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  • Optimistic about Kingsbury's offense
    Dotson recently told reporters it's been "really nice" having a simplified approach under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: Dotson wasn't a good fit under former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, whose scheme emphasized screen passes and other quick throws that relied on yards after the catch. That's not Dotson's strength, nor did it help that Sam Howell was one of the least accurate QBs on deep passes. Kingsbury and No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels may prove to be better fits for Dotson, but it would still be unwise to completely ignore his 2023 struggles. Out of 81 qualified wide receivers, he was 73rd in yards per target (6.2), 77th in yards per route (0.79), 78th in YAC average (2.1) and 78th in target rate (12.7 percent). Dotson had five more yards and three more TDs in five fewer games back in 2022, when he was the 16th overall draft pick and a Week 1 starter. The upcoming season will be his fifth in a row with a new coordinator/playcaller, dating back to his junior year at Penn State. Rotowire.com Sunday, 3:19 pm
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    6.02 (218th)
  • Works with starters at minicamp
    Daniels got most of the first-team reps at June minicamp, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reports.

    Advice: Commanders WR Terry McLaurin, RB Austin Ekeler and head coach Dan Quinn all offered glowing praise during minicamp, mentioning Daniels' work ethic, leadership and understanding of Kliff Kingsbury's offense. Even so, Quinn hasn't determined a Week 1 starter and said the plan all along was for Daniels and Marcus Mariota to split first-team snaps during spring practices, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Reports from training camp in late July and early August should provide a better idea as to whether Daniels is truly competing with Mariota or is all but locked in for the Week 1 start at Tampa Bay. Rotowire.com Sunday, 2:34 pm
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    15.01 (24th)
  • Bigsby ‘didn’t have standout’ offseason program
    Sports Illustrated’s John Shipley reports Tank Bigsby “didn’t have the standout offseason program that he had last year.”

    Advice: More concerningly, Shipley reports Bigsby continued to struggle with drops. Coach Doug Pederson has talked up wanting to get Bigsby more involved as a second-year pro after his disappointing rookie campaign, but he’s off to a poor start. It’s extra bad news for the Jags since they passed on meaningful reinforcements in the draft or free agency. Travis Etienne continues to profile for massive work even though Jacksonville knows he ideally would be more of a 60 percent player from a snaps perspective. Fifth-rounder Keilan Robinson is a name to file away. Rotoworld Sunday, 8:47 am
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    2.85 (328th)
  • Impresses throughout OTAs
    Likely was one of Baltimore's standouts during spring practices, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

    Advice: With Rashod Bateman positioned as their No. 2 WR and Nelson Agholor the No. 3, the Ravens may often prefer passing from two-TE formations using Likely and Mark Andrews together. Even if that's the case, Likely will have a hard time drawing enough targets to be a fantasy starter when Andrews is healthy, especially because Baltimore also has FB Patrick Ricard taking some skill-position snaps. Likely caught nine passes through his first 11 games last year before exploding for a 21-322-5 receiving line over the final six weeks of the regular season (28 targets) while Andrews was out with a leg/ankle injury. If nothing else, Likely should be a functional fantasy starter in the event Andrews misses games again. Rotowire.com Saturday, 12:28 pm
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    4.09 (272nd)
  • Tucker ticketed for more ‘multidimensional’ role?
    ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez believes second-year Raiders WR Tre Tucker has "(solidified) his hold not only on a roster spot but also on a more multidimensional role beyond speed.”

    Advice: 5-foot-9, 4.4-speed Tucker caught just 19 balls as a third-round rookie last season, though 11 of those came over his final four games. Per Gutierrez, he has been “blowing by poor defensive backs” and “stopping on a dime to run comebacks and outs.” He’s caught the attention of coach Antonio Pierce. “Tre Tucker, different dude,” Pierce gushed. “Looks different. Acts different. Runs different. Catches the ball different. Don’t look at the size; don’t mention that. Watch him play. He’s the biggest guy out there.” Tucker is a distant third on the depth chart behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, but his No. 3 job certainly sounds secured. He’s a late-round freebie behind his older teammates. Rotoworld Thursday, 3:07 pm
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    3.45 (294th)
  • Wilson ‘clearly’ playing better than Fields
    The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo says Russell Wilson “has clearly been the better quarterback” during the Steelers’ offseason.

    Advice: DeFabo added that there doesn’t be much of a competition at quarterback at this time, noting that Wilson “has taken the overwhelming majority of meaningful reps, including on the final day of minicamp, when almost every veteran took off.” He also said Fields “doesn’t often shine in seven-on-seven situations,” which isn’t a great endorsement for him with training camp a month away. Both Wilson and Fields are in career-rebuilding mode after flaming out at their previous stops. Neither is going particularly high in fantasy drafts, with Wilson currently going outside of the top 24 in most best ball drafts. Fields’ rushing ability makes him a potentially high-upside fantasy stash whenever he gets a chance to start, but it sounds like Wilson has a good grip on the job heading into training camp. Rotoworld Thursday, 10:41 am
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    13.45 (38th)
  • Frustrated with negotiations
    Aiyuk expressed frustration Monday with the progress of contract negotiations, and while the 49ers remain interested in re-signing him, it's only on a cheaper deal than what he's looking for, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

    Advice: Aiyuk posted a TikTok video in which he says, "They don't want me," in an apparent reference to the 49ers. Rapoport says he doesn't think negotiations are "completely dead," even though there seems to be a big money gap between the two sides. While Aiyuk's post may add fuel to the fire of trade rumors, it's still possible the 49ers keep him in a contract year even if they aren't able to work out a long-term deal. He was a holdout during June minicamp and may not show up for the start of training camp if he's still set to play out 2025 under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract for $14.12 million. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 7:10 am
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    11.68 (52nd)
  • Aiyuk: 49ers ‘said they don’t want me back’
    Brandon Aiyuk posted a video to his TikTok saying the 49ers “said they don’t want me back.”

    Advice: There’s a good chance this is a negotiation tactic by Aiyuk, who skipped out on mandatory minicamp amidst his contract dispute with the team. The veteran wide receiver is set to play out 2024 on the fifth-year option the 49ers exercised earlier this offseason, but he appears steadfast in his desire not to play without a long-term extension. Aiyuk caught 74 passes for a career-high 1,342 yards last season and found the end zone seven times. The 2020 first-rounder has strung together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and has been a focal point of the offense. However, the lack of movement on an extension, coupled with their selection of Ricky Pearsall in the first round of this year’s draft, could be spelling the end of Aiyuk’s time in the Bay Area. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the 49ers ‘’ to extend Aiyuk, “but the sense is things have stalled.” We’ll see what comes of this situation in the coming weeks, but with training camp a month away, it’s fair to say Aiyuk is a legitimate threat of a holdout if he and the team can’t agree to terms on an extension. Rotoworld Monday, 9:53 am
    Week 1 Projected Points & Rank
    11.68 (52nd)