4 weeks agoWith the No. 41 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Saints selected Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. New Orleans traded with Green Bay for this pick, so the 21-year-old will fill a void on the defensive side of the ball. McKinstry, a 2023 All-American, played three seasons at Alabama. He totaled 93 tackles (62 solo), adding two picks, two sacks, and 23 passes defensed. With the Saints looking to finish atop the NFC South in 2024-25, McKinstry should play a pivotal role right out of the gate.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoThe New England Patriots selected Washington wide receiver
Ja'Lynn Polk with the No. 37 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. New England has often been predicted to pick a wide receiver in Round 2 after landing their QB of the future in Round 1, and that's exactly what they did. Despite sharing the field with stud wide receiver
Rome Odunze in 2023, Polk caught 69 passes for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns during Washington's run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Given the weak wide receiver room in New England, he's another rookie wideout who could become his team's No. 1 wide receiver in short order. He has the ability to start at X-receiver immediately.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
4 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Chargers selected University of Georgia wide receiver
Ladd McConkey with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday.
The Chargers moved up to take McConkey by trading their 37th and 110th selections of the 2024 NFL Draft with the New England Patriots in exchange for the 34th and 137th picks. The 22-year-old is viewed as one of the best route runners in this wide receiver class, and the Chargers had a dire need at wideout after moving on from
Mike Williams and
Keenan Allen this offseason. Although McConkey's numbers over the last three years aren't all that impressive (119 receptions for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns), it's worth noting he battled injuries as a senior, and he dominated at the NFL Combine. With
Quentin Johnston struggling to make an impact as a rookie, McConkey could make a run to be
Justin Herbert's go-to target.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
4 weeks agoThe Buffalo Bills have selected Florida State wide receiver
Keon Coleman with the No. 33 overall pick (second round) in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 20-year-old was rumored to have a chance at being drafted in the first round, but Buffalo traded back twice and still landed him. The 6'4", 215-pound pass-catcher is a contested-catch specialist and racked up 18 touchdowns in his last 24 games with Florida State and Michigan State. With
Stefon Diggs gone to Houston, Coleman could step in right away and act as
Josh Allen's No. 1 wide receiver. This is a great landing spot, and Coleman is very much in the first-round conversation of upcoming rookie drafts in all formats.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
4 weeks agoThe San Francisco 49ers have listened to calls on All-Pro wide receiver
Deebo Samuel, but sources are saying that the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots are considered highly unlikely to trade for him. After the first round of the 2024 NFL draft was completed on Thursday night, a report surfaced that the Niners were more likely to trade Samuel than
Brandon Aiyuk. There has been a lot of trade talk around both Aiyuk and Samuel this offseason, and the Niners' first-round pick of receiver
Ricky Pearsall at No. 31 on Thursday night made it look like a trade was more likely to happen. The Bills and Patriots have the first two picks in the second round, respectively, so if neither of them can pull off a trade for Samuel before Round 2 starts, they could both go with pass-catchers in what is a deep and talented class in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Bleacher Report - Jordan Schultz
4 weeks agoFormer Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Tennessee Titans in the 2024 NFL draft. Tennessee had a glaring need at left tackle, but Latham played on the right side for Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. However, Titans head coach Brian Callahan said Latham is eager to play on the left side and has the traits to do so. Tennessee had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last season, but with Latham, second-year guard Peter Skoronski, and newly signed center Lloyd Cushenberry starting up front, the unit could be one of the biggest improvers in 2024. This bodes well for all of Tennessee's fantasy-relevant offensive skill players.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Paul Kuharsky
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Rams quarterback
Matthew Stafford is seeking a reworked deal that includes more guaranteed money, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapaport. The 36-year-old has three years left on his current deal, though the Rams have a potential out following the 2025 season. The four-year contract that he signed ahead of the 2022 season included $130 million in total guarantees. The Super Bowl-winning QB has been present at voluntary workouts this offseason and a holdout does not appear to be imminent, but this is a situation worth monitoring. After posting nearly 4,000 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions en route to a playoff berth in 2023, Stafford believes he has plenty left in the tank.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport
4 weeks agoFormer Southern California and South Carolina running back
MarShawn Lloyd is viewed as a top-five running back in the 2024 NFL Draft class, and NFL insider Tom Pelissero believes he could be the first ball carrier selected. The 23-year-old missed his entire freshman season at South Carolina with a torn ACL and handled just 196 touches for 1,021 yards and 12 total touchdowns over his next two seasons. He transferred to Southern Cal for the 2023 campaign and posted 820 rushing yards (7.1 YPC), 232 receiving yards (17.8 YPR), and nine total touchdowns. He turned heads at the 2024 NFL Combine with a 4.46 forty-yard dash time at 220 pounds, and in a weak running back draft class, that might have been enough to push him into the RB1 spot for some NFL squads.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 weeks agoFormer Oklahoma and South Carolina quarterback
Spencer Rattler was once viewed as a potential first-round pick after being a five-star recruit in the high-school class of 2019. His career did not go as expected, but he's thought to be the next-best quarterback on the board in the 2024 NFL draft. The first round saw six signal-callers selected in the top 12 picks, and any other teams looking to take a flyer on a quarterback likely have Rattler on their radar. The Around The NFL staff at NFL.com expects the 23-year-old to be selected in Round 3, but the run of quarterbacks on Day 1 could push him up to Round 2. Rattler threw for 10,807 yards, 77 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 48 games with the Sooners and Gamecocks.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 weeks agoThe Carolina Panthers officially picked up the fifth-year option for standout cornerback Jaycee Horn on Friday, according to sources. Despite playing in only six games in 2023 due to a hamstring injury, Horn will have his fifth-year option picked up. The 24-year-old former eighth overall pick by Carolina in 2021 out of South Carolina had 27 tackles (20 solo) and five passes defensed in his six starts last season. He's only played in 22 games in his first three years in the league due to injuries, so picking up Horn's fifth-year option was far from a guarantee. In his three years in the NFL, Horn has produced 85 tackles (60 solo), four interceptions and 13 passes defensed in 22 starts. The Panthers are taking a bit of a gamble and are hoping the defensive back can avoid the injury bug moving forward.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 weeks agoThe Buffalo Bills have interest in trading for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Deebo Samuel, according to league sources. Now that the first round of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, Niners wideout
Brandon Aiyuk is less likely to be traded than Samuel, who has a 2025 salary cap number over $20 million. Not only are the Bills extremely desperate for a receiver after trading
Stefon Diggs and losing
Gabe Davis in free agency this offseason, but they acquired extra picks in this year's draft by trading down twice late in the first round on Thursday night. A move to Buffalo would immediately make Samuel the team's top wideout for Pro Bowl quarterback
Josh Allen and allow him to retain plenty of fantasy value given his after-the-catch abilities. Stay tuned.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Sports Journal - Mike Giardi
4 weeks agoRookie quarterback
Drake Maye, who was taken third overall in this year's NFL draft by the New England Patriots on Thursday night, will initially compete with veteran
Jacoby Brissett for the starting job in 2024. The Patriots also
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4 weeks agoThe Buffalo Bills traded down twice on Thursday night to drop out of the first round of the NFL draft and now hold the 33rd pick, the first selection in the second round. There are a few players they really like who are under consideration, but they've already received calls from teams considering trading up. After trading down twice on Thursday night, the Bills moved up 38 spots in the later rounds with their first trade and 59 spots with their second swap. Buffalo was criticized heavily for trading back twice late in the first round, only to see both the Chiefs and Panthers take receivers with those picks. The Bills are desperately in need of receiving help after trading
Stefon Diggs and losing
Gabe Davis in free agency this offseason, but they could still select one they are high on at No. 33 overall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 weeks agoDallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said former Texas running back
Jonathon Brooks had the best pre-draft interview of any young prospect Jones has spoken to in 30 years. "We got him high, high (on our board). He's a good player," Jones said. Meanwhile, the
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4 weeks agoThe Dallas Cowboys could draft a running back on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft on Friday night with one of their three picks, but that choice won't change the expectation that free-agent running back
Ezekiel Elliott will return to Dallas' backfield in 2024 to complement and help mentor a rookie. Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken is reporting that Elliott's signing with the Cowboys is increasingly imminent. Elliott's agent met with Dallas on Wednesday, and the Cowboys have been connected with the 28-year-old RB throughout the offseason. The Cowboys lost
Tony Pollard to free agency this offseason but have
Rico Dowdle and
Deuce Vaughn. If Elliott were to return to Big D, he'll be in a complementary role and will be an RB3/flex, at best, in fantasy after putting up a career-low 3.5 yards per carry in 2023 with New England.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Michael Gehlken
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