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.
Running back Samaje Perine was officially released by the Denver Broncos on Tuesday. Perine was previously reported as a cut candidate if the Broncos could not find a trade partner. The Broncos are moving forward with a younger running back group featuring Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime. Perine was a productive back with Denver in 2023 after several solid years with Cincinnati. He finished the season with 238 rushing yards and a touchdown on 4.5 yards per carry. More importantly, Perine caught 50 passes for 455 yards. That kind of production is sure to land Perine a job in 2024. His release opens up more opportunities for McLaughlin in the Denver offense. McLaughlin will now jump up to the No. 2 running back spot behind Williams.
From RotoBaller
Wide receiver Robbie Chosen was released by the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday. Chosen signed with the team earlier in training camp but ultimately failed to make the final roster. Chosen has bounced around the league with stops in Carolina, Arizona, and Miami over the last two seasons. Chosen recorded four receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown in nine games with Miami in 2023. For now, Chosen will have to hope he can sign on to another practice squad.
From RotoBaller
Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick is expected to sign with the Detroit Lions. Patrick did not make the Broncos' final 53-man roster earlier on Tuesday and appears to have found his new home. Patrick has battled injuries in recent years. He has not played since the 2021 season due to a torn ACL in 2022 and a torn Achilles in 2023. Before his injuries, Patrick was productive when healthy. His signing is slightly worrisome for fantasy managers hoping for more production from Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams. However, this could just be a depth move for a Lions team that has several unproven names behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Williams, and Kalif Raymond. Patrick is 30 years old after all and coming off two significant injuries.
From RotoBaller
The Arizona Cardinals released running back Michael Carter on Tuesday. Carter was clinging to a roster spot behind James Conner, Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, and DeeJay Dallas. Carter joined the Cardinals in the middle of the 2023 season and recorded 22 carries for 149 yards and no touchdowns in six games with the team. He was unlikely to factor into the offense in 2024 despite a solid preseason.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Jaguars have waived quarterback CJ Beathard. Dynasty Analysis: Beathard gets an injury settlement and Jones gets to be Trevor Lawrence's backup. This was a close battle but a late preseason injury to Beathard pretty much sealed the deal. Jones will now look to continue his development behind Lawrence and hope for a shot as a starter again elsewhere. The former first rounder is a tough hold on a dynasty roster, however.
Dynasty | The Bills have released wide receiver KJ Hamler. Dynasty Analysis: The Bills tried everything they could to make this work (even trying Hamer at running back) but it just didn't work out in the end. Hamler was a former second round pick of the Broncos and has had a hard time staying healthy and showing any form of consistency. He may emerge as an option elsewhere but this isn't good for his dynasty value.
Dynasty | The Saints are placing running back Kendre Miller on IR. Dynasty Analysis: He can return later this season, so this isn't season-ending. However, New Orleans is clearly not excited about what they've received from Miller in his short tenure and it's clear he's on very thin ice. While he should still hold a roster spot in most dynasty leagues based on his potential (and potential opportunity), his dynasty value is hanging by a thread,
Dynasty | The Chiefs have released tight end Irv Smith Jr. Dynasty Analysis: Smith is having a hard time sticking in the league after what amounts to failed stops in Cincinnati and now Kansas City. Once a highly regarded prospect with the Vikings, Smith may be running out chances in the NFL. He's not a roster worthy stash at tight end after this move.
Dynasty | The Chiefs have released wide receiver Kadarius Toney. Dynasty Analysis: The Chiefs really tried to make it work with Toney but he's proven to be more trouble than he's worth. There's really no doubting the talent here but Toney has also proven to be unreliable both on and off the field. Someone will certainly take a shot at him in the coming days, making him still a hold in deep dynasty leagues until we see the smoke clear.
Dynasty | The Commanders have released running back Chris Rodriguez. Dynasty Analysis: Rodriguez had some nice moments last year but was caught up in a numbers game after Washington traded for Austin Ekeler. With much of the "deep sleeper" bloom off the rose now with his release, it's going to be tough for dynasty managers to hold on to Rodriguez.
Dynasty | The Chiefs have cut wide receiver Justyn Ross. Dynasty Analysis: Ross was a major prospect at Clemson prior to a late-career injury. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to show that same ability at the NFL level and the Chiefs are throwing in the towel after a couple of seasons. Ross has tape good enough to garner some interest, however, so he should at least stay on some dynasty watch lists at the moment.
Dynasty | The 49ers have released wide receiver Robbie Chosen. Dynasty Analysis: The Chosen one will not be suiting up for the 49ers after all. With Brandon Aiyuk likely staying (at least at the moment), San Francisco didn't have a need for the speedster. After spending time with the Panthers, Jets, Cardinals, Dolphins and now the 49ers, it's fair to wonder if this may be the last we see of him. He's not worth a dynasty roster spot, unless you're in a league that rewards for multiple in-season name changes.
Dynasty | Packers running back AJ Dillon has been placed on season-ending IR. Dynasty Analysis: Wow. The Packers brought him back this year to back up Josh Jacobs and it seems he's not going to be recovered enough from last year's neck injury to do that. MarShawn Lloyd may have the inside track to back him up but Jacobs is in line for a monster workload. As for Dillon, this is going to be a tough time to justify keeping him on a dynasty roster.
The Minnesota Vikings released tight end Robert Tonyan on Tuesday. The Vikings have plenty of tight end depth, with superstar T.J. Hockenson (knee) on the PUP list and Josh Oliver, one of the best backups in the NFL. The 29-year-old spent the first five seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers before playing with the Chicago Bears in 2023. In 2020 he had by far the best season of his career, with 586 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Tonyan, who has only ever played for NFC North teams, has put together a couple of productive seasons and shown that he has plenty of talent. Tonyan will look to latch onto another team but is off the fantasy radar for now in 2024.
From RotoBaller
The Green Bay Packers placed running back AJ Dillon (neck) on injured reserve Tuesday, and he will miss the entire 2024 season. This is a huge blow for the Packers and Dillon's fantasy managers. The 26-year-old was expected to be Green Bay's RB2 behind Josh Jacobs and have a significant role in the team's offense. Dillon had 613 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns over 15 games last season. MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) made the 53-man roster and is expected to back up Jacobs in 2024 with Dillon sidelined.
From RotoBaller
The Green Bay Packers released second-year kicker Anders Carlson on Tuesday, according to a source. Carlson has lost the competition for the starting kicking job in Green Bay heading into Week 1 of the regular season. Veteran Greg Joseph is now competing with Alex Hale, but Joseph is the clear front-runner for the job, especially now that Carlson is out of the picture. The 26-year-old Carlson, a sixth-round selection last year out of Auburn, had an abysmal rookie campaign with the Packers, making only 81.8% of his 33 field-goal attempts during the regular season and also missing five of his 39 extra-point tries in 17 starts. The younger brother of Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson will now be looking for work elsewhere in just his second NFL season. In leagues with kickers in play, fantasy managers should be able to find better options than Joseph.
From RotoBaller
The Green Bay Packers released wide receiver Samori Toure on roster cutdown day on Tuesday, according to a league source. Toure just could survive final cuts among a pretty talented group of young pass-catchers in Green Bay. The 26-year-old was drafted in the seventh round in 2022 out of Nebraska and only managed to haul in 13 of his 28 targets for 160 yards and one touchdown with minimal offensive snaps in 22 total games (two starts) over the last two years. He had eight receptions for 78 scoreless yards in 11 regular-season games in 2023. The six wideouts that the Packers ended up keeping on their 53-man roster are Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath and Bo Melton. If Toure doesn't get re-signed to the Packers' practice squad, he'll be looking for work elsewhere as a free agent.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns running back Nyheim Hines (knee), who is coming off surgery for a torn ACL, will remain on the Non-Football Injury list for the start of the 2024 regular season and will miss at least the first four games. Hines and fellow RB Nick Chubb (knee) pushed each other and made great strides during their rehab, but they both need more time and won't be available until at least a Week 5 matchup against the Washington Commanders on the road. The 27-year-old Hines tore his ACL when he was hit by a jet ski last summer and missed all of the 2023 campaign. At best, he'll be a pass-catching option on third downs for the Browns when he's able to return, making him only worth a flier in deep PPR leagues that have multiple IR spots. As things stand right now, Cleveland's RB room only includes Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. after they released D'Onta Foreman on Tuesday.
From RotoBaller
ESPN New York's Jordan Raanan reports that the New York Giants will keep three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster to begin the 2024 regular season, according to head coach Brian Daboll. It means that QB Tommy Devito will stick on the roster behind starter Daniel Jones and backup Drew Lock. DeVito has made the team after going 14-for-27 for 103 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the preseason finale last Saturday against the New York Jets. You can't blame the G-Men for keeping the 26-year-old signal-caller around with Jones coming off a torn ACL this year and with Lock hurting his hip in the preseason opener. The former undrafted free agent out of Illinois was forced into action last year because of Jones' injury, appearing in nine games (six starts) while throwing for 1,101 yards, eight touchdowns and three picks on his 178 pass attempts. DeVito is off the fantasy radar.
From RotoBaller
When asked if he was confident that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase will play in Week 1 of the 2024 regular season, head coach Zac Taylor said, "Yes." Chase has been holding in at training camp this summer due to a contract dispute with the team before taking part in practice for the first time this past Sunday. The two sides still have a bit of time before the start of the regular season to work out a long-term contract extension, but even if they don't, it sounds like the 24-year-old isn't thinking about an in-season holdout. It's good news for fantasy managers that have already taken Chase in the first round of their drafts as their WR1. Contract issues aside, the former fifth overall pick in 2021 out of LSU has excellent chemistry with quarterback Joe Burrow and has one of the highest ceilings of any pass-catcher in the league. He's totaled 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns on 268 catches in his three seasons so far.
From RotoBaller