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After catching 12 passes and a touchdown in his two preseason appearances, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson has put himself in a good position to make the team's initial 53-man roster. If he does, he will make history as the lightest NFL player to have ever weighed in at the Combine. Officially listed at 165 pounds on the Buccaneers' website, he tipped the scales at only 154 pounds when he weighed in at the Combine in February. Johnson tested slower than expected, causing him to fall to the seventh round of the NFL draft. However, throughout training camp and into the preseason, he has displayed the lightning quickness that made him a matchup nightmare in college. He is listed as the team's 6th wide receiver in ESPN's latest projection, so his fantasy value will be limited at best even if he makes the team.

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ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime projects Houston Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale to be one of five backs who make the team's initial 53-man roster. Notably, Bien-Aime does not include Joe Mixon (foot), writing that Mixon "can land on the non-football injury list to start the regular season." Without Mixon, the path to playing time in the backfield in Houston appears to be wide open. Veteran Nick Chubb will likely get the first crack at early-down work, but Ogunbowale could have a role on passing downs. In 17 games with the Texans last year, Ogunbowale had just 30 rush attempts but was targeted 28 times, recording 19 catches for 198 yards and a touchdown.

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The New England Patriots made their first round of roster cuts on Friday, and among the six players released was undrafted quarterback Ben Wooldridge. The move left the team with only Drake Maye and Joshua Dobbs currently manning the position. While Wooldridge is a candidate to return as a practice squad player, New England will likely scour the waiver wire in the coming days for a potential addition to the room. One name to remember is New York Giants third-year signal-caller Tommy DeVito. DeVito currently sits as the fourth quarterback on his own depth chart, but the Patriots just got a first-hand look at him in their preseason finale. DeVito went 17 of 20 for 198 yards and three touchdowns against Patriots backups. If he shakes free from New York, it might have been enough for New England to put in a claim.

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The Carolina Panthers spent a late fifth-round pick on Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans, and he's believed to have shown enough through his first training camp to stick with the team in a depth role. While he caught only one pass in his two preseason appearances, he acquitted himself well enough as a blocker to potentially find himself on the right side of the roster bubble. With Tommy Tremble only recently being activated from the PUP list, there could be an opportunity for Evans to see the field early in two-TE sets along with Ja'Tavion Sanders. Evans was one of PFF's highest-rated tight ends in the country before the ACL injury that ended his 2023 season. While the recovery has been long, he has shown enough pass-catching prowess to make him an interesting dynasty stash in leagues with deep benches or taxi squads.

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Dynasty | Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell will need surgery on a fractured wrist and will miss the next 6-8 weeks. Dynasty Analysis: O'Connell had no chance of taking any time away from Geno Smith but this leaves the Raiders woefully thin at the position with rookie Cam Miller rounding out the depth chart. Perhaps they'll kick the tires on Kenny Pickett or another of the Browns quarterbacks in the coming days. Regardless, O'Connell's dynasty value just took another hit and he's a tough hold at this point, even in deep superflex leagues.

Dynasty | The Minnesota Vikings have traded quarterback Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: The Vikings received a 2026 5th round pick from the Eagles. The teams also swapped 2027 picks, with the Eagles receiving a sixth-round pick and the Vikings receiving a 7th round selection. This is actually decent value for the Vikings, who signed Carson Wentz in a corresponding move. Howell really struggled in his time with Seattle last year and hadn't shown a lot in camp this season. He'll compete with Kyle McCord for backup duties behind Jalen Hurts but it's hard to see him having much dynasty value.

Fourth-year wide receiver Skyy Moore is looking to put the past behind him and start anew, following last week's trade from the Kansas City Chiefs to the San Francisco 49ers. Moore was a second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022, but he could not find a consistent role in Andy Reid's offense, and he was dealt to San Francisco on Wednesday for a late-round pick swap. With the 49ers' receiver room currently plagued by injury and/or suspension, there is an opportunity for Moore to carve out an early role, and he is embracing the opportunity. While he could help the team navigate some early-season bumps, this offense is primed to run through a healthy Christian McCaffrey and do-everything tight end George Kittle. Wherever Moore ends up settling on the depth chart, he is unlikely to see enough opportunity to make him fantasy relevant for the foreseeable future.

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New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough believes he has shown enough through training camp practices and preseason games to lead his team. The Saints are the only team yet to announce their Week 1 starter at quarterback. While Jake Haener has an outside shot at the job, the belief around camp is that the decision will come down to Shough or second-year signal-caller Spencer Rattler, who started six games for the team last season. Shough and Rattler appeared in all three of the team's preseason games, each throwing one touchdown and one interception, and Rattler barely taking the edge in completion percentage and yards per attempt. The Saints spent an early second-round pick on Shough, and with the team going 0-6 in Rattler's starts last season, the belief has been that Shough would have to struggle mightily not to get the Week 1 start. Regardless of who the team plugs into the starting job, the fantasy output of New Orleans looks bleak, with only Alvin Kamara worthy of a top-50 pick.

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According to Chad Graff of The Athletic, New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson has emerged as one of the team's top offensive weapons. Even though he is currently fighting for the starting running back job alongside Rhamondre Stevenson, Henderson has shown immense upside during the preseason and should be in the mix for a significant role early in the season. The team's executive vice president Eliot Wolf said that "I've been maybe most impressed with his ability to run between the tackles." During the preseason, Henderson has looked very strong in both the rushing and receiving game. The former second-round pick has seen his ADP continue to surge in the preseason, and he could be in the mix to overtake the starting job in the near future. Given his upside as a playmaker, he should be viewed as an RB2 in all formats, despite potentially sharing time with Stevenson.

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Houston Texans quarterback Graham Mertz got the start in the team's preseason finale in Detroit on Sunday, and the sixth-round rookie had a very strong showing while leading his team to a 26-7 win over the Lions. With starter C.J. Stroud and primary backup Davis Mills getting the day off, Mertz completed 14 of his 16 pass attempts for an efficient 145 passing yards. He threw a touchdown to Quintez Cephus and led three scoring drives before halftime. He also added 20 rushing yards on two carries. Mertz played ahead of Kedon Slovis, who was on the Texans' practice squad last year and took over for the second half of Saturday's win. Mertz likely secured the third spot on the quarterback depth chart with his strong showing, while Slovis could be headed back to the practice squad.

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Following Saturday's 14-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel noted that he was impressed with rookie running back Ollie Gordon II's performance. "I think Ollie did a very good job today of mastering the non-on-ball assignments," said McDaniel. I thought he competed...So it was a good day for a rookie back in terms of getting his feet wet. It didn't look too big for him." Gordon II got the starting nod on Saturday for the team's preseason finale with backfield mate De'Von Achane (calf) still battling a sore calf and provided a decent spark. With teammate Jaylen Wright (leg) week-to-week, the Oklahoma State product could challenge for the backup job behind Achane. Gordon II fell off during his junior campaign with the Cowboys, but racked up 2,062 scrimmage yards and 22 total TDs back in 2023. He won't threaten Achane's workload, but could be a nice change of pace option for Miami and profiles as a better short-yardage rusher (6-foot-2, 225 lbs).

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reports that wide receiver Jacob Cowing (hamstring) could miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury he suffered last week during practice. The second-year pro will likely open up the season on injured reserve. San Francisco's pass-catching corps is reeling with yet another significant injury to one of their wideouts. With the news regarding Cowing, it could very well be teammates Ricky Pearsall and Skyy Moore lining up in two-wide sets, depending on whether Jauan Jennings (calf) will be good to go for their season-opener against the Seattle Seahawks. Moore is a newly acquired asset for the team, but it isn't out of the question that they might seek more help in that regard. Fantasy managers can expect Pearsall, tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey to be slated for a heavy load of touches if this situation doesn't improve.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and his chemistry with fourth-year quarterback Brock Purdy have been on full display this offseason, in camp, and during their lone preseason drive together. The 24-year-old is one of San Francisco's only healthy wideouts, and he and Purdy have worked hard to develop a connection ahead of the 2025 season. In the lone series the two shared during their victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Pearsall hauled in 3-of-4 targets for 42 yards and totaled more than half the 49ers' yardage. With conflicting reports around the health of teammate Jauan Jennings (calf) and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) to potentially miss six games of his own, the University of Florida alum is poised to handle a large workload in the early going of the season. He's a fine selection as a high-upside WR3/4 in PPR formats.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (abdomen) was spotted in pads and running routes during the team's practice on Sunday, per Nick Farabaugh of PennLive. Austin III has been dealing with an abdominal injury for the better part of a month, but it appears he's trending towards being ready to go for Week 1. The 26-year-old recorded 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games for Pittsburgh in 2024. He's expected to play a key role as the team's lead slot receiver in 2025. If Austin III can quickly develop chemistry with new Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, there's an opportunity for him to emerge as the number two target-earner in Pittsburgh behind DK Metcalf. He may end up being a value in fantasy as a late-round flier.

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Starting the season on the short-term injured reserve list is "in consideration" for Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (ankle), according to Easton Freeze of A to Z Sports. Spears suffered a high ankle sprain in preseason play and is reportedly still in a walking boot. It's unlikely that he will be ready to go for Week 1, and he could be sidelined for the first four weeks of the season if the team does indeed place him on injured reserve. Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings (ankle) would serve as the backups to Tony Pollard in the Titans backfield if Spears is forced to miss time, although Mullings is dealing with a minor ankle issue of his own. Spears profiles as a solid running back depth in fantasy when healthy.

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New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Efton Chism III (ankle, foot) did not practice on Sunday as he battles ankle and foot injuries, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. The same ailments kept Chism III from playing in the team's preseason finale against the New York Giants on Thursday. An undrafted free agent signee out of Eastern Washington, Chism III has been a standout in training camp and recorded 12 catches across the two preseason contests he took part in. He's reportedly fighting with second-year wide receiver Javon Baker for one of the last spots on New England's initial 53-man roster. Even if he makes the team, Chism III is unlikely to be fantasy-relevant in 2025, but he could be a name to monitor in dynasty formats.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings' (calf) "lingering calf issue and long contractual stalemate with (the team) could combine to send him to the injured reserve list," according to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard. Jennings has missed the majority of training camp with a calf issue and is also seeking a new contract from the team, which has led to speculation that the calf ailment is disguising a "hold-in." By threatening to place Jennings on injured reserve, which would sideline him for at least four weeks, the team would essentially be attempting to call his bluff. In Kawakami's report, he notes that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recently said he expects Jennings to be on the field for Week 1. If that is indeed the case, Jennings profiles as a WR3/flex option in fantasy. However, he obviously comes with significant risk until both his injury and contract situations are resolved.

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The New England Patriots are shopping fifth-year safety Kyle Dugger, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Despite starting in all 45 of his appearances in the previous three seasons and signing a four-year, $58 million extension in April 2024, Dugger has been working with the second-team defense under a new regime this summer. The Patriots could go with Jabrill Peppers and either Jaylinn Hawkins or Craig Woodson as their starting safety tandem if Dugger stays on the bench or ends up elsewhere. However, finding a trade partner for Dugger may not be easy. His 2025 base salary of $9.75 million is guaranteed, and he didn't play well last season. The 29-year-old appeared in 13 games and went without an interception for the first time since 2020, his rookie campaign, and Pro Football Focus ranked his performance 157th out of 171 qualified safeties. It's worth noting that Dugger played through a right-ankle injury that required offseason surgery. Dugger is now fully healed, and if the Patriots are serious about getting rid of him, they'll have to hope another team sees him as a viable bounce-back candidate in its defensive system.

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The Minnesota Vikings released quarterback Brett Rypien on Sunday as part of a shakeup at the position. Along with moving on from Rypien, they traded Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles and signed Carson Wentz. Their QB room now consists of new starter J.J. McCarthy, Wentz, and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. Rypien spent most of last season on the Vikings' practice squad and didn't get into any games. The 29-year-old appeared in all three of the Vikings' preseason contests this month and combined to go 15-for-29 for 151 yards and an interception. That wasn't enough to convince the organization to retain him. Since going undrafted out of Boise State in 2019, Rypien has gotten into 10 games (all with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams) and completed 58.3% of passes with four touchdowns against nine interceptions.

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According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Dallas Cowboys defensive back Trevon Diggs (knee) is slated to be activated from the PUP list. The defensive back has passed his physical and will be cleared for action. The 26-year-old has been held out of action during training camp as he was recovering from an offseason knee surgery. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he is unable to progress enough to suit up for their season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2021, Diggs enjoyed a career season when he tallied an impressive 11 interceptions. However, over the past two seasons, Diggs has tallied just three interceptions with 39 solo tackles. When healthy, he is expected to serve as a starter in the secondary.

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