Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades
Taking advantage of potential valuation trends in the trade market is imperative. That is even more true during the season when players can experience wild valuation changes on a week-to-week basis. Each week, I will be highlighting some players you should be looking to move or acquire and the reasons why.
Buy – Rashee Rice, WR KC
Bye weeks are incredibly frustrating for fantasy football. Having to find a replacement for a player is just irritating. However, in dynasty, I love them because they generally open up small buy windows for players who fall out of the general consciousness. It has been almost two weeks since the Chiefs were last on the field in Germany, and therefore, people may not be thinking about Rice currently.
I was a big fan of Rice as a prospect but thought he was raw as a route runner and may take a little time to establish himself in the NFL. That was not the case, and he didn’t take any time at all. He has established himself as the primary receiver for the Chiefs, and now we may see the post-bye rookie bump truly start to take hold. His combination of size and athleticism is impressive, and he is a threat whenever he gets the ball in his hands. Now could be an excellent opportunity to buy an appreciating asset who could see an astronomical rise in value if he has a strong second half of his rookie season. Paying a contender’s first to acquire him right now feels like a sensible price, but maybe you need to pivot from another player in order to acquire Rice.
Buy – Kyren Williams, RB LAR
I’ve already suggested acquiring Williams this season, but I’m returning to the well to do it again. There are some suggestions that the Rams may be tanking and looking toward the 2024 season. However, with Matthew Stafford returning from injury this week, they are pushing towards the playoffs. While Williams has been out, the Rams have used a committee, but no one has taken hold, and he should walk back into a 70%+ opportunity share.
There are not many times you find a second-year back who is commanding a large workload, is producing for fantasy, and can be acquired as cheaply as Williams. Yes, he was a day three draft pick and somewhat forgotten as a prospect primarily due to his poor 40 time and late draft capital. However, he has the potential to win you a title this year and be worth an awful lot more in six months. A late first or early second would be a reasonable price to try and prize him away right now.
Sell – Joshua Dobbs, QB MIN
The Dobbs hype is real. He is currently the QB8 in points and is leading the Vikings on the playoff hunt. However, as things stand, I can’t see a world where Dobbs plays himself into a starting spot for 2024. The best-case scenario is that he becomes one of the high-priority backups in the mold of Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew and perhaps can be utilized as a bridge quarterback for a rookie. In a dynasty, that doesn’t hold much value. If you are not using Dobbs as a weekly starter, now would be the time to move on from him and grab a future second-round pick while you’re at it.
Sell – Mike Evans, WR TB
Every year, we approach the fantasy playoffs, and a couple of aging veterans are obvious sells for rebuilding teams while being great targets for contenders. This season, Evans is that player. He is producing really well as the WR11 in points per game, averaging 17 points. However, he is age 30, and his days as a high-scoring fantasy player are sadly numbered. If you’re not in contention, this is likely your final sell window, as contenders are clamoring for that final flex piece to push them over the top.
In an ideal world, you could recoup a contender’s first-round pick for the trouble of sending them Mike Evans. I would try to play multiple contenders off against each other to raise the price. However, it could be that you need to settle for a couple of second-round picks.
Rebuilding Buy – Tee Higgins, WR CIN
Higgins is not having the contract season he had hoped for. He is currently out with a hamstring injury; it could be another week or two before we see him on the field. When he has been on the field, he hasn’t been the fantasy star we hoped for. He is averaging 10.3 points per game, good enough for the WR51, and has only posted two weeks inside the top 36 of scorers at the position.
With all of that being said, I still firmly believe that Higgins is a superstar talent. The way the Bengals have approached his pending free agency makes it look like he will be franchise-tagged or allowed to find a new home. Should the latter happen, he can explode for fantasy purposes. Over the last two seasons, Higgins has averaged 12.7 points per game when he has shared the field with Ja’Marr Chase but averaged 18.8 points per game when he has been the WR1 in the offense.
If you’re looking towards 2024, buying low on Higgins right now could allow you to see a considerable value spike during the off-season should he move to a new home, and in the worst-case scenario, the Bengals retain him, and he holds his current value. If you can acquire him for a mid-2024 first or perhaps a later first and a second, I’d be happy to pay that.
I need more information – Keaton Mitchell, RB BAL
Mitchell has flashed over the last few weeks whenever he has touched the ball. He is currently averaging an unsustainable 14.3 yards per carry and 12.3 yards per reception. There is an argument that Mitchell could become a reliable fantasy option if he sees more volume. However, my concern about Mitchell as a prospect was his inability to handle a large workload. Being a smaller back, he is best suited to a third down role as a satellite back. Before I am comfortable acquiring him or deciding to sell high, I need a week or two of more information to see how the Ravens wish to use him and what volume of workload they choose to give him.
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades - December 12, 2024
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades - December 6, 2024
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades - November 28, 2024
