Welcome to the weekly Fantasy Notebook, the must-stop spot for keeping your finger on the pulse of Fantasy Nation. NFL news and developments drive fantasy values. The Notebook is here to keep you in the loop on all of it throughout the season.

Feeling A Draft?

Yes. We're less than a week away from the 2025 NFL Draft. For those new to my work, I don't profess to be a draft expert. It's an interesting and pertinent topic, but immersing in it is a full-time job. Fortunately, we have plenty of experts right here at Footballguys to help you -- and me -- get where we need to be.

That starts with the Footballguys Rookie Guide, which offers pre-draft rankings, scouting reports, scheme fits, and Scouting Combine test numbers. It's an outstanding compilation featuring the work of staffers Jeff Bell, Alfredo Brown, Mike Kashuba, and others. Version 2.0 is available for download free of charge. Version 3.0, updated with landing spots and fantasy outlooks, will be released on Wednesday, April 30, available free to all Elite (and higher) level subscribers. Version 2.0 will continue to be available at no charge for all comers.

Beyond that, you'll find articles, podcasts, and video content from many experts on staff. Matt Waldman, the author of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, has made multiple appearances across the Footballguys platforms over the last couple of weeks -- including a spot on my On The Hotseat series. Waldman also made an appearances on the Fantasy Football Show with Brown and Dave Kluge, and On The Couch with Sigmund Bloom. NFL.com's Chad Reuter and The Athletic's Dane Brugler have also taken recent turns OTC. 

There's a lot there, but I suggest the Pre-Draft Bloom 100 as an immediate must-read if time is limited. 

So with all that NFL Draft content at your fingertips, I've got another draft in mind for some counter-programming . . . 

Feeling A Best-Ball Draft!

I've used the last three Fantasy Notebooks to track early Underdog ADPs by position -- hitting Quarterbacks, Running Backs, and Wide Receivers. This week, we'll close out that exercise with Tight Ends.

Much like we see at the other positions, there are some widely-accepted strategies at tight end. The elite anchor strategy offers weekly stability at a volatile position -- without overcommitting beyond one pick. Or you can double-dip in the mid-tiers, allowing for a balanced build that prioritizes RB/WR depth with TE upside addressed by volume. You can also throw caution to the wind and go with three late-round tight ends -- and a quantity-over-quality approach that requires spike weeks from outlier players.

Many will choose the first approach. Footballguy Jeff Blaylock recently pointed out that just three tight ends averaged 15 points-per-reception (PPR) points per game: Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and George Kittle.

But as Blaylock acknowledges, "While they gave their drafters a positional advantage of four to six points per game, using premium draft picks to land these elite tight ends meant chasing other positions with higher-scoring potential." 

There's also considerable year-to-year variance at the position. 

Our colleague Rachel Tootsiepop wrote: "Understanding and knowing that the tight end position is unpredictable is half the battle . . . If you end up waiting, pay attention to tight ends in good situations and those who produce yards after the catch. Be ready to pivot and stream when needed."

When you pivot, Kluge suggests looking for players with a short route to the top of their receiving game's pecking order.

The good news is that the position offers a wide range of candidates that enable all those approaches -- and we'll look at the full range, starting at the top of the current Average Draft Position (ADP) ranks and moving through my favorite bargain-basement offerings.

Let's dive in . . . 

Brock Bowers, TE1: How Much Is Too Much?

In Las Vegas, Bowers closed out a historic season with 112 catches in 2024, passing Malik Nabers to officially secure the NFL record for most receptions by a rookie at any position in NFL history. In Week 17, he broke Mike Ditka's 63-year-old NFL record for receiving yards by a rookie tight end (1,076). 

Bowers finished the season with 1,194 yards. He accomplished this while catching passes from the trio of Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder.

He also finished as TE1 with a 15.5-point per-game average.

Change is coming this year. With new head coach Pete Carroll, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and quarterback Geno Smith, it's likely to change for the better. As NBC Sports' Matthew Berry pointed out, Smith leaves Seattle with three-straight seasons of 3,500-plus passing yards and 20-plus passing touchdowns. The last Raiders QB to do that was Derek Carr in 2022. 

So it's no surprise that Bowers is the first tight end off the board in early best-ball drafts. But is the 15th pick overall, his current Average Draft Position, more than you should pay?

The Verdict: Acceptable, but not ideal. 

This is where I acknowledge how vital leverage over the field is in fantasy football. It's even more critical at positions of scarcity. And there isn't a position in the game where high-end talent is as scarce as at tight end. It's why I often invest at the position early in drafts -- even when it means drafting one in the first round. But there are two issues here: First, I'm not keen on paying the premium that comes after a historic season. Historic seasons are, by definition, hard to repeat. 

The bigger issue is there are players capable of delivering similar outcomes at lower prices . . . 

Trey McBride, TE2: A Tasty McValue

If Bowers is TE1 in cost, McBride might be TE1 in value.

Despite scoring just two touchdowns -- both coming in the final two weeks -- McBride still racked up 111 catches for 1,146 yards, finishing second among all tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards. He also led the position in team target share (29.6 percent). The Cardinals rewarded him accordingly, handing him a four-year, $76 million extension -- the largest contract for a tight end in NFL history.

McBride's 221 career receptions are the most by any tight end through three seasons.

And now, with a healthy Kyler Murray and a coaching staff committed to featuring him, there's every reason to expect continued elite usage. So why is he going nearly a full round after Bowers in early best-ball drafts (Pick 25 versus Pick 15)?

Touchdowns -- or the lack thereof.

That perceived cap on his ceiling has suppressed his ADP. However, as Footballguy Jason Wood wrote, "Positive touchdown regression could easily make him the No. 1 player at the position by a significant margin."

The Verdict: Best early-round balance of volume, role, and upside.

McBride is going a round later than Bowers, has a similar floor, and arguably more untapped ceiling if he starts finding the end zone. I'll have more shares of him than Bowers -- and I won't lose sleep over it.

George Kittle, TE3: Mr. Consistent

While the Niners suffered a rash of injuries starting in training camp, Kittle was one key player who remained mostly healthy throughout the year.

He caught 78 passes and posted 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns. 

It's the fourth time in Kittle's career he has achieved 1,000 yards in a single season, which places him in some elite company; he became one of just five tight ends in NFL history to accomplish that feat, joining Travis Kelce (seven times), Tony Gonzalez, Rob Gronkowski and Jason Witten (four, apiece).

More importantly, for our purposes, while he was third in total fantasy points at the position behind Bowers and McBride, Kittle was first in points per game, with 15.8. This kind of finish is not new. As FantasyPros' Andrew Erickson noted, since his breakout in 2018, Kittle has been a top-five fantasy TE in six seasons where he played at least 14 games. 

It's not just the consistent production; it's the ceiling. There will be weeks when his superior blocking skills will limit his receiving work, but as Erickson argues, Kittle's spike weeks are hard to find elsewhere. To that point, Kittle had seven games with 20-plus points, including a 30-point eruption in Week 17.  

That consistent high-end production makes his TE3 ADP appealing. He's going in Round 5 with the 51st pick overall.

The Verdict: This is excellent value. 

This year, with Deebo Samuel Sr.. traded to Washington, Brandon Aiyuk returning from a season-ending injury, and with questions about Christian McCaffrey's ability to return to form after an injury-marred 2024, Kittle could be relied on more than we've seen in past years. 

Sam LaPorta, TE4: Has the Rebound Already Started?

Expectations were sky-high after LaPorta led all tight ends in fantasy points as a rookie in 2023, so last season's TE7 finish felt like a letdown. But that disappointment needs context.

The Lions' offense remained potent, but it diversified. Amon-Ra St. Brown still led the team in targets, but Jameson Williams emerged as a consistent downfield weapon. That shift bumped LaPorta down the pecking order early on.

Over the first six games, he averaged just 2.8 targets (11 percent share) and 7.1 fantasy points. But from that point on -- including the playoffs -- he returned to form: 6.7 targets (21 percent share) and 13.6 fantasy points per game, essentially a return to his rookie-year form.

He's now the first tight end in NFL history with 600-plus receiving yards and six touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.

The Verdict: The price is right.

A sixth-round cost (Pick 65) is easy to stomach for a player with LaPorta's ceiling. A change at offensive coordinator adds some uncertainty, but that's baked into the ADP -- and I'm more than happy to buy the rebound.

T.J. Hockenson, TE5: Betting on the Bounce?

In 2023, Hockenson was a fantasy force before tearing his ACL late in the season. He didn't return until mid-2024 -- and when he did, the rust showed.

In 10 games, he managed 41 catches for 455 yards and no touchdowns. His best effort, a 114-yard game in Chicago, was a rare flash in an otherwise quiet stretch.

Now he's got an unproven rookie quarterback (J.J. McCarthy) and no shortage of question marks. So, what's keeping him in the TE5 range?

Upside -- and memory.

As Footballguy Gary Davenport pointed out, Hockenson had more PPR points per game than any tight end in the NFC in 2023. A healthy return could reintroduce that version. But if 2024 is the new normal, fantasy managers could be chasing ghosts.

The Verdict: Let someone else take the leap.

The 84th pick isn't outrageous, but I'd rather use that spot on a more certain bet -- and let someone else try to be the hero here. That said, if he regains his old form, Hockenson could be one of the biggest steals at a volatile position.

Mark Andrews, TE6: Nevermore?

Andrews finished 2024 as TE6 and scored a career-high 11 touchdowns. But that doesn't tell the whole story.

His target share dipped to 15 percent -- down from the 22-28 percent range he'd posted every year from 2019 to 2023. He finished 20th among tight ends in targets. And while the touchdowns kept his fantasy value afloat, ESPN's Mike Clay notes they came from a Baltimore offense averaging a "ridiculous and likely unsustainable" 3.6 TDs per game.

There's also the possibility that Andrews won't be in Baltimore much longer. He's Lamar Jackson's longtime favorite, but his playoff struggles, the emergence of Isaiah Likely, and a sizable cap hit ($11 million in 2025) have led to speculation about a potential trade.

The Verdict: On hold until we get clarity.

A TE6 price (he's pick 95) feels reasonable, but I'll wait for answers about his future before investing. There's too much talent later in the draft to gamble on a murky situation.

Jonnu Smith, TE7: Can He Run It Back?

Smith finished his first season in Miami with 88 receptions for 884 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, setting single-season franchise records at the tight end position in each category. And, as Miami Herald staffer Omar Kelly suggested, Smith's eight touchdowns set a standard for the position, "which went from a side dish the previous two seasons to Miami's main entree in 2024."

His 111 targets on the season ranked fourth at the position (behind only Bowers, McBride, and Kelce). 

NBC Sports' Denny Carter notes that from Week 5-18, the only tight ends to outscore Smith were Bowers and McBride. 

It was all about the usage. Smith drew 96 of his targets over those 13 weeks. "Out of nowhere," Carter wrote, "Jonnu became the focal point of the Miami passing attack and transformed into a downright elite fantasy option."

There are concerns. Carter points out that Smith's targets per routes run versus man coverage weren't nearly as high as against zone. And Tyreek Hill could rebound -- after his least productive season in Miami -- and cut into available targets.

Still, considering this was the 29-year-old's first season in Mike McDaniel's offense, it's hard to imagine Smith can't produce more if he stays healthy in 2025 and takes his understanding of the offense to the next level. 

The Verdict: TE7? Oh ye of little faith . . . I'm all in.

Whatever the concerns are, Smith's ninth-round ADP (he's going with the 98th pick overall) alleviates them for me.

Tyler Warren, TE8: The Rookie Class Checks In

According to Wood, it's time for us to accept that rookie tight ends are no longer built like they used to be. "Even the best tight ends in history -- Gronkowski, Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe, Antonio Gates -- needed a season or two to find their footing," Wood wrote. "But now we've seen LaPorta and Bowers rewrite the record books as rookies in back-to-back seasons."

Will Warren be this year's success story? 

A high school quarterback, Warren joined a Penn State tight end room that included four future NFL Draft picks (Pat Freiermuth, Brenton Strange, Zack Kuntz, and Theo Johnson) and, according to The Athletic's Dan Brugler, became the best college player of the group. 

According to Waldman, the sure-handed, powerful Warren does his best work in zone coverage, on contested targets, and after the catch. He projects as a rookie NFL starter with traditional qualities and the schematic versatility to be a multi-tool weapon for the right play caller.

It's enough for Warren to go in the ninth round of pre-NFL Draft best balls as the 102nd player off the board.

The Verdict: I'll have some shares, but Warren isn't an auto-pick at this spot.

That TE8 price is a bit high for my liking, but I get the gamble: Warren could develop into a top-five player at the position in short order. If you're waiting on Warren, you can double-tap the position and get a solid second option from the remaining talent pool. But I understand anybody who passed on Bowers last year taking a chance on Warren this year.

Travis Kelce, TE9: One More Year?

Immediately after Kansas City lost to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl, Kelce said he hadn't decided whether to return for another season. 

Fortunately, it didn't take long for him to decide to return for a 13th season. It gives us time to figure out what to expect.

Kelce, 35, caught 97 passes for 823 yards with three touchdowns in the regular season. The three touchdown catches and 823 receiving yards were his fewest in a season since his rookie season when he appeared in just one game. In September, his NFL-record streak of 114 consecutive games with at least three catches ended.

As Bloom put it, "Kelce had a three-week outburst when the Chiefs' wide receiver group was depleted in the middle of the season, but otherwise was pedestrian most weeks. He's a player in decline and priced about right in redraft and dynasty."

But what about best ball?

Kelce's TE9 ADP (he's going with the 104th pick overall) on Underdog keeps him in starter territory while reflecting his disappointing 2024 season.

The Verdict: While I prefer some of the players going after him, Kelce in Round 9 and one (or two) of the others later would be quite suitable.

Kelce remains one of the most prolific tight ends in the NFL. His 97 catches ranked third among all tight ends. 

David Njoku, TE10: An Overlooked Commodity

Winding up on injured reserve seemed like a fitting end to a difficult 2024 season for Njoku, who was coming off a Pro Bowl campaign in 2023. The tight end missed three games because of a high ankle sprain suffered in the opener. He missed the last two games of the season with a knee injury sustained Week 16, a game he was playing on a tender hamstring injured the week before.

He finished the year with 64 receptions for 505 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns in 11 games. Despite the missed time, Njoku still drew 97 targets, tied for fifth-most in the league, giving him an impressive 26.6 percent target share. 

And though he closed out the year as TE12 in total points, Njoku was TE5 on a points-per-game basis, with 13.1. 

Meanwhile, as Carter notes, "Njoku, like Jerry Jeudy, cooks for fantasy purposes whenever Deshaun Watson is not throwing him the ball."

With the QB all but certain to sit out the 2025 season rehabbing a twice-torn Achilles tendon, it would appear Njoku will be Watson-free in 2025. It makes his 10th-round ADP very interesting.

The Verdict: Tons of upside in the double-digit range of the draft.

A reminder: With Joe Flacco as his quarterback in Weeks 13-17 in 2023, Njoku was TE5. Flacco is back in Cleveland and the early favorite to be their starter.

Evan Engram, TE11: Nothing Funny About It

As Carter noted, Evan Engram, third among tight ends in receptions since the start of the 2023 season, will reportedly take on the so-called Joker role in the Broncos offense after signing a two-year deal with Denver in March. 

Clay notes that Engram has a career target share of 19.9 percent, which includes 23.6 percent and 25.2 percent over the past two seasons. Berry points out that over that same two-year span, his aDOT is fourth lowest among tight ends. Considering Bo Nix ranked 26th among qualified quarterbacks in aDOT last season and had the fifth-most pass attempts under 10 yards, he will likely be looking to Engram often underneath. 

Sean Payton, however, hasn't had a team TE target share above 19 percent since 2015, with those eight TE rooms averaging 15 percent. Should this concern you about Engram's fantasy output? According to Clay, "Absolutely not." 

Clay went on to point out that Payton did not have a pass-catching tight end at Engram's level during those eight seasons (Jared Cook, Coby Fleener, Adam Trautman, and Josh Hill were his main options). However, Jimmy Graham had no issue posting three consecutive top-2 fantasy seasons with Payton in 2011, 2013, and 2014 (Payton was suspended for the 2012 season). 

Engram remains squarely in the back-end TE1 mix, and there's upside for even more. Carter believes Engram has every chance to be a top-5 PPR option.

The Verdict: I can't wait to get in on the punchline of this Joker.

The Athletic's Nick Kosmider believes Payton and the Broncos are betting Engram is the final piece for an offense ready to take off behind Nix. I agree. Landing him in Round 10 with the 117th pick gives me plenty of flexibility in building the rest of my roster.

Tucker Kraft, TE12: The Other Guy

According to the team's official website, Kraft scratched Green Bay off his list of potential NFL landing spots when the Packers selected Luke Musgrave in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Even with the super-athletic Musgrave in the fold, the Packers still tapped Kraft in the third round. 

It turned out to be a wise choice, as the Packers had to turn exclusively to Kraft in 2024 after Musgrave missed more than half the season due to ankle surgery.

Kraft responded with one of the best seasons for a tight end in Packers history. Packers.com's Wes Hodkiewicz wrote, "A hammer in a relentless search for nails, Kraft pounded his way to 50 receptions for 707 yards (14.0 yards per catch) and a team-high seven touchdowns."

Kraft is reasonably priced at the tail end of the TE1 range, going in the 11th round with the 124th pick overall.

The Verdict: Count me as skeptical.

The Packers hope Musgrave's injuries are behind him, and he may help contribute to a downfield passing game that lost Christian Watson to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in January. Head coach Matt LaFleur recently told reporters that Musgrave got "bigger, stronger, and faster" during his extended offseason in Green Bay. If Musgrave fades, he's a steal. If not, Kraft may be overdrafted. 

This And That: Tight End Fliers Worth The Gamble

The idea of streaming tight ends sounds better than it usually plays out. There will undoubtedly be times when circumstances force me to dive into the murky waters of outlier tight ends. This year, the less I have to do that, the better I'll feel about my teams. That said, there are some players I like here. 

Isaiah Likely, TE15: If He's The Last Man Standing

Likely, who turned 25 this week, finished the 2024 season with 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns and added a touchdown in the playoff loss to Buffalo. He's a dependable, physical player who's a proven menace after the catch. But Likely's role in the Baltimore offense will have to grow if he's going to be a factor in 2025. And that only happens if Andrews is traded away. Otherwise, Likely will have at least one more season in the team's TE2 role, with unpredictable usage and big-play reliance. As Carter pointed out, nearly 35 percent of Likely's 2024 fantasy production came in two games (including a 26.1-point outburst against the Chiefs in Week 1). 

But if Andrews is gone? Likely's 11th-round ADP will make him a huge bargain -- at least until the price rises to reflect the change. 

Brenton Strange, TE20: Most Likely To Succeed?

Strange is Jacksonville's new No. 1 tight end following Engram's departure. Clay noted that we got a preview of this last season with Engram sidelined for eight games. Strange played 72 percent of the snaps in those weeks and handled a solid 14.6 percent target share (4.9 looks per game). That led to one big fantasy outing in Week 15, but he otherwise averaged 6.9 fantasy points per game and failed to clear 12.4 points in any of the other seven outings.

Nonetheless, a 14th-round price tag for a player who totaled 17 receptions for 155 yards over the final four games last year (albeit with 11 of those catches coming in one game) makes him a viable, low-cost option.

Zach Ertz, TE23: How Soon We Forget

Ertz returns for a second season with the Commanders as Washington looks to build off its trip to the NFC championship game this past season. The move reunites quarterback Jayden Daniels with one of his most trusted targets. The veteran tight end finished the regular season with 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns. Ertz added three catches for 18 yards and a touchdown in the postseason. He finished second on the Commanders in catches, targets, yards, and touchdowns during the regular season, only behind Terry McLaurin, and provided a veteran presence for Daniels and the offense.

Ertz finished the 2024 season as TE11 in PPR formats. Even with Deebo Samuel Sr.. added to the mix in Washington this offseason, Ertz's 15th-round price tag seems wildly off base. He'll be on a lot of my rosters at this price.

Free-Square Plays With Upside

Players available in the last round of your drafts are what I call "free-square plays." I love free. It's my favorite price. Here are a couple of players who fit that bill nicely: 

Hunter Henry has been one of the Patriots' most productive and reliable players since Bill Belichick targeted and signed him in 2021. However, working alongside rookie QB Drake Maye last season, Henry had career highs in catches and yards (66 catches on 97 targets for 674 yards and two touchdowns). As NBC Boston's Tom E. Curran suggested, to see that kind of production in his 30-year-old season was encouraging. Of course, Austin Hooper, a 2024 free-agent signing, was also a factor last season. He caught 45 of the 59 balls sent his way in his 30-year-old season with three touchdowns.

With Josh McDaniels back as offensive coordinator, Curran believes the tight end crew could be in line for even more production. Currently sitting at TE24, Henry is available in Round 15 with the 181st pick on Underdog -- another free square with scoring upside . . .

Mike Gesicki's connection with Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow helped him record 65 receptions in 2024, more than his previous two seasons combined, making him a viable element in the Bengals' powerhouse passing offense. Those 65 catches and 665 yards trailed only his 2021 season with the Miami Dolphins (73 receptions, 780 yards). Gesicki also had two touchdowns and had 38 catches that were first downs.

Despite being third on the Bengals in catches and targets (83), consistent, week-to-week production wasn't Gesicki's hallmark. His biggest games last season came when teammate Tee Higgins was out, and with the Bengals retaining Higgins, Gesicki can make up for the one issue with the star receiver: His periodic soft-tissue injuries. Higgins has missed five games each of the last two years. 

Gesicki finished the season as TE13, but his 8.4 points per game ranked 19th. While that precludes him from being a front-line fantasy prospect, Gesicki, going as TE24, offers value as the third option in the NFL's pass-heaviest offense . . .

What About The Other Rookies?

In 2010, Gronkowski had 42 catches as a rookie. In 2024, Bowers broke 100. The TE position hasn’t evolved -- it's mutated. Fantasy investors looking to cash in on that trend will find reasonable options beyond Warren.

Colston Loveland, TE2 behind Warren in the Footballguys Rookie Draft Guide, is being drafted as TE13 in Round 10.

After that, the rest of the class, Harold Fannin Jr. (TE29), Mason Taylor (TE34), and Elijah Arroyo (TE36), are available in the last round of your draft. Depending on the landing spot, they could be as intriguing as veteran options like Tyler Higbee, Chig Okonkwo, Tyler Conklin, Theo Johnson, and Noah Gray, who are going in the same range. 

Whether you're rolling with a rookie or journeyman vet, look for cheap touchdown potential. Red-zone roles often spike tight-end production more than routes or targets . . .

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Every week, the NFL delivers a remarkable range of stories. I like to use this spot to encapsulate that broad expanse here. In this edition, we'll leave the tight end room to look at some quarterbacking issues.

The Good: Friends? Who Needs Them?

Chicago's Caleb Williams is one of many talented young quarterbacks in the NFL right now, but Williams says they're not all buddies.

Nor does he want to be.

Williams told Esquire he thinks the NFL's other quarterbacks are "probably great guys," but that becoming close with players on other teams is a good way to lose the edge that he wants to have over them.

"I think the NFL game has become very friendly, and I don't necessarily want to be friends because I want to keep that competitive advantage," Williams said.

For Williams, the competition is what the game is all about. Asked for his best moment in the NFL so far, Williams answered, "Beating the Packers," in the season finale.

Williams said he expects to win a lot more this year under new head coach Ben Johnson and for years to come: "The plan is to go win big."

As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith suggests, Williams doesn't need to make any friends around the league to do that.

I like it. It shows some edge, in a good way . . .

The Bad: Carr Wreck?

Saints quarterback Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury that could sideline him for 2025. According to NFL Network, surgery is on the table.

Carr's future in New Orleans was already murky following the February hiring of coach Kellen Moore. Many expected a split before the Saints converted Carr's salary into a signing bonus -- locking them into another year together.

The timing of the injury leak, just 13 days before the draft, raises eyebrows. Per Pro Football Talk, it likely came from Carr's camp -- not the team -- adding another layer to the strained dynamic.

It also complicates New Orleans' reported pursuit of Shedeur Sanders at No. 9 overall, tipping their hand to the rest of the league.

Bottom line? The Saints are on the hook for $40 million in 2025 and nearly $60 million in future cap hits for a quarterback who might never play for them again.

It's a mess and a bad look . . .

The Ugly: Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Aaron Rodgers remains undecided on his future -- and didn't rule out retirement in a 45-minute appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, his first public comments since being released by the Jets.

Rodgers said he's been transparent with interested teams, has set no deadlines, and claimed the upcoming draft won't impact his decision.

On the @PatMcAfeeShow, free agent QB Aaron Rodgers says, "I'll set it all straight. From the jump, I'm in a different phase of my life, I'm 41 years old, I'm in a serious relationship, I have personal commitments I've made... and people in my inner circle battling difficult…

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 17, 2025

Rodgers also said he has no deadlines with the Steelers or any other team.

"I'm open to anything and attached to nothing. Retirement could still be a possibility, but right now, my focus is on my personal life."

He also took a parting shot at the Jets, describing an ugly February meeting with new coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey. According to Rodgers, he was "fired" less than a minute in, and felt Glenn "went rogue," expressing concern Rodgers might undermine his authority.

Mike Tomlin, take note.

Meanwhile, the waiting game continues -- at least until Pittsburgh, or another suitor, makes its move in this week's draft . . .

The Final Word

That's it for this week's Fantasy Notebook. First-time readers will be pleased to learn you're only scratching the surface of what's available at Footballguys. We're hard at work year-round to help our subscribers gain an edge on the competition. 

In addition to a full range of interesting strategy and news articles, Version 2 of our Footballguys 2025 Rookie Draft Guide. Download it for free now. Our 2025 Player Projections and Preseason Draft Rankings are up and running, too.

Remember: It's never too early to start, so head back next week for another edition of the Fantasy Notebook.

Bob Harris was the first-ever Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year and is a member of the FSWA Hall of Fame. You can catch Harris' "On The Hotseat" every Tuesday on the Footballguys Audible channel and listen to him during the season on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio's The Football Diehards show on Sirius channel 87.

Follow @footballdiehard