Award-Winning Fantasy Football Advice

The Cowboys and RB Ezekiel Elliott have agreed to a contract, NFL Network reports. It's a reunion after Elliott spent his first seven seasons in Dallas. The 28-year-old mustered just 3.8 yards per carry in his last season with the Cowboys and then averaged 3.5 yards per carry for the Patriots last year. Elliott ranked 29th among 42 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus' 2022 rushing grades and 41st among 49 last year. There's very little gas left in this tank, although Elliott still proved capable of handling big workloads down the stretch last season. He averaged 14.8 carries and 6.5 targets over the final six weeks. The Cowboys are desperate for RB help after losing Tony Pollard in free agency and failing to land a RB in the draft. Elliott just might be the favorite to lead the backfield in touches ahead of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Royce Freeman. He's still not an exciting fantasy pick. We'll see where his ADP settles.

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The 49ers signed undrafted rookie RB Cody Schrader. Schrader spent six years in college and will turn 25 in September. But he’s coming off a massive 2023 season. After four years at Truman State, Schrader walked on at Missouri and immediately led the team with 745 rushing yards in 2022. Then he ripped off 1,627 rushing yards and 14 TDs on 5.9 yards per carry, plus 22 catches for 191 yards, this past year. Schrader led the SEC in rushing and was named a first-team All-American. He ranked 32nd among 157 qualifying RBs in Pro Football Focus’ rushing grades. Schrader is a sturdy 5’9, 202-pounder with good contact balance and strong leg drive. He’s also reliable in the passing game as a receiver and protector. Schrader doesn’t run with much wiggle, though, and bombed at the Combine with a 2.33 Relative Athletic Score. At his advanced age, it’s fair to wonder how much meat is left on this bone. He’s obviously a dynasty long shot after going undrafted and landing in Christian McCaffrey’s backfield. We’ll see if Schrader can make the team this summer.

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The Steelers signed Georgia RB Daijun Edwards as an undrafted free agent. Edwards spent his early years behind eventual NFL draft picks like James Cook, Zamir White, and Kenny McIntosh. Come 2022, Edwards split carries with McIntosh, a current Seahawk, and posted modest numbers (140-777-7). Last fall, Edwards was the 1A rusher ahead of Kendall Milton, who also went undrafted. Milton posted better efficiency than Edwards (6.5 yards per carry vs. 5.4) as the latter underwhelmed from an analytical perspective. Among 73 RBs with 150+ carries, Edwards ranked 56th in yards after contact per attempt and 45th in Pro Football Focus’ Elusive Rating. He also doesn’t project as a factor in the passing game. (He caught 1.3 passes per game over the past two seasons.) Through an optimistic lens: The 23-year-old is built compactly at 5’9, 207 pounds and runs with excellent power and patience. Edwards will aim to win Pittsburgh’s No. 3 RB job behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. He can be ignored in redraft and dynasty leagues for now.

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The Bills signed undrafted rookie RB Frank Gore Jr. The son of an NFL legend, Gore brings unmatched bloodlines to the pro game. He’s not the caliber of prospect we saw from his father, though. While stout, Gore is ultimately just 5’8, 198 pounds. He struggled with ball security (six fumbles from 2022-2023) and drops (three in 2023) – hardly a surprise given his 8¼" hands. That hand size ranks in the 2nd percentile among Combine RBs since 1999. Gore isn’t a dynamic athlete either, instead winning with patience, vision, and power. The true bull case comes from his college production, as the 22-year-old led Southern Miss in rushing for four straight seasons. His production peaked over the past two seasons with a combined 2,953 total yards. Gore also didn’t miss a game due to injury, despite racking up 759 carries in 47 games played. He’s obviously a long shot to ever be a true fantasy factor after going undrafted, although landing with the high-scoring Bills helps his chances.

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Texans WR Tank Dell was shot in Sanford, Florida on Saturday night, the team announced. Dell suffered a "minor wound" and has already been released from the hospital. We'll look for further updates on Dell's status, but it sounds like he luckily dodged anything that would impact his 2024 season.

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The Packers added Tulane QB Michael Pratt in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Pratt didn’t start playing football until high school but was a four-year starter at Tulane and showed steady improvement throughout his career. Pratt’s completion rate climbed each year, topping out at 65.4% in 2023. And he went from 7.2 yards per attempt over his first two seasons to 8.7 over the last two. The 6’3, 217-pounder has average arm strength and durability concerns. He suffered a concussion in 2021, a shoulder injury and fractured heel in 2022, and a left knee injury in 2023. But Pratt is an accurate passer with good anticipation and pocket presence. He looks like a classic NFL backup. Pratt will look to beat out 2023 fifth-rounder Sean Clifford for Green Bay’s No. 2 job.

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The Patriots added Florida State TE Jaheim Bell in Round 7. Bell broke out as a 2021 sophomore at South Carolina, leading that Gamecocks team with five receiving TDs and ranking second in both catches (30) and receiving yards (497). His numbers took a step back in 2022 (25-231-1), but Bell rebounded this past year after transferring to Florida State. He ranked third on the Seminoles behind only WRs Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson with 39 catches and 503 yards. Bell’s 1.97 yards per route beat Coleman and ranked 13th among 81 qualifying TEs. He’s undersized at 6’2, 241 pounds. But Bell clocked a 4.61-second 40 time at the Combine and earned an 8.45 Relative Athletic Score. He projects as a catch-first TE in the NFL. Bell joins a Patriots TE room led by Hunter Henry, who’s under contract through 2026. Henry turns 30 in December, though. We’ll see if Bell can build any momentum this summer. He’s just a flier in dynasty rookie drafts.

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The Chargers selected USC WR Brenden Rice in Round 7 of the NFL Draft. Rice spent his first two seasons at Colorado, where low pass volume led to light usage. That changed upon transferring to USC in 2022. Paired with top QB Caleb Williams, Rice set career highs in catches (39), yards (611), and TDs (4). His production reached another level last fall with Jordan Addison off to the NFL. The 6’2 Rice posted a 45-791-12 line -- enough to rank first among Trojans in TDs; second in catches and yards. He posted a strong 2.75 yards per route run while playing most of his snaps out wide. The 22-year-old also flashed reliable hands, dropping only 2 balls (4.3% drop rate). No surprise there, as Brenden is the son of NFL legend Jerry Rice. Note: While not a burner, Rice’s size and physicality allow him to win in contested and red zone situations. (His 2023 TD rate was an absurd 26.6%.) Although the seventh-round draft capital is a major red flag, Rice at least joins a Chargers WR corps with snaps up for grabs. The rookie is not worth a pick in early best-ball drafts but is a fine flier in Round 4 or 5 of dynasty rookie drafts.

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The Raiders selected New Hampshire RB Dylan Laube in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. Including a 2018 redshirt, Laube spent six seasons at New Hampshire. He’ll turn 25 in December, making him one of the oldest prospects in the class. Not ideal – but the production speaks for itself. Playing against FCS competition, Laube led the nation in all-purpose yards per game in 2022 (194.3). Included in there: Three games north of 200 rushing/receiving yards, including a video game-like 12-295-2 receiving line against Central Michigan. Overall, he excelled as a receiver with 49 catches – good for second on the team. Per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Laube passed on transfer opportunities (and NIL deals) ahead of last fall. Still, his workload dropped (16 carries per game vs. 20.4), and he declined in yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt, and forced missed-tackle rate. Known as a high character kid, Laube ultimately wins with quick feet and a versatile skill set. He’s racked up a nation-leading 117 catches over the past two seasons. Going in the late sixth round is a bad sign, but Laube at least landed in a Raiders backfield with only Zamir White, Alexander Mattison, and Ameer Abdullah. We’ll see if he can push Abdullah for a passing-down role. Laube isn’t worth a pick in early best-ball drafts but is a viable flier in deeper dynasty leagues.

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The Bengals grabbed Arizona TE Tanner McLachlan in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. A no-star recruit from Canada, McLachlan started his college career at FCS-level Southern Utah. His four years there included just 15 catches and a 2020 torn ACL. McLachlan missed the entire 2021 season and then transferred to Arizona. He turned in two productive seasons for the Wildcats, posting 34-456-2 and 45-528-4 receiving lines and passing Rob Gronkowski as the school’s all-time leader in receptions by a TE. McLachlan is a 6’5, 244-pounder and earned a solid 7.66 Relative Athletic Score at the Combine, highlighted by a 4.61-second 40 time. He’s a smooth athlete with reliable hands, but his route running needs refinement. That’s a bigger concern considering McLachlan is already 25 years old. He joins fellow rookie TE Erick All in Cincinnati, along with TEs Mike Gesicki, Tanner Hudson, and Drew Sample. It’s a fine landing spot, but McLachlan is well off the redraft radar and isn’t an exciting dynasty target.

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