We saw a lot of fantasy-relevant players switch teams in the offseason. Some have moved to situations where you won’t see any dropoff and could even be better, but others might have lost their value in their new destination.
Let’s look at some players who will and will not flourish in their new destination.
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Great New Destination
Justin Fields has not had a legitimate WR1 in his young career, but DJ Moore will fill that void. Moore’s numbers do not reflect his talent because he hasn’t had a quality quarterback in a long time. Every season from 2019-2022, his catchable target percentage was outside the top 70. His best year was his 2018 rookie season at 39th, the only full season he played with Cam Newton. Moore has been able to elevate talent, and there is potential for a great connection.
How much does the 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers have left? Last year was a tough season for him as he had a whole new set of wide receivers. What will benefit him this year is the familiarity of Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.
There is also a ton of talent – On the other side of Lazard is reigning offensive rookie of the year Garrett Wilson, Mecole Hardman will play the slot, and the backfield of Breece Hall, Michael Carter, Israel Abanikanda will be very similar to what he had with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillion.
This was a tremendous pickup for the Giants as they got a much-needed piece in a pass-catching tight end. Injuries have impacted Darren Waller’s value the last couple of years, but he was great when he was on the field in those two years, with nine top-10 TE finishes in 19 games.
In his last two full seasons, he finished TE2 and TE3. Don’t be surprised if he becomes Daniel Jones‘ favorite target.
Brandin Cooks moves to another team, but he is a valuable part of the offense at every stop. In nine seasons, he has 1,000+ receiving yards in six and six or more touchdowns in five.
Going to the Cowboys was an excellent move for him, and he could fill the void of Amari Cooper. Mike McCarthy calling the plays will benefit him more, and don’t be surprised if they become more pass-heavy.
I always thought the Eagles would be in play to add more running back depth when they went with Rashaad Penny to replace Miles Sanders. Penny is very productive when he’s on the field but has a long history of injuries. It’s also possible he’s not in their long-term plans, as he only signed a one-year deal.
This could begin as a split backfield, but D’Andre Swift should start to be the lead back as the season progresses. If Penny gets hurt, Swift is easily a 15-touch-per-game running back.
He will have a rookie quarterback, but it’s the No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, who has a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship.
Adam Thielen had a long and prosperous career in Minnesota, with three top-10 PPR finishes. Even when Justin Jefferson became the top WR, Thielen was a touchdown machine with 30 in the last three seasons.
He will be the most dependable option and has the better track history of all the new pieces in Carolina. DJ Chark will have some explosive games, and Hayden Hurst is very reliable when given the ball. Yet Thielen will lead the team in target share.
It has not been a great start to Sam Darnold’s career, whether with the Jets or Panthers. However, his luck could change.
If Brock Purdy is not healthy, he’ll be battling it out in training camp with Trey Lance for the starting job. If he wins it, I like his outlook. Kyle Shanahan’s system works no matter who is behind center – it happened with Jimmy Garoppolo, Purdy and in a few instances with Lance.
I’m not saying he finishes as a top-10 quarterback, but I like him as a possible streamer or in a 2QB/superflex league.
Bad New Destination
As mentioned, Garoppolo was incredible in the San Francisco system, which hid many of his shortcomings. However, this will not be the same situation in Vegas. He does reunite with his first offensive coordinator in New England, Josh McDaniels. But will he have the right system set up for Jimmy G to flourish?
Davante Adams might have to change his gameplay because he will be going from Derek Carr, who had the fourth most air yards per attempt last year, to Garoppolo, who was 26th.
Another new piece on the Raiders that this could impact is Jakobi Meyers. He’s been considered a WR who just needs a formable quarterback. While he could have a breakout season, he won’t find it in Vegas.
Meyers was known throughout his tenure in New England for consistency. We could see those performances again, but the upside remains limited.
The early outlook for Davind Montgomery was positive as he looked to be the feature back in this offense. Then came Draft day. The Lions shocked everyone by going with Jahmyr Gibbs with their first-round pick.
The backfield will be less crowded without Swift, but Detroit isn’t spending first-round draft capital to have a split situation.
We were always perplexed about why they would pair Jonnu Smith with Hunter Henry in New England. One thought was they were trying to rekindle the days of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, but that never manifested. Neither Henry nor Smith have been fantasy stars for the Patriots, and Smith may not find that in Atlanta.
In the pecking order of Falcons receiving options, Smith will be a low priority and certainly won’t be the top tight end option.
Let’s connect the dots and discuss who will replace Smith at tight end in New England. Mike Gesicki could become another example of a valuable pass-catcher tight end that falls into the abyss of the New England offense. Henry looks to be the tight end that will handle the pass-catching duties in New England. Bill O’Brien returns as the OC of the Patriots and ran this offense with Hernandez and Gronk, so the potential is there. He may be worth a shot in a volatile position but don’t expect a huge return.
Jamaal Williams had a breakout season in Detroit, leading the league with 17 total touchdowns. Yet, the Lions showed him disrespect when they signed Montgomery, so he moved on to New Orleans.
The questions surrounding Alvin Kamara could help Williams be a factor for the Saints. But they drafted TCU running back Kendre Miller in the third round. These two are very similar players, and head coach Dennis Allen has no problem using two backs. Williams will not find a feature role in this offense.
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