Now that the 2023 Dynasty season is coming to a close, it’s time to get a jump on the off-season. In this two-part article that I’ll be dividing into the AFC and NFC, I’ll examine the wide receiver room of every team and give my opinion on whether to buy or sell. I’ll use KeepTradeCut to assess value, as no accurate ADP exists to judge value. This is the third position I’ve evaluated, so you can read my analyses of the AFC RBs, NFC RBs, AFC QBs, NFC QBs, and AFC WRs by clicking on their respective hyperlink. Let’s get into it with Prospective Dynasty WRs: NFC.
NFC NORTH
Detroit Lions
WR1: Amon-Ra St. Brown: Can’t believe we were debating between Amon-Ra and Rashod Bateman this time last season. At WR4 prices, however, I think you can downgrade to a Garrett Wilson-type player and pocket the change.
WR2: Jameson Williams: Probably busted at this point. I’d wager he’s a better real-life football player than a fantasy player.
Chicago Bears
WR1: D.J. Moore: Watching D.J. was exciting this past season. It seems that his touchdown rate finally positively regressed to the mean, so it’s probably wheels up with Caleb Williams coming to town. I think he might still be undervalued.
WR2: Keenan Allen: Dirt cheap aging vet who will probably win you your league? I’m all for buying during the season. Don’t move steady assets for old vets in the offseason, wait to see if you’re really competing first.
Minnesota Vikings
WR1: Justin Jefferson: Permabuy. Even without Kirk Cousins.
WR2: Jordan Addison: Slightly overpriced. His peripherals looked good, but we have no idea who will be throwing to him this upcoming season. Had he had a Garrett Wilson-esque rookie season, I’d still be acquiring, but at the relatively pedestrian numbers he put up this season, I’m leaning closer to selling than buying. Don’t be fooled by touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers
WR1: Christian Watson: Watson was banged up the entire season, no denying that. I’ve written an article about lingering injuries that you can read here that I think is applicable to Watson. However, the difference between the players in that article and Watson is most of the players mentioned have had spectacular fantasy seasons before suffering an injury, whereas Watson only flashed potential in his rookie season. I think his value is depressed enough to warrant acquiring a few shares, but I’m not buying Watson in every league that I’m in.
WR2: Romeo Doubs: He’ll probably never be a meaningful fantasy starter, so I wouldn’t move any sort of serious assets for him. If you can sell for any sort of future 2nd round pick in casual leagues, I’d do that in a heartbeat.
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
WR1: Chris Olave: Still underpriced. Buy opportunities don’t come often for players like this.
WR2: Rashid Shaheed: Better in Bestball. This is Jameson Williams’ ceiling. Nothing too special going on here.
Atlanta Falcons
WR1: Drake London: I, as well as every other analyst who has a similar process to me, have been burnt by Drake London for the past two seasons. I, as well as every other analyst who has a similar process to me, predict London to finally break out this season with the arrival of Kirk Cousins. This is the year, folks. Get in while you can.
WR2: Darnell Mooney: I don’t predict many targets to be available left over for Mooney, but there’s potential for a 600-yard season on 80 targets in a discount-2021-season. Probably not a meaningful fantasy asset.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR1: Mike Evans: Resigning Baker Mayfield to the contract that they did will not work out well for the Falcons. In a similar vein, I’m extremely happy for Baker Mayfield. There’s no reason to suspect Evans to negatively regress this season, so follow my advice for Keenan Allen regarding Mike.
WR2: Chris Godwin: A worthy buy at his price of WR45. If his touchdowns positively regress from a meager two last season, Godwin will definitely deliver more than 12PPG this upcoming season.
Carolina Panthers
WR1: Diontae Johnson: @Bwinknfl has an excellent rundown of Diontae Johnson’s value going into this season, so I’ll let you read about Diontae in this article.
WR2: Adam Thielen: If you can draft him in round 20, I’d do that, but don’t expect him to hold any value after this season. Don’t expect him to perform how he did at the beginning of last season, either.
NFC EAST
Philadelphia Eagles
WR1: A.J. Brown: 17PPG as the WR8 on KTC? Definitely a buy comparing his price to other WRs.
WR2: DeVonta Smith: DeVonta put up a respectable 14.2PPG this past season and has fallen to the WR16 spot on KTC. This feels like a more reasonable price compared to where it got to at some points last season. I’m buying.
Dallas Cowboys
WR1: CeeDee Lamb: CeeDee finally made his WR3 price tag worth it this past season as he dominated with 23.7PPG. As the WR3 still (he just can’t seem to ever pass Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase), I’m finally buying CeeDee, as his price actually justifies the production he’ll give you.
WR2: Brandin Cooks: He seems to be pretty much cooked (no pun intended), but as the WR84, if he’ll give me 10PPG like he did last season, he’s a fine player to have thrown into deals.
Washington Commanders
WR1: Terry McLaurin: Maybe a new QB coming to town will result in more than 12PPG for Terry, but I’m not holding my breath at this point.
WR2: Jahan Dotson: A promising rookie season (or 6 games of one), but Dotson is closer to bust territory than fantasy starter.
New York Giants
WR1: Darius Slayton: Not impressed with Slayton and never have been. Jag.
WR2: Wan’Dale Robinson: Wan’Dale had an interesting rookie season but followed it up with fairly mediocre production in his sophomore season. How much of this was due to general offensive ineptitude? Probably a lot, but I’m not gonna be holding my breath waiting for this third-year breakout.
NFC WEST
Seattle Seahawks
WR1: D.K. Metcalf: Now that D.K. is continuing to deliver 14PPG but doesn’t cost mid-third-round startup prices, I’m ok to buy.
WR2: Tyler Lockett: Lockett took a pretty big step back this season, shaving almost 3PPG off his 2022 season (14.8 vs 11.9), but the market dropped him all the way down to WR70. At these prices, I’m good to gamble on Lockett, though the writing is on the wall.
WR3: Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 8.8PPG wasn’t exactly the rookie season we expected from JSN, but I’m still buying even as his peripheral numbers looked fairly mediocre. The end is nigh for Lockett and I’m not giving up on his first-round DC (like I am with Quentin Johnston). If you can flip for the 1.07 however and reroll on a player like Romeo Odunze, I’d do that.
Los Angeles Rams
WR1: Cooper Kupp: There was a pretty huge drop-off compared to his record-breaking 2021 season and his stellar 2022 season, but Kupp has fallen all the way to WR38. I’m much more ready to call 2023 an off-season instead of the new norm. Even if he doesn’t deliver 20PPG ever again, the opportunity cost isn’t that expensive.
WR2: Puka Nacua: Super buy. Puka doesn’t have anything to prove—get in while you still can.
Arizona Cardinals
WR1: Michael Wilson: Good God this room is ugly.
WR2: Greg Dortch: See the above statement.
San Francisco 49ers
WR1: Deebo Samuel: Pretty reasonably priced. I’m back in on Deebo at cost after a 16PPG season.
WR2: Brandon Aiyuk: Don’t look now, but Aiyuk had fewer PPG than Deebo did this past season (16.3 vs. 15.6). Definitely overpriced, but I’d wait to sell until he gets resigned in San Francisco.
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