10 Veterans to Buy Low in Dynasty Leagues
With the 2022 NFL season just around the corner, fantasy players have began to turn their attention to the redraft leagues, DFS, and sports betting. However, now is the perfect time to trade for veterans in your dynasty leagues, as their perceived fantasy value has taken a bit of a hit.
Meanwhile, the rookie and sophomore classes are flashing during the preseason, sometimes against future XFL or USFL players. While everyone has googly eyes for the younger players, win-now fantasy teams should take advantage and add veterans for their championship push.
Now is a great time to buy low on some veterans who will produce and help you win now. Here are 10 Veterans to Buy Low in Dynasty Leagues.
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Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
Rodgers has been arguably the best quarterback in the NFL the past few years, winning back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and 2021. For fantasy purposes, he has been a top-nine quarterback in four straight years, including three top-six finishes. However, he lost his top two weapons in the offseason after the Packers traded away Davante Adams and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency. Instead of making a blockbuster move to replace them, Green Bay added a trio of wide receivers in the NFL Draft including Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
Without Adams, Rodgers’ perceived fantasy value has taken a massive hit. However, he remains a solid QB1 for win-now fantasy teams. Rodgers has played seven games the past three years without Adams, completing 68.6% of his passes and averaging 2.7 touchdowns and 24.1 fantasy points per game in those contests. Meanwhile, Rodgers completed 66.8% of his passes and averaged 2.2 touchdowns and 20.2 fantasy points per game in the 41 games with Adams the past three years. Even without Adams, Rodgers will maintain his QB1 play.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
You like that! Well, you should like Cousins. While he isn’t an elite quarterback, Cousins has consistently been a low-end QB1 during his time as a starter. He has been a top-15 quarterback each of the past seven years as the starter, including three top-eight finishes. Cousins has been a top-12 quarterback in all but one year as the starter in his career. More importantly, the Minnesota offense should be more explosive this year.
After eight years with the franchise, the Vikings fired head coach Mike Zimmer in the offseason. He got replaced by former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. Working with O’Connell last year, Matthew Stafford was the QB6, averaging 19.4 fantasy points per game. His 19.4 fantasy points per game average were the second-highest of Stafford’s career. With arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Justin Jefferson and veteran Adam Thielen at his disposal, Cousins has top-five upside in 2022.
Matt Ryan, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Last year Ryan averaged 13.1 fantasy points per game, his lowest average since his second year in the NFL. Unfortunately, his receiving core was severely limited. Calvin Ridley only played five games because of mental health issues. Meanwhile, Kyle Pitts had only one touchdown as a rookie. While Russell Gage had a career year, he still didn’t end the season with 800 receiving yards. That being said, Ryan has repeatedly been a top-12 for most of his career.
While last year was a disappointment, Ryan has finished as a top-12 quarterback in the previous three seasons. Also, he has finished outside the top-12 quarterbacks only twice since his rookie year. Now with the Colts, Ryan will have one of the better young wide receivers at his disposal in Michael Pittman. In addition to Pittman, second-round rookie Alec Pierce has flashes during training camp and the preseason. Ryan lacks top-10 upside at this point of his career. However, he is an ideal trade target in Superflex leagues as a reliable QB2.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
McCaffrey was the best running back in the NFL during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He averaged 26.8 fantasy points per game over those two years, finishing as a top-two running back both years. There have been five seasons where a running back had 100 or more receptions. McCaffrey has two of those seasons, totaling 107 receptions in 2018 and 116 in 2019. More importantly, he has remained elite despite the injuries.
While he has played only 10 of the 33 games the past two years because of various injuries, McCaffrey has kept up his elite play. He averaged 30.1 fantasy points per game in 2020. McCaffrey was also the RB54 for the year despite playing only three games. More importantly, he has averaged 27.7 fantasy points per game in the seven games he has played at least 50% of the snaps over the past two years. At 26 years old, many are ready to trade away McCaffrey. Take the chance he can stay healthy because if he can, McCaffrey will be the overall RB1 this year.
Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
The former No. 2 overall pick had a historic rookie season, averaging 22 touches and 24.1 fantasy points per game. Unfortunately, Barkley has struggled to stay healthy since his rookie season, missing 42.9% of the games the past three years. His yards per rushing attempt dropped to a career-low 3.7 last season. However, the Giants have done everything possible to help Barkley out this offseason.
They added several new offensive linemen, including top-10 pick Evan Neal. The Giants also brought in no competition for touches, giving Barkley an easy path to a featured workload. More importantly, the Giants’ receiving core has been disappointing during training camp. If they continue to struggle to start the year, Barkley could see a massive uptick in targets. Health is the key for Barkley. Before suffering a torn ACL in 2020, he scored 14 or more fantasy points in 24 of 30 games. If he stays healthy, Barkley could end the year as the overall RB1.
Myles Gaskin, RB, Miami Dolphins
Now it’s time to talk about a non-superstar running back. The Dolphins underwent several changes in the backfield in the offseason. They signed Chase Edmonds to a two-year deal. Then the Dolphins signed Mike McDaniel’s former running back in San Francisco, Raheem Mostert. The Dolphins didn’t stop there, adding Sony Michel in May. However, Gaskin could still make the final roster even with all the new additions. After a quiet rookie season, Gaskin has played well the past two years.
Gaskin was the RB28, averaging 16.4 fantasy points per game back in 2020 in just 10 games. On a points per game basis, Gaskin was the RB10 that year. Then, Gaskin was the RB24 last year, averaging 10.2 fantasy points per game. While he hasn’t become a fantasy star, Gaskin has been productive with his touches. He has averaged 0.83 fantasy points per touch the past two years despite only a 3.2% touchdown rate. Whether in Miami or elsewhere, Gaskin could be an injury away from starting again. He could be on the waiver wire in your league. If not, you can acquire Gaskin for a fourth or fifth-round rookie pick.
DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Last year Metcalf was the WR14, averaging 14.4 fantasy points per game. Unfortunately, the Seahawks traded away Russell Wilson this offseason, leaving Metcalf with either Geno Smith or Drew Lock at quarterback. While that is a massive downgrade for Metcalf, it’s not the end of the world. In the three games Smith started last season, Metcalf averaged six targets, 17.2 fantasy points, and a 23.1% target share. He had two of his best fantasy performances with Smith under center. More importantly, Metcalf was the WR8 during those three weeks without Wilson.
While the drop-off at quarterback isn’t ideal for Metcalf, it is a short-term problem. The Seahawks will likely be one of the three worst teams in the NFL this season. Thus, they will have a top-five pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Furthermore, they have the Denver Broncos’ 1st Round pick in 2023 as part of the Wilson trade, giving them the draft capital needed to trade up. With two elite college prospects in next year’s draft class in Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, Metcalf could quickly return to his elite play in 2023.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals
The 2021 season was one to forget for Hopkins. He averaged 14.7 PPR fantasy points per game, his lowest average since 2016. His 57.2 receiving yards per game was the fewest of his career since his rookie season. Hopkins’ four-year streak of over 1,150 receiving yards got snapped last year as he had only 572 yards in 10 games. However, Hopkins should bounce back in 2022, and his price has never been cheaper.
In the nine games Hopkins played at least 25% of the snaps, he averaged 6.9 targets and 15.4 fantasy points per game. He also averaged 2.24 fantasy points per target and had a 12.9% touchdown rate. Over a 17-game pace, Hopkins would have ended the year with 117 targets, the 26th most in the NFL, and 261.8 fantasy points, making him the WR10. The addition of Marquise Brown isn’t ideal for Hopkins’ fantasy value, but it’s not awful either, as Brown will fill the void left by Christian Kirk. While he is suspended for the first six weeks of the season, Hopkins has plenty of gas left in the tank. Now is a great opportunity to buy low on the stud wide receiver.
Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
After a disappointing 2020 season, many thought Ertz’s career was on the decline. He averaged only seven fantasy points per game that year, his lowest average since his rookie season. He had only one touchdown in 11 games. However, Ertz bounced back in 2021 after he got traded to the Cardinals. Once he joined the Cardinals, Ertz was the TE4 the rest of the year, averaging 12 fantasy points per game. His 81 targets in 11 games with the Cardinals finished third on the team behind Kirk and A.J. Green.
Ertz averaged nine targets and 13.8 fantasy points per game in the seven games Hopkins missed last season. More importantly, the Cardinals made re-signing Ertz a priority this offseason, signing him to a three-year deal worth $31.7 million before the start of free agency. While they used a 2nd Round pick on Trey McBride, tight ends typically don’t become fantasy relevant till their third year in the league. Until then, Ertz remains the No. 1 tight end in Arizona and a sneaky buy-low candidate.
Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The tight end room in Tampa Bay looks dramatically different than it did a year ago. Rob Gronkowski retired again, while O.J. Howard signed with the Buffalo Bills in the offseason. Now, Brate leads a tight end room that includes recently signed Kyle Rudolph and fourth-round rookie Cade Otton. When he had to fill in for Gronkowski last season, Brate was productive.
Gronkowski missed five games last year because of injury. While Brate averaged only 4.6 fantasy points per game, he was productive in the red zone. Brate had a 15.3% red zone target share, 19 red zone targets, nine green zone targets, and four touchdowns last season. He had a 13.3% touchdown rate and accounted for 6.6% of the team’s total offensive touchdowns. More importantly, Brate had a 7.9% target share despite a 38% route participation rate. He won’t turn into a plug-and-play TE1 for fantasy teams. However, Brate will be a solid bye-week filler with upside this year.
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