The Dynasty team decided to stop playing around and finally put together the DFF Factory Workers’ Dynasty League. The start-up draft was more challenging than most as we have a sense of each other’s tendencies and strategies. It felt like I was being sniped with every pick and therefore, I chose to lean heavily on rookie draft picks. They tend to hold a lot of value and if there was ever a class to get stuck with a bunch of picks, it’s the 2020 class.
In this article, I will discuss my reasoning for each selection in the Factory Workers’ Dynasty League rookie draft and why I think I came away with a ton of long-term value.
League Type/Roster: Dynasty SuperFlex TE Prem PPR/1QB,2RB,2WR,1TE,3RB/WR/TE,1SF
Pick 1.03, Joe Burrow (QB, CIN)
You could imagine my surprise when Joe Burrow fell to me at 1.03. Quarterbacks are like gold in SuperFlex leagues considering you’d likely prefer starting two quarterbacks each week. Burrow finished his 2019 college campaign with 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns. College Football is nothing compared to the NFL but that stat line would’ve amounted to over 500 fantasy points. Burrow lands on a team with top tier weapons in A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, and even fellow rookie Tee Higgins. We saw Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray both be fantasy relevant in their rookie year and Burrow is primed to do so as well. I was sure I’d miss out on him considering his trade value alone.
Jonathan Taylor and Clyde Edwards-Helaire were the first two picks and I already have Alvin Kamara, Le’Veon Bell, and Kerryon Johnson. My greatest need was quarterback considering the only two on my roster were Baker Mayfield and Dak Prescott. Nobody should feel comfortable with only two starting quarterbacks in a Superflex league. I knew during the start-up I wasn’t spending draft capital on an aging quarterback so I decided to spend on the 1.03 knowing I would have a shot a Tua Tagovaoloa at the very least. It just ended up better than anticipated.
Pick 1.06, Jerry Jeudy (WR, DEN)
There were other options at 1.06 I know many would prefer, such as Ceedee Lamb or D’andre Swift but that’s not me. I love everything about Jerry Jeudy from the film to the landing spot. Sure, he ends up across from another extremely talented wide receiver in Courtland Sutton. That doesn’t mean only one can be successful. I’ve written a number of articles that highlight multiple situations in which two or more wide receivers succeeded. It’s happened in both Denver and New Orleans and Jeudy is talented enough to command a high target share.
Courtland Sutton dominated in 2019 and the volume reflected as much. He was targeted 124 times for a team-high target share of 25%. The next highest was DaeSean Hamilton with 12%, who the Broncos thought very little of based on how many receivers they drafted. Emmanuel Sanders also received 44 targets before being traded to the San Fransico 49er’s but this just shows how many possible targets are available. Jeudy could easily see 80+ targets in 2020. Jeudy was a 1,000+ yard receiver his final two years at Alabama and dominated in arguably the toughest conference in college football, the SEC. I’m certainly not expecting him to finish with 100+ receptions in his rookie season, but I see a huge opportunity early on and a superstar in the making long term.
Pick 1.11, Tee Higgins (WR, CIN)
I wasn’t joking when I said I leaned heavily on rookie picks in the DFF Factory Workers’ Dynasty League. I also chose to lean heavily on wide receivers in the rookie draft as I mostly faded them in the start-up. My starting receivers are Allen Robinson, Brandin Cooks, and Marquise Brown. Not a sexy group by any means but Robinson is the real deal and I’ll stand by that. Cooks and Brown are boom/bust type players but Cooks is still just 26 years old in a really good situation as the lead wide receiver for Deshaun Watson in Houston.
So, let’s get to the pick. Tee Higgins was my selection at pick 1.11. Truthfully, I like Higgins almost as much as I like Jeudy. Higgins plays the like prototypical number one wide receiver NFL teams look for and he appears to be the chosen replacement for A.J. Green in Cincinnati once he hangs it up. Higgins didn’t work out at the combine but the numbers speak for themselves. He was in the 49th percentile for college dominator rating, meaning he commanded the large majority of the team’s targets. He finished in the 93rd (19.8) percentile for yards-per-reception and 96th for breakout age (18.6). These are all metrics that predict future success for young wide receivers in the NFL.
Higgins, unlike Jeudy, is stuck behind a fairly talented receiving corp, but there is plenty of opportunities ahead. Tyler Boyd shockingly received 148 targets last year but that was with Green sidelined. We witnessed both Green and Boyd be very valuable fantasy assets while playing across from each other and that is exactly what Higgins is in line for. I’m certainly not always looking for immediate production from rookies, if you are, you’re probably doing this wrong. This pick was made with the future in mind. The 4.59 40-yard dash he completed at his pro day is scaring most people off but we know receivers test poorly every year and many still succeed. A moderately slow 40 time isn’t going to scare me off.
Pick 2.07, A.J. Dillion (RB, GB)
A.J. Dillion was my next pick after loading up on young wide receivers. Dillion was a no brainer for me as I have him ranked as my RB6 among rookie running backs. I actually had him top five pre-draft but landing spots matter and J.K. Dobbins in Baltimore is an undeniably juicy landing spot. Dillion’s landing spot isn’t so bad either if you’re paying attention to contract details. Aaron Jones is on the final year of his deal and Green Bay selecting Dillion gives off the impression Jones is on his way out after this year.
Dillion was a 1,000-yard rusher all three years at Boston College and scored double-digit touchdowns all three years as well. He measures in at 6’0” 247 pounds with a 33.5 BMI (96th percentile). High BMI running backs tend to be more successful and durable in the NFL. Dillion could be heavier than some linebackers yet he still ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at the combine. He also posted speed (117.3) and burst (135.2) scores in the 97th percentile.
Dillion is an athletic freak but he surely doesn’t offer the change of pace style Aaron Jones does. Head coach Matt Lafleur may not be looking for that style anyway. We have to remember Lefleur was the offensive coordinator for the LA Rams and the Tennessee Titians. Two teams who place a significant focus on the run game. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see Green Bay turn to pound the ball early and often this season and Dillion could be a major part of that.
Conclusion
As I said, I came away with a slew of picks and feel really good about it. I picked up Joe Burrow as my third quarterback, restocked a thin receiving corps, and took a shot on the possible Aaron Jones replacement. I sure hope this season isn’t delayed so I can get to dominating the Factory Workers’ Dynasty League!
Thank you for reading. If you have any thoughts or would like to discuss, you can find me on Twitter @WillieBeamanDFF
