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Dynasty roster-building season is in full swing with rookie drafts happening all summer long. Given that it is currently June, coach speak and rumors can have an impact on values. Depth charts and rosters still have a long way to go before they are solidified for Week 1, so the best course of action right now is to buy on talent and sell on perceived opportunity since that can change in an instant.
This year’s iteration of the NFC East again looks to be a battle between Dallas and Philadelphia, although the Giants and Commanders should both see improvements following treacherous seasons in 2023. Washington looks like a brand new team with Dan Quinn on the sidelines and Jayden Daniels under center, while New York returns Daniel Jones from a knee injury in Year 3 of the Brian Daboll era.
Each of the four teams has some perplexing fantasy options. I am going to identify one buy target and one sell target from each team for your dynasty leagues.
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Dallas Cowboys
Buy: Deuce Vaughn, RB
Second-year running back Deuce Vaughn went from fantasy sleeper to disappointment as a rookie. Vaughn played in just seven games, tallying 23 carries for 40 yards along with seven receptions for another 40 yards. The 5-foot-6, 176-pound running back was very productive at Kansas State, rushing for 3,604 yards and 34 touchdowns in three seasons.
With Tony Pollard no longer in the mix, Dallas’ backfield consists of Vaughn, Ezekiel Elliott, and Rico Dowdle. There is plenty of opportunity for the small, shifty back to work his way into the rotation. While he may not be capable of carrying a full NFL workload due to his size, there have been rumors that Vaughn has been working out of the slot this offseason.
Cowboys RB Deuce Vaughn has been getting reps at slot WR in practice, per @ProFootballTalk pic.twitter.com/NAtS6l8s3N
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) June 2, 2024
While it is still very possible that the Cowboys add another running back before or during the season, Vaughn will see more opportunities one way or another in 2024. He is currently priced very low coming off a disappointing campaign and is a prime target to emerge as a secondary option in the passing game behind CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Jake Ferguson.
Sell: Jalen Tolbert, WR
Jalen Tolbert is entering his third season after once being a third-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Tolbert has disappointed through his first two campaigns, totaling 24 receptions for 280 yards and two touchdowns, but is now expected to see more snaps with Michael Gallup no longer on the team.
Projected as a starter, Tolbert has started to regain some dynasty value. However, there is no guarantee that he wins the third receiver job. Even if he does, he won’t see enough work to be fantasy-relevant unless an injury were to occur to Lamb, Cooks, or Ferguson. With Vaughn working out of the slot and whispers of 2023 seventh-rounder Jalen Brooks looking impressive early, sell Tolbert for anything you can get before his value completely dissipates in this do-or-die year.
Washington Commanders
Buy: Ben Sinnott, TE
The Commanders grabbed Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott in Round 2 of the draft, pairing him with classmate Jayden Daniels. Sinnott is a chain-mover and plays the game similar to Detroit’s Sam LaPorta. Washington’s receiving corps is pretty questionable behind Terry McLaurin, opening up the opportunity for Sinnott to immediately step in and build a connection with Daniels.
He is going off the board in the middle of Round 2 in rookie drafts right now, but there are few scenarios that Sinnott is not a top-10 dynasty tight end heading into his second year. Trade a veteran tight end straight up to acquire the younger Sinnott, and reap the rewards when the season comes around.
Sell: Austin Ekeler, RB
Austin Ekeler has been a fantasy superstar since 2019, but unfortunately, all good running backs must come to an end. One season removed from an RB1 overall finish, Ekeler plummeted to RB26 in 2023 while witnessing severe hits to his efficiency.
Watching Austin Ekeler hit a top speed of 13mph was tough to watch pic.twitter.com/bWieNmadD4 https://t.co/bgPPTTzhnI
— King of Phinland🐬👑 (@KingOfPhinland) June 9, 2024
While splitting a backfield in Washington with Brian Robinson Jr. could help his efficiency come back up a bit, Ekeler is 29 years old and just did not look the same. With a changed situation and spiraling efficiency, his dynasty stock has tanked significantly, but it is very possible that you can still find a manager who will give a decent return solely due to name value. If you can sell Ekeler for any 2025 second-round pick, do not hesitate to pull the trigger. Even a third-rounder is a price worth considering before his value falls even further.
New York Giants
Buy: Wan'Dale Robinson, WR
The recent confirmation of Darren Waller’s retirement has everybody fixated on the Giants’ tight-end position. What if I told you the vacated targets are not going to go to a single tight end? The shrinkage of receiving options on New York’s roster benefits one player the most: third-year receiver Wan'Dale Robinson.
Operating primarily out of the slot, Robinson has dealt with injuries early in his career but has also shown flashes of greatness. Over the last five weeks in 2023, he averaged 6.6 targets, 4.8 receptions, and 52 yards per game with a mix of Tommy Devito and Tyrod Taylor under center. With Daniel Jones back under center and Malik Nabers lined up alongside him, there should be better quarterback play and more space to operate with in New York this season.
The #Giants player who should benefit most from Malik Nabers' addition is Wan'Dale Robinson.
He's going to have a lot more space to work with (more attention on Nabers) & now one year removed from the ACL, we're going to see a lot more post-catch plays that look like this: pic.twitter.com/SuX0V0wnbE— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) May 7, 2024
Buy the playmaker in anticipation of a potential third-year breakout.
Sell: Theo Johnson, TE
With Waller out of the league, heads have turned to Theo Johnson, the fourth-round tight end that many believe was selected in the 2024 NFL Draft as a replacement for their star tight end.
While Johnson is athletic, he never recorded more than 341 yards in a single season at Penn State. Daniel Bellinger, the 2022 fourth-rounder, will likely split time at tight end with Johnson and the most likely scenario is that neither is much of a fantasy-relevant option with Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and Allen Robinson all vying for targets behind Nabers and Robinson.
Sell the rookie off the perceived value with Waller no longer in the picture.
Philadelphia Eagles
Buy: Ainias Smith, WR
Earlier this offseason, veteran receiver DeVante Parker retired after joining the Eagles in the offseason. While he wasn’t expected to have much of a role in the offense with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Dallas Goedert taking most of the targets, Parker’s retirement opened up the opportunity for younger receivers to see the field.
Ainias Smith was drafted in the fifth round after displaying elite speed in college at Texas A&M. Smith should see special teams work immediately and may be the opening-week kick returner in Philly after he returned two collegiate punts for touchdowns.
My Ainias Smith Eagles WR3 propaganda begins today. pic.twitter.com/qUnP4yx7M4
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) May 21, 2024
Speed like Smith’s is hard to come by and while this roster’s weaponry is loaded, it may draw up opportunities to get the ball into his hands as a rookie. He is more of a long-term stash with how many weapons are currently on the team, but his price is dirt cheap. As long as he shows potential as a rookie, he will come out of this season with a higher price than he currently sits at.
Sell: Dallas Goedert, TE
In the past, it typically takes an injury to an Eagles receiver for Goedert to put up consistently good week-to-week numbers. Now with Saquon Barkley in the fold, there will be even fewer touches to go around in this offense. Add in the fact that rookie Johnny Wilson could take some snaps in-line or as a big slot, and Goedert’s usage plummets even more.
Goedert himself has struggled to stay healthy, and he is now 29 years old. His contract runs out after the 2025 season and at that point, it is hard to see him consistently delivering top-end fantasy production. Now is the time to sell.
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