Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers running back/returner Cordarrelle Patterson (hamstring) was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list on Wednesday. Patterson suffered the injury during offseason training and is not cleared to practice. The injury is thought to be day-to-day, but the team placed him on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list until he can return to the team. Patterson has familiarity with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and is likely to see the bulk of his work in the return game with some utilization in the running game as depth behind incumbent starters Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Patterson is best left undrafted in fantasy leagues but could find more work if an injury happened to either Harris or Warren.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since the team declined his fifth-year option in the spring. Harris said he wants to remain in Pittsburgh on a long-term basis but noted that it's "a business" and isn't fretting about the future. In three seasons with the Steelers, Harris has exceeded the 1,000-yard rushing mark in each year, but he's averaged 3.9 yards per attempt on 834 carries over his career. The 26-year-old is set to split carries with the more explosive Jaylen Warren in 2024, but new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is likely going to ride Harris in early-down spots and goal-line situations. Harris is shaping up as a solid RB2 bet in the middle rounds fantasy drafts as the starter in a run-centric offense with improved quarterback play.

New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday. This should not come as a shock considering Williams is still rehabbing from an ACL tear from last season. The organization is hopeful that Williams will be ready to play by Week 1. There is still plenty of time between now and the beginning of the football season. The missed reps are going to hurt considering Williams has joined a new team this offseason. Despite that, Williams should almost certainly be a viable option once he's cleared to play.

It's highly probable that the Pittsburgh Steelers will label Cordarrelle Patterson as the Joker in his first year with the team. "Running back, kick returner, tackle, tight end I can do it all. Whatever they need me to do," Patterson said last month. The 33-year-old veteran floated from the RB room to the receiver room last year with the Atlanta Falcons under head coach Arthur Smith, who is now Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator. Patterson fully embraced the role in 2023 and was signed by the Steelers just hours after the NFL passed a new kickoff rule. He has returned 273 kicks in his career with an NFL-record nine touchdowns. Patterson was primarily a RB last year in Atlanta but had just 181 rushing yards and no TDs on 50 carries after posting a career-high 695 rushing yards in 2022. Pittsburgh hasn't offered clues on how they plan to use Patterson, but he'll most likely be used on kickoffs and as a depth option for the backfield.

After signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency this offseason, he is in pole position to start the 2024 season as the No. 2 wideout behind George Pickens. Jefferson showed flashes of being able to handle that role in 2021 with 50 catches and 802 yards with the Los Angeles Rams, but he hasn't done much since then, which is concerning. The 27-year-old also didn't really stand out at all during offseason workouts, so he'll need to show more in training camp and the preseason to stick as the No. 2 as he competes mainly with Calvin Austin III and third-round rookie Roman Wilson. In 17 games (nine starts) with the Rams and Atlanta Falcons in 2023, Jefferson had just 20 receptions on 43 targets for 209 yards and no touchdowns. Even if he does win the WR2 job to open the year, Jefferson can probably be left to the waiver wire in 12-team fantasy leagues.