• D.J. Moore becomes the Chicago Bears‘ WR1: Moore had been a consistent fantasy producer in his short NFL career, but the move to Chicago makes him more high risk, high reward.
• David Montgomery joins a division rival: Montgomery replaces Jamaal Williams with the Detroit Lions, giving Detroit a somewhat different skill set that could lead to career highs in fantasy production.
• Allen Lazard is the first Green Bay Packers player to join the New York Jets: Lazard was one of the best wide receivers available and could put up even better numbers in New York.
This fantasy football tracker and recap is your one-stop shop for how free agency and the first trades of the season will impact the fantasy football world in 2023.
This article will constantly be updated throughout free agency, so bookmark it now and refresh often.
While the trades and unrestricted free agent signings can’t be made official until Wednesday, this article will treat any reported signing or trade before Wednesday as official.
RB James Robinson signs with the New England Patriots (3/15, 7:00 PM EST)
Robinson provides some veteran depth for the Patriots.
- Robinson’s career was off to a great start, going from undrafted rookie to feature back in the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ offense.
- He graded out at 78.5 and 77.1 as a runner his first two years while averaging 3.2 yards after contact per carry. That was the fourth-best mark among running backs with at least 400 carries — behind Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor.
- Robinson tore his Achilles tendon at the end of the 2021 season. He returned in 2022 but wasn’t the same player.
- The Jaguars traded him to the Jets, but he was a healthy inactive by the end of the season, playing behind undrafted rookie Zonovan Knight, among others.
- He joins a Patriots team with Rhamondre Stevenson, who broke out in 2022. They spent two draft picks last season on Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris. Veterans Ty Montgomery and J.J. Taylor are also under contract.
- Robinson will fight with the second-year backs to be the primary backup on early downs. At best, he will rotate by drive with Stevenson on early downs. At worst, he could be off the roster by the end of training camp.
- This likely means that Damien Harris’ days in New England are over. He is one of several veteran free-agent running backs with few openings remaining.
- This also means it’s unlikely the Patriots invest in a running back in the draft, as they have six backs already who could realistically make the roster. At least one or two will need to be released.
- The Jets have Breece Hall, Zonovan Knight and Michael Carter at running back for 2023 and could easily stick with those three all season.
RB Alexander Mattison re-signs with the Minnesota Vikings (3/15, 9:10 PM EST)
Mattison likely couldn’t find a starting job, so he returns to the Vikings.
- Mattison has been the ultimate handcuff running back, as the Vikings have never given him a major role in the offense. Yet, he constantly puts up fantasy numbers when given the chance.
- He finished as RB4 in Week 18 while the Vikings rested players for part of the game but never got a chance to start since Dalvin Cook stayed healthy all season.
- Mattison finished as RB4, RB7, RB6, RB8 and RB13 in the last five games Cook was inactive.
- There is at least a chance Minnesota moves on from Dalvin Cook. His yards per carry figure has declined since his excellent 2020 season, and he’s never been an effective receiver.
- Cook has over $14 million in cap hits for the Vikings over the next three seasons, but the dead money against the cap will be much smaller if they release him next season.
- Mattison will remain a late-round draft pick with great handcuff value and little standalone value unless Minnesota starts making more changes.
RB Miles Sanders signs with the Carolina Panthers (3/15, 7:30 PM EST)
Sanders signs with the best landing spot remaining where he can be a starter.
- The Panthers used the pair of D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard at running back late last season.
- Foreman is a free agent who is now unlikely to re-sign, with Sanders taking his roster spot.
- New Panthers head coach Frank Reich has traditionally had a running back on early downs and another on third downs. Sanders will likely be the early-down back, similar to his role with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Hubbard seems best suited to be the passing-down back.
- This move reunites Sanders with running back coach Duce Staley. Staley has been a running back coach for Sanders throughout his career.
- As long as the Panthers don’t make another big move at running back, Sanders should remain a fantasy starter.
- Anywhere that Sanders landed was going to be a downgrade from the Eagles because he will no longer be playing behind the top offensive line, but he should at least see plenty of carries.
- The Panthers already made moves at quarterback with Andy Dalton and tight end with Hayden Hurst, and it wouldn’t be surprising for them to add a wide receiver or two, as well.
- The Eagles already prepared for Sanders' departure by signing Rashaad Penny.
RB Jamaal Williams signs with the New Orleans Saints (3/15, 7:10 PM EST)
Williams gives the Saints insurance if Alvin Kamara is suspended and could cut into his playing time when both are available.
- Williams has graded out better than Kamara in recent seasons, with a 75.2 PFF grade over the past two seasons compared to Kamara's 70.1.
- They have graded similarly as rushers, and Kamara is better as a receiver, but Williams has been significantly better as a pass blocker.
- Kamara was consistently seeing less playing time when Mark Ingram II was healthy the past two seasons, and Williams can be a bigger and younger version of Ingram in the offense.
- This move will greatly hurt Kamara's fantasy value. He finished last season at RB16 despite his declined quality of play because he still had volume. The Saints didn’t have a better alternative. Now they have one.
- Williams should be the one leading the team in carries week in and week out, while Kamara remains the receiving back.
- New Orleans lost a number of players in free agency, making it less likely they spend one of their first few draft picks on a running back.
- Detroit Lions fans will miss Williams, but they already found a replacement in David Montgomery last night.
TE Eric Saubert signs with the Miami Dolphins (3/15, 5:10 PM EST)
Saubert helps fill the depth left after the departures of Mike Gesicki and Hunter Long.
- Saubert ran the second-most routes and played the second-most pass-blocking snaps among the Denver Broncos tight ends last season.
- He graded out at 50.4 overall, with sub-60.0 grades in both receiving and run blocking.
- He joins Durham Smythe and Tanner Conner and will sit at least second on the depth chart.
- Miami could still draft a receiving specialist at the position, leaving Smythe and Saubert to play in running situations.
- Saubert is the second tight end lost by the Broncos this week, with Andrew Beck leaving for the Houston Texans. They’ve already started to fill that void with Chris Manhertz from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
RB Myles Gaskin re-signs with the Miami Dolphins (3/15, 4:40 PM EST)
Gaskin is the third Miami Dolphins running back to re-sign with the team in the past two days.
- This leaves Miami with the same four running backs it ended the season with: Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Salvon Ahmed and Gaskin.
- Gaskin was held to 39 offensive snaps last year after once being a feature back in the Dolphins' offense.
- Miami had seemed like one of the more likely teams to add a rookie running back, but that is starting to seem less likely considering they kept their running back room intact.
- This makes it even more likely that Mostert and Wilson will be players worth drafting, but there is always a chance a rookie is signed and one or more of these backs ends up getting cut.
- It’s unlikely that Gaskin will see much playing time with the Dolphins this season unless there are a few injuries.
QB Jacoby Brissett signs with the Washington Commanders (3/15, 4 PM EST)
Brissett gives Sam Howell some much-needed competition for the Commanders' starting job.
- Brissett filled in admirably with the Cleveland Browns while they waited for Deshaun Watson’s suspension to end. Brissett achieved an 82.6 PFF overall grade in 2022, compared to 55.3 for Watson.
- He was the top quarterback remaining among the remaining free agents.
- He will compete with Howell, who was the 144th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft but played only 66 offensive snaps as a rookie. On paper, this seems like a battle Brissett should win.
- Brissett’s 82.6 grade this past season is higher than any Washington quarterback in more than a decade. The last person to surpass it was Robert Griffin III in his rookie season.
- This should be good news for Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and the rest of the Commanders’ offense.
RB Ezekiel Elliott is released by the Dallas Cowboys (3/15, 3:30 PM EST)
Elliott’s departure opens the door for Tony Pollard to be the Cowboys' lead back.
- Elliott missed Weeks 8 and 10 this past season and was eased into action in Week 11. Pollard was RB4, RB8 and RB1 those weeks.
- Pollard finished the season as RB9 despite missing a game and sharing time with Elliott for most of the season.
- Pollard could potentially be a first-round fantasy pick if the Cowboys stick with him and Malik Davis as their top two running backs. The problem is that Dallas could be drafting a running back.
- One of our recent mock drafts had the Cowboys taking Bijan Robinson in the first round. Pollard would still be a top-30 running back with Robinson on the roster, but he would be drafted a few rounds later.
- Even if it’s not Robinson, this draft is full of talented running backs who could take some time from Pollard. How far Pollard falls past the first round will depend on how much the Cowboys invest in another running back.
- Elliott’s days of being a lead back and playing over 60% of offensive snaps are probably over.
- The most logical destination is the Los Angeles Chargers, where former Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore now coaches.
- Austin Ekeler has been granted permission to seek a trade, but Elliott and Ekeler could be paired together in a similar way that Elliott and Pollard were this past season.
- Elliott has 1,881 career rushing attempts, which is the most for any active player and within the top 50 all time. It’s possible he will be stuck taking a job as strictly a backup seeing a few carries each game.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster signs with the New England Patriots (3/15, 3:05 PM EST)
Smith-Schuster gives the Patriots a direct replacement for Jakobi Meyers.
- New England lost the top wide receiver of free agency and replaced him with the second-best free-agent wide receiver.
- Meyers played roughly 60% of his snaps from the slot last season. This is less than what Smith-Schuster was playing in the slot with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but more than what he was playing with the Kansas City Chiefs.
- He will likely join DeVante Parker in the Patriots' base offense, with Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton sharing snaps in two-receiver sets.
- Smith-Schuster was WR27 last season, while Meyers was WR29. Smith-Schuster will likely finish somewhere below this because he hasn’t played as well as Meyers and will no longer be catching passes from Patrick Mahomes.
- The Chiefs currently have a lot less depth at wide receiver than last season, with Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore leading the depth chart.
- Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson remain free agents who could re-sign with the team. Even if both players return, Smith-Schuster’s departure should lead to more targets for both Toney and Moore.
RB Justice Hill re-signs with the Baltimore Ravens (3/15, 2:45 PM EST)
Hill spent part of last season as the Ravens' third-down back and could return in that role.
- He played 86 snaps on third downs this season, whereas Kenyan Drake took 64 snaps.
- Drake is an unrestricted free agent, so Hill might not face competition from him going forward.
- J.K. Dobbins was able to take most of the third-down snaps from Hill in 2020 before suffering injuries. The Ravens didn’t attempt to give Dobbins those snaps back in 2022, but there is a chance Dobbins could be in store for a bigger role in 2023. This would mean fewer snaps for Hill, making him more of an insurance policy.
- This is generally good news for Dobbins, Gus Edwards, who took a pay cut, and Hill, as it’s less likely the Ravens will be drafting a running back with three roster spots already locked up.
- Dobbins should be a fantasy starter this season, depending on how the Lamar Jackson situation is resolved.
QB Baker Mayfield signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3/15, 11:50 AM EST)
Mayfield will be given the chance to compete with Kyle Trask for the starting job in Tampa Bay.
- Mayfield has posted a 69.0 PFF grade over the past three seasons, which ranks 21st of 23 quarterbacks with at least 2,000 snaps.
- His grade has declined each season, from 81.6 in 2020 to 63.6 in 2021 to 50.6 in 2022.
- We have yet to see any meaningful playing time out of Trask. He’s played just 10 offensive snaps, all coming late in the fourth quarter of Week 18 while playing largely with backups.
- The loss of Tom Brady was already going to hurt the fantasy value of the Buccaneers' skill players.
- Having Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to throw to will help the Buccaneers' starting quarterback in superflex leagues, but they won’t have as much upside in single-quarterback leagues.
- The signing leaves just four notable quarterbacks remaining in free agency. The Los Angeles Rams, who are losing Mayfield, join the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders as teams most likely to sign a veteran.
RB Trayveon Williams re-signs with the Cincinnati Bengals (3/15, 10:20 AM EST)
Williams has served as a backup for four years and could see a larger role in 2023.
- Williams has played between 40-105 offensive snaps in the past four years, with his snaps slowly but surely increasing.
- He’s graded out above 73.0 in rushing, receiving and pass blocking on relatively small sample sizes, making him worth a bigger look.
- The Bengals lost Samaje Perine to the Denver Broncos in free agency, leaving the team with Joe Mixon, Chris Evans and Williams.
- There have been rumors of the Bengals moving on from Mixon. It’s unlikely Williams enters the season as the starter, but he could be the primary backup on both early downs and third downs.
QB Nick Mullens re-signs with the Minnesota Vikings (3/15, 10:15 AM EST)
Mullens returns as the Vikings' primary backup quarterback.
- Mullens played 58 snaps for the Vikings in 2022, with more than half occurring in Week 18 after Minnesota had already secured the division.
- He arrived in Minnesota after a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders right before the season. He’s also played with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns since 2017.
- Mullens' career grade sits at 62.3, which is roughly where you would expect an average backup quarterback to be.
- It’s possible the Vikings draft a quarterback, as Kirk Cousins will be 35 before the season.
WR Deonte Harty signs with the Buffalo Bills (3/15, 10:10 AM EST)
Harty has played well on small sample sizes and could be a big part of the Bills’ rotation.
- Harty has put together a respectable 83.1 PFF grade over the past three seasons as a rotational player for the Saints.
- Harty has done a lot of his damage on go routes, but his average depth of target is much lower than one might expect because his second-most-targeted route was a screen.
- He’s also a former All-Pro as a returner.
- Harty could be the primary backup on the outside behind Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis. This could allow second-year receiver Khalil Shakir to focus on the slot while competing with Isaiah McKenzie.
- Harty has graded out better than Davis so far in the NFL, albeit on a smaller sample. It’s not out of the question for Harty to take some playing time away from Davis.
- The Bills also had Jamison Crowder, Jake Kumerow and Cole Beasley as wide receiver depth. All are free agents, and all are less likely to return now that Harty is on the roster.
- The New Orleans Saints seem pretty set at wide receiver without Harty, with Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed as starters and Tre’Quan Smith as the top backup.
TE Hayden Hurst signs with the Carolina Panthers (3/15, 9:50 AM EST)
Hurst joins his fourth team in five seasons and should be a major upgrade to the Panthers' tight end room.
- Carolina had mostly used a combination of Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas as the receiving tight ends.
- This led to 50 receptions and three touchdowns, ranking second fewest and third fewest, respectively.
- Hurst alone had more receptions despite missing four games with injury and not being 100% in other games.
- He is currently the only player on the Panthers roster who recorded more than 30 receptions in 2022.
- Carolina is bound to upgrade at wide receiver and running back, but Hurst has a chance to be a borderline top-12 tight end on volume alone. He is unlikely to have top-five upside, so he might not get drafted in the top 12 during fantasy drafts.
- Hurst leaves the Cincinnati Bengals with a need at tight end. Drew Sample and Mitchell Wilcox are both unrestricted free agents, leaving Devin Asiasi as the current top player on the depth chart.
- Hurst is the first of the top-eight free-agent tight ends to sign a contract. His signing could lead to more tight end deals throughout the day.
WR Ashton Dulin re-signs with the Indianapolis Colts (3/15, 8:50 AM EST)
Dulin spent last season as the Colts' fourth wide receiver but could have a chance to start this season.
- He finished a distant fourth on the team in routes run at 130 — behind Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell and Alec Pierce.
- His 69.6 PFF receiving grade was second only to Pittman on the team, while his 1.73 yards per route run was the best.
- Campbell is an unrestricted free agent who hasn’t re-signed yet, so Dulin is currently penciled into one of the three starting jobs.
- A receiving trio of Pittman, Pierce and Dulin would allow Pittman to line up in the slot more often, which is where he performed the best in 2022.
- The Colts still have Mike Strachan and Vyncint Smith, among others, as backups on the roster.
- There are still questions that need to be answered in Indianapolis at quarterback, which will help determine Dulin’s ceiling.
- He probably won’t be someone to draft in redraft leagues but is a fine player to take a chance on in dynasty.
RB Travis Homer signs with the Chicago Bears (3/14, 10:25 PM EST)
Homer takes David Montgomery‘s roster spot and increases the odds Khalil Herbert could see significant playing time next season.
- Homer has been a career third-down back and special teamer.
- He’s graded just above replacement level in both receiving and pass blocking, which is a step above both Herbert in both categories.
- If the season started today, Herbert would be the clear first- and second-down back with Homer playing on third downs. This is not a big enough role for Homer to be considered draftable in most fantasy leagues.
- Herbert’s achieved an 85.9 PFF rush grade over the last two seasons, which is 14th-best among running backs. It would be good to see him average 15 carries a game.
- Like every team adding a running back in free agency, it’s not out of the question the Bears draft a running back to complicate things.
- Twelve rookie running backs rank in the top 130 of our big board, meaning one-third of teams will add a running back in the first four rounds.
- This move is good news for Herbert because it likely means they won’t add an even better running back in free agency like Devin Singletary.
- Homer is the second free agent running back the Seattle Seahawks lost today, as Rashaad Penny landed with the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Seattle could still be set with its top two backs, as DeeJay Dallas and Homer were used interchangeably, so Dallas could take over as the third-down back with Kenneth Walker III playing on early downs.
- The Seahawks will likely need to find a third back at some point just to add depth to the roster.
RB David Montgomery signs with the Detroit Lions (3/14, 9:45 PM EST)
Montgomery potentially replaces Jamaal Williams in the Lions' offense.
- Montgomery joins the division-rival Lions after spending most of his recent seasons as a feature-back in Chicago. He is one of only five running backs with over 2,000 offensive snaps over the last three seasons.
- He likely takes Jamaal Williams‘ roster spot. The two have similar overall grades over the last three seasons — Montgomery graded better as a receiver while Williams was the better rusher.
- Both players are listed at 224 pounds on their official team websites while Williams is one inch taller.
- Williams and D’Andre Swift had a nice balance with Williams being the better rusher and Swift the better receiver, but Montgomery has graded better than Swift in both aspects over the last three seasons.
- How Montgomery and Swift shake out in terms of fantasy football will depend heavily on Swift’s health and his ability to earn the team’s trust. We could see Montgomery being the touchdown machine Williams was with more receiving work, making him potentially a top-10 fantasy running back.
- This year could also be the breakout year dynasty managers have hoped for out of Swift.
- Detroit re-signed Craig Reynolds to take the third spot on the depth chart, but it’s not out of the question that the Lions draft a running back in the mid-to-late rounds that further complicates the backfield.
- This leaves the Chicago Bears thin at running back, with only Khalil Herbert and Trestan Ebner on the roster, who were both sixth-round picks in the last two drafts.
- Herbert has an 85.9 career rushing grade and could be the primary runner going forward, but they will need someone who can play passing downs. They have one of the largest needs at running back among any team.
K Greg Joseph re-signs with the Minnesota Vikings (3/14, 8:30 PM EST)
Joseph was an average fantasy kicker last season, but some regression to the mean could make him a fantasy starter.
- Joseph finished with the fourth-worst percentage of extra points made as well as the sixth-lowest percentage of field goals.
- The low field goal percentage can be explained by the Vikings attempting 10 kicks of over 50 yards, the eighth-most in the league. Joseph made only four.
- He was 25-for-26 on field goals shorter than 50 yards.
- The bright side is he attempted the 11th-most field goals and seventh-most extra points.
- The Vikings should still have one of the better offenses in the NFL, so Joseph’s number of attempts should stay relatively similar to last season, while his accuracy should improve with some regression to the mean.
- This makes Joseph a borderline fantasy starter and should be drafted in leagues where you are forced to draft a kicker.
QB Andy Dalton signs with the Carolina Panthers (3/14, 7:00 PM EST)
Dalton will serve as a mentor to the quarterback the Panthers select first overall.
- Dalton graded well with the New Orleans Saints as a risk-average quarterback, throwing accurate, safe passes.
- Carolina recently traded for the first overall pick in the NFL Draft and will select a quarterback to be the future of the franchise.
- No. 1 overall picks typically end up starting Week 1, but Dalton gives the Panthers the option to sit their quarterback to start the season if they would prefer.
- Dalton leaves a Saints team that recently signed Derek Carr to be the starter.
RB Samaje Perine signs with the Denver Broncos (3/14, 5:30 PM EST)
He is the first running back Denver has added this year, but he likely won’t be the last.
- Perine has served as the primary third-down back for the Cincinnati Bengals the last two seasons, but his strength has been as a runner.
- He's put up a 75.0 rushing grade, a 64.3 receiving grade and a 51.9 pass-blocking grade.
- He joins a depleted Broncos backfield. Javonte Williams missed most of last season, and there is no guarantee that he will be ready to start this season.
- Melvin Gordon III, Chase Edmonds and Mike Boone each saw significant playing time with Denver last season, but they have been either released or have signed with a new team. Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack also saw playing time but are unrestricted free agents.
- The Broncos are almost guaranteed to add at least one new back, so it’s difficult to know what role Perine will have without knowing who will join him in the backfield. He could be an every-down back, or he could barely see the field.
- Chris Evans is the next player in line to be the Bengals receiving back. He has graded out above 85.0 in both receiving and pass-blocking in his career, but the Bengals limited his snaps more last season than in his rookie year.
- There are rumors that Joe Mixon will get released due to his contract, so we might see a very different backfield in Cincinnati going forward.
WR Phillip Dorsett signs with the Las Vegas Raiders (3/14, 5:25 PM EST)
Dorsett joins the Raiders as the likely fourth receiver on the depth chart.
- Las Vegas added Jakobi Meyers at wide receiver earlier in the day. This puts Dorsett behind Davante Adams, Meyers and Hunter Renfrow.
- This is yet another player Josh McDaniels used to coach who now joins the Raiders. Dorsett was a backup for the Patriots from 2017-2019.
- Dorsett was never with the Patriots at the same time as new Raider quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo but did spend a year as teammates with Meyers.
- This move makes it less likely that veteran free agents Mack Hollins or Keelan Cole returns to the team.
- There is a chance the Raiders move on from Renfrow, which leaves a chance Dorsett becomes a starter. Dorsett would also start if there is an injury to any of the top three receivers.
- He leaves the Houston Texans who have already added Robert Woods and Noah Brown to their wide receiver room this week.
RB Boston Scott re-signs with the Philadelphia Eagles (3/14, 5:15 PM EST)
The move gives Philadelphia a three-back committee.
- The Eagles signed Rashaad Penny earlier in the day, while Miles Sanders tweeted his goodbye to the team. Penny appears to be a direct replacement for Sanders.
- Scott will likely serve as Penny's backup on early downs and Kenneth Gainwell‘s backup on late downs. He now has a more injury-prone running back ahead of him on first and second downs, making it more likely there are games this season where Scott is the starter and sees double-digit carries.
- This move is good news for Penny because it likely means the Eagles are done adding free-agent running backs, and they aren’t upgrading from Scott.
- The big question now is if the Eagles bring in a running back during the draft. It’s entirely possible the Eagles will be happy with the three running backs they have, or it’s possible one is picked in the first round and everyone is pushed down the depth chart.
RB Corey Clement re-signs with the Arizona Cardinals (3/14, 5:00 PM EST)
Clement reached the second spot on the Cardinals depth chart by the end of the season.
- He played 68 snaps over the last two weeks compared to 20 by Keaontay Ingram and two by Ty’Son Williams.
- Darrel Williams was the only other backup on the roster at the end of the season. He landed on injured reserve mid-way into the season and is an unrestricted free agent.
- James Conner was fine as a rusher in 2022 but he underwhelmed as a receiver.
- The Cardinals' new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing last coached for the Cleveland Browns. It’s possible we see Conner on early downs, similar to how Nick Chubb was used, and Clement on third downs similar to Kareem Hunt. This would be the best-case scenario for Clement’s fantasy value.
- Chances are we see Arizona add a younger running back in the draft. This would likely push Clement to third on the depth chart, and potentially challenge Conner for playing time.
K Matt Prater re-signs with the Arizona Cardinals (3/14, 4:50 PM EST)
Prater has been an average kicker during his time with the Cardinals.
- He’s made around 95% of his extra points and 84% of his field goals since joining the Cardinals.
- The problem is that he plays for Arizona, a team that finished fifth-worst in extra point attempts and 11th-worst in field goal attempts last season.
- Arizona has an injured Kyler Murray, a number of players hitting free agency and no new additions to the offense so far.
- This makes it unlikely Prater will be worth drafting in fantasy. and he will only be worth a pickup in very favorable matchups.
RB J.D. McKissic is released by the Washington Commanders (3/14, 4:45 PM EST)
McKissic missed most of last season after suffering a neck injury.
- This wasn’t the first neck injury of McKissic’s career. It isn’t out of the question that McKissic has played his last snap in the NFL. McKissic will be 30 years old before the start of next season.
- The Commanders used a duo of Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson in the backfield, which will likely stay true for the 2023 season.
- Jonathan Williams and Jaret Patterson also remain under contract as backups.
- Washington has a new offensive coordinator in Eric Bienemy, so it’s possible Washington further mixes up their backfield with a draft pick or a free agent that could better fit his offense.
- During his time as offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs, we have seen his team use a feature back like Kareem Hunt, as well as a committee like in recent Chiefs seasons.
- Hunt, Jerick McKinnon and Ronald Jones are all free agent backs Bienemy is familiar with who could complicate the Commanders' backfield.
- To this point, the offense looks very similar to last season outside of the addition of Andrew Wylie at tackle, and Sam Howell at quarterback.
- If McKissic is able to resume his playing career, he could find a job as a receiving back for another team. It’s unlikely he will have much fantasy value only playing on third downs.
WR Allen Lazard signs with the New York Jets (3/14, 4:30 PM EST)
Lazard joins a crowded Jets receiver room that could potentially get even more crowded.
- The Lazard signing is clearly tied to the Jets' desire to trade for Aaron Rodgers and make him happy, but Lazard should be a welcomed piece to the Jets offense.
- New York ended their season with Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore and Corey Davis as their top three receivers. Denzel Mims and Jeff Smith were the top backups, with Smith the only one no longer under contract.
- This likely is the end of Davis’ time as a Jet. The Jets would save $10.5 million against the cap by releasing or trading him, leaving them with less than $0.7 million in dead money.
- This move should allow Elijah Moore to line up out wide more often. Moore earned a 54.8 PFF receiving grade over the last two seasons in the slot compared to 72.2 out wide.
- Lazard has a 75.1 PFF grade in the slot compared to 64.4 out wide. Ideally, Lazard will get to play even more in the slot than he did in Green Bay.
- Rumors are swirling that the Jets will also sign Randall Cobb. He would likely be a backup for New York, being the backup slot player while Mims is the backup out wide.
- The depth chart will really get complicated if they decide to keep Davis, or if they sign Odell Beckham Jr. — another player Rodgers reportedly wants on the Jets.
- These moves should not worry Garrett Wilson fantasy managers. Christian Watson was a fantasy star at times last season despite Rodgers’ friends also playing wide receiver, and Wilson is an even better player.
- Lazard is someone that can still be drafted, as the situation should be similar to Green Bay. The move makes it harder for Moore to be as fantasy relevant, as he will likely be the third option at wide receiver.
- The Packers will have a strong need at wide receiver. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs will be starters, but they are potentially Cobb as well as Allen Lazard, they let go of Sammy Watkins and Amari Rodgers late last season, and Juwann Winfree wasn’t retained.
- This leaves 2022 seventh-round pick Samori Toure as third on the depth chart, with Bo Melton and Jeff Cotton behind him.
RB Rashaad Penny signs with the Philadelphia Eagles (3/14, 3:15 PM EST)
Penny becomes the new lead back in Philadelphia when healthy.
- Penny was one of the most explosive running backs in the last two seasons, averaging over 6.0 yards per carry.
- He naturally fits in Miles Sanders‘ role and could be even more effective when healthy.
- Sanders finished the season at RB15, with three games at RB3 or better. Penny had four RB4 or better finishes in his last 10 games.
- The problem is Penny has been restricted to 10 games or fewer in each of the last four seasons.
- He joins Kenneth Gainwell, and the two players will naturally fit together. Penny has traditionally played on early downs while Gainwell has traditionally played on third downs. If the Eagles stuck with this duo and Penny stayed healthy, he would have top-five potential.
- Both Miles Sanders and Boston Scott are unrestricted free agents.
- It’s very possible the Eagles bring back one or both players, or add a running back in the draft. They could have three or even four running backs active and in a rotation.
- If the Eagles trust Penny with 15 carries a game, and the other running backs brought in are an insurance policy, Penny would be a fantasy starter.
- If the Eagles give two running backs 5-10 carries a game each, it could be hard to trust either back in redraft leagues.
- Penny will be a fun risky pick in the middle of fantasy drafts.
- Penny’s departure leaves the Seattle Seahawks with Kenneth Walker III and DeeJay Dallas at running back. Seattle will likely find a new backup in free agency or the draft, who would only see significant playing time with a Walker injury.
TE Darren Waller is traded to the New York Giants (3/14, 1:45 PM EST)
Editor's note: Click here for the full fantasy football analysis on this move.
RB Jeff Wilson Jr. re-signs with the Miami Dolphins (3/14, 2:30 PM EST)
Wilson joins a Dolphins backfield that looks remarkably similar to last season.
- Wilson was added to the Dolphins at the trade deadline last season and shared the running back spot with Raheem Mostert.
- The team's best fantasy back constantly changed from one week to another despite Mostert consistently starting.
- Mostert was also re-signed today. This puts both players at the top of the depth chart while Salvon Ahmed remains in third.
- The big question now is how much draft capital the Dolphins use at running back. Miami could easily add someone who takes over the backfield sooner rather than later.
- Both Mostert and Wilson currently have fantasy draft capital, but even Miami spending a fifth-round pick on a running back will hurt their ADP.
WR Michael Thomas re-signs with the New Orleans Saints (3/14, 7:00 PM EST)
Thomas was in a situation where he needed to be restructured or cut, but it worked out for him to remain a Saint.
- Thomas was arguably the best wide receiver in the league from 2017-2019 but has only played 577 offensive snaps over the last three seasons due to various injuries.
- Whenever he was healthy, he still graded well. He caught at least five passes each game and averaged a touchdown a game in 2022.
- Thomas will be joined by second-year receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed in the Saints' passing formations. Both Olave and Shaheed ranked top eight among wide receivers in yards per route run in 2022.
- Thomas will again be one of the riskiest players to target in fantasy drafts since his range of outcomes over the past five years range from WR1 to missing an entire season. This will lead to a wide range of ADPs for Thomas throughout fantasy drafts.
- This is not great news for Olave. His 26.5% targets per route run ranked sixth-highest among wide receivers last season. It will be much harder for him to maintain that rate if Thomas stays healthy.
- Jarvis Landry, Marquez Callaway and Deonte Harty are all expected to hit free agency, and it wouldn’t be surprising if each doesn't return.
WR Noah Brown signs with the Houston Texans (3/14, 12:15 PM EST)
Brown is yet-another skill player brought to Houston to revamp their offense.
- Brown joins Mike Boone, Andrew Beck and Robert Woods as new free-agent signings.
- The Texans wide receiver room, in particular, will look much different in 2023. John Metchie III is also expected to return to Houston after missing his rookie season with Leukemia.
- Brown currently sits fifth on the Texans' depth chart but would move up if Brandin Cooks is traded and/or Metchie isn’t ready for the season.
- Chances are Cooks and Nico Collins will begin the season as starters on the outside with Woods in the slot.
- This makes it pretty unlikely that Chris Moore or Phillip Dorsett re-sign with the team.
- Brown played a surprisingly large role for the Cowboys last season, spending most of the year as their No. 2 receiver. He only lost playing time once Michael Gallup was fully healthy and T.Y. Hilton was signed.
- CeeDee Lamb and Gallup will be the Cowboys' top two receivers, leaving a question mark at No. 3.
- Hilton is a free agent while Simi Fehoko, Jalen Tolbert, Dennis Houston and KaVontae Turpin were held to 1-3 receptions each last season.
RB Raheem Mostert re-signs with the Miami Dolphins (3/14, 11:15 AM EST)
The move gives the Dolphins some stability at running back, but it likely isn’t their only move.
- Mostert started the season strong, overtaking Chase Edmonds as Miami's starting running back.
- He received double-digit carries every game in October and was running more routes than at any other point in his career.
- Miami traded for Jeff Wilson Jr. at the trade deadline. Mostert remained a starter, but Wilson was often playing more.
- Miami now has Mostert and Salvon Ahmed under contract while Wilson and Myles Gaskin are unrestricted free agents who are unlikely to return.
- The Dolphins will likely make another move at running back either in free agency or the draft. Mostert is capable of being a full-time starter, but his playing time will likely be determined by the talent of whatever other back Miami brings in.
- The best case for Mostert is the Dolphins also re-sign Wilson.
- Mostert will likely be a fine late-round dart throw.
WR Jakobi Meyers signs with the Las Vegas Raiders (3/14, 10 AM EST)
Editor's note: Click here for the full fantasy football analysis on this move.
QB Taylor Heinicke signs with the Atlanta Falcons (3/14, 9 AM EST)
The Heinicke signing makes it more clear that Desmond Ridder will likely start the season for Atlanta.
- Ridder started four games with Atlanta to end the season, with his PFF grade improving over each game. In his final performance of the season, he achieved a 75.7 overall grade.
- Heinicke started nine games for the Washington Commanders last season but earned a 49.8 overall grade, surpassing 60.0 in only one game.
- If the Falcons wanted to give Ridder more competition for the starting role, there were plenty of other more expensive options, and Atlanta has the salary cap room to pay them.
- Ridder scored the 22nd-most fantasy points over the last four weeks of the season.
- His legs were considered an asset heading into the season, but he ran the ball only four times per game. If he starts running more frequently, there is a chance he develops into a fantasy starter.
- The Falcons also have the salary cap space to add more talent at wide receiver, which could also boost Ridder’s value.
- Heinicke joining Atlanta leaves Washington with Sam Howell and Jake Fromm at quarterback. They will very likely bring in a veteran to compete with Howell.
K Matt Gay signs with the Indianapolis Colts (3/14, 9 AM EST)
Gay replaces Chase McLaughlin as the Colts' primary kicker.
- Gay was the fourth-highest-graded kicker last season on field goals and extra points. He missed one extra point, and his only missed field goals were beyond 50 yards.
- This is only a slight upgrade from McLaughlin, who was perfect on extra points but missed a few shorter field goals.
- McLaughlin should be who teams are targeting in free agency if they are looking for a kicker.
- Gay had typically been on fantasy managers’ radars with how successful the Los Angeles Rams‘ offense was, but now he will likely fall outside of the top-12 with the Colts.
TE Chris Manhertz signs with the Denver Broncos (3/13, 6:15 PM EST)
Manhertz gives the Broncos a new blocking tight end.
- Manhertz served as Jacksonville's No. 2 tight end primarily in run-blocking situations.
- Eric Saubert, Eric Tomlinson and Andrew Beck were all used in run-blocking roles last season, but all three are free agents, with Beck reportedly signing with the Houston Texans.
- Manhertz is an upgrade as a run blocker to the tight ends Denver used last season and joins tackle Mike McGlinchey in improving the Broncos' run blocking. This is good news for Javonte Williams, assuming he can get healthy before the season.
- Head coach Sean Payton utilized several tight ends during his time with the New Orleans Saints. Manhertz will likely be one of many tight ends in a rotation, including Greg Dulcich and Albert Okwuegbunam.
- Dulcich remains the tight end to roster in Denver due to his receiving ability. He can be a borderline fantasy starter this season. He has a chance to become a star or a bust just depending on his development and the coaching staff’s trust in him.
- The Jaguars will continue to use Evan Engram on the majority of snaps. Luke Farrell could potentially see extended time in replacing Manhertz, or the Jaguars could find a new tight end in the draft.
K Greg Zuerlein re-signs with the New York Jets (3/13, 6:10 PM EST)
Zuerlein finished as K12 last season and could be even better if Aaron Rodgers signs with the Jets.
- His 25 field goals of 30-plus yards were tied for third-most among kickers.
- He made a 60-yard attempt, which was also tied for the third-longest.
- His biggest problem was extra points, where he only attempted 29 kicks, which was the 23rd-most.
- Ideally, a change at quarterback will lead to more scoring drives, leading to more touchdowns even if it means one or two fewer field goals.
RB Matt Breida re-signs with the New York Giants (3/13, 6 PM EST)
Breida was a solid backup in limited snaps for the Giants last season and could retain that role.
- He played in 305 offensive snaps, including the playoffs. The other Giants' backups combined had 94.
- He spent most of the season not making much of an impact but excelled in his last four weeks, when he ran 20 times for 118 yards and avoided eight tackles on those carries.
- The Giants' depth chart currently remains identical to last season with Saquon Barkley at the top, Breida second and Gary Brightwell third.
- This likely means the Giants won’t add another running back in free agency, but it’s still possible they add one in the draft. The running back class is deep and neither Barkley nor Breida is under contract beyond 2023.
- Breida isn’t worth considering in redraft and won’t be in best ball unless the Giants stand pat at running back during the draft.
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QB Sam Darnold signs with the San Francisco 49ers (3/13, 5:15 PM EST)
Darnold gives the 49ers some much-needed assurances they will have a healthy starting quarterback to start next season.
- Darnold joins the 49ers quarterback room consisting of Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, who both ended last season injured.
- He could start the season if neither quarterback is ready to play and at least compete for the starting job if they aren’t at 100% health.
- Darnold has yet to achieve a PFF grade above 65 for a season, so it’s unlikely he would beat either quarterback for the starting job if they are healthy.
- He fills the roster spot of Jimmy Garoppolo, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders earlier in the day.
- It wouldn’t be crazy to take Darnold in a late round of best-ball drafts just in case he finds a way to be the starter most if not all of the season.
- He probably shouldn’t be picked in redraft leagues unless we hear very bad news on both younger quarterbacks in their recovery.
- The Panthers' Week 1 starting quarterback will very likely be whoever they pick first overall. P.J. Walker and Matt Corral will likely compete for the backup job with Darnold out of the picture.
- Darnold is the fifth quarterback to sign a contract today, but there are still plenty of options for teams looking for a borderline starter or experienced backup.
TE Josh Oliver signs with the Minnesota Vikings (3/13, 3 PM EST)
One of the league’s best run-blocking tight ends can be a boon to the Vikings’ ground game.
- Oliver’s 74.6 PFF run-block grade in 2022 ranked second among tight ends with at least 100 run-blocking snaps.
- He will be a big upgrade over Johnny Mundt, who was the Vikings' early-down tight end last season.
- The biggest impact will be on the Vikings' running backs, who should see some better run lanes on early downs compared to last season.
- This likely means T.J. Hockenson won’t be playing in some clear run-blocking situations. This won’t stop Hockenson from being one of the best fantasy tight ends, but Oliver could steal a touchdown or two over the course of the season.
- Irv Smith Jr. is an unrestricted free agent who showed promise to end 2020. He had two top-three finishes over the last four weeks as the Vikings’ starter. He spent most of the following two seasons injured.
- Smith is more likely to sign elsewhere than before. At 24 years old, there is still time for him to improve.
- The Ravens will be fine without Oliver, as Isaiah Likely was the highest-graded run-blocking tight end last season among those who played more than 100 run-blocking snaps, and Charlie Kolar was even better, albeit on a much smaller sample size. Both were in their rookie seasons.
RB Mike Boone signs with the Houston Texans (3/13, 2:10 PM EST)
Boone signing may actually be a good sign for Dameon Pierce, as Houston could have brought in much stronger competition.
- Boone was one of five Denver Broncos running backs to play over 100 snaps last season, typically playing on passing downs when he was healthy.
- The Texans backfield mostly consisted of Pierce playing the vast majority of snaps while Dare Ogunbowale, Royce Freeman and Rex Burkhead took the backup or passing down roles at various points of the season.
- When Pierce left due to injury late in the season, the other three backs were ineffective.
- Pierce and Ogunbowale are under contract while Freeman and Burkhead are both likely leaving in free agency.
- It’s possible Boone plays as the primary backup and/or the passing down back, which would leave Pierce the vast majority of touches out of the backfield — ideal for Pierce fantasy managers.
- It’s still within the realm of possibility that the Texans add another back, pushing Boone to third on the depth chart.
- It’s unlikely Boone will be on fantasy radars come draft season unless Houston makes no other move at running back and it’s a deeper league.
- The Broncos are in an interesting situation at running back because it’s unclear how long Javonte Williams will be out while recovering from his injury.
- Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack joined Boone in playing a significant role late last season, but both players are also unrestricted free agents.
QB Case Keenum signs with the Houston Texans (3/13, 2:05 PM EST)
Keenum returns to the team he started his career with in Houston to be a backup.
- He’s started two games over the last three seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills after spending four straight seasons starting at least eight games for the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders.
- The Texans are extremely likely to add a rookie quarterback with the second pick in the draft.
- While a rookie should be a big upgrade for Houston at quarterback, an argument could be made that Keenum is a better option than anyone Houston had on the roster last season.
- It’s possible Houston sticks with a rookie as their starter, and Keenum as a backup, which could leave Davis Mills off the roster.
- Backups Jeff Driskel and Kyle Allen are both free agents and unlikely to re-sign.
- The Bills still have Matt Barkley under contract after spending 2022 on their practice squad. It’s possible he becomes the top backup in Buffalo.
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QB Mike White signs with the Miami Dolphins (3/13, 2 PM EST)
White gives Miami a new backup quarterback option behind Tua Tagovailoa.
- The Dolphins were forced to use Tagovailoa, Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson significantly due to injuries last season.
- White will likely compete with Thompson for the top backup job, which likely means the end of Bridgewater’s time with Miami, as he’s a free agent.
- It’s unclear if White will be an upgrade over Bridgewater based on their PFF grades last season.
- The Dolphins will be in good hands as long as Tagovailoa is healthy, but they will likely run into the same problems they ran into last season if he’s injured.
- This leaves the Jets even more desperate for a quarterback, as Zach Wilson and Chris Streveler are the only players under contract.
- They’ve been in the trade market for Aaron Rodgers, but various backup plans, including Garoppolo and White, are no longer an option if Rodgers chooses to remain a Packer.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo signs with the Las Vegas Raiders (3/13, 1:50 PM EST)
Garoppolo becomes the bridge quarterback for Las Vegas, allowing the Raiders to draft a quarterback and let him develop before starting him.
- This move reunites Garoppolo with Josh McDaniels, who was Garoppolo’s offensive coordinator during his time with the New England Patriots.
- He replaces Derek Carr, who signed with the New Orleans Saints, and Jarrett Stidham, who signed with the Denver Broncos.
- Garoppolo was rarely, if ever, on fantasy radars due to how much the San Francisco 49ers ran the ball.
- The Raiders tend to pass the ball a little more frequently, but Garoppolo shouldn't be considered in anything other than superflex leagues. He doesn’t have notable rushing ability or the talent for top-10 upside despite the talent around him.
- This is good news for the Raiders' skill players. Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams and Darren Waller have all been elite fantasy options in recent seasons, and they still can be with Garoppolo throwing them or handing off the ball.
- This shouldn’t stop the Raiders from spending the seventh overall pick on, or moving up to select, a quarterback. They were projected to get a quarterback in our latest mock draft.
- This leaves the 49ers with Trey Lance and Brock Purdy at quarterback. Both ended last season injured. Some thought the 49ers could look for a veteran quarterback, but after spending on Javon Hargrave, they might stand pat.
QB Jarrett Stidham signs with the Denver Broncos (3/13, 1:15 PM EST)
Stidham should be the Broncos' primary backup quarterback in 2023.
- Brett Rypien has been a backup in Denver for the last three seasons. He’s won two of three games but has graded below 50.0 in each season.
- Stidham should be an upgrade. His performance as the Las Vegas Raiders’ starter in their Week 17 loss alone was more impressive than anything we’ve seen from Rypien.
- Stidham threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns on 34 attempts in that game.
- This move will only matter if Russell Wilson suffers an injury, and it should give Broncos fantasy managers a little more confidence they can keep Denver players in their lineup if this happens.
- Stidham’s departure from the Raiders leaves them with 2022 undrafted Chase Garbers at quarterback. He spent all of his rookie season on the practice squad.
The Raiders have been linked to Jimmy Garoppolo. They will need to find a new starter in either free agency or the draft.
FB/TE Andrew Beck signs with the Houston Texans (3/13, 1 PM EST)
The run blocker could play a large role in the Texans’ new offense.
- Beck was a fullback whenever the Broncos needed a fullback as well as a backup tight end for the Denver Broncos in recent seasons.
- He caught two passes for 52 yards in Week 1 but only caught three more passes over the rest of the season.
- The Texans are likely to have an offensive similar to the 49ers, so it’s possible Beck could fill a role similar to Kyle Juszczyk, which would likely mean more playing time.
- This move should have little impact on who the Texans receiving tight end will be in 2023. Brevin Jordan and Teagan Quitoriano remain under contract. Jordan Akins is a free agent who could re-sign, or they could look elsewhere for a tight end.
- The Broncos still have Greg Dulcich and Albert Okwuegbunam at tight end after the Beck loss, with Eric Saubert and Eric Tomlinson also hitting free agency.
- New head coach Sean Payton liked using multiple tight ends in New Orleans, so chances are at least one more player will get added to the Denver's roster. Dulcich shined as a rookie, but the new coaching staff could change how their tight ends are used.
TE Jonnu Smith traded to the Atlanta Falcons (3/13, 11:30 AM EST)
The Smith addition complicates the Falcons' tight end room while opening things up for Hunter Henry in New England.
- Smith is reunited with Arthur Smith, who coached him with the Tennessee Titans.
- He could take some of Parker Hesse’s role in the offense as a run blocke while also being able to be used as a receiver.
- He will likely take roster spots from MyCole Pruitt and/or Anthony Firkser, who are both free agents.
- The Falcons' insistence on using Hesse in rushing situations limited Kyle Pitts‘ snaps. Pitts only played 80% of Atlanta's offensive snaps once in his last eight healthy games.
- The Smith addition makes it less likely Pitts will consistently reach over 80% of Atlanta's offensive snaps without a change in offensive philosophy.
- Pitts’ 2.02 yards per route run over the last two seasons ranks seventh among tight ends.
- Pitts should still be one of the highest-drafted fantasy tight ends due to talent alone, but this will make it harder for him to reach TE1 status.
- Hunter Henry and Smith were forced to share playing time when both players were healthy in New England. This should allow Henry to consistently play close to 100% of snaps.
- Henry was on the field for all but one offensive snap in the three games Smith was inactive in 2022.
- He was TE22 last season after finishing at TE10 in 2021. This pushes Henry closer to being a top-12 fantasy tight end again.
RB Craig Reynolds re-signs with the Detroit Lions (3/13, 11:10 AM EST)
Reynolds is the highest-graded Lions running back over the last two seasons with a 76.6 PFF grade.
- Reynolds put together two great performances near the end of 2021 while the Lions dealt with injuries at running back. He gained 195 yards on 37 carries over those two games.
- This was enough for him to open the season as the Lions' third back in 2022, but a ribs injury cost him most of the season.
- Both Jamaal Williams and Justin Jackson are unrestricted free agents, placing Reynolds second on the depth chart behind D’Andre Swift at the moment.
- Chances are Reynolds will fall back to third on the depth chart, but he will be a name to remember off the waiver wire if Swift or another Lions back suffers an injury during the season.
QB Easton Stick re-signs with the Los Angeles Chargers (3/13, 9:45 AM EST)
Stick was drafted by the Chargers in 2019 and has taken only two offensive snaps.
- Those snaps occurred in 2020. Stick has consistently been a healthy inactive in recent seasons behind both Justin Herbert and Chase Daniel.
- Daniel is also hitting free agency and is 36 years old. There is a chance Stick might finally reach second on the Chargers' depth chart.
- This is only meaningful if Herbert gets injured. All of the Chargers' skill players will see a drop-off in fantasy production if that happens. It’s a complete unknown how big the drop-off will be with how untested Stick has been.
TE Hunter Long is traded to the Los Angeles Rams (3/13, 7 AM EST)
Long was part of the trade that sent Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins.
- Long was a third-round pick out of Boston College in 2021.
- He spent the 2022 season third on the Dolphins' depth chart, behind Durham Smythe and Mike Gesicki. That was an upgrade from his rookie season when he was fourth, behind Smythe, Gesicki and Adam Shaheen.
- This has led to only 184 career offensive snaps for Long. His only career reception occurred in 2021.
- He joins Tyler Higbee and Brycen Hopkins on the Rams' tight end depth chart. Los Angeles still needs to clear some salary cap space, so it’s possible Higbee could be a cap casualty.
- Long will have fantasy value only if Higbee is out of Los Angeles. Long would still need to clearly beat Hopkins on the depth chart to potentially have fantasy value.
- Higbee has achieved a top-eight fantasy season in two of the past four years and at worst reached TE17. Anyone who wins the Rams' starting job should have at least some fantasy value.
- The Dolphins released Cethan Carter a week ago and are unlikely to re-sign Gesicki, leaving them with only Smythe and Tanner Conner in their tight end room. They will definitely add one tight end to the mix, and it’s possible that player could be the starter.
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WR Robert Woods signs with the Houston Texans (3/13, 7 AM EST)
Woods joins a Texans receiving group that could look very different in 2023.
- The Texans dealt with injuries late last season to both Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins. This left them with veterans Chris Moore, Phillip Dorsett and waiver addition Amari Rodgers.
- 2022 second-round pick John Metchie III will also upgrade the Texans' receiving room after missing all of his rookie season while he battled leukemia.
- Woods is at least temporarily reunited with former teammate Brandin Cooks, as the two played together in 2018 and 2019 with the Rams, but Cooks has also been the subject of trade rumors. Woods’ best two seasons came with Cooks as his teammate.
- This move shouldn’t stop the Texans from considering a wide receiver in the draft. Our latest mock draft has Houston taking a wide receiver with the 12th overall pick.
- Woods is three years removed from his last 1,000-yard season and has never scored more than six touchdowns in a game. At best, he will be a wide receiver who rarely leaves the field and is a dependable option for a rookie quarterback. In that case, he could occasionally be a fantasy starter.
- He could also slip to fourth on the depth chart at some point in the season, especially if Metchie can live up to the hype.
WR D.J. Moore is traded to the Chicago Bears (3/13, 7 AM EST)
Moore was part of a package including two first-round picks and two second-round picks from the Carolina Panthers to the Bears for the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
- The Bears had seven different wide receivers play at least 150 offensive snaps last season, but no one recorded more than 650. None of the Bears receivers finished with a PFF overall grade above 70.0.
- Moore has achieved a receiving grade above 70.0 and at least 750 snaps in all five years of his NFL career.
- Justin Fields is the biggest winner of the trade. Fields was QB6 last season, entirely because of his rushing production. Several young wide receivers have taken a step forward in recent years with a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver, and Fields now has his.
- Moore has consistently finished between WR16 and WR25 over the past four seasons.
- This will remain Moore’s median ranking heading into fantasy drafts. He will be more of a high-risk, high-reward player compared to recent seasons.
- Fields’ 52.5% accuracy percentage was the lowest among quarterbacks who have been assured a starting job in 2023. If that stays the same, Moore could have his worst season. If Fields starts living up to his potential as a passer, Moore could have this best.
- Moore will be joined by Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool in the Bears' starting lineup, with Equanimeous St. Brown and Velus Jones Jr. as the top backups.
- The move leaves the Panthers very thin at receiver. No player currently on their roster had more than 30 receptions last season. 2021 second-round pick Terrace Marshall Jr. has the most potential on the team. Either he, a free-agent addition or a rookie will be a high-upside late-round pick.
QB Derek Carr signs with the New Orleans Saints (3/13, 7 AM EST)
Carr instantly becomes the top quarterback in the NFC South and will be the Saints' starter based on his salary.
- Andy Dalton was the Saints' starter in 2021 and earned the better PFF grade between him and Carr last season. Carr recorded five more big-time throws compared to Dalton, but also nine more turnover-worthy throws.
- Carr’s average depth of target was 1.3 yards further down the field than Dalton's.
- Chris Olave could benefit among the Saints receivers. He was the team's only wide receiver last season with more than 60 receptions and an average depth of target above 15 yards.
- Carr spent the past five seasons between QB13-QB18. He’s a low-risk fantasy backup.
- His ranking and ADP will likely be lower than this in favor of riskier players who have higher shots at either a top-10 season or a season outside the top 20.
- The Saints still have Taysom Hill, who can take a few snaps at quarterback each game, which also lowers Carr’s upside.
- Jameis Winston will likely need to take a pay cut to be the Saints’ backup. Dalton returning is also an option, but he is a free agent. Jake Luton spent most of the 2022 season on the Saints' practice squad and would be the lowest-cost option.
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