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
Dynasty | Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had 106 rushing yards, one catch, 11 receiving yards and a touchdown in Kansas City's win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: Father Time is undefeated, but Hunt keeps throwing haymakers. Now with 414 rushing yards and five touchdowns in five games, the former and now current Chief has been one of fantasy football's biggest surprises this season. The imminent return of Isiah Pacheco is going to throw major cold water on his late season value, but dynasty managers can ride this for the next few weeks, at least. Hunt's dynasty value has stabilized as it looks like he still has some juice left in the tank. Still, he's a risky buy at the moment as a player who could have a sudden decrease in usage.
Dynasty | Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards in a win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: Kelce's 16 targets led the team. After a brutally slow start, Kelce has been Kelce lately with 43 targets and 37 catches over his last four games. While touchdowns have been tough to come by, it certainly looks like Kelce is going to post another 1,000 yard season if this pace keeps up. He's right back to elite TE1 status now that the Chiefs have seemingly recommitted to him instead of managing his workload.
Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy failed to catch a pass and ran for -10 yards in the Chiefs win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: Yuck. This was as bad as it gets for Worthy, whom the Chiefs are finding it difficult to get the ball to at this point. He's still typically good for a gadget play here and there, but this has been a mess so far. Worthy has proven to be a little more of a project than most expected and while he still has a bright future, it's clear this is going to be a redshirt season. His dynasty value is starting to dip as a result.
Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins had eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns in a win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: Kansas City had promised to get Hopkins more involved this week and they were certainly true to their word. This was the best we've seen Nuk in years and while this very well could go down as his best game of the season, he suddenly looks like a viable player again. Dynasty managers could likely get a late second round pick for him if they're not in contention, or offer the same capital to acquire him if he could help for the stretch run.
There has been speculation that the Seattle Seahawks could consider trading star wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) by Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Seattle will hang onto him. Metcalf suffered an MCL sprain in his knee in Week 7 and has missed two straight contests as a result heading into the team's bye in Week 10. As of right now, the team is optimistic that Metcalf will return in Week 11 to face the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. A trade of Metcalf would have been great news for both receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who blew up in Week 9 against the Rams, and veteran Tyler Lockett. However, it looks like the 26-year-old Metcalf will remain with the team and should be considered the WR1 in Seattle when he returns from his injury. In seven games before getting hurt, Metcalf had 35 catches, 568 yards (16.2 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.
From RotoBaller
The Las Vegas Raiders hired former NFL head coach Norv Turner as an assistant to help guide their offense after the team parted ways with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy following a Week 9 blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Turner, who previously served as the Raiders' head coach in 2004-05, will join his son Scott, who is the front-runner to take over for Getsy as the offensive coordinator. In addition to firing Getsy, the Raiders also cut loose quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello and offensive-line coach James Cregg. Norv Turner won two Super Bowls as the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and went 114-122-1 with Washington, Oakland and San Diego in a head-coaching role over 15 seasons. He is one of the most respected offensive minds in the league and will now have a big challenge on his hands in Vegas, where the Raiders could be moving to quarterback Desmond Ridder.
From RotoBaller
According to sources, trade talks for New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) are "warming up" and "multiple people are involved." Lattimore aggravated a hamstring injury in the Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and was held out in the Week 9 loss to the division-rival Carolina Panthers as a precaution. His injury obviously isn't serious enough to deter teams from trying to trade for him, and the 28-year-old veteran could be on the move before Tuesday's deadline. The four-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Rookie of the Year would be a solid addition to a contending team's secondary the rest of the way. In seven games in his eighth year with the Saints in 2024, Lattimore has compiled 30 tackles (22 solo) and two pass breakups. He has 15 career interceptions (two returned for TDs) and 88 pass breakups in his seven-plus NFL seasons.
From RotoBaller
According to sources, New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn has been involved in trade talks over the last several weeks and is now a target for a few teams ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. Osborn had some productive seasons with the Minnesota Vikings when quarterback Kirk Cousins was in town, but he's been an afterthought with the Pats and has only seven receptions on 17 targets for 57 yards and a touchdown in his first six games with the team in 2024. The 27-year-old was a healthy scratch in the Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans in favor of DeMario Douglas, Kayson Boutte, Kendrick Bourne and rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. With Osborn so far down the receiving depth chart in New England, it would make sense for the Pats to deal him to a team that would give him more opportunities.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday that it's likely that quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) will be placed on Injured Reserve, which will require him to miss at least four games. If the Cowboys put Prescott on IR this week, the earliest he would be able to return would be on Dec. 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night to close out Week 14 action. The 31-year-old suffered a hamstring injury in the Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, and the injury turned out to be worse than the team initially thought it was. Dallas has announced that Cooper Rush will take over under center with Prescott sidelined, which is obviously a downgrade for the Cowboys' entire offense, most notably for receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder), who could be in danger of missing the Week 10 divisional clash against the Philadelphia Eagles.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard caught four of five targets for 48 yards in Monday night's 30-24 overtime loss to the Chiefs, adding two rushes for 21 yards. It was the second consecutive game that the 31-year-old earned five looks from Baker Mayfield and the fourth time this season he's caught at least three passes. Jalen McMillan (hamstring) was inactive for the game and should he miss another week, then Shepard could once again be one of the top receiving options for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have a tough matchup with the 49ers in Week 10 so even so, he's still probably only a WR4/5.
From RotoBaller
As expected, the Detroit Lions acquired standout edge rusher Za'Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, according to sources. The Lions are adding a key pass-rusher to help make up for the loss of All-Pro defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who will miss the rest of the year with a broken leg. Along with Smith, the Lions are receiving a seventh-round pick in 2026 in exchange for a fifth-rounder next year and a sixth-round selection in the 2026 NFL draft. The 32-year-old Smith should help Detroit's defense immediately after recording five sacks, 23 tackles (15 solo), six tackles for loss and seven QB hits in nine games for the Browns this year. Smith's Lions debut will come this Sunday in a Week 10 showdown against the Houston Texans. The three-time Pro Bowler has 65 career sacks in 132 games played after debuting in 2015 with the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving led the backfield in touches in Monday night's 30-24 overtime loss to the Chiefs, although it did not amount to much. The 22-year-old totaled 10 touches, seven rushes and six receptions, compared to Rachaad White's six touches and Sean Tucker's four, but the total gain on his opportunities was just 34 yards. With White nabbing the lone rushing touchdown, it was a fairly forgettable fantasy day for the youngster. Still, as long as the rookie out of Oregon remains involved in the passing game -- it was the third straight week he grabbed at least three catches -- then he should at least have a reliable floor in PPR leagues. There will surely be brighter fantasy days ahead, however, it may not come in Week 10 against a solid 49ers defense. Irving figures to be in the RB3/Flex conversation for that matchup.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (hamstring) is going on the Reserve/Injured list, according to team owner Jerry Jones.
Fantasy Spin: That will cost him a minimum of four games, and Cooper Rush is thrust front and center. He was successful in his stint as a starter, but his fantasy prowess isn't very strong. He'll be a two-QB leaguer, and CeeDee Lamb loses some luster but remains a WR1.
From TheHuddle
The Carolina Panthers are trading wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and a seventh-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Mingo was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft but has struggled to make an impact for the rebuilding Panthers. Through his first 24 games, he has hauled in 55 of his 111 targets for 539 yards and no touchdowns. Meanwhile, rookies Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker passed him up on the depth chart this season. Dallas is lacking pass-catching depth behind All-Pro wideout CeeDee Lamb and is taking a flyer on the Ole Miss product. However, given Mingo's struggles to begin his career and Dak Prescott likely headed to Injured Reserve, it would be a surprise if the sophomore wideout makes a significant fantasy impact in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ryan Miller caught just one of the three passes thrown his way on Monday night, but it was a big one. The 24-year-old caught the critical one-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield at the end of the fourth quarter that helped send the game into overtime, although the Bucs would go on to lose 30-24. The Furman product has received more playing time since the Bucs have been without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, hauling in three of five targets in Week 8's loss to the Falcons, now with a total of five catches on the year. The rookie receiver does not warrant a roster spot, however, could be a DFS dart throw again if Jalen McMillan misses another game or until red zone darling Mike Evans returns.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss (neck) is expected to miss the rest of the regular season due to a neck injury. The 26-year-old popped up on Friday's injury report with a neck issue and was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that Moss was "out indefinitely" on Monday. He will now miss the rest of the 2024 campaign. Moss finishes the season with 242 yards and two touchdowns on 74 rushing attempts while catching 23 passes for 187 yards and a score over eight games. According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Moss doesn't need surgery but will be rested for the next two months and then be re-evaluated. The Bengals acquired running back Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears on Tuesday to add RB depth and help fill the void left by Moss. Herbert is only rostered in 7% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues and should have a role once he becomes more familiar with the Bengals' offense. Chase Brown is expected to take over as Cincinatti's primary back after rushing for a season-high 120 rushing yards on 27 attempts while catching a season-high five passes for a season-high 37 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Raiders.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns DE Za'Darius Smith was acquired by the Detroit Lions Tuesday, Nov. 5, along with a 2026 seventh-round pick, in exchange for 2025 fifth- and 2026 sixth-round picks.
From TheHuddle
The Cincinnati Bengals are trading for Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert on Tuesday, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. The 26-year-old has been phased out of the Chicago offense as D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson occupy the RB1 and RB2 roles, and the team permitted Herbert to seek a trade. The former sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has rushed 372 times for 1,791 yards and nine touchdowns through the first 48 games of his career. With Cincy running back Zack Moss (neck) out indefinitely, Herbert could see touches alongside Chase Brown when he gets comfortable with the new playbook. While Herbert is not a must-add in all fantasy leagues, he now has a path to fantasy relevance and should be considered on the waiver wire in at least 14+ team leagues. If nothing else, he is now a handcuff RB for Brown in one of the league's best offenses.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 34 of 44 pass attempts (77%) for 291 yards and three touchdowns in the 30-24 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chiefs quarterback added nine rushing yards on two carries in the contest. Mahomes followed up his best fantasy performance of the season with an even better game. The former MVP passed for three touchdowns for the first time this season. Mahomes also finished a game without an interception for the first time this season. The addition of DeAndre Hopkins gave Mahomes another reliable outlet to turn to, and he did not disappoint. Mahomes picked up an ankle injury on a touchdown pass to Samaje Perine in the fourth quarter and required assistance on the sideline. It was officially reported as an ankle injury, but it was minor enough that he returned on the team's next drive. Given that he returned to the game, the injury will likely not cause Mahomes to miss any time, but the injury reports will be telling. That said, Mahomes will look to continue this strong run against the Denver Broncos in Week 10. The Broncos rank 10th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks this season, so it will be a tough matchup. Nevertheless, the Chiefs quarterback has shown signs of improvement lately, and that strong play could continue into next week. Mahomes will likely find himself in the low-end QB1 range again for Week 10.
From RotoBaller
