As we inch toward the new season, the ever-changing NFL landscape has player fantasy values constantly on the move. Whether you’re used to the dynasty platform or are still learning the rules, let’s dive into the latest dynasty fantasy football value of Kirk Cousins.
Kirk Cousins’ Dynasty Outlook and Value
Since becoming a starting quarterback in 2015, Cousins has been at the pinnacle of reliability. No, Cousins is never going to be the reason you win a fantasy championship. You’re not getting higher than 20 fantasy points per game from him, but he will never fail you, at least not over the course of a full season.
As a full-time starter, Cousins has never averaged fewer than 16.6 ppg and never more than 20.0. Rarely injured, he’s missed just one game in his career.
For the majority of his career, Cousins was perfectly fine. He was a guy you could win with. While I still think that’s the case, the landscape of the NFL has changed.
Cousins has finished as the QB11 or QB12 in each of the past three seasons. In 2020, he had the best season of his career, averaging 20 ppg. Yet, he finished five spots lower than he did in 2017 when he averaged 18.2 ppg.
MORE: Dynasty Rankings 2023 — Top Fantasy Options at Quarterback
Eighteen-plus points used to be great. Now, it’s merely fine. In 2022, 13 quarterbacks averaged about 18 ppg. Fantasy teams can get by with Cousins as their QB1, but he’ll never be a difference-maker like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts.
For dynasty managers, if you have Cousins, you should certainly be looking to upgrade. However, you have the luxury of not having a dire situation if you can’t find the right move to make. Cousins is a viable QB1.
Cousins is in a very fantasy-friendly environment in Minnesota. The Vikings were third in the league in neutral-game-script pass rate in 2022. Cousins averaged 37.8 pass attempts per game, the highest of his career. He’s got the best wide receiver in the NFL at his disposal in Justin Jefferson. It’s just a great situation that we would prefer not to change.
Unfortunately, Cousins is in the final year of his contract right now, so we have no idea what the future holds for the Vikings’ QB.
Kirk Cousins’ Fantasy Ranking
Cousins will be 35 years old this year. Win or lose, the Vikings may very well look to move on from him in 2024, opting to take a year to rebuild around Jefferson and get some younger players.
Quarterbacks that look like Cousins are typically able to play into their late 30s. If he wants to, Cousins should be able to play for at least another five years. So, dynasty managers don’t need to worry about not having a quarterback.
Additionally, if Cousins is playing elsewhere in 2024, it will almost certainly be on a contending team. It wouldn’t make sense for a team without pieces in place to sign him at 36 years old. He’s the perfect fit for a team with everything but a quarterback.
Cousins is currently the QB14 (No. 41 overall) in our dynasty Superflex rankings. Fantasy managers should consider Cousins a high-end QB2 entering the current season. You can certainly do worse as your QB2 in dynasty startup drafts.