RADIO
Brandon Murchison evaluates the current dynasty football league trade market for NFL players. First is an in-depth look at the NFC East at which players are risers or fallers.
As the calendar turns to summer, NFL training camps are right around the corner. With that, preparations for upcoming fantasy leagues ramp up. While a lot of owners are getting excited for 2020 re-draft leagues to get going, dynasty formats are what are on the main stage at the moment. We are in a difficult time in 2020. With the pandemic still causing issues for teams in terms of practices, it is hard to gauge the values on players without seeing them on a practice field. That is where the market watch comes into play. It is more of a refresher to get you caught up on where the values lie on players from a dynasty perspective.
The NFC East was perhaps the worst division in football in 2019. But the talent that they have in dynasty in somewhat intriguing. The quarterback position is young and might be the strength of the division. Carried by Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz, there is some QB1 value to be had. Although the Redskins are still seeing what they have Dwayne Haskins, the Giants Daniel Jones has the upside to emerge as a low-end QB1 as soon as 2020. With solid QB play comes production from the receiving position. Outside of the Eagles, the tight ends leave a lot to be desired, but there are receivers in this division that can be foundational pieces of a dynasty team.
At RB, you have two studs leading the way (Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley), but the Eagles' Miles Sanders is rapidly ascending up the rankings for this group. The Redskins have a depth chart full of options, but the worry is that these players could hinder each other and prevent one from truly emerging as the top option. In a startup, the top three in this division will come off the board very quickly. But as for seasoned leagues, it will require a lot of capital to acquire these names for your roster. Let's jump into the NFC East and see just where the dynasty market lies on some of the players. As you prepare for upcoming drafts or potential trades, having that insight leaves you better prepared.
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Philadelphia Eagles
The 2019 division champions, the Eagles were not the highly productive fantasy offense that we've come to know. Injuries took their toll on this passing attack, but Carson Wentz still managed a QB1 finish. The team brought in plenty of help this offseason at the receiver, which should put this offense back where they belong in terms of fantasy production.
TRENDING UP
Carson Wentz- Even with the issues at WR, Wentz managed to finish top-five in both attempts (607) and passing TD (27). With the additions at WR, the hope is his efficiency can improve in 2020. He is currently moving up the ranks at the position and could potentially put together another great season in this offense.
Miles Sanders- He is the darling of the fantasy community heading into the 2020 season. Everyone is high on him and there is some reason for this. Even with a 53.7% snap share a season ago, he quietly put together a top-15 season. On the strength of his receiving ability (50 receptions for 509 yards), Sanders proved to be a viable PPR asset. Without bringing in another veteran to replace Jordan Howard, Sanders is in line for a large jump in production in 2020 and should be viewed as an RB1.
Jalen Reagor- The dynamic play-maker from TCU, Reagor gives the Eagles a threat on all levels of the field. He scored 22 TD in three seasons in college and has a nose for the end-zone. He'll be behind two veterans on the depth chart as the 2020 season begins (Alshon Jeffrey and DeSean Jackson), but Reagor's ability will quickly find favor with the team. He has the potential to be the top scorer for the Eagles as a rookie, but look for Reagor to ascend to the team's top wideout by 2021. Increasing his value in dynasty formats.
John Hightower- A player that dynasty owners should keep an eye on. The Eagles receiving corps could look vastly different in 2021 with Hightower factoring in for a larger snap share. He is more athletic than J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and could be a nice complementary piece to Reagor. He is cheap in value at the moment and worth a stash ob your roster.
TRENDING DOWN
Jalen Hurts- The excitement of Hurts' potential was skyrocketing as the NFL Draft neared. But when the Eagles pulled the trigger on him, his value immediately took a hit. He was a highly productive player in college and was steadily improving as a passer. He now finds himself sitting behind Wentz and will need an injury to find significant playing time. His ADP has fallen drastically and is essentially free in drafts. Unless you are looking to stash him on your roster, there is no immediate fantasy value for him.
Zach Ertz- I will get plenty of flak for this one, but Ertz is a player that I am currently selling in dynasty. Sure, he remains to be one of the best players at the position. His snap share (90%) and targets (134) all are considered elite. But with the increase in talent around him and Dallas Goedert breathing down his neck, Ertz could start to see his numbers decline. In dynasty, it's better to get value for a player at their peak as opposed to wait for the decline.
Alshon Jeffery- The talented veteran of the receiving group, Jeffrey is seeing his time as an Eagle draw to a close. He's not had a 1,000-yard season since 2014 and injuries have begun to take its toll. He could be a threat in the red-zone in 2020, but when it comes to being a PPR asset, those days are gone.
Dallas Cowboys
After wasting the 2019 season with loads of talent, the Cowboys decided to add a little more to the mix for the 2020 season. The offense will continue to be based around Ezekiel Elliott and the running game. But so much more responsibility will be placed on franchise-tagged Dak Prescott to prove that he can compete with the better teams in the league. The Cowboys now have arguably one of the best casts of talent in the league and should be highly productive for fantasy. But will the players vulture one another?
TRENDING UP
Dak Prescott- It's hard to say that a QB that finished as a top-three player at the position in 2019 is trending up, but with all weapons returning and the addition of rookie CeeDee Lamb, Prescott is doing just that. He was very efficient a season ago. Although he was outside the top 10 in pass plays per game (38.8, 13th), he finished third in fantasy points per game (21.0). Now he finds himself playing with a franchise tag as the front office looks for him to prove it before paying the big bucks. He will be in the mix as the next QB off the board after Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes and should be drafted as such. His dynasty value is largely tied into whether or not he stays in Dallas, which I expect that he will.
CeeDee Lamb- His surprising selection to the Cowboys had some owners devaluing him from a fantasy perspective early on. But after some time, it has become evident that his talent presents a problem on this offense. He was electric in college with 1,000 yards seasons in each of the last two and 25 touchdowns over that span. Yes, he sits behind Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup on the depth chart currently, but once they hit the field, he will be hard to ignore. His ADP is in a prime spot to buy right now and may only increase. With the team likely to move Gallup before the 2021 season, Lamb may become a solid WR2 sooner rather than later.
Blake Jarwin- With the departure of Jason Witten, snaps and targets have now opened up for Blake Jarwin to take advantage of. He flashed potential at times in 2019 and finished 6th in yards per targets (8.9). If you give Jarwin half of Witten's 63 receptions in 2020, you have a player that will be a solid TE2 that could give you TE1 potential in certain matchups. He is also be vastly overlooked by fantasy owners at the moment.
TRENDING DOWN
Tony Pollard- Pollard had a very solid rookie campaign, but was not the PPR asset that you may be led to believe (only 15 receptions). He could very well increase his snap share in 2020 (19.3% in 2019), but the offense will continue to focus on Elliott. For me, Pollard is a player that I'm only interested in if I also own Elliott. Pollard as a stand-alone option on your roster has a limited upside.
Michael Gallup- Gallup had a solid 2019 campaign finishing as a borderline WR2. He was top-24 in targets (112) and reception yards (1,107). But he also led the league in drops (11), which could be a reason the team brought in Lamb. Whether it is a rumor or not, the team has at least entertained the thought of moving Gallup. That should put a major hit on his potential value and dynasty stock.
New York Giants
It seems as though the Giants have made the successful transition from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones. The offense appeared to get back on track with Jones under center as he provided a QB that could extend plays and allow others to find open spaces. It especially helped Saquon Barkley, who after battling a mid-season injury, looked to be back to old form during the fantasy playoffs and should again be one of the more sought after players in redraft and dynasty. This Giants offense as a whole could be trending up, but with the addition of Jason Garrett as OC, there may be bouts of inconsistency from the team.
TRENDING UP
Daniel Jones- Jones is on the right path, but still needs to round out the edges to his game. He ranked in the top 10 in pass plays per game (40.6, 7th), but he was also one of the league's worst in dangerous plays (51, 2nd). With a full offseason under his belt and a full year as the starter, Jones will be a valuable QB2 in 2020 with QB1 upside in certain matchups. If the team can find more weapons to place around him, Jones could become a steady QB1 producer in dynasty for several years.
Darius Slayton- There were times in 2019 in which Slayton looked to have a solid connection with Jones in the passing game. He was among the leaders in yards per route (15.4) and average target distance (14.1), which led to his eight receiving scores on the year. But once Sterling Shepard returned, the targets in this offense became muddied. Slayton is a player to buy at the moment with his ADP as WR41 (PPR). That should only increase as practices begin as he can consistently put together WR3 scoring weeks.
Kaden Smith- A name to keep an eye on for dynasty owners. He was on the field a ton for the team (94.6% snaps) and became a factor in the passing game once Evan Engram was sidelined for the year. If something were to happen with Engram, or the team dealt him away, Smith could come in and play at a very high level. He is free in drafts currently and could be a player you can acquire in dynasty for next to nothing.
TRENDING DOWN
Golden Tate- With only 49 receptions on the season, Tate was a disappointment to fantasy owners. Add in the fact that most of his damage was done with Shepard off the field and you have a receiver that is hard to trust. For me, he is third on the depth chart with this team and could be expendable after the 2020 season. Not a player that I'm looking to hold on my dynasty rosters.
Evan Engram- As mentioned earlier, Engram could be a player the team looks to move on from. Injuries remain to be a question with him, as he missed eight games in 2019 and the Giants have a capable and cheaper option behind him. He was just outside the top tier in receptions and yards among TEs (44 for 467) and is still valuable in fantasy, but his future is cloudy as should be his dynasty appeal.
Washington Redskins
Sporting the worst offense in the division, the Redskins have some work to do if they are looking to compete anytime soon. They have some weapons to work with on offense, but it all boils down to the progression of Dwayne Haskins. If Haskins can take the next step forward, the Redskins could provide fantasy owners with some intriguing options in dynasty formats. But if he begins to falter, the team will need to start over once again. The big question will be how new HC Ron Rivera shapes this offense moving forward.
TRENDING UP
Dwayne Haskins- I'm not sure Haskins can go anywhere but up at the moment. Rivera will look to accentuate what he can do well in hopes to hide what he can't do. If he can become a quality game manager and utilize his short to intermediate throws, he has the weapons that can excel in open space. Haskins is a low-end QB2 that could develop into a strong matchup play and quality backup for dynasty owners.
Antonio Gibson- I can't express this player's good graces enough as I have for months now heading into the NFL Draft. He is a big play waiting to happen (12 touchdowns on 71 touches in college) and could be just what the Redskins need in a player to help open up the field. He will get snaps as both a running back and receiver. Sure, the depth chart at RB is crowded at the moment (Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson), but it may be hard to ignore what Gibson brings to the table. Rivera himself has already stated that he has some Christian McCaffrey qualities to his game. That alone should raise an eyebrow for a player you can draft on the cheap and will present Flex play consideration most weeks. Get him cheap while you can.
Steven Sims- Sims was a player that was largely invisible for most of the 2019 season. But as we got into the playoff run, he was a strong play as a WR3 with four touchdowns in the last three games. Although his season-high in yardage was only 81 (Week 17), he was looked at consistently and grew a connection with Haskins down the stretch. Sims is a player that you can still grab late in drafts or acquire for a cheap price at the moment, but look for that to begin to rise over the summer.
TRENDING DOWN
Derrius Guice- Many are still holding out hope for an emergence of Derrius Guice but it appears that ship may have sailed. Injuries again robbed his 2019 season (five games played), but during his time on the field, he only provided one quality start. The leash appears to be short for Guice with the depth behind him and the team could also move on from him after the 2020 season. Don't be the owner that gets stuck with dead weight on your roster.
Kelvin Harmon- Harmon had a lot of expectations coming out of college, but the landing spot with the Redskins appears to not be a fit at all. He was largely ineffective throughout the 2019 season and has lost his grip on the hopes of moving up the depth chart. With the emergence of Sims and the selection of Antonio Gandy-Golden, Harmon should now be off the fantasy radar for owners in dynasty formats.
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