This is one of the more exciting NFL offseasons in recent memory. There have been impactful free agent signings and some huge trades. Those transactions helped some players’ value and hurt others. Let’s highlight some of those players.
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Some rookie tight ends made an impact last season. Dalton Kincaid was one of them. He finished the season as the TE11, but from Weeks 7-18, he was TE9 and averaged 11 points per game in that span.
The Stefon Diggs trade puts Kincaid in a great position to be one of Buffalo’s leading receivers. He was second to Diggs in target share but had a much higher completion percentage (82.8%). That run starting from Week 7 was when he led the team in completions.
We must also look at the red zone numbers and see a positive regression. He was second in red zone catches and third in targets. The two people ahead of him were Diggs and Gabe Davis, both are no longer in Buffalo.
The Bills will likely not continue with the current wide receiver room; they’ll either draft one early or trade for one. Either way, Kincaid built an incredible rapport with Josh Allen that will continue into next season.
As we get closer to the NFL draft, we will hear names pop up as the rumor mill turns. One of those names getting all the buzz is National Champion quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
There are talks of him being selected No. 2 overall and several teams are interested in trading up for him.
I’ve said going back over a month that I believe the best fit for Kliff Kingsbury’s offense outside of Caleb Williams is JJ McCarthy.
Tom Pelissero today: “the most popular answer [from execs] for what they do at No. 2 is JJ McCarthy.”
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) March 25, 2024
The writing was on the wall that the Raiders wouldn’t re-sign Josh Jacobs. What they did in free agency shows they are committed to making Zamir White the featured back.
His performance in his last three games shows he can handle the RB1 role, averaging 4.9 yards per carry on 67 carries.
It will be Aidan O’Connell, Gardner Minshew or potentially a rookie at quarterback. None of those situations give confidence to the passing game. Secondly, they only added Alexander Mattison in free agency.
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Nico Collins has played second fiddle throughout his career in Houston; first with Brandin Cooks and now with Tank Dell. When Dell went down, he stepped up. From Weeks 12-18, he was the WR4 in PPR. Only CeeDee Lamb and Deebo Samuel averaged more points per game (minimum six games).
Everything was looking great for Collins heading into 2024. Even with Dell back, he should have seen the same production with reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year CJ Stroud at quarterback.
That has changed with Diggs in the mix. The Diggs addition hurts all the receivers, but it could impact Collins more if Diggs establishes himself as the second option behind Dell.
We’re a month out of the initial free agency signing and Ryan Tannehill still doesn’t have a team. The fact the Titans made two attempts to draft their next quarterback shows they lost confidence in him long ago.
Tannehill’s inability to throw the ball deep has been a problem; last season, he ranked 18th in deep ball accuracy rating and 24th in deep ball catchable rate.
There is a good chance he will find a team by September, especially when injuries occur during training camp.
Another veteran who went through free agency without finding a team.
After taking a year off to recover from his second ACL tear, Odell Beckham’s lone season with the Ravens was lackluster.
He finished as the fantasy WR63. The athleticism that made him special was gone. He was 74th in route win rate and 62nd in yards after the catch (YAC).
The market for aging receivers with bad legs is minimal. We may not see him in the league this year.
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