Dynasty Analysis
Nobody has a perfect hit rate in fantasy, and anyone who claims they do is lying. At DFF, we believe being transparent about our misses is important. It’s the first step in learning from mistakes and improving our process.
That’s why, in today’s article, I’ll be diving into my early-season misses and the lessons I’ve learned (if any) through a dynasty lens. Dynasty calls for more patience than redraft; just because someone has failed to produce through three weeks or dominated early doesn’t mean they’ll be the same player for years to come. So let’s figure out whether it’s time to hit the panic button.
Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)
I’ve been part of the Loveland hive since his early days at Michigan. He displays the play strength to play in-line, has velcro hands, and moves like a wide receiver. There’s a reason I have 33% Loveland ownership across all my fantasy leagues; I took him over Tyler Warren in every single rookie draft I was in last year.
Well, it’s been a nightmare start to the season for the former Wolverine, sitting with only one reception in two games. His 2026 per-route numbers include a 6.3% target rate and 0.05 yards per route run. (How is that even possible?) To everyone’s surprise, Kalif Raymond is leading the charge at wide receiver, and HC Ben Johnson is even drawing up plays for Sam Rousch. Odd.
While my Loveland teams have gotten off to a slow start, I’m not panicking yet. Loveland is the TE4 overall in snap rate and TE6 in route participation. He’s a full-time player with real receiving skills, and the big games are coming. I’ve dropped Loveland a bit in my overall dynasty ranks, but he does remain as my TE3 overall.
Jalen Coker (WR – CAR)
I specifically remember saying in our DFF Discord this offseason that Jalen Coker was a JAG, and that it was tough to envision a scenario where your team is a true contender and Coker is an every-week starter. Boy was I wrong. Shout-out to DFF analyst @Paul_Ryan15, who was bullish on Coker since this summer.
In Coker’s last four games (dating back to last year), he’s averaging 9 targets, 8 receptions, 85 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown per game. That’s about 22 PPR points per game. Bryce Young appears to be the real deal, and this passing offense is consolidated between two guys: Coker and Tetairoa McMillan.
I’ve been trying to buy Coker recently, but nobody is selling. And frankly, I don’t blame them. A four-game sample isn’t massive, but it also suggests this is no fluke. He’s moved up to my WR31 overall in dynasty. I’m not sure there was a major lesson to be learned here, other than that a clear top-two option in an offense trending upwards deserved more of my attention, even if Coker was a UDFA and a modest producer in the past. I’ll be interested to see how this passing offense fares against some better defense as the season progresses.
Catch up on all the latest fantasy football news and analysis at Dynasty Football Factory with this week’s edition of The Assembly Line!
Week 4 is where I really want to start separating the player from the weekly situation. We have enough games now to know who is earning touches, who is losing them, and which early-season breakouts might actually be real. That does not mean we blindly follow the box score.
A player can still be someone I like long term and belong on the bench this week. On the other side, an emerging player does not need to be a household name yet if the role tells us it is time to trust him. That is what we are looking for this week.
As always, every C2C league is different. Your scoring, lineup requirements, and roster can change a close decision.
Let’s get into it.
Quarterbacks
Starts
Ryan Browne, Purdue at Notre Dame
This is exactly the type of Start I want for this article. Browne has thrown for at least 300 yards in each of Purdue’s first 3 games and enters Week 4 with 1,024 passing yards, 7 touchdowns and only 1 interception. Now we get the real test.
Notre Dame has been legitimately good defensively, so I am not calling this an easy matchup. What I am betting on is Purdue’s passing game. They are averaging 366.7 passing yards per game, and Browne has completed 73.3 percent of his passes through 3 weeks.
Purdue’s defense has also helped create game scripts where Browne has to keep throwing. So I am not sitting him just because Notre Dame is on the other side. Purdue has shown me enough through 3 games to trust the volume until somebody proves we should not.
Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech at Boston College
Grunkemeyer is starting to become one of those players where the role is getting more interesting before everybody completely catches up. Virginia Tech has put a lot on his plate in James Franklin’s offense, and I like that for C2C.
Boston College gives us enough resistance that this is not some automatic matchup call, but I am not running away from the volume either. This is where I want to get ahead of the point where Grunkemeyer becomes an obvious weekly option.
Sits
Hauss Hejny, Colorado State at UTSA
The production says Start. The hamstring says Sit. Hejny has completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 619 yards, 10 touchdowns and only 1 interception while adding 128 rushing yards and another touchdown.
That is exactly the type of production we want from our campus quarterback. The problem is that he is now a game time decision with a hamstring injury.
His mobility is part of what makes him valuable, so even if he is active, I do not want to find out after kickoff that Colorado State is protecting him or limiting what he can do with his legs. This one hurts because I like the player and the production. I just do not like the risk this week.
Tait Reynolds, Clemson at California
Tait Reynolds is still Clemson’s starting quarterback. Christopher Vizzina being probable does not change that.
What it does change is how comfortable I am with the weekly floor. Clemson’s offense has not been consistent enough for me to completely ignore the possibility that Vizzina gets involved if things are not going well Friday night.
Reynolds still has the long-term talent I like, but this is a weekly campus decision. I need more stability before I trust him in the lineup.
Week 2 was dominated by injuries, and unfortunately, that comes with the territory. But with Week 3 just a day away (or already here, depending on when this finds you), let’s dig into some Week 2 stats and see if we can find an edge on our leaguemates.
Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr. has a combined four targets through two games and has scored fewer than five fantasy points. Among 103 receivers with 25 or more routes, he ranks 100th in target rate. I’m sitting Harrison until further notice.
Stash! Really, I’d be selling low at this point, but his price is too low for what he could be if he ever reaches his potential.
Atlanta Falcons: Drake London must have Drake London on his fantasy team, because he was not happy on Sunday. Just ask the fan he got into it with. Michael Penix Jr. takes over the offense this week, and things can only go up from here. In 2025, with Penix at QB, Bijan Robinson averaged 22.7 PPG, London averaged 19.5 PPG, and Kyle Pitts averaged 13 PPG. New coaching staff, sure, but the talent hasn’t gone anywhere.
Buy Atlanta players before they blow up.
Baltimore Ravens: Mark Andrews has six or more targets in back-to-back games, and with Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar gone, the tight end room is all his. Zay Flowers already missed Week 2 and could miss again this week. Rashod Bateman is Andrews’ only real competition for targets, and Andrews will continue to eat.
Buy Andrews in every format if you’re contending.
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen looks like he’s going to break fantasy this year, and Dalton Kincaid looks to be the main beneficiary. Kincaid has 225 receiving yards through two games and is currently the TE2 on an offense that has scored 35 or more points in back-to-back weeks.
Buy all the Kincaid you can, and grab Dawson Knox too. He’s a formidable backup in case of injury.
Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young has back-to-back games with three touchdown passes, but the real story is Chuba Hubbard. With Jonathon Brooks headed for core muscle surgery and at least six weeks on IR, Hubbard is in line for even more work. He’s averaging 17.5 PPG. Keep an eye on Austin Ekeler, who’s working out for Carolina this week.
Buy HIGH on Hubbard and this much-improved Panthers offense.
Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland continues to disappoint, and with Caleb Williams out, who knows what to make of the Bears’ skill players. I’m still starting Loveland one more week in hopes of a big game.
Stash! Everyone is probably trying to buy low, so holding is the way to go for now.
After a high-scoring Week 1, Week 2 was defined by defenses bouncing back and Caleb Williams memes. Week 3 sees the NFL return to Brazil, the return of Michael Penix, and the Browns’ home opener. Oh, and Deshaun Watson will still be the starter.
Let’s dive into the biggest dynasty storylines in Week 3.
Quarterback Injury Crisis
The dynasty superflex quarterback streets are grim. It’s tough out here. Case Keenum has been picked up from the waiver wire. In Week 2, Jaxson Dart, Jayden Daniels, and Caleb Williams went down with injuries. At the time of writing, Jaxson Dart could miss the entire season with a knee injury, Jayden Daniels is seeking specialist advice on how to stop falling to pieces (200g protein and 5g creatine could be a start); and Caleb Williams has replaced JJ McCarthy as the meme du jour.
With Kyler Murray and Michael Penix set to return to action, we will have four backup quarterbacks starting in Week 3. In one of my leagues, I had to start Deshaun Watson. I know. I had to take a long shower afterwards. I ended up losing to a Davante Adams 40 piece which, at least as far as I’m concerned, is proof of karma.
A backup quarterback is typically a harbinger of doom for your fantasy studs.
Emanuel Wilson (RB – SEA)
I looked at the box score, and my jaw nearly dropped when I saw how many carries Emanuel Wilson had in Week 2. In just his second game with the Seahawks, he carried the rock 21 times, a number that Kenneth Walker — you know, the reigning Super Bowl MVP — hadn’t reached in a regular-season game with Seattle since Week 6 of 2023. Wild stuff.
Now, most of Wilson’s work came in garbage time with Seattle blowing out a hapless Arizona team. Still, that type of workload warrants attention, especially with rookie Jadarian Price dealing with a shoulder injury. If he can’t go this week, Wilson could be a sneak RB2 start against a Washington defense that currently ranks 26th in EPA/play (0.09), per SumerSports data.
If you are dealing with injuries at the running back position, grab Wilson, who’s available in roughly 60% of leagues on Sleeper. Seattle is a team that wants to win with tough defense and a physical rushing attack. Against an 0-2 Commanders team missing their starting quarterback, we could see a similar game script to last week.
That could mean another 15-plus carries for Wilson in a next-man-up role.
Fantasy point production is not always the best predictor of future fantasy point production. One blown coverage or short touchdown can instantly make a player’s otherwise pedestrian week look great for fantasy..
This is where usage trends come in. A player’s usage is a better predictor of what kind of future fantasy production we should expect. You can use this to target Dynasty owners who may be otherwise disenchanted with a low macro fantasy output, while you know the underlying factors are healthy. On the other hand, you can also utilize usage trends to see which players may have a concerning trend relative to their historical valuation that you may want to consider trading.
*Data Sources: PFF, Fantasy Pros, NFL Pro, Next Gen Stats*
1. Bryce Young Fantasy PPG by year
2023 – 10.4
2024 – 14.6
2025 – 14.3
2026 – 32.4 !!!!!
2. Target Share Leaders through Week 2
Jaxon Smith-Njigba – 44.0%
Parker Washington – 36.7%
Justin Jefferson – 35.7%
Amon-Ra St. Brown – 35.1%
DeVonta Smith – 33.9%
Davante Adams – 28.1%
CeeDee Lamb – 27.9%
Christian Watson – 27.5%
Chris Olave – 27.4%
Jalen Coker – 27.3%
Tetairoa McMillan – 27.3%
3. Could we see the first-ever 40% target share season from JSN this year? He currently sits at a staggering 44%.
4. From a Dynasty buy standpoint, Christian Watson is very interesting. Watson has always been a premier yards-per-route, run performer. However, he has never been a premier target earner. When you combine those two, you get a WR1. He is priced as the WR27 by the Dynasty community on Keep Trade Cut.
5. I wrote this in last week’s article: “I would be buying Stefon Diggs as a contender. He is probably the best option you can get for a 3rd that will be a reliable starter. Jayden Daniels was running for his life. Diggs is a reliable quick outlet, whereas McLaurin is a downfield threat.” Diggs obliged with a stout 21.7 fantasy points in Week 2.
6. In case you had any reservations about Parker Washington. Remove them. He is 100% the real deal, Holyfield.
In this series, @joshreedy5 spotlights standout performances from the 2026 rookie class and highlights promising and concerning trends.
Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman offers immediate volume upside and a high-floor, three-down upside profile. A real opportunity for playing time opened up for Jonah after hamstring injuries to both J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. Lightning struck twice in the same week, benefiting the next guy up: Jonah Coleman.
It’s that time of year when teams start to show who’s built for the long haul and who’s running on fumes. Bye weeks are hitting hard, injuries are piling up, and depth starts to matter. Every move from here on out counts. That’s where we make our money: finding those buy windows before they slam shut and moving off guys right before the drop comes. With that, let’s dive right into my top four “buys” and “sells” from a Dynasty perspective following Week 2.
Week 3 gave us something I really like when I am working the C2C waiver wire: roles starting to change.
At this point, I am not just looking for somebody who had one big Saturday. I want to know why it happened. Did the workload change? Are the targets becoming consistent? Is a young player starting to take over a bigger role?
That is where we can get ahead of the rest of our league. The approach stays the same. Win the campus side first. Then I am looking at C2C appreciation, youth, and ceiling.
Every recommendation assumes a $100 C2C FAAB budget.
Overall Waiver Order
Nolan James Jr., RB, Notre Dame: Add at 18 to 25 percent
Keyjuan Brown, RB, Louisville: Add at 15 to 22 percent
Chris Durr Jr., WR, Maryland: Add at 12 to 18 percent
Aiden Flora, RB, Iowa State: Add at 10 to 16 percent
Kari Ashley, TE, TCU: Add at 8 to 13 percent
Junior Sherrill, WR, Vanderbilt: Add at 8 to 12 percent
Justin Bowick, WR, Oklahoma State: Add at 6 to 10 percent
CJ Baxter Jr., RB, Kentucky: Add at 5 to 9 percent
Micah Gilbert, WR, Notre Dame: Add at 4 to 8 percent
Kenny Johnson, WR, Texas Tech: Add at 3 to 6 percent
Elija Lofton, TE, Miami: Stash at 2 to 5 percent
Quarterbacks
No quarterback makes my waiver list this week. There are quarterbacks worth talking about, but we have already covered the ones who fit what we are trying to do here. I am not going to recycle a name just because he had another good week.
That is part of Always Be Scouting too. We want to find these players before everyone else catches up.
Running Backs
Nolan James Jr., Notre Dame
James is my Final Lock this week. He carried the ball 26 times for 121 yards and 1 touchdown against Michigan State. The 121 yards are nice. The 26 carries are what really got my attention.
That is not a player getting a few touches and breaking one long run. Notre Dame gave James a legitimate workload, and the latest reporting has him moving ahead of Aneyas Williams in the backfield. Now we have something I want to attack.
James can help us win the campus side right now, and if this workload sticks, his C2C value should have room to grow with it. I am not dropping Williams because of one week. That would be an overreaction. But I am absolutely adding James because 26 carries and an expanding role are exactly what we are looking for.
My call: Spend 18 to 25 percent. James is my No. 1 waiver claim this week.
Check out the latest DFF content before Week 2 of the NFL kicks off with this week’s edition of The Assembly Line.
Week One is officially in the books. After over 200 days of waiting, Week One lived up to expectations as offenses and fantasy stalwarts put up some huge numbers. Of course, there were some duds. The less said about Colston Loveland’s goose egg, the better. Especially on a day the Bears scored 59 points. I’m not bitter, I promise.
Here are the biggest dynasty storylines heading into Week Two.
Year Two Quarterbacks
One of the most intriguing NFL subplots is the 2025 quarterback class. Whilst Cam Ward didn’t have the collegiate equity of a Joe Burrow or Trevor Lawrence, he was a lock at No.1 for a Titans team in desperate need of a quarterback. Ward struggled in Year One, ranking bottom 3 in both EPA/dropback and CPOE, but the offensive environment was bad. In Week One against the Jets, Ward’s struggles continued as the Titans logged under 200 yards of offense.
Cam Ward’s struggles were highlighted by both Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough. Both put together strong performances against some admittedly bad defenses. Shough leads the NFL in passing yards, whilst Dart delivered arguably his most accomplished performance. The Giants ranked in the 95th percentile in EPA / play and success rate.
Heading into Week Two, Ward faces another stern test against the Eagles. Meanwhile, Shough and Dart go on the road to the Ravens and the Rams, respectively.
Week 3 is where we need to start trusting what we are actually seeing on the field. We have 2 games of touches, targets, and roles to work with now. Some players are confirming what we thought all offseason, while others are already forcing us to adjust.
The goal is still the same. I am not here to tell you to start the obvious stars. We are looking for the players whose current role, matchup, or availability can make a difference in your campus lineup this week. As always, every C2C league is different. Your scoring, lineup requirements, and roster can change a close decision.
All kickoff times are Eastern.
Quarterbacks
Starts
Austin Simmons, Missouri
vs. Troy
Saturday at 7 p.m.
Simmons has been one of the best early surprises of the season. Through 2 games, he has completed 36 of 48 passes for 544 yards, 7 touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
What I like most is how comfortable he already looks running this Missouri offense. This is not a quarterback surviving on 1 or 2 big plays. He has been accurate, efficient, and has consistently moved the offense. Now he gets Troy at home. I am riding this start until somebody gives me a reason not to.
Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
@ South Carolina
Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
Taylor has been exactly what we want from a C2C quarterback through 2 games. He has thrown for 581 yards and 7 touchdowns without an interception, but the rushing production is what really gets my attention.
Against Minnesota, Taylor carried the ball 13 times for 86 yards. That gives him another path to fantasy points if the passing touchdowns come back down. This will be his first SEC start, but the dual-threat role gives me enough confidence to keep him in the lineup.
Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
vs. Murray State
Saturday at 7 p.m.
I am staying with Mestemaker. After a rough opener, he responded against Oregon with 317 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 109 rushing yards, and another touchdown on the ground.
That rushing involvement changes everything. When a quarterback can give us that type of production with his legs, he does not need the passing game to be perfect every week. Now Murray State comes to Stillwater.
Week 1 of the NFL season is in the rearview mirror, but fantasy season is finally back, baby! We’ve made our bets, and while we still have time to see which ones will cash and which ones we hope to parlay into a better one, now is the time to see if we were right, wrong, or just early. To help with that, I’m introducing my new weekly article, “Last Week In Fantasy” — a piece that filters through the data, stats, and news across all 32 teams every week to help you decide if a player is a Buy, Sell, or Stash!
Raheim Sanders (RB – CLE)
If Raheim “Rocket” Sanders wasn’t scooped up in your league’s initial waiver run this week, make sure you grab him. With Dylan Sampson now on IR with a knee injury, Sanders steps into the RB2 role behind Quinshon Judkins.
We saw Sanders get some work at the end of last year when Judkins went down with an injury. In the final three games, he toted the rock 24 times for 89 scoreless yards and caught three passes for 21 yards.
Worst case, Sanders takes over Sampson’s pass-catching role, which is what we saw on Sunday. The second-year back caught all three of his targets for 25 yards against the Jaguars.
Given Cleveland’s offensive environment, Sanders won’t have much standalone value unless Judkins is sidelined for any reason. But there’s some talent here. He rushed for over 1,400 yards at Arkansas in 2022. As a senior at South Carolina, he amassed 1,197 total yards, caught 27 passes, and found pay dirt 13 times. Sanders also ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at roughly 220 pounds.
That combination of size and athleticism makes him worth stashing for the contingent upside alone.
Roman Wilson (WR – PIT)
In the future, rookie Germie Bernard might be a stud. But if Sunday’s usage is any indication of how the snaps are going to shake out, then he might not be a thing this season.
Roman Wilson might be, though. After a couple of years of being an afterthought for the Steelers, it looks like he’s finally involved in the passing attack.
Wilson played 55% of the snaps and received the most targets he’s ever seen in a game in his young career: six. He finished the day catching three for 26 yards, but his day could’ve been much, much better.
He beat A.J. Terrell on a go ball that should’ve been a 65-yard touchdown. Wilson had a clean release off the line and stacked Terrell down the field, forcing the corner to interfere and essentially tackle Wilson rather than give up the long score.
Wilson also dropped a 40-plus-yard score at the end of the first half. Granted, he had a defender draped all over him, but the deep ball hit Wilson right in the hands, and he should’ve caught it.
If either of those plays hit, we’re talking about Wilson being a must-roster player in all formats rather than a deep dynasty stash. Funny how small the margins are.
Go grab him if he’s still out there in the available player pool. Aaron Rodgers talked up Wilson throughout the offseason and backed up that praise in Week 1 with a few deep shots that should’ve resulted in touchdowns.
In this ~FREE~ DFF article, @joshreedy5 reviews the 2026 rookie performances from Week 1 and talks dynasty value moving forward.
Fantasy point production is not always the best predictor of future fantasy point production. One blown coverage or short touchdown can instantly make a player’s otherwise pedestrian week look great for fantasy. This is where usage trends come in. A player’s usage is a better predictor of what kind of future fantasy production we should expect. You can use this to target Dynasty owners who may be otherwise disenchanted with a low macro fantasy output, while you know the underlying factors are healthy. On the other hand, you can also utilize usage trends to see which players may have a concerning trend relative to their historical valuation that you may want to consider trading.
It’s that time of year when teams start to show who’s built for the long haul and who’s running on fumes. The bye weeks are hitting hard, injuries are piling up, and depth starts to matter. Every move from here on out counts. That’s where we make our money: finding those buy windows before they slam shut and moving off guys right before the drop comes. With that, let’s dive right into my top four “buys” and “sells” from a dynasty perspective following Week 1.
Buys
Dak Prescott (QB – DAL) – Not going to be in many low-scoring games this year. The defense doesn’t look any better. Should throw at least 2 touchdowns weekly.
Quinshon Judkins (RB – CLE) – They were getting blown out most of the game, and the Jaguars made sure to stop the run. He has 12 carries for 33 yards and 2 catches for 17 yards. Not great by any means, but the touches will be there in games that are not blowouts.
We are getting to the point in the season where roles start to matter more than preseason expectations. That does not mean we chase every big box score. One long run can make an average day look great. Three touchdowns can hide a small role. What I want is opportunity we can actually use on the campus side; then I am looking at whether that player can gain value as a C2C asset.
This week’s board gives us a little bit of everything. We have a running back getting real SEC volume, a receiver who just commanded a massive part of his passing game, and a young quarterback with the type of rushing ability that can change a campus lineup quickly.
Every recommendation assumes a $100 C2C FAAB budget.
Overall Waiver Order
Daniel Hill, RB, Alabama: Add at 15 to 22 percent
Collin Dixon, WR, Illinois: Add at 12 to 18 percent
Michael Hawkins Jr., QB, West Virginia: Add at 12 to 18 percent
Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, WR, Maryland: Add at 8 to 13 percent
Jaden Craig, QB, TCU: Add at 7 to 12 percent
Matt Fuller, RB, South Carolina: Add at 6 to 10 percent
Rodney Fields Jr., RB, Kansas State: Add at 5 to 9 percent
Gio Lopez, QB, Wake Forest: Add at 4 to 8 percent
Joseph Williams, WR, Colorado: Add at 4 to 7 percent
JV Gibson, WR, Cincinnati: Add at 3 to 6 percent
Jaleel Skinner, TE, Louisville: Stash at 1 to 3 percent
Quarterbacks
Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia
Hawkins is the quarterback I want most from this group. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns against UT Martin. He also ran 6 times for 96 yards and another 2 touchdowns. Obviously, we are not projecting 4 touchdowns every week. We also have to acknowledge that 71 of those 96 rushing yards came on one play. That does not change what interests me.
Hawkins is a redshirt sophomore starting at quarterback and giving us production with his legs. That creates another path to campus points when the passing volume is not there. Seven pass attempts are nowhere near enough for me to make a big statement about where his passing game is headed. I want to see him against better competition. For C2C, though, the age, starting opportunity, and rushing ability give Hawkins the best combination of campus runway and appreciation potential among these quarterbacks.
Next two games: Virginia on September 19 and Oklahoma State on September 26
My call: Spend 12 to 18 percent. If I am choosing between Hawkins and Craig for more than just the next matchup, I want Hawkins.
Week 1 is FINALLY here, and with two games already in the books, Sunday can’t get here fast enough! The Game of the Week has to be Western Michigan and Michigan. I mean, a last-second (2nd?) Hail Mary; it doesn’t get any better than that…but did Western Michigan get cheated out of a win? Injuries have taken their toll on some big names already, but it’s too early to panic.
Welcome to a new weekly column where I run through the biggest Dynasty storylines week to week. We’re going to cover a lot of different angles over the next 18 weeks. It won’t always be pretty. But, by God, we have missed it. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Week 1 gave us a lot more to work with. We finally have real usage, real workloads, and enough game action to start figuring out which early roles might actually stick.
This report covers games completed through Sunday. SMU and Florida State play Monday night, so I am leaving that game out rather than trying to make decisions before it is played.
The approach stays the same. Help the campus lineup first. Then look at C2C appreciation, age, and ceiling.
A lot of the biggest Week 1 names are already rostered in the leagues I checked. Nate Sheppard, Jamal Rule, Mason Heintschel, J’Koby Williams, KJ Duff, Faizon Brandon, Jeremiah McClellan, Jaylin Carter, and Jamari Johnson will still be discussed because their Week 1 usage matters. They are not realistic waiver additions, so I am not attaching FAAB bids to them.
@DynastyFFWolf has your Dynasty Stashes ready for Week 1, featuring familiar names you may not have heard in Dynasty circles recently.
My last name is Hammer. I’m not going to pretend this article’s name is an accident. This isn’t a weekly column, because most weeks I won’t have enough to say. I write these when a slate actually lines up – when the numbers, the narratives, the beat reports from practice, the under-the-radar role changes, and the injury report all point in the same direction towards players. Week 1 is one of those weeks. Prices were locked in earlier this summer, and a lot of what we’re betting on now is how guys finished the 2025 season, plus whether camp backed it up. That’s a real edge if you’re paying attention. I’ve got five names this week. They aren’t on the same team, and they don’t have the same role. What they share is that the close of 2025 still looks better than their price, their summer backed up what we saw last year, and Sunday’s matchup gives them a reason to eat. That’s the swing. Let’s get into it.
