5 Players to Buy in Dynasty Fantasy Football This Offseason

With the 2023-2024 NFL Season now officially in the books, it’s time to fully turn the page toward the off-season. As the NFL offseason unfolds, savvy dynasty fantasy football managers seek to capitalize on market inefficiencies and acquire undervalued assets for their dynasty rosters.

In this comprehensive analysis, we identify five players primed for a breakout or rebound, offering the potential for significant returns on investment. Whether you’re looking to solidify your championship-caliber team or build for the future, join us as we delve into the strategic opportunities presented by these dynamic players in the ever-changing landscape of dynasty fantasy football.

5 Players to Buy in Dynasty Fantasy Football

For dynasty fantasy football leagues, this is typically a slower time of year. However, there are still exciting events such as the 2024 NFL Combine to look forward to. Not to mention, the 2024 NFL Draft itself. Altogether, we are in a prime position to take advantage of some managers who have soured on players after a down year.

This can present a great buying opportunity if we can identify the correct players we should be buying. Let’s do just that and take a look at five players you should be buying in your dynasty fantasy football leagues. Let’s get right to it.

Tony Pollard – RB, Dallas Cowboys

It was a rough 2023 for Tony Pollard. As a result, his dynasty stock has plummeted. He’s now listed as just the RB23 on KeepTradeCut. I detailed his struggles in my 2023 fantasy football busts article if you care to know exactly what happened.

If I’m being honest, there’s not much to go on here. This is more about the acquisition cost and a player returning to form. Pollard’s estimated trade value is a 2024 second-round pick. Based on that, it feels like the community has swung a little too far on him. Keep in mind, he still put up over 1300 yards from scrimmage on 307 touches. In the end, he could easily repeat this effort if he’s given the same volume.

To be fair, it certainly appears the heavy workload was more than Pollard could handle. Interestingly enough, there was the revelation that Pollard was not feeling 100% healthy for the majority of the year following offseason leg surgery. I’m certain this played a role as his raw statistics were the worst of his career. His underlying metrics also completely cratered.

Set to hit free agency, Pollard is young enough and has enough tread left on the tires that he could return to form in the right situation. Now that is a big if given his performance last year.

If you can acquire Pollard for a second-round pick, it’s worth the investment. Even if he returns to a complimentary role, he can return value as he’s proven he can thrive on limited touches. We might even see his efficiency numbers bounce back with less wear and tear.

If he bounces back, you’ll be looking at this trade as a steal. Just know that this move is not without risk.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba – WR, Seattle Seahawks

Taken as the first receiver off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s rookie season was a bit of a disappointment. His final stat line of 63-628-4 was less than ideal. According to Fantasy Points Data Suite, he only registered a 16% target share and a paltry 1.39 yards per route run (YPRR). In our own fantasy football Consistency Score he finished just 51st among all receivers. No matter how you slice it, Smith-Njigba underperformed relative to expectations.

Okay. Enough of the bad. Let’s talk about what Smith-Njigba CAN do. Most importantly, this is a guy who can still separate from defenders.

On to some JSN study per @jagibbs_23 request
(Again: @FFToday Beyond the Boxscore on Youtube at 1:15 for more of this analysis)
Love how #Seahawks used him not just exclusive to the slot & here’s a good EX of his ability to throttle down at the top of a route
Watch that ARI DB! pic.twitter.com/iz9lts8Eeo

— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) October 23, 2023

It’s important to remember this when evaluating wide receiver play. Stats and data are great, and they mean a lot. But these numbers can be misleading. We must first ask ourselves if said player has the quality that’s most important for successful wide receiver play- the ability to separate from defenders. Smith-Njigba possesses this quality.

Seattle’s WR Group

Furthermore, there have been murmurs the Seahawks could be looking to move on from Tyler Lockett this offseason. Should that happen, it would immediately lock in Smith-Njigba as the number two target behind DK Metcalf.

New coach Mike Macdonald has hired former Washington Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to the same position in Seattle. Grubb’s offenses in Washington ranked in the top two in passing yards per game the last two years. Even if Lockett were to return, Grubb’s addition could mean more opportunities for Smith-Njigba.

We also have to factor in that Lockett turns 32 in September. Notably, he posted a career-low 11.1 yards per reception last year. He may have begun to decline. Smith-Njigba could usurp Lockett’s role entirely. Ultimately, we could see a full year-two breakout.

We’ve got multiple outs here for Smith-Njigba to hit. If anyone in your league is panicking, try to buy low. It’s a decent bet that a year from now, Smith-Njigba’s value is higher than it is today.

Jaleel McLaughlin – RB, Denver Broncos

This is probably my favorite buy candidate of the offseason. The undrafted rookie out of Youngstown State immediately turned heads when he signed with the Broncos in the spring.

Jaleel McLaughlin displayed impressive burst and quickness whenever touched the football. He graded out very well across several metrics. Pro Football Focus graded McLaughlin as their 16th-highest rusher in 2023. He also finished 7th in PFF’s signature Elusive Rating among all running backs.

McLaughlin is one of my highest-rostered players. I was immediately intrigued when Denver picked him up. My interest swelled as I kept reading positive report after a positive report this summer.

Denver’s RB Room

Running backs have always been heavily involved in Sean Payton’s offense. After disappointing seasons from Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine, McLaughlin may work his way further up the depth chart.

Listed at 5’7 180 pounds, it’s unlikely McLaughlin ever becomes a featured back. However, he can be a useful asset in PPR leagues if he’s able to carve out a Reggie Bush-type role in Payton’s offense. If McLaughlin can add a little more bulk to his frame, we could be looking at a future fantasy football star.

His estimated value, according to KeepTradeCut, is a 3rd round rookie pick. I’d be just fine acquiring him at this cost considering this is a weaker running back class. McLaughlin’s odds of hitting are just as good as the backs going in that range of rookie drafts.

He’s a no-lose prospect. If he stinks, then all you spent was a third-round pick. If he hits, you’ve got a potential league winner.

Michael Mayer – TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Another 2023 rookie makes our list. Despite a disappointing debut season, there is still hope for Michael Mayer.

Mayer’s place on this list is essentially a bet on a former top prospect finding his way after a tough rookie season. After witnessing a second-year breakout from Trey McBride (who suffered through a similar rookie year to Mayer), we should not be surprised if Mayer takes a year-two leap.

The downside is that there is still major target competition with Davante Adams in the mix. However, Austin Hooper, Mayer’s main competition for playing time in 2023, is no longer under contract. This will lead to a bump in playing time and thus a bump in targets in 2024.

Rookie Campaign

Mayer only checked in with an 8.3% target share last year. It would stand to reason this would increase with Hooper out of the picture. In my projections, I currently have Mayer projected with a 15% target share. While this is still not ideal, especially with Aidan O’Connell as the current starting quarterback, it is enough to see improvement from Mayer.

Furthermore, Mayer is just an Adams or Jakobi Meyers injury away from becoming the number two target in this offense. Should the Raiders upgrade the quarterback position, it will only help Mayer’s chances for improvement.

The bottom line: this is your best shot to acquire a potentially elite tight end at a depressed cost. We are just one year removed from Mayer being one of the top tight end prospects coming into the league. People giving up on him after one season are foolish. Strike now before more managers catch on and his price rises.

Tee Higgins – WR, Cincinnati Bengals

2023 was not kind to Tee Higgins. It wound up being his worst statistical season to date. He missed five games as he fought through rib and hamstring injuries. Topping it off, he lost his starting quarterback when Joe Burrow went down for the year after Week 11 due to a season-ending wrist injury.

What makes Higgins such a fascinating buy is that he is currently slated to hit free agency this spring after failing to reach a long-term deal with the Bengals. Should he land with the right team, Higgins can return WR1 value. He’s been stuck playing second fiddle the last few years as Ja’Marr Chase has emerged as the alpha wide receiver in Cincinnati.

While Higgins has produced, the reality is that his upside will always be capped playing alongside Chase. Higgins could land in a spot like Carolina or Tennessee. Once there, he would take over as the number one option for either team.

While that may sound meh on the surface, I would point you in the direction of Mike Evans’ 2023 season. He was the number one option in new coach Dave Canales’ offense in Tampa Bay and was one of the biggest values in drafts this past year. Tennessee’s new coach, Brian Callahan, is Higgins’ former offensive coordinator in Cincinnati. I think you can fill in the gaps of what that would mean for Higgins’ value.

The best case scenario? Higgins gets a big payday in free agency and becomes a team’s top target earner. Worst case scenario? Higgins returns to Cincinnati and continues to catch passes from Burrow. Either way, he should have a very intriguing long-term outlook or fantasy football and dynasty leagues.

With finishes of WR18 and WR24, Higgins has proven he can still be a viable fantasy asset alongside Chase. I’m willing to take the gamble.

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