Free agency has been all about the wide receivers. We have seen some big names released and signed elsewhere. We have seen numerous trades. All of which have an impact on fantasy football. While these aren’t the top guys they still impact players. Both positively and negatively. Let’s do a round-up on who wins and who loses with these free agent wide receiver signings.
Josh Palmer- Buffalo Bills
Winner- Josh Allen (QB, Buf): Josh Allen has been one of the best quarterbacks in fantasy the last few years, not because he is a true number-one wide receiver. The Buffalo Bills have cobbled together a rag-tag group of receivers who all get some part of the action. Most teams have one receiver who dominates and the rest of the team is left for dead. The Bills do things differently. Josh Allen now gets another receiver who can be part of that group. Josh Palmer hasn’t been a star in his NFL tenure but he provides a solid option for Allen.
Loser- Curtis Samuel (WR, Buf): Curtis Samuel had some fantasy analysts clamoring for you to draft him in 2024. I advised against it. He was not worthy of a fantasy roster then and he’s not worth one now. Samuel will struggle to see the field with Josh Palmer on the team. Both rotate their time between the slot and out wide which puts them in a rotation for one spot in three wide sets. Keon Coleman will always be on the outside and Khalil Shakir will be in the slot. Palmer should be the third man forcing Samuel to the bench more often than not.
Brandin Cooks- New Orleans Saints
Winner- Derek Carr (QB, NO): It’s been a shocker that the Saints continue to re-work Derek Carr’s contract every year. At some point, they need to move on but 2025 doesn’t look like that year. Brandin Cooks coming back to New Orleans is a big boost for Carr. While he has done well with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed they haven’t had much after those two. Cooks brings in a solid third option who has veteran experience. He should help Carr get back to the middle of the quarterback pack for fantasy.
Loser- Bub Means (WR, NO): Bub Means was a deep sleeper last season after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft. He struggled with injuries and never made an impact for the Saints. The addition of Brandin Cooks puts another hurdle in front of Means. He has been medically cleared but now will have to outperform Cooks to see significant playing time.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine- Miami Dolphins
Winner- Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR, Mia): We were all surprised by the season Nick Westbrook-Ikhine had in 2024. With 9 touchdowns he surpassed all expectations and turned into a weekly upside flex play. The issue for Westbrook-Ikhine is outside of touchdowns he didn’t have production. That changes heading to the Miami Dolphins. It’s a clear upgrade at quarterback. He also gets a chance to fill in for the often-injured Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Loser- Jonnu Smith (TE, Mia): Another surprise in 2024 was Jonnu Smith. He finished the season as the TE4. A massive part of that was the 9 touchdowns he had. Westbrook-Ikhine comes in and will probably eat into those. Smith had 14 red zone targets. A team lead. Westbrook-Ikhine led the Titans with 10. Both made most of their fantasy points on touchdowns and they came off the back of those red zone targets. The two will be competing for those this season for the Dolphins.
Noah Brown- Washington Commanders
Winner- Jayden Daniels (QB, Was): Jayden Daniels is a massive winner this offseason. The Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel and also brought back Noah Brown, one of Daniels’s favorite targets. In his 11 games this year, he had 5 games with over 5 targets. While Brown won’t be a massive fantasy star he provides a solid option for Daniels. An option he is familiar with.
Loser- Brian Robinson (RB, Was): The Washington Commanders seem committed to the passing game. With retaining Noah Brown on top of getting Deebo Samuel it seems like running the ball might be an afterthought. Brian Robinson scored 8 touchdowns but finished as the RB29. I don’t expect him to reach much higher with a heavy dose of passing and Deebo taking carries.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling- Seattle Seahawks
Winner- Sam Darnold (QB, Sea): First Sam Darnold got his chance at being a starting quarterback. Signing with the Seattle Seahawks gave him the reigns. Some of the other moves this offseason made the Seahawks less than desirable. They seemed like an ideal candidate to sign a free agent wide receiver. That guy ended up being Marquez Valdes-Scantling. While M.V.S. hasn’t been the most reliable of fantasy options he is a solid pass catcher. M.V.S. is a field stretcher which is something Darnold excelled at last year with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Loser- Jake Bobo (WR, Sea): If you were excited about Jake Bobo after the departures of Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf you have to be slightly less excited now. Jake Bobo has yet to be a fantasy-relevant player. Even less than M.V.S. has been. Yes he is young but
Mike Williams- Los Angeles Chargers
Winner- Justin Herbert (QB, LAC): What were the best years of Justin Herbert’s career? 2020 to 2022. Who was on the team those years? Mike Williams. Mike Williams in those years finished as WR46, 12 & 32. Williams finished as WR107 last season. Herbert and the Chargers have struggled to find the right mix of wide receivers to put them over the top. They seemed to strike gold with Ladd McConkey. Mike Williams should be another piece in the puzzle to help Herbert get back to being a top 1o if not top 5 quarterback.
Loser- Quentin Johnston (WR, LAC): The struggles for Quentin Johnston are well documented. He has struggled with drops and consistency. With Mike Williams back on the team it seems like this is a make-or-break year for QJ. Both of them play the same role in the offense. They are big-bodied wide receivers who should be red zone threats and win the 50/50 balls. Mike Williams has the chemistry and trust of Herbert. Something Johnston hasn’t fully built yet. Johnston will need to prove it or be another “what could have been” for fantasy managers.
Zay Jones- Arizona Cardinals
Winner- Michael Wilson (WR, Arz): There were a ton of free agent wide receivers available. Between that and those available via trades, the Arizona Cardinals could have brought in someone to take Michael Wilson‘s place. The fact that they choose to bring back Zay Jones instead shows that they are comfortable with Wilson as the WR2 across from Marvin Harrison Jr. Entering his third year Wilson needs to break out to be fantasy-relevant. He has been a low-end flex play for the past two years. If Kyler Murray can stay healthy then Wilson could be in line for a bigger role.
Loser- Greg Dortch (WR, Arz): The Arizona Cardinals brought Zay Jones in last year in free agency. They brought him back this year after he missed a good part of the season with a suspension. It’s not a good sign for Greg Dortch and his fantasy value. In games where the two played neither played over 40% of the team’s snaps. Despite the hype around Dortch, he isn’t someone who plays enough snaps or sees enough targets to be fantasy-relevant. In the games where Jones was suspended, Dortch only had three games with over five fantasy points.
Rondale Moore- Minnesota Vikings
Winner- Jordan Addison (WR, Minn): I have never been a massive fan of Jordan Addison but you can’t deny his fantasy production. His role in the offense seems secure with the signing of Rondale Moore. Moore is a slot wide receiver. He shouldn’t push for snaps from Addison. Moore is a solid third wide receiver option and fourth target option for J.J. McCarthy. Addison should see roughly 100 targets again this season and possibly a bump if Moore can help keep drives alive.
Loser- Rondale Moore (WR, Minn): As much as Moore is a good slot receiver signing with the Minnesota Vikings is probably one of the worst spots for him. The Vikings haven’t given their third receiver much work. Jalen Nailor only had 47 in 2024. K.J. Osborn had 73 in 2023 but that was with Justin Jefferson missing 7 games. Moore could have signed with a team where he had a better chance at being the number two on a team or at least a team that utilizes that position more. After missing all of 2024 Moore is in a prove-it year and probably won’t get many chances to do that.
Darius Slayton- New York Giants
Winner- Jameis Winston (QB, NYG): Jameis Winston is a fun quarterback, especially for fantasy. His want to just throw the ball down the field no matter what means we will see a ton of big plays and interceptions. The hope for the Giants is that he continues to work to cut that down and starts checking it down more. That is where veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton can be a huge benefit. Slayton has spent his whole career with the Giants so he understands the system they are running. He should be able to help lead on the field and keep Winston in check in the huddle. Slayton gives Winston a sure-handed option on top of the big plays from Malik Nabers.
Loser- Jalin Hyatt (WR, NYG): OH how the shine has gone from Jalin Hyatt. A player who was once thought to be the next great slot receiver has never panned out. The way the Giants are reworking the receiving corps and bringing back Slayton shows that they don’t see much future for Hyatt. Hyatt hasn’t been on anyone’s fantasy radar and should remain that way.
Mack Hollins- New England Patriots
Winner- Drake Maye (QB, NE): Drake Maye was a breath of fresh air for the New England Patriots when he took over as the starting quarterback. He had 15 touchdowns in 11 starts. He did that with a group of wide receivers that no fantasy manager wanted. The Patriots are working to fix that. Is Mack Hollins the ultimate solution? No not at all. But what he showed was versatility, leadership, and hard work on the Buffalo Bills last year. He brings that and his size (6’4”) to a team that needs a spark. Hollins won’t be a fantasy superstar but he bumps Drake Maye up a few more spots in the QB rankings.
Loser- Ja’Lynn Polk (WR, NE): It’s been a rough start to the career for Ja’Lynn Polk. The team came out and said they might have put too much on his plate as a rookie. Polk failed to see the field consistently. In Week 6 he played all 100% of the snaps but only caught one of his six targets. Hollins being added to the roster pushes Polk behind DeMario Douglas, Hollins, and Kendrick Bourne. With Hunter Henry still leading the way from the tight end position, Polk looks like he won’t get the opportunity to develop that fantasy managers had hoped for.
Dyami Brown- Jacksonville Jaguars
Winner- Brian Thomas Jr (WR, Jax): The Jacksonville Jaguars have cleared the way for Brian Thomas to be the star of the offense. Gone are Evan Engram and Christian Kirk. The free agent wide receiver the Jags did bring in. Dyami Brown. Brown is a fine receiver but not at the caliber that can compete for Thomas’s targets as Kirk and Engram did last year. With Brown part of the offense and potentially the two opposite from Brian Thomas Jr, he should continue to soar. Brian Thomas is the alpha with no competition.
Loser- Parker Washington (WR, Jax): We all loved Parker Washington after the Christian Kirk move. He saw the two people ahead of him on the target ladder leave town. We never expected him to head into the season as the WR2 but Dyami Brown means he might not even be the WR3. Brown and Washington play a similar role in the offense. Can Washington beat out Brown for that role and be on the field? The Jaguars seemed poised to draft a wide receiver. Washington’s target competition seems to be getting tougher and tougher as the offseason goes on.
KaVontae Turpin- Dallas Cowboys
Winner- KaVontae Turpin (WR, Dal): While not a true free agent singing but an extension KaVontae Turpin staying with the Cowboys is a big win for him. While many see him as just a return specialist he can be so much more. Turpin started to see an increase in snaps at wide receiver when CeeDee Lamb went down with an injury. His game-wrecking speed and vision make him a playcaller’s dream. If the Cowboys can find ways to get the ball into his hands he will see a significant jump in fantasy production.
Loser- Deuce Vaughn (RB, Dal): It was a great story seeing Deuce Vaughn get the phone call from his father that the Cowboys were drafting him. At the end of the day, that’s all it is. Vaughn has struggled to get on the field. He has two assets. Speed and elusiveness. Those are also the assets that Turpin brings to the table. With the Cowboys loading up on running backs and not wide receivers it opens up more opportunity for Turpin than Vaughn.
Other free agent wide receiver moves.
Olamide Zaccheaus- Chicago Bears
K.J. Osborn- Washington Commanders
Van Jefferson- Tennessee Titans
Braxton Berrios- Houston Texans
Tim Patrick- Detroit Lions
Let us know who YOU think is the biggest winner and loser over at The Fantasy Advice Network.
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