Fantasy Football: Most-interesting players to monitor during training camp and the preseason

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The Yahoo Fantasy Football crew reveals the player or situation they’re most interested in keeping an eye on during training camp and the preseason. Here is what they’ll be watching …

Cowboys’ murky backfield

I’ll be paying close attention to Dallas’ backfield this summer with both Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott gone. Javonte Williams has the highest early “expert consensus rank” as the RB37, but he failed miserably despite being given a terrific opportunity (he saw the fifth most RB targets) in Denver last season. Williams ranked last among 37 qualified running backs in yards after contact per attempt, but he enters atop Dallas’ depth chart and says he finally “feels like myself again” three years removed from multi-ligament surgery. Williams’ ability to pass protect could once again lead to volume.

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Jaydon Blue is the RB54 and a rookie with upside. He ran the fastest 40 time among this year’s RB class, but Blue is also just 195 pounds with only 214 career rush attempts who’s a fifth-round pick with a serious fumbling problem.

It’s possible Miles Sanders is washed, but he only recently turned 28 and is two seasons removed from totaling 1,423 yards and 11 touchdowns (admittedly in a friendly Philadelphia system). He should be free in fantasy drafts (RB77), making Sanders a worthwhile flier.

Dallas’ offensive line will have a new look, but the Cowboys can score a bunch of points with a healthy Dak Prescott (while playing indoors and with George Pickens added). Dowdle was a top 15 fantasy back over the final six games last season in this system, and that was with Prescott sidelined. The Cowboys want to run, so one of these backs can have a bunch of fantasy value should they emerge as the clear leader this summer. — Dalton Del Don

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Rome Odunze’s fit with the Bears in Year 2

Any number of Chicago Bears would be appropriate answers to this question, including the team’s second-year quarterback and first-year head coach. But for me, Rome Odunze is the guy I’m keeping both eyes on throughout camp and the preseason. Expectations of a breakout second season have been fully baked into his early ADP (WR30 at NFFC).

Before the NFL Draft, it was easy to make the argument that all those Keenan Allen targets from 2024 had to go somewhere, resulting in almost unlimited volume for Odunze. Today, with Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III added to the mix, the workload picture isn’t so clear.

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Odunze was on the receiving end of several high-level, field-flipping completions from Caleb Williams last season, like this one right here:

Still, the pair also had an alarming number of missed connections as rookies — and, hey, that’s probably OK. They were each experiencing NFL speed and defensive pressure for the first time, while enduring scandalously poor coaching.

In theory, everything about this year’s setup is better than last year’s setup. Odunze’s place in the team’s receiving hierarchy remains unsettled, however, and we’re going to need to track it closely. — Andy Behrens

Drake Maye building chemistry with his pass-catchers

Like many, I’m excited about the Patriots. After a messy 4-13 season, they cleaned out the coaching staff and had a pundit-approved draft. The team is projected to win 8.5 games in the over/under market, a significant improvement. But given the intriguing personnel and the upgrade at coaching, I understand the root of the optimism.

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Second-year QB Drake Maye is at the center of things, and I’ll be tracking him closely. Returning OC Josh McDaniels was a smart rehire — maybe he’s miscast as a head coach, but I love him as a play designer. Who is Maye clicking with? What does veteran receiver Stefon Diggs have left? Is rookie wideout Kyle Williams a possible breakthrough player in Year 1? What’s remaining in the Hunter Henry tank? Whenever Maye throws a pass this summer, my eyes and ears will be engaged. The New England passing game could be fun this fall. — Scott Pianowski

Matthew Golden carving out a role in Green Bay

Matthew Golden is just WR50 in early consensus FantasyPros rankings. That is despite the fact that he’s a Round 1 wideout who went to good NFL offense that needed some juice in the receiver room. There appears to be a hesitation among the fantasy community. It’s likely born from two things. A handful of data-based analysts are skeptical of Golden because of his lackluster collegiate production profile. There’s not much Golden can do about that at this point but he can show well throughout the offseason to solidify his spot as one of, if not the top receiver on the depth chart. Understanding his place in the team’s receiver hierarchy would neutralize the second aspect causing hesitation in ranking him higher.

There could be real value in a player of Golden’s talent continuing to go off the board around WR50, especially since his vertical skill set profiles as a receiver who carries a high weekly ceiling projection. It will be well worth tracking camp reports and preseason action to get an idea of Golden’s role and whether he will be an every-down player, or yet another rotating Packers receiver despite the draft capital spent to acquire his services. — Matt Harmon

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