Tue Nov 12th 2024

Week Ten Review

Week ten started with a bang on Thursday night with a ton of fantasy points scored, but Sunday was a letdown because it was one of the lowest-scoring weeks of the year. I watched my fantasy scores while watching the games on Sunday, and it felt like my scores were frozen. There was so little movement, especially in the early games. It was the worst week of the season for me and my dynasty teams, but I still enjoyed watching all of the games. After following all the NFL action this week, here are some of my dynasty takes.

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Dynasty Takes

Oh My!

• Thursday night's game won or buried dynasty managers as multiple players went nuts and scored a ridiculous amount of points. Ja'Maar Chase went ham, scoring 50 points after 264 yards receiving and three touchdowns. It's the second time this year that he singlehandedly won fantasy games for managers. Naturally, Joe Burrow was attached to all those points and scored 38 fantasy points.  In leagues where one team had the Burrow-Chase stack, they should win their game. In my Freek League, a manager with the stack is comfortably ahead 88-0. Baltimore fought back in the game, and Lamar Jackson went nuts. He's played like the league MVP and the fantasy MVP this season. He scored 39 fantasy points with four touchdown passes. Sadly, his touchdowns only benefitted Mark Andrews, who hesitantly started, and Rashod Bateman, Tylan Wallace, and Nelson Agholor, who were not started in most lineups. As usual, Derrick Henry was less productive in a close game than when the Ravens are leading and run the ball to finish out the game.  It was a great start to the week, even though it was a bummer for managers who got off to a massive deficit if they played against Jackson, Burrow, or Chase. They all went nuts to start the week.

Oh No!

• For the second time this year, Sam Darnold played like he did with the Jets. He threw three interceptions, including two in the endzone. What's worse, it was against the Jaguars, who have given up the third most passing yards per game this season. Darnold has been one of the year's best surprises, scoring 19 points per game and making Aaron Jones, Justin Jefferson, and Jordan Addison productive. I'm not sure why, but he fell apart this week and left dynasty managers with Vikings players in a big hole. He's only had one other bad game this season, but next week, he plays Tennessee, which gives up the fewest yards passing per game. The week after, he plays Chicago, who gives up the 8th fewest passing yards. Both games are on the road, too, as he was this week in Jacksonville. I expect his fantasy production and the entire offense to be down over the next two weeks, which will cost dynasty managers with Vikings on their rosters as we enter the playoff stretch.

Ouch!

• There were not a lot of fantasy-relevant injuries this week. The biggest one this week was Trevor Lawrence, who missed this week's game, and some believe he may miss the rest of the year. Mac Jones started for the Jaguars but did not help the offense and its fantasy weapons. He led the team to just one touchdown drive, threw two interceptions, and threw for just 111 yards. Dynasty managers relying on Travis Etienne, Evan Engram, and Brian Thomas Jr. in their playoff runs now find themselves in trouble. If Jones starts the rest of the season, he will have better games than this, but none will compare to the production the offense had with Lawrence.  

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Stock Up

George Pickens

• Pickens' productivity has increased since Russell Wilson became the starter in Pittsburgh. In Wilson's three starts, Pickens has scored two of his highest-scoring fantasy weeks of the season and the only two weeks with a touchdown. He's become a reliable fantasy starter after being a boom-or-bust player early in his career. His dynasty value is on the rise as a result.

Darnell Mooney

• Mooney's dynasty value continues to move up with every passing week. I was happy last offseason when signed with the Falcons to play with Kirk Cousins. The Falcons depth chart was wide open for him. I thought his dynasty stock would improve in Atlanta, but I had no idea he would play this well. He entered the week as the 12th highest-scoring wide receiver this season. He consistently scored double-digit points even in games where he did not score a touchdown. It's his usage that surprises me. He's averaging 7.8 targets per game, giving him a reliable floor week to week. He's having a late-career breakout season.

Will Dissly

• It's a modest move up the ranks for Dissly, but he's worth mentioning this week. At the beginning of the season, he was splitting snaps with Hayden Hurst, but he's now taken over the lead role and has been more involved in the passing game. This week, he received a 33% target share from Justin Herbert. Since taking the starting position in week six, he's received an average of more than six targets per game, and the Chargers are passing more than they did at the start of the season. He's a valuable depth piece on dynasty rosters and could be worthy of starting in lineups when other tight ends are on bye weeks. I've added him to my roster in several leagues this year.

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Stock Down

Xavier Worthy

• Worthy had every opportunity this season to prove himself a WR-1 and top-tier dynasty wide receiver, but he's been unable to capitalize. When Rashee Rice went down for the year, I thought he could step up, but he did not, and the Chiefs traded for wide receivers to add to their depth chart instead. Worthy has averaged just five fantasy points per game since Rice was injured. He's a deep threat and gadget play guy, but he has not been proven to demand targets early in his career. He's a rookie and can improve in the years to come, but his dynasty stock is falling for now.

D.J. Moore

• There is still hope for Moore's future, but for now, I am moving him down my dynasty rankings. Moore has only scored double-digit points twice this season. Caleb Williams has looked awful, and the Bears have the third-worst offense in yards per game. Their coaching staff will get fired at the end of the season. Until then, Moore will continue to fall down my dynasty rankings.

Jonathan Brooks

• I hate to say this one, but Brooks' dynasty value took a hit when the Panthers signed Chuba Hubbard to a new contract. Much of Brooks' dynasty value was tied to his draft capital and the open depth chart following this season, when I assumed Hubbard would sign with another team. Hubbard has played fantastic this season, and the team rewarded him with a new contract, meaning he and Brooks will likely share the backfield in the years to come unless Brooks bursts onto the scene. I love Brooks, but I can't see him playing much better than Hubbard has played this season. Even if he looks great when he gets on the field this season, the Panthers will go with a committee approach for the rest of their contracts.

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Young Guns

Bucky Irving

• Irving is establishing himself as the running downs back and the Buccaneers' goal-line back, while Rachaad White is more involved in the passing game. He led the team in carries this week and had another red-zone touchdown run this week, his fourth of the season. He scored over 15 fantasy points in three of the last four weeks. He's looked fantastic on the field this season, and he's getting more touches as a result.

Audric Estime

• This was the week that Estime took over the Broncos backfield. While he didn't have a breakout game, he looked good against the league's third-best run defense, the Chiefs. He had 14 carries for 53 yards, while Javonte Williams carried the ball just once. Coach Payton said he would give Estime more touches, and he finally did. It should continue. Estime is my most drafted rookie from last year, so I am thrilled to see him get more looks and an opportunity to win the starting role.

Ricky Pearsall

• Pearsall scored his first NFL touchdown on Sunday and had the most snaps and targets of his young career. He's the clear WR-3 behind Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, but he's carving out a role for himself. His dynasty managers should be hopeful with what they've seen from him since he started playing three weeks ago after recovering from a gunshot wound at the start of the season. He'll continue to improve and get more chances with the 49ers the rest of the season.

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Old-Man Strength

Courtland Sutton

• Sutton has been on a tear since week seven when he received zero targets. This 29-year-old has averaged 16 fantasy points per game in the last three weeks. He's the Broncos' big-play guy, averaging 13.7 yards per catch over the previous three weeks. Bo Nix is improving, making Sutton a reliable receiver in dynasty lineups with a safe floor and high ceiling. He's looked fantastic.  

Terry McLaurin

• McLaurin is on fire this season. He's scored double-digit points for eight games in a row. He's become Jayden Daniels' favorite target in the red zone and on deep balls.  He has five red zone touchdowns this season and has had games where he averaged 16, 25, 25, and 28 yards per catch. He had 22.6 yards per catch this Sunday. He's producing for the Commanders and dynasty managers in every way possible this season.

James Conner

• Conner has been a monster this season in the running and passing game. He did not do well on the ground this week, but he had 80 yards receiving, including a 44-yard run after catch that was called a touchdown, but instant replay ruled him down as the one-inch line. Thankfully, the Cardinals rewarded him with a touchdown rush on the next play. He's scored double-digit fantasy points in all but two games this season. This week was his highest scoring with 19.8 fantasy points. He deserves a much-needed bye week next week and can help carry dynasty teams in their playoff drives after that. 

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Waiver Watch

Devaughn Vele

• Vele caught his first touchdown pass this week, and he won the award for the ever-changing WR-2 role in Denver. This week, he was second on the team in wide receiver snaps behind Courtland Sutton. The Broncos are clearly trying to find out who they want to play that role. This week, it was Vele, and he produced. Since he's a rookie, I'd be more eager to add him to my rosters than the player I think most managers will try to add this week.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling

• MVS's surprise breakout game with the Saints on Sunday makes him the top waiver-wire addition this week. While I don't believe he can replicate what he did on Sunday, he's the Saints starting wide receiver for the next few weeks, if not the rest of the season while Chris Olave remains out. I can only imagine starting him in the deepest of leagues, but in leagues like that, he's worth adding this week.

Mack Hollins

• Hollins leads all Buffalo wide receivers in snaps played this year. He's primarily used as a blocker in the run game. Even so, he's scored three red-zone touchdowns this year. He's scored double-digit points each of the last two weeks. He's capitalizing on the injuries of Keon Coleman and Amari Cooper, so he's not a long-term addition to dynasty rosters, but he could help in the deepest of leagues.

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Dynasty Trades

Kirk Cousins and Jaxon Smith-Njigba <=======> Chris Olave and a 2025 1st round pick

• I made this trade in a superflex league, which I am rebuilding. I have Bo Nix and Drake Maye as my quarterbacks and Daniel Jones and Drew Lock as my backup plan. I've been hoping to add a first-round draft pick to give me three first-round draft picks next year to help rebuild my running backs and wide receivers. The team traded with is contenting but lost Olave with the concussion and possibly Lawrence with his recent health concerns. He wanted the security of Cousins in his playoff run. Even with his injury history, I prefer Olave over his college teammate, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, especially since the Seahawks have D.K. Metcalf as a WR-1, whereas when healthy, Olave is the future WR-1 in New Orleans. After drafting Maye and Nix in last year's rookie draft, I was willing to give away Cousins for a first-round pick to add another quarterback or preferred player next year. This was a fair contender vs. rebuilder trade, and I am happy with it.    

Trey McBride, Jordan Whittington and a 2025 2nd round pick <=======> Tyrone Tracy, Dalton Kincaid, and 2025 3rd round pick

• Two competitive teams in this league traded players for players in an even trade where managers differed on the value of the players. McBride is the best player in this trade, which is why the other manager had to include a second-tier tight end and a rookie-on-the-rise player like Tracy. They compensated for the difference by switching second and third-round picks. While McBride is my top-ranked player in the trade, I favor the package side of this trade.  The difference between McBride and Kincaid is not as big as adding Tyrone Tracy, who has taken over the Giants' backfield and has a bright future ahead, even though he's an older rookie. Both managers recognized the gap in the trade, which is why they exchanged picks to even the deal.  It's an even deal; the picks will ultimately help decide who won this trade. 

Mike Evans <=======> 2025 2nd round pick

• A team that has decidedly gone all-in this season and made several similar trades this season gave up a second-round pick to a rebuilding team that is happy to collect picks. I don't think Evans is worth a first-round pick, especially given his recent time away with injury. His second-round price seems about right for a rebuilding team, though I wish he could have received a young and unproven player back in the deal to get a little piece more. Evans could be a league winner if he returns healthy this season, so he's also worth the risk in this trade.

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