X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Four and Out: Fantasy Outlooks for Divisional Round Losers

Scott Engel explains important fantasy football storylines on the four teams who saw their seasons end this past weekend.

For the four teams that were eliminated in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, the offseason has begun. For many fantasy football owners, the days have already started counting down to next season. Owners in dynasty leagues have started to mull over their decisions. 

How some guys perform in the playoffs can certainly alter perceptions about how they are viewed in the fantasy world. The postseason is the highest level of competition possible, and how players respond when the games are at their most intense and competitive levels can indicate whether or not we can raise expectations on them for the following season.

Here are some important fantasy storylines to consider on the four teams who saw their seasons end this past weekend.  

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Wide Open Opportunities

Earlier this week, I outlined how Lamar Jackson’s performance against the Titans may have put a slight dent in his fantasy appeal for next season. He certainly is not going to approach last year’s production if the Ravens do not improve a very shaky WR corps with a significant move.

My one major concern for the Ravens entering the postseason was that they simply were not equipped in the passing game to play from behind. And of course, when Tennessee built a healthy lead over the Ravens, they did not have the playmakers to help them get back into the game. Marquise Brown posted quality totals, but he should not be anything more than a No. 2 WR for Baltimore at this point in his career. If Baltimore acquires a truly impactful WR in the offseason, Brown’s second-year outlook should get a boost.

The Ravens are towards the bottom part of the league in terms of cap space as the offseason opens, but finding an established WR should be a priority. They are not going to find an immediately outstanding contributor in the NFL Draft. There have already been published reports affixing A.J. Green to the Ravens, and Emmanuel Sanders would be an even better fit as a reliable and sometimes explosive WR1 for Jackson. 

Baltimore tried to patch its receiving holes with rookies and journeymen types last offseason. They need to make a bigger splash this offseason to help Jackson more in the passing game. Such a move can only help ensure a strong outlook for him in 2020. 

 

Pieces Needed in Houston

There is no doubt that DeAndre Hopkins will be a first-round pick in fantasy football next season, and he remains a prime keeper. Deshaun Watson will be one of the top-four QBs taken in most drafts. But the Texans have other offensive needs to address that definitely should be monitored by fantasy players. 

First and foremost, the Texans need to bolster their running game to make a deeper playoff run. They have not been able to effectively address the situation for a long time now. The Texans have not provided us with a truly dependable and highly productive RB since Arian Foster was in his prime. The combination of Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson was adequate at best and mediocre overall. 

Houston is top-12 in available cap money, so they can likely afford to address the situation in free agency. Melvin Gordon may be the biggest name to hit the market, but we have seen the Texans veer away from competing for star types. Kenyan Drake would make more sense financially, and his speed would be a welcome element. But the Texans already do have a receiving RB in Johnson, so maybe they could elect to pair him with a purer physical runner and someone more dynamic than Hyde via a trade or through the draft. However they do it, the Texans would be wise to feature a new RB when the new season opens. 

Houston is also more potent on offense when Will Fuller is healthy, but that never seems to be the case for long enough. Kenny Stills was acquired as downfield insurance but didn’t step up as hoped often enough when Fuller was out. We could see a new No. 2/3 WR in Houston as well. Free-agent Robby Anderson would be an ideal fit. 

By the time the summer rolls around, Watson could have a new pass-catcher that might only elevate his fantasy appeal for 2020, and the Texans may be a quality source of run production for the first time in a long time. There’s hope for offensive improvement and better fantasy production here. 

 

Two WR2s in Seattle

The Seahawks top two wide receivers delivered big performances in the postseason, with a historic outing from D.K. Metcalf against Philadelphia preceding Tyler Lockett’s quality game against Green Bay. Both guys will be drafted as fantasy WR2s next season. Metcalf finally started showing he can make plays on contested catches during the postseason, a feat he had trouble with for much of the regular season. Metcalf looked even more complete as a pass-catcher during the postseason and he should have a true breakout campaign in 2020.

Lockett was very unreliable down the stretch in the regular season as opponents made a strong effort to take him away and see if other Seattle pass-catchers could beat them. The approach finally proved to be a failure in the Wild Card game. Now that Metcalf has shown he commands more defensive respect, that can only help Lockett more throughout the next season. We already saw the results of extra defensive attention devoted to Metcalf in the Green Bay game. Lockett caught nine passes for 136 yards and a TD. He should be more reliable throughout the 2020 season and consider him a second keeper. Metcalf should be a third keeper. 

 

When Should We Start Cooking?

The Vikings seem to have their prime playmakers in place for 2020. Plus, they are one of the teams with the lowest cap space available heading into the offseason. They could try to add a bit of WR depth, but if Irv Smith Jr. continues to improve, he could emerge as a third option in the passing game. 

So the only big fantasy questions are when should you draft Dalvin Cook in 2019, and is he a slam-dunk No. 1 keeper? 

When he was healthy this year, Cook seemed to be the only RB that could truly rival the all-around production of Christian McCaffrey. He played his most games ever, but we still lost him down the stretch and he missed fantasy Super Bowl week. Whether it’s a major or minor issue, injuries will always seem to be a concern for Cook. 

So I am definitely not taking him ahead of Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley or Alvin Kamara. At best, he would be my fifth RB off the board, and I will certainly take at least three or four WRs ahead of Cook. In the most optimistic scenario, he would be a late first-rounder for me. 

From keeper perspectives, Cook would not be my first choice if I had another superstar player to consider who is more reliable health-wise. He is always going to battle nagging issues because of his previous health history. If I am keeping Cook, I would actually consider retaining Alexander Mattison, too. He looked like one of the best backup RBs in the NFL as a rookie. 

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jacob Cowing

Could Handle Gadget Role in San Francisco
Jayden Higgins

to Start for Texans Right Away?
Sauce Gardner

Agrees to $120.4 Million Contract Extension
Marvin Mims Jr.

Could be on Track for First 1,000-Yard Season
Jaylen Johnson

Chargers Place Jaylen Johnson on PUP List
Dereck Lively II

Undergoes Right-Foot Surgery Tuesday
Kendrick Bourne

Kayshon Boutte Fighting for Final Spots
Isaiah Collier

Logs a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Monday
DeMario Douglas

Kyle Williams "Locks" for Receiving Corps
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Finalizing Massive Extension
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Colts Expected to Ease Anthony Richardson Sr. Back in
Devin Carter

Posts 17 Points Versus Suns
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 17 Points in Summer League Loss
Terry McLaurin

Undecided on Whether he Will Report to Training Camp
Colston Loveland

Says his Shoulder is 100 Percent
Harrison Ingram

has Impressive Outing Against Jazz
Sam Williams

has Potential to be Elite Edge Rusher
Shemar Stewart

Considering Going Back to College?
Jahmyr Gibbs

Lions Want Jahmyr Gibbs "More Involved" in Passing Game
Jordan Addison

Could be Facing Three-Game Suspension
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Kyle Filipowski

Records 35-Point Double-Double Against Spurs
Kel'el Ware

Dominates Against Celtics
Kon Knueppel

Gets Going Monday
Matas Buzelis

Puts Up 28 Points in Win Over Pacers
Reed Sheppard

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
Paul George

Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Najee Harris

Likely to Miss Time at Start of Training Camp
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Collin Morikawa

Misses The Cut at Genesis Scottish Open
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 13th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooks Koepka

Finishes Tied For 32nd at LIV Andalucia
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For 34th at Genesis Scottish Open
Jason Day

Misses The Cut at John Deere Classic
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Cam Taylor-Britt

has Benefited From Addition of Al Golden
Rome Odunze

Could Take Off in Year 2
RJ Harvey

to Get "Significant" Work in Broncos' Passing Game
Jackson Powers-Johnson

More Comfortable Heading into Year 2
Luke McCaffrey

In Line for Larger Role?
Joel Embiid

Participating in Partial Basketball Activities
Victor Wembanyama

Officially Cleared to Return After Blood-Clot Recovery
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF