Devy Football Stock Market
The Devy Stock Market continues into week five of the 2022 college football season, breaking down the highs and lows of the week in college football and how it impacts the value of players in devy dynasty leagues.
This week, we break down the J Daniels quarterback triumvirate, a backup running back showing flashes and a wide receiver tandem making big plays in the PAC-12.
The J Daniels Quarterback Triumvirate – Jayden Daniels, QB LSU, Jalon Daniels QB Kansas and JT Daniels, QB West Virginia
Jayden Daniels has been a devy favorite of mine throughout his collegiate career due to his size at 6’3”, 185 pounds and his mobility – he averaged 44 rushing yards per game at Arizona State. He had success through the air as well in his first two collegiate seasons, with a 9.4 and 9.0 average yards per attempt in his first two seasons respectively. His passing efficiency took a dip in 2021, falling to 7.1 and he threw as many interceptions as he did touchdowns with 10 of each in 12 total games.
In 2022, Daniels transferred to LSU in hopes of returning to his early career form. He earned the starting job and has had mixed returns so far in 2022. His season stat line looks good: 67.9 completion percentage with six touchdowns and no interceptions, but his AY/A has only crept up to 7.9 through 4.5 games. Daniels left the Auburn game with a knee injury last week but is expected to play against Tennessee this week, in a game that could be big for his devy and NFL Draft stock.
Jalon Daniels has been the biggest surprise of the Daniels’ in 2022, and so has his team. He has led Kansas to a 5-0 record and is having by far the best season of his collegiate career thus far. He played 13 total games in his first two collegiate seasons with a 3.7 and 7.4 AY/A in limited duty, with 14 total touchdowns and seven interceptions.
In 2022, as the full-time starter, Daniels has been a star for the Jayhawks with a 10.8 AY/A and an 11-1 touchdown-interception ratio. He has also been effective on the ground when needed, averaging 7.3 yards per carry while eclipsing 85 rushing yards in three of five games thus far this season. Jalon Daniels is the least likely to be rostered among these three in devy leagues, but as of now, there is a reasonable chance he ends up with the highest NFL Draft stock come season end. He will be a nice find in rookie drafts of devy leagues if he declares for the NFL Draft, which may be the optimal move as his stock continues to rise during the season.
JT Daniels has been a college football nomad in the transfer portal era as he starts for his third different team in five collegiate seasons. With each loss of starting job and subsequent transfer, the number two quarterback in the nation in his recruiting class (per Rivals) has continued to lose devy value and his hopes of being an NFL quarterback have dwindled.
Daniels transferred to West Virginia for his last chance at strengthening his NFL prospects. Thus far in 2022, we have seen similar problems that led to his benching in his last two spots with a sub-par 7.1 AY/A and a lack of mobility, which has resulted in negative rushing yards in all but one game thus far this season. His passing efficiency has not been good enough to make up for a lack of mobility which likely makes Daniels a projected UDFA and his devy/fantasy stock is minimal. If you are still rostering JT Daniels in devy, I’d try to wait until a big performance and sell for absolutely anything that you can.
Miyan Making Moves – Miyan Williams, RB Ohio State
TreVeyon Henderson has been much ballyhooed over his first two collegiate seasons, as the number four running back in his recruiting class (per Rivals) has had much success with 1,560 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns as a true freshman. That play has continued in 2022, but his services haven’t been as needed thus far this season, and he is averaging only 12.5 rushes per game through four games this season. With Henderson having the lesser workload, junior Miyan Williams has been able to capitalize on the additional volume at RB2.
Williams was an efficient runner in 2021 with 7.2 yards per carry on 508 rushing yards. That efficiency has continued into 2022, as he has averaged 7.8 yards per carry with 497 rushing yards in only five games. He has had a hot start to Big-10 play for the Buckeyes as he is averaging 16 carries for 145 rushing yards and 3.5 rushing touchdowns over the last two games against Wisconsin and Rutgers.
Williams is a player who could sneak under the devy radar due to being the team’s RB2, but that could lead to him having a more productive career in the NFL than he has in the NCAA, making him a player worth monitoring for devy players.
Wildcats Wowing, Young and Old, Jacob Cowing and Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona
Arizona has a pair of impressive wideouts in their 2022 passing game, one likely on his way out of college football and one just getting started. Cowing transferred from UTSA to Arizona and the fourth-year wideout has been making plays throughout the season. He has eclipsed 130 receiving yards in three of five games, highlighted by a 12-catch, 180-receiving-yards, one-touchdown game against Colorado. Cowing’s volume and production should put him in position to test his way into day two of the NFL Draft if his NFL Combine goes well.
McMillan was one of the highest-ranked recruits in Arizona history as the number-two-ranked wideout in the 2022 class, per Rivals. A highly-touted recruit going elsewhere from the typical Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State etc presented an interesting opportunity for him to nearly guarantee early playing time at the wide receiver position. He has played well early on, catching three or more passes in four of five games and scoring three receiving touchdowns in his young career.
McMillan was a fringe devy pick in typical-sized leagues (24-36 devy players added per year), but with his play as true freshman, he will be valued as one of the top wideouts in the 2023 off-season. From a market perspective, I am a big buyer of any true freshman showing flashes like McMillan, because once those flashes become more consistent, the player becomes much harder to acquire as a sophomore and beyond with increased volume.
- Dynasty Commish Calendar: August - August 5, 2023
- Dynasty Commish Calendar: June - June 9, 2023
- Dynasty Commish Calendar: May - May 3, 2023
