Studs and Duds: Week 11

Mon Nov 22 9:12am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Taylor has game for the ages


It was another crazy week in the NFL with plenty of upsets and big-time fantasy performances. We actually had two of the best fantasy performances of the entire season, seeing two running backs post crazy, big games. Hopefully, you were benefitted from one of those players. If you had either one, you likely won your game in Week 11.

Patriots 25, Falcons 0

Fantasy Stud:  Patriots defense. This unit produced like a No. 1 fantasy quarterback, which is saying something. They were unbelievable, shutting out the Falcons. The Patriots also allowed just 165 total yards and had four interceptions. New England returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown. The Patriots also had four sacks. It was a dominating performance for a defense. This unit has emerged as one of the best in football.

Fantasy Dud: Matt Ryan. Ryan had an awful game, going 19-of-28 for 153 yards with two interceptions. Ryan scored just 5.7 fantasy points. He had a solid start to his season but been really bad for fantasy teams lately. Ryan has fewer than 10 fantasy points three of four games. He is not usable for fantasy teams right now.

Game Notes: Some thought Wayne Gallman was going to get more work after his performance last week but that wasn’t the case. He ran just once for negative three yards. Qadree Ollison actually led the way at running back, running nine times for 34 yards.

Damien Harris returned from his concussion and had 10 carries for 56 yards. Rhamondre Stevenson had the most carries, though, running 12 times for 69 yards.

49ers 30, Jaguars 10

Fantasy Stud: Brandon Aiyuk. It took some time but Aiyuk is finally making some noise for his fantasy teams. He had seven receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown. Aiyuk had a season high 21.5 fantasy points. He has at least 20 fantasy points two of three and double-digit points three of four. Aiyuk was dropped in a lot of leagues but is giving fantasy owners some hope going forward.

Fantasy Dud: Jeff Wilson. Wilson got a lot of hype, getting a chance to start for the 49ers this week. He got a lo to work but wasn’t much help to fantasy teams. He ran 19 times for just 50 yards, averaging 2.6 yards per carry. He also caught just a pass for eight yards. You expected better from Wilson in a favorable matchup and with the 49ers running so well offensively.

Game Notes: Deebo Samuel actually led the 49ers in rushing, running eight times for 79 yards and a touchdown. He had just one catch for 15 yards but his work on the ground made him a good fantasy play once again.

Laviska Shenault led the Jaguars in receptions, catching five passes for 50 yards. His reception total was his highest since Week 6.

Colts 41, Bills 15

Fantasy Stud: Jonathan Taylor. Taylor had one of the best all-time fantasy performances. He had 32 carries for 184 yards and four touchdowns. He also had three receptions for 19 yards and another touchdown, giving him five total touchdowns. Taylor scored an unbelievable 53.3 fantasy points. He has at least 20 fantasy points eight straight games. He is making a strong case for fantasy player of the year.

Fantasy Dud: Michael Pittman. The Colt scored a ton of points but got up big and ran a lot more than throw the ball, giving the options in the passing game little work. Pittman had a rare down game, catching two passes for 23 yards. His yardage total was his lowest of the season. He had at least 12 fantasy points four straight games before this performance.

Game Notes: Dawson Knox was a bright spot for the Bills, having six receptions for 80 yards. He led the Bills in both categories. Knox had a season high 10 targets in the game.

Josh Allen had his struggles, going 21-of-35 for 209 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. He just topped 20 fantasy points in the game.

Browns 13, Lions 10

Fantasy Stud: D’Andre Swift. Swift was most of the offense for the Lions. He had a big game, rushing 14 times for 135 yards and a touchdown. He also caught three passes for no gain. He had 22.5 fantasy points and his first 100-yard game of the season. Swift is having a big season in an offense that has struggled much of the year. He has 20-plus fantasy points three of six games.

Fantasy Dud: Tim Boyle. There was likely just a few fantasy owners in all of the land that used him but he was awful regardless. Boyle was 15-of-23 for 77 yards with two interceptions. He proved he was not an upgrade for Jared Goff.

Game Notes: Nick Chubb had a 100-yard game, rushing 22 times for 130 yards. He also caught two passes for 14 yards, giving him 144 total yards. Chubb has four 100-yard rushing games this season.

Hockenson rebounded from his zero catch performance in Week 10. He had six receptions for 51 yards on eight targets.

Texans 22, Titans 13

Fantasy Stud: Tyrod Taylor. Taylor did not even throw for 110 yards but ran in two scores, giving him good fantasy production. He was 14-of-24 for 107 yards. He ran six times for 28 yards and two scores. Taylor gives this offense some real life when he is in at quarterback and is worth some spot starts in the right matchup.

Fantasy Dud: Brandin Cooks. There were a lot of duds in this one but Cooks gets the nod because of his favorable matchup. Cooks did next to nothing, catching two passes for 18 yards. His catch and yardage total was a season low for Cooks. He had just 3.8 fantasy points, which was another season low for Cooks.

Game Notes: A.J. Brown was banged up in this game and left early. He had five receptions for 48 yards. This is an injury to watch, so keep an eye on the player notes for the latest.

The Titans split the carries with three backs this week. Adrian Peterson ran eight times for 38 yards. Dontrell Hilliard had seven carries for 35 yards. And D’Onta Foreman ran seven times for 25 yards.

Ravens 16, Ravens 13

Fantasy Stud: Darnell Mooney. Mooney continues to lead the way at receiver for the Bears. He had five receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. This was his second 100-yard game of the season. Mooney has touchdowns two straight and three of five games. He has become a real fantasy threat for his owners. 

Fantasy Dud: Justin Fields. Fields left the game early with some sort of rib injury but did nothing before getting hurt. He was 4-of-11 for 79 yards and ran four times for 23 yards. He started to show some signs of breaking out the last few weeks but this injury and performance give you some concern for him going forward.

Game Notes: Tyler Huntley started for the Ravens with Lamar Jackson out sick. He performed alright, leading his team to a comeback victory late. He was 26-of-36 for 219 yards with an intesrcpeoitn. He also ran seven times for 40 yards.

Latavius Murray returned to action but had fewer carries than Devonta Freeman. Murray had 10 carries for 32 yards while Freeman ran 16 times for 49 yards and a touchdown. Freeman also had six receptions for 30 yards.

Vikings 34, Packers 31

Fantasy Stud: Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers put his poor game last week behind him in a hurry, torching the Vikings secondary throughout the game. He was 23-of-33 for 385 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover. This was his second four-touchdown game of the season. It was his first game topping 30 fantasy points, though.

Fantasy Dud: Tyler Conklin. Nearly every player had a good fantasy showing in this game, but Conklin was one of the few down performers. He had three receptions for 35 yards. He had double-digit fantasy points three of four games before this game. He was getting lot of weeks looks. Conklin was targeted just three times, his lowest amount of targets since Week 5.

Game Notes: Justin Jefferson topped 140 yards for the second straight game. He had eight receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 10 targets.

Davante Adams had his fourth 100-yard game. He had seven receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns, his first multiple touchdown game of the season.

Dolphins 24, Jets 17

Fantasy Stud: Elijah Moore. Moore continued his big-time ascent in this offense. He had eight receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown. Moore also ran once for 15 yards, giving him 156 total yards. This was his first 100-yard game. He has at least 13 fantasy points four straight games, including two games with 27-plus points.

Fantasy Dud: Corey Davis. Davis caught three passes for 35 yards. He had a big game the previous week, so expectations were better for Davis. He was targeted seven times but only converted three of those to catches. Davis could be up and down like this going forward for fantasy teams, especially with Moore emerging.

Game Notes: Jaylen Waddle had eight receptions for 65 yards and ran in a one-yard score. He topped 20 fantasy points. Waddle has eight receptions two of his last three games.

Tua Tagovailoa played well in his return to a starting role. His finger injury doesn’t look to be a factor, finishing 27-of-33 for 273 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.

Running back Michael Carter suffered an ankle injury and left the game early. The Jets didn’t know the severity of the injury after the game, but this is certainly one to keep an eye on. Carter has been playing well as the starter for the Jets.

Eagles 40, Saints 29

Fantasy Stud: Jalen Hurts. Hurts didn’t throw a touchdown pass but that didn’t matter to his fantasy owners. He had another huge day on the ground, running 18 times for 69 yards and three touchdowns. He was 13-of-24 passing for 147 yards without a touchdown or an interception. Hurts had more than 30 fantasy points for the third time this season.

Fantasy Dud: Deonte Harris. Harris was getting some play because of some production in recent weeks, but he disappeared this game. He caught two passes for 11 yards. He had two straight games with 50-plus yards before this one. He is going to be a hard player to trust in an offense with a lot of receivers getting playing time.

Game Notes: Jordan Howard suffered a knee injury in the third quarter and was unable to return to the game. He ran 10 times for 63 had before the injury. Miles Sanders looked good in his return to the lineup if you take away his fumble. He ran 16 times for 94 yards.

Trevor Siemian had four total touchdowns. He was 22-of-40 for 214 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. He also ran two times for 16 yards and a touchdown. Siemian has multiple touchdowns three straight games.

Washington 27, Carolina 21

Fantasy Stud: Taylor Heinicke. Heinicke had a great showing against one of the best defenses in football. He missed on just six passes, going 16-of-22 for 206 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. This was his third three-touchdown game of the season. Heinicke is making a case to be the long-term starter for Washington. He has made plays with his chances.

Fantasy Dud: Antonio Gibson. Gibson did not have a bad day running the ball but his fantasy performance was not a goo done. He ran 19 times for 95 yards but didn’t catch a single pass, meaning he finished with fewer than double-digit fantasy points. His lack of involvement in the passing game is really limiting his fantasy value. He has fewer than double-digit points four of five games.

Game Notes: Christian McCaffrey had his usual big game. He ran 10 times for 59 yards and caught seven passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. So he had 119 total yards and a score.

Terry McLaurin had his fourth 100-yard game. He finished with five receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown. He has 100-yard games two of four.

Bengals 32, Raiders 13

Fantasy Stud: Joe Mixon. Mixon was one of the few big-time performers in this game. He had 30 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Mixon didn’t catch a pass but that didn’t matter because of his big rushing totals. Mixon has 24-plus points three straight and four of five games. He has been a steady producer all season for his fantasy owners.

Fantasy Dud: Joe Burrow. Burrow didn’t play bad but he was little help to his fantasy owners. He didn’t even hit 150-passing yards. He was 20-of-29 for 148 yards and a touchdown with a lost fumble. Burrow scored just 12.5 fantasy points. He is in a bit of a funk right now, having fewer than 13 points two straight games.

Game Notes: Darren Waller hit the 100-yard mark for the first time since the first week of the season. He had seven receptions for 116 yards.

Ja’Marr Chase scored his eighth touchdown of the season. He had three receptions for 32 yards and a score. He has touchdowns three of four games.

Chiefs 19, Cowboys 9

Fantasy Stud: Chiefs defense. The Chiefs defense has made quite the turnaround. This unit shut down maybe the best offense in football. The Cowboys offense did not score a touchdown and had at least two touchdowns every game this year. Kansas City held them to 276 total yards of offense. The Chiefs had two interceptions, five sacks and a fumble recovery. It was quite the performance. This defense is fantasy relevant once again.

Fantasy Dud: Dak Prescott. Prescott struggled for the second straight game, which was a surprising performance in a game that was expected to be high scoring. Prescott failed to score a touchdown and was intercepted twice with a lost fumble. So he had three turnovers without a score. Prescott did not even have double-digit fantasy points, scoring just 8.8. You just expect much better from him, especially in an offense with so many offensive weapons.

Game Notes: CeeDee Lamb was knocked from the game early because of a concussion. With the team on a short week, he might be in danger of missing the Week 12 game. Stay tuned.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire returned from his knee injury and led the team in carries. He ran 12 times for 63 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 13 yards. Darrel Williams had five carries for 15 yards as the No. 2 back.

Cardinals 23, Seahawks 13

Fantasy Stud: Zach Ertz. Ertz was the favorite target of Colt McCoy in Week 11. He had season highs in receptions and yards, catching eight passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns. He scored 28.8 fantasy points. He still might be a little up and down in an offense with a lot of talent, but this game showed his ceiling can be very high.

Fantasy Dud: Russell Wilson. Wilson continued his struggles since returning from his finger injury. He failed to score a touchdown for the second straight game. He was 14-of-26 for 207 yards. Wilson and the entire Seahawks offense is a bit of a mess right now. Wilson has fewer than 12 fantasy points his last three games.

Game Notes: Colt McCoy looked much better in his start this week, winning a road game in a tough environment. He was 35-of-44 for 328 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover.

Rondale Moore got a workout at receiver, catching a career-high 11 passes for 51 yards. He had double-digit fantasy points for the first time since Week 5.

Chargers 41, Steelers 37

Fantasy Stud: Austin Ekeler. Ekeler tried to match Jonathan Taylor’s huge game from earlier in the day and came close. Ekeler found the end zone four times. He ran 11 times for 50 yards and two touchdowns. He also had six receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns. So he had 115 total yards and four scores. Ekeler now has 13 total touchdowns for the season.

Fantasy Dud: Jared Cook. There were huge fantasy games all over the place in this one, but Cook was one of the few starters on either side of the ball that did little. He had three receptions for 28 yards. Cook has been uneven much of the year, though, having four games with double-digit fantasy points and six others with fewer than six points.

Game Notes: Justin Herbert did a little bit of everything. He led the Chargers in rushing in addition to big passing numbers. He was 30-of-41 for 382 yards and three touchdowns with an interception. He also ran nine times for 90 yards. This was his fourth game this season with 33-plus fantasy points.

Mike Williams had his best game in several weeks. He had five receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. It was his first score since Week 5.

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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Will Levis May 10 9:20pm ET
Will Levis

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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Bo Nix May 10 9:10pm ET
Bo Nix

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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Aidan O'Connell May 10 4:30pm ET
Aidan O'Connell

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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Kirk Cousins May 10 4:00pm ET
Kirk Cousins

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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Zay Jones May 10 3:50pm ET
Zay Jones

Free-agent wide receiver Zay Jones is signing with the Arizona Cardinals, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The 29-year-old went on visits with the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys this week, but he ultimately landed in a spot where he can compete for targets right away. Jones was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars after they selected LSU wideout Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but there's a real chance his situation is better in Arizona. Rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. is expected to occupy the WR1 role right away, but Jones is almost certainly slated to start in three-wide sets, and he might even beat out Michael Wilson to start in two-wide sets. He and tight end Trey McBride could battle it out to be Kyler Murray's No. 2 option in the passing game. Pencil in Jones as at least a deep league flex option in 2024.

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Tarik Cohen May 10 2:00pm ET
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The Carolina Panthers released veteran running back Tarik Cohen, who was attempting a comeback from a series of injuries that derailed his time as a Pro Bowl return man with the Chicago Bears. Cohen hasn't played in a regular-season game in the NFL since 2020, and it remains to be seen if he'll latch on with another club this offseason. The 28-year-old was a former fourth-round pick in 2017 by the Bears out of North Carolina A&T. He was never much of a ball-carrier at 5-foot-6, 181 pounds, but he excelled as a returner and as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. Cohen suffered an ACL tear in Week 3 of 2020 and also tore his Achilles in May of 2022. He spent most of last year on Carolina's practice squad but missed two months with a hamstring injury.

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Doug Pederson May 10 1:20pm ET
Doug Pederson

When asked who would be calling the team's offensive plays in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson remained non-committal. "Don't play a game until September. So, we've got some time," Pederson said. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor was responsible for calling most of the team's plays in a disappointing 2023 season, so Pederson is seriously considering taking back those duties in 2024. A lot of the team's offensive struggles in the second half of last year had to do with the fact that quarterback Trevor Lawrence was playing injured, and that they were missing one of their top receivers in Christian Kirk. The Jaguars finished with 339.5 total yards per game (13th in the league) and 22.2 points per game (tied for 13th).

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Gabriel Davis May 10 1:20pm ET
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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said that wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) is working through an injury, so the team hasn't been able to see much from him yet after adding him in free agency this offseason. Davis missed the postseason last year with the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury that he suffered in the Week 18 season finale against the Miami Dolphins, and apparently it's still an issue. While we don't expect the injury to keep him from participating in training camp or being ready for the start of the 2024 season, it's bad news for a player looking to learn a new offense in Jacksonville. The 25-year-old is another strong offensive situation in Jacksonville, but he'll face competition for targets from Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas and tight end Evan Engram, likely making him a boom/bust fantasy option yet again.

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Caleb Williams May 10 1:10pm ET
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Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus officially named rookie quarterback Caleb Williams as the team's starting QB on Friday at rookie minicamp. Everyone already knew that Williams would be Chicago's starting signal-caller when they selected him first overall in last month's NFL draft out of USC. The path was cleared for the 22-year-old when they traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the offseason. There's always a learning curve for rookies that start right out of the gates in the NFL, but Williams may have the best chance for immediate success given all the weapons he has around him, especially in the passing attack. The trio of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie first-rounder Rome Odunze -- not to mention tight end Cole Kmet -- will help Williams immensely. As far as his fantasy value for Year 1 in the NFL, Williams will be on the QB2 map with upside.

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Malik Nabers May 10 1:10pm ET
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The New York Giants signed No. 6 overall pick, wide receiver Malik Nabers, to his rookie deal on Friday. The deal is a four-year, $29,207,750 fully guaranteed deal that includes an $18,062,000 signing bonus and a fifth-year team option. The Giants passed on adding competition for quarterback Daniel Jones in this year's NFL draft and instead gave Jones big-time receiving help with perhaps the most explosive and athletic wideout in this year's strong class of receivers. The 20-year-old from LSU will immediately slot in as New York's No. 1 pass-catcher in 2024. He was wildly productive for the Tigers and should be heavily targeted as he transitions to the NFL, but he won't turn 21 until later this summer and could struggle for consistency if Jones continues to struggle as a passer. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues shouldn't be relying too heavily on Nabers in his rookie season in a Giants offense that has had its share of problems with Jones leading them.

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Alex McGough May 10 12:20am ET
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Alex McGough, a former USFL MVP who transitioned from quarterback this offseason, could use his pure athleticism to secure a roster spot prior to the 2024 campaign, head coach Matt LaFleur told the media. McGough spent all of 2023 operating as Green Bay's No. 3 quarterback. "He's a really athletic guy," LaFleur explained. "He spent a lot of time on the scout team running receiver routes, and he did such a great job. We feel like he's such a talented athlete, [so] why not give him a chance there? He's a smart guy, works his tail off. I think he can contribute [on special teams] as well. We felt like that might be his best chance here." These comments suggest that the Packers place great value on McGough's athleticism and don't want to risk losing someone like him, even if his impact is limited to special teams in 2024.

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Stephon Gilmore May 10 12:10am ET
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Free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore still wants to play football but is waiting for the right opportunity, he told NFL insider Josina Anderson. "I know the value I still bring," Gilmore said. "If you watch the tape, I feel like I played well the last two years, and literally almost played every snap last year." Indeed, Gilmore was impactful in 2023. He started all 17 games for the Cowboys, registering two interceptions, 13 passes defended, 68 tackles, and one forced fumble. He's still a starting-caliber defender who could justify holding out for a specific opportunity, perhaps with a contender.

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Evan Hull May 10 12:00am ET
Evan Hull

Indianapolis Colts running back Evan Hull could still earn the backup role despite some speculation suggesting the job belonged to Trey Sermon. According to James Boyd of The Athletic, "it remains unclear" who will operate as the No. 2 option behind Jonathan Taylor in 2024. He notes that while Sermon may be the early favorite, the former 49ers draft pick has just 78 carries for 346 yards and one touchdown in his career. Whoever takes over as Taylor's backup will be filling big shoes. Last season, that role belonged to Zack Moss, who finished the year with 986 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns. Moss is now in Cincinnati, leaving a competition of sorts for Sermon and Hull. As a rookie last year, Hull mustered just one rushing yards and six receiving yards.

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Jelani Woods May 9 11:50pm ET
Jelani Woods

The Athletic's James Boyd has Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods projected as the team's starting tight end in May because he remains bullish on his potential, despite the fact he was sidelined all of last year due to hamstring injuries. Woods should be healthy for organized team activities, and his next-level athleticism will mesh perfectly with head coach Shane Steichen's play-calling to create mismatches all over the field. He's also big enough to block when needed, and Kylen Granson can continue to use his speed and route-running to help move the chains. Mo Alie-Cox will remain in the mix as a seasoned veteran. While Woods should have a bigger pass-catching role if he can stay on the field, this could once again be a frustrating committee situation at TE for fantasy managers.

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Ryan Flournoy May 9 11:40pm ET
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The Dallas Cowboys signed rookie offensive tackle Tyler Guyton to his rookie deal on Thursday. In addition to Guyton, Dallas locked up rookies Cooper Beebe, Maris Liufau, Caelen Carson, Ryan Flournoy, Nathan Thomas and Justin Rogers. The only rookie that remains unsigned now is second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland. Guyton was selected 29th overall in the first round after Troy Fautanu and Amarius Mims came off the board earlier in the first round. The 6-foot-8, 322-pounder has excellent physical traits and the potential to play tackle at the next level, but it remains to be seen if he'll eventually develop as a starting-caliber left tackle. When the 22-year-old did enter the starting lineup at Oklahoma, he only played on the right side.

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Brock Bowers May 9 11:30pm ET
Brock Bowers

The Las Vegas Raiders signed first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers to a fully guaranteed four-year deal on Thursday that is worth $18.1 million. He'll receive $10 million via a signing bonus and the standard fifth-year team option as a first-round pick. The Raiders held off on reaching for a quarterback in the first round in last month's draft and instead took one of the best players in the entire draft in Bowers at 13th overall. The 21-year-old was the highest-selected tight end since Kyle Pitts in 2021 and is athletic enough as a tight end to play pretty much anywhere on the field. Bowers set a school record at Georgia with 26 touchdowns in his time there and is the complete package. Even with Michael Mayer in town, Bowers should take over as the team's top pass-catching TE in his rookie year.

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Kyren Williams May 9 5:10pm ET
Kyren Williams

The Los Angeles Rams surprisingly selected Michigan running back Blake Corum in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft despite breakout star Kyren Williams racking up 1,350 total yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023. In a media availability, general manager Les Snead said that the decision to draft Corum was related to keeping Williams fresh. "It's a tough league. It's a 17-game season plus playoffs, so we always felt like we needed to have as many quality runners as possible... so we don't just totally run down Kyren," Snead said. "And we have one or two or even three guys that can contribute... keep everyone fresh." The organization implemented a workhorse backfield approach with 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley, and he ultimately had a short shelf life as a pro due to durability concerns. As most teams shift to a committee backfield, high-end fantasy running back producers are becoming more scarce. Williams missed five games last year on the Injured Reserve list, so the organization is being proactive and adding depth in the backfield. Williams remains an RB1 candidate, but his floor and ceiling take a hit with the addition of Corum.

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Jared Goff May 9 4:30pm ET
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has vastly exceeded expectations since being traded from the Los Angeles Rams to Detroit ahead of the 2021 season. The former No. 1 overall pick has thrown for 12,258 yards, 78 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions through his first 48 games with the organization. More importantly, he led the team to Detroit's first playoff win since 1991 last year, and he had the San Francisco 49ers on the ropes in the NFC Championship game. He did not sign a contract extension along with right tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown two weeks ago, but general manager Brad Holmes said the two sides are working on a deal. "He's earned an extension. It's important, it's a high priority for us. Both sides are working really, really hard. These things just take time," Holmes said. "In a perfect world, we would've had all three of them done. Bang, bang, bang. But these things just kind of take a while, especially with the quarterback market, but I do have faith that it's gonna get done." Assuming Goff receives a high-dollar multi-year deal, his dynasty value with be secure over the next three or four years. While his ceiling is capped by a lack of rushing upside, he should remain a fringe QB1 as long as the Lions retain key offensive linemen and pass-catching weapons.

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Treylon Burks May 9 4:20pm ET
Treylon Burks

Despite the Tennessee Titans signing veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd this week, head coach Brian Callahan and the organization still have hope for third-year wideout Treylon Burks. "We've made very clear to Treylon that the signing of Tyler is not about him. It's about helping our team get better, adding better players to our team, making us a competitive football team," Callahan said. "What he's done and how he's worked has been great, and I'm anticipating him still being able to play a good role for us." While the Boyd signing almost surely pushes Burks to the WR4 role and destroys any 2024 fantasy football value he had, it sounds like the team is not going to trade him this offseason as many have speculated. Burks was a promising prospect coming out of Arkansas, but he's totaled just 665 receiving yards and one touchdown through his first two NFL seasons. He might be worth holding in deep dynasty leagues, but it'd be surprising if he's on the fantasy radar in redraft formats.

From RotoBaller

Ben Skowronek May 9 3:00pm ET
Ben Skowronek

The Houston Texans acquired wide receiver Ben Skowronek from the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, according to sources. The Rams were set to waiver Skowronek, but the Texans swooped in before he hit waivers to get something done to add receiving depth behind Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Robert Woods, Noah Brown, John Metchie III and others. The 26-year-old Skowronek was the Rams' seventh-round pick in 2021 and has mostly been limited to a role on special teams in his three years in the NFL. That will likely continue to be the case with his move to Houston, and he won't be on the fantasy radar at all. In his three years in the NFL in LA, Skowronek only had 58 receptions for 575 yards and one touchdown on 93 targets in 45 games (12 starts).

From RotoBaller