The rare day where we feature a defensive player. Soak it up...

In today’s Fantasy Life Newsletter:

• The Rams throw another $40 million at Aaron Donald
• Pete shares 1 player to draft & 1 players to fade in best ball
• Is Jimmy G on his way out of San Fran?
• Team preview: New York Giants
• A Yeti cooler giveaway on Twitter
• It’s 6/7. Take it away, Peter Overzet…

Aaron Donald just got paid to the tune of $95 million after the Rams re-worked his contract yesterday. I guess it's fair to say he earned it:

Aaron Donald:
2014: DROY, Pro Bowl
2015: All Pro, Pro Bowl
2016: All Pro, Pro Bowl
2017: All Pro, Pro Bowl, DPOY
2018: Unanimous All Pro, Pro Bowl, DPOY
2019: All Pro, Pro Bowl
2020: Unanimous All Pro, Pro Bowl, DPOY
2021: Unanimous All Pro, Pro Bowl

That’s how you get $95M.

The $40 million raise over the last three years of his existing contract will make him the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL.

He currently sits at +650 to win Defensive Player of the Year with Myles Garrett (+650) and T.J. Watt (+700) sitting right behind him. 

And to think, just a week ago there were rumors that he might retire. Sorry Kyler, Trey, and whichever pour soul ends up starting for the Seahawks this year...

NFC West quarterbacks finding out that Aaron Donald isn’t retiring anytime soon

We're all flying a little blind in these early best ball drafts, so Pete takes a pause while drafting from the stairmaster to share a player whose ADP is Too Hot and a player whose ADPs is Too Chill.

🥵 Amari Cooper (ADP: 48.4)

I don't think I've selected Cooper a single time his summer and I'm not sure I will unless his price massively cools off. Even in the comfy confines of the Dallas offense, Cooper only had three double-digit target games last year. Despite being drafted as a WR2, he delivered fringe WR3 numbers in 2021 and performed poorly in important metrics like weighted opportunity (37th) and expected points per game (38th).

I'm not sure how you can spin the Browns situation as an upgrade either. There's big time uncertainty at the QB position and Cleveland is one of the most run-heavy teams in the league. Everything is trending in the wrong direction for Cooper. If I want exposure to the Browns passing game, I much prefer David Njoku (150), David Bell (153.7), or Donovon Peoples-Jones (181).    

🥶 Rachaad White (ADP: 132.2)

On the flip side, I can't stop drafting White, the third-round RB selection by the Bucs in this year's draft. There's no denying that this is Leonard Fournette's backfield but they are priced accordingly with Fournette going at the 2/3 turn and White available in the 11th round. White checks virtually every box I look for in a late-round selection:

1) He's a rookie and rookies historically gain value and increase production over the course of the season more than any other player cohort

2) He's a handcuff RB who has a direct path to a three-down role in the event of an injury, but also has the ability to carve out a pass-catching role from the jump (think rookie year Alvin Kamara)

3) He plays in a high-powered offense with plenty of scoring opportunities

4) Bonus: the Bucs have an incredible playoff schedule (CIN, @ARI, CAR) with two warm-weather home games and a shootout in Arizona

You can target White and fade Amari in Underdog's $5 Puppy tournament with a $75,000 top prize. The contest is filling fast, so hop in soon. Fantasy Life readers get up to a $100 deposit match with promo code LIFE.

🌙 Is the Jimmy G era coming to an end in San Fran? Sure seems like it.

⭐ The 22 Most Influential NFL People. Look who clocks in at No. 10.

🏅 Which rookie RBs will rush for the most yards? ESPN's Mike Clay projects the top NFL rookie leaders in 10 key stat categories.

⚖️ Deshaun Watson now faces 24 active civil suits. The only question now is how many games he'll be suspended. 

🐬 Tyreek Hill stans Tua...while simultaneously throwing Matt Moore under the bus. 

The season is fast approaching, which means it is time for us to get to know all of these NFL teams and who we should be drafting and fading after a busy offseason. In today's team preview, Kevin Tompkins takes a look at the New York Giants.

The Giants were #notgood in 2021 as they finished 4-13 and as a result, virtually the entire previous regime was fired or let go. The team will enter the 2022 season with renewed optimism, as well as new coaching faces with Brain Daboll at the helm, but realistically the football Giants have a long way to go. 

The Giants are currently in the basement of the NFC East with a projected 7.5 win total per VegasInsider.

⚙️ Offseason changes

• Joe Schoen as the new general manager and former Bills’ offensive coordinator Brian Daboll as the new head coach.
• Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka — who coached Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs’ quarterbacks coach from 2018-2021.
• Quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney — who coached Josh Allen as assistant quarterbacks coach in Buffalo from 2020-2021.
• TE Evan Engram is gone, having left for Jacksonville in free agency
• WR Wan’Dale Robinson was drafted out of Kentucky (2nd round)

✨ Team vibes

It’s put up or shut up for QB Daniel Jones. The Giants declined to pick up his 5th-year option, guaranteeing that he needs to establish himself as the franchise quarterback this year, or the team will find a new one. The Giants signed journeyman QB Tyrod Taylor to back up Jones in case he falters. In addition to revamping the offensive coaching staff.

2018 and 2019 seem so long ago for RB Saquon Barkley, but those seasons saw Barkley as RB2 and RB7 in fantasy points per game, respectively. Forcing Barkley to run behind the turnstile offensive line from 2021 (30th-ranked offensive line per PFF) should be some sort of workplace violation. Adding OT Evan Neal in the NFL Draft certainly helps. Barkley could be a huge value in the third round of fantasy drafts where you have the potential to get a first-round fantasy talent. (If healthy)

No word yet if HC Brian Daboll will have his players run laps when mistakes are made on the practice field. Hopefully, they’ll get Christmas this year.

🎯Draft targets

• QB Daniel Jones (14th Round ADP)
• RB Saquon Barkley (3rd Round ADP)
• WR Kadarius Toney (8th Round ADP)
• WR Wan’Dale Robinson (15th Round ADP)

👋Draft fades

• WR Kenny Golladay (10th Round ADP)
• WR Sterling Shepard (17th Round ADP)
• WR Darius Slayton (18th Round ADP)
• TE Ricky Seals-Jones(18th Round ADP)

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