Fantasy Football ADP Risers And Fallers: Catch Mike Washington

We have made it to the penultimate edition of the “Underdog Risers and Fallers” series. All summer, we have chronicled the biggest weekly changes in ADP on Underdog, but we are officially at the finish line. The final week of the preseason is in the books, and we are a mere 10 days from the start of the regular season. That means it’s nearly time to shift out of draft mode and into management mode.

Fortunately, that still leaves plenty of time to build rosters in the interim. Let’s look at three of this week’s biggest risers and fallers, and how you should approach them moving forward.

Risers in Fantasy Football ADP

Kayshon Boutte | HOU | WR (+33.3 spots)

Kayshon Boutte was the biggest winner this week, thanks to a change in scenery. While moving from New England to Houston is a downgrade in terms of offensive efficiency, Boutte should see far more volume than he would’ve with the Patriots. They deemed him surplus after trading for A.J. Brown and signing Romeo Doubs this offseason.

Boutte should slot in as the No. 2 receiver in Houston opposite Nico Collins. While Boutte isn’t a true game-changer at receiver, he does have a very appealing skill set for best ball fantasy leagues. He was a massive big-play threat last season, averaging 16.7 yards per reception and 12.0 yards per target. The latter figure was the top mark in the entire NFL.

Boutte has a chance to fill the role opened up by the injury to Jayden Higgins. While he’ll still have to compete with Collins, Tank Dell and Jaylin Noel for snaps and opportunities at receiver, Boutte should hit for a few big plays throughout the year. He should put up solid fantasy scores in those outings, making him the ideal depth receiver in best ball formats.

Mike Washington | LV | RB (+26.5 spots)

Mike Washington absolutely tore up the preseason as a fourth-round rookie. He averaged an elite 7.3 yards per attempt on a not insignificant 23 carries. Washington was already on the fantasy radar after blazing a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and he averaged 6.4 yards per attempt in his lone season at Arkansas.

Washington has reportedly done enough during the preseason to force his way into the Raiders’ plans at running back. While it’s extremely unlikely that he unseats Ashton Jeanty for the starting job, it could be more of a 1-2 punch than initially expected.

However, the biggest development for Washington is the injury Jeanty suffered during training camp. The severity of his ankle injury is still unknown, and while the team is hopeful that he’ll suit up in Week 1, that is far from a guarantee. If Washington earns the start and puts in another impressive performance, he could cement his spot in the rotation.

Ultimately, Washington has become an extremely intriguing selection in the middle-to-late rounds. He could provide some flex value even with Jeanty healthy, and he’s a clear Week 1 starter if Jeanty is ultimately ruled out.

MarShawn Lloyd | GB | RB (+18.3 spots)

Speaking of murky situations, there was a big development with Josh Jacobs on Sunday. After being charged with two misdemeanors related to his May arrest, Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

If Jacobs were to miss any time this season, MarShawn Lloyd figures to be the primary beneficiary. The former third-round pick is talented, but he has struggled to stay healthy through his first two seasons. He’s been limited to just six total carries over that timeframe, but he has impressed throughout training camp and the preseason. The Packers were 22nd in Dropback Over Expectation (DBOE) last season, so he could certainly pay dividends if he took over as their starter.

Lloyd’s price has jumped more than 1.5 rounds over the past seven days, but he still stands out as a buy at that figure. He’s a priority bench stash with significant upside.

Fallers in Fantasy Football ADP

Alvin Kamara | NO | RB (-19.5 spots)

For the first time in years, Alvin Kamara does not enter the season atop the Saints’ RB depth chart. That honor belongs to Travis Etienne instead, who was signed to a big-money deal this offseason. That said, Kamara was still expected to be a significant factor in the passing game.

Unfortunately, Kamara suffered an MCL sprain during a scrimmage vs. the Cowboys, and he is expected to miss around a month. That sidelines him for at least the first week of the regular season and possibly longer.

While a one-week absence isn’t the end of the world, starting the season injured is never a good thing. Add in the fact that Kamara was already just a backup, and it’s pretty easy to see why drafters are looking elsewhere. Kamara could still be a factor once he’s up and running—especially in full PPR leagues—but the upside isn’t there as long as Etienne is healthy.

Tyrone Tracy | NYG | RB (-16.3 spots)

Tyrone Tracy was evaluated for a concussion during a preseason game vs. the Jets, but he has already cleared the protocol. Before exiting that contest, Tracy racked up 37 yards and a touchdown on just 4 carries.

With the brief injury scare in the rearview mirror, it’s possible that Tracy’s price rebounds a bit over the next week. However, his situation is still far from ideal. The team signed Najee Harris, adding yet another body to an already crowded RB room. ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan reports that Harris signed under the premise of being a “significant contributor,” which doesn’t bode well for Tracy’s prospects.

Cam Skattebo is the clear starter in New York, but if he were to get injured, it could be a committee that takes over in his stead. That’s a pretty bad development for Tracy’s fantasy prospects.

Travis Hunter | JAX | WR (-9.6 spots)

Buying low on elite talents is a tried-and-true fantasy strategy, and talents don’t get much more elite than Travis Hunter. He was billed as the NFL’s Shohei Ohtani, capable of playing on both sides of the ball. That’s why the Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to acquire him.

Unfortunately, Hunter did not live up to the billing as a rookie, and he now finds himself in a very crowded receiver room. Parker Washington broke out down the stretch last season, while Jakobi Meyers was a reliable chain-mover after being acquired from the Raiders. Brian Thomas Jr. also remains after posting a historically good rookie season two years ago.

With that in mind, it’s not surprising that Hunter has reportedly focused far more on defense than offense this offseason. ESPN’s John Shipley reports that Hunter has been used almost exclusively at cornerback over the past two weeks. He adds that there will be games where Hunter gets snaps on offense, but those could be extremely tough to predict. Hunter is not someone I’ve drafted very often this offseason, and a slightly reduced price tag isn’t going to change that.