Green Day: Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase And Tee Higgins Hit It Big
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by New Era:
There are only four team jerseys that will save you from a pinch today:
- NY Jets
- GB Packers
- PHI Eagles
- SEA Seahawks
But only one of them are the 2024 NFL Super Bowl LIX World Champions…
If you came here for some St. Patrick's Day content embedded into a fantasy football newsletter that still manages to fully center itself around NFL news, then you've come to the right place!
Aren't you … lucky! (Sorry, that’s my only St. Paddy's Day pun today. Pinky promise.)
So, let's talk green. Because this offseason has been all about that SWEET, SWEET CASH. While guys like Ja’Marr Chase, Saquon Barkley and Myles Garrett have received historic paydays recently, others in the NFL have made it very clear that their money actually isn't everything.
Which begs the question: Was The Notorious B.I.G. right all along?
MO MARCH MADNESS BRACKETS, NO PROBLEM
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More Money, More Problems: NFL Edition
(See? I mentioned money without saying anything about pots of gold!)
Kirk Cousins: Roster Bonus or Backup Hush Money?
Sure, the Falcons had previously agreed to a 4-year $180M contract with Kirk Cousins in March of 2024. And suuure, the deal included a whopping $50M signing bonus along with $90M guaranteed.
But what's another $10M?! By keeping Cousins on their roster through this past Saturday afternoon, Atlanta added an additional $10M roster bonus to Kirk's guaranteed bankroll. NICE!
Well … maybe? This extra money could potentially be a bad sign for Cousins, who has made it clear that he wants to play as a starter in 2025—something ATL isn’t willing to offer with Michael Penix Jr. as their QB1.
So either the Falcons intend to trade Cousins this offseason, ditching his roster bonus onto the next team (smart contract verbiage, ATL), OR they intend to keep him on the roster in 2025 as Penix's backup.
If it’s the latter, Cousins’ new money would function less like a “bonus” and more like hush money to keep him sitting quietly on the bench.
Aaron Rodgers: Our Time Is Money, Damnit!
Remember when the Jets decided to take a cap hit of $49M over the next two years just to cut Aaron Rodgers from the team? Yeah, I get it now. Money isn't everything.
If you haven't been keeping up with the Rodgers saga, I've hijacked Fantasy Life's printable NCAA bracket and made you an easy-to-read "March Aaron Rodgers Madness" bracket(see below).
The latest news on this drawn-out dog-sh*t drama-fest seems to be that both the Steelers and Giants have "standing offers" out for Rodgers. And just like us, they are anxiously awaiting the veteran QB's decision.
But in a rather surprising turn of events—considering Rodgers' previously vocal preference for the two aforementioned teams—Rodgers is now suddenly considering the Vikings as his "last stop" "next stop." When one door closes, another one opens, I suppose?
Whatever compounding variables are hindering Rodgers’ decision-making skills, there's one thing we do know: It allegedly has "nothing to do with money." And I'm like … 60% sure I believe it.
Chris DOGwin Godwin: Home Sweet Home
Chris Godwin made it crystal clear last week that he'd rather take steps toward retiring in Tampa Bay than get paid.
While his three-year, $66M contract ain't half bad, Godwin left a reported $20M on the table to stay with the Bucs.
Family first, as they say. And given the fact that the Bucs have dominated the NFC South for some time now, it probably doesn’t hurt the WR to stick with a winning team.
Josh Allen: Fine With 2nd Place
I know Josh Allen's $350M extension is more money than any of us will ever see in our lifetimes. But it's worth noting that his annual deal of $55M per year is still only tied for the second-highest in the NFL.
Had Allen negotiated for just $6M more a year, he would have officially been the highest-paid player in the league, topping Dak Prescott's $60M per year deal. But the QB said he was focused on the Bills as a whole, and not "looking to absolutely kill them at every chance" he could.
Again—Allen is doing just fine for himself with his freshly signed six-year deal. But for those of you looking for more reasons to draft Allen in 2025, it is worth noting that the accolades and bragging rights of being " Mr. Top Paid" didn't move the needle for him in the end. #That'sMyQB
And speaking of how Josh Allen’s contract ranks, have you seen Dwain McFarland’s player rankings? (Hey, editors: Rank my segue. 👑)
Welcome to Rankings Week
The first week of 2025 NFL free agency is behind us, we have 38 days left until the NFL Draft, and we’ve officially entered rankings week.
That’s right—every single day this week at Fantasy Life is going to be devoted to early 2025 fantasy football rankings.
First up? None other than the man behind the Utilization Report himself, Dwain McFarland. In his initial set of 2025 rankings, he’s already incredibly bullish on a pair of rookie RBs:
Ashton Jeanty | RB4
Omarion Hampton | RB21
While also highlighting a pair of second-year players set to surge even more:
Brock Bowers | TE1
BrIan Thomas Jr. | WR5
What does he think about Justin Fields, Davante Adams, Najee Harris, and more players who saw their 2025 stock shift in free agency? Click below to find out 👇
It’s Bracket Time, Baby!
As of yesterday evening, NCAA brackets are officially live!
But the fun doesn’t end with basketball. You can use brackets as a way to communicate literally anything. Want to rank your favorite Will Ferrell movies? Or maybe your favorite retro video games? The possibilities are endless …
Check out my previously mentioned Aaron Rodgers Madness bracket:
I’ll fill the rest of it out in a few months(?) when Rodgers decides what he wants to do.
But now it’s your turn! Fantasy Life’s printable NCAA Tournament brackets are finally here!
Here’s some NFL news to sift through while you’re resting on the couch. You’ve earned it:
👀 Matthew’s excited for our new weekly March Madness show, FULL COURT.
🐅 The roar has been restored. The Bengals locked up a dangerous offense for the foreseeable future.
🏀 While you might really like Duke, you might love the Drake.
👀 Why are air yards important in fantasy football?
❤️ If you love Ashton Jeanty, see where he is on our latest Big Board.
🏃 The MIN Vikings’ new RB is… pretty, pretty, pretty good.
✍️ Geno Smith highlights? Geno Smith highlights. Don’t write him off.
🏈 Is Luther Burden the next Percy Harvin?
