San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. He was limited at practice earlier in the week due to an ongoing knee issue. On Friday, the 23-year-old was a full participant and was removed from the injury report ahead of Sunday's game. He rushed for 85 yards on 21 carries in his previous game against the Rams. Mitchell will lead San Francisco's backfield and is expected to be heavily rostered with a $ 7,000 price tag on FanDuel for Sunday's main DFS slate.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had one of the best seasons of his career in 2022 under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and he has complete command of the offense and the protections heading into his second season working with Johnson. DetroitLions.com's Tim Twentyman writes that "watching him operate at minicamp it's clear he's 100 percent dialed into Johnson's scheme." Not much was expected of Goff when he was traded from the Rams to the Lions, but he exceeded expectations last year by throwing for 4,438 yards, 29 TDs and seven interceptions in 17 starts to earn his third Pro Bowl bid. The 28-year-old finished as the QB10 in fantasy, but that's probably going to be his ceiling. Not having receiver Jameson Williams for a full season won't help. Target him as a strong QB2.
According to Jets head coach Robert Saleh, the team may consider adding running back Dalvin Cook. Saleh did mention that New York would "turn stones over" while acknowledging he wasn't sure how things would pan out from a financial standpoint. Of course, the Jets have Breece Hall (knee) on the roster, although he's still working his way back from an ACL injury, leaving some to question his availability for Week 1. But even if New York adds Cook, he'll likely play second-fiddle to Hall, at least once the latter is healthy enough to return. However, considering many teams have successfully utilized multiple backfield options in the past, there's certainly room for both men to remain potent fantasy performers.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton is looking for ways to become a better wideout. More specifically, he's been studying film of Michael Thomas' historic 2019 campaign, where he finished with 1,725 receiving yards, nine touchdowns, and 149 catches, the most receptions in a single season in NFL history. After it was speculated that Sutton would be on the move this offseason, it appears the 27-year-old will remain in Denver and play under the guidance of Sean Payton, Thomas' former coach in New Orleans. Although Sutton has been inconsistent from a production standpoint since entering the league while also suffering a serious knee injury in 2020, he has an excellent chance of returning to the Pro Bowl conversation in 2023-24.
Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore is developing a sound working relationship with his new quarterback, Justin Fields. Safety Jaquan Brisker said the duo "looked like they had been teammates for years" during OTAs before adding, "they got that chemistry going very fast." Moore spent his entire career in Carolina, totaling 364 catches for 5,201 yards and 21 touchdowns in 80 regular season appearances. He also had 616 targets and averaged 14.3 yards per catch, giving him appeal in all fantasy setups. That said, the 26-year-old, who was traded to Chicago this offseason, will have plenty of competition for looks from Fields during the 2023-24 campaign. But Moore is still the favorite to be the Bears' top offensive option on the receiving end.
The Cowboys announced the release of defensive end Takk McKinley on Friday. The 27-year-old was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Atlanta, where he played most of his career and totaled 19.5 sacks. He then spent time with the Brown and Rams before landing on Dallas' practice squad in November 2022. However, he hasn't contributed much since leaving Atlanta. At any rate, McKinley will likely garner interest from other teams around the National Football League. But unless he turns things around from a production standpoint, he offers nothing to IDP managers.
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson (knee) was spotted doing individual drills at practice on Friday. The 27-year-old signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract in March of 2022 after spending his first four seasons in New England. Unfortunately, his first year in LA abruptly ended after he tore his patellar tendon in Week 7. Although Jackson has a way to go regarding his rehab efforts, the team remains optimistic he'll be ready to start the 2023-24 campaign. But even if he isn't, Friday's update is still positive news for IDP managers.
Detroit Lions rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta are both expected to play significant roles early on in their first NFL seasons, and they have both been impressive in showing their playmaking abilities this spring. Gibbs is a smooth and fluid runner with excellent burst and balance, but he has really impressed with his route-running abilities as a pass-catcher. His versatility will allow Detroit to use both him and David Montgomery on the field together. LaPorta is explosive and is able to gain separation from defenders effortlessly. He's been a favorite target in the red zone in practices. LaPorta has plenty of intriguing characteristics, but it will most likely be Gibbs with more fantasy upside in his rookie season.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. (ankle) took part in team drills at practice on Thursday. It was Chark's first action in 11-on-11 drills since he had a cleanup surgery on his ankle this offseason. The Panthers added the 26-year-old pass-catcher in the offseason to be a starter on the outside opposite Terrace Marshall Jr. He'll be a starter in his first year with Carolina, but his availability is what is in question. Chark has missed 22 of 50 games since he broke out in his second NFL season in 2019 with 1,008 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 73 receptions. Since then, he has 90 catches for 1,362 yards and 10 TDs in three seasons. Chark has some big-play ability, but he'll likely be a frustrating and inconsistent fantasy option while working with rookie quarterback Bryce Young in 2023.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has added noticeable size and strength this offseason as he prepares himself for his fourth season in the NFL. Tagovailoa's 2022 season ended prematurely after suffering multiple concussions, and he ended up playing in only 13 games. But when he was healthy, the 25-year-old looked the best he ever has operating in head coach Mike McDaniel's offensive system. It helps that he has one of the best one-two receiver punches in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and Tagavailoa has plenty of chemistry with both of them. His concussion injuries might scare many fantasy managers away, but if Tagovailoa can stay healthy in 2023, he should be viewed as a high-upside QB1 option.
Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Zach Charbonnet has impressed the coaching staff during offseason workouts, and The Tacoma News Tribune's Gregg Bell says not to be surprised at the playing time and opportunities that Charbonnet gets with returning 1,000-yards rusher Kenneth Walker III in the backfield. "Zach does everything well...He's just a complete ball player." Walker will be the team's primary early-down runner, but Charbonnet could carve out a nice role as the pass-catching back in his first NFL season, making him a decent RB4/flex target in the late rounds in PPR fantasy formats. The fact that Seattle took the 22-year-old 52nd overall in the second round of this year's draft should tell us that he could play meaningful snaps right away.
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