Zach Kruse of The Packers Wire writes that he hasn't heard the entirety of the Green Bay Packers organization "talk about a rookie like they have with wide receiver Matthew Golden in a long time." Kruse says that everytime someone is asked about Golden, it's some variation of, "Yeah, he's good, and he's only scratching the surface of his potential." It's looking more and more like the 22-year-old from Texas will be a key contributor through the air for the Packers offense right away in 2025. There will be more opportunity with Christian Watson (knee) expected to begin the year on the PUP list, and Jayden Reed (foot) could also be up in the air for Week 1. Golden has been practicing with the first-team offense since early in training camp and has gained valuable chemistry with quarterback Jordan Love. The speedy rookie is already in the conversation as a weekly WR4/flex in 2025.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that star wide receiver Justin Jefferson (hamstring) won't take part in joint practices with the New England Patriots this week, although he has continued to take part in walk-throughs. Jefferson will be re-evaluated next week. The 26-year-old All-Pro will not play in the second preseason game against the Patriots, but he is making progress as he recovers from a hamstring. It's a bit worrisome not to see Jefferson practicing with the team in training camp, but the Vikings are playing this one very cautious with one of the best pass-catchers in all of football. They have more reason to play it safe with WR2 Jordan Addison to be suspended for the first four games of 2025. Jefferson is missing out on key chances to gain chemistry with quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but he's still the No. 2 fantasy wideout behind Ja'Marr Chase.

From RotoBaller

The Chicago Bears are expected defensive backs Jaylon Johnson (leg) and Kyler Gordon (hamstring) to be ready for their regular season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Johnson is "on the right track" to be cleared for Week 1, according to head coach Ben Johnson. Gordon is still viewed as week-to-week according to Chris Emma of 670 The Score, but is hoping to appear in a preseason game. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor their status in case they face a setback leading up to the regular season. Johnson is a Pro Bowl defensive back who enjoyed another strong campaign in 2024, totaling 53 tackles with two interceptions. Gordon inked a three-year extension with Chicago in the offseason and is slated to also serve as a starter in the secondary. With both Johnson and Gordon expected to be ready for the regular season, the Chicago defense will have streaming appeal in favorable matchups.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that his starters, including second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, will play in the second preseason game on Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills. Williams and most of the Bears starters did not see any action in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The 33-year-old former first overall pick in 2024 was up and down in his first NFL season and mostly disappointed, and the Bears' passing attack has struggled in training camp practices in Johnson's first year as the head coach. Williams has plenty of weapons at his disposal and should be better off in Johnson's offense, but he will need to cut down on sacks taken and improve his accuracy to take the next step. The jury is still out on Williams, but he's worth taking as a high-end QB2 with upside if he clicks with Johnson.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee) "easily got the most separation during WR one-on-one drills" during the team's joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. This is good to hear from a veteran player coming off a torn ACL that ended his season early with the Houston Texans in 2024. He did not play in the preseason opener last Friday against the Washington Commanders, and his status for the Week 1 regular-season opener remains somewhat in question. However, he's mainly been a full-go in practices this summer and appears to be on track to be ready to go when it matters in early September. If Diggs gets work in the second preseason game against the Vikings, it would be a great sign for his Week 1 availability. In his first year in New England, Diggs is expected to be quarterback Drake Maye's top target.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The Bills have signed running back James Cook to a contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: Cook was holding in and ended up getting his way via a four-year, $48 million contract extension that includes $30 million guaranteed. It was a calculated gamble for Cook, but one that could really only end this way with the Bills currently in a Super Bowl or bust window. Cook established himself as a solid RB1 last year, though his touchdown numbers may not be easily replicated. Regardless, he's a weekly staple in dynasty leagues and a player worth building around.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (undisclosed) returned for Wednesday's joint practice against the New York Jets, according to Paul Schwart of the New York Post. It's unclear why Hyatt was held out of the preaseason opener on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills, but he's back at practice now and should be able to suit up for the second preseason game against the Jets. It's unclear if his recent absences had anything to do with the minor lower-body injury that he suffered early in training camp. The 23-year-old should have more opportunities on offense with Malik Nabers (shoulder, toe) still being held out with multiple nagging injuries. In 16 games in 2024, Hyatt disappointed with eight catches on only 19 targets for 62 yards. Hyatt isn't even in the top 100 receivers at RotoBaller for the upcoming season.

From RotoBaller

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (shoulder, toe) remains out of the team's joint practice with the New York Jets on Wednesday, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. It's been a week since Nabers last practiced, and he was also held out of the preseason opener. The 22-year-old former first-rounder from LSU has battled through a toe issue since his college days, but he also suffered a shoulder injury late in July. The Giants have already said that holding Nabers out of practices will be part of their plan to keep him healthy all year, so fantasy managers will want to get used to him being on the injury report, perhaps all season long. The Giants haven't provided many details on Nabers' injuries, but as things stand now, neither injury appears serious enough to keep him out for Week 1 of the regular season. Nabers is still a high-end WR1 target in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Atlanta Falcons reporter Joe Patrick of 929 The Game writes that Tennessee Titans rookie first-round quarterback Cameron Ward looked much better in joint practice with the Falcons on Wednesday and was taking more of what was available underneath while still connecting on some deep shots. Unexpectedly, the first overall pick in this year's NFL draft has been up and down during training camp and in the preseason opener last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 23-year-old Miami product went 5-for-8 for 67 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions against the Bucs in the two drives that he played over the weekend. Most importantly, Ward continues to show a strong connection with receiver Calvin Ridley, who will no doubt be his favorite target in 2025. Ward is a much better long-term gamble in dynasty leagues than he will be in redraft formats for fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns rookie fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders (oblique) suffered an oblique injury in Wednesday's training camp practice and was held out the rest of the way, according to the team. It's unclear exactly how serious Sanders' oblique injury is, but with both Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel managing hamstring injuries in the last week-plus, the Browns' QB depth has thinned out considerably. The Browns were expected to start Sanders for a second straight week in this Saturday's preseason contest against the Eagles if both Pickett and Gabriel remain out, but they may have to go back to the drawing board now. If Cleveland wants to hold veteran Joe Flacco, the favorite for Week 1 starting duties out again, Tyler Huntley might be forced to play most of Saturday's contest. Sanders looked good in the preseason opener, but he still isn't a realistic starting candidate for the Browns.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that the team plans to start rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders once again if neither Kenny Pickett (hamstring) or Dillon Gabriel (hamstring) is available, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Browns take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday in their next preseason game. Veteran Joe Flacco is the leader in the clubhouse to start for Cleveland in Week 1, but the depth chart beyond that is up in the air as the Browns aim to sort things out during the preseason.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins enters the 2025 campaign with high expectations. For the past two offseasons, Higgins has been franchise tagged but was finally able to agree to a four-year $115 million contract with the team earlier in March. With his future now secure, Higgins can enter the regular season with a focused mindset. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN noted that the former 33rd overall pick said that "plan" is to catch 100 passes in the upcoming season. He also expressed how the Bengals are exploring other ways to get Higgins on the field, especially in the slot. Throughout his career, he has typically been deployed as a deep threat, but a move to the slot could provide him more opportunities to see targets. Despite only playing in 12 games last season, Higgins tallied 911 yards and found the back of the end zone 10 times. While he will continue to play as the No. 2 opposite of Ja'Marr Chase, given his nose for the end zone, Higgins should be viewed as a WR2 with upside in all fantasy formats this season.

From RotoBaller

In one of the more interesting backfield situations in the league, Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce is now seeing first-team reps, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC in Houston. The status of Joe Mixon (foot) is up in the air as the season approaches, while new addition Nick Chubb (head) has also missed time, to say nothing of the major knee injury he suffered in 2023. Pierce rushed for 939 yards as a rookie and has had fleeting moments of success since, but mostly in a secondary role. A committee situation may be worth monitoring as the season approaches.

From RotoBaller

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London has been turning heads during team practices and could be poised to take an even larger step forward in his fourth NFL season. Last fall, London was able to post his first 1,000-yard campaign. In 2024, London caught 100 passes (career-high) for 1,271 yards and nine touchdowns, which were also a career-high. Despite playing with two quarterbacks during the season, London continued to provide high fantasy value. Once Michael Penix Jr. took over the starting job, London flashed even higher upside. During his last two games, London averaged 146.5 yards per game with two scores, which is a positive sign for his upside in 2025. In addition, No. 2 wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) is currently week-to-week with a shoulder injury and could open up even more targets for London if he were to miss time. Fantasy managers should view London as a WR1 in all formats with the upside to finish as one of the most productive players at the position.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (foot) was a participant for the team's padded practice on Tuesday, according to Emerald City Spectrum. The Michigan State product missed six games last season, but has looked strong in practice and appears ready to go for Week 1, according to the report. Seattle and its revamped offense figures to lean heavily on Walker, who surpassed 1,000 yards rushing as a rookie and logged 46 catches last year despite missing extended time.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) was a non-participant for the Eagles' joint practice against the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday, according to Ashlyn Sullivan of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The veteran has missed some time during the past two weeks dealing with the injury, but did log a pair of limited practices this week after sitting out a preseason game. The club doesn't seem overly concerned about the injury for its top wide receiver, but is clearly taking it easy ahead of its Sept. 4 opener against Dallas.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (oblique) is back for a joint practice against the Detroit Lions, according to Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman. The 31-year-old is coming off an 81-catch, 959-yard season that was both still productive and a clear step back from four straight years in which he cleared 1,200 receiving yards. When healthy, though, Hill still has WR1 potential as the top option for Miami's passing game.

From RotoBaller

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins has looked very impressive during team practices. On Tuesday, Collins was able to find the back of the end zone on a remarkable catch against second-year defensive back Kamari Lassiter. In 2024, Collins posted his second-straight 1,000-yard campaign as he tallied 1,006 yards on 68 receptions. He found the back of the end zone seven times. Despite missing five games due to a hamstring injury, Collins produced as an elite WR1. Through his 12 games, Collins averaged an impressive 17.5 PPR points per game with 83.8 receiving yards per game. During the offseason, Texas added two pass catchers in the draft, such as Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. They also brought in veteran Christian Kirk. With Collins slated to operate as the clear top option for C.J. Stroud once again, he is worth a selection in the first round despite his injury concerns. If he can stay on the field throughout all of 2025, he could make a push to finish as the overall WR1.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is officially back in the fold after signing a four-year contract extension with his team on Wednesday. Soon after the signing was announced, Buffalo GM Brandon Beane told reporters that he views Cook as a three-down back. Beane said, "We do feel he can take more, but we like to use our three options and keep him fresh." Cook often lost passing-down work to Ty Johnson last season and only played on 48% of Buffalo's offensive snaps. It is unlikely that Buffalo installs Cook as their workhorse, as their running game was effective in 2024, but it would be a positive for fantasy managers if the Bills shifted some of the targets in the passing game onto Cook's plate. Either way, he sets up as a solid RB2 in fantasy with an RB1 ceiling if he starts catching more passes.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook signed a four-year, $48 million contract extension on Wednesday. Cook had been holding-in throughout training camp but returned to practice on Tuesday as the two sides were apparently getting close to a deal. The contract extension has a $30 million guarantee and will keep Cook in Buffalo as their primary back for the near future. With Cook back in the fold, fantasy managers can confidently draft him as a solid RB2 heading into drafts later this summer. His return bumps Ty Johnson and Ray Davis back to reserve roles, although they should remain involved as Cook played on just 48% of the team's offensive snaps in 2024.

From RotoBaller