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Player Notes

  • Picked up by Carolina
    Davis (concussion) has agreed to terms on a contract with the Panthers, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

    Advice: Davis missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a concussion in the Dolphins' final preseason game and subsequently being placed on injured reserve. With his rookie season over prematurely, the Western Kentucky product will now look to make an impression in Carolina. However, he will have his work cut out for him as one of 13 wide receivers currently on the roster. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:08 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1018th
  • Let go by Minnesota
    The Vikings waived Harper on Monday, Howard Balzer of GoPHNX.com reports.

    Advice: Harper inked with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2024 NFL Draft, but after spending OTAs and mandatory minicamp with the team he now has to search for an opportunity elsewhere in the league. The former Mercer standout was a productive return man at the collegiate level. Rotowire.com Monday, 3:43 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    650th
  • Wants more looks in passing game
    Achane has prioritized improving his route running this offseason and could earn more opportunities to line up out wide in Year 2, David Furones of the Sun Sentinel reports.

    Advice: Achane said during June mandatory minicamp he's been "lining up at different positions, as far as like receiver, running routes and stuff," calling those drills "something that we're doing different this year." The second-year pro, who logged record-breaking efficiency during his rookie season, said that in addition to becoming a more versatile pass catcher, his priority this offseason has been adding muscle in order to better avoid injury. Achane will have to compete with position mates Raheem Mostert and rookie Jaylen Wright for touches during the 2024 campaign, so it would be encouraging to see him develop into a capable enough receiver to catch passes out wide, rather than only out of the backfield. Despite the Dolphins looking primed to deploy a backfield committee, Achane's explosiveness and big-play ability make it easy to project a high fantasy ceiling in 2024. If he's indeed able to improve his versatility and durability this offseason, that could also give him a more consistent floor. Rotowire.com Monday, 3:07 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    55th
  • Tyquan Thornton a projected camp cut for Patriots
    The Athletic’s Chad Graff has WR Tyquan Thornton being left off the Patriots’ 53-man roster in his early roster projections.

    Advice: This one shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Thornton, a former second-round pick of the Patriots in 2022, has been slowed by injuries and offered little offense upside when healthy. Through 22 career games, he’s caught just 35 passes for 338 yards and two scores, with most of that production coming in his rookie season. In addition to playing under a new coaching staff, Thornton is also set to compete against rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Polk is already locked into a roster spot as a second-round pick, and the Patriots used a fourth-round pick on Baker, which should all but secure his spot. Outside of one or two depth options, the Patriots’ wide receiver room feels fairly in place. It may take a camp injury or two for Thornton to stick on the roster come cut day. Rotoworld Monday, 6:47 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    475th
  • Pat Freiermuth a top performer this offseason
    The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly writes, “Nobody performed better and more consistently for four weeks than Pat Freiermuth.”

    Advice: Kaboly went on to add, “Freiermuth might not have dropped a pass all month” and reiterated his “instant connection” with Russell Wilson — something he . Playing in an offense that, outside of George Pickens, looks thin at receiver talent, Freiermuth has a chance to be a key contributor for the Steelers in 2024. Add to that the fact that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith targeted his tight ends 173 times from 2021-2023, the third most of any team in the league, and it’s possible this year is setting up to be the best of Freiermuth’s career. Injuries limited him to just 12 games last season, but in 2022, he caught 63 passes for 732 yards and two touchdowns. Currently going as a fringe TE1/TE2 in fantasy drafts, Freiermuth could turn into a solid value for fantasy managers who opt to wait on the position in drafts. Rotoworld Monday, 5:44 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    194th
  • Kaboly: Austin could earn ‘big role’ for Steelers
    The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly said, “If there is one receiver besides George Pickens who has a chance to have a big role in [the Steelers’] offense, it’s Calvin Austin.”

    Advice: After redshirting in his 2022 rookie campaign, Austin caught 17 passes for 180 yards and one touchdown for the Steelers last season. The speedy fourth-round pick “continued to get better from the first day to the last” throughout the offseason, per Kaboly, and will have a chance to compete for a starting job on a wide receiver depth chart that is wide open after Pickens. Austin earned five-plus targets in three of his first four games to start last season, but was targeted just nine times in his final 13 games — a brutal footnote on his sophomore season. Even if he earns a “big role” in 2024, expectations should be tempered in an Arthur Smith/Russell Wilson led attack. Rotoworld Monday, 5:17 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    349th
  • Schefter: Higgins signs $21.8M franchise tender
    Bengals re-signed WR Tee Higgins to a one-year, $21.8 million contract.

    Advice: This had been a huge ball in the air for the Bengals as they look to bounce back from their sub-par, injury-marred 2023. Higgins will now be there on Day 1 of camp, presumably without a long-term agreement. The sides have until July 15 to hammer that out, but there has been little indication an agreement will be reached. Coming off by far his worst professional season — one where he missed five games — Higgins is looking to re-establish every-week WR2 status in fantasy. Rotoworld Saturday, 9:51 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    66th
  • Secures deal with Saints
    New Orleans signed Horsted to a contract Friday.

    Advice: Horsted finished last season on the Raiders' injured reserve list due to a hamstring issue, but he's presumably now healthy. The tight end was limited mostly to special-teams work with Las Vegas in 2023, logging eight offensive snaps and catching his only target for four yards while recording 216 special-teams snaps. Horsted's signing will help fill the void left by Juwan Johnson's foot injury. Johnson is set for surgery but could still be ready for the start of the regular season. Rotowire.com Friday, 6:17 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    1049th
  • Let loose by Saints
    New Orleans waived Sheets on Friday.

    Advice: Sheets signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in late April, but he'll now need to seek an opportunity with a different organization. The wideout was a standout with Division II Slippery Rock University in 2023, catching 76 passes for 1,186 yards and 17 touchdowns over 14 games. Rotowire.com Friday, 5:58 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    640th