With all the attention focused on the NFL Draft and Combine, it’s easy to forget that free agency will be upon us in just a few weeks. That’s right, teams are permitted to contact players on March 11th, while officially signing them on March 13th when the new league year begins.
Complete a mock draft in minutes with our free Draft Simulator 
We will have coverage throughout free agency, but today is our day to dream about the best potential landing spots for each of the top free agents. This is where we don’t care about cap space, but rather what the best landing spot would be from a fantasy perspective. While it would obviously be great for every player to go and play with Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, I’ll try to be realistic with the landing spots when it comes to opportunity available.
Quarterbacks
Tyrod Taylor: Jaguars
This isn’t a great free agent class of quarterbacks, though Taylor could be a nice stop-gap for a team like the Jaguars. They have an elite defense in place and while the offensive line isn’t the best, Taylor’s mobility would make it look better than it is. On top of that, Taylor isn’t turnover prone, as he’s thrown just 12 interceptions on his last 942 pass attempts. He’d also help clear some room for the struggling Leonard Fournette. Alternate landing spot: Redskins
Nick Foles: Washington
Due to his lack of mobility, Foles belongs behind a solid offensive line. The Redskins are the team that makes the most sense, even if they don’t have the cap room to pull it off. In the end, I don’t expect Foles to be a fantasy asset anywhere he goes this offseason, as his situation won’t be any better than it was in Philadelphia, and even there, he was just a streamer in plus-matchups. Alternate Landing Spot: Jaguars
Running Backs
Le’Veon Bell: Colts
We had him in this article last year where I said that it would be best if he went back to the Steelers. That’s not going to happen, so the next best solution would have to be the Colts. He wouldn’t receive the 27.1 touches per game that he did with the Steelers in 2017, but he’d be playing behind a dominant offensive line with a quarterback who knows how to utilize his running backs in the pass-game. This may be considered a longshot with Marlon Mack on the roster, but it would be the best-case scenario for fantasy owners. Alternative Landing Spot: Eagles
Mark Ingram: Saints
It may sound boring, but his ideal landing spot is right back where he started, with the Saints. There are only a few teams who have workhorse roles available and with all the talent available in free agency, Ingram is going to have to settle for a timeshare role somewhere. What better timeshare to be a part of than one you’ve finished as a top-15 fantasy running back in four of the last five seasons? Alternative Landing Spot: Bears
Tevin Coleman: Jets
He’s a 25-year-old running back who has a three-down skill-set with just 528 carries on his frame in the NFL. If there’s a team who has a workhorse role available and doesn’t like the running backs in the draft, Coleman could wind up getting one of those jobs. I don’t believe he’s an elite running back who can finish top-8 or anything, so what we’re looking for is volume, and the Jets have plenty of it to go around. It’s rumored that they’ll let go of Isaiah Crowell, and Bilal Powell is a free agent. He’d be used plenty in the pass-game there as well and fits in with the young nucleus. Alternative Landing Spot: Raiders
Jay Ajayi: Chiefs
Some may wonder if Ajayi can still shoulder a workhorse role, but I don’t believe that’s even the question anymore. Now, the question becomes: Which team will give him the majority of carries in a timeshare? Even if not spectacular, he’s competent in the pass-game, and it could make sense for the Chiefs to kick the tires on him, as they’re a team who’s built to win now. He’d pair well with Damien Williams in that backfield and we know Andy Reid’s offense produces fantasy points for running backs.
T.J. Yeldon: Buccaneers
While I don’t believe the Bucs should give up on Ronald Jones just yet, Yeldon would make the perfect insurance policy and/or competition. Think about it for a second… Yeldon is looked at as a “disappointment” after averaging 4.03 yards per carry behind the Jaguars offensive line in a putrid offense? Did you know that just 12 running backs have caught more passes than Yeldon since 2016? Is it possible that Yeldon can be David Johnson-lite in Bruce Arians’ offense? Alternative Landing Spot: Chiefs
Adrian Peterson: Raiders
He wants to keep playing and after his eighth 1,000-yard season, who’s to stop him? If there’s someone who’s shown the willingness to believe in aging running backs, it’s Jon Gruden, who just happens to have a workhorse role open with both Doug Martin and Marshawn Lynch pending free agents. At this point, we just want Peterson to go somewhere he’s locked into touches. Alternative Landing Spot: Patriots
Wide Receivers
Golden Tate: Packers
You have to find a team with a void at slot receiver, as it’s where Tate plays almost exclusively. Because of that, the Packers are a team who comes to the top of the list. This is likely Tate’s last contract, so he’ll also want to go somewhere he can win, and with Aaron Rodgers under center, that’s definitely a possibility. The Lions would also be a perfect fit, but… well, we already know how they feel. Alternative Landing Spot: Colts
John Brown: Patriots
There should be a lot of teams calling for Brown’s services, but the best-case scenario for fantasy purposes would be the Patriots. As of now, Julian Edelman may be the only starting wide receiver returning in 2019, which leaves plenty of opportunity for the speedster. He’s a veteran who’s had to learn multiple offenses at this point in his career and has shown he’s over his health issues. This would be a dream scenario for fantasy purposes. Alternative Landing Spot: Raiders
Devin Funchess: Colts
Let’s not pretend Funchess is a great separator or anything. Instead, let’s find the place he’d have the best shot at catching touchdowns. The Colts would be the ideal landing spot for Funchess, as he compliments T.Y. Hilton very well as a big-bodied wide receiver who is a massive threat in the red zone. I mean, if Eric Ebron can catch 13 touchdowns from Andrew Luck, just think what Funchess could do. Alternative Landing Spot: Browns
Jamison Crowder: Lions
After flashing top-tier production from a slot receiver, Crowder entered free agency on a low-note. He’s another slot-only receiver who will play a specific role on a team, which is why the Lions make the most sense. We saw Golden Tate excel with Matthew Stafford over the years and knowing that Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay expand the coverage area, Crowder would have plenty of room to operate underneath. Alternative Landing Spot: Cowboys
Donte Moncrief: Bills
A reunion with his former team would make plenty of sense, but since we already sent Funchess to the Colts, we’ll send Moncrief to the Bills. They have Zay Jones to play the slot, Robert Foster to extend the field, and Moncrief would play a similar role to the one he just left in Jacksonville. It’s unlikely he has fantasy relevance as a starter, but the Bills have an opening in their starting lineup. Alternative Landing Spot: Raiders
Tyrell Williams: Eagles
I’ve been pretty vocal about Williams and my thoughts that he’ll be overpaid in free agency. From a fantasy standpoint, the Eagles are the team that makes most sense. They’ve rotated from Torrey Smith to Mike Wallace, so Williams would give them a similar presence, just a lot younger. He’ll have big games from time-to-time, but he’s not going to be a consistent fantasy producer like he was a few years back with Philip Rivers. Realistically, the Eagles probably can’t afford him, so look for the Raiders to be involved. Jordy Nelson has lost his separation down the field, Seth Roberts is just a guy, and Marcell Ateman is just a depth chart receiver. Williams would likely get the targets he needs to be fantasy relevant in Oakland. Alternative Landing Spot: Bills
Demaryius Thomas: Chiefs/Patriots
There are likely going to be a few teams to talk with Thomas, who makes for a solid veteran presence on a team that’s either a) competing to win, or b) looking for a veteran to tutor some young players. But from a fantasy perspective, the Chiefs or Patriots make a lot of sense. The Chiefs are losing Chris Conley and Sammy Watkins is apparently still dealing with foot problems, so Thomas would add insurance to their championship-contending roster. As for the Patriots, we know Bill Belichick won’t shy away from aging wide receivers if it’ll help his team. Alternative Landing Spot: Panthers
Tight Ends
Jared Cook: Raiders
It’s reported that the Raiders want to get Cook under contract, and if his agent knew what was good for him, he’d re-sign with them right now. It’s also the best-case scenario from a fantasy perspective, as he has rapport with Derek Carr and knows the offense very well. It also doesn’t hurt that they don’t have an alpha wide receiver hogging up 140-plus targets. Alternative Landing Spot: Lions
Tyler Eifert: Broncos
After sitting out there as a free agent for months last year, Eifert had to re-sign a one-year deal with the Bengals. That should remain in the cards this offseason because I don’t know if there’s another team willing to pull the trigger on the oft-injured tight end. If the new coaching staff doesn’t like that idea, the Broncos could be a team who’s interested. They have Jake Butt, who is coming off another torn ACL, with minimal experience, and we all know how much Joe Flacco loved his tight ends while in Baltimore. Alternative Landing Spot: Saints
Subscribe: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS
Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
