The Dynasty Aftermath: Trade Deadline Worries

Ken Kelly Posted On October 31, 2018

Welcome to DLF’s Dynasty Aftermath. This staple article is our longest running signature piece as we have a little fun after a tough week at the Dynasty League Football office. You’ll find this article will review the week’s happenings in a variety of ways and help set you up for the coming weeks as we spin around the league in the way we know best. Expect it each and every week.

I’ve written this column for over a decade and I always forget how much I truly enjoy it. I love combing through the stats of the week, putting together ridiculous lineups, finding waiver wire gems, picking MVPs/LVPs and discussing things to worry about.

That’s not all.

I also really love sharing little bits of my life with the community of DLF and picking a theme for this column each week. This year, I’m going off the rails a bit. I’m not just exclusively choosing movies or TV shows and sticking with them. I’m simply picking something relevant, wacky or whatever may come into my mind each given week. My hope is each week will at least be interesting in some way and hopefully make you laugh a few times along the way.

Today, we’re going with a more serious tone. As the NFL trade deadline has passed, we turn our attention to the trading deadline in our own dynasty leagues. After helping run this site for more than a decade, I can tell you there are clearly three mistakes owners make at this time of year:

1.) Making moves to “win now” and forgetting about the ramifications for the future

The problem here is owners need to remember they’re dealing in dynasty leagues. You’re not trying win one championship, you’re trying to set yourself up to win many.

2.) Dealing away players for “high” or “low” rookie draft picks.

It’s still too early to start earmarking picks as “high” or “low” picks in next year’s rookie draft. There’s a lot that can happen in the next couple of months and dealing away players who will help some bottom feeding teams in exchange for their “high” picks can be counterproductive and backfire quickly.

3.) Keeping a static value for rookie draft picks.

It’s easy to look at some of our recent draft classes and determine the 1.01 or 1.02 hold extreme value. Be careful. At least at this point, this upcoming draft doesn’t look anything like some of the gold mines we’ve seen recently.

Amazingly, we see those mistakes happen each and every year. While it may seem like common sense, it’s not exactly common practice. As you evaluate the moves you should make (and every team should certainly do that), be wary. I worry a lot about our followers falling into any or all of those three traps and one major mistake can take years to recover from.

With that being said, trade well and trade wisely! On to the action from the week…

Week Eight Fantasy MVP

The Miami Dolphins are a bit of a mess right now but that shouldn’t take away from the performance we saw from Deshaun Watson this week. Owners have been patiently waiting for Watson to resemble his 2017 form and he finally responded with a day featuring just 239 passing yards, but five touchdown passes. Watson is starting to look more and more comfortable as he returns form injury. He could have a huge second half, especially now that Demaryius Thomas has been added to the mix.

Week Eight Fantasy LVP

The tight end position has been pretty frustrating over the past few years, especially when you consider how pass happy the league has become. Still, the giant goose egg put up by David Njoku was a pretty big surprise this week. There’s no need to panic here as the new Browns staff should see him as a primary source of offensive production moving forward. Still, it’s the Browns.

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Lineup Fun

We’re adding something fun again this week! Our own Ryan McDowell had a great suggestion this year. If you fielded any of the lineups below, let us know and you’ll get a free three months of DLF Premium. We just need the league ID and a screenshot to verify and you’re off an running. The first three to respond would win!

The Unbeatable Lineup of the Week

QB Deshaun Watson HOU = 239 passing yards, 14 rushing yards, five touchdowns
RB James Conner PIT = 146 rushing yards, five receptions, 66 receiving yards, two touchdowns
RB Todd Gurley LAR = 114 rushing yards, six receptions, 81 receiving yards, one touchdown
RB Marlon Mack IND = 132 rushing yards, two receptions, 17 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR Tyler Boyd CIN = Nine receptions, 138 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR Stefon Diggs MIN = Ten receptions, 119 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR DeAndre Hopkins HOU = Six receptions, 82 receiving yards, two touchdowns
TE Travis Kelce KC = Six receptions, 79 receiving yards, one touchdown

The Underdog Lineup of the Week

QB Derek Carr OAK = 244 passing yards, four total touchdowns
RB Adrian Peterson WAS = 149 rushing yards, one reception, seven receiving yards, two touchdowns
RB Kenyan Drake MIA = 58 rushing yards, two receptions, 37 receiving yards, two touchdowns
RB Chris Carson SEA = 105 rushing yards, two receptions, 19 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR Marvin Jones DET = Seven receptions, 117 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR Sammy Watkins KC = Eight receptions, 107 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR DeVante Parker MIA = Six receptions, 134 receiving yards
TE Jordan Thomas HOU = Four receptions, 29 receiving yards, two touchdowns

The Disappointing Lineup of the Week

QB Drew Brees NO = 120 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception
RB Duke Johnson CLE = Two receptions, 16 receiving yards
RB Ronald Jones TB = -3 rushing yards, one reception, four receiving yards, one injury
RB Carlos Hyde JAX = 11 rushing yards
WR Chester Rogers IND = No catches, one 2pt conversion
WR Kenny Golladay DET = One reception, 12 receiving yards
WR Jordy Nelson OAK = One reception, 14 receiving yards
TE David Njoku CLE = Zilch

Gut Checks

I’d be worried if I had Le’Veon Bell. It’s looking more and more like he may indeed not play at all this season. In fact, there are now reports out there that the Steelers have simply agreed not to tag him next season so he doesn’t even show up to the facility.

I’d be worried if I was freaking out over a slow start for Nick Chubb.

I’d be worried if I had Will Fuller. He just can’t stay healthy.

I’d be worried if I was ignoring the progression of Josh Adams.

I’d be worried if I thought Kenyan Drake was suddenly out of the woods.

I’d be worried if I owned Jamaal Williams.

I’d be worried if I had lost faith in DJ Moore. That was unexpected.

I’d be worried if I didn’t think Josh Reynolds belonged on a dynasty roster.

I’d be worried if I owned Alex Collins and especially Buck Allen. The Ravens are the only team in the NFL without a rush for more than 20 yards this season and they just added Ty Montgomery.

I’d be worried if I wasn’t monitoring Elijah McGuire.

I’d be worried if I didn’t think Latavius Murray was going to have a role when Dalvin Cook returns.

I’d be worried if I thought Tyler Boyd was a fluke. Talk about a late bloomer.

I’d be worried if I owned LeSean McCoy. A trade would have been great.

I’d be worried if I was expecting more from Martavis Bryant.

I’d be worried if I was holding out for more from Chad Williams.

I’d be worried if I wasn’t seriously considering trading Sammy Watkins right now.

I’d be worried if I didn’t think Phillip Lindsay has that job permanently.

I’d be worried if I was relying on Chris Carson moving forward. It’s still unpredictable.

I’d be worried if I was ignoring the production we’re seeing from Tyler Lockett.

I’d be worried if I didn’t think a change of scenery will be good for Ty Montgomery.

I’d be worried if I wasn’t excited about Aaron Jones and what he could do in the second half of the season.

I’d be worried if I was relying on Doug Martin.

I’d be worried if I owned Doug Baldwin. Young David Moore is coming on and Baldwin just doesn’t look right.

I’d be worried if I owned Carlos Hyde. That wasn’t what we were hoping to see there.

I’d be worried if I had buried Larry Fitzgerald.

I’d be worried if I was ignoring the steady progression of Kendrick Bourne.

I’d be worried if I was giving up on Raheem Mostert.

Free Agent Find of the Week

Here’s the deal. I feel like this section of the aftermath has become a little redundant. We already post a waiver wire article each week to prep you for your weekly FAAB run or to burn your waiver priority. It’s feeling a little like double dipping since many of the same names could easily mentioned. Instead of doing that in the future, I’m going to add a name or two of players who are likely free agents in your league who you really wouldn’t even need to use your FAAB bid bucks. These are going to be deep dive players here and most are names to simply keep an eye on unless you have an open roster spot or two.

Brandon Powell, WR DET

Most of the attention from the Golden Tate trade is going to Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and TJ Jones. It makes sense. However, I wouldn’t forget about Powell, who the Lions really like. He has no stats so far this season but was a really good preseason player.

Previous suggestions: Jonnu Smith, Ian Thomas, Will Dissly, Geronimo Allison, Phillip Dorsett, Phillip Lindsay, Brandon Marshall, Austin Carr, Shaun Wilson, Jakeem Grant, Corey Grant, Tyler Boyd, Taywan Taylor, Mark Walton. CJ Beathard, Rhett Ellison, Wendell Smallwood, Jeremy McNichols, Robert Turbin, David Moore, Jamaal Charles, Josh Adams, Niles Paul, Roc Thomas, Chad Kelly, Damion Ratley, Raheem Mostert, Derek Anderson, Kyle Lauletta, Maurice Harris, Trenton Cannon, Rishard Matthews, Maurice Harris, Trenton Cannon, Rishard Matthews.

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Ken Kelly

Co-Founder at DynastyLeagueFootball

Ken is a corporate trainer by day an a tireless editor of dynasty content by night. His passion for the World Champion Seattle Seahawks is second only to his love of fantasy football and the dynasty format.

Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK