Bruce Matson discusses which players have seen their dynasty value rise or fall in Week 8.
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We are almost halfway through the season and we’ve seen a lot of ups and downs in the dynasty stock market already. There’s still a lot of football left to be played, which means we could see a lot of change between now and the end of the season. By analyzing the risers and fallers from Week 8, we can take advantage of our league’s trade market and build our teams to make them stronger for the future.
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Risers
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR – GB)
In Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams, Valdes-Scantling reeled in two of his five targets for 45 yards and one touchdown. It’s not a remarkable box score but it does provide the notion that he could be one of the team’s top receiving threats by the end of the year. He is a highly athletic receiver prospect who can be a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses. Aaron Rodgers will always welcome a weapon like him. Green Bay could provide the situation that allows him to flourish into a productive fantasy asset.
His dynasty value is slowly on the rise. Right now, he still holds a very palatable price point. However, that could change in the next few weeks if his usage starts to increase. There’s a lot of ambiguity in Green Bay’s offense right now, which could generate some opportunities for Valdes-Scantling to develop into a key staple of the team’s weekly offensive game plan. You better send some trade offers for him now before the buying window slams shut.
Josh Reynolds (WR – LAR)
Reynolds is the fifth wheel in one of the most productive offenses in the league. If there are any voids in the Rams’ passing game, then he’s going to see an increase in targets and snaps. Cooper Kupp was inactive on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers and Reynolds was the next man up to shoulder the load. He exceeded expectations by catching three passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns.
In most circumstances, it’s hard to make a case to roster the fourth receiver on any team. However, the Rams currently have one of the most prolific offenses in the league and they are one of the few teams that can fuel three wide receivers in fantasy. This means whenever Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, or Robert Woods are sidelined with an injury then Reynolds has a good chance to produce a breakout game. This makes him a must-own option in dynasty because he’s a bench player who could become a key contributor for you when he gets the opportunity. The opportunities for him are going to be inconsistent, but his potential is also through the roof.
Josh Adams (RB – PHI)
Adams led the Eagles with nine carries and 61 yards rushing while averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He was the most effective back on the ground and it appears like he’s starting to carve out a role within the offense. Wendell Smallwood also saw a large portion of the workload out of the backfield, seeing 10 total touches on the day. The Eagles are going to mix up the usage of their running backs, but it’s clear as day that Adams is starting to leave his mark on the coaching staff.
This isn’t a big value increase. We are noticing a player who went from having very little dynasty value to now becoming a trendy end-of-bench flier. You need to check the waiver wire in all your leagues to see if he’s still there. He’s a player that could come out of nowhere down the stretch and be a league winner for many fantasy owners. Adams is a low-cost investment that could yield huge results.
Fallers
Will Fuller (WR – HOU)
Fuller was doing a lot of good things this season before tearing his ACL during the Thursday Night game in Week 8. He had three games with over 100 yards receiving and four touchdowns on the season. Now his season is over and fantasy owners are left scratching their heads trying to fill the void.
It’s almost certain that his season-ending injury is going to cause a drop in his dynasty value. It’s like fantasy owners forget that a player exists once they suffer a devastating injury. Just because a player falls in the rankings doesn’t mean that’s a player you shouldn’t be targeting for your dynasty team.
Dynasty is a game that experiences a lot of ebbs and flows and there are certain situations that will allow you to take advantage of a player’s drop in value. A season-ending injury is one of those scenarios because we know that a player’s cost on the trade market will be discounted and that player is more than likely going to return to their old form once they recover from their injury. In other words, you are going to be buying that player on the cheap now, but will receive a large return on your investment later when that player starts performing again.
Now is the time to pounce on Fuller. His price is going to slightly decrease, and you might be able to catch him at a better discount if you catch his current fantasy owner on tilt. I highly advise moving an older depreciating asset for him if you have a rebuilding team. Also, I would offer a second-round rookie pick and a prospect to see if it’s enough to get the other owner to bite.
Jameis Winston (QB – TB)
Winston was benched after throwing four interceptions against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. All four of those interceptions were his fault. Ryan Fitzpatrick took over at quarterback, passing for 194 yards and two touchdowns. The coaching staff will need to determine who they want to start at quarterback for next week’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
It’s normal to feel anxious about Winston’s future. He has thrown two or more interceptions in every game this season. Not to mention he missed the first three weeks of the season due to being suspended. There was a time where he considered one of the top quarterbacks to own in dynasty. Times have changed and it looks like his dynasty value is falling down the ranks. If you are a believer in his talents, then this should be a good time for you to try and buy Winston on the cheap.
Rashaad Penny (RB – SEA)
Six different players carried the ball for the Seahawks on Sunday and none of them were named Rashaad Penny. He recorded zero touches in Seattle’s win against the Detroit Lions. So far on the season, he has recorded just 197 total yards and zero touchdowns. The team seems set at using Chris Carson and Mike Davis as their main running backs. This is very discouraging for Penny owners because going into the season they were expecting him to be the team’s bell-cow running back.
After all, he is still a rookie. He came from a smaller collegiate program and sometimes it takes players from non-power-five schools longer to acclimate to the NFL game. I wouldn’t be surprised if he puts it together next year or the year after. He’s still a very talented runner. There’s a very good chance that you could get him with a second-round rookie pick via trade which is a tremendous discount considering there were a lot of people drafting him in the top five of rookie drafts last spring.
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