Diontae Johnson

Kickoff Countdown: 3 Days Until Kickoff!

Hello everybody and welcome to DFF’s Kickoff Countdown series! For each of the 12 days leading up to the first NFL game of the season, our staff at DFF has been releasing an article based on how many days are left. Today we are only three days away and that means I, @DFF_JoeMem, am here to bring you three wide receivers that I’d rather have at ADP over their higher ADP teammate in Superflex Dynasty leagues. Let’s dive in!

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Fireside Chat With Heady

Welcome mafiosos to a little Q and A session with the only @Heady_Football. I took some time to gather some questions you on Twitter, our DFF Army, have asked over the off-season along with some questions I have been asked off-line, by my friends and family. Yes, don’t be shocked, I do have a life outside of fantasy football. Granted, it’s not much but it is one nevertheless. So, without further adieu, here are some of the best questions I received.

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Film Study Guide: Scouting Elite Route-Runners

Film vs Analytics is one of the contested debates in the fantasy community. Both are important and one hand washes the other. Scouting and watching film are the foundation of evaluating talent. If data was the only indicator of success, NFL scouts wouldn’t need a scouting department. They would hire a Google Intern to run algorithms for them. On the flip side, data can help you make unbiased decisions and adjust your rankings by having a macro-level view of a pool of statistics. It’s important to understand what coaches look at on the field or in training camp because they decide if a player will even see the field. Not your algorithm. Moreover, learning scouting and theory can help you understand why players perform the way they do and what makes your data sing or choke. 

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tigh end adp gains

DFF Redraft League: Drafting From The Thirteen Spot

Two weekends ago the #DFFArmy organized its annual staff redraft league composed solely of DFF writers/editors as owners. Upgrading from 12 to 14 owners this season, your author willingly joined in the fun. The settings of the league are pretty conventional: a 0.5 PPR league with a starting lineup of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 3 W/R/T, 1 K, and 1 DEF. Passing TDs are worth six points while rushing and receiving first downs are worth 0.5 points. There is also a 0.1 point per carry bonus and a 0.5 TE reception bonus.

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Rapid Reaction: Michael Thomas’ Ankle

Thomas injured his ankle twice during the regular season last year and was expected to undergo surgery on it as early as January of 2021. Unfortunately for his team, it looks like now he won’t be looking 100% until we hit the ⅓ mark of the season. The Saints schedule has a bye Week 6 before they head into a Monday Night Football matchup against the division-rival Seahawks in Week 7. Given the expected timeline, it’s hard for me to imagine the Saints rushing him back there for the week 5 game against WFT at about the 3 to 3.5-month mark given the uncertainty of when the surgery actually occurred in June. Expecting a push for a Week 7 return makes the most sense when projecting this early on.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster: 2021 Dynasty Profile

JuJu Smith-Schuster played college football at USC from 2014-2016. JuJu registered a breakout season as a true freshman with 54 receptions for 724 yards and five TDs, but he was truly dominant as a sophomore, racking up 1,454 yards and 10 TDs on 89 receptions. After a solid junior campaign, JuJu declared for the 2016 NFL Draft and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 30th pick in the second round.

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Startup Strategies: Drafting to Reload, Not Rebuild

Rookie drafts are wrapping up and startups are the only thing getting dynasty owners through the off-season. If you’re a true dynasty degenerate, at least set yourself up for success from the draft. We’re not going to just set ourselves up for success now, but build a sustainable roster for the future to create a true “dynasty.” You don’t have to go all-in on big-name vets, nor do you need to only draft players under 26. Mix a little of both strategically.

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The Myth of Vacated Targets

Every season teams lose valuable receiving options from the prior year, and every season fantasy managers daydream about the possibility of a random bench piece inheriting all that volume. While this narrative has played about favorably for a handful of players, in the grand scheme of the NFL, it is actually very rare. “Vacated Targets” is the snake oil of fantasy football. Don’t let yourself get duped.

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Dynasty Risers and Fallers Week 16

Dynasty Risers and Fallers Week 16

In this weekly piece, I will bring you some risers and fallers from a dynasty lens. Whether it’s injuries, performance, or value, I want to discuss how players have moved around. Based on the week’s events, I’ll give some advice on how to act on the market’s movement, whether it’s buying, selling, or holding. 

I won’t limit myself to talking about any specific players or teams because I want to have the freedom to discuss whatever is most relevant. Also, of course, there are more risers and fallers than those I’m listing. However, it’s impossible to cover every single one of them, as dynasty values change weekly for many players. With that said, let’s jump into the risers first, followed by the fallers.

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Dynasty Risers and Fallers Week 12

Dynasty Risers and Fallers Week 12

In this weekly piece, I will bring you some risers and fallers from a dynasty lens. Whether it’s injuries, performance, or value, I want to discuss how players have moved around. Based on the week’s events, I’ll give some advice on how to act on the market’s movement, whether it’s buying, selling, or holding. 

I won’t limit myself to talking about any specific players or teams because I want to have the freedom to discuss whatever is most relevant. Also, of course, there are more risers and fallers than those I’m listing. However, it’s impossible to cover every single one of them, as dynasty values change weekly for many players. With that said, let’s jump into the risers first, followed by the fallers.

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Week 9 Late Game Storylines

I love writing these storyline pieces. I will go through the games and discuss one dynasty-relevant storyline per team that I’m excited to see. Usually, I’ll split the games into two sets, covering the early games in one story and the later games in another. Also, I’ll do a special spotlight on the Thursday night game from time to time, as that’s a midweek contest. I like to go into more detail for that game, just for a change of pace.

This piece will give you something specific to look for in each contest, which I hope helps you enjoy the games even more. We all play fantasy football to enhance our enjoyment of football, and I’m trying to add to that sense of happiness here. Fun is the most essential part of this hobby for all of us, including me.

I’ve listed the home team first for each game to keep things organized. I won’t waste any more time, so let’s jump straight in!

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Start/Sit Week 9

Each and every week, I’ll be covering a handful of players that I believe will either exceed expectations or let your team down in a major way. Here’s who you should be looking at for Week 9. Sterling Shepard immediately became Daniel Jones’ favorite target when he returned to the lineup in Week 7. In the past two weeks, he’s been targeted 8 and 10 times, respectively, for 133 yards and a TD. Shepard will be a flex-worthy option in all PPR formats for as long as he can maintain this volume.

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Dynasty Risers and Fallers Week 7

Dynasty Risers and Fallers: Week 7

In this weekly piece, I will bring you some risers and fallers from a dynasty lens. Whether it’s injuries, performance, or value, I want to discuss how players have moved around. Based on the week’s events, I’ll give some advice on how to act on the market’s movement, whether it’s buying, selling, or holding. 

I won’t limit myself to talking about any specific players or teams because I want to have the freedom to discuss whatever is most relevant. Also, of course, there are more risers and fallers than those I’m listing. However, it’s impossible to cover every single one of them, as dynasty values change weekly for many players. With that said, let’s jump into the risers first, followed by the fallers.

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Dynasty Risers and Fallers Week Six

Dynasty Risers and Fallers Week 6

In this weekly piece, I will bring you some risers and fallers from a dynasty lens. Whether it’s injuries, performance, or value, I want to discuss how players have moved around. Based on the week’s events, I’ll give some advice on how to act on the market’s movement, whether it’s buying, selling, or holding. 

I won’t limit myself to talking about any specific players or teams because I want to have the freedom to discuss whatever is most relevant. Also, of course, there are more risers and fallers than those I’m listing. However, it’s impossible to cover every single one of them, as dynasty values change weekly for many players. With that said, let’s jump into the risers first, followed by the fallers.

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Joe’s 2020 DFF Redraft Championship Draft

Recently, the DFF crew gathered for our annual redraft championship league. We took part in a 17-round PPR draft, with 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 2 Flex, 1 TE, 1 D/ST as starters, and a 7-player bench. A bunch of us hopped on Zoom because there’s nothing better than seeing the face of the person you just sniped a pick from. I drafted from the 10 spot and was faced with the brutal task of picking next to our lead Redraft Ranker, @DFF_Karp. Let’s take a look at how my team came out!

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Christian McCaffrey

The Guide: A Round-by-Round Roadmap to Acing Your 2020 Fantasy Draft

I get the same email every year. It usually comes in the first couple of days in September. It’s from a friend who I used to work with. This person is extremely competitive; the kind of person who hates losing more than loves winning. The email is a call for help. My friend knows almost nothing about fantasy football, but wants to crush the people in the fantasy league she was invited to a few years back. I love writing the reply because it allows me to finalize my draft strategy after months of mock drafts and research. This year, I’m happy to make that strategy public. Here it is… the guide!

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Dynasty Story: James Washington

In a dynasty story, I’ll look at a single player and how his value has fluctuated over time, starting from their college profile. I’ll factor in his NFL stats and generally discuss what he did in each of his NFL seasons. Then, I’ll look at his 2020 prospects before wrapping it up with a final recommendation and dynasty strategy.  Today, it’s time for a deep dive into James Washington. Let’s jump right in!

Today, it’s time for a deep dive into Dante Pettis. Is there any hope for a revival in his value, or is Pettis done? Let’s jump right in!

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Darius Slayton Dynasty Profile

Darius Slayton: 2020 Dynasty Profile

Darius Slayton was drafted by the New York Giants with a conditional fifth-round pick in 2019. After missing the first two games with a hamstring injury, he started exceeding expectations. Over the next 14 games, Slayton started establishing a noticeable rapport with fellow rookie Daniel Jones as he led NY in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, yards per catch, and receiving first downs. It’s rare for a day-three pick to turn out and even rarer for one to turn in such an impressive rookie season. Slayton even finished second on the team in both catches and targets, trailing Golden Tate by one in each category. The combination of talent and opportunity was perfect for Slayton to impress from the jump. 

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dynasty sells

Sell-Fish: The Players I’m Throwing Back In Dynasty

In this article, I’ll be discussing a few players that have been hyped up this offseason to the point where they have become obvious sells for me in dynasty formats. This article is not to say that these are bad players, but rather, their hype has exceeded their true value.

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