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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Bills QB Josh Allen celebrates 28th birthday with WR intros

Tue May 21 3:32pm ET
Field Level Media

Bills quarterback Josh Allen celebrated his 28th birthday on Tuesday by slinging passes to supporting cast members and introducing himself to new wide receivers.

Buffalo enters the seventh season with Allen under center with a number of changes in the program, specifically the wide receiver depth chart. Gabe Davis left in free agency and Stefon Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans.

Allen has passed for 22,703 yards with 167 touchdowns in his career while embracing becoming the face of the franchise. When the Bills flipped a considerable portion of the roster in the offseason -- in part due to Allen's market-aligned pay consuming 22.4 percent of the salary cap -- head coach Sean McDermott challenged Allen to dig further into a leadership role.

"Tremendously impressed, proud," McDermott said of Allen's growth. "The type of person he is. The type of character he possesses. The things that he is -- like most franchise quarterbacks probably -- has to do, beyond the field. And how he handles those things, to me, that's what I'm most proud of."

Signed as a free agent after winning two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, Marquez Valdes-Scantling is still getting to know Allen. But his initial takeaway had nothing to do with Allen's rocket launcher for a throwing arm.

"Josh is normal," Valdes-Scantling said. "One of the best quarterbacks in the league might have an ego. But the best thing is, Josh is a normal dude."

The Bills also added Keon Coleman with the No. 33 pick in the draft, giving Allen a pair of 6-foot-4 targets to help ease the loss of the reliable Diggs. Allen said he can sense Coleman has plenty of tools to work with before he ever takes the field.

"He can move and he can jump," Allen said.

Allen said the 29-year-old Valdes-Scantling and fellow veteran newcomer Curtis Samuel are very good leaders in the wide receiver room and Coleman has shown the willingness to study and learn.

"It's a fun process to get to know some of these guys on and off the field. Get to know their body language, where and how to throw the football. That's the fun part," Allen said.

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Player Notes
Kyler Murray Jun 20 6:40pm ET
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The Athletic's Doug Haller writes that there is a lot of optimism from the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, with the biggest reason being that quarterback Kyler Murray is on the field. Murray was off to the side working with the team's conditioning staff at this time last year while trying to recover from ACL surgery. Murray's recovery affected Arizona's entire season in 2023 after he missed the first nine games. He spent the rest of the year learning a new offense and trying to find his way back, and it showed. An offseason built around Murray should make a difference in 2024. The 26-year-old put in extra work with his receivers on weekends, trying to perfect rhythm and timing. Murray probably isn't going to be an elite passer, especially given the lack of standout options at receiver in Arizona besides rookie first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr., but his elite rushing ability and upside should give him a solid fantasy floor as a top-10 quarterback heading into upcoming fantasy drafts.

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Rhamondre Stevenson Jun 20 6:13pm ET
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Dynasty | The Patriots have signed running back Rhamondre Stevenson to a contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: New England is giving Stevenson $17 million in guaranteed money, which also includes an $8 million signing bonus and $12 million more possible with incentives. In other words, he's the starter moving forward. This is a hefty sum of money to give a running back, especially one who struggled at times last year. Regardless, this contract makes him the seventh highest paid running back in football and cements him in as a RB2 for the foreseeable future.

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Russell Wilson Jun 20 6:13pm ET
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Dynasty | Numerous reports are indicating Russell Wilson is the clear starter in Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: There were some silly rumors about Justin Fields returning kicks earlier this off-season but those proved false. However, it certainly does seem Wilson is taking charge at quarterback and has a clear lead over Fields at this point in the process. After spending most of the post-Roethlisberger era spinning their wheels, it seems Pittsburgh has two capable players to lead the team and the veteran Wilson looks poised to have the first crack at it. While no longer a viable QB1 in dynasty leagues, Wilson could provide QB2 value this season.

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Denzel Mims Jun 20 6:13pm ET
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Dynasty | The Jaguars have signed free agent wide receiver Denzel Mims. Dynasty Analysis: The former second round pick has been a bust thus far in his career but the Jags seem willing to give him one more shot. With just 42 career catches for 672 scoreless yards over four years, it's hard to get too excited about his prospects. Still, we know Mims has some talent and he's at least worthy of having on a watch list should he find his way on to the roster later this Summer.

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James Washington Jun 20 6:13pm ET
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Jim Harbaugh Jun 20 4:50pm ET
Jim Harbaugh

The Denver Broncos announced the hiring of former Stanford head coach David Shaw as a senior personnel executive on Thursday. Shaw interviewed for a few NFL head coaching gigs this offseason but now lands in Denver in a front-office role. The 51-year-old coached in the NFL from 1997 to 2005 before joining the college ranks. After taking over for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford in 2011, he compiled a 96-54 record and won five bowl games in 12 seasons.

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Bucky Irving Jun 20 4:40pm ET
Bucky Irving

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected former Oregon running back Bucky Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, just months after Rachaad White finished his breakout campaign that consisted of 1,539 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns on 336 touches. White was a rare workhorse in today's NFL, so Irving is likely to get work behind him in 2024. When speaking about Irving, White said the two could be a great one-two punch. "Bucky does a great job of, first thing, competing, and two, learning," White said. "They're all brilliant and they all want to understand the game more, and things like that. We talk a lot. We've got a good relationship. It's huge. I think he brings a playmaker [ability] and in this offense, the more playmakers, the better. It'll be huge. The one-two punch would be nice." It will be interesting to see how offensive coordinator Liam Cohen distributes the backfield touches, but White should remain the clear starter in Tampa Bay. Irving is a Day 3 rookie who had a disappointing pre-draft process, so expectations should be tempered.

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Rhamondre Stevenson Jun 20 4:20pm ET
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New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson agreed to a four-year, $36 million contract extension on Thursday, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The deal includes $17 million guaranteed. While the team can get out of the deal early and less than half of it is guaranteed, this is still a sign that the organization views him as the clear leadback. The 26-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022, racking up over 1,400 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns in 17 games. He was limited to just 12 games and 857 yards in 2023, but he should be healthy heading into his fourth pro season. While Antonio Gibson might get work behind him in the receiving game, both running backs could see plenty of targets given the weak group of pass-catchers Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett have to work with. Stevenson is likely an underpriced RB2 for 2024.

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Jalen McMillan Jun 20 4:20pm ET
Jalen McMillan

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and according to Bailey Adams of PewterReport, he's on track to be a Day 1 contributor. "McMillan may even have a chance to overtake [Trey] Palmer for the WR3 role, though Palmer is having a good offseason himself," Adams wrote. "In either case, the rookie looks like he'll help the Bucs from day one, whether he's WR3 or WR4." Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have the WR1 and WR2 roles locked down, so it will be interesting to see whether Palmer or McMillan sees more snaps early in the 2024 campaign. While sharing a field with Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk in 2022, McMillan posted 79 receptions for 1,098 yards and nine touchdowns. He regressed in his final season at Washington, but he was still productive considering the immense target competition. The 22-year-old likely has limited fantasy upside as a rookie if Evans and Godwin stay healthy, but if he flashes with limited targets, his fantasy stock could spike in dynasty and for the following season.

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Roderic Teamer Jun 20 3:00pm ET
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The New Orleans Saints signed free-agent safety Roderic Teamer to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The 27-year-old Tulane product previously tried out with the Saints at rookie minicamp and again at mandatory minicamp and will join his hometown team. Teamer began his NFL career in 2019 with the Los Angeles Chargers after going undrafted. He then spent the next three years playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. In his 40 NFL games (11 starts) over four years, Teamer has 103 tackles (72 solo), an interception, one sack and three pass breakups. He will now look to impress the coaching staff enough in training camp and the preseason to earn a 53-man roster spot as secondary depth going into Week 1 this fall.

From RotoBaller

Jerry Jeudy Jun 20 2:50pm ET
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The Athletic's Zac Jackson believes that the Cleveland Browns plan to open the year with new wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in the slot and Amari Cooper and Cedric Tillman out wide. Jeudy also has the ability to play outside, and Elijah Moore will also see snaps both inside and outside. David Bell is likely the No. 5 receiver, and any other player wanting to get into the immediate mix at the position would need a big summer performance and come with special teams ability. Jeudy was held out of spring practices with a minor injury, so he should be ready to go for training camp this summer. The former first-rounder from Alabama has lined up slightly more than half the time so far in his NFL career, but he's been a disappointment to this point and won't have a ton of fantasy upside as long as Cooper stays healthy in 2024. Jeudy should be considered more of a WR4/5 heading into his first year in Cleveland.

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Denzel Mims Jun 20 2:50pm ET
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Former New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims, who was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, quickly found a home and signed an undisclosed deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, according to sources. Mims spent time on the Steelers' practice squad last year but never played in a regular-season game. The 26-year-old former second-round selection (59th overall) by the Jets in 2020 out of Baylor was a bust in his three years in New York, catching 42 of 92 targets for 676 yards and no touchdowns in 30 games (15 starts). He was traded to the Detroit Lions at the start of the 2023 campaign but also didn't get into any regular-season games with the team. Even with Calvin Ridley gone in Jacksonville, Mims is going to be fighting an uphill battle to make the Jags' 53-man roster out of training camp this summer.

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Pierre Strong Jr. Jun 20 2:40pm ET
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The Athletic's Zac Jackson projects Cleveland Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. to make the team with both Nick Chubb and Nyheim Hines coming off knee injuries. Strong might be the fifth running back on the team, though, and he might not play RB at all. He showcased his impressive straight-line speed in May and June during offseason workouts and most of his work will likely come on special teams as a punt gunner and kickoff returner. For that, he'll likely be on the game-day roster, despite a RB room that includes Chubb, Hines, Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman. Strong and backup cornerback Justin Hardee Sr. are near the top of the list of players in line to make the roster for special teams purposes. Just don't count on Strong being anywhere near the fantasy radar in 2024.

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George Kittle Jun 20 2:10pm ET
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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was rehabbing a fractured rib, issues with his shoulder and toe, and a core-muscle injury that required surgery this offseason. As a result, Kittle revealed that he lost almost 30 pounds after the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, a significant blow to his typical 250-pound frame. "I couldn't lift," Kittle explained. "I couldn't do any upper body because of my shoulder and my rib, and I couldn't do lower [body] because of my core surgery. I didn't lift from the Super Bowl until like almost mid-March." However, Kittle remains confident going into the 2024 season and is recovered from surgery on his core. The 30-year-old led the NFL with 1,020 receiving yards in 16 regular-season games in 2023 and is still one of the high-end targets at the position in fantasy. However, with only 65 catches in an offense with many mouths to feed, his 2023 production may be his ceiling at this point in his career.

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Chigoziem Okonkwo Jun 20 12:10pm ET
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Tennessee Titans tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo is excited about the way his body is feeling and the direction of the team heading into the 2024 regular season this fall. "I feel like I maximized the potential I had in my body, and if I wanted to get better, I had to change the structure of how I move and stuff," Okonkwo said. "(I feel) a big difference, even the way I feel, my body. I feel a lot better when I move. After a long day of moving, I don't feel as sore." The fourth-rounder in 2022 caught 54 passes for 528 yards and a touchdown in 17 games (11 starts) in his second year in 2023. He had three TDs and more average yards per catch in his rookie campaign. The 24-year-old's stock is trending up, but in an offense that now includes receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, in addition to DeAndre Hopkins, it's hard to envision Okonkwo ascending to the ranks of surefire TE1 in fantasy.

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Anders Carlson Jun 20 12:10pm ET
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Green Bay Packers kicker Anders Carlson missed a field goal and/or an extra point in nine of the final 12 games in 2023 in his rookie season, including a 41-yarder in the fourth quarter of a three-point Divisional Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Carlson didn't have any competition from late May through the end of the season, but Green Bay now has Jack Podlesny and veteran Greg Joseph to compete with Carlson in training camp and the preseason. The Packers have given each of the three kickers equal run this offseason, with each of them having their impressive moments. As or right now, it remains to be seen if either Podlesny or Joseph can knock Carlson out of the starting kicking duties. Fantasy managers in standard 12-team leagues should be looking to avoid the kicking situation in Green Bay this fall.

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Adonai Mitchell Jun 20 12:10pm ET
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Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell was the team's standout player during the spring and made at least one noteworthy catch during every practice that was open to the media. The 21-year-old refuses to believe that 10 fellow wideouts -- the number drafted ahead of him -- were better than him in this year's NFL draft. "He gets open a lot," second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson said. If Mitchell can get on the same page with Richardson early this year, it could easily help the Colts end their three-year playoff drought. Mitchell's physical skills are off the charts, but he was never even the most productive receiver in college at both Georgia and Texas. There's a lot to like about him in the long-term, but Mitchell will mostly be a dynasty/keeper league asset as he competes for targets in his first year with Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs.

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Brian Thomas Jr. Jun 20 12:10pm ET
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The Athletic's Jeff Howe writes that Jacksonville Jaguars rookie first-round wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. seemed to make a positive impression during offseason workouts. Thomas is in a good spot heading into his first year in the NFL because the Jaguars already have a cache of proven skill players, so he can come into his own at his own pace. The Jaguars will be thrilled if he can solidify an early role as a speed-driven deep threat for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Fantasy managers considering drafting him in single-year leagues in 2024 will want to keep a close eye on how the 21-year-old's skills will translate in a more physical environment in training camp this summer. The LSU product was in the shadow of Malik Nabers in college and is probably going to struggle for consistent targets in 2024 as long as Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and Evan Engram all stay healthy.

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Isaiah Likely Jun 20 12:10pm ET
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Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has been behind All-Pro veteran Mark Andrews to begin his NFL career, but his flashes of upside could lead the team to implement even more 12 personnel in 2024. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Likely has continued to impress this offseason. "Likely's work in OTAs and minicamp gave Monken even more reason to polish those multiple tight end sets," Zrebiec wrote. "From making highlight-reel one-handed catches in the middle of the field, to finding openings underneath, to pulling away from defenders after receptions, Likely looked like a player who will be hard to keep off the field." The Coastal Carolina product averaged 13.9 PPR fantasy points per game in six contests with Andrews sidelined last season. He has top-five upside if Andrews has to miss any time this year, and he might even have rare value from a backup tight end in fantasy football.

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Tylan Wallace Jun 20 12:10pm ET
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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace is battling for a roster spot this offseason, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic. The 25-year-old faced a similar set of circumstances last year, but he turned in a quality training camp and ultimately remained on the 53-man roster. Wallace will need to impress on special teams to earn the last chair on the wide receiver depth chart, and the absence of standout returner Deonte Harty from OTAs has allowed him to show what he can do. The 2021 fourth-round pick has just seven receptions for 67 yards to his name in 37 career games, but a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown last year showed he can make an impact in other aspects of the game.

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