Fantasy Football: 5 Names to Keep on Your Dynasty Radar
Beyond the draft, one of my favorite things to do is scour the waiver wire for players who may be overlooked in my keeper/dynasty leagues. I just find it fun to look for value in places where other people won’t go. Most of the guys I find never pan out, but it doesn’t matter since they’re virtually free to pick up. I’m not advocating for picking these players up right now but if you start to see their name popping up more frequently, scoop them up just in case they do secure a role this season.
WR Brice Butler – Arizona Cardinals
Brice Butler is entering his sixth season and has yet to make any sort of significant impact through two years in Oakland and three years in Dallas. He was brought on by Arizona on a two-year deal and will compete with Chad Williams and Christian Kirk for targets behind Larry Fitzgerald.
It’s disturbing to see a player like Butler produce next to nothing in college and through his first five years in the league despite being 6’3″ 214 pounds and running a 4.37 second 40 at his pro day. He’ll at least get a shot at starting on the outside for Arizona in a competition that is wide open. He’s a big-play guy averaging 16.1 yards/reception over his career and has managed 8 TDs on 73 receptions. Remember the name.
For more in-depth analysis, check out Fantasy Reaction: Brice Butler Signs with the Cardinals.
TE Jacob Hollister – New England Patriots
Jacob Hollister was an UDFA out of Wyoming. He made the New England Roster last year and appears to be third in line behind Gronk and Dwayne Allen but Allen is most effective as a run-blocker. Allen’s spot would appear secure if he restructures his contract but an injury to Gronk would put Hollister in a position to contribute as a valuable pass-catcher. Next man up…
RB Ryan Nall – Chicago Bears
This is a pretty deep dive. Ryan Nall is a big-athletic guy (6’2″ 240 pounds with a 60th percentile SPARQ score) with above-average hands. He got lost during a college career at Oregon State where he bounced around playing different positions. In addition to missing time in his final season due to an ankle injury, Nall also endured a coaching change mid-way through his junior year on a team that only won one game. These factors contribute to him not being drafted but he has a shot to make the Chicago roster.
Chicago’s depth chart behind Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen gets pretty ugly. It would appear Benny Cunningham would benefit the most if Howard or Cohen missed time, but Cunningham is far from a haaaaandcuff. I’m hoping Nall can standout during the offseason and overtake Cunningham on the depth chart.
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WR Isaiah Ford & Jakeem Grant – Miami Dolphins
Projected to go in the 4-5th round, Miami used a 2017 7th round luxury pick on former basketball standout Isaiah Ford. Ford’s athleticism failed to show up at the combine where he posted sub-par athletic measurables contributing to his fall at the draft.
Like Ford, 5’7″ Jakeem Grant was a late-round selection in the 2016 draft. Both are fighting for roster spots and both have stood out in training camp this year. Jarvis Landry is gone, DeVante Parker‘s opportunities may be nearing an end, and the once popular among draftniks Leonte Carroo appears to be an also-ran.
I cheated a little on this one but the only certainty among the receivers in Miami is Kenny Stills, who is such a popular sleeper that I’m not sure he can be called a sleeper anymore. There are far more questions about the Miami receiving corps than there are answers, which makes the situation ripe for someone like Ford or Grant to carve out a role. My money is on Ford whose youth, height, and skills/athleticism from basketball make his fantasy potential a little greater than Grant’s, but this situation is going to take a while to settle out.
WR Trey Quinn – Washington Redskins
If this name rings a bell at all it’s because Washington drafted him in the 7th round at pick 256 aka Mr. Irrelevant. I really hope Trey Quinn makes it someday because his story is pretty amazing. He was ranked as the 11th WR entering college, but choose LSU. In two years at LSU, Quinn had predictably very little production so he transferred to a more prolific passing offense at SMU to play alongside Courtland Sutton. How did Quinn perform while playing with a future second-round pick?
[lptw_table id=”54673″ style=”default”]He thoroughly outproduced Sutton, but there are some knocks on him. He was totally unproductive at LSU. Elite talent tends to find a way to produce even in poor situations. His athleticism isn’t a detriment, but it’s certainly not a plus. He finished his college career with only one year of significant (albeit exceptional) production.
Most of the other names in this article are here just so you get them on your radar. If you start hearing positive news, then you throw them on your dynasty roster. Since Quinn isn’t even being drafted in most dynasty rookie drafts, I recommend getting him right now especially if you have a spot on your taxi squad. The pedigree is there, the production was there alongside another elite talent. Unfortunately, he’s buried on a team with a lot of talented receivers, but he’s already receiving notice at training camp. This is definitely a name to monitor and if you’re in my dynasty league, don’t bother looking!