The 5 best NFL free agent moves for 2021 fantasy football

With the new league year upon us and the majority of high profile player moves now signed, sealed and delivered, I look back over the past week of player transactions for my favorite moves that I will be looking to target when draft season rolls around.

Aaron Jones re-signing with the Green Bay Packers

I start with the lowest of hanging fruit as Jones sticking in Green Bay made the most sense in fantasy football terms of any of the moves over the first week of the new season. Jones finished as the RB5 in 2020 in the most efficient offense I have ever graded and over the last two seasons, Jones has totaled over 3,000 total yards and 30 touchdowns. Sticking with Aaron Rodgers as the Packers make another tilt at the Super Bowl keeps Jones firmly as an RB1 option for 2021.

Matthew Stafford being traded to the Los Angeles Rams

Love, love, love this move for Stafford, the Rams, and fantasy football. Stafford has been stuck in a Lions team that has gone nowhere over the past three years, but prior to the Matt Patricia era, Stafford was a perennial top 10 fantasy quarterback, finishing in the top 10 every year from 2011 to 2017. The move to Los Angeles and joining a Sean McVay offense has an arrow up against Stafford as a fantasy asset in 2021.

Curtis Samuel signing with the Washington Football Team

Samuel led the Panthers’ receivers in touches in 2020, catching 77 passes and rushing 39 times for over 1,000 yards and 5 touchdowns to finish as the WR21. His versatility has taken him to Washington and he will continue to be a valuable fantasy asset in what could be quite a funky Washington offense, where alongside Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic, Samuel will likely to continue the Swiss Army knife role he saw in Carolina. I don’t expect Samuel to make a huge leap in production, but his role will keep him as a top weekly flex option.

Jameis Winston re-signing with the New Orleans Saints

Ok, it might not be the clearest quarterback situation out there, but I’m backing Jameis to be the starter in New Orleans if it comes down to a straight competition between him and the $140m man (lol) Taysom Hill. Winston was the QB5 in fantasy in his last season as starter in Tampa (despite the 30 interceptions), and if he gets the starting gig in the Saints offense, then I can see him turning in another fantasy worthy season. We know he likes to let it fly, and another year in a Sean Payton offense will hopefully cut some of the errors out his game.

Will Fuller signing with the Miami Dolphins

Finally we get a healthy season from Fuller and he gets popped for a PED suspension that see him miss the last four games of the season. He was on pace for over 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns last year, showing what is possible when he stays on the field. Joining the Dolphins, Fuller slots in as a de-facto no. 2 behind DeVante Parker, though his deep speed and big play ability could mean he could (and will) end up as the top performing fantasy option in the Dolphins offense in 2021. He’s suspended for Week 1 of the 2021 season, but that wont mean much come draft time, and I can see Fuller out-drafting Parker, who saw a drop off last year after being the WR11 in 2019.

Who do you think is the best fantasy free agent signing so far?