Fantasy Football Mailbag: Pre-Training Camp Questions Answered! (07/08 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Chris Godwin was a terrible football player last year coming back from a very serious injury; he had no speed, his metrics were bad, and he was barely targeted. He ran a 5.5-second 40-yard dash, which is significantly slow for a wide receiver. The source cautions that multiple injuries can completely reshape who a player is moving forward, and Godwin's performance last year raises questions about whether he can return to being the player he was before his injuries. However, if Godwin comes back to being himself after his injury recovery, he could be one of the steals of the draft, representing significant upside at his current ADP.

Watson is expected to take a leap as the number-one receiver at Green Bay. He was a top-20 wide receiver last year as a big-play threat and is expected to improve in his role.

Dulcich is a bench player who could have a big first game and become nearly impossible to get off waivers in week two. He's taking on the Raiders in week one, which should be a good opportunity for him to produce early and generate waiver wire buzz.

In a dynasty PPR trade where a team gives up Ricky Pearsall to get Isaiah Likely, the source is neutral but leans slightly positive if the team needs a tight end. Likely is signed to a decent-sized contract, which provides some security, whereas Pearsall is coming to the end of his rookie contract and has been injured the entire time.

McMillan is a potential number-two option on the Buccaneers who could be better than Chris Godwin despite being drafted 60+ picks later. McMillan looked significantly better than Godwin last year, and if Godwin continues to struggle with the effects of his serious injury (he ran a 5.5-second 40-yard dash and had bad metrics), McMillan could outperform him. If they were in the same circumstances as last year with no Evans and Godwin still struggling, McMillan would crush him.

Williams' 2024 top-12 finish was heavily situation-dependent: he didn't average 10 PPR points per game until Dan Campbell took over playcalling and Sam LaPorta got hurt; his 12.9 PPR PPG would rank outside the top 30 in a normal year. The source cautions his ADP is too high given a consistent track record of underperformance when LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown are healthy. His best game (27 PPR points vs. Green Bay) came when both LaPorta was out and St. Brown left in the first quarter, yielding a 37% target share. Unless one of them gets hurt again, Williams will likely see reduced volume and inconsistent production. He's best viewed as a number-three fantasy receiver—a complementary player like DeVante Smith who will have some big weeks but also average weeks surrounded by so many good Lions weapons (Jared Goff, St. Brown, LaPorta, Jameer Gibbs). When he hits, he hits huge; when he misses, he's frustrating.

Jared Goff is identified as the quarterback who will lean on Amon-Ra St. Brown, making St. Brown a consistent target and a safer fantasy option than Jamison Williams. Goff's tendencies and target distribution are key to understanding the Lions' passing game dynamics.

Wilson was pretty awesome last year as a fantasy receiver in Arizona, and the source notes that receivers in general will be fine under Ben Petzing's offense, suggesting Wilson could continue to produce in his role.

Ricky Pearsall is an interesting candidate for fantasy football in redrafts, though the source is uncertain about where they stand on him given his injury history. However, there is some upside, and the source is surprised by his ADP because he's being drafted quite late despite the upside potential. Pearsall is coming to the end of his rookie contract, which is a consideration in dynasty formats.

If LaPorta performs like he did in his rookie season or takes a step forward, it will hurt Jamison Williams' production, indicating LaPorta is expected to be a significant factor in the Lions' passing game and a key target for Jared Goff, supporting his value as a tight end option.