And For That Reason, I’m Out!

Ryan McDowell Posted On April 19, 2018

I don’t get to watch nearly as much television as I used to, but one show I always catch is Shark Tank. I love everything about this show featuring Mark Cuban and other successful businesspeople working deals for the latest new product. Usually, I find myself rooting for the entrepreneur to get the much-needed agreement with a shark who can take their idea to the next level. Unfortunately, all too often, the sharks end up pointing out the flaws in the product or presentation and ending their diatribe with the phrase “and for that reason, I’m out,” signaling the end of their potential relationship.

Dynasty owners also regularly come to the conclusion that pursuing a partnership is no longer a fruitful investment, but rather than a partner or mentor relationship, of course I’m referring to owning NFL players on dynasty teams. Maybe it is continued disappointment or just one major letdown that turns us away from even being willing to roster a certain player. Whatever the reason, we all seem to have a player or two that, to borrow a phrase from Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, “is dead to us.”

I reached out to the writing team here at Dynasty League Football to find which player they are OUT on and the reason why. Here’s what I learned.

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Alex Rollins

It’s hard to think of many, I like to keep my options open. Greg Olsen is one, I think he’s too close to the broadcast booth. There’s a 90% chance he plays one more year and then does that.

Jeff Haverlack

Melvin Gordon. I loved him coming out of Wisconsin, but I watched as he struggled to translate to the NFL and then struggled with injury. It’s obvious the coaching staff sees him as a back that needs a complement due to injury. He did post a career high in attempts (284) with almost 1,600 yards from scrimmage in 2017, but I simply have no level of trust in him. He could vault into the top five of running backs but it won’t be on any of my rosters.

Kyle Holden

Mine would be Donte Moncrief. I really liked him as a breakout candidate in 2016 and a bounce-back candidate in 2017 (until Andrew Luck remained sidelined) but I have pretty much given up hope on him now.

He has continued to fail to live up to his hype and going to the Jaguars eliminated most of his upside for me. Not only will he be limited by Blake Bortles, but he is now part of a crowded wide receiver group consisting of Marqise Lee, Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook. Without being able to produce what many expected in Indy, I’m not sure how he can in a much worse situation in Jacksonville.

Richard Jenkins

DeVante Parker – a former first-round pick who has never lived up to his potential and ADP (ADP peaked at 18.67 in February 2016). He has never finished higher than WR50 (WR5) in any given season despite playing in 15 games in two of his three seasons and has never finished higher than WR3 on his own team! Jarvis Landry leaving town does not move the meter for Parker either and I fully expect Danny Amendola and Kenny Stills to outperform him. It’s hard to pass on a 25-year-old wide receiver with a first-round pedigree but he will not be on my roster for the foreseeable future.

Adam Tzikas

Generally, I would say this player doesn’t exist. Everyone has a price where I’m on board. If I had to pick one, it would be Tyler Boyd. I really was totally on his train and he’s done nothing with ample opportunity.

Jeff Miller

In terms of actually relevant players, there isn’t one. Without trying to belittle how others approach fantasy, it is a big leap to take players off your board entirely. So, while there are a bunch of players I’m probably less likely to own because of how I value them versus how others do, my game revolves around taking advantage of the market, and there are no players in the NFL you can’t do that with in the right situation.

Michael Zingone

Whew, not roster again is pretty serious. If I had to pick anyone it’d be Kenny Britt. I had so much hope going into last season, and he had tons of statistics from his season with the Rams that pointed him towards fantasy success. Still not exactly sure what happened, but it had to be his fault. I’m done with him, even with Tom Brady.

Spencer Laufmann

Josh Doctson, because every year he presents with massive potential and upside with an increased opportunity. And every year he doesn’t live up to it.

Josh Brickner

Sammy Watkins. There’s no way I’m spending the value of a mid-fourth round pick (ADP 40.33) for a boom/bust WR3 with a detailed injury history. Watkins has been held under double-digit PPR points in 11 of his last 23 games. Let the Watkins truthers in your league fight over the headache of his weekly inconsistency.

Travis May

Chris Conley. I was hopeful he could grow into a solid starter given his freak athleticism and draft stock, but he is now buried beneath Sammy Watkins, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Kareem Hunt for targets. He could get signed elsewhere after 2018 but given his limited resume he wouldn’t be offered a significant opportunity.

Matt Price

D’Onta Foreman. The list of NFL running backs that have returned to relevant fantasy production after tearing their Achilles tendon is a short one. Arian Foster is really the only one and I know he isn’t a great comparison to Foreman because of the age difference, but there isn’t a lot of evidence that running backs can return to their former selves after this injury. It isn’t like an ACL. Remember how excited we were for Mikel LeShoure? LenDale White? How about Kendall Hunter? The injury is a tough one to come back from for any player, but especially running backs and I just don’t see Foreman producing in 2018 and his long-term upside is questionable enough that I’d be happy to sell if I had any shares left.

Jacob Feldman

Kelvin Benjamin is my “no touch” player. I wasn’t ever a huge fan of his, because I didn’t think he had the athleticism to play receiver in the NFL. His “big” rookie year was more of a product of his team not having any other options at the position than Benjamin really being that good. Now that you mix in a major injury in his past which seemed to sap a little bit more of that limited athleticism, you have a very big receiver who really can’t move the way an NFL player should move. Get what you can for him while you can still get something.

Tom Kislingbury

Chris Conley. I was a huge believer but all he ever did was disappoint. It feels like he’s been a drain on my rosters for about five years. He’s the definition of unfulfilled potential.

TJ Calkins

Ameer Abdullah. Facing arguably the least in-house competition of any back in the league, he proved inept and fragile and has relegated himself to needing an injury-plagued team to be cornered into giving him another shot.

Levi Chappell

My player would be Michael Floyd. In our startup draft for a dynasty league about five years ago, I paid $30 for him out of a $200 budget and was a Floyd truther. I believed in his talent and thought he would be the heir apparent to Larry Fitzgerald. Then time went on…and on…and on…I finally cut ties with him after his arrest and will never roster that guy again.

Leo Paciga

Rare is the NFL player who finds himself painstakingly carved into my fantasy football “Book of the Dead” since everyone generally has a price point that’s roster beneficial. There is one player however who bears my wrath, endures my scorn and burns in my “penance stare” whenever he enters my line of sight. His name? Cordarrelle Patterson.

I loved Patterson coming out of college. Yes, I knew he was a bit unpolished. Sure, he mistimed a few breaks and lacked a high level of precision with many of his routes. But wow, could that kid destroy defenders in the open field with his tightrope balance and magical vision. Patterson could not only mystify and bedazzle first level defenders with this unique combination of skills, he could simultaneously set up second and third level attackers like Neo slowing time in a scene from The Matrix. Good hands, brakes that stopped on a dime, speed that oozed for days.

Unfortunately, Patterson has yet to make a splash in the NFL outside of some highlights in the return game and even though he’s now with the New England Patriots for the upcoming season…the wounds of disappointment run deep. In my heart of hearts, I just can’t forgive Patterson for not living up to MY expectations and he’ll forever be the one player I refuse to invest in, no matter the price.

So, there you have it, a variety of players DLF writers have given up on and refuse to roster on their own dynasty teams. Share your own answers in the comments below.

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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.