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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Carolina Panthers running back Dillon Johnson ran the ball 18 times for 83 yards and a touchdown in the team's loss to the New York Jets, leading all ball carriers in all three categories. Johnson also reeled in two catches for zero additional yards through the air. The former Washington Husky saw increased usage with Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, and Jonathan Brooks all inactive for Saturday's matchup. Johnson was picked up the Panthers earlier this offseason and will continue to fight for a role on the practice squad or 53-man roster.
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Carolina Panthers rookie tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders caught both of his targets 22 yards in the team's loss to the New York Jets, leading the team in yards on the day. The former Texas Longhorn was picked up in the fourth round of this year's draft and stands a chance to take over as the TE1 in Carolina this upcoming season. Current depth charts slate him as the TE3 behind Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas, but he is a name to keep an eye on as he continues to be mixed into the offense. He'll look to climb further up the depth chart on Saturday when the Panthers take on the Bills in their final preseason game.
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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker made a strong impression in the Raiders' preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, hauling in three passes for 66 yards and demonstrating his versatility with two punt returns for 48 yards. The highlight of his night was a 48-yard reception from quarterback Gardner Minshew II, which was a key play that led to one of the Raiders' few scoring drives. Tucker's explosiveness was on full display, with another notable punt return unfortunately negated by a penalty. Tucker's performance in this game continues to build on the momentum he generated in the preseason opener, signaling that he could be primed for a breakout sophomore season. His knack for making big plays not only as a receiver, but also as a return specialist, makes him a valuable asset for the Raiders. Tucker could be on the verge of securing a significant role in the Raiders' offense this season. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on Tucker as a high-ranking sleeper pick, especially if he continues to showcase this level of playmaking ability as the regular season approaches.
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According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, X-rays on Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) came back negative. The wideout was injured during Saturday's preseason matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers and required a cart to the locker room for further evaluation. While the latest news regarding MVS' injury is encouraging, his status moving ahead is unknown, meaning he is in danger of missing time. The 29-year-old, who agreed to a deal with Buffalo this offseason, is coming off the worst season of his career, totaling 42 catches for 315 yards and one touchdown in 16 games with the Chiefs. However, the Bills no longer have Stefon Diggs on the roster, so Valdes-Scantling could turn things around, assuming he gets healthy.
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Jack Plummer completed 11 of his 18 passes for 42 yards in the team's loss to the New York Jets. Plummer served as the starting QB for Carolina, with Bryce Young and Andy Dalton inactive, indicating the rookie may have solidified the QB3 role for the Panthers this season. Plummer will look to hold onto the spot when the Bills take on the Panthers on Saturday for their final preseason game.
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Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White's preseason performance on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys showed promise, highlighted by a 17-yard run that boosted his nightly total to 23 yards on four carries. While the stat line looks promising, it's important to note that most of his production came from a single play. As the Raiders' projected lead back, White has potential for fantasy managers. He could emerge as a solid RB2 with upside, especially if the Raiders' offensive line performs well. However, the presence of Alexander Mattison adds competition to the backfield. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation closely. White has the opportunity to solidify his role, but Mattison's talent could lead to a timeshare if White doesn't perform consistently. Keep an eye on early-season usage and efficiency to gauge White's long-term value in your fantasy lineups. His success will likely depend on maintaining his lead role and capitalizing on his opportunities in the Raiders' offense. Don't sleep on either back and be ready to pivot if the winds change in Vegas.
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According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, speaking on Sunday's episode of SportsCenter, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (back) is "one call away" from being traded to the Steelers. Pittsburgh is willing to pay the wideout. However, the 49ers are hoping to keep him on the roster. While both parties have agreed to portions of a new contract, the remaining parts of the deal need to be ironed out. Aiyuk is currently labeled as a "hold-in," although head coach Kyle Shanahan reported that the receiver is also dealing with a "back issue." But the clock is ticking, with Aiyuk potentially in line to miss time if things continue to be delayed.
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Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee) should be back soon and is expected to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener. Hopkins suffered a strained knee early in training camp at the start of August and was expected to be out for four to six weeks. It appears that the 32-year-old veteran pass-catcher is making good progress, though, and should be ready to go in early September. However, Hopkins' fantasy stock is down because of all the missed time in camp and due to the offseason addition of Calvin Ridley, who will no doubt take valuable targets away. The Titans offense should be much more pass-happy under Callahan, but Hopkins is going to need to be far more efficient deep down the field to pay off for fantasy managers. He's become more of a high-end WR4/flex target in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Goodson ran the ball six times for 35 yards and a touchdown in the team's win against the Cardinals on Saturday. Goodson has now scored in both the Colts' preseason games and played as the RB2 behind Jonathan Taylor in both games. With Trey Sermon's (hamstring) injury keeping him off the field, Goodson is looking to lock up the RB2 role behind Taylor. Depending on Sermon's injury status, Goodson does provide fantasy relevancy as the potential handcuff to Taylor this season.
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Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins (undisclosed) is dealing with a minor injury but will be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. With Hopkins sidelined, Cade York again handled the kicking duties in Saturday's preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Browns are trying to showcase York this summer for a potential trade suitor, but York was told to kick the ball into the end zone for touchbacks on Saturday. Stefanski felt the kickoff return and kickoff cover teams got enough work in joint practices last week with Minnesota. The 33-year-old Hopkins will be Cleveland's starter going into 2024 after a career-best year with the Browns last year, and the return of a healthy Deshaun Watson to lead the offense should put Hopkins on the radar as a low-end starting fantasy booter in 12-team leagues.
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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Laquon Treadwell caught all seven of his targets for 72 yards in the team's win against the Cardinals. Treadwell led all pass-catchers in targets, receptions, and yards in yesterday's matchup. The 29-year-old signed with the Colts this offseason and hopes to make a spot on the 53-man roster, currently slated as a WR4 on the team's depth chart. Treadwell will look to build off of an impressive outing when the Colts face off against the Bengals in their final preseason game on Thursday.
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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said that wide receiver Davante Adams (undisclosed) tweaked something in training camp practice on Wednesday, which is why he didn't suit up for the team's preseason game on Saturday versus the Dallas Cowboys. Adams is expected to return to practice on Tuesday, though, so it doesn't appear to be an injury that is serious enough to put his availability for the Week 1 regular-season opener in question. The 31-year-old pass-catcher is unlikely to play in the preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers next Friday, and the team's starters won't even play in that contest. In his first year without quarterback Derek Carr in 2023, Adams still had over 1,000 receiving yards, but his 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns were both his fewest marks since 2019. He's likely to struggle for big explosive plays down the field again in 2024, making him more of a low-end WR1 than a high-end one.
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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said that rookie first-round tight end Brock Bowers (foot) was held out of Saturday's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys due to a sore foot. It remains to be seen how serious Bowers' foot injury is, but he's unlikely to play in the preseason finale on Friday against the Atlanta Falcons. There are still several weeks to go until the start of the 2024 regular season in early September, but missed practice time now for the 21-year-old could cause him to get off to a slow start in his rookie campaign. Fantasy managers targeting him in upcoming drafts as a low-end TE1 will want to keep a close eye on his status this upcoming week. When healthy, the former Georgia Bulldog is expected to immediately become Vegas' top pass-catching tight end in 2024 over Michael Mayer. It's possible that Bowers will be the team's No. 2 target behind receiver Davante Adams.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh had more good things to say about rookie running back Braelon Allen after Saturday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. "We picked him for a lot of reasons, because he's actually really good out of the backfield and route-running, he's really good in protection, too. We think he's an all-around good back and he's a very powerful runner, too, and he's displaying that, down in and down out," Saleh said. The 20-year-old saw eight carries on Saturday and gained 27 yards while also catching two of his four targets for 12 yards. With just one preseason game remaining, it seems pretty clear that Allen is the team's preferred RB2 behind workhorse Breece Hall heading into his first year in the NFL. He's probably going to go undrafted in standard 12-team fantasy leagues, but in deeper formats, Allen is worth taking as a handcuff to Hall.
From RotoBaller
Former Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore (shoulder) signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, according to a source. The former Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots defensive back will reunite with defensive coordinator Brian Flores in Minnesota. The Vikings had long been in the market for a big-name cornerback, and Gilmore was being patient and biding his time. Gilmore is fully healthy and demonstrated it during his visit with the Vikes before signing. The 33-year-old veteran had offseason surgery on his shoulder after starting in all 17 regular-season games for Dallas in 2023, registering a career-high 68 tackles (54 solo), two interceptions, 13 pass breakups and a forced fumble. Gilmore will be a starter for the Vikings and will be a big-time upgrade to their secondary as long as he's healthy.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback C.J. Beathard (groin) suffered a groin injury in Saturday's preseason contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Beathard played the entire third quarter after following Mac Jones in the exhibition contest and finished 5-for-7 for 40 yards with 10 rushing yards on two carries. The 30-year-old veteran could lose out on the competition for the backup job behind Trevor Lawrence if his groin injury is serious enough to sideline him for the preseason finale next week against the Atlanta Falcons. In Saturday's game, Jones, the former New England Patriots signal-caller, went 16-for-23 for 210 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 14 yards on six carries. Given Beathard's injury, Jones appears to be in a good spot to win the backup job in his first year in Jacksonville.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Jha'Quan Jackson caught all four targets for 57 yards in the preseason win over Seattle. While the rookie didn't find the end zone like teammate Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, he still led all receivers in yards on the night. Jackson, the No. 182 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, has reportedly looked good in training camp. However, Tennessee has plenty of depth at the wide receiver spot, so he'll have an uphill climb to get targets during his inaugural campaign. The Titans will end the preseason with a trip to New Orleans to meet the Saints.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine caught two of his four targets for 20 yards in Saturday's preseason win over Seattle. While Nick Westbrook-Ikhine didn't get as many looks as some of the other wideouts on the roster, he made the most of his limited targets, pulling in a 15-yard pass from Mason Rudolph near the end of the second quarter. The 27-year-old has had flashes of production in his four seasons with the Titans, totaling 94 receptions for 1,276 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, the Titans have depth at the wide receiver position, meaning Nick Westbrook-Ikhine won't be consistently involved. With that said, he could still have a few decent outings during the 2024-25 campaign. Tennessee will end the preseason with a trip to New Orleans to meet the Saints.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis got some work in Saturday's narrow preseason win over the Seahawks. The 2022 No. 86 overall pick went 12-for-16 passing for 116 yards. He added four carries for 30 yards. Willis was more accurate than Mason Rudolph, who went 10-for-17 passing for 125 yards and a touchdown. However, unlike Rudolph, Willis threw an interception. At any rate, Willis will likely remain behind Rudolph on the depth chart heading into the 2024-25 campaign. Yet, unless Will Levis isn't starting, neither backup quarterback will be relevant for fantasy purposes. The Titans will end their preseason with a meeting with the New Orleans Saints.
From RotoBaller