Following every NFL Season, we have to reflect on the impacts that specific season had on Dynasty Fantasy Football values. A lot of content focuses in on who became a “riser” in Dynasty Fantasy Football due to breakout seasons, unexpected performances, and general leaps in statistics. What is not often covered enough is the opposite – what players had negative impacts on their Dynasty Fantasy Football values? Negative impacts typically happen due to injuries, changes in roles, poor production and other variables in combination.
Reflecting on 2023, below are the players who lost value in Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues, and the reason why.
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Players Who Lost Dynasty Fantasy Football Value from 2023
JK Dobbins (Ravens, RB)
I was extremely high on JK Dobbins heading into the 2023 NFL Season, and truly thought this could have been his breakout season. Seeing teammate Gus Edwards total 13 touches made me wonder what could have been. Dobbins unfortunately suffered a torn Achilles in the season opener this year, ending his season. While we have seen other running backs come back from such an injury, this is not the first significant one for Dobbins. Dobbins tore his ACL back in 2021 and had a fibula fracture back in 2016 that required surgery.
Dobbins looked promising when given work during his rookie season, where he totaled 805 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns on 134 rushing attempts. In 2022, he rushed for 520 yards on 92 attempts. So between those two seasons that is 6 then 5.7 yards per carry which is highly efficient. The issue is these injuries stacking up, with Dobbins missing all of 2021, and then playing nine total games across the last two seasons. Now we are left to wonder if Dobbins will be back in 2024, and at what sort of capacity under 100%.
Gabe Davis (Bills, WR)
There has always been hope for Gabe Davis as the WR2 for Josh Allen, who we have seen flashes of upside out of through the last few seasons. Davis has scored 18+ Fantasy Points nine times across the last three seasons. Davis has finished 2020-2023 with 17.1, 15.7, 17.4, and 16.6 yards per reception as well, which ranked top 12 for the position in each of those specific seasons. Following 92 targets, 48 receptions, 836 receiving yards, and 11.4 Fantasy points per game (PPG) in 2022, Davis regressed in all of those areas for 2023. 81 targets, 45 receptions, 746 receiving yards, and 9.5 Fantasy PPG with the important note here that this was with playing two more games than 2023.
Not only did Davis regress in 2023 for general statistics and Fantasy PPG, but he also completely killed your Fantasy lineup if you played him across several weeks. Davis finished Weeks 1-18 with under six Fantasy Points in nine 2023 games, and in five of those games, he scored zero Fantasy Points. Five games with zero Fantasy Points is not worth chasing a big game at all. When we weigh risk vs. rewards, the risk far outweighed the reward for Davis. Moving forward to 2024, I feel many managers are fed up with Davis and he is one wide receiver add to Buffalo away from being irrelevant altogether. Young rising pass-catchers Dalton Kincaid and Khalil Shakir can also continue to grow while Davis remains the same or worse.
The Gabe Davis Experience:
Across the last 6 games:
– 2 games over 22 Fantasy Points
– 3 games with 0 Fantasy Points— Nick Skrip (@P2WFantasy) December 11, 2023
Miles Sanders (Panthers, RB)
In 2022, Miles Sanders set career highs in rushing attempts (259), rushing yards (1,269), and total touchdowns as a part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl. With a return to Philly following free agency not happening, Sanders signed a huge four-year, $25.4 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. What followed was teammate Chuba Hubbard out-pacing Sanders 238 to 129 in rushing attempts, 902 to 432 in rushing yards, 39 to 27 in receptions, 233 to 154 in receiving yards, and five to one total touchdowns. Sanders lost the job to Hubbard.
Could roles change in 2024? Sure. Should we bank on it? Probably not. Averaging 5.5 Fantasy PPG for the season made Sanders unplayable for Fantasy Football. Many were excited about Sanders’ new opportunity, and the potential for him to get back involved in the passing game. Being the handcuff to Hubbard was not super predictable, and greatly decreased Sanders’ value for Dynasty.
Nick Chubb (Browns, RB)
Injuries are part of the game and do not necessarily have anything to do with skill, but they do have impacts on Fantasy Football. Nick Chubb unfortunately suffered injuries to his ACL, MCL, meniscus, and capsule in September of 2023. The injury was gruesome to watch, and it was terrible to see Chubb’s season cut so short. What followed was surgery late in September, and then another procedure in November of 2023.
Reports indicate that the Browns feel Chubb will play again in 2024. The big questions are when and at what percentage? 2023 was a lost season, and 2024 is up for grabs right now so in turn, if you were to do a Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft this would play a factor on many manager’s minds.
Tony Pollard (Cowboys, RB)
Before 2023, Tony Pollard had a breakout season for Fantasy Football where he averaged 15.6 Fantasy PPG which ranked 8th for the position. This meant many managers were very high on Pollard for the 2023 season, especially with Ezekiel Elliott departing Dallas. Pollard’s average draft position (ADP) ended up being top 12, and RB5 in Fantasy Football Drafts before the season. The result:
Tony Pollard in 2023 had 59 more rushing attempts than 2022 but finished with 2 less rushing yards
16 more passes caught in 2023 than he did in 2022 but finished with 60 less receiving yards
Totaled 75 more touches in 2023 than in 2022 but scored 6 less TD's
— Nick Skrip (@P2WFantasy) January 11, 2024
Weeks 1-18 Pollard finished as a top 12 Fantasy running back seven times but outside the top 24 eight times as well. Yes, Pollard had some Fantasy useful weeks but he also had a lot of simply bad games. We are unsure if Pollard will return to Dallas, as he is an unrestricted free agent in 2024, but in either sense of staying or leaving I do not think he did anything in 2023 to solidify him as a lead NFL back. Heavy Dynasty value before 2023, and a massive hit to follow.
Christian Watson (WR, Packers)
Attached to Aaron Rodgers as a rookie in 2022, Christian Watson had some truly explosive weeks which translated well for Fantasy Football. Weeks 10-13 Watson scored 32.7, 21.1, 21 and 24.4 Fantasy Points for all of those weeks which raised the eyebrows of all Fantasy managers. Watson finished three games with over 100 receiving yards and scored seven touchdowns which all happened in a span of four games. Watson’s prospect profile had the combination of raw experience and high athletic abilities but was someone many thought could be a force in 2023.
2023 unfortunately meant Watson missing eight full games, which was made up of Weeks 1-3 then Weeks 14-18. Watson did get hot Weeks 12-13, finishing with 20.4 then 27.6 Fantasy Points in those two games which were guided by 94 then 71 receiving yards and three total touchdowns. The asterisk is that before these two games, Watson scored under 12 Fantasy Points in all seven games and also under seven Fantasy Points in four of the seven. Jordan Love looked great in year one as a starter, but we also saw some great potential in rookie wide receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks as well. Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft were two rookie tight ends drafted, that also showed some future potential. So although we did see upside in Watson this season, the combination of missed time, poor Fantasy weeks, rising competition, and a future that may not scream “alpha wide receiver” impacted his Dynasty value.
Dameon Pierce (RB, Texans)
Last season, Dameon Pierce had a big bump in his Fantasy Football Dynasty value as a 5th-round rookie who finished top 20 in fantasy PPG (12.8). Pierce played in 13 games but was able to produce 939 rushing yards, 30 receptions, 165 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns. The thought was that Pierce could potentially take another step forward in 2023, but the opposite occurred. Pierce opened up the first six weeks of 2023 rushing for under 39 yards in four weeks. Pierce would eventually miss three full games, and then lose his starting gig to Devin Singletary. Singletary shined in games for Houston, finishing three weeks with over 110 rushing yards, and for Fantasy Football as a top 20 running back five times. Pierce totaled 523 fewer rushing yards (416), 17 fewer receptions (13), 64 fewer receiving yards (101) and three less touchdowns (two).
Devin Singletary will be an unrestricted free agent heading into 2024, which could open a door back up for Pierce. Houston took a huge step forward with rookies CJ Stroud and Tank Dell, along with the breakout of Nico Collins. Just because this offense took a big step with their star quarterback, does not mean they are done taking steps. I cannot say I am confident in Pierce being the RB1 for this team moving forward, and he certainly did not fill those shoes in 2023.
Dameon Pierce in year 2
✅ 1 more game played
❌523 less rushing yards
❌ 17 less receptions
❌ 64 less receiving yards
❌ 3 less TDs
— Nick Skrip (@P2WFantasy) January 11, 2024
Mac Jones (QB, Patriots)
As a rookie back in 2021, Mac Jones produced 3,802 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. It has all been downhill from there. 2022 was unimpressive and in 2023 Jones played 11 games but was benched several times and finished the season with Bailey Zappe as the starter. The Patriots are a team that likely will be on the hunt for a new starting quarterback, and Jones’ future as a starter anywhere is in question. Jones was never a Fantasy Football consistent starter for managers, but in two-quarterback leagues, he was likely some depth insurance. As a non-starter, that hurts managers who rostered him as their QB3.
Jahan Dotson (WR, Commanders)
I have historically been high on Jahan Dotson, which started from being impressed by both his prospect profile and 1st round draft capital from 2022. Dotson missed time as a rookie but managed five top-20 Fantasy finishes, 523 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns through 12 games. The talent, draft capital, and many camp clips of Dotson looking well-connected with Sam Howell had many managers excited for a potential year-two jump. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
In 2023, Dotson earned 83 targets, caught 49 of them, produced 518 receiving yards, scored four touchdowns, and scored 7.3 Fantasy PPG. Five fewer receiving yards, three fewer touchdowns and averaging 3.6 less PPG was not the step forward we hoped for. Especially seeing that the Commanders attempted the most passes in the NFL in 2023. Dotson had a pair of WR7 finishes and a WR24 weekly finish but was otherwise useless for Fantasy Football lineups. I am not necessarily saying I am out on Dotson in Dynasty, but his value did take a bigger hit compared to where it was before the season, with the hope for a big year, vs. after.
Chris Godwin (WR, Buccanneers)
Historically Chris Godwin had been a reliable Fantasy Football option, who has averaged 14.9 PPG in 2022, 17.3 PPG in 2021 (#7), 15.9 PPG in 2020 (#15), and 19.6 PPG in 2019 (#2) prior to 2023. Although Godwin surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 2023 (1,024), the 12.3 Fantasy PPG scored ranked 34th for the position which was his lowest mark since 2018.
Godwin finished 2023 with two top 10 Fantasy finishes and four within the top 20 for the position. This did not correlate with Baker Mayfield being bad either, as he set career highs in several categories and Mike Evans had a great season himself. This is not saying Godwin is “washed” or not “good”, but following a poor season after so many solid ones you would only assume at 27 Godwin’s value has gone down since.
Alexander Mattison (RB, Vikings)
Many pointed out the averages for Alexander Mattison through time when Dalvin Cook missed games due to injuries, which I will admit looked pretty good at the end of the day. Many were very high on Mattison heading into 2023 with Cook out of Minnesota but were left disappointed by the end of the year. Mattison posted 180 rushing attempts for 700 yards, 30 receptions for 192 yards, and three total touchdowns.
Mattison opened up the season as the starter in 2023. The Vikings brought in Cam Akers who was splitting some work with Mattison, but suffered a season-ending injury. Mattison finished a pair of games over 90 rushing yards but failed to hit 100 yards and his three touchdowns were not helpful. Mattison finished the season losing the starting role to Ty Chandler, who scored just as many touchdowns and finished the season strong. 8.9 Fantasy PPG on the year for Mattison ranked 39th for the position, and was a case of “nuff said”. Nothing about 2023 shows a sign that Mattison will be a future starter in this league, and 2023 served as a massive blow to his Dynasty value.
Austin Ekeler (RB, Chargers)
After averaging the second most Fantasy PPG in 2021 (21.5), and the most Fantasy PPG in 2022 (21.9), it is safe to say we were all disappointed by Austin Ekeler’s 2023. Missing time is one thing (14 games played), but averaging 13.2 PPG is another which ranked 21st for the position. Ekeler rushed for 628 yards, caught 51 passes for 436 yards and totaled six touchdowns on the year.
Ekeler opened up 2023 looking like himself from a Fantasy Football perspective, scoring 26.4 Fantasy Points as the RB2 for the week. Ekeler then went on to miss three full games before the BYE. In total, Ekeler finished as a top 10 running back five times but also finished outside the top 20 running backs nine times. We do not tie rushing upside to Ekeler when it comes to Fantasy Football, we tie pass-catching upside. Finishing six weeks with less than four receptions does not line up with those expectations. Maybe Ekeler becomes a value with many people out on him for Dynasty Fantasy Football, but at 28 after a season like this, it is evident his value took a huge hit following 2023.
Quentin Johnston (WR, Chargers)
The Chargers selected Quentin Johnston in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of TCU, which meant many dynasty managers spending up in their rookie drafts. First-round draft capital and being tied to Justin Herbert were very appealing to many. Mike Williams tearing his ACL appearing in just three games seemed to be the door opening for a bigger role for Johnston, even with Keenan Allen having a massive season. Allen himself missed time, appearing in 13 games. Joshua Palmer only played in 10 games as well. With all of these injuries, Johnston played in all 17 games but earned 67 targets, caught 38 of them for 431 receiving yards, scored two touchdowns and averaged 5.5 Fantasy PPG. Rough.
The opportunity was wide open for Johnston in his first season, and while he may have flashed briefly he did not make anything of it. We do not need to rule out rookies after their rookie year when it comes to Fantasy Football, that is the wrong way to go about your process. We can, however, understand that a polarizing player had a unique opportunity but did not capitalize on it. Johnston can certainly develop as a wide receiver, and turn into a useful asset for Fantasy Football rosters down the road, but his value took a hit in 2023.
Skyy Moore (WR, Chiefs)
This will be my shortest write-up of the article. I have always been out on Skyy Moore, and he was a player I faded heading into 2023. Skyy could barely get on the field as a rookie in 2022 and was so far down the target pecking order I could never understand the hype that was heading into 2023. Moore has averaged 3.8 then 2.7 Fantasy PPG the last two seasons, which has meant being completely Fantasy irrelevant. Heading into 2023, Moore was being over-hyped by many, which simply means his value was much higher than it is now.
Rashee Rice is what you wanted Skyy Moore to be
— Nick Skrip (@P2WFantasy) November 26, 2023