NFL Training Camp News & Notes

Catching you up on all the fantasy-relevant tidbits around the NFL

August 2, 2024 FullTime Fantasy Staff Season Long – All Sports, Season Long – NFL, Season Long – NFL Home

NFL Training Camp News & Notes

The NFL preseason is underway. That means fantasy football is right around the corner. With all 32 teams in camp, myriad stories and developments can impact the 2024 fantasy football rankings. Our NFL Traning Camp News & Notes will catch you up on the latest and how it impacts your upcoming fantasy football draft.

Arizona Cardinals

• Looks like RB James Conner remains a solid sleeper target. Rookie Trey McBride has not impressed head coach Jonathan Gannon. Emari Demercado has been getting some third-down reps.

• Greg Dortch has impressed and may be in the lead for WR3 duties ahead of Zay Jones per Bob Manaman.

• QB Kyler Murray will not play in the preseason. This is good news. Murray has nothing to prove and only risks getting hurt.

Atlanta Falcons

• Ray-Ray McCloud has been running ahead of Rondale Moore as Atlanta’s WR3.

• Kirk Cousins has an apparent chemistry with Darnell Mooney.

• WR Rondale Moore was carted off the field and seen with an air cast on his leg. That generally means a fairly significant injury. This all but locks Ray-Ray McCloud in as Atlanta’s WR3. UPDATE: Moore was placed on season-ending IR with a knee injury.

Baltimore Ravens

• QB Lamar Jackson returned from an illness. He did not appear to be impacted at all. Seems like a non-issue.

• Per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec “Rasheen Ali is the front-runner to earn the No. 3 role. Aside from a fumble last week that dredged up some of the ball-security issues he had at Marshall, Ali has had a solid camp and has looked comfortable catching balls out of the backfield.”

Buffalo Bills

•WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s first-team reps have dwindled amidst a slow start to training camp, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

•The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia reports Khalil Shakir “has been one of the most consistent, dependable players” in Bills training camp. Shakir, entering his third NFL season, finally has a chance to function as an every-down player in Josh Allen’s offense, and has made the most of his training camp opportunities. Shakir’s big plays during camp, Buscaglia said, is “a reminder of how important he is to the scope of the Bills offense in 2024.” Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady said last week that Shakir is “as consistent as they come.” So far, it looks like Shakir, Curtis Samuel, and Keon Coleman are the favorites to run in three-receiver sets for Buffalo this season.

Carolina Panthers

• Panthers WR Jonathan Mingo has earned praise from those around the first week of training camp, showing improved route-running and a strong grasp of the new offense. Former Panthers WR Steve Smith Sr. also revealed this week that he worked with the former second-round pick over the summer.

• Xavier Leggette (day-to-day) is dealing with a foot injury. MRIs came up clean.

• Jonathon Brooks won’t play in the preseason and could make his NFL debut in “Week 3 or 4.”

• Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, and Jonathan Mingo were listed as starters on Carolina’s first official depth chart.

Chicago Bears

• Caleb Williams has been as good as advertised.

• D.J. Moore signed a 4-year, $110 million extension with $82.6 million guaranteed.

Cincinnati Bengals

• The Athletic’s Paul Dehner suggests Andrei Iosivas is the favorite to win the Bengals’ No. 3 WR job. “The more Iosivas stacks practices, the more you wonder whether he won’t just soak up nearly all of [Tyler] Boyd’s 824 vacated snaps from last season,” Dehner writes.
• Bengals RB Chase Brown has been taking the majority of first-team snaps at RB for the first few days of camp, per Charlie Clifford.
• Zack Moss is listed ahead of Chase Brown on Cincinnati’s depth chart debut.

Cleveland Browns

• RB D’Onta Foreman was released from a local hospital with a head injury.

• Deshaun Watson has looked sharp this offseason but the club has not determined if he’ll play in Cleveland’s preseason opener.

Dallas Cowboys

• Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle was mentioned as “battling it out” with RB Malik Davis by EVP Stephen Jones. He was highly complimentary of RB Royce Freeman.

• The Athletic’s Jon Machota said Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle “has to be the favorite to lead the team in rushing.”

Denver Broncos

• RB Javonte Williams has resurrected his 2024 fantasy value.

Detroit Lions

• Lions WR Jameson Williams had a strong spring and has rolled that momentum into the start of training camp, according to The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy. “Williams is firmly entrenched as one of the guys,” Pouncy writes. “This is the best I’ve seen him look with Jared Goff.”

• Daurice Fountain is making a case for the Lions’ WR3 gig.

 

Green Bay Packers

• Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said Monday that WR Romeo Doubs has “super strong hands” and is “pretty tremendous” at running routes, Zach Kruse of The Packers Wire reports.
• TE Tucker Kraft was activated from the PUP list. Kraft has not practiced yet this summer due to a pectoral injury.

Houston Texans

• RB Joe Mixon (quadriceps) is making steady progress in his recovery from a minor quadriceps injury, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

• Sixth-round rookie RB Jawhar Jordan has made the most of his opportunities with Mixon sidelined. Jordan is listed as fourth on the depth chart but could play his way into a larger role.

Indianapolis Colts

• The Athletic’s James Boyd says that WR Alex Pierce has looked much better in team drills than rookie Adonai Mitchell. The two are battling for one outside spot and it doesn’t sound like Mitchell is off to a good start.

• Colts head coach Shane Steichen has seen significant growth from WR Josh Downs. “He was explosive Year One but you can see he’s taking it to another level in the offseason and obviously starting into training camp,” Steichen said. “He’s making a ton of plays right now, which is good for us. So we’ve got to continue that, for sure.”

• Trey Sermon has the clear early lead for RB2 duties ahead of Evan Hull.

• Josh Downs will miss 4-6 weeks with a high-ankle sprain. These types of sprains tend to linger, so downgrading Downs seems advisable.

Kansas City Chiefs

• RB Deneric Prince is making enough plays to contend with Clyde Edwards-Helaire for RB2 duties behind Isiah Pacheco. Speaking of Pacheco, he’s going to the moon.

 

 

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Las Vegas Raiders

• Very interesting post from 4for4’s Connor Allen lists Aidan O’Connell as the favorite to open the season as the Raiders’ starter. Previously, Gardner Minshew was the -210 favorite but Minshew has now fallen to +105. Meanwhile, O’Connell jumped from +160 to -130.

• Rookie RB Dylan Laube has stood out as a pass catcher.

Los Angeles Chargers

• Ladd McConkey, Joshua Palmer, and DJ Chark have been the main WRs in 11 personnel at Chargers training camp, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
• RB Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins split first-team reps on Tuesday at training camp. It was Edwards’ first training camp action after undergoing an undisclosed offseason surgery and missing summer practices. Both Edwards and Dobbins saw five snaps with the Chargers’ first-team offense on Tuesday, while Kimani Vidal and the other backs worked with the second and third-team offenses. Though Dobbins has emerged as a potential lead back option in Greg Roman’s offense, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz described Edwards — who, like Dobbins, played for Roman in Baltimore — as a “bell cow” and a “finisher.” This is trending toward a split backfield between the former Ravens, with Vidal a question to make the final roster.
• BAD NEWS: Justin Herbert could miss multiple weeks with a foot injury. Mid-foot injuries tend to be troublesome.

Los Angeles Rams

•Cooper Kupp has looked healthy and ready to rebound from an injury-marred 2023.

• Per USAToday’s Rams Wire: “It doesn’t appear this has been much of a competition. Demarcus Robinson has been one of the stars of camp so far, which can’t be said about Tutu Atwell, the other primary competitor at this spot. Robinson seems locked in as the No. 3 receiver alongside Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, with Atwell, Jordan Whittington, and Tyler Johnson battling for positioning on the depth chart below them. This is Robinson’s job to lose.”

• Puka Nacua was on the sidelines with ice wrapped around his knee on Sunday. There doesn’t seem to be an really concern but we will certainly be monitoring his recovery.

Miami Dolphins

• Rookie RB Jaylen Wright continues to turn heads. Wright looks like a must-have late-round fantasy sleeper

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Minnesota Vikings

• Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell suggested that his team might run the ball more this season than the last two. Minnesota ranked third and second in pass rate the past two years, with QB Kirk Cousins at the controls for most of that time. Now with a QB room of Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy, it’d certainly make sense for the Vikings to lean more on the run game in 2024.

• Sam Darnold tops Minnesota’s initial depth chart. We’ll see how long Darnold holds onto the job as J.J. McCarthy has looked pretty good.

New England Patriots

• WR Ja’Lynn Polk and fellow rookie Javon Baker have been “as advertised” through six training camp practices, according to Evan Lazar of the Patriots’ official site.

• RB Rhamondre Stevenson believes that he will benefit from the outside zone scheme for Patriots running backs that new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is implementing this season, Mark Daniels of masslive.com reports. “Yeah, it could benefit any running back. It’s my favorite scheme, to be honest with you,” Stevenson said. “Outside zones, that’s what I like and that’s what we’re running.”

• Patriots QB Drake Maye struggled throughout the first day with contact at training camp. QB Jacoby Brissett drew rave reviews and continues to lead the QB competition.

New Orleans Saints

• The Saints re-signed WR Marquez Callaway. He’ll compete for a roster spot as depth and on special teams.

• Presumptive WR3 Cedrick Wilson has missed time with a groin injury. With Wilson out, A.T. Perry can assert himself into the lead for WR3 duties behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed is dealing with hamstring issues. Not great.

New York Giants

• Giants QB Daniel Jones has struggled in training camp so far, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. Jones has regularly come up short on deep balls and been inaccurate on shorter passes. It’s been a “common occurrence to see Jones simply missing his wide-open guys,” Hughes writes.
 • WR Malik Nabers has been the most impressive player at Giants camp so far, according to most accounts. The rookie has impressed with his downfield speed, route running, and hands.
• 2023 bust Jalin  Hyatt has been running ahead of Darius Slayton as the team’s No. 2 wideout.
• Malike Nabers continues to shine as a “special talent.”

New York Jets

• There have been some sideline disputes between Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson. Chemistry is still a work in progress, but some highlight reel connections have been made.

• After a fast start, Allen Lazard is back in the conversation as a very deep fantasy option.

• Rookie RB Braelon Allen is listed as the RB2 on New York’s first official depth chart.

Philadelphia Eagles

• Eagles RB Will Shipley has seen first-team reps in training camp. It was reported Tuesday that Shipley was working with the first-team offense in the red zone. Eagles beat writers have said the rookie has shown explosiveness and pass-catching chops during training camp and worked as the team’s lead back when Barkley was held out of practice on Monday. Shipley, who had 1,182 rushing yards and 15 scores at Clemson in 2022, could start the season as Philly’s No. 2 backfield option and might see lead-back duties should Barkley, 27, miss time in 2024.

• Rookie WR Johnny Wilson could be the front-runner for WR3 duties.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes Justin Fields has gained some ground on Russell Wilson in the race for the Steelers’ starting QB job. Fields has “gotten better at practice every day,” per Schefter, while Wilson missed a few days with his calf injury. “I think Russell Wilson remains in the pole position, but I also think that Justin Fields has opened some eyes, and they see the type of offense they could have,” Schefter said.

• Rookie WR Roman Wilson is week-to-week with an ankle injury. This gives Van Jefferson a legitimate shot at securing a real role in Pittsburgh’s offense.

San Francisco 49ers

• Per RobLowder on X: Big day for Ricky Pearsall, who was targeted a handful of times during team, including a few from Brock Purdy. Pearsall made a juggling, diving, contested sideline catch. He also got wide open in the endzone and Brock Purdy found him with a layered throw over fingertips.

• Reports indicate the Niners will trade WR Brandon Aiyuk to the Patriots or Browns, pending Aiyuk coming to terms on an extension with

• The Athletic’s Matt Barrows indicated that RB Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a mild calf strain and is not expected to play during the preseason.

Seattle Seahawks

• Per Pro Football Talk, “Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith sat out his second straight practice on Thursday. According to multiple reports, the team came out to practice at training camp without Smith and he later joined them on the field in sweats, sneakers and a baseball camp. Smith was held out of Wednesday’s practice as well and the team said he was getting his hip and knee worked out while the rest of the team was on the field. The same issues are likely the reason why he’s not on the field on Thursday. Sam Howell is the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart in Seattle and has seen an uptick in work with Smith off the field. P.J. Walker is the only other quarterback on the 90-man roster.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Bucs WR Jalen McMillan has been a standout early in training camp and is in the lead for the No. 3 WR job, according to Pewter Report. WR Trey Palmer is McMillan’s primary competition for that No. 3 spot.

Tennessee Titans

• WR DeAndre Hopkins suffered a knee injury and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. That puts Nuk’s return dangerously close to Week 1. For now, we hope he’ll be back in time but his preseason is over. We’ve cautiously moved Hopkins down a couple of spots in our rankings until there is clarity.

Washington Commanders

• QB Jayden Daniels has looked the part so far.

 

 

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