People tell me football doesn’t actually end in Week 16. Apparently, there are these college playoffs and NFL playoffs that are a thing. WHO KNEW?! The non-scoring portion (Week 17 through Week 1, 2020) is my second favorite part of the dynasty season, only behind the dynasty playoffs. The non-scoring portion is difficult because you can think you win this season but you get paid nothing and you only find out you lost after you lose the during the scoring season.
To help you win the Non-Scoring season we’re going to look back at those players that turned it on late. Are they “for real” or is the scoring an oasis that will disappear like a mirage?
Tyler Higbee: Oasis
On September 5, 2019, Higbee signed a four-year, $31 million ($15.5 million guaranteed) contract extension that will keep him with the Rams through the 2023 season and seemed to move back ahead of Gerald Everett as the number one tight end for the Rams. Everett will likely be cut after Higbee posted top-five tight end numbers Weeks 10-16. Higbee is a definite buy this off-season and likely won’t cost you much.
Raheem Mostert: Oasis
I want the starting running back for the San Fransico 49ers. The problem for the last couple of seasons is that this person hasn’t been clear by Week 1 of the season. Matt Breida will be playing elsewhere as a free agent (RFA) and Jerick McKinnon will be a $4.5M cap savings when he is cut as well as Tevin Coleman taking his exit (as he could be another $4.9M cap savings) leaving Mostert as the lone guy in San Fran. I do expect them to either draft someone, bring back Breida, or sign someone. Mostert should get enough work to be worth acquiring this offseason–preferably before people realize the 49ers could let go of all of his competition.
Devin Singletary: Mirage
I avoided all the running backs in this class except Josh Jacobs this draft. More on that later. Singletary showed up and took the job from always young, Frank Gore. Starting in Week 4, Singletary never saw less than 64% of all snaps. From Week 4, he was the #30 Running back. From Weeks 7-16, he jumps all the way up to RB 17, but he does dip a little bit later in the season without much competition. My fear with Singletary is he isn’t going to be as successful with Josh Allen taking more planned runs and the addition of another running back this off-season. They are going to add someone this off-season. I am selling Singletary. He isn’t going to repeat these numbers next year as he won’t have the opportunity.
Steven Sims, Jr.: Oasis
This is why my article is late. I have gone back and forth on him time and time again. I’m still not sure what the answer is. I see a guy with only Kelvin Harmon (another possible deep-league pickup) to compete with for the number two WR spot in Washington. I see a guy with under eight yards per reception and less than five yards per target. I see a guy who looked amazing late in the season after starting on the special teams’ roster. I see a guy with a new coach coming in that will want some of his own pieces. I see a guy threatened by a deep wide receiver 2020 draft, although the Redskins need other things in the draft other than wide receiver.
If Kevin O’Connell is retained by Ron Rivera, as things are headed, I will feel more positive that the offense will stay in the direction it currently is and Sims is probably free or super cheap in your league. If he doesn’t work out, it probably hasn’t cost you much to cut him.
Miles Sanders: Oasis
So, I was not a fan of this 2019 running back draft class with 2020 coming and opportunity not great for any of them except Josh Jacobs. I dogged on Sanders most the season for being up and down and going as far as declaring him dead to me in the Dynasty Trade HQ Patreon Chat (which you really should join–it’s one of the best fantasy chats anywhere) right before he went off Week 12 against the Redskins.
Egg. On. My. Face. I am not the kind of dynasty analyst who hides from his mistakes. I will tell you what I get right and what I get wrong. If you listen to someone who doesn’t, you are listening to the wrong people and I was wrong on Sanders. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I saw a guy who couldn’t beat out a senior citizen at running back in Jordan Howard (I know he’s 25…it seems like he has been in the league forever.) and was locked into a system with a coach who doesn’t use a lead back. I don’t really care for running back by committee backs because I am not good at guessing.
Sanders seems to have taken over the main back duties in Philly after having double-digit weeks, Weeks 12-16. That includes 40 points in my home league against the Redskins. You probably can’t get him cheap, but if you can get him, he is for real.
Anyone else you want a deeper dive into? Hit me up @DFFVoice and I will dig into if they are an Oasis or Mirage going into 2020. Now is the time to dump all the backups you have in dynasty and grab up high upside players like the ones mentioned above! Let’s win some championships.
