DLF’s Weekly Impact Events

Ryan McDowell Posted On November 8, 2013

The 2013 National Football League season is more than halfway over. 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.

Miles Austin, WR DAL

The move had been rumored for a while, but the Dallas Cowboys officially announced that veteran wide receiver Miles Austin has been shut down in an effort to give him time to rest and heal his injured hamstring. Rookie Terrance Williams had basically already replaced Austin, so the team clearly saw no reason to rush him back. Austin is signed long-term, but it’s looking like this could be his final season with the team. Austin’s dynasty value is all but gone. If there is an attractive option on the waiver wire, don’t be afraid to say goodbye to the former top wide receiver.

Justin Blackmon, WR JAX

The big news of the week again involved off-the-field happenings as Jaguars star wide receiver Justin Blackmon was suspended for the second time this season. Blackmon missed the first four games after being suspended for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Blackmon only lasted another month before he was busted again. While it is unclear what the exact violation involved, it is clear that Blackmon has a serious problem. He can apply for reinstatement at the beginning of the 2014 season, but there is no guarantee he will be allowed to return. Blackmon has chosen to enter a rehabilitation facility, so hopefully the talented player can turn his life around.

Zac Stacy, RB STL

The St. Louis Rams turned the starting running back job over to late round rookie Zac Stacy about a month ago and all he’s done since then is perform as the second overall running back in PPR leagues. He enjoyed the best game of his career last week as he rushed for 127 yards and added another fifty-one as a receiver and scored two touchdowns. Stacy’s dynasty value has blown up over the past month and he can now be considered a top fifteen to twenty running back.

Jonathan Stewart, RB CAR

Panthers’ running back Jonathan Stewart made his season debut last week with a solid performance, totaling sixty-five yards on twelve touches. Stewart gained more yards than starter DeAngelo Williams and looked healthy doing it. Stewart’s dynasty value had been in a free fall for the past year, but he now has a chance to regain some of that value. If he’s on your league’s waiver wire, he is worth an add and could even be worthy of starting down the stretch.

Nick Foles, QB PHI

The quarterback carousel continued in Philadelphia as Nick Foles was back under center, but this time, the results were as good as anyone could have imagined. Foles tied the NFL record by throwing seven touchdowns in a game to go along with his 406 passing yards. Taking nothing away from an amazing single game performance, expecting Foles to hold down the job for the remainder of the season could be a stretch. Foles has been a hot and cold player during his short career, so I don’t see this as a breakout game, but more of a fluke. Nonetheless, it increases his value and I would recommend checking the market to find what he might fetch in a trade.

Aaron Rodgers, QB GB

Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone in week nine, missing the majority of the game. He’ll also be out of action for at least three week and up to six weeks. The good news is the injury has little affect on Rodgers’ dynasty value or the long-term value of his receiving corps, but the bad news is this injury could cost many owners a championship. I hope you all had a solid backup and had been building that depth that is so important.

Jermichael Finley, TE GB

The Green Bay Packers finally made the decision to place tight end Jermichael Finley on the injured reserve list, ending his season, Finley suffered a scary injury a couple of weeks ago, which was later diagnosed as a bruised spinal cord. He is expected to be able to play again, but as a free agent this coming off-season there is a good chance he has suited up for the Packers a final time. If the team does let him go, Finley’s dynasty value is almost assured to take a hit with any other team, not to mention the severity of his injury.

Andre Brown, RB NYG

Giants’ running back Andre Brown, who suffered a broken leg early in the season, has been activated from the injured reserve list and is expected to play in week ten. It’s perfect timing for the Giants who have been piecing their running game together since Brown and David Wilson both went down with serious injuries. Peyton Hillis and Brandon Jacobs are a couple of the retreads that the Giants have turned to in the absence of their top options. If he can stay healthy, Brown should be a great weekly fantasy option and considering the struggles of Wilson, who was placed in the injured reserve list this week, Brown could earn the starting job for 2014 as well.

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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.