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FFL: Week 11 | NFL: Week 11

Draft Day Winners and Losers

Mon Apr 29 11:53am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 11

Player Notes
Kyle Pitts Nov 18 1:50pm ET
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts faded into obscurity again in Sunday's 38-6 loss to the Broncos, catching just one of his three targets for a paltry nine yards. No one stood out on offense in Denver so it is not entirely on Pitts, but so much for having a regular role in the 2024 version of this offense. Just when it looked like he was on a bit of a roll in Weeks 5 through 8, the 24-year-old has posted two one-catch performances in the last three weeks. As inconsistent and frustrating as it has been to have him in fantasy lineups, believe it or not, the former first-round draft pick is still well within the top 12 in fantasy scoring at the position, so he likely warrants a starting role going forward as painful as it may be from week to week. After the Falcons' bye, Atlanta will face the Chargers who have been pretty good at defending the tight end position, even limiting the Bengal TEs on Sunday night to just three catches for 22 yards. Pitts likely finds himself as a volatile back-end TE1 that week.

From RotoBaller

DJ Turner Nov 18 1:30pm ET
DJ Turner

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DT Turner II (clavicle), who has taken over a starting role this year, is feared to have suffered a fractured clavicle in the Sunday night loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, according to sources. Turner is getting a second opinion on Monday, but he'll likely be forced to miss the rest of the season. The 24-year-old defensive back came down hard on the turf at SoFi Stadium while breaking up a pass on Sunday night and stayed down before trainers came out to check on him. He was questionable to return to the contest but never made it back in the seven-point loss. Turner, a second-rounder last year out of Michigan, will finish his second year in the NFL with 29 tackles (24 solo) and eight pass breakups in 11 games (six starts). It's a blow to an already shaky Bengals secondary that has been dominated the last two weeks by the Ravens and Chargers.

From RotoBaller

Jameis Winston Nov 18 1:30pm ET
Jameis Winston

Cleveland Browns left tackle Dawand Jones (ankle) will miss the rest of the 2024 season after fracturing his left ankle in the Week 11 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, according to a source. Jones is expected to make a full recovery for next year, where he'll be looking to build on what has been a strong 2024 campaign. The 23-year-old had his left leg put in an air cast on Sunday before he was carted off the field in New Orleans. The fourth-rounder last year will need surgery. Jedrick Wills (knee) was inactive for the Week 11 contest, but with Jones now out for the season, Wills is expected to reclaim his starting job at left tackle if he's able to play in Week 12 against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. If Wills is not ready, expect Germain Ifedi to protect quarterback Jameis Winston's blind side. It's more bad news for a bad Browns offense.

From RotoBaller

Mike Evans Nov 18 1:20pm ET
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) was seen on the practice field on Monday morning for a bonus practice with the team coming out of their bye in Week 11. Evans said he could have tried to push through and play in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, but Week 12 against the New York Giants after the bye was his target all along. Barring a setback once official practices begin on Wednesday, it looks like Evans will be back this Sunday for fantasy managers. A right-hamstring strain kept the 31-year-old future Hall of Fame pass-catcher out of action for the team's last three games. With Chris Godwin (ankle) done for the year, Evans will operate as Tampa's clear-cut WR1 the rest of the way. Evans will draw more attention from opposing defenses, but he should receive plenty of volume to make him a must-start in fantasy once he's back.

From RotoBaller

CeeDee Lamb Nov 18 1:00pm ET
CeeDee Lamb

According to a team source, "everything right now is pointing for him to play" in reference to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb's (back, shoulder) status for Monday night's contest against the Houston Texans. Lamb was already dealing with a shoulder injury but also popped up as questionable for the Week 11 game after suffering a back injury in practice on Saturday. Barring a setback with his back during pre-game warmups, the 25-year-old should be active against Houston, where he should serve as quarterback Cooper Rush's top target in the passing game. In the first game without Dak Prescott (hamstring) in last week's blowout loss to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, Lamb had six catches for just 21 yards on 10 targets. He has seen double-digit targets in each of the last four games, but with Prescott done for the year, Lamb's rest-of-season fantasy upside will take a big hit.

From RotoBaller

Tommy DeVito Nov 18 12:52pm ET
Tommy DeVito

Dynasty | The Giants are turning to Tommy DeVito to replace the benched Daniel Jones instead of Drew Lock. Dynasty Analysis: The logic here seems pretty simple - Lock isn't going to be on the roster next season and the Giants want to see if DeVito could possibly become a bridge quarterback to a rookie they inevitably draft this Spring. It's also fair to wonder if they believe Lock gives them a better chance to win, something the team will want but management may not. The Giants are looking at a massive rebuild at this point and Lock just isn't in their plans. He's not roster-worthy in dynasty leagues at this point.

Miles Sanders Nov 18 12:40pm ET
Miles Sanders

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (ankle, foot) is likely to be out for the team's Week 12 game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday after injuring his ankle/foot in the Week 9 win over the New York Giants in Germany. It's a bad sign for Sanders, as the Week 10 bye didn't provide him with enough time to recover from the injury. On top of it, Sanders' already limited fantasy appeal in 2024 is taking another hit with rookie second-rounder Jonathon Brooks (knee) on track to make his NFL debut against the Chiefs. The 27-year-old lost the starting job to Chuba Hubbard last year and will likely find himself third on the RB depth chart in Carolina by season's end. In his second year with the Panthers, Sanders has 38 carries for 139 yards and one TD, averaging 3.7 yards per carry in his 10 games played. Sanders has also caught 21 of 26 targets for an additional 98 yards.

From RotoBaller

Jonathon Brooks Nov 18 12:30pm ET
Jonathon Brooks

Carolina Panthers second-round rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is expected to make his NFL debut in Week 12 on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to head coach Dave Canales. Brooks was close to making his NFL debut in Germany in the Week 10 win over the New York Giants, but the Panthers ultimately decided to hold him out through the Week 11 bye. The 21-year-old was the first RB taken in this year's draft but has been recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in his final year in college in 2023. Brooks has intriguing qualities as a runner and figures to be the team's long-term answer at the position in the long term, but he'll surely be eased in for his debut this weekend behind Chuba Hubbard, who has had a fantastic year as Carolina's lead RB. Brooks won't be a recommended fantasy starter in Week 12, but he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Ray-Ray McCloud Nov 18 12:30pm ET
Ray-Ray McCloud

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III caught the most passes of any Falcon receiver in Sunday's 38-6 loss to the Broncos, hauling in all six of his targets for 46 scoreless yards. McCloud recorded two consecutive six-catch games in Weeks 4 and 5, but caught no more than three passes or surpassed 30 yards receiving in five straight contests coming into Sunday. With just one touchdown on the season, he's not a great fantasy option unless you're in a deep PPR league, however, Darnell Mooney went down with a hamstring injury during Sunday's contest and if he were to miss time, then McCloud could see a small increase in production. The Falcons have a bye in Week 12, so Mooney has time to recover, and McCloud figures to be a WR5 come Week 13.

From RotoBaller

Adam Thielen Nov 18 12:30pm ET
Adam Thielen

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) is expected to return to action in Week 12 to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Thielen was held out of practice on Monday with the team coming out of their bye week, but Thielen still has time to get back on the field before Sunday's contest against the defending Super Bowl champions. The 34-year-old veteran hasn't played since injuring his right hamstring in Week 3, but he was officially activated from Injured Reserve last week. The Week 12 matchup isn't a great one against a strong defense, but Thielen could be more useful in fantasy down the stretch than he was at the start of the year now that Diontae Johnson is in Baltimore. When he returns, Thielen should be one of quarterback Bryce Young's top targets alongside rookie Xavier Legette. The two-time Pro Bowler caught eight of 12 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown before his injury.

From RotoBaller

Drew Lock Nov 18 12:20pm ET
Drew Lock

New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock, not Daniel Jones, will serve as the backup to new starter Tommy Devito for the team's Week 12 contest versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coming out of their Week 11 bye, head coach Brian Daboll announced on Monday that the team is making the switch from Jones to DeVito as the starter under center. There's a chance that Jones never makes another start for the G-Men after another disastrous season in 2024. There's also a good chance that we see Lock take over for DeVito at some point before the end of the year. The 28-year-old former second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2019 out of Missouri has gone 3-for-8 for six yards in two games for New York this year. He had a spirited performance in one of his stars for the Seahawks in 2023 but would be nothing more than a desperation low-end QB2 if he makes any starts for New York this year.

From RotoBaller

Bijan Robinson Nov 18 12:20pm ET
Bijan Robinson

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson fell victim to game script and an overall ineffectiveness on offense in Sunday's 38-6 road loss to the Broncos. The score was 21-6 at halftime and the Falcons were in catch-up mode, but with the score 38-6 after a Broncos TD early in the fourth quarter, the Falcons waived the white flag and backup Jase McClellan relieved Robinson for the rest of the game. The former first-round draft pick finished with 35 yards on 12 carries while adding four catches for 28 yards. Atlanta's only points came on two field goals, so none of the Falcon offensive weapons were able to find the end zone. The good news is that backup Tyler Allgeier did not eat into Robinson's workload at all, having not recorded a single carry in the contest, and the 22-year-old remained involved in the passing game, catching at least three passes for the eighth consecutive contest and the 10th time in 11 games. He'll look to rebound after the bye when the Falcons take on the Chargers at home in Week 13, although that will be a difficult task. The Chargers have allowed just one 100-yard rusher and only three rushing TDs all season.

From RotoBaller

Bryce Young Nov 18 12:20pm ET
Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers second-year quarterback Bryce Young will start in Week 12 versus the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, according to head coach Dave Canales. The Panthers were non-committal on their QB situation heading into their bye in Week 10, but they will stick with last year's first overall pick instead of turning back to veteran Andy Dalton. The 23-year-old was benched for Dalton after his first two starts this year, but he has looked better while starting each of the team's last three games while leading Carolina to back-to-back victories. In his last three starts, Young has completed 62.5% of his 88 pass attempts for 521 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. He'll be looking to build on that in Week 12, but a breakout is unlikely to come against one of the defenses in the league this week as the Chiefs look to bounce back after their first loss in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Nov 18 12:13pm ET
Daniel Jones

Dynasty | The Giants are planning on benching Daniel Jones in favor of Tommy DeVito. Dynasty Analysis: This has been likely in the works for the better part of a week, but now it looks like it's becoming official. Jones has failed to live up to expectations and the Giants would be on the hook for a massive amount of salary should he be injured this season. New York knows they have a worse chance of winning with DeVito, but the idea of paying Jones for another year is just simply seen as a worse option. He's certainly taken his last snap as a Giant and will be looking for a new team next season. The Giants are now squarely in the mix to take a quarterback in this year's NFL Draft. Jones' dynasty value is going to sink even further this morning.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Daniel Jones Nov 18 12:13pm ET
Daniel Jones

Dynasty | The Giants will turn to Tommy DeVito to replace the benched Daniel Jones. Dynasty Analysis: DeVito is getting the nod over Drew Lock as the Giants likely want to see if he could possibly serve as a bridge to a quarterback they inevitably draft next April. DeVito was decent as a starter the last time he was called upon and is likely worth a back-end roster stash in dynasty leagues, though his long-term value is clearly questionable.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Gabriel Davis Nov 18 12:10pm ET
Gabriel Davis

Jacksonville Jaguars standout wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) is believed to have suffered a meniscus tear in the Week 11 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Jaguars are still assessing the injury, but Davis is expected to require surgery. During the surgery, doctors will determine if Davis needs a full repair or just a trim. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport writes that a full meniscus repair, which is often the route that is chosen, would cause Davis to miss the rest of the season. A trim of the meniscus would likely land him on Injured Reserve with a chance to return at the tail end of the year. Either way, the 25-year-old is going to miss at least significant time, and he probably isn't worth stashing in 12-team fantasy leagues in the meantime. With Christian Kirk (collarbone) already out for the year, rookie Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington and tight end Evan Engram figure to be the Jags' top pass-catchers.

From RotoBaller

Darnell Mooney Nov 18 12:10pm ET
Darnell Mooney

The early prognosis on Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (hamstring) is that the hamstring injury he suffered in the Week 11 blowout loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday is not serious, according to a source. Mooney could go for some testing on Monday, but the 27-year-old's injury comes at a good time with the Falcons heading into their bye in Week 12. Barring a setback with his hamstring once he resumes practicing, Mooney should have a good shot to be available for the team's Week 13 game on Dec. 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Before leaving on Sunday, Mooney caught two of four targets for only 27 yards on a day in which the Broncos defense completely shut down Atlanta's offense. Things probably won't get any easier for Mooney and the Falcons offense coming out of their bye in Week 13 against a stout Chargers D.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Nov 18 10:40am ET
Wil Lutz

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz only attempted one field goal in Week 11 on Sunday against the visiting Atlanta Falcons but was able to stay busy with extra-point attempts in the 38-6 rout to finish as a top-12 fantasy kicker for the week. One week after missing both of his field-goal tries -- the potential game-winner was blocked at the end of regulation against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10 -- Lutz made his only field-goal attempt (from 45 yards out) and was successful on all five of his extra points against the Falcons. The 30-year-old has been one of the most accurate kickers in the league in 2024 (86.4% success rate) and ranks eighth among all kickers in total fantasy points after 11 weeks. When you add a rising Broncos offense under impressive rookie QB Bo Nix, Lutz's fantasy stock as a reliable streamer will continue in Week 12 against the floundering Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Troy Franklin Nov 18 10:30am ET
Troy Franklin

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin found paydirt for the second time in his career in the 38-6 beatdown of the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Week 11 action, catching both of his targets on the day for 15 yards and the score. Franklin was one of four pass-catchers for the Broncos to haul in touchdown passes against a soft Falcons secondary to help the team get back over .500 at 6-5. His touchdown was his first since the Week 5 loss to the Chargers. The 21-year-old rookie out of Oregon has plenty of chemistry with quarterback Bo Nix from their time together in college, but Franklin, who is rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues, just isn't seeing enough volume to be a weekly starting option for fantasy managers. Franklin has only gone over two receptions once in 10 games and still hasn't eclipsed 50 receiving yards in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Nate Adkins Nov 18 10:30am ET
Nate Adkins

Denver Broncos tight end Nate Adkins, the team's backup TE, came out of nowhere in Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday to catch his second touchdown pass of the year. In the 38-6 blowout victory, Adkins caught his only target for a 12-yard touchdown score that put the Broncos on the scoreboard early in the first quarter. They would never look back, with rookie quarterback Bo Nix throwing for over 300 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Adkins' first touchdown of the year came in the Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers. The 25-year-old shouldn't be a waiver-wire consideration at all this upcoming week after his second score, as he now has only six receptions for 34 yards and two TDs on seven targets in 11 games in 2024. There's a good chance we won't hear from the second-year TE again.

From RotoBaller