Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill backed Tua Tagovailoa as the quarterback continues to negotiate a contract extension with the team."For people to sit here and try to discredit Tua and say he's not deserving of a contract is wild to me," Hill said Friday on SportsCenter. "A lot of guys on the team understand his value and understand that we need him, we need his leadership. We need the mindset that he brings into each and every week. ... I feel like he should be one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league."Tagovailoa is entering the last year of his rookie contract and has been negotiating a new deal for months. As of late June, Miami reportedly hadn't offered its Pro Bowl signal-caller a market-value deal in the same ballpark as Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence.The Jacksonville Jaguars inked Lawrence to a record five-year, $275-million deal earlier in June, while the Detroit Lions gave Goff a four-year contract worth $212 million in May.Injuries prevented Tagovailoa from playing a full campaign through his first three NFL seasons after the Dolphins drafted him fifth overall in 2020. However, the 26-year-old appeared in all 17 games in 2023 and led the league with 4,624 passing yards. The Alabama product also set career highs with 29 touchdown passes and a 69.3% completion rate."From Tua's development and where he's come from to where he is now, that should speak volumes to a lot of people," Hill said. "A lot of people can say, 'Oh, he has coach (Mike) McDaniel calling plays. Oh, he has XYZ receivers,' or 'He's got all these playmakers.' But at the end of the day, you still got to get those playmakers the ball. ... There's a lot that goes into it."The 2024 offseason was also lucrative for wide receivers, as several pass-catchers signed deals that reset the market at the position.Hill is looking for his own pay bump amid the rising market. The eight-time Pro Bowler said he hopes the Dolphins "save some room" for him after rewarding Tagovailoa.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown doesn't think the Saints can win the Super Bowl this season and made sure Equanimeous St. Brown - his brother who signed with New Orleans this year - is aware of that.While discussing expectations for 2024 on the "St. Brown Podcast," Amon-Ra told Equanimeous that no Saints player is entering the new NFL season with Super Bowl expectations."No one in your f-----g room thinks they're going to win a Super Bowl, honestly," Amon-Ra said. "Us, like, we know we can do it."Equanimeous instantly clapped back, saying he believes in New Orleans. The 27-year-old, who spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Bears, joined the Saints on a one-year contract in April."I think we can win the Super Bowl," Equanimeous said. "Saints are a great organization. ... It's not that hard to make the playoffs.""You're acting like you won the Super Bowl," Equanimeous told Amon-Ra. "You didn't win the Super Bowl. ... You're chasing it just like us."

Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons remains optimistic despite not signing with a team following his release by the Denver Broncos in March."Obviously, it'd be so great right now to know where I'm going, what I can be studying, who I can be playing for, matchups that I'll have, and all that good stuff. But ultimately, I think it's challenging me in a positive way," Simmons said, per Denver7 News' Bradey King.Simmons added, "For me now, everything's new. I'm having to ask questions, take accountability, learn from people who have been in it before, whether they're three years in, 10 years in. Just getting some insight, getting some wisdom. I think it's going to help me grow tremendously."The 30-year-old remains one of the more high-profile free-agents remaining as teams are set to start training camp later in July. Simmons headlines a group of safeties still looking for new landing spots that includes Eddie Jackson and Quandre Diggs.Jamal Adams was among that group of free-agent safeties prior to signing a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday.Simmons spent eight seasons with the Broncos after being selected in the third round of the 2016 draft. He was released by Denver in a cost-cutting move that saved the organization nearly $18.25 million. The former Boston College standout recorded 70 tackles, eight passes defensed, and three interceptions to earn the second Pro Bowl nod of his career.While Simmons isn't sure when or where he'll sign, he's opting to be patient."Who knows? I could sign tomorrow, I could sign two weeks into camp, I could sign the first game of the season. You just never know how these things go," he said. "So, it's caused me to slow down and give up control because it's not in my control."Simmons tallied 604 tackles, 30 interceptions, and 19 tackles for loss and earned four second-team All-Pro designations during his tenure in Denver.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence believes the franchise boasts its best roster since he was drafted by the team in 2021."The best days are definitely ahead of us. Speaking individually as well, in my game, I think I'm far from playing my best football, and that's ahead of me, so I'm really excited about that," Lawrence said on "The Insiders," per NFL Network's Steve Wyche.Lawrence added: "This team that we have this year is really good, I think it's the best team we've had since I've been there, and I'm excited to see it come together in training camp and the regular season."Lawrence's 2023 campaign was somewhat uneven as he battled through several ailments. A shoulder injury caused him to miss the first pro start of his career in Week 17. He was able to return for Jacksonville's regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans but struggled in the contest. The Clemson product passed for 4,016 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions last season, with an 88.5 passer rating.After going 6-2 to start the season, Jacksonville lost six of its final nine games and missed out on the playoffs.The Jaguars have been proactive in re-tooling their offense this offseason, particularly at wide receiver. Jacksonville acquired Gabe Davis, Devin Duvernay, and Brian Thomas Jr. in an attempt to surround Lawrence with plenty of options on offense."We have a really dynamic group of pass catchers. I really don't want to just say receivers because tight ends are another piece to it, too," Lawrence said.Lawrence made a point to highlight Evan Engram and Brenton Strange as talented options in the Jaguars' passing attack. The addition of Mitch Morse at center, along with several holdovers like Christian Kirk and Travis Etienne, is also expected to help push the Jaguars forward in a competitive AFC South division.The Jaguars signed Lawrence to a five-year, $275-million extension in June.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With training camp right around the corner, the Steelers quarterback room looks very different this year: Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are in, and 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett is out.Pittsburgh picked up both new quarterbacks for cheap this past offseason. They signed Wilson to a one-year, $1.2-millon deal after the Broncos cut him and sent the Bears a conditional sixth-round pick for Fields.Head coach Mike Tomlin said Wilson is the leading candidate to start Week 1 but didn't completely close the door on Fields grabbing the QB1 title."Rest assured when it's time to compete, Justin (Fields) will be given an opportunity to compete, and we'll allow those guys to sort themselves out," Tomlin said in March.Oddsmakers at theScore Bet reacted accordingly.Wilson is priced at -1000 (90.9% implied probability) to be under center when the Steelers head to Atlanta to take on the Falcons in Week 1. Fields is +550 (15.4 implied probability) to beat out Wilson in training camp.It makes sense for Fields to spend some time behind Wilson in a backup role. The 25-year-old is still an unpolished NFL quarterback despite playing 40 games for the Bears over three seasons and showing flashes of brilliance, mainly with his legs.But the argument in favor of Fields is also understandable. After the Broncos gave up a lot to acquire him, Wilson's two years in Denver were a disaster: He posted the two lowest QBRs of his career in the Mile High City. He now enters his first year with the Steelers at 35 years old.Regardless of the direction Tomlin decides to move in, there's reason for both optimism and concern under center in Pittsburgh.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, and Google.In this episode, Boone discusses four crowded backfields with significant fantasy potential and the running backs to target on each depth chart.

The Tennessee Titans signed veteran safety Jamal Adams, the team announced Thursday.Adams inked a one-year contract with Tennessee, his agents confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter.The 28-year-old will provide the Titans with a veteran presence in the secondary. Adams began his career with the New York Jets before being traded to the Seahawks and spending four seasons in Seattle.Injuries limited Adams' impact on the field over the past few years, and the three-time Pro Bowler missed most of the 2023 campaign due to a concussion. Adams recorded 48 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and two QB hits in nine games in 2024.Adams missed 33 of a possible 67 regular-season contests during his Seahawks tenure. After compiling 9.5 sacks in 2020, the LSU product failed to replicate that impact in the following campaigns.The Titans have been proactive this offseason in restructuring their roster ahead of head coach Brian Callahan's first year with the franchise. The club acquired cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie in March to help bolster the back half of its defense.Tennessee appears optimistic about reuniting Adams with defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, who served as the Jets' defensive back coach when Adams received a first-team All-Pro nod in 2019.Adams joins a safety group that also features Amani Hooker and Elijah Molden. The 6-foot-1, 213-pounder is expected to compete for a starting role when the Titans open training camp on July 23.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tight end George Kittle remains confident he'll remain teammates with Brandon Aiyuk despite a tense contract standoff between the receiver and the San Francisco 49ers."I'm not concerned about it. Aiyuk's a phenomenal football player who's a big part of our offense, and he's one of the most complete receivers that I've ever played with," Kittle said on the "Rich Eisen Show" Wednesday. "I'm gonna assume that Aiyuk's gonna be on our team by the time the season starts."Kittle added that he sees similarities between Aiyuk's negotiations and other players' timelines in signing extensions with the team."If you look at my career, being a 49er and the way most of the contracts have gone, I didn't get signed until the second week of training camp, Deebo (Samuel) was pretty late. (Nick) Bosa was the first week of the season," Kittle said. "That's just how business is done out there."Aiyuk skipped the Niners' entire offseason program, including mandatory minicamp, while seeking a new deal. The 26-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will earn $14.1 million in 2024.The disgruntled wideout has posted subtle and blunt messages on social media regarding his frustrations with negotiations. During an interview in June, Aiyuk listed the Washington Commanders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Niners as possible teams he sees himself playing for next season.However, the Niners' brass has been outspoken about keeping Aiyuk on the roster despite the sides remaining apart.Aiyuk has been a staple of the 49ers' offense over the past four seasons, recording 269 receptions, 3,931 yards, and 25 touchdowns since being drafted in the first round in 2020.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson is optimistic Jacksonville will learn from its mistakes after a disappointing 2023 season."It's going to burn for a long time until we get to meaningful games again and start playing in September," Pederson said Wednesday when asked about his team's late-season collapse, according to NFL.com's Michael Baca."But I think that's the same fuel and the motivating factor for our players that the way we ended is not us, and no matter what you go through as a football team, everybody goes through adversity. There's always going to be injuries, but you can't make excuses. You got to go play football. So, for us, we got to learn from that, roll up our sleeves during training camp, work hard, and just play it one game at a time."The Jaguars were seemingly a playoff lock after starting last season 8-3. However, Jacksonville lost five of its last six games as injuries sidelined key starters, including quarterback Trevor Lawrence in Week 17. Lawrence returned for the club's must-win contest in Week 18, but the Jaguars ultimately fell short against the Tennessee Titans and finished as the AFC's No. 9 seed.Pederson's outfit lost its leading receiver, Calvin Ridley, this offseason but added new starters on both sides of the ball. Jacksonville used a first-round pick on wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and signed wideout Gabe Davis, center Mitch Morse, and defensive tackle Arik Armstead, among others.Pederson likes the supporting cast his team put together around Lawrence this season after signing the 2021 No. 1 pick to a five-year, $275-million contract extension."We've got to integrate all that," Pederson said of the Jaguars' 2024 additions. "We got to get on the same page early as we head into training camp, but I'm excited for these guys and how they fit.""The big thing is just a matter of working and working together and building the camaraderie and the team around our quarterback that can help us all be successful," he added.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore staff took part in a 12-team, 12-round mock fantasy draft to offer some insight on what to watch for in each round.This is a half PPR (point per reception) scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We omitted defenders and kickers, as they're normally selected in the final two rounds.Draft participants: Ian Dalley, Justin Boone, Gordon Brunt, Michael Bradburn, Brandon Wile, Dane Belbeck, Navin Vaswani, Sean O'Leary, Gianluca Nesci, Daniel Valente, Caio Miari, Mike Dickson.Round 1PickPlayerTeam1Bijan Robinson (RB1)Dalley2Christian McCaffrey (RB2)Boone3CeeDee Lamb (WR1)Brunt4Tyreek Hill (WR2)Bradburn5Justin Jefferson (WR3)Wile6Ja'Marr Chase (WR4)Belbeck7Breece Hall (RB3)Vaswani8Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR5)O'Leary9A.J. Brown (WR6)Nesci10Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR7)Valente11Garrett Wilson (WR8)Miari12Puka Nacua (WR9)DicksonRound 1: This mock kicked off with an out-of-the-box pick as Robinson went ahead of the usual 1.01 options like McCaffrey or the elite wideouts. A ball carrier hasn't finished as the fantasy RB1 overall in back-to-back seasons for almost two decades, so it's definitely possible someone unseats CMC. With the new coaching staff and significant quarterback upgrade, Robinson has the right environment to make that kind of major leap forward.My pick: While McCaffrey sometimes falls a spot or two in the opening round, count me among those surprised to see him as the second running back selected. Even knowing the stats about RB1s not repeating in consecutive years, it's still hard to pass on his ceiling. The 49ers star averaged 22.4 fantasy points per game in half PPR formats last season, which was 2.5 fppg more than the next closest RB, WR, or TE.Round 2PickPlayerTeam13Jonathan Taylor (RB4)Dickson14Jahmyr Gibbs (RB5)Miari15Drake London (WR10)Valente16Brandon Aiyuk (WR11)Nesci17Saquon Barkley (RB6)O'Leary18Chris Olave (WR12)Vaswani19De'Von Achane (RB7)Belbeck20Kyren Williams (RB8)Wile21Derrick Henry (RB9)Bradburn22Davante Adams (WR13)Brunt23Mike Evans (WR14)Boone24Deebo Samuel (WR15)DalleyRound 2: After just three running backs were taken in the first frame, RBs made a comeback in this round with six getting drafted. Players like Achane, Williams, and Henry could easily return Round 1 value, but their ADPs are being depressed by durability concerns. In the case of Achane and Williams, some fantasy managers are worried about other backs infringing on their volume. However, they're all worthwhile picks in the back half of the second round into the early third.My pick: With my RB1 locked in already, I shifted my focus to receivers. With no real values dropping to me, I chose Evans. He's posted over 1,000 yards in all 10 of his NFL campaigns - including at least 13 touchdowns in three of the last four years. Even entering his age-31 season, it's tough to bet against such a consistent producer.Round 3PickPlayerTeam25DJ Moore (WR16)Dalley26DK Metcalf (WR17)Boone27Malik Nabers (WR18)Brunt28Cooper Kupp (WR19)Bradburn29Nico Collins (WR20)Wile30Jaylen Waddle (WR21)Belbeck31Josh Allen (QB1)Vaswani32Stefon Diggs (WR22)O'Leary33Jalen Hurts (QB2)Nesci34DeVonta Smith (WR23)Valente35Travis Kelce (TE1)Miari36Tank Dell (WR24)DicksonRound 3: Three teams have steered away from the running back position so far, and it's looking good for them through three rounds. Team Brunt has a core of Lamb-Adams-Nabers, Team Nesci has Brown-Aiyuk-Hurts, and Team Valente landed Harrison-London-Smith. We'll see how their builds turn out in the coming rounds, but you have to like those starts.My pick: With no running backs of note in this range and 3.02 being a little early for QB or TE, I elected to grab one of my favorite receivers in 2024. Metcalf is always a threat to put up double-digit touchdowns (something he's already done twice in his career). With the arrival of new Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, we can project a more pass-heavy approach that promises to push downfield for explosive plays. He's a strong fantasy WR2 with top-12 upside.Round 4PickPlayerTeam37Travis Etienne Jr. (RB10)Dickson38Michael Pittman Jr. (WR25)Miari39George Pickens (WR26)Valente40Sam LaPorta (TE2)Nesci41Lamar Jackson (QB3)O'Leary42Amari Cooper (WR27)Vaswani43Zay Flowers (WR28)Belbeck44Tee Higgins (WR29)Wile45Isiah Pacheco (RB11)Bradburn46Josh Jacobs (RB12)Brunt47Christian Kirk (WR30)Boone48Rachaad White (RB13)DalleyRound 4: This is the first round where I prefer most of the running back picks over the receivers drafted. Etienne, Pacheco, Jacobs, and White could all finish as top-12 fantasy backs based on their talent and situations. This is another reason you can confidently avoid running backs in the opening rounds, as Team Nesci and Team Valente continue to do.My pick: With several RBs, TEs, and QBs available that I liked, I felt safe adding a third receiver in this round before a tier drop occurred at that position. Kirk is the clear No. 1 wideout in Jacksonville, according to beat writers, and a closer look at his 2023 stats shows his true fantasy potential. In games where he played over 60% of the snaps, Kirk was the WR16 in fppg from Weeks 2-12 before getting hurt. Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis will combine to fill the void left by Calvin Ridley, leaving Kirk to star in the Jaguars' offense as a low-end WR2 for fantasy.Round 5PickPlayerTeam49Patrick Mahomes (QB4)Dalley50James Cook (RB14)Boone51Trey McBride (TE3)Brunt52Terry McLaurin (WR31)Bradburn53Mark Andrews (TE4)Wile54Anthony Richardson (QB5)Belbeck55Kenneth Walker III (RB15)Vaswani56Marquise Brown (WR32)O'Leary57Joe Mixon (RB16)Nesci58C.J. Stroud (QB6)Valente59Jayden Reed (WR33)Miari60Kyle Pitts (TE5)DicksonRound 5: The run on tight ends begins in this round with McBride, Andrews, and Pitts going off the board. They're all solid values in this area of the draft, but only two TEs remain in my current tier (Dalton Kincaid, George Kittle), which makes me start to question my pick at the top of the round.My pick: This was a huge decision point for me in this draft. Anthony Richardson was a consideration. Mark Andrews was a possibility. But I rolled the dice and went with a young RB in Cook, who found his stride after the Bills changed OCs last season. From Week 11 on, Cook was the RB11 in fppg. He's still a strong pick and an excellent value based on my rankings, but I felt some regret when the current tier of TEs got scooped up before my pick.Round 6PickPlayerTeam61Rome Odunze (WR34)Dickson62Alvin Kamara (RB17)Miari63George Kittle (TE6)Valente64Keenan Allen (WR35)Nesci65Chris Godwin (WR36)O'Leary66Dalton Kincaid (TE7)Vaswani67Calvin Ridley (WR37)Belbeck68Diontae Johnson (WR38)Wile69Kyler Murray (QB7)Bradburn70Aaron Jones (RB18)Brunt71Ladd McConkey (WR39)Boone72David Montgomery (RB19)DalleyRound 6: There were a bunch of standout values in this round, highlighted by Kamara, Kittle, Godwin, Kincaid, Ridley, and Johnson. Team Valente continues his fearless zero-RB approach, locking down a lights-out lineup at every other position. The pressure will be on the rest of the way for him to solve his running back spots.My pick: Though I like McConkey's potential path to leading the Chargers in receiving this season, this was by far my least favorite pick of the mock. Aside from the disappointment of Kittle and Kincaid already being taken, I was hoping to land one of the players I mentioned above. Regardless, a player who has the inside track to be Justin Herbert's No. 1 target is worth chasing.Round 7PickPlayerTeam73DeAndre Hopkins (WR40)Dalley74James Conner (RB20)Boone75Christian Watson (WR41)Brunt76Jonathon Brooks (RB21)Bradburn77Rhamondre Stevenson (RB22)Wile78Evan Engram (TE8)Belbeck79Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR42)Vaswani80D'Andre Swift (RB23)O'Leary81Zamir White (RB24)Nesci82Najee Harris (RB25)Valente83Brian Thomas Jr. (WR43)Miari84Xavier Worthy (WR44)DicksonRound 7: The running back value stood out in this round, with some starter-quality options going off the board alongside No. 2 and No. 3 receivers. Conner and Stevenson are upside fantasy RB2s when healthy, Swift will get a chance to star in the Bears' revamped attack, Brooks should be the best rookie back once he recovers fully from his torn ACL, and White and Harris are volume plays. That entire list of backs has top-24 fantasy potential.My pick: I reached a round earlier than his ADP to secure Conner because I believe he's seriously undervalued at the moment. Conner has been a top-10 fantasy back on a per-game basis each of the last three years, but he's being discounted due to durability concerns. Even if he misses a few weeks, the 29-year-old will give me an advantage in the flex whenever he's on the field.Round 8PickPlayerTeam85Joe Burrow (QB8)Dickson86Zack Moss (RB26)Miari87Tony Pollard (RB27)Valente88Rashee Rice (WR45)Nesci89Jordan Addison (WR46)O'Leary90Curtis Samuel (WR47)Vaswani91Raheem Mostert (RB28)Belbeck92Jaylen Warren (RB29)Wile93Jake Ferguson (TE9)Bradburn94Jordan Love (QB9)Brunt95Brock Bowers (TE10)Boone96Keon Coleman (WR48)DalleyRound 8: The quarterback value in this range of the draft is phenomenal with Burrow and Love getting their names called in this round. Don't let an injury-plagued 2023 campaign make you forget that Burrow averaged the fourth-most fantasy points among QBs in 2022. Meanwhile, Love is coming off a breakout season where he was the QB6 in fantasy points per game.My pick: Ferguson tends to be my fallback when I miss on one of the top-seven tight ends, but he was taken two spots ahead of me in this round. In that scenario, I normally pivot to either Bowers or Pat Freiermuth. With Team Dalley picking on the turn and not having a tight end yet, I chose to act now and snag the upside of an elite rookie prospect like Bowers. While his landing spot with the Raiders leaves something to be desired, we've seen several rookie tight ends make a fantasy impact right away, and Bowers could easily sneak into the low-end TE1 ranks in 2024.Round 9PickPlayerTeam97Courtland Sutton (WR49)Dalley98Dak Prescott (QB10)Boone99Brian Robinson Jr. (RB30)Brunt100Rashid Shaheed (WR50)Bradburn101Jayden Daniels (QB11)Wile102Javonte Williams (RB31)Belbeck103Devin Singletary (RB32)Vaswani104Tyjae Spears (RB33)O'Leary105Jameson Williams (WR51)Nesci106Austin Ekeler (RB34)Valente107Khalil Shakir (WR52)Miari108Romeo Doubs (WR53)DicksonRound 9: While Team Valente got off to an intriguing start, his running back room hasn't filled out the way I had hoped. Harris has potential as a volume back, but his fantasy ceiling is capped by Warren's guaranteed involvement. Pollard is also heading toward a backfield timeshare where either he or Spears could emerge as the Titans' RB1. Grabbing Spears in this round would have made me feel better about Team Valente's RB roster, but instead, he went with a declining Ekeler who will also split snaps in the Commanders' offense.My pick: At this point, there was only one quarterback left who I project to have QB1 overall potential in 2024 and that was Prescott. Recent concerns about him wearing a walking boot on vacation were overblown and he'll be a full go for the start of training camp. Prescott was the fifth-highest scoring fantasy quarterback in 2023 and led the position in fantasy points per game from Week 6 on.Round 10PickPlayerTeam109Trey Benson (RB35)Dickson110Brock Purdy (QB12)Miari111Adonai Mitchell (WR54)Valente112Jerome Ford (RB36)Nesci113David Njoku (TE11)O'Leary114Tyler Lockett (WR55)Vaswani115Chase Brown (RB37)Belbeck116Blake Corum (RB38)Wile117Gus Edwards (RB39)Bradburn118MarShawn Lloyd (RB40)Brunt119Brandin Cooks (WR56)Boone120Dallas Goedert (TE12)DalleyRound 10: It's time for the late-round running backs to fly off the board with Benson, Ford, Brown, Corum, Edwards, and Lloyd all fitting the description perfectly. Ford will lead the Browns' backfield until Nick Chubb is healthy, Edwards has the inside track to become the Chargers' starter, and the rest are one injury away from fantasy stardom. You're making a mistake if you aren't trying to draft as many of these guys as possible at this point.My pick: While I've attempted to pair Conner and Benson on many rosters this season, it wasn't possible in this mock. Instead, I took a massive value pick in Cooks. Once the Cowboys' passing attack hit its stride in 2023, the veteran was a top-25 fantasy receiver over the final 13 weeks.Round 11PickPlayerTeam121Zach Charbonnet (RB41)Dalley122Kendre Miller (RB42)Boone123Mike Williams (WR57)Brunt124Joshua Palmer (WR58)Bradburn125Caleb Williams (QB13)Wile126Nick Chubb (RB43)Belbeck127Ezekiel Elliott (RB44)Vaswani128Ty Chandler (RB45)O'Leary129Jaleel McLaughlin (RB46)Nesci130Jerry Jeudy (WR59)Valente131Dontayvion Wicks (WR60)Miari132Jaylen Wright (RB47)DicksonRound 11: Running backs continue to be the better option at this stage, with Charbonnet, Miller, Chandler, and McLaughlin offering flex potential and one-injury-away upside if something happens to their starters. Chubb and Elliott aren't bad picks in this round either, but Chubb has to overcome a difficult injury recovery and Elliott will be a TD-dependent flex.My pick: With the rest of my roster secured, it's time to load up on lottery-ticket running backs. Miller is the Saints' future starter; the question is how long Kamara holds him off. Injuries derailed Miller's rookie season, but in the two games where he played more than 35% of the snaps, he posted 90 yards on 16 touches and 79 yards and a touchdown on 14 touches.Round 12PickPlayerTeam133Trevor Lawrence (QB14)Dickson134Khalil Herbert (RB48)Miari135Kimani Vidal (RB49)Valente136Jakobi Meyers (WR61)Nesci137Pat Freiermuth (TE13)O'Leary138Rico Dowdle (RB50)Vaswani139Chuba Hubbard (RB51)Belbeck140Ja'Lynn Polk (WR62)Wile141Demarcus Robinson (WR63)Bradburn142Ricky Pearsall (WR64)Brunt143Elijah Mitchell (RB52)Boone144Tyler Allgeier (RB53)DalleyRound 12: While you can make a good case for the receiver selections in this round, I almost always prefer running backs in this area of the draft. Dowdle, Hubbard, Mitchell, and Allgeier are competent backups who could carve out roles as flex options even as the No. 2 ball carriers in their offenses. Vidal is also intriguing in a wide-open Chargers backfield, but the lack of buzz from OTAs is curious.My pick: With my final pick of the mock, I decided to grab my first-rounder's backup, Mitchell. McCaffrey has been incredibly durable lately, but if he misses time, Mitchell is the next man up in Kyle Shanahan's always productive run game.Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Bills' receiving corps will have a different look this coming season after the team traded away star Stefon Diggs and let Gabe Davis leave in free agency.Rookie Keon Coleman is one of the new additions whose aim is to be a reliable option for quarterback Josh Allen. The first-year wideout isn't rattled by the expectations nor is he focused on individual accolades ahead of his pro debut."Not at all," Coleman told CBS Sports' Bryant McFadden when asked if he feels pressure. "All I gotta do is come in, be myself, be who I'm supposed to be."He added, "I'm not Gabe, I'm not Stef, I'm just Keon. We got a lot of other guys that definitely complement my game, and we complement each other's game, along with Josh, to make things work."Diggs was Allen's top target and earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of his four seasons in Buffalo. He racked up 445 receptions, 5,372 yards, and 37 touchdowns during his Bills tenure.Coleman, who has quickly become beloved for his humor and honest opinions, is among the favorites to carve out a large role in the Bills' passing attack. Buffalo drafted the 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver in the second round to provide a big-bodied target for Allen.He established himself as the top receiving option for Florida State in his final collegiate season. Coleman recorded 50 catches for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023 before declaring for the draft.General manager Brandon Beane compared the team's receiving corps to a Baskin-Robbins, given the number of flavors the team has at the position. Buffalo's receiving room also features Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Chase Claypool.With James Cook sharing the backfield with Allen and Dalton Kincaid entering his second season, Buffalo's offense is expected to disperse targets and touches evenly next season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Justin Jefferson understands why Kirk Cousins left the Minnesota Vikings in free agency this offseason and admits he wasn't completely surprised."Yeah and no," Jefferson said Tuesday on the "Rich Eisen Show" when asked about Cousins' departure. "I always knew Kirk was going to do whatever he needs to do for him business-wise. I just knew that everything wasn't the way he wanted it to be here, especially just with having to pay me and having to pay so many other different guys. I feel like he just wanted a new start, a new opportunity to start with Atlanta and a clean slate.""I'm not mad at him at all for that," Jefferson added.Cousins joined the Atlanta Falcons, signing a four-year, $180-million contract. Minnesota made two playoff appearances during his six seasons with the franchise, during which time he passed for 23,265 yards, 171 touchdowns, and 55 interceptions, with a 67.9% completion rate. The four-time Pro Bowler is expected to lead the Falcons while 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. sits behind him on the depth chart.Minnesota has a couple options at quarterback entering next season. Sam Darnold is a veteran who finds himself on his third team in as many years following stints with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings also have rookie J.J. McCarthy, who they drafted with the 10th overall pick this past spring. He's set to make his pro debut after leading Michigan to a national championship in his final year at the school.Head coach Kevin O'Connell indicated that Darnold will likely have the edge entering training camp based on his experience. Jefferson says the veteran made a favorable impression on the team by "communicating and just connecting with the players." The pair are quickly building a rapport that is similar to the QB-WR relationship Jefferson shared with Cousins."To have Sam in there, more of a veteran, older mindset, and to have J.J. come in and learn from him as well, is definitely something that we needed. I think it'll be great for J.J. as well," Jefferson said.Jefferson's 5,899 receiving yards are the most in NFL history through a player's first four seasons. Minnesota rewarded him this offseason with a four-year, $140-million extension that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.Jefferson believes that, regardless of who's under center, he'll remain a central figure in the Vikings' offense."It doesn't really matter what quarterback it is in my eyes, I'm always going to make the best of the opportunity. Always going to try to be the quarterback's friend and make his job a lot easier. It doesn't matter if it's Kirk or if it's Sam or it's J.J. I'm going to make it as easy as possible for them," Jefferson said.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed the team's mandatory minicamp due to a pre-planned trip to Egypt, sources told SNY's Connor Hughes.The 40-year-old Rodgers initially set up the trip during his recovery from an Achilles injury that ended his 2023 campaign after just four snaps. The quarterback has long admired Egyptian culture and scheduled the visit for what he believed was to be after the club's offseason program.Rodgers came under scrutiny after both he and pass-rusher Haason Reddick were absent from the team's facility for the organization's two-day mandatory workouts. Head coach Robert Saleh said the former league MVP was away from the team for a reason that was "very important to him," according to The Associated Press.While Rodgers' absence was considered unexcused, the Jets are adamant that it won't impact his second year with the organization, Hughes reports. The former All-Pro attended the Jets' voluntary offseason practices and workouts as he works his way back from injury.Although Saleh said Rodgers informed the team of his plans in advance, it's unclear if teammates were aware that the veteran passer would be absent from the workouts. Backup Tyrod Taylor learned he was working with the first-team offense on short notice.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a wave of receivers signing larger and larger contracts, Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill is eager to see how much money he can make on a new deal."I'm very excited to like just be a part of the old wave, which was $30 million, and Justin Jefferson came and surpassed that," Hill said, according to KPRC2's Aaron Wilson. "So, very proud of those guys ..."For guys like me, that's great. I'm 30 years old, also looking for a new deal. So, very, very excited to see where I fit into that category."Hill had the highest annual average value among wideouts in the league after signing a four-year, $120-million extension with Miami in 2022. The ex-Kansas City Chief is now fourth in AAV behind Jefferson ($35 million), A.J. Brown ($32 million), and Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30 million).Hill led the league with 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns on 119 receptions last season. The eight-time Pro Bowler also recorded 1,710 yards and eight total scores in 2022.Hill's current pact is set to expire after the 2026 campaign, although the final two years of his deal aren't guaranteed. He'll earn $19.6 million this season.The 5-foot-10, 190-pound receiver established himself as a dynamic playmaker with the Chiefs, hauling in 6,630 yards and 56 scores over six seasons. He also earned a Super Bowl ring with the club.Although the Georgia native would like to land another lucrative payday, his top priority is bringing a Super Bowl title to Miami."It's cool to get paid and all that, but you know, being able to win a Super Bowl and bring something special to the city of Miami, that's something that can live with us forever," Hill said. "I believe that's very monumental for all of us."The Dolphins rewarded Hill's running mate, Jaylen Waddle, with a three-year, $85.75-million extension in May. Miami is currently negotiating a second contract for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who's entering the final year of his rookie deal.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans isn't resting on the success he enjoyed during the 2023 season as he prepares his club for the 2024 campaign."The most exciting thing, what I love about the NFL is it doesn't matter what happened last year," Ryans said during an interview at the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame ceremony, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "You get to hit reset. To start back from ground zero, I love that, going back to our Day 1 fundamentals, installs, and seeing guys truly grow."Ryans led the Texans to a 10-7 regular-season record before picking up a postseason victory over the Cleveland Browns in his first season as a head coach. The former linebacker took over the club after spending two years as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator.The Texans' playoff run was halted in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round. But despite last season's step forward, Ryans has focused on getting his team ready for tough contests every week."People talk about how exciting of a year it was," Ryans said. "But I throw up a stat to our guys this offseason, like, 'Look, I know we won some games, but guys, look, we had 10 games within one score, and these games were down to the wire and we had to find a way at the end.' That doesn't change. That's the NFL."While the 39-year-old is hoping for better things in 2024, he remains thankful for last season."That football season, 2023, is one I'll always remember," Ryans said. "Getting C.J. (Stroud) and getting Will (Anderson) and Tank (Dell), so many young guys who contributed to flipping that culture in such a short period of time. ... I'm very excited to have those guys and to work with those guys and to have the year that we had."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The development of wide receiver Jordan Addison is drawing plenty of praise from the Minnesota Vikings' coaching staff this offseason."Jordan Addison had as good of an offseason program as really you can ask for," head coach Kevin O'Connell said, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "(He is) a guy that had a ton of success in Year 1. And really, from a standpoint of getting a little stronger, getting a little bit more comfortable playing through contact and still playing with that great burst and transition that he has, you saw some real growth there (this spring)."The 22-year-old wideout missed a large portion of the Vikings' spring sessions last year due to an injury. However, he turned in an impressive pro debut by becoming only the fourth player in modern NFL history to record 70 receptions, 900 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns in their rookie campaign.The former USC product is aiming to refine his technique in a bid to increase his production in his sophomore season."Last year I wasn't as confident in my releases," he said. "I wasn't being decisive. I didn't have a plan when I was coming up to the line. I was just freelancing trying to make something work."Addison credits receivers coach Keenan McCardell's guidance for helping him to take his "game to the next level in one year."Addison emerged as a capable target in the Vikings' passing game after Justin Jefferson missed several games during the 2023 season due to injury. With Jefferson having signed a lucrative extension in June, the three-time Pro Bowler is expected to be a key factor alongside T.J. Hockenson and Addison for the foreseeable future. Longtime Green Bay Packers halfback Aaron Jones was brought in to help spark a rushing attack that struggled last year.The Vikings have plenty of offensive playmakers that should see the group remain a top-10 unit in total offense. With Kirk Cousins no longer under center, it's unclear whether veteran quarterback Sam Darnold or rookie J.J. McCarthy will be starting Week 1 against the New York Giants on Sept. 8.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson seems to feel pretty good about his surgically repaired shoulder.His agent, Deiric Jackson, posted multiple videos earlier this week showing Richardson throwing down a powerful dunk and making a pair of throws.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk expressed frustration amid ongoing talks with the organization about an extension and admits he can see himself in other uniforms come next season."I'm taking it personal," Aiyuk said about negotiations on "The Pivot" podcast. "I have a vision for what I see myself as."Asked what uniform he thought he'd be wearing next season, Aiyuk said: "If I were to take a guess, probably a Niner uniform. If not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commanders uniform. If not a Washington Commanders uniform, probably a Steelers uniform."Aiyuk, who isn't willing to accept a "hometown discount," still believes he's in the best situation by remaining in San Francisco."I feel like right now I'm in the right place, in the right spot, with the right quarterback right now. But we're not on the right terms," Aiyuk said.After requesting and having a meeting with the Niners on Monday, Aiyuk characterized the talks as "good," with both sides agreeing to keep working toward a new deal, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The 2020 first-round pick posted a TikTok last week where he told Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels that the Niners "said they don't want me back." However, the productive wideout explained that his posts on social media are examples of him trying to control the narrative as he seeks a new deal."Social media is a way for me and my team to leverage myself and what I'm trying to get because that's the way to get the message out there and get the facts out there," Aiyuk said on the podcast.The landscape for receivers has climbed in recent months. Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, and Jaylen Waddle are among those who have landed extensions since the 2023 season. However, the Arizona State product is reportedly eyeing a pact similar to the four-year, $120-million deal that the Detroit Lions awarded Amon-Ra St. Brown.Aiyuk is set to earn $14.1 million next season in what will be the final year of his rookie deal, per Over the Cap. He skipped the team's mandatory minicamp earlier this month.Aiyuk has drawn plenty of attention throughout the offseason. He was the subject of trade speculation alongside teammate Deebo Samuel, and, while the team entertained offers, the 49ers insisted they weren't going to move either receiver."I just want to move forward. I want a team to look at me and value me as a top receiver, so I can continue to go out there and do what I do and show them every single day that's what I am," Aiyuk said.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore staff took part in a 10-team, 12-round mock draft to offer some insight on what to watch for in each round.This is a half PPR scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We omitted defenders and kickers, as they're normally selected in the final two rounds.Draft participants: Caio Miari, Caitlyn Holroyd, Taylor Rohaly, Ian Dalley, Justin Boone, Dane Belbeck, Brandon Wile, Gianluca Nesci, Gordon Brunt, Navin Vaswani.Round 1PickPlayerTeam1Christian McCaffrey (RB1)Miari2CeeDee Lamb (WR1)Holroyd3Ja'Marr Chase (WR2)Rohaly4Justin Jefferson (WR3)Dalley5Tyreek Hill (WR4)Boone6Breece Hall (RB2)Belbeck7Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR5)Wile8Bijan Robinson (RB3)Nesci9Puka Nacua (WR6)Brunt10A.J. Brown (WR7)VaswaniRound 1: As usual, the first round was fairly uneventful. The trend in recent years has been toward more receiver-heavy builds in the early rounds, and this mock follows that pattern. While you could make a case for Garrett Wilson or Jonathan Taylor deserving a spot at the end of the round, they won't stay on the board for long.My pick: The fifth pick was a genuine toss-up between drafting Hill or Hall. Ultimately, I went with Hill, who averaged 119 catches, 1755 yards, and 10 touchdowns per season over the last two campaigns. As long as he stays healthy, he'll be in the conversation for the top-scoring fantasy wideout overall.Round 2PickPlayerTeam11Garrett Wilson (WR8)Vaswani12Jonathan Taylor (RB4)Brunt13Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR9)Nesci14Saquon Barkley (RB5)Wile15Chris Olave (WR10)Belbeck16Drake London (WR11)Boone17Jahmyr Gibbs (RB6)Dalley18Nico Collins (WR12)Rohaly19Kyren Williams (RB7)Holroyd20Brandon Aiyuk (WR13)MiariRound 2: Receivers continued to dominate the opening frames, with 13 wideouts chosen through the first 20 picks. The only real surprise selection was Collins, who went a few spots ahead of his ADP and before other stars at his position like Aiyuk and Davante Adams. I'm still projecting Collins to be the Texans' No. 1 pass-catcher, but his stats will be impacted by the return of Tank Dell and the addition of Stefon Diggs. That makes Collins more of an early third-round value in fantasy drafts.My pick: My desire to start WR-WR had me choosing between London, Aiyuk, and Adams, who are all very close in my 2024 projections. Knowing my coworkers' affinity for drafting the next rising star, I elected to take London and hoped Aiyuk or Adams fell to me in the third. With Kirk Cousins in Atlanta, we're about to see a career year from London, which should place him among the top 12 fantasy receivers by season's end.Round 3PickPlayerTeam21De'Von Achane (RB8)Miari22Derrick Henry (RB9)Holroyd23Sam LaPorta (TE1)Rohaly24Josh Allen (QB1)Dalley25Davante Adams (WR14)Boone26Mike Evans (WR15)Belbeck27Malik Nabers (WR16)Wile28DK Metcalf (WR17)Nesci29Deebo Samuel (WR18)Brunt30Jalen Hurts (QB2)VaswaniRound 3: Things started to get interesting here as managers begun revealing their strategies. Three teams - including mine - stayed away from running backs once again. Meanwhile, two managers secured both their starting running backs after three rounds. Our first two quarterbacks and first tight end also went off the board. The QBs are understandable, but it's tough to defend the LaPorta pick since it was a full round and 11 picks ahead of his ADP. With the depth at that position, I'd much rather wait a couple rounds and get a better value.My pick: As much as I'd hoped Aiyuk or Adams would fall to me in the third, it appeared a long shot. Fortunately, the other drafters weren't interested in the aging veteran who turns 32 in December, and Adams landed softly on my squad. I'll gladly take the long-time star who's finished among the top four in average targets per game each of the last six seasons and should get a slight upgrade at quarterback this year.Round 4PickPlayerTeam31Travis Etienne Jr. (RB10)Vaswani32Jaylen Waddle (WR19)Brunt33Stefon Diggs (WR20)Nesci34Travis Kelce (TE2)Wile35DJ Moore (WR21)Belbeck36Isiah Pacheco (RB11)Boone37DeVonta Smith (WR22)Dalley38James Cook (RB12)Rohaly39Michael Pittman Jr. (WR23)Holroyd40Cooper Kupp (WR24)MiariRound 4: The LaPorta pick from the last round looks even worse with Kelce going close to his ADP in the fourth - and being the only other tight end selected so far. Unless you're in a tight end-premium league, you don't need to be the first manager to pull the trigger on one.My pick: With the best WR trio in the league already on my roster, it was time to address another position. Pacheco was an easy pick here after finishing as a top-15 (FPPG) fantasy back last season. The Chiefs made little effort to address their backfield and even chose not to re-sign veteran Jerick McKinnon. That sets Pacheco up for a strong workload and a potential RB1 fantasy campaign.Round 5PickPlayerTeam41Tee Higgins (WR25)Miari42Zay Flowers (WR26)Holroyd43C.J. Stroud (QB3)Rohaly44Amari Cooper (WR27)Dalley45Josh Jacobs (RB13)Boone46Lamar Jackson (QB4)Belbeck47Patrick Mahomes (QB5)Wile48Mark Andrews (TE3)Nesci49Rachaad White (RB14)Brunt50George Pickens (WR28)VaswaniRound 5: We got a mini-run on quarterbacks in this round, with Stroud, Jackson, and Mahomes going off the board - in that order. This does seem a bit premature for Stroud, who was the QB10 in fantasy points per game during his outstanding rookie season. He has a lot of fantasy managers excited, especially with his new weapons, but taking him ahead of a proven producer like Jackson or an all-time great like Mahomes (who also has new weapons) could be a mistake.My pick: I strongly considered taking a quarterback (Jackson) or a tight end (Andrews) in this round, before deciding to go with the TD potential of Jacobs, the Packers' new starting back. If he can stay healthy, Jacobs has top-12 upside in Green Bay's potent attack and gives me a second quality fantasy back to combine with my elite receiving corps. However, this puts me at risk of missing out on a top-six QB or a top-seven tight end, which are the next tier breaks in my rankings.Round 6PickPlayerTeam51Dalton Kincaid (TE4)Vaswani52Trey McBride (TE5)Brunt53Joe Mixon (RB15)Nesci54Christian Kirk (WR29)Wile55Kenneth Walker III (RB16)Belbeck56Anthony Richardson (QB6)Boone57Tank Dell (WR30)Dalley58Jordan Addison (WR31)Rohaly59Kyle Pitts (TE6)Holroyd60Marquise Brown (WR32)MiariRound 6: The sweet spot for tight end picks turned out to be this round, with Kincaid, McBride, and Pitts getting drafted. All three have legitimate cases to be top-five fantasy tight ends this year, and you get them a round or two later than some of the other stars at their position.My pick: When it was time for my selection at 6.06, I went with the final QB in my current tier: Richardson. The 22-year-old is poised for a breakout after injuries limited him to just two full games as a rookie - which turned out to be two very impressive fantasy outings. With Pitts and George Kittle still available when I picked, I was once again hoping one of my targets would fall to the next round. Sadly, I didn't get as lucky this time.Round 7PickPlayerTeam61George Kittle (TE7)Miari62Terry McLaurin (WR33)Holroyd63Trey Benson (RB17)Rohaly64David Montgomery (RB18)Dalley65Alvin Kamara (RB19)Boone66Chris Godwin (WR34)Belbeck67Aaron Jones (RB20)Wile68Kyler Murray (QB7)Nesci69Jayden Reed (WR35)Brunt70Rhamondre Stevenson (RB21)VaswaniRound 7: For the first time, running backs make up at least half of the picks in this round. While the likes of Montgomery, Kamara, Jones, and Stevenson are regulars in and around this range, Benson went several rounds before his ADP. It's a move that could pay off if James Conner gets hurt or if the rookie simply outplays his veteran teammate. But it's hard to justify taking Benson over 40 picks above his current ADP and ahead of Conner, who's been a top-15 fantasy back the last few seasons, when healthy.My pick: With Kittle being drafted at the top of the round, I officially missed out on the top seven tight ends (a mistake) and had to direct my attention elsewhere. If I had to do it over again, I would've grabbed Jackson and Pitts in the previous two rounds. But Kamara is a nice fallback who can give me an advantage at the flex. Even at 28 years old, Kamara posted the fifth-most fantasy points per game among running backs last season.Round 8PickPlayerTeam71James Conner (RB22)Vaswani72Raheem Mostert (RB23)Brunt73D'Andre Swift (RB24)Nesci74Keenan Allen (WR36)Wile75Ladd McConkey (WR37)Belbeck76Calvin Ridley (WR38)Boone77Zamir White (RB25)Dalley78Brian Robinson Jr. (RB26)Rohaly79Joe Burrow (QB8)Holroyd80Najee Harris (RB27)MiariRound 8: With so much running back value available in this area of the draft, it's hard to justify spending up at the position. Players like Conner, Mostert, Swift, White, Robinson, and Harris could all provide RB2 fantasy numbers if they can stay healthy. Make sure you're getting in on some of the RB values in the seventh round and later.My pick: After taking running backs three of the last four rounds, and with no tight ends of note in this range, I took an upside receiver in Ridley. Despite underwhelming for most of his time with the Jaguars last season, it's intriguing to hear how new head coach and play-caller Brian Callahan plans to use Ridley around the formation. Fantasy managers are underestimating how different (more passing) the Titans' offense will be this season, and that's creating an opportunity for value with their skill-position players.Round 9PickPlayerTeam81Brian Thomas Jr. (WR39)Miari82Jonathon Brooks (RB28)Holroyd83Romeo Doubs (WR40)Rohaly84Keon Coleman (WR41)Dalley85Diontae Johnson (WR42)Boone86Zack Moss (RB29)Belbeck87Jaylen Warren (RB30)Wile88DeAndre Hopkins (WR43)Nesci89Dak Prescott (QB9)Brunt90Rashee Rice (WR44)VaswaniRound 9: Only three teams have yet to draft a tight end - including mine - but waiting to address the position is the smart move when the top seven TEs are gone. Team Miari is only roster without a quarterback through nine rounds, but that's fine in a 10-team league since he'll have his pick between Jordan Love, Brock Purdy, Caleb Williams, or Jayden Daniels in the next few rounds.My pick: Running back was a consideration here with Moss (who went one pick later) being at the top of my list at that position. However, I couldn't pass up the value of a potential high-volume wideout like Johnson. Dave Canales promises to kickstart the Panthers' passing attack this year, and Johnson was brought in to be the No. 1 target. He was the 42nd receiver taken in this draft, but I have him ranked as WR35 and a seventh-round value in this format.Round 10PickPlayerTeam91Xavier Worthy (WR45)Vaswani92Christian Watson (WR46)Brunt93Jameson Williams (WR47)Nesci94Rome Odunze (WR48)Wile95Evan Engram (TE8)Belbeck96Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR49)Boone97Curtis Samuel (WR50)Dalley98Khalil Shakir (WR51)Rohaly99Courtland Sutton (WR52)Holroyd100Rashid Shaheed (WR53)MiariRound 10: As I explain every year, the later rounds should be dedicated to pure upside as you attempt to unearth the next fantasy diamond. Worthy, Watson, Williams, Odunze, Smith-Njigba, Samuel, Shakir, and Shaheed all fit that description here.My pick: I wasn't planning on taking another receiver, but it's rare to get one of my breakout candidates in the 10th round. There are plenty of signs pointing to Smith-Njigba taking a step forward in his second season, including some strong performances down the stretch, the Seahawks' new pass-friendly offensive coordinator, and an offseason of praise from people with and around the team.Round 11PickPlayerTeam101Jordan Love (QB10)Miari102Mike Williams (WR54)Holroyd103Brock Bowers (TE9)Rohaly104Devin Singletary (RB31)Dalley105Tyjae Spears (RB32)Boone106Tony Pollard (RB33)Belbeck107Javonte Williams (RB34)Wile108Blake Corum (RB35)Nesci109Gus Edwards (RB36)Brunt110Tyler Lockett (WR55)VaswaniRound 11: As predicted, Team Miari finds great value at QB by selecting Love in this round. Love averaged the sixth-most fantasy points last year and could have an even better and healthier set of skill-position players this season. Meanwhile, Team Rohaly appears to be playing a little defense by drafting a second tight end in Bowers. With LaPorta already on his roster, Bowers seems like an unnecessary pick unless the goal was to block the two teams left without a tight end.My pick: Dalley and I are those two managers engaged in a standoff to be the last to pick a tight end and are heading into the final round with that starting spot still open. My choice to wait wasn't complicated - I couldn't let an upside RB like Spears remain on the board. Though a timeshare is the most likely outcome in Tennessee's backfield, Spears has the talent to handle the lead job if he can hold off Pollard. Whether you favor Spears or Pollard is a gamble you have to take in the 11th round.Round 12PickPlayerTeam111Jerome Ford (RB37)Vaswani112MarShawn Lloyd (RB38)Brunt113Jayden Daniels (QB11)Nesci114Ty Chandler (RB39)Wile115Zach Charbonnet (RB40)Belbeck116Jake Ferguson (TE10)Boone117Dallas Goedert (TE11)Dalley118Tyler Allgeier (RB41)Rohaly119Ezekiel Elliott (RB42)Holroyd120Nick Chubb (RB43)MiariRound 12: Running backs are some of the best targets in the final rounds because they're one injury away from achieving fantasy starter status. It's no shock that the final round is filled with RBs, featuring some of my favorite late-round picks like Ford, Lloyd, Chandler, and Charbonnet.My pick: Even though I waited until the final round, I was able to get Ferguson, who was the TE9 in fantasy points per game last year. The Cowboys didn't add much at receiver or tight end, and their backfield is likely weaker than it was in 2023. That positions Ferguson for a decent target share and another TE1 fantasy campaign.Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, and Google.In this episode, Boone opens up the fantasy mailbag to answer your questions heading into the summer.

Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons marked Week 1 against the Chicago Bears on his calendar, but not just because it's Tennessee's season opener.Simmons - one of the NFL's top trash talkers - said he can't wait to welcome No. 1 pick Caleb Williams to the league."Painted nails ... I can't wait to say that to him," Simmons recently said on the "Rich Eisen Show." "Most definitely. Oh, it's gonna be one of them games. I mean, he probably gets smack-talked by his teammates right now, but especially a game like that."Simmons added: "It's gonna be the first game of the season. They've got us coming to Chicago. All the hype's gonna be around them, of course. I think when special, even prime-time games ... everybody just counts Tennessee out, which we all know. A game like Chicago, I'm sure (they're) thinking we 'bout to get beat bad. That also makes me even talk more smack and boost me up a little more, get into a different mode, as well."Simmons is one of football's top interior linemen. The 26-year-old was limited to 12 games and 5.5 sacks due to injury last year, but he earned consecutive second-team All-Pro selections in 2021 and 2022.Williams joined the Bears this offseason as the consensus top prospect in the 2024 draft. The former Heisman Trophy winner posted a decorated career with the USC Trojans and has long worn his signature painted nails."I get it. You've got a first-round pick like Caleb Williams, which is a great player. Watching a couple games when he was at USC, he's a hell of a player," Simmons said. "But it's a different league, and I'm excited to play him the first game."Simmons recorded a sack on Bryce Young, the 2023 first overall pick, when the Titans beat the Carolina Panthers in Week 12 last year.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard doesn't expect quarterback Anthony Richardson to have any limitations at training camp next month."He'll be full-go," Ballard recently said on "The GM Shuffle" podcast, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. "He was full-go all the way up until the last day of OTAs, and we had two heavy throwing sessions the two days before, so we backed off a little on the last day."Richardson underwent shoulder surgery in 2023 after sustaining a season-ending injury five weeks into his rookie campaign. He returned at OTAs this offseason and was also a full participant during the first day of mandatory minicamp. The 22-year-old, however, left early on Day 2 and wasn't on the field for the final day due to soreness in his surgically repaired right arm.Colts head coach Shane Steichen said at the time that Richardson's absence was "precautionary."The 2023 No. 4 pick flashed his potential in Year 1 before being sidelined. Richardson finished last season with 577 passing yards and three touchdowns against one interception. He also rushed for 136 yards and four scores.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride has high expectations for quarterback Kyler Murray ahead of the 2024 season."This is my third year with him now, and he seems more motivated than ever," McBride said Tuesday, according to NFL.com's Michael Baca. "He's a guy who's bringing everyone together, we're throwing every weekend. ... He's in the building first one in and last one out. He's one of those guys who's doing everything the right way."Murray appeared in only eight games last year after starting the season recovering from a torn ACL. He completed 65.7% of his passes for 10 touchdowns against five interceptions and rushed for 244 yards and three scores."This is the most confident I've seen him," McBride added. "This is the first year I've been fully healthy with him - he's fully healthy. I think everything is trending the right way. He has a ton of weapons out there, and I have full confidence that he's capable of an MVP season."The 2019 No. 1 pick was an early MVP candidate in 2021 after helping Arizona start that season 7-0. But Murray later missed three games due to injury, and Arizona couldn't replicate that success in the campaign's second half.Murray has averaged 4,092 yards, 25 touchdown passes, and seven rushing TDs per 17 games throughout his career. However, the 26-year-old hasn't played a full season since 2020.The Cardinals added new offensive weapons this offseason, including wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the No. 1 wideout in the 2024 draft whom Arizona selected fourth overall."There's just so many different weapons," said McBride, who posted a career year with 81 receptions, 825 yards, and three touchdowns in 2023."We have so many different guys on this team, so many different guys that can make plays. ... I'm just eager to get out on the field and see how the coaches utilize us all."Arizona hasn't won a playoff game since the 2015 season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa don't seem to be on the same page as the two sides negotiate a contract extension.Miami hasn't offered the quarterback a market-value deal, ESPN's Jeff Darlington reported Tuesday on "NFL Live," per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald.Tagovailoa is seeking a deal at market price, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.Quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff recently signed massive extensions that are presumably affecting the negotiations between the Dolphins and Tagovailoa. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Lawrence to a five-year, $275-million deal earlier in June, while the Detroit Lions rewarded Goff with a four-year contract worth $212 million in May.The Dolphins' recent offers "are not in the Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence ballpark," Darlington reports.Lawrence tied Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow as the NFL's highest-paid quarterback with a $55-million average annual salary. Goff ranks third on the list ($53 million), according to Spotrac, which projects Tagovailoa's market value at $52.6 million per year.The Atlanta Falcons also gave free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins a huge contract in March, signing the 35-year-old to a four-year, $180-million deal."I'm not blind to people in my position that are getting paid," Tagovailoa said on June 4.Tagovailoa - like Lawrence and Goff - isn't on Burrow's level when it comes to quarterback play. But the Dolphins passer is coming off a strong season in which he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards. The 26-year-old also set career highs in 2023 with 29 touchdown passes and a 69.3% pass completion rate. He topped the league in rating and yards per attempt in 2022.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jaguars are staying in JacksonvilleThe Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville reached an agreement on a "groundbreaking" stadium of the future deal, the team announced Tuesday.The stadium deal is worth $1.4 billion and ties the Jaguars to Jacksonville for at least 30 years, according to Mark Long of the Associated Press.The pact will see the city contribute $775 million, while the Jaguars will pitch in $625 million, according to A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics."We're excited that the city council has approved this historic agreement that will keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville for decades to come, enhance the fan experience for NFL and non-NFL events, and provide a springboard for downtown growth starting with the completion of world-class riverfront parks," the team said in a statement.

More in this series

More in this series

What would it look like if we built a squad of NFL veterans over the age of 30 and pitted them against some of the league's up-and-coming stars under 24? Which team would come out on top? Let's dive in and decide. Scroll down on iOS to cast your vote.Note: We used players' ages as of Sept. 1 and excluded rookies.OffensesRising stars' offenseStroud is the clear answer at quarterback for the rising stars after his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, especially considering the lack of eligible passers. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Texans signal-caller would love having Hall and Robinson in the backfield. Both are excellent weapons as runners and receivers, just like Jahmyr Gibbs, who narrowly missed out on a spot.Speaking of receivers, Nacua, London, and Addison form an impressive trio of pass-catchers for Stroud to work with. All three eclipsed 900 yards last season, with Nacua setting records seemingly every week. Todd Kirkland / Getty Images Sport / GettyLaPorta earned the nod at tight end over Kyle Pitts thanks to his 889 yards and 10 scores over a sensational rookie season. The young Lions pass-catcher is also a capable blocker in the run game.Offensive line is the weakest position group for the youngsters. Outside of All-Pro picks Sewell and Smith, we're banking more on upside than proven production here.Ineligible 24-year-olds: Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence, Kyren Williams, James Cook, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Ja'Marr Chase, Garrett Wilson, Trey McBride, Dalton Kincaid, Creed Humphrey, Tyler LinderbaumVeterans' offenseUnlike with the rising stars, quarterback is a tough call for the veterans. Prescott, who earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2023, got the nod due in part to Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins both coming off serious injuries.Henry, who turned 30 in January, is a shoo-in for the starting running back job. The second spot went to Mostert after rushing for 1,012 yards and 18 touchdowns last year, both career bests.Wideout is the veterans' deepest position. Hill, Evans, and Adams are among the game's best, but Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins, and Stefon Diggs were all considered. Kirby Lee / Getty Images Sport / GettyGeorge Kittle would've taken the tight end spot if Kelce had elected to retire alongside his brother, Jason, but we'll roll with the all-timer who still put up 984 yards last year.While the offensive line is the young team's weakest group, it's a strength for this squad. Tyron Smith and Terron Armstead were left off in favor of Williams and Johnson, both perennial All-Pros. The interior is nearly as formidable, with Martin highlighting that trio. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyIneligible 29-year-olds: Jared Goff, Alvin Kamara, Aaron Jones, James Conner, Calvin Ridley, Dallas Goedert, Evan Engram, Laremy TunsilDefensesRising stars' defenseThe youngsters are bringing the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year in Anderson and pairing him with Thibodeaux for an explosive pair of edge defenders. George Karlaftis and Travon Walker were also considered.Benton's 6-foot-4, 309-pound frame is more than capable of keeping multiple blockers busy, leaving Carter free to wreak havoc in the opposition's backfield. The Georgia product finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting despite playing a rotational role on the Eagles' line. Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / GettyLinebacker is the shallowest defensive position for the rising stars with no true game-wreckers. We love what Pace and Harris bring as high-energy tacklers, though Leo Chenal and Jack Campbell were also considered.The secondary is another strength. Witherspoon and Stingley provide a pair of 6-foot corners who won't be easy to leap over on the outside. There's plenty of versatility on the back end, too, with Branch and Hamilton capable of operating as do-it-all defenders who can take on numerous roles alongside first-team All-Pro McDuffie. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIneligible 24-year-olds: Aidan Hutchinson, Jordan Davis, Alim McNeill, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sauce Gardner, Jevon Holland, Talanoa HufangaVeterans' defenseMack finds his way onto the roster after reviving his reputation as a pass-rusher in 2023 with 17 sacks. Lawrence isn't the most explosive pass-rusher at this point in his career but can still get to opposing quarterbacks while remaining elite against the run. Both Cameron Jordan and Matt Judon would've challenged for spots a year ago. Cooper Neill / Getty Images Sport / GettyThere were few more immediate locks than Jones after his second consecutive first-team All-Pro selection. Cameron Heyward and D.J. Reader could've been contenders but saw their seasons impacted by injury. Still, Buckner is a worthy choice after his sixth straight season with seven-plus sacks.What the youngsters lack in depth at linebacker, the veterans have in spades. Davis and Wagner seem to defy Father Time, with Wagner racking up an astonishing NFL-best 183 total tackles a year ago. Beyond them, we looked at C.J. Mosley, Lavonte David, and Matt Milano, though the latter playing in just five games last season prevented him from earning serious consideration. Perry Knotts / Getty Images Sport / GettySeveral high-profile defensive backs narrowly missed out, including Jordan Poyer, Kevin Byard, Micah Hyde, Mike Hilton, and Jonathan Jones. Both Gilmore and Simmons earned nods despite remaining free agents, while Mathieu, Slay, and Smith returned to their respective teams after solid 2023 campaigns.Ineligible 29-year-olds: T.J. Watt, Danielle Hunter, Haason Reddick, Trey Hendrickson, Vita Vea, Jalen Ramsey, Kendall Fuller, Kenny MooreMatchupsBoth quarterbacks are coming off Pro Bowl campaigns and have plenty of firepower to work with at the skill positions. Prescott impressed last season, but we'll give the slim advantage to Stroud. The 22-year-old led the league in yards per game and interception rate in his first campaign before picking up a dominant playoff win.The offensive weapons are also pretty even. The older players bring plenty of veteran savvy and consistency, while the youngsters are a big play waiting to happen on every snap. It's difficult to find an edge for either side, so we'll call it a draw.There's no questioning that the veterans' offensive line is ahead of their younger counterparts. Sewell and Smith are two of the league's best blockers, though even the "least accomplished" offensive linemen on the opposing team still have All-Pro nods and multiple Pro Bowls on their resumes. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyConsistency remains the calling card for the veterans when looking at the defensive fronts. Mack, Jones, Buckner, and Davis all totaled at least 6.5 sacks in 2023. Lawrence and Wagner, meanwhile, offer plenty against the run. The rising stars, meanwhile, are very explosive and only scratching the surface of their potential. However, in a one-game scenario, we'll back the veterans.The veterans' secondary is solid, but the younger secondary is more exciting. The youngsters had a combined 21 interceptions and forced fumbles last season and offer great athleticism to keep up with the older offensive weapons. While the veteran defensive backs are viable starters, they're more likely to give up explosive plays. Advantage rising stars. DeFodi Images / DeFodi Images / GettyUltimately, these two squads match up pretty well. In a few areas, one side has a leg up on the other, but it would be a close contest. In the end, we'll take the veteran squad to win by a narrow margin thanks to its consistency, as opposed to the inconsistent but explosive plays that the rising stars would likely lean on.Cast your vote for which squad you think comes out on top using the form below on iOS devices. Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is meeting with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, ESPN's Ryan Clark reports.The reported meeting comes amid a tense contract standoff between the sides as Aiyuk enters the final season of his rookie deal.Recent reports indicated contract negotiations between Aiyuk and San Francisco had stalled.The 26-year-old raised eyebrows last week when he posted a TikTok in which he tells Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, "They said they don't want me back."Aiyuk also didn't attend the team's mandatory minicamp earlier in June.He's reportedly targeted Amon-Ra St. Brown's four-year, $120.01-million deal as the benchmark for his next pact.The lagging contract negotiations led to buzz that the 49ers had shopped Aiyuk at the 2024 NFL Draft, though general manager John Lynch reiterated his commitment to the wideout following the event.Aiyuk hauled in 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers' board of directors unanimously approved Ed Policy as the franchise's new president and CEO on Monday, the team announced.Policy will replace Mark Murphy, who'll step away in July 2025 as he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.The 53-year-old Policy has spent 13 seasons with the Packers, serving as their chief operating officer over the last seven years. He'll be the 12th president in franchise history."Ed has been a tremendous asset to the organization during his 12 years here and has been greatly instrumental in our success," Murphy said in a statement. "His work on Titletown has been particularly impactful. He is highly respected - both in the building and within the NFL. I've enjoyed working with him and am confident he will be an excellent steward for the organization."The Packers have been successful during Murphy's tenure, which began in 2008. He helped Green Bay win Super Bowl XLV in 2011, and the team has reached the playoffs in 12 of the last 16 seasons.Policy said he hopes Green Bay will replicate that success."I am incredibly honored, excited, and grateful ... for this treasured and one-of-a-kind opportunity," Policy said. "I am particularly grateful to Mark for 12 years of mentorship. I am looking forward to building on his leadership and considerable success on and off the field."Policy previously spent nine years as an Arena Football League executive. He served as the league's commissioner, president, and CEO in 2008-09.The Ohio native is the son of Carmen Policy, the former 49ers president and CEO who helped San Francisco win five Super Bowl titles.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is embracing criticism ahead of his fourth year about whether he can consistently produce, particularly in the playoffs."The criticism is a privilege because sometimes a great standard is not good enough for those who are greater," Parsons said Friday, according to The Dallas Morning News' Sophia Vesly. "When people want things, you have to answer the call. It is not a negative thing. It is the most positive thing people can say to me because it pushes me and challenges me to be better."Parsons has found immediate success since being drafted by the Cowboys in 2021, winning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and receiving two first-team All-Pro nods.However, the Penn State product has struggled to extend his regular-season success into the postseason. In 2023, Parsons recorded three tackles for loss and one sack over three playoff games after posting a career-high 14 sacks during the regular season.Parsons also said Friday that he focused on muscle endurance this offseason, adding more lunges and squats to workouts to help keep his legs going later in the campaign.Dallas' defense will see a new face at the helm in 2024, with Mike Zimmer replacing Dan Quinn. Parsons said he's eager to embrace the new defensive play-caller."(The defensive team) has been very open and transparent with me about what they want, and how they want their defense to be run, and how he wants me to line up. It is great," Parsons added.Parsons is eligible for an extension after Dallas picked up the fifth-year option on his contract. The dynamic edge rusher is expected to get a significant deal and joins Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb among a queue of Cowboys players seeking a new pact ahead of the 2025 season.After missing most of the Cowboys' voluntary OTAs, Parsons returned to the team's facility for mandatory minicamp in June.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tight end Dallas Goedert isn't worried about his long-term status with the Philadelphia Eagles."I feel really good," Goedert told the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff Neiburg. "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."He added: "I still feel like the best years are ahead of me."Goedert signed a four-year extension in 2021. The 29-year-old will earn $6 million guaranteed this season but won't have any salary guarantees in the final year of the deal in 2025, per Over The Cap.The former second-round pick missed five games in 2022 due to a shoulder ailment. He also missed three games last season after sustaining a fractured forearm but still managed to haul in a career-high 59 receptions to go along with 592 yards and three touchdowns.Goedert said he hopes to carve out a feature role in the offense under new coordinator Kellen Moore. The Eagles boast playmakers in their huddle, beginning with quarterback Jalen Hurts. Wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are among the most productive tandems in the league. New addition Saquon Barkley brings a dual threat in the backfield to elevate a unit that could be prolific in 2024.The South Dakota State product credits Moore for changing up the reads and "making the offense make sense.""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 said.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin lauded rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels' early influence on Washington's offensive system."The first thing that stood out to me about Jayden Daniels is the poise he came in with. ... It seemed like he knew the entire offense when we got there," McLaurin said on ESPN's "SportCenter" show. "He's in there calling the huddles through the walkthroughs. He's in there calling the plays, and he's extremely confident."It's a testament to his preparation and his studying that he did on his own. But also, I think the kid loves ball, and he has a good feel for the game. So I think he really came in with the right mindset and energy, and guys are already gravitating to him."The Commanders drafted Daniels second overall in April. Washington has started a different Week 1 QB in each of the last seven seasons. The team traded Sam Howell - who made 17 starts in 2023 - to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.Washington also hired head coach Dan Quinn, who brought in Kliff Kingsbury as the club's new offensive coordinator."You'll see an offense this year who's playing with a lot of energy, who's playing together, who's playing unbelievable without the ball. ... That's a testament to the unselfishness (needed for) success as an offense," McLaurin added. "There's only one ball that can go around."An electric dual-threat signal-caller, Daniels posted his best season at LSU in 2023, accounting for 50 touchdowns en route to claiming the Heisman Trophy.McLaurin - considered one of the sport's best receivers in contested catches - has topped 1,000 yards in four straight seasons despite the Commanders' inconsistency at the quarterback position. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2022.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets running back Breece Hall is looking forward to his team's Monday Night Football matchup in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers and All-Pro tailback Christian McCaffrey.Hall is excited about the opportunity to prove he can keep up with McCaffrey, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year."It's on me," Hall said about improving his game in 2024, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. "I feel like right now McCaffrey's the best in the league. To me, he sets the standard. We're going to see him in Week 1 and we're playing against some of the best linebackers. For me, it's exciting just to see where I stand and really let everyone see my full talent now that I'm healthy."Hall stood out as a rookie in 2022, posting 681 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns in just seven games while averaging 5.8 yards per rushing attempt. A torn ACL ended his campaign prematurely.The former second-round pick played all 17 games in 2023, finishing the season with 995 yards (4.5 per carry) and five touchdowns on the ground, including an 83-yard score - last season's longest rushing TD. He also caught 76 passes for 591 yards and four touchdowns.Hall's 1,585 scrimmage yards in 2023 ranked fourth in the NFL."I ended the season on a good note," added Hall, who averaged 169 scrimmage yards and one touchdown in the campaign's final three games."Just still last season not feeling like 100% all the time, but now I had my first offseason to not just be trying to get back, but to get better. 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."McCaffrey isn't the only All-Pro running back Hall will face in 2024. In Week 16, the Jets host the Los Angeles Rams and Kyren Williams, who led the NFL in rushing yards per game last year and was named a second-team All-Pro.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Half PPR

Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, and Google.In this episode, Boone goes over the most important takeaways from recent minicamps around the league.

The New England Patriots are signing running back Rhamondre Stevenson to a four-year, $36-million extension that includes $17 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Stevenson will receive $8 million as a signing bonus, and his contract includes $12 million in incentives for posting at least 1,400 yards and earning Pro Bowl or All-Pro nods, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who notes the tailback's new deal begins in 2025.The Patriots had been negotiating a new contract with their top running back for weeks, and Stevenson said on June 10 that the two sides were "pretty close" to an extension.Stevenson's average annual salary of $9 million places him sixth among running backs, according to Spotrac.The 26-year-old topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in 2022 but couldn't replicate that success last year as injuries limited him to 12 games. He recorded 619 yards (4 per carry) and four touchdowns on the ground in 2023. He finished with 857 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns, ranking second and third, respectively, on the team.A fourth-round pick in 2021, Stevenson has rushed for 2,265 yards (4.5 per carry) and 14 touchdowns in 41 NFL appearances. He's also caught 121 passes for 782 yards and one score.Retaining key starters long term was a priority for the Patriots this offseason. In addition to Stevenson, New England re-signed safety Kyle Dugger, offensive tackle Mike Onwenu, and tight end Hunter Henry, among othersStevenson is the latest running back to ink a lucrative deal this year. The position faced a cold market in 2023, but this offseason has seen the likes of Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Josh Jacobs receive big multi-year contracts.Barkley signed a three-year, $37-million pact with the Philadelphia Eagles in March, while the Baltimore Ravens gave Henry a two-year, $16-million contract. Jacobs joined the Green Bay Packers on a four-year deal worth $48 million.The San Francisco 49ers recently rewarded running back Christian McCaffrey with a two-year extension, increasing his average annual salary to $19 million, easily the highest in the NFL at his position.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Trevor Lawrence opened up about what he expects from him and the Jacksonville Jaguars after signing a record five-year, $275-million extension with the team."Obviously, financially, it's amazing," Lawrence said after officially signing his deal Thursday. "But I think even more than that is the stability of being here for the long term. For however many years it ends up being."He added: "We're heading in the right direction. I want to be the quarterback here. I want to bring a championship to Jacksonville. That's my goal."Lawrence, now signed through the 2030 season, tied Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals as the NFL's highest-paid quarterback in average annual salary ($55 million). But Lawrence said he won't put himself under extra pressure because of the new contract, which includes $200 million in guaranteed money."Playing quarterback in this league is pressure anyway," Lawrence added. "I guess on the outside there's going to be bigger expectations with the long-term deal, being the franchise quarterback, and having the contract to say that - it might change how other people look at it. But for me, I think I've carried that responsibility anyway. Being a starting quarterback in this league is a big responsibility, and the team goes as you go. I know that."I'm not going to add any pressure to myself just based on getting this contract. It doesn't really change what I expect of myself and what the team expects of me."One of the most promising QB prospects in recent memory, Lawrence set career highs with 4,113 yards and 25 touchdowns against just eight interceptions in 2022. His production significantly improved after he threw a league-high 17 interceptions as a rookie in 2021.The former first overall pick passed for 4,016 yards and 21 TDs to 14 picks last season. The Jaguars, who reached the playoffs two years ago, have posted a 17-16 record with Lawrence under center over the past two campaigns.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.