Dynasty Trending Observations: Travis Etienne Runs Wild, Jordan Addison and Rashee Rice Climb the Ranks
We are nearing the midway point of the 2023 season which means we’re closer to the trade deadline. For both contenders and pretenders, the clock is ticking on making a move with an eye towards this year or next. Below are some of the bigger trends that could alter those plans.
Travis Attack
Shout out to the people who said Tank Bigsby was taking Etienne's job.
— Analytics of Dynasty (@McNamaraDynasty) October 20, 2023
Travis Etienne dynasty managers have had quite the roller coaster during his brief career. From a top rookie pick before the 2021 season to missing his entire rookie season to bouncing back to the post above, it hasn’t been boring.
A first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Etienne was drafted alongside Clemson teammate Trevor Lawrence in what Jaguars fans hoped would be a dynamic duo. But a Linsfrac injury in the preseason ended his rookie season before it started. When he did come back the following year, he was a fringe RB1 in fantasy leagues with over 1,400 total yards and five touchdowns. Enter the 2023 off-season when Etienne seemingly had to fight off the likes of Tank Bigsby for targets. How silly we were, as Etienne already has 500-plus rushing yards and seven touchdowns and we’re not even halfway through the season yet. Currently a top-three fantasy running back, there’s nothing stopping Etienne from finishing the season as one.
Dynasty Impact: Any decline in value that Etienne managers saw with the drafting of Bigsby is long gone, as Etienne is a bona fide top-ten dynasty running back. Regardless, if your dynasty team has Etienne but isn’t close to making the playoffs, it’s not a bad idea to put him out there on your league’s trade bait. He’ll be 25 next season and, more importantly, in a contract year. The track record for older running backs on second contracts isn’t great so the odds are already against Etienne continuing this kind of production. And according to our DLF Trade Analyzer, Etienne would fetch first-round rookie picks and more. For a team that would be in rebuilding mode, those picks would look a lot better two seasons from now than Etienne would.
Rice Production
Passes to Rashee Rice carry a 110 quarterback rating. The rest of the KC wideouts:
– Marquez Valdes-Scantling, 91.0
– Justin Watson, 78.7
– Kadarius Toney, 70.7
– Justyn Ross, 67.4
– Skyy Moore, 50.8
– Richie James, 42.4Pass it to Rashee Rice.
— scott pianowski (@scott_pianowski) October 17, 2023
The Kansas City Chiefs have tried many things to try and replicate the loss of Pro Bowl receiver Tyreek Hill. From signing veterans like JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to multiple second-round picks spent on Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice, there seems to be only one of those solutions that has any promise. Smith-Schuster has already moved on to another team while MVS toils on the depth chart along with Moore. Only Rice has been able to show flashes of being worthy of the resources used to acquire him.
For dynasty players, it was easy to overlook Rice. Despite being a second-round pick, he was the seventh receiver taken thanks to a glutton of players at the position. Add in a few quarterbacks taken at the top of the NFL Draft and Rice was pushed down to the end of the first round of rookie drafts or, more commonly, early-to-mid second. But those who took Rice have benefited from the start. Rice has 34 targets, 26 receptions for 305 yards, and three touchdowns – all four totals of which are tops on the team for players not named Travis Kelce. His receptions total is also good for fourth among all rookies and ahead of first-round rookie receivers like Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Quentin Johnston.
Dynasty Impact: If you’re not a current Rice dynasty manager, that window might now be closed. His value was starting to creep upward when the season started but should now jump thanks to his last few games and posts like the one above.
Using the DLF Trade Analyzer, swapping Rice for the players below would make the most sense.
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There’s not a player there who would make one regret trading for the top receiver on a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs offense. If it can be done, consider it before it’s too late. You could even get an extra pick if someone like Mike Evans is the ask.
Secret Jordan
America, meet Jordan Addison. pic.twitter.com/soUMXFAppi
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 24, 2023
Speaking of rookie receivers in 2023, Vikings receiver Jordan Addison is showing he was worthy of the first-round draft capital. Already one of the most productive rookies thus far this season, Addison torched the normally stingy 49ers defense for seven receptions, 124 yards, two touchdowns, and at least one amazing grab shown in the post above. It’s also significant since it’s the second game without All-Pro Justin Jefferson, leaving Addison to produce like this without someone like Jefferson drawing attention away.
It’s an impressive start for the 21-year-old Addison. The fourth receiver taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it was assumed that he’d be a complementary piece to Jefferson in order to provide the Vikings with quite the receiving tandem for multiple seasons. But with the recent impasse between Jefferson and the Vikings not striking a long-term deal and now coupled with an injury to Jefferson, it may be Addison’s team sooner rather than later.
Dynasty Impact: It may be hard to believe but Addison wasn’t that far off from Jefferson when it came to dynasty value to begin with. He was on the WR2/3 fringe before the season but quickly climbed to fringe WR1 status after scoring in his first two professional games. He now has six touchdowns in seven games and has quickly emerged as Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins‘s go-to receiver.
Now the question is: what is that worth? Being a rookie, Addison is already outplaying his rookie draft position, no matter what pick in the middle of the first you took him. But now he’s gunning for WR1-level production. Using the DLF Trade Analyzer, he’s already worth almost two first-round rookie picks. Given his age and impressive amount of production, two first-round picks may not be enough.
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