been placed on the active/PUP list on Thursday. This should not come as a shock considering Williams is still rehabbing from an ACL tear from last season. The organization is hopeful that Williams will be ready to play by Week 1. There is still plenty of time between now and the beginning of the football season. The missed reps are going to hurt considering Williams has joined a new team this offseason. Despite that, Williams should almost certainly be a viable option once he's cleared to play.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (knee) is expected to be placed on the active/PUP list to begin training camp. It's worth noting that Browns' general manager Andrew Berry said Chubb is progressing well from his torn ACL. The Browns are able to activate Chubb at any point, but it sounds like there is still more work to be done. At the moment, it is uncertain if Chubb will be available by Week 1. If he misses time, Jerome Ford is likely to become the workhorse back in Cleveland. Fantasy managers should have Ford on their radar with Chubb still rehabbing his knee.

From RotoBaller

New York Jets WR Mike Williams (knee) was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list Thursday, July 18.

Fantasy Spin: It is not known when Williams will be able to practice, but he is optimistic that he will be ready for the start of the regular season. He should be a top three receiver for the Jets and could be a No. 4 or No. 5 receiver in fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

New Orleans Saints DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles), DE Chase Young (neck) and LB Nephi Sewell (knee) were placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list Thursday, July 18.

From TheHuddle

Seattle Seahawks OT Abraham Lucas (knee), LBs Drake Thomas (undisclosed), Jerome Baker (undisclosed) and Tyrel Dodson (undisclosed), CB Lance Boykin (undisclosed), S Jerrick Reed II (undisclosed) and DL Cameron Young (undisclosed) on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday, July 18.

From TheHuddle

The Miami Dolphins placed linebackers Bradley Chubb (knee), Cameron Goode (knee) and Jaelan Phillips (Achilles) and offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn (quadriceps) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday, meaning they won't be ready to take part in the start of training camp next week. Chubb tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 17 in 2023 and will not be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season as a result. The former fifth overall pick of the Denver Broncos in 2018 out of North Carolina State had 11 sacks, a career-high 73 tackles (45 solo) and a league-high six forced fumbles in 16 starts in his first year in Miami in 2023 before his injury. Phillips needed surgery to fix a right Achilles tear in November but is hoping to be ready for the regular-season opener. Miami's pass rush won't be the same until both Chubb and Phillips are back on the field together.

From RotoBaller

The Miami Dolphins placed running back Salvon Ahmed (foot) on the Non-Football Injury list on Thursday. Ahmed served in a backup role in Miami's backfield last year before suffering a season-ending foot injury in November. The 25-year-old now won't be ready to take part in practices for the start of training camp next week. When healthy, he's in line to be the team's RB4 behind Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and rookie Jaylen Wright, so Ahmed isn't going to be a fantasy option in the vast majority of leagues. In mostly a pass-catching role in 2023, he caught a career-high 16 passes for 88 yards and one touchdown while adding 22 rushing attempts for 61 yards and another score in eight regular-season games for the Dolphins.

From RotoBaller

Veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb is hanging up his cleats and will join the SEC Network as a college football studio analyst this year. Although Cobb hasn't officially retired, it's unlikely we'll see him again on an NFL field after he caught just five of 17 targets for 39 yards and one touchdown in 11 games (one start) in 2023 for the New York Jets. The 33-year-old was a healthy scratch for most of the second half last season. Ten of Cobb's 13 years in the NFL came with the Green Bay Packers, who selected him in the second round (64th overall) in the 2011 NFL draft out of Kentucky. If this is indeed the end of the road for the 33-year-old pass-catcher, he'll finish his career in the NFL with 630 catches on 912 targets for 7,624 yards and 54 touchdowns in 166 regular-season games (88 starts) with the Packers, Jets, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans.

From RotoBaller

Houston Texans second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023, said he thinks there are "a ton of things" he can do better in his second year in the NFL, starting with "owning the offense more" than he did a year ago. Stroud also hopes to improve his footwork in Year 2 and focused on his desire for the team to put more "on my plate" in terms of directing the offense. "I want to definitely attack down the field more this year and press guys back, but also take what the defense gives me," Stroud said. "If it's a boring play, stick with the boring stuff and just be efficient with that. Those are all things I can get better at." Fantasy managers shouldn't consider the 22-year-old to be a high-end QB1 just yet, but he's no doubt going to be a popular midrange QB1 target after the phenomenal rookie season he had.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson is signing his four-year rookie deal on Thursday, according to a source. The two-time All-ACC RB from Florida State with 4.3-second speed never fumbled during his collegiate career and is expected to play a prominent role for the Cardinals' offense in 2024 alongside lead back James Conner. The 21-year-old 66th overall pick tore multiple ligaments in his knee while at Oregon in 2020 but scored 24 total touchdowns in 2022 and 2023 with the Seminoles. There are questions about his durability, but Benson's combination of power and speed give him plenty of upside at the next level in the long-term. In single-year fantasy leagues, Benson will be worth a late-round flier as a handcuff for managers that take the plunge on the oft-injured Conner.

From RotoBaller

The Los Angeles Chargers placed rookie linebacker Junior Colson (illness) on the Non-Football Illness list on Wednesday. The specifics of Colson's illness/injury remain unclear, but it means that he won't be able to take part in on-field workouts for the start of training camp next week. The 21-year-old third-round pick back in April out of Michigan can be activated at any time during camp and could still be ready in plenty of time for the 2024 regular-season opener in September. Still, it's bad news for a young player trying to get up to speed going into his first NFL season. When healthy, Colson was expected to compete for the starting job at middle linebacker for the Bolts with both Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray having moved on in the offseason.

Updating a previous report, free-agent Randall Cobb is not officially retired from the NFL and is still open to playing if an opportunity arises, according to sources Thursday, July 18.

From TheHuddle