Will Shedeur Sanders fall out of the first round? 😮

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• 49ers QB Brock Purdy present at beginning of 49ers voluntary offseason workouts amid contract negotiations; TE George Kittle absent

  • This report pretty much checks out with what we’ve been hearing this offseason with both players looking to receive new contract extensions ahead of the 2025 season. Since the team and Purdy are closer in negotiations to a deal than the team and Kittle, it’s not surprising that Purdy was happy to show up to voluntary workouts this week. Barring a breakdown there, it’s likely that fantasy managers can rest assured that Purdy will be locked up in San Francisco for the foreseeable future sometime soon or this summer. Things are a bit murkier on Kittle’s front – he’s been highly productive his entire career and is on the wrong side of 30 going into 2025. The two sides are reportedly ‘not close’ on a deal for a new extension at this point, and it seems as though this could be the first instance of Kittle expressing his displeasure with his contract situation. Kittle has finished notably as a top-5 fantasy TE in six of his past seven seasons, with his lone finish outside the top 5 coming in 2020 when he only made eight starts. There’s plenty of offseason left at this point with the draft still yet to happen, so the 49ers have time to iron out deals for both players – but this could be something to monitor for Kittle if it would happen to drag into training camp and/or into the preseason.

• Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com says it’s ‘safe to say’ that the Saints won’t be drafting Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders with the 9th overall pick

  • Exactly one week ago, the idea of Shedeur Sanders landing in New Orleans seemed almost inevitable: news had just broken on Derek Carr’s reported season-threatening shoulder injury, while the Browns and Giants seemed to be trending in other directions with the second and third overall picks, respectively. Today, not only does Sanders appear to be tracking towards falling out of the top-10, but his viability as a first round pick has been drawn into legitimate question, as well. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer suggests that there’s a possibility of Sanders falling completely out of the first round if his potential slide doesn’t stop at pick 21 with Pittsburgh. Breer reports that the Steelers are certainly interested in the former Colorado QB, but with the rest of the NFL seemingly down and out on Sanders, a slide to the second round where the risk would be much less than the first round could be appealing to teams looking to hedge their bets on him. With one of the oldest rosters in the league and needs across the board at multiple premium positions, the Saints could be candidates to drop back in the draft with multiple teams – including the Broncos – reportedly in the mix to trade up ahead of Thursday. For now, though, it seems like the bottom line for Shedeur could be outside the first round – and consequently, could mean that he’s fighting for a starting job this summer as a rookie as opposed to being handed the keys from Day 1.

• NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah says that Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty ‘feels like Jacksonville to me’

  • Now this would be a curveball to end all curveballs to close out the Top-5 picks of Thursday’s draft. Long rumored to be the apple of the Raiders and Bears eyes, Jeanty has consistently been mocked to both teams and appears unlikely to land outside the top-10 picks overall. However, recent reports emerging this week are painting the picture of a third potential suitor for the historic running back prospect – and the Jaguars are hold pole position in the Jeanty sweepstakes if they’’d choose to go that direction at No. 5 overall. This, of course, could very well be smoke at the beginning of draft week in an effort to entice other teams to jump up ahead at a high price tag – it’s an incredibly deep and talented RB class this year, and with Travis Etienne/Tank Bigsby already in the fold, RB isn’t a pressing need for a Jaguars team that could use all the help it can get on the back end of their defense. Regardless, it sounds like the Jaguars are seriously considering their options on offense: Senior Yahoo! Sports reporter Charles Robinson shared in an article that it would ‘be a surprise if the Jaguars didn’t take a skill player at fifth overall’. Combine that with a report emerging from Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline that the Jaguars view Jeanty as the ‘missing piece’ for them on offense, and there’s a little too much smoke to completely write off the Boise State star landing as a surprise pick in Duval. Should that ultimately unfold on Thursday, RBs Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby would officially be cooked with the former likely to be a centerpiece in trade discussions in that scenario.

Elic Ayomanor: His profile is built around his size, physical play style, and ability to secure contested catches. While his efficiency metrics aren't great, his toughness and ability to break tackles as an X make him a potential possession receiver at the next level.

Jayden Higgins: He has one of the best analytical profiles in this class, but he has some concerns on film against man coverage. If he lands in a system that can continually keep him in off coverage, he has a high ceiling. He's worth targeting for the upside.

Jaylin Noel: Noel's a solid receiver against both man and zone coverage, is a very good athlete, and he should be a plus slot with vertical ability in the NFL. He's a solid pick in the 2nd round of rookie drafts, and should have a relatively high floor.

Luther Burden III: Burden is a prospect to target in your rookie drafts. He's not just a gadget player, despite what many might seem he is. He has the upside to be very productive in the NFL than he was in college if he lands in the right spot.

Matthew Golden: His combination of field-stretching ability and reliable hands makes him a valuable option as a downfield weapon at the next level. But for fantasy, and the likely price of an early first rounder in rookie drafts if he's drafted in the first round, I'm probably out, because I don't think he has that type of upside.

Tetairoa McMillan: McMillan can turn into a #1 receiver in the NFL, but he's not a bulletproof prospect. He has a good profile overall, and seemingly has a high floor, but the ceiling is still a question. He's a solid first round rookie dynasty pick.

Tez Johnson: Tez is undersized, had a rough combine, but still has a chance of being a Day 2 pick because of his showing during Senior Bowl week. He's a natural separator, similar to Tank Dell, and in the right spot, he can be a fantasy WR3.