Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football

Player Notes

  • 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 Yesterday, 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 Yesterday, 2:26 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    115th
  • 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 Yesterday, 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 Yesterday, 6:36 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1917th
  • 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 Thursday, 6:07 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    140th
  • Schefter: No deal imminent for Jared Goff
    ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports there is no contract extension “imminent” for Jared Goff.

    Advice: The Lions just signed Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown to massive extensions, but it sounds like Goff will have to wait. Schefter did note that the two sides have spoken about an extension, though “no deal is close at this time.” Goff is set to enter the final year of his current contract. After getting his team a few plays away from a Super Bowl appearance last year, he is rightfully looking for a new contract before the start of the upcoming season. Goff will become a free agent in 2025 if they don’t get a deal done. The Lions could place the franchise tag on him then as well. Rotoworld Wednesday, 12:14 pm
    Jared GoffDet - QB
    Bye
    Player Note
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    118th
  • Fifth-year option declined
    The Steelers informed Fields on Wednesday that they won't exercise his fifth-year option for 2025, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

    Advice: The Steelers' decision comes as little surprise, given that Fields is coming into his new organization as the second quarterback on the depth chart and would be guaranteed around $25.66 million in 2025 if Pittsburgh were to pick up his option before the May 2 deadline. While the team may have interest in keeping him around beyond the upcoming season, it won't be at a hefty price before he's ever put on a Steelers uniform. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that fellow offseason acquisition Russell Wilson will enter offseason workouts in "pole position" at quarterback, with Fields then getting a chance to compete at some point in the future, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. Fields is on track to be a free agent next spring, and his playing time between now and then seems largely dependent on Wilson struggling or missing time with an injury. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 7:04 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    222nd
  • Back in Cincinnati
    Woodside signed a one-year contract with the Bengals on Tuesday.

    Advice: Woodside was selected by Cincinnati in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft and will return to the team after stops with the Titans and Falcons. The Toledo product has made spot appearances in 13 games over the past four seasons, completing four of seven pass attempts for 34 yards and an interception. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 12:44 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    2002nd
  • Bengals sign QB Jake Browning to 2-year extension
    Bengals signed QB Jake Browning to a two-year contract extension.

    Advice: Browning filled in admirably for Joe Burrow in 2023, throwing for nearly 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns over seven starts for Cincinnati. Browning had the league’s seventh highest completion rate over expected and tenth best EPA per drop back as the Bengals went 4-3 in his starts. He completed 70 percent of his passes in 2023. Browning, 28, could serve a crucial function for the Cincy offense considering Burrow’s lengthy injury history. Rotoworld Tuesday, 7:27 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    295th