The Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams draws one of the toughest matchups in the very first game of the year against the Kansas City Chiefs. For the most part, this defense has a lot of the same pieces from last year which saw them as one of the best units in the NFL. Two big losses were the defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald and linebacker Patrick Queen. Former third-round draft pick Trenton Simpson will step into Queen's absence while Zach Orr takes over as the coordinator. Superstar safety Kyle Hamilton looks to build off a tremendous season while the rest of the secondary added some rookies. While fantasy managers should be comfortable playing this team every week, the first game could be a difficult one against Patrick Mahomes and company. With that being said, they should be able to produce enough to be in the top half of defenses.

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The Kansas City Chiefs defense/special teams will take on the high-powered Baltimore Ravens offense in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. The Chiefs DST was a strong unit in 2023 and finished sixth in scoring at the end of the year, but they are down a few significant pieces this season. Star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed was traded to the Tennessee Titans this offseason to cut costs. Sneed was a lockdown corner last season, routinely holding opposing WR1s to lower outputs. The Chiefs defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, is relying on All-Pro Trent McDuffie to anchor the cornerback room while the team decides which player will be the answer at CB2. There is a bit of uncertainty surrounding this group, and they are facing a tough matchup against the Ravens in Week 1. In 2023, the Ravens scored 28.4 points per game, the fourth-highest mark in the NFL. Although I believe the Chiefs DST will be a strong unit again in 2024, I prefer to look elsewhere in Week 1.

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The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. writes that it's time to buy stock in Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas heading into the 2024 regular season. Iosivas showed an improved understanding of the position this offseason and could be the most interesting new piece of the team's offensive puzzle in 2024 after catching 15 passes for 116 yards and four touchdowns last year. Iosivas solidified himself as the WR3 in Cincy behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this summer by excelling out of the slot. The 24-year-old's 4.43 speed makes him a unique weapon on both the interior and on the outside. Dehner says he'll be shocked if Iosivas's snap count in the Week 1 opener against the Patriots falls below 70 percent. Expectations are soaring for Iosivas in 2024, so fantasy managers in deeper leagues may want to consider stashing him for extra receiver depth.

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Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker continues to stick at the top of the kicking ranks heading into his 13th season in the NFL. The Texas product finished as the second-best fantasy kicker last year in what turned out to be more of a down year for the league's most accurate kicker. He made the third-most extra points and third-most 40-to-49-yard field goals while seeing a downward trend in 50+ yarders. With the Ravens offense still expected to put points on the board and the seemingly limitless range of Tucker, he's primed for yet another season as one of the top kickers in the league. Fantasy managers can play him in confidence heading into the Week 1 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

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New York Jets lead running back Breece Hall said he is feeling great heading into a Week 1 showdown on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers. Hall is hoping to carry the momentum of his strong 2023 campaign into this year after he totaled 1,585 scrimmage yards and got better as the year progressed, recording 507 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns over the final three games. "I feel like I'm better than ever right now. Really to me, I haven't really done anything in this league yet. Christian McCaffrey sets the standard. He's a top-10 player in this league, and I feel like with my talent and the team we have, I have potential to trend towards that way. So, I'm just excited to get rolling," Hall said. Outside of CMC and maybe second-year back Bijan Robinson in Atlanta, the 23-year-old Hall is one of the most versatile and explosive backs in the NFL. He's a high-end, must-start RB1 each and every week in fantasy.

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Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (toe) was listed on the team's first official injury report of the 2024 season on Wednesday after he put in a limited practice session. Fant injured his toe at a training camp practice way back on Aug. 7, but the Seahawks have expressed optimism all along that he'd be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the visiting Denver Broncos at Lumen Field. The 26-year-old could be back to full practice by the end of the week and be removed from the final injury report for Week 1 on Friday. The former 20th overall pick by the Broncos in 2019 out of Iowa had career-lows in catches (32), receiving yards (414) and touchdowns (zero) in 17 games in his second year in Seattle in 2023. When healthy, Fant is the fourth receiving option, at best, among a trio of talented receivers, making him a low-ceiling, low-floor TE2 in fantasy.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has endured an injury-riddled career so far and hasn't lived up to the expectations that come with a first-round draft pick. The former 27th-overall pick enters this year with a lot to prove and some added expectations after the team didn't retain Odell Beckham Jr. All of the talk surrounding Bateman in camp has been positive, so it seems Bateman could be in for a better year, but fantasy managers should proceed with caution. While he only missed one game last year, he operated as the third and fourth receiver most times while posting 367 yards and one touchdown on 32 receptions. Bateman isn't on the fantasy radar during Week 1, but could be a stash type of player if he shows improvement.

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New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (ankle) was not listed on the team's first official injury report on Wednesday after putting in a full practice. Tracy was carted off the field and put in an air cast during practice on Aug. 13, but he thankfully escaped a serious injury -- he was eventually diagnosed with a low-ankle sprain -- and now looks ready to make his regular-season NFL debut this Sunday in the Week 1 season opener versus the Minnesota Vikings. In deep single-year leagues, the 24-year-old is a handcuff option for those that also have lead back Devin Singletary rostered, but other than that, Tracy only deserves to be rostered in dynasty/keeper leagues. If anything were to happen to Singletary in his first year in the Big Apple, though, Tracy would immediately become a popular waiver-wire target as the next in line for a significant workload out of the backfield.

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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Wednesday that the team is still watching the repetitions with star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in practice adding that "we're building up to Sunday." Lamb was most likely the top receiver to come off the board in most fantasy drafts, so if he's active in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday as is expected, he needs to be in all starting lineups. The 25-year-old remains on the commissioner's exempt list after holding out for all of training camp and the preseason, but he and the Cowboys were able to agree on a four-year, $136 million contract extension last week. While Lamb is always a must-start when he's active, there's obvious bust potential out of the gates after he missed so much practice time with the team this summer. The former 17th overall pick in 2020 has three straight 1,000-yard seasons and led the league in 2023 with 135 receptions.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews missed seven games last season and finished one spot away from TE1 territory in half-PPR fantasy leagues. Throughout the six seasons of his career, one thing has been abundantly clear, Andrews is Lamar Jackson's favorite weapon. While the team may have added some more capable pass-catchers and weapons in the ground game, Andrews remains the biggest constant for Jackson. Last year, Andrews caught 45 of his 61 targets for 544 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. He's had 700 or more yards in four of the last five seasons and hasn't scored fewer than five touchdowns since his rookie year. Fantasy managers can consider the veteran a TE1 heading into the AFC Championship game rematch on Thursday night.

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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker will play against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. This matchup will put two of the best kickers in the league against one another. Justin Tucker and Harrison Butker finished last season with 32 and 33 field goals, respectively, but Butker edged Tucker in the field goal percentage department. In 2023, Butker made 33 of his 35 field goal attempts and 38 of his 38 extra-point attempts. The Chiefs kicker will look to stay perfect in the extra-point department and build on his substantial 94.3% field goal percentage from last season. In the offseason, Kansas City offered Butker a four-year, $25.6 million extension, which included $17.75 million in guarantees. This move solidifies that the Chiefs believe in Butker as their kicker of the future. Butker is a weekly fantasy starter since the Chiefs have one of the best offenses in the NFL.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (thigh) was listed as a limited participant in the first official practice of the regular season on Wednesday, somewhat clouding his status for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday at Lumen Field against the visiting Denver Broncos. Lockett has been dealing with his thigh issue since the middle of last month, although he said recently he expects to be ready for the start of the season this weekend. Still, the 31-year-old makes for an unenticing WR4/flex to kick off the new season with Jaxon Smith-Njigba expected to have an expanded role in the passing attack in 2024 alongside DK Metcalf. After four straight seasons reaching 1,000 yards receiving for Seattle, Lockett fell to 894 yards and five touchdowns on 79 receptions in 2023 with JSN in the fold. Those numbers could plummet even further in 2024 if Smith-Njigba becomes more involved.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 this season. The rookie out of the University of Texas will face one of the league's best defenses for the first game of his career, but there are reasons for optimism in this contest. First of all, Worthy made history by running a 4.21 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which narrowly beat out John Ross' record of 4.22 seconds. Second of all, Worthy finds himself on arguably the best team in the league with one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Patrick Mahomes is one of the best deep-ball throwers in the NFL, despite not truly utilizing that part of his game last season. Mahomes had the lowest yards per attempt of his career in 2023, in large part due to a change in play-calling for their personnel group. This offseason, the Chiefs made it a priority to bring in playmakers with the ability to stretch the field. The Chiefs brought in veteran Marquise Brown and drafted Xavier Worthy. In the preseason, nearly half of Worthy's routes were "go" routes and he had a 29% target share on Mahomes' dropbacks. Andy Reid and the Chiefs will likely try to scheme up a deep ball for their rookie speedster in their opening contest. With Marquise Brown out for Week 1, Worthy could operate as the team's WR2 and is a risky start for fantasy given the unknowns, but he has massive big-play potential.

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Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is officially starting his first season in a uniform that's not the Tennessee Titans. The former Offensive Player of the Year looks to start his ninth season with a bang on a team that's known for an outstanding ground game. The Ravens were one game away from the Super Bowl last year, so they added one of the best running backs in the league to complement Lamar Jackson and company. Henry, in a down year, finished with 1,167 yards on 280 carries and 12 touchdowns last season. Now that he has a quarterback who's a dual threat and an offensive scheme that is still in his favor, Henry sets his sights on yet another fantasy finish that puts him in RB1 territory. In half-PPR formats, Henry finished as the RB8 to be exact. Fantasy managers can consider him an RB1 heading into the matchup with the Chiefs on Thursday night.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (foot, toe) was able to put in a full practice on Wednesday and is not listed on the team's first official injury report in the lead-up to Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. Shaheed missed time in training camp with foot, toe and hamstring injuries, but he has healed up at just the right time and will be on the field this weekend, hoping for a bigger role in the passing game in 2024. The 26-year-old third-year wideout will be looking to step up as the Saints' No. 2 behind Chris Olave after catching 46 of his 75 targets for 719 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games in 2023. Shaheed's yards per catch (15.6) came down slightly from his rookie campaign, and he'll need more targets most likely to become more than a boom/bust WR5/flex for fantasy managers in his third year in the NFL.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (hamstring) remained limited in practice on Wednesday. This comes as no surprise as the Steelers have been bringing him on slowly during his return from injury. Warren has repeatedly indicated that he plans to play in Week 1. The Falcons were a middle-of-the-road rushing defense in 2023 so this matchup may be relatively neutral. Still, Warren has a big role in this offense. The third-year player rushed for 784 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. He also added 61 receptions for 370 yards. The Steelers offense projects to be much improved in 2024 and Warren could easily improve those numbers. Should he ultimately be active, Warren is a solid flex consideration in Week 1.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (undisclosed) appears to be in line to suit up for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers after he was not included on the first official injury report of the season. Adams was a full participant in the first official practice of the 2024 campaign after dealing with a minor undisclosed injury toward the end of training camp in August. As a top-15 wide receiver off the board in drafts, Adams should be a must-start in fantasy lineups against the Bolts this weekend in his first game working with new quarterback Gardner Minshew II. The 31-year-old pass-catcher secured his fourth straight 1,000-yard season with an ineffective Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Aidan O'Connell in 2023, although his eight touchdowns were his fewest in that category since 2019. Start him with confidence in Week 1 as Vegas' WR1.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 of the 2024 season. The second-year receiver was a standout last season and will look to build on his impressive performances this year. There was a lot of discourse about Rice's availability for this season following his car accident incident, but it appears he will avoid suspension for this year. Rice should be the favorite to lead the receivers in targets given his established rapport with Patrick Mahomes and his ability to find open spots in the defense. Rice also operates closer to the line of scrimmage than his fellow receivers, which should boost his number of targets from Mahomes. Still, facing the Ravens in Week 1 will be a difficult situation. The last time these two teams faced, Rice brought in eight of his nine targets for just 46 yards. Rice was held to just 5.8 yards per reception in that contest, but his yards-after-catch ability makes him dangerous every time he has the ball in his hands. With a full season under his belt and offseason to prepare, Rice should be more than ready to lead the Chiefs wide receiver room. With fellow receiver Marquise Brown out for Week 1, more targets should go Rice's way. Rice is a strong start for Week 1 despite facing the Ravens defense.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. Jeudy has been relatively banged up throughout the preseason and training camp but appears to be full healthy heading into Week 1. Jeudy is looking for a fresh start in Cleveland after spending his first four seasons with the Denver Broncos. Jeudy has flashed potential at times during his career but has never put it all together for a full season. Jeudy will look to make a name for himself starting this week against the Dallas Cowboys. If Jeudy can build on the 758 receiving yards and two touchdowns he recorded in 2023, then he may yet be an occasional fantasy contributor.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) said that he feels 100% heading into a Week 1 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Herbert explained that he did not have plantar fasciitis and that his injury was a "personal thing you keep to yourself". This is great news for fantasy managers who roster Herbert or any of the Chargers pass catchers, particularly wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Herbert does not have an injury designation heading into Week 1. He has been a forgotten commodity in a Chargers offense that projects to be run-first. However, Herbert may have solid fantasy value throughout the season. With a healthy Herbert, the Chargers offense should be solid at minimum with upside for more.

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