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
Dynasty | The Arizona Cardinals have cut running back Michael Carter. Dynasty Analysis: The fact Emari Demercado is on the initial 53 for Arizona is a bad sign for Carter's future for sure. It also means Trey Benson is the clear handcuff to James Conner moving into the season. Carter could land on his feet as a third down or change-of-pace back somewhere but he's way off the dynasty radar at this point.
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 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 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.
Kansas City Chiefs RB Emani Bailey, LB Swayze Bozeman, TE Baylor Cupp, DT Neil Farrell, OT Chukwuebuka Godrick, CB Kamal Hadden, RB Keaontay Ingram, LB Curtis Jacobs, DE Truman Jones, DT Fabien Lovett Sr., CB D.J. Miller, OT Lucas Niang, QB Chris Oladokun, WR Cornell Powell, RB Louis Rees-Zammit, WR Nikko Remigio, WR Justyn Ross, CB Keith Taylor and WR Montrell Washington were waived on Tuesday, Aug. 27. The Chiefs also waived S Tyree Gillespie (undisclosed) with an injury designation and released S Deon Bush, LB Cole Christiansen and DT Matt Dickerson.
From TheHuddle
Free-agent QB Mike White (Dolphins) is expected to sign with the Buffalo Bills' practice squad, according to sources.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | The Denver Broncos have released running back Samaje Perine. Dynasty Analysis: This comes as no surprise as reports circulated yesterday indicating Perine was on the trade block. It's also notable the Broncos kept four running backs - Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Blake Watson. Perine himself should have little problem landing a backup job but he's a hard sell as a dynasty asset.
Dynasty | The Broncos have released Tim Patrick and he's subsequently signing with the Detroit. Dynasty Analysis: Patrick expects to be on the practice squad in the short term but the expectation is he's signed to the active roster shortly. It's a decent landing spot for him, though it's tough to see him carving out real value in the short term. His injury history is troublesome and he's looking like more of a roster clogger than anything else at the moment.
Dynasty | The Minnesota Vikings have released tight end Robert Tonyan. Dynasty Analysis: This is a bad sign for Tonyan's career considering TJ Hockenson is still out with an injury. Tonyan had a great stretch with the Packers early in his career but he just hasn't been able to rekindle that magic over the past few years. He looks like dynasty waiver wire fodder at the moment.
Dynasty | The 49ers have placed running back Elijah Mitchell on season-ending IR. Dynasty Analysis: This is significant for a couple of reasons. First, Mitchell is clearly not worth a dynasty roster spot at this point. Second, Jordan Mason clearly is. While Christian McCaffrey is going to get virtually every touch for the 49ers, Mason would be a huge difference maker should he miss time. Hmm. Interesting.
Dynasty | The Tennessee Titans have released wide receiver Kyle Phillips. Dynasty Analysis: Philips has just not panned out for the Titans, despite having multiple opportunities. He battled a hamstring injury and could wind up on another team but his dynasty shine is clearly dimming and it's hard to make a case for keeping him on a dynasty roster.
Dynasty | The Dallas Cowboys have cut running back Royce Freeman. Dynasty Analysis: Freeman looked to have an inside track at a job but ended up being cut along with Malik Davis in favor of both Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn. With Dalvin Cook also a possibility of being signed after his visit this week, this depth chart looks like a bit of a mess. Freeman is starting to run out of chances, despite performing relatively well when he's had chances.
Free-agent quarterback Mike White is signing with the Buffalo Bills' practice squad, per Adam Schefter. White has also been a member of the Jets and most recently, the Dolphins, where he's played 14 regular season games, throwing for 2,219 yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. This will be White's third AFC East team in as many seasons, but as far as a fantasy asset in 2024, White shouldn't be drafted in any format. As a member of the practice squad, White would have to be activated ahead of time if he were to get any action on the field in the event of a Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky injury. If White does get the opportunity to start, he has looked the part in his limited time on the field.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens OT Corey Bullock, RB Chris Collier, CB Bump Cooper Jr., WR Malik Cunningham, OG Darrian Dalcourt, LB Joe Evans, TE Qadir Ismail, QB Devin Leary, OG Tashawn Manning, OT Julian Pearl, DE C.J. Ravenell, LB Yvandy Rigby, LB Joshua Ross, WR Dayton Wade, CB Damarion Williams, NT Deadrin Senat and DT Josh Tupou were waived Tuesday, Aug. 27. The team also placed RB Keaton Mitchell (knee) on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list and released CB Ka'dar Hollman, RB John Kelly, WR Keith Kirkwood, WR Anthony Miller and CB Daryl Worley. LB Deion Jennings (undisclosed), CB Christian Matthew (undisclosed), CB Arthur Maulet (knee), CB Trayvon Mullen (undisclosed), WR Isaiah Washington (undisclosed) and RB Owen Wright (foot) were placed on the Reserve/Injured list but only Maulet was designated to return later in the season.
From TheHuddle
Free agent edge rusher Tyus Bowser is scheduled to visit with the Dallas Cowboys, Todd Archer reports on Tuesday. Bowser, who spent seven seasons with the Baltimore Ravens as a second-round pick in 2017, was released by the Ravens this past March after not playing in 2023 following his placement on the reserve/non-football injury list and subsequent knee issues. Bowser only played nine games in 2022 as well after a 59-tackle, seven-sack season while playing all 17 games in 2021. Much has been said about the Cowboys bringing in Dalvin Cook, but the 29-year-old Bowser would be a talented defensive addition to any defense if he can get his health issues straightened out.
From RotoBaller
The Dallas Cowboys were granted a two-game roster exemption for All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb on Tuesday, the same day where he returned to practice for the first time since signing his long-term extension. Per Tom Pelissero, Lamb remains on the commissioner's exempt list and doesn't count against the 53-man roster limit until he's activated, which can happen anytime. Fantasy managers let out a collective sigh of relief on Monday when Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million extension which includes $100 million guaranteed and a record $38 million signing bonus for receivers. A Pro Bowler in each of the last three seasons, Lamb put up his best season to date with 135 receptions, 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023. Lamb is a locked-in top-two receiver in fantasy and with his financial security in place, should be a comfortable selection in the top-five picks in fantasy football this season.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos P Trenton Gill, WR Michael Bandy, WR Brandon Johnson, WR Jalen Virgil, RB Tyler Badie, TE Hunter Kampmoyer, TE Thomas Yassmin, OG Nick Gargiulo, OG Will Sherman, OT Demontrey Jacobs, DE Elijah Garcia, DT Jordan Miller, LB Thomas Incoom, LB Dondrea Tillman, CB Quinton Newsome, CB Reese Taylor and S Tanner McCalister were waived Tuesday, Aug. 27. The team also waived/injured LB Durell Nchami (undisclosed) and released WR Tim Patrick, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR David Sills, RB Samaje Perine, FB Michael Burton, C Sam Mustipher and OG Calvin Throckmorton. LB Drew Sanders (Achilles) and S Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee) were placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, while CB Damarri Mathis (ankle) was placed on the Reserve/Injured list but has been designated to return later this season.
From TheHuddle
New York Giants WR Isaiah Hodgins, WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, TE Jack Stoll, FB Jakob Johnson, C Jimmy Morrissey, OG Joshua Miles, OL Marcellus Johnson, DT Casey Rogers, LB Darrian Beavers, LB KJ Cloyd, LB Tomon Fox, CB Darnay Holmes, CB Tre Herndon, CB David Long, CB Alex Johnson, S Raheem Layne and PK Jude McAtamney were released Tuesday, Aug. 27. The team also waived/injured CB Mario Goodrich (hamstring), OG Jalen Mayfield (leg,ankle) and LB Ovie Oghoufo (hamstring). WR Isaiah McKenzie (foot) and LB Matthew Adams (quadriceps) were placed on the Reserve/Injured list, but Adams has been designated to return later in the season.
From TheHuddle
The Tennessee Titans have released cornerback Caleb Farley, their first-round pick from 2021, among Tuesday's roster cuts. Farley. Farley missed some time this training camp with a hamstring injury but was able to play in Tennessee's final preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Injuries have wreaked havoc on Farley's career as he missed most of 2022 with a torn ACL and then missed the entirety of the 2023 NFL season with back injuries that caused him to undergo a microdiskectomy, putting his playing career in jeopardy. Farley has only played 12 games in three seasons, putting up just 14 tackles and one pass defended in his career thus far. It remains to be seen if Farley will pursue other NFL opportunities, but if he's on any IDP rosters, he can be dropped into free agency.
From RotoBaller
