Player Notes

  • Joining Denver's WR corps
    Reynolds agreed Wednesday with the Broncos on a two-year contract, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

    Advice: Per Garafolo, Reynolds' deal with Denver is worth a maximum of $14 million. The wideout, who turned 29 years old last month, is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he caught 40 of his 64 targets for 608 yards and five touchdowns in 17 regular-season contests for Detroit. With the Broncos, Reynolds will help fill the void created by the recent trade of Jerry Jeudy to the Browns. Reynolds will have a chance to compete with Tim Patrick (Achilles) and Marvin Mims for targets behind No. 1 wideout Courtland Sutton. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 10:32 am
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    194th
  • Talking extension
    St. Brown is discussing an extension with the Lions, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.

    Advice: The 2021 fourth-round pick is entering the final season of his rookie contract, after catching 315 passes for 3,588 yards and 21 touchdowns through his first three years. It's likely only a matter of time before St. Brown becomes one of the highest-paid non-QBs in the league, though he may be hesitant to sign before seeing what other top WRs about to hit the open market end up getting, such as Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase. In any case, St. Brown will be back as the lead target for quarterback Jared Goff in a talented Detroit offense that looks set to return either nine or 10 starters from last season plus a handful of key backups. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 12:47 pm
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    18th
  • May be used like Ja'Marr Chase
    Titans coach Brian Callahan told ESPN's Kevin Clark that he envisions Ridley's role as being "very similar" to what Ja'Marr Chase did for the Bengals.

    Advice: Chase is bigger, stronger and probably also faster, not to mention he has Joe Burrow throwing him the ball rather than Will Levis. Still, it's promising that Callahan -- the former offensive coordinator in Cincinnati -- hopes to have Ridley mimic Chase's usage, as the 2021 fifth overall pick got a lot of easy receptions the past two years, including 35 targets behind the line of scrimmage in 2023 (tied for second most among WRs). Ridley saw eight passes behind the line last season in Jacksonville and got only 22 percent of his targets between the numbers, whereas Chase drew 44 percent of his looks in the middle part of the field. The Titans do have other solid options for screens and quick passes, however, with Ridley joined by DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks at wide receiver, tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo and running backs Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 11:29 am
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    63rd
  • Team optimistic after testing
    The Packers feel like they have a better understanding of Watson's injury issues after he underwent a body scan at University of Wisconsin-Madison earlier this offseason, Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com reports.

    Advice: Hamstring problems resulted in multi-game absences three times during Watson's first two NFL seasons, and he was removed early from other contests with a concussion (Week 8 of 2022), chest injury (Week 9 of 2022), hip injury (Week 16 of 2022) and back/chest injury (Week 9 of 2023). It's a worrying list of medical problems for someone with only 953 career snaps -- essentially one season's worth -- but Watson has mostly been effective when available, catching 69 of 119 targets for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns and taking 11 carries for 91 yards and two additional scores. The 2022 second-round pick is part of one of the deepest group of pass catchers in the league, with Green Bay having six players who recorded over 350 receiving yards last season, all of them rookies or second-year pros. Watson's 4.36 speed is unique among that group, but durability and workload concerns remain a significant part of the fantasy equation even if the Packers are feeling more optimistic about his chances of staying relatively healthy in 2024. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 10:43 am
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    227th
  • Weighing offer from Dolphins
    Miami has extended a contract offer to Beckham, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Beckham visited the Dolphins last week, and coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that the team has an offer extended to the veteran wideout. With Cedrick Wilson having departed in free agency, Miami is in need of a No. 3 wide receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and Beckham likely would offer the team an upgrade over what's been fielded at that spot in recent years. Though the 31-year-old finished with just 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns over 14 games for the Ravens last season, including two playoff matches, it's difficult to think of a landing spot better for Beckham's potential fantasy prospects than with the Dolphins. Rotowire.com Monday, 11:16 am
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    218th
  • Team denies trade rumors
    GM John Lynch said Monday that the 49ers have not engaged in trade discussions regarding Aiyuk and that both sides continue to have active talks about a contract extension, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

    Advice: Lynch also noted that San Francisco would be amicable to Aiyuk simply playing out the 2024 season on his fifth-year option, an outcome that would position the young wideout to hit free agency next offseason. The 2020 first-round pick recorded a 75-1,342-7 receiving line across 16 regular-season games last year, and while his skills certainly are central to the 49ers offense and Brock Purdy's continued success, the team is tight against the cap with a star-studded list of skill-position players that also includes WR Deebo Samuel, RB Christian McCaffrey and TE George Kittle (groin). Trade rumors may continue to surround Aiyuk this offseason even after Lynch's denial, but considering San Francisco's status as a win-now roster and high-end contender in the NFC, the team likely places extreme value on the 26-year-old wideout's continued presence, even if only for the short term. Rotowire.com Monday, 9:29 am
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    42nd
  • Joining Pittsburgh
    Watkins is signing with the Steelers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: A 2020 sixth-round pick, Watkins made 25 starts for Philadelphia over the past four seasons but never saw more than 62 targets in a year. His 4.35 speed is his best trait, and he'll now join a Steelers team with only George Pickens entrenched as a starting wide receiver. Pittsburgh's other options at the position include Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, Denzel Mims and Marquez Callaway, with more help possibly coming during the 2024 NFL Draft. Rotowire.com Monday, 8:26 am
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    476th
  • Could sign extension this offseason
    GM Ryan Poles said Monday that he thinks Allen will sign an extension with the Bears "down the road" after the team handles other contracts, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: Poles seems to be suggesting that the Bears first want to work out extensions for players that have been with the team longer, though they already took care of two big ones in DE Montez Sweat (November) and CB Jaylon Johnson (March). Allen's new partner at wide receiver might be next in line, as DJ Moore's contract has two more seasons and $32.1 million but nothing guaranteed. Allen has one year and $23.1 million remaining, with the large sum explaining why the Chargers traded him for a mere fourth-round pick on the heels of a 2023 campaign in which he had career highs of 95.6 receiving yards and 21.5 PPR points per game (both numbers ranking Top 4 among all WRs). Allen missed the final four games with a heel injury and will turn 32 in April, but there's been no report of offseason surgery or any complications, so he should be a huge asset in the short term for presumed No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams. Rotowire.com Monday, 6:46 am
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    34th
  • Back with G-Men
    Hodgins agreed to a contract with the Giants on Thursday.

    Advice: Hodgins has spent the majority of the last two seasons with the Giants and had flashes of productivity late in the 2022 campaign. New York didn't tender him a contract as a restricted free agent, but the sides have agreed to new terms. The addition of Isaiah McKenzie this offseason could push Hodgins further down the wide receiver depth chart, and the team is also rumored to be interested in some of the top pass catchers in this year's draft class. Given that, Hodgins' role with the Giants is currently unclear. Rotowire.com Thursday, 6:10 pm
    Week 18 Projected Rank
    319th