Tue Jun 25th 2024

My Most Rostered Players

I still have two rookie drafts to go. One is taking place now, and the other is always on Labor Day weekend in my Freeks league. By the end of this week, I will have eight drafts completed and one to go.

After the rookie draft season, I like to comb through my rosters to see which players I have the most shares of and try to remember how I acquired them. It gives me a sense of the players I like more than others because I have so many shares. I added a lot during startup, dispersal, and rookie drafts. Others I acquired via waivers and trades. However, they landed on my rosters; it's clear that these are players I like, or at least liked at the time I acquired them.

Here is a list of players I have rostered on at least three of my nine dynasty leagues.

Jaylen Warren (7)

• Warren is my most-rostered player. I have him on seven of my nine rosters. Warren flashed in a preseason game two seasons ago. After watching him look far superior to Benny Snell in that game, I knew this undrafted free agent would immediately become Najee Harris's backup ahead of Snell and Anthony McFarland. After watching that preseason game, I added him to every roster except the two where I was outbid for him. In the salary cap league, my co-manager and I added him to our roster in the free agent auction last year, signing him to a three-year contract. It was a big surprise that Warren was not drafted in 2022 because he had a stellar final season at Oklahoma State. I liked his tape a lot, so he was one of the UDFAs I tried to follow in the preseason. I am glad I did. He cut heavily into Najee Harris's workload last season, making him a reliable RB-2 in PPR leagues. The Steelers have a new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who likes to run the ball. Harris and Warren should continue to split the workload, and Warren will get the passing-down work. The Steelers did not pick up Harris's fourth-year option, which means they could view Warren as their future starting running back. I'm glad to have seven shares of Warren by beating other managers to the punch on the preseason waiver wire. I'm just sad that I was outbid by two wise managers in my other two leagues. 

Puka Nacua (5)

• Nacua was my favorite late-round pick in last year's rookie drafts, and I added him to five of my teams. Two times, I drafted him late. I picked him up off waivers in one league with a four-round rookie draft. In a rookie auction draft, I outbid managers and won Nacua late in the draft. Finally, in my salary cap league with a three-round rookie draft, my co-manager and I added him during the free agent auction, signing him to a two-year contract. I didn't hit on all my late-round picks, but I did with Nacua. He may be the best dynasty call of my career. I loved his fearless play and run-after-the-catch ability at BYU and believed he could be a weapon in the NFL. Then, he was drafted by a team with a perfect coach and system to unleash his talents. After his record-breaking rookie year, he's my 8th-ranked wide receiver overall. My only concern for Nacua is the future quarterback play in Los Angeles. Matt Stafford does not have too many years left, so Nacua's dynasty value will be tied to another quarterback before long. Even so, it's also tied to Sean McVay, who knows how to make offenses productive.

Ray Davis (5)

• Davis was a "my guy" in this year's class, and I put my money where my mouth is by drafting him five times, and I have two more rookie drafts to go. I drafted him as high as 19th in a one-quarterback league and as high as 21st in a superflex league. I've written about him often since in previous articles, so I won't write much more here. There are three reasons I am so high on Davis. The first is his backstory, which reveals his character. He was homeless and in the foster care system, yet he made a way out for himself. This proves he has the work ethic and character to be a professional football player. Secondly, he had breakout seasons at three different colleges: Temple, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky. Each time he was introduced to a new team and system, he picked it up and stole the RB-1 role. He can do the same in the NFL, stealing the leading job from James Cook. The third reason I like Davis is his landing spot in Buffalo because they need a bigger back and a goal-line back. Davis will impress and take over the short-yardage role and can surpass Cook altogether. I will not be surprised if I draft Davis two more times before the NFL season starts.

Jahan Dotson (5)

• I have five shares of Dotson because I was much higher on him than other dynasty managers in last year's rookie class. I drafted him as high as 8th two years ago and as low as 12th. I drafted him four times in the first round two years ago and added him as a throw-in on a trade at the end of last season. After his first season, I looked like I was right to be so high on Dotson. Though injuries in his rookie year limited him, he was electric when he was on the field. He scored seven touchdowns on just 35 receptions in his twelve games. He scored four touchdowns in his first four games in the NFL before he got injured. I was sure he'd improve in year two with the new offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, but last year was a disaster for Dotson and the whole offense. Even so, I am optimistic for a year-three breakout with his new offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, and rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. It's a new era for the Commanders, and I am holding out hope for a fresh start for Dotson. I've even targeted him in trades this offseason but have yet to strike a deal.

Take Dell (4)

• Dell was one of "my guys" in the 2023 rookie draft. I drafted him three times in the third round and traded a first-round pick for him in another league midway through the season last year. His late-season injury was a big bummer because we didn't get to see him fully mature as the Texans' offense caught fire at the end of the season. Last year, I determined that I would no longer let a wide receiver's size play a significant role in my evaluation. The NFL is changing, and smaller receivers have substantial roles on teams, especially if they are quick and excellent route runners. That's what Dell does best. He may be one of the smallest receivers in the NFL, but it does not matter if you can't touch him. I'll admit that I was very disappointed when the Texans traded for Stefon Diggs and gave Nico Collins a new contract. Dell will get fewer targets than I would like this year, but his future is bright with C.J. Stroud. Diggs will move on, and he and Collins have different roles, so his dynasty value holds up. He's my 20th-ranked wide receiver, and I am glad to have him on four of my teams.

Jerome Ford (4)

• I also have Ford on four of my teams. I drafted Ford in two rookie drafts, added him off waiver in one league, and traded a late 2nd-round pick for him in this year's rookie draft.  I had Ford ranked a lot higher than most dynasty managers two years ago, but a few managers liked him as much as I did because I could not draft him in most of my leagues. Ford was amazingly productive in his final season at Cincinnati, scoring 20 touchdowns and averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He was recruited by and signed with Alabama before transferring to Cincinnati, so he has the pedigree to match his college production. He would have been drafted in dynasty rookie drafts much higher had he not been drafted by the Browns, which buried him behind Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.  He got his chance last year after Chubb went down and he played better than Kareem Hunt. Now he has the RB-1 position locked up with Chubb recovering from surgery and Hunt no longer with the team. I'm very pleased that I have him on four of my rosters. The best is yet to come for Ford this season.

Amon-Ra St. Brown (3)

• Brown is a superstar. After his stellar season last year and signing a new contract in Detroit, he's moved all the way up to 4th in my wide receiver rankings. I could not be happier to have three shares of Brown. I only wish I had more. I drafted him in three leagues. In one league, I traded Darnell Mooney to a manager for his pick to draft St. Brown. That trade looks ridiculous now!  Brown was another guy whose character I liked. He possessed a hard work ethic. As cheesy as it sounds, I like guys with an "I'll prove you wrong" attitude. He was disappointed to get drafted in the 4th round and set his mind on making the teams that passed on him regret it. Sometimes that's just talk, but other times I can tell that a player means it and will work his butt off to prove himself. That's what I saw in St. Brown.  I only wish I had been more aggressive in drafting him. Sadly, in my salary cap league, we had to assign him the franchise tag and can't afford to extend his contract, so next year, I'll be down to two shares of St. Brown.

Chris Olave (3)

• All three of my Olave shares came via the 2022 rookie draft. He played well in his two seasons, but not to the degree I hoped by drafting him in the first round. Even so, I'm excited to have three shares of Olave and believe he will have a true breakout year this season. My hope is in the new offensive system under Klint Kubiak. They need to get Olave in motion more and make him the focal point of the passing game. The Saints have had one of the most boring offenses since Olave joined the team, but things will change this year. Olave has been unlucky on the touchdown front, scoring only four times his rookie season and five times last year. That will undoubtedly change this season. Olave is my 10th-ranked wide receiver. If he doesn't prove more this year, he will quickly fall down my rankings.

Zach Charbonett (3)

• I drafted Charbonett twice in the back of the first round last year and gave up a 2024 first-round pick for him in another league, a trade I now regret. I was higher on Charnbonett than most analysts and managers, thinking he would compete right away with Kenneth Walker, especially for short yardage and passing situations where Walker's metrics after his rookie season were terrible. That's not how it panned out. While Charbonnet did get playing time, he did not cut into Walker's workload as much as I hoped. There's a new coaching staff and offensive system in Seattle, so Charbonett will have a chance to fight for the leading role again this season. Still, Walker improved enough last season to make me think Charbonett will only be startable in dynasty lineups when Walker is injured. He's one of the best backup running backs in the NFL, but that's now why I spent first-round rookie draft picks on him. 

Nick Chubb (3)

• Chubb was my top running back in the 2018 rookie class, but I only had a high enough pick in one league to draft him.  My second share of Chubb was acquired in a startup draft, and my third was a throw-in on a trade at the end of last season. Over the last six seasons, Chubb was my favorite running back in the NFL. When He suffered that gruesome knee injury in the Monday Night Football game last season, I was devastated. He overcame a terrible knee injury in college but was a lot younger then. At 28 years old, this latest injury will be more challenging to come back from. He's already admitted that this injury and the recovery process have taken a mental toll on him. I was not happy to hear that.  Even so, I'm hopeful for a return by midseason this year. I've rejected a few trade offers for Chubb this offseason because he's one of my favorites, and I want to keep him on my team to root for his comeback. Like I said, I even added him to the back of a trade in one league last season. His dynasty value has dropped tremendously, and the injury cratered the outlook of my teams, where he was my RB-1.  I went into rebuild mode with both of those teams last year. Now I have to wait and see if he can return as a valuable vet on my teams.

Javon Baker (3)

• I hit gold on Puka Nacua last season. I've said all offseason that this year's Nacua is Javon Baker. I've been way higher on Baker than other analysts and managers, so I have been able to draft him three times so far and will not be surprised if I select two more times in my rookie draft yet to come. He has plenty of competition in New England, and we've yet to see what the new offensive system will look like or which quarterback will start this season. Even so, we know the future is with Drake Maye, and there is no WR-1 on the team yet.  Someone will emerge as Maye's favorite target years from now, and my bet is on Baker. I love his college tape and production, and I like that he, like Amon-Ra St. Brown, has taken notice of the wide receivers drafted ahead of him and has vowed to prove the teams that passed over him wrong. He's the next fourth-round pick to surprise everyone.

A.T Perry (3) and Bub Means (4)

• I drafted Perry in the last round of rookie drafts and added him off waivers after rookie drafts last year. I did the same with Means this year. In most cases, I have both of them on the same teams in my leagues. I'm waiting to see which one emerges as the starting wide receiver in three receiver sets. Chris Olave is the WR-1 in New Orleans, and Rashid Shaheed is their speedster with a limited role. They lack a big-bodied receiver to get targets over the middle of the field. With Juwan Johnson's recent injury, they need that role even more. One of these guys has to win that role. They are back-end-of-the-roster guys, but one will make my teams when it comes time to cut rosters. Hopefully, training camp and preseason games will make my choice clear.

David Njoku (3)

• I drafted Njoku in a startup draft in one league and traded for him in two other leagues. He finally paid off for me last season, having the most productive year of his career. Unfortunately, most of his production came from Joe Flacco passes, not Deshaun Watson.  That concerns me. Strangely, in two leagues with Njoku, I also have Trey McBride, who also had a breakout season. I favor McBride over Njoku, so Njoku won't see my starting lineups much next season. He's in my starting lineup every week in the other league because it is a tight-end premium league, where I often start two tight ends. On that squad, he starts ahead of or plays alongside Dallas Goedert, Pat Freiermuth, and Hunter Henry. I like having three shares of Njoku, but finding a trade partner in my non-tight-end-premium leagues may be wise.

Zach Ertz (3)

• Two of my Ertz shares came via waivers this offseason after he signed with Washington, pairing up with his old coach, Kliff Kingsbury, who peppered him with targets in Arizona. One share is from a dispersal auction draft in a tight-end premium league three years ago. I think Ertz can hold off rookie Ben Sinnott to start the season, but his dynasty value is about to fall off a cliff. Ertz is definitely on the bubble of my rosters and likely won't make the final cut except for the tight-end premium league, but I have to come clean and admit that he is on a third of my rosters.

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