Dynasty Capsule: Washington Redskins
Every year we give our premium content members a team-by-team, player-by-player look at the NFL season that was. The coverage will be in-depth, but because the Dynasty Capsule series begins immediately after the season, we won’t use it to discuss free agency or the draft. Come see us in early May once Mr. Irrelevant is off the board for another 32-article series giving you the same detailed discussion you’ll see below.
Buckle up dynasty fans, because you’re about to be reminded why our motto is, “There is no off-season.”
QUARTERBACK
Alex Smith (JAN ADP: N/A)
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Smith passed for 2,180 yards and ten touchdowns in ten games before he broke his leg against the Houston Texans, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. It was one of the most gruesome injuries in sports history, and the injury will put his career in jeopardy. On top of the injury, he has undergone multiple surgeries to combat infection. According to Ian Rapoport, the Redskins are not planning to have him back for the 2019 season.
Smith will be 36 years old at the start of the 2020 season. There’s also a chance that he won’t ever play again. Unless you are in a deep superflex league where a starting quarterback is a priceless commodity, it might be safe to drop him at this point. I would hold him as long as possible before I make the cut just in case he makes an early return.
Colt McCoy (JAN ADP: N/A)
McCoy filled in for Smith until he broke his leg against the Philadelphia Eagles in week 13. If the Redskins were in the hunt for the playoffs he would have started in the season finale. He’s signed with the team through 2019, but he could be a potential cap casualty considering he won’t cost anything against the cap if the Redskins decide to cut him.
Even though he won’t cost you a dime to acquire in dynasty, it doesn’t mean you should go out of your way to roster him. The team is more than likely going to bring in a free agent this off-season and possibly draft another quarterback.
Josh Johnson (JAN ADP: N/A)
Johnson did the Redskins a solid by suiting up and playing for them for the final four games of the season. He was signed to fill the void for the Redskins since both Smith and McCoy both suffered season-ending injuries.
Mark Sanchez (JAN ADP: N/A)
He will be a free agent this off-season. Sanchez might find himself as the third-string quarterback on a roster somewhere or coaching the quarterbacks at his local high school. Either way, you are not targeting him in dynasty.
RUNNING BACK
Derrius Guice (JAN ADP: 35.00, RB15)
The Redskins drafted Guice in the second-round of last year’s draft. An ACL tear suffered in a preseason game caused him to miss his entire rookie season. He was a top-five pick in rookie drafts last year and one of the most coveted young players in the league before the injury. Considering he missed the entire season, his value hasn’t dropped. He’s currently being valued as RB15 in startup drafts which is fair value because he is forecasted to be the team’s feature back in the near future.
Nearly 5 months later #httr pic.twitter.com/vsjeNQvnM3
— DG (@DhaSickest) January 15, 2019
As you can see from the video clip posted above, Guice’s knee is good to go and it looks like he will be starting training camp 100 percent healthy. The buying window has officially slammed shut and his price should only increase during the off-season.
Adrian Peterson (JAN ADP: 195.67, RB71)
After the Redskins found out that Guice was out for the year, they quickly hit the waiver to find a replacement. They signed Peterson to a one-year, $1.015m contract. After his first few games with the team, it was easy to see that he had a little bit left in the tank, rushing for 90 yards or more in seven games this season. The 33-year-old running back finished the season fifth in rushing while averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
Even though it feels like Peterson is sneaking by the inevitable, father time always wins. Retirement will soon rear its ugly head. His dynasty value has him earmarked as almost free, but there are a lot of other directions you could with that pick that would present more long-term upside. I don’t advise trading for him until we know if he’s actually going to be on a team next year.
Chris Thompson (JAN ADP: 166, RB59)
A rib injury slowed Thompson down last season, preventing him from suiting up in weeks 9-12. Even though he played hurt, he made the most of his opportunities, tallying 41 catches for 268 yards on 55 targets. The Redskins’ quarterback merry-go-round may have also affected Thompson’s receiving output. He’s signed with the team through 2019 and if they can get a reliable quarterback at the helm, then Thompson might be looking at a bounce-back year.
At his current price, he’s worth taking a look at. His receiving chops make him a decent flex option in PPR leagues. I expect Guice to eat up the carries, but I still think there’s value for Thompson in the passing game. If you prorate his 2018 statistics, he would have finished the season with 65.6 catches for 428.8 yards. It’s not tremendously exciting, but he did play with Johnson and Sanchez at quarterback during the last few games of the season.
Samaje Perine (JAN ADP: 232.33, RB83)
On top of missing a fair amount of games due to him being a healthy scratch, Perine also dealt with injuries throughout the year. It’s not a given that he will be on the Redskins’ roster at the beginning of next season. A change in scenery might be best for him. No matter where he’s at, he will need to pick up the pace if he wants to ever be a key contributor to an NFL team.
Rob Kelley (JAN ADP: N/A)
Kelley will be a restricted free agent this off-season. Since there’s a surplus of talented running backs in the draft and through free agency it’s hard to make a case for the Redskins to keep him around. It would take a cataclysmic event for him to be a fantasy relevant asset again.
Byron Marshall (JAN ADP: N/A)
Marshall has played in 13 games and accumulated 105 rushing yards over the last three seasons. With Guice and possibly Peterson on the roster, Marshall is more than likely going to be testing free agency this off-season. He is best left on your waiver wire.
WIDE RECEIVER
Jamison Crowder (JAN ADP: 142.33, WR62)
Over the years, Crowder has built the reputation as a consistent PPR threat in dynasty, racking up 59 catches or more in each of his first three seasons in the league. In just nine games last year, seven in which he started, he was able to reel in 29 balls for 388 yards and two touchdowns. An ankle injury slowed him down this year, causing him to miss weeks six through 12. He also suffered a groin injury in the third preseason game that he had to rehab in order to play in week one.
According to ESPN, Jay Gruden views Crowders as a key priority to re-sign this off-season. This proves he’s regarded as a valuable part of the team. If he re-signs with the Redskins, then he might be in line for a heavy workload. The competition for targets isn’t fierce and he could rise out of the abyss as the team’s WR1. Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched: he could sign with a different team or the Redskins could invest heavily at the wide receiver position through both the draft and free agency. Anything can happen.
Josh Doctson (JAN ADP: 219.50, WR89)
Even though he has shown flashes of greatness from time to time, Doctson has never been able to get his career off the ground. 2018 was his most productive season, catching 44 passes for 532 yards and two touchdowns. Nagging injuries inhibited his play during some parts of the season. No matter how you shake the stick, he still failed to surpass 550 yards in his first three seasons. He’s signed with the team through 2019 and unless he has a breakout season, the Redskins are not going to pick up his fifth-year option. The 26-year-old wide receiver prospect is nothing more than a flier in dynasty. I wouldn’t hold too much stock at this point. It’s fine to buy a few shares on the cheap but limit your exposure to mitigate the risk.
Paul Richardson (JAN ADP: 222.00, WR92)
A shoulder injury prematurely ended Richardson’s 2019 campaign. He is signed with the team through 2022 and he should get plenty of opportunities to make an impact. There’s a lot of ambiguity in Washington’s offense and at a WR92 price point, the entry fee to obtain Richardson makes him a safe investment. He’s an upside play to have stashed away at the end of your bench just in case he hits.
Michael Floyd (JAN ADP: N/A)
He will be a free agent this off-season. It’s not certain he’s even going to be on a team when the season starts. The odds of him exceeding expectations and hitting his perceived potential from a few years ago are slim to none.
Jehu Chesson (JAN ADP: N/A)
Chesson is an interesting prospect. He packs the size and athleticism to be a breakout candidate if he ever gets the opportunity. The Redskins have him signed with the team through 2019 on a cheap deal, but he will need to play his heart out in training camp if he wants to remain on the roster. A talent-laden draft class could inject some fear into some of the middling prospects in the league.
Darvin Kidsy (JAN ADP: N/A)
The Texas Southern product will need to play lights-out in training camp if he wants to make the team. He went undrafted last year and spent most of the season on the Redskin’s practice squad. Kidsy is not a tremendously talented athlete which means the odds are stacked against from ever developing into a fantasy relevant commodity.
TIGHT END
Jordan Reed (JAN APD: 201.17, TE25)
A slew of injuries prevented Reed from being all he could be in 2018. With a promising career that has been rail-roaded with injuries, he will turn 29 before the season starts. The injuries prevent him from being a dependable fantasy asset, but his price has fallen to a point where it’s almost palatable to take a chance on him.
Reed is one of the most productive tight ends in the game when he’s healthy and has a decent quarterback slinging him the ball. However, he has yet to play a full 16-game season and it’s hard to rely on him as your TE1. With the offensive depth chart being a mess going into the off-season, his dynasty owners should be more apt to sell him on the low. He’s a good add for depth if you can get him at a reduced cost on the trade market.
Vernon Davis (JAN ADP: N/A)
At 35 years old, Davis’ best years are behind him. He’s signed for one more year with the team and then he’s off to free agency. Obviously, he’s going for a song on the trade market and in most leagues, he’s sitting on the waiver wire. Don’t roster him unless you’re desperate.
Jeremy Sprinkle (JAN ADP: N/A)
Ever since he entered the league in 2017, Sprinkle has seen limited action in the passing game. This will be his third season in the league and there’s a possibility we could see him take a leap forward in his development. With Reed’s injury history and Davis about to collect Social Security, Sprinkle might see himself seeing some additional work next season. As of right now, he’s a player you can leave on your waiver wire.
Matt Flanagan (JAN ADP: N/A)
Flanagan was an undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh. He’s not an elite-level athlete and is more suited for pass blocking. In order for him to become a key contributor to the offense, he will need to leapfrog some of the other tight ends on the depth chart.
JP Holtz (JAN ADP: N/A)
Holtz is under-sized and under-athletic. The odds of him being on the team next season are slim to none. Don’t count on him ever producing in your fantasy line up.
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