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 jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
TFC Live Stream Event
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that quarterback Jordan Love will be a full participant in the team's first padded practice at training camp. "He's been ramping up. It's just you guys haven't seen it. He's been throwing every day after practice, and he's had guys catching for him," LaFleur. Love has been with the team at training camp but had been sitting out practices before signing a four-year contract extension worth $220 million on Friday with $155 in full guarantees. The 25-year-old is now the highest-paid player in the NFL after impressing in his first full year in the league in 2023, when he threw for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 17 regular-season games. The big performance from Love has catapulted him to low-end QB1 status in fantasy for upcoming 2024 drafts.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) will be throwing in 11-on-11 team drills in training camp practice when the pads go on soon. Watson also took part in 11-on-11's this week without pads and is coming along nicely after having season-ending surgery on his right shoulder last year. He's on track to be 100% for the start of the 2024 regular season in Week 1. It's good news for a player that missed all of 2021 due to suspension and played in a combined 12 games the last two years for the Browns due to injuries. The 28-year-old signal-caller showed flashes of his high-end talent earlier in his career with the Houston Texans, but until he's able to stay healthy for a full year in Cleveland, fantasy managers should have him listed as a QB2 with upside.
From RotoBaller
Contract talks between defensive end Haason Reddick and the New York Jets have progressed positively this week, and as of earlier on Saturday, there's been hope that his presence and acclimation process with the team is approaching, according to sources. Reddick is currently holding out of training camp and also missed spring practices as he heads into his first year in New York. The situation has remained fluid over the duration of this process. The 29-year-old pass-rusher has recorded 50 sacks in the last four seasons and is expected to be a huge boost for the Jets' pass rush whenever he gets on the field. The first-rounder in 2017 by the Arizona Cardinals out of Temple, Reddick's fantasy stock in IDP leagues is dropping a bit since he's holding out, but he should at least be a bench option for pass-rushing depth in those formats.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver DJ Chark has been operating with the first team's offense during training camp. The Los Angeles Chargers have 320 vacated targets heading into the 2024 season, and this receiver room is ripe for the taking. Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston are the primary returning wideouts for quarterback Justin Herbert, and while they have the most experience with the former sixth pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, Chark does have a chance to outplay them. Chark broke out in 2019 with 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns but has not matched any of those totals since then. He'll be on his fourth team in four years, which shows some insight into how the teams he's been a part of view him. However, Chark has enough athleticism and will be afforded the best quarterback play of his career this year with LA. He's an afterthought in drafts right now as the NFFC WR88 (272 overall) and has some nice sleeper upside going into a year with such a murky WR room around him.
From RotoBaller
With the news that Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley (hamstring) had suffered a significant season-ending hamstring injury, the Lions worked out a horde of potential replacements. During the workout, Detroit tried out Matt Ammendola, Lucas Havrisic, Matthew McCrane, and Andre Szmyt. Badgley didn't start for Detroit until Week 15 of the 2023 season, but he was a reliable option for them from then on. He went 7-of-7 on field goal attempts from that point forward while also knocking in 23-of-25 extra-point attempts. It is unclear which direction they will go to fill their need. Still, this situation requires monitoring as they project to be one of the highest-scoring offenses in 2024, and whoever ends up kicking for them will be a valuable asset for fantasy managers.
From RotoBaller
Since the beginning of the Cincinnati Bengals training camp, Chase Brown has taken the majority of reps as the starting running back with the first-team offense. If Brown is indeed the preferred option to lead Zac Taylor's offense, fantasy managers are not drafting him high enough. The former Illinois product is currently the RB37 (No. 113 in ADP), while his backfield mate Zack Moss is going 20 picks before him -- the RB31 -- as the presumed lead back in the Bengals offense. It is presently unclear if Brown has superseded Moss in Cincinnati's pecking order, but this will obviously be a situation to monitor as we encroach on Week 1. Before Joe Burrow fell victim to multiple hindering injuries last season, the Bengals ranked in the top ten each of the prior two seasons in team points per game. Regardless of who the lead back is going into 2024, this should be an offense that presents many scoring opportunities.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Dolphins have signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to an extension. Dynasty Analysis: It's a four-year, $212.4 million extension, with a whopping $167 million in guaranteed money. It also makes him the highest paid player in Dolphins history and the third highest paid quarterback in the league in terms of annual salary. While he's had some struggles here and there and injuries are a serious concern (his concussion history is especially worrisome), Tagovailoa has performed admirably during his tenure. He'll remain to be a low-end QB1 in dynasty leagues but one that doesn't come with some risk until we see him make it through consecutive seasons healthy.
The Green Bay Packers have officially decided to lock up quarterback Jordan Love long-term. Love and the Packers agreed to a new deal Friday evening, culminating in a four-year extension worth $220 million, including a $75 million signing bonus and $155 million guaranteed. The second-year starter will now be a part of the Packers for the foreseeable future, and his new deal puts him at the top of the list regarding annual average salary among quarterbacks. Despite playing just one season as a starter, the Packers saw enough from Love to warrant paying him a big bag of cash. He's the current QB8 in NFFC ADP (62nd overall). If Love has retained the gains that made him the fantasy QB6 in 2023, he'll provide a good bit of value at his current price and remains a target in every format for 2024.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers rookie first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall's (hamstring) work on the side at training camp has progressed to route-running at what looks to be full speed. Pearsall looks on track to return to training camp practice next week after opening camp on the Non-Football Injury list. Barring a setback, the 23-year-old should be ready in plenty of time for the Week 1 regular-season opener, although he'll most likely struggle for consistent playing time in his first year in the NFL if the 49ers don't trade disgruntled wideout Brandon Aiyuk. Pearsall was a surprise first-round selection at the end of Round 1 back in April, and his production didn't exactly stand out in college at Arizona State and Florida. Although he isn't much of a redraft fantasy target in 2024, Pearsall has an intriguing long-term outlook in San Fran and should take on a starting role as early as 2025.
From RotoBaller
With Cincinnati Bengals star wideout Ja'Marr Chase holding out early on in training camp, Andrei Iosivas has taken advantage of extra opportunities in practice and has been impressive. Iosivas spent the entire day on Wednesday working out of the slot for the first time in his life and looked like he belonged. He moved back outside on Thursday and caught everything thrown his way. The former sixth-rounder last year made significant strides in the offseason thanks to work with receivers coach Drew Lieberman in Atlanta. "He had a great spring," wide receivers coach Troy Walters said. "You want to get your best three players on the field. Right now, he's probably No. 3 and playing well." Iosivas will be competing with Jermaine Burton for the No. 3 job and could see a Year 2 leap if he wins the job.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney is getting plenty of repetitions with the team's projected starters early in training camp practices this week. Toney was also seen doing drills with the running backs this week, so the Chiefs clearly haven't given up on his talent despite a disappointing year in 2023. The 25-year-old former first-rounder missed more time due to injury last year, too, playing in only 13 games (two starts). Toney finished with 27 catches (38 targets) for just 169 yards and one touchdown. Rashee Rice is expected to be suspended at some point in 2024, but the additions of rookie first-rounder Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown figure to make things even more difficult for Toney to find a significant role in the Chiefs' offense. In most leagues, fantasy managers are going to want to see evidence of Toney taking the next step before putting him on their roster.
From RotoBaller
As long as Los Angeles Chargers running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins are healthy, they will be the unquestioned top two RBs on the team's depth chart. The real battle in training camp and in the preseason will be for the third and fourth spots on the depth chart, according to The Athletic's Daniel Popper. Jaret Patterson, who spent most of last year on the team's practice squad, got a notable amount of work with the first-team offense in training camp practice on Thursday. Edwards was limited to individual drills on Thursday, but it's notable that Patterson appears to be ahead of rookie sixth-rounder Kimani Vidal early in camp. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent has averaged 4.0 yards per carry in his two NFL seasons with the Washington Commanders. Patterson is unlikely to see a big role for the Bolts this year.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson has been running with the starting offense early in training camp practices, even after the team added Zay Jones in the offseason. Wilson led the starting unit on Thursday with three catches and is looking to build on a rookie season in which he had 38 receptions for 565 yards on 58 targets. In addition to his role on offense, Wilson also split repetition in punt-return drills with Greg Dortch and Xavier Weaver. Rookie first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to be a starter right away, so Wilson, Dortch and Jones figure to battle for the next two starting spots in camp and the preseason. The 24-year-old Wilson appears to be off to a good start. If he can remain as efficient as he was in 2023 with more opportunities in 2024, Wilson could be a popular early-season waiver-wire target in the Cardinals offense.
From RotoBaller
The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that Los Angeles Chargers second-round rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, DJ Chark Jr. and Joshua Palmer were working with the first-team offense in training camp practice on Thursday. As of early in camp, it appears that last year's first-rounder, Quentin Johnston, is the team's No. 4 wideout. The 22-year-old McConkey has already developed notable chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert this offseason and could be one of his go-to targets now that both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are on other teams in 2024. McConkey is an excellent route-runner and deserves attention as at least a late-round flier for receiving depth in PPR fantasy leagues this fall. It's still early in camp, but McConkey's development is worth keeping a close eye on.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener said he learned just before training camp that he had a rare form of skin cancer for his age pop up with a bump on his face, and he plans to follow up with another evaluation on an off day on Aug. 1. It remains to be seen if the 25-year-old will delay treatment for his skin cancer so that he can compete with rookie fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler for the backup QB job this summer behind starter Derek Carr. A fourth-rounder last year out of Fresno State, Haener was suspended for six games in 2023 and has yet to make his NFL debut. He has a shot to become the team's backup now that Jameis Winston is no longer in town, but there's no fantasy value here unless he wins the job and is thrust into the starting gig if Carr misses time with injury.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is signing a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension on Friday, according to Athletes First. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins were able to work out a long-term contract extension during the first week of training camp. It makes sense after it was reported earlier on Friday that the 26-year-old former first-rounder was a full participant in training camp on practice. Tagovailoa earned this extension by leading the NFL with 4,624 passing yards in his fourth NFL campaign while also throwing a career-high 29 touchdowns to go along with 14 interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. Fantasy-wise, Tagovailoa has the ability to rack up the aerial yards with elite accuracy and two of the best receivers in the game at his disposal, but the absence of much of a rushing profile, his ceiling will likely be capped as a low-end QB1.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed at training camp on Thursday that reserve cornerback Derion Kendrick (knee) suffered a torn ACL this week at practice. Kendrick will now be forced to miss the entire 2024 season after getting hurt in the first practice session this summer. The 23-year-old entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick (212th overall) by the Rams in 2022. In his first two seasons, he recorded 92 tackles (77 solo), one interception and 14 pass breakups in 32 games (18 starts). LA's secondary is a beat bit up already early in camp, as Darious Williams is also dealing with a hamstring injury early on. Tre'Davious White is also an injury risk after suffering serious injuries to his knee and Achilles the last two years.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) was spotted at Thursday's practice in training camp. Davis missed some time late last season with the Buffalo Bills due to a sprained PCL, but it looks like he'll be a full participant at camp to begin familiarizing himself with Jacksonville's offense ahead of the Aug. 10 preseason opener against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs. The 25-year-old deep threat was as erratic as ever in 2023, going catchless in four games during the regular season and exceeding 20 fantasy points on five other occasions, and he'll battle for targets on the perimeter with rookie first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr. in 2024. Star quarterback Trevor Lawrence has formed a clear connection with slot man Christian Kirk over the past two years, so Davis is likely going to give both the Jags and fantasy managers plenty of headaches as a weekly boom-or-bust WR4/flex option this fall.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (illness) returned to practice at Friday's training camp. After missing a few days with an illness, Worthy is back on the field for valuable reps. The Chiefs spent the 28th overall pick in this spring's NFL draft on Worthy to bolster their mishmash receiving corps from 2023, and the rookie wideout should have a pretty clear runway to a starting role on the perimeter alongside new acquisition Marquise Brown. Worthy's ADP finds itself in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts as a WR3 value, but his stock is also contingent upon whether or not Rashee Rice is suspended at some point this summer. After logging a blazing 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine, the 21-year-old Texas product's game-breaking speed could mesh well with the huge arm of superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes if the two are able to establish a rapport this fall.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters on Friday that he did not have an update on quarterback Jordan Love's contract status. Love is not currently participating in practice as he awaits a contract extension. General manager Brian Gutekunst said earlier this week that he believes the two sides are close to reaching an agreement, and there's still plenty of time for a deal to be worked out before the regular season begins in September. Green Bay's preseason opener is on Aug. 10 against the hosting Cleveland Browns. The 25-year-old former first-round pick proved to be an instant success during his first full season as a starter for the Packers, throwing for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns with 11 interceptions while picking up four additional scores on the ground in 16 games in 2023. Love remains safe to draft as a low-end QB1 in the second half of fantasy drafts this summer.
From RotoBaller
