Elijah Moore’s Dynasty Value | Fantasy Outlook, Ranking, and More

Entering 2023, the dynasty fantasy football ranking for WR Elijah Moore was a guessing game, as he was leaving the New York Jets for the Cleveland Browns and a quarterback who had star potential but hadn’t played in a year. We knew we liked some of his profile, but with under 1,000 total receiving yards in his two seasons with the Jets, the optimism was capped.

That didn’t change much after 2023, as QB Deshaun Watson missed 11 games, and Moore was asked to produce with a handful of quarterbacks that, in a perfect world, won’t throw a pass for the Browns in 2024.

That said, every time a player takes the field, we have an opportunity to learn and improve our future projection –- Moore is no exception, even after a disjointed season.

Elijah Moore’s Dynasty Outlook

In taking his talents to Cleveland, the thought process was that Moore would see his efficiency trend up. After all, he was moving from a toxic environment in New York and had shown the ability to produce in a big way in his final season at Ole Miss (86 catches for 1,193 yards and eight scores in just eight games).

• Catch rate with the Jets: 56.3%
• Catch rate with the Browns: 56.7%

The quality of targets didn’t spike the way we had hoped due to turnover at the QB position for Cleveland, but that’s not something I’m going to hold against Moore.

From Watson, Moore — in his age-23 season — hauled in 62.9% of his targets, a step in the right direction. What I found more interesting than a modest bump in catch rate, however, was Cleveland’s confidence in his role type.

• With Watson: 8.7 average depth of target (aDOT)
• Without Watson: 12.3 aDOT

For a 5’10” and 180-pound receiver, I naturally prefer the shorter routes, but I do find it interesting that they were willing to script him some opportunities down the field as the circumstances changed.

I expect him to fill that slot role with this offense at full strength, a spot on the field that should help elevate his weekly floor for our purposes.

MORE: Dynasty Rookie Draft Strategies

In an offense that should take a big step forward in 2024 as they regain health, the role of chain mover should be on PPR Flex radars, but what if the extended route tree is here to stay?

What if he is set to challenge defenses at all three levels, with WR Amari Cooper demanding attention on the other side of the field?

Kyle Soppe’s Top 45 Dynasty WR Rankings

1) Ja’Marr Chase | CIN
2) Justin Jefferson | MIN
3) Tyreek Hill | MIA
4) CeeDee Lamb | DAL
5) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET
6) A.J. Brown | PHI
7) Garrett Wilson | NYJ
8) Jaylen Waddle | MIA
9) Chris Olave | NO
10) Tee Higgins | CIN
11) Brandon Aiyuk | SF
12) Puka Nacua | LAR
13) DJ Moore | CHI
14) Nico Collins | HOU
15) Rashee Rice | KC
16) Michael Pittman Jr. | IND
17) Amari Cooper | CLE
18) Cooper Kupp | LAR
19) DeVonta Smith | PHI
20) Stefon Diggs | BUF

21) DK Metcalf | SEA
22) Zay Flowers | BAL
23) Drake London | ATL
24) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA
25) Davante Adams | LV
26) Mike Evans | TB
27) Tank Dell | HOU
28) Jayden Reed | GB
29) Deebo Samuel | SF
30) Calvin Ridley | JAX
31) Jordan Addison | MIN
32) Keenan Allen | LAC
33) Terry McLaurin | WAS
34) George Pickens | PIT
35) Chris Godwin | TB
36) Josh Downs | IND
37) Gabe Davis | BUF
38) Michael Wilson | ARI
39) Jameson Williams | DET
40) Elijah Moore | CLE
41) Jerry Jeudy | DEN
42) Christian Kirk | JAX
43) Diontae Johnson | PIT
44) Khalil Shakir | BUF
45) Joshua Palmer | LAC

Should You Trade Moore in Dynasty?

The receiver position is deep, so even someone that is optimistic about Moore’s prospects, like I am, can only have him ranked so high (and this is before the rookie class is accounted for).

That is why I’d be more likely to trade for than trade away Moore at this point. The Browns’ offense will not only be better in the future than it was in 2023, but there is a path for it to be considered potent in the very near future.

Scoring has yet to be something fantasy managers have been able to count on from Moore due in large part to the limitations of the offenses he’s been a part of, but there was a glimmer of hope from 2023, and I think it’s a sign of things to come:

• 2023: 12.5% of targets came in the red zone
• 2021-22: 9.9% of targets came in the red zone