I’ve recently started to shift gears a bit to NFL/College/Fantasy Football (it is that time, you know); and while I maintain that I’ll be retiring from Fantasy Football when I turn 32 (three more years!) recent developments have caused me to rethink my decision.
Welcome to the world of Dynasty League football.
Now, considering last year I was a defensive replacement away from (literally) one of the more impressive seasons I’ve ever played, this off-season has been the most fun I’ve had as far as the fantasy football is concerned. For those who aren’t familiar with the format, last year was our inaugural draft and once those players are on your team, you’re scouting rookies and building for future years. To my leagues chagrin, this format played into my hand perfectly because I spend 17 or 18 Saturdays a year glued to my television set watching college football. I am from the South, after all; where the best college (and one could argue high school) football in the country is played. It has also given the game a year-round general manager feel that keeps me involved past the league playoffs.
I bring up the dynasty format because for those out there playing in their standard or dynasty fantasy league and are looking for a rookie receiver who can come in and give them a veteran/All-Pro level performance from day one, I’m going to give you the rookies I would target. Would I pick them over an A.J. Green or Calvin Johnson? No, I wouldn’t. But I would consider them as starters if I miss out on any of the studs and am looking for solid week-to-week production to get into the playoffs.
Isn’t that what it’s all about?
- Kenbrell Thompkins, WR, Patriots: This wasn’t an overnight pick up for me. Consider just last night Tom Brady looked his way 12 times and Thompkins finished the game with eight catches for 116 yards (93 yards with Brady). He has 13 catches for 142 yards this preseason playing with the first team, and has become option 1-A for Brady after Amendola. With Aaron Dobson’s inability to get on the same page as Brady, look for Thompkins to take over the “X” spot that Brandon Lloyd amassed over 900 yards in a season ago.
- Tavon Austin, WR, Rams: West Virginia’s offense last season put up video game numbers. Much of it was attributed to the quarterback, I like to think this guy made said quarterback look better than he actually was. Austin amassed over 1,200 yards receiving (1,900 yards from scrimmage) and displays 4.34 40-yard dash speed. Jeff Fisher plans to unleash Austin in the latter part of the preseason, which will provide further proof to fantasy owners of what they can look forward to.
- Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Vikings: Drafted 29th overall out of Tennessee, many of you are wondering how a rookie receiver, who played one-year in college, and had less than 800 yards receiving in that season would be worth a starting week one on your fantasy roster? Well, first I’ll refer you here. Now I’ll drop the goods on you: In that very same game he caught four passes for 54 yards. He was the number one reason Percy Harvin was expendable after the season because he does a lot of the things Harvin does with Julio Jones size (he’s 6 ft 3 in, 205 lbs), making him even more durable. And lest I forget, he coupled those receiving numbers with 308 rushing yards (three touchdowns).
- DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans: All he’s done since being drafted 27th overall is catch everything thrown his way. Hopkins not only has the benefit of being in an offense that needed a second option, but he will get to learn from one of the best first options in the NFL (Andre Johnson). He’s been praised throughout camp for his hands, football intelligence, and beating defenders up to the ball. With Arian Foster’s role, presumably, being scaled back, Hopkins was seen as an easy plug-in for fantasy owners as the number two guy in the passing game. Oh, and there was this.
