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Player Notes

  • Drawing interest from Pats, Bills
    The Patriots and Bills have interest in trading for Samuel, Michael Giardi of Boston Sports Journal reports.

    Advice: There's been a lot of trade chatter around Samuel's teammate, Brandon Aiyuk, but Giardi reports Samuel is "more likely to be traded" and has a couple interested suitors in Buffalo and New England. Both offenses are in dire need of wideout help, and the Bills (33rd overall) and Patriots (34th) hold picks atop the second round of the NFL Draft Friday night. Samuel has two years left on his contract but has been more prone to injuries throughout his career, missing six regular-season games and parts of several others across the last two seasons. Aiyuk, meanwhile, is coming off a career year and a second consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. The Niners used their first-round pick Thursday night on Florida WR Ricky Pearsall, further fueling trade chatter on the team's veteran wideouts. Rotowire.com 20 minutes ago
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    21st
  • Zeke returning to DAL is ‘increasingly imminent’
    The Dallas Morning News’s Michael Ghelken reports Ezekiel Elliott signing with the Cowboys is “increasingly imminent.”

    Advice: Ghelken noted that Dallas drafting a running back would not change the team’s interest in bringing back Zeke. The former and soon-to-be Cowboy has already visited Dallas this offseason. The Cowboys running back room is currently headlined by Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn. Though all signs point to them drafting Texas running back Jonathon Brooks, Zeke may be viewed as a better option to back Brooks up based on his experience and pass-blocking abilities. Brooks would still be the top rookie back in dynasty circles if Dallas drafts him, though Zeke could vulture a few touchdowns at the goal line. Rotoworld Today, 10:10 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    131st
  • Set to compete with Maye
    Brissett is in line to compete with newcomer Drake Maye for the Patriots' starting QB job ahead of the upcoming NFL season, Mike Reiss of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Given that New England selected Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it's only a matter of time before the North Carolina product is installed as the team's starter. That said, it's possible that the rookie begins the season as Brissett's understudy, with coach Jerod Mayo noting Thursday of the Patriots' signal-caller situation that "at the end of the day, our philosophy is the best players will play. We will compete and the best player will start." Brissett rejoined the franchise that drafted him in 2016 on a reported one-year, $8 million deal, providing New England with an experienced option, who can either helm the offense until Maye is deemed ready to do so, or alternatively serve as quality backup and mentor to Maye, who doesn't turn 22 until Aug. 30. Meanwhile, 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke are also on hand to provide the Patriots with QB depth ahead of training camp. Rotowire.com Today, 9:49 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1939th
  • Likely headed for backup role again
    Mariota will be joined by fellow Heisman winner and No. 2 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels in Washington's QB room.

    Advice: The incoming rookie was a four-year college starter (five if you count a COVID-shortened season) and is already 23 years old, making him a strong bet to quickly take over as QB1 in Washington. Mariota presumably knew the Commanders were likely to use the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback when he signed with them in March, but the team at least traded Sam Howell to Seattle, leaving the 30-year-old unchallenged for a backup role. It remains to be seen how the Commanders divide reps between Daniels and Mariota this spring and into summer. Rotowire.com Today, 6:36 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1917th
  • Joined by Bowers in TE room
    GM Tom Telesco said Thursday that he excepts Mayer to "take a leap this year" even though the Raiders drafted fellow tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13 overall, Nick Walters of KTNV Las Vegas reports.

    Advice: The Raiders presumably plan to use a lot of multi-TE formations, but the new competition for snaps and targets is nonetheless terrible news for Mayer's fantasy value. He and Bowers were arguably the most productive tight ends in college football over the past half-decade, with Mayer recording 2,099 yards and 18 TDs in three seasons at Notre Dame and Bowers putting up 2,538 and 26, respectively, over three seasons for Georgia. While Mayer is both taller and heavier, Bowers is faster, more agile and an earlier draft pick (Mayer went 35th in 2023). On the bright side, Telesco said there's "no concern" about the foot injury that brought Mayer's rookie season to an early end after 14 games (12 starts) and a 27-304-2 receiving line, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 9:15 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    178th
  • NFL Net: Cousins wasn’t warned about Penix pick
    According to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, Kirk Cousin’s agent was not told that the Falcons planned to draft Michael Penix with the eighth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

    Advice: Speaking during NFL Network’s live draft coverage, Jeremiah mentioned that he reached out to Cousin’s agent, Mike McCartney, who said that neither he nor Cousins were given a heads-up by the Falcons that they were going to take Penix. Considering the Falcons just signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, the fact that the Falcons would draft a quarterback in the first round and also not tell Cousins is doubly shocking. Penix is also one of the older quarterbacks in the class at 24 years old, so he’ll be 28 by the time Cousins’ contract is over. This certainly doesn’t seem like a situation where the Falcons plan to have both players on the roster for a long time, but what their exact plan is remains anybody’s guess. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:57 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    115th
  • Schefter: Bolts gave ‘flat no’ to Herbert calls
    According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, both the Patriots and Vikings reached out to the Chargers to see if they had any interest in trading QB Justin Herbert.

    Advice: The Chargers’ answer was, very quickly, “a flat no.” Instead, the Chargers kept Herbert and gave him more protection by selecting OT Joe Alt. In reality, the Chargers trading Herbert never made much sense. Mostly because he’s a good quarterback but also because they would have had to take on a $63.5 million cap charge for the 2024 season. The Chargers only have $32.3 million of cap space, so the move would have been a financial mess. We can all turn the page on these rumors now. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:07 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    140th
  • Lucrative extension with Philly
    Brown (knee) signed a three-year, $96 million extension with the Eagles on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

    Advice: Rumors emerged early in the offseason that Brown was on his way out of Philadelphia after a disappointing close to the 2023 campaign. He did his best to shut the speculation down, and this extension -- which reportedly includes $84 million in guaranteed money -- should squash any lingering doubt as to his future with the Eagles as he's now under contract through 2029. Brown -- who is bouncing back from a knee issue that he sustained in the Eagles' regular-season finale -- has had two standout seasons with the team, topping 1,450 in each year with 18 total touchdowns. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 4:54 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    13th
  • Report: SF dangling Aiyuk, Deebo in trade-up talks
    The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the 49ers are telling teams they are willing to trade either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel in an effort to move up in Thursday’s first round.

    Advice: “The 49ers have had conversations with teams, including with one picking in the top 10, about trading either of their prized wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel in an effort to move up in the first round, per sources,” was Russini’s exact report. Now we’re talking. There has been loose — emphasis on loose — chatter about this possibility this week because it makes a little too much sense for a team that is not going to be able to pay both wideouts long term. Like their archrival Los Angeles (Rams), the Niners also have an addiction to splashy trades. This is a major storyline to follow Thursday evening. Rotoworld Yesterday, 2:04 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    24th