The Raiders have agreed to a trade sending TE Darren Waller to the Giants in exchange for a 2023 third round pick (100th overall). The pick Giants are sending was initially acquired via the midseason deal that sent WR Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs, thus marking the first fantasy-relevant contribution Toney has ever made for the team. The need to address pass-catchers around QB Daniel Jones stood atop the list of priorities for the Giants this offseason, and now Waller arguably becomes the best receiver on this team. Though hamstring injuries plagued Waller's 2022 campaign, we're not far removed from three-consecutive seasons of 90+ target and 12+ PPR PPG production from the former Pro Bowler. We'll see what the Giants do in the NFL Draft next month regarding the WR position, but as of now, we're looking at some fairly intriguing fantasy upside here from Waller.
Saints WR Michael Thomas is expected to remain with the team on a one-year deal, $10 million deal worth up to $16 million in incentives. Now Thomas will have an opportunity to get his career back on track with recently acquired QB Derek Carr. The oft-injured star wideout has only appeared in 10 games since 2019, a season in which he led the league in receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725). It's justifiably fair for fantasy managers not to get overly excited about this news, but there's no doubting what Thomas is capable of at full strength. Maybe 2023 will finally be the year that the patience pays off.
The Dolphins are re-signing RB Raheem Mostert on a two-year, $5.6 million agreement, according to multiple reports. It's a bigger contract than the one-year, $2.125 million pact that brought Mostert in last season. But the annual average is similar. (ESPN's Adam Schefter adds that incentives give the contract a max value of $7.6 million.) Mostert opened last season splitting work with Chase Edmonds and finished it splitting with Jeff Wilson Jr. Despite that, Mostert tallied career highs in most categories while missing just one game. We're expecting further moves in the Miami backfield, which will affect Mostert's fantasy outlook. But he's a fine value right now at his late-round best ball ADP.
The Cowboys have agreed to a three-year deal with S Donovan Wilson that includes $24 million total and full guarantees on the first two years, according to NFL Network's Mike Garofolo. Wilson got his first chance at full-time starting duty last season -- his fourth in Dallas -- and racked up big numbers. He led all Cowboys with 101 tackles and led all NFL DBs with 5 sacks. Wilson ranked among the top 12 fantasy scorers at the position. The money locks him in for at least one more year of starting, and likely two. That makes Wilson worth keeping in dynasty leagues. And he'll almost certainly land a top-20 spot among DBs in our 2023 IDP rankings.
The Raiders will be signing WR Jakobi Meyers to a three-year, $33 million deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The pact will reportedly include $21 million in guaranteed money. This fit seems somewhat odd. Meyers does reunite with HC Josh McDaniels, who served as New England's OC for three of Meyers' four seasons there. But the 26-year-old (until Nov. 9) wideout joins an offense that already sports WR Davante Adams, TE Darren Waller, and WR Hunter Renfrow with annual average salaries over $10 million. Meyers also ran 64.5% of his routes with the Patriots from the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. That's also Renfrow's primary position (69.7% of career routes; 86% in 2022). We're assuming Meyers will be the second wideout (with Adams) in two-WR alignments, which will keep Renfrow's ceiling down. Meyers likely could have found more target share available elsewhere. It is, at least, a solid corps of receivers for new Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo. That said, we're not excited for the fantasy outlook on the QB, Meyers, or Renfrow.
The Chargers have agreed to a two-year, $13.25 million deal with LB Eric Kendricks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Vikings released Kendricks earlier this offseason to free up cap space. His arrival to L.A. comes with last year's lead LB, Drue Tranquill, still on the open market. So Kendricks looks like the best bet to lead the LB corps in 2023 playing time. There's still room for Tranquill to come back and play a significant role. If he doesn't and the Chargers don't make any other significant additions at off-ball LB, then Kenneth Murray could get one final starting shot in the fourth year of his rookie contract. We'd be quite surprised if L.A. picks up the fifth-year option on the highly disappointing former first-round pick. Expect Kendricks to land inside the top 30 when our 2023 IDP rankings drop.
The Falcons have agreed to a two-year deal with QB Taylor Heinicke that could pay as much as $20 million, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. That likely means Heinicke will get significant salary escalators if he winds up starting a bunch of games. More importantly, though, this might be the clearest signal that Atlanta expects to have QB Desmond Ridder starting Week 1 of 2023. The Falcons now have two QBs with NFL starting experience rostered, still more than a month ahead of the NFL Draft. We doubt this excludes the franchise from taking a QB in Round 1 of the draft, if the Falcons like a guy who gets to them. But don't bet on them angling to move up for any QB prospect. Ridder obviously has plenty to prove after just four rookie-year starts. And Heinicke looks like a two-year insurance policy. But Ridder has also been going plenty late enough in best ball ADP so far to be worth selecting as a QB3.
The Broncos have agreed to a three-year deal with DL Zach Allen. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that it's for $45.75 million total, including $32.5 million guaranteed. That comes on the same day that Denver watched DL Dre'Mont Jones get a bit more from Seattle. Allen progressed across four seasons with the Cardinals. He was enjoying his best campaign yet before a hand injury knocked him out for the final four games. Allen's career-high 20 QB hits over just 13 games suggest upside beyond his career-high 5.5 sacks. Allen also tallied a career-high 10 tackles for loss. The move to Denver reunites him with former Cardinals DC Vance Joseph. Allen could emerge as a value pick in 2023 IDP drafts. We like him as a top-30 D-lineman in our dynasty rankings.
The Seahawks reached a three-year deal Monday with DL Dre'Mont Jones. According to multiple reports, it carries $51.5 million in total value and $35 million over the first two years. Jones spent his first four seasons with the Broncos. He tallied 10-plus QB hits and at least 5.5 sacks each of the past three years, spending time at both DT and DE. Jones set a career high in fantasy points per game last season. That still landed him toward the bottom of DL3 territory, though. So Jones figures to present limited fantasy upside (outside of deeper leagues) going forward.
The Falcons reached a three-year deal with EDGE Kaden Elliss worth $21.5 million, with $11 million of that guaranteed. It's a big opportunity for a guy who did nothing across his first three seasons with the Saints. Thrust into the lineup last year, the former seventh-round pick delivered seven sacks and 10 QB hits while starting 11 games. Atlanta is clearly looking to him as a full-time starter, but Elliss has plenty yet to prove. He totaled 23 tackles and 1 sack over his first three years in the NFL. Elliss also sports below-average size and speed score for his position. Perhaps something bigger lies ahead, but we're not overly excited about his fantasy prospects as of now.
The Vikings are signing EDGE Marcus Davenport to a one-year, $13 million deal, according to multiple reports. It's a good-sized "prove it" opportunity for the former first-round pick, who managed just a half-sack, 2 tackles for loss and 8 QB hits over 15 appearances with the Saints last season. Davenport topped out at 9 sacks (in 11 games) the year before but clearly disappointed across five years in New Orleans. Injuries played a big role. So we'll see whether he can hit 2023 healthy, stay there, and repay the Vikings for the opportunity. His arrival could signal the departure of EDGE Za'Darius Smith, who recently asked the team to let him pursue trade opportunities.
CBS' Josina Anderson reports that Saints QB Jameis Winston is "finalizing" a deal to stay with the Saints. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that it's a one-year agreement worth "up to" $8 million. Rapoport adds that Winston faced "no starting opportunities," which would explain the QB settling for a backup spot behind QB Derek Carr. There would be fantasy upside to Winston if Carr goes down. But it's bad news that the 29-year-old couldn't get a better shot anywhere else just a year after opening 2022 as the New Orleans starter. This comes at the same time as the Buccaneers are rumored to be interested in Baker Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett -- just to add some context. Don't expect big things from Winston going forward.
The Broncos are re-signing LB Alex Singleton to a three-year, $18 million deal that includes $9 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It's a surprising move. Singleton went undrafted in the 2015 draft class and didn't play in an NFL game until 2019. He bounced into and out of the Eagles lineup through 2020 and 2021 before they let him walk. Even last season, his playing time fluctuated throughout the season. Singleton is coming off his best pro season, though, and has been a tackle monster whenever on the field. Fortunately, we fantasy players don't have to worry about whether this is a good move for the Broncos. We can just take advantage of the tackle collection when he's on the field. So Singleton now looks better than expected for dynasty rosters. And he's a candidate for the top 24 when our 2023 IDP rankings roll out.
The Giants have agreed to a four-year pact with LB Bobby Okereke. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that it's worth $40 million total, with $22 million of that guaranteed. It clearly positions Okereke as the lead LB for a team that has lacked such a guy since Blake Martinez tore an ACL early in 2021. Okereke spent the past two seasons starting for the Colts, racking up 283 total tackles. He has also defensed 17 passes across four seasons. Okereke sits among the top 15 LBs in our dynasty rankings. Don't be surprised if he lands inside the top 10 when our 2023 IDP rankings come out.
The Dolphins have agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with LB David Long Jr., according to multiple reports. Long spent nearly all of the past two seasons starting for the Titans, though he lost 11 games to injuries over that span. Long has been productive -- fantasy wise -- since stepping into the lineup. He has a shot to be the top fantasy producer in a Miami LB corps that has seen Jerome Baker lead the scoring over the past several years. But Baker's play -- and playing time -- has wavered. Long doesn't figure to excite fantasy players, so expect to be able to select him later in 2023 redraft IDP leagues.
The Commanders have agreed to a one-year deal with LB Cody Barton that NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports is fully guaranteed. We don't know how much money yet, and it's likely not a number that locks Barton into a starting role. But there's room for him to earn starter snaps in a defense that might lose LB Cole Holcomb in free agency. Jamin Davis should be the best current bet for full-time snaps among Washington LBs, heading into his third season. Barton didn't play very well in his first starting turn with Seattle in 2022, which is why the team is letting him walk.
The Panthers have reached a deal with former Bengals S Vonn Bell, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Carolina still has S Xavier Woods, who signed for three years as a free agent last offseason. The team lists Jeremy Chinn as a safety as well, but he moves around the formation. According to Pro Football Focus, Chinn actually played more snaps at slot CB than anywhere else last season. So expect the Panthers to have room for all three players in their primary defensive alignments. Cincinnati, meanwhile, must replace both safeties. Dax Hill -- a late first-round pick last April -- should fill one spot. We'll see about the other. Hill gets a boost in the dynasty rankings with these departures.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers have reached a one-year deal with QB Sam Darnold. The quick signing tells us that San Francisco isn't sure QB Brock Purdy will be ready for the regular season. If the 49ers did expect Purdy's repaired right arm to be all good, then there would seem little reason for them to prioritize a third QB on the open market and little reason for Darnold to sign so quickly. Why settle for a locked-in No. 3 role on the first day of "legal tampering" rather than wait to see what other QB-needier teams might say. Of course, we're betting Trey Lance will open the year as the starter. The fact that Lance remains unproven heading into his third year -- and is coming off his own serious injury -- enhances the upside for Darnold. In addition to Purdy, HC Kyle Shanahan's offense has helped QBs Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens generate good efficiency. Darnold would be interesting for fantasy if pressed into duty. That makes him stashable in deeper dynasty leagues.
The Browns are agreed to a three-year deal with former Texans EDGE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The pact could be worth as much as $22 million. A fifth-round pick of the Rams back in 2018, Okoronkwo finally got the first eight starts of his career last year in Houston. He supplied 5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss and 11 QB hits while playing 44% of the snaps. Cleveland clearly believes there's more coming in Okoronkwo's age-28 season (and beyond). The money indicates he's expected to start opposite EDGE Myles Garrett, which can't hurt. Still Okoronkwo sports just a 45th-percentile speed score for the position and might have a limited playing-time ceiling because of his size (just 253 pounds). He's a potential late-round IDP option for 2023 fantasy football drafts. But we're not overly excited about his upside.
The Lions are bringing LB Alex Anzalone back on a three-year, $18.75 million deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. That's particularly noteworthy money for Anzalone, who played each of the past two seasons for Detroit on one-year pacts. He got just $1.75 million in 2021 and then $2.5 million last year. But Anzalone increased his playing time each season vs. what he got across four seasons in New Orleans. That included playing 95.1% of the snaps across 17 games last year. Anzalone also saw boosts in his Pro Football Focus grading across categories and cracked the top 30 LBs in fantasy points. Expect him to remain the Lions' best bet for full playing time at the position, heading into his age-29 season. There's still room for 2022 rookie Malcolm Rodriguez to grow his role, though, vs. where Rodriguez finished the season.
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