One often under-reported part of the pre-draft news cycle is the top 30 visits. These visits will allow teams to work with players and explore if they would be a good fit. Before the NFL draft, each club has a limit of 30 invites to fly in out-of-town prospects for private interviews. Local college players don’t count against this number. Kenny Pickett, who played at the University of Pittsburgh, did not count against the 30 for the Steelers.
These visits are essential for dynasty fantasy football managers. It gives a glimpse of what positions each team hopes to acquire in the draft. This information is invaluable when looking ahead to older players who may be out of a job. We can get ahead of the news cycle and trade away players who may lose value. Today we will take a look at the AFC East.
I am using this article from CBS Sports to reference the visits. Not every team has used all 30, so it would be good to check back from time to time for an up-to-date list.
AFC East
New York Jets
- WR Chris Olave (Ohio State)
- WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)
- WR Jameson Williams (Alabama)
- WR Taysir Mack (Pittsburgh)
- WR Treylon Burks (Arkansas)
- TE Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina)
- OL Evan Neal (Alabama)
- OL Ikem Ekwonu (N.C. State)
- DL Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
- DL Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma)
- DL Travon Walker (Georgia)
- EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
- EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon)
- CB Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati)
- CB Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU)
With two picks in the top ten and five in the top 100, the New York Jets are set up to bring in top-end talent. And this visits list is a testament to that. With four of the top six receivers set to attend private visits with the Jets, one going in the top ten is all but a lock. This draft capital would most likely propel the player to the WR1 in our dynasty rookie drafts. The assumption is this rookie would serve as the WR1 for the Jets and allow Corey Davis to return to the role he is more comfortable in, the secondary option. Elijah Moore will serve as an excellent tertiary option, while unfortunately, Denzel Mims will struggle to see playing time.
Isaiah Likely is an exciting name to see on this list. The Jets’ tight-end room currently consists of C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin. Uzomah is 29, and Conklin will be 27 by the time the season starts, so an influx of youth would be helpful. This draft’s top tackles are traveling to New York for a visit. If the Jets were to select one at four, that would be a massive boost to this offense. The addition of Neal or Ekwonu would give the Jets the potential of having the best offensive line in the league, assuming correct coaching techniques are applied.
Miami Dolphins
- RB James Cook (Georgia)
- OL Cole Strange (Chattanooga)
- LB Channing Tindall (Georgia)
- DB Zyon Gilbert (Florida Atlantic)
Miami is a little light on prospect visits, and for a good reason. They only hold four picks in this year’s draft and none in the top 100. The draft capital that was traded away was used in the acquisitions of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. James Cook would be an exciting addition in the fourth round as new head coach Mike McDaniels previously coached in San Francisco under Kyle Shannahan. He brings over a system known for taking late-round rookie RBs and making them fantasy relevant. Until they get hurt, that is. This summer, Cook landing in Miami would make for some exciting fantasy football conversations.
New England Patriots
- RB James Cook (Georgia)
- WR John Metchie III (Alabama)
- OL Kenyon Green (Texas A&M)
- OL Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa)
- LB Darien Butler (Arizona State)
- CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson)
- CB Chase Lucas (Arizona State)
- CB Jack Jones (Arizona State)
- CB Marcus Jones (Houston)
- CB Trent McDuffie (Washington)
This list for the New England Patriots is tipping a hand that skill position players may not be in play for round one. Based on these visits, they very obviously wish to address the hole left by the departure of JC Jackson. Booth and McDuffie are both cornerbacks that may be there with the Patriots’ first-round selection at pick 21. The offensive line could also be the move at 21, with both tackle Trevor Penning and guard Kenyon Green slated to visit New England. Either way, Jakobi Meyers will be the primary wide receiver for this New England offense for the 2022 season. Depending on how your league feels about him, now may be a good time to try to grab him on the cheap.
Buffalo Bills
- RB Isaiah Spiller (Texas A&M)
- RB James Cook (Georgia)
- WR John Metchie III (Alabama)
- TE Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina)
- TE Jalen Wydermyer (Texas A&M)
- OL Dylan Parham (Memphis)
- OL Nicholas Petit-Frere (Ohio State)
- CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson)
- S Lewis Cine (Georgia)
- S Nick Cross (Maryland)
The Bills are taking an RB in the first round. It is something the fantasy community has been drooling about for nearly two years now. Now imagine if it’s Isaiah Spiller, who has had less than a stellar lead-up to draft weekend. That selection would make for some heavily debated fantasy football discourse for our rookie drafts. The other position of note that Buffalo has brought in is TE. They also signed OJ Howard from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason. Could this spell trouble for fantasy darling Dawson Knox? Potentially, Knox is entering a contract year in 2022, and the Bills are spending a lot of money on other areas of the offense. Given limited usage for the tight-end position in Buffalo, one of these players could be the replacement for Knox in 2023.
Gathering this information ahead of time will leave us fewer surprises on the draft weekend. Just because a player lands on this list doesn’t mean that team will draft them given a chance. Some of these visits may not work out, and that player may be removed from a team’s board. Other teams may have questions on their evaluation process that they need to clarify. This list should be one of many tools dynasty managers use to improve their squads this offseason.
This week, check back as we drop more top 30 lists and their potential impact. We are less than two weeks away from the NFL draft! Using this information, you might be able to get out of that aging vet before it is too late. You can find me over on Twitter at @DanT_NFL. Please give me a follow for the latest in dynasty fantasy football news and analysis. Beer recommendations and dog pictures are always welcome!
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