Dynasty Top 250 Fantasy Football Rankings: Movers and Shakers
Welcome to movers and shakers, a new in-season series from DLF. Each week we choose a different ranking category; top 250 (one quarterback and superflex), devy, and IDP. We then review players from that group who may have risen or fallen substantially from the past month’s ranks and alert you to any relevant changes. Let’s get right to it.
Quarterback
We will avoid the no-brainer changes each week. Instead, we will focus on the more subtle shiftings amongst the ranks.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB MIA (Current QB13)
Raise your hand if you had Tagovailoa pegged as the top-rated passer through nine weeks. Now put your hand down because you are lying. Here we sit, heading into week ten, and the Dolphins’ signal-caller ranks ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow in passer rating.
He is undefeated in games he has started and finished (six wins, zero losses) and has thrown only three interceptions in 216 attempts.
Data Courtesy of DLF Player Gamelog App.
Looking at the chart above, we see that there have been four of six QB1 finishes when an injury didn’t occur. The upside will be there for years, as Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill are under contract until at least 2024. In watching the games, the trio appear to have a natural chemistry that is hard to come by. They also have an offensive genius implementing the game plan every week.
Data Courtesy of DLF QB ADP from October.
Folks are starting to catch on, as we can see from the above October ADP. Tagovailoa is being drafted as the QB11, two spots higher than his current DLF rank.
Running Back
Injuries and age will make running back the most volatile of all the positions, and we won’t be dropping the obvious fallers due to injury. Instead, we will focus more on opportunities and performances.
AJ Dillon, RB GB (Current RB20)
Who would have thought that the trade of Davante Adams would deconstruct the entire Green Bay Packers offense? Alas, that transaction, coupled with the rash of injuries to the receiving corps, has Aaron Rodgers playing worse than we can recall throughout the future Hall of Famer’s career.
Data Courtesy of DLF Player Scoring History App.
Dillon also feels the repercussions as his per-game average has dropped to 7.87 PPR points per contest in 2022. The third-year back has just one rushing touchdown. The volume is still somewhat there, as he sees 10.9 attempts per game compared to 11.0 last season.
Data Courtesy of DLF Player Scoring History App.
Since a strong showing in week one with 20.1 points, it has been all downhill since and reached a season-low 1.5 points in week seven. These are not the types of performances we expect from someone ranked as an RB2. The offense needs to improve to prevent Dillon from tumbling down the ranks.
Green Bay is on pace to score the fewest points as a team since the 2005 and 2006 seasons. With Aaron Rodgers’s future in question, so is the future of all skill position players associated with the team.
Should Fall Behind:
We can quickly provide arguments for Rhamondre Stevenson, Miles Sanders, and Tony Pollard, all being placed ahead of Dillon in our rankings. The future is much brighter in all three of those players’ scenarios.
Wide Receiver
The cream stayed at the top, as expected. Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, and Ja’Marr Chase all did their thing and will continue to do so, hence the positioning up at the top. We have a wideout who may be on the cusp of being a top-ten fantasy asset.
Rashod Bateman, WR BAL (Current WR23)
I love the talent of Rashod Bateman, I do, but the poor guy cannot catch a break. The second-year wideout was placed on IR after undergoing foot surgery that will end his season. He missed five games in 2021 due to a lingering groin injury. Durability is starting to become a genuine concern.
Data Courtesy of Sports Reference.
Bateman has also struggled with drops early on in his career. He is tied for eighth in the league with four drops despite being 113th in targets with 28. Another factor working against him is that Baltimore is a run-heavy offense. They are 27th this season in passing play percentage.
Data Courtesy of Team Rankings.
The good news is that Bateman is still just 22 years old. The bad news is that he has never had a WR1 finish across the 18 games he has played and has averaged less than 10 PPR points each of his two years in the league.
Data Courtesy of DLF Player Scoring History App.
We would like to see a completely healthy Bateman play for a year before we continue to rank him as a WR2. The emergence of Isaiah Likely and Demarcus Robinson of late has done little to cement the oft-injured wideout as a shoo-in at the top of the target pecking order for 2023. Plus, Mark Andrews still exists.
Should Fall Behind:
There are three 23-year-old wideouts directly below the Ravens receiver in the rankings, and they can all move safely ahead of Bateman. That trio is Gabriel Davis, Jerry Jeudy, and DeVonta Smith.
Tight End
The tight end position will be right behind the running backs regarding their rank volatility. With the scarcity of the position, we are always on the lookout for the next big thing. Perhaps a chip off the block is the answer for 2022.
Greg Dulcich, TE DEN (Current TE14)
The bye week killed some of the buzz surrounding rookie Dulcich, and I hope you took that opportunity to try and buy on the cheap. The third-rounder out of UCLA has come on strong since coming off the injured list in week six.
Data Courtesy of DLF Player Scoring History App.
In fact, the rookie has hit the double-digit mark in every game played in the NFL and is averaging 12.07 PPR points per contest. That average is sixth best amongst the position. Russell Wilson seems to have a knack for finding the 6’4″ pass catcher down the seams. That is evidenced by the number of targets Dulcich has seen of late.
Dulcich is quick and able to accumulate yards after the catch in bunches, as evidenced by his 17.6 yards per catch in college. The 22-year-old was not drafted for his blocking prowess and has supplanted Albert Okwuegbunam as the preferred receiving tight end.
Data Courtesy of Sports Reference.
You can see why the Broncos and Russell Wilson like him, and you should too. Please go out and get him before week ten kicks off. You won’t regret it.
Should Be Ranked Ahead Of:
Fellow rookie Trey McBride has been a ghost and could be stuck behind Zach Ertz for a little longer than anticipated. Mike Gesicki and Dawson Knox are both limited by the number of weapons they have to contend with on their respective teams, leaving Dulcich quickly ahead of all three for us as things stand today.
Wrapping It Up
We aim to tip you off as to who the movers and shakers are weekly across our different ranking platforms. During the season, they will fluctuate on the regular. The best way to stay abreast of how a particular player you are tracking is performing is to head directly to our rankings pages. Thank you for following along—best of luck in your fantasy endeavors.
He graduated from SUNY Alfred State in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Technology Management. When he is not writing or playing video games, Jeff spends time with his wife Naomi and their Bichon Poo, Daisy.
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