Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to the Dynasty Dude Podcast. I'm your host,
Corey Evans. This week's show is titled Difficult Players to Rank.
I have five players that even myself behind the scenes
in my own rankings, have had a difficult time assessing
value both short and long term because there's a wide
array or range of outcomes for each of them, whether
it's their contract status, their row within the current offensive scheme.
There are quite a few factors in play to discuss
and break down, hence why I have them featured on
the show as Difficult Players to Rank. Before we get
to that, my calendar is open for roster calls this
offseason is now upon us for upcoming fregency as well
as the twenty twenty six rookie class, so feel free
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is thirty dollars thirty minutes or one hour, four to
fifty dollars. Let's get right to it. First player that
I find difficult to rank is Tyler Algier, who is
going to be twenty six this April, a Penning free agent.
His status in the open market is something to monitor
because he's been a solid compliment to Bijon Robinson and
even has a one thousand yard rushing season under his belt.
More to come on that soon. He was the PPR
RB thirty nine, that being Tyler Algier in twenty twenty five,
so a solid RB three, RB four at seasons zen
despite being even more valuable in a sense as a
premiere handcuff and even showing spike week production of RB
one RB two output reliance on the end zone with
a one forty three five to fourteen to eight rushing
effort only fourteen receptions for ninety six yards sixteen targets.
Even though Algier is more of an early down grinder
and or shortyardist contributor, his efficiency as a pass catcher
is notable. It's just Atlanta has not used him as
a capacity due to Bijon functioning as a dual threat
running back and receiver talent. More in Algier. He's been
the RB twenty nine, thirty six, and forty three from
twenty twenty two to twenty twenty four and again the
RB thirty nine to twenty twenty five, so he has
not yet been more than on average an RB two
or RB three in fantasy. So the fact that his
open free agent market is uncertain he could return to Atlanta,
resign and or test fregancy and be either a starter
or leader of committee elsewhere does make his value a
bit puzzling and makes him a bit difficult to rank
as well in the dynasty landscape. As I mentioned, he
has won one thousand yard Russian campaign on his resume.
He was one thousand and thirty five yards on the
ground in twenty twenty two. Is a rookie out of BYU.
Algier did have feature back upside, it's just that's cap
now in Atlanta due to the elite talent that is bijon.
In terms of career efficiency, Algier four point three yards
per carry on six hundred and seventy six Russian attempts.
That's solid. As I mentioned, as a pass catcher, there's
some untapped potential there. Sixty one career receptions on sixty
nine targets. It's effective in terms of catch rate as
well as securing the limited role that he is offered
as a pass catcher. It's a matter of opportunity or
a lack thereof. So there is two ways this goes
for Algier. He returns to Atlanta, remains a high end
handcuff to beat Robinson, or he signs elsewhere and is
suddenly an RB two or a breakout candidate with plenty
of perceived upside as a one A instead of being
the one B or complementary option for the Atlanta Falcons. Therefore,
in terms of twenty twenty six rookie draft capital, I
would say a fair cost for Algier is a second.
A first will be a premium if you have Vjon
on one roll that dice to have Atlanta's backfield unlocke, I
understand paying a late first foul year. Otherwise, I would
say a second is fair game and a third should
be considered a discount. Up next is the volatal yet
highly productive Michael Wilson. He's twenty five turns twenty six
next month in February A seventy eight one thousand and
six seven receiving log one hundred and twenty six targets
in twenty twenty five as the PPR wide receiver ten.
Hard to believe that from beginning to the end of
the season. He was a top ten or top twelve
wide receiver at wide receiver one in ten or twelve
teen leagues. He actually paced as the PPR wide out
two from weeks eleven on, which shows that he was
a league winner and a terrific return on investment for
those that stashed him after a so far pedestrian NFL
career arc because he was the PPR wide receiver sixty
is a rookie in twenty twenty three, and then the
wire receiver fifty nine as a sophomore in twenty twenty four.
So this outburst, this breakout that was not expected, does
make Michael Wilson difficult to rank. He's under contract with
the Cardinals till twenty twenty seven. Is a former third
round pick out of Stanford who had plenty of intrigues
as a prospect. There was some Day two buzz for
Michael Wilson if not for his durability woes concerns from
the college level. He's put it all together in twenty
twenty five. The variables in play are twofold. It's quarterback
Kyler Murray. Is he going to be traded cut this offseason?
With a new regime at head coach no more again
and running the show, or is cob Rissette going to
be the assume start of for week one? Not to
mention coexisting with a healthy Marvin Aerris Junior who had
that heel injury that was lingering. Not to mention the
appendix that he had ever moved in how he lost
weight that was previously added over the offseason with all
the muscle that he put on. Not to mention Harrison
Junior appearing only twelve games in twenty twenty five. This
resulted or allowed Michael Wilson to function as Arizona's primary
wide receiver one, and he thrived. Head coach, I've had
the scheme. These are all factors considered. We don't have
those answers right now. I will say though, that moving forward,
in honesty, Marvin Harrison j VERSU Michael Wilson is more
of a conversation than ever was. And that's hard to believe,
but it's true. If I had to bet, I would
sell high Michael Wilson. I doubt that he ever finishes
again as a top ten wide out or is the
PPR receiver ten in a season. I'd look for a
twenty twenty six first made would be ideal. Late is
worth considering. If you can get late plus a second,
that should be a solid return. And sure, you're betting
against what is already a proof of concept with Persett
at quarterback if he does remain a starter in twenty
twenty six or at least early stages, depending what the
Cardinals do with draft capital. But Michael Wilson repeating or
sustaining the seventy eight one thousand and six seven pace
in twenty twenty six and beyond seems a bit unrealistic
based on his career norms to date as a rookie
sophomore and this was his third year. How about Kyle
Pitts talk about polarizing. He's twenty five, twenty six this October.
Another penny free agent who should see a lucrative market.
Whether Atlanta places the franchise tag on him or looks
to extend him is another story on the year. Pits
eighty eight nine twenty eight five touchdowns, one hundred and
eighteen targets as the PPR tight end two over one
hundred PPR points separated Trey McBride as the tight end
one to the tight end two and beyond, and Pitts
just shows the drastic change in value for the title
position where McBride is in a league his own, a
true elite commodity and game changer at the position. Nonetheless,
Kyle Pitts touchdowns by NFL season this is crazy but true. One, two, three, four,
and five. That's obviously a crazy coincidence. The odds that
he continues with the sixth, seventh, eighth, et cetera seasons
with correspounding touchdowns to Maxwell's total seems highly unlikely, but
it has been the case years one through five. In
terms of annual production, Pitts has been the PPR tight
end six, thirty, three, thirteen, and fifteen from froen twenty
one to twenty twenty four. So him being the PPR
tight end two in twenty twenty five is a career outlier.
Outside of that rookie season tight end six finish, he's
more of a tight end two in terms of the
average there. But there's no denying the fact that Kyle
Pitts finally was utilized and functioned as a more receiver
pass catcher than traditional tight end for the Falcons, who
unfortunately had a lost campaign between the injury and Michael
Pennix to reverting back to Kirk Cousins, Pitts became a
security blanket for both quarterbacks, and while Drake won and
missed time due to injury, pitt stepped up as the
facto top pass catcher for the Falcons. A new Atlanta
regime inbound for both GM and head coach could impact
Pits whether he returned to the Falcons with a new
contract or test the market elsewhere and becomes a true
tight end one another franchise out of Florida. Pitts was
deemed a generational talent, so there's plenty of interest at
least you'd think on paper and Pits either setting a
record or matching other big tight end contracts that have
been recently signed at the position. I will say I
don't want to over underreact with Kyle Pitts. I want
to stay somewhere in the middle or lukewarm on his
value because he has only hit or clear to one
thousand yards receiving once as a pro. That was his
rookie year ony twenty six yards in twenty twenty one.
We see the proof of concept, which is huge for
a tight end. The utilization that in eighty eight nine
to twenty eight five log one hundred eighteen targets could
get you a top three a top five finish at
tight end in fantasy, and that in a tight end
premium league is as equal or more valuable than a
wide receiver to or running back two or even firting
with a white out one RB one in value. So
Kyle Pitts certainly has his stock rebounded. It's skyrocketing in
dynasty value. It's now a matter of where do you
rank him in terms of his years at tight end?
Is it top ten? Is it top five? Do we
really factor in one season as the PPI tight end
two enough to push him above the likes of McBride, Bowers, Laporta,
Kittle just to name a few. I'm not there yet,
but he's certainly in that conversation or tier range after
what we sell in twenty twenty five, I am very
excited to see what Pitts does in terms of returning
to Atlanta or leaving elsewhere for perhaps even more usage
on the horizon. That being said, in terms of twenty
twenty six worth you draft capital, Pits is undoubtedly worth
a first round draft pick. No. Matter what your format,
whether it's Titan, Premium, Superflex, one Quarterback, etc. Time for
quick breakway back with two more difficult players to rank
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Another player that certainly fits the difficult player to rank criteria.
It's Trevor Lawrence after a shocking in a good way
twenty twenty five season he's twenty six, twenty seven. This October,
he was, in fact the fantasy quarterback four and twenty
twenty five. Was it Lawrence finally acclimating to the pro
level putting it all together? Or was it Liam Cohen
effect we've seen so many times perfect or become a
quarterback guru and elevate his supporting cast around him. This
time instead of being Baker Mayfield like with Tampa Bay,
it was Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville. Lawrence on the year
four thousand seven yards passing, twenty nine touchdowns, twelve interceptions,
a sixty point nine complete percentag is rate, seven point
two yards best attempt, a ninety one passer rating, eighty
two three thirty nine nine rushing log. That's where a
lot of his fantasy value was elevated and came from
in terms of overall points scored the Russian production. He's
been the quarterback twenty three, eight thirteen to twenty seven
from twenty twenty one and twenty twenty four, so the
fantasy QB four finish is not the expectation to assume
moving forward. Outside of the quarterback eight finish, he has
not been a quarterback one and twelve or even ten
teen leagues. That's twice now in his career. I do
credit a lot to Liam Cohen now to mention the
added presence of Jakobe Meyers and how he literally changed
and slowed down the game for Lawrence as a reliable
slot and perimmeterive threat. Lawrence has needed a veteran presence
to the level of Myers. The splits before and after
Skoby Myers, if you take a deep dive, are astounding,
and it really has paved the path for Lawrence to
have things spread out more and rely on his elusiveness
in the pocket, mobility, ability to throw on the run
that are innate skills we saw time and time again
Rumson that deemed him a top TI year prospect. Now,
despite all the positives, there is a regression alert to discuss.
Nine rushing touchdowns is highly unlikely to repeat or be sustainable,
which is why Lawrence is a difficult player to rank
moving forward. He does have an excellent supporting cast for
pass catchers. Again, Koby Myers at the front of that
conversation and his extension Brian Thomas Junior, Parker Washington, Travis
Hunter upon his return, Brent Strange, Travis dtn Beachelle Tuton.
There's a lot to like about Liam Cohen and the
supporting cast in Jacksonville. The issue I have is putting
Trevor Lawrence in the same quarterback bucket as clear top
five quarterbacks or top ten that we're going to draft
an ADP or even Trey for in existing dynasty leagues
because he has only done it once, or if you
want to count the quarterback eight finished twice in his
career with so much inconsistency or up and down in between,
So in short, difficult player to rank. I will say,
obviously though, that he's worth a first in super flex
formats for twenty twenty six Rooking draft capital. The question
is how high will you put Trevor Lawrence. For me,
He's going to be somewhere in that eight to twelve range.
I'm not going to put in top five. I doubt
that is going to be the norm for him from
here on out. However, if Trevor Lawrence is your quarterback
two and superflex or now your quarterback one, is soon
quarterback league or a backup, you're in terrific shape. There
is cell high appeal. It's a matter of your depth
and lead context, but he is undoubtedly a difficult player
to rank. Yet we can't deny the presence of both
Liam Cohen and Jacobe Meyers being now staples for Lawrence
to rely on. And last, but not least, how about
Ameca Agbuca. He is twenty three twenty four in October,
so still fairly young for a sophomore. Some wide out
prospects twenty twenty six will be around that age range.
Amecca went sixty three nine thirty eight and six touchdowns
one hundred and twenty seven targets in twenty twenty five.
As a rookie. He was the PPR wide receiver twenty three,
so finish is a top twenty four wide receivers position,
a wide receiver two for the sake of twelve teen
leagues back end at that. But still, there are so
many peaks and valleys throughout the year that I'm more
excited about the good than bad. He delivered a twenty
five four to forty five five effort during his first
five pro contests, then fails to pass sixty four yards
receiving in eleven of twelve other games. So he started
off hot out of the gate and cooled off considerably
hit a rookie wall if you will. Mike Evans penny
free agent, will he read signon Tampa Bay or look
elsewhere in the back nine of his career, Still the
performing at high level regardless, Chris Godwin and JAYL McMillan
are both under concert till twenty twenty eight. That's a
factor consider when it comes to depth chart, personnel usage
and or target share. There's also another inbound OC coming
which puts a lot of uncertainty in the offense for
pass catcher pecking order after Josh Grizzer was fired recently,
so Mega Buka is certainly not someone that anybody's going
to write off in the Dynasty realm, especially after his
toward pace to start his pro career. The issue or
uncertainty is the future of Mike Evans within the organization,
not to mention what does his offense look like with
yet another new OC in twenty twenty six. I'm only
to bet on the early sample size of Abuca, and
I'm only to spend an early mid first on him
in any formats. But I understand the skepticism. If he
burned you down the stretch when it mattered most or
the second half of the season, when again he did
not surpass sixty four yards receiving in eleven of twelve
other games after that five week stretch to begin his
NFL tenure. Thanks for listening, hop you're enjoy this week's
episode of Difficult Players to rank. Those were again to
recap Tyler Algier, Michael Wilson, Kyle Pitts, Trevor Lawrence, and
a mecha abuka. Until next time, this is the Dying
Institute checking out. Hope you have a good rest of
the week and I'll talk to you soon. See you