Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said he anticipates quarterback Russell Wilson being available for the second preseason game next Saturday against the visiting Buffalo Bills. Wilson missed some time recently in training camp with a minor calf injury, which allowed backup Justin Fields to get some run with the first-team offense. The Steelers held Wilson out of Friday's preseason opener against the Houston Texans, while Fields proceeded to go 5-for-6 for 67 yards while also fumbling the ball twice. Fields may have more big-play ability because of his legs, but Wilson remains in pole position to start under center for the Steelers in the Week 1 regular-season opener versus the Atlanta Falcons on the road. With little to work with in the passing game, Wilson, who looked washed up in his two seasons in Denver, will open 2024 as a low-end QB2 for fantasy managers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers activated running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (undisclosed) from the Non-Football Injury list on Friday after he passed a physical. Patterson will now be able to join the rest of his teammates in practice at training camp. The 33-year-old followed Arthur Smith from Atlanta to Pittsburgh and will most likely serve as the team's kick returner on special teams. The former 29th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2013 out of Tennessee produced a career-high 695 rushing yards and eight touchdowns for the Falcons in 2022 but fell back to Earth big time in 2023, seeing 50 carries for only 181 yards. In Pittsburgh's backfield, he's third on the depth chart behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren and will most likely be used sparingly as more of a gadget player when he's not returning kicks.

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh said that wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) is "a lot further ahead than anticipated" after the team activated him off the Physically Unable to Perform list at training camp on Wednesday. When Williams was asked how realistic it is for him to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, he said: "I guess we've got to see." The 29-year-old is still recovering from a torn left ACL that he suffered in Week 3 of last year with the Chargers, and he won't take part in team drills at camp for another week or two. He's up in the air for the start of the regular season, and even if he's active, it seems likely that the Jets will ease him into a full workload, which will make the big-bodied downfield threat even more of a risky boom/bust option for fantasy lineups. But when he's 100%, he'll be the No. 2 wideout behind Garrett Wilson in New York.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday against the Houston Texans. Wilson returned to training camp practice on Tuesday after missing some time with a minor calf injury, which allowed backup Justin Fields to get some run with the first-team offense. When asked if Wilson was still in the pole position and in the lead in the QB competition, head coach Mike Tomlin said, "You guys saw the depth chart I released yesterday. That is real." Pittsburgh listed Wilson as the starter over Fields on their first unofficial depth chart this week, but if Fields outplays Wilson for the rest of camp and the preseason, it's not out of the question that Fields could win the battle for the starting job entering the regular season. The 35-year-old Wilson proved the last two years in Denver that he's no longer a QB1 in fantasy, and that shouldn't change in Pittsburgh.

New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Wednesday, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. This is promising news as the former Los Angeles Charger recovers from a torn ACL suffered in Week 3 of last season. The 29-year-old should have plenty of time to ramp up his activity before the Week 1 Monday Night Football contest against the San Francisco 49ers which is just over one month away. However, the team could still opt to bring him along slowly, so fantasy managers should check back for his latest injury updates. Williams is usually available outside the top 150 picks in redraft formats, so he's a low-risk, high-reward bench stash with spike-week potential. He's always been a volatile fantasy option, but since he'll be catching passes from Aaron Rodgers this year, he has legitimate fantasy football intrigue and upside.