Quarterbacks and tight ends won't have a ton of movement in free agency. Running backs will, but there are only a handful who Fantasy managers will really spend serious time thinking about.
Wide receivers are the ones who shape up to be the most intriguing bunch -- in terms of both talent and quantity.
In fact, there's no point in really wasting your time with words about the generalities of the position. Of course there aren't any mega-stars who figure to switch teams, but a slew of names you know and have drafted and probably started are on the list. Not only players scheduled to be free agents, but many who are expected to get cut in a salary-cap saving move.
Many of them will be on another list -- your draft list -- come this fall.
WRs who have been franchise-tagged
The Bengals wasted no time using the franchise tag on Higgins, locking him into a one-year, $21.8 million deal, all guaranteed. Bengals VP of Player Personnel Duke Tobin left the door open to trade him, but it seems like he'll be back with Cincy for one more year. Higgins' best games have come when Ja'Marr Chase has been sidelined (25 PPR per game) or when Chase is ineffective (14.3 in seven career where Chase has been under 10 PPR points for any reason). Outside of that, he's been good for 12.4 PPR points per game over his past three seasons. Fantasy managers should expect maybe a full PPR point per game more than that, but not a bombastic year so long as Chase stays healthy.
The Colts made it clear that one way or another, Pittman will stay with the team. He'll earn the same guarantee -- $21.8 million for a year -- as Higgins. He'll also go for his third straight season with at least 99 catches and his third year out of four with at least 1,000 yards. A PPR dynamo thanks to his high target volume, it is worth mentioning that Pittman averaged 14.1 PPR points per game in two full games with Anthony Richardson (8.0 targets per game) and 16.5 PPR points per game (10.1 targets per game) with Gardner Minshew. No matter how you slice it, Pittman will be a No. 2 Fantasy receiver, but the likelihood of Richardson turning pass attempts into rushes and minimizing Pittman's end-zone targets are high.
WRs expected to be free agents
Ridley's first season back after a year-long suspension was a mixed bag. He scored eight times and he nudged past 1,000 yards, but he was behind Christian Kirk in yards per game and catches per game despite having a full target more per game. Worse yet, he didn't break through on his 24 end-zone targets, which was not only tops for the Jaguars but tops for the entire NFL. He left at least four touchdowns on the field due to mistakes he made with his hands or his feet. Additionally, he also drew seven defensive pass interference calls. All of this was frustrating for Fantasy managers looking for points. Those same managers who will be leery to ever trust Ridley again will be shocked to know that the soon-to-be 30-year-old will be in high demand as a free agent this spring.
Fun Fantasy landing spot: Jacksonville. The Jags owe a third-round pick to the Falcons whether they re-sign Ridley or not -- if they can wait until after the league new year (March 13) then they won't owe a pick higher than that. It seems like they want to keep him even though it'll be expensive for a guy his age. And honestly, there aren't a lot of places he could go and still be the No. 1 receiver with a better thrower than Trevor Lawrence.
It feels like we get segments of each season when Brown has gone bananas, but never a full year. In 2023, Brown averaged 15.2 PPR points per game through Week 5 with (mostly) Josh Dobbs playing, then he really hit a rut before suffering an injury that cost him the final five games. In 2022, Brown averaged 18.3 in PPR on 10.7 targets per game in six matchups before DeAndre Hopkins came back from suspension. Overall, Brown's explosive catch rate hit a four-year low (11.9%) while his Average Depth of Target stayed within range of where it was in 2021 and 22. If his future is working as a No. 2 receiver, then the team better throw a ton or else Brown won't have much of a chance to be a good Fantasy contributor -- for a few weeks or otherwise.
Fun Fantasy landing spot: Atlanta. The Falcons didn't have a speed merchant at receiver last year and could use someone to threaten defenses deep so they can't lurk on shorter routes or focus on the run game. Brown's perfect in that regard, plus the team's very likely to upgrade at quarterback and play in an offense that's based on what the Rams have been running. Maybe there would be a target crunch between everyone in town but there would be at least a decent path for him to get at least seven per game, which would keep him very Fantasy relevant.
Other WRs who are free agents
Youth (and speed) on their side: Gabe Davis (25), Darnell Mooney (26), K.J. Osborn (26)
Older guys who can still contribute: Curtis Samuel (28), Noah Brown (28), DJ Chark (28)
Names you've loved, ages you'll hate: Tyler Boyd (30), Odell Beckham (31), Michael Thomas (31)
WRs who could become salary cap casualties
Would save the Chargers $20 million in salary cap space
Williams is coming off a torn ACL and will be 30 years old in October. Through seven seasons he's had more than five touchdowns twice and over 900 yards twice. I doubt he cashes in with a big contract but a one- or two-year deal would make sense.
Fun Fantasy landing spot: N.Y. Jets. Williams won't be asked to be the No. 1 receiver no matter where he winds up, but with the Jets he'd be certain to rarely see double-teams and (presumably) have a great thrower in Aaron Rodgers. It would give him a shot to return value as at least a WR3.
Would save the Broncos $13.5 million in salary cap space
Touchdowns saved Sutton's stat line in 2023 -- he grabbed one every 5.9 receptions. All but two came in the red zone, so there's some mild appeal here for NFL teams to consider. Of course, Sutton wasn't anything special in terms of his explosiveness (about league average in explosive play rate and 70th among 80 qualifying receivers in Yards After Catch per reception). It might mean he's more of a part-time perimeter receiver and red-zone threat at this point, which is kinda sad because he's entering his age-28 season.
Fun Fantasy landing spot: New Orleans. If Sutton's role is to serve as a chain-moving, red-zone reliant, jump-ball receiver, then he could easily settle in as such with Derek Carr. He'd be a big-body replacement for Michael Thomas, and he'd be cost-effective since he shouldn't command too much on the open market. He wouldn't land 10 touchdowns, but six? With more receptions than he had in Denver? That's possible.
Would save the Seahawks $17 million in salary cap space
You'd think Lockett, who will be 32 years old by October, would be fading out of the Seahawks offense. Not exactly -- he led the team in targets (122) and catches (79) and was second in receiving yards (894) and touchdowns (five). But those numbers are propped up by volume whereas other metrics show a player on the decline: His ADOT has plateaued to under 10.9 yards in each of the past two seasons and his Yards After Catch per reception and explosive play rate have dipped three years running. Lockett has also faded in Fantasy production, where after back-to-back seasons north of 14 PPR points on average, he fell to 11.9 in 2023.
Fun Fantasy landing spot: Carolina. I can't say it's "fun" but it would be one of a handful of spots where Lockett could still play as a team's top receiver, and it's one where he can be a reliable target on rollout and improvisational plays with a more mobile Bryce Young (like he used to with Russell Wilson). He'd reunite with Dave Canales there, too.
Would save the Cowboys $8 million in salary cap space
Cooks, 30, endured a four-year low in targets (5.1) and receptions per game (3.4). Know what else changed? His usage -- the Cowboys deployed him as a deep threat more than the Texans did (his ADOT was 13.2 yards, more than 2.0 yards than in 2020-22) but it didn't mean he emerged as a consistently-targeted big-play dynamo. He scored eight times, which was awesome, but five of the touchdowns came in games when he had fewer than 50 yards receiving.
Fun Fantasy landing spot: Kansas City. I think the days are done for Cooks to be a lead receiver anywhere -- and even if he did land such a role it probably wouldn't be with a great QB (we saw him in that role with Davis Mills. Eww.). So why not be the speedster for one of the best offenses in the game? Cooks has already made a mint playing with Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Dak Prescott -- why not add Patrick Mahomes to his personal list?
