Should You Avoid Micah Parsons?

Here is more of this ongoing series:

Should You Fade Demario Davis in 2023?
Should You Avoid Drue Tranquill in 2023?
Should You Avoid T.J. Edwards in 2023?
Should You Avoid Patrick Queen in 2023?

It feels necessary to start this by clarifying that this isn't clickbait. There is a case to be made to fade the defensive focal point of the Dallas Cowboys. One of the oldest tricks in the book that all managers fall for at some point is drafting or acquiring a name over the stats. I am guilty of this, too, and there may be no greater example in football than Micah Parsons. A player who has produced early and consistently over his two years, Parsons is starting to get the "Cowboys' treatment" amongst the IDP community. Simply put, he's a Cowboys player, so he is being featured more and is becoming overvalued. I believe there is a value for a player as gifted as Parsons, but you may be surprised where he falls amongst the other greats at his same position./p>

What we know about Micah Parsons

When we were first introduced to Parsons, it was through the NFL Draft. The 12th overall selection by the Cowboys has had some lofty expectations and, to this point, has safely lived up to them, acquiring 13 sacks and 80+ tackles his first year. Parsons followed up his unanimous Rookie of the Year selection with another 12 sacks the following season, but his tackle numbers declined sharply to 64 total. Parsons is one of the NFL's most unique players who, at times, could be considered positionless. The Cowboys truly use him in multiple schemes and situationally position him to make the defense account for his mere presence on the field. This could be considered great or a hindrance depending on your view of football. In terms of IDP fantasy football, Parsons will be considered a defensive lineman this season, a change from his linebacker designation in his first two years in the league. While this does improve his value, it doesn't improve it to the top tier of linemen yet...

Parsons vs. The Field

Evaluating what you see Parsons do on TV is easy. You have a player who possesses an elite skill set made for defensive football. This pops off the screen, and even the casual fan who watches the Thanksgiving Cowboys game can point out he's head and shoulders above most of his teammates. We aren't building a real football roster here; we are building a team that requires high-volume stats to produce wins. Sometimes, Parsons lacks the week-to-week consistency you need on these teams. In fact, in seven games last season, Parsons failed to eclipse three total tackles in games, including four straight games to end the season. Not only did he fail to produce during fantasy playoffs, but he also had 1.5 total sacks from Week 13 on. He finished seventh in sacks and was 156th in tackles. There are much better options for defensive linemen currently producing at a higher rate. The issue is that Parsons is being overdrafted in redraft leagues. There are elite options that go after Parsons. These are the players you need to target. The current ADP from Footballguys.com has Parsons as the DE2 and the 5th overall IDP. This is too salty of a price for the production you got this past season. The sacks are great, but the tackles should determine his floor, and it was lower than a top-two defensive end should be. Watt is the current DE1, so after these two, there are great options on the edge with Nick Bosa, Brian Burns, and the elite Maxx Crosby. Do yourself a favor and wait a little longer on the defensive end position. If you miss Parsons, you may not miss much. One final note on the link mentioned earlier, of the top 15 players in IDP, Parsons is noted to have the highest downside at a 3.0, which is tied for the third highest amongst the top 100 IDPs.

Dynasty Value

This is where the optimism shows itself a bit, but I'm still not 100% sold as Parsons being the dynasty DE1. We still have some amazing options that are under 26 years old, including Maxx Crosby, Nick Bosa, Brian Burns, and second-year man Aidan Hutchinson. Of this group, Parsons fits in as the third most feared option for IDP managers behind Bosa and Crosby. Keep your eye on Hutchinson this next season. He is a prime candidate for taking that next step which could propel him past Parsons. Parsons is still a must-have asset for his potential, but he isn't the best quite yet. I would argue he is closer to your above-average player than he is to your superstar defender, according to his production. This doesn't mean he is a bad player. While there are better options than Parsons, there are also way worse options. Parsons has the higher dynasty value because we likely haven't scratched the surface of his prime, and until we see this prime in person for extended periods, he needs to be ranked after the perennial greats listed above. On your dynasty roster, he could grow into the player we dream of him to be without the high capital risk in a redraft scenario. He has a real boom-or-bust feel, and I don't believe he has the tackling statistics to be worthy of a top 5 IDP pick.

Conclusion

Micah Parsons has the potential to be one of the elite players at the defensive end position. He has the necessary skills to attack the quarterback from a variety of positions on the field. What is holding him back is the consistency that the other top-tier players at his position possess. That is why you need to fade him this season. He is a boom-or-bust player who, when he hits, is game-changing. He also had big spots of failure, specifically during the fantasy playoff weeks. Is it risky to fade a player as notable as Parsons? Absolutely. When his ADP is higher than the overall #1 defensive end from the previous season (by a landslide, regardless of format), it is time we dive deep and question why. His status as a Cowboys star player has tainted the objectivity when evaluating him as a player. When you play for America's Team, you get America's PR. This past season, Parsons regressed in both tackles and sacks, yet his ADP rose to #2 defensive end. Don't get fooled here. Get him where he's showing you he belongs, and don't reach for the second-highest-scoring defensive end in Dallas!

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