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New Orleans Saints

What’s changed since last year? The Saints have remained pretty steady on offense, with a few minor changes. They acquired Jared Cook at TE, currently ADP 72 (TE7). Cook had his two best receiving yard totals the last two years and he’s moving into an offense that once made epic use of a tight end. He’s got some real potential to be a stand out at a position with very little depth across the league. In the backfield, Mark Ingram has left for Baltimore and the Saints picked up Latavius Murray (ADP 81, RB34) as a change of pace back alongside Alvin Kamara. Murray has at least 6 scores in each of the last 4 seasons and even though TDs aren’t a reliable stat, you can be pretty certain that he will be vulturing a few scores from Kamara.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? There are two young WRs, both drafted in 2018, that I’m keeping an eye on this year on the Saints. Keith Kirkwood (no ADP) seems like he’s still stuck as the WR4. He had over 16 yards per reception last year and found the end zone twice, but he had only 13 catches in 8 games. Kirkwood will be fighting for snaps and is only relevant in the deepest leagues. The best breakout candidate is Tre’Quan Smith (ADP 189, WR65) and his value is perfect as a sleeper. You can take him at the end of a draft, so the investment is minimal. Smith put up a few big games last season, and he might find more action if there’s an injury on the Saints. Still, I’d rather have the 3^rd or 4^th option on a great offense as a bye week replacement over a 1^st or 2^nd option on a bad team.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? I’m tempted to just recommend Tre’Quan Smith here, but honestly, his draft value is probably appropriate for the role that he’s slated for this season. I do think that Ted Ginn (ADP 255, WR85) is a better option as a sleeper. He’s likely to wind up available at the end of even the deepest drafts and is basically the WR2 on an outstanding offense. He was banged up last season, but had 53 catches on 70 targets the year before, so clearly Brees likes to look his way.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? There’s two guys who I’d love to have on my team, though you’re very unlikely to land both of them. Alvin Kamara (ADP 2, RB2) is a stud and has gone before Barkley in most of the drafts that I’ve done so far this year. Kamara has finished as the 4^th highest scoring RB in each of the last 2 seasons and is the safest of the top tier RBs, in my opinion. Michael Thomas (ADP 12, WR3) is another stud who you can count on for gaudy numbers. His last two seasons he was 8^th in WR points in standard leagues and 6^th in points in PPR leagues. It would be nice to see him get into the end zone a bit more, but his 85% catch rate last season was just absurdly good and it’s hard to ask for improvement on that.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Based on his low ADP, Ted Ginn is likely to be an early season waiver pickup. They have three tough matchups to begin the season, vs Texans, @ Rams and @ Seahawks, so the Saints will need to make good use of all of their weapons if they want to win those games.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The Saints traded away a bunch of their picks for 2019 and didn’t select anyone who will be fantasy relevant this season. I would be a terrible host, however, if I didn’t give Shawn a chance to discuss Devine Ozigbo.

Carolina Panthers

What’s changed since last year? The team has parted ways with WR Devin Funchess, who regressed in all statistical categories during a disappointing 2018 campaign. This clears the way for Curtis Samuel to be a regular starter opposite D.J. Moore. More on Samuel in a moment. The Panthers also acquired Chris Hogan, formerly of the Patriots. Hogan basically averages between 55 and 61 targets per year, and that’s over two different teams. I don’t expect much more than that from Hogan, unless there’s injuries ahead of him.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? D.J. Moore (ADP 67, WR28) nearly reached our breakout criteria last season, with 788 yards his rookie season. I think Moore can certainly improve on those numbers as the first option in the passing game this year, and he’s being drafted like someone who will start every week on most fantasy teams. I also like third year WR Curtis Samuel (ADP 97, WR40). He’s improved every year so far and with the departure of Funchess, he’s been moved up the depth chart and should start all season. Both of these guys are not going to go under the radar, so if you see them at good value, I suggest drafting them. Most defenses will be very concerned with stopping Christian McCaffrey and Cam Newton, so there should be plenty of opportunity for the WRs to break loose.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? The fantasy relevance on the Panthers isn’t too deep, but I’d argue that Greg Olsen (ADP 144, TE15) is a worthy sleeper pick. Olsen needs to stay healthy to be relevant, of course, but when he is, his talent puts him just a hair behind the tier 1 TEs. If you’re drafting a TE at the end of the draft like this, you’re probably comfortable with streaming TEs. This is your insurance against any injury to Olsen. His ceiling is much higher than anyone being drafted near him, you just need to deal with his floor of “instantly broken foot”.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? Last year’s RB revelation, Christian McCaffrey (ADP 3, RB3), is a lot of people’s top choice this season. In PPR, he finished 10^th in 2017 and 2^nd in 2018. He’s not missed a game in his career so far (this will be his third season), but his touches did nearly double last year to 327. Usually, RBs can go a couple of years with this kind of workload, so I feel confident that he can remain healthy AND will get a ton of touches this season.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? The Panthers DST (ADP 268, DST25) and kicker Graham Gano (ADP 295, K25) are both ranked rather low at their respective positions, but have been traditionally reliable and will definitely be streaming options throughout the season. TE Ian Thomas (ADP 311, TE33) is also a guy to keep an eye on, especially if you wind up drafting Greg Olsen’s broken foot. Thomas looked OK during his rookie season filling in for Olsen, and aside from a 7 game stretch in the middle of the season where he had just 1 catch, he was as good as any other streaming TE option.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The Panthers do not have any rookies at skill positions that are going to be fantasy relevant this season. Will Grier has competed for the backup job behind Cam, but hasn’t impressed anyone. Jordan Scarlett and Elijah Holyfield will compete to be the backup to McCaffrey.

Atlanta Falcons

What’s changed since last year? The Falcons have had a dual backfield attack for the last couple of seasons, but Tevin Coleman has moved out west, leaving Devonta Freeman (ADP 31, RB16) as the main back and Ito Smith (ADP 166, RB56) as the change of pace guy. I suspect that this winds up as more of a Freeman dominated backfield, with Smith getting just 5-8 touches per game at most. The rest of the Falcons offense looks much like it did last season, which finished 6^th in total yards, despite (or maybe because of) being 29^th in average starting field position.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Well, he’s not going to surprise anyone, as he very nearly reached our breakout threshold last season, but Calvin Ridley (ADP 53, WR22) is a second year WR with all the tools to be a top 10 WR alongside Julio Jones. He’s the younger half of what is arguably one of the best WR combos in the league. With 92 targets last year and 10 TDs, he will certainly see a lot of passes thrown his way this season, though reproducing that touchdown total will be difficult. I like Ridley if he falls to you around the 60^th pick – just don’t reach for him expecting him to have double digit touchdowns again.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? I like Austin Hooper (ADP 127, TE12) as a guy who you can pick up way late in the draft and will probably be able to start most of the season. He’s had a solid few years, improving his stats every season as he goes along. Last year, he had 71 receptions on 88 targets – numbers that only a few TEs can count on. I expect him to get at least as much work with Dirk Koetter as the Falcons OC. Koetter is the guy who made OJ Howard a big name in fantasy, and made us all learn just who the heck Cameron Brate is. He even made Marcedes Lewis a pro-bowler back in 2010.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? The same guy who you’ve tried to draft every year from the Atlanta Falcons. It’s Quintorris Lopez (Julio) Jones (ADP 14, WR4), of course! Julio, despite being panned for not making it to the end zone until week 8, finished the season with a league-high 1677 yards and had 8 TDs. He broke the 100 yard mark 10 times last season. And perhaps the best thing to look forward to – the Falcons don’t play outside until November 17^th in Charlotte, not a notorious bad weather city. Their only other outdoor games are in San Francisco and Tampa Bay, so I expect to see big things from the Falcons offense this season.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Since the Falcons offense trends towards high volume for a few guys, I would keep an eye on these two players for waiver pickups, especially if guys ahead of them go down. Ito Smith (ADP 166, RB 56) and Mohamed Sanu (ADP 175, WR61) are both likely to not produce enough on their own, but could find themselves with a lot of playing time if there’s injuries ahead of them on the depth chart. If you’re in a deeper league, it’s certainly possible that they are both drafted, so keep an eye out.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The Falcons did not draft any fantasy relevant skill position players this year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers...coming soon.

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.

Los Angeles Rams

What’s changed since last year? The Rams don’t have any big changes (or even minor ones) on offense to speak of. They let CJ Anderson walk as a free agent (now on the Lions) and they acquired Blake Bortles as a backup QB. Aside from that, what would you expect from a team that won the NFC Championship last season? There’s nothing broken, so don’t try to fix it! Cooper Kupp is on track to return and, had he stuck around all year (extrapolated stats), he would have had 80 catches, 1100+ yards and 12 TDs. This would have made him the WR8 in standard scoring, right between Michael Thomas and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Not bad company, and a good piece to have returning to your team.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? So, Cooper Kupp is a third year WR, but obviously he’s broken out. Last season saw Josh Reynolds fill in for him, and as a 3^rd year WR, he stands poised to step-up, if only he could get past any of the big 3 WRs on the Rams. Kupp, along with Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks have a stranglehold on the position, and without an injury to someone, it will be difficult for Reynolds to actually show what he’s got. I then turn my eyes over to Gerald Everett, 3^rd year TE whom I think will be incorporated into the offense more this season. His receptions more than doubled last year from his rookie season, and he’s still not being drafted (ADP 276, TE31). Everett saw 50 targets last year and if that number can creep closer to the 70-80 mark, then he’s going to be a great low end TE-1 option this year.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? When you take the team that went to the Super Bowl last year and don’t make any changes, your opponents would literally have to be asleep for you to get some real value on them. I will mention that right now, Cooks (ADP 40, WR15, Woods (ADP 41, WR16) and Kupp (ADP 48, WR21) are all on the positive side of draft value right now, but none of them are a steal.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? In the spirit of this question, there isn’t really anyone on the Rams who are a genuine stud, considering Todd Gurley is not the player he once was. Of the three main WRs I mentioned, I think that Cooper Kupp has the best potential to become a top-10 WR, and he’s the “cheapest” of the three, so grab him in the 5^th round if he’s available.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? My breakout candidate, Gerald Everett, is unlikely to be drafted in most redraft leagues and will be available for those of you who are planning on streaming TEs this season. If he has a big first couple of games, then he’s likely to wind up sticking on someone’s roster for quite a while, so keep an eye out for him early.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Third round pick Darrell Henderson is currently on most people’s radar as the successor to Todd Gurley on the Rams. His current ADP of 86 and ranking of 113 shows me that his value is currently upside down and he should be avoided in drafts. The only reason to take him might be as a late round handcuff for Gurley, and that’s if you can get him at a more reasonable spot in the late 11^th or 12^th rounds. Henderson will come along, but let’s not ship Todd Gurley out of town just yet.

Seattle Seahawks

What’s changed since last year? The Seahawks let free agent RB Mike Davis walk, which should aid in clearing up their muddy backfield from last season. Chris Carson (ADP 51, RB21) has a clear path to the #1 spot, with Rashaad Penny (ADP 81, RB33) getting an increased role – I expect this to be a RBBC offense in no time. I also don’t expect either guy to really run away with a bulk of the carries, unless the other one is out with injury. The Seahawks also added one of the most hyped WRs in the draft, DK Metcalf, whom we’ll touch on in a moment. Needless to say, this should provide a boost to the passing game.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? For me, the guy to watch in Seattle is David Moore. Sure, they drafted a new WR, but Moore averaged over 17 yards per reception last season and is now in his third year in the offense. He should have a more active role with Doug Baldwin out of the picture and has a chance to really shine early before Metcalf can establish himself in the offense. His ADP of 286 tells me that he’s basically being ignored by drafters, so he’s available as a flyer at the end of deeper drafts.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? There’s no sleeper recommendations to draft on the Seahawks. Their main players, Lockett, Carson, Wilson and Penny are all being drafted around their rankings, and everyone else worthy of a flier will be available on the waiver wire.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? There’s no sure-fire studs on this team. Russell Wilson is the only one who comes closest, and he’s being drafted towards the end of the 9^th round currently. I’m worried that he’s only cracked 4000 yards in two different seasons, and has never eclipsed 35 passing TDs. He does run the ball a lot, though he ran the ball only 67 times last season, a career low, and had no TDs on the ground. His redeeming stat is that he’s never missed a game in his career. I guess I just gave you all the reasons why their best player is still not a fantasy stud.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? I’ve mentioned him a few times now, but David Moore is going to be the hot waiver wire pickup from the Seahawks. Keep an eye out for him early, though if DK Metcalf has a hot start, it’s likely to keep Moore buried on the depth chart. You can also watch for Nick Vannett at TE, the most likely candidate from a really sad bunch of fantasy TEs on the team.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The Seahawks spent their second round pick on DK Metcalf, a guy who perhaps had the most hype before the draft and then saw his stock really fall during the days leading into the draft. He was finally taken on the second day and is currently listed as a starting WR on their depth chart. His ADP of 112 (WR43) and Rank of 151 really have me hesitant to recommend taking him, as I really don’t see any value in picking him. I do expect him to be fantasy relevant, considering he’s replacing Doug Baldwin.

San Francisco 49ers

What’s changed since last year? Lots have changed for the 49ers! Jimmy Garoppolo is back, one year after tearing his ACL in late September 2018. Based on the QB play that the 49ers got out of Nick Mullens and CJ Beathard last season, having Garoppolo back could rocket their offense to a top 10 spot in the league. The 49ers also acquired Tevin Coleman, who is slated to be the starting RB. This is an offense that showed some huge signs last year and is finally ready to move forward with healthy, first option starters at QB and RB.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Dante Pettis is a 2^nd year guy who is most poised to have a big break-out season, though his hype is starting to be real all over the internet. His ADP is currently 80 and his consensus ranking is 77, so as a mid-rounder, he has a very high ceiling. Since he really has no rapport with Garoppolo, there is the reality that he does have a low floor, but signs so far in camp have been very positive for Pettis. He’s very likely to keep Marquise Goodwin at bay and will at least start the season ahead of the two rookie WRs that the 49ers drafted.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? Nobody on the 49ers really has proper sleeper value, though I like where you can get Deebo Samuel (ADP 191, WR60) and Jalen Hurd (No ADP) – both rookies. They’re flyers in deep drafts and will definitely be drafted in dynasty formats.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? George Kittle, if you’re not reaching for him, could be your ticket to the fantasy postseason. His ADP of 29 (TE2) and rank of 23 even shows that he’s got a bit of value and I’d endorse taking him pretty much anywhere in the third round, if there’s no one else you like available right there (he’s ranked right next to Antonio Brown, I know who I feel more confident in).

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Since Garoppolo has been out for basically an entire season, the WR core for the 49ers is rather up in the air. Marquise Goodwin (ADP 219, WR67) as well as the rookies Samuel and Hurd are all guys who should be available on the waiver wire. Whoever does start to click with Garoppolo is likely to be gone, perhaps before the season even starts, so keep a close eye on these three guys.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? The aforementioned Deebo Samuel, 2^nd round pick, and Jalen Hurd, 3^rd rounder, both will be looking to make their way onto the field this season. Samuel made a highlight reel worthy 45-yard catch over a defender in the first preseason game to set up a TD. Of course, Jalen Hurd would not be outdone and found the end zone twice in the same game. The future is looking good for this rookie combo and they should both find plenty of playing time in what looks like it will be a WR rotation. Once one or both of them gets established, they will certainly be fantasy relevant.

Arizona Cardinals

What’s changed since last year? Is everything a valid answer? Because nearly everything is different for the Arizona Cardinals. They have a new coach, Kliff Kingsbury, a new QB, Kyler Murray, and a hot rookie WR, Andy Isabella. They also got rid of JJ Nelson. The only recognizable parts of the offense are Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson, though some people with deeper teams already have their eyes on Christian Kirk as well. Most importantly, the play caller and the signal caller are both new and this offense should look completely different than last year’s.

Who is the breakout/3^rd year WR on the team? Christian Kirk is a 2^nd year WR who was drafted in the 2^nd round in 2018. He seems to be a pick to click for many pundits. He had 68 targets last season in 12 games, so over a full season with a bit of a boost, it’s completely reasonable to expect him to get at least 100 targets. The Cardinals were 29^th in the league in pass attempts, a number that’s bound to get a lot better with Kingsbury’s air raid offense. Kirk has an ADP of 77 (WR32) and is a very solid mid round pick up as the first WR off your bench, with potential to be a WR2.

Who is a sleeper you can draft? This is basically a brand new offense this season, so there’s not a lot of options yet. Johnson, Fitz, Kirk and Murray are all being drafted at or near their expected value. There’s nobody I would recommend drafting from the Cardinals as a sleeper.

What stud can you draft without hesitation? There’s about to be a David Johnson renaissance in the desert. Johnson is currently at ADP 5 (RB5), Rank 5 and is basically being placed just outside the tier 1 RBs, but still ahead of any other position players on the board. I know you aren’t going to get great value for Johnson, but his production in a brand new offense that should know how to use an extremely talented and versatile player is too good to pass up. Johnson will be a stud this year, and considering the RB position is top-heavy, he’s the last man on the top that’s worth that early first round pick.

Who could be a waiver pickup during the season? Andy Isabella has an ADP and rank of over 200, so he’s likely to be available on the waiver wire early in the season. Look for him to hook up with fellow rookie Kyler Murray as they try to develop a rapport for when the team needs to eventually replace Larry Fitzgerald. I would also keep an eye on Ricky Seals-Jones at TE since that position is so hard to pin down a top 10 guy there.

Who are the rookies to know on this team? Will any of them be relevant this year? Well, just the first overall pick in the 2019 draft, Kyler Murray. Murray should be starting in week 1 and has already looked good in his first preseason game. He went an efficient 6 of 7 passing for 44 yards before exiting early, as is tradition in week 1 of the preseason. Murray will be the starter all year, and like most rookie starters at QB, is very unlikely to finish as a top 10 guy, but will be relevant as a streaming and backup option, as well as in 2-QB leagues. Andy Isabella was taken in the 2^nd round by the Cardinals, because when you get yourself a Lamborghini, you find some sweet accessories to go along with it. Isabella has a tougher road to regular playing time, but he should find his way on the field for a significant amount of targets this season and will be fantasy relevant by the middle of the year.

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.