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Not my insights, got this off the internet and thought they had some value.
Buffalo grabbed Gregory Rousseau (Miami-Florida) in a move that fits with our Jordan McNamara’s take that if you’re in the AFC you better have the players to cover Patrick Mahomes II receivers or sack Mahomes. They hope the long and ultra-productive end becomes part of a long-term sack crew with fellow inside/outside rusher and 2020 second-rounder A.J. Epenesa and 2019 first-round defensive tackle and Tasmanian Devil Ed Oliver.
Miami stayed home at No. 6 and took Jaylen Waddle (Alabama), to the surprise of few who have been paying attention to the draft beat. Kyle Pitts and Ja'Marr Chase went fourth and fifth, leaving the Dolphins the choice of their favorite of the two Alabama receivers to reunite with Tua Tagovailoa and give him no excuses for not playing to his draft stock this year. Waddle has elite speed and great catch at the catch point for a small receiver and will give Tagovailoa a twin speed threat to Will Fuller V on the outside. They also added Jaelen Phillips (Miami, FL) at No. 18. He was the best edge rusher in this class (a huge need for Miami opposite Emmanuel Ogbah), but his injury history and brief retirement from football added a lot of risk to his profile - risk that a team with four picks in the Top 50 can comfortably take on. Phillips can help take advantage of the Dolphins elite outside corner duo by giving already challenged quarterbacks less time to throw. Remember, they also netted San Francisco’s 2023 first in their trade-down-then-up maneuver.
Fantasy Winner: Tua Tagovailoa
Fantasy Loser: Will Fuller V
Bill Belichick sat in the weeds and watched Mac Jones (Alabama) fall into his lap. Jones is an excellent fit in Josh McDaniels offense and he should start by midseason unless Cam Newton has a renaissance. The whole pass offense has a brighter outlook and the possible winter coming at quarterback looks a lot sunnier.
Fantasy Winners: Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor
Fantasy Loser: Cam Newton
The New York Jets took Zach Wilson (BYU) at No. 2 which was an open secret for months. He should be a good fit in the Shanahan system Mike LaFleur will implement, assuming they get a solid offensive line in front of him. Giving up their two third-round picks (and recouping a late fourth) to move up for Alijah Vera-Tucker, (USC) an instant starter at guard, will advance that cause, but this year could still be a bumpy transition to a much higher level of competition for Wilson. He should still go down swinging and help revitalize the fantasy value of the passing game. The Jets have a chance to turn this around, but they have major holes at corner and linebacker.
Fantasy Winners: Denzel Mims, Corey Davis, Jamison Crowder, Chris Herndon
Houston will wait until the 67th pick after they dealt their first- and second-round picks in the Laremy Tunsil trade.
Indianapolis took a high floor edge rusher in Kwity Paye (Michigan) - who was born in a refugee camp in Guinea. 2018 second-round pick Kemoko Turay had another ankle surgery this offseason and 2019 second-rounder Ben Banogu hasn’t impressed, so the team is going back to the well - and they could still bring back Justin Houston, who remains a free agent. Christian Darrisaw, a left tackle that could have replaced Anthony Castonzo, was there, but one report said the team likes the depth at the position in this draft.
Jacksonville got their slam dunk franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) and then brought along his running back Travis Etienne (Clemson) at 25. Etienne may start as more of a third-down back, but it’s very troubling for James Robinson that the new regime spent a first at his position. The decision was questionable from a team-building perspective with so many positions on the roster that don’t have a player as good as Robinson manning it. The pick makes me question the vision on the offense because Etienne won’t get the tough yards that Robinson got routinely in an offense that wasn’t aided by Lawrence’s quarterback play. Etienne would not have looked like a first-round pick on the 2020 Jaguars.
Fantasy Winners: D.J. Chark Jr, Laviska Shenault Jr, Marvin Jones Jr
Fantasy Losers: James Robinson, Travis Etienne
Tennessee made a good boom/bust pick at 22. Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech) may be the best corner in this draft if his back issue gets better, but as Eric Stoner says, "Nobody used to have back problems." The Titans squandered a first-round pick on Isaiah Wilson last year, but the payoff on Farley will be much higher at a position of need if Farley can stay healthy.
AFC East
Buffalo grabbed Gregory Rousseau (Miami-Florida) in a move that fits with our Jordan McNamara’s take that if you’re in the AFC you better have the players to cover Patrick Mahomes II receivers or sack Mahomes. They hope the long and ultra-productive end becomes part of a long-term sack crew with fellow inside/outside rusher and 2020 second-rounder A.J. Epenesa and 2019 first-round defensive tackle and Tasmanian Devil Ed Oliver.
Miami stayed home at No. 6 and took Jaylen Waddle (Alabama), to the surprise of few who have been paying attention to the draft beat. Kyle Pitts and Ja'Marr Chase went fourth and fifth, leaving the Dolphins the choice of their favorite of the two Alabama receivers to reunite with Tua Tagovailoa and give him no excuses for not playing to his draft stock this year. Waddle has elite speed and great catch at the catch point for a small receiver and will give Tagovailoa a twin speed threat to Will Fuller V on the outside. They also added Jaelen Phillips (Miami, FL) at No. 18. He was the best edge rusher in this class (a huge need for Miami opposite Emmanuel Ogbah), but his injury history and brief retirement from football added a lot of risk to his profile - risk that a team with four picks in the Top 50 can comfortably take on. Phillips can help take advantage of the Dolphins elite outside corner duo by giving already challenged quarterbacks less time to throw. Remember, they also netted San Francisco’s 2023 first in their trade-down-then-up maneuver.
Fantasy Winner: Tua Tagovailoa
Fantasy Loser: Will Fuller V
Bill Belichick sat in the weeds and watched Mac Jones (Alabama) fall into his lap. Jones is an excellent fit in Josh McDaniels offense and he should start by midseason unless Cam Newton has a renaissance. The whole pass offense has a brighter outlook and the possible winter coming at quarterback looks a lot sunnier.
Fantasy Winners: Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor
Fantasy Loser: Cam Newton
The New York Jets took Zach Wilson (BYU) at No. 2 which was an open secret for months. He should be a good fit in the Shanahan system Mike LaFleur will implement, assuming they get a solid offensive line in front of him. Giving up their two third-round picks (and recouping a late fourth) to move up for Alijah Vera-Tucker, (USC) an instant starter at guard, will advance that cause, but this year could still be a bumpy transition to a much higher level of competition for Wilson. He should still go down swinging and help revitalize the fantasy value of the passing game. The Jets have a chance to turn this around, but they have major holes at corner and linebacker.
Fantasy Winners: Denzel Mims, Corey Davis, Jamison Crowder, Chris Herndon
AFC South
Houston will wait until the 67th pick after they dealt their first- and second-round picks in the Laremy Tunsil trade.
Indianapolis took a high floor edge rusher in Kwity Paye (Michigan) - who was born in a refugee camp in Guinea. 2018 second-round pick Kemoko Turay had another ankle surgery this offseason and 2019 second-rounder Ben Banogu hasn’t impressed, so the team is going back to the well - and they could still bring back Justin Houston, who remains a free agent. Christian Darrisaw, a left tackle that could have replaced Anthony Castonzo, was there, but one report said the team likes the depth at the position in this draft.
Jacksonville got their slam dunk franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) and then brought along his running back Travis Etienne (Clemson) at 25. Etienne may start as more of a third-down back, but it’s very troubling for James Robinson that the new regime spent a first at his position. The decision was questionable from a team-building perspective with so many positions on the roster that don’t have a player as good as Robinson manning it. The pick makes me question the vision on the offense because Etienne won’t get the tough yards that Robinson got routinely in an offense that wasn’t aided by Lawrence’s quarterback play. Etienne would not have looked like a first-round pick on the 2020 Jaguars.
Fantasy Winners: D.J. Chark Jr, Laviska Shenault Jr, Marvin Jones Jr
Fantasy Losers: James Robinson, Travis Etienne
Tennessee made a good boom/bust pick at 22. Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech) may be the best corner in this draft if his back issue gets better, but as Eric Stoner says, "Nobody used to have back problems." The Titans squandered a first-round pick on Isaiah Wilson last year, but the payoff on Farley will be much higher at a position of need if Farley can stay healthy.