Michael Fabiano's Fantasy Offseason Wish List: New Teams for Wentz, Watson, Garoppolo, Darnold & Winston
Health. Wealth. Happiness. A Cheers reunion show. Dinner with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. A Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl championship. A New York Yankees World Series championship. Just one really good DC Comics movie.
Those are a few things on my real-life wish list.
I've got a bunch of fantasy football wishes too, some of which might happen while others would require a Wonder Woman 1984 scenario to come true. (Maybe I should wish for DC to re-do that movie altogether). Regardless, here’s my list of 2021 fantasy offseason wishes that would benefit us all.
The Eagles trade Carson Wentz to the Colts
I might get my wish on this one by the end of the week! Reports suggest the Eagles are shopping Wentz, so he could be traded sooner rather than later. I'd love to see him in Indianapolis, where he'd be back with Frank Reich, his former offensive coordinator. The Colts also have a lot of cap space, a good line, and young talent on offense.
Jalen Hurts becomes the Eagles No. 1 quarterback
With Wentz out of the mix, the Eagles would hand the offense over the Hurts. He started and finished three games as a rookie, during which time he averaged 79.3 rushing yards and over 25 fantasy points. His skills as a runner make him a dangerous dual-threat, and we all know how much value mobile quarterbacks have in fantasy land.
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The Texans trade Deshaun Watson to the 49ers
Watson wants out of Houston, and the Texans want to keep him. Sounds like a soap opera. Regardless, if he has to be traded (staying in Houston might be preferable), think about the value Watson would bring in the Niners' offense. His stock would remain the same, but players like George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel would elevate.
Jimmy Garoppolo traded to the Patriots
If the Niners trade for Watson or Sam Darnold (which has been rumored), the team will part ways with Garoppolo. I see his best fantasy landing spot being the team that drafted him, the Patriots. They're in a good place in terms of the salary cap, so New England could add pieces around him. Garoppolo knows the offense very well, too.
The Jets select Justin Fields in the NFL Draft
If the Jets are unable to swing a trade for Watson, I’d like to see them take Fields at No. 2 in the draft. I love mobile quarterbacks, and Fields fits the mold with over 800 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in his final two seasons at Ohio State. The Jets also have the draft capital and cap room to surround Fields with talent.
The Jets trade Sam Darnold to the Panthers
The Jets are likely to have a new quarterback, making Darnold expendable. Several teams would be interested, and getting a fresh start would be good for his appeal. The Panthers are looking to make a move, and Darnold would be in a great spot with Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, and former teammate Robby Anderson at his disposal.
Jameis Winston signs with the Football Team
Reports suggest Winston is in line to be re-signed and start for the Saints, but this is my wish list, right? I'd rather see him leave the Saints and join an up-and-coming team like the Football Team. With Terry McLaurin, Antonio Gibson, and Logan Thomas in the mix, plus a positive cap situation, Winston would have many weapons in Washington.
Taysom Hill becomes the Saints No. 1 quarterback
If Winston leaves the bayou, Hill would be the obvious favorite to take over as the Saints No. 1 quarterback. He was a stud in that role in four 2020 contests, averaging 21.2 fantasy points while ranking as the QB7 in that time. Hill would have also projected to rush for more than 800 yards based on his rushing totals during those four starts.
Aaron Jones signs with the Falcons
Jones has finished as a top-five fantasy running back in each of the last two seasons, and he’ll be just 26 when next season starts. The Packers have A.J. Dillon waiting in the wings, so paying Jones a big deal might not be in the team’s best interests. He would retain a high level of value on a new team, and Atlanta has a glaring hole in its backfield.
A.J. Dillon becomes the Packers No. 1 running back
With Jones out of the mix on my wish list, Dillon would be in line to take over as the top back in Green Bay. While he didn’t get a ton of work as a rookie, his monster performance against the Titans in Week 16 brought drool to the lips of fantasy managers. Dillon might have to share some work, but he’ll bring RB2 value as a starter.
J.K. Dobbins becomes the Ravens No. 1 running back
The release of veteran Mark Ingram should be the start of this wish becoming a reality. I don’t know that he would be a true featured back, as the Ravens should retain restricted free agent Gus Edwards, but Dobbins is a versatile stats machine who led all backs with a 6.0 yards per rush average as a rookie. The sky’s the limit for Dobbins.
D’Andre Swift becomes the Lions No. 1 running back
Swift said he wants the Lions to re-sign Adrian Peterson, but I’d prefer a clearer path to touches. In five games as a rookie where he had at least 15 touches, Swift averaged an impressive 20.8 fantasy points. With new offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn and running backs coach Duce Staley calling the shots, Swift could bust out.
Cam Akers becomes the Rams No. 1 running back
This seems like a foregone conclusion as Akers averaged 21.7 touches and 16.3 fantasy points over his final seven games as a rookie (including the postseason). However, Darrell Henderson will still be in the mix, and Malcolm Brown could be re-signed (unlikely). If Akers is the Rams' top runner, he could push for top-12 running back value.
The Jets select Travis Etienne in the NFL Draft
With Justin Fields on the roster (in my wish list), I'd love to see the Men in Green further solidify the backfield with Etienne. He's a dual-threat and would give the Jets a home-run hitter at a spot where they've lacked in recent seasons. A featured role would be a virtual lock for Etienne, bringing No. 2 running back value.
The Bills select Najee Harris in the NFL Draft
Buffalo selected a running back in the third round of each of its last two drafts, but Harris would be a massive upgrade over Devin Singletary (2019) and Zach Moss (2020). A dynamic three-down back out of Alabama, Harris would be a cinch to take over as the team’s top runner during this rookie season in what will remain an explosive offense.
Allen Robinson signs with the Jaguars
Robinson has been a top-10 fantasy wide receiver in each of the last two seasons, but he could be better off leaving the Windy City if the Bears don’t tag him. He’ll be the most coveted free-agent wideout on the market, but. I'd like to see him return to Duval County, where he would be the top option in the passing attack for Trevor Lawrence.
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Chris Godwin signs with the Eagles
The Buccaneers would love to keep Godwin, but defenders like Shaq Barrett, Lavonte David, and Ndamukong Suh are also slated to be free agents. That could make keeping Godwin more difficult. They'll also have to decide on Antonio Brown. I'd like to see what Godwin can do as the focal point of another pass attack, and the Eagles fit.
Curtis Samuel signs with the Football Team
Samuel had a slow start in 2020, averaging 4.6 targets and 8.7 fantasy points over the first six weeks. However, over his final 10 games, he averaged 7.4 targets and 16.9 points and was the WR12 in that time. Instead of remaining the third option in Carolina, Samuel would see a more reliable target share as the No. 2 wideout in Washington.
The Eagles trade Zach Ertz to the Colts
If the Colts and Eagles come to terms on a deal for Wentz, I’d love to see Ertz included in the transaction. He’ll be just 30 when next season starts, and he’d immediately become a potential top-12 tight end (at worst) in Indianapolis. His absence in the offense would also allow Dallas Goedert to become the unquestioned top tight end.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!
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