Fantasy Football Winners and Losers of the NFL Trade Deadline: Jakobi Meyers, Rashid Shaheed, Breece Hall, and More

The NFL trade deadline passed with a few big names on the move, but it mostly involved players who aren't going to make a big fantasy football difference. While several wide receivers flipped teams, the most notable players were defensive guys in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams.

That means a lot in real football and will impact playoff races, but it doesn't do a lot to move the needle in fantasy. Those tougher and easier matchups based on player movement matter, but it's more of an indirect impact and won't happen on a weekly basis.

Let's look at some of the fantasy football winners and losers of the NFL trade deadline. We'll included players who were moved, those on the acquiring teams who will benefit, and some players who weren't involved in trades and lost because of it. You won't see some of those biggest names here because the focus will be on the fantasy side of things, which impacts offense the most.

Use FantasySP's fantasy assistant to link your teams and get advice on lineup decisions, roster moves, and more!

Winner: Sam Darnold

Darnold could be the legitimate MVP right now. He ranks seventh in passing yards despite already having his bye and leads the league in yards per pass attempt (9.6) among players with at least 10 attempts. Darnold's 16 touchdowns rank ninth, but he's only two behind second place, and only three guys ahead of him in TDs have fewer interceptions.

All that is happening with Jaxson Smith-Njigba leading the way and all other pass catchers contributing at a low level, including assumed second receiver Cooper Kupp, who is averaging 3.4 receptions and 41.9 yards per game. There was room for a true WR2.

While Darnold has been great, more pass catchers will help against the toughest defenses, especially come the postseason. In the meantime, Shaheed is a downfield threat who complements the possession style of Smith-Njigba and Kupp. Shaheed's average catch has been shorter this season with more volume and subpar quarterbacks, but in each of the past three years, he averaged at least 15.6 yards per reception, twice topping 17.

JSN is hitting those big plays this season, but now he can work in different areas of the field and let Shaheed run deep. This is simply another weapon added to an already excelling offense.

Winner: Rashid Shaheed

Shaheed is in the last year of his contract and was likely to leave at the end of the season, so New Orleans got a little value before then, picking up a fourth- and a fifth-round pick. His loss will hurt the Saints' offense, but it will help the receiver likely put up better numbers.

New Orleans is one of the worst teams in football, and they have one of the two worst quarterback situations, along with the Browns. Pass catchers playing for the Saints are at a severe disadvantage right now (pray for Chris Olave's future).

Shaheed now goes to a quarterback who played above-average football for the first time as a pro last season and has carried it on to an even greater degree. Shaheed is on pace to set career highs essentially across the board, and he could also play 18 games this season, as Seattle already had their bye and New Orleans hasn't.

Those numbers could help him secure a nice contract this offseason, and if he fits in and hits big plays with the Seahawks, he could end up as Darnold's permanent second option.

Loser: Jakobi Meyers

Meyers was traded from the Raiders to the Jaguars. He requested a trade in the offseason and reiterated it recently, and he finally got his wish, going to a team that is fighting for the playoffs but hurting at wide receiver.

Meyers is going to get chances: Travis Hunter is on IR, and Brian Thomas Jr., Dyami Brown, and Tim Patrick are all dealing with injuries and questionable this week. Thomas has a high ankle sprain, which will at least seriously hamper the top receiver if it doesn't knock him out for a few weeks.

It's the situation that he moves into that puts Meyers in the “Loser” category. While the Raiders have averaged 7.0 yards per attempt this season, right in the middle, the Jaguars are at 6.3, the seventh-worst mark in the league. Meyers could help, but based on their recent numbers, I think most would see Geno Smith as a better quarterback than Trevor Lawrence.

I don't like Meyers any more now as a fantasy player than prior to the trade, but given the opportunities, he stays in that WR3/4/flex range where he was already. Meyers is owned in around 80% of leagues, so it's more about what he will do for current owners. Expecting the same outlook is the right move until we see differently, and since he could have gone to a much better passing team (New England anyone?), that makes Meyers a relative fantasy loser.

Loser: Drake Maye

Speaking of the Patriots, they had a chance to add another playmaker for their young quarterback but chose to stand pat. Maybe the right deal never materialized; that happens. Maybe New England doesn't see themselves as true contenders and wants to keep their draft capital; it would be understandable.

With the Pats 7-2, leading their division, and with wins over the Steelers, Bills, and Falcons, you have to imagine that it's disappointing for the fanbase to not see the team add another player at a modest price; both Shaheed and Meyers went for two mid-round picks.

Maye is already QB3, and he's likely to continue producing, so his status as a fantasy “Loser” is relative. This is more about not getting that extra piece that could send this unit over the top, which could have been at least assumed with the addition of a solid veteran.

We could also throw in a few other quarterbacks who would have benefited from upgrades, like Jaxson Dart, or even Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, but Maye seemed like one of the most obvious guys who could use another veteran pass-catching presence.

Loser: Breece Hall

From a player who didn't get any upgrades to one who didn't get a better situation, Hall was showing up in trade rumors but stayed put despite the Jets sending out two of their best players. Hall is in the last season of his rookie contract, so many figured the team would be willing to send him to a contender for a modest return.

With the Chiefs, Texans, Chargers, and even Cowboys as possible landing spots among teams that could be looking to add, nothing materialized, so Hall will spend at least the next nine weeks in New York. He will be a candidate for an extension or the franchise tag, though the Jets might be willing to let him go as part of a rebuild. None of it matters in 2025.

A possible fantasy boon instead kept the status quo, and while that leaves Hall as a decent fantasy running back who probably sits in the RB2 range, his ceiling doesn't raise the way it would moving to a better offense. Like with Maye, he is a loser only in that there was the possibility for so much more, but he was left with simply the same.

Conclusion

The Shaheed trade is the one that has the biggest chance for a fantasy impact. While Meyers could make a difference for Jacksonville in the real playoff chase, his fantasy prospects mostly remain unchanged, and we can say the same for his quarterback and teammates.

The other moves are going to make a bigger difference outside of the fantasy world. The only move to make is picking up Darnold if you need quarterback help, as he is owned in fewer than 50% of leagues but might see a jump. Shaheed is already heavily owned, but there is a little availability, and he fits nicely on your bench if you could use WR depth.

There are more guys involved that we didn't talk about, like the leftover wide receivers in Las Vegas and New Orleans, but it's unlikely that anyone really blossoms from those situations. Mostly likely, we will see some guys get a modest bump from more opportunities, but there won't be big revelations from those who haven't made much of an impact to this point.