Last season, Matt Ward’s “Stashes and Sleepers” series famously brought you players like Elijah Mitchell, Khalil Herbert, and Davis Mills. This year we are back with 32 names for you to stash on your dynasty rosters.
Dynasty fantasy football is not just about the stars. It is about depth, patience, and getting young budding talent that flies under the radar of consensus. Identifying opportunities to acquire upside players at low costs can help you create that dynasty juggernaut you have always wanted.
Next up, the NFC West
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Van Jefferson - Wide Receiver
Creator: Jae C. Hong | Credit: AP
Copyright: Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The Rams possess an elite, high-scoring offense with a wide array of coveted weapons across the dynasty market. Van Jefferson does not fall into the traditional category of a late-round sleeper. His ADP and concurring dynasty value as the WR76 (205 overall), however, mirror an unnecessary disrespect for a young receiver on the rise. He is the only starting member of the Rams offense with a dynasty roster percentage below 90.0%. Jefferson recorded 50 receptions on 89 targets for 802 yards and six touchdowns in his second season as a pro. His WR41 finish in PPG (9.9) left much to be desired. A positional evaluation discrepancy of 35 spots (WR finish v. PPG finish) makes Jefferson an intriguing stash. The Rams wideout will reprise his role as the team’s WR3 alongside triple crown winner Cooper Kupp and Bears castaway Allen Robinson. Jefferson is capable of weekly flex-level production and has an upward trajectory at just 26 years old behind two aging wide receivers with an injury history.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Jimmy Garoppolo - Quarterback
Starting-caliber quarterback talents are the most coveted asset in Dynasty Superflex leagues. Jimmy Garoppolo will undoubtedly receive a starting role once his tenure with the 49ers is complete. The former backup to Brady has proven time and again to be above league-average, even leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2020. The two parties have been at odds throughout the offseason but finally came to the compromise of Garoppolo sticking around to backup Trey Lance for one more year. With the veteran quarterback set to backup up second-year Trey Lance and the organization unable to find a suitable trade partner, Lance’s job security comes in the form of three first-round draft picks worth of capital from the 49ers' front office. For better or worse, Lance is the starter moving forward. Managers can add the eighth-year signal-caller for a menial cost as he rides the pine in SF for one more year. Once Garoppolo is named the starter elsewhere, his value will surely rise within the top-24 options at the position. Garoppolo is a safe QB2 option for managers in Superflex leagues and can be flipped after acquisition for much more than the current cost.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Travis Homer/DeeJay Dallas - Running Back
Sports Illustrated
A two-for-one sleeper special comes in the form of Seahawks backup running backs Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas. Both players are virtually free on the dynasty market and will cost nothing more than a roster spot and a waiver addition. The Seahawks are in the middle of a complete teardown and rebuild of their roster, leaving very few viable weapons from a fantasy perspective. Geno Smith will begin the season as the starting quarterback and will need to rely heavily on receivers out of the backfield to keep the ball moving downfield. Rashaad Penny has had a laundry list of injuries throughout his career, missing more games than he has played over the last three seasons. The Seahawks second-round draft pick Kenneth Walker III is on the PUP list with a sports hernia for the start of the 2022 season. Walker has no history of receiving production to fall back on, catching just 19 passes in three seasons while at Wake Forest and Michigan State. This dearth of receiving depth at the running back position leaves Homer and Dallas to feast on vacated opportunities on third-downs with a potential for more if the other weapons face injuries. It is worth noting that neither Homer nor Dallas will have value insulation on the dynasty market as they are merely replacement options on a bottoming offense. Nevertheless, these players should be on your radar, especially if you require depth at the running back position in deeper leagues.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Eno Benjamin - Running Back
Eno Benjamin headlined our first edition of Dynasty Deep Dive: Stashes and Sleepers, citing his incredible production at his alma mater Arizona State. In his final two years with the program, Benjamin rushed for a combined 2725 yards and 30 touchdowns in 25 games, highlighted by a 339-yard, four-touchdown performance against Oregon State as a 19-year-old sophomore. In 2021, the hope was that Benjamin could carve out a role for himself on the Cardinals roster as both James Conner and Chase Edmonds approached contract years in 2022. We noted that the team would also need to re-sign Kyler Murray, leaving little cap room to extend their offensive depth. The chips have fallen precisely as predicted, with Benjamin filling in as the number-two back behind Conner, assuming Edmonds’ vacated role as a receiving threat out of the backfield. The 23-year-old running back, however, is unjustifiably faded by the dynasty community entering 2022 despite his increased role. Benjamin is merely one injury away from a three-down workload. At any rate, Kliff Kingsbury has utilized a committee of running backs throughout his coaching career. Benjamin could demonstrate weekly relevance as the Cardinals' change-of-pace option with the potential to vault up dynasty rankings if he receives increased opportunity.
Check out the complete Heat Wave Cheat Sheet for the NFC West!
If you would like to look back on last year’s Stashes and Sleepers series, it is available here:
Dynasty Deep Dive: Stashes and Sleepers- AFC Edition
Dynasty Deep Dive: Stashes and Sleepers- NFC Edition
Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.
You can find my other works as the Lead Writer and DOC at Broto Fantasy Football.
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By Matt Ward
For a second straight season, I am betting against Mahomes.