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.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston will look to increase his momentum from a relatively solid performance in Week 1 when the Chargers take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. Johnston drew five targets in the season's opening game, making three catches for 38 yards. He was on the field for 67% of the team's offensive snaps. Johnston has shown that he is certainly able to get open against an NFL secondary, but actually catching the ball when it is thrown perfectly to him by an NFL quarterback has proven to be a challenge. Week 1 was a positive sign but certainly not yet enough to move him into starting lineups.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (ankle) remained a limited participant during Thursday's practice, according to Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News. Williams appeared on the injury report on Wednesday with an ankle injury and remained in the same status on Thursday. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to Friday's report as it should provide some clarity on the severity of his injury. For now, Williams should be considered day-to-day heading into Sunday's matchup. The Alabama product enjoyed a breakout game in Week 1 as he caught a team-high 121 yards and a touchdown. Williams should be valued as a high-end WR3 in Week 2, as the Lions will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in what could be a high-scoring affair.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hayden Hurst is a low-end floor play at best in a Week 2 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. In the first game of the season, Hurst saw three targets and made two catches for 33 yards. He was on the field for 61% of the team's offensive snaps while fellow tight end Will Dissly showed up on the field for 44% of them. Dissly had a few costly penalties which may have led to him playing fewer snaps, but this looks to still clearly be a tandem tight end situation. Hurst would be the pass catching side of that group, but his production will be limited by a run-first approach and several wide receivers who traditionally excel at shorter routes. Hurst is touchdown-dependent in terms of being any kind of a fantasy difference maker, but should at least have a decent floor each week based on his role.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Robbie Chosen was elevated to the active roster ahead of their matchup on Thursday against the Buffalo Bills. Chosen rejoined the Miami Dolphins practice squad in August after appearing in nine games for the Dolphins last season. During that small stint, the 31-year-old caught four passes for 126 yards and a score. Anderson was brought up from the practice squad before their Week 1 matchup as well. On Sunday, he logged just 11 snaps, which was tied for the lowest among Miami wideouts, and did not see a target. Fantasy managers should expect Anderson to serve in a similar depth role on Thursday evening. He should not be considered for any DFS competitions given his current placement on the depth chart.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (knee) had a rough game in Week 1, picking up a knee injury and getting ejected while only putting up two catches for 15 yards. Assuming he's healthy after picking up a limited tag in practice, Palmer should be in a much better place to perform against a Panthers defense that coughed up 47 points in the season opener. Palmer should operate as the team's WR1 and was on the field for 81% of the offensive snaps in Week 1. As long as he plays, he's essentially a lock to outscore his 2.5 fantasy point performance from the Raiders matchup. If healthy, Palmer is a fairly safe WR3 with decent upside.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) was added to the injury report on Thursday with a knee injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. This is a surprise, as the 21-year-old did not appear to be dealing with an injury earlier in the week. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to Friday's report, as it could suggest how serious this injury is. In his regular-season debut, the former sixth overall pick in this year's draft caught five of his seven targets for 66 yards. He saw 18.4% of the team's targets, which suggests he could be in store for a big rookie season. If Nabers were to be limited or miss Sunday's game against the Commanders, Wan'Dale Robinson should serve as the No. 1 pass catcher for quarterback Daniel Jones against a weak Washington secondary.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey is set to repeat his solid NFL debut performance in a Week 2 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. McConkey scored his first touchdown in Week 1 and caught a total of five passes for 39 yards. The rookie slot receiver had a 26.9% target share and was the first read on 25% of Justin Herbert's drop backs. McConkey will run a lot of underneath routes for planned short gains, making him much more valuable in PPR formats, but his usage in Week 1 showed that he can certainly develop into a weekly WR3/FLEX option even in a run-first offense.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins will look for a repeat performance of his outstanding Week 1 game when the Chargers take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. Dobbins played on 58% of the team's offensive snaps in Week 1 and put up 139 yards on 13 touches. He also ran 17 pass routes and most importantly, looked completely healthy after injuries forced him to play in just nine games in the past two seasons combined. Dobbins put up his gaudy Week 1 numbers against a Raiders defense that was supposed to be strong against the run. In Week 2, he gets to face a Panthers defensive unit that allowed the third-most rushing yards in the season's opening week. Dobbins has RB1 upside this week, but is safer as a higher-end RB2.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards will look to establish himself in his role in a Week 2 game against the Carolina Panthers. Edwards and J.K. Dobbins were expected to have an almost even share of the backfield this season, but in Week 1, Dobbins put up 139 combined yards while Edwards gained just 28. Edwards was on the field for 42% of the offensive snaps and ran just six passing routes compared to 17 for Dobbins. The way Edwards plays always makes him a threat to score a goal line touchdown, but he'll likely need to find the end zone in order to put up a decent fantasy performance. He's a risky RB3 even with an excellent matchup against a Panthers offense that was torched on the ground in Week 1.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) continued to practice in a limited capacity on Thursday, according to Jason B. Hirschhorn of NFL.com. The former third-round pick in this year's draft was unable to play in Week 1 and remains questionable heading into Week 2. The USC product suffered a hamstring injury back in August and is still experiencing some lingering limitations. As a result, Emanuel Wilson served as the No. 2 running back in the opener behind Josh Jacobs. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Lloyd's status heading into the weekend. If Lloyd makes his professional debut on Sunday, he should be expected to slot in behind Jacobs and serve as a solid change-of-pace option. He is worth stashing on your bench in deeper formats, as he could play a prominent role in the offense as the season progresses.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert could have another mediocre performance in a Week 2 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Herbert led the Chargers to a win over the Raiders in Week 1, but it was mostly the running game and defense that did the work. Herbert put up just 10.4 fantasy points in standard scoring leagues, completing 17 of his 26 pass attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers attempted 26 passes and 27 runs, and it seems likely that a similar pattern will continue, greatly limiting Herbert's fantasy production. He'll likely have some huge games this season if the Chargers find themselves trailing and forced to throw, but it appears the game plan for the Bolts offense will be to run the ball and win the field position battle on defense. Herbert should be a steady, high-floor QB2, but the top-tier upside his talent implies is unlikely to be on display in Week 2.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (back) was limited on practice again on Thursday with a back issue. Jacobs was deemed limited on Wednesday as well. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to Friday's injury report, as it should clarify any serious injury concerns for Jacobs heading into the weekend. For now, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. The 26-year-old saw a heavy workload in the season opener on Friday evening, running the ball 16 times for 84 yards. He also caught two passes for 20 yards. If Jacobs were to be limited at any point during Sunday's game, fantasy managers should expect Emmanuel Wilson to see an uptick in work. However, Jacobs should be locked into all starting lineups as a solid RB2 with upside if he suits up.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (thumb) will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a torn UCL in his thumb, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. It's unclear how much time Forbes will miss, but having the procedure now will fix what could have been an issue all season long. The 2023 first-round pick out of Mississippi State has compiled 38 tackles (35 solo), one interception, and 11 pass deflections through his first 15 NFL games. He struggled mightily last season as a rookie, but his absence could still be meaningful and cause depth issues in the Washington secondary.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (hamstring/back) put in another limited practice on Thursday, marking his second day in a row with that designation. The Notre Dame product did not practice at all last week with hamstring and back injuries, so he's in a better spot to potentially play in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 24-year-old has not cracked the 200-yard mark in a single season and has just 548 receiving yards through his first 49 career games. That said, he's far from the fantasy radar, especially as a part of arguably the worst offense in the NFL led by former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker was a healthy scratch for the Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. While this is a concern for his future outlook, some first-year players take longer to adjust to the NFL than others. Patriots wide receiver coach Tyler Hughes said, "I think we'll see him more and more as the season goes on." Four Patriots wideouts saw targets in Week 1, including K.J. Osborn (six), Demario Douglas (three), Tyquan Thornton (three), and Ja'Lynn Polk (one). It's worth noting Kendrick Bourne (knee) is on the PUP list, but he could return as soon as Week 5. Fantasy managers should probably expect Baker to have little to no fantasy value in Year 1, but he could make noise later in his career and should continue to be stashed in deep dynasty leagues.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy had a fantastic NFL debut in last week's Thursday night win over the Baltimore Ravens. The rookie out of Texas posted 68 yards and two touchdowns on just three touches. However, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt is not worried about the matchup in Week 2. "Speed. That's about it. He can run straight," Taylor-Britt said of Worthy on Thursday. "Run jet sweeps and just run straight. Can't do too much else. That's about it. I feel like you put your hands on him -- he's only 100-something pounds -- you put hands on him, you'll stop the speed. So basically get hands on him." While the Bengals allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers last week, a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium is an entirely different challenge than hosting the Patriots. All that said, Worthy has a boom-or-bust fantasy football outlook until he puts up games with more targets and touches. With Marquise Brown (shoulder) still not practicing, he could have the opportunity to do so in Week 2.
From RotoBaller
The Jacksonville Jaguars placed cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring) on Injured Reserve on Thursday, meaning he will miss at least the next four games. Campbell picked up a hamstring injury during the Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and he was expected to miss significant time. The 2021 second-round pick out of Georgia has racked up 207 tackles (149 solo), two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six interceptions, and 30 pass deflections in his first 44 career games. After placing him on IR, the Jaguars signed Tre Flowers to the active roster, who will provide depth in the secondary for the next few games. Rookie fourth-round pick De'Antre Prince could start in Campbell's place in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (knee) is working off to the side with team director of rehabilitation Britt Brown during Thursday's practice, according to Ed Werder. The third-year pro out of Wisconsin suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in the Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns, and it remains to be seen if he will suit up for the Week 2 NFC battle against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to tight ends last season, but Ferguson is unlikely to be close to 100% of he suits up. If he's out, backup tight end Luke Schoonmaker will likely play the most significant role of his career, but Ferguson's absence probably helps the outlook of wide receiver Brandin Cooks more than anyone else.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday, and he was seen wearing street clothes on Thursday, indicating he is not practicing again. This marks the third consecutive official practice he has missed. Higgins has been considered unlikely to play since early in the week, and that doesn't look like it's going to change. The Bengals offense looked lifeless against the New England Patriots in Week 1, as Joe Burrow tossed for just 164 yards, and Ja'Marr Chase racked up just 62 yards on six targets. Burrow is a low-end QB1 in Week 2, but his ceiling is much lower against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. However, Chase remains a must-start option in leagues of all shapes and sizes. If Higgins is out as expected, Andrei Iosivas can be considered in flex spots, but he has a wide range of outcomes.
From RotoBaller
If New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones can't get right and improve on his dreadful Week 1 performance against the Minnesota Vikings in a Week 2 divisional matchup against the Washington Commanders, ESPN's Dan Graziano thinks he's in real trouble. Anything short of improvement will place Jones' contractual future squarely into the spotlight. The four-year, $160 million contract that Jones signed before last season only included two years of fully guaranteed money. So if the Giants released him after this season, they'd have $22.21 million in dead money against their salary cap, although they wouldn't have to pay him the $78 million in salary and bonuses he's currently scheduled to earn over the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The bottom line is Jones has looked bad since the 2022 season, and the more he continues to struggle, the more people will be clamoring for backup Drew Lock.
From RotoBaller