Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely said he's focused on learning all of the receiving positions in Year 2 of offensive coordinator Todd Monken's scheme. "It's being a chess piece, being anywhere 'Monk' needs me to be in this offense -; whether it's in the slot, in-line, in the backfield, split out wide by myself," Likely said. "The more you know, the more you can stay on the field." The Ravens already have All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews, but the team wants to get both Andrews and Likely on the field more at the same time in 2024. In eight games after Likely stepped in for the injured Andrews last year, he caught 25 passes for 372 yards and six touchdowns. With an expanded role in 2024, Likely could be a TE2 in fantasy, but his ceiling will remain limited as long as Andrews stays healthy.

From RotoBaller

Free-agent linebacker Shaquille Leonard, who was released by the Indianapolis Colts last year in late November, intends to sign with a team and play in 2024, but he's also not ruling out retirement if the right opportunity doesn't come along. Since earning All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors in each of his first four seasons with the Colts in 58 games, Leonard only appeared in 17 games during his two most recent seasons due to injuries derailing his once-promising career. "If it happens, it happens. If it don't, it don't. I think throughout my career I've had a great career, even if I do step away from it. I'm enjoying life and just waiting on that opportunity," Leonard said. The 28-year-old played in 14 games (12 starts) last year with the Colts and Philadelphia Eagles and finished with 88 tackles (46 solo), one sack and four tackles for loss.

From RotoBaller

It's clear that the Minnesota Vikings are hoping to see a jump from wide receiver Jalen Nailor in training camp this summer before making any final determinations about whether to acquire a veteran No. 3 wideout before the start of the 2024 regular season. Justin Jefferson is the obvious WR1 in Minnesota, with second-year pass-catcher Jordan Addison in the No. 2 role following an impressive rookie campaign. Nailor will be competing with Brandon Powell and Trent Sherfield for the No. 3 role. He struggled with injuries in 2023 and into this offseason, and he missed mandatory minicamp with the flu. But Nailor has proven to be a slippery target and has taken a total of 160 snaps and run routes on 72 of them in his two seasons. He's caught 12 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown but could become more interesting as a waiver-wire pickup if one of Jefferson or Addison miss time.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Vikings rookie kicker Will Reichard managed to put on a display during spring practices that confirms he has the leg to kick in the NFL for a long time. However, most of his efforts came during positional drills without a defense pressuring him and sometimes even without a snap. During the final organized team activities, Reichard nearly hit a balcony that is perched on the wall behind and above the goal posts while moving through a progression of 40-plus yard attempts. He later drilled a 60-yarder that landed in a net that sits 10 feet behind the goal post and 10 feet off the ground. Reichard's success as a rookie will depend as much on his mental makeup as it does on his leg strength, though. For now, he's just one to watch as we near training camp and the preseason.

From RotoBaller

The Kansas City Chiefs informed defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs of his release on Monday, according to a source. The move was expected after Buggs was arrested on June 16 on charges of domestic violence and burglary less than a month after he turned himself in for misdemeanor animal-cruelty charges. It remains to be seen if he'll get picked up by another team on the open market before the start of the 2024 season. The 27-year-old was originally a sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2019 draft out of Alabama. Buggs played the first three years of his career in Pittsburgh before joining the Detroit Lions for the last two seasons. Detroit waived him earlier this year. In his five years in the NFL, Buggs has 89 tackles (42 solo), two sacks, four tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 56 games (23 starts).

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The Athletic's Dan Pompei thinks Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea could have a career year in 2024. The seven-year veteran is entering the prime of his career at 29 years old after losing a significant amount of weight in the offseason while working out with former teammate Ndamukong Suh. Vea has been listed at 347 points but probably weighed closer to 367 pounds. The Buccaneers have wanted him to slim down for a while. Over the last three seasons, he has missed games with toe, groin, pectoral, calf, foot and knee injuries. In addition to being quicker and more explosive, Vea could also be healthier in 2024. The 29-year-old inside pass-rusher is hoping to play increased snaps on defense now that he's lighter after recording a career-high 43 tackles (28 solo) last year while picking up 5.5 sacks, one shy of his career-high.

According to Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum, wide receiver Stefon Diggs has impressed his teammates this offseason. "It's really cool to get back out there and see Stefon on the practice field and to watch him absolutely do some dirty things on some routes that I haven't seen anybody be able to do," said Keenum during his annual youth football camp. "He's a dynamic player, and he hasn't lost a step." Diggs has been one of the league's top wideouts for years, and he finished the 2023-24 campaign by amassing 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns off 107 catches. The 30-year-old will have the luxury of catching passes from C.J. Stroud, an up-and-coming signal-caller, in 2024-25. However, Diggs will have plenty of competition for targets in Houston, so he could have a tough time hitting the 1,000-yard receiving mark for a seventh-consecutive season.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert isn't concerned about it potentially being his last year with the team. "I feel really good," the veteran said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I'm not too worried about it. I love being in Philadelphia. I'm going to give them everything I've got and let the chips fall where they may fall." Goedert also believes he'll benefit from the hiring of new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. "He's been doing a great job of just making the offense make sense," commented Goedert. "I feel like it'll play in favor of the tight end, the quick game a little bit, getting back to the pivots. I'm really excited for how he uses the tight end and how he feels like they can be a big part of the offense and help win games. Goedert, who signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension in 2001, finished last season by amassing 592 yards and three touchdowns off a career-high 59 catches. With the tight end spot historically known for its volatility, fantasy managers certainly shouldn't look beyond the 29-year-old in drafts, considering he appears enthusiastic and ready to produce in 2024-25.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert had high praise for the offense under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and expects a bigger role in the passing game. 'I'm really excited for how he uses the tight end and how he feels like they can be a big part of the offense and help win games,' Geodert told The Philadelphia Inquirer on Saturday, June 22.

Fantasy Spin: Goedert posted 592 yards and just 42.3 yards per game in 2023, finishing as the TE12 in PPR points per game. His ceiling remains limited given the wide receiver duo in Philly, and the addition of Saquon Barkley is likely to eat into Goedert's target share. He's a low-end TE1 for fantasy.

From TheHuddle

The New Orleans Saints signed free-agent cornerback Mac McCain to an undisclosed deal earlier this week, according to executive vice president/general manager Mickey Loomis. In a corresponding move, the team waived defensive end Nathan Latu. McCain became a free agent last September when he was waived by the Carolina Panthers with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old defensive back entered the NFL in 2021 as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina A&T. His only two games played in the NFL came in his first year in the league in 2021 with the Philadelphia Eagles. In New Orleans, McCain will merely be competing for a roster spot in training camp and the preseason for a Saints secondary that is already pretty stacked.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) said his injured knee is much healthier than last year, but to the untrained eye, The Athletic's Chad Graff writes that it didn't appear as if Smith-Schuster had the same explosiveness that he did in 2021 or 2022. If he's going to make the 53-man roster out of training camp and the preseason this year, he's going to need to outplay both Kayshon Boutte and Tyquan Thornton this summer while hoping that Jalen Reagor loses the competition for the top kick-returner job. Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne (knee), K.J. Osborn and rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker appear to be roster locks at the position. The 27-year-old Smith-Schuster had just 260 receiving yards in 11 games in 2023 for New England and is well off the fantasy radar entering the 2024 campaign, even if he does somehow make the final roster.

From RotoBaller

Toward the end of organized team activities this offseason, New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye overtook Bailey Zappe as the team's No. 2 QB behind veteran Jacoby Brissett. Nothing about that comes off as surprising, but with sixth-rounder Joe Milton III also in the fold in New England, is seems that Zappe's days with the team could be close to over. To earn the No. 3 job this year, Zappe would have to drastically outplay Milton, which didn't happen during spring workouts. The Patriots also have Nathan Rourke competing for a roster spot this summer. The most likely scenario at this point is that the 25-year-old Zappe is traded away to a team with more of a need for quarterback depth once training camp and the preseason begin.

From RotoBaller

SI.com's John Shipley writes that Jacksonville Jaguars second-year running back Tank Bigsby had some issues with drops during offseason workouts and didn't have the standout offseason program that he had last year. The Jaguars have done nothing but insinuate that Bigsby will have a bigger role in the backfield in 2024 as they look to give lead back Travis Etienne Jr. more of a break, but nothing is guaranteed as training camp approaches. It's not like Bigsby really impressed in his rookie year, either, as he carried the ball only 50 times for 132 yards (2.6 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, adding only one reception for a six-yard gain in 17 games played. Still, Bigsby should have more of a role in his second year in the NFL, although it remains to be seen if it will be enough to give him standalone fantasy value in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens quarterback turned wide receiver Malik Cunningham hasn't looked out of place as he makes the position transition in offseason workouts, although he still probably faces an uphill battle to make the final roster out of training camp. Cunningham made a few plays in just about every practice this offseason and has shown good awareness and quickness. The amount of one-on-one attention he's gotten from head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken indicates that they see potential in Cunningham at his new position. The 25-year-old won't be a fantasy consideration entering the 2024 season, but the fact that Baltimore's receiving depth isn't all that great gives him a fleeting chance to make an impact this year.

From RotoBaller

Free-agent LB Shaquille Leonard (Eagles) has continued doing offseason training in the hopes of making an NFL roster this year. He ended the 2023 season with the Philadelphia Eagles but has only played in 17 games over the last two years due to various injuries.

From TheHuddle

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson was 'clearly the better quarterback' during minicamps and organized team activities, in the opinion of Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. He took the overwhelming majority of meaningful reps, including on the final day of mandatory minicamp, when most other veterans took off. In addition, DeFabo wrote that QB Justin Fields 'doesn't often shine in seven-on-seven situations.'

Fantasy Spin: Barring an injury during training camp, it appears as though Wilson will be Pittsburgh's No. 1 quarterback to begin the 2024 season. He's an upgrade over last year's starter (Kenny Pickett) but should only be viewed as a starting option in deeper two-quarterback fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

New York Jets running back Breece Hall is eager to show what he can do this season. As such, he wants to play up to the level of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. "It's on me," Hall said in an interview with the New York Post. "To me, he sets the standard. I've gotten better this offseason. I'm a lot leaner, I feel a lot healthier. My knee feels a lot better. I just feel like I'm back to my old self." The 23-year-old was solid as a rookie before going down seven games into the season because of a knee injury. He finished last season by running for nearly 1,000 yards and totaling nine touchdowns. With that said, Hall will get a chance to showcase his talent immediately, with the Jets meeting the 49ers in Week 1 for Monday Night Football. If the 2022 No. 36 overall pick stays healthy, he may be on tap to have his best season yet.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots QB Drake Maye still has a chance to win the starting quarterback job during training camp, even though veteran QB Jacoby Brissett took all of the reps with the first-team offense at the Patriots' mandatory minicamp and was referred to as the starter by offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

Fantasy Spin: Maye finished minicamp as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart but would need to clearly outplay Brissett by a wide margin in training camp to earn the starting nod for Week 1's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. For as long Brissett is in a starting role, he should be viewed as a low-end QB2 for fantasy purposes because of the lack of offensive weapons on New England's offense. Maye will likely take over as starter before the end of the 2024 regular season and could be viewed as a QB2 option in most fantasy leagues once this happens.

From TheHuddle

Jacksonville Jaguars TE Evan Engram said he wants to become more than just an underneath target this season. 'Making more explosive plays, downfield, more touchdowns, being a bigger red zone target,' Engram said. 'Those are my goals. I think that can take it to a whole other level.'

Fantasy Spin: Engram just missed out on a 1,000-yard season in 2023, and even he doesn't generate more big plays, he should remain one of the busiest targets in the Jacksonville passing game. He should be a reliable TE1.

From TheHuddle

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin has reportedly looked more explosive during offseason workouts and mandatory minicamp. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has praised McLaughlin for his speed and explosiveness. It certainly appears that McLaughlin could earn himself a bigger role next season. However, he still has to compete in a crowded backfield with Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, and rookie fifth-rounder Audric Estime. McLaughlin might be able to earn more snaps, but it probably won't be anything that will raise his draft stock by much.

From RotoBaller