NHL Best Bets for Tuesday (11/19)
Kenneth Le
Every week from now till the end of the season I will break down a few moves to make to help you build the ultimate dynasty and rule your leagues,
With Week 1 behind us, the key to finding long-term success is not to overreact. As dynasty managers, this is key, too many of us sell the farm after a disappointing Week 1. As a result, we fall behind in years to come, however, some players are worth making a move to acquire, no matter the state of your roster.
Rebuilding Moves
Even amid a rebuild, there are in-season moves that can help you set yourself up for success. Additionally, they don’t have to be massive trades either, the key to rebuilding is obtaining assets.
Seek Out the Dak Manager
Week 1 saw a slew of injuries, but none more impactful than Dak Prescott‘s thumb injury. Not only does this affect Dak, but the whole Cowboys offense. When it comes to fantasy, Dak has always carried significant value, and many teams rely on him. Losing him for six to eight weeks on top of the Cowboys have a bye week in Week 9, making it likely any manager won’t see him until Week 10. This leaves a manager in a tough spot. While they ponder their options, you can swoop in and make a move and likely make out well.
When it comes to a return, it will depend on who you are whiling to move to get a deal done. If you feel like your roster is a year away, I would send one of your established quarterbacks for Dak-plus. If you feel you are further away than that, look to get a young wide receiver that is on the verge of a breakout and/or picks. If there was any year to lose a quarterback in a rebuild it is this year as the 2023 class is loaded with potential NFL-worthy prospects. With this, I would prefer to receive at least a 2023 first-round pick in 2QB or superflex leagues.
Move on from Michael Thomas
If you happen to roster Michael Thomas, it is your lucky week. The veteran receiver exploded back onto the scene producing a top-12 performance on the back of two touchdowns. On the flip side, the Saints offense struggled as they only produced 385 total yards. Additionally, he did not lead the team in targets — Jarvis Landry topped the Saints with nine. Landry also produced a team-leading 114 yards, which were double Thomas’ 57 yards. Thanks to Thomas’s two touchdowns, he found himself well within the top 12 PPR scorers, opening a trade window.
As a rebuilding roster, now is the time to move on as his value may be at its highest the rest of the season. Most contending rosters would love to add Thomas as a third wide receiver, so make sure you reach out to the true contenders in your league. Most of the time these rosters have a young wide receiver on them as they tend to have been drafting in the latter part of the draft the year prior. This is where I would start — try and acquire a player like George Pickens, Skyy Moore, Darnell Mooney or Brandon Aiyuk. In other words, look for players who flopped in Week 1 but have a solid career outlook. Getting one of these receivers in exchange for Thomas would be solid value for a rebuild.
Contending Rosters
As a contender, we know by now that the name of the game is – What can you do for me now? This is the mindset you should have as we head into Week 2. The waiver wire can be your best friend, but a rebuilding roster could be your soul mate.
Jeff Wilson Is Back
Two years ago, Jeff Wilson became a league winner, taking over starting in Week 14 and producing 72.6 PPR points over the season’s final four weeks, the RB7 in fantasy. That included back-to-back weeks of at least 23 points in the fantasy semifinal and final weeks. And now he’s back again. Last year’s breakout star Elijah Mitchell suffered an MCL injury in the 49ers’ Week 1 loss to the Bears, which will sideline him for at least two months. That should leave Wilson as the primary back for the next few weeks (though keep an eye on Tyrion Davis-Price, who was inactive in Week 1, and rookie Jordan Mason). In dynasty leagues, Wilson is only rostered in 4% of leagues, which means he could be unrostered in your league.
With extended run as the No. 1 Wilson can help you make a run to the playoffs, making him the top player to acquire after Week 1. If Wilson is not a free agent, I would be reaching out to his current manager and trying to pry him from their grasp.
Robbie Anderson Bounces Back
After an up-and-down offseason, Robbie Anderson remained with the Carolina Panthers. He was one of the biggest fantasy disappointments in 2021, but if Week 1 is any indication he could be on the rebound. He led all Panthers with 8 targets, 5 receptions and 102 yards, including a 75-yard deep-ball touchdown from Baker Mayfield. That amounted to 21.2 PPR points and a WR10 finish for the week. We can’t count on him out-targeting DJ Moore every week, but if Anderson can see a relevant number of targets every game, he’ll continue to offer plenty of upside.
Anderson is still going to be a hard player for many to trust after his awful 2021, which could lower his price tag. If you believe in Anderson’s bounceback with Mayfield under center, now would be a good time to send out a few offers for him, before the big production continues and his price tag increases.
