Guest of the League
amphitheater of pain Est. 2015
NFL Playoffs League - FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Studs and Duds: Week 13

Mon Dec 5 8:53am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Hurts finds the end zone four times


It was another interesting week in fantasy land. There were a few more big performances than usual, leading to some higher fantasy scores. But on the flip side, we had a few players get hurt early games, leading to some really low scores for some fantasy teams. There is nothing worse than an injury early in a game. Hopefully, you weren’t one of those teams that suffered because of that in Week 13. 

Bills 24, Patriots 10

Fantasy Stud: Stefon Diggs. Diggs didn’t quite hit the 100-yard mark but was close. He had seven receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Diggs topped 20 fantasy points for the second straight game and third time in four games. He has been as consistent as any elite receiver in the game this year. He just keeps posting big numbers on a weekly basis. 

Fantasy Dud: Jakobi Meyers. Meyers had a season low 5.2 fantasy points. He has really cooled lately, failing to reach double-digit fantasy points four straight games. He had a streak of six straight games to start his season hitting double-digit fantasy points. Meyers is trending the wrong way for fantasy teams and should be benched in most formats until he gets it going again. 

Game Notes: Rhamondre Stevenson was one of the few bright spots for the Patriots offensively. He ran 10 times for 54 yards and caught six passes for 24 yards. He has double-digit fantasy points all but the first two games of the season. 

Devin Singletary ran 13 times for 51 yards and a touchdown. He has found the end zone three of his last four games. 

Lions 40, Jaguars 14

Fantasy Stud: Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown continues to post huge weekly numbers. He had 11 receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns. He has scored 34.6 fantasy points, giving him 30-plus points two games. He also has 22-plus fancy points three of our games. St. Brown is having a huge season and quickly establishing himself as an elite fantasy receiver. 

Fantasy Dud: Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence cooled off in this one despite what seemed like a great matchup. He did get banged up in the game, but was able to play the entire game without much of an issue. He was 17-of-31 for 179 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. He failed to hit 20 fantasy points for the first time since Week 8. You just thought he would have a much better showing in Week 13. 

Game Notes: Travis Etienne was active and looked just fine on his foot injury. He ran 13 times for 54 yards and caught three passes fro 12 yards. His foot didn’t seem to be a problem. 

D’Andre Swift actually led the Lions in carries. He ran 14 times for 62 yards and a touchdown. He also had four receptions for 49 yards, finishing with 101 total yards. 

Steelers 19, Falcons 16

Fantasy Stud: Drake London. There was no much offense in this game, but London was one of the bright spots. He had six receptions for 95 yards. London had 11 targets, giving him double-digit targets in a game for the first time since Week 2. It was an encouraging showing from the rookie after two straight games with fewer than double-digit fantasy points. 

Fantasy Dud: George Pickens. Pickens had just a catch for two yards. This broke a streak of three straight games with double-digit fantasy points. He got just two targets in the game. This was really a surprise game from Pickens, especially if you consider his solid play the last several weeks. 

Game Notes: Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier continue to split the work at running back for the Falcons. Patterson ran 11 times for 60 yards while Allgeier had 10 carries for 52 yards. 

Najee Harris looked just fine despite dealing with an oblique injury. He had 17 carries for 86 yards and caught a pass for six yards. His injury doesn’t seem to be an issue. 

Packers 28, Bears 19

Fantasy Stud: A.J. Dillon. Dillon got to carry the load much of the game with Aaron Jones dealing with a shin injury. Dillon excelled, running 18 times for 93 yards and a touchdown. He also had three receptions for 26 yards, giving him 119 total yards. Dillon topped 20 fantasy points for the first time since Week 1. He has 17-plus fantasy points each of his last two games. 

Fantasy Dud: Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers didn’t play bad and led his team to a road win, but didn’t help fantasy teams at all with his numbers. He failed to even hit 200-passing yards and scored just once. He was 18-of-31 for 182 yards and a touchdown. Rodgers scored jus 15.5 fantasy points. He has more than 20 fantasy points just two games all season. 

Game Notes: Christian Watson had another big game, catching three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. He also ran in a score on a 46-yard rush. Watson has 21-plus fantasy points four straight games. 

Justin Fields didn’t look too limited with his shoulder injury. It didn’t seem to be an issue. He was 20-of-25 for 254 yards with two interceptions. He led the team in rushing, running six times for 71 yards and a touchdown. 

Eagles 35, Titans 10

Fantasy Stud: Jalen Hurts. Hurts had one of his monster performances, finding the end zone four times. He was 29-of-39 for 380 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran five times for 12 yards and another score. Hurts had 38.2 fantasy points, giving him 30-plus points two straight. He has 29 total scores to just three interceptions on the season. 

Fantasy Dud: Derrick Henry. Henry had an awful game, running 11 times for just 30 yards. He also had two catches for eight yards. Henry scored a season low 5.8 fantasy points. This is his fourth game with fewer than double-digit fantasia points this year, though. He has been a little more up and down for his standards. 

Game Notes: Treylon Burks didn’t last long, getting knocked from the game because of a possible concussion. The only positive is he scored a touchdown on the play, catching a 25-yard touchdown pass. 

A.J. Brown had his third 100-yard game of the season. He had eight receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets. He has scores two straight and five of seven games. 

Ravens 10, Browns 9

Fantasy Stud: Greg Dulcich. There was not much offense in this game, but Dulchich was one of the few bright spots. He had six receptions for 85 yards, leading the Broncos both in receptions and receiving yards. Dulcich has been inconsistent his rookie season, but shown some flashes of good things. He has some promise going forward. 

Fantasy Dud: Russell Wilson. It probably shouldn’t have some as a surprise to see Wilson struggle again, based on his season. But you had some hope for him in this favorable matchup. Well, he had his issues again, throwing for 189 yards without a score. Wilson had just 11.6 fantasy points. He has fewer than 14 fantasy points three straight games. 

Game Notes: Lamar Jackson was knocked out of the game early because of a knee injury. He was unable to return, going 3-of-4 for 11 yards. Tyler Huntley played in relief and was 27-of-32 for 187 yards with an interception. Huntley had the game-winning score on a run late in the game. He had 10 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown. 

Jerry Jeudy returned from his ankle injury and had four receptions for 65 yards on four targets. He has three straight games with double-digit fantasy points. 

Browns 27, Texans 14

Fantasy Stud: Browns defense/special teams. The Browns defense had one of the best fantasy games of all time, scoring three touchdowns. The Browns had a punt return for a score, a fumble recover for a touchdown, and an interception return for the last score. Cleveland also had two interceptions and two rumble recoveries. The Browns sores 26 fantasy points in the game, putting up numbers of a No. 1 fantasy quarterback. 

Fantasy Dud: Deshaun Watson. Watson showed plenty of rust in his first start in a long time. He was 12-of-22 for 131 yards with an interception. He failed to score a touchdown and didn’t even hit 150-passing yards. Watson proved he might take a few weeks to round into past form. 

Game Notes: Nico Collins found the end zone for the second tim this season. He has three receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown. He has double-digit fantasy points three of four games. 

Dameon Pierce rebounded after a few down weeks. He had 18 carries for 73 yards and three receptions for 22 yards. Pierce had 15 carries for just 16 yards his previous two games. 

Vikings 27, Jets 22

Fantasy Stud: Garrett Wilson. Wilson is quickly emerging as an elite receiver. He had eight receptions for 162 yards. This was his third 100-yard game of the season. He has 20-plus fantasy points two straight and 17-plus yards four of five. Wilson is on his way to a huge rookie season despite a little bit of a slow start. 

Fantasy Dud: Kirk Cousins. Cousins was not much of a help to fantasy teams this week. He was 21-of-35 for 173 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. He has fewer than 14 fantasy points two of three games. Cousins has been a little more erratic this year for his fantasy owners despite playing in one of the better offenses in football. 

Game Notes: Zonovan Knight led the way at running back for the Jets with Michael Carter out. He played well, rushing 15 times for 90 yards. He also had five receptions for 28 yards, giving him 118 total yards. 

Justin Jefferson didn’t gain many yards but still got his catches and scored another touchdown. He had seven receptions for 45 yards and a score. 

Commanders 20, Giants 20

Fantasy Stud: Terry McLaurin. McLaurin had eight receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. This was his fourth 100-yard game of the season. It was a much better showing after being held below double-digit fantasy points two straight. McLaurin has 100-yard games three of his last six games. 

Fantasy Dud: Antonio Gibson. Gibson is still getting his touches but taking a bit of a backseat to Brian Robinson his past two games. He failed to reach eight fantasy points, rushing nine times for 39 yards. And he had two catches for 20 yards. He had three straight games with double-digit rush attempts before these last two. This could be a trend going forward for Gibson with Robinson running well. 

Game Notes: Daniel Bellinger returned from his eye injury and was a big part of the offense. He had five receptions for 24 yards. It was his first game since Week 7. It tied a season high in receptions for Bellinger. 

Brian Robinson continues to get better almost every week. He had 21 carries for 96 yards and two catches for 15 yards. He has more than 100 total yards each of his last two games. 

Seahawks 27, Rams 23

Fantasy Stud: Geno Smith. Smith just keeps getting it done as the starter for the Seahawks. He had a big game, finishing 28-of-39 for 367 yards and three touchdowns with an interception. Smith had 28.7 fantasy points, his highest total since Week 4. He has eight games total scoring more than 20 fantasy points. He continues to have one of the most surprising fantasy seasons. 

Fantasy Dud: Kyren Williams. Williams dominated much of the snaps last week for the Rams, leading some fantasy teams to play him this week in a favorable matchup. Well, that didn’t happen in Week 13. Williams ran three times for just nine yards and didn’t catch a pass. Cam Akers had 17 carries compared to three for Williams.

Game Notes: Kenneth Walker suffered an ankle injury and was unable to finish the game. He left pretty early in the first half, rushing three times for 36 yards. DeeJay Dallas carried much of the load after that, running 10 times for 37 yards.

Cam Akers had his best fantasy game of the season, scoring 19 points. He had 17 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns. He got most of the work at running back for the Rams this week. 

49ers 33, Dolphins 17

Fantasy Stud: Tyreek Hill. Hill just keeps posting huge numbers on a weekly basis. He had nine receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown. Hill has an amazing 140-plus yards three of five games. He has topped 140 yards six times this season. A move to Miami has been a good one for Hill and his fantasy value. He hasn’t missed a beat with his new team. 

Fantasy Dud: Jaylen Waddle. Waddle played in this one but was in and out of the game because of a couple various leg injuries. He had just a catch for nine yards. It was a huge disappointment for fantasy owners, seeing Waddle have his worst game of the season. He was even targeted five times in the game, but the 49ers defense didn’t give him any room when he was on the field. His injuries are something to watch going forward as well. 

Game Notes: Raheem Mostert returned to the lineup and had seven carries for 30 yards. Jeff Wilson had  just a carry for three yards. Both backs didn’t have much room to run, but Mostert was on the field more. 

Christian McCaffrey did not seem bothered by his knee injury. He got a big workload, rushing 17 times for 66 yards. He also had eight receptions for 80 yards, leading his team in rushing yards, receptions and receiving yards. 

Bengals 27, Chiefs 24

Fantasy Stud: Joe Burrow. Burrow had a fantastic game in a great win against the Chiefs. He was 25-of-31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran 11 times for 46 yards and a touchdown, giving him three total scores. Burrow topped 30 fantasy points, doing that two of his last three games. He has 20-plus fantasy points all but two games this season.

Fantasy Dud: Travis Kelce. Kelce was really quiet for his standards, failing to hit double-digit fantasy points for the first time all year. He had four receptions for 56 yards on six targets. He will be just fine going forward, but this game showed he might be human after all!

Game Notes: Joe Mixon was not cleared to play, so Samaje Perine got another start for the Bengals. He had a great game, rushing 21 times for 106 yards. He also had six receptions for 49 yards. 

Ja’Marr Chase returned from his hip injury and looked in midseason form. He had seven receptions for 97 yards, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. 

Raiders 27, Chargers 20

 

Fantasy Stud: Davante Adams. Adams had his usual big game, catching eight passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Adams has 125-plus yards four of five games. He has 30-plus fantasy points four games. He has posted some absolutely huge numbers at times this year. Adams continues to make a run at top fantasy receiver in the game. 

Fantasy Dud: DeAndre Carter. The Chargers threw the ball a lot once again, but Carter wasn’t in the mix for the first time in several weeks. He had just a catch for 14 yards. Carter had double-digit fantasy points three of four games before this dud. He still has upside in this offense but is capable of the stinker with so many options to compete with for targets. 

Game Notes: Josh Jacobs was a game-time decision because of a calf injury but played and was fantastic once again. He ran 26 times for 144 yards and a touchdown. Jacobs has hit the 100-yard rushing mark three straight games. 

Keenan Allen had a season high six receptions on 14 targets. He had 88 yards and a score, giving him 20.8 fantasy points. Allen has 13-plus points three straight games since returning from his hamstring injury. 

Cowboys 54, Colts 19

Fantasy Stud: Tony Pollard. Pollard scored multiple touchdowns for the second time this season. He remains red hot, scoring 24.6 fantasy points. He had 12 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns. He also had two receptions for 15 yards, giving him 106 total yards.   Pollard has 20-plus fantasy points four of five games. He has become a legit RB1 at this point of the season. 

Fantasy Dud: Dalton Schultz. Schultz did next to nothing in a game the Cowboys put up 54 points. It was a disappointing showing for the tight end, especially if you consider his play of late. He had at least 13 fantasy points three of four games before this one. Schultz remains a solid fantasy starter, but is not quite the sure thing every week. 

Game Notes: Matt Ryan had a game to forget, turning the ball over four times. You have to wonder if the Colts will go in another direction in Week 14. Ryan was 21-of-37 for 233 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. He also lost a fumble. 

Dak Prescott had multiple touchdowns for the fifth straight game. He was 20-of-30 for 170 yards and three touchdowns with an interception. 

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.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

First TFC Review

Player Notes
J.J. McCarthy Apr 24 11:50pm ET
J.J. McCarthy

When asked by Rich Eisen if he has any idea on where he's going to end up in this week's NFL draft, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy hinted at the New York Giants, who currently own the No. 6 overall pick in the first round on Thursday night. "I have somewhat of an Idea, New York, #Giants, I've spent the most time with. They're a phenomenal staff," McCarthy said. The young QB's stock has been rising rapidly ever since his pro-day workout. Reports suggest the Giants and Vikings could be in a raise to trade up to select McCarthy, who is attractive because of his experience running a pro-style offense in college. With Daniel Jones (knee) coming off a torn ACL and with no guaranteed money owed to him beyond 2024, the G-Men have done their due diligence on QBs in this year's draft and feel like a lock to take one at some point this week.

From RotoBaller

Joe Thomas Apr 24 9:30pm ET
Joe Thomas

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer thinks Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt will either be taken by the Los Angeles Chargers or Tennessee Titans in the first round of Thursday night's NFL draft. Alt has been compared to Joe Thomas, although Alt is a little bit bigger and longer. The son of an NFL lineman is still learning his position and won't turn 22 years old until after the Super Bowl. One veteran evaluator had Alt behind only Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. among the best players in this year's draft class. The Chargers hold the No. 5 overall pick on Thursday night, while the Titans sit at No. 7. Both teams could use an athletic tackle like Alt, with the Bolts looking to bolster their offensive line while transitioning to more of a run-first offense.

From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Apr 24 9:20pm ET
Bo Nix

Denver Broncos' connections to Oregon quarterback Bo Nix have persisted with the 2024 NFL draft just a day away on Thursday night. Nix is a player that teams could wait on until the second round, but the Broncos don't have a current second-round pick this year and are slated to select in the first round at No. 12. Their acquisition of former first-rounder Zach Wilson adds another layer to their QB situation heading into Thursday evening. The Broncos have done their homework on the QB draft class -- they hosted Washington's Michael Penix Jr. on a top-30 visit and watched Michigan's J.J. McCarthy work out -- and have discussed a potential trade up in the first round. However, they have plenty of other needs and have also talked about trading down. Right now, Jarrett Stidham and Wilson are slated to compete for the starting job in training camp.

From RotoBaller

Michael Penix Jr. Apr 24 9:10pm ET
Michael Penix Jr.

The Las Vegas Raiders are thought to be high on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., and if the QB market starts drying up quickly in the first round of Thursday night's NFL draft and they feel the need to trade up in order to avoid being shut out, the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5 and the Tennessee Titans at No. 7 are two teams that people think are willing to trade down. The Raiders would love to be able to get up high enough to take LSU's Jayden Daniels to reunite him with head coach Antonio Pierce, but they know they might not be able to do that. The Raiders have talked with the Arizona Cardinals about what it would take to trade up to No. 4, but Vegas' interest in that pick would likely cool off significantly if Daniels is among the top three picks, as expected.

From RotoBaller

Drake Maye Apr 24 9:00pm ET
Drake Maye

New England Patriots ownership seems to have a strong preference to come out of the first round of this year's NFL draft with a quarterback, so moving back to, say, No. 11 with the Minnesota Vikings or No. 13 with the Las Vegas Raiders might be too far of a drop for the team to still ensure their ability to do that. But if they move back only three spots to No. 6 in a trade with the New York Giants, they could still be in position to pick a QB in the first round and add multiple extra premium picks. The Patriots gathered information on Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. in the pre-draft process in case they decide to trade down. The Pats appear to be high on him, but ESPN's Dan Graziano doesn't think he'll be in consideration if they stay at No. 3. Most pundits believe New England will take North Carolina's Drake Maye if they stick in the third spot.

From RotoBaller

J.J. McCarthy Apr 24 8:50pm ET
J.J. McCarthy

The Athletic's Jeff Howe predicts that New York Giants will trade the sixth overall pick in this year's NFL draft and a 2025 second-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in order to move up to fourth overall to take Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy on Thursday night. Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort is eager to trade down for a second straight year. If LSU's Jayden Daniels or North Carolina's Drake Maye remain available at No. 4, the Minnesota Vikings or Las Vegas Raiders would probably become more aggressive in pursuing the fourth overall pick. "I think there's going to be a race to McCarthy between the Giants and Vikings," a coach said. McCarthy doesn't have the upside that the top three QBs in this class do, but rival executives cited concerns with Giants current QB Daniel Jones' (knee) health after tearing his ACL and dealing with a neck injury in 2023.

From RotoBaller

Drake Maye Apr 24 8:40pm ET
Drake Maye

The Athletic's Jeff Howe thinks No. 3 to the New England Patriots in Thursday night's NFL draft feels like the spot for North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, although a couple executives made a case for Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. Maye has prototypical size, arm strength and athletic ability, but there's genuine concern about his inconsistencies in 2023, and his tape shed light on some erratic throws and tendencies. He has a reputation as a high-character person with great leadership abilities. Maye would be the more traditional pick at No. 3 to the Pats, with McCarthy being viewed as more of a surprise. If Maye is still available at No. 3, one executive thinks the Minnesota Vikings "would move heaven and Earth" to try and move up to draft him. If Maye lands in New England, he could sit and learn behind veteran Jacoby Brissett in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Micah Parsons Apr 24 8:30pm ET
Micah Parsons

The Dallas Cowboys officially picked up hybrid defensive end Micah Parsons' fifth-year option for the 2025 season on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the move. Parsons' salary is worth $21.32 million as a defensive end, which is the position at which he played the majority of his snaps in 2023. The 24-year-old former 12th overall pick in 2021 out of Penn State has been a beast rushing the passer so far in his first three NFL seasons. He's made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons and has a total of 213 tackles (142 solo), 40.5 sacks, 51 tackles for loss, 89 QB hits, eight passes defended, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) in 50 regular-season starts. Parsons had 64 tackles and a career-high 14 sacks in 2023 and will once again be a highly coveted pass-rusher in IDP fantasy formats this fall.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Apr 24 8:30pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Word around the league is that the Washington Commanders have advocates in their building for both LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and North Carolina QB Drake Maye. However, almost everyone polled for The Athletic's story believed Daniels was destined for Washington with new general manager Adam Peters hot for Daniels. The belief from rival teams is that the Commanders had been leaning toward Maye much earlier in the pre-draft process, but Daniels has done enough to lock himself into the No. 2 pick. One executive from a team outside of the top 10 wouldn't rule out a brief Daniels slide, perhaps down to No. 4. Still, it's highly unlikely Daniels drops out of the top five. If he goes to D.C., he'll be favored to start from Day 1 in his rookie season.

From RotoBaller

Tarik Cohen Apr 24 8:20pm ET
Tarik Cohen

Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson (leg), offensive guard Austin Corbett (knee), pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney and running back Tarik Cohen (Achilles) have all been taking part in drills during voluntary offseason workouts this week. Meanwhile, offensive guard Chandler Zavala (knee) and linebackers D.J. Wonnum (quadriceps) Amare Barno (knee) weren't participating in drills. Thompson, who suffered a fractured fibula in Week 2 last year against the New Orleans Saints, is the most notable name of this group. The 30-year-old should be ready to go for training camp and the preseason later this year as long as he doesn't suffer a setback before then. The former 25th overall pick in 2015 out of Washington recorded 100-plus combined tackles in each of his previous four seasons with Carolina before getting hurt in 2023.

From RotoBaller

Trey Hendrickson Apr 24 8:10pm ET
Trey Hendrickson

Cincinnati Bengals three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson has requested to be traded from the Bengals, according to a league source. Hendrickson is due to make $15 million in 2024 and is looking for more long-term security than the Bengals have been willing to offer. It remains to be seen if the 29-year-old's wish will be granted with the first round of the 2024 NFL draft coming on Thursday evening. The former third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2017 out of Florida Atlantic has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons with the Bengals. In 17 starts in 2023, he had a career-high 43 tackles (28 solo), a career-high 17.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 25 QB hits and three forced fumbles. Even if he heads to a new team for 2024, Hendrickson should still be in play as a weekly starting defensive lineman in IDP fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Ezekiel Elliott Apr 24 8:10pm ET
Ezekiel Elliott

The Dallas Cowboys are currently meeting with free-agent running back Ezekiel Elliott's representatives around the facility on Wednesday, a day before the start of the 2024 NFL draft, according to a source. There has been mutual interest from both sides in a reunion this offseason as the Cowboys look to bolster their running back position after losing Tony Pollard in free agency. As of right now, Dallas' RB room consists of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Royce Freeman and Snoop Conner. The 28-year-old Elliott had 184 carries for 642 yards (career-low 3.5 yards per carry) and three touchdowns while adding 51 catches for 313 yards and another two scores through the air in 17 games for the New England Patriots in 2023. At this point in his career, Zeke needs volume to be fantasy relevant, and that probably won't happen if he returns to Dallas.

From RotoBaller

Jim Harbaugh Apr 24 5:00pm ET
Jim Harbaugh

The Los Angeles Chargers are set to undergo a rebuilding phase following the hiring of head coach Jim Harbaugh and the departures of longtime offensive weapons Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams. L.A. has been rumored to be a top landing spot for Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison or LSU wideout Malik Nabers, but Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report suggests they are likely to pick an offensive tackle if they stay at pick No. 5. Notre Dame's Joe Alt is expected to be the first player at the position off the board. Alt has been mocked to the Tennessee Titans at pick No. 7 for much of the offseason, so the Chargers picking the 2023 first-team All-American would shake things up drastically. The Chargers have a lot of options with teams potentially trying to move up for a quarterback, so they are one of the key teams to monitor in the first round on Thursday.

From RotoBaller

Drake Maye Apr 24 4:40pm ET
Drake Maye

The New York Giants are in an interesting predicament at the quarterback spot. The organization signed Daniel Jones (knee) to a four-year, $160 million deal last offseason, but he didn't play well in 2023, and he is coming off a torn ACL. There has been plenty of buzz surrounding New York selecting a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that they could pass on a quarterback if North Carolina's Drake Maye isn't available at pick No. 6. "Most teams believe if Maye is off the board, the Giants' most likely scenario is to go wide receiver to land a player who can help an offense that was last in the league in yards after the catch in 2023," Russini wrote. If the reports are true, look for New York to target LSU's Malik Nabers in that draft slot. That said, Washington's Rome Odunze is likely in consideration as well.

From RotoBaller

Michael Penix Jr. Apr 24 4:30pm ET
Michael Penix Jr.

University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has seemingly been rising draft boards this offseason, and NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that he could enter the discussion to be one of the first four quarterbacks off the board. "It's been assumed the top four QBs are Williams, Daniels, Maye, and McCarthy," Russini wrote "But don't be surprised if Penix enters the discussion come Thursday." Penix, who will be 24 years old during his rookie season, had a monster two-year stretch with Washington after four injury-riddled campaigns at Indiana. In 2022 and 2023, combined, the lefty posted 9,544 passing yards, 67 passing touchdowns, and 67 interceptions. He ran between a 4.51 and 4.57 forty-yard dash at the Huskies' Pro Day, so his 226 career rushing yards might not demonstrate his full rushing ability.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Apr 24 4:20pm ET
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a monster 2023 season, throwing for 4,575 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He led Detroit to the No. 3 seed in the NFC and the organization won two playoff games in a single postseason for the first time since 1957. On Wednesday, the team signed Pro Bowl wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackle Penei Sewell to high-dollar four-year contract extensions, but Goff is reportedly not close to agreeing to a new long-term deal. According to Adam Schefter, no new deal is "imminent" as of now. This will be an interesting development to watch play out, as the former Los Angeles Rams No. 1 overall pick is entering the final year of his contract in the Motor City and could become a free agent next offseason.

From RotoBaller

Amon-Ra St. Brown Apr 24 4:13pm ET
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Dynasty | The Lions have signed wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: The contract is basically a four-year, $120 million extension with $77 million guaranteed, the most ever for a wide receiver in NFL history. It's a huge haul for St. Brown, who has quickly established himself as one of the best players in the NFL. After his 119/1,515/10 season last year, the Lions were going to either pay him or risk losing him after his rookie deal expired. They've clearly chosen to build around him and he should be firmly cemented as a WR1 in dynasty moving forward. St. Brown is an easy target for any team looking for a premier centerpiece to their dynasty team as the best could truly be yet to come.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Russell Wilson Apr 24 4:13pm ET
Russell Wilson

Dynasty | The Steelers are not expected to pick up the fifth-year option on the contract of Justin Fields. Dynasty Analysis: This isn't much of a surprise as the Steelers would be on the hook for $25 million in his fifth year and don't even know if they want him as their long-term starter at this point. Pittsburgh is likely going to go into the season with Russell Wilson as their starter but also quietly evaluating Fields to be a possible successor. We'll see what happens but Fields looks like a player who could be a sneaky buy in the next few months leading up to the season as his ADP has tanked.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Justin Jefferson Apr 24 4:13pm ET
Justin Jefferson

Dynasty | The Bengals are picking up the fifth year option on the contract of Ja'Marr Chase. Dynasty Analysis: Consider this a placeholder as Cincinnati now needs to prepare to make Chase the highest paid receiver in the league. Amon-Ra St. Brown has set the market with a four-year, $120 million extension ($77 million guaranteed), so the Bengals are going to need to assemble a few armored cars here soon. Chase and Justin Jefferson should both be set to sign historic deals and while the option being picked up buys the Bengals one more season, dynasty managers shouldn't worry about him hitting free agency any time soon. Chase remains a bona fide candidate for the top overall selection in dynasty leagues.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

J.J. McCarthy Apr 24 3:00pm ET
J.J. McCarthy

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning recently talked with Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and said the Broncos are interested in him with the 2024 NFL draft beginning on Thursday night. "I know Denver is very interested in him and it sounded like a place he'd love to come to but it's a little bit out of his control," Manning told Denver Sports over the air. McCarthy played in a pro-style offense at Michigan and led the Wolverines to the national championship earlier this year. He wasn't allowed to throw the ball that much in college, but he really impressed at his pro day and has been rising up draft boards ever since. McCarthy is a candidate to go in the first five picks on Thursday night, although it seems unlikely that Denver has the ammunition to pull off a trade up into the top five this year to select McCarthy, especially after trading for Zach Wilson on Tuesday.

From RotoBaller