Pittsburgh Steelers

Talks between the Pittsburgh Steelers and tight end Pat Freiermuth on a long-term contract extension are progressing with the Week 1 regular-season opener right around the corner on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, according to sources. The Steelers are trying to get Freiermuth signed before Sunday's kickoff. With offensive coordinator Arthur Smith now in the Steel City, the 25-year-old Freiermuth is expected to become a much bigger part of the offense in 2024 and beyond, even though quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) hasn't traditionally targeted the position all that much. Mainly given the lack of Pittsburgh's receiving depth behind WR1 George Pickens, analysts believe that if he stays healthy, Freiermuth should be the second-most targeted pass-catcher this year. Freiermuth lines up as a high-end TE2 for fantasy managers in Week 1.

New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) was listed as a full participant in the team's first official practice of the regular season on Thursday. It means that despite tearing his ACL early in the 2023 season while with the Los Angeles Chargers, he'll be active for his Jets debut in Week 1 on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers. It's great news for a Jets offense that is looking to do special things in 2024 if quarterback Aaron Rodgers can just stay healthy. The 29-year-old Williams will be active this coming Monday, but the Jets have already disclosed that he's expected to be on a pitch count, which will make him a low-ceiling, low-floor, boom/bust WR5/flex option in fantasy to kick off the season. It's best to just leave him on your benches this week. With Williams being eased in early on, Allen Lazard could benefit the most behind WR1 Garrett Wilson, mainly because of his rapport with Rodgers.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson's (calf) status for Week 1 on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons is firmly up in the air after he was limited in practice by the same calf injury that bothered him in training camp this summer. Wilson will be checked out by team doctors, and Rapoport mentions the caution with how the team's medical staff is treating Wilson's injury leave's some doubt as to whether Wilson will play on Sunday. It leaves open the possibility that backup Justin Fields could get the start in the season opener. However, when asked if the Steelers had concern about the 35-year-old Wilson's calf issue, head coach Mike Tomlin said, "None." We should have more clarity on Wilson's status after Friday's final injury report is released, but right now, he's trending as a shaky QB2 option in superflex leagues.

After being limited in the Pittsburgh Steelers' first official practice on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury, running back Jaylen Warren (hamstring) upgraded to a full participant on Thursday, signaling that he's on track to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. It's an injury that Warren has been dealing with since getting hurt in the first preseason game in the middle of August, but the 25-year-old is expected to be active for fantasy managers this weekend. The third-year running back will continue to share a backfield with Najee Harris, which will limit his overall fantasy ceiling, but Warren averaged 5.3 yards per carry and at times looked like Pittsburgh's best back in 2023. Warren should be treated as a reliable RB3/flex heading into the start of the regular season despite having an injury designation this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is dealing with calf tightness and was limited at Thursday's practice, according to Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly. The 35-year-old had a calf injury pop up earlier in the preseason, so the team is likely to be cautious with the aging signal-caller. It would be a surprise if he didn't suit up in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, but fantasy managers should stay up to date with his latest updates. Wilson played the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos, posting 6,594 passing yards, 42 passing touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. He added 618 yards and six scores on the ground. As bad as Wilson looked at times in Denver, he finished as the overall QB16 in 2022 and QB14 in 2023. He's not a viable starter in single-QB formats, but he could have sneaky value in Superflex and two-QB leagues. That said, he carries a QB3 outlook into Week 1, especially considering his calf issue could limit his mobility.