Welcome to the rest of the season / deep dynasty profile for the Buffalo Bills' safety, Damar Hamlin.
Safety Damar Hamlin
The Bill's 2021 sixth-round safety, Damar Hamlin, has done admirably stepping in for the injured Micah Hyde after Hyde went down early this season with a neck injury that required surgery. Hyde will reportedly be out for the entire 2022 season.
In the meantime, Hamlin has essentially overachieved in the position. That's if we compare it to Hyde's normal career average fantasy points history. Although it might have been by matchup strength, it's still notable when PFF currently backs that up with a solid and on-par grade. Hamlin recorded a nice three-game stretch pre-bye week that netted 22 total tackles and one tackle for a loss.
Call it fantasy luck or just Hamlin making a hot impression, but his 20:2 solo-to-assists ratio stands out most in the fantasy IDP box score. That is really what caught our attention. Knowing numbers like that will be tough to maintain the entire season.
We have to admit, that ratio doesn't reveal that Hamlin struggles with missed tackles, including two early outlier performances. Those performances could get him benched if he doesn't clean it up by midseason. Or unless the Bills see this as a serious issue and call up another safety or find one by the trade deadline, for now. We've got to ride the hot hand with Hamlin for the rest of the season as a weekly DB2 option that comes with a lot of DB1 upside.
Because after that, and looking ahead at his potential dynasty value, opportunities will start cooling off a bit next offseason.
Dynasty Profile
Buffalo would have to determine not to re-sign pro-bowler Jordan Poyer and to exercise an "out" they have in Hyde's contract. Another choice, pay Hyde good money to be a backup. It doesn't stop there when playing this out when forecasting Hamlin having a key role again. Because the Bills have multiple key defensive players other than Jordan Poyer to deal with. They also have contracts coming up in 2023.
So, it starts with Poyer, then runs through Tremaine Edmunds and Jordan Phillips. And in the end, somewhere with Shaq Lawson. So depending on what Buffalo decides to do with their 2023 cash. It might have more to do if Damar Hamlin having any 2023 dynasty value.
When it's all said and done, looking at it long-term, his odds look favorable if we base it on the idea. Hamlin has done well so far as a late-round investment, and the coaches do trust him. Not to forget to mention, he has so much room to grow as he continues to develop.
And the dynasty hot take is true. Hamlin has a dynasty upside right now, but it might be another season or two before we see exactly how he'll earn the productive dynasty starting gig. That has a ton of history in defensive back IDP dynasty value.
Thank you for checking out The Buffalo Bill's Damar Hamlin IDP profile. If you're interested, catch more of my Tipster fantasy football and NFL IDP content on Twitter at @TheIDPTipster, or find all my future IDP Guys content at IDPGuys.org. Let’s chat! I’ll always find time to talk defensive player football anytime.
