Dynasty Trending Observations: Bryce Young Struggles and Keaton Mitchell Runs Wild
Whether your trade deadline has passed or not, there’s plenty of season left. The contenders in your dynasty league need to know who they can count on while the pretenders are holding auditions for next year. Below are a few of those developments that could alter this year’s plans – and beyond.
Young and the Restless
Plenty of blame to go around in Carolina, but the most discouraging thing is that Bryce Young is developing habits that we didn’t see from him at Alabama + a lack of protection and weapons.
Who do defenses fear when the Panthers break the huddle?
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) November 10, 2023
The first half of Bryce Young‘s career has undoubtedly been a disappointment. The 2023 number-one overall pick has led the Panthers to a 1-8 record and looked downright mediocre. Through eight games, Young has thrown for just 1,560 yards, is averaging 5.4 yards-per-attempt, and has thrown eight touchdowns against seven interceptions. He has just one game where he’s thrown for more than one touchdown and has yet to have a 300-yard passing game. He doesn’t even have a 250-yard game.
To make matters worse for Panthers fans, Young will forever be linked to Texas rookie quarterback CJ Stroud. Stroud is the current favorite for the Rookie of the Year Award, throwing for over 2,500 yards near the halfway point of the season while totaling 15 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Oh, and the Texans are 5-4, having already eclipsed last year’s win total.
Dynasty Impact: Those dynasty leaguers that took Bryce Young fairly high in rookie drafts – whether it was 1QB or Superflex formats – have seen a fairly steep decline in fantasy value.
Fortunately, it doesn’t appear to be entirely Young’s fault. As the Tweet/X post mentions above, his supporting cast is leaving a lot to be desired. The Panthers did sign veterans like Miles Sanders and Adam Thielen in free agency but neither one is scaring defenses away from Young. The Panthers also failed to add an instant-impact player on offense in the draft. Yes, they drafted receiver Jonathan Mingo in the second round but – using the Texans as an example again – hasn’t come close to the production that their rookie receiver Tank Dell has generated for Stroud.
Dynasty managers currently rostering Young have too much draft capital invested in him and would get too little in return to move on from him now. Avoid starting him if you can the rest of this rookie season then hope Carolina does a better job this off-season in adding talent around him.
Atlanta Flame Out
Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London realizing they’re one step closer to seeing Arthur Smith get fired pic.twitter.com/kNAXw6PEP5
— Justin (@Justin_14P) November 13, 2023
Both Drake London and, most notably, Kyle Pitts have failed to perform as reliable fantasy starters this season let alone near their rookie ADP where both were taken towards the top of their respective drafts. For London, he was drafted eighth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft and a few spots ahead of both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. To say expectations were high would be an understatement yet London had just a good-not-great rookie season. He totaled 72 receptions for 866 yards and four touchdowns to barely finish as a top-40 fantasy receiver. Again, not bad but consider both Wilson and Olave topped 1,000 yards each with Wilson even winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. London’s sophomore season looks a lot like his rookie one where he is currently on the fringe of being a top-40 receiver, totaling 40 receptions for 474 yards so far.
The story of Pitts is famously worse. The highest-drafted tight end in NFL history has seemingly regressed. His rookie season was quite productive – 68 receptions for 1,026 yards and a touchdown to finish as a top-10 fantasy tight end. Then came his sophomore year where he played just 10 games, totaling 28 receptions for 356 yards and two touchdowns and well outside the TE2 conversation let alone TE1. Luckily for Pitts managers, he’s quai-startable again, already topping last year’s numbers and currently a top-20 fantasy tight end.
Unless either London or Pitts goes on a tear in these last seven games, it’ll be another disappointing season for their managers.
Dynasty Impact: It would appear the only chance either London or Pitts have to reclaim their value is if/when Falcons coach Arthur Smith is fired. And luckily, it would be a surprise if Smith were back in Atlanta next season. Smith is just 18-26 since the start of the 2021 season with the Falcons seemingly no closer to the playoffs than when he took over. He’s also managed to take down the dynasty value of not one, but two, players who were ticketed for big things.
Three seasons would appear to be enough time for Falcons owner Arthur Blank to know that Smith isn’t his coach of the future. A new one could not only give Atlanta a better chance at returning to the playoffs but would need to utilize both London and Pitts to do it. They’re both holds for now as their dynasty managers await what changes will come.
Keaton Alive
Keaton Mitchell this season:
🤯 2 rushing TDs of 30+ yards (T-1st)
🤯 12 rushing attempts (T-126th) pic.twitter.com/QbzmQvRVIV— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) November 13, 2023
Here’s a stat line you don’t see every day – over his last two games, Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell has rushed 12 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns. For those scoring at home, that’s a 14.3 yards-per-attempt average and scoring a touchdown every six carries. It’s an insane line for any running back let alone an undrafted free agent who hadn’t played all year. Those dynasty managers that, not only, drafted Mitchell but started him in either of the last two games should be commended. But will they, or the Ravens for that matter, be able to rely on him going forward?
Dynasty Impact: Mitchell is an ideal flyer to take for your dynasty team. Currently buried on the depth chart but making an impression, his lack of playing time coupled with his undrafted status means he won’t cost a lot. However, that could change if his current trajectory continues at its current pace.
Currently valued the same as a low (third or fourth-round) rookie pick, it would be worth it to acquire Mitchell for that price. The Ravens have very little invested in the running back room next year as perpetually-injured JK Dobbins is a free agent and veterans Justice Hill and Gus Edwards are expendable. If Mitchell can keep making splash plays this season, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be the starter next season.
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