Jim Coventry urged listeners to draft DK Metcalf despite four straight 1,000-yard but non-elite seasons, arguing the Steelers’ offensive design will recreate the 2020 environment that produced Metcalf’s 1,300-yard explosion. Pittsburgh plans to deploy heavy personnel (two and even three tight ends), forcing defenses into single-high safety looks instead of the two-high shells that have capped Metcalf’s big-play upside since 2021. Coventry believes an "aging Aaron Rodgers" can still hit deep shots when play-action gives him an extra beat, and Metcalf’s large catch radius will help. With fewer safeties in the middle of the field, Coventry expects slants to turn into long gains and go-routes to face just one safety. He concluded Metcalf’s situational upgrade makes him a must-draft at current cost.

Jim Coventry said fantasy drafters should scoop up DJ Moore around the WR20 slot because every signal points to another top-12 finish. He noted Moore was the overall WR6 two seasons ago with Justin Fields and still managed WR14 last year despite what Coventry called "a disaster" – bottom-tier offensive line, coaching, and play design. Chicago, in Coventry’s words, has now "fixed their offensive line" and hired Ben Johnson, a play-caller known for dial-ups that create yards after the catch. Coventry emphasized Moore’s after-the-catch ability, route versatility, and historical production in bad situations as proof he will thrive once placed in a “healthy” scheme. He expects the Bears to lean pass because “they are not going to have the greatest rushing attack,” and projected a second-year jump from Caleb Williams once early growing pains subside. All told, Coventry argued Moore’s median outcome is a fantasy WR1 while drafters are pricing him as a low-end WR2.

Drafting Evan Engram in the 7th, Venezia revealed a long-shot ticket (80-to-1) on Engram to pace the league in receptions. He reminded listeners the tight end cleared 110 catches two seasons ago in Jacksonville and believes Sean Payton could reprise the Jimmy Graham playbook in Denver, funneling targets toward Engram and giving him elite fantasy upside at a mid-round cost.

Jim Coventry argued that Zay Flowers remains overrated because Baltimore’s retooled pistol offense no longer funnels targets to short-area routes. Through Week 10 of 2024 Flowers topped 18.5 PPR points five times, but when the Ravens shifted to Lamar Jackson in shotgun with Derrick Henry at his hip, defenses crashed the run and left deep zones open. As a result the passing game funneled to downfield options like Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman while Flowers surpassed 12 PPR points only once after Week 10. Coventry expects that run-heavy, lead-protecting script to continue in 2025, limiting overall pass volume. With Jackson and Henry soaking up red-zone touches and defenses daring Baltimore to throw long, Flowers’ short-and-intermediate skill set becomes an afterthought. Coventry sees little path for Flowers to pay off even his discounted ADP.

Jim Coventry kept Kyren Williams at RB11 because Los Angeles just extended him and historically ignores draft-day challengers once the season starts. Williams’ every-down workload is secure, but Coventry warned that Matthew Stafford’s chronic back issues are a ticking time bomb. If Stafford misses time and Jimmy Garoppolo takes over, the offense could crater, throttling Williams’ touchdown equity and lowering overall efficiency. Volume is king, yet the quarterback’s health is the difference between a safe RB1/2 and a plodding compiler.

Jim Coventry slid Bucky Irving into the RB10 slot but admitted the profile is shaky after a “perfect storm” rookie year under Liam Coen. Coen’s heavy motion and play-action wrinkles are gone, and Coventry cautioned that the Buccaneers might regress from ‘great’ to merely ‘good.’ Irving excelled in a small sample, so any offensive step back could reveal volatility we have yet to see. Still, he believes Irving’s explosiveness and decent pass-game chops justify a back-end RB1 rank if managers are comfortable with the risk.

Jim Coventry placed Jonathan Taylor at RB9 after noting a 25-carry, league-winning pace over his final five games of 2024. While the upside is unquestioned, Coventry flagged multiple red flags: lingering lower-body injuries, Daniel Jones likely starting at quarterback (inviting stacked boxes), and the loss of two starting offensive linemen from last season. Those factors create more volatility than he wants inside the top eight, but Taylor’s pure rushing ceiling keeps him in every-week RB1 territory when healthy.

Jim Coventry ranked Josh Jacobs eighth, emphasizing durability and usage. Although Jacobs played only 62 % of Green Bay’s snaps after the midseason trade, he touched the ball almost every time he was on the field and immediately reclaimed goal-line duties. The Packers leaned on him for a spike in touchdown rate down the stretch, something Coventry expects Matt LaFleur to replicate. Among the backs in his second tier, Jacobs carries the fewest role questions, making him Coventry’s preferred “safe” RB1/2 turn target.

Jim Coventry bumped Chase Brown to RB7 because Cincinnati’s staff is rebuilding the run game around his outside-zone skill set after tailoring last year’s attack to Zack Moss. With defenses forced to honor Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins deep, Brown should see light boxes and free lanes. Coventry added that Joe Burrow historically checks down when plays break down, forecasting as many as 70 receptions for Brown. Combined with a high-octane Bengals red-zone offense, Coventry sees a multi-category fantasy profile that could smash ADP.

Jim Coventry placed Derrick Henry at RB5 after pointing to the Ravens’ late-season shift to pistol looks with Lamar Jackson in shotgun. From Week 11 on, Henry averaged 143 rushing yards per game in that alignment. Coventry expects Baltimore to open 2025 with the same scheme, creating runway for Henry to flirt with 2,000 yards and massive touchdown totals inside one of the league’s highest-scoring offenses. He acknowledged Henry’s limited passing-game role but said the sheer rushing volume and scoring equity more than compensate.

Jim Coventry ranked Christian McCaffrey fourth but called him a premium swing pick in large-field tournaments. He noted that the 29-year-old has logged two fully healthy seasons in the last three years and that last year’s Achilles scare never resulted in a tear. Because McCaffrey missed extensive time in three separate seasons, his career touch count is lower than most backs his age. Kyle Shanahan still funnels both rushing and receiving work through him, and in each of McCaffrey’s last four full campaigns he finished RB1 or RB2. Coventry only nudged him down a couple spots for those who prefer to mitigate injury volatility in 12-team home leagues.

Jim Coventry slotted Jahmyr Gibbs at RB3 while pumping the brakes on 2024’s late-season hero narrative. He reminded listeners that David Montgomery, described as “the heart and soul” of Detroit’s offense, is healthy again and will siphon short-yardage touchdowns plus 3-5 targets most weeks. Coventry added that Detroit is replacing its entire interior offensive line, a change that could shave efficiency off Gibbs’ explosive inside runs. The sophomore’s receiving chops and big-play ability give him a solid weekly floor, but Coventry doubts we’ll see a repeat of last year’s league-winning stretch unless Montgomery misses more time.

Jim Coventry ranked Bijan Robinson as his RB2, noting that the running back posted league-winning rushing numbers over the final six weeks of 2024. The concern is that once Michael Penix Jr. took over, Robinson’s target count cratered because the rookie quarterback hunted deeper routes instead of hitting check-downs. If Atlanta doesn’t scheme more throws to the back, Robinson will rely almost exclusively on rushing production, something Coventry views as a slight downgrade compared with Barkley’s role in an even stronger offense. Still, the talent and late-season usage keep Robinson squarely in the top tier.

Jim Coventry said Saquon Barkley should still be the first player off the board in 2025 drafts despite logging 482 touches through last year’s playoff run. Coventry argued that today’s 230-pound linebackers and frequent two-LB nickel looks mean Barkley rarely absorbs clean, high-impact hits. On film Barkley was “not beaten up,” so the workload is less alarming than raw volume suggests. Coventry also highlighted that Philadelphia’s elite scoring environment and space-creating passing attack give Barkley consistent red-zone chances without extra bodies in the box. With a safer receiving floor than many assume and a better offense than Atlanta’s, Coventry ranked him RB1 overall.

Jim Coventry pointed out that Jake Ferguson falls outside the top-12 tight ends in drafts despite evidence he can produce TE1 numbers whenever Dak Prescott is under center. Ferguson’s 2023 line was 71-761-5 plus three more TDs in the Wild Card round. In 2024 he played only seven games with Prescott yet hit 70 receiving yards in three of them and topped 11.9 PPR points in four. Production cratered once the backup quarterback took over and Ferguson missed time with injury. With Prescott healthy and George Pickens stretching the field, Coventry expects space to open underneath and emphasized Prescott’s historical tendency to feature his tight end. On a pass-centric Cowboys team, Ferguson is “set for a huge season” and should be drafted as a late-round upside pick.

Jim Coventry labeled DJ Moore the best value among wide receivers, noting his ADP has drifted to WR23 despite a rock-solid production floor. Moore finished WR14 in last year’s dysfunctional Bears offense and WR6 two years earlier. He has averaged 1,100 receiving yards every year since entering the league, all on poor passing teams. Coventry expects a leap under new coordinator Ben Johnson, who brings motion and play-action concepts that will manufacture easy targets for Moore. The offensive line has been upgraded, and Caleb Williams steps into what Coventry called “a real offense.” Moore’s ability to win at all levels plus running-back skills after the catch should let him smash current draft cost; Coventry added that there is still room for rookie Rome Odunze to succeed alongside him.

Jim Coventry called Breece Hall a steal because he is being drafted outside the top-12 running backs even though talent and workload point to a top-five finish. Hall’s 2024 dip—career-low 4.2 YPC and inconsistent yards after contact—was explained by Hall himself: he played the entire season with a sprained MCL. Coventry dismissed talk of a Jets timeshare, arguing that a healthy Hall is too good to come off the field and that no backup on the roster can command meaningful touches. Given Hall’s pre-injury dominance and the return to full health, Coventry advised fantasy managers to scoop him up confidently at his depressed ADP.

Jim Coventry said Dak Prescott is mis-priced at a QB9 ADP and has clear top-five upside. In Prescott’s last three fully healthy seasons (2019, 2021, 2023) he finished QB2, QB3 and QB7. Coventry expects Dallas to abandon past run-heavy tendencies because the current backfield of Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, Miles Sanders and Phil Mafa is unlikely to sustain drives. He also flagged a banged-up defense that should force shoot-outs. The front office added George Pickens to join CeeDee Lamb and breakout tight end Jake Ferguson, giving Prescott down-field and underneath options that make the passing game difficult to scheme against. With no reliable rushing attack and more weapons than ever, Coventry projects a massive jump in pass attempts and urged gamers to “draft, draft, draft” Prescott at his current cost.

Chris Liss said Rashee Rice is still a priority mid-round target even with a looming league suspension. Liss is "very confident it's going to be at least six" games and is "still betting on eight, won't be shocked if it's ten," but emphasized that managers are not forced to eat zeros— they can draft temporary fill-ins such as Xavier Worthy or Hollywood Brown. Because the uncertainty has driven Rice’s ADP from the 4th to the late-8th round over the last week, Liss would now take him ahead of George Kittle or even Jaylen Waddle when he can afford to wait on production. The payoff, in his view, is eventual exposure to Patrick Mahomes’ target tree at a steep discount, a combination that gives Rice league-winning upside once the suspension is served.

Alan Seslowsky explained why he is grabbing Brandon Aubrey as early as Round 11. Aubrey can hit from 60 yards, plays on a Dallas offense that led the league in extra-point attempts last season, and—crucially—has a double-digit bye week. Seslowsky argued that a late bye lets managers avoid burning a second roster spot on a replacement kicker, which preserves bench flexibility after September injuries pile up. He added that today’s NFL has several long-range specialists, so the only time he ‘reaches’ for a kicker is when that kicker combines elite range with a bye of Week 10 or later—boxes Aubrey checks.

Chris Liss endorsed Emeka Egbuka as a day-one fantasy play for Tampa Bay. With Chris Godwin expected to miss at least the first four games and Jalen McMillan sidelined for half the season, Egbuka slides immediately into the starting lineup opposite Mike Evans. Liss noted that Buccaneers coaches were already calling the rookie "a professional" and praising his readiness before McMillan's injury, so the manufactured depth-chart openings only cement his target path. He advised scooping Egbuka everywhere in season-long leagues, anticipating a useful early-season volume spike that could stick all year.

Chris Liss labeled the Giants a sneaky futures bet to reach the playoffs. He argued New York has escaped its decade-long "Jets hell" thanks to a defense stacked with multiple edge rushers, a noticeably improved preseason offensive line, and quarterback competence once Jaxson Dart inevitably supplants Russell Wilson. With that upgraded infrastructure Liss believes the Giants can beat conservative win-total projections and steal an NFC wild-card berth, making their current "to-make-playoffs" odds undervalued.

Chris Liss called Brian Robinson a no-brainer $3 buy in a $200 auction because Washington has already hinted they will cut or trade him. Liss floated Houston and Miami as probable landing spots where Robinson could become an early-down starter for four-to-six weeks while those clubs wait on injured backs to return. Even a month of 15-carry games would easily out-earn a $3 investment, making Robinson the ideal "churn" RB2 behind an anchor like Bijan on deeper season-long rosters. If the move never materializes you simply recycle the roster spot, but the asymmetric payoff is worth the tiny spend.

Jagger May said Justin Herbert is an easy QB2 target in best-ball builds when you want stability. May pointed out that the Chargers overhauled Herbert’s weaponry by adding rookie Tre Harris, the surging Keandre Lambert-Smith, and Oronde Gadsden while allowing Quentin Johnston to settle into a lower-volume role that better suits his skill set. Herbert still offers a "little bit of scoot" on the ground and could see a small bump in pass attempts despite the presence of Omarion Hampton in the backfield. May expects the efficiency gains from the new pass-catcher group to translate into plenty of touchdown opportunities, making Herbert a high-floor, multi-spike-week option at his current QB2 cost in large-field best-ball tournaments.

Jagger May is ‘incredibly bullish’ on Bo Nix as a late-round target. He likes the rushing floor and notes the Broncos surged late last season, then added RG Harvey and Evan Engram while giving Sean Payton another offseason to install his scheme. At current ADP, May believes Nix offers inexpensive spike-week potential in both best-ball and redraft formats.

Geno Smith continues to fall in drafts, and Jagger May is happy to exploit that inefficiency by waiting on his QB2 until Smith is available. May praised the Raiders’ revamped roster construction—crediting Tom Brady’s influence—and specifically mentioned OC Chik Kelly’s scheme fit. At Smith’s bargain price you get reliable weekly production with sneaky multi-TD upside, allowing drafters to allocate earlier picks to scarce positions while still finishing with a viable quarterback room.

James Koh predicted Ricky Pearsall will smash his WR46 price tag. Koh argued that Pearsall has been unfairly pigeonholed as a slot-only receiver; his separation skills allow him to thrive outside at flanker as well. More important, the 49ers’ receiving room is in flux: Brandon Aiyuk is expected to miss at least four games, Jauan Jennings is disgruntled over his contract, and Deebo Samuel has been traded to Washington. Koh called the result a “huge, huge target share” available for Pearsall right out of the gate.

James Koh said he refuses to leave drafts without Rome Odunze at his current WR36 ADP (around pick 90 on RotoWire). Koh pointed to Keenan Allen’s exit as “addition by subtraction,” vacating a huge chunk of the Bears’ targets, and praised new play-caller Ben Johnson for raising Chicago’s passing ceiling. RotoWire’s strength-of-schedule tool lists Chicago with the easiest early-season slate for fantasy wide receivers, giving Odunze a soft runway. Koh also cited the frequent second-year leap for top-10 draft picks as precedent for a top-10 fantasy finish.

James Koh recommended stashing Blake Corum, who is going undrafted outside the top-200 picks. Kyren Williams has endured a broken hand (2024), two high-ankle sprains (2022-23) and a broken foot, making his health questionable despite his youth. Sean McVay historically rides one primary back, and non-Puka rookies have struggled to earn trust, casting doubt on fellow newcomer Jarkhuis Hunter. If Williams misses time, Koh believes McVay would hand a heavy workload to Corum, giving him league-winning potential for a zero-cost pick.

James Koh called Trey Benson (referred to as Craig at first) "practically free" at RB47 (outside pick 150). The 215-pound back clocked a 4.39 forty and sits behind 30-year-old James Conner, who just set career-highs in games played and touches yet has averaged four games missed per season the two years prior. With a head coach who "wants to run the piss out of the ball," Koh expects the Cardinals to ease Conner’s burden, giving Benson weekly standalone touches and massive contingency upside if Conner’s durability issues resurface.

James Koh highlighted Jordan Mason as a steal at RB35 (outside pick 110). Mason projects for at least a 40% share in a timeshare with Aaron Jones, who turns 31 and is coming off a career-high 306 touches despite appearing in only 11 games last year. Koh framed Mason’s range of outcomes as either immediate flex value in a 60-40 split or full bell-cow status if Jones’ heavy workload and injury history catch up with him. Either scenario makes Mason a high-leverage pick at his current cost.

James Koh argued Travis Etienne is a value at RB32 ADP (outside top-120 on ESPN). Charting showed Etienne remained one of the league’s best outside-zone runners, though he struggled badly between the tackles. New coordinator Liam Cohen is expected to lean on the wide-zone concepts he used in Tampa Bay, where the Bucs ranked 8th in outside-run rate last season. Tank Bigsby, Etienne’s chief competition, graded poorly on outside runs and was a liability both as a receiver and in pass protection. Because Cohen’s scheme accentuates Etienne’s strengths while exposing Bigsby’s weaknesses, Koh expects Etienne to retain lead-back duties and smash his suppressed cost.

James Koh advised avoiding Dalton Kincaid at his 2025 price. Kincaid has already missed time with an injury, and early camp reports say he is not separating from coverage while competing with Khalil Shakir for essentially the same slot-heavy route tree. With Dawson Knox still on the roster, Koh likened Kincaid’s likely output to Dalton Schultz rather than the premium tight-end tier many drafters hope for. Instead of paying for a potential roster clogger, Koh would target cheaper options such as Mason Taylor or Tucker Kraft who offer more upside relative to cost.

Johnny Venezia warned drafters about Kyren Williams at his RB12, 26th-overall slot. Williams lived off pure volume in 2024—316 carries for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns—yet his 4.1 yards per carry hints at looming efficiency regression. Venezia noted that backs coming off 300-carry seasons rarely repeat and that any dip in touches would crush Williams’ value. He also flagged Matthew Stafford’s lingering back injury; if the quarterback misses time, Williams will face more stacked boxes and fewer scoring chances. Venezia still likes the player, just not at a late-second, early-third cost given the workload and health concerns.

Johnny Venezia likes Garrett Wilson the player but not his price tag—WR14, 33rd overall. Wilson produced 101 catches, 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns last year with Aaron Rodgers, yet Venezia predicts more volatility now that Justin Fields is under center. Fields’ run-first profile and erratic accuracy could turn Wilson into a roller-coaster WR2 rather than the dependable weekly anchor managers need from a third-round pick. Venezia would pivot to Tee Higgins or Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the same tier, arguing those offenses project steadier target volume.

Johnny Venezia advised fading Tyreek Hill at his WR12, 28th-overall cost. Hill’s 2024 line fell to 81 receptions, 959 yards and six touchdowns on just 123 targets—his lightest workload since 2019. Hill even admitted he "wasn’t 100 percent sure" of his role, and Venezia highlighted contradictory statements between Hill and Mike McDaniel as signs of a chaotic locker room. Venezia believes McDaniel could be the first head coach fired and wants no part of the Dolphins passing game at current prices. Given the turmoil, he would rather invest that late-second pick in stabler situations like Bucky Irving in Tampa.

Johnny Venezia said Brock Bowers is being drafted at his absolute ceiling. Bowers exploded last season for 112 catches, 1,194 yards and five touchdowns, but Venezia reminded listeners that a 25-plus-percent target share from a tight end is historically hard to sustain—especially now that Geno Smith will spread the ball around. Bowers carries a TE1 label with a 17.5 overall ADP, meaning managers must pass on bell-cow backs like Josh Jacobs or alpha wideouts such as Drake London and A.J. Brown. Venezia expects a good year, just not a repeat of last year’s monster, and prefers to spend that second-round capital on positions that offer scarcer weekly ceilings.

Nick Whalen said he is actively selecting Drake London over Puka Nacua at the Round-2 turn because London still has another gear to hit. London has missed only one game in three seasons, then exploded once Michael Penix started: 39 targets, 22 catches, 352 yards and two scores across Weeks 16-18, highlighted by an 18-target Week 18 against Carolina. With Darnell Mooney currently banged up and Atlanta thin behind him, London projects for alpha-level volume. Whalen believes Penix’s big arm finally unlocks London’s down-field usage, giving drafters a plausible top-five finish at a discount.

Nick Whalen said Ricky Pearsall is a first-round talent the 49ers specifically selected to become their No. 1 wideout and that the team will "give him every opportunity to be the guy" because they have the league’s easiest schedule and need a perimeter play-maker to complement Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle. Pearsall’s early fantasy value was suppressed by a slow start while he recovered from a gunshot wound and several middling mid-season games when San Francisco was struggling, but Whalen believes that context hides his ceiling in an offense expected to push for another Super Bowl run. With Brandon Aiyuk’s situation ("the IUC news") creating additional targets, Pearsall’s Average Draft Position has already moved up to the 7th round in NFFC drafts yet he is still available in the 8th–9th on Yahoo. Whalen urged drafters to take him a round early before that discount disappears.

Nick Whalen advised fading Cooper Kupp at his current cost, arguing the veteran offers limited upside in Seattle’s new look offense. He noted Kupp looked a step slower during the second half of last season with Los Angeles and was quietly phased out of Sean McVay’s game plans. Now paired with Sam Darnold— whom Whalen calls a major question mark—and operating under the Seahawks’ third offensive coordinator in three years, Kupp sits behind target hog Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the pecking order. Whalen sees only "a few splash weeks" if Kupp stays healthy, which he views as far from certain given recent durability issues. The conclusion: Kupp’s recognizable name is masking a profile that no longer justifies a premium Best Ball pick.

Jim Coventry argued that Sam LaPorta is overvalued as TE4 because Detroit’s underlying philosophy has not changed from the first half of 2024, when LaPorta averaged just 2.8 targets and 7 PPR points while the Lions leaned on defense and the run. LaPorta’s second-half surge happened only after a rash of defensive injuries forced Jared Goff’s attempts from 25 per game up to the mid-30s. The Lions enter 2025 with a healthier secondary, Aidan Hutchinson back anchoring the pass rush, and a schedule that should allow them to stay in their preferred ground-and-pound script. Fewer pass attempts means fewer high-value looks for LaPorta, making him a risky investment at his early-round draft cost.

Jim Coventry cautioned managers chasing Xavier Worthy’s late-season breakout. Worthy produced WR2 numbers only because he stepped into the Rashi Rice role after Rice injured his knee. With Rice healthy and entrenched as the offense’s alpha, Coventry expects Worthy to revert to his intended lid-lifter duties. That is a problem, he said, because Patrick Mahomes ranked among the league’s least efficient deep passers last year. Add established targets Hollywood Brown and Travis Kelce, and Coventry doubts a down-field-only Worthy can justify a top-20 WR draft slot when fantasy playoffs roll around.

Jim Coventry warned that James Cook's RB15 price bakes in last year's unsustainable touchdown spike and ignores his shrinking role. Cook found the end zone 18 times in 2024 after scoring just seven in his prior 33 games, while Josh Allen continued to steal double-digit rushing TDs. Coventry pointed out Cook’s scrimmage yards dropped from 1,567 in 2023 to 1,267 and that his yards per carry cratered to 2.64 when the Bills tried giving him bell-cow workloads late in 2023. Buffalo responded by trimming his snap share to 36-46% after Week 10 of 2024 and funneling more touches to Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. With fewer snaps, likely touchdown regression, and real competition, Coventry called Cook a bad bet at his current ADP.

Jim Coventry said fading Bo Nix at his current QB8 ADP is prudent. Nix's 2024 fantasy success — 430 rushing yards and three 25-plus-point outings in the final seven games — came only because Denver's running game was dysfunctional and the defense forced shootouts, compelling Sean Payton to let the quarterback scramble and throw more than desired. Coventry noted that Denver spent the offseason patching those weaknesses: they signed J.K. Dobbins, drafted RJ Harvey, and already boast a sturdy offensive line, while the defense added three high-level starters and now profiles as an elite, ball-control unit. With a competent ground attack and a defense that should dictate lower-volume scripts, Nix will revert to Payton’s preferred caretaker role, losing the rushing attempts and pass volume that inflated last year’s totals. Coventry expects him to finish closer to QB12 than QB8 and labeled him an avoid in season-long drafts.

While the consensus moved Rashee Rice up to 43rd overall, Jeff Erickson held firm at 66, essentially two rounds below the other three analysts. The article explains Rice’s earlier slide was driven by suspension concerns; although settlement news has softened that outlook, Erickson is unconvinced enough to adjust. His stance signals that he is still pricing in a multi-game ban and prefers safer options in the WR4 range, advising drafters not to chase the recent ADP climb.

Jim Coventry pushed Rashee Rice up from 70th in July to 40th in the August 14 Roundtable update. The article notes Rice "had fallen to 54th on the expectation of a suspension" but has now "rebounded" to 43rd overall in the composite, and Coventry’s revised rank is even more aggressive. Coventry’s move is tied to the diminished suspension outlook—reinforced by Friday’s headline that "a settlement could be reached" in Rice’s case. With fewer missed games now projected, Coventry views Rice as a viable every-week PPR starter and the clear WR1 in Kansas City’s offense once active, making him a draft target in the late-fourth/early-fifth round of single-QB PPR formats.

Donabedian labeled Nacua a frequent ESPN reach: he sits eighth in both default rank and platform ADP while his high-stakes ADP has fallen to 12. Ongoing worries about Matthew Stafford’s back and Davante Adams siphoning targets have cooled best-ball rooms, but that dip has not hit ESPN yet. With Nacua even going ahead of Malik Nabers on ESPN, Donabedian advises passing at that premium and shopping the tier for better risk-reward profiles.

McMillan is ranked 65th on ESPN but 47.5 on the NFFC/Drafters average, and Donabedian called him one of the platform’s best bargains. The two-WR ESPN format pushes WR3/4 talents down the board, yet Donabedian prefers McMillan’s weekly-starter upside over similarly ranked quarterbacks and tight ends. He recommends scooping the promising Carolina wideout a round or two ahead of ESPN ADP before the market corrects.

Donabedian urged caution on Garrett Wilson. Although ESPN drafters let him slide to pick 36 (vs 25.4 in high-stakes rooms), Donabedian still will not touch Wilson before Round 3. He ranks the Jet WR 30th because Justin Fields’ arrival caps both passing volume and efficiency. If you are bullish on Fields the ESPN price looks like a steal, but Donabedian views the quarterback fit as a ceiling limiter and would rather allocate third-round capital elsewhere.

Jerry Donabedian said Chase Brown is a glaring value on ESPN where he sits at default rank 32 while his averaged NFFC/Drafters ADP is 22.2. With Zack Moss recently waived and rookie Tahj Brooks stuck with the second team, Donabedian expects Brown to reprise last year’s late-season feature role, ceding only obvious passing downs to Samaje Perine. Brown averaged 20.9 PPR points over his final eight 2024 games; even a 15 % drop still pays off at a late–Round-2 price. High-stakes drafters have adjusted, but ESPN managers have not, letting you draft a likely 20-touch back at the 2⁄3 turn.

According to Puig, Elijah Arroyo should be rostered as a speculative tight-end flyer even though AJ Barner currently sits atop the depth chart. Barner earned TE1 status strictly because of superior blocking, but his 4.9-second speed limits the Seahawks to underneath routes when he is on the field. Seattle spent a second-round pick on Arroyo precisely because he can run the down-field patterns Barner cannot. Puig expects Arroyo’s snap share to climb either as his blocking improves or when the offense stalls with Barner as a receiver, making Arroyo a high-upside stash for managers seeking mid-season breakout potential.