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

Veterans That May Be Impacted By The NFL Draft

Most of the fun fantasy-centered NFL Draft speculation so far has focused on who will go where, and what teams need offensively. But in this feature, we go deeper. How will potential rookie selections late this month affect players on existing rosters?

This year’s class is very deep in top-level WRs, and we could see four QBs and at least one RB, maybe two drafted in the first round. Many earlier selections will certainly have a significant impact on notable players who are already on NFL rosters and have legitimate fantasy appeal.

We will examine how some of the most significant skill position choices in the NFL Draft can affect current pros in seasonal, best ball, and dynasty formats.

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

 

High-Profile Risers/Fallers

Ravens: Lamar Jackson He led all players in fantasy points and the NFL in TD passes without a true No. 1 WR. At No. 28, the Ravens could be in the mix for one of the better big WRs that fall there, possibly a Higgins or maybe Chase Claypool. Either would be a promising complement to Marquise Brown and would further solidify my take that Jackson is worth a mid to late first-round pick in 2020 fantasy drafts. Claypool could also be available on Day Two of the draft.

Texans: Deshaun Watson The Texans do not have a pick until No. 40 and if they cannot land a WR like Pittman to hopefully replace DeAndre Hopkins, Watson will be looking at a very thin WR crew to work with in 2020. His footing as a top-five fantasy QB may be shaky.

Houston Texans WR depth chart via ESPN.com 

UPDATE: The acquisition of Brandin Cooks patches a hole, but the loss of Hopkins still is a formidable hole to fill. Fuller and Stills cannot be counted on as regular complements to Cooks. The passing game is still missing a true target to be a primary chain mover.

Packers: Aaron Rodgers/Allen Lazard -  The Packers may take the best WR available with their 30th selection. Another quality option such as Tee Higgins or Laviska Shenault can only boost the sagging fantasy appeal of Rodgers, who finished as QB9 in 2019. Lazard flashed some promise late last year (3-103-1 in Week 13, 4-69-1 in Week 17) but his late-round fantasy appeal will take a hit if the Pack land a WR with the first pick.

Falcons: Todd Gurley II - The Falcons may likely identify a potential RB of the future after addressing defense at the beginning of the draft. Gurley only signed a one-year deal with the Falcons and his future outlook is obviously shaky. Pay attention to see if and when the Falcons take an RB on day two of the draft, as you may want to take a shot on that player in your rookie dynasty draft.

Eagles: Alshon Jeffery/DeSean Jackson/Carson Wentz - The Eagles cannot count on either WR to stay healthy. Jackson is a speed type who will turn 34 late in the 2020 season. Philadelphia will likely tab a wideout with one of their first two picks. Henry Ruggs III would seem to ideally fit the need if he slips to the 21st pick. He could be an instant impact performer and can only help a healthy Carson Wentz maintain a spot as a top-10 fantasy QB. Jackson would become even less of an appealing late best-ball pick if Ruggs is tabbed to fill his role. Jeffery could benefit from playing with another notable offensive threat when available.

Vikings: Adam Thielen/Kirk Cousins - It appears the best way for Minnesota to effectively replace Stefon Diggs is to use possibly their 22nd or 25th pick on one of the top wide receivers available. That could be Ruggs or Higgins, or possibly Justin Jefferson, who has seen his stock rise. If Minnesota does not draft an impact WR, Thielen’s consistency could be impacted by facing a lot of defensive attention. Cousins finished as fantasy QB15 last year and won’t be drafted as a starter on a run-first team. But his appeal in two-QB leagues will be lowered more if Diggs’ spot is not filled with a potential quality contributor.

Buccaneers: Tom Brady/Ronald Jones II – Brady can be helped by the support of a quality running game, which Jameis Winston never had in Tampa Bay. Brady looks like a high-end fantasy QB2 to start fantasy draft season. Don’t be surprised if the Bucs take an RB after the first round but early enough to give Jones some true competition for quality playing time.

Seahawks: Chris Carson/Rashaad Penny -  Seattle cannot count on either of their top-two RBs to stay healthy and available. The Seahawks often trade down to stockpile more picks, too. Anchoring the offense with a dependable ground game is essential to the offense and quality depth is needed too. If the Seahawks take an RB in the first few rounds the selected player could have dynasty rookie draft value and will be a name to remember for instant depth at the very least. The earlier one is drafted, the better chance the new RB could have to compete for quality carries. Pete Carroll always prefers to create competition and may not shy away from creating it at RB.

49ers: Jimmy Garoppolo - Sanders is gone and it is readily apparent that the Niners need more at WR around the rising Deebo Samuel. At No. 13 in the first round, San Francisco could be in a good position to draft one of the top-two wideouts, Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb. Garoppolo had three 28-point fantasy games between Weeks 9 and 14 last season. With a deeper receiving crew he could become a more consistently productive fantasy QB and see his value and ownership rise. He finished as the fantasy QB14 last year. Another true receiving weapon can only help the 49ers finish the Super Bowl job they did not last season.

Garoppolo Game Log via NFL.com - column headers are week, opponent, passing yards, TD, INT, rushing yards, TD, fumbles lost, fantasy points 

 

Late-Round Risers/Fallers

Jets: Sam Darnold At No. 11, New York can be in a prime position to add Jeudy or Lamb, and either pick will excite the suffering fan base and elevate the appeal of Darnold in two-QB leagues and make him seem closer to becoming an impact player soon in dynasty leagues. The Jets are not any more successful than the Browns and need to invigorate their following and continue to build around their QB.

Saints: Emmanuel Sanders – The Saints may have found their long-sought-after WR2 with Sanders, but there has to be some concern about how much he has left at age 33. There has been some speculation that the Saints could go with a WR as early as their first pick, and a prospect like Shenault, who has been linked to New Orleans in some mocks, would seem to threaten Sanders’ fantasy value in the short term. If the Saints do not address the position on day one, though, Sanders will be a tempting fantasy WR3 pick in 2020.

Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger/James Washington/Diontae Johnson – Pittsburgh may ideally see Washington and Johnson as depth options. The Steelers don’t have a pick until No. 49, but if they take a WR like Michael Pittman Jr. or Van Jefferson, then Washington and Johnson may see their fantasy outlooks as WR4 types take an extra hit. A returning Roethlisberger would benefit, though, with a deep receiving crew to utilize and possibly regain fantasy starting status.

Jaguars: Gardner Minshew II At No. 9, the Jaguars could make a play for Jeudy or Lamb, or could wait until No. 20 to get one of the other top WRs on the board, such as Ruggs or Jefferson. D.J. Chark Jr. needs a true quality complement and Minshew could see his value rise, especially in two QB leagues, with a true impact WR.

Broncos: Drew Lock -  I am a Lock fan, as I think he has some Brett Favre in him. He strikes me as a confident gunslinger type. If Jeudy or Lamb drop, Denver has to take one of them, or they could be very happy with Jefferson or Ruggs. With any one of those pairing with the fast-rising Courtland Sutton, I am very enthusiastic about rostering Lock in two-QB and dynasty leagues.

Dolphins: Jordan Howard Miami signed the former Bear and Eagle in the offseason but it’s understandable if they would not be comfortable with him as a lead RB. Several mocks have Miami taking an RB in the first round, with either the second or third of their first-round picks at No. 18 or 26. The Dolphins could opt for D’Andre Swift or Jonathan Taylor, firing a torpedo at Howard’s outlook. But if they take an RB later on, Howard could end up in a timeshare. Taking Howard inside the first 10 rounds of a best-ball league before the NFL Draft is indeed a risk.

Patriots: Jarrett Stidham -  By NFL Draft day, we will know for sure just how much confidence Bill Belichick truly has in Stidham as his QB of the present and future. If the Pats pass on Jordan Love/Jake Fromm with the 23rd pick, then you have to start taking Stidham much more seriously in all fantasy formats. Belichick knows more than we all do. If the Patriots pass on a QB in the first round then I want a late flier on Stidham in a yearly league, on my roster as a top QB3 in two-QB formats, and as a lock on my dynasty team.

 

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

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles, Nick Sirianni Agree To Contract Extension
Brock Purdy

has Full No-Trade Clause
Denver Broncos

Alex Singleton On Track for Training Camp
Aaron Rodgers

Saints Not Considering Aaron Rodgers
Philadelphia Eagles

Joe Douglas Returns to Eagles' Front Office
Keaontay Ingram

Reverts to Injured Reserve
Spencer Strider

Activated from 15-Day Injured List
Matt Shaw

Returning to Chicago
Max Domi

Scores Only Maple Leafs Goal in Game 7
Sergei Bobrovsky

Collects Eighth Postseason Victory Sunday
Aleksander Barkov

Dishes Out Two Assists in Game 7 Win
Seth Jones

Ends Offensive Slump with Two-Point Effort
Eetu Luostarinen

Enjoys Three-Point Night in Game 7
Brad Marchand

Bags Three Points In Game 7 Victory
Jac Caglianone

Promoted to Triple-A
Cody Bellinger

Reaches Base Five Times, Knocks In Six
Will Benson

Smashes Two More Homers on Sunday
Aaron Gordon

Finishes With Eight Points In Game 7
Jamal Murray

Has A Rough Afternoon On Sunday
Reilly Smith

Hopes to Stick with Golden Knights
Chet Holmgren

Finishes With Another Double-Double On Sunday
Lars Eller

Plans to Continue Playing
Jalen Williams

Shows Up In Game 7
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Can't Lift Denver To A Win On Sunday
Anthony Stolarz

Suits Up as Backup Sunday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Aims to Maintain Perfect Game 7 Record Sunday
Anthony Stolarz

Unavailable for Game 7 Against Panthers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads OKC To The Western Conference Finals
Matthew Knies

Good to Go Sunday
Evan Rodrigues

Returns to Panthers Lineup for Game 7
Kyle Larson

Skipping All-Star Heat Race Should Be Good for DFS Place Differential Points
William Byron

Lack of Winning Speed and Good Starting Position Make Him a Poor DFS Option
Chase Briscoe

Joe Gibbs Racing Speed Should Carry Chase Briscoe in All-Star Race
Alex Bowman

Consistent Loss of Positions Makes Him a Poor DFS Choice
Ross Chastain

Despite Mediocre Short Track Record, Ross Chastain Surprisingly Finished Second in Heat Race
Austin Cindric

Consistent Lack of Short Track Speed Means He'll Likely Struggle in All-Star Race
Daniel Suarez

Unexpected Trackhouse Speed May Make Daniel Suarez a Valid Option
Harrison Burton

For Harrison Burton, Making the All-Star Likely As Good As It Gets
Ryan Blaney

Is Worth Rostering For All-Star Tournament Lineups At North Wilkesboro
Joey Logano

What Should Fantasy Players Do With Joey Logano For The All-Star Race?
Tyler Reddick

Should Fantasy Players Roster Tyler Reddick For The All-Star Race?
Brad Keselowski

May Dominate The All-Star Race At North Wilkesboro
Chris Buescher

Could Pay Off For All-Star Race Tournament Lineups
Josh Berry

Is Josh Berry A Sneaky DFS Option For The All-Star Race?
Austin Dillon

Is An Intriguing DFS Option For The All-Star Race
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Could Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Be A Top DFS Bargain Value For The All-Star Race?
Tommy Edman

Activated, Starting on Sunday
Xavier Edwards

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
De'Von Achane

Says He "Left a Lot of Yards on the Table" in 2024
Jamal Adams

Wants to Return to Jets
José Alvarado

Jose Alvarado Suspended for 80 Games
Zebby Matthews

Promoted Ahead of Sunday's Start
Mick Abel

Promoted Ahead of MLB Debut
Tyler O'Neill

Headed to Injured List
Kyle Connor

Records an Assist in Season-Ending Defeat
Mark Scheifele

Nets Lone Jets Goal During Emotional Night
Tyler Seguin

Returns to Score Sheet with a Power-Play Assist
Miro Heiskanen

Picks Up an Assist in Saturday's Win
Thomas Harley

Records Two Points in Series-Clincher
Josh Morrissey

Sustains Knee Injury in Game 6 Loss
Jaylen Brown

May Need Surgery
Logan Gilbert

Completes Second Bullpen Session
Hunter Tyson

May Miss Another Game Sunday
Russell Westbrook

Listed as Probable for Sunday
Jamal Murray

Probable for Sunday's Game 7
Aaron Gordon

Officially Listed as Questionable for Game 7
Clayton Kershaw

Activated Ahead of Season Debut
Claude Giroux

Senators Interested in Keeping Claude Giroux
Jalen Chatfield

Expected to Play in Conference Finals Opener
Cole Ragans

Hits 15-Day Injured List
Seth Lugo

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Jalen Royals

"Can Make An Impact Immediately"
Baltimore Orioles

Orioles Fire Brandon Hyde
Corbin Burnes

Strikes Out 10 in Six Shutout Innings
Wilmer Flores

Collects Eight RBI in Three-Homer Game
Josh Hart

Has A Triple-Double On Friday Night
Karl-Anthony Towns

Picks Up A Double-Double In Game 6
Jalen Brunson

Leads New York To A Win On Friday Night
Greg Joseph

49ers Sign Kicker Greg Joseph
John Jenkins

Ravens Agree to One-Year Deal With John Jenkins
Cole Ragans

Exits his Start on Friday With Groin Tightness
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Knocks in Six Runs
Miguel Vargas

Homers Twice in Loss
Brock Purdy

Signs Five-Year Extension
Aidan Hutchinson

Looks Good in Practice
Greg Zuerlein

Jets Release Greg Zuerlein
Chris Olave

Steelers Showing Interest in Chris Olave
Michael Morales

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Gilbert Burns

In Dire Need Of Victory
Precious Achiuwa

Uncertain For Game 6
Derek Carr

More to Derek Carr's Retirement Than his Injury?
Rodolfo Bellato

Set For UFC Vegas 106 Co-Main Event
Paul Craig

Returns To Light Heavyweight
Shedeur Sanders

Browns Say Shedeur Sanders is Willing to Put in the Work
Mairon Santos

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Harold Fannin Jr.

Browns, Harold Fannin Jr. Agree to Terms on Four-Year Rookie Deal
Sodiq Yusuff

Set For Lightweight Bout
Nursulton Ruziboev

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 106
Melquizael Costa

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 106
Julian Erosa

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 106 Main Card
Keaontay Ingram

Chiefs Waive Keaontay Ingram
D.J. Humphries

No Deal Yet Between 49ers, D.J. Humphries
Cleveland Browns

Browns Maximizing Reps For Rookies
Josh Hart

Leads Knicks In Scoring Wednesday Night
Derrick White

Erupts For 34 Points As Celtics Stay Alive
Luke Kornet

Big For Boston In Game 5
Jaylen Brown

Records Double-Double In Crucial Win
Anthony Edwards

Posts Double-Double In Series-Clinching Win
Julius Randle

Scores Game-High 29 Points In Series-Clincher
Brian Harman

Not A Great Option For PGA Championship
Cameron Smith

May Not Be Worth The Risk At Quail Hollow
Joaquin Niemann

A Strong Play At Quail Hollow
PGA

Sungjae Im Could Be Someone To Watch At Quail Hollow
Max Homa

Still Not Trustworthy Ahead Of PGA Championship
Jason Day

Looking To Continue Success At Quail Hollow
Sam Burns

A Shaky Play At Quail Hollow
Daniel Berger

Looking To Capture First Major At Quail Hollow
Jordan Spieth

Looks To Complete Career Grand Slam At Quail Hollow
Rory McIlroy

All Eyes Are On Rory McIlroy At Quail Hollow
Jon Rahm

Fits Quail Hollow Well On Paper
Keegan Bradley

A Reliable Option At Quail Hollow
Will Zalatoris

Enters PGA Championship With Major Concerns
Justin Thomas

Peaking At The Right Time For PGA Championship
Akshay Bhatia

Not Quite The Same Since Players Championship
Harris English

Playing Well Heading Into PGA Championship
Collin Morikawa

A Solid Contender At PGA Championship
Gary Woodland

Not Expecting Much At PGA Championship
Si Woo Kim

A High-Risk, High-Reward Option At PGA Championship
Tom Hoge

A Risky Play At Quail Hollow
PGA

Tyrell Hatton A Volatile Pick At PGA Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF