Dynasty Trending Observations: Lamar Jackson and CeeDee Lamb are the Dynasty Elite

CeeDee Lamb | Credit: USA Today

Michael Moore Posted On January 3, 2024

Championship Week is over (for most) and, as dynasty players know, the 2024 NFL season is officially underway. From evaluating younger players for your taxi squad to deciding which veterans to cut, this time of year can be just as important as any. Below are a few social media posts on certain players who may determine your championship aspirations for next year.

Brownie Points

David Njoku has been the TE1 in fantasy football since Week 7 🤯 pic.twitter.com/vS5j0z5ogX

— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) December 28, 2023

Looking at David Njoku‘s statistics by season, it looks like he’s had two distinct careers. His first two seasons looked like an ascending TE1 where he totaled 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns before an injury in his third season caused him to only appear in four games. But it’s been a steady climb back to the top since. His last four season yardage totals have increased exponentially from 213 yards to 475 to 628 to 882 through week 17 of the current season. This season is his apex as a surprise pairing with Joe Flacco has seen David Njoku not just be a TE1 in fantasy scoring but THE TE1 in fantasy scoring as the post mentions above.

For OG Njoku dynasty managers, this is the season they envisioned way back when he was a first-round draft pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. But because of the big dip in his stats in the middle of his career, the number of original Njoku managers that still have him on their roster is probably small. Undoubtedly, he’s been moved a few times in your dynasty league and probably will be again this off-season but for entirely different reasons.

Dynasty Impact: Njoku presents an interesting case for dynasty managers. On one hand, he’s finally fulfilling the sky-high potential he always had by being a legit TE1. At the same time, he’ll be 28 next season and entering his eighth NFL season. Currently, he’s DLF’s 11th-ranked tight end but five of those tight ends are older than him which leaves room for him to climb.

Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Njoku’s value next season will be at quarterback. Njoku has been on a tear with Flacco stepping in but Deshaun Watson is financially tied to Cleveland for the foreseeable future. If Watson can keep feeding Njoku as Flacco has, Njoku will retain his value. But Watson wasn’t doing it before and it’s questionable if he ever will. Njoku is a decent target for your tight end-starved dynasty team this off-season but don’t overpay in the event Watson drags Njoku back down.

I Lamb Legend

CeeDee Lamb now owns both of the Cowboys records for catches AND receiving yards in a single season

A certified WR1 ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/Kt4B3QcXL1

— PFF (@PFF) December 31, 2023

CeeDee Lamb had already endeared himself to dynasty managers before Championship Week. Entering week 17, Lamb was a top-three fantasy receiver and had already set career-highs in receptions and yards and tied his career-high in touchdowns.

Then he exploded for 13 receptions for 227 yards and a touchdown and won several league championships in the process. It was a memorable performance that dynasty managers (and opponents of Lamb’s) won’t soon forget. But unlike redraft managers of Lamb, who will have to move on from him next year, his dynasty managers have the pleasure of keeping him. The debate surrounding Lamb is no longer if he’ll be a WR1 on your dynasty team but is he the top receiver in dynasty overall?

Dynasty Impact: In just his fourth professional season, Lamb (with one game to go) has recorded 122 receptions for 1,651 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s gotten statistically better in each season, starting with 74 receptions for 935 yards and five touchdowns his rookie season; 79 receptions for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns his sophomore season; 107 receptions for 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns last season, and now his record-setting 2023 season. If he doesn’t finish as fantasy’s top receiver, he’ll be in the top three at a minimum.

So now that Championship Week is over it’s time to start planning for next year. If you’re a current Lamb manager, there’s very little chance that anyone puts up enough to convince you to move him. Using the DLF Trade Analyzer, it would take at least two, top-five rookie draft picks next year to equal the value you’d get from Lamb. Now, one of those picks should be future stud Marvin Harrison Jr but even if it does, he doesn’t represent a slam dunk and he’s not enough by himself. Just keep Lamb and let the good times roll.

Class Jackson

Lamar Jackson is the NFL MVP. IT’s OVER pic.twitter.com/5rtRBkHKSL

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 31, 2023

For all the talk of Lamar Jackson being the real-life MVP this season, he’s turning into a fantasy MVP as well. During Championship Week for several dynasty leagues, Jackson threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns and won several fantasy championship games by himself. He was already a top-five fantasy quarterback this season but this last week put him over the top. The performance also prompted the reaction in the post from Robert Griffin III but has also solidified Jackson’s reputation as an elite quarterback.

For dynasty players, Jackson has had a frustrating career. In seasons that Jackson wasn’t hurt, he’s been an easy QB1 including his first MVP season in 2019. But he’s missed at least four games in the last two seasons which meant fantasy finishes outside the top-12 and has forced his dynasty managers to have a backup plan. He didn’t miss time in 2023 and, not surprisingly, he’s back to QB1 status. So what does it mean for his dynasty value going forward?

Dynasty Impact: Jackson will be entering his age-28 season in 2024 which means he’s entering his prime. For either 1QB or Superflex dynasty leagues, Jackson is a QB1 and there’s no need to overthink it or even entertain moving on from him.

And if you’re not a current Jackson manager but want to be, get ready to mortgage the future. In terms of rookie picks, you’d need at least two early-or-mid 2024 first-round rookie picks. Presumably, one of those picks would be used on a quarterback but if we’ve learned anything from the recent selections of either Trevor Lawrence or Bryce Young, an elite quarterback prospect does not necessarily equate to pro success. Move on from Jackson at your own risk.

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Michael Moore

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Michael has played fantasy football for over 20 years when his mom funded his first team in the fourth grade. He’s contributed to various fantasy football publications and most recently spent five years writing for the Fantasy side of things at Pro Football Focus.