Carolina Panthers rookie tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders said his goal in the NFL is to be as good as former All-Pro Greg Olsen. Sanders, a converted receiver at Texas, averaged 49.5 catches a year with the Longhorns with an average of 648 yards and 3.5 touchdowns. His role with the Panthers is not clear yet, but head coach Dave Canales said on Saturday that Sanders will play both the "F" and the "Y" roles, dependent on pass plays versus 12 personnel. "He's a guy, you can move around a little bit more, maybe play him in the slot a little bit," Canales said, adding, "we look for those versatile type of tight ends." The 21-year-old was taken with the 101st overall pick in the fourth round this year but could immediately become the team's best pass-catching tight end over both Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas. Still, fantasy managers in single-year leagues in 2024 should temper expectations for Sanders in Carolina's offense.

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New England Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo said that rookie quarterback Drake May, who was taken third overall in last month's NFL draft, "has a lot to work on." Saturday's practice featured a heavy emphasis on footwork fundamentals, with Maye spending the first few periods of practice taking snaps directly under center instead of the shotgun, which he mostly used the last two years at North Carolina. "The guy can sling it, man," said wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, the second-round pick from the University of Washington. "He's very confident. He's a leader, very vocal; he's setting the tone in practice, trying to get guys moving around and operating at a high level." Maye is expected to compete with veteran Jacoby Brissett for starting duties in 2024. The Patriots aren't going to rush Maye's development, so he's more of a dynasty/keeper asset in fantasy this year than a redraft one.

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said he liked what he saw from rookie quarterback Bo Nix during practices at the team's rookie minicamp over the weekend. "He had two or three down the field throws [Saturday]," Payton said. "It's almost like watching a good golfer when you watch his game ... there's a patience to how he plays, the ball comes out." The Broncos took Nix 12th overall, which many thought was a massive reach, and hope he will become their next franchise signal-caller. With only Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson to compete with, Nix has a clear path to the starting job right away in his first season in the NFL, but the Broncos aren't getting ahead of themselves. "We'll figure it out, we'll figure it out ... We'll have a rotation and we'll go from there," Payton said when asked how the team's QB competition will unfold in the weeks ahead.

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Free-agent tight end Tommy Sweeney signed an undisclosed deal with the Chicago Bears on Sunday after a tryout at their rookie minicamp, according to a source. Sweeney was with the New York Giants most of last year but sat out after he collapsed and had a "medical event" on the practice field. The 28-year-old was originally drafted in the seventh round (228th overall) by the Buffalo Bills in 2019 out of Boston College. All three of his NFL seasons came with Buffalo, and Sweeney has caught a total of 18 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown on 26 targets in just 24 games played (four starts). Sweeney will be competing for a roster spot in training camp this summer among a tight end group in Chicago that already includes Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, Stephen Carlson and rookie Brenden Bates.

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Free-agent linebacker Bud Dupree has reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. Dupree met with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons in addition to the Chargers. The 31-year-old has played with both the Steelers and Falcons during his career so it appears Dupree was looking for a new home. The veteran linebacker still has something left in the tank. He recorded 6.5 sacks last season with Atlanta. Those 6.5 sacks were the most for Dupree since the 2020 season. His addition should be a solid boost for this defensive unit heading into next season.

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The Denver Broncos have released wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. The veteran wideout was already a longshot to make the roster. The 31-year-old joined the Broncos last season and failed to make a catch during his two appearances. Dorsett has bounced around quite a bit throughout his time in the league. Dorsett is viewed more as a depth option than an actual impact player on a roster. He could sign elsewhere before the season starts, but his chances of having fantasy value are low.

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Free-agent wide receiver Albert Wilson has decided to retire from professional football after seven seasons. Wilson joined the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2014 season. He spent four seasons with the Chiefs, and Wilson achieved a career-high 554 receiving yards during his final season with the team. After that, Wilson joined the Miami Dolphins for the next three seasons. He was fairly lackluster during his time with the Dolphins. He bounced around with the Raiders and Vikings but hasn't seen the field since the 2021 season. Wilson will finish his career with 218 receptions, 2,499 yards, and 12 touchdowns.

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Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is under investigation in relation to a night club assault,. Dynasty Analysis: An adventurous off-season continues for Rice, who already has a massive legal problem in relation to a street racing incident. This new investigation is looking like it's going to take some time to unravel but it's clear a suspension (and possibly a lengthy one) is coming sooner rather than later. Rice is a hold for now as his value is clearly in flux.

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Dynasty | The Cowboys have released wide receiver Martavis Bryant. Dynasty Analysis: Marty B will likely attempt to resume his comeback with another team as Dallas just couldn't hold on to him. Bryant was once a highly regarded dynasty asset but suspensions derailed his career before it could really even get going. Bryant will look to latch on elsewhere but it's hard to see him being a worthwhile dynasty pickup until he makes a final roster.

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Dynasty | The Giants have signed wide receiver Allen Robinson. Dynasty Analysis: Robinson had a 102/1,250/6 season for the Bears in 2020 but has fallen off the face of the earth since with just over 1,000 receiving yards and a total of four touchdowns in the three years since, including stops with Chicago, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. Robinson is a fringe roster candidate at best at this point and while he has a chance to re-emerge in New York, don't hold your breath.

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Dynasty | The Cardinals have signed wide receiver Zay Jones. Dynasty Analysis: Jones has had some nice moments over his seven seasons in Buffalo, Las Vegas, and Jacksonville, though he's never posted more than 823 receiving yards or seven touchdowns in any given season. Jones could be viable opposite Marvin Harrison, Jr. if he can beat out Michael Wilson but that's no given. At this point, Jones looks like a roster worthy player but a potential roster clogger at the same time.

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Free-agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry spent an hour running around catching passes as a tryout player at the Jacksonville Jaguars' rookie minicamp on Friday. Landry was one of the league's top receivers in the first seven years of his career, making five Pro Bowls with the Dolphins and Browns. He led the NFL in catches in 2017 with 112 and had three 1,000-yard seasons in that span. But Landry only played in 12 games in 2021 with Cleveland due to a knee sprain, and he had a career-low in catches (52) and receiving yards (570). He played in just nine games with the Saints in 2022 due to an ankle injury and sat out in 2023. Landry looked healthy on Friday and was pleased with his workout, but it remains to be seen if the Jags will add him as receiver depth in addition to Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and first-round rookie Brian Thomas.

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Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels didn't have any "wow" moments during his first rookie minicamp practice, but he still managed to impress fellow rookies and the coaching staff. "He's a stud," third-round receiver Luke McCaffrey said. "I know he's one heck of a quarterback and a lot of fun to play with from a personality standpoint. I've had a blast in these 24 hours with him. He's just fun to be around; he's good energy." Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in last year's NFL draft and is expected to take over as the team's starter under center right away in Week 1 this fall. The 23-year-old former LSU Tiger is a dual-threat QB with plenty of athleticism, and he could be the most NFL-ready signal-caller of all the rookie QBs not named Caleb Williams. In Year 1, Daniels will be a low-end QB2 in fantasy with considerable upside for his rushing ability.

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Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette, who was taken 32nd overall in this year's NFL draft last month, has had trouble connecting with the team's rookie quarterbacks so far in rookie minicamp practices. Legette has always had the size-speed combination -- his 4.39-second 40-yard dash tied for the sixth-fastest among wideouts at this year's scouting combine -- but he kept hearing that he had to improve as a route-runner as he took part in Senior Bowl practices and the combine. At 6-foot-1, 221 pounds, some questioned Legette's ability to drop his hips and quickly get out of his breaks. Legette has been compared physically to DK Metcalf, who Panthers head coach Dave Canales worked with in Seattle. At the very least, Legette will give second-year QB Bryce Young a speed, big-bodied target deep down the field in 2024, but expecting much more than that might be unwise in 2024.

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Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that second-round rookie defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (foot) has an injury to his left foot -- not the same foot as his college season but the same injury -- and has surgery scheduled for next week. "Not giving any timelines for that," Quinn said. The 21-year-old had surgery in January on his right foot to fix a partial Jones fracture, but now he'll be forced to undergo a similar surgery on his other foot. It's not what you want to hear from a high draft pick as they head into their first NFL offseason. It remains to be seen when Newton will be able to practice with the team. Any missed time in training camp this summer would be a big blow to his development as he looks to carve out a role on the interior of Washington's defensive line in 2024.

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Chicago Bears rookie first-round wide receiver Rome Odunze (hamstring) is dealing with hamstring tightness and will sit out of Saturday's rookie minicamp practice. It's likely nothing to worry about in the long run, but it's also not a great start for Odunze as he looks to get going as a top-10 pick in this year's NFL draft. It's something to keep an eye on with the 21-year-old from Washington as we get deeper into the offseason and closer to training camp. The Bears took Odunze at No. 9 overall to give rookie quarterback Caleb Williams more weapons in the passing attack in addition to established veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Odunze was extremely productive in college and is ultra-athletic on the football field, but it's going to be tough for him to produce consistent numbers in Chicago's offense in his rookie season as long as both Moore and Allen stay healthy.

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The Tennessee Titans signed first-round offensive tackle JC Latham to his four-year, fully-guaranteed rookie deal on Friday worth $26.04 million. The deal was confirmed by his agents Drew Rosenhaus, Ryan Matha and Jason Rosenhaus. The contract also includes the standard fifth-year player option for first-round picks. The 21-year-old offensive lineman was taken by the Titans with the seventh overall pick out of Alabama. He will be a huge upgrade for an offensive line that was in need of serious help this offseason and should start from Day 1 in his rookie season, at least at right tackle. The addition of Latham in 2024 should have an immediate positive impact in fantasy for young quarterback Will Levis and the rest of Tennessee's option as they enter their first season without workhorse back Derrick Henry.

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The Denver Broncos signed rookie quarterback Bo Nix to his rookie deal on Friday, according to a source. As is the case with all first-round selections, Nix will have a fifth-year team option attached to his first NFL contract. Needing to add more competition to their QB room this offseason after getting rid of Russell Wilson, the Broncos reached for Nix, the former Oregon signal-caller, with the 12th overall pick in last month's NFL draft. The Broncos have admitted that Nix could probably benefit from sitting and learning a year, but it's not like Denver already has a veteran starter in place. Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson will all compete for the starting gig in training camp and the preseason. At best, Nix would be a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues if he's starting out of the gates in Week 1 in 2024.

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The Las Vegas Raiders signed veteran Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract this offseason, yet 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell is the early favorite to handle QB1 duties in 2024, according to head coach Antonio Pierce. "Aidan's earned the right to go out there and earn the first snap," Pierce said. "What he's done this offseason -- changing his body, his work ethic, being here every day, blocking out the outside noise. He's not worried about anything. I'm excited." O'Connell replaced Jimmy Garoppolo in the middle of last season and threw for 2,219 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The team went 5-5 during his 10 starts. Although the job sounds like it's his to lose, Minshew will also likely have the chance to battle for the starting role this offseason. The 27-year-old has thrown for 59 touchdowns and 24 interceptions during his five-year career and has looked like at least a mid-level starter at times. Whoever wins the job will get to throw to Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Brock Bowers this year, so either could be a solid QB2 in Superflex formats.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) is working his way back from a Week 8 Achilles tear from last season, and reports out of Atlanta suggest he is making great progress. "Kirk is every day improving," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. "He's been doing all those things, he's been throwing, he's been out there pretty much full-go. Now, we got him in a limited basis, obviously 'cause he's still in his rehab and his treatment and all those types of things." The 35-year-old signal-caller has not been dropping back behind an offensive line or facing a rush, but he's evidently looked good on his dropbacks and reps with his new wide receiver group. Despite Atlanta selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Cousins remains the clear starter in 2024 as long as he holds up. The four-time Pro Bowler has thrown for at least 4,000 yards seven times in his nine-year career as a starter, while the Falcons have not had a 4,000-yard passer since Matt Ryan in 2020. If Cousins isn't limited by his major injury, he'll remain a fringe QB1 option surrounded by Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Darnell Mooney, and company.

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