Jakobi Meyers Signs With Raiders; Fantasy Football Impact From NFL Free Agency

A day after signing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the Raiders added veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to their offense.

The Raiders continue to make moves on the offensive side of the ball. After signing Jimmy Garoppolo as their new starting quarterback, the team added another former Patriot, wideout Jakobi Meyers to a three-year, $33 million deal with $21 million guaranteed.

Meyers is of course familiar with the offense of head coach Josh McDaniels from their time together in New England, so the transition should be an easy one for the veteran receiver. He’ll fit right in and play both on the perimeter and in the slot.

Meyers is coming off a 2022 season that saw him finish as the WR29, posting 67 receptions for 804 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged a career-high 57.4 yards and 12.9 fantasy points a game, and he missed three contests due to injuries.

Meyers is also just 26 years old, and his fantasy points per game average has increased in each of the last three seasons. He’s also seen a combined 222 targets since 2021, averaging over seven looks over those 31 combined contests.

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Jakobi Meyers Fantasy Football Value on the Raiders

While this does give Garoppolo another weapon in the passing game, this is a lateral move at best news for Meyers’ fantasy appeal. The former top option for the Patriots, he’ll now be the second or third best pass catcher in Las Vegas with target hog Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow also drawing opportunities.

Darren Waller being traded to the Giants helps, of course, but  it’s hard to see Meyers averaging over seven targets per game or being a consistent producer.

As a result, we’ll probably be talking about Meyers as more of a No. 3 or 4 wideout in fantasy leagues, compared to being a surefire No. 3 had he remained with the Pats. Speaking of New England, they’re now in need of a wide receiver.

.@MattVerderame and @GManzano24 are grading every major free-agent signing:

▶️ Javon Hargrave: A
▶️ Marcus Davenport: B
▶️ Sam Darnold: B minus
▶️ Patrick Peterson: C plushttps://t.co/6QUYuh1ab6

— The MMQB (@theMMQB) March 14, 2023

With Meyers gone, their top options are DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne. The team also traded Jonnu Smith to Atlanta, so grabbing pass catchers in the draft and free agency is a must. The Patriots could also look to make a big trade for a star wideout like DeAndre Hopkins. Stay tuned!