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Player Notes

  • Vikings won't rush to name starting QB
    The Vikings could begin the season with Darnold as the team's starting quarterback despite taking J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, ESPN reports. "We're not going to rush his development," said general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. "We're just going to do what's best for the Vikings in the short and long term."

    Advice: Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings as a short-term veteran starter or backup. It's hard to handicap when McCarthy may take over the starting job this soon after the draft, but it's notable the Vikings are trying to reduce expectations. Expect the quarterback battle for the Week 1 starting job to commence this summer. Still, odds are Darnold will only be the starter for a few weeks at most if McCarthy is healthy and making progress. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 10:25 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    189th
  • Jaguars to exercise Etienne’s fifth-year option
    Jaguars exercised Travis Etienne’s fifth-year team option for 2025.

    Advice: As fantasy football writer Jakob Sanderson points out, Etienne’s option being exercised the same weekend the Jags only added return man RB Keilan Robinson in the draft makes it a good weekend for Etienne’s Dynasty league value despite coach Doug Pederson’s supposed desire to get Tank Bigsby more involved in 2024. ’23 was definitely a shaky campaign for Etienne, but he appears poised to remain the Jags’ primary backfield option on every down. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:18 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    43rd
  • Jags to exercise Lawrence’s fifth-year option
    Jaguars exercised Trevor Lawrence’s fifth-year team option for 2025.

    Advice: The move was a formality even after Lawrence’s stretch-run struggles. A summer extension is likely also a formality, though Lawrence is now officially under team control for two more seasons. With Brian Thomas Jr. aligning opposite Gabriel Davis on the outside, Lawrence will have a deep, varied receiver corps for 2024 despite the free agent loss of Calvin Ridley. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:17 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    141st
  • Lynch claims 49ers didn’t ‘entertain’ WR trades
    49ers GM John Lynch claimed the team didn’t “entertain” any wide receiver trade offers on Friday.

    Advice: “We’re happy with our wide receiver group,” Lynch continued. “Actually, more than happy. We’re thrilled with it. And thrilled to add Ricky (Pearsall) to it to make it stronger.” Ok, now that’s really laying it on thick. One of the league’s worst-kept secrets is that the Niners know they can’t pay both Deebo Samuel and contract-year wideout Brandon Aiyuk, but the right trade offers just never materialized. It would now appear both will remain on the roster for 2024, but perhaps the Niners will move on to “entertaining” 2025 selections. Rotoworld Friday, 8:15 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    21st
  • Tracking to be Chicago's QB2
    Following the selection of No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, Bagent is viewed as the favorite to open the season as the Bears' primary backup quarterback, USA Today's Vincent Parise reports.

    Advice: With Justin Fields traded to the Steelers earlier in the offseason, it leaves Bagent and Brett Rypien behind Williams. There's a chance Chicago adds an experienced veteran to what is currently a pretty young quarterback room, but Bagent showed well enough as a rookie last year to enter 2024 with a chance to claim backup duties. Bagent went 2-2 in four games as a starter, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 859 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions and adding 109 rushing yards and two additional scores on 23 attempts. Rotowire.com Friday, 2:58 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1612th
  • Joined by first-round rookie QB
    Cousins (Achilles), who signed a four-year deal with Atlanta in March, is slated to be joined in the team's QB corps by Michael Penix, who was taken with the No. 8 overall pick in Thursday's NFL draft, Terrin Waack of the Falcons' official site reports.

    Advice: Despite the franchise's surprising decision to select Penix, Cousins, who is rebounding from an Achilles tear that he sustained Oct. 29, remains locked in as the Falcons' No. 1 QB for the foreseeable future. Regarding that topic, GM Terry Fontenot noted Thursday, "Kirk Cousins is our quarterback. We're very excited about Kirk, very excited about this team. (With) Michael Penix we're talking about the future. The draft is you look at the future and you look at big picture." In terms of his injury recovery, Cousins relayed last month that he's progressing well and is "optimistic that (he) can be full speed at practice before (the Falcons) break for the summer." In any case, barring any setbacks, Cousins -- who turns 36 in August -- is entrenched atop Atlanta's depth chart, with Penix providing the team with both an insurance policy for the veteran signal-caller, as well as a potential successor down the road. Rotowire.com Friday, 2:26 pm
    Kirk CousinsAtl - QB
    Bye
    Player Note
    Q
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    115th
  • Bumps down the depth chart
    With the Panthers' selection of Xavier Legette with the No. 32 overall pick Thursday night, Mingo is pushed down the wide receiver depth chart, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Carolina has made it a point to upgrade its wideout room this offseason, first trading for Diontae Johnson before then trading up into the final pick of the first round for Legette. Adding those two to veteran slot man Adam Thielen pushes both Mingo and Terrace Marshall down in the pecking order for targets. Mingo -- who is bouncing back from a late-season foot issue -- started 14 of 15 games he appeared in as a rookie, but he posted an uninspiring 43-418-0 receiving line on 85 targets. He was one of the least productive starting receivers in the league in 2023. Rotowire.com Friday, 12:59 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    158th
  • 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 Friday, 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 Friday, 9:49 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1939th