By: Jeremy Trottier

Dynasty football is going to be relatively interesting this year compared to most as there is a huge amount of depth from this draft class, which has made many rosters already filled to max capacity for most members of dynasty leagues.  In IDP leagues, this is even more relevant as players from both side of the ball are included.  Some of these players tend to fall through the cracks, whether your league is re-drafting fully or just doing a rookie draft.  

In this article, I will be going over some of the players who tend to fall into free agency from the drafts, why they fell, and why you should consider picking them up during the draft when possible.  

Ian Book ”“ QB ”“ New Orleans Saints

Starting off with a rookie, we have the Saints 4^th round pick this year in Ian Book.  Coming in from Notre Dame, and having a smaller mold as a QB, he fell into day three of the draft and has been overlooked by most dynasty users despite being young.  On Sleeper Fantasy Football, Book is currently only rostered by 48% of teams, granted that will likely go up with more drafts happening by the day, however.  

The reason I find Ian to be an interesting option is because of the Saints other options at QB, as well as their offensive scheme.  The other two starting options for New Orleans are Jameis Winston, who is relatively unproven in this offense and is only on a one-year deal, so if he does perform who knows if he will stay with New Orleans rather than seeking more money in a Teddy Bridgewater type move.  Taysom Hill being the second option, who will be 31 years of age by the start of the season, and even while being “extended” this offseason, the whole extension is voidable, so it almost guarantees him being moved off the roster by the 2022 offseason.  

This leaves (aside from some camp arms) Ian Book, who will get a season to learn from the Saints development staff, QB coach, and Sean Payton.  He will also learn some of the scheme and playbook from the previously mentioned QBs, as well as Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, and other offensive players who have been in the system for a few years now.  Overall, he could definitely have potential to start at some point in the future if the other QB options underperform.

Antonio Gandy-Golden ”“ WR ”“ Washington Football Team

The 2020 rookie wideout Antonio Gandy-Golden missed most of his rookie season, only playing in six games, and starting two.  He was placed on IR due to a hamstring injury, and was removed late in the season but got held out by coaches decision.  With that said, he should be WR3 for a time, or split outside in rotation with Terry McLaurin or Curtis Samuel.  His rookie year was relatively slim in terms of playing time, but with more snaps and more starts he should be able to produce at a relatively high level.

The main part of his game that is strong is his physical frame, at 6’4”, 223 pounds, and with 31 ¾” individual arm length, he has a fantastic redzone reception type body, which can compete for contested catches almost constantly.  He also had 22 reps on the combine bench press, an 127” broad jump, and a respectable 4.6 40-yard dash.  Due to all of this, he has an extremely wide catch radius, and has very good ball tracking abilities.  In a dynasty league, at the very least, he should be a taxi stash for another year, and then moved into a bench role after this season for bye weeks or injuries to starters.

Denzel Mims ”“ WR ”“ New York Jets

Another sophomore receiver who missed more than half of his rookie campaign, we have the Jets 59^th overall pick last year in Denzel Mims.  When on the field, Mims was plagued by drops and poor throws due to the inconsistency of Sam Darnold, which likely was because of a relatively poor offensive line outside Mekhi Becton.  Mims ended an up and down rookie campaign with 23 receptions on 44 targets (52.3%) for 357 yards.  

The main part of his game that was impressive was his yards per reception, which was 15.5.  Now with a potentially elite franchise QB, with a much more explosive nature on the field, his stats should only greatly improve throughout the 2021-2022 campaign.

Damien Williams ”“ RB ”“ Chicago Bears

Moving onto the RB position we have a Super Bowl winning running back in Damien Williams, who many people have forgotten about since 2020.  As a reminder, he led the comeback in Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and was pretty effective in the 2019 season before his opt out in 2020.  

A dual threat back who was able to make do with the snaps he got in 2019, and had 711 scrimmage yards on 141 touches and only 1 fumble.  He also had an 81.1% catch percentage, which for 37 targets was not too bad at all (30 receptions on the 37 targets).  He also had the longest run in 2019, being 91 yards, which is attached below.

At the end of the day, his value should be relatively good at least for a few seasons, and he is worth stashing on your bench being RB2 in Chicago now alongside David Montgomery.

Jeff Okudah ”“ CB ”“ Detroit Lions

One more for the IDP fans such as myself, we have last years #3 overall pick, who has been exceptionally overlooked in a lot of cases.  Returning from a lackluster rookie year with injuries, he should be able to perform better with a new coaching staff and scheme, while simultaneously having a season of experience under his belt.

A lot of DBs in the league take a season or two to develop, as they have to learn how to adjust to the new speed and strength of NFL level receivers.  Jeff Okudah, being CB1 on the Lions still, should be primed to have quite a few tackles at the very least, with some interceptions and PBUs to go along with it if your league scores them. 

The post Top dynasty sleepers right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Christopher Krause

To round out my segment on Dynasty Buys and Values, I’m going to combine quarterbacks and tight ends, due to their more limited supply. Without further ado, here are three quarterbacks and three tight ends you should be buying for Dynasty right now.

Let’s start with our quarterbacks.

Jalen Hurts

As I’m writing this, Carson Wentz has yet to be traded. BUT where there is this much smoke there will likely soon be fire. This is one of the rare occasions where I would be more aggressive in a one-quarterback league versus a two-quarterback or Superflex league. Now let me explain. Hurts has a very high ceiling, as we saw in the few starting weeks last year. His peak score was 37.82 fantasy points in Week 15 versus the Arizona Cardinals. The flip side is he has yet to have a single game over 57% completion percentage. So, his floor is low as can be as a passer. In a single quarterback league, all I care about is ceiling. But, in a two-quarterback league, the floor is more important. Although I still say he is worth pursuing, I would not break the bank. Even with a Wentz trade, Hurts will still be outside my Top 12 Quarterbacks.

Jameis Winston

This former first overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft has really taken a fall from grace. BUT I think his year sitting behind Drew Brees will bring a resurgence. As of right now, Drew Brees has yet to retire, though it is highly speculated and probable. Regardless, Jameis most likely will find a home where he will be a starter, as he is only one year removed from a 5000 passing yard and 33 touchdown season. With his price on the upswing but not reaching full peak, I think now is the time to scoop up Jameis. If you are the Jameis owner, now is the time to hold because if/when he gets a starting position, he is automatically a Top 12 Quarterback. He will also most likely be a Top 15 Dynasty Quarterback, contract depending.

Marcus Mariota

The player that is forever tied to Jameis Winson. A second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Mariota has also seen himself replaced and sent out of his drafted team. In 2020, he was the highest paid back-up in the NFL, sitting behind Derrick Carr in Las Vegas. Week 15 was Mariota’s only playing time all season, but he definitely showed there is still something there, scoring over 25 fantasy points in relief duty when Carr got injured. I think one of two things will happen with Mariota: (1) Carr gets traded and Mariota takes over; or, more likely (2) Las Vegas cuts ties with him because he is owed over 10.7 million with zero dollars guaranteed. There is no way we see both Carr and Mariota in Las Vegas in 2021. But, I think if the cut happens, Mariota will get picked up and get the opportunity to play a starting gig. For somebody you can currently get as a throw-in, it’s a low-risk high-reward player to target.

Now for the tight ends.

Mike Gesicki

Outside of the big three (Kelce/Kittle/Waller), Mike Gesicki is one of my most targeted players. Now a lot of us have been calling for this since this athletic freak has come into the NFL, but I believe with the current regime we will see the true Gesicki breakout come in 2021. Gesicki saw an increase in both targets and yards per game once Tua took over, and I believe both players will grow together with a full off-season.

Irv Smith Jr.

Irv definitely started showing up the second half of the season, scoring five touchdowns after Week 8. The biggest thing here will most likely be addition by subtraction. I do not expect the Minnesota Vikings to keep the Red Zone Reindeer Kyle Rudolph, as they would save a little over 5 million dollars by cutting him. This would open up 37 tight end targets and five more potential red zone targets. Smith, who had an impressive 67% catch rate in the red zone in 2020, could certainly be a recipient. 

Chris Herndon 

Did you know Chris Herndon was a Top 10 Tight End in terms of fantasy points the last four weeks of the season and only trailed Darren Waller in fantasy points the last two? Now this was one player we may have just been a year off on. A big breakout candidate for 2020, Herndon literally did nothing in the Adam Gase offense this past year. The silver lining is that when Gase was fired, we saw Herndon’s usage significantly increase in the passing game. This is still a speculative add, but like Mariota, it is one you can most likely get for cheap most. So, this pick is low risk with a good potential reward, especially in a tight end premium league. 

There you have it. Six more players I hope you can get at a discount that will most likely return or exceed the price you pay. As always, thank you for reading, and if you have any questions hit me up on twitter @KidFlashFF.

The post Dynasty: Three Sleeper Quarterbacks and Tight Ends to Target appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Christopher Krause

Welcome back! Last week I brought you five running backs to target this offseason. This week we have another skills position to discuss: the wide receivers. Wide receivers are some of the best assets to construct your team around due to their career longevity and predictability. Therefore, they are exactly what we try to use as the foundations of our teams as dynasty managers. Let’s check out some that won’t break the bank but will still help the build.

Tyler Boyd 

I bet you are wondering why I’m recommending a player who finished WR29 in 2020 and has a young emerging wide receiver on the same team. How easy we are to forget the Burrow injury-plagued the Bengals. In the ten games with Joe Burrow, Boyd averaged 16.2 PPR fantasy points and was WR11 when the injury happened. Even with Tee Higgins coming into his own, there will be 104 vacated targets available. I believe both Higgins and Boyd will get theirs and currently with an eighth-round ADP, Boyd is a value.

Curtis Samuel

One thing to remember with Samuel is that he is only turning 25 this August, even though it feels like he has been in the league forever. In 2019 he was one of the most hyped players to break out and he disappointed.

In 2020 he bounced back, even with up-and-down quarterback play from Teddy Bridgewater. He quietly finished as WR24, one spot ahead of his teammate, DJ Moore.

Now with Samuel going to free agency, he can pick his home. Also, with his duel-threat ability in the air or on the ground, he has Top 12 upside with a Top 24, or later, price tag.

Michael Pittman Jr.

The first selected player by the Indianapolis Colts in 2020. Yes, seven picks before Jonathan Taylor. So, the team definitely has a plan for him.

Pittman’s rookie campaign was plagued by injuries that he was playing through, but he definitely flashed. With the torch seemingly being passed from TY Hilton, we can expect Pittman to be the alpha in that offense.

The biggest factor here is that there will be a new quarterback in Indy with Phillip Rivers retiring. But, almost any quarterback available through free agency, trade, or draft will surely be an upgrade from Old Man Rivers’ noodle arm.

DJ Chark 

One of 2019’s biggest breakouts became one of 2020’s biggest let downs. After taking a big step forward in his sophomore season, we all thought he would continue to grow into one of the best young speedsters.

According to his fantasy points, that didn’t happen. BUT it isn’t entirely his fault. Chark finished WR49 in PPR scoring in 2020, averaging 11.8 fantasy points per game. Nothing to write home about, especially when we compare it to his WR17 finish. So, what changed?

The short answer is quarterback play. In 2020, Chark had only a 70.2% catchable pass rate, which ranked him 91^st amongst eligible receivers. It’s hard to produce when nearly 30% of your opportunities are uncatchable.

With Trevor Lawrence most likely being drafted by Jacksonville at the 1.01 in the 2021 NFL Draft, we can expect that catchable rate to go up, along with DJ Chark’s fantasy stock.

Christian Kirk

Kirk is one of my favorite receivers that came out of the 2018 draft class. He is a very quick and shifty route runner with solid release angles and NFL-ready YAC capabilities. The optimal slot player.

The only problem was he got drafted to the Arizona Cardinals who had their slot player in the Legend Larry Fitzgerald. Now with Larry’s likely retirement, the door is open for Kirk to slide into his most optimal space on the football field.

Kirk has shown flashes and big games in his first two years on the outside, but with this new opportunity available to him and 72 vacated targets up for grabs, I think 2021 could be the year he has a solid Top 20 finish. With Hopkins being the alpha and keeping defenses honest, I believe Kirk can make linebackers look silly coming out of the slot and take advantage of soft coverage with his yards after catch ability.

The post Dynasty: 5 Sleeper WRs to Target appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Ravi Krishnan (Twitter: @MasalaESPN)

In an otherwise weird and catastrophic year, one of the positives from a sporting standpoint was the successful completion of the 256-game NFL regular-season slate. This also meant a relatively smooth execution of the 2020 fantasy football season.

In fact, from a fantasy perspective, the 2020 season brought out a handful of positive surprises; foremost of these was the emergence of unheralded Running backs as potential cornerstones — for their NFL teams as well as for your fantasy teams. Many such examples abound — James Robinson, Myles Gaskin, Nyheim Hines, JD McKissic, to name a prominent few. None of these players was on the draft radar in even the deepest of leagues, and each of these players ended 2020 as a Top-30 RB.

My article for this week portends more of the same in the future; I look at four Running backs who will not sniff early-round ADP (Rounds 1-4) in the 2021 fantasy football drafts, but there is a reasonable chance for each of them to finish 2021 as potential studs.

1. Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals

Final 2020 Half-PPR Ranking Among RBs: #32

Projected RB ADP in early-2021 Mock Drafts: #35

Potential 2021 Ranking: Top 10

The much-hyped Arizona Cardinals offense flattered to deceive in 2020, with the team sputtering towards the end scoring a mere 19 points in its last two games. The injury to Kyler Murray was a reason, but a less-obvious factor was the relative unavailability of Chase Edmonds at full strength.

One thing that became obvious during the season was that when healthy, Chase Edmonds (not Kenyan Drake) is the propeller in the Cardinals backfield. He is a rushing threat in a prototypical way, averaging more than five-yards-a-carry (not counting the last two games). But his more potent value is as a pass-catcher — as is attested by his 402 yards on 53 catches in a limited role.

The team will need to evaluate its personnel in line with its offensive scheme, and in doing so, the writing is on the wall that Chase Edmonds is the better RB for the team. In a best-case scenario, he takes over the primary RB role. At worst, we will see close to a 50:50 split with Drake.

• Zach Moss, Buffalo Bills

Final 2020 Half-PPR Ranking Among RBs: #52

Projected RB ADP in early-2021 Mock Drafts: #29

Potential 2021 Ranking: Top 20

Buffalo’s offense has been on turbo-mode all season, buoyed by the emergence of Josh Allen as a much-improved QB and the signing of Stefon Diggs as a certified #1 WR. Also, of importance has been the sustained slot-receiving value provided by Cole Beasley, another 2020 signing.

In an otherwise solid scoring offense, though, there has been one latent issue — the lack of a consistent rushing game, neither in scheme/play-calling nor in the on-field performance by Devon Singletary or Zach Moss. Singletary was the incumbent starter but tallied only 687 rushing yards on 160+ carries. Moss was not much better — 481 yards on 112 carries.

The key difference was that Moss was the preferred goal-line back and hence scored more TDs (4) than Singletary (2). Going forward, there is limited incentive for the Bills to retain Singletary in his current role; the team has much more to gain in evaluating Moss as their high-draft pickup from 2020.

In early-2021 mock drafts, the two RBs are going back-to-back (Singletary at #29 and Moss at #30), but if I was to hazard a guess, Moss has a much higher ceiling to crack a Top-20 ranking, given his potential and his recent draft capital. Singletary can be a useful piece, either in Buffalo or for another team, but 2020 has clearly shown that he cannot be a workhorse back.

• AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers

Final 2020 Half-PPR Ranking Among RBs: #94

Projected RB ADP in early-2021 Mock Drafts: #32

Potential 2021 Ranking: Top 20

Ok, so this is admittedly a left-field choice. Aaron Jones is one of the best backs in the league, and Jamaal Williams has proven to be flex-worthy all season. So, what makes me look at rookie AJ Dillon as a valuable RB to trade-for in 2021?

Well, there are two aspects to drive my viewpoint. One, the Packers made a conscious decision to invest a high draft pick on Dillon (2^nd-round) knowing fully well that they had two highly qualified RBs on the roster. So, obviously, they wanted to keep their options on whether to pay Aaron Jones his deserved price-tag as a Top-five RB.

With the Packers likely to be more than $20 Million over the 2021 salary cap, there is a decent probability for Jones not to be a Packer next season. Second, in the opportunities he received, Dillon was stellar — 242 rushing yards on 46 carries, including a 24/121/2 TD blast versus the Titans in Week 16.

The rookie is an optimal confluence of speed and size and promises to be the workhorse replacement for Aaron Jones if the latter is not re-signed.

• Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys

Final 2020 Half-PPR Ranking Among RBs: #36

Projected RB ADP in early-2021 Mock Drafts: #41

Potential 2021 Ranking: Top 20

Like the aforementioned case in Green Bay, we have the situation in Dallas where the backup Tony Pollard has proven his capabilities in an ample manner, should anything were to happen to Zeke Elliott, the presumed starter.

The key difference between the Green Bay and Dallas situations is that unlike Aaron Jones, Elliott has already bagged his goldmine contract (in 2020) from the Cowboys. So, to move away from him is far less likely.

However, on-field, Pollard has been the better performer — more explosive, a better option as a pass-catcher, and offers greater flexibility to the Cowboys play-calling when he is in the game. In the absence of the traditionally strong Dallas offensive line, and, especially after losing Dak Prescott early in the season, Elliott was far less-effective and was closer to a plodder than the power-rusher that we had been used to in years past.

Given the ramifications of his contract, Zeke will remain a Cowboy. But I firmly believe that he will cede a substantial portion of his workhorse role to Pollard, or the latter will get dealt to a different team for him to have a more prominent role. Either ways, Pollard should be on your trade-for radar in 2021.

The post Dynasty: Sleeper RBs to Trade For appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Ravi Krishnan (Twitter: @masalaESPN)

Over the past five weeks, I have written about WR sleepers as viable fillers for your fantasy lineups. Some of them have panned out — Gabriel Davis, Curtis Samuel, even Russell Gage, to name a few. There are others who have had fleeting moments — Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor, Laviska Shenault — but have not had sustained viability, even as spot starters.

Given that we are approaching the final weekend of fantasy football, it makes little sense in assessing sleeper WRs for Week 16-17 of 2020. Instead, we figured to look at WRs with massive diamond-in-the-rough potential in 2021. Speaking of WRs, a particularly significant aspect of the 2020 season has been the immediate success of rookie receivers. Several first-year WRs have shone bright ”“ Justin Jefferson has been an absolute stud; CeeDee Lamb, Tee Higgins, and Chase Claypool have consistently flashed WR2/WR3 potential; and even the aforementioned Davis and Shenault have won a week or two for their fantasy owners.

But we will not be looking at any of these certified studs-in-the-making. Instead, I am listing four under-the-radar rookie receivers who have displayed prowess and performance in the latter part of the 2020 season. Each of them has the ability and the opportunity to lead their teams in receiving yards next season, hence making them potential starters for your fantasy team.

Please note that this list does not include any of the players drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft, and only includes one player drafted in the second round.

1. Laviska Shenault Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (Drafted in the 2^nd Round, Pick #42)

The 2020 season has been a disaster for the Jaguars. From the hyper-frequent musical chairs at the QB position, to the lack of quality skill players on both sides of the ball, the Jags have had almost nothing to cherish and much to lament as they hurtle towards a 1-15 finish. The emergence of Laviska Shenault is the only positive aberration. The muti-faceted WR has 577 all-purpose yards — 484 receiving and 93 rushing — to go along with two TDs. He is a threat coming out of the backfield and in this regard, is an apt example of the new-age WR profile with versatility. Looking ahead, the Jags will most likely have ace-QB Trevor Lawrence at the helm, and a changed offensive coaching regime. With the potency possessed by the rushing attack in the form of rookie sensation James Robinson, this is an offense that should look a lot better in 2021. And for that to happen, Shenault must be a key cog in the wheel. He is the perfect complement to DJ Chark’s deep threat value and Keelan Cole’s chain-moving role.

Current Status in Fantasy season 2020: #69 among WRs in Points-Per-Game

Projected ranking for 2021: Top 35 WR

• Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills (Drafted in the 4th Round, Pick #128)

I have devoted voluminous space in this column in the past few weeks on Gabriel Davis. Playing in a pass-happy offense, with breakout QB Josh Allen at the helm, and with WR2 John Brown missing significant chunks of the season with injuries, Davis has shown ample glimpses of his value — 459 receiving yards in a semi-regular role and six TDS. One would expect the Bills to stay with a similar offensive scheme next year as well, and while Stefon Diggs is the receiving numero uno there, the WR2 role is Davis’ to lose. And yes, I know Cole Beasley has been a pleasant surprise this season, but he is more of a classic under-sized slot receiver manning the middle. Gabriel Davis is the one likely to step into a major role next season, and if that were to happen, we might be looking at a 1000-yard, 9-10 TD stat-sheet by the end of 2021.

Current Status in Fantasy season 2020: #82 among WRs

Projected ranking for 2021: Top 30 WR

• Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears (Drafted in the 5th Round, Pick #173)

Allen Robinson is NOT going to be a Chicago Bear in 2021 ”“ that is almost guaranteed. So, who takes on the mantle of the primary receiving threat for the Mitch Trubisky-led (or Matthey Stafford) Bears next season? Well, if early signs are any indication, it should be rookie wideout Darnell Mooney. He has 500 receiving yards thus far in 2020 to go along with four TDS, and this has been in an extremely boring/unimaginative offense that Matt Nagy hides under the guise of creativity. Hopefully, the Bears’ game-plan for 2021 calls for safer throws, higher rate of catchable passes, and a stronger offensive line. The realization of these key factors should enhance Chicago’s offense, and Darnell Mooney the primary receiving benefactor. His only competition for the role will be perennially under-achieving Anthony Miller; Mooney should have no problems usurping Miller for the WR1 role there.

Current Status in Fantasy season 2020: #79 among WRs

Projected ranking for 2021: Top 30 WR

• Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns (Drafted in the 6th Round, Pick #187)

The Cleveland Browns have been a revelation in 2020. While their core strength on offense is their studly rushing attack led by Nick Chubb, it must be said that the passing offense managed by Baker Mayfield has climbed a few notches as well. Odell Beckham’s season-ending injury was rather unfortunate, though; on an even more somber note, that injury possibly spells the end of the OBJ-era in Cleveland. In his potential absence, Jarvis Landry will take over the chain-moving WR role, as that has been his core competence for the past several years. That will then open-up the deep threat role in a high-level offense — and that is where rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones fits in perfectly.  On a mere 17 targets thus far in 2020, the rookie has amassed 293 yards and two TDS, for a ridiculous 27-yards-per-catch average! He leads the top twenty rookie WRs in catch-rate and he is doing this with targets that have higher degree of difficulty (deep throws). This, my friends, is my game-changing sleeper WR for 2021. In a starting role for a good offense, he will prove to be more than a reasonable replacement for Odell Beckham in 2021.

Current Status in Fantasy season 2020: #89 among WRs

Projected ranking for 2021: Top 25 WR

If you like this, make sure to check out other recent content!

The post Dynasty Fantasy Football: 3 WR Sleepers to Target appeared first on Pro Football Mania.