Although the 2021 free agents have found a new team, there are still veterans that could have value. Not only are there plenty available but some of them are fantasy relevant as well. None of these guys are worth paying a lot for but they can help you out during your season. Here we look at ten players who are still free agents but you need to keep an eye on if they sign for a team.
2021 Free Agents Remaining- QB
Alex Smith
The comeback player of the year performed miracles just to get back on the field. He suffered a horrific leg injury that kept him out for around eighteen months and so it was good to see him back playing. Not only did he just play but he lead the Washington Football Team to the playoffs before getting a calf injury. Smith passed for 1,582 yards and six touchdowns in his eight games played last season. If Smith was to find a back-up role with a team who has a flaky QB then he would be worth a spot on your team. Especially in super-flex.
2021 Free Agents Remaining- RB
Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley has had a dramatic fall from grace in recent years after being the number one RB to draft. He spent last year in Atlanta after leaving the LA Rams but they have decided to let him go. He is unable to be used as much as he was earlier in his career, due to injuries, but he still has a place in fantasy. Gurley finished as the RB number 23 last year with 678 yards and nine touchdowns. If he finds a spot he could do something similar and so would be worth a spot on your bench at least.
James Conner
James Conner is another RB that you should keep an eye on. Although Conner has not completed a whole season in his four years in the NFL he is still relevant. Last year he only played in 13 games but still managed to be the RB number 25. He amassed 721 yards and six touchdowns which would be great for a flex spot or on your bench. It would be surprising if a team didn’t pick him up and use him in a flexible running game.
Wayne Gallman
Wayne Gallman had a big season last year mainly due to the season-ending injury to Saquon Barkley. He rushed for 682 yards and six touchdowns but he had a massive increase in work. He had 147 rushing attempts last season which was 43% of his attempts in his four-year career. It does show that Gallman can be a decent asset to your team if he can have this amount of reps. He finished as the number 29 RB and so would be a good flex/bench option if he lands on a team with a RB need.
Jerick McKinnon
Jerick McKinnon has had a tough time in San Francisco missing two whole years to injury. However, last year he managed to stay healthy and show he can still play. He only rushed for 319 yards but he did score five touchdowns. Although that might not sound much he did make him the RB 40 for the season. The reason he probably stayed healthy was due to only having 81 rush attempts. However, he showed he can play for a team that doesn’t overuse him. If a team picks him up and uses him in a committee then he would be worth a bench spot.
Le’Veon Bell
Lev Bell is going to be heavily team-dependent when it comes to if you should have him on your team. Bell has shown how good he can be but those days are long gone. He didn’t have a great season last year but he showed in 2019 that he can be of use to you. When he was with the Jets he did produce 789 yards and three touchdowns. If he goes to a team that are struggling he might see the same usage which would make him worthy of a bench spot.
Duke Johnson
Duke Johnson had a bad season last year finishing as the RB 65. The reason he slid down the rankings was due to missing five games through injury. If you go back to his 2019 stats then you will see he finished as the RB 35. Obviously this doesn’t make him someone you should desperately try and get but he is capable. His use in the pass catching game gives him more chance of getting on a team and if he does he could be worth drafting.
2021 Free Agents Remaining- WR & TE
Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown had a decent year when you consider he only played in eight regular-season games. Brown amassed 483 yards and four touchdowns which is a good return for the amount he played. There is still a chance that he goes back to Tampa Bay which would be ideal. However, if he was to move to another team he would still be worth having as an option. Brown won’t get back to his old form but he can still produce.
Trey Burton
Trey Burton didn’t have the greatest season in Indianapolis but he did show some ability. He only amassed 250 yards but he did have five touchdowns. Also, he did miss three games due to injury and was in a team with three tight ends that all got work. If Burton gets a job and has a chance to get more work then he is worth a bench spot on your roster.
Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed had a quiet year last season but is still worth you considering. He managed to get 231 yards and four touchdowns whilst in San Francisco but he did miss six games. Reed has never played a full season but is likely to find a team. He wont be reliable but if you need some extra tight end depth he is likely to be available.
Track the major offseason moves with our 2021 Offseason Tracker. Remember you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram if you want to connect with us. Feel free to slide into those DMs if you need help!
Image Credit: Jeffrey Becker – USA TODAY Sports
