Arizona Cardinals veteran running back and team captain James Conner is heading into his eighth NFL season in 2024 and his fourth with the Cardinals. He's coming off his first 1,000-yard season as a professional and said he wouldn't mind finishing his NFL career in the desert. Conner has grown close to quarterback Kyler Murray, spending time together on numerous outings. The 29-year-old veteran is entering the last year of the three-year deal he signed in 2022, which has ended up being a bargain for the Cardinals. "It would be awesome to finish my career here, but nothing changes," Conner said. Rookie third-rounder Trey Benson could eventually take over Conner's spot as the team's lead back, but as far as 2024 in concerned, Conner should remain the team's lead back in what should be an improved offense.

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As expected, the Dallas Cowboys have been experimenting with using pint-sized running back Deuce Vaughn as a receiver out of the slot during organized team activities this offseason. The second-year back was seen on Thursday at OTAs taking reps out of the slot as head coach Mike McCarthy looks to add some wrinkles to his offense going into Year 2 as the play-caller. Vaughn has also been taking backup returner reps to KaVontae Turpin. The 5-foot-6 running back saw limited action last year in his rookie campaign, getting just 30 touches for 80 scrimmage yards. But with Tony Pollard gone, Vaughn should see an increase in snaps in Year 2 in 2024. However, he's still currently third on the RB depth chart in Dallas behind Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle, so he's not going to be on the fantasy radar on draft day in standard 12-team leagues.

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Former first-round wide receiver John Ross recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as he looks to revive his NFL career. Ross spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs last July before retiring. Before that, he set a then-NFL record with a 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the combine and was taken ninth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. He started just one game for Cincy in his rookie season and just 20 total, recording 51 catches for 733 yards and 10 touchdowns in four years. Ross last played in the NFL in 2021 with the Giants, catching 11 passes for 224 yards and one TD. "I haven't lost a step," Ross said. "I'm still the same guy. I feel like I'm better than what I was." The 28-year-old burner is intriguing in Philly's offense, but he'll most likely see most of his playing time on special teams as a kick returner.

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A resolution in the alleged free-agent tampering cases of the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles is likely to come this week, according to league sources. The Falcons are being investigated for the contact they may or may not have had with then-free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins before he signed with the team. The Eagles are being investigated for the contact they may or may not have had with then-free-agent running back Saquon Barkley. A league source indicated that the Falcons' alleged transgressions are considered more significant, and the discipline is expected to be more severe for Atlanta. Most recently, the Miami Dolphins forfeited their 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-rounder for tampering with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Sean Payton on three occasions from 2019 to 2022.

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According to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, speaking on ESPN's SportsCenter on Saturday morning, the Minnesota Vikings are "pretty motivated" to get a deal finalized with wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The 24-year-old has been a menace for opposing defenses since entering the league, amassing 392 catches for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns. Understandably, he wants a lucrative extension, and while there hasn't been much movement on that front, it appears a deal could be reached in the "coming weeks," one that could be "market-altering." Although Jefferson no longer has Kirk Cousins slinging him the ball, the wideout should still be taken early in the first round in nearly every fantasy draft heading into the 2024-25 campaign.

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According to Chris Roling of USA Today, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) looked "great" on "most of his throws" during the team's recent OTAs. The signal-caller, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury in a game against the Ravens in mid-November, also "added muscle to his frame." Without question, injuries have been Burrow's biggest issue since entering the National Football League as the No. 1 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. However, if he can remain on the field, he could be a top-five fantasy quarterback, just like in 2022, when he threw for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Fortunately, it appears Burrow is taking the steps necessary to ensure he stays healthy during the 2024-25 campaign.

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Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus called new running back D'Andre Swift "a weapon back" when asked why the team moved so quickly to sign him in free agency back in March to a three-year, $24 million deal. "You know we really needed that guy that can really operate on third down and even on first or second down and be a weapon in the deep part of the field and the short part of the field and take it the distance. And he's got a lot of gas," Eberflus said. Swift posted his first 1,000-yard season with the Eagles in 2023 and had career-bests in yards, carries (229), first downs (50) and yards per game (65.6). The Bears' offense now has a lot of dangerous weapons around rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, but in fantasy, it may be hard for Swift to match his 2023 exploits with Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson also demanding backfield touches.

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Dallas Cowboys All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons has not been present for any of the team's voluntary organized team activities the last couple weeks. Head coach Mike McCarthy said that Parsons was "in really good shape" but that there is "work to do" with a new defense he will have to catch up on. McCarthy thinks Parsons' next step is to take on more of a leadership role with the younger players and said Parsons' absence at OTAs was a missed opportunity to do that. The Cowboys are in a bit of a transition on defense in 2024 after seeing defensive coordinator Dan Quinn leave to the take the head-coaching job with the division-rival Washington Commanders. Despite not being at OTAs, the 25-year-old former 12th overall pick in 2021 out of Penn State is an elite pass-rusher and will be expensive in IDP fantasy leagues as one of the first defensive players off the board.

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the reigning NFL MVP has been absent for four of the team's first five voluntary organized team activities, including the last one on Thursday. With Jackson gone, veteran backup Josh Johnson has led the first-team offense. "It's this time of year; it's a voluntary time," head coach John Harbaugh said. "It's really not something that we comment on. We can't, and that's just the time of year it is. So I can't speak for anybody that's not here." Jackson has been a regular at the team's OTAs, other than in 2022 when he was engaged in contract talks. He's in the second year of a five-year, $260 million contract. At age 27 last year, he became the youngest two-time NFL MVP since the merger, setting career-highs with 3,678 passing yards and a 67.2% completion rate. Fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned about Jackson's OTA absences.

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Denver Broncos rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix continues to impress the coaching staff after having taken part in rookie minicamp and two weeks of voluntary organized team activities. "He's doing well," head coach Sean Payton said. "He's picking it up, and there's a lot that's going in. He's throwing it extremely well." Nix was selected with the 12th overall pick in April's NFL draft to be the team's franchise signal-caller, and he's competing this offseason with incumbent Jarrett Stidham and former first-rounder Zach Wilson. The 24-year-old has plenty of experience with 61 collegiate starts and appears to have picked things up quickly. We'll have a better idea of how good of a shot Nix has to start under center in Week 1 for the Broncos. If Nix is starting for the Broncos in 2024, he'll be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex leagues.

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Philadelphia Eagles tight end C.J. Uzomah (knee) was present for voluntary organized team activities this past week. Uzomah's 2023 season with the New York Jets ended early due to a knee injury, but he's apparently recovered and ready to go with his new team. In 12 contests (eight starts) in his second year with the Jets last year, Uzomah was barely utilized, catching eight of his 12 targets for 58 yards and one touchdown. He wasn't all that much better the year prior, catching 21 of 27 targets for 232 yards and two scores in 15 games (13 starts). The 31-year-old veteran has nine years of NFL experience but will mainly just serve as tight end depth for Philadelphia in 2024, making him pretty irrelevant for fantasy purposes. However, if Dallas Goedert were to miss time with injury, Uzomah could be worth some waiver-wire consideration.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. said he's feeling better heading into his second year in the NFL, and the electric return man will also get more chances to return kicks in 2024 with the new league rules. Mims averaged 26.5 yards per kickoff return last year and had one of the league's four return touchdowns. The second-round pick last year was a Pro Bowl returner in his rookie season, but he had only 22 catches for 377 yards and a touchdown as a receiver, with most of the production coming early in the year. The coaching staff struggled to find snaps for Mims behind Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy is now gone, but Mims will be competing for snaps with Josh Reynolds, Tim Patrick and rookie Troy Franklin. Mims has the potential to make noise as a deep threat once again, but unless an injury opens up consistent snaps for him on offense, he may just be more of a special teams asset for Denver in 2024.

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New York Jets running back Tarik Cohen has not played in an NFL game since the 2020 regular season, but the 28-year-old signed with the organization on May 29 in hopes of keeping his career alive. According to Jets reporter Brandyn Pokrass, Cohen looks shifty and explosive, and he's already running with the first-team offense. It's worth noting Breece Hall (undisclosed) is working in the rehab area at OTAs, but it's still a surprise for Cohen to be involved this early in the process. The former fourth-round pick out of North Carolina A&T spent four seasons with the Chicago Bears from 2017 to 2020 and racked up 1,101 rushing yards, 209 receptions, 1,575 receiving yards, and 16 total touchdowns in 51 games. He has since suffered a fractured tibial plateau, torn ACL, and torn Achilles. It would be a surprise if he makes noise in fantasy football this year, but if he makes the roster, he could have a small role behind Hall and fourth-round rookie Braelon Allen.

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New York Jets running back Israel Abanikanda did not get any reps with the first-team or second-team offense during Friday's OTAs, according to Jets reporter Brandyn Pokrass. Pokrass said he is falling down the depth chart and could be a cut or trade candidate this offseason. Following Abanikanda's 1431-yard, 20-touchdown rushing season in 2022 at Pittsburgh, he was selected by New York in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he rushed just six times for 22 yards and caught six passes for 11 yards. After New York drafted Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (fourth round) and South Dakota State running back Isaiah Davis (fifth round) in April's draft, the writing was on the wall for the 21-year-old speedster. Fantasy managers in deep dynasty leagues can consider continuing to stash Abanikanda, but he's unlikely to make an impact in 2024.

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams reportedly had plenty of expected rookie struggles at last week's OTAs, but Zach Pearson of Bear Report said he had one of his best showings during Friday's seven-on-seven period. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of USC completed 13 of his 14 passing attempts and threw a touchdown to DJ Moore. Needless to say, it's not a good idea to overvalue reports from practices with no live rushers on defense, but any sign of growth is encouraging. While rookie quarterbacks usually struggle in real life and fantasy football, Williams arguably has the best supporting cast any No. 1 overall pick has ever had. With pass-catchers like Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D'Andre Swift, Cole Kmet, and Gerald Everett surrounding him, he could post low-end QB1 numbers in Year 1.

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When New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton returned to voluntary organized team activities this week, fellow wideout Isaiah Hodgins appeared to be the odd man out. Slayton didn't miss a beat in his return to the field, either, catching a crossing route from quarterback Daniel Jones in a 7-on-7 period and also catching two passes from backup Drew Lock. Hodgins had a quiet practice on Thursday after being the leading first-team receiver last week. Slot receiver Wan'Dale Robinson continues to be moved around the field. After the Giants took LSU wideout Malik Nabers in the first round of this year's NFL draft, Hodgins' stock immediately took a hit. In addition to Robinson, Jalin Hyatt also figures to have a bigger role in the offense in 2024.

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With Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor taking a personal day at organized team activities on Thursday, it allowed for more running back reps for Trey Sermon, Tyler Goodson and Evan Hull. Both Sermon and Goodson broke off a couple big runs. Behind Taylor this year, the backup RB roles and reps are very much in the air among Sermon, Goodson and Hull now that Zack Moss is in Cincinnati. The 23-year-old Goodson is probably considered the biggest long shot to earn the No. 2 role this year behind Taylor, but the fact that he's being given reps with the first-team offense in OTAs means he has an early shot. The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa saw his first 13 carries in six games (one start) last year and gained 87 yards on the ground. He also added six receptions for an additional 34 yards.

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Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell continues to flash his potential during organized team activities this offseason and made one of the plays of the day on Thursday during a 7-on-7 period. The highlight-reel play explains why the Colts took a swing on Mitchell in the second round of the draft despite just one year of big-time production in college. He had 55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023 at Texas and ranked first among receivers in this year's draft class with 81.8% of his catches resulting in a first down or touchdown. "He's been making a ton of plays out here the past couple of days," head coach Shane Steichen said. The 21-year-old is certainly one to watch, but his production could be sporadic in his rookie campaign if all of Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Alec Pierce can stay healthy.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, a second-round pick in 2022, is putting together a productive stretch of offseason practices during voluntary organized team activities. Thornton has impressed before during offseason workouts, although it has yet to translate to regular-season production. He was arguably the most active receiver on the field in the practice open to the media on Wednesday. The 23-year-old so far has been labeled a bust, and things won't get easier in 2024 with a new regime in town and after the Patriots took rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in this year's draft. Thornton entered the offseason as a potential roster cut, but if he continues to show out during offseason practices, he should stick around as receiver depth in New England. Thornton has been limited with injuries in his first two seasons and has only 35 catches in 22 games.

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New England Patriots kicker Chad Ryland isn't a roster lock in 2024 after his difficult rookie season after being selected in the fourth round in 2023. The Patriots signed Joey Slye to compete with Ryland for the kicking job this summer. During organized team activities on Wednesday, he made four of his five field-goal attempts, with his lone miss coming from just beyond 40 yards. The 24-year-old didn't get all that many opportunities to kick field goals in his first year in the NFL in an atrocious Patriots offense, and he made just 64 percent of his 25 attempts. The booter from Maryland has plenty of leg, but he's going to need to be more consistent to lock down the kicking job in 2024. Even if he holds off Slye, Ryland can be ignored in most fantasy football leagues.

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