With the draft come and gone, we now get a sense of the direction teams want to go ahead of the fantasy football draft season. One thing we learn is how they are planning for the future. This means some veterans are in danger of losing jobs to new recruits coming in. Let’s feature a few of those vets whose roles could be diminished and the impact it would have on fantasy football.
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Veterans That Could Lose Their Jobs
Here’s a look at veteran players that could lose playing time to rookies and the corresponding fantasy football impact.
James Conner (RB – ARI)
Looking at the draft, the Cardinals are preparing for their future. It started quickly when they drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. as Kyler Murray‘s No. 1 receiver, but it’s another position that was filled later we’re talking about. In the third round, the Cardinals selected running back Trey Benson, who averaged 5.9 yards per game in two years at Florida State.
Currently, starter James Conner is in the last year of his contract, and this move seems like they will not bring him back. Entering his seventh season, Conner has never played a full year and has annually missed time due to injury. If he misses any time, Benson should become the feature back, and he may never relinquish that role.
Miles Sanders (RB – CAR) and Chuba Hubbard (RB – CAR)
It was an overall bad 2023 for the Panthers as they finished with the worst record in the league. They would have been awarded the first overall pick if they hadn’t traded it away to the Bears last year.
They needed to improve the offense and did it early. They traded up into the first round to grab wide receiver Xavier Legette, but their next pick could make an impact immediately. They traded up again to grab Texas running back Jonathon Brooks.
Brooks was having a fantastic season for the Longhorns, rushing for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games before suffering a torn ACL. He should be ready for training camp, which is trouble for Hubbard and Sanders. Hubbard has played second fiddle throughout his time in Carolina. It was an awful season for Sanders, which included moving him down the depth chart. They brought Brooks in to take over the backfield and his talent will allow him to do so.
Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)
It’s a new era for the Chargers; they brought in Jim Harbaugh as the new head coach, allowed Austin Ekeler to walk, released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen. With those moves, Quentin Johnston became the top receiving option. It was a disappointing rookie season for Johnston, grabbing just 38 balls for 483 yards.
The Chargers needed to upgrade at the receiver position, so they selected Ladd McConkey in the second round. Thanks to his exceptional footwork and great hands, McConkey gained tons of attention during the draft season. He could instantly become Justin Herbert‘s favorite target.
Marquise Brown (WR – KC)
The Chiefs’ biggest weakness last season was their receiving core, but they still found a way to win another Super Bowl and are on the cusp of a potential dynasty.
They were quick to rectify that weakness and it started with signing Marquise Brown. Many have touted Brown’s speed and route-running abilities, but we have not seen his full potential. By coming to Kansas City, experts believe it’s his time.
They could change following the draft. The Chiefs wanted to solidify the speed they’ve been missing since trading Tyreek Hill, so they traded up to get Xavier Worthy. The Texas wide receiver made headlines when he broke John Ross’ 40-yard dash record of 4.21 seconds.
With Rashee Rice‘s off-the-field issues, there are rumors he could miss half the season. That would leave Brown and Worthy as the top two receivers. I wouldn’t be surprised if Patrick Mahomes started to favor Worthy a little more.
More Fantasy Football Draft Advice
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