Whether it is free agency, aging RBs, or decision-making in the dark, here are some players who will have a huge impact on fantasy based on their offseason.

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10 Most Important Players of the Fantasy Offseason

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Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)

There is perhaps no more important player than Lamar Jackson this offseason. There are so many questions to ask about his situation, and it all comes back to whether he wants to stay in Baltimore. If he does, then it’s entirely possible that he and the Ravens are able to work together to find a contract that’s amenable for all sides. If he doesn’t, then the Ravens will have to consider trade offers, but that situation is further complicated because Jackson is his own agent.

Jackson has been slow to come to the table at times as he’s had things to consider, like being in shape for the season and trying to unwind in the offseason. If the Ravens were to consider trading Jackson, he’ll have to go out to court offers himself and effectively negotiate with any interested team. While the relationship with Baltimore isn’t perfect, his relationship with Eric DeCosta has a lot more of a foundation than any other front office he’d meet. If Jackson moves on, the fortunes of the team he lands on should be drastically changed, while Baltimore’s could go drastically wrong.

Aaron Rodgers (QB – GB)

Another quarterback who can affect the offseason for the second year running is Aaron Rodgers. You could be forgiven for thinking that Rodgers enjoys the attention the offseason provides him with his weekly media appearances allowing him the chance to moan about whatever has irked him that week. What is without question, though, is that Rodgers would command a reasonable trade return of likely a first-round pick. His trade would have a big effect on ADP, particularly for a team like the Jets, who are rumored to be in on him. Likewise, if Rodgers were to move on, the Packers would probably see many players dip in ADP if Jordan Love was presumed the starter.

Derek Carr (QB – FA)

While Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson are the creme de la creme of potential free agents, Derek Carr is already free and can negotiate and join a team now should he wish to. That leap on other free-agent quarterbacks makes Carr very important, and if should make a decision before free agency should open, it will have a large knock-on effect on all quarterbacks. If teams assume Jackson plays in Baltimore, then they might be more inclined to sign Carr now rather than deal with the feeding frenzy of free agency or the expense of trading for another QB.

Ezekiel Elliott (RB – DAL)

This year’s running back free agency is already filled with plenty of above-average talents who teams could be very interested in at the right price. If Ezekiel Elliott should be released, that will shake things up further. Elliott is set to count for $16.7 million this season on the back of being usurped as the RB1 by Tony Pollard, who is himself a free agent. Reports this week suggested that Elliott’s agent will meet with the Cowboys’ front office at the combine to look at adjusting his contract to be more palatable for the cap based on his waning production. Should Elliott accept a reduced contract, it makes the prospect of Tony Pollard truly breaking out with the Cowboys less likely and might also set a level of expectations for running backs like David Montgomery, who is also a free agent.

Miles Sanders (RB – PHI)

After scoring zero touchdowns in 2021, Miles Sanders scored 11 in the regular season in 2022. With that, his fantasy value became far greater, and he was one of the best value running backs available in drafts. After four years with the Eagles, Sanders is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career. It seems unlikely that an analytically driven front office opts to either franchise tag him or pay a running back in general unless it’s a team-friendly deal. Where Sanders’s impact will be potentially felt is partly on the open market but also in what the Eagles do in his place. Many mock drafts have connected them to Bijan Robinson, who is the unquestioned RB1 of this class. Making a splashy move like that would definitely have a big impact on the fantasy landscape.

Dalvin Cook (RB – MIN)

After a reasonable 2022 where Dalvin Cook was the RB8 in half PPR formats, he’s recently undergone shoulder surgery for an issue that has plagued him over the last couple of years. Cook is 27 years old, and it’s likely his best years are behind him. Still, he still had 11 big runs last year, which was the thirteenth most among running backs. As long as there is still some explosion in his legs, he can still be a good option for fantasy. The Vikings can move on from Cook with relative ease, and if they did so, it would create a huge opportunity in Minnesota.

DeAndre Hopkins (WR – ARI)

In an offseason where there aren’t too many great options for teams looking for help at wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkin’s potential availability stands out. The Cardinals are a hot mess right now, and spending a year tearing things back down to rebuild around Kyler Murray when he’s healthy, sounds like a good idea. Trading Hopkins would clear cap space and give them more ammunition to add depth to a thin and substandard roster. For wide receiver-hungry teams, Hopkins represents a true alpha option who could change their offense drastically for the better. Baltimore, New England, and Chicago should all be taking note.

Odell Beckham Jr. (WR – FA)

Continuing a similar theme to Hopkins, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Odell Beckham Jr., who hasn’t played since the 2022 Super Bowl. After failing to secure a deal that appealed to him late in the 2022 season, Beckham opted to sit out the rest of the year and come back strong in 2023. Beckham Jr. is 30 years old and will nearly be 31 by the time the season starts, but there’s no doubting his great hands and football intelligence can keep him relevant if he wants to play. Beckham might be a difficult player to roster in fantasy leagues, depending on his landing spot, but his impact will likely cause a knock-on effect on other receivers in free agency and on the team he lands with.

Jakobi Meyers (WR – NE)

For teams looking for a younger option, they could do a lot worse than the versatile Jakobi Meyers, who looks set to leave New England after four seasons and back-to-back years with over 800 receiving yards. Meyers hasn’t hit his perceived ceiling so far through his career, thanks to a touchdown drought until late in 2021. Then in 2022, he struggled like much of the Patriots’ offense under the ill-fated guidance of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia. In the right offense, Meyers could pay off handsomely as a team’s WR2.

Dalton Schultz (TE – DAL)

The tight-end free agency market is littered with names that *could* be good options, and we’ve seen this playout often enough in the past to know there’s no sure thing. TJ Hockenson sounds likely to stay in Minnesota, which makes Dalton Schultz the most desirable option on the market ahead of Evan Engram and Mike Gesicki. Wherever Schultz lands should have a knock-on effect for those players, and if, as expected, he leaves Dallas, it will leave behind a role that has been healthy for fantasy football over the last two years.

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