Alright, so I’ve been tinkering with my dynasty rosters quite a bit lately. You know how it is, always looking for that edge, trying to figure out who’s worth buying, selling, or just holding onto for dear life. One name that kept popping into my head was DeVonta Smith over there in Philly.
Getting Started: My Initial Take
I remember when Smith came out of Alabama. Skinny guy, right? But man, could he play. Heisman winner, smooth routes, just looked like a natural receiver. Philly grabbed him pretty high in the first round, and I thought, “Okay, this kid could be their number one for a long time.” His rookie year was decent, showed flashes of what made him special in college.
Then Came A.J. Brown…
Then the Eagles went and traded for A.J. Brown. My first thought? “Well, damn, there goes Smith’s ceiling.” You figure Brown comes in, massive contract, alpha receiver type, he’s going to soak up targets. And yeah, Brown definitely became the top dog, no doubt about it. I kinda lowered Smith in my mental rankings at that point. Seemed like he was destined to be a really good number two, but maybe not that elite dynasty asset I hoped he’d be after his rookie year.
Looking Closer: What Actually Happened?
But then I started actually watching the games more closely and thinking about it. Smith didn’t just disappear. He still put up pretty good numbers even with Brown getting his. So, I decided to stop just thinking about it and actually looked it up. Pulled up his stats from the last couple of seasons.
- Targets: Still got a healthy amount, even with Brown there. Wasn’t like he fell off a cliff.
- Yards & Catches: He still topped 1,000 yards in his second year, the year Brown arrived! And had over 90 catches. Last year, numbers were still solid, over 1000 yards again, 81 catches. That’s pretty damn good for a number two.
- Consistency: Okay, this is where it gets a bit tricky. Some weeks he’d disappear a little, other weeks he’d look like the main guy. That’s kinda expected playing next to someone like Brown, and with an offense that likes to run the ball with Jalen Hurts.
Thinking About the Future & The Market
So, he’s clearly talented. He produces even as the second option. He’s still young. The Eagles paid him, so they value him too. That feels pretty secure. But what’s his trade value right now in dynasty leagues? That’s the real question if you’re thinking about making a move.
I started poking around. Looked at some recent trades in the leagues I’m in. You see him going for maybe a late first-round rookie pick, sometimes a bit more, sometimes packaged with other pieces. I didn’t make any formal offers, but I chatted with a couple of guys, just gauging interest. Feels like people see him as a very solid WR2, both in real life and for fantasy. The excitement isn’t sky-high like it is for some other young receivers, but the respect is there. Nobody thinks he’s just some guy.
My Bottom Line on DeVonta Smith’s Value
After going through this whole process, looking back at his performance, considering the situation with Brown and Hurts, and trying to get a feel for the market, here’s where I landed:
He’s a strong hold for me, leaning towards a buy if the price is right.
Why? Because his production floor is really solid for a guy playing next to A.J. Brown. He’s proven he can thrive in that role. He’s tied to a good young QB (even if Hurts has his ups and downs as a passer) and a team that obviously values him. Is he likely to become a top-5 dynasty WR? Probably not while Brown is there and healthy. But can he be a reliable, high-end WR2 for your dynasty team for the next few years? Absolutely.
If someone in my league is down on him because he’s “just the WR2” and is selling him for less than a late 1st round rookie pick value, I’m definitely interested. I wouldn’t aggressively overpay, but I think his perceived value might be a little lower than his actual, reliable production warrants. He feels like a safe investment, and sometimes, safe is good in the crazy world of dynasty fantasy football.
So yeah, that was my little journey figuring out what I think about DeVonta Smith’s dynasty value right now. Always good to actually dig in instead of just going off assumptions.
