Baker Mayfield’s dynasty value barely had a pulse less than 12 months ago, but after a resurgent season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the former No. 1 overall pick is back on fantasy football radars as he hits free agency.
Let’s take a deeper look at what he was able to accomplish in 2023 and see if the increased confidence around him as an asset is warranted.
Baker Mayfield’s Dynasty Outlook
Mayfield parlayed a Heisman Trophy in 2017 (4,627 passing yards and 43 touchdowns at Oklahoma) into being the first-overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2018. After a bumpy start to his first season, he found his form and finished with a then rookie-record 27 touchdown passes (Justin Herbert broke his record in 2020), leading to conversations about him being a franchise quarterback.
His career, in both “real” and fantasy football terms, however, struggled to develop. That 2018 season was his best with the Browns, and the Carolina Panthers acquired him for just a fifth-round conditional pick in July of 2022.
After five losses in six games to open the 2022 season, Mayfield eventually was granted his request for a release. The Los Angeles Rams claimed him the next day, and, while his win over the Las Vegas Raiders mere days later was a highlight moment, he didn’t do enough down the stretch to earn the confidence of the organization.
The below-average play left Mayfield looking for a one-year deal entering 2023, and the Buccaneers took a flier in an attempt to solve the QB position in the wake of Tom Brady’s retirement.
Whether or not he will remain with the team remains to be seen, but he guided them to a third consecutive NFC South crown while setting new career marks in completion percentage (64.3%) and touchdown passes (28).
Mayfield is far from a perfect fantasy option, but he succeeded in the perfect situation — in an offense that lacked efficiency on the ground, with a defense that required offensive aggression, and while being supported by one of the best downfield playmakers in the game.
MORE: Fantasy Impact of Dave Canales Hire in Carolina
If those stars align again in 2024, you could sell me on Mayfield as reasonable bench depth, but where should his landing spot be?
A return to Tampa Bay wouldn’t guarantee a return to similar success, since his 2023 offensive coordinator Dave Canales is now the head man in Carolina. Unfortunately, the other teams in the veteran quarterback market aren’t as ready-made as Tampa Bay was one year ago.
Mayfield’s Dynasty Ranking
Where does Mayfield land in the dynasty QB landscape going into the 2024 offseason? Here are Soppe’s latest dynasty rankings, featuring where Mayfield lands in comparison to other top names at the position.
Kyle Soppe’s Top QB Rankings
1) Patrick Mahomes | KC
2) Jalen Hurts | PHI
3) Josh Allen | BUF
4) Joe Burrow | CIN
5) Lamar Jackson | BAL
6) Anthony Richardson | IND
7) C.J. Stroud | HOU
8) Justin Herbert | LAC
9) Trevor Lawrence | JAX
10) Dak Prescott | DAL
11) Justin Fields | CHI
12) Tua Tagovailoa | MIA
13) Kyler Murray | ARI
14) Brock Purdy | SF
15) Jordan Love | GB
16) Deshaun Watson | CLE
17) Jared Goff | DET
18) Kirk Cousins | MIN
19) Will Levis | TEN
20) Sam Howell | WAS
21) Geno Smith | SEA
22) Aaron Rodgers | NYJ
23) Bryce Young | CAR
24) Daniel Jones | NYG
25) Derek Carr | NO
26) Baker Mayfield | TB
27) Kenny Pickett | PIT
28) Matthew Stafford | LAR
29) Desmond Ridder | ATL
30) Russell Wilson | DEN
31) Trey Lance | DAL
32) Mac Jones | NE
33) Jimmy Garoppolo | LV
34) Ryan Tannehill | TEN
35) Jacoby Brissett | WAS
36) Andy Dalton | CAR
Should You Trade Mayfield in Dynasty?
Are you considering trading Mayfield? Our free PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trade offer to make in seconds!
For the sake of argument, let’s say that Mayfield re-ups with Tampa Bay. The loss of Canales looms as impactful. I think we can agree that Mayfield’s 2023 season was something of a best-case scenario — he only had three weeks where he finished inside the top-10 performers at the position (seven weeks ranking outside of the top 15).
The connection between Mayfield and Mike Evans can keep the QB on the bye-week filler radar, but expecting any sort of growth is much more optimistic than I am willing to be.
MORE: Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart
In that vein, if you can get any sort of depth piece at a Flex position for Mayfield in traditional one-QB setups, I’d pounce. Cashing in this chip is the play, even with the former first-round pick on the right side of 30 years old.
I’m not suggesting that his value is all that high, but that’s not the conversation you need to have with yourself. Is his value as high as it’s likely to get? That is more the question — and the answer to that one is “yes” in my eyes.
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