Joe Dolan and I covered every major offensive transaction from this off-season. We broke down all the important free agency signings and trades from a fantasy perspective in articles by position. The articles are ordered by players changing teams ("New Homes") and by players sticking with their 2019 teams ("Staying Put"), and players are ordered by their potential fantasy impact in each section.
QB FA Review RB FA Review TE FA Review O-line FA Review
New Homes
DeAndre Hopkins (Ari) — In a stunning move, the Cardinals acquired Hopkins and a fourth-round pick from the Texans in exchange for David Johnson and a second-round pick.
Fantasy Points: The Texans shocked the football world by trading away arguably the league’s best receiver for essentially Brandin Cooks and David Johnson. That trade would’ve looked great for the Texans in 2016 but not so much in 2020. The Cardinals benefited from the latest buffoonery by Bill O’Brien, giving HC Kliff Kingsbury and second-year franchise QB Kyler Murray a much-needed centerpiece for their passing attack. Hopkins, who will be only 28 in June, is a massive upgrade over Damiere Byrd and KeeSean Johnson on the perimeter. The Cardinals will have a formidable trio in Hopkins, Christian Kirk, and Larry Fitzgerald in three-WR sets. Since entering the league in 2013, Nuk ranks behind only Julio Jones and Antonio Brown in receptions (632) and receiving yards (8602). He’s also been a top-five fantasy WR in three straight seasons since Deshaun Watson entered the league and provided him some stability at the QB position — Nuk had to play with the likes of Brian Hoyer, Brock Osweiler, and Ryan Mallett before 2017. It will be a challenge for Hopkins to make it four straight years as a top-five fantasy option because of the learning curve with his new QB/offense and his dip in efficiency last season.
Hopkins has seen 150+ targets in five straight seasons, but he’s heading into foreign territory without his pal Watson in a new offense. He also saw his receiving yards/game slide to 77.7 after topping 90+ yards/game in three of his last four seasons, and he averaged a career-low 11.2 YPR. On the bright side, he should easily overtake Kirk as the top target in this offense after Kirk averaged 8.3 targets/game on a 23% target share as the Cardinals’ top receiving threat. I’m also betting on the Cardinals to attempt more passes/game (34.6, 18th) with an improved offense — Houston had the 19th-most pass attempts/game (33.9) — which could alleviate some concerns about his chemistry with a new QB in a new offense and his dip in efficiency last season. As we saw last season with Odell Beckham joining a new, exciting QB/offense, there’s some downside to a top-tier WR switching teams. At least Hopkins has shown he can overcome any situation when he finished as the WR5 in FPG in 2015 with Hoyer, Mallett, T.J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden as his QBs. I won’t blame anyone for taking Hopkins as the WR2 behind Michael Thomas because of his upside in an up-and-coming offense, but I’m more likely to take a top-tier RB or Davante Adams toward the tail end of the first round.
Stefon Diggs (Buf) — The Bills acquired Diggs and a seventh-round pick from the Vikings in exchange for first-, fifth-, and sixth-round picks and a 2021 fourth-round pick.
Fantasy Points: Diggs strong-armed his way out of Minnesota and the big question now is how long will he stay happy going from Minneapolis to Buffalo and going from Kirk Cousins to Josh Allen. The Bills clearly know the limitations of their franchise QB with his scattershot accuracy. They’ve placed a premium on their WRs creating route separation by adding Diggs to last year’s free-agent signees of John Brown and Cole Beasley — big, contested-catch WRs need not apply for a job in Buffalo. With Adam Thielen struggling to stay healthy last year, Diggs led the Vikings with a 21% target share but a lack of overall passing suppressed his volume — Minnesota ranked 30th in pass attempts/game (29.2). Diggs, 26, averaged a career-low 6.3 targets/game last season, but the Vikings used him more as a vertical threat than ever before. He set career-highs in average depth of target (15.1 yards), in yards/reception (17.9), and in yards/game (75.3). Diggs also ranked second to Michael Thomas in yards/route run last season (2.69) among 85 WRs with 40+ targets.
Diggs’ targets should go up next season as he should lead this receiving corps in target share — Brown saw a 24% target share and Beasley had a 22% share last season. The Bills are also trending toward throwing it more next season after attempting the 21st-most pass attempts/game last season (33.0). OC Brian Daboll used more 11 personnel (three WRs) in the final seven weeks of 2019 than any other team (per Sharp Football Stats), and they started using more tempo. Diggs’ volume may be on the rise next season as a no-doubt #1 WR in a more pass-friendly environment, but he’s not guaranteed to top his WR25 finish from last season when he averaged 14.1 FPG. The Bills may not have a Thielen in their receiving corps, but they have more capable secondary options than the Vikings in Brown, Beasley, and rising second-year TE Dawson Knox. Diggs also has a big elephant in the room when it comes to Allen’s efficiency compared to Cousins’ efficiency. Cousins finished fourth in the league adjusted completion percentage (80.2%) while Allen finished 30th out of 39 passers at 71.7%. Diggs was a little too boom-or-bust playing with Cousins last season, finishing with 10 or fewer FPs seven times while finishing with 19+ FPs four times. More volume could help to stabilize his fantasy production this season, but Diggs still figures to be a sporadic WR2 option playing with Allen next season.
Brandin Cooks (Hou) — The Texans acquired Cooks and a 2022 fourth-round pick from the Rams for the 57th-overall pick in April’s draft.
Fantasy Points: Bill O’Brien’s off-season of baffling decisions continued into April when he traded for Cooks, who could be one hit away from never playing football again because of his scary concussion history. O’Brien brought in Cooks and Randall Cobb to help to replace the massive production left behind by DeAndre Hopkins. The Texans will use a WR-by-committee between Will Fuller, Cooks, Cobb, and Kenny Stills to make up for the 30% target share and the 34% air yards share left behind by Nuk. Cooks, 26, is coming off a career-worst 8.4 FPG (WR71) last season, posting 42/583/2 receiving on 72 targets (13.9 YPR) in 14 games. He’s fallen below 75 receiving yards in 18 of his last 19 games dating back to November 2018, and he’s scored just three touchdowns in that span. Cooks did post 65+ catches and 1000+ yards in four straight seasons before 2019. He also finished north of 1.75 yards/route run in each season from 2015-18 before averaging just 1.29 Y/RR last season.
The Texans are banking on Cooks staying healthy and finding pre-2019 form. That may be hopeful thinking since he needed to see a concussion specialist after his fifth documented head injury in October 2019. If he can stay healthy, he has the potential to get back to the 1000-yard club playing with one of the league’s best downfield passers. Deshaun Watson led the league with an adjusted completion percentage of 54.1% on passes 20+ yards downfield last season, and he threw downfield at the fifth-highest rate (14.9%) out of 35 passers. Jared Goff’s deep passing fell off a cliff behind a bad O-line last season, which is a major reason why Cooks had a rough 2019. Goff had an adjusted completion percentage of 37.5% on passes 20+ yards downfield (28th), and he threw downfield at the third-lowest rate (8.9%). Cooks has been drafted as a top-24 WR for five straight seasons, but he’s likely to be selected in the WR3 range this summer. I’m planning on getting some shares of Cooks if he’s being drafted outside the first five rounds. He comes with WR2 upside playing with Watson, and I'll bite the bullet and take a loss at his cheapest price in six seasons if he can’t stay healthy or if he’s ineffective again this season.
Breshad Perriman (NYJ) — Former Buccaneers WR Perriman and the Jets reached terms on a one-year, $8 million contract with $6 million in guaranteed money.
Fantasy Points: The Jets didn’t waste any time finding their replacement for Robby Anderson, signing another field stretcher in Perriman just hours after Anderson inked his deal with the Panthers. Perriman’s career seemed to be on its final legs before a late-season surge in 2019 earned him a nice raise and a prominent starting spot with the Jets. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin succumbing to hamstring injuries last December, Perriman stepped up for Jameis Winston. Perriman, 26, produced a shocking 5.0/101.2/1.0 receiving/game in the final five contests last season, and he won plenty of fantasy championships along the way. Knee injuries riddled the early part of Perriman’s career, but he started to show flashes of his first-round ability in a stint with the Browns in 2018 before catching fire late last season.
Perriman figures to step right into Anderson’s role as a downfield threat on the perimeter. Anderson left behind a massive 34% air yards share and an 18% target share, which Perriman figures to take a big bite out of. The Jets aren’t exactly teeming with receiver depth after Anderson’s departure, with slot receiver Jamison Crowder serving as the de facto #1 receiver right now. Perriman will be going to his fifth team in three seasons — the Ravens and the Redskins cut him in 2018 — and it’s never easy to transition to a new offense and QB. At least he’ll be going to another QB who isn’t afraid to throw caution to the wind in Sam Darnold, who has been compared to Winston early in his career. Darnold is also a candidate for a potential leap year after a disastrous 2019, which was thrown into turmoil when he started the season with mononucleosis. There’s a decent chance Perriman could flame out this season moving from Bruce Arians and Winston to Adam Gase and Darnold, but Perriman has the kind of upside to bet on as a WR4 in case his career continues on an upward trajectory and Darnold takes a big step forward.
Robby Anderson (Car) — Former Jets WR Anderson settled for a two-year, $20 million deal with the Panthers, which includes $12 million in 2020.
Fantasy Points: Anderson picked a comfortable spot to land in Carolina with his former college coach Matt Rhule from Temple. For fantasy, Anderson picked an absolutely miserable spot to stay relevant. He’ll be competing with Curtis Samuel and Ian Thomas to be the #3 receiver in this offense behind ball hogs in D.J. Moore and Christian McCaffrey. Anderson, who will turn 27 in May, has been one of the better deep threats in the league, but he looks to be a terrible fit with new QB Teddy Bridgewater, who is one of the more reluctant downfield passers. Teddy ranked dead last in air yards/attempt (6.1) last season, and he attempted deep passes at the second-lowest rate (7.1%, 14-of-196), ahead of only Jimmy Garoppolo. At least the Panthers could be playing in plenty of high-scoring affairs with their awful defense in an NFC South loaded with great offenses. Anderson has strung some really strong stretches of play together throughout his career, especially in the fantasy playoffs the last two years, but he’s finished as a WR3 or better for an entire season just once in 2017 — he finished as the WR23 with 12.5 FPG. Robby will likely struggle with consistency once again this season with Moore and CMC sucking up so much usage, and with Bridgewater’s lack of downfield passing. Anderson is better-suited as a WR4 in best-ball formats since he’s likely to blow up a couple of times this season, but his week-to-week production figures to be sporadic.
Emmanuel Sanders (NO) — Former 49ers WR Sanders and the Saints came to terms on a two-year, $16 million contract.
Fantasy Points: The Saints have been lacking a true #2 WR the last three seasons since they traded away Brandin Cooks before the 2017 season. Sean Payton and Drew Brees found their guy in the 33-year-old Sanders, who will bring some required inside-outside versatility for this Saints offense. Sanders surprised many, including myself, when he showed he still had plenty of juice left in his legs last season. He played 20 games between the Broncos and 49ers last season — a rare 17-game regular season and a three-game postseason — despite tearing his Achilles in December 2018. Even with his advanced football age, it’s fair to wonder if Sanders will have even more life in his legs with another year removed from major leg surgery. He created plenty of separation as a route runner last season on his way to posting 66/869/5 receiving on 97 targets (13.2 YPR) for 11.2 FPG (WR46) in 17 games.
Sanders will be competing for targets with TE Jared Cook to be the #3 option behind Michael Thomas and RB Alvin Kamara in the Saints passing game. At least the Saints should have more passing volume to go around for Sanders next season as he’ll be going from two run-heavy teams to a more pass-happy offense. San Francisco finished second to last in pass attempts/game (28.2) and Denver ranked 27th (31.5) (27th) while New Orleans finished 15th (36.2). He’ll also be going from playing with Joe Flacco and Jimmy Garoppolo last season to playing with the best quarterback he’s had since peak Peyton Manning in Denver. Thomas has proven to be matchup proof early in his career so Sanders isn’t going to get a huge bump in season when Thomas gets matchups against top CBs. Sanders doesn’t have a huge fantasy ceiling with Thomas and Kamara commanding so much volume, but he should have a solid weekly role as a WR4 for fantasy.
Randall Cobb (Hou) — Former Cowboys slot WR Cobb and the Texans reached terms on a three-year, $27 million deal with $18.75 million in guaranteed money.
Fantasy Points: Texans coach/GM/dolt Bill O’Brien capped off an awful opening day of free agency by handing Cobb $18.75 million in guaranteed money. Cobb, who will turn 30 in August, hasn’t averaged double-digit FPs since his fourth season all the way back in 2014 with the Packers. He’s also a redundant piece for this WR corps. Cobb has primarily played inside throughout his career and the Texans already have slot types in Keke Coutee, Kenny Stills, and DeAndre Carter — Coutee is clearly locked deep in O’Brien’s doghouse. The Texans will move ahead with a WR-by-committee approach next season after they later added Brandin Cooks by trade. As much as I’ve avoided Cobb in recent years, it’s undeniable that he could be a late-round target in PPR formats depending on his price this summer (I honestly don’t know how these Texans WRs will be valued in fantasy drafts). Someone has to step into the 30% target share and the 34% air yards share left behind by DeAndre Hopkins, and Cobb could handle a decent chunk of it. Cobb will be playing with one of the league’s best QBs (Deshaun Watson) in an offense that doesn’t have a true #1 WR. The Texans two best WRs (Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks) also have major durability issues. Cobb is likely to have a couple fantasy moments in 2020, but the health of Fuller and Cooks will likely dictate just how involved he is.
Devin Funchess (GB) — Former Colts WR Funchess and the Packers reached terms on a one-year, $2.5 million contract with incentives that can take the deal to $6.25 million.
Fantasy Points: Funchess’ one-year run with the Colts ended before it could really get off the ground. He appeared in just the season opener before breaking his collarbone and needing surgery, which ended his campaign — he never gained clearance to play at the end of year. Funchess, who will turn 26 in May, will go from one-WR needy team in the Colts to another WR-needy team in the Packers. He’ll provide a big body on the perimeter and in the red zone for Matt LaFleur, but we’ll see if he can get on the same page with Aaron Rodgers quickly this summer. Funchess landed in an intriguing situation, but it’s tough to get too excited about him unless some positive camp reports start coming out in August. He has the potential to compete for a starting spot, which would put him on the fantasy radar. However, starting with Rodgers doesn’t necessarily mean fantasy production for his WRs as we’ve seen in the early and mid-2010s.
Tajae Sharpe (Min) — Former Titans WR Sharpe and the Vikings reached terms on a one-year, $1 million contract.
Fantasy Points: Sharpe picked a good spot to potentially play a lot next season as the Vikings own one of the thinnest WR depth charts after trading away Stefon Diggs to the Bills. Adam Thielen is the clear top target in the offense, and Sharpe will be competing with Olabisi Johnson, Irv Smith, and Kyle Rudolph for the remainder of receiver targets. Sharpe, 25, opened his career as a starter for the Titans before seeing his role reduced in recent seasons. He’s posted 92/1167/8 receiving on 165 targets over 47 career games. Diggs left behind a massive 41% air yards share and a 21% target share so, depending on his everything breaks in August, Sharpe could be a late-round dart throw in deeper leagues if it looks like he could see significant time next to Thielen.
Phillip Dorsett (Sea) — Former Patriots WR Dorsett and the Seahawks agreed to terms on a one-year deal.
Fantasy Points: The Seahawks clearly have a need for speed. Dorsett will likely slot in as the team’s #3 WR behind Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf, and Lockett’s 4.40 40-speed makes him the slowest player in the group — Dorsett and Metcalf each ran 4.33 times at the Combine. Dorsett, 27, finished with just 29/397/5 receiving on 29 targets (13.7 YPR) while playing 56% of the snaps in 14 games for the Patriots last season. Dorsett has never moved the needle for fantasy despite the Colts drafting him 29th overall in 2015, but his signing does make Russell Wilson’s receiving corps even scarier than before. Wilson attempted passes 20+ yards downfield at the second-highest rate last season (16.5%), and he could be throwing deep even more in 2020 with Dorsett in the fold.
Nelson Agholor (LV) — Former Eagles WR Agholor and the Raiders agreed to a one-year contract
Fantasy Points: Agholor is the definition of a player that needed a fresh start after a tumultuous five seasons with the Eagles. The 2015 first-round pick struggled with drops throughout his Philadelphia career, and he became the butt of jokes in the city and wearing his jersey became a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Agholor, who will turn 27, managed just 39/363/3 receiving on 69 targets (9.3 YPR) despite DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery missing large chunks of time — Agholor also missed five games and their Wild Card contest because of a knee injury. Agholor landed in a good spot to potentially find playing time right away, depending on what the Raiders do in the draft at WR. He’ll be competing for the #3 WR spot behind Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow, and he’ll likely be lining up on the outside more with manning the slot — Agholor ran 65.8% of his routes from the slot last season (per PFF). Agholor may have a chance to see significant playing time in 2020, but he’ll be off the re-draft radar this summer unless you’re playing in really deep leagues.
Cody Latimer (Was) — Former Giants WR Latimer and the Redskins agreed to terms on a deal for 2020.
Fantasy Points: Latimer, a former second-round pick by the Broncos in 2014, has settled into a role as a depth receiver, but he has an outside chance of starting in Washington next season. The Redskins have one of the thinner WR depth charts in the league behind rising second-year player Terry McLaurin, especially after Washington cut ties with Paul Richardson this off-season. Latimer is coming off a career-best season with the Giants dealing with injuries and suspensions at the WR position, posting 24/300/2 receiving on 42 targets (12.5 YPR) in 15 games. Latimer will be competing with the likes of Kelvin Harmon and Steven Sims for playing time, but McLaurin is the only Redskins receiver solidly on the fantasy radar right now.
Geronimo Allison (Det) — Former Lions WR Allison and the Lions reached terms on a one-year, $1 million contract.
Fantasy Points: Allison had some major fantasy buzz last off-season as a top-100 pick, but he couldn’t even crack the top-100 at the position in FPG (4.7). He finished the season with 34/287/2 receiving on 55 targets (8.4 YPR) while playing 59% of the snaps in 16 games. Allison, 26, primarily played out of the slot last season — 74.2% of his routes came inside — but he’s played all over the field as a top backup early in his career. Allison will serve as the top backup across the board for Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola, and he could be a waiver-wire option if he’s forced to start for a stretch at some point this season.
Seth Roberts (Car) — Former Ravens WR Roberts and the Panthers agreed to terms on a one-year pact.
Fantasy Points: Roberts has never really been a fantasy-relevant player, but he sure knows how to do just enough to be a pain for the real fantasy assets. He’ll likely find a way to be a thorn in the sides of D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, Robby Anderson, and Ian Thomas next season especially with Teddy Bridgewater — and his 6.1-yard average depth of target — more than willing to dump it to Roberts in the middle of the field. Roberts, 29, primarily played out of the slot in Oakland before moving to the perimeter in Baltimore last season with Willie Snead eating up most of the snaps inside. Roberts ran 76.5% of his routes from the slot with the Raiders in 2018 compared to 11.6% with the Ravens in 2019 (per PFF). Roberts, Keith Kirkwood, Jarius Wright, and Pharoh Cooper will be fighting for roster spots behind the top three WRs. Roberts should get a spot since he offers versatility to play all over the field as a depth option in this passing attack.
Travis Benjamin (SF) — Former Chargers WR Benjamin and the 49ers reached terms on a one-year deal.
Fantasy Points: Benjamin’s career has slowly gone downhill since he peaked in 2015 with the Browns when he finished as the WR37 in FPG (12.0). The Chargers released him at the beginning of March to save $1.5 million after he appeared in just five games because of a quad injury that landed him on the injured reserve. HC Kyle Shanahan worked with Benjamin during his one season as the Browns OC in 2014, and he likely views Benjamin as a potential situational deep threat for this offense. The 49ers could be looking to dial up more deep attempts this season after Jimmy Garoppolo threw 20+ yard passes at the lowest-rate last season (6.5%, 31-of-476 attempts). Benjamin, 30, and Marquise Goodwin could be competing for the same roster spot next season as the team’s situational deep threat.
Josh Doctson (NYJ) — Doctson inked a one-year deal with the Jets worth $735,000.
Fantasy Points: Doctson’s career has never taken flight after the Redskins selected 22nd overall in the 2016 Draft. Washington waived him before his fourth season, and he played all of seven snaps in just one game with the Vikings last season before getting cut. Doctson saw exactly 78 targets in both 2017 and 2018 and he topped 500+ yards in each of those seasons, but he never lived up to his first-round billing. Injuries have dogged Doctson’s career dating back to college at TCU, and it’s probably safe to assume he’s never going to break out as he enters this season at 27 years old.
Laquon Treadwell (Min) — Former Vikings WR Treadwell and the Falcons agreed to a one-year deal.
Fantasy Points: Treadwell has been a massive bust as the former 23rd overall pick in 2016, totaling just 65/701/2 receiving in 53 games over the last four seasons. The Vikings actually cut Treadwell before the start of last season and he went unsigned until Minnesota picked him back up in late September when Chad Beebe went down with an ankle injury. Treadwell, who will turn 25 in June, is certainly a player that needs a fresh start, but he’s far from guaranteed to make Atlanta’s roster out of training camp.
Pharoh Cooper (Car) — Former Cardinals WR Cooper and the Panthers reached terms on a one-year deal.
Fantasy Points: Cooper has primarily paid the bills with his abilities as a returner throughout his career, earning All-Pro honors with the Rams in 2017. He actually got a chance to play WR for the Cardinals last season because of their lack of viable options at the position. Cooper, 25, finished the year with 25/243/1 receiving on 33 targets (9.7 YPR) in 12 games with the Cardinals — he appeared in the season opener with the Bengals before getting cut. The Panthers will primarily look for Cooper to contribute in the return game, but he’ll also compete with Seth Roberts, Keith Kirkwood, and Jarius Wright for a reserve role.
Keith Kirkwood (Car) — Former Saints WR Kirkwood and the Panthers agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
Fantasy Points: The Saints didn’t tender Kirkwood as an exclusive rights free agent, and it didn’t take him long to find work with a pair of his old coaches in Carolina. Kirkwood, 25, played under new Panthers HC Matt Rhule at Temple and under new Panthers OC Joe Brady in New Orleans. Kirkwood appeared in the season opener last year before a hamstring landed him on the injured reserve, and he never returned to the lineup. He primarily played out of the slot back in 2018 (70.2% of his routes came from the slot). Kirkwood, Seth Roberts, Jarius Wright, and Pharoh Cooper will be fighting for roster spots behind D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Robby Anderson.
Damiere Byrd (NE) — Former Cardinals WR Byrd and the Patriots agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.5 million contract.
Fantasy Points: Byrd is coming off a career-best season with the Cardinals, posting 32/359/1 receiving on 46 targets (11.2 YPR). He also had two of his best fantasy performances in the final three weeks of last season, posting 6/86 receiving against the Browns in Week 15 and 7/74/1 against the Rams in the season finale. Byrd, 27, was forced into a big role last season because Kliff Kingsbury lacked talent at WR and he needed some warm bodies on the perimeter in his WR-heavy sets. Byrd is likely to serve in a reserve role for the Patriots next season with a focus on special teams.
Staying Put
Amari Cooper (Dal) — Cooper and the Cowboys came to terms on a five-year, $100 million contract with $60 million in guaranteed money.
Fantasy Points: The Cowboys are keeping the band together after inking Cooper to a huge contract that makes him the second-highest paid receiver (average annual value) behind only Julio Jones. The Cowboys are returning all their key personnel from last year’s offense, which was arguably the league’s best offense. They finished first in yards/game (431.5), first in yards/play (6.5), and sixth in points/game (27.1). Cooper, who will turn 26 in June, played a huge part in their success, posting career-best numbers in his fifth season. He finished with 79/1189/8 receiving on 119 targets (15.1 YPR) for 15.4 FPG (WR15) despite battling through knee pain over the back half of the season — he was the WR4 through Week 10. Coop now has 70+ catches and 1000+ yards in four of his first five seasons.
Both Cooper and QB Dak Prescott have been significantly helped by each other’s presence over the last season and a half. Cooper has averaged 5.3/76.6/.6 receiving on 7.8 targets per game (14.5 YPR) in 25 games with the Cowboys in 2018-19. He previously averaged 4.3/61/2/.4 receiving on 7.5 targets (14.2 YPR) in 52 games with the Raiders from 2015-18. Meanwhile, Dak has averaged 294.8 passing yards and 1.8 TDs per game in 25 games with Copper compared to 215.6 passing yards and 1.4 TDs per game in his first 39 games without him in 2016-18. Cooper projects to be drafted as a WR1 at the end of the second round or early in the third round in fantasy drafts this summer, and he has top-5 WR potential based on what we saw early in 2019 before his knee issues reared its ugly head.
A.J. Green (Cin) — The Bengals placed their franchise tag on Green, which is expected to be around $18 million. Green and the Bengals have until July 15 to agree to a long-term deal.
Fantasy Points: It looks like Green will be back in Cincinnati for at least one more season after the team placed the franchise tag on him, but we still need to see if he wants to play for the only organization he’s been associated with. Green, who will turn 32 in July, missed all of last season with an ankle injury he suffered in training camp, but there was plenty of reason to believe he decided not to play at the end of the year because of his unhappiness with his contract situation. Green has been excellent when he’s been able to play in recent years. He was on pace for 90/1374/12 receiving through eight games in 2018, a year after posting 75/1078/8 in 2017. He ranked seventh in yards/route run in 2018 (2.39) among 100 WRs with 40+ targets. Perhaps the prospect of playing with potential franchise QB Joe Burrow will entice him to avoid a contract holdout this summer.
Green told the Bengals he didn’t want to be franchised and there were certainly enough signs that he wanted out of Cincinnati, especially since he elected not to play at the end of 2019. He’s also now missed 29 of a possible 64 games over the last four seasons, mostly due to foot and ankle injuries. It’s difficult to predict where Green will be drafted this summer, but there’s no doubt he has some major downside with his growing durability concerns and the potential for him to hold out or to be disinterested with the Bengals this season. He also has some major upside if he stays healthy and if Burrow turns out to be a major upgrade over Andy Dalton. Until we get some indication that Green is happy to be back in Cincy, I’d hold off on drafting Green until after the first five rounds when he’s in the WR3 range.
Allen Lazard (GB) — Lazard and the Packers reached terms on a one-year, $660,000 contract.
Fantasy Points: Lazard couldn’t break into the Packers’ WR rotation through the first five weeks of the season, and he still finished second on the team with 477 receiving yards. He ended the year with 35/477/3 receiving on 52 targets (13.6 YPR), and he topped 10+ FP in just three of the 11 games in which he had a role. Aaron Rodgers was unable to support more than one fantasy-viable WR last season, but the 24-year-old receiver did have a better connection with the veteran QB than the rest of the Packers receiving corps that was not named Davante Adams. Lazard has put himself in position to have a leg up on the likes of Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison before training camp, but he could still only be a fringe fantasy option in deeper leagues depending on what other moves the Packers make at the skill positions this off-season.
Demarcus Robinson (KC) — Robinson and the Chiefs reached an agreement on a fully guaranteed one-year, $2.3 million contract.
Fantasy Points: Robinson hasn’t exactly moved the fantasy needle much in his first four seasons, even in the last two years playing with Patrick Mahomes. However, he played a lot last season (70% snap share), and he could slow down the Mecole Hardman hype train a bit heading into Year Two. With Chris Conley leaving for Jacksonville, Robinson posted career-best marks across the board, recording 32/449/4 receiving on 55 targets (14.0 YPR) for 6.3 FPG. Robinson became a hot waiver wire addition after he hung 6/172/2 receiving against the Raiders in Week 2, but he couldn’t maintain his success the rest of the season — 34.9% of his FP last season came in that contest (35.2-of-100.9 FP). There’s a chance Robinson could be a late-round dart throw in fantasy drafts this summer depending on if the Chiefs move on from Sammy Watkins and what they do at WR in the draft.
Danny Amendola (Det) — Amendola and the Lions agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract with $4.5 million in guaranteed money.
Fantasy Points: Amendola will return to Detroit to be more of a fantasy pest for the likes of T.J. Hockenson, Kenny Golladay, and Marvin Jones than to be a fantasy asset. In his first season with the Lions, he finished last with 62/678/1 receiving on 96 targets and he averaged 9.4 fantasy points/game. Amendola, 34, did have a couple of blow-up spots with 7+ catches and 17+ FP in four contests, but he fell below nine fantasy points in his other 11 games. Amendola has found a way to play in 15 games in each of his last three seasons after failing to hit that threshold in six of his first eight seasons. Amendola has never topped four touchdowns or 700+ receiving yards in his 11 seasons. Amendola isn’t going to offer much of a ceiling next season, especially with Hockenson’s role expected to expand. He’ll be PPR waiver-wire material except for deeper formats.
Tim Patrick (Den) — Patrick and the Broncos agreed to terms on a one-year, $660,000 contract.
Fantasy Points: Patrick has had some fantasy moments in his first two seasons, and he could have a role in this passing game once again next season. He broke his hand in the first game of 2019 before returning in Week 11 and posting 4/77 receiving on eight targets. Unfortunately, he posted just 12/141 receiving on 23 targets in his final six games to fall out of fantasy relevance. He also had a nice stretch at the end of his rookie season when he posted 19/242 receiving on 30 targets in the final four games of 2018. Patrick, 26, has an outside chance of playing in three-WR sets this season, depending on the moves the Broncos make at WR over the rest of the off-season. Even if he does get plenty of playing time this season, Patrick is unlikely to be anything more than a deeper option off the waiver wire with Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant dominating targets from shaky second-year QB Drew Lock.
David Moore (Sea) — The Seahawks offered Moore an original-round tender worth $2.144 million.
Fantasy Points: Moore is a good fit as an outside vertical threat in this downfield passing attack led by Russell Wilson. Moore, who turned 25 in January, is a situational deep threat in this offense — he played 32% of the snaps last season — since the Seahawks drafted D.K. Metcalf last spring, but he’s capable of popping off a couple of big plays in this offense. Over the last two seasons, he’s combined for 43/746/7 receiving on 87 targets for a healthy 17.3 YPR. Moore will be way down the passing-game pecking order in this run-heavy offense behind the likes of Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Greg Olsen, and Will Dissly. He’ll be competing with recently signed Phillip Dorsett for playing time in three-WR sets.
Keelan Cole (Jax) — The Jaguars extended a second-round tender to restricted free agent Cole worth $3.26 million.
Fantasy Points: Cole slid down the team’s depth chart last season with D.J. Chark and Chris Conley playing in front of him on the outside. Cole posted 80/1239/4 receiving on 153 targets (15.5 YPR) in his first two seasons as a UDFA out of Kentucky Wesleyan. His totals dipped to 24/361/3 receiving on 35 targets (15.0 YPR) last season while playing just 34% of the snaps. Cole, who will turn 27 at the end of April, will need an injury in front of him to jump into the starting lineup, but he’s at least flashed some big-play ability when he’s had the chance to play.
Kendrick Bourne (SF) — The 49ers re-signed restricted free agent Bourne to a one-year, $3.259 million contract.
Fantasy Points: Bourne, 24, has carved out an important role in the 49ers receiving corps since he broke into the league in 2017 as a UDFA out of Eastern Washington — where he played alongside Cooper Kupp. He posted 30/358/5 receiving on 44 targets (11.9 YPR) last season, and he’s now scored nine touchdowns on 72 catches over the last two years. Bourne should continue to be a valuable reserve receiver, but he’s unlikely to ever move the needle much for fantasy.
Corey Coleman (NYG) — Coleman and the Giants agreed to a one-year contract.
Fantasy Points: Coleman has had a cursed career since the Browns drafted him 15th overall in 2016. He’s appeared in just 27 of a potential 64 games to start his career after missing all of last season with a torn ACL suffered at the start of training camp. Coleman, who will turn 26 in July, likely had a chance to win the #3 WR role last summer, but he’ll return to the Giants this summer with plenty of work to do to make the roster out training camp. He’ll be competing for the kick-returner job with CB Corey Ballentine, who replaced Coleman as the KR last season, and he’ll look to be depth behind Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, and Darius Slayton.
Robert Foster (Buf) — Foster and the Bills reached terms on a one-year, $660,000 deal
Fantasy Points: Foster closed out his rookie season in 2018 with a flurry, posting 25/511/3 receiving on 35 targets in his final seven games. Among WRs, he ranked fourth in yards/route run (2.65) during that seven-game stretch in Weeks 10-17. He had some hype last off-season until the Bills upgraded the WR position by signing John Brown and Cole Beasley, and Foster ended up falling behind Duke Williams and Isaiah McKenzie on the Bills’ depth chart. He ended his sophomore season with an incredibly disappointing 3/64 receiving on 18 targets in games. Foster certainly flashed the potential to be a big-time vertical threat, but he’ll likely need some injuries ahead of him to see a significant jump in playing time.
Chris Moore (Bal) — Moore and the Ravens reached terms on a new deal.
Fantasy Points: The Ravens had one of the thinnest WR corps in the league last season, but Moore still managed just 3/21 receiving on five targets in 14 games. He found himself buried below rookie deep threats Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin, and he’ll be battling for a roster spot this summer. Moore, who will turn 27 in June, will likely need to contribute on special teams again to claim a final roster spot this summer.
Isaiah McKenzie (Buf) — McKenzie and the Bills agreed to a new contract.
Fantasy Points: McKenzie will be back for a third season with the Bills, but he’ll find himself a little further down the depth chart this year. He served as the #3 WR last season, but he’ll now be competing with Duke Williams, Robert Foster, and Andre Roberts for a roster spot after the Bills traded for Stefon Diggs. McKenzie, 25, may have a slight leg up after posting career-highs across the board last season with 27/254/1 receiving on 39 targets (9.4 YPR).
Jake Kumerow (GB) — Kumerow and the Packers reached terms on a one-year, $660,000 contract.
Fantasy Points: Kumerow, 28, has generated some preseason buzz each of the last two seasons, but the former Wisconsin-Whitewater stud has produced just 20/322/2 receiving in 19 games the last two seasons. He’ll be fighting for a roster spot once again this preseason with the likes of Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling likely ahead of him heading into training camp.
DeAndre Carter (Hou) — The Texans retained Carter on a one-year, $660,000 contract for the 2020 season.
Fantasy Points: Carter, 27, has primarily worked as a kick and punt returner in his first two seasons with the Eagles and Texans. His 2019 season will most be remembered for his costly punt-return fumble in the Divisional Round, which aided the Chiefs’ comeback victory. He’s also received some run as a slot receiver with Keke Coutee playing in just 15-of-32 possible games to start his career. Carter is unlikely to be fantasy relevant, and he could be in a fight for a roster spot after the Texans added Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb this off-season.
Keelan Doss (Oak) — The Raiders tendered exclusive rights free agent Doss.
Fantasy Points: Doss was clearly one of Jon Gruden’s favorite projects on last season’s edition of “Hard Knocks”, but the Raiders cut him in the last round of cuts before the season. He decided to sign on with the Jaguars practice squad after getting cut, but the Raiders came calling again a week later after the Antonio Brown situation blew up in their faces. Doss, 23, saw action in just eight games last season, finishing with 11/133/0 receiving on 14 targets (12.1 YPR). The Raiders are going to upgrade their WR corps this off-season and Doss will be in another fight for a roster spot.
Daurice Fountain (Ind) — Fountain and the Colts agreed to terms on a one-year, $660,000 contract.
Fantasy Points: Fountain has appeared in just one career game, but he was making some major noise in Colts’ camp last August when he broke and dislocated his ankle in a joint practice with the Browns. The 24-year-old receiver returned to the practice field in February for the first time since his injury so he appears to be on track for a 2020 return. He has long arms (34”) and an impressive vertical (42.5”) that make him tough in contested-catch situations on the perimeter. The Colts WR corps is certainly in flux heading into the season, but Fountain will need another strong camp to earn a role as a reserve in this passing game.
Malik Turner (Sea) — Turner and the Seahawks agreed to terms on a one-year, $750,000 contract.
Fantasy Points: Turner’s professional career will most likely be remembered for his critical fourth-quarter drop in the Divisional Round to the Packers, which effectively thwarted the Seahawks’ last chance at a victory. The 24-year-old ended the season posting 15/245/1 receiving on 22 targets (16.3 YPR) while playing 22% of the snaps in 15 games. Turner will be in a battle to secure one of the final WR roster spots in Seattle this August.
Ricardo Louis (Mia) — Louis and the Dolphins reached terms on a one-year, $660,000 contract.
Fantasy Points: Louis hasn’t played in a game since 2017 after missing the last two years because of a pair of season-ending injuries — neck (2018) and knee (2019). He did post 45/562/0 receiving (12.5 YPR) on 96 targets in his first two NFL seasons with the Browns after being drafted 114th overall out of Auburn in 2016. Louis was a workout warrior at the Combine with a 4.43 40-time, a 38-inch vertical, and a 132-inch broad jump at 6’2”, 215 pounds. He’s going to have to blow away the Dolphins to earn a 53-man roster spot, but he’s at least still relatively young having just turned 26 years old in March.
