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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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey made his 2024 debut in a 23-20 victory in Tampa over the Buccaneers on Sunday. In a bit of a fantasy disappointment to managers waiting for a return on their first-round investment, McCaffrey took 13 carries for 37 yards rushing and caught six of seven targets for 68 yards receiving. Credit should go to Tampa Bay's ground defense for consistently bottling up San Francisco's rushing attack. If not for one 13-yard rush, McCaffrey would have averaged 2.2 yards per carry. Still, today's game represents the floor for a healthy McCaffrey. Importantly for CMC managers who remain in the playoff hunt, there were no signs of a setback with the dual Achilles tendinitis that held him out until today. McCaffrey did come off the field a few times, probably due to some combination of the Florida heat and his conditioning, but he only ceded two carries to his backups. Assuming he came away unscathed, McCaffrey is a must-start in Week 11 versus Seattle.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 22-of-35 passes for 151 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: This is about as bad as it gets for the Jets and Rodgers, who are now 3-7 on the season and a team quickly fading into irrelevance. Rodgers himself just hasn't looked like himself on the year and now has just 2,258 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season. He also had a costly fumble at the three yard line that turned the game on its head. The Jets were listless on the day and it's fair to wonder what we can expect from this group moving forward. Rodgers is a QB2 right now with a dynasty value that's really hit the skids.
Dynasty | Jets wide receiver Davante Adams had six catches for 31 yards in the Jets loss to Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: Adams was targeted 13 times (seven more than any other Jets player), but that resulted in meager results. The Jets simply look lost and the addition of Adams looks now like a desperation play that's going to fail to turn anything around. He'll continue to be a volume based option, but it's going to be at "boom or bust" WR2 levels at best. It's hard to see Adams being a huge difference maker the rest of the way and while he could be a target for dynasty managers who are contending, he's also one poised to disappoint each and every one of them.
Dynasty | Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush completed 13-of-23 passes for 45 yards in a blowout loss to Philadelphia. Dynasty Analysis: Yikes. This was about as bad as it gets and Rush was eventually replaced by Trey Lance. The Cowboys offense was only able to muster 146 total yards, and that was with the Eagles defense resting virtually the entire fourth quarter. We'll see where the Cowboys turn moving forward, but it would be no surprise to see a 3-6 Dallas team turn to Lance to see if he has anything to give them the rest of the way. Rush has no dynasty value at this point, especially after this disaster.
Dynasty | Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 21 yards in a loss to Philadelphia. Dynasty Analysis: Ugh. The Cowboys are a total disaster and regardless of his immense talent, Lamb just isn't going to be able to overcome this most weeks. Today was clearly a disappointing one as he was targeted ten times but just couldn't break off anything of substance. Lamb is going to be a WR2 option unless one of the Dallas quarterbacks can show some semblance of rhythm moving forward. It's quickly looking like a lost season for anyone with a star on their helmet.
Dynasty | Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley had five catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Ridley now has 32 targets over his last three games after complaining about his role in the offense. While his production is bound to be spotty (he has just one 100-yard game this year), the Titans have little choice but to get him the ball. On the plus side, Will Levis did look a lot better today than he has in most weeks, so there's that. Ridley will be a plus WR2 moving forward and his dynasty value has evened out over the past couple of weeks.
Dynasty | Chargers running back JK Dobbins had 50 rushing yards, three catches and five receiving yards in a win against Tennessee. Dynasty Analysis: Dobbins has had a great start to the year, but he shared the load with Gus Edwards today and that's going to be a major concern moving forward. If the Chargers make this more of a committee again, this could be a major problem moving forward for dynasty managers. Dobbins is going to be a sketchy play until we see how Los Angeles is going utilize these players moving forward.
Dynasty | Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18-of-23 passes for 175 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Levis and the Titans lost the game, but this was about as good as he's looked all season. With the Titans at 2-7, you can bet the second half of the season will be used to evaluate Levis more than anything else. He passed the test today, but has to string together some good games moving forward to really create any buzz amongst dynasty managers. At this point, the Titans look to be a team looking for a new start in the 2025 NFL Draft, but Levis will at least have some say in that. He remains a player worth holding, but he's hardly a sure thing at this point.
Dynasty | Saints receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling had three catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in a win against Atlanta. Dynasty Analysis: Well, OK then. MVS is traditionally pretty streaky and this one came out of nowhere. The challenge here is the fact he did all his damage on only three catches and three targets. A boom or bust player if there ever was one, he'll look to keep things going on a team in dire need of pass catchers with Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave both on the shelf. MVS is roster worthy, but we're going to see a lot more before recommending him in lineups.
Dynasty | Broncos running back Javonte Williams had one rushing yard, two catches and six receiving yards in a loss to Kansas City. Dynasty Analysis: Meanwhile, Audric Estime had 14 carries in the game. It's hard to say if this is going to be a permanent move to the rookie, but Williams saw just 16 snaps in a game that was close all the way through. Sean Payton is notoriously hard to read, but Williams should be on fantasy benches moving forward until it shakes out. His dynasty value is starting to tank and today may speed that up.
Dynasty | Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 16-of-30 passes for 120 yards in a loss to the Patriots. Dynasty Analysis: The Bears clearly have not gotten over the hail mary defeat that was inflicted on them against Washington two weeks ago and this was rock bottom for their season. Williams led a listless offense that put up only 142 total yards on the day against a team that came in at 2-7 on the season. Williams himself looks like a player who is hitting the rookie wall a little early and despite his 30 attempts, he was only able to post those 120 yards. He won't be a recommended option moving forward and while he has shown some flashes, dynasty managers need to see more from him moving forward to build around him.
Dynasty | Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye completed 15-of-25 passes for 184 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a win against Chicago. Dynasty Analysis: Oddly enough, Maye didn't have to do too much against a Bears team that looks like they're stuck in molasses at the moment. For his part, Maye did make some plays here and there but also simply minimized mistakes. He's certainly had some bright spots this year and while today won't light up the fantasy scoreboard, it looks like he's a future QB2 in dynasty leagues at worst.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney was targeted 10 times on Sunday, catching five passes for 96 yards in the 20-17 loss to the Saints. The 27-year-old has caught five passes in three of the last four games and went over 86 yards receiving for the fifth time this season. Despite not finding the end zone, the fifth-year pro remains highly productive in this Atlanta offense, especially in PPR formats. The former fifth-round draft pick has 684 yards receiving thus far, which is sixth-most in the NFL and 35 more than teammate Drake London (649), while finding paydirt five times. Week 11 poses a challenge, however, as the Falcons travel to Denver against a strong pass defense. Mooney projects as a WR2 in that matchup.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was sensational in the Cardinals' 31-6 victory over the New York Jets. Murray's official stat line was 22/24 for 266 passing yards and one passing touchdown while adding 21 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Murray had very few negative plays and operated the Cardinals' offense with elite efficiency, helping to end the game early. Murray and rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. got back on track, connecting for a 9-yard touchdown reception. With the Cardinals' offense firing on all cylinders and a favorable upcoming schedule, Kyler Murray is a must-start for the foreseeable future. However, fantasy managers must look to other options in Week 11, when the Cardinals are on a bye.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (shoulder) suffered a shoulder injury in the Sunday night game against the Houston Texans and is considered questionable to return in the second half. The good news for LaPorta's fantasy managers is that the 23-year-old second-year tight end already had a season-high 66 receiving yards on three receptions with his third touchdown of the season before injuring his shoulder. The Texans' defense has made it a point to limit top Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown on Sunday night, which has led to LaPorta being wide open for several big gains on the evening. It's unclear how serious LaPorta's injury is or if it will put him in danger of missing the Week 11 contest next Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If LaPorta ends up missing any time with his shoulder injury, Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra will see more snaps, with Wright being the better pass-catching option.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell capitalized on the absence of Michael Pittman Jr. in Week 10, snaring all six of his targets for 71 yards in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Bills. The six catches and the yardage total were both easily season-highs for the rookie wideout who had two catches or less in eight of nine games coming into Sunday. The Colts selected him in the second round of this year's draft and after this performance, another solid week could be in the cards for the 22-year-old should Pittman miss another week. It could be tough to replicate though in Week 11 as the Colts face the Jets in the Meadowlands next Sunday, a pass defense that has been superb at limiting production to pass catchers. The product out of the University of Texas should be on the WR4/5 map if Pittman misses another week.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith reeled in 2-of-3 targets for 14 yards in the team's 34-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Smith wasn't called on to do much in this one -- nor was much of the Eagles' offense -- as no other pass-catcher but fellow wideout A.J. Brown recorded more than 27 yards receiving. Quarterback Jalen Hurts combined for four total touchdowns on the afternoon while the Cowboys could not muster an iota of offense. If fantasy managers can find any solace in the subpar performance, the Alabama product was tied for second on the team in targets with tight end Dallas Goedert. Smith should be used more frequently his next time out when Philadelphia faces off against their division-rival Washington Commanders at home this Thursday night.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan was banged up heading into this game, but ended up being active ahead of this Week 10 contest. However, fantasy managers might not have noticed McMillan was active given his performance. The rookie wideout finished with a goose egg as he wasn't targeted in the loss to the San Francisco 49ers. This is not a good sign given the Bucs are already limited at the wideout spot. It shows that the Bucs don't have much faith in their third-round rookie. Fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should hold McMillan, but he looks like a drop-candidate everywhere else.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce caught two garbage-time passes on the Colts' final drive, including a 10-yard touchdown reception, giving him four catches for 81 yards and a score in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Bills. In Michael Pittman Jr.'s (back) absence, Pierce tied a season-high in targets with seven, and the TD was his fourth of the season -- although just his first since Week 5. As of now, Pittman is considered week-to-week, so keep an eye on his status, as that could again mean a few extra targets for Pierce in Week 11 should Pittman miss another game. Regardless, Pierce is always a threat to score on a deep ball given his speed, but in Week 11, the 24-year-old will have to do it against a strong Jets pass defense, putting him in the WR4/5 range again.
From RotoBaller
The New York Jets defense was blown out by the Arizona Cardinals in a 31-6 loss in Week 10 on Sunday. New York managed just one sack and was unable to force any turnovers as they fell down 24-6 at halftime. The Jets got their lone sack from Quincy Williams in the blowout loss. New York's defense will look to bounce back against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
