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.
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: Bender's Favorite NFL DFS Pick Em Picks: Week 10
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: RealTime DFS Strategy: Week 10
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 10
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender's DFS Pickem Plays: Week 10
- Bills WR Amari Cooper (wrist) out vs. Colts
- Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence to sit out vs. Vikings
- Chargers activate Gus Edwards (ankle) off IR; RB questionable vs. Titans
- Cowboys LB Micah Parsons (ankle) to return
- Texans activate WR Nico Collins (hamstring) off IR
- Cowboys QB Dak Prescott likely to have season-ending surgery
- 49ers' Christian McCaffrey off IR, slated to make season debut vs. Bucs
- Roger Goodell: NFL working on adding Berlin game
- Former first-rounder Terrell Edmunds released as Steelers shuffle roster
- Panthers DL D.J. Wonnum expected make season debut vs. Giants
- Colts promote WR Laquon Treadwell to roster for game vs. Bills
- Dolphins coach on Tyreek Hill: 'If his body lets him, he'll play'
- Saints WR Chris Olave (concussion) to land on IR
- Top 10 Player Props for NFL Week 10
- 49ers star RB Christian McCaffrey questionable, will come off IR
- Commanders CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) out vs. Steelers
- Falcons WR Drake London (hip) questionable vs. Saints
- Titans tab QB Will Levis to start vs. Chargers
- Eagles coach: QB Jalen Hurts limited by ankle, or just resting
- Colts rule out WR Michael Pittman Jr. (back, finger)
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Start-Sit Week 10 | Is Russell Wilson Still Cooking?
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Rankings
- Fantasy Six Pack: IDP Football Rankings
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Players to Stash Week 10 | Gonzo For Jonnu
- Fantasy Life: Best Bets For Sunday Night Football Week 10: Texans vs Lions
- Fantasy Life: Important Week 10 News Updates
- Fantasy Life: Betting Edges For The Week 10 Late Slate
- Fantasy Life: Fantasy Football Streamers For Week 10: Can Daniel Jones Get It Done?
- Fantasy Life: Underdog and PrizePicks Week 10 NFL DFS Pick'em: Play Dalton Kincaid
The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10
- Bender's Favorite NFL DFS Pick Em Picks: Week 10
- RealTime DFS Strategy: Week 10
- Injury Status: Week 10
- The Weekly Bender: NFL Trade Deadline Fantasy Fallout
- Lineup Prep: Week 10
- Waivering: Week 10
- Studs and Duds: Week 9
- Bender's Favorite NFL DFS Pick Em Picks: Week 9
- Week 10 Player Rankings
- Week 10 Inactives
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard rushed nine times for 44 yards, adding four receptions on 4 targets for 19 yards in a defeat to Los Angeles on Sunday. It was a down performance for Pollard who was semi-game scripted out of this one with the Titans playing from behind most of the game. Tyjae Spears actually bested Pollard in the rushing department for the first time all season, on two fewer carries. The former Cowboy also appeared to tweak his ankle late in the first half but was able to come back in the game shortly after. Pollard will be susceptible to down games like this due to the nature of the Titans' incompetent offense, but he remains a featured player who will see around 15-20 opportunities per game, even with Spears back in the mix. Up next is an extremely tough matchup against the Vikings top rush defense, which will likely demote Pollard to only a flex option down from his usual RB2 spot.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (back) is officially active for the Week 10 contest against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football after being listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report. Despite dealing with a back injury, Dell was expected to play through the injury. It's big news for the Texans offense since Nico Collins (hamstring) will miss another game despite being activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday. Remember that Stefon Diggs (knee) is out for the rest of the year due to a torn right ACL. It means that Dell will operate as the Texans' top wideout in a primetime showdown against a Lions defense that has allowed the third-most half-PPR points all year to wideouts. In last week's win over the New York Jets on Halloween, Dell had six catches for a season-high 126 yards. Xavier Hutchinson and Robert Woods should have bigger roles as well behind Dell.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in five of seven targets for 91 yards and a score in a 28-27 win over the Washington Commanders. Pickens made an impact early on Sunday, coming down with an incredible touchdown grab on a 16-yard deep ball from Russell Wilson in the first quarter. He continued to operate as Wilson's favorite vertical option and came down with multiple catches in crucial moments. While the addition of Mike Williams to Pittsburgh's receiver corps paid off in a big way on Sunday, the veteran does not appear to be a threat to the elite target share that Pickens has garnered this season. The third-year pro will be a borderline must-start fantasy asset next week in a divisional showdown against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris handled 21 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown in the team's Week 10 win against the Washington Commanders. Harris was a non-factor in the passing game and turned in his least efficient showing since Week 4. A one-yard score in the third quarter salvaged Harris' fantasy output, but he could cede additional opportunities to Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson in the coming weeks if he continues to struggle on the ground. A tough test is on tap for Week 11 against a stout Baltimore Ravens run defense.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy aired it out in a 23-20 victory over the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday. He finished with 25 completions of 36 attempts for 353 yards and two touchdowns passing to go with four scrambles for 17 yards on the ground. The yardage total was the third-highest of his career. Purdy looked poised, ceding zero turnovers, though he did have a fourth-quarter punchout recovered by teammate Jauan Jennings. The former Cyclone's first touchdown pass was a 46-yard catch-and-run on a crossing route to rookie Ricky Pearsall and his second came on a fourth-quarter 11-yard corner toe-tapper to tight end George Kittle. The return of Christian McCaffrey appeared to boost the 49ers' offense as predicted, and Purdy took advantage, targeting CMC seven times. Purdy and the 49ers will host the Seattle Seahawks at home in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18-of-23 passes for 175 yards and two scores in a 27-17 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers. Levis returned to action after missing the past two games with a shoulder injury and had his first zero-turnover game of the season. The Kentucky product got off to a hot start, hitting Calvin Ridley for a 41-yard touchdown on the Titans' first drive. Unfortunately he was unable to maintain that momentum, taking seven sacks in the game and failing to put together consistent drives. Levis ended the game with the third-best QBR in his young career, but that was inflated by his 2nd touchdown pass to Ridley with under a minute to go when the game was squarely out of reach. It was still a fairly promising performance for the young gunslinger in his first action back, but things do not get any easier next week when the Titans face the stout Minnesota Vikings defense lead by Brian Flores. He will check in as a low-end QB2 for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday night's matchup against the Detroit Lions. Collins was activated from the injured reserve on Friday. He logged a limited practice on Friday and was a game-time decision for Sunday Night Football. However, the 25-year-old isn't quite ready to return to action after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury. He was having a phenomenal season before landing on the IR, catching 32 passes for 567 yards and three touchdowns over five games. Collins' next chance to return will be Week 11 against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. Tank Dell (back) will be quarterback C.J. Stroud's No. 1 target with Collins sidelined, and look for John Metchie III, Xavier Hutchinson, and Robert Woods to see an uptick in snaps.
From RotoBaller
After a two-catch performance in Week 9 as a result of exiting early due to injury, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (hip) was much busier in Week 10, hauling in eight of 12 targets for 97 yards in a 20-17 loss to the Saints and allaying any concerns about his hip. It was just the fourth time in ten games that the 23-year-old was held out of the end zone, but it was the fourth time this season that he's garnered double-digit targets and the seventh game with six or more receptions, making him one of the more reliable wideouts for fantasy. The former first-round draft pick is top 10 in the league in targets (82) and receptions (58) through ten weeks, but it will be tough sledding next week in Denver as the Falcons will face a stout Broncos pass defense. Nevertheless, London will likely still be a WR1 option for the week.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 14 of 28 pass attempts for 195 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception while adding three rushing yards on four carries in a 28-27 victory over the Washington Commanders. Wilson started cooking early in this one, finding George Pickens in the end zone from 16 yards out and connecting with Pat Freiermuth for a three-yard score in the first half. The Steelers leaned on the running game to start the second half, but Wilson delivered when the team needed him most, dropping a dime in the hands of newcomer Mike Williams for a game-winning 32-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Wilson has played well enough through three starts to warrant fantasy consideration moving forward. He'll be an intriguing streaming candidate next week against a Baltimore Ravens defense surrendering the most passing production in the NFL.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith (personal) is officially inactive for the Sunday night game against the Houston Texans. Smith was just acquired in a trade by Detroit from the Cleveland Browns and will have to wait to make his Lions debut until Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 32-year-old three-time Pro Bowler had five sacks, 23 tackles (15 solo), six tackles for loss and seven QB hits in his nine games for the Browns before the trade earlier this week. The Lions are hoping he can settle in and be a consistent pass-rushing force the rest of the year with star defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (leg) likely out for the rest of the season due to a broken leg. Because of the loss of Hutchinson, the Lions defense in fantasy doesn't have as high of a ceiling, but they could still be plenty productive on Sunday night against a banged-up Texans receiving corps.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Saints. Dynasty Analysis: He added three catches for 28 more yards. Robinson has had a bit of an up and down season, but it's hard to argue with the results he puts up when he gets a good amount of touches. While he hasn't quite justified his overall RB1 status in dynasty leagues quite yet, this season has certainly looked better than his last and he remains a player to be invested in heavily.
New York Jets offensive tackle Tyron Smith (neck) was injured in the Week 10 game on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and is doubtful to return. Meanwhile, cornerback Brandin Echols (concussion) suffered a concussion and has been ruled out. The Jets are getting absolutely manhandled on both sides of the ball in the desert against the first-place Cardinals on Sunday, and now they will probably be without both Smith and Echols for the rest of the game. With Smith unlikely to return to the second half, Olu Fashanu is expected to take over starting duties the rest of the way at right tackle. The 33-year-old Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler and will be a big loss for the Jets' offensive line if he's forced to miss time beyond Week 10.
From RotoBaller
The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan reports that New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was informed on Saturday that he may not play on Sunday in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears as the coaching staff prioritizes playing time for their younger players, according to a source. Bourne had played 78 percent of the team's offensive snaps the last two games, but he was the only receiver not to see the field through the first five offensive drives, and he finished the 19-3 victory with no targets. In last week's overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Bourne had his best game of the season, catching four of six targets for 41 yards. The 29-year-old got a late start to the season due to injury and just hasn't regained any fantasy relevance in an offense that has struggled under both quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) returned to the Week 10 divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys after leaving with a tweaked left ankle early in the first quarter. Slay injured his ankle on the first defensive series of the game and was initially deemed questionable to return to Sunday's game. It's good news for the Eagles defense while going up against an offense that could be without starting quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the rest of the season. With Slay back on the field for the second half, he'll return to trying to keep Cowboys leading receiver CeeDee Lamb in check. Going into this one, the Eagles defense/special teams unit was a popular DFS pick in quarterback Cooper Rush's first start of the 2024 campaign.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-37 passes for 190 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Jones not only missed open receivers, he flat-out failed to even throw to them at times. After the game, the Giants went on record saying they were evaluating the position. With Jones looking this bad against one of the league's worst defenses and the Giants sitting at 2-8, it would be no surprise to see Drew Lock under center here soon. With just eight touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year, the Jones era in New York is surely coming to an end and the Giants may very well be players in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had six catches for 50 yards in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Nabers had a quiet day and that included leaving briefly to be evaluated for a concussion. The Giants are considering a quarterback change and it certainly wouldn't hurt. The fact Nabers has been able to post the numbers he has this season with the offensive struggles the Giants have endured is a modern day miracle. He remains a solid WR1 regardless of who may be under center for the G-Men.
Dynasty | Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 24-of-38 passes for 241 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in a win against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: Darnold was white hot at the beginning of the season but has just three touchdowns and five interceptions the past two weeks. To make things worse, Darnold's interceptions were all deep inside Jags territory and those red zone turnovers were nearly killers for the Vikings. He'll remain a QB2 moving forward as he essentially auditions for other teams this season with JJ McCarthy waiting in the wings.
Dynasty | Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had 44 rushing yards, one catch, and -1 receiving yard in a loss against Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: Tank Bigsby was hurt in the game and that opened up the door for Etienne for more touches. Unfortunately, a Mac Jones-led offense just didn't do much in this one and Etienne couldn't get on track. This has been a tough season for Etienne, who clearly has talent but the Jaguars aren't committing much to him and he's playing on a team that just isn't very good. A lost season isn't a death knell for Etienne, but he's hardly a lineup lock at this point in the season. His dynasty value is continuing it's slow descent as a result.
Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 14-of-28 passes for 195 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Wilson isn't putting up vintage yardage totals this year, but it's hard to argue with six touchdowns, one interception, and all three games won at the helm of the Steelers thus far. Wilson was fairly efficient today and while he did make one mistake, it's hard to look at this game and say Justin Fields could make some of the same throws Wilson did. While more a QB2 than a QB1 this year, Wilson looks like he could be in the midst of a comeback season. His dynasty value has stabilized and is starting to tick up this year.
Dynasty | Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams had one catch for 32 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Williams caught just one pass in his Steelers debut, but it was the biggest catch he's made in some time as it sealed a huge win against Washington. Williams will likely be integrated more in the offense moving forward, but this was certainly a good sign. He remains a bit of a roster clogger at the moment, but we'll see if he can build on this performance.
