Dynasty Trending Observations: Trey Lance, Deuce Vaughn and the Browns’ Receivers
Entering week two of the preseason, this will be the only opportunity to see the first-team offenses for many teams. It also may be the last chance for players on your dynasty team to make an impression to determine if they stay or go before the season starts. Below are a few players who were trending this week before you have to make those calls.
Green Trey
Trey Lance needs playing time.
There's no pathway for him to get it.
99 HS pass attempts.
318 College pass attempts.
72 NFL preseason attempts
102 NFL regular season attempts.In his ENTIRE FOOTBALL CAREER, he has fewer pass attempts than Geno Smith had just last year.
NFL…
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) August 14, 2023
After years of wondering where Trey Lance‘s dynasty value will ultimately settle, we might finally have an answer. Originally drafted third overall after San Francisco traded multiple picks to move up, expectations were sky-high for the former North Dakota State Bison. He flashed unique talent and was drafted by a team that made the Super Bowl two seasons prior.
He sat his rookie season behind veteran Jimmy Garoppolo but was all systems go for 2022 until an ankle injury knocked him out for the season. Brock Purdy eventually took over (after Garoppolo himself got hurt) and the rest is history. Lance is now fighting Sam Darnold for backup duties and is the subject of constant speculation about his future. The post above is the latest suggestion for Lance’s next move but also another possibility for his dynasty managers.
Dynasty Impact: The knock on Lance from the beginning of his pro career was a lack of playing time in both high school and college. Then add on his redshirt rookie season and he entered 2022 with the least amount of experience for any quarterback in recent memory. The ankle injury that prevented him from accumulating snaps just exacerbated that problem and now Purdy is blocking any chance for Lance to develop. All that has led to a drastic decline in his dynasty value this off-season.
Now Lance managers are scrambling to pawn him off on somebody – anybody – to recoup their draft capital. If you’re in this boat, you might target the Brock Purdy manager in your league and see if they’d like insurance at the position.
If you’re a Lance homer who has not given up, you might do a price check in your league. Our DLF Trade Finder indicates he’s still garnering decent value. But those days won’t last much longer especially when the season starts with Purdy under center.
Deuce is Wild
Deuce Vaughn pic.twitter.com/ZOFV5yYsXf
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 12, 2023
When you combine the social media-friendly highlights with the outsized influence that the local Cowboys media produce, it’s not a surprise that Deuce Vaughn has busted out. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Vaughn was originally known for being the son of a Cowboys scout who had a large influence on the team drafting him. But he has quickly shed that image and made enough plays to start warranting fantasy consideration.
There’s another factor when it comes to his dynasty value – the Cowboys’ depth chart. Tony Pollard is the undisputed starter but there isn’t much behind him. After Dallas cut Ezekiel Elliott, who has since signed with the Patriots, the running backs consist of Malik Davis and the suspended Ronald Jones. There just isn’t anyone giving a serious challenge to the backup role that Vaughn is quickly claiming for himself.
Dynasty Impact: Not every sixth-round rookie running back makes the team but that looks like a lock for Vaughn. And for those zero-RB dynasty managers, Vaughn was a perfect candidate, especially in rookie drafts. Using the DLF Rookie Draft App, Vaughn was still available primarily in the fourth round.
If/when Vaughn officially wins the backup job, it’s a great job to have. He’ll be backing up Pollard who’s coming off a broken leg suffered in the playoffs last year which could lead to some first-team reps when the season starts. For the price, at least right now, acquiring Vaughn to give your dynasty team some depth for those larger roster leagues isn’t a bad idea.
Cedric System
Browns rookie WR Cedric Tillman continues to make plays. Looks like a viable outside weapon for Deshaun Watson pic.twitter.com/6NaxYq3gNb
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) August 17, 2023
In just two short years, the Cleveland Browns have gone from a receiving corps that failed to produce a single player who topped 600 yards to the 2023 receiving room we have now. Led by four-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper, the Browns went out and added former second-round pick Elijah Moore after his disappointing turn in New York. But then Cleveland kept adding by drafting Cedric Tillman in the third round of the 2023 Draft.
Tillman has been impressive in camp and plays like the one above are the reasons why most expect him to start the season as the WR3 in his rookie season. Multiple solid options in the passing game is a good problem to have if you’re Cleveland – especially compared to two seasons ago – but it can create a headache for dynasty managers.
Dynasty Impact: The pecking order is pretty clear for this season. Cooper will lead the way with Moore and possibly Tillman supplementing the options for quarterback Deshaun Watson (there’s also tight end David Njoku). But it’s fair to ask about beyond this season. Both Cooper and Moore currently have contracts that run for two more seasons while Tillman is on a four-year rookie deal. If all three are producing, it means they’ll want to (rightly) get paid. But surely the Browns won’t be able to accommodate all three, especially with that fully guaranteed contract they handed Watson after trading for him.
Here’s where their value currently stands.
Cooper and Moore are pretty close thanks to Cooper being a few years older but Tillman is coming on strong and will only go higher after games like the one against the Eagles. Cooper is a good option if you’re in win-now mode or could be a good trade piece if your dynasty team stumbles. Moore is just a lottery ticket at this point. But for the cost, Tillman is one to watch and stash.
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