2021 Fantasy Football: Old Faces, New Places 2.0
When creating fantasy football rankings, the veterans that have joined new teams in the offseason are often difficult to evaluate. While consistent talents such as Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen will satisfy fantasy owners, where does Matt Stafford rank after joining the Los Angeles Rams? Is Corey Davis now a viable option after signing with the New York Jets?
2021 Fantasy Football: Old Faces, New Places 1.0
WR Corey Davis, New York Jets
Davis has been somewhat of a fantasy bust given his days at Tennessee. By now, most expect someone drafted fifth overall to have a 1,000-yard receiving season. Davis is going to be the primary receiver in New York, however, the Jets haven’t produced fantasy studs in the past. The last receiver to total 1,000+ receiving yards was Brandon Marshall in 2015. Davis is ranked as the WR46, which makes him someone plug in on bye weeks or when injuries start piling up.
QB Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers
Darnold leaving New York in hopes of getting a fresh start with the Carolina Panthers places him as QB26 ahead of the 2021 season. In most leagues, it suggest he will go undrafted. However, there is some upside. DJ Moore and former teammate Robby Anderson will benefit with Darnold under center, while Christian McCaffrey will not see a decrease in value. Darnold is still capable of playing at a high level and surpassing his projections.
WR Curtis Samuel, Washington Football Team
Had Samuel stayed on the Panthers, he would likely be in a better situation when it comes to fantasy purposes. Instead, he is expected to catch passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Defenses without a lockdown corner are going to roll their coverages to Terry McLaurin, freeing up players such as Samuel and Kelvin Harmon. His targets increased every year in Carolina, and given he has this offseason and preseason to build a rapport with Ryan Fitzpatrick, I predict he will steadily grow. Samuel is ranked as the WR35 with an outside shot of breaking WR25 status this season.
RB Kenyan Drake, Las Vegas Raiders
Drake surpassed expectations last season, as he was 45 yards shy of having 1,000 yards on the ground. In addition, Drake found the end zone on 10 occasions. This season, he is ranked as the RB37 as a handcuff to Josh Jacobs. From a fantasy perspective, adding Drake to the roster in Las Vegas hurts both his value and the value of Jacobs as well. After signing a two-year, $11 deal, he is likely to see enough carries to be considered an impact on the Raiders offense. It will take an injury or suspension for one of the two to see increased value.
QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
The fantasy value of Goff didn’t exactly increase over the offseason after being traded to the Detroit Lions. He is currently ranked as the QB28 ahead of the 2021 season, meaning he is only of use in 2QB or large leagues. The Lions are in full rebuild mode, and there are no options for Goff that jump off the page in the passing game. Tight end TJ Hockenson will likely be the primary option, but he caught 66% of targets last year. In the year prior, that number fell to a mere 54% total. The receiving core currently includes the likes of Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman, so it’s difficult to imagine Goff having much fantasy success in Detroit.
