Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Monday that the team's starters probably won't play much in the second preseason game this Saturday against the Tennessee Titans. The starters will get their work in joint practices with the Titans this week. Smith and the rest of the offensive starters also sat out of Saturday's preseason opener versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The 33-year-old Smith missed some time early in training camp with minor hip and knee injuries, but he's fine now and should be 100% ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the visiting Denver Broncos. There is plenty of optimism for a bounce-back year for Smith and Seattle's entire offense under the new coaching staff and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Treat Smith as a low-end QB2 target with upside in upcoming fantasy drafts.

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As things currently stand in training camp, The Athletic's Daniel Popper lists Los Angeles Chargers tight ends Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst and Stone Smartt as the three TEs he thinks will make the final roster. Donald Parham Jr. and Ben Mason have missed significant practice time with injuries, and when Parham has been on the field, he has been working with the second and third teams. His blocking also remains a weakness. Zach Heins and Luke Benson have flashed at times, but they don't seem deserving of a roster spot over one of the other team's receivers. Smartt has improved as a blocker, which is why Popper thinks he'll earn a 53-man roster spot for a run-heavy Greg Roman offense this year. Parham's fantasy value in dynasty/keeper leagues is quickly evaporating, even though he set career-highs in catches (27), yards (285) and touchdowns (four) in 2023.

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Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (leg) left Monday night's training camp practice early to be evaluated with a leg injury. Fantasy managers are going to have to check back for more word on the severity of Gibb's leg injury, but for now, consider him to be day-to-day. Expect the Lions to exercise plenty of caution with their lead back and former first-round pick in 2023. The 22-year-old finished as the RB10 in half-PPR scoring in his rookie season in 2023, finishing with 945 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 182 carries while adding 52 receptions (71 targets) for 316 additional yards and a score. Despite once again being set to share Detroit's backfield touches with David Montgomery in 2024, Gibbs has midrange RB1 upside in PPR formats when healthy. Montgomery would have clear RB1 upside if Gibbs' injury is serious enough to keep him out into the regular season.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell (quadriceps) "took a pretty good shot" in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Green Bay Packers and will miss a week or two, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. It's a bummer for Bell, who was having an outstanding training camp up until this point. Before getting hurt on Saturday, the 23-year-old caught his only target for a five-yard gain. Even with Bell's strong camp to this point, it was going to be hard for him to get any higher than fourth on the team's receiver depth chart with Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore ahead of him, and his quad injury pretty much assures he'll go undrafted in most redraft fantasy leagues now. Bell's absence over the next week or two will open up reps for Cedric Tillman and Jaelon Darden, among others.

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The Athletic's Daniel Popper went into training camp thinking the Los Angeles Chargers would only keep five receivers, but impressive performances by wideout Brenden Rice has forced Popper to open up an additional spot in this group. Rice has shown he can be a productive receiver at the NFL level. His size, athleticism, route-running, hands and instincts are all NFL-caliber. However, the receiver room remains wide open, and Simi Fehoko has also been making plenty of plays, including a 29-yard reception in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks. Fehoko also played on all core-four special teams units on Saturday. In addition to Rice and Fehoko, rookie Jaylen Johnson has had a strong camp, putting himself on the roster bubble. Popper lists Joshua Palmer, rookie Ladd McConkey, DJ Chark, Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis as the first five receivers for the Bolts.

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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced that rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) is dealing with knee soreness and won't take part in Monday night's training camp practice. The Vikings are likely just being overly cautious here with who they hope will be their QB of the future. The 21-year-old Michigan product made his NFL debut in Saturday's preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders and went 11-for-17 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. McCarthy got off to a bad start but eventually settled in against backup defenders. Hopefully, his knee injury doesn't cause him to miss too much practice time, but either way, former first-rounder Sam Darnold is fully expected to open the year as Minnesota's starter as they slow-play the development of McCarthy.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) was absent from practice on Monday. The former first-round pick is currently listed as the No. 2 running back on the Chiefs depth chart ahead of second-year player Deneric Prince. Edwards-Helaire rushed for 223 yards and one touchdown in 2023. He has been fully usurped as the feature back by third-year player Isiah Pacheco. With the offseason hype for Prince growing, Edwards-Helaire faces pressure to perform to keep his hold on the No. 2 job. Edwards-Helaire does not have much stand-alone fantasy value outside of insurance for Pacheco.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (undisclosed) was not participating in team drills at practice on Monday. Jeudy was acquired by the Browns in March and signed a three-year $58 million contract extension. Jeudy projects to be the Browns' No. 2 wide receiver behind Amari Cooper. With David Njoku also in the fold for targets, Jeudy could wind up as the third target on the team. With Deshaun Watson struggling over the past couple of seasons, the fantasy value of Jeudy is unknown. Jeudy finished 2023 with 758 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It was a down season for the former first-round pick who seemed to be ascending after a career year with the Denver Broncos in 2022. Ultimately, the Broncos grew tired of waiting for the breakout and shipped Jeudy to Cleveland. Jeudy is an afterthought in fantasy drafts at the moment. If he can recapture any of his 2022 magic then he will be an excellent value in 2024.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will play in the Browns' final preseason game on August 24th. Live game reps will help Watson get back into a groove as he is coming off of shoulder surgery performed in November of 2023. Watson has struggled during his Browns tenure. He has only played in twelve of a possible 34 games due to injury and suspension. He only managed to throw for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns with a completion percentage of 61.4% in six games in 2023. Fantasy managers will be eager to see how Watson fares in the preseason to gauge how well he may be able to support pass catchers such as Jerry Jeudy, Amari Cooper, and David Njoku.

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Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss (illness) returned to practice Monday. He was spotted working with the first-team offense upon his return. Moss has been competing with Chase Brown for the No. 1 running back spot on the roster. Moss is coming off a career year with the Indianapolis Colts in which he ran for 794 yards and five touchdowns in relief of Jonathan Taylor. The Bengals signed the 26-year-old to a two-year deal in March to replace Joe Mixon. However, Brown has generated a lot of buzz this offseason. It remains to be seen how the Bengals will deploy their running backs in 2024. Neither player is expensive to acquire in fantasy drafts and both may be worth a shot.

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The San Francisco 49ers officially signed wide receiver Robbie Chosen to a one-year deal on Monday. Chosen has been signed amidst the intense trade speculation surrounding star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Chosen spent part of the 2023 season with the Miami Dolphins. He recorded four receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown. His best season came in 2020 when he recorded over 1,000 receiving yards with the Carolina Panthers. With Deebo Samuel Sr., Juan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall on the roster in addition to Aiyuk, Chosen figures to simply be a solid depth piece in this offense.

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Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (head) is in concussion protocol, and head coach Dan Campbell said the 26-year-old is unlikely to return to practice until at least Friday. Hooker, a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tennessee, played in his first preseason game on Thursday after missing his entire rookie campaign following a torn ACL in his final collegiate season. He completed five of his nine passing attempts for 36 yards and led the team with 34 rushing yards before getting banged up against the New York Giants. While he should have plenty of time to be ready for Week 1, missing practice time as he tries to beat out Nate Sudfeld for the QB2 role behind Jared Goff is far from ideal. The team signed veteran quarterback Jake Fromm on Monday, which could be a sign that Hooker won't play this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk has been impressive this offseason, and Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston said he's arguably been the team's best receiver during training camp. "Demario Douglas is the Patriots receiver who finds himself open more consistently than any other. But in terms of availability and on-field dependability, there's no Patriots pass-catcher who has been more consistent than Polk," Perry wrote. Polk was the No. 37 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after posting 69 receptions for 1,159 yards and 10 total touchdowns while competing with star pass-catchers Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan for targets in 2023. He could establish himself as the clear WR1 in New England, giving him at least flex appeal in deep formats. However, there's a chance none of the Patriots' pass-catchers have a ton of upside with veteran Jacoby Brissett or rookie Drake Maye under center. That said, the Washington product's ADP is outside the top 200 overall picks, so he's worth a late-round dart throw for deep-league fantasy managers.

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New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones reportedly struggled with arm strength and deep passes early in training camp, but Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that he has "shaken off the rust" and is no longer underthrowing passes down the field. "[He] uncorked a beautiful deep ball to Jalin Hyatt for a long touchdown today. They also hooked up for a short TD pass on a slant when Nick McCloud seemed to expect help inside that didn't come," Duggan wrote on X. While this is a promising note, it's tough to buy in on Jones in 2024 after his lost 2023 season. The 27-year-old is coming off a torn ACL, which could limit his rushing upside this season. First-round wideout Malik Nabers (ankle) is also banged up, and although he should be ready to go for Week 1, his ankle injury could slow down his development at least a little bit. All that said, Jones currently carries an ADP around the QB31 spot, so he can be picked as a late-round flier in deep Superflex formats. He's practically free in drafts, so it won't hurt fantasy managers if he busts in his sixth NFL campaign.

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The Detroit Lions signed free-agent quarterback Jake Fromm on Monday, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov. This move comes just days after backup quarterback Hendon Hooker (head) entered concussion protocol. Head coach Dan Campbell said he doesn't expect Hooker back until later this week. Fromm, a 2020 fifth-round pick out of Georgia, has spent time with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders. He's played in just three regular-season games and completed under 50% of his passes for 210 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. He now joins a quarterback room with Hooker, Jared Goff, and Nate Sudfeld. It would be a surprise if he sticks around and makes the Week 1 53-man roster.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey has gotten plenty of positive attention during his first NFL training camp, and head coach Jim Harbaugh went as far to as his route running is "elite." The second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft appears to be establishing himself as a clear starter for the Bolts, and he could play his way into the No. 1 wide receiver role ahead of Joshua Palmer. The 22-year-old didn't have the most impressive counting stats at Georgia, but he played in a run-heavy offense that often had the lead and competed with Brock Bowers, George Pickens, and Jermaine Burton, among others for targets. His 14.2 yards per reception and 16.6 yards per carry in college and his 4.39 40-yard dash time at the 2024 NFL Combine suggest he could be an efficient play-maker for Justin Herbert right away. Although the Chargers are expected to deploy a run-heavy offensive attack, McConkey could be a weekly WR3 or flex option if he earns the target-hog role in L.A.

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According to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, multiple teams have inquired about a potential trade for New England Patriots edge rusher Matthew Judon. The organization offered the 31-year-old a new contract this offseason, but he declined. Judon collected 28 sacks through his first two seasons with the Patriots in 2021 and 2022, but the four-time Pro Bowler played in just four games last season and racked up four sacks before suffering a season-ending bicep injury. Although there is no indication that New England wants to trade him, it could be a possibility as the team enters a full rebuild under new head coach Jerod Mayo.

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New York Jets All-Pro pass-rusher Haason Reddick, who is holding out still at training camp, has informed the team that he wants to be traded, according to multiple sources. Reddick has yet to play for the Jets after being acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade back in March. The 29-year-old pass-rusher has a year left on his current deal and will want a contract extension from any interested team that is willing to trade for him. The former 13th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 out of Temple has made the Pro Bowl each of the last two years while playing for the Eagles and racked up 64 solo tackles, 27 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, 49 QB hits, four pass breakups, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries over 34 starts in that span. Regardless of where he's playing in 2024, Reddick should be on the IDP fantasy radar, at least as a bench stash.

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Los Angels Chargers running back Jaret Patterson has impressed the coaching staff and appears to have grasped the RB3 role right now, which has led The Athletic's Daniel Popper to list rookie sixth-rounder Kimani Vidal as the first RB off the active roster when the regular season starts. Patterson has gotten the most reps with the first team in training camp practices among the four backs competing behind Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. He was also the first RB in the game in the preseason opener on Saturday, ahead of both Isaiah Spiller and Elijah Dotson. Vidal was in uniform for warmups but did not dress for the game. Spiller is on the first-team punt unit and has familiarity with special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken. Vidal has also been dealing with an injury and missed four full days of practice earlier this month.

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When asked how confident he is that he'll be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September, New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock (hip, oblique) said, "100 percent confident." Lock said he's already throwing again after being pulled from the team's preseason opener last Thursday night against the Detroit Lions due to a bone contusion in his hip and a strained oblique. The 27-year-old will not need surgery, but he'll almost certainly sit out of the second preseason game this Saturday versus the Houston Texans. Starter Daniel Jones is expected to make his preseason debut, and third-stringer Tommy Devito should once again see extensive work. With Jones expected to be a full-go to kick off the regular season, Lock will be off the fantasy radar in all leagues as the backup in the Big Apple.

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