Some players may not be rated as highly as others going into the weekend of the annual NFL Draft. That may be for skill reasons or because of other off-the-field matters. What we do know is that a certain player’s value can immediately jump based on the team that drafts them.
Not all teams will draft on need all of the time but when you have a few openings on your starting lineup, a player taken where a lineup hole exists gives them a decent boost in fantasy value.
Here, I have picked out a few “glaring” holes on teams that WHEN (not IF) that team selects a player at that position, they will become an even more coveted player on the fantasy landscape. Whether it’s the offense style or the quarterback running that offense that will give them the boost, you will want a share of their potential production come the start of the regular season in September.
A lot can happen between when a player gets drafted to their NFL team, then to when they get drafted onto your fantasy team, followed by the start of the regular season 4 months after they get selected! That cannot take away from the immediate fallout of where these players get selected into a position where they could be effective from Day 1.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 teams/positions that will give a player an instant value bump if they get drafted to that team:
10. Atlanta Falcons - Wide Receiver
The Falcons got serious this offseason knowing they may very well be a quarterback away from contending next season after the tandem of Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinecke couldn’t get it done. The Falcons have a talented group of excellent playmakers at all positions already in Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson who will benefit from the recent free agent addition of QB Kirk Cousins. However, the spots next to London and Pitts as pass catchers are very wide open. The Falcons also added receivers Rondale Moore and Darnell Mooney who are the current projected starters to the team in free agency. Neither of them have shown the utmost promise over the past two seasons where neither were ranked in the top 65 receivers in PPR formats and both played at least 15 games. If Atlanta were to take a WR in one of their 4 picks in the top 80 overall, that player’s stock will get a reasonable bump in the positive direction.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers - Wide Receiver
There’s a narrative that many see in the Steelers: they can evaluate pass-catching talent. They sniff out that talent and take that guy in the 2nd round (i.e. George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, JuJu, Diontae Johnson taken at the top of the 3rd) and become instant contributors. I see this being a prime candidate for their 51st overall selection and a vacated starting spot by the recently traded Johnson. There are currently 14 receiver prospects that are being mocked around the top 65 and the Steelers will have their pick of the litter.
8. New York Jets - Wide Receiver/Tight End
We know Aaron Rodgers will be back under center for the start of the 2024 season after playing just 4 snaps before blowing out his Achilles. Rodgers isn’t getting any younger and the Jets want to do everything to WIN. NOW. That means giving Rodgers everyone around him to succeed including a talented set of receivers. Garrett Wilson and recently acquired Mike Williams will lead the charge as pass-catchers but beyond that there isn’t much to get excited about. Allen Lazard was added last year to potentially revive his connection with Rodgers from Green Bay but that remains to be seen. Tyler Conklin has been a streaming-level tight end with mid-level production who garnered 87 targets over each of the past 3 seasons. Both positions could receive big upgrades depending on how the Jets desire to use their draft stock. They currently sit at #10 overall and don’t pick again until #72. If they truly are all in, they will be taking a playmaker on offense that will aid Rodgers in their trek to the playoffs.
7. Cincinnati Bengals - Wide Receiver
The Bengals are here partly out of speculation and partly out of need depending how you slice it. Cincinnati placed the franchise tag on WR Tee Higgins prior to free agency. The team has shown no urgency to sign him long term and pair him with Ja’Marr Chase and could potentially find a trade partner during the NFL Draft. The Bengals also have let long-time receiver Tyler Boyd walk in free agency leaving a potential glaring hole for QB Joe Burrow. The options behind Chase aren’t anything to write home about. Trenton Irwin, Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas are depth pieces who caught a combined 47 passes last season; most of them by Irwin who filled in for the injured Chase at one point. It’s not ‘if’ but ‘when’ the Bengals pick a receiver in Day 1 or Day 2 of the NFL Draft that they will get a nice increase in fantasy value when Joe Cool is the one throwing them the ball.
6. San Francisco 49ers - Wide Receiver
This landing spot is a result of pure speculation. With the recent remarks about WR Brandon Aiyuk requesting a trade out of San Francisco (let me remind you, they were just in the Super Bowl), that turns heads. Aiyuk is coming off a stellar season where he finished as WR14 in PPR formats. The Niners have a plethora of offensive stars on their team but losing Aiyuk would be a big hit to their offense as a whole. While they would still have McCaffrey, Kittle and Samuel on their team, losing Aiyuk would leave over 100 vacated targets from the previous season. The Niners would definitely feel pressured to fill that potentially vacated spot if Aiyuk were to leave via trade and the potential rookie coming in to fill it would join a high-powered offense with plenty of potential.
5. Arizona Cardinals - Wide Receiver
It’s not obvious that this will happen but sitting at #4 overall, the Arizona Cardinals have the chance to take the best receiving prospect in this year’s draft in Marvin Harrsion Jr. Picks 1-3 are most likely going to be the top 3 quarterbacks in this year’s Draft; this means that “the draft really begins at pick #4 with Arizona.” Even if the Cardinals trade out of that pick for more capital, they will end up grabbing a high-end receiving talent early on. Your current projected starters in Arizona leave much to be desired: Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, Chris Moore. Heck, the Cardinals may feel so inclined to take multiple rookie receivers early on to fill these roles, they do have 7 picks in the top 104 picks. Regardless, they need to replenish the receiver room around Kyler Murray if they want to be competitive to some degree.
4. Los Angeles Chargers - All Skill Positions
Wow, the Chargers really do know how to go full reset. They bagged their head coach, GM, starting RB, WRs 1 and 2, and starting TE. This is their current starting situation as it stands today 4/23:
QB: Justin Herbert (awesome!)
RB: Gus Edwards (ho hum)
WR: Josh Palmer (umm, alright?)
WR: Quentin Johnston (uh oh)
WR: Derius Davis (who?)
TE: Will Dissly (help)
Newly minted Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will have his hand in who gets selected to his team and there are plenty of holes to go around where no one is safe.
3. Buffalo Bills - Wide Receiver
The direction of the Bills is tough to gauge. They seem like they are currently in a state of semi-denial that their window of contention is closed or is barely open just a crack. They had to move on from several pieces on both sides of the ball to get under the salary cap. This included WR Gabe Davis. They also decided to trade away WR Stefon Diggs. When you lose both of your top receiving options, you know things are changing for the worse. That being said, they brought in WR Curtis Samuel to pair with incumbent WR1 Khalil Shakir. The pair doesn’t leave many defensive backs shaking in their cleats. Fantasy star QB Josh Allen is going to need another stud in that room to get the ball 10 times a game (Diggs’ average targets per game last year)
2. Dallas Cowboys - Running Back
Wow! Not many running back needs on this list. This one has been glaring all offseason. RB Tony Pollard was put on the franchise tag last season and decided to part ways going into this offseason leaving a gaping hole. It’s a hole that will likely not be filled by current rostered running backs Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis or Deuce Vaughn. Dallas currently has each of their own picks over the first three rounds of the NFL Draft (24, 56, 87) and when (not if) a running back gets taken there, that player’s value will go through the roof and shoot them up dynasty draft boards.
1 Kansas City Chiefs - Wide Receiver
Is it not obvious? In spite of having little true receiving talent, QB Patrick Mahomes carried the Chiefs to their 3rd Super Bowl in 5 seasons. Even with the buttery hands of Kadarius Toney and Marquez Valdes-Scantling at Mahomes’ disposal! Yes, he did have help from stud TE Travis Kelce who even had himself an off-year or the potential start of his decline due to age (34). He also had a sure-handed rookie in WR Rashee Rice but his status is currently questionable following an off-the-field street race resulting in a serious accident. When Patrick Mahomes needs someone, he will get you the ball. While the Chiefs have moved on from MVS, they also wrangled Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to fill a receiver hole. The combination of an aging Kelce, a troublesome Rice and some other bodies with unsure hands leads to the need of another premier receiver for the face of the NFL.
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