2021 NFL Draft Winners & Losers For Fantasy Football
The 2021 NFL Draft has come and gone and the fantasy football implications are massive. Sorry to anyone who has James Robinson rostered. Before we get too in depth about which players are destined for greatness based on their landing spot and which players should have just stayed in school, let’s take a look at all the fantasy relevant players that were drafted.
Officially Trevor time in Jacksonville.@Trevorlawrencee | @Jaguars pic.twitter.com/cUBp6XW6oq
— NFL (@NFL) May 2, 2021
Draft Picks with Fantasy Relevance
| RD 1, PK 1 | QB | Trevor Lawrence | Jaguars |
| RD 1, PK 2 | QB | Zach Wilson | Jets |
| RD 1, PK 3 | QB | Trey Lance | 49ers |
| RD 1, PK 4 | TE | Kyle Pitts | Falcons |
| RD 1, PK 5 | WR | Ja'Marr Chase | Bengals |
| RD 1, PK 6 | WR | Jaylen Waddle | Dolphins |
| RD 1, PK 10 | WR | DeVonta Smith | Eagles |
| RD 1, PK 11 | QB | Justin Fields | Bears |
| RD 1, PK 15 | QB | Mac Jones | Patriots |
| RD 1, PK 20 | WR | Jadarius Toney | Giants |
| RD 1, PK 24 | RB | Najee Harris | Steelers |
| RD 1, PK 25 | RB | Travis Etienne | Jaguars |
| RD 1, PK 27 | WR | Rashod Bateman | Ravens |
| RD 2, PK 34 | WR | Elijah Moore | Jets |
| RD 2, PK 35 | RB | Javonte Williams | Broncos |
| RD 2, PK 49 | WR | Rondale Moore | Cardinals |
| RD 2, PK 55 | TE | Pat Freiermuth | Steelers |
| RD 2, PK 56 | WR | D'Wayne Eskridge | Seahawks |
| RD 2, PK 57 | WR | Tutu Atwell | Rams |
| RD 2, PK 59 | WR | Terrace Marshall Jr. | Panthers |
| RD 2, PK 64 | QB | Kyle Trask | Buccaneers |
| RD 3, PK 66 | QB | Kellon Mond | Vikings |
| RD 3, PK 67 | QB | Davis Mills | Texans |
| RD 3, PK 77 | WR | Josh Palmer | Chargers |
| RD 3, PK 81 | TE | Hunter Long | Dolphins |
| RD 3, PK 82 | WR | Dyami Brown | Football Team |
| RD 3, PK 83 | TE | Tommy Tremble | Panthers |
| RD 3, PK 85 | WR | Amari Rodgers | Packers |
| RD 3, PK 88 | RB | Trey Sermon | 49ers |
| RD 3, PK 89 | WR | Nico Collins | Texans |
| RD 3, PK 91 | WR | Anthony Schwartz | Browns |
| RD 3, PK 97 | TE | Tre' McKitty | Chargers |
| RD 4, PK 107 | RB | Michael Carter | Jets |
| RD 4, PK 109 | WR | Dez Fitzpatrick | Titans |
| RD 4, PK 112 | WR | Amon-Ra St. Brown | Lions |
| RD 4, PK 119 | RB | Kene Nwangwu | Vikings |
| RD 4, PK 120 | RB | Rhamondre Stevenson | Patriots |
| RD 4, PK 124 | TE | John Bates | Football Team |
| RD 4, PK 126 | RB | Chuba Hubbard | Panthers |
| RD 4, PK 127 | TE | Kylen Granson | Colts |
| RD 4, PK 129 | WR | Jaelon Darden | Buccaneers |
| RD 4, PK 131 | WR | Tylan Wallace | Ravens |
| RD 4, PK 133 | QB | Ian Book | Saints |
| RD 4, PK 141 | WR | Jacob Harris | Rams |
| RD 5, PK 145 | TE | Luke Farrell | Jaguars |
| RD 5, PK 147 | TE | Brevin Jordan | Texans |
| RD 5, PK 150 | RB | Kenny Gainwell | Eagles |
| RD 5, PK 157 | WR | Ihmir Smith-Marsette | Vikings |
| RD 5, PK 162 | TE | Noah Gray | Chiefs |
| RD 5, PK 168 | TE | Zach Davidson | Vikings |
| RD 5, PK 179 | WR | Simi Fehoko | Cowboys |
| RD 5, PK 181 | WR | Cornell Powell | Chiefs |
| RD 6, PK 187 | WR | Frank Darby | Falcons |
| RD 6, PK 194 | RB | Elijah Mitchell | 49ers |
| RD 6, PK 196 | RB | Gary Brightwell | Giants |
| RD 6, PK 198 | RB | Larry Rountree III | Chargers |
| RD 6, PK 202 | RB | Chris Evans | Bengals |
| RD 6, PK 203 | WR | Marquez Stevenson | Bills |
| RD 6, PK 204 | WR | Shi Smith | Panthers |
| RD 6, PK 205 | WR | Racey McMath | Titans |
| RD 6, PK 209 | WR | Jalen Camp | Jaguars |
| RD 6, PK 211 | RB | Demetric Felton | Browns |
| RD 6, PK 217 | RB | Khalil Herbert | Bears |
| RD 6, PK 218 | QB | Sam Ehlinger | Colts |
| RD 6, PK 219 | WR | Seth Williams | Broncos |
| RD 6, PK 221 | WR | Dazz Newsome | Bears |
| RD 7, PK 229 | WR | Mike Strachan | Colts |
| RD 7, PK 233 | RB | Jake Funk | Rams |
| RD 7, PK 242 | RB | Tre Nixon | Patriots |
| RD 7, PK 244 | RB | Gerrid Doaks | Dolphins |
| RD 7, PK 249 | WR | Ben Skowronek | Rams |
| RD 7, PK 255 | WR | Kawaan Baker | Saints |
| RD 7, PK 256 | RB | Kylin Hill | Packers |
| RD 7, PK 257 | RB | Jermar Jefferson | Lions |
| RD 7, PK 258 | WR | Dax Milne | Football Team |
Initial Reactions
My initial reactions are that the quarterback class is solid for fantasy. Trevor Lawrence could be the next Peyton Manning if you’re buying the hype. After that, we’ve got Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Justin Fields. All of which possess dual-threat ability and we know this bodes well for elite QB fantasy production. Even Mac Jones fell to a situation that could push him into a top-15 QB given a couple years of development.
The running back position gets a lot more murky. Najee Harris figures to be handed the rock 20-plus times per game but besides that the touches are scarce. Travis Etienne was a shocking pick at the back end of the first round by the Jaguars but his talent figures to help him fill a significant role sooner rather than later. Besides these two, who are we really confident in?
The wide receiver class is strong for the second year in a row but there is a limited amount of alphas. Ja’Marr Chase is the top dog but how many targets can we expect him to get with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd chipping away? The Eagles add Heisman winner, DeVonta Smith, to an offense that figures to be extremely run-heavy.
Tight end can be summed up easily, there’s Kyle Pitts and then there’s everyone else.
Here’s a list of the biggest winners and losers following the 2021 draft:
Biggest 2021 Draft Winners: QB
1. Trey Lance, 49ers
Talk about a great landing spot. Trey Lance has all the talent to be a set-it-and-forget-it QB for fantasy football. Now don’t go over drafting him in redraft leagues, but the dynasty investment here can not be overstated. The 49ers basically mortgaged their entire future on the NDSU product making it apparent that they will throw him in as soon as he’s ready.
2. Mac Jones, Patriots
Rushing upside simply translates to more fantasy points. Mac Jones has none. But the landing spot screams fantasy relevance in the future. Jones could even start some games in 2021 having only the ghost of Cam Newton to beat out.
3. Kyle Trask, Buccaneers
Everyone is trying to replace Tom Brady. The only problem is he just keeps on playing. The Patriots hope to finally replace the GOAT with Jones while the Bucs turn to Kyle Trask as an understudy. Like Jones, Trask has no rushing ability but again the landing spot speaks volumes. Trask has become one of my favorite targets in super flex leagues. The problem is that he might be 28 years old before he gets the chance to start.
Biggest Losers QB
1. Davis Mills, Texans
Houston has become the least desirable place in all of professional sports. The Rockets drove James Harden away, the Astros cheat, and yet the Texans might be the biggest mess out of all of them. Davis Mills could see some playing time this season but it is hard to imagine the former Stanford Cardinal will find any fantasy relevance.
Biggest Winners RB
1. Najee Harris, Steelers
This is the obvious one. Najee Harris should see 20-plus touches per game starting Week 1. Pittsburgh has been searching for a RB1 since the Le’Veon Bell breakup and they’ve finally found him. There are some questions about the offensive line but the fact that they addressed the running back position over the line in the first round should suggest that they believe the line was not their biggest need.
2. Michael Carter, Jets
The key to fantasy relevance for RBs is little to no competition. Michael Carter lands in the perfect spot to see a significant workload. From day one he projects to be the most talented back on the roster. It also figures to be a run-heavy offense with Mike LaFleur calling the plays. The outside zone running scheme highlights Carter’s strengths as well.
3. Chris Evans, Bengals
Gio Bernard left town and Joe Mixon can’t stay healthy. Need I say more? I will. Chris Evans profiles as a very athletic back despite his sparse usage at Michigan. He’s also 5-11, 211-pounds which is close to the ideal RB body type.
Biggest Losers RB
1. Travis Etienne, Jaguars
Oh what could have been. And yet, still could be. I’m not fading Travis Etienne by any means but the landing spot is questionable to say the least. I don’t believe that Jacksonville would use first-round draft capital on a third down back like Urban Meyer suggests. However, the path to Etienne receiving 200 touches as a rookie are thin with James Robinson still in town.
2. Kenny Gainwell, Eagles
Gainwell is an athletic back that can have an impact in the receiving game. The problem is that he went to a team that has a more talented back that can produce in the receiving game even better. The hope was that Gainwell would have gone to a team that has a lead back that is a limited receiver. He’s nothing more than a Miles Sanders handcuff at this point.
3. Jermar Jefferson, Lions
The tape on Jermar Jefferson is terrific. The athletic profile, not so much. The landing spot basically buries his fantasy value.
Biggest Winners WR
1. Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle has arguably the best opportunity to lead his team in targets as a rookie. Remember last year it wasn’t the super talented Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, or CeeDee Lamb that led rookies in fantasy points. It was Justin Jefferson who stepped in as a target hog. Waddle could be that guy.
2. Amari Rodgers, Packers
Hopefully the Packers can patch things up with MVP Aaron Rodgers. Amari Rodgers could be Randall Cobb 2.0 and while he’s not an alpha he could be a PPR machine. Perfect landing spot for the Clemson Tiger making him one of the biggest winners of the 2021 draft.
3. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions
Targets, targets, and more targets. That’s what the Lions have to offer for this lucky rookie wideout. While I still believe that T.J. Hockenson and–in a lesser fashion–D’Andre Swift are the top two receiving options, St. Brown should lead the way for Detroit WRs. People forget that Jared Goff was able to keep three wide receivers relevant in fantasy football during his glory days with the Rams.
Biggest Losers WR
1. Rashod Bateman, Ravens
Ouch, rough landing spot for someone that projects to be an alpha receiver. Maybe Lamar Jackson can develop into a good enough passer to hit the talented Bateman down field. I’ll let someone else take that risk.
2. D’Wayne Eskridge, Seahawks
I don’t really understand this one at all. Eskridge will probably be buried on a roster behind D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett for the foreseeable future. Maybe he can return value down the line in a dynasty league. Again, I’ll let someone else take that risk.
3. Dyami Brown, Football Team
With Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel on the roster are we expecting many targets to be left over? Especially for a team that utilizes the TE position as often as the Scott Turner offense does. Dyami Brown is a talented deep threat but he will need a few seasons to return fantasy value.
Who is stopping this Washington offense? 👀 pic.twitter.com/9xYNAniQEm
— PFF (@PFF) May 1, 2021
Biggest 2021 Draft Winners: TE
1. Kyle Pitts, Falcons
Kyle Pitts’ ceiling is officially a Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, George Kittle type fantasy TE. His situation and draft capital cements that. The only worry is how long it could take him to achieve these heights.
2. Pat Freiermuth, Steelers
Much like with Najee Harris, the fact that Pittsburgh took Freiermuth over a lineman suggests that he will see the field right away. The Steelers are notorious for throwing their rookies in the starting lineup. He could be a sneaky consolation prize if Pitts is out of your reach.
3. Noah Gray, Chiefs
Travis Kelce has a few years left of fantasy dominance but he isn’t getting any younger. Noah Gray is undersized for the position at 6-3. However, he has displayed above-average athleticism and had decent production as a receiver in college. He gets to learn from the best and could be used in a system that heavily favors TEs.
Biggest Losers TE
1. Brevin Jordan, Texans
As aforementioned, the Texans are a bit of a mess. Sliding all the way to the fifth round also hurts. Having said that, Jordan is a very athletic player. Just don’t expect that to translate to fantasy points any time soon.
