Have you eaten a banana whole with the peel? When was the last time you put mayo in your coffee? Yeah, me neither.
Will Levis’ polarizing food videos are only usurped by his ever-changing dynasty value heading into the 2024 NFL season. Levis’s perceived value is an average from an extensive range of individual rankings. Some of his current managers may value him as high as QB20 overall, while leaguemates without access to Levis in 2023 can view him as a bottom-of-the-barrel starter sitting around QB30 for a dynasty.
Conversely, veteran players like Geno Smith, Matthew Stafford, and Derek Carr have values based on a consensus range much closer together. At least one manager is likely to trade a third-round rookie pick for these players with the potential for a second-round selection in the right situation (at least a 2026 second). The lower range of long-term production for these players often results in a larger pool of similar trade offers and is easier to negotiate around.
Why Can’t Managers Get Along?
The main reason for Levis’ juxtaposition in trade value is whether someone rostered Levis during the 2023 season or not. Last year’s managers saw a flash of rushing upside and are optimistic about his new offensive weapons in Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to go alongside DeAndre Hopkins. The offensive scheme will shift from one of the run-heaviest teams in the NFL to a more traditional passing offense under new head coach Brian Callahan.
Callahan served as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator for the past four seasons under Zac Taylor. His father, Bill Callahan, is a legendary offensive line coach who will fill the same position this season for the Titans. A better offensive line will do wonders for Levis’s shoddy rookie completion percentage.
The Titans’ run game lost a future Hall of Famer in Derrick Henry. Still, Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are an RB tandem capable of taking screen passes into the second level of the defense and creating space on the outside for Boyd and Ridley.
Levis had the third-most Air Yards among QBs in 2023 (according to fantasydata) but was throwing to Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips on the outside. The difference in WR talent between the new trio of Boyd, Ridley, and Hopkins cannot be overstated. Now that the Titans have built a proper WR room, it will be up to Levis to show if he’s a second-contract candidate or if he’ll be yet another middling backup QB floating around the league.
Will Levis’ Dynasty Value
The Dynasty Nerds have Levis ranked as QB26 after averaging his range as QB25 to QB29. One of the larger sites for aggregated dynasty player values is KeepTradeCut (KTC). The open-sourced dynasty ranking based on user input for Levis on KTC is QB22.
Here are some of the players’ site users value similarly to Levis in SuperFlex PPR leagues, along with where he falls in the QB landscape:
The players surrounding Levis and perceived rookie picks of equal value suggest he is a low-end QB2 with upside as a 25-year-old starter. If that’s the case, he could spike as a sell-high option early in the season. All it takes is an impressive preseason game or a couple of big highlights on the NFL Red Zone channel to pique someone’s interest.
Right now, Levis can be acquired in some leagues for a mid-to-late second-round rookie pick. If he puts up low-end QB1 numbers in the first few weeks, he’ll be worth a future first-round pick to the right owner (especially if injuries strike), which would be an immediate return on investment.
Similarly to the stock market, building a juggernaut dynasty team aims to add value to a roster with every trade. Levis’s value is more volatile than a player like Matthew Stafford, but with the risk comes the reward. Stafford is unlikely to be worth a future first-round pick ever again.
While the road for Levis wasn’t paved with high-end NFL draft capital, it only takes one league mate to see his potential to get a lucrative deal done. Managers may have Levis rostered in other leagues and already project him to excel. If there’s a University of Kentucky (Levis’ alma mater) fan or Titans die-hard in the league, a “smash accept” offer may be waiting to be made.
Actionable Advice*
Send an offer to the Levis manager in your league. See if a future 2025 second is enough. Don’t be afraid to add a low-end flex player that’s unlikely to see your starting lineup, such as Rashod Bateman or Greg Dulcich, or a young backup QB like Sam Howell or Drew Lock.
The goal for Levis managers during the 2024 season is to acquire him at a discount now and look to sell during preseason hype or after he has a big fantasy game in-season for a 2025 first-round pick or package him with other assets for an upgrade at the QB position. If you’re rebuilding, Levis has production upside and is a better investment for an early return right now than the likes of Justin Fields or Kirk Cousins.
Even if Levis flames out, his stock is more reliable than investing in cryptocurrency. He’ll likely still be worth a future third-round pick to a QB-needy team–a small loss in roster value for the upside he offers. Don’t be risk-averse with Levis this season, but be disciplined to sell when the windows open.
If you make any trades involving Will Levis, let me know on Twitter, @mysleepers, or email me at askmeaboutmysleepers@gmail.com.
*The actionable advice is based on a 12-team, 1 PPR, Superflex league with at least ten total starting players. Send me a message for my adjusted league values.
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