With Week 15 of the NFL season in the books, we have a bunch of new information to break down. Let’s dive right into the Top 10 dynasty football takeaways from week 15.
Takeaway #1: Josh Allen Enters the QB1 Debate?
With another disappointing game from Patrick Mahomes, Allen is starting to make his case to be the QB1. In 2023, He is averaging 24.7 PPG in 2023 compared to Mahomes at 19 PPG. Assuming Allen finishes as the QB1 this year, he’ll have outscored Mahomes three out of the last four years.
Josh Allen making a free runner miss & changing his arm slot to get the throw around the defender + Stefon Diggs one hand extension. Ridiculous all around. Bonus points to Allen for hopping in excitement#Bills #BillsMafia #GoBills
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) December 18, 2023
pic.twitter.com/dK8KLJljp1
The main argument for Mahomes is his longevity since Allen relies on his rushing production. However, if Mahomes can’t produce as a top-five quarterback, Allen will take over the throne.
#2: Kyren Williams Is a Top-10 Running Back
With what we’ve seen during the 2023 season, having Williams as a top-10 running back shouldn’t be a hot take. I’m glad the general market agrees with me, as on KeepTradeCut, Williams is the RB8. Williams and his fifth-round draft capital don’t concern me too much. There are so few running backs with a long-term investment that draft capital isn’t as important as it once was.
Williams is the RB2 on a PPG basis, and he’s only 23 years old. There are some questions about the Rams’ offense with an aging Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. Even so, ranking Williams as an RB1 shouldn’t longer be a debate.
#3: Trey McBride Is Elite
Coming into the 2023 season, I expected McBride to increase in value with Zach Ertz out. So many people quickly forgot that McBride was the TE1 in the 2022 draft class. The talent was there with McBride coming out of Colorado State; the only issue was his situation.
Although I expected McBride to improve, no one can say they saw this 2023 season coming. He has dominated after taking over for Ertz and is now ranked as a top-five tight end. It’s officially time to declare McBride as an elite dynasty asset.
#4: Jordan Love Is Climbing (Again)
According to KTC, Love is the biggest riser of any player in the last 30 days. I’m unsurprised by this, as Love has found his groove after a rocky start to the 2023 season. Since Week 10, Love has been playing much better, averaging 19.05 PPG.
Although I’m not sure Love is the long-term answer for the Packers, he’s shown he can be very fantasy-relevant. In a superflex format, this rise in value is certainly warranted.
#5: James Cook Truthers Get the Last Laugh
I’ll admit that coming into the 2023 season, I was way too low on Cook. I remember trading him off a contending roster in a horrible trade for me. In weeks 1-12, Cook was only averaging 12.7 PPG, which isn’t great by any means.
JAMES COOK HAS ARRIVED AND IS HERE TO STAY 👨🍳 pic.twitter.com/yNLEj1BsYP
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) December 17, 2023
That said, the Bills have started to commit to Cook and the results speak for themself. Cook scored 25.1 and 36.1 fantasy points in the last two games, causing his dynasty stock to skyrocket.
#6: You Need Christian McCaffrey to Win a Championship
It’s 2023, and McCaffrey is winning fantasy championships once again. He is such a positional advantage this year, averaging 25.2 PPG. With a 41.7-point performance last week, McCaffrey is averaging the most points per game of any player in fantasy football. Yes, he is scoring more fantasy points than any other quarterback in the NFL.
#7: Jaylen Waddle Shows He’s Still Got It
Coming into the 2023 season, Waddle had massive expectations. During August, he was valued as high as the WR6 on KTC. After a season where Waddle has only averaged 14.8 PPG, he’s dropped back down to the WR10.
To me, WR10 is a fair ranking. Tyreek Hill is still dominating in the Dolphins offense, even though he’s 29. With Hill out in last week’s contest, Waddle scored 28.2 points. To me, this confirms that Waddle’s situation is holding him back.
#8: Tee Higgins Is Back
THIS CATCH 🤯#ProBowlVote x Tee Higgins pic.twitter.com/wrZeJlZe1U
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 16, 2023
Continuing with the theme of remerging wide receivers, Higgins just had a massive game. Coming into the year, Higgins was ranked as the WR11, but since then has dropped to the WR24. That said, he had his best game of the season with 22.1 points, fueled by a few phenomenal contested catches. Now that Higgins has some momentum heading into free agency, he’s a wide receiver I would be buying or holding.
#9: TreVeyon Henderson Is Going Back to School?
Nothing is confirmed yet, but there have been rumors that Henderson could be heading back to Ohio State for 2024. This would be massive news as he is currently my RB1 in the 2024 draft class.
That said, Henderson just posted an official statement on his Twitter. He said, “I have never announced nor made a decision on what my next steps would be; I am excited to see where God leads my next steps, though!” We have no idea what the future holds for Henderson, but his decision will be big news.
#10: Know the Name: Braelon Allen
If TreVeyon Henderson decides not to declare, Allen will be my RB1 for the 2024 class. Allen is a 19-year-old running back who broke out at 17 years old during his freshman season. Size and age are two of the most crucial traits for a running back, and Allen checks both of these boxes, standing at 6′ 2″ 245 lbs.
During his freshman year at Wisconsin, Allen had 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns. On top of this, he has improved as a receiver, catching 28 passes for 132 years as a junior. Allen could be a bellcow at the NFL level and is someone you need to watch.
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