Welcome to Tomorrow’s Star Today.  All throughout the regular season, I’m going to be highlighting a player who I think you should grab in dynasty ready to stash.  Some might be rookies and some might be vets.  Sometimes it might be about looking forward to the team’s roster for next season!  These will all be players who are only going to rise in value going forwards.  Because that’s the best way to win in dynasty. Buy a player before they appreciate in value.  That’s how we gain a real advantage over our opponents.

I’d like to start off with a player who has been a favourite of mine since before the draft.  He then landed in the dream situation. Somewhere he can develop into the number one target on his team.  The training camp hype was real.  But now it’s calmed a little bit.  Now is the perfect time to go and buy.

My first Tomorrow’s Star Today is New York Jets wide receiver, Elijah Moore.

Who is he

Elijah Moore was drafted by the Jets in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, at pick 34.  He played for three years at Ole Miss.  His freshman year was slightly underwhelming but Ole Miss had a stacked WR core that year, headlined by AJ Brown and DK Metcalf.  Moore caught fire in his sophomore season with 67 receptions for 850 and 6.  This put him in the spotlight for the Biletnikoff award going into his junior season.  Moore didn’t disappoint, catching ten passes for 227 yards in the season opener.  You might recognise him from drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the Egg Bowl for pretending to urinate in the endzone.  But that’s not all he’s known for – Elijah broke the Ole Miss record for most receiving yards in a game, with 238.

At 1.78m and 81kg, Moore profiles as a slot receiver in the NFL.  That might be true for the beginning at least.  Moore is much stronger than his measurables at the combine may have shown, with short-area quickness that allows him to generate separation underneath. Moore’s tape also shows a fearlessness that belies his size.  This is something vital to succeeding in the slot. He will have to catch in traffic against linebackers who are over 30kg heavier.  Moore has also shown sharpness in his route running, as well as an ability to stop on a dime from full speed.  In College, he performed against solid competition. Catching 11 out of 12 targets in 2020 against an elite Alabama CB core that included the first-round pick Patrick Surtain.  Even if he’s slightly undersized, Moore’s measurables and tape both show a route to success in the NFL.

What’s his outlook for this season

According to the Jets’ official depth chart, it appears Moore will be competing for a place on the field early on this season.  The Jets wide receiver room is deep but complicated.  Corey Davis seems to be the unanimous number one on the team. After that, it gets a little bit murky.  The team also has Denzel Mims, Jamison Crowder, and Keelan Cole.  All four of the players listed above are currently higher than Elijah on the Jets depth chart.  This might be the way the depth chart shakes out initially. However, I can’t see it staying that way for too long.  The Jets drafted Moore high to be a starter.  He’s more talented than everyone else on the depth chart, Corey Davis aside, and I think that talent will show pretty soon.

Towards the end of the season, I think we’ll start to see Elijah seeing a lot more of the field.  This will especially be the case if he can develop the chemistry that we’ve seen with rookie signal-caller Zach Wilson throughout training camp.  The Jets are a team in a rebuild, but with solid young pieces in place, as well as an exciting first-time head coach.  Moore might have the chance to be fantasy-relevant towards the end of the year as he settles into the NFL.

Why is he a future star

Elijah’s college teammate AJ Brown has come out publicly to say that he’d put money on Elijah as Offensive Rookie of the Year.  According to Brown, the main reason behind this is Moore’s work ethic.  This is something we can see throughout his college career. Elijah is an incredible prospect but has worked to develop himself each year.  He has a good profile to succeed in the NFL on the inside, but with developments to his speed and an ability to beat press coverage against a rangier cornerback, Moore could be utilised as an outside receiver as well.  We’ve seen him do this in college and in camp.  Lance Zierlein’s official comparison for Elijah Moore was Antonio Brown.  You can see it in the tape – Moore’s ultra-competitive nature aligned with elite route running and short-area burst is reminiscent of Brown.  If Elijah can develop anywhere close to AB, but without any of the diva-like qualities (his antics in the Egg Bowl aside), that’s a player you need to have shares in.

Alongside this, it’s worth considering the connection with Zach Wilson.  Drafted at 2 overall, and seemingly the consensus QB2 in the 2021 class, Wilson looks to be an incredible prospect himself.  Being aligned with a stud QB is a huge benefit for a wide receiver.  However, developing with a quarterback is an underrated part of analysing a prospect.  If you look at AJ Green and Andy Dalton, the chemistry between the two of them maintained in part due to the fact they had only ever played with each other in the NFL.  Working with a rookie quarterback, Elijah has every chance to become Zach Wilson’s safety blanket.  His crisp route running and soft hands mean that he could easily become Wilson’s favoured target over the middle.  This is especially the case when you consider the Jets’ tight end core, having just traded Chris Herndon to the Minnesota Vikings.  It’s often said that a tight end is a rookie quarterback’s best friend, but I think it’s more likely Elijah Moore develops into that than Tyler Kroft. 

Potential cost

Moore’s ADP in rookie drafts was towards the end of the first round, although it wasn’t rare to see him fall into the second.  This was often due to the perceived value of running backs.  However, if you managed to steal Elijah in the second round, his value will have instantly risen with offseason hype.  It’s difficult to know how this will continue across the season.  I would project that right now, you could buy Elijah for a mid to late first-round pick.  If you’re rebuilding with multiple firsts, he’s a perfect target to compete next year.  You could also see a move for him for a veteran receiver.  For example, someone like Adam Thielen might be worth equivalent to Moore for a competitive team.  However, I firmly believe his value is about to explode. Elijah Moore is tomorrow’s star today! Buy while you still can!

I’ll be back each week with my Tomorrow’s Star Today article on a Wednesday. You can follow me @LewisWoodFF_UK and the rest of the team @5YardDynasty