Welcome back to Dynasty Nerds’ newest series of NFL Deep Dynasty Stashes. We’re looking at players that can be picked up late in rookie drafts or off of waiver wires to be hidden away on taxi squads or anchor the end of benches. In this article are four of #MySleepers from the NFC East division that could add value and production to your dynasty squad this season.
Dallas Cowboys
Nathaniel Peat – Running Back
Who wants the next James Robinson? Yes, I am suggesting that Nathaniel “Nate” Peat could be the secret ingredient fantasy managers need to successfully cook up a championship this season. I am also leaving the door open to suggest Peat could be out of the league without anyone noticing–like James Robinson. Peat has ceiling-high upside and potential dirt-floor outcomes (for $FREE.99) that are unmatched at the RB position this season.
Nathaniel Peat played for the Missouri Tigers as a blocking specialist out of the backfield who also posted an impressive 4.8 yards per carry (YPC). Peat isn’t known for his shiftiness or ability to make guys miss but rather for his visible speed and physicality at the point of contact. I’d call him a poor manager’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but I’ll go deep into the hyperbolic chamber and say he’s the poorest manager’s Maurice Jones-Drew. Peat is a one-cut back with speed for the end zone and bad intentions of getting there.
Jerry Jones refuses to bring in free agents not named Ezekiel Elliott. The current RBs behind Elliott are Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Royce Freeman, Snoop Connor, and Mr. Nathaniel Peat. As an undrafted free agent, Peat has gone well under the radar. He’s available in every Sleeper league I’m not in (reportedly). The chances that Peat will become a reliable starter are slim, but just like James Connor, when Le’Veon Bell went down several years ago, Peat would be a confident start if given the nod in Zeke’s stead. Youth has a way of winning out during a 17-game season.
Advice: Go to the waiver wire and add Nathaniel Peat. Tip: If you search “Nate,” it won’t show up.
New York Giants
Tyrone Tracy Jr. – Running Back
This division’s group of #MySleepers shares the commonality of versatility. The NFL values players with diverse skill sets. With the new kickoff rules (hyperlink), a longer season, and increased use of pre-snap motion, younger players are more valuable than ever. Rookies may begin the season at the bottom of the totem pole, but we’ve seen them soar to the top and annually help us trample our opponents head-to-head. As we saw with De’Von Achane last season, players’ fantasy points per game (fppg) are more important than overall fantasy points scored.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. started his football career as a wide receiver for the Purdue Boilermakers. He switched to RB before the 2023 season and is still learning the position. He’s the inverse of another sleeper in this article, both in position and pedigree. Tracy transferred from Iowa to Purdue in the pursuit of more targets but found a new position that saw him get drafted in the 5th round as pick 166–not bad.
Early reports out of Giants minicamps are that Tyrone Tracy Jr. is making a push for passing down work with the first string and is a frontrunner for kickoff return duties. The only true roadblock for Tracy is Devin Singletary, who has always been a committee back. Although Tracy doesn’t profile as a workhorse RB, he seems to soak up targets. In PPR leagues, a target is more valuable than 2.25 carries (on average). Whether it’s as a ZeroRB starter, a bye-week flex, or a true taxi squad stash, Tyrone Tracy Jr. will be relevant during the 2024 season. I’ll be riding the wave in a few leagues and can’t wait for the swell to start during the preseason.
Advice: I would spend one-third of my free agent auction budget (FAAB) on Tracy Jr. I’d offer a future third-round draft pick to another owner in a 1:1 trade; and I see him on par with two of last year’s rookies, Chase Brown (CIN) and Tyjae Spears (TEN).
Philadelphia Eagles
Will Shipley – Running Back
There are two kinds of backup running backs in fantasy football–the backup who gets touches alongside the starter and the backup who waits patiently for his opportunity to take over. Although the first type of back can be a flex starter, I’m more interested in stashing the second type–the RBs with the potential to steamroll the league if things break right (or wrong). Why bet on talent or situation when there’s a running back nestled inside the Venn diagram of talent, situation, and draft capital of this year’s rookie class?
Will Shipley is the best-kept handcuff secret in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles have an efficient offense that will offer ample opportunities for their starting RB, Saquon Barkley. Although it’s unlikely to continue, the Eagles have deployed a backfield by committee for several seasons behind one of the league’s best offensive lines. Barkley was paid to be an every-down back. In the event of an injury, Shipley would be absorbed into the offense and spit out as a fireball of fantasy points waiting to burn every league mate who passed him up in the third round of rookie drafts.
There’s a chance that Shipley sees the field without Saquon missing time. Early discussions about Barkley centered around his pass catching ability and how he might be released from the slot in certain packages. That would allow Will Shipley to take the backfield and get some early action. If this happens, it only takes one highlight to raise his cost from a potential 4th round pick to a solid second.
Advice: Draft Shipley in the early-to-mid third round. If I’m trading for Shipley, the most I’d offer are two 2025-thirds, but he’s a great throw-in player if there’s a bigger trade in the works. I’m prioritizing Shipley in the third tier of RBs, but I’m not actively seeking him out above the aforementioned names at this time.
Washington Commanders
Luke McCaffrey – Slot Wide Receiver
To the reader: Luke McCaffrey is my no. 1 rookie sleeper for 2024 redraft leagues.
Luke McCaffrey may start out too hot to be a full stash candidate. He’s the latest QB-turned-WR prospect and comes with hands destined to snatch a synthetic, prolate spheroid lined with microchips that’s branded as a swine-coated projectile right out of the air. As John Madden would likely say, “The boy was made for football.”
In case you haven’t heard, Luke McCaffrey (LMC) is the younger brother to San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey and son to Denver Broncos’ Hall-of-Fame WR Ed McCaffrey. Since LMC is still new to being a WR, he was drafted more for his potential than production when selected as the final player on day two, the final pick of the third round. Everything out of Washington’s camp says McCaffrey will be a starter in Week 1. Jahan Dotson hasn’t lit the Capitol on fire since his slightly hopeful rookie season; to call him a mid-WR2 would be a disservice to true mid-WR2s like Jakobi Meyers and Mike Williams.
If McCaffrey only starts in three-WR sets, he’s likely to be on the field for most of the game anyway. New Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, is better known for 10 personnel than 12 personnel. When he was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, Kingsbury ran 4- or 5-WR sets almost a third of the time (31%). His offenses have ranked near the almost dead last in 2-WR sets every season he’s called plays in the NFL.
TL;DR: LMC will E-A-T from the S-L-O-T.
Advice: Luke McCaffrey can be drafted as late as the early-fourth round of rookie drafts. I would send a future (2025) 3rd-round pick for any selection in the backend of round three to draft LMC. If he’s already on someone’s roster, I’d be willing to spend a 2025 second for McCaffrey and a smaller asset like a 2026 third. As always, it’s about getting creative with the offers to find the desired value.
Teaser: I have an upcoming article featuring my latest dynasty trades and several will include my dynasty deep stashes.
Thank you so much for reading the NFL Deep Dynasty Stashes. As always, reach out via Twitter (@mysleepers) or email askmeaboutmysleepers@gmail.com. I’m always willing to give trade advice, discuss player takes, or discuss overall strategy!
