Skill Position Free Agency Moves: Fantasy Rapid Reactions

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Isaac Dirrim
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The free agency period has officially begun. Many teams have gone on spending sprees, looking to bolster their roster for the 2022 season. Others have taken a step back, as they prepare for the second and third waves of free agency, with cheaper options in mind. As you know, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s fantasy football season. Below are the skilled players that have either been traded, come to contract agreements, or been cut. Along with that, we break down rapid reactions to their fantasy value and who that may affect. This will be updated throughout free agency. 

Ronald Jones II, RB

Signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Clyde-Edwards Helaire

  • CEH was a first-round draft selection two years ago, and he had a ton of hype surrounding his fantasy value right out the gates. With Jerrick McKinnon and Darrel Williams testing free agency, the thought was that Edwards-Helaire would take a step forward in his third season as a pro. The signing of Jones Jr. will negatively affect his fantasy value once again this season. Expect more work as a receiver out of the backfield and fewer rushing attempts this season.

Stock Up: Ronald Jones II

  • Jones II has been overshadowed by Leonard Fournette for about a season and a half now. Bruce Arians was quick to pull the versatile back if he made a mistake on the field. Expect more trust from Andy Reid and more touches this season than in 2021.

 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR

Signed a three-year $30M contract with the Kansas City Chiefs

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Mecole Hardman

  • After yesterday’s trade that sent Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, many thought Hardman’s role would skyrocket given his potential ceiling. Now that MVS is on the team, it’s not a given that Hardman’s fantasy stock goes up. He’s going to have to battle Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and now Valdes-Scantling for opportunities.

Stock Up: Marquez Valdes-Scantling

  • The speedster comes into Kansas City with a shot at competing for the WR1 spot on this team. As mentioned above, he joins a wide receiver room of Hardman and Smith-Schuster, but he’s an above-average deep threat that should excel with Patrick Mahomes right away.

 

 

Tyreek Hill, WR 

Traded to the Miami Dolphins 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Jaylen Waddle

  • Waddle would’ve easily served as the WR1 for this team if this move didn’t happen. Now he’ll likely become the team’s WR2 with one of the best receivers in the league now wearing the same uniform.

Stock Up: Tua Tagovailoa

  • Miami has added a militia on offense. Tua is getting a really good shot at proving he’s the guy for the Dolphins for a long time. This offseason, he’s seen Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe be resigned, Chase Edmonds brought in, Cedrick Wilson signed to a deal, and a trade that brought in perhaps the best receiver in the league.

 

 

Leonard Fournette, RB

Signed a three-year $21M contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Ronald Jones Jr.

  • Jones Jr. is still a free agent at this moment, but his shot as the starting running back for the Buccaneers has now vanished.

Stock Up: Leonard Fournette

  • Fournette has resurged his career in Tampa Bay, and it’s the best location for him as a pro. We saw what he did last season, and you can expect similar production this season if he stays healthy.

 

 

Jamison Crowder, WR 

Signed a one-year $4M contract with the Buffalo Bills 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Isaiah McKenzie

  • McKenzie resigned earlier this offseason and was thought of as the clear starting slot receiver for this team. In comes Crowder, another slot receiver, who will compete with McKenize for snaps at that position.

Stock Up: Josh Allen

  • I don’t know how much higher Allen’s stock can increase, but the addition of Crowder certainly helps. He has a plethora of weapons surrounding him on offense, and he’s projected as the top quarterback off the board in fantasy drafts this year.

 

 

Jameis Winston, QB 

Signed a two-year $28M contract with the New Orleans Saints 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Taysom Hill

  • Hill wasn’t expected to hold onto the starting quarterback job, but nonetheless, his fantasy value has now plummeted.

Stock Up: Michael Thomas?

  • Thomas has a question mark after his name because we don’t know his current situation. He’s contracted with the team, and Winston has shown that he can benefit large-volume receivers for fantasy.

Marcus Mariota, QB

Signed a two-year $18.75M contract with the Atlanta Falcons 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Kyle Pitts

  • See below.

Stock Up: Marcus Mariota

  • See below.

 

Matt Ryan, QB 

Traded to the Indianapolis Colts

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Kyle Pitts

  • Pitts will be fine this season, but the departure of Ryan does negatively affect his fantasy value.

Stock Up: Marcus Mariota

  • Mariota is now the presumed starting quarterback for the Falcons. Whether he’s a bridge quarterback or not, his value went up.

 

 

Duke Johnson, RB 

Signed a one-year $1.27M contract with the Buffalo Bills

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Devin Singletary

  • Singletary is a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield, but the Johnson addition diminishes his production as a receiver. Buffalo doesn’t run a ton, and his fantasy stock took a major dip from this move.

Stock Up: Duke Johnson

  • Johnson will now serve as Buffalo’s gadget back. Expect a ton of targets and receptions from the reliable pass-catcher. He’s going to be a major factor in PPR leagues.

 

 

Gerald Everett, TE

Signed a two-year $12M contract with the Los Angeles Chargers

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Jared Cook

  • Cook is a free agent, and he’s 34 years old. His time as a starting tight end in this league may be over.

Stock Up: Gerald Everett

  • Everett goes to a pass-happy L.A. team led by young phenom Justin Herbert. He’ll slide in as their TE1, and he’ll be a dangerous threat inside the red zone.

 

 

Rashaad Penny, RB

Signed a one-year $5.75M contract with the Seattle Seahawks

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Chris Carson

  • Carson is no longer the favorite to serve as the lead back for this team anymore. Penny’s dominance at the end of last season should cut into Carson’s fantasy value.

Stock Up: Rashaad Penny

  • Penny would more than likely only receive a shot at being the starter for the Seahawks. If had signed anywhere else, his value would’ve taken a hit.

 

 

Robert Woods, WR 

Traded to the Tennessee Titans 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

  • After the news of Tennessee releasing Julio Jones, it was thought that Westbrook-Ikhine would get a boost in fantasy stock. Now that Woods is in town, his stock is down from even before the Jones news.

Stock Up: Robert Woods

  • The Rams have both Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson, and they’re in the mix of resigning OBJ. There were too many weapons in L.A. for Woods to have much fantasy impact. Now that he’s in Tennessee, he’ll likely become Ryan Tannehill’s second option in passing situations.

 

 

Robert Tonyan, TE

Resigned with the Green Bay Packers on a one-year contract

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Josiah Deguara

  • Deguara had a chance at becoming this team’s TE1 if Tonyan walked in free agency. Now that he’s back in town, he’ll likely sure up that starting gig.

Stock Up: Robert Tonyan

  • With Davante Adams now in Las Vegas, someone is going to need to step up in a big way. Tonyan is a viable option to see increased volume now that Green Bay’s receiving room is a little thin.

 

 

 

Corrdarelle Patterson, RB/WR

Signed with the Atlanta Falcons 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Mike Davis

  • Atlanta resigned Patterson after signing Damien Williams to a contract as well. Those two will limit Davis’ production on the field by a large margin.

Stock Up: Cordarrelle Patterson

  • Patterson is coming off the best offensive season of his career. His stock would’ve dipped no matter where he went to if he left Atlanta. Coming back to an offense that he dominated in will serve him well in fantasy.

 

 

James Washington, WR 

Signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Michael Gallup

  • Washington has shown plenty of big-play capabilities throughout his career. He may take away some of those opportunities from Gallup, but it shouldn’t be too noticeable.

Stock Up: James Washington

  • For now, Washington seems likely to serve as Dallas’ WR3 behind Gallup and CeeDee Lamb. We’ve seen great fantasy production from that spot before.

 

Boston Scott, RB 

Signed a one-year $1.75M contract with the Philadelphia Eagles 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Kenneth Gainwell

  • Gainwell was labeled as one of the best pass-catching running backs heading into the 2021 NFL Draft. With Scott back in town, he’ll likely be held back from that third-down back role we all thought he was capable of filling.

Stock Up: Jalen Hurts

  • As a young quarterback in the NFL, you can’t have too many weapons to throw to. Scott is a solid receiving back out of the backfield that Hurts can rely on.

 

Austin Hooper, TE 

Signed a one-year $6M contract with the Tennessee Titans 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Anthony Firkser

  • Firkser served as Tennessee’s TE1 last season, and he’ll lose that starting gig right away with Hooper now in town.

Stock Up: David Njoku

  • Njoku was franchise tagged before free agency began. He’ll now likely see an increased role with Hooper gone and with Deshaun Watson as his new signal-caller.

 

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

Signed a one-year $10.75M contract with the Kansas City Chiefs

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Mecole Hardman

  • Byron pringle left for Chicago, but Kanas City upgraded by replacing him with Smith-Schuster. Hardman should see a decrease in targets because of the move.

Stock Up: Chase Claypool

  • Smith-Schuster heads to KC, whereas Claypool partners with Diontae Johnson as the one-two punch in Pittsburgh.

 

 

Deshaun Watson, QB

Traded to the Cleveland Browns

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Baker Mayfield

  • Cleveland will now look to trade the former first overall pick. We don’t know where yet, but for now, his stock decreases.

Stock Up: Amari Cooper

  • At first, Cooper being dealt to Cleveland looked to decrease his fantasy stock. Now that he’ll be hauling in passes from one of the best quarterbacks in the league, his stock is increasing once again.

 

 

Byron Pringle, WR

Signed a one-year $6M contract with the Chicago Bears 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Byron Pringle

  • Leaving Mahomes and the Chiefs for the Bears is an immediate downgrade. Even becoming the WR2 for Chicago is worse than the WR3 for the Chiefs.

Stock Up: Justin Fields

  • Ryan Poles adds a talented and underrated receiver for Fields in his second season. Expect more moves at receiver, but this helps.

 

 

Davante Adams, WR 

Traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Las Vegas Raiders 

Signed a five-year $141.25M contract extension

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Aaron Rodgers

  • Adams has been Rodgers’ saving grace for the past few years. Now he finds himself without a top-tier wide-out for the first time in a long time.

Stock Up: Derek Carr

  • Adams joins Waller and Hunter Renfrow in a crowded, but talented, pass-catching room. The addition of Carr’s former college teammate should boost his fantasy stock tremendously.

 

Equanimeous St. Brown, WR

Plans to sign with the Chicago Bears

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Dazz Newsome

  • It would have been hard to see Newsome as a WR2 or WR3 before the season started. With St. Brown coming in, his chances of being fantasy relevant have now been diminished.

Stock Up: Equanimeous St. Brown

  • Chicago is thin at wide receiver. Outside of Darnell Mooney, there isn’t a name you would probably recognize in their wide receiver room.

 

 

Damien Williams, RB

Signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons 

Rapid Reaction:

Stock Down: Mike Davis

  • Davis was signed last offseason to become the presumed starting running back for Atlanta. In comes Williams who will get a shot at the job now.

Stock Up: Khalil Herbert

  • Herbert is in a prime position to serve as David Montgomery’s backup in Chicago with Williams and Tarik Cohen now playing elsewhere.

 

Allen Robinson, WR

Signed a three-year $46.5M contract with the Los Angeles Rams

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Robert Woods

  • Woods now has to compete for targets with Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, Tyler Higbee, and Van Jefferson.

Stock Up: Darnell Mooney

  • We knew A-Rob was likely signing elsewhere, but this solidifies Mooney as Chicago’s WR1.

 

 

Baker Mayfield, QB

Requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Amari Cooper

  • As of now, we have no clue who Cooper will be hauling in passes from next season.

Stock Up: Nobody

 

 

Hayden Hurst, TE

Signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Nobody

Stock Up: Hayden Hurst

  • Hurst goes from Kyle Pitts’ backup to hauling in passes from Joe Burrow. Expect a similar role to what Uzomah had last season in Cincy.

 

O.J. Howard, TE

Signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Dawson Knox

  • In comes Howard, who was a first-round pick back in 2017. Knox is coming off a career year, but Howard should cut into that a bit (especially in the red zone).

Stock Up: O.J. Howard

  • Josh Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. On top of that, Howard won’t have to compete for snaps with Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate anymore.

 

Cole Beasley, WR

Released by the Buffalo Bills

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Cole Beasley

  • Beasley turns 33 in about a month, and he will no longer haul in passes from Josh Allen. Those two statements alone indicate his stock goes down immediately.

Stock Up: Isaiah McKenzie

  • McKenzie received an extension; Beasley was later released. This sures up a huge opportunity for McKenzie to take over the starting slot receiver spot.

 

 

Royce Freeman, RB

Resigned with the Houston Texans on a one-year deal

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Dare Ogunbowale

  • Ogunbowale signed not too long ago with Houston in hopes of competing with Rex Burkhead for the starting running back gig. With Freeman coming back, he’ll have even more competition going into the 2022 season.

Stock Up: Brandin Cooks

  • This might seem odd to place Cooks as the player with an increased fantasy stock. But a solid running game opens up the passing game, and he’s clearly the WR1 for this team. More opportunities will likely go his way.

 

 

Ricky Seals-Jones, TE

Signed a contract with the New York Giants

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Kenny Golladay

  • Golladay suffered last season due to injury setbacks and the number of targets going elsewhere to other players. In comes Seals-Jones, who could take away a lot of his red zone opportunities.

Stock Up: Ricky Seals-Jones

  • Seals-Jones joins a thin tight end room in New York with the chance at an increased role. He’s clearly their top tight end on their current roster.

 

 

Raheem Mostert, RB

Signed a one-year $3.1M contract with the Miami Dolphins

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Myles Gaskin

  • Gaskin continues to see his fantasy value dip throughout free agency. Miami has elected to sign both Mostert and Edmonds to compete with Gaskin for touches in the backfield.

Stock Up: Tua Tagovailoa

  • A solid running game will help Tua in his development. Not only does his team retain Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, and Lynn Bowden Jr., but they added Edmonds and now Mostert.

 

 

Tyler Conklin, TE

Signed a three-year $21M contract with the New York Jets

Rapid Reaction:

Stock Down: CJ Uzomah

  • Uzomah’s stock dips even more after leaving Cincinnati for New York earlier today. Conklin is a viable receiving tight end that will eat into his targets and production.

Stock Up: Zach Wilson

  • New York continues to add weapons for their second-year quarterback. Conklin joins Uzomah in a very talented tight end room.

 

 

Dare Ogunbowale, RB

Signed a two-year $3.3M contract with the Houston Texans 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Rex Burkhead

  • Burkhead serving as the lead back for Houston didn’t last long. Expect Ogunbowale to take snaps away from the veteran. Don’t be shocked if Houston adds more talent to the running back position before the 2022 season.

Stock Up: Dare Ogunbowale

  • Ogunbowale gets a fresh start in Houston, where he’ll be able to compete for the lead back spot. As of now, he looks like a low-end RB2 for fantasy.

 

 

Julio Jones, WR

Released by the Tennessee Titans

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Julio Jones

  • Jones has been riddled by injuries and inconsistent play during the past few seasons. His time as a dominant force on the outside is nearing an end.

Stock Up: A.J. Brown

  • As if he wasn’t already, Brown is purely solidified as the sure top pass-catcher with Tennessee. Jones didn’t do a whole lot for Tennesse in his lone season. Expect Brown’s targets to go up even more in 2022.

 

 

Rashard Higgins, WR

Signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Terrace Marshall

  • Marshall served as Carolina’s WR3 last season. Now he’ll battle D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Rashard Higgins for targets. Keep in mind, Christian McCaffrey demands a ton of volume in the receiving game as well.

Stock Up: Donovan Peoples-Jones

  • Landry and Hooper are on their way out. OBJ left last season. Peoples-Jones is a prime candidate to become Cleveland’s WR2 behind Amari Cooper in 2022.

 

Austin Hooper, TE

Designated as a post-June 1st release by the Cleveland Browns

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Baker Mayfield

  • There are rumors surrounding the Browns looking to make an upgrade over Baker Mayfield. If he sticks around, cutting one of his best red zone targets is going to decrease his fantasy value. 

Stock Up: David Njoku

  • Njoku was signed to the franchise tag before free agency began. He’ll now see an increase in targets and receptions with Hooper designated as a post-June 1st cut. 

 

Breshad Perriman, WR 

Signed a one-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Scotty Miller

  • Miller’s chances at being fantasy relevant seem unlikely at this point. Hauling in passes over the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate, Russell Gage, Tyler Johnson, and Breshad Perriman is going to be a hard task. 

Stock Up: Tom Brady 

  • Look at the level of pass-catcher listed above. Perriman adds depth to an already impressive wide receiver room. And that’s only going to benefit Brady in his 23rd season. 

 

Jakeem Grant, WR 

Signed a three-year contract with the Cleveland Browns 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Anthony Schwartz

  • Schwartz was a third-round draft selection last year. He had an opportunity to see an increased role when OBJ was traded last season and when we heard the news that Cleveland was moving on from Jarvis Landry. Since then, Cleveland traded for Amari Cooper and now signed Grant. 

Stock Up: Jakeem Grant

  • Grant will serve as the team’s punt returner, but he also has a shot at being a very productive receiver for this Browns team. They need a good slot pass-catcher, and Grant is coming off a season where he showed flashes of great play for Chicago last season. 

 

Russell Gage, WR 

Signed a three-year $30M contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Tyler Johnson

  • Before Brady announced he was unretiring, Johnson was slated as the WR2 for Tampa Bay going into the 2022 season. Since then, Chris Godwin was franchise tagged, and now Gage comes in on a three-year deal. His fantasy value all of a sudden has plummeted. 

Stock Up: Russell Gage 

  • Gage will serve as the WR2 for the Buccaneers until Godwin returns from injury. Gage’s best days came when he played behind Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Now he’ll catch passes from the greatest quarterback of all time. 

 

Kalif Raymond, WR 

Signed a two-year $9.5M contract extension with the Detroit Lions 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Quintez Cephus

  • Cephus was starting to put it all together early last season before injuries shorted his season. With St. Brown emerging, Chark coming into town, and the Lions resigning Raymond, it’s hard to imagine him having a fantasy-relevant season. 

Stock Up: Jared Goff

  • Goff gets a bump again with one of his favorite pass-catchers from last season returning on a two-year extension. 

 

James White, RB 

Signed a two-year $5M contract extension with the New England Patriots

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Damien Harris

  • Harris took over as the lead back for the Patriots last season. But the emergence of Rhomandre Stevenson and James White coming back from injury is going to decrease his touches on a per-game notice. 

Stock Up: Mac Jones

  • Jones gets a valuable safety valve back. He’s going into his second season as a pro, and to have one of the best pass-catching backs in the league will help bail him out in certain situations. 

 

J.D. McKissic, RB 

Signed a two-year $7M contract extension with the Washington Commanders

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Antonio Gibson

  • McKissic originally agreed to terms with Buffalo before flipping and resigning with Washington. Gibson’s uptick in targets is now diminished, as long as McKissic can stay healthy. 

Stock Up: Carson Wentz

  • Wentz now has one of the best receiving running backs returning to Washington for the next two years. 

 

D.J. Chark, WR

Signed a one-year $10M contract with the Detroit Lions

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Amon-Ra St. Brown

  • St. Brown had a terrific last few weeks of his rookie season. But Chark is going to see volume, and it’s hard to see the second-year pro taking over as the clear WR1 for this team. 

Stock Up: Jared Goff

  • Goff has a pretty good receiving room now. With two-pass catching running backs, a highly talented tight end, and a young and determined receiving room, Goff should have better numbers than last year. 

 

 

James Conner, RB 

Signed a three-year $21M contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Eno Benjamin

  • Benjamin should see an increase in production with the departure of Edmonds, but Conner will more than likely serve as a workhorse. 

Stock Up: James Conner

  • Edmonds is gone. And now it’s time for Conner to serve as the lead back for the Cards. 

 

 

Cedrick Wilson, WR

Signed a three-year $22.05M contract with the Miami Dolphins 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: DeVante Parker

  • Wilson comes in and will challenge Parker for targets on the outside, as Waddle mans the slot position. 

Stock Up: Tua Tagovailoa

  • Tua gets another viable receiver to add to his arsenal. With Wilson, Parker, Waddle, Gesicki, and Edmonds, he should see more success. 

 

Mitchell Trubisky, QB

Signed a two-year $14.2M contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Diontae Johnson

  • Johnson served as a fine fantasy player hauling in passes from an aging Ben Roethlisberger. He’s a great deep-threat receiver who will now catch passes from a player that’s never developed a great deep ball. 

Stock Up: Mitchell Trubisky

  • Trubisky gets another chance at being a QB1 for a team. Although his offensive line isn’t great, he is now surrounded by the best pass-catching unit of his career. 

 

 

C.J. Uzomah, TE

Signed a three-year $24M contract with the New York Jets

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: C.J. Uzomah

  • Uzomah will get a pay increase, but hauling in passes from Zach Wilson instead of Joe Burrow will make a world of a difference. 

Stock Up: Corey Davis 

  • Davis will have a tough time producing WR1/WR2 numbers with ascending talents in Elijah Moore, Braxton Berrios, and now Uzomah on the roster.  

 

 

Chase Edmonds, RB 

Signed a two-year $12.1M contract with the Miami Dolphins

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Myles Gaskin

  • We knew this day would come. Gaskin’s time as the RB1 for Miami is now over. Expect a huge decrease in volume if Edmonds stays healthy the entire 2022 season. 

Stock Up: Chase Edmonds

  • Edmonds gets a chance to avoid splitting carries with James Conner and serve as Miami’s lead back. 

 

 

Christian Kirk, WR

Signed a four-year $72M contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Christian Kirk

  • Kirk got a MASSIVE pay increase to leave Arizona for Jacksonville. He’ll get a chance to serve as the team’s WR1 this season. 

Stock Up: Trevor Lawrence

  • Lawrence gets an upgrade as his WR1, as he didn’t have one during his rookie season. Kirk joins Evan Engram and Zay Jones as Lawrence’s new weapons on offense. 

 

 

Mo Alie-Cox, TE 

Signed a three-year $17.55M contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Kyren Granson

  • The one-year pro had a chance at becoming the team’s TE1 after Jack Doyle announced his retirement, but with Alie-Cox now extended, he’ll take a back seat. 

Stock Up: Mo Alie-Cox

  • As mentioned above, Doyle announced his retirement. Alie-Cox is easily the TE1 for this team, and it looks like it will stay like that for the remaining future. 

 

 

Will Dissly, TE

Signed a three-year $24M contract extension with the Seattle Seahawks 

Rapid Reaction:

Stock Down: Noah Fant 

  • Fant was traded to the Seahawks as part of the Russell Wilson deal to Denver. He now has to battle Dissly for snaps on the field, as either one of them could serve as the team’s TE1 in 2022. 

Stock Up: Drew Lock

  • Many may be avoiding Lock in fantasy this upcoming season, but you can’t deny that he’s surrounded by a plethora of talent on that offensive unit. Sure, his o-line is a mess, but throwing passes to D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Fant, and Dissly will serve him nicely. 

 

 

Zay Jones, WR

Signed a three-year $24M contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Laviska Shenault Jr. 

  • Reports have indicated that Shenault Jr. is now being shopped by the Jags. With Engram, Jones, and Christian Kirk now on the team, there isn’t much room for the former second-round pick. 

Stock Up: Trevor Lawrence

  • Going into his second season, he now has a better offensive line, a healthy Travis Etienne, and more talented pass-catchers than last season. 

 

Evan Engram, TE

Signed a one-year $9M contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Daniel Jones

  • Jones is losing one of his most versatile weapons, and he’s played with him throughout his entire career. With the departure of Engram, the Giants don’t have a reliable pass-catching tight end on their roster. 

Stock Up: Evan Engram 

  • Jacksonville doesn’t have a sure pass-catching tight end on their roster. Going from Daniel Jones to a second-year Trevor Lawrence should make a big difference in his value. 

 

 

Braxton Berrios, WR 

Signed a two-year $12M contract extension with the New York Jets

Rapid Reaction:

Stock Down: Corey Davis 

  • With the emergence of Elijah Moore and the resigning of Berrios, Davis is not a sure WR1 for this team like he’s paid to be. 

Stock Up: Zach Wilson

  • Securing an extension for one of Wilson’s favorite targets is a win for the young flame-thrower. He connected with Berrios more than any other receiver last season. 

 

 

Zach Ertz, TE

Signed a three-year $31.65M contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals 

Rapid Reaction:

Stock Down: Maxx Williams 

  • Williams is a free agent, but this extension for Ertz means the starting job he owned going into the 2021 season is now gone. He may look to sign elsewhere or re-sign as a backup. 

Stock Up: Zach Ertz

  • Ertz’s career was revitalized once he was shipped to Arizona from Philadelphia in the middle of last season. With now a weakened wide receiver room, Ertz has a chance to lead his team in receptions every week. 

 

 

Kirk Cousins, QB

Signed a one-year $35M contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings 

Rapid Reaction:

Stock Down: Kellen Mond 

  • After being selected 66th overall in last year’s draft, it looks like he won’t get a shot any time soon to become the starter for the Vikings, as the extension runs through the 2023 season. 

Stock Up:  K.J. Osborn

  • Osborn showed flashes last season of fantasy relevance. Now that his quarterback is extended, someone who he’s now familiar with, he should serve as a viable streaming option this season. 

 

 

Michael Gallup, WR

Signed a five-year $57.5M contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Dalton Schultz

  • With the departure of Cooper, Blake Jarwin, and Cedrick Wilson, Schultz was a primed candidate to see increased volume. Now that Gallup is staying put, don’t start drooling over Schultz’s stock. He should still be considered a low-end TE1/high-end TE2. 

Stock Up: Michael Gallup

  • Many believed that Gallup would walk this offseason. Instead, he gets a contract extension and Cooper gets shipped out of town. When fully recovered, he should be a viable WR2 for your fantasy teams. 

 

 

Isaiah McKenzie, WR 

Signed a two-year $4.4M contract extension with the Buffalo Bills 

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Cole Beasley 

  • Beasley plays the same position as McKenzie (slot receiver). Expect more time on the field for the 26-year-old (McKenzie) rather than the 32-year old (Beasley).  

Stock Up: Josh Allen 

  • Allen’s stock is already sky-high, but bringing back McKenzie to go along with Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Dawson Knox, and Beasley in the receiving room will go a long way. 

 

 

Amari Cooper, WR

Traded to the Cleveland Browns from the Dallas Cowboys with a 2022 6th round pick (#193) for a 2022 5th round pick (#155) and a 2022 6th round pick (#202)

Rapid Reaction: 

Stock Down: Amari Cooper 

  • Cooper joins a Browns team that sees him as their WR1 (Landry was released). Expect less volume than when he saw in Dallas, as Cleveland depends on their running game.

Stock Up: CeeDee Lamb

  • Lamb gets a chance to serve as the Cowboys’ WR1. He and Gallup should see increased volume with Cooper now in Cleveland. 

Did you enjoy this article and want more fantasy content? Make sure to check out my recent posts, and stay tuned for other positional rankings in the future. You can also follow me on Twitter @dirrim23, where I love talking about all things fantasy football!

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