DLF’s Weekly Impact Events
The 2013 National Football League season is underway. You have to pay close attention to everything 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!
Each week there are many news items that are important and helpful in the day-to-day managing of your fantasy team, yet have little affect on the dynasty value of players. Because of this, I will not be mentioning those here. 
Here is a quick look at the events of the past week and how they impact the players on your team.
Alshon Jeffery, WR CHI
Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery exploded in week five, catching ten passes for 218 yards. This is the second consecutive week that Jeffery has set yardage career highs. Star wide receiver Brandon Marshall was very complimentary of Jeffery, saying he would break all Bears’ receiving records before his career ends. Jeffery’s dynasty value is quickly on the rise and he is turning into a weekly fantasy starter. He didn’t fare as well against the Giants last night, but take that as an opportunity to buy if you can.
Justin Blackmon, WR JAX
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon returned to the field following his four game suspension and quickly made his presence felt. Blackmon caught five balls for 136 yards and a touchdown. There was some question about how Blackmon would fare in his return. After all, fellow wideout Cecil Shorts was the most targeted pass catcher in the entire league, not to mention the struggles and inconsistency at the quarterback position in Jacksonville. Blackmon answered those questions and quickly regained some dynasty value, which had faded when news of his suspension broke. Combining Blackmon’s age and ability puts him in the conversation with other top twelve wide receivers.
Dwayne Bowe, WR KC
Chiefs’ wide receiver Dwayne Bowe caught four passes for just 35 yards in the team’s week five matchup against the Titans. Bowe continues to struggle with changes at the quarterback position and a new head coach. He has just seventeen receptions on the season and has failed to eclipse sixty receiving yards in any game this year. It’s hard to envision things turning around for Bowe considering the team’s success early in the season. They are winning by using running back Jamaal Charles all over the field and giving Donnie Avery more targets than he’s seen in years. Meanwhile, Bowe’s dynasty value is plummeting. He could be a good buy low option if you believe he turns this around.
Kenny Britt, WR TEN
Another formerly valuable dynasty asset whose stock is fading fast is Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt. Britt only managed one reception for nine yards in week five and has just six catches on the season. He is a free agent following the conclusion of the season and it’s now clear this will be his final season in Nashville. In fact, his name has popped up often in trade rumors, though it’s unclear if any team is willing to gamble on the trouble wide receiver. Britt’s dynasty value is nearly gone altogether and can likely be had very cheaply. Surprisingly, Britt is younger than some of the current crop of rookies and obviously has the talent to succeed in the league.
Zac Stacy, RB STL
The St. Louis Rams running game has struggled this season, no matter who has been the lead back. It’s no surprise Head Coach Jeff Fisher would give rookie Zac Stacy a shot at the starting job, which is just what happened in week five. Stacy started against the Jaguars and rushed for 78 yards despite being banged up with a rib injury. Stacy’s performance was reportedly good enough to remain the starter heading into week six. The reality is none of the quartet of Rams running backs, which also includes Daryl Richardson, Isaiah Pead and Benny Cunningham is the likely long-term starter for the Rams or fantasy teams. For now, Stacy is the one who is seeing his dynasty value increase, while Pead is the biggest loser of the group, clearly landing himself in the doghouse.
Terrance Williams, WR DAL
In the high-scoring Broncos-Cowboys game in week five, Dallas rookie wide receiver Terrance Williams had a breakout game, catching four passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. Williams struggled with some basic mistakes early on in the season and nearly lost his job as the team’s third wide receiver. Instead, he has stepped up in place of the injured Miles Austin. Williams may have just earned enough playing time to supplant Austin on a full time basis. Obviously, his dynasty value is on the rise, though he can still be had for a reasonable cost.
Matt Schaub, QB HOU
In the Houston Texans loss to the San Francisco 49ers, starting quarterback Matt Schaub was benched in favor of TJ Yates. Schaub began the game by throwing a pick six for the fifth consecutive game, the first time that has happened in NFL history. His play didn’t improve from there and Schaub was relieved of his duty, for that game at least. It now looks like Schaub will again get the start heading into week six, but any dynasty value that the veteran had left is nearly gone. Yates also has no dynasty value and it seems likely the Texans will be searching for a new starting quarterback this off-season.
Josh Freeman, QB MIN
Despite a late push from the Buffalo Bills, quarterback Josh Freeman, recently released by the Buccaneers, chose to sign a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Freeman will not start in week six, but is expected to become the team’s starter soon. With some solid receiving options, he has a chance to regain some dynasty value and value across the NFL as he nears an off-season of free agency. It is obvious the Vikings have called an end to the Christian Ponder era. With so much poor quarterback play across the league, Ponder will likely get another shot at some point, but has no dynasty value currently.
Garrett Graham, TE HOU
With veteran tight end Owen Daniels injured and expected to miss multiple weeks, the door is open for backup tight end Garrett Graham to earn increased playing time. Graham will start in Daniels’ place and has already played well in his limited time this year. Graham was solid for Texans a year ago, setting career highs in nearly all receiving categories, yet he has already matched his touchdown total of 2012 and has more than half of the receptions and yards he had last season. If Graham is somehow still on the waiver wire, he’s a great add, with an eye towards even more value next year, when he could be the Texans’ starting tight end. Daniels should retain some short-term value once he returns in a few weeks, but should no longer be counted on as a fantasy tight end beyond this season.
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB IND
There had been multiple reports over the past couple of weeks regarding the status of Colts’ running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who was dealing with a neck injury. Bradshaw got multiple opinions before choosing to rest and hope he could play again at some point this season, but has now opted for surgery. The procedure will end Bradshaw’s season and, most likely, his Colts’ career. Bradshaw had to endure a long wait before he found any interest last off-season so this could be the end of his career. He can be dropped in most dynasty leagues, unless you can stash him for free on the injured reserve list.
Julio Jones, WR ATL
The biggest news of the week surrounded Falcons’ stud wide receiver Julio Jones, who was placed on the injured reserve list and will miss the remainder of the season due to a fracture in his foot. The break in Jones’ foot is the same area of the foot in which he suffered a break two years ago. The specifics of Jones’ injury have been compared to the well-known foot troubles endured by the aforementioned running back Ahmad Bradshaw. If this proves true, Jones’ long-term dynasty value takes a huge hit. We’ve seen other injured wide receivers value tumble after injuries, specifically Percy Harvin and Michael Crabtree. While Jones’ value will clearly be affected, he is one of the top tier dynasty players and is still worth a ton in all formats. If you can buy low from a worried owner, make that move, but don’t expect too much of a discount. As a friend of mine said, the discount is that he’s available at all.
David Wilson, RB NYG
Here’s some more injury news for a big name in the world of fantasy football, this time involving Giants’ running back David Wilson. Wilson has struggled early in the season, but seemed to be getting back on track in week five when he scored early in the game. On the next series, Wilson was stuffed on a play, resulting in a neck injury that is reportedly disc-related. Wilson will be out of action for a number of weeks and will be replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs started and played well Thursday night, though it’s difficult to expect consistency considering what we’ve seen from the Giants offense this year. For Wilson, his dynasty stock has taken a huge hit, not only because of the injury, but his poor play as well. If you are still a Wilson believer, now is the perfect time to buy!
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