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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook dropped five passes last season, which ranked sixth among all qualified running backs. Early in offseason activities, the third-year pro out of Georgia has continued to struggle in that area, according to Bills reporter Alex Brasky. "James Cook allowed a pass to bounce off his hands, high into the air near the start of team drills at Wednesday's mandatory minicamp." Brasky wrote, "Cook encountered issues with drops last season and has done little to ramp down those concerns during offseason activities." While this is somewhat of a concern, it can often be overplayed when analyzing a player's fantasy football value. After catching 44 passes for 445 yards and ranking second among running backs in yards per reception, the team is unlikely to pull back his receiving workload. That said, rookie fourth-rounder Ray Davis caught 62 passes over his final two collegiate seasons in the SEC and could become a factor on third downs.

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Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales wouldn't say whether or not second-round rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) will be ready for the start of training camp next month. The Texas product is recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered on November 11 against TCU last year. Although Canales did not provide an update, he did say the team would ease him into action when he's ready to go. While Brooks should eventually be the clear lead ball carrier in Carolina, he might be on a snap count early in his career. On top of that, the Panthers offense is likely to be one of the worst units in the NFL once again. Brooks is one of the tougher players to evaluate in fantasy football, but he should be able to produce at least low-end RB2 numbers in the second half of his rookie campaign. His upside could be capped if quarterback Bryce Young and his supporting cast don't take a significant step forward in 2024.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs has had an "outstanding" offseason, according to head coach Matt LaFleur. The 2022 fourth-round pick hauled in 59 passes for 674 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and he delivered a six-catch, 151-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Wild Card win over the Dallas Cowboys. The 24-year-old should remain one of Jordan Love's favorite targets in 2024, though the team's pass-catching group is crowded with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft. Given the uncertainty of the target pecking order, all of the Green Bay receivers and tight ends have an ADP outside the top 70 picks, and Doubs presents a potential value pick at his 138.4 ADP in classic FFPC drafts.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a one-year deal with the organization this offseason, and he has been heavily involved in the passing attack during OTAs and minicamp. The 2019 first-round pick has a path to the No. 1 wide receiver role, especially with Rashee Rice's legal troubles and Xavier Worthy's (hamstring) injury that is keeping him out of practice. Brown said he is building chemistry with Patrick Mahomes early in camp. "It has been good, from when we first started going back in Dallas until now," Brown said. "Just keep improving. He's trusting me more, so that's good." While "Hollywood" has not lived up to his first-round status, he has a 1,000-yard season under his belt and has hauled in 313 passes for 3,644 yards, and 28 touchdowns through his first 72 games with the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals. He's unlikely to be a volume hog with Kansas City, but he should have chances for several spike weeks catching passes from the best quarterback of his career.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (leg) suffered a lower-leg injury and is expected to miss a good amount of time, according to sources. While it's unclear if Johnson is now a candidate to miss the start of the 2024 regular season, at the very least he's going to miss the start of training camp next month and valuable repetitions as the team looks to get ready for next season. The 27-year-old's injury will open up more reps for the likes of Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill, rookie Dallin Holker, Michael Jacobson and Tommy Hudson this summer. Johnson took a step back in 2023 and finished with 37 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (11 starts) in his fourth year in the NFL. Even if Johnson is ready for Week 1 of the regular season, Hill will probably cut into his targets enough to keep him as a low-upside, touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase wasn't fully participating in practice at mandatory minicamp for the second straight day on Wednesday and was in tennis shoes with no helmet on, but he did take part in the install portion on both days. Chase didn't take part in 7-on-7 drills on Tuesday. The 24-year-old is seeking a long-term extension from the club, and while he is in attendance so he won't get fined, it appears he's not doing much on the field. Barring a surprise development, the Bengals and Chase should be able to eventually work something out to keep him in Cincinnati for the long haul. The former fifth overall pick in 2021 out of LSU has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons in the NFL and has gone over 1,000 receiving yards in all three years as well with a combined 29 touchdowns in 45 regular-season starts. Chase is an easy top-five fantasy wideout.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) said it is "tough to say" what percentage health-wise he is at right now but reiterated "I'll be ready to go by the season." Burrow didn't look right early on in 2023 after injuring his calf during training camp last summer, and then he suffered a season-ending right-wrist injury in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. The former first overall pick in 2020 out of LSU has bookended his four seasons in the NFL so far with serious injuries, but he's been a solid QB1 option for fantasy managers otherwise. The 27-year-old should be full-go for training camp next month and should be ready for the Week 1 season opener this fall, barring any setbacks with his wrist in training camp and the preseason. With one of the better one-two punches at wideout in the league, Burrow should be a fine midrange QB1 target in fantasy drafts after the big names at the position come off the board.

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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (hamstring) has been doing everything during practice this week after missing the first week of organized team activities due to a minor hamstring injury before being limited in what he could do the second week of OTAs. The 26-year-old former Raiders RB joined the Packers this offseason on a four-year, $48 million deal to be their new lead back with Aaron Jones now in Minnesota. While Jacobs will be the clear leader of the Packers' backfield, he'll be spelled by AJ Dillon and rookie third-rounder MarShawn Lloyd. The former 24th overall pick by the Raiders in 2019 out of Alabama led the league in rushing in 2022 and has gone over 1,000 yards rushing in three of his five NFL campaigns. Jacobs is moving to a Packers offense on the rise, meaning he should be a good bet for another 1,000-yard season if he can stay healthy in 2024.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (ankle) said he had ankle surgery this offseason in Florida. On another topic, Sutton said his representatives and the team are discussing a contract extension, but they are in a "stalemate." This explains why the 28-year-old pass-catcher hasn't been present for organized team activities this offseason. Sutton is feeling good, though, and should be ready for training camp next month and the start of the 2024 regular season. Contract-wise, he still has two years left on his deal, but only $2 million in guarantees. Sutton tore his ACL in 2020 and hasn't been able to come close to his 2019 Pro Bowl form, when he produced a career-high 1,112 receiving yards. He did have a career-high 10 touchdowns in 16 games for the Broncos last year, but fantasy managers should expect a lot of regression with quarterback Russell Wilson no longer in town.

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Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring, foot) is doing "really well" physically, according to head coach Sean Payton, and he could get back on the field this week during mandatory minicamp. It sounds like Dulcich is improving and should be ready for training camp, the preseason, and the start of the 2024 regular season as he looks to bounce back from hamstring and foot ailments that limited him to just two games in 2023 in his second NFL season. The former third-rounder in 2022 out of UCLA also dealt with injuries in his rookie campaign and caught 33 of 55 targets for 411 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. At this point, Dulcich is just trying to stay healthy while now competing with Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull for primary pass-catching duties at tight end in 2024. With the QB situation unsettled, though, Dulcich, given his injury history, will be off the fantasy radar in standard 12-team leagues.

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Seattle Seahawks second-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (shoulder) left Wednesday's practice at mandatory minicamp with a shoulder issue, but head coach Mike MacDonald indicated it's not a serious injury. Receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (toe) also left practice early after injuring his toe. It's possible that Smith-Njigba is held out for the rest of minicamp as a precaution, but the 22-year-old should be ready to rock at the end of July for the start of training camp. Despite being behind both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the receiving depth chart in his rookie campaign in 2023, Smith-Njigba impressed with 63 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games played. The former first-rounder didn't see much downfield work, though, and will face a second straight season as the WR3 in Seattle. Consider him a WR4/flex in fantasy with upside for more in Year 2.

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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that he'd call quarterback Sam Darnold his No. 1 QB at the moment this offseason, even though the Vikings haven't had to put out a depth chart yet in 2024. It's not a surprise with the team slow-playing first-rounder J.J. McCarthy's development during offseason workouts. On top of it, the 27-year-old Darnold has looked really good at mandatory minicamp and has taken all of the first-team repetitions to this point. All signs point to Darnold seeing most of the first-team reps in training camp this summer, too, before opening the regular season as the starter under center in Minnesota. While the Vikings offense could be the best that Darnold has ever worked with, he'll be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex leagues in 2024. McCarthy, meanwhile, will have his chance to prove he's the starter in 2024 as well, but he's more of a dynasty/keeper asset for now.

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New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson said he has hit some GPS numbers that he has never reached before, saying it's a "night-and-day" difference between now and where he was at this point last year while rehabbing an ACL that he suffered in his rookie season in 2022. After playing in only six games in 2022 after he was a second-round pick, Robinson had 60 receptions on 78 targets for 525 yards and one touchdown in 15 games (eight starts) in a terrible Giants offense last year. The 23-year-old should be even better physically another year removed from his ACL injury, but it's still fair to wonder how much he'll be involved in 2024 after New York added Malik Nabers in the first round of this year's draft. In 12-team fantasy leagues, Robinson will likely be left to the waiver wire while he competes for targets with Nabers, Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed free-agent wide receiver Austin Trammell, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. The 25-year-old and product of Rice University spent his last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, primarily operating as a returner on special teams. He returned 25 punts and six kickoffs last year, and he only added four catches for an extra 29 yards through the air. This move has no fantasy significance and should merely be viewed as part of the Jaguars' approach to building depth on offense and special teams.

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Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson will add "real value" to the offense during the 2024 season, head coach Sean McVay said Wednesday (via Cameron DaSilva of The Rams Wire). Specifically, the Rams like Parkinson's size and catch radius, leading them to believe that he could be open the year as their No. 1 tight end if Tyler Higbee (ACL, MCL) isn't good to go. In such a scenario, Parkinson would rank as a low-end TE2 even though he has just 57 catches, 618 yards, and four touchdowns over his previous four years.

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Washington Commanders new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury appears to be using some two-running back sets during mandatory minicamp this week involving Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler. In what will be a vastly different offense under Kingsbury in 2024 with rookie first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels at the helm, Washington figures to use Robinson as more of the between-the-tackles, early-down back, with Ekeler serving as the primary pass-catcher out of the backfield. The 25-year-old Robinson had 43 targets in 2023, but he stands to lose a hefty amount of targets to Ekeler this year. With more competition from Ekeler, B-Rob is going to need to remain productive and hold onto the football to be a viable RB3/flex for fantasy managers in standard-scoring leagues. Ekeler should be more valuable as an RB3/flex in point-per-reception formats.

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New England Patriots rookie first-round quarterback Drake Maye continues to make strides at mandatory minicamp this week. Maye nearly matched veteran Jacoby Brissett in repetitions for the second consecutive open practice on Monday, and there's more juice to the offensive operation when Maye is at the controls. His arm talent and athleticism allow him to, in flashes, elevate players around him. It's exactly what the Patriots want to hear of the No. 3 overall pick, who has the playmaker gene, but they understandably don't seem to be in a rush to start Maye as their QB1 to open the regular season, especially with the remaining pieces of the offense being a work in progress in a new offensive scheme. Maye's early impressiveness will make him an even more popular draft pick in dynasty/keeper leagues, but he's probably not going to be much of a redraft target.

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New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry has been the top dog at the position so far in offseason workouts. Henry has been reliable between the numbers for the team's quarterbacks. Along with Henry, seventh-round rookie Jaheim Bell is finding his footing in practices, and his speed to run the seam has become more apparent with each repetition. Austin Hooper has struggled at times to create separation and is set to carve out more of a role as a blocker in the run game than as a receiver. The 29-year-old had a career-low 419 receiving yards in a bad Patriots offense last year, but don't let his six touchdown passes go overlooked. He signed a three-year extension to stay in New England this offseason and should once again be a highly-used red-zone target by either quarterback Jacoby Brissett or rookie Drake Maye. Henry could be an intriguing touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy, especially if Maye takes the starting job sooner than later.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte had been relatively quiet in the early portion of spring workouts, had a coming out party in the final minicamp practice on Wednesday. He received more opportunities with Tyquan Thornton out of practice. Boutte was next in line with the first-team offense behind Jalen Reagor, who was used as the "X" receiver. Four of Boutte's catches on Wednesday went for touchdowns. The 22-year-old sixth-round pick last year has a lot of competition in a mediocre New England receiver room in his second year in the league. In 2023, he had just two receptions for 19 yards in five games played. For now, Boutte is merely a player to watch in minicamp this summer to see how the Pats' wideout corps shakes out. Boutte could also be facing a suspension to open the 2024 campaign.

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Dynasty | The Vikings currently have Sam Darnold as their QB1. Dynasty Analysis: Noted. It seems Minnesota will attempt to create a competition between Darnold and rookie JJ McCarthy, a competition McCarthy will almost assuredly win. Darnold looked like he had a chance for another legitimate shot at starting but the drafting of McCarthy has thrown a big bucket of cold water on that sentiment. It's hard to see him holding this spot for long in training camp. Darnold is roster worthy in 2QB leagues but a tough hold in 1QB formats.

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