DLF’s Weekly Impact Events

Ryan McDowell Posted On March 30, 2013

The 2013 fantasy football off-season has begun. You have to pay close attention to everything in order to stay on top of your dynasty league. For most of us, we do well to steal some time away from our families and jobs to watch the games on Sunday. It becomes difficult to monitor the daily happenings around the league and even more demanding to process how that news affects your dynasty team.

That’s why we’re here!

Now that we’ve entered the off-season, the next few months will be filled with rumors. Much of the “news” will be speculation about the futures of individual players. While this can be important, it can also be a challenge to determine the validity of certain reports. I will included many of these reports and share my opinion about how the player’s value might be affected, for better or worse.

Here is a quick look at the events of the past week and how they impact the players on your team:

Carson Palmer, QB OAK

Although it’s not yet official, it seems like only a matter of time before the Oakland Raiders release former starting quarterback Carson Palmer. Palmer was scheduled to make $13 million in 2013, which made it inevitable that he would not be in silver and black next season. Palmer is reportedly eyeing NFC West teams, the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals as possible landing spots. Palmer’s dynasty value is in flux. If he does land the starting gig for the Cardinals, he could post even better fantasy numbers than last season when he finished as QB12 in the fourteen games he started and finished, as he missed the majority of the season’s final two games.

Matt Flynn, QB SEA

Rumors are flying that Seattle backup quarterback Matt Flynn is on the verge of being traded to the Oakland Raiders. Flynn would be the favorite to start for the team in 2013, though other reports out of Green Bay have questioned his arm strength and long term potential. I am not a believer in Flynn. Should he be dealt to Oakland, his dynasty value would take a immediate spike, at which time I would suggest trading him to a quarterback needy team.

Jermichael Finley, TE GB

The Green Bay Packers had a big decision to make earlier this week regarding starting tight end Jermichael Finley and the deadline came and went, meaning Finley will be back with the team in 2013. Conventional wisdom indicated the Packers would either restructure the contract that would pay Finley over $8 million in 2013, or release him outright. Instead, they did neither and Finley will be back with the Pack for at least one more season. He has taken much criticism from fantasy owners, but he is still being valued as a low end TE1 in dynasty startup drafts.

Greg Jones, RB HOU

The Houston Texans signed fullback Greg Jones, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones is obviously not worth a roster spot, but he could have a big impact on one of the game’s top stars, running back Arian Foster. Jones is among the top lead blocking fullbacks in the league and should pave the way for many Foster runs this season. Foster’s value obviously remains very high, although some are concerned with his low yards per carry last season.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR FA

Following his release by the Oakland Raiders, Darrius Heyward-Bey has garnered interest from both the Indianapolis Colts and the Detroit Lions – both would be great fits for Heyward-Bey and his speed game. The former Maryland wide receiver was a disappointment for the Raiders during his four years there, failing to break 1,000 yards receiving and hauling in a total of ten touchdowns after being drafted in the top ten of the 2009 draft. Heyward-Bey makes a great buy low target for dynasty owners as he can still be had at a very low price.

Jason Campbell, QB CLE

The Cleveland Browns have promised to bring in competition for the starting quarterback job and this week, they added veteran Jason Campbell to battle Brandon Weeden, who the team seems intent on replacing. Campbell has bounced around the league the past few years and struggled in his brief stint in Chicago as Jay Cutler’s backup. Neither player should really be on the radar for dynasty owners, except for those in two quarterback leagues.

Fred Davis, TE WAS

Free agent tight end Fred Davis re-signed with the Washington Redskins, choosing them over the Buffalo Bills. Davis had a rough 2012 season, lacking chemistry with starting quarterback Robert Griffin III, then tearing his Achilles. Although both would be dings against Davis’ dynasty value, the Redskins lack weapons in the passing game outside of wide receiver Pierre Garcon, so Davis could see a large number of targets, if he is fully recovered from his injury. Davis’ dynasty value took a tumble after his disappointing play and injury, but he is still in the large tier of low TE1/high TE2 and makes a fine backup behind a young player like Jermaine Gresham or Dwayne Allen.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB FA

Since being released by the New York Giants, running back Ahmad Bradshaw had received little interest from teams around the NFL. This week, he visited the Pittsburgh Steelers and even took a physical. Although he left town without a contract offer, The Steelers are said to still have interest in signing Bradshaw. His dynasty value has predictably dropped a significant amount and once he signs, will rise slightly. Bradshaw and the Steelers are a good match as the team lacks any starting caliber running backs, though Bradshaw must prove he is healthy.

Kendall Hunter, RB SF

Local beat writers report running back Kendall Hunter is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation for his Achilles injury and he should be ready for the start of training camp. If the report is accurate, this is great news for Hunter and the 49ers as he should be in line to reclaim his role behind veteran starter Frank Gore. My concern is it seems like every player recovering from a serious injury is “ahead of schedule.” Regardless, Hunter makes a fine buy low target for dynasty owners, especially owners of Gore or LaMichael James.

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Ryan McDowell

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

In addition to his senior leadership role here at DLF, Ryan is also a husband, father of three and PE teacher. Ryan is the commissioner of multiple dynasty leagues, most notably the Kitchen Sink Dynasty Leagues. Here at DLF, Ryan’s focus is on identifying, monitoring and analyzing player value.