The NFL off-season has done its best to be as insane and ludicrous as the NBA off-season gets. With tons of moves, the NFL landscape is changing. It is our job as fantasy football managers to adjust to the landscape and adjust accordingly. A plethora of moves such as Joe Mixon now on the Houston Texans or Diontae Johnson on the Carolina Panthers.
With that being said, dynasty football is year-long and this article highlights a few players you should be buying this off-season. In this piece we’ll feature Running Backs and Quarterbacks. The NFL draft is next week. Before any more chaos, gain the edge and go get these guys before their prices increase.
Running Back Buys
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints
First of all, it was Week 3 of last season when we all were excited about Kendre Miller vs. my Green Bay Packers. A team that can not and will not stop the run, this was Miller’s time. It ended up not as Miller finished as the RB51 with 34 yards on nine carries. Fast forward two weeks later and Miller showed some signs of being fantasy-relevant with a RB16 finish. Miller played up until Week 9, then returned in the final game of the season.
In the final game, Miller had 13 carries with 73 yards and one touchdown. An RB13 finish left us all thinking about how good Kendre Miller could be in dynasty football. In six months, Miller has seen his ranking go up 50 points in dynasty football value. In his positional value, he has ranged anywhere from his starting point as the RB32 to his highest ranking of RB22. Currently, Kendre Miller is back as the RB32 in dynasty football. Miller will also be JUST 22 years old in his second season compared to someone like Blake Corum who is almost 24 and not in the NFL yet. Although Alvin Kamara showed no signs of slowing down (7 RB1 weeks in 13 games), Kendre Miller is too talented to forget about. Miller was also hurt for two months.
With that being said, Kendre Miller is a fantastic dynasty buy for teams looking to rebuild. At just 21 years of age, Miller has all the tools and potential to be a top-15 Running Back in fantasy football.
Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
When I think of Joe Mixon and the Houston Texans, it reminds me of the Cincinnati Bengals. A high-profile, young, and elite Quarterback with plenty of weapons to go around. Joe Mixon is the one who will benefit from his new landing spot the most. Listen. Joe Mixon and Saquon Barkley are one year apart in their respective careers. Both Running Backs have four RB1 seasons overall from a PPG perspective. They each also have a season lost due to injury. Yet, one is RB9 and the other one is RB19 on KeepTradeCut. I know Barkley’s RB1 seasons looked better as he was with the worse team, but now, their offenses are somewhat similar.
Dare I say it, but the Houston Texans could very well have a better offense than the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. Since 2021, Joe Mixon has the fourth most rushing touchdowns in the NFL. The number one player is Jalen Hurts who is the Quarterback of Saquon Barkley, just saying. In my opinion, fantasy managers of Saquon Barkley should look to trade for Joe Mixon AND get back a high second-round pick or late first. The thought of Barkley running with the Eagles’ offensive line should have Mixon managers wanting in on Barkley. Joe Mixon is one of my favorite dynasty football buys, especially for contending teams.
Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Derrick Henry is one of my favorite Running Backs to finish as the RB1 overall in fantasy football. Speaking of touchdowns, that list from most touchdowns since 2021, Derrick Henry is second on that list. Despite finishing as just the RB16 in ppg last season, Henry had 1167 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Now, Henry is with the Baltimore Ravens. Let’s go back to 2019. Since then, the Ravens have had the most rushing yards as a team by 2,847 yards.
Gus Edwards mustered up 13 touchdowns and an RB32 ppg finish. One of my hot takes of the 2024 redraft season is that Derrick Henry surpasses his career high of 18 touchdowns back in 2019 and he will have over 20 with the Ravens. Contending teams in dynasty football NEED to be trying to trade for one of the best Running Backs in the last ten years. A late first or multiple seconds is what people should be sending out for one last run with the King.
Quarterback Buys
Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers
Listen, go watch or listen to “The Pivot Podcast” where Mike Tomlin talks about “coaching.” All that needs to be said about him is that he is one of the greatest COACHES to ever be in the NFL. Russell Wilson might be the best-case scenario to be a “bridge” Quarterback to Justin Fields. Anyone can talk bad about Wilson’s atrocious QB18 ppg finish in 2022 with just 16 passing touchdowns. He improved and finished as the QB12 in ppg in 2023. He is a great person and a leader in the locker room. Under his wing with the help of Tomlin as well, Fields will be molded into the Quarterback we all know is there.
At one point, Justin Fields was a top-10 Quarterback in dynasty football. there was a point when he was the QB7 on KeepTradeCut. He is currently the QB26 and has dipped as bad as DOGECOIN back in 2021. The thing is, there is a very strong community behind DOGECOIN just like there is with Justin Fields. Currently, trading him for Calvin Ridley, Joe Mixon, or even the 15th pick in a 12-team rookie draft. Buy the dip on Fields and hold on for dear life.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young was the QB10 on KeepTradeCut a year ago. He is now the QB20. I think it will not go any lower. With Dave Canales as the head coach for the Panthers, this is the time to trade for Bryce Young. Canales was the Quarterback coach for the Seattle Seahawks when Geno Smith finished as the QB9 in ppg. Dave Canales was also the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. The same Buccaneers where Baker Mayfield had his best season dating back to his rookie year.
All of that mixed up with the addition of Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to the offensive line. Then, with Adam Thielen still on the roster, the Panthers traded for Diontae Johnson. Since his rookie season, Johnson has the eighth most targets in that period. Adam Thielen looked like his old self in the first six weeks of last season until Father Time knocked. Diontae Johnson will help elevate Bryce Young and vice versa.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Not only is Kyler Murray fully healthy, but he also had his moments of looking like a top-five dynasty football Quarterback. He has Trey McBride already who is a top-three tight end for the dynasty people out there. It was also reported today that the Cardinals will select Marvin Harrison Jr if they do not trade the pick. With that being said, Murray’s price might have already had a jump up, but he is a MUST BUY. Kyler Murray is in “Tier 6” for Quarterbacks on KeepTradeCut. He is below guys like Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, and Joe Burrow.
Joe Burrow has proven he is elite, but the injury concern cannot be overlooked. Justin Herbert currently has Joshua Palmer as his WR1. Jordan Love is amazing and I will be very biased because I am a Packers fan, but cmon. If you have a chance to trade for Kyler Murray, you “tier down”. Despite last season, Murray has finished on a ppg basis starting from his rookie season as the QB11, QB3, QB4, and QB7. Trade now before Marvin Harrison Jr is announced to Arizona on night one of the NFL draft and Kyler Murray is a top-five Quarterback in 2024.