Fantasy: Early analysis of every move from 2nd wave of free agency
Recent fantasy analysis
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- Fantasy free-agent index
The second day of the NFL's legal tampering window featured a flurry of deals with important fantasy implications.
Let's take a look at all the notable skill-position signings from Tuesday and what they'll mean for fantasy owners.
Le'Veon Bell, Jets
Contract: 4 years, $52.5 million
Welcome back, Le'Veon. It took nearly two full days, but Bell ultimately landed in the most obvious destination ... the team willing to pay him the most money. Now Bell needs to knock off the rust that accumulated during his year-long holdout before attempting to prove he can produce at an elite level outside of the Steelers' running back-friendly system. In New York, Bell should see a full workload as the Jets try to take some of the pressure off Sam Darnold, a potential star quarterback currently in development. Volume will be Bell's ally, running behind a line that was recently upgraded with the acquisition of guard Kelechi Osemele. Fantasy owners anticipating Bell to be as efficient as he was in Pittsburgh are destined to be disappointed. Adjust your expectations to view him as a low-end RB1 while starting for Gang Green.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Bears
Contract: 2 years, $10 million
Patterson never made the leap to become a full-time NFL receiver, but he's able to affect the game in a variety of ways as a gadget player on offense and one of the game's premier returners. He displayed his versatility this year with the Patriots by rushing 21 times for 99 yards and a score over a two-game span midseason when New England's backfield was hit hard by injuries. Though Bears head coach Matt Nagy will find creative ways to deploy Patterson, including as a runner, he'll never receive the volume of touches necessary to make him a fantasy starter.
Breshad Perriman, Buccaneers
Contract: 1 year, $4 million
With Odell Beckham Jr. being traded to Cleveland, Perriman asked to be released from the one-year deal he had previously agreed to with the Browns. His wish was granted and Perriman promptly signed the same contract with the Buccaneers. Unfortunately for Perriman, he's been a massive bust since the Ravens selected him in the first round of the 2015 draft and he's unlikely to make a fantasy impact no matter what jersey he's wearing.
Zach Zenner, Lions
Contract: Undisclosed
Zenner is back with Detroit, a team whose depth chart he's failed to rise in four seasons with the club. For the moment, he's the main backup to Kerryon Johnson, though Theo Riddick is still in the fold as a pass-catching specialist. With the Lions' emphasis on the run, you should expect them to add more competition, meaning there are zero guarantees that Zenner will keep his roster spot.
John Brown and Cole Beasley, Bills
Brown's contract: 3 years, $27 million
Beasley's contract: 4 years, $29 million
Remember when the Rams and Bears rebuilt their receiving corps to help the development of their second-year quarterbacks Jared Goff and Mitch Trubisky? The Bills appear to be following that same model with the additions of an underrated deep threat in Brown and a veteran slot receiver in Beasley.
Together they'll join promising late-season star Robert Foster to form an intriguing trio designed to take advantage of Josh Allen's unique skill set.
Read the full breakdown here.
DeVante Parker, Dolphins
Contract: 2 years, $13 million
Parker wasn't a free agent, but it was widely believed the Dolphins would release him this offseason, making this extension surprising enough to warrant a mention. The 26-year-old's talent has never been the problem, it's his dedication and worth ethic that have held him back.
With a new regime in town, there must be hope that they can get a different result. As a fantasy owner, however, I'd be hesitant to view him as anything more than a late-round flier.
Latavius Murray, Saints
Contract: 4 years, $14.4 million
Murray may not be a true lead back in the NFL, but he's consistently shown an ability to deliver when called upon in relief or as part of a tandem. That's why joining the Saints puts him in the perfect position to excel as the sidekick to Alvin Kamara.
The former Viking will slide into the very fruitful Mark Ingram role. After serving his four-game suspension at the start of last season, Ingram finished as the RB20 in fantasy over his final 12 outings, even with Kamara putting up top-five numbers during that stretch.
Murray is more than capable of replacing Ingram as a power back who handles a portion of the goal-line work and sees added volume in blowouts. Running behind a quality Saints offensive line, Murray will flirt with low-end RB2 numbers, with his top fantasy performances coming in games when New Orleans is heavily favored.
Teddy Bridgewater, Saints
Contract: Undisclosed
In the short term, signing on to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback likely would have been Bridgewater's best chance at immediate production. However, he's elected to stay in New Orleans and be the understudy to 40-year-old Drew Brees.
From an upside perspective, that's actually the best decision Bridgewater could have made for 2019 and beyond. If Brees were to miss time, Bridgewater would take over a loaded offense that he's spent a year familiarizing himself with and features one of the strongest blocking lines in football.
For now, the 26-year-old will continue to learn from his veteran teammate while preparing to be his eventual successor, which helps secure the dynasty values of receivers Michael Thomas and Tre'Quan Smith.