Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears has looked "explosive during training camp. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Spears has looked explosive when running through holes and several members of the coaching staff believe he is in store for an uptick in carries. While veteran Tony Pollard is still expected to be the feature back of the offense, Spears should push for over 100 carries as he fell short of this mark last season, tallying just 84. During the 2024 season, Spears ran for 312 yards on the ground and added five total touchdowns. However, much of his work came over the final three games when Pollard was either very limited or even sat out (Week 17). During this three-game stretch, Spears averaged 20.7 PPR points per game with 42.3 rushing yards per game and 44.7 receiving yards per game. Even though Pollard is still slated to lead the backfield, Spears will likely be viewed as a high-end handcuff that could hold standalone value in deeper formats.

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Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard rushed for a career-high 1,079 yards in 2024, his first season with the team. While many expected Tyjae Spears to siphon more work away from Pollard last season, the former only saw 84 carries in 11 games. ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler visited Titans camp on Saturday and came away believing that Pollard is still the team's lead back, although Spears is expected to see a larger role in 2025. The Tennessee offense's arrow is pointing up with Cam Ward now under center, making Pollard a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 heading into fantasy drafts this summer, while Spears sets up as an interesting handcuff who could have some standalone flex value in deeper formats.

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Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders continues to impress during training camp this year. Sanders has been the Panthers' offensive MVP thus far in camp, according to the Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye. Sanders "is catching passes in droves and is adding yards after the catch with regularity," Kaye wrote in his Stock Watch piece on Monday. Sanders, heading into his second NFL season, also looks leaner and more muscular this year after playing at 255 pounds as a rookie. The young tight end appears primed for a breakout in 2025 on an ascending Panthers offense, making him an interesting dart-throw as a late-round option in fantasy drafts later this summer.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (undisclosed) did not practice on Monday. Brown suffered an injury during mandatory minicamp in June but has been practicing throughout training camp. As of now, there is no explanation for Brown's absence on Monday. Brown caught 35 passes for 453 yards and one touchdown for Washington in 2024 and could see a larger role in the team's offense this season if the Commanders decide to fulfill Terry McLaurin's trade demand from last week. Stay tuned as the team is likely to elaborate on Brown's absence from practice later in the day on Monday.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Anthony Richardson Sr. and Daniel Jones remain locked in a preseason battle to be the team's starting signal-caller when the regular season begins. Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters earlier in the day that both QBs would play "a good amount" in the team's first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. Later on Monday morning, the Colts released their first unofficial depth chart and listed their QB1 as such: "Daniel Jones OR Anthony Richardson Sr." The team continues to evaluate the play of both QBs and doesn't seem to be in a hurry to declare who will be the Week 1 starter against the Miami Dolphins.

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New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (hamstring) won't practice this week, according to head coach Mike Vrabel. Gonzalez injured his hamstring last Tuesday during practice and has not practiced since. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Gonzalez's injury is not expected his prevent him from playing in Week 1. Gonzalez is an emerging star at the cornerback position and will be a major piece of the New England defense this season, so the team will continue to play it safe with him in training camp.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (undisclosed) will not practice this week, according to head coach Mike Vrabel. According to Vrabel, Bourne "got rolled up" during practice last Friday and will be sidelined as he tends to his injury. The team has not elaborated on the nature of the injury, but Bourne was seen without his left cleat on after getting hurt on Friday. Bourne is locked in a training camp battle in a crowded receiver room, so the missed time will not help his cause. Even if he does make the team out of training camp, Bourne will not be on the radar for fantasy leagues.

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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is not practicing for a second-straight day as his hold-in continues. Cook was spotted walking out to practice on Monday morning, but was not in uniform as he continues to angle for a new contract. The veteran running back is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has been pushing for a long-term extension with Buffalo throughout the offseason, although the team has not met his demands as of yet. As of now, Cook's hold in isn't a huge concern for fantasy as he is still likely to be the Bills' starting running back in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. That said, if his hold-in continues deep into August, conditioning could become a concern. He remains worth a look as a mid-range RB2 in fantasy drafts.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) remains sidelined for his team as their first preseason game approaches later this week. Mooney injured his shoulder during the first week of training camp and is expected to miss some more time. Head coach Raheem Morris told reporters that they still have a few more weeks to allow Mooney to heal, but will not commit to Mooney being ready for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team hasn't provided much as far as the extent or nature of Mooney's shoulder injury, which is a bit of a concern. Mooney sets up as a low-end WR4/high-end WR5 in fantasy drafts this summer, but it would be reassuring to see him get back on the practice field before Week 1. If he's not ready for the season opener, Drake London would see a huge target share while Kyle Pitts would also get a bump.

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The Baltimore Ravens released kicker John Hoyland on Saturday, leaving rookie Tyler Loop as the lone kicker on the roster. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Loop is "kicking well enough to win the job." A sixth-round pick out of Arizona, Loop made 83.8% of his field goals and 98.4% of his extra-point attempts in 50 career college games. The 24-year-old is poised to fill the shoes of longtime Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who was released this offseason amidst multiple allegations of sexual misconduct after 13 years with the team. Baltimore could always bring in a veteran kicker later in the summer, so Loop will still need to perform throughout the preseason to hold the job.

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The Atlanta Falcons will not play quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins in the team's first preseason game on Friday against the Detroit Lions, according to head coach Raheem Morris. Easton Stick and Emory Jones are the quarterbacks on Atlanta's depth chart behind their top two guys, so they will presumably split snaps against Detroit. Penix Jr. is expected to enter the season as the starter for Atlanta after taking over for Cousins in Week 16 of 2024. The veteran Cousins had been the subject of some trade speculation during the offseason, but it appears Atlanta is planning to keep him in place as the backup. In 14 games last year, the 36-year-old completed 66.9% of his passes for 3,508 yards, throwing 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. There's not much that Cousins needs to prove in preseason action at this point in his career.

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Through two weeks of training camp practices, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Scotty Miller has been the team's wide receiver to stand out the most behind D.K. Metcalf. According to SI's Noah Strackbein, he has outperformed both Roman Wilson and Robert Woods. Calvin Austin III (undisclosed) has missed the last two practices, and the gap between Miller and the rest of the supporting cast has been even more evident. The Steelers' offense as a whole has reportedly struggled throughout camp, with Strackbein reporting that the defense has had the decided edge in nine of the team's first 10 practices. Sunday's practice focused on goal-line work, where the offense scored only twice in their 12 opportunities. Outside of Metcalf, the Steelers' passing game can be avoided except in deep leagues.

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Dynasty | Rookie wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith posted two catches for 43 yards and a touchdown in the Hall of Fane preseason game. Dynasty Analysis: Preseason results mean less than ever, but this is somewhat notable after Lambert-Smith has reportedly been fantastic in practice. The Chargers are still looking for wide receiver and help and are apparently in the mix for Keenan Allen. Still, Lambert-Smith belongs on deep dynasty rookie draft lists as a late round target with some apparent upside.

Los Angeles Rams safety Kam Curl (ankle) is week-to-week with an ankle injury after being stepped on during Tuesday's practice. As a precaution, he was carted off the field, but head coach Sean McVay says the team is "really fortunate" that the injury is not as serious as originally feared. With the Rams slated to play their first preseason game next Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, it remains to be seen how much action McVay plans to give his starters before the regular season. However, it's safe to assume Curl will be held out of the game. When healthy, Curl should be viewed as nothing more than a deep flier in IDP leagues, as he saw his tackle numbers drop precipitously after moving from the Commanders to the Rams last season, and he once more projects to play away from the box.

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins "is in position to be the 49ers' no. 3 or 4 wide receiver," according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Barrows writes that Watkins' teammates "keep praising his maturity and mental sharpness." The 49ers are currently working with a battered receiving corps, as Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is expected to miss the start of the season, and Jauan Jennings (calf) has missed most of training camp. 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall is in line to lead the group as things currently stand, and it sounds as though Watkins is starting to separate himself from a group that also contains veterans Demarcus Robinson and Russell Gage. A fourth-round pick out of Ole Miss, Watkins averaged 18.5 yards per reception and scored nine touchdowns in his final collegiate season. Particularly if Jennings ends up missing regular-season time, Watkins is an under-the-radar name to keep an eye on for fantasy.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has "overwhelmingly relied on short, quick passes or checkdowns" in training camp practices, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. DeFabo writes that quarterback Aaron Rodgers "hasn't been able to unlock" wide receiver DK Metcalf's ability to stretch the field vertically. It's early in camp, but this could be a continuation of Rodgers' difficulties as a downfield passer from 2024. In 17 games for the New York Jets, he completed just 35.4% of his passes of 20-plus air yards. Pittsburgh acquired Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks this offseason and is relying on him to anchor their wide receiver corps. In 15 games last season for Seattle, Metcalf recorded 66 receptions for 992 yards and five touchdowns. He's averaged at least 15 yards per reception in four of his six NFL seasons, so making plays downfield is a big part of Metcalf's game. Metcalf profiles as a low-end WR2 for fantasy who should dominate targets in the Steelers' offense, but these early struggles with Rodgers are something to monitor going forward.

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Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker will get the start in the team's second preseason game on Friday against the Atlanta Falcons. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that Hooker will play the first half and veteran Kyle Allen will take over for the second half. That order is a reversal of how the Lions deployed their quarterbacks for their first preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Hooker and Allen are competing for the backup job in Detroit behind Jared Goff. Both players struggled in their first taste of preseason action against the Chargers on Thursday. Hooker was three-for-six through the air for 18 yards and an interception, while Allen went 9-for-14 for 71 yards and two picks. A third-round pick in 2023, Hooker has been unable to secure the Lions QB2 role to this point in his career. He'll need to play much better throughout the remainder of the preseason to earn the job heading into 2025.

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Houston Texans tight end Cade Stover has received praise from the front office throughout training camp. According to Cole Thompson of the Texas Wire, general manager Nick Caserio mentioned that Stover was the "most improved player of the entire offseason." The 25-year-old joined the Texans in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. During his rookie campaign, Stover had a limited role as he caught just 15 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. However, during each of the final two games of the season (Week 18 and their Wild Card matchup), Stover logged 36 offensive snaps in each game, which were the highest marks of his debut season. In the playoff game, Stover caught a season-high four passes as well. Stover is a name to continue to monitor as he could surpass Brevin Jordan as the No. 2 tight end behind presumed starter Dalton Schultz.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Anthony Richardson Sr. and Daniel Jones are expected to play a "good amount" during Thursday's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. However, head coach Shane Steichen has yet to declare who will get the starting nod in this contest. Throughout training camp, both quarterbacks have been given opportunities with the first-team and will likely continue to fight for the starting job over the next few weeks. Steichen noted that whoever does start during Thursday's game is not expected to have a large workload in their second preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. The Colts drafted Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Florida. While he has flashed high upside at times, his inconsistency as a passer could push him to the No. 2 role. The Colts signed Jones in the offseason to a one-year deal after his six-year tenure with the Giants. Whoever wins the starting job could be an intriguing No. 2 quarterback in superflex leagues given their rushing upside.

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Chicago Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai has begun to earn the trust of the coaching staff. Head coach Ben Johnson said, "I'm very pleased with where he's at. I think he's a guy we're gonna be able to trust this fall," when discussing Monangai's development during training camp. The Bears selected Monangai in the seventh round (233rd overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Rutgers. During his final two seasons with the Scarlet Knights, Monangai averaged 1,270.5 yards per season and scored 22 total touchdowns. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Monangai's progression as he could find a role in the Chicago backfield. Last season, D'Andre Swift saw most of the opportunities but was very ineffective, posting a modest 3.8 YPC, which was the lowest mark of his career. For now, Monangai sits as the No. 3 option behind Swift and Roschon Johnson on the depth chart, but could be worth a late-round selection if he continues to gain traction.

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