The NFC West has been a very fantasy-friendly environment for years now. They know how to grow players to reach the best of their abilities. Below are some deep stashes that are worth adding to your rosters.
Hunter Long, TE LAR
For the Rams, Hunter Long provides a potential deep stash for dynasty owners right now. Hunter Long was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Long spent three years at Boston College, where he had two very interesting seasons. In 2019, he was a big downfield play receiver, with 28 receptions, 509 yards, and two touchdowns. In 2020, he became a bigger part of the offense with 57 receptions, 685 yards and five touchdowns. We saw the progression in his play to become more involved in the offense.
Unfortunately, Long played minimally with two seasons with the Dolphins in the last two years. He never got a real option to see much playing time with the Dolphins’ crowded tight end room. Plus, he isn’t the best blocker, and the Dolphins’ offense already had a Mike Gesicki type of player they didn’t like for the offense.
He was traded to the Rams in the Jalen Ramsey trade this offseason. The Rams have a player that could be the backup tight end to Tyler Higbee and potentially start in 2024. Long is a pass-catching tight end with solid ball skills and an excellent speed to his game. He can gain separation from linebackers quickly and attack at all three offense levels. We all know tight ends take time to produce, and Long could find new opportunities in LA, so Long is a solid stash in many TE premium leagues.
Clayton Tune, QB ARZ
The Cardinals aren’t a great depth team to build on deep stashes. Michael Wilson is solid but may be a little too known for many dynasty owners. I’ve seen Tune go undrafted in many Superflex rookie drafts. Tune made major improvements each year at Houston to have a senior year of 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. He was a very accurate quarterback at all three levels of the offense. Tune also was a strong leader, intelligent, and slightly mobile quarterback for the next level. He doesn’t have the biggest arm strength coming into the league.
Tune has a solid opportunity for a dynasty early in his career. The Cardinals’ franchise quarterback Kyler Murray could be half the season due to a late-season injury in 2022. Journeyman Colt McCoy is projected to start week one, but Tune will have a shot if he can stand out in camp. If the Cardinals decide to sit Murray for the season, Tune could play a good portion of the year. He isn’t a long-term answer starting player but could be a fill-in for 2023 or be a depth piece for a dynasty roster.
Colby Parkinson, TE SEA
We have another tight end in this division to mention that has potential. Parkinson was a former fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Parkinson was a two-year starter from Stanford, and he came into the league as a big tight end who could run routes just like a wide receiver. He knows how to attack all three levels of the offense and can be seen making some crazy catches. He reminds me of a Mike Gesicki type of player in that the blocking isn’t there, but the receiving threat could be big in the right offense.
Since being in the NFL, Parkinson has dealt with foot injuries that are limited in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In 2022, Parkison, as the third tight end for Seattle, managed to put up 25 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns. Parkinson is buried behind Noah Fant and WIll Dissily on the depth chart. Parkinson had three weeks as the starter for weeks 16 to 18, where he produced for fantasy. He combined for ten receptions, 128 yards, and a touchdown over those three games. Parkinson could see some opportunity in 2023, but not a ton unless an injury occurs. He will be a free agent in 2024 at only 25 years old to find himself in a better situation for the dynasty.
Jordan Mason, RB SFF
You may have heard of his name before, but that seems like a long time ago. Mason was classified as a deep stash last season. Mason spent four seasons at Georgia Tech. He was the starter for two years until Jahmyr Gibbs took over that backfield before transferring to Alabama. His best season was in 2019, when he produced 172 carries for 899 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2020 and 2021, he combinedly did not produce to match his 2019 output. Mason went undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft and signed with the 49ers. The 49ers always know how to produce great running backs, no matter the draft capital.
It hurt Mason’s opportunity when the team traded for CMC mid-season, as it seemed his season wouldn’t ever come. Elijah Mitchell again got injured, leading to Mason getting an opportunity as the second running back behind CMC. He had a three-game stretch as the backup with 50-plus yards. Mitchell has been prone to getting hurt since coming into the league, and CMC also had an injury history. Mason could find himself as the backup or starter again at any point in the season. He’d be someone I’d be stashing and holding out until he gets another opportunity.
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