Russell Wilson has signed! Two weeks after free agency started and just four days after signing Jameis Winston, the New York Giants signed Wilson to a 1 year deal. It’s a strange strategy from the Giants, who look to be trying to compete now and forgoing the future at the quarterback position. In a division with defending Super Bowl Champs, the Giants had to do something, but this move has most analyst scratching their heads. It certainly has implications across fantasy football. Some good and some bad. Let’s break down all the implications of the Russell Wilson signing.
Winners of the Russell Wilson signing
Theo Johnson: TE- New York Giants
If you read the Jameis Winston article you know that I am high on Theo Johnson. Much like what happened in Cleveland last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Russell Wilson under center, targeted the tight end position heavily. Pat Frieremuth was second on the team with 78 targets. It could be due to not having a solid second option after George Pickens but it showed what Wilson can do with a gifted tight end. It’s something he was often missing during his time in Seattle.
Johnson was a touted prospect coming out of the draft and struggled with injuries. He had a solid last season at Penn State with seven touchdowns. He will be a steady option for Wilson as the starter in New York. Johnson was on a 60-target pace last season before his injury. With another training camp under his belt, 2025 should produce a solid fantasy campaign. I don’t expect him to be a weekly starter, but someone that you will slide into your tight end spot during bye weeks and potentially stream if there is an injury at the top of the position.
Aaron Rodgers: QB- Free Agent
When the New York Giants signed Jameis Winston, it seemed like the likelihood of Aaron Rodgers having a starting role had greatly decreased. Now with the Giants signing Russell Wilson, Rodgers seems like the likely leading man for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers could still draft a Week 1 starter, but Rodgers seems to be in the driver’s seat. The market price has been set with Wilson getting $10.5 million for one year.
Rodgers probably isn’t much of a fantasy quarterback. He will have a game where he shows his former MVP self, but will also have games where he struggles. You can just look at the game against the Steelers in Week 7 or Arizona in Week 10.
Malik Nabers: WR- New York Giants
This isn’t a huge upgrade for Malik Nabers over Jameis Winston. We like to point to Winston hyper targeting Jerry Jeudy, but lets not discount Russell Wilson hyper targeting George Pickens. In the games where they played together Jeudy averaged 9.8 targets a game. Wilson and Pickens, 7.3. Malik Nabers is a superior talent to both of them. He will see plenty of volume. Russell Wilson signing in New York locks Nabers in as a top 10, if not a top 5, fantasy wide receiver.
Losers of the Russell Wilson signing
Jameis Winston: QB- New York Giants
It was a fun few days fantasizing and dreaming of Jameis Winston chucking the ball recklessly down the field towards Malik Nabers. You have to wonder what the Giants’ management told Winston when they signed him. Did he ever really have a shot at starting? Was the Russell Wilson signing already a done deal? Either way, its another season of Winston backing up a veteran, hoping to get a chance to go out there and wildly throw up balls and praying the Lord delivers him from Pick 6s.
If you bought Winston in fantasy during this short window, you are kicking yourself. If you sold him you are beyond happy. His value tanks with this news. He might still be one of the more desired back ups in the league, but he should be on waivers for now. Wilson led the Steelers to the playoffs last year. The Giants are hoping for the same.
George Pickens: WR- Pittsburgh Steelers
George Pickens was en route to having possibly the best fantasy year of his short career in 2024 if not for injury. A big part of that was having Russell Wilson as his quarterback. First, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded for DK Metcalf and then failed to bring back Wilson. They haven’t even signed anyone except for Mason Rudolph.
Pickens’ fantasy value just keeps dropping. With Wilson off the board, it looks like it comes down to Rodgers or a rookie throwing him the ball. Anyone who wants or thinks Rudolph is a viable option needs to be checked out by a professional. Pickens should still retain his low-end WR2 status for fantasy managers, but expecting a breakout this season seems less than likely.
Rookie Quarterbacks
Who wouldn’t want to play in the largest city in the world? What quarterback doesn’t want to throw the ball to one of the best young wide receivers in the world? That all seems off the table now that Russell Wilson has signed with the Giants. When it was just Jameis Winston there was still hope the Giants would draft one of the top guys and let them learn for half a season or more.
The multiple signings from the Giants, including Tommy DeVito, mean they don’t have roster space for a rookie quarterback. Starting quarterback jobs are hard to find in the NFL, and the potential 2025 and 2026 spots are filling up fast. If any prospect or their fathers had aspirations of being in the Big Apple, they had better start learning to chant J-E-T-S because that is the only way it will happen.
Let us know who YOU think is the biggest winner and loser over at The Fantasy Advice Network.
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