Each week, Footballguys staff members will share the big movers in their respective Dynasty Rankings. Since the contributors will rotate, please check in weekly. The focus of this article will be on the “why” more than the movement itself. Dynasty Rankings are fluid and we hope that sharing the rationale will help you in your quest to create dynasties with all your teams. The diversity of rankings will result in a variety of opinions weekly.
Quarterback
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Jameis Winston - I continue to be impressed with Winston's progression this season. Winston has underrated pocket mobility and is fearless in making power throws to intermediate and deep parts of the field. He is the perfect quarterback for Mike Evans and Tampa Bay is one of the rising offenses with some offensive line improvement and an added compliment to Evans in the passing game through 2017 free agency or the draft.
Carson Palmer - The drop in my rankings continues for Palmer. Arizona's pass game has been one of the more disappointing units compared to expectations in the NFL this season. Palmer's arm is eroding in front of our eyes and the offensive line is mandating Palmer moves off his spot, which has been become a liability for Palmer in his mid-30s. The end is near and Arizona needs to address quarterback aggressively this offseason.
Hindery
Dak Prescott - Prescott has been a revelation in Dallas. Despite the dominance of Ezekiel Elliott on the ground, Prescott has still been able to put up big fantasy numbers. He has accounted for at least two touchdowns in each of the past nine games. His consistency from both a real life and fantasy perspective is a once a decade type of performance. While it is tough for quarterbacks to separate from the pack, Prescott has that type of upside due to his rushing ability. He has already scored five rushing touchdowns and there’s nothing fluky about that number. Like Cam Newton, he should be a guy who scores 6-10 rushing touchdowns every season.
Running Back
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Eddie Lacy - I am not optimistic about Lacy as free agency looms for him this offseason. He seeks out contract and is unable to elude defenders at any decent clip or turn a successful read at the line of scrimmage into a big play. Green Bay has been an optimal spot for much of his rookie contact and Lacy has failed to truly peak fantasy-wise. Lacy is more of a power-based complimentary back of a committee with his next team.
Jerick McKinnon - The more tape I watch, the more I see pass-centric secondary back from McKinnon. I doubt he ever becomes a full-fledged starter (in Minnesota or otherwise) and is dropping in my dynasty rankings as a result. A best-case scenario for McKinnon would be a poor man's Theo Riddick.
Wide Receiver
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Mike Thomas - Thomas is a player I was wrong about in the offseason. While not an avoid player by my rookie draft plans, he was not a target player in the mid-Round 1 range. Thomas has vaulted straight up to a weekly fantasy starter with a steady floor and the big plays are coming more regularly in the second half of the season. Thomas is now in my top-15 dynasty receivers.
Kenny Britt - The situation has stunk for Britt this season with multiple quarterbacks and a limited passing game in Los Angeles. However, Britt has been flashing for two seasons now, looking healthy, and is still in his career prime. Entering free agency this offseason, Britt is one of the more intriguing names to track for a 1A or 1B role on a different offense.
Hindery
Terrelle Pryor - Pryor was ranked WR30 in my early November trade value update. He just keeps on impressing though and it’s time to fully recognize how special a talent he is. There aren’t 25 wide receivers I’d rather own in dynasty than Pryor. After two more big weeks, he is now on pace for 83-1,140-5. This despite playing wide receiver for the first time in his career and catching passes from three different quarterbacks. It’s amazing how far he has come in such a short amount of time. Pryor hits free agency this offseason. Either he gets a big, long-term extension with the Browns (who possibly pair him with a young franchise quarterback) or he is lured away with a big deal by a team who needs a #1 receiver. In either scenario, expect Pryor’s value to continue to creep upwards this offseason.
Davante Adams - Adams has slowly but emerged as the co-#1 in the Green Bay offense. The third- year wide receiver looks like he is having a legit breakout season and has been one of the hottest receivers in the league over the past six weeks. Since Week 7, Adams has averaged 7.2 catches, 93 yards and .83 touchdowns per game. That projects to 115 catches, 1,448 and 13 touchdowns over a full season. While it’s likely Adams cools off somewhat, he looks like a legitimate fantasy WR2 going forward and is just 23-years old. With Jordy Nelson showing signs of slowing down and Randall Cobb failing to emerge as a top option, Adams has the potential to develop into Aaron Rodgers’ go-to option in the near future.
Randall Cobb - We were able to somewhat shrug off the poor 2015 season. Cobb was injured during the preseason and nursed a shoulder injury through most of the first half of the season. But what is the excuse for such a mediocre 2016 season? Cobb is now the clear 3rd target in his own offense and ranks as WR39 so far this season. He’s caught just nine total passes over the past three weeks. Amazingly, the $11M per year receiver has caught just three of Aaron Rodgers 27 touchdown passes.
Alshon Jeffery - Jeffery has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, but hasn’t been able to stay on the field. There have always been rumors about his work ethic and conditioning, which contributed to his slide in the draft and are likely a big reason he’s had so many minor injuries throughout the years. Chicago has clearly been unwilling to go all in on locking up their young wide receiver to a long-term deal when just about every talented young pass catcher in the league has been able to earn an extension over the past few years. Now, Jeffery is facing a suspension for performance enhancing drugs and it is fair to be concerned about what his future holds. While he certainly isn’t a guy you want to sell too low on, if you can get anywhere near 2nd round startup value for him, it’s best to hedge your bets because there’s enough evidence now to factor in some pretty serious risk as to whether he ever reaches his full potential.
Tight End
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A.J. Derby - Derby is one of my favorite tight end stashes for 2017. His snaps are growing by the week and he made multiple key receptions late in Week 12's overtime game against Kansas City. Derby is the favorite to be the Week 1 starter for the Broncos next season and still on some dynasty waiver wires for teams looking ahead with their final roster spots to close the season.
Seth DeValve - Like Derby, DeValve has been a key tight end watch player as this season progresses. DeValve has Week 1 starter upside for next season and is a TE-premium special. His movement and ball skills standout at a position where so many young upside options blend together in terms of physical attributes. DeValve was one of the strongest metric prospects at tight end of the 2016 class is starting to translate those skills to the field.
