Fantasy Football 2024: Training Camp Roundup (8/8)

Training camps provide our first look into NFL players and teams as we prepare for the upcoming fantasy football season. Information will now begin to flood our social media timelines, leaving us to determine the subsequent fantasy impact. It’s a matter of knowing which information matters, and which should be ignored.

So each day in this space, we’ll take a trip through the top news and takeaways around the league’s training camps to offer up what fantasy managers need to know as we head through draft season and into the 2024 NFL regular season.

Today, let’s review the major news as we start from Wednesday into Thursday.

Our Daily Brandon Aiyuk Update

Brandon Aiyuk: Still a 49er. The rumor mill: Still churning. It certainly sounds like the Steelers and 49ers are heavy in talks for a trade sending the star receiver to Pittsburgh, though of course that could easily be a smokescreen from one of several sources. Dianna Russini reported the teams are still talking trade ideas, but unless and until something is finalized, it’s all just talk. Still, it’s exciting talk.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, along with other teams, are in communication and STILL negotiating with the 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk.
No deal is done, per sources.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 7, 2024

Josh Downs Goes Down with Ankle Injury

Downs, expected to be the Colts’ WR2 to open the season, went down after a rough tackle in camp and had to be helped off. He was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain and given a 4- to 6-week timeframe on recovery. The Colts’ first game is 4.5 weeks away. So there’s a real chance Downs won’t be ready to go in Week 1. Downs’ absence, assuming it happens, could make Alec Pierce or rookie Adonai Mitchell an interesting DFS play early in the season, and Ashton Dulin could start out as the primary slot guy.

Steichen said it's an ankle injury for Downs, unsure of severity.

On the tackle by Cross: "We've got to be smart. We are competing like crazy, but we've got to stay off the ground and can't go down." https://t.co/vpUdl2n25Z

— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) August 7, 2024

Jets Activate Mike Williams Off PUP List

Mike Williams joined the Jets this offseason after spending his career with the Chargers. He missed most of last season with a torn ACL, so seeing him activated is a good step toward his return. Williams is always going to be scary from a health perspective, but as long as he’s healthy, he should be a huge part of the Jets offense.

WR Mike Williams has been activated off of the PUP list.

— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 7, 2024

Rico Dowdle the Lead RB in Dallas?

Jon Machota of The Athletic said Dowdle “has to be the favorite to lead the team in rushing,” a mild surprise given how much the Cowboys and Jerry Jones love Ezekiel Elliott. Dowdle showed more juice than Elliott last year, though that’s not saying a lot. Also interesting from that report is that Royce Freeman is battling Deuce Vaughn for a roster spot, and currently it looks like Freeman has the edge.

Mike Tomlin Says Justin Fields Will Start Preseason Opener

The Steelers have been leaning on Fields in camp so far with Russell Wilson dealing with a calf injury. Tomlin has been clear on a few things: There is a competition between Fields and Wilson for the starting job in Pittsburgh, but also Wilson is still the QB1, at least for now. All of that makes sense from a strategic standpoint, and if Wilson’s injury keeps him from doing much of any work in camp, maybe Fields can overtake him, but it’s still an unlikely outcome. Still, if Fields does find his way into the starting role, he has sky-high fantasy upside, so this is worth monitoring.

#Steelers HC Mike Tomlin confirmed that there is, in fact, a QB competition between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.

Wilson, who is dealing with a calf injury, remains QB1.

Fields will start on Friday vs. the Texans, while Wilson will not play.pic.twitter.com/89upXew1x7

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 7, 2024

Jayden Reed Misses Practice, Not Considered Serious

The second-year Packers receiver sat out Wednesday with a calf issue, but everything out of Green Bay indicates it was precautionary more than anything to worry about seriously. Reed will contend with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs to lead the team in targets in 2024, but unless we hear more word about this being an injury to worry about, don’t stress too much about this absence.

Jayden Reed isn’t practicing today because of a calf injury.

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 7, 2024

Rashid Shaheed Misses Another Practice

Shaheed, expected to be the Saints’ WR2 and return man this season, has missed four days of practice as he nurses a tight hamstring. There hasn’t been word out of New Orleans that this is something to worry about yet, but it certainly could become one if his absence persists. Guys like Bub Means, A.T. Perry and Cedrick Wilson could become mildly interesting if Shaheed misses time.

Saints injury list the same despite Tuesday off-day. But LB Demario Davis, WR Equanimeous St. Brown worked to side with trainers.

Still sidelined: CBs Lattimore, Adebo; LBs Werner, Ford; WRs Shaheed, Means; RB Miller; G Saldiveri; DE Jeffcoat. Also didn’t see G Shane Lemieux.

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) August 7, 2024

Rondale Moore Carted Off with Leg Injury

Moore’s injury in Falcons practice sounded very scary, with the veteran receiver carted off with an inflatable cast on his leg and players saying they were “praying” for him. We’re still waiting for updates, but the severity of the situation makes it look like Moore will miss extended time if not the entire season. The Falcons aren’t exactly flush with options after Drake London with Moore shelved, with Darnell Mooney and return man Ray-Ray McCloud the next men up. That’s pretty underwhelming, and it tells us that the top options in Atlanta — Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson — are going to command a lot of attention.

Falcons WR Rondale Moore was carted off the practice field minutes ago with an inflatable cast on his right leg.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 7, 2024

Chase Claypool Misses Practice with Toe Injury

Claypool has a shot at being relevant in the Buffalo offense, and being a target for Josh Allen is a good way to reviving a flagging career. So he can’t really afford to miss practice. Claypool has received some positive talk in camp so far, but if this toe problem (he’s been out almost a week now) persists, he’s nowhere near a sure thing to crack this roster.

Bills not practicing Wednesday:

RB Ty Johnson (hamstring)
WR Chase Claypool (toe)
OL Travis Clayton (shoulder)
DT DaQuan Jones (undisclosed)
LB Nicholas Morrow (core/groin)
LB Edefuan Ulofoshio (ribs)
S Mike Edwards (hamstring)
S Cole Bishop (shoulder)

— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) August 7, 2024

Bears Working Velus Jones Jr. at RB

Jones is a former third-round pick entering his third NFL season at age 27 and has 281 career scrimmage yards. Moving him to RB screams of “We gotta figure out some way to wring some value out of this pick before tossing it on the scrap heap.” Given D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are all in the Chicago backfield, the chances Jones can do more at running back than he did on the bare Bears receiver depth chart in the last two years are very slim, and he’s not likely to make the final roster.