Here’s how key NFL offseason transactions could impact fantasy football

There will be many old faces in new places when the 2018 NFL season kicks off. In addition to several coaching changes, quite a few veteran players jumped ship to join new teams. Here is a look at the notable moves from this offseason and a breakdown of their impact on fantasy football in 2018.

The Minnesota Vikings swapped quarterbacks after a breakout season from Case Keenum and a solid season for Cousins. You like that, Kirk? Cousins inherits an amazing offense that includes Pro Bowlers in wide receiver Adam Thielen and tight end Kyle Rudolph. They also get their 2017 rookie running sensation Dalvin Cook back in the lineup. And, Stefon Diggs, fresh off a five-year contract extension. With all these weapons, Cousins is a solid QB1 heading into the 2018 season. Fantasy owners will be all over Cousins this draft season.

Speaking of the Vikings, their former QB, Case Keenum, will be looking to recreate magic in Denver. Keenum saw a meteoric rise last year in Minnesota, only to be ousted by Cousins. Now, he is looking to revive another offense that has struggled recently to find a leader under center. Will he be the savior the Broncos have been searching for? Too early to tell. From a fantasy perspective, he still has all the makings of a low end QB1. Don’t forget, he led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game last season.

In the next chapter of the curious case of Sam Bradford, the injury-riddled QB takes his talents to Arizona, where he looks to prove he can stay healthy as a starter for the full season. That may be wishful thinking on the Cardinals’ part. They are bringing the former first rounder along slowly this offseason, but, they are skeptical of Bradford’s availability for the season opener. Do not put too much stock in Bradford this fantasy season. His high injury risk makes him a shaky backup option.

The Tennessee Titans dare you to name a better running back duo than Dion Lewis and Derrick Henry — they’ll wait. While it is certainly up for debate, adding the former Super Bowl champion rusher to the backfield with Henry will keep the running game strong after DeMarco Murray’s retirement. Lewis brings an excellent resume to Tennessee, however, there is some question as to how the committee will work with Henry. Regardless, Lewis is a great rusher and pass-catcher. He is a smart pick across all leagues. If The Titans lean toward more of a pass-catcher role for Lewis, he should really kill in PPR leagues.

Cleveland hit the reset button on the offense this season, ditching almost all of the skill players for a combination of solid veterans and rookies. Former San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde joined the migration early and comes into a crowded Browns backfield as the lead rushing prospect this season. He will share the rushing duties with Duke Johnson and rookie Nick Chubb. Hyde is likely the early leader in the Browns’ backfield, but Chubb and Johnson will push him. This is not an ideal backfield for fantasy prognostication.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is not shy about his enthusiasm for Jerick McKinnon. The former Vikings RB is known for his pass-catching abilities. He has been considered a third-down back for most of his career, but Shanahan plans to use the fifth-year back as the work horse this season. McKinnon could be a fantasy beast with more touches in 2018. In addition to more rushing yards, he should see a nice bump in receiving yards with Jimmy Garoppolo under center.

Things changed for Isaiah Crowell when he left the Cleveland Browns, but it will likely be more of the same from Crowell fantasy-wise in New York. Crowell joins another subpar offense that did not make enough significant changes this offseason to be much better. In addition, he will have Bilal Powell lurking to take his starting role at any given moment. No need to get excited about Crowell in 2018. He is an RB2 at best heading into Week 1.

The ageless wonder (36 years old) took his talents to South Beach this spring to share backfield duties with Kenyan Drake. Gore’s production has been on steady decline for years. He is looking at a change-of-pace role in Miami behind Drake next season. Gore does not offer much fantasy value in 2018.

A new year, a new team, another chance for a Super Bowl ring? The Lions hope Blount’s Midas touch will rub off on the team, but, they are not looking to give the three-time champion a sizable workload. The Lions operate a messy rushing committee. Blount is expected to get a handful of early-down carries and most of the goal-line rushes. Hopefully, for fantasy owners, he will have a lot more touchdowns than last season. With spotty touches on the horizon, Blount is shaping up to be a flex play at best in 2018.

Landry was by far the biggest acquisition in the Browns’ offseason makeover. He joins Josh Gordon in what looks like a dynamic receiving corps, but looks can be deceiving. Gordon’s currently not in Cleveland and it’s unknown when he’ll be back. And as per usual, the QB role is somewhat up in the air in Cleveland. Also, the Browns may ask Landry to move from the slot to be a downfield receiver next season. If so, he is looking at far fewer touches than previous seasons. Like everything else with the Browns, they should not be too excited about Landry.

Is the Windy City ready for a pass-heavy offense? Traditionally known as a running team, the Bears made major moves to bring much needed firepower to the receiving corps this spring. Their biggest move this offseason was signing star wideout Allen Robinson. Robinson is a major upgrade for second-year QB Mitchell Trubisky, and should soar in head coach Matt Nagy’s high-flying offense as well. Robinson should be able to return to his 2016 fantasy glory in Chicago, and he may even have another breakout season like 2015. Fantasy owners should be hungry to get Robinson.

Watkins gets another chance to see if he can reach his full potential in Kansas City. Unfortunately, he has to get in line behind the three-headed monster of Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Kareem Hunt. The Chiefs new QB, Patrick Mahomes, seems to be warming up to Watkins. While chemistry is great, that does not guarantee targets. Watkins is shaping up to be a matchup flex-play, if that, in 2018.

Washington made a big investment in Richardson this offseason, but his fantasy status will depend on how well he can connect with the new quarterback in town, Alex Smith. Although Smith has a reputation for not being a deep ball passer, he had some strong deep ball numbers last season in Kansas City. There are enough questions with the Washington passing attack that you should not be too aggressive in going after Richardson.

We’re not sure what the Raiders were thinking here. They cut Michael Crabtree for an older Nelson, who looked to be beyond his prime in Green Bay last season. Regardless, Jon Gruden and the coaching staff are sold, and the 33-year-old wideout is slated to start opposite Amari Cooper. Assuming he has some gas left in the tank, Nelson could make a small fantasy splash as a late-round flier.

Speaking of Crabtree, he landed solidly on his feet in Baltimore. The Ravens are definitely embracing the veteran wideout. He is expected to be the No. 1 target in Baltimore this season. Crabtree’s fantasy stock should incline as well. QB Joe Flacco lacked any worthy targets last season, but that changes with Crabtree in the lineup. Expect the 31-year-old to be a target magnet this year.

The Cowboys receiving corps got a complete overhaul this offseason after they released Dez Bryant and failed to re-sign Brice Butler. They also lost tight end Jason Witten to retirement. Now they are rebuilding around fifth-year wideout Allen Hurns. Hurns struggled to stay healthy in the last two seasons, but he managed more than 1,000 yards receiving in 2015. The Cowboys are hoping he can return to that form, and he will have plenty of opportunities to do so as the likely No. 1 receiver on the roster. Owners can slate in Hurns as a decent WR2 as long as he remains healthy.

How does a team replace one of the most prolific pass catchers in the NFL? Well, the Dolphins brought in renaissance man Albert Wilson to fill the void Jarvis Landry left behind. Wilson is versatility and the Dolphins are entertaining him all around the field. The fifth-year receiver has not been a big fantasy name in the past, but he will have a chance to turn that around in Miami this season.

Get ready to leap into the stands, Jimmy. The Packers once again scooped up a veteran tight end and big red zone target this offseason for Aaron Rodgers. They hope it goes way better than the Martellus Bennett experiment last season. Graham joins a deeper group of Packers pass catchers. His best value remains in the red zone, and he should be a regular target down there for Aaron Rodgers.

Seferian-Jenkins started to redeem his career with the Jets last season, and now he will look to become a red zone target for the Jaguars. Unfortunately, ASJ has not been much of a touchdown scorer in his career and is not going to miraculously turn that around. Joining an already crowded receiving corps on a run-heavy team, ASJ should be a manageable TE2 this season for fantasy owners.

Stepping out of Zach Ertz’s shadow looks to be a great thing for Trey Burton. The fifth-year tight end is going to get a lot of love and targets under Matt Nagy’s new leadership. The Bears are looking to utilize Burton in a “U” TE scheme where he will operate as a receiver and tight end. This was the same system Nagy used with Kansas City Chief star TE Travis Kelce. Think he will have more yards, receptions, and touchdowns? Absolutely! Burton may turn into a TE1 for fantasy owners by the end of the season.

Ebron will have to work behind Jack Doyle on the Colts’ depth chart, but he should still see a fair amount of looks in the Colts’ depleted receiving corps. Andrew Luck will also be back in the lineup, which is a big plus. Ebron is not a big fantasy splash, but he has some late-round flier potential.

Fantasy owners hope you have a happy homecoming, Ben Watson. Watson’s best season was in 2015 with New Orleans where he gained 825 yards and scored six touchdowns. The 37-year-old proved he is an ageless wonder last year after finishing an injury-riddled season with 522 yards and four touchdowns. Now, he is back with Drew Brees for another chance at a breakout fantasy season.