Cutting Through the Noise, Week 5

Photo: USA Today Sports

Each week in Cutting Through the Noise, we will take an objective look at one of the most polarizing players in Dynasty Fantasy Football as decided by the Footballguys Dynasty Discord. We will use the Footballguys consensus rankings to gauge where the player is currently valued.

JaMarr chase

WR2 and Overall No. 3

In 2019 LSU trotted out the most prolific offense the NCAA has ever seen. The team was led by future NFL star Joe Burrow, who passed for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns. Burrow was not the only dynasty-relevant player on that team. Seven members of that offense are currently in the NFL. Burrow, Justin Jefferson, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire were all drafted in the first round of the 2020 Draft, but perhaps the best of the bunch stayed in school.

JaMarr Chase caught 20 of Burrow's 50 touchdowns. While he did not lead the team in receptions, he did break the SEC record for most receiving yards with 1,780. He was widely considered the best prospect in the nation, even ahead of his teammate Justin Jefferson. He capped off his historic season by winning the Biletnikoff award for the nation's top receiver. Chase was the next in line to inherit the "best receiver prospect since" title until the 2020 season hit. Many players decided to opt out due to concerns surrounding the pandemic. Chase was one of those players. NFL front offices struggled to handle the pre-draft process with an entire season missed since some players' final performances.

Chase did not participate in the NFL combine but ran a 4.34 second 40-yard-dash at his pro day. He was drafted with the fifth overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals. He rejoined the quarterback who helped him cement his name in FBS history. Chase became a meme not once but twice before live-game action. First, he was the butt of a joke involving the drafting of Penie Sewell in his stead, as Burrow could not possibly get the ball to Chase quickly enough to avoid a sack. Next, Chase threw the media a softball by admitting his alarming drop rate was due to the lack of stripes on an NFL football. It's safe to say Chase silenced the critics rather quickly.

The Good