Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson has started contract extension talks with the Steelers, but the two sides are not close at this time and an agreement seems unlikely before the start of the season, according to a source.

Fantasy football tip: Johnson is sitting out some drills during training camp because of training camp and probably will not do much during the preseason if the sides remain far apart. He will still be a main option in the passing game for the Steelers and can be a No. 2 receiver in fantasy leagues.

Updating previous reports, Denver Broncos WR Tim Patrick (knee) has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and James Palmer.

Fantasy football tip: The Broncos likely will have Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler as their top three receivers with Patrick sidelined. Sutton and Jeudy can be starting options in fantasy leagues, while Hamler could be a spot starter in some leagues.

Updating a previous report, Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper (ankle) missed practice Tuesday, Aug. 2, but is expected to return to practice “pretty soon,” according to head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Fantasy football tip: Cooper is a tough player to peg in fantasy this year because he will likely play nearly half of the season with Jacoby Brissett and the rest of it with Deshaun Watson. At least he figures to be the clear No. 1 option in the passing game for both passers. Until the Watson situation wraps up, Cooper is best viewed as a dicey WR3 with potential WR2 upside starting around November.

Houston Texans TE Pharaoh Brown is considered the team’s starter over Brevin Jordan at tight end, according to recent comments from head coach Lovie Smith.

“He’s our starting tight end and he’s a wide tight end. He can block, big body. You see him make catches every day. We’ll have a big role for him,” Smith said.

Fantasy football tip: Smith’s praise could be nothing more than camp talk to motivate Jordan or an acknowledgment that Brown will technically start because he is a better blocker. It seems highly unlikely Brown is starting to put it together in his fifth season in the NFL. Considering that Brown’s career-best marks are his totals from last year – 23 catches and 171 receiving yards – and Jordan impressed when he finally saw some playing time as a rookie, Jordan should remain the preferred fantasy TE2 option in Houston.

Updating a previous report, Minnesota Vikings TE Irv Smith (thumb) underwent surgery on his injured thumb Tuesday, Aug. 2. Smith is expected to be recovered in time for the season opener.

Fantasy football tip: Missed practice time for Smith is a bummer after he missed the entire 2021 season due to injury. With that said, there does not appear to be much concern he will miss significant time. As long as he is able to get a week or two of practice under his belt before Week 1, he should still be viewed as a high-upside TE2 in fantasy this year.

Kansas City Chiefs WR Skyy Moore (hip) suffered a hip injury during practice Tuesday, Aug. 2. It is unclear how severe the injury is.

Fantasy football tip: Moore was having a strong start to training camp so hopefully this won’t keep him off the field for too long. The rookie also missed time during OTAs due to a hamstring injury.

Arizona Cardinals WR Marquise Brown (hamstring) was removed from the Non-Football Injury List on Tuesday, Aug. 2.

Fantasy football tip: Brown has plenty of time to get back up to speed and is likely viewed as a WR2 with some upside as DeAndre Hopkins is set to miss the first six games due to a suspension.

Washington Commanders WR Curtis Samuel (undisclosed) works on the sidelines during practice Monday, Aug. 1, because head coach Ron Rivera said the team has some concerns about Samuel’s conditioning.

Fantasy football tip: Samuel struggled with injuries last season, so the team likely will be cautious with him during camp. He should see a handful of touches each game if he is healthy and may only be a late round option in some leagues.

Dallas Cowboys WR James Washington (foot) is scheduled to undergo surgery on his fractured foot Tuesday, Aug. 2, and is expected to be sidelined for six to 10 weeks, according to sources.

Fantasy football tip: It seems like Washington may start the season on Injured Reserve depending on how his rehab progresses. He was expected to compete for the No. 3 receiver job during game but probably will miss a few regular season games. Fantasy players may want to look for other options and avoid Washington for the time being.

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris (foot) left practice early Monday, Aug. 1, after having his foot stepped on during drills. Head coach Mike Tomlin said the injury is not considered serious.

Fantasy football tip: Fantasy players can keep an eye on the situation, but Harris may only miss a few practices. He will be a significant part of the offense for the Steelers in 2022 and can be a No. 1 running back in all fantasy leagues.

Los Angeles Rams WR Van Jefferson (knee) is scheduled to undergo surgery on his injured knee and will be sidelined for multiple weeks, according to head coach Sean McVay. Jefferson’s status for Week 1 is uncertain.

Fantasy football tip: Fantasy players will need to monitor the situation to see if Jefferson will be able to play in the season opener. He is expected to be the team’s No. 3 receiver and should see a good amount of touches when healthy. He can be considered a No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy receiver.

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara‘s battery case was delayed another 60 days Monday, Aug. 1, after the lawyers for all four men involved in the case asked for more time to review the case.

Fantasy football tip: This delay likely ensures Kamara will be available to start the season for fantasy purposes. What is less clear is if this only pushes back an inevitable league suspension into November and/or December or Kamara is able to avoid any league punishment for the entirety of 2022. For now, he appears to be a high-risk, high-reward RB2.

Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Aug. 1, and will be away from the team for a minimum of five days, according to head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Fantasy football tip: Thankfully, Kingsbury noted that Murray’s symptoms are minor. It has been an eventful camp for Murray, who signed a huge extension with the team that contained a “homework clause” only to have the clause removed a few days later after the team received a ton of blowback on it. As long as Murray is back at work sometime next week, he should be fine for the season. Given his dual-threat capabilities, he is an elite QB1 option.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin (knee) has yet to practice with the team as of Monday, Aug. 1, despite avoiding the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list.

Fantasy football tip: The Athletic’s Greg Auman notes that the team is “taking it slow” with Godwin, who tore his ACL on Dec. 19. Given how late in the season it happened, Godwin is not a great bet to start the 2022 season on time and probably should not even be considered a viable starting option in fantasy until at least October. The Buccaneers should be just fine in the interim at receiver with Mike Evans, Russell Gage and Julio Jones.

Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson is expected to be suspended six games as parties were informed by Judge Sue Robinson Monday, Aug. 1. He would be eligible to play Oct. 23 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Fantasy football tip: There’s still a chance of an appeal, but this has to be considered a win for the Watson camp as the rhetoric around the situation was he could miss the entire season. He’s going to be a QB2 option in fantasy because of the games missed, which will now be a season-and-a-half.

Los Angeles Rams WR Allen Robinson has been one of the biggest standouts at training camp thus far, Gilbert Manzano of the Orange County Register wrote on Saturday, July 30.

Fantasy football tip: This should come as a surprise to nobody. Robinson is one of the more talented receivers in the NFL but has been held back by a laundry list of bad quarterbacks. With Matthew Stafford, Robinson finally has the good quarterback he has been missing for much of his career. Pencil Robinson in as a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside.

Philadelphia Eagles RB Miles Sanders is still the team’s No. 1 running back, head coach Nick Sirianni said after RB Kenneth Gainwell received first-team reps in practice while Sanders ran with the twos. “Miles is our guy,” Sirianni said. “It just so happened to be the way the numbers worked, but Miles was in with the [No.] 1s as well… There’s no secret. Miles is our guy, and we like to rotate our backs.”

Fantasy football tip: While Sanders figures to lead the backfield in 2022, his injury history and the Eagles’ tendency to mix in other backs remain concerns. Sanders is a shaky RB2.

Carolina Panthers QB Baker Mayfield has pleased head coach Matt Rhule thus far. “He’s through the fourth install,” Rhule said. “I’ll know more next week as we get into more situations. But I couldn’t be more pleased with Baker — how much he’s learned of what we’ve done. But there’s way more to put in to kind of get through that phase.”

Fantasy football tip: It’s going to take some time for Mayfield to get situated with his new team, but we fully expect the former No. 1 overall pick to beat out Sam Darnold for the starting job. Even if he does that, Mayfield is a very shaky QB2 at best and not an every-week option going into 2022.

Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb (undisclosed) did not participate in team drills during practice on Saturday, July 30, due to tightness in an unspecified part of the body.

Fantasy football tip: Lamb did return for walkthroughs, so the injury does not appear to be anything to worry about. Lamb is a WR1 with elite upside entering 2022.

Philadelphia Eagles WR Jalen Reagor is “battling for a spot,” head coach Nick Sirianni said on Saturday, July 30.

Fantasy football tip: Reagor has totaled a disappointing 695 yards and three scores over two seasons and actually took a step back in 2021 in terms of production. Reagor isn’t a viable fantasy option in 2022.

Cincinnati Bengals TE Hayden Hurst has been turning heads at training camp thus far. “Hayden Hurst looks like he’ll bring the offense an element it hasn’t had, [with] his athleticism, route-running. Good matchup guy to have alongside the WRs,” the MMQB’s Albert Breer wrote on Friday, July 29.

Fantasy football tip: Hurst has shown he can provide TE2 value in the past, but he faces a ton of competition for targets in Cincy with the Bengals having a deep receiving corps. On the flip side, the attention on guys like Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd should open things up for him.

Baltimore Ravens WR Devin Duvernay (thigh) suffered a thigh bruise during practice on Saturday, July 30, but the injury isn’t considered serious.

Fantasy football tip: Duvernay is the favorite to be the No. 2 receiver, but it’ll be hard to trust him in lineups until we see production. If he wins the role, pencil Duvernay in as a shaky WR3 for now.

San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel has agreed to a three-year, $71.55 million contract extension with a max value of $73.5 million and $58.1 million guaranteed, according to sources on Sunday, July 31.

Fantasy football tip: After it looked like Samuel was completely done in San Fran earlier this offseason, the team found a way to keep its best receiver. Samuel enters 2022 as a WR1, but having a first-year quarterback under center in Trey Lance and his desire to not play snaps at running back could hurt his production.

Los Angeles Chargers RB Isaiah Spiller is drawing rave reviews in training camp for his route-running, hands and explosiveness after the catch, Gavino Borquez of Chargers Wire writes.

Fantasy football tip: After recent draft picks such as Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree have disappointed the past few years, Spiller could seize the No. 2 role behind Austin Ekeler out of the gate, and showing out as a pass-catcher will only help his cause. Spiller is an early-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts and figures to be the handcuff for Ekeler.

Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco saw first-team reps at practice on Saturday, July 30. “[Pacheco is] a humble guy and his work ethic is top tier,” teammate and RB Jerick McKinnon said of the 2022 seventh-round pick. “These last couple of days he has shown what he can do with the ball.”

Fantasy football tip: Pacheco’s uphill climb in making the roster just got a bit less steep, but he still has a ton of competition for a roster spot, as the Chiefs have a slew of options out of the backfield in Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ronald Jones, McKinnon and Derrick Gore. Pacheco is unlikely to have fantasy value right away if he makes the cut, but will be someone to keep an eye on with Kansas City’s uncertain situation at running back.

Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens received a rave review from teammate and WR Chase Claypool. “I think he’s going to be the best rookie receiver in the NFL,” Claypool predicted.

Fantasy football tip: A 2022 second-round pick, Pickens will have a ton of competition for targets, with Claypool, Diontae Johnson, Calvin Austin and Pat Freiermuth all in the mix. Pickens is an early-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts but isn’t an option for lineups until we see something.

New England Patriots TE Jonnu Smith says he and QB Mac Jones have improved their chemistry. “That’s what we had the offseason for,” Smith said on Friday, July 29. “That comes with time. Learning each other. Knowing each other.”

Fantasy football tip: Smith has all the tools to be a dominant tight end in the NFL, but things just have not fully panned out for him during his career. While the improved chemistry should help, Smith still has to compete with starter Hunter Henry for targets. Smith is no more than a TE3 with upside.

Indianapolis Colts TE Mo Alie-Cox (knee) is dealing with an unspecified knee injury but it isn’t considered serious, according to head coach Frank Reich on Sunday, July 31.

Fantasy football tip: The 2022 campaign will be Alie-Cox’s first as a full-time starter, but Kylen Granson and Jelani Woods also figure to get looks. We’ll tentatively call Alie-Cox a mid-range TE2 for now.

Indianapolis Colts WR Ashton Dulin has been earning a role for himself during the early portion of training camp. “Yeah, I cannot emphasize how strongly we feel about Ashton Dulin and that he’s going to play a role in this offense,” head coach Frank Reich said on Saturday, July 30. “He’s proven it, he’s earned it, he’s going to have to continue to prove it and continue to earn it.”

Fantasy football tip: With Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell all ahead of Dulin in the wide receiver pecking order, he isn’t a viable fantasy option entering 2022.

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mitchell Trubisky says he has gotten all first-team reps in training camp thus far. “Coach [Mike] Tomlin is very transparent about the situation.” Trubisky told NBC Sports’ Peter King. “I’ve taken all the reps with the ones so far. So I’m just trying not to take any day for granted, just take advantage of this opportunity, continue to lead this team.”

Fantasy football tip: Since being signed this offseason, Trubisky has long been projected to be the starter in Pittsburgh, even after the team drafted Kenny Pickett. How long he holds on to the job remains to be seen, but he enters 2022 as a QB2 with upside thanks to his ability to run.

Atlanta Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier could have “an immediate role in the offense,” according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. “Veterans Qadree Ollison and Damien Williams will get a shot, but pay attention to rookie Tyler Allgeier out of BYU. His size and strength are what Falcons head coach Arthur Smith likes in a running back, and he’s a sneaky Day 3 pick who could have an immediate role in the offense,” said Rothstein.

Fantasy football tip: A Day 3 pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Allgeier didn’t quite get the draft capital that makes fantasy managers comfortable when it comes to job security. However, the BYU product costs close to nothing in fantasy drafts and carries the most upside as a late-round pick over Ollison and Williams.

Atlanta Falcons WR Drake London has been “stealing the show” at training camp, according to Deen Worley of Falcons Wire.

Fantasy football tip: Being the No. 8 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft is going to come with high expectations, but it’s encouraging to see London getting off to a fast start. While rookies tend to break out more during the second half of the season in Year 1, London’s draft cost as a WR3 could wind up being a steal by season’s end.

Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins was seen getting “a lot of reps in the slot” during practice Saturday, July 30, according to Jess Root of Cards Wire.

Fantasy football tip: Hopkins will be serving a six-game suspension to begin the season, but adding more slot work could be beneficial when he returns. He’s currently being drafted as a WR3, but there’s a chance he delivers closer to WR2 numbers during the second half of the regular season.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow (appendix) doesn’t have a timetable for return yet after undergoing an appendectomy, according to head coach Zac Taylor on Saturday, July 30.

Fantasy football tip: There isn’t any concern that Burrow will miss any time during the season, but he’s likely to miss the early part of training camp. He’s still a locked-in QB1 going into his third training camp.

Pittsburgh Steelers WR Chase Claypool (shoulder) is considered day-to-day with a shoulder injury, according to head coach Mike Tomlin on Saturday, July 30.

Fantasy football tip: Claypool isn’t excepted to miss a lot of time, but rookie George Pickens will be looking to benefit from his absence. Claypool is still a boom/bust WR3 with upside if he can regain his rookie form.

Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott “has to be the focus” in the run game, owner Jerry Jones said on Saturday, July 30. Jones also noted that “there is room for [Tony] Pollard while Zeke is in there.”

Fantasy football tip: During a 2021 campaign in which Zeke had the second-lowest touch total of his career (284), Pollard had a career-best 169, which he turned into over 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Zeke remains an RB1 going into 2022, but Pollard’s presence is no doubt a concern for his workload. Pollard, who has also been working out of the slot this offseason, could provide value as a flex play if he’s used as a receiver more.

New York Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson has been “the star” of the team’s training camp thus far, per Peter King of NBC Sports. King also notes Robinson “plays in a lot of different roles” in practice, but envisions him lining up in the slot in 2022.

Fantasy football tip: This is obviously a great start for Robinson, but expectations should be tempered with the rookie, as the Giants have a crowded situation at the position with Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard also in the mix. Adding to that, depending on rookie receivers is always a risky proposition. Robinson is a second-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts but is nothing more than a bench stash until we see more.

Detroit Lions RB D’Andre Swift may not participate in all of the drills during training camp because the team wants to make sure he is healthy during the regular season.

Fantasy football tip: Swift is coming off a terrific 2022 season and should see plenty of touches in the running and passing game. He should be a weekly starting option in all fantasy leagues.

Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf confirmed his foot is “all good” after undergoing surgery to remove a screw from his foot in January.

Fantasy football tip: Most of the concern regarding Metcalf this offseason has been regarding his contract despite the fact he played most of 2021 with a bum foot. The Seahawks took care of the former detail Thursday with a rich three-year extension, so the freaky receiver should be able to resume being a dominant force. His biggest obstacle now is his quarterback situation, as he will likely be stuck with either Geno Smith or Drew Lock throwing him the ball. Fantasy managers should consider him a volatile WR2 option for now.

Washington Commanders WR Jahan Dotson has carried the momentum of a strong spring into training camp, according to ESPN’s John Keim.

Fantasy football tip: A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Dotson has been one of the stars of Commanders camp since the spring. He will have to deal with sharing targets with Terry McLaurin, but if this drum beat continues, Dotson may be appealing as a WR3 with some upside.

New England Patriots WR DeVante Parker has made some strong early impressions at training camp, in the opinion of ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Fantasy football tip: With no clear pecking order in the New England offense, Parker remains a boom/bust WR4 type in redraft leagues.

Indianapolis Colts QB Matt Ryan has focused on pushing a fast-paced tempo in practice, and the sessions have ended 10 minutes early each day.

Fantasy football tip: Ryan looks to be taking charge and could be a solid value as a QB2 worthy of plays in good matchups in fantasy.

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett has thrown interceptions in the first two days of practice this week, and he has been working with the third-stringers. Head coach Mike Tomlin insists he’s not evaluating the quarterbacks on a per-throw basis.

Fantasy football tip: Pickett has little value in single-year formats and is more of a long-term project in dynasty leagues.

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson added lean mass in the offseason, and he has been throwing tighter spirals with more velocity in camp. He was 12-for-17 in team drills with a 55-yard touchdown pass.

Fantasy football tip: There was a note earlier in the week that he has shown pinpoint accuracy as well. Look out, Jackson could be coming back for that QB1 spot.

Green Bay Packers WR Romeo Doubs stood out in the first two days of practice with a couple of great grabs. The first day, he caught an 8-yard fade touchdown and made a 50-50 ball look like a 90-10 ball. The next day, he caught a drag route over the middle and held onto it after an accidental hard collision with a safety.

Fantasy football tip: Doubs is making a name for himself while second-round pick Christian Watson recovers from a knee injury. The Packers are thin at receiver, and a breakout performer like Doubs could go a long way. If you have the space, grab him in dynasty leagues. He’s worth a speculative WR5 or 6 flyer in single-year leagues.

Detroit Lions WR DJ Chark Jr. has been lining up in multiple spots during training camp. “I like the challenge of running different routes and being in different spots and not being stuck in one spot for too long of a period,” Chark said.

Fantasy football tip: Chark was expected to provide a vertical threat for the Detroit passing attack, but it sounds like Chark could be more than a one-trick pony. Still, he has to be considered a big-play dependent WR4 until his role becomes clear.