Fantasy News

The 49ers have selected Middle Tennessee wide receiver Richie James with the 240th pick (seventh round) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

James is an interesting prospect because of his ability with the ball in his hands, but he was injured for much of 2017, which could have caused him to last until the 240th pick. The small-school receiver will look to earn a roster spot in camp and could provide value as a return man, though second-round pick Dante Pettis might have that role locked down already. James is unlikely to make a fantasy impact in 2018.

4/28/18 - 06:18 PM ET

The Browns have selected Baker Mayfield with the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The man that Browns consultant Scot McCloughan has compared to Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has been made the top pick in the draft by Cleveland. For most of the draft process, the consensus was that USC quarterback Sam Darnold would be the selection; then there was a time when Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen looked like he might be the guy. But it’s the reigning Heisman Trophy winner that Cleveland expects to bring their franchise long-needed stability to the game’s most important position. After the Browns traded for former Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, it gave a hint they might prefer the shorter Mayfield to the other quarterbacks in this year’s draft. The Browns have already said Tyrod Taylor will be the team’s starter this season, but it would not be surprising if Mayfield pushed him for the starting job for Week 1.

4/26/18 - 08:17 PM ET

The Cowboys have selected Stanford tight end Dalton Schultz with the 137th pick (fourth round) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

It was clear Dallas was going to draft a tight end at some point today following Jason Witten’s (probable) retirement, and they take the Stanford product with the final pick of the fourth round. Schultz wasn’t used much as a receiver for the Cardinal, but he is a solid blocker and could be a more productive pass-catcher at the next level. The cowboys have a few tight ends they apparently like, though, so Schultz might not start in 2018.

4/28/18 - 01:53 PM ET

The Texans have selected UCF tight end Jordan Akins with the No. 98 pick (third round) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Atkins is actually 26 years old, as he played pro baseball out of high school and eventually went to UCF in 2014. He was previously a wide receiver, but tore his ACL in 2015 and the made the switch to tight end for his last two seasons in college. As a senior, Atkins had 32 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games. The Texans say they had a “really good vision” about Atkins, who they were able to coach at the Senior Bowl, and it sounds like they anticipate him growing with experience. Atkins is probably more of a dynasty-league option for now, though perhaps he’ll carve out a large role as a rookie.

4/27/18 - 10:54 PM ET

The Steelers have selected Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph with the No. 76 pick (third round) in the 2018 NFL Draft.

This is pretty cool, as college teammate James Washington was just selected by Pittsburgh in the second round of the draft. Rudolph and Washington were both considered Heisman candidates during their time at OK State, and they showed a ton of chemistry putting up numbers in the Big 12. Rudolph is the sixth quarterback off the board in this year’s draft, as no signal-callers were taken in the second round, and the Steelers are a great spot for him behind Ben Roethlisberger. Rudolph has a great deep ball, which should fit well in Pittsburgh if he ever takes over as the franchise’s starting quarterback. As a rookie, Rudolph will compete with second-year quarterback Joshua Dobbs for the backup job behind Big Ben. In dynasty leagues, Rudolph is a solid stash as someone that could potentially take over the most important position for one of the league’s steadiest franchises.

4/27/18 - 09:48 PM ET

The Jaguars will not place the franchise tag on Allen Robinson, according to Ian Rapoport.

Jacksonville is a run-first team, and they presumably didn’t feel it wise to commit around $16 million in one year to a wide receiver after they got to the AFC Championship Game without Robinson. Now, unless the Jaguars and Robinson agree to a deal before March 14, the former 1,400-yard, 14-touchdown receiver will officially hit the open market and should be an extremely hot commodity—even coming off a torn ACL suffered in Week 1. Robinson will certainly be a top-five free agent, if not the top player available overall, and he should have no trouble landing a great long-term deal. The 49ers and Bears could be among the teams most interested in Robinson.

Via: Ian Rapoport 3/6/18 - 10:43 AM ET

The Chargers have selected Northwestern running back Justin Jackson with the 251st pick (seventh round) in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Jackson was an extremely productive running back in both high school and college, and he had four years of 1,000 yards rushing at Northwestern. Jackson is an athletic back that teams might have thought was a bit undersized, but he’s been drafted and will now look to make an NFL roster as a rookie.

4/28/18 - 06:39 PM ET