Spooky Dynasty: Should You be Afraid of These Players?

Bobby Koch Posted On November 1, 2019

Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays growing up. My mom used to go so overboard with decorations that our house often ended up in the local paper. I would patrol the yard as a grim reaper in my teen years, and even pretend to be a statue that kids could push over. When they would turn around, I’d slowly get back up and freak them out. That is until one little girl saw it happen and cried her eyes out. I quit being the grim reaper later that night.

What does this have to do with fantasy? Well, I’m sure we all have players that are making us feel like that little girl did on our dynasty teams. By the time you read this, it won’t be Halloween anymore, but I asked Twitter users what players are scaring them on their dynasty teams this Halloween. I figured I’d give some of my personal feelings on those players.

Davante Adams, WR GB

Adams is scaring his owners because he’s had a case of turf toe that has kept him out since week four of this season. Through those four weeks, Adams was the WR17 and 22nd among wide receivers in points per game. It’s certainly not what people who were paying top-five dynasty receiver prices for him had in mind.

Is Adams truly someone to be afraid of or is it possible that there is an Old Man Jenkins’ hiding under his monster mask? Well, two of the teams he played against when he was on the field were the Bears and Vikings. Both teams are known for having excellent defenses.

What about his turf toe? That’s a bit scarier. We saw AJ Green have surgery on his toe because of this last season. In the past, we’ve also seen Julio Jones deal with turf toe but bounce back from it very well.

Everyone recovers differently, but the most recent reports are that Adams was able to put in some on-field work last week. While pushing off his right foot still hurts him according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, it’s notable progress. Hopefully, we will see Adams back on the field sooner rather than later, especially since the Green Bay offense seems to be really clicking lately. Regardless, I’m not worried about his long-term viability.

Verdict: Buy low if anyone is panicking. If you can get him for the equivalent of two firsts I’d start there.

Brandin Cooks, WR LAR

Cooks was a common response to my Twitter question. This one hurts to admit because I’ve been a big Cooks supporter in the past, but I totally understand why. He has suffered from two concussions this season, and he had one last year as well. Concussions are an unfortunate part of the game, and when they start accumulating, they can really keep a player sidelined.

Additionally, Cooks has been more boom-or-bust than usual this year. Not including week eight where he barely played, Cooks was only WR29 through seven weeks – and WR46 in points per game. We all knew that Jared Goff liked Cooper Kupp as his safety blanket, but we underestimated just how much a healthy Kupp would impact Cooks.

In the past, I’ve referred to Cooks as Cookie Monster and that seems appropriate for how he should be making you feel. He’s signed with the Rams until 2023, and unless traded has huge dead cap hits. The crowded wide receiver room plus the piling up injuries means you’re justified if Cooks is giving you a case of the Sunday Scaries.

Verdict: Sell if anyone is still willing to give you a top-30 price for him.

Le’Veon Bell, RB NYJ

Another common answer here was Le’Veon Bell. I understand how elite he was before sitting out for a year. I also understand being hopeful about the Jets offense for this season with a step forward from Sam Darnold.

However, unfortunately for Bell owners and Jets fans alike, Darnold has either been sick this season or seeing ghosts. The ghosts he saw against the Patriots were so spooky he threw the ball at the sidelines rather than his receivers to make them go away. The following game, the Jacksonville Jaguars mascot got in the Halloween spirit by dressing as a ghost. That was apparently spooky enough to force Darnold to have another bad game.

What has this meant for Bell? Well, he’s been RB17 on the year and is 15th in points per game. Given how the Jets have played, and the fact that their quarterbacks have included such names as Trevor Siemian and Luke Falk, that’s very impressive.

Bell was signed to a hefty contract this past off-season, and he’ll at the very least be starting somewhere in 2020. I have to imagine that if he stays with the Jets, they’ll at least be improved from this season.

Verdict: Try to buy for a late first from a panicking owner if contending. Sell for any first if rebuilding.

Baker Mayfield, QB CLE

There’s nothing scarier than a quarterback who speaks their mind. At least not if you ask NFL execs. I’m sure if you asked most of his fantasy owners how they’re feeling right now, they’d be a little scared about Baker Mayfield as well.

I don’t think this is how anyone expected Mayfield to follow up the season in which he broke the rookie record for passing touchdowns. In a season where it seems like almost every starting quarterback has gone down with an injury, Mayfield has found himself as QB24 through eight weeks of the fantasy season. Additionally, among quarterbacks who have had at least three starts, he’s only 26th in points per game.

This is the Browns team that traded for Odell Beckham in the off-season and was supposed to make a playoff run! What happened? Some have argued that Freddie Kitchens is maybe a better play-caller than a head coach and should already be fired.

While it’s hard to know exactly what is going on with the Browns, I believe they will improve. Baker showed too much promise in his first season to give up on him now. Young talented quarterbacks are hard to come by in superflex leagues, so buy the panic while you can.

Verdict: Try to buy for two firsts in superflex leagues.

That’s going to do it for me. What players are scaring you this year? Feel free to tweet your thoughts @RekedFantasy and I’m happy to discuss it with you!