Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings: Cornerstone Report, Week Five

Welcome to the Cornerstone Report where we will check in on the young players in football (2023-eligible college players, rookies, and sophomores) each week! As the hottest commodities in dynasty and devy, these players can make or break your teams in the future.

Here are some of the top headlines and reports for the future of the league…

Sam Hartman, QB Wake Forest and Michael Penix, QB Washington flash first-round potential

A key match-up between Clemson and Wake Forest led to a high-scoring overtime affair, and Hartman emerged as a legit pro prospect. After dealing with an injury to start the year, Hartman came back and showed a big arm with good downfield ball placement throughout the match-up.

On the opposite coast, Penix continues having a dominant year for the Huskies and flashes NFL potential. Turning the heads of NFL scouts, he can continue on the path to becoming a first-round pick and cornerstone asset along with Hartman.

Deuce Vaughn, RB Kansas State tears up Oklahoma

At 5’6 and 175 pounds, Vaughn has not drawn the NFL buzz of other running backs, but he has been one of the most productive in the 2023 class. Not only has Vaughn shown the ability to run and break tackles, but his pass blocking at such a small size is outstanding. He took it to the Sooners this past week, getting Kansas State the win. Though his NFL future may be more as a role player, top 100 draft capital is within reach.

Tyler Van Dyke, QB Miami benched

Anointed as the third quarterback of the 2023 class, Van Dyke has been a major disappointment. Losing his top three receiving options to injury does not help, but his poor play against Middle Tennessee State this past week sent him to the bench. Mario Cristobal has not committed to a QB for the future either, so Van Dyke might not have a chance to bounce back and be fantasy relevant again.

Breece Hall, RB NYJ gets bulk of work

The first two weeks of the season saw Michael Carter getting over 60% of the Jets RB snaps, but that finally changed in week three. Hall received the majority of RB snaps for the first time of the season and may not look back. His six receptions for 53 yards help to solidify his role within the offense. Fantasy owners can start him with confidence moving forward.

Romeo Doubs, WR GB is the Packers’ top receiver

After only receiving 37% of snaps in week two, Doubs moved up to 89% in week three. This paid dividends, with him hauling in all eight of his targets and earning the trust of Aaron Rodgers. A major camp hype player, Doubs has been more productive than fellow rookies Skyy Moore or Treylon Burks. He is looking like the top Packers WR moving forward.

Jelani Woods, TE IND becomes a red zone target

The most athletic tight end prospect of all time, Woods was going to be brought upon slowly by the Colts. Week three was his first real field exposure as a red zone target, and he flashed his upside. Catching two TDs in the game, he was able to get separation in the end zone and haul in passes. This bodes well for his future as a TE fantasy asset.

Khalil Herbert, RB CHI flashes starter potential

Underutilized in college, Herbert was a fantasy favorite due to his toughness and vision. When David Montgomery went out with an injury this week, Herbert took over the game. With two TDs and a 7.9 YPC average, he has emerged as the best runner for the Bears. On a run-first offense, he could be a top-12 RB at season’s end.

DeVonta Smith, WR PHI is the top WR this week

Sharing targets with AJ Brown was a concern the first few weeks, but Smith proved he is a unique talent. The body control to catch his lone TD set things off for an eight-catch, 169-yard game for Smith. Amassing 12 targets is important for the former first-round pick’s future moving forward. Expect more big games to come.

Justin Fields, QB CHI struggles mightily

A top-tier college career and promising athleticism led many to heavily invest in Fields last season. With a coaching change, hope was there for a sophomore turnaround, but the lack of weapons and offensive line is hurting him. On top of that, Fields’ decision-making has been horrendous this season. There are some questions about if he should even be starting, but it does not look promising for his future.

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Shane Hallam

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Shane has been analyzing and writing about the NFL Draft and fantasy football for over 15 years. He is currently a Managing Partner at DraftCountdown.com and co-host of the Devy Marketplace Podcast. He was the winner of the "Top 100" contest at Huddle Report in 2015 and 2020 in predicting the NFL Draft.