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The Examiner Fantasy Football League Est. 2002
FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Grading the Commanders' Draft

Sat Apr 26 11:50pm ET
Field Level Media

Grade: A-

Best Pick: Josh Conerly Jr., No. 29 Overall

What We Liked: Great players all the way down. Conerly's explosive movement skills should make him a great fit for move-blocking and keeping a clean pocket for Jayden Daniels whether he chooses to scramble or not. Trey Amos deserved to be taken in the first round and should boost the secondary and help them recover from their early 2023 choice of Emmanuel Forbes. Even their late-round picks of Jaylin Lane and Kain Medrano stand to make an impact with their impressive athleticism.

Not Sure About: The Commanders could have paid a little closer attention to need, as they neglected an empty edge room and did not address the back end of their secondary. While I love Conerly, he may be getting thrown into the fire here before developing as an anchor, which could come back to bite the Commanders as they plan for the future, especially if they move him from his natural position of offensive tackle.

--Dean Bruce, special to Field Level Media

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Player Notes
Joe Mixon Apr 27 12:13am CT
Joe Mixon

Dynasty | The Texans drafted USC running back Woody Marks in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: It's a solid landing spot for Marks, who will battle the likes of Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale for snaps behind current workhorse Joe Mixon. While seeing a path to early season playing time looks tough, Marks looks like a decent late round stash in rookie drafts for managers willing to play the long game.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Kyren Williams Apr 27 12:13am CT
Kyren Williams

Dynasty | The Rams drafted Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: This is an interesting pick as the Rams have made a living of making running backs fantasy viable and Hunter could be next in line. While Kyren Williams will remain the starter for the Rams, Hunter looks like a player who could challenge Blake Corum for the RB2 job. The Rams clearly like Hunter as they traded up to get him. He looks like a solid dart throw in the middle rounds of rookie drafts.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Gunnar Helm Apr 27 12:13am CT
Gunnar Helm

Dynasty | The Tennessee Titans drafted Texas tight end Gunnar Helm in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: He should slot in behind starter Chig Okonkwo, but dynasty managers were clearly hoping he'd go to a team without an established young pass-catching option at the position. Still, Okonkwo hasn't exactly dominated in his time in the league and patient dynasty managers who take Helm late in rookie drafts could have a good bargain.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Quinshon Judkins Apr 27 12:13am CT
Quinshon Judkins

Dynasty | The Cleveland Browns drafted Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: One of the bigger value losers this year, Sampson dropped into the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Even worse, he was taken by Cleveland, who also took Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins this season, making this pick a whole lot better in reality than in fantasy. Sampson has ability but he's going to need to show a lot in camp to get any kind of early playing time. His draft stock fell quite a bit over the weekend.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Jalen Royals Apr 27 12:13am CT
Jalen Royals

Dynasty | The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Utah State wide receiver Jalen Royals in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: Royals dropped all the way to the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft before the Chiefs scooped him up at #133 overall. He landed in a good spot, but this also isn't the Kansas City offense we all loved for fantasy purposes a few years ago, either. A pre-draft top 20 player, he's going to fall a few spots because of the draft capital used (or not used), but he's certainly going to be a decent stash in dynasty leagues.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Elic Ayomanor Apr 27 12:13am CT
Elic Ayomanor

Dynasty | The Titans drafted Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: Ayomanor was a pre-draft top-15 dynasty prospect, but that won't hold after he fell all the way to the bottom of round four before being taken by the Titans. There were some questions about his overall ceiling and it seems a lot of teams just didn't think he was special in any way. Still, it only took one and Tennessee will give him a solid shot in camp to earn some early career playing time. He'll fall down a round or so in rookie drafts, but he's a solid mid-round gamble in rookie drafts.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Joe Flacco Apr 27 12:13am CT
Joe Flacco

Dynasty | The Cleveland Browns drafted Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: There were a lot of value losers in the 2025 NFL Draft, then there's Sanders, who at one time not too long ago was considered the favorite to be top overall selection. Instead, he not only fell out of the first round, he fell out of the top four rounds, finally taken by the Browns with pick #144 in round five. It was made crystal clear by what amounts to the entire NFL that the attention that inevitably was going to come with drafting Sanders just wasn't worth it. In the end, Sanders will compete not with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett to start, but with Dillon Gabriel for an active roster spot and avoidance of the practice squad. Sanders looks like a player who will be overdrafted in rookie drafts based on his name alone, but his career is now no sure thing.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Tank Bigsby Apr 26 11:13pm CT
Tank Bigsby

Dynasty | The Jaguars drafted Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: There were hopes that Tuten could slip into the second or third round of the draft, but he fell to the Jaguars in the fourth. With Tank Bigsby and Travis Ettiene likely locked into the top two spots, Tuten is going to need to show some pass catching ability and develop his game quickly to get time. Still, this is an unsettled team with a new Head Coach, so anything can happen. Tuten looks like a late second or third round pick in rookie drafts.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Devin Singletary Apr 26 11:13pm CT
Devin Singletary

Dynasty | The Giants drafted Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: This is an interesting pick as Skattebo should provide another solid option, perhaps making the backfield a bit of a three-headed monster with Tryone Tracy and Devin Singletary. Skattebo is an absolute road grader but has surprising receiving ability as well. He's going to make for an intriguing middle round pick in rookie formats.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dont'e Thornton Jr. Apr 26 11:13pm CT
Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Dynasty | The Raiders drafted Tennessee wide receiver Dont'e Thornton in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: A late addition to the pre-draft version of our Rookie Draft Guide, the buzz we heard Thornton getting proved to be real as he was taken by the Raiders towards the top of round four. He's a speedster and obviously needs to add more bulk to his frame, but there could be something to like here in the late rounds of rookie drafts.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Chuba Hubbard Apr 26 11:13pm CT
Chuba Hubbard

Dynasty | The Panthers drafted Georgia running back Trevor Etienne in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: There were hopes he could land in a spot where he could carve out an initial role, but it may be tough in Carolina with Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle currently on the depth chart. Etienne will be taken in a lot of rookie drafts, but managers need to make sure they're not just doing that on name recognition alone.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Geno Smith Apr 26 6:13pm CT
Geno Smith

Dynasty | The Las Vegas Raiders add Montana State WR/QB Tommy Mellott and North Dakota QB Cam Miller with the respective 37th and 39th picks of the sixth round. Dynasty Analysis: Mellott will be transitioning to wide receiver at the NFL level, but as a college QB, the team could end up using him in a lot of interesting packages on top of traditional out-wide snaps. Miller will operate as a developmental QB option behind Geno Smith and 2023 fourth-rounder Aidan O'Connell. Neither addition should have any tangible impact on Geno's immediate Dynasty value.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Chase Brown Apr 26 6:13pm CT
Chase Brown

Dynasty | With the 17th pick of the sixth round, the Cincinnati Bengals select Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks. Dynasty Analysis: Brooks' stocky, powerful running style is likely more of a short-term negative to Zack Moss than it is to Chase Brown. There's not much of a chance that the rookie takes away third-down snaps from the RB1, but he could eventually end up absorbing more of a short down-and-distance role than Khalil Herbert was able to earn in 2024. Brown remains a fringe RB1/2 in Dynasty, while Moss is still sitting down in roster-clogger territory.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Damien Martinez Apr 26 6:13pm CT
Damien Martinez

Dynasty | With the seventh pick of the seventh round, the Seattle Seahawks select RB Damien Martinez. Dynasty Analysis: Martinez finally comes off the board here in the seventh round, but he's going to have a difficult timing finding the field ahead of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. Regardless, the rookie profiles as a nice Dynasty stash who could become an early-down volume play should either of the backs in front of him miss any time.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Brock Purdy Apr 26 6:13pm CT
Brock Purdy

Dynasty | With the 11th pick of the seventh round, the San Francisco 49ers select Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke. Dynasty Analysis: The 49ers obviously have history with a certain seventh-round quarterback, but we shouldn't be worried about Brock Purdy's Dynasty value after this pick. Jones should also be just fine as the next man up, should Purdy miss any time.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Brashard Smith Apr 26 6:13pm CT
Brashard Smith

Dynasty | With the 12th pick of the seventh round, the Kansas City Chiefs selected SMU RB Brashard Smith. Dynasty Analysis: Isiah Pacheco should keep his early-down role perfectly intact, but it will be interesting to keep an eye on Smith for potential third-down snaps. The former receiver will have a hard time seeing consistent production, but an early career role as a special teamer could get him on the field in a fantastic offense.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Zach Wilson Apr 26 6:13pm CT
Zach Wilson

Dynasty | With the 15th pick in the seventh round, the Miami Dolphins select Texas QB Quinn Ewers. Dynasty Analysis: Ewers has enough upside to legitimately push Zach Wilson as the potential QB2 behind Tua Tagovailoa. Though he still needs some development to hit that upside, he is worth a stash in Superflex Dynasty leagues, particularly when considering Tua's lengthy injury history.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Kyle Monangai Apr 26 6:13pm CT
Kyle Monangai

Dynasty | With the 17th pick of the seventh round, the Chicago Bears add Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai. Dynasty Analysis: After all the speculation that the Bears could be spending a top-10 pick at the position, D'Andre Swift coming out of the NFL Draft with a new backfield mate all the way back in the seventh round is incredible news for his Dynasty value. Additionally, Monangai is not a risk to steal third down snaps any time soon, which helps the veteran maintain a receiving role.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Quinn Ewers Apr 26 5:30pm CT
Quinn Ewers

The Miami Dolphins have selected Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers with the 231st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ewers was previously the top recruit coming out of high school in 2022. He originally committed to Texas, flipped to Ohio State, and then transferred to Texas a year later. Ewers was benched for Arch Manning during a game against Georgia last October, but for the most part, he was the Longhorns' starter. He finished his final collegiate season having completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,472 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. In Miami, he'll offer depth behind Tua Tagovailoa and Zach Wilson. The Dolphins' No. 2 quarterback role has long been a topic of discussion due to Tagovailoa's history of serious concussions.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Apr 26 5:13pm CT
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | With the ninth pick of the sixth round, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Ohio State QB Will Howard. Dynasty Analysis: This will all be moot if the Steelers end up signing Aaron Rodgers, but as it stands, the QB depth chart consists of Rudolph, Howard, and Skylar Thompson. Doesn't inspire a lot of confidence for DK Metcalf, George Pickens, and the rest of Pittsburgh's pass-catchers. The National Championship-winning rookie will have plenty of opportunities to dethrone Rudolph, regardless of Draft capital, but this is still the best case scenario for the veteran's Dynasty value, should they avoid Rodgers.

From Dynasty League Fantasy