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Draft Day Winners and Losers

Mon Apr 29 11:53am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 4

Player Notes
Younghoe Koo Sep 30 12:00am CT
Younghoe Koo

Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo had a terrific performance during Sunday's Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints, going 4-for-4 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points. Not only did he make all six of his kicks, but he also showed off his powerful leg as he converted field goals from 42, 44, 53, and 58 yards out. This was a refreshing game from one of the NFL's most prominent kickers after he had attempted just nine kicks (including only five field goals) through the first three weeks of the season. Sunday's win allowed him to showcase his dominant leg, and he racked up roughly 20 points in some leagues that award extra points for long-distance field goals. He's firmly back in the top-five fantasy kicker conversation ahead of Week 5 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

Troy Andersen Sep 30 12:00am CT
Troy Andersen

The Atlanta Falcons defense and special teams units combined for two touchdowns during Sunday's Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints. Atlanta's special teams tallied the first points of the game after recovering a Rashid Shaheed muffed punt in the end zone during the first quarter. The defense struck in the second quarter as Troy Andersen intercepted Derek Carr and returned the ball 47 yards to the end zone for a pick-six. Dee Alford rounded out the day by recording Atlanta's lone sack. All in all, it was a productive effort for the Falcons despite allowing the Saints to notch 24 points and 366 yards of offense. Evidently, scoring two touchdowns will do more than enough to cancel out those yards and points totals. Given that Atlanta hadn't scored a defensive touchdown prior to this week, it's hard to bank on the unit finding the end zone against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5. Still, the Falcons have recorded an interception in each of the last three weeks against talented quarterbacks from the Eagles, Chiefs, and Saints, so perhaps they'll be able to remain on the fantasy radar against Baker Mayfield and the Bucs. Consider Atlanta a fringe top-12 option with borderline streaming appeal.

From RotoBaller

Bijan Robinson Sep 29 11:50pm CT
Bijan Robinson

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson rushed for 28 yards on seven carries during Sunday's Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints. He was even more productive in the passing game, hauling in all four of his targets for an additional 46 yards through the air. Fantasy managers would have liked to see more rushing yards or a touchdown, but you can't ignore Robinson's receiving contributions, especially in PPR leagues. The former first-round pick has produced double-digit fantasy points (PPR) in all four games this season despite scoring just one touchdown. One would imagine his scoring one touchdown through four games is an anomaly, so he should find the end zone more often (and, as a result, score more fantasy points) going forward. Continue to deploy him as an RB1 heading into Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Pitts Sep 29 11:50pm CT
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was unable to haul in any of his three targets during Sunday's Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints. This was Pitts' first career game with zero receptions, and it's a result that fantasy managers hope was merely an anomaly. He hadn't been incredibly productive by any means over the first few weeks of the season, but he was still averaging over eight fantasy points per game in PPR leagues, good enough to rank among the top 12 fantasy tight ends. His average and ranking will both drop after Sunday's goose egg, though. He remains a frustrating low-end TE1 ahead of a Week 5 clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who just surrendered seven catches and 62 yards to Dallas Goedert.

From RotoBaller

Michael Pittman Jr. Sep 29 11:50pm CT
Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. grabbed six of his nine targets for 113 yards in the team's 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittman had, far and away, his best game of the season so far, coming against an opponent that has severely limited No. 1 WRs through the first three weeks. Despite the change in QB after the injury to Anthony Richardson (hip), Pittman saw a pretty even split in production once QB Joe Flacco relieved him. Pittman got 60 yards from Richardson and the other 53 from Flacco. Pittman was tied with WR Josh Downs for the most targets among all pass-catchers, both finishing with nine. The 26-year-old is showing flashes from last season, where he could provide fantasy managers with an incredibly safe floor week in and week out with his high target share. Reports suggest that Richardson isn't likely to miss extended time with his injury, but either way, fantasy managers can put him back into the WR2 range in a favorable Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

From RotoBaller

Kirk Cousins Sep 29 11:40pm CT
Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 21 of 35 passes for 238 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints. He took just one sack in the contest. Although Cousins didn't register a touchdown and did throw an interception, he still managed to lead four scoring drives en route to a big divisional victory over the Saints. Equally important was the rapport that Cousins seemed to have with Drake London, who has suddenly totaled 18 catches and two touchdowns over the last three games after some initial panic about his lack of involvement back in Week 1. Cousins may no longer have the low-end QB1 appeal he possessed in Minnesota, but he's still a modest QB2 who can support fantasy-relevant performances from the Atlanta playmakers while keeping the Falcons in contention for the NFC South title.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Allgeier Sep 29 11:40pm CT
Tyler Allgeier

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 60 yards on eight carries during Sunday's Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints. He also got involved as a pass-catcher, hauling in each of his two targets for a total of 20 yards through the air. Allgeier finished with more rushes and more rushing yards than teammate Bijan Robinson, but he was slightly less productive than his backfield-mate in the passing game. Regardless of how the two running backs compared on Sunday, Allgeier showcased that he is capable of having standalone value in fantasy football even when Robinson is healthy. Allgeier should be viewed as a low-end RB3/FLEX play going forward, starting with Week 5 against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that has surrendered big gains to Saquon Barkley, Tyler Badie, David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Austin Ekeler, and Brian Robinson Jr. so far this year.

From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Sep 29 11:30pm CT
Bo Nix

On a day in which Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw for 60 yards, the Broncos still got a win over the New York Jets by a score of 10-9 on Sunday in Week 4 because of another stellar effort from the defense/special teams unit. Denver's D held QB Aaron Rodgers and the Jets to 248 total yards and zero TDs while sacking the future Hall of Famer five times and recovering a fumble early in the first half. It helped that offense in general was hard to come by on a dreary and slippery rain-soaked day in the Big Apple, but it doesn't take away from the fact that the Broncos' defense has been much better than expected through the first four weeks of 2024. Through Sunday's games this week, the Broncos D/ST has been a top-10 unit and is now firmly on the rise in fantasy as at least a streaming option with a Week 5 matchup against the division-rival Raiders upcoming.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Sep 29 11:20pm CT
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton had a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2023, but it took him until Week 4 of 2024 to visit paydirt for the first time. Sutton finished the 10-9 upset win over the New York Jets on Sunday with three catches on nine targets for 60 yards and his first touchdown of the year, which also happened to be rookie quarterback Bo Nix's first TD pass of his career. Sutton's three receptions, nine targets and 60 receiving yards all led the team on a rain-soaked day in which Nix threw for a total of 60 yards. The good news is that the 28-year-old is the clear leader in targets and receiving yards on this team. The bad news is that Nix and this Broncos offense have been highly inconsistent and low-scoring so far in 2024, leaving Sutton as a low-ceiling, low-floor WR4/flex most weeks in fantasy. In an appealing matchup in Week 5 against the division-rival Raiders in Denver, Sutton could have a good shot at making it two straight weeks with a touchdown.

From RotoBaller

Taysom Hill Sep 29 11:20pm CT
Taysom Hill

New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (abdomen) suffered a new rib injury in Week 4 versus the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Dennis Allen emphasized that while this injury is in a similar location as the chest injury that sidelined him in Week 3, this is a new issue unrelated to his previous ailment. It's unfortunate that Hill has struggled to stay healthy early in the year given the element of excitement and versatility he brings to the offense. The 34-year-old ultimately rushed for 24 yards and two touchdowns before exiting Sunday's game, showcasing his impressive ability to find the end zone and deliver major production to fantasy managers deploying him at the tight end position. If Hill is healthy going forward, he'll rank as a low-end TE1 based on his rushing and touchdown upside.

From RotoBaller

Javonte Williams Sep 29 11:10pm CT
Javonte Williams

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

Jonathan Taylor Sep 29 11:10pm CT
Jonathan Taylor

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

Bo Nix Sep 29 11:00pm CT
Bo Nix

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

Jordan Mason Sep 29 10:40pm CT
Jordan Mason

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

Brock Purdy Sep 29 10:00pm CT
Brock Purdy

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

Rashee Rice Sep 29 9:43pm CT
Rashee Rice

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.

Kareem Hunt Sep 29 9:43pm CT
Kareem Hunt

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.

Budda Baker Sep 29 9:43pm CT
Budda Baker

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

Travis Kelce Sep 29 9:42pm CT
Travis Kelce

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.

Jordan Mason Sep 29 9:42pm CT
Jordan Mason

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.