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 of your teams. The diversity of rankings will result in a variety of opinions weekly.
Quarterback
Daniel Simpkins
Dak Prescott- I’ve taken a lot of heat for my Prescott love this offseason, but the poise and decision-making this young man is displaying is for real. We don’t know for sure that Romo will hold up, even if he does make it back from his latest injury. Not only does Prescott have arm talent, but his rushing ability also makes him especially enticing. With a great offensive line, a solid running game, and an elite wideout to lean upon, Prescott should have an easier adjustment to the NFL game than some of his peers. Add Prescott in all but the shallowest dynasty leagues.
Will Grant
Jameis Winston – Ok, I knew that Winston had some upside, but I didn’t expect that he would be anything more than a backup QB from a fantasy perspective. He struggled a bit vs. the Falcons this week but ultimately finished with a big stat line. Tampa Bay promoted Dirk Koetter from OC this summer because of his bond with Winston. It’s clearly working, and Winston is now a guy you can consider as a potential QB1 for your dynasty franchise.
Carson Wentz – Yes it was the Browns, but Wentz had a pretty solid day for a rookie QB. He is going to struggle at points this season, but he’s proving that the Eagles made the right decision trading up to get him this year. With Sam Bradford now in Minnesota, Wentz will be on the field if he’s healthy this year.
Robert Griffin III III – if there was any hope that moving to Cleveland would revive RGIII’s career, it should be gone. He didn’t look great in the game against the Eagles and wasn’t able to finish the game because of a shoulder injury. He’s on IR, but might be able to return this season. I don’t see him being a long-term option for any fantasy team.
Jeff Tefertiller
Paxton Lynch – While most of the dynasty world remembers only the victory on Thursday night, now would be a great time to approach the Lynch owner in your dynasty league. Denver showed on Thursday night that the Broncos will able to put up points against all opponents. Of the rookie passers, Lynch is my top-ranked.
Running Back
Will Grant
T.J. Yeldon – With Chris Ivory out of the picture for this week, Yeldon was the primary ball carrier for the Jaguars. He turned his 21 rushing opportunities into just 39 total yards. He did have a TD, but he clearly struggled. Yeldon’s going to be part of a committee for sure, and if he continues this type of performance, he’s going to be the weaker half.
Adrian Peterson – With little threat from the passing game, opposing defenses are going to stack the box against ADP this year. He struggled this week and could look like his age and mileage is finally catching up to him.
Lamar Miller – He didn’t have a great game this week against the Bears, but with 32 touches, it’s clear that Miller is going to be the workhorse ball carrier in Houston this season. This game was closer than a lot of people expected, but Houston kept plugging away with Miller and eventually they put the game away. Running backs who get 25+ touches a game are hard to find, so look for Miller to be a hot commodity in dynasty leagues.
Daniel Simpkins
Jerick McKinnon- I believe we’re beginning to see the end of the Peterson era in Minnesota. Once thought of as an athletic project, we’re now seeing McKinnon is a finished product. He is heavily involved in the offense, especially in passing situations. McKinnon should be rostered in all formats, but is still out there in some shallower dynasty formats. Not only is he a season winner if Peterson goes down, he’s the likely future at running back for the Vikings.
Christine Michael- Michael had been the laughing stock of the dynasty community for a time, but is finally silencing his critics. People can change and it appears that Michael finally has his head on straight. In a grind-it-out game against Miami, Michael was the back that the team turned to most often, not Thomas Rawls. While there will still likely be a committee in play in Seattle, Michael is currently the most valuable part of that committee to own.
Jeff Tefertiller
C.J. Anderson – Anderson and the Broncos showed the ability to run the ball effectively in the Kubiak offense. If Anderson can put up big numbers against the Panthers, a monster season may be in store.
Jay Ajayi – Ajayi was benched by the coaching staff for last Sunday’s game against the Seahawks and is no sure thing to play this week, either. With the fragility of Foster, savvy dynasty owners should be rostering Drake, Pead, and possibly Williams. There will be opportunity this season for a ball carrier to emerge.
Wide Receiver
Daniel Simpkins
Tyrell Williams- Williams has had everything break just right for a bigger opportunity. Long-time Charger Malcolm Floyd retired. Stevie Johnson sustained a season-ending injury. Williams got to do offseason work with the first team and develop a rapport with Rivers. This past Sunday, Keenan Allen went down with a season-ending injury, opening the door for Williams. Williams is still a bit raw, but he’s a freaky athlete with rare movement ability. He’ll slide significantly up my board and be worth an early second-round pick in standard dynasty formats.
Quincy Enunwa- It’s no secret that Ryan Fitzpatrick likes to throw short. Enuwa appears to have stepped into the slot role for the Jets. The 6’2”, 225-lb. receiver is an above-average athlete who can do more in time. If his role holds up and even expands in this offense, I’ll be very excited to own Enuwa, especially in PPR formats. He’s worth a speculative add in dynasty leagues with over 25 roster spots.
Will Grant
Cole Beasley – He’s ‘only’ a slot receiver, but he’s a guy that Dak Prescott looks to early and often. He only averaged 8 yards per catch, but he was targeted 8 times in the game and caught everything that Prescott threw to him. He’s a sneaky pickup in most leagues because of the question marks in Dallas, but in PPR leagues, Beasley is a good WR3 – flex option.
Will Fuller – Fuller had a drop late in the second quarter that would have been a huge catch and run for a TD. But he recovered well and dominated the second half of the game. He showed great athleticism and good ball skills, and he will only get better as the season plays on. He’s a great complement to DeAndre Hopkins and a nice long term prospect for the Texans.
Jeff Tefertiller
Willie Snead – Yes, it was against the sieve of a defense called the Raiders. But, we should all be encouraged that the predictions of the rookie supplanting Snead might be a year premature. Snead will have more big games this season and makes a great fantasy WR4/flex most weeks.
Tight End
Will Grant
Kyle Rudolph – With defenses stacking the box against Adrian Peterson, Rudolph becomes more important to the offense. That and give question marks at QB give him a place in the offense that he hasn’t had for a couple years. Four targets, four receptions, and four first downs. Look for Rudolph to become more involved in the offense as the season progresses.
Jack Doyle – Two receiving TDs might make people think Doyle might be a viable TE option now that Coby Fleener is in New Orleans. But don’t bet the farm on Doyle being anything more than a desperate TE option. He had a big week 1 but don’t expect that from week to week. Dwayne Allen is still the main TE for the Colts.