Dynasty Fantasy Football Strategy: Faith In Lamar Jackson, Trey McBride Regression and More
Jake Trowbridge runs through the latest crop of questions in the Fantasy Life dynasty Discord.
Every week, I take dynasty-related questions from the wonderful members of the Fantasy Life Community Discord (which you can and should join here).
This week, they want to know how Lamar Jackson might perform in a brand-new offense, invoke many opinions about the (Hammond) Bears and ask my picks for the most over- and undervalued players heading into 2026.
Let’s talk …
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Dynasty Fantasy Football Strategy Questions For 2026
In deeper leagues, how much value do you put into having the backup to your surefire, every week starting QB(s)?
- Additional context: I have Patrick Mahomes but drafted Garrett Nussmeier in the third round of the rookie draft. Regardless of Mahomes' current injury, I like knowing I have a starter locked up if the actual starter goes down.
Even in deep leagues, I ignore QB handcuffs for the most part unless 1) there’s a legitimate reason to think the starter will miss time in the near future or 2) the starting QB is old and maybe on his way to being replaced.
That said, I expect Justin Fields to be Mahomes’ true backup in the short term. But I suppose Nussmeier has some hope as the potential long-term understudy in Andy Reid’s system.
Who’s the most overvalued and undervalued player for the 2026 fantasy season?
I’ve got a long list of undervalued guys, but I’ll go to the extreme end and say Greg Dulcich. I’ve been talking about the Dolphins tight end since February, and I don’t plan to shut up about him anytime soon.
Health has always been his issue (he’s missed more games than he’s played), but if he can overcome that, Dulcich could easily be the No 2 target in Miami. Last year, he was third among TEs in Yards Per Target and second in YAC Per Reception (behind only Tucker Kraft).
As for “overrated,” I’m worried that Caleb Williams (QB5 in Underdog ADP) regresses. He had the second-worst completion percentage and on-target percentage last year, but made up for it with decent rushing numbers and late-game heroics. Now DJ Moore is gone, and Rome Odunze has a lumpy foot that is giving him big problems. Unless Williams takes a Josh Allen-esque jump in Year 3, the new face of Hammond, Indiana, is probably being overdrafted.
What does Emmett Johnson's dynasty value look like?
- Additional context: The person in my league who drafted Emmett Johnson dropped him already. Do I drop someone like Isiah Pacheco or Jonathon Brooks for him?
Whoa. I know dynasty managers have grown more impatient over the years, but that’s wild. Did this person permanently give up Italian food after one bout of post-pizza diarrhea?
I put Emmett Johnson at the 3.08 in a recent dynasty rookie mock draft, mostly because pass-catching running backs always have upside. Anybody remember Jerick McKinnon’s magical 2022 …?
As for who to drop, I’d much rather have Johnson over Pacheco. We see guys like Pacheco burn bright and then fade away all the time (cue the Sarah McLaughlin-backed montage for James Robinson, Darrel Williams, Kenyan Drake, et al). This is a young man’s position, unless you’re an outright stud.
Injury-riddled 2025 season + Jesse Minter defense + Superhuman Derrick Henry = any concerns for Lamar Jackson?
I get the curiosity about the Ravens offense after hiring a defensive-minded head coach, but I’m choosing to focus on the new OC, Declan Doyle. Last year in Chicago, Doyle helped orchestrate a passing offense that ranked 10th in yards and points. Yes, some of that was fluky and due to Caleb Williams’ late-game heroics, but Lamar Jackson is also a substantially better passer than Williams. And I hate to be the “Derrick Henry is old” guy, but … HE’S SO OLD.
Eventually, the other shoe has to drop. I’m taking any discounts on Lamar, Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews I can get.
A lot of talk on Trey McBride and regression (rightfully so). Why no talk of Colston Loveland’s unsustainable target totals at the end of the season?
I think Loveland is getting a pass (from myself included) because of how much the offense has changed. Loveland fully leapfrogged Cole Kmet in the pecking order by the end of 2025. His production looked sturdier than Luther Burden’s, and Odunze’s lumpy foot gives me pause. So even if/when Williams regresses, Loveland has the best chance of the bunch to continue producing.
For Superflex rookie drafts, how do you delineate between taking a dart throw on a rando QB like Cade Klubnik, Drew Allar or Garrett Nussmeier versus the WRs/RBs/TEs in the same range who might have somewhat better odds of being something, but have much lower ceilings?
A big part of those decisions is accounting for the makeup of my league. Do my leaguemates tend to be victims of the moment who pounce on any player who’s suddenly seeing the field and providing SOME production (thus allowing me a trade high opportunity)? Or do they shy away from those overreactions, sticking me with that mediocrity until I get the courage to drop them?
It’s not a wholesale approach with each position, either. For instance, Allar stands out from the rest of the QBs you mentioned because we know this is Rodgers’ last go-round, we know Mike McCarthy fancies himself a QB “developer”, and so the odds of Allar becoming a thing seem much more likely and less dependent on injuries. I’d rather have him (and only him) over the dart throws at those other positions.
Are we tiering down from Trey McBride to Colston Loveland or Sam LaPorta? Given the heights McBride reached last year, it doesn't seem sustainable.
I understand the consternation with McBride … to an extent. It’s probably unlikely he’ll see 169 targets again this year with an improved backfield and without Jacoby Brissett throwing it 40 times a game.
But are we so sure he can’t reproduce his 2024 numbers when he was the TE2 in fantasy? He did that without Brissett and with a healthy James Conner in the backfield (and while only scoring two TDs).
I won’t talk anyone out of trading for Loveland, but I also wouldn’t pull the ripcord on McBride. Quality tight ends are far too valuable and rare. When you find one, hold on with both hands.
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