O’Connell: McCarthy has a future with Vikings

Porter has been seeking a new contract from the Steelers all offseason, but all reports indicate the two sides are far apart on a deal. While Porter has been noncommittal about playing without a new contract, he was seen on the field during Monday’s practice and was activated from the PUP list last week. These encouraging signs, coupled with McCarthy’s confidence in him playing, are more than enough to suggest Porter will be on the field for the season opener on Sunday against the Falcons. Porter totaled 52 tackles, 14 pass breakups, and one interception last season while earning a PFF coverage grade of 74.1. Update: Steelers beat writer Nick Farbaugh later noted that McCarthy said the team will “see what happens” if Porter doesn’t play, while also adding that there are “definitely still business conversations” going on regarding an extension.

Pierce missed most of training camp while recovering from offseason ankle surgery, but the fifth-year speedster is expected to be on the field when the Colts take on the Ravens in the season opener. ESPN’s Stephen Holder noted that “it’s very possible” some of Pierce’s workload will be split between Keenan Allen and Ashton Dulin as he continues to ramp up after an extended absence, but Pierce will be on the field in some capacity on Sunday. Unfortunately, this makes him a risky bet for fantasy purposes unless Steichen can alleviate any concerns about Pierce being on a pitch count to start the season.

The All-Pro guard started all 16 games he appeared in last season and has been named to the Pro Bowl each of the last three seasons. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Smith “has been bothered by the injury for some time and was trying to avoid surgery.” Now, fourth-year guard and former UDFA T.J. Bass will fill in at left guard for Smith, who will land on injured reserve, forcing him to miss a minimum of three games.

Speaking on Monday, Ryans said Boutte has been “picking up the playbook really well.” The fourth-year receiver was acquired in a trade with the Patriots back on August 24th and is expected to have an immediate role in the offense after the Texans lost Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL earlier this offseason. Boutte has served primarily as a field stretcher during his first three years in the league and shouldn’t be trusted in start/sit leagues this week.

Bond suffered a concussion last week and has been sidelined ever since. On Monday, however, the second-year receiver was spotted at practice and participating in team drills. Bond is currently stuck behind Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion, and Denzel Boston on the depth chart after totaling 18 receptions for 338 scoreless yards as a rookie last season. He doesn’t have any fantasy value at this time.

Odunze suffered a leg injury on Thursday. The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer said later in the day that the belief is that Odunze “should be all good” after the injury scare, but it’s something to keep an eye on this week. The Bears won’t release their first injury report until Wednesday, which could serve as the first clear look at where things stand for Odunze for Week 1 against the Panthers. If he is unable to go, second-year players Luther Burden and Colston Loveland could both see a slight uptick in target volume.

After missing a few weeks of practice with a hyperextended knee he suffered in camp, Monangai was back at practice on Monday to begin prepping for Week 1’s game against the Panthers. Monangai’s status will be worth checking when the Bears release their first injury report on Wednesday, but it sounds like he’ll have a chance to play this week barring any setbacks. In addition to Monangai, D’Andre Swift, who left last Thursday’s practice with cramps, also returned to the field.

Bowles didn’t disclose what Tucker is dealing with because he doesn’t have to do that until Wednesday, when the team releases its first injury report. That said, it sounds like Tucker is facing an uphill battle to be ready for Week 1, and we know he was sidelined for Monday’s practice. His absence isn’t expected to have much of a fantasy impact, as Tucker is expected to serve as the third RB for the Bucs behind both Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell.

When speaking with the media on Monday, Monken said, “There could be a package where we have (Green)” on the field. Monken also suggested he would prefer to not have three QBs active on game day, which could mean Shedeur Sanders would be a healthy scratch. Even if this were to happen, we shouldn’t assume this means Sanders is behind Green on the depth chart. As long as Deshaun Watson is in the QB1 seat, the Browns’ weekly game plan won’t include Sanders, while Green’s explosiveness on the ground could add another element to the offense in select packages, making him a more valuable option on game days. If Watson were to miss time due to injury or lose the starting job, we would still expect Sanders to be the next man up, with Green continuing to serve in select packages.