Free agency is almost here and it’s time to take a look at which of your favorite fantasy players will be changing teams. In reality, some of these stars will re-sign with their current team, but for the sake of consistency we will determine the most logical landing spot assuming they choose to hit the open market.
Jimmy Graham – Seattle Seahawks
Projected Landing Spot: Indianapolis Colts
Jimmy Graham has been a vertical force since entering the league in 2010. In two seasons with the Seahawks, the Pro Bowler compiled 16 touchdowns to go along with 1,443 receiving yards. The tight end’s versatility will be highly sought after in free agency. His superior pass catching abilities will be a target for teams with strong quarterback potential.
Tyler Eifert – Cincinnati Bengals
Projected Landing Spot – Dallas Cowboys
Tyler Eifert is one of the most injury prone players in the league. The Notre Dame product has yet to play a full season in his NFL career and appeared in just 10 games the past two seasons. However, while on the field, Eifert is one of the most talented receiving tight ends in the league. The Cowboys need a red zone receiving threat, and even though Jason Witten will retain his role, both TEs will be able to see the field. This signing would be a cheap option that is loaded with upside for a team that took a step back offensively last season.
Austin Sefarian Jenkins –New York Jets
Projected Landing Spot – New England Patriots
Touted as a first-round talent during the initial draft process, this tight end has never quite lived up to expectations. Inconsistency and substance abuse have hindered his production in the early part of his career, but it appears the 25-year-old is ready to make a new name for himself. New England is the perfect place for a fresh start. The Patriots sign new tight ends every season, and if any organization can get a player back on the right track it’s New England.
LeVeon Bell – Pittsburgh Steelers
Projected Landing Spot – San Francisco 49ers
I do believe that LeVeon Bell will in fact return to Pittsburgh, but to keep everything consistent the best fit would be with the 49ers. San Francisco has the most amount of cap space, and with Carlos Hyde likely out the team could use an elite weapon like Bell. A promising young quarterback and the opportunity to retain a similar workload would provide extra incentive to sign with San Francisco. Jimmy G targets the backfield plenty, which can be seen by Hyde’s career high of 87 targets last season (previous high was 33).
LeGarrette Blount – Philadelphia Eagles
Projected Landing Spot – New York Giants
Teams should be clamoring to sign this aging veteran. It appears Blount is somewhat of a good luck charm considering he has won the Super Bowl with each of the past two teams he has signed. The Giants are currently projected to take Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Barkley is a very strong pass catcher, and having a big bruiser like Blount would keep his legs fresh. An overworked rookie could result in injury especially with a weak offensive line.
Dion Lewis – New England Patriots
Projected Landing Spot – Minnesota Vikings
Dion Lewis will not garner the type of interest he probably should. This is in large part due to the limited usage he had throughout the season. New England uses one of the weirdest running back committee approaches I’ve ever seen, rendering each back in the offense expendable. Lewis does have an injury history but is a strong rusher with solid pass-catching abilities. Minnesota is losing its main pass catching back, and with Dalvin Cook’s injury the Vikings must add depth to the position. If Cook is fully healthy this offseason, I would expect Latavius Murray to be cut.
Carlos Hyde – San Francisco 49ers
Projected Landing Spot – Seattle Seahawks
Carlos Hyde doesn’t ever seem to be on the good side of his coaching staff. Regardless of the politics in San Francisco, Hyde is a talented running back. The rusher showed his versatility in the passing game, posting career highs in receptions (59) and receiving yards (350). The Seahawks have yet to find a reliable replacement since losing Marshawn Lynch. Hyde would certainly be the most talented back Seattle has had since Beast Mode’s departure.
Jeremy Hill – Cincinnati Bengals
Projected Landing Spot – Cleveland Browns
Hill bursted on to the scene with a ton of success. He had big shoes to fill considering Giovanni Bernard was also productive prior to Hill joining the Bengals. While his rushing ability is strong, his ability to stay on the field leaves much to be desired. Cleveland will likely take a shot at Hill considering a strong rushing game is something they lacked this past year. The number of opportunities he will get will be limited due to the negative game scripts the Cleveland Browns will endure. The limited usage should help spell some injury concerns the team may have.
Jerrick McKinnon – Minnesota Vikings
Projected Landing Spot – Tennessee Titans
Demarco Murray looked like garbage last year. It appears all of those touches are finally catching up to the aging running back. The Titans are able to move on from Murray at no cost to them and with a new head coach in town it’s almost certainly going to happen. Jerrick McKinnon can fill that pass catching role. McKinnon has been very vocal about wanting to be a larger part of an offense and would prefer to have a featured back role. Unfortunately I do not believe there is a team out there that will grant him that request without proving himself.
Isaiah Crowell – Cleveland Browns
Projected Landing Spot – New England Patriots
“Crow” has always had the ability to be a productive back in this league, but his ability never fully manifested in Cleveland. New England has a way of signing running backs that most teams overlook and Isaiah Crowell fits that mold completely. Unlike in Cleveland, the Patriots will have a lead in nearly all of their matchups. We haven’t seen Crowell completely take over a game but we have seen him bust out extremely long runs. Considering New England isn’t the type of team that relies on a rusher to take over a game, the reliability and potential of a big play makes him a prime candidate for the Patriots.
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