Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus says quarterback Caleb Williams and the rest of the starters will not play in the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans in Canton on Thursday. No surprise here, as the Texans are expected to hold out starting signal-caller C.J. Stroud on their end as well. Fantasy managers should be able to get a look at Williams the next time the new-look Bears offense takes the field for game action on Aug. 10 against the hosting Buffalo Bills. Sporting as good a supporting cast as a No. 1 overall pick in his first NFL season could ask for, the 22-year-old Williams should be able to make an impact in Year 1 with all the weapons surrounding him in the Windy City. He's being drafted on the QB1/2 borderline this summer following a stellar run at USC, and Williams could turn out to be a value at his late-round ADP if acclimates to the next level quickly.

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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (foot) practiced fully Monday after getting his foot stepped on Saturday by veteran defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi and having Sunday off. Stroud didn't miss any snaps on Saturday or Monday. Head coach DeMeco Ryans hasn't indicated specifically who will play in the Hall of Fame game on Thursday night against the Chicago Bears in Canton, but he is expected to not play several key starters and older veterans. That should include Stroud and other experienced players. The 22-year-old former No. 2 overall is garnering plenty of hype in his second season in the pros, finishing seventh among signal-callers in fantasy points per game (18.7) as a rookie last year. Stroud should be able to put up prolific passing numbers with Houston's loaded receiving corps at his disposal, but his lack of rushing ability could prevent him from jumping into the top tier.

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Philadelphia Eagles rookie running back Will Shipley was getting some first-team red-zone work in training camp practice on Tuesday. For some context, Shipley also split first-team work with Kenneth Gainwell on Monday with primary back Saquon Barkley away from the team for personal reasons. Shipley, a fourth-rounder out of Clemson, is competing with Gainwell for the No. 2 job in Philly in 2024 in camp and the preseason. Gainwell obviously has much more experience than Shipley and familiarity in the Eagles' offense, but the 21-year-old Shipley has more immediate and long-term upside in deeper fantasy formats as a handcuff option for Barkley if he wins the No. 2 job. If Barkley were to miss time due to injury in his first year with the Eagles, Shipley would be a highly sought-after waiver-wire pickup in fantasy.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars waived kicker Riley Patterson on Monday, according to the team. Patterson was cut after losing the kicking competition to rookie sixth-rounder Cam Little early in training camp this summer. The 24-year-old will now look for other opportunities around the league heading into the 2024 regular season this fall. Patterson, a former undrafted rookie out of Memphis, spent last year with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions. In 15 games, he went 16-for-18 on his field-goal chances while missing three of his 44 extra-point tries. For his career after debuting in 2021 with the Lions, Patterson has made 88.1% of his field goals and 95.9% of his extra points in 39 games played. The Jags offense could be quite formidable in 2024, but fantasy managers can ignore the unproven Little in standard 12-team leagues.

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Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that veteran running back Royce Freeman has "really impressed" early on in training camp. The Cowboys were surprised Freeman was available when they signed him to a one-year deal in April. It's a testament to Freeman so far this summer, but it probably speaks more so to how bad Dallas' backfield depth is after Tony Pollard left in free agency this summer. The 28-year-old is currently expected to complement veteran Ezekiel Elliott, with Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis battling it out for RB3 duties to begin the year. Freeman is a poor man's Elliott -- a bulky between-the-tackles runner -- and he's unlikely to see much volume in Dallas in 2024 unless injuries decimate an already thin backfield. A lot can happen between now and Week 1 with Dallas' RB situation. Freeman is likely to be left to the waiver wire to begin the year in most fantasy leagues.

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Dylan Laube is making an early case for playing time in training camp this summer. "I hope so. He is off to a great start," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "He has a great feel for it, and he doesn't have the errors as far as what his responsibilities are. That's really cool to see from such a young guy." Laube was selected in the sixth round in April out of New Hampshire and has a long ways to go before he's a realistic option in the Raiders backfield in his first NFL season. As of right now, the 24-year-old is behind Zamir White, Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah, so it would likely take an injury or two to the RBs ahead of him for him to become a realistic waiver-wire pickup in standard fantasy leagues in 2024. However, the 5-foot-10, 208-pounder is one to keep an eye on for the rest of camp and the preseason.

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Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson (ankle) has an ankle injury at training camp, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. Wilson is being evaluated to determine the severity and length of the time he'll need to miss. The 23-year-old third-rounder injured himself in practice on Tuesday, a day after a report surfaced that he was impressing early in training camp. Depending on how long Wilson will be out, it could be a setback that puts him behind the eight ball heading into his first NFL season as he attempts to stand out in a receiving corps with not many established options behind WR1 George Pickens. Wilson's injury will allow fellow wideouts Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins more of an opportunity to impress the coaching staff as Pittsburgh's receiver depth chart sorts itself out.

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd (hip) will make his training camp debut and return to practice on Tuesday. Lloyd has been out with a minor hip injury and will only do individual drills on Tuesday as he ramps up. The third-rounder out of USC is missing valuable reps in camp right now, but it looks like the 23-year-old should be able to return sooner than later with the rest of the team. Heading into his first NFL season, Lloyd will clearly be behind lead back Josh Jacobs, and he could also be behind AJ Dillon, who looks determined to put his disappointing 2023 season in the rearview mirror. However, Lloyd's explosiveness is intriguing, and he'll have an opportunity to become the team's No. 2 before season's end. In deeper redraft leagues, Lloyd might be worth a late-round flier, especially if you go with Jacobs early on.

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New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh said that quarterback Aaron Rodgers (Achilles), who is recovering from his Achilles injury, is unlikely to play this preseason. Even if Rodgers hadn't suffered a torn Achilles last year, he would have been unlikely to see much action, if any at all, in the preseason. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer tore his Achilles early in Week 1 of last year's regular season opener and missed all of the 2024 campaign, although he was practicing with the team late in the year and is on track to be 100% for the season opener this fall. Fantasy managers should be very skeptical that the four-time MVP can recapture his pre-injury form, even if the Jets have some high-end weapons around him on offense. Treat Rodgers as a low-end QB2 in fantasy with upside for more if he stays healthy for the entire 2024 season.

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Tennessee Titans edge rusher Arden Key is facing a six-game suspension to begin the 2024 season for violating the rules against performance-enhancing drugs. It will be a big blow for the Titans defense to begin the year, as Key was in line to be the team's second starting edge rusher, working opposite Harold Landry, with Jeffery Simmons and T'Vondre Sweat in between them. Key will be allowed to continue practicing with the team in training camp. Options behind Landry and Key as pass-rushers for Tennessee include Shane Ray, Rashad Weaver, Caleb Murphy, Thomas Rush and undrafted rookie Khalid Duke. Key has recorded 20 sacks in his six NFL seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Titans.

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Coach Dennis Allen announced that New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (neck) was cleared for "full participation" on July 22. Allen noted that Young would continue to increase his daily activity and has complied with all the training staff's requirements. Young signed a one-year, fully guaranteed $13 million contract with the Saints this offseason. New Orleans aims to make Young a key component of their pass rush after he tied his career-high with 7.5 sacks last season, alongside 25 tackles and 41 pressures with Washington and San Francisco. The Saints finished the 2023 season ranked 28th with just 34 sacks, their lowest total since 2016. Young hopes to strengthen the New Orleans defense, potentially creating more fantasy opportunities for star offensive players like Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara.

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The Carolina Panthers have placed running back Rashaad Penny on the reserve/retired list. Penny, who joined the Panthers this offseason, was set to reunite with head coach Dave Canales, the passing game coordinator during Penny's standout 2021 season with the Seattle Seahawks, and Brad Idzik, now the Panthers' offensive coordinator. Unfortunately, a series of injuriesincluding multiple strains, a torn ACL, and a fibula fracturehave hindered Penny's once-explosive performance. Despite rigorous rehab, he struggled to regain the speed that made him a dynamic force in college. Penny's 5.6 yards per carry would be the highest in NFL history if he had sustained it. He also recorded 2,248 rushing yards at San Diego State in 2017, ranking fifth for a single season in NCAA history. The former first-round pick had stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles before signing with the Panthers in May. Penny retires with 1,931 career rushing yards, 13 touchdowns on 348 carries, and 28 receptions for 227 yards.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. has been making a strong impression this year at training camp. Despite high expectations as a second-round pick out of LSU in 2023, Marshall has yet to fully realize his potential in the NFL. At LSU, he excelled with 106 receptions, 1,594 yards, and 23 touchdowns over 32 games. He is beginning to showcase the level of play he demonstrated in college, regularly providing highlights with his catches in training camp. However, Marshall faces stiff competition for playing time with the Panthers, having traded for Diontae Johnson, drafted Xavier Legette (32nd overall), and retained their leading receiver from 2023, Adam Thielen. Although Marshall's fantasy value remains uncertaingiven his modest 767 yards and one touchdown over his first three NFL seasonshe could still vie for the third wide receiver spot alongside Legette and Jonathan Mingo.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson, who struggled during OTAs and minicamp, is now beginning to showcase the skills that led to his third-round draft selection. The rookie from Michigan received his opportunity on Saturday when the Steelers' first-team offense took the field, with Wilson stepping into the slot receiver role. He had a standout day, making several impressive catches from quarterbacks Justin Fields and Kyle Allen. Wilson is now firmly in the mix for the second wide receiver spot behind George Pickens, competing against Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson. If he can secure the No. 2 role, Wilson could emerge as a sleeper with significant upside, given the Steelers' track record of drafting and developing wide receivers.

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Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson (undisclosed) suffered a noticeable injury after a significant hit from linebacker Terrel Bernard during a running play to the left side on Monday at training camp. Johnson, drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of 2019, has moved around the league before finding a place with the Bills in 2023. When starter James Cook missed practice on Sunday for personal reasons, Johnson and rookie Ray Davis split first-team reps almost evenly. This injury comes at a challenging time for Johnson, as he and Davis vie for the second spot on the depth chart, potentially giving Davis more opportunities. However, both backs may see playing time as they have distinct roles, with Davis being a power runner and Johnson being known for his speed and receiving skills. With Cook expected to handle most of the running back touches, Johnson's value is likely limited to a handcuff in fantasy at best.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chase Claypool (toe) is dealing with a toe injury, which Coach Sean McDermott described as a day-to-day issue. The Bills signed Claypool to a one-year deal in the offseason after underwhelming performances with the Dolphins and Bears in recent years. Although Claypool suffered the toe injury on Sunday, he is expected to make a swift recovery. Once he returns to practice, he will compete for a roster spot in the retooled Bills wide receiver group, which features Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mack Hollins, and rookie Keon Coleman. Claypool currently holds little fantasy value unless he secures a spot in the starting rotation for Buffalo.

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Baltimore Ravens WR Rashod Bateman (undisclosed) left practice early Monday, July 29, but head coach John Harbaugh said Bateman is just dealing with some soreness.

New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon appears to be holding in at training camp as he seeks a new long-term contract extension. On the first day of padded practices on Monday, Judon showed up in a sweatshirt, chatted with head coach Jerod Mayo for a while and then left the main field. The Patriots and Judon appear to be far apart on a contract extension. The 31-year-old is currently scheduled to make $6.5 million in 2024 in the final year of his current deal. A torn biceps caused Judon to miss the final 13 games of last season, but he made four straight Pro Bowls before last year, including a career-high 15.5 sacks and 60 tackles (36 solo) in 17 games (15 starts) for the Pats in 2022. The former fifth-round pick in 2016 by the Baltimore Ravens out of Grand Valley State combined for 28 sacks in 2021 and 2022 and could be back on the IDP fantasy radar this year if he proves he's fully healthy.

Carolina Panthers RB Rashaad Penny was placed on the Reserve/Retired list Tuesday, July 30.

Fantasy Spin: Scratch his name off the list of potential handcuffs to Chuba Hubbard. Miles Sanders and Jonathon Brooks will be in the mix as RB5s.

From TheHuddle

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III carried his impressive performance from OTAs and minicamp into training camp. A 2022 fourth-round pick, Austin missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury and saw limited action last year, with just 30 targets and 11 carries. At 5-foot-9 and 162 pounds, Austin is among the smallest players in the league, but the Steelers are giving him opportunities to play both inside and outside. He has demonstrated versatility by excelling in these roles, effectively handling short and deep routes and impacting various route types. Since the start of the year, Austin has been the team's second-best receiver, and nothing in the past week has altered that status. If he can outperform Van Jefferson and rookie third-round pick Roman Wilson for the second wide receiver spot, he could emerge as a valuable sleeper heading into 2024 fantasy drafts.

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