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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Jake Luton - It's tough to be lenient on a later-Day 3 rookie quarterback in dynasty. The odds are already minimal they see much playing time, but any poor showing could be the end of their legitimate starting opportunities. Luton had a promising debut in Week 9. However, his rushing score that week has been his lone rushing attempt through three games, and he has posted one touchdown to five interceptions in two games since. Luton was one of my sleepers at the position from the 2020 class but his starting time feels like it is coming to a close with his upside being to stick as a low-end backup for 1-2 seasons.
Taysom Hill - There was so much at stake for Hill's dynasty stock in Week 11. The long-awaited quarterback start for the 30-year-old Swiss Army Knife was high leverage as a data point of one. Hill was efficient as a passer and added 10-51-2 on the ground. With a strong cap number for 2021 and getting the nod over Jameis Winston are quality indications Hill could be in the starting plans for the Saints in 2021.
Hicks
Carson Wentz - Like many others, I have been making excuses for the absence of so much talent being missing around Carson Wentz. He was purely awful against the Browns. Time for the excuses to end. The cost to get rid of Wentz is prohibitive for 2021, but 2022 is a real shot. The Eagles coaching staff will be keen to see a full preseason from Jalen Hurts in 2021. Wentz is the kind of player who gets a second shot at starting in the worst-case scenario, but it’s time to move him down as he tries to sort his career out.
P.J. Walker - P.J. Walker made his first NFL start and did not disgrace himself. While Teddy Bridgewater is expected back in the Panthers' next game, Walker was calm under center. We probably need to see him against an NFL team that is trying rather than the Lions, but at least he can get mentioned in the conversation as a dynasty option.
Philip Rivers - As Philip Rivers approaches 39 years of age his value in fantasy is probably at an end. That said there is no indication this is his last year and over the last four weeks, he is a bottom-end QB1. As his young receiving group mature, he might be a nice option to stash in deeper leagues with the promise of more in 2021 or retirement.
Running Back
Hicks
J.D. McKissic - If you are in desperation mode, J.D. McKissic may be your savior if he is available on the waiver wire. He is averaging almost six catches a game recently and with Alex Smith under center that will not change. He is a good change-of-pace runner as well and could be playing himself into a nice niche role next year.
Kenyan Drake - Chase Edmonds did not seem to pass his audition as the starting running back. That leaves us with Kenyan Drake likely to see out the season as the starter. As we approach fantasy playoffs we hope for a repeat of 2019, but more realistically Drake seems to be trusted ahead of Edmonds to run the ball and as Arizona hopes to push for playoffs e could get some touchdowns. Next year is a great unknown.
Antonio Gibson - As the season wears on, the workload of Antonio Gibson increases. He will complement Alex Smith very well as Washington is well placed to win the dreadful NFC East. Gibson is moving up rankings as he has touchdowns in four consecutive games and is on pace for a surprise 1,000-yard season. Then he gets better. Some still may underrate him
Larry Fitzgerald - Larry Fitzgerald is sitting on a lot of waiver wires, especially in dynasty leagues. Just like the last few years, it is always assumed he is in his last year but is it possible that he is trying to break some of the Jerry Rice records? If so he may have a few years left. He is not as good as he once was, but he has seven or more receptions three times this year. He needs to find the endzone before he becomes fantasy-friendly again, but he isn’t the worst guy to consider down the stretch and maybe into next year.
Parsons
Antonio Gibson - What is a Day 2 rookie running back who posts a top-10 fantasy season worth the following offseason in dynasty? The answer in Gibson's case is likely "not enough". The positional tweener at Memphis has turned into a full-fledged NFL starting running back with eight touchdowns in 10 games with still untapped receiving upside (only 2.7 receptions per game and J.K. McKissic is highly involved in the passing game).
Devin Singletary - Singletary is outside the top-55 running backs in PPR PPG over the past month. The air has fully exited his dynasty stock balloon in his second season. This despite being a quality NFL player and showing well on tape. Situationally, Singletary stinks with Zack Moss siphoning red zone and goal-line opportunities and, with minimal touchdown potential, Singletary is averaging 3.6 targets per game. Singletary is a long-term talent buy but has minimal potential unless he sees a team change or Moss is out for a sustained period.
Wide Receiver
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Keenan Allen - Allen is a classic example of dynasty GMs discounting mid-career wide receivers too aggressively. Allen is a route-running savant and at 28 years old, is likely to go in Round 5-6-7 of Superflex startup drafts come January. This is the WR4 over the past month despite a rookie quarterback and two quality ancillary targets in the passing game (Mike Williams, Hunter Henry). Allen has the look of an 'age gracefully' receiver who many will discount over the next 12 months where merely playing 2-3 more seasons would be a pronounced dynasty trade 'win' to acquire Allen.
Jamison Crowder - After a surging start to the season (three straight 100-yard games), Crowder has crumpled over the past month with Breshad Perriman healthy again and rookie Denzel Mims gaining prominence within the Jets' passing game. Crowder is a sub-sized mid-career option who is struggling to be a fantasy weekly starter. This profile carries minimal dynasty value and is not even a dynasty roster lock for 12 months from now.
Hicks
Diontae Johnson - Look quickly but the number one wide receiver in Pittsburgh isn’t JuJu Smith-Schuster or the exciting new kid on the block Chase Claypool, but Diontae Johnson. Despite missing one, getting injured in two others, and being affected in a fourth game, his yardage is on par with Claypool and Smith-Schuster. In the other six games, he has at ten least catches in each and has back-to-back 100-yard games. It’s too early to put him among the elite, but he moves up considerably.
Corey Davis - There is no doubt that the investment the Titans placed in Corey Davis has been a disappointment. That said Davis has three 100-yard games this season and while his fifth-year option wasn’t exercised, he will be a popular free agent for NFL teams. He is only 25 and can be an NFL number one wide receiver. He would be an excellent buy-low candidate and on his performances this year gets a rise in rankings with the potential of him getting to his original potential.
Dez Bryant - Dez Bryant hasn’t caught an NFL pass for longer than Alex Smith was out and Jerick McKinnon was injured for. He is still only 32 and has a limited life as a fantasy option, but he showed he has good hands and can be a good red-zone target. I wouldn’t count on receptions and yardage, but in touchdown bonus leagues he is worth investigating. He is an add to dynasty rankings.
Marquise Brown - Six catches for 55 yards in his last four games, combined, is a disaster for Marquise Brown. Of his three targets for zero receptions against the Titans, two were awful drops. It doesn’t take a genius to realize his confidence is at rock bottom. If he is on your roster, he is droppable, but the potential is there. If you have a deeper roster, he is worth stashing in the hope that he gets his head together or ends up on a team that can use a good WR2. He of course could implode as well.
Keenan Allen - I was high on Keenan Allen all season in redraft. He has overshot those expectations considerably. I don’t know why, but people just don’t respect him as a fantasy option. Now, in 2020 he is on pace to post career highs in ALL categories, he has a new quarterback in Justin Herbert who locks onto him, he has a new contract that pays him as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and he is still only 28. Enough. He moves up much higher.
Tight End
Hicks
Will Dissly - With Greg Olsen going on I/R there might finally be a fantasy use for a Seattle tight end. Whether that is Will Dissly or Jacob Hollister remains to be seen. With the dearth of options in fantasy at this position, grabbing both if you have the roster room could pay off in the fantasy playoffs and maybe even heading into next year.
Jacob Hollister - With Greg Olsen going on I/R there might finally be a fantasy use for a Seattle tight end. Whether that is Will Dissly or Jacob Hollister remains to be seen. With the dearth of options in fantasy at this position, grabbing both if you have the roster room could pay off in the fantasy playoffs and maybe even heading into next year.
Taysom Hill - This designation is with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Taysom Hill had his first start at quarterback and didn’t lose the game for the Saints. Two rushing touchdowns saved the day for anyone starting him, but he still doesn’t have a passing touchdown. A better defense than the Falcons might be a better guide, but as long as Hill isn’t turning the ball over and letting playmakers do their stuff, he should be an interesting option. A definite move up in rankings at quarterback.
Parsons
Greg Olsen - This could be the end of the line for Olsen with his latest injury landing him on IR. The eroding 35-year-old was already TE50 over the past month before the injury and playing committee snaps within Seattle's three-headed tight end depth chart. Olsen could easily retire at the end of the season and he has largely been retired in terms of his fantasy impact this season already.
Drew Sample - Sample has largely squandered his overt starting opportunity this season. As a Round 2 NFL Draft pick in Year 2, Sample was/is firmly in the breakout window. However, Sample is averaging less than 10 yards-per-reception, has yet to find the end zone, and is averaging a paltry 3.2 targets per game. Without Joe Burrow and Cincinnati possessing a strong wide receiver corps point to a lackluster finish to the season for Sample as well.
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