I traded Drake London for a 1st round pick in 2024. The pick should be top 4 and fair chance of #1. I really like Marvin and TE Bowers.
London has top 5 talent and think he is great but, run first with a QB2 made me want out. Risky but I do like to roll the dice.
Thoughts?
Bad idea.
The Falcons will have one of the lowest passing volumes in 2023. They will be run-first. Ridder will be underwhelming.
Doesn’t matter.
Because even low-volume offenses will generate around 3,000 passing yards. And who is going to catch them, besides London and Pitts?
Mack Hollins? Scott Miller? Frank Darby? KhaDarel Hodge? JJ Arcega-Whiteside?
Both London and Pitts will have a great season. Just like Metcalf and Lockett did in 2021, when both of them finished as fantasy WR1s, despite the Seahawks being the 3rd worst passing offense in the NFL.
Here’s hoping that 2024 pick will hit at least, to mitigate the seller’s remorse you’ll begin to feel pretty soon.
Fair points but London is my #4 WR, maybe #3 who will not get playing time with me.
He’s not taking the place of Lamb or Brown and K Allen and Jameson with Evans can fill in if needed.
Tuff choice for me and somewhat of a gamble but I do like the 24 draft for future.
One other aspect which is underappreciated with London: He looked better with Ridder at QB than he did with Mariota. Granted, Pitts was out for the season at that point, but London and Ridder have a rapport now.
Regardless, a top 4 pick in 2024 is pretty sweet, especially if you don’t need the player. I like the trade. 
You have Jefferson, Chase and Diggs?
Lamb has always been an analyst darling, and I have to admit I fell for the trap myself before. His #6 finish last year was the first time he delivered on his pre-season projections. Chances are he may be able to repeat it this year, but I’m not sure I’m ready to bet on it. He doesn’t seem to have the right QB for his skill set. I’d have sold him, rather than London.
Brown, yes, I see him ahead of London. Not by much, though.
Keenan Allen finished #42 in terms of total points last year because of injuries, and #12 in PPG because he’s getting old. Maybe he can avoid the former in 2023, but he most definitely won’t be able to avoid the latter. He’s a strong sell candidate in dynasty, though his trade window may have already closed.
And Jameson got himself suspended, so we will have to wait for another 6 weeks to see if he can compete on the NFL stage. He still carries a lot of promise, but also took a big step towards “eternal talent” status.
I can also start 4 RBs if needed.
I am sold on the 24 draft and now have 4 top picks along with a 2nd, 3rd and 4th by adding vet to drop value on Lamb, Brown and ETN.
This move fits my plan and I believe it will work just fine. We shall see.
If there’s one thing I learned while playing dynasty: next year’s draft class is ALWAYS rumored to be mysteriously strong.
Last year, 2023 was said to be the best since 2018, if not better. Then the rookie drafts came, and by the middle of round 1, I was already struggling whom to pick.
Still, I don’t blame you for gathering early picks. Big fan of that myself, just made a trade:
Gave: Brock Purdy, George Pickens, DJ Chark, 2024 1st, 2nd
Got: DeAndre Hopkins, 2024 1st
My team is #1 in the power rankings for the 2023 season, his is #12. So chances are that pick swap is 1.01 for 1.12. It’s a gamble, and I did overpay here, but I didn’t give up any player I couldn’t afford to lose. Plus, D-Hop, while nearing the end of his career, could still provide some welcome depth for my title run this year.
My team, after the trade (12 team, half PPR, SFLEX):
QB: P Mahomes, J Herbert, J Love
RB: A Ekeler, B Hall, R Stevenson, B Robinson, D Harris
WR: J Chase, A Cooper, D Johnson, D Hopkins, G Davis, J Meyers, Q Johnston, J Reed
TE: M Andrews, C Okonkwo, I Likely, M Mayer
2024 Picks: 1st (#1-4), 2nd (#1-4), 4th (#10-12)
So I got rid of my own picks, that hopefully will be the #12 in every round (our draft doesn’t snake) and replaced them with a 1st and 2nd that should both be very early.
As for giving up Pickens: I’m not too high on him any longer. Dude makes great highlight reel catches, but I don’t think he will ever see a dependable amount of targets. His ceiling is that of a mid-range WR2, while I see him more as a career WR3.
Impressive team.
One thing I learned many years ago is to never fall in love with a player. I have posted many times on London’s top 5 talent and potential.
Your stat, as always, are accurate. However, I have a gut feeling that while catches and yards will be up TD’s will be scarce. Heavy run teams do not pass a lot in the red zone, especially with a QB2 and that makes a big difference between the Lamb’s, Brown’s and even Allen’s and London.
“Starvin Marvin” (South Park) is similar at WR to Robinson this year. in my view. Bowers projects as close to Pitts talent. Those are my targets.
There are 4 others I see with legit 1st round value with 2 top QBs.
I have been projecting values of top college kids for years and quite well I might add. We shall see next season.
I agree, in that respect that it’s more than just a player’s talent that will determine his career chances. This year’s WR class is a good example for that. JSN certainly is the most promising talent, no questions asked. But he’ll see a QB and a head coach change while playing under his rookie contract. Maybe he’ll shrug that off. Maybe it will derail his career.
Quentin Johnston OTOH will be tied to one of the better QBs for his entire rookie contract and beyond. He has weaknesses that he will have to address, but he’s with a team that might succeed in doing so.
And then there is Addison. Being the 1b to JJ’s 1a could turn out to be a very productive role, similar to Waddle’s situation in Miami. But, like JSN, Addison will likely have to get used to a new QB during his rookie contract.
I put my money on Johnston. Time will tell if that was the right call.
As for London, I completely ignored him last year. Liked the player, didn’t like the landing spot at all. But the landing spot arguably got better. Ridder didn’t look entirely terrible towards the end of the 2022 season. He doesn’t run a lot, which is good news for RZ targets.
Still, TDs are a concern, there’s no denying that. But still, the lack of available options gives me hope. I don’t expect the Falcons to score less than 17 passing TDs, which is how many they had in 2022. And again, there are only 2 viable targets: Pitts and London. So I see a potential of 7-8 TDs for London. Which isn’t fantastic, but still okay. Chase and Diggs, both stars in pass-happy offenses, each had 11 in 2022.
Now sure, there is another scenario: Ridder will stink, and with him, the entire Falcons passing offense. London will starve, and the Falcons will have to draft a new QB for 2024, who will then again need some time before he is up to speed. By that time, London’s rookie contract has expired.
Could happen. My money is on the Falcons getting better, though.
You’re definitely ahead of me in that game then. It’s not easy to follow college football here in Germany. Most of my (very limited) knowledge on college players comes from watching some tape during the offseason.
Last point is Robinson who has been splitting out as a WR some in camp. Even without that he will take targets, especially in the red zone for safer throws from a QB2.
I watched Jameson as well and he was a hair behind London by me for contested catches. I believe he will be special in Detroit and out score London in the last 10 games. Bold prediction.
Consider that this trade gives me 4 #1’s. Three of our teams have JJ, Chase Taylor and will be keeping. Ed will likely hold Johnston and you appear to be with Harris until death do you part.
That leaves Sicarios with Kupp. who I need one of 4 picks to be higher than for Harrison. He has TE Andrews and will leave me Bowers regardless. I have my targets. I also have an open 2nd and could trade Gibbs depending.
Nothing but good options from this deal. Just my view.
I agree with your QB additions to rookies and would add Kincaid as a VG stash this year.
Did you watch the Falcons last year? I did. The numbers lie. The passing game looked MUCH better with Ridder. He was actually placing the ball where receivers could get it, unlike Mariota. London did well, considering defenses were game-planning against him.
With Pitts back, and Bijan added, expect big things from Atlanta. Ridder should easily be as good as Ryan Tannehill on a good day, possibly better.
News flash: I’m not taking Johnston, although I do like him.
Wow, who replaced him
Wait and see!
