With the draft, each team gets to add new talent to their roster. With the new additions, it leaves fantasy managers excited to see what the newcomers can do. However, the draft is not just about the rookies. High-valued draft picks coming into new situations affect the current players on the roster. This can have a positive or negative impact on currently rostered position players. Rookies can either enhance a player’s role or hurt it. Let’s take a look at what players were BIG winners post-draft for fantasy purposes.

Dameon Pierce

The NFL is constantly evolving. In the early 2000s running backs played a pivotal role in the offense. Star running backs were given a full workload, and one player handled a majority of the carries. In a pass-happy NFL, a committee backfield is more popular, which hinders output for fantasy managers on certain players. Dameon Pierce seemed to have dodged that bullet after the draft. Despite only playing in 13 games in 2022, Pierce held his own in terms of fantasy value. He rushed for a total of 939 yards while averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Even more impressive is 506 of those yards coming AFTER contact. Pierce is an angry runner, and the Texans showed they trust him by giving him almost 17 attempts per game in 2022.

🐊👀Just a tremendous 36-yard run for former Florida #Gators RB Dameon Pierce. Pain and pleasure every time this guy puts up a highlight, which the rookie has done all season. Total beast. #Texans pic.twitter.com/mpNyPTW6OV

— OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news (@onlygators) November 4, 2022

More importantly for Pierce being one of the big winners post-draft is what the Texans didn’t do. Unlike the heartbreaking stories of James Robinson and Phillip Lindsay, the Texans have not made any pivotal additions to the RB room this offseason. Robinson fell victim to the Jags taking Travis Etienne with the 25th overall pick in 2021, while Lindsay saw his workload diminish with the Broncos bringing in proven veteran Melvin Gordon in 2020. Both Robinson and Lindsay saw their imminent replacement join the team right after they both rushed for over 1,000 yards, respectively. The Texans have proven they are giving Pierce the keys to the backfield. Although they signed Devin Singletary, it’s only a one-year deal worth up to $2.75 million according to Spotrac. The small and non-committal contract to Singletary is huge for Pierce’s involvement in the offense. Singletary should look to serve as Pierce’s backup and occasional third-down option in passing situations. Look for Pierce to still maintain all meaningful touches in 2023.

Trevor Lawrence

The next big winner post-draft is Jaguars franchise quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. He might be the biggest winner of the group, as he got all the help he needs this off-season. Lawrence finished as the QB 8 last year, a huge jump from his rookie season which he was the QB 23. The bulk of Lawrence’s struggles were because of how horrendous Urban Meyer was in his short stint as head coach of the Jags. It was night and day difference when Lawrence got a legitimate coach in Doug Pederson, ascending the young signal caller into the top ten at his position. Along with Pederson, the Jags brought in Christian Kirk to help aid the franchise quarterback. Kirk and Lawrence quickly hit it off, with Kirk boasting 84 receptions, over 1100 yards, and eight touchdowns.

TOUCHDOWN TREVOR!!!!!! Lawrence throws a dot to Christian Kirk and the Jags are on the board!!!! 🎯

pic.twitter.com/iydYfMZMlC

— Austin Pendergist (@apthirteen) January 8, 2023

Kirk is not the only weapon in Lawrence’s arsenal. Fellow Clemson stand-out Travis Etienne had a fantastic sophomore season after his rookie year was cut short before it even started with a season-ending Lisfranc injury in 2021. Zay Jones and Evan Engram both were great compliments to Lawrence last year and look to continue that in 2023. It’s what the Jaguars did in the draft that really stands out for Lawrence. They invested their first-round pick in Lawrence’s new offensive tackle, Anton Harrison. Harrison will hopefully live up to the hype, and give Lawrence a clean pocket for years to come. Keeping Lawrence upright will allow him to make better throws all over the field, boosting his fantasy potential. It’s worth noting that the Jags also took TE Brenton Strange in the second round, and RB Tank Bigsby in the third. Showing their commitment to give Lawrence all the tools he needs to succeed. With all these weapons and another year of working with Doug Pederson and this offense, Lawrence can very easily ascend into a top 3 QB conversation.

Honorable Mention: Chris Olave

Chris Olave is the honorable mention for the big winners post-draft. After a great rookie season, Olave looks to improve those numbers in 2023. Even with a QB carousel including Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston, Olave was still a 1,000-yard receiver in 2022. The biggest impact for Olave didn’t come through the draft, but rather with one of the first big signings of free agency. The Saints welcome Derek Carr to be their new signal caller in 2023. Although the story is still out on whether Carr is an “elite” quarterback, he is certainly a major upgrade at the position for the Saints. A (hopefully) healthy Michael Thomas can help alleviate some pressure off the young wideout as well. Olave finished as the WR 25 in PPR leagues in 2022, and Carr can help lift Olave into the top 15 at his position in 2023.

Big Jumps Ahead

All three of these players have been given the opportunity to showcase their talents even further in 2023. Their respective teams have shown commitment to them in both free agency and the draft. It is now up to them to prove their worth on the field and show the fantasy world why they are some of the big winners post-draft.

About the Author

Paul Orlando is a die-hard Ravens and Orioles fan and a fantasy football junkie. Paul is co-host of The Eye Test: A Fantasy Football Podcast on Youtube and has recently begun writing for Belly Up Sports. He gives expert advice in both Dynasty and Redraft settings, and loves finding the sleepers no one else talks about. Find all things fantasy football on Belly Up Fantasy Sports.