I wrote up my rookie landing spots here, so now it's time to find the veterans who were rug pulled or officially promoted to a big role.

Stock Up

1. TE Brock Bowers: The combination of Kirk Cousins plus Fernando Mendoza with a real NFL playcaller in Klint Kubiak is such a better set up than whatever we're calling 2025. Bowers is likely to be healthier, and the Raiders are somehow even worse at receiver heading into 2026 if we view Jalen Nailor as a downgrade to Jakobi Meyers. I do. Long story short, Bowers can threaten the TE targets record in 2026. In full PPR redraft leagues, Bowers should be a 1st-round pick. In half PPR best ball, Bowers is a super smash at this 23rd overall ADP. There's no way it's not way higher soon. For the same reasons, the projected 3-WR set starters (Nailer, Tre Tucker, and Jack Bech) are all underpriced, too.

   

2. WR George Pickens: The timing of signing the franchise tag rightfully drew speculation that a draft weekend trade was likely, but that came and went. It sounds like the Jones family was being nice and just called Pickens' agent to chat. Fair enough! Pickens is no longer a hold out risk and less likely of a trade target after the 2026 draft passed, so what's stopping him from being a Round 2 pick? Dallas didn't add anyone on offense this offseason and is running back the same staff and starters around him. He was the WR6 on WR12 usage last season with CeeDee Lamb missing time. The same logic applies to Ryan Flournoy, who was the WR57 on WR74 usage last season.

   

3. RB Cam Skattebo: It'll be the same top-3 RBs for the Giants, which led to Skattebo running away with bellcow touches before a dislocated ankle ended a potential rookie of the year season. He was the RB9 on RB15 usage, and the Giants will be better defensively and on the interior OL after drafting LB Arvell Reese and OG Francis Mauigoa in the top 10. Dislocated ankles typically don't mean an IR stint to start the year, but there is a drop off in efficiency more times than not. Still, this discount from low-end RB1 to RB21 in ADP is something I want to target.

   

4. WR Josh Downs and TE Tyler Warren: The Colts traded Michael Pittman and didn't replace him in free agency or the draft. That'll force Indianapolis to play Downs or Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in 2-WR sets next to Alec Pierce. I know Downs is tiny, but come on?!?! Let's make this happen! At the same time, Warren's overlap with Michael Pittman underneath and in the red zone hurt him at the margins as a rookie, but that barrier is long gone. All this while Alec Pierce underwent an April ankle procedure that will sideline him for three months. I don't love the sound of that.

5. RBs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez: The Jaguars swapped Travis Etienne for Chris Rodriguez, and while they were rumored to be in the Jadarian Price mix early in Round 2, they did come up empty at RB in the draft. The depth chart is set: Tuten as the explosive back, C-Rod as the grinder, and LeQuint Allen in pass protection. Last year, Etienne was able to earn RB14 per-game volume, while Tuten was just the RB60. I'd be surprised if it was that drastic of a split between Tuten and Rodriguez this season. Liam Coen's ties date back to the college ranks with Rodriguez, who also had better efficiency metrics than Tuten last year.

6. WRs Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden: The Packers didn't draft a WR early, traded away Dontayvion Wicks, and let Romeo Doubs walk in free agency. We typically are dealing with 5 WRs for 2.5 spots, but today, there is clarity. Christian Watson as the healthy deep threat, Jayden Reed as an explosive slot, and 1st-rounder Matthew Golden as the upside case after being missed downfield far too often as a disappointing rookie. This offense featured the WR17, WR37, and WR44 per game last year despite Jordan Love's injuries.

7. RB Tony Pollard: Operation Dodge Jeremiyah was a success, and the presence of Nicholas Singleton isn't that scary after watching his tape. If Singleton sticks in the pros, it'll be as a pass catcher. I'm signing up for the Titans' early-down role, and that was all Pollard late into the year. The Titans' beat expects Spears and Singleton to compete for the backup job, leaving Pollard as the clear-cut starter. The offense should be better with a new coaching staff, Carnell Tate at 4th overall, and Cam Ward heading into his second season. There is "benched" risk here, but Pollard was the RB28 on RB31 usage last year while playing on an unwatchable team.

8. RBs Rachaad White and Jacory Croskey-Merritt: The Commanders also couldn't get Jeremiyah Love, and the crop of available free agents are bleak. It'll be White, only on a 1-year, $2M contract, as the pass-down option, while Bill and 6th-round rookie Kaytron Allen compete for whatever is left on early downs. Both were late-round dart throws, but their strengths are opposite. Allen is physical and reliable between the tackles, while JCM is more explosive with a little more boom-bust as a decision maker. There's a new OC in town, so it's a true "let the best man win" competition in Washington.

9. QB Lamar Jackson: The Ravens snagged stud LG Vega Ioane at 14th overall, then added two nearly identical ball winner WRs in Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt. It's possible Sarratt pivots to big slot, but both are options to throw the ball up to. Has Lamar ever had that at receiver? Not really! It's an interesting pivot for a team who just hired a new OC in Declan Doyle. He comes from the Sean Payton and Ben Johnson tree, and is only 30 years old. If they feel good about both tackle and guard spots, then we should feel okay about their center being Evan Silva.

10. Panthers Pass Game: I'm looking at the new playcaller and a new type of starters from this offseason, and extrapolating that Carolina is about to be more spread pass than downhill run. This started out by swapping mauling C Cade Mays for 4th-round movement C Sam Hecht. They also allowed bruising RB Rico Dowdle to walk in free agency, so plus-receiver Jonathan Brooks can be the clear-cut RB2 behind Chuba Hubbard. They also added vertical WR3/WR4 Chris Brazzell in Round 3. Doesn't this seem like a team is going to pass a bit more? That's great for Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, and Jalen Coker.

    

11. WR Xavier Worthy: The Chiefs didn't add a receiver after losing Hollywood Brown. How is he not going to be a near full-time player here? Would an under center play action offense help him out as the downfield threat of the offense, too? Possibly. He was the WR58 in usage last year, and I don't see that dropping heading into Year 3.

12. RB Isiah Pacheco: The Lions didn't draft or sign another RB after trading away David Montgomery. It's obviously all Jahmyr Gibbs now, but Pacheco could vulture some TDs while providing a ton of contingent upside. At the same time, Detroit drafted a 1st-round RT and tinkered their interior OL this offseason. They should be in better shape up front.

    

13. RBs Chris Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd: The Packers didn't address RB at all after letting backup Emmanuel Wilson go. Josh Jacobs battles injuries every year, and neither backup are being drafted right now on a team dedicated to the run and projected for top-8 points. Brooks is under contract for the next two seasons, so he'd be my lean for now.

Stock Down

1. Wide receivers: The NFL witnessed Sean McVay's bulldozing and shot-play designs out of 13-personnel last year and are playing a lazy game of copy-cat. Tight ends flew off the board in Rounds 2 and 3 this year, and many can't catch the ball. That means TEs are coming in to block, which means more runs and fewer snaps for WRs. It wouldn't be a surprise to see last year's trends away from WRs happen once again. This means the WR3-WR5 crop in fantasy is hurt the hardest, while some WRs will really separate in WR1 land.

   

2. RB Tyler Allgeier: How can you not feel bad for him? He balls out as a rookie, then the Falcons take Bijan Robinson. He continues to be highly effective in his backup role, then signs a low-end starter contract with the Cardinals, just for them to take the next Bijan in Jeremiyah Love. Allgeier won't go entirely to zero because of contingent value and a goal-line role, but he was 88th overall in rankings before the draft. He should be priced as a mid-range handcuff in the 130-150s as usual. James Conner goes to 200+ land as the cheap RB3, and Trey Benson is likely to be released.

3. TE Harold Fannin and WR Jerry Jeudy: I loved him as a prospect and couldn't believe what he was doing as a rookie. Fannin is a total stud, but the Browns simply aren't better at QB and OC, while much deeper at WR. KC Concepcion is a potential target dominator as the best route runner in the class, and Denzel Boston's towering presence in the red zone could be a problem for touchdowns. The team remains committed to Jerry Jeudy as well, so Fannin needs these in-line Y snaps to keep up. It's questionable if the Browns view him that way, but we'll learn quickly with David Njoku unsigned. Perhaps just as important as anything else mentioned is Todd Monken's deep history of slowing down the pace and running the ball. That wasn't the Browns offense last year.

   

4. RBs RJ Harvey and JK Dobbins: The 4th-round selection of reliable Jonah Coleman impacts both profiles. Coleman stylistically is closer to Dobbins, but the fact Denver was flirting with every free agent RB and then the rookie RBs has to mean something for their internal evaluation of Harvey after a far too boom-bust rookie season. Sean Payton's history of a committee approach is too hard to ignore. All will split touches, and the Broncos won't be as healthy as they were last year.

5. Jaguars WRs: Brian Thomas wasn't traded, but the Jaguars seemed hellbent on changing their style of offense this year by spending their lone 2nd-round pick on an old blocking-only tight end in Nate Boerkircher. With TE Brenton Strange already established, the only way to get their top investment onto the field is by the 2- and 3-TE sets taking the league by storm. That comes at the expense of WR snaps and targets, and it's unclear who even would be playing in 2-WR sets between Thomas, Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Travis Hunter. I'd guess it's Thomas and Meyers, but Washington closed the season strongly. This trio was the WR26, WR40, and WR48 on a per-game basis last year. It only became more complicated.

   

6. RB Zach Charbonnet: Everyone knows he tore his ACL, but did you know his surgery wasn't until February 20th? If he's nine months out from that date, we're looking at a Week 12 return. That's typically the ramp up period, so this effectively will be a redshirt season for Chabonnet, who likely will hand over the early-down explosive role to 1st-rounder Jadarian Price.

7. TE Mason Taylor and WR Adonai Mitchell: Obviously Joever with Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. going 16th overall and 30th overall.