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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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Player Notes
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Miami Dolphins tight end coach Jon Embree says that Jonnu Smith and Durham Smythe have a rotation every other day at training camp. The Dolphins signed Smith this offseason as a potential upgrade over Smythe, who failed to carve out a meaningful role in Miami's prolific passing attack behind target hogs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Smith, on the other hand, was quietly productive as the No. 2 tight end behind Kyle Pitts for the Atlanta Falcons a year ago, registering a career-high 50 catches on 69 targets for 582 yards. The 28-year-old also put up the seventh-most yards per target (8.4) and yards per catch (11.6) at the position, so he'll try to beat out veteran wideout Odell Beckham Jr. as star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's No. 3 target as a TE2 option in the closing rounds of 2024 fantasy drafts this summer.

From RotoBaller

Rachaad White Aug 1 1:50pm CT
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby (ankle) suffered an ankle injury during practice and had to be carted off the field. Fortunately, preliminary X-rays showed no fractures, relieving Diaby and the team. An MRI is scheduled later in the day to assess the full extent of the injury. Diaby, selected by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Louisville, had a strong rookie season, starting in seven of 17 games and recording 38 combined tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and a team-leading 7.5 sacks. The Buccaneers expect Diaby to start opposite Joe Tryon-Shoyinka as an outside linebacker. The Buccaneers also used their second-round pick on former Alabama pass rusher Chris Braswell and signed veteran Randy Gregory, though Gregory has yet to report for camp. Such an injury would significantly weaken the Buccaneers' defense, likely leading to more high-scoring games for Tampa Bay. This situation could enhance the fantasy value of playmakers like Rachaad White, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin.

From RotoBaller

Tyreek Hill Aug 1 1:50pm CT
Tyreek Hill

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill told reporters at Thursday's training camp that he is optimistic that he'll get a new contract done. Hill signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension with Miami back during the 2022 offseason, so he won't be an unrestricted free agent until 2027. The Dolphins just inked star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a long-term extension, however, while Pro Bowl wideout Jaylen Waddle also bagged a three-year, $84.75-million contract extension with the Dolphins this offseason, so Hill wants his next payday as well. The 30-year-old All-Pro is a consensus top-five selection in fantasy drafts this summer, after compiling a league-leading 1,799 receiving yards through 16 games in 2023.

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D'Onta Foreman Aug 1 1:40pm CT
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Cleveland Browns running back D'Onta Foreman (neck) sustained a concerning injury during a kickoff drill, suffering a direct hit to the head that led to neck pain. The situation became alarming as he was immobilized and transported by ambulance, then airlifted to a medical center in Roanoke, Virginia, for further evaluation. Fortunately, Foreman retained movement in all his extremities. The 28-year-old is expected to be released from the hospital on Thursday afternoon as his X-rays and CT scans came back negative. The 28-year-old, who joined the Browns in March after a stint with the Chicago Bears, had his most successful season in 2022 with the Carolina Panthers, rushing for 914 yards and five touchdowns. The Browns signed Foreman to bolster their running back depth alongside Nick Chubb (knee) and Jerome Ford, which is especially important, with Chubb recovering from a season-ending knee injury. If Foreman is sidelined, Ford could become a valuable RB2, particularly early in the season, as Chubb recovers.

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Jerod Mayo Aug 1 1:40pm CT
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The Cleveland Browns say that X-rays and CT scans on running back D'Onta Foreman (neck) are negative, and he will be released from the hospital this afternoon and return to the team. It's very encouraging news after Foreman was immobilized following "a direct blow to the head that resulted in neck pain" before getting transported to the hospital to undergo further evaluation. The team previously added that Foreman had movement in all his extremities before he was airlifted from Thursday's practice. From a fantasy perspective, the 28-year-old veteran journeyman stands as Cleveland's No. 2 back behind Jerome Ford at the moment with starter Nick Chubb (knee) and satellite back Nyheim Hines (knee) not currently practicing. The Browns are certainly going to be cautious and likely ease Foreman back into action after such a scary incident.

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Tarik Cohen Aug 1 1:30pm CT
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Josh Jacobs Aug 1 1:30pm CT
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Josh Allen Aug 1 9:00am CT
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Josh Reynolds Aug 1 8:40am CT
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Daurice Fountain Aug 1 8:40am CT
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Detroit Lions wide receiver Daurice Fountain has played in just eight games since entering the NFL in 2018 as a fifth-round pick out of North Iowa. He has just two receptions for 23 yards on his resume. However, the 28-year-old got first-team reps last week while third-year wideout Jameson Williams was out of action, and he made the most of his opportunities. "Fountain was one of the standouts of June's minicamp and the lanky wideout has kept the momentum into July," Jeff Risdon of the Lions Wire wrote. "When Jameson Williams wasn't practicing on Friday, Fountain stepped into some of Jamo's first-team reps and played well. His blocking and attention to detail on his routes both received audible praise from WR coach Antwan Randle El." Risdon noted that Fountain didn't have a great day on the first day of pads, but this is still noteworthy considering Fountain is largely unknown. While it would be a surprise if he's on the fantasy football radar in 2024, the team is thin at wide receiver behind superstar Amon-Ra St. Brown and the unproven Williams. He's not worth drafting in leagues of all shapes and sizes right now, but he is worth monitoring as training camp progresses.

From RotoBaller

Kenneth Walker III Aug 1 8:30am CT
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Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has hit the ground running since being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Doak Walker Award winner has racked up 1,955 yards rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns in his first 30 pro contents. Heading into Year 3, he has reportedly impressed the new Seattle staff in training camp. "Kenneth Walker III was the star of Monday's practice, the first one in full pads, and it reflected the sort of spring and summer he's had," NFL Insider Albert Breer wrote. "To the new staff, he looks like the kind of back you can play on all three downs, and build a running game around. And Zach Charbonnet gives the team some depth behind him." Walker has been a productive fantasy running back, but if he can command a higher opportunity share ahead of Charbonnet, he could enter the next tier. It's tough to know what to expect from the Seahawks' offense in 2024, but it sounds like Walker will remain the clear RB1, and his speed and explosiveness give him the ability to produce spike weeks.

From RotoBaller

Kene Nwangwu Aug 1 8:20am CT
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Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu has seen more reps this summer than in years past, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. Lewis said he remains the third back on the depth chart behind Ty Chander, but this development is still noteworthy considering Nwangwu has just 27 career carries across 37 games. The speedster has been primarily used as a special teamer early in his career, but he could now have a path toward touches if the injury bug hits the Minnesota running back room. For now, he can be ignored in traditional fantasy setups, but there are deep leagues where almost all backup and third-string running backs are rostered. He should be on the fantasy radar in those formats as a deep handcuff stash. His 4.37 speed could give him a chance to produce spike weeks if he's given any opportunities in the backfield during the regular season.

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Dak Prescott Jul 31 9:43pm CT
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Fantasy Spin: While there has been plenty of talk about whether Prescott is worthy of a big contract extension, there is no denying his ability to put up quality numbers. He should be a reliable QB1 again this season.

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Willie Snead Jul 31 9:13pm CT
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Ladd McConkey Jul 31 9:10pm CT
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From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Jul 31 9:00pm CT
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