dynasty value

Jalen coker

My Early-Season Fantasy Football Misses

Dynasty / By /

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. 

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mhj

4 Biggest Dynasty Storylines in Week 3

Dynasty / By /

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.  

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colston loveland

4 Biggest Dynasty Storylines Heading into Week Two

Dynasty / By /

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. 

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Dynasty Buy and Sell: Week 1

Dynasty / By /

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.

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Dynasty Quarterbacks to Buy and Sell

Dynasty / By /

Welcome back for the fourth and final edition of my Dynasty Buys and Sells series. If you missed any of the prior three articles, you can check them out below:

Dynasty Running Backs to Buy and Sell
Dynasty Tight Ends to Buy and Sell
Dynasty Wide Receivers to Buy and Sell

In today’s article, I’ll look at which quarterbacks you should target or sell in dynasty before the season, based on where your team currently stands. Let’s dive right in. 

Step 1: Figure out what your team is. (Based on 12-team leagues)

Top tier: Projected top 4 team in your league, legit contender
Middle tier: Projected to finish between spots 5-8 in your league
Bottom tier: Projected to finish in the bottom 4 of your league
Top Tier

If you are a top-tier team, hopefully you have a top-6 quarterback (Allen, Maye, Williams, Jackson, Daniels, Burrow). If you don’t, I would be trading for one of the following guys:

Patrick Mahomes: Early-1st Round
Jalen Hurts: Early-1st Round
Dak Prescott: Mid-1st Round
Jared Goff: Late-1st Round
Matthew Stafford: Early-2nd Round

They all have top-8 potential but are valued outside the top 8 because of their age. I would move the following guys to acquire one of the names listed above: Cam Ward, Tyler Shough, Fernando Mendoza, Jordan Love.

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Parker Washington: Buy the Hype or Fade the Noise?

Dynasty / By /

Parker Washington has seen an incredible surge in dynasty value over the past 12 months, climbing from outside the top 100 wide receivers this time last year to WR31 overall today, according to KeepTradeCut. This is due in large part to Washington’s strong end to the 2025 NFL season, racking up 26 receptions, 454 yards, and three touchdowns over Jacksonville’s final four games (regular season + playoffs). Since then, we’ve seen nothing but bullish news out of OTAs and training camp regarding Washington. 

On the other hand, this was a former Day 3 pick who barely cracked 500 receiving yards through his first two NFL seasons. Was he simply reaping the benefit of Travis Hunter landing on IR and Brian Thomas Jr. battling his own set of injuries on the field? Has the Parker Washington hype gone too far, or is he here to stay? Let’s find out. 

College Profile

Parker Washington was a 4-star recruit and a top-50 receiver in the country coming out of high school, according to 247 Sports. He played all three of his college seasons at Penn State, amassing 1,900 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in Happy Valley. From an analytical perspective, he was pretty underwhelming, posting a career 20.9% target rate and 1.91 yards per route run. 

Washington was an early declare, despite posting relatively pedestrian numbers. He ultimately went in Round 6 of the NFL Draft, which we rarely see from early declares now. Washington technically had two years of eligibility remaining, having played his freshman season during the COVID season. It’s very possible he’d have taken a big step forward had he stayed in college (and transferred to a more pass-friendly environment). NIL deals at this time were not nearly as lucrative as they are today, which surely played into his decision. 

Early NFL Career

Parker Washington began his NFL career as a part-time player, buried on the depth chart behind guys like Calvin Ridley, Evan Engram, and Christian Kirk (all still technically in their prime). Washington had his opportunity to flourish in 2024 with Calvin Ridley gone, plus Christian Kirk and Evan Engram hurt for much of the season. However, rookie Brian Thomas Jr. emerged as the WR1 and dominated target share, leaving Washington as an afterthought. 

Despite running nearly 400 routes in 2024, Washington managed only 32 receptions, 390 yards, and three touchdowns. His 13.3% target rate and 1.02 yards per route run on the season were dismal marks, and ones that typically suggest your time in the NFL is numbered. 

In terms of dynasty value, Washington was a roster clogger at best through two seasons. In most leagues, he went undrafted in dynasty rookie drafts in 2023, bouncing from random rosters to the waiver wire. 

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Dynasty Price Check: George Pickens

Dynasty / By /

George Pickens, the former second-round pick (52nd overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft from the University of Georgia, began his first three professional seasons with a mix of big plays and inconsistencies, marked by on-field drama with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then the Steelers decided they’d had enough of Pickens last offseason and traded him to the Dallas Cowboys, where he blossomed into a superstar. Now in 2026, Pickens looks to deliver yet another potential league-winning season.

As we fast-forward to training camp, the Cowboys enter the upcoming season with high internal expectations and possible Super Bowl dreams in LA. Pickens now enters his second season in Dallas, paired with fellow superstar CeeDee Lamb. There’s no reason to believe that Pickens, aside from an unforeseen injury or off-the-field drama, shouldn’t be productive again in 2026. His involvement in the Cowboys offense gives him top-10 upside every week in a pass-heavy scheme. All these factors going into the new season still have Pickens’ Dynasty Fantasy Football value strong. With the season quickly upon us as training camp has begun and the preseason a matter of days away, the question is, should you be buying, selling, or holding Pickens? Let’s dive in. 

* Within this article, the statistics were pulled from Sports Reference, KeepTradeCut (KTC), PFF, and Sleeper.

Career in Review

Up until 2025, Pickens’ career was marred by inconsistencies and disappointments. During his first three seasons with the Steelers, he had only one season with 1,000 yards receiving, but he also dealt with inconsistent quarterback play. 2023 was his best season with the Steelers as he produced 63 receptions on 106 targets, posting 1,140 receiving yards and five touchdowns, all while finishing as the WR30 (Full-PPR).

In a new environment in 2025, Pickens had his coming-out party, proving to be one of the NFL’s elite wide receivers and showing he can be a true WR1. He produced career highs with 93 receptions on 137 targets, 1,429 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. He gave the Cowboys the league’s most elite 1-2 punch at WR in 2025. And these statistics led to him finishing as the WR5 (Full-PPR) in Dynasty Fantasy Football. What was most impressive about Pickens’ season was that he had five games of 25 or more fantasy points (Full-PPR) in 2025, with his best game coming Week 4 against the Packers. He finished as the WR2 overall that week with 33.40 (Full-PPR) fantasy points, posting eight receptions on 11 targets for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Pickens is a player with so much talent, and this past season has shown he was able to harness it all. If he can do this for one more season, a very large payday will be coming from someone, whether that’s in Dallas or not.

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One Question For EVERY NFL Team: Las Vegas Raiders Edition

Dynasty / By /

Welcome back to my ‘One Question’ series, and as always, thank you to everyone who read last week’s edition — are you buying or selling RJ Harvey? As we round up our final team in the AFC West, we make our way to Las Vegas (fun fact: I’ve never been, have you?). #RaiderNation has a lot to be excited about this season. They drafted their quarterback of the future (hopefully) in Fernando Mendoza (QB – LV), hired a Super Bowl-winning offensive guru as their new head coach in Klint Kubiak, have one of — if not — the best tight end in football in Brock Bowers (TE – LV), and last but certainly not least they have a STUD running back waiting to be unleashed in Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV).

My question to the Raiders: Can we trust any Raiders wide receiver in fantasy?

Although the 2025 season was a disaster for the Raiders, they did attempt to improve their offense for then-quarterback Geno Smith (QB – NYJ) when they drafted running back Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV), used two third-round picks on offensive linemen, and addressed wide receiver by drafting Jack Bech (WR – LV) out of TCU in the second round and Dont’e Thornton Jr. (WR – LV) out of Tennessee in the fourth round. As we know, the Raiders’ offense was one of the worst in the NFL, and it only took 11 games before the Raiders decided to part ways with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. It’s hard to judge the Raiders’ wide receivers off of last season’s outcome, but the Raiders have signaled how they feel about the position this year.

The Raiders were one of the teams heavily pursuing Alec Pierce (WR – IND), and it was reported that Las Vegas was the most aggressive team seeking his services. Pierce eventually re-signed with Indianapolis, becoming the highest-paid wide receiver free agent in NFL history — and that was after he took less money than he was offered from other teams.

After missing out on Pierce, the Raiders signed veteran wide receiver Jalen Nailor (WR – LV). While Nailor isn’t the most exciting player, the Raiders needed a veteran presence, and he is a professional receiver who showed flashes of potential his last two years in Minnesota, scoring a combined 10 touchdowns in 2024 and 2025 in a limited role (per Sleeper).

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Training Camp News and Injuries: Fantasy Impact

Dynasty / By /

Football is back, baby! With training camp officially underway for all 32 NFL teams, our timelines are once again flooded with on-the-field news and highlight plays. It can be tough to keep tabs on everything and decipher what matters vs. what doesn’t in dynasty, which is why I’ve put together this breakdown for you. 

Below, you’ll see the top headlines from training camp as of August 1st, dynasty impact, and my personal take on the news. 

Stock-Up Players

Malik Nabers (WR – NYG) – Last time we saw Nabers, he was limping to first place in a celebrity softball game. We were receiving nothing but ominous news regarding his ACL recovery early this summer, but things have turned around since then. He’s avoided the training camp PUP list and looks to be at full health running routes in camp. If Nabers plays Week 1 and gets off to a hot start, he could easily be back in the conversation for dynasty WR1 overall by midseason. 

Deebo Samuel (WR – SF) – Deebo is back with his former team, following the injury news on Ricky Pearsall. With Pearsall potentially out for the year and Christian Kirk dealing with calf issues, San Francisco needed to shore up this wide receiver room somehow. Add in Jordan James suffering fractured ribs, and Deebo could be back in the classic “Deebo” role in 2026. The question is whether or not he’s completely washed. Either way, 2026 will likely be his last usable season for fantasy. I’ve moved him up, but only marginally. He may be a good sell-high candidate now. 

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RJ Harvey

One Question For EVERY NFL Team: Denver Broncos Edition

Dynasty / By /

Welcome back to my ‘One Question’ series, and thank you to everyone who read my piece on the Kansas City Chiefs — are you buying or selling Travis Kelce (TE – KC) in 2026? We’re staying in the AFC West, which looks to be a division filled with players that we all want for fantasy, and this week’s team is no different. Let’s take a look at the Denver Broncos, who are fresh off a season in which they made it to the AFC Championship Game and added former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (WR – DEN) this offseason to bolster their wide receiver room in a blockbuster trade. Even with Bo Nix (QB – DEN) returning from an ankle injury he suffered in the AFC Divisional Game, all arrows are pointing up for Nix and the Broncos offense in 2026.

But, like most teams, the running back is a key component in the success or lack thereof of NFL offenses, and picking the right one on draft day in your fantasy league can be the difference between making the playoffs and being a true contender.

Last year, the Broncos signed J.K. Dobbins (RB – DEN) and drafted RJ Harvey (RB – DEN) with their second-round pick. After a strong start to the season, Dobbins suffered a season-ending injury. Harvey would immediately pay dividends on the Broncos’ second-round investment, scoring 12 touchdowns, catching 47 passes, and totaling nearly 900 yards from scrimmage.

Fast forward to the 2026 offseason, and the Broncos re-signed J.K. Dobbins to a two-year deal and beefed up their running back room by drafting Washington running back Jonah Coleman (RB – DEN), who scored 27 touchdowns his last two years in college.

These moves would imply the Broncos aren’t ready to give RJ Harvey an expanded role in 2026.

But, should they?

My question for the Broncos is: Is RJ Harvey a buy-low in fantasy?

Yes, the Broncos re-signed Dobbins and drafted Jonah Coleman, but do those moves hurt or help Harvey? Of course, adding a running back to the room could potentially cause another running back to lose touches — but is Coleman taking touches away from RJ Harvey or J.K. Dobbins?

When you compare their running styles, body type, and speed, Jonah Coleman is more like J.K. Dobbins and not like RJ Harvey. Broncos assistant GM Reed Burckhardt was quoted as saying this about Jonah Coleman: “a physical, downhill runner” who “fits our style, fits what we have in our running back group right now.” He also said the comparison between Coleman and J.K. Dobbins was “very valid.”

As we know, J.K. Dobbins’ career has been altered by injuries. Since being drafted in 2020, Dobbins has played a total of 47 games, and in two of his six seasons he’s missed 10 or more games. Dobbins hasn’t been healthy for an entire season since his rookie year.

I’m not saying Dobbins is bad, but as the saying goes, “the best ability is availability” — and Dobbins has shown that he’s not always available. That’s why I believe Denver drafted Jonah Coleman not to replace RJ Harvey, but as the future replacement for J.K. Dobbins.

We’ve seen that the age of the workhorse running back isn’t as prominent as it once was, and while having one is nice, the one-two punch running back systems are better for offenses and great for fantasy!

Sean Payton is notorious for using a two-back system. In his 15 years with the New Orleans Saints, a running back had 200 or more rushing attempts just five times. However, he has eight instances where multiple running backs had 150 or more touches (2006-2009, 2011 and 2013, 2017 and 2018, and 2023). Here are some quotes from Sean Payton on running a two-back system:

“I understand the committee. I’m used to having two running backs. We’re going to have more than just one back. We’re going to stack that position group. It’s too hard in our league to play with just one — rarely does a team do it. Occasionally, it happens.” — Sean Payton, end-of-season press conference, 2024

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Reviewing My Recent Dynasty Trades

C2C, Dynasty / By /

Time for a subscriber favorite, a good old-fashioned trade review! Below, I’ll cover four recent trades I’ve made over the past week and my reasoning behind each trade. These four trades come from three different leagues (two dynasty, one C2C). The ultimate goal of these trade articles (outside of entertainment) is to give you an idea of what to prioritize when deciding whether to hit that “accept” button. 

If you’re looking for a second opinion on your own dynasty trades, check out our AccuTrader in The Dynasty Control Room. Sync your leagues and get a full trade breakdown based on DFF’s Expert Consensus ranks. 

DFF C2C Bragging Rights

This trade was made in a C2C league, which primarily consists of creators from Campus 2 Canton and our team at DFF. I made this trade with @DffFrankPanthro, sending him Alabama RB Ezavier Crowell for Jaylen Waddle. 

With this being Year 1 of the league, there’s plenty of parity from top to bottom. Nobody really sold a ton of Canton picks for Campus picks or vice versa, so it’s anyone’s game on both sides. My weakest position on the Canton side was wide receiver, with my top three WRs being Justin Jefferson, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Romeo Doubs before this trade was made. I wanted to bolster my WR room without sacrificing other areas of my NFL side, so I understood I needed to give up a premier asset on the college side to do so. 

I knew from talking ball with Frank virtually every day that Crowell is his RB1 of the freshman class and one of his favorite overall assets in C2C formats. I won’t deny that the long-term ceiling play in this deal is Crowell, especially in this particular league, where RB scoring is so favorable on the NFL side (0.25 PPC, 0.25 rushing 1st down). It was a lot to give up, but I’m incredibly bullish on Jaylen Waddle now that he’s in Denver. Despite being alpha’d by Tyreek Hill for much of his career, Waddle has always been hyper-efficient from a per-route basis, and now steps into a situation where he should be the WR1 on his team. I’m not too concerned with Courtland Sutton, who is entering his age-31 season and saw a big drop in efficiency in 2025. I feel pretty confident in saying Waddle has WR1 (top 12) upside in fantasy once again. 

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New Places, Familiar Faces – 2026 Wide Receivers

Dynasty / By /

A change of scenery can sometimes breathe new life into a player’s fantasy value. But is the grass greener on the other side? That’s what we’re hoping to find out with several wide receivers this season. 

Below, I highlight five familiar faces in new places and discuss how their new situations should impact fantasy football in 2026. 

A.J. Brown (New England Patriots)

The offseason’s worst-kept secret. A.J. Brown finally got his wish and was shipped out of Philadelphia, reuniting with head coach Mike Vrabel in New England. The hope is that Brown will be happier in a pass-first offense quarterbacked by Drake Maye. And with that happiness, perhaps more productivity from Brown. Receivers are simple creatures; they just want the ball.

The issue is that Brown was already plenty productive last season. Excluding Week 18, he finished as the WR8 in total fantasy points scored. He was even better down the stretch: from Week 10 through the fantasy championship, Brown averaged 16.7 fantasy points per game, good for WR7.

That said, Maye could unlock Brown’s true ceiling. Last year’s MVP runner-up ranked first in yards per attempt (8.9), true passer rating (116.3), and true completion percentage (77.3%), per PlayerProfiler data. He was also fourth in deep ball completion percentage (50.0%). Brown ranked 12th in deep targets (22) in 2025 and remains one of the league’s premier downfield threats.

I’m all in on Brown this season and have him as a top-eight receiver. In dynasty, I’d be trying to add him if I were looking to push my chips in as a contender. With Maye slinging it, Brown’s upside is colossal, and I don’t want to miss out on what could be a special season. 

Jaylen Waddle (Denver Broncos)

After a lot of trial and error with multiple players, Sean Payton finally has a dangerous weapon to deploy at flanker and in the slot: Jaylen Waddle. The Broncos were a Bo Nix ankle injury away from potentially reaching the Super Bowl and decided to go for broke by trading three picks, including their 2026 first-rounder, to land the former No. 6 overall pick this offseason. 

Despite only totaling 910 yards and six touchdowns last season, Waddle remained efficient and explosive. He ranked sixth in first downs per route run (0.127), 10th in yards per route run (2.41), 10th in EPA with a mark of +64.0, and 13th in PlayerProfiler’s Explosive Rating (115.3). 

Waddle now gets to catch passes from Bo Nix, who led the league in pass attempts a season ago. Nix was also third in deep ball attempts (71), which should mesh well with Waddle’s game. He produced his highest EPA per target on deep outs, digs, and post routes, per Dynatyze data. 

You don’t trade a first-round pick for a decoy, so expect Payton and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb to feature Waddle early and often. The setup is there for him to smash this season and top 1,000 yards for the first time since 2023. 

Waddle is a mid-WR2 for me in all seasonal formats and only a low-end WR2 in Dynasty because he’s already 27. 

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The Definitive Dynasty Rankings Guide: 11 to 20

Dynasty, Ranking / By /

Published July 2026 Welcome to players 11 to 20 in my Dynasty rankings series. Players 10 to 1 can be found here. Players 21 to 30 can be found here. Those who follow my work know I approach all of my rankings from an analytical foundation and then layer in additional context on top of that. This series is no different. The foundation of my Dynasty rankings is a proprietary model that utilizes a combination of predictive metrics with an emphasis on prior season fantasy points per game and then combines that with a position-specific age multiplier, flattening of TD luck, and position adjustment. This is the Dynasty 1 Score. From there, I layer on situational adjustments that pure statistics can not identify. I also prioritize consistency in my rankings. How likely are the players to be able to repeat their prior season performances based on their archetype? With that introduction, let me introduce you to my Dynasty rankings series. Note these are a snapshot in time vs. the always-evolving rankings you can find on our rankings site. But in this article series, you get the context and thinking behind the ranking that is not supplied by the pure ranking. Rankings are always fluid, and at DFF, we update them continuously here. These are a snapshot with the thought process behind each that you don’t see in simple rankings. These ranks are a snapshot as of January 2026. Superflex, Full PPR, TE Premium *Data sources: PFF, Pro Football Reference, Player Profiler, NFL+ Premium The rest of this rankings article series […]

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Roster Cloggers Are Quietly Killing Your Dynasty League – Part 2

Dynasty, Strategy Content / By /

Welcome back for Part 2 of my “Roster Clogger” series! In this article, we’ll be discussing some hard-hitting questions that are worth asking to identify those roster cloggers on your dynasty roster. Then, we’ll finish things up with some warning signs by position. 

If you missed Part 1, you can check that article out here. Let’s dive back in. 

The Roster Clogger Test

The best way to identify roster cloggers is to stop asking whether a player has any possible value and start asking sharper questions.

Almost every player has some possible value. That standard is too low.

Instead, ask these questions.

Can I Start This Player Confidently?

This does not mean, “Could I technically put him in my lineup?”

You can start almost anyone in a deep enough league.

The real question is whether you would feel good about it. If injuries hit and you need points, can this player realistically help you? Does he have a stable role? Does he have a path to volume? Can he get you something more than a desperation floor?

If the answer is no, he may not be actual depth.

He may just be a name on your bench.

Can I Trade Him for Anything Meaningful?

This is where dynasty managers need to be honest.

If no one in your league wants the player, his value might only exist in your head.

That does not mean you should blindly let your league determine every player’s worth. Dynasty managers can be early on players. Sometimes your league is wrong. Sometimes you should hold a player before the value shows up publicly.

But if a player has no production, no market, no clear role, and no rising value, you need a good reason to keep holding.

“Someone might want him someday” is not enough.

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Roster Cloggers Are Quietly Killing Your Dynasty League – Part 1

Dynasty, Strategy Content / By /

very dynasty manager has that guy.

You won’t start him. You cannot trade him. You don’t really want to cut him. But every time you look at your roster, you convince yourself there is still something there.

Maybe he is young. Maybe he was a good prospect. Maybe he is one injury away from a major role. Maybe he had a few usable weeks two seasons ago (where you probably still regret sitting him). Maybe you remember liking him during rookie draft season and have not fully accepted that the bet is probably dead.

That’s not depth.

That’s what is called a roster clogger.

Roster cloggers are not always bad players. That is what makes them dangerous. The obvious bad players are easy to cut. The real problem is the player who gives you just enough hope to keep holding, but not enough production, trade value, or upside to help your dynasty team.

In dynasty, roster spots are assets. Every bench spot you use on a dead-end player is a bench spot you cannot use on a backup running back with real contingent upside, a young receiver gaining steam, a tight end earning routes, or a waiver player whose value could change quickly.

The question is not, “Can I make a case for this player?”

You can make a case for almost anyone in July.

The better question is this: is this player helping me win, helping me rebuild, or gaining value?

If the answer is no, he might be quietly killing your roster and therefore your season.

What Is a Roster Clogger?

A roster clogger is not simply a bad player. A bad player is easy to drop. A true roster clogger is a threat because he gives you reasons to keep holding.

He might have youth on his side.
He might have draft capital invested in him.
He might have flashed once.
He might be tied to a good offense.
He might be one injury away.
He might be a tight end who “just needs time.”

There is always a story.

That’s the trap.

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kincaid

Dalton Kincaid: 2026 TE Skeleton Key or Just Another Part-Timer?

Dynasty / By /

The tight end position is a tough one to pin down in fantasy. You either have one of the elite options who helps you stand above your league mates — just ask anyone who has had Travis Kelce for the past decade — or you’re stuck playing roulette with a bunch of middling options. 

Unfortunately, Kelce’s run is over. The top shelf tight ends are now guys like Brock Bowers, who caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards as a rookie in 2024, and Trey McBride, who set an NFL record for tight ends with 126 receptions last year. Those two stand alone at the top, although some are trying to push Colston Loveland up into that tier. I just don’t think he’s there yet. We need to see more from last year’s No. 10 overall pick before we start anointing him. 

A little further down the rankings, though, sits a very intriguing player — one who, at 26 years old, should be entering his prime. I’m talking about Dalton Kincaid. 

Buffalo took Kincaid in the first round in 2023, and as a rookie, he looked the part. He reeled in 73 catches for 673 yards and two scores in Year 1. The future looked insanely bright. Dynasty managers thought they had the next big thing. 

After that promising start, though, things haven’t been quite as rosy. Kincaid has dealt with several injuries, including a troublesome PCL issue that has been lingering since 2024. That has caused Kincaid to miss nine games and limited him in several others over the past two seasons. 

Last year, he had just a 38.3% snap share (TE70) and ran only 189 routes (TE47), which resulted in career lows in both targets (49) and receptions (39). He still managed 571 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 10.5 fantasy points per game in PPR scoring, good for TE13.

So why am I talking about this guy? 

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jcm

One Question For EVERY NFL Team: Washington Commanders Edition

Dynasty / By /

Welcome back to my One Question series, and thank you to everyone for reading my first installment. I’d love to know what you’ve done or plan to do with George Pickens (WR – DAL) this year. This week, we’re staying in the NFC East.

After a disappointing season following their appearance in the 2024 NFC Championship Game, Jayden Daniels (QB – WAS) and the Commanders didn’t live up to the hype due to an injury-riddled season. After firing offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and promoting David Blough, the offense is headed in a new direction — and there is genuine excitement within the organization about the new offensive style.

My question to the Commanders is: Who is the RB1?

Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB – WAS)

Jacory Croskey-Merritt — aka “Bob” — was a Twitter darling last offseason with only Brian Robinson Jr. in his way, playing alongside 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. What’s not to like? He was primed to take over the Commanders’ backfield and be a league-winner, or so we thought.

Daniels got injured early in the season, tried to fight through it, and ultimately played just seven games. However, even on a bad team with a struggling offense, Croskey-Merritt played all 17 games, totaled almost 900 yards from scrimmage, and scored eight touchdowns — all while playing second fiddle to Brian Robinson Jr. and Chris Rodriguez for most of the season.

Robinson is now with the Atlanta Falcons, and Rodriguez took his talents to Jacksonville. Surely Croskey-Merritt is the favorite to finally make good on his promise as the Commanders’ lead back, right?

One would think. But with Washington adding veteran running backs Rachaad White (RB – WAS) and Jerome Ford (RB – WAS), then drafting sixth-round pick Kaytron Allen (RB – WAS), the question becomes: is Croskey-Merritt the running back on this roster we should trust — or should we take a deeper look at the competition?

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