One of the most popular concepts for fantasy managers to explore is the shiny new toy in fantasy football. Typically, it’s the rookie arriving on the NFL scene with the opportunity to shine immediately. Additionally, it can be current NFL players changing scenery.
Whether for financial gain or the chance to shine in a new offense, players seek the opportunity to showcase their talents and ultimately play on a winning team.
Check out the fantasy impact of 16 players who have changed NFC uniforms.
One of the most popular concepts for fantasy managers to explore is the shiny new toy in fantasy football. Typically, it’s the rookie arriving on the NFL scene with the opportunity to shine immediately. Additionally, it can be current NFL players changing scenery.
Whether for financial gain or the chance to shine in a new offense, players seek the opportunity to showcase their talents and ultimately play on a winning team.
Check out the fantasy impact of 16 players who have changed NFC uniforms.
Changing Scenery: NFC
Taylor Heinicke is a journeyman quarterback who was signed due to the uncertainty surrounding Desmond Ridder. Heinicke is an inefficient gunslinger best suited to be an NFL backup. If Ridder does not perform, there is a possibility that Heinicke will see the field. However, the Falcons must see what they have in Ridder. Is he a bridge to the future, or is he the future in Atlanta? Neither helps the fantasy value of Heinicke.
The Carolina Panthers jumped at the opportunity to sign running back Miles Sanders after Sanders felt slighted by the Philadelphia Eagles. Sanders set career-highs in carries (259), rushing yards (1,269), and touchdowns (11) last season with the Eagles but was disgruntled with his usage in the Super Bowl and decided to find a new home in 2023. The Panthers boast an underrated offensive line that helped D’Onta Foreman average 4.5 yards per carry and pushed the rushing attack into the top ten in rushing yards last season. Sanders walks directly into a featured back role in Carolina, and with head coach Frank Reich calling the plays, Sanders should see the ball as much as he can handle. His fantasy outlook is on the rise despite leaving the Eagles’ offense.
The Carolina Panthers added this pair of veteran receiving options to assist their number one overall pick Bryce Young with reliable outlets in the passing game. Adam Thielen continued to produce despite a noticeable decline in skill. Thielen scored six touchdowns last season with the Minnesota Vikings and caught 70 passes on 107 targets for 716 yards. The veteran wideout will not have the best receiver in the NFL (Justin Jefferson) opposite him in Carolina, so look for those numbers to take a massive dip. Hurst didn’t provide much fantasy relevance last season with the Cincinnati Bengals, catching 52 passes for 414 yards and only two scores. Hurst will be a security blanket for the rookie signal-caller, and there’s hope he can pile up receptions in an offense that possesses plenty of young offensive weapons.
The Chicago Bears signed D’Onta Foreman to take over the David Montgomery role in the offense and help make an impact between the tackles. Foreman is a bruising back who showed he could carry the workload and wear down defenses, rushing 203 times for the Carolina Panthers last season. Foreman averaged 4.5 yards per carry, and the Bears want the run ball more this season but not rely on quarterback Justin Fields to produce another historic season running the ball. Khalil Herbert is also in the running back mix and looks recovered from his hip injury suffered in November. Herbert is an explosive runner with big-play ability. However, he is a liability as a blocker. He is more of a situational running back and will combine with Foreman to form a unique combo. The dark horse candidate in the Bears backfield is rookie Roschon Johnson. Johnson spent his college career behind Bijan Robinson in Texas, but he can make an immediate impact in the Bear passing game. All tolled, each of these backs will impact the Bears’ offense, making rostering them weekly a lineup nightmare.
The Dallas Cowboys desperately needed help at wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb and finally got their guy in Brandin Cooks. The Cowboys acquired Cooks in a trade from the Houston Texans and absorbed the financial impact of the previous roadblock in moving Cooks out of Houston. Cooks is a well-traveled wide receiver who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in six of his nine NFL seasons. The Cowboys have an explosive offense, and Cooks will provide consistent production that this offense lacked. The team parted ways with TE Dalton Schultz, allowing Cooks to be a terrific weapon in this offense. His big-play ability will help form an exciting WR trio with Lamb and Michael Gallup, making Cooks a high-end WR3 option for fantasy managers.
After spending his first four NFL seasons in Chicago, David Montgomery decided to move on from the Chicago Bears. He was the team’s leading rusher in his four seasons with the Bears. However, his 2022 season was the worst season of his career. Montgomery produced the lowest rushing yard total (801) and scored the least touchdowns (five) across his four seasons this past season. Montgomery jumps into the Jamaal Williams role in Detroit by taking over the short-yardage and goal-line duties. The Lions drafted running back Jahmyr Gibbs fifth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he is projected to take on the D’Andre Swift role as a third-down back and pass-catching role. Montgomery should be considered a low-end RB2/Flex option in an explosive Lions offense behind an impressive offensive line.
The Las Vegas Raiders released Derek Carr, and he quickly found a new home in New Orleans with the Saints. Carr had a disappointing 2022 season, with his nine-year career’s highest interception rate and lowest completion percentage. His 3,522 passing yards were the first time in five seasons that he did not eclipse 4,000 passing yards. The former Fresno St. star provided steady fantasy production and supported Devante Adams in producing consecutive top-three WR finishes. Carr produces QB2 numbers; we could see a bump this season in New Orleans. The Saints have multiple weapons in a healthy Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Raheed Shaheed at wide receiver. Add Juwan Johnson at tight end, and fantasy managers know how Carr loves his tight ends. Plus, hopefully, Alvin Kamara is out of the backfield. That type of firepower should result in Carr reaching near QB1 numbers.
Jamaal Williams won a lot of leagues for fantasy managers last season. Williams is a short-yardage and goal-line back who outshined teammate D’Andre Swift in Detroit last season. Williams scored a league-leading 17 touchdowns and finished as the RB8 last season. Williams moved on from Detroit and signed with the New Orleans Saints this past offseason. He enters a Saints backfield in which Kamara is the featured back but faces legal issues that could result in a league suspension. The Saints signed Williams as insurance and drafted Kendra Miller in the third round in the 2023 NFL Draft. Williams will be sharing touches with one or both of these backs. However, he is very familiar with and thrives with this type of usage. Look for Williams to be primarily a flex/bye-week fill-in option for fantasy managers.
Parris Campbell was finally able to stay healthy for an entire season. The dreaded injury-prone tag was placed on Campbell after only playing in 15 games across his first three NFL seasons. In 2022, Campbell created a few splash plays that made you remember why he was so highly thought of coming out of Ohio State. Campbell recorded 63 receptions on 91 targets for 623 yards and three touchdowns. The former Buckeye signed with the New York Giants this past offseason as the Giants attempt to upgrade their wide receiver corps. Suddenly, the Giants have a crowded wide receiver room, with Campbell hoping to fit in the slot role and be a reliable weapon for QB Daniel Jones.
The New York Giants needed to provide weapons for quarterback Daniel Jones. While everyone assumed that the Giants were looking at wide receiver this offseason, they pivoted and added former Pro Bowler TE Darren Waller. Waller is a frustrating case for fantasy managers. Waller broke out in 2019 with the then-Oakland Raiders and produced 90 catches on 117 targets for 1145 yards and three scores. Waller improved the next season with 107 receptions on 145 targets for 1196 yards and nine touchdowns during the 2020 season. He was considered one of the best fantasy TE, but injuries took care of that quickly the past two seasons. He has appeared in only 20 games across the last two seasons. His health is the most critical factor in determining if Waller will rise to the fantasy ranks among TE. His ability is not questioned, but his continued availability is.
Every fantasy manager knows the story with Rashaad Penny. He is a productive, hard-running running back on the field. And there is the rub when he is on the field. Penny only played in five games last season in Seattle due to a broken fibula. Penny has only played in double-digit games twice in his five-year career and only appeared in 42 games total in his five NFL seasons. His addition to the Philadelphia Eagles backfield is intriguing, and Penny carries fantasy upside. He is not a weapon in the passing game, but he will be utilized with quarterback Jalen Hurts to form a menacing rushing attack. Penny is better suited in standard formats but can still possess value as a possible flex option in all fantasy leagues.
For whatever reason, D’Andre Swift and the Detroit Lions organization seemed to be always at odds. Maybe it’s because he was a lock to miss a few games every season, and he could not be counted upon as a full-time running back. The Lions moved Swift during the 2023 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have plenty of firepower on offense, with Jalen Hurts behind center running a clinic on RPO. Swift will still not be the featured back in Philadelphia, with the Eagles also adding Rashaad Penny during the offseason. However, his big-play ability should be displayed with plenty of volume to make a significant fantasy impact. Swift finished second with 6.3 yards per touch and fifth with an 8.1 percent breakaway rate. Swift will be a boom-or-bust option most weeks, but his splash plays will be enough to make up the difference.
Adding Sam Darnold to this conversation might be comical, but Darnold has received glowing reports in camp so far. However, the uncertain health status of quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Trey Lance lends to who will be behind center for the 49ers in Week 1. No fantasy managers will be thrilled to draft Darnold, but if everything falls in the wrong place for the Niners, we can see Darnold quarterbacking an explosive offense. Darnold is better suited to be drafted in only the best ball formats, but he can certainly be a dark horse candidate.
Baker Mayfield signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the GOAT Tom Brady decided to retire. This is Mayfield’s last chance to start in the NFL and is his fourth team in five seasons. Mayfield finished with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions last season with stops with the Los Angeles Rams and the Carolina Panthers. He remains a gunslinger who can throw the deep ball but has minimal accuracy. Mayfield will battle Kyle Trask in training camp for the starter’s job, but while the weapons are still with the Bucs, the offensive line is in rough shape. Mayfield hasn’t been a fantasy-relevant option for several seasons, and it will not restart in Tampa Bay.
The Washington Commanders brought in veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who signed a one-year deal with $7.5 million guaranteed, to compete with second-year quarterback Sam Howell. Brissett has started games for each of his four teams and was impressive at times with the Cleveland Browns last season until Deshaun Watson returned from his suspension. Head Coach Ron Rivera preaches that there will be an open quarterback position with Howell, the current front-runner. Howell has a higher ceiling, and the Commanders possess some impressive pieces on offense, including wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. Brissett is also tasked with being a strong mentor to Howell, and new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will spearhead this fascinating dynamic. Bieniemy has been viewed as a potential head coaching candidate for various NFL vacancies in several seasons. The Commanders hope Howell becomes the undisputed starter for the next decade and Brissett is just a short-term stopgap at best. However, if Howell fails, Brissett becomes their starter and a QB2 in SuperFlex, and the Commanders are drafting one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.
