With the official start of Wednesday's new league year now less than 24 hours away, Ryan Wormeli and Andrew Erickson are back once again to analyze Tuesday's major moves in the NFL from a fantasy football perspective. Are we bullish on Javonte Williams and Najee Harris now based on their landing spots? Will we see improved production from the Colts' wide receiver with Daniel Jones at the helm? Tune into the 'Pros to find out!
Timestamps (may be off due to ads):
Intro - 0:00:00
Javonte Williams lands in Dallas - 0:01:40
Najee Harris goes to Chargers - 0:05:30
Who's better: Najee Harris or JK Dobbins? - 0:09:07
Other RB signings - 0:11:05
Daniel Jones to the Colts - 0:11:35
Other WR signings - 0:14:24
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Hello, everybody, Welcome into our Day two free agency microcast with Fantasy Pros. I am Ryan Warmley, joined as I was yesterday by Andrew Erickson. A little less going on than Day one. We obviously had a jam packed microcast yesterday because we not only had day one of free agency, or technically day one of legal tampering, but we also had the whole weekend to get through. Today much lighter, a couple of still really fantasy relevant transactions coming through which we will talk about, and maybe some less relevant ones that we'll weigh in on quickly. Here. I do want to remind everybody through all of this week or free agency, please stay ahead of NFL free agency with the Fantasy Pros News, Rankings and Scores app. Be among the first to know where all the major free agents sign with our real time breaking news alerts and player updates. Download the Fantasy Pros News, Rankings and Scores app now at Fantasypros dot com, Slash apps, the app Store, or Google play. Ericson any kind of high level takeaways from Day two, or do you want to just dive into the players.
I think we can dive right in to the players, but I will say of course, on the first microcast, I talked about how no running backs were getting any type of love. Then, of course, immediately after we do that recording, we kind of start to see some of these running backs latch onto teams. Although there's still a lot of veteran free agent running backs that are still on the market looking for homes.
That's like a common thing though, I feel like, I mean, I know, we talked about DeAndre Swift was the first guy to sign last year, but like Derek Henry was a Day two last year, we got a couple of Day twos this year. I feel like a lot of years running backs are kind of Day one is some of the more sexy, you know, premium positions in the modern way of building a team. In Day two's we kind of get to those maybe values at a position like running back. Let's start with the running backs. We'll start with Javonte Williams. There's really two kind of big headliners here. I want to start with Javonte because this is somebody who, prior to the injury, was seen as like one of the next not like Hall of Fame running backs or anything, but like a next guy to be one of the faces of the positions. He was a tackle breaking machine. He was awesome at Carolina in college, and then the injury came and he has not looked the same since. Obviously, he and Sean Payton never really totally geled. It felt like felt like Peyton was always looking to go to Audrick Estime or Jil McLoughlin or you know, any number. You know, he was looking for reasons not to give the ball to Javonte Williams. And so now he ends up in Dallas, which was one of the primo landing spots a running back could find. We have talked a lot about in the draft. How this is. You know, if Ashton Genty goes here, what a landing spot for Genty, you know right off the bat. So now that Javonte is here, I want to ask you two things. One, what does this mean for him ericson? But two, what does this mean for Dallas as a potential landing spot for running back in the draft? Because this is a one year, three million dollar deal. It's not like he's their running back of the future. So they could still very easily take a guy on Day two of the draft. And does Javonte scare you away? From whoever that is.
I'll start with that because I think that's a really easy one. No, I don't think this stops Dallas from doing whatever they want to do in the NFL Draft. I fully expect them to invest some type of draft capital. Maybe it's not gente. I know we got some reports with the athletic earlier in the week that talked about it's probably more like a round two, round three guys. They're probably gonna take a pair with the veteran. The veteran being Javonte Williams. We'll see where Rico Daudell ends up. Is still a chance that he could pretendially come back to the Dallas Cowboys. I think for Javonte Williams, this is a good landing spot because hey, right now, there's really not that much competition on the depth chart, and it's a fresh start for him. Because I think you said it or you summarize it really well. Sean Payton and Javontay Wibbson never really saw a diye right he was in the dog how I mean, we were getting reports he was gonna get cut from the team before the season started last year. Think about this, worm imagine if Gavonta had got cut inside with Dallas last year, like we would have been hyped up to draft Javonte Williams, and you know, he never really got a chance to get going. Yes, he's looked not nearly as explosive as he's been since the injury, but now it's another year removed. He's still a young player. So I know on the last medcraft to talk about Elijah Mintioned will not be this year's JK. Dobbins. I don't want to go as far as saying Giavante could be that guy, because we've got to see how this backfield shakes out. But I feel better about Javonte potentially turning back the clock again. A really tackle breaking machine at the college level. I still he has show that at the NFL level as well. So I'm leaving the light on a little bit for here for Javonte. Now they draft Omaron Hampton, they draft genty K, that's gonna get totally nuked. But I think that if this depth chart stays relatively soft, they add a rookie that maybe we're not super excited about. I wouldn't say Javonte is gonna lose the job necessarily.
It's such a strong class, Like you know, they're gonna draft somebody. I think if they draft somebody on Day two, one of those like top six or seven backs in the class, then I might be like, not that interested in Javonte. If they're not drafting somebody till like round five, Hey, we just got to get a young guy in here. It's still a really good class somebody that I would probably be interested in that player too, but I'll be a lot more like this might be sleeper in terms of Javante that I want to take a swing on, depending on what the ADP looks like by the time we get to August. So color me really intrigued on this one, truthfully, And what happens in the draft and from here in the rest of the off season will go a long way and determining what level of intrigue I have. But right now, like this is a guy I'm probably thinking I'm going to be willing to buy on. The other running back that's the big one from Day two and really kind of happened later in Day one, but after we record it is Naji Harris. When you're deal with the Chargers. The Chargers were the other landing spot that oh hey, if Omaron Hampton goes here or whoever, it's gonna be awesome. Now they have Harris probably a little more able to scare off interest in a rookie, depending on who the rookie is. I would think maybe you disagree with that. I've never really been a big Nase Harris guy. He's somebody who can produce with volume. It's not going to be efficient. He needs the volume. You would think he's gonna get volume with an offensive situation like the Chargers have, especially if they don't draft a Hampton or whoever. So this is an opportunity here where if they don't add anybody clearly better than him, or like a Day one or two rookie, then I think a lot of people are going to be sitting here in July saying Najia Harris is likely gonna score twelve touchdowns this year because there's nobody else on this depth chart right besides Commani Videll, and he didn't really do anything last year. And we know that Harris with volume at the very least, can produce, even if not efficiently.
Five or seven years ago, Naje Harris be going in the fourth round or third round of fantasy drafts is based on this landing spot alone. He is the carbon copy you look up a dictionary dead zone running back like like we were looking at this.
I'm really quickly you say, like five or six years ago. If they don't add anybody else of significance, that could happen this year, Like, I would not be surprised if he's somehow like a fourth round pick. If we get to August and it's himmen By Dell and no one else in that backup, I don't expect that to be the case where the touchdown is going to go you know, well is going to do with running this offense? Like, how is that not a fourth round pick?
I mean, people do not like Najie Harris. There's a lot of especially on the fantasy side. He has gotten a lot of hate despite the fact that the guy, he's really durable, He doesn't miss games. He doesn't do it in the flashy way that we want our running backs to score fantasy points. But to make a comparison, looking at last year, just some of the advanced rushing metrics, you know what, he looks a lot like and you can look at this as a compliment or a detriment. He's Kyrien Williams. Like the numbers are not that much different between Kien Williams and Nage Harris. What's the main difference though, Oh, Karen gets all the touchdowns, right, Kien gets all the workload. And that's where Naji here in this new situation. Well, I think offensive line in LA is a little bit better than it's been in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's offensive line has kind of been in this weird They've really never had an opportunity for him to open up massive lanes for Najie Harris. So I think this is a really good landing spot now. If it ends up being where I have to draft Dodge Harris in the third round or fourth round of fantasy drafts, I don't want to do that. But if you right now in bestball drafts, he's going outside the top one hundred picks, like he is a late round running back pick. So if he stays discounted round six, eight, maybe even that, like Joe Mixon range from last year, I think It'll probably be interested in Naja Harris just because he fits the system well. I think that he can carry the ball a ton here he can catch passes out of the backfield. And you know, before the free and she started, my prediction was Naje Harris was actually gonna go to the charge. One of the few predictions I actually get up right when we did the Prediction show with myself fits in Joey p And it was because he had a connection with Harbaugh. Harbaugh wanted to him to come to Michigan when he was being recruited out of high school. The way that he talked about Naji Harris was like, I want this guy on my team now. Now, she ended up going into Alabama, but those feelings are currently not gone away because that's the team that signed him, Harbaugh's Chargers. So that's something to keep in mind. And going back to when we see these veteran running backs kind of pop off on new teams, who in that new building is riding them right? Who's going to be their support system? I think the hardbought is in Najie Harris's camp that's gonna help him produce here in twenty twenty five.
Let me put it to you like this, who is a better running back in your opinion? Naji Harris right now or JK Dobbins last.
May last May.
Like, like before we saw last year going into last year, who would you evaluate is the better running back at how you felt about Dobbins at that time or how do you feel about Nause now? Because I think nause is better. I think of him in a higher light today than I did JK. Dobbins a year ago. And JK. Dobbins was RB seventeen on a per game basis last year. Yeah, so we're saying that you're possibly getting an upgrade a guy who has a less of a health history than Dobbins. Now. Part of the appeal of Dobbins last year was that he was going so late, but we just saw what the lead running back in this offense can do. I think the offense will be better next year, so more scoring opportunities. Again, if they draft somebody on day, it's a totally different story. But as of right now, like I think Najia Harris should be a top like like like if the seasons started tomorrow, I tell me if I'm crazy, I think he's a top sixty pick, like like, I just don't see a world where he's not scoring double digit touchdowns if he stays healthy.
Your analysis are not wrong, worm, but I just I get concerned when guys with his prof because he's a dead zone back like oh, projected volume, being known for touches, not explosive like this tends to be a trap sometimes. But if the market doesn't catch up to that, and it's so he's still going outside the top sixty, people don't want him. He's a in the RB twenty four range, then yeah, then the value is there, and okay if he if he doesn't hold up the job, he loses the job to a rookie, then so be it. It doesn't kill me to draft him. But if it's a round three, now your Harris, you gotta take him. I know I'm gonna be out for that.
If I had to submit rankings today based on all the current rosters, he's unequivocally inside my top eighteen at the position. Yeah, I think projected volume is definitely gonna get you there, ye like and that it's not gonna be pretty, but they are not going to do anything else besides handing the ball in this offense. Other running backs, I don't think we really need to spend any time that Jordan Mason was assigned a second round tender by the Niners, so he's likely back there. Obviously, was a really appealing handcuff for more of the season last year than we would have hoped for. Also, pat Ricard does return to Baltimore, and I just mentioned that because he's such a huge part of their running game and there they are much better running the ball when he's in the field versus when he's not, So him, Lamar and Henry in that backfield together again next season will be really enticing on the ground at quarterback. Daniel Jones one year deal with the Colts. This is an interesting one because I think we all expected a veteran to go to Indy given the struggles of Anthony Richardson. I don't know if this is the type of veteran I was anticipating. What do you make of this? This Is this to you a move that moves the needle for fantasy or is this a kind of yeah? I raised my eyebrows. Interesting that he's getting a chance here in Indy, but it's not going to really make a difference for the pass catching group with the Colts.
I think that it does interest me for fantasy purposes because there's a couple of ways you can approach it where Anthony Richardson he has to play well or he's going to get replaced. Right, He's not going to be in there for much longer. If Daniel Jones is on the roster. Daniel Jones is still a younger, a young quarterback, you know, relative to NFL standards. He has more accurate quarterback than Anthony Richardson is. And he's also a mobile quarterback, so he can also score fantasy points. And you look at the supporting cast in Indy, we love it. That's why I wanted Jameis Winston to go here. Imagine him with all these toys, all these weapons from Josh Downs, Michael Pittman, Jonathan Taylor out of the backfield. So I think that we'd almost prefer either it either has to be an improved in Anthony Richardson in that quarterback or Daniel Jones a quarterback to help these weapons. So I think it's a positive because one of those two things has to happen. If Anthy richards doesn't improve, then we're getting Danel joneshich is gonna be good for the pass catchers. Fanthy Richardson does improve, okay, then we're doing better than we did last year. So I think it's good for the entire offensive environment for Indianapolis. But and when it comes to drafting these guys like Richardson's going to be a light run quarterback after last year's disaster, and Daniel Jones will basically be a last round pick and some of these Best Ball drafts. But when these guys are on the field, I think they're going to be productive for fantasy. Now, it's gonna look weird when we look at the aggregate score where we're not seeing a ton of them, like neither of them finished as a top twelve quarterback, but when you look at how they did each per game, you're like, oh, wow, they're both top fifteen guys, Like this was great. So I wouldn't opposed to drafting both of them in some of these best Ball formats where hey, twenty rounds, I just insert Colts quarterback here, I think that guy will be a producer. So I'm definitely intrigued by especially with Shane Steichen, and we've seen shin Stikeen work with guys before with Herbert, with Jalen Hurts, and really give them to the next level and be fantasy producers Andthony Richardson. As bad as he's been, he's still top five and Fantasy points per drop back like the past two seasons because the rushing that he can offer, and Danie Jones can obviously offer that as well. So I'm excited about these Colts players. It'll be interesting how it ultimately shakes out, but I think it's good for the environment.
You mentioned before the show. Kind of some thoughts on JJ McCarthy now that Daniel Jones is gone. Actually don't even think it's really worth spending any time on that because a we're up against the clock and be like, I think he was gonna be the starter regardless of Daniel Jones not being there, doesn't really change that in my opinion. We got to get out of here, but just quickly. A couple other moves that were made. Darius Slayton three year deal with the Giants, mac collins to your deal with your Patriots. Juwan Johnson returns to the Saints on a three year deal. What's the most fantasy relevant of those three moves?
I think, honestly, it's probably mc collins because this is the only player that's moving to a new team, so Darius Slaton's coming back to the Giants, Jawan John's come back to the Saints. I think it's really going to be more of the same with these these types of players, plus New York gets a massive quarterback upgrade, then maybe Slayton becomes, you know, Andrews the wide receiver. Four conversation Juwan Johnson's going to be dependent on how good Derek Carr can be. But the thing with Mac Collins that's interesting is, again we have a new coming in for the Patriots. No one has established Everard has to earn their key. Mac Hollins showed out for the Buffalo Bills last year. He's had his moments, and his best season to date was the season with the Raiders under Josh McDaniels. So who's now reunited with in New England. So I wouldn't be surprised if Hollins has a full time role in this offense and is someone that they lean on, maybe a lot more than most people would expect from a guy who's thirty one years old and has mostly been a special teams player the majority of his career.
He's Andrew Ericson, I'm Ryan Warmley, Debro will be stepping in for me tomorrow on our Free agency recap microcast. Then I'll be back with ericson on Thursday. This was our day to recap for ericson I'm Worm. We'll see again later this week. Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast. If you love the show, the best freeway to support us is by leaving a positive review on Apple podcasts at Fantasypros dot com slash review, or on Spotify. Follow us on x, Instagram and TikTok at Fantasy Pros, and subscribe to our YouTube chair and let YouTube dot com slash Fantasy Pros