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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Training Camp Preview: NFC West

Thu Jul 22 10:54am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Green looks to make an impact


This is the final preview in a series of training camp previews. The previews give you a quick look at each team, going over position battles and injuries to watch in camp. And for this season, all training camps will open at the same time with the exception of three teams. Camp will open Tuesday, July 27 for 29 of the 32 NFL teams. The Steelers and Cowboys will open July 21 because they play in the preseason Hall of Fame Game. And lastly, the Bucs got an exemption to open early because they have the first game of the regular season on a Thursday night. Tampa gets their camp started July 24. The season is right around the corner.

Rams

The big news this offseason was the Rams getting Matthew Stafford to take over as their starting quarterback. Stafford will be the focus of this training camp, looking to take this offense to a new level. Stafford and his teammates will get things going at the Microsemi Field in Irvine, Calif.

Position battle: The Rams lost Josh Reynolds this offseason, leaving a hole at the No. 3 receiver spot. Veteran DeSean Jackson is the top candidate to fill that spot. He has played just seven games the last two seasons, though, so nothing is a given with him. Van Jefferson is the top competition for Jackson. He played pretty well with his chances last year and is a young player with some upside. Don’t discount Jefferson to win the job. This will be a competition.

Injury watch: Matthew Stafford played every game last year but was beat up and came out of a few games early. He also missed half the season the year before. So he has endured a few injury issues the last two years. This is a little concern, especially if you consider he is 33 years old. Stafford will be a player to watch this training camp for various reasons.

Cardinals

Arizona had just a so-so season last year, going 8-8. Expectations were high for the team but they didn’t quite reach them because of some uneven play and a very good division. The Cardinals will look to take a step forward this year. Much of the season might depend on the development of Kyler Murray. He has been a little inconsistent to start his career. If Murray can take his game to a new level, the Cardinals could be a very dangerous team this year. Arizona trains at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

Position battle: The Cardinals signed A.J. Green this offseason, hoping he still has a little something left in the tank. Green won’t be handed the starting job opposite DeAndre Hopkins, though. He will need to show he can still play at a high level and be a productive NFL starter. Christian Kirk will compete with Green for the right to start. Kirk hasn’t had that breakout season just yet but been competing with Larry Fitzgerald for targets. He could get a lot more looks if he wins that starting job. Kirk has some breakout potential.

Injury watch: James Conner was signed this offseason to bring in some competition for Chase Edmonds at running back. Conner has not done much in recent seasons and battled injury those seasons. He is yet to play a full season in the NFL and hasn’t looked quite like himself in recent years. If he can come back healthy and strong, Conner could play a big role in the Cardinals offense.

49ers

The 49ers made some moves this offseason to try to improve on their disappointing season. The big move was drafting quarterback Trey Lance. He should be the big storyline in camp, seeing if the 49ers made the right move by taking Lance. The rookie will get a chance to show his stuff at the San Francisco 49ers Complex in Santa Clara, Calif.

Position battle: The 49ers say this isn’t a competition but the team didn’t use a first-round pick on Trey Lance to just sit him on the bench. He will compete for the starting job with Jimmy Garoppolo. He might not have the job to open the year but it might be his before long, especially if he shows well in camp and preseason action. Lance is the future at the position and has a high ceiling if he can find the field for the 49ers.

Injury watch: Raheem Mostert played just eight games last year. He played well when on the field, but couldn’t stay on the field. Mostert can play a big role in this offense if he can stay healthy, but his health is a concern. Mostert has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. His injury issues make him a boom or bust fantasy player. You will want to make sure he stays heathy during camp before using a draft pick on him this year.

Seahawks

Seattle won the division last year but didn’t advance in the playoffs. Much of the same team is back from last year. If the Seahawks had a weakness last year, it was an inconsistent pass defense. That unit will need to get better if Seattle hopes to be a more complete team. So the storyline of camp for the Seahawks might be on the defensive side of the ball. The offense should be very good once again with Russell Wilson leading the way. Seattle holds training camp at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.

Position battle: The Seahawks have their starting tight end spot up for grabs. Gerald Everett is the favorite to start for the team but has Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson to compete with for the job. Dissly has showing flashes of good things with past chances but Everett is likely the more talented. Everett has done a pretty good job in recent seasons with the Rams. He can be a big-play threat in the passing game. 

Injury watch: Chris Carson is back with the Seahawks to serve as their lead back once again. He has been very good in that role but is yet to play a full season in the NFL. He missed four games last year because of injury. Carson is a great back but won’t reach his fantasy potential if he doesn’t play a full season. You will want to monitor his health in camp to make sure he is at full strength and ready to put in a full season.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Kyren Williams May 29 3:00pm ET
Kyren Williams

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (foot) was seen doing an up-tempo workout on a side field with athletic trainers during organized team activities on Wednesday. Williams isn't going to take part in OTAs or mandatory minicamp next month, but the Rams fully expect him to return for training camp this summer. The 23-year-old is worth keeping an eye on this offseason after he broke his foot early in his rookie season in 2022. In addition to his foot injury, Williams faces much more competition going into the 2024 season from rookie third-rounder Blake Corum, who the Rams think has three-down capabilities. Williams will open the year as LA's top RB on the depth chart, but if he gets hurt or starts out slow, Corum could become a bigger part of the backfield sooner than later.

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Malachi Corley May 29 2:50pm ET
Malachi Corley

New York Jets rookie wide receiver Malachi Corley (undisclosed) left organized team activities on Wednesday with a trainer with an undisclosed injury. Corley later returned but was walking with a limp and didn't have his helmet with him. It doesn't appear to be a very serious injury, but the Jets will probably play it safe and hold the 22-year-old out for the rest of the week after taking him with the first pick of the third round in this year's NFL draft out of Western Kentucky. How much Corley is involved in his first year in the league will depend a lot on how healthy and productive new wideout Mike Williams (knee) is after coming off a torn ACL in 2023. Even if Williams stays healthy, Corley will have the inside track to become the team's No. 3 receiver, although it still seems like more of a long shot that he'll be an every-week fantasy starter in redraft leagues in his rookie campaign.

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Mike Williams May 29 2:40pm ET
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New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) has been rehabbing, and head coach Robert Saleh said he is progressing and looks good. However, Saleh told reporters on Wednesday at organized team activities that he doesn't have a timeline on Williams' return to practice. Williams suffered a torn left ACL in Week 3 last year in his final season with the Los Angeles Chargers and then signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Jets in free agency this offseason. The 29-year-old big-bodied wideout could be ready to go for the Week 1 regular season opener, but he's currently missing valuable offseason repetitions with the Jets' first-team offense and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. When he's healthy, he figures to be the team's No. 2 wideout behind Garrett Wilson, which will give him plenty of touchdown appeal as long as both he and Rodgers can stay healthy.

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Breece Hall May 29 2:30pm ET
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New York Jets running back Breece Hall (undisclosed) is working in the rehab area during organized team activities this week. It's unclear what type of injury Hall is dealing with or when he suffered it, but it doesn't sound very serious and it shouldn't negatively impact his fantasy value as the 2024 season approaches this fall. If the 22-year-old RB1 is unable to take part in mandatory minicamp in June, it will then become a bigger issue. With Hall out this week, running backs Israel Abanikanda, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis should all see more work at OTAs, in addition to recent signee Tarik Cohen as he attempts to revive his career. With quarterback Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) returning, Hall's fantasy upside this year will be even higher with the offense expected to be more explosive.

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Xavier Legette May 29 2:20pm ET
Xavier Legette

Carolina Panthers first-round rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette (hamstring) tweaked his hamstring during organized team activities on Tuesday and is erring on the side of caution and sitting out of practice on Wednesday. It's not a major injury for the 32nd overall pick last month, but he's going to miss some valuable repetitions as he heads into his first NFL season. The 23-year-old should be good for mandatory minicamp in June and training camp at the end of July, and despite other additions to the position in the offseason, Legette should have an opportunity for a big role in his first NFL season as the Panthers look to improve drastically on offense from a year ago. However, with veteran Adam Thielen and newcomer Diontae Johnson likely ahead of him in the target pecking order, fantasy managers should prepare for Legette to be inconsistent in 2024 as a deep threat.

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Tarik Cohen May 29 2:20pm ET
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The New York Jets signed free-agent running back Tarik Cohen to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, according to a source. Cohen was one of the league's top return specialists and a receiving threat with the Chicago Bears before serious injuries derailed his career. He last played in the NFL in 2020 but will not attempt a comeback with the Jets. The Bears took the 28-year-old in the fourth round (119th overall) in 2017 out of North Carolina A&T. Cohen was a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2018 as a kick returner, and he had 264 rushing attempts for 1,101 yards and five touchdowns in his four seasons in Chicago, adding 209 receptions for 1,575 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through the air. He spent most of last year on the Panthers' practice squad and is unlikely to make an impact for the Jets or for fantasy managers in 2024.

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Taysom Hill May 29 2:10pm ET
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New Orleans Saints hybrid offensive player Taysom Hill was seen taking direct snaps out of the backfield at organized team activities on Tuesday while also working with the special teams unit. SI.com's John Hendrix wrote that seeing Hill in the backfield is starting to be a pretty exciting thing. He lined up as the running back in shotgun formation and took the run left for a nice gain. In addition to taking direct snaps out of the backfield, Hill also caught some passes from quarterback Derek Carr as a pass-catcher. It remains to be seen exactly how Hill will be used in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's system, but he could be on the field often in a variety of roles. With tight end eligibility in fantasy, he will at least have value as a low-end TE1 with the possibility for more if he's more active as a ball-carrier out of the backfield in 2024.

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Taysom Hill May 28 11:33pm ET
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New Orleans Saints TE Taysom Hill's unique skill set has been on full display during organized team activities, according to Matthew Paras of NOLA.com. For example, Hill took part in individual drills with the running backs last week and is working with the tight ends this week. 'It's been a lot of fun. It's weird to say after seven years of doing what I've been doing that I'm being asked to do things I've never done before. That is exciting to me and it's challenging, and I love to be challenged like that. I'm grateful for those guys creating unique and fun opportunities for me,' Hill said.

Fantasy Spin: According to Paras, Hill has yet to throw a ball once in a live setting this spring, but he has lined up at running back and fullback several times. Furthermore, head coach Dennis Allen apparently "entertained" a reporter's suggestion that Hill might be the Saints' version of Kyle Juszczyk in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's offense. While it is unlikely Hill will top last year's career year (114 touches for 692 yards), fantasy managers should expect him to remain a key complementary part of the offense again in 2024.

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Nico Collins May 28 10:13pm ET
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Eric Stokes May 28 8:30pm ET
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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur thinks cornerback Eric Stokes (hamstring) is in a great place physically and mentally this offseason after he missed most of the last two years with injuries. LaFleur also said he thinks Stokes is "in the best shape" he's ever seen him in. "When you look at him physically, his body looks different. He's hitting some fast speeds out there at practice. I can tell mentally he feels like he's in a great place," LaFleur said. The former first-round pick in 2021 was great as a rookie but suffered foot and knee injuries in Week 9 in 2022 and missed the final eight games. The 25-year-old played in just three games in 2023 due to hamstring issues. It's no surprise the Packers declined their fifth-year option on Stokes, so he's now in a contract year in 2024 as he looks to stay healthy. If healthy, the speedster could start opposite Jaire Alexander.

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Jarrett Stidham May 28 8:20pm ET
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Tony Jefferson May 28 8:20pm ET
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Former Baltimore Ravens star safety Tony Jefferson is coming out of retirement and plans to play in 2024, according to a source. Jefferson has stayed in shape, has been training on his own, and wants to play again. He intends to start talking to teams in the near future after spending last year with the Baltimore Ravens as a scouting intern. In his last year in the NFL in 2022 with the New York Giants, Jefferson played in only nine games (one start) and had 23 tackles (16 solo). The 32-year-old former undrafted free agent entered the league in 2013 with the Arizona Cardinals and spent four years in the desert before joining the Ravens from 2017-21. Jefferson hasn't played in more than nine games in a single season since 2018 but could provide some nice veteran depth for a team in need of secondary help.

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Tanoh Kpassagnon May 28 7:53pm ET
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Updating a previous report, New Orleans Saints DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles) likely will not be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season but has a chance to play at some point during the season, according to head coach Dennis Allen.

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Arik Armstead May 28 6:53pm ET
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Jacksonville Jaguars DT Arik Armstead (undisclosed) and DT Roy Robertson-Harris (undisclosed) did not participate in the voluntary workout Tuesday, May 28, because of undisclosed injuries.

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Ja'Marr Chase May 28 6:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is absent for OTAs. Dynasty Analysis: Chase is waiting for a lucrative long-term deal that will likely make him the highest paid receiver in the league (at least temporarily). The Bengals don't seem to be worried at the moment and dynasty managers shouldn't be, either. Chase is in the top three overall in terms of position players and there's no sense getting too concerned until Chase starts missing real practice time.

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Tee Higgins May 28 6:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is sitting out voluntary OTAs. Dynasty Analysis: While the Bengals are saying they aren't concerned publicly, this holdout is a little more significant than that of Ja'Marr Chase. Higgins has been franchise tagged and it seems the team has little interest in negotiating a long-term deal. Higgins was more likely to be traded during the NFL Draft than now, but this is a situation to monitor. At this point, dynasty managers need to just hold on tight and see what happens.

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Justin Fields May 28 6:10pm ET
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields said he won't return kicks this season. "Nah, I think everybody kind of interpreted it wrong," said Fields when asked about the rumor. "It's funny how serious social media takes everything." The signal-caller was traded in March after spending the last three years in Chicago. He finished his most recent season in 2023-24 by throwing for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine picks while running for 657 yards and four touchdowns off 124 attempts. Fields hopes to compete with Russell Wilson for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart. However, unless he's starting come Week 1, he won't offer much to fantasy managers.

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Darius Slayton May 28 5:50pm ET
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New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton was present for Tuesday's OTAs. The wideout is coming off the best year of his career, catching 50 of his 79 targets for 770 yards and four touchdowns. As a result, he wants a new deal. While there's still time for both sides to work things out, there's also room for the situation to go in the wrong direction, especially as the offseason inches closer to training camp. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old wasn't a reliable fantasy producer throughout the 2023-24 campaign despite his increase in production. That isn't expected to change, considering the Giants added Malik Nabers out of LSU. The team also still has Daniel Jones (knee) under center, who hasn't been the most consistent fantasy signal-caller over the years.

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Nico Collins May 28 5:30pm ET
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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Texans and wide receiver Nico Collins agreed on a three-year, $72.75 million extension. The wideout, who will make $52 million in guaranteed cash on his new deal, had a breakout season in 2023-24, amassing 80 catches for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. While Houston added Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon to the equation, two players who will command targets during the 2024-25 campaign, Collins remains a viable fantasy option in any format, considering the Texans could be one of the NFL's highest-scoring offenses.

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Marquis Haynes May 28 4:43pm ET
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