Each week of the NFL season I will highlight risers and fallers in dynasty leagues — one player to trade for, one to trade away, one to add and one to drop.
Risers
Trade For: Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
Since his breakout rookie season a year ago, Watson has been a highly-coveted dynasty asset. In fact, he was regularly drafted as the QB2 in dynasty startup drafts this off-season. But his season-ending injury in 2017 and lofty price tag has actually turned off some dynasty owners, while a slow start has others concerned.
Watson struggled on the road against the Patriots in Week 1, throwing for only 176 yards and one touchdown. But in Week 2, Watson welcomed deep-threat wide receiver Will Fuller back to the lineup after missing the season opener with a hamstring injury.
Fuller made an immediate impact, catching eight passes for 113 yards and a score. Watson’s fantasy production doubled from the prior week as a result (11 to 22 fantasy points).
That’s actually a good representation of his career splits with and without Fuller. With Fuller in the lineup, Watson has averaged an otherworldly 35 fantasy points per game. But that average drops to 17 when Fuller is out.
Amazing starts for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Buccaneers veteran QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has stripped some of Watson's appeal away, making this the perfect time to make some trade offers.
Add: Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Once the Bengals finally parted ways with Brandon LaFell, dynasty players knew one of the young receivers Cincinnati had drafted in recent years would get a chance at serious production. Many preferred 2017's ninth overall pick John Ross, while former second-rounder Boyd was the other top candidate.
Through two games, Ross has only two receptions and has scored less than 10 total fantasy points. Boyd, on the other hand, has served as the Bengals clear second option in the passing game and currently ranks as a fantasy WR3.
Boyd has been in on 81% of the Bengals' snaps while Ross has played only 62%. Perhaps most surprising of all is that Boyd is still available on many dynasty league waiver wires.
Fallers
Trade Away: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos
Thomas started the season well, finding the end zone and finishing Week 1 as the WR18. But the veteran followed that up with a major dud, catching only 5 of his 11 targets against the Raiders in Week 2 for a mere 18 scoreless yards.
Most seem to be in agreement that rookie Courtland Sutton is being groomed as Thomas' eventual replacement. And with $14 million due to Thomas in 2019 — the final year of his deal — the two sides could part ways next offseason.
Thomas still carries significant name value, as dynasty ADP places him inside the top 60 overall players. He should still produce based on the volume of targets, too, so he should command a solid return in dynasty leagues.
Drop: Wayne Gallman, RB, New York Giants
Gallman had a solid rookie season in 2017, finishing as the Giants second-highest scoring fantasy back while making an impact as a pass-catcher. Even after the Giants added veteran back Jonathan Stewart and all-everything rookie Saquon Barkley, I held onto Gallman, expecting him to retain that role as a third-down back with some PPR upside.
That has not been the case.
Through two games, Gallman has been in on only 11 total snaps, and the Giants don't need an additional pass-catching back when they already have Barkley. The former Penn State star has 16 receptions for 102 yards through two weeks.
So, if you’ve also held onto Gallman, you can pull the plug.
