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Vikings to re-sign RB Cam Akers, if he's healthy

Tue Jul 2 12:56pm ET
Field Level Media

The Minnesota Vikings plan to re-sign running back Cam Akers if he passes a physical, the Pioneer Press reported Tuesday.

Akers, 25, sustained a season-ending Achilles injury last November. He also missed most of the 2021 season with a torn Achilles.

He rushed 38 times for 138 yards and a touchdown in six games after joining the Vikings in a September 2023 trade with the Los Angeles Rams.

Akers has rushed for 1,581 yards and 11 scores and caught 38 passes for 320 yards and one TD in 36 games (15 starts) with the Rams (2020-23) and Vikings. Los Angeles drafted him in the second round in 2020 and he helped them win Super Bowl LVI.

The Vikings' current running backs roster includes Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride and Myles Gaskin.

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Baker Mayfield Aug 15 4:00pm CT
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will head to the bench for Saturday's preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It sounds like the Bucs are going with the same strategy as last week. That means most of the starters are going to sit including Mayfield for the second straight week. It'll be Kyle Trask and John Wolford under center as they continue competing for the backup spot behind Mayfield. The final chance for Mayfield to log any preseason action will be Aug. 23 versus the Miami Dolphins.

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Matthew Stafford Aug 15 3:50pm CT
Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (hamstring) wasn't present during Thursday's walkthrough. This isn't shocking news after Stafford exited early during Wednesday's practice due to hamstring tightness. Head coach Sean McVay said Stafford was removed for precautionary reasons. He added that Stafford should return to practice at some point next week. This sounds like a minor injury for the 36-year-old signal-caller. That is a relief for fantasy managers as draft season quickly approaches.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Addison Aug 15 3:40pm CT
Jordan Addison

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) appears to have avoided a serious injury after exiting Wednesday's training camp practice. It has been an awful couple of days for the Vikings organization. However, there is somewhat good news regarding the status of Addison. Head coach Kevin O'Connell says that Addison has avoided a major ankle injury. That should give fans a sigh of relief after Addison was carted off the field on Wednesday. The team should give more information soon, but it sounds like Addison isn't going to miss a lengthy period of time.

From RotoBaller

Justin Simmons Aug 15 3:30pm CT
Justin Simmons

The Atlanta Falcons are signing free-agent safety Justin Simmons to a one-year deal. It has been a wild 24 hours for the Falcons. They traded for frustrated pass-rusher Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots. Now, they make another upgrade on defense by adding two-time Pro Bowler Simmons into the mix. It'll be a one-year deal worth $8 million, so a low-risk move for Atlanta. He's coming off a season where he recorded 70 tackles, eight pass defended and three interceptions in 15 games with the Denver Broncos. Simmons will be an immediate upgrade to the quickly improving Falcons defense.

From RotoBaller

Russell Wilson Aug 15 3:20pm CT
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) will be under center during Saturday's preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Wilson will participate in the game as long as he doesn't suffer a setback. The veteran signal-caller has been dealing with a lingering calf issue in camp. Fantasy managers shouldn't worry as the Steelers have been extremely cautious with Wilson. The injury doesn't seem to be significant, so expect Wilson to be out there for four or so series on Saturday. Justin Fields figures to follow Wilson once he departs from the game.

From RotoBaller

Malik Willis Aug 15 2:00pm CT
Malik Willis

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said on Thursday that the starters will not play in Saturday's preseason game against the visiting Seattle Seahawks at Nissan Stadium. Malik Willis will start the game at quarterback for the Titans on Saturday night versus the Seahawks. Fantasy managers got to see Tennessee's first-team offense in the preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers last Saturday, when QB Will Levis led two touchdown drives before the starters came off the field. It remains to be seen if the team will opt to play their stars and veterans in the Aug. 25 exhibition finale against the New Orleans Saints. Other names that won't be available on Saturday based on this news include running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears as well as wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Treylon Burks.

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Patrick Mahomes Aug 15 1:50pm CT
Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs' plan is to play their starters through the first half in Saturday's preseason game against the visiting Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium. It's par for the course for head coach Andy Reid, who prefers to get his stars and veteran players additional reps during the preseason on a yearly basis. Whether or not quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, wide receiver Rashee Rice, and running back Isiah Pacheco actually play the entire first half on Saturday against Detroit remains to be seen, but fantasy managers should be able to get a decent look at KC's first-team offense in this one. One of the top storylines will be which receiver, if any, steps in to pick up the bulk of wideout Marquise Brown's (shoulder) vacated snaps.

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Joshua Kelley Aug 15 1:40pm CT
Joshua Kelley

The New York Giants signed running back Joshua Kelley on Thursday. The move comes on the heels of rookie fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy Jr. (ankle) suffering an ankle injury earlier this week. Kelley is a former fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers from the 2020 NFL Draft, producing 405 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 17 games during the 2023 season. The 26-year-old power back should have a decent chance of making the Giants' roster later this summer as a No. 3 or No. 4 option out of the backfield, and if he does, Kelley would be a candidate to vulture goal-line touches from lead back Devin Singletary and see some early-down work in New York this fall. This role likely wouldn't be enough for fantasy relevance, though.

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Trevor Lawrence Aug 15 1:30pm CT
Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will not play in Saturday's preseason game against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Stadium, head coach Doug Pederson said on Thursday at training camp. Mac Jones or C.J. Beathard will each play a half, but a starter has yet to be named. After looking sharp while completing three of his four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown in last week's preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Lawrence will get the night off on Saturday against the Bucs. His next chance to suit up comes during Aug. 23's exhibition finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Fantasy managers are still waiting for the former No. 1 overall pick to take a big step forward, but Lawrence did register a career-high 7.1 yards per attempt across 564 pass attempts in 2023 and possesses enough dual-threat ability to rank on the QB1/2 borderline.

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Sam Darnold Aug 15 1:13pm CT
Sam Darnold

Dynasty | Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy underwent surgery for a torn meniscus and is out for the season. Dynasty Analysis: There was hope his injury was a partial tear that could be trimmed but that wasn't the case and a full repair was needed. It's not catastrophic as McCarthy wasn't the presumed starter but his chance of starting later in the year are now gone. Sam Darnold will have a golden opportunity moving forward as the starter, though Minnesota could also kick the tires on some veteran options. McCarthy will likely fall a couple of spots in rookie drafts as a result.

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Diontae Johnson Aug 15 1:10pm CT
Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (groin) did not participate in Thursday's practice at training camp. Johnson continues to be bothered by a mild groin strain, and it doesn't look like he'll be active for the Panthers in Saturday's preseason game against the visiting New York Jets at Bank of America Stadium. His status needs to be monitored by fantasy managers going forward, but the injury is not yet enough to move Johnson's place as a fringe WR2/3 in rankings at the moment. The 28-year-old former Pro Bowler should dominate targets in his new role as the top option in Carolina's passing game this season, having recorded a career-high 14.1 yards per reception over 51 catches with the Pittsburgh Steelers a year ago.

From RotoBaller

Dawson Knox Aug 15 1:00pm CT
Dawson Knox

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (ankle, groin) did not take part in Thursday's training camp practice due to a pair of injuries. Because of the fact that Knox isn't practicing late in the week, he's unlikely to suit up for Saturday's preseason contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers as a precaution. There's no indication that his injuries are serious enough to put his availability in question for the Week 1 regular-season opener. The 27-year-old's fantasy stock took a huge hit last year with the addition of rookie Dalton Kincaid. Knox will still have a key role in Buffalo's offense in 2024, but as long as Kincaid stays healthy, he's going to take a clear back seat as a pass-catcher at the tight end position. The former third-rounder in 2019 out of Mississippi had a career-low 22 catches for 186 yards and two scores in 2023 and should stay on the waiver wire in 12-team fantasy leagues unless Kincaid gets hurt.

From RotoBaller

Gardner Minshew II Aug 15 12:50pm CT
Gardner Minshew II

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell got the start in the preseason opener last week, so Gardner Minshew II will get the nod on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, with both QBs set to play a quarter as they continue their competition. O'Connell went 7-for-9 for 76 yards, while Minshew went 6-for-12 for 117 yards and a touchdown. Head coach Antonio Pierce said he's hoping to decide the QB battle after this Saturday's contest. The two signal-callers have much different styles, with O'Connell being more of a pocket passer, while the 28-year-old Minshew has found more success on off-script plays outside the pocket. Minshew is more of a boom/bust type QB in fantasy, but regardless of who wins the QB competition in Vegas, they won't be much more than a low-end QB2/high-end QB3 in superflex leagues.

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Deuce Vaughn Aug 15 12:40pm CT
Deuce Vaughn

Dallas Cowboys second-year running back Deuce Vaughn (hamstring) returned to the team's joint practice on Wednesday with the Los Angeles Rams after being sidelined two weeks with a hamstring injury. Vaughn had several opportunities to carry the ball and be a receiver. The former sixth-round pick in 2023 should see notable playing time in the preseason game this Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders. The 22-year-old is going to be a change-of-pace option, at best, in Dallas' backfield in 2024 and is currently listed behind Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman and Malik Davis on the team's RB depth chart. Vaughn was a preseason darling going into his rookie season but saw action in only seven games last year, rushing for 40 yards on 23 carries, adding seven receptions for 40 yards through the air.

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Dak Prescott Aug 15 12:40pm CT
Dak Prescott

With Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb not at training camp due to a contract holdout, veteran Brandin Cooks continues to be quarterback Dak Prescott's top target. The two were on the same page again on Wednesday during a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams. "He's having a hell of a camp," head coach Mike McCarthy said of Cooks. "I think we had a statistic last week that throughout every three catches that he's made in the team work has been either a touchdown or a big play. He's had a great offseason. He's always in peak condition. I really think, just in my time with him, he's at the top of his game." Things will change in the regular season when Lamb is in the fold, but Cooks shouldn't be ignored late in fantasy drafts now that Michael Gallup is gone. He's coming off back-to-back seasons under 700 receiving yards but could bounce back as Dallas' No. 2 in 2024.

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Chuba Hubbard Aug 15 12:30pm CT
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (knee) suffered a knee injury at training camp on Thursday. Head coach Dave Canales said the team had "big concerns (initially) but initial testing looks good." We'll have more information on Hubbard's injury once we know more, but it looks like he's avoided a serious injury that could keep him out for the start of the 2024 season. However, it's likely that the 25-year-old will miss some practice time and probably won't suit up for the second preseason contest this Saturday against the New York Jets. Currently at the top of Carolina's RB depth chart, any time missed by Hubbard will give rookie Jonathon Brooks and Miles Sanders more reps in camp. Brooks is the favorite to lead Carolina's offense production-wise by the end of the year, but Hubbard is also worth a late-round flier as a handcuff and bench stash in deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Matt Milano Aug 15 12:20pm CT
Matt Milano

Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl linebacker Matt Milano (bicep) left Tuesday's training camp practice with a torn bicep and is out indefinitely, according to sources. Milano will undergo surgery on his torn bicep with the hope of trying to return later this season, possibly in December. It marks the second straight year that he has suffered a significant injury, as last year he fractured his leg in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and missed the rest of the season. Buffalo's defense will still be a high-priority target in fantasy drafts, but the 30-year-old's injury is a significant blow before the start of the 2024 season. The former fifth-rounder in 2017 out of Boston College was a first-team All-Pro in 2022, when he had 99 tackles (72 solo), 1.5 sacks and a career-high-tying three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). Fantasy managers in IDP formats can avoid him now.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Aug 15 12:10pm CT
Malik Nabers

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that rookie first-round wide receiver Malik Nabers (ankle) will practice in full at training camp on Thursday and has a chance to play in the preseason game on Saturday against the Houston Texans. Nabers suffered a minor ankle injury at practice on Sunday and was held out for a few days, but the 21-year-old from LSU appears to be fine now and shouldn't have any problems being ready for Week 1 of the regular season in a few weeks. In his first NFL game in the preseason opener last week, Nabers played on the first three drives but wasn't targeted at all. We'll get our first chance to see quarterback Daniel Jones work with Nabers in a game this weekend, if Nabers plays. The second wideout taken in this year's draft figures to lead New York's pass-catchers in targets if he stays healthy, giving him WR2 upside in his rookie campaign.

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Olamide Zaccheaus Aug 15 12:10pm CT
Olamide Zaccheaus

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that the team is "in the middle" of their search for a WR2 behind Terry McLaurin, with a lot of players in the mix. Quinn mentioned the good training camp for Olamide Zaccheaus, but players like rookie Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and Jahan Dotson are all in the mix. Above all else, this is bad news for Dotson, the team's first-round pick back in 2022. The 24-year-old out of Penn State had 35 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games in 2022, but he had only 518 yards on 49 catches with four TDs in his sophomore season and must show more in the preseason to win the No. 2 role to open the 2024 campaign. At worst, he'll probably settle in as the WR3 in Washington, but as of right now, fantasy managers in standard 12-team leagues can probably look elsewhere in the later rounds.

From RotoBaller

Carl Lawson Aug 15 9:40am CT
Carl Lawson

The Dallas Cowboys are adding former New York Jets defensive end Carl Lawson to their roster. Lawson, who was once a highly anticipated signing for the Jets in 2021 on a three-year, $45 million contract, has had a somewhat disappointing stint, playing in only 23 games over three seasons. The 29-year-old defensive end appeared in six games last year without making a start, though he did start all 17 games the previous year. Dallas will be hoping Lawson can contribute consistently to their defensive line. Despite significant injuries, including a torn ACL in college and a torn Achilles that sidelined him for the entire 2021 season, Lawson has shown he can be a valuable pass rusher, as demonstrated during his time with both the Jets and his initial four seasons with the Bengals. Lawson joins the Cowboys just weeks before the season opener, bolstering the team's defensive depth following their recent trade with the New York Giants for defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.

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