Free Agency Review - AFC West

The AFC West is next on the list and there’s a fair bit to discuss. It’s been a very interesting off season for the division and the signs are there that at least three teams are going to have contender level rosters while the Raider have perhaps the most experiences roster (to put it politely).

-Denver Broncos-

Key Additions:

Case Keenum

QB

2yrs

$36m

Denver needed a Quarterback and they got the guy they were after, and that guy was Case Keenum. In a market which involved Kirk Cousins it feels a strange statement to make but when you look into it, it’s not a daft decision at all. Keenum took over the Vikings QB role when Sam Bradford went down and proceeded to throw for 3547 yards and 22 touchdowns with 7 interceptions, a QB rating of 98.3 and ended up as QB14. As a better value QB than Cousins with the additional flexibility to build a roster around him whilst not losing much at all in terms of playing ability the Broncos have made a decent decision in the QB market.

Aqib Talib was traded to the Rams for a 5^th round pick in 2018 and despite losing a high end corner, the Broncos dressing room might well benefit from better leadership and a bit more cohesion. Von Miller will hopefully step up his role and become the dominant leader the team needs and the pieces around him should keep that defense at the top end of the standings.

There’s still confusion at Running Back as they seem to want away with CJ Anderson and either put their faith in Devante Booker or pick up one of the many decent running back in this year’s draft. It leavers owners in fantasy in Limbo until the draft answers that question, but Keenum is certainly a plus for the values of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.

-Kansas City Chiefs-

Key Additions:

Damien Williams	RB	1yr	$1.5m
Sammy Watkins	WR	3yrs	$48m

The main headlines from Kansas City were made even before the Superbowl had taken place as they traded away Alex Smith to the Redskins and gained cornerback Kendall Fuller and a 3^rd round pick in return. It leaves Patrick Mahomes as the starting Quarterback (with Chad Henne recently signing as the backup). The chemistry between him and the Wide Receivers will need to be built early but Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce will now also have Sammy Watkins competing for catches but also distracting coverage. It’s a hefty deal for a player who will be the 3^rd option on the team but you can’t say the Chiefs haven’t given Mahomes the best chance of success with the weapons they’ve given him.

Trades were an early theme for the Chiefs as they also traded away Marcus Peters to the Rams for a 2018 4^th round pick and a 2019 2^nd round pick which for a hot-headed although talented player signals a good return. Tamba Hali also left for pastures new but it’s not all losses as Anthony Hitchens arrives from Dallas on a 5 year $45m deal so they still don’t exactly look like a weakened outfit.

Damien Williams coming in from Miami and Spencer Ware returning from injury will provide Andy Reid with alternative options to Kareem Hunt but avoid panicking too much on Hunts value as he should remain the focal point. The success of the team in real life and fantasy may well rest on how well Pat Mahomes can adapt to being the starter. I personally do believe he can and will be effective and sustain the fantasy values for the likes of Hunt, Hill and Kelce.

-Los Angeles Chargers-

Key Additions:

Virgil Green

TE

3yrs

$8.6m

The Chargers have been very quiet this off season. I’ve had to list Virgin Green above as he’s the only person they’ve signed who might even appear on a very deep draft board. With Hunter Henry still there and likely to be a good pass catching option for fantasy Green has no value but it shows just how quiet it has been.

Their biggest signing thus far has been Mike Pouncey who joins at Centre on a 2year, $15m deal whose presence should help Phillip Rivers and Melvin Gordon (and Austin Ekeler) to be more effective. The offensive line should be further helped when Forrest Lamp returns from injury so the Chargers are a team with fantasy value across the board, especially with weapons like Keenan Allen and Henry.

The lack of action in free agency could well be a good think for the Chargers. The new stadium construction is probably more prevalent in their thinking but this team is certainly looking promising and whilst they’ve slept a bit this off season, don’t go sleeping on them come draft season.

-Oakland Raiders-

Key Additions:

Doug Martin	RB	1yr	$tbc
Jordy Nelson	WR	2yrs	$14.2m

The Oakland Raiders are very much a historic and storied franchise, and it would appear now with John Gruden at the helm; that description could also apply to the players they are signing. Their core still looks to be Derek Carr and Amari Cooper but around them there’s a wealth of experience, although that is just me putting it nicely that their squad is getting old. Doug Martin signed early on in the off season and more recently Marshawn Lynch signed a new deal to restructure his contract but which made him the lead back. The pair both have a lot of wear on their tires and to be honest not a lot of gas left in the tank.

The rising age of the team doesn’t stop in the backfield though as they added two years in cutting Michael Crabtree in favor of signing Jordy Nelson. Now I’m one of these people who believe Nelson is past his prime and the decline may be more extreme than people expect. It may get hidden by the fact he has a new offence to learn after spending so long with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Amari Cooper will have a lot on his (much younger) shoulders and after multiple seasons of disappointment, this year it’s vital for the Raiders that he breaks out properly. The latest news has been that Eric Decker has visited and could become a red-zone target. Can somebody tell them that it isn’t 2013 anymore!

On defense, adding Tahir Whitehead from the Lions should make up for losing Navarro Bowman but their defense is still a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Realistically in fantasy Carr and Cooper are a tandem that you can’t ignore but a significant uptick will be needed for the pair to be worthy of their likely draft capital. Elsewhere the star names might sell tickets but I don’t know if the fan base is that ignorant to the youth and energy other teams have in comparison.