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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The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 4
Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams looked the best he has all year in the 10-9 upset win over the New York Jets on Sunday on the road. However, things could have been different had Tyler Badie (back) not been injured early on in the contest. Williams finished with a team-high 16 carries for a season-high 77 yards (4.81 yards per carry), also catching two of his three targets for three yards. He out-touched Jaleel McLaughlin 18 to 10 and out-gained him 80 to 49. It was the most effective Denver's ground game has been and the most explosive Williams has looked in the first four weeks. However, the 24-year-old had only 21 yards in the first half and will continue to have a low ceiling and floor in this offense with rookie QB Bo Nix going through plenty of growing pains. The good news is that Williams has a very nice matchup against the division-rival Raiders in Week 5 with bye weeks starting around the league.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain following Sunday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The team expects to know more about the severity of the injury tomorrow, but for now, they're optimistic that it's just a mild sprain and Taylor will be okay. The Colts' star running back totaled 108 yards and one touchdown in Week 4, bringing him to over 425 total yards and four touchdowns on the year. He'll look to continue his impressive stretch of games against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week, assuming he's healthy enough to play. In the event that he's held out of the divisional contest, Trey Sermon would step up as the Colts' lead back.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix led his second straight upset road win over the New York Jets on Sunday on a rain-soaked afternoon by the score of 10-9. After his best game of his young NFL career in Week 3 against the Bucs, Nix unsurprisingly took a step back against a tough defense in adverse conditions, going 12-for-25 for just 60 yards, although he did throw the first touchdown of his career and avoided turnovers for the second straight week. His lone TD pass was a hook-up with receiver Courtland Sutton in the back of the end zone. He added five carries for three yards. The 24-year-old led the Broncos to just 186 total yards on the day and has thrown for one touchdown through his first four games in his rookie campaign. Nix has intriguing rushing ability and a strong arm, but he's inexperienced and doesn't have a great supporting cast. There's just very little fantasy upside right now, although he's heading into a much better matchup against Vegas in Week 5.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason pulled his weight for fantasy players in a 30-13 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday. He finished with 24 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown, plus two catches on three targets for 37 yards receiving. He also had a 38-yard touchdown catch-and-run nullified by a questionable holding call in the second quarter. Fantasy managers using Mason as an RB1 have to be happy that rookie running back Isaac Guerendo only took one carry on Sunday after cutting slightly into Mason's workload for five carries in Week 4. In retrospect, it seems Guerendo's increased involvement in Week 3 was a function of receiver Deebo Samuel Sr.'s absence. Mason's been one of the great values for shrewd fantasy players in 2024 who took him late in drafts as a stash or snapped him up on waivers after Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) was ruled out before Week 1. Mason will once again be a bell-cow RB1 in CMC's extended absence next Sunday at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had a decent fantasy day in a 30-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Santa Clara. He finished with 15 completions of 27 attempts for 288 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He added 11 yards on five scrambles and fumbled twice, but lost neither. Purdy's touchdown came on a gutsy back corner throw to tight end George Kittle who had two defenders draped on him but high-pointed the catch. His interception was a long pass thrown into double coverage to receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the endzone. Sunday's game script limited Purdy's fantasy day, leading to a season-low 27 pass attempts. San Francisco tallied the first points, jumped to a 20-0 lead, and maintained control of the scoreboard throughout the game. In Week 5, Purdy and the 49ers will look to climb above .500 when they host the Arizona Cardinals.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice may have a torn ACL. Dynasty Analysis: This would be a significant blow to the title hopes of the Cheifs as Rice hasn't just been the best receiver on their team, but one of the best in the league. With 24 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns, Rice had been electric though three games. Unfortunately, it looks like a freak collision with Patrick Mahomes is going to end his season. We'll wait to see the diagnosis tomorrow but it seems clear his knee injury is significant. Stay tuned.
Dynasty | Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had 69 rushing yards on 14 carries in a win against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: He added two catches for 16 yards. Hunt surprisingly led the Kansas City running backs with 16 touches, while Carson Steele (three touches and a lost fumble), and Samaje Perine (five carries) were afterthoughts. This could be a big development in Kansas City after the Chiefs potentially lost Rashee Rice for the season. Hunt will need to show more next week to be trusted in lineups but he should be on dynasty rosters everywhere after today's surprise workload.
Arizona Cardinals S Budda Baker finished with 14 tackles, including 10 solo stops, in a 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 4.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had seven catches for 89 yards in a win against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Kelce had been famously quiet over the first three weeks but Kansas City got him much more involved today. Unfortunately for the Chiefs (but fortunately for dynasty managers), Kelce is likely going to be much more of a necessity than a luxury moving forward if Rashee Rice has indeed suffered a season-ending injury. Kelce remains a solid option and possible buy low candidate for contending teams.
Dynasty | 49ers running back Jordan Mason had 123 rushing yards, two catches, 37 receiving yards and a touchdown in a win against New England. Dynasty Analysis: Mason has been fantastic each and every week as he continues to keep the seat warm for Christian McCaffrey. While his short-term value is great, his long-term value is going to be in question when McCaffrey comes back. Still, Mason managers won't complain too much as he looks like the easy starter for at least another month. Mason is a locked and loaded RB1 until CMC makes his return.
Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings had three catches for 88 yards in a win against New England. Dynasty Analysis: Another week, another solid game for Jennings. While this was a far cry from his 11/175/3 blow-up last game, he still led the 49ers in receiving yards for a second straight week and his six targets led the team. At this point, it's clear the 49ers don't really have an alpha receiver and Brock Purdy may just be good enough to keep Jennings, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk all valuable this season.
Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner rushed 18 times for 104 yards and a touchdown and caught a nine-yard pass in a 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 4.
Fantasy Spin: Outside of his dud against Detroit, Conner has been a reliable option for the Arizona offense and for fantasy owners. He has scored in three of the four games, topping 100 yards twice.
From TheHuddle
New England Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett completed 19-of-32 passes for 168 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers, and he added two runs for three yards while fumbling three times with one lost.
Fantasy Spin: Brissett's passing yardage total was actually a season high, so that tells you a little about his fantasy appeal. He has just two passing scores and the one pick. Brissett isn't doing much, except for keeping the starting job warm for rookie Drake Maye. For fantasy purposes, Brissett should be avoided until absolutely desperate in 2QB leagues when the byes kick in.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | Chargers rookie receiver Ladd McConkey had five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown in a loss against the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: While McConkey has yet to have a monster "blow-up" game, he's been about as consistent as a rookie can get with 24 targets, 176 receiving yards and a couple of scores through the first month of the year. He'll remain a decent high floor option moving forward and seems to have justified his late first round rookie pedigree thus far.
Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 26-of-30 passes for 233 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 47 rushing yards and another score in a blowout win against the Cardinals. Dynasty Analysis: Daniels has now completed 82.1% (87-of-106) of his passes over first four games of his career.Not only is that an NFL record for a quarterback's first four career starts, it's highest completion percentage by a quarterback in any four game span since 1950. Let that soak in for a second as you re-evaluate his dynasty value, which is clearly that of an elite QB1 moving forward.
Dynasty | Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr had five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown in a loss against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: After a one-catch, four-yard performance in week one, Harrison has now scored in three straight games and four times overall. He's quickly establishing himself as Arizona's best pass catcher and has simply been "as advertised" thus far. Harrison should be locked in as a WR1/2 moving forward and looks the part of a top ten dynasty receiver already.
Washington Commanders LB Bobby Wagner finished with 11 tackles, including seven solo stops, and 0.5 sacks in a 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4.
From TheHuddle
Despite the Arizona Cardinals' struggles to score in Sunday's 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. found the end zone for the fourth time this season. In addition to the touchdown, Harrison Jr. caught five passes for 45 yards, securing all but one of his targets. He has emerged as a reliable playmaker for the Cardinals, someone they can depend on in tough situations. Harrison Jr. will likely remain a focal point in their game plan as the offense regains its scoring rhythm. Fantasy managers should continue to keep him in their starting lineups, even with a tough Week 5 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson hauled in 4-of-7 targets for 33 yards in Sunday's 24-18 loss to the Chicago Bears. His long gain of the day went for just 11 yards. Parkinson and the rest of the Rams' passing attack couldn't get much going on a day where their only touchdown came on the back of a three-yard score on the ground by Kyren Williams. Since the loss of superstar wideout Cooper Kupp (ankle), quarterback Matthew Stafford has not thrown for more than 224 yards or more than one touchdown in a single outing. The 25-year-old tight end has seen his volume tick up each of the past three weeks, but he's yet to have a standout game despite the lack of quality options in LA's aerial assault. His seven targets were a season-high, but 7.3 total fantasy points are only good enough for the current TE14 on the week. Unless circumstances drastically change around him, the former fourth-round pick will not be a recommended fantasy option in Week 5 when the team hosts the visiting Green Bay Packers.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders TE Zach Ertz caught all three of his targets for 22 yards in a 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4.
Fantasy Spin: Ertz has a steady role in the offense, but he is limited to short, underneath routes. Despite his lack of upside, the tight end position is thin enough to give Ertz some streaming potential as bye weeks begin.
From TheHuddle
