[12 team league, 25 man rosters, 5 taxi spots, start 1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, 2Flex, 1DST, 1K]
Pardon the sports joke Atlanta fans, but man does it stink to be the Atlanta Hawks in a fantasy league. You’re competitive enough to not get a top draft pick but never really a threat to win a championship. It’s a credit to the moves a team can make to be a tough out, but you have to make the call to go aggressive in to a rebuild or buy your way up higher.
With my take over of DannyBoy93 I’m going to make that call. This team was close to winning it all early but has slowly fallen down the rankings, though not far enough to get the stud to reverse the fortunes. In the 2020 draft this team added D’Andre Swift, K.J. Hamler, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Brycen Hopkins. Some solid additions, which this team has continually done, but not enough to put them in to contention.
Very rarely is there going to be a team with a surplus at RB but this team isn’t awful. Starting Todd Gurley and Raheem Mostert is a solid pairing, and after that it’s Latavius Murray, Swift and Jordan Howard. Gurley, Mostert and Howard should be startable each week, Swift should become the lead back and Murray is an intersting back up. He definitely had a momentary uptick with the reported drama between Kamara and the Saints and eye needs to be kept on that.
D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Boyd, Devante Parker, Jarvis Landry, Marvin Jones, Larry Fitzgerald and Steven Simms give this team plenty of WR depth. Parker came on, Metcalf was very solid as a rookie and Boyd has gotten better each season. Landry has to fight with a lot of weapons in Cleveland but has been pretty consistent as a PPR monster. Jones is always underrated and valuable at the flex for fantasy lineups.
One of the big studs on this team is Evan Engram but man it has been tough to have him on your team. Most fantasy writers would put him in the upper echeleon of TEs, but only when he’s on the field. Behind him is Jared Cook, Jimmy Graham and Darren Fells. Cook definitely is a good back up but the other two don’t do a lot for me, though there could be some ups
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While he’s not the stud he once was, Drew Brees is a solid QB but a changing of the guard is happening on this team with Daniel Jones. In fact this is probably the season Brees owners could play match ups as Jones was inconsistent but did have some big games last fantasy season. Kirk Cousins is a solid back up that would make Brees more expendable though unlikely a trade piece.
No surprise this team has been a tough one week in and out and there’s definitely enough there to consider going for it, but it’s the RB position that has me leaning towards sell for this team take over. Gurley was the foundation of this team when it was a contender and it has trended down with him. Behind him there aren’t studs or depth at RB to project long term success in choosing to go for it. Mostert was an absolute monster at the end of last season but the 49er backfield scares me because of the stable of backs and how they go with the hot hand.
DannyBoy93 has held on to Gurley since he got him when the Dynasty League started four seasons ago, but his downward trend has been tied to this team’s success. Despite only being 26 his knees have to worry owners, as well as him moving from LA to Atlanta. If he’s healthy he could still be a very valuable back, but when do you pull the trigger? He’d still fetch a solid return and the same case with Mostert. This team could ride them out and hope to build around them, but I’d lean towards considering a Gurley trade.
Marvin Jones is the for sure trade piece for me. He’s 30 and still underrated and could bring back some solid draft capital to use to try and target more RBs. Fitz would be obvious too if he can be productive enough to get a contending team to bite, otherwise he will likely face a roster cut decision in the off season. The rest of the WR are still at a good age.
The Saints, Cook and Brees are two I’d absolutely be pushing hard to move. There isn’t a ton of value at QB but if there’s some injuries he could fetch something. Jones will likely be a comfortable start most weeks and Cousins is a solid back up. TE is position a lot of teams could be looking for depth and anything I could get for him I’d take at some point during the season.
The problem for this team is you can really go either way, keeping to build or sell, and you could justify it. The top two RBs scare me but aren’t old and you could certainly hold out hope that adding some more RBs via the draft could be how you go about it. Jordan Howard is in that situation as well. How long will he be the lead guy in Miami? RBs come at a premium and you could certainly justify moving him to target a RB with way more upside.
For my take over I’m rocketing to the basement. Brees, Cook, Jones, Fitz, Gurley, Howard and maybe even Mostert would be on the move. I’d load up on young players and draft capital and go hard on RBs with my own 1st, which should be high with a rebuilding season. I could even listen on Landry and Parker depending on what offers I could get and truly tear it all down. The big question is Engram. Do you keep holding out hope or take advantage of high value and not get stuck with a perpetually injured player? If he could stay healthy he’d be a great stack with Jones.
Right now for 2021 this team has an extra 4th rounder and no 8th rounder in the eight team draft. If the DannyBoy93 decides to stand pat, besides moving some of the obvious vets, he’ll be a tough out and fringe playoff team that’ll have to cross his fingers that the question marks fall in his favor as he tries to add more young talent.