With MLB, NBA and NHL all on hold, the NFL took center stage last week with the start of free agency. We saw franchise and transition tags handed out as well as a whirlwind of player movement that takes our “Way Too Early” Player Rankings and chucks ‘em out the window. Ok, so not altogether, but I’ve got enough risers and fallers to afford me the opportunity to update my 2020 rankings of the skill positions as we head towards the NFL Draft in late April.
Let’s start it up with the quarterbacks…
Obviously, we’ll adjust the rankings appropriately once the draft is over and we have official landing spots for Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa and the other rookies. Also, we need to see where guys like Cam Newton and Jameis Winston end up as well. I’m still on the fence with where to put Ben Roethlisberger and I’m just not that high on Philip Rivers , but remember -- if you don’t see them listed below, don’t be alarmed. Full player rankings are on the way soon enough.
| Rank | Player | Team | Analysis |
| 1 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | The only change on offense was the retirement of OG Marshal Yanda , but that issn't enough to move Jackson out of the top spot/ |
| 2 | Patrick Mahomes | KC | A small tweak here and there, but everything seems to be business as usual for Mahomes and the Chiefs. |
| 3 | Russell Wilson | SEA | He gets a veteran red-zone target in TE Greg Olsen and should get a boost at WR3 in Josh Gordon with the new CBA and its leniency on marijuana testing. |
| 4 | Kyler Murray | ARI | Kenyan Drake stays under the transition tag and now he has DeAndre Hopkins to lead his receiving corps. This is a major boost to his value. |
| 5 | Dak Prescott | DAL | The franchise tag keeps him in-house, Dallas re-sgned Amari Cooper and are in the market for a new WR3. |
| 6 | Deshaun Watson | HOU | The loss of Hopkins hurts a lot, but a solid pass-catcher in David Johnson will bolster the short-passing game. |
| 7 | Drew Brees | NO | The Saints added Emmanuel Sanders to give him another weapon. Let's just ease up on the Taysom Hill and we're good, right? |
| 8 | Aaron Rodgers | GB | Bryan Bulaga is gone, they could use a legitimate WR2 and need for Jace Sternberger to ingratiate himself enough with Rodgers to be a factor in the passing game. |
| 9 | Matt Ryan | ATL | The changes from Devonta Freeman to Todd Gurley and from Austin Hooper to Hayden Hurst shouldn't affect too much. In fact, maybe the RB change is an upgrade. |
| 10 | Josh Allen | BUF | He took a step forward in his sophomore campaign and now in his third year, the Bills get him Stefon Diggs . If that accuracy rating continues to climb, he's going to be highly coveted in drafts. |
| 11 | Daniel Jones | NYG | Maybe some bolstering of the offensive line, but this offense remains intact and is ready to produce at a high level. |
| 12 | Tom Brady | TB | Might be an overreaction to the change of scenery and the weapons now at his disposal, but having Evans, Godwin and Howard is far superior to what the Patriots gave him over the last few years. |
| 13 | Carson Wentz | PHI | No changes to the offense save for no Jordan Howard , but the improvments on defense could mean fewer reasons to throw and get back into games. |
| 14 | Jared Goff | LAR | The adjustments that were made to the offensive scheme late in the year in 2019 allowed Goff to blossom a lot more. Can Darrell Henderson replace Gurley? That's something to watch. |
| 15 | Ryan Tannehill | TEN | Signed a new four-year deal and still has A.J. Brown. Despite my love for him last season, we have to remember that he's still Ryan Tannehill . |
| 16 | Jimmy Garoppolo | SF | Having lost Sanders, they are in need of a strong WR2 right now. George Kittle and Deebo Samuel are solid tagrets, but the offense needs another big weapon. |
| 17 | Drew Lock | DEN | I was bullish on Lock late last year and the addition of Melvin Gordon should only bolster his value. I'd like to see a better complement for Courtland Sutton , though. |
| 18 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | He gets a new deal, but he loses a big weapon in Diggs. If he doesn't get a decent replacement, there's a chance he drops further, especially with Gary Kubiak's run-first scheme. |
| 19 | Matthew Stafford | DET | His weapons remain the same for now, but the chenges on defense weaken the team. Maybe he has to throw more often if they don't strengthen it back up. |
| 20 | Baker Mayfield | CLE | The signing of Case Keenum means this is a "make it or break it" year for Baker. He gets a big-bodied TE in Austin Hooper and has an arsenal of top weapons. If he can't step it up, it could be a quick hook. |
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Player News
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.
Colts EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles) said he is expected to be cleared for training camp.
Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles in training camp last year and did not play in the 2024 season. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Colts. He now has one year left on his deal and will be looking for a rebound season as he stares down free agency in 2026