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Four takeaways from ESPN's fantasy mock draft
It’s August, otherwise known as “draft month” to fantasy football players. To celebrate, the experts at ESPN published a 12-team, PPR mock draft. Here’s what stood out to us.
Travis Kelce's regression is on display
The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce used to hold the distinction of being the only tight end with a first-round fantasy grade. In this mock draft, he went in the third round, 29th overall.
Kelce scored only five touchdowns in 2023 while failing to reach 1,000 yards for the first time since 2015. He led all tight ends in fantasy points from 2018-2022, but finished third last year.
Dak Prescott continues to get no respect
Not only did Prescott lead the NFL with 36 touchdowns last season, he finished third among quarterbacks in fantasy scoring with 342.84 points. Of course, most offseason talk of Prescott has been focused on his contract, or lack thereof, in 2025.
With a reported asking price of $60M per year, this could be Prescott’s last season with the Cowboys. That could become a distraction, especially in Dallas, which may explain why the 31-year-old QB lasted until the 10th round in ESPN’s draft.
Younger, less accomplished quarterbacks like Arizona’s Kyler Murray, Houston’s C.J. Stroud and Washington rookie Jayden Daniels were all drafted in the seventh round, which could make Prescott a bargain while he fights to become the highest-paid player in football.
For PPR players, in Detroit, it’s all about Jahmyr Gibbs
Lions running back David Montgomery led the team with 209 carries, 13 touchdowns and 1,015 yards last year, but Gibbs had 10 scores of his own as a rookie. More importantly, he caught 36 more passes for 199 more yards than Montgomery.
JAHMYR GIBBS TOUCHDOWN
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) January 29, 2024
LIONS OFFENSE IS ABSOLUTELY COOKINGpic.twitter.com/BM5dZK2u0f
Montgomery (9) may have finished one spot ahead of Gibbs (10) in standard leagues, but Gibbs led Montgomery by seven spots in PPR formats last season. No wonder Gibbs went in the first round (11th overall) of ESPN’s mock draft, while Montgomery lasted until the end of the fifth round.
Puka Nacua is here to stay
Nacua led all Rams receivers with 1,486 yards, scored six touchdowns and was named Rookie of the Year in 2023. Cooper Kupp led the NFL in receptions (145), yards (1,947) and touchdowns (16) in 2021 and scored five touchdowns despite missing five games with a hamstring injury in 2023.
Both players are wildly talented, but while Nacua was taken at the top of the second round, the former triple crown winner lasted until the late fourth round, one pick behind Giants’ rookie Malik Nabers. Kupp may be 31, but his chemistry with Rams’ quarterback Matt Stafford is undeniable.
As last year’s fourth-leading receiver, Nacua is a solid second-round pick, but Kupp could be an absolute steal in the fourth round.
More must-reads:
- Five quarterback ratings that 'Madden 25' got wrong
- Cowboys' Dak Prescott again offers big hint about future
- The 'NFL leaders in touchdown passes' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Las Vegas Raiders End Christian Wilkins’ Tenure — Raider Nation Reacts
Las Vegas Raiders fans were shocked to learn that their team had parted ways with Christian Wilkins, their prized 2024 offseason acquisition. Let’s take a look at the reactions on social media, particularly from Raider Nation. In what can be described as the first “shocking” development of training camp, Raiders brass (spearheaded by general manager John Spytek) opted to go in a different direction. Well, that’s putting it nicely. The official statement was uncompromising. “We have decided that it is in the best interest of the organization to move on from Christian Wilkins and he has been informed of this release from the team. This franchise has a ‘Commitment to Excellence’ on and off the field. With no clear path or plan for future return to play from Christian, this transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for the new season.” —Raiders statement on Wilkins’ release Here’s the thing: it’s not such a simple story. Wilkins and the Raiders originally agreed to a $110 million contract last offseason. On Thursday, the team opted to designate him as a terminated, vested veteran. Basically, he’s not subject to waivers. If you recall, Wilkins only played in five games last season before a foot injury took him out. Upon entering training camp, the Raiders placed him on the PUP list—naturally, that cast doubt as to whether he’d be available for the start of the season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders took issue with how Wilkins went about rehabbing after his surgery. As a result, the team voided what was left of his $35.2 million in guaranteed money. Also of note was that league insider Ian Rapoport stated that the organization wanted him to undergo another surgery but Wilkins declined. He opted to rehab his foot without additional surgery. Now, the Raiders will be without former general manager Tom Telesco’s prized free agent signing. Raider Nation, as we all know, had a lot to say and didn’t hold back. Raider Nation reacts to shocking Christian Wilkins news… At the end of the day, whether Wilkins plays this season and how the Raiders perform will lead us to revisit this story at some point. Clearly, this means we won’t have a quiet offseason without drama. Right, folks? *
Biggest impact of Josh Naylor trade may still be to come
While the Seattle Mariners landed an impact bat on Thursday night, their trade for Josh Naylor has also likely impacted the entire upcoming MLB trade deadline. On Thursday, Seattle sent a pair of top pitching prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Naylor, with left-hander Brandyn Garcia (ranked as Seattle's 13th-best prospect by MLB.com) and right-hander Ashton Izzi (ranked as Seattle's 16th-best prospect by the same rankings) heading to the desert. Knowing what the Diamondbacks received in exchange for Naylor could well set the market for what is to come between now and the conclusion of the 2025 MLB trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. (Eastern) on July 31. The 28-year-old first baseman was ranked by The Athletic as the 17th-best trade candidate likely to be available, but ranked behind just one other first baseman (Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn, who was slotted in at 16th). If Naylor brought in a pair of pitching prospects, including Garcia, who has appeared in two games this season for Seattle, the Diamondbacks could be salivating over what third baseman Eugenio Suarez and his 36 home runs could bring in return. All MLB teams who will be buying or selling at this year's trade deadline have had the first price bar set for them with the Naylor deal. Now it will be fascinating to see what comes next, especially knowing that Naylor will be a free agent at the end of this season. If Seattle gave up two pitching prospects for a player who could be a late-season rental only, imagine what the Minnesota Twins may be able to recoup for starting pitcher Joe Ryan (under team control through the 2027 season) or the Boston Red Sox might get back for outfielder Jarren Duran, who won't be a free agent until the 2029 campaign. While Naylor may not be the biggest move to come during this span before the trade deadline comes to a close, his deal could be the one that establishes selling prices for the trades that are to come. With so few MLB teams expected to be outright sellers, the price for available talent was expected to be high. We learned on Thursday night with the Naylor swap just how high those prices may go.
Dodgers Predicted to Acquire $4.175 Million All-Star, Gold Glove Outfielder in Blockbuster Trade
East Team’s Potential Decision Could Escalate Jonathan Kuminga Drama With Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are still awaiting a decision by restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga as the NBA offseason is nearing August. Of course, Kuminga has a major decision to make regarding the next step of his career and it appears likely that it will not be in Golden State but rather with another franchise. This comes after the young forward fell out of Steve Kerr’s rotation last season after the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat at the trade deadline. While it appears Kuminga’s time in Golden State is nearing an end, the Warriors still have a major say in his next team as they will likely have to agree to a sign-and-trade deal. Despite this, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel recently reported that one Eastern Conference team could escalate the situation between Kuminga and the Warriors by making a major decision this offseason. “Other teams with rumored interest in Kuminga are the Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, and Brooklyn Nets. Then again, the Nets, who have plenty of cap space, have yet to express serious interest in Kuminga,” Siegel wrote. “If they wanted to, Brooklyn could sign Kuminga to an offer sheet right now and escalate this situation.” This is a massive report by Siegel as the Nets do have enough cap space to sign Kuminga to an offer sheet which would tie the Warriors’ hands. Of course, this is unlikely to happen as the Nets are also dealing with their own restricted free agent problems with Cam Thomas as they are not wanting to offer the young guard the contract that he wants. While that may be the case, if the Nets end up moving on from Thomas in a sign-and-trade deal with another team they could shift their focus on Kuminga, who they have been linked to over the past two seasons. This would be the worst-case scenario for Golden State and one that would extremely hurt them heading into next season, especially with their lack of moves thus far this offseason.
NBA Insider Provides Major Update on LA Trade Talks With Suns
The Los Angeles Lakers had been looking around for a center for most of the offseason before they were able to sign Deandre Ayton after the Trail Blazers waived him. One of the teams they were rumored to be talking with in a trade was the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers were interested in Nic Richards after the Suns added multiple other centers. Now that the Lakers have signed Ayton, and re-signed Jaxson Hayes as the backup, an NBA insider has given an update on where things stand on a possible trade between the two teams. More news: LeBron James Reportedly Wanted to Join Mavericks, Team Up With Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, there are no longer any discussions between the two teams now that Ayton is in LA. If the Lakers are looking to make a trade to further improve the roster before the season starts, it won't be with the Suns. At this point, they would likely only be looking to add a forward. Wing players are what they need now that they have signed Marcus Smart to help with their perimeter defense. A wing who can switch multiple positions is the next thing on their list. Whether or not they are willing to give up the assets to land that kind of player before the season starts remains to be seen. They have to figure out what the roster looks like as it is currently put together before they decide to make any more moves. More news: Lakers Targeting $66 Million NBA Champion Wing in Potential Blockbuster Trade Los Angeles is hoping that they are closer to winning a championship than things look like right now. While they were the third seed in the Western Conference, the Thunder look like they are so far ahead of everyone else. The Lakers are certainly good enough to compete offensively for a championship, but they have to improve defensively before they are ready to go deep in the playoffs, after losing in the first round of the playoffs. Los Angeles is hoping to add a wing, whether it's before the season starts or at the trade deadline. That could end up being the last piece that they need in order to win a championship. More news: Lakers Linked to $134.4 Million All-Star, NBA Champ in Blockbuster Trade For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
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