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: Taywan Taylor, WR, Tennessee Titans
Taylor was one of my favorite trade targets of the offseason. With the expected improvement of Marcus Mariota and the mysterious injury to veteran receiver Rishard Matthews, Taylor was dominant in the preseason and had me feeling good about my call.
However, things didn't start well in Week 1. He was a complete afterthought in the season opener, playing only nine snaps while Mariota suffered an elbow injury. Taylor's usage increased in Week 2, when he was on the field for 41% of the offense's snaps and scored the Titans' lone offensive touchdown with a catch. Then finally, Taylor played 52% of Week 3 snaps (second only to Corey Davis), and had a career-high four receptions for just 30 yards.
With the lingering injury to Mariota and the general concerns about the Titans offense, this buy is more about the future than it is about this season. But Taylor still has the looks of an impact player in the slot, and he's flying under the radar after a slow start.
I'd gladly spend a future second-round rookie pick to acquire Taylor in my dynasty leagues.
Add: Kyle Juszczyk, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo's season-ending knee injury changes everything for San Francisco: A team that many expected would contend for a playoff spot is now likely to be considered an underdog in most games.
With C.J. Beathard now under center, the Niners will regularly be playing from behind. This means more work for their running backs as pass-catchers out of the backfield.
We already know Alfred Morris, who has 59 receptions in 95 career games — including only 12 in the three seasons since he left Washington — is not a pass-catching threat. And in 56 career college and NFL games, Matt Breida has only 50 receptions. That leaves Juszczyk, who already leads the team's running backs in targets.
The other positive for Juszczyk is that as a fullback, he's actually on the field more than other Niners RBs, playing more than 60% of the snaps while Morris (44%) and Breida (43%) share the "lead" role.
This add is not a long-term play, but a move for contenders looking for PPR upside as bye weeks begin.
Fallers
Trade away: Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Carson set career highs in carries (32) and rushing yards (102) while scoring his first career rushing touchdown in Seattle's win over Dallas this past week. He decisively won the starting job over first-round rookie Rashaad Penny but has failed to stand out during his limited work over the past two seasons.
In general, I want to avoid the Seattle offense, which is averaging only 62 plays per game — most of which have come when the Seahawks are trailing. While Penny has struggled early in his NFL career, there is no way that the Seahawks let their first-round pick — who team officials suggested they planned to select in the top 18 overall picks — touch the ball only three times per game.
Not only would I be looking to sell Carson after his strong performance, but I’m also taking the first second-round rookie pick I'm offered. Get out while you can!
Drop: Corey Coleman, WR, New England Patriots
It's been a wild ride for the 2016 first-round pick. After a pair of disappointing and injury-plagued seasons for Coleman, the Browns surprisingly traded him to the Bills early in training camp.
While Buffalo was not an enticing landing spot for fantasy purposes, it seemed it would at least provide Coleman the opportunity to stand out. Following the deal, many called Coleman Buffalo’s most talented receiver. The Bills coaching staff evidently didn’t see it that way as Coleman failed to make the final 53-man roster, even though they would have to pay his full $3.5 million contract for this season.
After getting looks with a couple of teams, Coleman signed a deal with the Patriots, who also needed some help at wide receiver. Less than a week after signing Coleman, and before he could even suit up, the Pats waived him in a corresponding move to their trade for another former Browns receiver, Josh Gordon.
New England then re-signed Coleman to its practice squad, but it's time for dynasty players to give up on him, just as the Browns and Bills and it's time for dynasty players to give up on him. The Patriots already have.
