Bruce Matson discusses which players have seen their dynasty value rise or fall Week 1. 

This piece is part of our article program that features quality content from experts exclusively at FantasyPros. For more insight from Bruce, head to Dynasty League Football.

The NFL season is here and every week we need to analyze the players on our dynasty teams. On a weekly basis, we can expect some players’ stock to rise and others to drop. By knowing which players are experiencing a fall or increase in value we can take advantage of the trade market in our leagues.

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Risers

Phillip Lindsay (RB – DEN)
Lindsay was an under-the-radar undrafted free agent from Colorado. He started making a name for himself during training camp. He transitioned his exciting play into the first week of the NFL season. Royce Freeman was pegged as the “workhorse” for Denver’s backfield going into the season, but it’s now safe to say that Lindsay is the team’s satellite back until further notice.

If, for some reason, you started him in your fantasy lineup then he netted you a solid 18.2 PPR fantasy points. Before Week 1 Lindsay wasn’t on the radar let alone fantasy rosters. Now, he’s a player you need to think about rostering. After Sunday, he should be owned in every league as a player that should be stashed away at the end of your bench.

There’s currently a lot of ambiguity in Denver’s backfield, and it’s hard to forecast the deviation of touches going forward. With that being said, it’s worth taking a stab on Lindsay because he could provide value as a satellite back who you can use as a bye week filler.

Will Dissly (TE – SEA)
Dissly was left out of a lot of people’s tight end rankings going into the season. After his performance against the Broncos where he caught three passes for 105 yards and one touchdown, it’s quite apparent we can’t take him for granted anymore. He’s more than likely sitting on the waiver wire of your dynasty league waiting to be picked up.

If you need a tight end, then I recommend adding him to your roster. I highly doubt he develops into one of the top tight ends in the league, but he could be a serviceable replacement if you lost your starting tight end to an injury and need a cheap option to get you through the season.

Andrew Luck (QB – IND)
When a player is out of sight and out of mind, it’s easy for their dynasty stock to drop. Luck is looking to redeem himself after sitting out the entire 2017 season due to a shoulder injury. Even though he didn’t lead his team to victory on Sunday it was refreshing to see him on the field slinging the ball around. It wasn’t his best game, but he did manage to complete 73.6 percent of his passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns.

It wasn’t that long ago that he was the consensus top quarterback to own in fantasy. His dynasty stock took a hit after his recent injury history, causing dynasty owners to forget how productive he can really be. If he can stay healthy for the duration of the season, then I wouldn’t be surprised if he climbs the quarterback ranks. He was undervalued going into the season, and he’s going to prove to a lot of dynasty-leaguers that they shouldn’t have overlooked him in startup drafts.

Alvin Kamara (RB – NO)
After a phenomenal rookie season last year, Kamara was already considered a highly-valuable asset in dynasty. However, his performance on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cemented him as a top-three dynasty back.

We can’t ignore it anymore. Kamara’s is a special talent. His usage in the passing game makes him highly valuable in PPR leagues. He received a lot of skepticism due to the limited sample size of success from last season, but he is proving that he is the real deal.

You should be able to name your price in trade negotiations and I wouldn’t take anything less than top dollar. He should be valued as a premium asset in dynasty. Hold him with a tight grip if you’re lucky enough to own him in any dynasty leagues.

Fallers

Le’Veon Bell (RB – PIT)
Sitting out Week 1 might have been the worst mistake Bell could have made. James Conner rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns in his absence which created the perception that Bell is replaceable. The Steelers now have the ball in their court when it comes to contract negotiations. There’s a chance that we won’t see him in a Steelers’ uniform this season, considering that Conner demonstrated that he can handle the load and then some, making Bell potentially more dispensable in the team’s eyes.

He is 26 years old and is about to hit the final stage of his career. Historically, running back production falls off the cliff around age 28, and Bell is close to the dreaded age apex, making him a falling knife in dynasty leagues. We don’t know what organization he will be playing for next year and that will also impact his production and long-term player value.

There’s currently a lot of unknown variables surrounding Bell. If you get the opportunity to trade him for top-five value, then it might be best to wash your hands of him and move on. We don’t know what the future holds, but it’s better to sell a year early than a year too late.

Delanie Walker (TE – TEN)
Unfortunately, Walker suffered a dislocated ankle along with a fracture against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. This will more than likely wrap up his season. With him being 34 years old it’s hard to tell how much he has left in the tank. This injury will definitely cause his dynasty value to bottom out.

Jonnu Smith will take over the starting tight end duties. Smith is a highly athletic tight end prospect who shows a lot of promise. If he can demonstrate that he can be a functional replacement for Walker then he could be the team’s starting tight end going forward which would obliterate Walker’s dynasty value.

Deshaun Watson (QB – HOU)
Maybe we got a little carried away with Watson. After all, we only had a seven-game sample size. Against the Patriots on Sunday, he only completed 50 percent of his passes for 176 yards and one touchdown. He was also responsible for two turnovers. If anything, this game should create some doubt in fantasy owners’ minds.

This was only one bad game, and he has the rest of the season to turn things around. It takes more than one game for me to turn on a player. Nevertheless, his performance on Sunday does reveal some problems. I wouldn’t overreact, but I would just take note and closely monitor his play going forward. Dynasty is a marathon and not a sprint and if you are trading away players due to a bad performance then you are doing it wrong.

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