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Fantasy Football: Winners and Losers in the N.F.L. Draft

By MATTHEW SCHWIMMER, MOE KOLTUN and MATT COTT
After three days, seven rounds and 256 picks, it is time to sit back and reflect on the madness of the N.F.L. draft. As we discussed in our preview of the draft, how a player fits into his team’s scheme is truly the deciding factor in fantasy value, and now we know the matches of teams, depth charts and opportunities.
Jameis Winston, Todd Gurley and Amari Cooper were the top quarterback, running back and wide receiver in the draft, and each should have the opportunity to prove his worth from Day 1. But after them, who are some of the best fits for potential fantasy value in 2015?
Here are our biggest winners and losers of the weekend, from a fantasy perspective:
Winners
Kevin White, Chicago Bears WR
White could not have asked for a better situation. A former West Virginia wideout, he was drafted in the top 10 but still managed to find himself playing with a very capable quarterback. Although Jay Cutler may not play winning football that often, fantasy owners are well aware that he can guide an offense with plenty of fantasy scoring. With the departure of Brandon Marshall to the Jets, White walks into a situation similar to Mike Evans’s last year, except with a much improved quarterback. White is at his best on 50-50 balls, something Cutler relies on. White will be our top rookie fantasy wide receiver going into the season as his 4.35 40-yard dash speed, 36.5-inch vertical leap and 1,400-yard, 10-touchdown senior season showed his combination of speed, athleticism and production. White dropped only five of his 163 targets last year and has come a long way since playing junior college three years ago. With Alshon Jeffery preventing him from being double-teamed, as Vincent Jackson did for Evans, White is a realistic candidate for 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Melvin Gordon likely will be an early target in most fantasy drafts this season. Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press 
Melvin Gordon, San Diego ChargersRB
The Chargers’ running back situation was one to watch in the lead-up to the draft. Sure enough, they traded up to use their first pick on Gordon, shoring up a huge hole in their offense.
Gordon does not have elite speed, but he improved in the receiving game in his senior season and has the tools to be an every-down back. Danny Woodhead will be mixed into the backfield rotation, but Gordon should be able to beat out Branden Oliver and Donald Brown for the lead role, as the two ran for just 3.6 and 2.6 yards per carry last season. Gordon and the Chargers are a perfect match in terms of need and opportunity, making Gordon an early target in most fantasy drafts this season.
Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles WR
This draft could not have shaken out better for Agholor, a former Southern Cal wideout, as he slots into an Eagles receiving corps that is looking for a new top option. In the 2009 draft, the Eagles selected Jeremy Maclin with the 19th pick over all, and after losing Maclin to the Chiefs in free agency, the team had a dire need for a pass catcher. So, in a pick that elicited more than a little déjà vu, Philadelphia snapped up Agholor with the 20th pick over all. Maclin is 6 feet, weighs 198 pounds and ran a 4.45 40 at his N.F.L. combine. Agholor is 6 feet, weighs 198 pounds and ran a 4.42 40 at the combine.
Last season, Maclin finished as a top 10 fantasy wide receiver, and while Agholor may not reach those heights right away, he has the upside, the talent and certainly the situation to do so alongside Jordan Matthews as Sam Bradford’s favorite targets in the new Philadelphia offense.
The Titans will build around Marcus Mariota.Mark Humphrey/Associated Press 
Losers
T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars RB
Yeldon had a fantastic career at Alabama, but regressed in his junior year, producing the least yards and touchdowns in his three seasons there. Even so, he was selected early in the second round. On the surface, this may seem like a good situation, as Yeldon’s competition (Toby Gerhart and Denard Robinson) is weak. But the Jaguars offense is so bad that even if Yeldon receives the main share of the carries, he will still barely be a flex option in standard leagues. According to Footballoutsiders.com, Jacksonville had the third worst run-blocking offensive line and the worst pass-protecting line in the N.F.L. The team has done nothing to alleviate that problem in the off-season, aside from drafting a guard in the third round. In the long term, Yeldon has the skills to become a solid fantasy option, but for the 2015 season, the Jaguars are a team that will often be playing from behind, making it nearly impossible for Yeldon to be a valuable fantasy contributor.
Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans QB
It was clear that Mariota would be the second overall pick, but which team would own that pick was far from certain. Instead of having the Bears or the Eagles trade up for Mariota, the former Oregon signal caller, the Titanskept the pick and will build around him. While the team did bring in two wide receivers, including a seventh-round value pick in Tre McBride, this should still be a bottom-five offense in the league. Instead of returning to his familiar Chip Kelly offense in Philadelphia, Mariota will be coached by Ken Whisenhunt, who has never adapted well to the spread offense. Only adding to the confusion, the team drafted a fullback, a position rarely involved in a spread offense, in the fourth round, and signed another after the draft. Mariota can still become an above average N.F.L. starter, but this weekend did not do anything to help his fantasy value.
Devin Smith, Jets WR
When evaluating Smith, two words come to mind: deep threat. Smith had only 33 catches in his senior season at Ohio State, but he averaged 28 yards per catch on his way to 931 yards and 12 touchdowns. Despite his talent, there are reasons for concern for Smith in his rookie season. He is a raw talent who had an inconsistent college career; last season, he had more than two catches in only five of his 15 games. Even worse for his fantasy value, he goes to a team that is deep at wide receiver and has a quarterback who is likely to struggle to get Smith the ball accurately downfield. Unless there is an injury to Brandon Marshall or Eric Decker, Smith is unlikely to produce much for fantasy owners in 2015.