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
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper told a representative from Betr that he's "trying to get paid this year." The 30-year-old continues to skip mandatory minicamp and pay the corresponding fines in order to build leverage as he seeks an extension from the Browns. He's due to hit free agency next year, and while he can presumably cash in on such an opportunity, he remains interested in expediting the process and signing a new deal with Cleveland. Just months removed from a 72-catch, 1,250-yard campaign, Cooper finds himself ranking as a very reliable WR2 option in most fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
The San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had a "good meeting" on Monday and will continue to work toward a resolution amidst the 26-year-old's latest frustration, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. At this time, Aiyuk, who seeks a contract extension, has not made a formal trade request and the 49ers want him to be part of their team in 2024. The wide receiver is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and is due to hit free agency next offseason, barring an extension. He had a career year in 2023, catching 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Even in an offense that also includes Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey, fantasy managers should treat Aiyuk as a strong WR2 option.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant "appears primed to be in line for a bigger share of the pass-catching role at the position" in 2024, according to Zac Hereth of Seattle Sports. The expectation is that Fant will have more opportunities to catch passes, allowing the Seahawks to push the ball down the field while maximizing production at the tight end position. However, this may not lead to a massive bump in snaps for Fant as he'll likely lose some of his blocking duties to Pharaoh Brown. While fantasy managers would like to see Fant get on the field as much as possible, he's still trending up with the expectation that he's headed for a featured role in the passing attack. Expect him to rank as a mid-range TE2 during 2024 fantasy football drafts.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown is expected to have a significant role as a blocker in 2024, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard told Mike Salk of Seattle Sports. This news follows some whispers out of Seattle (also from Huard) that Noah Fant will receive increased attention in the passing game but could lose some blocking opportunities to Brown. When explaining how he'd approach the tight end position in Seattle, Huard noted, "I'm going to use that other guy, Pharaoh [Brown], that guy can block, and we believe he's one of the best run-blocking tight ends, so we're going to put that guy in many of those burden situations in the run game." This adds some important context to the Seahawks' depth chart ahead of 2024 fantasy drafts. Brown was never a legitimate fantasy option, but this latest update suggests that Fant could be trending up. Managers preparing for 2024 fantasy drafts should view Fant as a mid-range TE2 and Brown as a mid-to-low TE3.
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins want to extend quarterback Tua Tagovailoa but are still evaluating a fair market value, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. As Schefter notes, the quarterback market shifted drastically this offseason when the Jacksonville Jaguars handed Trevor Lawrence a deal worth $55 million per year. Prior to that deal, the Dolphins likely couldn't have justified paying Tagovailoa $55 million per year, but now the former first-round pick can argue that he's worth even more than Lawrence. In the meantime, Tagovailoa is preparing to play out the final year of his rookie deal. He's coming off a strong season in which he earned his first Pro Bowl nod, threw for a career-high 29 touchdowns, and led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards. With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at his disposal, the 26-year-old signal-caller enters 2024 as a mid-to-low QB1 option in most fantasy football leagues.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is fully recovered and ready for training camp. Dynasty Analysis: Music to the ears of dynasty owners but they all need to see some major progress on the performance and durability side before being "all in." Richardson is a tantalizing prospect who has overall QB1 potential but nagging injuries his rookie season have raised a serious red flag. He remains a top option in dynasty leagues but his value is bound to either rise or fall significantly based on his performance this season. Dynasty managers need to determine just how lucky they feel.
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr. missed the entire 2023 season after being suspended for violating the NFL's gambling policy. However, ESPN reporter Tim McManus said Rodgers has been impressive this offseason, and he's been splitting first-team reps with second-year cornerback Kelee Ringo. He's been making plays against the Eagles' strong first-team offense and is viewed as a surprise standout for the organization. "For a guy that has not played football for a year, coming back, he looks like he has been playing nonstop," All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown said. "He's flying around, and he's going to do special stuff for us this year." Rodgers spent the first three seasons of his career with the Indianapolis Colts and racked up 90 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 pass deflections in his first 45 games. Philadelphia allowed the third-most passing yards per game last season (255.7), so any boost they can get from Rodgers would be significant.
From RotoBaller
The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye projects Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen to remain as the team's slot receiver in 2024 despite the addition of Diontae Johnson and rookie Xavier Legette. The 33-year-old Thielen managed to stay fantasy relevant in his first year in Carolina in 2023 despite rookie quarterback Bryce Young and the offense being one of the worst in the league. Thielen caught 103 of his 137 targets for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in 17 starts. He should continue to be a safety blanket for Young this year, but the additions of both Johnson and Legette will inevitably take valuable targets away. Fantasy managers certainly shouldn't expect another 1,000-yard campaign for Thielen in 2024. You should be targeting Thielen as merely a late-round flier for receiver depth in deeper fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still might have been the most surprising player in the team's secondary during offseason workouts after the team's pass defense was their Achilles heel last year. Still was the team's fifth-round pick this year at 137th overall out of Maryland. He had an interception and had multiple pass deflections throughout minicamp. Safety Derwin James Jr. pointed to Still as a player who impressed him, while defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said he has appreciated how much Still has improved since the start of the offseason program. "He made a bunch of really nice plays out there," Minter said. The 22-year-old defensive back thrives in man-to-man coverage due to his aggressive and physical style of play. Still could immediately compete for a starting job with Deane Leonard this summer.
From RotoBaller
The Denver Broncos signed linebacker Cody Barton in free agency this offseason thinking that he would be a prime contributor on special teams and could carve out a niche on defense if things went well. However, Barton has put himself squarely in the battle for the starting middle linebacker job to replace the departed Josey Jewell. He will be competing with Jonas Griffith, who missed last year due to a torn ACL he suffered in training camp. Barton got plenty of work with the defensive starters this offseason in organized team activities and minicamp, so he will arrive to training camp this summer to compete for a starting job. The former third-round selection by the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 out of Utah has had 100-plus combined tackles in each of the last two years with the Seahawks and Washington Commanders, so there's a chance Barton jumps onto the IDP radar if he seizes a starting job and runs with it.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said on The GM Shuffle podcast that second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) will be "full-go" for the start of training camp at the end of July despite dealing with some shoulder fatigue during offseason activities. The shoulder soreness was something expected after Richardson had season-ending surgery on his right shoulder during his rookie season in 2023. Despite the fact that the 22-year-old former fourth overall pick played in just four games last year, his elite rushing abilities make him an attractive midrange QB1 going into his sophomore season. The 6-foot-4, 244-pounder also has above-average arm strength and has an incredibly high ceiling for fantasy managers if he can remain healthy. Once the elite names at the QB position come off the board in fantasy drafts, Richardson will be hard to pass up.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans undrafted free-agent cornerback Gabe Jeudy-Lally took full advantage of available repetitions during organized team activities and minicamp this offseason due to veterans Chidobe Awuzie and L'Jarius Sneed having limited participation. Jeudy-Lally said his length and comfort in press coverage gave him confidence to play in defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson's aggressive scheme. "If I get up there and give myself the opportunity to win by getting my hands on guys and being in good position, it allows me to use my length to my ability, and everything falls into play from there," Jeudy-Lally said. He held his own in coverage against both receivers Treylon Burks and DeAndre Hopkins, so he could be a defensive back to watch in training camp this summer for the Titans.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams new cornerback Tre'Davious White (Achilles) signed a one-year deal with the Rams on April 9 after being released by the Buffalo Bills. White continues to rehab this offseason after tearing his Achilles in Week 4 of last year. He was working off to the side with trainers for the majority of organized team activities before participating in the walkthrough in the final week. It remains to be seen how much White will be able to do in training camp this summer. "He's making good progress. He was able to partake in the walkthrough. It's obviously a significant injury that he's overcome. He's gotten a lot of good stuff done on the side. You could see he's really locked in and engaged in the meeting setting," head coach Sean McVay said. White's 18 career interceptions are tied for 11th-most among active cornerbacks, per Pro Football Reference.
Dallas Cowboys wide receivers Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks are both candidates to open 2024 in the third slot on the depth chart behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Both players have showcased their talent during OTAs and are pushing to make the WR3 competition interesting this summer. In terms of the players' specific skill sets, Archer wrote, "Brooks was able to work through traffic well, especially on tight throws on slants. Tolbert worked all three receiver spots and was able to make plays at all different levels." There's clearly a path for both receivers to get involved this season, and Dallas has shown that its WR3 can have bursts of fantasy relevance in the past. Perhaps Tolbert or Brooks could be a late-round sleeper in redraft leagues this year.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Nikko Remigio impressed while running with the first-team offense and is pushing to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. An undrafted free agent back in 2023, Remigio earned more reps this summer with Xavier Worthy (hamstring) sidelined. Remigio may struggle to pass the likes of Worthy, Marquise Brown, Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney in the pecking order, but his strong summer and talent as a kickoff returner could be enough to secure a roster spot and earn a few extra looks on offense. He's off the fantasy radar but is a rising name to watch as the 2024 campaign draws closer.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent DE Kemoko Turay (Falcons) is expected to receive interest from multiple teams, according to sources.
From TheHuddle
Chicago Bears WR Dante Pettis (undisclosed) missed a majority of the offseason workouts because of soft tissue injuries.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints tight end Dallin Holker was a priority undrafted free-agent signing by the team following the 2024 NFL Draft, and with Juwan Johnson (foot) potentially missing the rest of the offseason due to foot surgery, he has a chance to crack the Week 1 roster. "It was apparent the Saints liked Holker when they guaranteed him $235,000 to sign as an undrafted rookie free agent this spring," ESPN's Katherine Terrell wrote. "Holker has a real opportunity to make the team now that Juwan Johnson is sidelined indefinitely by a foot injury. Foster Moreau is the only veteran tight end on the roster with experience, which means Holker, who has had an impressive showing so far, could find playing time quickly." Holker had a quiet three-year career at BYU before posting 64 receptions for 767 yards and six touchdowns in 2023 at Colorado State. While he wasn't an overly impressive athlete during the pre-draft process, he could have a path to opportunity. He should enter the fantasy radar in deep tight-end-premium setups, but he's likely not worth a draft choice yet.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants tight end Lawrence Cager has hauled in just 19 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns through the first 20 games of his NFL career, but after the retirement of Darren Waller, he could earn legitimate playing time in 2024. According to Giants reporter Jordan Raanan, Cager has capitalized on his opportunities this offseason. "It looked this spring like Cager and fourth-round pick Theo Johnson will be asked to fill that pass-catching role," Raanan wrote. "Both received some first-team reps and made plays in what primarily serves as a passing camp. Coach Brian Daboll even mentioned that Cager was 'probably one of the most improved players throughout the offseason,' which could open the door for him to make a significant contribution this season." Expectations should be tempered for the 26-year-old, but there are unexpected tight-end breakouts every year, so his performance at training camp later this summer should be monitored.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III has had a slow start to his NFL career, but there have been plenty of factors to cause the quiet start. The Alabama product missed his entire 2022 rookie season coming off an ACL tear and being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. He appeared in 16 games in 2023 but caught just 16 passes for 158 yards. However, ESPN Texans reporter DJ Bien-Aime suggests Metchie could be back to form in 2024. "Metchie is flashing signs of what made him a second-round pick in the 2022 draft." Bien-Aime wrote. His explosiveness appears back. He has also been in the rotation with the first-team offense." While Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell are locked into the starting lineup, Metchie has plenty of fantasy football intrigue if he secures the WR4 role. He'd be one injury away from entering the starting lineup in C.J. Stroud's offense, meaning he should be on the fantasy radar in deep leagues.
From RotoBaller
