Author name: Michael Romero

Chief Content Officer for @DFF_Dynasty.

2021 Dynasty Profile: Darren Waller

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Darren Waller burst onto the scene during the 2019 season after years of bouts with substance abuse. Waller is a true American comeback story. After being suspended for the entire 2017 by the NFL, he overcame his addictions and found his way back onto the Ravens practice squad in 2018. From there, he was plucked by the Raiders and further developed behind aging starter Jared Cook. After Cook’s departure in free agency, Waller earned the starting job at TE for the Raiders.

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IDP Quick Thoughts: Joe Schobert Traded to Steelers

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Two days ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars sent stand-out linebacker Joe Schobert to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a move that further underscores the rebuild under Head Coach Urban Meyer’s new regime. News of the compensation trickled out a day later; just a 2022 sixth-round pick landed Schobert. Clearly, the move was a salary dump for the Jaguars.

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“Hard Knocks” Premiere: Micah Parsons Shines

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I’ve long been a huge fan of the HBO series “Hard Knocks” since its premiere in 2001. Outside of the expected silliness ranging from former Jets’ HC Rex Ryan’s “let’s get a snack” quote to Vince Wilfork’s “naked overalls” episode with the Texans, the show always does a fantastic job of hyping me up for the NFL season. So when the Cowboys were chosen for this year’s series, I mildly cringed at the idiocy that was inbound. And, spoiler alert, Mike McCarthy delivers in droves via an Austin Powers movie clip and fake bravado that brought on a mild panic attack. Yes, it’s insulting to the viewer but even more so to Mike Meyers who’s probably on the line with Jerry Jones negotiating compensation as I write this.

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tigh end adp gains

DFF Redraft League: Drafting From The Thirteen Spot

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Two weekends ago the #DFFArmy organized its annual staff redraft league composed solely of DFF writers/editors as owners. Upgrading from 12 to 14 owners this season, your author willingly joined in the fun. The settings of the league are pretty conventional: a 0.5 PPR league with a starting lineup of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 3 W/R/T, 1 K, and 1 DEF. Passing TDs are worth six points while rushing and receiving first downs are worth 0.5 points. There is also a 0.1 point per carry bonus and a 0.5 TE reception bonus.

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The 2021 Definitive DFF BestBall League Guide

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As with any league, the context is everything. Your author shares this brief disclaimer as both a reminder for your own best interest as an owner and as a primer to start this article. There are many important questions you need to know the answer to in order to correctly utilize actionable advice. Is the league redraft or dynasty? Are there 10 owners, 12 owners, 14 owners, 16 owners, or is it a multi-copy league? How many roster spots are there? Is it SuperFlex or TE premium or tiered PPR? Is it an IDP league? How many starters are in the lineup? Is the draft third-round reversal? Do you have taxi squads? Each of these questions plays a vital role in analysis within the realm of fantasy football. Before you boldly and blindly follow advice from a website or analyst, make certain you know the context with which the advice is shared. 

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The IDP Unseen: 2021 EDGE

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Accountability is paramount in this business, and last season your author swung big on both Montez Sweat and Ifeadi Odenigbo. One was a home run and the other was a strike-out. Montez Sweat broke out for a double-digit sack season playing across from top draft pick Chase Young, as well as in tandem with fellow defensive interior players Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen, who each boast first-round draft capital of their own. Ifeadi Odenigbo, on the other hand, was not accompanied by perennial all-pro Danielle Hunter, who threatened to hold out before opting for surgery to repair an injury. He ended up missing the entire season and the Vikings’ entire pass rush struggled. 

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IDP Post-Rookie Draft Waiver Targets

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Each season in dynasty leagues there are post-rookie draft waiver targets that provide a tremendous value for owners who were savvy or lucky enough to find them on their roster. Some provide an immediate “home-run” return like Kamren Curl did last season or Maxx Crosby in 2019. Others make great taxi squad stashes that provide value later (think Jerome Baker, Josey Jewell, Jeffery Simmons, Dre Greenlaw, D.J. Wonnum, Alex Highsmith, etc.). The majority will fall flat as expected. 

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Post-Rookie Draft Waiver Targets

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Each season in dynasty leagues there are post-rookie draft waiver targets that provide a tremendous value for owners who were savvy or lucky enough to find them on their roster. Some provide an immediate “home-run” return like James Robinson did last season. Others make great taxi squad stashes that provide value later and might be tradeable for better assets (think Boston Scott, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Preston Williams, Collin Johnson, etc.). The majority will fall flat as expected.

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DFF Draft Coverage: Jermar Jefferson to the Lions

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Jermar Jefferson broke out as a true freshman in 2018 as he garnered Freshman All-American, Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and honorable mention all-conference honors with 1,380 rushing yards and 12 scores on 239 carries (5.8 per attempt). Jefferson also caught 25 passes for 147 yards that season, displaying his competence as a receiver. The following season, an ankle injury stunted his sophomore campaign limiting him to six starts in nine games played as he compiled 142 carries, 685 yards, and eight touchdowns. Jefferson rebounded in 2020, earning first-team All-Pac-12 accolades by ranking fourth in the FBS with 143 rushing yards per game and ninth with 159.5 all-purpose yards per game. He did miss one game due to COVID-19 protocols.

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DFF Draft Coverage: Gregory Rousseau to the Bills

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Gregory Rousseau is a part of the enormous list of players that hurt their draft stock by opting out. Ja’Marr Chase and Micah Parsons were the only two players whose opt-outs didn’t affect their draft capital.  Unfortunately, our man Gregory Rousseau made a bad decision. Your author wrote about this back in September in the weekly seasonal “Draft Stock Watch” series. There is no arguing Rousseau’s superior athletic ability and speed around the edge. The DE out of Miami trailed only 2020 number two overall pick Chase Young in total sacks in the entire FBS in 2019.

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DFF Draft Coverage: Jaelon Darden to the Buccaneers

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Jaelon Darden is one of your annual small-school stories where an incredible athlete, who was overlooked by large programs, emerges. Darden was a high school QB, so he possesses basic knowledge about reading coverages and finding openings in the defense. He played in all 14 games as a backup WR during his true freshman season compiling 281 yards and three TDs on 32 receptions, while also contributing as a punt and kick returner. While he still returned punts, Darden focused on offense as a sophomore, hauling in 48 receptions for 575 yards and four TDs. 

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DFF Draft Coverage: Brevin Jordan to the Texans

Rookie / By /

Brevin Jordan has been a consistent and big-time contributor in the Hurricanes’ offense the past three seasons. He started as a true freshman after entering Miami as the number one TE recruit in the nation. Jordan finished this past covid-19 adjusted season with his best numbers, compiling 38 receptions for 576 yards and seven TDs. He did miss three games with a shoulder injury.  

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DFF Draft Coverage: Nick Bolton to the Chiefs

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Nick Bolton played in all 13 games as a true freshman where he recorded 22 tackles, one sack, and one TFL. He developed from promising up-and-comer to SEC defensive star in 2019, earning first-team all-conference honors after leading the league with 8.9 tackles per game (107 total, 8.5 for loss), intercepting two passes, and breaking up eight others in 12 starts.

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DFF Draft Coverage: Rondale Moore to the Cardinals

Dynasty, Rookie / By /

Rondale Moore broke out as a true freshman in a huge way in 2018. He compiled an FBS-leading 114 receptions in 2018, exceeding 1200 yards and scoring 12 receiving TDs. He also added 21 carries for 213 rushing yards and two more rushing TDs. Moore even returned punts (12) and kicks (33). That season, he won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile college football player. He was a consensus first-team All-American as an all-purpose player, first-team all-conference pick, the Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year, and its Freshman of the Year.

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DFF Draft Coverage: Jaelan Phillips to the Dolphins

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Jaelan Phillips is a story where potential finally met opportunity and production in 2020. Phillips began his collegiate career with accolades and notoriety as he was ranked a top-three recruit in the nation in 2017, even ahead of Chase Young. He chose to stay close to home and attend UCLA, where a string of bad injury luck awaited him. Phillips started in four of the seven games he played as a freshman (21 tackles, seven for loss, with 3.5 sacks) but struggled through an ankle injury and suffered a concussion. In 2018, he suffered a wrist injury when he was hit by a car and later suffered another concussion during the season. He gutted through four games compiling 20 total tackles, with one TFL and one sack.

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Draft Stock Watch Week 1

DFF Draft Coverage: Jaylen Waddle to the Miami Dolphins

Dynasty, Rookie / By /

Jaylen Waddle has the speed that an opposing defense must account for pre-snap on every play of the game. He immediately enters the league as one of the fastest WRs in the world. He has all the tools to become a number one WR in the NFL. Waddle should be the second or third WR selected in dynasty rookie drafts. He will be a mid-late first-round pick in SF leagues and an early-mid first-round pick in 1QB leagues. Waddle also offers value in the return game, for owners whose leagues provide points for return yardage and return TDs. 

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More Leagues: More Fun, More Variety, More Experience!

Dynasty / By /

As many who have played can allude to, fantasy football can be a very addictive hobby or passion. Whether it’s redraft or dynasty, once a draft or auction has concluded there is often an immediate desire for more. Many programs and websites offer mock drafts, both against real-life people online and against computerized software. Unfortunately, often people do not take mock drafts seriously. Similarly, a computer can only adjust its algorithms so many times. Simply put, mock drafting is just not the same.

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