Dynasty Trade Value Chart: June

With the rookie draft season winding down, we are entering the months of the dynasty calendar in which most startup drafts occur. I recently drafted a couple of startups and have spent extra time in the past week collecting and analyzing startup ADP for dynasty leagues (with a focus on the Superflex format) that kicked off after the NFL Draft.

The entire focus of this month’s article will be on startup strategy, including the players at each position you should be targeting.  Specifically, I want to highlight the top values at each position and detail my thought process on how best to build a roster to dominate your new league for years to come. 

We will cover the following topics in depth:

1. The NFL and dynasty trends you must take into account in a startup draft.
2. The three key goals you want to achieve when building your dynasty roster.
3. An update on content and tools to expect the rest of the summer.
4. An early look at the 2025 class and how you should treat 2025 picks in your 2024 startup drafts.
5. The overall positional strategy and top startup draft targets at every position.

Quick Note on Dynasty Tools and Content

As detailed in-depth last month, I am transitioning away from including huge tables with hundreds of players in them inside the monthly Dynasty Trade Value Chart article. Instead, you can see all of the trade values you would in past years inside the Dynasty Trade Value Chart tool. It allows you to customize values for your specific league format, rosters, and scoring. It also includes an option to download the custom values in a spreadsheet and a trade calculator. More fun tools are on the way. 

You will also be getting more dynasty content from me this summer. I recently got approval to write a weekly article exploring dynasty topics from a data-driven perspective. I am incredibly excited about the opportunity and want to have a new article up on the site every Friday morning for the rest of the summer. 

Dynasty Trends You Must Consider

Several NFL and fantasy trends point to one overarching dynasty strategy – make building quality long-term depth your top priority. Let’s look at those trends:

1. More games. More byes. All signs point to the NFL eliminating one or more preseason games and moving to an 18-game schedule in the near future. When this expansion inevitably happens, the players will bargain for concessions (in addition to their split of a larger financial pot). One of those concessions sought is likely to be a second bye week for each NFL team. If these bye weeks continue to occur in the middle of the season, we would see a scenario where each team has two byes within a 12-week stretch. For fantasy purposes, this would mean an average of one-sixth of our rosters would be on bye in any given week. Some weeks would be worse than others. It is going to become increasingly difficult to build a successful “stars and scrubs” dynasty roster that can actually win your league.

2. More fantasy starters. I have been writing this article for a decade and have played in dynasty leagues for nearly twice that long. The unmistakable trend is that each season, the standard for the number of total offensive starters has risen slightly. In the early years, most leagues required seven or eight offensive starters (and often included defenses and kickers for nine or ten total starters). It became common practice for existing leagues to do away with kickers and team defense and replace them with flex spots and very few startups in 2024 include defense or kicker in the starting lineup. The Superflex format continues to rise in popularity every single season and has become the standard for new startups. In searching for potential startups to join, most I see posted or advertised in 2024 are now Superflex leagues with two or more regular flex spots (10-to-12 total offensive starters). In the past, you could get a few elite players and dominate your league. Format changes have made that an impossibility in most newer leagues.

3. More fantasy turnover. The NFL went 60 years without a rookie having 1,400 receiving yards. It has now happened three times since 2020 (Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, and Puka Nacua). Prior to last season, only two tight ends in NFL history had 70 receptions as a rookie. We saw two catch 70+ in 2023 (Sam LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid). At every position, players are entering the NFL, ready to make an instant impact. The corollary to this is that we are also seeing players have shorter productive careers. Seeing elite wide receivers falling off a cliff around age 30 has become the norm. Fewer and fewer running backs are seeing second contracts. You have to be constantly replenishing your roster every season with rookies or you will get left in the dust. 

4. Deeper dynasty rosters. I do not have hard data to back this up, but the dynasty trend is towards deeper rosters. Ten years ago, having 18 to 24 total roster spots was most common. Some startups today still have relatively shallow benches of 24 or fewer. The vast majority are now allowing you to roster 25 to 30 players. Plus, with no defenses or kickers, these are all skill-position players. It is increasingly difficult to improve your dynasty roster via waivers. You had better build your depth through the startup and future rookie drafts, or you will have a hard time.

The 3 Dynasty Startup Goals

Depth

The case for building quality long-term depth is clear based on the abovementioned trends. This is especially true if your startup has (1) Superflex, (2) 10+ offensive starters, and (3) deep benches. My mindset is that if I need 11 starters, I better have 15+ players with legitimate starting upside. Humility and a realistic view of the odds require an acknowledgment that I am going to miss on some of my picks. I am not going to be afraid to count on rookies filling key roles on my roster. However, building around high-upside youth requires building in a lot of redundancy to account for the fact that I am going to miss on some picks. 

Our next goal is intricately tied to the goal of depth and is all about deciding which players to target. Prioritizing depth is not just about who we pick but the trades we make in our startup. The easiest way to turn your dynasty team into a powerhouse of quality depth is to turn startup draft capital into extra future rookie picks or extra quality startup picks in rounds eight through 15 and do so at points in the draft where you are not seeing a huge drop off in value. Let’s look at an example. Imagine you are on the clock in the late-3rd round and thinking about taking Brandon Aiyuk (3.12 ADP). I like Aiyuk in this range. This is where he should be drafted. However, is there a huge gap between Aiyuk and the top options in the late 5th to early 6th round (Tank Dell, Tee Higgins, George Pickens, etc.)? This is where I lean on they dynasty trade value chart in my startup. I have those early-6th-round wide receivers as only a handful of points less valuable than Aiyuk. Can I trade my 3rd and 8th for a 5th, 6th, and a future 2nd-round rookie pick? Or my 3rd straight-up for a 5th and a 9th rounder? I love these sorts of deals in startups if they are available. Whenever you see these value plateaus, be willing to sacrifice getting your very top choice to get a similar player while adding assets that let you build the type of depth required to dominate your league over the longer term.

Sturdiness

Let’s define sturdy as players (or picks) who are (1) highly likely to be long-term starting-caliber fantasy options and (2) unlikely to see a big dip in their dynasty trade value over the short term. We will go more in-depth with some specific examples of players who fit the mold of being “sturdy” values when discussing targets at each position to best illustrate the concept. But think of somebody like Justin Herbert. He just turned 26 years old. He’s locked in as the long-term starter and it is hard to envision a scenario where he gets benched any time soon. Herbert (2.05 ADP) is a sturdy, long-term building block. At wide receiver, somebody like Tee Higgins (6.03 ADP), who just turned 25 years old and is a proven starting-caliber fantasy option, is a sturdy investment. He can be a long-term mainstay in your starting lineup and is unlikely to depreciate in trade value anytime soon, so he gives you options for future maneuvering.

Your roster only achieves overwhelming depth when you use future rookie drafts to add to your already sturdy corps and not merely patching holes. If you draft Stefon Diggs (31 in November) and Alvin Kamara (29 in July) in the seventh and eighth rounds, you are probably using your first-round pick in the next two drafts trying to replace their production. 

Flashiness

We need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. Not only are we prioritizing depth and hoping to build a roster with staying power, but we also want to add as many players with “flash” as possible. Let’s define flashy as (1) the potential to be an impact fantasy producer and (2) the potential to see a big increase in dynasty trade value. It is unwise to focus solely on depth. You are not winning your league with a bunch of WR3s. You need some fantasy star power. It also makes sense to view your dynasty startup through the lens of the stock market. Everyone starts out with basically the same draft capital. In that sense, there is a year-one salary cap. However, as you move forward, some rosters are going to become much more valuable than others. Targeting players who will be attractive trade targets for your league mates in future years is a major key to long-term success and roster flexibility. 

2025 Dynasty Picks

The easiest way to increase the depth of your roster during a startup is to trade for future rookie picks without trading startup picks one-for-one. For example, trading a 6th or 7th-round startup pick straight up for a future first does not increase your depth at all. It may or may not still be a solid move, but it has zero impact on long-term depth. You have one less startup pick and one more rookie pick. On the other hand, trading your 6th-round startup pick for a 7th-round startup pick and a future second does increase your depth. Think of adding a future second-round pick as the equivalent of adding an extra startup pick in the 10th or 11th round. Then this trade can be viewed as moving a 6th-round pick for a 7th and 10th, a true one-for-two move that begins the process of building the deepest roster in your league.

2025 rookie picks have been added to the Dynasty Trade Value Chart Tool. You can get a better idea of specific values there. I don’t want to repeat the same refrain every month, but my view is that the class may lack star power at the top. Thus, do not go out of your way to aggressively target future picks with the idea that a 2025 rookie is going to instantly be a Top 15 dynasty asset (like Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr., Bijan Robinson, etc.). The class does look to be pretty deep, especially at running back. From the perspective of startup strategy, I love the idea of going a little bit light at running back in the startup while trying to add some extra 2025 second-round picks. The second round of rookie drafts this year had Trey Benson and Blake Corum. There could be five or six of those guys in the second round of 2025 rookie drafts. 

Quarterback

Dynasty Startup Opportunities

Joe Burrow (1.09) and Justin Herbert (2.05)

At the quarterback position, you have to be careful to not mistake youth for sturdiness. I am old enough to remember when players like Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Blake Bortles, Carson Wentz, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields were being drafted inside the first two rounds of Superflex startup drafts. Each player lost his starting job within a few years. True sturdiness requires a big enough sample size of strong play to say with confidence that the player is going to be a fantasy starter for a long time. 

Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert personify the concept of sturdiness. In terms of long-term building blocks that you can bank on being starting-caliber fantasy options, only a handful are on the same level. We can feel as confident as possible in an uncertain world that both will still be NFL starters eight years from now. It is wild that you can potentially get both in a Superflex startup without even trading up. On one hand, it makes sense. We all have short attention spans. Joe Burrow missed the second half of last season, and it feels like many have forgotten how good he is. Burrow was healthy for five games last season. Here is what he did in those five games:

A 5,000-yard, 40-touchdown pace potentially playing out over a full season is the type of flash you need to win your league. 

Herbert is less flashy in the short-term due to concerns about the Chargers offense being less pass-heavy. However, for those with discerning tastes, an elite 26-year-old quarterback who has already thrown for over 17,000 yards and 114 touchdowns is plenty flashy. There is also a real chance that a balanced offensive approach and elite offensive line add to Herbert’s efficiency. A few more red-zone rushing opportunities wouldn’t hurt, either.

Michael Penix Jr. (10.01)

At this exact time last offseason, Brock Purdy was my top target in dynasty startup drafts. In fact, last June’s Dynasty Trade Value Chart article was all about my 2023 startup draft strategy and included the following writeup of Purdy:

Between startups and offseason trades, no non-rookie has been added to more of my rosters this offseason than Purdy. He has been one of those players who has been featured here as a buy on a regular basis for the past six or seven months, and he gets one last plug. In startups, Purdy has had an ADP in the 12th round. I have been reaching for him in the 9th or 10th round just to make sure I land him. My strong belief in Purdy winning the starting job long-term over Lance is based largely on the way his teammates talk about him. Trent Williams (49ers star left tackle) went in-depth on Purdy late last season. “You would think he's been in the league 15 years. If you're talking, he'll say shut your a— up. He ain't no timid rookie feeling his way around. He will get on your a—. You would think he's like Peyton Manning or something.” Williams said Purdy’s confidence is contagious and praised his attitude, makeup, and mentality. I absolutely love drafting Purdy as my QB3 in startups where he is currently priced, even if you reach a little bit to lock him in.

Why bring up Purdy in a section devoted to Michael Penix Jr.? Because I am treating Penix the same way in 2024 startups as I did Purdy in 2023 startups. I am going out of my way to lock him in as my QB3, even if it requires taking him a full round or two earlier than his ADP. Penix is the player I will most aggressively target this offseason in Superflex leagues.

Why am I so much higher on Penix than his current valuation?

He has Top 10 overall draft capital. While he is not known as much of a runner, Penix ran a sub-4.5 forty and had a rushing upside. He was drafted by a team that plays in a dome and has three skill position players 24 or younger who were also drafted in the Top 10 overall. Like Purdy, Penix has the system, situation, and surrounding talent to excel whenever he ascends to the starting role. You do not get the opportunity to draft quarterbacks with this sort of profile in the 9th or 10th round of startups very often. Take advantage. Reach for him in the early 8th round. 

I do want to acknowledge the argument against drafting Penix. There is a school of thought he will be “out of sight, out of mind” because he may not take over as the starter until after the 2025 season and will actually be cheaper to acquire in the future than he is now. Here are three reasons I do not buy this argument:

1. Jordan Love FOMO. Sharp dynasty players will remember how cheap it was to acquire Love the first few years of his career when he was a first-round pick stuck on the bench behind Aaron Rodgers. Next summer, the example of Love is going to be fresh in everyone’s minds when valuing Penix. He is going to be on every dynasty content creator’s buy list for the next couple of offseasons. I see a scenario where he is the “undervalued” guy who everyone is secretly hoping to draft, which then pushes his ADP multiple rounds higher than it is now.

2. The Peter Griffin mentality. You know the meme. Peter has to decide between a boat and a mystery box and chooses the mystery box. “A boat’s a boat, but a mystery box could be anything. It could even be a boat! You know how much we wanted one of those.” The other five rookie quarterbacks drafted early in the first round this season will see the field early. Their warts will be on full display. Some of them will see their dynasty valuations plummet over the next year or two. Unless all five of the other rookies massively exceed expectations, Penix will not remain the sixth-most valuable 2024 rookie quarterback. Many will value him close to his ceiling, the same way we always see this effect play out during rookie drafts.

3. Increase in QB scarcity. In the decade I have been writing about dynasty trade values, I cannot remember a time when the quarterback position felt deeper. We have seen a massive influx of talented youth at the position in recent years and we just had a record six quarterbacks drafted in the Top 12 picks. This is not normal. It presents a natural buy-low window at the position overall. It would not be a shock if the 2025 rookie class is similar to the 2022 class (when Kenny Pickett was the lone first-round pick). Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that the 2025 class has only a single first-round quarterback; what would Penix’s going rate be next spring? Will he be worth a 2025 mid-first-round pick? Stock the shelves now when it is cheap to do so because, eventually, it is going to be a seller’s market again.

Committee QB Approach

It makes sense to prioritize the QB3 spot and be one of the first in your league to draft your QB3. As noted above, a second bye week may be coming soon. If you have only two starting quarterbacks, that is four bye weeks you will have to cover. We have also seen many top quarterbacks miss time due to injury in recent years. Odds are that in the coming years, your QB3 is going to be in your starting lineup almost half of the time. Plus, adding a QB3 with flashy upside (like Penix) gives you a valuable trade piece down the line if you need to upgrade elsewhere. It also adds some sturdiness to your roster build if you gambled on a flashier but less sturdy QB1 or QB2 (Anthony Richardson, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, etc.). 

Running Back

The gradual shift towards more flex spots in dynasty leagues has made the running back spot less important and less valuable overall. If you have five or six Top 25 wide receivers in your lineup every week, you can get by with your RB2 spot being subpar and there are always going to be opportunities to inexpensively upgrade at the position. With deeper starting lineup requirements, spending your early picks on players who will be long-term starters (not guys who may need to be replaced in two or three years) is paramount. In deeper leagues, my preferred strategy is to lock in one top young running back relatively early and then not draft my RB2 until at least the 10th round. Quarterbacks, running backs, and tight ends simply have longer careers and that importance is ratcheted up due to the recent trends mentioned above.

Jahmyr Gibbs (2.07)

Gibbs is the best combination of sturdy and flashy at the position. Let’s start with why Gibbs is one of the sturdiest running back investments in the league. He is 22 years old and will be featured in one of the league’s top offenses for at least the next four seasons. His receiving usage alone gives him a solid weekly floor. The draft capital and obvious high-level talent he possesses make him one of the safest bets at the position to maintain his role over at least the medium term. He is unlikely to see his value take a major hit any time soon. If he puts up an RB1 season, he is going to be every bit as valuable as a 23-year-old next offseason as he is now. This is the type of “free production” we covet from our top startup picks.

Gibbs is also flashy. He is a dynamic big-play machine who is fun to have in your lineup every week. Again, flash is not only about aesthetics. It also means the potential to be a fantasy superstar. A massive breakout season that looks something like prime Alvin Kamara is within the range of outcomes for Gibbs in 2024. If I cannot land someone like Herbert, I am all in on Gibbs in the second round of a startup.

Jonathon Brooks (6.07)

If I miss out on Gibbs early, Brooks is my Plan B for acquiring a high-upside, relatively safe, young RB1. 

Outside of the first few rounds, Brooks may be the best risk-versus-reward proposition. The risk he is a complete bust is fairly minimal (outside of major injury troubles) given his scouting profile, the draft capital spent to acquire him, and his well-rounded skill set. In the not-so-distant past, second-round rookie running backs like Jonathan Taylor, D'Andre Swift, JK Dobbins, and Cam Akers were going in the second or third round of dynasty startups. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that was a bit too aggressive. However, letting the top rookie running back (with obvious three-down potential) fall all the way to the middle of the sixth round is an overreaction from the fantasy community.

Blake Corum (10.11), Jaylen Wright (12.07), and MarShawn Lloyd (13.03)

My strategy at the running back position this offseason is almost identical to last season. In last June’s article, I noted that I wanted to target Jahmyr Gibbs as my RB1 in the third round and then wait until round 10 or later to target my three favorite Day 2 rookies (Tyjae Spears, De'Von Achane, and Tank Bigsby). Of those three, one has been a gigantic hit (Achane), one looks like a solid value (Spears), and one looks like a miss (Bigsby). I suspect we see a similar range of outcomes from the three running backs we should target in rounds 10-to-13 this offseason. Ideally, the goal is to get two of the three to increase the chances of landing a solid RB2 to pair with Gibbs or Brooks. Some may blanch at the thought of exiting a startup draft with a backup like Jaylen Wright as their RB2. I get it. But it is worth remembering (1) this is a long-term play where we build a sturdy roster centered around the positions with the most longevity, (2) it is June, and there will be productive running backs available once our competitors fall out of contention, and (3) rookies like this hit on a fairly regular basis.

Committee RB Approach

Big picture, my preferred strategy boils down to trying to acquire a single young RB1 like Gibbs or Brooks and then throwing a lot of stuff at the wall, hoping something sticks at RB2. In addition to targeting at least one of the three rookies above as RB2, I am looking to go fairly heavy on RB in Round 15 and beyond. Kyren Williams, Zamir White, and other backs went in this range last offseason. In 2024, it is worth taking shots on two or three backups with upside, like Jerome Ford (15.03), Keaton Mitchell (16.09), Antonio Gibson (16.07), Dameon Pierce (17.03), Ty Chandler (17.05), and Jaleel McLaughlin (18.07). As noted above, the 2025 rookie class should be especially deep at running back. Loading up at other positions while adding a bit of extra draft capital next year to add flash at the running back position is a winning long-term strategy.

Wide Receiver

Tank Dell (6.02) and Tee Higgins (6.03)

My goal in startups this offseason is to exit the fifth round with either Dell or Higgins as my WR1 or WR2. I view both as worthy of being selected in the fourth round, so I will happily reach slightly for one of the two in the fifth. I do not see a big gap between the wide receivers going in round three and some of the wide receivers going in the fifth or sixth rounds. This is the most obvious arbitrage opportunity in 2024 startups. 

Dell looked to be on his way to challenging Puka Nacua as the top 2023 rookie wide receiver before suffering a broken leg in Week 13. In the four games prior to the injury, Dell had 396 yards and five touchdowns. The Texans traded for Stefon Diggs and gave Nico Collins a big three-year extension, which has taken some of the shine off of Dell. However, there is still plenty of room for optimism. It is a small thing that I may be reading too much into, but on a recent podcast with Micah Parsons, Stroud listed his “perfect offense.” His three wide receivers were Ja'Marr Chase, Davante Adams, and Tank Dell. The Stroud-Dell connection is real and it would not be a surprise if Dell emerges as the top target in Houston. 

This Micah Parsons and C.J. Stroud football debate ?

Perfect offense vs. perfect defense. Who wins? pic.twitter.com/7FuQqlkhqe

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 25, 2024

Higgins is also an outstanding target. He will be drafted higher in dynasty startups next offseason than he is right now. Higgins will be highly motivated to have a big season in a contract year (he likely will play out the 2024 season on the franchise tag). If he plays well (as I expect him to), he is going to sign somewhere else for more than $30M per year next spring and be locked in as his new team’s WR1 for the long term.

Ricky Pearsall (9.10) and Xavier Legette (9.11)

The reason it is wise to lock up a pair of top young starting quarterbacks, a top young tight end, and your RB1 early is that it frees you to hammer wide receiver almost exclusively between Round 5 and Round 11. The 2024 rookie wide receiver class is considered one of the best in recent memory. Every single top rookie wide receiver looks like a worthwhile option at their current ADPs. I want to leave every startup with at least five rookie wide receivers who were drafted in the first three rounds. The sheer depth and quality of the class has given us the rare opportunity to be able to draft a wide receiver with first-round draft capital all the way down in the ninth round. Take advantage of the opportunity. The long-term upside of both Pearsall and Legette is considerable. 

Jameson Williams (11.04)

Year 3 breakouts are not especially common these days. Most top wide receivers break out by their second NFL season. There are exceptions, like Nico Collins. Of all of the third-year breakout candidates in 2024, Williams is the most intriguing. He tore his ACL late in 2021, which was a big reason his rookie season was so disappointing. Then he started last season off with a six-game suspension for gambling. There were signs late last season of Williams starting to put it together. I faded Williams last offseason because the reports coming out of Detroit about his work ethic and commitment were concerning. The early buzz this offseason has been the complete opposite, which has made Williams a prime target in the 10th or 11th round.

#Lions HC Dan Campbell on Jameson Williams:

“If you said, ‘give me one player that is the most improved [this offseason],’ Jamo would be that guy right now. He is a man on a mission, and I’m just gonna leave it at that.”

Campbell has a 90% reliability rating on depth chart and… pic.twitter.com/5R0EYPtfvM

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) May 23, 2024

Jermaine Burton (13.12)

Burton is the third Bengal to make my list of top targets. Perhaps it is due to being a little bit of a homer. However, when healthy, Burrow has easily been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Plus, it makes sense to target both Higgins and Burton if you think Higgins will likely be the WR1 for a team other than the Bengals in 2025 and believe Burton is the favorite to take over the WR2 Higgins vacates. The Zac Taylor Bengals have been amongst the most conservative teams in the NFL when it comes to drafting players with character concerns. The fact the team went against what has been working shows just how high the team is on Burton’s talent. It is also easy to look at the way Taylor uncharacteristically celebrated in the draft room after the pick and read into it that the Bengals do not view Burton as the typical third-round pick but instead as a player who has the potential to take the offense to the next level with his first-round caliber physical ability.

Committee WR Approach

The biggest key to the startup strategy outlined in this month’s article is a belief in the idea of “flashy and sturdy by committee” at the wide receiver position. Locking down two starting quarterbacks, a starting running back, and a starting tight end by the end of the sixth round comes at a cost. We only use two of our first six picks at wide receiver, and, at most, only one of those picks is in the first four rounds. We are not going to have an especially flashy wide receiver group featuring multiple WR1s. We will also target many young wide receivers who could easily bust (I drafted a lot of Jonathan Mingo last year). However, we are playing the odds by focusing on volume. Hopefully, we trade back a few times to add an extra pick or two in the first 12 rounds and also add future rookie draft capital. Maybe our wide receiver committee looks something like this: Tee Higgins, Tank Dell, Ricky Pearsall, Xavier Legette, Adonai Mitchell, Jameson Williams, Jermaine Burton, Malachi Corley, and Luke McCaffrey. We have a couple of relatively sure things (Higgins and Dell), but there is nothing sturdy about the rest of the group individually. The production in Year 1 is unlikely to be flashy. On the other hand, what are the odds that we add six rookie wide receivers drafted in the first three rounds of this loaded rookie class, and none of them hit? It is almost inevitable that at least two of our rookie wide receivers end up being long-term starters alongside the two young veteran wideouts we drafted early, and a couple of others end up as solid depth options. 

Tight End

Brock Bowers (4.10) and Dalton Kincaid (4.08)

Aside from quarterbacks, elite tight ends have the longest productive careers. Travis Kelce is still going off the board in redraft leagues as the TE2 at 34 years old. George Kittle is 30 and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. I can’t pull the trigger on someone like Kyren Williams or Travis Etienne Jr., who will be lucky to still be starting in three or four years when guys like Bowers and Kincaid, who have the realistic potential to be in my starting fantasy lineup for the next decade. Both of these guys could produce TE1 fantasy numbers for five years and still be going in the fourth round of dynasty startups in 2029. That’s not at all an unrealistic scenario.

David Njoku (8.08)

As someone who tends to lean heavily towards youth in startup drafts, Njoku (who turns 28 in July) does not fit the mold of my typical targets. However, as noted previously, 28 is not as old for a tight end as it is for a running back or even a wide receiver. If I miss out on one of the top tight ends in the fourth or fifth round, I am looking to add my TE1 in the eighth round. In addition to Njoku, Jake Ferguson, Evan Engram, and George Kittle are other solid options in this range.

Ben Sinnott (11.11)

In rounds nine through 14, I am mostly looking to tap into the depth of this outstanding rookie wide receiver class. Sinnott is also at least in my queue as an option to add depth to my tight end group. Sinnott has second-round draft capital (53rd overall) and the upside to eventually develop into a pass catcher the caliber of Trey McBride (55th overall in 2022). 

??? @ben_sinnott pic.twitter.com/WPa2JDp2hP

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 11, 2024