Broncos GM George Paton believes QB Bo Nix is "game-ready" to start as a rookie. Paton pointed to Nix's 61 college starts and the fact that he's already 24 years old. That advanced age might be a knock against Nix's ultimate ceiling, but it certainly helps his chances of hitting the ground running this season. With only QBs Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham in his way, Nix has a good chance to win the Week 1 starting job. He's a fine target in both redraft and dynasty superflex leagues.
WR Michael Gallup agreed to a one-year deal with the Raiders worth "up to" $3 million, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. Gallup went for 1,107 yards in his second NFL season back in 2019 and 843 yards in 2020. But he hasn't been the same player since tearing an ACL late in the 2021 campaign. He averaged just 27 yards per game for the Cowboys over the last two seasons, while ranking outside the top 60 WRs in yards per route and Pro Football Focus receiving grade both years. Gallup has a shot to win the No. 3 WR job in Las Vegas, but that wouldn't be enough to make him a real fantasy factor.
Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins said Monday that he's 100% recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered last September. "It was like a walk in the park, it was like a sprained ankle," Dobbins said. "It was very easy, because I had the knee [injury] -- the knee was pretty hard. The Achilles was, I would say, easy, just because that's my mentality. It was pretty easy to me." We'll file this under "believe-it-when-we-see-it." Full health is not the same as full effectiveness. RB Cam Akers quickly made it back from an Achilles injury but hasn't been the same runner since. Dobbins still isn't a player to invest heavily in at this point. But we'll be keeping a close eye on him this spring and summer. The Chargers' backfield will be a key situation for fantasy owners to monitor, with Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and rookie Kimani Vidal duking it out for touches.
The Chiefs and TE Travis Kelce agreed to a two-year, $34.25 million contract extension, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It makes Kelce the league's highest-paid TE and keeps him with Kansas City through the 2027 season. He'll be 38 by that point. We'll see whether Kelce plays through the life of this contract, but it looks like he'll retire as a Chief. His 14.8 PPR points per game last year were his fewest since 2016 -- but were still enough to lead all TEs. Kelce sits atop our 2024 fantasy football TE rankings.
The Cowboys and RB Ezekiel Elliott have agreed to a contract, NFL Network reports. It's a reunion after Elliott spent his first seven seasons in Dallas. The 28-year-old mustered just 3.8 yards per carry in his last season with the Cowboys and then averaged 3.5 yards per carry for the Patriots last year. Elliott ranked 29th among 42 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus' 2022 rushing grades and 41st among 49 last year. There's very little gas left in this tank, although Elliott still proved capable of handling big workloads down the stretch last season. He averaged 14.8 carries and 6.5 targets over the final six weeks. The Cowboys are desperate for RB help after losing Tony Pollard in free agency and failing to land a RB in the draft. Elliott just might be the favorite to lead the backfield in touches ahead of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Royce Freeman. He's still not an exciting fantasy pick. We'll see where his ADP settles.
The 49ers signed undrafted rookie RB Cody Schrader. Schrader spent six years in college and will turn 25 in September. But he’s coming off a massive 2023 season. After four years at Truman State, Schrader walked on at Missouri and immediately led the team with 745 rushing yards in 2022. Then he ripped off 1,627 rushing yards and 14 TDs on 5.9 yards per carry, plus 22 catches for 191 yards, this past year. Schrader led the SEC in rushing and was named a first-team All-American. He ranked 32nd among 157 qualifying RBs in Pro Football Focus’ rushing grades. Schrader is a sturdy 5’9, 202-pounder with good contact balance and strong leg drive. He’s also reliable in the passing game as a receiver and protector. Schrader doesn’t run with much wiggle, though, and bombed at the Combine with a 2.33 Relative Athletic Score. At his advanced age, it’s fair to wonder how much meat is left on this bone. He’s obviously a dynasty long shot after going undrafted and landing in Christian McCaffrey’s backfield. We’ll see if Schrader can make the team this summer.
The Steelers signed Georgia RB Daijun Edwards as an undrafted free agent. Edwards spent his early years behind eventual NFL draft picks like James Cook, Zamir White, and Kenny McIntosh. Come 2022, Edwards split carries with McIntosh, a current Seahawk, and posted modest numbers (140-777-7). Last fall, Edwards was the 1A rusher ahead of Kendall Milton, who also went undrafted. Milton posted better efficiency than Edwards (6.5 yards per carry vs. 5.4) as the latter underwhelmed from an analytical perspective. Among 73 RBs with 150+ carries, Edwards ranked 56th in yards after contact per attempt and 45th in Pro Football Focus’ Elusive Rating. He also doesn’t project as a factor in the passing game. (He caught 1.3 passes per game over the past two seasons.) Through an optimistic lens: The 23-year-old is built compactly at 5’9, 207 pounds and runs with excellent power and patience. Edwards will aim to win Pittsburgh’s No. 3 RB job behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. He can be ignored in redraft and dynasty leagues for now.
The Bills signed undrafted rookie RB Frank Gore Jr. The son of an NFL legend, Gore brings unmatched bloodlines to the pro game. He’s not the caliber of prospect we saw from his father, though. While stout, Gore is ultimately just 5’8, 198 pounds. He struggled with ball security (six fumbles from 2022-2023) and drops (three in 2023) – hardly a surprise given his 8¼" hands. That hand size ranks in the 2nd percentile among Combine RBs since 1999. Gore isn’t a dynamic athlete either, instead winning with patience, vision, and power. The true bull case comes from his college production, as the 22-year-old led Southern Miss in rushing for four straight seasons. His production peaked over the past two seasons with a combined 2,953 total yards. Gore also didn’t miss a game due to injury, despite racking up 759 carries in 47 games played. He’s obviously a long shot to ever be a true fantasy factor after going undrafted, although landing with the high-scoring Bills helps his chances.
Texans WR Tank Dell was shot in Sanford, Florida on Saturday night, the team announced. Dell suffered a "minor wound" and has already been released from the hospital. We'll look for further updates on Dell's status, but it sounds like he luckily dodged anything that would impact his 2024 season.
The Packers added Tulane QB Michael Pratt in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Pratt didn’t start playing football until high school but was a four-year starter at Tulane and showed steady improvement throughout his career. Pratt’s completion rate climbed each year, topping out at 65.4% in 2023. And he went from 7.2 yards per attempt over his first two seasons to 8.7 over the last two. The 6’3, 217-pounder has average arm strength and durability concerns. He suffered a concussion in 2021, a shoulder injury and fractured heel in 2022, and a left knee injury in 2023. But Pratt is an accurate passer with good anticipation and pocket presence. He looks like a classic NFL backup. Pratt will look to beat out 2023 fifth-rounder Sean Clifford for Green Bay’s No. 2 job.
The Patriots added Florida State TE Jaheim Bell in Round 7. Bell broke out as a 2021 sophomore at South Carolina, leading that Gamecocks team with five receiving TDs and ranking second in both catches (30) and receiving yards (497). His numbers took a step back in 2022 (25-231-1), but Bell rebounded this past year after transferring to Florida State. He ranked third on the Seminoles behind only WRs Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson with 39 catches and 503 yards. Bell’s 1.97 yards per route beat Coleman and ranked 13th among 81 qualifying TEs. He’s undersized at 6’2, 241 pounds. But Bell clocked a 4.61-second 40 time at the Combine and earned an 8.45 Relative Athletic Score. He projects as a catch-first TE in the NFL. Bell joins a Patriots TE room led by Hunter Henry, who’s under contract through 2026. Henry turns 30 in December, though. We’ll see if Bell can build any momentum this summer. He’s just a flier in dynasty rookie drafts.
The Chargers selected USC WR Brenden Rice in Round 7 of the NFL Draft. Rice spent his first two seasons at Colorado, where low pass volume led to light usage. That changed upon transferring to USC in 2022. Paired with top QB Caleb Williams, Rice set career highs in catches (39), yards (611), and TDs (4). His production reached another level last fall with Jordan Addison off to the NFL. The 6’2 Rice posted a 45-791-12 line -- enough to rank first among Trojans in TDs; second in catches and yards. He posted a strong 2.75 yards per route run while playing most of his snaps out wide. The 22-year-old also flashed reliable hands, dropping only 2 balls (4.3% drop rate). No surprise there, as Brenden is the son of NFL legend Jerry Rice. Note: While not a burner, Rice’s size and physicality allow him to win in contested and red zone situations. (His 2023 TD rate was an absurd 26.6%.) Although the seventh-round draft capital is a major red flag, Rice at least joins a Chargers WR corps with snaps up for grabs. The rookie is not worth a pick in early best-ball drafts but is a fine flier in Round 4 or 5 of dynasty rookie drafts.
The Raiders selected New Hampshire RB Dylan Laube in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. Including a 2018 redshirt, Laube spent six seasons at New Hampshire. He'll turn 25 in December, making him one of the oldest prospects in the class. Not ideal – but the production speaks for itself. Playing against FCS competition, Laube led the nation in all-purpose yards per game in 2022 (194.3). Included in there: Three games north of 200 rushing/receiving yards, including a video game-like 12-295-2 receiving line against Central Michigan. Overall, he excelled as a receiver with 49 catches – good for second on the team. Per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Laube passed on transfer opportunities (and NIL deals) ahead of last fall. Still, his workload dropped (16 carries per game vs. 20.4), and he declined in yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt, and forced missed-tackle rate. Known as a high character kid, Laube ultimately wins with quick feet and a versatile skill set. He’s racked up a nation-leading 117 catches over the past two seasons. Going in the late sixth round is a bad sign, but Laube at least landed in a Raiders backfield with only Zamir White, Alexander Mattison, and Ameer Abdullah. We’ll see if he can push Abdullah for a passing-down role. Laube isn’t worth a pick in early best-ball drafts but is a viable flier in deeper dynasty leagues.
The Bengals grabbed Arizona TE Tanner McLachlan in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. A no-star recruit from Canada, McLachlan started his college career at FCS-level Southern Utah. His four years there included just 15 catches and a 2020 torn ACL. McLachlan missed the entire 2021 season and then transferred to Arizona. He turned in two productive seasons for the Wildcats, posting 34-456-2 and 45-528-4 receiving lines and passing Rob Gronkowski as the school’s all-time leader in receptions by a TE. McLachlan is a 6’5, 244-pounder and earned a solid 7.66 Relative Athletic Score at the Combine, highlighted by a 4.61-second 40 time. He’s a smooth athlete with reliable hands, but his route running needs refinement. That’s a bigger concern considering McLachlan is already 25 years old. He joins fellow rookie TE Erick All in Cincinnati, along with TEs Mike Gesicki, Tanner Hudson, and Drew Sample. It’s a fine landing spot, but McLachlan is well off the redraft radar and isn’t an exciting dynasty target.
The Eagles selected Florida State WR Johnny Wilson in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. Wilson started out as an Arizona State Sun Devil, recruited by current Raiders HC Antonio Pierce. But the four-star California native would require patience before making his mark. 2020 turned up a pandemic-shortened season. Then in 2021, Wilson missed seven games with a hamstring. His fortunes changed in 2022 following a move to Florida State. The 6’6, 231-pounder broke through with 43-898-5 in 13 games. That’s 20.9 yards per catch – plus an eye-popping 3.36 yards per route run. Wilson’s production predictably dipped in 2023 (41-617-2). FSU welcomed in transfer WR Keon Coleman, while Wilson missed three games with an injury. Despite the up-and-down college career, the 23-year-old has a chance to stick as an outside WR in the pros. He’s a rare athlete at his size, and he proved it at the Combine with a 9.70 Relative Athletic Score. His 84.5-inch wingspan is simply enormous. This isn’t a great spot for Wilson’s dynasty value, though. The Eagles have WR A.J. Brown signed through 2029 and WR DeVonta Smith through 2028.
The Dolphins selected Virginia WR Malik Washington in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. A three-star recruit out of Georgia, Washington spent his first four years with an underwhelming Northwestern offense. He finished second on the team in catches and yards in 2021, then jumped to the team lead in both categories in 2022. The primary slot still tallied just 65-701-1 as a senior – but his underlying metrics at least supplied some promise. Washington posted a tiny 1.5% drop rate on 101 targets. He also forced 24 missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus. Last fall, we saw Washington’s best upon transferring to Virginia. The 5’8, 191-pounder crushed previous career highs with 111 catches, 1,384 yards, and 9 TDs. In fact, the yardage ranked fifth in the country. He excelled in contested situations and again proved slippery after the catch. Perhaps most impressive: Washington’s 3.15 yards per route run, which slotted 11th in a sample of 200 WRs. While undersized, Washington has the explosive ability to attract targets out of the slot. Note his 42.5-inch vertical and 10’6” broad jump from the Combine. WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will continue to dominate targets in Miami. But Washington has a real shot to win the No. 3 WR job at some point this season. His competition: Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, and Erik Ezukanma.
The Chargers added Troy RB Kimani Vidal in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. Despite offers from LSU and South Carolina, the Georgia native took his talents to the Sun Belt Conference. Vidal averaged 11.2 carries per game as a true freshman and led the team in rushing – something he’d do in all four seasons. But his workloads really picked up from 2022-2023 for the run-heavy Trojans. In fact, Vidal was among the busiest college RBs with 526 carries (plus 44 catches) over that stretch. He held up well, too, missing only one game due to injury in his career. At nearly 5’8, 213 pounds, Vidal has bowling ball size and runs with matching intensity. Per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, the 22-year-old’s 94 missed tackles forced ranked second in the FBS last season. He’s not special out of the backfield, but Vidal’s tape shows a capable receiver with more pass protection refinement than the average rookie. He lands in a nice spot under run-loving HC Jim Harbaugh in a relatively wide-open backfield alongside J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. It shouldn’t be considered a surprise if Vidal pushes for snaps in 2024.
The Jets selected South Dakota State RB Isaiah Davis in Round 5 of the NFL Draft. If you value productive RBs, Davis is your guy. Across four seasons at South Dakota State, the 218-pounder racked up 677 carries, 4,552 yards (6.7 YPC) and 50 TDs. He hit 1,400+ rushing yards in his junior and senior seasons. Now, the heavy workloads might be some cause for concern long-term. He missed eight career games across 2021-2022 – all with a shoulder. Davis didn’t miss time last fall, though, and the tape is undeniably impressive. The Missouri native runs hard at nearly 220 pounds, yet he moves like a satellite back. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said Davis has “vision and feet/jump cut skills as good as any runner in [the] draft.” The 22-year-old earned every yard, too. Per PFF, Davis ran into heavy boxes (7+ defenders) on ~82% of his carries. That mark led the class – along with his 6.6 yards per carry in such situations. Davis isn’t a zero in the passing game, but he lacks reliable hands and a developed route tree. He joins fourth-round rookie Braelon Allen in the Jets’ backfield, behind Breece Hall. It’s a rough spot for Davis’ dynasty value.
The Giants selected Purdue RB Tyrone Tracy in Round 5 of the NFL Draft. This prospect fired us up in the pre-draft process. One reason why: Tracy’s background as a WR. His college career began as a WR at Iowa, where he’d make an impact in 2019 following a 2018 redshirt (36 catches, 589 yards, 3 TDs). A pandemic-shortened 2020 slowed progress, and then Tracy’s role dipped in 2021. Tracy transferred to Purdue ahead of the 2022 season in search of more touches. Instead, he finished 5th on the team in catches; 6th in receiving yards. 2023 turned up a position switch – one that changed the trajectory of his pro prospects. “I was a little skeptical at first,” Tracy said of the move. “I didn’t know if he [new HC Ryan Walters] was trying to say I’m not a good receiver, or ‘Hey, man, we actually think you can do this.’ I kind of just prayed about it. I talked to my mom and dad about it. And my dad was basically saying, ‘I know you’ve been doing this your whole life.’” Tracy saw only 114 carries last fall, but he excelled in the limited opportunities. Among 157 RBs with 100+ attempts, he ranked top-20 in yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt, and PFF Elusive Rating. The 5’11, 209-pounder popped in 8 rushing scores. Tracy’s game needs refinement, but his raw athleticism reminded us of Antonio Gibson coming out of Memphis. His stock only increased at the NFL Combine with a 9.78 Relative Athletic Score. The main negative here surround’s Tracy’s advanced age – he’ll turn 25 in November. With only 148 career carries, though, he enters the league without much wear and tear. Getting Round 5 draft capital is a small win for Tracy. And the landing spot is good. The Giants’ RB depth chart is topped by Devin Singletary, who signed a modest three-year, $16.5 million deal in free agency. There’s room for Tracy to carve out a role here – particularly in the passing game – as early as this season.
The Saints added South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Rattler was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 pro-style QB in the 2019 class. But he failed to live up to those expectations across five college seasons. Rattler redshirted behind Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma in 2019 before taking over as the Sooners’ starter in 2020. He finished that season with 3,031 passing yards and 28 TDs vs. seven INTs on a 67.5% completion rate and 9.6 yards per attempt. His production was down the following year before getting benched for Caleb Williams. Rattler then transferred to South Carolina, where he totaled 6,212 passing yards on a 67.5% completion rate and 7.8 yards per attempt over the past two seasons. He ranked 78th among 93 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus’ 2022 passing grades and 50th out of 95 last year. An aggressive passer with good anticipation and plenty of arm strength, Rattler can make every throw. His decision-making and timing need improvement, though. And Rattler has little experience working under center, with 85% of his college snaps coming from shotgun. He’ll open his career behind QB Derek Carr in New Orleans. Carr is signed through 2026 but carries huge cap hits the next two years. We’ll see if Rattler can develop into his successor. He’ll be worth considering in Round 3 or 4 of superflex rookie drafts.
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