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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

TE Noah Fant expected to sign with Bengals

Thu Jul 31 9:59am ET
Field Level Media

Free agent tight end Noah Fant is expected to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals, NFL Network reported Thursday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Fant was released by the Seattle Seahawks on July 20 and likely will slot behind starter Mike Gesicki in Cincinnati.

Fant, 27, recorded 48 catches for 500 yards and one touchdown in 14 games (nine starts) last season. He spent three seasons with Seattle after being acquired from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson deal.

Fant has 300 receptions for 3,305 yards and 15 touchdowns in 95 career games (83 starts) with the Broncos and Seahawks. He was selected by the Broncos with the 20th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Iowa.

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Player Notes
Pete Carroll Jul 31 8:40am CT
Pete Carroll

Las Vegas Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller is the longest-tenured member of the Raiders, and he isn't going anywhere for a while after agreeing to a three-year contract extension worth $66 million, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Miller originally joined the team as the No. 15 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and was entering the final year of his contract before getting this new deal. He skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason program but reported to training camp and has been present for all mandatory work. This new deal establishes him as a veteran leader on the offensive line for years to come, and he'll be a key part of the team's new direction under coach Pete Carroll and GM John Spytek, who have been going younger across the board but keeping some key experience in place as well.

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Noah Fant Jul 31 8:30am CT
Noah Fant

Free agent tight end Noah Fant will sign with the Cincinnati Bengals, according to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz. Fant was a first-round pick out of Iowa in 2019 by the Broncos, who included him in the trade for Russell Wilson. Fant spent last season with the Seahawks, catching 48 of his 64 targets for 500 yards and a touchdown. He was a cap casualty earlier this offseason, though, and became a free agent. He visited the Dolphins and Saints along with the Bengals, but he will now join a stacked Cincinnati offense that will likely feature both him and Mike Gesicki at tight end, along with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as top pass-catchers for quarterback Joe Burrow. Fant's target share is a little uncertain, which keeps him from being a starter in standard leagues, but he's a solid depth option with some breakout potential, depending on how he gels with his new squad.

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Kaleb Johnson Jul 31 8:20am CT
Kaleb Johnson

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson could have his potential fantasy upside capped by limited playing time since he has been struggling in pass protection. Johnson has had a few impressive practices for the Steelers since they drafted him in the third round, and the team even listed him as a co-starter alongside Jaylen Warren. However, he was regularly beaten badly in Mike Tomlin's "Backs on Backers" drills, and his fantasy upside could be reduced if he can't stay on the field in passing situations. He wasn't especially strong in pass protection at Iowa, and he still has a lot of room for improvement based on these early returns. Jaylen Samuels and Kenneth Gainwell are much more proven and trusted pass protectors, which could give them the advantage in playing time since the team will be very careful with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Johnson still has time to improve before Week 1, but it could definitely reduce his role in the timeshare if he continues to struggle in pass protection.

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Kenneth Walker III Jul 30 9:00pm CT
Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has been a stud when healthy. However, the biggest problem has been keeping Walker on the field. He missed six games last year and only played 15 games in each of his first two seasons. The good news is, Walker is healthy coming into camp and has looked explosive on the field so far. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has vowed to run the ball more this upcoming season. That being said, Walker figures to see a heavy workload in his walk year. When healthy, Walker can easily be a 1,000-yard running back, so hopefully the injuries are behind him. It looks like he's going to get a heavy workload, but fantasy managers know the risk when drafting Walker.

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Brenton Strange Jul 30 8:50pm CT
Brenton Strange

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange is currently operating as the starter in this offense. The Jags don't have a ton of viable options at tight end right now after the departure of Evan Engram this offseason. It's also worth noting that the Jags have a few tight ends banged up, so Strange has stepped up as the clear TE1 in Jacksonville. He's coming off a sophomore season where he recorded 40 receptions for 411 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in 17 games last season. The expectation is that those numbers will be on the rise with him likely serving as the primary tight end.

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Keaton Mitchell Jul 30 8:40pm CT
Keaton Mitchell

Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell is unlikely to move very far up the depth chart during training camp. Recently, Ravens' offensive coordinator Todd Monken said Mitchell would be fighting for touches as the third back. He's not wrong as Derrick Henry is going to be the workhorse back with Justice Hill being able to run and catch passes in the backfield. However, Mitchell has looked explosive in camp, according to Monken. He's making some impressive plays in camp that might earn him more playing time in Baltimore. It's possible Mitchell cuts into Hill's playing time, but it probably won't be enough to warrant rostering Mitchell on a weekly basis.

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Tyler Bass Jul 30 8:30pm CT
Tyler Bass

Buffalo Bills' Kicker Tyler Bass (pelvis) is still dealing with a pelvic issue that is holding him out of practice. After missing his second practice this week, Bills head coach Sean McDermott had mentioned that the pelvic injury shouldn't be a huge concern. However, if this issue were to keep Bass out of the Bills' preseason opener on August 9 versus the New York Giants, they might have to sign another kicker to the roster. In 2024, Bass was outside of the top-8 kickers for the fantasy football season and projects to struggle kicking due to having only two indoor games all season. The veteran comes in as the 12th ranked kicker in the latest RotoBaller draft rankings.

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Christian Gonzalez Jul 30 8:30pm CT
Christian Gonzalez

New England Patriots All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez (hamstring) continues to sit out practice with a hamstring injury he suffered on Monday. While it's likely that he will be back for week 1 as of now, he would undoubtedly be missed if the injury lingers beyond that. Gonzalez has been a bright spot for the Patriots and ranked 21st out of 222 cornerbacks with a 76.0 PFF grade. With the Patriots' defensive backs seemingly banged up to start camp, they will focus on guaranteeing a healthy Gonzalez when the season starts against the revamped Raiders offense in the early game window on September 7.

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Colston Loveland Jul 30 8:30pm CT
Colston Loveland

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland has been making a big splash in training camp. The first-round rookie took first-team reps during Tuesday's 11-on-11 drills. Loveland has been impressive not just on the field, but off the field as well. Recently, head coach Ben Johnson praised Loveland by saying he's thinking more like a quarterback, which is what you want from your skilled players. He continued by saying it's impressive to see Loveland already at this level mentally. The rookie tight end will still have to compete with Cole Kmet for playing time in Chicago. Despite that, Loveland should still see consistent playing time with the way he's looking early in camp.

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Michael Woods II Jul 30 8:00pm CT
Michael Woods II

Three-year veteran wide receiver Michael Woods II (hand) was ultimately waived from the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday with an injury designation. He suffered a hand injury during last Thursday's practice. After tearing his Achilles in April 2023, Woods II earned a six-game suspension at the end of the 2023 season for a personal misconduct policy he served while on the NFI list. In 2024, Woods II contributed seven catches for 65 yards, despite playing behind a weak wide receiver depth chart that also suffered injuries. It's safe to say that the waiving of Woods II won't impact the Cleveland Browns, as he wasn't very high on the depth chart.

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Juwan Johnson Jul 30 7:00pm CT
Juwan Johnson

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (groin) was forced from training camp practice early on Wednesday with a groin injury, but FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz reports that it's not considered a serious injury. Johnson is expected to miss a few days, at most. It's good news after the veteran tight end signed a three-year, $30.75 million deal in the offseason to stay in the Big Easy. Johnson is poised to be a big part of new head coach Kellen Moore's offense, especially since there's a good chance both Taysom Hill (knee) and Foster Moreau (knee) won't be ready for the start of the season while they rehab ACL injuries. The 28-year-old set career-highs in targets (66), catches (50) and receiving yards (548) in 2024, but he only found the end zone three times. Steady playing time shouldn't be an issue, but the Saints' QB situation could. Johnson is a TE2 target in fantasy.

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Jerome Ford Jul 30 6:30pm CT
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Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN noticed that Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (undisclosed) progressed to participating in team drills at training camp practice on Wednesday. Ford returned in a limited capacity during Monday's practice but took a step forward on Wednesday by joining team drills. An undisclosed injury kept the 25-year-old out of practices for a week, but the Browns are now slowly easing him back into the fold. It's a bigger story this summer with rookie second-rounder Quinshon Judkins unsigned as he goes through the legal process due to domestic-violence charges. Ford will be splitting first-team reps with rookie Dylan Sampson now that he's back on the field, and he could see the majority of touches early in the 2025 season, depending on when Judkins' off-field situation is settled. Ford is currently ranked by RotoBaller as the RB53 in fantasy.

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Elijah Moore Jul 30 6:30pm CT
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jul 30 6:20pm CT
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There have been concerns by fans and pundits about how the Seattle Seahawks will use wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp together when both have done most of their best work as slot receivers. However, per Seattle beat writer John Boyle, Smith-Njigba is "much more than just a slot receiver." Boyle also adds that Kupp is more than just a slot receiver, and they are both more than capable of doing damage from just about any pass-catching position in the offense. Smith-Njigba lined up on Tuesday on the outside in single coverage and proceeded to make a catch for a big gain down the sideline. JSN made some serious noise in 2024 in his second NFL, but that was with Geno Smith at quarterback. Both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are gone now, though, so if Smith-Njigba and Kupp can coexist, Smith-Njigba should be worth it as a WR2 target in fantasy.

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D'Ernest Johnson Jul 30 5:00pm CT
D'Ernest Johnson

The San Francisco 49ers worked out veteran free-agent running backs Jeff Wilson Jr. and D'Ernest Johnson at training camp on Wednesday, sources told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Wilson was with the 49ers from 2018-22 and also spent the last two-plus seasons with former Kyle Shanahan assistant Mike McDaniel with the Miami Dolphins. The Niners can never have enough depth in the RB room behind the oft-injured Christian McCaffrey, especially after they no longer have Jordan Mason around. Wilson's best season came in 2022 when he played for both the Niners and Dolphins, racking up a career-high 860 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 176 rushing attempts. Johnson, 29, spent the first four years of his career in Cleveland before playing for the Jaguars the last two years. He has never had over 534 rushing yards or three touchdowns in a single season.

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Jordan Whittington Jul 30 4:40pm CT
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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittingon, who is battling with Tutu Atwell for the team's No. 3 wideout role in training camp this summer, has caught the eye of offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. "This dude's just flat out tough, mentally and physically," LaFleur said. The Rams took the 24-year-old in the sixth round out of Texas, and he finished with just 22 receptions on 28 targets for 293 yards and no touchdowns in 15 regular-season games (three starts). It's the second straight year that he's impressed in training camp, although he should have a much better shot at contributing in L.A.'s passing attack in 2025. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams will be the Rams' unquestioned top two wideouts, so for Whittington to surface on the fantasy radar, he will likely need Nacua or Adams to miss time with injury. He has the physicality to be intriguing out of the slot, but not a lot of targets will be expected.

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Jaydon Blue Jul 30 4:20pm CT
Jaydon Blue

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue saw his first decent run with the first-team offense at training camp practice on Wednesday, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. There was a report that surfaced before the start of camp suggesting that Blue was "borderline lazy," but he has so far dispelled that narrative this summer and has impressed head coach Brian Schottenheimer with his "dynamic playmaking ability." Things are going well for the 21-year-old back early on, but the fact remains that veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders will both likely be positioned ahead of him in the backfield pecking order to begin the 2025 season. He's also small at 5-foot-9 and 196 pounds, so it's unlikely that Blue will ever be a bell-cow back in the NFL. However, the fifth-rounder could push for a pass-catching role in Dallas sooner than later in his rookie season.

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Joe Burrow Jul 30 3:00pm CT
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has seemingly dealt with nagging injuries throughout the last few offseasons, which has contributed to the team's 1-9 record in Weeks 1 and 2 since he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020. However, the two-time Pro Bowler stated previously this offseason that he is feeling healthy, and he said Wednesday's practice was the "best I've thrown in years." Burrow was fantastic a season ago, completing over 70% of his passes for 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. His confidence heading into the new NFL campaign is promising, and if the Bengals do not dramatically improve on defense, he'll continue to have to pass at a high rate to stay in games. While quarterbacks without rushing floors and upside aren't as "safe" in fantasy football, Burrow should be at least a midrange fantasy football QB1 again in 2025 if he, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase stay relatively healthy.

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Zay Flowers Jul 30 3:00pm CT
Zay Flowers

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee/leg) did not practice on Wednesday, but head coach John Harbaugh said the Pro Bowl wideout had "camp-like" stuff pop up and will get a day or a few days off. It sounds like Flowers is dealing with a minor ailment, so fantasy managers should not be concerned at this point. In his second NFL season last year, Flowers secured 74 of his 116 targets for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns. The former first-round pick out of Boston College has been excellent to start his NFL career, but high-end WR1 upside for fantasy football is likely out of reach thanks to the Ravens' dominance on the ground. Either way, he's a solid WR2/3 or flex option and has the big-play ability to produce spike weeks. His competition for targets in the wide receiver room remains weak entering 2025.

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Cam Ward Jul 30 2:50pm CT
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Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward has struggled in the first two padded practices of training camp. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Miami has been off-target and has thrown several interceptions during team periods. The 23-year-old said the team's offense has been "very mid" so far, but he did not deflect blame. "At the end of the day, it all starts with me," Ward said. "I just don't think we're where we need to be, but we've got a little bit of time." Rookie quarterbacks often struggle mightily early in their first NFL offseason, especially No. 1 overall picks with limited weapons. Ward is an interesting dynasty asset, but he's unlikely to be worth a firm roster spot in 12-team redraft leagues this season. Tennessee lacks proven playmakers behind Calvin Ridley, and plenty of growing pains are expected. Ward will kick off his regular-season career in Denver against one of the league's best defenses.

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