Dynasty Freeks

Rookie-Draft Grades #2

Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:00 -0500

It’s rookie draft season! I had three drafts last week and two more this week. May is a great month to be a Dynasty Freek!! I hope you’ve enjoyed your rookie drafts or are enjoying the study and preparation as you await them.

This week, I will share my thoughts on my rookie drafts. It gives me a chance to share about the players I drafted and why I selected them, as well as to share observations when comparing each of the three drafts together to give you some tips on what to expect in your drafts.

FFPC League

FFPC leagues are not my favorite, and I am considering quitting after this season. They are more like a keeper league than a dynasty league because teams only roster 16 players in the offseason, including a kicker and defense. I’ve learned that you cannot win a league like this with a long-term approach that builds depth. Rookies must hit immediately, or they are useless. Proven veterans are more valuable than almost every rookie, especially in this class. So I traded away my first-round pick (1.10) for AJ Brown, who I am confident will land with the Patriots. I drafted two rookies and then traded for more veterans to keep my team in win-now mode, which every team should be in a league like this, after finishing in 3rd place last season.

Ja'Kobi Lane (2.10) and Elijah Sarratt (3.10)

I’ve written enough about Lane in recent weeks, so I will be brief here. Last week, I even wrote about how Sarratt was drafted ahead of Lane in one league and behind him in another. I’ve seen the same trend this week in my drafts. In this one, I drafted them both myself! In a league like this, I can hedge my bets and see which becomes the most productive season this year and keep one while dropping the other, even though in-season rosters are just 20 players. I need one to break out quickly, since the rosters are so narrow, and I hope that one will make it clear for me. To give you an idea of how weird leagues like this are compared to true dynasty leagues, five veterans were drafted before I drafted Lane, and five more were drafted before I drafted Sarratt. I had Chiig Okonkwo queued up to be my first pick in a tight-end premium league like this, but he was selected the pick before I drafted Lane.

Isaiah Pacheco for 4.10

For my next two picks, I traded for veterans instead of drafting rookies. I received Pacheco in a trade for my 4.10 pick. I have Jahmyr Gibbs on my roster, so I was pleased to add his handcuff instead of selecting a rookie at 4.10. In a league this thin, I am less willing to roster handcuffs, but I have Patrick Mahomes and Zach Charbonnet on my roster and expect them both to start the season on PUP or IR, which will make it more feasible for me to carry Pacheco for a good bit of the season if not all of it. I offered this trade to a team and was so pleased that they accepted it. They drafted Eli Rairdon with their pick. I’d be pleased to add Rairidon this late in the fourth round in normal dynasty leagues, but in a league like this, he’ll take too long to surpass Hunter Henry on the depth chart, and I am pleased to have Henrey on my roster in this league.

Christian Watson for Jayden Reed and 5.10

This was an offer I was very surprised and thrilled to receive, so I quickly hit the accept button. Watson and Reed’s dynasty values bumped up this offseason after Romeo Doubs (also on this roster of mine) and Dontayvion Wicks landed on new teams. Still, Watson is a much better dynasty prospect since he’s a constant in Green Bay’s two-receiver sets. He’s also a better big-play weapon. Giving up 5.10 to cover the distance between them in my rankings was an easy decision, especially after seeing the other manager drafted Caleb Douglas with the pick. I feel like I protected my running back room with the first trade and improved my wide receiver room with the second one.

Justin Fields (6.10)

My last pick was in the 6th round of this draft, since I traded away my 7th-round pick a few months ago for Jack Bech. In this one-quarterback league, I added Fields to provide depth behind my starter, Dak Prescott, while I likely wait for Mahomes to return from PUP or IR at the start of the season. Dak’s bye week is not until week ten, so I could have gone into a league like this with just Dak and Mahomes, but I thought it would be safer to add Fields. Before the season starts, teams must reduce their rosters to 20 players. I only have 21 players on my roster. If Mahomes and Charbonnet are placed on PUP or IR, I may not need to drop a play or may even be able to add one.

Like I said in the beginning. This is not a normal dynasty league, and I am not a fan of the format, but I like the challenge of trying different league formats. We’ll see if I stick it out past this year, though.

Diehard League

My Diehard league is my favorite. I started it eight years ago by inviting the most active managers in many of my leagues to form a new one. I drafted a competitive team but never won the title, so I started a massive rebuild two years ago. I finished third in the regular season last year and have a young, top-tier roster headed into this season. Last season, I loaded up on rookie running backs with all the picks I collected. During the season, I traded away two first-round draft picks for Drake London to give me a starting wide receiver corps of London, JSN, and Malik Nabers. I only had three picks in this year’s rookie draft, but I was pleased with my selections.

Chris Bell (2.8)

This league is moving to superflex next season, so this year’s rookie draft mirrored superflex drafts, which is one of the reasons Bell fell to me with the 20th pick of the draft. This is the furthest I have seen Bell fall in all my drafts. He’s my 13th-ranked rookie in superflex and was drafted 15th, 10th, 17th, and 12th in my other drafts. Needless to say, I was thrilled to see him fall to me so late. I don’t need any production from him this season on this roster. I can wait for him to return healthy and become Miami’s leading receiver in the years to come after they draft a top-tier rookie quarterback next year. For some reason unknown to me, the following players were drafted ahead of Bell in this draft: Nicholas Singleton, Zachariah Branch, Oscar Delp, Emmett Johnson, and Kaelon Black. The reaches for running back continue in this draft, and I continue to be surprised by it.

Bryce Lance (4.8)

I had to wait two rounds before my next pick, but I was excited to draft Lance, my 26th-ranked rookie, and pick 44. Lance will never surpass Chris Olave or Jordyn Tyson on the depth chart, but he can become a weapon in a Kellen Moore-coached offense that makes some plays and earns a starting role in the three-receiver sets. Plus, Olave and Tyson often battle injuries, giving Lance more opportunities to play in the seasons ahead. This late in the draft, taking a stab at a small-school rookie who dominated the competition at the NFL Combine on an offense I trust seemed well worth the risk.

Tanner Koziol (5.8)

I debated between Koziol and Michael Trigg for this pick, but I believe Koziol has an easier path to climb the depth chart in Jacksonville. Every fifth-round pick in rookie drafts is a long shot, but Koziol’s elite college production makes him a perfect player to draft in the fifth round. At Ball State and Houston, he scored a combined 24 touchdowns, and 2234 yards receiving, and caught 237 passes. That’s elite tight-end production. Brenton Strange now has competition in the passing game. Koziol need not worry about Nate Boerkricher, the blocking tight end the Jaguars drafted in the second round. He was drafted three rounds later as a pass catcher. He’ll sit behind Tucker Kraft and Tyler Warren on my squad, while I wait a year or two to see if he can climb the Jaguars’ depth chart.

Leftovers League

This league was born after a 48-team industry league folded last year. Twelve of us started a new league last season. I drafted a win-now team in the start-up draft and almost won it all in year one, but finished as the runner-up. Near the end of the season, I traded Caleb Williams and my 2026 first-round pick for Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton, who caught fire and propelled me to the championship game. Thus, like all but one of my leagues this year, I did not have a first-round pick. I stayed put with the rest of my picks in this rookie draft and selected the following players from the eleventh spot in rounds two through four.

Ja'Kobi Lane (2.11)

I’ve written about Lane too much lately, but at least I show I am a man of my word and conviction. He’s my most drafted player so far. My pick was sandwiched between two quarterbacks, which is about where the second-tier quarterbacks have been falling in superflex leagues. Drew Allar was drafted before my pick, and Carson Beck was the pick after. This is the first time I have seen Allar drafted ahead of Beck. I had Allar ranked ahead of Beck all offseason, but I moved Beck ahead of Allar in my final rookie rankings, given his opportunity to see the field before Allar. It was interesting to see Allar drafted ahead of Beck, while in my other superflex drafts, he was selected 4 and 18 picks after Beck.

Malachi Fields (3.11)

I was conflicted with this pick because this is a tight-end premium league, and this is just the spot in the draft to select a tight end who can sit on a taxi squad and develop. Eli Raridon and Max Klare were selected just before me, and Oscar Delp was immediately after me. While my guy, Justin Joly, was picked four picks later. I decided, instead, to select a player that the Giants were willing to trade up for in the third round. He has an easier depth chart to climb in New York compared to Bryce Lance, whom I also considered drafting with this pick. He’s a very different type of receiver than the variety of receivers the Giants added in free agency this year, which causes me to believe they have a specific role for him in mind when they traded up to get him. I’m glad to have my first share of Fields and am eager to see if he can earn a role in the new Giants’ offense.

Cade Klubnik (4.11)

In this superflex league, my starters are Bo Nix and Brock Purdy, and I have their handcuffs, Jared Stidham and Mac Jones, on my roster too. My third quarterback back is Geno Smith, so at this point of the draft, I decided to add his handcuff, Klubnik, who, if the Jets struggle this season, will surely get playing time. I know it is very likely that he will get replaced by a quarterback the Jets draft in the first round next season, but at this point in the draft, I liked the security I have at quarterback this season with all my backups, and I can wait to see if he can emerge as this year’s Tyler Shough. What if he performs well and the Jets keep him as their starter and add weapons around him with all their draft picks next season? It’s a long shot, but one worth taking with the second-to-last pick in the four-round rookie draft. I was confident that the other player I wanted to draft here would not be selected by the champion with the last pick of the draft, but I thought he could have drafted Klubnik with his last pick. I’ll make an aggressive waiver wire bid on the other player I considered here and will write about him next week, as I plan to share which players I’ve targeted off the waiver wire after rookie drafts.

Rookie-Draft Grades #1

Tue, 05 May 2026 06:00:00 -0500

It’s finally Rookie-Draft Season! While the class is weaker than most years, rookie drafts are still an opportunity for Dynasty Freeks to strengthen and rebuild their teams. It’s the best part of the offseason, with months of study and preparation leading to rookie drafts in the weeks ahead.

I’ve completed two drafts already, have three more in progress this week, and more to follow over the next two weeks. During May, I will share my thoughts on each of my rookie drafts, explain why I selected the players I drafted, and make general comments on the rest of the draft. I will also post the entire draft order so you can see how other Dynasty Freeks are drafting in my leagues and get a feel for players' average draft positions.

This week, I will start with my “Runnin’ Down a Dream” and my “Finish the Fight” leagues.

My Runnin’ Down a Dream league is my newest league. We conducted the start-up draft in April, which included rookie draft selections. Meaning, you could draft the 1.1 as your pick in the start-up draft. Thus, the Tom-Petty themes teams you see below are all over the place from round to round because some teams selected many rookie draft picks, while others, such as myself, chose none (though I traded into the rookie draft, as you will soon read). My Finish the Fight league is one I was invited into several years ago by a Dynasty Freeks podcast listener. It’s been a great league with very active managers.

It’s hard to compare the drafts because one is a 12-team league, the other a 10-team league, and one is a superflex league, the other not. They are both tight-end premium, though. Still, though the leagues are different, there is much to learn about these first rookie drafts of the season. Let’s take a look!

As expected, picks one through about eight were very similar. The variety in these drafts would come later, though I was surprised by how many players were still drafted in the same range. Let’s start by looking at the picks I made and the trades I made in each draft to get them.

My Picks

Antonio Williams (1.12) and Ted Hurst (2.10)

In the Runnin’ Down a Dream start-up draft, I took a win-now approach and have built a team that will be very competitive in year one. I chose not to draft any rookies in the start-up draft, so I planned to watch the draft unfold without making a move. However, when I saw one of “my guys,” Antonio Williams, available at the end of the first round, I traded up to draft him. I gave up a 2027 first-round pick to get picks 1.12 and 2.10, which turned into Antonio Williams and Ted Hurst. I’m convinced that Williams will earn a starting role with the Commanders and make an immediate impact in year one. I’ve been higher on Williams throughout the rookie-ranking process and loved his landing spot. It’s been fun to hear other dynasty analysts come around to my line of thinking this week as I have listened to post-NFL draft podcasts. Everyone can jump on my bandwagon now! I am also thrilled to have drafted Hurst, who I also believe will see a lot of playing time this year. He won’t make an immediate impact like Williams, but he’ll become a future starter with the Buccaneers. Wide receiver is my weakest position in this new league, so adding some depth and youth was worth giving up a first-round pick, especially since my win-now team will be a top contender.

Denzel Boston (2.3) and Antonio Williams (2.4)

In my Finish the Fight league, I had my own pick at 2.4 and decided to trade up to secure the 2.3 pick, too. I traded a 2027 second-round pick to get the 2.3 this year and selected Denzel Boston and Williams with my next pick. I was not happy that Boston landed in Cleveland and was drafted after KC Conception. Still, the two can make a great pair and win in very different ways. They can be the future star receiver tandem in Cleveland. Boston is my 8th-ranked rookie, so when he fell to the 13th spot in this draft, I was eager to trade up to get him. Williams is my 12th-ranked rookie, so this trade allowed me to get two first-round rookies in my rankings early in the second round of this 10-team rookie draft.

Brenan Thompson (4.3 and 4.4)

o In both rookie drafts, I selected Thompson in the fourth round. In one league, he fell to me. In the other, I traded a 2027 third-round pick to move up for Thompson and received a 2027 5th round pick in the trade as well. Thompson is a long shot to become a superstar in the NFL, given his small stature at 164 pounds, but his blazing 4.26 speed makes him a player worth gambling on at this point in the draft. If there is a coach who knows how to maximize his speed and make him a big-play threat, it’s Mike McDaniel, the new offensive coordinator for the Chargers. McDaniels really wanted the Chargers to draft Thompson. The video the team posted after the draft proved that. The Chargers’ receivers are inconsistent (Quentin Johnston), unproven (Tre Harris), and often injured (Ladd McConkey), so I am hopeful that Thompson can earn some playing time beyond plays designed just for him. He’s a high upside player worth drafting in the fourth round of rookie drafts this season, especially since he’s my 21st-ranked rookie in this class!

Biggest Disparities

As I wrote earlier, I thought there would be more disparities in the second and third rounds of this year’s rookie drafts, but when I compared these first two drafts, they were not all that different, even though the league settings are. There were a few glaring differences, though. It will be interesting to see whether these remain the most polarizing players in the rest of my rookie drafts.

Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen

These Penn State teammates are the third-tier running backs in this class that dynasty managers are eager to draft, given they have older and weaker depth charts to climb in Tennessee and Washington. In one of the weakest running back classes in recent memory, running-back-needy teams are reaching on these backs. Singleton went as high as 12th in one league and as low as 23rd in the other. Allen went as high as 19th in one league and 33rd in the other. They are back-to-back in my rankings at 33rd and 34th, so I am definitely not going to draft the Penn State backs in my rookie drafts this season, since they were drafted higher than I would draft them even in these drafts when they fell. I understand the need to target running backs, but I am unwilling to draft them as early as other dynasty managers clearly are. In my third rookie draft that just got underway, I drafted Ja’Kobi Lane 22nd, and Singleton went 23rd.

Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt

It’s interesting to see that managers viewed these two teammates in Baltimore so differently. In one league, Sarratt was drafted six spots ahead of Lane. In the other, he was drafted four spots after. Sarratt was drafted roughly in the same spots at 23rd and 25th, whereas Lane was drafted 21st in one league and 29th in the other. I like both players, but the wise thing to do is to first draft the player whom the NFL team drafted. Lane, one of “my guys” this year, was drafted with the 16th pick of the third round by the Ravens, whereas Sarratt was drafted almost exactly a round later with the 15th pick of the fourth round. I’m biased because Lane is one of “my guys,” but wisdom still says that dynasty managers should draft the player with the better draft capital first when they are drafted by the same team. Lane and Sarratt win in the same ways, too, which likely means that one will play ahead of the other. My bets are on Lane, which is why I have him ranked 14th and Sarratt 20th. I was very disappointed when Lane was selected ahead of me in one league, so I had to draft Hurst, whom I also like, instead. At least I was able to draft Lane with the 22nd pick in my third rookie draft.

Skyler Bell

Bell was drafted 22nd in one league and 35th in the others. That’s quite a big difference, especially since only two quarterbacks were drafted in the superflex league to account for the disparity. Bell is also one of “my guys,” and I have him ranked 24th in this class. Another manager felt the same way in this league, trading a 2027 third-round pick to move up to draft him in the 35th spot. That was a great trade. Bell will take some time to earn Josh Allen’s trust, but he has a great chance to become a future starter for the Bills, who need more reliable weapons in the passing game.

Eli Heinreich

Heinreich was drafted 32nd in one league and fell to 44th in the other. I expect him to remain one of the most polarizing players in this class. Some dynasty managers will look at his college production and see him as a big weapon in the Steelers offense, like Kenneth Gainwell was last season. They’ll look at his college production and see him as a weaker version of Christian McCaffrey. And who can’t help but love that he’s from a military academy? Others, and I fall in this camp, love the story but think his role will be too limited in the NFL, and that he will never be a viable starting running back. That’s where I stand, but I can see how other managers want to take a chance on him as an anomaly, like I did when drafting Brenan Thompson. He’s my 45th-ranked rookie.

Superflex Reflextions

Of course, the two first-round quarterbacks were the first to get drafted in rookie drafts. The only questions were how far Medonza would fall in the first round and if managers willing to be very patient would draft Simpson in the first round. In my first superflex draft, Mendoza was drafted at 1.2, and Simpson was a first-round pick, going at 1.10. I expect this to be the norm in rookie drafts this season, though I have Simpson ranked 12th, so I won’t be surprised if he falls to the second round in some superflex rookie drafts.
The rest of the quarterbacks were selected in the order I expected based on their opportunities to play this season. Carson Beck, with a viable chance to start many games this season, went as the 19th player off the board and is my 22nd-ranked rookie. Drew Allar, with a viable chance to start some games this season or at least be the quarterback of the future for the Steelers, went 30th off the board and is my 30th-ranked rookie. Cade Klubnik, with a viable chance to start many games this season for the Jets once they are out of playoff contention, went as the 38th player off the board and is my 34th-ranked rookie. Then, Taylen Green, my only other ranked quarterback in this class, went 51st in this superflex draft, which is about where I expected, given that he’s my 56th-ranked rookie.

Tight-End Premium Picks

Of course, Sadiq and Stowers were the first two tight ends drafted in these tight-end premium rookie drafts, going 7th and 8th (Sadiq) and 9th and 11th (Stowers). What’s interesting is the order of tight ends drafted after the top two. In one league, the order was Oscar Delp, Max Klare, Eli Raridon, and Justin Joly. In the other, it was Max Klare, Justin Joly, Michael Trigg, and Eli Raridon. Klare looks to be the consensus third tight end, but in one league, he was drafted after Delp. In one league, Delp was not drafted in the top 40, but in the other, he was the third tight end off the board at pick 36. Joly, one of “my guys” this season, was drafted 36th in one league and 42nd in the other. Trigg was drafted 38th in one league and 46th in the other. Raridon was drafted 38th in one league and 41st in the other. It looks like the Dynasty managers will have plenty of opportunities to draft their favorite tight end later in the third round or early in the fourth. It’s a deep class with plenty of choices, but few will make a year-one impact, so dynasty managers will have to be patient with these tight ends.

“Runnin’ Down A Dream” Rookie Draft

Round One

1. Long Road - Jeremiyah Love

2. Son of Tom - Fernando Mendoza

3. Mary Jane - Carnell Tate

4. Southern Accents - Makai Lemon

5. Heartbreakers - Jordyn Tyson

6. Southern Accents - Jadarian Price

7. Southern Accents - KC Concepcion

8. Southern Accents - Kenyon Sadiq

9. Petty Theft - Omar Cooper

10.Long Road - Ty Simpson

11.Southern Accents - Eli Stowers

12.Won't Back Down (via Southern Accents) - Antonio Williams

Round Two

1. Petty Theft - Denzel Boston

2. Petty Theft (via Heartbreakers) - Jonah Coleman

3. Psychedelic Harmonicas - Chris Bell

4. Mary Jane - Zachariah Branch

5. Petty Theft -Germie Bernard

6. Heartbreakers (via Petty Theft, Free Ballin') - De'Zhaun Stribling

7. Heart Breakers - Carson Beck

8. Son of Tom - Emmett Johnson

9. Mary Jane - Ja'Kobi Lane

10.Won't Back Down (via Southern Accents) - Ted Hurst

11.Psychedelic Harmonicas - Nicholas Singleton

12.Heartbreakers - Mike Washington

Round Three

1. Don't Come Around - Elijah Sarratt

2. Petty Theft - Malachi Fields

3. Even the Losers - Demond Claiborne

4. Heartbreakers (via Petty Theft) - Chris Brazzell

5. Son of Tom - Bryce Lance

6. Heartbreakers - Drew Allar

7. Petty Theft - Kaelon Black

8. Mary Jane - Caleb Douglas

9. Petty Theft - Kaytron Allen

10.Son of Tom - Cole Payton

11.Don't Come Around (via Even the Losers) - Skyler Bell

12.Southern Accents - Oscar Delp

Round Four

1. Petty Theft - Adam Randall

2. Psychedelic Harmonicas - Cade Klubnik

3. Won't Back Down (via Mary Jane) - Brenan Thompson

4. Even The Losers - Max Klare

5. Southern Accents - Eli Raridon

6. Petty Theft - Justin Joly

7. Mary Jane - Zavion Thomas

8. Even the Losers - Eli Heidenreich

9. Southern Accents - Kevin Coleman

10.Petty Theft - Michael Trigg

11.Psychedelic Harmonicas - Seth McGown

12.Heartbreakers - Marlin Klein

Round Five

1. Son of Tom - Malik Benson

2. Petty Theft - Roman Hemby

3. Don't Come Around - Taylen Green

4. Mary Jane - Will Kacmerek

5. Even the Losers - Tanner Koziol

6. Mary Jane - Diego Pavia

7. Don't Come Around - CJ Daniels

8. Petty Theft - Kaden Wetjen

9. Heartbreakers - Sam Roush

10.Son of Tom - Seydou Traore

11.Petty Theft - Matthew Hibner

12.Mary Jane - Jadyn Ott

“Finish The Fight” Rookie Draft

1. Jeremiyah	Love
2. Jordyn	Tyson
3. Carnell	Tate
4. Makai	Lemon
5. Jadarian	Price
6. KC	Concepcion
7. Kenyon	Sadiq
8. Omar	Cooper
9. Eli	Stowers
10.Chris	Bell
11.Jonah	Coleman
12.Nicholas	Singleton
13.Denzel	Boston
14.Antonio	Williams
15.Fernando	Mendoza
16.Germie	Bernard
17.Emmett	Johnson
18.Zachariah	Branch
19.Kaytron	Allen
20.Ted	Hurst
21.De'Zhaun	Stribling
22.Skyler	Bell
23.Elijah	Sarratt
24.Mike	Washington
25.Malachi	Fields
26.Adam	Randall
27.Kaelon	Black
28.Ty	Simpson
29.Ja'Kobi	Lane
30.Chris	Brazzell
31.Max	Klare
32.Eli	Heidenreich
33.Drew	Allar
34.Brenen	Thompson
35.Kevin	Coleman
36.Justin	Joly
37.Demond	Claiborne
38.Michael	Trigg
39.Eli	Raridon
40.Bryce	Lance

My Rookies To Avoid List

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0500

We’re less than two weeks away from the NFL draft, the final and biggest datapoint in my rookie rankings process. Before the final datapoint arrives and draft capital and landing spots are known, I like to compare my rankings with other dynasty analysts one more time to see which players I have higher or lower on, and determine who will be my “my guys” for the year and “my fades” for the year. Last week I wrote about “my guys.” In this article, I present “my fades.”

That does not mean I will never draft these players because every player is draftable at the right price. Still, it is very unlikely that I will draft these players, since almost every other manager will rank them higher than I will. The professionals at Dynasty League Football (DLF) have “my fades” ranked five or more spots ahead of where I rank them (at least as of April 3rd), and I am sure other managers do as well.

Last year, I had some hits and some misses among “my fades.” Though each player’s dynasty value can change in their second season, I appear to have been correct in having Kaleb Johnson, Savion Williams, Jalen Milroe, and Quinn Ewers on “my fades” list last year. Two others on my “my fades” list, Elic Ayomanor and Tez Johnson, showed some potential in their rookie seasons, but I am still glad I passed on them in drafts last year. Overall, I did really well with “my fades” last year. We’ll see about this year, because I have a few players on this list projected to be drafted high.

Excellent draft capital could move these players significantly up my final rookie rankings, but even then, I will still rank them lower than other analysts, who will also move them up if their landing spot or draft capital is favorable. In fact, if they rise in everyone’s rankings, I will be even less likely to draft them. We’ll see in a few weeks. As for now, before the NFL draft, here are the five guys I am calling “my fades” in the 2026 class.

Jonah Coleman

Coleman is DLF’s 13th-ranked rookie, while he’s my 18th.
Coleman is the one player on this list that I could see moving up a lot if he’s drafted earlier than expected and/or if he lands on a team with a thin depth chart. However, I do not think that will happen. His predicted draft capital has been declining throughout the prospecting season. The NFL Mock Draft Database predicted a draft spot of 60th on January 24th, but he has now fallen to 102nd, which would make him a day-three selection. I am almost always unwilling to draft a running back at the top of the second round in rookie drafts unless he is on my “my guys” list, like Cam Skattebo was last year. Coleman is no Skattebo. His collegiate stats are good but not great. He ran for more than 1,000 yards only once in his junior season, and his yards per carry in his senior season was the worst of his four years in college at 4.9. His 17-touchdown senior season at Washington is the only standout statistic in his favor, and his involvement as a pass catcher. His highlights are fun to watch, and he’s good at everything he’ll be asked to do in the NFL, but he’s not as talented as starting NFL backs, which is why he was a three-star recruit out of high school. In a running back class that’s very weak, dynasty managers will reach to add them on their rosters, but I’m not willing to reach for Coleman at the top of the second round. I have three receivers, Antonio Williams, Elijah Sarratt, and Chris Brazzell, ahead of Coleman in my rankings, and one running back and tight end, Emmett Johnson, my RB-3 in this class, and Max Klare, my TE-2 in this class.

Eli Stowers

Stowers is DLF’s 15th-ranked rookie, while he’s my 20th.
That’s right. I’m out on a limb by ranking Klare ahead of everyone’s TE-2 in this class, Eli Stowers. I am certain that Stowers will be the second tight end drafted in this class, but I still prefer Klare over him and have him ranked five spots lower than the pros at DLF. No one can argue with Stowers’ production profile in his last two years at Vanderbilt, and his NFL Combine performance ranks among the best of all time for a tight end. I can’t argue with those things. I just have a harder time believing that a player recruited as a quarterback who converted to tight end later in his five-year college career can play tight end full-time in the NFL. If he gets drafted by a team that I am confident will treat him more like a third wide receiver and run three-receiver sets as their primary offensive system, then I would be more inclined to move him up my rankings, but so would everyone else. He’s more of a receiver than a tight end, which will limit his opportunities to play in the NFL. I’m much more excited to draft Max Clare or Justin Joly later in rookie drafts since most dynasty analysts and managers are much lower on them and much higher on Stowers. I saw Stowers in person this year tear up my Longhorns. He’s an amazing college player, but I question how he will translate to the NFL. I know this is my riskiest “my fade,” and I might live to regret it, but I’m putting it on record here to make me look really smart or really stupid a year from now.

Germie Bernard

Bernard is DLF’s 16th-ranked rookie, while he’s my 30th.
Bernard is projected to get drafted in the back half ot the second round, but even if his draft capital is that high, I will be avoiding him in rookie drafts. What I like about him is that he’s a do-everything player. Alabama used him as a goal-line back and on passes out of the backfield, used him on trick plays, gave him a lot of run-after-the-catch opportunities, and as a traditional receiver downfield. He is a weapon, at least he was in his senior season. What bothers me, though, is that it took him until his senior season to have a solid year. He moved from Michigan State to Washington, then to Alabama, for his final two years. He was never “the guy” until this season. He had a total of six receiving touchdowns in his first three years until he had seven this past year. Production profiles like his give me caution. When writing articles like these, I always go back to watch the players' highlights and study them further. I have to admit that I liked his tape more on the second viewing, which made me think my 30th-place ranking is too low. I should move him up, and his likely second-round draft capital will definitely push him up in my final rookie rankings, but I will never move him as far as 16th. I have too many other receivers I like ahead of him, even if they get slightly worse draft capital.

Bryce Lance

Lance is DLF’s 20th-ranked rookie, while he’s my 25th.
Lance is a frustrating case for me. I want to draft him and thought I was really high on him as a great player to reach for earlier than others would. However, I see that, compared to other analysts, I am still too low on Lance. His biggest question mark is his level of competition, given that he played for North Dakota State. In an emphatic way, he proved that he can hang with the big boys athletically at the NFL Combine when he graded as the 2nd most athletic wide receiver in the class. That significantly changed his predicted draft capital! The NFL Mock Draft Database predicted him as the 162nd pick in January, and now he is predicted as the 89th pick, making him a day-two selection. I’m excited about him, too, and would like to draft him, but I guess I’ll miss out since I’m still not high enough on him. Other than his playing at a smaller school, his limited route tree is what concerns me most. Maybe he can do everything required of receivers in the NFL, but in college, he almost exclusively won with deep passes. He was just bigger and faster than all his competition, so he could easily win that way. He’ll need a greater diversity of skills and routes to be productive in the NFL and for fantasy teams. The questions I have for him keep him a third-round rookie pick in my eyes, but I am sure other managers will reach for him in the second round before I would be willing to do so.

Michael Trigg

Trigg is DLF’s 31st-ranked rookie, while he’s my 42nd.
Trigg is predicted to be the 118th pick in the draft, two spots after one of “my guys” from last week, Justin Joly. I expect that Trigg will be a “my guy” for many other managers who enjoy watching his monstrous highlights and massive size. His highlights are fun to watch, but that’s all he has in his favor. His production profile is very weak, and he did not have a productive season until his fifth and final season in college, after playing for three schools and leaving one under questionable circumstances. He has seasons with 7, 17, and 4 catches before his final two years at Baylor, with 30 and 50 catches. He scored a total of 8 touches in his first four seasons before scoring 6 touchdowns in his final season. I much prefer to take a chance on the running backs and even quarterbacks in superflex leagues than to reach this high for Trigg, but I know some people will take a chance on him, as I will do with Joly, who has an incredible production profile with 559 more yards receiving in four years compared to Trigg's five.

"My Guys" In the 2026 Rookie Class

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0500

We’re less than three weeks away from the NFL draft, the final and biggest datapoint in my rookie rankings process. Before the final datapoint arrives and draft capital and landing spots are known, I like to compare my rankings with other dynasty analysts one more time to see which players I have higher or lower on, and determine who will be my “my guys” for the year and “my fades” for the year. In this article, I present “my guys.”

That does not mean I will always draft these players, though I wish I could. My draft position is different in every league, of course, and as I wrote about last week, I have traded away my first-round pick in seven of my nine leagues. But the odds are much higher that I will draft one of the following players, since I have them ranked five or more spots ahead of the consensus rankings at Dynasty League Football (at least as of April 3rd).

Last year, I had some hits and some misses among “my guys,” though they each have room to improve beyond their rookie seasons. Last year, my list included hits like Cam Skattebo and Jaxson Dart, complete misses like Devin Neal and Ja’Corey Brooks, and a few players whose verdict I believe is still out, even though their rookie years were unproductive, like Matthew Golden and Jack Bech.

Poor draft capital could drop these players significantly in my final rookie rankings, but even then, I will have them ranked higher than other analysts, who will also drop them if their landing spot or draft capital is unfavorable. In fact, if they drop in everyone’s rankings, I will be even more likely to draft them. We’ll see in a few weeks. As for now, before the NFL draft, here are the five guys I am calling “my guys” in the 2026 class.

Chris Bell

Prior to the NFL draft, Bell is my 12th-ranked rookie, while he’s ranked 17th by DLF. I see him as a first-round pick, while they see him as a mid-second-round pick.
While I am five spots higher on Bell than the pros at DLF, I expect many managers will be willing to take a chance on Bell earlier than 17, just as I would. He’s arguably the biggest boom-or-bust player in this year’s wide receiver class. He’s bound to fall in the NFL draft and in rookie drafts, given that he tore his ACL late last season. Still, NFL teams and dynasty managers will have to play a little cat-and-mouse game this year to see when they are willing to pull the trigger on Bell before others who know they’d like to have a player as big and explosive as him on their teams. I’ve always been honest enough to say that I have a full-time job that I love, so I am unable to watch every play from every prospect. I only have time to watch the highlights to see for myself what they do best and how it fits with the things I value most in fantasy wide receivers. I’ve heard from those who watch all the plays that Bell has many concerns, but everyone agrees his highlights are among the best in this class. Thus, someone ought to take a chance on Bell. In a weaker class like this, I expect most managers to take a chance on Bell in the second round of rookie drafts. The question is how early. I’m in the early camp. It’s important to go for upside in dynasty drafts, and that’s what Bell has in his favor. Unlike the rest of these players in this article, Bell’s draft capital will be a major factor in his ultimate rookie ranking. He needs to land with a team with a weaker depth chart and get drafted earlier than expected to give him the open door that dynasty managers want to see for him. We’ll know a lot more where we should rank Bell after the NFL draft. Hopefully, an NFL team will draft him earlier than expected, as I would like to do in dynasty drafts.

Antonio Williams

Prior to the NFL draft, Williams is my 13th-ranked rookie, while he’s ranked 23rd by DLF. I see him as a top second-round pick, while they see him as an end-of-the-second-round pick.
I mentioned this in another one of my articles, but after releasing my early rookie rankings on Super Bowl Sunday, I sent my buddy, Josh Chevalier, a college football fantasy analyst, a list of players I expected to rank higher than others, which included Williams. He said he agreed with all the players on my list, but was not a fan of Antonio Williams, and said I am in good company because many people like him more than he does. I guess I don’t have enough company; however, if I am still ten spots higher than Williams two months later. I like Williams because he was a four-star recruit and the sixth-highest-ranked wide receiver recruit in his class, and he made an immediate impact as a freshman with 56 receptions for 604 yards. Since then, his production has been up and down because of injuries and a slight decline in the Clemson program overall. He has his least productive season in an injured sophomore season, his best season as a junior with 75 catches for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns, and a modest senior season that perfectly matched the statistics of his freshman year. When a player with his pedigree has an up-and-down collegiate career, I prefer to focus on whether he had an early breakout, which he did, and his best season, which was fantastic. I decided to just watch his junior-year tape, and when I did, I was thoroughly impressed by his play. The word that best describes him is smooth. He appears to have a great understanding of the offense and what defenses are trying to do as well. He knows how to shake defenders and set them up. He knows where to sit in zones. He plays with a high football IQ that I think can help a player of smaller stature, like him, succeed in the NFL. I’ve heard many analysts describe him as a player who can only play the slot in the NFL, but I think he’s smoother and smarter than that, and will live up to his four-star recruiting status, breakout freshman year, and super-productive junior season.

Ja’Kobi Lane

Prior to the NFL draft, Lane is my 19th-ranked rookie, while he’s ranked 27th by DLF. I see him as a mid-second-round pick, while they see him as an early third-round pick.
Lane played opposite my top-ranked receiver in this class, Makia Lemon, so naturally, his stats will not be as eye-popping, but his tape is. From the first time I studied his highlights, I knew I would like him more than most dynasty analysts. He was a four-star recruit to Southern California and had very productive sophomore and junior seasons, with a 12-touchdown sophomore year and a 745-yard receiving junior year. Lane’s big body, style of play, and competitiveness are what make me the most excited about him as a prospect. He’s one of the bigger receivers in this class at 6’4” and 200 lbs, and he had the biggest hands in this year’s class at 10.5 inches. His size makes him an excellent weapon on back shoulder throws, end-zone fades, and skinny posts, all of which he did well in college. He does his best work beating man-to-man coverage, and he’s a red-zone weapon. Then there’s the X-factor of his attitude. Sometimes, cockiness is a trait for receivers. He’s got that cocky attitude. He’s competitive, has fun playing, and isn't afraid to take a hit and get up smiling. I like the energy and confidence he plays with, and I think it will help him fight to earn a spot on a depth chart and become a team leader in the NFL. A team looking for a prototypical X receiver will be glad to draft Lane, as will I in rookie drafts if he is seen by others as a third-round pick instead of a second. If so, I will draft Lane a lot this year.

Skyler Bell

Prior to the NFL draft, Bell is my 21st-ranked rookie, while he’s ranked 26th by DLF. I see him as a late second-round pick, while they see him as an early third-round pick.
Bell was the entire offense for Connecticut last season with 101 receptions for 1278 yards and 13 touchdowns. He turned down a $500,000 NIL offer from Michigan in the transfer portal to stay with his hometown team to finish his collegiate career. He sure made his home team proud! He signed with Wisconsin and played there for three years, so he was recruited by the big schools as a three-star recruit. He’s an excellent athlete, with an 85 score at the Combine, the sixth-highest among receivers tested. He’s bigger than he looks on film, too. He’s 6’ tall and 192 pounds and has the third largest hands in the class. The best part about Bell’s film is that he can do literally everything. He lines up outside, inside, goes in motion, and even lines up in the backfield. He makes plays on screens, digs, outs, posts, and on the sideline. He can win versus zone or man, and he’s great running after the catch. Best of all, his opponents knew the ball was coming to him, but they still could not stop him. His competition will get tougher in the NFL, but his skill set is so diverse that a smart team will know how to develop him into a top target. His diversity of skills makes him a weapon with any team that drafts him, so his draft capital and landing spot will not move him much in my rankings, no matter what team drafts him and when.

Justin Joly

Prior to the NFL draft, Joly is my 18th-ranked rookie, while he’s ranked 41st by DLF. I see him as an early third-round pick, while they see him as a mid fourth-round pick.
I expect Joly to be the player I draft the most this season, given the big disparity in our rankings and people's aversion to drafting tight ends. I’ve been higher on Joly throughout the process from the first day I watched his tape. Over the last month, I have only heard him mentioned as a sleeper by one analyst, and another analyst has him ranked higher than I do. While it’s encouraging to hear someone else who studies players feel the same way about him as I do, I also hope none of my league mates follow him. He and I can be alone on an island with Joly and draft him often. Joly produced as a freshman at Connecticut and was targeted in the transfer portal, where he transferred to North Carolina State his junior year. He made an immediate impact at NC State, leading the team with 661 yards receiving as a junior, which was 201 more yards receiving than KC Conception. He was second on the team in receiving yards in his senior season and led the team in touchdowns with seven. He has room to grow as a blocker, and he may not even be used that much in the running game, but he’s one of the best pass-catching tight ends in this class. He’s great at finding open spots in zones, he has above-average route-running ability, and he has great hands. He was often the first read in his college offense and can become a key weapon in an NFL offense, much like Harold Fannin was as a rookie for Cleveland. If a team drafts him to become a key weapon in the passing game, I am confident that he can produce in the NFL.

Why I've Traded Most Of My First-Round Rookie Picks

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

As the NFL draft nears and dynasty rookie drafts follow, I thought I would look back at all the reasons I do not have a first-round pick in seven of my nine dynasty leagues. The only two leagues where I have not traded my first-round pick are my more complicated dynasty leagues. One is a salary cap league, and in the other, our rookie draft is an auction. In my other seven more traditional dynasty leagues, I have traded away my first-round pick, for better or worse, and in most cases for better.

I’m pleased with most of the seven trades I made in these leagues that will keep me as a spectator in the first round of this year’s drafts. As much fun as I am having studying this rookie class, it is one of the weaker classes in recent years. I’m very confident in my top seven-ranked rookie in this class, but far less confident in the players I have ranked at the back of the first round. With only one exception, the first-round picks that I traded away were in the back half of the first round. I much prefer the proven players I added in these trades to the value of the rookie I could draft with the pick.

I thought I would write about these trades this week to explain my thought process when I made them and how I feel about them now that rookie-draft fever is setting in. If you’re a dynasty manager who trades a lot of picks away, it’s wise this time of year to go back and evaluate your trades to see what you can learn from them. That’s what I’m doing with this article. I challenge you to do the same.

Drake London <=====> 2026 1st round pick and 2027 1st round pick

In this league, I did a complete rebuild over the last two years, and I became a top competitor last season as a result. My team is young and ready to compete for years, having accumulated many draft picks over the last two years. I was the worst team in the league two years ago, but last year I finished in third place, making the first-round pick I traded away for London this year the 1.10 pick in a twelve-team league. About halfway through last year's season, I wanted to stay competitive after losing Malik Nabers for the season. I wanted a young top-tier wide receiver to stay competitive this year and for years to come. London was my target, and I paid up to get him. To his credit, the other manager rejected many of my trade offers that included only one first-round pick and other players or later picks. I finally sent back the offer for two firsts, and he accepted. I think the price is steep, but I am still pleased with the trade, even though next year’s draft class will be much stronger than this year’s. Assuming Nabers returns to form next year, my starting receivers will be Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Nabers, and London. Pairing them with Tucker Kraft and/or Tyler Warren at tight end and a combination of Ashton Jeanty, Cam Skattebo, Quinshon Judkins, Travis Etienne, and Jaylen Warren at running back and flex will keep my team young and competitive for years to come. Hopefully next year’s first-round pick will be the 1.12!

Tee Higgins <=====> 2026 1st and 2027 2nd round pick

I traded away this first-round draft pick and a future second-round pick a few weeks ago after a rebuilding team put Higgins on the trading block. This is another league where I successfully rebuilt my team over the last few years and have become a top competitor again. I was the highest-scoring team last year but lost in the Super Bowl, making the first-round pick I gave up pick 1.9 in this ten-team league. I have strong starting receivers in this league, but I wanted more depth and a player to likely start in the flex spot. Now my receiver room consists of Puka Nacua, Drake London, George Pickens, and Tee Higgins. They will keep my passing game young and productive alongside Trey McBride and Colston Loveland at tight end. Omarion Hampton, Josh Jacobs, and Javonte Williams lead my backfield. With a competitive roster like this, I’m very pleased to have Higgins over 1.9 in this year’s class. There are a number of wide receivers like Chris Bell, Antonio Williams, and Elijah Sarratt that I have ranked significantly higher than most dynasty analysts. One of them is very likely to fall to me at 2.9 in a ten-team superflex league like this one. Unless I sustain significant injuries, I should be a top competitor again next season, so losing the second-rounder will not be too painful. Given that next year’s class is stronger and will have more quarterbacks, I could even try to trade away 2.9 this year to get back my second-round pick in 2027. I’ll at least suggest it when I’m on the clock and dynasty managers are eager to make a pick.

A.J. Brown <=====> 2026 1st round pick

This trade was another I made after the season ended. A team decided they needed to go into rebuild mode, so they started offering their older players for rookie picks. When he sent this one, I gladly accepted. This is an FFPC league with very thin rosters: 16 in the offseason and 23 during the season. For this reason, I’ve learned that rookies have to make an immediate impact to improve rosters and even stay on rosters. Thus, proven veterans are more valuable. It took me some time to get familiar with a league like this, and to be honest, I don’t like it and may even quit after this season. However, I returned to the playoffs for the first time in four years last season and finished third, so I want to see this out for one more season. AJ Brown will pair with (you guessed it) Drake London in my starting lineup, which is strengthened by Jahmyr Gibbs, Quinshon Judkins, Jaylen Warrren, and Zach Charbonnett. FFPC leagues are tight-end premium, so Dallas Goedert, Hunter Henry, and Orande Gadsden’s great seasons last year kept my team stronger than it looked on paper to start the season. I’m not a fan of a shallow league like this, but I wanted to give it another try this season with a proven veteran. This trade may be easier to assess once we know whether Brown is playing for the Eagles. If he’s traded to a team like the Patriots, I’d be even more pleased to have him on my roster instead of a rookie at the 1.10 spot in this twelve-team league.

Derrick Henry and Jordan Addison <=====> 2026 1st round pick, Jacory Croskey Merritt, Troy Franklin, and Tez Johnson

A rebuilding put Henry on the trading block in the middle of last year. As a top competitor and defending champion, I gladly offered a first-round pick for Henry, but then we added all these pieces to the trade, which made me like it even more. To be fair to the other manager, who looks like he lost this trade badly, the trade was made after Troy Franklin and Tez Johnson had a few productive games in a row. Henry caught fire to end the season and led me to my first-ever back-to-back championship, meaning the pick I traded is the 1.10 in this ten-team league. My roster in this league is embarrassingly good. It’s the best team I’ve ever built, and I would not be surprised at all to win the Super Bowl again next season. I went 12-2 last season and was the highest-scoring team, 118 points ahead of the second-highest team and 262 points ahead of the third-highest team. It should be a two-team race again next season, and the two players I added in this lopsided trade will help me again.

Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton <=====> 2026 1st round pick, Caleb Williams, and DeMario Douglas

In the first year of this league, I made it to the Super Bowl but lost. Still, it was a fun season, and this trade helped me get that far. The Nix-Sutton stack was fantastic last season, and I am sure it will be again for the next few years, but the recent trade of Jaylen Waddle to Denver has me more concerned than I would have been without it. I made this trade when Caleb Williams and the Bears’ offense were struggling, but they later improved. Now I have Williams and Nix ranked much closer together, with Nix at 12th and Williams at 14th. At the time, I considered them further apart. I realize that I am in the minority or perhaps even the only dynasty manager who values Nix ahead of Williams, but I still do, even though it’s close for me. The stack is also part of this trade that I love and was a significant reason I liked it then and still do now, or at least before Waddle landed in Denver. If I could take the trade back, I might, but the 1.11 for Sutton in this twelve-team league is still not terrible. Getting to the Super Bowl and taking home some of the prize money was worth it for sure.

Michael Pittman <=====> 2026 1st round pick

I made this trade for Pittman very early in the season when a rebuilding team put him on the trading block. My third starting wide receiver, A.J. Brown, was the only weak spot in my lineup early in the season when he was playing terribly, and Pittman was incredible with Daniel Jones. Pittman helped my team for several weeks, but by the end of the season, Brown was in my starting lineup ahead of him, and he was the one who contributed to my championship season, making the pick I traded away the 1.10 in this ten-team league. Whether I liked the trade now or not, at least it helped me win some games and bring home the trophy and prize money. Every win with Pittman in my lineup early on mattered, and he helped me compile an 11-3 season in which I was the highest-scoring team in the league by 157 points! I wish that Pittman stayed in Indianapolis, but the move to Pittsburgh keeps his dynasty stock about the same, especially if the Steelers bring back Aaron Rodgers. This trade was the right move at the time, and I still believe I’d rather have Pittman than the 1.10 in this year’s class. A starting roster with the mix of Drake Maye, Justin Herbert, Jahmyr Gibbs, Kyren Williams, Cam Skettebo, Puka Nacua, Amo-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, Michael Pittman, Travis Kelce, Tucker Kraft, and Colston Loveland will keep me competitive for years to come and ready to defend my title next season!

Davante Adams <=====> 2026 1st and 3rd round pick

Ha! I remember making this trade about this time last year after the Rams signed Adams. I negotiated the trade during a rain delay at a Texas Longhorn baseball game. At the time, it was a move I do not regret. What I regret is how badly my team played this season, as I went from a perennial contender to one of the worst, even while Adams tore it up. A whole host of situations affected my team negatively last year, after years of playoff appearances and a Super Bowl win and loss in the last two years. Many of the staples of my team’s recent success disappointed. Justin Jefferson had a quarterback problem. Joe Mixon never played. Terry McLaurin hardly played. Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews had down seasons. Davante Adams and Puka Nacua were excellent, but had no support to help my team perform as we should have. Thus, the picks I gave up for Adam are now the 1.4 and 3.4, and I do wish I had those back! I just never saw a fourth-to-last-place season coming for this team. Sometimes that happens, and we have to adjust. I did all I could to obtain first-round picks as it became clear that I would not make the playoffs in this league, but I could not strike a deal. I at least brought some redemption on this trade by trading Adams away for Cam Skattebo just before our trade deadline. So I got back a player I consider a first-round pick from last year at least. My team also benefited greatly from some of the NFL free agent moves made this month, so my roster looks even better now, even though I will only have the 2.4 and 4.4 picks in this year’s rookie draft. Sadly, I also gave away a 2027 first-round pick for Derrick Henry in this league when I was still under the impression that I could sneak my way into the playoffs. Sheesh! But that’s a story I will have to address when I write this type of article again in 2027.

Top 10 Free Agency Fallers

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

The second week of free agency was far less exciting than the first. At least there was one very impactful trade. The dust has settled for most NFL teams, though there are a few fantasy-relevant players who have yet to sign with new teams.

Last week, I wrote about the top ten players whose dynasty stock rose during the free agency period. This week, sadly, I will write about the top ten players whose dynasty stock fell the most during free agency. These first few weeks of the NFL calendar change up the dynasty market a lot. Unfortunately, these are the players who lost the most, and dynasty managers are the most depressed about them.

J.J. McCarthy

The Vikings spoke loudly and clearly about their thoughts on McCarthy's development when they not only signed Kyler Murray but also brought back Carson Wentz. Murray’s signing moved McCarthy straight to backup duty, and Wentz’s signing even puts the backup role in jeopardy. One of the worst feelings for an NFL team is whiffing on a first-round quarterback. It’s painful for dynasty managers in superflex leagues, too, but they have to admit now that McCarthy was a big swing and miss. I’m grateful that I only drafted him in one one-quarterback league that is transitioning to superflex, but not until 2027. McCarthy’s chance at becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL has dwindled to nearly nothing. His best chance is to get traded to another team during the NFL draft. His only other chance would be if Kyler Murray fails this season, which is highly unlikely. In his limited number of NFL starts, the optics and analytics showed that McCarthy is not ready for a starting role. He’s bound to a career as a backup quarterback unless he becomes the next reclamation project like Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, the last two seasons. I wouldn't rule it out, but it’s highly unlikely.

Michael Penix

Penix, on the other hand, proved that he can play in the NFL. He looked very capable and productive in his second season before he was injured and lost for the remainder of the season after week eleven. His late-season injury meant the Falcons had to sign a capable backup who would likely start the season while Penix continued his recovery, especially after letting Kirk Cousins go. They didn’t just get a capable backup; they signed a young NFL veteran who has started for 6 seasons, Tua Tagovailoa. For now, the Falcons claim that their starting quarterback job is a competition between the two left-handed quarterbacks, but Tua is likely to start the season unless Penix’s recovery is on the fast track. I imagine the two lefties each getting starts for the Falcons next year while they try to determine who could be the quarterback of the future. They know they would be best served by having Penix as their future starter since he is so much younger, so he will get the favorable treatment since it is close. Still, Penix could lose the job for this season and longer if Tua plays well and earns a new contract with the team. The competition itself causes Penix’s dynasty value to drop until it is won or lost, and the dynasty market changes again.

Bucky Irving

Irving’s dynasty stock steadily fell last season as he battled injuries, while Rachaad White and Sean Tucker performed well. They stole Irving’s role in the passing and short-yardage game, respectively, a double blow to Irving’s productivity and future dynasty value. White and Tucker both became free agents this year, giving Irving’s managers hope again that his competition would leave. Instead, however, the Bucanneers signed Kenneth Gainwell to fill White’s role and gave Tucker a restricted free-agent tender, making it very unlikely that he will sign with a new team. So it appears the Bucs are running it back this season with Gainwell in the White role and Tcuker in his same role. Dynasty managers will find out real quickly whether Irving’s loss of touches last season was all due to his injury or because the coaching staff believes it’s all he can handle. Gianwell was arguably the best receiving back in the NFL last season and will certainly be heavily involved in the passing game. Tucker, on the other hand, may have benefited from Irving’s injury, and the team allowed him to test free agency before tendering him. Still, he’s much bigger than Irving and could maintain the short yardage and red-zone roles based on his size alone. Irving is the highest-ranked running back affected by these offseason moves. His dynasty managers, of which I am one, have to be sickened by his new situation.

Trey Benson

While Benson’s dynasty stock was nowhere near as high as Irving’s, his dynasty managers were holding out just as much hope for an increased role next season. However, the Cardinals restructured James Conner’s contract rather than letting him go, and they signed one of the best available free-agent running backs, Tyler Allgeier. Both moves are a strong signal that Benson’s opportunities and dynasty stock are dwindling. It’s almost impossible to see Benson emerge as a starting-caliber fantasy-producing running back at any point in his career. What’s more, his handcuff value in spot games is also in question from here on out. Benson is almost a droppable player after these offseason moves by the Cardinals and their new coaching staff, who did not draft him and have no loyalty to him. Sadly, Benson is now an almost droppable asset on dynasty rosters. The only chance his stock will ever rise again is if Conner’s recovery goes poorly or he has clearly lost a step after his many injuries and long NFL career. If Conner is healthy and looking good to start the season, Benson can be dropped from most dynasty rosters.

R.J. Harvey

Harvey’s stock began to rise near the end of last season as his role in the Broncos’ offense increased as they made their run in the playoffs. However, the offseason buzz was that the Broncos planned to sign a free-agent running back to lead the backfield. While they missed out on the top-tier guys who were rumored to be on their list, they did bring back their own from last season, J.K. Dobbins, who got far more touches than Harvey when they were both healthy. The Broncos believe that Harvey needs a running mate. They believe he is a complementary back, not even a lead back of a committee. Even with his age and injury history, I would almost rather have Dobbins than Harvey on my dynasty rosters because, at least, Dobbins will be the lead back of a committee as long as he is healthy. I don’t think Harvey ever will be. I’m grateful that I passed on Harvey several times last season in rookie drafts. I regret trading up to draft him in one league where I desperately needed a running back, and Harvey was the last first-round back drafted in most leagues. I should have waited and drafted Cam Skattebo as I did in many of my rookie drafts instead, though his dynasty stock will plummet, too, if the Giants draft Jeremiyah Love.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

The only running back I drafted more than Skattebo last year was my late-round favorite, Croskey-Merritt. I sold one share of JCM when his opportunity in Washington and speculative dynasty stock was high. I wish I had sold him in the other leagues at that time, too. The Commanders could draft Jeremiyah Love with the seventh pick in the first round, but their offseason moves indicate that they know he will not be there for them at pick seven. Instead, they signed Rachaad White and Jerome Ford. To my surprise, Ourlads already have White and Ford listed ahead of JCM on their projected depth chart. JCM is terrible in the passing game, so White will always be used ahead of him in that way, and Jerome Ford is a very solid and proven productive back in the NFL. He’s one of the fringe players I will try to trade for immediately after the draft if the Commanders do not draft Love. As much as I loved him as my sleeper in last year’s class, I think his days as a starting running back are over already. I need to learn a lesson: capitalize on the preseason hype of late-round draft picks rather than smugly hold on to them to appear the smartest guy in the room.

Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant

The biggest news of the week is that Jaylen Waddle was traded to the Denver Broncos. He and Courtland Sutton will be an amazing new wide receiver duo for Bo Nix and the improving Denver offense. Their skills complement each other and will make the offense much better and more predictive for dynasty managers who could only safely count on Sutton last year as the Broncos rotated their many other receivers from week to week. The trade for Waddle negatively affects the dynasty value of Mims, Franklin, and Bryant in a big way. Dynasty managers hoping for a future reliable starter in these guys are out of luck. They will never become reliable fantasy assets while playing with the Broncos now. Sutton and Waddle will dominate targets. Franklin will be the most productive of the three and get more looks, but nothing that dynasty managers will be happy about unless they have very deep rosters. As for Waddle’s dynasty stock, it takes a nice rise after this trade. His stock dipped quite a bit over the offseason as the Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel and signed Malik Willis to lead the offense. This final move of Waddle proves they are him complete rebuild mode, which would have crushed Waddle’s value even more. Now he has new life, and his dynasty stock is back on the rise.

Ricky Pearsall

The 49ers signed Mike Evans, a dynasty riser from last week, and this week signed Christian Kirk. Both of these veteran additions make me concerned for the value of Pearsall, whose injuries alone the last two seasons have caused his dynasty stock to fall. I love the addition of Evans and Kirk. They will be great additions to the 49ers’ passing game, though they contribute in very different ways. I am supremely confident that coach Shanahan will maximize their skills as the downfield man (Evans) and underneath man (Kirk) in their offense. Their veteran skills and involvement will reduce Pearsall's workload, who, while younger and faster, is less savvy and proven. If I were a Pearsall dynasty manager, which thankfully I am not, I would be unhappy with the competition the 49ers have added in free agency.

Chimere Dike and/or Elic Ayomanor

The Titans’ big free agent signing of Wan’Dale Robinson was no surprise to me, but the restructured deal for Calvin Ridley was. As one with a few shares of Dike and Ayomanor, I hoped to see Ridley let go. These two deals mean there is only room for one more starter in three-receiver sets. Plus, the Titans are sure to draft a receiver or two in this year’s deep class. Neither Dike nor Ayomanor fully capitalized on the wide-open opportunity they had last season with a very weak and injured depth chart. That said, the entire Titans’ offense was a disaster last season. Hopefully, their new coaching staff can help the offense improve and develop Cam Ward so he can make his receivers more productive. I expect Dike or Ayomanor’s dynasty stock to rise this season unless another rookie whom the Titans draft moves ahead of them on the depth chart, but I am not sure which receiver I would bet on to see his dynasty stock improve. I lean toward Dike more and would love to see him get more opportunities than Ayomanor, but Ayomanor started ahead of him early last season, and he is listed ahead of him on the current projected depth chart. The Titans may value Dike most for his role on special teams, where he excelled last season.

Theo Johnson

I’ll close on a personal note by saying the Giants’ signing Isaiah Likely was my most disappointing move during free agency. I had a lot of investment in Johnson and loved the improvement he made in year two with Jaxson Dart. While he had a number of drops and showed some inconsistency, he was targeted often and built chemistry with his young quarterback. I expected yet another lap this season, especially under the new head coach, John Harbaugh. Instead, Harbaugh signed one of his own, bringing Likely from Baltimore. I don’t believe Likely’s signing completely kills Johnson’s dynasty value, but it drops his stock for sure. It’s a new team and a new offensive coordinator, but Harbaugh has made two tight ends productive in the past. What’s more, for me at least, I think Johnson is a better player than Likely and could win the job outright if given a fair fight. I am disappointed but still holding out hope for Johnson in my deeper leagues. In another, however, I dropped him so I could pick up Chig Okonkwo, one of my dynasty risers from last week. I’m more excited about his new opportunity alone on the depth chart in Washington than Johnson’s competition in New York. That said, another savvy manager quickly picked up Johnson for his squad days later. It’s good to know others still have hope for him, too.

Top 10 Free Agency Risers

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Wow! The first week of the NFL new year was fast and furious with free agent moves. New faces in new places mean a big shake-up in the dynasty value of many players, as new opportunities arise with their new teams or with their current teams when other players join new teams. For some players, their dynasty stock rises. For others, it falls. In this article, I share my thoughts on the top ten players whose dynasty stock rose the most last week after signing with new teams or when players ahead of them on the depth chart signed with new teams.

Kyler Murray

Murray is the new starting quarterback in Minnesota, giving his stagnant dynasty value a nice rise after a big dip last season. J.J. McCarthy brought the entire Vikings offense down last season. It’s hard to make Justin Jefferson look bad, but McCarthy did. Murray will make the offense much more productive, even though I question how his style of play will mesh with coach O’Connell’s. I thought Geno Smith would be a better fit in Minnesota than Murray, but the Vikings chose Murray for a reason. I’m sure O’Connell will make the most of his talent and build his offense around his skill sets. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson will all benefit from Murray’s presence on the team. My only concern is that the Vikings’ defense is so good that they may be too conservative on offense for the liking of dynasty managers. Murray is on a one-year deal, so he’ll have a lot to prove, and he’ll hope to force the Vikings to sign him to a long-term contract, something they failed to do two years ago with the successful one-year contract of Sam Darnold. If Murray still has it and plays as well as he has in the past, I doubt the Vikings will allow another quarterback they have rehabbed to leave their building. Murray was buried on dynasty rosters last season, but now he’s back as an every-week starter.

Malik Willis

Willis was the player I added to my roster the most at the end of last season. Now he is one of my rostered players. I have him on five of my seven traditional dynasty leagues. I was sure that he would get a starting role this season, and I was proven right. He followed the coach who knew him best, Jeff Hafley, to Miami, where he will become an instant starter. Quinn Ewers will be his backup. Miami appears to be in full rebuild mode, so the Dolphins offense will not be as productive as dynasty managers would like, but they will at least be playing from behind a lot. My biggest fear for Willis is that the Dolphins play so poorly that they earn a high draft pick and select a quarterback next year. There’s a reason, after all, that he only signed a two-year deal. Still, I’m pleased to have him on my rosters while he gets his first real chance to be an NFL starter. Willis’s is most exciting as a fantasy player because of his running ability. He’ll find a way to score cheap fantasy points each week. As for his fellow Dolphins, however, I fear that they will be less productive with a running quarterback. De’Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle’s dynasty stock takes a small hit, even while Willis’s rises because they will not get nearly as many touches as they did for the years that Tua Tagovailoa was their quarterback. At least it will be a fun season to see what Willis can do this year.

Kenneth Walker

I wouldn't say Walker's dynasty value moved up much after signing with the Chiefs, but it got a little bump given that he will have less of a split backfield than he did in Seattle. Walker is terrible in pass protection, so he will never become a bellcow back, but hopefully, he will earn a goal-line role in Kansas City, something he also lost in Seattle. The Chiefs have had one of the worst running games in the league the last few seasons. I believe this Walker signing indicates a commitment to improve their running game and make running the ball a higher priority next season. Walker will certainly benefit from that. While his running style is frustrating to me, since he always tries to make a big play, there’s no doubt that he’s a big play waiting to happen, and the Chiefs have lacked explosive plays in the running game for years. Walker turned his Super Bowl success into a nice free agent contract and will get more touches in Kansas City than he ever did in his four seasons in Seattle. That’s a big win for his dynasty managers.

Zach Charbonnet and Emanuel Wilson

Walker’s absence gives Charbonnet managers what they’ve been wanting for two years – a chance at a starting role. Were it not for his terrible ACL injury at the end of the season, Charbonnet would no doubt be given the starting role in Seattle next season. His recovery timeline and the addition of Emanuel Wilson to Seattle last week make that more questionable. Still, Charbonnet and Wilson’s dynasty stock rose significantly last week after Walker left. The Seahawks will likely draft a running back, too, but this year’s class lacks depth, so no one they draft will replace Charbonnet and Wilson as the new one-two punch in Seattle. Wilson may get more carries to start the season as Charbonnet builds up to full health, but Charbonnet will take over by midseason and finally lead the team in touches. Wilson’s signing with Seattle was great for me because I have Wilson on two of my rosters with Charbonnet, so I can let the season play out and have Wilson as a strong handcuff to Charbonnet. Wilson was on the waiver wire in two of my dynasty leagues, too. I’ve since added him in both. They will do well together in Seattle next season.

Travis Etienne

I really wanted Etienne to stay in Jacksonville, but the New Orleans landing spot is about as good as it could get. Like Walker, I would not say his dynasty stock rose a lot after signing with the Saints, but he’s likely to get more touches this season with the Saints than he would have with the Jaguars, especially if the rumors of Alvin Kamara retiring are true. The Saints have one of the better offensive minds in Kellen Moore, who will get the most out of Etienne’s talents. He signed the biggest contract by a running back in free agency, earning even more than Walker did with the Chiefs. Money is not everything, but it shows intent, and coaches and GMs want to make the most of their money. Plus, it was a four-year deal. As of this article, the fine print of the contract has not yet been released, but the contract indicates that Etienne will be the Saints' leading running back for at least a couple more years. In Jacksonville, that was less certain. Etienne could get one more major boost to his dynasty value if Kamara retires. At which time, Kendre Miller and Devin Neal would get a small boost to their dynasty stock as well, with Miller ahead of Neal.

Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez

Etienne’s absence led to an immediate boost to Tuten’s dynasty values, but then the Jaguars signed Rodriguez, who put a damp (not wet) blanket on the hopes of Tuten’s dynasty managers. If you followed me last year, you know that I have never been a believer in Tuten, but by the end of last season, I was willing to be proven wrong. I even traded for Tuten at the end of the season in a league where I am rebuilding. My skepticism still persists, especially after Rodiguez, who played for Liam Coen at the University of Kentucky, was signed by his former coach. Coen raved about Rodriguez when he was the coach at Kentucky, saying he loved having a back that he knew could get him four yards per carry. I know that was a long time ago, but it was enough to make me think that this will be more of a split backfield than Tuten’s managers would like. At the very worst, Rodriguez could be the primary running-downs back or even the goal-line back. Dynasty managers will have to take sides on this one, and I know most will continue to believe in Tuten, but I remain more skeptical. Even so, both are risers from a dynasty standpoint, even if they split the work next season, especially Rodriguez, who, if he signed with any other team, may have been droppable from dynasty rosters.

Romeo Doubs

I could not have been happier with the landing spot for Doubs, a player I roster in three of my nine leagues. He will step immediately into the role Stefon Diggs had last season and do an even better job with it. Plus, he’s a better blocker than Diggs and is younger, so his snap count will not be limited as Diggs was last season. For now, I see Doubs as Drake Maye’s WR-1in an up-and-coming offense. The Patriots are reportedly still in discussions with the Eagles about acquiring AJ Brown. Should that trade happen, Doub’s dynasty value will dip again, but for now, it is the biggest riser among the wide receivers changing teams last week.

Wan'Dale Robinson

Robinson landed where everyone predicted he would, with his former coach in Tennessee. As a manager with two shares of Robinson, I hoped he would have stayed in New York, but it was pretty clear early on that would not happen. In Tennessee, with a second-year quarterback and two second-year wide receivers on the depth chart, Robinson is sure to earn a significant role in the passing game. Much of his dynasty value will depend on Cam Ward’s improvement as a quarterback in year two, with his new coaching staff. If Ward improves, Robinson’s dynasty stock can rise even more than it has after signing with the Titans last week. He’s a great possession receiver, and last year he added big plays downfield to his resume, which is why his former coach was so eager to add him to his new team. He got paid the second-highest amount of money among free agent receivers this year, so the Titans clearly believe in him and want to see their money put to work. Robinson has the rare opportunity with his second team to move from being a perpetual WR-2 or WR-3 on his team to a true WR-1. If he does, I’ll be even more glad that I traded for him twice at the end of last season during my playoff runs.

Mike Evans

It’s too easy a comparison, but could Evans be this year’s Davante Adams? It’s not hard at all to imagine Mike Evans becoming the top red-zone target of Brock Purdy in San Francisco. He can do that and so much more if he is able to stay healthy, which has been his biggest concern in recent years and for everyone who plays in San Francisco, for that matter. I doubt that Evans will play out his three-year contract with the 49ers, but he could have one heck of a season this year, giving dynasty managers one last hurrah with him in their lineups each week that he’s healthy. I think the 49ers are a great fit for Evans to end his career. Purdy is already one of the most efficient passers and touchdown throwers in the league. He and Evans will be a great pairing this season, and hopefully one or two more to come.

Chig Okonkwo

For some reason, Okonkwo was on the waiver wire in two of my dynasty leagues. I added him to those two rosters immediately after he signed with Washington, where he will become an instant starter and have a chance to breakout on his second NFL team. The Commanders have attacked pass catchers in free agency this season, signing Dyami Brown, Van Jefferson, and Rachaad White. They know they need more weapons in the passing game to help Jayden Daniels get back to the way he played in his rookie season two years ago. Okonkwo was given the second-largest amount of money among the tight ends in free agency. He’s the kind of weapon they need in the passing game with his size and speed. He’ll be a very different kind of weapon than Zach Ertz was over the last two seasons with Daniels. Still, the fact that Daniels targeted his tight end so much gives Okonkwo’s managers even more hope that he will break out in Washington and become a reliable tight end in dynasty lineups. I am very confident that he will and can’t wait to see how all these new players gel together in the Commanders’ offense next season.

Free Agency Week Zero

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500

The NFL's new year starts Wednesday, kicking off free agency. Over the next few weeks, key NFL moves will affect dynasty values as players join new teams or leave old ones. I’m writing on Sunday, March 8, before the legal tampering period begins, so deals will be struck by the time I post. Some moves have happened before the new year, so I’ll begin by covering their dynasty impact in what I call Free Agency Week Zero. In the coming weeks, I’ll share dynasty insights on all players affected by free agency. Happy New Year!

Signings

Javonte Williams

I was thrilled as a Cowboys fan and dynasty manager when Dallas re-signed Williams to a new contract after his bounce-back season last year. Williams started strong but cooled off near the end, ultimately finishing as the 11th highest-scoring running back last year and seeing his dynasty value resurrected. Taking a chance on him, even when the Cowboys’ starting running back was unclear, paid off as he won the job and earned a three-year deal to stay with the team. At 25 years old, Williams is positioned to produce well for the high-scoring Dallas offense over the next three years and strengthen dynasty teams that invested in him.

Kimani Vidal

Vidal’s exclusive-rights tender keeps him with the Chargers, where his backup role behind Omarion Hampton was efficiently productive. He proved doubters wrong when called upon during Hampton’s injury absences, boosting his dynasty value as a handcuff with standalone appeal. Vidal likely wouldn’t have secured a starting role elsewhere, so staying with the Chargers, who let Najee Harris leave, maximizes his potential touches. He is a priority roster spot for managers seeking valuable backup running backs with proven ability.

Dalton Schultz

Schultz signed a one-year deal to remain with the Texans as their starting tight end. He’s not trustworthy as a starter in dynasty lineups but can be a decent depth piece on dynasty rosters. Somehow, he quietly finished as the 11th highest scoring tight end of the season last year, since he never missed a game with injuries. He was 17th in points per game. He’s a backup tight end on dynasty rosters now that he re-signed with the Texans. It’s the best team for him to sign with from a dynasty perspective.

Tyler Higbee

Higbee is on the waiver wire in many of my dynasty leagues, so he’s barely worth mentioning in this article. I do mention him, though, because his signing with the Rams is a blow to the hope of Terrance Fergurson, who dynasty managers expected to see take a more dominant role in his second season. Higbee’s signing does not make Ferguson's year-two breakout impossible. It just makes it a hair less likely. The Rams play three tight ends more than any team in the league, so they were eager to re-sign their own after playing so well that way last season. My bets are still on Ferguson to take the next step this season, but the Higbee signing makes me less certain.

Trades

David Montgomery

Mongemry was traded to the Texans, where he will immediately step into the leading role at running back. This comes as bad news to Woody Marks’s managers, who thought they may have found a starting running back late in their rookie drafts last year, as he fell into the leading role by the end of last season. He was never built for that role, however, and this trade makes that clear. Marks will be a complementary piece used effectively in the passing game, while Montgomery gets a few final years as the primary running back in Houston to round out his career. The trade is great news for Montgomery’s managers, who will have a viable RB-2 in their starting lineups again. It’s also a big win for Jahmyr Gibb’s managers, who will see him unleashed even more in Detroit with Montgomery gone. Though I expect the Lions to sign or draft a running back to complement Gibbs, his role will certainly increase without Montgomery behind him. This trade was a big win for everyone, except Woody Marks.

D.J. Moore

Moore was traded to Buffalo last week to reunite with his former offensive coordinator in Carolina, Joe Brady. This trade was a big win for everyone from a dynasty perspective. Moore will have a few more excellent seasons in Buffalo and become the team’s top target and best weapon in the passing game. The Bills gave up too much in the trade not to feed him the ball, and their depth chart is very weak. His addition will mean more fantasy points for Josh Allen, too, as if he needed them. The only players negatively affected by this trade are Dalton Kincaid and Khalil Shakir, but their roles will not change much with Moore's addition. They already had limited roles and weren't reliable starters in dynasty lineups. As for the Bears’ side of this trade, everyone benefits. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden’s roles will increase for years to come, and my man, Colston Loveland, will be a center point in their passing game. Everyone is a winner with this trade!

By the time this is posted, many other trades and signings will have taken place. It’s one of the best times of year to be a Dynasty Freek. Staying active with the news and working the back end of dynasty rosters is crucial this time of year, as trades and free-agent signings bring significant changes to players' dynasty stock. Sometimes moves are upsetting and hurt dynasty rosters, while other times they greatly benefit rosters and provide new opportunities for players. Enjoy the ride, and Happy New Year!

Post-Combine Rookie-Rankings Risers

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0600

The NFL Combine marks the second datapoint in my rookie rankings process. Step one is my personal study and rankings, which I release on Super Bowl Sunday. Step two is the month leading up to the Combine and the Combine itself. Leading up to the Combine, I read and listen to countless rookie profiles from NFL scouts and use their professional opinions on players to shape my own. After the Combine, when we have hard data on players’ athleticism, I make a final adjustment to my rookie rankings and compare them with my pre-Combine rankings.

I place far more weight on the player profiles and mock drafts I study from NFL scouts and analysts than on the athletic testing at the Combine, especially as more and more players choose to sit out or compete in only a select number of tests each year. Still, the two create a clearer picture of where players will get drafted, and draft capital is one of the most important factors in my final rookie rankings.

After further study and with the NFL Combine numbers in, I have adjusted my rookie rankings, and these are the players who have moved up my rankings the most since I first posted them on Super Bowl Sunday. The players in this article have moved up at least five spots in my rankings over the last month.

Kenyon Sadiq

Sadiq has moved up from 11th to 6th in my rookie rankings.
Tight end is one of the positions where athletic testing matters most, and Sadiq dominated the field at the Combine. He ran the fastest 40 (4.39), had the second-highest vertical jump (43.5”), the second-longest broad jump (11’ 1”), and the second-most bench presses (26). He tested as the top tight end in the class and one of the top in the history of the Combine. He was already sure to get drafted in the first round, but his Combine performance makes him more likely to get drafted in the first ten to 15 picks of the first round. He’ll start for his NFL team immediately and join the ranks of the recent rookie tight ends to make immediate impacts on dynasty rosters. In a class with a lot of question marks, even in the first round of rookie drafts, Sadiq is a can’t-fail prospect.

KC Concepcion

Concepcion has moved up from 13th to 7th in my rookie rankings.
Concepcion did not test at the Combine, but he’s steadily moved up my rankings as I have studied him more and as his projected draft capital has increased. I was pleased to see him measure in at 6’0” and 196 lbs. I expected him to be smaller than that. What has changed my mind most in recent weeks is his route-running and separation. I first saw him as more of a gadget guy, but now I realize he’s a more complete receiver. I expect an NFL team to use him as an every-down receiver. He’s predicted to get drafted at the back of the first round, and his draft capital demands that I move him up my rankings since draft capital is such a significant predictor of success for receivers in dynasty leagues.

Omar Cooper

Cooper has moved up from 30th to 13th in my rookie rankings.
I moved Cooper up my rankings significantly since he, too, is receiving first-round buzz in recent weeks. Daniel Jeremiah has moved him into his top 50 prospects. He’s the 19th-ranked player in the class. Jeremiah is much smarter than I am, and he’s well-connected with NFL GMs and teams. I can’t argue with that. I’m still unwilling to draft him in the first round of rookie drafts, though I am sure he will be drafted in the first round if he is a late first-round or early second-round pick in the NFL draft. His three-star recruiting profile, late-career breakout, and limited passing tree raise too many questions for me, though he is an excellent runner after the catch. I could see him becoming a good NFL player, but never an excellent player worthy of starting in dynasty lineups. I’ve moved him up my rankings in line with his rising draft capital, but I won’t draft him as high as other dynasty managers will.

Max Klare

Klare has moved up from 23rd to 15th in my rookie rankings.
Klare was one of my favorite tight ends to watch on film. When I first ranked him, I only watched his Ohio State tape. Some of the scouts I read and listen to recommend watching his Purdue tape from 2024, when he was the team's leading receiver. That stat and tape made me love him even more. He was already my second-ranked tight end in the class, but over the last month, he’s moved up even more in my rankings as other scouts and analysts I trust have also spoken highly of him. It’s always encouraging to have your opinions confirmed by the professionals who earn their living grading players. Klare did not test at the Combine, but he’s still my second-ranked tight end, even though other tight ends performed well at the Combine. Klare is a complete tight end who can block well, compared to the next riser on my list, who crushed it at the Combine but can only play as a move tight end.

Eli Stowers

Stowers has moved up from 25th to 19th in my rookie rankings.
If Sadiq stole the show at the Combine, Stowers was right behind him. In fact, he was ahead of Sadiq in the vertical jump (2 inches higher) and broad jump (two inches longer). He was second behind Sadiq in the 40 with a time of 4.51. Even so, my concerns about Stowers remain, as he has not played tight end long and does not block well. His role will be limited to the passing game, which means he will not see the field as often. I even heard one scout this week say an NFL team was trying to move him to wide receiver. Those concerns mean someone in my dynasty leagues will draft him ahead of me, even though I moved him up my ranking after the Combine. He’s predicted to get drafted as the second tight end after Sadiq and just ahead of Klare, but I would prefer to have Klare on my dynasty roster even if his draft capital is a little lower than Stowers.

Mike Washington

Washington has moved up from 27th to 22nd in my rookie rankings.
Washington has slowly moved up my rookie rankings, as NFL scouts I follow have consistently talked about him as a riser. His incredible Combine was the icing on the cake, making Washington a certain day-two pick in the NFL draft now. Washington was the top running back in athletic scoring with a 4.33 40-yard dash (1st), 39” vertical jump (2nd), and 10’8” broad jump (2nd). Still, Washington’s five-year collegiate career at Buffalo, New Mexico State, and Arkansas is a red flag for me, though his most productive year was his last at Arkansas. I moved him up after hearing more scouts who like him and after his amazing Combine, but I believe other dynasty managers will still like him more than I do. Draft capital and landing spot could change my opinion on him, though, before rookie drafts two months from now.

Bryce Lance

Lance has moved up from 49th to 26th in my rookie rankings.
Okay. I concede. After writing recently about how I rank Lance far lower than others, I have changed my mind. After a top-ranked Combine, I am willing to take a chance on a prospect who played for North Dakota State. Lance had the 5th fastest 40 time (4.34), 4th highest vertical (41.5), 3rd longest broad (11’1”), 2nd fastest shuttle (4.15), and 5th fastest 3-cone (7.0). He came to the Combine to prove himself, and he did just that, testing as the most athletic receiver in the class. What a showing! He’ll have a lot to prove in the NFL as the competition improves drastically, but he competed well with the big boys at the Combine. He still won’t get drafted until day three of the NFL draft, but an NFL team will be glad to take a chance on him, as will dynasty managers.

Deion Burks

Burks has moved up from 54th to 33rd in my rookie rankings.
The drumbeat for Burks has been growing in recent weeks, as several draft analysts and scouts I follow see him as a sleeper and riser in this class. Their confidence in Burks caused me to study him more and move him up my rankings. His second-highest athletic score among receivers at the Combine made me move him up even more. He had the 3rd fastest 40 (4.30), highest vertical (42.5), and 5th longest broad (10’11”). While his testing was fantastic and moved him up my rankings, I still suspect that others will rank him higher than I will. He played for five years in college, three at Purdue and two at Oklahoma, and his best season was when he had just 629 yards receiving. He also weighed in at just 180 lbs. He deserves to rise in rookie rankings, but not as far as others will move him

As I stated at the beginning of this article, I don’t let the athletic testing at the Combine factor into my rookie rankings too much. I care much more about what NFL scouts and draft analysts are saying, hearing, and predicting. Prospects whose mock draft projections are on the rise matter most to me. The Combine testing moves guys up in those projections, too, so I will continue to follow all the projections, study the players more myself, and adjust my rankings as we march quickly toward the final datapoint – the NFL Draft.

10 Rookies I Rank Lower than the Pros at DLF

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0600

On Super Bowl Sunday, I released my 2026 rookie rankings. My initial rankings are 100% independent, with no comparison to any other dynasty analysts. Only after creating my own rankings do I look at how other dynasty analysts’ rankings compare to mine.

The first place I look is to the professionals at Dynasty League Football (DLF) becuse they do fantastic work and have composite rankings of five dynasty analysts. I like to note the players I have ranked five or more spots higher or lower than they are ranked to get a sense of which players I rank significantly higher or lower than their experts.

I go back to study those players further to help me decide whether to stick to my convictions about them or bend to theirs. Last week, I wrote about ten players I have ranked five or more spots higher than they do. This week, I write about ten players I have ranked five or more spots lower than they do.

* Note: The DLF rankings in this article were their rankings on 2/13/26.

Kenyon Sadiq

Sadiq is my 11th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 6th by the pros at DLF.
I like Sadiq and believe he will be a productive tight end in the NFL, but I don’t believe he’s worthy of a top half of the first round pick. I’d rather select him at the end of the first round. I have one quarterback, Ty Simpson, ranked ahead of him in my superflex rankings given his highly likely first-round draft capital. I also have A second running back, Jadarian Price, ranked ahead of Sadiq. Plus, I would rather draft three receivers than Sadiq in the first round: Elijah Sarratt, Denzel Boston, and Chris Brazzell. I feel more confident that these players will help a dynasty team long-term than a tight end whom I view as a solid but not top-tier prospect. For instance, I would rank Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren ahead of Sadiq if they were in the same draft class. Loveland and Warren were later first-round picks in my rankings in a much better rookie class last year. Sadiq is only a first-round draft pick in my rankings because this class is much weaker than last year’s class. Another factor in my lower ranking is my devaluation of pass catchers in the Oregon system, because it is less comparable to NFL systems, and their stats are inflated. Sadiq’s season was good but not elite, and he was unable to break out until after Terence Ferguson was drafted last year. These are admittedly small factors in knocking the rank of a very solid tight end prospect, but they are enough for me to value him later in the first round than the pros at DLF collectively think.

KC Concepcion

Concepcion is my 13th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 8th by the pros at DLF.
I’ll now admit to wearing my Longhorn colored glasses when first evaluating Concepcion. After seeing the five-spot difference in my rankings compared to DLF and going back to study him, I agree that I should rank him higher than 13th. He’s a very dynamic player with the ball in his hands, but his size and versatility were knocks against him at first glance. I favored many of the bigger receivers in this class over the many smaller ones, but I need to reconsider with Concepcion. I was also concerned that his versatility may force him into a gadget role with an NFL team. He’s excellent with the ball in his hands and a very good punt returner. I feared that the NFL team would use him as a weapon, but would do so more sparingly as a result. After watching his films again, I see that he’s also a great route runner, an impressive competitor, and a team leader. I’m convinced he’ll have a bigger role on an NFL team than I first thought, and his predicted first-round draft capital is too significant to overlook. Plus, he was the ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year and consistently productive in his first two seasons at North Carolina State before transferring to Texas A&M last season. His consistent production should not have been overlooked. I stand corrected with Concepcion and will move him up my rankings after the NFL Combine, when my rookie rankings are updated.

Omar Cooper

Cooper is my 30th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 13th by the pros at DLF.
After going back to study Cooper, I’ve realized I should rank him higher, but certainly not as high as 13th, even though the NFL Mock Draft Database predicts he will be drafted early in the second round as the next receiver drafted behind Concepcion. He waited until his senior season to break out, though he was a big-play weapon in his junior season with a ridiculous 21.3 yards per catch. Still, he only had 46 receptions through three seasons at Indiana before his breakout season in the Hooiers’ national championship run. While he was very productive from a touchdowns scored standpoint with 13 last season, he was more of a gadget guy with wide receiver screens and shorter passes, though he had some long touchdown catches, too. He looked to me like a great player for the Hoosiers’ offense and scheme, but I am less confident in his personal talent and ability. Plus, he was far less productive against top competition compared to weaker competition. I’m willing to let the NFL Combine change my mind a bit if he’s comparable to the top athletic wide receivers in this class, but I don’t expect him to measure up. I’ll move him up my rankings a bit after the Combine since the draft analysts predict he will get drafted ahead of many players I have ranked ahead of him currently, but a lot would have to change for me to be willing to rank him as a top of the second round pick, as the pros at DLF do.

Jonah Coleman

Coleman is my 15th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 7th by the pros at DLF.
After studying Coleman again, I agree that I need to move him up in my ranking. In my first pass study of Coleman, I was concerned about his modest ranking as a college recruit and in the transfer portal. He was a three-star in both. Plus, aside from his amazing 15-touchdowns last season, his stats were good but not great. He averaged just 4.9 yards per carry last season and 5.5 yards per carry in his college career. I look for college running backs to have an average of about 6 yards per carry. His highlights looked great with many explosive runs, but he knew they must have been few and far between if his yards per carry were so low. All that said, I watched the explosive plays again and admit he is fun to watch, with great power and speed. I am sure he will impress at the NFL Combine. I also did not factor in his productivity in the passing game, which was very impressive and consistent with 25, 23, and 31 receptions in his last three seasons. He’s predicted to get drafted in the third round, one spot ahead of Emmett Johnson. I’ll continue to rank Johnson ahead of Coleman, but I will move them closer together as the three running backs in my second tier, Price, Johnson, and Coleman, with Price ranked as a mid-first-rounder in rookie drafts and Johnson and Coleman at the first and second round turn.

Zachariah Branch

Branch is my 29th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 17th by the pros at DLF.
The strikes I have against Branch are too strong to overcome. I will not move Branch much further up my rankings, no matter how high other dynasty analysts rank him or how high he gets drafted. The biggest strength in his profile is that he was the top-ranked wide receiver recruit in the country when he signed with Southern California. His biggest weakness is that Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane passed him by on the Trojan depth chart, and Branch transferred to Georgia as a result. Branch’s career yards per catch is 10.3 because he’s mostly used as a gadget guy. He’s fast and decent after the catch, but he’s a very incomplete all-around wide receiver. After my first round of studying the players, I messaged my buddy, Josh Chevelier, a college football fantasy analyst, and he said Branch is known as a terrible route runner. His analysis confirmed my concerns. Branch is likely to get drafted in the second round by an NFL team that thinks they can make something out of him, but I am skeptical that they will do so. I would not be willing to draft Branch until the third round of rookie drafts, not in the mid-second as the pros at DLF and many dynasty managers would.

Eli Stowers

Stowers is my 25th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 20th by the pros at DLF.
I’m not drastically behind where DLF ranks Stowers, but it is five spots, per the parameters of this practice and this article. Many dynasty analysts have Stowers as the second-ranked tight end in this class, and the NFL Mock Draft Database predicts he will be drafted as the second tight end at the very end of the second round. I, however, have Max Klare and Justin Joly ranked just ahead of him. Stowers was recruited to Texas A&M as a quarterback, transferred to New Mexico State, and then to Vanderbilt, where he competed as a quarterback before being moved to tight end. The sudden change in position is a pink (not quite red) flag in my evaluation process, as is the multiple transfers. I much prefer to draft a tight end who has played the position for much more of his life and collegiate career. While many tight ends are drafted to play more like receivers, their snaps are limited if they are drafted to do so, and they cannot develop their blocking. I don’t think Stowers can do that in the NFL, so I knock him more than others may in my rookie rankings. If I’m on the clock at the two-three turn, I’ll draft Klare or Joly every time or another non-tight end since I am hopeful I could reach on Joly, one of “My Guys” in this year’s class, a bit later in the third round.

Garrett Nussmeier

Nussmeier is my 40th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 24th by the pros at DLF.
I’m well aware that Nussmeier is very likely to be the third quarterback drafted in this class, and he’s the son of an NFL coach. If or when that happens, I will need to move him up my superflex rankings based solely on draft capital. Still, I will never rank him as highly as others do. His tape and overall collegiate body of work were too unimpressive to me. He played for five years at LSU and only had one solid season last year. He came back for another year but played worse and battled injury, which certainly hurt his draft status. He should have come out last season. Last year’s class and this year’s class are very weak at quarterback, so it may not have made that big of a difference to have a poor final season. Either way, I see him as a career backup in the NFL. He doesn’t look terrible. It’s just that he looks average at everything from accuracy to arm strength, to foot work, to running ability, to play-making. As I stated last week, I much prefer the upside of Drew Aller to Nussmeier and all the second-tier quarterbacks in this class. I currently have Allar, Cade Kulbnik, and Carson Beck ranked ahead of Nussmeier, and I don’t think draft capital will change that. The landing spot is the only thing that matters in the case that one of these second-tier guys gets drafted to a team with a real chance to compete for a starting role. Only then could one of them significantly improve in my rankings.

Michael Trigg

Trigg is my 35th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 25th by the pros at DLF.
I get the love for Trigg, given his enormous size and many big plays downfield and in seams. He’s a big play waiting to happen with his more than 13 yards per catch over his five-year career. He’s impressive to watch and has impressive big-play stats, but his red flags outweigh those, causing me to still see him as a player to draft at the end of the third round, not at the top of the third. The fact that he’s played college ball for five years and for three different schools is a concern to me, especially after I learned that attitude problems contributed to some of the transfers. He was not consistent until his last two years at Baylor (the worst of the three schools he played for) and had just one true breakout year. He’s fun to watch for sure, but I will not let that pull me into buying high on a prospect with question marks in consistency on and off the field. He’s too big a risk to take as early as the pros at DLF, and as some popular podcast hosts suggest. My tight end to reach this season is Justin Joly, not Trigg.

Bryce Lance

Lance is my 39th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 27th by the pros at DLF.
Lance is a blast to watch. He’s a tremendous vertical weapon and red-zone threat. He averaged 21 yards per reception last year and scored 25 touchdowns over the last two years. The only problem is that he did so at North Dakota State. He looked like a man among boys at his level of competition, but I'm doubtful that he will be able to do so at the next level. I try not to dock lower-tier school players in my rankings too much, but it is a contributing factor. Last week, I had Skyler Bell from Connecticut among my players ranked higher than the pros at DLF, so I don’t hate small-school players. I just believe that Bell is a more complete receiver who can win in many ways in the NFL. Whereas Lance is very limited. In college, at least, he won almost exclusively with go-balls, posts, and back-shoulder throws. He looked great against lesser competition, but it’s a whole new game in the pros. NFL scouts understand this, which is why he’s not predicted to get picked until late in the fifth round. With that draft capital and my red flags, I don’t think he’s a player worth drafting in the third round of rookie drafts, let alone high in the third round as he is ranked by the pros at DLF. I will leave others to take a chance on Lance that early.

Josh Cameron

Cameron is my 36th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 28th by the pros at DLF.
I liked Cameron’s film and thought I would rank him ahead of other dynasty analysts after creating my early rookie rankings. I was very surprised to find him ranked eight spots higher than me by the pros at DLF. Cameron isn't very smooth, and his #34 jersey doesn’t make him look any smoother, but there’s something about his big body and lumbering style that works. He’s boxes out defenders well, is hard to tackle, and is a weapon in the red zone. After studying him, I thought he may be one of my sleepers to target in the fourth round, but I guess not if others see him as a third-round target. He did not have enough consistent production for me to value him that highly, and his awkward playing style will prevent me from ranking him as highly as other analysts if this is indeed what others in the industry think of him. I picked the players I was lower on than DLF back when I first looked at their rankings on February 13th. Today, February 23rd, I went back to look at how each individual at DLF had him ranked to see if they had varying opinions. As I expected, they had him ranked very differently from as low as 22nd to as high as 44th. In that case, maybe I will be able to draft him around the 36th spot in my rookie drafts as a sleeper after all. This year’s rookie drafts will vary greatly. I am sure of that, as each manager reaches for their “My Guys.” Cameron may still be one of mine in the fourth round, but I am sure there will be others as I continue studying and add NFL Combine performances to my evaluation over the next two weeks.

10 Rookies I Rank Higher than the Pros at DLF

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0600

Last week, I released my 2026 rookie rankings. My initial rankings are 100% independent, with no comparison to any other dynasty analysts. Only after creating my own rankings do I look at how other dynasty analysts’ rankings compare to mine.

The first place I look is to the professionals at Dynasty League Football rankings of five dynasty analysts (DLF) because the The do fantastic work and have composite . I like to note the players I have ranked five or more spots higher or lower than they are ranked to get a sense of which players I rank significantly higher or lower than their experts.

I go back to study those players further to help me decide whether to stick to my convictions about them or bend to theirs. Over the next two weeks, I will write about the players I ranked five or more spots higher or lower than the professionals at DLF to defend my case or admit I need to adjust my rankings.

This week, I’ll start with the players I like five or more spots higher than DLF.

* Note: The DLF rankings in this article were their rankings on 2/13/26.

Elijah Sarratt

Sarratt is my 7th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 12th by the pros at DLF.
Sarratt may not have had a prospect profile with 247Sports before he signed with James Madison University, but by the time he followed coach Cignetti to Indiana, he was a four-star in the transfer portal. He had 1191 yards receiving and 8 touchdowns his sophomore year at JMU, and became the leading receiver on the Hoosiers’ championship season his senior year. He was their touchdown maker on the National Championship team, scoring 15 times. He and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza could not be stopped in the red zone, and their incredibly consistent and productive back-shoulder throws all over the field throughout the season. His big frame, body positioning, and great hands impressed me most, in addition to his dominance against top competition in the Big 10 and in the NCAA playoffs this season, when he had 7 catches for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns. I am highly confident that his skills will translate to the NFL as a prototypical X receiver, making him my 4th-ranked rookie wide receiver in this year’s class. Whereas he is the 6th-ranked wide receiver in DLF’s rankings. Denzel Boston and KC Conecepcion will almost assuredly get drafted ahead of Sarratt. Still, I am more confident in Sarratt’s ability to produce in the NFL and on dynasty rosters than I am in guys who will get drafted a round ahead of him. Sarratt would have to fall significantly in the NFL draft or get drafted to a terrible team and situation for me to move him further down my rookie rankings.

Chris Brazzell

Brazzell is my 7th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 14th by the pros at DLF.
Like many dynasty analysts, I normally fade Tennessee wide receivers in rookie drafts. In fact, I don’t remember ever drafting the receivers who have recently entered the NFL draft, like Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, or Velus Jones, though I did add D’onte Thornton off the waiver wire in many leagues last year. So far, not drafting Tennessee receivers has proven wise. As I began studying Brazzell, I fully expect to fade him, as I did with the many Tennessee receivers before him. This time, however, I was blown away and surprised, and was willing for the first time ever to buy in on Brazzell. He transferred to Tennessee from Tulane, where he had 711 yards receiving and five touchdowns in his second year. He did not break out immediately in his first year at Tennessee, but he had a remarkable second and last season, with 1017 yards and 9 touchdowns. His 6’ 5” frame makes him one of the biggest receivers in this class, but his body control and crisp route running are what impressed me the most. He’s incredibly quick off the line of scrimmage and tracks the ball very well. He, too, is a prototypical X receiver who will make an immediate impact in the NFL and on dynasty rosters. He’s my 5th-ranked rookie wide receiver. I could see moving him ahead of Sarratt, depending on his draft capital and landing spot. The two of them are neck and neck for me atop the second tier of receivers in this year’s class. The pros at DLF have Omar Cooper, Sarratt’s teammate at Indiana, ranked ahead of Brazzell, along with the already mentioned Boston and Concepcion. I’d much rather take a chance on the higher upside I see in Brazzell. He and Sarratt will remain atop my second tier, no matter where they are drafted or who is drafted ahead of them. All that remains is which one I will ultimately rank ahead of the other.

Emmett Johnson

Johnson is my 12th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 19th by the pros at DLF.
I was extremely surprised to see that Johnson was much lower in DLF’s rankings than mine. I thought I might even be low on Johnson in my rankings. I have Jonah Coleman ranked much lower in my rankings than DLF, but more on that next week. Still, I was sure that DLF and other analysts would have Coleman ranked much closer together in their rookie rankings as a stand-alone second tier with Jardarion Price and Coleman. Instead, DLF has Johnson as a third-tier back with the Penn State duo, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytorn Allen. I, on the other hand, have Johnson as my third-ranked running back, ahead of Coleman by 3 spots, and 7 and 8 spots higher than the Penn State guys. Johnson was not highly recruited, and it took him four years to break out at Nebraska, but his final season was incredible, with 1,451 yards rushing, 370 receiving, and 15 total touchdowns. He was second in the nation in total yards from scrimmage. He was a complete workhorse with 251 carries, proving he can handle a heavy load. He was fourth in the country in plays from scrimmage, too. In my eyes, he’s the second-best all-around back in this class behind Jeremyiah Love. He can do it all, including work in the red zone and short-yardage situations. He’s super quick, has excellent jump cuts, and reads his blocks well. I love everything about him in his final year in college. His late-career breakout and three-star rankings as a recruit are the only strikes against him, but his fantastic final season outweighs those factors for me. If he falls in the draft or gets selected by a team with a proven veteran ahead of him, I will move him down my rankings a bit, but I am pretty confident he’ll be the third or fourth running back drafted in this class and will certainly get drafted on day three, most likely in the second round even. In a class with few solid running backs, an NFL team will reach for Johnson. I think dynasty managers should do the same.

Antonio Williams

Williams is my 14th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 26th by the pros at DLF.
I 100% knew I would be higher on Williams than other dynasty analysts, so this 12-spot difference in our rankings was no surprise. When I begin to study the rookie class, I start with quarterbacks. When studying Cade Klubnick, Williams stood out the most. When it came time to study receivers, I already knew I liked him. Williams was the 6th-ranked receiver nationally in his recruiting class. He played instantly as a freshman and had 56 receptions and 604 yards in his first season at Clemson. He was injured in his second year and received a redshirt year. His third year was his best with 74 catches, 904 yards, and 11 touchdowns. In his final season, he battled injuries and was not as productive as he was in 2024. Still, the film stood out to me the most. He doesn’t have a single stand-out trait, but he’s just smooth. He has a knack for finding soft spots in zones and running routes in a way to get open. After seeing the difference between my rankings and those of other experts, I have to consider that the Clemson offense may be an important factor in Williams’s production. The same could be true for every player, I suppose, but maybe contributed too much of Williams’s getting open to as opposed to or in addition to the schemes. I’m willing to reconsider Williams in my rankings, but I want to hear more from professional scouts as I continue my studies over the next month. I do know that when I sent my list of players I expected to be way higher on than others to my friend Josh Chevalier, a college fantasy football professional, he told me he liked all the players on my list except Williams. I’ll rightfully reconsider Williams’s ranking in the coming weeks and after the NFL Combine.

Ja'Kobi Lane

Lane is my 17th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 22nd by the pros at DLF.
Lane was a four-star recruit and played opposite my number one-ranked wide receiver in this class, Makai Lemon, at USC. His final season was less impressive than his second when he scored 12 touchdowns, but Lemon’s domination in the passing game for USC last year is the primary cause for his modest drop off. Still, Lane was just as productive as Lemon the previous year and could easily be a top-tier receiver in the league if he played for another team. His career highlights are what stood out to me most and made me rank him five spots higher than the pros at DLF. He plays with a very cocky, competitive attitude, and he backs it up. He effectively uses his 6’4” frame to box out defensive backs on slants, posts, curls, and out routes, and he’s excellent at high-pointing the ball in the end zone. I am confident that an NFL team will fall in love with his tape and see that he could have been way more productive in his final season if he were not playing opposite my WR-1 in this class. I’ll reach on him in rookie drafts this May, as an NFL team will in April.

Malachi Fields

Fields is my 21st-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 39th by the pros at DLF.
Fields began his college career as a three-star recruit as an athlete, not a receiver. He played four years at Virginia before transferring to Notre Dame for a fifth year. After two solid years at Virginia, each with more than 55 catches, 800 yards, and five touchdowns, he became a four-star transfer and stayed in school for one final season at Notre Dame. He didn’t improve upon his production at Virginia, but he became the Irish’s deep threat with 17.5 yards per catch last season. He’s another one of the many big-bodied X receivers in this class. I have to admit that the positive reports from practice at the Senior Bowl and his big-play ability made me like him perhaps more than I should. He’s a one-trick pony, but his one trick is pretty good. He’s much bigger than defensive backs, has great hands, and high-points the ball extremely well. About 50% of his highlights are simple go routes where he beats defensive backs or outplays them for the ball, but he also has good out-routes, curls, and posts on tape, and he looks great on those too. Fields is not the type of wide receiver I normally rank higher than other dynasty analysts, but I did this time. I’m willing to reconsider my position on Fields after I read and listen to more scouting reports from the professionals. Still, I would never rank him as far back as the pros at DLF have him ranked at 39th. I would definitely take a chance on him in rookie drafts before then, no matter where he is drafted.

Skyler Bell

Bell is my 22nd-ranked rookie, while he is not ranked in the top 39 by the pros at DLF.
I was very surprised not to see Bell ranked by DLF, especially since I heard some of their analysts grade him as a prospect on a recent podcast. I am sure it’s just a matter of time before he’s in their rankings and moves up significantly. Bell is an undersized and underestimated wide receiver who finished fourth in the NCAA with 101 receptions last year. He played three years at Wisconsin before transferring to Connecticut for his final two seasons. He could have transferred out before his last season, but he was loyal to his hometown team and rewarded them with an incredible final season with 101 receptions, 1278 yards, and 13 touchdowns. As you can imagine, a season like that would create quite the highlight reel. I may have been seduced by his highlight and tremendous production, and thus ranked him higher than I should. I’m willing to admit that. Still, his versatility of skills is impressive. He wins out wide and as a slot. He wins on the line of scrimmage and in motion. He finds soft spots in zones and wins against man coverage. He is an incredible weapon who would need to be drafted by a team willing and able to scheme him open, as his college team did, so his landing spot may significantly change his ultimate rookie ranking. I may be a little too excited about Bell, but I am eager to see if other dynasty analysts think he can go from the small school to the big time, as I did initially.

Justin Joly

Joly is my 24th-ranked rookie, while he is not ranked in the top 39 by the pros at DLF.
I don’t think I have ever had a tight end as my number one sleeper in a class, but this year I think it might be Joly. He was a two-star prospect who played with Connecticut before Skyler Bell arrived, then transferred to North Carolina State for his final two seasons. He was a four-star in the transfer portal after his impressive second season in Connecticut. He averaged almost 600 yards receiving per year in his last season at Connecticut and his two seasons at North Carolina State. He led the Wolfpack in receiving yards and touchdowns, becoming the centerpiece of the offense. He earned first-team all-ACC honors, too. He’s excellent after the catch, too, so the Wolfpack used him on tight-end screens often. He’s just an incredibly big and athletic player who makes plays. My only fear is that he does really well in the NFL Combine, and then everyone shoots him up their rookie draft boards. I hope he stays a sleeper so I can draft him often. I don’t think he will hit the ground running in the NFL like so many tight ends did this season, but he’ll develop and become a viable starter for an NFL team and a lot of dynasty teams. He’ll be ranked by the pros at DLF soon enough, but never as high as I will have him.

Drew Allar

Allar is my 26th-ranked rookie, while he is ranked 35th by the pros at DLF.
Really,Allar is my QB-2 in this class, but I know Ty Simpson will get drafted in the first round and far ahead of Allar. That said, among all the other quarterbacks that are selected in this year’s draft, Allar will remain my personal favorite unless landing spots make clear that he’ll play as a backup behind a proven veteran or another quarterback is drafted with a very real chance to play early. All of that to say, I know I am way higher on Allar right now, but that’s because I liked his best college tape better than other’s best college tape and I always increase my hope in a player who was the number one ranked quarterback in the coutry in his recruiting class and was once a top-tier devy player before his dropoff in play last season. His big body and strong arm impress me more than those of the other quarterbacks in this class. I’m far more intrigued to see what he can become than the rest of this quarterback class. I have Allar and Cade Klubnik in a tier of their own in this class, with Mendoza and Simpson far ahead of them, and all the others far behind.

Kaelon Black

Black is my 28th-ranked rookie, while he is not ranked in the top 39 by the pros at DLF.
Black was a two-star prospect who signed with James Madison and joined coach Cignetti and Elijah Sarratt in the move from JMU to Indiana to become NCAA champions. Roman Hemby may have led the team in carries and rushing, but Black is a far better NFL prospect in my eyes. He, like Justin Joly, will be one of my favorite sleepers in this class unless his draft capital falls terribly low. Even if it does, I see him as a player who could rise, like Kyle Monangai did this last season. I’d even compare their styles of play to one another. He’s a hard-nosed runner, but equally swift and fast. He’s the kind of running back that hits a hole and always gets what’s there for him, but can also break a big play when given the slightest crease. I’m very confident that his style of play will allow him to contribute right away in the NFL and become a surprise starter, depending on the depth chart of the team that drafts him. His landing spot will matter a lot, but it will not change how I think about him as a player. He’s one of my favorite sleepers in this class. It’s too bad I have to write about it and let all my competition know about it!

My 2026 Rookie Rankings Are Up

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0600

Seattle's dominant Super Bowl win closes the 2026 season. Now, NFL teams and dynasty managers move into offseason mode, and for Dynasty Freeks, that means studying the rookie class.

During the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, I do a deep dive into the rookie class with the goal of posting my early rookie rankings by Super Bowl Sunday. My first deep dive into the rookie class is complete, and my early rookie rankings are now posted.

My early process starts by using the NFL Mock Draft Database to find the top 75 projected offensive skill players. I then study each player by reviewing their recruiting background, production stats, and college highlights

I pull up their 247 Sports profile to see how they were ranked as a high school recruit and or in the transfer portal. There, I can see whether they were three-, four-, or five-star recruits and where they ranked within their state and the country based on their position. I go to their Sports Reference page to understand their production profile and age. There, I can see how early in their college career they broke out, whether they had stacked multiple productive years together, whether they were a one-year wonder, how many years they played in college, and whether they transferred teams. Finally, and most importantly, I watch multiple YouTube videos on each prospect to see what they look like on film (or at least on their highlight film).

I wish I could study players full-time and make a career out of this process, but I love my real job too much. For now, this is the best I can do given my limited time, but I enjoy the process of creating my own rankings before I ever look at how other dynasty analysts rank the players. My first set of rookie rankings each year is my 100% independent rankings.

Between now and the NFL Combine, I will compare my rankings with others to notice differences, and I will share those differences in the coming weeks. Over those three weeks, I will also read countless rookie profiles and listen to countless podcasts from the talented folks who have the privilege of studying the rookie class full-time and have inside knowledge of how NFL teams evaluate this year’s class.

My rookie rankings will change as I read and listen to these reports from the professionals, and I will complete my Post-Combine rookie rankings after all testing at the Combine is complete. Until then, though, these are my 100% independent rankings, with only their projected draft capital as a data input. The rest is my own.

So, with all that said, please check out my early rookie rankings and follow me in the coming weeks as I defend the players I like more or less than other dynasty analysts in the weeks leading up to the Combine.

Here are some of my overall thoughts after studying this year’s rookie class.

It’s a weaker class than usual.

I find this class to be much weaker than those in recent years. I did not anticipate this, but I’m much happier about trading away my first-round pick in six of my nine dynasty leagues. I essentially traded a first-round pick in these leagues for the likes of Derrick Henry, Drake London, A.J. Brown, Courtland Sutton, Davante Adams, and Michael Pittman (less pleased with this last player). They were all picks 9 or later, except in one league, where it ended up being pick 4. Overall, it was a fine year to trade first-round picks for players that contributed to finishing in the money and winning two dynasty championships.

The first five picks will be chalk, but after that, things will vary.

That’s not to say there are not a few top players. The consensus top five players will almost certainly be Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, Carnell Tate, Jordan Tyson, and Makai Lemon, and likely in that order, though Makai Lemon is my 3rd-ranked player and favorite wide receiver. After those five players, I expect rookie drafts to vary widely unless a few players end up with more draft capital than expected or land in a perfect spot.

Draft capital and landing spot will significantly change rankings.

Draft capital and landing spot will change rookie ranking more than normal this year. There won’t be a ton of dynasty players drafted in the first round, but a lot will get drafted in the second and third rounds. There are a lot of positional players in the second and third tiers of my rankings, and I assume they will rise and fall in their tiers based on draft capital and landing spot this year, more than most years. Additionally, free-agent signings will change rookie rankings, especially at quarterback, as I expect many veterans to sign with teams that offer opportunities to compete for starting roles.

The quarterback class will hurt superflex leagues.

Mendoza and Ty Simpson should be the only quarterbacks drafted in the first round. The rest will get drafted later on teams that seek to develop them into starters or career backups. Thus, it is a terrible year to attempt to rebuild at quarterback in superflex leagues. Drew Allar is my favorite second-tier quarterback, but I expect to be on an island with that thought.

The running backs are mostly future committee backs.

Jadarian Price is the only other running back besides Love that I expect to get drafted early and be seen as a team’s future lead running back. The others in this class look more like committee backs. Emmett Johnson is the only other running back that I think could become an every-down back for an NFL team. Draft capital and landing spots for running backs could change my mind; however, I am eager to see where the running backs get drafted.

There are solid second-tier receivers, but it may be difficult to hit on the right ones.

I’m more intrigued by the second and third-tier wide receivers in this class. I believe many of them could become productive WR-2s on teams and on dynasty rosters. There are receivers of all body types and skills, from typical big-sized X receivers to smaller and speedy slot receivers. Many of them can do well depending on which teams select them. While draft capital and landing spot will change things, I currently have many of the bigger, typical X receivers ranked ahead of the small slot guys. I expect to rank Elijah Sarratt and Chris Brazzell higher than most analysts.

Don’t chase tight ends after last year’s class.

Don’t let last year’s incredible tight end class fool you into drafting tight ends higher this year. It’s not a great tight end class with only one player, Kenyon Sadiq, predicted to get drafted in the first round, and I did not like him nearly as much as his hype warranted. The next tier of tight ends is significantly distanced from him in my rankings. They include many five-star high school prospects with unproductive collegiate careers and a converted quarterback, Eli Stowers, and an untouted recruit, Justin Joly, who were far more productive and rank much higher in my rookie rankings than the five-star recruits.

Even though this is not the best class, it’s still one of the most enjoyable parts of the season. I hope you stick with me as I study the players more and read and listen to countless professional scouts to tweak my rankings. The Combine and the NFL draft loom in the distance as the final datapoints for my rankings process. It will be a blast to keep studying the class until then.

2026 Free Agent Watch

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0600

The last thing I do after the season ends, before studying the rookie class, is check out the free-agent class. It’s important for dynasty managers to know which players are free agents and could be on new teams next year. If you have free agents on your rosters, you have to be aware that their dynasty value could rise or fall next season, depending on whether they are re-signed by their teams or signed by another team. At the same time, if you roster players who could step into new roles once a starter signs with a new team, young players can get an immediate boost in their dynasty value.

It feels like each of the last few seasons, there have been fewer and fewer big-name moves in free agency, but every year, there are still a few players who benefit greatly by changing teams or having a player leave to sign with another team. Consider Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones switching teams last year and how their dynasty value increased, and how J.J. McCarthy had every opportunity to succeed but did not this season. Consider Javonte Williams and Rico Dowdle and how their move to Dallas and from Dallas radically impacted their dynasty value, even though they both trailed off to end the season. They are both free agents again this season. Or consider the league-winning success of George Pickens after signing with Dallas and the modest success Stefon Diggs had in New England.

All of that to say, free agency matters, and savvy dynasty managers are wise to pay attention to it now so they can consider how this year’s free agency class and their landing spots will help or hurt their teams. I’ll cover all of the free agency moves after the free agency period opens, March 11th, but for now, it’s important to know who the key players are, and it’s fun to speculate on where they may land next year.

In this article, I am only writing about players who are true free agents this year, meaning they do not have contracts. There are many other players who may become free agents if teams void their 2026 contracts, so this list will grow as we head into the offseason. For now, these are the key players that do not have contracts in 2026, but are likely to start or have significant fantasy production next season with whichever team they play for.

Malik Willis

Willis is my most-added player this offseason. I added him to all but one of my one-quarterback leagues, and surprisingly, even to a ten-team superflex league. I am supremely confident that he will be a starter next season from day one. He could follow his Green Bay coach, Jeff Hafley, to Miami to replace Tua Tagovailoa as the starter. He could also sign as a starter for the Steelers, Jets, Cardinals, or Browns. I predict that he will be next season’s Daniel Jones or Sam Darnold, who each rehabilitated their careers to become NFL starters again in each of the last two years. Willis is next!

Daniel Jones

Even though Jones tore his Achilles tendon midseason last year, I am confident he will re-sign with the Colts, who intend to give him the starting role again after such an impressive start to last season. I expect the Colts to either rely on Riley Leonard or sign a veteran quarterback as a bridge to Jones once he is healthy enough to play. Jones’s incredible bounce-back season that rose his dynasty value from the ashes is not over yet. He will return to a starting role and have one last chance to be an NFL starting quarterback. I just can’t imagine another team signing him, or him wanting to play for another team, given the Colts' strong belief in him last season.

Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is most likely to retire, in my opinion. I can’t imagine the Steelers’ new coach wanting to run the terrible dink-and-dunk offense they ran last season. That’s the best that Rodgers offers a team at this point. The only other landing spot that could draw Rodgers to play one more season would be in Minnesota, but I’m too concerned that his inability to move at his age will prevent him from being the downfield passer that the Vikings need in their system. If he’s a Viking next season, McCathry’s dynasty value will take another hit. If he’s not a Steeler, I think they have to look for a bridge quarterback because Mason Rudolf and Will Howard are not starting-caliber quarterbacks.

Russell Wilson

Wilson will certainly not be back with the Giants next season, but he has a chance to sign with a new team as a backup or bridge quarterback. The only question is whether he has enough humility to sign with a team with that role in mind. He could be the bridge quarterback for the Colts or Chiefs as they wait for their starters, Daniel Jones and Patrick Mahomes, to get healthy. Or, he could sign as a backup for most any team that lacks a quality backup.

Marcus Mariota

If I am most confident in Willis to become this year’s reclamation project, my second-most confident is in Mariota. I don’t think he will be guaranteed a starting role like Willis will, but he could be brought in to compete for a starting spot with teams like the Browns, Vikings, Dolphins, Jets, Steelers, and Cardinals. It all depends on the rest of these free agent quarterbacks and where they land. If I were the Commanders, I would prioritize signing him to remain their backup to Jayden Daniels, where he has performed well over the last two seasons.

Breece Hall

Hall does not need to be part of the Jets' enormous rebuilding efforts. I am confident that he will sign with a new team this season and offseason and see his dynasty value rise tremendously, no matter where he signs. When he does sign with another team, Braelon Allen’s dynasty stock will rise tremendously, too, since he will move into the starting role for the Jets. The opportunities are plentiful for Hall, who would thrive if he signed with the Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Commanders, Saints, or Cardinals. No matter where he lands, he will stifle the dynasty value of the running backs on that team, much to the chagrin of their dynasty managers. Hall’s dynasty stock will rise this offseason for sure.

Travis Etienne

I wish the Jaguars would keep Etienne as their one-two punch with Bhayshul Tuten, but I am not confident that they will. The future might belong to Tuten, who looked great this season, as did Etienne, who still has a lot left in the tank. Like Hall, he’s a candidate to fill a starting role immediately with the same set of running-back needy teams, but he could step into the leading role of a committee backfield, more than earning a backfield to himself. I think he would thrive best in a system like the Saints' or the Chiefs', but I still hope he re-signs with the Jaguars, who are an even better fit. Tuten has the most value to gain if Etienne does sign with another team, though.

Kenneth Walker

The hopes of my dynasty teams were crushed last week after learning that Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL. I have five shares of Charbonnet and was so excited at the opportunity next season of a starting role in Seattle after Walker was let go in free agency. Now, I think the Seahawks need to re-sign Walker. If they don’t, they need to sign Hall or Etienne instead. It may very well come down to how Walker plays in the championship game or Super Bowl. Walker, like Etienne and Hall, will have a starting role or at least a lead role in a committee next year. It just depends on whether it’s with Seattle or another team. Personally, I am not a fan of Walker and do not think his dynasty value will rise no matter where he signs. I’m just sad that my Charbonnet stock is down, yet again.

Javonte Williams

I sure hope the Cowboys re-sign Williams. They put their trust in him, and he repaid them in the biggest of ways. I hope that Williams feels some loyalty to the team as a result. Staying with the Cowboys is in the best interest of his dynasty managers, too. If he were to sign with another team, he would need as wide-open a backfield as he had in Dallas last year to become the sure-fire lead back. The only backfields that fit that bill right now are the Commanders and possibly the Saints and Texans, depending on what the teams do with Alvin Kamara and Joe Mixon this offseason. If he stays with the Cowboys, his stock will remain high after his incredible bounce-back season, but if he signs with another team, his dynasty value will drop.

Rico Dowdle

Dowdle stated very publicly that he wants a leading role next season, even though he showed he could not hold onto one this season. He had a few incredible games midseason, but by the end, Chuba Hubbard looked like the better back as he did at the start of the season. Hubbard’s managers, who sadly say his dynasty stock tumbled after Dowdle appeared to capture the leading role midseason, have reason to hope his dynasty stock will rise again if Dowdle signs with another team. The wildcard factor is still Jonathan Brooks, who, after consecutive season-ending injuries, could compete for a role again and bring his dynasty value from the ashes. I hope Dowdle signs with a new team for the sake of my Hubbard and Brooks shares, and I think he will. I just don’t think he will be given a leading role with a team as he demands. Dowdle will continue to be a great RB-2 to have on rosters, becoming startable when situations make him a leading back for a time. I think that’s what his role is destined to be in the NFL and on dynasty rosters.

JK Dobbins

Dobbins gets injured every year, but he looks great before he does. I am sure an NFL team will take a chance on him again next season, and I predict he will sign again with the Broncos, who demonstrated such faith in him. If he signs with another team, he will be a committee back. That’s the best he can hope for at this point in his career. In fact, it could easily be argued that his only problem is that he gets too much work, and this hurts him. I don’t imagine him ever getting the amount of touches he did at the beginning of this season again, no matter which team he signs with, including Denver, who, now that R.J. Harvey is acclimated into the NFL, can carry more of the load and be the RB-1 in their committee next season, if he re-signs as a Bronco.

George Pickens

The odds are very high, no matter how much Pickens likes it, that the Cowboys put the franchise tag on Pickens. I’m supremely confident that he will be a Cowboy again next season and would not be surprised if they lock him up to a long-term contract. What else can be said about how Pickens flourished in the Cowboys' system? I can’t imagine him being as productive or as happy as the leading receiver for the Patriots, Bills, Raiders, or Titans, who all desperately need a WR-1. As a Cowboy fan, with only one share of Pickens on my dynasty rosters, I sure as heck hope Pickens and Jerry Jones can work out a long-term deal. I’d rather have that than the franchise tag and a disgruntled Pickens all season.

Alec Piece

Pierce had an incredible breakout season in the final year of his contract with the Colts. He was even impressive after they lost Daniel Jones. His late breakout and somewhat limited ability as a mostly downfield weapon make me think teams will be less likely to pursue him in free agency unless they have a specific role in mind for him and an offensive system to complement it. Dynasty managers would benefit most by having him re-sign with the team. I’ve heard some NFL insiders suggest that the Colts cut Michael Pittman to sign Pierce. I suppose that’s possible. I think Pittman, Pierce, and Josh Downs are very complementary receivers, and the Colts have a great thing going when they all play together. I hope they find a way to keep them all, but Pierce could easily sign with a higher-paying team, like the Browns, Steelers, Saints, Jets, Dolphins, or Commanders, who, among other teams, could use a complementary WR-2 in their lineups.

Wan'Dale Robinson

Robinson had one of the most surprising seasons of the year. To be sure, he greatly benefited from the loss of Malik Nabers. Even so, he proved that he can be a highly targeted, highly productive receiver in the NFL. I trade for Robinson in two of my dynasty leagues, so I have a lot riding on where he lands next season. While I could see him as a productive WR-2 on a team besides the Giants, I think they would need to have an above-average quarterback. That would mean he’d only maintain his dynasty value if he signed with a team like the Commanders, Saints, or Patriots. Anywhere else, and his dynasty value would take a dip, in my opinion. I sure hope he stays with the Giants.

Romeo Doubs

Doubs is highly underrated as an NFL receiver and a dynasty receiver. Every year, he outproduces what dynasty managers expect from him. Unlike the other free agent wide receivers listed here, I want to see Doubs on another team next season, and I have four shares of Doubs on my dynasty rosters. I want him out of Green Bay so that Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden get more opportunities, and I want him out of Green Bay to become a more reliable WR-2, on a team that distributes the ball less evenly than the Packers have. He could easily step into a starting role with the Steelers, Browns, Dolphins, Saints, Patriots, or Bills. I hope he signs with a team that gives him a chance to make his second contract his most productive.

Travis Kelce

Kelce could easily retire, and it would not be a surprise. Still, I am hopeful that he wants to play the last game of his career with Patrick Maholmes on the field, something he did not get to do last year. Even though he’s been one of the most traded players at the trade deadline in my leagues the last few years, he continues to produce for dynasty managers in his old age. He seemed excited to hear that Eric Bieniemy was back as the team’s offensive coordinator. That excitement also makes me think he will play one more year. There’s absolutely no chance that he will sign with another team. In fact, he will be play for a discounted rate if the Chiefs need him next season. My bet is that he’s back for a final season next year.

Kyle Pitts

Like George Pickens, Pitts is almost certainly facing the franchise tag next season. He broke out in the last year of his rookie contract to become the second-highest scoring tight end of the season. His dynasty managers rejoice, “Finally!” He played even better with Kirk Cousins, who is likely the team’s starter to begin the season next year since Michael Penix was injured mid-season. Pitts would be an awesome addition to a number of tight-end-needy teams, but I would be very surprised if the Falcons let him go. I think staying in Atlanta will be the best thing for his dynasty managers, too. Kevin Stefanski’s offenses have always featured tight ends. Believe it or not, Pitts could even improve on his 2025 season next year in Atlanta! That would be amazing.

Grading My 2025 Dynasty Trades

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0600

Every year, at the end of the season, I go back to grade allof my dynasty trades. The process makes me sharper as a dynasty manager. I’m humble enough to admit when I regret a trade, and I’m proud to look back at trades I would make again today. I highly encourage all dynasty managers to do the same so you can learn from your successes and failures. You can learn a lot about yourself as a dynasty manager from the trades you have made.

Of course, every trade requires context, since leagues and teams are so different. In this article, I will grade all the trades I made during the season and provide the context for each trade. Again, it’s just an excuse to talk about various players and their dynasty value.

Competing Team Trades

Diehard League

This league is my favorite. I started it years ago by inviting only the most active managers in several of my other leagues. Every year, it is the league that trades the most. A year ago, I decided to go into full-scale rebuild mode. As a result, I finished last, made many trades, and drafted the following players: Ashton Jeanty, Quinshon Judkins, R.J. Harvey, Tyler Warren, Matthew Golden, Cam Skattebo, and Jaxson Dart. Last year's draft and the following trades propelled me from the worst team in the league aseason ago to third place this season. Now I am a top-tier team in the league, and will be for years to come.

Travis Etienne and Tucker Kraft <=======> R.J. Harvey and Romeo Doubs

Early in the season, before Kraft completely broke out, an impulsive manager put Kraft and Etienne on the trading block. I immediately sent this offer, and he accepted. Kraft helped me rack up wins early in the season before he was injured, and he and Tyler Warren were both in my lineups. Etienne was in my starting lineup for the rest of the season and helped me advance into the semi-finals. The trade certainly helped me this season, and I believe it will help me in the future, too. Harvey came on strong at the end of the season and looks like he could be a solid RB-2 for years to come. I would regret losing him, but my running back depth is solid and young with Jeanty, Judkins, and Skattebo. If Etienne re-signs with the Jaguars, I’ll love this trade even more. Having Kraft as a top-scoring tight end for years to come is well worth the loss of a running back I would have to make start-sit decisions about in the future with this team. As for Doubs, he’ll come up a bit later because I actually bought him back.

Jakobi Meyers <=======> Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez

My first round picks for the last two seasons in this league were Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Malik Nabers. JSN’s breakout made my team hard to beat this season, especially right out of the gates. When Nabers was lost for the season, I was desperate for wide receiver help to keep my team in the fight. I knew another manager in our league loved Croskey-Merrit, so I offered him the Commanders' backs for Meyers, and he accepted. I made this trade while Meyers was still with the Raiders. His trade to the Jaguars and subsequent new contract make this trade a smashing success for this season and for the future. Meyers was in my lineup every week after this trade, and he helped me get to the semifinals. Although Parker Washington has seemingly passed him by to be the Jag’s WR-1, Meyers will continue to be a flex-worthy starter in my team for years. Croskey-Merritt never lived up to his hype and failed to capitalise on the opportunity he had this season. The Commanders could add a running back in the draft or free agency to compete with him. Even if they don’t, my running back depth is too strong to need him on my roster.

Deebo Samuel and Wan'Dale Robinson <=======> Matthew Golden and Isaiah Likely

After acquiring Meyers, I made one more trade for wide receiver depth. I targeted a rebuilding team and offered younger players with breakout opportunities in exchange for older players on a hot streak. Sadly, Deebo’s hot streak ended after Jayden Daniels was injured, but Wan’Dale stayed hot throughout the rest of the season and helped my team win games. From a long-term perspective, this trade needs time to grade. Samuel may be over the hill, or he may bounce back when Daniels is back. Robinson could build on his career-best season if he stays with the Giants, but if he signs with another team, I will be disappointed. Golden never broke out this season, but at least scored his first touchdown in the playoff game, so he still has a lot to prove. He certainly did not shine when he had every opportunity to do so this year, when Green Bay’s receivers were injured. Like Robinson, Likely is a free agent, so his future value will depend greatly upon which team signs him. I was pleased with how this trade helped me this season, but now I have to take a wait-and-see approach.

Drake London <=======> 2026 1st round pick and 2027 1st round pick

I made at least a half dozen trade offers for London, but they were all rejected until I paid this hefty price. Sadly, this season, the trade did not help me, since London missed many games down the stretch. Still, from a dynasty perspective, I was pleased with this trade for my team. My roster is young and one of the best in the league when healthy, so I was willing to give up two first-round picks to ensure my starting wide receivers in this league will be JSN, Nabers, and London, with all the depth I traded for above. Those three with Dart, Kraft, and Warren at quarterback and tight end, and all of my rookie running backs, will make me a competitor for years to come.

Romeo Doubs <=======> Luke Musgrave and a 2026 3rd round pick

The last trade of the season was a modest one. A manager posted that he’d trade Doubs for any third-round pick. I immediately sent him one, and he accepted. That’s pick number 34 in this league. I’m happy to have a proven wide receiver instead of a dart-throw with the 34th pick. Doubs is also a free agent, so it will be interesting to see where he lands next year. No matter where he signs, I will be glad to have a known player over the third-round unknown.

Freek League

This is my longest-standing league. Thus, named the Freeks. I’m pleased to say that I won the championship this year. I was the highest-scoring team from start to finish and narrowly won the Super Bowl despite one of my worst performances of the season. One of these trades helped me get to the championship. The other did not. I wish I could have both of them back now, but a championship lasts forever!

Michael Pittman <=======> 2026 1st round pick

Early in the season, while Daniel Jones was healthy, Pittman was a top-twelve scoring receiver. He scored a touchdown almost every week. That’s when I made this trade with the rebuilding team that put him on the trading block. Pittman was in my starting lineups as my WR-3 or flex for several weeks, until Daniel Jones got injured and Pittman’s production sank. Still, he helped me win a few games and finish the regular season 11-3. This is a 10-team league, so I gave up pick 10 for Pittman. I’m sure during the rookie draft, I will wish I had the pick back, but if the Colts keep Daniel Jones or sign a competent bridge quarterback, Pittman still has some productive years ahead of him, especially if they let Alec Pierce go.

Travis Kelce <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

A rebuilding team offered me Kelce for a second-round pick after I lost Tucker Kraft for the season. I accepted the trade so I could fill a weakness and stay atop the league. Kelce was productive for many weeks until Patrick Mahomes was injured at the end of the season, so he helped me win games. He, however, did not help me in the playoffs. Instead, I turned to Brenton Strange, who helped me win a Super Bowl. I turned to him because Colston Loveland seemed unreliable at the time. Then, Loveland went nuts the last two weeks of the season. All of that to say, having Kraft, Loveland, and Strange as my tight end depth chart is pretty sweet. If Kelce retires, it won’t hurt me at all.

Keeper League

In this league, I decided two years ago to go into rebuild mode. This season, I turned the corner and became a competitive team. I scored the highest points in the league, dethroned the three-peat champion in the seminals by one point, and lost in the championship game. The only weakness on my team is my running backs, but an offseason trade of Cedric Tillman for Javante Williams worked out big-time for me. I scrambled to fight in this league and win the Super Bowl, but I fell short, and now regret two of these trades.

Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller <=======> Chris Olave

This is the worst trade I have made in years. Early in the season, desperate for running back help after Omarion Hampton got injured, I offered one Saint for two Saints. Olave went on to become the 6th highest scoring receiver. Kamara and Miller promptly got injured and did nothing for me the rest of the season. What a disastrous trade for this year and for the years to come! As I said, this is one of the worst trades I’ve made in years.

Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, Kimani Vidal, <=======> Chase Brown, Marvin Harrison, Dallas Goedert, and Tahj Brooks

This multi-player trade helped me immediately this season, but by the end of the season, it hurt me. It’s also a very questionable trade from a dynasty perspective. At the time of the trade, Jacobs was hot and scoring a touchdown every week. I wanted that safe floor in my lineup and got it for many weeks in a row after the trade, but Jacobs faded terribly down the stretch. The opposite is true for Brown, who was playing terribly at the point in the season when I made this trade, then caught fire down the stretch. I’d still rather have Jacobs than Brown from a dynasty perspective, but it’s a lot closer than I thought when I made this trade. Wilson’s addition just gave me a handcuff to Jacobs, and Vidal gave me the handcuff to Hampton and helped me win some games when Hampton was injured. I was so sick of Marvin Harrison that I was just eager to get him off my team and have no regrets there. As for Goedert, he had the best season of his career, but I have Trey McBride and Colston Loveland, so I am not sad to lose Goedert either. Given my team’s makeup and needs, I still like this trade from a dynasty perspective, though it appears questionable, and I be the other managers, I'm also happy with his side of the deal.

Wan'Dale Robinson <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

My final trade was another for Robinson. My starting wide receivers in this league were Puka Nacua, George Pickens, and Drake London. I scrambled to find a London replacement to help me in the playoffs, and Robinson fit the bill. In this ten-team league, this pick is now the 19th pick in the rookie draft. If Robinson re-signs with the Giants, I’d still prefer Robinson to the 19th pick, but if he signs with another team, I may regret this trade. It helped me reach the championship, but it didn't help me bring home the trophy. Still, I am back as a top-tier team after just two rebuilding years.

Good Times Legue

I am pleased to say that I am now the back-to-back champion in this league. My team is dominant and will be for years to come. I scored 118 more points than the second-highest-scoring team and 193 more optimal points than the second-highest-scoring team. The lone trade I made in this league helped me win the Super Bowl by 57 points since Derrick Hery scored 45 points on his own!

Jordan Addison, Derrick Henry <=======> Troy Franklin, Tez Johnson, and a 2026 1st round pick

A rebuilding team put Henry and Addison on the trading block. At the time, Fraknlin and Johnson were on fire, so I offered two young receivers and a first-round pick for Henry and Addison. What a steal of a deal! Henry has one more year on his contract, and I believe he will be a starter for me again next year. Addison will get better quarterback play, too, if he can stay out of trouble off the field, that is. I think I won this trade this year and for the future, and it’s not close.

Leftovers

In the inaugural season of this league, I made one trade that helped propel me to the championship game, where I came up short. Still, I am pleased with the trade.

Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton <=======> Caleb Williams, DeMario Douglas, and a 2026 1st round pick

A rebuilding team was looking for picks, and I knew that the manager was a Bears fan, so I offered him Williams, Pop, and a first-round pick for the Nix-Sutton stack. Sutton finished as a top-twelve receiver, and Nix, while up and down in his production, paired well with Brock Purdy in my playoff run in this superflex league. Williams improved down the stretch, but I still have Nix ranked two spots ahead of Williams in my dynasty rankings. I’d rather have Sutton than the 11th pick in this year's rookie draft, too, so I like this trade for how it helped me get to the championship this season and for how it sets me up for the future. In this PPR and TE-premium league, you only have to start one running back, so I make wide receiver and tight end the strength of my team. Pairing Purdy and Nix with Puka Nacua, CeeDee Lamb, Courtland Sutton, Emeka Egbuka, Parker Washington, Jordan Addison, and Tucker Kraft will keep me competitive for years.

Finish The Fight

I was invited into this league by a listener, which is cool. Two years ago, I won the championship. One year ago, I lost in the championship. This year, my team was decimated by injuries and finished fourth-to-last. I was in limbo all season, right on the edge of playoff contention, hoping for a late-season burst, since my players are great, but their circumstances were not. I traded like a competitor early in the season, but by the end of the season, I was trading like a rebuilder. Before the season started, I traded away my 2026 first-round pick for Davante Adams. That trade worked out great, but it was still not enough to help my team, which was stifled by the terrible seasons of Lamar Jackson, Joe Mixon, Justin Jefferson, and Terry McLaurin.

Derrick Henry and Keenan Allen <=======> 2026 4th round pick and 2027 1st round pick

Midway through the season, when I was still fighting for a playoff spot, I regrettably traded away another first-round pick for Derrick Henry and a fourth for Kennan Allen. Allen’s production promptly sank, and Henry did not do enough to help me reach the playoffs. He did help me win the Toilet Bowl, which in this league awards me an extra pick at the end of the second round, so there’s that at least. I am confident that I can compete again in this league next year, and Henry will be my starting running back, which is the only weak spot on my roster. Jaylen Warren is the best running back I have, so I made this next trade to give me more help.

Cam Skattebo <=======> Davante Adams

Once the writing was on the wall for my team, I traded Adams for Skattebo. In my eyes, it’s essentially like getting my first-round pick back. Adams ' injuries in the fantasy playoffs hurt the manager who traded for him, so I know he’d like the trade back. For me, it was a big win. A starting lineup of Lamar Jackson, Cam Skattebo, Derrick Henry, Puka Nacua, Justin Jefferson, Terry McLaurin, and Colston Loveland gives me a fighting chance next season. I need to nail my second-round picks over the next two years, though, or I could be in decline fast.

Rebuilding Team Trades

14 Ways To Hell League

I hesitate to talk about trades in this league that involve picks because our rookie draft is so unique. The rookie draft is an auction, so each draft spot is worth a certain amount of money rather than an actual draft position. So a team could take all of its money and buy just one or two typical first-round players. So, accumulating picks is more like accumulating money, which gives you more options in the draft. To add one more layer of complexity, you can hold your auction money over for the next year if you don’t spend it. All of that to say, this is a unique format, so the trades involving future picks are seen differently than in traditional leagues.

Trevor Lawrence <=======> 2027 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks

A competitive team lost one of its starting quarterbacks, so he came hard after Lawrence. In the end, I was able to acquire all of his 2027 draft picks for Lawrence. I’m in a two-year rebuilding plan and have acquired a ton of 2026 and 2027 picks. This trade let me add to my stockpile of picks (auction money). Last year, I bought Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough in the rookie auction, so I have two young starters. Plus, I have Malik Willis, who I believe will be a starter for a team next year. I already have the most 2027 rookie picks. My plan is to save at least half my 2026 auction money and then go all in on the 2027 rookie auction to rebuild my team.

Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, and Cooper Rush <=======> Malik Washington, Olamide Zaccheaus, and 2026 1st round pick

This was another trade that was mostly about the first-round pick (auction money). I have a mild interest and hope in Malik Washington’s future, especially in this 14-team league with 11 starting roster spots. He could see my starting lineups in the future. Still, this was all about the money. I now have three first-round picks and 2 picks in each of the second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds in 2026. That will give me money to play with in the auction and to hold for the 2027 auction, where I have even more picks.

Andy Dalton, Keenan Allen, Zach Ertz <=======> Bhayshul Tuten and 2027 2nd and 3rd round picks

My final veteran dump was this one. At least I got a young prospect in this trade in Tuten. The rest, like the others, was all about the money. Now I have 2 first-round picks, 3 second-round picks, 3 third-round picks, and 2 fourth and fifth-round picks in 2027. Plus, I'm certain to be one of the worst teams in the league next year. I’m still unsure whether I like this league format, but I am willing to go all-in on a two-year rebuild to see if I will enjoy it.

Re-Ranking The 2025 Rookie Class

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0600

One of the most important things dynasty managers can do this time of year is to re-re-rank the rookie class. I do at the end of every season because it gives me the opportunity to see which players I was right or wrong on and consider why I hit or missed on them. It’s a process that sharpens me as a dynasty manager and talent evaluator. I’d encourage all Dynasty Freeks to do the same.

In this article, I re-rank the rookie class in superflex leagues and explain how my end-of-season rankings in January differ from my rookie-draft rankings last May.

1. Jaxson Dart (up from 13th to 1st)

Dart has moved all the way up from the 13 to one. He’s the player I would draft first in superflex leagues if we could draft again today. He had an amazing season even though he played on a terrible team without his top weapon, Malik Nabers. He scored over 20 points in nine of his twelve starts, and that includes games when he left due to injury. His secret weapon is his legs. He had 487 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. That’s the third most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in NFL history! His aggressive running led to injuries, however, and his new coaching staff may ask him to run less. Still, he’s got what it takes to be a future top-twelve dynasty quarterback in the years to come after finishing 15th in his rookie season. I’m pleased to say I drafted him in three of my nine dynasty leagues since I liked him more than most dynasty managers.

2. Ashton Jeanty (down from 1st to 2nd)

While Jeanty struggled behind a terrible offensive line and played for the very worst team in the league, he still managed to finish the season as the top-scoring rookie running back in a class loaded with great running backs. He finished 13th in total points behind Josh Jacobs and ahead of Saquon Barkley. That’s impressive given his environment. He showed enough in his big plays to leave dynasty managers no regrets for drafting him as the 1.1 even in superflex leagues. Once the Raiders add a new coach and Fernando Mendoza to their team, things will look up for Jeanty. I only had the 1.1 in one league last year, and I drafted Jeanty. I’m very pleased with my pick and would draft him again, even though he was a disappointment week-to-week this season. The future is incredibly bright for Jeanty.

3. Omarion Hampton (stayed as 3rd)

Hampton battled injuries for much of the season and missed eight weeks with an injury. Still, what he showed on the field was enough to keep him ranked high in my end-of-season rookie rankings. I’m very confident in his future. Unlike Jeanty, he landed in a team with a solid, excellent line and a run-first mentality. Sadly, the Chargers’ offensive line battled injuries this season, too, so dynasty managers were never able to see what the Chargers’ run game would look like without all the injuries, including Hampton’s. His end-of-season play with a terrible offensive line, and his involvement in the passing game, gave dynasty managers hope that being the second drafted running back in this class was still a great decision. This year’s running back class was awesome, but I’d still draft Hampton second among them, and I am glad that in my one league with the 1.2 pick last year, I selected Hampton.

4. Tyler Shough (up from 23rd to 4th)

Here’s our first player with an enormous rise in my rankings. Shough has moved up from 23rd to 4th in my superflex rankings, especially after the season, when the Saints’ coaching staff declared him their future starter with confidence. Shough took a while to heat up after being given the starting role in week eight, but after their bye week in week eleven, he finished the season on fire, averaging more than 20 points per game over the last seven weeks of the season. Dynasty managers brave enough to take a chance on him, especially in superflex leagues, have been rewarded. Surprisingly, I picked him up off waivers in a one-quarterback league. Best of all, I paid $301 for him in a superflex auction in a league where I am rebuilding. I paid $500 Dart in the same league, so I have found my future quarterbacks and can spend all of the extra auction money I acquire in trades over the next two years on other positions.

5. Teterioa McMillan (down from 4th to 5th)

McMillan finished as the top-scoring rookie wide receiver, even though he had a modest season compared to his previous rookie seasons. He was very inconsistent with a ton of average games, a few great games and several terrible games. The Panthers’ offense was run-first for much of the season, and they were one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league. Still, McMillan managed to finish the season as the 15th-highest-scoring wide receiver. Dynasty managers have to be pleased with that and hopeful for many top-twelve finishes in the future. McMillan’s ranking would have remained the same as it was back in May if Shough had not surpassed him and if the guy I mentioned next had not fallen down my rankings.

6. Cam Ward (from 1st to 6th)

Ward was the consensus 1.1 in superflex leagues last May, unless a team set at quarterback decided to draft Jeanty instead. Ward did not prove to be a bust and played a little better at the very end of the season than he did throughout the entire season, but his only finish as a top-12 quarterback on the week once last season is a big concern. Ward played with a terrible team around him, but Dart and Shough’s offenses weren't the best either, and they were able to carry their teams. Ward could not. Plus, as expected, he hardly runs the ball, averaging under ten yards rushing per game on the season. There’s still hope for Ward once he gets more weapons and a better coaching staff, but he had to drop in my rankings after an unimpressive rookie season.

7. Cam Skattebo (up from 15th to 7th)

Skattebo made a significant jump in my end-of-year ranking because he was the top-scoring non-quarterback rookie in average points per game this season, with 14.5 points per game. That would have made him the 10th-highest-scoring running back. His first eight games of the season were a smashing success, putting to rest all the fears many dynasty managers had about his speed, pass blocking, and spot on the depth chart. He rose to the top of the depth chart immediately and was a touchdown-scoring machine with seven in his eight games played. I’m so glad I drafted him in two leagues and traded Davante Adams for him in another league after Skattebo was injured. I only wish I drafted him more since I passed on him in two other leagues when a player I then had ranked ahead of him fell to me.

8. TreVeyon Henderson (down from 6th to 8th)

Henderson never stole the show from Rhamondre Stevenson, but he made enough big plays on his touches and earned more carries as the season progressed, moving up in my rankings from 6th to 8th. He finished as the second-highest scoring rookie running back and outscored Rhomandre Stevenson, who also had a productive season. The Patriots’ offense was one of the very best in the league this season, and it will only improve as Drake Maye gets more weapons in the passing game and their offensive line gains more experience. His future is bright with the Patriots and Drake Maye. Henderson managers are thrilled to have drafted him in the first round last year. Sadly, I never had the opportunity to draft Henderson, so he’s the first player I’ve talked about so far that I don't have any shares in.

9. RJ Harvey (down from 8th to 9th)

Harvey finished two spots and 5 points behind Henderson in running back points this year as the 21st highest scoring running back. He was slowly given more and more trust by the Broncos after J.K. Dobbins was injured. By the end of the season, he was the leading back and had his best games of the year. He averaged 17 points per game in the last five games that mattered for the Broncos as they sealed up the top seed in the AFC. I was confident in Harvey’s ability as a pass catcher, but had concerns about his ability in the running game. But by the end of the year, he proved very capable at both, so I have kept him in about the same spot as I did last May. I liked Harvey and drafted him twice, trading up in the first round both times to get him. I traded one share away midseason, but am pleased to keep him on the other team, a team for which he never started a game for me this season, since my running back room is loaded but old, and I won back-to-back championships. It’s nice to know Harvey is waiting in the wings in that league.

10. Quinshon Judkins (down from 7th to 10th)

I moved Judkins a few spots down in my end-of-season ranking, not because he did not look good on the field, but because he looked great. My only concern for Judkins in his rookie season was his lack of involvement in the passing game compared to the running backs I now have ranked ahead of him. I drafted Judkins in two leagues and am pleased to have him on my roster. I just had to move him down because of his limitations as a pass catcher. I am hopeful that the Browns’ new coaching staff and possible new quarterback will trust him more as a pass catcher in the years to come, though, because I think he can do well if they give him a chance. I had him ranked higher than many dynasty managers last year, even as his legal troubles loomed. I’m glad I was able to draft him in at least two leagues.

11. Coston Loveland (down from 9th to 11th)

As my top-ranked tight end in May, I was worried about Loveland and my three shares of him at the start of the season, but my fears were completely relieved by the end. Loveland was a backup to Cole Kmet to start the season, and by midseason, they seemed to split time. By the end of the season, however, Loveland finally became a focal point in the Bears’ passing game and their leading pass catcher in the last two games of the season. I can’t wait to see if that continues in the NFL playoffs. I had Loveland ranked one spot ahead of Tyler Warren in May. I saw Loveland drafted ahead of Warren in many drafts, and Warren drafted ahead of Loveland in many drafts. It was a conundrum for dynasty managers in the back half of the first round last year. I love both players and regret choosing Loveland over Warren at the start of the year when Warren was on fire. By the end, however, I was pleased with my choice. Still, I’d be pleased to have either tight end as an anchor for years to come.

12. Tyler Warren (stayed as 12th)

I added my one share of Warren in a draft where Loveland was taken first. While he’s my only share, I’m pleased to have him, too and have him ranked in the same spot as I did in May. Unlike Loveland, Warren hit the ground running with incredibly productive games right off the bat. His production slowed down near the end of the season, however, which was mostly due to poor quarterback play after Daniel Jones was injured and lost for the remainder of the season. Still, he’ll continue to be a focal point of the passing game if the Colts sign another veteran quarterback or re-sign Jones next season. His future is incredibly bright, and his dynasty managers are pleased to have drafted him.

13. Harold Fannin (up from 45th to 13th)

I’d call Fannin my biggest miss in last year’s class. I promise never to downgrade a small-school player again if they have the kind of collegiate production he had and pair that with significant draft capital. What I am less apologetic about is moving Fannin down my rankings after Cleveland drafted him, even though he was drafted early in the third round. With David Njoku in the way, I thought it would take at least a year or two for Fannin to see the starting lineup. To my credit, Fannin was my 25th-ranked rookie before the NFL draft, but he fell to 45th afterwards. I just did not see any way he would outperform Njoku and outright steal his job, but he most certainly did. What an amazing class of dynasty tight ends. They finished the season as the 5th (Warren), 6th (Fannin), and 12th (Loveland) highest scoring tight ends of the year, and now I have them back to back to back in my end-of-season rankings.

14. Emeka Egbuka (down from 11th to 14th)

Egbuka was by far the hottest rookie to start the season. He seemed like a clear-cut rookie of the year in the NFL and in dynasty, but he stumbled terribly as the season progressed and even lost playing time near the end of the season. He was the most exciting and disappointing rookie of the season. He showed too much promise early in this season to move him too far down my rankings at the end of the season, but he certainly must fall a little from 11th to 14th. The Buccaneers' depth chart was weak to start the season due to injuries, but it was loaded by the end of the season when everyone was healthy. I’m still hopeful for Egbuka, but the road ahead is much tougher than it was last year.

15. Luther Burden (up from 16th to 15th)

Burden took the opposite road from Egbuka. He caught fire near the end of the season when Rome Odunze missed time, and the Bears’ offense seemed to finally hit on all cylinders. The depth chart will still be crowded next season, but Burden has flashed and shown enough consistency at the end of the season to make him a more productive piece of the offense in the years to come, and he’s opened up the possibility of becoming the team’s WR-1 over Odunze. It will be interesting in the playoffs to see how Burden is used if Odunze comes back healthy. Either way, he’s proved to be a fine selection in last year’s draft. I was lower on Burden than most dynasty managers last year, so I do not have a single share of him, but now I wish I did.

16. Travis Hunter (down from 5th to 16th)

I don’t have a single share of Hunter either, and I am very glad I do not. He had a game or two last season where he showed promise, but not many before he was injured and lost for the season. Surprisingly, the Jaguars’ offense caught fire to end the season, but it was on the backs of Jacobi Meyers, whom they traded for and signed to a long-term contract) and Parker Washington, who is set to be a free agent after this season. Brian Thomas was the surprise non-show this season, with only a few fantasy-relevant games. It remains to be seen what the Jaguars will do this offseason at wide receiver, so Hunter is the most volatile player on this list. The Jaguars could let Washington go and open a door for Hunter in the passing game and/or they could trade Thomas and do the same. Or they could resign Washington, keep Thomas, and send Hunter to play defensive back. I did not want any part of this two-way player in last year's rookie draft, and I don’t even more so now.

17. Bhayshul Tuten (up from 29th to 17th)

I never got a share of Tuten because I was far lower on him than all other dynasty managers. I was convinced that he’d never pass Etienne and Bigsby on the depth chart. It turned out I was right and wrong. Etienne had an incredible comeback season, but Bigsby was traded, so Tuten did get far more opportunities in the offense than I expected. What surprised me more was that he looked very good when given these touches. I’m still glad I did not reach for him as high as many other dynasty managers did in drafts last year, but I’m willing to move him up to 17th when re-ranking the class today. I know others would still take him higher, though. I only wish I could if the Jaguars don’t re-sign Etienne this year. If they don’t, I’ll regret not drafting Tuten, but I’ll be glad I added him as a throw-in on a trade in a league where I am rebuilding.

18. Kyle Monangai (up from 28th to 18th)

Monangai was one of the best rookie finds of the year, and I would now rank him 30 spots higher than I had him ranked in rookie drafts in May. What a find for those who drafted him! Sadly, I only did it in one league. He was the perfect complementary back to D’Andre Swift for the Bears. He was the quintessential power back on the goal line and in short-yardage situations. But he became far more than that. By halfway through the season, he and Swift were splitting series, and both were incredibly successful. The Bears have a potential out with Swift’s contract this offseason, but I bet they keep him and run back this powerful duo next season, too. Even so, Monangi has a chance to become the future starter, is an incredible handcuff if Swift goes down, and is a viable flex play any week because of his split touches and his opportunities on the goal line. I wish I had more than my one share of him!

19. Jayden Higgins (down from 17th to 19th)

ggins played about as well as I expected this season, so he remains ranked about the same as he was in May. It’s just that a surprise running back has jumped him in my rankings. Six touchdowns are impressive for a rookie. He’s a great tall weapon in the red zone and made the most of his opportunities. He held off all competition from veteran Christian Kirk and fellow rookie Jaylin Noel to secure the future WR-2 spot opposite Nico Collins. The Texans’ offense struggled this season, but they can improve in the years to come, making Higgins targets and production increase. He’s yet to become a relable starter in dynasty lineups, but I am sure he will become a flex-worthy type of player in the years to come.

20. Woody Marks (up from 34th to 20th)

Marks made a big jump in the year-end rookie rankings, too, after finding himself in a starting role given the Texans’ injuries at running back. I thought that he'd be a good passing-downs back in the NFL, but would be limited in the running game. But he did far better than I thought he could this season. Dynasty managers who got him late in drafts landed a player who started games for them this season. That’s a great find. The Texans’ backfield of the future is uncertain. Who knows if Joe Mixon will return healthy or if Nick Chubb will do the same? I’m pretty confident that they will bring in a free agent running back this offseason, though, and Marks may go back to a part-time role in the future. Still, he’s shown enough to move up my rankings if we held the draft again today.

2025 Year-End Awards

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0600

The 2025 season has come to an end. I'm proud to say I won two dynasty championships this year, including my first-ever back-to-back championship. I lost another Super Bowl in one league by .25 points when Puka Nacua couldn't secure that final catch at the end of the Monday Night Football game, which was brutal! Still, it's hard to win a championship and build dynasty teams, and playing this great game is a blast.

That said, it's time to say farewell to the 2025 season and jump into offseason mode for 2026. Before I do, I want to present my 2025 Year-End Awards.

Breakout of the Year

Candidates: Drake Maye, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tucker Kraft
JSN’s breakout started last year, but I’ve included him here because he completely broke out this season, scoring the second most fantasy points by a receiver, just .5 half-PPR points behind Puka Nacua. His consistency is what made him so valuable this season. He only had one game with single-digit points. He had 10 games with 15 or more points and 5 with more than 20. Tucker Kraft’s season is not top of mind since he was injured and lost for the season early in the Packers’ week nine game. Still, he was the third-highest scoring tight end in average points per game, just .2 points per game behind George Kittle and .6 points ahead of Brock Bowers, who both battled injuries this season, too. Kraft was establishing himself as the top target and biggest playmaker in the Packers’ passing game, and moved into the top tier of dynasty rankings before he was injured. Hopefully, his injury midway through the season means he will be healed and ready to go for the start of next season. I’m giving the breakout of the year award to Drake Maye, who had a stellar sophomore season, finishing second in quarterback scoring behind only Josh Allen. Maye had one of the most efficient quarterback seasons of all time, completing 71.7% of his passes even while taking multiple deep shots per game. Best of all for his dynasty managers, he saved his best game for last, scoring five touchdown passes in the fantasy Super Bowl before he was pulled from the game in the third quarter. Imagine how awesome Maye would be if he had better weapons in the passing game! His future is incredibly bright, and his dynasty managers have a decade of fantasy goodness to look forward to. He was the star of my championship team in my longest-standing Freek League, as he was one of many other championship rosters.

Surprise of the Year

Candidates: Trevor Lawrence, George Pickens, and Wan'Dale Robinson
Trevor Lawrence took about half the season to get going, but he finished on an incredible pace, making him the fifth-highest scoring quarterback of the season. He scored almost 200 more fantasy points than he did last season! Liam Coen has brought out the best in Lawrence, as he did with Baker Mayfield last season. Wan’Dale Robinson somehow finished as the 13th-highest-scoring wide receiver. He was no doubt helped by Malik Nabers' injury, which thrust him into the leading role, though he was led by a rookie quarterback. He was a surprise depth piece for dynasty managers who never expected him to be a reliable fantasy starter. I’m pleased to have traded for him in two dynasty leagues, and I sure hope he re-signs with the Giants rather than another team, since he’s established rapport with Jaxson Dart. My surprise of the year award, though, goes to George Pickens, who, while he disappointed dynasty managers the last few weeks of the season, carried teams into the fantasy playoffs with his career-best 15.2 fantasy points per game, making him the 4th highest scoring wide receiver this season. He even outproduced his teammate, CeeDee Lamb, in points per game, scoring 2.9 more points per game than Lamb. Dynasty managers were excited when Pickens signed with Dallas, but they never expected him to do as well as he did this season. He scored nearly 100 more points with the Cowboys than his career average in Pittsburgh. Now, all of his dynasty managers are praying that he signs a long-term contract with Dallas, and his past attitude issues do not prevent him from playing like this again for years to come.

Rookie of the Year

Candidates: Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, and Harold Fannin
Jaxson Dart finished the season 15th in average points per game by a quarterback. His big plays and consistent running gave his dynasty managers a safe floor every week. He played without his top target, Malik Nabers, without fellow rookie standout Cam Skattebo, with a terrible coaching staff that was fired midseason, and against seven teams that made the NFL playoffs. Still, he performed well at the most difficult position in sports. His future is bright, and he will continue to get even better when the Giants have better coaches and he gets his top wide receiver and rusher back. I’m including Skattebo as a candidate because none of the rookie running backs or receivers had standout seasons, and Skattebo outproduced them all in points per game. Only Dart nd Tyler Shough had more points per game in this rookie class. I have three shares of Skattebo, so I was devastated when he was injured. I was, however, so happy to learn that the injury was not as severe as it looked and that he should be on pace to start next season. I can’t wait to have him back. I’m giving the rookie of the year award to Harold Fannin, a player I have to admit missing out on in all nine of my leagues. He was a superstar from the first game of the year and had one of the best rookie tight-end seasons of all time. He scored the fifth-most points by a tight end in his very first year in the NFL. What an accomplishment! He’ll serve as a reminder from now on not to discount small-school prospects when they have historic production in their small school and against top-tier schools when they played them. Managers who were wiser than I and drafted Fannin are stoked about their future with him on their team.

Veteran of the Year

Candidates: Brock Purdy, Jonathan Taylor, and Courtland Sutton
Brock Purdy was injured for so much of the season, so I considered not adding him as a candidate, but his incredible game-winning performances at the end of the season allowed me to include him here. I wonder what a full season of Purdy could have done for dynasty teams? He finished just behind Josh Allen in average points per game by quarterbacks, with 24.1 points per game. He is the perfect quarterback for the Shanahan system and has the offense humming even with mediocre receivers. His sneaky ability to run the ball was on display this season, too, making him even safer to start in dynasty lineups. Courtland Sutton quietly finished the season as the ninth-highest scoring receiver. His best two seasons of his career have been the last two with Bo Nix as his quarterback and Sean Peyton as his coach. They re-signed him this year because they see him as their WR-1 and all the other many other receivers they’ve drafted as role players. He got almost eight targets per game this season, and he’s their most reliable red-zone target, too. While he didn’t finish as well as he started, my veteran of the year award goes to Jonathan Taylor. His fiery hot start still enabled him to finish the season as the second-highest scoring running back behind Christian McCaffrey and ahead of Bijan Robinson. He scored 100 more points than last season and fell 18 points shy of his career-best season. He propelled dynasty managers into the playoffs and did just enough to win their leagues. I know because I won a championship in my only league with Taylor on my roster.

Bounce-Back of the Year

Candidates: Chris Olave, Travis Etienne, and Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts bounced back in a huge way, finishing the season as the second-highest scoring tight end in fantasy. He scored 50 more fantasy points than last season and had a career-best year. He stayed healthy all season, too, which certainly benefited him since many injured tight ends scored far more points per game than Pitts. Still, it was a great bounce-back season. Etienne bounced back from a terrible season last year to a ninth-highest-scoring running back season this year. He faught off rookie Bhayshul Tuten, securing the leading role and scoring 220 more points than he did last season. Dynasty managers are hopeful that he will re-sign with the Jaguars and keep producing in the vastly improved Jaguars offense. As well as Pitts and Etienne played, my bounce-back player of the year goes to Chris Olave, who helped dynasty managers win championships with his stellar play in the final two weeks of the fantasy season but racked up incredible stats all season and finished as the sixth-highest scoring receiver overall. Olave’s biggest flaws were his injuries and his inability to score touchdowns. He defied them both this season, scoring a career-best nine touchdowns and not missing a single game with an injury. Managers who thought they had a fringe WR-3 or flex position player in Olave for the season ended up with a viable starter who likely became their WR-1. He and rookie Tyler Shough have chemistry, and the Saints’ new coach, Kellan Moore, has unlocked Olave’s talent. Their futures together are bright, much to the excitement of their dynasty managers.

Waiver Wire Player of the Year

Candidates: Jacoby Brissett, Kimani Vidal, and Tez Johnson
Tez Johnson was one of the more fun short-lived waiver additions in dynasty leagues. His comical thinking “MVP” chants were for him, and his big-play ability when the Buccaneers were hot made him a fun player to root for. Unfortunately, much of his production came when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were not playing, so his relevance disappeared after their return and Jalen McMillan's return. Kimani Vidal, on the other hand, was very helpful for dynasty managers for a sustained stretch when Najee Harris, Omarian Hampton, and Hasaan Haskins were injured. Vidal earned a role with the Chargers and the right to be the backup of the future behind Hampton. Managers who were patient enough to hold Vidal after he was a dud in his rookie season last year were greatly rewarded, as were dynasty managers savvy enough to pick him up off waivers this season. Still, the waiver wire player of the year award goes to Jacoby Brissett, who scored 20 points per week after taking over for Kyler Murray this season. While the Cardinals continued to lose, Brissett made the offense productive and revived the dynasty value of Michael Wilson. Brissett and Wilson were the surprise combo of the year, and every week started in the back half of the season. Briseett helped many superflex teams reach the playoffs and even started many games in one-quarterback leagues. He’s worth holding onto beyond this season, too. He could serve as a bridge quarterback with the Cardinals if they trade Murray, or he could sign with another team needing a quarterback if the Cardinals exercise the potential out in his contract. What a surprise find Brissett was this season!

Most Valuable Player

Candidates: Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, and Trey McBride
This award should rightly go to Trey McBride, especially given his position. He scored 84 more points than the second-highest scoring tight end this season, and he never missed a game. His consistency brought dynasty managers a huge advantage every week of the season at the tight end position. His record-breaking season with the most receptions by a tight end in NFL history makes him a great candidate for the MVP award. If he were a receiver, he would have finished as the fifth-highest scoring player just behind George Pickens and ahead of Ja’Marr Chase. That’s ridiculous. Still, he scored 46 fewer points than my man, Puka Nacua. Nacua stayed healthy this season, missing just one full game, and finished the season as the top-scoring wide receiver. His season-high scoring game in the semi-final weeks of the playoff propelled most of his dynasty teams to the Super Bowl, where he played well but was ruined by the Rams’ penalties each time he made an incredible play for the team on Monday night. His toughness, incredible hands, and run-after-the-catch ability make him a monster in the Rams’ passing game and a perfect weapon in Sean McVay’s offense. What an incredible player and season. Even so, this year’s MVP award deserves to go to the fantasy legend and one of the best of all time, Christian McCaffrey. When McCaffrey stays healthy, he’s arguably the most fantasy-producing player of all time, joining the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson and Jerry Rice. His 29- and 26-point games in the semifinals and championship games propelled dynasty managers to many championships. It’s wild that a player many dynasty managers have thought it wise to sell when McCaffrey was injured has been proven wrong again. He’s been one of the most traded players in my leagues over the last few years, as contenders either buy him for a playoff push or believers buy low when he is injured. He’s worth buying every time, and all dynasty managers who traded him have to be regretting it. What a monster fantasy player he is when healthy. It was a joy to watch him bounce back this season, yet again.

Super Bowl Week Recap

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Super Bowl Week Recap

Super Bowl Week Storyline

The fantasy season has come to an end. I hope you enjoyed the season as much as I did. It was one of my most successful seasons ever. I finished the regular season as the 5th-highest-scoring team in the Scott Fish Bowl and reached the playoffs finals. Sadly, I can’t win it on Monday night, but Puka Nacua could move me into the top ten. I won one of my two redraft leagues. It looks like I will win prize money in six of my ten best-ball leagues, including four first-place prizes. And best of all, I made it to the Super Bowl in five of my nine dynasty leagues. It looks like I am certain to win three of the Super Bowls, and I am certain to lose another. I have a small chance in the other league since I need Puka Nacua and Drake London to score 56 points for me to pull off the win. Still, winning three of my nine leagues is fantastic. I’ll take it!
It’s easy to go crazy during the Super Bowl week, but you have to take the good with the bad, though this week there was a lot of bad. A number of players who carried dynasty teams to championships performed far worse than their season average and cost dynasty managers games in the Super Bowl. De’Von Achane and James Cook each had their second-worst games of the season, and Josh Jacobs had his worst. He most certainly cost me a Super Bowl, but I can’t complain, since his consistent performance throughout the season after I traded for him helped propel me there. Javonte Williams was on track for an incredible game against the terrible Washington defense. He had 54 yards and a touchdown before halftime, but then left the game with an injury. It was clear what kind of game he could have had since Malik Davis came in and ran for 103 yards after Williams left. Speaking of the Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens had below-average games even though Dak Prescott threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns, to Jake Ferguson and KaVontae Turpin, helping no one. The Lions looked terrible against the Vikings on Christmas Day, making Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams produce well below their season average while Jahmyr Gibbs had the second-worst game of his season. Courtland Sutton got three consecutive goalline targets, and he dropped two of them. Harold Fannin started off on fire, but left the game after getting injured in the first quarter on his incredible touchdown catch. These are the players who came up lacking this week on my dynasty teams in the Super Bowl and caused me to tilt. Sometimes, the players you rode to get to the Super Bowl have shown up small when you need them the most. At least we play in dynasty leagues and know they’ll be on our teams again next year and have more stud games than dud games, giving us a chance to be back in the Super Bowl again next season.

League Winners

Very few players had league-winning performances this week, but a few certainly gave dynasty managers a great chance of winning. Managers lucky enough to have Derrick Henry on their Super Bowl rosters reaped the benefit of his highest scoring game of the season, with a 45-point game. I traded for Henry in two dynasty leagues, giving up a first-round pick in each. In one league, I won the Super Bowl. In the other, I did not make the playoffs, but I will be glad to have him on my team next season. Drake Maye completed 90% of his passes and threw for five touchdowns before getting pulled in the third quarter in their blowout win over the Jets. It was his highest scoring game of the season, too. In his incredible breakout season, he’s scored fewer than 20 fantasy points only once this season and will finish the season as the second or third highest scoring quarterback in the league, depending on how Matthew Stafford plays tonight. Chase Brown scored the second-most points this season (27) after scoring his season high last week (30). He’s arguably the playoff MVP since he saves his best for last in the semifinals and championship. I regretfully traded one of my Brown shares early in the season, when he was struggling. Since week nine, he’s scored an average of 21 points per game. He was on a lot of Super Bowl rosters in my leagues. I played against him in one and still came away with the win. He’s only on my roster in another league, and he will help us win tonight if Puka Nacua scores 15 PPR points. Chris Olave is one of the biggest surprises of the season. He was the 6th highest scoring receiver coming into this week, and he saved his best for last, scoring his most fantasy points of the season in the semifinals last week (36) and his second most in the finals this week (26). He and Tyler Shough have chemistry, and their future together is so bright. My biggest regret of the entire season is trading away one of my shares of Olave. I am loaded at wide receiver in that league and terrible at running back. Early in the season, I traded Olave for Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller. What a colossal mistake! The only thing that makes me feel better is that he was later traded to another team, which gave up Tyler Warren to get Olave and Jake Ferguson. Clearly, some dynasty managers, like myself, did not see this incredible bounce-back year coming. Finally, what can be said about the way Sunday evening finished with a fantasy bonanza between the 49ers and Bears. That one game produced four of the top nine scoring players of the week in Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Luther Burden, and Caleb Williams. It was the only game in NFL history to start 7-7, 14-14, 21-21, 28-28, and 35-35. What! The teams kept exchanging blows while dynasty managers watched with elation or grief. Sadly for me, it was grief as I saw my lead in the Super Bowl quickly erased by Christian McCaffrey, Caleb Williams, and D’Andre Swift. Those three players combined for 82 points against me on Sunday night. Now I am behind by 56 points with only Drake London and Puka Nacua to save me. It’s a long shot, but if anyone can do it, they can.

Stock Up

Tyler Shough
- Shough has earned the right to start for the Saints next season, and he’s played too well in their four-game winning streak for the Saints to be in a position to draft a quarterback. He’s earned the praise and trust of his coaches and pass catchers, too. Chris Olave was stumping for him as the rookie of the year after Sunday’s game. Dynasty managers who drafted him in the second or third round of superflex leagues stole a starting quarterback. I took a chance on him in a rookie auction with a rebuilding team and paid $301 for him after paying $550 for Jaxson Dart. I’m loaded up on draft picks for the next two years, so it’s nice to know I won’t absolutely have to pay up for a quarterback but can spend my rookie auction money elsewhere if neede
Malik Willis
- Willis looked incredible Saturday night. He finished the week as the third-highest scoring quarterback. He’s earned an opportunity to compete for a starting role next season. He’s a free agent after this year, and a lot of teams need help at quarterback. Each of the last two seasons, there has been a successful reclamation project at quarterback. Two years ago, it was Sam Darnold. This year, it was Daniel Jones. Willis could be next. I picked him up off waivers in a one-quarterback league that is moving to superflex in 2027. I may have landed a future starter off waivers at the end of the season off waivers. In leagues transitioning to superflex, dynasty managers would be wise to add Willis, Mac Jones, and Marcus Mariota, as each may have a chance to win a starting job or serve as a bridge to the 2027 quarterback class, which is much stronger than this year’s.
Zach Charbonnet
- Charbonnet proved it again this week. He is a better running back than Kenneth Walker. The Seahawks finally did what I’ve been calling for all season. They gave Charbonnet more carries than Walker, and he capitalized on it with 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry, which is a result of hitting the holes and getting what’s blocked for him, whereas Walker’s 3.4 yards per carry is a result of him bouncing things outside and always trying to make a big play. Charbonnet will make fewer big plays than Walker, but he’s better at the little things and keeping the offense on track by not having negative plays. I’m excited to see what he can do in the NFL playoffs to prove to Seattle that he deserves the leading role next year, and they can let Walker sign with another team.
Christian Watson
- Watson is the alpha wide receiver for the Packers. It took him a few years and some time to recover from injury to get there, but he’s become the leading man. He’s also the best playmaker on the team. He’s averaged more than 20 yards per catch in six of the ten games he’s played since he got back. Beyond the big plays, he’s also now become their top target. Even with all the competition they’ve added around him since he was drafted, he has surpassed them all. I’ll be excited to see Watson and Tucker Kraft as the focal point of the Packers’ passing game next year. They’ll be even better together.
Parker Washington
- What a huge rise in the dynasty rankings for Washington this year, as he and Jacobi Meyers have surpassed Brian Thomas as the leading receivers for the Jaguars. The Jag’s offense has steadily improved this season, and Meyers and Washington have become Trevor Lawrence’s favorite targets. Washington had his second straight 100-yard receiving game on Sunday and is now a viable starter in dynasty lineups for the first time in his career. I hope he can improve during the NFL playoffs and leave his dynasty managers excited for next year when he can contribute to their teams.
Colston Loveland
- Loveland finally had his breakout game with ten targets, six catches, and a touchdown. I had him ranked as the top tight end in this class. Tyler Warren was clearly better to start the season, but has faded as the season progressed. Now, Loveland looks like he could pass him by in my rankings. Harold Fannin was the biggest surprise of this class, and he’s outscored Loveland and Warren this season. Fannin has scored 154 fantasy points, Warren 145, and Loveland came on late to score 119. What a great class of rookies they’ve become. I updated my dynasty rankings two weeks ago, ranking Warren 4th, Loveland 9th, and Fannin 10th. I think I need to move Wareen back and Loveland and Fannin up. Either way, having three rookies this quickly among the top twelve tight ends is a treat. Their dynasty managers have a lot to hope for.

Stock Down

Bucky Irving and Emeka Egbula
- Two of the presumed future stars on the Buccaneers are now unable to hold onto their leading roles. Bucky continues to split time with Rachaad White and loses all goal-line carries to Sean Tucker. Since returning from his injury, Bucky has played just over 50% of the snaps. Egbuka has been passed by last year’s rookie standout, Jalen McMillan, who was the team’s most productive wide receiver this week. I benched Egbuka in one of my Super Bowls because I can no longer trust him. In the other, I reluctantly started him over Romeo Doubs, who outperformed him again this week. Irving was on fire at the end of his rookie season and was presumed to be the future lead back for the Buccaneers. Egbuka was on fire to start this season and was presumed to be their top receiver in the future. After a terrible end to this season, the future of both is far more uncertain.
Ladd McConkey
- McConkey has failed ot develop into Justin Herbert’s top target. He was outplayed and outperformed by Quentin Johnston again this week. McConkey only earned two targets on Saturday. A 6% target share from Herbert is terrible. Oronde Gadsden and Tre Harris have seen their targets increase as the season has progressed, too, even though Harris was only targeted once on Saturday. The Chargers do not have an alpha dog among their pass catchers. I don’t think it will ever be McConkey. He’s had a few games where he looked like the Chargers’ clear WR-1 over the last two years, but the consistency is not there.

Week Sixteen Dynasty Takes

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Week Sixteen Dynasty Takes

Quarterback Injuries and Bad Performances

What I’ll sadly remember most about this week was the incredible number of injuries, especially to quarterbacks, and how quarterback injuries ruin the production of everyone around them. I’ll also remember how a few of the most productive quarterbacks in recent weeks laid an egg on Sunday. Josh Allen had the worst fantasy game of his entire career. Jacoby Brissett's incredible streak of 20-point games came to an end, and Trey McBride had his season. At least Michael Wilson kept his hot streak by catching one ridiculous touchdown pass. Then there were the injuries to Marcus Mariota, Jordan Love, J.J. McCarthy, Gardner Minshew, and Lamar Jackson. Managers with these quarterbacks in their superflex rosters were set back this weekend, and in most cases, the players these quarterbacks targeted were set back as well. I know many dynasty managers felt the pain of losing these quarterbacks early. Somehow, I came out unscathed by them, but I will have far less confidence starting my Packers and Ravens players and will likely bench my players on the Commanders, Vikings, and Chiefs in championship week. What a mess on such an important week!

Right and Wrong

On the week before the fantasy championship, I have to take a victory lap on Puka Nacua, who helped carry four of my teams into the championship this week, though I could technically still lose one game on Monday night if Jonathan Taylor and George Kittle combine to score 42 points. Nacua was my favorite super sleeper in his draft three years ago. He was my most rostered player for years. I had him in six of my nine dynasty leagues until I started rebuilding in one league and sold him for five draft picks. Now I just have him on five of my rosters. In the only league with Puka that did not make the playoffs, his blowup game on Sunday at least propelled me to a win in the consolation bracket, which awards me an extra rookie pick at the end of the second round. What a time for him to have the best fantasy game of his young career on Thursday night in the semifinals. Few teams could overcome that 46-point start to the week. One manager I was facing in the semifinals posted to our chat on Friday morning, “fantasy football is so stupid… that’s all.” That’s how a lot of managers felt on Thursday night and Friday morning. I’m glad I am not one of them.
I have to be honest, I planned to include in the “I was wrong” segment my thoughts on my most rostered player, Jaylen Warren. All week, I planned to write about how Kenny Gainwell is the new RB-1 in Pittsburgh and Aaron Rodgers’ new toy target. I planned to admit that I was wrong by having Warren on seven of my dynasty rosters. As Sunday's games unfolded and Gainwell collected targets and a touchdown, my plans to admit I was wrong were confirmed. Then, out of nowhere, Warren scored back-to-back 45-yard touchdowns in the span of six minutes, and my “I was wrong” plans were put on hold. Believe me, I thought I was wrong because I benched Warren in two of those seven leagues. In the other five, he was my best option, so I started him. His 29 points carried me to victories in most of those leagues, too, especially in the four leagues where I have Puka and Warren on my teams. Thankfully, I didn’t lose the two games with Warren on my bench, either.

Week One Injury Report

Quinshon Judkins
- What a brutal injury and a terrible time of year to experience it. Judkins dislocated his ankle and broke his leg. It’s very possible that dynasty managers have lost Judkins for the entire 2026 season. That’s a huge blow to teams. It gives Dylan Sampson a great opportunity to become the starter next season unless Raheim Sanders can win the battle, but more on Sanders in the waiver wire segment.
TreVeyon Henderson
- Henderson was likely concussed on Sunday night. Most concussions this season have caused players to miss at least the next game. Meaning Henderson may not be available to dynasty managers in championship week. That’s a big blow to his dynasty managers. It makes Rhomandre Stevenson a viable starter in dynasty championships for managers brave enough to start him.
Jordan Mason
- Mason hurt his ankle early in this week's game. At the time of this article, the severity of the injury is unknown. Aaron Jones was also injured, but he came back into the game and gutted it out. If Mason cannot play in championship week, Jones would become a possible starter in dynasty lineups during championship week. But if JJ McCarthy remains out, no one on the Vikings can be trusted during championship week.
Kimani Vidal
- Vidal left the game with a neck injury, which allowed Omarion Hampton to get more touches than expected. If Vidal remains out, Hampton will get even more looks next week, much to the pleasure of his dynasty managers like me, who have been frustrated by his splits with Vidal and need Hampton in championship week.

Stock Up

Chris Olave

Olave has been one of the most steady risers in my dynasty rankings this year as he’s stayed healthy all season, and as Tyler Shough has improved. The two have chemistry together, and I believe the Saints have found their future starting quarterback, who has led them to three consecutive wins by targeting the heck out of Olave. He had a season high 16 targets in the game on Sunday and his most yards of the season with 148. His two-touchdown performance made him the second-highest scoring receiver this week, behind only Puka Nacua. He’s now my 15th-ranked dynasty receiver. He was the 8th-highest-scoring receiver going into this week, and his 36-point day on Sunday will move him up to the 6th-highest-scoring wide receiver. What an incredible season by Olave.

Tetairoa McMillan

McMillan would be my selection as the rookie of the year this season. He’s completely surpassed Emeka Egbuka as the top wide receiver in this class. He’s now my 10th-ranked wide receiver in dynasty. While he’s been inconsistent at times this season, it’s not his fault, and he’s improved as the season has progressed. He’s an excellent weapon in the red zone with his big frame and has scored seven touchdowns, including one more this week. The Panthers’ quarterback play and offense are improving, too, which gives McMillan more chances and a brighter future. I wish I had a share of McMillan, but I do not. He’d be an excellent young cornerstone to a rebuilding team. Dynasty managers who drafted him early in the first round last year are pleased with their selection.

Chimere Dike

Dike has quietly caught a touchdown pass every other week since the Titans’ bye week, and he’s emerging as their leading wide receiver. Since the bye week, he’s averaged more than five targets per game. Dynasty managers were first excited by the few good games by Elic Ayomanor this season, but forgot that the Titans drafted Dike ahead of Ayomanor and have not noticed that Dike has produced more than Ayomanor as the season has progressed. They are also prone to think of Dike as just a special teams guy because of his success in the return game and his two punt returns for touchdowns. He’s more than a return man. He’s the first receiver they drafted to play with their first-round quarterback, Cam Ward.

Stock Down

Javonte Williams

I hate to say it, but the Williams fire seems to be burning out. After starting the season as one of the biggest surprises of the year, Williams’ production has sputtered out, and Sunday’s performance was his worst of the season with just 34 yards rushing. Apart from this game, where he only got nine carries, his touches have remained high. He’s just not doing as much with them, and he’s not scoring at the ridiculous rate he did at the start of the season. He scored nine touchdowns in the first nine games of the season. In the last six games, he’s scored just three. His yards per carry have dropped from 5.1 yards per game in the first nine games of the season to 4.3 yards per game since because he’s not had any explosive runs since the bye week. Plus, his targets have gone down from four per game in the first nine games of the season to two per game over the last six. Sadly, the hot-start dynasty managers who got off to a good start with Williams in their lineups will not continue, and it may already have cost them playoff games.

Brian Thomas

A few weeks after I included Brian Thomas in the stock-up section of this article, I've now moved him back to the stock-down section. It’s unreal how much better Trevor Lawrence's connection is with Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington. The Jaguars signed Meyers to a three-year extension this week, proving that his role is here to stay. Then this week, Washington gets healthy and goes nuts, scoring the third most fantasy points by a wide receiver this week with 145 yards receiving and a touchdown. The writing is on the wall for Thomas. The only way his dynasty value will rise again is if he gets traded this offseason, and I would not be surprised at all if he does.

Keon Coleman

Coleman was a healthy scratch this week. On a team with one of the worst wide receiver corps, Coleman cannot even earn an active role on gameday. His year was his last to try to earn Josh Allen and the coaching staff’s trust, but he’s blown his chance. The Bills have spoken by signing old man Brandin Cooks and letting him start this week ahead of the player they drafted two years ago in the second round. That says it all. Sorry for his dynasty managers, but Coleman is a bust. I’m glad I never drafted him.

Young Guns

RJ Harvey

Harvey has been on a tear the last four weeks, and he looked the best he has all season this Sunday, even when his touches were limited. He only had seven carries, but one was an incredible tackle-breaking 38-yard touchdown. He was also the Broncos’ second leading receiver with 71 yards on four catches. He’s proven that he can be the Broncos’ future leading back and a starter in dynasty lineups, even if he’s the lead back in a committee. I only have one share of Harvey, but I wish I had more. I traded a late first and second-round pick to move up in the first round and select him. I’m pleased with that trade. In another league, however, I selected Colston Loveland ahead of Harvey, and now I wish I could have that trade back, especially since I have Tucker Kraft in that league.

Ashton Jeanty

We all knew Jeany had this in him. He’s just been on a terrible team with an awful offensive line. Still, no one expected him to have his most productive game of the year against the best defense in the league. He had a season high of 188 total yards and his first explosive run, a 51-yard touchdown, since week four. Dynasty managers expected to get cheap PPR points from Jeanty this week, but not much more. He only caught one pass, but it was a 60-yard touchdown. Jeanty’s dynasty managers are likely not in the playoffs, but at least they got one more positive datapoint to feel confident that the player they drafted at the 1.1 last year will be a big part of their rebuild in the years to come. He certainly will be.

Chase Brown

Brown still counts as a young gun since he’s only in year three of his career, even though he’s 25 years old. He had the most fantasy points of his career on Sunday, scoring 33 points. All of the points seemed to come in over a 45-minute real-time span, too, which quickly changed the complexion of fantasy games. Samaje Perine was the first Bengals running back to score a touchdown, making Brown’s dynasty managers tilt. But the third quarter belonged to Brown, who scored a rushing touchdown and two receiving touchdowns on three consecutive drives in the space of seven minutes. I only had one share of Brown, and in that league, it was wild to see my team’s winning percentage flip completely in such a short period of time. Brown has had an excellent season and has proven he’s worthy of a new contract and a future starting running back role with the Bengals. Sadly, my share of Brown is in a salary cap league, and my comanager and I decided earlier in the year not to extend his contract. Now he will be one of the prized free agents next season during our free agent auction. I hope we can buy him back!

Old-Man Strength

Matt Stafford

Stafford sure started the semifinals off great for his dynasty managers, scoring 37 fantasy points in the high-scoring overtime match against the Seahawks Thursday night. It was his highest scoring game of the season, and he’s had an incredible season. After this week, he’ll be the second-highest scoring quarterback in the league, just behind Josh Allen. What an amazing season for the 37-year-old! Sadly, many dynasty managers in one-quarterback leagues had Stafford on their bench because they feared the Seattle defense, the loss of Davante Adams, and the terrible weather in the forecast. None of it mattered for Stafford as he and Puka Nacua kept the shootout with the Seahawks going Thursday night, even though they could not pull out the win.

DJ Moore

Moore topped off the incredible Bears comeback Saturday night with an amazing over-the-shoulder walk-off touchdown grab. With Rome Odunze and Luther Burden out with injuries, Moore made the most of his opportunities and is now back in the good graces of his coaches and teammates after a second straight week of productive play. He’s scored more than 20 fantasy points in back-to-back weeks and scored three touchdowns. There was a time early in his season when I wondered what role Moore would play with the Bears this season, let alone in the future. He’s changed my mind with his consistent play over the last two weeks. Now it’s Rome Odunze who has become the question mark in the Bears’ passing game.

Stefon Diggs

Diggs has been hit-or-miss this season, but for some reason, when the Patriots play at night for a national audience, he lights it up. After three consecutive weeks with four or fewer targets, this week he had ten and turned them into nine catches for 138 yards. Drake Maye made his case for the MVP award Sunday night by passing for 380 yards, and Diggs had a 23% target share. He’ll still be a tough player to trust in dynasty lineups week to week, but it was nice to see that he still has this kind of performance in him when the Patriots need it. Until the Patriots draft or sign better young receivers, they will need Diggs’ old-man strength to help their passing attack and playoff win games.

Waiver Watch

Raheim Sanders

Sanders was the next backup in Cleveland after Judkins left the game. Dylan Sampson was inactive with an injury, too, which cleared the way for the undrafted free agent rookie to get an opportunity to play. Judkins could miss the entire year next season, which means Sanders has a legitimate chance to battle Sampson for a starting role next season. It’s rare to find a rookie running back with a chance to be the team’s starter available this late in the season, but the circumstances have made it possible. Sanders is by far the top player to target on the waiver wire his week.

Elijah Higgins

Higgins led the Cardinals in targets and receiving yards on Sunday, much to the dismay of Trey McBride managers. Obviously, McBride has the leading tight end role locked down for the Cardinals, but Higgins would be a fantastic handcuff, or the Cardinals could find ways to use them both in the passing game as they did Sunday. I picked Higgins up in a few leagues earlier this year, but have since dropped him. I hope to pick him back up in a few leagues this week.

Dynasty Trades

Devin Neal <=======> Tony Pollard

Higgins led the Cardinals in targets and receiving yards on Sunday, much to the dismay of Trey McBride managers. Obviously, McBride has the leading tight end role locked down for the Cardinals, but Higgins would be a fantastic handcuff, or the Cardinals could find ways to use them both in the passing game as they did Sunday. I picked Higgins up in a few leagues earlier this year, but have since dropped him. I hope to pick him back up in a few leagues this week.

C.J. Stroud and Matthew Golden <=======> Brock Purdy, Kenny Gainwell, and a 2026 4th round pick

Derrick Henry and Javonte Williams <=======> Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet

Week Fifteen Dynasty Takes

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Week Fifteen Dynasty Takes

High Scoring Week

What stood out most in this first week of the fantasy playoffs was how many blowup games players had. The week started with the best tight end game since 1982 when Kyle Pitts scored 48 fantasy points. Pitts was already having the best fantasy season of his career, and now he’s proven he can play up to his first-round value. Dynasty managers thought they won or lost in the first round of the playoffs because Pitts helped build what looked like insurmountable leads. That is, until many other players blew up on Sunday. Trevor Lawrence had the best game of his career on Sunday, scoring 54 fantasy points on his six-touchdown day. He led Travis Etienne to his best fantasy game of the year with 31 points to lead all running backs this week. Best of all for his dynasty managers, Brian Thomas came alive for the Jaguars, scoring his first touchdown since week six. BTJ is finally regaining some dynasty value again. Trey McBride did his best to outdo Kyle Pitts, but he fell a little short, scoring 41 fantasy points. He became the first tight end in NFL history to have more than 100 catches, 1000 yards, and 10 touchdowns this early in the season, and only three have ever done so in a full season. McBride is having a historic season and has arguably passed Brock Bowers as the top tight end in dynasty. Arizona gets beaten every week, but they rally dynasty teams to victory in garbage time. Then came the shoutout of the day in the Rams-Lions game, when the teams combined for 75 points and featured the top three highest-scoring receivers of the week. Amon-Ra St. Brown scored 41, Puka Nacua 28, and Jameson Williams 26. It was a roller coaster ride on Sunday with dynasty teams falling behind and catching back up because so many players had season-best games. Dynasty managers who rode these stars to victory this week just hope they have more in the tank next week in the semifinals.

Right and Wrong on Bo Nix

Rather than give one player I was right on and one I was wrong on, this week I pick the same player for both. I was wrong to bench Bo Nix in one of my superflex leagues. I started Baker Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence ahead of him, so I still won my game, but imagine how I would have felt if I lost with Nix’s 37 points on my bench. All the best prognosticators predicted a tough game for Nix against the tough Packers defense. Instead, he had the best game of his career, and that’s not just from a fantasy standpoint. This is the best he’s ever played on the field. I’m glad, at least, that I started him in two other leagues this week, so I was right more than I was wrong. I’ve been right on Nix because he’s my most rostered quarterback. I have him on four of my nine dynasty rosters. I drafted him in two leagues and traded for him in two leagues. I traded him straight up for Jordan Love in one league, and I traded Caleb Williams, Pop Douglas, and a first-round pick for the Nix and Sutton stack, which paid off well this week. Sutton was the fourth-highest scoring wide receiver of the week, and Nix was the second-highest scoring quarterback. At least when I took him out of my lineup at the last minute this week, I swapped him for the highest-scoring quarterback of the week, Trevor Lawrence.

Week One Injury Report

Patrick Mahomes
- Mahomes tore his ACL on Sunday. He’ll miss the rest of this season and much of next season as a result. Gardner Minshew came in for the final drive of the game and targeted Travis Kelce with most of his passes before throwing the game-ending interception. Dynasty managers relying on Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce in the playoffs will have a much more difficult time advancing without Mahomes, unfortunately. I wonder if his injury will even cause Kelce to retire.
Bam Knight
- Knight hurt his ankle on Sunday. Though it appears not to be too serious, dynasty managers should expect to miss him in the playoffs. Michael Carter got the bulk of the work after Knight went down, so managers in deep leagues can rely on him in the playoffs if they’re desperate. I’m certain that he will be in my starting lineup next week in the Scott Fish Bowl.
Christian Watson
- The Packers said this morning that Watson avoided serious injury on Sunday, but I still expect him to miss a week or two in the fantasy playoffs. He recently emerged as the only reliable Packers receiver in fantasy, so it’s sad for his dynasty managers to miss him in the playoffs. Matthew Golden had his first good game in weeks, so maybe he will finally become a top target here at the end of the season. Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs will also receive more targets while Watson is absent as well.
Davante Adams
- Adams came up lame with a hamstring on Sunday. He’ll likely miss some time as the Rams need to keep him healthy for the playoffs. He’ll be a heavy loss for his dynasty managers who started him every week and expect one or more touchdowns a week. Tutu Atwell returned to the field last week, so he or Jordan Whittington should get more looks, but it might be that the Rams just run a ton of 13 personnel and target their tight ends. They already do it more than most any team in the league.
Devin Neal
- It’s a shame that Neal was injured since this was his chance to prove to the team that he could be their future starting running back. His hamstring injury will keep him out for a few games, giving Audric Estime one more chance to prove he should be part of a committee on an NFL team next year.

Stock Up

Dallas Goedert

Goedert is quietly having the best year of his career, even though the Eagles’ offense has struggled this season. He’s smashed his career high in touchdowns with nine already. His previous high was five. He’s five catches away from tying his career high in receptions, too. The Eagles have made him a focal point in the red zone, and he’s often the first read in other passing plays, too. There aren’t many tight ends that dynasty managers can call reliable, but Goedert has become reliable this season. He’s a starter in my dynasty lineups. He’s a depth piece in one of my leagues because McBride is my starter, but in another tight-end premium league, he’s my every-week starter and helped me secure a bye week in the playoffs.

Ricky Pearsall

Pearsall finally had a double-digit fantasy day for the first time since week three. He’s had the hardest time staying healthy, but when he is, he and Brock Purdy have looked in sync. News this week said Brandon Aiyuk was placed on IR, effectively ending his season and likely his career with the 49ers. Aiyuk has burned a bridge with the team, so Pearsall has a chance to become the future WR-1 for the 49ers if only he can stay healthy. Jennings has the same opportunity, though. While he’s much older, he has outproduced Pearsall this season as he did last season. He had half as many catches as Pearsall this week (three compared to six), but two of his catches were for touchdowns. They can be a dynamic duo, and both compete for the WR-1 next season for the 49ers.

Colby Parkinson

It seems like every year, the Rams find a tight end to get hot at the end of the season. This year it’s Parkinson, and he’s really on a hot streak, scoring six touchdowns over the last six weeks, including two on Sunday. He had a season high in targets (7) and receiving yards (75) this week, too. While his future role is uncertain, given the second-round draft capital and athleticism of Terrance Ferguson, he can ride this year's hot streak and demand a leading role on the roster next year. Dynasty managers gutsy enough to have started him this week got rewarded. With Davante Adams injured, he’ll become even more reliable down the stretch.

Stock Down

Dalton Kincaid

Kincaid isn’t on the field enough. Dawson Knox gets far more playing time than Kincaid because he’s a better blocker. In recent weeks, though, Knox has even outproduced Kincaid in the passing game. Buffalo runs a ton of their passing game through their tight ends, so you’d think Kincaid would benefit, but as the season progresses, Knox and Jackson Hawes have significantly cut into his time. Kincaid has played 22%, 35%, and 26% of the snaps the last three weeks, whereas Knox has played 72%, 55%, and 64%. Dynasty managers would be wiser to have Knox on their rosters instead of Kincaid.

Kenneth Walker

The Seattle running game is terrible. So much for the preseason narrative about Klint Kubiak coming in to make the Seahawks a run-first team. They can’t do it, and Walker is part of the problem. He tries to make a big play every time he gets the ball, and he bounces things outside far too often. He’s scored more than ten fantasy points just five times this season and doesn’t have a single game with twenty or more points. I wish they would try an experiment and let Zach Carbonnett take almost all the work for just one game to see if his running style is more what they need. I’m certain that he could do better than Walker. Thankfully, he should get his chance next season, as I doubt the Seahawks will give Walker a new contract.

Ladd McConkey

Ladd has looked great and been productive at various times this season. It looked like he was on the verge of a true breakout into a higher wide receiver tier in dynasty, but he has some total dud games, like he did this Sunday, when he had just two catches for 20 yards. It’s fair to blame the Chargers’ terrible offensive line for some of the team’s ineffectiveness in the passing game, but I also blame McConkey for becoming the type of wide receiver that demands targets from his quarterback. He’s averaged 5 targets per game over the last six weeks, and that’s not enough to make the leap in my dynasty ranking as he did earlier in the season. Now he’s falling back down the rankings.

Young Guns

TreVeyon Henderson

Henderson was not on the field as much as his dynasty managers would like to see, but when he gets touches, he sure makes the most of them. He’s had two more 50-plus yard touchdown runs this week, giving him four on the season. Only Saquon Barkley has ever done that in a rookie season. Getting an instant 11-point play in fantasy is a dream, let alone getting two in one game. Henderson averaged more than 10 yards per carry on Sunday and averaged 5.4 yards per carry on the season. Only Devon Achane and Jahmyr Gibb average more yards per carry. That’s the company this young gun finds himself in.

Luther Burden and Colston Loveland

The Bears’ top two draft picks are slowly living up to their hype and draft capital. It may have taken a full season for them to see their roles increase, but it’s finally happening. They’ve yet to become startable players in dynasty lineups, but they’re moving in that direction, much to the excitement of their dynasty managers. Rome Odunze’s injury has given Burden more looks. Still, he has taken advantage of them. This week, he was the team’s leading receiver in targets (7) and yards (84). Loveland was not far behind him with 5 targets and 63 yards. As a small bonus, Burden has been used on wide receiver sweeps this season, too. This week, though the play failed, Loveland got a tight end sweep in the red zone. Coach Johnson recognizes their talent and is getting both more involved in the offense, which is great to see.

Old-Man Strength

Mike Evans

Mike Evans was a monster in his first game back with the Buccaneers. He was their downfield weapon with six catches for 132 yards. That’s more than 20 yards per catch. Dynasty managers are thrilled to have him back in their starting lineups in the playoffs, assuming their teams were not hurt too badly from his long absence. In the Scott Fish Bowl, where I started the week as the 9th-highest-scoring team, I added Evans to my roster off waivers a few weeks ago just to have him for my playoff run. It’s certainly paid off in week one, where I am poised to have my second-highest scoring game of the season, depending on what Kenny Gainwell does in tonight's game.

Nico Collins

Collins is one of the most consistent fantasy-producing wide receivers. On Sunday, he had a season-high 23.5 points, which was fantastic for his dynasty managers in the playoffs. He’s scored more than 10 PPR points in all but three games this season and more than 20 points in five games. The Texans put it on the Cardinals early with a long 57-yard touchdown to Collins and never looked back. They controlled the game, so they did not need to pass as often. Even so, with a season low of four targets, Collins scored twice and kept up his consistent production.

Josh Jacobs

Jacobs has fought through injuries all season, but you’d never know it by how he plays on the field. He was questionable all week, but then he takes a 40-yard run to the house and makes an amazing touchdown catch, jumping over the defender in the end zone. Jacobs’ touches were definitely limited in the game with his second-lowest carry count of the season (12), but he showed his old-man strength with each touch, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. I made a very aggressive trade for Jacobs in one league, and now he’s helped me reach the semifinals next week.

Waiver Watch

Gardner Minshew

Minshew is most likely rostered in every superflex league, but if not, he’s the top player to add this week. Patrick Mahomes will miss a lot of the season next year, so the Chiefs will either lean on Minshew or look for another veteran to lead the team at the start of next year. Minshew is on a one-year contract, so there is no guarantee that he will be with the Chiefs next year. He has three games to convince the team that he deserves a new contract.

Jawhar Jordan

Jordan was the Texans’ most productive back on Sunday and became the team’s first 100-yard rusher of the season. It’s the most action he’s got in the NFL. I remember considering him a super sleeper in his rookie class. He had two very productive years at Louisville, but he’s far too small by NFL standards. Still, he looked good for one game on Sunday, and the Texans need depth at running back. He should see more chances after playing so well on Sunday.

Isaiah Williams

Williams has earned a role with the Jets this season after bouncing around the NFL for a few years. He’s had two punt returns for touchdowns and has taken more snaps as a receiver over the last few weeks. He was a deep sleeper in rookie drafts after having an outstanding final season at Illinois in 2023. He’ll be back with the Jets next season as a return man at least, and could prove himself as a starting receiver with his opportunities at the end of this season.

Dynasty Trades

Wan'Dale Robinson <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

In one of my leagues, only four teams make the playoffs, so this week was the last regular-season game. I was in a win-and-in situation, and my WR-3 spot is my only weakness since Drake London was ruled out again this week. I fear that London will miss the remainder of the season, so I made a move to fill my WR-3 spot in the playoffs. Robinson was my guy, and he helped me this week by scoring a touchdown. I was the highest scoring team of the week and became the highest scoring team of the season, too. Given that I'm going into the playoffs, I expect Robinson to provide a steady floor as my third wide receiver. He’ll be in my lineup next week in the playoffs.

Christian McCaffrey <=======> Shedeur Sanders and 2026 1st round pick

The rest of these trades took place in my 14-team, superflex, tight-end premium league. Contending teams boosted their playoff rosters just before the playoffs started. One team added McCaffrey by giving away Sanders and a first-round pick. If Sanders keeps the starting job next year, this will look like an even trade; if he does not, the trade is pretty lopsided in favor of the McCaffrey side. CMC will certainly make the team more difficult to beat in the playoffs.

Chase Brown and Juwan Johnson <=======> Trevor Etienne, Tre Harris, two 2026 3rd round picks, and a 2026 4th round pick

Brown and Johnson were acquired by a playoff-bound team that was willing to give away two young players and three future picks to boost its roster in the playoffs. The rebuilding team did a great job accumulating picks and young players. I don’t believe Etienne will ever become a starter in dynasty lineups, but Harris could. In this league, our rookie draft is an auction, so each draft spot equates to a dollar amount. With this kind of rookie draft, it’s even more beneficial to acquire picks because the three late picks he collected could total the amount a manager would receive for a mid-second round pick. As for the Brown and Johnson side of the trade, I don’t think either will help put this team over the top this season, but Brown is my favorite player in the trade since I believe he will be the lead running back for the Bengals for the next few years.

Zay Flowers and Blake Corum <=======> 2026 1st and 3rd round picks

This trade seems pretty fair. I don’t think Flowers or Corum will push a team over the top this season, but the trade is a fair one from a long-term dynasty perspective. Flowers and Corum will always be wildly inconsistent given the way the Ravens spread the ball around, and that Kyren Williams will continue to lead the one-two punch backfield in Los Angeles. If I were a rebuilding team and thought that I needed two picks more than two inconsistent players, I could see myself making this trade, too.

Colby Parkinson and Brevyn Spann-Ford <=======> 2026 4th and 5th round picks

Someone believed in Parkinson’s hot streak to pay a little price to get him. His two-touchdown day on Sunday leaves the manager feeling pretty smart. If Parkinson stays hot to end the season, he could earn a bigger role next year, especially if the Rams do not re-sign Tyler Higbee. Rookie, Terrance Ferguson, has played more as the season has progressed, but Parkinson has held him off so far. I see Spann-Ford added to several of my deepest leagues, but I do not believe he will ever start on an NFL team. The price is about right on this low-level trade at this point in the season, but if Parkinson becomes the leading tight end for the Rams next year, this trade will look like a steal next season.

Week Fourteen Dynasty Takes

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Week Fourteen Dynasty Takes

Quarterback Surprises

What stood out most to me this week was the surprising play of three first-year starters who each had their best fantasy and NFL games of the year. I’m talking about Shedeur Sanders, J.J. McCarthy, and Tyler Shough, who each finished among the top twelve quarterbacks this week while scoring their most fantasy points of the season. Sanders scored 40 fantasy points after throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns, and he added another touchdown on the ground. His yardage stats are inflated because so many of the yards came after the catch on short passes, but he still looked far better than he has all season. Two of his touchdown passes were perfectly placed to David Njoku and Harold Fannin in the red zone. They were difficult throws, but placed exactly where only his big tight ends could get them. Sanders has earned the right to start the rest of the Browns' games this season, and the Browns and dynasty managers will have a few weeks to see if they found a future starter in the late rounds. McCarthy was protected well by the Vikings’ run-first game plan, especially since they shut out the Commanders. Still, he made the most of his attempts and threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns, all three to tight ends. His footwork and timing were much better than in his previous starts, giving the Vikings and his dynasty managers hope again. He'll get the rest of the teams’ starts this season while the Vikings and his dynasty managers try to determine if he is a first-round bust or a future starter. Tyler Shough has improved with each of his rookie-year starts. This week, he led the Saints to an upset road win over the Buccaneers. The crazy part was that he did it mostly with his legs, not his arm. He had touchdown runs from 34 and 13 yards out and 55 yards rushing on the day. The game was played in a driving rainstorm, so both passing games were ineffective, but Shough willed his team to a win with a go-ahead touchdown run. After his great game and improved play since being named the starter in week eight, the Saints and his dynasty managers can be more hopeful that he’s the team’s future starter. What great performances by these first-year starters. These are the types of games that give dynasty managers hope that they can become starting quarterbacks in the NFL.

Right and Wrong

Right On Blake Corum
- Corum had the best day of his NFL career on Sunday, scoring 28 fantasy points. The Rams smashed the Cardinals, which meant they gave Corum more touches than they did in competitive games. He made the most of his opportunities and proved he can be a top-12 running back if he ever had the job to himself. Corum is one of my most rostered players because I was much higher on him in his rookie class. I drafted him a lot. While I was confident that Kyren Williams would re-sign with the Rams this offseason, I was still pleased to have him on my roster because of the boom he could bring to my teams if Williams were ever injured. I was not threatened by the Rams drafting Jarquez Hunter this year, as many dynasty managers were. I was confident that Corum could hold him off, and he has all season, even making Hunter inactive most weeks. If Williams and Corum split the backfield in the coming years, both could become startable players in dynasty rosters.
Wrong On Woody Marks
- I never expected Marks to climb the depth chart in Houston. I expected him to be a good passing-downs back, but never to carry the load for an NFL team. He’s proven me wrong. He had a ridiculous 28-carry workload in the game Sunday night against the Chiefs and served as their power back to run out the clock for the win against the Chiefs' stout run defense. I was lower on Marks than most dynasty managers, so I never drafted him, but now I wish I had. He’s a much more complete back than I gave him credit for, and he's earned a starting role with the Texans this season.

Week One Injury Report

Daniel Jones
- Jones tore his Achilles tendon on Sunday, bringing an end to his incredible comeback season. He was visibly upset because he knows, like his dynasty managers know, that he’s on a one-year contract and his injury will linger far into next season. With Anthony Richardson on IR, the Colts now turn to rookie Riley Leonard to help get them into the playoffs. Leonard did not look terrible, though, in his first game. He kept the Colts in the game on Sunday and kept his teammates productive, at least from a fantasy perspective. Hopefully, he can do even better after a week of practice as the starter. Still, dynasty managers relying on Colts players in the fantasy playoffs are in a much tougher spot now they they have to also rely on Leonard.
Tyrod Taylor
- Taylor left the game super early with a groin injury. He had become a reliable starter for dynasty managers in superflex leagues, but now may miss some time. Brady Cook came in the game, and the Jets’ offense crumbled with him. They have no hope if Taylor or Fields cannot come back to finish the season. It's not that dynasty managers were starting many, if any, Jets players in the playoffs, but they certainly cannot if Cook is their starter.
Zach Ertz
- Ertz likely tore his ACL on Sunday after yet another great season for such an old player. He was visibly upset, so I am certain his season is finished, and the injury could end his career, at least as a starter in fantasy lineups. Somehow, John Bates is ahead of Ben Sinnott on the Commanders’ depth chart, so I don’t think this will lead to the long-awaited breakout for Sinnott. The Commanders’ entire offense is in shambles to end the season, unfortunately. Jayden Daniels was injured, too, but could have come back into the game. I would not be surprised if the Commanders sit him for the rest of the season.

Stock Up

RJ Harvey

Harvey had a slow start to his first few games as a starter after JK Dobbins was injured, but the last two games have been the best of his rookie season by far. Last week, Harvey’s production was bolstered by two touchdowns, though he did not look great on the field. This week, it was different, though. He looked decisive and tough as a runner and broke a ton of tackles. He has his highest number of carries (17) and highest number of catches (6) in his true breakout game. He’s now a true lead back, so his stock is on the rise. I wish I had more shares of Harvey, but I just have one. He’s finally looking like the real deal.

Christian Watson

The Green Bay target distribution is still frustrating for dynasty managers with their pass catchers on their rosters, but there’s no doubt that Watson is their best big-play receiver, and he deserves a greater role. He only had four targets on Sunday, but he caught them and scored two touchdowns of 23 and 42 yards. His average yards per catch says it all. He's averaging 18.1 yards per catch this season in his return from knee surgery. He’s shown no lingering effects from the surgery. In fact, he looks the best he ever has in his young career. Now we see why the Packers got ahead of his contract situation and signed him to a new deal this season, even before he came back from his injury. He’s their best playmaker and should become their most targeted player if coach LaFleur allows it.

Harold Fannin

If Fannin is having a monster rookie season on a terrible team with another productive tight end on the team, imagine how productive he will be in the coming years with a better offense and without David Njoku on the team. Fannin had the best game of his already fantastic season on Sunday, scoring 27.8 fantasy points, making him the highest-scoring tight end of the week. He had a season high in targets (11), catches (8), and yards (114). I thought for sure that he’d sit behind Njoku this season and take a few years to break out, but he’s been a reliable playmaker from game number one. He got nine targets in his first game of the season, and he averaged 6.5 targets per game. He will be a building block for the Browns’ future and on dynasty teams.

Stock Down

David Njoku

Njoku also had a touchdown on Sunday, but even so, his stock is down simply because Fannin has passed him by on the depth chart and in dynasty rankings. Njoku is in the final year of his contract, so he’s likely to join another team in free agency, at which time his dynasty stock could rise again depending on the team and situation, but his days of being a startable tight end in dynasty rosters have passed. I have him on two rosters and have not started him since week one or two, when it became clear that Fannin would out-produce him. Fannin has 114 points on the season while Njoku has just 69.

Emeka Egbuka

After such an incredible start to the season, Egbuka has more than trailed off. He’s been terrible and a detriment to dynasty rosters. I know I drafted him in two leagues, and he was such a fun boost to my rosters since he came out of the gates so strong. Now I still start him every week, but I have given up expecting much from him. I’ll even have to consider benching him in those leagues in the playoffs because I have other viable players who aren’t as fun to see in a lineup but have outproduced him consistently in recent weeks. He had just two catches on nine targets on Sunday, and his touchdown drop this week was infuriating for dynasty managers who really ought to consider starting other players ahead of him in the playoffs. I’m still bullish on his future, but his dynasty stock rose too fast at the start of the season. My expectations have sadly dropped like the balls that hit his hands.

Geno Smith

It’s not that Smith’s dynasty stock was high to begin with, but I at least expected him to be a starter for the Raiders for the next two to three years. After his terrible play this season, I am concerned he may not start another game in the NFL. The Raiders will be in a great position to draft a quarterback in the draft, and I think they must. He left the game this week with an injury, but it does not appear to be serious. Even if he can return next week, I think the Raiders would serve themselves well to let Kenny Pickett play. Starting Pickett will either give them a surprise reclamation project or help them tank for a quarterback in the draft. I’m afraid that dynasty managers relying on Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty in the playoffs are in for some disappointment.

Young Guns

Devin Neal

Neal has played by far the most running back snaps since Alvin Kamara was injured, but even so, his carries were limited. He had 7 and 14 carries the first two weeks without Kamara, but this week he had 19, and he made the most of them. He had a modest total of 70 yards, but he did get into the end zone to score his first NFL touchdown. Even though I was higher on Neal than most dynasty managers in this rookie class, I somehow only ended up with one share of Neal. I’m excited to see how he finishes off this season and if he can show enough to challenge Kamara and Kendre Miller next season. It was enjoyable to see him get his most opportunities yet.

Luther Burden

Burden has his most yards receiving (67) since the Bears destroyed Dallas in week three. Rome Odunze was injured this week, so Burden received more chances, and he made the most of them. Though the Bears have tried to involve him in screens and even on running plays, he’s performed best when targeted downfield. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch this week, and he’s averaged 15 or more yards per catch four other times this season. But he’s also had six games this season in which he averaged less than 10 yards per catch. His role is still being defined, but it was nice to see him receive more opportunities this week, especially downfield ones.

Jack Bech

As much as the Raiders stunk it up on Sunday, it was a relief for Bech’s dynasty managers to see him get the most looks of the season and to have a decent game once given more looks. He played a season high 82% of the snaps and had a season high in targets (6) and catches (6). They just amounted to 50 yards, but he proved enough to get more looks for the rest of the season. I was way higher on Bech than most dynasty managers, so I drafted him a lot and even traded up to get him twice. He’s had a terrible start, but I am still confident that he can become a solid WR-2 for the Raiders and a streamable depth piece on dynasty rosters. He’s not looked like it all year, but this week’s performance kept my hope alive.

Old-Man Strength

DK Metcalf

The way the Steelers have used Metcalf this season has been infuriating for dynasty managers. Aaron Rodgers’ unwillingness or inability to throw the ball downfield may be part of the season, but the Steelers have not targeted Metcalf enough, and they have not targeted him deep enough this season. That changed this week for whatever reason when Metcalf had a season high in targets with 12 and yards with 148. DK still his the size and speed to be targeted often and downfield. Dynasty managers have to hope that Rodgers and the Steelers realize that now, after Metcalf contributed to their must-win victory over their top rival, the Ravens. If so, Metcalf could be a surprise weapon for dynasty managers in the fantasy playoffs.

Tony Pollard

Pollard's performance on Sunday was the biggest surprise of the week. The Cleveland defense dominated offenses all season, crushing the production of fantasy players facing them. The Browns' defense ranked number one to start this week because they were playing the Titans, who have the lowest scoring offense in the league. Stats came out last week proving that Pollard had the lowest number of fantasy points per touch from a running back in history. He and the Titans must have heard the start and gotten ticked off by it, because, out of nowhere and against the toughest defense on the road, Pollard exploded for 28 fantasy points. There’s no way he was in dynasty lineups this week because there was no reason to start him. He scored as many points this week as he had in his last five games combined. At least he showed that he’s still physically capable of doing this. Maybe a new coaching staff in Tennessee can bring it out in him again next season.

Michael Wilson

Wilson’s end to the season is absolutely amazing. No one would have guessed that he and Jacoby Brissett would be the keys to getting dynasty teams into the playoffs this season, but that’s what they’ve done. He scored a career high of 37 points this week and finished as the highest scoring receiver of the week. The Cardials are averaging 43.5 passes per game since Brissett took over as a starter, and he’s scored more than 21 fantasy points in every game. As long as Marvin Harrison remains out, Brissett will carry Michael Wilson and Trey McBride to fantasy victories. McBride did not get his as much this week because Wilson hogged it all. He's making a name for himself this season and creating even more doubt for Marvin Harrison, who should have been able to do the same but has never proven he can.

Waiver Watch

Riley Leonard

Leonard is the next man up for the Colts, and as I wrote earlier, he did not look bad in his emergency debut. He’s the best player to add in superflex leagues where he is not already rostered. Wise managers picked him up last week after the reports of Jones’s injured leg. If no one picked him up last week, now's your last chance to get him.

Colby Parkinson

Parkinson played 69% of the snaps on Sunday, making him the starting tight end for the Rams, who have rotated tight ends all season. Tyler Higbee was placed on IR, so that one less person is in the rotation. He’s hard to trust, but on Sunday, he caught another touchdown, which is about all a tight end needs to finish among the top twelve in a week. He’s scored a touchdown in four of the last five games. He’s the player I’m trying to add the most this week, even though he’s not a great add from a long-term dynasty perspective.

Week Thirteen Dynasty Takes

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Week Thirteen Dynasty Takes

Hot Start & Slow Finish

Thanksgiving is my favorite weekend of the year. I love the family, food, and football. This year it started with a bang. The three Thanksgiving Day games had the highest combined over-unders in the history of Thanksgiving Day games. They lived up to the hype on the field and in dynasty lineups. The three games combined for 160 points and produced five of the top ten scoring quarterbacks of the week. It was a fantastic fantasy performance by five of the six teams. Baltimore was the only team that underperformed, but more on them later. The week got off to a white-hot start, but then slowed considerably on Sunday. Sunday's action disappointed dynasty managers, and notable players had terrible games. Many of the most reliable fantasy assets still have good games, but very few had win-your-week kind of games. Only two running backs scored more than 21 points on Sunday and only six wide receivers did. The Thursday and Friday players stole the show this week. I hope Monday night's game plays out more like those games than the slow finish on Sunday.

Right and Wrong

Right on Jakobi Meyers
- I placed my bets on Meyers in two ways this season. I traded away Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez for him in one league, and I drafted Meyers late in the Scott Fish Bowl. He's now fully acclimated to his role on the Jaguars' offense and had his best game of the season, scoring 21 points. He benefited from Parker Washington's early injury, but he earned the most targets on the team even after Brian Thomas returned to play. He'll be a steady part of my dynasty lineup in the playoffs and in my Scott Fish Bowl playoff run, where I am the 5th-highest-scoring team overall and have advanced to the third round in the playoffs. If Washington's injury lingers, he'll help me even more.
Wrong on Baltimore's Offense
- I also placed my bets twice on the Ravens' offense getting hot at the end of the season to help my teams in the playoffs. I twice gave away a 2026 first-round pick for Derrick Henry. While he's not been terrible, he hasn't carried my teams since I made those trades, though I have started him every week. In one league, I am not even going to make the playoffs because I have Henry, Lamar Jackson, and Mark Andrews in my starting lineup. In the other league, I am the defending champ, and my team is loaded, so I have continued to win even though Henry's performances the last few weeks have been average. I saw several managers make trades near the deadline for Jackson and Henry. It's not worked out well for them either.

Injury Report

Amon-Ra St. Brown
- St. Brown has carried dynasty teams this season, but now it looks like he will miss a few weeks with an ankle injury. The Lions have not placed him on IR, so hopefully, he will get back for the dynasty playoffs. Jameson Williams was the primary benefactor on Thursday, and he will continue to get more looks in Brown's absence, making him a must-start in dynasty lineups down the stretch.
Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Harrison injured his heel and could not return to the game on Sunday. As of this article, the severity is unknown. Michael Wilson's hot streak stopped on Sunday, even though he had a decent game. If Harrison misses time, I'd still expect Wilson to get more looks and be a viable starter in dynasty lineups.
Aaron Jones
- Jones was visibly upset after leaving the game with a shoulder injury on Sunday. Jordan Mason once again becomes a borderline starter with Jones out. I say borderline because I want nothing to do with anyone in the Vikings' terrible offense right now. I've kept Justin Jefferson in my lineups because I feel like I have to, but I've benched Jordan Addison in all of my leagues, and he's one of my most rostered players.

Stock Up

Gunner Helm

The week after my Longhorns upset their rival Aggies, I wanted to mention two former Longhorns whose dynasty stock is on the rise. Helm has had seven targets in each of the last two weeks and scored 23 combined points over that span. He's yet to replace Chig Okonkwo in the lineup fully, but they are both now receiving more than 60% of the snaps, and Helm is getting far more targets. The Tennessee offense is terrible, so Helm is not a startable player, but it's nice for his dynasty managers to see his role increasing.

Adonai Mitchell

Earlier this season, I wrote about Mitchell as a stock-down player. I went as far as to say he was borderline droppable. Since his trade to the Jets, he's changed my mind. I did not think he was droppable from an athletic and skills standpoint. I just thought his opportunities were over in Indianapolis, since he was in the doghouse with the coaches, and Alec Pierce drastically outperformed him this year and stole Mitchell's job. Now he's making the most of his opportunities with the Jets, though. He was the 6th highest scoring receiver this week with 24 points. He was targeted 12 times and had an excellent touchdown catch on an underthrown ball by Tyrod Taylor, who is making the offense move compared to Justin Fields. He has an opportunity to earn a starting role with the team as they continue to rebuild.

Stock Down

Travis Etienne

Bhayshul Tuten is more steadily eating into Etienne's workload. This week, it was more noticeable than in previous weeks. He had his second-highest snap-count percentage of the season this week with 29%. He also got some goal-line work and scored a touchdown. Etienne had his lowest snap count rate of the season with 59% and his least productive fantasy game of the year. After four weeks in a row scoring more than 15 fantasy points, he scored just five this week. I've not given up on Etienne, but I'm watching this backfield more carefully after this week.

Rico Dowdle

The tables turned this week as the Panthers gave Hubbard more touches than in previous weeks, and it paid off for them in their upset win over the Rams' strong defense. Hubbard got 59% of the snaps compared to Dowdle's 42%. Hubbard averaged 4.8 yards per carry on his 17 carries compared to Dowdle's 3.2 yards per carry on his 18 carries. It's just a one-week sample size, but the assumption that Dowdle would take over the backfield and tank Hubbard's dynasty value may be a hasty assumption. Hubbard is the Panther with a contract beyond this year, whereas Dowdle is on a one-year deal. Dynasty managers should not give up on Hubbard yet.

Young Guns

Kyle Monangai

It's lazy to compare the Bears' offense to the Lions since Ben Johnson is their new head coach, but the Monangai-Swift backfield sure reminds me a lot of the Montgomery-Gibbs backfield. Monangai was a monster on Black Friday, as was Swift. They finished as the 7th- and 3rd-highest scoring running backs of the week. Both had goal-line carries and touchdowns this week, but in recent weeks, Monangai has had more of the short-yardage role. He's starting to become a player dynasty managers can expect to score every week. He's scored a touchdown four weeks in a row. He's the hammer in their run game, and he's getting it done every week. I have no shares of Swift, but I know dynasty managers love the season he's having, and those with Monangai are thrilled about a possible future starting running back they found at the end of rookie drafts this season. I'm glad I did in one league.

Jayden Higgins

Higgins did not do anything outstanding this week, but his role in the Texans' offense is solidified, and he's contributing well with opportunities for growth. Since the Texans' bye week, he has averaged nearly six targets per game, and he's scored a touchdown every other week. On Sunday, he had a season-best 65 yards receiving. Nico Collins is still the alpha for the Texans, but Higgins is developing into a reliable wingman that could soon be startable in dynasty lineups. He's improving, and his role has increased, so his dynasty managers should be excited about Higgins.

Old-Man Strength

A.J. Brown

Squeaky wheel Brown is the highest-scoring wide receiver this week after his outstanding efforts in the Eagles' loss to the Bears on Black Friday. He had a season high in targets, catches, and yards. He's been a very unreliable starter this year, but dynasty managers know better than to remove him from their lineups because he can have games like this at any time. It's the first time this season, though, that he's put together back-to-back top-twelve weeks in fantasy. If he can keep it going, he'll be a major part of dynasty championships. I only have Brown in one league, but I am the top team in that league despite his inconsistencies this year. If he can keep this up, it's just the boost I'll need to win a championship.

Jordan Love

I listed Love in the stock-down portion of this article, but he proved me wrong this week after his incredible game on Thanksgiving Day. I still think his production is too inconsistent and expect that to continue, but I'll give him his due this week as he torched the Lions defense with four touchdown passes to three different receivers. Maybe Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks are the keys to unlocking the offense. They dominated the targets on Thursday with 10 and 7, respectively. The rest of the Packers combined for 12 targets. The frustration I've had with the Love-led offense the last few years is that no one emerged as an alpha to dominate the target share. Each week, it seems like there's a different leader. Let's see if Watson and Wicks, especially Watson, can become the alpha WR-1 that Love needs.

Waiver Watch

Tyrod Taylor

Taylor is available in almost all of the one-quarterback leagues. He's worth adding as the season comes to an end, as a depth piece in case of injuries, or as a streaming starter after how he's performed in his two starts. He was the 9th highest scoring quarterback this week with 23 points. He'd be hard to trust in a playoff game, but a dynasty team with an injured quarterback could be helped by adding him.

David Sills

Sills is apparently the Drake London handcuff. He's come out of nowhere to score a touchdown in each of the last two games while London was injured. He played 70% and 84% of the snaps, too. He's bounced around the NFL for years, but he's had his two best games in the last two weeks. He used to tear up my Longhorns when we played West Virginia, and was a super sleeper in rookie drafts back in 2019 when he signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent.

Dynasty Trades

Kyren Williams and Blake Corum <=======> Jordan Addison and Chimere Dike

A rebuilding team in this league was shopping the Rams' backfield for weeks, begging for a competitive team to bite. He finally got a taker and added two young receivers in the deal. It's a fair deal given each manager's needs, but I would prefer to have more control over the Rams' backfield than the two young receivers, whether I were a contending or rebuilding team. Williams is the most valuable player in the deal, with Addison a close second, but the ability to lock up the Rams' backfield is more beneficial. Dike has had a solid rookie season, but the Titans are years away from having a productive offense. The Rams' offense, on the other hand, will be a top-scoring team as long as Sean McVay is their coach.

Week Twelve Dynasty Takes

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Week Twelve Dynasty Takes

Bet On It

My favorite part of this week was the game that was the easiest to bet on. Everyone knows that Lions do not lose back-to-back games since early in the 2022 season. Everyone knows Goff plays better inside a dome than outdoors, like he did last week. Last week, the Lions had their least productive fantasy week of the season, and this week was poised to be one of their best as they returned home to play the Giants' predictably bad defense. The only question was if Jameis Winston could help the Giants keep up, and he did. The Lions vs. Giants game produced the highest scoring running back (Jahmyr Gibbs), quarterback (Jameis Winston), and second and third highest scoring receivers (Amon-Ra St. Brown and Wan'Dale Robinson). Gibbs scored the most fantasy points by a running back (55) in more than three years, and singlehandedly won dynasty managers' games. I have Gibbs on three of my nine dynasty rosters and luckily did not play against him in the other six leagues. He had touchdown runs of 49 and 69 yards, ran for 219 yards, and had eleven catches for 45 yards. He made St. Brown's 30-point day look unimpressive. Gibbs and St. Brown had monster games because the Lions had to mount a comeback, because Winston and Robinson were on fire, too. Robinson had 100 yards receiving in the first quarter and 156 yards receiving and a touchdown on the day. He was targeted 14 times by Winston, who only completed 50% of his passes, but still threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns. Plus, he had an incredible touchdown catch and run on a trick play. In the end, he threw an interception to end the game in overtime, which is another predictable bet. All dynasty managers expected in this game came to pass, and it was a game full of fantasy goodness.

Week One Right and Wrong

Right on Emanuel Wilson
- Wilson finally got his first chance to start with Josh Jacobs injured, and as I expected, he delivered for dynasty managers who finally had an opportunity to start him. I picked him up in many leagues last year, and at the start of this year, as it became clear that he won the RB-2 job. He was in my starting lineup in four of my leagues, and I won every game since he scored the second most fantasy points by a running back this week with 26. Green Bay has the 5th most rushing touchdowns this season because they find a way to score via the run when they are on the goalline. Wilson benefited this week with two one-yard touchdowns. He didn't do anything spectacular, but he was very consistent and productive, and the Packers gave him 28 carries. One-week starters are an important asset on dynasty rosters, and I'll ride Wilson as long as I can while Jacobs is injured.

Week One Injury Report

Baker Mayfield
- Mayfield sustained a shoulder injury that may sideline him for a few weeks. His absence will dramatically reduce Buccaneer players' offensive output when dynasty managers need them most. Teddy Bridgewater isn't the worst backup quarterback, but he's far from his prime.
Alvin Kamara
- Kamara is having an MRI after hurting his knee on Sunday. I doubt that he will return this season, as the Saints' season is already lost, and they'd do well to see what they have in Devin Neal, who was one of my favorite mid-round draft picks in this year's rookie class. He'll have every opportunity to lead his team in touches the rest of the season since Kedre Miller is on IR and lost for the season.
Tee Higgins
- Higgins was concussed after taking a big fall on Sunday. He's definitely missing the game on Thursday of this week and may miss more than that. Joe Burrow is set to return this week, but he will be without Higgins. Andrei Iosivas should see more action with Higgins out, as he has in the past.

Stock Up

Colston Loveland

It has taken far longer than dynasty manager hoped, but Loveland has finally moved into the startable tight-end zone. He was used in the red zone again this week and came down with a beautiful touchdown catch on a slant, where he used his big body to box out the defender. His touchdown helped him finish as the third-highest-scoring tight end this week. Even with Cole Kmet healthy, Loveland's snap count has been 65% or higher in six out of the last seven weeks since the Bears' bye week. The tight end position has been terribly inconsistent this season, but Loveland has made his way into the startable zone just in time to help me in three of my leagues, especially in the Scott Fish Bowl.

Wan'Dale Robinson

I already commented on Robinson above, but he's worth mentioning again as his stock is steadily rising this season, making him a reliable starter in most leagues the rest of this season. He was the 24th-highest-scoring receiver before his season-best game this week. He's averaging 8.5 targets per game and is the Giants' WR-1 without Malik Nabers this year. His consistent play has caused me to believe he will be a big part of the Giants' passing game in the years to come and an excellent WR-2 alongside Nabers. A few weeks ago, I traded Matthew Golden and Isaiah Likely to a rebuilding team for Robinson and Jakobi Meyers, and Robinson has helped my team keep winning. This week, I won $5 for being the highest-scoring team.

Stock Down

Rome Odunze

Odunze started the season as one of the hottest receivers in the league, causing his dynasty stock to rise significantly. I had him ranked in the top ten early in the season after he scored a total of 66 points in the first four games. Ever since then, however, he's steadily fallen down my rankings because the Bears haven't made him the focal point of the offense. He's scored just 56 points in the seven games since the Bears' bye week. Colston Loeveland and Luther Burden have gotten more involved since then, and their roles will continue to grow. I love Odunze as a player and person, but his stock has fallen a lot in recent weeks, and he's now my 18th-ranked receiver.

Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence is a below-average NFL quarterback and dynasty quarterback. His statistics prove it, and his play on the field looks even worse than his stats. He's completed less than 60% of his passes this season, and he's thrown nearly as many interceptions (11) as touchdowns (14). He threw three touchdowns and three interceptions on Sunday. I hoped that Laim Cohen would revive his career and make the Jaguars' offense thrive under Lawrence and the players they add in the draft, free agency, and trades this season, but it's not happening. He's had enough time to learn the offense and improve, but he has not. Lawrence is stuck in the lower half of the NFL and dynasty starters. I now have him ranked 21st in my quarterback rankings.

Young Guns

Jaxson Smith-Njigba

What else can be said about JSN? He's having a historic season and could break some all-time records for yards receiving. He's now my third-ranked wide receiver behind only Ja'Maar Chase and Puka Nacua. He had his most productive fantasy game of the season this week, scoring 37 points to lead receivers in scoring this week. What's most amazing about JSN this season is his consistency. He's not had a single game with fewer than 13 points. He's scored more than 20 points in seven of eleven games. I wish I had more shares of JSN, because one isn't enough, and now he'll cost a fortune in a trade. In a salary-cap league where trades are too complicated to explain in these articles, JSN was acquired by a team last week before the trade deadline. The manager had to give up Matthew Golden, Mason Taylor, two first-round picks, and one second-round pick to get JSN and Tony Pollard. That's about his worth now. What a stud!

Chimere Dike

Dike had his second punt return for a touchdown this week, and he also had a touchdown catch. It's only the second time this season that he has more than five targets in a game, so he's not yet reliable in dynasty lineups. Still, he's making his case to be a future starter for the Titans and the preferred target for fellow rookie Cam Ward ahead of his rookie teammate Elic Ayomanor, who has cooled down significantly after his decent start to the season. Dike was drafted ahead of Ayomanor, so the Titans like him and have reason to develop him. Managers who drafted him late or even picked him up off the waiver wire are excited to see him produce and develop at the end of his rookie season. I paid just $18 for him in my deepest league, which does an auction for the rookie draft. I am trying to tank in that league, but I always start my best lineup. Dike has helped me win a few games because of it, as he did this week, darn it!

Old-Man Strength

Kareem Hunt

In that same league where I am rebuilding, I continue to offer Hunt on the trading block, but I cannot find any takers. He, too, helped me with a game I did not want to win this week. I post in our group chat, "All he does is score touchdowns every week." It's true. He's the Chief's short-yardage back, and he's excellent at it. He had his highest-scoring game of the year this week with 29 points, and he's averaging 20 points per game since Isiah Pacheco was injured. He's tied for 7th in the league in rushing touchdowns by a running back with seven. Even when Pacheco comes back, he will be their goalline back and continue to score touchdowns. What a crazy career he's had! It's wild that he's still relevant, back on the team that drafted him, and helping dynasty managers like me, even if in that league I don't want him to.

Hunter Henry

Death, taxes, and starting tight ends against Cincinnati. The Bengals are on pace to give up the most fantasy points to tight ends in the history of the NFL. Henry was a no-doubt starter this week as he faced the Bengals, and he did as I expected, scoring the most fantasy points by a tight end this week with 26. He was the Patriots' leading pass catcher with 115 yards receiving and a touchdown, and another that got called back. Shoot! The Bengals are so bad against tight end that Austin Hooper had a great game too! He was the Patriots' second-leading pass catcher with three receptions for 39 yards. Apart from the Bengals making Henry a no-doubt starter, Henry has had a fantastic season. He was the 13th highest scoring tight end going into this week. He will be a top ten tight end after this productive week. He and Drake Maye have a lot of chemistry together. I heard his week that Maye said Henry was on his first-ever fantasy team. That's hilarious. He's showing his old man strength and producing for Maye's reality team now.

Waiver Watch

Teddy Bridgewater

Bridgewater is likely the next quarterback to take over as a starter this season due to injury. He's the top player to add in superflex leagues this week. With all the quarterback injuries, he's a player dynasty managers may have to start in superflex leagues.

Isaiah Hodgins

I mentioned Hodgins last week as my top non-quarterback player to add. I added him to several leagues and looked smart for doing so since he scored a touchdown this week. I only wish I had added him to more leagues. He's still available in some of my leagues, and I plan to add him to those leagues this week, even if I have to pay up for him a bit. He got six targets this week, as he did last week. We'll see if Jaxson Dart will target him to the same degree as Winston, but I'm eager to see if he does. He played 66% of the snaps this week, which was a drop off from the 79% last week. Still, I want to see how he plays for the rest of the season.

John Metchie

Metchie has scored touchdowns in consecutive weeks. I should have had him on my radar last week. Now he will be on everyone's radar. He's capitalizing on the loss of Garrett Wilson for a few weeks, but he's finally getting playing time. He was a second-round draft pick by the Texans but lost his opportunities after battling cancer early in his career. Since then, he's bounced around to different teams. He's now with the Jets, who have as open a wide receiver depth chart as any team in the league. I want to add him in a few leagues this week.

Dynasty Trades

Romeo Doubs <=======> Luke Musgrave and a 2026 3rd round pick

A rebuilding manager posted in our group chat that he was willing to trade Doubs for any 3rd-round pick. I immediately made the offer. Since the trade would put me over the roster limit, I indicated in my offer that I would drop Musgrave. He quickly countered, asking that I add Musgrave, and I was happy to do so. It's not that I am super high on Doubs, but I was happy to add a depth piece who could make spot starts for me as a third-round pick. Obviously, it's a modest trade, but I wanted a little wide receiver depth over a later third-round pick. I'm tied for first place in this league and hope to make a deep playoff run.

Chase Brown <=======> 2026 1st round pick

In the same league, another team tied for first place, making his team stronger at the trade deadline by adding Brown to his roster. Brown is dominating the backfield and finishing the season on a hot streak, and will get Burrow back in the fantasy playoffs. The rebuilding team added another first to its rebuilding efforts. He now has four first-round picks in 2026 and three in 2027. That's how I rebuilt my team in this league, and now I'm a top-tier team. I didn't have a first-round pick to give, or I would have made this trade too. I already traded my 2026 and 2027 first-round picks for Drake London (get well soon!). The top teams have all made trades to improve their rosters for the playoffs. It will be a very competitive battle in the playoffs.

Jacoby Brissett and a 2027 3rd round pick <=======> 2027 2nd round pick

The third team that is tied for first in this one-quarterback league made a modest move to acquire Brissett. His other quarterbacks are Aaron Rodgers, Trevor Lawrence, and Cam Ward, so he's banking on Brissett's hot streak to continue. The rebuilding team is the same one that made the previous trade, so in addition to his three first-round picks in 2027, he now has another second-round pick to add to his arsenal. As I said, it will be a battle down the stretch among these top three teams that made trades at the deadline.

Joe Burrow and Quinshon Judkins <=======> Lamar Jackson and Kyren Williams

A rebuilding team got Burrow and Judkins for Jackson and Williams, the two pieces that a competitive team could carry him in the playoffs. This trade is fair for both teams in this superflex league. I have Judkins ranked three spots ahead of Williams in my running back rankings, while Jackson is ranked three spots ahead of Burrow in my quarterback rankings. The trade was made before Burrow was announced as the starter this week, and Jackson had another down week on Sunday. Plus, Judkins had a two-touchdown week this week. It could be, speaking just for the remainder of this season, that Burrow and Judkins are the better players to have. These teams played each other head-to-head this week, and the rebuilding team with Burrow and Judkins won the game.

Luther Burden <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

Burden was a borderline first-round draft pick last year in this ten-team league and was selected as the first pick in the second round. Giving him away for a second-round pick seems premature. Burden is slowly getting more involved in the offense, so I would rather the manager had been patient with the player he drafted with pick eleven a year ago, rather than get a later pick next year. Everyone has their price for rookies that have yet to break out, though. This is how each manager valued Burden at the trade deadline.

Week Eleven Dynasty Takes

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Week Eleven Dynasty Takes

Quartrback Duds

I'll begin this week by giving you a peek behind the curtain regarding my process for writing this article. I start each Sunday with a single sheet of paper divided into nine squares, each corresponding to one of the article's segments. I take in all the action on Sunday and write names of candidates for each segment as the week progresses, before deciding with players and topics to write about. Before I went to bed Sunday night, I had already agreed to lead the artcile with my overall takeaway that this was a low-scoring week and an especially bad quarterback week. That was evident as Sunday's games progressed. When I listened to some of my favorite podcasts this morning, their hosts led with the same storyline. I promise that I am not copying what I heard from them; this was already what I planned to open the article with. It was a terribly low-scoring day unless you had a few specific players on your teams, and the quarterbacks were particularly bad. If you played in a one-quarterback league, odds are your starter scored under 15 points. It was quarterbacks on the bench who had the best day, Bryce Young and Jacoby Brissett, and only Josh Allen went nuts this week. In my Freek league, the starting quarterbacks so far have scored 18, 18, 16, 15, 14, 12, and 6 points, with Dak Prescott yet to play. When quarterback scoring is down, all scoring is down. In my Diehard league, we award $5 to the team with the highest weekly score. Teams usually must score 150 points or more to compete for the weekly prize, but this week, the leader so far has 124 points. The games were very entertaining on Sunday, but the scoring was way down, making tonight's game one that will decide many head-to-head matches this week. I know in my nine dynasty leagues, I will win two for sure and have lost one for sure. In the other six, the low-scoring games come down to the points scored on Monday Night Football tonight. It should be fun!

Right and Wrong

Right on Sean Tucker
- It's not fair to take a victory lap on Tucker after one excellent game, but I always knew he had this in him. He was my favorite sleeper pick in his class two years ago and among my most drafted players. I kept him on most of my rosters for the first two years of his career, but after Bucky Irving broke out last season, I dropped him from my roster in every league. It makes me sad since I liked him so much, but I'm not torn up by it. I still think it's Bucky's backfield once he returns, but Tucker could move into the RB-2 role if he has a few more games like this, especially since he did so well in the passing game this week, which is Rachaad White's specialty.
Wrong on Bhayshul Tuten
- Tuten can be my bridge into speaking about injured players, since he left the game with an ankle injury. Before he left, he was cutting into Travis Etienne's workload more than ever before this season, and he looked the best he has all season, too. He had his most yards per game and his most yards per carry per game this season, and he got in the end zone. I did not draft Tuten because there were always a few managers who liked him way more than me and drafted him way earlier than I thought he should go. I liked Etienne and Tank Bigsby too much to believe Tuten could climb the depth chart. I looked right until the Jaguars traded Bigsby, making Tuten the top backup to Etienne, who I still like a lot more than Tuten. Still, his increased role and his play this week, the best I have seen from him, have me questioning my take on Tuten and glad that I added him on one team a few weeks ago in a trade. I'm beginning to buy in and admit I may have been wrong on Tuten.

Injury Report

J.K. Dobbins
- Dobbins looks like he will miss the rest of the season, which is a shame since he was off to the best start since his rookie season. Injuries have taken him out every year since that rookie season, though, so it seemed bound to happen to him eventually this season. It's now R.J. Harvey's turn to shine, though he shared the workload with Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin, two of the top players added off waivers at the end of last week. Harvey will still get the bulk of the work the rest of the season, and dynasty managers will get to see one more rookie running back in this class try to break out.
Sam Laporta
- LaPorta's injury and move to the IR came out of nowhere, leaving dynasty managers a big hole in their starting lineups since LaPorta was having a very consistent fantasy season compared to his dip last year. I saw many managers pick up Brock Wright after the news came out, but I was not interested in Wright. The other stud players in Detroit's offense will just get a bit more of the passing share now, not Wright, even though they all looked terrible Sunday night when the Eagles dismantled the entire Detroit offense.
Josh Jacobs
- As of this writing, Jacobs is not feared to be lost for the season but is considered week-to-week. Missing a few weeks of Jacob will cost dynasty managers in their run ot the playoffs. Hopefully, they have Emanuel Wilson or another back to move into their starting lineups for a time. Wilson has looked good when subbing in for Jacobs this season, and he did well on Sunday after Jacobs left the game. Hopefully, Jacobs will be back soon or at least by the fantasy playoffs.
Drake London
- London also avoided serious injury, but he's likely to miss a few weeks with his knee injury. This is devastating news to me, as I traded two first-round picks for London in a league where I am in first place. His outstanding and consistent production could put me over the top in that league, but now I may be without him. Hopefully, he will be back by the time the playoffs start. I have him in three leagues and will limp toward the playoffs without him in my lineups. Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts should get more targets with London out, but they will be hard to rely on for dynasty managers.
Calvin Ridley
- Ridley was lost for the rest of the season with a broken leg. He was not a vital part of dynasty lineups, so he will not be missed this season. The Titans will turn even more to their rookie wide receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, though he was injured on Sunday, too. The Titans' offense is a mess, so no one is reliable in dynasty lineups anyway.
Jaylen Warren
- Warren apparently said he could have returned to the game on Sunday. We'll see next week. Kenny Gainwell played fantastically in his absence, though, so the Steelers know they can wait on Warren if they have to. This news stinks for me because Warren is my most rostered player, and his matchups over the next month were highly favorable. I don't have Gainwell on a single roster with Warren, so this injury was extremely painful. I do, however, have Gainwell in the Scott Fish Bowl, where I am the tenth-highest-scoring team overall in the entire tournament. If I get a Gainwell boost in the playoffs, which start this week, I'll be excited about that at least.
Aaron Rodgers
- Rodgers broke his wrist on Sunday. There is still some hope for his return this season, though. Mason Rudolf is an experienced backup who can keep the Steelers' offense running, so it will not drastically affect the Steelers' fantasy starters.
Michael Penix
- Penix is lost for the season with a knee injury, making it Kirk Cousins' time again in Atlanta. He started one game for them this season and looked awful. I believe he can be better once given more reps, though. Even so, it's a downgrade in the offense that had at least three every-week starters in most dynasty lineups: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.
Dillon Gabriel
- Gabriel was concussed on Sunday and is likely to miss at least one game. The crowd went wild for Shedeur Sanders when he entered he game, but by the end, boos were a better reaction. Sanders looked lost in his first NFL game experience. Not that there were many fantasy starters in the Cleveland passing game, but those who had relied on Harold Fanin, David Njoku, or Jerry Jeudy can no longer do so. Many dynasty managers, such as myself, were relying on Quinshon Judkins each week. With Sanders running the offense, his production is sure to dip now, too.

Stock Up

Michael Wilson

Wilson had the most surprising and ridiculous game of the week, alongside his quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, who completed the most passes in NFL history. Wilson hauled in 15 of them, resulting in 185 yards receiving, obliterating his career-best game receiving with 95 yards. Savvy dynasty managers started him this week after Marvin Harrison Jr. was ruled out after his appendectomy. Boy, did they benefit from it. I know I did in two leagues. His play on Sunday must translate to more opportunities in the future alongside Harrison. So long as Brissett is running the offense, Wilson's stock will rise this season.

Christian Watson

Watson had two sick touchdown catches on Sunday and emerged as the player to benefit most from Tucker Kraft's injury. Since returning to the lineup himself four weeks ago after a year's absence, he's become the Packers' best playmaker, averaging 19.5 yards per catch. It's been a long wait for dynasty managers, but Watson is returning to his hyped rookie form.

Xavier Legette

I can't quit him. I still believe in Legette. It may take Bryce Young having the most productive game of his young career, but Legette helped make it happen. He's still one of the most up-and-down players in the league, but his highs are incredible. He's scored double-digit points in all three games he's scored a touchdown, but he's totaled just 10 points in the other six! Call me a sucker, but I'm still very hopeful that he can become a consistent starter in dynasty lineups.

Stock Down

J.J. McCarthy

Yikes! McCarthy was so terrible on Sunday that the coaches have to think about a change at the position. It's becoming clearer that there's a reason why the Vikings let Carson Wentz continue to start ahead of him when McCarthy was supposedly injured. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are elite players, but if their quarterback is terrible, they will perpetually find themselves among the average fantasy scorers each week. That's their fate under McCarthy's leadership. I will not be surprised at all if the Vikings find another veteran to start for them next season.

Xavier Worthy

I've wanted to write about Worthy in this segment for weeks, since his production has fallen off a cliff since Rashee Rice's return. The timing is right to mention him this week, since he had his worst fantasy game of the season, scoring just 4 points on three catches for 25 yards. He's a gadget guy, I'm sad to say, and will never become a focal point of the offense. His dynasty stock is in steep decline.

Quinten Johnston

Johnston's incredible dynasty rise to begin this season has taken another tumble. He scored zero points this week and was only targeted three times. His stock is still way higher than it was at the beginning of the season. Still, it's fallen significantly after Ladd McConkey returned from injury and Oronde Gadsden emerged as a weapon. He's still an excellent red-zone and deep target, but I fear his target share will continue to fall, as it did this week.

Young Guns

Bryce Young

No one saw this coming. Young threw for 448 yards on Sunday, which is more yards than his last three games combined. He has not thrown for more than 200 yards since week two of this season, so this offensive explosion was the biggest surprise of the week. The Panthers are one of the most up-and-down teams in the NFL this season. They've scored 16 or fewer points in six of their ten games and 27 or more points in four of their ten games. Rico Dowdle has been their most consistent player since taking over the backfield, and Tetairoa McMillian has been consistent in catches and yards but inconsistent in scoring. He's only scored a touchdown in two games this season, but he scored two in each of them, including this game on Sunday. Dynasty managers love consistency, but they're not going to get it from this team. The highs are fun to watch, though.

Bijan Robinson

The fears that Robinson wouldn't be used in the red zone were quieted on Sunday, as he swiftly scored two red-zone touchdowns in the first and second quarters. He has his second-highest scoring game of the season as the Falcons tried to keep pace with the Bryce Young-led Panthers. Bijan is one of the smoothest running backs to watch. Everything looks effortless to him. He's one of a kind and a top-tier dynasty running back for years to come.

Pat Bryant

Bryant had his most active game of the year with five catches for 82 yards. Six targets were the most he's received this season. He still played only 49% of the snaps, but his production will demand more opportunities. It was good to see what he is capable of this week, and it gives his dynasty managers hope that he can earn a more significant role in the future.

Old-Man Strength

Josh Allen

What can you say? Only one person has ever run for three touchdowns and thrown for three touchdowns in a game. His name is Josh Allen, and he's done it twice. There was only one "if-you-played-him-you-likely-lost" player this week, and it was Allen. What's most amazing about this week is that his weapons did nothing. Kincaid was injured and did not play, Khalil Shakir had one catch for negative three yards, and Keon Coleman was inactive for disciplinary reasons. Few people can carry an entire team on their shoulders, but Allen is one of them.

Travis Etienne

Etienne had his highest scoring game of the year with 19.3 fantasy points after scoring twice against the Chargers. He's the Jaguars' best and only consistent player this season. He's scored more than 11 fantasy points in seven of ten games this season and averaged 7 points per game in the other three. He's not a game-winner kind of player, but he's as reliable as you can get as an every-week starter in the RB-2 or flex position, depending on league settings. He quietly came into the week as the 16th-highest-scoring running back, and his great game this week will move him higher. What a great bounce-back season for Etienne.

George Kittle

It's been a few weeks since he returned from his injury, but Kittle is getting hot. He's willing to do the dirty work to help the 49ers win anyway they need to, but he's also too big a weapon not to get more involved in the passing game. He had a great game last week, too, but there is more chemistry with Brock Purdy, who started his first game in six weeks. They've only been on the field together twice this season, in week one and this week. They're just getting started. Purdy and Kittle will help a lot of teams down the playoff stretch. Hopefully, it was not too late for dynasty managers who had to wait so patiently for them this season.

Waiver Watch

Kirk Cousins, Mason Rudolf, Tyrod Taylor, Shedeur Sanders

It's the quarterback bidding week in superflex leagues. In deep leagues, all of these backups are already on rosters, but in shallower leagues, many are not. I list them here in the order I would prefer to add them.

Isaiah Hodgins

Hodgins was added back to the Giants' roster this week, and he played immediately. He played 79% of the snaps and had five catches for 57 yards. In deep leagues, he's a great player to add and bid up. He was one of my favorite back-of-the-roster guys for years as I kept waiting for his breakout season. It looked possible for one year with the Giants until they started adding highly drafted receivers. He's back with the team and has a chance to be helpful to dynasty lineups again at the end of this season.

Greg Dortch

With Marvin Harrison Jr. out, the Cardinals gave Dortch more opportunities, and he delivered with six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. I can't believe a dynasty manager had the courage or need to start him against me in one league this week, but they did, and now I need a better-than-average game from CeeDee Lamb tonight to win the game against him. I'm still in it because I started Michael Wilson against him. Sheesh!

Dynasty Trades

Cam Skattebo <=======> Davante Adams

In a league where I was fighting for the last playoff spot, mainly due to injuries to my team that lost in the Super Bowl last year, I lost again last week and decided it was time to give up. A manager sent me this offer, so I gladly and quickly accepted it. Adams will definitely help his cotending team, and Skattebo can help me bounce back next year. Running back is my only weakness in this league because I've consistently finished at the top, which prevents me from drafting rookie running backs. After all, they don't fall that far in the draft. Well, now I have one, and he's one of my favorite players, so I was glad to add another share.

CeeDee Lamb <=======> 2026 1st round pick, two 2nd round picks, and a 3rd round pick

A manager in this league posted to our group chat that he was rebuilding and his entire team was for sale. Lamb was by far the best player on his roster, and another manager paid a heavy price to get him. I would have rather seen the rebuilding team get two first-round picks back instead of the two seconds and a third, but this price is not too far off. The team that acquired Lamb is on the fringe of making the playoffs, but Lamb will help it get there, especially since he made this next trade, too.

Tee Higgins and a 2027 3rd round pick <=======> 2027 1st and 3rd round pick

The rebuilding team did get another first-round pick, but this time, it had to trade away Higgins. This price seems right for Higgins, and now his two-year rebuild begins after collecting six picks over the next two years from this one manager. Adding Lamb and Higgins certainly moves this fringe playoff team into a top contender, but he'll have to get through me, the team with the best record and the most total points this season. I'm a little ticked off that he'll make my Super Bowl run more difficult now.

Tyler Warren <=======> Jake Ferguson and Chris Olave

This is a pretty even trade, a young tight end for an older one, and Olave. My first reaction was to favor the package side of this deal, since Ferguson is scoring the exact same points per game as Warren, so Olave feels like a pretty big bonus piece in this trade. But then I had to be honest with myself, because I rejected the exact same offer when he offered me Ferguson and Olave for Trey McBride. McBride is scoring three more points per game than Ferguson and Warren, though, so I feel more justified in rejecting this trade and more willing to say I like the Ferguson and Olave side of it. It's close, but I think I do.

D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai <=======> Jalen Milroe and Jameson Williams

The top team in the league acquired Swift and Monangai for his playoff run and future, and he gave away Milroe and Williams to do so. The top team is loaded at receivers, so Williams rarely saw his starting lineup, but it is slightly weak at running back, at least until Bucky Irving returns. The Chicago backfield will give him depth and a flex-worthy player down the stretch this season, and Monangai could become a future starter in his lineup. This is a superflex league, so that's why a manager was still interested in Milroe. I am not, even in a superflex league. Williams is on a hot streak, so at least he got a player on the rise in this trade. It's a pretty even trade for both teams, given where their teams are in this league.

Bijan Robinson <=======> 2026 1st round pick and 2027 1st round pick

A team at the bottom of the league has made many rebuilding trades over the last few weeks, but this was the biggest yet. They netted two first-round draft picks but had to give up their best player. It's a fair price for Bijan, but I would have asked for a little more, maybe a second in the future, too. Both teams got what they wanted in the deal, and now the playoff-bound teams like me have one tough team to compete with. I'm in third place in this league and fighting for a bye week. I'll really want it after a trade like this made the playoff field more competitive.

Week Ten Dynasty Takes

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Week In Review

Running Back Blowups

What stood out most this week was the extreme blowup games by three top-tier running backs who became game-wreckers this week, and we got one in every window from the morning through the afternoon games. The blowup games by Jonathan Taylor, De'Von Achane, and Jahmyr Gibbs rocketed to dynasty teams to big leads or big comebacks. Taylor, Achane, and Gibbs were the three highest scoring players of the week with scores of 48.6, 40.5, and 38.2. These three studs combined for 673 total yards of offense and eight touchdowns. They each had long touchdown runs, making their combined yards per carry 7.9 on Sunday. They were complete monsters in week ten, single-handedly winning games for dynasty managers, unless you had the unfortunate experience of playing against them. I rode the backs of Taylor to a win in one league and the back of Gibbs in two others, but I also lost three games while playing against Taylor and two playing against Achane. In a must-win game in one league, I played against Taylor and Achane and lost the game by 100 points. That's the way things went down on Sunday for me and for so many other dynasty managers. Hopefully, these three can be league winners down the stretch as they were game-winners this week. I think they will be.

Week One Right and Wrong

Wrong on De'Von Achane
- Notice I did not say that I had a share of Achane in my nine leagues. That's because I was much lower on him in his draft class and drafted Zach Charbonnet ahead of him in several leagues. I thought Achane was too small and would get injured too easily. I did not see him as an every-down back in the NFL, but more of a gadget back. He proved me wrong with a white-hot start in his rookie season, when he scored 49 points in his third NFL game, but then I looked right when the injuries set in that season. Now he's played more than a season and a half without an injury and has become one of the most reliable dynasty running backs, with an incredible safe floor because of his involvement in the passing game and a ridiculously high ceiling because of his speed and breakout games. Sunday was the most fantasy points he's scored in a game since the third game of his rookie season. I don't doubt that he will have many games like this in his future, too.
Right on Kyren Williams
- Each of the last two seasons, I bet on Williams to lead the Rams' run game and score plenty of touchdowns, even though the Rams drafted running backs early in each of the last two classes. I bet that he'd win the job and earn a new contract, which he was awarded early this year. My bets have paid off, even though Corum, whom I also love and drafted a lot, is sharing more of the load this season. Coach McVay loves Kyren and consistently gets him into winning positions, and he uses the heck out of him on the goal line. The Rams have arguably the best offense in the NFL this season, giving Williams plenty of opportunities to score each week. He had another two red zone rushing touchdowns this week. I'm in first place and riding into the playoffs with Williams and Gibbs in my Freek league, and I love my chances at winning it all this year.

Week One Injury Report

Dalton Kincaid
- Kincaid hurt his hamstring on Sunday and will likely miss a few weeks as a result of the injury. While his snap counts have been unimpressive, he's been very involved in the passing game this season. The Bills will miss his presence as he and Khalil Shakir were the only consistent pieces in their passing game, though their floor is pretty low. Hopefully, he will be available for dynasty managers in a few weeks as the playoffs approach.
Jaxson Dart
- Dart was having another incredible fantasy day when he was concussed yet again on a running play. It's his fourth concussion of the season, which makes me believe they will hold him out for a few games this time. His absence will bring down the production of all the Giants' players. Russell Wilson gives the Giants no hope, whereas Jameis Winston could do what he always does – score a lot and turn the ball over a lot. I hope they go with Winston this time around.
Oronde Gadsden
- Gadsden hurt his leg and will have an MRI this week. It's a shame, since he was having an excellent breakout season in his rookie year. His recent involvement in the offense cut into the workloads of Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston quite a bit, so they may see a boost in their opportunities again if the injury keeps Gadsden out for a while. I would not trust another tight end for the Chargers, no matter who starts in Gadsden's place.

Stock Up

Troy Franklin

Franklin is not the leading target-getter for Bo Nix and the Broncos. His rise has been slow and steady throughout the season. The last four weeks have been the most dramatic and consistent, with him receiving 10, 8, 10, and 9 targets. The Broncos offense lacks identity and is highly inconsistent, but Franklin is rising fast in my dynasty rankings despite their offensive woes. He can be used in more ways than Courtland Sutton, so he's easier for coach Payton to scheme up looks for, and he's doing just that. It took a year and a half, but the shower narrative as former college teammates is taking hold in Denver between Nix and Franklin.

Parker Washington

Speaking of surprise wide receiver ones on their teams, Washington is too. He was Trevor Lawrence's top target before Brian Thomas was hurt, too. His target competition will increase since the Jaguars traded for Jakobi Meyers, but after just one game, Lawerence still has eyes for Washington. I loved Washington's college tape but hated that he was drafted by Jacksonville, where he had a robust depth chart to climb. Since being drafted, they have added more wide receivers to the team and continue to do so at the trade deadline. Still, Washington has risen above it. As with Franklin, his quarterback play and offensive production are lacking, but his opportunities remain high. On one of my rebuilding teams, I acquired Franklin and Washington as "throw-in" parts of trades for draft picks, and now they could even become part of my rebuild.

Alec Pierce

Daniel Jones has made Pierce a viable dynasty asset for the first time in his career. I don't have any shares of Pierce, but I have seen him started in dynasty lineups this season, including once against me this week. He's an excellent downfield threat and the Colts almost exclusively use him that way, but he's making it work and has one or two big catches each week, including the 37-yard touchdown this week. The Colts' passing game runs through Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren, but Jones has made a third target viable, and it's Pierce who is benefiting more than Josh Downs. Pierce has had 10, 5, 13, and 7 targets over the last four weeks, making him a startable player for the first time in his young career. Dynasty managers who patiently held onto him have a good depth piece on their rosters now.

Stock Down

Courtland Sutton

If Franklin's stock is up, Suttons is moving down. Sutton's role is too limited, and the offense is still trying to figure itself out. I'm afraid he may get left behind or, at least, will be a boom or bust player for the rest of his career, even though he signed a new contract with the Broncos. He's had three games this season with just one catch. He has four touchdowns, each on plays that were 20 yards or more. If you take those four plays away, though, he's averaging 6.7 half-PPR points per game. I traded away a first-round pick for Sutton a few weeks ago, before Franklin started passing him by, and now I'm beginning to regret it.

Rachaad White

White was one of the most reliable running back handcuffs for dynasty managers to have in recent years. He was highly productive before Bucky Irving stole his starting role last season, and he was productive last year and early this year when Irving was injured. However, over the last few weeks, he has declined significantly. Sean Tucker is getting more carries each week as White cannot convert in short-yardage situations. What's more surprising is his recent ineffectiveness in the passing game. This week, he has just 16 yards on five catches (3.2 yards per catch). Two games ago, he had four catches for six yards (1.5 yards per catch). Dynasty managers and Buccaneers coaches need Bucky back in their lineups, as White isn't carrying the load like he used to.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

If there is a rookie this season who has had everything break his way so that he has every opportunity to produce for dynasty managers, it's Bill. Sadly, he's spoiled his chances. The Commanders gave Chris Rodriguez the lead role this week, and while he did nothing to run away with the job on a terrible Commanders' offense, he'll keep the lead role the rest of this season, and I expect the Commanders to have a new starting running back next year. Bill has had every chance to prove himself, but he hasn't done so. Bill was my favorite sleeper in this year's class, and I was thrilled to have him on so many of my rosters. Now I wish I had sold him at the height of his hype. I had offers and made a few of my own, but now the window has passed, and I was only able to sell one share of my main man, Bill.

Young Guns

Tyler Shough

Shough is a young gun, even though he's 26 years old, since it's his rookie season. Shough had an incredible game on Sunday! He completed 70% of his passes and finished with a 128.9% passer rating and earned his first win on the road in Carolina. He threw the ball downfield, too. He averaged 10.4 yards per pass and connected with Olave on a beautiful 62-yard touchdown. If he can build upon this, he could make a case for the Saints to stick with him as their starter next year. He can at least make it hard on the Saints to draft a quarterback by winning more games. He has a bye week to celebrate the win, but then he faces some bad defenses down the stretch.

TreVeyon Henderson

It finally happened! Henderson may have been the last rookie running back to have a breakout game, but he finally did it. Hopefully, the Patriots cannot put the proverbial toothpaste back in the tube now. He can do something no other back on the team can do – score from 55 and 69 yards out. He's so fast that he had time to look back at his coaches to see if they wanted him to slide down or score at the end of the game. It's still frustrating that Terrell Jennings started the game, and Henderson only took over completely after Jennings was injured. Still, the coaching staff can't keep him off the field after what he did on Sunday. Dynasty managers waited a long time for this one!

Jameson Williams

Dan Campbell took over the play-calling duties, and Williams was awarded the best day of his season. He has six catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, giving him 21 fantasy points. The Lions could do whatever they wanted with the terrible Commanders' defense, but it was nice to see Williams get in the action. I've mistakenly thought of him as just a boom-or-bust player, but the reality is that he's been remarkably consistent since the back half of last season. He's scored under 14 fantasy points just twice this season. He averages nine targets per game this season. He's now a safe-to-start WR-3 with a solid floor week to week. I wish I had a share of Williams, but I don't.

Old-Man Strength

Matt Stafford

Stafford is playing out of his mind. So much for the injured back that caused so much concern leading up to week one. He's playing the best football of his long and tremendous career. Davante Adams is a red-zone nightmare for defenses and leads the league in receiving touchdowns. Stafford has thrown 5, 4, and 4 touchdowns in his last three games, scoring 29 fantasy points in each game. He's scored 29 or more points in five of his previous six games. The Rams are the fifth-highest scoring team in the league in points per game, and Stafford is the straw that stirs the drink. What a season he's having!

Chris Olave

Olave was incredible in his first game without Rasheed Shahid. He had his first one-hundred-yard receiving game of the season and scored his second-most points of the season, with 19. Knock on wood, but he's finally stayed healthy this season and is a super reliable starter in dynasty lineups. Aside from health, his inability to score touchdowns was a consistent knock on his dynasty value, but he's improved on that this season with four touchdowns so far, which is one away from tying his career high of five. He's sure to surpass that with seven games to go this season. If Shough continues to improve, Olave will benefit the most. I think he will.

Jaylen Waddle

Waddle had another productive day as the Dolphins continue to fight for each other and their coach. He and Tua were on the same page again, three weeks after I called for Tua to be benched. I'm very surprised at how the Dolphins have bounced back, and their upset win over the Bills on Sunday surprised everyone. Coach McDaniel still knows how to get guys open and use their speed. Waddle's last three touchdowns this season have been from 46, 43, and 38 yards out. Waddle is currently 10th in total receiving yards. He's stayed healthy this season and is a valuable, consistent starting wide receiver in dynasty lineups. I'm so glad the Dolphins are still fighting. It makes a massive difference for so many dynasty rosters.

Waiver Watch

Jameis Winston

I'd like to believe that the Giants would like to see Winston get a start instead of Russell Wilson, whom they have already seen enough of this season. They likely will not announce anything before waivers run, but I'll still place a few bets on Winston in superflex leagues this week.

Treylon Burks

Burks is not available in many leagues since dynasty managers were able to stash him on IR for so long this season. But he's got a last chance to make the team and redeem his dead dynasty value in Washington, where their receivers are either injured or too young. He was the leading receiver for the Commanders this week. It's his last lease on his NFL life, and he could make the most of it.

Dawson Knox

If Kincaid is injured for long, Knox would be worth adding to dynasty rosters this week. He's been productive in spurts before in Buffalo before Kincaid replaced him. He could do so again. His snap count was the highest of the season with 68% after Kincaid left the game. He's the next man up on a team that targets its tight ends quite a lot.

Dynasty Trades

Travis Kelce <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

In a league where I am in first place and the highest scoring team, I lost Tucker Kraft as my starting tight end last week. A team in the middle of the pack offered me this trade to shore up my position as we near the playoffs. It was a more than reasonable offer, so I gladly accepted the trade. At the time of the trade, Kelce was the 4th-highest-scoring tight end in this league's settings, so I replaced the highest-scoring tight end with the 4th-highest. Total points will change after this week since Kelce was on a bye week, but I am still more confident in Kelce than the other tight ends on my roster, David Njoku and Colston Loveland. He's hoping I can ride Kelce to a championship.

Matt Stafford, 2026 4th round, and 2027 4th round pick <=======> 2026 2nd round pick and 2027 2nd round pick

Fourth and fifth-place teams made this trade in a superflex league, where one manager decided he wanted to make a run at the playoffs, and the other decided he did not have what it takes to win a championship this year. The team that acquired Stafford had just lost Jayden Daniels, so he needed another quarterback to stay competitive. Stafford will undoubtedly make him competitive in the playoffs. Two second-round picks seem about right for a quarterback with likely just one or two more years left in the league.

Week Nine Dynasty Takes

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Dynasty News

Upset Sunday

If last week was the week of blowout games, this was the week of upset games, and the upset teams left many dynasty managers upset as well. The previously terrible Steelers defense shut down the previously unstoppable Colts offense. Daniel Jones looked like his old days as a Giant, with five turnovers in the game —three interceptions and two fumbles. He padded his fantasy stats at the end of the game in garbage time, not ruining the day for Michael Pittman's managers, but Jonathan Taylor had his first bad game this season, scoring just six points. After getting dismantled by the Packers last weekend, the Colts were expected to light up the Steelers and benefit all of the Colts' fantasy starters, but they were crushed on the road. The same Packers who destroyed the Steelers at home last week were set to do the same when they welcomed the Panthers to Lambeau Field, but their offense was squashed, and they lost 16-13 on a game-winning field goal as time expired. Jordan Love has the worst fantasy game of the season after his best game of the year last week. The Packers looked lost after losing Tucker Kraft and Matthew Golden to injuries. They could not get lined up right, dropped passes, and did not get into the end zone until two minutes were left in the game. Josh Jacobs saved his day with that lone one-yard touchdown, but that was the only highlight for the Packers' players. Dynasty managers who set their lineups this week and saw the green numbers by the Steelers and Panthers' defenses expected a lot more points than they got on Sunday. That's for sure!

Week One Injury Report

Travis Hunter
- Late in the week, the Jaguars announced that Hunter would be placed on IR with a knee injury. It came as a huge surprise after they talked about making him the focal point of the passing game after their bye week. Now he's out for at least three more weeks. Parker Washington was already becoming the Jaguars' top-targeted wide receiver and was the top target again on Sunday. He's become a very reliable player in deep leagues and will be for the next few weeks, even more so now that Brian Thomas injured his ankle, but more on him in a moment.
Tucker Kraft
- Kraft's injury was the saddest one for me this week. I wrote last week about how he was a player. I was "right on" when betting on a big year for him. I drafted him in my most recent start-up draft and traded for him in two leagues. Just after he becomes the league's top scoring tight end, he tears his ACL and is lost for the season. What a massive disappointment for a player who had just moved into the top tier in dynasty rankings. His loss will leave a big hole in the dynasty rosters of managers like me.
Jayden Daniels
- Daniels had a gruesome injury to his elbow and will likely miss the rest of the season as a result. Marcus Mariota is capable of moving the offense as he has done already this season, but the overall fallout from Daniels' injury hurts every startable player on the Commanders. Managers who relied on Daniels in superflex leagues will be hurt pretty badly by his absence, even if they do have two starting quarterbacks on their rosters. Hopefully, the reports after he is properly evaluated will come back in his favor, but there is no need for the Commanders to start Daniels again this season since it is already lost. Bill Crosket-Merrit will not break out this season, Terry McLaurin may sit the rest out too, and Deebo Samuel will cool off significantly after his surprising hot start, making him replaceable in starting lineups. Quarterback injuries are the worst.

Stock Up

Rico Dowdle

Coach Canales said Dowdle earned the right to get more touches, and he was not lying. Dowdle had 27 touches compared to Chuba Hubbard's five. The Panthers rode Dowdle's back to their upset win over Green Bay. He has 141 total yards and two touchdowns. The torch has been passed. He'll carry the load the rest of this season and help dynasty managers on their playoff runs. When a backup running back becomes an every-week starter, that turbo powers competitive teams' lineups, and that's what Dowdle will do down the stretch this season. The real question for dynasty managers is whether it will earn him a long-term contract with the team. It did for Hubbard last year. They may be forced to do so again. If they let him walk as the Cowboys did last year, there will be far more buyers on the market for his services.

Khalil Shakir

Shakir's dynasty stock is not shooting up the boards like Dowdle's, but it's on a steady, modest rise as this season has progressed. He's the Bills' most consistent wide receiver, and the young players they added cannot replace or surpass him. He averages more than six targets per game, has reliable hands, and is a great runner after the catch. He's become a decent flex player in PPR leagues with a chance to have big plays and a touchdown any week.

Stock Down

Chuba Hubbard

It goes without saying, but if Dowdle's stock is rising, it is at the expense of Hubbard. The contract and the money kept Hubbard's stock afloat when he was injured, but now that he's healthy and Dowdle has taken over, his best days are behind him. My comanager and I, like the Carolina front office, signed Hubbard to a four-year deal in a salary cap league before this season started. That's a contract we'll regret signing unless they somehow let Dowdle walk after this season. All I know is that Hubbard will not see our starting lineup again this season.

Brian Thomas Jr.

The season is more than halfway over now. It's time to stop waiting for BTJ to get on the same page as Trevor Lawrence and coach Coen. It's just not happening. Parker Washington is more reliable, and he's the only Jaguar receiver connecting with Lawrence. It's hard to believe he can fall off after such a fantastic rookie season, but it's happened to second-year players before. He's scored 70 points in his eight games this season. He scored 108 in the first eight games of his rookie season. That's more than six fantasy points per game. Thomas might not be the right kind of receiver for Coen's offense, and Coen is there to stay. I'm not saying he can never bounce back, but I am closer to saying it than at any point this season.

Young Guns

Colston Loveland

Just as the NFL games kicked off this Sunday, I messaged my Diehard League, saying, "This will finally be breakout week for Colston Loveland." I believed it since he was due and their opponent was the Bengals, but I had no idea he would break out the way he did, with two touchdowns, including the incredible game-winning one from 58 yards out. He was the first read on his red-zone target touchdown, too. Finally, I have hope for my three Loeveland shares. The talent was always there, but coach Johnson had yet to make him a focal point in a game. Finally, he tried to, and it worked. I'm not saying I'm willing to call him an every-week starter yet, but one more week like this and I will. I started him for the first time this week in the Scott Fish Bowl, and he contributed nicely to my highest-scoring week of the year, likely moving me back into the top 10-20 overall after falling to 41st last week.

Kyle Monangai

Monangai equally benefited from playing the terrible Bengals defense this week. He played so well that he could become the next Rico Dowdle, who steals the starting job from incumbent DeAndre Swift. Coach Johnson was not afraid to give him all the touches either, as he carried the ball 26 times for 176 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. It's the second time this season that Monangai has had more than six yards per carry in a game. Managers who drafted him late in rookie drafts this year may get rewarded with that extra turbo boost in a starting lineup. I started him in my Freek League, where I already have the best record and the most points. Now he's my turbo-boost player who could make my team unbeatable. I also started him in the Scott Fish Bowl this week. If only the Bears could play the Bengals every week!

Old-Man Strength

Joe Flacco

What Flacco has done the last few seasons as a hired gun is simply unbelievable. He brings offenses from death to life. He scored 35 fnasty points on Sunday and has averaged 28 points per game in his four starts with the Bengals. It's not going to stop either, because their defense is on pace to be the worst-scoring defense of all time. Flacco averages 43 passing attempts per game. He's an every-week starter even in one-quarterback leagues until he gets injured or the Bengals decide to pull their starters near the end of the season. Can you imagine running into dynasty playoff games with Flacco as your starter? If he stays healthy, it's gonna happen this year. I'm sad that I only have one share, and that's in the Scott Fish Bowl, where I bought him for $30 FAAB, and no one else in the league bid on him that week! I may have looked like a fool in the FAAB report that week, but who's laughing now? Did I mention that I had a fantastic week on the Scott Fish Bowl?

Drake London

London is an absolute monster. He was snagging balls over guys' heads and catching one-handed passes on Sunday. After missing last week with an injury, he sure bounced back quickly with a three-touchdown day. He had his best fantasy day of the year with 34 points, bringing his season average to 16 points per game. The entire Atlanta passing game runs through Drake. He averages almost 12 targets per game, making him the second most targeted receiver behind only Ja'Marr Chase. If he can stay healthy, he'll be a key part of championship runs this season. I'm all in on London since I traded away two first-round picks to get him last week. He's the final piece that can put my team over the top in that league. I am confident he can do it.

Waiver Watch

Luke Musgrave

Musgrave is the next man up behind Tucker Kraft. If you remember, he was drafted ahead of Kraft in the same rookie class and got more playing time than Kraft to start his career, but then Musgrave overtook him and never looked back. All that to say, he has some pedigree and experience. He's available in most of my dynasty leagues, too, so he's far and away the best player to add to rosters this week.

Greg Dulcich

It feels like it was forever ago, but Dulcich was pretty involved in the Dolphins' offense on Thursday night. He played 36% of the snaps and caught all five of his targets. He could serve as their new Darren Waller for a short time while Waller is out. Coach Daniels schemes up tight-end touches and has made big, athletic tight ends that come out of nowhere fantasy-relevant the last few seasons. I loved Dulcich as a prospect and could not believe that he could not earn a starting role, let alone a roster spot. This could be his last chance to get back on the dynasty radar. I don't even have him in my dynasty rankings currently. He's still worth adding in deep leagues to see if he becomes something.

Dynasty Trades

Jayden Daniels and a 2026 2nd round pick <=======> Michael Penix and Oronde Gadsden

In a tight-end premium league, a manager was willing to place some high bets on Oronde Gadsden. He took a significant downgrade at quarterback to do it by giving up Daniels for Penix, but it is a one-quarterback league, so that's less egregious. Gadsden is definitely worthy of a future second-round pick, so that evened out the trade. The team that traded is rebuilding, so he's okay with this trade even after Daniels was hurt this week. He got the best player in the trade and a future pick. I like his side of the deal best, but if Gadsden does become a top-tier dynasty tight end, I could see this trade differently, since it is a tight-end premium league.

Kirk Cousins <=======> Bhayshul Tuten

In a superflex league last week, one manager, desperate for a starting quarterback, gave up Tuten for a stopgap starter in Cousins, who played only that one game and looked terrible. Somehow, he's still in the game and in playoff contention. I still think he paid too much for one week of help because, while I am not as high on Tuten as others, he has far more opportunity ahead of him than Cousins, who may not play again after this season.

Michael Penix, Malik Nabers, Elic Ayomanor, Jalen Royals, Dont'e Thornton, and Dalton Kincaid <=======> Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, Devin Neal, Gunnar Helm

This trade is almost too big to evaluate. The crux of the trade, given it's a superflex league, is Penix and Nabers for Jackson and Henry. A team that wants to make a run at the playoffs is trying to do so on the backs of the Ravens, who are poised for a strong end of the season. He was willing to part with Penix and Nabers to do so. He also secured backups with Jackson-Huntley and Kamara-Neal. The rebuilding team was pleased to get Nabers and a younger quarterback whose job is secure. Then they obviously came to some agreement on the younger players in this trade that they must have each liked more than the players on their own rosters. It's a fair trade for both sides and shows that other dynasty managers, such as myself, believe Jackson and Henry will help many dynasty teams in the playoffs this season.

Week Eight Dynasty Takes

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Dynasty News

Bad Football

This was a bad Sunday of football. It was bad because six teams were on bye, leaving dynasty managers weak starting lineups. It was bad because more backup quarterbacks were forced to play. Seven of the twelve games on Sunday featured a backup quarterback, including the late surprise scratches of Lamar Jackson and Michael Penix. It was bad because eleven of the twelve games were double-digit wins. Fantasy points were still scored, but the games were far less enjoyable to watch this week. It was bad because several high-powered offenses were stifled this week, making all of their fantasy studs into duds. The Falcons, 49ers, Buccaneers, and Cowboys each underperformed. It made watching games and following my teams less enjoyable than most Sundays, and many of my dynasty teams, along with NFL teams, were upset this week. Hopefully, this is the worst week of the season. At least we know there won't be any more six-team bye weeks for the rest of the season.

Right and Wrong

Right On Tucker Kraft
- Kraft blew up on Sunday night with 142 yards receiving and two touchdowns. He had the third-most run-after-catch yards (131) in history by a tight end since they began tracking that stat. His yards per catch and his run-after-catch stats last season were the primary signal to me that this would be his breakout year. Last season, I traded away Mark Andrews for Kraft. Andrews got hot to end the season, and it looked like a bad trade, but this year, it's no contest. After week two this season, I traded Romeo Doubs and RJ Harvey away for Travis Etienne and Tucker Kraft, and I could not be happier about it. I'll run Kraft and Tyler Warren out in my starting lineup every week. Finally, I drafted Kraft in my most recent dynasty start-up draft. That league is a tight-end premium league, and after Sunday night, Kraft is the 23rd-highest-scoring player in the entire league. I'm glad I put my chips in on Kraft before this season's breakout. He's now a top-tier tight end and is 5th in my tight-end dynasty rankings.
Wrong On Kimani Vidal
- Boy, was I wrong on Kimani Vidal. He appears to be this year's top find on the dynasty waiver wire. After Omarion Hampton was injured, I placed my FAAB money on Hasaan Haskins instead of Vidal. In my mind, that made sense since Haskins was active with the team all year while Vidal was on the Chargers' practice squad. I should have thought more about which player is the most dynamic, and that's clearly Vidal. After his first great game, I acquired him in a trade, but this week, I was still unsure about him and started Alvin Kamara ahead of him. He had more than 100 yards rushing and one touchdown for the second time in his three starts. I could have won my fantasy game had I started him. To my demise, I've been wrong on Vidal several times this season.

Week One Injury Report

Cam Skattebo
- The worst part of the entire day was the Skettebo injury. He was one of my most drafted rookies and was an every-week starter in my lineups. His injury will kill some of my teams this season. His attitude and style won over dynasty managers and his teammates, who were all devastated at the sight of his gruesome injury. I'm sure he will not return this season, and I bet it will take more than a full year for him to recover from this injury and re-enter dynasty lineups. This injury was the hardest one for me to take this year so far. Tyrone Tracy will get a bump in his dynasty value again, as he'll have the lead role back for the Giants. Devin Singletary becomes a player to look for on the waiver wire this week, too.
Quinshon Judkins
- As of this article, news just broke that Hampton is "week-to-week" with his shoulder injury. The Browns have a bye this week, so hopefully that will give him time to return as the Browns' starter in two weeks. If not, Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford will split carries as they did at the beginning of the year. Hopefully, Judkins will bounce back quickly, though.

Stock Up

Troy Franklin

Franklin had the best fantasy day of his career on Sunday against the terrible Cowboys' defense. He caught two touchdowns after catching the first of his season last week. He's become Bo Nix's number two target behind Courtland Sutton, who only has two more targets than Franklin, who is averaging nearly seven targets per game. The Broncos still run a lot of different wide receiver packages, so he's getting under two-thirds of the total snaps. Still, when he's in there, Nix looks for him. He's now the 23rd highest scoring wide receiver this season, so his dynasty stock is rising.

Tank Bigsby

Bigsby has taken the RB-2 role in Philadelphia. He stepped in after Saquon Barkley left the game with a mild injury and added to the Eagles' unstoppable run game by running for 104 yards on just nine carries. While Will Shipley had twice as many snaps as Bigsby, he only carried the ball three times. Bigsby looked so much better than Shipley. The Eagles have to take notice. Plus, the Eagles gave up too much in their trade with the Jaguars earlier this season not to have bigger plans for Bigsby. His special teams role has now moved into a full-time backup role on a team with an awesome but aging veteran ahead of him. Every primary backup running back is valuable on dynasty rosters. If Bigsby earns that role after his outstanding play this week, his stock will rise back up this season.

Jaylen Waddle

Dynasty managers have been waiting for a Waddle blow-up game, especially after Tyreek Hill was lost for the season, but the Dolphins' offense seemed unable to make it happen. He had a great game in one of the biggest upset wins of the week when Miami trounced the Falcons on their home field. Last week, I wrote about Tua Tagovailoa's possible demise, but he surprisingly bounced back this week with a solid game that allowed Waddle to shine. This is the year for Waddle to see his dynasty stock rise again as he gets all the attention in the Dolphins' passing game and has stayed healthy thus far, unlike most years. He's the 13th-highest-scoring wide receiver this season, and his stock is back on the rise after a few years of slow decline.

Stock Down

Matthew Golden

I've already sold my only share of Matthew Golden, and I have no regrets. Tucker Kraft and Romeo Doubs are the focal points of the Packers' passing game, and the rest of the receivers just mix and match as coach LaFleur likes. Christian Watson was back this week, and Jayden Reed will be soon. There are just too many mouths to feed in Green Bay. I thought that once they finally drafted a receiver in the first round, they would target him like one, but half the fantasy season is over now, and it's obvious they won't. His three catches for four yards Sunday night were such a disappointment. I've lost all hope for Golden.

Alvin Kamara

Kamara has lost a step. Still, I thought this would be his one last time to shine now that this week the backfield would not be shared with Kendre Miller, who was injured and lost for the season last week. If he had a breakout game this week, the Saints could shop him in a trade even though he says he will not agree to one. Instead, he played his fewest snaps of the season (51%) and had his fewest carries of the season (6). The Saints made a change at quarterback in the second half, and I expect Tyler Shough to start for the rest of the season as the team tanks and earns the right to draft its quarterback of the future. Kamara can't produce in this environment, and he's showing signs of breaking down in his age-30 season. He was one of the greats in his prime, which lasted for years, but now, sadly, the writing is on the wall for him.

Young Guns

RJ Harvey

It seems like every week, a new running back is having his coming-out party. This week, it was Harvey's turn with three touchdowns on the day, including a beautiful forty-yard touchdown run. The Broncos are still hesitant to use him, giving him less than a third of the snaps each week, but it's nice to see what he can do if they were to use him more. I expect his workload to increase a little more as the season progresses, and hopefully, he can prove enough to the coaching staff to be their leading back next season. He's a hard player to start in dynasty lineups until he sees more playing time, but there is much reason for hope in a future leading role next year. Hopefully, the few good plays he made on Sunday will cause the coaching staff to give him more looks.

Mason Taylor

Taylor was the top-targeted pass catcher for the Jets during Sunday's crazy come-from-behind win in Cincinnati. His touchdown catch was a fantasy high-point grab on a trick play thrown by Breece Hall. He's established himself as a streamable tight end in dynasty lineups, where the tight end position is a nightmare unless you have one of the five or six top-tier guys. If the Jets had a more consistent offense, Taylor could play much better. Still, he's earned a starting role in his rookie season and plays more than 80% of the snaps. It will be fun for his managers to watch him develop this season and try to become a reliable starter in lineups.

Jaylin Noel, Jayden Higgins, and Woody Marks

The Texans had their best offensive showing in weeks on Sunday, and they did it on the back of their rookie receivers and running backs. Marks averaged 5.6 yards per carry on his eleven carries and 12.3 yards per catch on his four catches, netting 111 total yards from scrimmage. Noel caught five passes for 63 yards, and Higgins caught four passes for 34 yards and a touchdown. Nico Collins missed the game while in the concussion protocol, so this was the rookie class's, especially the receivers', first chance to prove themselves. Higgins played 83% of the snaps compared to Noel's 39%, but Noel had more targets and yards. He's the better playmaker in space, while Higgins is the better red-zone target, and that's precisely how they were used in the Texans' win over the 49ers. Marks is now a player worth starting in deeper leagues with several flex positions, and Higgins and Noel could be on their way there soon. I started Noel in one deep league this week and almost started him in another in anticipation of this opportunity. It was a modest game, but enough to excite me and his other dynasty managers.

Old-Man Strength

Justin Herbert

Herbert had the best game of the season since week one on Thursday night. He had three touchdown passes for the second week in a row, and he's running the ball more than he ever has before, giving dynasty managers those sweet sneaky points. He ran for 62 yards Thursday night and is averaging 31 rushing yards per game. He has the fifth-most rushing yards by a quarterback this season so far. I geeked out and watched the Thursday night game with Amazon Prime Vision for the first time, and it was a blast to watch Herbert play quarterback and see the field from his perspective. He's such a quick processor, and his arm is one of the best. He started dynasty managers like me off with a big lead on Thursday night and looked awesome doing it.

James Cook

Cook blew up on Sunday, rushing for the most yards (216) by a Bills running back since O.J. Simpson. The coaching staff was criticized over the last few weeks for limiting Cook's touches. I guess they took the criticism to heart and decided to feed Cook this week. What do you know? It worked! His two touchdowns were from 64 and 21 yards out, where he left the defenders in the dust. He's an excellent running back who is playing the best football of his career right now. The Bills were right to give him a new contract, and he will pay them back handsomely if they make him a focal point of the offense. Cook has scored more than 20 fantasy points in five of the seven weeks. He may have had two down weeks in a row, but coming off the bye, Cook and the Bills have corrected course.

Dallas Goedert

Goedert has played in seven games this season, and he has scored seven touchdowns, including two on Sunday. He's already scored more touchdowns this season than he has in any of his seven seasons in the NFL. The Eagles have made him a focal point of the passing game in the red zone. Six of his seven touchdowns have come in the red zone, and five of seven from the 6-yard line or closer. At a position that can be a touchdown-or-bust kind of position, Goedert is scoring a lot. He's always had the physical ability to produce like this, but he was never made the focal point of the offense in the red zone. Now he is, and it's resulting in the best year of his career so far.

Waiver Watch

Samaje Perine

I was surprised to see that Perine is still available in several of my dynasty leagues. Tahj Brooks is nowhere close to edging him out of the RB-2 spot in Cincinnati, and Perine has been sharing the load with Chase Brown more over the last few weeks. His touches have increased each of the last three weeks from six to seven to nine this week, when he ran for 94 yards and a touchdown. Every RB-2 should be rostered in dynasty leagues. He's the player I'll aim to add in every league this week for depth and the one-injury-away running back that we need on dynasty rosters.

Devin Singletary

Singletary is a savvy veteran who will now see an increased role in New York since Skattebo's season is over. He's worth adding in every dynasty league now, too. Tyrone Tracy will assume the leading role, but Singletary is the next man up if Tracy gets injured, as he already was once this season.

Tyler Johnson

I'd only look to add Johnson in the deepest of leagues, but he was the Jets' most targeted receiver on Sunday with Garrett Wilson injured. I can't believe Johnson never became a reliable starter in the NFL after being so dominant in college. He's bounced around the league for years, but this is the most playing time he's ever seen as a starter. Injuries to Wilson and Allan Lazard opened the door for him, so it will be fun to see what he can do with it while the door is open.

Dynasty Trades

Drake London <=======> 2026 1st round pick and 2027 1st round pick

I made a bold move, giving up two first-round picks to acquire Drake London in this league. Two years ago, I began to rebuild my team in this league. Now I am loaded with young players and tied atop the league with a 6-1 record. My only weakness is my WR-2 position since I lost Malik Nabers. I'm strong and young enough at every position that I was willing to give up two future first-round picks to make my starting lineup one of the toughest in the league. I gave up a lot, but I am confident I can compete this year and the years to come with this starting lineup.
Ha! I wrote this on Saturday, before London was declared inactive and before Skattebo and Judkins were injured. I'm still content with the trade for the long-term value to my team, but my chances of a championship run this season were significantly diminished on Sunday.
- Quarterbacks: Daniel Jones, Kyler Murray, Jaxson Dart
- Running Backs: Ashton Jeanty, Quinshon Judkins, Cam Skattebo, Travis Etienne, Jaylen Warren
- Wide Receivers: Malike Nabers, Jaxson Smith-Nijgba, Drake London, Deebo Samuel, Jakobi Meyers, Wan'Dale Robinson
- Tight Ends: Tyler Warren, Tucker Kraft

Jordan Addison, Derrick Henry <=======> Troy Franklin, Tez Johnson, and a 2026 1st round pick

A team in this league posted to the group chat that he was ready to rebuild. I promptly sent him this trade offer to strengthen my team as I try to defend my championship form from last year. Jordan Addison's value is worth a first-round pick by himself, especially since I know my pick will be at the back of the first round. Derrick Henry can strengthen my running back room, which is anchored by Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley. I believe the Ravens will get hot again for the rest of the season as Lamar Jackson returns to the starting lineup and the banged-up Ravens team gets healthy, fighting to compete for a playoff spot and a chance to win the weak AFC Central division.

Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton <=======> Caleb Williams, DeMario Douglas, and a 2026 1st round pick

In another league, I've grown tired of Caleb Williams, so I decided to trade him for the Nix-Sutton stack. I had Nix ranked three spots ahead of Williams in my dynasty rankings, so that part of the trade is pretty even. Sutton's value is likely more like a second-round pick, but I was willing to pay up a bit to get the stack as I make a run for the playoffs. My team is one of the strongest in the league, but I have battled injuries over the last few weeks. Now that CeeDee Lamb and Emeka Egbuka are healthy again, and Puka Nacua is likely to return next week, Sutton will give me incredible depth in a league where we can start up to six receivers. The team I traded with gave up its first-round pick earlier in the season, and now that it has the worst record in the league, they were eager to get a first-round pick back. It was a good trade for his team as well.

Andy Dalton, Keenan Allen, Zach Ertz <=======> Bhayshul Tuten and 2027 2nd and 3rd round picks

In a superflex tight end-premium league where I started a massive rebuild, I traded away Dalton, Allen, and Ertz for Tuten and two 2027 picks. I tried to get a first-round pick in the trade, but had to settle for a second and third-round pick. I've never been a believer in Tuten, but he's worth taking a chance on in a rebuild. I now have two picks in every round in 2026, and in 2027, I have two first-round picks, three second and third-round picks, and two fourth and fifth-round picks. What makes this league unique is that our rookie draft is an auction, so draft picks equate to a certain amount of money. That means all of these future picks can accumulate money, allowing me to buy multiple rookies with first-round value. It's complicated, I know, but it will be fun to have a lot of money in our rookie auction draft for the next two years, and I am still not done trading players for picks!

Tee Higgins <=======> Jerry Jeudy and 2026 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks

The same team that I gave a first-round pick to in the previous trade, sold Higgins to get back Jeudy and three future picks. Both teams accomplished their goals, one to rebuild and the other to compete. Higgins is far better than Jeudy, especially beyond this year, but the three picks more than even out this trade. This was the week that a few teams in this league, including myself, decided whether they needed to rebuild or compete. Several competing teams added players for their playoff run, including me. Now, the competition at the top has gotten a lot tougher. The following trade was another such trade in this league.

JK Dobbins <=======> Adonai Mitchell and a 2026 2nd round pick

As I wrote last week, Mitchell's dynasty stock has fallen further than ever before, making him almost droppable in dynasty leagues. Dobbins' days are numbered, given his age and injury history, but he's worth a second-round pick. The team that acquired Dobbins is in the middle of the pack but wanted to add a piece to help in a playoff run, and the team that acquired Mitchell and the pick decided it was time to sell off older assets. It was a good trade for both teams.

Aaron Rodgers, Josh Jacobs <=======> 2026 1st and 2nd round pick

This was yet another contender-rebuilder trade that took place in this same league. Rodgers may be in his last year, but he can help a competing team in this superflex league during his playoff run, and Jacobs will help his team for years to come. The price is right in this trade. He paid a hefty price for Rodgers and Jacobs, but he made his team significantly stronger for his playoff run for the future. The rebuilding team will be pleased to receive the picks as they begin rebuilding.

Week Seven Dynasty Takes

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Dynasty News

Top Storyline

What I'll remember most about this week's games was the game-winning performances by several players and how they were spread out throughout the week, causing dynasty teams' winning percentages to go up and down like a roller coaster if you were playing or playing against these explosive players. It all began Thursday night when Joe Flacco targeted the heck out of Ja'Maar Chase, setting a team record with 23 targets in a game, and the Steelers could not stop him. Chase's dynasty managers had their hope restored this season since Joe Flacco led him to a 30-point night with 16 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown. His managers felt like they had it won after a start like that, but other teams fought back Sunday afternoon because Jonathan Taylor and Bo Nix went nuts and scored 33 and 43 points, leading dynasty teams back again, teams that were hurt by Chase's performance Thursday night. Taylor has been unstoppable this season. He scored three touchdowns on Sunday. It was his third three-touchdown game of the year. What has made him so productive this year is that he's involved in the passing game, and he never leaves the field. He has his highest scoring game of the season with 33 points. Bo Nix, on the other hand, has had a very up-and-down season, and he started this game looking terrible. Nearly all of his 43 points came in the 4th quarter when the Broncos were the first team in NFL history to come back to win a game when they were shut out for three quarters and down by 19 points or more. Nix led the team on five consecutive scoring drives with two touchdown passes, two touchdown runs of his own, and a game-winning field goal. I guarantee his dynasty managers thought their day was done until he did what he did over 45 minutes. I should know, since I started him in three of my dynasty leagues. I came back to win two of them, and I was on pace to easily win the third until the next guy blew up on Sunday night. In that game, the other manager, who also has Ja'Maar Chase, pulled back ahead of me on Sunday night on the back of Christian McCaffrey, who scored 36 points on a ridiculous amount of touches. He had 24 carries and seven catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He's healthy this year and back to being the top-tier dynasty running back even at his age. After the Sunday roller coaster, we still have two more Monday night games that could create several 30-point-plus performances. Dynasty managers like me need one or more such performances to win games this week and make it one of the most fun fantasy weeks of the season!

Week One Right and Wrong

Right on Daniel Jones
- Before I was right on Jones, I was right on Anthony Richardson. I never thought he could become a productive NFL starter because he was too poor a passer and had so little college experience. When Daniel Jones signed with the Colts, I predicted him to become the starter for this season and to be the Sam Darnold of this year, only he will stay with the team that gave him his second chance. What I did not expect was his talent to open up the offense to the incredible coaching of Shane Steichen, who has the Colts leading the NFL in points per game. I expected Jones to improve the offense, but Steichen has super-powered it. Together they have made Jones a reliable starter on dynasty rosters even in one-quarterback leagues. I'm starting him every week in one of my leagues and stream him with Bo Nix in another while Lamar Jackson has been injured. What a comeback season for Jones and the Colts!
Wrong on Oronde Gadsden
- My goodness did Gadsden break out on Sunday! He had the third-highest single-game receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history on Sunday with 164 yards and a touchdown. When he started getting hype during training camp, he was available on the waiver wire in many of my leagues and draftable in leagues that drafted late, but I did not believe in the hype and was unwilling to drop a player from my roster to get him. I doubled down on Will Dissly to get healthy and earn the starting role this season and added him off waivers instead. Well, that ship has passed and I missed the boat. Dynasty managers who were quicker and wiser than I could have a superstar on their hands, or little to no cost.

Week One Injury Report

Bryce Young
- As of this article, Bryce Young will miss at least a week and maybe more with an ankle injury. Andy Dalton is a capable backup who can keep the offense moving, so I do not think Young's absence will hurt the performance of the Panthers' players too severely for the games that he is called upon to start.
Jayden Daniels
- As of this article, the severity of Daniel's hamstring injury is unknown, but by his reaction coming out of the medical tent, I do not think it is serious. Marcus Mariota played well when coming in for Daniels earlier in the season, in that he had productive fantasy days personally, averaging 20 points per game. Still, he brought the offensive production in the passing game down compared to Daniels. As if the Commanders' passing game was not struggling enough already with so many receivers injured. Their offense will have to get creative to move the ball, which could help Deebo Samuel, but hurt everyone else.
Darren Waller
- As of this article, Waller is day-to-day with a pectoral injury, but I expect him to miss several weeks. It was a fun and productive ride for Waller this season, but I believe it has come to an end, as has the entire Dolphins offense anyway.
Kendre Miller
- While writing this article, it was reported that Miller has torn his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. That's terrible news for a guy who fought back so hard to earn the RB-2 role with the Saints, and I thought would become their leading back next year, so much so that I traded for him last week. What a bummer for Miller and his dynasty managers. At least for Alvin Kamara's dynasty managers, he will stop getting his workload cut into for the rest of the season.

Stock Up

De'Andre Swift

Swift has to move up the dynasty ranks after his second productive week in a row and after the Bears find it easier to win on his legs rather than Caleb Williams's arm. The Bears ran the ball 36 times on Sunday, not including Williams' four rushes, en route to their second impressive win in a row. It's lazy to continue to compare Ben Johnson's players to those he had in Detroit, but it's starting to look like Swift is the Jahmyr Gibbs-like player and Kyle Monangai the David Montgomery-like player in this growing offense. Both had great games, but more on Monangai later.

Chris Olave

Chris Olave saw the end zone twice on Sunday, which was the first time he has done so in his four-year career. He and Spencer Rattler have a strong connection and his new coach, Kellen Moore, has given him a stronger role in the offense. Olave always had the talent but was limited by injuries, poor coaching, and mediocre quarterback play. This season, he is on pace to double the most touchdowns in a season and to receive almost 50% more targets than he ever has before. He's on the rise again for the first time since his rookie season. If he stays healthy and can get that concern off his record, he will continue to rise in dynasty rankings.

Jordan Addison

Addison is "Steady Eddie." He's as reliable as they come, even though he plays opposite Justin Jefferson. He's reliable no matter which quarterback he's had throwing to him over his short career. Since returning from suspension, he's averaged nearly nine targets per game and 94 yards receiving per game. I drafted him often since I was higher on him in his class than most dynasty managers. Every week I seem to have a start/sit decision with him in my WR-3 spot. In some leagues, I have started him, while in other leagues, I have not. It's time to put him in every lineup and enjoy the reliable floor and breakout weeks when he scores touchdowns. He's an excellent route runner and presents himself open too often each game.

Stock Down

Xavier Worthy and Travis Kelce

I had to admit it because I have so many shares of Worthy, but Sunday was rough with Rashee Rice back in the lineup. The Chiefs were trying to make a statement by giving Rice the ball so often, but I saw more than that. I saw how often Tyquan Thornton, Hollywood Brown, and Juju Smith-Schuster were involved in the passing game and grew more concerned about Worthy and Kelce. Worthy led all receivers in snaps, but that was with just 59%. Rice had 41% and Thornton, Brown, and Smith-Schuster 33% or more of the snaps too. Some of that was exaggerated by the fact that the Chiefs put in their second team early in the fourth quarter, but that was not the sole reason for these snap percentages. Even Kelce just played 62% compared to Noah Gray's 59%. The Chiefs can do whatever they want with whoever they want, and the pie is split too many ways.

Adonai Mitchell

It's hard to drop a guy in the ranks who hardly played on Sunday, just five snaps, but that's just the point with Mitchell. Josh Downs was injured this week, and he still did not get reps with the first team. Alec Pierce and Anthony Gould played ahead of Mitchell. I don't know if it's all because of the enormous mistake he made fumbling the ball in the endzone a few weeks ago, or if Pierce and Gould have locked him out of opportunities. Pierce is playing really well this year with the downfield role that they want and need in their offense, and he's just better at it. Dynasty managers holding out hope for Mitchell need to let it go. He's almost droppable at this rate.

Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, and Justin Fields

Tua, Geno, and Justin all got benched this Sunday as the should have. Each started this season with starting roles that buoyed their dynasty value and gave their dynasty managers hope of a redemptive season with Tua off injuries and Geno and Justin on new teams. Sadly, I think they have all spoiled their chances, and their backups deserve a right to play, and the teams have nothing more to fight for besides an earlier draft pick to replace them. So, letting their backups play could soon be in the best interest of the team, if only their coaches were not all on the hot seat as well. These three quarterbacks are on their last hurrah.

Young Guns

Quinshon Judkins

If there was ever a predictable game to break out, it was this one against the hapless Dolphins' defense on Sunday. I was sure that Judkins would break out this week, and he did with three touchdowns in the wet and windy home game in Cleveland. It's easy to compare him to Nick Chubb, given that he plays for the Browns, but I find a lot of similarity in their play. He's tough and hard-nosed between the tackles, always falling forward and gaining hidden yards, which makes him an excellent goal-line back. But he also has breakaway speed and can hit his fastest gear quickly after cutting through a hole or hitting the corner outside. The race for the top rookie running back in this class is heating up, and Judkins is making his argument to be the best, even while he plays on a team with a terrible offense.

Xavier Legette

If you've followed me long, you know I've been a big fan of Legette even though all the collegiate profile data points against him. I just loved watching him play in that fifth year of college and thought his first-round draft capital would earn him every chance to become the Panthers' WR-1. After a very disappointing and unproductive first season, the Panthers drafted Tetairoa McMillan in the first round, and I knew for sure that he would be their future WR-1. Still, drafting T-Mac gave me renewed hope for Legette to develop this season and become a reliable WR-2. Don't get me wrong, he's far from proving that, but this week he made big plays that were important in the game, including a touchdown and a game-sealing catch, and he did this after Jalen Coker, who played better than him as a rookie, was back from injury and on the field with him. To be clear, one game does not a WR-2 make, but Leggette had his highest scoring fantasy game of his young career, and I want to celebrate it.

Kyle Monangai

Monangai quickly surpassed Roschon Johnson this season to become the Bears' RB-2 behind Swift, but now in week seven, he has earned an even greater role as a 1-2 punch in the backfield. Monangai had the most carries (13) and yards (81) of the season, and he scored his first touchdown on a red-zone run from the one-yard line. I loved his hard-nose running style in college and hoped he could earn a role with the Bears after they drafted him in the seventh round this year. He has earned that role, and it is here to stay, and given Swift's age, Monangai has a real chance to become the Bear's starting running back of the future. Dynasty managers who drafted him late last year have found a budding playmaker like the Bears did.

Old-Man Strength

Davante Adams

All Adams does is score touchdowns, the one thing Puka Nacua has a hard time doing. That's why the Rams signed him, and it's how they are using him, even at his age. Whether it's a skinny post, an outside fade, or a back shoulder throw, Adams has perfected those skills, and Matt Stafford knows where to put the ball. He had a modest three-touchdown day in London. He was already the second most targeted player in the red zone behind George Pickens this year, but he had come up unlucky on a higher percentage of targets than could hold up statistically. Well, the tables turned after a three-red-zone touchdown day. Stafford to Adams looks exactly like Rodgers to Adams looked for so many years in the red zone. It's fantastic to see.

Rhamondre Stevenson

After a couple of rough weeks in the yards per carry department, Stevenson righted the course this week and ran all over the terrible Titans defense. He had a modest 88 yards rushing and a touchdown, but I was most impressed with his volume of play this week, playing 75% of the snaps. He's an old man, but he has firmly held off the rookie, TreVeyon Henderson. He had the most carries he's had this season (18) while Henderson had his least (2), and that was in a blowout win. Sometimes the older men can hold off the young bucks, and Stevenson has done that this year. He deserves some props for his play this week.

AJ Brown and Dovante Smith

Just when you think the Eagles' passing offense is dead, their top two old men ball out to combine for 304 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Smith had the most receiving yards of his career with 183, including a 79-yard bomb for a touchdown. Brown only caught four passes, but he averaged 30 yards per catch and scored two touchdowns. A follower reached out to me this week to ask what I thought of Brown. I said I don't trust the offense, but I am still holding on because a breakout week is coming, and he's too good to trade. I still have concerns about his consistency. At this rate, Smith is far more consistent, but when Brown has big games, they can win weeks. If you're deep enough to take some lame weeks from him in start-three-receiver rosters, you have to start him every week because things like this can happen. Let's hope the Eagles learn something from this week and begin airing the ball out more for the rest of the season, and turn Smith and Brown into what we know they can be if the playcallers will allow them.

Waiver Watch

More Backup Quarterbacks

In superflex leagues, all of the backup quarterbacks and potential new starters should be picked up for first this week. I would prioritize them this way - Andy Dalton, Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, Quinn Ewers if I needed quarterback points for this season. If my quarterback room is solid and I do not need points this year, I would take a shot on Ewers first to see what becomes of the quarterback room in Miami.

Devin Neal

Neal becomes the top pick-up for one-quarterback leagues this week as he will likely take over part of the Kendre Miller role. I loved Neal as a college prospect and thought he would instantly earn the RB-2 role in New Orleans, but Miller proved me wrong. He may have backed into the role, but now is his chance to earn it. I'm so mad at myself for dropping him in one league last week when I just decided Miller was the Saints' guy. Now I'll have to pay up to buy him back.

Daniel Bellinger

He's only worth adding in tight-end premium leagues, but I would consider him in those leagues of mine. He played 68% of the snaps compared to Theo Johnson's 88%, but they were often on the field together, and he scored a touchdown this week. Last week, he had four catches, too. The Giants are running a lot of 12 personnel with Malik Nabers gone, so Bellinger will be an active part of the passing game, and his targets could go up even more if Johnson ever gets hurt.

Dynasty Trades

Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, Kimani Vidal, <=======> Chase Brown, Marvin Harrison, Dallas Goedert, and Tahj Brooks

I offered this trade, which was accepted in a ten-team league where only four teams make the playoffs. There is one team with the top roster, but I am in the mix of the 3 to 4 other teams that could contend for a championship. My biggest weakness is at the RB-2 spot. I am loaded with depth everywhere else. I decided it was time, after the Packers' bye week, to give up a lot to buy Jacobs, his backup, and Vidal, since I also have Omarion Hampton on my roster. I admit that I overpaid, but I sent a strong offer to get the deal done quickly without haggling. I've grown tired of Marvin Harrison's inconsistency, and he's been on my bench most weeks. I have Colston Loveland and AJ Barner to back up Trey McBride at tight end, and I was ready to give up on the Bengals' running backs if I could secure a reliable, touchdown-scoring running back like Jacobs. It was a lot to offer, but now I am ready for a playoff run and solid at every single position.

TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, Tee Higgins <=======> Chris Rodriguez, Javonte Williams, Ladd McConkey

In this 14-team league, four teams have by far the best rosters and are bolstering up for a playoff run. The contenting team added Williams after his incredible bounce-back season and McConkey who has been solid this year. Rodriguez is just a throw-in in the deal. He gave the rebuilding team a solid receiver in Higgins and two young running backs who have been the most disappointing this year. I like what each team did for their purposes. The rebuilding team really needs Johnson and Henderson to earn starting roles to ever be happy about this deal, but if even one of them does, it could seem worth it. As for the contender, we'll see if McConkey and Williams can pull him over the top in this highly competitive top-tier of teams.

Drake Maye and a 2026 2nd round pick <=======> Jordan Mason, Keenan Allen, and a 2026 3rd round pick

Two brothers worked together to make this trade between a rebuilding team and a contending team. The contending team is at the top of the league with Patrick Mahomes as his starting quarterback in a one-quarterback league, so he was willing and able to give up Maye for depth pieces and running back and receiver to stay hot, particularly through upcoming bye weeks. The rebuilding team got a rising star in Maye and a second-round pick for next year. I like this trade for both teams. I don't think any player in the trade is worth a first-round draft pick in a one-quarterback league, though Maye is almost that valuable and may be by the end of the season at this rate. He's undoubtedly the best dynasty player in the trade, but worth giving up if you have Mahomes and a shot at a title this year.

Chase Brown <=======> Two 3rd round picks in 2026

As much as I have soured on Brown this season and question his future role as the RB-1 in Cincinnati, I still like the Brown side of this trade. I consider third-round picks a crapshoot. At least he got two of them because if you're drafting players in the third round, it's great to have a lot of chances. Now he will have three with his own third-round pick included. As I said, I have soured on brown, but I would pay two third-round picks for sure to wait and see what can become of his competition next year.

Rashee Rice <=======> 2026 1st round pick

It's sad to say, but in my most inexperienced dynasty managers league, a manager gave up Rice for one first-round pick. I immediately texted the manager who bought Rice and said, "What a steal!" Rice is worth more than a first, especially if the team that acquired Rice is among the top teams in the league, which they are. Meaning, this will very likely be a late first-round pick for Rice. I would have preferred to see Rice trade for two first-round picks or at least a first and a second, or a first and a solid player who is injured or out for this season. I wish I had been the one to make that offer. Now I will have a harder time defending my championship in this league!

Malik Nabers, 2026 1st round pick, 2027 1st and 2nd round pick <=======> CeeDee Lamb and Rashee Rice

This was the biggest blockbuster trade of the week. A very competitive team went all in on this year and next by buying Rice and Lamb, giving up Nabers, two first-round picks, and one second-round pick. I don't think he gave up too much. That's how much top-tier receivers should cost. I love what the rebuilding team did, too. They may have to wait until next year before they get Nabers back, but they got the youngest top-tier wide receiver in the trade, and they added three future picks. Dang! I hoped to compete in this league down the stretch, but I don't think I can after a top team added Rice and Lamb, sounds like a recipe for a championship (see what I did there :).

Week Six Dynasty Takes

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Dynasty News

Week Six Storyline

What I'll remember most about this week is the incredible play of three dynasty quarterbacks who were all left for dead just a few years ago. I am speaking of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Daniel Jones. It's wild that each of these quarterbacks, who showed promise in their rookie seasons but ultimately flamed out, has resurrected their careers and dynasty value years later on new teams. Together they have led their teams to a 14-4 record this season, too! Mayfield threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns with his top three receivers off the field. Sam Darnold threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns, and has moved Jaxson Smith-Njigba into the top tier of dynasty receivers. Their chemistry together is fantastic. Jones threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns, and he had another touchdown on the ground. It's wild to say, but they are among the best quarterbacks in the league this year, and their dynasty value is the highest it has been since they were drafted so many years ago. Props to dynasty managers who either stuck with them or added them off the waiver wire before they landed on new teams and earned starting roles again. It hardly ever happens, but we're witnessing three examples this season, and it's a blast to watch.

Week Six Right and Wrong

Right on Cam Skattebo
- I was higher on Cam Skattebo than most dynasty analysts and managers, as evidenced by the fact that I drafted him three times, including paying up for him in a rookie auction. I knew he would take over the backfield by midseason, but I was wrong. He took it over even sooner. He showed the world who he was in Thursday night's primetime game, exploding onto the scene with three touchdowns. His pass blocking is no longer an issue, so he's become an every-down back. He'll get all of the Giants' goal-line runs and be a major part of the passing game, especially this season since they lost Malik Nabers for the year. He's one of the most fun players to watch because of his physicality and intensity. Dynasty managers who believed in him will love cheering for him and will win weeks with him on their roster, as they likely did this week. What a beast!
Wrong on Raiders Receivers
- I was wrong on the Raiders' receivers in three ways this season. First, I bet on Jack Bech becoming an instant starter for the Raiders, who had one of the weakest depth charts in the league. I selected him three times in rookie drafts and traded up in two leagues to get him. Sadly, he's barely played this season because Tre Tucker is not only better than him. He's also become the WR-1 for the Raiders ahead of Jakobi Meyers, whom I bet on in several leagues and traded for last week. He was the steady-Eddy high-floor receiver for years, but he's been a huge disappointment and is the WR-2 behind Tucker. Finally, Dont'e Thornton was my most-added player off waivers this offseason, and I even traded for him in one league, but he, too, has amounted to nothing. To make matters worse, they are all playing poorly while Brock Bowers is injured. If there was ever a time for more volume and production, it was at the start of this season, but none of the Raiders receivers I bought into have lived up to my hopes. So far, I wiffed on these guys.

Week Six Injury Report

Puka Nacua
- Nacua is my most rostered player, so his ankle injury will hurt me in my dynasty leagues and in the Scott Fish Bowl, where I have been dominating my league and currently sit at 16th in the overall ranking after last week. As of this article, it appears to be a minor injury, but the Rams have a bye week in two weeks, so he's likely to miss the next two weeks at least. Jordan Whittington is the player who best fills his role when Nacua is out, so he'll benefit the most for a short time - hopefully a very short time!
Marvin Harrison
- Harrison got concussed on Sunday and had to leave the game. Most of the time, concussions are a one to two-week injury. Dynasty managers hope so, even though he has been as unreliable as last year this season. I benched him in the only league where I have him this week, so I won't miss him much. He has years to improve, but he's been a huge disappointment to fantasy managers thus far in his career.
Emeka Egbuka
- This one hurts! After one of the hottest starts to a rookie season, Egbuka left the game with a hamstring injury and could miss more time in the weeks to come. He'll be a massive loss to dynasty managers if so. Baker will still spread the ball around, making Tez Johnson an interesting player to add off waivers in some leagues — more on him in the waiver segment. In the two leagues where I drafted Egbuka, my wide receiver room has been decimated. In both leagues, I have now lost Egbuka, CeeDee Lamb, and Puka Nacua injured. It's gonna be a tough stretch for me in those leagues. I was in first place in both leagues headed into this week, but I expect a significant fall over the next three to four weeks. Sometimes fantasy football sucks.
Calvin Ridley
- After his first good game with Cam Ward last week, Ridley could not improve upon it because he left the game with a hamstring injury. Van Jefferson got the most work in his absence, and Chimere Dike will also get more playing time if the injury lingers. Neither will make a fantasy impact because the Titans are terrible on offense, and Ward looks lost in his rookie season. As of this writing, the Titans just fired their head coach, so we'll see if anyone else can make the Titans' offense respectable. In my survivor pool this season, I always pick the team that is playing the Titans, whether home or away. They are that bad.

Stock Up

Drake Maye

Maye has officially broken out this season, and his stock is rising fast. He had a perfect passer rating at halftime and ended the day with a 140.1 passer rating. He threw three touchdown passes (the most of the year) and had his highest fantasy finish of the year with 30 points. He's in complete command of the offense, leading the team to scoring drives. The Patriots average 25 points per game, and they don't have any top-tier weapons in the passing game. Maye just throws the ball to whoever is open. He is completing a ridiculous 73% of his passes this season, and each week, a different player leads the team in receptions and fantasy points. He's an excellent quarterback and an every-week starter even in one-quarterback leagues.

Rico Dowdle

What Dowdle has done the last two weeks is historic. He's scored 31 and 32 fantasy points in back-to-back weeks with more than 230 total yards in each game. He's poised to be this year's Bucky Irving, taking over the backfield and not relinquishing the starting role ever again. There's no way the Panthers can go back to Hubbard as their leading back again. Their roles are permanently reversed after these two bonanza games. Dynasty managers who thought they had a depth piece or handcuff now have a game-changer and a season-changer in Dowdle. I wish I were one of them. Instead, I lost two games this week playing against him, including one undefeated team that scored the second-most points in the league, because Skattebo, who was then outperformed by Dowdle. What a bad beat, and what a great new starting running back!

Dak Prescott

Prescott is on fire this season. I fully expected him to have an incredible bounce-back year this season, but he's even blown me away. He's completing 72% of his passes, and he's thrown for three or more touchdowns in three consecutive weeks. He's seeing the field, processing plays incredibly well, and making all the right decisions. He's only thrown three interceptions this year and none in the last three weeks. Sadly for me, as a Cowboys fan, his outstanding play cannot overcome the Cowboys' terrible defense. Still, he makes games entertaining and pleasing from a fantasy perspective. He's 32 years old but is playing the best football of his career, which has increased his dynasty stock as a result.

Stock Down

Jordan Love

I believed the narrative from last year about Love, which suggested that his injury caused the coaches to take a more conservative approach than they wanted last season. That would explain Love's mediocre year from a fantasy standpoint. When the Packers drafted Matthew Golden in the first round, I saw it as more likely that they would expand the passing game and make Love more productive for dynasty managers. Well, I'm no longer buying into those narratives. Love is stuck in mediocracy. He's not bad. He's not good. He's just mid, and I am afraid that's his fate with the Packers, who are good enough to win games with a mid quarterback and are happy to do so. He's scored more than 24 fantasy points just once this season and averages just 17 points per game. Again, that's not terrible, but it's not what his dynasty managers want and need from him.

Chase Brown

For too long this season, I blamed Brown's lack of production on the loss of Joe Burrow. While I am still sure he would have produced more with Burrow on the field, there's more to it than that. He's averaging 2.7 yards per carry. The average NFL running back could do better than that, no matter who their quarterback is. For instance, Tony Pollard, playing behind Cam Ward on a winless team, is averaging 3.9 yards per carry. Brown is not as talented as I thought he was or could be. I'm moving him down my dynasty rankings significantly this week.

Kenneth Walker

Truth be told, I have no shares of Walker and plenty of shares of Zach Charbonnet, so I'd love to see Charbonnet take over this backfield. I would not call this week a takeover, but Walker played just 35% of the snaps this week, and once again, Charbonnet got all of the work in the red zone. For the first time this season, Charbonnet's total snap count has surpassed Walker's, and that's with Charbonnet missing one game! Walker's dynasty stock had already been falling since the Seattle backfield was almost a perfect 50/50 committee. Still, his inability to break big plays this season, the loss of snaps and touches to Charbonnet, and the effectiveness of Seattle's passing game caused me to value Walker even less than I did earlier in this season. Walker and Charbonnet are two of the most untrustworthy running backs to project every week, and their dynasty values are moving closer together than they ever have been before.

Young Guns

Jaxson Dart

Like Cam Skattebo, Jaxson Dart made his presence known to the world in Thursday's primetime game. He had a modest game from a passing standpoint, with 195 yards passing and one touchdown, but from a fantasy standpoint, he was even better because of his 58 yards rushing and a touchdown. He's in great company, joining Lamar Jackson as the only rookie quarterback to run for more than 50 yards in each of his first three career starts. Like any rookie, he has a lot of room for growth, especially when throwing the ball deep, but his feet will keep him a startable fantasy quarterback as the rest of his game develops. What a fantastic start to a career for the young gun!

Kimani Vidal

Well, last week's waiver wire question about who is better to pick up, Vidal or Haskins, has been answered. Vidal blew Haskins away by averaging 6.9 yards per carry in his first game of the season. He has 124 yards rushing and caught a short pass for a touchdown. There's no way the Chargers will go back to Haskins. Vidal was a favorite sleeper candidate for many dynasty managers in the 2024 rookie class. However, almost every manager gave up on him and dropped him from their lineups, as they should, since he was demoted to the practice squad and the Chargers drafted Omarion Hampton. News broke after the game that the Chargers expect Hampton to miss more than the four weeks he's on IR. His extended absence means that the dynasty managers who won bids on Vidal last week has a new starter for their lineups. Unfortunately for me, I prioritized Haskins and won him in several leagues last week. I wish I could do that over again.

Oronde Gadsden

Since week four, Gadsden has led the Chargers in tight end snaps, and this week he was finally significantly involved in the passing game. He has seven catches for 68 yards. All dynasty managers who were wise enough to draft him in the last round of their rookie drafts or pick him up off waivers when training camp reports buzzed about him love what they saw on Sunday. Gadsden was the Chargers' second-most-targeted player while Quentin Johnston was out this week, giving dynasty managers the breakout week they've been waiting for. What a find for those who found him!

Old-Man Strength

Kendrick Bourne

This is ridiculous! Bourne had 142 yards receiving for the second week in a row. He's come off the trash heap to become the 49ers' top wide receiver the last two weeks while so many of their other pass catchers are dealing with injuries. He's looked fantastic, too! He looks like he's been the team's WR-1 for years, but it's only been two weeks. If Pearsall misses another week with an injury, dynasty managers seriously need to get Bourne, the eight-year vet, in their starting lineups.

Josh Jacobs

Jacobs is a touchdown machine. For the second game in a row, he's had more than 150 total yards and two touchdowns. He's scored at least one touchdown in every game except this year. As I wrote above, the Packers are pleased to have a conservative offense that runs the ball, eats clock, and sits on their leads. Jacob allows them to do that. He's just a phenomenal, consistent player who gets the job done almost every week of the season. At 27 years old, he's on pace to have the most touchdowns and fantasy points of his six-year career. He's an excellent running back.

Ja'Maar Chase

Chase is simply quarterback-proof. Two weeks ago, it dawned on the Bengals' coaching staff that the only change they needed to win was to target Chase relentlessly. When they did, he would make plays. He turned 10 targets two weeks ago with Jake Browning into 26 fantasy points. This week, Joe Flacco turned 12 targets into 20 fantasy points. His dynasty managers can rest assured that their season is not over because Flacco will continue to pepper Chase with targets. The Bengals made the trade with Flacco because they still want to compete in their weak division. Beating the Packers at Lambeau Field was a stretch for Flacco's first game, but for the rest of the season, they can and will compete, relying on their very best player, Ja'Maar Chase.

Waiver Watch

Tez Johnson

Johnson is available in most of my leagues, and he's the player most worth adding this week. He'll become a starter for Tampa Bay with all of their starters out due to injuries, and he'll have a chance to earn a future permanent role with the team if he plays well. He's super tiny by NFL standards, but he had a super productive college career. I've stashed him on a taxi squad in one of my leagues already, but he'll be the player I try to add in the rest of my leagues this week.

Bam Knight

Late Sunday morning, news broke that Knight would start the game ahead of Michael Carter this week and get more touches. They ended up with nearly a 50/50 split, but Knight did start the game, got the goal-line touches, and scored a touchdown. I imagine the Cardinals will continue to rotate their backs until Trey Benson returns from IR, but with the "bye-nado" coming this week, Knight will be a startable player in some dynasty lineups this week.

Lil' Jordan Humphrey

Humphrey was second on the team in wide receiver snaps for the Giants during his first and only game of the season with the team. He had four catches and was targeted in the end zone once. I would have listed him as the top player to pick up this week, but the Giants moved him back to the practice squad for some reason. Still, he could get called back up later in the week. If so, he's worth adding this week to see if he can earn a role in Malik Naber's absence. He is the only big wide receiver the Giants have.

Dynasty Trades

Trevor Lawrence <=======> 2027 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks

In a superflex league where I am rebuilding, I gave up Lawrence for all five of another manager's 2027 rookie picks. What makes this league unique is that the rookie draft is an auction, so the draft picks are all worth a certain amount of money. Thus, there is more reason to accumulate multiple picks because the 2nd through 5th round picks will add up to an amount equivalent to that allotted to a late second round pick. I now have at least two picks in every round of the 2026 and 2027 drafts, including three first-round picks in 2026. I saw Lawrence as one of my young core team members and wanted to keep him to pair with Jaxson Dart as my quarterback pair for the future. However, when I was offered five picks in 2027 for Lawrence, I felt I had to take it. The team that acquired Lawrence is a top-two team in the league, with Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback. They wanted to secure a second quarterback to make a run this year. Now I have more reason to root against him.

Michael Pittman <=======> 2026 1st round pick

In my original Dynasty Freek league, I am 5-0 and the highest scoring team in the league. My starting lineup is awesome, but I lack depth. I wanted to add a player like Pittman, who can add depth to my wide receivers as the bye weeks pile up. We start three receivers in this league, and AJ Brown has filled my WR-3 role alongside Puka Nacua and Amon-Ra St Brown. His inconsistency has frustrated me, so I was eager to add a player like Pittman, whom I can stream with Brown and start during bye weeks. Pittman has thoroughly impressed this season, and his future looks bright again with Daniel Jones at quarterback. The team that added the pick is in year two of a rebuild, so he was helped by adding another first-round pick.

Chris Olave <=======> Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller

In this league, I am strong and deep at wide receiver but less so at running back. A team sent me this offer after we exchanged a few offers back and forth. He wanted wide receiver depth and knew I needed the same at running back. He first offered me Kamara and Tajae Spears for Olave, and I declined. I asked for Travis Etienne for Olave, and he declined. When he sent back Kamara and Miller, I was pleased to accept. I've been very impressed with Miller this year, and I see him as the player I was most pleased to add in this trade because I think he will be the future lead running back for the Saints. My real hope is that Kamara gets traded to a competitive team, and I end up with two starting running backs to help my team this season. Both of our teams are competitors in this league, but we have different needs to stay competitive. I just lost Omarion Hampton for a few weeks, so I was even more in need of running backs. As much as I love Olave, he would rarely see my starting lineup in this league because I have Puka Nacua, Drake London, George Pickens, Marvin Harrison, and Jordan Addison. While Olave is my favorite player in this even trade, I was willing to give him away to stay competitive this season, hoping that Miller becomes the Saints' future starter.

Jake Ferguson, Roman Wilson, Antonio Gibson and a 2026 2nd round pick <=======> Kenneth Gainwell, Evan Engram, Isaac TeSlaa, and a 2026 3rd round pick

This is the most lopsided trade I have evaluated this year, and believe it or not, it was offered to the manager who won the trade. The best player in this trade is Jke Ferguson, by far, and the best draft pick is the second-round pick. One manager got the best player and the best pick. Gainwell can be helpful this year in a pinch or with a Warren injury, but his dynasty stock is not going up, TeSlaa will never have a prominent role with Detroit, and Engram is a fading asset who has not popped this year at all. The same can be said for Antonio Gibson and Roman Wilson. This trade is all about Ferguson, who is the top tight end in the league this year. Surely his production will decrease when CeeDee Lamb comes back this season. Still, his dynasty value is solidified in the top second-tier of tight ends after his incredible start to this season. I don't understand this trade at all from the standpoint of the manager who offered it and lost it.

Matthew Stafford <=======> J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz

A team that's in the bottom half of the league but competing for a final playoff spot traded away both Vikings quarterbacks for the older but far more productive Stafford. It's a superflex league, but with only ten teams, quarterbacks are less critical. So, a team competing this season was willing to trade a younger, unproven quarterback for an older one who is on fire this season. The rebuilding team is a Vikings fan, so he may as well have a share of his team's future with McCarthy. This is a fair trade, giving a rebuilding team future hope and the battling team hope this season.

Baker Mayfield and Jordan Whittington <=======> 2026 1st roud pick

In a league that is moving to superflex in 2027, a team decided to go into full rebuild mode. He made the following four trades to get rid of older players and collect draft picks. The first trade was with another rebuilding team that had three first-round draft picks but thought it was worth giving up one for Baker Mayfield. We're more than a year away from moving to superlex, but Mayfield, though older, will still be a starter at that point, so he thought it was worth giving up one of his three first-round draft picks. The other manager would rather have the pick. It's a fair trade that's harder to evaluate when the transition to superflex is still more than a year away, but I understand and appreciate what each manager did in this trade.

A.J. Brown and a 2026 3rd round pick <=======> 2026 1st and 2nd round pick

AJ Brown is one of the players dynasty managers have to draw a line on now. One manager still believes in him, and the other does not. Unfortunately for all the other managers in this league, the rebuilding team traded Brown to the four-time consecutive champion, which strengthens their team if Brown and the Eagles' offense can bounce back this season. It's a very fair price to pay for Brown at his peak. Given he's not at his peak and his future is uncertain, I like the pick side of this trade. At the same time, I can see a consecutive champion taking a risk on Brown while trying to win yet another championship. I know everyone else in the league is rooting against him and upset that a rebuilding team would trade with the champ... or maybe I am just speaking for myself!

Alvin Kamara <=======> Justice Hill and a 2026 2nd round pick

The rebuilding team also gave Kamara to the returning champion for another second-round pick. He got Hill back in return, but for practical purposes, this was a pick for a player trade. Kamara has taken a step back and is losing touches to Miller, as I mentioned above. For a competitive team, Kamara could help this season, especially if he gets traded to a competitive NFL team. The rebuilder got more picks, and the champion got one more depth piece.

Hollywood Brown <=======> 2026 3rd round pick and 2027 3rd round pick

The most modest of the rebuilding team's trades was this final one, where he gave Hollywood two third-round picks. Third-round picks are a crap shoot, but it's always nice to have them. Two are better than one, so a rebuilder could easily give up a Hollywood for a chance at future players. I doubt Hollywood will help the competitive team now that Xavier Worthy is healthy, so I like the picks side of this trade. Now the rebuilding team has two 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks in 2026 and three 1st round picks in 2027. That's a great start!. In this league, I did a two-year rebuild, and now I am a top-four team this year. That's how Dynasty Freeks trade, draft, and rebuild! Way to go!

Week Five Dynasty Takes

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Week Five Dynasty Takes

1. Week Five Top Storyline

What I'll remember most about this week is the changing running back landscape leading up to Sunday's games. Three injuries developed late, and news broke very late in the week that Trey Benson would be put on IR, and Bucky Irving and Chuba Hubbard were ruled out. Suddenly, three dynasty teams lost starting running backs and three gained starting running backs, including one, Michael Carter, who was available off the waiver wire even in deep dynasty leagues. The severity of Benson's injury was a shock. Then, managers who had picked up Emari Demarcado off waivers last week (as I did) were shocked again to learn that Michael Carter had been elevated from the practice squad and named the starter. He dominated the backfield with 23 touches, 18 carries, and five catches. He didn't do much with his touches, but he did get a goal-line carry for a touchdown. I picked him up in one league and started him immediately, especially because I have Chuba Hubbard and Bucky Irving on my roster in that league. Their injuries were reported much later in the week, and they were declared out by the end of the week, giving Rico Dowdle and Rachaad White's managers new startable running backs. White had a 21-point fantasy game on the back of his touchdown runs in the red zone, giving his dynasty managers a great day. Rico Dowdle's day, however, was far more than great. He had the highest scoring running back day of the week, with more than 200 combined yards and a touchdown, scoring 31 fantasy points in the Panthers' comeback win over Miami. His outstanding play demands that he reduce the workload of Chuba Hubbard when he returns from injury. It will no longer be Hubbard's backfield alone. Dowdle's dynasty stock rises significantly after this performance, while Hubbard's will fall. It was a wild week of running back roulette, changing dynasty managers' lineups and win-loss records as a result.

2. Week Five Right and Wrong

Right Call
- It's time for my humble brag. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was my favorite sleeper this year's rookie class, and he was my most drafted rookie. He finally had his breakout game, which allowed me to include him in this segment. He had his first 100-yard rushing day and helped lead the Commanders to an upset win on the road against the Chargers. I'll admit that many of his runs were perfectly blocked for him, but they still looked awesome. He now leads the league in yards per carry (6.58) and yards over expectation with 2.17 yards per attempt. The Commanders said they planned to increase his play time, and they were rewarded when they did. There's no way Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols will eat into his playtime as much anymore.
Wrong Call
- I was the quickest to add Darren Waller in most of my leagues with an open waiver wire during the offseason. I added him to four of my nine dynasty leagues and was outbid on him in the rest. I saw him go for 50% of FAAB in several of my leagues and 80% in another. That seems like I made the right move, but I didn't, because I have since dropped him in all four leagues I added him to. His lingering injury to start the season caused me to doubt whether he would ever come back and, if he did, if he'd be permanently limited. Oops! Now he's on other teams' rosters, scoring touchdowns for the second week in a row. I should have been more patient and willing to wait to see if he could make his heroic return to the NFL. It seems like he has. His snap count doubled from two weeks ago, and I expect it to continue growing, giving him every chance to become a top-12 tight end, if even just for this season. I made a bad call by dropping him at our roster cut dates and/or early into the season.

3. Week Five Injury Injury Report

Omarion Hampton was seen in a walking boot after the game. This report is terrible news for his managers, since he was just starting to break out. Hopefully, it is nothing serious, and he can return in a few weeks. Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins split the workload after Hampton left the game, and I imagine they will split the workload again, making them the top waiver wire additions this week in shallower dynasty leagues.
Antonio Gibson's injury looked serious on Sunday night based on his facial expression and tears on the sideline. TreVeyon Henderson's managers, who have been begging for more opportunities in New England, will finally get their chance. That said, even with his fumbling issues, the Patriots' coaching staff likes Rhamondre Stevenson more than any of his dynasty managers do. I expect a split backfield throughout the season, unless either of them gets injured as well. Stevenson's involvement should remain the same, but now Henderson will balance out the backfield touches with Gibson sidelined.

Stock Up

Theo Johnson

Johnson had the best game of his career, scoring two touchdowns on Sunday. He and Jaxson Dart have a connection already, especially in the red zone, where Johnson scored twice on Sunday. In Darts' second start, Johnson tied for the lead in team targets with seven. Dart is hesitant to throw the ball downfield so far and is pleased to check down to his tight ends and running backs, who accounted for 15 of his 24 completions on Sunday. Dart will get better, as will Johnson, but it was nice to see a breakout game from Johnson so early in their playing time together. Johnson was one of the players I tried to trade for the most this offseason. I expected a breakout year for him. I was only able to add him in one league, but I also drafted him in my most recent start-up draft. I'm thrilled to see his stock rise as I expected. Now he will be even harder to buy.

Mason Taylor

Taylor has looked awesome the last two weeks and has established himself as the second most targeted player on the Jets, which is fantasy gold for tight ends. This week, he led the team in targets with 12 as the Jets frantically tried to come back against the Cowboys. The Jets' wide receiver depth chart is among the weakest in the league behind Garrett Wilson, so someone had to step up in the passing game. It's Taylor. He and Tyler Warren have already broken out in this year's tight end class, along with Harold Fannin. If only Colston Loveland could join them after he's healthy and the Bears return after their bye week with greater conviction to use him. It's great to see tight ends break out immediately. Taylor's breakout game was this week. It's too bad he plays on a team with a questionable offense and an inaccurate passer, but playing from behind and catching five to ten yards per catch is not a bad thing if you're the second most targeted player on the team.

Stock Down

Derrick Henry

Every time dynasty managers think it, they are wrong. In recent years, Henry has defied father time and continued to produce even at his size and age, but I think this is the year his dynasty stock falls the most. It's not because he is incapable. It's that all the situation cards are stacked against him in Baltimore. I can't imagine a way this season that they will stay competitive in games with Lamar Jackson injured and more than half of their defensive starters out. They have the worst defense in the league and will play from behind all season as a result. Henry hardly plays when the Ravens are trailing, and they will trail a lot this season. In most cases, one bad season would not ruin a player's dynasty stock, but at his age, it does. Henry's dynasty stock will fall so long as the Ravens continue to play terrible defense and miss Lamar Jackson. He needs Jackson back sometime this year to create one last opportunity to sell him.

Tee Higgins

I'll go from one circumstantial fall to another. Things would be very different if Joe Burrow were healthy, but he is not, and the Bengals can't move the ball with their backups. They did just enough this week to please Ja'Maar Chase's managers, but Jake Browning can't raise the bar for two receivers in this broken offense. Higgins is great as a possession receiver and red-zone threat, but he's not the run-after-the-catch playmaker that Chase is, and they need someone who can make their own plays to give their struggling offense any chance at all. Higgins will play with Burrow again and will produce when he does, but that's a year away now. Meanwhile, many of the younger up-and-coming wide receivers will produce and pass him by in dynasty rankings. Higgins is falling slightly, but at the same time, others are passing him quickly.

Young Guns

Tyler Warren

Warren has been as consistent a playmaker as any dynasty managers could hope for. He's highly targeted with almost five targets per game. He's a weapon in the red zone as a runner and a receiver with a running touchdown last week and a receiving touchdown this week. He rarely leaves the field, with nearly 80% of the team's snaps this year, and it would be even higher if backups were not put into the game in two of the blowout games. He was a do-it-all college player, and it's translated immediately to the NFL. Sadly, I had Loveland ranked ahead of Warren, and I drafted Loveland in three leagues. I'd trade them all back for Warren if I could. Barring injuries, Warren will be an every-week starting tight end for a decade or more. That's such a valuable asset on dynasty rosters.

Tetairoa McMillan

I've been waiting to write about McMillan until he had an actual breakout game, but it hasn't yet happened. Still, what he has done is quite impressive. He has become one of the top-targeted wide receivers in the NFL and has provided an incredibly consistent floor for his dynasty managers. All he's missing is touchdowns, but they will come. He's had 10, 9, 8, 8, and 8 targets to start his career. He's tied for the 7th most wide receiver targets in the NFL after playing only five NFL games. He's averaging 70 receiving yards, which is 14th in the league among receivers. Bryce Young's inconsistent play is a problem for McMillan, but I expect Young to improve this year, just as he did last year. If he does and McMillan starts seeing the end zone, his ceiling will rise to the consistency of his current floor. He's not broken out yet, but it's coming.

Emeka Egbuka

What else can be said about Ebuka? Only Randy Moss and Puka Nacua have had a better five-game start to their rookie seasons. Sunday was his most productive game yet in the crazy comeback win against the Seahawks. He caught all seven of his targets for 163 yards and a touchdown, giving him a season-high 28-point day. In his worst game of the season, he scored 12 fantasy points, averaging 18 points per game. He's quickly rising to the top tier of wide receivers in my dynasty rankings. He's now my 10th-ranked dynasty wide receiver. I am so glad I drafted him twice, and I regret passing on him once when I selected Colston Loveland ahead of him in a tight-end premium league. Can you tell from this article that I'm on Loveland today?

Old-Man Strength

Stefon Diggs

Diggs looked awesome on Sunday night in his revenge game against the Bills. He's had back-to-back 100-yard receiving games, something he has not done since weeks five and six in the 2023 season. He and Drake Maye have a connection, and they led the Patriots back to an upset win in Buffalo. I expected Diggs to end his career in a whimper in New England because I expected the many young receivers they drafted to pass him by. However, he has emerged as the top target on the team, and there's no going back after what he did Sunday night. Contending teams should consider adding him to their rosters to provide depth and a starting piece in their Super Bowl run. I declined such an offer last week after his first 100-yard game, and now I am regretting it big time.

Chris Olave

I've been waiting for an actual breakout game for Olave to give him an old-man strength award, but I thought he deserved it this week just based on his consistency and his ability this year to stay healthy. He still struggles to find the end zone, as he has throughout his career, but at least he scored last week for the first time this season. What prompts me to mention him here is the ridiculous number of targets he's receiving. He's averaging more than ten targets per game and six catches per game. His yards per catch are extremely low at 7.4 yards, but in PPR leagues, Olave is still providing a remarkably consistent floor. I've added him back in one of my starting lineups for the first time in what feels like years. He's a suitable WR-3 in dynasty lineups because I can expect 10-15 points to be on the bank each week. I've always loved Olave and hate that he's battled injuries and mainly played with terrible quarterbacks and coaches. Kellen Moore sees value in Olave and has made him the focal point of the passing game. Perhaps next year, they will have a new quarterback to help elevate Olave to all he can be. For now, his consistency is an improvement from the last injury-riddled years, at least.

Sam LaPorta

It feels like it has been years since I've seen LaPorta making big chunk plays downfield. Last season was a massive disappointment after his incredible TE-1 rookie season. Thus far, year three has looked a lot more like year two than year one, but this week LaPorta looked like his year-one self. I couldn't tell if it was based on the game plan or if the Bengals just played terrible defense, but he had several chunk plays, including a long one of 39 yards. Detroit has so many offensive weapons that make anyone besides Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown reliable every week, but it was good to see that LaPorta still has it in him when it's his turn to shine. He looked fantastic on Sunday, and it was good to see him as the second-most targeted player in the pass game. That's what we want from our top-tier tight ends. I wish the Lions would use him this way more often, but I don't think they will.

Waiver Watch

Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins

As I mentioned above, Vidal and Haskins are this week's top waiver wire targets. One or both of them are available in most of my leagues. Hopefully, news about the severity of Hampton's injury will break before waivers run. If Hampton's injury puts him on IR, then I would spend a lot of FAAB on these players, with a priority of Haskins over Vidal, since Haskins was ahead of Vidal on the depth chart before this injury. Vidal might be better in the passing game, though.

Chimere Dike

Dike is a rookie, and his playtime has increased from week to week this season. Calvin Ridley and Elic Ayomanor are the clear top two receivers on the Titans, but Dike has become their WR-3. He had his highest snap total of the season with 49% and his most yards receiving, a modest 17 yards. Early in the season, he was used as a gadget guy on running plays, but now they are using him as a receiver. He's a rookie, so he's worth adding to see if his role can increase.

Xavier Hutchinson

Hutchinson caught two touchdowns on Sunday. Touchdowns may be flukey, but snap counts are not. Hutchinson has the second-most receiver snap counts on the Texans. He's playing ahead of Jayden Higgins, Christian Kirk, and Jaylin Noel by more than ten snaps per game. I don't expect him to hold off the Texans' rookies for too long, given that he's had so many opportunities with the team already in his career. However, he could be productive for a portion of this season if the snap counts continue.

Dynasty Trades

Jakobi Meyers <=======> Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez

In a league where I have successfully rebuilt a roster after two years, I consider myself a competitor. I'm 3-1 and have a lot of rookie running backs on my team, but I lost Malik Nabers last week. Nabers and Jaxson Smith-Njigba were the core of my wide receiver room that I hoped would carry me and my boatload of rookie running backs to the playoffs. I wanted to stay competitive, so I looked for an opportunity to trade a running back for a receiver. Meyer has provided one of the safest floors over the last few years, and I expect the same as the WR-1 this year in Las Vegas, even though he was unproductive this week. I have Ashton Jeanty, Quinshon Judkins, Cam Skattebo, Travis Etienne, and Jaylen Warren as my top running backs in this league, so I was willing to give up my guy, JCM, to stay competitive. After JCM's breakout week and Meyers' bad game, I'm regretting the trade. However, I am eager to see how this one plays out.

Deebo Samuel and Wan'Dale Robinson <=======> Matthew Golden and Isaiah Likely

In the same league, I added more wide receiver depth by giving Golden and Likely to a rebuilding team for Deebo and Robinson. I hated giving up Golden, but his modest start and the Packers' seeming unwillingness to make him a top target made me willing to move on from him. I love Likely, but I have Tyler Warren and Tucker Kraft on this roster, so he was easier to move on from. This was a fair trade offer from a competitor to a rebuilder. This week, Meyers and Deebo were in my starting lineup, and I won my game. Time will tell on these trades, but I'm pleased with them so far.

Cooper Rush, Davante Adams, and Chris Godwin <=======> Malik Washington, Olamide Zaccheaus, and a 2026 1st round pick

In a superflex league where I am rebuilding, I traded away Rush, Adams, and Godwin for Washington, Zaccheaus, and a first-round pick. This league is very unique in that our rookie draft is an auction. Each pick is allotted a certain amount of money, so instead of having actual draft picks, you have money for bidding on the rookie class. I already have two picks in every round of the 2026 rookie draft and want to trade players for additional picks, allowing me to have even more money for next year's auction. The problem in this league was that my old guys were helping me win games. I was tied for second place in my division when I made this trade last week. I realized I need to help my team get worse by selling my older players to collect as much money as I can for next year's rookie draft, where I should have the most money already. I have some hopes for Washington but less so for Zaccheaus. This trade was all about making my team worse and acquiring a first-round pick. Future pieces I hope to move are Keenan Allen, Zach Ertz, and George Kittle, who demand a lot in this tight-end premium league. Let the rebuild begin!

Jake Ferguson <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

This trade took place late Saturday night, and it annoyed me. Jake Ferguson is worth more than a second-round pick. The manager who acquired Ferguson is a competitor, as am I, and we're playing each other this week. After adding Ferguson to his lineup, our matchup is now tight and will come down to two players on Monday night, thanks to Ferguson having yet another great day. Ferguson will be incredibly consistent and valuable for the rest of the season, but even more so while CeeDee Lamb is out. I understand selling low when you are just trying to accumulate draft picks on a rebuilding team, but this seems like a steal of a deal. Let's see if I can pull it off against the new Ferguson manager on Monday night!

Week Four Dynasty Takes

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Week Four Dynasty Takes

Rookie Running Back Week!

After a very slow start to the season, the much hyped rookie running back class broke out this week, with almost all of them scoring touchdowns and having great games. This was the week of the rookie running back. Ashton Jeanty finally broke out with a three-touchdown game. Omarion Hampton scored a touchdown again this week and had his first 100-yard game. TreVeyon Henderson saw the endzone on a goal-line carry. Quinshon Judkins scored for the second week in a row and caught four passes this week. Cam Skattebo touched the ball 27 times and scored a two-point conversion. Woody Marks scored two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. Even Brashard Smith got in the action with seven touches for Kansas City. The much-hyped rookie class of running backs made a statement on Sunday, proving they were not overrated. In my favorite dynasty league, I went into rebuild mode last year and had a ton of draft picks. I drafted Jeanty, Judkins, and Skattebo, and all three were in my starting lineup this week; they will be every-week starters in my lineup for years to come. All their dynasty managers would say the same. What a week for rookie running backs!

Right and Wrong

Right on Travis Etienne
- Throughout the offseason, I predicted that Etienne would keep the starting job and have a bounce-back season. I believed it, but even I did not expect him to play as well as he has. He's a top-ten running back this season and shows no sign of slowing down. Bhayshul Tuten is sharing the backfield with him, but most every NFL backfield is shared. Etienne makes the most of his touches. He's averaging a ridiculous 6.1 yards per carry. I traded for him last week to pick up my only share. I wish I had been more aggressive in trading for him before the bounce back was evident to everyone.
Wrong on Kendre Miller
- Other dynasty managers ranked Miller much higher than I did in his rookie class, so he was always drafted before I would be willing to draft him. I looked right, based on his first two years when he was either injured or in the doghouse with the coaching staff all the time. Then, when the Saints drafted one of my favorite sleeper backs, Devin Neal, I fully expected him to not only become the RB-2 behind Kamara but also to become the future starting running back for the Saints. After watching Miller this week, however, I must admit I was wrong. Miller looked great against Buffalo, and I was shocked at how many snaps and carries he got. He had 31% of the snaps this week and had 11 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown. The Saints' new coaching staff likes him, and his role will increase this season and perhaps become a leading back after Kamara is traded or he ages out.

Injury Report

Malik Nabers
- The saddest news of the day was Naber's ACL tear. It was clear what happened by the way he went down and how he responded afterward. Losing Nabors is devastating for dynasty teams. He can't be replaced. Dynasty managers, such as myself, in one league need to trade for a wide receiver to have any hopes of making up for their loss. Darius Slayton becomes a more interesting player for the rest of the season in deep leagues, as he will step into the Nabers role. One Nabers manager in my league posted in the group chat, "Welp." That sums it up. Losing Nabers could very well take away the championship hopes of any competitive team that had him on their roster. He's too awesome a player to trade, too, making this a complicated situation for dynasty managers. I feel the pain.
Lamar Jackson
- It was hard to tell whether Lamar was pulled for safety reasons after the Chiefs built a commanding lead over the Ravens or if he was really injured. If it turns out he was really injured and will miss time, that will severely affect the entire offense and all the Ravens' every-week starters in dynasty lineups. Here's to hoping it's nothing serious!

Stock Up

Kyle Pitts

Everyone's most hated player is having a fantastic season. Dynasty managers had high hopes for Pitts when they drafted him, but he has been a bust for years, especially last year, when it seemed his dynasty value could not drop any further. He's a big part of the Falcons' offense this year, averaging six targets per game. Last season, he had just four games with six or more targets, despite playing in all 17 games. Best of all, he scored a touchdown this week, something he has rarely done in his career. He's scored just nine touchdowns in four years as a pro. I predict he will score almost as many this season if the Falcons continue to use him as heavily as they have to start the season. What a surprise for dynasty managers who have kept their faith in him. His dynasty value is on the rise for the first time in his four-year career.

Tyquan Thornton

Talk about a reclamation project! Managers who believed the training camp hype that he would earn a role with the Chiefs and picked him up off the waiver wire this offseason have been rewarded. All he does is catch touchdowns. For the third game in a row, he and Patrick Mahomes connected for a touchdown. While his dynasty stock is on the rise, managers must note that his snap-count dropped significantly since Worthy returned. He went from a 75% share to just 34% on Sunday, but he did catch a touchdown. The Chiefs use Xavier Worthy between the 20s more than they do in the red zone. In the red zone, they clearly prefer Thornton's size. After a 49-yard touchdown in week two, his last two have been red-zone touchdowns of 5 and 11 yards. Thornton is not a reliable starter in dynasty lineups, but it is wild to think that he's relevant again after failing in New England, after they drafted him in the second round.

Spencer Rattler

I expected Tyler Shough to win the starting job in the preseason, and I was wrong. Then I expected Rattler to struggle and get replaced by Shough early in the season, and I was wrong again. Rattler has impressed, keeping the Saints competitive in three of their first four games. He's only turned the ball over once, something I thought he would do every week. While he hasn't compiled impressive stats, it's clear that he understands the offense and can move the ball down the field, making it his job to lose. I placed my bets on Shough in a couple of leagues, including the Scott Fish Bowl, but it's clear that Rattler was the right choice. I no longer think he's in danger of losing his job.

Stock Down

Brian Thomas Jr.

I finally have to do it. I have to move BTJ down my dynasty rankings. He and Trevor Lawrence cannot get on the same page, no matter how hard they try. It's not for lack of trying. He's averaging eight targets per game, but he's only averaging three receptions per game. I'm not sure if he doesn't understand the new offense or what, but he looks like he's forgotten how to play the game. I thought that Coach Coen would revolutionize the passing game with BTJ and Travis Hunter, but instead, it is the Jaguars' defense and running game that win them games. As long as they win, they'll continue to do what they have been doing. Managers who bought the dip and traded for BTJ after week one now have big questions about their trades, given the four-game sample size.

Geno Smith

Smith is a complete roller coaster ride. He scored 21 points in week one, five in week two, 29 in week three, and 11 in week four. For the second time this season, he threw three interceptions in a game. On the season, he has one more interception (7) than he has touchdowns (6). I started him in a superflex league this week, thinking Chicago's terrible defense would make for a great day passing. Instead, he lays an egg at home and costs his team the game. There is no one of note behind him, so he won't lose the starting job, but maybe when Kenny Pickett gets healthy, they will give him a chance. If he continues to give away games, they have to try something. The worst part of his up-and-down play is that he makes all of his pass catchers less reliable week to week, too. It was another down week for Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, and dynasty managers need their production in their lineups.

T.J. Hockenson

Hockenson was once firmly in the second tier of dynasty tight end rankings, but his lack of production this season has moved him to the long list of third-tier unreliable tight ends. He's scored 3, 2, and 6 points in three of his four games this year. The Vikings quarterback room is part of the problem, too, but they fed Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison the ball this week, so it's not just about the quarterback play. He began to resemble his dominant self towards the end of last season. His production increased after he received more reps following this surgery. I thought he would hit the ground running this season, but he's taken a step back instead, as has the Vikings' offense as a whole. I'm worried about Hockenson. He's no longer a reliable starter for dynasty managers.

Young Guns

Jaxson Dart

Dart could not have had a better start to his NFL career after leading the Giants to an upset win in his first start. He scored a rushing touchdown on his first drive and continued to run the ball often, as I knew he could. The Giants called several running plays for him, so they were not just scrambles. He only completed 13 passes on his 20 attempts, but one was for a touchdown. The best part of his day was the way coach Daboll celebrated with him after the win. There's no going back to Russell Wilson now. Dart is the future starter for the Giants and will lead the team for a decade or more. He'll become the best quarterback in this meager rookie class ahead of Cam Ward, who has looked bad in his first four starts, minus a couple of ridiculous plays. I am thrilled that I drafted Dart in four of my nine leagues and look forward to seeing how he improves. He was an instant start in my superflex leagues and is a trustworthy quarterback to stream in one-quarterback leagues, given his rushing ability. If only he could have played his rookie season with Malik Nabers!

Drake Maye

Speaking of rushing ability, Maye used his legs again this week to get in the end zone, though he only rushed for 11 yards. This week, he led the Patriots to a win with efficient passing, completing 14 of 17 passes and throwing two touchdowns. He ended the day with a passer rating of 155.6, his best outing of the year. He could have done more, but the Patriots took the foot off the gas after building a commanding lead against the hapless Panthers. He's scored 29, 23, and 25 points the last three weeks, making him a reliable starter after a modest 18-point game in week one. In my original Freek league, which is currently a one-quarterback league but transitioning to super flex in 2027, I have Maye and Justin Herbert. I'm 4-0 in the league, but I've started the wrong quarterback every week. It's frustrating, but a good problem to have. My future is bright with Maye on that team. I just wish I had more than one share of him.

Xavier Worthy

Worthy was on a pitch count in his first game back from injury, but when he was on the field, the Chiefs wisely fed him the ball. Clearly, they were not worried about him reinjuring his shoulder since they gave him two rushes and targeted him five times. This week, he led the Chiefs in rushing yards and receiving yards, even though he played just 59% of the snaps. Worthy is electric, and his play-making ability brought the Chiefs' offense back to life after a terrible start to the season. He's one of a kind with his speed and downfield ability. Take away the game when he was injured, and he has averaged 17.7 fantasy points per game over the last seven games when the Chiefs finally figured out how to use him. I started Worthy in one league this week, but chose not to in another. I no longer need to take a wait-and-see approach. He'll be a starter in both leagues each week from here on out.

Old-Man Strength

D.K. Metcalf

It feels like it's been a long time since dynasty managers have seen the galloping beast of a receiver that Metcalf used to be early in his Seattle days, but he looked like his old self on Sunday in Ireland. Aaron Rodgers hit him over the middle on a slant, and he took it 80 yards to the house. A man that big should not be able to run that fast. It's good to know he still has it in him. Metcalf has his first 100-yard receiving day since week four of last year. He's been a consistent redzone weapon for Rodgers this year and has scored a touchdown in three of four games now, but this time, they got Metcalf in space and let him rack up yards. Hopefully, this game and this big play will cause the Steelers to give him more YAC opportunities in the games to come.

Stefon Diggs

Diggs had his first 100-yard game since week six of the 2023 season when he was with the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots need someone to emerge as their top wide receiver, and Diggs may have answered that call. He's not even a year past his ACL surgery, but he looked like his old self again. He was targeted deep, too, averaging 16.9 yards per catch. He'll never be what he was at his peak in Buffalo, but he could become the leading receiver in the Patriots' offense, which is improving as Drake Maye gets better. They just need someone to be reliable and become Maye's top target. Thus far, that's been Hunter Henry, but this week Diggs was his top target, and he looked great. I'd want to see him do it one or two more times before making him a starter in most dynasty lineups, but if he becomes the WR-1 in New England, he will be trustworthy and valuable again.

Michael Pittman

Pittman scored again this week, giving him one touchdown catch in three of his four games with Daniel Jones. This week, he soaked up the targets, too, as the Colts tried to come back against the stout Rams defense. He had a modest day, were it not for the touchdown with 41 yards on five receptions, but the ten targets are what I noticed most. The Colts' passing game runs through him and Tyler Warren, not Josh Downs. Pittman leads the team in targets with 29, while Warren has 27, and Downs has 19. He has a competent quarterback again, and his production and dynasty value have increased significantly as a result. Pittman is back on the map as a starter in dynasty leagues, and he's helping teams win games with his predictable target share and consistent touchdowns.

Waiver Watch

Isaiah Bond

Cedric Tillman's injury gave Bond a more significant role in week four. He ended up leading the team in receiving yards, too. He was a top prospect until he got into legal trouble just before the NFL draft, causing him to go undrafted. After his case was dismissed, the Browns were quick to sign him, and he's already earned a starting role. He had the second-highest snap count among the Cleveland receivers, playing on 55% of the snaps after playing 65% last week. It's a permanent role that will increase while Tillman is injured. He's the top player to add this week and one worth spending significant FAAB resources on to pick him up.

Zavier Scott

Many savvy managers already added Scott to their rosters after Aaron Jones was injured, but he's still available in many of my leagues. He was the Vikings' passing-downs back on Sunday and played a lot since the Vikings were playing from behind for most of the game. He was targeted eight times and had six receptions. He played receiver in college, so he's an excellent receiving back. He's definitely worth adding this week in deep PPR leagues.

Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans

Ja'Tavion Sanders did not play this week after being injured last week, and Tremble and Evans played well, filling in for him. Tremble played 75% of the snaps compared to Evans's 54%, but both were involved in the passing game as Carolina played from behind all day. I'd only consider adding either of them in the deepest of leagues or in tight-end premium leagues. They won't be involved in the offense when Sanders returns, but they will be until he does.

Dynasty Trades

The first four of these trades occurred in a league where several teams had decided to tank. One team made several trades before the season started, acquiring several young players and draft picks. Suddenly, after week three, more teams decided to throw in the towel and trade veterans for picks and younger players. I've never seen so many teams (four in this ten-team league) appear ready to rebuild at once, especially in a ten-team league. Here's what became of those trades last week, leaving the six teams likely to make the playoffs with stacked rosters. It will be a shoot-out to end the season for sure!

Derrick Henry and Keenan Allen <=======> 2026 4th round pick and 2027 1st round pick

I'll start with a trade I accepted in this league. The team that decided to rebuild offered me Henry and Allen for a future 4th-round pick and a 1st-round pick. I won the Super Bowl in this league two years ago and lost in the Super Bowl last year. Although my team is struggling and ranked 1-2 this year, my roster remains a top-tier one. I decided to double down on team-old and add a few more old men to my league, even if I had to mortgage my future, having already given up my 2026 first-round pick for Davante Adams and now my 2027 first-round pick for Henry and Allen. Of course, I like my side of the deal, or I would not have accepted it. The other manager could have received more than a first and fourth for Henry and Allen. They will become instant starters in my lineup for the rest of the season in a league with two starting running backs, three starting wide receivers, and three flex positions. I am loaded at every position except running back, so Henry was the selling point in this trade to keep me competitive. I felt poised for another Super Bowl run after the trade. That is, until the following trades were made to beef up the lineups of my competitors.

Trey Benson, DeVonta Smith, and 2026 2nd round pick <=======> James Cook, Jordan Addison

While I thought I got the best in my trade, this trade is even better. The competing team added Cook and Addison and only had to give away Benson, Smith, and a second-round pick. It's right to assume that they got a future starter back for Cook, but Cook's dynasty value is far higher than Benson's, even after James Conner's injury. The other part of the trade was Addison for Smith, and I'd rather have Addison in Dynasty over Smith. So, competitive or rebuilding or not, I would rather have Cook and Addison in this trade, even with the second-round pick added to it. I wish I could have waited for a trade like this. I'd rather have Cook and Addison than Henry and Allen, and I gave up a first-round pick in my trade compared to a second in this one. Grr! My competitor just got a lot better!

Jauan Jennings <=======> Two 2026 3rd round picks

This trade is more modest than the others, but a competitive team in need of a starting wide receiver (when healthy) made a great trade with a rebuilding team to strengthen its team for a modest price of two third-round picks. I like what both teams did here and see it as a fair trade. A second-round pick would be better than two-thirds, so I would rather the rebuilding team fight for a second-round pick. However, two-thirds gives the manager a chance to take two flyers on players while he's rebuilding.

Drake Maye, Breece Hall, Zay Flowers, and Kyle Monangai <=======> Rashee Rice, Blake Corum, Isaac TeSlaa, and a 2026 1st and 3rd round pick

In a super rare nine-player trade, two teams at the bottom of the league made a massive trade for future considerations, or in the case of one manager, a chance to fight back into the playoff picture this year. A team that was 0-3 strengthened its roster by adding Maye as a streamable quarterback in a one-quarterback league, a future full-time starter, and a starting running back in Hall, as well as a wide receiver in Flowers. He made his starting lineup much deeper and stronger for this year and the future. A 1-3 team committed to rebuilding added a future starter in Rice, as well as two possible future starters in Corum and TeSlaa. I like Corum's chances of helping his team in the future more than TeSlaa's, as fun as he has been this year. The 1st and 3rd round picks will add to his rebuilding efforts. I like this trade for both teams. The verdict on this trade comes down to Hall's ability to hold off Braedon Allen and remain the starter for the Jets. If he does not, he could become a starter elsewhere; however, time will tell for Hall and this trade. It's a rare trade with so many players involved and between two teams at the bottom of the standings.

C.J. Stroud <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

In a one-quarterback league, just before kickoff last Sunday, a team with only Bryce Young at quarterback after the Joe Burrow injury gave up a second-round pick for C.J. Stroud. He had to do something since he could not continue the rest of the season with Young as his only quarterback. A savvy manager (and the dad of the other manager) worked out a deal to give up a depth-piece quarterback to get a fair draft pick in return. It's a fair trade in my eyes, even though Stroud will continue to struggle this season and often produce less than Young this season. At least he has two young quarterbacks going forward, but they will just be depth behind Burrow. The manager who added a second-round pick will be pleased to have it and will not miss Stroud, as he already has Lamar Jackson, Bo Nix, and Geno Smith in this one-quarterback league.

Week Three Dynasty Takes (abbreviated)

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0500

NOTE: This artcile is incomplete. Read why.

Every year, my wife and I take an anniversary trip. One person plans the trip, and the other has no idea where they are going until we get there. It's my wife's year to plan, so I don't know where we're going on Monday, but I know who I will be going with, and that's the best part.

Our anniversary trip is the only week of the NFL season when I don't write a full dynasty recap article and record a podcast. We have a 5:00 AM flight tomorrow (Monday), so in this abbreviated article, I will have players' names without a write-up to explain my thoughts.

I did, however, record a quick podcast with off-the-cuff comments from watching the games. If you'd like to hear my spontaneous thoughts, check out the podcast, which I posted early this week. Cheers!

I left the dynasty trades here for you to see, at least (and for my record, as I record them).

Dynasty Trades

Brian Thomas <=======> Jalen Milroe and 2026 1st round pick

Brock Bowers <=======> 2026 1st and 3rd round picks and a 2027 1st round pick

Travis Etienne and Tucker Kraft <=======> R.J. Harvey and Romeo Doubs

Dak Prescott <=======> Joe Burrow

Jake Browning <=======> Dillon Gabriel and a 2026 3rd round pick

Davante Adams and a 2026 2nd round pick <=======> 2026 1st round pick

Week Two Dynasty Takes

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Dynasty News

Monster Week

As you may know, I am a pastor of a church in Austin. My job causes me to miss the start of the first games, but I am usually home by about 12:20 CST, so I don't miss much. I have notifications on my phone, so as I finish my workday on Sundays and start my drive home, I know which players have scored touchdowns early in games. This week, my work kept me a little longer than usual, and I could feel my phone buzzing like crazy as teams score fast and often in the nine early games. That's the kind of fantasy day it was on Sunday. It was an offensive explosion, especially compared to last week. In one of my leagues, we award $5 to the highest-scoring team each week. Last week, the highest-scoring team scored 119 points. That was the lowest high score since we started the $5 payouts. Not so this week. This week was a monster week, making following the games even more fun. Four quarterbacks scored more than 30 points, four running backs more than 25, and six receivers more than 25. The early games ended with the ridiculous Cowboys win in overtime as the clock expired, giving dynasty managers a full ten more minutes of fantasy goodness, and the highest scoring fourth quarter in Giants-Cowboys game history. This was an excellent week to watch football and cheer on our dynasty teams. And so many of the studs who had mediocre games last week went wild this week. The monster week of scoring and the frantic nine early games at once is what I'll remember most about this week, and there are still two more games to go on Monday night!

Ben Johnson Bowl

The monster game that stood out the most was what I will call the Ben Johnson Bowl. The Lions were aiming to prove that they didn't need their old offensive coordinator to humiliate teams and make their entire offense fantasy-relevant, as they had for years when led by Johnson. Well, they certainly proved their point. Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown were the top two scorers at their positions this week and connected on three touchdowns together. They didn't leave anyone out, because Jahmyr Gibbs, David Mongomery, and Jameson Williams also scored touchdowns. After getting embarrassed in Green Bay last week and the offense looking anemic, the Lions proved that they can still blow teams away without Ben Johnson. I still have concerns about Goff's indoor games compared to outdoor games, but the Lions' offense will still be one of the most productive and reliable this season when indoors. Dynasty managers need not worry about their Lions. Doubt crept in after last week, but they've proved we have nothing to fear.

More Injuries

Austin Ekeler
- Ekeler tore his Achilles tendon and will now miss the rest of the season and likely never return to the NFL. He was not a major player on dynasty rosters, but would have been startable in deep PPR leagues once bye weeks started, so he's still a loss to dynasty managers. His injury gives the already rising dynasty value of Jacory Croskey-Merrit yet another boost. He played terribly on Thursday night, but also didn't receive many touches. Now the Commanders will need him even more. Chris Rodriguez will no longer be a healthy scratch. They will need him to join JCM in the backfield now, too, alongside Jeremy McNichols, who will assume the Ekeler role. Bill, as he likes to be called, has had everything break his way to start his rookie season. If he can't take advantage now, he never will.
Jayden Reed
- Reed broke his clavicle Thursday night and will miss many weeks on IR as a result. Much to the chagrin of Matthew Golden managers, the Packers have continued to spread the ball around to their many receivers, as they have done in recent years. The Reed injury may give Golden the opportunity to become their clear WR-1. Romeo Doubs is the always-overlooked receiver in Green Bay, though he always leads the team in wide receiver snaps. His opportunities will increase, too. Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks will need more over the next few weeks, as well. All dynasty managers want is someone to emerge as the top target in the offense. It may be Tucker Kraft instead, but more on him later.
Joe Burrow
- The worst thing that can happen in fantasy football is when starting quarterbacks go down, as it affects all of the teams' skill players. Losing Burrow for three months after learning he had two injuries that needed surgery was a massive blow to Ja'Maar Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown. Jake Browning has moved the offense pretty well when he has taken the starting role, but more on him in the waivers segment below. He kept the offense afloat this week and can do a decent job, just like Mac Jones did for the 49ers this week. However, there's no way Burrow's absence for three months doesn't negatively impact all dynasty teams relying on Bengals players. I hate when quarterbacks get injured, whether I have them on my team or not.

Stock Up

Tucker Kraft

Kraft led the team in targets, catches, and yards in their Thursday night win against the Commanders. He's scored a touchdown in consecutive weeks, too. He's the fastest-rising tight end in my rankings and is moving firmly into the small second tier. I'm not the only one who predicted a year-three breakout for Tucker. Many fantasy analysts expected the same, and the Packers' coaching staff had predicted it leading into this season as well. I traded Mark Andrews for Tucker Kraft early last season. While Tucker took time to grow and Andrews looked like himself again by the end of last season, I could not be happier with the trade now. In my most recent start-up draft in a superflex tight-end premium league, I drafted him at the end of the seventh round to be my leading tight end. I couldn't believe he fell that far for me. His 31-point game in that league started my week off right and helped me move to 2-0, becoming the highest-scoring team in the league. Kraft has a chance to join Brock Bowers and Trey McBride as the lead target-getters on their teams this season. If so, he'll join their tier. He's already not far behind them.

James Cook

If I humble-brag when I'm right with a guy like Kraft, I also need to eat crow when I am wrong about a guy like Cook. I predicted that Ray Davis would overtake him this year and that he would not sign a new contract with the Bills. I was wrong on both counts, as Cook is far and away the better back and the back of the future for the Bills' high-scoring offense. He looked electric on his 44-yard touchdown, and he scored twice this week after scoring once last week. I thought his incredible 16-touchdown season last year was unrepeatable, but he's proved me wrong there, too. The coaching staff trusts him to do it all, and he can do it all. Now that he and the Bills are committed to one another and he plays like he did this week, he needs to move significantly up my dynasty rankings. I will correct my mistake about him.

Trevor Etienne

The other big news that broke late last week was that Tank Bigsby was traded to the Eagles. After seeing how well Etienne played in week one, the Jaguars were pleased to ship Bigsby away and trust their backfield to Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten. Both men scored touchdowns in the passing game on Sunday, but Etienne was the clear leading back again. I couldn't explain his significant drop-off last season, but he appears to have returned to his 2023 form and has successfully defended his leading role against all competition. I predicted that he would win the job, especially as dynasty managers drafted Tuten way too early in rookie drafts. I was proven right in predicting Etienne to win the starting job, but now that Bigsby is out of the picture, I am higher on Tuten than I have ever been. He will earn a role with the team and may become their starter for the future, but for this year at least, Etienne will hold him off, as he already has.

Stock Down

Colston Loveland

It pains me to say, but Loveland's stock is down after a goose egg this week. I thought for sure that Coach Johnson would get the ball into the hands of his first-ever draft pick early and often this season, but he hasn't. Loveland will forever be compared to Tyler Warren, who was also drafted in the first round this year, but has made an immediate impact already in his first two games of his career. Loveland was drafted ahead of Warren in almost every one of my rookie drafts this season, including three times by me. I'm already regretting it. I'm not burying Loveland in my rankings because I still have confidence that he will become a big part of their offense in the years to come, if not by midseason. However, I have to move him down in my rankings as Warren and Kraft move ahead of him.

Tyrone Tracy

Cam Skattebo was one of my most drafted players in this year's rookie drafts. I predicted that he would take over the short-yardage role for the Giants immediately and, in time, take over the entire backfield. Well, he got his first goal-line touchdown on Sunday and played more snaps and got more touches than Tracy in the second game of his rookie year. I thought the Giants would not trust him in pass protection early in the season, but he took a lot of snaps during the Giants' frantic rally from behind. I want to give it a few more weeks to chart the snap counts between Tracy and Skattebo, but judging by week two, Skattebo is already taking over. If the trend continues, Tracy will fall even further down my dynasty rankings. Managers who hoped he could keep his leading role should be disappointed by what they saw already in week two.

Kyren Williams

Over the last two years, Sean McVay has drafted a complementary back to back up Kyren Williams. I loved Blake Corum in two years ago and made him one of my most highly drafted rookies. This year, McVay drafted Jarquez Hunter, and dynasty managers went crazy for him, thinking he would be Williams's top backup or the Rams' future starter. In the case of Hunter, I was much lower on him than other dynasty managers, and I only drafted him once. When Williams signed his new contract, Corum and Hunter's dynasty stock took a hit, as they were relegated to handcuffs at best. So, why am I including Williams in the stock-down segment? It's because Corum played more snaps in this competitive game than he did last year, and McVay said after the game that this is the plan going forward. Corum looked great on his carries, and he scored the rushing touchdown this week, not Williams. Hunter has been a healthy scratch, leaving him a distant third or fourth on the depth chart while Corum and Williams carry the load on a high-scoring team. If Corum continues to split carries as he did with Williams on Sunday, Williams' dynasty stock must come down.

Young Guns

Rome Odunze

Odunze is the clear top target in the Bears' offense. He did not live up to expectations in his rookie year, but he's hit the ground running in year two. He's scored in both games this season, including two touchdowns on Sunday. His 31-point fantasy day was the best since his third game of last season. He's among the top two or three players I most want a share of, but have none. I love his character and work ethic, and was sure that he could become a top-twenty type of dynasty wide receiver. He's not there yet, but if he keeps playing like this and Caleb Williams can develop into a more accurate passer, he could get there quickly. The sky is the limit for Odunze. He'll be almost impossible to trade for after his stellar performance this week, but he's the player I will target most in trades this week.

Tetairoa McMillan

Odunze may have needed a year before truly breaking out, but McMillan does not. He's looked incredible in his first two games and had his first 100-yard receiving game this week. He's so good at positioning his body to make catches and ward off defenders. Many times, I saw Travis Hunter drafted ahead of McMillan this year in rookie drafts. That already looks like a huge mistake. I would never have done that. McMillan is the man, and he's immediately become the WR-1 in Carolina, with Bryce Young's top target. The young and struggling Carolina offense is the only thing holding him back. T-Mac's dynasty managers desperately need Young to improve this year.

Troy Franklin

Franklin did next to nothing in his rookie season, but he earned a starting role in his second year and led the Broncos in targets and receptions this week, recording his best game of his young career. He was the first read of many of Bo Nix's passes and ended the day with eight receptions, 89 yards receiving, and a touchdown. It's only one game, but he looked so good that the Broncos have to target him more this season and work him into their game plans. Franklin has gone from a very-end-of-the-bench player to one to consider starting in deep leagues. Believe it or not, I picked up Franklin off the waiver wire in one shallow league last week. I can't believe a manager was foolish enough to drop him when we hit our final cut day. I also added him to the back end of a trade last season on a rebuilding team, where I gave up a veteran for Franklin and a future pick. He was in my starting lineup this week and helped me win, even though I'd rather lose in that league this year.

Old-Man Strength

Jonathan Taylor

Taylor looked like his younger self on Sunday with powerful runs and big gains. The Colts aren't messing around this year with his snaps and touches, either. The only reason they pulled him last week was because they jumped out to such a huge lead. Before that, he played almost every single snap, no matter the down and distance. This week, they gave him 25 carries, which he turned into 165 yards. Best of all, he had two catches for 50 yards, and one went for a touchdown. He may have lost a step because he did get run down and tackled on one breakaway run, but he still had plenty of long runs. Now, if only they would stop calling quarterback sneaks on the goal line!

J.K. Dobbins

Dobbins has firm control of the Denver backfield and has scored in each of the last two weeks. He has endured so much over his career and has come back from numerous injuries. It's a joy to see him start the season so well, like he did last year before getting injured again. He's a thorn in the side of R.J. Harvey's dynasty managers, but a massive surprise to dynasty managers who have kept him on their rosters through all his ups and downs. The Broncos trust him in pass protection and use him as their goal-line back. That will keep Harvey off the field and Dobbins continuing to produce using his old-man strength. May this be the season that he finally stays healthy!

Deebo Samuel and Zach Ertz

I had to double-dip on the two old men who keep scoring all the touchdowns for the Commanders. Ertz does what he does - catch touchdowns. Deebo does what he does - run and catch touchdowns. Ertz has been a security blanket to every quarterback he has played with, and he's the same for Jayden Daniels again this year, much to the chagrin of Ben Sinnott's dynasty managers. He's still a tight end worth starting in every league. I started Mark Andrews ahead of him in one league this week, and I will never do that again. At least Ertz gives me a safe floor. Deebo resembles the player he was in his one incredible breakout year in San Francisco. The Commanders' coaching staff knows how to utilize him and design plays that suit him. For the time being, he's become the WR-1 for the Commanders. I expect McLaurin to reclaim that role after he and Daniels get back on the same page following his holdout, but it's also possible that I'm wrong and Deebo is the new top dog in Washington.

Waiver Watch

Jake Browning

Most of my superflex leagues are extremely deep, and almost every backup quarterback is on a roster; however, I have a few more shallow leagues where Browning is still available. He averaged more than 20 points per game when stepping in for Burrow last year, and he did it again this year. He's by far the top player to add this week in superflex leagues.

Hunter Renfrow

Renfrow had a two-touchdown game on Sunday and has stepped in well for Jalen Coker while he's on IR. I don't expect Renfrow to hold off Coker after he returns, so I do not consider Renfrow a fantastic addition off the waiver wire for dynasty purposes. However, in deep leagues, he could be a depth piece for a few weeks, especially if Xavier Legette continues to play so poorly.

Elijah Higgins

I'm only interested in adding Higgins in very deep leagues, tight-end premium leagues, or leagues with Trey McBride on my roster. He was an active part of the Cardinals' passing game on Sunday, even with McBride on the field. He had the second-most receiving yards on the team, just behind McBride. He was a super sleeper in rookie drafts a few years ago, and my friends who play in college and devy leagues loved him and drafted him a lot. Add him to your watch list at the very least.

Dynasty Trades

Kenneth Walker <=======> DeVonta Smith

Kenneth Walker <=======> Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason

I wanted to mention these two trades together since they both illustrate where dynasty managers are placing their bets on Kenneth Walker. After his terrible week-one outing, it appeared that Charbonnet would take over a leading role this season, causing his dynasty managers to move him. Other managers believed his week-one performance was just a blip on the screen and placed their bets on him. They looked a lot smarter after his week-two performance. Charbonnet did get more snaps than Walker, but this week, he was the one who looked terrible. There's no doubt that Walker is more explosive and can make bigger plays, as he proved this week. Still, his snap counts are a concern. Both of these trades are pretty even. In one, the other manager got back an every-week starting wide receiver in Smith. In the other case, the manager acquired the Vikings' backfield, which also appears to be in a 50/50 split. However, at least he has both players in case one gets injured, as Jones did this week. It's fun to see dynasty managers overreact to a bad week one and others try to take advantage of it. No one got taken advantage of in these trades. They seem fair to me. If I have a slight lean, it would be towards having the DaVonte Smith side of these trades. He's the best dynasty piece to have, even though he's an inconsistent performer, too.

J.K. Dobbins <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

A manager with a decent but aging roster put a lot of his veteran players on the trading block last week, asking for picks in return. He found a taker in the team with the top-scoring team in the league after week one. The price is right in this trade. Dobbins is worth a late second-round pick. If he stays healthy and holds off R.J. Harvey as he has been, however, he'll be worth a lot more. The Dobbins vs. Harvey battle is a major factor in this trade and will determine the winner or loser. So far, Dobbins has a firm grip on the leading role for Denver, making him an every-week starter in a league like this, giving the contending team in this trade one more startable weapon. I drafted Harvey in this league, so I am still hoping he can take over. I started him this week, but it will be the last time I start him until he earns a bigger role, if he does at all.

Week One Review

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Football is finally back! What an incredible week of football watching while cheering for our dynasty teams. I had a blast watching and following all the games this weekend, and I closed out the weekend watching the game with my neighbor at his Buffalo Bills' bar in downtown Austin. Needless to say, it was a raucous end and a fantastic day of football.

Now it's time to get back to my weekly rhythm, posting an article on the week's games and the takeaways I took when watching from a dynasty perspective. Here are my dynasty thoughts from week one. As always, the article serves as an opportunity to discuss dynasty players and their evolving values. I hope you enjoy!

Dynasty News

1. New Contracts

Several players made news this week by agreeing to new contracts, including the last rookie to sign a deal, Quinshon Judkins.

Quinshon Judkins
- Judkins finally signed his contract with the Browns and will have a hearing this week regarding any suspensions following his July arrest. Though it took some time, no files were charged in the case, so it will be interesting to see if the NFL still punishes Judkins. At least he's signed with the team and is now in a position to play sometime this season. After how terrible the Browns' running game looked on Sunday, they need Judkins on the field sooner rather than later. It will likely take a few weeks before he plays, and he may get worked in slowly, but he will be the Browns' lead back before too long and become a reliable starter for dynasty managers this season. I have two shares of Judkins, and, like his other dynasty managers, I have hope for the first time in months.
Jaylen Warren
- Last week, I predicted that Warren would sign a new contract by the end of the season, but I would never have expected him to get extended before the first game. That's what happened last week, though, when the Steelers not only signed him but called him their bell-cow back. That was music to my ears, as I had predicted all offseason that he would hold off Kaleb Johnson. As one of my most rostered players, I was thrilled that the Steelers extended him and gave him the vote of confidence. However, I was less than thrilled to see how much time he split with Kenny Gainwell on Sunday. His role was anything but a bell-cow role. I was pleased that he scored a touchdown, but disappointed that he split time with Gainwell. Kaleb Johnson took a backseat to them both, but I hoped Warren would dominate snaps and touches. Still, he will be a consistent RB-2 in dynasty lineups this season. I just wanted more, but the Steelers don't think he's built for it.
Jauan Jennings
- Jennings suddenly recovered from his injury after signing an incentive-laden deal with the 49ers. Upon hearing the news, I was eager to get him back in my lineups as a WR-3 in the one league I have him. Still, now he's on the injury report for real with a shoulder injury, moving him to the bench for a time in that league and making it less likely that he will hit the new incentives in his contract. At least he has serious motivation to get back on the field. The 49ers have to be the unluckiest team in the league. I expected Jennings to become a receiver with a reliable floor in PPR leagues this season, as he was expected to end the season last year and was eager to have him on one of my teams. However, one week of good news has turned into the next week of bad news for Jennings.
Jameson Williams
- Williams is thought by most dynasty managers to be on the verge of a breakout season, but I've consistently ranked him lower than consensus. His new contract in Detroit does not move the needle for me either. Even though he signed with the team long-term, he'll never be the focal point of the offense, who has at least two starters ahead of him in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, if not three when counting Sam LaPorta. All three were targeted more than Williams in week one. Williams adds a lot to the Lions' offense and scheme, but not a lot to dynasty rosters. Though it was in garbage time, Isaac TeSlaa made the catch of the day. While he's a blast to watch and root for, William's new contract limits the future role for TeSlaa, much to the disappointment of his dynasty managers.

2. Offensive Surprises

Daniel Jones and the Colts
- I have to give myself props. If you've followed me all year, you know that I predicted Jones to win the job because he's a far better quarterback than Anthony Richardson. I expected Jones to be able to move the offense and keep things running smoothly within their system. That's one thing, but to lead the team to seven consecutive scoring drives is quite another. Daniel Jones and the Colts offense was by far the biggest surprise of the week. I thought he could elevate the offense and bring back to life the fading dynasty value of his pass catchers. He did that for Michael Pittman this week. Hopefully, Josh Downs will benefit too in future weeks. Making Tyler Warren his top target was music to the ears of dynasty managers who drafted Warren, who is the obvious candidate to be this year's Brock Bowers. What a showing by the Colts' offense and defense as they destroyed the Dolphins and silenced every fan or dynasty analyst blasting their decision to name Jones as their starter.
Justin Fields and the Jets
- If Jones was the biggest surprise of the week, Justin Fields and the Jets were the runner-up, even though they could not pull out the game against the Steelers. The Jets vs. Steelers game had by far the lowest over-under in week one, but it turned into an epic shootout. Everyone knows what Fields can do with his feet, but his passing was impressive in this game, too. I expected Fields to dampen the production of his star receiver, Garrett Wilson, but they showed incredible chemistry throughout the game. Breece Hall was also a huge surprise. While Braelon Allen did vulture a red-zone touchdown, Hall looked fantastic. I was among the doubters this year in Hall, expecting Allen to overtake him this season, but I looked stupid on Sunday when Hall's burst and versatility shined. He looked like his old self, and the Jets' offense looked like one to have this season instead of one to avoid, as I expected. It's only one game, but they proved me wrong this week. I'm willing to reconsider my expectations for the Jets offense this year.

3. Injuries

Xavier Worthy
- Worthy's injury on the third play of the game cost me two of my dynasty games this week, as I am losing by the slightest of margins. Worthy was set to be the focal point of the passing game to start the season after Rashee Rice's suspension. Now everything is up in the air in Kansas City while dynasty managers wait to see how long they have to wait to consider playing Worthy again this season.
George Kittle
- Kittle dominated on the first drive of the game and capped it with a touchdown catch, but then was never seen on the field again. His pulled hamstring should keep him off the field for several weeks. Kittle managers are sick about this one because he was poised to be the first or second most targeted pass catchers on the team this season. This year could have been his most productive fantasy season in his career, but now it's derailed, and his replacement, Jake Tonges, scored the game-winning touchdown instead of him. Kittle's manager went from having an every-week starter who was sure to finish as a top three tight end in the league this season to whatever second- or third-tier depth piece they have on their roster. That's a huge blow.
Brock Bowers
- Bowers was doing Bowers things in game one before he left the game with a knee injury. So far, reports say that it is nothing serious. Dynasty managers hope so, because losing two of the top three tight ends would be a terrible way to start the season.
Drake London
- Apart from his touchdown drop at the end of the game on Sunday, London was tearing it up with Michael Penix, like he did at the end of last season, but after that play, he left the game with a shoulder injury. As of this writing, it is not serious. If it is, the already weak Falcons' wide receiver depth chart will take a huge blow, and so will their passing game.

Stock Up

Kyle Pitts

There's almost nothing less popular to say in dynasty circles than "I believe in Kyle Pitts," but I think I am willing to say it. Pitts looked great in game one and was second on the team in targets behind London. If London's injury keeps him away for a few weeks, Pitts will earn even more of the target share. Only Juwan Johnson had more tight-end targets this week. There's no questioning Pitts's athleticism. He has not seemed to fit in the Falcons' offensive schemes over the last few years, but it's not too late for them to figure it out. Week one gives me reason to believe they can. Pitts is a player worth trying to trade for, especially since many dynasty managers have soured on him and would like to get him off their rosters.

Jakobi Meyers

Meyers has to be the least recognized WR-1 on any team in the league. He's constantly underrated by dynasty managers who need to wake up and realize he's one of the most reliable fantasy-producing wide receivers in the league. He led the Raiders again this week in targets (10) and catches (8) for 97 yards receiving. He gets no respect. Only Hollywood Brown (because of Worthy's injury), Puka Nacua, and Jaxson Smith-Njigba had more receptions than Meyers this week. Meyers has one of the safest wide receiver floors in the league. A dynasty team with only one hole in its starting lineup would be wise to trade for Meyers, who can fill that hole with absolute consistency.

Kayshon Boutte

Better late than never, the saying goes, and it holds true for Boutte, who was once the top devy receiver in many dynasty managers' rankings. Boutte held off all of the competition this offseason to earn the starting wide receiver role for the Patriots, even though he was inherited by the new coaching staff instead of one of the guys they drafted or added in free agency. In week one, he led the team with 103 yards receiving and was the downfield threat Drake Maye looked to throughout the game. Boutte was on the waiver wire in several of my leagues this offseason, but was wisely added as it became clear that he had won the starting job. His week-one performance was a delight to managers who added him. He's far from being a player worth trusting in starting lineups, but it would not be out of the question ot see him develop into a starter. Keep an eye on Boutte!

Stock Down

Tyreek Hill

Within a few minutes of Miami's disastrous game, Hill was seen frustrated and yelling on the sideline. He likes to blame others, but it might be time for him to point the finger at himself. I only have Hill in one dynasty league, and like most managers I have seen, I have chosen to ride him until the end rather than trade him away. The end may be sooner than I thought. I hoped for one more bounce-back year, especially since he's on one of my most dominant rosters and I am obviously not rebuilding in that league. If he and the Dolphins offense play like they did on Sunday, he'll become a dying benchwarmer on my squad and make my run a third-straight Super Bowl appearance less likely. I benched him in the Super Bowl last year. Sadly, he could see the bench a lot earlier this year.

Kenneth Walker

The Kenneth Walker/Zach Charbonnet splits were shocking this week, and Charbonnet was used on the goal-line and in passing downs instead of Walker, who looked terrible every time he touched the ball. The Seattle run offense, which looked fantastic in the preseason, looked awful on Sunday. Charbonnet did not look great either, but he looked better than Walker and was used more often. Walker, in the last year of his contract, needs to prove something this season or his dynasty stock will plummet. Charbonnet may already be moving into the leading role.

Mark Andrews

I likely had Andrews on a similar list early last season before he turned things around super late in the season, but I will add him here again. He's not a focal point of the passing game anymore. Zay Flowers is a superstar and has taken the leading role in the passing game, which no longer needs to rely on tight ends like it did for years. Andrews had just one target and one catch Sunday night. He can't be trusted as a starter in dynasty lineups any longer. Targets provide the floor and upside for tight ends, especially, and he's not going to get them. It's time ot move on from Andrews if you still can.

Young Guns

Emeka Ebuka

Oh my! What a debut for Ebuka with two touchdowns, including the game-winner. All he lacked was a little more volume, but when the game was on the line, he made the play to win the game. He was the talk of camp for weeks leading up to the game, and he's the highlight of game one. What a fantastic breakout game. I missed out on Ebuka so many times this year, as I drafted from the 8 to 12 spot in so many of my leagues. I passed on him once, selecting Colston Loveland in a tight end premium league with old man Mark Andrews as my starter. The process seemed right, but now I have some regrets. He strangely fell to me at 11 in a salaray cap league where running backs tend to get drafted ahead of receivers, and I started him in that league this week. In my recent super-flex start-up draft, I selected him at the four-five turn and started him this week, too. All who drafted Ebuka are smiling this week. It's not out of the question at all that he'll become the best wide receiver in this class ahead of Tetairoa McMillan and Travis Hunter. Time will tell, but he's the top rookie in week one.

Harold Fannin

My goodness! Who would have thought that Fannin would lead the Browns in targets and more than double the fantasy points of David Njoku in week one of his rookie season? The Browns have proven that they are not taking a developmental approach to their rookie tight end. They want him on the field immediately because they see him as one of their best weapons in the passing game. He had almost the exact same stat line as Tyler Warren, with the same number of targets and catches, with just 13 fewer yards receiving. Dynasty managers expected Warren to hit the ground running, but thought they'd have to wait a year or more on Fannin. Now they don't. What a huge surprise and a great find in the third round of rookie drafts. I'd want to see it for one more week before starting him, but one more week would be enough for me to do so.

Michael Penix

Penix was one of the most significant question marks heading into this season, as he started so few games last season and not until the very end of the season. He answered the bell fine, giving dynasty managers confidence in starting him in superflex leagues and consideration in one-quarterback leagues. He threw a touchdown and ran for one, and almost hit the 300-yard mark in passing with 298 yards. He wisely targeted his playmakers, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts, the most, giving them a combined 30 of his 41 targets. He looked confident and didn't make mistakes, even though he faced a lot of pressure from the Tampa Bay pass rush. He passed the test and led the team down the field for a game-tying drive, but his kicker missed the field goal to send it to overtime. He looked great, proving that his few stellar games at the end of last season were not a fluke.

Old-Man Strength

Keenan Allen

Allen could not have landed with a better team than the Chargers. He stepped right in as if he had never left and became a prime target of Justin Herbert and the surprisingly pass-happy offense. The old man led the team in targets (10) and catches (7) and scored a touchdown in his second debut with the team. Allen knows how to get open and is a quarterback's best friend. He's one of the all-time greats. Although most rebuilding teams have sold him by now, including myself several times, he continues to produce for contending teams. What a marvel he is.

Aaron Rodgers

No one expected old man Rodgers to throw four touchdowns in a comeback win over his former team, the Jets, but that's precisely what the 41-year-old did. I expected a very conservative offensive approach in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers let it all hang out and gave Rodgers the reins in the passing game. Calvin Austin was the biggest surprise, becoming the clear WR-2 behind D.K. Metcalf and a recipient of Rodgers' game-winning touchdown. To my surprise, Jonnu Smith was targeted twice as often as Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers have new and different weapons this season, and Rodgers brought them to life. We'll see if he has one more playoff run in him in what he says will be his final season in the NFL.

Javonte Williams

Going all the way back to Thursday night, we cannot forget the surprising bounce-back performance by Williams, who scored two touchdowns and solidified the RB-1 role for the Cowboys with his performance. He doesn't truly fit the old-man category. Still, I'm giving myself some leeway to write about a player whose dynasty value fell significantly over the last two years and seemed unrecoverable even after signing with his second team, the Cowboys. He's just 25 years old, having played four years in Denver. He has plenty of time to reestablish himself as an NFL starter and a starter in dynasty lineups. I want to see it for one more week in the only league where I have a share of him, but so far, I am pleased to have traded Cedric Tillman for him in that league, especially since I am weak at running back and my wide receiver depth chart is very strong.

Waiver Watch

As a reminder, I play in leagues that roster 300 to 392 players, so these are players available in leagues as deep as mine - true dynasty leagues.

Hollywood Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster

Brown is only available in one of my leagues, so I still list him here. While Juju is available in almost all of them. Both will benefit from an extended absence from Xavier Worthy, as they did Friday night. Neither is worth breaking the bank over, though I would put a decent amount of FAAB down on Brown in the only league where he is available. I can imagine starting him in deep lineups when Worthy is out, but it would have to be a really deep league to trust in Juju again.

Dyami Brown

Brown is not available in many of my leagues because he is on my roster in most. He was used by the new Jaguars' offense as I expected, as a gadget player, but one who is on the field almost every play. He had two carries and three catches on Sunday. He's only startable in deep leagues and likely in a bye week, but if you have to start him, you can be sure that he will get touches, which is more than you can say for most guys on the waiver wire in dynasty leagues. His upside will skyrocket if Travis Hunter ever gets injured or moves to play defense more often.

KaVontae Turpin

As I said of Brown, I will say of Turpin. He will get touches in Dallas as he did in their season opener, where they used him as a runner and pass catcher. He's only rosterable in the deepest of leagues, but he's a player worth considering after week one.

Dynasty Trades

Kenneth Walker <=======> Jarquez Hunter and a 2026 1st round pick

A manager in one of my leagues decided it was time to enter rebuild mode, so he made these first two trades to acquire young prospects and draft picks in exchange for veterans. This trade is a prototypical trade for a rebuilding team, giving up a running back for a rookie and a first-round draft pick. It's a reasonable trade that will take time to evaluate. It's just week one, but given Walker's performance in week one, this looks like an excellent deal for the team aiming to rebuild. If Charbonnet steals the leading role in Seattle, the rebuilding team will win this trade. Hunter was inactive on Sunday, proving again that the Rams trust Blake Corum as Kyren Williams's backup. I understand why some dynasty managers still hold onto hope for him, but his opportunities will likely be limited. The future first, however, will be a player more likely to help the rebuilding team.

Keenan Allen <=======> Ja'Tavion Sanders and 2026 3rd

The same manager sent Allen away for a young tight end and a third-round pick. The team receiving Allen is a top-two roster in the league and could easily afford to make this trade. Allen will see his starting lineup often this season, especially after his week-one performance. We'll see if Sanders can break out this season. If so, the rebuilding team will be pleased with this trade. A third-round pick is hard to bank on, though. That was about the best he could get for Allen, but had he waited until after Friday's game to make the trade, he could have gotten a lot more for him, I'm sure.

Ladd McConkey <=======> Joe Flacco and Emeka Ebuka

This trade was a fun one between two teams with differing evaluations of their first- and second-year receivers. Flacco is a wash in this trade. It's really about the young receivers. I've yet to update my rankings as of this article, but before week one, I had McConkey ranked 13th and Ebuka 17th, so they were already close before Ebuka's awesome first game. This is a fair trade with top young stud wide receivers. Each manager placed their bets on one above the other. Time will tell, though I expect they will always be ranked closely together.

In-Season Template

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Week X Dynasty Takes

Week One Storyline

Week One Right and Wrong

Week One Injury Report

Stock Up

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2

3

Stock Down

2

3

Young Guns

1

2

3

Old-Man Strength

1

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3

Waiver Watch

1

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Dynasty Trades

1 <=======> 2

My Latest Start-Up Draft

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Sadly, one of the dynasty leagues I've been in for several years folded two weeks ago. It was a very complex 48-team league with four copies of each player and four twelve-team divisions. It was a league filled with super fans and many in the dynasty industry. I don't have hard feelings about it folding because I would never wish to commission a league as complicated as that. It was fun while it lasted, and I made connections with others in the dynasty space through the league.

Thankfully, twelve teams in the league quickly assembled a new league with the same scoring format, but with just twelve teams. We quickly started the league and completed our 30-player slow draft over the next ten days. It's been several years since I was part of a start-up, and I've forgotten how much fun it was. I had a blast drafting my newest dynasty team and wanted to write about it. It gives me a chance to explain my start-up strategies and discuss the players I like, having drafted them.

This new league features a superflex, PPR, tight end premium (1.75 PPR) format with numerous flex positions, allowing managers to employ various strategies when drafting and setting their starting lineups. You have to start two wide receivers, but only one quarterback, running back, and tight end. That leaves five more starting roster sports as flex positions, but only one can be filled by a quarterback. We also have four taxi squad spots available to first and second-year players.

I went into the rookie draft with no particular strategy. I took the draft as it came to me, and about midway through, I decided to take a more win-now approach. I drafted from the 12th spot, so I had back-to-back picks throughout the draft and did not make any trades during the draft, resulting in me picking back-to-back for the entire draft.

Here's how my team looks as we head into year one of this new dynasty league.

CeeDee Lamb & Puka Nacua

At the one-two turn, I decided to take the top two receivers available in my dynasty rankings with Lamb and Nacua. Five quarterbacks, three receivers, two running backs, and one tight end were drafted ahead of me. By the time it came to my pick, I had decided to pass on quarterback. The only two players I considered with this pick were Ashton Jeanty and Trey McBride, who were selected three and four picks after mine. In a PPR and tight-end premium league like this, with many flex positions, I decided to make my core wide receivers the strength of my draft early. Lamb and Nacua are target hogs and are sure to be among the top five receivers in targets per game. While I could have drafted a receiver a few years younger than Lamb, like Brian Thomas Jr. or Drake London, I expect Lamb to score far more points than them over the next three years, so I did not let his age move me off of him. I loved my first two picks. Then I had to wait and hope that in a superflex league, solid quarterbacks would fall to me 24 picks later.

Caleb Williams & Brock Purdy

At the three-four turn, I was committed to draft two quarterbacks, and I chose Williams and Purdy. Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence were the other two quarterbacks I considered with these picks (they went four and twelve picks later). Still, I decided to bank on Williams due to his age and the new start with Ben Johnson, and I liked Purdy because of his offensive system, new contract, and his years of consistency as a top-12 quarterback. So I drafted a safe quarterback with Purdy and a young quarterback with upside with Williams. The manager who picked before and after me immediately messaged the group after I drafted Purdy, upset with me that I sniped him, and has since offered me a trade for Purdy. It always feels good to snipe someone. I drafted two quarterbacks that will anchor my team in a superflex league for many years to come. I was also committed to being one of the teams that would draft a third starting quarterback sooner rather than later.

Jordan Addison & Emeka Ebuka

At the five-six turn, I was thrilled to continue punting on running back and add to my receiver depth with two excellent young players, one already proven after two years in the league and one rookie who has been the most talked-about receiver during training camp. It will be a shame to miss three games of productivity this season while Addison serves his suspension. Still, a future starting lineup with Lamb, Nacua, Addison, and Ebuka makes me thrilled. At this point in the draft, teams were drafting younger guys and rookies. I expected Ebuka to get drafted before he fell to me, but the fifth round was riddled with tight ends selected. I hoped Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, or George Kittle would fall to me, but they all got drafted in the fifth round. I would have loved to have the Loveland-Williams stack for a decade or the Purdy-Kittle stack for a short time, but selecting Addison and Ebuka also made me excited, especially after the manager who picked after me messaged the group saying he wanted Ebuka and should have picked him before me. I like youth and depth of my wide receivers at this point in the draft, and was ready to venture to other positions after drafting those solid four receivers.

Tucker Kraft & Geno Smith

I highly considered drafting Kraft with one of my last picks, especially in a high-tight-end premium league like this. So when he fell to me 24 picks later at the seven-eight turn, I was pleased to take him. I expect his role in the Packers' offense to increase tremendously this season and in the years to come. He was by far the highest-ranked dynasty tight end available at this point in the draft. In a league like this, I wanted to secure a young top tight end, and I got the last one in that tier according to my rankings. As for Smith, I wanted to be one of the teams with three legitimate starting quarterbacks with no threats of competition behind them. Smith fit the bill and was one of the last quarterbacks available that did. Matt Stafford, Sam Darnold, and Daniel Jones were the three quarterbacks drafted after Smith, and their leashes are much shorter on their teams. Now, if one of my quarterbacks gets injured, I will have a starting quarterback to put in his place.

Alvin Kamara & Travis Kelce

At the nine-ten turn, I decided to take a more win-now approach in this draft. Cam Skattebo and Luther Burden were the rookies I considered drafting, or at least drafting one of the two. The Burden-Williams stack could have been nice for years to come, and Skattebo, if he wins a starting job, would have been a steal as my first drafted running back. I weighed this decision more heavily than any other one in this draft, but I decided to go the old-man, win-now route instead. Burden and Skattebo have yet to secure a starting role on their teams, which created just enough doubt for me, especially when I continued to examine this league's scoring settings and saw that Kelce and Kamara were the 29th and 47th-highest-scoring players in the league last year. Kelce scored more points than CeeDee Lamb and Brock Purdy last year in this league, and Kamara finished two spots behind Caleb Williams. I decided to go with Team Old and grab two players who will be in my starting lineup every week this first year of the league, even if it is their only year. I was immediately sent the "I'm in my prime" meme on our group chat after making these picks, and I deserved it. We'll see if I live to regret it. I'll have to follow Burden and Skattebo's careers to decide.

Tyrone Tracy & Braelon Allen

I drafted two New York running backs at the eleven-twelve turn, hoping one could hold off the rookie running back behind him and the other could overtake the older running back ahead of him. Tracy is sure to be in my starting lineup early this season, and if Skattebo cannot overtake him, this will become an excellent late pick to get a team's RB-1. Allen has been the talk of camp this year, and Breece Hall's contract is up at the end of the year. I expect Allen's role to increase this season, with an opportunity to be the Jets' starting running back after this season. If so, he'll be an excellent selection for me this late in the draft. Several managers messaged our chat after I selected Allen, cursing me for picking him, so I must have done something right. Allen is now the youngest player on my team. If he can become a starter, I will have him for years to come.

Jaylen Warren & Xavier Legette

At the thirteen-fourteen turn, I was pleased to select two of "my guys." I expect Warren to hold off Kaleb Johnson this season and earn a new contract with the Steelers for next season. Even if he doesn't, my win-now approach makes him a player worth adding because I am very confident that he will start the season as the Steelers' starter and be involved in every passing down throughout the year. At this turn, I drafted one player who could at least help me this year and one player whom I am convinced is better than he looked in his rookie season. Legette is a "my guy," and I am not afraid to put my faith in him in a start-up like I did in so many rookie drafts last season. I'll go down with the sinking ship if he does not turn into a productive WR-2 behind Tetairoa McMillan for years to come. He was worth the risk and a player I believe in, so I selected him here earlier than most dynasty managers would have, but surely he would not have fallen to me 24 picks later.

Theo Johnson & DeMario Douglas

At the halfway point of the draft at the fifteen-sixteen turn, I wanted to grab another young tight end who will breakout this season and see his role increase for years to come. Theo Johnson could very well be the second-most targeted pass catcher for the Giants this season, and he has a rookie quarterback who can make the Giants' offense productive again. If he breaks out, I could start Johnson, Kraft, and Kelce in a league like this with 1.75 PPR. I expect Douglas to become Drake Maye's security blanket in the slot and see his role solidify in the offense. He could become a safe starter when players are on a bye week for my team, if only because his PPR floor will be high. The only other player I considered drafting was Jaylin Noel, but since I had committed to a win-now approach, I selected the player who would see a lot of targets this season instead of waiting for Noel to break out in the coming seasons. Noel was picked with the very next pick.

DJ Giddens & Keenan Allen

I wanted to draft another young running back who could benefit my team if the starter ahead of him was injured, and have a slight opportunity to become the team's running back of the future. That's what I saw in Giddens at the seventeen-eighteen turn. He's solidified the RB-2 role with the Colts after just weeks of training camp, and he's playing behind Jonathan Taylor, who has battled injuries often in his career. Giddens can sit on my taxi squad until he gets a chance to play, and when he does, he'll be an instant starter in my lineups with a slight chance to become the Colts' future running back. As for Allen, since I committed to the win-now approach, it would be fun to add one of my all-time dynasty favorites to my newest team, even though I have traded him off of all my other teams. I love that he landed back in LA, and I am sure he will have a productive season and help my team this season.

Romeo Doubs & Tyler Higbee

At the nineteen-twenty turn, I thought Doubs had fallen too far. He's had productive stretches with the Packers and, over the last few years, has been their receiver with the most snaps. Dynasty managers don't like him, but the Packers do. He's a depth piece for my receivers who could have some big games if I ever need to start him in my lineups. As for Higbee, since I am focused on winning now, he will likely hold off the rookie, Terrance Ferguson, for much of this year. Once he returned healthy at the end of last year, he was incredibly productive for the Rams. He's their starter until he is not. If he gets off to a hot start this season, I could find a tight-end-needy team and trade him away.

Mac Jones & Dameon Pierce

At the twenty-one-twenty-two turn, I thought it was time to handcuff Brock Purdy with Mac Jones, who has had productive games in the NFL, including last season with the Jaguars. I like handcuffing my quarterbacks in superflex leagues, especially this late, on a team that has proven it can make backup quarterbacks productive. As for Pierce, at the time of this draft, Mixon had not yet been placed on IR, but all the reports were bad. Who knows if Nick Chubb or Woody Marks will benefit from Mixon's extended absence, but I wanted to hedge my bets on Pierce. At this point in the draft, I thought he was a risk worth taking in case he winds up winning the RB-1 position in Houston. If Chubb has a miracle return or Marks is the real deal, I can move on from Pierce this season, but I wanted to have a share of the Texans' backfield to see how it plays out this season.

Will Dissly & Dyami Brown

At the twenty-three-twenty-four turn, I decided to place a bet on Dissly to hold off his competition at the Chargers' tight end position. He was the only starting tight end, according to Ourlads, that was still available in this draft. Oronde Gadsden, everyone's darling, is still listed as third on their depth chart. Brown is third fiddle among the receivers in Jacksonville, but he has a starting role in three-receiver sets and could play in two-receiver sets when Travis Hunter is not playing offense. He finally showed his ability at the end of last season in Washington, and the Jaguars paid him handsomely to join their team this season. They'll use him in a variety of ways. He's a depth piece for me that could be used in emergencies this season.

Kaleel Mullings & Jarrett Stidham

Based on their preseason play, Mullings and Stidham seemed like wise additions to my team this late in the draft at the twenty-five-twenty-six turn. Mullings had a few nice preseason runs, made the final roster, and is not the RB-2 behind Tony Pollard because Tyjae Spears was placed on IR. Mullings can sit on my taxi squad in this league and see what his future holds. Stidham had an excellent preseason and proved he can manage the offense if Bo Nix were to get injured. In superflex leagues, I like to roster a lot of backup quarterbacks. They can become surprise fantasy starters or considerable trade bait when the starters in front of them go down.

Kenny Pickett & Zach Wilson

As I just mentioned, I like to roster backup quarterbacks. Here in the twenty-seven-twenty-eight turn, I was able to add Pickett, who, after being traded to Las Vegas, is now a handcuff to Geno Smith on my roster. Wilson is sitting behind the most oft-injured quarterback in the league, Tua Tagovailoa. I was surprised that no one else drafted him ahead of me, and I was pleased to add him as a movable piece on my team in case Tua gets injured again this season.

Brandin Cooks & Darius Slayton

To complete my old-man draft and be the first in his league to complete his draft, I added Cooks and Slayton at the twenty-nine-thirty turn. I added two starting NFL wide receivers with the last two picks of my draft. Cooks is definitely nearing the end of his career, but he had some productive games last season in Dallas, and Slayton signed a new contract with the Giants this year. I already mentioned how their offense can improve significantly once Jaxson Dart is the starter. Slayton still has a chance to improve on what he's been thus far in his career.

My Team

At the end of the draft, I did what I wanted to do. I have solid starting quarterbacks, with a third NFL starter to boot, as well as handcuffs for two of my quarterbacks, and two additional backup quarterbacks. I made the receiver the strength of my team with two top-tier receivers, two second-tier receivers, and a mix of youth and productive old men behind them. I have one top-tier tight end who may be in his final season, but backed up by two young tight ends poised to break out and some intriguing NFL starters behind them. I intentionally punted at running back, but I only have to start one each week. I have a faithful old man ready to start every game for me this year. If one of the two vets I drafted holds off the rookies behind them, I'll have a suitable starter. If my RB-2s become RB-1s for a short time or earn a future starting role, I'll have more depth in that position than I initially thought.

My Final Rookie Draft

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Last weekend was our annual Freek Weekend on Lake LBJ, where my oldest league and closest friends gather to catch up, relax, and talk a lot of football. We've gathered like this since 1998, making this our 28th annual weekend on the lake.

It's also my final rookie draft of the season. It's fun to have one rookie draft late in the year after hearing and seeing training camp reports and preseason games. This late rookie draft looked different than my rookie drafts back in May, especially with a few late-round players rising significantly over the last few months.

We had a great weekend on the lake. I made my oldest dynasty team better. Now we're ready for the season to begin.

Here is what our late rookie draft looked like.

Round One

1. Phlegm - Ashton Jeanty
2. Blight - Omarion Hampton
3. Buzzards - Tetairoa McMillan
4. Suede - TreVeyon Henderson
5. Phlegm (via Aardvarks) - Travis Hunter
6. Monks - Emeka Ebuka
7. Possums - Colston Loveland

I really wanted Emeka Ebuka, but I know my buddy well enough to know he would select Ebuka ahead of me. Then my choice was between Loveland and R.J. Harvey. In May, I had Harvey ranked ahead of Loveland, but I moved Loveland ahead of Harvey in my final rookie rankings just before this rookie draft. I loved what I saw from Loveland in his few preseason snaps. Ben Johnson, who drafted Loveland with his first pick as a head coach, will make Loveland a focal point of the offense. The security that comes to a dynasty team when landing a young top-tier scoring tight end cannot be overrated. I am sure that's what Loveland will become. As for Harvey, my concerns for him have increased since the rookie drafts in May. The Broncos signed J.K. Dobbins since then, and Harvey did not look great in preseason games and has not proven trustworthy in pass protection. I'm still pleased to have drafted him in other leagues and think he will improve once given time, but I am now more confident in Loveland's long-term productivity than I am in Harvey's.

8. Crisp - RJ Harvey
9. Plumbers - Tyler Warren
10. Firedogs - Quinshon Judkins

Round Two

1. Phlegm - Cam Ward
2. Blight - Matthew Golden
3. Firedogs (via Buzzards) - Kaleb Johnson
4. Suede - Luther Burden
5. Aardvarks - Bhayshul Tuten
6. Monks - Jayden Higgins
7. Possums - Cam Skattebo

Skattebo's injury late in training camp caused him to fall further than he did in May's rookie drafts. I selected him with pick 17 in this late draft, whereas he was selected 15th, 14th, 14th, 13th, 13th, and 17th in my other leagues. It will take Skattebo some time, but I am convinced he will become the leading running back for the Giants by midseason. He's one of the most fun players to watch and root for, too. I am glad that he fell to me so late in the second round of this draft. The only other player I considered was Jayden Higgins, who was selected in the spot in front of me. Still, I had already decided that I would draft Skattebo even if Higgins were available. It's rare to get a starting running back in the second round of rookie drafts, but that's what I found in this late draft.

8. Crisp - Pat Bryant
9. Firedogs (via Plumbers) - Jaxson Dart
10. Plumbers (via Firedogs) - Tre' Harris

Round Three

1. Phlegm - Mason Taylor
2. Blight - Kyle Williams
3. Buzzards - Jaydon Blue
4. Suede - Tyler Shough
5. Aardvarks - Jacory Croskey-Merritt
6. Monks - Dylan Sampson
7. Possums - Jack Bech

Bech has rightly fallen far from where he was drafted back in May. His camp reports were bad, Tre Tucker's were great, and fellow rookie Dont'e Thornton has earned a starting role already. Still, in the third round, I considered Bech, a second-round draft pick by the Raiders, a value pick this late, even though I know I will have to wait on him. Bech went 17th, 19th, 17th, 17th, 21st, and 23rd in my early rookie drafts, but he fell to me at 27th in this draft. I planned to draft Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the third round, but he was sniped ahead of me, so I decided to take another chance on Bech, a player I have traded up to get twice in rookie drafts in May. He's one of the players I'm betting on most in this year's class. Tre Tucker and Jakobi Meyers's contracts expire after this season, so Bech can earn a starting role next year if he can show some signs of production this year. Obviously, I am banking on it.

8. Crisp - Elijah Arroyo
9. Plumbers - Jaylin Noel
10. Plumbers (via Firedogs) - Jalen Milroe

Round Four

1. Phlegm - Terrance Ferguson
2. Blight - Woody Marks
3. Buzzards - Shedeur Sanders
4. Suede - Elic Ayomanor
5. Aardvarks - DJ Giddens
6. Buzzards (via Monks) - Ollie Gordon
7. Aardvarks (via Possums) - Devin Neal
8. Crisp - Jarquez Hunter
9. Plumbers - Jalen Royals
10. Buzzards (via Firedogs) - Tahj Brooks

Round Five

1. Phlegm - Isaiah Bond
2. Blight - Dont'e Thornton
3. Buzzards - Isaac Teslaa
4. Suede - Harold Fannin
5. Aardvarks - KeAndre Lambert-Smith
6. Monks - Tory Horton
7. Possums - Kyle Monangai

In the fifth round, I hoped to draft Dont'e Thornton, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, or Tory Horton (who fell far too low), but I had to settle for Kyle Monangai. I have plenty of depth at quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end in this league, so I decided to draft the best running back available that has a better outside chance of earning a leading role than most in this fifth round. He received praise many times throughout training camp and has a modest depth chart to climb. I like his hard-nosed running style and his college production, even though he's an older prospect. Everything is new in Chicago, so they're an offense worth investing in to see what they become. I hoped that Jaylin Lane would go undrafted so I could target him on the waiver wire after the draft, but he was wisely taken two picks after I picked Monangai.

8. Crisp - Savion Williams
9. Plumbers - Jaylin Lane
10. Firedogs - Brashard Smith

My Team

Quarterbacks: Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, Sam Darnold

I'm missing a top-tier quarterback, but I am content with Herbert as my starter and believe Maye will make a big jump this season and start many games for me. We're transitioning this league to superflex in 2027, so I am pleased with the youth I have at quarterback. If McCarthy develops well as a first-time starter this year, like Sam Darnold did in Minnesota last year, then my youth and depth at quarterback will be a strength once we move to superflex.

Running Backs: Jahmyr Gibbs, Kyren Williams, Jaylen Warren, Cam Skattebo, Rhamondre Stevenson, Tyjae Spears, Blake Courm, Kyle Monangai

My top two running backs, Gibbs and Williams, make for a top tandem in the league, but my depth behind them is a concern. I'm pleased to have Corum as a handcuff to Williams. I believe that Warren will hold off on Kaleb Johnson for much of this season, but the same cannot be said of Stevenson, who will lose touches to TreVeyon Henderson immediately. Spears is a good depth piece, but his recent injury is a setback for my hopes for him this season. I need Skattebo or Monangai to earn significant roles this season to give me confidence in my running back depth for the future. Depth is a concern, but my top two starters will make my team strong as long as they stay healthy.

Wide Receivers: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puca Nacua, AJ Brown, Jordan Addison, Jayden Reed, Xavier Legette, DeMario Douglas, Rashid Shaheed, Jack Bech, Dyami Brown

My starting wide receivers, St. Brown, Nacua, and Brown, make my wide receiver starters among the best in the league, but my depth is questionable behind them, except Addison. Reed's dynasty stock has fallen every week since the very start of last season. He's become very unreliable, and the Packers' addition of Matthew Golden in the draft makes him even more questionable as a dynasty asset. I still believe in Legette and expect the Panthers' addition of Tetairoa McMillan to make him more productive in his second season. Douglas will become a startable player during bye weeks, as I am confident he will become one of Maye's top targets. As for Brown, Shaheed, and Bech, I doubt they will start games for me this year, and only Bech has room for growth, though Shaheed could build upon his hot start last season if the Saints get halfway decent quarterback play this season.

Tight Ends: Colston Loveland, Tucker Kraft, David Njoku, Brenton Strange, Darren Waller

My tight end room is very strong. The hardest part will be naming a starter each week. I expect to start a tight end at the flex position often this season, too. Njoku can stay hot so long as Joe Flacco is the Brown's starter. Loveland and Kraft are two excellent depth pieces that almost any team in the league would want as their starter. They are the future for my tight ends and will start many games for me this season. If Strange or Waller get off to hot starts, I will trade them for a modest price.

I'm a top-four team in this league, especially with my starting lineup. I finished in fourth place last season. I was the third highest scoring team last year but also had the third highest points scored against me. In the semi-finals, I would have beaten the two teams in the other side of the bracket, but I played head-to-head against the team with the highest score that week. That's how the ball bounces sometimes. I'm hoping more goes my way this season. Barring injury, I should make a deep playoff run again this year, but hopefully with more luck this time.

Week Four Training Camp Report

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Training camp week four is almost in the books with a Monday night preseason game still to go at the time of this article. It felt like starters played even less in this week's preseason games than they did last week, but it was still fun to watch love action and take in information from a dynasty perspective. My real job was highly demanding last week and over the weekend, so I was only able to watch the first half of all the games. Still, I saw enough to change my opinions slightly on several important dynasty players, making me more optimistic or pessimistic about them. After a busy real-life week, here are some short takeaways from a dynasty perspective on week four or training camp and week two of preseason games.

Caleb Williams

After pretty discouraging reports throughout training camp, it was nice to see Williams look sharp and the new Ben Johnson offense humming in their second preseason game Sunday night. Williams led two drives with the starting offense and scored a touchdown on the first. Big plays were made downfield to both Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. I'd expect a lot of two-tightend sets this year for Chicago. Williams got the ball out of his hands quickly, including two quick hits to DJ Moore. He looked sharp for the first time in camp. The hype on the Ben Johnson-led offense got a little out of hand this offseason, but he will make a difference. It will take more time than dynasty managers expect. Still, it was nice to get a glimmer of hope from Williams and the offense.

Jaxson Dart

I try not to write about the same player two weeks in a row, but I have to comment on how awesome Dart looked again this week. He was 14 of 16 passing, and the offense came alive when he entered the game. I watch recorded games the old school way using the 30-second fast forward button between plays, but could not when Dart was in the game. He snapped the ball faster than that on almost every play. It's like the whole offense changed when he was in the game compared to Russell Wilson, who also had a great start to the game. Dart is far more exciting to watch, and the crowd and coaching staff know it. Coach Daboll said after the game that Wilson is starting game one, but this is a way tighter race early in the season than most fans and dynasty managers expected. Dart looks awesome!

Tyler Shough

Shough started preseason game two just as Spencer Rattler did in game one. In each game, the man who came in to play with the second team looked better than the first. Like last week, Shough got off to a rocky start but then calmed down. He didn't throw an interception like last week, but he did have a terrible intentional grounding penalty and had happy feet in the pocket. His draft capital demands that he be named the starter for week one, but I expect both he and Rattler to get a lot of starts this season, and the Saints to be in position to draft a franchise quarterback in 2026. Dynasty managers in superflex leagues who hoped they drafted a long-term starter late in this year's rookie drafts are seeing their hope dwindle with each preseason game, unfortunately.

Ashton Jeanty

It was only a matter of time until Jeanty looked like the top pick in most every rookie draft this season. He had a rough start in his first preseason game, but he proved his power, balance, and tackle-breaking prowess in week two. No one doubted his talent, but they questioned the ability of the Raiders offense and offensive line to give him the hot start to his rookie season. Jeanty impressed on his runs, but what was more impressive was the offense this week. Geno Smith led the Raiders on field goal and touchdown scoring drives in his only two possessions, including the second, which ended with a touchdown run by Jeanty. The Raiders' offense will not be among the best this season, but they'll move the ball and feed the ball to Jeanty, Brock Bowers, and Jakobi Meyers. Dynasty managers can still expect great production from Smith distributing the ball to them this season.

TreVeyon Henderson

Henderson got into the endzone again this week, but this time on a short-yardage run. Add that to his repertoire this season and the sky is the limit for Henderson. He barely missed a long catch on a wheel route, too, which will be a staple in the Patriots' offense any time they can isolate Henderson on a linebacker. I know I mentioned him in last week's article too, but he's looked too good in the preseason to fail to mention him again. Like I said last week, he's a Jahmyr Gibbs type back and could quickly rise to be a top-five dynasty back just a few weeks into the season.

Zach Charbonnet

I hate even to write this, but if there is one player I wish had a lingering injury this year, it would be Kenneth Walker. I have so many shares of Zach Charbonnet that my teams would benefit in a team-changing way if Walker remained injured. Of course, I never wish an injury on anyone, but Charbonnet is stuck in an RB-2 role when he could play like an RB-1 and start ahead of RB-1s on at least half of the NFL teams right now. He was a monster in their preseason game this week. Granted, he had huge holes to run through on many of his carries, including his touchdown run, but he got his own yards and ran guys over too. I don't want to judge too much by one preseason game, but the hype around Seattle becoming a dominant run-oriented offense sure looked true in this game. Every backup back ran wild, asking dynasty managers to wonder how awesome Walker would look when he returns, or ask if they even need Walker at all. Dynasty manager may be frustrated with this backfield this season if they split carries, but the Seattle fans will eat it up like their running backs do yards.

Ray Davis

The other backup running back I have the most shares of is Davis. The James Cook signing last week popped my Davis hype balloon. I expected the Bills to move on from Cook, so my dynasty teams took a blow last week with this signing. To make matters worse, Davis has looked terrible in the first two preseason games. He's looked more like a career backup, which now seems to be his fate. My expectations of his opportunity and his ability took a hit this week after Cooks' signing and his second week of poor preseason performance. I've had to face the reality that I was wrong on Davis for more reasons than one, and now regret the two trades I made for him this offseason.

Woody Marks

Marks's opportunities have increased significantly as Joe Mixon continues to recover from his injury. Reports surfaced this week that his injury could force him to miss considerably more time than expected. With each report like that, Marks's opportunity and dynasty value go up. He looked great in Houston's preseason game this week. Nick Chubb got the first crack with the starter on offense, and he did not look bad, but Marks had a lot more juice when he got the ball. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry in the game. It's just one preseason game, but the door is wide open for Marks to have a significant role in the offense this year. Dynasty managers who selected him in the back half of rookie drafts are thrilled at this development and his play this week. What a sneaky find for them. I wish I were one!

Ricky Pearsall

Oh my, does Brock Purdy have eyes for Pearsall? On their first field goal scoring drive, Pearsall had three catches on four targets, including his first three passes of the game. I don't want to read too much into one preseason drive, but that was fun to watch. I've been lower on Pearsall than most dynasty managers, expecting Jauan Jennings to be the most targeted wide receiver for the 49ers this year. Jennings is not playing with either a real injury or a hold-out kind of injury, and this week, Pearsall stole the show from him. Several redraft podcast hosts that I trust have named Pearsall one of their top targets in this year's draft, expecting him to outperform his ADP. I'm more open to that possibility after this incredible opening drive. He looked fantastic, giving dynasty managers more confidence in him than in me, that they were right and I was wrong.

Tre' Harris

Harris has, by all reports, struggled in training camp. Ke'Andre Lambert Smith has outplayed him. Harris ran with the second team and had an excellent second preseason game, giving his dynasty managers hope that he can live up to his second-round hype. Kenaan Allen started with the first team in this game, and once Quentin Johnston left with an injury, Lambert-Smith came in ahead of Harris, so dynasty managers need to know that he's still buried on the depth chart. Still, a good outing was a sight for sore eyes. He and Jack Bech have been two of the biggest training camp disappointments so far this season, but at least we're playing in dynasty leagues and can give them a minute.

Elic Ayomanor

Ayomanor had some of the most hype last week leading up to his second preseason game. He was reportedly building rapport with Cam Ward, moving up the depth chart, and getting reps with the first team. That's precisely what he got in the second preseason game. I firmly believe the week-long hype on him after Ward targeted him often in his four first-half possessions, including a 35-yard catch and run on the first pass of the game. They even gave Ayomanor a handoff on a sweep. I was way lower on Ayomanor than other dynasty managers, but the report this week and the play in this preseason game have opened my mind to rethink his dynasty value. One more week of reports and play like this and he will move up my rankings quite a bit.

Colston Loveland

Loveland looked fantastic on his singing debut when he was hazed in the locker room this week, and he looked even better on the field in the above-mentioned game with Caleb Williams. He got two targets on the first drive and hauled both of them in. Both plays were drawn up for him, including the first pass of the game, confirming my confidence that Ben Johnson will make him a focal point of the passing game. Loveland and Tyler Warren will hit the ground running in their rookie seasons. Dynasty managers should expect this from first-round tight ends at this point. I'm so glad I have a couple shares of each of them.

Brenton Strange

Strange was a top target of Trevor Lawrence in this week's preseason game, especially on third downs and check downs. The few possessions he had with the first team offense opened my eyes to the possibility of him becoming a streamable dynasty tight end this season with more upside than that. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Jacksonville, and Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter will become Lawerence's big play guys, but a reliable check-down tight end can be productive for dynasty managers. Managers with Strange as their tight end two or three on their rosters will be pleased to have him this season.

Week Three Training Camp Report

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0500

This week, Dynasty Freeks did not have to rely on reports from training camp. They got to see live action on the field during preseason games. Many teams allowed their starters to play for a few series, and almost every team gave their rookies and young players plenty of snaps. It was enjoyable to watch while considering the future impact of young players on our dynasty roster. I watched almost every play in every game this week. In his article, I'll share my takeaways from training camp week three and the first week of preseason.

Shedeur Sanders

Quarterback injuries led to Shedeur Sanders receiving the starting role in the Browns' preseason opener, and Sanders stole the show. He threw two touchdown passes in his preseason debut and looked like he was in control of the offense on all his drives. He played with second and third string players, and he made them look great. His completion percentage was just over 50%, so he has room for improvement, but his debut was far better than I expected and will have fans clamoring for him to win the starting role. If the Browns' quarterbacks cannot get back on the field and Sanders improves upon this performance in the next preseason game, he'll rightly deserve a shot at the starting role. I was very surprised by his solid performance.

Jaxson Dart

Dart also looked impressive in his preseason debut. He looked poised in the pocket and accurate with his throws. His incompletions (7) were skewed a bit because of passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. That can be its problem, but I'd rather see that than incompletions based on inaccurate passes. He did what I loved best about him in college - throwing moon balls downfield for a touchdown and making plays on the ground. He is an excellent runner, and that showed in his first preseason game. He will start for the Giants sooner rather than later if he continues to play well in the preseason.

Cam Ward

Ward made his debut with the first team offense and led the team to a touchdown-scoring drive in their second possession. He also looked like a professional right away, with eyes downfield for bigger chunks of yardage, including three completions to Calvin Ridley for 27, 13, and 10 yards on the touchdown scoring drive. He and Ridley have a tight connection already, rightly raising the expectations of Ridley managers. He'll be fun to watch throughout the preseason, though he will see fewer reps than the other rookie quarterbacks since he has already won the starting job. Titan fans and dynasty managers with Titans on their rosters must be excited from their first short glimpse of Ward.

Justin Fields

For the first few weeks of training camp, the reports were negative on Fields. His accuracy issues were a problem as they have been throughout his career. There may be cause for concern, but you could not notice it on the first drive of his preseason game, the only drive he played. He took the team down the field with accurate passes and did what he does best at the end by running for a touchdown to end his one and only drive. His reported chemistry with WR-3, Tyler Johnson, also stood out. Johnson may finally earn a starting role in the NFL and put himself back in consideration for dynasty rosters after years on the waiver wire. Fields has always looked and played different in live game action, and he's likely to do so again. His dynasty managers should weigh his preseason games more than his practice reports.

Kyren Williams

As I hoped, the Rams agreed to a new contract with Williams this week, making him their RB-1 for years to come. Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter's dynasty managers were disappointed by this development as neither is in line to be the future starter for the Rams after this signing. They are highly valuable backups, but their dynasty stock did not rise to the level their managers had hoped this year. Corum's play in their first preseason game looked a lot better than Hunter's. It's just one preseason game, but it was clear that Corum is the RB-2 behind Williams so far, and I expect him to stay ahead of Hunter this year and the years to come.

TreVeyon Henderson

Oh, my goodness! How about running the opening kickoff back for a touchdown to start your NFL debut! That's what Henderson did, and he looked just as explosive in several other carries and catches he had in the Patriots' first preseason game. There's no denying his big-play ability. He's the rookie running back in this class most likely to have a Jahmyr Gibbs style breakout in his rookie season. Rhamondre Stevenson also looked good with his carries, but Henderson will eat into his load sooner rather than later this season. Stevenson will have to hang on to the goal-line role to score fantasy points, but he might not get a chance if Henderson scores from 20 yards out many times this season. Henderson managers are thrilled with his first preseason action.

Will Shipley

Shipley took almost all the second-team carries for the Eagles, and he looked sharp. He had one breakaway run of 38 yards that skewed his yards per carry average significantly, but he did look more explosive and ready to be Saquon's backup than A.J. Dillon did. I'm expecting an increased role for Shipley this season as the team tries to give Barkley more rest this year and a huge role for Shipley if Barkley gets injured. Reports surfaced in camp that Dillon was moving into the RB-2 role, but it did not look like it in their first preseason game. Shipley is the handcuff to have this year if Barkley gets injured.

RJ Harvey

Harvey ran out with the first team in his first preseason game, but I was disappointed with his play for two reasons. First, he tried to bounce runs outside too often. He got around the corner once for an eleven-yard run, but the other times he was strung out and taken down. I wanted him to run more downhill. Secondly, as we were told in camp, Harvey is not trusted in the passing game. JK Dobbins came in on every passing situation and third downs, proving that Harvey is not yet trusted in pass protection. It's just one preseason game, but the Broncos made it clear that he's not trustworthy on passing downs. I expect Harvey to have a limited role for much of the season, unfortunately.

Jaydon Blue

Two weeks ago, I wrote about how I was down on Blue this season after negative reports early in camp. Those reports have turned over in the last two weeks. Just when he started receiving a lot of positive buzz, he injured his foot and was unable to play in the Cowboys' preseason opener. Seeing live action could have changed my view on Blue, but I did not get to see it. Phil Mafah had a decent share of carries in the preseason game instead, and he looked better than average in his first NFL action. The Cowboys' backfield is a mess, and reports have hyped up Miles Sanders as the favorite to lead the team this year, too. There are too many reports coming out of Dallas, and the Cowboys rested their starters in the preseason game, so their game did not solidify my opinion this week. Still, I am open to believing Blue has impressed since I last wrote about him.

Keenan Allen

Allen signed with the Chargers, disappointing dynasty managers banking on Tre Harris and the rising KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Allen is sure to take a ton of targets away from both rookies and Quentin Johnston. The only dynasty player helped by this signing is Justin Herbert, who will renew his magic with Allen. I expect Allen to take a secondary role to Ladd McKonkey, but he will have another productive season despite his age. Other than Dont'e Thornton, Lambert-Smith was my most picked-up player after rookie drafts, so I am disappointed with Allen signing with the Chargers.

Tetarioa McMillan

Apart from one drop in the end zone when McMillan did not get his eyes and hands turned around quickly enough, McMillan looked great. He made a very impressive over-the-shoulder catch deep downfield, and he has another nice catch and run for a first down. The Panthers played their starters for several series, and McMillan was a focal point in the passing game on those drives. He'll make an instant impact this season for his dynasty managers and become an every-week starter in dynasty lineups sooner rather than later, if not a starter in week one.

Tory Horton

Horton's drumbeat has been steady over the last week, and he had a great game in his preseason debut. The Seahawks did not play their starters, but he led the team in targets (7) and had a touchdown reception while playing with the second team. He's fighting for a starting role in three-receiver sets. If he continues to play well and impress coaches, he could become a starter by week one. He's on that trajectory already. He's one of the late-round rookies I wish I had drafted. I will target him in the third round of my two remaining drafts and pick him way higher than I would have before training camp and his steady drumbeat started.

Adonai Mitchell

Other than Horton, Mitchell has been one of the most hyped receivers in recent weeks of training camp reports. He's "Mossing" guys in practice and showing significant improvement in his second year. While I believe the hype and am not surprised that he's playing well, I am not buying it from a dynasty perspective. There are too many mouths to feed in Indianapolis. Mitchell will be fourth on the target list behind Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Tyler Warren, who could become the top target for the Colts like Brock Bowers was last season. There's not enough volume for Mitchell, even though I believe in his talent.

Tyler Warren

Warren received three targets and caught them all in the first quarter. The Colts made him a focal point in the passing game in the first quarter of their preseason game, giving managers hope that while the quarterbacks are weak in Indianapolis, they will still find ways to get Warren the ball. They said as much during training camp, so to see it on the field was proof that they will do it and can do it no matter who wins the starting job for the Colts at quarterback. He's poised to be this year's Brock Bowers.

Theo Johnson

Johnson caught three passes on the Giants' first drive with Russell Wilson. He'll be an active part of the passing game in his second season, if not the second leading target. He could be this year's Trey McBride, who has a quiet rookie season but became a superstar by the end of his second season. Johnson has the athletic traits that make for highly productive tight ends in the NFL, and he has little competition for the second-targeted player behind Malik Nabers. I only have one share of Johnson on my dynasty rosters. I picked him up off waivers after an impatient manager let him go last year. Wise managers who were patient will reap the reward this season. Johnson is the player I try to trade for the most this week after watching their first preseason game.

Week Two Training Camp Report

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Last week was the second week of training camp, resulting in another week of on-the-field news from coaches, players, and reporters. While dynasty managers should not believe everything they hear and see from training camp, they'd be unwise to ignore the reports. While reports may be full of fluff and spin, they may also contain nuggets of insight and truth. Each week during training camp and the preseason, I will sift through the numerous training camp reports and share what dynasty managers should take away from the week.

Here are my dynasty thoughts from training camps week two. We start with many dreaded running-back-by-committee reports, and sadly, I believe all of them. Dynasty managers love having a bellcow back, but this year I expect a lot of backfields to be split far more than they were last season.

James Conner and Trey Benson

This week, James Conner and the Cardinals' coaching staff hinted that Trey Benson would get more work this season than he did last season. The Cardinals seem set to split the backfield more this season, giving Benson's dynasty managers some optimism for this season after his looks were very limited last year. It's a wise move from a team standpoint since Conner is entering his age-thirty season, and Conner indicated that he's okay sharing the load this season. Dynasty managers hoping to get one more full season with a heavy workload from Conner will be disappointed because I believe the Cardinals' reports on their backfield. His touches should and will decrease this season unless Benson cannot produce when he gets his chances, but he will. Benson's managers will be happy to see him on the field, but want more, and Conner's managers will wish he had the full workload like he did last season. Both backs are under contract next season, though Conner has a buy-out option in his contract. Benson would have to highly outperform Conner to earn the team's starting role next season. I don't project him to do so.

Breece Hall and Braelon Allen

Braelon Allen was singled out by coaches this week as having one of the best training camps on the team. Their steady praise of Allen also leads me to believe he will share the workload with Breece Hall this season. I'm far more bullish on the long-term upside of Allen compared to Trey Benson, because he won't have to wait as long to take the leading role in New York. This year is the last of Hall's contract, so the Jets have every reason to see what they have in Allen since his contract is just one million dollars a year, and he is signed through 2027. They will likely give him a much larger role this season to see if they can trust him as their lead back next season. I'm betting on Allen to do so, and I will continue to try to acquire him in trades this offseason before he gets a chance to prove it on the field.

Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason

Coaches in Minnesota spoke this week of an even rotation or hot-hand approach to their running backs this season. Jones is four years older than Mason, whom they acquired in a trade this offseason to strengthen their depth chart. I believe the coach-speak on this report. I imagine a nearly 50/50 split between Jones and Mason, which would frustrate dynasty managers. This situation is their new reality, though, as each of them has two years on their contracts. They could see two years of 50/50 play unless one or the other gets injured or they draft a running back to compete with them. From a football standpoint, Jones and Mason make a fantastic one-two punch. Mason is a little better in short-yardage situations, so expect more goalline work for him, and Jones is a bit better in the passing game, so I expect receptions from him. Both will be reliable mid-tier RB-2s in dynasty lineups for the next two years, with some great weeks and some disappointing weeks based on who is in the lineup on Viking scoring drives.

RJ Harvey and Evan Engram

Harvey and Engram are not competing for running back touches, but for what coach Payton calls "Joker" touches. Coaches and reporters have spoken about both as the guys used as the Joker in the Broncos offense. The Joker gets a lot of catch-and-run opportunities in the offense, and both of these players can do that well, even though one is a rookie and the other a long-time vet. I expect them to both be used as a Joker this season rather than one or the other. Both will add explosive plays in the passing game, helping dynasty managers in PPR leagues most of all. The Broncos' offense took a big step up in production last season. Now they have added two players the coaches targeted in free agency and the draft. They plan to give them an important role in improving the offense. Both will have fantastic seasons for their dynasty managers.

Cam Skattebo

Skattebo has taken a lot of reps with the first team last week, though he battled an injury at the end of the week. Still, the drumbeat from coaches and reporters has been steady throughout camp. Hopefully, the injury does not derail him in week three of camp because he was turning heads early. The only thing Tyrone Tracy can do better than him is protect the passer. Skatebo is a bigger and tougher runner, and he's just as effective in the passing game. After the Giants drafted him, I believed it would be a matter of time until Skattebo is the Giants' lead back, but these reports make me think it will be sooner rather than later.

Kaleb Johnson and Jaylen Warren

Johnson, on the other hand, will have to wait a while. Johnson was already an unproven pass catcher, and reports of his poor pass protection early in camp mean he will not see the field in passing downs nor as often as his dynasty managers want. Aaron Rodgers will not stand for bad pass protection, and the coaches can't afford Rodgers' sacks, let alone pressure on the old man. Jaylen Warren will dominate snaps in the passing game throughout the season and start the season as the running back with the most carries. It will take more time for Johnson to eat into Warren's workload compared to the other running backs I've written about so far. I still love his opportunity in the future and his long-term dynasty value, but Warren will start the season hot and make an argument to the Steelers that they should resign him after this season.

DJ Giddens

Giddens has no chance to surpass Jonathan Taylor or to make the Colts' backfield more of a committee, but he has played well enough during camp so far to cause reporters to believe he will earn the backup role behind Taylor this season. Sadly, Taylor has battled injuries often in his career. If he's injured at all this season, Giddens will become an instant startable running back in dynasty lineups. He's a well-rounded back with tons of college experience in the run and pass game. He's a top-tier handcuff this season with a chance to see his role increase as Taylor gets older. The Colts have an opt-out option in Taylor's contract after this year. I doubt Giddens would play well enough or Taylor get injured enough to cause them to choose that option, but Giddens could make them think about it if he gets many games as a starter and produces in them.

DeMario Douglas

Beat reporters claim that Douglas has been the most consistent wide receiver in camp. That's not a surprise to me at all. I expected Douglas to lock down the slot position during camp and build chemistry with Drake Maye while the other receivers on the team battled for the outside receiver positions. Stefon Diggs had no limitations coming back from his injuries, so his role in the offense is also secure, but he's new to Drake Maye and the offense. Of course, Douglas is the most consistent. I don't know if Josh McDaniels' offense with this team will be exactly like his offenses under Tom Brady, but if so, the slot is a huge part of the offense as Wes Welker and Julian Edelman proved. I'm way higher on Douglas than most dynasty managers. He's one of my most rostered players already, and I added him to a new team in a trade a few weeks ago. The "most consistent player" hype is no surprise to me.

Matthew Golden

Golden has made plays early in camp, and reports claim he already looks like the WR-1 in Green Bay. It's still too early to buy the hype, but it's better than no hype at all. The Packers have one of the most crowded depth charts and they love to spread the ball around, but I am sure they will pass more this season than they have in recent years. They know they need to adapt the play faster and throw the ball more to advance in the playoffs. They'll work hard on this season and Golden will reap the benefits. I'm confident that Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Golden will be the Packers' starting receivers. I'm less sure about the passing distribution, but they will pass more often, raising the floors of all the Packers receivers. Golden is the highest drafted among them and could easily become Jordan Love's favorite target, but it will take until mid-season to find out.

Jaylin Lane

Lane has taken first-team reps with the Commanders while Terry McLaurin continues his holdout. He's made plays during training camp while on the first team, including an almost-touchdown catch from Jayden Daniels in the back of the endzone over two defenders, but he only got one foot down. It would take a McLaurin trade to get starting reps early in the season, but Lane could work his way into a starting role by mid to late season even with McLaurin on the team. Plus, he has a far better chance of a starting role in the years to come since McLaurin and Deebo Samuel are not spring chickens. Lane is one of my favorite end-of-the-roster guys to hold on many of my rosters, and he's on all of my rosters with taxi squads. Add him to your watch list now if you haven't already.

Rome Odunze

Coach Johnson said this week that Odunze has a special set of skills that only he has in the passing game, and they plan to use them. I'm buying the hype. Odunze, as most dynasty analysts expect, is poised for a breakout season. I'm certain he will become the most targeted wide receiver on the team next season, which will likely upset D.J. Moore, who could be on thin ice with the new coaching staff if he's not a team player. Luther Burden finally started practicing this week, too, which is good for him and the team. Odunze is the alpha of the group, though, and Johnson will utilize his skills the most among the wide receivers.

Colston Loveland

I say "wide receivers" because I think coach Johnson will use Loveland's skills as well and make him the second-most targeted pass-catcher in the offense. Loveland has been on the field this week, fully recovered from his shoulder injury. Early reports from camp show him making plays in the offense already and having no side effects of the injury. Loveland should hit the ground running with the starting offense and be a focal point of the offense immediately. The Bears have a lot of mouths to feed between their veterans, rookies, and second-year man, Odunze, but Odunze and Loveland should eat the most. It's great to see Loveland back in camp and getting ready for week-one action.

Tyler Warren

The Colts' coaching staff said this week that they see Warren as an offensive weapon and plan to use him in a variety of ways in the offense. That's music to the ears of his dynasty managers and precisely what they should be saying and doing with Warren. The only doubts dynasty managers have about Warren are his quarterback play, which is an issue for sure. To hear that they plan to be creative with Warren, though, gives me hope that no matter how poorly the quarterback plays, Warren will have plays drawn up specifically for him. As a manager with Warren on a roster, I am hopeful that Daneil Jones will win the job since he is a better passer. Still, I expect Jones and Richardson to get starts this season. At least Warren is likely to get plays drawn up for him each week, no matter who his quarterback is.

Mason Taylor

Taylor is becoming a heavily targeted player in training camp. This news comes as no surprise given the weak Jets depth chart at wide receiver. I loved Taylor as a prospect, even though his collegiate production profile was weak. His draft capital and bloodlines made me confident to rank him higher than most dynasty managers and analysts last year. I expected he, Warren, and Loveland to all earn instant starting roles on their offenses and become one of the teams' top targets. Early training camp reports confirm my high hopes for all three of these rookie tight ends.

Ja'Tavion Sanders

Sanders has "shined" in camp, according to the reports. This news is no surprise to me, especially after his opportunity increased with the injury to Tommy Tremble. Tight ends take time to acclimate to the NFL, particularly if blocking is not their strong suit, which is the case with Sanders. He battled injuries but had a few flashes in his rookie season, but is poised for a vast improvement this season. He'll have a hard time becoming a top target in Carolina given their excellent depth at wide receiver. Still, he could move into the large middle tier of tight ends and become one worth playing in matchups and bye weeks on dynasty rosters that lack a clear every-week starter. Dynasty managers who were patient with my fellow Longhorn will be pleased with his progress this season.

Week One Training Camp Week Report

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Last week was the first week of training camp, which equates to the first week of on-the-field news from coaches, players, and reporters. While dynasty managers should not believe everything they hear and see from training camp, they'd be unwise to ignore the reports. While reports may be full of fluff and spin, they may also contain nuggets of insight and truth. Each week during training camp and the preseason, I will sift through the numerous training camp reports and share what dynasty managers should take away from the week.

Here are my dynasty thoughts from training camps week one.

Omarion Hampton

Najee Harris's fireworks accident landed him on the NFI list, giving Hampton a much easier chance to win the starting job at the start of the season rather than easing his way into it. This news is excellent for Hampton managers who feared they'd have to wait until midseason before confidently putting him in their starting lineups. The length of Harris's absence is uncertain, but it has worsened over time rather than improved, so Hampton managers are thrilled. Harris's already dwindling dynasty value has fallen further after this accident. Hampton's already-high dynasty value has not risen, but dynasty managers will get to see him prove his value sooner than they expected. He enters this season as my 8th-ranked running back. If he looks as impressive as I expect him to be early in this season, he could quickly move into the top five.

Chase Brown and Tahj Brooks

Coaches said that Brown will be a "focal point" of their offense this season. This news is believable given the way he performed at the end of last season and the lack of competition they brought in this offseason. The Bengals' offensive strength lies in their passing game, but the offense will be among the highest-scoring in the league this season, giving Brown many touchdown opportunities. I bought into the hype on Brown before training camp because I traded pick 1.6 (TreVeyon Henderson) for Chase Brown in one rookie draft this year. The "focal point" news from the coaches makes me even more confident in the trade. Brown's presumed backup, Zack Moss, is on the PUP list, giving their rookie, Tahj Brooks, a chance to move up the depth chart, something I expected him to do from the moment he was drafted. Brooks reportedly "looked great in the passing game" at training camp, which is where I expect him to be most involved in his rookie season. If he earns the passing downs role and the primary backup role, he could be a big surprise this season, especially if Brown misses time with an injury. I expect him to earn the backup role and help the Bengals' explosive offense.

Tank Bigsby, Trevor Etienne, and Bhayshul Tuten

Tuten was the darling in rookie drafts this year, as many presumed he would become this year's Bucky Irving. I didn't buy into the hype, but I placed my bets on Etienne having a bounce-back season. The coaches expressed confidence in Etienne after the draft, giving me confidence in my belief in him. A report from training camp, however, stated that Bigsby has looked the best and at times appeared to be the leading back. It's just week one of camp, but this news has me confused and conflicted about what the backfield share will look like. I would be shocked if Bigsby became the leading back, so I'm not buying this training camp report. However, the news does muddy the waters and makes me less confident in my bet on Etienne. I want to watch reports from the Jaguars' training camp more than most, regarding their running back depth chart. It is among the most open and uncertain in the league.

Jerome Ford and Quinshon Judkins

As of the writing of this article, Judkins is the only second-round player who remains unsigned by his team. His arrest for assault on a woman is a big red flag for the Browns and his dynasty managers. He's missing training camp and facing a suspension by the league, meaning his managers may not see him on the field for quite some time. Coaches have expressed that Ford is their leading back in the meantime, making him a hidden value for dynasty managers. I expected Ford to earn the backup role behind Judkins ahead of Dylan Sampson this year, but didn't expect him to start the season as the starter. He's not poised to do so. Judkins's dynasty managers have to decide what to do with him. In one of my leagues, he was traded for a 2026 first-round pick. I offered Judkins in a deal for Emeka Ebuka and Will Shipley. The other manager thought about it for days but finally rejected my offer. Both trades are fair deals. Managers have to decide whether they want a future first-round pick or another player drafted in the first round this year for Judkins. Managers with Ford on their roster will have a surprise starter to begin the season or a very tradable asset, especially if they offer Ford to Judkins or Sampson managers.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

My favorite sleeper in this year's rookie class is already turning heads at training camp. Coach Quin says he has impressed him with his cutting ability and burst, and he's "very excited" to see him in pads next week. A reporter also said that he expects Croskey-Merritt to earn a role with the team. That's great news for a seventh-round pick! I don't expect Merrit to make a significant impact this season, but he'll make the team and have opportunities if Brian Robinson or Austin Ekeler get injured. I am more excited about his future opportunities in Washington, since Robinson and Ekeler are in the last years of their contracts. JCM was my most drafted rookie this year, and I am pleased but not surprised to hear this great news so early in training camp.

Elijah Mitchell

The Chief's free agent acquisition, Mitchell, has reportedly been running with the second team during training camp, taking reps ahead of Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith. The RB-2 role in Kansas City has proven to be very important for dynasty managers in recent years, making this reported development noteworthy. Mitchell has looked awesome every time he has been given an opportunity, although he always seems to get injured. If he earns the backup role behind Isaih Pachecho, he will have productive games for his dynasty managers just as Kareem Hunt did last year. My bets, however, are on Kareem Hunt, who has already proven effective in the Andy Reid system twice in his career. I want to follow the backfield battle in Kansas City during training camp because Brashard Smith has drawn praise early in camp, too. My bets are still on Hunt, but I am willing to change my mind if reports tell me otherwise.

Jaydon Blue and Javonte Williams

I've said all along this offseason that Jaydon Blue was over-drafted in rookie drafts and way over-drafted in best-ball drafts, as many managers believe he will win the starting job for the Cowboys. I look correct if the terrible report that broke last week about Blue being "lazy" and "not caring" about football was accurate. Some refuted the story reported last week, but there must be some truth to the report. I expect Williams to be the lead back for the entirety of the season this year and Miles Sanders to play a complementary role, with Blue's role very limited. Williams has looked healthy in training camp, giving him every right to earn the starting role for the Cowboys, which he will do.

Marvin Harrison

Harrison did not have as bad a rookie season as dynasty managers think. He disappointed compared to what they expected and in comparison to Malik Naber's outstanding rookie season. He finished as the 29th highest-scoring wide receiver, compared to Nabers' 7th highest-scoring year. I expect the two to finish this season much closer in total points. Harrison reported to camp at 220 pounds, and he and Kyler Murray are working to get on the same page during training camp. Harrison's run-after-catch stats last season were among the worst in the league. He's bulked up to break more tackles and play more physical, and I believe he will. The "best shape of his life" narrative is one of the biggest tropes this time of year, but sometimes it's believable. More than the best shape of his life narrative, I believe that bulking up shows that Harrison cares about his game, was disappointed with his production last season, and is intent on improving this year. Call me gullible, but I believe it. He was one of the best wide receiver prospects to ever come out of college, and he will play like it this season.

Emeka Ebuka and Chris Godwin

Every report from training camp about Ebuka has been positive. Coaches say he can do anything in the offense, and his quarterback, Baker Mayfield, calls him the "real deal." He was going to earn starting reps right away in his rookie season. Still, now that the news broke about Godwin being on PUP and having a second surgery this offseason, Ebuka's role is even more solidified to start the season. I will not be surprised at all if Ebuka becomes Mayfield's top target immediately and remains so even after Godwin returns to play. Sadly, Godwin's incredible start to last season and his new contract, which buoyed his dynasty value again, are becoming a distant memory after each glowing report on Ebuka. Dynasty manager smissed their opportunity to sell Godwin and buy Ebuka.

Quentin Johnston, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Oronde Gadsden

The Chargers and Lions were the first two teams to report to training camp, so they received the most reports. However, Johnston, Lambert Smith, and Gadsden have received a steady drumbeat of positive reports from day one in camp, and I am buying into the hype. Days after receiving positive reports, Mike Williams announced his retirement, opening up more opportunities for roles in the passing game. I acted early on the Lambert-Smith news by adding him to five of my six dynasty leagues with open waivers. Sadly, I have no shares of Johnston, but I plan to make offers for him this week. I did not draft Gadsden in any of my early rookie drafts, but I hope to in my two remaining rookie drafts. The Chargers' offense and passing game will improve this season, and the WR-2 and tight end spots on the roster are wide open. I expect Johnston to become a reliable starter this season, Lambert-Smith to earn a significant role, and Gadsden to earn the starting tight end role by the end of the season. All three Chargers are sleepers right now, but won't be for long.

Josh Palmer

Palmer has reportedly become a "staple in the offense and could lead the team in wide receiver snaps," making him another sleeper worth adding to rosters if he's on waivers or holding on rosters after the cut date. The Bills gave Khalil Shakir a second contract, proving they see him as a future part of their offense, but he's the only other receiver with a secure position on the team and in the passing game. I'm placing my bets on Keon Coleman to have a much better second season in the NFL and to become the most productive pass catcher on the team this season. Still, I could be wrong, and I'm far less a believer in Coleman than most managers, so I would not be surprised if Coleman bottoms out and Palmer becomes the more reliable weapon on the team. I don't believe this report, but I'm willing to reconsider if I hear more about Palmer excelling at training camp.

Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton

The negative news on Jack Bech is one of the most depressing to me during training camp, because I had Bech ranked higher than other dynasty managers and twice traded up to draft him in this year's rookie drafts. He reportedly has "a lot to learn" about becoming a receiver in the NFL. However, the positive training camp buzz on Dont'e Thornton is one of my favorite reports during training camp, because I added him to all but one of my leagues with waivers open and traded for him in another. If he becomes the reliable starting wide receiver in Las Vegas, I'll win more than I will lose, but I'll still be depressed about Bech. Thornton has received praise from coaches and reporters and is running with the first team during all training camp drills. Bech is not. Trey Tucker is instead. I believe these reports from Raider's camp and have acted on them, I just wish Bech and Thornton were receiving praise.

Jalen Royals

To my surprise, Royals has reportedly taken reps with the first team in Kansas City. Royals was one of my highest-ranked receivers before the NFL draft, but when he landed with the Chiefs, he fell significantly in my rookie rankings. To hear that he is playing well and getting first-team reps is a surprise, given the Chiefs' depth charts, but I was happy to hear it. He'll likely get more opportunities early in the season when Rashee Rice's suspension is laid down, but I don't think it will be enough to earn a starting role, even though I wish he could. I want to follow the reports on Royals and root for him, but I still believe his depth chart is too steep to climb, even with the Rice suspension looming.

Tucker Kraft

Coaches have stated that they want Kraft to be more involved in the offense and are making plans to do so. I'm buying into the hype, and he deserves an increased role in the Packers' passing game. He's a monster after the catch and should be used more as a weapon in their offense. Jordan Love's lingering injuries caused the Packers to run a more conservative game plan last season, but that will change this season, and the passing game will benefit greatly, allowing Kraft to be this season's breakout tight end. I am confident that he will break out this season and become a second-tier tight end in dynasty for years to come. I only have one share of Kraft, but I will make him my primary target in trades this week.

Elijah Arroyo and A.J. Barner

The Seahawks were rumored to cut Noah Fant all offseason, and they finally did last week, giving a big boost to the dynasty value of A.J. Barner and even more so to Elijah Arroyo. Reporters have said Arroyo "looks like a playmaker" so far in camp. While someone has to step up at the tight end position in Seattle with Fant gone, dynasty managers will be disappointed with both. Barner is a much better blocker, so coaches will trust him more and give him far more snaps than Arroyo, who will make some plays in the passing game this year but not be consistent. While the Fant cut opened opportunities for Barner and Arroyo, I don't expect much fantasy impact from either this year, and don't hold out hope for either from a dynasty perspective. Arroyo could prove me wrong, given his athleticism and high draft capital. Still, his injuries and lack of collegiate production raise too many red flags for me as a dynasty manager. I'll let other managers take a chance on these tight ends.

My 2025 Scott Fish Bowl Draft

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0500

I was thrilled to receive another invitation to the Scott Fish Bowl this year. Last year was my first time to play, and I came in first place in my league, but promptly lost in the first round of the tournament-style playoffs. I'm eager to test my skills again and advance further in year two.

What makes the Scott Fish Bowl so unique is that the scoring settings change radically from year to year. He always has a new wrinkle to the system to make the scoring far different from regular redraft leagues. The wildly different scoring settings make every draft unique, as managers can employ a variety of drafting strategies, and any of them can be effective.

This big change this year is that you can start zero to nine players at the same position in an eleven-player starting lineup. A starting lineup could consist of nine running backs and two tight ends, nine tight ends and two receivers, nine receivers and two running backs, and so on. The only limit is that only two quarterbacks can start, but you don't even need to start one.

The other wild scoring setting is that "volume is king," as you can see below. It's 2.5 PPR, 3.5 PPR for tight ends, .5 per carry, and one point per first down rushing and receiving. These settings completely level out the playing field between positions, making this year's draft extremely fun and unpredictable. Running backs who are active in both the running and passing games are more valuable, as are highly targeted wide receivers and tight ends, rather than quarterbacks, who typically dominate the first few rounds in superflex drafts. One team in my league did not draft a quarterback until the ninth round. Any draft strategy could be a winning one in a league with scoring settings like this.

Even so, this year's draft was more unpredictable than I expected, making each pick a challenge. I had a blast in the "Colorado Rapids" league drafting against a few other folks in the fantasy industry and a few super fans who also received an invitation to play. To be honest, I'm less confident in the team I drafted than I was last season when I won my league, but ya never know what will take place once the season is underway.

During this dynasty dead period before training camps get underway, I wanted to share my experiences and highlight the players I drafted in this year's Scott Fish Bowl. I hope you enjoy the article and cheer me on this year! Here is what I did, drafting from the 7-spot.

Christian McCaffrey

In a league where running backs involved in the passing and running game are king, I bet on McCaffrey to bounce back and be the highest scoring player in the league this season, as he was so many seasons before. It's a risk given his recent injuries, but one I would gladly take in a league like this. Bijan Robinson was the highest-scoring player in this format last season, scoring 676 points. He was the first player taken in my draft, as he was in all Scott Fish Bowl drafts. You can see all Scott Fish Bowl 15 ADP on this excellent tool created by the pros at Fantasy Life. Robinson, Barkley, and Gibbs were the running backs taken ahead of me in the first round, as they scored the first, third, and fifth points in this format last year. McCaffrey's 2023 stats would have surpassed them all, so I placed my bets on his full return. After missing a full season last year, I believe the training camp hype that he's back to 100% and will dominate touches in the San Francisco offense again this season. There is a small list of players who could finish the year as the top-scoring player in this format, and McCaffrey is among them. He was a valuable pick, too, as I drafted him 7th, and his ADP was 10th in SFB drafts this year.

Puka Nacua

In a tournament-style league, I bet on another player who was injured a lot last season in Nacua. Volume is king in this league. When Nacua is healthy, he's the volume hog in McVay's offense, so I was pleased to draft him in the second round of this draft. Nacua had a 37% target share when he was healthy last season, averaging 9.9 targets per game. He was the 13th-highest scoring player in points per game in this format last season, and I drafted him with the 18th pick. He scored that many points while not catching many touchdowns, too. If he keeps up this volume and adds more touchdowns, Nacua will be a steal with this pick. I drafted him with the 18th pick, which is exactly his ADP in SFB 15.

Baker Mayfield

The Scott Fish Bowl undergoes a third-round reversal, meaning the third round does not snake, which gives the manager with the 24th pick the 25th pick as well. I picked in the middle of the third round, so the reversal did not significantly affect my draft position, although I was able to pick at pick 30 instead of 31. This pick is the one I regret in this draft. In a superflex league, I thought I could start a quarterback run in this round. However, in a league where no quarterback has to start, it turned out that I was the only one to draft a quarterback in the third round, after only five other quarterbacks were drafted in the first and second rounds. I debated between Drake London, Chase Brown, and Mayfield, but ultimately landed on Mayfield, who finished last season as the 16th-highest scoring player in this format last year. I expect a drop-off after his career year last season, but I am still confident that he can produce with the new offensive coordinator he advocated for and with one of the best receiver corps in the league. I'll need him to produce, because I missed out on a lot of quality running backs and wide receivers by drafting him earlier than I needed. I drafted him 30th, but his ADP in SFB 15 was 49th. I reached for Mayfield, and I may pay the price for it.

Jaxson Smith-Njigba

I got back on track in round four when I was able to draft JSN with the 42nd pick, two spots behind his ADP in SFB 15. Most managers fear the Seahawks will be more run-centered this season, and they are likely right, but every NFL team passes more than it runs, and JSN will be the focal point of their passing game without a doubt. He became their top target last season, and now D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are not with the team, and I am not concerned about Cooper Kupp's volume in this offense. They may pass less than last season, but the passing game will run through JSN. I am sure of it. I was pleased to get another WR-1 in the fourth round of this draft, especially with this year's "volume is king" settings.

Mike Evans

After my Mayfield mistake, I felt like I needed to double down by stacking him with Evans. I'll either win big or lose big. It may have taken until the last game to get Evans his 11th straight 1000-yard receiving season, but I believe he can do it again. Plus, he's a red-zone beast, doubling up my points with Mayfield each time they connect for a touchdown. He's battled injuries in recent seasons, but he always fights to play. I was more interested in him at this point in the draft, given Chris Godwin's injury status. He could start the season as the Buccaneers' top target. It may not last after Godwin returns, and as a rookie, Emeka Embuka, increases his role in the offense. Still, he's far and away their best red zone target, and I am banking on a healthy and touchdown-down scoring season. That's why I drafted him a few spots ahead of his ADP at 54. His SFB 15 ADP was 57. He was the 59th highest-scoring player overall in this format last season and the 47th highest-scoring player in points per game.

Travis Kelce

Kelce is old and has fallen further than he ever has in drafts, but I was stoked to take him this late in the sixth round. He fell to me with the 67th pick of the draft after being the 28th highest scoring player in this format last year, and what was a down season for him from a production standpoint. He has lost weight this offseason and is prepared to give his all this season. While his targets will decrease with a healthy Rashee Rice in the lineup, he still fell way too far in a league that gives 3.5 PPR to tight ends and one point per first down. All Kelce does is catch first downs. He caught 47 last year, which was 27th in the league last season. He's old, but he was a steal in this draft in the sixth round. He was 62nd in SFB 15 ADP, but I nabbed him a bit later at 67th.

DeAndre Swift

I drafted one of the last assumed bellcow backs in this draft late with the 78th pick. The Bears brought in no significant depth this offseason to challenge Swift for the leading role. Everyone expects the Bears' passing game and its fantasy-relevant pass catcher to thrive under their new head coach, Ben Johnson, but no one seems to expect the same from their running game. I do, and I am banking on it. As much as fantasy managers think poorly of Swift, he was productive last season, especially in SFB 15 settings. Believe it or not, he was the 42nd highest scoring player last year using these settings, and drafted him 78th. In my mind, he was the last sure-fire bellcow back left in this draft, at least one I am confident will be active in the passing game. Other SFB managers drafted him much higher than I did. His ADP was 62nd, but I stole him at 78th. If he stays healthy and keeps the leading role, he will be one of the best picks of the draft for me.

Jakobi Meyers

Meyers was also an incredible find for me here in the 8th round at pick number 90. The Raiders' top target will continue to be Brock Bowers, but the most experienced and productive wide receiver on their roster is the always-overlooked Meyers, who scored the 54th most points in this format last season. Still, I drafted him 90th! I get it. Meyers is not a sexy pick, but adding a team's WR-1 on a team that got a quarterback upgrade after signing Geno Smith and who only has two rookies to compete with for wide receiver catches is a steal. I could not be more confident in Meyers to be a starter for me every week in the eleven-player starting rosters. He scored 26.9 points per game last year in this format and can improve on that significantly this year with better coaching and quarterback play. I can't believe his SFB ADP was 101. That's disrespectful!

Jared Goff

Speaking of disrespect, managers are weighing the loss of Ben Johnson far too much and letting Goff fall way too far in fantasy drafts. How can Jahmyr Gibbs get drafted 5th, Amon-Ra St. Brown 16th, Sam LaPorta 46th, and Jameson Williams 83rd, but Goff fall to me at 101 after 15 other quarterbacks were drafted? It doesn't add up. I am confident Goff will not produce to the same level he did in his career year last year, but he does not deserve to fall this far after finishing as the 41st highest scoring player in this format last year. I consider him a steal this late, so would other SFB managers, since his ADP was 84, 17 spots ahead of where I drafted him in my league. This year, I am banking on two quarterbacks, Mayfield and Goff, who came off career years last season and lost their offensive coordinators. What could go wrong? I reached for Mayfield, but at least I got a deal on Goff.

Javonte Williams

I tried to find one late running back who could potentially become a bellcow back. I selected Williams in the hope that he can do so in Dallas. It felt like a risk worth taking this late in the draft. If he is healthy and earns the starting role, he will be a steal in a format like this. I was shocked to see that even in a down year in Denver, he was the 79th highest scoring player in this format. He averaged 20 points per game last year alongside the likes of Devonta Smith, Jordan Addison, and David Njoku. That's great company to find in the tenth round, especially since those players were drafted way earlier than Williams. He scored well in this format based on his pass-catching ability. While Jaydon Blue could fight for a leading role in the passing game this year, it was worth a shot to bank on Williams holding the rookie off this year. If he does, he'll be one of the bigger surprises of the draft in SFB 15. Other managers were in line with me on this risk since his ADP was 111th, and I drafted him 114th.

Colston Loveland

I was thrilled to add a rookie tight end and a top-10 NFL draft pick this late to pair with old-man Kelce. Loveland fell to me at pick 126, when his SFB ADP was 106. What a steal! Managers in my league must have been concerned about his health status, but I was not. The Bears indeed have a lot of mouths to feed in the passing game, but it's also true that Loveland was their new head coach's first pick of the draft, and that head coach made Sam LaPorta the highest-scoring fantasy tight end in his rookie season. I am confident he has plans to do something similar this season with Loveland. In a tight end premium league, I found tremendous value drafting Kelce and Loveland far later than they should have been drafted. I'm confident that Loveland will become a big part of the Bears' offense and help me during a playoff run at the end of this season.

Rachaad White

At this point in the draft, I was looking for an RB-2 that I was confident would be an active part of the offense, even if the starter was healthy, and who could dominate touches and be active in the passing game if the starter were to go down. White fit the bill perfectly. White was the darling of my SFB team last year as a late-round draft pick. I expect him to help me again this year, even though he lost his starting role to Bucky Irving. When White was the starter, he was killing it in a league settings like these. Even at the end of the season, White finished as the 54th highest scoring player in this format. It's pretty wild to find him falling to pick 139 this year, but he did. I have no doubts that Bucky Irving is the Buccaneers' starter this season, but he will share the load for more than fantasy managers expect. Irving had the hot hand to end the season, and the Bucs rode him like crazy in hopes of making the playoffs. I expect them to be far more balanced than they were at the end of last season, making White a potential starter in an eleven-man starting roster during bye weeks and when injuries pile up. He could become far more than that if Irving gets injured. Other managers thought like me, too, as his ADP was 139th, and I drafted him 139th.

Isaac Guerendo

I did not intend to handcuff any of my running backs in this kind of league. Instead, I wanted to draft to capitalize on other teams' injuries rather than waste a roster spot backing up my own. The 49ers offense, however, was my one exception. After drafting McCaffrey, I intended to reach for Guerendo to secure the 49ers' incredibly productive backfield. It's a good thing I did, because the manager who picked after me said she planned on drafting him if I hadn't. I did not think I could wait another round to select him, and I was right. I drafted him 150th, and his ADP was 148th. I even got a little lucky that he fell to me. I'm glad to have the 49ers' backfield locked up.

Cade Otton

I was pleased to add one more stackable player for Mayfield in this draft. Otton is one of the most disrespected tight ends by fantasy managers, and he routinely proves them wrong, especially last year when he finished as the 96th highest scoring player in the league with these settings. He scored 23.3 points per game last season when healthy, just behind Justin Herbert and Tyreek Hill. Granted, his best games came after Chris Godwin was injured, and the Buccaneers have added Emeka Ebuka in the draft. So, there is a good reason for his draft position to fall relative to his scoring last season, but at pick 163, I was pleased to add him to my team, especially in the case that Mike Evans is injured and Otton's targets spike, as they did last year. I drafted him seven spots ahead of ADP at 163 instead of 170, but for my team, the stack and injury replacement were too necessary to pass up.

Tyler Shough

In the 15th round, at pick 174, I added the player I believe to be the last week-one starting quarterback in the draft. Shough will receive preferential treatment to start this season, given that the Saints already saw enough of Spencer Rattler last season, as evidenced by their decision to draft another quarterback this year. I trust Kellen Moore to make this Saints offense more productive, making Shough a startable player in my lineups during bye weeks or when Mayfield or Goff gets injured. Adding a starting quarterback this late in a superflex league was a sound decision. Even if he's a wreck in his rookie season, the Saints will keep him as their starter and tank for draft picks. Even an awful quarterback is startable in superflex leagues, especially in 11-man starting lineups. I was pleased to draft Shough so late, even if it was 11 spots higher than his SFB ADP.

Blake Corum

While the Rams drafted Jarquez Hunter this year, they drafted Corum a round earlier last year. I still believe he's the main backup to Kyren Williams, and that's why I drafted him here with the 187th pick in the 16th round, just one spot ahead of his SFB ADP. Will Shipley was the only other player I considered with this pick, but he fell to the next round, and Hunter was drafted the round after that. As I mentioned earlier, apart from Guerrendo, I did not want to draft handcuffs for my players, but rather add running backs who could become an additional starter in my lineups if the starter ahead of them gets injured. I did that one more time late in this draft as well.

Jalen McMillan

McMillan sat atop the projected rankings in Sleeper for several rounds before I finally pulled the trigger on drafting him. To be honest, Will Shipley was available to me, but I drafted McMillan instead, given the makeup of my team. Now that I think about it, I wish I drafted Shipley instead, especially since he was taken the pick after me by the manager who drafted Barkley in the first round. That said, McMillan was a beast to end the season last year, proving that he can fill in when a starter is injured, and he has the trust of Baker Mayfield. Shoot, I remember benching Tyreek Hill in a fantasy Super Bowl last year and putting McMillan in his place, and McMillan scored more than Hill, even though Hill finally had a great game that week, too. Emeka Ebuka muddies the waters for McMillan, though, and that's why he fell in this draft. Still, his ADP was 182, and he fell to me with pick 198. He's a depth piece that can help all of my Tampa Bay stack scenarios if Godwin takes a while to return or Evans gets injured. Unfortunately, that will make him a more difficult player to drop when the season starts, so I now regret my decision. At least I will admit it. I hope I somehow end up looking smart for it, though.

Devin Neal

Like McMillan, Neal sat atop the Sleeper queue of suggested picks for several rounds. I drafted him with pick 211, but his ADP in SFB 15 was 197. Neal was one of my favorite sleepers in dynasty rookie drafts this year because of his consistent production in college and his all-around ability as a runner and pass catcher. Early in the scouting season, I wrote an article comparing him to Alvin Kamara. Now he's among his backups. Ourlads still lists him behind Kendre Miller, but fantasy managers do not see it that way, as they draft him ahead of Miller, who was drafted two rounds later in this draft. He's an excellent running back to draft with these settings. If he takes over after a Kamara injury, he'll be an every-week starter, assuming fantasy managers are correct and he'll earn the RB-2 spot ahead of Miller.

Tyler Higbee

I think fantasy and dynasty managers are way over their skis on Terrance Ferguson, believing that he will overtake Higbee in his rookie season. That's a ridiculous assumption. Higbee came back from injury during the Rams' playoff run and made an instant impact. In his five games last season, he had 20 catches for 178 yards and three touchdowns. He is the Rams' starter next year, and he fell in a tight-end premium league to the 19th round at pick number 222. That's nuts. He's consistently been one of my last players drafted in best ball leagues this summer, and I was pleased to add him here solely in SFB 15. He will definitely start for my team this season.

Brandin Cooks

Cooks has way out-produced this terrible draft position. He's the WR-2 in New Orleans and could be the WR-1 if Chris Olave gets injured again. He was a wise pick this late in the draft. Shough should only see my lineup when my starters are on bye weeks or injured, so Cooks is a small stack if that were to happen. No other #2 pass catchers were available this late in the draft, so he was a great player to add late.

Diontae Johnson

Johnson is a knucklehead, but he's been one of the best route runners in the league when his head is on straight. I would not be surprised if he surpasses Cedric Tillman for wide receiver targets this year. The passing game should run through Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku, but Johnson could produce behind them if the Browns' offense can keep up with old-man Flacco or a rookie leading the team. Johnson was a pick worth taking a chance on in the 21st round.

Sam Howell

With my last pick, I aimed to select a quarterback who could compete for a starting job or produce if the starter were to get injured. Coach O'Connell has made every quarterback productive in his offense, as he revived Sam Darnold's career last year. He traded to get Howell, so he must like something about him. If J.J. McCarthy stumbles in the preseason somehow or god forbid gets injured, Howell would become a top target on the waiver wire, which runs one time the week before the NFL season starts. So I thought I'd make Howell Mr. Insignificant on my roster before that first waiver wire runs before the NFL kicks off.

Grading Recent Dynasty Trades

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0500

On this holiday weekend, I'm writing a quick article on the trades executed in my dynasty leagues since rookie drafts. I was surprised to see that four of the eight trades that took place over the last four to six weeks have been my trades. I am a Dynasty Freek who loves trading year-round!

This short holiday article allows me to discuss the dynasty value of many players and the various ways managers trade based on the strength of their teams. It's a short article, but I hope you enjoy the read.

My Trades

Dont'e Thornton <=====> Marvin Mims

I briefly mentioned this trade in last week's article about the players I added to my rosters off waivers since rookie drafts. Thornton is the player I have added the most, including once in a trade. I was willing to trade Mims after two years of watching his performance in the NFL, even though he ended the year on a hot streak. He was fifth on the team in wide receiver snap counts last year behind Courtland Sutton, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Devaugh Vele, and Troy Franklin. Humphrey is no longer with the team, but the Broncos added Pat Bryant in the draft, which is another indication that coach Payton prefers bigger and taller wide receivers, even if they have bounced around the NFL, as was the case with Humphrey, their receiver with the second-most snaps last year. This year, Evan Ingram is likely to be their second-most-targeted pass catcher, too. All the signs point to Mims never becoming an every-down starter, so I was willing to move on from him for Thornton, who was running with the first team in minicamp. I don't want to make too much of minicamp reports, but they were enough to make me prefer Thornton over Mims, given that he can earn a starting role with the Raiders while Mims will not with the Broncos. The addition of Thornton in this league let me hedge my bets a bit, too, since I drafted Jack Bech in the rookie draft in this league. I expect the Raiders' offense to improve with their new coaching staff, new quarterback, and the addition of a stud rookie running back. The Raiders wide receiver depth chart is wide open behind Jakobi Meyers, whose contract can be voided after this season. The Raiders future starters could be Thornton and Bech. At least one of them will become a productive part of the offense, if not both.

DeMario Douglas <=====> Rashod Bateman

I made another player-for-player trade to acquire DeMario Douglas after minicamp reports told of his rapport with Drake Maye. I like betting on new coaches and young quarterbacks, and I believe Douglas will become a highly targeted player in the Patriots' new offensive system with Drake Maye. Bateman has been one of my personal favorites since his rookie season. Still, he has never lived up to his ability because he's on an offense that does not allow wide receivers to produce for fantasy. Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Zay Flowers will all score more touchdowns than Bateman, which is why I was happy for him but sad for dynasty managers when he re-signed with the team this year. His upside is capped in the Baltimore offense, whereas Douglas has room to grow. Neither of these players is likely to see starting lineups in dynasty rosters often this season, but if I were to start one, I'd like to start Douglas, whom I am confident will receive more targets than Bateman this season. It's a small trade to depth and possible upside. Both managers preferred the upside of one over the other.

Javonte Williams <=====> Cedric Tillman

I offered this trade based purely on team need. In this league, I have top-end depth at the wide receiver position, featuring Puka Nacua, Drake London, Marvin Harrison, Xavier Worthy, Jordan Addison, Chris Olave, and George Pickens. However, I am very weak and thin at running back, with Chase Brown, Aaron Jones, Omarion Hampton, and a bunch of RB-2s as depth. I wanted to add a player I'm not fond of but who at least has an opportunity to produce and rebuild his career with a new team in Dallas. I have Miles Sanders in this league, too, which gives me a significant share of the Dallas backfield, assuming Jaydon Blue does not surpass them. I don't believe he can. The other team needed depth and a wide receiver with upside, just as I did at running back, so he accepted the trade. If Williams becomes a productive and reliable starter, I will be very pleased with this trade, and he will become a viable starter on my team. Tilman, on the other hand, will likely never see my starting roster in this league. That's why I was pleased to make this trade. Even if Williams does not bounce back or Blue surprises me, I will not be disappointed with the calculated risk I took on this trade for this team.

Davante Adams, Ray Davis, and a 2026 4th round pick <=====> 2026 1st and 3rd round pick

A rebuilding team contacted me shortly after the rookie draft to ask if I liked any of their veteran players for draft picks. Davante Adams was the player I liked the most. I'm a top contender in this league, having won the Super Bowl two years ago and lost in the Super Bowl last year. I like to build my team with wide receivers in any dynasty league but in a PPR league with three starting wide receivers and three flex spots, I load up my team with wide receivers. I am confident that Adams will thrive with the Rams and produce throughout his two-year contract. Plus, I have Puca Nacua on this team. If he battles injuries again like he did last year, I'll have the WR-1 for the Rams while he recovers. I was willing to trade Adams for a first-round pick, but he wanted a little more, and so did I. We went back and forth through direct messages to strike a deal that enabled me to acquire Ray Davis by giving up a third-round pick and adding a fourth-round pick back to my team. It's been very difficult for my team to rebuild at running back since it's a one-quarterback league, and I draft at the end of the first round every year. So, I wanted to add a player who I believe will become the starter for the Bills next year: Ray Davis. Adding him to the deal was the icing on the cake. I was pleased to add a fourth-round pick, especially because we have a three-rookie taxi squad, so I can select some of "my guys" late in the fourth round and let them sit on my taxi squad for a year if need be.

Other Trades

Trey Benson and a 2026 2nd round pick <=====> 2027 1st round pick

The four-time returning champ in this league found himself in the same place I was in in the league above, always at the end of the first round in rookie drafts and unable to draft a rookie running back. So, he made a trade for Benson in the hope that he would become the future starter in Arizona. He threw in a distant future first-round pick for a future second-round pick to finalize the deal. The team that traded away Benson has James Conner on its roster, so it's banking on Conner holding off Benson or Benson not being talented enough to become their future starter. It's interesting to see two different takes on the value of Benson. I did not like Benson as much as other rookie drafts last year, and he did not look good in his rookie season. However, the Cardinals did nothing this offseason to threaten the depth chart, so I like his situation now more than I did a year ago. I like Ray Davis's chances of becoming the Bills' starter more than Benson's because James Cook is in the final year of his contract, and his contract negotiations have turned negative. While Conner, though much older than Cooks, is signed through 2026. It's more of a gamble to bet on Benson in my eyes, so the first-round pick side of this trade little better than the package side of this deal, but I get each team's reason for the trade.

Rhamondre Stevenson and Travis Etienne <=====> Ricky Pearsall

The same Super Bowl champion made this trade for Ricky Pearsall, and he gave up way too much in the deal. I understand dynasty managers being fearful or concerned about Stevenson's role now that the Patriots added TreVeyon Henderson, but I believe Stevenson will still have a significant role in the running game. As for Travis Etienne, I am not buying the hype that Tank Bigsby or BhayShul Tuten will take over his role. Dynasty managers are wrong to give up on Etienne. He's their best running back, even if the Jaguars can choose not to extend the fifth year of his contract. Pearsall is the youngest player in this trade, but that's the only advantage of that side of the trade. He had a few productive games to end the season, but he's a long way from proving he can become the 49ers' top-targeted wide receiver in the future, especially after Brandon Aiyuk gets healthy. I like the package side of this deal for the depth it gives to the team at running back. I think they got the best player in the deal, Travis Etienne, but I know I hold a minority opinion on him, as evidenced by this trade and how far Etienne falls in my many best-ball drafts this summer.

2027 1st round pick <=====> Mike Evans and Tony Pollard

Two contending teams made this big trade. The team willing to trade Evans and Pollard believed he had enough firepower to give up the aging Evans and a depth-piece, Pollard, for a distant future first-round pick. The other team that lost in the Super Bowl last year is weak at starting wide receiver and gained a starter in Evans, at least for this one year. His team is very old at wide receiver and running back, so the team that traded for the future first-round pick is banking on his team dying out before 2027, which is a good bet. When making a "go-for-it" bet with an old team, it's always important to measure your roster against the best team in the league. In this case, the best team has won the Super Bowl three years in a row, and their team remains dominant. In that case, I'd not add older players for a future run in 2025; I'd add future picks, even if I am a contender like the team that traded away Evans and Pollard. On paper, this trade appears to be a better package deal, but in context, I prefer the first-round pick side of this trade, given what each manager attempted to do.

Jalen Hurts <=====> C.J. Stroud and Jaydon Blue

In this superflex league, each manager preferred one quarterback over the other, with the difference being rookie Jaydon Blue. The package side of the deal is also the more youthful side of the deal, so he as that in his favor. If Blue surprises me to become a starter for the Cowboys, the package side of this deal is the winner by far, but as I already wrote above, I do not think he will. The Hurts side of the deal gets the highest-scoring player for years to come. In this league's scoring settings, Hurts scored 84 more points than Stroud in 2024 and 76 more points in 2023. Stroud has room to grow and produce more than he has in his first two years in the NFL, but I don't think he will ever score more than Hurts in a season, especially since Stoud rarely runs and the tush-push was not banned by the NFL. I like the Hurts side of this trade.

Players I've Added Off Waivers Since Rookie Drafts

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0500

This week, I'm writing a short article about the players I've added to my dynasty rosters since my rookie drafts. It's just another way to discuss deep-dive players who are worth adding to the back-end of dynasty rosters, especially before training camp starts and hype builds around players. Most of these moves I made after hearing news from mini-camp. Others are players I thought I'd rather have on my roster than another player, given their situation or the makeup of my team. Odds are that I will drop most of these players when it comes time to cut rosters before the season starts, but a few of them will make the cut, and one or more could become a valuable dynasty asset in the future.

As a reminder, I play in leagues that roster between 300 and 448 players, so if you play in leagues with fewer players, these are not players worth adding to your roster. However, if you play in dynasty leagues that roster 300 or more players, these are the players I recommend adding. Check your waiver wire, look one more time at your rosters, and decide if these ten players are not more valuable than one or two players on the back end of your rosters. They were for me.

Tyrod Taylor

I'll start here with a random player, Tyrod Taylor. I added him in two leagues after rookie drafts. In one superflex league, I traded for Justin Fields during the rookie draft. After the draft in that league, I added Taylor as a handcuff to Fields, securing the Jets' quarterback position. In my deepest superflex league, with 448 players on rosters, including 56 players on taxi squads, I added Taylor after the draft to provide a solid second-string quarterback. In a league this deep, I have six second-string quarterbacks on my roster. It's a 14-team superflex league, so quarterbacks are scarce, so rostering backups is essential. If a starter gets injured, I either have a new possible starting quarterback or a tradeable piece for quarterback-hurting teams. Taylor is the strangest player I added since rookie drafts, but for those two teams, he made sense to add. He's a solid veteran who can produce if he starts games this season. Consider adding him in deep supeflex leagues as I did.

Dont'e Thornton

I'm humbled and embarrassed to say that I did not have Thornton ranked in my rookie rankings when drafting in May. I've since added him to my rankings, and he's moved all the way up to 36th in my rookie rankings after reporters at mini-camp reported that he was receiving first-team reps, even ahead of Jack Bech. I discounted Thornton based on his college production, as his career high in catches was 26 in his senior season, and he played his final two years with Tennessee, a team whose offense does not produce NFL starters, even when they are productive in college. I should have given more weight to his draft capital, considering he was drafted early in the fourth round. Additionally, his head coach, Pete Carroll, will always starts the best players, regardless of their draft capital. If he likes Thornton more than Bech, despite drafting Bech two rounds earlier, then he will start ahead of him. I never drafted Thornton, but I was able to add him off waivers in two leagues, and I traded Marvin Mims for him in another. He's the player I'd most recommend adding before training camp starts.

Jaylin Lane

I drafted Lane in one league and added him to three more leagues immediately after the draft. My adding Lane had nothing to do with mini-camp reports. I just like him as a prospect more than two guys that were on the back of my rosters. The Commander's wide receiver room is aging, so someone young needs to establish a role and become a young target for Jayden Daniels. I put my bets on Lane ahead of Luke McCaffrey. Noah Brown was ahead of them both on the depth chart in mini-camp, but he had a non-contact injury that could be serious, opening a bigger opportunity for Lane to earn a role. Lane will undoubtedly make the roster in leagues with a taxi squad, and I anticipate holding him in leagues without a taxi squad as well. Add him before training camp if you can.

Arian Smith

I was lower on Smith than most dynasty managers during rookie drafts, drafting him only twice: once in a six-round rookie draft league and once for $1 in a rookie auction of the 14-team league I mentioned above. I've added him one more league since then based on a few positive reports from mini-camp. He reportedly made some nice plays in mini-camp, and Malachi Corley is reportedly on the trading block. Plus, the Jets have one of the weakest wide receiver depth charts in the league. The Jets drafted him in the fourth round, much earlier than expected, given his inconsistency and many drops in college. His draft capital and weak depth chart make him a player I'm not willing to take a chance on to see how he does in training camp and preseason games. Check out your rosters and consider doing the same. I dropped A.J. Dillon to pick him up and still feel good about that transaction.

Efton Chism

Chism was only drafted in one of my dynasty leagues, the 14-team 448-player league. He went for $24 in that rookie auction, a draft that took place after news about him began to trickle out during mini-camp. I added him to one deeper league after reporters said he looked great in mini-camp. Since then, Coach Vrabel has spoken glowingly about him, and news broke that Ja'Lynn Polk may not make the team. Chism had a fantastic college career at Eastern Washington with 346 catches, 3842 yards, and 37 touchdowns. Naturally, he's been compared to Cooper Kupp. The difference is that Kupp was a third-round pick, while Chism was an undrafted free agent. He has a tough depth chart to climb, but he's got a chance with a new head coach who inherited all of the wide receivers on the team, except for Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams, whom he traded for and drafted. He's a fun player to add and root for, especially if you have room on your roster.

Devaughn Vele

Vele was rostered in all of my leagues except one, so I added him to that league. At least I have one share of him to watch as the wide receiver depth chart in Denver sorts itself out. Courtland Sutton is the WR-1. Other than that, the competition is open, and Vele was better than Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin last year. They drafted Pat Bryant this year, a sign that coach Payton prefers taller wide receivers like Vele. Like coach Carroll, Payton is not afraid to start a later-round draft pick ahead of a guy he drafted earlier. He did it last year, barely becoming the second-targeted wide receiver on the team. He could do it again. I'm willing to see if he can. Other managers are, too, since he was only available in one league.

Josh Palmer

Khalil Shakir is the WR-1 in Buffalo. After that, the depth chart is up for grabs. Palmer and Keon Coleman are the leading candidates to start opposite Shakir, yet Palmer is unrostered in several of my leagues. Palmer and Elijah Moore were added in a few of my leagues after rookie drafts, and I took a chance adding Palmer in one. I've always liked Palmer and thought he'd produce more than he did after the Chargers drafted him. Maybe with his second chance in Buffalo, he can live up to his potential. Buffalo spreads the ball around more than most teams since trading Stefon Diggs, so I am not overly optimistic for Palmer's chances, but I thought he was worth an add in one deep league in case he can prove to be more reliable than Coleman after his not-so-productive rookie season. He'll likely not make the cut for my teams, but I'll be interested in following training camp reports and preseason games before I have to decide to keep or cut him.

Josh Reynolds

I added Josh Reynolds in two leagues after reports indicated that he had secured a starting position with the Jets. As I already mentioned, this is one of the weakest depth charts. It's very unclear who will become the second-most targeted pass catcher for the Jets this year behind Garrett Wilson. They have rookie Mason Taylor at tight end and old man Allen Lazard at receiver. Reynolds is very capable of demanding more targets than them, especially after Lazard lost Aaron Rodgers. Justin Fields has yet to make more than one pass catcher very productive, so I do not expect Reynolds to have a late-career breakout. Still, I like his chances to become the WR-2 for the Jets this season, and I want to see what the new offense looks like with Justin Fields and his new coaches. I dropped Will Dissly in both leagues to add Reynolds. I'm willing to wait and see what he looks like in training camp and the preseason, as well.

Robert Woods

Call me a sucker, but I added old-man Woods to one of my rosters after Aaron Rodgers signed with the Steelers. He was one of my most rostered players for years during his heyday with the Rams, so he's a sentimental favorite. I only added him in a league where my roster is one of the top four in the league. I'd only add Woods to a team where I am strong at wide receiver and have plenty of youth at the position, which is the case in this league. In this league, we do not have our rookie draft until late August, so I will have time to see if he has chemistry with Rodgers. I expect he will since Rodgers loves smart players who will be in the right place at the right time on each play. At his old age, Woods can do that. He may become a favorite of Rodgers's. Admittedly, he's doubtful to make my starting roster when we cut back our rosters. Given our late draft, with every rookie we draft, we must drop a player on our roster. I have all five of my picks this year, so I assume I will drop Woods during the rookie draft. At least I will get to see a few quarters of preseason games before I have to decide. I was willing to drop Parker Washington in that league for Woods since his dynasty value dropped after the Jaguars drafted Travis Hunter and added Dyami Brown, who received glowing reports from mini-camp. Washington would also be on the chopping block during the rookie draft. Until then, I'm glad to have one share of one of my longtime favorite players.

Theo Johnson

I was surprised to see second-year player Johnson available on the waiver wire in one of my leagues. Granted, it is my most inactive league, a league where I added Trey McBride to the squad about this time of year after his unproductive rookie season. I'm not saying Johnson will become the next McBride, but he should in no way be dropped after an injury-plagued rookie year. Yet, in this league, he was. He's a starting tight end for a young and, hopefully, improving team with a new rookie quarterback to grow with in the years to come. I'm stacked at tight end in that league with McBride and Dallas Goedert as my other tight ends, so Johnson is a perfect young tight end to add to my depth chart. I have time for him to develop. I dropped Josh Palmer, who I already mentioned above, to pick up Johnson in this league. His dynasty value is far greater. I can't believe a manager let him go.

My Rotoviz Listener-League Best Ball Draft

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Last weekend, I had the privilege of drafting in a Rotoviz listener league. The gracious Rotoviz podcast hosts Shawn Siegele and Colm Kelly invited me to join their $35 FFPC Best Ball league. I joyfully accepted the opportunity to play against some of my favorite podcast hosts and their loyal listeners. This article is not dynasty-related as usual, but I was so excited about the opportunity to draft with Shawn and Colm that I had to write about it.

For my followers who are not familiar with best ball leagues, they are redraft leagues where you draft a team but do not manage it throughout the season. Meaning there are no waiver transactions throughout the year. You draft a team, and then your highest-scoring players at each of the positions get inserted into your lineup that week. There are no head-to-head contests. Instead, the highest-scoring team at the end of the season wins the league.

I participate in a modest 10-15 best-ball leagues a year and have done so for years. I join best ball leagues over the summer to have some fun, prepare for the redraft season, and win some money. Except for last season, I have finished in the money every year I have played, including winning $800 a few years ago in another listener league I joined at Evan Silva's invitation.

This new league is different because it is a tournament. The top two scoring teams advance to the playoffs to compete with other top-scoring teams in the tournament. The grand prize is $100,000. I'm not aiming to win the grand prize. I want to show my medal by winning this league against Shawn, Colm, and their fellow followers.

Before I share about the draft, let me mention the league settings. First, this is a superflex league. Second, it is a tight end premium with 1.5 PPR compared to 1.0 PPR for running backs and wide receivers. Other than that, the scoring for yardage and touchdowns is standard. The rosters consist of one QB, two RBs, two WRs, one TE, and two flex positions, with one of the flex spots can be filled by a quarterback. Again, the top-scoring players on rosters get inserted into the starting lineups for that week. Finally, we have 20 roster spots, and I was drafting from the three spots.

With all that, by way of context, here is who I drafted and why I drafted I drafted them.

1.3 - Josh Allen

I expected Allen and Lamar Jackson to go in either order at 1-2 and thought I would have to decide between Jayden Daniels and Ja'Maar Chase. Instead, Allen fell to me at 1.3 after Daniels was taken at 1.2. I gladly selected Allen, who was the second-highest-scoring player in the league last year in this format. Stacking is essential in best ball leagues, which is the only downside of Allen, as he does not have a top-scoring pass catcher to target. Still, he'll score plenty of points on my team by himself, and he never gets injured. He was the wisest and safest pick for me in the first round.

2.10 - Baker Mayfield

Two top-tier wide receivers were available to me in the second round, Nico Collins and Drake London, but I decided to be a bit of a bully in this superflex league by being the first to draft two quarterbacks. I drafted Mayfield, who was the 7th highest-scoring player in this league last year and has better players to stack later in the draft. I decided to solidify my quarterback position so that I could load up with six to eight running backs and wide receivers later in the draft. My next pick made that strategy even more mandatory.

3.3 - George Kittle

I drafted Kittle ahead of where he is usually drafted because I wanted to have the top quarterback depth and a top-three tight end in this tight-end premium league. For reference, Brock Bowers was selected at pick 1.4 and Trey McBride at pick 1.10. Bowers scored the 16th most points in this format last year, McBride the 20th, and Kittle the 24th. If Kittle stays healthy this season, I am confident that he will again be a top-24 scoring player. My strategy to solidify my quarterback position and TE-1 position allowed me to go heavy at running back and wide receiver for the next few rounds, and I knew solid players would fall to me as other teams drafted quarterbacks and tight ends.

4.10 - Kyren Williams

Williams fell way further than he should have, and I was happy to select him so late in the fourth round. If he gets the same workload as last year, he'll be a steal in the fourth round. The Rams brought in competition with Jarquez Hunter, but they did the same last season a round earlier with Blake Corum, and he did not cut into Williams's workload. I'm betting on the same this year. He was the 22nd-highest-scoring player in this format last year and the 7th-highest-scoring running back. Jonathan Taylor and Bucky Irving were drafted ahead of Williams at 3.4 and 3.12, as were Chase Brown and Josh Jacobs at 4.5 and 4.6. I could see drafting Jacobs and Brown ahead of Williams, but Taylor and Irving were both drafted ahead of them. Williams was a steal this late in the fourth round.

5.3 - Terry McLaurin

I was pleased to start with two quarterbacks, a top-tier tight end, and what I consider to be a top-tier running back to start the draft, but that meant I needed to load up on wide receivers throughout the rest of the draft, especially with the next several picks. My strategy was to draft the top-targeted wide receivers on teams whenever possible, maximizing their opportunities to make my starting lineup each week in a PPR league. McLaurin is a second or third-tier wide receiver, and he will have a hard time scoring more touchdowns than he did last year. He was the 7th highest-scoring wide receiver in this format last year. Still, he's the top target with an excellent quarterback on a surprisingly high-powered offense. I expect defenses to adjust and defend Daniels and the Commanders better in his second year, but McLaurin will still have a productive season. He was the wide receiver on the board with the steadiest floor, so I selected him for his consistency.

6.10 - Mike Evans

I was surprised to see Evans, the 13th-highest-scoring wide receiver in this format last season, still available in the sixth round. I assume drafters were fearful of an age cliff this season and/or the depth the Buccaneers have behind him now. I have some concerns about his age, too, but I consider him a tremendous value at this point of the draft. Plus, I was pleased to add a stack for Mayfield. Evans is a touchdown maker, and he and Mayfield can double up to score massive points on weeks throughout the season. If he stays healthy, other managers who passed on him will regret it.

7. 3 - Courtland Sutton

Another top-targeted wide receiver fell to me again late in the seventh round. I was very pleased to select Sutton at this late stage. He fell because ten quarterbacks and tight ends were selected between my sixth and seventh-round picks. I expected that to happen so that solid top-target wide receivers would fall to me. Sutton was the 15th-highest-scoring receiver in this format last year, and unlike Evans and McLaurin, who I drafted for their reliable floor, Sutton has a higher ceiling. He can outproduce what he did last season as the Broncos' entire offense improves in year two with Bo Nix. I'm confident that Sutton will have many high-scoring weeks to help this best-ball team and remain the top target in Denver.

8.10 - Aaron Rodgers

In this superflex league, I aimed to draft three starting quarterbacks, increasing the likelihood that I would have two quarterbacks in my starting lineup most weeks. I was the first to draft a second quarterback, and I was also the second to draft a third. Rodgers was more productive last year than most drafters remember. With one more year of health and recovery from his Achilles injury, he can be productive again and help this best ball team tremendously. I secured a third quarterback starter who has no competition for his starting role. The only other quarterback drafted after Rodgers whose starting role is secure was Geno Smith, who went as the last pick in this round. I accomplished my goal of drafting three starting quarterbacks with no competition behind them, meaning I could draft running backs and wide receivers for most of the rest of the draft, with two tight ends added late to help bolster my lineup in case Kittle gets injured.

9.3 - Aaron Jones

Jones will have competition this year with Jordan Mason, but he will still be the lead back in their one-two-punch offense. The Vikings improved their offensive line tremendously this offseason, and I am confident that coach O'Connell can keep the offense productive even with a first-time starting quarterback, J.J. McCarthy. Jones was the 14th highest-scoring running back in this format last season, even while battling injuries. His upside is capped this season, given his age and the new competition, but he will have very productive games and see my starting lineup frequently when he does. I was pleased to add RB-1 to a presumed committee on a high-scoring offense this late.

10.10 - Khalil Shakir

I didn't think I would be able to do so in this draft, but I did add a wide receiver stack for Josh Allen, his top-target wide receiver last year, Shakir. He's not the focal point of the offense, but he'll have productive games throughout the season and help me double up points this week. The Bills gave him a new contract this offseason, demonstrating their appreciation for his role in the offense. He was Allen's most productive wide receiver again this year, and I am willing to bet on him doing so again late in the draft.

11.3 - Brian Robinson

I considered drafting Robinson in the previous round, so I was pleased to have him fall to me four picks later after the 10-11 turn. Robinson will not do anything outstanding this season, and he's not effective in the passing game. However, he will receive most of the carries in Washington and secure goal-line touches and touchdowns, just as he did last season. The Commanders did not add a running back in the draft until the seventh round, so his role on first and second down in the offense is secure. His offense will be high-scoring, and his one and two touchdown weeks this season (he had ten last season) will help my starting lineup many times this season.

12.10 - Darnell Mooney

As I wrote about last week in my dynasty article, I predict Mooney to be this year's Jauan Jennings. Meaning, he will have the best year of his career in his 27-year-old season. He had the second-best year of his career last year despite playing with a declining Kirk Cousins. The Falcons added no significant competition to the wide receiver position in this offense, and they have a younger and more competent quarterback, Michael Penix. Mooney will be the second-most targeted receiver in Atlanta and will have his share of breakout games. Last season, he scored double-digit points in 50% of his games. He will do so even more this season.

13.3 - Rhamondre Stevenson

Coach Vrabel has stated that Stevenson will be a significant part of the offense despite drafting TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the draft. I understand why drafters don't believe him and let Stevenson fall in best ball drafts. Still, there comes a time when he's worth the best, especially on a team like mine that intentionally neglected the running back position after drafting Kyren Williams in the fourth round. The Patriot offense will undoubtedly improve under Vrabel and Drake Maye this season, and Stevenson will be the goal-line back. He was off to a hot start last season but wasn't as productive in the second half. He scored six touchdowns in the first eight games and just one in the second eight that he played. I'm banking on more consistent touchdown games to propel him to my RB-2 in starting lineups throughout this season. He's a good gamble for touchdown upside at this point in the draft.

14.10 - Cade Otton

I almost drafted Otton as my Mayfield stack and second tight end on my team in the last round, but I took a gamble, hoping he would be available 18 picks later. Surprisingly, he did. Immediately after selecting him, another manager posted in the draft, "Such a value and way to get a stack so late." I agreed and said, "Thank you." Otton was the 13th-highest-scoring tight end in this format last season, yet he was selected as the 24th tight end in this draft. That's what I call value! I'm banking on Kittle to stay healthy and be the highest-scoring tight end on my team every week, but if he does get injured, at least I have a stack in Otton that can help my team double up points. I chose the "Great and Late" strategy at tight end by selecting a top-tier tight end early and waiting until the 14th round to draft the next one. It will pay off.

15 .3 - Adam Thielen

This late in the draft, why not select one of the oldest players in the league but one who had one of the hottest starts to the season last year? If he and Bryce Young keep their beginning-of-the-year chemistry, he could be among my highest-scoring wide receivers some weeks, especially in a PPR league. He's not a player to draft for high upside, but he could be a steady force on my team that helps when my top receivers have bye weeks, injuries, or down weeks.

16.10 - Braelon Allen

In my boldest prediction last week, I said that Allen would be this year's Chase Brown, a second-year back who becomes the leading back by the end of the season. Please read my article from last week to read more about why I believe he could surpass Breece Hall by the end of the season. Whether he does that or not, I wanted to add one back that could get a massive boost if he were to become the starter due to injury or performance. Allen was just the guy at this point in the draft. Tank Bigsby was the best backup back taken in the 16th round. He should have gone far earlier, but the other four backs taken in this round were Dylan Sampson, D.J. Giddens, Will Shipley, and Woody Marks, in that order. I prefer Allen's opportunity to be a late-season breakout for this team over those four players, and I was glad to add him late in this draft.

17.3 - DeMario Douglas

Douglas should have been drafted way earlier in this draft. He was a top target of Drake Maye's in mini-camp and will be a much bigger part of the offense in Josh McDaniels's offense this season. I don't expect a lot of touchdowns from Douglas, but I expect a lot of catches, providing a safe floor for my team if my top wide receivers have bad weeks or are on bye. I expect occasional big games for Douglas when he does score touchdowns. I consider him a great find this late in the draft.

18. 10 - Xavier Legette

I drafted Douglas for a safe floor and occasional breakout games, and I drafted Legette for the opposite reason. He'll either have a breakout sophomore season or get buried on the depth chart by Tetario McMillan and old man Thielen, who is already on my team, let alone Jalen Coker, who outperformed him in their rookie year. If you follow my dynasty takes, I've always been higher on Legette than most managers and analysts. I was happy to get one more of my guys near the end of this draft and hope I'm proved right by my strong stand on Legette last season. His first-round draft capital demands that they give him every chance to thrive or fail in his second season. I expect him to thrive.

19. 3 - Miles Sanders

I wanted to add one more running back to my squad that had a climbable depth chart and/or a chance to excel if the lead back gets injured, so I decided to take a chance on Sanders. Ironically, he was sandwiched between two players who fit the same bill: Rico Dowdle (drafted before me) and Trevor Etienne (drafted after me). Jaydon Blue was drafted a whopping eight rounds earlier in the 11th round, and Javonte Williams was drafted in the 14th round. Meaning, there is a lot of speculation about this backfield. I wanted in on a piece of it, too. I expect Williams to get the leading role and Blue's role to be limited, so I was happy to draft Sanders as my last running back to see how it plays out in Dallas.

20.10 - Will Dissly

I waited until the final round to draft my third and final tight end. Still, I have a starting tight end on a productive offense, even though other managers do not see him as the starter based on this draft. Oronde Gadsden was drafted three rounds earlier in the 17th round, and Tyler Conklin was drafted in the 19th round. Gadsden has impressed in mini-camp, but he is a rookie, and Conklin is new to the team. Whereas Dissly took 70% of the Chargers snaps last year at tight end and had 69 receptions, including 11 in the Chargers' two playoff games. All I wanted with my third and final starting tight end was a starter, and I found, even though managers in this draft don't think so.

In a superflex best ball league, I am very pleased to have Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Aaron Rodgers as my quarterbacks.

In a tight-end premium best-ball league, I am thrilled to have George Kittle as my anchor player, with Cade Otton and Will Dissly behind him. May Kittle stay healthy this season!

Given my strategy to draft quarterbacks and a tight end with my first three picks in a PPR league, I am pleased with the number of top-targets wide receivers I added on my team like Terry McLaurin, Courtland Sutton, Mike Evans (depending on Godwin's health), and Khalil Shakir, especially since two of them stack to my quarterbacks. I was also glad to add some players with breakout upside, like Darnell Mooney and Xavier Legette, and have them sprinkled in with PPR producers like Adam Thielen and DeMario Douglas.

I chose the hero running back strategy, drafting Kyren Williams to anchor my running back room. I need him to stay healthy. I drafted three relatively safe committee lead backs, Aaron Jones, Brian Robinson, and Rhamondre Stevenson, and two players late who could become big surprises, Braelon Allen and Miles Sanders, if their opportunities increase.

It features a balanced roster with three quarterbacks, three tight ends, six running backs, and eight wide receivers. I'm excited to see how I can compete with Shawn, Colm, and their loyal listeners, and I hope to earn bragging rights at the end of the season and advance in the larger tournament. It will be fun to follow this season!

Thanks to Rotoviz, Shawn, and Colm for the opportunity to join the league! Good luck, everyone!

This year's (player) will be (player)

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0500

As we enter the break period between OTAs and Training Camp, I thought it would be fun to speculate on possible breakout players in 2025 by comparing them to the types of players that broke out in 2024. Last year, many players with unique backgrounds surprised dynasty managers with their production, causing their dynasty stock to rise significantly as a result. Many players will likely follow the same pathways in 2025 as their peers did in 2024.

In this article, I examine the pathways taken by breakout players in 2024 and compare them to those of players with similar breakout trajectories this season. I'm not writing for mere entertainment value. I expect many of these predictions to come true. They're players I've already bet on by drafting or holding on rosters and players I would like to acquire in trades as the 2025 season approaches.

This Year's Bo Nix Will Be Tyler Shough

While last year's quarterback class was far superior to this year's class, Tyler Shough was the last quarterback drafted with a highly likely chance to start, just as Bo Nix was last year. Both players were extremely old when they were drafted; Nix was 23, and Shough was 25. The positive way of looking at their age is to say they have plenty of experience. Nix played five college seasons and threw the most college passes of any quarterback drafted in the history of the NFL. Shough playerd seven years of college but threw fewer passes since he lost so many games to injuries. Nix was named the starter from game one, and he finished his surprising season as the 7th highest scoring quarterback in the league behind only Jayden Daniels in his rookie class. Shough is also likely to earn the starting role in game one and have every opportunity to be the highest-scoring rookie quarterback in his much smaller class. I don't expect Shough to be nearly as productive as Nix was in his rookie season, especially since he is not an excellent runner like Nix. Still, he could easily finish among the top half of the league in quarterback points this season, which would be a smashing success from where he gets drafted in rookie drafts. I just bought him in a superflex rookie draft auction for $301. Cam Ward went for $851, and Jaxson Dart, who I also bought, for $550. Shough's price in rookie drafts is a bargain, as was Nix's last season, and I believe he can be the most productive of everyone in his class by the end of the season.

This Year's Sam Darnold Will Be Daniel Jones

Sam Darnold had the best season of his career in his first and only year with Minnesota last season, and Daniel Jones will do the same in his first season with Indianapolis. Darnold finished 8th in total points last season, just behind Bo Nix, after landing with a team and coach who knew how to utilize his strengths and scheme up an offense around him. Kevin O'Connell is a quarterback whisperer. While the same cannot be said for Shane Steichen, he is an offensively minded coach, and the Colts added Jones for a reason. From day one, they have been clear that he was brought in to compete with Anthony Richardson, and for now, he has the lead while Richardson battles another injury to the same shoulder. Who knows what would have taken place in Minnesota if J.J. McCarthy not been lost for the season, but Sam Darnold made the most of the opportunity presented to him last season, and now he's a starter again for the Seahawks. Jones can do the same thing for himself this season, and I believe he will, even if Richardson gets healthy. I've felt that from the moment he signed with the Colts. I do not think he can have the kind of year that Darnold had last year, but I believe he can have the best year of his career and establish himself as a starter within the NFL, earning a long-term contract with the Colts. He's a better passer than Richardson, and while he lacks Richardson's power in the run game, he's still an excellent runner. Jones can keep the offense ahead of the chains and move better than Richardson can, and he will prove it this season. I'm glad I held him on several of my rosters, even in one-quarterback leagues, and I plan to trade for him before he gets named the starter.

This Year's Bucky Irving Will Be Cam Skattebo

Everyone believes that Bhayshul Tuten will be this year's Bucky Irving, given the same coach that drafted them, but I am calling Cam Skettebo this year's Bucky Irving. Like Bucky, Cam was a fourth-round draft pick, and like Bucky, he has a solid and well-balanced back ahead of him on the depth chart. Still, just as Bucky proved he could be more effective in the run and pass game by the end of the season and replace Rashaad White, Cam will do the same with Tyrone Tracy this season. What Bucky and Cam share in common is their productivity in the run and pass game. They excelled in both in college. Both backs had incredibly productive final two seasons in college after transferring from other schools. They each have a chip on their shoulder and have risen collegiate depth charts on new teams. Bucky did it again in the NFL, and Cam will, too. I don't predict Cam to finish the season as the 14th highest-scoring running back as Bucky did in his rookie season, but I expect Cam to win the starting job and finish as an every-week starter in dynasty lineups by the end of the season. I'm pleased to have drafted Skattebo in a few leagues, including paying $302 for him in my most recent rookie auction.

This Year's Chuba Hubbard Will Be Jaylen Warren

The comparison between Hubbard and Warren is not as straightforward, given Jonathan Brooks's injury last season. However, both had more highly drafted running backs selected ahead of them in each of the previous two years, in seasons when they both appeared to have their first opportunity for a starting role. Brooks's injury allowed Hubbard to retain his starting role, but given how well he played last year, he could have won the starting role even if Brooks had been healthy. Hubbard had the best season of his four-year career, finishing 15th in points per game, and he earned a new contract with the Panthers as a result of his excellent performance. Jaylen Warren has the same opportunity ahead of him. He is in a contract year and has his first opportunity with a leading role after the Steelers did not re-sign Najee Harris. But the Steelers also drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round, making his future with the team uncertain. Even so, Warren will pull off exactly what Hubbard did last year, fending off his competition and earning a new contract with the team. Warren is far more diverse in his skillset, whereas Johnson is just a downhill runner. Johnson cannot replace Warren's full role, and his versatility will keep him on the field more than Johnson this season. I don't predict that Warren will be a top-15 scoring back like Hubbard was last season, but he will be a top-24 scoring back and worthy of a starting position on dynasty rosters. Every year, one or more of the highly drafted running backs fails to live up to his hype. That will be Johnson in this year's class. I'm pleased to have Warren as one of my most rostered players and look forward to seeing him prove himself this season.

This Year's Chase Brown Will Be Braelon Allen

Chase Brown took advantage of the opportunity in his second year and established himself as the future RB-1 in Cincinnati. On my most controversial take in this article, I say Braelon Allen can do the same on the Jets this season. Brown's depth chart was much easier to climb last year, with just Zack Moss to surpass. While Allen has Breece Hall to surpass. In his favor, the Jets have a new coaching staff that did not draft Hall, so they have no loyalty to him. Additionally, they have already indicated that they want to adopt a committee approach, and rumors have even spread that Hall is on the trading block. The coaching staff has quieted trade rumors, but the competition remains. Hall's productivity was way down last year. He had the lowest total yards and yards per carry last season and only one game with more than 100 yards rushing. He converted only 53.8% of short-yardage situations, too. Allen did not do anything outstanding in his rookie season, but his college production and early college breakout age make me believe he has every chance to compete for the starting role this season. I plan to make numerous trade offers for Allen before the season starts, offering other RB-2s with perceived more upside or RB-2 handcuffs to managers in hopes of adding Allen to my teams. The time to strike is now, and if I am correct in this prediction, I will benefit greatly by making such trades.

This Year's Jaxon Smith-Njigba Will Be Rome Odunze

I admit to selecting the chalk on this prediction. Odunze is everyone's prediction to be the second-year breakout at wide receiver. Last year, JSN still had Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf to compete with, but he surpassed them, becoming Seattle's top wide receiver. Seattle was so confident in this second-year performance that they let Lockett go in free agency and traded Metcalf. Odunze competed for catches in his rookie season with Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore, and they outperformed him in year one. They have since let Allen go in free agency, but they added target competition by drafting Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. The Bears' offense is expected to improve dramatically under Ben Johnson, and Odunze is likely to benefit the most. Coach Johnson has hinted at his disappointment with Moore's effort, and Loveland and Burden have fallen behind in their development after missing time in OTAs already. Odunze is poised to hit the ground running in his second year and become the top target in the passing game. I tried to pick a player other than Odunze since everyone is suggesting he's the JSN of this season, but I had to be honest, as I am with all of these predictions, and I believe Odunze is the guy this year, as obvious as it seems. I am very disappointed not to have a share of Odunze, and the common expectation of his coming breakout year makes him a difficult player to buy.

This Year's Terry McLaurin Will Be Chris Olave

McLaurin had the best year of his career last year after scoring 13 touchdowns from rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. He gained the best quarterback of his career and made the most of it, nearly doubling his season-high in touchdowns. McLaurin was always a fantastic player, but he never played in a productive offense and struggled to score touchdowns until last season. Olave is not a perfect one-to-one comparison. His lack of productivity is based primarily on his injury history. What makes them similar is their bad quarterback play and difficulty scoring touchdowns. Olave has scored 5, 4, and 1 touchdown in his three seasons. Another similarity is that they are both excellent route runners who have been underutilized in their offenses. It would be completely unfair to say that Tyler Shough will improve the Saints' offense as Jayden Daniels did in Washington. Still, it would be very fair to say that the addition of Kellen Moore as the play-caller in the offense will radically improve the passing game, just as the addition of Kliff Kingsbury did for Washington. New Orleans has been handicapped on offense with the coaching staff Olave inherited when drafted, but the page has turned, and if he can stay healthy, he can become a 13-touchdown player this season and finally live up to his first-round potential. Olave was one of my most drafted receivers in his rookie year, and I even traded for JSN, along with a first-round draft pick, on a rebuilding team. I have not given up on him yet. This is his year!

This Year's Jauan Jennings Will Be Darnell Mooney

Jennings's breakout season as a 27-year-old was one of the biggest surprises of the year last year. I added him off the waiver wire in a few leagues last season. He took advantage of a few injuries and became a key part of the 49ers' passing game. He had five or more catches in eight of the fifteen games he played, becoming a reliable wide receiver in deep dynasty lineups. While Mooney is far less of a come-out-of-nowhere player, having some modestly productive seasons under his belt, he has never become a consistent starter in dynasty lineups. However, he will this season, in his 27-year-old season. He'll be the Falcons' second-most targeted player next season with little competition behind him. The offense will improve significantly under Michael Penix after Kirk Cousin struggled last year. After having his second-most productive season last year, this year will be a career-best. I've already made some modest trade offers for Mooney, but I've yet to finalize a deal. I'll keep trying, though.

Sophomore Sleepers

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Every year, some players fail to break out in their rookie year. Whether they lacked opportunities due to veterans ahead of them, battled injuries, or played in unproductive offenses, they disappointed dynasty managers with their limited playing time and inconsistency, as well as their unproductivity when they did play.

At the same time, every year, sophomore players break out and live up to their potential, as well as their dynasty managers' hopes. They adjust to the NFL, circumstances change on their teams, and they get more opportunities in their sophomore season. These are the ten second-year players who will get more opportunities and produce for dynasty managers this season.

Michael Penix

Penix didn't start a game until the last three games of the year, but he did enough in those three games, particularly the last one, to get his dynasty managers excited about his future. He has the starting job locked up for this season, so he'll get every chance to break out this season. He has a top target in Drake London and a top running back in Bijan Robinson to make the offense run, though the Falcons didn't add much in free agency or the draft to help the offense. He has a lot to improve, given that he threw an interception in each of his starts and only completed 58% of his passes. That's typical of rookie quarterbacks' first games. For instance, Drake Maye completed 60% of his passes and threw three interceptions in his first three games, and Caleb Williams completed 58% of his passes and threw two interceptions in the first three games of last season. The hope is high for Maye and Williams, even though they had a rough start as well. Dynasty managers should have the same hope for Penix. After all, he was a first-round draft pick, too. Penix will improve this season and become an every-week starter in superflex leagues and a streamable quarterback in one-quarterback leagues.

Ray Davis

Davis is one of the players I'm most excited about this season, first because I was way higher on him than most managers and analysts were in last year's rookie class. Second, because he looked fantastic when given opportunities last year. Third, because James Cook continues to hold out due to a contract dispute. I believe the Bills are ready to move on from Cook after this season, making Davis the starter next year. If so, they need to see more of him before they make their final decision on Cook or if they will look to add a running back next year in free agency or the draft. The Bills already gave him touches in every game last year. He averaged six carries and almost one catch a game, and he had 20 carries, two receptions, and 16 fantasy points in the one week Cook was injured. He's sure to get more touches this year. The Bills would be grossly mishandling their roster if they do not give Davis more work this season. I've traded for Davis once this offseason and will continue to send trade offers for him, though I already have him on four of my nine dynasty rosters.

Jaylen Wright

Wright barely saw the field last year with just 68 carries and three catches, and to my big surprise, De'Von Achane did not miss a single game, even though he touched the ball 310 times. Achane was used way more than any other back in the McDaniels' system than I ever remember. Raheem Mostert only had 104 touches last season, one-third of Achane's touches. If you add Mostert's touches to what Wright had last season, that leaves him with just 178 touches, but I believe he will see a lot more than that. The Dolphins did add Alexander Mattison in free agency and drafted Ollie Gordon, but these additions were made for depth. The Dolphins plan to center their running game around Achane and Wright this season. I did not like Wright as much as other dynasty managers and analysts in last year's class, but now I like his opportunity much better. Additionally, Achane is likely to miss games due to injuries, similar to his 2023 season, when he missed five games.

Trey Benson

Benson got almost the same amount of touches as Wright, 69 instead of 71. On the upside, he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. On the downside, James Conner, who dynasty managers thought would fall off the cliff, had 236 carries and also averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Conner did not fall off a cliff, and he'll be the lead back again next year. Still, at least the Cardinals did not bring in any competition at the running back position in free agency or the draft, indicating that they believe Conner can still carry the load and that Benson can take over for him if needed. As with Wright, I was not as high on Benson as most dynasty managers were in last year's class, mainly because James Conner signed a new three-year contract with the Cardinals, and he's a much better running back. After this season, however, the Cardinals have an opt-out with Conner, and if they don't opt out, he gets paid $ 6.4 million instead of the $ 3.6 million he is making this season. The Cardinals will need to move on from Conner after this season, which will give them a reason to take a more serious look at Benson this year. Dynasty managers with Benson can hope for more in his second year as a result.

Will Shipley

Shipley was barely involved last year with Philadelphia as Saquon Barkley dominated the NFL. He carried the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship, compiling 480 touches over the 22-game season. I can't imagine the Eagles giving Barkley that kind of work again. It would be irresponsible to do so. Gainwell was the RB-2 in Philadelphia last year, though he just amassed 75 carries and 16 receptions. The Eagles let Gainwell go in free agency, and they added A.J. Dillon. Dillon missed the entire season last year due to an injury and was unable to hold onto the RB-2 position in Green Bay. I see Dillon as a depth piece, not the RB-2 for Philadelphia next season. Shipley had a couple of great plays in the NFC championship game. It's an extremely small sample size, but I believe it was enough to prove that he can do more than what Gainwell did last year, and he will get more touches as they limit Barkley's. After all, they let Gainwell go for a reason. He had 34 touches in his rookie season. In his sophomore season, he will have at least 150, even if Barkley is healthy, and significantly more if Barkley gets injured.

Rome Odunze

Odunze is the player I am most hesitant to add to this list because the Bears have added two exceptional pass catchers in the first and second rounds of the draft: Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. Still, Odunze's talent, draft capital, and the Bear's new head coach, Ben Johnson, make me believe Odunze will make a drastic improvement in year two, even if his target competition increases. Odunze and all the Bears' receivers struggled last year because Caleb Williams played so poorly. Odunze, Keenan Allen, and D.J. Moore were each among the top ten receivers in the NFL to receive inaccurate throws. Odunze was the worst, in sixth place, with 22.7% inaccurate throws. In Ben, I trust. Ben Johnson will make the offense easier for Caleb Williams, just as he did with Jared Goff. Odunze will radically improve on his 54-catch season in his rookie year and begin to live up to his top-of-the-first-round rookie draft value from last year. His dynasty managers should no longer fret.

Xavier Legette

Legette was one of my most drafted players last season because I was far higher on him than other dynasty managers and analysts. He played most of the games, though he had lingering injuries throughout the season. His biggest issue personally was his case of the drops. His biggest problem outside of himself was Bryce Young's terrible start to the season. Thankfully, by the end of the season, Young figured out the offense, and the Panthers looked like a competent NFL offense. The Panthers scored 25 points per game after their week-eleven bye. They averaged 17 points per game before their bye week. My confidence in Young and the offense makes me hopeful for a second-year breakout for Legette. The Panthers' addition of Tetairoa McMillan in the draft will help Legette produce more while the offense gets even more productive. Early in camp, Legette acknowledged his problem with dropped passes and vowed to improve. At least he's making an effort. I believe in him and the growing offense and expect a great second year from Legette.

Keon Coleman

Coleman is the player I am most reluctant to put on this list because I was far lower on him in rookie drafts last year than almost every dynasty analyst and manager. Still, the Bills' modest free-agent additions, Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore, suggest the team expects Coleman to improve and become a bigger part of the offense after his relatively underwhelming rookie season. His season started reasonably well, but he digressed significantly after missing four games due to injury. He had more than one catch in only two of the last seven games he played. That was a terrible end to his rookie season. Khalil Shakir became Josh Allen's top target last season, and they did sign him to a new contract. However, his role is very limited and much different from what Coleman's could grow into. Shakir only had 76 catches and four touchdowns, and Dalton Kincaid had just 44. There's a lot of "meat on the bone" in this passing game, and Coleman is the most ready-to-eat. He'll have every chance to become the WR-1 in Buffalo this season and for years to come. Although I question his talent, I appreciate his opportunity.

Ja'Tavion Sanders

I have already discussed the improving Carolina offense, so I will not repeat that here, but there are additional reasons to believe Sanders will have a significantly more productive second year than he did in his first. Tommy Tremble is projected to start ahead of Sanders this season, especially since they re-signed him to a two-year contract, but he injured his back and is not expected to return until the preseason. With a back injury, I highly doubt that. Even if he is healthy by the preseason, Sanders will get all the first-time reps in the training camp, giving him every opportunity to pass Tremble, whose lock on the starting role was already suspect. Sanders is an outstanding pass catcher, but he still has a lot to learn about blocking and the nuances of the position in the NFL. Sanders had just 33 catches last season, but I expect more than double that in his second season.

Theo Johnson

It took until halfway through the season, but Johnson took over as the most productive tight end on the Giants after week seven before getting injured. He had 3, 3, 4, 3, and 5 catches in the five weeks before his injury and was starting to give dynasty managers who drafted him late in last year's rookie draft great hope. They didn't get to see how it played out since he missed the last five weeks of the season. This year, however, he has no competition for the starting role and can hit the ground running from day one. The quarterback play in New York will improve this season, too, whether Russell Wilson can hold off Jaxson Dart or not. I'm disappointed that I have no shares of Theo Johnson because his dynasty stock will rise significantly this season, and his future with Jaxon Dart as his quarterback is very bright.

Ten Rookies I Wish I Drafted

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0500

I'm traveling this weekend for my niece's wedding, so I had a little less time than usual to write an article and record a podcast, but I had time for a few short thoughts about the rookies I wish I had a chance to draft, but I did not. We all know that unless you can trade up during rookie drafts to get a player you want, you're stuck picking in your original draft position, which means you miss out on players you would have liked to add to at least one of your rosters.

I've completed six rookie drafts and have three more to go, but they will take place later in the summer. After my first six rookie drafts, these are the players I was unable to draft but sure wish I could have.

Tetarioa McMillian and Travis Hunter

I lump McMillan and Hunter together because they both went in the top four of all six of my drafts. They went back to back and third and fourth in all six drafts. Twice, Hunter was picked first, and four times, T-Mac was picked first. I had the first pick in one draft and picked Ashton Jeanty, and I had the second pick in one draft and picked Omarion Hampton. Other than that, the highest pick I had was the 1.6, so I never drafted either of the top two receivers in this class. I'm confident that neither will bust. They will both start immediately and make impacts on their NFL and dynasty teams. Hunter has bigger question marks, given his ability to play defense and the fact that Brian Thomas Jr. is the established WR-1 in Jacksonville, even after just one year of play. Still, I think he has a higher upside. He could be a monster in Liam Coen's offense like Chris Godwin was last year before getting injured, even while Mike Evans was competing for targets and touchdowns. T-Mac has a lower ceiling, but he'll be a steady top target in Carolina and very effective in the red zone with his size. I build my dynasty teams around wide receivers, so most of my teams, even those rebuilding with top first-round picks, needed running backs since my wide receiver depth is strong. When I had an early pick, I drafted a running back and never traded up to get these two studs.

TreyVeon Henderson

With several 1.6 draft picks, I hoped Henderson would fall to me, especially in my PPR leagues, but he only did in one. Henderson was drafted between 3rd and 5th in all but two of my leagues. In one league, Quinshon Judkins was drafted ahead of him at 1.5, so he fell to 1.6, but I had the 1.10 in that draft. In the other case, he fell to me at 1.6 because, in a superflex league, Cam Ward went with the 1.4 pick. I wrote about it last week, but in that league, I wanted to get my first share of Henderson but chose to trade the pick for Chase Brown and Justin Fields. As much as I love Henderson, I'm pleased with the trade I made. Henderson is a big play waiting to happen and will be a central part of the Patriots offense, which will improve significantly with the new coaching staff and is set up with new young stars for Drake Maye to grow with. Coach Vrable has indicated, however, that Rhamondre Stevenson will still be a big part of the offense. Even so, I do not think that will last long. Henderson is the future for New England and a great dynasty running back to draft early this year. I just missed out and traded the one chance I had to get him.

Kaleb Johnson

In a few of my superflex and tight-end premium leagues, I hoped that Johnson would fall to me at the end of the first round, but he never did. I was especially interested in him because Jaylen Warren is one of my most rostered players. I would have loved to have the Steelers' backfield locked up. Now I am rooting hardcore against Johnson. Ha! I have to. He'll share the role this season, even more than Henderson or some of the other top running backs in this class. His future will open up after this season, but he'll be worth the wait. If Warren does well this season, he could earn a new contract and make things tougher for Johnson, but I expect Johnson to do well enough to be the lead back in a committee, even if Warren re-signs after this season.

Luther Burden

I dropped Burden lower than most dynasty managers and analysts after Chicago drafted him, given their crowded depth chart. That caused enough concern for me to lose enough confidence in him, and I was unwilling to draft him in the first round. I had very few early second-round picks, which is where he went in all my rookie drafts. I had the 1.12, 2.1, and 2.3 in one league and considered drafting him there. I took Tyler Warren and Matthew Golden at 1.12 and 2.1, but then Burden was drafted at 2.2, and I drafted Cam Skattebo at 2.3. I passed on him with my one opportunity, but I still wish I had a share. While he has D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze to pass on the depth chart, he was the first receiver the new coaching staff selected. The only problem is that they also drafted another pass catcher, Colston Loveland, in the first round before drafting Burden. As I said, the murky situation caused me to drop him, but I still wish I had a share because he's such an intriguing prospect and was once thought to be the top devy receiver before having a disappointing final year in college. If he climbs the depth chart in Chicago and becomes a focal point of Ben Johnson's offense, I'll regret not drafting him the one time I had a chance. I'll follow him and Golden for years to see if I made the right choice.

Jayden Higgins

Like Burden, Higgins was drafted early in the second round, where I only had a draft pick in one league, the one I mentioned above. Thus, I never had a chance to select him because my earliest second-round picks were 2.6. I planned on drafting him in the most strange draft I mentioned last week. In that draft, Bhashul Tuten was drafted at 2.5, causing Colston Loveland to fall to me at 2.6. Higgins will be one of my top trade targets before the season starts. I really want a share of Higgins. He's an immediate starter in Houston opposite Nico Collins, and the Texans have been desperate for a reliable WR-2. They have found one in the same mold and type of Collins. The two will make an excellent one-two punch, and Higgins will get plenty of looks while the defenses focus on stopping Collins. I see no way that he will be a bust in Houston.

Tre Harris

I had Jayden Higgins, Tre Harris, Jack Bech, and Kyle Williams at the end of my third tier of rookies as players ranked 17-20. I drafted Williams once at 18 after the other guys were all drafted in the three picks before him. I traded up to get Bech twice, once after Harris was drafted and once instead of Harris, because I was more confident in his immediate production on the Raiders. In every draft but that one, Harris was drafted ahead of Bech, sometimes by as many as ten picks. He was drafted closer to Higgins than to Bech in my rookie drafts, so Bech was the player I targeted in trades. Still, I wish I had a share of Harris and hope to get him in one of my three upcoming drafts. His future is bright with the Chargers, though Ladd McConkey has the WR-1 role locked down, and he has considerable competition with Quentin Johnston and Mike Williams, who are of similar sizes and skill sets on the team. Plus, the team added a stud rookie running back in Hampton, and they are willing to be a run-first team if they can. Still, his college production and second-round draft capital make me want at least one share of Harris. He has a higher floor than Jack Bech, but I think his ceiling is lower, so when push came to shove, and I was on the clock, I traded for Bech over Harris the one chance I had to get him. I'll watch the two of them for the rest of their careers and hope I am right.

Mason Taylor

I went into several of my tight-end-needy drafts, intending to draft Taylor at the end of the second or early in the third round. He was my 21st-ranked rookie, and I thought I had him ranked higher than most managers. Instead, I drafted Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland in three of my six rookie drafts, eliminating the need to pick Mason. In other leagues, I did not need a tight end or he was drafted a few posts ahead of me. He was drafted and picked ahead of me at the end of the second round in one league where I needed a tight end. I was able to draft Terrance Ferguson in the next round. Taylor will be an immediate starter for the Jets, and the Jets do not have a clear #2 pass catcher behind Garrett Wilson. I expect the Jets to be a run-first team, especially with Justin Fields's legs, so Taylor's targets will be limited even if he becomes the second-most targeted player. Still, his future is bright as he has years to develop, and he's the most complete traditional tight end in this class. I wish I had at least one share, especially in leagues with taxi squads.

Pat Bryant

Bryant was one of the middle-of-the-pack guys I hoped to at least get one share of in this class, but I never drafted him. My trading up in three drafts to get my third-tier guys caused me to trade away many third-round draft picks, where Bryant was drafted most often. That's the primary reason I did not draft him. Jalin Noel fell to me in two other leagues, so I selected him instead of Bryant and would do that again any time. Still, Bryant is intriguing, and I would like to see if he can climb the depth chart in Denver. He had a stellar senior season in college despite having a modest start to his college career. In press conferences, coach Payon spoke glowingly about him, though he is prone to pump up his draft picks. He has more of a Courtland Sutton-like build than the smaller receivers they have drafted in the last two seasons. Maybe coach Payton realizes he needs a bigger receiver. He had that in Devaugh Vele, who passed by the smaller receivers last year as a 7th-round draft pick. I don't see why he would not trust his new third-round draft pick more.

Jalen Milroe

Milroe was one of the players I wanted to draft the most. Other managers must have wanted him, too, because he always got selected before I was willing to draft him, sometimes way before I would. He was my 26th-ranked rookie in superflex leagues. All but one of my early drafts were in one quarterback league, so he was drafted much later than the 26th in those leagues. I still hoped to play a waiting game and grab him late, but someone always drafted him before me. The only time I was ready to pull the trigger on him was the second to last pick of the fourth round when Jaxson Dart was still available, so I had to select Dart ahead of Milroe. Then Milroe was selected with the very next pick. The case for Milroe is simple. If he can improve his passing, he could become one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the league. I want a piece of that, especially since Sam Darnold is among my most rostered players. It was not meant to be for me, and I was once again lower on athletic quarterbacks with questionable accuracy issues. I'm always lower on that type of quarterback and have been proven right thus far. Still, it would be nice to have a share, just in case I am wrong.

Woody Marks

In two leagues with Joe Mixon on my rosters, I was especially eager to draft Marks, but I was unable to draft him in those leagues or any other leagues for that matter. I saw him drafted by another Joe Mixon manager who had the same idea, and he was drafted ahead of me in other leagues. I would have had more shares of Marks, but three times, I traded up into the second or third rounds, giving up third, fourth, and fifth-round picks to do so. That's the primary reason I never had a chance to draft him. Marks grew on me in scouting after seeing how effective he was in the passing game, leading the NCAA in catches by a running back last year. I'm confident that he will be involved in the passing game ahead of Mixon next year and will have opportunities to prove that he can do more than that and succeed Mixon if he does. He's an older prospect at 24 years old, but that also means he has a lot of experience. He played four years at Mississippi State before a final fifth season at Southern California. I think his role will be limited, but he was a player I'd like to take a chance on to see, but I never got to draft him.

My Most Boring and Most Strange Rookie Drafts

Tue, 27 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

I wanted to end my rookie draft analysis by sharing about what I consider to be my most boring draft and my most strange draft. I've had six of nine rookie drafts so far, and these two were the most boring and strange. The boring one was boring because I only had three picks, though I traded up for two of them, and the strange one was wild because rookies were drafted far earlier or later than they were in my other five drafts. Still, both were a blast, and I'd love to tell you about them and analyze my teams after the drafts.

My Most Boring Draft

This draft was boring for a couple of reasons. First, I won the championship in this league last year. I dominated this league last year, going 17-2, and my two losses were by a total of 17 points, and I scored 300 more points than the second-highest-scoring team. Naturally, I have the tenth pick in each round of this ten-team league. Secondly, teams trade less in this league than in my other leagues, so the draft order was almost the same every round. That said, there was a lot of trading during the draft, so that was fun. The third reason it was a little boring was that I traded up for two of my three picks, so I sat and watched most of the rookie draft as a result. Even so, I love what I came away with in this draft, and I made my team stronger for the future as I aim to defend my title.

RJ Harvey (1.7)

It's hard to complain when you win the league and regularly finish at the top of the league, but it isn't easy to draft a top-tier rookie running back in the first round when you constantly draft at the end of the first round. I knew none of the top-tier running backs would fall to me at 1.10, so I moved to trade up, and the manager accepted my offer. I gave 1.10 and 2.10 to trade up to 1.7 to select RJ Harvey. I could not be more thrilled about it. Having several rookie drafts behind me during this draft, I also knew that there was another tier break around the middle of the second round, so I was far more willing to give up the 2.10 pick to get a rookie running back, which my team needed. My running backs are excellent, but growing older, and my wide receivers are deep and young, so I aimed to draft running backs if they fell to me or if I could move up to draft them, which is what I did again in the third round. RJ Harvey is the back I drafted that I am confident will win a starting role and contribute to my team this year and in the many years to come. The others I added for depth, and one has intriguing upside to win a starting role sooner than later.

Devin Neal (3.9)

As I waited for my pick at 3.10, there were three running backs I ranked highly. I wanted to find a way to add two of them to my team because I was sure none of them would fall to me at 4.10. I offered the manager with the 3.9 pick my 4.10 and 5.10 and next year's 3rd round pick to move up. He accepted. He already added several 2026 picks to trade back, so I offered him one more, a third, which should be picked 27-30 next year, assuming my team remains dominant. I was pleased to draft Neal, a player I have ranked higher than most dynasty managers or analysts. His college production, character, and running style make me believe he can become the future starter for New Orleans after Alvin Kamara ages out. I'm confident he will win the RB-2 role and be an active part of the offense early in his career, even while Kamara is there. In this league, where I almost always draft at the end of each round, I need a late-round running back to break out and become a starter. I put my bets on Neal.

DJ. Giddens (3.10)

When it came to the next pick, my original pick at 3.10, I was torn between Jarquez Hunter (ranked 31st in my rankings) and Giddens (ranked 30th). As with Devin Neal, I wanted a player who could surprisingly become a starter. When thinking that way, I wanted Hunter here. At the same time, I wanted a solid backup for Jonathan Taylor, who is on my roster. I decided to go with the more conservative pick of Giddens to give me Taylor's handcuff. Many dynasty analysts think this is a losing strategy, but I do not. If I believe an RB-2 on a team has enough talent to produce even 75% of the starter output, I'm pleased to have them on my roster and often insert them in my lineup when the starter is injured. I'm confident Giddens will win the RB-2 job behind Taylor, whereas I am less confident that Hunter will move ahead of Blake Corum in the Rams' lineup to backup Kyren Williams. That was another factor leading me to draft Giddens. I'm glad to get my first and only share of Giddens, who, like Neal, was consistently productive every season in college and is an all-around back in the running and passing game. Hunter was selected four picks later.

So that was it. I made only three player selections in my boring draft, but I love what they added to my team, which is poised to make another Super Bowl run next season. Here is how stacked my team is.

Quarterbacks: Jayden Daniels, Justin Herbert, Sam Darnold
Runing Backs: Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, Joe Mixon, RJ Harvey, Zach Charbonnet, Jaylen Warren, Ray Davis, Miles Sanders, Devin Neal, DJ Giddens, Jacory Croskey-Merrit
Wide Receivers: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Nico Collins, Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, Chris Olave, Stefon Diggs, Josh Downs, Demario Douglas, Jaeln McMillan, Tank Dell
Tight Ends: Trey McBride, Dallas Goedert, Chig Okonkwo

My starting lineup includes my 2nd-ranked dynasty quarterback (Daniels), 5th and 13th-ranked running backs (Taylor and Barkley), 3rd, 8th, 12th, and 28th-ranked wide receivers (St. Brown, Collins, Higgins, and Evans), and my 2nd ranked tight end (McBride). I have depth at each position, too. One or two injuries cannot derail this team. It's a contender again. After losing the 2023 Super Bowl by two points, I took home the championship in 2024 and intend to do so again this season. Drafts can be boring, but it's okay when you're the defending champ!

My Strangest Draft

This draft was strange because so many trades were made during the draft. Seven trades were made during the draft, and three were made immediately after the draft. Managers were moving up and down the boards and collecting future picks along the way. There was even a trade later in the draft of a player drafted in the first round after a manager had buyer's remorse. It was also strange because some players were drafted way higher than in my previous five drafts, and many fell further in this draft than others. This draft was anything but chalk! Managers' opinions on players were all over the place, making this a very strange draft. Here is how I faired in the chaos.

Omarion Hampton (1.2)

In this ten-team superflex league, I am solid at quarterback and wide receiver but very weak at running back, so I was pleased to draft Hampton with the second pick of this draft. I'll be disappointed this season, as he likely splits time with Najee Harris, but he's the future for the Chargers, and I will see his role increase throughout the season. I traded Keenan Allen two years ago for a 2025 first-round pick, which resulted in this pick of Hampton. While I had to wait two years for the trade to pay off, it certainly has. I'm thrilled to have Hampton as my running back centerpiece for this team for years to come. There's no way he will be a bust.

Chase Brown and Justin Fields (1.6)

When it came to my original pick at 1.6, I struck the first trade of many in this draft. Another manager and I had been exchanging trade offers for the 1.6 before the draft, but I told him I'd like to wait until I was on the clock to talk. I desperately wanted to draft my first share of Treyveon Henderson here, but the other manager desperately wanted this pick, so I asked him for Brown and Fields, and he accepted. Brown is three years older than Henderson, but his role is secure, and his offense is one of the top offenses in the NFL. Plus, the Bengals did not bring in significant competition for Brown during free agency or the draft. I would have considered the trade straight up. Adding Fields to the deal puts it over the top. This is a ten-team superflex league, so starting quarterbacks are not as vital as in a twelve-team league. Still, adding Fields, who can easily be a top-ten quarterback because of his running, was a highly valuable piece to add in this trade, and he and Chase will both be in my starting lineup on week one. I love this trade for me.
As for the strange part of this draft, the manager drafted Henderson at 1.6 but later got major buyer's remorse and made a wild trade, giving away Henderson for Isiah Pacheco and a 2nd and 4th-round pick, which turned into Kyle Williams and Terrance Ferguson. It's not a terrible three-for-one deal, but it was a wild trade to make after drafting Henderson. I wish I would have got back in on the trade offers!

Colston Loveland (2.6)

While running back is my greatest need, and I was tempted to draft Cam Skattebo here, I had to draft Loveland because he fell so far in this draft. Loveland is my 9th-ranked rookie, while Skattebo is my 15th. Loveland was drafted 11th, 7th, 9th, 9th, and 12th in my other five rookie drafts, yet he fell to me at 16th in this draft. I already have Trey McBride on this team, but Loveland was still too valuable to pass by. If he's as productive as I expect, he and McBride can both start on my team this season, or I can get something big for one of them in a trade, particularly since I am slowly rebuilding in this league. Over the last few years, I have learned to value draft capital far more than I did before. The odds are far better for first-round draft picks to hit over later-round draft picks, especially fourth-round draft picks like Skattebo. As much as I love him, I love Loveland more and had to pick him here. I'm excited to see him in Ben Johnson's offense.
As for the strange part of this draft, Loveland fell to me partly because the manager ahead of me with pick 2.5, though he's a Chicago Bears fan, selected Bhayshul Tuten ahead of Loveland. I've witnessed managers reach on Tuten in all my rookie drafts, but never this high. He was drafted 19th, 18th, 19th, 23rd, and 17th in my previous drafts but was drafted 15th in this one. Tre Harris and Luther Burden were drafted ahead of Loveland in this class, too. As I said, it was a strange draft, which allowed me to draft the Bears' first pick with the 16th pick.

Jack Bech (3.3)

Another strange part of this draft was that Bech fell to the third round. Seeing his fall, I had to trade up to select him, which is the second time I have done so this year. Tre Harris and Kyle Williams, along with Bech, are at the end of the third tier of rookie players in this draft, and the drop is significant, in my opinion, so I was eager to trade up to get the last player in my third tier of this class. I traded my 3.6 and 4.6 to move up three spots to get Bech. I'm confident that he will be an immediate starter in the Raiders' lineup and will produce for them right away. He's another young wide receiver that I was pleased to add to my team to strengthen my strong wide receiver room, even if it meant I had to wait for several rounds before my next pick.
Another strange pick in this draft was that Tyler Shough was drafted one pick ahead of Jaxson Dart. Shough went 3.1 and Dart 3.2, just before I traded up to get Bech. I've never seen Shough drafted ahead of Dart, even in drafts that took place after Carr's retirement. There's no reason a quarterback drafted in the second round of the NFL draft should get selected ahead of a first-round draft pick, but it happened in this strange draft.

Tahj Brooks (5.6)

I had the opportunity to draft my favorite sleeper, Jacory Crockey-Merrit, here, but I decided it would be wiser to draft the player with higher draft capital, Brooks, especially since he could become the handcuff to Chase Brown, whom I traded for in the first round of this draft. He has a challenging depth chart to climb, but Zach Moss and Samaje Perine are past their prime, so Brooks will have every chance to pass them. He's a player I was pleased to add this late in the draft, hoping to have Brown's backup for a few years.
I tried my best to trade back up to draft Jarquez Hunter, who fell further than he has in any of my drafts. I could not believe that he fell so far. He was drafted with the first pick of the 5th round, pick 41. In my other drafts, he was drafted 27th, 30th, 34th, and 24th in my other drafts. Like I said, this draft was strange.

Arian Smith (6.6)

Honestly, I was not a fan of Smith. He is my 52nd-ranked rookie. Still, with six rounds in this draft, I simply drafted the player with the highest NFL draft capital. He was the only player left who was drafted in the third round. He's likely not to make the cut on my team, but the Jets' wide receiver depth chart is weak, and he will have a chance to prove himself in training camp and preseason games. He'll have to do something on the field to cause me to keep him past this league's cut date before the season starts.

In this ten-team league, I like that only four teams make the playoffs. That said, it hurt a team like mine that could make the playoffs if six teams made it. My team is not yet strong enough to compete with the top four teams in the league, but if Omarion Hampton is a star, Chase Brown improves upon last season, and Justin Fields becomes a top-eight quarterback in scoring, I'll be more competitive than last season for sure. If those three things do not happen, I'll aim to make some late-season trades to competitive teams to add a few more first and second-round picks to make for the last piece in my rebuilding efforts.

Quarterbacks: Bo Nix, Baker Mayfield, Justin Fields, Trevor Lawrence
Running Backs: Omarian Hampton, Chase Brown, Aaron Jones, Ray Davis, Blake Corum, Audric Estime, Will Shipley, Tahj Brooks
Wide Receivers: Puka Nacua, Drake London, Marvin Harrison, Xavier Worthy, Jordan Addison, Chris Olave, George Pickens, Jack Bech, Cedric Tillman, Arian Smith
Tight Ends: Trey McBride, Colston Loveland, Dallas Goedert, Mike Gesick

I'm strong and young at quarterback with four starters in a superflex league. One of my quarterbacks could be a prime trade target for a team that loses a quarterback to injury. My running backs are still the weakness of my roster, though Hampton and Brown can improve my production a lot. My wide receivers and tight ends are deep, strong, and young. If Marvin Harrison breaks out in his second season, Nacua, London, and Harrison could make my wide receivers starters among the best in the league, and McBride and tight end make me among the best teams in the league at tight end. I'm not far from being top-tier competitive if things break right for me this season, or I can make some trades to add rookies in 2026 and find myself among the top competitors next season.

My Sleeper League Rookie Draft

Tue, 20 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

A few years ago, a Dynasty Freeks follower invited me to take over an orphan in one of his leagues. I was pleased to do so. It's only the second orphan team I've ever taken over. The team was in decent shape. Still, I immediately made some trades to make the team my own. I've done well since entering the league, making the playoffs each year, winning the championship two years ago, and finishing as the runner this past season.

It's a ten-team, one-quarterback, PPR league that awards 1.3 PPR for tight ends. We start one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, and three flex spots. I prefer to build my team around pass catchers in a PPR and a slightly tight-end premium league like this. I always start wide receivers and tight ends in the three flex spots. I am content to have one solid starting running back and stream the RB-2 position with pass-catching backs and backups who enter my starting lineup when the guys ahead of them are injured.

It's worked well for me since I have finished in the money each year since I joined the league and have won one championship. While my team is getting older, I am a top contender again this year. I entered the rookie draft with a plan to add some youth but also stay in contending mode if I could add proven veterans over players in this class, which, as you will see, I successfully did during and after the draft.

Here's how my "Finish The Fight" rookie draft turned out and what I did to keep my team a top contender.

Round One

1. Ashton Jeanty

2. Omarion Hampton

3. Travis Hunter

4. Tetairoa McMillan

5. TreVeyon Henderson

6. Quinshon Judkins

7. RJ Harvey

8. Kaleb Johnson

9. Colston Loveland

It's hard to complain when you finish at the top of the league each year, but the hardest thing to do when you do is add top-tier rookie running backs. In this deep class, I hoped RJ Harvey or Kaleb Johnson would fall to me at 1.9, especially in a PPR and tight-end premium league, but it didn't happen. My choice was between Loveland and Ebuka, who are back-to-back in my rookie rankings. Given the slight tight-end premium scoring in this league and the fact that all of my tight ends are older (Mark Andrews, Evan Engram, and Zach Ertz), I decided to draft Loveland. I am excited about his landing spot with Chicago and his long-term future with Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. I have no doubt that he will be an active part of their offense for years and years to come. He's the perfect addition to my aging team and a premium position in this league. I have Justin Jefferson and Puka Nacua as the young core of my wide receiver group, and I traded up in the first round last year to draft Xavier Worthy, so I feel good about my young wide receivers. Adding a rookie tight end was the wise move for me here, and I am confident in my selection.

10. Emeka Egbuka

Round Two

1. Luther Burden

2. Tyler Warren

3. Matthew Golden

4. Cam Skattebo

5. Jayden Higgins

6. Tre Harris

7. Jack Bech

8. Cam Ward

9. Bhayshul Tuten

I hoped Harris or Bech would fall to me here at 2.9, but they were drafted a few spots before me. The top player on my board was Kyle WIlliams, so I planned on taking him before receiving a trade offer. A manager offered me David Mongomery for my 2.9 and 3.9. I was unwilling to give up two picks in this draft for Montgomery, but I was happy to give up the 2.9 for Mongomery. I countered, and he quickly accepted and rafted Tuten. Looking at my rankings, you'll see I am far lower on Tuten than the rest of the dynasty managers and analysts. Much is being made of his presumed ability to climb the depth chart of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, both of whom have significantly higher draft capital than Tuten. Tuten will have a better chance of playing time next season if the Jaguars let Etienne go, but his impact will not be immediate. For my team, I wanted an immediate impact player for my RB-2 spot. As a win-now team, I am pleased to start Joe Mixon and Montgomery each week and stack the rest of my starting lineup with pass catchers. Plus, I was confident that I could get a third-tier running back at 3.9 and store him on my taxi squad for a year, which you'll see I was able to do. After Jahmyr Gibbs' stellar end to last season, I am sure Mongomery's role will be reduced compared to the past two seasons. However, I am still confident that he will score goalline touchdowns, and if my RB-2 gets a touchdown every other week, that's all I need from him on this contending team loaded with starting wide receivers and tight ends. I was very pleased with this trade.

10. Mason Taylor

11. ** Kyle Williams

This league does something different that I don't like. They award an extra pick at the end of the second round to the winner of the Toilet Bowl. It's an attempt to keep the teams that did not make the playoff active in the dynasty postseason. It's silly, and the pick is far too valuable. As I said above, I would have taken Williams at the 2.9 had I not made the trade I did. He's far too valuable of a player to give a non-playoff team an extra pick. I didn't make the rules, but I must play by them.

Round Three

1. Jaydon Blue

2. Elijah Arroyo

3. Jalen Royals

4. DJ Giddens

5. Trevor Etienne

6. Jaylin Noel

7. Devin Neal

8. Terrance Ferguson

9. Jarquez Hunter

I eagerly wanted Devin Neal to fall to me here at 3.9, but he was taken higher than I have ever seen him go in rookie drafts thus far. Still, I had Hunter at the end of the same tier of rookie running backs and see him as a perfect player to add to my taxi squad to see if he can climb the depth chart ahead of Blake Corum and to see what the Rams choose to do with Kyren Williams as he enters the final year of his contract. Hunter steadily rose up my rookie rankings throughout the prospecting season as I learned more about him. He's a straight-ahead runner who always gets the extra yards at the end of a run, which is just the Rams' type. Last year, I said the same thing about Corum, though Corum is shiftier than Hunter. Corum did not make the most of his limited opportunities last year, so Hunter should get a chance to compete for the RB-2 spot on the team. I love having a few leagues with taxi squads because I can wait longer to decide on Hunter. He's not a player I will ever consider dropping this year, no matter how he plays, or at least until the Rams decide on what they will do with Williams's contract. I need to hit on late-round running backs in a league where I am continually at the back end of every rookie draft. Hunter is the guy I choose to bet on this year.

10 Dylan Sampson

Round Four

1. Harold Fannin

2. Woody Marks

3. Jordan James

4. Tory Horton

5. Ollie Gordon

6. Pat Bryant

7. Elic Ayomanor

8. Isaac TeSlaa

9. Jaxson Dart

It's rare, even in a one-quarterback league, to have a first-round rookie quarterback fall to the end of the fourth round of rookie drafts. Last year, I selected Bo Nix as the last pick of the rookie draft. Look at how that turned out for me. I decided to do the same here, even though my quarterback depth is solid with Lamar Jackson, Bo Nix, and Sam Darnold on my roster. Dart is a way better athlete and runner than most dynasty managers think, and he will get starting reps way earlier in the season than dynasty managers expect. I did not add him to my taxi squad because he will see the field sooner rather than later. As you'll see next, I added several undrafted free agents worthy of being taxi squad spots. If the Giants' trash at quarterback last year made Malik Nabers a star, I am sure Dart can do the same. If Dart breaks out by the end of the season like Nix did for me last year, I'll have two young quarterbacks on my roster and then can decide to keep them both for the future or trade one away for a team after their quarterbacks get injured or are not performing. In the fourth round, I did not pick for team need; I picked the highest-drafted player left in the rookie draft, a first-round draft pick, Jaxson Dart. I knew I could select players to fit my team's needs in the undrafted free-agent pool after the draft.

10. Jalen Milroe

Undrafted Free Agents

I like playing in leagues with different formats because it makes drafting and managing my teams a little different. This league's four-round rookie draft and taxi-squad components make the undrafted free agent pool an exciting element of the post-draft experience. Almost all of my leagues have five-round rookie drafts, meaning 50-60 rookies get drafted. However, only 40 rookies get drafted in this league, leaving many desirable rookies on the undrafted free-agent list. After the season ends and dues are paid in this league, each team gets $100 FAAB to spend throughout the offseason. Little money is spent before the draft, though I added and dropped players during the free-agent frenzy season. However, after the draft, teams spend a lot of FAAB buying undrafted free agents. It's one of the most fun parts of this league. Here is how the first day of bidding looked.

$33 - Kyle Monangai

$27 - Savion Williams

$27 - Damien Martinez

$25 - Brashard Smith

$22 - Chimere Dike

$15 - Jacory Croskey-Merrit

Of course, you know I got my favorite sleeper in this year's class! I've written too much about him, but he was naturally my highest target in this undrafted free-agent class. He's a perfect running back to add to my taxi squad as I wait patiently for one surprise running back to break out. He and Hunter are on that list this season. I was not the only one interested in Croksey-Merrit. My $15 bid was higher than two other bids at $9 and $0. You can't outbid me for my guy!

$15 - Tahj Brooks

Brooks has a great chance of quickly climbing the depth chart to become the RB-2 behind Chase Brown, and I need all the RB-2s I can get on this team. One other manager liked him, too, but I outbid his $12 bid. I hope to see how he plays in the preseason before deciding on him. I'm confident he can be an excellent third-down back in the NFL and in a PPR league, which is good enough to start as an RB2. We do have to cut three players and set our final taxi squad by the first game of the NFL season, and once players are promoted from the taxi squad in this league, they cannot be added back. If he shows something in the preseason, I could add him to my taxi squad with Hunter and Croskey Marrit, filling up my taxi squad with three running backs. If he does not play well in the preseason, I'd be willing to cut him and keep another player as a taxi player.

$11 - Ricky White

$3 - Tyler Shough

The rookie draft in this league took place the first week of May, before Derek Carr's retirement. I added Shough in case Carr's injury prevented him from playing this season, especially since Carr was on my roster then. After Carr's retirement announcement, this underrated free-agent move looks even better. I likely bought a starting quarterback for $3. However, I have far too many quarterbacks in a one-quarterback league on my roster. I cannot keep them all, so I will look to sell at least one of them before the season starts, especially if a quarterback goes down to injury in the preseason. Or, if he wins the starting job immediately and Jaxson Dart does not, I could keep Shough on my active roster and move Dart to the taxi squad. I also have Sam Darnold, who I could consider selling on the cheap to the manager who drafted Jalen Milroe if he lacks quarterback depth. Time will tell. I know it's unwise to keep so many quarterbacks, especially given the final move I made with undrafted free agents.

$3 - Shedeur Sanders

Why not? With a taxi squad, I decided to add Sanders, who is currently on my taxi squad. I doubt he will remain on my team, even my taxi squad, unless he somehow wins the starting job to start the season, but I thought it would be a risk worth taking to see what will happen. It's as simple as that on this addition.

$0 - KeAndre Lambert-Smith

$0 - Oronde Gadsden

$0 - Dillon Gabirel

Post Draft Trade

Davante Adams, Ray Davis and a 2026 4th round pick <-----> 2026 1st and 3rd round pick

Finally, I made one more move to strengthen my team, which is in win-now mode. A rebuilding team sent me a direct message about wanting to trade his older players for draft picks. Davante Adams was the most attractive veteran on his team. Adams can produce with the Rams after signing a two-year contract with them. I would love to have two years of production on this dynasty team. He was more attractive to me because I have Puka Nacua on this team. Nacua has been injured quite a bit, but now, if he is injured, I'll still have the WR-1 for the Rams in my starting lineup, and in a league this deep, I don't mind at all starting both of them when they are both healthy. I was particularly excited to add Ray Davis to this deal, given his very real chance of being the Bills' starter next season if the Bills let James Cook go. Cooks' contentious contract talks make me believe the team will not re-sign him. Even if they sign him, I have added another backup running back to my team, making him an injury away from an every-week starter for me this season. I added one more vet to strengthen my team, though I gave up a first and third-round pick to get him. I'm confident that, barring major injuries, my team will be a top contender, making the first and third-round pick late-round picks. At the end of the negotiations, I asked the other manager to add a fourth-round pick back into the deal because I value fourth-round picks much more in a league with a taxi squad. He obliged, and we struck a deal. Now, my team, though relatively old, is stacked again and ready for a Super Bowl run in 2025!

My Roster

Quarterbacks: Lamar Jackson, Bo Nix, Sam Darnold, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Shedeur Sanders

There's no doubt who my starter is; Lamar Jackson. He was the highest-scoring quarterback last season in this league, 49 points ahead of Joe Burrow. He helps carry my team. I'm pleased with my depth and youth behind Jackoan with Nix, who scored the 8th most points in this league last year, and Darnold, while circumstances have changed, scored the 7th most points. Dart and Shough will be fun to watch develop in their rookie seasons. I'm fantastic at the quarterback position.

Running Backs: Joe Mixon, David Montgomery, Jaylen Warren., Zach Charbonnet, Ray Davis, Justice Hill, Jarquez Hunter, Jacory Croskey-Merrit, Tahj Brooks

Running back is my weakest spot, but as I said, I'm content with that in a PPR, tight-end premium league. I have two old workman-style running backs at the top of my depth chart, Jaylen Warren, who will start for me often at the beginning of the season while he attempts to hold off rookie Kaleb Johnson, and I have who I consider to be among the top backup running backs in the league, Charbonnet and Davis. As I mentioned before, my taxi squad will be filled with at least two, if not three, running backs in hopes that one will get starting opportunities this year or next. It's hard to build up a running back room when you finish each year at the top of the league, but I'll do what I can with what I have. It's worked for me thus far.

Wide Receivers: Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Tyreek Hill, Terry McLaurin, Xavier Worthy, Davante Adams, Cedric Tillman, Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, Jalen McMillan, Malik Washington, Jaylin Lane

Wide receiver is the strength of my team on purpose. Jefferson, Nacua, and Hill alone make my team awesome, and the depth I have behind them is fantastic. McLaurin and Adams will be in my starting lineup each week, while Worthy will stream with one or more of my excellent tight ends in this tight-end premium league. I like Tillman, Brown, and McMillan. They will make my squad no matter what happens before the season. Burks, Washington, and Lane are at the top of the chopping block at cut time, but I'd like to see how the depth charts settle on their teams before the season starts.

Tight Ends: Mark Andrews, Evan Engram, Colston Loveland, Zach Ertz

Andrews sat on my bench early last season before catching fire and helping my playoff run to end the season. He's definitely on the decline, but the Jackson-Andrews stack has been a huge part of my success over the last three seasons. I'm glad to run that back again this year. I could not have loved Engram's landing spot more. He'll see a lot of action in Denver and see my starting lineup often as a tight end or flex this season. If old-man Ertz remains the starter in Washington, he'll also be another spot starter for me in this league. My first-round pick, Loveland, is the future for me at tight end, though I'm certain he will start for me often this season, too. Shoot, I could run a lot of 13 personnel this season and start three tight ends in this high-end premium league. It will be a fun ride in 2025!

My Staring Lineup

QB: Lamar Jackson

RB: Joe Mixon, David Montgomery

WR: Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Tyreek Hill

Tight End: Mark Andrews

Flex (3): Terry McLaurin, Davante Adams, Xavier Worthy, Evan Engram, Colston Loveland, Zach Ertz, Jaylen Warren

My Favorite Rookie Draft Ever!

Tue, 13 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

I just had my favorite rookie draft ever! Last year, I decided to go into full rebuild-mode in my favorite league, The Diehard Dozen. It's my most active league, making rebuilding possible because of active managers willing to trade. Last year, I earned the 1.1 rookie pick by finishing last, but I added a ton of draft picks in trades to completely remake my team this year. That's exactly what I did. I had so much fun in this draft. I can't wait to tell you about it!

Round One

1. Box Wine - Ashton Jeanty

This was the first time I had ever finished last in a dynasty league, and it could not have been a better year to do so, as Jeanty was the clear consensus top pick in this class, no matter the format. Jeanty will become my anchor running back for years, if not a decade. The Raiders will make Jeanty the center of their offense, so he will produce fantasy points immediately. I can't wait to see him on the field. Running back is my weakest position in this league, and this was the perfect draft to need running back and have so many early picks. As you'll see, I completely rebuilt my running back room.

2. Saracens Squad - Omarian Hampton
3. Dopper (via Mobsters) - Tetairoa McMillan
4. Jokerbills - Travis Hunter
5. Dopper (via Razor Stubble) - TreVeyon Henderson
6. Box Wine (via Meathead Mafia) - Quinshon Judkins

This league is moving to superflex in 2027, so I was hopeful that one team in the top five would take Cam Ward so that Henderson would fall to me, but it did not happen. The next rookie on my board was Judkins, so I gladly took him at 1.6 to add another starting running back with slightly better draft capital than Henderson on my team. I'm less than confident in the future of the Cleveland offense, but they will try to run the ball a lot, and Judkins will be their lead back, at least on early downs. Jerome Ford agreed to a pay cut after the draft, and Dylan Sampson was drafted two and a half rounds after Judkins, so I am not worried about the competition behind him. He'll start for me on day one alongside Jeanty.

7. Dopper - Colston Loveland
8. Box Wine (via Dan Teague) - RJ Harvey

I wanted Harvey or Johnson to fall to me at 1.8, and I ended up having to choose between the two. I had Harvey ranked two spots ahead of Johnson in my rankings, so I stuck with my board and drafted Harvey. I've written about Harvey several times in recent weeks, noting that he's been one of the steady risers in rookie rankings. I expect him to have more of a shared role than Jeanty or Judkins, but I expect him to earn the leading role quickly. I'm most excited about his role in the passing game, as coach Payton targets running backs more than almost any coach in the league. I have Audric Estime on my roster, too, so if he surprises or either Harvey or Estime gets injured, I'll have Denver's lead running back on my squad. The fact that Denver drafted Harvey so early proves that they like him more than Estime and have a heavy role in mind for him. If he breaks out early, as I expect, I'll have three rookie running backs in my starting lineup in this league.

9. DPO - Kaleb Johnson
10. Furious George - Cam Ward
11. Leg Day - Emeka Egbuka
12. Box Wine (via Invincible) - Tyler Warren

Tight end is my other area of weakness in this league. Jonnu Smith is my starter with just Isaiah Likely and Will Dissly behind him, so I went into the draft willing to take Loveland or Warren if they fell to me, but I was also happy to wait for Mason Taylor later in the second round if that's the way the draft fell. At 1.11, I was pleased to take a chance on Warren, a fantastic weapon, though he landed in a less-than-ideal spot with Indianapolis. The fact that the Colts drafted him so early makes me confident that they will make him a focal point in the passing game. I hope Daniel Jones wins the quarterback competition because I trust him to move the offense better than Anthony Richardson. Either way, Warren is an offensive weapon, and the Colts will manufacture touches for him. He won't start for my team right away, but he will be an anchor tight end for a decade or more for me after the Colts' passing game improves.

Round Two

1. Box Wine - Matthew Golden

Golden and Skattebo were the next two players on my board, and I was pretty sure that the guy picking between my two picks would not take Skattebo so I selected Golden. If I have any strength in this league, it's at receiver, where I have Malik Nabers and Jaxson Smith-Njigba as my starters. I decided to add another wide receiver with first-round draft capital to the mix. Golden has a solid depth chart to climb, and the Packers have been content not to have a true leading receiver since Devante Adams left the team, but they invested first-round capital in Golden, something they have not done since 2002. Josh Jabobs, Green Bay fans, and dynasty managers have been begging for a WR-1 in Green Bay, and their management and coaching staff also see the need. It will take some time, but by midseason, Golden will become the WR-1 everyone has wanted in Green Bay.

2. Saracens Squad - Luther Burden
3. Box Wine (via Mobsters) - Cam Skattebo

I am higher on Skattebo than most dynasty managers, so I was thrilled to select him early in the second round as I continued building my running back room with rookies. He has an easy depth chart to climb in New York and a different build, running style, and skill set than either Tyrone Tracy or Devin Singletary. He'll have every chance to become their short-yardage back and goalline back right away while he gets acclimated to the NFL and competes for the leading role. He has the worst draft capital of any player I have drafted so far, and I could be wrong on him, but having added three running backs so far, I was willing to add another to strengthen the weakest part of my team.

4. Jokerbills - Jayden Higgins
5. Box Wine (via Razor Stubble) - Jaxson Dart

This league is transitioning to superflex in 2027, so I decided to draft a first-round quarterback here, especially since the only starting quarterback on my roster is Kyler Murray unless Daniel Jones wins the leading role in Indianapolis. His draft capital alone proves that he will start games this season and will be the starter for sure next season after Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston go away. He's got an opportunity to build rapport with Malik Nabers and become a dynamic duo, which is helpful for my team since I have Nabers on my squad. He's an excellent runner, so he'll give me a lot of important fantasy points on the ground. I've been higher on him throughout the scouting process and am confident like the Giants are, that he's a future starter in the NFL and on dynasty teams.

6. Jokerbills (via Meathead Mafia) - Bhayshul Tuten
7. Box Wine (via Dopper) - Jack Bech

Here is where I made a big move during the draft. I traded up to 2.7, gave up 3.1, 3.6, and 4.1, and received 4.7 and 5.7 in return. I have Jack Bech, Tre Harris, and Kyle Williams in the same tier with a significant drop-off after that tier, and I was convinced that none of them would fall to me at 3.1. You can see by the way the draft played out that I was correct. I decided it would be better to move up in the draft to secure another player with second-round draft capital and a wide-open depth chart in Jack Bech. I loved his draft capital and landing spot in Las Vegas, where he's slated to be a starter from day one. Getting eight of the top 19 players drafted was more important than having two third-round picks and the first pick of the fourth round. I drafted a needed tight end and quarterback and loaded up on running backs, but I wanted one more wide receiver with high draft capital to pair with Matthew Golden in this draft. Pat Bryant was the only receiver drafted in the third round, so I was proved right in guessing the wide receiver run would end in the second round. It did, but I got my guy by trading up. In our group chat after the trade, I joked, "I drafted two Giants and two Raiders. What could go wrong?"

8. Dan Teague - Tre Harris
9. DPO - Kyle Williams
10. Furious George - Jaydon Blue
11. Mobsters (via Leg Day) - Dylan Sampson
12. Invincible - Jaylin Noel

Round Three

1. Dopper (via Box Wine) - Devin Neal
2. Saracens Squad - Elijah Arroyo
3. Mobsters - Jarquez Hunter
4. Invincible (via Jokerbills) - Elic Ayomanor
5. Leg Day (via Razor Stubble) - Jalen Milroe
6. Dopper (via Meathead Mafia, Box Wine) - Trevor Etienne
7. Razor Stubble (via Dopper) - Mason Taylor
8. Dan Teague - Terrance Ferguson
9. DPO - DJ Giddens
10. Leg Day (via Furious George) - Jordan James
11. Mobsters (via Leg Day) - Pat Bryant
12. Invincible - Harold Fannin

Round Four

1. Mobsters (via Box Wine, Dopper) - Woody Marks
2. Saracens Squad - Tyler Shough
3. Meathead Mafia (via Mobsters) - Shedeur Sanders
4. Jokerbills - Brashard Smith
5. Razor Stubble - Tory Horton
6. Meathead Mafia - Tahj Brooks
7. Box Wine (via Dopper) - Jalen Royals

I had to wait a long time until my next pick, but I was thrilled to select my 35th-ranked player with the 43rd pick in this draft. Royals was one of my biggest fallers after the draft, given his late fourth-round draft capital and his landing with the Chiefs, who have a crowded depth chart. Still, he was one of my favorite players to watch in the scouting process. I had him ranked as high as 18th early in the process, and he was 19th in my rankings before the draft. He's a perfect player to take a stab at in the fourth round of rookie drafts. Marquise Brown is in the last year of his contract, giving Royals a great chance to start in three-receiver sets in 2026 with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, and I would not be surprised at all if he cuts into Brown's workload this year. He's a dynamic route runner with the ball in his hands, and coach Reid can scheme him up. I loved getting Royals this late as depth on my rebuilding roster.

8. Dan Teague - Isaac TeSlaa
9. DPO - Ollie Gordon
10. Furious George - Will Howard
11. Leg Day - Quinn Ewers
12. Invincible - Tai Felton

Round Five

1. Box Wine - Jacory Croskey-Merrit

I got my guy with the first pick of the fifth round. As I expected, other managers also saw him as their sleeper pick. Once I made the pick, guys cursed me in the group chat. I love it! I've already written about him in recent weeks as my favorite sleeper, so I won't go on forever here. He's got hidden talent that has not been seen in years since he missed all of last season (minus one game) with an eligibility issue. All a dynasty manager needs to do is watch his highlight tape and watch his MVP performance in the Shrine Bowl to become a believer. I was thrilled to add another rookie running back to my rebuilding team. That gives my five rookie running backs!

2. Saracens Squad - Damien Martinez
3. Mobsters - Kyle Monangai
4. Jokerbills - Arian Smith
5. Razor Stubble - Savion Willams
6. Meathead Mafia - Gunnar Helm
7. Box Wine (via Dopper) - Chimere Dike

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Dike, but he was the highest player on my board this late in the draft, and he had far and away the best draft capital of any player left in the draft, so I selected him with my final pick. The Titans' wide receiver room is very crowded. Still, Dike was the first wide receiver they drafted, and they picked him with the first pick of the fourth round on day three, so they like him more than Elic Ayomanor, who they drafted 33 picks later, and Xavier Restrepo, who they signed as an undrafted free agent. Those reasons alone are enough to pick him with the last pick this draft, my favorite draft ever.

8. Dan Teague - Jordan Watkins
9. DPO - Xavier Restrepo
10. Furious George - Tez Johnson
11. Invincible (via Leg Day) - Oronde Gadsden
12. Invincible (via Leg Day) - Isaiah Bond

Certainly, not all of the players I drafted will hit, but if the majority do, I will quickly jump back into the middle of the pack of this league. If all of them hit, I will set myself up for the next ten years. Here now is my current roster.

Quarterbacks: Kyler Murray, Jaxson Dart, Daniel Jones, Mason Rudolf, Kenny Pickett

Running Backs: Ashton Jeanty, Quinshon Judkins, CJ Harvey, Cam Skattebo, Jaylen Warren, Blake Corum, Audric Estime, Jacory Croskey-Merrit, Sean Tucker

Wide Receivers: Malik Nabers, Jaxons Smith-Njigba, Matthew Golden, Xavier Legette, Jack Bech, Romeo Doubs, Demario Douglas, Marvin Mims, Dyami Brown, Jaylen Royals, Chimere Dike

Tight Ends: Tyler Warren, Jonnu Smith, Isaiah Likely, Will Dissly

We start two flexes in this league, so my starting line-up today and in the near future would look like this. I can't wait to see where this team goes!

Kyler Murray and/or Jaxson Dart

Ashton Jeanty

Quinshon Judkins

Malik Nabers

Jaxson Smith-Njigba

Matthew Golden

Tyler Warren

RJ Harvey or Cam Skattebo

Jack Bech or Xavier Legette

10 Rookies I Rank Higher Than Others

Tue, 06 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

This is the week that most of my rookie drafts kick off. I have one that started on Saturday and two that began on Monday. I used the last week to finalize my rookie rankings, and after studying the class one last time by listening to and reading NFL scouts and General Managers talk about the players they drafted, my rookie rankings are final and ready for my rookie drafts. The final article I like to write before rookie drafts begin is about where my rookie rankings differ from the pros at Dynasty League Football (DLF).

As a last step in preparing for rookie drafts, I compare my rankings with other analysts' rankings. I do this to see how my dynasty league-mates, who likely follow the rankings of more well-known analysts, may rank players when drafting against me. The process gives me an idea about which players I am more likely to add to my rosters, given that I rank them higher than consensus.

This year, I found ten rookies that I have ranked five or more spots higher than the pros at DLF, which means I may reach these players and get a lot of shares, or I may benefit by them falling back to me in the draft. Either way, these are ten guys I would like to add to my rosters, and I expect I will often draft if my opponents are using DLF's rankings instead of my own.

RJ Harvey

Harvey is my 8th-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 14th by DLF.
His landing spot in Denver and his significant draft capital (2.28) have moved Harvey up into the late first round in my mind. Coach Payton raved about Harvey in his post-draft press conference. He spoke about him as if he settled on drafting Harvey early in the process and told his staff to keep their lips sealed about him. He's an older back who did not play at a top-tier program, but he's an excellent runner who can also be effective in the passing game. He averaged nearly seven yards per carry over his last three seasons and caught 20 passes per season. He's Payton's man. While Payton is one of the most upbeat and positive coaches about his players, I still buy the hype and hope to draft Harvey often late in round one.

Cam Skattebo

Skattebo is my 15th-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 19th by DLF.
I've been higher on Skattebo for the entire scouting season, and his landing with the Giants made me like him even more, even if he fell to the fourth round. He only has Tyrone Tracy ahead of him in the lineup. Tracy and Skattebo are excellent pass catchers, but Tracy is far better at pass protection at this early point of their careers, so Tracy will hold down the passing downs role for this year while Skattebo adjusts to the NFL. Still, Skattebo is a far bigger and tougher runner and will instantly become their short-yardage back, possibly taking over the running-down role as the season progresses. He will grow in pass protection and become a reliable running back two for dynasty managers in the future. He's one of the most fun players to watch in this year's class as well as one of the easiest to root for, so I hope I add him to a lot of my teams at the top of the second round or that if league mates use DLF's rankings, I can pick him up in the middle of the second round.

Devin Neal

Neal is my 22nd-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 43rd by DLF.
So it looks like Neal is the player I am the most in love with compared to consensus. His sixth-round draft capital should concern dynasty managers, but his landing spot in New Orleans is ideal. Neal was the epitome of consistency in college, touching the ball more than 200 times in each of his last three seasons and totaling more than a thousand yards rushing in each. Plus, he averaged 23 receptions per year over his last three seasons. He's an all-around back I have loved since I started my scouting process. On February 18th, I wrote about him as a player I liked more than others and compared him to Alvin Kamara. Now he's his backup and poised to take over as Kamara ages out in the next year or so. I am not at all surprised that I have him ranked higher than others, but I am very surprised that others have him ranked as low as they do. If my league mates do, too, I will draft Neal in every single league.

Pat Bryant

Bryant is my 25th-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 31st by DLF.
Bryant's draft capital, pick 3.10, and coach Payton's comparing him to Michael Thomas caused me to study him again and reconsider his ranking. He scored 17 touchdowns over the last two years, so he's a good red zone weapon, and he's one of the few tall receivers in this year's class at 6'3". The depth chart in Denver is murky but not difficult for him to climb. It will take time for him to establish himself as the WR-2 behind Courtland Sutton, but I believe he can do it. He's a player I'm willing to draft and wait on, primarily given his size, draft capital, and coach Payton's reach on him in the draft. It's as simple as that to me.

DJ Giddens

Giddens is my 30th-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 37th by DLF.
Overall, I was disappointed with Gidden's landing spot in Indianapolis. I liked him more than most and wanted him to land on a team where he could compete for the starting job. Jonathan Taylor's presence rules that out. However, if he was drafted as a depth piece to back up an RB-1, I can think of fewer teams I'd rather have to draft him. Taylor gets injured often, making me confident that Giddens will get several starts this year and may prove himself to be the next guy up behind Taylor, though he's not nearly as close to approaching the age cliff as Alvin Kamara. Giddens is a well-rounded back who, like Devin Neal, was highly consistent and well-rounded as a runner and pass catcher at Kansas State. He'll make for a solid backup and an instant starter in dynasty lineups on the weeks that Taylor cannot play. I value that more than the pros at DLF and would draft him in the middle of the third round instead of the top of the fourth, as they suggest.

Jarquez Hunter

Hunter is my 31st-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 36th by DLF.
The Rams drafted Hunter in round four, a round later than they drafted Blake Corum last year, but the fact that they drafted a running back so early has me concerned that they are not as confident in Corum to be Kyren William's backup as I had hoped. Corum did not get many chances last season, but when he did, he didn't do anything outstanding. In February, a college football fantasy guy I follow listed Hunter as his top sleeper at running back, so he has been on my radar. Over the last two weeks, I learned that he was one of the most effective backs in this class in breaking tackles, and one scout I follow said his best trait is that he runs straight ahead and falls forward for a few more yards at the end of almost every run. That's the type of runner coach McVay loves, and he has a plan for Hunter should Williams get hurt, or he may even see him as their future starter. Williams is in the last year of his contract, so I would love to draft a lot of Hunter, just as I did with Corum last year. May the best man win!

Isaac TeSlaa

TeSlaa is my 36th-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 44th by DLF.
I'm calling TeSlaa the most confusing pick of the NFL draft and one of the most difficult rookies to rank in this class. He started college at Hillsdale College, where he dominated for two years with 118 receptions for 2116 yards and 19 touchdowns. He played well enough to transfer to Arkansas, where his production significantly dropped to about 30 catches and 500 yards per season. Even so, the Lions drafted him earlier than anyone expected at 3.6. Not only that, they traded two third-round picks to move up to get him. The draft capital is tremendous, but his landing spot is questionable, given the many other weapons in Detroit's passing game. Still, in the end, I could not argue with the draft capital and the fact that the coaching staff will be out to prove something with him since they gave up so much to draft him. I'm banking on the draft capital and am willing to gamble on TeSlaa at the three-four turn rather than at the end of the fourth round, as the pros at DLF suggest.

Tory Horton

Horton is my 37th-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 46th by DLF.
After transferring from Nevada, Horton had two very productive seasons at Colorado State, but his last season ended with an injury. Otherwise, he would have stacked up a third productive season at Colorado State and been drafted higher than he was. Still, his landing spot with Seattle is excellent, with only Marques Valdez-Scantling to jump for a starting role in three-receiver sets, and Cooper Kupp is on his last leg. Seattle drafted Ricky White late, too, but a full two rounds later than Horton. In normal-sized dynasty leagues, I'd be glad to draft Horton at the three-four turn and let him wait on my bench while the Seattle wide receiver depth chart gets sorted out this year, and the path is more clear for Horton beyond 2025.

Ollie Gordon

Gordon is my 41st-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 48th by DLF.
I hated Gordon's draft capital and landing spot, and I moved him way down my rookie rankings after the draft, but not nearly as far as the pros at DLF did. As a result, I may get a few shares of Gordon in the fourth round of my rookie drafts. He has a steep depth chart to climb, with Devon Achane and Jaylen Wright ahead of him. Alexander Mattison is a proven NFL player, and they picked him up this year, too. Still, late in the draft, I'd be willing to take a chance on the NCAA's leading rusher in 2023. Coach McDaniel comes from the Shanhan tree, which means he's happy to give touches to any running back and stick with the hot one. Gordon's skill set is a difficult match for the kind of running backs that succeed with McDaniels, but I'm willing to draft him late to see if the other guys in front of him fail. After all, only Achane has proven himself to be an NFL starter, and he gets injured often.

Jacory Croskey-Merrit

Croskey-Merrit is my 42nd-ranked rookie in the class, while he is ranked 56th by DLF.
Finally, there is my super sleeper, but I assume other savvy managers will see Croskey-Merrit as their sleeper too. I must be higher on him than most if I'd be willing to take a flyer on him in the fourth round instead of the fifth. I love that the Commanders only drafted one running back, Croskey Merrit, and only added Jeremy McNichols in free agency. Brian Robinson was one of the biggest winners after the draft since they did not bring any top-tier competition as many draft analysts predicted they would. Instead, they took a flyer at the end of the last round of the draft, but he has some excellent tape from college, albeit from a few years ago. He's a perfect player to stash on taxi squads or hold through the preseason before the cut day in leagues without taxi squads. He is many other dynasty managers' sleeper pick, though, so I'll have some competition with others and will see who pays up first.

Post-Draft Rookie Risers and Fallers

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

The NFL draft is behind us, giving Dynasty Freeks the final and most important data point in their rankings process. Draft capital and team landing spots affect dynasty rankings more than anything else. Since the draft ended, I have finalized my rookie rankings and added all of the rookies to my overall dynasty rankings. It's my final step in preparing for my rookie drafts, which begin this week and run throughout the whole month of May. It's one of the most fun months of the year!

In this final article, before rookie drafts, I share my thoughts on the players who moved up and down my rookie rankings as a result of their draft capital and landing spot. Here I present my post-draft rookie risers and fallers.

Rookie Risers

TreyVeon Henderson

I moved Henderson up my rankings from 10th to 7th after the Patriots drafted him with the sixth pick in the second round. He's been my third-ranked running back since I first released my rankings on Super Bowl Sunday. He just got a little bump up the rankings after landing in a great spot. The Patriots did everything they could to make their offense more explosive in this draft. Henderson and Kyle WIlliams are playmakers. Henderson will be involved immediately in the passing game, and it won't take him long to surpass Rhamondre Stevenson on the depth chart to become their future RB-1.

Quinshon Judkins

I also moved Judkins up my rankings after the Browns drafted him with the fourth pick of the second round. I expect most dynasty managers to have Judkins ranked ahead of Henderson, given that he was drafted two picks earlier, and Jerome Ford may seem less likely to be a threat for playing time compared to Rhamondre Stevenson, but I don't see it that way. I have far less confidence in the Cleveland offense and did not like that the Browns drafted Dylan Sampson two rounds later at the back of the fourth. I still love the landing spot and moved him up my board, but I expect that others will be higher on him than I am, especially if they have him ranked ahead of Henderson.

Colston Loveland

I moved Loveland up from 15th to 9th after he was the first tight end drafted by the Bears with the tenth pick in the first round. Ben Johnson is the most creative playcaller in the league, and he drafted Loveland with a plan in mind. I initially expected that this draft capital and landing spot would cause me to move Loveland ahead of Tyler Warre in my rankings, but after the Bears later drafted Luther Burden, I grew more concerned about his target share since the Bears will have so many weapons in the passing game. I still love the landing spot and am confident that Johnson will get Loveland the ball in creative ways and meaningful circumstances. I have Warren ranked 5th and Loveland 9th in my post-draft rookie rankings. Both landed in great spots and have early first-round draft capital.

Matthew Golden

Golden made a modest jump up three spots in my rankings after the Packers drafted him in the first round. He moved up from 14th to 11th, making him a first-round pick in rookie drafts for me. He has a lot of competition in the wide receiver room in Green Bay, but he has the highest draft capital of them all, so the Packers think he's the best of the bunch already. I love the Packers' offensive system and am sure Golden will fit in immediately and become Jordan Love's favorite target by midseason.

RJ Harvey

Harvey made one of the biggest jumps in my rankings, moving all the way from 23rd to 12th after the Broncos drafted him in the second round. Harvey steadily rose up my rankings throughout the scouting process as more and more NFL teams, and scouts hyped him up. Coach Peyton wanted a running back to improve his offense, and Harvey was his selection. He will be an immediate starter and have every opportunity to become Peyton's bell-cow back. I had him as a third-round pick with my initial rankings. He moved to a second-round pick after studying him more, and now I would draft him at the end of the first round. That's quite a rise!

Kaleb Johnson

Johnson got a modest rise in my rankings, moving from 16th to 13th after he was selected by the Steelers, who have a pretty easy depth chart to climb. As one with many shares of Jaylen Warren, I was disappointed to see Johnson drafted by the Steelers in the third round. They didn't have a second-round pick, and I expected the running backs available in the third round to be no threat to Warren, but Johnson is a credible threat right away. I am surprised he was not drafted in the second round. His unique running style fits well with the current offensive scheme in Pittsburgh, and I expect him to get about as many touches as Najee Harris did last year. It's running back by committee again for the Steelers. Both backs will do well, but their ceiling will be limited for at least this year. Warren's contract expires this year, so Johnson could have a more substantial role in the years to come.

Jayden Higgins

I expected Higgins to get drafted in the second round, but I was surprised to see him picked with the second pick of the second round by the Texans, who desperately need a WR-2 to pair with Nico Collins. His draft capital alone is a reason to move him up rookie rankings, and his landing spot is even more reason to do so, given the immediate playing time he will get. I've moved him up to 15th from 18th, making him a player I'd like to select early in the second round like the Texans did.

Jack Bech

Bech has been a steady riser in my rankings ever since his MVP play in the Senior Bowl. His draft capital (pick 2.26) and landing spot with the Raiders make me love him even more. I moved him up from 27th to 18th, making him a prime target in the middle of the second round. His style of play, work ethic, and character make him a perfect fit for Pete Carroll and the Raiders, who also have one of the weakest wide receiver depth charts. Ashton Jeanty and Bech will be key weapons in the Raiders' offense in their rookie seasons. The Raiders need them to be.

Elijah Arroyo

Seattle needed tight end help, and they aggressively drafted Arroyo early with the 18th pick of the second round. Arroyo was not impressive from a college production side, but he's an incredible athlete. The Seahawks drafted a lot of "traits" guys in this draft. That must be something they value more than other teams. I expect Arroyo to take some time to get acclimated to the NFL, but he should have a bright future with the Seahawks. He's worth dynasty managers taking a stab at him in the third round of the rookie draft based just on his traits and tremendous draft capital.

Terrance Ferguson

The Rams traded up to get the tight end that crushed his competition at the NFL Combine this year. Ferguson was the top tight end in nearly every athletic test at the Combine. Coach McVay has been eager to have an impactful tight end, and he paid up to get Ferguson, so he must be confident that he's their man. The Rams have one of the best track records in the NFL draft. They're almost always right. My confidence in the Rams and the fact that they traded up to get him in the second round give me confidence in moving him up my rankings from 42nd to 28th.

Woody Marks

Marks was drafted far earlier than I expected him to get drafted. I warmed up on him a bit through the scouting season, moving him from 52nd to 43rd in my rankings after watching more of his college film and noticing a few scouts who spoke highly of his work, especially in the passing game. He now sits at 32nd in my rankings after he was selected by the Texans in the fourth round. Houston's depth chart is weak, and Joe Mixon is fast approaching the age cliff. I expect Marks to have a significant role in the passing game with the Texans at the very least. At best, he can prove himself worthy to be Mixon's successor. Those possibilities and his earlier-than-expected draft capital caused me to move him up to 32nd in my rookie rankings.

Jarquez Hunter

As a manager with many shares of Blake Courm, I was very displeased with the Rams selecting Hunter and how early they did so. They drafted Hunter in the fourth round, a round later than where they drafted Corum last year, but the pick indicates that they wanted depth and/or competition behind Kyren Williams. One college scout I trust warned dynasty managers not to overlook Hunter because he is one of the hardest runners in this draft. He has power and finishes plays. As I already said, I trust the Rams' scouting staff, so if they like a guy more than I do, I begin to like that guy more, too. I moved Hunter up from 49th to 39th after the Rams selected him in the fourth round.

Jacory Croskey-Merrit

Croskey-Merrit has been on my radar as a sleeper ever since he was named MVP of the Shrine Bowl. Hardly anyone knows about this guy, but he's my favorite sleeper in this class, especially after Washington drafted him in the last round of the draft. Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler by no means have a stranglehold on the RB-1 spot in Washington. They are serviceable backs, but their ceilings are low at this point in their careers. He may not have done it on the biggest stages, but Croskey-Merrit had an 18-touchdown season at New Mexico before transferring to Arizona, where he had eligibility issues and only played one game, but he had 106 yards and a touchdown in that game. Hopefully, Washington will give him a chance to compete. If so, he could show that he has something neither Robinson or Ekeler have. I have a feeling I will draft a lot of Croskey-Merrit.

Rookie Fallers

Shedeur Sanders

It goes without saying that Sanders is a faller in rookie rankings, as he was the biggest faller on draft weekend. I had him 6th in my superflex rankings before the draft, but now I have moved him back to 24th. It appears that the NFL did not want to deal with his attitude problems and all that comes with his package, but dynasty managers don't have to deal with that. I believe he will emerge as the Browns' starter, even if it takes some time and humbling to do so. Therefore, I'd still take a chance on him in a superflex league, but not until the two-three turn. His NFL and dynasty fall are pretty one-of-a-kind.

Emeka Egbuka

Egbuka had excellent draft capital, being drafted 19th in the first round, but his landing spot was a bummer. I love Egmuka, and he was ranked 7th before the NFL draft, but his landing spot in Tampa Bay caused me to move him back to 10th. There's too much veteran competition in Tampa Bay. I can't see a way that he will get more targets than Mike Evans and Chris Godwin this year and maybe even a year beyond that. Tamps Bay was smart to select him and he'll become a great player for them, but it will take longer to see it happen than dynasty managers will be willing to wait. If I were at the start of a multi-year rebuild, I'd be pleased to draft Egbuka earlier than 10th, but if I was a competitive team, I'd have a hard time doing so. I love the player but hate the landing spot.

Luther Burden

Burden took quite a fall in my rookie rankings after landing with the Bears in the second round after they had already added a pass-catching weapon in Colston Loveland. Coach Johnson said every pass catch would have to compete for a role, but I think there are too many cooks in their kitchen. I love everything the Bears did in the draft to make the offense more explosive, but I am too uncertain which players will get the most targets and opportunities between D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Burden, and Loveland. Maybe Ben Johnson is a wizard who can make them all productive for dynasty managers, but the math does not check out. I wish Burden was drafted by a different team.

Ollie Gordon

I was surprised at how many running backs were drafted ahead of Gordon, and I hated that it was Miami who finally drafted him in the sixth round. Miami already has too many running backs on their roster, and Achane is the only one sure to get a lot of touches. What a long way Gordon has fallen since his league-leading rushing season in 2023. I was banking on that year to boost at least one NFL team's confidence in him, but everyone passed on it. Dynasty managers have to pass on it, too, now.

Jalen Royals

Royals was one of my favorite players to study this scouting season. His tape is a blast to watch. I felt very confident that he would get drafted late in the second round or early in the third. His fall to the very end of the fourth round (4.31) and his landing spot in Kansas City crushed my hopes for him. I've moved him down from 19th to 35th in my rookie rankings. Kansas City has one of the most difficult wide receiver depth charts to climb. I'm sure coach Reid envisions ways he can use his skill set, but it's hard to believe he can become more than a gadget guy in their crowded receiving room. I hate that Royals landed with the Chiefs.

Elic Ayomanor

I was already lower on Ayomanor than most dynasty analysts, but his draft capital and landing spot have made me move him even further down my rankings from 29th to 37th. His college tape and production were too inconsistent from game to game. I am sure that NFL teams look at his good games and think they can bring that out of him, but I'm no one who believes they can. Then he got drafted later than expected (4.34) by the Titans, who loaded up on pass catchers in the draft after signing Tyler Lockett before the draft. They drafted Chimere Dike with the first pick of the fourth round and Gunnar Helm in the middle of the fourth round, both ahead of Ayomanor. Then, they added Xavier Restrepo as a free agent. It's wide receiver soup for Cam Ward and the Titans, making me want to avoid them all.

Xavier Restrepo

Speaking of Restrepo, though he had a terrible pro day, I expected a few NFL teams to weigh his college tape over his testing and take a chance drafting him on day three, but no one did, and he went undrafted. I moved him from 28th to 56th in my rankings as a result, making him a player I'd only take a risk on in the last round of deep rookie drafts. He's part of the Tennessee wide receiver soup, so he'll have a chance to earn a roster spot, especially if his college quarterback, Cam Ward, favors him. It will take a long time to tell, though. Restrepo went from one of the most productive receivers in the University of Miami's history to an undrafted free agent. That's too much for dynasty managers to overlook.

Rookie Risers

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

I enjoyed a week off last week as my wife and I spent five days in Spokane, Washington, for a fantastic wedding weekend where I had the privilege of being a groomsman for the first time in over a decade. 51-year-old groomsmen are rare, but I was blessed to be in the wedding party of the boy I used to nanny (we called it Manny).

I used my time on the planes and the long layovers to continue my study of the rookie class by studying mock drafts, listening to NFL insiders, and reading and listening to professional scouts. I generally hold to my first opinions about players after my personal study, but hearing from the NFL insiders who study the rookies as their full-time jobs does influence my rookie rankings prior to the draft. Then, the draft serves as the final information piece in my rankings as draft capital and landing spot factor into rankings. As for now, less than two weeks from the NFL draft, I have settled in on my pre-draft rankings.

This week, I went back to see which players have risen the most in my rankings in recent weeks and after the NFL Combine. In this article, I'll share about the ten players who have risen up my rankings the most over the last month as we near the final pivot point, the NFL draft.

Jalen Milroe

This week, I was blown away to learn that Milroe was invited to attend the draft in person, tremendously increasing his odds of being drafted in the first round. Those odds have caused me to move him up my rookie rankings from 34th to 24th because if he gets the draft capital, that's too much to argue with, and he becomes a rookie dynasty managers must take a chance on in superflex leagues. If you've followed me for over two years, you know I am far lower on athletic quarterbacks who are inaccurate passers. For example, I was far less high on Anthony Richardson than other dynasty managers. The same is true for me with Milroe, so while I raised him in my rankings given his likely first-round draft capital, I still will not get many shares of him and will have him ranked lower than most dynasty managers after the NFL draft. There's no doubt that he's an incredible athlete, which is why a team will take a chance on him, but his inaccuracy is a problem for me. He completed 66 and 64 percent of his passes in his final two seasons at Alabama and played worse in his final season than he did the season before. Granted, there was a change in the coaching staff at Alabama, but he didn't end his college career well enough to make me hopeful that he can grow into an NFL quarterback. It sounds crazy to dump on the first guy that I am calling a rookie riser, but I do so just because I have raised him in my rankings and, if drafted early, will take a chance on him at the 2-3 turn, but I believe others will rank him much higher than me and draft him much earlier.

Tyler Shough

I have to admit that in this poor rookie quarterback class, I did not even have Shough ranked in my pre-Combine rankings, but as the hype and interest around this seven-year college player have built, I've added him back into my ranking and would take a chance on him at the back of the third round in rookie drafts. He could move significantly up or down my rankings depending on where he is drafted, but the odds are increasing that he will get drafted early in the second round, making him a player dynasty managers need to consider drafting earlier than I expected in rookie drafts. I hate to pooh-pooh on players I've included in my new rookie raisers list, but I will likely not have him ranked as high as others, even if he is drafted in the second round. This year's class is filled with career backups aside from Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Jaxson Dart. I could be wrong, though, so I've moved Shough up my rankings prior to the NFL draft, as he's been getting a lot of buzz and team visits in recent weeks.

Omarion Hampton

It's a small leap from 6th to 3rd in my superflex rankings, but Hampton has jumped all the receivers in my rookie rankings to 3rd behind Ashton Jeany and Cam Ward. Over the last few weeks, it seems more evident that he will be a first-round pick and is seen by many scouts as the solo second-tier running back behind Jeanty and ahead of all the others in this deep class, with tier three including 4-5 running backs. He'll get drafted by a team with no competition ahead of him, whereas the third-tier running backs may get drafted by teams with some competition on their depth chart. Add to that the growing uncertainty of who is the wide receiver one in this class and where the receivers will land, and Hampton becomes a more reliable second or third pick in this class depending on if you're in a superflex league or not or even have quarterback depth in a superflex league. I have the 1.2 in the superflex league, where I have depth and quarterback and less depth at running back. I plan to draft Hampton at the 1.2 unless the landing spot is terrible, but I doubt he will not get drafted by a team intending on starting him from day one.

RJ Harvey

Harvey has not moved up my rankings significantly, but many of the scouts I read and listened to were higher on him than I was, so he has moved up to 23rd in my rankings, where he was 27th before the Combine. He's been a steady riser in the NFL Mock Draft Database throughout the last month, proving that scouts are higher on him than I first thought, and NFL insiders are reporting it. I went back to study his college production and remembered that he hit the above-six-yards-per-carry threshold (a significant marker for me) all three years at UCF with 6.7, 6.3, and 6.8 yards per carry over his three years. Even though the competition was weaker than those in the Power Five conferences, his stats are impressive. It's a small thing, but I like players that transferred from another position. Harvey was a quarterback in high school and became a running back in college. It is a sign of a knowledgeable and true athlete. As I've learned more about him and watched his film again, I am more confident that he's worth a second-round draft pick. His draft capital and landing spot will significantly move him up or down after the draft.

DJ Giddens

Like Harvey, Giddens's draft capital and landing spot will radically affect his ranking after the draft, but I've been far more impressed with him after my first round of study. The NFL Mock Draft Database predicts that he will be drafted before RJ Harvey. Either way, they are in the same camp to get drafted mid to late day three. As I went back to studying him after listening to scouts and NFL insiders being higher on them than I was initially, I was pleased to see his versatility and consistency at Kansans State. Plus, he improved every year. He had more than 110 yards per game on the ground in his final season after 94 yards per game the year before. He's a do-it-all type of prospect that one NFL team will draft to be part of a committee and may find out he's their best all-around back. He's a great running back to take a chance on in this year's deep class. Harvey, Giddens, and Martinez, the next player I will mention, are all in the same tier, and their draft capital and landing spot will radically change where they land in my post-draft rankings. I'd love to draft them all. Draft capital and team will mean everything for them.

Damien Martinez

I've been extremely surprised by the number of dynasty analysts who have been higher on Martinez than I have been. Their confidence in him has caused me to raise him to 33rd in my rookie rankings, but if dynasty managers in my leagues listen to them, they will still draft him way earlier than I would be willing to draft him. I've been surprised to see analysts like him so much and see him as a reliable thumper and short-yardage back in the running game. I did not see that in his film, as he appeared to be a player who only capitalizes on open creases and was impressive on his few catches on highlight film but less productive in the passing game overall. I'll admit that he hit the six-yards-per-carry threshold with 6.1, 6.1, and 6.3 in his career, but it seemed far too schemed up for me. I could be terribly wrong, but I'm not near as high on him as so many in the industry are. I listened enough to move him up to 33rd, but he will get drafted before I would be willing to draft him. Only landing spot could change my mind after the draft.

Tahj Brooks

The same could be true for Brooks, who only moved up because Matt Waldman loves him so much, and who can argue with the man behind the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, which NFL teams look to for scouting, though they may never admit it. I moved him up a few spots from 50 to 45, but I am sticking with my conviction that he's not a future starter in the NFL. I mention him here just to talk about the differences of opinion with him. I'll praise him for his durability. He had 290 and 286 carries in the last two years, but that was in his fourth and fifth years in college because he was never a top prospect to come out early for the draft. He was effective in the passing game, with 26, 29, and 28 receptions in the last three years. He could become a good passing-downs back in the NFL, but I cannot imagine him as any more than that in the NFL. I've raised his ranking based solely on the opinion of Waldman, but I'm sure I'm still far below other managers who heed his advice and move him up far more than the five spots I have. He's still a fourth-round stab in my eyes.

Travis Hunter

Hunter is a certain first-round pick in dynasty leagues, but at enormous risk, given that dynasty managers do not know if he will play primarily as a DB or WR. The buzz in recent weeks is that many teams view him as a wide receiver first and the fact that the teams in the draft need a wide receiver more than a defensive back. This recent news and wide receiver buzz has moved Hunter to my 6th ranked rookie when I was cautiously holding him back at the ten spots over the last month. Based on his positional diversity, he's the most difficult rookie ranking I ever remember. The more I have listened to scouts and NFL insiders, the tide is turning. Many seem confident that he will play wide receiver as much as a defensive back, which was not the case four to six weeks ago. Above all other players, his rookie ranking will change based on which team drafts him and where they plan to play him. He's one of the riskiest first-round draft picks of all time, not based on talent but based on how teams will use him. I just hope there is some clarity to make things easier for dynasty managers. Most scouts have him as the clear WR-1 and CB-1 in this draft. Which will he play?

Kyle Williams

I have a confession. Williams was not included in my pre-Combine rankings, but I've now learned how high some dynasty and NFL analysts have him ranked among their top ten wide receivers. Their confidence and his rise in the NFL Mock Draft Database have caused me to evaluate him for the first time and reconsider his ranking, where he has moved up from unknown to 20th in my rankings. NFL Mock Database predicts he will be drafted around the same area as Savion Williams and Xavier Restrepo at the end of the third round. I watched his highlights for the first time this week and was impressed. He's an older prospect after five years in college at UNLV and Washington State, but he exploded in his final season with 70 catches for 1198 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's a late-year breakout and a transfer from a smaller school to a bigger one, but no one can argue with his productive final season. His performance in his final season makes me consider him one of the most interesting prospects in this class, even though I studied him so late. He's the fastest riser in phase two of studying this class. We'll see if his draft capital causes him to rise or fall, but a rise to 20th is very impressive and an oversight on my part.

Jack Bech

Bech has risen up NFL rookie boards and dynasty boards from the day rankings were posted and he's risen up a few spots on my board from 31 to 27. It's a modest rise because I was already high on him, but the more I hear NFL insiders and scouts talk about him, he's crept up my draft board. He's predicted by most to be a sure second-round draft pick and, most recently, a scout I trust compared to this year's Puka Nacua, which I've thought about but been afraid to proclaim. He's a true football player, playing tight end, slot, and wideout in college. He can do it all, including blocking in the running game. He is a perfect player for the Rams or other teams that require toughness and blocking from their wide receivers. His team and landing spot will significantly impact his final rookie ranking. If he's drafted early, as expected, and to a team I'm confident will employ him in the offense wisely, he'll move up the rankings even more. If he's drafted a bit later or to a team I don't trust will use him rightly, he will fall in my rankings, unfortunately, because I love him as a player but think he needs the right environment to impact dynasty teams.

Off-season Trade Evaluations

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

I won't post an article next week because I'm off to a destination wedding tomorrow. Before I leave town, I thought it would be fun to do a quick "grade the trade" article, commenting on the trades that have taken place in my leagues over the last few months. It's a good chance to consider how Dynasty Freek managers value players at this time of year. Some of these trades are quite surprising, proving that it only takes one manager with a different value on a player to make a significant trade. More trades were made in my nine dynasty leagues than this, but these are the ten I find most interesting.

Patrick Mahomes <=====> C.J. Stroud

This was my only off-season trade so far. I received an offer for Stroud for Mahomes and immediately accepted. I have Mahomes ranked as my 6th ranked dynasty quarterback and Stoud as my 8th, so they are close. Still, I'd rather have the far more proven Mahomes than Stroud, even if Stroud is six years younger. I should clarify that this is in a one-quarterback league. I don't think I would have accepted the trade in a superflex league, but I would have seriously considered it. Mahomes has deeply disappointed dynasty managers the last two years, but he's still got all that it takes. I am excited about the receiving weapons they have surrounded him with and think the Chiefs could become more pass-heavy in the coming years. I also must admit that I have had no shares of Mahomes until now, so I was excited to have him on one of my rosters for the first time.

Tony Pollard <=====> 2.11 and 3.11

A strong contending team traded Pollard for the 2.11 and 3.11 to a rebuilding team that needs picks in this year's draft class. The trade seems pretty even to me, though I have concerns whenever trading for running backs at this time of year, especially this year with a class so deep at running back. If the Titans draft a running back on day three, I'd be concerned for this future in Tennessee. The 2.11 or 3.11 pick could even be a player selected by Tennessee in this year's draft. If the Titans don't draft a running back or wait until late day three, I see this trade as a win for the team that traded for him, but if they do not, I'd give the edge to the team that added the two draft picks. That said, the 2.11 and 3.11 hardly ever hit, so I get buying the known player for the two unknown.

David Montgomery <=====> 2.6

A rebuilding team traded Montgomery to a contending team for 2.6. This feels like a fair trade between a contending and rebuilding tea. That said, the 2.6 (pick 18) and Mongomery have a lot of question marks. It's hard to hit on pick 18 in rookie drafts, so there is a lot of uncertainty there. Still, Mongomery's dynasty value is as questionable as it has been in a while since his injury last year showed how productive Jahmyr Gibbs can be when given a full load. The Lions have lost their offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, who took the head coaching job for the Bears. Montgomery's role is more of an unknown than it has ever been. Given the uncertainty of the pick and the player, both managers took a risk on this trade. It's an even trade that will take until next year to determine the winner.

A.J. Dillon <=====> 3.10

This simple trade makes more sense when knowing that the team that traded for Dillon has Saquon Barkley on their roster. They secured a presumed handcuff for a late third-round pick. I say presumed handcuff because I still believe the Eagles believe in Will Shipley and see him as their primary backup to Barkley, especially after his few impressive performances at the end of last year. The Eagles are far more likely to split their running back workload next year after giving Barkley so many carries last year, but I'm not sure who will become the primary back to share the load, Dillon or Shipley. For a 3.10 pick, I could see hedging your bets that it's Dillon, but I believe Shipley will share the load with Barkley next season, making me favor the 3.10 pick side pick of this trade.

Michael Penix, Ben Sinnot, 2025 1st and 2nd round picks <=====> Saquon Barkley and Adam Thielen

In this superflex tight-end premium league (1.75 PPR), Barkley was sold for a haul of players and picks. This is the biggest trade I have seen this offseason. Obviously, the team that traded for Barkley considers themselves a win-now team, given how much they gave up, or perhaps they don't believe in Penix as a future starter and were disappointed when the Commanders re-signed Zach Ertz. I disagree with this manager and see the haul of second-year players and rookie picks as the clear win in this trade. I believe in Penix but have questions about Sinnot but the two extra stabs in the first and second rounds of this year's draft put this trade over the top for me. In a superflex league, I'd gladly trade Barkley for Penix and a first-round pick, but he added a second-round pick and Sinnot in a tight-end premium league. That's a clear win for me.

Davante Adams <=====> Two 2nd round picks

This trade seems about right for me. I loved Adams landing with the Rams and am confident he has two years of highly productive season ahead of him. If I was a contender, I'd love to have Adams for two more years. If I were a rebuilder, I would love to have two second-round shots at a player in this class. I prefer a first-round pick rather than the two in the second round, but I don't think Adams, as good as his landing spot was, is tradeable for a first-round pick any longer. It's a fair trade for both teams. The rebuilding team needs to hit on one or two of his three second-round picks since he still holds his own pick. I like those odds in this year's class.

Jonathan Taylor <=====> DeVonta Smith

This trade looked lopsided to me, so I assumed the only way it made sense was that a team loaded at wide receiver traded for a team loaded at running back, but when I looked, that was not the case. I far prefer Taylor over Smith in this trade, but it reveals that some Dynasty Freeks have soured on Taylor. Whether it's his injuries or concerns about Anthony Richardson not moving the offense or stealing goalline carries. Some managers have soured on Taylor. I'm in the other camp, however, and feel like he's poised for a tremendous bounce back this next season, especially if Daniel Jones wins the starting role and the Colts draft Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland to improve their passing game. I'm still way higher on Taylor than Smith as a WR-2 in Philadelphia.

Brock Purdy <=====> Sam Darnold and 1st round pick

This trade was made in a superflex league where one manager was obviously not pleased with Darnold's signing with Seattle and, thus, thought he was tradeable even while adding a first-round draft pick. Both teams made a bold move based on their hopes for Darnold's future in Seattle, and everything will come down to that. It shows that some dynasty managers believe he can solidify a long-term role as Seattle's starter, while others do not. Purdy seems sure to sign a new contract and solidify his long-term role in San Francisco, but Darnold's role is far more uncertain. This trade reveals how Dynasty Freeks are betting on Darold's future. I, for one, am betting on it. I think he can become the Seahawks's long-term starter and, thus, would love to have Darnold and a first-round pick for Purdy. It's a risk I'd be willing to take.

Jonnu Smith <=====> Christian McCaffrey

Jonnu Smith <=====> Evan Engram and Braelon Allen

These last two trades for Jonnu Smith shocked me. He had an incredible season last year in Miami in the eighth year of his career, but I cannot believe he is valued by some dynasty manager as much as he's valued in these trades. These trades were both in my tight-end premium league where tight ends get 1.75 PPR, where Smith finished as the 5th highest-scoring tight end, even though he was picked up off the waiver wire last year. I'm amazed at how many dynasty managers, or at least these two, have placed in Smith after just one year of production in a season with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle injured for much of the season. I expect last season to be the best of Smith's career rather than him building upon it. He'll be a suitable starter in dynasty rosters for a few years, but he's not worth trading for Christian McCaffrey or Evan Engram in dynasty leagues, even if it's a 1.75 PPR league for tight ends. Some managers have taken a big step of faith to think so.

Wide Receiver and Tight End Changes

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Last week, I wrote about quarterbacks and running backs who changed teams via trades and free agency. This week, I write about the dynasty-relevant tight ends and receivers who changed teams. There's only one tight end of note, but there are a lot of dynasty-relevant wide receivers who changed teams in addition to many who have yet to sign with a team as of this article, which I'm writing on Saturday, March 22nd. Here's my dynasty takes on these old faces in new places.

Evan Engram

I was thrilled when Engram signed with Denver. Sean Payton openly discussed his desire for a player to fill what he calls the "Joker" role in his offense. They signed Engram to play that role, ensuring Engram will get targeted heavily as he did in Jacksonville the last three years. He's poised to be the second leading target for Bo Nix next year behind Courtland Sutton, and his signing makes it unlikely that the Broncos will draft a top-tier tight end in the draft, as many mock drafts predicted before Engram signed with Denver. Payton wanted Engram, and he will use him heavily. This team change is a boost to Engram's dynasty value. Injuries are the only concern I have for Engram. He missed eight games last year, with injuries at the start and end of the season, after not missing a single game in the previous two years in Jacksonville. He's just 30 years old, so he still has plenty of years to produce for dynasty managers who should be thrilled with this free-agent signing.

D.K. Metcalf

Metcalf got traded to Pittsburgh, and then the Steelers signed him to a five-year deal, making him a Steeler for a long time. For now, I am not a fan of Metcalf's landing spot and see it as a significant setback to his dynasty value compared to where it would have been if Seattle signed him to a five-year contract. To begin with, the Steelers do not have a starting quarterback yet, and they do not have a quarterback for the future. A one-year stop-gap quarterback may help the Steelers for a season, but it is not good for Metcalf's dynasty value. Additionally, George Pickens and Metcalf have similar skills, similar roles, and similar attitude problems. I don't understand why the Steelers signed such a similar type of receiver. Metcalf is a better version of Pickens, but I don't see how the team will use both of them. I would like this landing spot more if the Steelers trade Pickens, which is entirely possible. Even so, the quarterback issue would still be a problem. The Steelers are sure to draft a quarterback in this draft. They'd really need to hit on their quarterback to help Metcalf's dynasty value rise again.

Deebo Samuel

Samuel's dynasty value has steadily fallen since his breakout season in 2021, but this new role in Washington could see his value rise. I am confident that the Commanders signed him with an active role in mind. He'll become the second most targeted pass catch behind Terry McLaurin on an offense revived under Kliff Kingsbury and Jayden Daniels last year. Daniels's excellent rookie season gave McLaurin the most productive year of his career. He can certainly help Samuel revive his production and dynasty value again. Samuel's presence will diminish the production of Zach Ertz, who they had to rely on heavily last season. He will also prevent Luke McCaffrey from earning a more significant role in his second season. I'm excited to see what the Commanders can do with an added weapon like Samuel, who is a much better wide receiver than everyone they were running out with McLaurin last year.

Davante Adams

I love that Adams landed in Los Angeles to play alongside Puka Nacua and Matt Stafford under Sean McVay. It's the perfect team for him to finish his career with and keep his dynasty value from fading away. Nacua will remain the team's top target, but Adams will be an excellent wingman. I picture a bunch of back-shoulder throws and deep passes to Adams while Nacua gets the underneath work. Adams has had more than 1000 yards receiving and eight touchdowns in each of the last two years playing with sub-par quarterbacks. He can easily do the same this year with a much better quarterback. He's 32 years old, so the cliff is not far away for him, but he's got enough gas in the tank to remain an every-week starter in dynasty lineups even while moving to a WR-2 role for the first time in his outstanding career.

DeAndre Hopkins

Hopkins's days of starting in dynasty lineups have passed. No matter where he signed, I would not have been optimistic about his end-of-career bounce back. Signing with Baltimore will give him a chance at winning a Super Bowl, but not help dynasty managers win a Super Bowl. I imagine the Ravens using him in specific situations, such as passing downs and in the red zone. He will likely be a part-time situational player for them, which is not helpful for dynasty managers. He may be startable in weeks with many players on bye, but that's about it. He's had an excellent career but lost a step and has been far less productive since his 2020 season. He's 32, like Adams is, but he has hit the cliff while Adams has not.

Christian Kirk

Kirk got traded to the Texans, where he will immediately step into the WR-2 role opposite Nico Collins. I would have preferred that he stayed in Jacksonville, but I see this move as an equal move from a dynasty standpoint. Tank Dell is unlikely to play next season, so Kirk's opportunity is excellent. He's sure to be C.J. Stroud's second-most targeted player for this season, at least. As for the long term, however, Tank Dell will return and the Texans are a prime candidate to draft a wide receiver early in this year's draft, so Kirk could easily get replaced or at least lose a lot of targets by 2026. I like this landing spot for Kirk this season, but not beyond this season, making him a player contending teams could target, and trades and rebuilding teams should sell.

Mike Williams

Williams landed back with the Chargers, where he will get one last chance to revive his career. Injuries and poor play have caused his dynasty stock to steadily drop every year since his best season in 2021. He'll be the third receiver in three-receiver sets and have a chance to compete with Quentin Johnston in two receiver sets. Like Williams when he was drafted by the Chargers, Johnston had a very slow start. He played better in his second season but was very hit-and-miss with his production. When healthy, Williams is also a hit-and-miss type of player. I expect him to have some good games back with the Chargers, but they will be very unpredictable. Ladd McConkey is who the Chargers' passing game runs through, and if the Chargers draft a tight end in the first round Williams will see even fewer targets in this last phase of his career. Unless he beats out Johnston to earn the WR-2 role, his dynasty value will continue to fall.

Brandin Cooks

Cooks, who has bounced around the NFL, has come home to play for the Saints, the team that drafted him in 2014. Cooks is 31 years old, so his career has gone full circle. He started with the Saints and will likely end with the Saints. Last season was the least productive of his long career, though he missed seven games with injuries, so it's hard to tell if he's fallen over the age cliff. I don't think he has. He will have a productive few years in New Orleans. There's an open spot on the roster in three-receiver sets with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as the starters. Olave and Shaheed are often injured, so Cooks's role could increase at various times throughout the season. I would not be surprised to see him on starting dynasty rosters a few times over the next few years. I like this full-circle move for Cooks; he will make the most of his opportunity at the end of his career.

Dyami Brown

Brown ended the season well in Washington with two solid games in the NFL playoffs. He was the player I added most to my dynasty rosters at the end of last season. His end-of-year play earned a new deal with the Jaguars. I wanted him to stay in Washington, but after they traded Deebo Samuel, I was pleased to see him land in Jacksonville, whose offense will greatly improve under their new head coach, Liam Coen. Brown has a crowded wide receiver room with Brian Thomas Jr. (BTJ) as the alpha and Parker Washington and Gabe Davis competing for the WR-2 spot. Brown now enters that competition, too. He's the player the new coaching staff added rather than the ones they inherited, so I believe he will have a chance to earn a starting role at least in three-receiver sets if not become the WR-2. I'm glad I have him on so many of my rosters, and I am excited to see what the new offense in Jacksonville looks like and if he can emerge as a starter opposite BTJ.

Joshua Palmer

Palmer joined the crowded and confusing wide receiver room in Buffalo, where the Bills have been happy to piece together mid-level receivers ever since trading Stefon Diggs. Palmer is another mid-lever guy added to their mix this year. He has as good of a chance as anyone to earn a starting role. Khalil Shakir did enough to solidify his starting role last year. Keon Coleman, their second-round draft pick last year, did not do enough to earn a starting role. I like the opportunity that Palmer has, but he's had a similar opportunity for years with the Chargers and never elevated his play. There's no reason to believe he will do so in Buffalo, even though the opportunity is there, and he'll have Josh Allen as his quarterback. I don't hate the landing spot. I don't think Palmer can produce for dynasty managers, no matter what team he's with.

Quarterback and Running Back Changes

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Happy New Year! It's the start of the NFL new year, which means it's free-agent frenzy time. Though this year's free agency class is less impactful than recent years, many trades have spiced up this opening week of the NFL.

This time of year is a rollercoaster for dynasty managers as doors open or close on players on our rosters. Players come and go in free agency and trades. The quarterback shakeups have been the biggest surprise this year, while the running backs have been "meh" with a rookie class about to surpass them.

In this article, I share my thoughts on the high-profile moves made among quarterbacks and running back. I've decided only to provide commentary on players who changed teams rather than those who re-signed with their previous teams. That said, here are my thoughts on the biggest moves made among quarterbacks and running backs changing teams.
Also, I wrote this article on Friday, March 14th. If there have been quarterback or running back trades of free agent signing since then, I did not mention them.

Geno Smith

Smith was surprisingly traded to the Raiders to be reunited with his former coach, Pete Carroll. Smith will have weaker weapons in Las Vegas, to be sure, but he has Brock Bowers to run the offense through, and the Raiders are likely to add weapons in the draft, including the possibility of Ashton Jeanty. From a dynasty perspective, Smith would be better off in Seattle, at least until they traded away D.K. Metcalf (more on that trade next week) and let Tyler Locket go. Given the changes to the Seattle roster, this trade is a wash as far as Smith's dynasty value goes, and I can't wait to see what weapons they add in the draft to change his dynasty value, especially if the Raiders don't draft a quarterback. Smith is an effective middle-of-the-pack NFL quarterback, and this team change does not change that fact. His offensive weapons and quarterback competition in the draft will determine his dynasty value in the next few months. As for others affected by his addition, I think Smith is good for Bowers and could make him more productive than his ragtag quarterbacks did in his rookie season. Beyond that, it's too hard to say with all of the weaknesses in their offense until more upside players are added in the draft.

Sam Darnold

Darnold filled the gap left by Geno's departure to become the new starting quarterback in Seattle. His dynasty value stock took a big bump by giving granted a starting position again, whereas he could have been relegated to a backup role. The Seahawks seem committed to Darnold and to a run-first offense, which is not great for Darnold's dynasty future, and they, too, could draft a quarterback in this year's class. So, the new team and opportunity are great, but he'll have to prove it early to beat out the competition and establish his future with the Seahawks. As a manager of many Darnold teams in Dynasty, I am pleased that he landed a starting role and am confident he can keep the role for this season, but I will be far less certain if they draft a quarterback in this class. I'm concerned about the Seahawks' run-first plan and their loss of D.K. Metcalf from Darnold's productivity, but I'm not sure they are done rebuilding their offense in the draft and creating more opportunities to produce. That said, no matter what they do, I don't think he can produce in the Seahawks' system as he did in Minnesota's last year.

Justin Fields

Fields completely revised his dynasty value with a sure opportunity to start with the Jets next year. His window is short, but if he proves something quickly, he could be one of the biggest dynasty risers of this season. His rushing ability alone makes him a prime dynasty asset; it's just his longevity that has caused questions for his dynasty managers. Those who have patiently waited on him this season will be highly rewarded if he finally hits this season and earns the permanent role as the Jets' quarterback. He can do it, and I hate that I have no shares of Fields in my dynasty leagues. I'll make plenty of trade requests for him after the draft if the Jets do not draft a quarterback early. I'm hopeful for Fields' dynasty stock, but strangely at the same time less so for Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, since Fields scores so many points on his own, apart from his running backs and receivers.

Daniel Jones

Jones's value took another jump after being signed by Indianapolis, whose general manager had already said this offseason that they'd bring in competition to compete for the starting quarterback role this season. After adding Jones this week, it's clear that he is the competition. If you've followed me for long, you know I have been down on Richardson from the start, and I have been right so far. I've also been higher on Jones than most, despite his struggles, though Richardsson's have been worse. These two enigmas get to battle it out this year, and I hope it is a real battle. Jones has always been a player I've favored more than others, and Richardson less than others. I hope to be proven right years later as they compete one-on-one. Richardson has the first right of refusal, but it sounds more like a true competition than ever before. I'm hopeful for this last and final opportunity for Jones.

Kenny Pickett

Pickett landed in Cleveland after surprisingly getting traded from Philadelphia for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a draft pick. For now, he's the presumed starting quarterback for Cleveland, though they're a top candidate to draft a quarterback with their first pick in the draft. The Browns have since brought Russell Wilson in for a visit, indicating they're not finished searching for a quarterback. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield's recent success gives teams reason to take chances on first-round quarterbacks who were unsuccessful with their first few teams. I'm less hopeful that Pickett can regain a starting role in Cleveland, but I did pick him up in a few leagues in the meantime in case Cleveland does not make any more quarterback moves in free agency or the draft. Every offensive player in Cleveland's dynasty stock is held down until they find an answer at quarterback. I'd prefer that they re-sign Jameis Winston, who raised the dynasty stock of every player when he was their starter for a time last year.

Najee Harris

Harris landed with the Chargers, the exact team I wanted him to play for. He moves to the top of their depth chart as the Chargers released Gus Edwards and thus far have not re-signed J.K. Dobbins. I expect the Chargers to draft a running back, but after signing Harris, I doubt they will do so with one of their first picks. Harris was the best free-agent running back in this class, and the Chargers signed him to use him, even if just for the length of his one-year contract. Harris does not do anything particularly well, but he's serviceable in every way and has never missed a game with an injury. Dobbins and Edwards helped the Chargers last year as one-year rentals. Harris can do the same this season. This signing gives his dynasty stock a one-year boost while we wait to see if he's a free agent again next year. As for the team he left, Pittsburgh has only signed Kenny Gainwell thus far, giving Jaylen Warren the starting role next season, which I've wanted for years since Warren is one of my most rostered players.

Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders

Williams and Sanders will get opportunities to revive their fading careers with the Cowboys next season. That is unless the Cowboys draft a running back with one of their first two picks. Sanders was one of my favorites in his class, and I drafted him on a ton of my teams; I've since dropped him from every team until this morning when I added him back in one. It's the opposite for Williams, as I was much lower on him in his class than others and have never had a share of Williams. He was signed first and has a bigger contract, so I assume he will begin the season as the Cowboy's starter ahead of Sanders, but I still think Sanders is the better back. It will be a fun offseason story to follow. For now, both of their fading dynasty value rises with the hope of a possible starting role. However, if the Cowboys draft a running back early, as I expect them to, their dynasty value will fall to their lowest point yet. This is their last chance of their careers to earn a starting role.

Rico Dowdle

Dallas could have re-signed Dowdle after his very productive end of the season last year, but they let him go to sign with Carolina, where he will back up Chuba Hubbard while Jonathan Brooks waits another year to heal from his second ACL surgery. I don't like this move for Dowdle's dynasty value. He was signed as a depth piece. Hubbard was too good for the Panthers last year to lose significant touches to Dowdle next year. Hubbard's dynasty managers should not fear this transaction. He's their lead-back, at least for the next season. Brooks is the player Hubbard managers should worry about, but they have a second year of reprieve from that threat. Hubbard was one of the best surprises of last season, and I expect him to be just as productive this year, especially since Bryce Young improved so much by the end of the season and the Panthers will very likely add some weapons in the passing game in this year's draft.

Raheem Mostert

Mostert signed a one-year deal with the Raiders, giving his dynasty stock one temporary final boost at the end of his career. As of now, he's their lead back ahead of Sincere McCormick and Zamir White. However, the Raiders are sure to draft a running back and are a prime candidate to draft Ashton Jeanty in the first round. Should that happen, all of the Raider running backs' dynasty value would fall to the ground, and one would likely get cut. I've held onto many Sincere McCormick shares over the offseason while waiting to see what the Raiders do in free agency in the draft. The Mostert signing does not make me willing to drop McCormick because Pete Carroll loves competition and will gladly play the underrated player if he's performing better. McCormick could still win the starting role. However, if the Raiders draft Jeanty or even a second-tier running back in the second round, McCormick will not make it past roster cut day on my dynasty teams.

Khalil Herbert & Elijah Mitchell

Herbert and Mitchell get a slight boost from their fading dynasty stock because they're both in line to become the primary backups in Indianapolis and Kansas City. They've both performed well on the field in their limited opportunities, and dynasty managers have long wanted to see them get more opportunities. Injuries and crowded depth charts have held them down throughout their careers. These primary backup roles are the highest they've climbed in a depth chart in years, so this is good news for them and their dynasty managers. Herbert and Mitchell could be on the waiver wire in many dynasty leagues. If so, I would certainly add them. Dynasty Freeks know how important it is to backfill our rosters with backup running backs. That's the new role Herbert and Mitchell play, and they should be rostered in every dynasty league.

Ten Post-Combine Rookie Risers

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0500

The NFL Combine is the second pivot point in my rookie running process. It's less about how the players performed athletically, though the Combine plays a minor factor in my rankings. It's more about what I have learned about the players from scouts and NFL teams since posting my early rookie rankings on Super Bowl Sunday. My early rankings are 100% my own thoughts and opinions. My second set of rankings are posted after factoring Combine performances, all that I have learned from professional scouts about the rookies, and all that I have learned from countless mock drafts. The Combine serves as the mile marker for my 2.0 rookie rankings. Over the last month of continued study and after the 2025 Combine, here are the ten players who have moved five or more spots up my rankings since Super Bowl Sunday.

Colston Loveland

Loveland moved up from my 17th-ranked rookie to my 12th-ranked rookie.
Loveland was already my second-ranked tight end in this class, but he moved closer to Tyler Warren over the last month. He didn't test at the Combine, so that's not why he's moved up five spots in my rankings. It's because I learned that several scouts and general managers like Loveland more than Warren, and a few have said that they think Loveland could be the first tight end to get drafted in this year's draft. No one doubts that he'll get drafted early in the first round. Additionally, after a few years in a row of rookie tight ends breaking out immediately, I am more willing to draft tight ends earlier than in years past. They've become less risky, and hitting on rookie tight ends radically changes the future of dynasty teams and how they can draft in future rookie drafts.

Jayden Higgins

Higgins moved up from my 24th-ranked rookie to my 17th-ranked rookie.
He's moved steadily up my rankings over the last month as almost every mock draft has him drafted at the back of the second round. He's one of the few prototypical-sized X receivers in this class, making him more valuable for teams needing an X receiver only. I think a team will select him earlier than the mock drafts suggest. His Combine performance helped him a lot, too. His 4.47 forty-yard dash was plenty fast for a player his size. His 39-inch vertical and 10' 8" broad jump proved he's powerful. He had an excellent Combine and improved his stock tremendously. As a result, I've moved him up seven spots in my rankings.

Mason Taylor

Taylor moved up from my 29th-ranked rookie to my 23rd-ranked rookie.
His move up my rankings over the last month has much to do with the perceived certainty that he will be the third tight end drafted in this class. He's also the best all-around tight end in the class, given his size and blocking ability. Once he cracks a starting lineup in the NFL, he will not come off the field. He'll play in every offensive package, no matter the down and distance. It's a small thing, but learning that he was Jason Taylor's son also gives him a slight bump. A son raised and trained by a former NFL superstar will likely be the kind of player who works hard and takes his craft seriously. I'd draft him at the back of the second round instead of the third.

Jaylin Noel

Noel moved up from my 44th-ranked rookie to my 27th-ranked rookie.
He was already slowly rising up my rankings over the last month as I heard many scouts list him as one of the wide receiver sleepers in this class. But his Combine performance shot him up my rankings significantly more. He ran a 4.39 forty and a 6.82 three-cone, proving his speed and quickness. On top of that, he tied for first place with the highest vertical jump of 41.5" and placed first in the broad jump with an 11' 2" jump. Previously, I knocked him a bit in my rankings because of his size (5' 10" and 185 lbs), but his athleticism convinced me that I needed to rank him much higher. His 17-spot jump in my rankings is well-deserved.

Bhayshul Tuten

Tuten moved up from my 41st-ranked rookie to my 30th-ranked rookie.
Like Noel, Tuten was already rising up my rankings as I heard various scouts speak well of him and name him the favorite day-three running back they liked in the daft. Then, at the Combine, he ran the fasted forty among the running backs with a blazing 4.32 time. He ran the same time as Devon Achane did, but he's twenty pounds heavier. His speed will undoubtedly cause an NFL team to draft him earlier than I first expected, which means he has to rise in my dynasty rankings. That said, I place far less value on speed than other dynasty managers and analysts, especially at running back. I have not compared my post-Combine rankings with others, but I am sure others have him ranked many spots ahead of me.

Jaydon Blue

Blue moved up my 49th-ranked rookie to my 35th-ranked rookie.
My fellow Longhorn has moved up my rankings after running the second fastest forty among the running backs at 4.38. It's the only event he participated in, but he did well enough to leave his mark for NFL teams to consider. One scout I follow considers Blue the best late-round running back in this class. If he lands with a team that will use him consistently as a third-down back, he could be very effective. His hands and explosive plays in the Texas passing game are where he's at his best. His final rookie ranking, more than most running backs in this class, will highly depend on which team drafts him.

Terrance Ferguson

Ferguson moved up from my 59th-ranked rookie to my 36th-ranked rookie.
He's moved up my rankings based solely on his Combine performance, where he tested far and away as the most athletic tight end. He had the fastest 40 (4.63), the highest vertical jump (39"), and the third longest broad jump (10' 2"). NFL teams take chances on athletic tight ends. Scouts say athletic testing at the Combine matters more for the tight end position than any other. I don't believe that as much as others do. I think that's become repeated and believed in beyond what it needs to be, but it's a factor in why I moved him up. He's now predicted to be the 7th tight end drafted in this class and drafted on day two.

DJ Giddens

Giddens moved up from my 51st-ranked rookie to my 38th-ranked rookie.
In recent weeks, I heard a few analysts I trust name Giddens as their favorite sleeper running back. Their thoughts and convictions on Giddens made me look at him again. I remembered that he hit one of the thresholds I care about in running backs by averaging more than 6 yards per carry. He averaged 6.6 in his final season. I also liked that he had 50 receptions in his last two seasons at Kansas State. I came to see him as a back who was better than average at everything, so I moved him up. He had an excellent Combine, which made me move him up just a little more. He did most of the drills and finished with the fourth-best shuttle time (4.33), second-best broad jump (10' 10"), second-best vertical jump (39.5"), and seventh-best forty (4.43). His Combine performance will force me to look at him further as we near the NFL draft.

Trevor Etienne

Etienne moved up from my 52nd-ranked rookie to my 39th-ranked rookie.
I had Etienne ranked so low because I did not like his production profile or film. His best season was when he had just 753 yards rushing. He transferred from Florida to Georgia, and his only season at Georgia was his least productive. Those facts still concern me, but several scouts I trust have a favorable view of Etienne despite his lack of production. I've considered their opinions and his solid showing at the Combine and decided not to punish him as much as before. Among the running backs, he had the sixth-fastest forty (4.42) and seventh-best broad jump (10' 4"), while his vertical jump was below average at 35". I'd consider taking a flyer on him in the fourth round of rookie drafts now instead of waiting until the fifth.

Woody Marks

Marks moved up from my 53rd-ranked rookie to my 45th-ranked rookie.
He had a very bad Combine, testing below average in every drill except for the shuttle where he finished with the second fasted time (4.24). So why would I move him up? A couple of weeks ago, I realized that I did not factor in his performance in the passing game enough. In my first pass studying him, I missed how prolific of a receiver he was out of the backfield. He has 261 catches out of the backfield during his five years at college, four at Mississippi State and one at Southern California. He's arguably the best pass-catching back in this draft and is the most productive back in the passing game. That alone merits a move up in my rankings. That said, he played five years in college and did not (or maybe could not) enter the NFL draft until he had to. Therefore, I still have many concerns and doubt that I will raise him much more than I have. It's not a ringing endorsement of Marks, but I have moved him up my rankings.

Top 10 Impactful Free Agents

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0600

The NFL new year begins a week from tomorrow, which means the free agency period will begin next week. The free agency period always shakes up the dynasty value of players, both the free agents and the teams that sign with or leave. It's a roller-coaster period in the NFL calendar for dynasty managers who either renew hope in their players and see them get more opportunities or lose hope in their players buried on depth charts.

This year's free agent class is pretty small. One top-tier quarterback and a few quarterbacks may get a chance to start with a new team. There are two solid running backs, but that's about it. There's a top-tier wide receiver and a host of old wide receivers and/or those returning from season-ending injuries.

It's fun to speculate on the free agent class before the new calendar year begins, so I put together my top 10 free agents list and speculated where the top 10 would sign.

Sam Darnold

The Player: Sam Darnold was the dynasty comeback player of the year. He had the best year of his career after signing as a free agent with Minnesota last year. He made the most of his one-year deal by having the most productive year of his career. He'll be a day-one starter for some team next year and will see if last year was a one-year wonder or one he can build upon. Despite his terrible final two games to end the season, he did enough to prove to an NFL team that he's a starter. I'd rather have Darnold than any of the quarterbacks in this draft class, so one quarterback-needy team will make a deal for him.
Hopeful Landing Spots: The Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy to become their future starter, but his injury in the preseason led to Darnold starting every game last season. The Vikings could give Darnold the Franchise tag if they want McCarthy to develop for a year, so there is still a possibility that he will stay in Minnesota. As one with many shares of Darnold, I'd prefer to see him sign with a team without competition for a starting role. I could see him signing with Tennessee, especially if they want to use their first pick of the draft on Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. The Raiders also need a quarterback and pick high enough in the draft to possibly select Sheduer Sanders. The Giants seem more inclined to sign a veteran than draft a quarterback, especially since the GM and coaching staff are on the hot seat and need to win immediately. They cannot afford to slowly develop a rookie even though they will likely be in position to draft a quarterback. I'd like to see Darnold back in the Big Apple with the Giants and Malik Nabers.

Tee Higgins

The Player: Higgins had an incredible season last year, at least when he was on the field. He had the fourth-highest scoring points per game last season. His teammate, Ja'Maar Chase was first. Higgins has always been capable of being a team's WR-1. It's just that he's on the same team as Chase. This year, he could get his chance to be a WR-1 on another team, but one could easily argue that being a WR-2 in Cincinnati is better than being a WR-1 on another team. No matter where he lands, he will produce for dynasty managers.
Hopeful Landing Spots: Joe Burrow has been very vocal in the public about wanting the team to re-sign Higgins, but the Bengals are one of the most frugal teams in the NFL and they have to sign Chase to a new contract this offseason, too. They could place the franchise tag on Higgins, but he'd be very unhappy with that. As a Higgins manager, I would love to see him stay in Cincinnati. If they let him go in free agency, I'd like to see him sign with Carolina or New England, where he could help out their young quarterbacks and have no competition for the most targets on those teams. Drake Maye and Bryce Young would benefit greatly with Higgins as their top target.

Najee Harris

The Player: At this time last year, one of the biggest surprises was when the Steelers did not exercise their fifth-year option on Harris. As a result, Harris went into the season knowing it was likely his last with the Steelers. I am sure it will be. He played in every game last season but only finished as the 20th-highest-scoring running back. He's lost a step and is not effective enough in the passing game to be a top-tier dynasty running back, but he is the best free-agent running back in this class and will get picked up by a team that signs him to lead a committee backfield. Last season was the year of the veteran running back with a new team. If it happens again this year, Harris is the top candidate.
Hopeful Landing Spots: I could see the Bears signing Harris with their new coach, Ben Johnson, using him as he did David Montgomery in Detroit the last few seasons. I could see the Vikings signing him to be their lead back, especially if they do not re-sign Aaron Jones. I could also see the Chargers signing him to be their power back, seeing him as a younger option over the two free agents they signed last year, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, who never took over the backfield. I'd most like to see him with the Chargers, where he could be a workhorse in their system. The truth is that wherever he lands in free agency, he could be surpassed in the draft since this year's rookie class is loaded with excellent running backs who could get drafted by the team Harris signs with.

Russell Wilson

The Player: Wilson did not help the Steelers much in his first season as their starter. He held off Justin Fields for the entire season, though. I still think he's a candidate to start for a team next season, especially for a team with a young quarterback to develop or plans to select a quarterback in this year's draft. He is too proud to sign with a team to be a backup. His days as a starter in superflex dynasty rosters are certainly coming to an end. Whichever team he signs with, it will be a short contract, if not a one-year contract, and it will be his last.
Hopeful Landing Spots: Pittsburgh has another choice to make this offseason. Wilson and Fields are free agents, so they will be active in the quarterback market or choose to re-sign one of their guys from last year's roster. They've proven they prefer Wilson over Fields, so I doubt they will sign Fields. Wilson is definitely an option for them to re-sign, especially if they have a quarterback or two they like in this year's rookie class. If he does not re-sign in Pittsburgh, I could see him reuniting with coach Carroll in Las Vegas. If the Titans want to draft Carter or Hunter with the first pick, they could sign Wilson while they develop Will Levis for another year. As I already stated, the Giants need to go the veteran route, so Wilson is at play for them, too. I prefer that he stay in Pittsburgh, but the reunion with Carroll could also be fun to see.

Aaron Jones

The Player: Jones was among the many free-agent running backs who had productive seasons with their new teams. He played fantastically during his first season in Minnesota, and he stayed healthy, playing in every game. He finished as the 16th-highest-scoring running back last year. It was his fourth-highest-scoring season in his eight-year career. He's 30 years old, so the odds are that his best years are behind him, which is why Green Bay let him go in free agency and why Minnesota only signed him to a one-year deal. We'll see who is willing to do so again this year.
Hopeful Landing Spots: I would love for the Vikings to re-sign him. That would be his best option because he would be their lead back to start the season, though he may face competition if the Vikings draft a running back in this deep class. The only other team where I could see him as the lead running back would be the Raiders, but they're most certainly drafting a running back early. I can't see another team signing him to be their leadback, but if I had to pick one, I could see him signing with Carolina to spell Chuba Hubbard while they wait for Jonathan Brooks to get healthy. I could also see him on the Colts as a third-down back in the passing game. I hope he re-signs with the Vikings. That's the best spot for him and his dynasty managers.

Chris Godwin

The Player: Godwin's season was tragically cut short last year when he was having a career year. He was second among wide receivers in average points scored and was first in average points scored at the time of his injury. He was on pace to blow away his career best in fantasy points per season, which came in his second year in the league, proving that he had not hit the age cliff. He should make a full recovery and return to form in his 29-year-old season. I'm confident in his ability to produce for dynasty teams next season, especially if he stays in Tampa Bay.
Hopeful Landing Spots: I absolutely want Godwin to stay with the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have already stated they want to re-sign him, so I am confident a deal will be done. If, for some reason, they do not resign him, I'd like to see him sign with the Rams to replace Cooper Kupp, with the Cardinals to give the team a veteran weapon in the passing game, or with the Texans to replace what they wanted in Stefon Diggs last season.

Stefon Diggs

The Player: Diggs is a free agent after just one year in Houston. Unfortunately, he got injured so early in the season that we did not have time to see if he could be productive with another team as a 30-year-old. He's a year older now and is looking for another team. Diggs fell off the cliff pretty fast, proving the Bills right for trading him. We cannot say for certain that Diggs is done as a dynasty asset, but his age and recovery from injury make him far less likely to help dynasty teams from now on. Still, when he signs with a new team, his dynasty stock will rise.
Hopeful Landing Spots: I seriously doubt that Houston will re-sign Diggs. He will find himself on a new team, and I bet he will want the team to be a contender. As a Cowboys fan, I would love for him to take the team-friendly contract to play with his brother. Dallas would be a perfect landing spot for him to finish his career. The Chargers would also be nice for Diggs, who could be the veteran leader on a team with young and developing receivers. Besides that, I don't like any other landing spot for Diggs.

J.K. Dobbins

The Player: Dobbins was one of the year's biggest surprises last season. He came back from his many injuries to prove he still had some gas in the tank. The Chargers took a gamble on him and his health, and he produced, especially at the start of the season, when he scored 8 touchdowns in the first 12 games. After that, he battled with injuries. He did enough for teams to be interested in adding him as a depth piece or committee back next season, with the chance of him becoming much more than that. He's the only other back in this free agency class with upside. Many teams will pursue Dobbins this year.
Hopeful Landing Spots: I'd love to see him get a chance to be the lead back for the Raiders. That's my favorite landing spot for him if I was a dynasty manager. The same is true for the Cowboys. That said, the Cowboys and Raiders are among the most likely to target a running back in the draft this year, which could bury Dobbins on a depth chart. He may do better for himself and dynasty managers if he lands on a team with an opportunity to be a committee back that could out-produce the committee and take a lead role. For that condition, I would like to see him land with Pittsburgh to compete with Jaylen Warren, with the Browns to compete with Jerome Ford, or the Patriots to compete with Rhamondre Stevenson.

Keenan Allen

The Player: Allen had a very up-and-down year in his 32-year-old season and first season with the Bears after signing with them as a free agent last year. Sadly, Allen's best fantasy days are behind him. As one of my favorite receivers of all time, I hate to admit it. For years, he was my most rostered player. I've since traded him away in every league but one. Some teams will add him this season to be a veteran presence and win with veteran savvy, but he's no longer a reliable starter except in the deepest of leagues.
Hopeful Landing Spots: I'd love to see him land on a Super Bowl-contending team to be the extra piece to get a team to the top. He'd be a great addition to the Chiefs, who often add veteran free agents to their receiver room. Rashee Rice will likely miss the start of this season, and Allen could fill in for him to help the Chiefs start the season and play less of a role as the season continues. The Bills would also be an interesting landing spot, as their wide receiver corps is weak. They tried adding Curtis Samuel last season, but it did not help them, so they may be open to veterans joining their squad. Allen fits the hard-working knee-cap-biting mentality of Dan Campbell and the Lions. It would be fun to see him play a role in getting the Lions to the Super Bowl.

Jameis Winston

The player: I just can't quit Jameis Winston. Since his rookie year, I've loved him. Almost every time he gets a start, he produces for dynasty teams but loses for NFL teams. I wish somehow he could win for both, and I still believe he can. Darnold and Wilson are the sure-fire quarterbacks to land a starting job this year as free agents, but Winston is my dark horse.
Hopeful Landing Spots: I would love to see Winston stay put in Cleveland, but the team has already shown a lack of confidence in him. A team that plans to draft a second-tier quarterback in this rookie class should sign Jameis to their team to serve as a placeholder and mentor as they develop. They could learn from Winston through positive or negative examples! He's the best tutor either way! I would love to see the Giants sign him and draft a quarterback in the second round. I would love to see the Colts sign him and see if he can outplay Anthony Richardson. I'd like to see him land with the Jets, see Tyrod Taylor's conservative play contract with Winston's reckless play, and decide which is better. I can't quit Winston and want to see him get one last chance as a starter.

Rookies I Like Less Than Other Analysts

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

As I mentioned last week, step two in my rookie evaluation involves learning from others by reading and listening to scouting reports and player profiles, studying NFL mock drafts, and comparing my rankings with others. I like to first compare my rankings with those from the pros at Dynasty League Football (DLF).

After comparing my early rookie rankings with theirs, I first wrote about rookies I had ranked five or more spots higher than their consensus rankings. This week, I'll write about players I have ranked five or more spots below their consensus rankings. I'll explain why I am lower on these rookies than they are.

Footnote: I made these rankings comparisons on February 14th, so DLF's rankings may have changed since then.

Kaleb Johnson

Johnson is DLF's 6th-ranked rookie, while he's my 12th-ranked rookie.
Johnson is DLF's 2nd ranked running back, while he's my 5th.
Johnson had an exceptional final season at Iowa with 1537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He earned an All-American Award for his efforts. I love his film and production, but I have a few pink flags that concern me and have caused me to rank a few other running backs in this class ahead of him. They're small things but enough to create a six-spot gap between my rankings and DLF. First, Johnson was only a three-star recruit. That's a small thing, but it can break ties when ranking him next to four and five-star guys who are very close to him in my rankings. Secondly, this was his lone breakout season. Other running backs in this class have had two or more highly productive seasons. Johnson's was more of a surprise season than what was expected of other backs in this class that I have ranked ahead of him, like Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins, who also had highly productive final seasons. As I have said before, draft capital and landing spot will factor more highly than ever with this running back class. They will be the ultimate tiebreaker in my final rookie rankings, but for now, Johnson loses the tie-break factors in my rankings up to this point. However, he's firmly in the second tier of this running back, with Ashton Jeanty in a tier of his own and Hampton, Henderson, Judkins, and Johnson all in the second tier together. I have Johnson last in that tier right now, whereas DLF has him first.

Elic Ayomanor

Ayomanor is DLF's 13th-ranked rookie, while he's my 23rd-ranked rookie.
Ayomanor is DLF's 5th-ranked wide receiver while he's my 10th.
DLF's ranking of Ayomanor was the biggest surprise when comparing my rankings. I did not expect any analysts to see him as the fifth-best wide receiver in this class, but they do. I liked what I saw on film from Ayomanor, but I see him as more of a possession receiver who wins with his big body, catch radius, and body positioning. Those are all excellent traits, but I did not feel he had any explosive traits. I like the explosiveness and/or production of Trey Harris, Matthew Golden, and Jalen Royals. They are ranked significantly ahead of Ayomanor at 14th, 16th, and 18th. In comparison, I have Ayomanor ranked in a pack with Xavier Restrepo (21st) and Isaiah Bond (22nd), with Ayomanor behind them at 23rd. Having rewatched his film again this morning, I'll consider moving him up to 21st ahead of Restrepo and Bond, but not ahead of the three I have ranked significantly ahead of him. NFL Mock Draft Database has Ayomanor as the 53rd player to be drafted, while Golden is 28th and Harris is 47th. Bond is right behind Ayomanor at 54th and Jalen Royals, who I like much more than Ayomanor, is 64th. Harris, Bond, Royals, and Ayomanor are in the same tier, but Ayomanor is at the back of it for me.

Isaiah Bond

Bond is DLF's 16th-ranked rookie, while he's my 22nd-ranked rookie.
He's DLF's 6th-ranked wide receiver, while he is my 9th.
I assume that the pros at DLF are banking on recruiting pedigree and traits from Bond. He has those and will be a star at the Combine, but I have watched too much of him (or should I say not enough of him since he was injured so often) at Texas that I cannot rank him as high as DLF does. He was a four-star recruit to Alabama and a five-star in the transfer portal before coming to Texas. He'll likely test as one of the fastest wide receivers in the class. Still, his athleticism never equated to high-end production throughout his college career. 668 yards receiving was his top season, and his career-best in touchdowns was five. No matter the speed and pedigree, I can't trust a production profile like that. I've seen him with my own eyes at Texas, or, like I said, not seen him enough since he was constantly injured, which is another big concern. I cannot draft him as high as the pros at DLF are willing to.

Jalen Milroe

Milroe is DLF's 17th-ranked rookie, while he's my 34th-ranked rookie.
Milroe is DLF's 3rd ranked rookie quarterback while he's my 4th.
This year's quarterback class is very weak. Cam Ward and Sheduer Sanders are sure to be first-round picks with the opportunity to start for their NFL teams in week one. Jaxon Dart is the only other player who has a chance to start in his first NFL season. I see the rest of this class as career backups who will only get a chance to play if their team's starter gets injured. Their games have too many flaws to become a quality starter in the NFL. There's no doubt that Milroe is a great athlete and runner, but you have to be a great passer, too, to become a starter in the NFL. Anthony Richardson is proving that point. Milroe never threw for more than 3000 yards in college, and his career-best touchdown passes were 23, with only 16 in his final season. The Alabama offense was far less productive under his lead than with his predecessor, Bryce Young. That concerns me, too. Even in superflex leagues, I would rather take stabs at the running backs and wide receivers in the second round this year. They are far more likely to hit.

Quinn Ewers

Ewers is DLF's 20th-ranked rookie, while he's my 36th-ranked rookie.
Ewers is DLF's 5th ranked quarterback while he's my 6th.
As I already stated, I see the second-tier quarterbacks in this class as career backups. Ewers was a great college quarterback, but he lacks the size and arm strength to be an NFL starter. As a fellow Longhorn, he reminds me a lot of Colt McCoy, who had a very successful college career and became a very capable backup at the next level. Ewers was often injured in college, and the players just get bigger and faster at the next level, and the hits get harder. He does not have the frame of an NFL quarterback or the speed and running ability to get away with having a slight frame. He's also very indecisive in the pocket. He got away with it in college with Texas's excellent offensive system, but that won't be the case in the NFL. I hate to bash two Longhorns in this article, but at least you know I am not biased in my analysis.

Savion Williams

Williams is DLF's 18th-ranked rookie, while he's my 42nd-ranked rookie.
Williams is DLF's 8th-ranked wide receiver, while he's my 17th.
After seeing the huge discrepancy in our rankings, I decided to study Williams more and reconsider my early stance on him. He's one of the most unique prospects in the class, and I was initially not interested in drafting him or ranking him very high. Still, I may soften my stance, but I need to reconsider if his uniqueness is positive rather than negative. He was a four-star recruit as a wide receiver but also played quarterback in high school. In his final season at TCU, he played a ton of snaps at running back. He had almost as many runs as he had catches. He had 61 catches for 611 yards and six touchdowns in the air and 50 carries for 332 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. He was a true duel-threat player. Usually, I object to this kind of player and production, taking the stance that they are a "jack of all trades but master of none." I'm still not willing to move from that perspective and think other managers and analysts will have Williams ranked ahead of me before all rookie drafts, but I should move him up my rankings a bit. Tyrone Tracy is the most recent example of a player who had a long college career playing both running back and wide receiver, and he had a great rookie season last year. I am confident that Williams will get drafted to play receiver, but a team may want to use him in other creative ways. I worry about him becoming a gadget guy like a Cordarrelle Patterson type, which rarely produces for fantasy, at least not for years at a time. He is an explosive player with great instincts with the ball in his hands, and I can see his appeal and what managers will take a chance on him in the second round, but I would not take a chance on him until the back of the third round. As I stated before, I like too many good running backs and wide receivers more in the second round.

Tez Johnson

Johnson is DLF's 27th-ranked rookie, while he's my 37th-ranked rookie.
Johnson is DLF's 13th-ranked wide receiver, while he's my 15th.
We rank Johnson similarly within the wide receiver class, but I have way more running backs and some tight ends ranked ahead of Johnson than they do. Johnson had an incredibly productive final two seasons at Oregon after transferring from Troy State, where he played for three seasons. He was a perfect fit for the Ducks wide-open offense. I'm less confident that he can do so in the NFL, especially given his size. He weighed in at 156 pounds at the Senior Bowl. The weigh-in was a major red flag, but then he was reportedly uncoverable at the Senior Bowl practices. He'll draw comparisons to Tank Dell, who, though undersized, was fantastic in his first two seasons. That is when he was on the field and not injured. Injuries can be flukey, but size is a concern for me when it comes to prospects. That's the main reason why I have dinged him in my rookie rankings and will likely not have him ranked as highly as other analysts and managers. His three-star recruit pedigree and college beginning at Troy State are also a concern for me, in addition to Oregon's offense being among the type that inflates players' statistics, especially in the passing game. Those are my concerns for Johnson and why I see him as a player to take a chance on in the three-four turn rather than early in the third round.

Rookies I Like More Than Other Analysts

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Last week, I completed step one of my rookie scouting process and posted my early superflex rankings. This week, I began step two in my process by comparing my rankings to those of dynasty analysts, reading NFL scouting reports on the players, and diving deep into all the mock drafts. I'll continue this process and tweak my rankings until the NFL Combine when I finalize my pre-Combine rankings.

After studying more this week, I made changes to many of my early rankings, and at the end of the week, I decided to compare my rankings to the pros at Dynasty League Football (DLF). I like to compare my rankings with theirs every year because they are a composite of five analysts, so I'm comparing my rankings with five pros at once. I like to notice who I have ranked five or more spots higher or lower than them and then study those players further.

This week, I will write about seven rookies I have ranked five or more spots higher than DLF, and next week, I will write about five players I have ranked lower than DLF.

Footnote: These were based on their rankings on February 14th, the day I first compared my rankings with theirs.

Cam Skattebo

Skattebo is my 13th-ranked rookie, while he is DLF's 31st.
Skattebo is my 6th-ranked running back while he's DLF's 8th.
Before I explain my higher ranking, I'll reiterate what I wrote last week in his class, especially the running back class. Draft capital will determine how they will rank before rookie drafts. There are so many talented backs, but those with the draft capital will get bumped up rookie rankings after the NFL draft. That said, a team will fall in love with Skattebo. While he was not highly recruited and started his collegiate career at Sacramento State, he averaged nine yards per carry as a freshman and seven yards per carry as a sophomore when he ran for 1372 yards. That made him a target in the transfer portal for Arizona State, where he played his last two seasons. His senior season stats are ridiculous, with 1711 yards on the ground and 21 touchdowns and 338 yards in the passing game with 45 catches and three touchdowns. What's more impressive than the stats is his tape. He's a monster on the field. It always takes three or four guys to get him to the ground. He has tremendous balance and power. He does everything well but will likely get discounted because he was not a top recruit, and he's white. I don't care about those things with him. He is a leader, he is a fighter, and he's proved people wrong time and time again. He'll bring that same leadership and fight to an NFL team, too. I expect I will be higher on Skattebo than consensus, no matter what happens at the Combine or NFL draft. The pros at DLF have Dylan Sampson, Devin Neal, and Ollie Gordan ranked ahead of Skattebo but really close at 26th, 28th, and 30th, so they may change their mind along the way, too. I have Skattebo ranked quite far ahead of Neal, Gordon, and Sampson, who I rank 19th, 20th, and 26th. He tore up my Longhorns in the college playoffs. I did not like him that day, but I love him now.

Ollie Gordon

Gordon is my 20th-ranked rookie, while he is DLF's 30th.
Gordon is my 8th-ranked rookie running back, and he is also DLF's 8th.
So, we both have Gordon ranked as our 8th-ranked running back in this class, but we have them ranked 10 spots apart in their overall rankings. The difference is that DLF has many wide receivers and tight ends ranked ahead of Gordon, and I do not. I trust this class's second and third-tier running backs far more than the second and third-tier wide receivers and tight ends. Gordon had a disappointing senior season, and he's getting dinged for it too much. He tried to put on weight last season, which was a factor in his decreased productivity. The other factor is that Oklahoma State was terrible last year. They were the oldest team in the NCAA last year and were predicted to have a great season, but they ended the season 3-9 and lost all nine of their conference games. Keep that in mind when evaluating Gordon's play in 2024. Instead, consider his play in 2023 when he led the NCAA in rushing yards and total yards. After that season, he was presumed to be one of the top running backs in the country and in devy leagues. That year, he had 1732 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns (almost identical to Skattebo's season last year). Plus, he had 29 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown. From a production profile, I love Gordon. His film is less likable. He runs very upright and does not have the best vision. What he does have is speed and power, and an NFL team will like that. I recommend remembering his 2023 season when ranking Gordon.

Jaxson Dart

Dart is my 15th-ranked rookie, while he is DLF's 22nd.
Dart is my 3rd ranked quarterback, while he is DLF's 5th.
Dart was one of my favorite players to watch on film. He reminded me of Justin Herbert. He stands tall in the pocket and delivers darts (pun intended) all over the fields. He throws a great deep ball, and he's an excellent runner. He's a prototypical NFL quarterback with his height and weight at 6'2" and 215 pounds. He was a four-star recruit who spent one year at Southern California before transferring to Ole Miss, where he became an instant star. His senior season was his best, with 4279 yards passing (third in the nation) and 29 touchdowns. The knock on Dart is that he played in Ole Miss's offensive system, known for creating easy targets by getting guys wide open. Many analysts are concerned about that and think the offense inflates his production. It might be, but I care more about what I see him do with his arm and legs. He has a big arm, and he's accurate. He's sneaky good as a runner, too. He ran for 1500 yards and 12 touchdowns during his three years at Ole Miss. I'd be surprised if he is not the third quarterback drafted, and I believe he will get drafted in the first round. If I am right, he will move much further up my rankings. DLF has Jalen Milroe and Quinn Ewers ranked ahead of Dart at 17 and 20, respectively. They are not even close to Dart, in my opinion. I have Milroe and Ewers ranked 34th and 36th because they are career backup quarterbacks, according to my evaluation, but more on them in next week's article. Dart is one of "my guys" this year.

Matthew Golden

Golden is my 16th-ranked rookie, while he is DLF's 25th.
Golden is my 6th-ranked wide receiver while he is DLF's 12th.
Since starting step two in my rookie rankings process, Golden has moved up my rankings more than almost any player. The most significant factor in his rise up my rankings is that many NFL scouts and analysts have listed him in the first round of their mock drafts. These analysts are some of the most plugged-in scouts in the country. Daniel Jeremiah mocked Golden to the Steelers at pick 21, and the consensus rankings on the NFL Mock Draft Database have Golden as the 29th best prospect and projected to the Chargers in the first round. As I started earlier, draft capital will mean a lot to this class, and any receiver drafted in the first round will move significantly up in rookie rankings. As a Texas fan, I watched Golden all year and saw him as a good player but not great. He was a four-star recruit who chose to stay in his hometown to play for Houston, though many more competitive programs wanted him. He transferred to Texas as a junior and had his most productive year with 987 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. I figured he'd stick around for his senior season and build upon it, so I was surprised when he announced that he was going pro. What I should have thought then was that his decision is a prime indicator that he knows he will get drafted highly, which is yet another reason to rank him where I have, higher than the pros at DLF.

Devin Neal

Neal is my 19th-ranked rookie, while he is DLF's 28th.
He's my 7th-ranked running back, and he's also DLF's 7th.
As with Ollie Gordon, DLF's higher ranking of wide receivers and tight ends is why we have a ranking difference. I much prefer to take shots at running backs in this class than at receiver. So, while we both have him as our 7th-ranked running back, I'd be willing to draft him nine spots ahead of where the DLF pros would. What I love most about Neal is his consistency. He was the number one recruit in Kansas in his class, and he stayed in his home state to play for the Jayhawks. He was trusted with 158 carries as a freshman, and his total yards from scrimmage improved every year of his career with 764, 1273, 1497, and 1520 yards each year. His touchdowns improved from 9 to 10 to 17, and 17 again his senior year. He had two seasons averaging more than six yards per carry, which is a marker I look for in running backs, and last year, he almost did with 5.8 yards per carry. His best traits are his vision and quickness. He sees creases and is quick to burst through them. I don't know how many times I saw him get to the open field and then make a defensive back whiff on a tackle. He's also a smooth receiver. Though Kansas did not use him in the passing game as much as I liked, he was smooth and effective whenever they did. It's high praise, but his running style reminds me of Alvin Kamara. He will be a steal in this draft, especially if he lands with a team with a weak running-back depth chart. I like him a lot more than the guys at DLF.

Ja'Corey Brooks

Brooks is my 30th-ranked rookie, while he is DLF's 39th.
Brooks is my 12th-ranked wide receiver, while he's DLF's 16th.
As I learned more about Brooks over the last week of study, he's risen up my rankings. He was a five-star recruit and the second-ranked wide receiver in the country in his recruiting class. He signed with Alabama to compete with the best and had a productive sophomore season with 674 yards receiving and eight touchdowns when Bryce Young was his quarterback. When Jalen Milroe took over the next year, the passing game suffered, and Brooks hardly played. He was wise to transfer to Louisville for his senior season, where he became the team's WR-1 and had an excellent final season. His Louisville tape is fun to watch. He has excellent hands and made several circus catches and catches in traffic. He catches the ball with his hands, meaning he does not let the ball get into his body, and I love seeing that in a wide receiver. He's taller than most receivers in this class at 6'3". He's thin, at 195 pounds, but his frame does not hinder him from the film I watched. Travis May, from Campus to Canton, has Brooks as one of his sleepers in this class. His comments about Brooks on a recent podcast caused me to study Brooks again, and I liked what I saw more the second time I saw him. Five-star recruits get a bump in my rankings. Seeing that the quarterback change in Alabama was part of the reason his junior season was so bad also made me think twice about Brooks and see his senior year at Louisville in a different light. He's rightfully moved up my rankings since I first posted them on Super Bowl Sunday.

Jack Bech

Bech is my 31st-ranked rookie, while he is DLF's 38th.
Bech is my 13th-ranked wide receiver, while he is DLF's 15th.
I'll admit it. I've fallen for the feel-good story of the Senior Bowl. That's part of why Bech has moved up my rankings. Though you surely know if you're a Dynasty Freek, I'll tell the story. Bech's brother, Tiger, who was also a receiver at Princeton University, was murdered in the recent terrorist attack in New Orleans. The Senior Bowl was played in his honor, and Jack Bech wore his brother's number. He caught the game-winning catch and was named the MVP of the game. The plays he made earlier in the game were more impressive than the touchdown. I was more impressed with how his teammates reacted to him and how he responded to the media afterward. He struck me as a man of great character and leadership. I have no doubt he will work his butt off to be successful in the NFL. The fact that Louisiana State recruited him means he was a solid prospect, even though he was only a three-star. It took him a year to make an impact after transferring to Texas Christian, but he made a mark in his senior year with 1034 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. He punctuated his senior season at the Senior Bowl. He has to work hard to become a fantasy-relevant player in the NFL, but he's not the kind of player to doubt. I'd love to take a chance on a player with his work ethic in the third round of rookie drafts instead of waiting until the fourth round, where DLF ranks him.

My Early Rookie Rankings

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

After two weeks of studying the rookie class, I am happy to announce that my 2025 rookie rankings are now live on the Dynasty Freeks website. I've completed my first step in the rookie ranking process, and my early rankings are up for Dynasty Freeks to see.

Rookie Rankings Step One

The first step in my process is to familiarize myself with the rookie class by doing three things. I looked at their 247 Sports recruiting profile to learn more about where they ranked in their high school recruiting class in their state and the country. This gives me a baseline for the quality of prospects they were headed into college so that I can know what was expected of their play in college. Their profile also lists their height and weight, which is important to know. Next, I go to Sports Reference to see their college production from a statistical point of view. It's important to see how much they produced in college, if they had an early breakout season, and if they improved from year to year. Collegiate production is one of the most critical factors in my eyes, so I pay careful attention to their collegiate stats. Finally, I watch their highlights on YouTube. It's fun to watch five-minute cutups of their best plays in college. Highlights at least reveal what the players can do at their best. You miss out on what they can't do well by watching highlights, but at least you see what they do best. These three steps give me enough information to create my early rookie rankings. I like to have an opinion of each player before comparing my rankings to others or listening to other voices. That's what I do in step two.

Rookie Rankings Step Two

Now that I've formed my opinion about the rookie class, I listen to others who have the joy of scouting rookies full-time. I wish I had a full-time job scouting and writing, but I don't, so I do not have the time or expertise to do what those who make a living doing this have. So, in step two, I listen to the professionals. I primarily do this in three ways. I listen to countless podcasts about the rookie class by professional scouts, read player profiles on scouts' websites, and study all of the mock drafts that experts put out each week. Those are the three things I will do between now and the NFL Combine to hone in on my final rookie rankings before the Combine, which is the next event that shakes up my rookie rankings. I'm eager to get to it! Before I do, I wanted to share a few overall thoughts from studying this rookie class so far.

Disappointing Class

I'm sad to say it, but apart from the running backs, I was underwhelmed by this year's class. Overall, this class is strongest on defense, especially defensive linemen. I'm afraid there will be fewer day-one and day-two skilled players drafted than usual, which will make draft capital more important this year while at the same time muddying the picture for dynasty managers. Managers will have to decide who their "my guys" are and hope to hit on them. There won't be consensus rankings past the first 12-15 players unless I am wrong about players' draft capital.

Bad Quarterback Class

It's a down year for quarterbacks, which is terrible news for those looking to rebuild in superflex leagues. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders will undoubtedly be drafted in the first round, but they will get drafted later than quarterbacks usually do. I really like Jaxon Dart, and I predict he will also be a first-round draft pick, but he and the rest of the class will get drafted to be backups or, at best, compete for a starting role. Ward and Sanders are the only two likely to be day-one starters for their teams.

Deep Running Back Class

The running back class is the best part of this class. There's one top-tier guy, Ashton Jeanty. There's a deep second tier of running backs whose final rookie rankings will be highly dependent on their draft capital and landing spot. Omarion Hampton, Treveyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, and Kaleb Johnson will be a consensus second tier, but I also would include Cam Skateboo in the second tier. Draft capital and landing spot will determine a lot of these second-tier running backs. The third-tier players are strong, too, and will move up or down the rankings based on their draft capital. Devin Neal, Ollie Gordon, Dylan Sampson, RJ Harvey, Jordan James, and Bhayshul Tuten fit that category to me. It's a deep class with various skill sets, so beauty will be in the eye of the beholder for NFL teams and dynasty managers. I have several rebuilding teams that are weakest at running back, so I am excited about the opportunity to rebuild this year, but picking the right guy will be a challenge this year.

Top-Heavy Wide Receiver Class

Dynasty managers were spoiled with last year's wide receiver class. I don't see this class as being anywhere near as productive as last year's class. It's a top-heavy class with few no-brainer stars. Tetairoa McMillian and Emeka Egbuka are the only superstars, in my opinion. I have many questions about Luther Burden, even though he's sure to be a first-round pick in the NFL draft. Travis Hunter would be a superstar if he played wide receiver full-time, but I expect him to play full-time as a cornerback and part-time as a receiver. Beyond those four guys, I don't expect any others to get drafted in the first round. The rest of the class is diverse in their size and skills, but I don't see any of them as impact players right away, and I may go as far as to say the rest will just be role players in the NFL. Several of these guys will outperform my pessimism, but I don't have a beat yet on which ones to bet on yet. My second step in the process and the NFL Combine will help me evaluate the receiver class better.

Deep Tight End Class

The last two years have been amazing for rookie tight ends with Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers breaking out immediately as rookies. Tyler Warren is the tight end in this class that can do it this year. Colston Loveland is also expected to get drafted in the first round, but I am less confident in his ability to have a first-year breakout. He could have a great future, though. The rest of the class is very deep for NFL teams, but they may be less impactful for dynasty rosters. Elijah Arroyo, Harold Fanning, Mason Taylor, Luke Lachey, and Gunnar Helm will get drafted pretty early in the NFL draft and become draftable tight ends in rookie drafts. Their draft capital and landing spot will significantly determine their final rookie rankings. Proven athleticism at the Combine will also significantly affect how I rank them post-Combine.

Grading My 2024 Trades

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Before I begin studying the rookie class, the last thing I do is look back at all the trades I made last year. I consider what I think about the trades now that the season is over and note any lessons I can learn from my trades. Sometimes I have regrets and learn from my mistakes. Other times, I'm thrilled at my success. Let's decide how I feel about my 2024 dynasty trades now that the season is over.

Michael Mayer <=======> 2025 2nd round pick

I traded Mayer for a second-round pick in the first week of the season. I could not be more thrilled with this trade now. While Mayer was one of my favorite players in the 2023 class, I dropped him from most of my rosters at the cut date before the season started. I knew Brock Bowers would take over as the top tight end in Las Vegas, so I was willing to give up on my high hopes for Mayer. Now, to have a second-round pick for him is incredible, especially since it ended up being the 2.3 pick. I'm completely rebuilding in that league, and now I have four first-round picks and three second-round picks, including the 1.1.

C.J. Stroud and Nick Chubb <=======> Jonathan Brooks and a 2025 1st round pick

In the same league where I am rebuilding, I trade Stroud and Chubb for Brooks and a first-round pick. At the time of the trade, Chubb had returned to action, and Brooks was about to get his first reps on the field. The team that added Stroud and Chubb was hurting at quarterback after Anthony Richardson was injured and sometimes got benched. He needed a quarterback and some hope at running back, but neither player helped him very much this season. He made the playoffs but finished in fourth place. We're transitioning this league to superflex in 2027, so Stoud is the most valuable player in this trade. I needed all the first-round picks I could get, so I saw this as adding two first-round picks since I would have drafted Brooks in the first round last year. It looks like a great deal for me since the trade gave me four first-round picks next year when I could draft a quarterback as we move toward superflex in a few years. That said, the trade looks a lot different now that Brooks tore his ACL at the end of the season, and the Panthers re-signed Chuba Hubbard. Plus, the first-round pick I received was not that of the 4th placed team, but of the four-time-in-a-row champion, so the pick is the 1.12. So, at the end of the season, I received the 1.12 and a player who likely will not play until 2026 for Stroud and Chubb. I still think my process was right, and I am not disappointed with the trade, but I need to wait a year for Brooks to see if this was a winning or losing trade. At least the 2025 rookie draft will be a blast for me. I have the 1.1, 1.6, 1.9, 1,12, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5, and 3.1 picks, which means I can draft 8 of the first 25 rookies.

Tucker Kraft and Audric Estime <=======> Mark Andrews

Early in the season, I traded away Andrews for Kraft and Estime. It's a trade I now regret. Andrews had a terrible start to the season, so I was willing to give up on him for a younger tight end who, by that time, firmly established his starting role in Green Bay and a running back that I was high on and believed could take over the leading role in Denver by the end of the season. Andrews caught fire to end the season, helping the manager who traded for him win the Super Bowl while I finished in fourth place. He got the better end of this trade and is pleased to have Andrews on his roster. That said, Kraft finished 9th in total tight-end points, just four spots and 23 total points behind Andrews, and he's five years younger. Estime, however, never earned a significant role on the roster and was a coaches-decision scratch in the Bronco's playoff game. That's a disappointment, but I'll hold on to the hope that the Broncos do not draft or add a running back this year and choose to let Javonte Williams go in free agency. There are ways this trade could benefit me, but it certainly did not this season.

Blake Corum and Rasheed Shaheed <=======> Tank Bigsby and a 2024 4th round pick

In the same league as the previous trade, I made this modest trade near the trade deadline. I added Corum to a team where I have Kyren Williams, and the other manager added Bigsby to a team where he has Travis Etienne. We were both making a playoff run, and I ended up beating him in the first round of the playoffs, where he started Bigsby against me since, by that time, he was playing more than Etienne. I like to handcuff my running backs, so I was willing to give up a player on the rise for Corum, especially after I asked him to add Shaheed to the deal. My starting running backs in this league are Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs, so Bigsby was just depth on my roster alongside Ramondre Stevenson, Tyjae Spears, and Jaylen Warren. If Bigsby breaks out in his third season, I could regret this trade, but if Williams gets injured next year, I'll be thrilled to have Corum. I'm pleased with this trade.

Trevor Lawrence, George Pickens, Aaron Jones <=======> Bo Nix, Jayden Reed, and David Njoku

These following three trades were all made between me and the same other team. Our leaguemates were cracking up on our message board, saying that we might as well swamp entire teams. We traded eleven players to each other within a two-week time span midway through the season. It's a superflax league, so the first trade involving quarterbacks was the most substantial. I traded away Nix, Reed, and Njoku for Lawrence, Pickens, and Jones. The only part of the trade I regret is the Nix for Lawrence side of the trade. I should have given Nix more time to develop. At the time of the trade, he was really struggling in the passing game, but he figured it out by the end of the season and became a scoring machine. I regret trading him, as I now have Nix ranked as my 7th quarterback while Lawrence is ranked 19th. Still, Lawerence could close that gap if Jacksonville hires a great coach, and I love that he has Brian Thomas as his WR-1 for years to come. I still have Jordan Love and Baker Mayfield as my starting quarterbacks in this league, so I'm not hurt too much by the regrettable part of this trade. While I regret the quarterback side of the trade, the other pieces of the trade even out the trade for me. Pickens is far more consistent than Reed, and he's a WR-1 in Pittsburg, while Reed became more of a gadget guy in Green Bay after his hot start to begin the season. I was not worried about giving up Njoku because Trey McBride is my starting tight end, so I added Aaron Jones, who, while he's an old running back, was a more needed player for my roster. I am less disappointed when considering the trade as a whole, especially given the other pieces I added in the following trades with this team.

Malik Willis and Dallas Goedert <=======> Luke Musgrave

The next trade we made was a small one where I acquired Goedert and Willis for Musgrave. I wanted Willis as a handcuff to Jordan Love and much prefer Goedert over Musgrave. This trade was a big win for me, even though Goedert and Willis are backups on my team with Love and Trey McBride. The other manager has Tucker Kraft on his roster, so he now has a tight-end handcuff, as if that were a thing. I'm thrilled about this small trade, even if it is just for roster depth.

Drake London <=======> Zay Flowers

I fleeced the other manager on this trade by trading Jones for London. London finished the season 5th in wide-receiver points compared to Jones's 21st-place finish, and London scored 55 more points than Flowers. Both players are WR-1s, but Baltimore is a far less pass-heavy team. London was targeted 48 more times than Flowers this season. I could not be more happy with this trade. After trading eleven players in two weeks, the sum of the trades looks like this, and I much prefer my side of it.
I have Trevor Lawrence, Malik Willis, Aaron Jones, Drake London, George Pickens, and Dallas Goedert
He has Bo Nix, Zay Flowers, Jayden Reed, David Njoku and Luke Musgrave

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

In a league where I am rebuilding, I desperately wanted another first-round pick. So I made this trade for Olave and a first-round pick for JSN and Cousins. It's a superflex league, and I drafted Bo Nix and Drake Maye last year in the first round as phase one of my rebuilding strategy. This year, I can improve by drafting positional players. I have the 1.1, so that's great news. Sadly, the team I traded with won the Super Bowl, so it's the 1.12 I received in this trade. That's a bummer. I hated giving up JSN for Olave, but thought I needed to take the loss there to get another first-round pick. I really to hit on the 1.12 pick to make this a trade I won't regret. I had two first-round picks last year, have two more this year, and have two in 2026, too, so I have a little time to work on my rebuild. Looking back on this trade now, I regret giving up JSN, who was my first-round pick in 2023. You win and lose some, but I won more than I lost this year. What about you?

Reranking The Rookie Class

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0600

One of the things I do at the end of each season is to rerank the rookie class and compare it with my rankings during rookie drafts. This process helps me evaluate what I got right and wrong and helps me evaluate rookies better the following season. Plus, it's just fun to take one last look at the rookie class before beginning to study the next class of rookies.

At the end of the 2024 season, this is how I rank the top 20 rookies in this class in superflex leagues.

1. Jayden Daniels

Daniels was ranked 3rd in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 1st. He had an incredible rookie season, finishing as the 5th highest-scoring quarterback. I don't fear the C.J. Stroud dip in production next year or in the years to come. His production running the ball will always keep him productive for fantasy purposes, even if defenses figure out his tendencies in the passing game. Daniels is now my 2nd ranked quarterback overall, with only Josh Allen ahead of him.

2. Bo Nix

Nix was ranked 10th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 2nd. He finished his rookie season as the 7th highest scoring quarterback. He struggled at the beginning of the season but improved significantly as the season progressed. Coach Payton believed in Nix and now they have a franchise quarterback. Dynasty managers who believed in him are very pleased to have drafted him. Nix is now my 7th ranked dynasty quarterback.

3. Caleb Williams

Williams was ranked 1st in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 3rd. The future is bright for Williams even though he did not shine like Daniels and Nix did in his rookie season. His biggest flaw this season was holding onto the ball too long and taking sacks. Hopefully, the Bears' next coaching staff will get more out of him. He's still a fantastic prospect, but he's fallen behind Daniels and Nix in my rankings. He's my 15th-ranked rookie quarterback.

4. Malik Nabers

Nabers was ranked 4th in my rookie rankings in May, and I now rank him 4th again. He finished the season as the 7th highest scoring wide receiver even while having sub-par quarterback play and missing two games with an injury. Before the draft, many scouts believed he was the top wide receiver in this class ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr., and they were right. I never saw Nabers drafted ahead of Harrison in rookie drafts, but now dynasty managers wish they would have done so. Nabers is now my 6th ranked dynasty wide receiver.

5. Brian Thomas

Thomas was ranked 16th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 5th. He finished the season as the 4th highest-scoring wide receiver, even while playing with a backup quarterback for half the season. Thomas was one of my biggest misses in this year's class. I thought he was only a deep-threat receiver since that's what he did best at LSU, and he only did it for one season, but he proved to be better than that. Managers who believed in him more than me are thrilled to have drafted him. He's now my 7th ranked dynasty wide receiver.

6. Brock Bowers

Bowers was ranked 8th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 6th. He finished his rookie season as the highest-scoring tight end in the league, even while playing with below-average quarterbacks. He had the best rookie season of any tight end in history. After just one season, he has already risen to be my top-ranked tight end in dynasty. What more can be said of his fantastic rookie season?

7. Drake Maye

Maye was ranked 4th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 7th. He didn't impress like Daniels and Nix, but he showed enough to make clear the Patriots have the quarterback of their future. He was limited by poor coaching and having a below-average receiving corps. The Patriots' new coaching staff will help him improve, and the Patriots are sure to draft a top-tier wide receiver and/or sign a top free agent since they have the most salary cap money in the league. His future is still bright, and he's now my 16th-ranked quarterback.

8. Michael Penix

Penix was ranked 26th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 8th. Most dynasty managers had Penix ranked low because they assumed Kirk Cousins would have the starting role in Atlanta for the next two years or more. No one predicted that Cousins would fall off the cliff like he did. Penix looked like a competent quarterback in the three games he started, giving Falcon fans, who hated the Penix pick, hope that he's their starter next year. Given his small sample size, I've only moved Penix up to 24th in my quarterback rankings.

9. Marvin Harrison

Harrison was ranked 2nd in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 9th. He finished his disappointing rookie season as the 29th-highest-scoring wide receiver. He and Kyler Murray could not get on the same page. They've vowed to work on their chemistry during the offseason, and they must. Harrison is too talented to drop out of the top ten in this class, but Nabers and Thomas have passed him by a long shot. Harrison is 13th in my wide receiver rankings, but he needs to improve quickly next year, or he will fall quickly down my rankings.

10. Bucky Irving

Irving was ranked 42nd in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 10th. If Brian Thomas was not my biggest miss last year, it's Bucky Irving. He finished the season 14th in fantasy points for running backs, and that's after a really slow start to the season when he competed with Rachaad White for playing time. By the end of the season, he was not only the Buccaneers lead running back, but he was also a scoring machine. I mistakenly dinged him for his small frame and poor Combine performance. I wish I could take that back. At least I managed to draft him in one league. He's now my 9th-ranked running back in dynasty.

11. Ladd McConkey

McConkey was ranked 14th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 11th. He battled injuries throughout the season but mostly played through them. He became Justin Herberts' favorite target and finished the season as the 13th-highest-scoring wide receiver. He's an excellent route runner who always finds a way to get open, just as scouts predicted. I wish I would have been a little higher on McConkey than I was. He's now my 19th-ranked wide receiver.

12. Rome Odunze

Odunze was ranked 6th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 12th. He was never able to surpass D.J. Moore or Keenan Allen for targets. As a result, he finished the season as the 49th-highest-scoring wide receiver. He had a rough rookie season, but he's also the leading candidate to do what Jaxon Smith-Njigba did in his sophomore season. I'd still draft him high if we redrafted again today, even though he's fallen to 28th in my wide receiver rankings.

13. Xavier Worthy

Worthy was ranked 9th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 12th. Worthy had an excellent first game in the NFL but then was not used as often until the end of the season when his involvement picked up considerably. He became the Chiefs' WR-1 by the end of the season and finished as the 33rd highest-scoring wide receiver. Next year, Rashee Rice will be back healthy, so he will go back to a WR-2 role, but his future is still bright. He's my 29th-ranked wide receiver.

14. Tyrone Tracy

Tracy was ranked 37th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 14th. Tracy steadily crept up my rookie draft board throughout the offseason as rookie drafts neared. When the Giants drafted him, he moved up even more, but not high enough. Tracy quickly stole the starting role from Devin Singletary and finished the season as the 26th-highest-scoring running back. The Giants retained their coaching staff and general manager, giving Tracy a better opportunity to remain their starter. Tracy is now my 13th-ranked running back.

15. Jalen McMillan

McMillan was ranked 27th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 15th. I must have had him ranked higher than most dynasty managers because he was my most drafted rookie. It took an injury to Chris Godwin and some time to get on the same page with Baker Mayfield, but by the end of the season, he was red hot. He scored one or two touchdowns in each of the last five games of the season. If the Buccaneers move on from Godwin next season, McMillan's dynasty value will rise even higher. He's now my 37th-ranked wide receiver.

16. J.J. McCarthy

McCarthy was ranked 7th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 16th. His fall in my rankings is based solely on the fact that Sam Darnold played so well this season. His dynasty value hinges on the offseason decision the Vikings make as to whether they sign Darnold to a new contract or let him leave in free agency. He looked great in the preseason before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season. Is that enough for the Vikings to let Darnold walk? We'll soon see, and then we'll know whether McCarthy's dynasty value shoots up or falls. For the time being, he is my 23rd-ranked quarterback.

17. Jonathan Brooks

Brooks was ranked 11th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 17th. In one of the saddest stories of the season, Brooks tore the same ACL as he did in college, and he did it near the end of the season. I doubt dynasty managers will see him on the field until late next season, or maybe not at all. On top of that, Chuba Hubbard played great this season, and the Panthers signed him to a new contract. He's still one of the top running backs in this class, so I'd still draft him, just not nearly as high as I did in May. He's fallen to 21st in my running back rankings.

18. Ray Davis

Davis was ranked 20th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 18th. I thought for sure that Davis would become the Bills goal-line back, but that did not happen. James Cook had the best season of his career and held off Davis all season. Even so, when Davis did play, he looked terrific. He's earned the team's trust and will get more playing time in the years to come and would excel if Cook ever misses time. He's now my 32nd-ranked running back.

19. Blake Corum

Corum was ranked 15th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 19th. I expected Corum to cut significantly into Kyren Williams's playtime this season, but he did not. I still believe in his talent and in the Rams' offense, but I would not draft him as high as I did back in May. He seems settled into a permanent backup role, but he is still a great player to stash on a roster in case Williams ever gets hurt. He's fallen to 33rd in my running back rankings.

20. Xavier Legette

Legette was ranked 13th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 20th. He flashed a few times this season but was very inconsistent. He had every opportunity to earn a more significant role, as the Panthers' receivers were often injured, but he did not capitalize on his opportunity. Still, he has the draft capital to keep a starting role, and Byrce Young and the offense improved tremendously as the year went on. I was way higher on Legette than most dynasty managers, so I drafted him several times. I'd still do so today, just not as early as I did back in May. He's now my 47th-ranked wide receiver.

2024 Year-end Awards

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0600

The 2024 season has come to an end. I'm sad to say that I only won one dynasty championship this year. I lost in the Super Bowl in two other leagues by 3 and 13 points after my opponents' players produced in the high-scoring Monday night football finale. It's hard to win a championship and tough when you lose, but building dynasty teams and playing this great game is a blast.

That said, it's time to say farewell to the 2024 season and jump into offseason mode for 2025. Before I do, I want to present my 2024 Year-End Awards.

Breakout of the Year

Candidates: Chase Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Trey McBride
All three candidates had breakout years, establishing themselves as every-week starters on dynasty rosters. Brown finished the season as the 11th highest-scoring running back after winning the leading role after Zach Moss was injured. He proved himself worthy of the leading role. Smith-Njigba finished the season as the 8th highest-scoring wide receiver, making good on his first-round rookie pick value after an unproductive rookie season. It was no surprise that he passed Tyler Lockett on the depth chart, but his passing D.K. Metcalf was a welcome surprise. Brown and Smith-Njigba are worthy of this award, but I will give it to Trey McBride, who had a complete breakout after stepping up his game at the end of last season. He scored the 3rd highest amount of tight end points with only one touchdown catch (though he had three total touchdowns given a rushing touchdown and a fumble recover touchdown). He finished with 104 catches, four less than Brock Bowers. He was Kyler Murray's top target, making him a reliable superstar week after week. He and Bowers now occupy the top tier of dynasty tight ends.

Surprise of the Year

Candidates: Baker Mayfield, Chuba Hubbard, and Jonnu Smith
Mayfield had a breakout year in 2023, and most thought his great season was tied to Dave Canales, the Buccaneer's offensive coordinator. Canales left to become the Carolina head coach, causing dynasty managers to be more uncertain about Mayfield's dynasty value. To everyone's surprise, he played even better this year with his new offensive coordinator, Liam Coen. He finished the season as the 4th highest-scoring quarterback and scored the most fantasy points in his seven-year career. Jonnu Smith also had the highest-scoring season of his eight-year career. Surprisingly, he became the Dolphin's second-highest targeted player behind Tyreek Hill. He ended the season as the 4th highest-scoring tight end behind Trey McBride. While Smith and Mayfield are worthy of this award, I am giving this award to Chuba Hubbard. Dynasty managers expected Hubbard to begin the season as the starter, but no one expected him to keep the job once rookie Jonathan Brooks was cleared to play. He held off Brooks, and the Panthers signed him to a new contract. He finished the season as the 12th highest-scoring running back and carried dynasty teams all season. Now that Brooks reinjured his knee, he's poised for another great season next year. What a surprise!

Rookie of the Year

Candidates: Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas, and Brock Bowers
I could not limit my choice to three players for this award, which was the most difficult award to give. Nabers and Thomas finished as the 7th and 4th highest-scoring wide receivers despite terrible quarterback play. These two college teammates had incredible rookie seasons. Bowers had subpar quarterback play, too. Still, he set a league record for the number of catches for a rookie (including receivers) and for yards for a rookie tight end. After an incredible rookie season, he's already become the top-ranked tight end in the dynasty. As impressive as these guys played, I'm giving the award to Jayden Daniels, who finished his rookie season as the 5th highest-scoring quarterback. He made the Commanders an instant success and carried dynasty teams. As expected, he was phenomenal on the ground with 864 yards rushing. What was more surprising was his mastery of the passing game as a rookie. He completed 69.4% of his passes and threw 25 touchdowns with just nine interceptions. He was better than anyone expected. My only question is, how did LSU not win a national championship with three of these candidates on the same team in 2023? What a great crop of rookie dynasty managers were blessed with this year.

Veteran of the Year

Candidates: Saquon Barkley, Terry McLaurin, and George Kittle
McLaurin capitalized on the outstanding play of his new quarterback, Jayden Daniels, by having the best season of his career. He had his first-ever double-digit touchdown season with 12 touchdowns after years of scoring between four and five touchdowns. He finished the season as the 6th highest-scoring receiver. George Kittle narrowly outscored Brock Bowers to lead the league in fantasy points for a tight end. He had his best season since his second year in 2018. With Deebo Samuel underperforming and Brandon Aiyuk sidelined with injury, he became the focal point of the offense. While Kittle and McLaurin deserve the most valuable vet award, I think Barkley deserves it the most. He finished as the top scoring running back and it was not even close. He could have set the record for the most yards in a season, but the Eagle wisely decided not to play him in week eighteen. He fell two fantasy points shy of his career-best year as a rookie way back in 2018. Six years later, he still proved he could dominate the run game and carry dynasty teams to championships.

Bounce-Back of the Year

Candidates: Sam Darnold, Kareem Hunt, and Jerry Jeudy
Several players whose dynasty value was entirely in the dump bounced back to make fantasy relevance. Hunt signed back with his old team, the Chiefs, after Isiah Pacheco was injured. To dynasty managers' surprise, he was a startable asset for a long stretch of the season. He was so good that he cut into Pacheco's workload even after Pacheco returned. He had his most productive season in four years, and I would not be surprised at all if the Chiefs re-sign him for next year. Jeudy wanted completely nuts during the games he played with Jameis Winston. It was the first time in his career that he lived up to his first-round draft capital with Denver. Even though he was average down the stretch after Cleveland benched Winston, he finished with the highest-scoring season of his career and proved that he can be the WR-1 in Cleveland next year, hopefully with a new quarterback like the one I am pleased to give this award, Sam Darnold. Darnold surprised everyone with the best year of his career by far, finishing as the 8th highest-scoring quarterback of the season. He took hold of coach O'Connell's offenses and masterfully led the team to an amazing season. His outstanding play will make him the story of the offseason, as he's a free agent after this year. His playoff run will determine a lot for his future. What a bounce-back story!

Waiver Wire Player of the Year

Candidates: Cedric Tillman, Juaun Jennings, and Kayshon Boutte
It's always challenging to find a future starter off the waiver wire in dynasty leagues, but each year, a few go from the wire to starting lineups and see their dynasty value rise from the ashes. Tillman had several amazing games with Jameis Winston before slowing down and missing time in the concussion protocol. For weeks, he looked like he would become Cleveland's WR-1. It was frustrating for dynasty managers not to see how he could continue his play after the concussion, but all dynasty managers who nabbed him are excited to see what he can do next year. Boutte never had an excellent game, but he proved to be the wide receiver with the most snaps in New England and is paired with a rookie quarterback who will only get better. Boutte never made it into many starting lineups, but he showed enough to be an intriguing player to hold onto. This award goes to Jennings, who became an every-week starter and is poised to be the WR-2 opposite Brandon Aiyuk for the next few years.

Most Valuable Player

Candidates: Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow
It's hard to pick a winner between these three players who were the top three scoring players in the league this year. All three were consistently productive throughout the year, and each had one or more outstanding games during the fantasy playoffs. Each are MVP talents, but given his league leading fantasy points and incredible statistical season on the field, I give the award to Lamar Jackson. This season, he passed Michael Vick's record for all-time rushing yards by a quarterback. If you count week 18, he ran for 915 yards. What's most impressive is his 41 touchdown passes with just four interceptions. He continues to improve as a passer and now has the third-highest all-time QBR rating behind only Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. No one thought he could become this kind of passer, but he's proved everyone wrong. What an incredible MVP season for Lamar Jackson.

Week Seventeen Review

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0600

I missed a week of writing and podcasting due to travel and family time during the holiday, but I’m delighted to be back this week to report on week seventeen NFL action and championship week in dynasty leagues. I’m pleased to announce that I made the Super Bowl in three of my nine dynasty leagues. I have one championship wrapped up, and I am in a dogfight in the other two, which will be decided in the Monday night game. I’ll report back next week with the final results.

This week was one of the most unique fantasy championship weeks in history. There were two games on Wednesday, one on Thursday, three on Saturday, eight on Sunday, and one left to go on Monday night. Following the games and cheering on my dynasty teams was a blast.

After watching all of the championship week games, here are my thoughts from a dynasty perspective.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

One of the most fun and fabulous parts of this season has been the incredible comeback seasons from Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. Mayfield was the first pick in the 2018 draft, and Sam Darnold was the third. Baker had a great rookie season with the Browns but struggled after that, losing his starting job. Darnold struggled from his first year with the Jets and later lost his starting job. They’ve each played for several teams since leaving the teams that drafted them until landing starting jobs this season and having the best season of their careers six years after being drafted. Baker threw five touchdowns on Sunday, leading his team and his dynasty managers to victories after scoring 38 fantasy points. He’ll finish this season as the fourth-highest-scoring quarterback in the league. What a year for Baker! Darnold had a career-high in passing yards on Sunday with 377 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll finish the season as the eighth-highest-scoring quarterback. Their incredible seasons should cause dynasty managers to take a more patient approach to quarterbacks, especially with quarterbacks drafted in the first round. Mayfield signed a new contract with Tampa Bay this year, while Darnold is set to be a free agent. The Vikings planned to move on to J.J. McCarthy next year as their starting quarterback, but Darnold’s excellent play has forced them to consider re-signing him. If he does not start for the Vikings next year, he will be with another team. It will be one of the most intriguing offseason stories of the year.

Oh No!

Dynasty managers with Texans, Bears, and Seahawks in their starting lineups experienced the pain of watching all their players underperform as these teams’ offenses scored a total of eleven points. Houston did not score an offensive point, but only a safety. The Bears’ offense could only muster up one field goal, while the Seahawks kicked two field goals against the Bears for the win. Managers with Joe Mixon, Nico Collins, C.J. Stroud, Caleb Williams, Keenan Allen, Geno Smith, D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Zach Charbonnet saw their winning percentage fall during the Wednesday and Thursday slate of games. Thursday’s Seattle vs. Chicago game was the lowest-scoring game of the season, which of course, takes place during championship week. D.J. Moore was the only player on those three teams who helped dynasty managers in their championship games. At the time of my writing this part of the article (Friday morning), there are many games with predicted rain and bad weather as there was Thursday night in Chicago. It could be a week with many low-scoring games, which would come as a relief to those who have fallen behind because of the terrible play of the Texans, Bears, and Seahawks. If games are indeed rainy, they may still have a chance in their championship games.

Ouch!

The worst injury from a dynasty perspective since the last time I wrote was Tank Dell’s gruesome knee injury. He dislocated his kneecap and tore ligaments in his knee and will now likely miss the entire 2025 season. This injury dramatically impacts Dell’s dynasty value. Missing an entire year of playtime gives other younger receivers a chance to surpass him on the depth chart and solidify starting roles. John Methchie can relate. He missed his entire rookie season while enduring cancer treatments. It’s ironic that he’d be the benefactor of Dell’s injury, but it appears to be the case as he led the team in targets this week, even ahead of Nico Collins. That won’t happen often, but he has a chance to solidify the WR-2 role by the end of the season and start next year in that role. Sadly, Dell will have to wait a year to try to make a Metchie-like comeback. Kenneth Walker was placed on IR this week, giving Zach Charbonnet one more chance to seize the starting job. Walker has been injured every season of his career. It’s time for the Seahawks to consider switching roles by giving Charbonnet the leading role next year. Charbonnet was a bust this week when he had the least amount of fantasy points this season when starting the game, but he’ll have at least one more chance to prove something next week. As a manager with four shares of Charbonnet, I hope the Seahawks find a way to sneak into the playoffs so he can get a few more starts and give his coaches more to think about in the offseason. Things got worse over the weekend when Tua Tagovailoa, Tony Pollard, and Chuba Hubbard were ruled out. On the Super Bowl weekend, dynasty managers were left without many of their starting players.

Stock Up

Michael Penix

Penix took over for Kirk Cousins two weeks ago, and he’s looked decent in the first two starts of his career. He did not have to do a lot in his first start last week against the Giants since the Giants threw two pick-sixes and fell behind quickly. Penix did not throw a touchdown pass that game, but he did throw an interception that was entirely the fault of Kyle Pitts. Penix led the Falcons in an epic duel with fellow rookie Jayden Daniels this week. He came up on the short end in overtime, but he proved he’s a worthy starter in only his second start. Pitts redeemed himself with a touchdown, and Drake London had 106 yards receiving. He’s the future for Atlanta, and their controversial first-round pick does not look so silly after all. Dynasty managers who drafted him late are elated to have a starting quarterback way earlier than they expected!

Jalen McMillan

McMillan has been on fire since week fourteen. He has caught one or more touchdowns in each of the last four weeks, including two more this Sunday. He’s benefited from Cade Otton and Sterling Shepard’s injuries, making him Baker Mayfield’s second-most targeted player. His strong end of the season gives the Buccaneers confidence to move on from Chris Godwin next season. He’s earned the right to be the WR-2 for the Buccaneers next season opposite the never-aging wonder, Mike Evans. McMillan was one of my most drafted rookies last season, so I am very pleased to see him prove his worth and become a reliable starter in deep leagues. He only has room to grow. On Sunday morning, I took a last-minute chance by elevating McMillan from my taci squad and into my starting lineup ahead of Tyreek Hill. He outscored Hill by 3.5 points, giving me a chance tonight when I’m ahead by ten points, and my opponent has Isaac Guerendo in his lineup. If I win the game by less than 3.5 points, I’ll look like a genius.

Chig Okonkwo

Okonkwo has come on strong the last few weeks. Mason Rudolph targeted him like crazy, with ten targets two weeks ago, eleven a week ago, and seven this week. Believe it or not, he was on the waiver wire in several of my leagues. Wise managers quickly picked him up in those leagues, including myself in one league. In the other two, savvy managers beat me to it. Tennessee is sure to make a quarterback change next year, so Okonkwo will have to prove that he can earn targets from whomever they draft or sign as a free agent. Even so, they should have a better quarterback next season who can elevate Okonkwo’s play. Tight ends often take time to break out. Okonkwo is doing so in his third season in the NFL.

Stock Down

D.K. Metcalf

Metcalf has lost his leading role in Seattle. This year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JSN) has not only surpassed Tyler Lockett on the depth chart but he’s surpassed Metcalf, too. Since Metcalf returned from his injury in week eleven, JSN has out-targeted him 58 to 42, and he’s outscored him 98 to 57 in fantasy points. Metcalf is still a great player and an every-week starter in dynasty lineups, but his ceiling has dropped considerably as JSN has passed him by this year. He needs to be seen as a WR-2 on Seattle and a WR-3 in dynasty lineups.

Javonte Williams

Somehow, Williams led the team in running back snaps with 37%, yet he did not get a single carry and caught one pass for negative yards. There’s no way that the Broncos will re-sign him. They’ve made their plans clear by not giving him enough touches this season. He’s now destined to be signed as a backup with another team next season, causing his dwindling dynasty stock to fall even further down than it already has this season.

Chris Olave

Olave has not seen the field in weeks, and he’s not likely to play next week. His injuries and lack of on-field play this season have caused him to fall down my dynasty rankings. This year’s rookie class of wide receivers has been amazing, causing young and hopeful guys like Olave to fall behind in my dynasty rankings. Plus, the Saints need to completely blow up their team and rebuild. They need a new coach and a new quarterback to make Olave productive, but I fear they need a few years to do so. Olave is a fantastic player, but his injuries and the team’s situation make him far less valuable than he could be on another team.

Young Guns

Xavier Worthy

Worthy has run very hot the last three weeks of the season as the Chiefs have finally got him more involved in the offense. He’s been a huge part of their last three wins with eleven, eleven, and nine targets in the last three weeks. Plus, he’s had two or three carries each of those weeks, too. He’s finally getting the touches and making more of them, scoring a touchdown in each of the last three games. Two years ago, Andy Reid waited until the end of the season to trust Rashee Rice with more touches, and when he did, Rice exploded on the scene. It looks like he’s doing the same with Worthy, and dynasty managers who have ridden Worthy the last three weeks have been rewarded, including myself.

Brock Bowers

Unless George Kittle has 15 or more points tonight, Bowers will end the season as the highest-scoring tight end this season. It would be the second year in a row where a rookie tight end leads the league in fantasy points. Unlike Sam Laporta, I am confident Bowers will get even better in the years to come. He set two records on Sunday with the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end and the most receptions by any rookie ever. Give Bowers a better quarterback and a new coaching staff, and he will only get better. If I were to redraft this year’s rookie class in a one-quarterback league, I would draft Bowers third behind only Malik Nabors and Brian Thomas.

Malik Nabers

Nabers had the best game of his rookie season with 171 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Like Bowers, he’s been a beast this year, even while playing with several different terrible quarterbacks. Give him a new quarterback and coach next year, and he’ll be even better. Nabers is on pace to pass Puka Nacua’s record for number of receptions as a rookie. He would have been on top if it had not been for Bowers. He needs just two catches next week to pass Nacua. If I were to redraft this class, it would be hard to decide who to take first, Nabers or Brian Thomas. Both are outstanding players who played for the same college team. Amazing!

Old-Man Strength

Mark Andrews

As terrible as Andrews played at the start of the season, he quickly turned things around and became the reliable touchdown-scoring tight end he has always been. It turns out he was not washed up or being replaced by Isaiah Likely. He has old-man strength and can’t be stopped again. He’s scored a touchdown in five consecutive weeks and now has ten touchdown catches on the season. He’s back to being Lamar Jacksons favorite target in the Red Zone. The Ravens draw up plays for him in the Red Zone. He only has two catches this week, but one was a 67-yard catch and run, and the other was a one-yard touchdown. Touchdowns are the best dynasty managers can hope for at the tight end position, and Andrews continues to deliver.

Jaylen Warren

For the second season in a row, Warren had outplayed Najee Harris at the end of the season. He did so in each of the last two weeks. He’s far more explosive and agile than Harris in the run game. He’s a better pass catcher and better with the run after catch, too. He’s had five catches in each of the last two weeks. I hope his strong play at the end of this season and into the NFL playoffs will cause the coaches to give him the leading role next year. Harris’s contract expires after this season, giving Warren a chance at the full-time role next season. He’s a better player, and he deserves it.

Tee Higgins

Higgins possibly played his final home game as a Bengal, leaving his mark with three touchdowns and 36 fantasy points. He carried dynasty managers to championships this week. Higgins is a monster and deserves to be a WR-1 next year. Joe Borrow has said that he wants Higgins back on the Bengals next year, but he doesn’t call the shots. His dynasty value is arguably better as a WR-2 in Cincinnati than as a WR-1 on another less potent team. It will be an interesting offseason. Higgins and Sam Darnold will be the top two free agents to follow this offseason. It will be one of the biggest stories of the offseason.

Offseason

While the regular season has come to an end, I hope you will continue to read my articles and listen to my podcasts. Here’s a bit of what the offseason schedule will look like for me.

Over the next six weeks, we’ll review the 2024 season. I’ll write a post-season awards article. Take a critical look at what I got right and what I got wrong last season. I’ll re-evaluate all of my 2024 trades, and I’ll diagnose my rosters and help you learn to do the same.

It’s important not to simply let the season end. Spend the month of January with me, critically evaluating your teams and your processes. It will make you a better dynasty manager.

Behind the scenes, I will be working on my 2025 rookie rankings. After studying the class and watching player tape, I will put together my 2025 rookie rankings, which I will post the day after the NFL Super Bowl.

For the next six weeks after that, I’ll share my thoughts about the rookie class and players who sign with other teams in free agency prior to the NFL draft. After that, it’s rookie draft time.

I hope you’ll be a Dynasty Freek and keep in touch this offseason!

Week Fifteen Review

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0600

The first week of the fantasy playoffs did not disappoint. After a disappointing start to the week in the low-scoring Thursday night game, dynasty managers were pleased with high-scoring affairs on Sunday, including the season's highest-scoring game. Dynasty managers saw their winning percentages go up and down throughout the day. I know mine did. It made for a great Sunday of football, watching and cheering on my dynasty teams. Here are some of my dynasty takeaways from week fifteen.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

The game of the year, Buffalo at Detroit, ended up one-sided as Buffalo jumped off to an early lead, never letting it go. Detroit's comeback efforts were excellent for fantasy managers as they kept the game close and made the Bills keep their foot on the gas. The 48 to 42 finish was the highest-scoring NFL game of the year, making many dynasty managers happy while others were disappointed. David Montgomery had his worst game of the season, and the Lions had their worst game running the ball this season, with only 35 yards rushing from their running backs. Jahmyr Gibbs still produced for fantasy managers because of his involvement in the passing game, with 83 receiving yards and a touchdown. Amon-Ra St. Brown had a season high in receptions and yards with 14 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown, carrying his dynasty managers in the playoffs. Sam LaPorta did the same with a season-high in receptions and yards, with seven for 111 yards. This game proved what the Lions' passing game is capable of if their running game is not working or they fall behind in games. However, it's not how they prefer to play. St. Brown and LaPorta have had quiet games this season when the Lions have dominated teams with their running game. Their dynasty managers got a pleasant surprise this week, given the gamescript. As for the Bills, Josh Allen ruled the day and distributed the ball to nine different pass catchers, none of which had a fantastic fantasy game except for his leading receiver, Ty Johnson, who no one started at running back. Amari Cooper was the only Bill who did not contribute in the win, finishing the game without a single catch. Khalil Shahir is the safest wide receiver play as we come to the end of this season, and it was good to see Dalton Kincaid back in action this week, though he's still quite unreliable. The Bills have proven that they do not need a typical WR-1 to win games. Josh Allen can carry the team to victory, no matter who he has as targets. He followed his 55-point week with a modest 45 points this week in the playoffs. He's a league winner if he stays this hot.

Oh No!

The Dolphins played terribly on Sunday, leaving dynasty managers with their players in a sad state. Tua Tagovailoa threw three interceptions and let the team to a measly 12 offensive points against the Texans. It was his worst fantasy game of the season, with just 5.8 points. He brought the entire offense down with him. Jaylen Waddle left the game with an injury, though he remained on the sidelines. He put up a goose egg for dynasty managers. Tyreek Hill did not get a catch until the third quarter and finished with just two catches on the day. Rookie Malik Washington was the team's leading receiver on the day, with just 53 yards receiving. De'Von Achane finished the game with just 76 total yards. At least he compiled seven catches, which helps in PPR leagues. Jonnu Smith was the only player to exceed expectations with nine catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. Some teams have figured out Mike McDaniels' offense and have found ways to completely neutralize the Dolphins. They were on a hot streak over the last four weeks but got stifled this week, as they have many times this season. This season, their losses include games where they scored 10, 3, 12, 10, 17, and 12 points. This was another such week, and dynasty managers are lucky to have advanced in the playoffs if they had Dolphins in their lineups.

Ouch!

The most notable injuries affecting dynasty teams in the playoffs were Patrick Mahomes, Geno Smith, Alvin Kamara, and Nick Chubb. Mahomes and Smith still have a chance to start next week, but they could also need a week or more off, giving their backups Carson Wentz and Sam Howell starting roles. With very few exceptions, backup quarterbacks will make their entire offenses less productive, bringing down the floor and ceiling of every fantasy starter on their teams. That's a brutal reality for dynasty teams still in the playoffs with Chiefs and Seahawks on their rosters. Alvin Kamara injured his groin, making him questionable in the fantasy playoffs and giving Kendre Miller a chance to start. That's a big disappointment for dynasty managers who enjoyed the ride this year with Kamara, who played so well. Nick Chubb broke his foot and will miss the remainder of the season, allowing Jerome Ford to be a fantasy-relevant player in the playoffs. Ford has been productive and worth starting as an RB-2 or flex in lineups when given the lead role. He will be so again to end this season, so that's a pleasant surprise for his managers.

Stock Up

Rico Dowdle

Dowdle has a season-high in carries and yards on Sunday, with 25 carries for 149 yards. He's proving he can carry the load as Dallas's starter next season. He's averaging five yards per carry this season. When given twelve or more carries a game this season, he's averaging 14.7 fantasy points per game. He's risen up my dynasty rankings in recent weeks as the Cowboys have entrusted him with more touches, and if the Cowboys do not draft a running back or add a free agent next year, he'll rise even more.

Rashod Bateman

Matt Harmon of Reception Perception talked up Bateman this week and nailed his prediction. He scored twice on Sunday and had the best fantasy day of his season with 21 points. He won't fly up my rankings because of one great game, but he's proven he can be a depth piece on dynasty rosters and has a chance to become more than that. He was one of my favorite players in his draft class, so I drafted him a lot. He's had several games like this in his career but has battled injuries and some inconsistencies overall. Whereas Zay Flowers hit the ground running in his rookie year. Bateman is still second fiddle to Flowers, but he has an opportunity to see his role grow. The Ravens signed him to a new contract this year, so they want to see his role grow in the offense, too.

Quentin Johnston

Staying with the theme of wide receivers who looked like busts but have improved this season, Johnston has steadily climbed my dynasty rankings this season. He was Justin Herbert's top target on Sunday, catching five of ten targets for 45 yards and a touchdown. He's caught eight touchdowns this season. He still makes mistakes and drops balls, but he's improved greatly this season and has put to bed the thought that he would be benched or that Josh Palmer would overtake him. Wide receivers aren't bound to their first-year tape and narrative. They can improve as Bateman and Johnston have.

Stock Down

Tank Dell

I hate to drop a player I used to love so much, but I have to move Dell down my rankings. He only has two touchdown catches this season and has not scored since week eight. He's had four or fewer targets in 6 of the 13 games he's played this season. Even when Nico Collins missed time, Dell did not produce like he did in his rookie season. I don't think that he's changed since being injured last year. The offense has changed, and Nico Collins has become far more of the focal point of the passing game than I expected. Plus, C.J. Stroud has taken a significant step back this season.

Will Levis

Levis strung together a few good games from weeks 10 to 13, but in the last two weeks, he has fallen back to his old ways. Sunday was the worst he's played all season, leading to his benching as Mason Rudolph replaced him. Sunday, he threw 12 passes, and 3 of them were to the other team, including a pick-six. It was his fourth pick-six of the season and his 12th interception. It's the second time this season he finished with negative fantasy points. The Titans will look for a quarterback in the draft or in free agency to replace him next season. Levis is on his way to becoming a career backup.

Anthony Richardson

Richardson's passing woes continued on Sunday when he completed only 45% of his passes. It's the 8th time this season when his completion percentage was 50% or less. An offense cannot be built around a passer who is that inaccurate. He can play well enough and produce for dynasty managers in games they are leading, but once they fall behind and have to pass, the game is over, as it was this Sunday against the Broncos.

Young Guns

James Cook

Cook looked fantastic with his limited touches on Sunday. He carried the ball 14 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns. That's 7.5 yards per carry. His one catch went for 28 yards, too. He only played 41% of the snaps, as Ray Davis and Ty Johnson cut into his workload, but he made the most of them. It's clear that he has burst, which Davis does not have, and he has held off Davis for the leading role, which I did not think he could do. I have to admit that I was wrong about Cook.

Brian Thomas Jr.

It would be fair to argue that Thomas is the best wide receiver in this rookie class. I deeply regret passing on him a few times in rookie drafts this year. Sunday, he had a season-high in targets, catches, and fantasy points. He turned 14 targets into ten catches for 105 yards, two touchdowns, and 27 fantasy points. He's producing more than Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison, even with a backup quarterback. He's a top ten scoring wide receiver on the season in his rookie season. He'll only improve from here as the team and quarterback play improve. Dynasty managers love what they have in Thomas.

Ladd McConkey

McConkey just gets open. He's had five or more catches in 9 of the 13 games he's played this season. He averages 67 yards receiving per game. Sunday, he had five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown. He and Quentin Johnston have become a powerful one-two punch in the Chargers' passing game. Since the Chargers are struggling to run the ball, McConkey could play a big role at the end of the season for dynasty teams in the playoffs.

Old-Man Strength

Mike Evans

Evans wants to keep his consecutive 1000 yards receiving steak alive, and he improved his chances with a 159-yard day while scoring two touchdowns. He needs just 84 yards per game to keep the streak alive. He's such a huge target, and he's not slowed down, even at his age. His touchdowns on Sunday were 35 and 57 yards. He made the defensive backs look like kids trying to catch and tackle him. He's a first-ballot hall of famer, and he's been a staple in starting dynasty lineups for ten years.

Lamar Jackson

Jackson most certainly arrived dynasty managers into the next round of the playoffs after throwing five touchdown passes on Sunday. This was the most accurate passing day I remember seeing from Jackson. He only threw four incompletions. What's wild about that is that he was throwing the ball deep downfield, too. He had 11.6 yards per completion, and his touchdowns were from 13, 49,20, 21, and 27 yards out. Jackson is playing the best football of his career right now.

Terry McLaurin

McLaurin is having the best year of his career, too. Sunday was the fourth time this season that McLaurin has scored two touchdowns in a game. He has 11 touchdown catches this season, the most since his rookie season when he had 7. He's been so fun to watch this season as he's become the focal point of the Commanders' passing game. He's back to being Scary Terry after a few mediocre years.

Waiver Watch

Stone Smartt

Smartt has played well for the last two weeks since Will Dissly was injured. Justin Herbert is not shy in targeting him. He has three targets after Dissly was injured last week, and this week, he had six targets in the starting role. This was my first week watching him play, and I liked what I saw. He looked tall and athletic, and he had great hands. If Dissly's injury lingers, Smartt could give the Chargers reason to let Smartt compete for a starting role next year.

Brenton Strange

Evan Engram was lost for the season last week with a clavicle injury, and Strange stepped right into his role, earning 11 catches for 73 yards on Sunday. He could be a viable starter in the fantasy playoffs for tight-end needy teams. He's not talented enough to surpass Engram and the Jaguars' future starter, but he could help a team this season or become a depth piece on dynasty rosters.

Craig Reynolds

News broke late today that David Montgomery injured his MCL and may miss the rest of the season. If that's the case, Reynolds is the next man up in Detroit. While Jahmyr Gibbs will carry the biggest workload for the rest of the season, the Lions will need to spell him from time to time, and Reynolds is who they will look to do it. He's only worth adding in the deepest leagues, but I wanted to mention him here.

My Teams

Since we're in the playoffs, I wanted to share how my teams are doing. Five of my dynasty teams are in the playoffs, and two earned bye weeks, so I got to watch the other teams battle it out this week in those leagues. One of my teams lost this week, and two come down to Monday night. I should certainly win one, as I only need ten points from Sam Darnold, Jordan Addison, and the Vikings' defense. The other match is a little tighter. I am behind by ten in that league, but I have Justin Jefferson and Sincere McCormick while my opponent has Rome Odunze. It should make for a fun Sunday night. I plan to play in the semifinals in four of my dynasty leagues.

Week Fourteen Review

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0600

It was the last week of the regular season, and fantasy points were high even with six teams on bye weeks. Sunday's early games started slow, but they picked up in the second half, and the afternoon games were ridiculously high-scoring, including the highest-scoring game of the season. I had a blast watching all week fourteen games while cheering on my dynasty teams. Here are some of my thoughts on what I took away from this week's games.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

Matt Stafford and Josh Allen put on a show Sunday afternoon in the highest-scoring game of the season. Josh Allen scored the most fantasy points by a single player in years, scoring 55 to 75 points depending on league settings. Allen became the first player since Otto Graham to have three touchdown passes and three touchdown runs in one game. Amari Cooper finally became a top target in the offense with 14 targets, but Khlil Shhakir had the best fantasy day with 101 yards receiving and a 51-yard touchdown catch and run. As excellent as Allen played for fantasy managers, he was outdone by Matt Stafford on the field. Stafford had a season-high 320-yard passing and hit Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp for touchdowns. Nacua was the star of the game with acrobatic catches and one of the most improbable toe-tapping catches of the season. He led the team with 162 yards receiving and had a touchdown run to add to his touchdown catch. He is so fun to watch! He's become my favorite player in the NFL. I'm happy I have him on four of my nine dynasty rosters. I had him on a fifth roster that I decided to go into rebuilding mode, and I was able to sell him for a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks in 2026. He sold for an entire year's worth of draft picks.

Oh My!

Sam Darnold was incredible on Sunday, proving that the Vikings were smart in allowing Kirk Cousins to sign with the Falcons. He also proved that I was smart by adding him off the waiver wire last offseason after he signed with Minnesota. He carried three of my teams to victories this week, and two games were must-won games for me to make the playoffs. His five-touchdown day was the best of his season and the best of his career. Justin Jefferson finally got back in the endzone with two touchdown catches after going six weeks without a touchdown. It was his highest-scoring game of the season, too. Somehow, he was outdone by Jordan Addison, who had his highest-scoring game of the season with 133 yards receiving and three touchdowns. On Sunday, everything was clicking for the Vikings, and coach O'Connell has completely rehabilitated Darnold and his dynasty value. He's an every-week starter again with the coaching and receiving weapons that surround him. Earlier this season, I sold him for a first-round pick on a rebuilding team in a one-quarterback league. At the time, I felt he would certainly not re-sign with the Vikings, who are committed to J.J. McCarthy as their future starter. Now, I am far less sure of that. At the very least, Darnold will be a starter on another team next season, if not re-signing with the Vikings.

Ouch!

The saddest injury of the day was Jonathan Brooks. He went down with a non-contact injury, which did not look good. I drafted and traded for him on two rebuilding teams and planned on him being a big part of my rebuild. Now that he is injured again and Chuba Hubbard has signed an extension, my rebuilding plans have taken a hit. I write this article on Monday mornings, so the reports have not yet come out, but I sure hope it is nothing serious and he can start healthy next season. Bucky Irving left the game early on Sunday, too, just when he was beginning to take over the leading role. It's just one injury, but it fits the narrative of Irving being too small to have a leading role. Time will tell if that's the case. It looks like Rachaad White and Sean Tucker will contribute more to dynasty teams in the playoffs than Irving will. That's unfortunate for me in one of my leagues. Finally, Isaac Guerendo looked great in his first NFL start but could not finish the game. The 49ers can't keep a running back healthy. They're down to their fifth-string running back, Patrick Taylor, next week if Guerendo cannot return on a short week. I'm glad I added Izzy Abanikanda in several leagues last week. He might finally get a chance to start an NFL game after signing with the 49ers last week.

Stock Up

Zach Charbonnet

It was a blast watching Charbonnet get the starting role on Sunday after Kenneth Walker was ruled out. After hearing the news, I started him in three leagues this week, and he carried my team to three wins. He had 193 total yards and two touchdowns, scoring 35 fantasy points. His performance on Sunday has to cause the coaches to increase his role even when Walker returns healthy. Walker has not had a game like this, and he's been terribly unproductive in recent weeks, especially in the red zone. Dynasty managers who patiently waited for Caharbonnet to get his opportunity were finally rewarded, and I think they'll see more of him going forward.

Jameson Williams

I don't like Williams as a man, but I have to admit that he's finally playing well, and his role in the Lions' offense is improving and becoming more consistent. He led the team in targets on Thursday night and had a team-high 80 yards receiving. Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of my most rostered players, so I've been rooting against Williams and have been pleased to see his on and off-the-field struggles. The tide is turning, though, and Williams has become a consistent contributor in the offense and has become the downfield weapon that Detroit was hoping for when they drafted him. Their patience with him has paid off, as it has for his dynasty managers.

Jauan Jennings

Jennings has become the best waiver-wire find of the season for dynasty managers. I've added him in several leagues, and he's helped carry my team into the playoffs. His two touchdowns on Sunday contributed to my victories. Deebo Samuel continues to play third fiddle to Jennings and George Kittle. I am confident that the 49ers will not re-sign him next year. Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk are the future starting wide receivers for the 49ers. It's amazing that Jennings has broken out as a 27-year-old. The 49ers have stuck with him since drafting him in the seventh round four years ago, and their patience has paid off. Dynasty managers who nabbed off the waiver wire this season or somehow had him on their roster have found a gem.

Stock Down

Nick Chubb

Chubb has been my favorite running back for years. I hoped he would overcome the odds and have a great bounceback season after recovering from his devastating injury. He's had time enough to prove himself, but he's yet to do so. Jerome Ford has been mixed into the rotation more over the last few weeks, and Chubb seems set to be part of a committee going forward. Because of his character and history of recovering from injuries, I would not put it past him to play better next year, but this year has been more disappointing than I hoped, so I have to move him down my rankings.

Jayden Reed

Reed is too darn inconsistent. He may finish the season as a top 24 wide receiver, but it's all based on a few blowup games. Thursday's goose egg performance was the worst of the season and a huge disappointment to dynasty managers who thought he'd be a big part of a high-scoring game against the Lions, especially since Romeo Doubs was ruled out. I traded Reed in one league this season, but I still have him on two rosters and every week, he's one of two players I am deciding whether to start or sit. Every week, I pick wrong. This week, I started him, and he let me down. Last week, I did not, and he scored two touchdowns. I can't figure it out with Reed. I'm tired of trying.

Alvin Kamara

We have a Kendre Miller sighting. Miller saw the field for the first time in five weeks and scored his first NFL touchdown. Miller had ten carries to Kamara's 17. Kamara is still more involved in the passing game and is the Saints lead back of the future, but Miller will cut into his workload now that he's healthy and out of the doghouse. I'll watch this Saints' backfield closely over the next few weeks to see what Miller's involvement means for Kamara's role in the coming seasons. If Miller can live up to his third-round draft capital, it will affect Kamar's dynasty value. We've just yet to see it until this week.

Young Guns

Jalen McMillan

McMillan finally had a breakout game in his rookie season. He's had an open door since Chris Godwin was lost for the season but has yet to seize the opportunity. He scored two touchdowns on Sunday, his first touchdown since week one. He also led the team in targets this week, even above Mike Evans. He has an excellent opportunity to win a starting role with the Buccaneers next year if he continues to play well down the stretch of this season. He's one of my most drafted rookies, so I'm excited to see him finally have a breakout game.

Rome Odunze

While the Bears' offense looked pathetic on Sunday, at least Odunze had a great game with two touchdown catches. He made some athletic plays, including a leaping toe-tapping catch in the corner of the end zone. The Bears still target D.J. Moore the most, but Odunze's role is increasing. He's been their downfield threat for most of the season, but he is capable of far more than that. He showed more of his versatility on Sunday. It was nice to see him in the end zone twice for the first time since week three.

Sincere McCormick

Last week the Raiders officially signed McCormick to their roster. This Sunday, McCormick was their lead back even while Ameer Abdullah was active. He carried the ball 15 times for 78 yards. He also caught two passes. The only thing he failed to do was score a touchdown, although he had several carries near the goal line. He didn't do anything to secure the future starting position, but he did enough to continue to get looks for the rest of the season. Before this week, he was not in my rankings, even though I recommended him as a guy to pick up off waivers last week, but I'll add him to my rankings now. I'm glad I picked him up in several leagues last week.

Old-Man Strength

Josh Jacobs

Jacobs had three touchdowns on Thursday night, giving his dynasty teams a big leg up headed into the weekend. The Packers went with a run-first game plan on Thursday in an effort to keep the powerful Lions' offense off the field. He was bottled up most of the game but found the end zone three times in the green zone. Jacobs has become one of the league's most reliable fantasy running backs this season. He's scored double-digit fantasy points in all but two games and more than fifteen points seven times. Thursday was his second-highest-scoring game of the season with 24.6 points. This old man looks great in a Packers uniform, and they are riding him with more than 18 carries per game this season.

Adam Thielen

After returning healthy, Thielen has become Carolina's possession receiver, just as he was last season. He had a season-high in targets (11) and catches (9) and had his first 100-yard receiving game of the year. Just when dynasty managers thought Thielen's starting days were over, he made a case for being in starting lineups again, especially in PPR leagues. He scored 24 points last week and 19 this week. Carolina's offense is finally coming together. While they have come up shy in the win column, they have almost beaten the Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Eagles (three playoff teams) over the last three weeks. Old man Thielen is helping the embattled Panthers fight.

Davante Adams

Aaron Rodgers and Adams looked like their old selves on Sunday, where Adams had his most productive game as a Jet. He caught nine of eleven targets and one red zone touchdown. He and Garrett Wilson had excellent games in a comeback effort and led the team to what appeared to be a game-winning drive, but the Jets allowed the Dolphins to kick a last-second game-tying field goal that forced over time. Their dynasty managers thought they would get overtime points from Adams, but the Jets never got the ball since Miami won the coin toss and scored on their first drive to win the game. Despite the loss, Adams played great for the first time as a Jet and scored more than 20 fantasy points for the first time since week three with the Raiders.

Waiver Watch

Patrick Taylor, Israel Abanikanda, or Ke'Shawn Vaughn

If they were not picked up last week, they're the top players to add this week. If Isaac Guerendo's injury lingers, they are the next guys up at running back for the 49ers. Taylor has been with the team all year, so I'd favor him to get the first looks, but Abanikanda is the best player of the bunch. He's who I'd most like to add from a dynasty perspective.

Desmond Ridder

Ridder is a player to pick up in superflex leagues since he'll be the Raiders' starter for the rest of the season after Aidan O'Connell was injured. He's bounced around the NFL for a reason, but at least he has some experience. I'd add him in superlfex leagues this week.

Jake Haener

Haener is a player to pick up in superflex leagues since he was the next man up after Derek Carr was injured. Spencer Rattler played earlier this season when Carr was injured but was inactive last week. It looks like the Saints want to give Haener the try as the backup instead of Rattler this time. I'd add him in superflex leagues this week.

My Teams

No trades were made in my dynasty league, as most have hit the trade deadline, so I briefly mention how my teams did this year.

I'm in nine dynasty leagues. I'm happy to say that I made the playoffs in five of those leagues and secured a bye week in two of them.

In the four leagues where I did not make the playoffs, I am rebuilding. In two leagues, I finished last (as I had hoped), and I secured the 1.1. (hello, Ashton Jeanty). One of my rebuilding teams has four first-round draft picks, two of my rebuilding teams have two first-round draft picks, and the other has multiple mid-round picks and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks in 2026. As we say in dynasty, if you're losing you can be winning if you do it right.

I look forward to the playoffs with my contending teams and look forward to the draft with my rebuilding teams. I can't wait for both!

Week Thirteen Review

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0600

Thanksgiving week is my favorite football week of the year. I love the three island games on Thanksgiving and the addition of the Black Friday game this year. Saturday is rivalry week in college football, and Sunday is another full slate of games, especially this year with no bye weeks. I had a wonderful weekend watching all of the games and considering the dynasty impact of each.

Here are my dynasty thoughts on week thirteen in the NFL.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

I was amazed by Russell Wilson's play on Sunday. He had one of the best games of his career. He had 247 yards passing at halftime, the most yards he's ever thrown for the first half of a game. The Bengals and Steelers have played each other 110 times, and this was the highest-scoring first half in the history of their rivalry. Wilson distributed the ball to everyone, with ten different players catching passes from him and giving touchdowns to George Pickens, Calvin Austin, and Pat Freiermuth. After finishing the game with 414 yards, it's time to admit that Russell Wilson is cooking again. What a great game!

Oh No!

I figured it would be bad for the 49ers in the Buffalo snow, but I was surprised by how bad they played. Purdy passed for just 94 yards in the snow, making his day and all his pass catchers way below season averages. What's worse for dynasty managers is that Christian McCaffrey injured his knee and is likely out for the year. The only people who see this as good news are the dynasty managers with Jordan Mason. He'll be a surprise strength in dynasty rosters in the playoffs, just as he was at the start of the season.

Ouch!

Trevor Lawrence took a wicked cheap shot and was clearly concussed by it. Given the Jaguars' record, I doubt Lawrence will see the field again this year. That leaves the offense to Mac Jones, who will undoubtedly impact the fantasy weapons on the Jaguars in a negative way. As dynasty managers head into the playoffs, they will have far less confidence in Travis Etienne, Brian Thomas, and Evan Engram, which is a bummer. Taysom Hill was injured, and the team has already announced that he's lost for the year. His loss will give Juwan Johnson another chance at an increased role, making him a target on the waiver wire this week in most leagues.

Stock Up

Chase Brown

Brown has firmly taken the reigns as the future RB-1 in Cincinnati. He's looked excellent since Zack Moss was lost for the season, and he's kept Khalil Herbert, who the Bengals traded for, quiet on the bench. He's scored 24, 18, 17, and 18 points in the last four weeks. Sunday, he averaged 5.8 yards per carry and 10 yards per catch, combining for 100 total yards and a touchdown. He's been incredibly productive as a pass catcher, averaging 44 receiving yards per game over the last four weeks. What a pleasant surprise for dynasty managers who drafted him in the later round of rookie drafts last year.

Rico Dowdle

Dowdle has the best game of the season and his career on Thursday. He's not zooming up my dynasty rankings, but he's done enough to merit a bump up. With a few games left in the season, he has an opportunity to prove that he can be the Cowboys' future starter. In the last two weeks, they've given him more opportunities with 19 and 22 carries, compared to the 10.3 carries he averaged before. I'll watch him closely over the next few weeks to see if he can cause the Cowboys not to look for a running back in the draft or free agency next year.

Bryce Young

I'm amazed that Bryce Young has improved since being given the starting role back. For the second straight week, he's led his team in comeback efforts that fell just short, and both were against good teams. He's had his two highest-scoring fantasy games of the season in the last two weeks, throwing for more than 250 yards in each. After the way the season started, I thought he was forever doomed to a backup role, but he's rebounded well. He has a few more weeks to give the Panthers reason not to draft a quarterback in this year's draft. He's given dynasty managers in superflex leagues renewed hope that they did not waste a first-round pick on him.

Stock Down

C.J. Stroud

Stroud is playing much worse in his second year than in his first. He's already thrown nine interceptions this year compared to five in all of last year. He's only had three games with more than 20 fantasy points this season when he scored more than 20 points in 50% of his games last season. The Texans' strong running game is part of the reason why Stroud is less productive in passing, but he has regressed, too, this season. He's still a top-12 dynasty quarterback, but he's moved closer to the back end of the top 12 now.

Tank Dell

Dell caught just one pass on Sunday. It was his second-worst game of the season. He's not a focal point of the offense. He's only had five or more catches in four games this season. He averaged 4.7 catches per game last season but averages 3.5 catches per game this season. Dynasty managers were okay with that last season because it seemed like at least one of his catches would be a bomb or a touchdown. That's not the case this season. He's no longer a startable player in most dynasty leagues.

Cade Otton

Now that Mike Evans has returned to the field, Otton's target share and involvement in the Buccaneer's game plan have decreased. He's scored 3.5 and 4 fantasy points in the last two weeks. What looked like a possible breakout season now looks more like a flukey few weeks. After Evans was injured in week seven, Otton saw 10, 10, 11, and 8 targets in those games. The last two weeks, he's seen three and seven. He's back to being a streaming tight end again rather than a reliable starter.

Young Guns

Bucky Irving

Irving has steadily cut into Rachaad White's workload as the season has progressed, and Sunday, he proved that he's the Bucanneer's future leading back. He looked electric for the second week in a row and had a season-high of 152 rushing yards on Sunday, with a season-high of 25 carries. I did not think Irving had the size to be a workhorse back, but he's proven me wrong. I'm upset that I only drafted him once in my dynasty leagues. He's an every-week starter for me in that league now, and he's carrying my team to a second-place finish and a bye week in that league.

Ladd McConkey

McConkey had a season-high 12 targets and 9 receptions on Sunday. He had more than a hundred yards receiving by halftime. Sadly, he cooled off in the second half after sustaining a knee injury. Still, it's clear that the Chargers have found their WR-1 in McConkey, and his future is bright with Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. After a slow start to the season, he's hit the ground running, and his dynasty managers are thrilled. Injuries are the only thing holding him back, so let's hope he does not become an injury-prone player.

Brock Bowers

Bowers leaped ahead of George Kittle to become the highest-scoring tight end of the season after his season-high 25-point game on Black Friday. The quarterback change to Aidan O'Connell didn't hurt him at all. Bowers is the engine of their offense, and they get him the ball in so many ways. Friday, he was their downfield weapon, averaging a season-high 14 yards per catch, including a beautiful 33-yard touchdown catch. It's incredible that he is so productive in his rookie season on a bad team with average quarterbacks and a coaching staff that's likely to get fired. What a fantastic athlete and rookie season.

Old-Man Strength

Jonnu Smith

Smith was the 4th highest-scoring tight end of the season heading into the week, and his 16-point game on Thanksgiving night will keep him there. He's having the best year of his career at 29 years old. He's averaged more than 20 points per game over the last three weeks and had three touchdown catches. What's more remarkable is the number of targets he's receiving with 8, 11, and 11 over the last three weeks. Since the Dolphins bye week, he's averaged more than 7.5 targets per game. Even at his age, he's become a significant part of the offense on a team with so many other weapons in the passing game. What a year for Jonnu!

D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen

Moore had another productive week this week and has finally received the looks he deserves after the Bears changed their play-caller. He had a season-high 16 targets on Thanksgiving and had a beautiful over-the-shoulder touchdown catch. After four weeks in a row scoring five or fewer fantasy points per game, he's scored double-digit points each of the last three weeks and caught a touchdown in consecutive weeks. Keenan Allen has had his two most productive weeks of the season over the last two weeks, and the best game of the year was on Thanksgiving, where he scored two touchdowns. Caleb Williams still has room to improve his accuracy, but his play is improving, and he is making his older receivers, Allen and Moore, startable in dynasty lineups again.

Joe Mixon

Mixon was the Texans' battering ram as they ground out the clock to win the game. He finished the game with 101 yards rushing on 20 carries and scored a touchdown earlier in the game. He's scored double-digit fantasy points in every week of the season but two and more than 20 points in five of the ten games he's played this season. He's revived his dynasty stock in Houston even at the age of 28.

Waiver Watch

Sincere McCormick

I mentioned McCormick in last week's waiver watch, but he was not picked up in most of my leagues. He had another decent showing in the Black Friday game, with 64 yards rushing on 12 carries. He'll continue to get more chances with Alexander Mattison and Zamir White injured. He's young and has a chance to prove himself and earn a permanent roster spot by the end of the season. He's the player I'd most like to add this week.

Calvin Austin

Austin is not targeted enough to be a consistent starter, but he has scored long touchdowns in consecutive weeks. Russell Wilson likes to throw the ball deep, and Austin has the speed to be his deep target. I'd consider picking him up in deep leagues since he's young and can create a more consistent role in the offense by the end of the season.

Juwan Johnson

Johnson will benefit most from Taysom Hill's injury. He's not necessarily the best player to add from a dynasty perspective, but he could help a tight-end-needy team for the last games of this season.

Dynasty Trades

Mike Evans <=======> 2026 2nd round pick

A team that decided to go into rebuild mode put Evans on the trading block and accepted this offer within an hour. The team that acquired Evans got stronger for his playoff push and will need Evans next week while Nico Collins is on a bye week. I think this move will help him make the playoffs. I'd prefer to have Evans rather than a second-round pick, whether I was rebuilding or contending. I'm confident that he has a few more productive years in him.

Jonathan Taylor <=======> Joe Mixon

This player-for-player trade is pretty even, but I'd prefer to have Taylor in dynasty leagues since he's three years younger. I do worry about Anthony Richardson stealing touchdowns from Taylor, but the age difference is still a big enough factor to prefer Taylor in this trade. The teams that made this trade are both contending for the last two spots in the playoffs, and they won their games this week since Taylor and Mixon played so well. Mixon is on a bye next week, so the team that added Mixon will miss him during a must-win week.

Week Twelve Review

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 06:00:00 -0600

Week twelve was a slow and low-scoring week, and many of the NFL games were blowouts. Thankfully, a few games ended in spectacular fashion. No matter how the games went this week, dynasty managers were on edge since the dynasty playoffs were approaching quickly. I'll be on edge tonight as many of my must-win games come down to the Monday Night Football game.

After following the Sunday games, here are my thoughts from a dynasty perspective.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

Saquon Barkley should be the NFL MVP and dynasty MVP this season. He's absolutely unbelievable. If you played against him this week, you likely lost handily, as managers with the leads against him saw their leads quickly erased on Sunday night. Barkley ripped off 70 and 72-yard touchdown runs Sunday night and had the most yards rushing in a single game in his long career with 255 yards rushing. He already has more than 1600 total yards on the year. He already has more rushing yards this year than in his incredible breakout rookie season. I quickly looked around my dynasty leagues, and Barkley is rostered on almost every first-place team. He's carrying the Eagles and dynasty managers, and it's incredible to watch.

Oh No!

The 49ers offense looked broken on Sunday. Every offense will look worse with a backup quarterback, but Kyle Shanahan has kept many teams productive with backup quarterbacks before. Shoot. Brock Purdy used to be one of those productive backups. Apart from George Kittle, every 49er player underperformed against the Packers, who destroyed them. After Brandon Allen was named the starter, I took Juaun Jennings out of most of my lineups and dropped Jake Moody for other kickers. I knew they'd have a rough day. No one would dare take Christian McCaffrey out of their lineups, but in hindsight, they wish they had this week. Kyle Shanahan does not have the magic this year. Dynasty managers need Purdy to get well, or they will see their playoff hopes shattered.

Ouch!

Gardner Minshew sustained the worst injury on Sunday, breaking his collar bone. He's now out for the season, giving Desmond Ridder or Aidan O'Connell a chance to prove they are worthy of being backup quarterbacks on an NFL team. For the sake of the few fantasy-relevant players on the Raiders, I hope O'Connell comes off the IR to lead the team, but that's uncertain at the point of this article. Ja'Tavion Sanders was carted off the field after a scary neck and head injury. He's said to be okay, but I assume he will miss a week or two. It's a shame because he was growing into an active role in the offense. Still, his future is bright. Carolina will turn to Tommy Tremble in the meantime.

Stock Up

Will Levis

Levis continues to throw terrible interceptions as he did on Sunday and gets sacked by waiting too long in the pocket, but he's improved in recent weeks and played perhaps the best game of his career on Sunday. He's getting better with his accuracy. Sunday, he completed 75% of his passes, bringing his season average up to 67%. What's more impressive about that is how many of his passes are deep balls. He had a season-high 11.6 yards per completion on Sunday. He has a gunslinger mentality, and it's paying off. Moreover, he is starting to show some leadership on the team, and players are playing hard for him as the Titans improve this season.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

We can finally say that the takeover has happened. JSN has firmly taken over the Tyler Lockett role. Not only that, he's now competing with D.K. Metcalf for the WR-1 role. He has scored 33.5, 16.8, 16.7 points per game in the last three games. Compare that to D.K. Metcalf's 10.5 and 7.6 the last two weeks (he did not play in the game three weeks ago). He's finally becoming what dynasty managers hoped he would become after drafting him early in the first round two years ago. Those who were patient with him are finally seeing the results, and things are looking up from here.

Michael Pittman

Pittman's stock has been falling this season as his involvement in the offense has declined and as Anthony Richardson continues to be inaccurate as a passer. Richardson was back to his old self this Sunday. Even so, he found ways to connect with Pittman more than he has all season. Richardson connected with Pittman on six of seven passes, whereas his completion percentage for other pass catchers was less than 50%. Their connection this week does not make me move Pittman far up my rankings, but it instills hope for his future.

Stock Down

Sam Laporta

Laporta continues to fall down dynasty rankings as his role in the Lions' offense continues to shrink, and he falters when he's given chances. He had a drop on a lap-up pass this week. While this could be said of most tight ends, he needs a touchdown to contribute in dynasty lineups. He's scored double digits just three times this season, and those were the only three games he scored a touchdown. He's only had one game with more than four catches. He has all the talent in the world, but he's not involved as much as he was in his rookie season. The offense has evolved, and they now have more weapons, so they don't need him like last year.

Deebo Samuel

It's hard to be too hard on Samuel a week after he played with a backup quarterback, but his productivity has fallen off this season, even with Brock Purdy on the field. He has just one touchdown catch this season. He's had less than five catches in all but three games this season. Dynasty managers thought he'd be a focal point of the offense given how long Christians McCaffrey was injured and Brandon Aiyuk lost for the season. He hasn't been. The 49ers passing game has run through George Kittle and Juaun Jennings instead. Samuel will likely become a free agent next season, and I don't think he will improve his play with a new team.

Rhamondre Stevenson

Stevenson started the season pretty hot, but he's since cooled off considerably. He's had a couple of lucky weeks scoring touchdowns in recent weeks, so he's looked okay when only considering his fantasy points. However, his play is far worse than his fantasy points suggest. His yards per carry over the last six weeks have been 2.6, 2.4, 1.6, 3.7, 3.6, and 1.6. He's looked like a slow and plotting back. I know his offensive line is among the worst in the league, but he's part of the problem too. The Patriots need to invest in the running back position next year, and they will have the draft capital to draft their future starters. Stevenson's fantasy productive days are nearer to the end than they are to the beginning.

Young Guns

Bucky Irving

Irving played like a superstar on Sunday, scoring the most fantasy points of the season with 24. He had a 56-yard run and a 32-yard reception. On each play, he was bobbed and weaved all over the field. He had more explosive plays than that, too. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry and 13.6 yards per catch on Sunday as he lit up the Giants. The Buccaneers still split up their backfield carries, but Irving is proving to be the best playmaker at running back. The Buccaneers have an easy schedule over the next few weeks. I am confident Irving will play well and carry dynasty teams into and through the playoffs. He's an every-week starter from here on out.

Jordan Addison

As frustrated as I am at Justin Jefferson's usage in recent weeks, I love seeing Addison prove that he's a weapon. Teams should not focus their defensive game plans on Jefferson alone. Addison had a massive day with several big plays, including a 69-yard catch and run. He had eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown. That's an average of 20.3 yards per catch. It was his highest-scoring game of the year, too. He's such a good route runner and finds ways to get open all over the field. He did an excellent job getting open in the endzone as Sam Darnold was scrambling around, getting himself open for a 2-yard touchdown catch. His production has been hit-and-miss this season, making it hard for him to trust in lineups every week, but he's scored a touchdown in three of the last four weeks and could help dynasty managers down the stretch this season.

Trey McBride

McBride continues to rack up fantasy points without scoring touchdowns. It's unbelievable that he's the year to score a touchdown, but he still remains among the top three scoring tight ends this season. Sunday was the best day of his season when he caught 12 passes for 133 yards. He's a monster on the field, presenting Kyler Murray with a huge target. He has excellent hands and is a powerful runner after the catch. He's a top-tier tight end in the dynasty and is as reliable as any tight end in the league. He averages 7.27 targets and 5.5 catches per game this season. That's more than Marvin Harrison and everyone else on the team.

Old-Man Strength

Tony Pollard

Pollard had his highest-scoring week of the season on Sunday, scoring 20.4 points. Every time the Titans have given him 17 or more carries this season, he's scored double-digits in fantasy points. For some reason, the Titans got away from Pollard the previous two weeks, giving him just nine carries in those two games. This week, with Tajae Spears in the concussion protocol, the Titans and dynasty managers were reminded how effective Pollard can be when he's fed. He had his second-most number of carries this season with 24, turning them into 119 yards and a touchdown. He had several explosive runs, including a long of 27. Dynasty managers who slotted him into their RB-2 slot this week loved what they got from him.

Keenan Allen

On Sunday, Allen looked like his old self when Caleb Williams peppered him with 15 targets. He turned them into nine catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. He looked athletic and explosive again on several catches, including one fantastic concentration catch that was barely overturned on instant reply. He's been hard to trust this season, but the Bears' offense has looked better the last two weeks since they fired their offensive coordinator. Maybe he can be a useful piece for playoff teams down the stretch, as he has done so many times before in his career.

Jaylen Waddle

Waddle's stock has fallen significantly this season as his role in the offense has diminished with how much Jonnu Smith and Devon Achane have been involved in the passing game. His involvement is still a major concern for me, but he was a focal point this week, even while Smith and Achane got theirs, too. He had the most targets this season with nine, and he caught eight passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. He had his best game of the season and his first double-digit scoring day since week one. I'm not confident he will get that many targets again this season, but it was nice to remember what he can do if they give him a bigger role again.

Waiver Watch

Noah Gray

Gray has four touchdowns in the last two weeks, two per week. It looks like he's the heir apparent to Travis Kelce, not Jared Wiley. Since the Chief's bye week, he's had 70% of the team tight end snaps, while Kelce has had just over 80% of the snaps. They're on the field together often, and Gray is getting more involved in the passing game. He's an excellent player to add to dynasty rosters if he wasn't added last week. I'd spend the rest of my season's FAAB on him if he's available.

Sincere McCormick

McCormick saw his first NFL action on Sunday when Zamir White and Alexander Mattison were injured. He only had five carries, but he turned them into 33 yards, which is 6.6 yards per carry. He was a very productive running back in college at the University of Texas San Antonio, but he went undrafted two years ago. Given his youth and the uncertainty at the running back position in Las Vegas, I'd like to add McCormick in a few leagues this week.

David Moore

Moore had a great game on Sunday, though it was mainly because Jalen Coker was inactive. That said, Adam Thielen was back for the first time this week, too, and he still had his most productive day in years. I'd only be interested in adding Moore in the deepest of leagues, but I'll add him to my watch list in all of my leagues.

Dynasty Trades

James Conner <=======> J.K. Dobbins, 2025 3rd round pick, and 2026 3rd round pick

A team in second place in my original Freek league added Conner to assist him in his playoff push. The team that got Dobbins and the two third-round picks in the trade is in second to last place and decided it was time to sell an older player for a younger one and get some picks to boot. This trade is fair for both teams, and it's a perfect example of a trade between a contender and a pretender at the trade deadline.

Christian McCaffrey and 2025 2nd round pick <=======> Tyrone Tracy and a 2025 1st round pick

A team in second place added McCaffrey to his roster to give his team a boost in his playoff run. The team willing to sell McCaffrey is in second to last place, so he was willing to give away one of his best players for a younger running back and a first-round pick. The second-round pick that he gave back in the trade was not his own. It is the team's second-round pick in first place, so it will be a pick at the end of the second round. The rebuilding team now has two first-round picks, which will be needed in his rebuild because he traded his first-round pick to my team. We're both rebuilding and have two first-round picks next year. We'll see if McCaffrey can get back to his old self and carry the contending team to a championship.

Roschon Johnson <=======> 2025 2nd round pick

Johnson's role in the Bears' offense has increased in recent weeks, and he's firmly taken over the role of goal-line back. That was enough to make him worth a second-round pick. The manager who added Johnson also has DeAndre Swift, so he now has the Bears' backfield locked up for the next few seasons. Johnson was buried on the depth chart of the team that traded him for a second-round pick, so he was willing to part with him for a second-round pick. This trade was a good one for both teams, but I'd prefer to have the second-round pick.

Week Eleven Review

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 06:00:00 -0600

It's almost time for the fantasy playoffs. That makes watching all of the NFL action on Sunday a little more nerve-racking. These last few weeks of the season will make or break dynasty teams, sneaking them into the playoffs or knocking them out. It was a fun Sunday to watch football. After following all the games, here are my takeaways from a dynasty perspective.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

I don't have a dynasty take to start this article. Instead, I have a humble brag. I was invited into the Scott Fish Bowl for the first time this year. I'm proud to say I won my league and will be in the playoffs next week! I finished the year 16-6 and in first place. I finished in the top 15% of all 4000 teams in scoring, which is important because your average weekly score gets added to your score in each playoff game. I'm sure I won't advance too far in the playoffs, but I am happy to have the chance. Winning the division and making the playoffs in my first year is awesome, so I had to take a minute to share my good news. Cheer me on!

Oh No!

Dynasty managers should learn to expect low-scoring games when Baltimore and Pittsburgh face off. I heard one commenter say that neither team has scored more than 20 points in their games against each other in several years. Pittsburgh has the Ravens' number, and this game was the lowest-scoring game of the season, with just 16 offensive points. It was Lamar Jackson's lowest-scoring fantasy week, as well as Derrick Henry's. Their dynasty manager can't complain, given how on fire they've been this season, but it was a gut punch this late in the season to see them underperform. For their part, the Steelers were stifled, too, and disappointed their dynasty managers. Russell Wilson had his first touchdown-less game. The only dynasty managers who left this game with smiles are the ones with Chris Boswell as their kicker. I have him on several rosters where he scored between 18 and 25 points, depending on the scoring system. Dynasty managers who want to eliminate kickers point to games like this as evidence.

Ouch!

There were not a lot of dynasty-relevant injuries on Sunday. Gabe Davis tore his meniscus, so he's likely out for several weeks, though dynasty managers were leaning on him this season. His injury gives Parker Washington another opportunity to play more, albeit in the hapless Jaguars offense.

Stock Up

Juaun Jennings

Jenings is the wide receiver one in San Francisco right now. He's Pudy's favorite target ahead of Deebo Samuel. He's taken over the lead role while Brandon Aiyuk is injured, and he's earning a permanent role in the future. The odds are that the 49ers will let Samuel go after this season, and Jennings will pair with Aiyuk as the starting receiver next season. He's held off Ricky Pearsall this season and can do so again next season. His stock is on the rise.

Josh Jacobs

When Jacobs was signed by the Packers this offseason, the coaching staff said they signed him to be their workhorse back. Given their history of rotating backs, I had a hard time believing them. We now know they meant what they said. They're feeding Jacobs the rock, and he's bounced back to his younger form of himself after a disappointing last year in Las Vegas. He's averaging 17.6 rushes per game this season. Dynasty managers love that. Backs averaging that many carries per game provide a safe floor week to week. He's a workhorse, and his dynasty stock is on the rise.

Jonnu Smith

Smith has quietly become a key component to the Dolphins offense this season. He's averaging five targets per game, which is more targets than Jaylen Waddle is receiving. He went nuts on Sunday with six catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns, including a 57-yard play where he outran the defensive backs. At the weak and perplexing tight-end position, he's become a serviceable starter this season. The 29-year-old scored the most fantasy points on Sunday than he's scored in his eight-year career. Even at his age, his stock is on the rise.

Stock Down

This week, these are not truly stock-down players. Their dynasty stock is still very high, but I wanted to mention their disappointing weeks, some of them consecutive weeks. These are more personal rants from me this week.

Kyren Williams

After scoring a touchdown in eight consecutive weeks, Williams has been shut out of the end zone for the last three weeks. In the previous two weeks, he's had the fewest amount of touches that he's had all season, with just 15 touches and no targets on Sunday. He was a cornerstone of many of my rosters, carrying me to victories early in the season, but he's been average at best the last three weeks. Hopefully, he will bounce back and help my teams in the playoffs.

Justin Jefferson

Jefferson's last two weeks have been the worst of the season. He's had plenty of targets in those games (9 and 8), but they've been mostly unproductive, at least for what his dynasty manager has come to expect from him. I only have Jefferson on one roster. Last year, he carried me to a championship. I will likely miss the playoffs this year because I needed him in a must-win game this week. Last week, the whole offense underperformed, and Sam Darnold had the worst game of his season, but this week, Darnold played great but just distributed the ball around a lot, and Jordan Addison got the big-play touchdown. Everyone has bad games, but Jefferson rarely does. It's disappointing that they came in must-win games for managers like me.

Terry McLaurin

My week got off to a bad start when one of my most rostered players, McLaurin, scored 1.5 fantasy points on Thursday night. For some reason, he only received two targets compared to the 6.6 target per game he's averaged this season. The Eagles' rookie DB, Quinyon Mitchell, got the best of McLaurin this week, ending McLaurin's eight-week streak of scoring double-digit fantasy points. He and Jefferson were on my roster in my must-win game, and I'm likely out of the playoff as a result.

Young Guns

Anthony Richardson

Richardson played the best game of his career on Sunday, and it was not because of his two rushing touchdowns. We all knew he could do that. This week, he improved as a passer, completing 66.7% of his passes. He was completing 44% of his passes in his previous starts. Whether the coaches changed the game plan or Richardson improved by taking a bench for the last two weeks, there was significant improvement in his quarterback play. Josh Allen improved as a passer and is now a top-tier dynasty quarterback, maybe I should not put it past Richardson to do the same. After all, this was only his 11th start of his career.

Bo Nix

Nix has rapidly improved this season and has proven to be an excellent NFL and fantasy quarterback. He had his first 300-yard passing day and completed a ridiculous 84.8% of his passes. Earlier this season, I traded him for Trevor Lawrence. I deeply regret that now. At least I have him on the other dynasty rosters. I've been starting him in my supeflex leagues, but this week I started him for the first time in a one-quarterback league, and his 32 fantasy points carried me to a victory. He's a streamable quarterback in one-quarterback leagues and is on his way to becoming an every-week starter.

Brock Bowers

Bowers went wild on Sunday with 13 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown. He set a record for the most catches in a game by a rookie in the history of the NFL. He's set the record for the most receiving yards by week ten of a rookie season. He's simply the best tight end to come out of the draft in a very long time, if not ever. Imagine if he played for a team with a good offense and a great quarterback. Bowers has neither, but it does not stop his production. No matter how high he was drafted in rookie drafts, dynasty managers are pleased to have him. If dynasty managers could redraft rookies now, he'd be right there in the conversation with Marvin Harrison and Malik Nabers for the top pick of the draft.

Old-Man Strength

Amon-Ra St. Brown

ASB is not quite an old man, but players in their second contract can be mentioned in this segment. ASB has scored a touchdown in eight consecutive weeks and had his highest-scoring game of the season this week, catching 11 passes on 11 targets for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He and Jared Goff have a mind meld. Before last week's game, they had completed 30 passes in a row, and this week, they kept a new streak alive, going 11 for 11. What a duo!

Tysom Hill

He's the most annoying player in fantasy football, but he's an excellent football player. This game was the most ridiculous game he's had in a while. He threw for 18 yards, had eight catches for 50 yards, and ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yarder. He scored 37.7 half-PPR points and was likely on the bench in most dynasty leagues. You never know when Hill is going to go off like this, but he can at any time. This 34-year-old is the definition of old man strength.

Jerry Jeudy

Jeury is only 25 years old, but he's on his second team and second contract. He came alive for the first time with the Browns, scoring 23 fantasy points on Sunday, which is more than he has scored in a game since week 14 in 2022. It was the third-highest-scoring game of his five-year career. Jameis Winston has brought the Browns' passing game to life. He threw for 395 yards on Sunday. This week, Jeudy benefited more than Cedric Tillman. Many analysts predicted a breakout game for Jeudy this week. Dynasty managers brave enough to put him in their starting lineups were rewarded, though most managers in my leagues were not brave enough to do so. We'll see if he can earn his way back into their trust.

Waiver Watch

Tommy Devito

Devito has been named the new starter in New York and could help dynasty rosters in superflex leagues, especially if one of their starting quarterbacks is injured. He's the top player to add in superflex leagues this week, given the magic he had for a short time last season.

Davis Allen

I had already written my article before last Monday night's game, or I would have had Davis as my top player to add last week. On Monday night, it was evident that he had taken the starting tight-end role from Colby Parkinson. In that game, he played 56 snaps compared to Parkinson's 11. It was a little closer this Sunday, but Allen still outsnapped Parkinson 34 to 19. Even though Parkinson had a touchdown on his lone target and Allen was not targeted, Allen has taken the lead role for the Rams and could permanently take the job in the future. I added him in many leagues last week. If he's still available, I'd add him in more this week.

Foster Moreau

Moreau has led the team in tight-end snaps the last four weeks in a row and has become a big part of the passing game since Chris Olave was placed on IR. He caught three of four targets on Sunday for 50 yards. His role will increase until Olave gets back, and if he continues to play well, he could carve out a permanent starting role for the future by the end of the season. He's worth adding to rosters this week.

Dynasty Trades

Blake Corum and Rasheed Shaheed <=======> Tank Bigsby and a 2024 4thround pick

I made this trade in a league where I have Kyren Williams on my roster. I have been trying to acquire Courm all season to secure the Rams backfield for the years to come. The other manager is in first place and has Travis Etienne, so he was interested in Bigsby for the same reason. He first offered Bigsby for Corum straight up, but I was unwilling to accept that, given what Bigsby has proven this season. I asked that he add Shaheed to the deal, which was a pretty big ask, so he asked me to throw in a 4th round pick, and we found a deal. This trade won't impact either of our teams this year unless our starting running backs get injured, but it will help both teams in the future. I'm a proponent of handcuffing running backs if the team is successful running the ball and both players are talented.

Deebo Samuel <=======> George Kittle

Two 6-4 teams and 2nd and 3rd in the rankings made this trade for their teams' needs. One team was weaker at tight end and the other at wide receiver. The team willing to sell Kittle has Cade Otton for his post-season run but needs to improve at receiver, especially with Tee Higgins's injury and CeeDee Lamb's quarterback situation. He was desperate enough to give up the top-scoring tight end for Samuel. I think he gave up too much. The team that got Kittle is loaded at wide receiver and often has Samuel on his bench week to week, so he was happy to give Samuel for Kittle for his playoff run. Both teams helped their teams for the rest of this season, but Kittle is the best player for their teams' future. Samuel will likely not be with the 49ers next year, and I doubt he will play as well when he's in another offensive system.

Kareem Hunt <=======> 2025 3rd round pick

A team in last place wisely put Hunt on the trading back, and a team vying for a playoff spot gave up a third-round pick to help them in their playoff push. I would have liked to get a second-round pick back, but if that's the best offer he could get, it's still worth getting something back for next year. Hunt's leading role is coming to an end soon, and his dynasty value will fall off again after Isiah Pacheco returns. If he can help his new manager win a few games at the end of the season, he'll be worth a third-round pick for a chance in the playoffs.

David Montgomery and Darnell Mooney <=======> Michael Pittman and a 2025 1st round pick

The same team that acquired Hunt for his playoff run added two more players, Montgomery and Mooney, to give him even more power at the end of this season. Mooney is one of the year's biggest surprises and is the 8th highest-scoring wide receiver in this league. He's been amazingly consistent, too. Montgomery will help his roster when Kareem begins to lose time to Pacheco. The team that got Pittman and the first-round pick is rebuilding, and now he has two first-round picks and two second-round picks in his rebuilding efforts, so I like what he accomplished in the trade, too. All of that said, when making trades to help in a playoff push, you must also look at the team at the top of the league and consider if the players you add are enough to make you team competitive against the top team. I am the top team in this league and have scored 230 more points this season than the team that made these two trades. These trades may help him get into the playoffs, but I doubt they will help him beat my team in the playoffs.

Week Ten Review

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 06:00:00 -0600

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Week Nine Review

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 06:00:00 -0600

Week nine in the NFL is over. Sadly, it was a terrible week for my fantasy teams, but watching all the games and cheering on my dynasty teams was still fun.

It's the time of year when you have to decide if your team is a contender or a pretender. Judging by the amount of trades made in my leagues this week, people have made up their minds about their teams. It was a fun week of trading. Speaking of trades, let's talk about some trades that the NFL teams made before today's trade deadline.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

Four dynasty-relevant trades have already taken place. Davante Adams was traded to the Jets a few weeks ago, and he had his first breakout game on Thursday night. Adams is in the last years of his career, but the move to play with Aaron Rodgers and the Jets gave his dynasty value a slight boost compared to his value on the Raiders. Adams is the perfect player for tanking teams to trade away and for competitive teams to buy. He'll have a very productive end of the season. He has two years left on his contract, so if Aaron Rodgers continues to play for the Jets, he can remain a valuable dynasty asset beyond this year. Amari Cooper scored a touchdown in his first game as a Buffalo Bill, but he's been injured and has hardly played since his first game. The Bills receivers have played well without Cooper, and their youngest players, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman, have been improving. I think the competition and youth in Buffalo hamper Cooper's long-term dynasty value if he were to stay with the Bills beyond this season. He's in the last year of his contract, so he's more likely to sign with another team next year. Hopefully, he can get back on the field and help dynasty managers this season, but his dynasty value dips as a result of this trade. DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Chiefs, where he will attempt to play the Rashee Rice role. He's lost a step,p but he still has the size and savvy to be productive this season. He gets a huge quarterback upgrade compared to what he had in Tennessee. Even so, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense spreads the ball around too much to make Hopkins a star. Unfortunately, he fits the role they need in the offense and will help the team more than dynasty managers. He has one more year on his contract unless the Chiefs void it. When Rashee Rice returns next season along with Marquise Brown, the depth chart will be too crowded for 33-year-old Hopkins. The trade I liked least was Diontae Johnson going to Baltimore. Zay Flowers has turned into an alpha receiver and the focal point of their offense. Beyond him, the ball gets spread around too much to make anyone reliably productive. Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson are dominant in the run game, making the WR-2 in Baltimore a pretty irrelevant player in fantasy. I love the player, but Johnson's landing spot was not ideal. His dynasty value takes a hit with the Ravens, but he'll be a free agent again at the end of this season and could rebound if he signs with a different team.

Oh No!

After starting off 2-0 and crushing their first two opponents, the Saints are on a seven-game losing streak, and they're taking dynasty teams down with them. After losing to the Panthers on Sunday, they fired their head coach and one of the more likely teams to trade away players at the trade deadline. Alvin Kamara is still the one bright spot from a fantasy perspective. He's their only weapon since they lost Rasheed Shaheed for the season and will lose Chris Olave for at least four weeks after his terrible concussion on Sunday. Bub Means is on IR, too, leaving Mason Tipton and Marquez Valdes-Scantling as the next guys up. The Saints use all three of their tight ends, making none reliable for dynasty managers, including Tysom Hill, who played again this week and vultured a goal-line touchdown run from Kamara again. Apart from Kamara, who could become the team's top-targeted player in the passing game, there are no Saints worth starting in dynasty lineups for the rest of this season. They got beat by the worst team in the league on Sunday and have now become the worst team in the NFL.

Ouch!

I already mentioned Olave's injury. I believe he will be placed on IR since it's his second concussion of the year, and he's had concussions before. The Saints will tank for the rest of the season, so they may not even allow him to play for the rest of the year. Drake London injured his hip on his touchdown catch on Sunday or perhaps on the silly celebration he did afterward. Reports indicate it was not a big deal, and he should be back soon if not next week. A.J. Brown injured his knee and did not play in the second half of the game on Sunday. He's scheduled for an MRI, but the team does not think it's serious. It doesn't qualify for an "ouch" segment, but Puka Nacua threw a punch at a defender and was kicked out of the game for it. I only mention him here so that I can say that one of my lineups rolled out London, Olave, and Nacua as my starters this week. That did not go well for me. Dynasty managers with Olave, Nacua, London, or Brown were unsuccessful this week. I had one or more of them in my starting lineups in seven of my nine dynasty leagues, and I lost the game in five of those seven. Injuries are the worst!

Stock Up

Quentin Johnston

I never thought I would write this, but Johnston dynasty stock is rising. He started the season pretty hot but has been completely quiet since week three. Sunday was the most productive game of his young career. He scored 20 fantasy points while catching four of five targets for 188 yards and a touchdown. What's more surprising is that he was second on the team in wide receiver snaps behind Ladd McConkey. It's hard to know if that was a choice specific to the game plan against the Browns or if Johnston's role will permanently increase, but we'll find out in the coming weeks. In the last few weeks, the Chargers have also opened up the passing game. Johnston can earn a bigger piece of the pie and redeem his first-round rookie draft value.

Zay Flowers

Flowers is an outstanding football player. He's so shifty and fun to watch. For the second time this season, he had more than 100 yards receiving before halftime. His 53-yard touchdown catch was amazing as he slipped out of the grasp of several tacklers and outran everyone to the endzone. He's become Lamar Jackson's top target this year, a role Mark Andrews had forever. The Ravens have drafted and traded for wide receivers since they drafted Lamar Jackson, but none of them grew into the alpha receivers they wanted. They finally found their man in Flowers. He's an alpha, and his dynasty stock is on the rise.

Devon Achane

Achane is the RB-1 and the WR-1 for Miami. It's incredible what he's doing on the field this season. He led the team in carries and catches this week. He had another touchdown run and catch on Sunday. When healthy, he's unstoppable. I'm not sure any coach would know how to use him this way other than Mike McDaniel, but he sure knows how to play to his talents. Achane is one of my biggest misses in his rookie class. Several times, I drafted Zack Charbonnet ahead of him. It's one of my biggest, most recent regrets. He's a superstar.

Stock Down

Tyreek Hill

One of the most shocking things this season has been Tyreek Hill's lack of productivity. It made sense when Tua was injured, and backups were passing the ball to him, but since Tua has been back, he's had about the same amount of production as he had with the backups. He's not played terribly. He's scored ten fantasy points in each of the last two weeks with Tua, but his dynasty managers are used to game-winning performances from him on almost a weekly basis. Unbelievably, he's scored just one touchdown this season, and that was week one. I don't think he's over the hill yet, but his dynasty stock is moving in the wrong direction this season.

Keenan Allen

Allen has had only one good game this season. He's suffering from terrible quarterback play from Caleb Williams and his inaccuracy, but it's not just Williams' problem. Allen's play has fallen off, too. Rome Odunze's production is ramping up at the expense of Allen's. Dynasty managers knew this would happen, but many did not expect it to happen so soon. I was able to trade away all but one of my shares of Allen over the last two years. I got out at just the right time, which is sad because he's one of my favorite receivers.

Young Guns

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

I was very concerned last week when JSN did not take advantage of the increased workload in the offense when D.K. Metcalf was injured. I was more concerned midway through the first half of Sunday's game when he was struggling again. In fact, during the game, I have a sheet of paper where I write down the names of players that are candidates for this article. I just started to write down JSN as a stock-down player when he scored his first touchdown. After that, he was off to the races and had the highest-scoring fantasy day of his young career, scoring 33 points. Seattle and his dynasty managers expected this kind of play after drafting him in the first round. Hopefully, he can build upon this performance and become a top-tier dynasty receiver by the end of the season. He and D.K. Metcalf can both be productive for the Seahawks and could become one of the top receiving duos in the NFL if he improves.

Xavier Legette

I was higher on Legette than most dynasty managers, so he was one of my most drafted rookies this year. While he's yet to have a blowup game, he's becoming a reliable red-zone threat. All four of his touchdown catches this year were from eight or fewer yards out. His big body makes him a perfect weapon in the red zone and that's how the Panthers are using him. They, too, like to see his galloping celebration dance. His workload has increased since Diontae Johnson was traded, and he'll continue to develop this season, even with poor quarterback play. If somehow Bryce Young figures things out or the Panthers draft a new quarterback, Legette will look even better.

Drake Maye

Maye had the play of the day on Sunday when he scrambled around for eleven seconds before tossing up a game-tying touchdown pass. Maye was the Patriots' entire offense. He led the team in rushing with 95 yards and 206 yards passing. He threw two interceptions including the one that cost them the game in overtime, but the kid has fight and he can play. He's become a reliable starter in one quarterback league because of his consistency running the ball. He's scored 17 or more points in three of his first four starts in the NFL. It's evident in watching him that he has what it takes to be a productive NFL quarterback. If the Patriots surround him with better weapons in the coming years, his dynasty value will soar.

Old-Man Strength

Justin Herbert

The Chargers jumped on the Browns early with two long touchdown passes from Herbert. They took their foot off the gas in the second half, or Herbert could have had an even bigger game. He broke his recent streak of scoring more fantasy points week after week, but that's only because the game was so out of hand. Still, he scored 22 points and is back to being a viable starter in dynasty lineups. Herbert is one of my most rostered quarterbacks. Headed into the year, I was down on him because I expected the Chargers scheme to be run first, and his receivers were so unproven. Over the last four weeks, the offense has opened up, and they are passing more at the same time that Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston start to break out. My hopes for Herbert impacting my lineups are renewed as a result.

Courtland Sutton

After a catchless game two weeks ago, the Broncos corrected their mistake and have fed Sutton the last two weeks. Last week, it was in a winning effort. This week, it was in a losing effort. Either way, Sutton got the ball a lot. On Sunday, he got 30% of the target share as the Broncos tried to come back against the Ravens. While the Broncos keep throwing out different wide receiver combinations in an attempt to find a WR-2. Sutton is their alpha WR-1 and was on the field for 85% of the snaps. He went over 100 yards for the second week in a row and threw a touchdown pass to Bo Nix in this game. He showed his old-man strength in several ways on Sunday.

Saquon Barkley

What more can be said about Barkley? He's playing as well as he did in his first few seasons in the league. He's unbelievable. He had a fantastic catch on a wheel route for a touchdown that most running backs would have dropped. He had a season-high number of carries at 27 yards and 159 yards. He's becoming Derrick Henry, like at the end of games when the Eagles have the lead. They just let him pound the other team into submission. If you didn't see the ridiculous backward huddle jump, you have to look it up. It was one of the craziest jumps I've ever seen. The old man still has fight in him, and he took Jacksonville defenders to the shed this week.

Waiver Watch

Ray-Ray McCloud

If Drake London misses time with his injury, McCloud will become the WR-2 behind Darnell Mooney. He caught three passes and one for a touchdown on Sunday after London left the game. He's been an active part of the offense all season, which is why he's rostered in most deep leagues, but he's still available in many of my 10-team leagues. He'd only be startable in weeks where many other receivers are on bye, but there are a lot of four-team bye weeks coming up in the next few weeks.

Mason Tipton

Tipton added the Saints in wide receiver snaps on Sunday after Olave left the game. He didn't have a catch, but he was on the field the most. He will be again in the weeks ahead until Olave or Bub Means returns. He's a complete dart throw, but he is a rookie, and if he comes out of nowhere to hit big, he would be the cheapest waiver wire find a dynasty manager can get. He'll get the chance to succeed or fail.

Jordan Mims

Mims backed up Alvin Kamara on Sunday while Jamaal Williams was out. If Williams' injury lingers, Mims will keep the backup role. He may even see his role increase if the Saints tank and protect Alvin Kamara from injury. He's a second-year player the Saints have held onto for a year, so they like something about him. You know it's a thin waiver wire week when the last two players I list are New Orleans Saints.

Dynasty Trades

C.J. Stroud and Nick Chubb <=======> Jonathan Brooks and a 2025 1stround pick

I like to start with trades I have made, and this is one I accepted when offered to me. My team is in complete rebuild mode, and a competitive team offered me this trade. I was pleased to accept it, given my rebuild status. It's a one-quarterback league that is transitioning to superflex in 2027. His starter was Anthony Richardson, who just got benched, so he wanted a top-tier quarterback and an older running back for an unproven player and a first-round pick. I smashed accept because this trade fits right into my rebuild plans. I picked up a player I would have drafted in the first round last year and another first-round pick next year, giving me four first-round draft picks, three second-round, and two third-round draft picks in 2025. My weakness is at the running back position, so getting Brooks and another first-round draft pick makes me confident I can bolster that position in next year's rookie draft. With four first-round picks, I can also add a quarterback to prepare me for our future transition to superflex. Stroud has been struggling this year compared to last year and has not helped his team as a starter this week. Still, he's a top-tier dynasty quarterback, one I will need to replace with my many draft picks. We'll see if this move can better prepare him for a playoff run this season.

Pierre Strong <=======> 2025 3rd round pick

The same manager who acquired Chubb in the previous trade added Pierre Strong to his team, which already rostered D'Onta Foreman to solidify the Browns' backfield for the rest of the season, sans Jerome Ford. I think it was unnecessary, but he was willing to give up a third-round pick to get some security. I would have gladly traded Strong for a third-round pick.

Brandon Aiyuk <=======> Khalil Shakir

In this ten-team league where only four teams make the playoffs, teams tied for third place made this unique player-for-player trade. One team needed the up-and-coming receiver, Shakir, after his breakout week and was willing to give up the future upside of the injured Aiyuk, who will miss the rest of the year. Given Aiyuk's new contract with the 49ers, I much prefer the Aiyuk side of this trade. Shakir has become Josh Allen's primary target this year, but Keon Coleman's role is growing. I'm not confident that Shakir will have a long-term future with the Bills, but I am sure Aiyuk will with the 49ers. I like the Aiyuk side of this player-for-player trade.

J.K. Dobbins and David Njoku <=======> DeAndre Hopkins

In the same ten-team league where only four teams make the playoffs, teams tied for third place made this unique player-for-player trade. A tight-end needy team added Njoku and Dobbins to prepare for their playoff run where a team whose wide receiver depth is decent took a chance on adding Hopkins to be his crucial piece in a playoff run. The team that traded for Hopkins has a lot of running back and tight end depth, but I still think he gave away too much for Hopkins. His team did not need the wide receiver depth to give away Njoku and Dobbins. The team that received Dobbins was terribly weak at the tight end, but they were glad to get Njoku and another piece for Hopkins. I favor their side of the trade. Hopkins could surprise me and become the WR-1 in Kanas City for the rest of the season, but I'd be very surprised if he does.

Terry McLaurin <=======> Michael Pittman and 2025 1stand 2nd round picks

This trade was made between the defending champion, whose team is loaded, and the second-to-last-place team, who decided it was time to rebuild. The champ was willing to give a troubling prospect and two picks to level up for McLaurin, who is poised to have the best year of his career. This trade is perfectly reasonable for both teams. The defending champ got a weekly starter for his lineup, and the rebuilding team got an asset with the opportunity to grow and two future picks. McLaurin is older, but he's finally got a stud quarterback to make the backend of his career more productive than the first. Pittman could benefit the rest of this season now that Joe Flacco has been made the starter, but his future is uncertain if the Colts still believe Anthony Richardson is their future starter. Still, he's a player worth taking a risk on while getting back a first and second-round pick.

Cooper Kupp and a 2025 3rd round pick <=======> 2025 1stround pick

The last-place team at the bottom of this league is in rebuild mode and gave up Kupp for a first-round pick to help in his rebuilding efforts. He did a similar trade last week, so he has set his sights on rebuilding. The team on the Kupp side of the trade is in sixth place and fighting for the last playoff spot. He must hope that Kupp will put him over the edge. At least he got a third-round pick back to hedge his bets. Given Kupp's age and the unlikeliness that a sixth-place team will make a run to the championship, I like the rebuilding team's side of this trade. I don't think Kupp is worthy of a first-round draft pick any longer, but I'll admit he could prove me wrong if he goes on a tear to end the season.

Week Eight Review

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Week eight in the NFL was a blast! Fantasy scores went through the roof with no bye weeks and every team playing. Much of the scoring was from tight ends, who scored 17 touchdowns on national tight end day. The games were awesome, too. The end of the first slate of games was a blast, with games coming down to the wire. The Red Zone channel bounced back and forth between them all, giving viewers a crazy ride during the last thirty minutes of the opening slate. We also got to witness a successful Hail Mary at the end of the afternoon slate of games. It was a great day to watch football!

After following all of the games this week, here are some of my dynasty takeaways.

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

Dynasty managers greatly benefited from a team that got its starters back. On Thursday night, the Rams got Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back, and their offense exploded because of it. Kyren Williams got his obligatory touchdown, Kupp caught a touchdown, and Nacua had 106 yards receiving while only playing 50% of the snaps. Matt Stafford had his best fantasy week of the year with four touchdown passes. Everything is better with Kupp and Nacua back. Kupp showed a little more rust than Nacua, but he still found ways to get open. Nacua had plays designed for him, and he looked 100% back to his 2023 self. We expected Kupp back this week, but Nacua was a big late surprise. Dynasty managers who had the courage to put him in their lineups even though they announced that his snaps would be limited were rewarded. I hedged my bets. I started Nacua in two of my leagues, where I was confident that he would outperform another wide receiver even with half the snaps. Sadly, I felt I had a solid enough roster in three leagues not to take the chance. I paid the price for that. Even so, I'm pleased to have my most-rostered play back in my starting lineups as I make a run toward the playoffs. He's one of my favorite players to watch, and I'm so pleased he's back.

Oh No!

The Chicago Bears' offense is officially on the struggle bus, and they brought down most of their players this week. Chicago could not move the ball against Washington. Caleb Williams looked awful, completing just 42% of his passes. His terrible play led to minimal production for D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet. Moore did not have a catch until late in the second half and was visibly frustrated. The Bears were shut out until 43 seconds left in the third quarter, when they needed a 56-yard run by Swift to score. They needed a big play because they could not string together first downs to score. Common wisdom said that after Williams's very productive games in weeks five and six, he figured things out, and by week seven, he would take the league by storm as Jayden Daniels did from game one. He sure didn't this week. Daniels clearly won the top-two-picks quarterback battle on Sunday.

Ouch!

The entire Jacksonville receiving corps spent time on the sideline in this game. They all got dinged up in different ways. While most of them will likely return to action next week, Christian Krik will not. He fractured his collarbone on Sunday and will miss the remainder of the season. His absence will lead to increased targets for Evan Engram while Brian Thomas and Gabe Davis keep their roles on the outside. It also opens the door for Parker Washington to get playing time in the slot. I don't think Kirk's absence will hurt the offense too much.
Stefon Diggs left the game with an injury. While we don't know the severity at the time of this article, it looks pretty serious. For this week, a short week for Houston, Tank Dell will be the WR-1, and Xavier Hutchinson will fill in for Diggs. Hopefully, Nico Collins can return the week after that. The Texans offense will be hurt with Diggs gone. They'll do best to run the offense through Joe Mixon until Collins gets back.
We also do not know the severity of Jordan Love's injury, but we do know that the passing game is not nearly as productive when he is out. Malik Willis helped the Packers win two games when Love missed time earlier in the season, but he did not help dynasty managers with Packers pass catchers. Their offense will take a hit without Love, especially in the passing game.

Stock Up

Chase Brown

Brown is still splitting time with Zack Moss, but he's consistently scoring more fantasy points each week. He has five touchdowns this season, while Moss has two and has not scored since week three. The coaching staff's trust in Brown is growing, and he's earning a bigger role. His dynasty stock is on the rise as a result.

Cade Otton

Otton is a huge part of the Buccaneers' offense and is on the same page with Baker Mayfield. He's the third most targeted tight end in the league this year and is fifth in tight end catches. Often, tight ends take years to become productive in fantasy. He's among the most productive this year and has become a reliable starter in dynasty lineups.

Darnell Mooney

Mooney outperformed Drake London again this week, and he has a few times this year. Kirk Cousins trusts him, and his play on the field this season merits a big move up in dynasty rankings. I figured he'd play third fiddle in the passing game in Atlant behind London and Kyle Pitts, or maybe even fourth fiddle behind Bijan Robinson, but he's received a 22% target share this season. I never saw that coming, but it's true. His dynasty stock must adjust accordingly.

Stock Down

Ja'Lynn Polk

Polk missed this week with an injury, but he's played plenty of snaps with the starters this season and has yet to have even a decent game from a fantasy perspective. Kayshon Boutte has taken an unexpectedly dominant role on the team and has overtaken Polk on the depth chart and targets. When drafted early in the second round, dynasty managers assumed he'd quickly rise to the top of the Patriots' weak depth chart, but he has not. His dynasty stock is falling with each passing week as a result.

Michael Pittman

Pittman is more talented than his production on the field. He just has one of the most inaccurate quarterbacks I have ever seen. He was targeted six times on Sunday and only caught one ball. He's unreliable as a starter until the Colts move to Joe Flacco, and his dynasty stock will fall until then. I can't see it improving much if the Colts are committed to Anthony Richardson as their future.

Jordan Addison

I hate to move Addison down my rankings, but I think it's time to do so. I expected him to be a true WR-2 in this offense behind Justin Jefferson but to receive as many targets as a lot on WR-1s on other teams, given that Minnesota passes the ball so much. This year, however, it's not happening. He's only had more than four targets once this season. T.J. Hockenson will return soon, if not this week, and will take even more of the Vikings' targets. Jordan is not a safe start in dynasty lineups anymore.

Young Guns

Bo Nix

Nix looked pretty terrible at the start of the season. I even traded him away in one of the three leagues where I have him. Now, I kind of want him back. I started him for the first time this week in a superflex league because I thought he would smash against the Carolina defense. He completed a season-high 75% of his passes, so he's improving on his accuracy issues. He had a season-high three touchdown passes, racking up fantasy points through the air this week instead of on the ground. Coach Peyton's plans are working, Nix is developing, and the Broncos are 5-3 and in playoff contention. It's no longer just their defense that is keeping them in games. They've scored 33 and 38 points in the last two weeks. Nix is improving.

Ladd McConkey

McConkey has his best game of the season and is fast becoming Justin Herbert's favorite target. He caught all six of his targets and turned them into 111 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown was an excellent catch and run for 60 yards. The second was an excellent red-zone catch over the top of a defensive back. McConkey has picked up the offense, and he and Herbert showed that they were on the same page on Sunday. Herbert had his most productive week of the season and has scored more fantasy points than the previous week for three weeks in a row. They're opening up the offense and the passing game more now.

Cedric Tillman

Tillman is a year-two breakout candidate. All he needed was an Amari Cooper trade and a quarterback change to get him started. In the last two weeks, he was targeted more than he had been in any game during his rookie year. He had twelve targets a week ago and nine this week. He scored 25 fantasy points on his seven catches and two touchdowns. He went from being the top guy on dynasty waiver wires last week to a considerable starter next week. He could become the best waiver wire addition of the season. What a find if you got him. I outbid managers for him in two of my leagues but got outbid in the other seven leagues. I now wish I had bid even more!

Old-Man Strength

Jameis Winston

Winston led the Browns to the biggest upset victory of the week, leading the Browns on a game-winning drive against the Ravens. In his first start in years, he threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He made a few mistakes, including an interception that was dropped the play before he threw the game-winning touchdown pass. In one game, he resurrected his dynasty value from the dead. Winston was one of the most fun quarterbacks to roster back when he played for the Buccaneers. He threw a lot of interceptions, but he always racked up fantasy points. I'd love to see this old man do it again this year.

D'Andre Swift

Caleb Williams may have had a terrible game and brought down the Bears's offense with him, but Swift did everything he could to keep the Bears in the game. I was never high on Swift from a dynasty perspective, and I did not think his move to Chicago would help him, but I have to admit that I was wrong. He's played really well this season, and his dynasty stock is on the rise again. He had 18 carries for 138 yards on Sunday, including a tightrope run down the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown. The Bears gave Roschon Johnson the goal-line carry for a touchdown, so Swift will miss those opportunities this season, but he's a big play waiting to happen on the rest of his touches. He's quietly scored 26, 19, 20, and 19 fantasy points in the last four games, with a touchdown in each. He's showing old man strength on with his third NFL team.

George Kittle

As a 31-year-old, Kittle is the top-scoring tight end this season, and he went nuts again on Sunday night. He scored 22 fantasy points after catching six passes for 138 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys. He'll continue to be a focus of the passing game since Brandon Aiyuk is lost for the season, making this old man a possible league winner this season. He has received 20% of the 49ers' target share this season. I imagine he will get even more when the 49ers return from their bye week.

Waiver Watch

Xavier Hutchinson

Hutchinson will see his role increase significantly if Stefon Digg's injury is serious. He had a tremendous collegiate career. I watched him tear up my Longhorns several times. When Houston drafted him, I was hopeful that he could produce, but he never climbed the depth chart to see playtime and the depth chart got harder to ascend after the Texans added Diggs and Dell and Nico Collins broke out. Now is his best chance to see the field and prove he can earn a role in the future. I already added him to a few of my teams after Collins was placed on IR. I'd like to add him to my other rosters this week.

Lil' Jordan Humphrey

Humphrey was second on the team in wide receiver snaps with 60% behind Courtland Sutton, who had 84%. He was also second on the team in targets with six. He did not do much with them, catching four passes for just 22 yards, but he was on the field more than Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, and Marvin Mims. The Broncos' wide receiver depth chart is wide open after Courtland Sutton and the Broncos are experimenting with roles and packages. Humphrey has as good a chance to secure the WR-2 roles as any of the younger receivers. He's a player I'd like to add to several rosters while I wait to see if he can hold off the younger guys.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Westbrook-Ikhine led the Titans in wide receiver snaps with 92%. He and Calvin Ridley are the Titans' top two receivers now that DeAndre Hopkins was traded to Kansas City. He only received four targets on Sunday but turned them into two catches and a touchdown. Ikhine will not get near the number of targets as Ridley, but he'll become the WR-2 on a team playing catch-up in most of their games. He's a player worth adding this week in deep leagues.

Dynasty Trades

Jared Goff, 2025 1st round pick, and 2026 2nd round pick <=======> Jordan Love and Deebo Samuel

A second-place team was willing to give up two high picks and Goff for Love and Deebo. He thought the increased workload from Deebo after the Aiyuk injury would give him the boost he needed in his playoff run, and he must like Love far more than Goff. It was a bold move, but I think he gave up too much for Deebo and a swap of quarterbacks. I have Love ranked 8th in my quarterback rankings and Goff 15th, but the gap between those two is closer than they look by their rankings. I'd rather have a first-round pick than Deebo, who is too inconsistent to confidently look for him to be a winning piece in a playoff run. The team that received Goff and the picks is in last place, so I like what he did to improve his team in the future.

Week Seven Review

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Surprise!

Week seven was full of explosive games for running backs. The running out produced wide receivers and quarterbacks by far this week. Saquon Barkley scored 26 fantasy points, Joe Mixon 26, Kenneth Walker 22, Kareem Hunt 21, and Kyren Williams 20. They carried the day for most of their dynasty managers. Barkley's revenge game against his former squad was fun to watch. He ran for 176 yards and one touchdown, and he could have run for much more had the Eagles not pulled him from the game once their win was secure. The Eagles dominated the game on the run so severely that Hurts only attempted 14 passes. Joe Mixon was the only effective part of the Houston offense in Green Bay. He ran for 115 and two touchdowns while C.J. Stroud threw for just 86 yards. Kyren Williams scored twice this week and continued his consecutive touchdown streak to nine games in a row. The Rams's passing game struggled, but their defense and running game helped them win the game. Kareem Hunt also scored two touchdowns in a game where Patrick Mahomes was ineffective in the passing game. Kenneth Walker had a modest game as far as yards rushing and receiving, but he also scored two touchdowns, including one very difficult touchdown catch, giving Geno Smith his first game of the season with more than one touchdown pass. It was a great week for these top tier running backs who carried dynasty managers to many wins this week.

Oh, No!

Two fantasy-producing passing games were surprisingly silent this week. C.J. Stroud and the Texans's passing game was stymied by the Packers's defense on Sunday, giving Stroud and his pass catchers the worst outing of the season. Stroud threw for just 86 yards, Tank Dell did not have a single catch, and Stefon Digg's five receptions totaled just 23 yards. Stroud was under pressure all day and was sacked four times. I'm sure the Texans passing game will bounce back from this, but the loss of Nico Collins affects the passing game more than dynasty managers thought it would. Similarly, the Chiefs's defense smothered the 49ers's passing game. Brock Purdy racked up yards late in garbage time, but his three interceptions put the team in a huge hole early, and they did not have the firepower to get back into the game. It did not help that Deebo Samuel left the game with an illness, Brandon Aiyuk left after injuring his knee, and Juwan Jennings was inactive. That left George Kittle as the only answer in the passing game. The Texans and 49ers passing games struggled this week, and dynasty managers should expect less production than they did earlier in the seasons, especially given their wide receiver injuries.

Ouch!

Cleveland fans may have gotten their wish in a sad and terrible way. Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles on Sunday, will miss the rest of the season, and may be done for his career. Prior to the game, the team announced that Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) moved ahead of Jameis Winston on the depth chart, and he was the next guy up. He got banged up, too, giving Winston some reps at the end of the game. To be honest, either of them is an improvement to Watson, so I think they will help Brown's players from a fantasy perspective for the rest of this season. Brandon Aiyuk likely tore his ACL, ending his season. His absence gives Juwan Jennings a significant boost for the rest of this season and opens the door for rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing to see more playing time. George Kittle will be the biggest benefactor, though. Hopefully, D.K. Metcalf and Jayden Daniels's injuries appear to be minor, so they will not miss any time.

Stock Up

Nick Chubb

It was so fun to see Chubb back on the field and to see him score a touchdown in front of the home crowd. Chubb has long been one of my favorite players in the league, and I believe he can come back from this injury and become a reliable fantasy starter for a few more years. He led the team in carries in his first game back. While he had a minuscule 22 yards on 11 carries, it was still great to see that the team immediately treated him as their leading runner. He only played 36% of the snaps compared to Pierre Strong's 50%, but he got the ball more. His workload will only increase from there. His dynasty stock his rock bottom after his gruesome injury last year, but now it's back on the rise.

Kyren Williams

If you followed me in the offseason, you know that Blake Corum was one of my favorite rookies in the class. I felt sure that he would cut into Williams's workload this season. Before Sunday's game, a reporter tweeted that coach McVay wanted to mix Corum in more this week, giving Williams two series and Corum one throughout the game. That was not the case this Sunday, as Williams received 89% of the snaps and Corum 11%. Williams is too productive and reliable to lose carries to Corum, and he continues to build upon his stellar breakout season last year. The fear of Corum cutting into his role has fully subsided. Williams's future is secure in LA, and his dynasty value should reflect it. He's now my #2 ranked running back behind only Bijan Robinson.

Brock Bowers

I'm not alone in having Brock Bowers as my #1 ranked dynasty tight end. Everyone has him ranked first. Even so, I had to comment on how incredible he looked on Sunday. He lined up all over the place and was the offense's focal point, albeit a lousy offense. He was targeted 14 times and had ten catches for 93 yards. He's the only weapon the Raiders have, and he's hard to scheme against since they line him up in so many different places. If he's doing this in his rookie season with two terrible quarterbacks throwing him passes, imagine what he will look like when the Raiders draft a promising young quarterback. His future is even brighter than what we're seeing this year when he's already the second-highest-scoring tight end in the league behind George Kittle.

Stock Down

Sam Laporta

As for the man who once flirted with being the top tight end in the dynasty, his stock continues to fall after another terrible outing on Sunday. He's fallen down to 13th in my tight-end rankings. He's simply not a focal point of Detroit's passing game anymore and cannot remain in starting dynasty lineups anymore. He's getting less than three targets per game and has had just one catch in each of the last two games. Touchdowns are flukey, especially for tight ends. Dynasty managers want targets and catches, but LaPorta is not getting them.

Anthony Richardson

I get a lot of things wrong when evaluating players, but every week I see Richardson play and am more confident in my early evaluation of him. Though drafted highly, I did not believe in him like other dynasty managers did. His lack of college experience and inaccuracy passing the ball were my chief concerns, and they revealed themselves again on Sunday when he completed just 42% of his passes. He may be great in the running game, but if that's all he's got, he's headed down the Tim Tebow road. He may flash for a moment, but it will be short-lived. His falling dynasty stock is dragging Josh Downs and Michael Pittman down with him.

Tank Dell

This pains me to write, but it's time to move Dell's stock down. Nico Collin's rise and Stefon Diggs's excellent start to the season have caused Dell to be a clear third fiddle in the passing game. Mixon's outstanding play in the running game has also contributed to fewer chances to touch the ball. Diggs's stay with the Texans may be short-lived, which would allow Dell's involvement and dynasty stock to rise again in the future, but every evaluation point this season has given reason to drop him. If he can't capitalize in the weeks while Nico Collins is on IR, he will continue to fall down my rankings.

Young Guns

Tank Bigsby

Bigsby finally got to start when Travis Etienne was injured, and he took full advantage of his opportunity. The team fed him 26 carries, which he turned into 118 yards and two touchdowns. He looked decisive and powerful on his runs. Both touchdown runs were in the red zone. When the Jaguars drafted him, I thought he would be their short-yardage back, but he flubbed on his chances in his rookie season. This second year, he has not. He proved this week that he needs more touches than Etienne, and while his head coach insists it's Etienne's job to lose, Bigsby can force his hand if he keeps playing like this.

Bijan Robinson

It's wonderful to see Bijan stack back-to-back 20+ fantasy point games. He's averaged more than 100 yards from scrimmage and 1.5 touchdowns over the last two weeks and has made some fantastic runs and catches along the way. The Falcons continue to use a two-headed backfield, and Tyler Allgeier has earned his role, but Bijan is getting 71% of the snaps this season, and that's enough to help him live up to his status as the top-ranked dynasty running back.

Brian Robinson

Robinson is doing his own Kyren Williams impersonation. He's scoring in almost every game. He did not play last week because of an injury, but in his other six games, he scored six touchdowns. The surprisingly successful Commander's offense simply gives him goal-line carries every week, and he's had touchdown runs of 7, 1, 6, 4, 1, and 8 yards. He's had six green-zone touchdowns this season, and there is no reason to believe he will not continue to get more chances at the goal line. Austin Ekeler has looked better than I thought he would this season, and he's eating into Robinson's workload. Still, Robinson securely holds the short-yardage and goal-line role, making him an every-week starter in dynasty lineups.

Old-Man Strength

Russell Wilson

Wilson got his first start of the year Sunday night and led the Steelers to a win while scoring the most fantasy points he's scored (25) since week two of last season. Though several guys dropped passes, he only completed 55% of his passes, but he accumulated 264 passing yards and threw two touchdown passes. He helped George Pickens have a great night, with 111 yards receiving and a touchdown. He left no doubt that going forward, the job is his ahead of Justin Fields.

David Njoku

With Amari Copper gone, Njoku became the team's top target. He was targeted 14 times and caught ten passes for 76 yards, including a touchdown. Each of the Browns's three quarterbacks that played targeted Njoku, and Jameis Winston threw him a touchdown. Njoku is a must-start in dynasty lineups if he becomes the team's top target in the passing game. As I wrote above, the Browns offense will get better no matter which quarterback they name their starter, giving Njoku a chance to be more productive like he was in this game, half of which was played without Deshaun Watson.

Hunter Henry

After Demario Douglas left the game injured, Henry became Drake Maye's favorite target, earning him nine targets, which he turned into eight catches and 92 yards. As I've written about before, he's the team's most experienced pass catcher. His age and experience make him a prime candidate to lead the team in targets. Maye played well for the second game of his career, and he can keep the offense moving even though the team is so young and their offensive line is terrible. He threw for 276 yards this week and 243 last week. Hunter will continue to get a large share of Maye's targets and yards this season.

Waiver Watch

Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Jameis Winston

As mentioned above, the Browns named DTR as Watson's backup, and he was the next man up. Then he was injured, and Winston came in to close the game and lead them on a scoring drive. I wish the Browns would name a starter before dynasty managers have to put in their waiver claims. If they do, the Cleveland starter would be my top priority in superflex leagues.

Cedric Tillman

Tillman was second on the Brown's team in receiver snap count with 82% of the snaps behind Jerry Jeudy's 95%. More than that, he had a great game with 12 targets, eight catches, and 81 yards. He's the new WR-2 in Cleveland. He was drafted by the Brown in the third round in 2023 and was viewed by many dynasty managers as a sleeper in that year's class. Cleveland's trading for receivers left him buried on the depth chart. Now he has a chance to prove himself again. He's the player I most want to add to my roster this week.

Jacob Cowing

Cowing saw the field a lot on Sunday after Aiyuk was injured. He had two catches for 50 yards in the game on Sunday. He had a very productive college career, was drafted by the 49ers in the fourth round last year, and was thought by a lot of dynasty managers to be a deep sleeper. He's rostered in many of my leagues already, but not all. He still has competition for playing time now that Ricky Pearsall is back, so I'd only try to add him in very deep leagues. Still, he's worth considering this week.

Dynasty Trades

Tucker Kraft and Audric Estime <=======> Mark Andrews

Last week, I was offered Kraft and Estime for Mark Andrews. I accepted right away. I've seen enough this year to make me believe Andrews will never return to his former high-scoring self. His snap counts and targets have plummeted this season, and I see no reason why they would change. Baltimore is simply not using him like they used to use him. I'm excited to add a young and improving tight end to my roster instead, and I am still hopeful that Estime can become the RB-1 in Denver next year, if not by the end of this season.

Chuba Hubbard <=======> 2026 1st round pick

I find this trade to be very one-sided. Hubbard has absolutely played great this year. He's played so well that he will likely cut into Jonathan Brooks's workload next season, but that's the last year of his contract. Carolina's future backfield belongs to Brooks. That said, the context of the trade is this. The team that gave up the first-round pick for Hubbard is tied for first place at 5-1. They must have felt that Hubbard was the piece that could help keep him on top of the league. We'll have to see how that plays out. I'd give away any first-round pick for a championship, but we know how hard that is to count on in this game.

Ja’Lynn Polk <=======> Romeo Doubs

This one is a fair trade between two managers who have different values on these young receivers. One wanted the proven flex-worthy player like Doubs. The other wanted the yet-to-be-seen upside of Polk, who has struggled in his first two games with Drake Maye. After last week's games, this trade was made as a classic sale high on Doubs and buy low on Polk. We'll see how it works out. There's a chance Polk could develop into a true WR-1, but there is also a chance that he's a complete bust. I don't think Doubs will ever become the true WR-1 in Green Bay, but he's already proven to be a productive depth piece on dynasty rosters who have a solid floor when in starting lineups.

Week Six Review

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0500

It was another great week in the NFL. Although the week six games were not nearly as competitive and exciting as last week, a lot of points were scored, leading to strong fantasy performances. I enjoyed following all of the games this week and have compiled the following takeaways from a dynasty perspective.

Dynasty Impact

Surprise!

It was exciting to see two more rookie quarterbacks get their first career starts this week. Drake Maye and Spencer Rattler got their first starts and held their own, albeit in losing efforts. Rattler started off hot, leading his team to a big comeback in the first half. He targeted Bub Means the most after Chris Olave left the game with a concussion, and he hit Means for his lone touchdown pass. He spread the ball around well and looked like he grasped the offense. However, the Saints fell too far behind in the end, and Rattler's play digressed in the second half. He completed just over 50% of his passes, threw two interceptions, and was sacked five times. He's not ready to take the job from Derek Carr, but he will get a few more starts while Carr is injured, and he has a chance to prove that he could be the Saints's future starter. Maye did just the opposite. He started slow, taking sacks and throwing two interceptions, but as the game progressed, he settled down, and his play drastically improved. He threw three touchdown passes in the Patriots's attempted comeback against the Texans. That's more touchdowns than Jacoby Brissett has thrown in the entire season. He looked great, and he'll start the rest of the season. While his offensive weapons are lacking and his offensive line is terrible, he can make the offense move far better than Brissett. The Patriots will be fun to watch again.

Oh, No!

One of the biggest disappointments of the season has been the Arizona offense. I expected much more from Kyler Murray a full year after his knee surgery. I thought Arizona's offense would be one of the most successful, with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride receiving most of Murray's targets. Harrison left the game with a concussion, and McBride was targeted a lot after he left, but the Cardinals only scored one touchdown while the Packers's defense smothered them all day. The Cardinals have scored 14 or fewer points in three of their six games, and Murray has scored 16 or fewer fantasy points in four of his six games. He's only had one multi-touchdown game throwing the ball. In the other five games, he's just thrown one touchdown in each. I expected far more fantasy goodness from the Cardinals this year, but it's not happening.

Ouch!

This week was a pretty painful one on the injury front, especially since so many of the injuries happened early in the games, leaving dynasty managers with gooseeggs in their lineups. Thankfully, few of the injuries were serious or season-ending, but it still stinks to get zero points from reliable players who get injured early in the game. This week, Chirs Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr, and Dallas Goedert scored zero points in my lineups. Olave actually scored negative points, given that he fumbled during the play when he was concussed. Jerome Ford was injured early after his two runs and seven yards gained, and Jayden Reed was pulled early after starting the game on fire with six catches and a touchdown. He was set to have an incredible game, but instead, Doubs scored twice and Christian Watson once. It hurt to see him get pulled early in a game where Green Bay was having its way with Arizona. Somehow, most of my teams with these players still found a way to win, but I am sure that's not the case for most dynasty managers.

Stock Up

Zay Flowers

Flowers is Lamar Jackson's top target. He's firmly replaced Mark Andrews as the apple of Jackson's eye. The Ravens are running their passing game through Flowers, and he's been dominant for the last two weeks. There were two games this season when the Ravens focused almost entirely on the running game, and in those games, Flowers had four and two targets. However, he's received ten, eleven, twelve, and nine targets in the other four games. This week, he had nine catches for 132 yards in the first half. Sadly, he did not add to that in the second half, as the Ravens slowed the game down after building a lead on the Commanders. He's still game-script dependent, but he's dominating target share in a passing game that is very efficient and effective. His dynasty stock is rising.

Josh Downs

Is Downs the WR-1 in Indianapolis? He's played like it the last three weeks with nine, twelve, and nine targets. He's scored touchdowns in two out of three weeks, too. Michael Pittman has also scored in two of the last three weeks and, while out-targeted by Downs, has scored almost the same number of fantasy points. I hope this is not just a Joe Flacco thing. I'm eager to see if Anthony Richardson will keep Downs as his top target when he returns to the starting role. If he does, Downs's stock will rise even higher. It's great to see him healthy again and a massive part of the offense.

Jordan Love

As a Cowboy fan, it's annoying that the Packers go from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers and now to Jordan Love. He's their next great quarterback. Their patient plan paid off, and dynasty managers who have Love are thrilled to see it. He's averaging three touchdown passes a game. He's calm in the pocket and throws the ball from so many different angles and platforms. He's entertaining to watch. He spreads the ball around to all of his young and improving weapons. Having so many young weapons makes his future even brighter and his dynasty stock higher.

Stock Down

Jahmyr Gibbs

I'm moving Gibbs down my dynasty ranking this week. I am not doing it because he had his least productive week of the year this week. I am moving him down because the Lions gave David Montgomery a new two-year contract. Gibbs was near the top of my rankings because he is an incredible player on a high-powered offense, but part of what was baked into his dynasty value was the prospect of having the lead role after Montgomery's contract expired. That's not happening now, and the frustrating 50/50 split and lack of goal-line work dynasty managers experienced last season, but this season is here to stay now. That's very disappointing to his dynasty managers, of which I am one. He won't take a huge fall in my rankings, but he has to move down a few spots.

Rachaad White

It's too early to tell, but White may have lost his starting role after how well Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker played on Sunday (more on them later). Each scored more fantasy points in the same game than White scored in any game this season. I believe the tide has turned and White can no longer be viewed as the RB-1 in Tampa Bay, and his dynasty stock is falling as a result.

Calvin Ridley

Ridley started the season hot, but he's since cooled off completely. He's scored 1.4, 2.0, and .90 points over the last three weeks. He's a problem, and his quarterback, Will Levis, is a problem. He's been so inefficient in the passing game that they've designed run plays for him each of the last two weeks, and he had more yards on each of them, nine and ten yards than he had receiving in each of those games. He expressed his frustration in the locker room after this week's game. The situation is getting ugly, and my hope that the new coaching staff could help Levis improve is declining along with Ridley's dynasty stock.

Young Guns

Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker

I finally get to praise Sean Tucker! If you've followed me for long, you know he was my favorite sleeper two years ago. I loved his college tape and believed he'd quickly surpass Rachaad White on the depth chart. I was wrong. Then, the Buccaneers added Bucky Irving in this year's draft, making it more difficult for him to see the field. Stubbornly, I kept him on all but one of my rosters where I drafted him. Now, I can be proud of what I did. I had to start with Tucker since he was the highest-scoring running back in fantasy this week, but Irving played just as well and will likely take over as the RB-1 in Tampa Bay. He looked great, too. I really hope they become the next duo for the Buccaneers. They can't unsee what they looked like together.

Romeo Doubs

Doubs just scores touchdowns. He has Jordan Love's eye in the red zone. He only caught three passes on Sunday, but two were touchdowns, including an incredible catch when he leaped over the defender at the front corner of the end zone and snatched the ball away from him. He continues to be the least sexy of the wide receivers in Green Bay, but he plays the most snaps and produces on the field. I still have Jayden Reed ranked significantly higher than Doubs, but the gap is not as far as my dynasty managers tend to think. I'm happy to have several shares of Doubs in my leagues.

Tyrone Tracy

Tracy has had an excellent fantasy day for the second week in a row. Last week, he primarily did it on the ground when he averaged 7.2 yards per carry. His production came in the passing game this week, averaging 9.5 yards per catch. Devin Singletary had some productive games to start the season, but he better watch his back or return from his injury quickly because Tracy has made a case for more playing time after these last two games. He's holding up well too. He touched the ball 23 times last night and 19 the week before. He has a great chance to be the team's future starter. I am sad that I do not have a single share of him.

Old-Man Strength

Chris Godwin

What a bounce-back season for Godwin! He scored 30 fantasy points on Sunday when he scored twice, including one incredible catch and run where he bounced off would-be tacklers. In the worst game of the season, he scored nine fantasy points. He has a very safe floor each week and an incredible ceiling. In the first six weeks of this season, he's already scored almost 66% of the points he scored last season. He's all the way back, and the coaching staff is using him brilliantly.

Terry McLaurin

It's safe to say that Jayden Daniels and the Commander's coaching staff have realized that they need to feed McLaurin, and good things happen when they do. He scored two touchdowns on Sunday in the Commander's comeback effort against the Ravens, including a very difficult catch in the front corner of the end zone on a fourth down play when he was an isolated man on man. Daniel is the best quarterback the McLaurin has had in his career. Even at his age, I think he will have the most productive year of his career because he now has a great quarterback on his side.

Joe Mixon

The Texans were modest in their use of Mixon on his first game back from injury, but Mixon made the most of it with a two-touchdown day, with one on the ground and one in the air. He had a 59-yard run, too. He showed no effect from his injury and should get more touches as the season progresses. He showed his old-man strength on his 13 carries, turning them into 103 yards. It's great to see him on a new team that is using him in different ways. He brings the spark to the running game that Houston lacked last year, and he's thriving in his new environment.

Waiver Watch

Kayshon Boutte

In his first game with Drake Maye, Boutte led the team in snaps with 83%. The next highest was Ja'Lynn Polk, 65%, and Demario Douglas, 62%. Boutte is the new WR-1 for the Patriots, and he caught a touchdown. He's been a failure to start his career, but everything is starting over in New England this year, even more so with Maye at the helm.

Sean Tucker

I already praised Tucker above and said that he's already on many of my rosters. I'd love to add him to more if I can. He made a statement on Sunday. Now, let's see if it's enough to earn him more playing time.

Bub Means

Means played a lot on Sunday and was Spencer Rattler's favorite target. Much of this was due to Chris Olave getting injured, but he looked good in his debut. The Saints waived A.T. Perry a few weeks ago, which was a good indication that they like what they seeing in their rookie, Means. I expect to see him on the field more often for the rest of the season.

Tim Patrick

As expected, Patrick quickly moved from the Lions' practice squad to the starting lineup after the Broncos let him go. He's made a great catch or two in each of the last two games. He has a lot of competition for targets, so I would only want to add him in the deepest of leagues, but he's a player to keep an eye on, especially if Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jameson Williams were to get injured.

Dynasty Trades

Trevor Lawrence, Marvin Harrison, Brian Thomas, and Chase Brown <=======> Jalen Hurts, Derrick Henry, Najee Harris, and Deebo Samuel

In this league, the manager who beat me by one point in the Super Bowl last year (not that I'm bitter about it) had a terrible start to this season, so he decided to trade away four older players for four younger players to start rebuilding his team. The team that traded away the younger players has a mid-level roster and would not make the playoffs if that started today, but now he has a chance to make a run to the playoffs with the addition of two star players and two good players. It worked for this week because he crushed his opponent and had the week's highest score. We'll see how it plays out this season. For the rebuilding team, it sure would be fun to have MHJ and BTJ as core wide receivers for the next decade. This trade is one of the biggest trades I have ever seen. This single trade changes their teams completely.

Anthony Richardson, Trey Benson, and 2025 2nd round pick <=======> Jared Goff, Javonte Williams, and Terry McLaurin

To get even younger, the same rebuilding team traded away three more vets in favor of younger players and a pick. I get why he made a trade like this, but I'm less enthusiastic about this trade compared to the first one he made. That's because I am not as high on Richardson and Benson as other dynasty managers are. If Benson eventually earns a starting role, this trade could work out, but I would rather have Williams instead of Benson, even with the uncertainty of his future in Denver. Richardson is too injury-prone and too inaccurate of a passer for my taste. He has time to develop, but he hasn't shown improvement so far in the few chances he has had last season and this year. I like the veteran side of this trade.

Jalen Tolbert and Noah Fant <=======> Kirk Cousins and 2025 4th round pick

A competitive team in a one-quarterback league needed a quarterback to start this week, given that injuries and byes left him with no one to play, so he went quarterback shopping on rosters that had plenty of starters. He found a buyer with the Cousins manager and put together this modest deal. Tolbert has improved this year and has enough future upside to be the best part of that side of the trade. I doubt Fant will provide anything but depth on the other manager's roster, but Tolbert might be a startable player if he continues to improve. As for the new Cousins manager, it did not work out this week. He lost this week's game anyway. Maybe he can help his team later down the road.

Pat Freiermuth <=======> Jared Wiley

When this trade went through, the group chat immediately lit up. Wiley could have years to wait before getting a chance to take over for Kelce, and there is a very high chance that he never will. This trade seems very one-sided. I don't know of a single manager who would make this trade, I guess, except the one manager in this league.

Week Four Review

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0500

I took a week off last week while celebrating my 23rd wedding anniversary in North Cascades National Park. I'm back on schedule this week to share my dynasty takes on week four in the NFL. Here's what stood out to me from a dynasty perspective.

Dynasty Impact

Surprise!

Who would have thought that the first and third picks of the 2018 draft, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, would be among the most productive quarterbacks in the league last week and through the entire early season? They scored three touchdowns each and were on fire in the passing game on Sunday. Though they have bounced around the league on several teams over their careers, they have landed on their feet again and have revived their dynasty value in the 7th year of their careers. Both have become reliable starters, even in one quarterback leagues. Darnold is my most rostered quarterback after I picked him up off waivers just after he signed with Minnesota. Now, he's in many of my starting lineups. Dynasty managers who were patient with these two first-round draft picks are finally seeing their reward.

Oh, No!

The Kansas City and Philadelphia offenses looked broken this week. With A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith out with injuries, Jalen Hurts could not get the offense moving, and Saquon Barkley was held in check for the first time this season. Kansas City found themselves in the same boat after Rashee Rice was injured early. Now they are down Rice and Marquise Brown for the season, so their offense will continue to struggle. At least Philadelphia will get their wide receivers back at some point this season if not next week. The Eagles did not record a first down until there were six and a half minutes left in the second quarter. The Chiefs, who have converted 48% of their third downs over the last few years, have only converted 35% this season. Injuries have played a part, but it's also possible that defenses have caught up with them. For now, it's much harder to trust players in these offenses that have been so strong and reliable in recent years.

Ouch!

It was a relatively calm week on the injury front, but one emerging top-ten dynasty wide receiver is likely lost for the season. Rashee Rice avoided suspension and started the season on fire. He had taken the top-target role away from Travis Kelce and was on pace to have an excellent second season. The hopes of his dynasty managers came crashing down after he injured his knee, likely tearing his ACL. The Chiefs' plan for this season was to keep Travis Kelce on a pitch count, but they must change their plan now. Kelce will become their top target again. Xavier Worthy should also see a significant bump in targets and an increased role in the offense now, and Justin Watson becomes a player worth targeting on the waiver wire this week. Rice's dynasty value will hold steady but won't rise as it could have this season.

Stock Up

Jayden Daniels

Daniels is on fire and deserves to be ranked ahead of Caleb Williams and among the top ten dynasty quarterbacks, if not higher. He has the highest completion percentage of any quarterback in the first four games of their career. The Commanders dominated the Cardinals, and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury received the game ball after the game. Kingsbury and Daniels are on fire to start the season. They went two and a half games without a single punt before finally having to punt on Sunday. I expected Daniels to be productive on the ground, but I did not think he'd pass the ball so well this early in his career. He's exceeded my expectations, and I've moved him up in my dynasty rankings this week.

Justin Fields

Fields has earned a staring role with the Steelers. While they did not win the game, he showed that he could lead the team in comeback mode. They hid him the first three weeks by running the ball and playing great defense. This week they could not hide him since Indianapolis jumped out to an early lead. He played a pretty clean game and did more of what he used to do in Chicago, scoring two rushing touchdowns and leading the league in quarterback fantasy points this week. I expect the coaches to announce him as their future starter, making his dynasty stock to rise again while Russell Wilson's continues to fall.

Nico Collins

Collins is a beast! Unless Tyreek Hill or Amon-Ra St. Brown go completely nuts on Monday night, Collins will be the highest-scoring wide receiver in the league at the end of the week. He's getting more than ten targets a game and is averaging 122 yards a game. If there was any question about which wide receiver would become C.J. Stroud's number-one man at the start of the season, there is no question today. Collins is by far his favorite and best target, ahead of Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. What's great about Collins is how often he's targeted deep down field. He is second in the league in air yards with 487. Stroud is excellent at buying time and hitting Collins on deep routes across the middle. His outstanding play and chemistry with Stroud carry his dynasty stock into the top tier of dynasty wide receivers. He's solidified his place among the best.

Stock Down

Josh Jacobs

Jacobs doesn't have the burst he displayed earlier in his career, and he's having difficulty holding off Emanuel Wilson for playing time in recent weeks. Matt LaFleur is back to his running-back-by-committee ways. This week, they split snaps 60/40, and Jacobs only had one more carry than Wilson. We hoped LaFleur would change his ways after signing Jacobs this offseason and letting Aaron Jones sign with the Vikings. I think it's time to give up on the hopes of Jacobs being a bell-cow back like he was in Oakland so his dynasty stock must fall.

Rashaad White

White's sneaky fantasy production is not there this year. Last year, he finished as the 7th highest-scoring running back based mostly on volume and pass-catching. Last year, he averaged 15 carries per game. This year, he's just getting ten touches per game because rookie Bucky Irving is cutting into his workload, and he's looked great doing it. Irving has scored one more fantasy point than White has this season, and his role is increasing. I don't think Irving will replace White as the starter, but I think they have a 50/50 split until White's contract expires.

Mark Andrews

Oh my gosh! Andrews might have one of the quickest falls from grace we've ever seen by a tight end if his play the last four weeks keeps up. He had the double coverage excuse in week one when Isaiah Likely outplayed him, but he's been without excuse for the last three weeks. He's laid a goose egg the last two weeks in a row and is being primarily used as a blocker. After years of having a 20% target share in Baltimore this season, he's only been targeted 2.3 times per game. I benched him in one league last week and felt like I had to play him in another where I have the Lamar stack. Not so next week. I will bench him in both until something drastically changes. His stock is falling quickly.

Young Guns

Jordan Addison

After returning to the field for the first time since game one, Addison wasted no time. I confidently started him in all of my lineups, and he busted out with a two-touchdown day, even outscoring Justin Jefferson this week. He scored on a catch and on a run, showing that he's no longer limited by his ankle injury. What a great return to action for this young gun. Kevin O'Connell's offense leaves plenty of room for a WR-2 to score fantasy points. Jalen Nailor did in each game when Addison was injured. Now, Addison can do the same but better. It was great to see him back in action.

Xavier Legette

Legette finally got the opportunity he deserved to start after Adam Thielen got injured. He took advantage of his starting role and will not give it up from here on out. He got 87% of the snaps this week, which led the team. He turned his ten targets into six catches and a touchdown. I was higher on Legette than most dynasty managers last year, so I drafted him in several leagues. I'm thrilled that he proved himself at his first opportunity and am thrilled to have him as one of my young guns in several leagues.

Bucky Irving

As I wrote above, Irving has cut into Rashaad White's playing time and has outscored him by one point this season. The Buccaneers like what they see in him and have increased his role each week. Even though he's slight in frame, they aren't afraid to use him between the tackles and on the goal line. He scored on a red-zone carry on Sunday. He's looked like a better runner than White, too. This young gun will make this backfield a true committee this year and could take the lead role as early as next year.

Old-Man Strength

Derrick Henry

Death, taxes, and Derrick Henry explosion games. This old man can't be stopped. He ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run on the game's first play, and the tone was set Sunday night. The Ravens fed the old man to the tune of 24 carries for 199 yards as they destroyed the Bills's defense. I thought Henry would primarily be used as a goal-line back in Baltimore, but he's been so much more than that. Shoot, he even caught three passes on Sunday night. Sadly, I played against him in several leagues and will likely lose many of those games. Still, it was fun to watch a prime example of old-man strength.

Diontae Johnson

Johnson is back! He's scored a touchdown in consecutive weeks. It's Andy Dalton to the rescue, and Johnson is his top target, with 14 targets last week and 13 this week. He's still got excellent route-running skills. He's just lacked a quarterback the last few years who can play in timing with the offense. Dalton, and fellow old man, knows how to do just that. They've already established a rapport, and I am sure it can improve this season. Johnson is a reliable starting wide receiver again and will have a nice later part of his career in Carolina so long as Dalton remains the starter. He has the old-man strength.

Waiver Watch

Joe Flacco

Early reports indicate that Anthony Richardson's injury will not cause him to miss more games, but Flacco is still worth adding in superflex leagues given Richardson's injury history. He led the Colts to a win on Sunday over a very strong Pittsburgh defense and raised the production of Michael Pittman and Josh Downs. It's hard to believe he could do what he did last season when taking over the Browns offense last year, but it's worth adding him to see if he can do it again in Indianapolis.

Justin Watson

I'm betting on Watson to be the next man up in Kansas City after Rashee Rice's injury. He had the second most snaps among the wide receivers on Sunday after Rice went down, making him a player worth adding in deep leagues. From a dynasty perspective, he's not a great addition, but he could prove valuable this season, given his increased role the rest of this season, assuming the Chiefs don't acquire a wide receiver in a trade.

Noah Brown

Noah Brown has moved ahead of Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey to become the WR-2 in Washington. On Sunday, he played 69% of the snaps compared to Brown's 25% and McCaffrey's 44%. He only had three catches for 26 yards, but he was on the field a lot and has an opportunity to establish himself as a new weapon in an offense that is one of the hottest in the NFL.

Dynasty Trades

Drake London <=======> Zay Jones

I made this trade for London after a manager put him on the trading block. I sent him a message asking if he liked Zay Jones, Jayden Reed, or Jordan Addison more than London. I have them ranked closely together, but I prefer London. I think he can become a true alpha wide receiver, whereas Jones is more of a gadget guy for Baltimore. Jones is more gamescript-dependent, too, as the Ravens will often stick to the run game when dominating an opponent. I'm pleased to have London instead of Jones.

Trevor Lawrence, George Pickens, Aaron Jones <=======> Bo Nix, Jayden Reed, and David Njoku

I made this trade with the same manager a few days later, and someone posted in the group chat that he and I were swapping teams with one another. It's a superflex league, so the key part of the trade for me was acquiring Lawerence over Nix. While neither quarterback is playing well, I trust that Lawerence will have a better career than Nix, who, apart from his production running, has looked terrible to start his career. I like Lawerence's weapons in the passing game more, too. I was willing to trade Njoku because my other tight ends are Trey McBride and Dallas Goedert. Jayden Reed was hard to give up, but he's competing each week to be the Packers' WR-1, whereas Pickens is the established WR-1 in Pittsburgh. I am weak at running back in this league, so Jones gives me a chance to compete this season even though he won't impact my team long-term. I see this as a pretty even trade that I thought long and hard about before accepting. Lawrence over Nix is what made me willing to depart with Reed.

Aaron Jones <=======> 2025 2nd and 3rd round picks

Jones's hot start in Minnesota has made him the first sell-high player this season. If a team has solid running back depth, Jones is a great player to sell. If a competitive team is weak at running back, he's a great player to buy. That's what happened here with this trade. In a vacuum, I'd prefer the 2nd and 3rd round picks, but I see why each team did what they did with this trade.

Cordarrelle Patterson <=======> 2025 5th round pick

In this low-level trade, the manager who traded for Patterson also has Najee Harris. He bought himself a little insurance after Jaylen Warren was injured again. Patterson would be the next man up if Harris gets injured, and he was mixed in quite a bit this past Sunday. It's a fair trade, though it looks peculiar.

Kyle Pitts <=======> 2025 2nd and 4th round picks and a 2026 2nd round pick

I can't believe Pitts continues to hold this kind of dynasty value. I would much rather have two seconds and a fourth than Pitts. Kirk Cousins has not revived Pitts' young and fading career trajectory. He's played just as poorly as he did last year. The team who acquired Pitts, road Evan Engram to a Super Bowl win over my team last year, but Engram's injury has left him in a tough place this year. I see what he sought Pitts as an answer, but I don't think he is an answer.

Week Two Review

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Week two in the NFL was a blast, though the schedule makers did us no favors by scheduling 10 games in the early window. It was the most games played in one window that we will have all year. It's hard to follow all of the games and players when they schedule so many games at the same time. At least it won't happen again this season.

I kept the TV on the Red Zone channel and followed all of the games on TV and through Yahoo's stat tracker like I do every Sunday. After watching all of week two, here are my dynasty takeaways.

Dynasty Impact

Surprise!

The Saints destroyed the Cowboys and spread fantasy goodness to all. Dynasty managers were curious to see how the Saints' offense would change under the new offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak. They hoped he'd modernize the offense using more presnap motion and diverse passing schemes. I'd say we got what we wished for two games into it. They scored 47 points against the hapless Panthers at home last week, so I did not give them much credit for that, but laying 44 points this week against the Cowboys on the road was a real statement. Derek Carr has led the team to a scoring drive in his first fifteen possessions this season. It's unreal what a difference a new coach and scheme makes. The Saints have viable starters in fantasy lineups, making Derek Caar a quarterback worth starting in one-quarterback leagues again.

Oh, No!

The tight end position is off to a terrible start this season. Top-tier tight ends like Sam Laporta, Mark Andrews, and Travis Kelce have been outplayed by random bottom-tier guys for the last two weeks. These three tight ends have new weapons in their offenses and have not been utilized as dynasty managers expected this season. Zay Flowers is the top target in Baltimore, Rashee Rice in Kansas City, and Jameson Williams has cut into Sam LaPorta's target share. It's early in the season, but these trends look real, making these surefire starting tight ends far less reliable in starting lineups. They used to give dynasty managers a massive edge at the onesie position, but they haven't so far this year.

Ouch!

The injury bug hit hard this week. Puka Nacua and Christian McCaffrey were placed on IR. Jordan Love was not placed on IR, but he'll miss several more weeks. Tua Tagovailoa sustained another concussion on Thursday night. A.J. Brown was ruled out for Monday Night. Isiah Pacheco broke his leg, and Cooper Kupp left the game in a walking boot. It was a brutal week for injuries, decimating dynasty rosters, and setting teams back early in the season. One of my best dynasty rosters boasts a starting wide receiver lineup of Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, and Puka Nacua. St. Brown was all I had left on Sunday, and I lost my game because of it. This offseason, I traded away some of my wide receiver depth in that league to acquire better running backs. Now I am too thin at receiver and will pay the price for it. I had to start Xavier Legette this week. I know dynasty managers are feeling the pain of these injuries. It's the worst part of this silly game we play.

Stock Up

James Cooks

Cooks was on fire Thursday night, catching a long touchdown pass and running for two more. They even gave him the goalline looks, which I thought they would trust Ray Davis this season. I have been much lower on Cooks than most dynasty managers, but his performance on Thursday demands that I move him up my rankings. His speed and big-play ability were on display against the Dolphins, and he had the second-highest-scoring fantasy game of his career with 28 points, just behind his 35-point game last season against my Cowboys. His snap count at 47% is concerning, but that may have been because the Bills had such a commanding lead early in the game. I still believe in Ray Davis, but he has a tougher battle to playing time than I previously thought. Cooks's stock is rising.

Rashee Rice

Rice avoided criminal charges and a suspension for the time being and is making the most of his opportunity this season. This week, he scored a 44-yard touchdown and has become Patrick Mahomes's favorite target. The Chiefs have run the ball more than expected, but Isiah Pacheco's injury could allow them to pass the ball more, boosting Rice's production even more. They also lost Hollywood Brown for the season, taking away competition for target share. The Chiefs slowly developed Rice last year, making him a focal point of the passing game by the time they made the playoffs. He's hit the ground running this season, and his dynasty stock is rising quickly.

Hunter Henry

The tight-end landscape is changing, and Henry is part of the shake-up. He was the offense's focal point on Sunday, receiving 50% of the team's targets. He had 12 targets, turning them into 8 catches for 109 yards. He was a sleeper in redraft and bestball leagues this year. I drafted him late a lot since he's the most experienced pass catcher on the young Patriots team. I figured he would be highly targeted as the most experienced and reliable player on the team. He wasn't in week one, but he certainly was in week two. I expect the Patriots to continue to feed him the rock, giving his dynasty value a late-career boost.

Stock Down

Terry McLaurin

McLaurin has had a terrible start to the season and has been negatively impacted by the addition of Jayden Daniels and the new offensive system. I don't imagine things getting any better for him, either. Daniels was a great downfield passer in college but has been a check-down artist so far in the NFL. That's not McLaurin's strength. They tried to pepper him in this week's game, but it amounted to 6 catches for 22 yards, which is a pathetic 3.7 yards per catch. Daniels is too quick to run, so plays do not have time to develop downfield. McLaurin is one of my favorite players to watch, and I have him on three of my nine dynasty rosters, but he will not be fun to watch this year. Until Daniel's improves as a passer, McLaurin's stock will fall.

Javonte Williams

Dynasty managers were holding out hope that Williams could return to rookie for this season, two years removed from knee surgery, but he has only disappointed. He's averaging 2.1 yards per carry. With Audric Estime on IR, this looks like his last chance to shore up the RB-1 role, but I don't think he can do it. Bo Nix is not doing him any favors, either. He's having a tough time adjusting to the speed and schemes of NFL defenses and can't keep the offense moving. The entire offense is a disaster. The next two weeks, they play the 23rd and 31st-ranked defenses against the run. If Williams can't improve in the next two weeks, his dynasty stock will fall even further than it has over the last two weeks.

Jerome Ford

After dominating snaps and touches in week one, Ford saw a significant dip in both in week two. His snap count dropped from 75% to 44%, and his touches from 18 to 8. It was a neutral game script in a close game, so there's no reason to think this was a coach's decision. Ford looked great on his touches and averaged 9.1 yards per carry, but he wasn't involved enough to contribute to starting dynasty lineups. Until I see more about what the coaching staff is doing in Cleveland, I'll move Ford down my dynasty rankings.

Young-Man Strength

Marvin Harrison Jr.

So much for Harrisons's slow start in the NFL. He had two touchdown catches on the game's first two drives and more than 100 yards receiving in the second quarter. There was no need to panic after his one-catch game last week. He was born and bred to play in the NFL and proved it on Sunday. His first toe-tapping touchdown was a thing of beauty, and his long run after the catch on the second touchdown showed his speed and determination to score. His dynasty managers get to enjoy this for the next decade.

Malik Nabers

To say that Nabers is the focal point of the Giants' dreadful offense would be an understatement. Nabers received 18 of Daniel Jones's 28 targets on Sunday, turning them into 10 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. He could have had more had he not dropped a 4th down conversion at the end of the game on the team's final drive. He's a force to be reckoned with, given his size and athleticism. Few cornerbacks can handle him one-on-one. Unfortunately for him, since he's the Giants's only weapon, bracket coverage is coming his way for the rest of the season. 193 yards receiving in his first two games is a fantastic start to his career, especially given his poor quarterback play.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

JSN had the most productive fantasy game of his career. Geno Smith peppered him with 16 targets, which he turned into 12 catches for 117 yards. Hopefully, this game will turn the tide on the offense and give their new offensive coordinator a reason to make JSN the focal point of the offense. Tyler Lockett saw just two targets on Sunday. That's the change JSN managers want to see. The system is already taking the form of a very pass-heavy scheme. Zach Charbonnet only carried the ball 14 times and was the only running back to get carries in the game. In comparison, Geno Smith threw the ball 44 times. This is the year JSN realizes his first-round rookie draft capital for his managers.

Old-Man Strength

Alvin Kamara

Good grief, Kamara. Have a day! Kamara single-handedly won fantasy games for teams this week by gaining 180 total yards and four touchdowns. The 29-year-old did not look like he had lost a step in this game. He outran defenders on his 57-yard touchdown catch and bounced off would-be tacklers on all three of his touchdown runs. He looked like a 2020 version of himself when he scored six touchdowns in that year's fantasy Super Bowl week. What an incredible day. He's back, and the new coaching in New Orleans is contributing to his success.

Rhomandre Stevenson

Stevenson has been a workhorse for the Patriots the last two weeks, with 25 and 21 carries in consecutive games. He's also been involved in the passing game, with 3 and 2 catches in the last two weeks. He's had a touchdown run each week, too. When the Patriots signed him to a new contract, I expected that they planned to use him this way. I thought their new coaching staff would employ a more run-heavy approach, and they have. Stevenson's size and power are fit for it, and he can handle the load. He's displayed strong old-man strength to start the season.

Davante Adams

Adams struggled in the first half of the game on Sunday but was a massive part of the Raiders's comeback win against the Ravens in the second half. He ended the day with 9 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. He had a crazy toe-tapping sideline catch that sustained a drive. It was a highlight reel catch, for sure. In his 31-year-old season, dynasty managers wish he had better quarterback play, but he helped Gardner Minshew look good on Sunday, and Minshews knows who he needs to target to win games.

Waiver Watch

Andy Dalton

Dalton was named the starter in Carolina. If he's available in superflex leagues, he's a must-add for this week. He's a capable quarterback who has proven he can keep offenses moving wherever he has played. I'm eager to see what he can do at this stage of his career.

Jalen Nailor

Nailor has played well the last two weeks. His playtime and target share have increased while Jordan Addison is injured. He played 93% of the snaps on Sunday. He caught a touchdown in each of the last two weeks, too. If he was not added to rosters last week, he should be this week.

Jauan Jennings

Jennings is the clear WR-3 in San Francisco. He's on the field in three-receiver sets and plays about 50% of the snaps. If Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk get injured, he'd be the player who would benefit the most. I'd only want to add Jennings in the deepest of leagues, but he's a player I'd keep my eye on for sure.

Dynasty Trades

Alvin Kamara <=======> Rachaad White

This trade could not have looked worse for one team this week. The trade was made Saturday night, hours before Kamara had his breakout game and White had one of his worst. One week does not tilt a dynasty trade, but seeing the trade results after one week was funny. Both of the teams involved in the trade are competitive teams. One manager wanted to get a little younger, while the other thought Kamara could help his team more immediately. If I had to pick a side, I would say I like the White side of the trade just because he's four years younger, and I don't think Bucky Irving will ever compete for a starting role ahead of him, but it's a very even and close trade in my opinion.

Jonathan Brooks and a 2025 2nd round pick <=======> Zay Flowers and a 2025 3rd round pick

I like both players involved in this trade, but I would prefer to have Brooks and a second-round pick more than Flowers and a third. You'll have to wait a year or more to see the trade results, but it would be worth the wait. Flowers's dynasty value is capped a bit because of the scheme in Baltimore and their running quarterback, Lamar Jackson. It's harder to find a top-tier running back than a middle-tier receiver, and Brooks can become a top-tier running back. While this trade is between the known and unknown value of players, I'd bet on Brooks's unknown potential.

Week One Review

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0500

During the regular season, I write week-in-review articles. In each article, I write about three things that stood out the most, three players whose dynasty stock is up, three players whose dynasty stock is down, three rookies to watch, and three vets who have old-man strength. I'll end the article with a list of the players I want to add off the waiver wire that week, and I will grade the trades that were made in my dynasty leagues that week. It's a new format that I hope readers will enjoy. Here are my thoughts on week one.

Dynasty Storylines

Rookie Quarterbacks

I was looking forward to watching the three rookie quarterbacks starting their first NFL games. Traditionally, rookie quarterbacks do not fare well. That trend continued this week as Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Bo Nix had a hard time in the passing game. Williams was the only one of the three to win his debut game, but it was not because of his great play. The Bears' defense won the game for them with two defensive touchdowns. Williams completed less than 50% of his passes, had a ton of balls batted down at the line, and ended the day with just 93 yards passing. Bo Nix did some good things with his feet, gaining 35 yards rushing, including a touchdown, but he looked lost in the passing game, throwing two interceptions. He was off-target on many passes and had happy feet in the pocket. Daniels was the best of the bunch. He was poised and accurate as a passer, though he only threw for 184 yards, and he did what the dynasty manager expected on the ground, rushing for 88 yards and two touchdowns. His dynasty managers will take that any week. Williams and Nix looked great in the preseason but not so great when the real bullets were flying, and Daniels, who was very limited in the preseason, looked okay in his debut. They have a lot of time to grow, and it will be fun to watch them develop this season.

New Quarterbacks

I was eager to see if Kirk Cousins could improve the offensive production in Atlanta and if Sam Darnold could keep the Vikings's proven superstars afloat. Darnold delivered, while Cousins did not. Darnold didn't have an incomplete pass until midway through the second quarter. He had the offense humming, and the Vikings took a quick lead over the Giants. He could have produced more, but the Vikings let off the gas after building a big league. Justin Jefferson did not have a huge day like we're used to seeing, but at least he got in the endzone. Fellow first-year Viking Aaron Jones did, too. Conversely, Cousins played terrible, disappointing managers with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. He did find Pitts in the end zone on his lone touchdown, but he did nothing to help London, who finished the day with two catches for 15 yards. Bijan at least racked up yards in the run and pass game, but scoring a total of 10 points will not help dynasty managers. I don't want to make too big of a deal about week one, especially since Darnold played one of the worst pass defenses in the league (Giants). Cousins played one of the best defenses in the league (Steelers) and had J.J. Watt in his grill on almost every play. Still, there's one game of data for these teams with new quarterbacks. One is quite positive. The other is not.

Rookie Woes

I was most eager to see how rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers would play in their debuts. Harrison was a terrible disappointment with one catch for four yards. He received just three targets. That's not the debut that dynasty managers expected when they put him in their starting lineups like I did this week. Nabers was more involved and more productive, being targeted seven times and catching five passes for 66 yards. That's a decent first game, but I still hoped for more. Daniel Jones's bench-worthy quarterbacking is what's most concerning for Nabers. These generational talents started slower, but bright times are ahead.

Stock Up

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield was on fire on Sunday, dicing up the terrible Commanders' defense. He threw four touchdown passes: two to Mike Evans, one to Chris Godwin, and one to rookie Jalen McMillan. The change to offensive coordinator did not hurt Mayfield and his offense. He's a reliable starter in superflex leagues. His dynasty stock was on the rise all of last year, and when the Buccaneers signed him to a three-year deal this March, the security of a starting role made his dynasty stock rise again.

Brian Robinson

Brian Robinson is very underrated. He's a hard runner between the tackles who gets what's there for him and almost always gets a little bit more. On Sunday, he was used in the passing game, too. It was not just Ekeler used in the passing game. Robinson had three catches for 49 yards. The Commanders' offense will improve under Jayden Daniels, giving Robinson more opportunities to score like he did once on Sunday, even if Daniels vultures a few touchdowns from him. Robinson has become a reliable RB-2 in lineups, and his stock is on the rise.

J.K. Dobbins

Earlier in the offseason, I wrote about how Dobbins is one of the players I'm afraid I could be wrong about. His injury history is so extensive that it was hard to believe he could become a starting running back again, but on Sunday, he saw 58% of the snaps compared to Gus Edwards's 42%, and he ended the day with 135 yards rushing. He's lost a step, but he still had a 61-yard run against the Raiders and scored a touchdown in his first game as a Charger. Even the Michigan man, Jim Harbaugh, was willing to take a chance on the Ohio State star. Dynasty managers who took the same chance could be rewarded if he stays healthy and keeps the starting role. It would be a fantastic comeback, bringing his dynasty value up from the heaps.

Stock Down

Deshaun Watson

Watson looked like he was cooked last year, but I was willing to wait it out one more year to see how he could play once healthy. He looked terrible on Sunday. If he cannot improve, he will lose his job to Jameis Winston, no matter how much the team pays him. Coach Stefanski can't wait long to decide. One or two more losses, and Watson could be done forever in the NFL and dynasty leagues. The only team with more egg on their face for signing him to that enormous contract would be the team in one of my leagues that traded Josh Allen for Watson a week before all of the allegations came out against him.

Bryce Young

Carolina was once again the worst team in the league on Sunday. The coach Canales bump was no bump at all. Young completed just 13 of his 30 passes and threw two interceptions even while playing against a team in the second half that took their foot off the gas. The excuses for Young will run out by mid-season. They've given him an innovative offensive-minded coach, a first-round wide receiver (Xavier Legette), one of the best free-agent receivers (Diontae Johnson), and a second-round running back (Jonathan Brooks), who will be on the field soon. Young needs to prove something soon or his dynasty stock will drop to the floor.

Zamir White

I was a big believer in White, thinking this would be the year he takes over the backfield with a run-first coach and system. That's why week one shocked me. Alexander Mattison played 60% of the snaps on Sunday compared to White's 38%. That alone drops White's stock significantly in my eyes. He was already going to seed the passing downs to Mattison, but if he loses running downs like this, his dynasty stock will fall to the bottom of the pack of the running back backups. I'm hoping he was punished for his fumble on Sunday. If it's more than that, his dynasty value takes a big dive.

Rookie Watch

Xavier Worthy

Worthy made the most of his few touches in the NFL's opening game on Thursday night, scoring on a run and a pass. I was confident enough in his ability and role in week one to put him in my starting lineups week one, and he produced. He played in 63% of the snaps with Hollywood Brown out. If he keeps taking advantage of these reps, he'll be too great of a weapon for coach Reid to leave off the field. Seeing my fellow Longhorn score on the first touch of his career and stand out on day one was a blast, just like it was UT.

Brian Thomas Jr.

Thomas was an immediate starter, playing 77% of the snaps, which was second on the team, and tying for the most targets in his rookie debut with four, one of which was a beautiful toe-tapping touchdown. I was lower on Thomas than most dynasty analysts and managers during rookie draft season, but I have steadily raised him in my rankings since training camp and now need to move him up even more. I was wrong about Thomas and loved how he looked on Sunday.

Ladd McConkey

McConkey had an excellent debut game. He led the team in targets with seven and caught the team's lone touchdown pass, making a nifty juke on a defender to get in the endzone. As expected, he was used as an underneath receiver and got open often. He has a small frame, but he's quick, and that's how the Chargers will use him. I doubt that he was started in many dynasty leagues this week, but if he gets this type of participation in the offense, he could be a safe WR-3 in lineups this early in his rookie season.

Old-Man Strength

Saquon Barkley

Barkley was a beast in his first game with the Eagles on Friday night, scoring three touchdowns, two on the ground and one in the air. He could not have asked for a better debut with his new team. I traded away one of my Barkley shares this offseason, so that was hard to watch. At least I still have one. His 32 points on Friday gave his managers a healthy lead to start the week.

Joe Mixon

Mixon saw a career-high number of carries in his first game as a Texan. Cincinnati never used him like that. He carried the ball 30 times for 159 yards and a touchdown. He ran hard, too, through many open holes and taking linebackers head-on. He caught three passes to boot. If this is how the Texans plan to use Mixon, he could be a league winner this season.

Mike Evans

There is death, taxes, and Mike Evans touchdowns. You can bank on them. He caught another two touchdowns and a modest 61 yards receiving on five catches on Sunday. Mayfield and Evans have a mind meld in the red zone and cannot be stopped. Evans is the Derrick Henry of running backs. Every year you doubt him or think he'll hit the age curve, he proves you wrong. He's the definition of old man strength.

Waiver Watch

As a reminder, my dynasty leagues roster at least 300 players, and some have up to 400 players. I am most eager to add these players to my dynasty leagues.

Tyler Johnson

I loved Tyler Johnson's college film at Minnesota and was shocked that he could not make an NFL roster after getting drafted by the Buccaneers in the 5th round in 2020. After they released him, he bounced around to several teams, and Sunday night was the best we've seen of him in the NFL after he came into the game due to Puka Nacua's injury. He or Jordan Whittington has to fill the void now that Nacua is on IR, and the Rams trusted Johnson more in the game on Sunday. Whittington was added to a lot of dynasty rosters after his stellar plays in preseason games, but Johnson was the next man up on Sunday, receiving seven targets. He's my top target on the waiver wire this week.

Devaughn Vele

Vele played 49% of the snaps for Denver and had eight targets, catching all eight of them for 39 yards on Sunday. It sounds crazy, but he may be the receiver coach Peyton likes ahead of Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin. The rookie 7th-round draft pick is already 26 years old, but he's started ahead of Mims and Franklin, who were drafted in the second and fourth rounds. His drumbeat was consistent during training camp and preseason. Now I believe it. I'm willing to add him to a few leagues this week.

Mack Hollins

Hollins had the second most wide receiver snaps on Sunday behind Keon Coleman. He only had two catches, but one was for a touchdown. I doubt he will contribute to a dynasty lineup this season, except in the deepest leagues. In my super deep leagues, I'd consider adding Hollins to see if he can continue to outsnap his teammates on a high-powered offense.

Dynasty Trades

Michael Mayer <=======> 2025 2nd Round Pick

I traded away Meyer in this league for a 2025 second-round pick. I'm in a complete rebuild in this league and need all the draft picks I can get. I'm tearing this team down to the ground. I already have three first-round picks and two third-round picks. Now I have two second-round picks. I hate giving up on Mayer, who I drafted in the first round of the rookie draft in this league two years ago, but he's not the type of player who can help my team since the Raiders drafted Brock Bowers. The team I traded him to has an average team that will finish among the middle third of the league, so I hope this ends up being a pick in the 2.5 to 2.7 range.

Trey Lance <=======> 2025 4th Round Pick

Trey Lance <=======> 2025 5th Round Pick

There's a Trey Lance Lover in every league. As we neared roster cut day, he was traded for a late pick by the same manager in two of my leagues. As late as they are, I'd rather have the picks. Lance was terrible in the preseason. Cooper Rush is the backup for Dallas. At the time of the trades, the manager may have hoped this would be the last year for Dak Prescott with the Cowboys, opening a window for Lance, but now that Dak has signed a new deal, that opening has closed.

Malik Willis and Dallas Goedert <=======> Luke Musgrave

This trade took place days after Willis was traded to Green Bay and Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt were cut. In a superflex league where I have Jordan Love, I inquired about trading for Willis to have the presumed backup. I first offered Jahan Dotson for Willis. He rejected the trade but then countered with this offer, which I liked even better. I smashed accept. Trey McBride is my starting tight end in that league, and David Njoku is my backup. Now I have even more depth and/or a piece to trade away later in the season as I am rebuilding in this league, too. The trade looks even better after Tucker Craft outsnapped and outplayed Musgrave in Green Bay's first game.

Tucker Craft <=======> Kimani Vidal

The same manager who acquired Musgrave from me then secured Craft by giving away Vidal. I guess he wants to hedge his bets to see which Packer emerges as the most productive tight end. I'd much rather hold on to Vidal to see if he can work his way up the depth chart in Los Angeles. He has a long way to go, so I can see why the manager was willing to part with him, but I would not do it.

Tua Tagovailoa and Davante Adams <=======> Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and Tyler Boyd

In this ten-team superflex league, one manager is banking on Justin Fields becoming an NFL starter again, while the other was willing to give up. The swap of Tua for Lawrence is pretty even, and Boyd is just a throw-in player in this trade. The bet is on whether Fields will become a starter again, making him far more valuable than Adams, who is aging out. Fields got the start this week, but he was his unimpressive self again, though this time, he was not even productive for fantasy points. If he ultimately becomes the future starter in Pittsburgh or somewhere else, it's a win for this team. If not, it's a loss.

NFL Cuts And Dynasty Implications

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0500

It's the last week of the offseason! Next week, we'll have wins and losses and NFL games to discuss. The last week of the offseason means one thing: Roster cuts. NFL teams have to trim their rosters to 53, and in many dynasty leagues, managers also have to make cuts. Cut day is the final evaluation point for dynasty managers. The moves teams make cause the dynasty value of back-end players to drop significantly, making them dropable from dynasty rosters. At the same time, moving teams gives dynasty managers hope for other players. It's the last inflection point of the offseason. Here, I present my thoughts from a dynasty perspective on the trades and roster cuts teams made last week.

Jahan Dotson

Dotson was one of "my guys" in the 2022 class. I drafted him in many leagues and even traded for him last year when his dynasty value seemed its lowest. Sadly, I have given up on Dotson and dropped from several of my rosters this week. In Washington, he had a chance to become the second most targeted player on the team. After being traded to Philadelphia, at best, he'll be the third most targeted player after A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and may even fall to fourth behind Dallas Goedert. He'll help the Eagles and give them another weapon, but he won't produce reliable fantasy points weekly.
Dotson's absence in Washington allows Dyami Brown to revive his dynasty value. After watching Brown make a few good plays in the preseason and start in two receiver sets with the starters, I added Brown to my roster in many leagues a week or two ago. That proved smart. After the trade, I added him to a few more leagues, and he made my roster cuts in all of those leagues. I want to see how the Washington offense develops under Jayden Daniels and if Brown can become their second-most targeted receiver behind Terry McLaurin.

Samaje Perine

As expected, Perine was released by the Broncos. Unexpectedly, he quickly signed with the Chiefs. His dynasty value dipped, but they quickly rose again. The RB-2 role in Kansas City is wide open. Clyde Edwards-Hellaire (CEH) has battled mental health issues this offseason but made the roster. Carson Steele made several excellent plays in the preseason, and Deneric Prince was cut. CEH, Steele, and Perine will battle for a significant role in the offense. Coach Reid has already praised Perine, and he'll be ready to play in week one. He's worth rostering again in dynasty leagues.

Malik Washington

Washington was electric in the preseason, and a door was opened for him to see earlier playing time than expected after River Craycraft was placed on IR and Odell Beckham on PUP. Braxton Berrios is the only healthy receiver ahead of him, and Washington can make far more big plays than Berrios. I loved Washington's college tape, especially his last season, but I hated that he fell in the draft and landed in Miami, a team with a loaded depth chart. Now it's not so deep, and he has a chance to play early. Dynasty managers should keep him on their rosters to see how coach McDaniel wants to use him.

Drake Maye

I drafted Maye twice this year and hoped he could earn a starting role when the season started. He played well enough in the preseason to earn the starting role, but the team has named Jacoby Brissett their starter. I think they know their offensive line is a weakness, so they don't want to subject Maye to injury or unnecessary pressure early in his career. Maye will start for the Patriots soon enough, though. Brissett will have a hard time moving this offense, and the pressure will mount to see their first-round pick on the field.

Nick Chubb and D'Onta Foreman

As expected, Chubb was placed on the PUP list. Unexpectedly, Foreman was cut. That left the Browns depth chart to Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong for a moment. A few days later, Foreman was added back to the team. I'm unsure what the Browns think of their running back depth chart, except that Ford is their workhorse again to start the season. I still believe in Chubb and that he will take over by the end of the season. They will bring Chubb back slowly. Ford will be a reliable starter in dynasty lineups to start the season, and we'll have to see who the teams see as their RB-2 until Chubb returns. I assumed it was Foreman, but the Browns' moves last week make me uncertain.

John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson

Houston has one of the league's most loaded wide receiver depth charts. I was eager to see who they cut, who they kept, or who they traded. They did not trade anyone. Instead, they cut Noah Brown and kept Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie, and Robert Woods. In shallow leagues, Metchie and Hutchinson can be cut. Robert Woods can be cut in almost every dynasty league. In deeper leagues, however, Hutchinson and Metchie are worth rostering. Stefon Diggs is 31, and the Texans can get out of his contract next year. If his play falls off and the team moves on from him, either Metchie or Hutchinson will become a starter next year.

Tim Patrick and Isaiah Williams

Tim Patrick was a surprise cut by the Broncos, giving Josh Reynolds and Marvin Mims more opportunities in Denver and a little boost to their dynasty value. Patrick quickly signed with Detroit to work on their practice squad. I have no doubt that he will move up to the active roster quickly and compete for the WR-3 spot that Kalif Raymond currently holds. The Lions cut Donavan Peoples-Jones and several other receivers but notably kept Isaiah Williams. I enjoyed Williams' college film and production at Illinois. He was my 72nd-ranked rookie in this class after he signed as an undrafted free agent in Detroit. He's a sneaky player that I added to a few of my rosters in leagues with taxi squads last week. The Lions kept him while cutting others, so we know they like him, too.

Taylor Heinicke

Heinicke was traded to the Chargers and immediately became Justin Herbert's backup after Easton Stick played so poorly in the preseason. I quickly added him to one of my rosters in a superflex league. Herbert returned to practice, but plantar fascia injuries can come back. If Herbert misses time this season, Heinicke can keep the offense moving better than Stick could. As for Atlanta, their willingness to trade him proves they're confident in Michael Penix Jr. if Kirk Cousins gets injured this season.

Dalvin Cook

The Cowboys added Dalvin Cook, giving him a chance to compete in one of the weakest backfields in the league. He has to prove something on the field before I would be interested in him. The Cowboys are rolling with Rico Dowdle, who should get the bulk of the work, and Zeke Elliot who should get used in short-yardage situations. Amazingly, after the long preseason with opportunities to add more talented running backs, the Cowboys are rolling with these guys. As weak as they are, I doubt Cook will help my Cowboys or dynasty managers this season.

Hendon Hooker

Hooker played well enough in the preseason to secure the backup role behind Jared Goff. The Lions cut Nate Sudfeld and are only rostering Goff and Hooker. Hooker is now a player worth rostering in deep superflex leagues. Managers who kept him on their taxi squad last year are now an injury away from having a surprise starting quarterback, if only for this season. When Detroit drafted Hooker, many people thought it was to become Goff's successor, but Goff has played far too well to lose his job to Hooker. Instead, Goff was offered a new contract. Hooker is not the succession plan for Goff, but he's a backup quarterback worth rostering in deep superflex leagues.

Malik Willis

The Packers made a surprise trade for Malik Willis and immediately dropped Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt, making Willis the only backup to Jordan Love. I thought Clifford faired well in preseason games last year, so I added him to two of my deep superflex rosters and had him in a third superflex roster where Jordan Love is one of my starters. He did not play well this preseason, so the Packers were eager to part with him. I also dropped Clifford in every league last week, and I traded for Willis in the league where I have Love because he could be productive if Love gets injured, even if just with his legs. The Willis trade also means that Mason Rudolph is the lone backup to Will Levis, making Rudolph a quarterback worth adding in deep superflex leagues.

Johnny Mundt

Here's a deep dive for you. Mundt has emerged as the starting tight end for Minnesota, moving ahead of Josh Oliver. T.J. Hockenson was placed on IR, leaving a big window of opportunity for Mundt, if only for the start of the season. After receiving training camps buzz, I added him to one of my rosters in my deepest league, which is also a tight-end premium. I added Josh Oliver first, but now I have added Mundt, too. Last week, I added him to my other tight-end premium league roster to see how he starts the season. It's the bottom of the barrel, but in super deep tight-end premium leagues, he's worth a roster spot until Hockenson is cleared to play.

Jordan Mason

Perhaps no single player has gained more dynasty value late in the offseason than Mason. Christian McCaffrey has been sidelined with a calf injury, and Elijah Mitchell was injured all off-season, too. Last week, Mitchell was placed on season-ending IR, and the 49ers cut Cody Schrader, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, and Matt Breida. Mason looked great in the preseason and has locked up the RB-2 role for the 49ers. McCaffrey's injury is scary and can easily come back at any point of the season. If so, managers wise enough to hold Mason on their roster or pick him up this offseason will be richly rewarded.

Weekly Template

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Introduction

Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

Oh No!

Ouch!

Stock Up

1

2

3

Stock Down

2

3

Young Guns

1

2

3

Old-Man Strength

1

2

3

Waiver Watch

1

2

3

Dynasty Trades

1 <=======> 2

My Freek League Rookie Draft

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0500

I had my final rookie draft this past week, my original Freek league. Twenty-six years later, we're still meeting every late summer on Lake LBJ to draft and, more importantly, catch up and enjoy our decades-long friendships. It was a busy weekend, so I'll post a short article here. I'll share about my Freek team and the players I drafted in my final rookie draft.

For context, It's a 10-team, one-quarterback league with 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 Flex, 1 TE, and we still have a K and DST.

Last season, I lost in the Super Bowl. My team is still a win-now team with a solid roster and young players in backup roles. I traded my first-round pick last year to a rebuilding team, so I only had four picks in our five-round rookie draft. I'm pleased with that trade and the future of my team, especially after a big trade I made during the offseason.

Here is how my draft played out last weekend.

** Mark Andrews

Of course, I did not draft Mark Andrews. I traded for him last year as I made my run to the championship game. I knew it would be a late-round pick. It ended up being the 1.9, where the other manager drafted Trey Benson. I'd much rather have Andrews than Benson, so I'm still pleased with the trade, even though I did not win the Super Bowl. I had David Njoku as my starting tight end, so Andrews is a step up at the position, even after Njoku finished the season on a tear. Andrews strengthens my strong team, locking me up with a top-tier dynasty tight end in my lineup every week.

Xavier Legette

Legette's lingering injuries and lack of preseason games caused him to fall to be with the second to last pick in the second round at pick #19 in this draft. I've drafted Legette as early as pick #15 back in May. I'm still a believer, even though he's had a rough start in training camp. The Panthers traded up to select him in the first round, so they have to get him on the field early. Jonathan Mingo had a decent camp while Legette was sidelined, but Legette will quickly pass by him on the depth chart once he's fully healthy. He's the big deep-threat coach Canales wants and will fit that role well. I was excited to get one of my favorite receivers in this class so late in the second round. Adonai Mitchell, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Ricky Pearsall were all drafted ahead of Legette in this rookie draft, and I had Legette ranked higher than those three. I thought Legette was a steal.

Drake Maye

Even though this is a one-quarterback league, Maye fell too far. I was pleased to draft him at pick #29 in the third round. Quarterback is the only position where I do not have a top-tier dynasty player. Justin Herbert is my starter, and Sam Darnold is my backup, with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell behind them. I wanted to get a quarterback in this draft because of the uncertainty of Herbert's productivity in what we assume will be a run-first approach under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman. Now that Darnold is the starter in Minnesota after J.J. McCarthy's injury, I have more security at quarterback and time for Maye to develop on my bench. I won't be surprised at all if Maye is named the starter in New England this week after his improvement in practice and preseason games. I'm writing this on Sunday, August 25th, and posting on Tuesday, August 27th. We may know by then. It will take some time for Maye to be a productive quarterback in fantasy, but I believe he will. Tyrone Tracy was the only guy I was willing to take ahead of Maye in a league like this, but he was selected with the pick right ahead of me in this round.

J.J. McCarthy

Given his injury, McCarthy fell quite a bit in this round. I was the perfect team to take him since I also have Sam Darnold on my roster. I can move McCarthy to my IR and wait out the year with him. It felt like a smart move for any team, but even more so for my team, which has Darnold and needs more depth at QB. Now that I have Herbert, Darnold, Maye, and McCarthy, I am able to drop Minshew and O'Connell from my rosters when we have to cut our rosters back this weekend. That's another reason why I added McCarthy here. He looked awesome in his lone preseason game, giving me a reason to wait on him for a year. In this round, I planned to draft Audric Estime, my most drafted rookie this year, but again, he was drafted the pick ahead of me.

Malik Washington

Washington has looked awesome in all of his preseason games. He's returning kicks and punts and has had carries on gadget plays, too. He's buried on Miami's depth chart so long as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are healthy, but if one of them misses time, Washington could become a startable player. OBJ continues to battle injuries during training camp, leaving the WR-3 role open. The way Washington has looked in the preseason, he could take the job outright anyway. Washington will make the cut on my team. I have to wait and watch to see how he's used once the season starts.

My Team

Quarterbacks

Justin Herbert, Sam Darnold, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, Aidan O'Connell, Gardner Minshew

My quarterback room is a bit volatile, but it's young. Herbert's dynasty value dropped a bit after Harbaugh was hired as the head coach, given his run-first tendencies. That move caused me to pick up Darnold, O'Connell, and Minshew late last season and this offseason. I went into the draft eager to draft a quarterback for depth. I ended up with two. I was pleased to add some youth to my squad and see them grow and develop in the next few years. O'Connell and Minshew are cutable now that I added youth and depth in the rookie draft.

Running Backs

Jahmyr Gibbs, Kyren Williams, Rhamondre Stevenson, Jaylen Warren, Tyjae Spears, Tank Bigsby, Elijah Mitchell, Miles Sanders, Sean Tucker

If Gibbs and Williams stay healthy, my lineup is a killer, but injuries could ruin my team for this year. My biggest trade of the offseason was in this league when I traded Saquon Barkley and Tank Dell for Kyren Williams and Rhamondre Stevenson. I reluctantly accepted the trade offer even though I love Barkley and Dell because I saw Williams as the best player in the trade, and I have great depth at wide receiver. Stevenson had just signed his new deal with the Patriots when this trade was proposed, so I was more confident in his role in New England, even though the offense will be less productive than most. Warren and Spears have split backfields, but each could become their teams' future starters. I'm pleased to see how well Bigsby has played in the preseason games, giving me hope for him for the very first time. Mitchell will help me if he can get healthy, and Christian McCaffrey cannot, but Sanders and Tucker will get cut from my roster this weekend.

Wide Receivers

Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, Puka Nacua, Jordan Addison, Jayden Reed, Xavier Legette, Rashod Bateman, Tim Patrick, Van Jefferson, A.T. Perry, Malik Washington

My top three starters are all in the top eight of my dynasty rankings. They make my team a force to be reckoned with. The youth and depth I have behind them excite me, too, especially Addison, Reed, and Legette. The back five receivers in my lineup should all make my roster, given that they could see their roles increase this year, but they'd be very unlikely to ever see my starting lineup, barring a lot of injuries.

Tight Ends

Mark Andrews, David Njoku, Micahel Mayer, Mike Gesicki, Chig Okonkwo

As mentioned above, Andrews is my every-week starter. If he gets injured, as he often does, Njoku is a fine backup who would be an every-week starter on other teams in this league. I'm holding out hope for Mayer that the Raiders will use Mayer and Bowers lined up together a lot this season. I'm eager to see what Gesicki can do in his first year with the Bengals, and Okonkwo is on the roster bubble for my team that should not carry more than four tight ends.

My Starting Lineup

My starting lineup is killer. I'd start Justin Herbert, Jahmyr Gibbs, Kyren Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, Puka Nacua, and Mark Andrews, with Rhomandre Stevenson, Jaylen Warren, Tajae Spears, Jordan Addison, and Jayden Reed competing for the flex position. Injuries can permanently derail a team, but I have the depth to stay competitive and a few players who would benefit significantly if players ahead of them got injured. I'll be a top-tier competitor again this season and look forward to competing against the Freeks in my longest-standing league.

May to August Rookie Rankings Changes

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0500

One of my favorite weekends of the year is Labor Day weekend when I get together with managers of my oldest standing league (27 years) and best friends from college to hang out on Lake LBJ and have our rookie draft. Sadly, only six of the ten managers and friends can attend in person this year, and we had to reschedule for the weekend before Labor Day. Given the conflicts, we've decided to do a slow draft this week instead, but we will still enjoy time on the lake the weekend before Labor Day.

I enjoy having one rookie draft during or after training camps and preseason games because you can allow training camp reports and preseason games to affect your rookie rankings. Having this one very late rookie draft gives me a chance to compare my rookie rankings from May, when the rest of my rookie drafts take place, to August, after we have more data points from training camps and preseason games.

Our rookie draft starts Monday, so I reranked the rookie class last weekend. In this article, I note the risers and fallers in my rankings from August compared to May. I'm writing this article before I've watched all of the week-two preseason games, so my rankings may change a bit more after I can watch all the preseason games. As for now, these are the biggest risers and fallers after training camps and week one of the preseason.

Rookie Risers

Brian Thomas Jr. - From 16th to 13th

I was lower on Thomas than every dynasty analyst and manager back in May, and I am likely still lower on him now, but I have moved him up three spots after glowing camp reports. My concern with Thomas is that he is a one-trick pony who can only win with speed and big plays. It's still my concern, but camp reports say he's doing just that. In joint practices this week, reporters said he was getting behind everyone who attempted to cover him. The reports have caused me to move him up my rankings, though his target competition in Jacksonville still has him muted in my rankings compared to others. I still don't think I will get a share of him in my Freek's draft this week.

Ja'Lynn Polk - From 21st to 17th

In my May rankings, I had Polk ranked lower than most dynasty analysts and managers because I was so confident in Javon Baker's ability to win a starting role. As you'll read later, Baker is among the fallers in my rankings, given his preseason role and primarily because of his many drops in camp and preseason games. Polk has had better reports from camp and more substantial roles in the preseason games. It's a modest move up of four spots, but the distance between him and Baker in my rookie rankings has increased significantly.

Ben Sinnott - From 25th to 21st

Sinnott has moved up my rankings after his impressive first preseason game, and others have fallen in my rankings. The Commanders have been expressive in their praise and plans for Sinnott since they drafted him. I've grown more confident in their plans to use him as a multi-faceted weapon. I thought Zach Ertz would hold Sinnott back this season and make for a slow start to his career, but I'm less sure of that now. I'm more willing to draft Sinnott, even if it takes him a year to become a starter in dynasty lineups. Jayden Daniels's first solid preseason game also gave Sinnot a little bump in my rankings.

Tyrone Tracy - From 37th to 22nd

Tracy received a huge rankings bump after clearly earning the RB-2 role in New York, and the coaches' comments in the offseason Hard Knocks show factored in my favoring him, too. He was the clear RB-2 in his first preseason game and looked great. He's an RB-2 with one of the weakest RB-1s ahead of him in Devin Singletary. He's not only an injury away from a starter, but he also has a chance to compete in a starting role, which compelled me to move him far up my rankings. Thankfully, his injury scare last week seems to have passed. He's ready to enter the season as the Giants' RB-2.

Will Shipley - From 41st to 23rd

Shipley has looked fantastic in the preseason and appears to be set to earn the RB-2 role behind the oft-injured Saquon Barkley. The Eagles rotate their backs more than most teams, so he'll have a role in the offense even when Barkley is healthy. He's been great as a runner, receiver, and pass protector in his preseason games. I was concerned with his draft capital and landing spot, but now I wonder if he could become the future lead back in Philadelphia in a year or two. He was a top college recruit; this fact and the preseason games and camp reports have moved him up my rankings this month.

Jalen McMillan - From 27th to 24th

McMillan's training camp reports have been spectacular, and he's already moved into the WR-3 role in projected depth charts. He had a few nice plays in his first preseason game, too. I'm sure the Buccaneers will let Chris Godwin go in free agency after this season, so McMillan has a year to wait for a prominent role, but it's definitely coming. I was already higher on McMillan than other dynasty analysts and managers, and I've moved him up even more after his strong start in training camp.

Braelon Allen - From 49th to 26th

Second to Brock Bowers's landing in Las Vegas, Braelon Allen's landing in New York was my least favorite draft-day landing spot. He got drafted to a team with a top-three dynasty running back, locking him in as an RB-2 for the rest of his career. Add to that the fact that I was extremely high on Israel Abanikanda and doubted that Allen could definitively beat him out to become the RB-2. I was wrong because camp reports came out very early in camp to say that Allen quickly sealed up the RB-2 role. Then came preseason week one, when Allen looked like one of the best rookies in the class. He smashed in his first preseason game and shot up my rankings. I'm disappointed I don't have a share of Allen and missed the mark on him after his falling draft capital and landing spot.

Bucky Irving - From 43rd to 29th

Like I thought Abanikanda blocked Allen's upside in New York, I thought Sean Tucker would block Irving. Irving has surpassed Tucker to quickly become the RB-2 behind Rachaad White if their first preseason game is any indication. I was cautious about Irving's draft capital and size, but he looked quick and powerful in his first preseason game. The Buccaneers have proven they know how to use a versatile back, as they did with White, especially last year. They may have a type, and they know how to use it. I'm more excited about Irving than I ever thought I would be.

Theo Johnson - From 39th to 35th

This modest move up my rankings is largely based on Darren Waller's retirement, but his nice plays in his first preseason game also moved him up. He only has to beat our Daniel Bellinger to earn a starting role in his first season. Both were fourth-round draft picks, so neither has the draft capital advantage, but Johnson is two years younger and, more importantly, has more years on his contract. He was a Combine standout, and the Giants have every reason to want him to become their starter in year one.

Dylan Laube - From 40th to 36th

Laube made a small jump up my rankings after training camp reports stated that he'd become the team's passing-down back and may have surpassed Alexander Mattison to become the Raiders' RB-2. It's a modest move up, but he's moved ahead of many of the running backs listed among my rookie fallers. I'm eager to watch him play in the final two preseason games to see if he can solidify a passing-downs role.

Jared Wiley - From 56th to 40th

I don't remember much from Wiley in the first preseason game, but his camp reports have been glowing. The fact is that someone has to take the Travis Kelce mantle in the coming years. Wiley has the college recruit pedigree to keep me curious and hopeful. He's a player I added to rosters on waivers over the last few weeks in deep leagues since May, and now he's moved up to a player I'd draft in the fourth or fifth round in rookie drafts in August. I'd only draft him in taxi-squad leagues or leagues where I have a solid TE-1 and can wait for Wiley to develop on my bench.

Jordan Whittington - From 68th to 45th

Whittington received significant training camp buzz from the same people who hyped up Puka Nacua last year during training camp. Having watched Whittington at the University of Texas, I know him well. He's a Sean McVay type because he's an all-around athlete and willing to contribute and a blocker. He's buried behind Nacua and Copper Kupp, but he's got a chance to contribute if either gets injured this season, and Kupp's career is nearing its end. Whitington flashed in his first preseason game, moving him up to a player to pick up off the waiver wire or draft in late rookie drafts. He's worth adding as a last pick in late rookie drafts.

Rookie Fallers

Trey Benson - From 17th to 25th

I was far lower on Benson in my pre-NFL-draft rankings because I was unimpressed by his college film, but his draft capital and landing spot demanded that I move him up my rankings. I still had him ranked behind Jonathan Brooks and Blake Corum in my rankings. Now, I have Ray Davis, Tyrone Tracy, and Will Shipley ranked ahead of him in August. Beat writers have suggested he's still behind Emari Demercado on the depth chart. He looked terrible in his first preseason game, and Michael Carter faired pretty well, adding another running back to the competition. I'm even more down on Benson for my draft this month.

Roman Wilson - From 22nd to 28th

Wilson's initial training camp reports were glowing, but his injury briefly sidelined him. The injury appears not severe, but it's delayed his opportunities to prove himself. His fall in my rankings has less to do with him and more with those able to rise during training camp and preseason games. It also has to do with the uncertainty (at the point of this writing) that Brandon Aiyuk could get traded to Pittsburgh. I'm still hopeful for Wilson if Aiyuk is not traded and gets healthy, but he deserves a dip in rankings for now.

Javon Baker - From 23rd to 30th

I'm extremely sad to say that one of "my guys" in this year's class and my most drafted rookies has fallen in my rookie rankings. Baker had many outstanding reports during camp, but there were also several reports about his dropped passes. He dropped two more in his second preseason game, the only one I've watched before this posting. It's frustrating because it's clear that Maye has eyes for Baker, which is excellent, but if you can't reliably catch the ball, that's a problem. I'm still confident in Baker's long-term dynasty value, but others have given more evidence than he has and have moved ahead of him in my final rookie rankings. I may still draft him again, but I won't reach him anymore.

Audric Estime - From 29th to 33rd

Similarly, Estime, my most drafted rookie, has fallen in my rankings. His fall is mostly the cause of others jumping him in the rankings after solid training camps and preseason games. The most significant cause of his fall is Javante Williams's "best shape of his life" story and his clear leading role in the first preseason game. Estime did well in his first preseason game until he fumbled, something coach Payton was not pleased with and spoke about. Estime is in Payton's doghouse, and he's in mine now, too. I'm terribly disappointed about this turn of events, but I hope things can turn around for him.

Troy Franklin - From 24th to 37th

Franklin has hardly played in the preseason and hasn't had any glowing reports from training camps. The Broncos' veteran has dominated snap counts and touches in training camp, even while his college quarterback, Bo Nix, has moved into the starting quarterback role. Franklin's drop in my rankings is one of silence. It's just that he's had no positive buzz. He's done nothing in the preseason so far, either.

Malachi Corley - From 18th to 38th

While Corley had decent draft capital, I was concerned about his competition, given that I like Xavier Gipson a lot and after the Jets added Mike Williams in free agency. Still, he had the opportunity to win a starting role in three-receiver sets, but he has yet to do so. As I expected, Gipson has held him off, and Mike Williams has returned to practice. Corley was an upside bet in May drafts, but I think the upside has diminished already, and he should fall far down the rookie rankings as a result. I see him as a future gadget guy who is not worth rostering in most dynasty leagues.

MarShawn Lloyd - From 33rd to 39th

So far, I look spot on with my early Llyod ranking because he's only fallen further down my rankings since. He was assumed to earn the RB-2 role behind Josh Jacobs, but he's yet to do so. A.J. Dillon, the player many expected to be cut after training camp, has apparently held onto the RB-2 role as he has in the past. Llyod was a considerable stretch that many dynasty managers drafted early, and scouts like Daniel Jeremiah ranked highly. Things can change, but for now, I've been proven right. Llyod has fallen way behind and does not appear to be the RB-2 or future starter in Green Bay.

Luke McCaffrey - From 34th to 41st

McCaffrey's third-round draft capital caused him to rise in my initial rookie rankings, but he's since fallen, given his lack of impact in training camp. Dyami Brown's emergence and competitive fight for the WR-2 role with Jahan Dotson has put McCaffrey's rookie value at bay. Dotson has been used much more in the slot, and it is the only place McCaffrey can excel. He's taken a back seat in the rotation, making me far less likely to draft McCaffrey. I don't have any shares of him yet, and I certainly won't in my final draft this week.

Preseason Week One

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0500

It was a great weekend of preseason football, giving dynasty managers another meaningful data point for valuing players. The highlight was seeing so many rookie quarterbacks get their first NFL action. Most of them did not disappoint. I watched all of the meaningful snaps of all 16 games, and here are my takeaways from a dynasty perspective.

Caleb Williams

Williams looked great in his first preseason action. He led the team on two field-goal-scoring drives. He completed 4 of his 7 passes, but two of the incompletions were drops by D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet, and two were passes he intentionally threw away. He looked like the same guy we saw in college, with great movement in the pocket and the ability to extend plays. He has a rifle for an arm and completed one incredible pass while on the run and throwing off one leg. He completed passes to D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet, and DeAndre Swift but did not connect with Keenan Allen or Rome Odunze. Still, it was only two drives. Bears fans have reason to feel hopeful for the first time in years. They have their franchise quarterback, who looked the part in his first NFL preseason game.

Jayden Daniels

Daniels did just what dynasty managers hoped. He led the team on a touchdown-scoring opening drive and was then pulled from the game. He was 2/3 passing and scored a touchdown on a three-yard run. On third and long, he dropped a ball right in a bucket to Dyami Brown for 42 yards to keep the drive alive. His other completion was a quick pass to Terry McLaurin behind the line of scrimmage that went for three yards. Dynasty managers would have loved to see him for a few more drives, but they'll have to wait for preseason weeks two and three. Still, a scoring drive in his first preseason games gives his managers confidence in his future. It was one drive for Daniels, but he looked great.

Bo Nix

Nix needed just one preseason game to prove he will be the Broncos' starter this year. Jarrett Stidham started this game, but Nix took over and played into the third quarter. He finished the day 15 of 21 for 125 yards and one touchdown. He was calm in the pocket and read the whole field. They didn't give him simple plays with one read but let him scan the field and find open men. He contributed on the ground with three carries for 17 yards, including one long scramble for a first down on third down. The Broncos scored points on four of Nix's five drives, including the third quarter's first drive when Coach Payton wanted him to experience leading the team on a drive after making halftime adjustments. The last first-round quarterback drafted in rookie drafts this year will be a starter immediately, much to the joy of its dynasty managers. He was my most drafted quarterback this year, so I'm thrilled to have found a starting quarterback later than usual in superflex leagues.

Michael Penix

Penix got the start for Atlanta and played most of the first half. He looked very comfortable with the offense. He was only 9 for 16 passing, but his receivers dropped passes, too. Plus, he was playing with his fellow second-stringers. The Penix pick was the most criticized pick of the draft, but if he becomes the Falcons' future starter, their fans won't complain. He looked pretty good in his first NFL action, giving dynasty managers hope if their roster size will allow them to wait a few years.

Drew Lock

Lock looked terrible in his first preseason game. If there was a window in the preseason to prove himself capable of beating Daniel Jones, this was not it. He had happy feet, was slow to read the field, and had to escape the pocket a lot. He could not even give Malik Nabors a target in his first preseason game. He got dinged up on one play and was soon after pulled from the game. Daniel Jones's managers have nothing to fear based on preseason game one.

Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew

AOC and Mishhew were scheduled to share drives and compete for the starting position, but to my surprise, AOC handled the first drive, and Minshew handled the rest through the first half. Does that mean they have already decided that AOC is their starter? I don't know. AOC led the team down the field and was 7 of 9 on his first drive. He looked competent and in control of the offense and led the team to a field goal, but that was it for him. Minshew played the rest of the half, leading the team to two touchdowns and a field goal. He laid an excellent touchdown pass to D.J. Turner, a drop-in-the-bucket type of throw. After that, Minshew was more inconsistent. He had some great throws but also displayed happy feet in the pocket and indecision on throws. I wanted to compare the two, but AOC only had one series. The Raiders may have decided already, but I haven't and would like to see the two back-to-back like they said we would. All of my dynasty bets are on AOC winning the job, but I know it's close. This game did not help me decide because we did not get enough time to see AOC unless that's reason enough to believe he is the starter.

Sam Darold and J.J. McCarthy

Sam Darnold looked calm and in control on his first drive as the starter, but McCarthy came in through the rest of the first half and the first drive of the second half to prove himself. He had one bad interception on his first drive, but besides that, he played pretty great, throwing two touchdown passes. His early performance and the support of his teammates and fan base make me think he will be starting sooner rather than later, though Darnold looked good, too. Darnold should get more playing time in the next two preseason games and give coaches and dynasty managers a better chance to compare the two; then, we will know. Darnold looked great, but we only saw him on one drive compared to all the time McCarthy played.

Will Shipley

Camp hype for Shipley has been building, and he showed why in his first preseason game. Kenny Gainwell got the first touches of the game, but Shipley came in quickly and played more than Gainwell for the rest of the half. He scored a short red-zone touchdown on a quick flare route on a bootleg. He had a modest 3.3 yards per carry on these 7 running plays, but his pass protection impressed me most. Several times, he stepped up to take on blitzing linebackers and help chip defensive linemen. He looks like he can do it all and could become the RB-2 behind Saquon Barkley by the end of the preseason. Dynasty managers know well that the Eagles like to rotate their backs, so Shipley's sure to see some action in his rookie season, and he could really help dynasty managers if Barkley gets injured.

Tyrone Tracy and Eric Gray

Devin Singletary did not play in the first preseason game, so most of the work in the first half was spent on Tracy and Gray. Tracy was the first man up, which is a good indication that he's already earned the RB-2 roles behind Singletary. Tracy looked great and averaged 5.2 yards per carry on his limited touches. He was decisive with his runs and powered through tacklers on third down a few times to pick up first downs. As good as he looked early in the game, Gray looked even better later in the game. He had a 48-yard touchdown run and a 1-yard touchdown run. What was more impressive, though, was how effective he was in the passing game. He had a few very difficult catches and some great runs after the catch, totaling 46 yards on four catches in the passing game. This competition is one I will watch more closely this preseason because Gray showed something for the first time in his young NFL career.

Braelon Allen

Reporters from training camp said that Allen had locked up the RB-2 role behind Breece Hall in practice. After his first preseason season game, we all see why. Allen looks powerful and explosive, averaging nine yards per carry in his first preseason action. He read his blocks well, was quick on his feet, and had two explosive plays of 20 yards or more. He caught a pass, but the play was called back on a penalty, so he can catch the ball even though he was not asked to do so often at Wisconsin. He had a stellar outing in his first NFL action. It's a shame that Allen got drafted by a team with a top-tier running back on the roster, but after playing as well as he did in this game, he will demand a share of the workload.

Trey Benson

Reports from training camp indicated that Benson was falling behind the veterans on the team. It appears true since the Cardinals' starters rested this game, and Benson saw a lot of action. He didn't look terrible, but he didn't have any impressive plays either. He tried to bounce the ball outside too many times and got tackled behind the line a lot. He averaged 2.6 yards per carry as a result. It's not a great start for the first running back drafted in many rookie drafts. He needs to show some improvement quickly to get dynasty managers excited about his future.

Bucky Irving

Irving got a ton of work in his first preseason game and played well. He had 6 carries for 28 yards and a touchdown. He showed burst and quickness as he maneuvered through traffic on his runs and did not come out of the game in short-yardage situations, even though he's a smaller back. If he can play like this, he will undoubtedly cut into Rachaad White's workload. Surprisingly, Sean Tucker looked good in the run and pass game after Irving left the game. He played well enough to get me curious about him again. He was one of my favorite sleepers and most drafted players two years ago, but I've since dropped him from all but one roster. I'll consider adding him to the backend of my rosters again after he played so well, even though Irving is clearly the Buccaneers RB-2.

Audric Estime

Estime was used just as I expected. He was the Broncos'short-yardage back. They inserted him in the lineup near the goal line twice, and he scored on one of those possessions. His yards per carry (3.1) look bad since he had several goal-line carries, but he had an 8-yard carry and 3 catches in the passing game, proving he can also be used in other ways. The Broncos gave Javonte Williams the first-team role and mixed Jaleel McLaughlin and Estime in a lot throughout the rest of the first half. That's how they will start the season, but by midseason, as I hope, Estime will overtake Williams for the starting role.

Khalil Shakir

Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky distributed the ball to Buffalo's very unsettled group of receivers. The player that stood out the most to me was Shakir. Other receivers rotated with the first team, but Shakir seemed to be the one in on every play and situation. If the first preseason game reflects what to expect this year, Shakir will be the most involved receiver ahead of Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman. I would have thought Dalton Kincaid would have been more involved when the first and second-team players were playing, but he was only targeted once for a short 7-yard pass from Trubisky. He should be targeted more than that. The starters were pulled early in the game, so we can't learn much from this game, but Shakir looked the best.

Brock Bowers

I was especially pleased to see how Bowers was used with the first-team offense. As a manager of Michael Mayer in many leagues, I was pleased to see they had both of them on the field together most of the time. Bowers was used more as an H-back player who lined up all over the place. He lined up at fullback several times, and on one play, he slipped out for a quick route completed for a first down. His first preseason game confirmed my hopes that he will be an offensive weapon for the team and keep him and Mayer involved in the offense, though Bowers will dominate targets and the focus of the offense.

Training Camp News - Week One

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Training camps are in full swing, and this week, every team will play preseason games. Information from camp beat reports comes fast and furious this time of year. It's one of the most entertaining and important times of the dynasty year. I've followed the news closely since teams reported to camp, and I want to share some of my thoughts on what's been reported.

Dylan Laube

Laube, the Raiders' 6th-round draft pick, is getting a lot of third-down reps at camp and appears to have surpassed Alexander Mattison as the team's RB-2. It's no surprise that Laube would excel in the passing game. He was a versatile weapon in college with 2095 total yards in his last season at New Hampshire. He has 749 rushing, 699 yards receiving, 467 yards on kickoff returns, and 180 yards on punt returns. He may be a late-round draft pick from a small school, but he was one of the most versatile running backs in the class. Ourlads also predict him to be the Raiders' starting kick and punt returner. Zamir White was ineffective in the passing game after he inherited the lead role last year, but he was a great thumper in the running game. He has that role on lockdown this year, but Laube could become the running back they use on passing downs and in hurry-up offense situations. I'm buying the hype on Laube, and I'm sad that I only drafted him once in my rookie drafts.

J.K. Dobbins

Dobbins is back on the field and splitting reps with Gus Edwards, who also returned last week from his minor injury. It's anecdotal, but I heard a Dobbins interview on a podcast this week, and he is extremely confident that he's healthy and in better shape than ever after his recovery. D'Onta Foreman is the only back who has maintained a measure of success after Achilles surgery, so I doubt Dobbins will be productive this season. Still, his confidence in the interview made me more open to the possibility of a comeback. Kimani Vidal is battling injuries, and Jaret Patterson stood out at practice a few times last week. The Chargers' backfield is one of the toughest to figure out this offseason. I'm betting on Edwards to hold everyone off for the lead role, but the backfield will be more of a committee than dynasty managers would like. I'd be very surprised if Dobbins were the most productive back then.

Chase Brown

Brown has been running with the first-team offense ahead of Zack Moss throughout camp. Because of his speed and his big plays in the passing game last season, dynasty managers wrongly think of him as a passing downs back. He's much more than that. He's 5'10" and 211 pounds and had 328 carries in his final season at Illinois. He can carry the load. If he can prove effective in pass blocking, he can dominate the touches in Cincinnati and keep Zack Moss's touches to a minimum. The team was willing to part with Joe Mixon because they liked what they found in Brown at the end of the season. While they added Moss for depth, I think they will give Brown the first looks. I'm glad I drafted Brown in one league last year, and I believe he'll see my starting lineup a lot this season.

Deneric Prince

I picked up Deneric Prince in a couple of leagues about two weeks ago when beat reports repeatedly said he was the first back in the lineup behind Isiah Pacheco. I've seen many other dynasty managers do the same since then. All RB-2s should be on dynasty rosters, and adding the RB-2 in Kansas City at this time of year is a steal. On top of the beat reporters saying he was the RB-2, reports surfaced this week that Clyde Edwards-Hellaire is battling mental issues. If true, that opens the door even wider for Prince to solidify the backup role. He was recruited to Texas A&M but played his final three seasons at Tulsa, where he had a modest career before signing with Kansas City as a UDFA. Though he doesn't have the college production or draft capital of Hellaire, he's passed him on the roster and is now a great player to stash on dynasty rosters.

Denver Backfield

It's annoying that all three of Denver's running backs have reportedly had great training camps. What's worse, Sean Payton has hyped all of them up in different interviews. Early reports indicated that Javonte Williams was a cut candidate, but more recent reports say he's lost weight and is back to full health two years after his ACL repair. Jaleel McLaughlin got all the buzz early in camp, but that was before the pads were on, when quicker players stood out more. Audric Estime has received a little less hype, but his back on the field after missing most of OTAs with an injury. He's a player who coach Payton likes and the one on the team with the most draft capital since he's been their head coach. Hopefully, each of them will play in preseason games and help dynasty managers gauge the likely depth chart. Until then, it's a guessing game. My hopes are fully set on Audric Estime since he was my most drafted rookie this year, but it's too unclear to know the depth chart at this point.

Ray Davis

Davis made some big plays in camps this week. He's running with the first team in practice after James Cook and Ty Johnson have been sidelined with injuries. These reports and an interview I heard with their offensive coordinator bragging about his play and why they drafted him in the fourth round have me even more excited for Davis. If you've followed me this offseason, you know I was way higher on Davis than most dynasty analysts and had him ranked 20th in my rookie rankings. I drafted him in three leagues and would have in even more if I had not already traded away second-round picks. These reports are confirmation bias for me, but I am glad to have them. Davis will cut into Cook's workload a lot this year and become the team's goalline back. I can't wait to see it happen.

Malik Nabers

No single player has been hyped more than Nabers during training camp. I get four to five video clips of Nabers making plays on Twitter every day. His Hard Knocks bump has him hyped up even more. Nabers will be the featured target of the offense from day one, and the team will give him 8-10 targets per game. I'm sure of it. Daniel Jones's spotty play in camp is the only thing that can hold him down. Jones's play will keep Nabers from being all he can be, but it won't be bad enough to keep him from being a top-twenty-scoring receiver in fantasy this year as a rookie. He's too talented to be unproductive.

Jalen McMillan

McMillan may be the second most hyped player in camp. Reports from beat writers, coach press conferences, and player interviews repeatedly tell us that McMillan is shining in camp and will be an active part of the offense despite his tough competition. I drafted McMillan in two leagues this year, but I did so with hopes of him becoming a starter and star a year from now after the Buccaneers let Chris Godwin go after this season. He may not need to wait a year if what's reported in camp is true. I'm impressed by the videos and camp reports, but I am even more impressed by the glowing praise he's received from Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield. I'm buying the hype on McMillan and can't wait to see him in preseason games.

Chargers Receivers

Quentin Johnston continues to drop balls and underperform in camp. Reporters believe that D.J. Chark will start ahead of him this season. That's terrible news for dynasty managers with Johnston on their squads, but it's true. Every year, at least one first-round receiver busts and Johnston gets the award for the 2023 class. News has been silent on Joshua Palmer, whose role is secure. He will be the team's top target this year. Ladd McConkey has a slow start due to injuries but has come on in recent days. He's sure to be the team's starting slot receiver, while Chark gets a chance to revive his dynasty value from the ashes.

Packers Receivers

Every day during camp, a different Packers receiver was the star of the day. Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks have each had glowing reports, which is fantastic for the Packers but terrible for dynasty managers who want more clarity on the depth chart. I'm confident in two things, no matter what is reported during the rest of training camp. Reed has solidified the slot role, and Doubs has one of the wideout roles locked up. Reed's size and athletic skills make him the only one suited for the primary slot role, and the coaching staff loves Doubs because he does everything well, including blocking. That leaves Watson and Wicks to fight for the other wideout spot, which may turn into a rotation. I've made up my mind on this depth chart, so it would take more definitive reports from camp to cause me to change my mind.

Patriots Receivers

Demario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker have all received training camp hype, with reports and videos coming out every day about one or more of them. This news comes as no surprise to me. I've called Baker the Puca Nacua of this year's class. He will not get a starting role immediately as Nacua did, but he will be a starter over Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osbourn by midseason. Demario Douglas has the slot position locked up, and Polk should start or rotate as a starter from game one. Bourne and Osbourn have not received any training camp hype. This fact could be because everyone wants to focus on the first and second-year players, or it could be that they're just not making plays. It will take some time for this depth chart to settle in this year, but the young guys are the future for New England, who finally learned how to hit on wide receivers in the draft.

Andrei Iosivas

Iosivas is taking full advantage of Ja'Maar Chase's "hold-in" at camp. He's making plays and drawing the praise of reporters, coaches, and teammates, including Joe Burrow. Iosivas was one of my most rostered players at the end of last season. I held him because of his good games at the end of last season and because I expected Tee Higgins to sign with a new team. Higgins's franchise tag and the team's drafted Jermaine Burton caused me to drop Iosivas on most of my rosters after rookie drafts. After last week's reports, I added him back to a few. He's got a tough road to a future role given Burton's pedigree and third-round draft capital, but it's clear that his coaches and teammates like him, so it would not be a surprise if he can hold off Burton this season and earn an even better role next year after Higgins is gone.

Jameson Williams

Williams has drawn praise from beat reporters and his offensive coordinator during camp. He has to get a more significant share of the passing game this season, whether he has truly improved or not. As a result, I'm sure that he will have his best fantasy season this year, but I am not optimistic that he will live up to his first-round rookie draft value. It's rare that a player who couldn't break out in his first two years can become a breakout in year three. I'm calling B.S. on these reports and am not buying the hype. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs are the engines in this offense, and everything will run through them. Williams will continue to be a disappointment and unreliable in starting dynasty lineups.

My Scott Fish Bowl Draft

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0500

I dedicate this article to my friend and fellow Fantasy Freek, Monet Neal, who passed away last week. Monte was a follower of mine. He first emailed me two years ago, and we started talking dynasty. Since he lived in Austin, we met several times to talk football and hang out. He invited me to one of the leagues he commissions, where I took over an orphan team. Being in a league together gave us more reason to talk dynasty and get to know each other.

We were both invited into the Scott Fish Bowl for the first time this year. Throughout our drafts, we texted and discussed strategy. Late last week, when I messaged him about my team again, I did not get a reply, which never happened. Now I know why. His nephew posted the terrible news of his passing on our league's chat, and we were all stunned by the news.

Your time was too short, Monte. Fantasy football won't be the same without you. In honor of you, I write this article about my Scott Fish Bowl draft because I know you would have loved to read about it.

Scott Fish loves to change the scoring setting each year in the Scott Fish Bowl to allow a variety of drafting strategies. I'll discuss some of the scoring settings as I share my draft.

I drafted from the seventh spot and went into the draft with no determined strategy. I planned to take the draft as it came to me. The only tool I used was a page that showed what players in 2023 would have scored in these settings.

CeeDee Lamb

Last year, Lamb scored the third most points in a league with these settings, and I was able to draft him in the seven spot. Lamb was the first receiver off the board. I debated between Lamb and Tyreek Hill, but chose Lamb, believing he will get more targets than Hill next year since there is not an excellent WR-2 option in Dallas. I was thrilled to get my top-ranked wide receiver at 1.7.

Kyler Murray

I was thrilled to select Murray in the second round. SFB#14 is a superflex league that gives .25 points per rush and only 1 point per 50 yards passing. These settings will help quarterbacks who run a lot score far more points than those who do not. Murray was the 8th quarterback off the board. I was surprised to see Joe Burrow and C.J. Stroud, more pocket quarterbacks, drafted ahead of Murray. I'm confident that Murray will bounce back, and his new weapon, Marvin Harrison, will make him even better.

Kyren Williams

One of the most unique settings in SFB#14 is the third-round reversal, where the team that picks 24th also gets to pick 25th while the team that drafted 1.1 and 2.24 has to wait until 3.36 to pick. The reversal did not affect me much since I was drafting from the 7th spot. I got to pick at 3.6 compared to 3.7. That's why I chose to draft from the 7th spot. I did not want the reversal to affect me much. Given the tight-end premium settings, I was ready to draft a top tight end in the third round, but the top five had been taken. I settled instead for the player that scored the second most points per game in these settings, Kyren Williams. While I am worried about Blake Corum cutting into Williams's role, I figured you have to go bold in a league like this. I'm banking on Williams playing as often and as well as he did last year. Having the #1 ranked wide receiver and the #2 ranked running back from last year is a pretty good start.

Brock Purdy

In a superflex league, I was pleased to get Purdy in the fourth round. While he won't get the added points from his legs like Murray will, he's a quarterback leading the team predicted to score the most points in 2024. His efficiency and weapons in the passing game will boast his fantasy points this season. I'm also confident in his quick-read offense that he can remain healthy throughout the year. He was the 26th-highest-scoring player in this format last year, just behind Patrick Mahomes. I was pleased to draft him as the 43rd spot in this draft.

Rachaad White

I'm not a huge fan of White, but the fact is that he was the 13th-highest-scoring player in this format last year. His offensive coordinator left to become the Panthers' head coach, and they drafted Bucky Irving late. Still, he will be their lead back and dominate the volume of touches and receptions. He won't finish as high as last year, but he is one of the bell-cow backs that will dominate his team's touches, and with .25 per carry, that's important in the SFB14.

Rasheed Shaheed

The most significant change and twist in the SFB14 setting is that there are points for return yards this year. They get one point for every five return yards and 10 points for return touchdowns. With these settings, Shaheed would have been the 23rd highest scoring player in the league last year, so I was pleased to lean into these wacky settings and draft him in the fifth round, making him my WR-2 who will really be my special teams player one. It may seem wild when Deebo Samuel and Cooper Kupp were drafted before and after me, but that's the bold move you must make in a league like this. I'll do it several more times in this draft.

James Conner

Conner often gets injured, but when he's on the field, he's an excellent fantasy-scoring running back, especially in these settings, because he gets so many carries, catches, and first downs. He was the 22nd-highest-scoring player in points per game in these settings, and this year, his offense will get better. Trey Benson will cut into his time a bit, but not at the start of the season, and if Benson helps keep Conner healthy, then that's a win, too. I was thrilled to get Conner in the 7th round.

Keenan Allen

If you want to talk about points per game in this format from last year, Allen would have had the 8th most points per game. His situation has changed significantly as a Bear with a rookie quarterback and two great receivers to compete for targets, but I'm still banking on the old man, especially when he fell to me in the 8th round. In this kind of league, you have to gamble on the upside, and if Allen is healthy and becomes the Bears' top target, then I have a steal of a deal with him here. He's made a rookie quarterback look good once. He can do it again.

Xavier Gipson

Gipson is another special teams star. Since he returns punts and kicks, he was the 89th-highest-scoring player with these settings last year. He finished the season with the exact same score as his teammate, Garrett Wilson. Yes. That's how much the special teams scoring will affect their fantasy production in SFB14. While we don't know how the new kickoff roll will affect players or necessarily which players teams will select to return kicks, Shaheed and Gipson excelled last year at both, and I see no reason why either won't get the first crack on both again this year. Plus, they are involved in the passing game. I'm banking on Mike Williams getting injured and Gipson holing off rookie Malachi Corley to catch a lot of Aaron Rodgers's passes. If so, Gipson will be a steal here.

Diontae Johnson

I was surprised to see Johnson still available here. He was the only WR-1 left in the draft, while many WR-2s were drafted ahead of him. I have no doubt that Johnson will have the most targets in Carolina this year. That alone is a reason to draft him here this late. Last year was his worst season, but I think he will be rejuvenated to play with a new team and put in more effort than he did last season. I'm counting on a bounce-back season.

Jordan Addison

I don't think Addison can repeat his ten-touchdown rookie season, but he will be the second-most targeted Viking, especially with T.J. Hockenson out. Unfortunately, minutes after I selected him, the news came out about his alleged DUI. He may get suspended for some games, but I am confident in his play on the field when he returns. He'll be in my starting lineups a lot this year. I am sure of it.

Luke Musgrave

SFB14 is a tight-end premium league. PPR points are scaled with .5 to running backs, 1 to receiver, and 1.5 to tight ends. Plus, they get 1.5 points per first down, compared to every other position, which gets .5 points per first down. This setting drove up the cost of tight ends, and they were drafted early and often. Each time I had a chance to select a tight end, someone beat me to the punch, and I refused to reach for a tight end. Thus, it is the weakest part of my team, but I drafted some guys late who gave me some upside. Musgrave has plenty of competition for targets in Green Bay, but at least he's young, already proved himself a starter in his rookie season, and has room to grow. I was pleased to draft a player whose role could surprisingly grow here.

Hunter Henry

As tight ends were falling, Henry was the one I eyed late in the draft. He's the most experienced pass catcher on the Patriots and could easily become the team's first or second-most-targeted player this season. He can help me with my weak point by simply getting the target volume.

Romeo Doubs

As with Musgrave, Doubs has plenty of competition for targets in Green Bay, but he far and away led the wide receivers in snap count last season with 938 compared to Jayden Reed's 645. He will be on the field more than any of the other Packer receivers, yet he's always drafted behind Reed and Christian Watson. The coaching staff trusts Doubs. He's the most underrated of the Packer receivers. I was pleased to draft him this late in the 14th round.

Brandin Cooks

Cooks was more productive than fantasy managers remember last season, especially at the end of the season. With Michael Gallup gone, he should see even more targets and compete with Jake Ferguson to be the Cowboys' second-most targeted player. He also gives me some insurance in case CeeDee Lamb battles an injury. At least I'd still have the Cowboys' WR-1 in that case. I was happy to add him late in this draft.

Aidan O'Connell

I believe O'Connell will win the job in Las Vegas. So I was pleased to add a third quarterback to my team in this superflex league. The Raiders will run the ball and play conservatively, limiting O'Connell's upside. Even so, getting a third starting quarterback in a superflex league is important, so I was glad to draft him this late.

Gabe Davis

I get it. No one likes Davis. He fell and fell in this draft to the point where I had to take him. I can't remember exactly how long, but he was at the top of the ADP queue for at least a full round before I decided to take him. I think Christian Kirk is the Jaguar's WR-1, and Evan Engram is Lawrence's next favorite target, but if rookie Brian Thomas can't pick up the game fast, Davis could get more targets than I thought. At this point in the draft, he was worth the gamble.

Jake Moody

Kickers score a ton of points in SFB14. They get 3.3 points per extra point and decimal scoring one field goal length on top of that. Last year, Brandon Aubrey would have been the 35th-highest-scoring player in these score settings. Kickers were not drafted higher because they are less predictable, and the differentiation between them can be minute. My goal was to pick a kicker on a team that was predicted to score the most points. Justin Tucker and Brandon Aubrey had already been taken, so I debated between Moody and Jake Elliot. I picked Moody because I think the 49ers will score more touchdowns and because I have a mini stack with Purdy as my quarterback. Each time Purdy scores, Moody gives me 3.3 more points.

Juwan Johnson

Johnson has fallen in drafts because of his recent foot injury. Still, if he returns healthy to start the season or only misses a few games, Johnson could be a steal for me in this tight-end premium league. I was willing to take the risk in the 19th round. It's as simple as that.

Braxton Berrios

I was surprised that Berrios fell so far in this draft. He returned kicks and punts for the Dolphins last season and was the 128th highest-scoring player this season, ahead of quarterbacks like Gardner Minshew. Miami may lean on someone else for kick returns, and Berrios will not be an active part of the offense, either, like Shaheed and Gipson, but he was worth a gamble at this point in the draft, especially if he does get to return kicks.

Tre Tucker

What I said about Berrios applies to Tucker, although he will also be involved in the team's passing game. I would have picked him ahead of Barrios in the previous round, but I was scared off a bit when I saw that some depth charts show the Raiders leaning on Dylan Laube as their punt and kick returner this year. Either way, we'll find out pretty early in the season or maybe even in the preseason before we have one round of waivers the day before the season starts.

Joe Flacco

I debated about which quarterback to take here. Part of me wanted to secure my handcuffs to Kyler Murray (Desmond Ridder) or Brock Purdy (Josh Dobbs), but I decided to bet on the possibility of Anthony Richardson getting injured and Joe Flacco working his old-man magic again. When waivers process the day before the season starts, I may change my mind and add my quarterback handcuffs. We'll soon see.

It was a blast to finally participate in the Scott Fish Bowl. It's an impossible tournament to win, but I'll give it my best. I need Kyren Williams, Rachaad White, and James Conner to hold off the rookies behind them, I need my decision to draft special teams players to work, I need Keenan Allen to become the Bears' WR-1, and I need one of my three tight ends to get more targets than expected. If those things happen, I'll have a pretty competitive team. Thanks for the opportunity to participate @#SFB14.

Receiver and Tight End Training Camp Battles

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0500

It's the calm before the storm for dynasty managers. Training camps get started next week, which means our phones and Twitter feeds are about to get bombarded with news and hype from training camps. While we must be careful to refrain from believing everything we see and hear, some reports are valuable in helping us know which players are earning roles in their offenses and which may be falling behind.

There are several teams with very crowded wide receiver rooms and some with uncertainty in the tight end room, too. I plan to follow their training camp battles and beat reporters to see if I can discern which players are winning and losing their battles.

In this article, I tell which teams, wide receiver or tight end battles, I'll watch most closely during training camps and preseason games.

Buffalo

Buffalo blew up their wide receiver room after last season. Khalil Shakir is the only returning receiver who caught a pass from Josh Allen. They added Curtis Samuel, Chase Claypool, Mack Hollins, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (MVS) in free agency and drafted Keon Coleman. Now they have the most uncertain wide receiver rooms in the league. Shakir is sure to be a starter, given his experience with the system, at least at the beginning of the season. Samuel has the most NFL production of any of the veterans, so he's a lock to be a starter. Keon Coleman has the highest draft capital, but reports from OTAs said that he was falling behind because he was having trouble grasping the system. MVS is a one-trick pony and was just brought in to give them a speed guy. Hollins is a career JAG (just a guy), and Claypool has been bounced from teams since Pittsburgh traded him to Chicago. The battle for the WR-3 role is up for grabs to start the season, and by mid-season, any of the wide receiver positions could be overtaken by one of the other receivers. Buffalo will focus much of their passing game on Dalton Kincaid and James Cook, so there may not be a reliable fantasy starter in this wide receiver group. The biggest X-factor is Coleman. Will he be a breakout or a bust? I was much lower on him than other dynasty managers, so I don't have any shares of Coleman. He has as great of an opportunity as any rookie receiver, but he needs to pick up the offense, get on the field, and demand targets to make an immediate impact. I'll look carefully at reports from camp to see if he's picking things up and translating his physical talent to on-field production. I also want to look carefully at reports about who Josh Allen seems to favor most between Samuel and Shakir. My bets are on Samuel, and I am glad to have him on one of my teams in a deep 14-team league, where he will be in my starting line-up in week one. It's a mess in Buffalo, and it might not matter if Coleman can't break out and the passing game is run through the tight ends and running backs.

New England

A close second to Buffalo is New England, which has a mix of young and old players battling for starting roles on a brand-new offense. Kendrick Bourne and Juju Smith-Schuster were on the team last year, as was Demario Douglas, who had a modestly impactful rookie season last year. The Patriots added K.J. Osbourn in free agency and drafted Jalen Polk and Javon Baker. The Patriots have been terrible at drafting wide receivers, as evidenced by their roster still having Kayshon Boutte and Tyquan Thorton. Still, Douglas popped a bit last year, and the new coaching staff and general manager selected Polk and Baker, so there's hope for those three. Given their youth at the position, Bourne and Douglas should start the season as wideout and slot receivers, but the other wideout slot is open for someone to take. Given his draft capital, Polk will get the first shot, and I expect him to quickly become a starter. The question is, when could Polk and Baker take over Bourne's role? By the end of the season, I believe they will, and the Patriots will have two rookies and a second-year receiver to develop alongside their rookie quarterback, Drake Maye. During OTAs, various reports came out stating that each of the young guys had great practices or were the best receivers on the field that day. That's what I want to hear from training camp, too. I hope to hear that the young guys are proving capable of pushing the veterans aside as New England starts a new era. Their wide receiver room is one to follow during training camp.

Pittsburgh

George Pickens is the new top dog in Pittsburgh, and his target share will grow significantly this year. The battle for the WR-2 role is what's unsettled. Van Jefferson seems solidly placed in the opposite wideout position, but he's had a very unproductive start to his career and will be a full-time starter for the first time in his career. The Steeler's slot receiver role is what's most up for grabs between rookie Roman Wilson and a third-year player who has yet to produce Calvin Austin. The slot receiver could easily become Russell Wilson's second favorite target, so that's a battle to monitor during training camp. If Wilson immediately impresses in training camps, that spells the end of Austin's dynasty value. I added Austin and Jefferson to several of my dynasty rosters this offseason to see if either can emerge as a reliable fantasy receiver in deep leagues. I hope by the end of the preseason, I know which one to keep or cut before the season starts. Arthur Smith loves to run the ball and target tight ends, so Pat Freiermuth could become the second most targeted player next year, making the other wide receivers completely unreliable. That's what I expect to happen, but I will still watch this training camp battle closely to see if I am wrong. It would be wise to hold onto one of my Jefferson and Austin shares.

Denver

Besides Courtland Sutton, the wide receiver and tight end rooms are wide open for positional battles. Four wide receivers are battling for two starting roles. There's rookie Troy Franklin, second-year Marvin Mims, veteran free agent signing Josh Reynolds, and oft-injured Tim Patrick. This battle is a wide-open competition, so I will pay attention to every training camp report I can find in Denver. Mims proved little in his rookie campaign but wasn't a total bust. Franklin has the next best draft capital and college rapport with Bo Nix if he wins the job. Josh Reynolds, whom this coaching staff signed in the offseason, and Tim Patrick, in spurts, have looked better than all of these players but can't stay healthy; Reynolds and Patrick are likely on many dynasty waiver wires right now. If they get hype during training camp or report say the younger players are struggling, I'd like to add Reynolds or Patrick to my rosters. This coaching staff drafted Mims and Franklin so they will get every opportunity to succeed first, but if they struggle, the vets can step right into their spots. I'll also pay close attention to Denver's training camp for the tight ends. Greg Dulcich has fallen out of favor with coaches after two injury-riddled years. Adam Trautman, who coach Sean Peyton drafted in New Orleans, appears to be their starting tight end. Coach Peyton hyped up Lucas Crull during OTA's. I've added Trautman to a few of my dynasty teams this offseason, and I am prepared to drop Dulcich from my squads when dynasty cut day comes unless I hear glowing reports from training camp about his health and performance.

Las Vegas

The most painful pick in the NFL draft last year was when the Raiders selected Brock Bowers. That's because I have so many shares of Michael Mayer. I'm hoping we hear training camp reports about the Raiders running a lot of two-tight-end sets and using Bowers as more of a slot receiver. That's what I need to hear in order to feel confident holding onto my Mayer shares. Devante Adams and Jakobi Meyers have the wideout roles locked down, but the slot role is open for the taking if the Raiders want to let Bowers fill it. Tre Tucker is the receiver most likely to fill the slot role. I hope he shares it with Bowers. I'll follow training camp reports to see more about his usage. The Raiders want to run the ball into the ground, so it might not matter much anyway.

L.A. Chargers

The Chargers did what the Bills did by cleaning out their receiver room. They traded Keenan Allen and let Mike Williams sign with the Jets, leaving a ton of vacated targets and production. Joshua Palmer, though never super productive, is their most experienced receiver. He'll likely share the starting roles with Quentin Johnson, who had a terrible rookie season, and Ladd McConky, their second-round draft pick in this year's class. The Chargers drafted Brenden Rice and Cornelious Johnson in the 7th round of the draft and signed D.J. Chark to compete with all of the young guys. If Johnson continues to bust, Chark could easily fill his role, but it's Johnson's to lose. Dynasty managers need to hear good reports from training camp about Johnson's improvement. McConkey should be great, but as Johnson showed us last year, not every receiver drafted high makes it in the NFL. Palmer is this group's only completely safe receiver, given we've seen him produce at a modest level behind Allen and Williams over the last three years. Jim Harbaugh is a run-first coach, so expectations are already tempered for these pass catchers, but news during training camp about which of this group is standing out will still be valuable information for dynasty managers. I'll also pay attention to which of their free-agent signings at tight end is doing the best. Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst will also battle for a starting role there.

NY Giants

The Giants drafted Malik Nabers to be their WR-1, and he will be immediately. It's the other wide receiver spots that remain open for battle. Jalin Hyatt had some excellent moments last season in his rookie year. When healthy, Wan'Dale Robinson has had some great games, too. Darius Slayton has also had productive games and was re-signed by the team this offseason, so they like him. Robison is most suited for the slot role, so I think he can lock up that position. Hyatt and Slayton, their downfield threats, will compete for the other wideout role. I expect the Giants to become more pass-heavy with Saquon Barkley gone and with their new first-round weapon, Malik Nabers. If they are more pass-heavy, one or more of these guys will get volume as the WR-2. I'll watch to see who reports saying Daniel Jones favors the most during training camp. I'll do the same when it comes to their tight ends, too. Daniel Bellinger had some excellent games when Darren Waller was injured last season, and now that he's retired, Bellinger is the starter. However, the Giants drafted Theo Johnson, one of the NFL Combine standouts this year. During OTAs, Lawrence Crager was getting buzz, too. Bellinger should begin the season as their starter, but Johnson or Crager could surpass him during the season if they continue to improve. I'll keep an eye on the Giants' tight-end competition during training camp.

Green Bay

Green Bay has killed it in the NFL draft the last two years and assembled a group of four future stars. We just don't know which one will emerge as the biggest star. Jayden Reed's role seems the most secure in the slot, and with the variety of ways they used him as a rookie last year. It's the wideout roles where two of the three, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Dontavion Wicks, will emerge as starters. All three of them have had outstanding moments and games, but they have also, at times, gone silent. Wicks is behind Doubs and Watson just based on his later draft capital, but he played really well when Watson was injured last year, and Watson is often injured. Doubs has been the most consistent and productive of the three, so I like his odds of holding them off for a starting role. It really comes down to Watson vs. Wicks, so I will pay close attention to training camp reports and Watson's health reports during training camp. This battle could come down to who plays best in the preseason. If Wicks wins, he'll be one of the sneaker off-the-waiver-wire finds by dynasty managers last year.

Running Back Training-Camp Battles

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0500

NFL training camps start in two weeks. Practice reports from beat writers and preseason games will give us our best clues as to who will win positional battles. In some cases, we know which running back will get the bulk of their teams' touches next year. In other cases, the battle for the lead back will be determined during training camp.

In this article, I discuss the running back training camp battles I will follow most closely.

Cincinnati

The Bengals let Joe Mixon go in free agency, and he signed with Houston. His departure leaves 309 touches to distribute to Chase Brown and Zack Moss. Brown, the Bengals' second-year back, did not get much playing time in his rookie season until the very end of the season. He had a few explosive plays that got his dynasty managers hopeful for more opportunities next year, especially after Joe Mixon signed with Houston. However, the Bengals quickly signed Zack Moss to compete for the starting role. Moss had a surprisingly strong stretch last season in Indianapolis when filling in for Jonathan Taylor, and now he has a chance to become an RB-1 for the first time in his career. The Bengals are a pass-heavy team, and most of their runs come from the shotgun formation. Analytics and film confirm that Moss is excellent pass protection and when running from the shotgun formation, which is why the Bengals signed him. There's a lot more film on Moss, who was drafted in 2020, compared to Brown, who has just 58 touches in his rookie season. I expect Moss, given his experience, to have the edge in training camp. Brown will have to outplay Moss in training camp and preseason games to take the lead role. It will be a tight battle to watch, though. I only have one share of Brown and no shares of Moss, so the battle won't affect my teams much, but it will be fun to see how the battle plays out. One of the two will be productive for dynasty managers in the high-scoring Bengals offense.

Pittsburgh

The Steelers hired Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator. He's a run-first coach, so the Steelers' running backs will get a heavy load of carries. It's the distribution that dynasty managers are curious about. The Steelers did not pick up the option year in Najee Harris's contract, making this the last year of his contract, whereas Jaylen Warren has two years left. Warren cut into Harris's playtime more than ever before last season. Harris had 255 carries while Warren had 149, but Warren was more involved in the passing game with 61 receptions than Harris's 29. As a result, Warren scored just 15 fewer fantasy points in half-PPR leagues. Could this season be the one when Warren finally surpasses Harris? I think so. Warren looked better in every way last season. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry compared to Harris's 4.0. He was just unlucky in the touchdown department, scoring four times compared to Harris's eight. Dynasty managers were frustrated by coach Smith's giving Tyler Allgeier 186 carries last season while giving Bijan Robinson 214. He could deploy his new backfield similarly while giving Warren the more fantasy-productive touches on passing downs. I expect this to be a 50/50 backfield, with Warren more productive for dynasty managers and posed to become the team's RB-1 in 2025.

Tennessee

Tennessee finally parted ways with Derrick Henry, leaving a massive 280 carries for Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard to divvy up this year. Unlike Chase Brown, Spears was involved in the offense immediately as a rookie, with 100 carries and 52 receptions, resulting in 127 fantasy points. Spears looked great, too. He was quick and explosive in the running and passing game. His style of play is ironically very similar to Tony Pollard, who the Titans signed to compete with Spears. Coaches have already spoken about how they can each do the same things well. Their similarities mean that they will likely not have distinct roles in the offense. I imagine more of a 50/50 split with a hot-hand approach. I'd favor Spears in that scenario because Spears is younger, and Pollard lost a step last season. It will be interesting to see how Pollard looks on a new team with a new scheme. With Callahan as the new coach and his father as the offensive line coach, the Titans can strengthen their traditionally strong run game. I expect Spears to benefit the most, but I'll watch this battle closely in training camp.

Denver

Denver's backfield battle is one of the most intriguing to watch during training camp. They'll enter camp with five backs battling for roles, and they have a coach with a history of using multiple backs. Javonte Williams is the presumed front-runner and will be healthier after two years of being removed from knee surgery. He did not look good last year with the leading role, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. Samaje Perine had limited touches in the run game but was more effective when he did carry the ball, and he averaged 9.1 yards per catch on his 50 receptions. Jaleel McLaughlin was the surprise rookie UDFA last year who had a few splash plays and big games early in the season but was less involved and productive as the season continued. The Broncos drafted a power back in Audric Estime and signed another UDFA in Blake Watson, indicating that the team is not pleased with their running back room. The biggest thing to watch in training camp is the health and effectiveness of Williams. If he can't improve his play from last year, the door for a significant role opens wide for their first and second-year players. The Broncos led the league in passes to running backs, which is where McLaughlin and Watson can contribute. They were the fourth-worst team in short-yardage success, which is where Estime can succeed. With so much youth in their running back room, Perine is a prime candidate to get cut, even though he was their most statistically productive back last season. Peyton is pretty honest with reports, and reporters have proven truthful in recent years at training camp, so I'll follow the news closely to see who is getting the buzz at Denver's training camp. I sold my only share of Williams two years ago and drafted Estime in four rookie drafts so far, so I know what I hope happens in Denver.

LA Chargers

The Chargers are another backfield worth monitoring closely with Gus Edwards as their presumed starter, J.K. Dobbins trying to bounce back from his second season-ending injury, and rookie Kimani Vidal, who is everyone's late-round target in rookie drafts. We expect the Chargers to focus their offense around the run game, so the back that holds off the others as the RB-1 will get a lot of opportunities next year. Vidal was a sixth-round pick, so the team does not have much invested in him. Still, he has a clear path to touches if Dobbins is not healthy and Edwards gets banged up. He's already battling an undisclosed injury, and it's uncertain if he will be ready for training camp. If Dobbins returned from his injury, he could be a come-back player of the year candidate in this offense, but dynasty managers have hoped for that before and have been disappointed. Ourlads currently list Dobbins as the RB-1, but I believe it's Edwards' job to lose, even at his age. All three running backs have relatively low dynasty value, but one will shoot up the rankings if they earn the lead role. However, I expect the Chargers to have a running back-by-committee approach all season. Still, I'll watch carefully during training camp to see if I'm wrong.

Dallas

As a Cowboy fan, I was not pleased with the Cowboys' offseason moves or lack thereof. They let Tony Pollard go to Tennessee and then didn't sign any of the best free-agent running backs, even though there were more good running backs available than I ever remember. All they did was bring Ezekiel Elliot back after all the top-tier free agents signed with other teams. They also signed Royce Freeman. By all appearances, Zeke and Rico Dowdle will be the Cowboys' one-two punch, with Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, and Deuce Vaughn fighting for less meaningful roles. Dowdle had seven carries in 2020 and did not touch the ball again until last year in 2023 when he had 89 carries for 361 yards. He's a complete unknown, but he will have a significant role with the Cowboys, who can't give Zeke all the carries at his age and with all his wear and tear over the years. The Cowboys are a top candidate to sign another back or make a minor trade for one, but they've not done so yet. Dynasty managers with Zeke will get a little more juice out of the squeeze, given his role on the goal line. Managers with Dowdle on their rosters may have found a hidden gem if the unproven back off the practice squad turns into an RB-1 or RB-2 on the high-scoring Cowboys offense.

Washington

In Washington, I want to see if Austin Ekeler has anything left after his poor play last season. His yards per carry dropped to 3.5 last season after averaging 4.5 yards per carry throughout his six years before that. I expect Brian Robinson to take the leading role on first and second downs and Ekeler to be more involved in the passing game, but I want to listen to reports and watch to see if he still has any juice left. Robinson improved a lot in his second season and can hold Ekeler off entirely if he's lost step. Last week, I wrote about how Chris Rodriguez is a player I've decided to drop from my rosters, but I've kept him on my watch list in case Ekeler has hit the cliff. I'd quickly add him to my teams if he has.

Minnesota

The Vikings signed their divisional rival, Aaron Jones, after letting Alexander Mattison sign with the Raiders. They have Ty Chandler, who was very productive at the end of last season when he became their lead back, surpassing Mattison. The Vikings like what they saw from Chandler and believe he and Jones can carry the load next year. I'm not convinced that Aaron Jones is better than Ty Chandler at this stage of their careers. Last season was Jones' least productive year since his rookie year. He was injured often and was terribly inconsistent until he caught fire the five games of the season, including the playoff games. His fantastic end-of-the-season and playoff run made the Vikings willing to sign the 29-year-old to a one-year contract. They have the 26-year-old Chandler signed through 2025. This battle will be a true competition for the lead role during training camp.

Seattle

I'm biased based on the four shares of Charbonnet I have, but I hope the new coaching staff in Seattle gives him a chance to compete for the RB-1 role ahead of Walker. I'm sure Walker will maintain his lead role in training camp, but I hope Charbonnet can play well enough to convince the coaches that he needs a heavier role this season. Walker had twice as many carries last season. I expect more of a 60/40 split this season if Charbonnet picks up the new offense well and improves as a pass protector. I don't think this is a battle for the RB-1 role, but it is a battle for more playing time.

Favorite Players I've Given Up On

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0500

One of the hardest things to do in dynasty is to give up on players you once believed could be stars, whether top prospects or back-of-the-roster hopefuls. Sometimes, I hold on to players a year or more longer than I should, and sometimes, I have the courage to cut them and move on. This year, these are the players I have decided to move on from or suspect I will when the roster is cut down before the season starts. I've held on too long and need to let them go.

Given Up On

Miles Sanders

Sanders was my 2nd ranked player in the 2019 rookie class behind Josh Jacobs, and I drafted him in most of my leagues because I was higher on him than most analysts of managers in my class. He had a respectable rookie season, scoring 193 fantasy points, but he never built upon it. His next two seasons were worse, scoring 154 and 104 fantasy points before his modest bounceback in 2022 when he scored a career-best 206 fantasy points. When he signed with Carolina last year, my hope for Sanders renewed. Philadelphia loved to rotate their backs, so his touches were constantly capped. I thought he'd steal the RB-1 job right away from Chuba Hubbard, but Hubbard had nearly twice as many carries and more than double the fantasy points. Sanders' nail-in-the-coffin moment was when the Panthers drafted Jonathan Brooks in the second round. Sanders will be third on the depth chart when Brooks is healthy, bringing his dynasty value to its lowest point. He's currently my 62nd-ranked running back behind the likes of Rico Dowdle and Ty Chandler. It's time for me to part ways with Sanders. I'll cut him once the rosters get cut down before the season starts.

Sean Tucker

Tucker was my favorite deep sleeper in last year's class, and I added him to many of my rosters last year. I thought his college production made him a top candidate to win a starting role over Rashaad White, even though he signed a UDFA contract after being diagnosed with a heart condition, which made his draft stock fall. I rostered him and stashed him on taxi squads all season, but now I have cut him from a few teams and know he won't make the roster in others when the cut day comes. His college tape reminded me of Nick Chubb's running style, and he was outstandingly productive at Syracuse with 3798 total yards and 31 touchdowns in three seasons. I was surprised that he could not climb the depth chart in Tampa Bay last season and was disappointed when the Buccaneers drafted Bucky Irving. Had they not drafted Irving, I may have stubbornly kept Tucker at the end of my bench, but now I have to face the fact that he will not become a starter in the NFL. I've cut him in a few leagues already and will have to in other leagues come cut time.

Israel Abanikanda

Abanikanda was the player I had ranked right behind Sean Tucker in last year's rookie class. He was my 13th-ranked player before the NFL draft, but I dropped significantly after he was drafted by the Jets, who had Breece Hall ahead of him. His dynasty value dropped even further this year after the Jets drafted Brealon Allen and Isaiah Davis. After mini-camp reports said that Allen was the clear RB-2 running behind Hall, I moved on from Abanikanda. Ourlads now list him as the running back four on their depth chart. What a fall from where I had him ranked before the 2023 NFL draft. He was even dropped from a team in my deepest league with 14 teams and 462 players on rosters. That's a massive fall from his 1577-yard, 21-touchdown junior season at Pitt.

Samaje Perine

Perine is a back-end player I've had on several of my rosters over the last few years. He had a few spot starts in backup roles with the Bengals and several with the Broncos last year after failing in his first few seasons with the then, Redskins. His absurd college production, 4443 yards and 51 touchdowns, didn't translate to the NFL, and he was quickly dropped off the Commanders' and dynasty rosters. When the Bengals picked him up off waivers, some dynasty managers did too, thinking he could play the RB-2 role behind his college teammate, Joe Mixon. He bounced from Cincinnati to Miami to Cincinnati again and then to Denver last season. Now he's fighting for a roster spot and is likely to get dropped or traded after the Broncos drafted Audric Estime and picked up Blake Watson as a UDFA after finding a gem in Jaleel McLaughlin as a UDFA last season. Simply put, Perine's time has run out in the NFL, so I need to drop him from my roster. I'd only consider keeping him now if he gets traded to a team with a weak depth chart.

Chris Rodriguez

Rodriguez was my 56th-ranked rookie in his class last year, but I added him on several rosters last year in deep leagues after rookie drafts. I hoped he could make the Commanders' team and be more of a one-to-one backup with Brian Robinson on early downs while Anotnio Gibson would remain their passing-downs back. He had some opportunities last season but didn't prove enough to make me wish to hold onto him. I've already dropped him in most of my leagues, and he won't make the cut date for the others. He has a new coaching staff that did not draft him. The new staff signed Austin Ekeler to split the load with Robinson, keeping Rodriguez as the RB-3 even after letting Gibson go in free agency. Every RB-2 should be on dynasty rosters, but only a few RB-3s. I'll keep him on my watch list and add him back to rosters if Ekeler or Robinson gets injured, but he needs to stay on my watch list for now.

Joshua Kelley

Kelley was my 36th-ranked rookie in the 2020 class, which was right about the consensus, but I was able to add him to a few teams in rookie drafts. A year or two later, after he failed to meet expectations, I added him more often, hoping he could still become the RB-2 behind Austin Ekeler or even compete for the starting job as Ekeler got older. Neither hope came true, and now he remains an unsigned free agent. NFL teams have given up on him, and so have I. He's been dropped from all of my teams.

Elijah Moore

Moore was my 8th-ranked rookie in the 2021 class. I was far higher on him than more analysts and managers, and I added him to many of my rosters. He had an incredible stretch of production in his rookie season, and it looked like he would meet my expectations. In his second year, he fell out of favor with the Jets and underperformed on the field. When he was traded to Cleveland, I thought the new opportunity was just what he needed. When training camp reports told of him becoming one of Deshaun Watson's favorite targets and how the coaching staff planned to use him in multiple ways in the offense, I got excited about Moore all over again. I traded a 2023 second-round pick in two different leagues to add him to more of my teams. After a disappointing season last year, I deeply regretted those trades. Cleveland traded for Jerry Jeudy this off-season. Plus, reports from mini camp claim that Moore is not even running with the first team in practices, claiming that Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Cedric Tillman are the starters. He's one of the players I've been most wrong about in recent years. It's time for me to cut ties with him.

Isaiah Hodgins

Last year at this time, Hodgins was my most rostered player, after adding him on the waiver wire in eight of my nine leagues. Now, I don't have him on a single roster. He had his chance to break out on the very weak Giant's depth chart last season, but he couldn't do it, even when other receivers were injured. The Giants finally drafted a true alpha receiver in Malik Nabers, and their other receivers with higher draft capital, Wandale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, are healthy again and will start ahead of Hodgins. He was always a guy on the roster bubble in my dynasty leagues. Since the end of last season, he has moved off of all of my rosters. Last season was his last chance.

Brevin Jordan

Jordan was my 30th-ranked player in the 2021 class and my third-ranked tight end behind Kyle Pitts and Pat Freiermuth. I drafted him in one league and added him off the waiver wire in a few other leagues last year. Some managers dropped him after the Texans signed Dalton Schultz last year. I picked him up late in the season last year, knowing that Schultz's contract was only for one year. I wanted to see if the team would trust Jordan to become their future starter on their young and up-and-coming offense. Instead, they re-signed Schultz and drafted Cade Stover. That was enough to tell me it was time to move on from Jordan. I've since dropped him from all of my rosters.

Greg Dulcich

It will be hard to give up on Dulcich since, after two years, we've hardly seen him play. The only hope I have for him clings to where I had him ranked in the 2022 class. He was my 22nd-ranked player that year. I was higher on him than other managers, so I drafted him four times. I traded him away in one league for a third-round pick this season. I still have him in the other three leagues, but he will not make the cut. I hate to give up on a player I liked so much and have hardly seen play in the NFL, but I have proven tight ends ahead of him in all of those leagues. Dulcich's continued battles with injuries and coach Peyton's praise of Lucas Krull make me willing to drop Dulcich.

Almost Given Up On

These are the players I should move on from, but I have some doubts about. They are on the last seat of my benches, and I am considering cutting them, but it hurts to do so.

Treylon Burks

Burks was my 2nd ranked rookie overall in the 2022 class, just behind Breece Hall. Thankfully, I was only able to draft Burks in one league. He's been a complete bust. Now he has a new coaching staff who did not draft him and added Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd in free agency. Burks is no longer a starter in their eyes. As a first-round pick, they have to give him one more good look this year or send him away in a trade. Those are the only two reasons to hope for Burks. It's enough to make me keep him on my teams, at least through the early season games, to see if he has a role with the team or not. Admittedly, it's also painful to admit you whiffed on a first-round rookie pick. Dropping him will be the final admission.

Xavier Gibson

I added Gibson to a few of my deep leagues after watching him on Hard Knocks last year. I kept him on my rosters, hoping he could develop into the WR-2 role next season. However, the Jets signed Mike Williams and drafted Malachi Corely, making this possibility far more unlikely. I dropped him from all of my rosters after these transactions. However, I'm considering adding him back to my squads in deep leagues, where I could drop one of the above players to add him. At the end of mini camp, reports said not to sleep on Gibson and that he could very well hold off Corley for that role. That news and knowing that Mike Williams is often injured makes me willing to add Gibson back in my deep leagues where five to seven receivers can start.

Michael Mayer

There's no way I am dropping Mayer from my teams, but I wanted to mention that he has a shorter leash than I would have ever thought. Mayer was my 12th-ranked rookie in one-quarterback leagues last year, and I drafted him four times. He was starting to break out near the end of last season, so he remained hopeful for a breakout in year two. Then, the Raiders drafted Brock Bowers, and everything changed. I expect the Raiders to see them as almost different positions, keeping Mayer on the line and using Bowers as more of a slot receiver. If so, Mayer could see the field a lot and still be involved in the passing game. That's what I need to wait to see, and I will wait the whole season to see it. I need a few games to see if Burks has a role in the offense since he's already had years to prove himself, but one year is not enough for Mayer. He'll get at least a full second year. He was too high of a prospect and draft pick by the Raiders not to give him a role in the offense. I'm hanging onto Mayer even though the Bowers pick was the most painful pick in the NFL draft.

My Most Rostered Players

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 06:00:00 -0500

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.

Deep-Dive Players I've Added Since Rookie Drafts

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 06:00:00 -0500

I play in 10, 12, and 14-team dynasty leagues where we roster as few as 300 players and as many as 448 players. Most of my leagues roster 300-350 players, though. It's hard to find gems off the waiver wire at this time of year, especially when most of my leagues allow roster sizes to grow after the rookie draft until they cut back after the final preseason games. Still, I churn the backend of my rosters after the rookie drafts as news about players breaks during mini-camps. There's always a player or two I'm willing to hold on my roster until we have to cut rosters, especially in leagues with taxi squads.

In this article, I'll share about all the players I have picked up between our rookie drafts and now. I call them my deep-dive players. I think you should check your rosters to see if it would be wise to add these players, too.

Sam Darnold

Darnold was available on the wire in a few of my one-quarterback leagues. News broke this week that at the end of mini-camp that Darnold would be the Vikings' starter if the season started today. The Vikings may want to see what they have in Darnold before handing the keys to J.J. McCarthy. Darnold has just as good of a chance at winning the job as McCarthy, especially this season. Darnold is under contract for just one year and could help McCarthy develop this season. If Darnold is named the starter, even to begin the season, I'll be glad to have him on my roster in the two one-quarterback leagues where I added him. He has some of the best weapons in the league, who made Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens look effective last season. If McCarthy is named the starter in week one, then Darnold will be one of the players I cut before the season starts, but until then, I'm glad to have him as a backup on my rosters.

Spencer Rattler

I added Rattler in one one-quarterback league immediately after the rookie draft. We have a three-player taxi squad in that league, and I only drafted three players in the rookie draft: Xavier Worthy in the first round, Jalen McMillan in the third, and Bo Nix in the fourth. Worthy will not sit on my taxi squad, and Nix could be promoted quickly if he earns the starting role in Denver. All of that to say, I have one open taxi spot and likely two when the season starts. I thought it wise to take a chance on Rattler. I've never been impressed with Derek Carr, though he's on my roster in this league, backing up Lamar Jackson. Rattler will get his chance if he falters in any way this season or gets injured. He reportedly struggled in mini-camp, so Jake Haener may have a leg up on him as Carr's backup, but I can wait and see how he looks in preseason games before deciding to cut him or not. For now, I am content to wait until then. He was once thought to be the top devy quarterback. I like to hold players once considered top prospects, even if they did not live up to their hype in college.

Mike White

This addition may seem like a stretch, but not when understanding the context. I was surprised to see White available on the wire in this one league because it's a 14-team superflex league where every backup quarterback should be on a roster. To my surprise, Tua's backup in Miami was available. Though the rest of my team is solid in this league, I only have one starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. The rest of my quarterback room is filled with seven capable backups. Some, like White, Easton Stick, Cooper Rush, Sean Clifford, and Andy Dalton, would need an injury to get playing time. Others like Sam Howell and Drew Lock may get opportunities to play if their teams' starters struggle this season. I was happy to add one more backup quarterback to my team.

Trey Sermon

Reports from the Colts' mini-camp said that Sermon was the clear RB-2 behind Jonathan Taylor during practices. That news made me search the wire in my leagues, and I was surprised to find him available in two. I added him in both leagues. I have Taylor on my rosters in one league, so I was thrilled to get his backup. Maybe Sermon can have a Zach Moss kind of resurgence sometime this season. In another league, where managers are more active, and FAAB waivers run daily, I thought other managers would go after Sermon after hearing these reports, so I bid a modest eight dollars out of our $100 off-season budget. To my surprise, no one else bid on him. Oh well, at least I added another RB-2 to my squad. I like to stack my rosters with many RB-2s who get roles when their starters get injured. I don't think there is any way that Sermon will get cut from my teams at cut time. He has a permanent spot on my two rosters.

Kareem Hunt

Even though he remains a free agent, I was surprised to find Hunt on the wire in the 14-team league that rosters 448 players. I put a $41 bid on him from our $1000 FAAB budget and won him. I hope he signs with a team soon or after a training camp injury. He may be washed up, but I bet a team will take a chance on him since he didn't play terribly last year. In a league as deep as this one, that's a chance I was happy to take. You'll read more about players I added to this deepest league, and when you do, you'll see that Hunt was worth the risk.

Nyheim Hines

I added Hines for $3 in this same league. If Nick Chubb takes a long time to recover, Hines may get some work behind Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman. I have Foreman in this league, so that was one extra reason to add Hines. He missed an entire season last year after an accident on a personal watercraft, so he's in the same boat (see what I did there) as Chubb. I was willing to spend $3 in a league this deep to see if he recovered well and would get any playing time.

Cody Schrader

In this same deep league, we have five taxi squad spots, and players can remain in a taxi for two years. I added Schrader so he could sit on my taxi squad. I was shocked that Schrader was not drafted after his incredibly productive college career. I was sad when he signed a UDFA deal with the 49ers because that depth chart is too steep to climb. Still, if one coach can make an unknown player into something at the running back position, it's Kyle Shanahan. I would only add Shrader in a league with 448 players rostered and a two-year taxi squad. To give you an idea of what kind of players I roster in a league this deep, I dropped Salvon Ahmed to get Schrader. Both players will likely do nothing for the rest of their careers, but at least I can stash one on my taxi squad.

DeeJay Dallas

I added Dallas in this same deep league. He's third on the depth chart behind James Conner and Trey Benson but could become an RB-2 if one goes down to injury or in the unlikely chance that Benson can't pick up the game well in his rookie season. Dallas got a sizable contract when he signed with the Cardinals. I picked him up in a few leagues when he did, but the Benson selection caused me to drop him after the draft. It's only in a league as deep as this one that I'd care to add Dallas.

Zach Evans

In the same super deep league, I added Evans because he, too, can sit on my taxi squad. I have little hope for Evans since he hardly saw the field last year, even when two starters ahead of him were injured. Now he has two other starters ahead of him, so he's not likely to play this year either. Still, with 448 players on rosters, I had to dumpster dive. I dropped Jake Bobo, Rakim Jarrett, Cole Turner, C.J. Beathard, Blaine Gabbert, Isaiah Hodgins, and Donald Parham to make way for all these dumpster-dive players in this league. Those are the moves you must make in a league this deep.

Van Jefferson

I added Jefferson to several of my rosters before the NFL draft and dynasty rookie drafts, but I also found him on waivers after the rookie draft in one of my leagues. I'm not super hopeful Jefferson will become a starter in my lineups, but letting a starting WR-2 on a roster sit on the wire seemed unwise. Jefferson appears locked into the wideout position opposite George Pickens in Pittsburgh, with Roman Wilson assigned to the slot. The new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, is a run-first guy, so I am not expecting big things from the passing game. Even so, it's Jefferson's first chance to begin a season as a starter. I'm willing to wait and see what he can do.

Kayshon Boutte

I did it. I added Boutte back to a roster where I previously dropped him. I bought into the hype of one report saying that Boutte stood out as the best receiver in mini-camp. Managers still believe in Boutte because he was only available in the one league where I had dropped him. I'm willing to give him one more chance. I was more willing to add him back to this roster because I also have Javon Baker and Demario Douglas. That means I can follow the Patriots, watch the preseason, and see which Patriot receivers emerge as the starters. It's a new era in New England, so everyone is competing for a job, and anyone could win it. I'll wait to see.

Bub Means

Means was my most drafted player in the fifth round of rookie drafts. I added him off waivers in my one league with only four rounds in their rookie draft. I've written about him in previous weeks when breaking down my draft picks, so I won't write much more here. The Saints have a very thin depth chart at receiver, and Means has a chance to compete with A.T. Perry for a starting role. Perry received some negative reports from coaches during mini-camp, which bodes even better for Means.

Chase Claypool

I've added and dropped Claypool from my rosters since he signed with Buffalo. His mild mini-camp praise made me add him back to one team where I had previously dropped him. The Bills signed and drafted a ton of receivers, and now they have one of the most unknown depth charts in the league. At least with Claypool, we've seen him perform at peak levels in Pittsburgh before he was traded and failed in Chicago. My unbelief in Keon Coleman makes me more open to adding Claypool to a few of my rosters. In some cases, other managers beat me to it, but I have added him to two rosters to see how the depth chart develops in Buffalo.

Isaiah Williams

Williams is another player I picked up to add to my taxi squad in that 14-team league. I loved his college tape and production and was surprised he went undrafted. He signed as a UDFA with Detroit, where he has a tough hill to climb for playing time. While the Lions have one of their best receivers in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams still has much to prove, and the wide receivers behind them are pretty weak. Williams is a long shot to make the team after going undrafted, but I'm hopeful he can prove something in training camp and preseason games and make the team. If so, he can sit on my taxi squad for up to two years before I decide to keep or cut him.

Mike Gesicki

Gesicki was surprisingly available in one league where I am weak at the tight end position. While he's made some big plays in his NFL career, he's never lived up to his pre-draft hype. He's on his third team in Cincinnati, but he's the clear TE-1 on a team where defenders have more to worry about than tight end. He will get open a lot in Cincinnati and have the best fantasy season of his career this year. I really believe that, and I can't believe I was able to find him off waivers in this one league. He's my starting tight end for my rebuilding team this year.

Zach Ertz

I can't quit Zach Ertz. I added him to many of my teams after he signed with Washington and added him to one more team after the draft. At this point in his career, he likely has just one or two seasons left of production. He will get a lot of work this year, even though the Commanders spent a second-round pick on Ben Sinnott. Last year was a big exception, but tight ends typically take time to adjust to the NFL. Sinnott will sit behind Ertz a lot to start the season. I'm hoping to get a little more juice out of the squeeze from Ertz this season before finally quitting on him. Kliff Kingsbury targeted Ertz often in Arizona, and he brought him back to play in his offense again. He's a believer like I am.

Josh Oliver and Robert Tonyan

I added Oliver and Tonyan in that 14-team deep league. It's a tight-end premium league. Neither player will help me from a long-term dynasty perspective, but I expect one of them to help me a lot this season while T.J. Hockenson recovers from his knee surgery. Hockenson is not likely to play until at least months into the season, which leaves the TE-1 position open for Oliver or Tonyan to take. I first spent $63 of a $1000 budget on Oliver, confident that he would be the Vikings' starting tight end. After hearing a good report from Tonyan in mini-camp, I added him for $0 in case he competes for the starting role.

Tanner McLachlan

Finally, I added one more taxi squad player to my roster in that 14-team league. McLachlan has a steep hill to climb on the Bengals' depth chart with veteran Mike Gesicki and fellow rookie Erick Alt ahead of him, so I wonder if he'll stay on my roster for long. Still, Daniel Jeremiah had McLachlan ranked way higher than where he was drafted. During the draft, his player remained at the top of the "best available players" list forever. I'm willing to trust Jeremiah and let this play out since I have a two-year window on my taxi squad. He seemed worth a small gamble.

My Favorite Rebuilding Team's Rookie Draft

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 06:00:00 -0500

A friend from another dynasty league invited me into the "Keeper" league about six or seven years ago. Don't let the name deceive you. It's a dynasty league that started in 2005. They were early adapters! I took over an orphan that needed some work, but I made it into a competitive team and made the playoffs a few times. It's a ten-team league, and only four teams make the playoffs, so it's considerably harder to make the playoffs every year.

Last season, after I lost my RB-1 when Nick Chubb suffered his brutal injury, I decided it was in my best interest to go entirely into rebuild mode. I sold off as many pieces as I could, which netted me six of the first 21 picks in this year's draft. I also traded a lot of vets for younger players, making this the youngest dynasty team I have ever had. My bad season netted me the first pick of the draft, something I have only had once before in my dynasty career. In this ten-team league, I had picks 1, 6, 11, 16, 18, and 21.

Two years ago, we transitioned to a superflex league, so this draft loaded with quarterbacks helped me a lot since I already had three starting quarterbacks on my roster and decided to wait on quarterbacks in this draft. Running back is my biggest position of need, so you'll see I drafted a lot of running backs, especially after I drafted my 1st and 4th-ranked wide receivers in this class. I let the draft come to me and never made a trade, but drafted the players I thought could help me rebuild the quickest.

This draft was my favorite of the year. It gave me hope for a quick rebound and a foundation for years to come.

1.1 - Marvin Harrison Jr.

I decided not to draft a quarterback with the first pick since I already had three starting quarterbacks on my rosters and all their backups. I was confident I could draft a second-tier quarterback later in the draft since I had so many early-round picks. Harrison is a can't miss prospect who will break out in year one. He'll be a starting wide receiver on my roster for the next decade. I love his landing spot in Arizona because he will immediately become the team's top target, and he has an excellent quarterback, Kyler Murray. I'm glad I got one share of Harrison in my dynasty leagues. This is my only one.

1.6 - Jonathan Brooks

Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels went two and three, followed by Brock Bowers and Malik Nabers. The draft played out just as I hoped, allowing me to get the top wide receiver and running back in this draft. He'll take time to make an impact for my team as Carolina eases him into their offense and he fully recovers from his surgery. Still, he was drafted earlier than expected by a team with an open backfield and, best of all, by an innovative coach who was pumped to draft Brooks. He's an excellent runner and pass catcher, so I am confident he will be an every-down back. Plus, he's 20 years old and has little wear and tear on his body after only starting one season in college. So far, this draft was playing out just as I hoped.

2.1 - Xavier Worthy

I was surprised to have another Longhorn fall to me at the 11th pick in the draft. He's my fourth-ranked rookie receiver, but Rome Odunze, Ladd McConkey, Brian Robinson, and J.J. McCarthy went ahead of him in this draft. I considered drafting a quarterback but was confident one of the remaining two, Drake Maye or Bo Nix, would fall to me at my next pick. As I wrote about last week, Worthy is at the end of the top tier in my rankings, so I had to select him here and let the tier-two guys fall to me later in this round. Like Marvin Harrison, Worthy was a top recruit who broke out immediately in college. The only ding on Worthy's profile is his size, but the NFL is changing, giving smaller receivers significant roles in offenses. Worthy can play with the big boys and has the best coach and quarterback in the league to unleash his talents.

2.6 - Bo Nix

I was able to get a quarterback in this superflex league. I just waited until the last likely starter was available. Keon Coleman, Drake Maye, Trey Benson, and Ja'Lynn Polk were drafted between my first two second-round picks. In superflex leagues, I like to roster the backups of my starting quarterbacks. That way, if the starter goes down, I will still have a starter on my roster. I already had Jared Stidham and Zach Wilson on my roster, so adding Nix was an easy choice. Now I can watch the offseason and preseason to see who becomes the starter and the backup. Given his draft capital and coach Peyton's thoughts on Nix, it's his job to lose, and I'm sure he'll win the starting role. I came into this draft intending to wait on quarterback and succeeded. Even though this is a ten-team league, some teams are weak at quarterback. With four starting quarterbacks on my roster, I'm in a great position to trade a quarterback for a good price. That's another part of my rebuilding plan.

2.8 - Blake Corum

Ricky Pearsall was drafted after Bo Nix, leaving my second-ranked ranked rookie running back to fall to me at 2.8. Corum is one of my most drafted players this year since I have him ranked considerably higher than most dynasty analysts and managers. Kyren Williams gets injured a lot, which will benefit Corum, who was drafted to lessen the load on Williams. He'll get a share of the touches right away and could become their short-yardage and red-zone back since he was such an efficient short-yardage runner in college. If sharing the load is not enough to keep Williams from getting injured, Corum could explode when given the starting role. I was thrilled to get him this late in the draft. My weakness in this league is at running back, so from this point in the draft, I kept drafting running backs, hoping one or more will surprise me.

3.1 - Ray Davis

Ray Davis is a "my guy," so I have written about him enough already, but here he was again in the third round for me to pick like I have several times this year. He's a different kind of back than James Cook, a bigger-bodied back that the Bills continue to search for in free agency every year. This year, they decided to draft one. I've written a lot about my love for Davis, so suffice it to say I was pleased to select him in this league, too.

5.1 - Audric Estime

I didn't consider Estime a "my guy" before rookie drafts started, but I guess he's become one because I drafted him again in this draft. It's my third share of Estime, so like Davis, I have written about him enough. I'm trusting in his elite college production profile and the excitement in Sean Peyton's press conferences when talking about Estime. He has as good of a chance of becoming Denver's future RB-1 as any player on their current roster.

6.1 - Dylan Laube

This is the first time I have drafted Laube, but I was willing to pull the trigger on him in the sixth round. His college production was through the roof, even though he played at a smaller school. I'd like to see how he looks in the preseason to decide if he'll be among the players I keep or cut when we have our roster cutdown date before the season starts. He's got relatively unproven backs ahead of him in Zamir White and Alexander Mattison, and he's an excellent pass catcher, so he could earn a role with the Raiders. I'm happy to draft him this late to see what role he can earn.

Team Assessment

In a ten-team league, it's much easier to rebuild. While I improved my team significantly with this draft, I need next year's draft to improve my team at running back. I already have two first-round picks next year and hope to make some trades this season for more picks when the running back class will be better.

Still, if one or more of the running backs I drafted this year break out, my team may bounce back quickly because I am loaded at wide receiver and just fine at quarterback and tight end.

I definitely don't have two top-tier quarterbacks, but I have one who is moving in that direction. My quarterbacks are middle of the pack, but I don't think they hurt my team too much. In this league, Jordan Love was the fifth highest-scoring quarterback last season, and Baker Mayfield was 11th.

Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones, Bo Nix, and all of their primary backups, Sean Clifford, Kyle Trask, Drew Lock, Jared Stidham, and Zach Wilson.

Running backs are my weakness, but if one or more of the five backs I drafted in this rookie draft break out, I'll be competitive. If Nick Chubb recovers like he did from his previous knee surgeries, my running back room will look a lot better. I plan to compile one or two more first-round draft picks to complete my running back rebuild. Many of these players will get cut when we finalize rosters before game one.

Jonathan Brooks, Jerome Ford, Nick Chubb, Blake Corum, Ray Davis, Audric Estime, Dylan Laube, Khalil Herbert, Kareem Hunt, A.J. Dillon, and Miles Sanders.

Wide receivers are my strength, and they are the youngest players on my roster, giving them time to improve and the potential for ten years of production. Elijah Moore and Van Jefferson will likely not make the cut when we finalize rosters, but the rest are keepers.

Marvin Harrison, Puka Nacua, Chris Olave, Xavier Worthy, Zay Flowers, Jordan Addison, Jayden Reed, Tyler Lockett, Jahan Dotson, Elijah Moore, and Van Jefferson.

I'm solid at tight end, too. I have a great mix of young and old players, including two who broke out last year and finished as tight ends six and seven.

Trey McBride, David Njoku, Luke Musgrave, Michael Mayer

Round One

1. Dog Drool - Marvin Harrison JR. - WR
2. Beast Mode - Caleb Williams - QB
3. Insaniacs (va Smoke Monster) - Jayden Daniels - QB
4. Beast Mode (via Nyuk-Nyuk) - Brock Bowers - TE
5. Beast Mode (via Hired Gunz) - Malik Nabers - WR
6. Dog Drool (via DPO) - Jonathan Brooks - RB
7. Beast Mode (via Mobsters) - Rome Odunze - WR
8. Beast Mode (via Razor Stubble) - Ladd McConkey - WR
9. Fruit Loops - Brian Thomas - WR
10. Mobsters (via Insaniacs) - J.J. McCarthy - QB

Round Two

1. Dog Drool - Xavier Worthy - WR
2. Nyuk-Nyuk (via Beast Mode) - Keon Coleman - WR
3. Smoke Monster - Drake Maye - QB
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Trey Benson - RB
5. Hired Gunz - Ja’Lynn Polk - WR
6. Dog Drool (via DPO) - Bo Nix - QB
7. Fruit Loops (via Mobsters) - Ricky Pearsall - WR
8. Dog Drool (via Razor Stubble) - Blake Corum - RB
9. Fruit Loops - Xavier Legette - WR
10. Mobsters via (Beast Mode, via Insainiacs) - MarShawn Lloyd - RB

Round Three

1. Dog Drool - Ray Davis - RB
2. Beast Mode - Michael Penix - QB
3. Nyuk-Nyuk (via Smoke Monster) - Adonai Mitchell - WR
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Jaylen Wright - RB
5. Hired Gunz - Malachi Corley - WR
6. DPO -Roman Wilson
7. Fruit Loops (via Mobsters) - Ben Sinnott - TE
8. Razor Stubble - Jermaine Burton - WR
9. Fruit Loops - Troy Franklin - WR
10. Smoke Monster (via Insaniacs) - Bucky Irving - RB

Round Four

1. DPO (via Dog Drool) - Kimani Vidal - RB
2. Beast Mode - Tyrone Tracy - RB
3. Smoke Monster - Javon Baker - WR
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Jalen McMillan - WR
5. Hired Gunz - Devontez Walker - WR
6. DPO - Luke McCaffery - WR
7. Mobsters - Isaac Guerendo - RB
8. Razor Stubble - Braelon Allen - RB
9. Fruit Loops - Malik Washington - WR
10. DPO (via Beast Mode, Insaniacs) - Will Shipley - RB

Round Five

1. Dog Drool - Audric Estime - RB
2. Beast Mode - Louis Rees-Zammit - RB
3. Smoke Monster - Rasheen Ali - RB
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Spencer Rattler - QB
5. Hired Gunz - Isaiah Davis - RB
6. DPO - Ja’Tavion Sanders - TE
7. Mobsters - Bailey - RB
8. Razor Stubble - Johnny Wilson - WR
9. Fruit Loops - Casey Washington - WR
10. Mobsters (via Insainiacs) - Rondale Moore - WR

Round Six

1. Dog Drool - Dylan Laube - RB
2. Beast Mode - Cody Schrader - RB
3. Smoke Monster - Theo Johnson - TE
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Cade Stover - TE
5. Hired Gunz - Eric All - TE
6. DPO - Brendan Rice - WR
7. Mobsters Michael Pratt - QB
8. Razor Stubble - Jared Wiley - TE
9. Fruit Loops - Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint - WR
10. Mobsters (via Insaniacs) - Jacob Cowing -WR

Grading My Two Best Teams' Rookie Drafts

Tue, 28 May 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Rookie drafts are less fun when your team is a top contender, but the season is more fun when you're winning. Two of my three best rosters are in my Finish The Fight league and my Good Times league. I won the Super Bowl in the former and was a runner-up in the latter. Both are ten-team, one-quarterback leagues, so it's easier to assemble a strong roster. Still, my teams are the best I've ever built, apart from a league I will write about in a few weeks after our rookie draft.

Rather than writing about the entire rookie draft in these leagues, I thought I would write about the players I drafted and how my team is shaping up. I will also make a few comments about picks that were surprising in each draft, spotting some overall trends in the six rookie drafts I've participated in so far.

Finish The Fight League

I was invited into this league by a podcast listener two years ago. I took over an orphan team that already had a pretty strong roster. I immediately made a trade to acquire Tyreek Hill to make my team even stronger. I lost in the semi-finals the first year, and last year, I took home the trophy. That left me with the 1.10, 2.10, and 4.10 in this year's rookie draft, but I made a big trade that left me with just three picks in this draft.

Xavier Worthy

In one-quarterback leagues, my first-tier players are Marvin Harrison, Malik, Nabers, Rome Odunze, Jonathan Brooks, Brock Bowers, and Xavier Worthy. But Worthy was still on this board in this league at 1.8. So I offered to trade up for worthy by giving up my 1.10 and 2.10 picks to get his 1.8 and 3.4. On a team with a roster as strong as this one, I wanted a top-tier player over two players in my second and third tiers. So I drafted Worthy at 1.8 and had to sit and watch the draft unfold until I was up at 3.4. Worthy was a can't-miss recruit to Texas who broke out as a freshman and has lived up to the hype each year. I am supremely confident he will have a very productive career in the NFL. All the receivers after Worthy have question marks, so I was willing to trade up to draft Worthy ahead of who would fall to me two picks later. I was surprised to see Ladd McConkey and Trey Benson drafted ahead of Worthy in this draft, but that enabled me to trade up.

Jalen McMillan

I am weaker at running back than I am at wide receiver in this league, so I hoped that Audric Estime would fall to me at 3.4, but he was drafted the pick before my pick. Rather than reach for the next running back on my board, I selected the top player available, which was McMillan, who I have ranked 25 in my one-quarterback rankings. Drafting him at pick 34 was a steal. McMillan will earn an immediate role in three-receiver sets as the Buccaneers desire to move Chris Godwin to the slot. Plus, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are getting older. Evans signed a new contract, but Godwin has a potential out in his contract at the end of this year. When healthy, McMillan outproduced Ja'Lynn Polk as the WR-2 with Washington, yet he was drafted a round later in the NFL draft. He was a steal when he fell to Tampa Bay at 3.27 and me at 3.4.

Bo Nix

I drafted Bo Nix with the last pick of this league's four-round rookie draft. I could use a young, developing quarterback on my team, and he was the best value with this final pick. We have a taxi squad in this league, too, so he can sit on my taxi squad with Jalen McMillan as my starters continue to dominate.

Team Assessment

I have an excellent starting quarterback but need a stronger backup. Lamar Jackson's injury late in the season two years ago derailed me in the playoffs that year. Last year, when healthy, he carried my team to a championship.

Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr, Aidan O'Connell, Bo Nix, and Spencer Rattler (added on waivers after the draft).

Running backs are my only weakness in this league, but it's a PPR and tight-end premium league with three wide receiver spots and three flex spots, so running back is my least important position. My goal in a league like this is to have one solid starter and to stream the RB-2 position, but I now have two solid starters.

Joe Mixon, Zamir White, Jaylen Warren, Zach Charbonnet, Justice Hill, Jamal Williams, Chris Rodriguez, Chase Edmonds, and Sean Tucker.

My wide receivers make me a winner in this league. With three mandatory starters and three flex spots in a PPR league, I often start six wide receivers and always start at least five. Imagine rolling out these guys as your starters every week.

Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hil, Puca Nakua, Terry McClaurin, Xavier Worthy, Zay Jones, Darius Slayton, Van Jefferson, and Bub Means (added after the draft on waivers).

This league has tight-end premium scoring, so I regularly start two tight ends and roster more tight ends than I would in a non-premium league. I'm solid with starters and developers in this league.

Mark Andrews, Evan Ingram, Zach Ertz, Colby Parkinson, Will Dissly, Greg Dulcich, and Tanner McLachlan (add on waivers after the draft).

This team is fit to compete for another championship. I'm most pleased to have added Xavier Worthy to it. Hook 'Em Horns!

Good Times League

This league was my first dynasty league. I started it in 2015. It's not as active of a league as I would like, but we've added new managers over the years, making it better now than ever. I've often thought about leaving this league, but my team is so good that I don't want to. I am the league commissioner, so that would not be cool. Sadly, I have only won the championship once, even though my team is stacked. I lost in the Super Bowl last season even though I was the second-highest-scoring team and had the best record (11-3). There are very few trades in this league, so I had all of my original picks with the 9th spot in each round.

My only team need is at quarterback, so I planned to draft a quarterback at 1.9 if Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels fell to me. With the remaining four picks, I drafted the top player on my board, which meant I drafted a lot of "my guys." I won't write as much about "my guys" since I have drafted and written about them in previous drafts in the last few weeks. Still, I was happy to add "my guys" to this team.

Jayden Daniels

I have Justin Herbert as my starter, but my only backups are Russell Wilson, Aidan O'Connell, and Gardner Minshew. I'm concerned that Jim Harbaugh's offensive scheme will make Herbert less productive, and his loss of star pass catchers will hurt him, too. I was pleased to draft Daniels, whose fantasy production potential is through the roof as a passer and runner. If he becomes an elite fantasy-producing quarterback, he will be the last piece in making my team a continuous title contender.

Ray Davis

David is a "my guy." This is my third share of Ray Davis. He's my 20th-ranked rookie in superflex rankings, and I've been able to draft him in half of my leagues now. I'm confident in his ability, character, and immediate role with the Bills. In this league, he's added youth and depth to my running back room, which is loaded with talent.

Javon Baker

Baker is a "my guy." This is my third share of Baker. He's my 23-ranked rookie in superflex rankings, so I have him ranked way higher than others. As I have written about in recent weeks, he will become the WR-1 in New England. Until he gets there, he'll have plenty of time to develop in my loaded wide-receiver room.

Jalen McMillan

This is my second share of McMillan. I have already written about his above. He adds depth to my very deep wide receiver toom.

Bub Means

I now have four shares of Bub Means. I drafted him in two leagues and added him off the waiver wire in two other leagues after the rookie drafts ended. As I have written about before, he has a chance to become a starter for New Orleans, which has one of the league's thinnest wide receiver depth charts. He's a player I will continue to draft in the first round of rookie drafts or add off waivers.

Team Assessment

This is the best dynasty team I have ever built. My only problem is determining which players to start every week because my roster is so loaded.

I now have depth and quarterback with potential of a rookie superstar who could take my team over the top.

Justin Herbert, Jayden Daniels, Russell Wilson, Aidan O'Connell, and Gardner Minshew.

I've never had a running back room filled with so many starting running backs. Usually, I have a few starters and a lot of backups. In this league, I have five starters, so the problem is picking which two or three to start in my lineups.

Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Joe Mixon, Jerome Ford, Devein Singletary, Jaylen Warren, Zach Charbonnet, Miles Sanders, and Ray Davis.

My wide receivers are loaded, too. I need to trade some of them away this year because there are too many top-tiered guys and so many players on the same team, making it very difficult to know who to start each week. We have to start three and can start four in this half-PPR league, so picking the correct ones every week is very difficult, but that's hard to complain about.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Mike Evans, Chris Olave, Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Tee Higgins, Josh Downs, Demario Douglas, Javon Baker, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, A.T. Perry, and Bub Means.

I'm set at tight end, too. There's nothing to fear here.

Trey McBride, Dallas Goedert, Chig Okonkwo, and Greg Dulcich.

As I said, the only problem with this team is deciding on my starting lineup each week. My team should continue to dominate for years to come. If anything, I need to trade some players this season to acquire more draft picks in the years to come.

Grading My "Diehard" Rookie Draft

Tue, 21 May 2024 06:00:00 -0500

My Diehard league is my favorite dynasty league. I recruited the most active managers from a few of my other leagues to start this one, knowing that everyone would be active year-round, and they are. There are more trades in this league than in any of my other leagues. The managers are dynasty diehards, thus the league name.

Last season, I decided to go into full rebuild mode with my team. There are clear haves and have-nots in this league, and I am among the have-nots. I traded Josh Allen and Alvin Kamara shortly after Nick Chubb's injury when I knew I had no chance last season. I acquired C.J. Stroud, Romeo Doubs, and several picks in those trades. I had two first-round and two second-round picks in this draft and acquired a 2025 first-round pick to help in my rebuild.

I am happy with what I was able to do in this draft. I added three receivers who can become their team's WR-1 and two backup running backs who could replace the starters ahead of them within the next few years. Best of all, I traded back and received a 2025 first-round pick in the trade, so I now have three first-round picks in 2025, when the running back class will be much stronger than this year's class.

Here is how this one-quarterback league rookie draft played out.

Round One

1. Dopper (via DPO) - Marvin Harrison
2. Box Wine - Malik Nabers
3. DPO (via Dopper) - Brock Bowers
4. Saracens - Rome Odonze
5. Mobsters - Caleb Williams
6. DPO (via Razor Stubble) - Jonathan Brooks
7. Dopper (via Leg Day) - Xavier Worthy
8. DPO (via Jokerbills, Leg Day) - Ladd McConkey
9. DPO (via Meathead, Box Wine) - Jayden Daniels
10. Invincible (via Leg Day, Furious) - Brian Thomas
11. Big Dan - Keon Coleman
12. Leg Day (via Invincible) - Trey Benson

This draft included a monster trade before the draft by a manager who traded up for the 1.1 to select Marvin Harrison. He traded away two 2024 first-round picks and a 2025 first-round pick to get up to the 1.1. That's the price of business with a prospct like Harrison.
I drafted Malik Nabers with the 1.2. While I'm not thrilled with the quarterbacks in New York, I am confident that Nabers will be the Giants' top target immediately. He's a game-changer with the ball in his hands, and the Giants will scheme up touches for him. I'm also pleased to have him as the top wide receiver on my rebuilding team.
At 1.9, I messaged our league to ask if anyone would give up a 2025 1st for that pick. I found a taker and was able to add his 2.10 pick to the deal. I would have drafted Ladd McConkey if he fell to me, but he was drafted the pick ahead of me. I think there is a tier break at the receiver position after McConkey, so I was willing to trade the pick for a future first-round pick. I am weakest at running back, and I want to give my team more first-round options next year to address that position. I was pleased with the deal I made and later used the 2.10 pick to trade up in the second round.

Round Two

1. DPO - Ricky Pearsall
2. Box Wine - Blake Corum
3. Box Wine (via Dopper, DPO) - Xavier Lagette
4. Saracens - Ben Sinnott
5. Dopper (via Mobsters) - Adonai Mitchell
6. DPO (via Razor Stubble, Box Wine) - Jaylen Wright
7. Dopper (via Leg Day) - J.J. McCarthy
8. Mobsters (via Jokerbills) - MarShawn Lloyd
9. Meathead - Ray Davis
10. DPO (via Furious, Leg Day, DPO, Box Wine) - Roman Wilson
11. Big Dan - Ja'Lynn Polk
12. Invincible - Drake Maye

At 2.2, I selected Blake Corum. I had Lagette ranked ahead of him in my rankings by one spot, but I decided to address my position of need. I knew Corum would not fall to me at 2.6, especially since the guy picking at 2.5 is weak at running back and a Michigan alum. Corum will share the load with Kyren Williams this year and have every chance to surpass him in a few years. This year's running back class is filled with RB-2s, with the exception of Jonathan Brooks. Corum is my favorite of the rest.
I messaged the manager with the 2.3 to ask if he'd be willing to trade the 2.3 for the 2.6 and 2.10. He said yes, so I sent him the offer so that I could add Xavier Lagette to my squad. In coach Canales, I trust. I'm banking on him to help Bryce Young and the Panthers' offense improve significantly, and I know he has great plans for Lagette, who he traded up to get in the first round of the NFL draft. The Panthers traded Diontae Johnson, but he's in the last year of his contract. After next year, Lagette will have every chance to become the Panthers' WR-1. I am pleased to have him and Nabers on my team since they are two of this class's most explosive big-play rookies.
The team that traded back with me selected Jaylen Wright and Roman Wilson with the picks he acquired from me. Had I stuck with 2.6 and 2.10, I would have drafted Ray Davis and Javon Baker. At least Baker fell to me in the third round.

Round Three

1. DPO - Luke McCaffrey
2. Box Wine - Javon Baker
3. Leg Day (via Dopper) - Troy Franklin
4. Saracens - Jalen McMillan
5. DPO (via Mobsters, Dopper) - Malachi Corley
6. Razor Stubble - Bo Nix
7. Leg Day - Jermaine Burton
8. Jokerbills - Kimani Vidal
9. Leg Day (via Meathead, Razor Stubble) - Will Shipley
10. Furious - Ja'Tavion Sanders
11. Big Dan - Micahel Penix
12. Invincible - Bucky Irving

I drafted Baker in the draft I reported last week and have written about him often this year. He's one of "my guys" in this class, so I'll draft him often. The wide receiver room in New England is wide open, and Baker will become their most productive receiver, even ahead of Ja'Lynn Polk, who was drafted ahead of him in the NFL draft and this rookie draft.
The wildest thing that happened in this round was two trades for players who had already been drafted by other teams. Roman Wilson was drafted at 2.10 but was later traded for two third-round picks, one in 2024, which turned into Malachi Corley, and one in 2025. The manager Corley and Wilson close together in his rankings because he was willing to accept this trade and pick up a future third-round pick.
The same thing happened with Jermaine Burton after he was drafted. A manager offered the new Burton manager a third and fourth-round pick in 2024 and a third-round pick in 2025 for Burton. The other manager accepted the offer and drafted Will Shipley and Isaiah Davis with his two picks while he waits for 2025 to see what he can find in the third round of next year's draft. The new Burton manager must have had Burton as the last of a tier of players that interested him, so he was willing to give up most of the rest of his draft for the player he wanted most.

Round Four

1. DPO - Rasheen Ali
2. Box Wine - Audric Estime
3. Meathead (via Dopper) - Tyrone Tracy
4. Saracens - Braelon Allen
5. Mobsters - Isaac Guerendo
6. Leg Day (via Razor Stubble) - Isaiah Davis
7. Leg Day - Theo Johnson
8. Dopper (via Jokerbills) - Malik Washington
9. Meathead - Jacob Cowing
10. Furious - Brenden Rice
11. Big Dan - Devontez Walker
12. Leg Day (via Invincible) - Dylan Laube

I drafted Audric Estime at the 4.2 spot. I was very surprised to see him fall that far. I wrote about him last week, so I won't elaborate too much here. While the running back room in Denver is crowded, I believe Estime can do one thing better than any of the backs they have. He's their best short-yardage runner. I also listened to several of Sean Peyton's press conferences after the draft, and he really likes Estime and sees a role for him. Javonte Williams' contract expires at the end of this season, giving Estime a chance to become the team's cheaper future option. They will want to see what they have in Estime this season to help them decide whether or not to offer Williams a new contract. All signs point to Denver not doing that, which is why they drafted Estime.

Round Five

1. DPO - Louis Rees-Zammit
2. Box Wine - Bub Means
3. Dopper - Erick All
4. Saracens - Johnny Wilson
5. Mobsters - Drew Lock
6. Razor Stubble - Jared Wiley
7. Leg Day - Ryan Flournoy
8. Dopper (via Jokerbills) - Jase McClellan
9. Meathead - Anias Smith
10. Furious - Frank Gore Jr.
11. Big Dan - Spencer Rattler
12. Invincible - Cade Stover

Bub Means is a player I'll draft a lot in the fifth round. I just picked him up off waivers in a league where we only have a four-round rookie draft. The WR-2 role is available in New Orleans. Rashid Shaheed has a very specific role as the Saints' downfield player. The Saints lack the Michael Thomas big-bodied possession receiver. Means and A.T. Perry can fight for that type of role this year, and one of them will win the battle. It's a thin depth chart, and the Saints spent fifth-round draft capital on Means, which "means" something. See what I did there?

Team Assessment

I like what I did with this draft for my rebuilding team. It's not a one-year rebuild, so I am thrilled to have three first-round draft picks next year.

I'm a super solid quarterback. Kyler Murray might be my last tradable piece in my rebuilding efforts, so I hope he gets off to a great start this season.

C.J. Stroud, Kyler Murray, and Daniel Jones.

I'm building a solid base of young receivers. I just need a few of them to become the alphas on their teams. If Nabers, Lagette, and Baker hit this year, I'll be on my way to a fast comeback at that position. If Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jahan Dotson get an increased workload and production on their teams, I'll be flying high.

Malik Nabers, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Xavier Lagette, Jahan Dotson, Romeo Doubs, Javon Baker, Zay Jones, Demario Douglas, A.T. Perry, Bub Means, Van Jefferson, Justin Watson, and Jordan Whittington.

At running back, I need another year to improve. I'm banking on the 2025 rookie class and my three first-round picks to factor into my rebuild. If Corum or Estime surprises me this year, I'll be in better shape. If Nick Chubb can bounce back from his injury, I'll at least have two capable starters. Hopefully, Jaylen Warren will become Pittsburgh's future starter after this season.

Jaylen Warren, Nick Chubb, Blake Corum, Audric Estime, Eric Gray, Chris Rodriguez, and Israel Abanikanda.

My tight end room is a mess, but there are players worth streaming, including one hopeful, surprise late-career breakout player with Colby Parkinson. The Raiders drafting Brock Bowers hurt me the most since I intended Michael Mayer to become my future starter. I have way more tight ends than I prefer to roster. I want one or two to become reliable so I can drop the others.

Michael Mayer, Mike Gesicki, Colby Parkinson, Juwan Johnson, Jonnu Smith, Isaiah Likely, and Will Dissly.

Grading My FFPC Rookie Draft

Tue, 14 May 2024 06:00:00 -0500

My first rookie draft of the season was in my FFPC league. I'm sure some of my followers are unfamiliar with FFPC dynasty leagues. I consider them more of a hybrid between keeper and dynasty leagues because in FFPC leagues, you roster just 22 players during the season and have to cut back to 16 players, including a kicker and defense, so only 14 skilled players are rostered going into rookie drafts.

I prefer a different format, but I enjoy the challenge. Many highly competitive dynasty managers play in these leagues, so I joined a start-up draft six years ago to try this format and compete among the best. It takes a different mindset than traditional dynasty leagues, and I've had to adjust my strategies accordingly. I'm still learning the best strategy in this format, but I'm getting sharper and rebuilding my team.

Given the thin rosters, depth and developing talent are less critical than in regular dynasty leagues. Players need to break out quickly, or they will get dropped. Teams can't hold players in hopes that they will break out. Rookies and young players need to break out quickly. As a result, running backs are drafted earlier in these leagues compared to other dynasty leagues since they usually break out faster, or at least you know if they will break out or not more quickly.

They are also traditionally one-quarterback leagues, though the FFPC has since started superflex dynasty leagues. I joined a one-quarterback league. They are also tight-end premium leagues, with 1.5 PPR for tight ends.

The starting rosters include one quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, one tight end, and two flex spots, plus a kicker and defense. That's ten starters and just twelve players on the bench.

Given the thin rosters, many veterans are also available in the rookie drafts, and they get drafted early compared to regular dynasty drafts. Most teams draft veterans in the third round. For instance, J.K. Dobbins and Trevor Lawrence were drafted in the second round of this draft.

This format is less familiar to me, and I will admit that I've struggled to build a contender. I made the playoffs the first three years after the start-up draft but have missed the playoffs and become one of the worst teams in the league in the last two seasons.

Two years ago, I missed out on the running backs and drafted Drake London at 1.4. Last season, I had the 1.2 and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs and C.J. Stroud at 2.2. Those seemed like good building blocks, but I mistakenly traded my 2024 first and second-round picks for Zach Charbonnet and Elijah Moore. I had Charbonnet as my 10th-ranked rookie last season, so I felt it was fair to give up a 2024 1st for him, and Elijah Moore's training camp hype made me think he was worth giving up a 2nd-round pick.

I set myself back quite a bit with that trade. Charbonnet is still on my team, and my hopes for him are still high, but Moore is no longer on my team, making that a big miss. I accumulated extra third and fourth-round picks with the trades I made, so they gave me a few more late options in this draft, but I missed out on the best players in this class. Still, I like the players I drafted and feel I am set up for a slight rebound this year, especially if Drake London becomes a top-12 wide receiver with Kirk Cousins, my second and third-year receivers build upon their rookie years, and rookie or two hits, especially at running back.

Ray Davis (3.2)

I will draft a lot of Ray Davis, given that I have him ranked 20th in my superflex rankings. I was happy to draft him 26th in this draft, just before J.J. McCarthy and Drake Maye were drafted in this one-quarterback league. My team was set at quarterback with Dak Prescott and C.J. Stroud, so I was happy to pass on quarterbacks to draft Davis at my position of need. Over the last few years, the Bills have tried to identify and add a bigger short yardage back. Last year, they added Damian Harris, Latavious Murray, and Leonard Fournette, but none fit the desired role. Davis is the youngest player they've drafted to fill that role. They don't trust James Cook for a full role and the red-zone role, which opens the door to Davis. He was a super productive back with each of his three collegiate teams. I'm confident he can adjust to the NFL quickly and contribute immediately, which is most important in a league like this.

Javon Baker (3.9)

Baker is one of "my guys" in this year's draft. I love that he's taking stalk of the wide receivers drafted ahead of him and aiming to prove himself better than them. I love his open spot on the roster and his opportunity to become the WR-1 in New England with their new franchise quarterback, Drake Maye. He's more versatile than Demario Douglas and Ja'Lynn Polk, who was drafted ahead of him in this year's class. He's better downfield, which is where Maye liked the throw most in college. The Patriot's offensive system is a mystery, and they spoke loudest by drafting Polk in the second round, but I still believe Baker is a better steal in the NFL draft and dynasty drafts. In a thin league like this, I'm confident that Baker, though a 4th-round NFL pick, will get a chance to play immediately.

Audric Estime (3.10)

I traded way 4.2 and 4.9 to move up to draft Estime. He's my 29th-ranked player, so I was happy to draft him with the 34th pick. My team is weak at running back and needs backups with a chance to take over lead roles. I now have three with Zack Cahrbonnet, Ray Daivs, and Audric Estime. I need one of them to hit or all of them to get stretches of games as the starter due to injuries to the running backs ahead of them in their depth charts. Coach Peyton is not pleased with the lack of production from Javonte Williams last year and is looking for more of a between-the-tackles bruising back like Estime. The selection of Estime may signal that the Broncos are ready to release Samaje Perine, giving Estime a quicker opportunity to play. Every year, a player's college production is forgotten after a bad Combine performance. This year, I think that player is Estime.

Ty Chandler (4.3)

I hoped to draft Jalen McMillan with this pick, but he was drafted the pick ahead of me. He was the last rookie I was willing to draft before adding veterans to my roster. I chose to add Chandler to my team, assuming he's the RB-2 behind the oft-injured Aaron Jones in Minnesota. Bucky Irving and Will Shipley were drafted ahead of me, and Devontez Walker and Ja'Tavion Sanders were drafted after me. I considered drafting Sanders, but I am three-deep with strong tight ends in this league. I don't think Irving, Shipley, or Walker will have enough opportunities to break out quickly, as is needed in a thin league like this. Chandler will likely get spot starts for me this season and help my team; even if he is not a player, I will roster beyond this season. While rebuilding, I did not see any rookies who could help my rebuilding efforts, so I opted for a player who could help me compete this season. Six of the twelve picks in the fourth round of this draft were veterans instead of rookies.

Hunter Henry (5.2)

In a tight-end premium league, I was excited to have Henry fall to me this late in the draft. I have three quality tight ends on my roster and often start two of them in my lineups. Even so, I wanted to add Henry as another tight end in hopes that my strength at tight end may lead to future trades in this tight-end premium league. As I stated, the Patriots' offense is a mystery with their new coaching staff this year. Still, Henry is the TE-1 with no competition behind him, like he had last season with Jonnu Smith, who had more targets and reception than Henry. Smith's departure leaves 70 targets and 50 receptions open for Henry, who will soak up those targets as the most experienced pass catcher on their offense. Unlike Chandler, Henry is a player who could become a keeper on my team, especially if I can trade one of my other tight ends next season.

Adam Thielen (6.2)

As old as he is, I added Thielen to my team here in hopes that he can have some of the early-season magic that he did last season with Bryce Young. He's no longer Young's primary target since the Panthers traded for Diontae Johnson and drafted Xavier Legette. Still, his slot role is solidified, and defenses will focus less on him this season. I expect Thielen to start for my team at times this season and fill in some gaps while my young wide receivers develop. If I'm wrong and he falls off a cliff this season, he will be one of the first players I cut. He's a player I was glad to add to my roster this late in the draft to see if he can help me in any way to start the season.

Brenden Rice (7.2)

Instead of drafting another veteran player with my last pick, I decided to take a chance on Rice since the Chargers have a new coaching staff and a volatile wide receiver depth chart. They drafted Ladd McConkey and added free agent D.J. Chark, but the depth chart is unsettled. In a thin league like this, I won't have time to hold Rice to see if he develops into a starter, but I can wait out the early part of the season to see what he can do. He was my 46th-ranked rookie, and I drafted him here with the 74th draft pick. He's a much more valuable late-round pick in traditional dynasty leagues, but I still felt like I drafted a great prospect with an unsettled depth chart with my last pick. Plus, I love his bloodlines as the son of Jerry Rice.

My Team

Quarterbacks

C.J. Stroud, Dak Prescott

Running Backs

Jahmyr Gibbs, Jaylen Warren, Zach Charbonnet, Ray Davis, Audric Estime, Ty Chandler, Miles Sanders

Wide Receivers

Drake London, Tank Dell, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Jahan Dotson, Javon Baker, Adam Thielen, Brenden Rice

Tight Ends

David Njoku, Dallas Goedert, Pat Freiermuth, Hunter Henry

Team Assessment

While I regret trading away my first and second-round picks last year, I'm pleased with how my team is rebuilding. I pledge not to trade away draft picks in next year's class and will aim to add draft picks instead of trading away them, as I did the year before.

Adding Jahmyr Gibbs (1.2) and C.J. Stroud (1.10) in last year's draft helped set up my team for the future. Prescott and Stroud are solid at quarterback, and Gibbs is my RB-1 of the future.

My biggest need is to find a consistent starting RB-2 and a player worth flexing weekly. Jaylen Warren was a great RB-2 last season in this PPR league, and I am hopeful for his future, especially after Pittsburgh declined to pick up Najee Harris's fifth-year option. I need Charbonnet, Davis, or Estime to earn a leading role. I'm hopeful that one of them can or that I can stream running backs when their starter is injured.

Two years ago, I drafted Drake London at 1.4, but his production has been limited by terrible quarterback play. With Kirk Cousins in Atlanta and a new coaching staff, I expect London to see his production and dynasty value skyrocket this season. If Jahan Dotson, my second-round pick in 2022 with London, can bounce back with better quarterback play, I'll be in an even better position to succeed. I drafted Doubs in that year's draft, too. He's been far from consistent but has the potential to become Jordan Love's WR-1. He's already his favorite red-zone target. I need one or more of London, Dotson, and Doubs to have third-year breakouts.

I drafted Reed and Dell last season, and I need one of them to become a reliable weekly starter. I am sure one of them will. They each had fantastic games last season despite their inconsistent production. They each have plenty of competition on their depth charts, so they will likely never become the WR-1 on their teams, but they can become reliable starters in my flex position if they establish WR-2 roles.

As for the tight end position, I'm older, but I am less concerned with age at the tight end position. I'm hopeful that the quarterback and offensive coordinator change in Pittsburgh will result in Freiermuth's taking on a more prominent role. I hope Njoku can build upon his top-12 season last year and keep his starting role. Goedert has been more productive when one of the Eagles' starting receivers is injured, but he can become more reliable if the Eagles try to limit Jalen Hurts in the running game. In a tight-end premium league, my tight ends are among the best in the league. I hope to trade one or two of them this year when one or more dynasty teams' starters go down to injuries.

Post-Draft Risers and Fallers

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0500

The last domino has fallen. The NFL draft has ended, and we now know rookies' draft capital and landing spots. I've made my final adjustments to my rookie rankings and am ready for rookie drafts to get started this week and next month. I've also integrated all of the rookies into my overall rankings.

It was a fun and busy weekend watching the draft and making in-time adjustments in preparation for rookie drafts. I'm fired up and excited to start adding these players to my teams. I hope my updated rankings can benefit your teams, too, in your upcoming rookie drafts.

In this post, I write about the players whose draft capital and landing spot moved them up or down my rookie rankings by at least five spots compared to my pre-draft rankings. Here are my post-draft risers and fallers.

Risers

Bo Nix

Bo Nix moved up my rankings from #20 to #10.
The Broncos drafted Nix with the 12th pick of the draft, making him the sixth quarterback drafted in this year's class. He landed with a team with a thin depth chart and will have every opportunity to start for the Broncos right away. Sean Peyton sent Russell Wilson packing and now selected the quarterback he believes can run his system. Nix started the most collegiate games of any quarterback history, giving him more experience than Jared Stidham and Zach Wilson. I like that the Broncos traded up to add Nix's college teammate, Troy Franklin, to the team, too. Rookie drafts will be fun in superflex leagues, with five quarterbacks poised to start for their teams on day one. Nix is the last of the five, but a worthy first-round pick now that he has landed with the Broncos with the 12th pick.

Keon Coleman

Keon Coleman moved up my rankings from #18 to #12.
Coleman was one of the most polarizing prospects in this class, but landing with the Bills with the first pick of the second round moves him up everyone's draft board after the draft. The Bills have a wide-open depth chart after Stefon Diggs and his 160 targets were traded away to Houston. Coleman's size and contested-catch ability are suited for Josh Allen, and he will become his primary target immediately. He played at Michigan State before transferring to Florida State, so he knows how to play in Buffalo's climate. His production was up and down last year at Florida State, but his up games were fantastic. Buffalo is betting on that ability, and I'm more willing to do so now that he was drafted so high to a team with Josh Allen and a huge hole to fill.

Ladd McConkey

Ladd McConkey moved up my rankings from #19 to #14.
McConkey was the second pick of the second round, drafted right after Keon Coleman. The Chargers also had an even more giant hole to fill after Mike Williams and Keenan Allen landed on new teams via free agency and trade. While McConkey's production profile was lacking, his athletic testing and route running moved him up NFL draft boards throughout the offseason. He's able to win in a lot of the ways Keenan Allen did, through precision route running. Justin Herbert has proven he can pepper a guy like that with targets. While the pass volume should decrease with Jim Harbaugh's system, he's the player Harbaugh drafted with a plan to use him. I'll look to draft him early in the second round of rookie drafts like the Chargers did.

Audric Estime

Audric Estime moved up my rankings from #33 to #28.
Estime was drafted late in the fifth round but landed on a team with a somewhat questionable depth chart. The Broncos have Javonte Williams, Samje Perine, and Jaleel McLaughlin. Williams didn't take over the backfield as dynasty managers hoped last season after returning from injury. Perine is who he is at this point in his career, and McLaughlin is just a change-of-pace back. Estime is a bulldozer. He's the best short-yardage back in this class and has a prolific production profile with 29 rushing touchdowns in his last two seasons. Sean Peyton is known for rotating his backs, and he drafted Estime with a role in mind to be their short-yardage and red-zone back. If he excels at that, he could get more opportunities than that, making him a player I'm excited to draft early in the third round instead of late.

Luke McCaffrey

Luke McCaffrey moved up my rankings from #42 to #35.
McCaffrey was surprisingly drafted with the last pick of the third round by the Commanders. His bloodline and athletic testing caused the Commanders to draft him earlier than expected to play as their slot receiver. While the WR-3 role on a team with a running quarterback like Jayden Daniels is not ideal, the draft capital, bloodline, and testing make me willing to draft him higher than I would have before the draft. In deep leagues with more than three wide receivers roster spots, he could be a solid back-end starter. I did not expect him to get drafted this high, but I have adjusted my rankings since he was drafted on day two.

Kimani Vidal

Kimani Vidal moved up my rankings from #49 to #37.
Vidal was drafted very late, falling to the 6th round, but he was drafted by a team with an open depth chart. The Chargers have aging Gus Edwards and an injury-recovering J.K. Dobbins as their lead backs. Vidal had more than 4000 yards rushing and was consistently hyped as a sleeper by many scouts I follow, even though he played for a small school like Troy. If Edwards falls off a cliff and Dobbins cannot bounce back from his Achilles surgery, Vidal could take their jobs. I'm sure Harbaugh will give him a chance to do so. Vidal has moved from a fifth-round player I hoped to draft late to a player I'll look to add at the round three-four turn.

Tyrone Tracy

Tyrone Tracy moved up my rankings from #57 to #38.
Tracy was not ranked in my first rookie rankings, which I released in February, but over the last months, he has moved up my board as several of the scouts I follow started talking him up. He's one of the oldest prospects in the class, having played six years in college, four at Iowa as a receiver and two at Purdue as a running back. The Giants drafted him at the end of the 5th round, where he will have an opportunity to be the change-of-pace back to Devin Singletary. Last year's pick, Eric Gray, did nothing to impress the Giants last season, so they drafted another back this year. His versatility and opportunity moved him up my rankings even more after the draft. He's another player I'm eager to draft at the round three-four turn.

Fallers

Troy Franklin

Troy Franklin moved down my rankings from #10 to #24.
Franklin moved down most dynasty analysts' draft boards after his below-average performance at the Combine, but I stubbornly kept him as a first-rounder in my rankings because of his college production. I can't keep him there anymore after he fell to the fourth round of the NFL draft. At least the Broncos traded up to get him in the fourth round, reuniting him with his college quarterback on a team with an open wide receiver depth chart. Denver is a great landing spot for Franklin, even if he was drafted late. I'm still willing to draft him at the end of the second round ahead of guys who were drafted ahead of him in the NFL draft.

Adonai Mitchell

Adonai Mitchell moved down my rankings from #11 to #19.
I moved Mitchell down my rankings after his draft capital fell to 2.18, and he landed with the Colts. The Colts have an alpha wide receiver in Michael Pittman and a productive slot with Josh Downs. Their presence on the team will limit Mitchell's target share. Plus, I don't trust Anthony Richardson as a passer and know the Colts will run the ball more than most teams, including pass plays that turn into runs by Richardson. I love Mitchell's talent, but I had to move him back from a first-round pick to a mid-second-round pick.

Braelon Allen

Braelon Allen moved down my rankings from #16 to #49.
Allen took the biggest fall of any player on my draft board after falling to the fourth round of the draft and landing with the Jets, who have Breece Hall as their lead back and Israel Abanikanda as his backup. I like Abanikanda more than Allen, and now I have to sour on them both. Every backup running back should be rostered in dynasty leagues and is likely to make spot starts sometime each year, but now I have no idea which of these two will become the backup to Hall. Allen is one of the biggest surprises of this class, falling from a top devy prospect after his freshman season at Wisconsin to a forgotten man in this draft.

Ja'Tavion Sanders

Ja'Tavion Sanders moved down my rankings from #21 to #29.
I like that Sanders landed with Carolina. He will find a role with the team quickly, though not used as an every-down tight end. He'll be a weapon in the passing game. His draft capital, however, concerned me and caused me to move him down my rankings as others with greater draft capital moved ahead of him. Ben Sinnot was drafted ahead of him and can be used in many more ways in Washington, making him my second-ranked tight end in this class ahead of Sanders now.

Malik Washington

Malik Washington moved down my rankings from #27 to #35.
To be fair, I had Washington ranked far higher than most dynasty analysts, and I likely still do after moving him down eight spots. I wanted him to land on a team with an open WR-2 spot and thought he would get drafted way earlier than he was in the 6th round. His falling to the 6th round really surprised me, but at least he was drafted by the Dolphins, who have a creative offensive coach. Coach Daniels seemed thrilled to select him in the sixth round. Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle have a lock on the target share in Miami, but Hill is getting older, and Waddle is often injured, so Washington can earn some starts this season or in the future if he proves something right away. I'll still draft a lot of Washington, but I'll wait longer than I thought.

Devontez Walker

Devontez Walker moved down my rankings from #30 to #45.
I had Walker ranked much lower than most dynasty analysts already, but his landing spot in Baltimore moved him down even more. The Ravens re-signed Rashod Bateman last week, and Zay Flowers broke out during his rookie season last year. Plus, Mark Andrews is Lamar Jackson's favorite target. Walker gives them the downfield speed they lack, but that role will be too limited to help dynasty managers. I was already out on Walker, thinking he was a limited player. Now that he's on a team with a solid depth chart ahead of him, I'm definitely out on Walker.

Draft-Day Hopes

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0500

It's finally draft week! I can't wait to see where players get drafted and how dynasty values fluctuate by this time next week. More than that, I can't wait to start rookie drafts at the end of next week and throughout the month of May!

A few days before the draft, I thought sharing where I hope players land would be fun. This article is part hope but also part speculation about what I think could happen in this year's draft. It's very possible that these players could land on the teams I hope they do.

Here are my 2024 draft-day hopes from a dynasty perspective.

Drake Maye => Washington or Minnesota

The odds are that Jayden Daniels will get selected by the Commanders at 1.2, but I prefer to see Maye drafted by the Commanders or see Minnesota trade up with New England at 1.3 to draft Maye. I've had Maye ranked ahead of Daniels the entire offseason and believe he's a better passer than Daniels. I would love to see him drafted by Washington or Minnesota, which have among the best weapons in the league for a young quarterback to thrive. Selfishly speaking, I have a lot of shares of Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, who have yet to have a top-tier quarterback throwing their passes, and I have a decent amount of shares of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and want to see them not lose production with the loss of Kirk Cousins. Maye is the Justin Herbert of this class, as a player once considered the top prospect who declined in his final college season. I trust the early breakout years more than the later career falloff for these players, especially if they are given star targets, like the ones Maye lost in his last season at North Carolina. I hope he lands with Washington or Minnesota instead of New England, whose offensive weapons would limit him, at least early in his career.

J.J. McCarthy => Denver or New York Giants

I'd love to see the Vikings move up to draft McCarthy for the same reasons mentioned above since they are a team full of weapons. Though I have many shares of Daniel Jones, I'd also like to see the Giants boldly draft him at 1.6. I'm a big believer in McCarthy and have had him ranked higher in my rankings since before he was expected to be a player teams trade up for in this year's draft. If drafted by New York, he'd have to do it himself since the Giants lack weapons in the passing game, but they could draft wide receivers in the next few rounds. If he falls to Denver, he'd have better weapons and a coach I have more confidence in grooming a young quarterback. Sean Payton developed Drew Brees and could do the same with a great prospect like McCarthy. In Denver, he'd become a starter weak one, but I'd like his chance to beat out Daniel Jones in New York by the end of the season.

Marvin Harrison => Arizona

I'd hate to see the Cardinals trade back from 1.4 and miss out on the opportunity to draft Harrison, the most can't-miss wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson. Harrison will not lose dynasty value no matter what teams he lands with, but landing with a team with no WR-1 and a star quarterback, Kyler Murray would be an ideal situation. The only other landing spot I would like to see for Harrison is with the Chargers, but then he gets drafted by a team with a great quarterback but a run-first mentality. No matter who drafts him, Harrison is my top draft pick in one-quarterback leagues.

Malik Nabors => N.Y. Giants

The Giants have been searching for a wide receiver who can help Daniel Jones for years. They've missed on every turn, but they've yet to have a franchise-changing player on their board until this year. Nabors is consistently projected to the Giants in mock drafts, and I hope it comes to fruition. Jones is not the best quarterback, so he needs a superb playmaker to help him turn quick passes into major production. Jones can do the little things an NFL average quarterback needs to do, and Nabors can do the above-average things an extraordinary wide receiver can do. They can help each other be great.

Rome Odunze => Chicago

Initially, it would pain me to see Odunze land with Chicago, given the presence of Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore. If drafted by Chicago, Odunze would have a slower start to his career, but the long-term outlook of being paired with Caleb Williams makes me love a landing spot with Chicago. If Chicago drafts him, his rookie draft value will fall a spot or two, giving me more opportunities to draft one of my favorite prospects in this class. The landing spots will make all the difference in my post-draft rankings, but Odunze and Nabors are as tight as they could be in my pre-draft rankings. I'm tempted to move Odunze ahead of Nabors just before the NFL draft, but it won't matter much since they are so close in my rankings. The draft will help me decide which player to move to WR-2 in this class, behind Harrison.

Adonai Mitchell => Buffalo

Mitchell should fall to the end of the first round, allowing Buffalo to select him as their new WR-1. Josh Allen needs a receiver with a wider wingspan and catch-radius. Mitchell fits the bill (pun intended). He's a controversial prospect since film and analytics people divided about his profile. He has some bad analytics profiles, but having witnessed him first-hand at UT games, I believe in this film above the analytics. He consistently made plays in the biggest of games in the biggest of moments. He's ready-made to become a starter on an NFL team from day one. An enormous open window at Buffalo would give him an an immediate chance to make an impact on the Bills and in dynasty leagues.

Xavier Worthy => Kansas City

I'm reluctant to favor any receiver at Kansas City, giving they spread the ball around so much and see Travis Kelce as their top target. However, if Worthy lands at Kansas City, he could become their new version of Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs did not want to let Hill go, but finances (and perhaps character) caused them to do so. Though smaller than Hill, he can do all the things Hill could do back in his heyday in Kansas City. Sadly, if Kansas City drafts Worthy, his dynasty value would shoot up, just as it has for all of the receivers that have landed with the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes in recent years. The likely retirement of Kelce in the next year or two and the long-term contract the Chiefs could have by drafting Worthy in the first round would enable them to shift back to a wide-receiver-based offense over their tight-end-based offense. I'd trust coach Reid to make Worthy a star more than most NFL coaches who could draft this unique prospect.

Xavier Lagette => San Francisco

I've not studied every mock draft, but I've examined a lot and have yet to see Lagette mocked to the 49ers, but I'd love to see him land there. From the speculation side, this hope is contingent upon the 49ers trading Bandon Aiyuk before or during the draft. If the 49ers lose Aiyuk, Lagette would be the perfect replacement for a long-term cheap salary. Lagette must land with a team that can use his athleticism and diversity. His kick-return skills and diversity of skills make him a great candidate for teams with a do-it-all player position. Legette is a do-it-all player, and I hope he can land with a team that knows how to use him. In that case, the Rams and Steelers would also be great candidates to draft him.

Javon Baker or Malik Washington => Pittsburgh

Pittsburg is traditionally successful in drafting wide receivers late. Their record is overrated since they've had a lot of misses, too. Still, I give them credit for drafting wide receivers in the later rounds and finding some gems. If they try this year, I hope they try to draft Baker or Washington, guys I have ranked far above others as "My Guys" in this class. Baker and Washington are my favorite sleepers who have tremendous run-after-catch skills. Baker wins in more ways than Washington and can be an outside X receiver, whereas Washington is limited to more of a Z or slot receiver. Either way, the door is wide open for a starting role in Pittsburgh, and both Baker and Washington are better than the players on the current roster. The Steelers always draft a wide receiver or two. I sure hope they draft one of these two.

Blake Corum or Jonathan Brooks => Dallas

Corum and Brooks are my running backs #1 and #2 in this class, and my favorite landing spot for a running back this year is with the Cowboys. Brooks is the more versatile back and could be used more in the passing game, but Corum is my favorite pure runner in this class. He's the shiftiest back and best short-yardage back in this class. Corum has the proven college pedigree, whereas Brooks has just a year of college production after playing behind Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. Still, Brooks has the most unseen upside and proven effectiveness in the passing game. He has the greatest upside, given what's unseen in his profile. Dallas has the most open running back depth chart in the league and is sure to draft a running back. Whoever they draft, including Trey Benson, will become the RB-1 in rookie drafts this year.

Braelon Allen or Audric Estime => L.A. Chargers

The most popular expectation is that the Chargers draft Blake Corum, Jim Harbaugh's former player at Michigan. I'm more hopeful and expecting that they will draft one of the big backs fitting the Harbaugh style. Allen and Estime are two of the biggest and most productive prospects in this class. Both players could become the next Derrick Henry-type player who's a bruiser in the run game but inactive in the passing game. Inactivity in the passing game is a knock in the dynasty value of these guys, but some players make their fantasy production solely through the run game. Allen and Estime could do the same as some of the biggest and most productive backs in this year's class.

Ray Davis => Panthers and Raiders

Davis, one of my guys, is a player I believe can become a productive NFL running back. I would love for him to land on a team with a questionable depth chart. The Panthers have a new coach, with Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard as their leading backs. The Raiders have Zamir White and Alexander Mattison as their leading backs. Both teams need to draft for running back depth and have space for a rookie to compete for a leading role. I like Davis's chance to compete for a leading role if he lands with one of these teams.

My "Avoids" In This Rookie Class

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Last week, I wrote about "my guys" in this year's rookie class. This week, I'll write about my "avoids" in this year's class. It's not that I would never draft these players. It's more that I have them ranked significantly lower than other dynasty analysts, so I know I will likely not draft these players because someone will draft them before I would.

To help me discover which players are on my "avoid" list, I compare my rankings with the pros at Dynasty League Football to see which players they have ranked five or more spots ahead of me. If they are ranked five or more spots ahead of me, odds are they will get drafted ahead of me in all of my rookie drafts.

My rankings differed slightly from theirs among the top 23 players, but none more than three or four spots. The first player we had a five or more spot ranking difference was with their 24th ranked player. After that, our rankings differed a lot; they will vary a lot this year. Past round two in this rookie class, I think managers will reach for their guys. Here are some rookies that others will reach for in the late rounds whom I am unwilling to reach for.

Malachi Corley

At the time of writing, DLF had him ranked 24th, while I had him ranked 31st.
I liked Corley's film when I first studied it. He has an 8th-ranked production profile in this wide receiver class after an excellent career at Western Kentucky with more than 3000 yards receiving in his four years there. Given his superb run-after-catch ability, everyone calls him the Deebo Samuel of this class. That is his strength, but what concerns me is that most of his yardage comes after catches behind or just past the line of scrimmage. To succeed, he will have to land with a team that knows how to use him that way, and only a few offenses are fit to do so. That's why mock drafts have him most often drafted by the 49ers in the second round. Analysts have gotten tunnel vision with Corley and only see him as a weapon in an offense like the 49ers. The odds are that he gets drafted by another team, which will cause dynasty managers to lower him in their rankings back down to where I already have him ranked. I have Jalen McMillan, Roman Wilson, Ja'Lynn Polk, Malik Washington, and Javon Baker ranked ahead of Corely, and I can't imagine moving Corley ahead of those prospect who have more versatile skillsets and can be effective in any NFL offense. I also knock guys who played against weaker competition and were less highly recruited. Corley was a two-star prospect. He's fun to watch on tape, but there are too many red flags for me to draft him in the second round, even if an NFL team drafts him in the second.

MarShawn Lloyd

At the time of writing, DLF had him ranked 29th, while I had him ranked 43rd.
His college production profile concerns me the most, with his best season coming in his final season at Southern California after transferring after three unproductive years at South Carolina. His career high in carries was last year with just 116, which he turned into 820 yards and nine touchdowns. He was a four-star recruit but never produced like one. During the NFL Combine broadcast, I was surprised to hear Daniel Jeremiah praise Lloyd so much and even predict that he might be the first running back drafted. His praise caused me to move him up my rankings after the Combine, but not nearly as high as the pros at DLF have him. I would draft Ray Davis and Audric Estime ahead of Lloyd and have a group of 10-15 wide receivers ahead of him in my rankings. Davis and Estime were far more productive for many years in college. Their worst starter seasons were more productive than Lloyd's best. His draft capital will likely make me move him up my rankings closer to Davis and Estime, but he will not pass them, no matter what his team and draft capital are compared to theirs.

Will Shipley

At the time of writing, DLF had him ranked 30th, while I had him ranked 37th.
I expected that I would be higher on Shipley than most analysts, so I was surprised to see him rank seven spots higher. DLF analysts have him ranked as high as 23rd and as low as 34, so they all have him ranked ahead of me. As a top-tier recruit and immediately productive player from year one, and he had three productive seasons with Clemson. He's a dual-threat running back with 38 and 31 receptions in the last two seasons. He can earn a role with a team immediately but can never become an every-down back. There are few every-down backs in this class, though. Still, I have Ray Davis, Audric Estime, and Dylan Laube ranked ahead of Shipley in this class. I wanted a share of him in this year's drafts, but I won't be able to select him if I have him ranked 37th. The wide receiver class is stacked, so there are too many receivers I would like to draft ahead of Shipley.

Bucky Irving

At the time of writing, DLF had him ranked 33rd, while I had him ranked 40th.
Irving has continued to fall in dynasty rankings since his poor testing at the Combine. I was surprised to see that DLF had him ranked outside of the second round. I thought his college production and tape would have kept him higher in some analyst's rankings. He is a polarizing player in this class. Two DLF analysts have him ranked 24th, whereas three others have him ranked 36th, 37th, and 37th, closer to where I have him ranked. There will be a manager in every league who likes him and selects him in the second round, meaning I will have no shares of Bucky this year. He'll make a great change of pace and passing downs back for an NFL team, but he'll fail to produce for dynasty rosters because his role will be limited. The only way I would change my mind on him would be if he were drafted earlier than expected by a team I was confident would use him more often. Early in the process, he was thought to be a 3rd round draft pick, but not most mock drafts have him falling to the 4th round. That's where I would draft him in dynasty rookie drafts, too.

Isaac Gurrendo

At the time of writing, DLF had him ranked 37th, while I had him ranked 50th.
Gurrendo was not in my rookie rankings until he blew up the NFL Combine. He had a 99% athletic score, first in this class of running backs. His college production, however, paints a different story. He had a total of 231 carries for 1392 yards in his five years in college, four with Wisconsin, and a fifth year at Louisville. One NFL team will draft him based solely on his Combine performance, but he's not predicted to get drafted until the 5th round. It's good to bet on the best athletes late in dynasty rookie drafts, but I would rather make a late-round pick on Frank Gore Jr., Cody Schrader, or Kimani Vidal ahead of Gurrendo. They've all proven their athleticism and production on the field as compared to the underwear Olympics. The DLF analysts have Gurrendo ranked way ahead of those guys, but I don't. I'll surely miss out on Gurrendo as dynasty managers who place a high value on athletic testing draft him a round or two higher than I would.

"My Guys" In This Rookie Class

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0500

After the NFL Combine, I spent a lot of time listening to various NFL scouts to hear what they think about the prospects. I ordered several rookie scouting guides and read them front to back. I also studied dozens of mock drafts to determine where rookies are most likely to be drafted. After taking all of their information, I tweaked my rookie rankings one last time before the NFL draft.

I've finished that process and have completed my post-combine and pre-draft rookie rankings. After completing my own rankings, I compare them with other dynasty analysts to get a gauge for which players I like more or less than them. Most managers in my leagues will use rankings of more well-known dynasty analysts when their drafts start next month, so when I compare my rankings with theirs, I get a good idea of which players I will add to many of my teams.

Last year, for instance, I was much higher on Puca Nakua, Michael Mayer, and Sean Tucker, so I drafted them on many of my teams. One was a huge hit (Nakua), one was a huge miss (Tucker), and the verdict is still out on the other (Mayer).

Draft capital and landing spot can change things quite a bit, but for now, these are the five players I expect to draft a lot this year since I have them ranked far higher than the excellent analysts at Dynasty League Football.

Xavier Legette

Legette is my 17th-ranked player, while DLF has him ranked 24th.
I did not watch South Carolina football this last season, but when studying Spencer Rattler's tape, all I could see was Legette making every catch. He had a fantastic fifth season at South Carolina with 71 catches for 1256 yards and seven touchdowns. The problem with him as a prospect is that he didn't break out until his fifth year. He did next to nothing the four years prior when he had a total of 42 catches for 423 yards. The fact that he broke out late and is 23 years old is a concern, but dynasty analysts have dinged him too much. The pros at DLF have him ranked as high as 21 and as low as 27, making him a player they'd draft at the 2-3 turn, whereas I could draft him in the middle of the second round. He tested as the 14th-highest-scoring wide receiver in the class, so he's incredibly athletic. He returned kicks at South Carolina, returning 29 kicks for 767 yards and one touchdown. He's also one of the biggest receivers in this class at 6'1" and 221 pounds. He reminds me most of Dez Bryant with his combination of size and speed and his ability to highpoint balls and shield off defenders with his body. He's projected to get drafted at the back of the second round in the NFL draft, giving him solid draft capital. I have him ranked ahead of Ladd McConkey and Keon Coleman, who DLF has ranked nine and ten spots ahead of Leggette. That means he will fall to be a lot in the second round of rookie drafts, where I will gladly select him.

Ray Davis

Davis is my 24th-ranked player, while DLF has him ranked 35th.
Davis will be one of the oldest prospects in this year's class at 24 years old. He deserves to get dinged because of his age, but the hate has gone too far. The highest a DLF analyst has him ranked is 30th, and the lowest has him ranked 43rd, which means if managers use their rankings, I'll select Davis often on my teams near the 2-3 turn. Davis played at three different schools, Temple, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky, and had productive seasons with each team. His last season at Kentucky was his best, with 199 carries for 1129 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had 33 receptions for 323 yards and seven touchdowns. That's 21 touchdowns on the season in the SEC against teams with much better players than his Kentucky teammates. If you've yet to hear about Davis's background, you should read about it here. He grew up in the foster system and was homeless for a time, but he survived and disciplined himself to achieve his goals. He's started a non-profit to benefit others in the foster care system. It may seem silly, but character is a factor in my rookie rankings, so his story gives him a little bump up in my eyes. He's predicted to be a 4th round pick in the NFL draft, so his draft capital could be better, but if he lands with a team with an open opportunity to compete, he will battle for a starting role, and everyone will root for him. If he lands on a team with a great depth chart, I will move him down my rankings, but not as far back as 35th. I want to take a chance on Davis and add him to many of my teams.

Malik Washington

Washington is my 27th-ranked player, while DLF has him ranked 48th.
There's a theme as to why most dynasty analysts rank all these players lower than me. It's that they are all older players. Washington is 23 years old, and his breakout season was his fifth year after transferring to Virginia from Northwestern. He had 500 and 600-yard seasons at Northwestern, but his first and last season at Virginia was bonkers. He had 110 catches for 1426 yards and nine touchdowns. That's the 6th highest production score in this wide receiver class. He is projected to get drafted in the 4th round, but I think he will get drafted one day two in the third round. He's a great runner after the catch, consistently making guys miss on tackles, and willing to run guys over. That's his strength. Several scouts I listened to and read over the last month saw him as one of their sleepers in the NFL and dynasty drafts. He's steadily moved up my rookie rankings over the last two months. Not so for the professionals at DLF since four of their seven rankers don't have him ranked among their top 63 players. If other dynasty managers use their rankings, I can wait on Washington and draft him in the fourth round instead of the third, where I have him ranked.

Javon Baker

Baker is my 28th-ranked player, while DLF has him ranked 43rd.
Baker was a four-star recruit who signed with Alabama but could not crack the starting lineup in his first two years, so he transferred to Central Florida, where he became a star. Baker is a big play waiting to happen, averaging 21 yards per catch in his senior season when he racked up 1139 yards and seven touchdowns on just 52 catches. He has excellent hands and a very competitive attitude, fit for a cocky diva receiver. I had Baker ranked higher than any dynasty analyst from when my first rankings were released in February, so he's not moved up my boards as much as he has stayed put. Now that he's projected to get drafted in the third round of the NFL draft and has been hyped as a sleeper by many scouts I follow, others are jumping on the bandwagon now, too. I want other analysts to stay quiet about him because he's the one player in this class that I hope to add to all of my leagues. If his hype does not build, I am sure I can. Three of DLF's analysts don't even have Baker ranked among their top 63. Unlike Washington, I won't take a chance of waiting for Baker to fall to me in the fourth round. I reach for him in the third round every time.

Jermaine Burton

Burton is my 32nd-ranked player, while DLF has him ranked 40th.
Burton is a recent riser in my rankings after reading a few very positive reports about him in two of the draft guides that I ordered and read. He was a four-star recruit to Georgia before transferring to Alabama. His production profile concerned me the most because he only had 40 and 39 catches in his last two seasons at Alabama. The scouts with higher opinions of him than I did note that the Alabama offense was run-heavy the previous two seasons, not giving Burton many opportunities. They are convinced that the NFL will still be high on him, though. He is projected to get drafted at the top of the third round. If so, his draft capital will move him up in managers' dynasty rankings. He had the 13th-highest athletic score among the wide receivers in this class. His athletic scores, the confidence scouts have in him, and his projected draft capital moved him up my board, even though I was not crazy about him. One of the analysts at DLF has him ranked 32, as I do, but their consensus ranking is 40th. That will change when he's drafted in the third round of the NFL draft. I don't expect to draft a lot of Burton because someone will like him more than me after the NFL draft.

Players I've Picked Up This Offseason

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Now that almost all free agents have signed and the trading market has cooled down, I am writing about the players I have acquired off the waiver wire since the start of the free agency season. Five of my nine dynasty leagues leave the waiver wire open during the offseason. I love those leagues because they allow me to tinker with the backend of my roster as free agents sign and trades get made, shaking up depth charts and players' dynasty value.

Here are the players I've acquired over the last few weeks.

Sam Darnold

After Kirk Cousins left Minnesota for Atlanta, the Vikings quickly signed Sam Darnold, who was available in most of my one-quarterback leagues. I added him in three leagues in case he becomes their starter. The Vikings are a top candidate to trade up for a quarterback in the first round. If they do, I'll consider dropping him, but I'd like to see him battle a rookie for a starting role, too. After all, he was a first-round draft pick, too. The Vikings have one of the best pass-catching groups in the NFL, and Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens kept Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson productive last season after Cousins was injured. Darnold is a step up from them, even though he's had a rough start to his career.

Gardner Minshew

I added Minshew to two of my rosters in one-quarterback leagues after he signed with Las Vegas to compete with Aidan O'Connell for the starting job. I have O'Connell on my roster in both leagues, where I added Minshew, so I plan to hold them both until a starter is named. Justin Herbert is my starting quarterback in both of those leagues, and his dynasty value has fallen significantly this offseason with the loss of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler and the addition of his new head coach, Jim Harbaugh, whose run-first approach will limit the passing game. I'm scrambling for a quarterback in those leagues because O'Connell, Minshew, or Darnold could become my starting quarterback ahead of Herbert next year.

DeeJay Dallas

I added Dallas in one deep league after he signed with the Cardinals to compete for the backup role behind James Conner. He signed the ninth-highest free agent contract, a three-year deal worth more than what Zack Moss, Aaron Jones, and Gus Edwards got paid. The three-year contract made me think that the Cardinals expect Dallas to become their RB-2 ahead of Emari Demercado and Michael Carter. Every backup running back should be rostered in dynasty leagues, but Dallas was not. James Conner is 28 years old and likely to miss time this season, as he has throughout his career. He's available in almost all of my leagues, but I only added him in one because I like my running back depth in my other leagues, and he has competition for the RB-2 role.

Eric Gray

I added Eric Gray on two leagues after Saquon Barkley signed with Philadelphia. Gray had only 17 carries in his rookie year, so there's not much evidence about his ability to produce in the NFL other than the fact that the Giants gave the RB-2 role to Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell last season instead of Gray. Barkley and Breida have left the team, making Brightwell his lone competition for the RB-2 role behind newly signed Devin Singletary. Gray's recruiting pedigree and college production make him a player that most dynasty managers held onto last year, even after a terrible rookie season. Still, he's available in several of my leagues and a player I'm willing to add to my rosters if he was dropped.

Deuce Vaughn

After a fantastic preseason, the Cowboys didn't give Vaughn much of a chance last year, giving him just 23 carries. The preseason was enough to keep him rostered in all of my leagues but one. In that one league, I added Vaughn after watching the Cowboys do nothing in free agency except re-sign Rico Dowdle, who started ahead of Vaughn last season as the RB-2 behind Tony Pollard. Now Vaughn is set to be the RB-2 in Dallas, at least until the NFL draft, when Dallas is likely to draft a running back. I added Vaughn in that one league just in case they don't draft a running back. I'm terribly weak at running back in that league and need all the backup running backs I can get. If it becomes more evident that the Cowboys will draft a running back, I'll drop Vaughn and pick up Eric Gray or DeeJay Dallas before the NFL draft starts and waivers stop.

Calvin Austin and Van Jefferson

The Steelers traded Diontae Johnson, leaving a vast number of targets open in Pittsburgh and opening the door for an expanded role for Calvin Austin, who only caught 17 balls in his rookie season. The Steelers also signed Van Jefferson, who failed to live up to expectations with the Rams but has a second-round draft pedigree. Austin was rostered in most of my leagues, but I was able to add him in two. I added Jefferson in three leagues and was outbid for him in one. Since then, the Steelers have added Quez Watkins and Cordarrelle Patterson, so Austin and Jefferson will face competition. The Steelers always draft wide receivers, and this class is loaded with talent, so competition for their roles will increase after the draft. Still, Jefferson will solidify the WR-2 role for Pittsburg opposite George Pickens and Austin will compete for targets from the slot. Jefferson is my favorite wide receiver "find" this offseason.

Tim Patrick

Patrick signed a new contract with the Broncos, which traded Jerry Jeudy to the Browns. I thought Patrick would have a starting role in three-receiver sets with Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims, so I added him in two leagues. However, now the Broncos have signed Josh Reynolds, who should fill the WR-3 role in Denver ahead of Patrick. While writing this article, I realized that Patrick is a player I'm now more willing to drop to add another player on this list. I'm writing this on Saturday, March 30th. Patrick will be off my rosters by March 31st.

Will Dissly

The Chargers and Jim Harbaugh let Gerald Everett go and signed Will Dissly as their starting tight end. They've since added Hayden Hurst, but only for added depth. Dissly will get his first chance to be a team's starter, and he'll do well. Harbaugh has made tight ends successful in his career, especially the type that can block and play every down. That's what Dissly can do. I only added him in two leagues because it's unwise to roster too many tight ends, and I have several rosters with better tight ends than Dissly, but I added him to a roster where I am weak at the position and in one tight-end premium league.

Jonnu Smith

Smith signed with Miami and immediately filled a starting role ahead of Durham Smythe. Thus far, Mike McDaniels has yet to feature the tight end in Miami, but he's never had one as fast as Jonnu Smith. I think He will find ways to get Smith involved. I added Smith in one league and was beaten to the punch for him in another. He's a sneaky player to grab to see if or how McDaniels plans to use him.

Colby Parkinson

Parkinson got the heftiest contract among all the free-agent tight ends this year, making me believe the Rams see him as their starter for the next three years. He was buried on the depth chart in Seattle after being drafted in the fourth round in 2020, so he never had a chance to prove anything. Now he will. The Rams are excellent in scouting draft picks and free agents. I trust them more than most organizations and believe they want Parkinson to be their starter and an active part of the passing game. He's 6'7" and 265 pounds. I can't wait to see him in a starting role. I added him in two leagues and saw him picked up by other managers in every other league.

Zack Ertz

Ertz was signed to be the starter for the Commanders, and he'll step right into that position, especially after Logan Thomas was released. He's 33 years old, but tight ends often produce late into their 30s. I'm confident that Ertz will become a productive tight end for the Commanders even though, in his last few years, he's battled injuries. Several of my leagues are first-come-first-served on waivers during the offseason. I usually have the fastest fingers when news breaks, but in this case, I was tied up when the news broke that he signed with Washington. Another manager beat me to the punch and picked him up in a few leagues. I was at least able to add him in a league that has off-season FAAB. I won him with a $2 bid, though no one else bid on him.

Free Agent Frenzy - QBs and WRs

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Last week, I shared my thoughts on the running backs and tight ends who changed teams via free agency and trades. This week, I'll share my thoughts on the quarterbacks and wide receivers who changed teams or signed deals with the same teams. I won't touch on everyone but will focus on the most dynasty-relevant players.

Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins

The biggest deal of the offseason is Cousins's signing with the Falcons because it boosts the dynasty value of every player on the team. The Falcons' offensive weapons have been hampered by poor coaching and quarterback play the last two seasons, but now there's renewed hope that Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson will hit career highs with Cousins. There isn't a dynasty analyst out there who doesn't see this as a significant boost to these stud players. The offense will score more points and be more pass-oriented with Cousins and the Falcons' new coaching staff. Cousins will benefit from the depth added to the team with the signing and trading of Darnell Mooney as an outside speedster and Rondale Moore as a shifty guy in the slot. Cousins is perpetually underrated as a fantasy quarterback, but he'll likely finish as a top-12 scoring quarterback again in Atlanta.

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield capitalized on his bounceback year last season to re-sign with the Buccaneers. I like the move for Mayfield; it keeps his dynasty value steady. He was the 11th-highest-scoring quarterback last season, and he'll continue to score as a top 10-15 quarterback in the coming seasons, especially since the Buccaneers also re-signed Mike Evans. I'm concerned that he lost his offensive coordinator, Dave Canales, but I am sure he can keep the offense moving in whatever new system is installed. He's an excellent QB-2 in superflex leagues.

Sam Darnold

Darnold filled the vacancy on the Vikings after Counsins's signed with Atlanta. He's the starter today, which gave his dynasty value a quick rise, but it could easily fall back down again if the Vikings draft a quarterback next month. If they don't draft a quarterback, Darnold can be this year's Baker Mayfield and see his dynasty stock rise from the ashes. He has some of the best passing weapons in the league and a great offensive mind as his new head coach. I'm confident that Kevin O'Connell can make Darnold successful and consistently feed Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens did last year, and Darnold is a big step up from them. Now we wait to see what they do in the NFL draft.

Russell Wilson and Justin Fields

The Steelers have the lowest amount of money allocated to the quarterback position in the league after signing Russell Wilson to a team-friendly deal and trading for Justin Fields. Russell's best days are far behind him, but he can help move the Steelers' run-heavy offense like he used to in Seattle. He'll need to prove it quickly, though, because now he has a backup that the fans will clamor for the first time he struggles. Wilson's dynasty value remains about the same as when the season ended last year. However, Fields' took a significant hit after his trading market was so weak that he did not land a starting role. He's arguably the best backup quarterback in the league. I wanted Fields to land in Pittsburgh but with a leading role. He'll still get the chance to start games this season, though. I am sure of that. The Steelers must see what he can do with the offense to decide to exercise the expensive option on his contract or sign him to a new deal. I can't imagine they won't let him start games this season.

Gardner Minshew

The Raiders signed Minshew to compete with Aidan O'Connell for a starting role. At the end of the season, I added O'Connell to a few of my rosters in one-quarterback leagues and hedged my bets in each of those leagues by adding Minshew to those rosters after this signing. I'm betting on O'Connell to win the starting role after his decent rookie season, but I could be wrong. He kept Davante Adams productive last season and was 5-4 as a starter after taking over in week nine. Minshew did the same with Michael Pittman last year and was 6-6 after taking over as the Colts' starter in week six. If it's close, the Raiders would be wise to develop their younger quarterback, but they are also a candidate to draft another quarterback in this year's draft.

Sam Howell

The Seahawks traded for Howell to back up Geno Smith and possibly become his heirapparent. Howell's fourth-year option is at the end of this season, which makes me think he will get some starts this year so that Seattle can see what he looks like in their new offense. Seattle has a new coaching staff, so there is no loyalty to Geno. There's still hope for Howell to become a starter again, though not as likely as Justin Fields.

Wide Receivers

Mike Evans

I'm thrilled that Evans re-signed with the Buccaneers and am very confident that he can continue his 1000-yard receiving streak with Baker Mayfield throwing him passes. Evans is the Derrick Henry of receivers. You expect the age cliff year after year but never see it. Father time is undefeated, but Evans will play out this two-year contract and help dynasty managers along the way. I was eager to see Trey Palmer step into a more significant role if Evans left, but now he's back to the WR-3 role again. I bet he's more involved in the offense in his second season.

Tee Higgins

The Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins, though there are rumors that he wants to be traded. Contrary to some analysts, I think Higgins' dynasty value is safer with the Bengals than as a WR-1 on another team. I prefer the security of knowing Joe Burrow is his quarterback and the history of top-24 finishes with Burrow. He could have landed in a worse situation with a bad quarterback and offense. I had hoped to see Andrei Iosivas have an opportunity for a more significant role if Higgins signed elsewhere. He still might see more action this season since the Bengals let Tyler Boyd go, though they did re-sign Trent Irwin, who is better suited for the slot role. I will hold onto Iosivas until I'm sure Higgins will not get traded.

Michael Pittman

Unlike Evans and Higgins, I wanted to see Pittman sign with a new team rather than re-sign with the Colts. He needs to play more games with Anthony Richardson to know if he can keep Pittman productive in fantasy. The Colts will run more with Richardson than they did last year with Minshew, and I know Richardson will steal touchdowns from Pittman. I haven't lowered Pittman's dynasty value since he signed a new contract, but I haven't moved it up either. I want to see more games with Anthony Richardson before firmly deciding what I think of Pittman's future dynasty value.

Jerry Jeudy

The Browns are holding out hope for Jeudy just like dynasty managers have for four years. I don't think Jeudy will improve on his mid-level fantasy production in Cleveland. He'll help the Browns more than he will help dynasty managers. Amari Cooper and David Njoku will be the team's top targets and best weapons. Jeudy's team change does not affect his dynasty value much, but it does sink Elijah Moore's value and make David Bell and Cedric Tillman dropable in most leagues. Cooper is getting older, but I don't foresee Jeudy or Moore becoming reliable WR-1 of the future for the Browns. They need to find one in the draft, free agency, or trade for a true WR-1, something Jeudy and Moore are not.

Keenan Allen

Allen was traded to Chicago to give Caleb Williams one more target after the Bears draft him at the 1.1. For the Bears and Williams, this is a great move, but it's not good for dynasty managers with Allen or D.J. Moore on their rosters. Allen will not get near the same number of targets that he's had in L.A., Moore now has a viable WR-2 to compete with, and both will have a rookie quarterback who, as good as he is, will take time to develop. C.J. Strouds are the exception, not the rule. Allen has been one of my all-time favorites and most rostered players, but I traded all but one share of him last year, and I'm glad I did.

Calvin Ridley

Ridley signed a big contract with the Titans, one of the strangest moves this offseason. I would much rather have seen him stay in Jacksonville. Will Levis has not proven enough to make me confident in his ability to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, and the new coaching staff did not draft him. He does chunk the ball downfield, though, so Tennessee wanted to add a speedster to their squad. Even at his age, Hopkins should see the most targets on the team and has a better frame for catching Levis's inaccurate passes. Strangely, this signing may help Treylon Burks. This addition makes his slot role more permanent. While he might be third on the team in targets, he'll be more productive from the slot than from outside. This move killed the lingering dynasty value of Kyle Phillips, who can now be dropped from all dynasty rosters.

Marquise Brown

I love that Brown landed with the Chiefs, but I wish it were not a one-year deal. I boosted Brown's dynasty value up quite a bit after this signing, even though it might just be for a year. He can be far more productive in their speed role than Marques Valdez-Scantling was the last few seasons. He and Rashee Rice will be used in complementary ways, so Brown's presence does not hurt Rice. His signing with the Chiefs clearly indicates that they don't trust Skyy Moore or Kadarius Toney to become productive players. Both of their dynasty values continue to fall.

Mike Williams

Williams signed with the Jets to run opposite Garrett Wilson with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. I love the landing spot, but, as with Marquise Brown, it's a one-year deal. Every year with Aaron Rodgers should feel like a one-year deal from a fantasy perspective. At least he gets one year to be the team's big-bodied receiver. If he stays healthy, he should be second on the team in targets, equaling more targets than he would have had in the Chargers' new run-first offense. You'd think he could become the Jets' top red-zone target, but even though he's smaller, that role is Wilson's. Aaron Rodgers will have eyes for Wilson in the red zone as he did for Davante Adams. I was hopeful to see Xavier Gipson get more of a role in the offense this year. Williams's signing makes that unlikely, but I'm still holding on to Gipson in the leagues where I have him because he's young and has the slot role nailed down.

Gabriel Davis

I wouldn't have given Davis a dynasty boost, no matter where he landed, because of his proven history of inconsistency in fantasy. His signing with the Jaguars did not change my mind, even after I learned that Ridley had signed with the Titans. He'll have a starting role, but Christian Kirk is the most reliable receiver on the team. Ridley's departure opened the door for Zay Jones to continue as a starter after it looked like he may get squeezed out. Kirk and Evan Engram are reliable pass catchers for fantasy purposes. Even with these moves, Davis and Jones will be inconsistent.

Curtis Samuel

Samuel signed with the perfect team to keep his aging dynasty value afloat. The Bills' starting slot receiver has produced fantasy points in the past, especially in deep PPR leagues. I started Cole Beasley for years in deep leagues when Josh Allen peppered him with targets. The Bills have solid tight ends now, so that will limit Samuel's playtime to mostly passing downs, but I think he will contribute to the Bills and dynasty managers' offenses.

Free Agent Frenzy - RBs and TEs

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Last week was one of the wildest weeks of free agency in history, with so many fantasy-relevant players changing teams that I have to break up my free agency articles into two parts. This week, I'll share my thoughts on the most fantasy-relevant running backs and tight ends who changed teams, what the change means for their dynasty value, and the values of the players affected by the change.

Running Backs

Josh Jacobs and Aaron Jones

Josh Jacobs landed the biggest deal, signing a four-year contract with the Packers, though the deal is front-loaded, and the Packers could get out of the deal if they need to later. I love the landing spot for Jacobs, and he will be very productive on their offense. The Packers let Aaron Jones go and have brought A.J. Dillon back. They rotated both of them a lot over the last few seasons, but that was mostly to protect Jones, who is smaller and injury-prone. They will not split carries between Jacobs and Dillon. They signed Jacobs to be their every-down back, and he's proven he can do it. He's had more than 200 carries every year of his career, including a 340-carry season in 2022. Jones only had 200 or more carries in three of his seven years. Jacob's dynasty stock remains steady with this move, and he'll continue to please dynasty managers.
The Vikings signed Jones to a one-year deal to be a 1-A to Ty Chandler's 1-B. I fully expect the Vikings to split their workload, so I don't think Jones's dynasty value changed much with this move, though he's job security is dwindling with this one-year deal in his age-29 season. Ty Chandler had a chance to become the Vikings' lead back after playing well at the end of last season, but now his dynasty value has taken a hit since he'll no longer be the 1-A back. Both will be fringe starters in dynasty lineups next season.
The player whose dynasty value rose the most because of these moves is Zamir White, who has the RB-1 position locked up in Las Vegas. The Raiders are now a prime candidate to draft a running back, but even if they do, it's White's job to lose after he looked good down the stretch with the Raiders while Jacobs was injured. He averaged 15 fantasy points per game in the last four games of the season, enough for the Raiders to have confidence in him in 2024.

Saquon Barkley and Devin Singletary

Barkley finally gets a change of scenery after signing a three-year deal with the Eagles. The signing is an indication that the Eagles plan to put an end to their running-back-by-committee approach. They would not sign a player of his caliber and pay him a 37 million dollar contract if they didn't plan to make him an every-down back. From a dynasty perspective, I am intrigued but skeptical. I'm intrigued to see Barkley on a new team with a much better offensive line and a more explosive offense. I'm skeptical that the Eagles can change their offense to highlight Barkley. If they aim to limit Jalen Hurts running and train him to check down to Barkley, it could be fantastic for him, but I doubt Hurts will change his playing style. I wanted Barkley to sign with the Texans to be part of that kind of scheme. Then, I would have bumped Barkley's dynasty value up a bit. After signing with the Eagles, I see his dynasty value about the same and will take a wait-and-see approach into the season to see if the Eagles change their ways.
The Giants filled the Barkley hole by signing Devin Singletary to a much more cap-friendly 16.5 million three-year deal. Singletary earned an opportunity for a starting role after taking over the Texans' backfield last season. He has much less wear and tear on his body than the other free-agent running backs after splitting carries in his four years. His first 200-plus carry year was last season. He'll have far more carries in a leading role with the Giants this season. The Giant's offense needs improvement at every position, but Singletary will have the most fantasy points of his career because of his leading role. The Giants will strengthen the offense in the draft with linemen and receivers, not running backs. Singletary's dynasty value increased significantly after this signing.

Joe Mixon and Zack Moss

Singletary's departure from Houston gave a momentary boost to Dameon Pierce until the Texans traded for Joe Mixon and extended him to a three-year contract. I love the landing spot with the Texans and believe Mixon will thrive in their offense, even at 27 years old. He was the 7th highest scoring running back in fantasy last season while playing behind backup quarterbacks. He'll do much better with the Texans offense and C.J. Stroud. The coaching staff that did not draft Pierce started Singletary, who they signed last year and will now start Mixon for the next three years. Mixon's dynasty value slightly increased after signing with the Texans.
The Bengals were willing to trade Mixon after they signed Zack Moss to a more cap-friendly 8 million dollar two-year contract. Like Singletary, Moss increased his dynasty value after having the most productive year of his career. He did enough when Jonathan Taylor was injured to earn a new contract. Unlike Singletary, he has more competition and will split carries Chase Brown. The modest contract tells us so. This signing depressed the rising stock of Chase Brown, who had a chance to be the leading back if the Bengals released or traded Jones, as they were rumored to do. Now that Moss was signed, Brown's breakout potential is thwarted. The Bengals want a running-back-by-committee approach and, more importantly, want to pay their receivers more than their running backs. This surprising signing should make Moss's dynasty managers excited and Brown's depressed.

Derrick Henry and Gus Edwards

Most dynasty analysts wanted to see Henry land with the Ravens, and their wishes were fulfilled after he signed a two-year, 16-million-dollar contract. They argue that if Gus Edwards could score 13 touchdowns last season, Henry can do even more in his 30-year-old season. I'm in the minority and am skeptical that Henry will thrive with Baltimore. It's been unwise to predict Henry's age cliff as he's defied the odds year after year, but I believe he will begin his decline in Baltimore. The Ravens' offense is moving to being more pass-oriented, and they've focused on adding weapons in the passing game in recent years. They don't want to be a ground-and-pound team and won't give Henry near the number of carries he received every year in Tennessee.
As for Gus Edwards, whom he replaced, he signed a two-year deal with the Chargers for 6.5 million dollars. I like the move from Edwards since the Chargers want to be a ground-and-pound offense under Jim Harbaugh. However, the Chargers are among the most likely teams to draft a running back, with everyone expecting them to draft Blake Corum if he falls to them, reuniting him with his college coach. Whether Corum or not, the Chargers will add a back to compete with Edwards next season and eventually replace him. Dynasty managers can get the last bit of juice out of the squeeze with Edwards at the beginning of this season, but it won't last long. I hoped Isaiah Spiller would get a chance to compete for the starting job. He still has a chance if the Chargers surprisingly don't draft a running back.

Austin Ekeler and Antonio Gibson

The Commanders let Gibson go, and he signed with New England, and they filled their hole by signing Ekeler. Both backs' dynasty value is falling because they were added to their teams with lead backs ahead of them, making passing downs backs only. Their signings do not hurt the dynasty value of Rhamondre Stevenson or Brian Robinson. They will be their team's first and second-down backs. I was surprised to see that Ourlads lists Ekeler as the RB-1 in Washington. Ekeler did not look like his fantasy superstar self last season, so he is not suited for a starting role. I see Ekeler and Gibson's value dropping due to these signings and more so due to their poor play last year.

DeAndre Swift

Swift was among the first players signed last week, striking a three-year, 24-million-dollar contract with the Bears. Swift is only 25 years old and will get a chance to start for the Bears, his third team in four years. Last year was the first time a team gave him more than 200 carries, and he turned into his most productive year. It earned him a new contract and a chance to see 200 carries every year. Swift's dynasty value took a sizeable bump up after this signing, and it squelched the hopes of dynasty managers hoping to see Khalil Herbert or Roschon Johnson in a leading role. Their dynasty value took a significant hit with Swift's signing.

Tony Pollard

Similarly, Tajae Spears's managers are grieving the signing of Tony Pollard to Tennessee. It looked like Derrick Henry's departure opened the gates for Spears, who looked great last season, to take the leading role. Now he'll have to split time with Pollard, who signed a three-year contract for 21 million dollars. Spears and Pollard are very similar players, so I don't see either having a specialized role. I see them as a 1-A and 1-B backfield, which does not help dynasty managers. Pollard's dynasty value could have risen had he not signed to a team that will have a committee backfield, and Spears's dynasty value takes a hit because he now has to share the backfield. This signing was a good move for the Titans but not for dynasty managers with Pollard or Spears.

Tight Ends

Colby Parkinson

To my surprise, Parkinson signed the most hefty deal of all the free agent tight ends after signing with the Rams for 22.5 million dollars over three years. Parkinson has 25 catches and two touchdowns in each of his last two seasons in Seattle. He's hardly produced anything in his four years there, but the Rams saw something they liked and wanted Parkinson. I trust the Rams organization and believe they signed him to be their starting tight end next season. Tyler Higbee will miss much of the season after tearing his ACL in a playoff game. Davis Allen played well as a rookie a few times last year, but the Rams liked Parkinson a lot more. I had Allen stashed on my roster in a lot of my dynasty leagues. I replaced him with Parkinson in every league after I heard about this signing. It seems like an out of nowhere signing but the Rams know what they are doing.

Will Dissly

Dissly also left the Seahawks to sign with the Chargers on a three-year deal worth 14 million dollars. After Gerald Everett signed with the Bears, I thought Donald Parham might finally get his chance to be the Chargers' starting tight end. Jim Harbaugh wanted to bring in his own guy. Dissly had a few breakout games in Seattle but never did enough to become a viable starter on dynasty teams. He's best at blocking, which may be what Harbaugh wants the most, but he'll have a starting role for the first time in his career. He's another player I added to several of my teams this week while dropping Parham from my rosters.

Noah Fant

Fant chose to stay in Seattle, signing the second-highest tight-end contract for two years and 21 million dollars. He's the tight end whose dynasty value rose the most after this signing. Fant never lived up to his first-round draft capital after the Broncos drafted him from tight-end U, Iowa, in 2019. He scored about 100 fantasy points per year in Denver and was eventually traded to Seattle, where he had too much competition to produce for dynasty managers. All of that could change now. I'd bet on his athleticism and draft capital to see his career change this season. I tried to add him in a few leagues but he was rostered in all of them. Dynasty managers who have been patient for five years will benefit this season.

Jonnu Smith

Smith signed a two-year, 8.4 million dollar contract to play for the Dolphins. The Dolphins have not used tight ends much since Mike McDaniel became their head coach, but that could change now that he has a tight end with speed. McDaniel values speed and can scheme up fast guys to get open. I'm curious to see how Smith will get used in his system. His dynasty value doesn't move much, given that he's no more than the fourth most targeted player with the team next year, but I was curious enough to add him in two of my leagues after this signing. He'll be the Dolphins' starting tight end next season, so it's worth a chance to see.

Mike Gesicki

Gesicki landed with his third NFL team after signing to become the starting tight end for the Bengals. The Bengals see it as an experiment since they only offered him a one-year deal worth 2.5 million dollars. Still, he's they're presumed starter. The Bengals have not had a productive tight end since Joe Burrow joined the team, but they've also yet to have one as athletic as Gesicki. I'll be curious to see how they plan to use him and if they can learn to get a tight end involved in the offense. It's Gesicki's last chance on dynasty rosters, and I saw him picked up in several of my leagues last week.

Post-Combine Rookie Risers and Fallers

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0500

I apologize for not writing last week. My computer fell off my desk and shattered the screen, leaving me computerless for the entire weekend. While not being able to write was a bummer, it did allow me time to watch almost all of the NFL Combine. I don't let the Combine affect my rookie rankings too much, but I do factor athletic scoring into my rankings and see the Combine as the first opportunity to update them.

I released my first rookie rankings on Super Bowl Sunday. I only look at people else's rankings or opinions after I have posted my first rookie rankings. Afterward, however, I study the class more and take in a lot of information from other NFL analysts, especially from NFL scouts and mock drafts. Since the Super Bowl, my rankings and opinions about rookies have developed. I use the NFL Combine as the last data point before releasing my second rookie rankings.

After my rankings are updated, I compare them with my early rookie rankings to see which rookies are risers and fallers since I've been studying the class more diligently and factoring in athletic testing. I've completed this process, and in this article, I comment on the rookies who have risen and fallen in my rankings since Super Bowl Sunday.

Rookie Risers

Brian Thomas Jr. - from 16th to 12th

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how I was skeptical about Thomas as a first-round NFL pick and dynasty pick. I am confident he will be a first-round draft pick by an NFL team and in all dynasty leagues. His 3rd ranked athleticism score in this wide receiver class and his final season production make him a shoo-in first-round pick. He needs to improve as a route runner, but NFL coaching can make this fantastic athlete into a top-notch wide receiver. One of the scouts I follow told a story about how he has a photographic football memory, that he only needs to be told what to do once, and he remembers how to do it. That news encouraged me, too. I likely still have him ranked lower than other dynasty managers, but I'm in the same ballpark now.

Ladd McConkey - from 24th to 20th

McConkey received the 12th-ranked athletic score among the wide receiver class, but what impressed me most during the Combine was his route running and hands. He was one of the smoothest players on the gauntlet drill and looked sharper and quicker than most of the receivers in the passing drills. The drumbeat for McConkey has been steady over the last month, and his Combine performance was another drumbeat. His excellent route running and football intelligence will get him drafted in the second round of the NFL draft and dynasty drafts. I was already high on McConkey when ranking him 24th in my rankings, but I have moved him up a bit more after seeing him in action last weekend.

Ricky Pearsall - from 29th to 21st

I thought about listing Pearsall and McConkey together because I'd say the same thing about each. Pearsall tested even higher than McConkey, finishing 8th in athletic score, but I liked the way McConkey looked in the passing drills just a little more than Pearsall. They win in the same way, but McConkey is slightly smoother. Still, Pearsall helped his draft stock at the Combine and will likely get drafted at the end of the second round. I moved him into the second round in my rookie rankings as well.

Ray Davis - from 34th to 23rd

Ray Davis did not blow up the Combine, but he did well enough for his size. His recent rise in my rankings has more to do with what I learned about him since I posted my early rookie rankings. I knew he played for three different schools (Temple, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky) and that he ran for more than 1000 yards in each of the last two seasons in the SEC. What I did not know was his background; he grew up in the foster care system and was homeless at times as a kid. His story proves to me that he is resilient and driven. Now, as an advocate for kids in foster care, he shows that he is a good man and spiritual leader. Call me dumb for letting a life story affect rookie rankings, but I do factor character and work ethic into my rankings. NFL teams do, too. He won't get drafted until day three of the draft, but I'd like to add him to my dynasty teams as the 2-3 turn.

Jaylen Wright - from 32nd to 24th

Like Brian Thomas Jr., I wrote about Wright a few weeks ago, explaining why I had him ranked lower than most dynasty analysts. While I stand by my belief that the Tennessee offense is nothing like NFL offienses, making their skilled players hard to evaluate, I had to move Wright up my rankings after his incredible athletic testing at the Combine. He had the 2nd highest athletic score among this year's running back class and improved his draft capital as a result. During the Combine, Daniel Jeremiah compared his skills and athletic scoring to Alvin Kamara. That's a stretch, but I have to let Jeremiah's opinion and Wright's athleticism factor in my rankings, so I have moved him to a second-round pick in dynasty leagues.

Malik Washington - from 67th to 25th

Washington did not move up my rookie rankings because of his testing at the Combine, though his 42.5-inch vertical jump was highly impressive and tied for first in this class. He moved up my rankings over the last month as I learned more about his outstanding final season at Virginia, where he had 110 catches, 1426 yards, and nine touchdowns. I have listened to countless scouting and dynasty podcasts, and analysts often listed Washington as a favorite sleeper. I went back to watch highlights of his final season and was more impressed than I was at first. He won't get drafted until day three, but he could be a great sleeper pick by NFL and dynasty teams.

MarShawn Llyod - from 48th to 31st

Llyod did not blow up the Combine, but he did finish ranked 9th in athletic scoring for the running back class. What was more impressive was his testing scores compared to the running backs, who were twenty pounds lighter than him. Llyod is among the biggest backs in this class, so a team that values size in their backfield will draft him higher than expected. During the Combine and over the last few weeks, Daniel Jeremiah has repeatedly said that he thinks Llyod could be the first running back drafted in this class. If he is, he'll shoot up rookie rankings. I still like many other running backs ahead of Llyod, so I only moved him up to 31st in my rankings. I'll only move him higher if his draft capital is way higher than expected. NFL Mock Draft Database still has him projected as a fourth-round pick.

Rookie Fallers

Blake Corum - from 9th to 13th

I didn't move Corum down my rankings so much as move receivers ahead of him. Corum is still my top-ranked running back in this class, and he did nothing to hurt his ranking at the Combine, where he tested as the 12th highest-scoring running back. He just moved back because so many receivers moved ahead of him. I moved J.J. McCarthy, Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, and Brian Thomas Jr. ahead of Corum, meaning I have no running backs in the top twelve of my rankings. I've never seen a first-round without a running back drafted in rookie drafts, but this might be the first year.

Braelon Allen - from 10th to 17th

Allen tested better than Corum, finishing 7th in the class, but I didn't like what I saw when watching him as much as I did with Corum and others. He largely moved back because of other players moving ahead of him, but I also moved him back to my RB-3 after moving Trey Benson ahead of him due to his excellent Combine performance. Allen is the biggest back at the top of this class. His draft capital and landing spot will significantly affect his rookie ranking, but the same could be said for this entire class. With Allen, however, the landing spot matters more to me than some of the more versatile backs in this class.

Audric Estime - from 21st to 28th

Unlike Corum and Allen, Estime's fall in my rankings was largely because of his poor athletic testing. He finished 28th in athletic score in this class and ran a very slow 4.71 in the 40. Sometimes, athletic scoring can be deceiving. Estime looked faster when watching him on film, but maybe he's not. He's more of a short-yardage bowling ball kind of runner, so he might not get docked too much for his poor Combine if a team drafts him for a specific power-back role. He's now projected to be a fourth-round draft pick, causing me to move him quite a bit in my rankings. His Combine results demand it. That said, he's a player I bet I have ranked ahead of other analysts after the Combine. I'd still like to take a chance on him early in the third round.

Bucky Irving - from 35th to 39th

I was already lower on Irving than most dynasty analysts, so his poor Combine performance only moved him back four spots in my ranking. I dinged him in my first rookie rankings based mainly on his small stature. He could have changed my mind if he tested well, but instead, he tested poorly and moved even further back. His 4.55 40 was a big surprise given his 192-pound frame, and he was way below average in explosiveness with a 29.5-inch vertical jump and 9'7" broad jump. Slow speed and poor explosiveness do not match well with a 192-pound frame. He looks way more athletic than that on film, and his college production was great, but he's still not a player I'm interested in drafting this year.

Brenden Rice - from 36th to 42nd

When I first started studying this class, I started with the quarterbacks. While Watching Caleb Williams's film, Rice stood out as a favorite target and a great red zone target. I was impressed with what I saw and figured being Jerry Rice's son couldn't hurt. However, as I continued to study the class, Rice began to fall down my rankings. His 31st-ranked athletic score in this class reinforced my conviction to drop him in my rankings. His family pedigree and touchdown-catching prowess make him a player I'd still like to draft late in rookie drafts, but I would want to draft him in the fourth round instead of the third now.

Seven Players I Like Less Than The DLF Pros

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0600

Last week, I wrote about ten players I liked more than Dynasty League Football (DLF) pros. This week, I intended to write about ten players I like less. However, there were only seven players I liked five spots less than DLF within their top 36 players, which is where I drew the line for comparison.

I wrote this article on Saturday, February 24th, so the analysts at DLF may have since adjusted their rankings. I, too, may change my rankings before posting this article. That said, as of February 24th, here is a list of seven players I have ranked at least five spots lower than the analysts at DLF.

Brian Thomas Jr.

I have Thomas ranked 16th, while DLF ranked him 8th.
I expected to be lower on Thomas than most dynasty analysts because I am lower on Thomas than most NFL analysts who believe Thomas will get drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. He has the pedigree as a four-star recruit to LSU, but he underperformed his first two seasons before his breakout last year with Jayden Daniels as his quarterback. He had 59 catches for 702 yards and seven touchdowns in his first two seasons. In his junior year with Daniels, he erupted 68 catches for 1177 yards and 17 touchdowns, more than doubling his production in his first two years combined. He averaged 17.31 yards per catch and made his living as a downfield receiver who burned people with speed. I'm lower on Thomas because I value speed and downfield ability less than others. In fact, I see it as a red flag. Most of his big plays and touchdowns were on simple go routes where he ran by weaker defensive backs. He won't be able to do so as often against NFL talent. He's excellent at the catch point and makes some incredible contested catches against defensive backs and the sideline so that I will give him credit for that. However, I like receivers that win with route running, quickness, and smarts because that translates better against NFL-quality athletes and schemes. I won't draft Thomas if other analysts rank him in the first round of rookie drafts.

Keon Coleman

I have Coleman ranked 22nd, while DLF ranked him 10th.
I was surprised to see Coleman ranked as a first-round draft pick by DLF when I'd only take a chance on him midway through the second round. Coleman burst onto the scene in his first game with Florida State after transferring from Michigan State. He had three touchdowns in a game against LSU in an opening Sunday night game when the whole world was watching. That one game tainted everyone's glasses for the rest of the season. Coleman was far too inconsistent to be trusted as a first-round rookie pick, and NFL teams are conflicted about where to draft him, too. Seven times this season, he had 54 or fewer yards receiving, and only four times did he have more than 54 yards receiving. The NFL Mock Draft database has him as a projected draft pick at the end of the first round, but I think he will fall in the NFL draft because of his inconsistency. He'll test well in the Combine, so his value in the eyes of NFL and dynasty scouts will rise next week, but I'm not willing to raise a player who only had 50 catches in his final season to the first round of my draft board, no matter how well he tests next week or how high he gets drafted. I place too much value on consistency and positive progression through the years. He's inconsistent, has not positively progressed, and has not had a true breakout year like so many in this class have.

Bo Nix

I have Nix ranked 23rd, while DLF ranked him 13th.
This 10-rank difference surprised me because I like Bo Nix and think he will get a chance to compete for an NFL starting job immediately if the right team drafts him. If he is, I will move him up in my rankings. I ding him most in my rankings because the offense at Oregon is one of the least comparable to NFL offenses, and he only thrived as a college quarterback once he was put into Oregon's simple and productive system. He had a 57, 59, and 61 percent completion rate in his first three years at Auburn. His completion rate skyrocketed to 71 and 77 percent in his last two years at Oregon, whose scheme gets guys open for easy targets. He gets credit for taking what he can get within the scheme, but I have questions about how his college production will translate to the NFL. If NFL teams do, too, he could slide in the draft to a late first-round pick and get selected as a placeholder behind a veteran quarterback, which would knock his dynasty value. Every year, one or more first-round quarterbacks become busts in the NFL. I'm confident that the first four in this class (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy) will not bust, but after that, I have concerns, which brings me to the next guy on my list.

Michael Penix Jr.

I have Penix ranked 26th, while DLF ranked him 18th.
I have Penix a few spots behind Nix because I believe he will be the sixth quarterback drafted in this class and will not have a chance to compete right away for a starting position. I see him as a solid career backup quarterback, so I would only take a chance drafting him early in round three in superflex drafts just in case he proves me wrong. He had an incredible fifth and sixth year in college at Washington. Still, an excellent offensive system inflated his stats, and having arguably the best starting wide receiver group in the country. He was a below-average quarterback for Indiana for four years before transferring to Washington, where conditions were perfect for him. As excellent as he played those final two seasons, his below-average years at Indiana concern me too much to draft him higher than the third round of rookie drafts.

Bucky Irving

I have Irving ranked 35th, while DLF ranked him 24th.
I expected that I would be lower than the consensus on Irving because I prefer running backs with bigger frames. Sports Reference lists Bucky at 5'10" and 190 pounds. I'll wait to see what he weighs at the NFL Combine next week. He's a great pass catcher, extremely quick and shifty, and a tough runner for his size. I'm just concerned that his size and talents won't win in the NFL as they could in the Pac-12. I've already mentioned how the Oregon offense does not translate well to the NFL at the quarterback position, and it affects the running back position, too. There's no denying that Bucky's 56 reception season last year was fantastic. It's just inflated a bit by the Oregon scheme. An NFL team will draft Irving with a specific role in mind in the passing game, but it will take a lot of work to become a great producer in fantasy with a limited role. He'll help an NFL team early in his career, but not dynasty teams. He's projected to get drafted in the third round. If he lands with a creative team with a lack of depth at running back, I'll move him up in my rookie rankings, but it will take a perfect landing spot for me to move him into my second round. There are too many receivers and bigger running backs I'd rather draft ahead of him.

MarShawn Llyod

I have Llyod ranked 48th, while DLF has him ranked 30th.
Llyod had a solid pedigree as a four-star running back, ranked as the 8th running back in his recruiting class and 88th overall. Still, he never produced much at South Carolina and only improved marginally at USC after transferring last season. His lack of production and the fact that he never had a breakout season makes me unwilling to draft him as high as 30th, where DLF has him ranked. This running back class is difficult to rank, especially after the first tier. Draft capital and landing spots will shake up rookie rankings more than in recent years. NFL Mock Draft Database projects Llyod as a fourth-round pick, making his path to a future starting role difficult. I'd instead take a chance on players who have had highly productive careers at smaller schools even though they had less competition. I have Dylan Laube (New Hampshire) and Kimani Vidal (Troy) ranked ahead of Llyod in the fourth round of rookie drafts. I value production over pedigree. We'll see which NFL teams do, too, soon.

Jalen McMillan

I have McMillan ranked 46th, while DLF has him ranked 29th.
I was surprised to see Washington's third-most-productive receiver ranked so high by the pros at DLF. He had a productive third season in Washington but was significantly surpassed by Ja'Lynn Polk last season. Or so I thought. After researching why I had McMillan ranked so far behind the DLF analysts, I discovered that McMillan missed a considerable part of the season, from mid-September to Thanksgiving. Once he returned, he contributed significantly during the Huskies' playoff run with 131 yards receiving in the Pac 12 championship game and a touchdown in each of the Huskies' playoff games. I also learned he's projected to be a third-round draft pick in the NFL. I compare my rankings with other analysts to discover things I missed like this. I'll move McMillan up in my rankings after the NFL Combine as a result. There's always more to learn about this class, and Phase one for me is complete. Now it's time for phase two, when I re-rank that class after the NFL Combine.

Ten Players I Like More Than The DLF Pros

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0600

Last week, I released my early rookie rankings. I create my first set of rookie rankings before comparing my rankings with any other dynasty analysts. After I've completed my early rankings, however, I love to compare my rankings with others to see which players I am higher and lower on than other dynasty analysts. The first place I look is to the professionals at Dynasty League Football (DLF). I compare my rankings with them first because they are excellent analysts and have composite rankings from seven of their dynasty gurus. I'm comparing my rankings with seven other dynasty analysts when I compare mine with DLFs.

I'm composing this article on Friday, February 16th, and will post it on Tuesday, February 20th. I mention the dates because between now and then, the good folks at DLF may change their rankings, as may I, while I continue to study this class.

That said, as of today, here are ten rookies that I rank at least five or more spots higher than the pros at DLF. I'll list them in the order that I have them ranked.

Blake Corum - #9 vs. #19

Corum is my #1 ranked running back in the class, while he's DLF's #4.
When I compare my running back rankings to others in the industry, I expected to be on an island by having Courm as my top running back in the class. He was a four-star running back, ranked 19th in the country in his recruiting class. He began to break out his sophomore year at Michigan before having dominant seasons in his junior and senior years, including a national championship last season. What I love most about Courm is his jump cuts and quickness. There are so many plays where he jukes guys out of their socks. I also love his low center of gravity and power, which enables him to power through would-be tacklers. He scored 45 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Michigan! The only knock on Corums is his lack of involvement in the passing game. He can catch but was not asked to do so in Michigan's system. I'm eager to see how fluid he is in the passing drills at the NFL Combine. I could change my mind in the coming months, but I'm pleased to have Corum as my RB-1 in this class.

J.J. McCarthy - #11 vs. #18

McCarthy is my #4 ranked quarterback in the class, while he's DLF's #6.
The top three quarterbacks in this class are a clear tier ahead of the second three: Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy. As I expected, dynasty analysts have the second tier ranked differently. I have McCarthy as the clear QB-4 in this class, but the DLF folks put him 7th. I've listened to enough NFL draft podcasts and seen enough mock drafts to believe that McCarthy will be the fourth quarterback drafted in this class and get drafted in the first round. NFL scouts see what I see in McCarthy. He's a smart and accurate passer that manages an offense well. He was not asked to do a lot at Michigan with their run-first offense, but he could do more if he were asked to do so. He was a four-star recruit and the 9th ranked quarterback in his class, so he has the pedigree to be a star. He can't help it if he was not asked to be one at Michigan. NFL scouts will see through the system and see his head and arm talent. I don't see any way that I will move him from the QB-4 in this class unless he is drafted by an NFL team with an established starting quarterback. He's been mocked to the Broncos, Falcons, and Raiders. If a quarterback-needy team like those drafts him, I will move him up from #11 in my superflex rankings.

Ja'Tavion Sanders - #17 vs. #22

Sanders is my #2 ranked tight end in the class, and he's DLF's #2.
Every dynasty analyst will have Sanders ranked as their TE-2 in this class. There is a massive dropoff in talent after Brock Bowers and Sanders. It will just be a debate on how high to rank Sanders overall in this class. I have him ranked five spots higher than the pros at DLF. Sanders was a five-star recruit, the 30th-ranked athlete in his class, and a top recruit for my Texas Longhorns. Over the last two years, I saw him up close and personal, and he is an offensive weapon. His catches and yards are among the best in college football, finishing with the third-most yards receiving last year. He did not score as many touchdowns as many other tight ends in this class, but that's only because Texas had too many offensive weapons. He has all it takes to become an immediate weapon in the NFL. Last year's productive rookie, tight end class, may cause dynasty managers to draft tight ends earlier in rookie drafts this year, especially since there are only top-tier tight ends in this class. The guys from DLF have several receivers ranked ahead of Sanders, but I, for now, have him ahead of the group of receivers I also like.

Xavier Lagette - #18 vs. #28

Lagette is my #9 ranked wide receiver in the class, while he's DLF's #14.
Lagette was the player I enjoyed watching the most in my film study. I studied the quarterbacks first, and when I watched Spencer Rattler from South Carolina, all I could watch was Lagette. I didn't watch a single South Carolina game last season, so I have no idea who he was, but I enjoyed his highlights more than any other player during my first round of scouting. Lagette was a four-star recruit, the third-ranked athlete in South Carolina, and the 17th-ranked nationally. He didn't do much until his fifth year with the Gamecocks, but it was a fantastic 71-catch, 1255-yard, 7-touchdown season where he averaged 17.7 yards per catch. He'll get knocked in dynasty rookie drafts because of his age, late-breakout, and single superstar season, but I'm willing to bank on what I saw from him in that one season. He's one of the biggest receivers in this draft at 6'3" and 227 pounds, making him an old-school Dez Bryant-like wide receiver. He's a great route runner, even at his size, and he can easily body out defensive backs. Please do yourself a favor and watch his 2023 highlights. You'll enjoy it.

Malachi Corley - #19 vs. #24

Corley is my #10 ranked wide receiver in the class, while he's DLF's #12.
Corley could be this class's Deebo Samuel or Puka Nacua. He was only a two-star recruit and played for a small school, Western Kentucky, but he was a monster on the field. He's a stocky 5'11", 210 lb. bully on the field. He caught 101 passes and had 87 carries as a runner in his third college season, totaling 1382 yards and 11 touchdowns. His production fell in his final season, but he still had 79 catches for 984 yards and 11 touchdowns. An NFL team will draft him with a specific role in mind, and he will be productive from day one with that team. He does not have the pedigree of some of the guys that DLF pros have ranked ahead of him, but I still like him more than the guys they have ranked ahead of him, especially Bo Nix and Michael Penix, even in superflex leagues. The only thing that could bring Corley down further in my rankings is if he was drafted by a team whose offense is not creative and suited for what he does best. Until the NFL draft, I'm confident in keeping Corley as a mid-second-round pick in my rankings.

Audric Estime - #20 vs. #34

Estime is my #5 ranked running back in the class while he's DLF's #7.
The difference between my ranking and DLF's is the second largest in this article. I was very intrigued by what I saw in Estime after watching his highlights and studying his college career. He's different from most of the running backs in this class, and several NFL teams will look to draft him in the third round. He runs like a poor man's Derrick Henry. He's one of the biggest backs in this class and is 5'9" and 227 lbs. Like Henry, he is not quick but powerful and has breakaway speed once he gets going. He can run guys over in the short game and has breakaway speed in the open field. He was a great goal-line back with 30 touchdowns in his last two years at Notre Dame. He was not active in the passing game, so his dynasty value gets dinged there, but he was the 16th-ranked running back in his recruiting class and signed and played for Notre Dame. He's not a lock to become an NFL starter, but he is a rookie I'd be happy to reach for in the second round of rookie drafts compared to DLF's ranking in the third round.

Ricky Pearsall - #28 vs. #35

Pearsall is my #14 ranked wide receiver in the class, while he's DLF's #18.
I was surprised to see I was seven spots higher on Pearsall than the pros at DLF. I liked his film but was bothered by his pedigree and production profile. I thought I ranked him conservatively, but I guess I liked him more than most analysts. One of the DLF guys has him ranked 28th, as I do, but the others have him ranked higher. His best traits are his route running and hands. He had one of the most incredible one-handed catches of this year last season. Look it up! He only had 65 catches for 965 yards in his final season at Florida and scored just four touchdowns. Still, he is a versatile athlete with 253 yards rushing and five touchdowns on the ground in his college career at Arizona State and Florida. An NFL team will fall in love with his versatility, route running, and hands and draft him with a plan to use him effectively. Like Malachi Corley, his final rookie ranking will be determined significantly by which team and offensive mind draft him. I'll keep him ranked here higher than the guys at DLF until we know that information.

Spencer Rattler - #29 vs. #36

Rattler is my #7 ranked quarterback in the class, and he's DLF's #7.
In superflex leagues, I think Rattler could be the steal of this year's draft. Of course, it all depends on where he lands. If he's drafted by a team where he can compete immediately, his value will rise in everyone's rankings. However, if he's drafted by a team with a veteran quarterback to be his successor, he'll become one of the sneakiest superflex league draft picks. I'm always careful to remember players who once were thought to be among the top players in devy leagues, and there was a short time when Rattler was a top prospect in devy leagues. He fell on hard times after being replaced at Oklahoma by Caleb Williams and had a modest comeback after transferring to South Carolina. His reported attitude problems have been corrected, and he became a leader again at South Carolina and was the MVP at the Senior Bowl even though he played only a few series. His young five-star and devy darling pedigree makes him a player I'm eager to take a chance on earlier than the guys at DLF are.

Javon Baker - #30 vs. #55

Baker is my #19 ranked wide receiver in the class, while he's DLF's #24.
Baker is by far the player I have ranked higher than all the pros at DLF, which makes me think he will be this year's Puka Nacua for me, especially since he's predicted to be a 5th round NFL pick. To begin with, he was a four-star recruit who signed with Alabama before transferring to Central Florida. While he did next to nothing at Alabama, he had 108 receptions for 1935 yards and 12 touchdowns for Central Florida. He's an excellent outside receiver who specializes in contested catches and back-shoulder throws on the sideline. He's fantastic at making corners that are playing off of him miss when he catches a short-stop route, too. These are skills needed by X receivers in the NFL, and he has them all. He's not the tallest guy at 6'1", but he's 210 pounds and has a lot of fight to his game. Next to Xavier Lagette, he was my second favorite player to watch on film. No matter his draft capital, he's the player I will reach on most this year.

Brenden Rice - #36 vs. #44

Rice is my #21 ranked wide receiver in the class, and he's DLF's #21.
Brenden Rice is the son of Jerry Rice, so the man is pedigree enough. He was a four-star recruit and the 12th-ranked receiver in his class, but his college production was weak, with a career-high 45 catches for 791 yards in his final year at Southern California. Still, he scored 12 touchdowns last year, and that kind of touchdown production usually translates to NFL success. His final-year touchdown rate and family name make him a rookie I'm higher on than most dynasty analysts. The DLF pros and I both have him ranked as the 21st-ranked wide receiver, but they have a lot more of the third and fourth-tier running backs ranked ahead of Rice. Most of those running backs do not have as high of a ceiling as Rice, so I have him ranked higher. Like Xavier Lagette, Rice caught my eye when studying the film of Caleb Williams. He stood out as a downfield weapon and touchdown maker. He's likely a day-three pick, and his draft capital could make him fall in my rankings, but I would not be surprised to see a team draft him late in the third round instead. In which case, he'd remain as a late third-round consideration in my dynasty rankings.

10 End-Of-The-Roster Players To Add

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0600

One of the things dynasty managers should do this time of year is to clean up their watch list by unfollowing players they're no longer interested in or have solidified a roster spot on your team or another team. Then, carefully review the list of all available players, especially rookies, and add them to their watch list. As a final step in the process, add a young player or two with upside to your rosters and drop older players and your kicker to add them. Churning the very back end of your roster is essential to do this time of year. I've completed this process in all nine of my dynasty leagues and have added the following players to many of my rosters. I recommend doing the same if your league's waiver wire is still open. Here, I present a list of the ten players I've added to my rosters since the season ended, and I cleaned up my watch list and churned the back end of my rosters.

Aidan O'Connell

O'Connell was still available on waivers in several of my one-quarterback leagues, and I added him in two of those leagues. As of now, he's the presumptive starter in Las Vegas next year. Jimmy Garoppolo is still under contract, but O'Connell earned a starting role ahead of him last year, even if it was primarily because of financial reasons. The Raiders finished the season well with O'Connell and almost made the playoffs, so they will not have the opportunity to draft one of this year's top quarterbacks. It's a deep quarterback class, so I would not be surprised to see the Raiders draft a quarterback on day two or three like they did last year when they drafted O'Connell in the fourth round. He could have competition for the starting role next year, but likely with a player with similar draft capital. O'Connell is the starter for now and should be rostered in every one-quarterback league. I was happy to add him to two of my rosters.

Emanuel Wilson

I admit that I was late to the game on adding Wilson, but I was able to add him in one of my leagues a few weeks ago. I did not know anything about this 24-year-old rookie from Fort Valley State. During one of the Packers' playoff games, I heard the announcers talking about how much the coaching staff likes Wilson and how his role could increase next year. A.J. Dillon is a free agent, and the Packers will let him walk, making Wilson the backup behind Aaron Jones. Wilson ran for 2206 yards and 24 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Fort Valley State and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. The Packers draft well and may have found a deep sleeper in Wilson. I'm eager to see what he can become, and I am upset that other managers added him to their rosters before I did. At least I got him in one league.

Kevin Harris

If the Patriots do not re-sign Ezekiel Elliot, Kevin Harris will become the backup to Rhamondre Stevenson next year. I loved Harris's college tape and production, and I was shocked to see him fall to the sixth round in the 2022 NFL draft. He's been buried on the depth chart each of his first two years in New England but finally has a chance to emerge next year if the Patriots do not sign a free agent or draft another running back. We don't know what the Patriots' new coaching staff will do with the offense, so it's worth adding Harris to find out. Every second-string running back in the NFL should be on dynasty rosters. Handcuffs get a chance to play every year because of injuries, and many become startable players in dynasty rosters for several weeks and may even break out and win the starting job. Harris was rostered in most of my leagues, but I was able to add him in one league.

Andre Iosivas

Iosivas is my most added player since the season ended. I added him to three of my rosters at the end of last season and two more since the season ended. Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Trent Irwin are all free agents. While the odds are high that the Bengals find a way to keep Higgins, he may sign with a new team. Iosivas was fifth on the team in wide receiver snaps last season, but the second, third, and fourth-highest receivers in snap counts may be off the team next year. Iosivas played more as the season progressed, and he had 92% of the snaps and two touchdowns in the playoff game when Higgins was injured. He had a stellar career at Princeton, and the Bengals like what they found in the sixth round of last year's draft. I'm pleased to have Iosivas on so many of my teams.

Tyler Scott

If you've followed me for long, you know that I've pumped Scott as a sleeper in last year's draft and as a player to add to dynasty rosters all of last season, even though he did not do much on the field in his rookie season. Darnell Mooney is a free agent and not likely to re-sign with the Bears, and the Bears are most likely drafting Caleb Williams with the first pick of the draft. Scott will be more involved in the offense next season and have a better passing quarterback. The Bears also have the ninth pick in the draft, which would put them in a great position to draft one of this year's top wide receivers, too. That's the only thing that could prevent Scott from becoming a solid WR-2 behind D.J. Moore next year. I did not add Scott in any of my leagues because he is already on most of my rosters, but I did want to recommend him since I am sure he's available in one of your leagues.

Xavier Gipson

Gipson earned a WR-3 role with the Jets in his rookie season, finishing third in wide receiver snaps. Near the end of the year, however, he was receiving more snaps than the Jets WR-2, Allen Lazard. He could be the WR-2 next year behind Garrett Wilson and be on the receiving end of Aaron Rodgers's passes. The undrafted free agent from Stephen F. Austin was the darling of the Hard Knocks show last season and earned a spot on the team ahead of guys with much greater pedigree and draft capital. He had a game-winning punt return for a touchdown on his first NFL game and became much more than a special teams player by the end of the season. He's worth a backend roster spot, and I added him in two of my leagues, including one today.

Jalen Tolbert

Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup are both under contract, but they each have a potential out in their contract. Dallas may need to let one or both of them go to clear up cap space. If one or both of them go, Tolbert would benefit. He has two more years on his contract and is getting paid just over one million dollars a year. I've yet to add Tolbert to my rosters, but I've added him to my watch list. When the NFL new year begins, and teams start making financial decisions regarding their rosters, the Cowboy receivers will be among the top groups I watch. If Cooks or Gallup gets cut, I'll add Tolbert to my rosters.

David Bell

Bell was one of my biggest dynasty misses. I was sure he would be a great NFL player after his incredibly productive years in college at Purdue and decent third-round draft capital. He's not lived up to my hype, and the Browns added Amari Cooper in free agency, traded for Elijah Moore, and drafted Cedric Tillman, all after Bell was drafted, leaving him fighting for a starting role. All four are under contract next year, so he doesn't have an open lane to a starting role. Still, I'm banking on him one more time as the very last guy on my roster. He's the type of player I'd add if I had a kicker to drop. I want to give him one more chance.

Brevin Jordan

Jordan has never lived up to his 2021 dynasty rookie draft capital, but he can prove himself next year if the Texans do not re-sign Dalton Schultz. His long touchdown in the Texans' winning playoff game gave the coaching staff something to think about this offseason. The Texans are way below the salary cap, so they have a lot of money to spend in free agency this year and will be an attractive team to play for, given the first-year success of C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans. Even so, Jordan is worth holding onto in case he wins a starting role and breaks out in the final year of his rookie contract.

Davis Allen

Allen was the last player I added to several of my teams this offseason. I added him to four of my rosters after Tyler Higbee tore his ACL in their final playoff game. Allen is in line to become the Rams' starting tight end next season while Higbee recovers from surgery. He's a rookie with fourth-round draft capital on a team that knows how to hit on late-round picks. He deserves to be on the back end of dynasty rosters, at least until the timeline for Higbee's recovery is clarified.

Grading My 2023 Dynasty Trades

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0600

One of the things I do every year at the end of the season is analyze the trades I made during the season. Trading is essential to building dynasty teams and growing as a dynasty manager. Reviewing your trades to learn from your hits and misses is vital. In this article, I share my thoughts on my hits and misses from trades I made last year.

Labor Day Freek Draft-Day Trades

My Freek league is the only league where we wait until Labor Day weekend to hold our rookie draft. Having one league where managers benefit from watching preseason games before the rookie draft is enjoyable. I made three trades in that league just before the season started.

Tee Higgins <=====> Jordan Addison and Tank Bigsby

I traded Higgins for 1.4 and 1.10, where I drafted Addison and Bigsby. I'm pleased with the two-for-one side of this trade. My post-season rankings have Addison as my 20th-ranked wide receiver and Higgins as 25th, so the one-for-one part of that trade is in my favor even though Bigsby did nothing in his rookie season. The next two players drafted in the rookie draft were Sam LaPorta and Tyjae Spears. The Spears pick was mine, and I debated taking Spears at 1.10 but thought he'd more likely fall to me at the 12th pick than Bigsby would. At least I still landed Spears on my team. I'm glad I made this trade.

Keenan Allen <=====> Elijah Moore and Jayden Reed

At the trade deadline last year, I traded away Keenan Allen for Elijah Moore and a second-round pick, which turned into Jayden Reed, who I picked with the 20th pick. Moore was one of the players I traded for the most last offseason when the stories of his rapport with Deshaun Watson were rampant. That did not pan out for me, as Moore did not break out last season, and his role did not expand. I bought back a lot of years by landing Reed in the rookie draft, at least, and he can build upon his rookie season and become a reliable starter for me. I'm not thrilled about how this trade worked out, but I'm pleased to have Reed on a team that is already strong and lost in the Super Bowl this year.

George Kittle <=====> David Njoku and Tank Dell

Just before the rookie draft, I decided I was tired of Kittle's up-and-down fantasy performances and wanted a player with a more steady floor. I traded Kittle for Njoku and pick #28 in the rookie draft, where I selected Dell. I could not be happier after Njoku had the best season of his career, and Dell had a stellar rookie season. At the time that I offered it, a 3rd round pick may not have seemed like enough to close the gap between Kittle and Njoku's dynasty value, but it sure does now.

Rebuilding Team Trades

I'm in full rebuild mode in two of my leagues. Pretty early on in the season, I decided to be a seller in both of them. In another league, I'm not in blow-it-up rebuild mode but more of a competitive rebuild, and I wanted to shake up my team a bit. I'll know more about how I feel about the trades after I cash in on the picks I acquired, but here is what I think about these trades currently.

C.J. Stroud and a 2024 1st round pick <=====> Josh Allen

In a one-quarterback league, I traded the best dynasty asset on my team, Josh Allen, for Stroud and a 2024 1st-round pick, which landed me the 1.9. I now have the Stroud, picks 1.2 and 1.9 in this rebuild. This trade was the first one I made in this effort to rebuild, and I made it mid-season before Stroud completely broke out. He won't score Josh Allen-type points in his career, but he'll be an excellent starter for me every week. I'm pleased to have made this trade and start rebuilding with him and two first-round picks.

Adam Thielen <=====> 2024 2nd round pick

The next trade I made in that league was selling Thielen for a second-round pick, which netted me the 2.6. I made this trade mid-season while Thielen was dominating, but after that, he fell off quite a bit. A player that old was not going to help my rebuilding team. I'm glad that I have an extra 2nd round pick. Next year, I will have four of the top 18 picks with picks 2, 9, 14, and 18. That's a great start to a rebuilding effort.

Evan Engram <=====> 2024 2nd round pick

The same week, I traded Engram for a 2nd round pick, which I later traded away in the next trade. In a vacuum, I prefer Engram in this trade, but it provided the context for the next trade I could make in that league.

Alvin Kamara, Josh Reynolds, and a 2024 2nd round pick <=====> Romeo Doubs, and a 2025 1st and 3rd round pick

I gave back the 2nd round pick I acquired in the Engram trade along with Kamara and Reynolds to add a Doubs and a 2025 1st and 3rd round pick. Kamara was the last valuable player on my roster to trade, and I went back and forth with managers trying to trade for him, but this was the best I could get. My rebuild will take some time, so I am grateful to have a future 1st round pick in the deal and to add a young, rising wide receiver in Doubs. It's still unclear which wide receiver in Green Bay will emerge as Jordan Love's top target, but Doubs was it in the NFL playoffs, giving me hope that I added a future starter to my roster in this trade. I'm happy with the picks and players I acquired this season as I seek to rebuild this team.

Tua Tagovailoa and Romeo Doubs <=====> Jordan Love, Zay Flowers, Luke Musgrave, and 2024 1st and 2nd round picks

I made this trade for the second team I'm trying to rebuild. It's a superflex league. Early in the season, I traded Tua when he was on a hot streak, and Doubs was doing well, too. In return, I received Jordan Love, a rookie wide receiver in Flowers, a rookie tight end in Musgrave, and two future picks. Jordan Love caught fire to end the season and scored more points than Tua. Flowers established himself as Baltimore's top wide receiver, and Musgrave, who started hot, got injured and lost time to fellow rookie Tucker Kraft. I took a chance on trading for Love in a superflex league, but it has paid off. I have picks 1, 6, 11, 16, and 18 in this league, in addition to Love, Flowers, and Musgrave. This trade set me up nicely.

Keenan Allen <=====> Sean Tucker, 2024 2nd round pick, and 2025 1st round pick

The pick #18 that I mentioned I have in this league came from this trade, where I sold Allen for Tucker, a 2nd-round pick, and a future first-round pick. Tucker never amounted to much, but I'll likely hold onto him. The picks are what will help my team. As I did with the previous rebuilding team, I also acquired a 2025 1st round pick in this league. This trade sets me up for a continuing rebuild. I got a fair price for Allen, even if it will take another year to pay off.

Dallas Goedert <=====> Nico Collins

Finally, a competing team that was hurting at tight end gave me Collins for Goedert. This trade was early in the season before Collins completely broke out. Now, it looks like a great trade for me. In my rebuilding efforts in this league, I now have Jordan Love, Zay Flowers, Nico Collins, Luke Musgrave, two 1st-round and three 2nd-round picks in 2024, and a 1st-round pick in 2025. I like my process and how it panned out for me.

Travis Kelce and Jared Goff <=====> Sam Howell, Jahan Dotson, Cole Kmet, and Cade Otton

In my competitive rebuilding team, I made the following three trades. I'm not as pleased with these trades, but I was happy to shake my team up. It's a very deep league, so I tried to acquire more players and picks than I gave away to add youth and depth to my team. For context, it's a superflex, tight-end premium league. I gave Kelce and Goff for Howell, Dotson, Kmet, and Otton in this first trade. On the tight end side, I'm pleased to get two tight ends that are young and growing for one that is a superstar but aging out. This league is 1.75 PPR for tight ends, so Kelce is a beast, but Kmet and Otton are emerging, and teams often start two or three tight ends in their lineups. As for the quarterback side of this trade, I mistakenly believed in Sam Howell. While he was scoring far more points than Goff at the time of the trade, I should have considered his job security. You'll see that I made a mistake trading for Howell several times this season. Thankfully, I still have two starting quarterbacks on my roster, so Howell, who will be replaced by Washington's 1st round pick this year, won't hurt me too much in this league. Hopefully, they will draft a quarterback to make Dotson come alive again. I still have hope for him.

Jonathan Taylor <=====> Kyren Williams

I accepted this risky trade when someone offered me Taylor for Williams. I ended the season with Taylor ranked ahead of Williams in my dynasty rankings, but there is a smaller gap than I thought when I accepted this trade. Taylor is my 4th ranked running back, and Williams has risen to 7th. For now, I am still pleased with the trade, though it's one I may live to regret if Williams is as involved in the offense as he was to end the season. Still, I am sticking with my rankings and relying on Taylor as a far better prospect who has also had a year in the past close to Williams's 2023 season.

Christian McCaffrey <=====> Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Nick Chubb, and a 2025 1st-round pick

CMC was on the trading block for much of the season, but no one gave me a deal I was willing to take until this one near the very end of the season. I wish I received more for CMC, but I'm glad I at least secured a 1st round pick, even if it is in 2025. I'm confident in JSN's ability to rise after a mediocre rookie season, and wide receiver is my weak point in this league. I asked Chubb to be thrown into the deal because I hope for a healthy return to dominent play next year after his injury was not as bad as suspected. I shook up my team quite a bit in this league by giving away three of the highest-scoring players in Kelce, McCaffrey, and Williams, but I added youth and depth as I intended. I have Taylor, Chubb, Smith-Njigba, Dotson, Kmet, and Otton and a future 1st round pick. I'm not as happy with this rebuild as I am with the others, especially since I lost Goff for Howell. I need Chubb to return healthy with something to prove and my new young wide receivers and tight ends to improve, or I may have to rebuild again next season.

Competing Team Trades

Tank Dell <=====> Kyle Phillips and 2024 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks

This trade requires a lot of league context. I was the second-highest-scoring team and a clear contender at the time of the trade, so I traded away a lot for Dell. Draft picks in this league are less valuable because the rookie draft is an auction, so each manager gets a certain amount of money for their draft picks. The trouble is the manager can carry over rookie auction money from one year to the next, and three to four of the teams have almost all the auction money and will be able to outbid everyone this year. Because of that, I valued Dell above the three picks I gave away. I'd never get to draft a player like Dell since I don't have enough money, so why not give away picks for the player I love? Sadly, Dell broke his leg the very next week, and I lost in the semi-finals at the end of the season. I'll have to be crafty in the draft and use my little auction money for some of my deep sleeper players, as I did last year in the rookie auction when I won the bid for Puka Nacua.

C.J. Beathard <=====> 2025 3rd round pick

I agreed to this low-level trade just before the playoffs started. I acquired Beathard because Trevor Lawrence was one of my starting quarterbacks and was questionable to start that week. Lawrence did play that week, but I still don't regret the trade. I like to have my starting quarterback's handcuff. Plus, this trade was made in the same league that does a rookie auction. I prefer players to auction money in that league.

Sam Howell <=====> George Pickens

I'll end with my biggest regret. I traded Pickens away for Howell. Thankfully, it is a one-quarterback league where I am loaded at receiver and made it to the Super Bowl but lost. Somehow, even in a one-quarterback league, Justin Herbert was the only starting quarterback on my roster. I was desperate for a backup, so I offered this trade. Herbert's season ended due to injury shortly after, so it looked like a wise move, but then Howell started playing poorly and lost the starting role for a few games. My team limped into the playoffs, starting the likes of Tyrod Taylor and Jacoby Brissett. I made it to the Super Bowl still and narrowly lost. It was a good move at the time, but it backfired on me at the end of the season and was a disaster trade from a dynasty perspective. Here's to hoping Aidan O'Connell can keep the Raider's starting role because he's the only backup I have on my team since I added him off waivers last week, which I'll write about next week.

Reranking the 2023 Rookie Class

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0600

The first thing I do after the dynasty season ends is rerank the rookie class. I note where I was right and where I was wrong on my evaluation of the class eight months after rookie drafts last May. This season, there were a few dramatic changes in the rankings, more than I've ever seen before. Here are the changes I've made in my superflex rookie rankings from May 2023 to January 2024.

1. C.J. Stroud (from #2 to #1)

I had Bijan Robinson ranked ahead of Stroud in May, but after his monster rookie season Stroud has moved up to number one. He finished the season as a top-ten quarterback and will only improve. I drafted him in one league and traded Josh Allen for Stroud and a first-round pick in another. He's moved all the way up to my #4 ranked dynasty quarterback. The best is yet to come for Stroud and the Texans' offense.

2. Bijan Robinson (from #1 to #2)

Bijan produced far less than dynasty managers expected last season but was still a top-ten running back while sharing way too much time with Tyler Allgeier. Coach Smith is gone, and there's every reason to believe the new coach will feature Robinson more than Smith did. The offense could be even better if they sign or draft a quarterback. He's still the top running back in this class and would be the top pick in a one-quarterback league. He's still my top-ranked dynasty running back.

3. Jahmyr Gibbs (from #4 to #3)

Last May, I ranked Bryce Young ahead of Gibbs in my supeflex rankings, but now Young has moved all the way down to #14 and Gibbs has moved to #3. Gibbs lost a lot of work to David Montgomery, but by the end of the season, he was given a more steady workload. Detroit knows what they got in Gibbs, and they use his skills perfectly. Surprisingly, Gibbs struggled with dropped passes this season. Once he cleans that up, he'll produce even more. He's my second-ranked running back in dynasty.

4. Puka Nacua (from #35 to #4)

Last May, I was higher on Nacua than almost any dynasty manager or analyst, which is why he's on five of my nine dynasty teams. I drafted him in the third round of those drafts and now would draft him ahead of every wide receiver in this class. What an unbelievable rise from 35th to 4th. He was a monster this season, surpassing historic rookie receiving records. He's now my 8th-ranked wide receiver in dynasty after finishing his rookie season as the 4th highest-scoring fantasy receiver in 2023.

5. Tank Dell (from #26 to #5)

This ranking might be the first controversial one, but I've moved Dell all the way up to fifth in this class after finishing tenth in the league in average points per game this season. His years linked to C.J. Stroud and the early connection they formed on the field make me confident enough to take him ahead of the other receivers drafted ahead of him in the NFL and rookie drafts. I wish we could have seen him play out the entire season. His injury was a fluke, and he'll be back to make magic again next year. He's now my 16th-ranked dynasty wide receiver.

6. Sam LaPorta (from #14 to #6)

LaPorta has arguably the best season by any rookie tight end. He finished his rookie season as the highest-scoring fantasy tight end and is clearly the top-ranked tight end in dynasty. In this class, he and several other tight ends have dismantled the widely held belief that tight ends take a few years to become productive in fantasy. What an incredible season he had.

7. Anthony Richardson (from #9 to #7)

Though his sample size was very small, Richardson did enough to prove me wrong and cause me to move him up in my rankings. I was lower on Richardson than almost every dynasty manager and analyst. I did not think his skills would translate to the NFL. I've not compared my rankings to others, but I bet I am still lower on him than most analysts who would draft him much higher in superflex leagues. My doubts and his sample size keep me more cautious than most analysts, even though I moved him to seventh in this class. He's moved to 12th in my dynasty quarterback rankings.

8. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (from #5 to #8)

JSN was the consensus top wide receiver pick in last year's class, but he's moved down to 3rd in this class as I rank them today. He was blocked by two talented veteran receivers, Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf, who both produced more than him this season, but that will change. The Seahawks have a potential out in Lockett's contract this year, and even if they keep him, he'll play less than JSN next year after turning 32 years old. Although he's moved down a few spots, JSN's pedigree and draft capital keep him a first-round rookie pick. He's my 19th-ranked dynasty wide receiver.

9. Jordan Addison (from #6 to #9)

Addison may have benefitted from Justin Jefferson's extended stay on the IR, but he made the most of his opportunity and finished as a top-24 wide receiver this season. You could also argue that Kirk Cousin's season-ending injury made him less productive than he could have been. He'll never become the team's WR-1, but he will consistently produce top-24 fantasy numbers. He's my 20th-ranked dynasty wide receiver.

10. Zay Flowers (from #7 to #10)

Flowers immediately made an impact in Baltimore, but his fantasy production was up and down for most of the season. He ended his rookie season on a hot streak and has become the team's clear WR-1, even though he may not be targeted as often as Baltimore's tight ends. His role in the offense will increase next year, too. He's my 22nd-ranked dynasty wide receiver.

11. Rashee Rice (from #21 to #11)

Rice is one of the top risers as I rerank the class today. I dinged him in my rookie rankings in May because Kansas City has drafted or traded for receivers for years and has never found a legit WR-1. Plus, they spread the ball around so much anyway, and Travis Kelce is their leading target-getter. At the beginning of this season, it looked like I was right, and the Chiefs did much of the same, but by the end of the season, Rice established himself as their go-to receiver. Rice's dynasty value will soar even higher if he develops this role while Kelce fades away or retires. Currently, he is my 27th-ranked dynasty receiver.

12. De'Von Achane (from #11 to #12)

I was right and wrong on Achane. I had him ranked lower than most managers and analysts because I feared he did not have the size to become an every-down back. I was right on that point, as he battled injuries and split carries with Raheem Mostert all season. I was wrong, however, about how explosive he could be when he was healthy and getting some of the workload. He did more with fewer touches than I thought was imaginable. He moved down in my rankings here, but only because some rookie receivers moved ahead of him. He moved ahead of Zach Charbonnet, whom I previously had ranked ahead of him and drafted ahead of him three different times. Achane is now my 6th-ranked dynasty running back.

13. Jayden Reed (from #22 to #13)

If Reed didn't battle injuries throughout the season, he might be ranked even higher than this. He finished the season 24th in average points per game. The Packers have a room full of young wide receivers, and all of them have played well this season. Reed's role in the slot and his use on gadget plays protect him from the competition for starting roles. The Packers offense is young and one of the best in the league. Reed's best days are ahead of him. He's my 32nd-ranked dynasty wide receiver.

14. Bryce Young (from #3 to #14)

Young's poor play this season caused me to bump him back to the second round in my postseason rookie rankings. His draft capital insists that he will start for the team next year and get a second chance with a new coaching staff, but first-round quarterbacks fail all the time. He could be one of them. He'd be out of my top 24 in one-quarterback leagues, but in superflex leagues, I'd take a shot at him here. He's my 23rd-ranked quarterback in dynasty.

15. Tajae Spears (from #19 to #15)

Spears was productive in his limited role behind Derrick Henry, but the Titans are definitely moving on from Henry next season, leaving the backfield for Spears to take. He played in all 16 games and never battled an injury. The Titans will bring someone in to pair with him, but the roles will be reversed next year. He's the team's new RB-1. Spears is my 18th-ranked dynasty running back.

16. Zach Charbonnet (from #10 to #16)

Charbonnet did not take over the passing and goal-line roles as I expected, and Kenneth Walker played better than I expected. Charbonnet will still have a role on the team next year with a new coaching staff that may like his skills better than Walker's. Most teams have a running back committee these days, so Charbonnet still has value in dynasty, but it's different than the first-round value I believed in May. I'm still hopeful for Charbonnet and have him as my 22nd-ranked running back in dynasty.

17. Will Levis

Levis had a few shining moments when he got to start for the Titans, but he didn't do enough to prove that he's the future in Tennessee. In a superflex league, he's still a quarterback worth drafting in the second round. I'm confident that he will begin the season as their starter next season, but I'm not confident that he can keep the job for years to come. He's my 26th-ranked dynasty quarterback.

18. Dalton Kincaid (from #13 to #18)

Kincaid's production this year was very hit-and-miss, but he had enough great games to cause me to rank him as the second-ranked tight end in this class. He could have been ranked higher if he did enough to keep Dawson Knox off the field. Still, Josh Allen targeted him a lot, and the team has a clear plan for his role in the passing game. He had a great rookie season. He's my 11th-ranked dynasty tight end.

19. Michael Mayer (from #12 to #19)

I'm still a Mayer truther, even though I moved him down my rankings at the end of this season. He immediately saw plenty of playtime but was rarely involved in the passing game. He was showing improvement in the last five games of the season before he landed on IR. That's enough for me to keep my prior hope alive. He'll improve significantly next year. He's my 12th-ranked dynasty tight end.

20. Josh Downs (from #18 to #20)

Downs ran hot at the start of the season but petered out near the end of the season, but that was still enough to keep him ranked about the same as I ranked him last May. Michael Pittman is a free agent this year and will be one of the most coveted receivers on the market. Downs is suited to be a WR-2 in the NFL, so the Colts would be wise to re-sign Pittman. We didn't get to see much of Anthony Richardson and Downs playing together either, which is another factor keeping Downs' dynasty value up in the air. For now, he's my 35th-ranked wide receiver in dynasty.

10 Things To Do When The Season Ends

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0600

It's officially the dynasty offseason. For Dynasty Freeks, this is one of the favorite times of the year, as we enjoy the NFL playoffs and begin evaluating the rookie class. Before diving deep into the rookie class, considering this past season and learning from your hits and misses is wise. It's wise to evaluate your teams, tweak your roster, and plan for the year ahead. I go through a particular process every year after the season ends before I begin studying the rookie class. I recommend that you do the same. Here are the ten steps I take this time of year with each of my dynasty teams.

Re-rank The Rookie Class

At the end of every season, I re-rank the class and compare my rankings with how I ranked the rookies last May during rookie drafts. I pay special attention to the players I was wrong about to determine if I need to change my process in the years to come. If players surprised me by playing better or worse than I thought, I try to determine why I was wrong in my evaluation. No one is perfect in their rookie rankings because sometimes players surprise even the best analysts. Still, sometimes, we can learn from our mistakes, even if they seem random. This year, I may need to reconsider discounting players with smaller stature. Devon Achane and Tank Dell were two players that moved up my end-of-season rookie rankings. I doubted their ability to stand out in the NFL at their size, but they were two of the best rookies in the class. I will let a player's size be less of a factor in my rookie rankings process next year. That said, they missed time with injuries. Achane battled injuries throughout the season, whereas Dell's was a fluke injury that ended his season. At the quarterback position, I was right about size making a difference. I had C.J. Stroud ranked ahead of Bryce Young, and I was proved right this season. One year does not make a trend, but it's a valuable exercise to re-rank the rookie class each season so that you can notice trends and improve as a rookie evaluator. I'll write about my end-of-season rookie rankings next week.

Grade Your Trades

The next thing I do is to grade all of the trades I made during the season. It can be a brutal task, but improving as a dynasty manager and trader is essential. I look back at the trades, and the time of the season I made each trade to remember what I was thinking and grade the trades from worst to first. This process helps me discover if the players I acquired or traded away helped or hurt my teams that season and if the players' dynasty value has gone up or down after the season ended. It's a humbling process sometimes, but looking back at all the trades you won can be rewarding. Trading is a huge part of building dynasty teams, so you must evaluate your trades at the end of the year to improve as a dynasty manager. This year, I made more trades than ever, especially on rebuilding teams. In two weeks, I'll write about every trade I made last year and give my honest grade on each trade.

Grade Your Teams

The next step is to grade your teams. To do so, you need to assess your roster and the rest of the rosters in the league. Look at your starting roster, depth, and upcoming draft picks, and compare them with others to determine if you're a top contender, a rebuilder, or a middle-of-the-pack team. Look to see at which position you're strong, weak, or average. If you're a contender, think about what one or two moves you need to make to get to the top. If you're a rebuilder, think about what one or two moves you need to make to rebuild faster. If you're in the middle of the pack, decide if you're content there or need to make a few moves to contend or rebuild. I'm a contender in five leagues and a rebuilder in four leagues. Last season, I was decisive with my rebuilding teams and sold players for draft picks in three leagues while making two-for-one trades in the other to rebuild faster. When I graded my teams a year ago at this time, I committed to be more aggressive with my rebuilding teams, and I was this season.

Study The Free Agent Class

A critical step in grading your team is to be aware of the contract status of your players, especially making a note of those who are free agents. The easiest way to do this is to go to Spotrac.com, where you can quickly pull up the free agents and sort them by position. You can also see PFF's list of the top 100 free agents here. You need to know which players on your team could benefit or get hurt by free agency. You also need to know all the players who will be free agents because you may have players on your team who are under contract and will benefit from a free agent leaving their NFL team. Sometimes, players benefit from signing with a new team, the player that signs, and the player with less competition now that he signed with another team. Sometimes, the opposite happens, and a free agent gets buried on a depth chart. They are free agents for a reason, after all. Most dynasty managers don't think to do this, but this time of year, it's a must. Additionally, it's good to know the contract status of every player on your roster. If you're in many leagues, this may be too much to do, but if you only have one or two dynasty teams, check the contract status of all of the players on your roster.

Churn The Back Of Your Roster

Some of my leagues close the waiver wire after the dynasty Super Bowl, but many do not. In leagues that don't, I consistently churn the back of my roster by adding back-end players who may benefit from moves that teams make in free agency and the draft. I always drop my kicker in leagues with kickers, and I look to drop older players or free agents that I suspect will not improve with the new team that signs them. I look to add rookies dropped during the season, younger players, and players I think will benefit from free agency (either signing with a new team or getting more opportunities when a free agent on their team leaves). These are back-of-the-roster guys, but I'd rather hold one or two young guys during the offseason than a kicker or older guys. In a few weeks, I'll write an article about the back-of-the-roster players I am targeting as I churn my rosters this offseason.

Clean Up Your Watch List

One of the essential things dynasty managers can do is keep an active watch list or scout team to remember players they like and be more efficient on the waiver wire. It's wise to clean up your watch list at this time of year. Start by "unwatching" the guys you no longer want to add to your team or have already been added to other teams. Then, go through the entire list of players available at every position and add the players you want to watch, especially rookies. This process makes churning your roster's back end easier throughout the rest of the offseason.

Study The Rookie Class

Then, the fun begins when you start studying the rookie class. Most Dynasty analysts have full-time jobs and, thus, limited time. I cannot watch film ten hours a day, but I commit myself to a few things that help me study the rookie class and determine my rookie rankings. I start by doing three things. I watch highlights on YouTube, look up their college stats on Sports Reference, and look up their recruiting profile on 247 Sports. Doing these three things for each player will give you an idea of how to rank the rookie class. Knowing how each player was ranked when recruited is essential because it can often help break ties between players. It's important to understand their college stats, whether they improved each year, had an early breakout year, and which critical statistical thresholds they pass that compare with future NFL success. It's essential to form your own opinion on players by watching their highlight videos with your own eyes. I do this every year to help me create my early dynasty rankings. I post my first rookie rankings each year on Super Bowl Sunday, so look for them this year on February 11th.

Adapt Your Podcasts & Websites

After that, I tweak and improve my rankings by listening to and reading from people with full-time jobs as scouts. I'm more of a listener than a reader because I can multitask while listening to podcasts. So, I subscribe to podcasts like Move The Sticks, First Draft, The College Draft, Dynasty League Football, and Matt Waldman. I also mix in a few more Dynasty Podcasts, which I don't have time to listen to during the season. It's good to hear various opinions from professionals who watch way more film than I can and have done so for many more years than I have. Additionally, some of these professionals are insiders, so they can tell what NFL teams and scouts think about the rookie class and help me better understand rookies' likely draft capital.

Analyze Mock Drafts

Speaking of draft capital, one thing I do through the offseason leading up to the NFL draft and subsequent rookie drafts is to follow mock drafts. I follow NFL mock drafts and dynasty rookie mock drafts to understand better where players will get drafted in both. NFL draft capital is one of the most critical factors in my rookie rankings, so I follow the mock drafts to learn which players are likely to get drafted ahead of others, primarily focusing on the players projected to get drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL draft. There's no better site to check out mock drafts than Grinding The Mocks. I also listen to enough dynasty podcasts with rookie mock drafts to see how other analysts value the rookie class. I don't let their opinions shape mine as much as the guys who grade rookies professionally, but it's another factor in finalizing my rookie rankings.

Be A Dynasty Freek

The last thing I'll say is, "Be a dynasty Freek!" That means staying active 365 days a year. Make a habit of looking over your rosters at least once a week. Look at your watch list every week and consider churching your roster. Offer trades and respond to trades. Keep the conversations going on your various platforms. Have fun, stay active, and be a Dynasty Freek. If you follow these ten steps, your team will improve this time of year, and you'll be prepared to make your team even better in your rookie drafts.

2023 Year-End Awards

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0600

We've come to the end of the dynasty season and the NFL regular season. I hope you enjoyed the ride and brought home some championships or a load of draft picks. I played in four championships and brought home the trophy in two of them. It was a good year but could have been better had Najee Harris not decided to have his highest-scoring fantasy game since week eleven of last season. I lost a championship by 1.5 points because of him. Ugh!

I cashed in five of nine dynasty leagues and compiled draft picks in the other four leagues, so I am pleased with my 2023 season. I also cashed in six of my ten bestball leagues, winning first place in three. If you've followed me for long, you remember that last year was terrible, but I'm happy to say I won $700 this year. Cheers to 2023!

That said, it's time to say farewell to the 2023 season and jump into offseason mode for 2024. Before I do, I want to present my 2023 Year-End Awards.

Breakout Player of the Year

Candidates: Kyren Williams, Rachaad White, Nico Collins, and Trey McBride
Each of these four candidates deserves the award after breaking out this season. Trey McBride finally lived up to his hype and draft capital, finishing as the tight end #9 on the season. Rachaad White scored 120 more fantasy points than he did his rookie season, finishing as the running back #5. He is one of the players I was most wrong about this season. Nico Collins was a player I was higher on than most managers, and he outperformed my expectations, finishing as the 17 highest-scoring wide receiver and the 14th highest-scoring in average points per game.
The award, however, must go to Kyren Williams, who finished as the running back #4 on the season, even after missing four games due to injury. He was the #2 running back in points per game, 2.5 points per game behind Christian McCaffrey. Williams was a back-of-the-roster player on dynasty rosters and was possibly on the waiver wire in shallow leagues after doing nothing in his rookie season, with a presumably healthy Cam Akers ahead of him on the depth chart to start the season. Still, from game one, it was Kyren's backfield. Dynasty managers with Williams on their rosters got the breakout of the year and rode Williams into the playoffs and, for many, the Super Bowl. What an incredible breakout season Williams had! Near the end of the season, I traded Williams away for Jonathan Taylor. I was confident in the decision then, but now I have regrets.

Surprise Player of the Year

Candidates: Jordan Love, Brock Purdy, Kyren Williams, and Rachaad White,
Williams and White deserve this similar award, too, but the quarterbacks #5 and #6, Jordan Love, and Brock Purdy, were the biggest surprises in my eyes. Purdy and Love scored the exact same amount of points per game, 21.2. Purdy went from Mr. Irrelevant to fantasy superstar this season, winning the job ahead of Trey Lance and Sam Darnold. As surprising and impressive as his season was, I was even more surprised by Jordan Love.
Love finished second in the league in touchdown passes with 32 and 7th in the league in passing yards with 4159. He did this with a cast of first and second-year pass catchers on his team. I was very pessimistic about Love's dynasty value and ability to lead the Packers' offense. I invested a lot in Sean Clifford after he played so well in the preseason. I could not have been more wrong about Love. Thankfully, I course-corrected and traded for Love in one league, giving away Tua Tagovailoa, Romeo Doubs, and a 4th round pick for Love, Zay Flowers, Luke Musgrave, and 1st and 2nd-round picks. That trade worked out well for me. It's my only share of Love, and I'm glad to have my most surprising player on at least one roster.

Rookie Player of the Year

Candidates: C.J. Stroud, Jahmyr Gibbs, Puka Nacua, Tank Dell, and Sam LaPorta
Each of these rookies burst onto the scene this season. C.J. Stroud finished as the #11 highest-scoring quarterback this season and 9th in points per game. He elevated the play of all of the Texan's pass catchers, including Tank Dell, the 11th-highest-scoring wide receiver in points per game, and would have finished as a top-12 wide receiver had he not broken his leg in week 12 of the season. Jahmyr Gibbs was slower to break on the scene, but he took over the Lions' backfield by midseason and ended the year as the 9th highest-scoring running back. Even so, he is not the rookie of the year on his own team since Sam LaPorta finished as the tight end #1 in his rookie season, making him the top-ranked dynasty tight end at the end of the year. The Rookie of the Year award came down to LaPorta and Puka Nacua, but I had to give the prize to Nacua, who set the NFL record for most receptions and receiving yards by a rookie wide receiver.
If you followed me last offseason, you know that I touted Nacua as one of my favorite sleepers in rookie drafts. I drafted him in five of my nine dynasty leagues, and my only regret now is not being more aggressive in drafting him. Even though I was a believer, I would never have imagined that he could finish as the wide receiver #6 at the end of the season and surpass Cooper Kupp as the team's WR-1. A 5th round draft pick rarely becomes the rookie of the year, but he has this season, and I believe he'll win the NFL's Rookie of the Year award, too.

Veteran Player of the Year

Candidates: Baker Mayfield, Joe Mixon, Mike Evans, and Davante Adams
Joe Mixon finished his 7th season as the 7th highest scoring running back and did so very quietly. His 7th ranked finish was based on something other than a five-touchdown game like last year. He was a steady and reliable starting running back, week after week. Davante Adams' production was more up and down from week to week, but he finished the season as the wide receiver #13 while catching passes most of the season from rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell. The veteran duo of Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans stole the show this year. Mayfield was battling for a starting position at the start of the season, and he finished as the quarterback #10 to end the season. Mayfield elevated the play of the veteran of the year, Mike Evans.
Evans played out the last year of his contract and finished as the wide receiver #4, scoring just 13 fewer points than his most productive year of his career. He and Tyreek Hill led the league with 13 touchdown catches. Evans has a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career already, with ten straight 1000-yard seasons. He's a beast and is showing no signs of slowing down. I saw him traded away by rebuilding teams this season, but I would rather keep and ride him until the end of his Hall-of-Fame career.

Bounce-Back Player of the Year

Candidates: Breece Hall, DeAndre Swift, Saquon Barkley, and Calvin Ridley
DeAndre Swift was traded to the Eagles during the NFL draft and surprisingly became the Eagles' leading running back, leading to the most productive fantasy year of his career. He started much hotter than he finished, but his 17th-ranked fantasy season boosted his dynasty value back up. His contact is up this year, so we'll see if the Eagles bring him back. Barkley returned from his injury-ridden year last season to finish just ahead of Swift as the running back #16. He was the offense's focal point, which kept his production high even though it was one of the least productive offenses in the NFL. His contract is up, too, and I would love to see him sign with a team with a better quarterback and offense next season. Ridley returned from his year-long suspension to play well for the Jaguars, who took a chance trading for him. He ended his 29-year-old season as the wide receiver #24. He was unreliable as a starter but ended the season as a WR-2. He played better than I expected, given his nearly two years away from the game due to his injury and suspension.
The bounce-back player of the year award has to go to Breece Hall, who finished the season as the running back #6, even after splitting carries at the beginning of the season. Once the Jets let him carry the load, he returned to his rookie-year form and proved that he's a top-five dynasty running back again. If Aaron Rodgers comes back and the Jets have a capable offense next season, the sky is the limit to Hall's production.

In-Season Waiver Wire Player of the Year

Candidates: Joe Flacco, Gardner Minshew, Josh Dobbs, and Greg Dortch
Josh Dobbs helped fantasy managers early in the season while starting for Arizona and when he was traded to Minnesota, but the Vikings ultimately benched him. He'll be a backup quarterback for the rest of his career. Gardner Mnishew helped dynasty managers in superflex leagues as a reliable QB-2 for the rest of the season after Anthony Richardson was injured. He'll have a chance to start for a team next year, but this year's rookie quarterback class is big enough to keep him as an NFL backup. Greg Dortch was a great late addition to rosters and started on one of my teams that won the Super Bowl. With Marquise Brown injured, Dortch provided a safe floor in PPR leagues and contributed to the fantasy playoffs for teams.
The award must go to Joe Flacco, who averaged the third most fantasy points per game this year after becoming the Browns' starter in week 13. He even roasted the Jets' top-ranked passing defense in the fantasy playoffs. His incredible end-of-season run will keep him in Cleveland and will give him opportunities to play next year as a backup at least, but maybe even a starter. What he does in the NFL playoff will determine his future.

Dynasty Waiver Wire Player of the Year

Candidates: Dontayvion Wicks, Andrei Iosivas, Demario Douglas, and A.T Perry
Wicks stepped into a starting role after Christian Watson was injured, and he took advantage of his opportunity, complicating the receiving room in Green Bay in the future. The Packers are loaded with young talent. Jayden Reed is the player with the highest and most secure dynasty value. Wicks could battle Watson and Doubs for the WR-2 role next year. Iosivas came on the scene late but established himself as the next man up in Cincinnati by the end of the season, especially in week 17 when the backups played, and he scored 18 fantasy points. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd's contacts are up, and the Bengals have to pay Ja'Maar Chase this year, so Iosivas will likely become the WR-2 in Cincinnati next season. He was my most added player off the waiver wire at the end of this season. A.T. Perry ended the season well, earning a more active role in the Saints' offense, scoring two touchdowns in the last game of the season. He can become the Saints' WR-2 behind Chris Olave next season.
It's a tough call between these candidates, but I will give the award to Demario Douglas. He had become the Patriots' top target by midway through the season. He had averaged almost seven targets per game after week seven. The Patriots' wide receiver room is pretty bare, giving him a chance to remain their top target next season, and he'll have a new rookie quarterback to get the ball to him. I added Douglas to my roster in several leagues where my teams are in rebuild mode. I'm eager to see what he becomes.

Most Valuable Player

Candidates: Christian McCaffrey, Kyren Williams, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyreek Hill
CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill finished as the #1 and #2 highest-scoring wide receivers. Lamb had the most points, and Hill had the most points per game. I was fortunate to have them on Super Bowl-winning rosters this year. Both were the MVPs of those teams. Kyren Williams was the breakout player and worthy of the MVP had he not been outscored by Christian McCaffrey by 102 points.
McCaffrey is this year's most valuable player. It's doubtful that any team with McCaffrey missed the playoffs this season. He was the most productive player in fantasy this season, scoring double digits in every game and scoring more than 20 points in ten games. It's unfortunate that his worst game of the season was in the fantasy Super Bowl, where he only scored 11 points, but he carried teams throughout the season and was the clear cut MVP.

Week Fifteen Dynasty Takes

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0600

Week fifteen, the first week of the fantasy playoffs, was high-scoring. Several teams in my leagues scored the most points they have all season. What a time to do so! It resulted in upsets in the playoffs and games coming down to the wire on Sunday and Monday nights.

I am pleased to say that I had bye weeks in four of my nine dynasty leagues, and it looks like I'll make the semifinals in the one playoff game I played this week since I am a 91% favorite headed into Monday night. I'm glad I had bye weeks because I would have lost to several teams in this high-scoring week.

After following all the games this weekend, here are my week-fifteen dynasty takes.

Week Fifteen Dynasty Takes

On Fire At Home

The Lions dismantled the Broncos Saturday night, reminding dynasty managers that Jared Goff is on fire when playing at home. Goff scored a season-high 33 fantasy points after throwing five touchdowns. Goff averages 23.4 fantasy points when playing at home compared to 16.7 on the road. As Goff goes, so goes the fantasy production of the team. Managers who had Lions this week were treated to game-winning performances, including a season's best 26 points from Sam LaPorta, 21 from Amon-Ra St. Brown, and 24 from Jahmyr Gibbs. LaPorta is having the best rookie tight end season in history and is my #1 ranked dynasty tight end. Gibbs has scored 12 more fantasy points than fellow rookie Bijan Robinson and is my #4 ranked dynasty running back. St. Brown is arguably the most consistent wide receiver in fantasy and is my #5 ranked dynasty receiver. Detroit is loaded with young weapons and carried dynasty teams into the semifinals this week. Unfortunately for their dynasty managers, the Lions' next two games are on the road. At least both games are in domes since Goff averages 14.85 fantasy points in outdoor road games compared to 21.45 in indoor road games.

Road Woes

Washington's offense looked terrible Sunday afternoon, leading coach Rivera to bench Sam Howell. Once Jacoby Brissett entered the game, the team started moving, sparking Terry McLaurin's best fantasy game of the season. McLaurin has been benchable in shallow leagues after averaging 6 points per game over the last five weeks. I thought this would be a breakout game for him since he complained that he was doing "a lot of cardio out there" after his zero-point fantasy game last week." I thought the squeaky wheel would get the juice, but Sam Howell didn't provide it. Brissett did. Coach Rivera said after the loss that Howell would start for them next week. I believe he will, but he will be on a short leash again. He's unreliable in the fantasy playoffs next week, especially since he's playing the top-ranked defense against quarterbacks at the Jets. I mentioned last week how I had to turn to Howell as my starter in two leagues after Justin Herbert was placed on IR. I'll start Russell Wilson ahead of Howell in one league and look to the waiver wire this week for a starter in the other. Sunday was as bad as it gets for Howell during this up-and-down season. There's hope for his future, but there's also a strong possibility that the Commanders draft a quarterback in this class. Their chances increase with each Commander's loss.

Unstoppable

The 49ers are unstoppable, and Brock Purdy is playing at an MVP level. He was the 4th highest-scoring quarterback headed into this week, and his 28-point outing on Sunday will keep him up there. Dynasty managers who snagged Purdy off the waiver wire last season when he came in off the bench are thrilled to have found a diamond in the rough. At the end of last season, I remember being offered Purdy for a first-round pick in a superflex league. Uncertain about his ability to keep the starting role, I declined. I made a big mistake on that one. Christian McCaffery is unbelievable, and for the first time in his career, he's stayed healthy all season. He's averaging 23 fantasy points per game and looks as quick and powerful at 27 years old as he did in his rookie year. The guy who is surprising me at the end of this season is Deebo Samuel. He's been on fire the last four weeks, averaging 26 points per game. Coach Shanahan is using Deebo more like he did in his magical season in 2021. He lost a step in 2022 and had a slow start to this season, but now he's among the unstoppable players on this offense. He's peaking at just the right time for dynasty managers. I traded my last share of Deebo last offseason. I traded him for Joe Mixon in a league where I was stacked at wide receiver and needed more running back depth. Mixon has scored six more points than Deebo this year, and he helped me secure a bye week and the number one seed in that league, but now that we're in the playoffs, I'd much rather have Deebo, especially now that Chase Brown is cutting into Mixon's workload.

League Winners

Like Deebo, a couple of players are breaking out at the end of the season and are poised to be league winners for teams. Trey McBride and David Njoku dominate their teams' targets and explode at the right time in the fantasy playoffs. Since Joe Flacco took over in Cleveland three weeks ago, Njoku has seen 28 targets, and the Browns have become one of the pass-heaviest teams in the league, passing the ball 44, 45, and 44 times. Njoku has a 21% target share since Flacco took over. Since Kyler Murray returned to Arizona in week ten, he has targeted McBride 45 times, an average of 9 targets per game. McBride has a 26% target share since Murray took over. Njoku and McBride will play a significant role in advancing dynasty teams in the playoffs. I have them on two of my five semifinal teams and am excited about the steady floor they provide me at tight end.
I'm not as confident that these running backs are league winners, but Devin Singletary and Ty Chandler could fit the bill. Both dominated their team snaps and touches this week and looked like a star running back. Singletary had 30 touches and produced 170 total yards and had 75% of the team's snaps. The Texans need to ride Singletary to keep their playoff hopes alive. Chandler had 26 touches and produced 157 total yards, and had 81% of the team's snaps. The Vikings need to ride Chandler to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings could have won the game had they not tried two stupid brotherly shove plays with Nick Mullens instead of giving the ball to Chandler.

Rookie Watch

Two rookie wide receivers finally see more playing time and give dynasty managers more hope for their future. Since week nine, Cedric Tillman has out-snapped Elijah Moore and become the WR-2 in Cleveland. He had his highest target share of the season with 18% and turned eight targets into four catches for 52 yards. Managers who have patiently waited for Tillman to find a role have been rewarded. He's still not a player to take off a taxi squad, but he has the rest of the season with the pass-happy Flacco-led team to improve his role in the offense.
Similarly, Tyler Scott had his most productive fantasy day on Sunday with three catches for 49 yards. He still needs to surpass Darnell Mooney to become the WR-2 in Chicago, but he's getting more involved in the offense. Mooney is in the last year of his contract, so Scott is waiting to see an increased role next year, that is unless the Bears keep Justin Fields and draft Marvin Harrison with the first pick of the draft.

Old Man Strength

This week's old man strength award goes to a pair of Buccaneers, Chris Godwin and Baker Mayfield. Both old men had their highest-scoring fantasy week of the season, while the Buccaneers established themselves as the team to beat in the NFC South. Godwin has had a down season and was on the injury report all week, so it would not be surprising if he were on the dynasty bench during his 20-point day. It was good to see that Mayfield has eyes for more than Mike Evans. Mayfield is a great candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year. He was the 15th-highest-scoring quarterback in the league heading into this week. His 33-point fantasy day may move him into the top 12 by the end of the week. He, too, was likely on the bench in one-quarterback leagues this week, but he is an every-week starter in superflex leagues. He's one of my most hated players, given his cockiness and his hatred of The University of Texas, but I have to admit he's got some old-man strength, and he's been fun to watch this season.

Bounce-Back Candidates

Cooper Kupp has the back-to-back 21-point games and appears to be the apple of Matt Stafford's eye again. He's finally bounced back from his injuries and will be a big boost to dynasty lineups in the playoffs if they are lucky enough to get in the playoff this season with his poor start. In one league, I secured a bye week, and the team with Kupp advanced to play me. His team scares me way more than before, and I bet he will be favored to beat me now. Tee Higgins has been benchable this season. I've benched in a few of my leagues. He bounced back on Saturday and finally looked like himself again. He had one of the plays of the year on his game-tying touchdown, his second of the game. He was more involved in the offense after Ja'Maar Chase left the game with an injured shoulder. If Chase misses time, Higgins will become a safe-to-start player again, even with Jake Browning as his quarterback. He, too, could bounce back just in time to help dynasty teams in the playoffs. I hope he signs with a new team next year. I'd like to see how he could produce as a WR-1 on a team. He can do so and may prove it in the next few weeks if Chase misses time.

Stock Down

The dynasty stock is falling on one aging back and two young backs. It looks like Austin Ekeler has hit a wall. C.J. Spiller out-touched Ekeler in the Chargers' blowout loss, and the coaching staff said last week that they need to get more running backs involved in the game. It's hard to believe he's fallen off a cliff, but it looks that way. The team's coaching shake-up and the fact that he's playing with a backup quarterback the rest of the season means he'll have a hard time producing the rest of this season, which will hurt playoff teams who somehow made it into the playoffs with Ekeler as a starter.
Javonte Williams and Dameon Pierce are athletic and hard-running young backs whose dynasty stock is falling, even at their age. Pierce lost his starting role to Devin Singletary, and he's not getting it back. Houston's new coaching staff did not draft Pierce, so they have no motive to trot him out there, especially while Singletary is breaking out. Anytime a running back gets demoted to second string, their dynasty stock dramatically tumbles. Williams still has the leading role in Denver, but he's not produced. He's only scored one touchdown in the 13 games he's played and has only hit double-digit fantasy points four times this season. He was my 6th-ranked rookie in the 2021 class. I thought he would return to form after recovering from his knee surgery, but he hasn't. Last year, I traded Williams away for Dalvin Cook at the trade deadline. I got to the Super Bowl in that league but didn't win it. I regretted the trade after losing in the Super Bowl and regretted it more after Cook lost his job in Minnesota. Now, however, I don't feel as bad about it. Of course, I'd rather have Williams, but it doesn't look like as big of a mistake as it did when this season started.

Waiver Wire

I recommend a few players on the waiver wire this week. The first is Tre Tucker, who caught two touchdown passes on Thursday night's blowout win over the Chargers. He received more snaps this week than Hunter Renfrow, but just barely. His breakout performance on Thursday may cause the team to give him more snaps to see what they have in him. He was a third-round draft pick last year, so the team is invested in him.
I'm only interested in Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson in super-deep leagues. They split the workload on Saturday while Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss were out with injuries. Moss and Taylor could be back this week, so Sermon and Goodson might not play this week or the rest of the season. Both have had plenty of chances in the NFL and have proven to be backups and practice squad players. I would only add either of them if it's confirmed that Taylor or Moss will not play this week.

Week Fourteen Dynasty Takes

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0600

The fantasy regular season is over, and it's time for the playoffs. It's been a long season. I hope you enjoyed the season, whether you're a competitor or a rebuilder. I've had a blast this season with teams in both circumstances.

Here are some of my dynasty takes after following all of the week-fourteen action.

Week Fourteen Observations

Contenders and Pretenders

More than ever, my teams are top contenders or pretenders this year. I committed to blowing up pretending teams and making trades early in the season this year. Three of my teams are pretenders. In one league, I finished in last place, securing the 1.1 pick, and I added one 2024 first-round pick, two 2024 second-round picks, and a 2025 first-round pick. In another league, I finished second to last, securing the 1.2 pick, and I added 2024 first and second-round picks and 2025 first and third-round picks. I'm starting the rebuilding process in those two leagues. I've mismanaged my final pretender team and given away my first and second-round picks. That team is in trouble for years to come! I have one team that is more of a reloading team compared to a rebuilding team. I have not added draft picks in that league, but I have made several two-for-one trades to deepen my roster in that league. My contending teams are strong. I'm in the playoffs in five leagues and have first-round byes in four, so next week, I won't have to sweat too much. It will be a fun finish with those teams and a fun offseason for the rebuilding teams. Here's to the playoffs!

Biggest Loss

Losing Tank Dell and Jonathan Taylor significantly hurt my playoff chances last week. Dell is one of my most rostered players. I have him in four leagues and traded for him in one league the day before he got injured last week. My strongest roster in all of my dynasty leagues had Dell and Jonathan Taylor, who was peeking at just the right time to bolster my team in the playoffs. Injuries are part of the game, but they hurt worse this time of year. Dell was one of the fastest risers in my dynasty rankings this season. He's my 16th-ranked wide receiver, with only Puka Nacua as the only rookie ranked ahead of him. Jonathan Taylor still sits as my 2nd ranked running back behind Bijan Robinson. If he can't get back to help me in the playoffs, he'll keep my team a contender for the years to come. I'm eager to see how well he'll play alongside Anthony Richardson, which we have yet to see this year. You'll read below about a trade I accepted to add another share of Taylor to a team.

The Running Back Problem

The running back position continues to be a problem in fantasy leagues. I was looking at the top 20 running backs in scoring and noticing how many names I would have never guessed would be there before the season started. Raheem Mostert at #2, Brian Robinson at #5, Rashaad White at #6, Kyren Williams at #7, Isaiah Pacheco at #10, DeAndre Swift at #14, and Gus Edwards at #18, to name a few. None of these players are in the top ten in my dynasty rankings. Most are not in my top 20, yet here they are among the highest-scoring running backs this year. The funny thing about the current top 20 running backs is that I have so few shares of them on my playoff teams. Of my five playoff teams, the only top 20 scoring running backs I have on my rosters are Raheem Mostert (1), Joe Mixon (2), Jahmyr Gibbs (1), and Jerome Ford (1). This year, more than most years, you don't need a top-scoring running back to be successful. Patchwork running backs are working for me this year since I am stronger at wide receiver and tight end on my playoff-bound rosters. Running back is less critical than it used to be, making me hold firm to my conviction to build dynasty rosters through wide receiver. We'll see how my patchwork running back teams hold up during the playoffs.

I Was Wrong

I was wrong about James Cook. He was ranked 13th in my 2022 rookie rankings but was drafted in the first round in all my leagues. Last year, it looked like I was right, but he's proven me wrong this season. I thought he could thrive in the passing game but could not become a successful running-down back. He's proven me wrong with double-digit carries in all but two games this season, and he's averaged 4.8 yards per carry. He's stood out even more since Joe Brady became the Bills' offensive coordinator. Brady has unleashed Cook in the passing game. Cook has 169 yards receiving and two touchdowns over the last three weeks. He will help teams in the fantasy playoffs and has become a reliable RB-2 in dynasty lineups. I wish I had a share of him, but I don't because I ranked him lower than most all dynasty managers. I was wrong.

Third Year Breakout

I did not get to write about Nico Collins last week, but I wanted to note his break-out third season, even though he left this week's game with an injury. He was the 11th-highest-scoring wide receiver coming into this week and had a 29-point game two weeks ago. Before this week, he averaged seven targets per game, becoming the top target of the possible rookie of the year, C.J. Stroud. His first two seasons were unimpressive, with a total of 70 catches for 927 yards and three touchdowns. He has 60 catches for 1004 yards and six touchdowns this year with four games to go. There used to be a third-year break-out rule for receivers, but now most break out in year one. That may be the new rule, but some still wait for year three to break out. Collins's fantastic year three has me hopeful for a player I think has third-year breakout potential next year. Traylon Burks's first year was almost identical to Collins's. They both had 33 catches and one touchdown. Burks's second year has been worse as he's battled injuries. He only has eight catches in the five games he's played. As bad as he's looked, however, he can replicate Collins's production next year in his third year. It's good to remember that third-year breakouts can happen.

Rookie Watch

Chase Brown has popped the last two weeks. Last Monday night, he averaged 6.8 yards per carry on his nine touches. His speed jumped off the screen in that game. Every time he touched the ball, you could tell it was not Joe Mixon. This week, he had eleven touches, including a 54-yard touchdown pass. Joe Mixon is still getting the bulk of the snaps and touches, but Brown has moved into the RB-2 role ahead of Trayveon Williams. The Bengals have a potential out with Mixon's contract at the end of the season. If they like what they see in Brown for the rest of this season, they may be willing to part with Mixon. He's shown enough in the last two games to cause the Bengals to give him more touches. Brown was an incredibly productive running back in college, with over 4000 yards and 21 touchdowns. He had outstanding scores in the NFL Combine, too. Still, he slid down rookie draft boards after he was drafted in the fifth round and because of his age at 23 years old. I had him ranked 36th in this class, but he was routinely drafted in the second round of drafts. His managers must be excited about what they've seen so far. I'm glad he fell to me in the third round in one of my leagues. That's the only share I have of him.

Old Man Strength

There's only one candidate for the award this week: Joe Flacco. At 38 years old, he's come off the couch to lead the Browns to two consecutive wins. He threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday, reviving the fantasy production of David Njoku and Amari Cooper for the rest of the season. His play has earned him the starting role for the rest of the season. He's also looked better than Deshaun Watson did in all of his starts this year. Managers in superflex leagues who were ahead of the curve by picking him up when he was added to the Browns's practice squad now have a viable starter in a year where 25% of the teams are playing backup quarterbacks. I'm more confident about starting Njoku and Jerome Ford in a couple of my playoff-bound teams now that Flacco is at the helm.

Stock Down

I had already written a note about Justin Herbert being a stock-down player before he injured his finger. Something has not been right the last few weeks, and I planned to write about how I plan to start other quarterbacks ahead of him in the playoffs. Now that he is injured, the choice is made for me. I have Herbert as my starting quarterback in two of my playoff teams, but I'll start Sam Howell ahead of him now. Herbert still throws some of the prettiest balls, but he's gotten happy feet and looks confused and rushed in recent weeks. He's only thrown one touchdown in the last three weeks and no touchdowns in the previous two weeks. He came into this week as the 6th highest-scoring quarterback, but his managers don't feel that way about him after the last three weeks. The coaching staff will get fired at the end of the season, if not before then. I'm sure Herbert's dynasty stock will bounce back under a new coaching staff and system, but it's the lowest since his excellent rookie year.

Week Fourteen Waiver Wire

Brevin Jordan

Jordan is likely unavailable on the waiver wire in most dynasty leagues because he was picked up this week as managers got news of Dalton Schultz's injury. I picked him up in a few leagues a week ago but wished I would have more. I didn't in more leagues because I thought Dalton Schultz has a multi-year contract with Houston. I should have looked it up because he only signed a one-year deal with the Texans. Jordan has two more years on his contract, so he has a window to prove that he was worth the fifth-round pick they spent on him.

Davis Allen

Allen came out of nowhere to start for the Rams, while Tyler Higbee was out on Sunday. He played 55 snaps, more than the 40 snaps he had in the previous 12 games. He caught four passes for 50 yards and a touchdown, and he dropped a critical pass on third down at the end of the game. He's worth adding in dynasty leagues since he's a rookie. He's a rookie who was not in my dynasty rankings but now is worth adding to rosters and rankings.

Easton Stick

Justin Herbert is likely to miss a few weeks, if not the rest of the season since the team has fallen out of playoff contention. Stick will likely be the team's starter for a few weeks, making him a player to add to rosters in superflex leagues. He's already rostered in most of my superflex leagues but is available in some leagues. He held his own after coming into the game on Sunday, throwing for 179 yards. He joins the ranks of the many backup quarterbacks to take the reigns of their teams this year.

Week Fourteen Trades

Jonathan Taylor <=====> Kyren Williams

I made this trade in a superflex league where I was a strong contender until Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones were injured, leaving me no chance to win a championship with Jared Goff as my team's only remaining starting quarterback. I traded him and Travis Kelce in my rebuilding efforts in recent weeks, so the league knew I was pushing the reset button. After Jonathan Taylor's injury, a contender sent me this trade for Kyren Williams straight up. I was happy to accept the trade since I believe Taylor is a better dynasty prospect. The other manager is in first place, so he added a fantastic piece to help him this season. It was a bold trade offer from a manager making a Super Bowl run. Willaims's dynasty value has crept much closer to Taylor's this season, enough that he was willing to send this offer. I'm pleased to have Taylor on my rebuilding team and have Christian McCaffery as my last player on the trading block. My previous trades have been two-and-three-for-one trades, so I see this as more of a reloading strategy than rebuilding, so if I can't move McCaffery, I'll be pleased to run him and Taylor out as my starters next year.

C.J. Beathard <=====> 2025 3rd round pick

In a superflex league where I am in second place and need a win this week to win the division and secure a bye week, I made this modest trade to acquire Beathard. I have Trevor Lawrence as one of my starters alongside Sam Howell, who had a bye week, so I needed help this week. I also like handcuffing my quarterbacks, so I was willing to accept the offer the other manager sent me in my moment of need. I was surprised that Lawrence was able to play this week. I was not upset with the trade, even though he started. I have Lawrence's handcuff in the playoffs and earned a bye week. Beathard has an option in his contract to keep him as Lawrence's backup next season, too. I'll only regret this modest trade if the Jaguars do not keep Beathard as their backup next year.

Josh Downs <=====> Keaton Mitchell and a 2024 2nd round pick and 2025 3rd round pick

In the same league I mentioned above, the team I'm competing with to win the division and a bye week added Josh Downs to his starting roster, giving up Keaton Mitchell and two future picks. I really like the Downs side of this trade. Baltimore mixes and matches their running backs too much, and Lamar Jackson typically steals goal-line touches, though he has yet to this year. Downs is an excellent addition to this competitor's team and will make him harder to defeat in the playoffs and the future. I always prefer a rookie wide receiver to a rookie running back, especially if one has more draft capital and has solidified his role more than the running back.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba <=====> Mike Evans and Adam Thielen

This hours-before-the-deadline trade devastated me in a league where I am in second place and a top contender. It's a perfect trade between rebuilding and contending teams. Thielen has cooled off recently, but Mike Evans is on fire. Leading up to the deadline, I made several trade offers for Mike Evans, but mine were rejected. I never offered a rookie with the upside of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, so that's what the manager wanted to sell Evans and Thielen. Sadly for me, the team that added Evans is a much stronger contender now, and we'll likely meet in the playoffs. Depending on what happens Monday Night, we can end up on separate sides of the bracket.

Week Twelve Dynasty Takes

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0600

Thanksgiving week is my favorite regular-season football week of the year. Having so many isolated games on so many days of the week is a blast. It makes for an exciting week for dynasty managers who wake up each day with the hope of their players performing as we near the fantasy playoffs.

While my teams did not fare well this week, I'm still in first or second place in five of my nine leagues, though I got bumped from first to second place in two leagues. Even when my teams don't do as well, I love following the games and cheering on my players.

After following all the week-twelve games, here are some of my dynasty takes.

Week Twelve Observations

Battering Rams

The Rams smashed the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon, but it didn't help dynasty managers. Only Kyren Williams' managers enjoyed that game because even in the blowout win, Puca Nakua and Cooper Kupp combined for seven receptions and 45 yards. This was the most frustrating game of the week! Tutu Atwell led the team in receiving yards, Tyler Higbee caught his first two touchdowns of the year, and Royce Freeman scored. At least managers who trusted Williams in his first game back were handsomely rewarded. He had 204 yards from scrimmage and caught two touchdowns. Dynasty managers who held onto Williams through his unproductive rookie year have one of the biggest surprise players of the year. Every year, I rank the rookie class before the Combine, after the Combine, and after the NFL draft. In 2022, Kyren Williams took a massive fall in my rankings each time. After watching film and studying him, I had him ranked #8 in the class. After his terrible Combine performance, he moved down to #19. After falling to the fifth round in the NFL draft, he moved down to #33. His outstanding play this season reminds us that dynasty managers should be careful not to dock a player too much for not doing well at the Combine and falling in the draft. His back-to-back 1000-yard and 14 and 17-touchdown seasons at Notre Dame should have kept him higher in my rankings. His fall in my rankings cost me chances to roster him, and I now only have one share of Williams.

A Change Will Do You Good

Pittsburgh finally fired their offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, last week, and the change did them well, resulting in their most offensive yards of the season and the first time all year that they had more yards than their opponents. They had a hard time finishing drives with touchdowns, but they had their most productive game of the year. I was eager to see their changes, particularly at running back. I hoped they would give Jaylen Warren more touches, but they did not. It was a 50/50 split again, with 15 touches for Najee Harris and 16 for Warren. Harris had 54% of the snaps compared to Warren's 48%. That's about as close to a 50/50 split as you can get. The surprise in the offense was how much they went to Pat Freiermuth, who led the team with 11 targets, nine receptions, and 120 yards receiving. Sadly, he was likely on most managers' benches because he had not played well all year and missed so much time due to injuries. His 16.6 fantasy points this week are almost more than he has scored all season. He scored 22.5 points in the five other games he played this season. It's too early to say if this is a shift change in the offense, especially since Cincinnati has been one of the worst defenses against tight ends this season. Still, it's promising to dynasty managers who have Freiermuth and once believed he was a top-ten talent. He's slowly lost dynasty value throughout this poor season, but his dynasty value could bounce back quickly if he keeps this up. He's fallen to 18th in my rankings but could start moving back up soon.

Running Back Roulette

From week to week, it's a guessing game to know what running backs with backup quarterbacks will do. Last week, Saquon Barkley smashed behind Tommy Devito. This week, he crashed. Last week, Josh Jacobs crashed with Aidan O'Connell. This week, he smashed. Joe Mixon's first week with Jake Browning was terrible, apart from one long screen pass. Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt could not get things going behind Dorian Thompson-Robinson even though they were playing one of the worst run defenses in the league. Breece Hall could not do a thing with Tim Boyle at the helm of the Jets' offense. It's frustrating to have a player that dynasty managers know is talented get hampered by bad quarterback play, especially if they were one of the critical pieces of your dynasty roster. I have Mixon and Barkely on many of my contending teams, but now I have to consider starting players like Devin Singletary ahead of them. It's a terrible spot to be in as we near the fantasy playoffs. The only good news is that so many backup quarterbacks are playing that it affects almost all of the teams in our leagues.

Rookie Watch

Dynasty managers have been awaiting the Rashee Rice breakout game. They've enjoyed the touchdowns he's scored this year but have been waiting for his target share to increase and his takeover as the WR-1 in Kansas City. Rice led the team in targets with ten and had a 29% share of Mahomes' passes. He turned that share into eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. Rice's dynasty value has been slowly rising, but now it will take a big jump. I still suspect that the Chiefs will mix and match receivers into the lineups like they have done ever since Tyreek Hill was traded, so I will not raise Rice in my rankings as high as others, but it's encouraging to see one more rookie wide receiver in this class break out.

Old Man Strength

Curtis Samuel led the Commanders in targets, catches, and yards this Thursday, much to the chagrin of dynasty managers with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson in their lineups. This is not the only time Samuel has outperformed his younger teammates this season, even though he has about a third fewer snaps than them. He's scored more than 12 fantasy points in four out of ten games when you exclude the game last week when he was ejected. In deep leagues, Samuel is a player you have to consider starting. In my 14-team league with eleven starting roster spots, I debated between starting Samuel or Robert Woods. I started Woods and kicked myself all afternoon on Thanksgiving after witnessing Samuel's old-man strength.

Unstoppable

The Jets' defense has made some quarterbacks and offenses look really bad this year. Just ask the 10-1 Eagles about that. But they could not slow down the Miami offense on Friday, which seems like the most unstoppable offense in the league. Tyreek Hill is on pace for 2050 yards this season, averaging 121 yards and .8 touchdowns per game. Raheem Mostert is averaging 85 yards from scrimmage and 1.36 touchdowns per game. Mostert and Hill are tearing teams apart in Mike McDaniel's system. Miami leads the league in total yards and passing yards and is second in rushing yards. Those two stats rarely go hand in hand. They trail only Dallas in points per game with 30.8 points per game. This offense is humming, and dynasty managers can ride the coattails to victories. They can't be stopped.

Week Twelve Waiver Wire

Greg Dortch

Dortch has been targeted 17 times in the last two weeks and has scored more than 10 points each of those weeks. He's gone on a productive stretch before with Kyler Murray and can do so again down the stretch this year. I added him to one of my rosters on Sunday morning and started him in that deep league this week. I hope to add him to a few more of my teams this week.

D'Earnest Johnson

Johnson has surpassed Tank Bigbsy in the Jaguars' depth chart, making him the handcuff to Travis Etienne. He's had eight touches in each of the last two games. He's already rostered in most of my leagues, but I saw him on the waiver wire in a few leagues. Every backup running back should be rostered in dynasty leagues. Now and then, you find one that is not. Check to see if Johnson is available in your leagues this week.

Tucker Kraft

Kraft played 96% of the Packers' snaps on Thursday, filling in for Luke Musgrave, whose injury landed him on IR. He may only be their starter for a few weeks, but I expect him to be productive then. Fellow rookie Musgrave already beat him out to earn the starting role, but if Kraft can produce in the next few weeks, he can cause the Packers to reconsider their depth chart at tight end. He scored a touchdown on Thursday, so he's off to a good start.

DeVante Parker

I can't believe I'm writing this, but now that Parker is back and healthy, he's worth adding back to rosters in deep leagues. I dropped him from all my teams earlier this season, but he led the Patriots' wide receivers in snap counts in his first week back and had the second-most receiving yards behind Demario Douglas. The Patriots offense is a disaster, so I'd only want to add Parker in the deepest of leagues.

Week Twelve Trades

Tank Dell <=====> Kyle Phillips and 2024 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks

I accepted this big trade in a 14-team league where we start eleven positional players in our lineups. I'm second in the league by record and in scoring. I'm hoping Dell can help me in my playoff push, even though the first-place team is undefeated and has the best roster in the league. I would not give up so many picks for Dell in a normal dynasty league, but I was willing to in this league because the rookie draft is an auction, and teams can carry the previous year's rookie cash into future years. There are many teams loaded with cash, making it unlikely that I will outbid them for the top 20 or so rookies in the next class. The manager who gave me Dell in this trade is one of the teams racking up cash. Each draft spot is worth a certain amount of cash, and he now has three of my picks. Hopefully, they will be picks 14, 28, and 42 if I can find a way to win this league.

Tanner Hudson <=====> 2025 4th and 5th round picks

In that same league, the manager traded away Hudson to pick up a little more rookie cash. It's a tight-end premium league, so one manager was willing to take a shot on Hudson. If he ever does climb the depth chart to become the Bengals' top tight end, this will be a steal of a deal. The price is about right for waiting to see if he can.

Gardner Minshew <=====> 2024 2nd and 4th round picks

A competitive team desperate for a starting quarterback in a superflex league after Joe Burrow was injured paid a hefty price to secure Minshew. Minshew will be a backup next season once Anthony Richardson returns. Still, he's the starter for this season and can help him in his playoff run. The team that received the picks is rebuilding and has plenty of quarterbacks on its roster, so this was a great deal for him. The price seems right to me. We'll wait and see if Minshew takes the competitive team to the playoffs. He's riding Minshew and Joshua Dobbs as his only starters.

Joshua Dobbs <=====> Kayshon Boutte and Calvin Austin

In a one-quarterback league, a competitive team was without a backup quarterback, so he made this minor trade to secure one in case his starter, Jalen Hurts, gets injured. It's a salary-cap league, but all three players are on cheap contracts, so there were no salary-cap reasons for the trade. The rebuilding team will have Austin under contract for one more year and Boutte for two more years. Whereas Dobbs's contract expires at the end of this season.

Trevor Lawrence <=====> 2024 1st and 2nd round picks

The same manager who traded for Dobbs also traded for Lawrence, who he will have under contract for one more year. He gave up way too much for a quarterback who will be his backup since Lawrence will never start ahead of Jalen Hurts, who he has under contract through 2026. This was a very curious trade that shouldn't have been made. Props to the team that traded for the picks, especially since he has C.J. Stroud signed through 2025.

Week Eleven Dynasty Takes

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0600

Week eleven was not as exciting as last week's action, but there were close games, even if they were low-scoring. Injuries put a damper on the week from the first game of this week, so that is disappointing, but NFL and dynasty teams have to keep moving on with who they have available. Hopefully, backups on dynasty rosters can carry teams to wins like some of the NFL backups did this week.

After following all the games this week, here are some of my dynasty takes from week eleven.

Week Eleven Observations

Thursday Disappointment

Sadly, the week began with a huge disappointment. The matchup between the Bengals and Ravens on Thursday was the best TNF matchup in weeks, and it promised lots of fantasy goodness. Excitement turned to despair when Mark Andrew and Joe Burrow got injured, and we now know they will miss the remainder of the season. It stinks to lose players vital to fantasy playoff runs and to have players affected by the loss of a star quarterback. Burrow's injury is a blow to Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Joe Mixon's managers, as they will have far fewer scoring opportunities than they would have with Borrow leading the offense. They are good enough players to have spike weeks like Saquon Barkley and DeVante Adams proved this week playing with their backup quarterbacks. Still, it's a significant downgrade to their fantasy floor week to week. I have Tee Higgins in two leagues and Joe Mixon in three, and in each league, I am in first or second place and vying for a bye week in the playoffs. My chances took a blow Thursday night, and I know other managers feel the same. I traded a 2024 first-round pick for Mark Andrews a month ago in a league where I am tied for first place. He'll be sorely missed as I make my playoff run. Injuries stink!

Quarterback Shuffle

We also learned last week that Deshaun Watson's injuries in week ten would cost him the rest of the season, and the Browns planned to give Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) the starting role ahead of P.J. Walker. Welcome one more quarterback to the shuffle and more players losing fantasy points for the rest of the season. For the rest of the season, Amari Cooper, David Njoku, and Jerome Ford will be harder to trust in dynasty lineups. Amazingly, DTR led his team to a game-winning drive on Sunday. While he was unimpressive from a fantasy standpoint, he got the job done for the Browns against the stout Steeler defense. I'm glad the Browns went with DTR because now we'll have a good amount of film to decide if he can become a starter in the NFL. He looked fantastic in the preseason, terrible in the one game he played this year, and competent in this game. Still, I'll expect less of the rest of the Browns players except David Njoku, who received more than 33% of DTR's targets with fifteen. Any tight end that gets the team's top tight end share is a starter in dynasty lineups. Thankfully, in the league where I lost Mark Andrews, Njoku is the next man up on my roster. It's still a hit, but not as bad as it could have been.

Giant Upset

There's one more backup quarterback to talk about, and his name is Tommy DeVito. After getting crushed last week by Dallas, he rebounded and smashed the Commanders, throwing three touchdown passes. In only three games, he already has more multi-touchdown games as Kenny Pickett. That's a terrible truth for Pickett managers. What's best for dynasty managers is that he fed Saquon Barkley, the recipient of two of his touchdown passes. Barkley had a massive fantasy day, scoring 28 points. Even though Barkley fits the category of players I already described as hard to trust because of their quarterback play, I grew in confidence this week after what he told reporters. He said he loved his teammate too much to allow the coaches to limit his workload. He said he wanted to play even if the team was out of contention. He backed up his words this week, and I expect he will the rest of the season, too. Barkley is my RB-2 in two of my leagues, where I am in first place. I benched him in one league last week because of the quarterback uncertainty, but I started him in both leagues this week, and he helped me not only remain in first place but also lead the league in scoring this week. I no longer will be afraid of his fantasy floor with DeVito at the helm.

Changing The Guard

There's an exciting "changing of the guard" on two teams that positively impact my teams as we near the fantasy playoffs. In one case, a player has taken over a lead role by his performance. In the other, an injury has moved the cracked door wide open. Jaylen Warren was named the starter ahead of Najee Harris last week and responded by having his first 100-yard rushing game. This week, he improved on that by running for 129 yards, which Harris has only done once in his entire young career. Harris does enough things well to keep a role in the offense, but he can't break a 74-yard touchdown run as Warren did on Sunday. Warren averages 6.2 yards per carry this season compared to Harris's 3.9. The stubborn Steelers have finally moved to Warren, who has moved from a startable flex play in PPR leagues to an every-week starter in every league, which is nice since I have him in seven of my nine dynasty leagues!
The other changing of the guard is Zach Charbonnet over Ken Walker. Charbonnet out-snapped Walker each of the last two weeks, so the takeover was already in motion, even though the snap counts were affected highly by game script since Charbonnet played more on third downs and when the team was trailing. Walker left this week's game with an oblique injury, giving Charbonnet a window of time to prove what he can do with a full-time role. The Rams have the Seahawks' number and stifled their offense this week, and Seattle's next three opponents are San Francisco, Dallas, and San Francisco, two of the most formidable defenses. I'm disappointed that his first chance to start and earn a full-time role will be against those defenses, but I am excited to see what he can do. I drafted him in three leagues last year and have been waiting to put him in my lineups. In one deep league, I will start him this week. In the other two shallower leagues, I'll take a wait-and-see approach. Coach Carroll secretly wants Charbonnet to get a more significant share of the backfield. Now, he gets to see what happens when he does.

Trouble Brewing

"Chargers gotta Charger." The Chargers lost again in a close game where they constantly shot themselves in the foot with penalties, dropped balls, poor defense, and awful coaching. Brandon Staley will be the next coach to get fired because the team is turning against each other. The frustration was most clearly expressed on a play when the center did not snap the ball on time, and a delay of the game was called just before he snapped Herbert the ball. Herbert spiked the ball to the ground and yelled at the center, perfectly expressing what Charger fans and dynasty managers of Charger players feel every week. Keenan Allen and Justin Herbert have kept their fantasy production and dynasty value afloat amidst this team struggling team, but for Herbert, even more meat on the bone is wasted. Multiple players, including Keenan Allen, dropped passes at keep times of the game. Quentin Johnston dropped a perfect deep ball near the end of the game that was right in his hands. Even Austin Ekeler needs to look better. He lumbered down the field on one play where he'd usually burst through for a touchdown. Before the season started, I fully expected Kellen Moore to unlock this offense and make it a top-yardage and top-scoring team. He has improved them to 11th in yards per game and 8th in points per game. The defense, Staley's specialty, is the problem. They should fire Staley now and let Moore take over as the interim coach to see if he has the chops to become their head coach.

Old Man Strength

Two older players are balling out lately. One has been doing it all year, while the other has in just the last two weeks. Courtland Sutton has scored a touchdown in each of the previous five games and has scored a touchdown in eight of ten games this season. He's on pace to have the best year of his career, and he's 28 years old. He's clearly Russell Wilson's top red-zone target, and some of his touchdown catches this year have been incredible, including the one Sunday night. Next Gen Stats deemed his touchdown catch last week as the most difficult reception this season. Sutton's production is touchdown-dependent, but he's as consistent as can be. He's 2nd in the league in touchdown receptions but just 37th in targets and 30th in yards. Before the week began, he was the 24th-highest-scoring wide receiver because of his scoring prowess. Dynasty managers should keep riding him while he's hot.
At age 26, Devin Singletary has taken full advantage of his time as the starter while Dameon Pierce is injured. His last two games were more productive than any Peirce has had this year, and the team is feeding Singletary. He had 30 carries last week and another 22 this week. He's gone over 100 yards in each game and is averaging more than five yards per carry. The Texans' offense is on fire, and they need to stay in the flames by giving the role to Singletary even after Pierce is healthy. He's never had a lead role since he entered the league in 2019, so I doubt he can keep this up, but the Texans should try it.

Week Eleven Waiver Wire

Jake Browning

Browning is one of the backup quarterbacks still available on the waiver wire in several of my superflex leagues. He's worth adding to rosters this week, even if the Bengals add a veteran quarterback. As we've already seen, backup quarterbacks can produce and help fantasy teams. He's the player I'll look to add in my superflex leagues.

Xavier Gipson

Gipson has established himself as the WR-3 in New York, and this week he surpassed Allen Lazard in snaps, making him second on the team. Gipson won't help a fantasy team this year since the Jets are a wreck, but he's a good dynasty stash. I added him to several of my deep leagues last week. He was one of the rookie darlings in this year's Hard Knocks show, making him a fun guy to stash.

Tanner Hudson

I mentioned Hudson last week, but I wanted to mention him again since he was not picked up in most of my leagues last week. Even though he remains in a three-way shuffle at tight end, he's been the most productive in the passing game. I'm interested in adding him to see if he can take over the position by the end of the year.

Stone Smarrt

I have to admit that I did not know who Smarrt was after he scored a touchdown on Sunday, but with Gerald Everett injured this week, he received 35% of the team's tight-end snaps. I'm only interested in adding him in tight-end premium leagues and want to keep him on my radar.

Week Eleven Trades

Sam Howell <=====> George Pickens

In a one-quarterback league, a manager with Joe Burrow, C.J. Stroud, and Sam Howell put Howell on the block to see what kind of offers he might receive. In that league, Justin Herbert is my starting quarterback, and I only have him backed up by Tyler Heinicke. I'm tied for first place in that league, but my season would crumble if Herbert gets injured. I love Sam Howell, so I quickly offered the other manager Pickens for Howell. He thought about it for a day but ultimately accepted the offer. In a one-quarterback league where he is likely to start Burrow or Stroud every week, a young wide receiver with upside is a fair offer. I am loaded at wide receiver in this league and rarely start Pickens, so I was happy to give him away for Howell. Herbert and Howell will be a great one-two punch in my lineup for years. This trade was accepted two days before Burrow got injured, so now the other manager may have some buyer's remorse.

Desmond Ridder <=====> Marcus Mariota

This strange trade requires context to make sense. Even so, it's lopsided, especially since it's a superflex league! The manager who traded for Mariota has Jalen Hurts, so he wanted Hurt's handcuff in case he got hurt. At the time of the trade, Ridder had lost his job to Taylor Heinicke, so he thought it was a backup-for-backup trade. Even so, Ridder's draft capital demands that his dynasty value remain way higher than Mariota's. This week, Atlanta announced they were returning to Ridder as their starter, making this trade even more lopsided.

Marquise Brown, Romeo Doubs, and a 2025 1st round pick <=====> Cooper Kupp

A competitive team loading up for a playoff run acquired Kupp and gave up three players for one. The team that traded for the package deal was rebuilding and did a great job acquiring a young and old player and a first-round pick. Kupp's injury this week puts a damper on how the trade looks now, but if he recovers quickly and gets back to himself, things may look differently at the end of the fantasy season. I'm not a fan of Brown, but I love Doubs's upside and how he's become Jordan Love's favorite red-zone target. A future first-round pick, even two years out, will help the rebuilding team, too. I understand what both teams tried to accomplish and see this as a great contender-pretender trade. Hopefully, Kupp will bounce back to help the competitive team.

Baker Mayfield <=====> D.K. Metcalf and Isaiah Pacheco

The reigning champ and competing team in this one-quarterback league had all his quarterbacks injured or on bye weeks this week, so he traded quite a lot to get a quarterback. He way overpaid and lost his game this week after my first place team smashed him. This trade makes sense in a superflex league but is entirely one-sided in this one-quarterback league.

Week Ten Dynasty Takes

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0600

What a week in the NFL! It was the first time in history that five games were decided by game-winning field goals as time expired. It was a great week to watch the Red Zone channel and follow all of my dynasty teams. I watched every minute of it. After watching the games, here are some of my takeaways from a dynasty perspective.

Week Ten Observations

Bye-Week Scramble

This week will be remembered as the bye week scramble. Four fantasy productive teams were on a bye week. Not having the Eagles, Dolphins, Rams, and Chiefs players to pull from left me scrambling to the waiver wire in two leagues. In one league, bye weeks and injuries left me without Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, and Puka Nacua, my three highest-scoring players. In another very deep 14-team league where we start 11 positional players, I was almost forced to start players projected to score just 2-3 fantasy points. In both cases, I added Trenton Irwin off waivers and started him. I looked smart after he scored on the Bengals' first possession, but he cooled off after that. I added Nick Westbrook Ikhine in one of those leagues and started him, too. That was not so smart, as he gave me a goose egg. I will lose one of those games if Jerry Jeudy scores two points tonight, but thankfully, my team in the other did great and carried me to a win. I'll be glad to have all. I'm in first place in another league and lost this week despite having the second-highest score. I could have won if A.J. Brown and Puka Nacua had been in my lineup. At least the bye weeks are over for those players, and I can return to winning again.

Welcome Back

Welcome back, Kyler Murray, and welcome to fantasy football, Trey McBride. Murray showed no limitations in his first week back and carried his team to one of those walk-off field goal wins. Murray has the rest of the season to prove that he's their future starter, not a quarterback in this year's class, and if he keeps winning, a quarterback will not fall to them anyway. He had a modest fantasy day that could have been better had Clayton Tune not come in for a brotherly shove touchdown, had Marquise Brown made a pretty difficult catch in the end zone, and had Michael Wilson's catch not been ruled short of the end zone. Still, Murray looked like his old self and will increase the dynasty value of the players around him. He helped McBride have the first breakout game of his career. McBride had 28% of the target share and caught eight passes for 131 yards, becoming the first Cardinal tight end to have a 100-yard game since 1989. McBride's dynasty value is skyrocketing now. It's again a reminder that dynasty managers must be patient with tight ends. Sometimes, they take three years to break out. This year's class appears to be an expectation with Sam LaPorta and Luke Musgrave, but there is reason to hold out hope for someone like Michael Mayer, who caught his first touchdown this week. Cheers to you if you drafted Trey McBride and held onto him the whole time. I got my only share of him off the waiver wire at the start of this season. The time of McBride's breakout could not be better since I am in first place in that league and just lost Dallas Goedert.

Packer Problems

Jordan Love is not the answer for the Packers, and he's bringing down the talented young players around him. All of the Packers players are hard to trust right now, and no one is emerging as the top target or the lead back. A.J. Dillon had more fantasy points than Aaron Jones this week, and Jayden Reed led the receivers in fantasy points. Romeo Doubs scored another touchdown this week and has done well in the Red Zone, but he only caught two passes. Christian Watson is the receiver whose dynasty value has fallen the most this season. He's been the least productive of the three. I'm highly invested in Doubs and Reed, so I am glad I have what looks like the better of the three guys on my teams, but I don't start them with any confidence and have kept them on the bench in my shallower leagues. Love completed just 53% of his passes against Pittsburgh and is at 58% for the season. On average, he had 19.5 completions per game. Add completion to Luke Musgrave and Aaron Jones each week, and the Packers wide receivers can't get the volume they need to trust in fantasy lineups. It's Love's first year as a starter. I would not be surprised if it's his last. I was offered Love for Travis Kelce in a superflex league this week. After rejecting the trade, my comments were, "I don't know if he's their future starter."

Competent Committee

The Lion's backfield was a strange reversal of how it started this season, but no one seemed hurt by it. I assumed that David Montgomery would resume his goal line role, at least even if Gibbs ate into his overall touches. Instead, Gibbs got two goal line carries for touchdowns. Montgomery surprised by doing Gibbs-like things when he broke off a 75-yard touchdown. Their roles have not been reversed. From now on, there will be no more roles. They will be a true tandem backfield. Even so, both can be trusted as starters in dynasty lineups for the rest of the season. Gibbs's managers are thrilled to see the roles evaporate and see that the Lions trust him on the goal line. I need to adjust my dynasty rankings now that that's the case, and he'll move up to a top-six back, putting him much closer to Bijan Robinson than I would have imagined a month ago.

Filling In Fine

I've written about C.J. Stroud too much recently, so I'll refrain from doing so again. Instead, I'll comment on how amazing one of his targets has played in the last two weeks. Noah Brown has looked like a superstar the previous two weeks, and his final catch and run set the team up for their game-winning field goal on Sunday. Robert Woods and Nico Collins's injuries gave Brown a chance to play more in recent weeks, and he's earned a role at Houston's WR-3. He's had 325 yards receiving in the last two weeks. Now, the toothpaste can't get back in the tube. He'll continue to be a part of this well-coached and productive offense for the rest of the season. It's rare for a career backup to break out like this in his seventh season, but it happens. Dynasty managers who added him off waivers this season or kept him on their rosters were pleasantly surprised. He filled in just fine for Nico Collins this week and will keep Robert Woods on the sideline more as a result.

I Was Wrong

I'm man enough to admit when I am wrong on players, and it's time for me to do so. I was wrong on Elijah Moore. I believed all the offseason hype about his chemistry with Deshaun Watson and the various ways the Browns would use him, and I traded for him in two leagues. That's not gone well for me. While he did score a touchdown this week, he's not had the volume I expected with his new team. He's averaging six targets per game but is only scoring six fantasy points per game. He's not seen my starting lineup this season, and I doubt he ever will.
I was also wrong about Rachaad White. I faded him in rookie drafts, and I faded him even when he appeared to have the leading role when Leonard Fournette left the Buccaneers. I thought he could only be effective as a pass catcher, not an every-down back. I also believed Sean Tucker would quickly replace him. I was wrong. He's carrying the load with back-to-back 20-carry weeks, and he'd been a consistent RB-2 in dynasty lineups. While his awesome run-after-the-catch touchdown on Sunday was beautiful, he only averages 3.2 yards per carry. Even so, he was the 16th-ranked running back heading into this Sunday, so he's making it work for dynasty managers.

Rookie Watch

Quentin Johnston had a modest breakout game and scored the first touchdown of his career. He caught all four of his targets for 34 yards and the touchdown. He was out-produced by Jalen Guyton, so that's still concerning, but at least he gave his dynasty managers some reason for hope. Last rookie draft season, I was among the analysts fading Johnston because I did not think he did the little things well, especially in route-running. I did not get any shares of Johnston as a result. He could prove me wrong, though. Sunday was a step in the right direction.

Changing Scripts

I've become concerned about Chris Olave's role with the Saints because Derek Carr has been a check-down artist all year. In Sunday's first half of the game, Olave had just one target. After Carr was injured and Jameis Winston came in, Olave was targeted eight times, and almost all of them were downfield, including his ridiculous touchdown catch in the back of the end zone. Olave is one of my most rostered players, and I have started him every week, but not with confidence. In one league where I am loaded at wide receiver, I benched him this week. It would have been a wise move had Winston not come into the game. Winston helps Olave have the best fantasy day of the season with 18.4 points. The Saints may not want to see more of Winston by dynasty managers do.

Week Ten Waiver Wire

A.T. Perry

Perry has seen his playtime increase each week after seeing his first time on the field three weeks ago. Out of nowhere, he led the team in snap counts on Sunday and scored the first touchdown of his career. Michael Thomas's injury gave him more opportunities, and he took advantage of them with a sick, contested touchdown catch. Hopefully, he got the eye of the coaches and will get more playing time going forward. Perry won with deep balls in college. If Jameis Winston plays while Derek Carr is hurt, he'll get even more deep balls. Perry was drafted in almost all of my rookie drafts but was dropped from most rosters in leagues without taxi squads. I'm glad I have him rostered in two of my three leagues with taxi squads, and I plan to add him to more rosters this week.

Myles Gaskin

Gaskin is back with the Vikings now that Alexander Mattison got concussed on Sunday. He'll remain behind Ty Chandler if he gets the team's next start, but he's a handcuff back worth rostering in the meantime. He's been on and off my rosters several times this season as he bounced from the Vikings to the Rams and now back to the Vikings. He's a last-guy-on-the-roster type player all year, and I'll look to add him again this week in hopes that he'll finally get playtime.

Jalen Guyton

Guyton moved off the injury report last week but was not involved much in his first week back. This week, however, he was targeted six times and caught four passes, including a touchdown. He'll lose his role when Josh Palmer returns and if Quentin Johnston improves, but for a few weeks, he's a player with rostering in deep leagues. He's Justin Herbert's WR-3 for a short time, anyway.

Tanner Hudson

Hudson has had two games in a row scoring more than six fantasy points. He has earned Joe Burrow's trust in the passing game. Irv Smith and Drew Sample remain ahead of him on the depth chart, but Tanner is creating a role for himself and eating into their snap counts. He led the tight ends snap counts in weeks three and four. I'd only add him in very deep leagues or tight-end premium leagues, but he's a player I have never heard of who is now on my watch list.

Week Ten Trades

Travis Kelce and Jared Goff <=====> Sam Howell, Jahan Dotson, Cole Kmet, and Cade Otton

This is a trade I made in my 48-team league. I usually don't write about trades made in this league because there are so many trades, and the trades are hard to explain since it's a relegation league with four copies of each player. However, this is a trade I made, so I can explain it. After losing Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones in back-to-back weeks in this superflex league, I put Kelce and McCaffery on the trading block. I received several offers and made counteroffers before finally settling on this trade. This is a tight-end premium league with 1.75 PPR, so Kelce routinely finishes as a top 12 player overall, including over quarterbacks, so he's an extremely valuable asset. He and McCaffrey, my first two draft picks when the leagues started three years ago, have kept me in the top division of the relegation league up to this point. Still, my team is not good enough to contend with only one quarterback, so I am trying to sell my two best players. I'm a big believer in Sam Howell, so I was pleased to buy back some years by trading him for Goff and was pleased to get another share of Jahan Dotson, whose better days are ahead of him. Adding two up-and-coming tight ends made me willing to sell Kelce, too. We essentially have six flex spots in this league since we only have to start one QB, one RB, two WRs, and one TE, so getting four players for two also helped me accept this trade. The team I traded with is in the lowest division but is 9-0. Kelce could put him over the top and reading to make a run to a championship and a promotion to the top division, the division I'll get demoted from at the end of this year.

David Montgomery and Chase Claypool <=====> Dameon Pierce, Jameson Williams, and a 2024 2nd round pick

There's an arms race in my Diehard league, as the top four teams have loaded their rosters, trading lots of picks for players. One contending team decided he needed Montgomery to help him on his championship run and was willing to give up a pick and two young players to do so. The team that gave away Montgomery now has three young players, one to be drafted and two with upside, even though they have significantly underperformed this season. It's a fair trade, given what each manager needs. We'll see if Montgomery is the piece that can put the contender over the top. If I were that manager, I would not have given away so much, if only because the other top three teams have done the same, and winning a championship will be very tough in this league because of it.

Dynasty Freeks

Rookie-Draft Grades #2

FFPC League

Ja'Kobi Lane (2.10) and Elijah Sarratt (3.10)

Isaiah Pacheco for 4.10

Christian Watson for Jayden Reed and 5.10

Justin Fields (6.10)

Diehard League

Chris Bell (2.8)

Bryce Lance (4.8)

Tanner Koziol (5.8)

Leftovers League

Ja'Kobi Lane (2.11)

Malachi Fields (3.11)

Cade Klubnik (4.11)

Rookie-Draft Grades #1

My Picks

Antonio Williams (1.12) and Ted Hurst (2.10)

Biggest Disparities

Superflex Reflextions

Tight-End Premium Picks

Round One

Round Two

Round Three

Round Four

Round Five

My Rookies To Avoid List

Jonah Coleman

Eli Stowers

Germie Bernard

Bryce Lance

Michael Trigg

"My Guys" In the 2026 Rookie Class

Chris Bell

Antonio Williams

Ja’Kobi Lane

Skyler Bell

Justin Joly

Why I've Traded Most Of My First-Round Rookie Picks

Drake London <=====> 2026 1st round pick and 2027 1st round pick

Tee Higgins <=====> 2026 1st and 2027 2nd round pick

A.J. Brown <=====> 2026 1st round pick

Derrick Henry and Jordan Addison <=====> 2026 1st round pick, Jacory Croskey Merritt, Troy Franklin, and Tez Johnson

Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton <=====> 2026 1st round pick, Caleb Williams, and DeMario Douglas

Michael Pittman <=====> 2026 1st round pick

Davante Adams <=====> 2026 1st and 3rd round pick

Top 10 Free Agency Fallers

J.J. McCarthy

Michael Penix

Bucky Irving

Trey Benson

R.J. Harvey

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant

Ricky Pearsall

Chimere Dike and/or Elic Ayomanor

Theo Johnson

Top 10 Free Agency Risers

Kyler Murray

Malik Willis

Kenneth Walker

Zach Charbonnet and Emanuel Wilson

Travis Etienne

Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez

Romeo Doubs

Wan'Dale Robinson

Mike Evans

Chig Okonkwo

Free Agency Week Zero

Signings

Tags

Trades

Post-Combine Rookie-Rankings Risers

Kenyon Sadiq

KC Concepcion

Omar Cooper

Max Klare

Eli Stowers

Mike Washington

Bryce Lance