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Howdy Reader,
Welcome to the weekend. And not just any weekend — It's Mother's Day this Sunday.
Shoutout to all the moms out there running households, fantasy leagues, and everything in between. We see you. We love you. We probably owe you a phone call.
I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina, visiting family, and yeah - I get it now. This place has flavor. If you've got brewery or food spot recs, hit me up. I'm in tourist mode.
Now, let's talk football
Alfredo Brown drops 9 Dynasty Breakout Players to target in trades before your league catches on.
Cecil Lammey is cooking up the News and Notes that'll keep you ahead of the curve.
Let's go win the weekend.
J
PS. If you haven't picked up a Mother's Day Card yet, we've got you covered with our custom Mother's Day Card Generator. Just a few clicks and a personal message to Mom later, your card is delivered directly to her inbox. Read on below to see all the football-themed designs we created for you and your Mom.
PPS. The Post-Draft Footballguys Rookie Draft Guide is LIVE! Version 3 includes team fits, updated depth charts, and — for the first time — the Post-Draft Bloom 100. It’s available exclusively for ELITE, HALL OF FAME, and G.O.A.T. subscribers and built to give you the edge in every rookie draft.
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It’s fast, free, and way better than panic-buying a drugstore card.
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What's New At Footballguys
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📣 Voice Of The Footballguy 🎤
📊 POLL RESULTS: In our last issue of the Daily Update, we asked you Footballguys:
Which rookie RB takes control of his backfield first?
And the Footballguy says: I trust TreVeyon Henderson more than the Patriots do.
TODAY: Clayton Gray’s deep dive into how player values are shifting in high-stakes NFFC drafts reveals one clear trend — quarterbacks are climbing.
Among the biggest movers this week: Lamar Jackson surged 6 spots, Jayden Daniels climbed 4, and Bo Nix jumped 8. But which of these rising QBs most deserves the boost?
So today, we ask you Footballguys:
🗳️ POLL: Which rising QB most deserves their recent NFFC ADP surge?
When you vote in the Poll below, you'll see the current standings, and we'll post the final results in the next edition of the Daily Update.
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| 🗳️ POLL: Who Will Benefit Most from the George Pickens Trade in 2025? |
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Pittsburgh Steelers third-round draft choice RB Kaleb Johnson signed a four-year contract with the Steelers Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our view: Johnson is exactly the type of runner that fits with the Steelers. He's got some Demarco Murray to his game, and Johnson can be an absolute hammer between the tackles. We'll see him work in concert with Jaylen Warren in 2025.
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Indianapolis Colts first-round pick TE Tyler Warren signed his four-year, $20.9 million rookie deal Friday, May 9. The deal includes a fifth-year option, is fully guaranteed and includes an $11.88 million signing bonus.
Our view: Warren is an incredibly gifted prospect who can make an impact from day 1 for the Colts. He's a tight end with toughness and run-after-the-catch ability, but he's also an H-back, slot option, and even Wildcat quarterback. Warren can do it all, but he's much more than just a new version of Taysom Hill. No matter who is throwing passes (Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson), they should find Warren as he can get open against all sorts of coverage.
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9 Breakout Players to Target in Dynasty Trades
By Alfredo Brown - Exclusive to Footballguys
The following feature is a free preview of our content. If you like it, click here to sign up for access to our Footballguys Premium Subscriptions, and you'll get all of our content. We're so sure you'll love it that we have an industry-leading 30-day MoneyBack Guarantee, so there's zero risk.
It's always a good time to trade for breakout players in dynasty. Whether prepping for rookie drafts or looking to make moves, now is the time to find value in overlooked or undervalued players heading into their second or third NFL season. We teamed up with JJ Zachariason to spotlight nine dynasty breakout candidates you should consider acquiring before their price spikes. Here's who made the list and why.
- Elite ZAP score (98.9) places him among the top prospects since 2011.
- Arizona added minimal target competition this offseason.
- Should see high target volume in a pass-heavy offense.
- Compared to Sammy Watkins as a prospect, early breakout potential.
- Tale of two seasons: slow start but strong finish in 2024.
- Cardinals may transition from aging James Conner in 2025.
- If he gets the workload late in the season, he could spike in value.
- Strong opportunity with Deebo Samuel Sr. gone and Brandon Aiyuk recovering.
- Versatile route tree and used creatively in Kyle Shanahan's offense.
- End-of-season surge bodes well for sophomore breakout.
- Major ecosystem improvement in New England (OL, weapons).
- Quietly averaged more rush yards/game than Josh Allen in 2024.
- Fantasy ceiling boosted by sneaky rushing upside.
- Bears didn't invest heavily in RBs, only added 7th-rounder Kyle Monangai.
- More efficient than Swift in key rushing metrics last year.
- Opportunity to play the "Montgomery" role in Ben Johnson's offense.
CONTINUED...
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3. WAS: WAS reaches deals with three rookies
Source: NFL.com
Washington Commanders fourth-round draft choice WR Jaylin Lane, sixth-round draft choice LB Kain Medrano and seventh=round draft choice RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt signed four-year contracts with the Commanders Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our view: Lane is a player who can attack all three levels of the field with speed. He is buried on the depth chart right now, but Lane's speed and moves in the open field will be intriguing enough to earn him a roster spot where he can develop. Croskey-Merritt is one of our favorite sleeper running backs in this class. He's got a three-down skill set with intent as a runner and decent receiving chops. Watch Croskey-Merritt in crazy deep dynasty leagues.
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4. CHI: Colston Loveland not on field Friday
Source: NFL.com
Chicago Bears TE Colston Loveland (shoulder) did not participate in practice Friday, May 9, because he is recovering from shoulder surgery, according to head coach Ben Johnson.
Our view: Loveland's shoulder surgery is going to keep him out of action for the early part of the offseason. When training camp gets here, Loveland should be out there at least in a limited fashion.
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5. TB: Emeka Egbuka signs rookie deal
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick WR Emeka Egbuka signed his rookie, four-year, $18.1 million contract Friday, May 9. All first-round pick contracts include a fifth-year option.
Our view: Egbuka is going to command attention from opposing defenses right away. He's got the ability to take the top off the defense immediately, and Egbuka has great hands to make difficult catches seem routine. Clearly a no.1 receiver of the future for the Buccaneers, Egbuka will learn behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin as a rookie.
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6. HOU: Jaylin Noel, Luke Lachey sign deals
Source: NFL.com
Houston Texans third-round draft choice WR Jaylin Noel and seventh-round draft choice TE Luke Lachey signed four-year contracts with the Texans Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our view: Noel is a hyper quick receiver who can get open in tight spaces. In addition to what he can do as a slot receiver, Noel should contribute on special teams as a returner. Lachey had a knee injury a few years ago at Iowa, and he would've been a higher draft pick if not for that injury. There's some TJ Hockenson to his game, but he's clearly got to stay healthy and prove himself as a late-round pick.
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7. NE: Multiple draft picks sign contracts
Source: NFL.com
New England Patriots third-round draft choice WR Kyle Williams, third-round draft choice C Jared Wilson, fourth-round draft choice Joshua Farmer, fifth-round draft choice LB Bradyn Swinson, sixth-round draft choice PK Andres Borregales, seventh-round draft choice OT Marcus Bryant, seventh-round draft choice CB Kobee Minor and seventh-round draft choice LS Julian Ashby signed four-year contracts with the Patriots Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our view: Kyle Williams is a quick receiver with speed to flip the field on any catch. He'll have a chance to become a favorite target for QB Drake Maye this year. Williams begins his pro career as the no.3 receiver on the depth chart behind Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas.
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8. PIT: Will Howard signs contract
Source: Steelers.com - Teresa Varley
Pittsburgh Steelers sixth-round draft choice QB Will Howard signed a four-year contract with the Steelers Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our view: Howard is a scrappy quarterback who can make pocket throws when well protected. When things go off script, Howard needs to manage his game better. The Steelers have yet to sign Aaron Rodgers to be their starter, and Howard is just a developmental guy in 2025 (and perhaps 2026) anyway.
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9. MIA: Miami locks up five picks
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
Miami Dolphins fifth-round pick DT Jordan X. Phillips, fifth-round pick CB Jason Marshall Jr., fifth-round pick S Dante Trader Jr., sixth-round pick RB Ollie Gordon II and seventh-round pick DT Zeek Biggers signed their rookie four-year deals Friday, May 9. Phillips, Marshall and Trader, all selected in the fifth round, will each total about $4.6 million on the scale. Gordon, a sixth-round pick, is due to make more than $4.4 million. Ewers and Biggers, as seventh-rounders, are set to make around $4.3 million.
Our view: Gordon is a player we appreciate because of his size/athleticism combination. He's a big-bodied back (226 pounds) with the movement skills of a smaller back. In the NFL, Gordon needs to show the ability to use his size as a weapon in a power game. The rookie is competing for a reserve spot this year behind De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright.
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10. SF: Seven draft picks sign rookie contracts
Source: 49ers.com
San Francisco 49ers third-round draft choice LB Nick Martin, third-round draft choice CB Upton Stout, fourth-round draft choice WR Jordan Watkins, fifth-round draft choice RB Jordan James, fifth-round draft choice S Marques Sigle, seventh-round draft choice Connor Colby and seventh-round draft choice WR Junior Bergen signed four-year contracts with the 49ers Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our view: Any running back added to the 49ers roster will attract out attention. James can turn short passes into long gains with speed and quickness. We'll watch him in camp as he works to earn a roster spot behind starting RB Christian McCaffrey.
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11. LAC: LAC agrees to deals with seven picks
Source: Chargers.com
Los Angeles Chargers third-round draft choice DT Jamaree Caldwell, fourth-round draft choice LB Kyle Kennard, fifth-round draft choice WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, fifth-round draft choice TE Oronde Gadsden II, sixth-round draft choice OG Branson Taylor, sixth-round draft choice S R.J. Mickens and seventh-round draft choice CB Trikweze Bridges signed four-year contracts with the Chargers Friday, May 9. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our view: Orande Gadsen II is a player with a freakish athletic skill set. He's a weapon as a tight end, and Gadsen can use a blend of size and speed to make plays. Gadsen will learn behind Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin in his rookie season, but he's got the upside to one day be a starter.
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That's a wrap for today.
Thanks for riding with us and for being part of the Footballguys family.
We'll be back tomorrow with your daily dose of football wisdom.
And once more for the people in the back: Thank you, Moms. You're the real MVPs.
Peace, Love, and Fantasy Football,
J
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Written By Joe Bryant. News by Sigmund Bloom, Bob Harris, and Cecil Lammey
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