Draft Day Winners and Losers
Mon Apr 29 11:53am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
White should be lead back
The draft is always so exciting, seeing where all the players get picked. But after the draft, the big issue is figuring out what it all means for their fantasy value. We thought it would be a good idea to look at some of the biggest fantasy winners and losers from draft day. These are some of the players that were picked but also some of the guys that were already on rosters, seeing their fantasy value get impacted from the draft. Adjust your rankings accordingly!
WINNERS
Bryce Young, QB, Panthers. The Panthers did a great job of getting Young some much needed offensive help. The team took a receiver, running back and tight end in three of the first four rounds of the draft. Carolina already added Diontae Johnson this offseason, so the receiver corps should be much better after getting Xavier Legette in the first round. The receivers got very little separation last year, so it was hard to gauge Young. He needed help and got some this offseason. Carolina also took a possible franchise running back in Jonathon Brooks and hopefully a solid starting tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders. Things are looking up for Young and this offense.
Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs. Worthy could not have landed in a much better spot. He heads to one of the best offenses in football that has some openings at receiver, especially with the status of Rashee Rice a bit up in the air. Worthy has electric speed and the Chiefs should find plenty of ways to utilize that. He could be the new Tyreek Hill for this offense. Look for Worthy to make an impact right away.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys. Maybe one of the biggest surprises of the draft was the Cowboys not addressing their running back spot. Instead, the team signed Elliott after the draft. He is likely to be the starter in this top offense. He might not rack up the yards of past seasons, but has big touchdown potential in this offense. Elliott seems a pretty sure bet to get double-digit touchdowns. He could be a solid No. 2 for fantasy teams.
Jonathon Brooks, RB, Panthers. Brooks is returning from a major knee injury and could be slowed a little early in the season, but once he is back healthy look for him to the three-down back for the Panthers. He lands in a great spot for playing time, having little top talent to compete with for playing time. Brooks could really get the volume in this offense. He is our top rookie fantasy back.
Zamir White, RB, Raiders. Many thought the Raiders were another team that could address their running back spot during the draft, but that didn’t happen. They used a sixth-round pick on Dylan Laube, but he is not expected to challenge White for that starter’s job. It sure seems the Raiders are comfortable with White as their lead back. He has a chance to get a lot of touches in year two. His stock is going up.
Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers. The Chargers need help at receiver and McConkey helps fill that need. It would not surprise if he quickly became Justin Herbert’s favorite target in the passing game. We really like his chances to rack up the weekly looks in this offense. Someone has to fill the Keenan Allen void and McConkey seems the best bet out of the options at receiver for the Chargers.
Keon Coleman, WR, Bills. Coleman is another rookie receiver that lands in a great spot for playing time. The departure of Stefon Diggs leaves a big opening for the Bills. Coleman could help fill that void. He has great size for the position and could be a top red-zone threat from day one for Buffalo. Coleman should get his chances from the get go, giving him a high ceiling for the coming year.
LOSERS
Raheem Mostert, RB, Dolphins. Mostert had a monster season last year and helped many fantasy teams to championships. He is going to have a very hard time repeating, especially after the Dolphins picked Jaylen Wright in the fourth round. Wright is a speed back similar to Mostert but a lot younger with less wear on his tires. Remember, Mostert is 32 years old. He might end up falling to third on the depth chart after the addition of Wright.
Rome Odunze, WR, Bears. Odunze is a super talented player that could be a star in the NFL. But for his year, you have to worry about him being up and down. He has two really good receivers ahead of him on the depth chart in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. This is going to limit the ceiling of Odunze. He will be a much better fantasy player in a few more seasons. For now, expect erratic production from the talented rookie.
Kyren Williams, RB, Rams. Williams remains the lead back for the Rams and is coming off a breakout season. But the Rams picked Blake Corum in the third round. He is going to be a factor in the offense. He might get put a huge dent in Williams’ workload but the big concern is the goal-line work. Corum is more of a between the tackles runner that does well on short-yardage work. He could end up stealing some touchdowns from Williams, hurting his fantasy value.
Michael Mayer, TE, Raiders. Mayer was a second-round pick for the Raiders last year and showed well at times his rookie season. The Raiders couldn’t pass on the talented Brock Browers in this year’s draft, though. This move absolutely kills the fantasy value of Mayer. He is going to play second fiddle to Browers, getting few weekly looks. Browers is the clear tight end to own in this offense.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, 49ers. Pearsall is a talented pass catcher that can get in and out of his breaks in a hurry. He is a really good fit for the slot and could fill that role for the 49ers his rookie season. The problem is he has some of the top talent in all of football to compete with for targets. He could really be up and down his rookie season. He will look better in a year or two when he has a more defined role and less to compete with at receiver. His rookie season could be a tough one to gauge for fantasy owners.
Malik Nabers, WR, Giants. Many considered Nabers the top receiver in this year’s draft. He is super talented with a high fantasy ceiling. The problem for Nabers is he got drafted by the Giants, a team that really struggled offensively last year. Plus, he has Daniel Jones throwing him passes. This is not a great landing spot for the talented Nabers. Jones needs to make some big strides this season if Nabers hopes to reach his potential. We aren’t sure that happens.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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- Broncos RB Tyler Badie injures back, out for rest of Jets game
- Packers WR Christian Watson (ankle) ruled out for rest of Vikings game
- Colts QB Anthony Richardson injures hip, out vs. Steelers
- No surgery for Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence (Lisfranc)
- Texans RB Joe Mixon (ankle) to miss game vs. Jaguars
- Packers QB Jordan Love active, CB Jaire Alexander out vs. Vikings
- Eagles RT Lane Johnson (concussion) out vs. Bucs
- Jaguars put standout LB Foyesade Oluokun (foot) on IR
- Chargers QB Justin Herbert (ankle) expected to start vs. Chiefs
- Packers QB Jordan Love to start against Vikings
- Browns place OT Trent Brown (knee) on IR, ending his season
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- Chargers QB Justin Herbert (ankle) questionable vs. Chiefs
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- Packers 'encouraged' QB Jordan Love on field, Sunday start uncertain
- Raiders WR Davante Adams, DE Maxx Crosby ruled out for Week 4
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The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 4
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (neck) exited during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. He was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. At the time of his departure, he had registered two tackles and one pass defended. Hendrickson is a key piece of the Bengals' defense, so losing him for any amount of time is bad news. In all likelihood, the Bengals' coaching staff will provide an update on his status in the aftermath of Sunday's game. In the event that he misses additional time, Joseph Ossai would be in line to earn more snaps.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) exited during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is officially questionable to return. At the time of his departure, Taylor had registered 88 rushing yards, 20 receiving yards, and one touchdown. The Colts enjoyed a balanced offensive attack even after Joe Flacco came off the bench to replace Anthony Richardson (hip) on Sunday afternoon. The Colts are leaving the door open for Taylor to return in Week 4, but in the event that he remains sidelined, fantasy managers should expect some sort of injury update from the coaching staff after the game. Trey Sermon will handle the bulk of touches out of the backfield until Taylor can return.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers linebacker Josey Jewell (hamstring, groin) exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He is officially listed as doubtful to return. At the time of his departure, he had registered seven tackles, so his absence is tough news for Carolina's defensive core. To add insult to injury, the Panthers are also currently without Shaq Thompson (leg), who was carted to the locker room in Week 4. With both Jewell and Thompson currently sidelined, depth linebackers Claudin Cherelus and Trevin Wallace will likely earn more defensive snaps.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson (leg) was carted to the locker room during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The team has not yet announced any sort of update or designation pertaining to the veteran's injury. At the time of his departure, he had recorded five tackles. Claudin Cherelus and Trevin Wallace are candidates to earn more snaps for the duration of Thompson's absence.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher Josh Hines-Allen (head) exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. He was quickly evaluated and ultimately diagnosed with a concussion. As a result, he has been ruled out for the remainder of the contest. At the time of his departure, he had registered three tackles, including two quarterback hits. We will likely get an update on his status in the aftermath of the game, but Hines-Allen should be considered a longshot to play in Week 5 versus the Indianapolis Colts given the typical recovery time for a concussion in the NFL. Rookie Myles Cole could see more snaps until Hines-Allen is able to return to the mix.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher Josh Hines-Allen (head) exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans and is being evaluated for a concussion. At the time of his departure, he had registered three tackles, including two quarterback hits. Hines-Allen is merely being evaluated right now, but if he were to officially enter concussion protocol, he'd be a longshot to suit up in Week 5 versus the Indianapolis Colts. Rookie Myles Cole could see more snaps until Hines-Allen is able to return.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (cramps) exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is officially questionable to return. At the time of his departure, Carter had registered one tackle and one pass defended. The Eagles are leaving the door open for Carter to return today, but in the event that he remains sidelined, we should get more info on his status after the game ends. Thomas Booker IV is expected to earn more snaps until Carter can return.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints linebacker Willie Gay Jr. (hand) has been downgraded to out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. He exited in the first quarter and was never able to get back into the contest, finishing Week 4 with two total tackles. We should know more about Gay's status and the severity of his injury in the aftermath of Sunday's contest. Anfernee Orji will earn more snaps for the remainder of Week 4.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (ankle) has been downgraded to out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. He exited in the first quarter after a play in which quarterback Jordan Love was interception while throwing to Watson. The young receiver injured his ankle on the interception and corresponding tackle attempt. That was Watson's only target of the contest, so he finished Week 4 with zero catches for zero yards. It's a frustrating end to the weekend for Watson, whose value finally seemed to be trending up with Love back from his injury. Now, we'll wait for more information on Watson before assessing how much time he might miss. In his absence, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks should earn more targets behind Jayden Reed.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ankle) is officially active for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had been listed as questionable, but the expectation heading into the weekend was that Herbert would be able to play. Indeed, he is confirmed as the starter for a Week 4 divisional clash between the Chargers and Chiefs. Through parts of three games this year, Herbert has completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 399 yards, four touchdowns, one interception, and one lost fumble. The former first-round pick has a solid touchdown-to-interception ratio, but fantasy managers would love to see more yards and scoring from him in general. He ranks as a low-end QB2 against a solid Chiefs defense.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints utility player Taysom Hill (abdomen) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. He had six rushes for 24 yards and two touchdowns at the time of his departure. Hill has been able to inject an element of life into the Saints' offense numerous times throughout his career, so losing him is bad news for New Orleans. With that said, the Saints will still be able to run the ball effectively thanks to the impact of Alvin Kamara out of the backfield. Kamara and Jamaal Williams should handle all rushing duties for the Saints until Hill is healthy enough to play again.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) has officially been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's contest against the Indianapolis Colts. He'll finish as the team's leading rusher so far with six carries for 43 yards as well as two receptions for 19 yards. The 12-year veteran was the lone silver lining for the Steelers before leaving, and the offense has struggled even more since then. The Steelers have only managed to score three points through two and a half quarters so far. Najee Harris continues to get the starter's workload while Aaron Shampklin is the only other healthy back on the roster. They likely won't be running the ball much more as they'll attempt a comeback win in the third and fourth quarter.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins (ribs) has officially been listed as questionable to return after picking up a rib injury in the first half of the contest against the Los Angeles Rams. Since there aren't any more left guards on the depth chart, Matt Pryor will move over to fill that vacancy while Nate Davis has come in to play right guard. The offensive line play has already been quite abysmal for the Bears, so this may spell even more trouble for Caleb Williams and the offense. Jenkins' status will be monitored as the game goes on, and he's worth monitoring going into next week to see if the Bears have to make any moves to bolster the depth of the offensive line.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (calf) is now considered active for the team's Week 4 contest against the New England Patriots. He was able to put in a couple of limited practices this week, so he may not receive the usual workload in this game. With Samuel back on the field, Jordan Mason and Jauan Jennings may not see the same amount of touches that they would have otherwise. The Patriots give up the 11th-most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers in half-PPR formats, so the 49ers receiver group could find plenty of open areas to operate. Samuel does present some risk to fantasy managers given how tricky calf issues can be though.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) has been one of the only bright spots for the team so far, but had to leave the game with an ankle injury and has been deemed questionable to return. The veteran back posted 43 yards on six carries and two receptions for 19 yards through the air. The Steelers' offense hasn't been able to move the ball at all except for some of the plays that Patterson put together. With him sidelined, the struggle will seemingly get worse as the only healthy running backs left are Najee Harris and Aaron Shampklin. Harris registered a measly 0.8 yards per carry before halftime while Shampklin received one carry for five yards. If Patterson can get back on the field, he may be the best option for the Steelers to sneak out a win.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's game after suffering an ankle injury in the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tunsil has been a key part of C.J. Stroud's protection, but he has also hurt them often with false start penalties. Rookie Blake Fisher is the next left tackle on the depth chart, which could be worrisome if the Jaguars decide to attack that side and test the rookie out. Tunsil's status will continue to be monitored as the game goes on, and he'll likely receive some more tests on Monday to determine if he has to miss any extended time.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer (concussion) has been ruled out for the rest of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering a concussion in the first half. The second-year wideout caught all three targets for 26 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game. At the time, he had the fourth-most targets on the team, but the third-most yards in this contest. Palmer had just moved up the depth chart for this game with Jalen McMillan (hamstring) ruled out right before game time. After Palmer, Sterling Shepard and rookie Kameron Johnson are the next two up. Cade Otton will also likely see some more opportunities if Mike Evans and Chris Godwin don't soak up all of the remaining targets.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (undisclosed) was carted off the sidelines to the locker room during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Badie went to the sidelines after losing a fumble and seemingly went down on the sidelines with some sort of issue. He was then put on a backboard and carted off to the team's locker room with the problem still unknown. The sixth-round rookie had one carry for zero yards and two receptions for -4 yards before leaving the game. He delivered a quality game the week before against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which moved him into the third-string conversation. He's listed as questionable to return right now, so his status will be monitored as the game goes on.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's NFC North clash with the Vikings. The wideout injured his ankle. However, he needed to be carted off, so his day could very well be over. If that's the case, Watson will finish without a catch (one target), with Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs potentially in line to see more attention from Jordan Love for the rest of the afternoon.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (hip) has been ruled out for the rest of the game after suffering a hip injury in the second quarter of Sunday's game. The young signal-caller was hit and fell a bit awkwardly on a scramble where he fumbled the ball. He returned to the game for a snap and limped off the field and into the locker room after taking another hit on another scramble. Joe Flacco has officially taken over as the quarterback and immediately scored to put the Colts up by two scores over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Richardson's status will be something to monitor as the team will likely perform some more tests later on Sunday and Monday to determine the severity. In the meantime, Flacco will likely be a popular waiver wire pickup.
From RotoBaller
