The No-Fly List
I spend most of my weeks preaching the value of not writing off fantasy prospects. This includes extreme examples like Rico Dowdle, Michael Wilson, and Alec Pierce.
It's about time I share players I don't truck with at this time. Circumstances could change enough that I'll remove them from my No-Fly List, but for now, I don't want these players on my rosters.
If I inherit them in a dynasty format, I'll be selling them. If I'm drafting a team, they will have to fall 3-4 rounds lower than their average draft position for me to consider them at all.
There will be different reasons for each player, but the overriding principle is that there's a hole in their game or that their approach to the game concerns me about them reaching or sustaining their value.
Most of these players are what we would label as reclamation projects or patience plays. Some are current starters where I believe I've seen enough.
The QB No-Fly List
Kyler Murray (and all receivers/tight ends except his top passing-game producer on his new team)
The least shocking name on my list, Murray has likely earned his way out of Arizona with lackluster play, difficulty maximizing the skills of his surrounding talent, refusal to climb the pocket and stick to the timeline of a play's structure, and generating overall questions about his committment to the craft of quarterbacking.
ESPN's Josh Weinfuss reported a month ago that the Cardinals had ignored Murray's requests to have input on personnel decisions after Murray's recommendation to acquire Marquise Brown didn't pay long-term dividends. Considering Murray's flaws and the Cardinals' insistence that there be a study clause in Murray's contract, it's not a good look for Murray that he wanted personnel input when he had Michael Wilson for four seasons and couldn't exploit Wilson's talent at remotely the level Jacoby Brissett has in a matter of weeks.
Murray has the arm and mobility to deliver QB1 fantasy value in an offense. Based on his track record, he lacks the maturity, work ethic, and style of play to support more than one fantasy weapon in the passing offense. That may have flown with the Cardinals because they held an initial investment in Murray and hoped he'd develop past these flaws, but other teams won't give Murray this much grace.
Count me out of any short-term bump unless I inherited him. The first sign of good play, I'm selling.
The Colts' starter had a career year until injuries overtook him. Count me out as one of the converted.
Jones made some impressive throws this year. He did the same in New York. It doesn't change that Jones is still a slow processor of information on plays that spell the difference between a franchise starter and a journeyman quarterback.
Jones also threw a lot more interceptable passes during his hot streak than people realize. When you combine the factors of Jones' processing, interceptable passes, and Achilles injury, I'd rather take my chances elsewhere.
The head injuries remain an elevated risk with his game. His velocity as a thrower is limited enough that opponents can often force Tagovailoa out of his game.
He'll have big weeks, but he'll need an excellent scheme with strong surrounding talent to cover his weaknesses. Until we learn where Tagovailoa lands, I'm not interested. Odds are likely I won't be interested in most landing spots.
Have we finally seen enough? The highlight plays are clickbait for fantasy GMs.
At his core, Fields is a two-read quarterback, at best. He doesn't manage game scripts effectively, he makes unforced errors as a field general, and he's a slow processor of coverage.
His accuracy, slow processor, and foolish game management undermined Levis' future in Tennessee early. Don't expect it to change elsewhere.