We have thirteen days until we watch our final meaningful football game until September. The fact that we made it this far in the COVID days is a blessing within itself. However, like it always is, the period of time we are approaching without any football games to watch is never a fun reality. Despite that, we have so many compelling storylines that will surely occupy the early months of the offseason. The best part of that is a ton of the players that we’ll be hearing about will be the ones we watch closely to see where they land for fantasy football implications. There are a ton of free agents in this class that has a chance of being high-impact fantasy players. Because of that, where they land will greatly influence where we target them in drafts.

Sure, there are a lot of unknowns. How many of these guys will get franchise tagged? Where will some of the biggest trade targets go that will impact where they land? What if they pull a Le’Veon Bell and take the money instead of the best fit? We can’t answer that now, but we can have fun and dream about how amazing some of these players’ impact in fantasy would be if they land in certain spots. For the sake of the viewing enjoyment, none of these free agents will be getting franchise tagged or returning to their former teams. We will also not include any players that have an option pending. Because of that, let’s get weird and put these guys in their best homes.

Quarterbacks

Dak Prescott-Colts

Right off the bat we have someone who is very unlikely to hit the open market. Even though Prescott is coming off a devastating leg injury, the Dak we saw before he went down was the best we have ever seen him for fantasy implications. Sure, he was able to put up numbers because of how pathetic the Cowboys’ defense was. However, in the fantasy world we live in, that doesn’t matter. Points are points, and if you can throw for over 500 yards, you will be a sought out commodity.

In the unlikely event that Jerry Jones decides that he is tired of negotiations with Prescott, I’m sure Frank Reich would love the opportunity to have him lead the Colts’ offense. With Philip Rivers announcing his retirement and Jacoby Brissett hitting free agency, the only quarterback left of the roster is Jacob Eason. News flash: Eason will not be the starter for the Colts Week 1 in 2021. If the Colts can bring Dak in behind that offensive line and Jonathan Taylor hanging out in the backfield with him, we may see an even better version of Prescott.

Jameis Winston-Broncos

You’re only as good as your last throw, right? If the Saints pulled the plug on Drew Brees earlier, maybe they are the ones preparing to play the Chiefs down in Tampa. While there is no guarantee that Jameis could have been productive with consistent action, there was a clear weakness in the Saints’ offense that Winston could have easily fixed. Because of that, I would find it very surprising if Sean Payton did not bring Winston back to be the starting quarterback and opted for Taysom Hill instead.

While Payton has been open about his intentions for Hill to be the starter when Brees retires, maybe there will be a team who buys into Jameis learning a lot in his one year in New Orleans and be comfortable enough to let him be their starter. If that’s the case, the Broncos could be an ideal landing spot for Winston. Not only do they have a quarterback in Drew Lock, who has not secured the starting job, but Winston would also have the benefit of having some great young targets with Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and KJ Hamler, similar to the young talent he had in Tampa with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. If John Elway sees enough to make this move, we might be looking at Jameis as a potential fantasy starter in 2021.

Mitchell Trubisky-Rams

We likely saw the end of the Mitchell Trubisky-era when the Bears lost to the Saints in the Wild Card round. This is probably the wisest thing for him and Matt Nagy. It is clear for Trubisky that he wasn’t trusted in Chicago, despite showing glimpses of talent. For Nagy, he has one more chance to nail the quarterback pick before he is out of a job. Moving on is what’s best for everyone, especially when you can’t even bring up Mitch without saying that they took him before Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.

While it is unlikely that he will get a starting job, that means Trubisky needs to get a backup job where the team isn’t sold on the current starter. If you heard Sean McVay’s press conference after losing to the Packers in the playoffs, Jared Goff is far from safe as the starter in Los Angeles. While he hasn’t been terrible, he has yet to fully show all the talent that made him the number one overall pick. McVay wasn’t in town when that pick was made so he might decide that it is time to bring in some competition for Goff. Perhaps pairing Trubisky with McVay and the receiver in place there can bring out the best in Mitch.

Ryan Fitzpatrick-Panthers

The Panthers will likely pick a quarterback in this year’s draft. We all know that Teddy Bridgewater is not a long-term answer. While he is very serviceable, there is nothing spectacular in his game. He is merely there as a stopgap until Matt Rhule finds the guy that he wants to build his offense around.

If that guy is not in the draft this year, perhaps it would be beneficial for the Panthers to bring in another veteran to compete with Teddy. Sure, he didn’t do anything to lose his job last year, but he didn’t do anything to have security either. What if the Panthers decided to bring in the guy who is the exact opposite of Bridgewater with Ryan Fitzpatrick. The weapons are there for the Panthers. With Christian McCaffrey, Robby Anderson, DJ Moore, and Curtis Samuel, perhaps all this team needs is a little FitzMagic sprinkled in. Not only compete a little more, but be an extremely enjoyable team for fantasy weapons.

Cam Newton-Saints

Cam Newton being a starting quarterback in the NFL is in our past. In his first and probably only year in New England, it was clear that Newton’s arm just isn’t there consistently anymore. However, he proved that he still has the ability as a mobile quarterback to make an impact.

Imagine if there was a team that utilizes a backup quarterback like a running back in certain situations. Of course, Sean Payton does that. If he sticks to his word and makes Taysom Hill the starter, bringing in Cam to fill the Taysom role would be so entertaining to see. It might be hard for Cam to accept the fate that he is essentially becoming a running back. Though, if he can carve out an impact role and get to play the Panthers twice a year, he might be willing to accept that role and excel.

Running Backs

Aaron Jones-49ers

I got sold on this one by Dan Mader, and it actually makes too much sense. It is widely expected that the 49ers move on from Jimmy Garoppolo. However, can you make a case that perhaps the real change needs to be their philosophy in the running game? Sure, they have had success with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr., two undrafted free agents who came in and excelled in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. While that may be the case, it leads to a lot of change in that backfield. While Jimmy G hasn’t done himself any favors with his inability to stay on the field, the fact remains that the one season he didn’t miss a game, the 49ers made the Super Bowl.

If John Lynch brought in a workhorse running back like Jones to lead the charge, that could not only help the offense, but would make Jones a hands-down first-round pick. You can make the case that he would be just that if he stays in Green Bay. However, AJ Dillon was drafted in the second round last year and really began to get comfortable towards the end of the season. Matt LaFleur has always leaned towards a committee, so if Kyle Shanahan can bring him in and #FreeAaronJones, this could be a beautiful fantasy destination.

James Conner-Chargers

When Le’Veon Bell held out in 2018, James Conner did an admirable job filling those shoes. It seemed like Conner was well on his way to being the lead back in Pittsburgh for years to come. This was great to see for him, especially getting drafted out of the University of Pittsburgh and the cancer battle he fought while he was there. It seemed like a match made in heaven that he would be a part of the Pittsburgh culture forever.

Since then, he has struggled with injuries and inconsistency. Seeing how bad the Steelers’ running game was at the end of the season, a change seems inevitable. This may not be the end of Conner’s fantasy relevance. The Chargers stand out as a perfect landing spot. While Austin Ekeler showed he can carry a high volume, new head coach Brandon Staley just finished up with Sean McVay and saw how he liked to utilize multiple running backs. If Conner can make his way there and fill that Melvin Gordon role from a couple of years ago, that could be a very productive running back duo.

Leonard Fournette-Dolphins

Sticking to the thunder and lightning running back duo, “Playoff Lenny” has been very productive in the Bucs run to the Super Bowl. So much so that he most likely earned himself a chance to earn a starting job this offseason. While Fournette and Ronald Jones have been very productive together, Fournette may look outside of Tampa in search of more money.

Myles Gaskin was one of last year’s biggest fantasy surprises. While we spent all offseason debating whether Jordan Howard or Matt Breida would lead the backfield, Gaskin came out and earned the job. This should lead to him having the inside track on the lead job next season. Despite that, I expect the Dolphins to be looking to continue to add pieces to build off of their strong season last year. For that reason, Fournette may be a huge help. He can carve out a productive role, leading to an appealing flex option in fantasy.

Kenyan Drake-Bills

We learned a lot about the Bills in their loss in the AFC Championship to the Chiefs. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that the most glaring hole on this team is the running back position. They have taken a running back in their last two drafts. While Devin Singletary and Zach Moss have shown potential, it hasn’t been enough to sway the Bills away from bringing in a more-proven guy.

When given a full opportunity, Kenyan Drake has shown the ability to be the main guy in the backfield. Considering how popular of a pick he was in drafts last year, it was surprising to see how much Kliff Kingbury leaned on a committee. I believe Brian Daboll is aware that he needs to lean on one guy to run that backfield instead of a committee. If Drake makes his way up to Buffalo to be in the same backfield as Josh Allen, he would be a very appealing running back two option in fantasy.

Le’Veon Bell-Eagles

The days of Bell being the lead back have presumably come to an end. While I had huge hopes when he went to the Chiefs, he didn’t do much to carve out a fantasy role in that offense. It is very possible that a team is comfortable giving him a chance to be the workhorse. It is more likely that well see him share a backfield with a more explosive starting back.

The Eagles come to mind right away. Miles Sanders, when healthy, put up some very appealing numbers that will make him an early pick again next year. Regardless, he still shared snaps with Boston Scott and looked much better when he could be explosive on 15-18 touches instead of carrying a heavy workload. Le’Veon would be the perfect running back to share snaps with him, especially with how patient of a runner he is. With Nick Sirianni stepping in as head coach and coming from a Colt offense that utilized multiple running backs, expect the same in Philly.

Wide Receivers

Allen Robinson-Packers

Do you think the Packers regret taking Jordan Love yet? Not only did Aaron Rodgers come out and most likely win the MVP, passing on receivers like Brandon Aiyuk and Tee Higgins made it even worse. It clearly annoyed Rodgers and since he isn’t getting any younger. It might be a good idea to bring in another guy to play alongside Davante Adams.

In his career, Robinson has the majority of his passes from Blake Bortles, Trubisky, and Nick Foles. Can we please get this man an above-average quarterback so everybody can learn how incredible he is? Playing with Adams would open up so many more chances for him to not get double-teamed. Having a quarterback like Rodgers would do crazy things for his fantasy upside. We don’t see very many wide receiver duos both put up wide receiver one numbers, but an Adams/Robinson duo could easily accomplish this.

Chris Godwin-Raiders

Godwin and Mike Evans have been a very enjoyable fantasy receiver duo over the past two seasons. They regressed a little bit going from Jameis to Tom Brady. Had Godwin stayed healthy, his numbers would have looked a lot better. With Godwin due for a well-deserved raise, it may not be realistic for him to stick around in Tampa. Along with that, it may be best for him to head to a team where he will be the top wide receiver.

Playing the slot in a Derek Carr-led offense is one way to stay very relevant in the fantasy world. Sharing the shorter targets with Darren Waller with Henry Ruggs and Nelson Agholor stretching the field could make this a very explosive offense. Godwin would also be one of the better receivers that Carr has played within his time with the Raiders. In what could be a make-or-break season in the Carr-era, look for them to upgrade the offense, making Godwin an attractive option that could explode in the Las Vegas offense.

Kenny Golladay-Ravens

The Ravens had the right idea in bringing Dez Bryant in. Lamar Jackson needed a big body receiver who can be an elite red-zone target. Unfortunately for them, they are about four years late on that being who Dez is. Lucky for them, there is a similar playing hitting the open market that would be an ideal target for Lamar to improve in their passing game. With the Matthew Stafford-era ending in Detroit, it would not make sense for them to retain Kenny Golladay for the price tag that he’ll command.

For that reason, the Ravens need to do whatever it takes to bring Golladay to Baltimore. With how focused teams will be preventing the Ravens’ running game, this will open up a lot of space for Golladay to operate. Considering the success Mark Andrews has had being Lamar’s top red-zone target, the upgrade Golladay could bring to this offense could be massive. Golladay would be a borderline wide receiver one or high-end wide receiver two if he can join an offense as explosive as this one.

JuJu Smith-Schuster-Washington

JuJu is one of the more interesting receivers on the market this offseason. Two years ago, it seemed like he was primed for superstardom, taking Antonio Brown‘s role as the top receiver in Pittsburgh. Since then, he has been very underwhelming. It’s tough to judge him based on his performance with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges. However, he became the third option this season, losing targets to Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool.

For that reason, I think it’s in JuJu’s best interest to look elsewhere to regain relevance. While Washington has question marks about the quarterback position, he wouldn’t be relied on to be the top target. With Terry McLaurin occupying most of the attention from opposing defenses, JuJu could get back to seeing a lot of targets in the slot and getting back to what made him one of the most exciting young receivers in the NFL.

Will Fuller V-Jets

If Deshaun Watson gets his apparent wish to go to the Jets, you would have to imagine Joe Douglas would do whatever it takes to bring Fuller with him. In his first season without DeAndre Hopkins sharing targets with him, Fuller showed that he can be an elite fantasy wide receiver as the top target. His season ended early due to a PED suspension. That could end up being the reason he falls on fantasy boards and becomes an excellent value.

The Deshaun drama is far from over. It is arguably the top storyline that is going to be the domino effect of the entire offseason. Whether he goes to the Jets or another team, you would have to imagine that Fuller would be atop of their free-agent wishlist to make Watson feel comfortable joining a new team. Assuming he stays attached to Watson, Fuller is a very appealing fantasy selection for next season.

Corey Davis-Jaguars

This was the best we have seen Corey Davis play since the Titans made him a top-five pick. While he will never fill the role of being the top target on his team, being the second option consistently will lead him to be a top-30 receiver yearly. For that reason, staying with the Titans will probably be best for his fantasy production.

If he disregards the fantasy football world and cares more about his personal life (selfish), the Jaguars have the most cap space in the NFL and have some sunshine coming to their quarterback position. Alongside DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault, Davis would make this a very attractive three wide receiver set. Assuming Trevor Lawrence is everything he’s been made out to be, the Jaguars could be an attractive offense for fantasy and Davis could improve his own stock by joining them down in Duval County.

Antonio Brown-Chiefs

After seeing the success he has had with Tom Brady, I have a hard time envisioning that Brown will leave Tampa. Especially if Godwin is on his way out, Brown can carve out a very nice role and be a very attractive fantasy target in Bruce Arian’s offense. While we still have no clue what to expect with his legal issues, we were reminded this year that he is still very good at football.

If Brown decides that he wants to separate from Brady, maybe he’ll pair up with the team he is opposing in the Super Bowl. With Sammy Watkins likely not returning, it wouldn’t hurt the Chiefs to bring in another veteran receiver to pair up with Tyreek Hill. If Patrick Mahomes can drop back and decide to throw the ball to Brown, Hill, or Travis Kelce, I would be willing to book them for their third straight AFC crown as well as do anything and everything to get as much exposure to all of these guy in fantasy.

Tight End

Hunter Henry-Cardinals

After receiving the franchise tag last year, it looked like the Chargers were going to make a push to lock up Henry long-term. While he was inconsistent in his first year with Justin Herbert, having the veteran tight end for the young quarterback is always a valuable asset. If the Chargers decide that they have more pressing needs for this team, they made decide to let Henry walk this time around.

After barely using a tight end in the first year of the Kliff Kingsbury offense, we saw Dan Arnold carve out a role as a tight end streaming possibility in fantasy. If you can get Henry to pair with Kyler Murray and be the third target on this team after DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk, we might finally see the talent on full display that we have been waiting for.

Jonnu Smith-Eagles

A popular sleeper pick at the tight end position, Smith started the season on fire and then cooled down considerably after I made a trade for him. If you were a victim of this situation, you can blame me for getting exposed to him. I apologize. In the wasteland that was the tight end position in 2020, Smith still stuck around on rosters and always had the potential for a touchdown.

After Week 17, it looked like we saw the last of the Zach Ertz-era in Philly. Dallas Goedert did a very good job filling in when he was healthy. It appears they are ready for him to be the top tight end in that system. As we have seen in the past, the Eagles are one of the few teams that have supported two fantasy-relevant tight ends. If you can bring in Smith to fill the Ertz role as a younger, more dynamic second option, that could be a solid tight end duo regardless of who is under center.

Rob Gronkowski-Titans

Gronk isn’t going to the Titans. He will be back in Tampa or will retire. The fit would be interesting though, right? Gronk and Mike Vrabel have the obvious Patriots ties that might not interest him. It looks like Vrabel has found a great middle-ground between players buying into the Patriot Way and staying loose and having fun.

We know that Gronk is over the serious grind that he endured in New England. He is a limited snap guy who still has the ability to make an impact play or two every game. With how impactful the tight ends are in the Titans’ offense, he could be an intriguing fit. However, he’ll be a Buccaneer when it is all said and done.

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