As of Monday night, the biggest NFL transaction when it comes to Fantasy Football so far was Antonio Brown's trade from Pittsburgh to Oakland. You can read about our reaction to the deal right here.
To recap, Brown's Fantasy value gets a slight downgrade with the Raiders, and JuJu Smith-Schuster gets a slight upgrade. Derek Carr improves with the addition of Brown (he's still a No. 2 quarterback), and Ben Roethlisberger declines with Brown gone (he's now a No. 2 quarterback). James Washington also becomes a potential sleeper.
On Monday, the first day of legal tampering (deals don't become official until Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET), we had plenty of news. But most of the big names -- Le'Veon Bell, Tevin Coleman, Mark Ingram, Golden Tate, Tyrell Williams, John Brown and Jared Cook -- were still without a deal in place.
The prominent news Monday involved DeSean Jackson being traded from Tampa Bay to Philadelphia, Nick Foles signing with Jacksonville, Jamison Crowder signing with the Jets, Devin Funchess signing with Indianapolis and Adam Humphries signing with Tennessee. Additionally, Carlos Hyde reached a deal with the Chiefs on Saturday.
More news will happen prior to Wednesday afternoon when the new NFL season starts, but here's your Fantasy recap of what's happened so far.
Quarterback
Deal: Nick Foles signs a four-year deal for $88 million with Jacksonville
Fantasy value: No. 2 quarterback
Reaction: The Jaguars paid a lot to get Foles, who is also getting $50.125 million guaranteed. We'll see if they get their money's worth. Foles started seven games last season, including the playoffs, and passed for 1,880 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He only had one game with more than 18 Fantasy points over that span, which was Week 16 against Houston, and that was with better weapons in Philadelphia. The Jaguars are hoping to get Marqise Lee (ACL) back at 100 percent and have some young talent in Dede Westbrook, Keelan Cole and D.J. Chark. But Jacksonville will continue to lean on Leonard Fournette, and Foles has limited upside as a Fantasy option. He's not worth drafting in one-quarterback leagues.
Running back
Deal: Carlos Hyde signs a one-year deal for $2.8 million with Kansas City
Fantasy value: No. 3 running back
Reaction: This is a favorable landing spot for Hyde, who is expected to be the No. 2 running back for the Chiefs behind Damien Williams. While Williams was exceptional last season in place of the suspended Kareem Hunt -- in six games he had 77 carries for 376 yards and six touchdowns, as well as 28 catches for 226 yards and four touchdowns -- he's never had more than 50 carries in a season. You should still plan on drafting Williams first in this backfield, and he's someone to target in Round 3 or 4 of most leagues. But Hyde is absolutely worth drafting with a mid-round pick, and he could finish 2019 as the best Fantasy running back in Kansas City if Williams gets hurt or struggles.
Deal: Mike Davis signs a two-year deal for $6 million with Chicago
Fantasy value: Late-round flier
Reaction: Davis could be in a good spot with the Bears if they move on from Jordan Howard, which seems likely. Then Davis would go from a late-round pick to a potential mid-round selection as the complement to Tarik Cohen. It's a situation to monitor, and Davis had some positive moments in 2018 with Seattle. He had five games with double digits in carries, and he scored at least 14 PPR points in four of them. If Howard is gone, consider Davis a sleeper in all leagues.
Deal: Frank Gore signs a one-year deal for $2 million with Buffalo
Fantasy value: Not worth drafting
Reaction: Gore, 36 in May, will play behind LeSean McCoy as the No. 2 running back for the Bills. He's only worth adding off the waiver wire if McCoy gets hurt. Gore, however, did have 156 carries for 722 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and no touchdowns, as well as 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown in one season with Miami in 2018.
Wide receiver
Deal: DeSean Jackson and a 2020 seventh-round pick were traded to Philadelphia from Tampa Bay for a 2019 sixth-round pick. Jackson also got a new three-year, $27 million contract.
Fantasy value: No. 3 receiver
Reaction: Jackson is 32, but he can still thrive in his role as a deep threat -- his 18.9 yards per catch led the NFL in 2018. He also had 41 catches for 774 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games and either scored or gained at least 100 yards in five of his first seven games last season with the Buccaneers. He should mesh well with Carson Wentz, and he'll be the No. 3 target in this passing attack behind Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery. Jackson is worth a mid-round pick in all leagues.
Deal: Jamison Crowder signs a three-year deal for $28.5 million with the Jets
Fantasy value: No. 3 receiver
Reaction: Crowder will be the slot receiver for the Jets, and he could lead the team in receptions -- if he stays healthy. He was limited to nine games in 2018 with Washington, and he failed to build off his solid performance in 2016 when he had 67 catches for 847 yards and seven touchdowns. But hopefully a fresh start with Sam Darnold will help his Fantasy value. Robby Anderson has the most upside of the Jets receivers, but Crowder should be the No. 2 option, ahead of Quincy Enunwa and Chris Herndon. Crowder is worth a mid-round pick. The Jets also signed Josh Bellamy to a two-year deal worth $7 million, but he's not worth drafting in most leagues.
Deal: Adam Humphries signs a four-year deal for $36 million with Tennessee
Fantasy value: No. 3 receiver
Reaction: I'm not thrilled with this move for Humphries' Fantasy value since we haven't exactly seen Marcus Mariota enhance his receivers' abilities (see Corey Davis). But Humphries should be the No. 2 receiver in this offense behind Davis, and hopefully he can post similar stats to his breakout campaign in 2018 with Tampa Bay when he had 76 catches for 816 yards and five touchdowns on 105 targets as the No. 4 option behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jackson. Humphries is worth drafting with a mid-round pick.
Deal: Devin Funchess signs a one-year deal for $13 million with Indianapolis
Fantasy value: Late-round flier
Reaction: Funchess had a solid season in 2017 (63 catches for 840 yards and eight touchdowns on 113 targets) but struggled last year (44 catches for 549 yards and four touchdowns on 79 targets) with Carolina. His 2018 stats are what you should expect, although Andrew Luck is an upgrade over Cam Newton at quarterback. Still, the Colts were able to resurrect Eric Ebron's career last season and could do the same with Funchess, who should start opposite T.Y. Hilton.
Deal: Danny Amendola signs a one-year deal for $4.5 million deal with Detroit
Fantasy value: Not worth drafting
Reaction: Amendola will be the slot receiver for the Lions, and he'll be the No. 3 target at best behind Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones. In 2017 with the Dolphins, Amendola had 59 catches for 575 yards and one touchdown on 79 targets, and that's a reasonable expectation for his stats in Detroit.
Tight end
Deal: C.J. Uzomah signs a three-year deal for $18 million to stay in Cincinnati
Fantasy value: Late-round flier
Reaction: Uzomah has the chance to be a streaming tight end this season now that he should be the starter for the Bengals with Tyler Kroft (Buffalo) gone and likely Tyler Eifert as well. With Eifert hurt for most of last season, Uzomah had 43 catches for 439 yards and three touchdowns on 64 targets, and he had at least four catches in three of his final six games.
Other Fantasy winners ...
Carson Wentz: Gets Jackson and loses Foles. Also, Jason Peters stays.
Chris Godwin: Jackson and Humphries are gone. With Bruce Arians, the breakout will happen.
DJ Moore: He's now the No. 1 receiver for the Panthers with Funchess gone.
Other Fantasy losers ...
Damien Williams: It's a slight downgrade for him with the addition of Hyde.
Jordan Howard: If he stays in Chicago then he's sharing touches with Davis and Cohen. Most likely, he's looking for a new team.
Deon Cain: Funchess' arrival hurts the chances of Cain getting a bigger role.
