Tue Mar 25th 2025

Wide Receiver and Tight End Changes

Last week, I wrote about quarterbacks and running backs who changed teams via trades and free agency. This week, I write about the dynasty-relevant tight ends and receivers who changed teams. There's only one tight end of note, but there are a lot of dynasty-relevant wide receivers who changed teams in addition to many who have yet to sign with a team as of this article, which I'm writing on Saturday, March 22nd. Here's my dynasty takes on these old faces in new places.

Evan Engram

• I was thrilled when Engram signed with Denver. Sean Payton openly discussed his desire for a player to fill what he calls the "Joker" role in his offense. They signed Engram to play that role, ensuring Engram will get targeted heavily as he did in Jacksonville the last three years. He's poised to be the second leading target for Bo Nix next year behind Courtland Sutton, and his signing makes it unlikely that the Broncos will draft a top-tier tight end in the draft, as many mock drafts predicted before Engram signed with Denver. Payton wanted Engram, and he will use him heavily. This team change is a boost to Engram's dynasty value. Injuries are the only concern I have for Engram. He missed eight games last year, with injuries at the start and end of the season, after not missing a single game in the previous two years in Jacksonville. He's just 30 years old, so he still has plenty of years to produce for dynasty managers who should be thrilled with this free-agent signing.

D.K. Metcalf

• Metcalf got traded to Pittsburgh, and then the Steelers signed him to a five-year deal, making him a Steeler for a long time. For now, I am not a fan of Metcalf's landing spot and see it as a significant setback to his dynasty value compared to where it would have been if Seattle signed him to a five-year contract. To begin with, the Steelers do not have a starting quarterback yet, and they do not have a quarterback for the future. A one-year stop-gap quarterback may help the Steelers for a season, but it is not good for Metcalf's dynasty value. Additionally, George Pickens and Metcalf have similar skills, similar roles, and similar attitude problems. I don't understand why the Steelers signed such a similar type of receiver. Metcalf is a better version of Pickens, but I don't see how the team will use both of them. I would like this landing spot more if the Steelers trade Pickens, which is entirely possible. Even so, the quarterback issue would still be a problem. The Steelers are sure to draft a quarterback in this draft. They'd really need to hit on their quarterback to help Metcalf's dynasty value rise again.

Deebo Samuel

• Samuel's dynasty value has steadily fallen since his breakout season in 2021, but this new role in Washington could see his value rise. I am confident that the Commanders signed him with an active role in mind. He'll become the second most targeted pass catch behind Terry McLaurin on an offense revived under Kliff Kingsbury and Jayden Daniels last year. Daniels's excellent rookie season gave McLaurin the most productive year of his career. He can certainly help Samuel revive his production and dynasty value again. Samuel's presence will diminish the production of Zach Ertz, who they had to rely on heavily last season. He will also prevent Luke McCaffrey from earning a more significant role in his second season. I'm excited to see what the Commanders can do with an added weapon like Samuel, who is a much better wide receiver than everyone they were running out with McLaurin last year.

Davante Adams

• I love that Adams landed in Los Angeles to play alongside Puka Nacua and Matt Stafford under Sean McVay. It's the perfect team for him to finish his career with and keep his dynasty value from fading away. Nacua will remain the team's top target, but Adams will be an excellent wingman. I picture a bunch of back-shoulder throws and deep passes to Adams while Nacua gets the underneath work. Adams has had more than 1000 yards receiving and eight touchdowns in each of the last two years playing with sub-par quarterbacks. He can easily do the same this year with a much better quarterback. He's 32 years old, so the cliff is not far away for him, but he's got enough gas in the tank to remain an every-week starter in dynasty lineups even while moving to a WR-2 role for the first time in his outstanding career.

DeAndre Hopkins

• Hopkins's days of starting in dynasty lineups have passed. No matter where he signed, I would not have been optimistic about his end-of-career bounce back. Signing with Baltimore will give him a chance at winning a Super Bowl, but not help dynasty managers win a Super Bowl. I imagine the Ravens using him in specific situations, such as passing downs and in the red zone. He will likely be a part-time situational player for them, which is not helpful for dynasty managers. He may be startable in weeks with many players on bye, but that's about it. He's had an excellent career but lost a step and has been far less productive since his 2020 season. He's 32, like Adams is, but he has hit the cliff while Adams has not.

Christian Kirk

• Kirk got traded to the Texans, where he will immediately step into the WR-2 role opposite Nico Collins. I would have preferred that he stayed in Jacksonville, but I see this move as an equal move from a dynasty standpoint. Tank Dell is unlikely to play next season, so Kirk's opportunity is excellent. He's sure to be C.J. Stroud's second-most targeted player for this season, at least. As for the long term, however, Tank Dell will return and the Texans are a prime candidate to draft a wide receiver early in this year's draft, so Kirk could easily get replaced or at least lose a lot of targets by 2026. I like this landing spot for Kirk this season, but not beyond this season, making him a player contending teams could target, and trades and rebuilding teams should sell.

Mike Williams

• Williams landed back with the Chargers, where he will get one last chance to revive his career. Injuries and poor play have caused his dynasty stock to steadily drop every year since his best season in 2021. He'll be the third receiver in three-receiver sets and have a chance to compete with Quentin Johnston in two receiver sets. Like Williams when he was drafted by the Chargers, Johnston had a very slow start. He played better in his second season but was very hit-and-miss with his production. When healthy, Williams is also a hit-and-miss type of player. I expect him to have some good games back with the Chargers, but they will be very unpredictable. Ladd McConkey is who the Chargers' passing game runs through, and if the Chargers draft a tight end in the first round Williams will see even fewer targets in this last phase of his career. Unless he beats out Johnston to earn the WR-2 role, his dynasty value will continue to fall.

Brandin Cooks

• Cooks, who has bounced around the NFL, has come home to play for the Saints, the team that drafted him in 2014. Cooks is 31 years old, so his career has gone full circle. He started with the Saints and will likely end with the Saints. Last season was the least productive of his long career, though he missed seven games with injuries, so it's hard to tell if he's fallen over the age cliff. I don't think he has. He will have a productive few years in New Orleans. There's an open spot on the roster in three-receiver sets with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as the starters. Olave and Shaheed are often injured, so Cooks's role could increase at various times throughout the season. I would not be surprised to see him on starting dynasty rosters a few times over the next few years. I like this full-circle move for Cooks; he will make the most of his opportunity at the end of his career.

Dyami Brown

• Brown ended the season well in Washington with two solid games in the NFL playoffs. He was the player I added most to my dynasty rosters at the end of last season. His end-of-year play earned a new deal with the Jaguars. I wanted him to stay in Washington, but after they traded Deebo Samuel, I was pleased to see him land in Jacksonville, whose offense will greatly improve under their new head coach, Liam Coen. Brown has a crowded wide receiver room with Brian Thomas Jr. (BTJ) as the alpha and Parker Washington and Gabe Davis competing for the WR-2 spot.  Brown now enters that competition, too. He's the player the new coaching staff added rather than the ones they inherited, so I believe he will have a chance to earn a starting role at least in three-receiver sets if not become the WR-2. I'm glad I have him on so many of my rosters, and I am excited to see what the new offense in Jacksonville looks like and if he can emerge as a starter opposite BTJ.

Joshua Palmer

• Palmer joined the crowded and confusing wide receiver room in Buffalo, where the Bills have been happy to piece together mid-level receivers ever since trading Stefon Diggs. Palmer is another mid-lever guy added to their mix this year.  He has as good of a chance as anyone to earn a starting role. Khalil Shakir did enough to solidify his starting role last year. Keon Coleman, their second-round draft pick last year, did not do enough to earn a starting role. I like the opportunity that Palmer has, but he's had a similar opportunity for years with the Chargers and never elevated his play. There's no reason to believe he will do so in Buffalo, even though the opportunity is there, and he'll have Josh Allen as his quarterback. I don't hate the landing spot. I don't think Palmer can produce for dynasty managers, no matter what team he's with.

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