My Dynasty Off-Season: NFL Draft Thoughts
Well, that was fun. Another year in the books, and hopefully you were able to grab that dynasty league championship. While the games are thrilling and the results matter, this is the time of year I really look forward to. Yes, the off-season is my favorite part of fantasy football. I love diving into the NFL Draft, analyzing rookies, re-assessing the veteran dynasty landscape, and giving you all the info I can to help you get ready for the upcoming season.
This year, I’m continuing my series – My Dynasty Off-Season. This is where I pull back the curtain a little to share what I’m doing in terms of team building, roster evaluation, player assessments, trade possibilities, value changes, and anything else that’s on my mind. I hope this series helps guide you through the off-season and positions you for success next year. Today, I wanted to share the ten burning questions I have in regards to the upcoming NFL Draft in terms of dynasty impact.
Let’s get to it!
1.) How will Travis Hunter be deployed?
To me, this is the biggest NFL Draft question I have that needs to be answered. Most believe he’s going second to Cleveland and I think that would be great for his dynasty value. It’s not that I believe Cleveland has some kind of magic wand at quarterback, but it’s clear they view Hunter as a wide receiver primarily and not a cornerback. There are two ways to deploy him – as a full-time receiver and part-time corner or as a full-time corner and part-time receiver. Dynasty managers desperately need the former and Cleveland would provide that. If he doesn’t go there, the same rules are going to apply – we need him to play primarily on offense. Anything else is a huge buzzkill.
2.) How far will Shedeur Sanders fall?
Speaking of Colorado players, this one is very interesting. Once thought of as possibly being the first pick in the NFL Draft, it’s clear Sanders is experiencing a bit of a pre-draft drop in value, indicated most notably by the surprising lack of an invitation to be at the NFL Draft in person on the first day. There are some red flags with Sanders, including the possible meddling of his Father, a perceived lack of mobility and a resume that doesn’t exactly include top-notch competition. I can’t imagine him falling out of the first round, but it’s also unclear as to where he may end up. The Giants seem to be leaning in another direction and New Orleans may have their eye on a different quarterback (Jaxson Dart). Sanders could really tumble on draft day if the smoke we see now really does turn into fire. Is this all posturing by other teams or is his stock really taking a turn in the wrong direction?
3.) Where will Ashton Jeanty land?
Seeing running backs go in the top ten has been rare as of late with only Bijan Robinson being taken that highly over the past six years. Five running backs were top ten picks from 2015-18 with two being taken that high when both Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey went in the same class. No running back has gone first overall since Ki-Jana Carter in 1995 and while Jeanty won’t break that streak, he’s coveted highly and should join Robinson as a top-ten selection. The Raiders seem like the most likely destination for him at #6 and while that looks good on paper, Pete Carroll-led teams should scare any dynasty manager to death. We’ll see what happens, but Jeanty looks like the 1.01 in any format.
4.) What will Pittsburgh do at quarterback?
The Steelers are stuck. After Justin Fields signed with the Jets and Russell Wilson went to the Giants, the entire depth chart for Pittsburgh is now somehow playing in New York. They brought in Mason Rudolph, but few really believe that’s going to be the end game here. With Aaron Rodgers being, well, Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh needs to have a backup plan. Will they take the plunge on Sanders? Do they like one of the other project quarterbacks like Dart or even Jalen Milroe better as a long-term option? Will they make a trade to bring in someone like Kirk Cousins? It’s rare to see a team with this huge of a need at the most important position in sports drafting as late as they do and they need to have an answer after the weekend is over.
5.) Can Dallas shore up their backfield?
The Cowboys found something interesting in Rico Dowdle last season but he’s now being less interesting in Carolina. Dallas signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders this off-season, but it’s hard to believe they’re really doing to go into the season with that duo on top of the depth chart. After all, neither of them has been impressive for years now. Dallas was a popular landing spot for Jeanty, but it seems he won’t make it to them. Would they take someone like Omarion Hampton at #12? Could they jump in front of a team like Las Vegas to take Jeanty in the top five? This is a high profile job in reality and fantasy and the Cowboys need to come up with some kind of long-term solution here.
6.) How many quarterbacks will go on day one?
There’s a premium on taking a quarterback in round one because of the relatively cheap fifth-year option that can come with it. We’ve seen teams jump up in the back of the first round to get them and sometimes that plan really works out (Lamar Jackson and Jordan Love). Cam Ward is guaranteed to go early on day one, likely with the first pick to Tennessee. However, the likes of Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, and Jalen Milroe could all either find a new home on Thursday or end up waiting until day two. This is fascinating as some quarterback-needy teams in the top ten are likely to pass in round one and hope this group falls out of the first day so they can scoop them up on Friday. Buckle up!
7.) Where does Jalen Milroe end up?
Speaking of Milroe, his ultimate destination is going to be of serious interest to dynasty managers. It’s very rare to see a high-profile quarterback like this come into the league with both an unlimited ceiling and an awful floor to match. After all, you don’t see running backs (no less quarterbacks) who can post 32 rushing touchdowns in the SEC over a two-year span. Still, Milroe did just that. A team is going to need to be convinced he’s the next Jalen Hurts and not the next Tim Tebow, but Milroe’s story is certainly one to watch and take note of this weekend.
8.) Where does Denver turn at running back?
The Broncos, much like Dallas, have a clear need at running back. With a current depth chart that includes the likes of Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson, it’s clearly one of the worst in football. Denver was a popular mock draft destination for Jeanty early in the process, but it’s pretty clear he won’t be there at #20. At this point, Hampton may be gone as well. Do they trade up for one of those two or attempt to secure the services of someone like TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, or Kaleb Johnson? This spot has fantasy points that go with it, so it’s one of the hottest questions we need answered.
9.) Does Cleveland take a quarterback?
At this point, all signs indicate Travis Hunter is their pick at #2. We talked about teams needing quarterbacks and Cleveland is once again desperate after “swinging and missing” on Deshaun Watson. With Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett currently entering the season in a competition, this doesn’t seem promising. It looks like the Browns will pass on a signal caller at #2, but they also have pick #33 and that one is usually highly coveted as the first pick on the second day as teams catch their breath and re-formulate their draft plans. Could they use that pick to move up a few spots and take a quarterback at the end of round one? We’ll know soon enough.
10.) Where will the two tight ends go in round one?
It seems pre-ordained that both Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland both go in round one. Both of these players could be huge difference makers at the next level and their landing spots are going to be very important to monitor. While I’m intrigued by others in this class like Harold Fannin, these two look like bona fide TE1 blue chippers who could become lineup locks early in their careers. Where will they go and do we like it or love it? The answer is just 24 hours away!
It’s almost here!
Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK
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