Today we’ll discuss an undervalued Wide Receiver to invest in entering the 2022 NFL season. With rookie hype season in full swing, the time to add this player to a dynasty roster looking to make a push for a championship this upcoming season is now.
Some Context:
- This player’s age reflects the age he will be at the conclusion of the 2022 season
- 2021 positional finish reflects a full PPR format
- Trade values are intended to reflect 1QB formats
- Draft pick values in Super Flex Leagues may vary 2-3 spots comparatively
- The results of the 2022 NFL draft could impact the fantasy outlook of this player
Tyler Boyd (Age 28) – 2021 WR31
When I was a year out of college, my girlfriend and I swung by the local Wal-Mart to furnish our first apartment. To say we were ballin’ on a budget in those days would be an understatement. One of the items we picked up that day was a hollowed-out ottoman for $20. Fast forward a decade, two apartments and a house later, and the thing is still kicking around. It’s never been a conversation piece or something we’ve ever really put much thought into over the years, but to this day it’s functional and gets the job done. Okay, this isn’t a home improvement blog so enough furniture talk. In Dynasty, everyone wants to find the next great thing. At the WR position it’s typically either the “generational prospect” in the upcoming class, or the young player who is taking the league by storm. Don’t get me wrong, if you can find a way to get those types of players on your roster, do it and don’t look back. But what if you’re not looking to invest big time at the wide receiver position and need a guy who can get the job for you at a reasonable cost? Well, if you’re trying to make ends meet without much to work with (like I was in my early 20s) then look no further.
A 2016 2nd round NFL draft pick, Boyd did almost nothing for anyone’s fantasy team for the first two seasons of his career. In fact, I’d be willing to bet he was on the waiver wire in most leagues entering the 2018 season. As someone who is a proponent of spending my free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) early in the season, I was all over Boyd following his second 90+ yard receiving performance in the first three weeks of the season. Any guesses on how much FAAB I ponied up to obtain a share of Boyd? That’s right, $20 baby! At just 2% of my annual FAAB budget, Boyd has more than lived up to that investment. Fast forward 4 years and Boyd has finished no worse than WR31 during any of those campaigns. What’s more, the guy stays on the field, missing only 2 games over the last 3 seasons. What’s most attractive about Boyd is that he is linked to the Bengals for at least the next two seasons. That means two more years of playing in an offense that will have opposing Defensive Coordinators losing sleep over how to keep Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins from ripping apart their game plan. Leave either of those guys on an island, and Joe Burrow is in for a field day. Sure, Boyd is firmly entrenched behind those two as the team’s 3rd WR. But it’s 2022 folks, the days of an NFL team only rolling out 1 or 2 WRs consistently is behind us. In fact, Cincinnati came out in 11 personnel a staggering 77% of the time last season. Only the Rams (the organization current Bengals HC Zac Taylor came over from) sent 3 WRs on to the field at a higher rate a year ago. In an offense lead by a brilliant young signal caller, there will be plenty of footballs to go around, and Boyd should have the luxury of playing one on one nearly every time Burrow drops back to pass.
What Will he Cost?
With the value of 2022 rookie picks rapidly reaching their high-water mark as the NFL Draft approaches, the time to invest in an established vet like Boyd is now. If you’re a competitive team that happens to have the luxury of holding an early-mid 2nd round pick, you may just be able to grab Boyd from a team that is looking to either get younger or wants to dive into what appears to be another deep WR class and go looking for upside.
If you’re short on 2022 draft capital but are looking to add a depth piece to a contending roster, you may have the ability to acquire someone like Boyd with an offer of a 2023 second rounder. A deal involving a future draft pick outside of the first round to acquire a player is typically a tough sell in many dynasty leagues. However, the 2023 class is being hyped as one of the better classes in recent memory. While I’m also bullish on next year’s crop of prospects, I’m not putting my championship aspirations on hold for what ideally is going to be a late 2nd round pick a year from now. If it takes a little sweetener to push the deal through (something to the effect of a 3rd round pick this year or next) I’m here for it. As much fun as it is to target the big names, sometimes cheap exposure to what should be a high scoring offense is the most effective way to round out a competitive roster.
