Fantasy Sports

The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue reported that Snead said the Rams would like to “engineer a long-term partnership” with the back entering the final year of his rookie contract. “We all want this to work out. It’s just, ‘Can we agree upon a contract where … we feel like it’s a win-win?’ And if it doesn’t happen this year, it doesn’t mean that Kyren is not going to be a part (of) next year, doesn’t mean that we don’t do something a year from now.” This sounds more like a meeting to establish the parameters the two sides have, but perhaps it’s possible the Rams sign Williams to an extension this offseason. Snead has been mentioning this as a possibility since January.

Gutekunst said almost the exact same thing back in February while also acknowledging that the two sides could be headed for a split. Alexander, 28, appeared in just seven games last year due to injury but said he had “nothing good to say” about the organization after their playoff run ended in the NFC Wild Card Round. Speaking at the NFL owners meeting, Gutekunst said the team would like to get something in return for Alexander if possible, but with two years left on his deal and his recent injury history, a trade could prove difficult to pull off.

McLaurin turned in one of the best years of his career in his first season with Jayden Daniels at the helm. The veteran receiver caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns after never surpassing more than seven scores in his previous five seasons. McLaurin has one year left on the three-year extension he signed in 2022 and will turn 30 shortly after the start of next season. He has plenty left in the tank and is again expected to serve as the Commanders’ WR1 despite the team acquiring Deebo Samuel this offseason. He’ll make for a high-upside WR2 for those taking shots on him in fantasy drafts next season.

“I’m excited,” Payton added. This was always the belief behind the signing, as The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider forecasted the role on Engram. But it’s good to see it affirmed by the man who created the terminology. Payton continued: “The vision is pretty clear. Obviously we feel like he’s someone who can run, gives us a passing threat on third down and in the red zone. He’s got good body control and I think he’s really good when he gets the ball in his hands. His run-after-catch numbers, statistically-wise, have been good.” As Denver’s “joker” — in football, anyway — Engram projects to be a high-volume target and should make for a low-end TE1 for fantasy purposes.

Harbaugh said Mitchell’s return to the field in 2024 was miraculous after the former UDFA made his way back from a torn ACL that ended his 2023 campaign. Mitchell rushed for 47-396-2 as a rookie but ran just 15 times for 30 yards after returning to action. While the presence of Derrick Henry undoubtedly affected Mitchell’s ability to get on the field, it sounds as if his limited snaps may have been partially due to the after-effects of his injury. Henry is still under contract next season, and Mitchell was never expected to dominate backfield touches. That said, if he flashes in offseason programs and during training camp, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Ravens found a way to get him more involved in 2025.

Now that’s what we want to hear. It would have been really silly given the current look of the roster for the Jets to not forcefeed Wilson — we’re talking about a depth chart where Allen Lazard is an easy No. 2 target — but it’s always good to hear some validation behind the idea. The overall talent level of the Jets offense may cap Wilson’s ceiling, but he looks like a great bet to rebound from a down 2024 spent watching Aaron Rodgers throw at other targets.

Henry, 31, continued to play like one of the top running backs in the league in his first season with the Ravens. He fell just shy of the second 2,000-yard season of his career but averaged a career-best 5.9 YPC while also leading the league with 16 rushing touchdowns. Henry only has one year left on his current deal, and he’s bound to slow down at some point. But he’ll again be expected to shoulder the load in Baltimore’s backfield next season and an extension could give Henry some additional security.

Not exactly re-assuring news for Hall in re-draft leagues this year. The Lions, of course, managed to create fantasy value for both David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. But it is much harder to reliably project a back for fantasy points if they don’t get a full slate of touches. It sounds like both Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis could be factors in the Jets backfield. Hall is entering the final year of his rookie deal and the way Glenn presents this, it sounds more like he’s the head of a committee than a true three-down back this year.

Harbaugh is fresh off signing a three-year extension of his own. Now, the long-time coach is on record saying a new deal could be in the works for Jackson “sooner or later.” Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension in 2023 and is under contract through the 2027 season. That said, with a league salary cap that is likely to see a continued increase in the coming seasons, the Ravens would be wise to give Jackson a new deal before his current one nears expiration. Jackson, 28, is a two-time MVP who nearly won a third MVP after a 2024 season in which he threw for 4,172-41-4 while adding another 915 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. His 2026 cap number balloons to $74.650 million, but that number can likely be reduced with a new deal, creating added incentive for the Ravens to get something done.