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 dynasty rules, let’s dive into the latest dynasty fantasy football value of WR Elijah Moore.
Elijah Moore’s Dynasty Outlook and Value
Moore had a relatively impressive rookie year in 2021. He only caught 43 passes for 538 yards, but he also only played 11 games. More importantly, Moore was on track for a typical rookie WR arc of minimal playing time to start the season, followed by a torrid finish.
In Week 9 of his rookie year, Moore broke out and, by Week 11, was fully entrenched as a starter. His 12.6 fantasy points per game on the season don’t really tell the whole story. From Weeks 9-13, Moore averaged 20 ppg. That doesn’t happen unless a player has talent.
Unsurprisingly, Moore was a popular candidate to take another step forward in his second season in 2022. However, the bullish outlook did take a necessary hit after the New York Jets drafted Garrett Wilson in the first round. Nevertheless, Moore was poised to be the team’s WR2, at worst, and still projected to have a nice year.
What happened to Moore last season fell far outside the bounds of what anyone thought was possible. Moore’s target share dropped to 11.7%, his targets-per-routes-run rate was 14%, and he only played 70% of the snaps.
Moore even demanded a trade midseason. For reasons that are still unclear, he was relegated to the team’s WR4 behind Wilson, Corey Davis, and Braxton Berrios. In 16 games, Moore averaged 5.5 ppg.
Elijah Moore’s Fantasy Ranking
Given Moore’s precipitous decline as a sophomore, it’s completely fair to write him off entirely. It’s just difficult to ignore how well he performed as a rookie.
I still see Moore ranked inside the top 48 of dynasty wide receivers. He’s entering his third professional season and is still just 23 years old. Moore’s proven capable of producing at the NFL level, so I find it hard to believe he’s just going to fade into obscurity.
When I first wrote this profile, I was going to say I did not see a path to Moore reviving his career with the Jets. As last year’s midseason trade demand indicated, Moore likely didn’t either.
A trade was best for both sides. I anticipated Moore being included in whatever deal the Jets worked out for Aaron Rodgers. Instead, they sent him and a 2023 third-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Cleveland’s second-round selection.
MORE: Top Dynasty Wide Receiver Rankings 2023
My biggest concern for Moore is the trade compensation is very minimal. Similar to how we can look at contracts to get an idea of how a team values a player, this trade suggests Moore may not necessarily be a key piece in the Browns’ offense.
Speaking of his contract, the Browns will have to pay Moore just over $3 million for the next two seasons combined. With that said, the guy we saw in 2021 was legitimately good. And it’s not as if the Browns have any particularly talented wide receivers outside of Amari Cooper. There’s no reason Moore can’t immediately be Cleveland’s WR2. He’s better than Donovan Peoples-Jones.
If you have Moore, the best course of action is likely to hold tight and see what happens. I wouldn’t be opposed to moving him if someone is willing to give you a more secure asset. But if you don’t have Moore, I wouldn’t rush to acquire him.
We currently have Moore at WR42 (No. 105 overall) in our dynasty Superflex rankings. At that ranking, he’s a bit too expensive for me in dynasty startup drafts. But the new home is intriguing. If he fell further in drafts, I’d be willing to throw a dart for cheap.