Contrary to previous years, this season’s NFL’s free-agency class brings anticipation and speculation to its peak.
Will Tom Brady return to New England, or move elsewhere? What happens with Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper in Dallas? And can Derrick Henry secure the bag in the Music City?
These are just a handful of the most fascinating storylines to follow that are sure to shake up the NFL and fantasy football as a whole.
However, with free agency officially kicking-off at the inception of the new league year on March 18, those questions and the fantasy analysis that follows are better suited for another day.
Instead, in this edition of “Redraft Reaction,” we’ll take a look at a series of minor moves that have transpired in February and the likely fantasy impact they’ll have in the redraft landscape.
Greg Olsen Signing in the Rain
Greg Olsen, the three-time Pro-Bowl tight end, reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 18, according to ESPN’s Adam Scheffer. Olsen, who vacated Carolina after nine seasons, could be joining a tight end room that impressed in 2019.
Will “Big Montana” Dissly impressed once again, racking up 23 receptions, 262 yards, and four touchdowns in five whole games of work before tearing his Achilles in Week 6. This, unfortunately, happened just a year removed from suffering a patellar tendon injury in Week 4 in 2018, sidelining him for the remainder of his rookie season.
Dissly’s absence ultimately opened the door for third-year, former practice squad tight end Jacob Hollister to become a serviceable fantasy asset – posting a 41-349-3 stat line for the Seahawks and helping them secure an NFC Wildcard berth.
If combined, the duo would’ve been TE7 on the season. Now, Dissly had reportedly a successful surgery and is expected to be ready for camp come August. Hollister is a restricted free agency. And after Olsen’s signing, it’s currently unclear whether the team will tender him or not.
Adding Olsen undoubtedly convolutes the picture — Especially considering that he’s played only 62.5 percent of his possible games since 2017. However, previously to his injury in 2017, Olsen had played in all 16 games in nine straight seasons and was coming off five straight seasons off plus 100 targets.
For me, Olsen’s potential ceiling is worth the risk at the right price. But, I’m not interested in spending anything more than a tenth round pick on him. Usually, the tight ends in those rounds, like 2019’s Evan Engram, O.J. Howard, and Vance McDonald are a little more hit-and-miss. I much rather wait for someone younger with less name value who could be poised for a breakout –like Mike Gesicki or Noah Fant
Jets Add Another flyer
The New York Jets are attempting to add weapons for Sam Darnold by any means necessary.
Josh Doctson, who was released by the Redskins in camp last year, is hoping to revive his career in 2020 similar to how fellow former first-round receivers DeVante Parker and Breshad Perriman did in 2019.
In his three seasons in Washington, Doctson had only 1100 receiving yards, with an obsolete 50 percent catch rate. He played only seven snaps this season after being signed by Minnesota in September.
Now, he joins a depleted receiving core in New York that will likely lose Robby Anderson in free agency. Most expect the Jets to add outside talent during the draft or by picking up a couple of discounted veterans.
But even if they don’t add much else – Doctson still isn’t on my draft board. Maybe at the most, he’s a guy I’m keeping on my watchlist heading into Week 1 – if he makes the team that is.
The Jets have only had one WR2 (Robby Anderson WR16 in 2017) in the last four seasons. And no, I don’t expect head coach Adam Gase, who failed to help the likes of Kenyan Drake and Parker reach their potentials, to be the one to unlock Doctson.
Bears Cutting Down the Pack
With the release of Taylor Gabriel, it seems that Chicago is all-in on Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller being their receivers of the future. With Robinson, WR7, and Miller, WR54, both setting career highs in receptions in 2019 it’s clear something is working in Chicago.
But what remains unclear in the Windy City is the future of former second-overall pick Mitch Trubisky. It seems that Matt Nagy is one of the most gifted coaches in the league, posting a 20-12 record in two seasons as the Bears’ head coach. But Trubisky regressed this season – leading the Bears to an 8-8 record, third in their division.
Due to recency bias, Robinson will once again get the respect he deserves come draft time – probably being drafted within the first five rounds. But, with some regression possibly coming for the six-year veteran with the instability at quarterback, a more conservative approach is drafting Miller in the later rounds as a sleeper.
Redskins Reed Between the Lines
It seems that the time has finally come to Washington. After several concussions that have plagued his career, Jordan Reed is no longer a Redskin.
In his seven years with the team, he never played a full 16 game slate. But that’s not to take away from the pure talent Reed possessed. TE2 in 2015 and TE8 in 2016 – Reed’s career is just another demonstration of how short a tight end’s shelf life can be in the NFL.
Reed’s presence in fantasy analysis and discussions will be missed. And with Vernon Davis a free agent, that leaves only Jeremy Sprinkle, TE42 in 2019, as the only tight end on the roster with experience.
I’d expect Washington to search Reed’s replacement via the draft unless they want to pay either Austin Hooper or Hunter Henry.
But again, it’s the Redskins – so, who really knows?
Stay tuned for more “Redraft Reaction” this offseason. And follow me on Twitter @DFF_SethW for more fantasy football analysis and Content.
