Several factors go into building a consistently elite dynasty team. One of those is identifying the top player on every NFL team. Another is knowing which players you should trade away before their fantasy value decreases.
Typically the starting quarterback is the top dynasty asset on every NFL team in Superflex leagues. However, they are rarely the top asset in 1QB leagues. So, to help you build the best dynasty team possible, I will identify the top dynasty asset and sell candidate for every NFL team.
Today I breakdown the AFC East teams: the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets.
The Top Dynasty Asset
Josh Allen (QB – BUF)
You could argue that Stefon Diggs deserves this title. He has finished the year as a top-10 wide receiver three of the past four seasons. However, Diggs will turn 29 years old in November and likely has only a few more years of elite production left in his career. Meanwhile, Allen has been the overall QB1 back-to-back years in four-point per passing touchdown scoring. He is only 26 years old and has potentially another 10 years of elite production left in his career. Allen should be the first quarterback drafted in all dynasty startup drafts thanks to his arm talent and rushing ability.
Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA)
The Dolphins traded five draft picks to the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason for Hill. They then gave him a four-year contract worth $120 million. Hill has consistently finished as a top-10 wide receiver over the past few years. However, will that remain the same without Patrick Mahomes? There are questions surrounding Tua Tagovailoa, but the Dolphins are in an excellent position. Either Tagovailoa will develop into a franchise quarterback this season, or the Dolphins will replace him using their two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. While Hill might no longer put up top-five numbers, he remains a WR1 despite the move to Miami.
Damien Harris (RB – NE)
Identifying the top asset on New England’s roster is tough. However, after limited work during his first two years in the NFL, the Patriots traded away Sony Michel and made Harris the lead back. He finished as a top-10 running back in non-PPR scoring and top-14 in PPR last year. His 15 rushing touchdowns were the second-most in the NFL last season. While the Patriots should continue their dominant run-heavy offense this season, Harris’ fantasy future is up in the air. He is entering the final year of his contract, and the Patriots will likely let him walk next offseason. Therefore, rebuilding teams should trade away Harris in the near future.
Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)
Hall is the clear-cut 1.01 pick in rookie drafts and already arguably a top-10 startup running back. The former Iowa State star was a force, averaging 147.8 scrimmage yards per game and 6.1 yards per touch last season. While the Jets have Michael Carter, the 2021 fourth-round pick somewhat struggled as a rookie. He missed three games because of injury and scored over 10 half-point PPR fantasy points in only 35.7 percent of the games. Nevertheless, the Jets have high expectations and plans for Hall. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have traded up to secure him during the NFL Draft. New York’s offense will be fun to watch over the next several years, led by Hall.
The Top Sell Candidate
Devin Singletary (RB – BUF)
While the Bills didn’t use their first-round pick in the NFL Draft on Hall or Kenneth Walker, they did improve the running back’s room this offseason. First, they tried to sign J.D. McKissic in free agency but got forced to settle for Duke Johnson. More importantly, they used a second-round pick on James Cook. While Cook won’t push Singletary to the bench, it will limit his upside. Furthermore, Singletary averaged only 8.3 PPR fantasy points per game last season before his strong finish to the year. He is entering a contract year. Even if he does return, Singletary will never have a consistent fantasy role in Buffalo, given Allen’s role at the goal line and Cook’s role in the passing game.
Tua Tagovailoa (QB – MIA)
Tagovailoa is entering a make-or-break season in 2022. The Dolphins made several improvements to the team, including the additions of Hill and Terron Armstead. While he has a chance to turn into a good NFL quarterback, Tagovailoa likely will never turn into a fantasy superstar. He lacks the arm talent and rushing upside needed to become a top-tier quarterback. If you play in Superflex leagues, Tua is a player to hold on your roster. However, he is a sell in 1QB leagues. The hype around Tagovailoa is building up thanks to the new additions to the team. If you can land a 2023 first-round pick for Tua, that is a deal you would be foolish to pass up.
DeVante Parker (WR – NE)
The Patriots traded for Parker, sending Miami a 2023 third-round pick for the veteran receiver and a 2022 fifth-round pick this offseason. However, that trade to New England doesn’t make Parker a fantasy superstar. He has struggled with injuries, missing 17.7% of the games in his career. Furthermore, he has only one year in his career with over 800 receiving yards or four receiving touchdowns. More importantly, Parker has finished outside the top-36 wide receivers every year but once in his career. Now is the time to trade away Parker while the hype around him still exists.
Michael Carter (RB – NYJ)
Rarely do running backs drafted on Day 3 turn into fantasy stars. Unfortunately, Carter fell into this category. He had 23 of his 55 targets in the four games Zach Wilson missed last year (5.8 per game). By comparison, Carter averaged only 3.2 targets per game with Wilson playing. More importantly, the Jets invested an early draft pick in Hall. Thus, they will put as much on his plate as he can handle, limiting Carter’s role and fantasy value. At this point, fantasy players should hope Hall suffers an injury in the preseason and can sell Carter while the iron is hot.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
