Dynasty Capsule: Washington Redskins
As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re again going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.
We’re almost done as we finally hit the Washington Redskins.
After a 4-12 record in 2014, the Washington holds the fifth pick in the NFL Draft. Our Nick Whalen and George Kritikos had the team selecting Dante Fowler Jr and Jake Fisher in rounds one and two of their latest mock draft, and most media outlets also have the team addressing outside linebacker or offensive line early. After a year where they had no quarterback in the top 30, no running back in the top 16 and no receiver or tight end in the top 20, can their skill position players bounce back for your dynasty teams?
Quarterbacks
Robert Griffin III (25)
RGIII is among a group of players who enjoyed peak dynasty value during (or just after) their rookie year. It happens often: they explode onto the scene, we get drawn in and then we expect them to keep up the astonishing early numbers or even improve. However, it has all been downhill since then and I believe it has got to a point now where he is a good buy. Even with the flaws we have seen in his passing game, he is still a more valuable quarterback than Kirk Cousins. He has weapons, and will (hopefully) have his health behind an improved offensive line, and I like him as a year-long starter with the weekly potential to throw some deep bombs to DeSean Jackson.
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Kirk Cousins (26)
Seemingly every year, a backup quarterback will relieve an injured or underperforming starter, have a couple of good games, and become a player who “should be starting somewhere” (see Kevin Kolb, Matt Cassel, Josh McCown and more). Cousins enjoyed a five game stretch of 18+ fantasy points, but four of those five games were losses and he was eventually hooked for Colt McCoy. Washington may receive calls from QB-desperate teams closer to the start of the season, but for now he has said he will come back and compete with Griffin. As with any backup quarterback, I wouldn’t want to own him except as a handcuff in superflex/2QB leagues.
Colt McCoy (28, UFA)
A typical ‘journeyman,’ McCoy might bounce around the league for a couple more years as a backup, but at this point he’s not worth owning.
Running Backs
Alfred Morris (26)
Always underappreciated, I was almost tempted to leave Morris off this list and see if anyone would notice. After his first two years, I thought of him as a consistent RB2 type, but looking further into his 2014 season revealed that he wasn’t the most trusty back despite scoring almost exactly the same amount of points in the past two seasons.
He had a more big games, but he was also insignificant in your lineup during half of the season. However, if that was Morris on a down year, I can’t wait to see what he can do under new offensive line coach and run-game genius Bill Callahan.
Roy Helu (26, UFA)
Helu’s ADP is one to watch this offseason. Our Eric Hardter, in a February DLF Mailbag, spotlighted him as an undervalued back to target this offseason and outlined Indianapolis as a potential landing spot that would give him the chance to be a feature back. However, Rotoworld’s Evan Silva envisioned a Helu/TJ Yeldon combination in Atlanta and I lean more towards him being in a committee. I haven’t seen enough from him to suggest he can be a workhorse, and with the plethora of options at the position in the upcoming draft, he may not be given a clear path to that role by any team. If he is, make sure he is not this year’s Toby Gerhart.
Silas Redd (23) and Chris Thompson (24)
Washington has two young, inexperienced backs waiting in the wings. While I expect Redd to see a slightly increased role, it seems as though the team is looking to bring in a veteran to replace Helu rather rely on these two players. They have reportedly shown interest in both Justin Forsett and CJ Spiller.
Wide Receivers
DeSean Jackson (28)
In typical fashion, Jackson continued his consistently inconsistent fantasy production with huge games followed by ones where he was invisible. He has had two fabulous fantasy seasons (WR11 in 2009 and WR12 in 2013) and will always be the hit-and-miss type that can win you a matchup single-handedly. If he can build a rapport with a healthy Griffin over a full year, he could easily be back in the top 12 at the end of the season. With an ADP of WR38, he is a fairly cheap option who has the chance to do this or this any given week.
Pierre Garcon (28)
I’ve never seen the appeal with Garcon, and as I found out when searching for consistent greatness last year, the majority of his points seem to come all at once in just a small number of games. Again, in 2014, he had two significant games and the rest were duds. There have been rumblings the team may ask him to restructure a contract that is due to give him $9.7m this year and $10.2m in 2016, but realistically it will be difficult to do, and it seems likely that he will be on the team with the same contract next season. If the offense as a whole improves, Garcon might have more of a chance at fantasy-relevant games, but I’m not going out of my way to acquire him.
Ryan Grant (24)
My 2014 draft notes on Grant read, “solid receiver with good hands, but no standout qualities” and he certainly didn’t do anything to stand out in his rookie year. He won’t beat out the two men ahead of him any time soon, but will hope to improve enough to see more action in 2015. There is no real appeal here until we know his role moving forward.
Andre Roberts (27)
Hands up if Andre Roberts ever won you a fantasy football game. Yeah? Unless you played him that one week against Miami in 2012, you’re lying to me.
Santana Moss (35, UFA) and Leonard Hankerson (26, UFA)
Kudos to Santana for 14 years in the league, but with only ten receptions last year; his time may be up. Hankerson will test free agency so stay tuned if he ends up in a good spot, but I see no reason to own him right now.
Tight Ends
Jordan Reed (24)
At a position where anyone after Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham seems interchangeable, I might take a chance on Reed with a February ADP of TE14. He showed some great potential in his rookie year, but just can’t seem to beat the injury bug; missing another extended spell early in 2014. Coming off a zero-touchdown year, I believe the only way is up. The team may, however, bring in a blocking tight end which could take him off the field if they attempt to be more run-heavy.
Niles Paul (25, UFA: Re-signed: Three years, just under $10 million)
Drafted as a wide receiver in 2011, it took Paul until early 2014 post any significant fantasy numbers. Even then, he had just one game with over nine points and didn’t score more than six points or have more than three catches in any game after week five. Paul will continue to do great work on special teams, but I expect Reed to hog targets in the passing game.
Logan Paulsen (28)
Paulsen offers no dynasty value at this point.
Talk Griffin comeback, Morris love and Jackson highlights with James @JS_Football.
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As well as editing for DLF, James writes for Sky Sports and can be found on Twitter at @JS_Football
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