Fantasy Football winners and losers after this year’s first round of the NFL Draft, hopefully giving an alternative perspective of a few players that were affected by some incoming rookies. Let’s take a look.
Winner: Austin Ekeler
I am already a huge fan of Austin Ekeler. When he wasn’t injured last season, he produced top-10 numbers in PPG for fantasy football. The Chargers added a solid addition in to their offensive line through the draft with Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater. Slater’s presence on the line should mean that Ekeler is bound for a significant bounce-back season. I’m very excited for the potential top-tier RB production with Ekeler going forward and you should be too.
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Loser: James Robinson
I know I know, you probably saw this one coming, but how can we not reflect on the gut sinking feeling we all felt when Travis Etienne’s name was announced? There were rumors of Jacksonville snatching Etienne towards the end of the first round, but even so, many were appalled at the Clemson RB stealing James Robinson‘s spotlight.
Unfortunately for the undrafted free agent, his case for being the franchise’s lead running back was not strong enough to persuade the Jaguars away from reuniting Etienne with Lawrence. The duo that had a strong connection in college and is looking to transfer their talents to the NFL, leaving Robinson behind in the dust.
Winner: Allen Robinson
We all know how talented Allen Robinson is, but now you give him the opportunity to play with a franchise QB? I can’t imagine a better scenario coming out of the draft for Allen Robinson. He now has the opportunity to put up elite numbers with Justin Fields as quarterback. With a rookie QB under center, expect him to rely on the elite playmaking ability of Robinson. If your team needs improvement at WR, go target and acquire him as soon as possible!
Loser: Calvin Ridley
This one may come out as a shock to most, but that’s okay. With the Falcons selecting outstanding rookie tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick, it’s pretty clear they see him making an immediate impact in this high-powered offense.
Kyle Pitts is a big body with the potential to rid Calvin Ridley of red-zone targets, therefore stripping him from getting a decent amount of fantasy football points. Calvin Ridley is a fantastic wide receiver, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re Matt Ryan and you’re in the red zone: Who would you throw to? 6’1” Calvin Ridley or an athletic, 6’6” Kyle Pitts that can catch nearly anything thrown within his vicinity?
Don’t go out trading Ridley in your fantasy football league just because you’re worried about the fancy toy in Atlanta eating into his production, but do be aware of the precautions that may come along with the Falcons’ newest addition.
Winner: Jalen Hurts
The Eagles are a young and exciting team, and the addition of DeVonta Smith only adds to their gallery of offensive weapons. As an opposing defense not only do you have to worry about DeVonta Smith on one side, but also threat of second year WR Jalen Reagor as well.
It doesn’t stop there. Throw a little bit of the star running back Miles Sanders into the mix, along with a dual-threat QB, and voila! You have a recipe for success. This offense is now loaded with talent and ready to light up the league with their Jalen Hurts leading the charge.
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