Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee), currently over seven months into his recovery from a torn ACL, is advancing faster than anticipated and could be an option for Week 1. Hockenson, who recorded 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns in the first 15 games of the season before his injury, suffered the ACL tear on December 24. He had to wait until January 29 for surgery due to knee swelling. Given the timing of his injury and his crucial role on the team, it seems unlikely that he will be ready for the start of September. The Vikings are expected to prioritize his full recovery, which might delay his return into the regular season. Although Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is optimistic about Hockenson's progress, Hockenson will probably begin the season on reserve/PUP, sidelining him for at least the first four games of 2024. In his absence, Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, and Robert Tonyan will be the tight ends on the roster, but none currently offer significant fantasy value.

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Minnesota Vikings tight end Robert Tonyan (back) is out of practice currently dealing with lower back spasms. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell hopes he will return in time for the preseason games. O'Connell noted, "He'll be out today (Friday), but we'll keep an eye on his progress over the next few days. We want to ensure he's ready for the upcoming preseason games and fully prepared when the time comes." T.J. Hockenson (knee) the team's top tight end, is still recovering from an ACL tear in his right knee and is not expected to be available for the start of the regular season. Tonyan was signed to help cover Hockenson's pass-catching duties, but with both tight ends potentially sidelined, the Vikings' tight-end depth chart now includes Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, N'Keal Harry, and Trey Knox. With a limited tight-end group, the focus will shift to increasing targets for vital offensive players such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Aaron Jones.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan has been making a compelling case for the WR3 position, showing significant promise during training camp. Selected 92nd overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, McMillan, a former standout for the Washington Huskies, has garnered praise from quarterback Baker Mayfield, who noted, "What people don't realize, he was their (Washington's) leading guy in '22 before he got hurt. And so, for him to get back to true form -- he's a stud." Despite leading the Huskies in targets and catches in 2022, a knee injury in his final season limited him to 45 catches for 559 yards and five touchdowns, likely contributing to his fall to the third round. He led the Washington Huskies in targets and catches in 2022 despite playing with future 1st and 2nd round picks. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin ahead of him on the depth chart, McMillan may struggle to secure a substantial target share but could still deliver valuable fantasy weeks as a perimeter receiver. If he secures the WR3 role, he becomes a more intriguing option, particularly in best-ball leagues.

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San Francisco 49ers tight end Logan Thomas (hamstring) missed practice due to a hamstring injury. Thomas, who joined the 49ers in early June after four seasons with Washington, has yet to disclose the full extent of his injury. More information is anticipated in the coming days. The Arizona Cardinals drafted Thomas from Virginia Tech in the fourth round (No. 120 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. Last season, he caught 55 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (15 starts) with the Commanders, participating in 70 percent of the offensive snaps. His early camp setback raises concerns, given Thomas's history of frequent injuries. With starter George Kittle often sidelined, the 49ers need a dependable backup, and Thomas's reliability is questionable at best. Monitor the situation closely, as the starting tight end for San Francisco could hold significant fantasy value.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee) was limited in practice on Friday due to a knee injury. He participated in individual drills with the team for the first time this summer. Although Jeudy has been dealing with a leg issue, he wasn't on any injury report, so he didn't require formal activation to take the field. Jeudy signed a three-year, $52.5 million contract extension with the Browns after being acquired in a trade from the Broncos this offseason. In exchange, the Browns sent a 2024 fifth-round pick (from the Panthers via the Baker Mayfield trade) and a 2024 sixth-round pick (from Houston via the Deshaun Watson trade) to Denver. Jeudy should have the opportunity to surpass the 54 receptions, 758 yards, and two touchdowns he recorded in 16 regular-season games with the Broncos last season once he's fully healthy. As a former first-round pick out of Alabama, Jeudy has the potential to be a key player on your fantasy roster, but his performance on the field has yet to match his pedigree. Despite the Browns' significant investment in him, his role in a crowded receiving corps makes this season unlikely to be a breakout year.

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Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki's (shoulder) shoulder injury, which forced him out of practice on Thursday, isn't a long-term concern, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters at Friday's training camp. The Lions grabbed Vaki in the fourth round of this past spring's NFL Draft to bolster their backfield depth chart, but he'll most likely be a healthy inactive on game days this fall while co-starters David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are healthy. The 23-year-old rookie tailback out of Utah should see a decent amount of run in the preseason, however, which starts up on Thursday against the hosting New York Giants in the Meadowlands. For the time being, Craig Reynolds will serve as Detroit's No. 3 back at practice.

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New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers was consistently making plays in every drill all over the field during Friday's practice at training camp. Nabers has put on a show as a camp standout this summer, further generating the hype machine amongst fantasy managers after the Giants selected him sixth overall in this past spring's NFL Draft. With negligible competition around him in New York's receiving corps, Nabers projects to be peppered with targets all year long during his first year in the Big Apple. Despite getting a shaky quarterback situation in Year 1 with Daniel Jones (knee) coming off a torn ACL, the 21-year-old LSU standout is being treated as a fringe WR1/2 pick with an ADP sitting in the third round of FFPC fantasy drafts this summer after posting 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in just 13 games last year.

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Green Bay Packers rookie third-round running back MarShawn Lloyd flashed on Thursday why offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said this offseason that the team needs to get him on the field. Lloyd took a run against the starters up the middle and cut left before darting up the sideline for what probably would've been a long run of about 50 yards, and he also reeled in a pass over the middle that was slightly high, showcasing a pass-catching ability the Packers value. Lloyd's shiftiness and burst have stood out since the offseason program, and his total skill set might be enough to unseat veteran AJ Dillon as the primary backup to workhorse Josh Jacobs. There's been plenty of positive coach speak on both Lloyd and Dillon during camp, with the latter shaping up as the preferred pick in best ball drafts in Green Bay's upstart offense. Dillon has been rumored to be a potential cap casualty this summer.

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New York Giants co-owner John Mara says that he doesn't have any regrets about signing quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) last year, even if the team flirted with finding his potential replacement this offseason. Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million contract last offseason, had two touchdowns and six interceptions while playing just six games because of neck and knee injuries, including a torn ACL in his right knee. The Giants seriously inquired about moving into the top three of this past spring's NFL Draft with their eye on a quarterback, but they'll ultimately kick off the 2024 season with Jones at the helm. While the 27-year-old former first-round pick has gotten the vote of confidence from the front office, he'll need to overcome his shortcomings as a passer to be a viable fantasy option in two-QB leagues this fall. In 2023, Jones did rank fourth at his position with 34.3 rushing yards per game.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring issue that has kept him off the practice field for the last two days. For however much time Vaughn may miss at training camp with the issue, the speedy Rico Dowdle and veteran Royce Freeman will jockey for positioning as Dallas' No. 2 back behind incumbent starter Ezekiel Elliott. Vaughn made seven appearances for the Cowboys in his rookie season in 2023, rushing for a mere 40 yards on 23 carries with seven receptions for 40 yards. The pint-sized 22-year-old former Kansas State standout is battling to keep his roster spot in Arlington this summer, and he's not guaranteed to still be with the team when the regular season begins in September.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is resting on Friday after throwing the last six days straight, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters. Stefanski added that Watson has had no limitations with his surgically-repaired right shoulder in training camp. It remains to be seen if he'll be available for the Aug. 10 preseason opener against the visiting Green Bay Packers, but fantasy managers want to get a look at the 28-year-old three-time Pro Bowler as soon as possible after he recorded just 2,217 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions over two years (12 games) since joining Cleveland in 2022. In 2021 with the Houston Texans, Watson led the league in passing yards (4,823), yards per attempt (8.9), and yards per completion (12.6) in his last fully healthy season and is a sleeper target for late-round QB strategists at the end of drafts this summer.

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Dynasty | Bears quarterback Brett Rypien went 11-for-15 for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the 2024 NFL Preseason Hall of Fame opener. Dynasty Analysis: The stats are a little empty based on the competition level but Rypien certainly did all he could to give Tyson Bagent a run as the QB2 behind Caleb Williams on the roster. Bagent will have his tine in the sun later this preseason as well but for now, file this away in deep 2QB leagues.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | Bears receiver Collin Johnson had three catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns in this year's Hall of Fame game. Dynasty Analysis: Johnson is somehow 26 already and has bounced around the league with stops in Jacksonville, New York and Chicago. He only has 30 career catches to his name but has always been a bit of a sleeper. Suddenly buried on a depth chart behind DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze and others, any dynasty manager still hoping for a breakout will likely need him to be released and sign elsewhere. Regardless, this performance was something to at least make note of as Johnson has always had some talent but never been given much of an opportunity in meaningful games.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

The New Orleans Saints signed wide receiver Samson Nacua on Friday, the team announced on X. The brother of 2023 breakout star Puka Nacua spent four seasons at Utah before one year at BYU in 2021 and tallied 103 receptions for 1,344 yards and 14 touchdowns in 58 collegiate games. He went undrafted and last played for the Michigan Panthers of the UFL this spring, catching 11 passes for 125 yards. The 26-year-old is unlikely to be a fantasy football contributor in 2024, but he has an outside chance of making the team's roster given the lack of depth behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce saw his fantasy stock drop after the team selected former Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, Mitchell has struggled early in training camp, and Pierce remains ahead of him on the depth chart. As it stands now," James Boyd of The Athletic wrote. "Pierce remains firmly in place as the Colts' third starting receiver." Pierce, a second-round pick out of Cincinnati in 2022, has racked up 73 receptions for 1,107 yards and four touchdowns in his first 33 NFL games. Given the quarterback situation for the Colts since he joined the team, it hasn't been a horrible start, but the franchise likely hopes Mitchell will eventually surpass him in the offense. As the potential No. 3 target in Indianapolis, Pierce has limited fantasy upside and should be considered a late-round best ball flier.

From RotoBaller

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is struggling to make an impact early in his first NFL training camp, according to James Boyd of the Athletic. "Mitchell has not been the same playmaker he was during the spring when the rookie seemingly made a noteworthy catch every practice." Boyd wrote. "But the second-round pick has been relatively quiet throughout team periods, especially when he's been with the first unit. As it stands now, however, [Alec] Pierce remains firmly in place as the Colts' third starting receiver." While this isn't a promising report, it often takes time for rookie wideouts to transition to the pro game, so it's too early to overreact. That said, the speedster out of Texas will likely have limited fantasy upside in Year 1 while competing for targets with Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Pierce in a potential low-volume passing offense led by quarterback Anthony Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor.

From RotoBaller

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (groin) is reportedly nursing a groin injury, but the former Las Vegas Raider said it's not really an injury, and he's dealing with a minor "tweak." He also said he would be ready to play in a game if it was this week. In all likelihood, the organization is simply being extra cautious with its new $48 million ball-carrier early in the preseason. Jacobs posted a career-low 3.5 yards per carry last season, but his change of scenery could provide him with more running room and opportunities in the open field as a part of the Packers' emerging young offense. The former first-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft is being drafted in the low-end RB1 range in 2024 fantasy football, and he could have high-end RB1 upside if he sees a surplus of goal-line opportunities. AJ Dillon and MarShawn Lloyd figure to mix in behind him, but he's the clear RB1 for Matt LaFleur.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (hand) has been dealing with a hand injury and wearing a red non-contact jersey at the start of training camp. However, he took the field on Friday with a white jersey, signifying he has been fully cleared. It's promising to see him recover well before the start of the 2024 campaign, and he's looking to build off his solid rookie season. The 2023 sixth-round pick out of Liberty led the team's wide receivers in receptions (49) and receiving yards (561) but did not secure a touchdown reception last year. He's been labeled a sleeper candidate heading into 2024, and he's a risk-free selection at his draft spot after the first 175 players go off the board. That said, the entire New England offense is likely to have limited upside with Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye at quarterback and a lack of high-end weapons.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore (head) exited Friday's practice after a collision with defensive back Denzel Ward, and he is being evaluated for a concussion. The 24-year-old suffered a scary-looking head or neck injury last December, so this is not a great development. Further information will likely come out on his status, so there is no fantasy football takeaway for now. Moore flashed as a rookie with the New York Jets, catching 43 passes for 538 yards and five touchdowns in just 11 games. However, he has since compiled just 1,086 yards and three touchdowns in his last 33 games with the Jets and Browns. While playing alongside Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and David Njoku in 2024 and catching passes from a questionable quarterback in Deshaun Watson, he has limited fantasy upside heading into his fourth NFL campaign.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (knee/hip) had testing done on his injured knee and hip, and tests did not reveal anything significant. According to one of Adam Schefter's sources, Smith "shouldn't miss any time." This is great news for the longtime journeyman turned solid starter heading into 2024. Smith has thrown for nearly 8,000 yards, 50 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions in his last 32 starts after taking over for longtime franchise quarterback Russell Wilson in Seattle. With D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Noah Fant, and Kenneth Walker III still on the roster, the 33-year-old has enough upside to be a solid QB2 in Superflex formats. However, fantasy managers should not count on him as a starter in single-QB setups given his lack of high-end rushing upside.

From RotoBaller