In this continued offseason series, we will break down one player from each NFL team who is currently being overlooked. At the same time, that player could provide great depth/potential to a deep dynasty league roster. These players are worth picking up if they are in your free agency. They are also players you may want to reconsider keeping if they are fringe roster cut options. I will be trying to convince you as to why they are worth a roster spot for now. Of course, the NFL Draft and free agency period could diminish each player’s value, but we need to be making sure we bolster our roster(s) as much as we can. Each week, one division will be broken down, and today is all about the NFC South. 

BUCCANEERS 

CADE OTTON

If you didn’t participate in a deep dynasty league last year, you may have overlooked Cade Otton. Tampa Bay did their best to move on from Rob Gronkowski last offseason, as they brought in veteran Kyle Rudolph and drafted Otton in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Those two joined Cameron Brate in what seemed like one of the weakest TE groups in the NFL. But hear me out, the future is bright for Otton. He ended up hauling in 42 of his 65 targets for 391 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games played. His 42 receptions were seventh amongst all rookies and first amongst rookie tight ends. And his 391 receiving yards were 13th amongst all rookies and third amongst rookie tight ends (behind Chigoziem Okonkwo and Greg Dulcich). 

With Tom Brady re-retiring, it looks like Tampa Bay could go through a huge offensive rebuild. Mike Evans is believed to be on the trade block, and both Leonard Fournette and Brate have been brought up as early cap casualty options. That means that the future of the Buccaneers looks like it will focus on the young core of Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, Rachaad White, and Otton. Even if Evans, Fournette, and Brate stick around, we’ve already seen Otton heavily involved in Tampa Bay’s offense. The offense will look different without Brady and former offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, but the opportunities should only go up for the 23-year-old tight end. 

FALCONS

TYLER ALLGEIER

Did you know that 15 running backs topped 1,000 yards in 2022? Of those 15, Tyler Allgeier may be the most overlooked one. Rhamondre Stevenson, Tony Pollard, and Allgeier were the only three backs who accomplished the feat with 210 or fewer carries. On top of that, the Atlanta back did most of his damage in the second half of the season. Being overshadowed by Cordarrelle Patterson when healthy and splitting the load between Caleb Huntley and Avery Williams really slowed down Allgeier’s production. He didn’t receive more than 16 carries until Week 15. But in the final four games, when he earned 17 or more carries per game, he dominated! He turned in 431 rushing yards on 79 attempts (5.5 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in Weeks 15-18 alone. He also hauled in six of his 16 receptions on the season during that stretch. Those numbers helped him serve as the RB5 during the final four weeks, the most important weeks of the fantasy football season!

So why isn’t he getting as much buzz as he should? We know Falcons head coach Arthur Smith is going to run the ball more than most, if not all, of the teams in the league. We also know that Patterson is starting to slow down in production, as he’s going into his age-32 season. What’s even more intriguing for Allegeier for next season is the fact that Huntley won’t be ready to go right away, as he suffered a torn Achilles in Week 15 against the Saints. You should feel great if you have any Allgeier shares. He’s going into his second season, he’s 22 years old, Patterson is getting older, and he’s on one of the most run-heavy offenses in the league. If healthy, he could get 300-plus carries next season alone. Even if you don’t have any Allgeier shares, he may be an easier running back to go out and trade for right now from a value perspective. 

PANTHERS

TERRACE MARSHALL JR.

Here’s a name you may be frustrated with if you have kept him since the beginning of his career. Terrace Marshall Jr. has been a disappointment thus far during his first two seasons in the league. But at the same time, so have the Panthers during that stretch. He’s had four different starting quarterbacks, and we don’t know who the starter will be next season. But we do know that Frank Reich has been brought in to serve as the team’s next head coach, and he’s improved offenses mightily during his pro coaching career. The good news for Marshall Jr. is that despite all the struggles during his first two seasons, he’s projected as the team’s WR2 behind D.J. Moore right now. And he is only 22 years old. 

Marshall Jr. showed flashes during his second season last year. He topped 50 receiving yards in a game five times, and he drew at least three targets in all but three games he played in. The problem was that he was never consistent enough to put in your lineup(s). With another offseason under his belt, in a better offensive system, he could take huge strides in 2023. He’s also way too talented of a player to move on from if you play in a deeper dynasty league. If by next season, he’s regressed or failed to improve, it may be time to move on from him. But the sky is the limit with this kid, and it would be a shame if you sold him low this offseason just to find out he had a lot more value than you originally thought. 

SAINTS

RASHID SHAHEED

Here’s a name that hardly anybody is talking about this offseason. Rashid Shaheed helped a lot of deep leagues win fantasy championships this past season. With injuries to Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry, and Chris Olave, Shaheed stepped up at the end of 2022. In Weeks 13-18, he hauled in 20 of his 23 targets for 324 yards and one touchdown. During that same span, he served as the WR38 in PPR leagues. That was better than names like Michael Pittman Jr., George Pickens, Gabriel Davis, Courtland Sutton, and Deebo Samuel. And you may be thinking that maybe it was a fluke, but you can’t deny he won’t receive ample amount of opportunities moving forward.

Olave is clearly the wide receiver of the present and future for this team. But it looks like both Thomas and Landry won’t be suiting up for New Orleans next season. Landry is set to hit free agency at 30 years old. And Thomas has been rumored to be a cap casualty this offseason if the team fails to trade him elsewhere. Marquez Callaway is also hitting the free agent market, meaning Olave, Shaheed, and Tre’Quan Smith are the only three wide receivers on guaranteed contracts going into next season right now. Expect a larger role for Shaheed with Thomas, Landry, and Callaway likely out of town. But you also have to keep in mind that Alvin Kamara is expected to miss a lot of time, if not the entire 2023 season, serving a suspension. Those four alone combined for 114 receptions, 1,091 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns in 2022. With likely a new quarterback lining up under center next season, Olave and Shaheed will be the focal points for New Orleans’ offense pending the draft and free agency period. Even if the Saints bring in two or three solid pass-catchers, Shaheed has proved that he can be productive and deserves to be heavily involved on offense. 

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