Free Agency Roundup

Free agency shook up the fantasy football landscape last season – especially at running back. Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, and Joe Mixon all crushed in their new homes, finishing inside of the top-10 fantasy RBs by points per game.

This year’s free agency crop won’t have the same affect on the fantasy landscape as last season, but there were some MASSIVE moves that are highly important.

John Hansen ranked all of the most impactful moves for new signings and veterans staying put.

We have every single signing covered in our Free Agency Tracker, by Tom Brolley:

• QB Tracker

• RB Tracker

• WR Tracker

• TE Tracker

Here is our Roundup of free agency:

Players Changing Teams

WR D.K. Metcalf traded to Pittsburgh Steelers (Fantasy Football Fallout)

The Steelers still need a QB, but they’ve found their WR1. D.K. Metcalf was on a career-best pace last season before injury slowed him down. In his first seven games before he sprained his knee, Metcalf was scoring as fantasy’s WR15 (15.4 FPG) with great volume as the WR6 in targets per game (8.7). With Metcalf’s addition, George Pickens’ future in Pittsburgh is unclear. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract.

WR Davante Adams signs with Los Angeles Rams (Fantasy Football Fallout)

As John Hansen points out, Adams in L.A. is the perfect environment for the veteran to age gracefully. There is plenty of room for both of Puka Nacua and Adams to finish as strong fantasy options. QB Matthew Stafford’s top wide receiver has finished as the WR6 or better in fantasy football in four straight seasons with the Rams. Additionally, Stafford supported two top-24 WRs (by PPR FPG) in 3-of-4 years.

WR Deebo Samuel traded to Washington Commanders (Fantasy Football Fallout)

Jayden Daniels’ stock just keeps rising. Deebo Samuel is still a freight train after the catch, but he was a shell of himself to close out last season due to injuries. This is a great offensive environment for a bounce back campaign, but will he earn enough targets? Terry McLaurin remains the WR1.

QB Geno Smith traded to Las Vegas Raiders (Fantasy Football Fallout)

This is a huge boost to Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers’ fantasy football stock. Geno can really spin it. According to our Fantasy Points Data charting, Smith ranks inside of the top-5 of catchable throw rate and inside of the top-10 of highly accurate throws in 2 out of the last 3 seasons. Joe Burrow (88%) is the only quarterback that threw a catchable pass more often from a clean pocket than Geno (85%) last season.

QB Sam Darnold signs with Seattle Seahawks (Fantasy Football Fallout)

This is a strong fit for Darnold. His new OC Klint Kubiak and former Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell run very similar systems that are built off of attacking the middle and deep parts of the field off of play-action. The Vikings used play-action for Darnold on 30% of his dropbacks (eighth-most) last year, and he was highly efficient (9.7 yards per attempt – fifth-best). Seattle’s offensive line remains a concern, but they can fix it quickly. The Seahawks have five picks inside of the top-100 selections in the NFL Draft.

WR Cooper Kupp signs with Seattle Seahawks (FA WR Tracker)

After finishing as the fantasy WR1 by FPG across the 2021-22 seasons, Kupp has taken a step back in his last two seasons with WR24 and WR23 finishes. Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s overlapping slot skillset is somewhat overblown. Seattle will line up in condensed formations that are predicated on pre-snap motion and getting the defense out of position to set up play-action.

QB Justin Fields signs with New York Jets (QB Tracker)

Fields is looking to become the next first-round quarterback to have a career resurgence, following in the footsteps of Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield in the last two years. The odds will be stacked against him as he tries to do it in the quarterback graveyard that is the New York Jets. Fields is as physically gifted as those QBs, and he took some baby steps in his first season away from Chicago. Fields still holds the ball too long, but his 77% catchable throw and 53% accurate throw rates both ranked inside of the top-10 QBs, according to Fantasy Points Data.

TE Evan Engram signs with Denver Broncos (TE Tracker)

Is Engram the new “Joker” for the Broncos? HC Sean Payton has been clear that he’s looking for a pass game weapon that is a mismatch nightmare for LBs and CBs alike. Engram is coming off a down 2024 season. He tied with Dalton Schultz for 12th-of-49 TEs in separation score (0.05 A.S.S.) and Engram was 45th in yards after the catch per reception (3.49).

RB Najee Harris signs with Los Angeles Chargers (RB Tracker)

Harris landed in an ideal situation to maximize his fantasy potential. He’s a perfect stylistic fit for Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman’s power-rushing attack, and Harris owns the backfield… for now. Los Angeles could absolutely draft a RB in this year’s loaded rookie class. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards remain free agents.

Quick Hits

• WR Christian Kirk traded to Houston Texans – Houston had a glaring need for a veteran #2 WR with Stefon Diggs entering free agency after tearing his ACL and Tank Dell unlikely to play in 2025 because of a catastrophic knee injury. At this stage of their careers, Kirk is a more dynamic slot threat than Diggs. Kirk’s average depth of target sat at 13.6 yards compared to 8.6 for Diggs last season. Kirk also has slightly better separation skills, ranking 14th in A.S.S. (0.15) compared to 22nd for Diggs (0.11).

• WR Joshua Palmer signs with Buffalo Bills – Palmer has a chance to be Josh Allen’s second option behind Shakir. Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid are each coming off of disappointing seasons. However, OC Joe Brady will need to break up his heavy receiver rotation from last season in order for Buffalo to have more fantasy-relevant pass catchers. No Bills receiver posted a 75% route share or higher last season, and Shakir’s team-best 70.8% route share ranked just 74th overall among all receivers.

• RB Jordan Mason traded to Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings also re-signed Aaron Jones on a two-year deal. Jones and Mason form a strong duo in this zone-blocking scheme.

• RB Rico Dowdle signs with Carolina Panthers – Unfortunately, last year’s second round RB Jonathon Brooks (knee) is unlikely to play in 2025 after re-tearing his ACL. Carolina bought some insurance for Chuba Hubbard by signing Dowdle to a one-year deal ($2.75M fully guaranteed). Make no mistake: Hubbard is still the clear lead RB. He just signed a four-year extension last November.

• Veteran RBs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders sign with Dallas Cowboys – These moves will not stop the Cowboys back from drafting a rookie RB in April. Williams and Sanders are both on one-year deals. Williams ($2M guaranteed) only got a little bit more money than Sanders ($1.2M).

• QB Daniel Jones signs with Indianapolis Colts – The Colts intend to have an “open competition” for the starting QB job in Training Camp. Anthony Richardson’s 63.6% catchable throw rate ranked dead last among the 44 QBs with 150 or more dropbacks last season.

• Chicago Bears upgrade their offensive line – New HC Ben Johnson wasted no time changing up the offensive line. Chicago acquired a brand new interior OL by trading for G Joe Thuney, signing veteran G Jonah Jackson, and signing C Drew Dalman.

Seven Biggest Dynasty Fantasy Football Movers

Dynasty fantasy football expert Theo Gremminger outlines the top-7 biggest winners after free agency:

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