Fantasy Football: Matthew Stafford trade impact on Rams, Lions

The Matthew Stafford trade shakes up the NFL but also the fantasy football world as well. What impact will the deal have on Rams and Lions players?

Though it’s been just under a week since Matthew Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, that shouldn’t lessen the massive impact the deal has on the quarterback’s new team, the Detroit Lions in trading him away and the NFL at large. Of course, it also has an impact on the fantasy football world as well.

For Stafford himself, this is an obvious boost in his own fantasy football value for the 2021 season. Playing under Sean McVay now, the expectation is that he could be in line for one of the best years of his career — which is saying something for a player who produced at a high level with Detroit. But adding efficiency and scoring to that mix makes him even more impressive.

Not to sound too dismissive but this doesn’t change the value of Jared Goff in any meaningful way. He was already not a starting-caliber player in one-quarterback fantasy football leagues and that hasn’t changed. In 2-QB leagues, the only change is that he now is on the fringe of being a starter in that capacity.

Outside of the two quarterbacks on the move, though, let’s break down what happens for the players on both the Rams and Lions as it pertains to their fantasy football value. All rankings are via Fantasy Pros.

Fantasy football impact on the Los Angeles Rams

In the simplest terms, the fantasy football stock of every player on the Rams gets a big boost with the addition of Stafford. Robert Woods, currently listed as the WR17 in PPR rankings, might get a boost inside the top 15 for me with Stafford and his ability to threaten down the field. Cooper Kupp, ranked as the WR20, could also get boosted up a couple of spots as well.

Some people might be concerned about the value of running back Cam Akers, who came on strong at the end of last season and is ranked as the RB18 entering 2021. After all, Stafford doesn’t have a track record of playing with high-end fantasy running backs. That was with Detroit, however. With McVay’s ability to scheme and call plays to benefit every facet of the offense, that’s going to open up the offense for Akers and he becomes a top-15 running back for me.

Perhaps the biggest beneficiary on the Rams offense, though, is tight end Tyler Higbee. Ranked as TE16, with Stafford’s recent rapport with T.J. Hockenson and McVay’s usage of tight ends in the passing game, he could be a starter in 12-team leagues and perhaps 10-teamers as well.

Fantasy football impact on the Detroit Lions

For the Lions, things were already relatively uncertain at the wide receiver position given the fact that Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay and even Danny Amendola are all slated to hit free agency this offseason. However, with Goff taking over, any receivers in Detroit are going to need tempered expectations.

T.J. Hockenson was ranked as the TE4 when Stafford was still in the fold for the Lions. That seems unlikely to hold up but he could still be quite valuable. Goff will likely check down often in a new offense and Hockenson will be the only remaining target among pass-catchers on the Lions offense. That could make him a favorite for his new quarterback.

The most obvious beneficiary, however, is D’Andre Swift. As a rookie, he, unfortunately, didn’t get a full season’s workload as the top back in the offense. But now that Goff is the presumed starter, he could be the focal point of the offense behind a solid offensive line. Swift is currently ranked as the RB12 but I might actually give him top-10 consideration given his snew status and how he finished the 2020 season.