DLF’s Weekly Impact Events

Ryan McDowell Posted On January 10, 2014

The 2013 fantasy football season is over, but the dynasty season is just beginning. As you prepare for next season, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of the news. 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!  Here is a quick look at the events of the past week and how they impact the players on your team.

Robert Griffin III, QB WAS

Much had been made of the late season drama in the nation’s capital, which resulted in quarterback Robert Griffin III giving way to Kirk Cousins for the final three games of the season. That is all behind the Redskins and Griffin supporters now as new head coach Jay Gruden named Griffin his starting quarterback for 2014 soon after he was named head coach. The backup Cousins could have some trade value as multiple teams across the league have a need at quarterback.

David Wilson, RB NYG

It was revealed this week that injured running back David Wilson would require neck surgery, which will happen in the coming weeks. Wilson’s 2014 season is now officially in doubt, as many of us had already feared. General manager Jerry Reese does not expect Wilson to be healthy by week one of the 2014 season, which means he is certainly a lock to miss the entire off-season program, something he needed to improve his gameplay in many areas. Wilson could be called a “sell” in dynasty leagues if he had any value at all.

Dennis Pitta, TE BAL

According to beat writers out of Baltimore, the Ravens are likely to use their franchise tag on tight end Dennis Pitta if they are unable to reach a contract extension. The Ravens offense suffered this season without Anquan Boldin and missing Pitta for much of the year, so they know they can’t afford to lose another top pass catcher. Pitta played well in returning from a serious hip injury and has top ten tight end upside. His dynasty value is still somewhat low after missing nearly the entire season, so he makes a good trade or draft target in dynasty leagues this off-season.

Bernard Pierce, RB BAL

Ravens backup running back Bernard Pierce will have shoulder surgery soon and will be out of action for up to five months. Pierce struggled all season, as did the entire Ravens offense, but now we know at least some of those struggles were due to injuries. Pierce should be able to heal in time for training camp, though he will likely miss OTAs. Pierce makes a good buy low candidate as Ray Rice continues to slow down.

Carson Palmer, QB ARZ

Arizona beat writers said this week that Carson Palmer is expected to remain the starter in 2014. Palmer struggled at times this year, and he was unable to turn wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald into the Fitz of old, but the team succeeded under new head coach Bruce Arians and there are few starting quarterback options on either the trade or free agent markets. The team could select a rookie quarterback in May’s draft in order to groom for the job in the future. Palmer has very little dynasty value but is a decent backup for teams owning a young starter like Robert Griffin III or Colin Kaepernick.

Stevie Johnson, WR BUF

Another local report, this time out of Buffalo, suggests that veteran wide receiver Stevie Johnson could be cut this off-season as a cap casualty. Johnson struggled this season with injuries, an off-field situation and he also failed to build any real rapport with rookie quarterback EJ Manuel. Johnson’s value has taken a huge hit as he has routinely been available to draft beyond the twelfth round of recent dynasty mock drafts. At that price, Johnson is a steal and would make a fine buy low for teams needing an option at WR3.

Ladarius Green, TE SD

Chargers tight end Ladarius Green had another strong game last week, this time in a big road playoff win against the Bengals. Green caught three passes for thirty-four yards and a beautiful leaping go-ahead touchdown. Even more importantly, veteran starting tight end Antonio Gates caught only one pass. Expect Green’s role to continue to grow in 2014, while Gates is another player who could be a cap cut. Green has top five tight end upside and should be a top trade target, if it’s not too late.

TY Hilton, WR IND

Colts wide receiver TY Hilton starred in the Indianapolis comeback win over the Kansas City Chiefs last week, catching thirteen passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Hilton set career highs for targets with eighteen, as well as receptions and yards, yet he still seems to be a polarizing prospect. Some consider him near the top ten wide receivers, while others call him a must sell. Reggie Wayne should be back next year and it would not be a surprise if he reclaimed the role of top receiving option.

Jerrel Jernigan, WR NYG

New York Giants head coach Tom Couglin mentioned wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan this week, saying the player looked like a different man this season. In the past, Jernigan had struggled with fumbles and injuries, but the final month of the season, Jernigan seized his opportunity and had at least six catches in the team’s final three games following the season-ending injury to Victor Cruz. If you want to read more about Jernigan, check out this piece by our own Dan Meylor.

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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.