Right now you’re not admitting it to anyone, but you see through your dynasty fantasy football team’s record. Nobody knows the cracks in the lineup like you. Nobody knows the worst case scenarios better, and nobody has better insight to where you can start your journey to improve your dynasty roster.
Of all the possible records your team can have after four weeks (assuming no ties), 60% are the result of either a string of bad luck (classic denial) or the cold water of reality washing over you as the October cold arrives–that bye week will have to wait until next year.
But how? The teams with 4-0 records or 3-1 records still have a long way to go this season, but when the year starts, everyone* has health and nobody is on bye. The sharper your league mates are, the more important it is to be as objective as possible with regard to where your dynasty squad ranks compared to the rest of those league mates.
So let’s just admit it: we messed up this season. We were wrong. We made some bad calls.
But we can come back stronger next season.
No, you can’t afford Bijan Robinson, Sam LaPorta, Anthony Richardson, or Puka Nacua at this point; but in dynasty, being late on studs is part of the game. So let’s cut to the chase (Kupp Tua Chase is a great rebuilding team name, by the way) and discuss how to make the best of a season that didn’t start the way we expected; while highlighting some names that emerged a year ago and are incredible values today.
Dynasty Fantasy Football – Players to Buy for 2024
It’s not fair you lost Week 1 by 3 points. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was supposed to break out by now. That Joe Burrow startup pick is less spicy than you thought it would be back in May. We all have countless bad breaks year-in and year-out. Let’s see who we should be targeting to soften the blow of this monumentally disappointing first month of fantasy football, and get a head start on the rest of our competition for the 2024 season, starting with the core of your team.
Quarterback Buys for 2024
CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
There’s only one starting QB from the AFC in this group. A conference loaded with QB talent is hard to find room to make your mark in, and somehow CJ Stroud starts our list as maybe the most exciting new QB you can (maybe?) afford in your rebuild. We might be a week late, as anyone who already has him likely wants to ride it out. Don’t let that stop you from strongly considering an overpay. There were comparisons to Dak Prescott at certain points prior to the start of the season; and staying relevant with next to nothing in offensive weapons is not something we should downplay.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
There aren’t many young quarterbacks that are both available and surrounded by a top 5 offensive group (at worst) in dynasty. So why are we all hesitant to pull the trigger on believing in Brock Purdy? Is it Trey Lance? Jimmy Garoppolo? Kyle Shanahan’s relationship with every QB he’s ever had?
The answer is probably all of the above. But outside of Sam Darnold taking a trip to Los Angeles for a meeting with team doctors from the Chargers, it’s unlikely Purdy is going anywhere. Shanahan has frequently indicated how he feels about his QB; he was in no uncertain terms ready to move off of Garoppolo before his surgery. Trey Lance was seemingly never given an opportunity to earn the job, and now all Purdy gets is praise from his coach. If we accept what we see before our eyes, Brock Purdy should be a younger, more efficient Jimmy G. For the price, that’s tough to beat.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young had a rough start, yes. But that’s exactly why it’s time to start bugging the manager who isn’t happy they picked Bryce over Stroud. If Stroud is in his “buy now or never” moment, Bryce is entering his “buy the dip” moment. Carolina has shown a clear desire to support their first overall pick from 2023, and there should be considerable insulated value until something changes dramatically for the Panthers. If they acquire a wide receiver (which they’re actively trying to do), his price will go up.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
I’ve seen enough from Jordan Love to believe he’s got at least a few years in the NFL before teams won’t want to give him a job. There are prospects who are expected to take that next step and fail to do so within their first three seasons. Love has the added pressure of quarterbacking for an organization known for its historic greatness at the position for what seems like the entirety of the NFL. While he isn’t posting numbers that remind you of Favre or Rodgers, Love has the weapons around him and the room to grow into the asset you can acquire now without selling the farm.
Do it before he plays against the Raiders and Broncos.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The end of this list woke up feeling dangerous. That’s exactly what letting yourself fall in love with Baker Mayfield again might feel like. But when he’s surrounded by a competent group of weapons, he can provide much more than what it costs to acquire alternative “brand” names with similar production. The locker room loves him, the team has zero expectations, and the division is winnable. Where have we heard that one before…
Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
Aidan O’Connell doesn’t have the starting job right now, but we’ve already seen him benefit from backing up an injury-prone Garoppolo. He received his first start against a division rival in Week 4. O’Connell doesn’t have the supporting cast Brock Purdy did, but we could very well be watching Aidan trek the same path to a starting NFL gig Brock did just a year ago.
Dynasty Buys From a Year Ago That Hold Great Value Today
- Jared Goff
- Geno Smith
- Daniel Jones
- Deshaun Watson
- Justin Fields
Running Back Buys for 2024
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
You probably know the thesis of the play without hearing much. Derrick Henry is the king, and he needs an heir. Buying a game after Henry shows he’s competing for the QB job (joking…maybe?) is potentially not a play that will pay off if the Titans look to add another RB in the offseason. Yet for now, Tyjae Spears could be in line to ascend the RB throne in Tennessee if he gets the volume King Henry will leave behind.
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
Windows in dynasty fantasy football leagues are everything. From buying to selling, you don’t know when the next transition period will arrive. Tank Bigsby finds himself as the backup to an incredibly talented athlete in Travis Etienne; and Jacksonville looks set for the next decade with Trevor Lawrence behind center. We’re never more than a single play from watching the next great player break out; and the Jaguars might still be a year or more away from truly competing for a championship. As Trevor continues to develop, the running talent supporting him should be held tight. Tank can be acquired without breaking the bank.
Zach Evans, Los Angeles Rams
We have to accept the human element of the NFL will sometimes impact our teams off the field. Last year was tumultuous to say the least for Cam Akers. While many thought he recovered and took control of the backfield in Los Angeles this offseason, it was quickly made apparent that wasn’t the case. Now, he’s been traded and no longer a Ram. There are multiple lessons to pull from this experience, but one thing is clear; there were always signs Kyren Williams was loved by Sean McVay. After an ankle injury disrupted his opportunity last season, we never got the chance to connect a few very important dots (maybe they get breakfast together) regarding the likelihood he’d get heavy volume. And with how McVay hands out opportunities, it’s not unreasonable to believe Zach Evans is on the same trajectory if Kyren’s opportunity goes sideways.
Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle has a history of running the ball, and right now the Seahawks are scoring points in bunches. Kenneth Walker is once again reminding nerds that catching passes is cool, but just being that dude is sometimes more than enough. Even so, we’ve all had our own personal recovery from the terrors of trusting an RB room Pete Carroll and John Schneider are responsible for. Those nightmares are full of talented UDFAs taking valuable snaps from our workhorses. Not all backups are the same, though, and Zach Charbonnet is in that classic mold of an annoyingly talented backup who won’t go away. Snag him during the bye week and let the value grow.
Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Once a highly touted draft prospect, Sean Tucker has grinded his way back into relevance, as medical concerns saw his draft stock disappear. While we cannot project whether these types of issues will reappear or not, we can trust that so long as Tucker is given opportunities, he will continue to make the most of them. Even with the early season success in Tampa Bay, the future is where this organization has its sights set. Make room at the end of your bench and stash him for 2024 and beyond.
Dynasty Buys From a Year Ago That Hold Great Value Today
- Brian Robinson
- Jamaal Williams
- James Cook
- Isiah Pacheco
- Tony Pollard
Wide Receiver Buys for 2024
Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals find themselves in that weirdly fun spot; where losing competitive games is exactly what you want to see as a fan right now. And they are doing so in style. Joshua Dobbs is making plays every week. He’s providing opportunities to players on the Cardinals who were thought to be left hapless and hopeless waiting for Kyler Murray to return. Yet that is not the case! The offense can move the ball, and as of late, Michael Wilson is passing the eye test and the box score test. Buying high now might be buying cheap a month from now.
John Metchie, Houston Texans
This is as much of an endorsement of CJ Stroud as it is John Metchie, but that’s what happens when a rookie QB breaks out early; the range of outcomes for players once thought on the fringe shift dramatically. Now that the former Alabama star has had plenty of time to recover from his ACL injury and Leukemia diagnosis, picturing the two young players connecting sometime before the end of this season seems like a winning bet.
Trey Palmer, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Maybe a greater longshot than others on this list considering the futures of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are unknown at this point. But “talent over situation” is the process for many dynasty fantasy football managers for a reason. While getting on the field ahead of two studs isn’t a lock any time soon, Trey Palmer has made the most of his early opportunities when they’ve come. With Baker Mayfield and the rest of the team playing loose and winning games, it’s likely we will continue to see Palmer in the mix for an offense trending in the right direction.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers
A first round pick with so much hype around his potential could not have had a slower start while healthy. That’s exactly why it’s time to scoop up the value dip on Quentin Johnston and every other rookie who is also disappointing (this is also secretly a buy JSN blurb) before they explode and become untouchable like so many before them. De’Von Achane probably isn’t attainable in dynasty fantasy football leagues after back-to-back high scoring weeks; and two weeks ago that wasn’t the case. You can’t predict when the breakout will come, but you can trust he’ll continue to get the chances to prove he’s worth the draft capital spent to make him a Charger.
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots
Tell me if you’ve heard of this one before: Bill Belichick finds a dude you’ve never heard of, game plans the offense around him for multiple successful drives, you grab him on waivers, and he never has a fantasy-relevant game again. Sound familiar? Right now Demario Douglas isn’t commanding the number of snaps a fantasy stud commands, but that could change if he keeps making the most of the minimal opportunities he’s had. The Patriots have been waiting for an offensive weapon to arrive for what seems like forever now. Is it Demario?
Dynasty Buys From a Year Ago That Hold Great Value Today
- Jahan Dotson
- Elijah Moore
- DeVonta Smith
- Jameson Williams
- George Pickens
Tight End Buys for 2024
Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
Tight ends are almost always about staying patient. Sam LaPorta will be a unicorn if he doesn’t follow in the footsteps of Kyle Pitts at some point; so the tried and true method of finding experienced talent who can be safety blankets for their young, developing quarterback is one of the best ways to hit on the dart throws we make on these lesser-valued players. Trey McBride was great in college. He has sat behind one of the most targeted tight ends in Zach Ertz for multiple seasons now, and has an organization either rolling with Kyler Murray or potentially upgrading next season. It’s time to buy Trey McBride.
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
The train is leaving the station, but if you can sweet-talk your league mates out of one of the safest new tight end options in fantasy, make sure Jake Ferguson is on your list of players to go home with. Dak Prescott loved Dalton Schultz in the red zone. He has continued to show this season it’s as much a positional love as it was for Schultz; otherwise we just have to accept Ferguson is good. It might already be too late to acquire him, but give it a shot.
Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants
While New York football remains in disarray for the duration of 2023, the future is bright in the big city at multiple positions. For the Giants, Daniel Bellinger has an opportunity to learn from Darren Waller through the rest of this season and continue to grow as a pass-catcher; which is something we saw plenty of in his rookie campaign. Waller keeps his price low, as well as the team’s offensive struggles.
Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers
We weren’t quite sure what to expect with the changing of the guard in Lambeau this year. But it seems safe to say passing is on the menu with or without cheese. With so many new roles for players to earn with a new QB, a rookie tight end already making his mark with decent early chemistry is not something to ignore. It’s something to Love.
Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders
The Quentin Johnston of rookie tight ends, Michael Mayer was supposed to be what Sam LaPorta has become through the first four weeks. Stuck on an offense with no offensive spark, no real upside at QB and multiple elite target hogs in Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, Mayer is seemingly in a fantasy redshirt season. That means the 35th overall player taken in the 2023 NFL draft might have to wait for a stud to take over at QB. Could that be as early as 2024?
Dynasty Buys From a Year Ago That Hold Great Value Today
- Cade Otton
- Hayden Hurst
- Evan Engram
- Hunter Henry
- Zach Ertz
