Blake Krass breaks down which players have been trending up and down in DraftKings NFL Best Ball drafts so far this offseason.
The NFL Draft is in the rearview, and now it is time to turn attention towards the upcoming season. Best Ball drafts have been taking place for a few weeks, and some players have already had dramatic changes in their average draft position. This is a look at this week’s biggest risers and fallers.
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David Njoku found a new home this offseason, moving from Cleveland to Los Angeles. Njoku had a great nine years with the Browns and was still producing last season. However, the Browns drafted Harold Fannin Jr. last year, and he had an excellent rookie season. Fannin would likely be the primary tight end next season, so Njoku is on to a new team for the first time in his decade in the NFL. The Chargers also have a promising young tight end, Oronde Gadsden Jr. Gadsden broke onto the scene with a couple of electrifying performances last season, but cooled off down the stretch.
There should be a solid role for Njoku in the Chargers’ offense. He is a great blocker that will earn snaps in the offense just with his physical presence and experience. He should be a good leader for Gadsden and set a good example for the sophomore tight end. These two should both see plenty of snaps, and if Gadsden can’t find the magic that he had early in his rookie season, it could be on Njoku to be the primary tight end. The biggest concern around Njoku is his injury history. He has only played in 23 regular-season games over the last two seasons.
Kenneth Gainwell is another player who has found a new home. After four years with the Eagles, Gainwell went to the Steelers last year and had a career-best season. Gainwell combined for over 1,000 rushing + receiving yards and scored eight total touchdowns. Now, he is headed to Tampa Bay to be a part of Zac Robinson’s offense.
Gainwell will be backing up Bucky Irving, who is entering his third season in the NFL. Irving had a remarkable rookie season, but injuries plagued his sophomore season. He only played in 10 games and was unable to put up the same numbers on the ground. Irving is still questionable to be ready for the start of OTAs as he recovers from a shoulder injury. Irving will be the RB1 if he’s healthy, but with these injury struggles, the Buccaneers needed another solid option in the backfield. Even if Irving stays healthy, there should be a solid role for Gainwell on the ground and in the passing game. This offense should be a great fit for what he can do.
Kayshon Boutte is coming off a decent season. He only played in 14 games and ended up with 551 receiving yards for the Patriots. That made him New England’s third-leading receiver behind Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry. Diggs left the Patriots this offseason, so theoretically, there should be a bigger role for Boutte. The only receiver that the Patriots have acquired this offseason is Romeo Doubs from Green Bay. If the Patriots’ current depth chart remains the same, Boutte should have a huge role in the offense. However, it is still expected that New England will acquire A.J. Brown this offseason.
If the Patriots get Brown, he will be the clear WR1, just like Diggs was last season. That will leave Boutte, Doubs and Pop Douglas fighting for snaps in the other wide receiver spots. Boutte has yet to play a full season in his three years in the NFL, so injuries are also a concern for him. His last two seasons have been nearly identical statistically for Boutte, so assuming A.J. Brown comes to town, it could be a similar middling season for Boutte in 2026-27.
Zach Charbonnet is coming off a Super Bowl win. He played a big role in the offense all season, despite Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III being the primary back. After winning Super Bowl MVP, the Seahawks let Walker leave in free agency. For a brief time, it looked like this could be Charbonnet’s chance to be the main man in the backfield. However, Seattle used its first-round pick on running back Jadarian Price from Notre Dame. There will now be an open competition between Charbonnet and Price for that RB1 role.
Funnily enough, Price spent his college career in the same role that Charbonnet has played in Seattle. Charbonnet is a great running back, but was still the clear RB2 to Walker. Meanwhile, at Notre Dame, Jadarian Price was clearly talented enough to be a first-round NFL draft pick. However, he spent his career as a backup behind the sensation that is Jeremiyah Love. Neither of these players wants to spend another season as a backup and will desperately want that RB1 role. The most likely scenario is that the two split carries relatively equally over the first few weeks. Then, the better performer will take on an increased role in the offense.
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