Fantasy News

The Ravens have selected South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst with the No. 25 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The 24-year-old former minor league baseball player is now getting a big-time opportunity in the National Football League as the first tight end of the board in this year’s draft. Baltimore traded back a couple of times and were still able to get the top tight end on their board, and Hurst should immediately have a huge role in the offense. Hurst is also a willing and solid blocker, which will help him get on the field early for a defensive team. Rookie tight ends typically don’t have a ton of success as rookies, but Hurst will be worth a look late in fantasy drafts this year.

4/26/18 - 10:53 PM ET

The Titans plan to add run-pass options to their offense.

At the NFL Combine, new head coach Mike Vrabel said “I think we have an idea what plays he may end up running and what plays he may end up handing it off or throwing,” so it sounds like the team will still use Marcus Mariota on some zone-reads where he can either hand it off or run himself (though Vrabel noted both the coaching staff and Mariota need to be smart to avoid injury), as well as using RPOs where he has the option to hand the ball off to the running back or keep it and throw to his receivers on the perimeter. The Titans rarely used RPOs, if at all, during Mariota’s first three NFL seasons despite him having a lot of success with them at Oregon. This new offense under offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur is likely to implement some of those RPOs, and it’s worth noting Mariota is an excellent ball-handler and is among the best passers in the NFL off play-action. After a disappointing statistically campaign in which he battled injury in 2017, Mariota is a good bet to bounce back this season.

Via: TitansOnline.com 3/2/18 - 11:27 AM ET

The Bills have selected Clemson wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud with the 187th pick (sixth round) in the 2018 NFL Draft.

McCloud is a dangerous player with the ball in his hands, so this is a great pick by Buffalo to give Josh Allen a playmaker that can be used on short passes and jet sweeps. However, McCloud could be lacking the natural receiving ability to develop into a full-time, traditional wide receiver, which limits his fantasy appeal if he makes the team and is active on game day as a rookie.

4/28/18 - 04:01 PM ET

Kevin White is healthy and participating in Bears offseason activities.

White is fully healthy after his scapula injury ended his 2017 season. He has been very unlucky throughout his three-year career so far, appearing in only five games while missing 43 due to various injuries. Bears head coach Matt Nagy sounds like he’s going to give the former seventh overall pick an opportunity to win a big role on the outside for the team, which is good to hear. Free-agent acquisition Allen Robinson is now Chicago’s bonafide number one receiver, but if White can remain healthy and perform at a high level like he did in his final college season at West Virginia, the Bears would have one of the league’s most formidable one-two punches at receiver—which would obviously help the team. There’s still a long way to go until fantasy drafts this summer, and there’s a chance White can establish himself as an excellent late-round options.

4/18/18 - 10:05 AM ET

The Panthers select Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore with the No. 24 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Moore was a fast riser that suddenly was the number one wide receiver on many people’s boards, and he is the first receiver drafted in this year’s draft. Carolina already acquired Torrey Smith from the Eagles earlier this offseason, and they have 2017 second-round pick Curtis Samuel hopefully healthy, but Moore has a chance to step right into the offense in a big role as one of Cam Newton’s main weapons. Moore had to play with eight different quarterbacks during his time at Maryland, including three this past season, but he still was a productive player. He might need to work on refining his route running skills some, but Moore clearly has ability with the ball in his hands and should make plays for the Panthers. As of now, he’ll be a late-round flier in fantasy drafts this summer.

4/26/18 - 10:45 PM ET

LeGarrette Blount wins Super Bowl for second straight season.

Blount led the Eagles backfield as a runner in the Super Bowl LII against his former team, carrying 14 times for 90 yards and a touchdown. As the numbers indicate, the big back ran extremely well versus the Patriots , and he picked up positive yardage as a downhill one-cut runner that received great blocking from the offensive line. This now makes three touchdowns in the last four seasons for Blount, who likely wants to return to the Eagles in 2018 and would be a FLEX option in what should remain a RBBC.

2/5/18 - 12:13 AM ET

The Colts have selected Clemson wide receiver Deon Cain with the 185th pick (sixth round) in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The long wait for Cain is finally over, and he lands in an excellent spot in Indianapolis with Andrew Luck and a receiving corps that is relatively wide open behind T.Y. Hilton. College football fans are probably very familiar with Cain, who was a very good receiver in college the last three years—including two seasons with Deshaun Watson. Cain had 130 receptions for 2,040 yards and 20 touchdowns during his three years in school, and he was named third-team All-ACC last season. Despite being a sixth-round pick, Cain might be able to carve out a nice role as a rookie; but right now, he’s more of a dynasty-league option.

4/28/18 - 03:57 PM ET