(The Fantasy 5 is a quick-hit wrap-up of some of the biggest news topics of the day for fantasy football players, giving you advice you need to improve your team.)
Mock drafts are a great practice tool. Do a lot of them before late August. Sure, a lot is going to change between now and then, and you’ll never be able to perfectly predict how your drafts will play out. But that isn’t the point of a mock. Mocks allow you to practice handling situations that come up during drafts. It’s also helpful to see how others draft. I recommend checking out our latest mock draft recap to see how some switch up their approach in smaller leagues (it’s a 10-team mock). Now, onto the news:
1. Brandin Cooks drawing praise
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick commended Cooks for his work so far in the offseason, saying the receiver is “working hard to make it.” Though Belichick stayed on brand when he added “we’ll see how all of that transfers in training camp.”
Cooks is a tricky player for fantasy purposes this year. One the one hand, he adds a skillset to the Patriots receiver corps that they haven’t had in recent seasons. His playmaking ability coupled with Tom Brady is very enticing. At the same time, there are a lot of mouths to feed, especially if Rob Gronkowski is able to remain healthy. So volume could be somewhat of an issue. The good news is that Cooks does come at a slight discount with a third-round ADP. He’s a volatile but appealing option in that range, especially for those who go running back heavy in the first two rounds.
Join PFF Elite for access to PFF Signature Stats across all positions.
2. Kelvin Benjamin back in shape
The Panthers receiver has drawn attention throughout the offseason after Ron Rivera voiced concerns over Benjamin’s weight. But he appears to have righted the ship and was back in shape for Panthers minicamp.
Perfectly priced last year, Benjamin came off the board as the 19th receiver in drafts and finished 19th among receivers in fantasy points. This year, he’s even cheaper with a sixth-round ADP as the 29th wide receiver being selected. Benjamin’s biggest issue last season was consistency. He got out of the gate hot, with four scores in his first four games, but then didn’t score again until Week 12. He also only topped 100 yards once last season. That being said, Benjamin has red-zone upside and is a decent option where he’s currently going in drafts.
3. DeShone Kizer splitting starter reps with Cody Kessler at minicamp
The rookie second-rounder has reportedly “considerably narrowed the gap on Cody Kessler” and should compete for the starting job in in training camp. However, Browns quarterbacks coach David Lee did caution that Kizer is “a long way from being ready.” Regardless, his presence would be a potential benefit for the fantasy stock of the Browns’ skill position players. If he earns the starting job, Kizer will undoubtedly make plenty of mistakes, but his bigger arm raises the fantasy ceiling of his teammates. In dynasty leagues, Kizer remains an appealing long-term option who has a future QB1 ceiling thanks to his dual-threat ability.
4. Will we finally see Laquan Treadwell consistently on the field?
It’s tough to call Treadwell a bust at this point, but he certainly was a disappointment in his rookie year. The thing about him, though, is we really don’t know what he is just yet because he barely saw the field last season. It appears that could change this year, as Treadwell was the exclusive No. 3 receiver during offseason practices. While the No. 3 typically doesn’t hold much fantasy value, Treadwell will at least be on the field enough to give us a better sense of what he can do at the pro level. Regardless, Treadwell is a strong buy option in dynasty formats right now. His price may never be as low as it is right now.
5. Time to stash Brett Hundley in dynasty?
Those in deep dynasty leagues may also way to grab up shares of Hundley. The Packers backup is entering his third year, and is already being identified as a potential trade target following the season.
Hundley has seen minimal regular-season work as Aaron Rodgers’ understudy, but he did flash upside in the 2015 preseason with 630 yards and seven scores on just 65 passing attempts. Of course, preseason stats aren’t necessarily the stickiest metrics, but the potential for fantasy production is certainly there with Hundley. Perhaps most importantly, he’s had the opportunity to learn in Green Bay over the last two years. Hundley put up strong numbers in college, but entered the NFL as a raw developmental prospect after playing in UCLA’s spread offense. While he’s far from a sure thing in the long-term, Hudley’s dual-threat ability and upside make him a worthy candidate to stash away in deep dynasty leagues.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.