Twitter Observations: Pre-Draft Week

Michael Moore Posted On April 15, 2020

Despite most of the country still being on lockdown, the NFL keeps rolling along with several notable transactions and even some blockbusters thrown in. We also have just one more week until the NFL Draft where teams will surely be making even more moves. Until then, let’s log on and see what the Twitterverse is saying.

A reminder: This space will be dedicated to an assortment of things we find on Twitter and what it means for our dynasty teams. Most fantasy tweets undoubtedly have a redraft slant to them but we’re here to talk about the dynasty implications.

Now We’re Cooks-in’

Sources: The #Texans are in the process of trading for #Rams WR Brandin Cooks. On the move again, this time to Houston.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 9, 2020

There’s a scene in The Godfather 3 that I think best encapsulates dynasty players’ feelings about Brandin Cooks, post-trade with Houston.

All hope was lost for Cooks’ fantasy value after a horrendous 2019 season that saw him set career-lows in receptions (42), yards-per-game (41.6) and touchdowns (two) and only recorded more than 60 receiving yards in just three games. Any more time on the Rams and his value would have dropped even further than it had:

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And yet, Bill O’Brien and the Texans threw him a lifeline; trading for Cooks with the intent on replacing DeAndre Hopkins as Deshaun Watson’s top target. Cooks should slide right into that role as no one will confuse current Texans receivers Kenny Stills or Will Fuller as top dogs in that offense. This is Cooks’ best (last?) chance to stay fantasy-relevant.

Dynasty Impact: Whether this move ultimately works out or not, Cooks’ dynasty value is going to see a boost. Cooks was at least the third, sometimes fourth, option in the Rams’ passing game and saw little more than half the targets that other receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp saw last year. But the Texans made a decent draft investment in Cooks, giving up a second-rounder, for him to not be involved. There are 150 targets left behind by Hopkins to be divided up between the Texans receivers but mostly by Cooks.

And let’s not forget, perhaps, the most important development to this trade. Cooks goes from having Jared Goff at quarterback to Deshaun Watson. There’s no one in your dynasty league who would rather have Goff over Watson just like no one else would in the real NFL. Getting an upgrade at quarterback in addition to the added opportunity will be a boon for Cooks’ dynasty value as it currently stands. It wouldn’t hurt to take a stab at acquiring him, especially as a low-end WR2 or WR3.

Todd Gear

We have agreed to terms with RB Todd Gurley. https://t.co/OEX4V4SRh6

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 6, 2020

There was some doubt as to if this particular deal would become official but it did indeed get done. Todd Gurley goes home to Atlanta where he’ll be the workhorse back for the Falcons. The fact that Gurley found another home isn’t exactly a surprise. His large cap number and the Rams reluctance to lean on him last season were the good indicators. But the landing spot was a mild surprise especially since the Falcons just cut their own high-priced workhorse back in Devonta Freeman. After getting out from a significant amount of cap allocation to the position, the Falcons jumped right back in, saving only a million bucks.

What they’re getting in Gurley is certainly a younger back and one who is universally regarded as a better player. Statistically, however, there wasn’t much of a difference last season between him and Freeman. Gurley averaged 3.8 yards per carry (more than a yard less than he did the previous year) while Freeman averaged 3.6. On the ground, Gurley averaged a paltry 57 yards per game while Freeman tallied 47. So yeah, the Falcons saved a million dollars but are they also getting a better player?

Dynasty Impact: No matter if Gurley stayed with the Rams or not, his positional dynasty ranking of 16th wouldn’t have changed. He’s entering his age-26 season and last year was the continuation of a decline that actually started at the end of the 2018 season. You may recall the Rams were worried enough about Gurley’s health that they held him out of some pretty important moments on their way to the Super Bowl. Are we to believe that those issues have magically resolved themselves? And being on the Falcons, who couldn’t produce a fantasy RB1 last year, will fix that? Gurley may have a new team but he’s still worth the same when it comes to your dynasty team. I’d look to sell.

Don’t Dodge This Ram

Sean McVay: I have to do a better job of utilizing Gerald Everett https://t.co/Ody8m5hJDp

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 9, 2020

Continuing on this LA Rams theme, we get news that the Rams would like to get Gerald Everett more involved in the offense this year. Of course, with the recent departures of Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley, Los Angeles may not have a choice. Yes, they still have receiver Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp but they are without Cooks and his 72 receptions. Before a knee injury that took him out of the latter part of last season, Everett had tallied 37 receptions for 408 yards and two scores, good enough to be a low-end fantasy TE1 through week 12 and that was with Cooks still around.

Dynasty Impact: There’s no doubt the injury Everett suffered towards the end of last season knocked him out of contention as the Rams top tight end. Backup Tyler Higbee did more than enough to prove he could handle the load too but, with the departure of Cooks, there are some serious targets left over that should be enough to feed both tight ends. Everett’s current positional dynasty ranking of 25th is nowhere near the top-12 fantasy finish he was on pace for. I would target Everett as a cheap backup option for your contending dynasty team.

Paid Back

Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey is signing a four-year extension, averaging $16 million per year, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, sources tell ESPN.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 13, 2020

I remember when the new regime took place in Carolina and there was some thought that they’d look to blow up the current roster by trading or releasing any player that wouldn’t be part of their future, including Pro Bowler Christian McCaffrey. After all, he was ‘just’ a running back and the team could easily find another one in the draft. How silly we were! In a nod towards the future, Carolina just locked him up well before his rookie deal was set to expire AND made him the highest-paid running back in the league.

Dynasty Impact: Whether you rank McCaffrey as the first or second dynasty back, the point is he’s really good. He’s also entering only his age-24 season which means he has, at least, a few elite years left. This contract extension solidifies his role as a top dynasty back and someone that should be a cornerstone of your franchise.

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Michael Moore

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Michael has played fantasy football for over 20 years when his mom funded his first team in the fourth grade. He’s contributed to various fantasy football publications and most recently spent five years writing for the Fantasy side of things at Pro Football Focus.