[12
team league, 25 man rosters, 5 taxi spots, start 1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE,
2Flex, 1DST, 1K]
As we wrap up the
fifth week of the season the playoff picture is starting to form and
for teams that aren’t going to make it, or want to position
themselves in the top of the draft. It’s key for selling teams to
start making moves. Unless you’re in a league with very aggressive
owners there will only be a set number of moves to make so it’s key
to get ahead of the market, especially in our league where an arms
race preceded the season.
Undynasty is in
full tank mode, running out the tank lineup in a race to get to the
top pick of the draft and heading for 1-4 to start the season. This
team has already traded Kenyan Drake and James Connor for a 1st
and a 2nd round pick in 2021 and a 2nd round
pick in 2022. The 1st was his own, a big get to initiate
the tank, and he should have three picks in the top 18.
Those picks go
along with a core of Deshaun Watson, Mark Andrews, Chase Edmonds,
Corey Davis, A. J. Brown, N’Keal Harry, Will Fuller and Courtland
Sutton. Rookies Antonio Gandy-Golden and La’Mical Perine are the
interesting kids to go along with those vets. Marquez
Valdes-Scantling and Dalls Goedert are interesting pieces that could
be on the team next season also.
What that leaves is
not much after shipping out the two backs. Alshon Jeffery is the only
notable vet that could fetch something, but that’s if he ever gets
healthy and can produce for the practice squad receiving corps that
is the Philadelphia Eagles. Justin Jackson and D’Ernest Johnson
gained some value with injuries in their backfield but have a limited
window. Those two are really the only pieces left to move and need to
do so in a hurry.
Depending on your
feelings for Goedert and Scantling they could be interesting flips
if they do something, though the Zach Ertz contract could turn
Goedert into something if his time ends in Philly. Otherwise, it’s
about using their FAAB to find anyone that’s interesting going
forward or could possibly be a minor flip as most of the selling work
is done on this team. It’s all about the 2021 draft and hitting on
those picks.
Danny Boy is on the
cusp of pulling off an upset to move to 2-3 but still in contention
for a top pick. This team has already been in seller’s mode to
further push the tank. Raheem Mostert and Jimmy Graham were traded
for Chris Herndon, Miles Gaskin and a 2021 2nd round pick.
This gives them three top 23 picks.
Gaskin joins D.K.
Metcalf, Tyler Boyd, Even Engram, D’Andre Swift and Devante Parker as
the likely core for next season. Rookie K.J. Hamler is their other
player that seems like an asset moving forward. This team has done a
nice job adding pieces but not leaning in to a rebuild before this
has seen their team sink to this point.
Todd Gurley, Jared
Cook, Jarvis Landry, Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins, Marvin Jones and Larry
Fitzgerald are the vets to move. Quaterback isn’t a high position of
value so anything for them would be a win, but Jones and Fitz could
be serviceable vets for a competing team. Cook would be someone I’d
move as quickly as possible before Michael Thomas comes back, though
the pecking order of pass catchers in New Orleans has left him as an
inconsistent producer.
Landry has fallen
off from his target monster ways but has put together some solid
weeks and has seen at least a slight uptick with the Nick Chubb
injury. He could slide in as a flex option for a competing team.
Gurley is the real asset that could bring back something of note. The
committee early on hurt his value but he has really come on the last
few weeks and backs are always valuable. Gurley is worth a late
1st/early 2nd round pick and could be a boost
to a team with all the injuries thus far in the season.
Both teams have
been active sellers early on and that’s big for positioning
themselves in contention for a high draft pick and also getting ahead
of the market. Undynasty has just fringe moves left but Danny Boy
could still be a factor before the selling is done. Fitz, Jones and
Cook are quickly heading to roster cut territory and it’s hard to
find value for signal callers so anything for them might be all you
can get, but Gurley and Landry could still bring back something
useful for the rebuild. They could both still be on the team for next
season but their value has already trended down and it’s a dangerous
game to play for a team clearly rebuilding.