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By: Jay Pounds (@jaypoundsnfl)
Dynasty Owners! Welcome to my second to last article of the 2022 off-season! Yes, you read that right, the off-season articles are almost over, and we are just 8 days away from the start of the 2022 NFL season when the Buffalo Bills take on the Los Angeles Rams. While I know we all enjoy the pre-season because it means football is back, if we are being honest, it is nothing but a huge tease with seemingly less and less stars partaking in the games now. Though it has seemed like we have seen a lot less injuries this year vs last pre-season.
I don’t know about you, but I am ready to put an end to news about Tom Brady’s ($15,000,000) 11-day disappearance or the fact the Patriots have the strangest offensive coaching staff in the history of football and have some actual answers played out on the field. Over the off-season, I have been breaking down numerous teams on the platform and while I thought about finishing with a couple more, I decided to have a little fun this week and talk about some of the biggest name players. In today’s article, I am going to list my top two Building Blocks at each position and talk about some of the stars this upcoming season.
Before we jump into the meat and potatoes of today’s article, I want to remind everyone to sign up for the signed Justin Jefferson jersey giveaway that ends on September 7th! Also, if you are looking for a new team, be sure to take advantage of the $20 off coupon available on the platform right now (just use promo code DRAFT). We have several leagues that are just a few spots away from filling and you don’t want to miss your last chance to draft before the NFL season starts!
Quarterbacks
- Justin Herbert (QB – LAC) – 2 years/$6,644,688
On the Dynasty Owner platform, there is no better value in my opinion than one, Justin Herbert. I know if you dig into the actual numbers, he won’t be anywhere near the top spot in terms of true value, but if you put what he offers your roster in perspective, he is my clear-cut number 1 Building Block. At less than $7 million per season and basically a lock to finish in the top 5, you will have a hard time winning any argument against Herbert. In just his second year in the league, Herbert threw for over 5,000 yards and had 38 touchdowns to just 15 interceptions and I can confidently say he should only get better. With Keenan Allen ($20,025,000), Mike Williams ($20,000,000), and Austin Ekeler ($6,125,000) all returning for another season, this offense is set to explode in 2022 and beyond.
2.Joe Burrow (QB – CIN) – 2 years/$9,047,534
The first of two Bengals on this list is the King of Swag who doesn’t dress himself, Joe Burrow! Burrow took the world by storm a few years back at LSU and aside from an injury in his rookie season with the Bengals, he has not looked back. Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in just his second year in the NFL and just like Justin Herbert, he should only continue to get better. In 2021, the Bengals’ main issue was the offensive line and over the 2022 off-season they did a fantastic job at upgrading the unit. If the line can gel quickly and the Bengals playmakers can stay healthy, Burrow has a great shot at finishing as the top quarterback in 2022. At just over $9 million, he becomes a tremendous value to build your team around, just as he is in real life.
Running Backs
- Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND) – 2 years/$1,957,287
Over the past two off-seasons, I have been clear that I don’t care much for the idea of building around running backs but there happen to be a few RB who I have a small love affair with and will give my stamp of approval. Jonathan Taylor is the clear-cut top running back in Dynasty Owner right now after a monster 2021 season and with two years remaining on his rookie contract that pays him less than $2 million, Taylor fits the bill of a running back you can build around at just 23 years old. In 2021, Taylor ran wild on NFL defenses finishing with 1,811 rushing yards, 360 receiving yards, and 20 total touchdowns. My only warning is if you are planning to build around Taylor, be sure to do it quickly with the way running backs tend to fade in today’s NFL.
2.Javonte Williams (RB – DEN) – 3 years/$2,216,438
I always must throw in one shocker to keep everyone on their toes and today’s shocker happens to be Javonte Williams over Najee Harris ($3,261,862). Remember this is for a rebuilding roster, not a startup draft. I have been open about the fact that I like Williams over Harris despite being a die-hard Steelers fan. Over the next season or two, Harris may be the better option but with Williams being two years younger (22 for Williams vs. 24 for Harris) and quite a bit cheaper ($1,045,424 to be exact), I would give Williams the edge between the two as a Building Block. In 2021, Williams shared the field with Melvin Gordon ($2,500,000) and was still able to put up 903 yards rushing on top of 316 yards receiving and 7 total touchdowns. I know some worry about Gordon stealing touches from Williams once again, but in a rebuild that should be a positive with Williams having less mileage on his body when you are ready to compete.
Wide Receiver
- Ja’Marr Chase (WR – CIN) – 3 years/$7,704,910
First, at the receiver position, we have one of the biggest debates on the entire Dynasty Owner platform. Take Ja’Marr Chase at 3 years/$7.7 million or his former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson at 2 years/$3.28 million. While many like Jefferson ($3,280,701) because of the savings, I prefer Chase who I feel is in the more potent offense, plus I get an extra year of control. Chase took the world by storm during his rookie season with his old buddy Joe Burrow, finishing with 81 catches for 1,455 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns in route to breaking Jefferson’s rookie receiving record set in 2020. As I mentioned in the Burrow segment earlier, the Bengals offensive line should be much better in 2022 meaning the Burrow to Chase connection should get even more terrifying for opposing coaches and players.
2.Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN) – 2 years/$3,280,701
Like I just mentioned above, Justin Jefferson is a fantastic receiver who could easily be the number 1 Building Block at his position. It just comes down to preference of the Dynasty Owner. In 2020, Jefferson set the rookie receiving record with 1,400 yards and 7 touchdowns on 88 receptions and did even better in year 2, finishing with 108 receptions, 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns. The hope with Jefferson is that he will get even better now that he has an offensive minded head coach who will almost certainly throw the ball much more than in previous seasons. If the Vikings do come out and throw the ball more, I don’t think it’s crazy to think Jefferson could challenge the all-time receiving record in 2022. Regardless of who you decide between Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, I don’t think you can go wrong.
Tight End
- Kyle Pitts (TE – ATL) – 3 years/$8,227,624
Ahh Kyle Pitts, a player I will always be a huge fan of thanks to my son drafting him third overall in Steve and my podcast listeners league. I know in the moment I was not happy and still don’t like the pick that early, but I am thankful to have a legitimate star at tight end for many years to come. If Pitts continues to get better over the next couple of seasons, he has a real chance at becoming the Travis Kelce ($14,312,500) or better of his generation. It is not often we see tight ends hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark at any point during their careers and Pitts was able to do just that during his rookie campaign. In 2022 and beyond, it appears Pitts will be the focal point of the Falcons’ offense and if he ends up getting paired with a decent quarterback his future looks extremely bright. I also love the fact the Falcons drafted Drake London ($5,383,617) who will help open things up for Pitts.
2.Mark Andrews (TE – BAL) 4 years/$14,000,000
Finally, we have made it to the last player on our list, Mark Andrews. I remember around this time last season I was partaking in a startup draft, and I selected Andrews in the fifth or sixth round and was met with heavy criticism over the pick. Fast forward a year and now Andrews is easily a top 3 tight end in Dynasty Owner startup drafts (ADP 31.6), even at a $14,000,000 salary. In 2021, Andrews had a massive season finishing as the top tight end in Dynasty Owner with 303.1 Dynasty Owner fantasy points (38.3 more points than Travis Kelce). Outside of Lamar Jackson ($23,016,000) leaving Baltimore, I see zero concerns for the future of Andrews and even if that doomsday scenario does happen, Andrews performed just fine with Tyler Hunley ($895,000) at the helm last season.
Thank you all for reading and be sure to check out all the awesome stuff going on here at Dynasty Owner. We have articles from Steve, Matt, Nate, and me as well as the Livestream on Wednesdays at 4 PM (Eastern), the Champions podcast with our three Chase for the Ring champions (Jeff, Viktor and Eddie), giveaways, and the podcast with Steve and I. Stay safe out there and good luck on your 2022 Chase for the Ring!