Welcome to the weekly Fantasy Notebook, the must-stop spot for keeping your finger on the pulse of Fantasy Nation. NFL news and developments drive fantasy values. The Notebook is here to keep you in the loop on all of it throughout the summer.
Let's dive in . . .
The Chase For Chase Continues
Another day, another twist in the ongoing saga of Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.
Reporters on the scene this week sent word that Chase was not present for the start of Wednesday's workout and then shared that Chase arrived late to the session.
Thirteen minutes late, to be exact, and in street clothes rather than a uniform.
This is most interesting because Chase finally hit the practice this week after sitting out of training camp and the preseason in a contract impasse with the team. He first took the field Sunday and continued to work the next two days. Head coach Zac Taylor said on Tuesday that he was confident Chase would play in Week 1 and that the plan was for him to continue working all this week.
Speaking to reporters after Wednesday's practice, Taylor indicated that he spoke too soon about the star wide receiver's status.
"I think I probably put my foot in my mouth speaking too quickly," Taylor said. "Again, this is a day-to-day situation. We'll just keep seeing it as that."
Wednesday's events certainly mitigate what Taylor said about Chase playing Week 1. On Wednesday, Taylor said that from a functional standpoint, Chase could play in the opener against the New England Patriots on Sept. 8 if he didn't practice this week. However, the sixth-year coach did not want to make any predictions on a timeline for Chase's return.
What might tomorrow bring?
"I think every day is a new day," Taylor said Wednesday. "We'll keep working through it. Not going to make predictions on what tomorrow brings."
Chase's now apparently on-again hold-in is centered on an upcoming payday that Cincinnati doesn't necessarily have to deliver until the end of next season. He has two years remaining on his rookie deal, including a fifth-year option worth $21.8 million.
The Bengals would be wise to get it done sooner -- it won't get any cheaper over time.
Meanwhile, during a Saturday appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler said the Bengals are hopeful they can get Chase under contract and on the practice field early this week.
"My sense is the Bengals have intensified efforts in recent days to place Chase among the NFL's highest-paid receivers on an extension," Fowler said.
I spoke with Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com on Thursday, and he reminded me there is some history that suggests a deal could be made soon.
"This is, if you've followed the Bengals for a long time, what happens last week in August, early September when they're looking to sign one of their staple players. I can go back to Willie Anderson getting on a bus for the preseason finale (in 2006) and signing the biggest offensive line deal in history. Last year, Joe Burrow signed the biggest quarterback deal in history the day before the opener."
Hobson added that Geno Atkins and A.J. Green also got deals at the wire during their tenures in Cincinnati.
"This is what happens," Hobson said before suggesting that if we go by history, we "shouldn't make any plans for late this week."
Whatever the case, ESPN.com's Ben Baby hit the nail on the head when he wrote, "The unreliable nature of his participation does complicate matters, at least from an outside perspective. There's no telling how it's affecting Chase's teammates, who might not even notice much, if at all."
Taylor, though, will have to answer for Chase until the tug-of-war subsides when the regular season truly begins.
"This is all part of that plan that we've talked about, you know, so this is just the later stages of this plan," Taylor said. "But I think it's wise for me to say we'll take it day to day and see what tomorrow brings."
For fantasy managers already invested in Chase, this isn't complicated. Like the Bengals, you're waiting it out and hoping for the best.
I'm not in panic mode in the leagues I drafted him in. Yet.
But . . . If I haven't drafted?
This situation has to be part of your calculation if Chase is available when your turn in the first round rises . . .
All's Well That Ends Well
The Brandon Aiyuk saga was resolved with the standout wide receiver staying put with a new contract to remain in San Francisco.
On Thursday, Aiyuk and the 49ers agreed on a four-year, $120 million extension with $76 million in guarantees.
In the end, Aiyuk reportedly accepted the same deal that has been on the table since August. 12. His hold-in did not alter any part of his new deal that had been there in previous weeks.
It was the latest -- and final -- turn in a wild month-long stalemate.
ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner noted that strong interest from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and New England Patriots gave the 49ers and Aiyuk options. To make a deal work, the potential trade partners had to satisfy the Niners and Aiyuk's demands for a lucrative contract extension.
While each of those teams was seemingly able to check one of those boxes, neither could do both, which helped the Niners and Aiyuk return to the negotiating table to work out their differences -- just in the nick of time.
The contract came one day after the two sides were at their most contentious point of the summer.
As NFL Network's Mike Garafolo framed it, "The 49ers allowed for a hold-in. They now feel like it's time for Aiyuk to practice, regardless of whether an extension is in the works or completed."
That was evident before Wednesday's practice when head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch told reporters they expected the wide receiver to participate in that day's session.
"At some point, you've got to play," Lynch said.
His return means the Niners could have the same starting 11 on offense as last year, with Aiyuk able to team with fellow wideouts Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings while rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing develop. Wagoner contends the Niners' selection of Pearsall offered some insight into the state of the team's relationship with Aiyuk.
Looking past the contract, hold-in, and the big-picture issues for this offense, we should acknowledge that Aiyuk is an elite wideout in his prime.
He's coming off a breakout 2023 season in which he led the Niners in receiving yards (1,342) while finishing ninth in the NFL in receiving yards per game (83.9), second in yards per reception (17.9), and first in yards per target (12.9). It was his second straight 1,000-yard campaign, and even though he was perceived as struggling in his first two seasons, Aiyuk has had at least 55 catches, 745 yards, and five TDs in each of his four years.
He finished 2023 as Fantasy's WR13. He was WR15 in 2022. Until recently, he was being drafted at his ceiling -- going as WR12 with the 18th pick overall. However, the price has fallen as the situation in San Francisco has played out.
Aiyuk is currently available as WR17 in Round 3.
Now that we have a resolution, I would be hopeful of leveraging that discount and rolling with a player more than capable of outperforming his draft position . . .
Also, let's file this away for future reference: This was the fifth year in a row that the 49ers re-signed one of their stars either just before training camp or during it: tight end George Kittle (2020), linebacker Fred Warner (2021), Samuel (2022) and Bosa (2023).
As I've mentioned before, it's the Niners' way . . .
Also worth noting, Pearsall was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt in San Francisco on Saturday. He's in the hospital in serious but stable condition.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 1, 2024
Keep an eye on the Footballguys Newsfeed for all the latest . . .
All's Well That Ends Well 2
We also got the resolution we were looking for in Dallas this past week when CeeDee Lamb's summer-long standoff with the Cowboys ended Monday.
That's when Lamb agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $136 million. He also received $100 million guaranteed and a $38 million signing bonus, the largest ever for a wide receiver.
Lamb becomes the second-highest-paid receiver per year, with a $34 million annual average. It comes in just under Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson's $35 million.
We knew all this was coming.
Right down to the notion that Lamb's deal will be slightly less than Jefferson's. We also knew it would happen with just enough time for Lamb to get in with some work with teammates and provide quarterback Dak Prescott with his most important weapon just in time for the start of a pivotal season.
They had three practices before the long holiday weekend. They return Tuesday to begin preparation for their Week 1 opponent, the Browns.
"I wish we would have had a camp. It's okay, though. It will work out fitting back in," Lamb said after last Tuesday's practice. "But very excited for the moment. Cherish every bit of it."
Lamb could keep up with the changes in the offense by getting on his iPad daily during his holdout to study practice film. He was in contact with teammates, as well.
Physically, Lamb said he will be ready to play a full game despite having less than two weeks of practice time. He told ESPN.com's Todd Archer he needs to "get bumped a little bit. Not so much hit, but as I'm running a little nudge."
He added 15 pounds to his frame to prepare for what's ahead.
"I've got some body armor on me," Lamb said. "I can take a couple of more hits. I'm prepared for my opportunities."
And he'll get those opportunities.
The 17th pick overall in 2020, Lamb has developed into one of the league's top receivers.
In 2023, he led the league with 135 catches and finished just behind Tyreek Hill with 1,749 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. He ran in two more scores.
All those receiving numbers represented career highs for Lamb, but other numbers better explain his importance to this offense.
The best example of that is Prescott targeted Lamb 179 times last season.
Every other Cowboys wide receiver drew a combined 182 targets. That number drops to 127 when you throw out Michael Gallup, who was released in March.
While we've heard glowing reports about Brandin Cook's improved chemistry with Prescott and the suggestions Jalen Tolbert is on the verge of a breakout, Lamb remains the centerpiece of this receiving corps and the Dallas offense in general.
"Quite honestly, I don't think it's going to be a step behind at all," Lamb said. "I'm ready. I prepare for these moments. I played this game my whole life."
The bottom line is that whatever the first-round price you've already paid or are now willing to pay is justifiable.
Another run at finishing as the WR1 overall in fantasy is well within Lamb's range of outcomes . . .
What About Dak?
Now, Lamb wants to see his quarterback, Prescott, signed to a contract extension.
Uh-oh.
On Wednesday, owner Jerry Jones reiterated the Cowboys do not expect to complete a deal with their quarterback before the start of the season.
Prescott is entering the final year of his four-year, $160 million contract, scheduled to count $55 million against the salary cap. He has no-trade and no-tag clauses, so Prescott can choose to hit the free agent market, where he could command $60 million per year on a new contract.
Unlike some teams, the Cowboys do not cut off contract talks once the season starts.
Jones is confident -- sort of -- in having Prescott as his quarterback in 2025 and beyond.
"I think I am," Jones said when asked that question.
As Profootballtalk.com's Charean Williams reminded readers, it took the Cowboys two years to negotiate Prescott's second contract. They have had two years to extend that contract and haven't, so they are where they are.
They could have Prescott back for his 10th season in 2025 . . . Or they could be looking for a new starter . . .
Happy Returns For Williams?
Let's go to Los Angeles, where Rams head coach Sean McVay told us Tuesday that running back Kyren Williams will return punts this season.
"It's another opportunity for him to get touches and impact the game," McVay said.
Wait. What?
Williams is the starting halfback. Why would you put him at risk of handling return work?
According to McVay, you feel comfortable with that because of your confidence in Blake Corum and Ronnie Rivers being able to spell him if needed.
And maybe also because you've seen him do it before?
As ESPN's Mike Clay reminded us on his X feed, Williams handled 100 percent of the Rams' punt returns during the first three weeks last season.
Kyren Williams handled 100% of the Rams' punt returns during Weeks 1-3 last season.
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) August 28, 2024
He played 86% of the offensive snaps and had 39 carries and 19 targets during the span.
He then was removed from PRs to help facilitate a feature back role and will likely be scaled back…
As you can see, Williams was plenty busy during the span. Still, as the season progressed, he was relieved of punt return duties to focus more on his role as a feature back.
When all was said and done, Williams averaged nearly 22 touches per game and ranked third in the NFL in rushing despite playing only 12 games. Williams missed four games because of a sprained ankle in the middle of the season and a fifth for rest after the Rams had clinched a playoff spot.
Williams' usage bumped up to 25 touches per game when he returned from that injury. He was RB2 over that stretch.
The Rams drafted Corum in the third round in April's draft to take some of the load off Williams. The night of the draft, McVay said he thought there were "a lot of similarities" between the two running backs.
Anything that limits Williams has to be a bit of a concern. Returning punts probably isn't that. Corum's presence, on the other hand, might be.
For the record, Corum told reporters on Friday that he isn't ready to say what his workload will be to start the season.
"I'm not really sure," the rookie said. "I know I've had a good camp, and Kyren's a phenomenal back, so we could just feed off each other . . . I don't know how many carries I'll get. Maybe five, maybe 10, maybe more. I don't know, but I'll be ready whenever the number's called."
Whatever the case, Footballguy Sigmund Bloom wrote on Wednesday that Williams can still get 65-70 percent of the work in this backfield, which Bloom considers enough to justify a 2nd/3rd round ADP.
Williams is still going as RB7 with the 17th pick overall.
The five running backs going immediately after him in drafts?
De'Von Achane, Derrick Henry, Travis Etienne Jr., Isiah Pacheco and Josh Jacobs . . .
Wilson Starting, But For How Long?
It's not a huge surprise, but Russell Wilson will start at quarterback in the Steelers' season opener in Atlanta, head coach Mike Tomlin announced Wednesday.
Justin Fields, whom the Steelers acquired from the Chicago Bears in a March trade for a conditional sixth-round pick, will back Wilson up.
Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers in March, entered the offseason in "pole position" for the starting job, according to Tomlin. He retained the spot despite a calf injury that sidelined him throughout most of the Steelers' training camp.
Justin Fields, whom the Steelers acquired from the Chicago Bears in a March trade for a conditional sixth-round pick, will back Wilson up.
While Wilson seems like the wise choice to open the season, it's not hard to find observers who don't think the former Bronco and Seahawk will hold onto it.
Put former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth at the top of the list.
Speaking on his podcast, Schlereth was asked how many games Wilson will be the Steelers' starter, barring injury.
"I'm gonna say five," Schlereth said. "I just think that the way the Pittsburgh Steelers are gonna have to be built, what they're gonna have to build themselves on is the running game and using the quarterback element in the run game."
Fields showed more potential to energize the offense than Wilson, who didn't do much to set the clock back to his pre-Denver days during training camp and a couple of dozen exhibition snaps.
Specifically, Fields played 56 snaps in the preseason to Wilson's 25. Fields completed 19 of 27 attempts for 199 yards and led one scoring drive, while Wilson completed 10 of 12 for 73 yards and led a scoring drive. Fields averaged 8.3 air yards per attempt, while Wilson averaged 5.7.
As big a deal as an eventual switch to Fields would be for the Steelers, it would be an even bigger deal for fantasy investors, who can currently land Fields as QB25, willing to take a flier.
Remember, he finished as QB7 and QB10, respectively, on a points-per-game basis in his last two years as Chicago's starter.
Our friend, Theo Gremminger over at Player Profiler, noted that Fields has ten top-five weekly finishes in that two-season run as the Bears starter.
Justin Fields starting in Pittsburgh would be massive fantasy football news.
— TheOGfantasyfootball (@TheOGfantasy) August 3, 2024
Fields numbers over the last two years:
-QB9 and QB5 in fantasy PPG
- 10 Top 5 Weekly finishes in 28 games played
- 1800 rushing yard & 12 rushing TDs
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He's the kind of "Konami Code" player fantasy managers crave.
But also, for a Pittsburgh offense that still has issues up front, the more mobile Fields might eventually be a better answer than Wilson . . .
Experience Trumps Momentum In New England
The final quarterback domino to fall this offseason came when Patriots coach Jerod Mayo announced Jacoby Brissett as the team's starting quarterback. The veteran held off a late surge from rookie Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the draft.
Coaches have cited Brissett's experience as a determining factor. He has 48 career starts and, in 2022, with the Cleveland Browns, played in a similar offense to what the Patriots have implemented under current Patriots coordinator Alex Van Pelt, a former Browns coordinator.
Brissett started 11 games under Van Pelt in Cleveland. He was QB15 over that span.
We shouldn't be mining this New England offense for fantasy production.
Aside from Rhamondre Stevenson, a reasonable RB2 at cost (he's RB21 going at the end of Round 6), there's not a lot of appeal here.
I'm okay taking Hunter Henry as a late-round (14) TE2 and not against taking some late fliers on Ja'Lynn Polk (WR68) and Demario Douglas (WR70).
Just keep your expectations for this entire offense, which finished in a tie with the Panthers for the lowest scoring in the league last season, in check.
And that's regardless of the quarterback . . .
The Final Word
That's it for this offseason version of the Fantasy Notebook. With the shift regular season starting, the Notebook won't be going away, but things will change.
For starters, it will move from Sunday to Thursday. But the focus will remain on stories and situations that merit your attention heading into each week's slate.
I will have more fun stuff coming as well. Stay tuned for that.
Also, listen to the Footballguys Daily Update Podcast, released every weekday morning. A daily 10-minute dose of NFL news-driven fantasy analysis on the stories that matter most.
I appreciate your time and look forward to cranking it up to regular-season intensity.
See you next week, when the snaps mean something.
You can listen to Harris weeknights on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio's The Football Diehards show, Sundays on the SXM Fantasy Football Pregame show on Sirius channel 87, and Saturday nights on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Sirius channel 88.
