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Fantasy: Early takeaways from the 1st round

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There are still plenty of names to be announced in the 2017 NFL Draft, which could alter the fantasy outlook of many players - including the ones on this list - but for now, let's take a look at how the opening round will impact the players already taken and their new teammates.

Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars

Tom Coughlin's influence in Jacksonville is being felt as the team landed a potential star workhorse for their backfield. In the rare instances when the Jags were leading games last season, their running backs were able to produce fantasy points. So, with the Jaguars' defense looking like a much improved unit across the board, the team should be more competitive and able to give their new back opportunities to lean on opponents. Fournette immediately enters the RB2 conversation in fantasy, and has a chance to be this year's Ezekiel Elliott, albeit with a slightly lower ceiling due to the lack of an elite offensive line.

Stock Up: Jaguars' offense
Stock Down: Chris Ivory, T.J. Yeldon

Corey Davis, WR, Titans

Despite rumors that he might fall on draft day after not being able to work out for teams, Davis ended up going in the top five to the Titans, who will ask him to be their No. 1 receiver right away. The 6-3, 215-pound wideout has great quickness for his size, and while it can sometimes take a year or two for receivers to emerge, the question is when, not if, he'll ascend. The Titans' offense, which relies heavily on the run, will be his biggest challenge for fantasy production in Year 1. Expectations should be kept in check, with Davis delivering as a WR3 in his rookie campaign.

Stock Up: Marcus Mariota
Stock Down: Rishard Matthews, Tajae Sharpe

Mike Williams, WR, Chargers

It's always worrisome seeing a receiver named Mike Williams taken high in the draft. For this Mike Williams, the issue may not be his talent, but instead his situation. The Chargers are loaded with pass-catchers at both receiver and tight end, and while Philip Rivers loves to throw the ball, targets could be tough to come by for the rookie. Williams' arrival in Los Angeles may also affect the fantasy consistency of Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, and Hunter Henry, who will have another pair of hands to compete against, especially in the red zone. There's reason to believe Williams will succeed where others with his name have failed, but his career could get off to a slow start. Consider him a WR4 until we get a better feel for how the Chargers plan to deploy him early on.

Stock Up: Philip Rivers
Stock Down: Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, Travis Benjamin, Hunter Henry

Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers

Thursday wasn't a good night for Jonathan Stewart, but Cam Newton and the Carolina offense desperately needed a new playmaker. The Panthers' decision to push their chips in on a first-round running back likely means the 30-year-old will fade into the background as McCaffrey enters as a dual-threat weapon. Offensive coordinator Mike Shula is going to have fun scheming up ways to get the ball into McCaffrey's hands, and the rest of the Panthers' skill position players are going to appreciate the attention the rookie draws. It wouldn't be surprising to see him capture the starting job right out of camp, making him a low-end RB2 with RB1 upside in PPR formats.

Stock Up: Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin
Stock Down: Jonathan Stewart

John Ross, WR, Bengals

The Bengals responded to their free-agent losses on the offensive line by adding the draft's fastest receiver to their roster. It's great news for A.J. Green, who could use a deep threat taking the top off the defense, but the issue will lie with the amount of time Andy Dalton has to look downfield behind a severely downgraded set of blockers. Ross is a true burner, and in time may develop into a quality wideout. However, he now finds himself behind Green and Tyler Eifert in the pecking order, and, for the moment, his career is tied to Dalton's limited arm. Despite being a high pick, Ross is unlikely to make a fantasy impact in his first season.

Stock Up: A.J. Green, Andy Dalton
Stock Down: Brandon LaFell, Tyler Boyd

O.J. Howard, TE, Buccaneers

Let's start by reminding everyone that rookie tight ends almost never move the needle in fantasy. Last year's performance by Hunter Henry was an outlier. It normally takes a while before young players at the position begin producing. Howard falling to the Buccaneers at 19th overall will be a great addition for the team, but not one fantasy owners need to worry much about in 2017. Jameis Winston is the real winner here, as his offense is now stacked with pass-catchers, while Cameron Brate's days as a fantasy starter are doomed.

Stock Up: Jameis Winston
Stock Down: Cameron Brate

Evan Engram, TE, Giants

The Giants' offseason renovations to their receiving corps might be complete with the arrival of Engram, who is a wide receiver posing as a tight end. Engram isn't being brought in to block, but instead to give the G-men a matchup nightmare for their opponents. With Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall teaming up on the outside, Engram could take advantage in the middle of the field. While you shouldn't rely on a rookie tight end, Engram deserves to be near the top of your watchlist.

Stock Up: Eli Manning
Stock Down: Will Tye, Sterling Shepard

David Njoku, TE, Browns

It was a minor shock to see him go off the board after Engram, and, unfortunately for Njoku, his landing spot wasn't nearly as intriguing. In Cleveland, he gets Cody Kessler as his quarterback and veteran Gary Barnidge as his competition in a passing game that doesn't project to be overly potent. You can keep him off your fantasy radar until further notice.

Stock Up: None
Stock Down: Gary Barnidge

Quarterbacks

Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Bears

The first quarterback selected this year will need time to acclimate to the pro game. The Bears know this, and that's why they'll let Mike Glennon lead the offense in 2017, while Trubisky goes to NFL school for a year or two. For fantasy owners, nothing to see here just yet.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs

Similar to Trubisky, Mahomes will get to learn behind a veteran early in his career in hopes he can emerge as a fully developed quarterback when the Chiefs move on from Alex Smith, possibly in 2018. Even if Mahomes were to start at some point, Andy Reid would have the reins held tight on the rookie.

Deshaun Watson, QB, Texans

Watson may have gone off the board after Trubisky and Mahomes, but he might be the only one who starts as a rookie. The Texans have an offense full of weapons, but it's unlikely the team will ask enough of Watson to make him fantasy relevant.

Offense Line Upgrades

Garett Bolles, OT, Broncos

The Broncos still have a long way to go to improve their offensive line, and Bolles isn't a sure thing, but this is a step in the right direction for a team that has seen its blocking dissolve in recent years.

Ryan Ramczyk, T, Saints

This amounts to a luxury pick for the Saints, but they want to guarantee that Drew Brees will be protected for the rest of his NFL career. Ramczyk excelled as a run blocker in college, and, along with the signing of Adrian Peterson, might be a sign the Saints plan to run the ball more moving forward.

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