The Keeper Corner: 2019 Stashes and Trade Targets

Keeper leagues fill a unique niche in fantasy somewhere between redraft and dynasty. Because they hover in a sort of nether region between those two huge formats, the content can be on the light side. I’m here to help straighten you out. Keeper selection is key to your team’s success, and this is the time of year to hone in on some guys to think about for next year. Every year I try to give a few suggestions on players to target depending on how many players each team can keep. This does not take into account any mechanics around how keepers work, these are pure player value plays. This also might be a good time to read my article about team evaluation – it helps to know where you stand before making your off-season moves.

Since I do this every year, I thought it would help to take an honest look at the picks I made last year. As is usually the case, I won some, and I lost some. For my three-four keeper league picks, I hit on four out of six picks. If you managed to pick up Patrick Mahomes, George Kittle, Aaron Jones or DJ Moore, you’re probably happy right now. I did markedly worse with five-six keeper leagues, only hitting on Christian Kirk and Mike Williams, and I don’t call either of those a big win. Sorry about all that. The good news is I made almost a clean sweep on my picks for seven-eight keeper leagues: Marlon Mack, Matt Breida, Derrick Henry, Tyler Lockett and Chris Carson all hit, and only an unnamed Cleveland quarterback prevented the perfect record.

If I can do just as well with this year’s picks, I’ll be a happy camper. Enough with the pleasantries and navel-gazing, let’s get to those picks!

Three-Four Keeper League Targets

DJ Chark, WR JAX

Chark has been on the rise virtually all season. The second-round pick from 2018 never really caught on with most dynasty owners in a big way. His combination of size and elite (4.34) speed were enticing, but his landing spot in lowly Jacksonville didn’t exactly tip the scales in his favor. He only played in ten games his rookie year, and couldn’t even reach 200 yards of receiving. But then 2019 happened. Through nine games, he sports a 43/692/6 line. The good news is that a lot of folks still don’t realize he’s the WR12 in PPR formats, with room to rise. A good young player to land.

TY Hilton, WR IND

Now might be the right time to strike with a player like Hilton. Sure, Andrew Luck is off playing golf or whatever he’s doing, but even with Jacoby Brissett, Hilton has produced when healthy, as he’s the WR13 in points per game. That “when healthy” is the entire key to his potential availability. Is his current owner tired of the issues, more worried about the lack of Luck, and just plain ready to move on? Now, Hilton is approaching 30, and he will also be a free agent in 2021, but he still has the talent to help you win a championship.

Allen Robinson, WR CHI

I know. Mitchell Trubisky scares you. He scares me too, and I’m a Bears fan so I have to deal with it directly. But even with poor quarterback play, ARob has been showing the league how he had such a monster season oh so many seasons ago. He’s still got it, and if Trubs can improve or the overall offense improves in Chicago, he could really start to produce. He has the looks of a true professional with several good years in front of him. And he also comes with a Trubisky discount. Take advantage of it.

Marlon Mack, RB IND

Another Colt, really? Yes, really. The offense is far from dead, and head coach Frank Reich seems to have some kind of magic formula that is curing the loss of Luck. Mack is a fine example of a player who everyone doubts but just keeps producing. He’s not a world beater in the mold of Ezekiel Elliot or Alvin Kamara, but you aren’t getting those guys in most leagues. He’s currently the RB19 which is underwhelming at best, but when he returns to action after injury and moving forward, he has a solid floor in Indianapolis and can help you win weeks here or there. I’m not saying he should be your RB1, but he’s a great RB2 with potential for more. And, again, he’s going to be affordable.

Le’Veon Bell, RB NYJ

If I had put Bell’s name down here two years ago, I’d have been kicked off the DLF staff. Well, not really, we’re more chill around these parts. But the thought that you can perhaps get a guy with his talent in a three-four keeper league has massive appeal. I know he hasn’t really put it together this year, but the Jets have been in trouble all around. From what I’ve seen, Bell still has the talent to be a game-breaker, things just need to get a little better in Gotham. There’s a fair chance his current owner is worried, and ready to get out of the opportunity arises. Take advantage of that.

Evan Engram, TE NYG

I don’t need to tell you that the tight end position is a total nightmare, you’ve been living it. Have you had the pleasure of starting a Jonnu Smith or Jordan Akins this year? Yeah, I thought so. Engram is one of the few bright spots this season. He’s the TE7 in both total points and points per game, and that’s with the combination of Eli Manning and Daniel Jones throwing him the ball. I expect improvement from Danny Dimes, and that will only help to push Engram higher as well. He can be had because owners in three-four keeper leagues often avoid keeping tight ends. Don’t be that owner.

Five-Six Keeper League Targets

Hunter Henry, TE LAC

I’ve been a strong believer in Henry since I wrote a rookie profile on him back in 2016. He’s also one of the tight ends who taught me what to look for in the position. What is that, you ask? It’s not size, it’s not speed, it’s not even hands – it’s the whole package. For tight ends to be successful, I think it’s more important than other positions that they know how to play football. I know the injuries are scary, but when he’s on the field he’s a top-ten or possibly top-five tight end. In this tight end landscape, that means something.

DK Metcalf, WR SEA

This might be a tougher get, but a young wide receiver with his talent and situation is worth the effort. Maybe the owner doesn’t quite know what he has, and you can take him away. Metcalf looks the part of an NFL wide receiver at 6’3” and 228 pounds. He’s had an explosive rookie year, and should be in the discussion for offensive rookie of the year. He also has a pretty good quarterback throwing him the ball in Seattle. Like I said, it won’t be easy, but I am saying “there’s a chance!”

Terry McLaurin, WR WAS

We move on to another rookie wide receiver, and this one was a bit more under the radar coming into this season. Drafted in the third round by Washington, the former Ohio State product has middling measurables and middling tape. But then he got on the football field. Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and so far that is certainly the case with McLaurin. He also has his college quarterback Dwayne Haskins throwing him the ball from here on out.

Lamar Jackson, QB BAL

Another oft-undervalued position in keeper leagues is quarterback. Savvier owners will expect to be able to field a decent QB without spending keeper slots on them. But some guys just must be had, and if you ask me Jackson is now one of those guys. He has a huge floor coupled with a massive ceiling. In other words, he’s money in fantasy. Jackson is currently the QB2 in fantasy, but that’s only because he has had his bye and Russell Wilson has his this week. Get him, get him now.

Marquise Brown, WR BAL

A rising tide lifts all boats. It doesn’t work out in politics, but it does in fantasy. If you have a top offense, you want to have the pieces that make it work. Brown has electric talent, and Baltimore is only scratching the surface with him thus far. As Jackson improves in the passing game, a lot of that work has to go Brown’s way. He’s also one of the most “gettable” players in this grouping, as he’s only the WR40 right now, but he has missed a couple of weeks due to injury.

Mark Andrews, TE BAL

I’ll keep the Raven love going here. I feel like some of their guys are still a little undervalued right now. I think the same players on the Saints or Packers would be untouchable. You know how I said Hunter Henry taught me what I like in tight ends? Mark Andrews fits the same mold. He’s not an athletic freak, he’s a football player through and through. He’s also a type 1 diabetic playing NFL football and you have to respect that dedication. He blew up early, and has cooled down just enough to make him attainable. Fix your tight end spot for the next few years with a guy like Andrews.

Seven-Eight Keeper League Targets

TJ Hockenson, TE DET

If you haven’t noticed, I’m a fan of tight ends. Since it’s such a wasteland, if you get it right, it can give you a huge advantage. Hockenson is another fine example of an all-around player. He can stay on the field all the time for his blocking ability, and also has the right tools to make a difference as a pass-catcher. He’s been inconsistent (as you should expect of any rookie) but has shown real flashes of what could be. He’s well worth a spot if you don’t have a better option in leagues with this many keepers.

Noah Fant, TE DEN

The other big tight end in this year’s draft, and a teammate of Hockenson at Iowa, Fant has also shown rookie inconsistency along with some flashes of potential greatness. I don’t love his quarterback situation as much, but the talent is there. He isn’t the all-around type, but more of a straight move tight end with amazing athleticism, as evidenced by his 3/115/1 line against the Browns two weeks ago. If I had to choose one, I’d take Hockenson, but Fant is a nice consolation prize.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR PHI

A later-round darling of many savvy dynasty owners, JJAW is in a great situation in Philadelphia, where the wide receiver room has openings both this year and in the future. His ADP has seen some ups and downs this year:

But let’s be honest about his on-field performance, JJAW has had almost all downs in his rookie season. He hasn’t yet had a ton of chances, but we still have time to see if he can fulfill his potential. If he can figure out how to use his 6’2” 225-lb frame in the NFL, he may have a long term spot in a nice offense.

Dak Prescott, QB DAL

Once again, you can take advantage at quarterback and tight end. Did you know that Prescott is currently the QB4? Did you know he’s currently leading Aaron Rodgers, even though Prescott had his bye week already? I didn’t realize it myself. Prescott is an under-the-radar type, but he’s producing and is surrounded by talent. He doesn’t have the untouchable tag like some other quarterbacks at this point, so you can use that to get him on your team.

Devin Singletary, RB BUF

He’s undersized, he isn’t fast, he isn’t explosively powerful, and he did not come from a premiere program or have high draft stock. After all that, I’m telling you to go get him. Drafted in the third round out of Florida Atlantic, Singletary had over 4,600 scrimmage yards and 67 touchdowns. Sometimes we forget that at the end of the day, we need these players to get on the field and produce. That’s all Singletary did at an admittedly smaller program. You’re not going to brag about having him on your team, but when he helps you win the whole thing in a year or two, you’ll brag enough.

Baker Mayfield, QB CLE

“Let’s close things out with Cleveland’s quarterback dynamo, Baker Mayfield. He’s like 2018’s version of the punky QB, Jim McMahon, only Mayfield probably has more talent. People love to hate Baker, but many also love the guy. From a fantasy perspective, he had an awfully good rookie year. If you look at his production from week three, when he first landed the starting job, he was the QB14 on the year, as he was good for 3,300 yards passing and 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. In his first year, where he took over a team that looked very, very rough. Good times are ahead for Mr. Mayfield, get on the train while you can.”

That’s what I put in last year’s article. It hasn’t panned out this year, but I still believe the potential is there. And his struggles make it a little easier to get him if you try. There’s still all kinds of talent around Baker in Cleveland, and perhaps this is just the typical second-year setback. I’m buying in my leagues with more keepers.