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FFL: Week 3 | NFL: Week 3

Draft Day Winners and Losers

Mon Apr 29 11:53am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

White should be lead back


The draft is always so exciting, seeing where all the players get picked. But after the draft, the big issue is figuring out what it all means for their fantasy value. We thought it would be a good idea to look at some of the biggest fantasy winners and losers from draft day. These are some of the players that were picked but also some of the guys that were already on rosters, seeing their fantasy value get impacted from the draft. Adjust your rankings accordingly!

WINNERS

Bryce Young, QB, Panthers. The Panthers did a great job of getting Young some much needed offensive help. The team took a receiver, running back and tight end in three of the first four rounds of the draft. Carolina already added Diontae Johnson this offseason, so the receiver corps should be much better after getting Xavier Legette in the first round. The receivers got very little separation last year, so it was hard to gauge Young. He needed help and got some this offseason. Carolina also took a possible franchise running back in Jonathon Brooks and hopefully a solid starting tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders. Things are looking up for Young and this offense.

Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs. Worthy could not have landed in a much better spot. He heads to one of the best offenses in football that has some openings at receiver, especially with the status of Rashee Rice a bit up in the air. Worthy has electric speed and the Chiefs should find plenty of ways to utilize that. He could be the new Tyreek Hill for this offense. Look for Worthy to make an impact right away.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys. Maybe one of the biggest surprises of the draft was the Cowboys not addressing their running back spot. Instead, the team signed Elliott after the draft. He is likely to be the starter in this top offense. He might not rack up the yards of past seasons, but has big touchdown potential in this offense. Elliott seems a pretty sure bet to get double-digit touchdowns. He could be a solid No. 2 for fantasy teams.

Jonathon Brooks, RB, Panthers. Brooks is returning from a major knee injury and could be slowed a little early in the season, but once he is back healthy look for him to the three-down back for the Panthers. He lands in a great spot for playing time, having little top talent to compete with for playing time. Brooks could really get the volume in this offense. He is our top rookie fantasy back.

Zamir White, RB, Raiders. Many thought the Raiders were another team that could address their running back spot during the draft, but that didn’t happen. They used a sixth-round pick on Dylan Laube, but he is not expected to challenge White for that starter’s job. It sure seems the Raiders are comfortable with White as their lead back. He has a chance to get a lot of touches in year two. His stock is going up.

Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers. The Chargers need help at receiver and McConkey helps fill that need. It would not surprise if he quickly became Justin Herbert’s favorite target in the passing game. We really like his chances to rack up the weekly looks in this offense. Someone has to fill the Keenan Allen void and McConkey seems the best bet out of the options at receiver for the Chargers.

Keon Coleman, WR, Bills. Coleman is another rookie receiver that lands in a great spot for playing time. The departure of Stefon Diggs leaves a big opening for the Bills. Coleman could help fill that void. He has great size for the position and could be a top red-zone threat from day one for Buffalo. Coleman should get his chances from the get go, giving him a high ceiling for the coming year.

LOSERS

Raheem Mostert, RB, Dolphins. Mostert had a monster season last year and helped many fantasy teams to championships. He is going to have a very hard time repeating, especially after the Dolphins picked Jaylen Wright in the fourth round. Wright is a speed back similar to Mostert but a lot younger with less wear on his tires. Remember, Mostert is 32 years old. He might end up falling to third on the depth chart after the addition of Wright.

Rome Odunze, WR, Bears. Odunze is a super talented player that could be a star in the NFL. But for his year, you have to worry about him being up and down. He has two really good receivers ahead of him on the depth chart in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. This is going to limit the ceiling of Odunze. He will be a much better fantasy player in a few more seasons. For now, expect erratic production from the talented rookie.

Kyren Williams, RB, Rams. Williams remains the lead back for the Rams and is coming off a breakout season. But the Rams picked Blake Corum in the third round. He is going to be a factor in the offense. He might get put a huge dent in Williams’ workload but the big concern is the goal-line work. Corum is more of a between the tackles runner that does well on short-yardage work. He could end up stealing some touchdowns from Williams, hurting his fantasy value.

Michael Mayer, TE, Raiders. Mayer was a second-round pick for the Raiders last year and showed well at times his rookie season. The Raiders couldn’t pass on the talented Brock Browers in this year’s draft, though. This move absolutely kills the fantasy value of Mayer. He is going to play second fiddle to Browers, getting few weekly looks. Browers is the clear tight end to own in this offense.

Ricky Pearsall, WR, 49ers. Pearsall is a talented pass catcher that can get in and out of his breaks in a hurry. He is a really good fit for the slot and could fill that role for the 49ers his rookie season. The problem is he has some of the top talent in all of football to compete with for targets. He could really be up and down his rookie season. He will look better in a year or two when he has a more defined role and less to compete with at receiver. His rookie season could be a tough one to gauge for fantasy owners.

Malik Nabers, WR, Giants. Many considered Nabers the top receiver in this year’s draft. He is super talented with a high fantasy ceiling. The problem for Nabers is he got drafted by the Giants, a team that really struggled offensively last year. Plus, he has Daniel Jones throwing him passes. This is not a great landing spot for the talented Nabers. Jones needs to make some big strides this season if Nabers hopes to reach his potential. We aren’t sure that happens.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
CeeDee Lamb Sep 22 11:10pm ET
CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb had a below-par day in the 28-25 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Lamb was targeted seven times, securing four catches for 67 yards. The 25-year-old lost a fumble deep into Baltimore territory in the first quarter, which ended up leading to a big Baltimore lead early on in the game. Lamb will look to put together a stronger fantasy performance on Thursday with a quick turnaround against the New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

KaVontae Turpin Sep 22 11:10pm ET
KaVontae Turpin

Dallas Cowboys receiver KaVontae Turpin saw involvement in the passing game in Sunday's loss to Baltimore. Primarily a return man, the speedy TCU product caught all three of his targets for 51 yards and a touchdown. In an offense looking for a consistent third option in the passing game behind CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson, Turpin's performance was encouraging for Dallas. That being said, he remains firmly off of the fantasy radar until he sees more consistent usage.

From RotoBaller

Ezekiel Elliott Sep 22 11:00pm ET
Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was seldom used in the Week 3 loss. Given that his role is more of an early-down grinder type of back at this stage in his career, the game script was not favorable for Elliott today as Dallas was playing from behind all game. He rushed three times for six yards and caught a pass for six yards. Elliott and the Cowboys have a tight turnaround, as they will suit up on Thursday against the Giants.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Sep 22 11:00pm ET
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason returned to earth in a 27-24 loss to the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday. He took 19 carries for 77 yards and caught both of his two targets for 11 yards receiving. As the stat line suggests, Mason wasn't bad in this one but failed to find the end zone for the first time this year, limiting his fantasy day. In the first two games of 2024, Mason completely dominated the running back touches but rookie Isaac Guerendo cut into his workload with five carries of his own for 19 yards against LA. It wasn't the RB1 performance that fantasy managers were looking for in Week 3 but Mason didn't look bad. There could come a time while Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) is out that Guerendo becomes even more involved, but it doesn't appear to be a worry just yet. Mason will resume his bell-cow role when the 49ers host the New England Patriots next Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Jake Ferguson Sep 22 11:00pm ET
Jake Ferguson

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson returned to the lineup on Sunday after a one-week absence. His impact was instantly felt, as he led the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in the loss to Baltimore. Ferguson was targeted 11 times, securing six catches for 95 yards. With how poor tight end play has been this season, Ferguson's outing was encouraging for fantasy managers. He should remain a top option at the position going into Thursday night's game with the New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott Sep 22 10:50pm ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott strung together an impressive Week 3 fantasy performance in the 28-25 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Prescott struggled in the first half, but came alive in the second half. The veteran quarterback completed 28-of-51 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for seven yards and a touchdown on two carries. The outing was Prescott's best fantasy performance of the season through the first three weeks. Prescott and the Cowboys have a quick turnaround, as they will take on the New York Giants on Thursday night.

From RotoBaller

Rico Dowdle Sep 22 10:50pm ET
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle saw the bulk of the backfield work in Week 3's loss to Baltimore. Dowdle rushed eight times for 32 yards, accounting for 62% of the team's rushing yards. He was targeted five times in the heavy-volume passing attack, catching three passes for 24 yards. Dowdle outplayed Ezekiel Elliott in the loss, although both backs will likely see similar usage moving forward. The Cowboys have a short week, as they take on the New York Giants on Thursday.

From RotoBaller

Zay Flowers Sep 22 10:40pm ET
Zay Flowers

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers went from one of the team's top fantasy finishers in Week 2 to one of their worst in the first win of the season. The game script went away from Flowers as he hauled in three of his four targets for 20 yards and took one carry for only three yards. The speedy wideout still hasn't seen many downfield targets, but his high target volume as well as the rushing attempts in each game keep him involved in the offense most of the time. Lamar Jackson and company didn't do much damage through the air with just 182 total passing yards compared to 274 yards on the ground. Flowers will look to bounce back against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, which will likely need a bigger offensive output to get the win.

From RotoBaller

Mark Andrews Sep 22 10:40pm ET
Mark Andrews

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews continues to disappoint to start the season, but he has brought a new low to fantasy managers that stuck with him in Week 3. During the 28-25 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Andrews only received one target and put up goose eggs across the board. His counterpart, Isaiah Likely, only recorded one target as well which turned into one catch for four yards, so it wasn't much of a tight end game in this one. Andrews' best finish through three weeks was TE10 in half-PPR formats, and he now has six receptions for 65 yards on eight targets. At this rate, neither one of the Andrews nor Likely are every-week starters in shallower fantasy leagues until they show some consistency. Andrews will look to bounce back at home against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Brock Purdy Sep 22 10:30pm ET
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had his best fantasy day of the young season in a 27-24 loss to the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday. He finished with 22 completions of 30 attempts for 292 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and one fumble lost. Purdy also took 10 rushing attempts for 41 yards. San Francisco led the entire game -; save for the last two seconds -; largely propelled by Purdy's connection with receiver Jauan Jennings who caught all three of Purdy's touchdown passes and was his favorite and most productive target. The former seventh-rounder could have done even more for his team and fantasy managers but failed to see a wide-open Brandon Aiyuk streaking down the middle past the Rams' secondary in San Francisco's penultimate drive. Purdy and the Niners have a Week 4 home matchup against the New England Patriots next Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Rashod Bateman Sep 22 10:30pm ET
Rashod Bateman

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman found the end zone for the first time since Week 11 of the 2023 season. In the team's three-point win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Bateman hauled in three receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown on four targets. Bateman ran a beautiful route in the second quarter and found himself wide open in the end zone where Lamar Jackson hit him with a perfect pass for a 13-yard score. The former first-round pick received a lot of praise during the offseason which made him more of a deep sleeper candidate heading into the season. Through three games, Bateman now has eight catches for 121 yards on 13 targets. He'll look to double last season's touchdown output as the Ravens return home to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Sep 22 10:20pm ET
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard rushed 21 times for 114 yards in the team's 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Additionally, he caught all five of his targets for 55 yards and a touchdown. Hubbard looked strong in this one -- gashing the Raiders throughout this contest with a long gain on the ground of just 14 yards. The work in the passing game was excellent, too -- the second week in a row he recorded five targets. It was the second-highest single-game touch total of his career, and he tied a career-high with the five receptions. Carolina's offense ran exceedingly smooth with Andy Dalton under center for the first time in almost exactly a year. The Red Rifle breathed some life into what was one of the league's worst offenses through two weeks, and Hubbard (along with the rest of the Panthers' skill players) has his arrow pointing up ahead of Week 4. Carolina will host the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Lamar Jackson Sep 22 10:10pm ET
Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson posted another efficient performance which led the team to their first win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Jackson finished the game with 182 yards and a touchdown through the air on 12-for-15 throwing while gathering 87 yards and another score on 14 carries. Finally, the Ravens offense was firing on all cylinders for a portion of this game which created a ton of running room for both Jackson and Derrick Henry as they combined for 238 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Jackson is now on track for a 1,000-yard rushing season, which would be his first since 2020. The two-time MVP put up most of his passing stats in the first half while the second half saw a lot more three-and-outs which allowed the Cowboys to almost come all the way back. He'll look to put together two halves of consistent football against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Sep 22 10:00pm ET
Malik Nabers

The Cleveland Browns defense picked up two sacks and forced two turnovers in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. The Browns played reasonably well on defense but had no answer for rookie Malik Nabers, who caught two touchdowns in the contest. To make matters worse, Myles Garrett appeared to have aggravated a foot injury that has been dogging him over the first month of the season. The Browns draw a plus matchup on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Diontae Johnson Sep 22 10:00pm ET
Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson caught eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown in their Week 3 36-22 defeat of the Las Vegas Raiders. Johnson was the biggest beneficiary of the team's switch to Andy Dalton, leading the Panthers in every significant receiving category in the win. He garnered an absurd 14 targets -- nine more than any other Carolina skill player. The long-time Steeler slipped by the Raiders' defense all game, consistently picking up chunks of yardage as they seemingly had no answer for him. Las Vegas had not allowed a third-down conversion of ten or more yards through two weeks until Johnson bucked that trend in the second quarter. He came screaming out of his break on a deep-in route, and Dalton hit him with a strike in the zone's soft spot, converting a 3rd-and-14. The former third-round pick has his arrow pointing up with the Red Rifle under center, and he'll look to keep the good times rolling when Carolina hosts the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Akins Sep 22 9:50pm ET
Jordan Akins

Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins had a productive game in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. Akins caught four of his seven targets for 29 yards in the loss, tying for second on the team in targets and catches and third in receiving yardage. The veteran tight end has now drawn two starts in place of the injured David Njoku (ankle) and could remain in a starting role for another week or so if Njoku is not ready to play in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Andy Dalton Sep 22 9:50pm ET
Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton completed 26 of 37 passes for 319 yards and tossed three touchdowns in the team's 36-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Dalton had the Panthers' offense humming on Sunday, putting together TD drives of 70, 75, 68, and 69 yards. It was an impressive performance from the 36-year-old veteran in his first start since Week 3 of 2023. The Red Rifle was sharp in this one, completing a pass to seven Panthers and ripping impressive throws all over the yard. Carolina had scored just one touchdown in its last four regular season outings dating back to last season, and the team's 36 points were their most since Christmas Eve of 2022 when they scored 37. Carolina's decision to bench second-year starter Bryce Young was a good one, as they recorded their first win in the last six contests. They'll look to get in the left column again when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Derrick Henry Sep 22 9:50pm ET
Derrick Henry

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry posted his best performance of the season in the team's 28-25 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. This was truly an "age is nothing but a number" type of performance as King Henry posted 151 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries with one reception for 23 yards. His totals and efficiency have grown in every game as his yards per carry have gone from 3.5 to 4.7, and most recently 6.0. Vintage stiff arms and huge accelerations through the holes of the line were on full display. When the Ravens' game plan looks like this, the sky is the limit for Henry. Especially in a game where Lamar Jackson finds his own running room so defenses have to worry about both of them at the same time. Henry continues to live in RB1 territory and should be considered so until proven otherwise.

From RotoBaller

Dustin Hopkins Sep 22 9:50pm ET
Dustin Hopkins

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins missed his lone field-goal try while adding an extra point in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. Hopkins misfired on a 53-yard attempt in the third quarter, his first miss from 50+ yards since joining the Browns before the 2023 season. Overall, Hopkins has made four of his five field goals and all four of his extra points through three games this season. He will kick against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road in Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Amari Cooper Sep 22 9:40pm ET
Amari Cooper

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper caught seven of his 12 targets for 86 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. Cooper bounced back after a slow start to the season, hauling in a 24-yard touchdown pass on Cleveland's first play of the game. He later came back and caught a six-yard score in the fourth quarter to pull the Browns within eight points of tying the game. Cooper now has 12 catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns through three weeks. He will look to keep it going in Week 4's road matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller