Dynasty Risers and Fallers - Cam Akers, Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson

January 17, 2021

RosterWatch provides dynasty football league news and updates all offseason, including a weekly look at value risers and fallers. This time, we look at QB Russell Wilson, QB Lamar Jackson, and RB Cam Akers.

Welcome to the second edition of our weekly dynasty risers and fallers column, hosted by RotoBaller. Each week, we will provide dynasty GMs with movement in the RosterWatch Dynasty Rankings. We will highlight players who have gained or lost value recently.

Last week, we looked at a top-tier WR, breakout TE, and rookie QB with questionable value. This time, we'll look at a pair of elite quarterbacks and a rookie whose value is shooting through the roof based on a late-season surge.

This column was written by Alan Seslowsky (@alanseslowksy) and provided to RotoBaller by our friends at RosterWatch.

Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL)

Age: 24
Movement: Rising
Previous Rank QB9
Updated Rank QB6

After the 2019 season, Lamar Jackson was considered a consensus top-two QB in dynasty startup drafts. In FFPC Superflex contests, experienced players took him number one overall at times. His historic 2019 MVP season was a good reason to be optimistic about the young QB’s mammoth upside. Jackson not only boasted 36 TD:6 INT as a passer, he was also a top-six RB on his rushing stats alone. Even the “regression police” firmly cemented Jackson as a locked and loaded top-five Superflex pick in dynasty. Drafters of Jackson were relatively disappointed in his first two months of 2020, where Jackson was hovering around QB10. He wasn’t the reason your team was losing, but he certainly wasn’t the reason you were winning weeks, like in 2019. Those who were forced to be patient with Jackson were pleasantly rewarded right when it mattered most.

In the all-important fantasy weeks of 13-17, Jackson returned to his 2019 fantasy form averaging over 30 fantasy points per game. His 30 fantasy point performance in the Wild Card game this weekend, along with his first postseason victory continues his positive momentum up our dynasty ranks. We expect Jackson to have a first-round Superflex ADP in dynasty drafts. At 24 years old, the only QBs RosterWatch prefers over him right now are Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen, and Justin Herbert. He's a terrific medium-term asset. 

Russell Wilson (QB, SEA)

Age: 32
Movement: Falling
Previous Rank QB3
Updated Rank QB7

The laws of fantasy football physics dictate that when one player moves up, another player must fall. Wilson has had a tale of two very different seasons in 2020. We will preface this by stating we do not see a decline in Russ’ performance from the first two months of 2020 to the end of the season. The ranking change for Wilson is based on the change in offensive philosophy by the Seahawks. Russ was the QB3 from weeks 1-9. During the stretch run of weeks 10-16, Wilson finished as the QB14. His final season-long rank is QB5, putting dynasty drafters in an uncertain position, especially in Superflex formats.

In one-QB format, there will be other options if you want to pass on Wilson. In Superflex, you will still need to spend a late first-round pick to get him. Wilson is older than the other players in the top six, but at 32, he still has plenty of peak football ahead of him. RosterWatch still believes in his talent, weapons, and his fantasy viability. The soft finish to the 2020 season is concerning enough to drop him out of the top three QBs in dynasty startup drafts, which means he actually may begin providing a nice value at lower ADPs. 

Cam Akers (RB, LAR)

Age: 21
Movement: Rising
Previous Rank RB16
Updated Rank RB12

Cam Akers was a surprisingly polarizing fantasy ranking coming into his rookie season. Akers was not included in the “elite tier” of prospects that included Taylor, Swift, Dobbins, and CEH. The consensus was that he belonged no higher than RB5 in the class. The first two months of the 2020 season, drafters of Akers were left uncomfortable as his games were filled with inactives, and marginal usage. The Rams backfield was mostly the dreaded committee of three and unpredictable.

Starting in Week 12, The Rams committed to Akers, and he produced fantasy-relevant numbers from that point forward. Over that important stretch of games, Akers finished as the RB16, deeming him an every week starter. At the age of 21, Akers has a plausible path to be a low-end RB1 for the next couple of seasons. His performance in the wild card round will undoubtedly put him square on the radar of early dynasty startup drafters. 

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