For years, we at Fantasy Alarm have preached the value of knowing every NFL team's coaching hierarchy as well as the systems, both offensive and defensive, they employ. A player could have outstanding talent, but if he doesn't fit well with his coach's offensive scheme, he is unlikely to produce at a level commensurate with his talents.
Take a look at the career-trajectory for running back Jordan Howard . When John Fox was the head coach of the Bears, Howard spent two seasons rushing for at least 1,100 yards per season with a total of 16 touchdowns. The year Matt Nagy took over and changed the offensive scheme, Howard was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole and rushed for just 935 yards. The nine touchdowns salvaged some of his value, but not enough for where fantasy owners drafted him. When Howard landed in Philadelphia, we warned you off of him as Eagles coach Doug Pederson, who, like Nagy, sprouted from the Andy Reid coaching tree and didn’t use a system that catered to Howard’s strengths.
Conversely, you could take a running back with an average skill-set and turn him into a fantasy superstar if he plays in the right system. Just look at Damien Williams thriving in Kansas City or Raheem Mostert working under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. Both proved to be strong fantasy assets, particularly down the stretch heading into the playoffs.
Coaches matter. Systems matter. And as a result, we've dedicated a section of our Draft Guide to the men in charge. Below, you will find a list of the coaching articles you will receive here in the Guide with their expected release dates.
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Beat reporter John Hendrix reports that free agent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones is among the 16 players that the Saints will host for their rookie minicamp.
Peoples-Jones last played regular season snaps with the Lions back in 2023, when he caught 13-of-24 targets for 155 yards. He is highly unlikely to return to fantasy relevance at this point but could perhaps sign on as a special teams contributor.
Titans signed fourth-round pick WR Elic Ayomanor to a four-year contract.
Ayomanor will now begin learning behind Calvin Ridley. Although Ayomanor is unlikely to find a meaningful role in year one, dynasty managers should note his status as training camp gets underway this summer. The former Stanford receiver flashed big-play ability in his two college seasons.
Buccaneers signed seventh-round pick WR Tez Johnson to a four-year contract.
Johnson will serve as a rotational deep-threat option for Baker Mayfield. His thin frame (5'10/154) simply does not lend itself to the repeated hits one incurs in a full-time role. Johnson did earn 100-plus targets in his two seasons at Oregon, though. His big-play style make him a better fit in best ball for now, pending any major on-field breakthroughs.
Giants waived DT Casey Rogers.
Rogers was a 2024 undrafted free agent and logged 33 defensive snaps for the Giants in his rookie season. He is credited with zero tackles and/or sacks. He may find his way onto another roster as a practice squad option.
Vikings signed third-round pick WR Tai Felton to a four-year contract.
Felton is quietly in play to challenge Vikings No. 3 WR Jalen Nailor in training camp. Nailor (5'11/190) caught 28-of-42 targets for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year, with the latter category buoying his fantasy productivity. Felton (6'1/183), meanwhile, caught 96-of-143 targets for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.32 yards per route run in his final college season. Fantasy managers should monitor Felton’s training camp reports this summer, as he could have a matchup-based WR5 role if everything falls into place.