Ranking in the top five or your position after two weeks does not guarantee Fantasy success moving forward. Last year at this point Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Carson Wentz, and Gerald Everett were all ranked in the top five at their respective positions. But just because there are a few mirages, doesn't mean we should ignore two weeks, even in Dynasty. Here are five players who have started off the 2023 Fantasy Football season much better than I ever would have expected. I'll be watching them in Week 3 to look for evidence that the production is sustainable.
Jordan Love, QB Green Bay Packers
Love is the QB2 in Fantasy right now, largely based on his six touchdown passes. While I certainly expect some regression in that regard, there is more reason for uncertainty. On the positive side, we haven't seen him with Christian Watson yet. That could certainly elevate his play. On the negative side, he leads the NFL in off-target throws. For now, I'd view Love as a sell if anyone is buying his hot start, but he could change my mind against the Saints, who have been one of the stingiest against QBs so far.
Kyren Williams, RB Los Angeles Rams
Williams was on this list, and he was incredibly productive from a Fantasy perspective but I do still have doubts. That's partially because of how much better the Rams have looked through two weeks than we all expected. It's also because they're running more than 75 plays per game, which we know is not sustainable. Like Love, Williams has benefitted greatly from touchdowns, but those will regress. But if the Rams are an above-average team and he's a feature back, he may be a top 15 back even after the regression. I'm holding for now.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB Washington Commanders
You may be noticing a theme. There is a correlation between being a surprising top-five option and scoring more than a touchdown per game. What's most interesting to me is what happens if this game against the Bills goes as expected and Washington trails by two scores in the fourth quarter. Robinson had 40 touches in two weeks, but the Commanders won both games. If he approaches 20 touches against the Bills, we may have a certified RB2 on our hands.
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This may seem like a weird one on a Dynasty watch list, but Evans could be the perfect fit for a win-now team looking to add a wide receiver. In fact, I traded Tank Dell and Sam LaPorta for Evans and DeAndre Hopkins just this week. The first two weeks Evans has looked like a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver again. Rebuilding teams should still view him as a sell, but the price is going up every week.
Sam LaPorta. TE, Detriot Lions
LaPorta has not scored a touchdown, but tight end has been so bad this season that touchdowns are no longer a requirement. He's played more than 80% of the snaps in each of his first two games and he has a 16.7% snap share. That's fantastic, and another week of it and he may be a must-start tight end this year (and a top-10 option in Dynasty).
Also, you can head over to Sportsline to find my complete Dynasty Trade Chart with values for both Superflex and one-QB leagues. These will be updated once a week on Wednesday nights throughout the season and are based on 12-team PPR leagues where you start two running backs, three receivers, and a tight end. The values assigned to the players factor in a combination of current year projection, age, and my perception of the player's upside and risk. There is also a factor for replacement cost at a given position. You can find the Dynasty Trade Charts here.
