After being traded to the Miami Dolphins, can Lynn Bowden Jr become a fantasy football flex option?
To view my previous fantasy football Dynasty Profile installment featuring Rashaad Penny, click here.
History
Coming out of Kentucky, Lynn Bowden Jr was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the third-round of the NFL Draft. Bowden was a jack of all trades for Kentucky. In 2018, Bowden was primarily used as a slot receiver; catching 67 passes for 745 yards and five touchdowns. The following year is when Bowden would explode.
In 2019, Bowden posted spectacular numbers. Despite having only 9 rushing attempts the previous year, Bowden finished 2019 10th overall in yards from scrimmage, 1st in the SEC in rushing yards (1468), and 2nd in the SEC in rushing touchdowns (13). He also led the SEC in punt and kick return yards. In addition to that, Bowden started seven games at quarterback and was involved as a pass catcher, showing just how versatile he is.
But before the NFL season would start, Bowden would see a change of scenery. September 5th the Raiders would trade Bowden and a sixth-round selection to the Miami Dolphins for a for a fourth-round pick. The reason why is still up for debate, but the explanation from Mayock is one I refuse to believe.
Overview
For the first 11 games of the season, Bowden basically rode the bench. He was completely inactive for four games, and only had one game where he logged more than 30% of the offensive snaps. Fortunately for Bowden, an injury-ridden Dolphins team would open up playing time.
Week 13 against the Bengals would be the start of Bowden’s coming out party. He still played less than 50% of the offensive snaps, but compiled 52 yards on only 5 touches. From then on, Bowden was a borderline RB2 in fantasy football and become a focal point in the Dolphins’ offense; logging 90% snap count in the last three games of the season.
Fantasy Football Outlook
Here’s where things start to get blurry. This offseason the Dolphins signed former Texans wide receiver Will Fuller. DeVante Parker‘s contract for 2021 also became completely guaranteed on March 17th. It’s also increasingly likely that they will draft another playmaker after two major trades the team made. This puts the fantasy football future of Bowden in jeopardy.
Bowden has shown that he can be an incredibly versatile player throughout his career. He still needs to develop as a blocker to get more reps at running back, but he’s shown he can handle the slot receiver role in the NFL. The question then becomes what do the Dolphins think of Bowden himself?
When projecting a player’s future use in fantasy football, draft capital is a major factor. Just the fact that the Dolphins gave away a pick to acquire Bowden is huge. Now, it was only a mid-round selection, but I think it’s fairly evident that he’s shown he can outplay the price tag.
While I’m skeptical about Bowden’s future usage to be relevant enough for fantasy football, I wouldn’t give up on him quite yet. If you’re an owner who has shares of Bowden, selling isn’t a bad option, either. Personally, I would hold unless I’m able to get a third-round pick in compensation – and I do believe he’s worth a flyer in the later rounds of leagues with deep rosters.
