dynasty value

rome

Best Dynasty Value for Each NFC North & South Team

Dynasty / By /

*To gauge market value, positional rankings in this article were pulled from FantasyPros’ Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR)*

NFC North

Chicago Bears – Rome Odunze (WR25)

Everyone seems to have forgotten how electric Rome Odunze was in the Bears’ first four games last season. He had four top-20 finishes and averaged 19.9 fantasy points per game during that span. Sadly, his season was later derailed by a foot sprain, and he never looked like quite the same player after that. 

Hot finishes from Luther Burden and Colston Loveland to end the 2025 season have created a nice buy window for Odunze. Let’s not forget, this is a young player (23) who was a top-10 draft pick just two years ago. With D.J. Moore now in Buffalo, a healthy Odunze has a chance to become Caleb Williams’ top target earner going forward.

To access the rest of this article, login or become a member. control room correct size

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Best Dynasty Value for Each NFC North & South Team Read More »

rice

Using Redraft to Improve Your Dynasty Team: Vol. 3

Dynasty, Strategy Content / By /

This is one of my favorite series to write every offseason. If you’re new here, the concept is simple: even though redraft and dynasty are two completely different games, there’s still a ton of value in holding them up side by side. If a player is being drafted heavily in redraft but is dirt cheap in dynasty, that’s the market telling you something. And if a veteran player is propped up in dynasty but the redraft market has moved on, that’s your cue to sell while you still can. 

Underdog ADP is about as sharp as it gets in the fantasy space, since every contest has real money on the line, hundreds of thousands of teams are drafted each year, and the ADP updates constantly. When that many people are putting dollars behind their opinions, you pay attention. So while dynasty managers are thinking three years down the road, we can use that redraft signal to find guys who are undervalued right now and identify the ones you should already be moving while their value is still inflated

To access the rest of this article, login or become a member. control room correct size

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Using Redraft to Improve Your Dynasty Team: Vol. 3 Read More »

loveland

Building My Dynasty: A Full Startup Draft Breakdown

Dynasty / By /

In today’s article, I’m breaking down my most recent dynasty startup draft, covering everything from my draft strategy to player values and roster construction. The goal is to leave you with a few ideas you can take into your own startup drafts this offseason. In this particular draft, I was able to construct a team I believe can compete in Year 1 while being built for long-term dominance. With the help of the DFF Dynasty Control Room, I was able to maximize value by reviewing consensus big boards and checking “top players available” with every pick. According to DFF consensus, it paid off, as I finished with the best draft class in the league.

To access the rest of this article, login or become a member. control room correct size

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Building My Dynasty: A Full Startup Draft Breakdown Read More »

kylepitts

Best and Worst Picks in Dynasty Startup Drafts: Rounds 5-8

Dynasty / By /

I’m bananas for Burden. This is about the area I like to start swinging for upside, and Luther Burden has it in droves. He finished his rookie year on a strong note and ended up with 652 receiving yards and two scores on 47 receptions. But it’s the underlying metrics that get me all hot and bothered: WR2 in target separation (2.62), WR3 in yards per route run (2.79), and WR4 in QB Rating per target (123.1). With D.J. Moore now in Buffalo, Burden is set to take on a larger role in Ben Johnson’s offense going into Year 2. 

Fade: Quinshon Judkins (RB – CLE)

There’s a lot to like about Quinshon Judkins; I just wish he wasn’t in such a bad situation and coming off serious leg injuries. He broke his fibula and dislocated his ankle in his right leg late in December. That’s a tough thing to come back from, even at 22 years old. He’ll be fine eventually, but even before that, he only averaged 3.6 yards per carry behind a piss poor Cleveland offensive line. His 12.1 fantasy points per game were only good for RB25. Maybe in Round 6 or 7, I can talk myself into it. But in the fifth round, I want a rock-solid back I can feel good about. I don’t get that feeling with Judkins.

To access the rest of this article, login or become a member. control room correct size

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Best and Worst Picks in Dynasty Startup Drafts: Rounds 5-8 Read More »

mcmillan

Best and Worst Picks in Dynasty Startup Drafts: Rounds 1-4

Dynasty / By /

Fresh off winning Offensive Player of the Year after a brilliant 2025 campaign, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the perfect cornerstone to build your dynasty team around. He only recently turned 24 years old and has been as durable as they come, never missing a game in his three-year career thus far. With back-to-back seasons of over 100 catches, JSN is the focal point of Seattle’s offense and should continue to be for years to come. He’s an easy click in Round 1 if I have the chance to draft him. 

Fade: Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)

Older than you might think, Joe Burrow will turn 30 before the 2026 season concludes. And while he’s not an immobile statue in the pocket, he really doesn’t add much fantasy production with his legs. For him to pay off first round draft capital, Joe Brrr needs to have extreme outlier seasons in the passing department. He’s capable of it — like in 2024 when he threw for 4,913 yards and 43 scores — but he’s also missed substantial time in three of his six pro seasons and remains an injury risk. 

To access the rest of this article, login or become a member. control room correct size

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Best and Worst Picks in Dynasty Startup Drafts: Rounds 1-4 Read More »

mcgowan

2026 Dynasty Rookie RB1 Analytical Model: Rankings 5 to 1

Dynasty, Rookie / By /

After years of proven success with my WR1 Analytical Model outperforming NFL Draft Capital at predicting future fantasy success of rookie wide receiver prospects, I unveiled the RB1 Analytical Model last year.  Similar to my long-running WR1 model, which you can find here, this RB1 model was developed using a recipe of the most predictive advanced college statistics that prior NFL fantasy superstars exhibited. 

The goal of these analytical models is to outperform draft capital, as it should. After all, fantasy managers are trying to accumulate the most fantasy points. NFL teams are trying to win football games. For example, in 2024, Bucky Irving and Tyrone Tracy were drafted 6th and 12th in the NFL draft among running backs. The model ranked them 4th and 6th, respectively. 

You can find last year’s 2025 RB1 post-draft published model here. Our model was largely in line with draft capital, with 7 of the first 8 players selected in the NFL draft also in the model’s top 7. A big outlier came a little later. Our model ranked Jacory Croskey-Merritt 11th overall, despite the NFL drafting him 26th among all running backs. 

Now on to the 2026 class. 

This 2026 running back draft class isn’t good. It isn’t bad. No. It is downright atrocious. In these model series, I can typically find 15 “draftable” running backs and wide receivers with ease. Last year, 26 running backs were drafted. This year, even with a terrible overall 2026 class, I don’t have 15 running backs with a “draft-worthy” grade.

You can find the rankings for players 15 to 11 here. 

You can find the rankings for players 10 to 6 here. 

5. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska | RB1 Model Score: 38.0

Based on historical comps, Emmett Johnson’s RB1 Model score of 38.0 gives him a 34.1% chance of having at least one top-24 fantasy season in his career.

Historical Players With Similar RB1 Model Scores:

emmett johnson

The Good

Outside of Jeremiyah Love, Emmett Johnson seems the most likely to secure a role for an NFL team. Why? He is an excellent receiving back. He led all running backs in this class with 30.8 receiving yards per game and 3.8 receptions per game. This earned him 25 points towards his overall RB1 score. 

To access the rest of this article, login or become a member. control room correct size

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

2026 Dynasty Rookie RB1 Analytical Model: Rankings 5 to 1 Read More »

tlaw

My First Dynasty Startup of 2026: Draft Review

Dynasty, Strategy Content / By /

Today, I’ll be walking you through my most recent dynasty startup draft that just wrapped up. If you know me or listen to the Always Be Scouting podcast, you know I’m always in a draft somewhere. This was my first dynasty startup of the year, and I wanted to break it down and walk through how I built this roster.

This is a 1QB, 16-team league, and the rookie draft is separate. The scoring setup matters a lot. Tight ends get a boost with 1.5 PPR, and first down points; wide receivers get full PPR, and running backs only get half. Passing touchdowns are also worth 7 points. So going in, I already knew wide receiver was going to be a big focus for me.

Draft Strategy / Team Build

I didn’t go in locked into one plan, but I knew I wanted to build around wide receivers and keep long-term value in mind. At the same time, I didn’t want to punt the season. I wanted a team that could compete now.

Quarterbacks

In a 1QB league, I didn’t feel the need to force the position early. Lawrence ended up being my QB1, and I felt good getting him there. Lawrence had his best year under Liam Coen last year. I feel like he’s finally starting to live up to that #1 overall status from 2021. With passing touchdowns worth 7 points, that’s a solid value. After that, I waited and added depth. Sanders is more of a long-term bet, and Leonard and Pickett are just depth pieces.

Running Backs

I took Jeanty early to lock in a top option. That gave me a foundation at running back. Under new HC Kubiak, Jeanty is poised for a breakout year, especially with the Raiders addressing their QB situation with the Cousins signing, possibly drafting Mendoza with the #1 overall pick, and improving the O-line in the 2026 draft. 

Henderson brings upside, but there’s some risk there. I think in 2026, we’ll see more of him in the backfield after coming off one of the most productive rookie seasons in a Josh McDaniels offense. 

Kyle Monangai had an impressive rookie season and is pushing for more opportunities in 2026. 

Make no mistake, Gainwell has shown he can still produce as part of a one-two punch. Now heading to Tampa Bay, he should continue to fill that passing-down role even with Bucky Irving there. 

After that, I didn’t chase the position too hard. With only .5 PPR for RBs, I was fine adding depth and upside later instead of forcing picks.

Wide Receivers

My First Dynasty Startup of 2026: Draft Review Read More »

dak

Projecting Top Fantasy QBs for 2026

Dynasty / By /

In this article, I’ll be reviewing data from the past four seasons to predict the next top 12 fantasy football quarterbacks. I started by analyzing the top 12 quarterbacks by points per game in each season for the past 4 seasons, identifying a total of 26 players.

Next, I focused on quarterbacks who achieved multiple top 12 seasons — not just one-hit wonders. This narrowed the list to 15 total quarterbacks.

Josh Allen Patrick Mahomes Brock Purdy Jalen Hurts
Lamar Jackson Dak Prescott Trevor Lawrence Bo Nix
Daniel Jones Joe Burrow Baker Mayfield Jared Goff
Kyler Murray Jordan Love Tua Tagovailoa

These are the 15 guys I will be looking at closely in this article. 

    • 15/15 averaged more than 23 PPR in their best college season
    • 15/15 threw for more than 5000 yards in their college career
    • 15/15 threw for more than 40 touchdowns in their college career
    • 14/15 passed for more than 175 yards a game (Hurts)
    • 14/15 rushed for more than 10 yards a game (Goff)

  • 14/15 averaged more than 20 PPR a game in their college career (Love)
  • 14/15 had more than 2 touchdowns to interceptions ratio (Jones)
  • 14/15 had more than 300 rushing yards in college (Goff)

    • Description.

    To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Projecting Top Fantasy QBs for 2026 Read More »

fannin

Reviewing My Top Dynasty Exposures

Dynasty / By /

If you’re a portfolio dynasty player (I’d put the threshold at around eight or more leagues), it’s worth periodically checking your overall dynasty exposures to make sure your ownership percentages actually reflect your player takes. Tracking player exposure helps you identify where you’re underweight and looking to add, and who you might want to sell to avoid being over-leveraged. I use Dynasty Data Lab for this, and the dynasty offseason is the perfect window to review your exposures.  In today’s article, I’ll break down my top 10 most-owned players and share my thoughts on each from a dynasty perspective. To keep this article focused solely on impact players, I’ll just be looking at the first 12 rounds of startup ADP. 1. Harold Fannin (TE – CLE) – 41.2% ownership Fannin was a major third-round target for me in last year’s dynasty rookie drafts, coming off the most productive tight end season in college football history. He was overlooked due to his athletic limitations and the poor competition he faced at Bowling Green (both legitimate concerns), but the discount was simply too large, considering his production profile. I’m thrilled to have so many shares of what I believe is a clear Top 5 dynasty TE, and I acquired most of these shares for a fraction of his current price.  2. Colston Loveland (TE – CHI) – 35.3% ownership Another 2025 rookie prospect who was a major target of mine in the latter part of the first round. I loved everything about Loveland’s college profile; he was elite from a per-route perspective,

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Reviewing My Top Dynasty Exposures Read More »

goff

The State of QBs & TEs in Early 2026 Startups

Dynasty / By /

Can you smell that? Yep, it’s startup season. Most of the big names on the market have found new homes via free agency, so some player values have shifted since the end of the 2025 season. And they’ll shift again soon, with the NFL Draft less than a month away.  After jumping into some 2026 startups recently, I wanted to share my thoughts on the quarterback and tight end markets. Here’s what I’m seeing at those two spots with some suggestions on how to attack them in drafts.  Quarterbacks The number of quarterbacks being selected in round one of Superflex drafts is as low as I’ve seen in years. Gone are the days of six or seven signal-callers flying off the board early. Managers want the elite running backs and wide receivers at the top and are willing to bypass QBs to get them. Right now, it’s Josh Allen and Drake Maye as the only constants, and even those guys are slipping in some instances. I just got Allen at pick 1.04 in a startup, then followed it up with Lamar Jackson at 2.09! Imagine getting that duo just one or two years ago — you would’ve had to trade away most of your middle-round selections to make that happen. After Allen and Maye, you’ll usually see Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow, or Caleb Williams go later in the round, but I’ve also seen them fall to the second. Hard to hate the value there. If you’ve ever wanted Patrick Mahomes, I’ve got good news for you: he’s never been cheaper.

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

The State of QBs & TEs in Early 2026 Startups Read More »

young

QBs on the Chopping Block: Planning for the 2027 Class

Dynasty / By /

There was an interesting question posed by a subscriber in our DFF Discord this past weekend, following this tweet being posted:  Seeing the potential that the 2027 draft class has at the quarterback position, Josh asked this:  It’s an excellent question, and one we need to be asking ourselves for dynasty purposes. Obviously, a good number of guys from McShay’s list above either won’t pan out as first-round talents or will elect to stay in college for the 2027 season if they have remaining eligibility. But there are additional guys not on this list who could end up being first-round selections. Josh Hoover. John Mateer. Maybe DJ Lagway finally has that breakout season everyone’s been waiting for. Maybe Drew Mestemaker’s G5 dominance carries over into the P4, and he emerges as a top pick. It’s hard to project any of this so far out, but for the sake of this exercise, let’s take McShay at his word and treat the 2027 QB class as the “historic” one he’s calling it. Who will these quarterbacks be taking over for? Let’s take a look at the guys whose jobs may not be as secure as we think. These names may be good sell candidates in dynasty for you, especially on a team that’s rebuilding or retooling.  The Top “Cut” Candidates I’ll kick off my list by covering the quarterbacks I feel have the most to prove this coming season and will likely be out of a starting job by 2027 or sooner.  Geno Smith (NYJ) – Geno is the most obvious quarterback

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

QBs on the Chopping Block: Planning for the 2027 Class Read More »

stowers

Eli Stowers: The Tight End Built for the Modern Game

Dynasty, Rookie, Rookie Player Profiles / By /

Modern tight ends have one job above everything else: catch the football. Blocking matters. Athleticism matters. But if you can’t be trusted in traffic, none of it plays. Eli Stowers gets that. And it’s why his transition from quarterback to tight end has turned into one of the most impressive developments in college football. Stowers didn’t just convert positions. He became the focal point of Vanderbilt’s offense. In 2025, he led all FBS tight ends in receiving yards, and he did it by winning the same way every NFL tight end has to win: hands, feel, toughness, and consistency. At 6’4” and around 235-239 pounds, Stowers isn’t built like an old-school in-line blocker. He’s built like a modern weapon. And he plays like one. Production That Matters The breakout didn’t come out of nowhere. It was built year by year. In 2025, Stowers caught 62 passes for 769 yards, the most receiving yards by any tight end in the country. He averaged 12.4 yards per catch and played all 12 games as a centerpiece of the offense. The year before, he put up 49 catches for 638 yards and 5 touchdowns, earning First Team All-SEC honors and Mackey Award semifinalist recognition. Across three seasons at Vanderbilt and New Mexico State, he finished with 146 catches, 1,773 yards, and 11 touchdowns. That’s not gadget production. That’s real usage. How Stowers Wins Stowers catches the football first. That’s the foundation. He has strong, reliable hands and shows comfort working through traffic. He doesn’t panic when bodies are around him. He secures the

To access the rest of this post, you must login or purchase a DFF Membership.

Eli Stowers: The Tight End Built for the Modern Game Read More »