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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Studs and Duds: Championship Games

Mon Jan 29 8:39am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

McCaffrey comes up big again


That was a fun weekend of games. Both came down to the wire, making for some great entertainment. The Chiefs/Ravens game didn’t have many big fantasy performances, though, which was a bit of a downer. Now the NFC game had a lot more offensive fireworks. That game had plenty of fantasy production, helping make up for the first one. Hopefully, you scored a lot of fantasy points this week and are looking good to win your league.

Chiefs 17, Ravens 10

Fantasy Stud: Travis Kelce. He might not have enjoyed his best regular season but Kelce is coming up huge in the playoffs. He was vintage Kelce in this one. Kelce has 11 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. This was his third game of the season with double-digit receptions

Fantasy Dud: Both Ravens running backs. Gus Edwards had just three carries for 20 yards while Justice Hill ran three times for three yard. And neither did much in the passing game. Hill had four receptions for 34 yards, and Edwards caught a pass for 16 yards. It was a disappointing showing for both backs, especially if you consider how well the Ravens ran the ball all season.

Game Notes: Mark Andrews returned from his broken leg and had two receptions for 15 yards. Andrews didn’t do much in this game, but was able to play and played a good number of snaps in his first game back. He’ll be just fine for 2024.

Zay Flowers had good numbers but made a couple crucial mistakes, including losing a fumble at the goal line. He did have five receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown despite the mistakes.

Isiah Pacheco found the end zone for the seventh straight game he has played. He ran 24 times for 68 yards and a touchdown.

49ers 34, Lions 31

Fantasy Stud: Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey didn’t have one of his huge yardage games, but scored two more touchdowns and still produced good total yardage numbers. McCaffrey ran 20 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He also had four receptions for 42 yards, giving him 132 total yards and two scores

Fantasy Dud: George Kittle. Kittle was really held in checking, finishing with two receptions for 27 yards. It was a poor showing in a game that had a lot of offense. You just expected better from the elite fantasy tight end.

Game Notes: Deebo Samuel was able to play with his shoulder injury and led the 49ers in receiving. He had eight receptions for 89 yards and didn’t seem slowed by the injury at all.

The Lions had big rushing totals. David Montgomery led the way, rushing 15 times for 93 yards and a touchdown. Jahmyr Gibbs ran 12 times for 45 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs did lose a key fumble in the game, though.

Jameson Williams had three touches but two went for touchdowns. Williams had a carry for a 42-yard touchdown. And he also had two receptions for 25 yards and another touchdown.

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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Fantasy Position SOS

Player Notes
Najee Harris May 21 8:23am ET
Najee Harris

Dynasty | Steelers running back Najee Harris has apparently changed his diet in order to improve his performance. Dynasty Analysis: Well, it can't hurt. Harris is now in a contract year after having his option declined and appears motivated to perform at a higher level as he seeks a lucrative second contract in the league in Pittsburgh or elsewhere. Harris was much better towards the end of last season but Jaylen Warren continues to push for carries and it's hard to believe this won't end up in a timeshare. Harris is best served as a RB2/Flex at the moment but he does have a runway to move up in the rankings should he finally reach his potential.

Lucas Havrisik May 20 10:10pm ET
Lucas Havrisik

The Cleveland Browns re-signed kicker Lucas Havrisik to an undisclosed deal on Monday and waived quarterback Jacob Simon in a corresponding move. Havrisik returns to the team after recently being waived on May 14. The 24-year-old spent time on Cleveland's practice squad last year and also went 15-for-20 on his field-goal attempts and 19-for-22 on extra-point tries in nine games in his rookie season for the Los Angeles Rams. As things stand right now, Havrisik is third on the Browns' kicking depth chart behind Dustin Hopkins and Cade York, so he's clearly not a lock to make the team's final roster for the 2024 season out of training camp and the preseason.

From RotoBaller

Eddy Pineiro May 20 10:00pm ET
Eddy Pineiro

Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro continues to skip the portion of the team's voluntary offseason program, which has allowed undrafted rookie Harrison Mevis to shine during organized team activities. Mevis made all five of his field-goal attempts on Monday, including a long of 47 yards. Pineiro is the league's 21st-highest-paid kicker and is in the final year of his two-year, $4.1 million deal. "I'm sure Eddy has a plan for this whole thing," head coach Dave Canales said. The 28-year-old veteran missed the final two games in 2023 for the Panthers with a hamstring injury, but he's likely healthy now and should report for mandatory minicamp next month. Carolina's offense should improve with more offensive weapons in quarterback Bryce Young's second season in 2024, but fantasy managers in standard-sized leagues can avoid Pineiro on draft day.

From RotoBaller

Jaycee Horn May 20 9:50pm ET
Jaycee Horn

Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn did more weightlifting over the winter in hopes that it will keep him healthy after he missed more games than he played in his first three seasons in the NFL due to injuries. The 24-year-old is big and physical and has always had the talent to be elite if he can just stay on the field. His injury history includes soft-tissue problems, including a hamstring injury from Week 1 last year that required surgery and cost him 10 games. The former eighth overall pick in 2021 out of South Carolina has 85 tackles (60 solo), four interceptions and 13 passes defended in his three years in the league. The Panthers secondary will be much more effective if Horn can stay healthy for a full season. "Just trying different things. Obviously, what I did the years before didn't work with dealing with injury and it can be some unlucky-ness," Horn said.

From RotoBaller

Deuce Vaughn May 20 9:40pm ET
Deuce Vaughn

Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn could see more playing time in the slot next season as a way to utilize his talents in space more often. The 5-foot-6, 176-pounder was taken in the sixth round last year, and he finished with just 23 carries for 40 yards while catching all seven of his targets for 40 yards through the air in seven regular-season games. But with Tony Pollard no longer in town, the Cowboys could look to get Vaughn more involved in the passing game to capitalize on Vaughn's burst, quickness and change-of-direction abilities in open space. It would make him intriguing as a sleeper in PPR leagues, but the fact remains that Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott will likely be ahead of Vaughn on the RB depth chart. For now, it's just something to watch for fantasy managers in deep PPR formats.

From RotoBaller

Bryce Young May 20 9:30pm ET
Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers second-year quarterback Bryce Young, who looked lost in his rookie campaign in 2023, has impressed head coach Dave Canales at offseason workouts. Canales loves the way Young has picked up an offense that has helped Baker Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Geno Smith to career-best seasons. "He's doing fantastic with it," Canales said Monday after the first full day of voluntary workouts. "So, for us the formations are pretty vanilla so we can just teach the concept we want out of each route, the depth, the footwork we want." Young said having just Canales' voice in his ear has been "super important" after a rough rookie season in which he ranked 29th out of 30 QBs in total QBR (33.4). It will be hard for Young to be much worse in his sophomore season in 2024, and the Panthers also added some playmakers around him via the draft and trade market, but he'll still merely be a low-end QB2 with upside in fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones May 20 9:10pm ET
Daniel Jones

The New York Giants said that quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) took part in 7-on-7 drills during organized team activities on Monday. Jones and the team have said that the expectation is that he'll be fully cleared for the start of training camp this summer after he tore his ACL in November of last year. In addition to his season-ending knee injury last year, Jones also missed some time with a neck injury that is apparently a thing of the past. The 26-year-old former first-rounder didn't have much of a chance behind the team's atrocious offensive line in 2023, but he's going to need to show more in 2024 while coming off a major injury after signing a four-year, $160 million deal last offseason. In his six starts last year, Jones threw for 909 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions. His rushing upside keeps him relevant as a QB2 in fantasy, but that could be negatively affected by his knee injury.

From RotoBaller

Matthew Stafford May 20 9:03pm ET
Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford participated in the voluntary workout Monday, May 20.

Fantasy Spin: Stafford has been looking to rework his contract but is not holding out during the offseason. He has one of the better receiving duos to work with in the NFL and should throw for plenty of yards in 2024. Fantasy players in most leagues probably can consider Stafford a No. 2 fantasy quarterback.

From TheHuddle

Matthew Stafford May 20 9:00pm ET
Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is present at OTAs. The veteran signal-caller wants more money, so there were rumblings he wouldn't attend. He finished last season by throwing for 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing 62.6% of his passes. Stafford is due to make $31 million guaranteed this year. However, he is only guaranteed $10 million for the remaining two seasons after the 2024-25 campaign. At any rate, Stafford is predicted to be a semi-reliable fantasy option for at least a few more seasons. But his fantasy stock will fall if he doesn't report to training camp if a new deal isn't reached.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins May 20 8:50pm ET
Tee Higgins

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins isn't expected to attend OTAs next week. This isn't surprising, considering the wideout wants a new contract. He also requested a trade in March, although it doesn't appear that the Bengals are looking to move him. The 25-year-old had a down season in 2023-24, amassing 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns, all the lowest marks of his career. He was also limited to just 12 games due to injury. With that said, there's still a chance things will get resolved heading into training camp. If that's the case, Higgins could turn things around in 2024-25, especially if Joe Burrow (wrist) stays healthy. Yet, if both parties can't reach an agreement, he'll play on a franchise tag.

From RotoBaller

DeVante Parker May 20 8:33pm ET
DeVante Parker

Philadelphia Eagles WR DeVante Parker announced his retirement from professional football Monday, May 20.

From TheHuddle

CeeDee Lamb May 20 8:30pm ET
CeeDee Lamb

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is not expected to attend OTAs, which will commence on Tuesday. This isn't anything new, although the latest report indicates things seemingly haven't changed regarding Lamb's desire for a new deal. He's due to make nearly $18 million in 2024-25 on his fifth-year option. However, as expected, Lamb wants to be one of the league's highest-paid wideouts. The 25-year-old was a top contributor throughout the 2023-24 campaign, finishing with 135 receptions (181 targets) for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's anticipated to be one of the first fantasy options taken in drafts heading into the new season. But that could change if Lamb doesn't get what he wants, especially if it means he doesn't show up for training camp in July.

From RotoBaller

DeVante Parker May 20 8:20pm ET
DeVante Parker

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVante Parker announced his retirement on Monday evening. The 31-year-old, who signed with the Eagles in March, was once one of the NFL's most promising wideouts. He spent most of his career in Miami, where he had the best season of his career in 2019 by amassing 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns off 72 receptions. Parker spent a few more years in Miami before suiting up for the Patriots over the last two seasons. However, he was nowhere near as productive as he was in 2019, so New England released him. The 31-year-old will finish his NFL career by totaling 690 catches for 5,660 yards and 27 touchdowns.

From RotoBaller

C.J. Beathard May 20 8:03pm ET
C.J. Beathard

Jacksonville Jaguars QB C.J. Beathard (shoulder), RB Lorenzo Lingard (shoulder) and S Andre Cisco (shoulder) were limited during the voluntary workout Monday, May 20.

From TheHuddle

Christian Kirk May 20 7:43pm ET
Christian Kirk

Jacksonville Jaguars WR Christian Kirk (core) is on track in his recovery from a core muscle injury and has been able to participate in offseason workouts, according to head coach Doug Pederson.

Fantasy Spin: Kirk should be fine for training camp and will be a big part of the passing game this upcoming season. He can be considered a No. 3 or No. 4 receiver in fantasy leagues when healthy.

From TheHuddle

Foyesade Oluokun May 20 7:43pm ET
Foyesade Oluokun

Jacksonville Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun (undisclosed) was limited during position drills Monday, May 20, because of an undisclosed injury.

From TheHuddle

Deshaun Watson May 20 6:53pm ET
Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is expected to be eased into the voluntary workouts with the hope of participating in seven-on-seven and team drills near the end of organized team activities and into the mandatory minicamp.

Fantasy Spin: Watson seems to be on track for the start of training camp, but fantasy players should keep an eye on the situation over the next few months. He has not posted great numbers since joining the Browns and probably can be a No. 2 quarterback in most fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

Doug Pederson May 20 6:23pm ET
Doug Pederson

Jacksonville Jaguars WR Gabe Davis (hamstring, personal) will be sidelined for the next few days of practice, according to head coach Doug Pederson.

Fantasy Spin: Davis does not appear to be dealing with any serious issues and likely will be fine for training camp. He should be one of the main options in the passing game for the Jaguars this upcoming season but may not be a weekly starting option in fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

Jacoby Brissett May 20 5:43pm ET
Jacoby Brissett

New England Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett received the first snaps during drills at the voluntary workout Monday, May 20.

Fantasy Spin: Brissett will be competing with Drake Maye for the starting job during training camp. Brissett could win the competition, but Maye likely will take over the job at some point during the 2024 season. Brissett can be avoided in fantasy leagues even if he opens the season as the starter.

From TheHuddle

Rashee Rice May 20 5:13pm ET
Rashee Rice

Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will attend OTAs this week. Dynasty Analysis: It's never a good thing when we have a multitude of player updates for you in the off-season and virtually none of them revolve around football. Such has been the case with Rice, however, as he is currently facing what looks to be a potentially long suspension after a racing incident and most recently, a potential assault. Attending camp is good but he's nearly impossible to move in a dynasty league with a black cloud currently over his head. Rice will remain a hold as this whole thing unfolds over the next few weeks and months.

From Dynasty League Fantasy