A Lesson In Respecting Undervalued Free Agents

Some big names are looking for new homes in the NFL, and in just a few days, we can start charting the path of their moving trucks.

We all have our favorite free agent landing spots (David Njoku to the Eagles, if his agent is taking requests). But as exciting as those flashy transactions can be, let’s keep an eye out for subtler pickups. The moves that some will inevitably handwave as fruitless and not worth discussing. Because sometimes there’s gold in those panned pickups, even if it takes some time for them to shine.

Look no further than last year’s underappreciated free agent signings …

Sam Darnold to the Seahawks

Last Year’s ADP: QB27
Fantasy Finish: QB12

It was a fluke. No, wait, it was Kevin O’Connell’s system. Yeah! That’s the only reason Darnold looked good in Minnesota. No way this guy gets close to 14 wins in Seattle …

Darnold was drafted after the guy he supplanted, Geno Smith. Ruminate on that. And sure, Sam the Man’s overall fantasy finish was inflated because a bunch of other QBs got hurt and missed games. Whatever. Tell those excuses to his Lombardi Trophy.

Daniel Jones to the Colts

Last Year’s ADP: QB31
Fantasy Finish: QB15 (PPG)

So many jokes were made at Jones’ expense. Heck, I made some of them (Ok, I made a lot of them. I’m sorry, they just kept coming to me). But he sure proved haters like me wrong.

Jones casually put up the fourth-highest yards per attempt among all QBs, setting Alec Pierce up to secure a bag this offseason. He also had the Colts set up for a solid postseason run before an injury put an end to his Indy-rella Story.

Javonte Williams to the Cowboys

Last Year’s ADP: RB42
Fantasy Finish: RB14

Folks really thought Miles Sanders and Jaydon Blue would be an obstacle for Williams in this backfield. Sometimes we think silly things!

Through Week 14, Williams owned 77% of the backfield snaps and picked up the first 1,000-yard season of his career. An injury derailed him down the stretch, but that didn’t stop the Cowboys from extending him this offseason.

Rico Dowdle to the Panthers

Last Year’s ADP: RB55
Fantasy Finish: RB21

After Williams pushed Dowdle out of his optimal spot in Dallas, all seemed lost. Chuba Hubbard and his beefy contract would assuredly lead the charge in Carolina.

But a minor calf injury to Hubbard early in the season paved the way for a mini-resurgence. Dowdle posted more rushing yards in a four-game span than RJ Harvey did all season.

Stefon Diggs to the Patriots

Last Year’s ADP: WR40
Fantasy Finish: WR18

Despite the fact that New England’s only other reliable pass catcher was Hunter Henry, folks weren’t ready to accept old man Diggs as a WR1.

102 targets and 1,013 yards later, Diggs looked like a draft steal. Though after getting released by the Patriots, maybe we’ve seen the last of his fantasy relevance.

WHO ARE THE TOP 10 2026 FREE AGENTS?

🍋 🏈 Go Hard or Go Home!

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Five Trades We’d Love to See: AJB to 49ers

It’s about to get real with the NFL calendar about to begin a shopping spree that would outdo any Black Friday sale. Free agency is upon us, and the legal tampering window opens at noon ET on March 9. We’ll also see a fair number of trades, as teams try to either offload players to get under the salary cap, while others take on those contracts because they have ample cap space. One player who’s been at the center of rumors for a long time has been A.J. Brown. Does he move on from Philly? Dwain McFarland proposed a destination:

Playing in a Shanahan offense that moves Brown all over the formation and uses play-action to buy him space at the intermediate levels of the field would be fun to watch. Brown could evolve from a man-beater into a dominant player versus zone looks in this scheme.

Dwain went on to highlight players at the same point in their careers who went on to have big seasons. Not to be outdone, but Pete Overzet, Kendall Valenzuela, Matthew Freedman and Ian Hartitz also pitched in with their deals they’d like to see. ⤵️

BTJ GETS A NEW HOME

NFL Draft RB Rankings: Washington Punches Up

One of the most heartwarming moments of the NFL Scouting Combine was Mike Washington Jr. blazing a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash and then breaking down shortly thereafter because he was overcome with emotion. He knew that he’d upgraded his stock in the NFL Draft, and that made him overcome with emotion. Coach Gene Clemons noted Washington’s size/speed combo, but gave a very original comp for his play style:

It is the motor that makes Washington so good; it just keeps running while he is running. Imagine having to stop a back of Washington's size, then imagine having to do it while that back brings you the same intensity every rep, all game. It is exhausting and wears down defenders who are not used to that level of consistent grind from a running back. He runs with aggression and passion like someone who feels he has to prove himself on every rep because, as a guy who worked his way from the MAC to the SEC, he likely does. So many backs are out here waiting to be hit or waiting to see what the defense does, not Washington. He is not a counter-puncher; he leads with the hook like Smoking Joe Frazier used to back in the days of Muhammad Ali. All aggression, all the time.

Coach Gene dropped the RB Rankings for the upcoming draft, so finding where Washington is slotted might give an indication of where he gets drafted.

20 RUNNING BACKS RANKED

Freedman’s NFL Mock Draft: Love Goes Top 5

Turns out, Jeremiyah Love’s sizzling performance at the NFL Scouting Combine was enough to start moving him up draft boards. That 4.36 40-yard dash on top of his 3,014 scrimmage yards, 40 TDs (in his last two collegiate seasons) and Doak Walker Award just solidified Love as not only the top RB prospect in the draft, but now he’s among some of the best in recent memory.

Matthew Freedman, in his latest NFL Mock Draft, dropped a little historical perspective that gives the fantasy community even more reason to want to snap up the Notre Dame product as early as possible—maybe the first round by the time August rolls around:

Here are the RBs over the past decade to go in the top half of Round 1 of the NFL Draft and finish their rookie seasons at 21 years old.

2016: Ezekiel Elliott (No. 4)
2017: Christian McCaffrey (No. 8)
2018: Saquon Barkley (No. 2)
2023: Bijan Robinson (No. 8)
2023: Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12)

I put Love firmly in the tier of these players as a prospect.

How high is Love going off the board in Freedman’s mock? Let’s just say that the Saints (No. 8) and the Chiefs (No. 9) may want to start making other plans if they were considering that Love might fall to them in the draft. ⤵️

6 WIDE RECEIVERS IN THE FIRST ROUND!

Around the Watercooler

The latest fantasy and NFL gossip, news, memes and more from our merry band of football nerds …

👀 Who will the Raiders draft with their new first-round pick? Three interesting targets.

🚀 In a class with Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill, it’s an underrated speedster who’s the best free-agent WR on the board.

🏈 32 teams. 32 Team Needs, just in time for free agency to hit.

🔮 Possibly just a year early on Omarion Hampton? Ride or die.

🤔 Speaking of Tyreek Hill … is a Chiefs reunion inevitable?

🚨 ICYMI: BLOCKBUSTER TRADE! A 5x Pro Bowl defensive end is on the move.

🐻 The Bears are trying to keep their QB clean with a trade of their own.