Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer is set to start as the likely primary pass catcher in a Week 1 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Palmer did well last season after Mike Williams got hurt, putting up an average of 71 receiving yards per game in those contests. He's the only returning pass catcher besides Quentin Johnston, who may not even be in the starting lineup. Palmer's rapport with quarterback Justin Herbert and his spot on the depth chart gives him plenty of upside on a team whose offense should be very much improved. He's a solid WR3/flex play for the first week of the season with room to grow.

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On the initial Week 1 injury report for the New Orleans Saints, cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip) was listed as limited due to a persistent hip issue. However, he was upgraded to a full participant in Thursday's practice. Lattimore's 2023 season was plagued by injuries, including an ankle problem that kept him to just ten games and a kidney laceration that limited him to seven games the year before. These health issues sparked trade rumors during the offseason, but the Saints decided to keep him. Lattimore is set to start on Sunday, providing a significant boost to the Saints' defense against a Carolina Panthers offense that is expected to have difficulties. His presence will be a considerable challenge for Bryce Young and the Panthers' receiving corps.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is all set to go for a Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. Lamb missed the preseason while holding out for his newly signed contract, but he was reportedly still working out and staying in game shape, so he's ready to go for the season opener on Sunday. Lamb was a top pick in essentially every league and is completely matchup proof regardless of the tough Browns secondary. While he'll be ranked as the overall WR1 most weeks, there may be a couple of guys ahead of him this week just because of the tiniest slice of uncertainty.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) was limited in practice for the second consecutive day with a heel injury on Thursday afternoon. The veteran wideout also missed a practice due to the same injury last week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Allen's status as we approach the season opener on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. The 32-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, totaling 1,243 yards on 108 receptions with seven scores. If Allen were to miss Sunday's game or suit up in a limited capacity, DJ Moore should see an uptick in targets, and rookie pass catcher Rome Odunze should also see more playing opportunities.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks isn't a great option in Week 1 fantasy lineups. The Cowboys offense will once again run through CeeDee Lamb and the running game, with Cooks playing more of a support role on the field. Last season, Cooks ended up as the WR43. All of that, combined with a strong Cleveland Browns secondary, makes Cooks an easy pass in starting lineups for the first week of the season.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray signed a three-year extension with the Kansas City Chiefs just hours prior to their season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Gray has spent his entire NFL career in Kansas City, totaling 640 receiving yards and four scores on 63 catches over the past three campaigns. Last season, he saw a career-high 305 yards and two scores. The 25-year-old will now call Kansas City home for the foreseeable future. Fantasy managers should leave Gray on the waiver wire for now, as Travis Kelce will continue to see the vast majority of targets at the tight end position. However, if Kelce were to miss an extended period, Gray could carve out a decent role for fantasy purposes.

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The Miami Dolphins will square up against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. It will be the home opener for the Fins and the first under new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. After their defense was decimated by injuries in 2023, Miami prioritized bulking up that side of the ball in the offseason. Their key acquisitions are strong veteran presences in cornerback Kendall Fuller, linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Shaquil Barrett, and safety Jordan Poyer. In addition to returning studs Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland, and Calais Campbell, Miami now presents a strong core of talented veteran players. It's hard to know what to expect from Trevor Lawrence and the Jags' offense to open the year, but if the Dolphins' offense can get out to an early lead, it would bode well for the defense's outlook. They're currently RotoBaller's DEF22 heading into Week 1, with much more season-long upside if this unit gels quickly.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards is expected to be the early-down lead back on the Chargers new offense this season. A Week 1 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders isn't the softest introduction, but Edwards should still be the guy handed the ball on any short down situations. He likely won't be part of the passing game and isn't the most explosive open field runner, so he's the kind of guy who needs to score in real life to put up a strong fantasy score. He was fourth in touchdowns among running backs last season but ended up as just the overall RB32.

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Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders is a top option heading into the Dolphins' home opening tilt against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sanders is near-automatic from under 40 yards in his career, connecting on 95% of his kicks (79-of-83). He gets a bit sketchier from there on out and is a combined 71-of-97 from 40+. However, the seventh-year kicker is reliable in the extra-point department, nailing 233-of-240 career attempts. Miami has an implied point total of 26 points heading into Week 1, and there should be plenty of scoring opportunities for the Dolphins squaring off against a Jaguars team that struggled against the pass in 2023. Fire up Sanders with confidence, as he is RotoBaller's K7 in this week's rankings.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is set to make his Chargers debut in the backfield in a Week 1 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Dobbins will be paired with Gus Edwards, and while Edwards will do a lot of the running, Dobbins will be the one in for most of the passing game work. He's been an injury risk for essentially his entire career, but the upside certainly exists, especially in the offensive scheme he'll be playing in. He's a guy worth stashing on the bench to see how he fits with Justin Herbert and the rest of the Bolts, but probably not a guy you're comfortable starting in Week 1.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin (abdomen) was upgraded to a full participant in practice on Thursday, according to Brianna Dix. McLaughlin missed practice on Wednesday due to an abdomen injury and an illness. However, seeing him return to full participation the following day is a great sign for his status in the season opener on Sunday afternoon. The 28-year-old enjoyed a great season in Tampa Bay last fall, hitting 93.5% of his attempts and a stellar 7-for-8 from outside 50 yards. DFS players should consider placing McLaughlin in their lineup as he will face the Washington Commanders, who surrendered the most total yards in the league last season.

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The New Orleans Saints have added wide receiver A.T. Perry (hand) to their injury report. This injury is concerning, given the critical role of hand health for a wide receiver. Perry had a standout preseason, leading the NFL with 176 receiving yards and positioning himself as a potential key contributor to New Orleans' offense in 2024. Currently listed as the third wide receiver on the Saints' depth chart behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, Perry demonstrated his red-zone capability by scoring 33% of his receptions last season, with four touchdowns on just 12 catches. Standing at 6'5", his exceptional body control makes him a valuable red-zone threat, especially on a roster with smaller receivers like Olave and Shaheed. If Perry cannot play, expect increased opportunities for Olave and Alvin Kamara in the passing game.

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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) participated in full in Thursday's practice, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. Pitts was a limited participant in the team's first official practice on Wednesday. However, seeing that he was a full-go on Thursday is an excellent sign for his status entering the season opener on Sunday afternoon. Fantasy managers should continue to follow any updates regarding Pitts, but he should be expected to suit up over the weekend. The Florida product hopes to enjoy a nice bounce-back campaign, as he has yet to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark since his debut season, and with his new quarterback Kirk Cousins, he could be in a great position to do so. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable starting Pitts this weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen is eager to make his mark in Chicago and set new records. After he was told that his performance from 2019-2023 alone would have made him the all-time leading receiver in Bears history, saying, "Sky's the limit. We can definitely reset the bar here for sure. I'm pretty sure we will." While there is considerable excitement about the Bears' offense this year, Allen faces challenges that could affect his fantasy value. Joining a new team with a crowded receiving corps and a rookie quarterback might limit his numbers in 2024, potentially positioning him as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in PPR leagues. With Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore also in the mix, it's unlikely he'll maintain his previous 31% target share. Despite the optimism surrounding the Bears' offense, predicting the primary target each week could be tricky. Allen and the Bears aim for a strong start as they face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle may be the best running back on the Cowboys roster, but he's still a very risky play in fantasy lineups in Week 1. While Dowdle could and likely will end up being the top fantasy running back in Dallas by the end of the season, it may take a few weeks for him to build up steam and work his way into a full starting role. With veterans Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook in the way for now, Dowdle will be little more than a flex play with slight upside against the Browns in Week 1.

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Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith will square up against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday in the Dolphins' home opener. It's Smith's first season in Miami after a one-year stint in Atlanta, and while he's never been the focal point of an offense, he has proven to be an average to above-average NFL TE. 2023 was his most productive season, setting career-highs in receptions (50) and yards (582) while playing alongside Kyle Pitts. It remains to be seen what his usage will be in his new offense, though the Dolphins used their tight ends extensively in the preseason, and he's one of the more athletic ones in the league. Additionally, with River Cracraft and Odell Beckham Jr. to miss the first four games of the season on the PUP, Smith could be used more often in the early going. If he performs well, he might develop a role in the offense. The eighth-year veteran is RotoBaller's TE22 in Week 1 rankings and is currently a fitter option in two TE or DFS leagues.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott faces a tough matchup in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. Prescott was excellent last season, finishing as the overall fantasy QB4 for the season and the overall QB1 in fantasy points per game from Week 6 on. With a similar supporting cast of pass catchers this year, Prescott should once again be a solid fantasy contributor, although Week 1 will be one of his toughest challenges, as the Browns secondary allowed the fourth-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks last season. Dak remains a QB1 option, but he's on the lower end of that ranking for this week.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (undisclosed) is ready to roll against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the team's home opener. The former sixth-overall pick has a fantastic matchup in Week 1, as he'll square off against a Jags' defense that allowed 4,076 yards and 27 scores through the air a season ago -- both seventh-most in the league. Waddle wore a non-contact jersey for the last week of training camp, but both he and teammate Tyreek Hill (thumb) returned to full practice earlier this week. The Alabama product regressed a bit in the yards category last season compared to 2022, while Hill performed at an other-worldly level. However, the fourth-year wideout still garnered a solid 23.6% target share and robust 2.52 yards per route run last season and is again the unquestioned second option in Miami's passing attack. Waddle is RotoBaller's PPR WR19 in Week 1 rankings and is always a threat to have a huge game -- particularly against a Jacksonville unit that did nothing too extensive to improve their defensive backfield.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) is set to lead a brand new offense in a Week 1 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. We've all heard the speculation but now we'll finally see what Herbert looks like in a Greg Roman offense led by Jim Harbaugh. There are some concerns about it being a run-first offense, but with a talent like Herbert under center, there are sure to be chances for him to accumulate some fantasy points. Although Herbert practiced in full, he is officially listed on the injury report with the foot issue that kept him out of the preseason. The team does not appear to be concerned, but the fact that they're forced to report it means there's likely at least something there. This game has a wide range of outcomes, but the Raiders defense isn't anything to be afraid of, leaving Herbert as a QB2 with plenty of upside.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is a risky fantasy play in Week 1 despite having a strong on paper matchup against the Cleveland Browns. The Cowboys backfield is currently one of the murkier ones in the NFL, as Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Dalvin Cook, and even Deuce Vaughn are expected to see the ball. Elliott is a clear Jerry Jones favorite, but out of 49 qualified ball carriers last season, Elliott was 45th in missed tackles and 43rd in yards after contact. He's definitely not the guy he was when he used to play for the Cowboys, leaving him as an RB3 who is likely more of a floor play than anything close to a ceiling.

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