Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce had a notable rookie campaign after being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In just 13 games before being sidelined with injuries, he racked up 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 carries and caught 30 passes for 165 yards and one score. However, his role, production, and efficiency declined in 2023 after the arrival of Devin Singletary, as he posted just 517 total yards and rushed for 2.9 yards per carry. Singletary is now gone, but the team traded for former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Despite this, Texans general manager Nick Caserio spoke highly of Pierce in a recent media availability. "He is going to be a big part of what we're doing. Watching him move on the field, he looks pretty good. Everybody's looking forward to the opportunity in front of them; you can't worry about what's happened in the past," Caserio said. "He's got as good an attitude as anyone on the team. We're glad DP is here." While you never know whether a head coach or general manager is being honest in these situations, Caserio's comments can only help his fantasy stock. Fantasy managers should go into the season with low expectations for Pierce, but he should at least be viewed as a high-end handcuff running back in what projects to be one of the league's best offenses.

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The Indianapolis Colts have exercised the fifth-year option on defensive lineman Kwity Paye, the team announced on X on Thursday. The former No. 21 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Michigan hasn't been an elite rusher since entering the league, but he posted a career-high 8.5 sacks in 2023. Over his first 43 NFL games, he's racked up 129 tackles (79 solo), 18.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 18 run stuffs, and one pass deflection. He's played well enough to warrant another year under contract, so he won't hit free agency until at least the 2026 offseason.

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Veteran free-agent kicker Joey Slye signed with the New England Patriots on Thursday, according to NFL.com. The 28-year-old signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars at the start of free agency on March 18 but was released just over a month later after the team drafted former Arkansas kicker Cam Little in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Since entering the league in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, Slye has spent time with the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, and Jaguars. In 75 career games, he has connected on 121 of his 147 field goal attempts and 138 of his 156 extra-point tries. He will likely compete with Chad Ryland for the starting place-kicking duties for New England this offseason.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially declined the fifth-year option on quarterback Justin Fields. This is not a surprise, as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has been disappointing to start his career and was recently dealt from the Chicago Bears to the Steelers for a conditional sixth-round pick. The expectation is that Russell Wilson will be the Week 1 start for Pittsburgh in 2024, but Fields could be waiting in the wings if he struggles like he did in Denver. It will be interesting to see how much of a chance Fields gets to show what he can do with a change of scenery. If he plays in at least a handful of games and exceeds expectations, he could improve his market value and hit free agency next offseason.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are declining running back Najee Harris' fifth-year option, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov. This is somewhat of a surprise, but the 2021 first-round selection has not lived up to the hype as a prospect or matched his rookie-year production. In 51 games over three seasons, Harris has rushed 834 times for 3,269 yards (3.9 YPC) and 22 touchdowns to go along with 144 receptions for 866 yards and six scores through the air. Picking up the option would've cost the Steelers just $6.79 million, but he is now set to potentially become a free agent next offseason. This could put Jaylen Warren in the clear RB1 role in 2025, but surely, the team will add to the position if they move on from Harris.

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The Los Angeles Chargers officially picked up left tackle Rashawn Slater's fifth-year option for the 2025 season on Thursday. Slater, who was taken with the 13th overall pick in 2021 out of Northwestern, was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season before playing in just three games in 2022 due to a torn biceps. The 25-year-old returned last year to start all 17 games for the Chargers while protecting quarterback Justin Herbert's blind side. The Bolts added offensive tackle Joe Alt with the fifth overall pick in this year's draft, but he will shift over to right tackle as long as Slater remains healthy. If he returns to his rookie-year form and Alt lives up to his draft stock, LA's new run-first offense should be in excellent shape to begin the Jim Harbaugh era in 2024.

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Starting next month, the New England Patriots could cut wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster at a cost of $9.6 million in dead money and no salary cap relief, per Over the Cap, while releasing him before then would incur $2.6 million more in dead money and take a small chunk out of their league-leading $54 million cap room. If the Pats traded Smith-Schuster after June 1, they'd save almost $7 million in cap space and clear room for their young receivers to see more playing time. New England could prioritize playing time for rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, plus 2023 sixth-rounder Demario Douglas. It all means that Smith-Schuster may no longer be the team's No. 2 receiver, especially with Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborn also on the roster.

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The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan suggests that quarterback Bailey Zappe could be a trade candidate after the team added Drake Maye and Joe Milton III in this year's draft. Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett are locks for the Week 1 roster, making it a three-way fight for the No. 3 job between Zappe, Milton and Nathan Rourke. Zappe would fetch the biggest return in a trade, especially if the Patriots wait until the summer when other QBs begin getting injured in training camp. If Milton isn't a complete disaster in spring practices and Rourke performs at a replacement level, Zappe could be out of town by Sept. 1. The 25-year-old Zappe appeared in 10 games (six starts) for New England in 2023 in his second season and threw for 1,272 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions.

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Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) is ahead of scheduled in his rehab this offseason, but the Vikings are committed to ensuring he is fully healthy before he plays. Last year's contract cemented the team's belief that he is one of its cornerstone players when he's healthy, and they aren't just going to rush a player like that back from a severe injury. Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt will fill in if Hockenson needs to miss the first couple weeks of the 2204 season. Hockenson suffered a torn right ACL and MCL in late December last year, and his recovery this offseason will be a big storyline for Minnesota's offense as they move to a new era without quarterback Kirk Cousins. When healthy, Hockenson is a high-end TE1 in fantasy, but he'll come at a discounted price in drafts this fall if it's looking like he won't be ready to start the year on time.

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The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain wonders if running back Khalil Herbert would be a trade candidate if the Chicago Bears bring in an undrafted rookie at the position and he impresses. Of course, this all depends on the development of Roschon Johnson. Herbert is entering the final year of his rookie deal. D'Andre Swift signed a three-year contract with the Bears this offseason, while Johnson has the same number of years remaining on his first contract after being drafted in the fourth round in 2023. Herbert is a solid back, but RBI is a position that changes often for teams. Chicago's coaching staff is high on Johnson, and the 26-year-old Herbert dealt with ankle and back injuries last year after leading the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry in 2022. The addition of Swift in this backfield obviously hurts Herbert's fantasy stock a great deal heading into the 2024 season.

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Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said that running back Nick Chubb (knee) is "progressing nicely" in his recovery from the gruesome knee injury that he suffered in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023. However, Berry also said Chubb "still has a long way to go" in his rehab. Chubb resumed running on land a few weeks ago, but it remains to be seen if he'll be ready for the start of training camp this summer. The Browns didn't take a RB in this year's draft but added D'Onta Foreman and pass-catching back Nyheim Hines in free agency. Cleveland also has Jerome Ford as an option to help ease Chubb back into the fold if he's still not 100 percent early on in 2024. Before his injury, Chubb as a no-doubt RB1, but that will be in question this fall as he comes off his season-ending injury.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton could have a leg up on the No. 3 job in Cincy in 2024 behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins if he can acclimate quickly due to his size, explosiveness and versatility. However, Charlie Jones could also carve out a bigger role as a more traditional slot receiver in his second NFL season now that he's fully healthy. Andrei Iosivas impressed as a rookie in 2023 and isn't going anywhere, so there's definitely going to be competition behind Chase and Higgins. If trust from quarterback Joe Burrow is the key, The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. writes that nobody would be surprised if the reliable Trenton Irwin ends up being the starting slot receiver in Week 1. Unless Chase or Higgins miss time with injury, the Bengals' No. 3 wideout is going to have a tough time being fantasy relevant on a weekly basis. Just ask Tyler Boyd.

Dynasty | The Atlanta Falcons have exercised the fifth-year option on the contract of tight end Kyle Pitts. Dynasty Analysis: Pitts was great in his rookie season but his play has really fallen off the past two seasons. Atlanta obviously believes their sub-par quarterback play has had a lot to do with that as the likes of Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder have held the entire offense back. Pitts will look to bounce back with Kirk Cousins (and maybe even Michael Penix eventually). If you're still a big-time believer in his ability, this off-season will represent what could be the last "buy low" opportunity for him in dynasty leagues.

Despite having Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, and Jaleel McLaughlin on the roster, the Denver Broncos selected former Notre Dame running back Audric Estime in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The 221-pound bruiser likely saw his stock fall after posting a 4.71 forty-yard dash time at the NFL combine, but Sean Payton and company stopped the fall. In a media availability after the draft, Payton called Estime a " first and second-down runner" with experience in a pro-style offense. With Williams posting just 3.6 yards per carry last season and Perine having a limited role, Estime could be in play for early-down work right away as a rookie. His fantasy upside will be limited, but any role as a fifth-round rookie would mean exceeding expectations.

The New York Giants could look to add a veteran presence to their backfield before the 2024 NFL season, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. "This is a spot that could call for a cheap veteran reinforcement, even if that's just re-signing Matt Breida," Duggan writes. New York's backfield is currently led by Devin Singletary who flashed potential in Houston last season but has never been an every-down back. Below Singletary on the depth chart are rookies Dante Miller and Tyrone Tracy, as well as Eric Gray, Gary Brightwell, Deon Jackson, and Jashaun Corbin, who are most likely non-factors. The Giants' offense consistently gave Saquon Barkley 20-plus touches, but Singletary can't handle that workload on his own. Signing another veteran running back to take some pressure off the 26-year-old makes plenty of sense. For now, though, Singletary remains the only Giants running back worth rostering in redraft leagues.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson will be more aware of the speed and violence of the football game around him so that he can better protect himself heading into his second pro season, offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter told members of the media. Richardson was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft but made just four starts as a rookie before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Richardson's physicality and athleticism helped him become a top pick and budding NFL star, but these same qualities likely made him more susceptible to injury, too. Cooter's comments should provide Colts fans and fantasy managers with some optimism that Richardson can stay healthy in 2024. At the same time, though, they also suggest that Richardson may tone down his physicality, which could lead to fewer rushing yards and touchdowns, as well as more sacks. Fantasy managers should view the Indianapolis signal-caller as a fringe QB1 heading into drafts.

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Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz could face competition from rookie Ben Sinnott heading into the 2024 season, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Ertz landed with Washington during free agency as the Commanders looked to replace fellow veteran Logan Thomas. While Ertz currently has a grasp on the No. 1 tight end role, Washington did spend a second-round pick on Sinnott, a Kansas State product, suggesting there could be some competition and turnover at the position. Standig writes that "Sinnott's unique versatility means he could carve out a role in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's attack," implying the rookie has an inside track to earning targets right away. Ertz might still be the preferred option to open the year, but Sinnott will get involved. As a result, both tight ends should be avoided in most redraft formats. Sinnott, however, is an intriguing depth name in dynasty leagues.

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New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is expected to remain a starter despite the addition of first-round pick Malik Nabers, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Duggan notes that while Slayton has expressed frustration about his current contract status, the pass-catcher is expected to open the 2024 campaign as New York's No. 2 receiver behind Nabers. Such an alignment would push Jalin Hyatt into the No. 3 role, at least to start the year. Isaiah Hodgins, Isaiah McKenzie, and Gunner Olszewski would round out the depth chart. With uncertainty at quarterback and increased competition in the passing game, Slayton isn't a very enticing name for the 2024 fantasy football season. In all likelihood, he'll open the year on the fringe of rosters and waiver wires in most 12-team redraft formats.

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New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has likely dropped to No. 3 on the depth chart after the team spent a first-round pick on Malik Nabers, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Duggan notes that Nabers already has the inside path to being New York's No. 1 receiver and Darius Slayton will likely start opposite him. With that said, there could be an opportunity for Hyatt to surpass Slayton on the depth chart. "The plan should be for Hyatt to take on a bigger role this season and eventually replace Slayton," writes Duggan. Such a plan would put Hyatt on the radar in deeper dynasty leagues, but he can be avoided in most redraft formats.

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The Dallas Cowboys expect cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) to be ready for the start of training camp this summer after he tore the ACL in his left knee during a Sept. 21 practice. He had surgery at the end of October. Fellow cornerback DaRon Bland, who set an NFL record with five interceptions returned for touchdowns last year, is expecting his teammate Diggs to make a full recovery. "I mean, a lot of people are not expecting what Tre is gonna come back with," Bland said. I know what Tre is gonna come back with. It's going to be something dangerous. Can't wait." The 25-year-old former second-round pick in 2020 out of Alabama as an All-Pro in both 2021 and 2022 and racked up 14 touchdowns (two returned for touchdowns). Providing he's fully healthy this fall, he should once again be a coveted defensive back in IDP fantasy formats because of his ball-hawking abilities.

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