Devy Fantasy Football Rankings: Movers and Shakers

Anthony Richardson

Rob Willette Posted On September 23, 2022

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

Anthony Richardson, QB Florida Gators (DLF Rank: 12 overall, QB4)

Few quarterbacks have had the mercurial start Anthony Richardson has. Just look at these passing logs through three weeks:

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Numbers Courtesy of ESPN.com.

After a strong if unspectacular opener against a strong Utah squad, Richardson flopped in a loss to Kentucky and a close win over a South Florida team that won two games in 2021. The hype train was ready to make a U-Turn and make a return to the station mere seconds after it left.

Fortunately, the thesis for banking on Richardson was never an expectation his passing progression would go smoothly. Bumps in the road were always going to be in play, especially with a new offense in town. Richardson has immense tools and the ability to change games with his feet. He is a strong hold as a developing quarterback whose traits alone should lead to strong draft capital.

Should Move Ahead Of:

Richardson should be surpassing Will Levis and Spencer Rattler in any devy rankings which are still preferring the latter two.

RUNNING BACK

Kenny McIntosh, RB Georgia Bulldogs (DLF Rank: 43 overall, RB16

Georgia’s transition into 2022 has been impressive. Despite losing several school buses worth of talent to the NFL, the Bulldogs have rolled through three weeks and have a new wave of elite players stepping in. One such player is Kenny McIntosh, who has looked like a natural in the role of Georgia’s pass-catching back.

A year after posting a 22-242-2 line in backup duty, McIntosh has 15 grabs for 192 yards through three games, incredible production for a running back. He is unlikely to ever develop into a true workhorse runner, but we have seen how receiving specialists have impacted fantasy rosters, and he is certainly no slouch as a runner. He is on the rise as he works in a tandem with Kendall Milton.

Should Move Ahead Of:

McIntosh should be moving ahead of more well-regarded backs such as Zach Charbonnet, L.J. Johnson, and teammate Branson Robinson.

WIDE RECEIVER

Jalen McMillan, WR Washington Huskies (DLF Rank: 87 overall, WR30)

A big recruiting get out of California for former Washington head coach Jimmy Lake, McMillan was lost in an offense and program which could not get out of its own way. Following the dismissal of Lake, you could not have blamed McMillan for seeking a fresh start. However, he stuck with Washington and new head man Kalen DeBoer and the results have been fantastic.

To say this Huskie program has been rejuvenated would be an understatement. Washington lost their 2021 opener against Montana, a game in which they scored seven points and totaled a measly 291 yards of offense. Montana! It is now a strong half for the Huskies, who have received excellent quarterback play from Michael Penix.

McMillan has been the main beneficiary, looking every bit the star he was anticipated to be when he arrived on campus. He has been a big play machine, with catches of 44, 84, and 47 yards in his first three games. McMillan is a tremendous athlete with a sinewy and strong frame. Few players have seen their stock soar as much as McMillan since the start of the season.

Should Move Ahead Of:

McMillan has cruised ahead of peers who are stuck in mud, such as Ja’Corey Brooks, Dontayvion Wicks, and Dontay Demus.

TIGHT END

Arik Gilbert, TE Georgia Bulldogs (DLF Rank: 83 overall, TE7)

Few players’ devy value has been carried as much by reputation as Arik Gilbert. He has not caught a pass since arriving at Georgia prior to the 2021 season and has failed to climb the depth chart even when he has been available. The hype from both a draft and devy standpoint has proven premature to say the least.

In Gilbert’s defense, he did have a fantastic true freshman season at LSU, looking like a future star at a position where it is difficult to stand out early in a career. Gilbert posted a 35-368-2 line despite the fact LSU shuffled through quarterbacks and in general sputtered after their historic 2019 season. Unfortunately, we are still chasing the pedigree of Gilbert and ignoring recent trends.

Gilbert did not travel with Georgia on their road trip to South Carolina, a year after missing the entire season due to personal matters. While I hope all is well with the former Tiger, this is a lot of missed time for a player still ranked relatively highly in devy circles. Kirby Smart did not seem very optimistic when forecasting a return for Gilbert. The most prudent thing would be to eliminate Gilbert from devy draft boards at this point, especially at a position that is generally of the least importance.

Should Fall Behind:

Darnell Washington, Michael Trigg, Gavin Bartholomew, and Erick All

WRAPPING IT UP

Things move fast at the college level. In general, programs have more depth than NFL teams do and are thus unafraid to pull the trigger to elevate an ascending talent or demote a disappointing player. It leads to weekly chaos in the devy ranks with only the truly elite maintaining their lofty perch for long. Follow along with DLF’s devy rankings for the latest player movement and updated comments. I personally like to make tweaks after each week of the college football season.