The dynasty offseason is a chance to capitalize on market inefficiencies in players with a chance to not worry about positional needs. Even if you are a contender in 2024, the offseason is all about accumulating assets and finding the mispriced players in your leagues. It does not matter what your starting lineup looks like this early in the offseason. What does matter is making sure you don’t miss out on the time to buy or sell a player.
Kendre Miller
Before Kendre Miller’s 2024 audition in the season finale against Atlanta, he was flying under the radar. With Alvin Kamara’s late scratch on Sunday and Miller active for the first time in 2 months, he showed that post-Kamara life for the Saints doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. With averaging 5.6 yards a carry on 13 carries, the day 2 running back showed why the Saints drafted him even after signing Jamaal Williams to a three-year deal and having Kamara. While he only had one catch in Week 17, it was a smooth out route that provided a glimpse of his pass-catching abilities.
A huge part of dynasty fantasy football and winning the offseason is knowing the contract situations of players. An intermediate manager may think that since Kamara and Williams are on the books for next season and beyond Miller will never get a chance to emerge from this backfield. Although that is good to know, an even bigger part of winning the offseason is predicting and understanding teams’ cap space and if they have money to spend. Not only do the Saints not have money to spend, but they are also currently $75 million dollars over the cap for 2024 and that is with only 32 players. Their restructuring of contracts may finally really catch up to them and this is a situation where no player is safe when it comes to getting moved off the team. An ugly rebuild is ahead for the Saints, and the safest bet of any RB to be on the team in 2024 is Kendre Miller.
If I am not a front-runner in my league next year, I am comfortable trading Derrick Henry and a sweetener for Miller. I am also open to trading a late second for him if you are looking for a young RB with how weak this rookie class is at the RB position.
Honorable Mention – Zack Moss
Major appeal to me whether he gets a shot from another team in Free Agency or whether that is even coming back to Indy and being a premier handcuff.
Stashes – Chris Rodriguez, Rico Dowdle
Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson is a player that is a major buy for me this offseason. The rookie out of Stanford caught 38 of his 58 targets on the season scoring three touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown on 6 catches and a career-high 95 yards while serving as the main perimeter Wide Receiver in Hollywood Brown’s absence. While his stats are solid, they are not overwhelming which presents a major value.
While the Cardinals’ fourth overall pick could certainly be Marvin Harrison Jr., that will not suppress Wilson’s opportunity as he is currently one of three Wide Receivers under contract in 2024 for the Cardinals along with slot receiver Rondale Moore and depth veteran Zach Pascal. The Cardinals drafting a WR in the first or second round is very likely, but there is a very real chance Wilson enters his second season as the clear WR2 in the desert.
Wilson is currently ranked as the WR61 on Fantasy Pros behind the likes of Rashod Bateman, Brandin Cooks, and Gabe Davis which is borderline shocking. In terms of draft capital, Wilson is currently valued as a mid-late second which is appropriate given the wealth of WR in this upcoming rookie class. My ideal trade for Wilson would be sending a more established and popular name for someone you are just “taking a chance” on.
Cole Kmet
When finding my dynasty Tight End, I am prioritizing three things:
1. Domination of the tight end targets on his team.
2. A top 3 target share on his team.
3. A contract that tells me he is both things above.
Now you must think a player with all three of those things must only be a top-tier dynasty tight end and you are smart to assume that. However, Cole Kmet is all three of those things at only 24 years old, yet he is not even considered a TE1 in dynasty. This is one of the biggest market inefficiencies in all of dynasty and it may not last much longer into next season.
The Notre Dame Product finished second on his team in targets in the first year of a 4 year $50M contract and had 29 more targets than the next closest receiver. He was the TE8 this year picking up from his TE7 season in 2022, and he was TE9 in points per game emphasizing that he is not a TE1 just because of availability. Speaking of availability, he has yet to miss a game due to injury in his four-year career. Whether it is Justin Fields at QB or whoever they pick in the draft, he has one of the safest QB situations of any tight end.
I am more than comfortable parting with a second-round rookie pick to acquire Kmet in any stage of contention. I would also be more than happy to add something to any tight end such as Dalton Schultz, Luke Musgrave, and Chigoziem Okonkwo to be able to acquire Kmet.
