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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
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Matthew Stafford - Life after Calvin Johnson is good for Stafford. Through two weeks the Lions offense has been a well-rounded one, not funneled through a single target vacuum. Stafford is the point guard distributing fantasy points around the yard. Overall, I see stronger production going forward for Stafford than all but his big touchdown year in his career to-date.
Tefertiller
Dak Prescott – Prescott has shown poise and has played well enough that he looks like the heir apparent for the Cowboys in the post-Romo years. Considering how far Prescott has come in just a few months is amazing. His ceiling is quite high.
Cam Newton – After two weeks into the NFL season, it is time for me to give Newton his due. He is the unquestioned top fantasy quarterback. Newton is still very young and is putting up fantasy points at a record pace.
Running Back
Tefertiller
Adrian Peterson – The age and injury leave no other choice than move the future Hall of Famer far down the dynasty rankings. The poor play of the Minnesota offensive line only makes the decision easier. There is little upside when he returns and father time is undefeated.
Danny Woodhead / Melvin Gordon – This talented one-two punch looked great before Woodhead suffered the ACL injury Week 2. Gordon has been much improved from 2015 as a rookie. He will now see more pass targets. This may be the end of the line for Woodhead as Gordon’s star is rising.
Alfred Morris – Morris showed well against his former team last week, even getting a touchdown after Elliott was benched for fumbling. We think he can still be an NFL starter and is a great player to stash at a bargain price.
Parsons
Derrick Henry - In two games, Henry has already pulled nearly even with incumbent DeMarco Murray in snaps. Henry's early tape has been impressive and outside of Tajae Sharpe, the Tennessee receiver corps is in flux. With all the falling dominoes at running back, Henry is an easy call in the top-10, if not higher.
Melvin Gordon - Gordon looks like a different back than his rookie season. Danny Woodhead was the No.1 back by snap count in Week 1 - despite a San Diego lead most of the game - but is now gone for the year. Gordon is one of the few younger running backs in the NFL with a high volume floor, paired with a strong quarterback, and possessing high draft pedigree.
Wide Receiver
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Stefon Diggs - Diggs was a phenom as an 18-year-old freshman at Maryland. When he elevated to the NFL level, Diggs was one of the most productive rookies in recent years. For a follow-up, Diggs is on a historic pace through two games. LaQuon Treadwell tempered Diggs' dynasty market this offseason, but it has been a very slow start for Treadwell, who barely saw the field in Week 2.
Kenny Britt - Britt was one of my favorite cheap adds this offseason. He looked fully recovered from the laundry list of injuries earlier in his career in 2015 and most shrug off the Rams passing game entirely. Britt is dominating snaps and perimeter targets. Britt just turned 28 years old and is a matchup nightmare downfield.
Tefertiller
Quincy Enunwa – Enunwa has played well in training camp and the preseason in past years, but is finally healthy, seems to have put it all together, and has become a valuable player in the Jets lineup. Any injury to either Brandon Marshall or Eric Decker could thrust Enunwa into a starting role in fantasy lineups.
Stefon Diggs – His stellar play last year opened eyes, but the big outing against the Packers on Sunday night reinforced the notion that it is almost impossible to keep Diggs out of the Top 12 players at the wide receiver position. The addition of Sam Bradford to the lineup helps his cause even further. Diggs is not flashy but seems to always be open and makes plays after the catch.
Will Fuller – Fuller has the speed and play-making ability to become a legitimate fantasy WR1. Getting to play opposite Hopkins will only help him see lesser coverage each week. The good news is that, even through all of the dropped passes and other mental mistakes, Fuller has plenty of room to grow and develop. He could be very special.
Tight End
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Jack Doyle – Doyle looks to occupy the Coby Fleener role in the Indianapolis offense. He is a middling fantasy option unless (or until) Dwayne Allen is injured again. If, or when, that time comes, Doyle will be a fringe fantasy TE1 on a weekly basis.
Coby Fleener – The one player who has flat-out flopped is the former Colt. He moves way down our rankings. Fleener has dropped open targets and may soon not see the high quantity of targets as his All Pro quarterback loses faith and chooses to throw the ball to a different receiver.
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Hunter Henry - Henry is already surging to more than 50% of the Chargers offensive snaps within the first two games of his NFL career. The targets have not followed yet, but Antonio Gates looks two steps slower than last year and very close to the cliff. Henry is still simmering before logging starting caliber fantasy production.