2017 Fantasy Football: Biggest Fantasy Developments of NFL Free Agency

We're about a month into NFL free agency and still more than three weeks from the 2017 NFL draft. For many fantasy football enthusiasts, this year's fantasy campaign seems a long way off. A problem for another day.

Those are also the fantasy owners who lose leagues to folks who realize that, just like in the NFL, in fantasy football, there is no offseason.

In dynasty leagues, player movement can drastically alter the strengths and weaknesses of your roster.

(Cue Adrian Peterson owners nodding solemnly.)

In redraft leagues, the impact of these moves might not be truly felt yet, but he who stays abreast of who went where and what it means is he who also knows who to target and who to avoid on draft day down the road.

I think Confucius said that.

However, keeping up on the latest free-agent happenings and what they mean in fantasy leagues in 2017 need not be a taxing chore. All an intrepid reader such as yourself needs is a one-stop shop that examines the fantasy fallout from free agency's biggest moves.

How smooth was that segue?

Eddie Lacy Heads West

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So far, the biggest move in free agency from a fantasy perspective is probably Eddie Lacy joining the Seattle Seahawks, at least in terms of the discussion it's generated among my friends in the industry.

And that's not even a swipe at Lacy's weight.

However, there's no denying the biggest topic in those conversations just so happens to be how big the former Green Bay battering ram is.

Within hours of Lacy inking a one-year, $5.5 million "prove it" deal with the Seahawks, Bob McGinn of PackersNews.com tweeted that the occasionally rotund tailback, on one of his free-agent visits, weighed in at 267 pounds.

That's a lotta Lacy, Lucy.

This, in turn, generated more than a few snickers in the fantasy community—many of which came from people who were burned by Lacy in his injury-marred 2016 season or the disappointing 2015 that came before it.

However, the Seahawks knew how big Lacy was when they signed him, going so far as to write bonuses into his contract if Lacy hits certain playing weight benchmarks.

Also, as John Boyle of the team's website wrote, head coach Pete Carroll continues to rave about what Lacy brings to the table as a player:

"

It's just the way he plays the game. It fits us, it complements us. We always want to be a physical, committed, aggressive run team. Coming off of last year where we were unable to capture that, he just kind of popped at the right time. I think there was a time when we spent three months (in 2010) trying to get Marshawn Lynch in our program. And [general manager] John (Schneider) had to keep calling and keep calling and keep calling, because we wanted to bring in a guy like him and see how to utilize him as we built a new program. I think he did a marvelous job of sending a message and showing how we want this game played.

"

Frankly, I hope that Lacy shows up to training camp a little chunky, a la last year. That's going to cause his draft cost to fall, especially after the past two down seasons.

Here's the thing, though. Yes, Lacy was a disappointment in 2015 after topping 1,000 yards the two years before it. But before a bad ankle ended his season in 2016, Lacy was rebounding nicely, averaging over five yards a carry for the Packers. And that was at upward of 250 pounds, if not more.

He doesn't have to be 230 pounds to be effective.

The Seahawks like to run the ball. Between the tackles. A lot.

Assuming he stays healthy (which wasn't a problem before last year), Lacy is primed for outperform his average draft position in 2017.

(Cooks)-Ing Some CHOW-DA!

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The New England Patriots are so annoying.

The Patriots, fresh off winning another Super Bowl (grumble), probably did more than any team in the National Football League to get better in free agency (grumble grumble), including swinging no fewer than three trades.

The biggest of those trades brought wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the Big Easy to Beantown. It was a transaction that drove team owner Robert Kraft (per ESPN.com's Mike Reiss) to compare the move to one that helped spur one of the biggest offensive onslaughts in NFL history: "Since I've owned the team, the only player that could make an impact like that at wide receiver was Randy Moss. He doesn't have his height, but it looks like he has his speed. I think that's complementary to what we have on the team, and I'm excited about enjoying this."

ARRRGH THEY MAKE ME SO MAD!!!!

OK. I'm better now.

The acquisition of Cooks may well help the Patriots win the AFC East for the 43rd year in a row (grumble grumble grumble), but Cooks' arrival in Boston isn't going to help his chances of backing up last year's top-10 fantasy finish.

First off, put those thoughts of the 2007 Patriots out of your head. Tom Brady is still a great quarterback, but on that team he was pushing 30.

On this team? Do the math.

The New Orleans Saints led the NFL in passing yardage last year. The Patriots were in the top five but still came in almost 50 yards a game lower.

There are also more mouths to feed in Boston. Cooks will have some big days as the vertical threat for the Pats (Farewell, Chris Hogan's fantasy value. We barely knew ye.), but he's going to lose underneath targets to Julian Edelman and (in theory) red-zone targets to Rob Gronkowski.

Last year's numbers and visions of Cooks and Brady playing together could easily drive Cooks' asking price into the top 10. But he's more likely to be a fantasy WR2 in 2017.

In fact, the next receiver in this article might just outscore him.

Garbage-Time Garcon

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There haven't been many teams more active in free agency than the San Francisco 49ers. And San Francisco's priciest acquisition this far (at least in terms of 2017 salary) is wide receiver Pierre Garcon.

Per Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post, Garcon inked a five-year pact with the Niners that will pay the 30-year-old over $16 million after a season in which he topped 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his 10 NFL seasons.

Garcon told ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner he knows that fat salary brings with it expectations that he'll be a team leader:

"

I don't mind help setting the tone. That's what I want to do, too, I have got a lot to prove to myself and for the team and for Kyle [Shanahan, the new head coach], I've got to make everybody look good for bringing me here. So I definitely want to set the tone, set the bar high and just make the plays that we're supposed to make and win games and keep moving forward.

"

Despite that 1,000-yard season, however, Garcon barely cracked the top-30 fantasy wideouts in points-per-reception leagues in 2016. Given that he's about to be catching passes from the immortal Brian Hoyer (of the Fighting Hoyers), many fantasy owners again have Garcon penciled into WR3 territory.

However, before you do the same, consider this.

Antonio Brown he ain't, but Garcon is the unquestioned top dog for a Niners receiving corps that's better in 2017 if only because sometimes there's nowhere to go but up.

The San Francisco ground game is predicated on how long Carlos Hyde can stay healthy.

So six weeks into the season, it will likely not be in tatters.

Even if Hyde somehow stays healthy, the 49ers will be playing from behind approximately every week. So by the fourth quarter, it will be time for two of the tastiest words in all of fantasy football.

Garbage time.

Hoyer isn't a good quarterback. The 49ers aren't a good team.

And yet I won't be even a little bit surprised if Garcon winds up a top-20 fantasy receiver.

Time for Jameis to Get Famous

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In 2016, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just missed the postseason, finishing the year a surprising 9-7.

Much like his team, quarterback Jameis Winston was a near-miss, finishing either just inside or just outside QB1 territory in 12-team fantasy football leagues, depending on the scoring system.

There's reason to believe that will change in 2017. One big reason, in fact.

The Bucs gave Winston another weapon in the passing game, signing veteran receiver DeSean Jackson to a three-year deal.

Per ESPN.com, Tampa head coach Dirk Koetter can't wait to see the vertical element Jackson will add to the Buccaneers offense:

"

DeSean is exactly the type of dynamic playmaker we have been targeting for our offense. DeSean brings a veteran presence and a big-play mentality that fits in perfectly with our offensive philosophy. He is a tough-minded competitor who has the game-breaking speed and pass-catching ability that stretches the defense and creates matchup problems.

"

Personally, I can't wait to see what Jackson's addition will do for Winston's fantasy value.

Mike Evans was the most targeted wide receiver in the NFL last year, in part because there wasn't a lot on the depth chart behind him.

Jackson changes that in a big way.

Yes, he's the wrong side of 30. But Jackson topped 1,000 yards for the fifth time in his career last year and averaged nearly 18 yards a reception.

Since entering the NFL back in 2008, Jackson has caught 21 passes of 50 yards or more. No player in the league has more.

Now he's playing with one of the strongest arms in the NFL.

And that sets up Winston for a "next step" third season that could land him squarely in weekly starter territory.

It's worth keeping in mind if you're the type who waits to address that position in fantasy drafts.

Sundays with Murray

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We're still waiting for the biggest fantasy shoe at running back to drop, but while we might not know where Adrian Peterson will play in 2017, we know who will replace him.

Latavius Murray paced the Oakland Raiders with 12 rushing touchdowns in 2016, and Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer thinks the 27-year-old brings plenty to the table in the Twin Cities, according to Eric Smith of the Vikings website: "He's very knowledgeable. Obviously he's a big back. ... He's got strength in his running game, power in his running game. He catches the ball well out of the backfield and is a good pass protector."

Murray has shown more than a little ability over his four NFL seasons.

After seeing his rookie year wiped out by injury, Murray played sparingly in his second year before breaking out with over 1,300 total yards in 2015.

But that season and last year's touchdown numbers belie a few unsettling facts.

Both were a matter of volume as much as performance. Murray averaged only four yards a carry in each of the last two seasons, which meant that as his workload dropped off a year ago so did his yardage total on the ground.

Also, while Peterson's age may have been a factor in his struggles last year, so was the fact that there was nowhere to run to.

Put simply, Minnesota's line was not good in 2016. The Vikings line ranked 30th in the NFL in run blocking last season, per Football Outsiders. No team in the NFL gained fewer yards on the ground.

Yes. Minnesota added Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers in free agency. But the fact is both are average talents with above-average paychecks who took advantage of a seller's market at their position. They bump Minnesota's line from awful to average—maybe.

Oh, and Murray just had ankle surgery after missing two games last year.

Two years ago, Murray posted a career-best 11th-place finish at running back in PPR formats. That's his best-case ceiling this season, but it's more likely he'll land either just inside or just outside the top 25.

Alshon Needs a Hug

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OK, it's hard to feel too much sympathy for a young player making almost $10 million in 2017.

But it speaks to how far Alshon Jeffery's stock has fallen in the NFL that the best deal the 27-year-old wideout could get is a one-year, $9.5 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

That's what two straight down seasons and a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs will do.

Jeffery has plenty of reasons to be motivated in his new digs. Millions of them, as a matter of fact. And as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Enquirer wrote, Eagles head man Doug Pederson was effusive in his praise for the five-year veteran:

"

You look at a guy like that, you look at size, you look at route-running ability, explosive to the ball, good hands, catch radius is big. He's a big target, he's a veteran player, wealth of experience, a lot of games, excellent in route running, strong to the ball. For us, he brings some leadership into that room, and makes that room better. The experience is obviously a big factor in what we're doing, and he can lead by example. We have young guys, and this will give our young guys an ability to really watch a guy not only practice but play, and create that competition that we talk about all the time.

"

Jeffery's talent can't be denied—he topped 1,400 receiving yards in 2013 and caught 10 touchdown passes the following season. Combined with Jordan Matthews and fellow newcomer Torrey Smith, the Eagles' new-look receiving corps (in theory) gives second-year quarterback Carson Wentz significantly better weapons than he enjoyed last season.

But Wentz was 28th in fantasy points per game last year among quarterbacks. It's going to take a big jump in production from Wentz if Jeffery is going to get back to where he was in his heyday with the Chicago Bears.

From a fantasy perspective, anyway.

It's possible that Jeffery could approach the WR1 numbers he put up back in 2013 and 2014 in the Windy City, and that upside makes Jeffery an interesting WR2 pick.

But fantasy owners who draft him inside the top 15 at his position are taking Jeffery a lot closer to his fantasy ceiling than his floor.

A New Marshall in Town

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Brandon Marshall is what one might call a well-traveled wide receiver. In 11 NFL seasons, he has played with (and recorded 1,000-yard seasons for) four different teams.

In 2017 he will play for a fifth, although at least this time he didn't have to go far to find work.

After two seasons with the New York Jets, Marshall moved all the way to the other side of MetLife Stadium, signing a two-year, $12 million pact with the Giants. He told The Rich Eisen Show (via Dan Schneier of 247 Sports) that Big Blue had everything he's looking for in a team at this point in his career:

"

It was all about a championship. I just wanted to be in a championship environment. I want to go out the right way; I want to go out a winner. The number one thing I needed, obviously, was a quarterback. Number two, a defense, Number three, stability within the organization. And number four, I wanted to be a number two [wide receiver].

"

From an NFL perspective, it's a great move for both player and team. The Giants get a proven veteran receiver who will both give Eli Manning a Plan B in the passing game and draw some coverage away from Odell Beckham. And the 33-year-old gets to play out the string with a contending team—one where he won't be expected to carry the receiving corps.

However, fantasy owners hoping that Marshall will have a ninth NFL season with over 1,000 yards or a seventh with 100 or more catches are being overly optimistic.

The former is a possibility at least. Marshall has been about as consistently productive as you can ask a wideout to be, despite playing with a less than impressive cadre of quarterbacks sailing the ball over his head. As recently as 2015 he put up 1,500 receiving yards and scored 14 touchdowns.

But as the old saying goes, Father Time is undefeated. In 2016 Marshall looked his age, battling nagging injuries most of the season en route to only 59 catches for 788 yards and three scores. He finished outside the top 50 wide receivers in many fantasy scoring systems.

Also with the Giants, Marshall will be something he hasn't been in a very long time—a clear-cut secondary option in the passing game behind Odell Beckham, who was the second-most targeted receiver in the league in 2016.

It's hard to see Marshall functioning as more than a so-so fantasy WR3 with the Giants. If you can draft him as such, then fine. But it's entirely possible his name and professional resume will spur fantasy owners to draft Marshall for what he's done and not for what he'll do.

Don't get caught chasing ghosts.

A Pryor Engagement in the Nation's Capital

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The Washington Redskins made NFL history in free agency this year, although they would just as soon have not.

For the first time ever a team lost a pair of 1,000-yard receivers from the year before, when Pierre Garcon (San Francisco 49ers) and DeSean Jackson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) both left town.

That left the Redskins scrambling to reassemble their pass-catching corps, but Washington got lucky when the market for the position turned out to be softer than expected.

Washington was able to sign one of last year's surprise stars, luring Terrelle Pryor away from the Cleveland Browns on a one-year, $8 million contract. Pryor posted 77 catches for 1,007 yards and seven scores last year, and head coach Jay Gruden told Liz Clarke of the Washington Post he thinks the sky is the limit where the lanky speedster is concerned.

"He has a strong desire to become great," Gruden said. "You can argue that he already had one great year, [but] to be a great player in this league, it's gotta be consistent year in and year out. ... He's got the height, he's got the speed, so now we just gotta keep working with him."

There's always a measure of risk involved with players who come from nowhere to post huge seasons, and Pryor is no exception. He received 25 percent of the Browns' passing targets in 2016, per ESPN.com's Mike Clay—a number that's going to be hard to sustain on a Washington team where no receiver got even 20 percent of the targets last year.

However, Pryor is now the No. 1 receiver on a much better offense than the one he played with a season ago. Kirk Cousins nearly passed for 5,000 yards last season, and the Redskins offense scored 42 offensive touchdowns in 2016—50 percent more than Cleveland.

Pryor's career season in 2016 landed him just outside the top 20 in PPR fantasy points when all was said and done. He has an excellent chance of at least meeting and quite possibly exceeding that production this year.

Given that, he's an intriguing option in D.C. as an upside fantasy WR2.

Martellus Bennett Signs with Packers

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Sorry. Tried to come up with a clever title for this one. Got nothing.

There have been a few moves at tight end of note for fantasy owners. Jared Cook headed west to join the Oakland (for now) Raiders. The New England Patriots swung a deal to acquire Dwayne Allen from the Indianapolis Colts.

But the biggest change at the position involves the man replacing Cook with the Green Bay Packers.

That would be Martellus Bennett, who reeled in 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns for the Super Bowl champion Patriots in 2016.

Bennett goes from catching passes from Tom Brady to catching them from Aaron Rodgers (the poor dear). After playing against Rodgers for three years while with the Chicago Bears, Bennett told ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky it will be nice to be on the right side of his aerial onslaughts:

"

I hated playing against Aaron. I just got off the phone with him, I said, 'I hate that guy on the other side,' but it's going to be pretty good to be on the same side with him and catching passes. I've seen him make a lot of amazing throws, and he's been one of the best for a really long time. I'm just going to try to come in and contribute to the best of my ability.

"

No one's going to argue that Bennett was a good get for the Packers. Or that he's an upgrade over Cook, who turned it on for Green Bay during their run to the NFC Championship Game last year.

However, some cold water needs to be thrown on the notion that Bennett is in any way a difference-maker in fantasy leagues in Titletown.

Bennett finished last year as the 10th-ranked tight end in fantasy football in leagues that award a point per reception. That spot (or just below it) is a reasonable projection for what he'll do in 2017 as well.

It's not that Bennett isn't a talented player. Or that he won't have a role in the Green Bay passing game. But Bennett is at best the third wheel in the Packers passing game behind Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. An argument can be made he slots behind Davante Adams as well.

Additionally, while Cook had some big games late last season, he also was nowhere to be found in others. This isn't a new phenomenon in Green Bay, where fantasy production from the tight end spot has been hit or miss for years.

The Packers haven't had a top-10 fantasy tight end since Jermichael Finley finished ninth back in 2011.

It's a toss-up whether or not that dry spell ends in 2017, and even if Bennett does clear that benchmark, it probably isn't going to be by much.