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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.

We're starting up the engines once again! Weekly podcasts, articles from our crack staff of fantasy analysts and multi-year league champions, and constantly updated rankings are just a few of the things that we offer at no cost to our audience. Looking at all of the off-season changes and preseason hype and factoring in our proprietary rankings algorithm as well as some manual edits for depth chart changes and mental health (here's looking at you, AB!) gives us 2019's preseason rankings to use for your upcoming draft(s). So far this year's top guys at each position are Patrick Mahomes, Christian McCaffrey, DeAndre Hopkins, and Travis Kelce. 

Pay attention to these rankings throughout the week, as they will continue to evolve based on the latest injury updates, news, and player/matchup analysis. Good luck this season and remember, you can tweet us @drinkfive with any of your lineup questions!

Jason and Dave bring on special guest and drinkfive.com contributor Tad Bukowski to discuss the preseason fantasy breakdown of teams in the NFC/AFC West divisions. You've seen how the Raiders have been faring so far on Hard Knocks - do we see things any differently? How about the Cardinals in the NFC West with their new acquisition, #1 pick Kyler Murray? Tune in for an action-packed discussion on the best possible fantasy picks from these teams. We're getting closer and closer to the start of the season - make sure you're prepared to make a run for the championship this season!

Can you guess the musical theme for this podcast? Contact us via email with your guess and we'll send a prize out to the first person to guess correctly. Cheers! Feel free to consult This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ask us your lineup questions @drinkfive on Twitter. Best of luck going forward!

Listen to the Fantasy Finish Line, 8/14/2019: 2019 Preseason, NFC/AFC West

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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!­­