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New England Patriots

What’s changed since last year? With superstar TE Rob Gronkowski retired (for now, anyway) along with the departure of former Colts TE Dwayne Allen, the Patriots needed depth at the Tight End position and signed former Bronco Matt LaCosse, and the aging Ben Watson (who played with the Pats / Brady from 2004-2009). While not much has changed with the RBs besides adding third-round rookie Damien Harris to push Sony Michel, the Pats are throwing WRs against the wall this year to see what sticks. New additions include N’Keal Harry (rookie), Jakobi Meyers (UDFA), former Redskin Maurice Harris, and former Bear/Saint Cameron Meredith.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Beat reporters have continued to espouse praise on UDFA Jakobi Meyers, but it’s too early to put a stamp on him as anything other than camp hype. The most likely breakout WR on the team currently is a toss-up between Phillip Dorsett (5^th year) or Maurice Harris (4^th year). Dorsett plays more outside snaps than Harris, but Harris has drawn the attention of coaches as of late due to his big body (6’3”, 205 lbs). I think it’s likely that Dorsett has the edge currently due to his speed and draft pedigree (4.33 40-time, 2015 1^st rounder).

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Again, I like Phillip Dorsett here, he is currently not being drafted in fantasy leagues with an aggregate ADP of 300 (WR100), but if you follow the money he was given a $500K bonus this offseason, which is more than Inman, Thomas, Harris, Davis, and Meyers, and with Josh Gordon out of the lineup, Dorsett was playing at a WR3/4 pace with 60% more targets than he had otherwise. Contingent on a few variables, Dorsett could be a steal in the last round of your fantasy draft.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? With the departure of Rob Gronkowski, it’s a little tougher to find the every-game studs on this offense, but that title here clearly lies between Julian Edelman (ADP 43, WR16) and Sony Michel (ADP 52, RB25). Edelman finished as a WR2 or better in 75% of his games last year and should continue to be Brady’s favorite target. Michel has been great, but there are concerns with his knee, third-round rookie Damien Harris, and the other RBs (James White, Rex Burkhead, etc) taking away work. Bottom line: Edelman will still be very attractive in PPR leagues but looking at their overall possible fantasy values for 2019 I’d go Michel by a hair.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? I can see UDFA Damien Harris being drafted (currently 12^th round ADP in standard leagues), but then dropped when Sony Michel dominates the short yardage and goal-line work on the field. Injuries happen often at the RB position though, and if Michel’s knee acts up or he gets injured in another way on the field, Harris should be the guy that gets the nod. Similarly, if Julian Edelman is unable to play all 16 games, Maurice Harris will be a popular one.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? N’Keal Harry was the #32 pick overall in the 2019 NFL rookie draft but is still having some mental issues in camp (not surprising in Belichick’s offense). UDFA Jakobi Meyers is enjoying a ton of hype right now but the WR corps are crowded this year and the veterans will likely retain the starting slots as we get closer to the regular season. Damien Harris was drafted early to get some work, but the only likely regular rookie starter for the Patriots this year is Harry – he was drafted to play right away.

Miami Dolphins

What’s changed since last year? The Dolphins tried to be a good team over the past several years – they really did! But after little to no success, they are finally entering a rebuilding phase. Jettisoning Ryan Tannehill, Miami picked up both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen to head up the offense, and recently acquired Allen Hurns from the Cowboys. They drafted some RB depth in Chandler Cox and Myles Gaskin, and picked up Dwayne Allen to help out at TE.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Former Chief Albert Wilson (WR69) may fit the breakout WR role this year, as he was on his way to doing just that in 2018 before going down with a season-ending hip injury. In the 7 games he played last year, he recorded the best YAC per reception (13.3) of any WR with at least 35 targets. The 2^nd best was 7.9, which shows just how elusive and high-level he was playing at. He’s also #1 over the last 2 seasons for forced missed tackle per reception rate out of any receivers with a minimum of 25 receptions. He was trending toward a stat line of 50+ receptions for 800+ yards and 8+ TDs before going down.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Jakeem Grant (WR138) is a name to remember as a sleeper, he’s a 4^th year WR for the Dolphins that started as primarily a KR/PR specialist with breakaway speed, but they asked him to learn to be an outside receiver in 2017. He suffered an Achilles injury which ended his 2018 season, but not before becoming the 2^nd person (after Andre Roberts) in NFL history to catch a TD pass and return both a kick and a punt for TDs.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? The Dolphins offense does not contain any studs (which I would qualify as an approximately top-20 player at their respective position), but the closest would likely be Kenyan Drake (RB26), who scored 9 TDs last year and excels as a pass-catching RB. The issue there is the possibility of Kalen Ballage (RB45) cutting into his workload, and the uncertainty of a new coaching staff’s choices with their playmakers.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Kenny Stills (WR62) could be a monster if we get a lot of deep balls in games coming from behind this year. His ADP has him being drafted in the 19^th round, which means that quite a few leagues will still have him on the waiver wire. Here is a guy who has demonstrated solid WR2/3 seasons in the past and he could have one again. Fitzmagic, anyone?

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Both Chandler Cox and Myles Gaskin were drafted for RB depth and shouldn’t provide real fantasy value this season – but watch out for UDFA Preston Williams, a 6’4”, 211 lb. receiver who has already been impressing this preseason. Note: he was forced out of his college career at Tennessee due to a domestic violence arrest.

Buffalo Bills

What’s changed since last year? The Bills need to continue building around 2^nd year QB Josh Allen, and they did that in the offseason by signing WRs John Brown and Cole Beasley, TE Tyler Kroft, and RBs Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon. They also drafted third-round rookie RB Devin Singletary, to add some youth to the RB room.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? A true 3^rd year breakout candidate, Zay Jones (ADP200, WR66) was picked by the Bills in the 2^nd round of the 2017 draft, and has steadily improved his production since then. More than doubling his output from his rookie year, 2018 (and new QB Josh Allen) saw Jones’ stats rise to 56 receptions for 652 yards and 7 TDs. Adding John Brown should help take some pressure off of Jones and allow for him to emerge as the #1 WR for an up and coming Bills team and a WR 2/3 in fantasy.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? This really shouldn’t be the case, as John Brown (ADP 167, WR59) has had terrific seasons in the past with the Cardinals, and more than a few good games with the Ravens (before Lamar Jackson took over for Flacco and passing went out the window), but Brown can and should excel as a deep threat on the Bills with QB Josh Allen. His current ADP leaves him as undrafted in some leagues, but he has plenty of spark left, especially with Allen’s deep ball being one of the best in the league.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? No studs to find here just yet, the highest drafted player in standard leagues on the Bills is LeSean McCoy (ADP 101, RB40). Younger talent is developing but needs more time to marinate!

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Look no further than the Bills’ RBs: LeSean McCoy had only 3.2 YPC last year, and Frank Gore just turned 36. Happy Birthday, Frank.. time to consider retirement, maybe? Third-round pick Devin Singletary (ADP 142, RB53) crushed it in College last year (FAU, 33 TDs, over 2000 yards from scrimmage), and he has the goods to push for the starting job in Buffalo. He was clearly drafted to take over the reins. There is certainly a scenario where the aging McCoy and Gore keep the job, but I think Singletary has a good chance to finish the season as the starting Bills RB.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Already mentioned was Devin Singletary, and fellow rookie Dawson Knox could provide some value at TE, but is not a recommendation for anything but dynasty leagues at this point.

New York Jets

What’s changed since last year? Well.. let’s start with Le’Veon Bell and Jamison Crowder as the most impactful offseason adds – the Jets also brought in Ty Montgomery and Ryan Griffin for offensive depth (and in Giffin’s case, at least some games as the starter while Chris Herndon is suspended for 4 games).

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? He’s had some good years already, but in 2019, 4^th year WR Robby Anderson (ADP 74, WR29) may be primed to be a top 10-15 receiver in the league. Robby is not a smart man based on his constant brush-ins with the law, but he is one of the best downfield receivers out there. In fact, he was the #2 WR in the entire league over weeks 14-16, only behind DeAndre Hopkins. Over that span, he put up an average of 20+ fantasy points per game. Adding in Le’Veon Bell as an additional threat should only give Anderson more opportunities to get open in this offense.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Take a look at Jamison Crowder (ADP 213, WR71). Crowder has showcased his talents in the slot while on the Redskins (averaged 100+ targets and 66+ receptions over the 2016 and 2017 seasons), and now steps into the Jarvis Landry role with Adam Gase as the new head coach of the Jets. If he can avoid major injuries, Crowder will find a lot of success in this surging Jets’ offense pairing up with Sam Darnold. In 2017, Crowder was the WR41 in standard and WR33 in PPR leagues. He is a great speculative pickup in the late rounds of this year’s draft for a WR4/5.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? No question here, Le’Veon Bell (ADP 7, RB6)  will dominate touches in the backfield – the Jets are paying him to do so, and he still has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Chris Herndon (ADP 201, TE23) is suspended for 4 games to start the season because of his DUI arrest last June. Because of this, he likely won’t be drafted in most fantasy leagues without deep rosters, but he is definitely someone to look at acquiring in late rounds or before his suspension ends. In 2018, Herndon finished at the TE15 in standard leagues as a rookie and he played several games in TE1 territory.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The Jets drafted Trevon Wesco as TE depth, but he will not likely have any fantasy relevance. Quinnen Williams was the #3 overall pick but won’t be much help to the offense as a Defensive Lineman!­­

Denver Broncos

What’s changed since last year? Let’s start with Joe Flacco as the starting QB of the Broncos, that’ll be interesting. And ringmaster John Elway rolled the dice on another young QB in Drew Lock, selected #42 overall in the rookie draft. They recently picked up the former Lion Theo Riddick, though he has a fractured shoulder to work through (6-8 weeks), but the biggest offensive boon from a fantasy standpoint may come from rookie TE Noah Fant (TE20), who has been compared to a Jimmy Graham / Aaron Hernandez / Eric Ebron type of receiving Tight End.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Broncos’ receivers beyond Emmanuel Sanders (WR45) are a bit of a jumble right now (he’s the only WR on the roster that has had a 45-catch season in the NFL), but signs point to 2^nd year Courtland Sutton (WR38, drafted round 2, 2018) breaking out as he transitions to the #1 WR on the Broncos. 704 yards and 4 TDs on 42 receptions last year could lead to bigger and better, especially since he was pushed in as a rookie to fill the shoes of Demariyus Thomas after Thomas was traded to the Texans in late October.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Although his ADP is still very low, I’m hearing whispers from Denver beat reporters that Royce Freeman (10^th round ADP, RB39) will have an increased workload in 2019 – splitting time or even taking most of Phillip Lindsay’s (5^th round ADP, RB22) short-yardage and goal-line touches. This is not to say that Lindsay won’t have a good season – just that he’s likely being overvalued whereas Freeman should outperform his ADP.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? Phillip Lindsay is currently the highest drafted Bronco with an ADP of 42 overall, but I would not consider him a stud – therefore Denver is currently bereft of any surefire game-winning players that you could draft with near 100% certainty in my mind.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? One player that may go undrafted in some leagues but could also fit the ‘sleeper’ tag and will be picked up on the waiver wire at some point during the season (early on, probably) is Daesean Hamilton (20^th round ADP, WR66). Hamilton ended the year averaging 9.5 targets over his last 4 games and will be the primary slot receiver for the Broncos. He could easily eclipse Courtland Sutton (and did last year as Sutton did not take off strong from the starting line), but will never be a #1 receiver (comps to Steve Johnson of the Bills who had several seasons of around 80 receptions for 1000+ yards).

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Noah Fant is more than likely the only rookie this year that will have a fantasy impact. Currently being drafted as the 20^th TE off the board, he will score some TDs and be a waiver wire fill-in at the very least. QB Drew Lock is not likely to play this season unless there is an injury to Joe Flacco, but that’s certainly a possibility, and round 6 WR flier Juwann Winfree is a developmental prospect who could be good down the road but doesn’t profile as impactful this season.

Kansas City Chiefs

What’s changed since last year? The Chiefs picked up WR Mecole Hardman (4.33-second 40-yard dash, yipes! 18^th round ADP, WR61) in round 2, and RB Darwin Thompson (19^th round ADP, RB60) in round 6 this year’s NFL draft. They signed free agent and former Jaguar Carlos Hyde (12^th round ADP, RB44), and they were able to keep Tyreek Hill (ADP 17, WR6) out of jail.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? I would say Sammy Watkins (9^th round ADP, WR34) but he already broke out with over 1,000 yards and 9 TDs in 2015. 4^th year WR Demarcus Robinson (ADP 264, WR91) is a possible breakout candidate after the departure of Chris Conley (and previously Albert Wilson). Robinson will be going into a contract year and if Watkins can’t stay healthy again, Robinson should slot right in as the 3^rd option in the passing game, behind Hill and Kelce. He has reportedly been working with Mahomes on deep-ball plays, so that’s certainly promising.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? If you’re paying attention to the current situation at RB, there is a war waging. Rookie Darwin Thompson could challenge Carlos Hyde for the backup role, or even supplant Williams as the starter in Kansas City if he continues to show issues with his hamstring. Thompson flashed some good talent during the first preseason game and the Chiefs have not been particularly loyal to RBs since Andy Reid took the reins. Reid has already stated that a RBBC approach may be the best for this season, casting a shadow over the whole situation. Thompson is a high-risk, high-reward pick.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? The Chiefs have a player being drafted within the top 15 of every offensive position. In fact, if you take out Damien Williams (ADP 25, RB14), you get 3 guys in Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce that are all arguably top 5. But Mahomes and Kelce both have ADPs of #1 for their respective positions, so they are clearly the answer here. If in a standard draft only starting 1 QB, the most valuable over replacement player (VORP) award goes to Travis Kelce.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? There’s not much to work with here, but again I look at Darwin Thompson as a guy that will likely go undrafted unless chosen as a sleeper, and there is a high likelihood that either Damien Williams or Carlos Hyde have some kind of injury that will allow Thompson to climb up the depth chart, at least for a short time. Whoever the top RBs are on KC on any given Sunday, they will both hold fantasy value.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? I’ve covered Darwin Thompson – Mecole Hardman was being hyped up as a possible Tyreek Hill replacement/fill-in if Hill was to be disciplined by the NFL for issues off the field in the offseason. Hill was not suspended and Hardman will likely not have a fantasy relevant role in the current offense, barring injury, etc.

Los Angeles Chargers

What’s changed since last year? Tyrod Taylor was added and will serve as a great backup QB, and Tyrell Williams was released and picked up by the Raiders. Antonio Gates is again a free agent, and as long as Hunter Henry is healthy, this could be the first season that the Chargers won’t have Gates on their roster since 2003.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? This one is easy. 3^rd year WR Mike Williams (ADP 61, WR25) had 10 TDs in 2018 on 66 targets (43 receptions for 664 yards), but the departure of Tyrell Williams will open more targets for him in the offense immediately. The fact that the Chargers didn’t go out to get more receivers shows trust in his new role as the solid #2 WR. Williams played all 16 games last year after struggling a little with injuries in his rookie season.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Melvin Gordon (ADP 23, RB13) is holding out for a larger contract, and has officially requested a trade out of Los Angeles. Scary stuff. If the two sides come to an agreement and all is well, Austin Ekeler (8^th round ADP, RB34) will still have value as one of the better backups with pass-catching ability out of the backfield, but Justin Jackson (17^th round ADP, RB57) is a sleeper candidate that could give you an RB2/3 with the last pick of the draft. The question is, will Gordon’s situation be resolved or not? It’s currently pushing his ADP down further each week.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? The top drafted player on the Chargers is Keenan Allen (ADP 28, WR11), and there is no reason why he shouldn’t finish the season with around 100 receptions, 1200 yards, and 6 TDs, just as he has for the previous two seasons. He has also not missed a game since 2016. Draft Allen confidently in all formats.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Travis Benjamin (ADP 291, WR99) should be able to secure the #3 WR spot behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, and in an offense where Phillip Rivers has thrown for more than 4,000 yards 6 years in a row, Benjamin could absolutely be a waiver wire fill-in as a WR4/5 in some weeks this season.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The Chargers drafted QB Easton Stick in round 5 as a developmental pick and possible successor to Phillip Rivers, but he’s not fantasy relevant at this point. No other offensive picks to mention this year.

Oakland Raiders

What’s changed since last year? There’s been quite a few changes in Oakland – perhaps they’re getting ready for the big change to Las Vegas, but I digress. The big move for the Raiders was to acquire Antonio Brown from the Steelers for a 3^rd and 5^th round pick. At the time, it seemed like a steal. Now it seems like the Steelers might have the last laugh. They also signed Tyrell Williams, formerly of the Chargers. Derek Carr’s favorite target last season, Jared Cook, is no longer on the team – but I think the new toys at WR should go a long way in consoling him. Finally, the Raiders used one of their three first round picks on a RB, Josh Jacobs from Alabama.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? The best breakout contender on the Raiders is JJ Nelson. This doesn’t mean that we’ve forgotten Tyrell Williams, it’s just that he basically already broke out in 2016 with over 1000 yards. But back to Nelson – he’s a burner who was drafted to the Cardinals back when Bruce Arians was the coach. He fits systems where you can go deep and take shots down the field. That’s not quite what the Raiders have been in the past, but with the other additions at WR, it’s certainly the direction that the team is heading this year.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Currently, Hunter Renfrow (ADP 375, WR113) is not being drafted, but could find his way into a big role this season. As long as he’s not singing, he has looked pretty good on Hard Knocks and seems to be incorporated into the offense already. It helps that basically every WR is new to the team this year. Renfrow is listed on the depth chart as the starting slot receiver, so expect him to see some looks early, especially since Carr likes to throw it over the middle.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? Based on the advice of our resident Raiders expert, Tad Bukowski, he has stated firmly and unequivocally that Antonio Brown is still the stud WR that we all remember from years past. He’s currently sitting at ADP 22 (WR11) which is his cheapest draft cost since he was a rookie. Of course, that’s due to his new surroundings, but hey, AB is AB and it’s hard to argue against his six straight seasons with over 100 catches. He’s scored 67 touchdowns during that time as well.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Two guys that you can check out – Hunter Renfrow mentioned above) and Darren Waller, who was signed off the Ravens practice squad. Waller is currently the starting TE on the depth chart and has an ADP of 322 (TE27), so he’s likely to be a streaming TE option for the early part of the season. If he can fill the Jared Cook role from last season, then Waller is going to be fantasy relevant for sure. As for Renfrow, he will likely be on the waiver wire unless there’s a Raiders fan in your league – but he isn’t likely to stay there long.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The two main rookies on this team are Josh Jacobs (ADP 36, RB21) and Hunter Renfrow. The rest of the early picks the Raiders had were for the defense. Jacobs should lead the backfield in carries this season and is currently looked at as an RB2/3 and will likely be in most starting fantasy lineups this season. Renfrow has a ways to go to be fantasy relevant this season, but he is Tad’s pick on the Raiders to rise the ranks quickly and be a contributor to this offense.

Philadelphia Eagles

What’s changed since last year? The Eagles acquired Jordan Howard (WR34) from the Bears and signed Desean Jackson (WR50) as a free agent. Both guys look to be fantasy relevant this year, but will likely be later round picks, with Howard going in the 9^th and Jackson going in the 14^th rounds on average. Nick Foles has also moved on, so the Superbowl MVP and safety blanket for Carson Wentz is gone.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? The Eagles are pretty set at WR right now, but TE Dallas Goedert could be a potential breakout. He had a good catch percentage last season, hauling in 33 of his 44 targets for 334 yards and 4 TDs last season. The Eagles run a lot of “12 personnel” which has 2 tight ends on the field. With Zach Ertz drawing a lot of attention, and Desean Jackson’s speed, Goedert could find a lot of 1 on 1 opportunities over the middle of the field.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Currently, the best value I see on this team is Desean Jackson late in drafts and Dallas Goedert as an easy free agent pickup after the draft is over.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? Zach Ertz is currently the consensus TE2 and being drafted at the end of the third round. With the scarcity at the top of the position, I don’t mind taking him if you can get him at the end of the third or beginning of the 4^th. I do suspect that his ADP will rise as the draft season heats up based on his massive numbers from last season, especially in PPR leagues.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Dallas Goedert is a good handcuff for Ertz if you do draft him early, but chances are he will remain on the waiver wire for at least the first few weeks of the season. If you do not take a TE early and have a deep bench, Goedert is a good add for depth and has some breakout potential. JJ Arcega-Whiteside is another player who is not being drafted and could contribute to the team, especially if any of the starting WRs goes down.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Miles Sanders is the main rookie to know, as he’s going to compete with Jordan Howard for the bulk of the carries. The RB group in Philly is crowded, and includes Wendell Smallwood, Corey Clement and Darren Sproles – all of whom have contributed in big ways in the last couple of seasons. As mentioned earlier, JJ Arcega-Whiteside is behind a lot of veterans on the depth chart, but could see more action if there’s injury, which is a safe bet in the NFL. Arcega-Whiteside could also see more playing time if Nelson Agholor remains underwhelming.

Dallas Cowboys

What’s changed since last year? Cole Beasley has left for Buffalo, leaving his 87 targets behind. In his place, the Cowboys signed Randall Cobb. Last season, Cobb had just 38 catches on 61 targets, which is a dismal 62% catch rate. If Cobb could not produce with Aaron Rodgers last season when he was short on WRs, then I don’t expect him to turn it around in Dallas. Cobb’s ADP of 219 (WR74) backs me up as someone who is not draftable. Jason Witten returns as their TE. He spent a year in the booth with ESPN and will not be missed by viewers who are not his mother. Witten returning is probably not a guarantee for much production, however with the lack of depth at TE across the league, he’s at least fantasy relevant. Witten was the 10^th best TE in 2017 (his last season) , but will still be an upgrade over Blake Jarwin, who was TE26 last season. His ADP of 284 means that he’s a waiver pickup if you want him.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? I don’t want to force this category, and obviously there is not going to be an actual breakout on every team. I will drop one name, however. Michael Gallup had a poor catch rate, but was an outside guy and had a very solid 15.4 yards per reception. If the Cobb experiment doesn’t work out (it won’t), then Gallup could find himself getting a few more targets opposite Amari Cooper.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Michael Gallup’s ADP is currently 163 (WR57) and he can basically be taken at the end of drafts as a flyer. I also think that Dak Prescott is decent value, his ADP is 139 (QB21) and will go undrafted in some leagues. Prescott has been remarkably consistent and did show an uptick last season when Amari Cooper joined the team. He also has 6 rushing touchdowns in each of his 3 seasons so far – providing a pretty decent floor for a backup QB on your team, or a second guy in a 2 QB league.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? Easy – Ezekiel Elliott. This is not a situation like Bell where Zeke can sit out a year and move on after that. Zeke is still under contract through next year, and then they can start putting the franchise tag on him. He will play and he was the only player last season to carry the ball over 300 times. He is a first round pick in all formats (ADP 4/RB 4) and he’s firmly in the top tier of running backs this season.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? In week one or two, you may find Michael Gallup on the waiver wire, and if Jason Witten has a good performance to start, you’ll also see him being picked up based on his name alone. That being said, I don’t see a lot of good fantasy depth on this team. You’re basically going to want Amari Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott and maybe Dak Prescott. After that, it’s difficult to find any fantasy relevance on the Cowboys.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Again, I’m not going to force any of these categories. The Cowboys didn’t draft a skill position until the 4^th round with Tony Pollard at RB. His ADP is currently 209, which shows that people really aren’t concerned with him taking Zeke’s spot, despite reportedly playing well with Zeke out of camp. Pollard will not be relevant unless Zeke can’t/doesn’t play at some point.

Washington Redskins

What’s changed since last year? The Redskins had a carousel at QB last season, and I expect more of the same this year – so I suppose that there’s not a fundamental change there. Colt McCoy sits on top of the depth chart in the preseason, with Case Keenum right behind him. Alex Smith is still out from his broken leg last year, and first round pick Dwayne Haskins is being brought along, but isn’t a threat to start the season. I would not be surprised if every one of those guys got a start this year. They did lose Jameson Crowder to the Jets, though his 388 yards and 49 targets won’t be hard to replace. In fact, the leading receiver last year was Jordan Reed, with only 558 yards. No receivers had more than 2 TDs on the team, so it’s safe to say that the receiving group will be better this year, no matter what happens.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Paul Richardson, if healthy (recovering from a shoulder injury last November), could be someone who can finally live up to his potential. This is his 6^th season in the league, though he’s only started 23 games total. His ADP of 269 (WR88) makes him undraftable and he is, admittedly, a long shot here. Derrius Guice had to sit out last season, and has been nursing a hamstring injury this year. Despite this, he is the highest Washington player on the ADP list (ADP 65/RB 30). Guice has the most potential of the unknown talents on the team, but he’s yet to see a single snap in the NFL. We’re talking potential here and there’s not much more to go on.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Well, I don’t know about sleepers as in players who will surprise you, but there’s great value for Adrian Peterson at an ADP of 140 (RB51) and Chris Thompson at ADP 192 (RB63). The best WR on the team last year, Josh Doctson, has an ADP of 285 (WR94). The leading pass catcher on the team, Jordan Reed, has an ADP of 155 (TE16). Basically, you can have any of the “leaders” from the Redskins last year. The Redskins could very well be the least drafted team in fantasy football this year.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? None. This is a stud-less team. They are so far away from having a fantasy stud that were I to suggest one, you would immediately close this article.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Basically any of the players mentioned earlier. The entire team will likely be available on the waiver wire early in the season, so if the Redskins do manage to have a good start, there will be plenty of options available. Of course, they play the Eagles and Bears in two of their first three games, so fat chance of that good start happening.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Dwayne Haskins is the QB of the future for Washington. He is not relevant in redraft leagues to start the season (ADP 236/QB28), but his pedigree is there. He has the single season record for passing yards and TDs at Ohio State and was picked at #15 overall, the 3^rd QB taken in the 2019 draft. He will be relevant if you have a dynasty draft, but otherwise he will be a pickup later in the year once he gets some starts. Haskins’ college teammate, Terry McLaurin, is a guy who can shine at WR. He ran a 4.32-40 at the combine and should see plenty of time on the field since there’s nobody on the depth chart ahead of him that really demands playing time. McLaurin can hopefully keep his relationship with Haskins going and turn it into a productive rookie year.

New York Giants

What’s changed since last year? Most notably, the Giants traded Odell Beckham away to the Browns. They did acquire a top tier offensive guard, Kevin Zeitler, which should improve their running game. That being said, the loss of Beckham will be felt all year long, as they did not replace him or his 124 targets at all. Golden Tate is new to the team and will try to pick up the slack, but he is now suspended for the first 4 games of the season. Tate will probably be a very high volume PPR receiver when he returns and can be had at a cheap price right now, his ADP is 111 (WR44).

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Nobody really stands out to me as a potential breakout on the Giants, mostly because of the presence of Eli Manning. It’s certainly possible that one of the WRs can step up just based on the fact that there’s nobody else to throw to, but the 2018 Redskins proved that that doesn’t have to be the case.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? The uncertainty with the passing game in New York, coupled with his 4 game suspension, makes Golden Tate probably the only “sleeper” candidate on the Giants. Of course, he’s going to miss 4 games – but most sleepers don’t come on right away anyways.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? Saquon Thunder-Thighs Barkley. He’s currently ADP 1 and will have a very high percentage of the offense going through him this year. If (when) the Giants are losing, he will see lots of check down passes out of the backfield, he’s going to be even more fun in PPR leagues.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? It’s certainly possible that a WR like Bennie Fowler, Cody Latimer, or Russell Shepard can step up due to a lack of depth at the position. However – I wouldn’t count on it, but they are names to keep an eye on anyways.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Daniel Jones is the Eli Manning of the future, drafted 6^th overall this year. I certainly think that given the state of the team, they might as well start him as soon as possible, but that doesn’t seem to be the plan. I do expect Jones to eventually get starts, but that will probably come later in the season when they are eliminated from the playoffs and have a (likely) 1-9 record. Almost all of the rest of the Giants draft picks came on the defense.

Minnesota Vikings

What’s changed since last year? The core of the Vikings will remain the same this season, with just a few minor changes. Latavius Murray is gone, he’s on the Saints now. That leaves Dalvin Cook as the main running back, though rookie Alexander Mattison (3^rd round) is someone who could see a decent share of carries this season, but more on him and fellow rookie Irv Smith Jr. in a moment. The most important change for the Vikings this year will come if Dalvin Cook can stay healthy all year. He’s only played 14 games in his first two seasons and he needs to stay on the field to be worthy of his ADP 20 (RB11) current draft spot.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? There’s not much here as the main core of the Vikings is already well established, but you could keep an eye out for WR Chad Beebe, an UDFA from last year. He’s gotten a lot of hype during practice for making some big catches, but wasn’t heard from in the first preseason game. He also returns punts and holds for the kicker (during practice), so he’s at least making himself valuable for special teams. That being said, he’s not even listed on fantasypros’ ADP list, so no, there are not really any breakout candidates on the Vikings this year.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? The main fantasy names on the Vikings – Diggs, Thielen and Cook, are all being drafted in the first 4 rounds, so sleepers they are not. I do propose that Kirk Cousins is a sleeper with an ADP of 144 (QB19). Cousins has the talent to be a top 10 guy (the 2^nd highest paid QB this year) and you could essentially just draft him at the very end of a draft and get reasonable production from the QB slot while adding more depth to your other positions. You like that?

What stud can you draft without hesitation? There are potentially 3 fantasy studs on this team, but the one I like the most is Adam Thielen (ADP 26, WR11). Thielen had 142 targets in 2017 and 153 in 2018, showing that he has ridiculous volume coming to him, regardless of who’s at QB. His catch rate went from 64.1% in 2017 to 73.9% in 2018 and his TDs went from 4 to 9 over the same time period. He’s clearly got a good rapport with Cousins and I feel that if he and Cousins are healthy, a WR10 finish is basically his floor for this season.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? If you’re into streaming QBs, keep an eye out for Kirk Cousins, as his draft spot currently could leave him undrafted in some 10 team leagues. Alexander Mattison is also a guy who could wind up on the waiver wire early in the season. He’s a great handcuff for Dalvin Cook and might just be used in a 2 RB system anyways, similar to the rotation they had with Murray/Cook last year.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Two offensive rookies, Alexander Mattison (ADP 153, RB52) and Irv Smith Jr (ADP 240, TE281) are the guys to check out this year. Mattison was drafted in the third round and he’s not quite relevant at his draft value, however, he is likely to get a decent share of carries this year based on Dalvin Cook’s injury history. He’s certainly going to be involved in the offense and not just taken out of moth balls once Cook gets hurt. Irv Smith Jr was drafted in the 2^nd round and was a bit of a surprise, considering the Vikings have Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph did sign a big contract this year, but the team has an out in 2020 and just has to eat the rest of his signing bonus against their cap. Smith should be slowly introduced into the offense and will be relevant in dynasty drafts, but is unlikely to be involved in redraft leagues this season.

Chicago Bears

What’s changed since last year? The RB group in Chicago has had a shake-up – Jordan Howard was unceremoniously dumped on the Philadelphia Eagles for a sixth-round pick. The Bears then acquired Mike Davis, formerly of the Seahawks muddled backfield. Then, to cap it off, they drafted David Montgomery with their first available pick in the 2019 draft (third round). Montgomery showed some flash and we’ll get to him more in a bit. For now, it looks like the QB, WR and TE groups are the same as last year, while the RBs have received a decent upgrade.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Last year’s rookie WR, Anthony Miller, appeared in 15 games, had catches in 12 of those games, but scored a whopping 7 TDs. He saw the bulk of his work in the middle of the season – he only had 4 catches over his last 5 games. Miller is definitely a guy who can benefit from a larger number of targets and might wind up being fantasy relevant this year. He’s definitely trusted by Mitch Trubisky to get the ball into the end zone.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Anthony Miller is also the sleeper that has some good draft value. His current ADP of 141 (WR53) is far below his consensus ranking of 113 (WR45), so he can be drafted in the late rounds and has some great potential to make it to WR3 status this season. Allen Robinson also has a discrepancy between his ranking and ADP. His ADP is listed at 75 overall (WR31), but he’s ranked 61. If you can grab Allen Robinson in the 8^th round of your draft, that’s a good value for a #1 WR on a team that will likely want to throw the ball more than the 512 times they did last year. Other Bears like Montgomery (ADP 42, RB22), Tarik Cohen (ADP 69, RB31) and Trubisky (ADP 152, QB21) will be fantasy relevant, but are probably right about where they should be on the draft boards.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? The Bears will have an improved offense, but honestly, they don’t have any studs on this offense. I wouldn’t even recommend the DST as a “stud”, considering that they have a new coordinator this season and that last year’s league-leading 36 turnovers will be hard to replicate.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Taylor Gabriel (ADP 293) is not being drafted anywhere and will be available during the first few weeks of the season. He current is listed as a starting WR on the team’s depth chart, so if he has early success, he may be able to hold off Anthony Miller from overtaking him. I also think that Cordarrelle Patterson could wind up as a heck of a gadget player, but is probably only worth owning in leagues that give points for return yards.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? David Montgomery is the rookie to know on the Bears in 2019. The team traded up with the Patriots to acquire him, and he was widely regarded as the 2^nd best RB talent in the draft. In his first action (week 1’s preseason game vs the Panthers), he had 3 carries for 16 yards and 1 TD, 3 catches for 30 yards in very limited play. Montgomery’s draft stock will continue to rise as the preseason goes on and he’s shown more and more with the first team. Currently, his ADP of 42 matches his consensus rank of 48, (he’s risen 10 spots in each category since last week) but when you consider he’s just the RB22, I think that’s probably good value considering his upside. If he winds up with a similar rookie year as say, Kareem Hunt (whom scouts have compared Montgomery to, and was drafted around the same spot), he could have over 300 touches and finish as a top 5 RB.

Detroit Lions

What’s changed since last year? The Lions offense may not wind up looking a lot different in terms of results, but at least there’s several new names on the jerseys. Golden Tate was traded mid-way through last season and they signed Danny Amendola to take his place. They also got rid of 3^rd down back Theo Riddick, paving the way for Kerryon Johnson to be the guy, and possibly turn into a proper three down back. Finally, the Lions have changed their OC – Darrell Bevell is going to be calling plays this year. Known for his great running teams from Seattle, Bevell should provide a positive jolt to the offense. Of course, Bevell is also the guy who called a pass from the 1-yard line in Super Bowl XLIX .

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Third year WR Kenny Golladay (ADP 46, WR18), while technically not a breakout candidate (he had 70 receptions for 1063 yards last year and 5 TDs) could take another step forward and has a ceiling of being a top 10 guy. The third year with Matt Stafford will help him out, as well as having two other decent receivers to draw attention away from him.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? I have two guys in mind for sleepers on the Lions, based on their current draft positions. Danny Amendola (ADP 306, WR104) is available at the end of the draft or as a waiver pickup. He will play in the slot for the Lions and will be trying to fill the Golden Tate role. Tate had over 90 receptions each year he was in Detroit (he was extrapolated to have over 90 in the year he was traded). In a PPR league, Amendola is someone who could easily wind up as a WR3 just based on volume alone. I also like the value of T.J. Hockenson (ADP 143, TE13), especially given the scarcity at TE. He’s a rookie, so we’ll get to him in a moment.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? Gone are the days of Megatron in Detroit, and with him the last stud fantasy player that the Lions have had. There are no players I recommend drafting that are definitely going to become studs. Kerryon Johnson comes the closest, however I see his ceiling as maybe a top 15 guy at best.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? As I mentioned earlier, Danny Amendola will likely be available as a waiver pickup early in the season, but he’s likely to be snatched up quickly in PPR leagues, so if you like him, take him at the end of your draft instead. Another waiver possibility will be (the ageless?) C.J. Anderson. Anderson was nothing short of a fantasy stud in the last two games of 2018, filling in for Todd Gurley. 150 yards from scrimmage and a TD (each game) are hard to ignore, and probably got more than a few people a surprise championship to finish out 2018.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? With the 8^th overall pick in the 2019 draft, the Lions took tight end T.J. Hockenson from Iowa (now known as tight end U). Hockenson’s scouting report is glowing and he has a very high ceiling in the NFL. I do worry that the Lions have a history of drafting TEs high and not knowing what to do with them, but there’s a new regime in Detroit (new HC last year, new OC this year), so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re getting this right. Hockenson is currently being drafted as the 13^th TE, but he could wind up as a top 5 guy easily, given the depth of the position.

Green Bay Packers

What’s changed since last year? The biggest change in Green Bay is the play caller. Out with Mike McCarthy and in with Matt LaFleur. Obviously, Aaron Rodgers was going to win that power struggle against McCarthy and I expect the Packers offense to be better this season. The Pack also parted ways with Randall Cobb, thus clearing the way for Marquez Valdes-Scantling to be the #2 WR behind Davante Adams. Aaron Jones (ADP 28, RB15) is also, supposedly, going to be the lead back this season, not really splitting with Jamaal Williams. There is a new coach, but I’m not sold on this increased usage and think that he’s being drafted too high right now.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? The Packers have a WR core full of young guys just itching to break out. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (ADP 112, WR44) leads the pack and is the most likely to reach the 1000 yard milestone this year. Equanimeous St. Brown (ADP 290, WR97) probably has the best measurables of the group, but is currently banged up and questionable for week 1. Geronimo Allison (ADP 118, WR 46) is in his 4^th season on the Packers and he is no secret in drafts. He had good numbers last year, but was only able to play 5 games. If we extrapolate his numbers, he winds up just shy of 1000 yards with 6 TDs. Filling out this group is Jake Kumerow (ADP 375, WR128) who has made some big plays during in preseason, but didn’t get a lot of playing time last year. Of these four guys, I think that Valdes-Scantling has the best chance to break out and be big deal in fantasy.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? I would argue that Valdes-Scantling and Allison are not sleepers since they are being taken in almost all drafts. With them taken out of the picture, I would recommend Equanimeous St. Brown as a sleeper you can nab at the end of the draft. This offense is led by Aaron Rodgers which means they’re going to throw the ball nearly 600 times, and that’s a ton of targets available, allowing for several WRs to thrive.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? This one’s easy – Davante Adams (ADP 8, WR2). Last season, Adams finished as the 3^rd WR in PPR scoring. His worst game was 16.1 points – if he had scored his floor all season long, he would have still be the WR12 on the season. He’s a hell of a wide out and don’t hesitate to grab him, PPR or not. Aaron Rodgers (ADP 48, QB3) gets an honorable mention here, but I don’t endorse taking a QB that early in single QB leagues.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? I could see Jake Kumerow being a waiver pickup later in the year, especially if injuries crop up in the WR group. Kumerow is probably the odd man out to start the season, but will stay on the roster and will see more action as other players wind up having to sit at different points of the season. Jimmy Graham (ADP 165, TE19) is a guy with a big name who fell off the fantasy radar the last few seasons. He’s in a good spot for a comeback player of the year type season, but isn’t currently being drafted. As we keep saying, with the positional scarcity at TE, anyone is a viable option, really.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? New TE Jace Sternberger is the only skill player that the Packers drafted who has a chance at being fantasy relevant this season. Sternberger was a 3^rd round pick this year and is not currently listed in Fantasypros’ ADP list. He will need to pass Jimmy Graham on the depth chart, because the Packers are unlikely to run a lot of two tight end formations.