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By: Jay Pounds (@jaypoundsnfl)
Dynasty Owners! We are just 16 days away from the start of the NFL season and I know you all are just as excited as I am for some real NFL games. The Romeo Doubs training camp/pre-season hype will all be put to rest when the games start to count on September 8th (Rams vs. Bills). Before we enjoy the kickoff of the NFL season, we have a few items left on the old agenda to cover this off-season.
In the article today, I want to cover some players who shouldn’t cost much to acquire with a few potentially being available in the Free Agent Auction in your league. Remember, rebuilding is not always about trading for the Justin Jefferson’s of the world. You should always be looking for players who you can flip a few weeks down the road. When looking at the list below you will find players who have a realistic shot at a big role in 2022, making them excellent trade candidates for a rebuilding roster. The idea is to trade an old veteran and/or a third round pick for one of these guys listed below and flip them later in the year for a second round pick, or a first if you happen to strike gold. You should see a nice mix of both young guys and veterans below and if these players do not tickle your fancy, they should at least give you a good idea of who you should be targeting. If you happen to be targeting other players feel free to let me know on Twitter.
Mecole Hardman (WR – KC) – 1 year/$1,248,763
Ahh the heir apparent to Tyreek Hill ($18,000,000), Mecole Hardman. I am not sure why, but people held onto the thought of Hardman becoming the next Hill since King Tut was alive and well, yet the second it makes sense, seemingly everyone is out. I am all for the idea of buying Hardman now and seeing what happens. Someone must take over the old Hill job right? Hardman is in a battle with JuJu Smith-Schuster ($3,250,000), Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($10,000,000) and Skyy Moore ($1,612,625) to become Patrick Mahomes’ ($45,000,000) new number 1 receiver and you can probably buy him for a third round pick right now. If Hardman ends up doing exactly what the Chiefs drafted him for and becomes the “new Tyreek Hill”, he will bring back a first-round pick easily in a future deal and if he doesn’t oh well. Now that’s how you play the fantasy football lottery!
Nico Collins (WR – HOU) – 3 years/$1,217,879
Nico Collins was one of my favorite late picks in last year’s rookie draft and even though he did not put-up huge numbers last season, I am expecting a big step forward in 2022 opposite Brandin Cooks ($16,200,000). I am not completely sure on Collins’ trade value as of late, but you should be able to get him for a third round rookie draft pickand a Bench player. One of my favorite positives for Collins moving forward is the quarterback position in Houston. If Davis Mills ($1,304,383) has a good season and solidifies himself as the starter in 2022, it is a positive for Collins. If Mills comes out and stinks it up, Collins will have one of the prized 2023 quarterbacks slinging him the rock. Either way if Collins develops this year, he has a bright future ahead of him.
Gerald Everett (TE – LAC) – 1 year/$6,000,000
Earlier in the off-season, I said that Gerald Everett was one of my favorite tight end sleepers heading into the 2022 season and my stance has not changed. Everett is extremely gifted when it comes to his athletic ability and if he happens to gel with Justin Herbert ($6,644,688), he should finish as a Top 10 tight end in 2022. Currently, you can pick Everett up in the Free Agent Auction in a few Dynasty Owner leagues (93.9% roster percentage) and if he is already taken a third round pick should get a deal done. Everett is not a player I would keep long-term so if you happen to acquire him, I would sell after a few good games. At worst, he is a middle of the pack tight end, and you can likely get your third round pick back.
Terrace Marshall (WR – CAR) – 3 years/$1,432,372
I must say there are quite a few interesting names on this list, but Marshall may just take the cake. Many in the dynasty community were high on Marshall heading into last year and while I shied away, I feel now is the time to pounce on him. Marshall had terrible quarterback play last season and while it won’t be Top 5 in 2022, it should be much better. Pair that with the fact Robby Anderson ($14,750,000) seems to hate Baker Mayfield ($18,858,000) and the whole OBJ/Mayfield situation and it seems like the perfect world for Terrace Marshall to succeed as crazy as that sounds.
Isaiah McKenzie (WR – BUF) – 2 years/$2,200,000
Throughout the off-season, Isaiah McKenzie could be found on the Free Agent Auction and picked up for just Dynasty Dollars. Now, he will cost you a player and/or draft compensation and I still feel it’s well worth it. McKenzie is competing with Jamison Crowder ($2,000,000) and while I love Crowder’s talent, he has serious durability concerns. When McKenzie was given the chance to shine for the Bills in 2021, he did just that and I see him becoming a staple in the offense early in the 2022 season. Anytime you can get a receiver tied to a quarterback like Josh Allen ($43,005,667( for cheap I feel it is an easy decision to make. If McKenzie wins the Buffalo starting WR3 job, you may have a tough decision on your hands as the trade offers start rolling in.
Jamaal Williams (RB – DET) – 1 year/$3,000,000
I must admit that this was a tough one to put on the list and I almost went with Trey Sermon ($1,218,234) instead. The reason this was a tough decision is the same reason Jamaal Williams finds himself on my list, D’Andre Swift ($2,134,728). Swift is one of my favorite young players to watch but he has been banged up several times throughout his short career. Unfortunately, in 2021, Williams went down the same time Swift did, and Dynasty Owners with Williams on their rosters were not able to cash in. However, that is unlikely to happen two years in a row. Williams should be cheap right now and if the Dynasty Owner with Swift on their roster is a contender and Swift happens to go down again, you can trade Williams for a massive ransom. If Swift defies all odds and stays healthy for the year, Williams should still have a big enough role that you can recoup your original investment.
Jordan Love (QB – GB) – 2 years/$3,095,863
Jordan Love may be a questionable choice for this list because he has no obvious path to the field, but this is more of a future move rather than a move for 2022. The perception around Love is as low as it has ever been and that is exactly why I am buying him now. Love only has two years remaining on his rookie deal and the Packers are going to want some type of return on their silly first round NFL draft investment here soon. When that time comes, Jordan Love could find himself in a Baker Mayfield type situation getting a 1-year trial run as a starter somewhere in the league.
Thank you all for reading and be sure to check out more Dynasty Owner articles from Nate, Steve, and Matt to stay ahead of your league mates. Stay safe and good luck on your 2022 Chase for the Ring!