The NFL Draft continues to draw close, which means Fantasy Football drafts aren’t too far behind! There will be over 200 players drafted, hoping to make their way onto an NFL team. Each rookie entering the league means there will be veterans that are in danger of losing their jobs. That doesn't even include all of the surprise undrafted free agents out there that end up stealing roster spots!

This post is dedicated to the players whose starting jobs are in deep trouble, pending some of the draft moves that are rumored to be happening this May.


Fantasy owners should keep these players in mind, whether it's a player you need to reconsider as a possible keeper or a player you need to be aware of in case he ends up getting traded or cut, and earns a job on another team next season.

8 Fantasy Veterans Hating the 2014 NFL Draft

Obviously, this is all off of speculation, but there are enough rumors abound that we should take some of them seriously. I'll cite some of the websites and writers that share their NFL Draft knowledge with us. By looking at the team needs as posted on SI.com this week, we can get a good idea of which teams are ready to swap out old players for new.

Matt Cassel, QB, Minnesota

Cassel chose to stay with the Vikings this past offseason, and The Christian Ponder Experiment appears to be over for now – until an injury hits. There have been plenty of rumors that they were planning on taking a quarterback with their eighth pick, but now that’s apparently not going to happen. Maybe they’ll wait to see who slips, but Blake Bortles and the Vikings would make sense.

They did have some success with the last quarterback they drafted out of UCF (Daunte Culpepper). Either way, things aren’t looking good for either Cassel or Ponder in 2014 – or at least, the second half of it.

Steven Jackson, RB, Atlanta

The soon-to-be 31-year-old running back didn’t rush for over 100 yards in any game last season, and while he did scored six touchdowns in his final six games last season, the Falcons need help here. With plenty of good running backs expected to fall back into the second and third rounds, they would do well to snatch one – or two – up. Carlos Hyde and Bishop Sankey might be the best fits.

Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians announced his intentions to build his offense around the 5-foot-9 Ellington a couple weeks ago. Interesting that he does that before the draft, rather than just waiting a month. Ellington is a superb talent, but 20 touches a game might be his limit. Does he have Warrick Dunn-capabilities in him? Either way, the Cardinals will have to draft a bigger back, with a little more power – like say, West Virginia’s Charles Sims.

Ben Tate, RB, Cleveland

The Browns signed Tate this past offseason, but it’s possible they bring in a new player at each skill position. Tate is more of a bruising, plodding back, so they’d do well to add a third-down, shifty player, like possibly Auburn’s Tre Mason or even sleeper Jerick McKinnon who blew people away with his speed at the NFL Combine. Either way, we don’t expect Tate to be the featured running back in Cleveland in 2014.

Rashad Jennings, RB, N.Y. Giants

Another 2014 free-agent signee, Jennings landed in East Rutherford, with a $14 million, four-year deal. The Giants also have David Wilson, although, Fantasy Football owners would prefer to forget that. Jennings could end up sharing some carries with both Wilson, and a rookie running back once the season begins.

Chris Givens, WR, St. Louis

Givens had one 100-yard game early last season, but a nagging ankle injury cost him cutting ability, and while he’s listed as the No. 1 WR, this is still Tavon Austin’s team. If the Rams can find a big wide receiver to take some heat away from Austin in the middle or downfield, they’ll likely jump at the opportunity. They signed Kenny Britt, but he has proven to be anything but reliable. That means grabbing someone like FSU’s Kelvin Benjamin or Penn State’s Allen Robinson.

Any Wide Receiver, Carolina

Check out the Panthers’ current depth chart and you tell me QB Cam Newton’s Fantasy owners aren’t tossing and turning in bed every night, wondering who he’s going to throw to. Jerricho Cotchery is their No. 1 WR!?! Figure they need to replace Steve Smith’s speed, which makes a player like Brandin Cooks out of Oregon State a very nice option. ESPN’s Todd McShay likes them picking up Benjamin from FSU.

Jeff Cumberland, TE, N.Y. Jets

Cumberland scored a career-high four touchdowns last season, and really looked like one of the only options in the passing game as the season ended. The Jets brought in Michael Vick, who should boost this passing game to another level. But they also picked up Eric Decker, who is sure to take away some red-zone targets from Cumberland. Either way, the Jets are a possibility for the best tight end in the draft, in Eric Ebron out of North Carolina. He’s drawing Jimmy Graham/Rob Gronkowski comparisons, but even then, he’ll need some time to develop into a No. 1 fantasy tight end.

These eight Fantasy veterans were just starting to enjoy their offseason, with training camp still eight weeks away. Now, though, they’re biting fingernails and hoping for the best come May 8, the 2014 NFL Draft.