Check out a few of my must-have fantasy football players that I’m targeting in dynasty startup drafts. And you can find all of my must-have dynasty startup targets in this article.
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Must-Have Dynasty Startup Targets
Here are the fantasy football players I’m targeting in my dynasty startup drafts.
DK Metcalf was one of my biggest dynasty targets last offseason and he did not disappoint even with a new quarterback. The super-sized WR finished as the WR24 in points per game and as the WR17 overall, but I’d argue that Metcalf left meat on the bone in his first year with Geno Smith at the helm considering his final output didn’t truly reflect his alpha usage.
He was the WR12 in expected points per game based on ranking 18th in target share (25.5%) and 12th in air yards share (37%). He tied for second overall in red zone targets with Justin Jefferson.
Metcalf is also just one of six WRs in the Super Bowl era to post over 4,200 receiving yards and 35 TDs through the first four years of their careers. That list included Randy Moss, Jerry Rice, A.J. Green, A.J. Brown, and Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham was the 1.01 in the dynasty at 25 years old. Green was 1.02 at 26 years old. Brown is currently the consensus WR3 at 25 years old. Metcalf is 25 years old and is the WR14 per Dynasty League Football.
Ridiculous considering his body of work. Go get him with older WRs like Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, Cooper Kupp, or Davante Adams. You might not have to even pay that much considering the team’s addition of first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba creating more target competition.
As a rookie, Jameson Williams remained buried on the Lions’ depth chart as the WR5 but he will undoubtedly be a starter when he hits the field in 2023 with D.J. Chark leaving town for the Panthers this offseason. The Lions also have no tight end of consequence on their roster and journeymen Josh Reynolds/veteran Marvin Jones duking it out for No. 3 wide receiver duties.
Chark led the team in air yard share (30%) and in total deep targets (15) when healthy in 2022. We should see Williams take over that role which also produced 61 receiving yards per game from Weeks 13-17.
And although Williams was extremely limited in 2022 with just 34 routes run, the former 12th overall draft pick was hyper-targeted when on the field with a 26% target rate per route run to go along with the league’s 6th-highest average depth of target.
The 22-year-old is the WR27 in dynasty league football’s ADP and can be acquired with players like George Pickens, Keenan Allen, Marquise Brown, or Brandon Aiyuk.
And better yet, his six-game suspension to open the year makes him that much more attainable.
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