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Player Notes

  • Chiefs prioritize pushing the ball downfield
    Patrick Mahomes said "[Andy Reid] is really pushing us to push [the ball] down the field” in OTAs.

    Advice: Mahomes has relied on short-to-intermediate passing over the last three years, culminating in a career-low 6.9-yard aDOT in 2023. The team refocused on the downfield passing game this offseason by adding speed to the wide receiver corps and featuring deep-ball passing in OTAs. Mahomes is reportedly honing his connection with free agent signee Marquise Brown. According to The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, nearly half of Mahomes’ Wednesday passing attempts traveled 20-plus yards downfield. Rotoworld Thursday, 10:59 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    3rd
  • Deshaun Watson (shoulder) throwing every other day
    Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said Deshaun Watson is throwing every other day as he continues to rehab from last year’s shoulder injury.

    Advice: Stefanski said Watson “looked like himself to me” when asked about his recovery, adding that he’s “making great progress.” Watson underwent season-ending surgery last season to repair a fracture in his shoulder and played in just six games as a result. Watson said earlier that he’s already throwing at full speed, and GM Andrew Berry expects him to be ready for the start of the season, but we’ll see how things play out closer to training camp. Previous reports of Watson’s recovery have been mostly positive, giving us little reason to believe he won’t be ready by the start of the season. Jameis Winston will start in place of Watson should he miss any time. In addition to Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who suffered a season-ending hip injury last December, has been present at OTAs but is not participating as he continues his recovery. Rotoworld Thursday, 6:31 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    20th
  • Drops weight over offseason
    Jackson said Wednesday that he dropped weight over the offseason in an effort to be more agile in 2024, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: Jackson was listed at 215 pounds last season and 225 during the 2022 season. Earlier this month, Jackson indicated he was closer to 205 pounds, but it's unclear if that's his intended playing weight. An even more elusive Jackson would be dangerous to opposing defenses, and adding Derrick Henry and getting Mark Andrews back to full health after his season was derailed by a broken ankle could make the Baltimore offense even more lethal in 2024. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 7:28 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    4th
  • Geno Smith getting ‘good grasp’ of new offense
    Seahawks QB Geno Smith said he feels he has “a really good grasp” of the team’s offense under new OC Ryan Grubb.

    Advice: ESPN’s Brady Henderson relayed Smith’s sentiments on learning the offense. Smith said “I feel like I’m a dropback passer and I feel like this is a dropback offense...” New offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb came over from the same position with the University of Washington where he was also quarterbacks coach to Michael Penix. Smith is entering his third season with the Seahawks and has had a semi-rejuvenation for his career in Seattle. Grubb’s offense under new head coach Mike Macdonald will be a change of pace from the previous regime under Pete Carroll. Sam Howell is the backup for now with Smith under contract for two more seasons. Rotoworld Wednesday, 4:12 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    27th
  • Dropped by Jets
    The Jets waived Suits on Wednesday, John Pullano of the team's official site reports.

    Advice: Suits was picked up by the Jets as an undrafted free agent in early May, but the team has since decided to cut the 24-year-old quarterback loose. In his final collegiate season, the Houston Christian product threw for 1,919 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 283 pass attempts. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 12:22 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    760th
  • Cowboys QB coach: Trey Lance ‘super coachable’
    Cowboys quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien said Trey Lance is “super coachable.”

    Advice: “It’s not just hearsay for him, he works at it, whether he’s with us or on his own time. It’s obvious that he works at it and we’re appreciative of that,” Tolzien said after Tuesday’s OTAs. Lance, 24, who was acquired by Dallas last season in exchange for a fourth round draft pick, is expected to see plenty of action in the preseason while Dak Prescott sits. After mostly serving as the Cowboys’ emergency QB3 in 2023, Lance could be Prescott’s direct backup in 2024. His rushing potential could make Lance interesting for fantasy purposes if Prescott misses any time this season. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:51 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    550th
  • Justin Fields: ‘I’m nowhere near my ceiling’
    Steelers QB Justin Fields said he’s “nowhere near [his] ceiling.”

    Advice: Fields practiced alongside nominal starting QB Russell Wilson during OTAs this week and said the quarterback duo is “definitely competing” for the Steelers’ Week 1 starting job. “I’m not the same quarterback that I was last year,” Fields said. “I’m not the same quarterback that I even was yesterday. … I think I have a lot more room to grow. I’m nowhere near my ceiling.” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo said the quarterback competition will continue throughout the summer, though it “remains to be seen whether Fields can do enough in practice and in preseason games to change the team’s thinking.” The hyper-mobile Fields could eventually be while Wilson is deployed as the between-the-20s QB in Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense.

    Rotoworld Wednesday, 7:21 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    278th
  • Participating in OTAs
    Hardison (elbow) was a full participant at the Dolphins' organized team activities Monday, Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post reports.

    Advice: Hardison had an elbow injury when he signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent in April. The UTEP product appears to be healthy now, though. He'll compete with Skylar Thompson for the No. 3 option under center behind Tua Tagovailoa and Mike White. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 6:08 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    714th
  • Moves past foot issue
    Levis (foot) participated in 7-on-7 drills during Tuesday's OTA session.

    Advice: Levis was slowed by a foot injury late last season, but he relayed in February that he was close to 100 percent healthy. The second-year QB appears to have put the issue behind him, and Levis got in some work with the Titans' top wideouts Tuesday, a group that includes free-agent additions Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd along with returnees DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks. With veteran Ryan Tannehill no longer in the mix, Levis is the team's clear-cut top QB, backed up by Mason Rudolph and Malik Willis. During his rookie season, Levis completed 149-of-255 passing attempts for 1,808 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions over nine starts. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 2:33 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    25th