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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- Offseason Player Rankings
- Offseason Inactives
Atlanta Falcons DT David Onyemata is more likely to be a salary cap casualty this offseason than DT Grady Jarrett, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns impending free-agent QB Jameis Winston said one of his goals moving forward is to limit the critical mistakes he makes during games.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | The Rams have given quarterback Matthew Stafford permission to gauge interest across the league. Dynasty Analysis: The Rams aren't necessarily throwing in the towel on Stafford, but they at least want to explore some trade possibilities. They're in a tough spot as Stafford is owed a lot of money, but the Rams are still a bit away from contending. Chances are they find a trade partner who thinks Stafford could put them over the top. Regardless, he's going to be a low-end QB1 next season wherever that may be and his dynasty value is really year-to-year at his age.
Dynasty | Free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers is reportedly looking for a good team to sign on with if he continues playing. Dynasty Analysis: Well, that seemed obvious from the start. Rodgers seems willing to keep playing but it's unclear if any competitive teams would honestly even want him. His up-and-down play combined with his off-the-field attention may just be too much for someone to stomach. However, it only takes one and a team like Pittsburgh or the Rams (should they move on from Matthew Stafford) could make sense. Regardless, Rodgers' dynasty value has pretty much cratered.
Dynasty | Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is likely to hit free agency. Dynasty Analysis: This really isn't much of a surprise. The Vikings have JJ McCarthy as their quarterback of the future and invested a lot in him. Darnold was a revelation for most of the season but faded just a touch in the last few games. While he could be back in Minnesota, it seems likely he'll land some kind of a deal elsewhere, like Las Vegas or New York. Regardless, he's certainly proved capable of being a starter and should be a solid QB2 at worst for the next few years. His dynasty value has certainly been rehabilitiated.
Free-agent S Keanu Neal (Steelers) has announced his retirement from professional football.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders impending free-agent DE Dante Fowler is a player the Commanders likely will look to re-sign this offseason, but he may ask for more money than the team is willing to pay, in the opinion of CommanderWire's Bryan Manning.
From TheHuddle
Miami Dolphins impending free-agent DT Calais Campbell likely will receive interest from Dolphins if he decides to play again next season, in the opinion of DolphinsWire's James Trefry.
From TheHuddle
The Los Angeles Chargers may decide to keep LB Joey Bosa for the 2025 season because LB Khalil Mack is eligible for unrestricted free agency and cannot be brought back under the franchise tag. Bosa is slated to make $25.36 million during the upcoming season but nearly half of that comes from a $12.36 million roster bonus which would be due in March, so the Chargers are likely to make a decision about his fate within the next few weeks.
From TheHuddle
Philadelphia Eagles CB James Bradberry could be released during the offseason in order to create salary cap space, according to ESPN.com's Dan Graziano. The 31-year-old has one year remaining on his current contract.
From TheHuddle
ESPN's Dan Graziano writes that it's possible that Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews could be a salary cap casualty this offseason. The 29-year-old is scheduled to make $11 million in 2025 -- a $4 million roster bonus due on March 17 and $7 million in salary. Andrews' salary cap number is $16.9 million, and because none of his salary is guaranteed, the team would save $11 million if they release him before his roster bonus is due. In addition to his major gaffes in the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, there were stretches in 2024 where fellow tight end Isaiah Likely looked to have surpasses him in the passing game. However, Graziano doesn't discount that Andrews has been extremely reliable in his career with the Ravens and has plenty of chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson. Despite coming off a crucial lost fumble and dropped pass in the postseason, Andrews finished as the TE5 in fantasy and had a career-high 11 touchdowns.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans impending free-agent WR Robert Woods is interested in re-signing with the Texans this offseason.
From TheHuddle
Detroit Lions impending free-agent CB Carlton Davis and S Ifeatu Melifonwu could receive interest from the New York Jets during free agency since both played for Jets head coach Aaron Glenn in Detroit, in the opinion of ESPN.com's Rich Cimini.
From TheHuddle
Free-agent DT Sheldon Rankins (Bengals) could be a possible option for the Dallas Cowboys depending on his asking price, in the opinion of CowboysWire's K.D. Drummond.
From TheHuddle
Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford is allowed to talk with other teams so he and the team can determine his worth, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Fantasy Spin: Stafford is being allowed to see what other teams are willing to pay him, but he is still a member of the Rams at this point. Fantasy players should monitor the situation to see where Stafford will start in 2025. He probably will be a high-end No. 2 quarterback in most fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
New York Jets impending free-agent DE Haason Reddick is a player the Jets still believe can post double-digit sack totals moving forward, sources told ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler.
From TheHuddle
The Athletic's Ben Standig suggests that Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who is headed into the final year of his four-year, $72 million extension, could be a salary cap casualty this offseason. Allen has a $22.47 million cap hit in 2025 but only a $6 million dead-cap charge. The Commanders have plenty of cap space this year, but fellow defensive tackle Daron Payne will count more than $20 million against the cap as well. Allen suffered a left pectoral tear in 2024, and the Commanders have a potential replacement in Johnny Newton, who they drafted in the second round last year. The 30-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2017 played in just eight regular-season games (seven starts) and had 19 tackles (16 solo), three sacks, and seven QB hits. Allen was a Pro Bowler in 2021 and 2022, but his production has dipped the last two seasons.
From RotoBaller
The move to trade wide receiver A.J. Brown and replace him with Treylon Burks (knee) was one of the worst personnel moves in Tennessee Titans franchise history, and one of the worst in recent NFL memory, and The Athletic's Joe Rexrode thinks the Titans need to stop waiting for Burks to be a factor. Rexrode points out that Burks' 2025 salary cap hit and dead-money number are both $4.6 million if the Titans cut him, and he thinks it's totally worth doing to move on and give Burks a fresh start. The 24-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 has played in only 27 of a possible 51 games due to injuries and also had surgery in 2024 to address damage to his ACL. When Burks has been on the field, he's done very little, catching 53 passes for 699 yards and one touchdown. There's no guarantee that Burks can turn it around with Tennessee or another organization, though, especially coming off his knee injury.
From RotoBaller
The Athletic's Dan Pompei singles out Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean as a potential salary cap casualty this offseason, mainly because his 2025 cap hit of $15.2 million ranks eighth-highest among all NFL cornerbacks. Tampa also is projected to have only $11.7 million in cap space, so they will certainly be looking to save money where they can. Dean will be 29 in October, has missed time due to injuries the last two years and has never really been a big-play producer or shutdown cornerback. Cutting him would leave the Bucs thin at the position, but it might be worth it. The former third-round selection in 2019 out of Auburn played in a career-low 12 games in 2024 due to hamstring and knee injuries and finished with 59 tackles (45 solo), one interception, seven pass breakups and one forced fumble. Dean picked off his first pass since the 2022 season.
From RotoBaller
The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar writes that Seattle Seahawks linebacker Dre'Mont Jones' $25.6 million salary cap hit appears to be untenable. Jones is only 28 years old, but he might be the team's fifth-best pass-rusher when everyone is healthy, and the Seahawks could save $11.5 million by trading or releasing him. Seattle signed Jones to a three-year, $51 million contract in March of 2023, which at the time was the biggest external free-agent deal by average annual salary of the John Schneider era. In addition to potentially trading or cutting Jones, the Seahawks could save $17 million by trading or releasing aging receiver Tyler Lockett. Jones makes sense as a potential salary cap casualty after having a down year in 2024 with only 28 tackles (14 solo), four sacks, seven tackles for loss, 13 QB hits and a forced fumble in 17 games (seven starts).
From RotoBaller
