Twitter Observations: AB Resurfaces and it’s Tua Time
The weather is getting colder, the holidays are almost here, and we have more players popping up on COVID lists. Only one of these is new to 2020 but they’re all part of the routine now. And that’s ok! Every continuous week we have football is a good week and feels closer to normal.
What’s also normal is Antonio Brown popping up in our Twitter feeds again. It wouldn’t be a complete NFL season without it. We cover that and more tweets that could alter your dynasty plans.
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.
Guess Who’s Back. Back Again.
Update: Antonio Brown and the Buccaneers have reached agreement on a one-year deal, per sources.
Language still has to be finalized, COVID protocols passed, but Brown is likely to make his Bucs’ debut in Week 9 against the Saints.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 23, 2020
We almost went through the entire month of October without an Antonio Brown tweet but, luckily, he came through. Brown has kept his nose clean (so far) this season and is set to be eligible to play just in time for fantasy league playoffs, landing with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The last time we saw Brown on the field he looked… normal? He had four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown in his lone game with the Patriots before he was released. One would assume that having more than a year off from game action wasn’t detrimental and could immediately make an impact for the Bucs offense.
Dynasty Impact: If Brown wasn’t on a dynasty roster before this week, you probably saw him being picked up off waivers immediately after this news broke. And if it didn’t cost your team anything, there’s no downside.
But if a dynasty team has held on to Brown this long, chances are they did it with exactly this development in mind – Brown staying clean and landing with a fantasy-friendly team. Sure, our DLF Trade Analyzer values Brown as a late third-round rookie pick but those teams that held on to him probably wouldn’t let him go for that. It would cost more (i.e. a second-round pick) and would be a bigger gamble considering Brown’s past antics. He could still be productive, but it would be a risk I wouldn’t want to use a second-round pick on.
Evan-year Itch
Evan Engram has 21 career drops
Most by a TE since 2017 pic.twitter.com/eHJxETxksF
— PFF (@PFF) October 23, 2020
Yikes. In what was, ironically, Engram’s second-best statistical game of the year after totaling six receptions for 46 yards Thursday night, it was also his worst performance. The tweet above accurately describes Engram’s issues both against the Eagles this week along with his career. After getting open down the sideline, he dropped what appeared to be an easy pass that surely would have netted a long gain and possibly even a score. But it wasn’t meant to be, and Engram ended the night with just 46 yards. He’s failed to total more than that just once this season and has no games over 65 receiving yards. And that’s before you count the fact that he hasn’t scored yet and we’re nearly halfway through the season.
Dynasty Impact: Much like his real-life trade value, his dynasty value is at an all-time low. Statistically, he’s having the worst season of his four-year career, averaging 18 yards less than his career average, 2.5 yards less per reception and zero scores. All this decline in production yet he’s only seeing one less target, on average, per game this season. Being on the Giants, one of the worst teams this season, isn’t helping nor is having Daniel Jones lead a Saquon Barkley-less offense.
Currently, he’s ranked as DLF’s eighth dynasty tight end which makes sense when you consider the lack of talent at the position. Using the DLF Trade Finder, he could be offloaded for something around a second-round rookie pick or as an upgrade for a better, but not elite, dynasty tight end. If you could get the same type of deal, I would take it.
Barkley Surfing
Saquon Barkley’s tentative date for surgery is Oct. 29, with respected surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache of Kerlan-Jobe in LA performing it. https://t.co/bnW9OfXqUm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 23, 2020
First, the above tweet is great news for Saquon Barkley. After tearing his ACL, the second week of the season, it appears he’ll, on track for a full season in 2021. It’s also good news for Barkley dynasty owners as it appears, they’ll have their cornerstone back for next season.
Largely considered one of the top running backs in fantasy, dynasty and real-life, Barkley has delivered on his pre-draft hype by totaling 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, averaging 4.7 yards per carry for his career while also averaging 75 receptions per season. No doubt his injury tanked a lot of dynasty teams’ championship hopes this season.
Dynasty Impact: If our DLF Trade Finder is any indication, Barkley has been traded hundreds of times since his injury. It’s certainly an interesting question to ponder – if one should move off Barkley for someone who can help your dynasty team win this year. And what a trade chip! But is it worth it? Using the DLF Trade Analyzer, he’s not worth as much as he was pre-injury but is still worth quite a bit – like two first-round picks and then some. Of course, chances are more likely you’re trading Barkley for a stud who can help you win this year.
If these are the types of players you’re able to get straight up for Barkley, I would do it. Any of them would not only help you now but will provide value for about as long as Barkley would at this level and playing the position he does. After all, running backs aren’t forever – unlike championships
Tua Time
Tua Tagovailoa went back to the field and he’s sitting around the 15-yard-line in full uniform. It looks like he’s soaking this moment in.
On November 16, 2019, Tua suffered a potentially career-ending injury. On October 18, 2020, he threw his first NFL passes. pic.twitter.com/q5OHSNQe2c
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 18, 2020
That didn’t take long. After suffering a torn ACL in the middle of his last season at Alabama, no one would have been surprised if Tua Tagovailoa redshirted his rookie season, no matter where he ended up. The fact he ended up on the Dolphins, who had veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback, reinforced that notion especially after the surprising success Fitzpatrick had last season. But despite the Dolphins being off to a good start at 3-3 (at just one game back of the division lead), Miami is turning the keys over to Tua.
Dynasty Impact: Technically, the Dolphins turned it over to him last week in a blowout against the Jets where he came in for mop up duty and completed his only two pass attempts for nine yards. It wasn’t enough to know what we’re going to get this week and, absent a preseason, will be the first significant sample size of what Tagovailoa can do.
To their credit, the Dolphins set him up for success as best they could. They have the pass catchers – DeVante Parker and Preston Williams – and an offensive line that has kept the quarterback upright, currently ranking 11th in the league in sacks allowed-per-game. If Tagovailoa can just replicate what Fitzgerald has done this year – three 300-yard games, four multi-touchdown games – that would be more than sufficient for those dynasty teams that have him on their bench. It would also beef back up his dynasty ADP which was, for some reason, starting to dip.
If Tagovailoa can replicate Fitzpatrick’s production immediately, and dynasty teams can count on it for the next 8-10 seasons, he’ll easily be considered a QB1.
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