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 – Bryce Young, QB CAR
This off-season, I was a big proponent of buying Young. I felt that his value had fallen too far and that, given his pedigree and draft capital, the community had gone too far out on a player who could end up with a Jared Goff-like career. After the first two games of the season and the subsequent benching, I didn’t feel great about that take! However, since he has re-entered the lineup, Young has been a completely different player. He now looks like the prospect who was drafted first overall.
Dave Canales is playing into his strengths, allowing him to make quick, decisive reads while also moving him around and moving the pocket to create easier throwing lanes rather than making him sit like a statue in the pocket. Young has played well enough over the last three games that, combined with that and the weak 2025 quarterback class, I am now very confident that Young will be a starting quarterback in 2025, presumably on the Panthers, but if not, there will be a team willing to give him a shot as the starter.
A season and a half of starting quarterback play in a superflex league has significant value, and there is an upside world where he could turn into much more than that and pay off handsomely on the acquisition cost. The trade analyzer has him currently worth an early 2025 third-round pick, which feels very low. I would happily pay a second-round pick to take the flyer on an elite prospect who had a tough rookie season in a horrendous situation and two bad games to start his second season.
Sell – Rico Dowdle, RB DAL
I have very little time for players like Dowdle in fantasy. He is an average player who holds the starting position on his current team because of the poor alternatives rather than his elite talent. The upside is minimal, and the downside is massive. He is the lead back in his current situation, handling 20/23 running back rushes this past week. However, he is losing out on the high-value touches because he isn’t playing on obvious passing downs. He ran only 14 routes and didn’t play at all during third down or two-minute offensive plays. That is just this season.
Looking ahead to 2025, you can almost guarantee that the Cowboys will bring in competition, like a rookie from a very talented crop this season. If that happens, Dowdle will end up being nothing more than a handcuff roster clogger. I would rather be proactive and move on from a player whose ceiling is low-end RB2 and who is probably better turned into a liquid asset like a draft pick. I would accept any second-round pick you can get for him, but given the thirst for running backs, you may be able to acquire even more in a trade for him right now.
Buy – Justin Jefferson, WR MIN
Jefferson is on a three-game stretch of not breaking 20 fantasy points. He is on a five-game stretch of not scoring a touchdown. He is on an 11-game stretch of not breaking 24 fantasy points. Some people may be panicking and wondering if he is still the WR1 in fantasy and a true untouchable superstar who can carry you to a title. The answer to that question is unequivocally yes! He is still a fantasy superstar and is just going through a quieter stretch.
On Sunday, the Bears devoted significant resources to stopping Jefferson, and even then, he had a 50+ yard touchdown called back. Had he scored and added those 12 points to his fantasy total, not many people would have complained about a 19.7 fantasy point performance. If anyone is panicking and looking to sell Jefferson for anything less than the WR1’s overall value, you have to jump at the chance because there will likely never be a buy window again over the next three to five years.
Sell – Courtland Sutton, WR DEN
One of the best stories in the entire NFL is how well the Broncos offense is playing. Yes, a massive part of that is Sean Payton and Bo Nix, but Sutton is also playing his part. Having had to put up with some woeful quarterbacks throughout his career, Sutton has been playing phenomenally with Nix under center. Sutton is the overall WR9 in PPR leagues and the WR2 over the past five weeks.
If all of that is true, why should you sell him? For two reasons: one, he is 29 years old, approaching his age-30 season, and secondly, he will likely never see a value this high ever again. As soon as the season ticks over into the off-season, people will start being concerned about age, and Sutton’s value will plummet. If you can sell off the fact that he is a win-now piece as a potential WR1 for the rest of the season, you could receive a significant haul. Maybe even a first-round pick! If you’re not contending and rostering Sutton, it’s malpractice not to proactively move him to a contender right now!
One to Watch – Johnny Wilson, WR PHI
The Eagles are one of the more consolidated offenses in the entire league. Outside AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Dallas Goedert, there isn’t a massive amount of production to go around. However, in deeper formats, Wilson could force his way into the party. The Eagles have moved Smith into the slot more often this season, which opens up a void on the outside. So far this season, Jahan Dotson has played the third most snaps. However, he has largely underwhelmed, and there is a chance the Eagles could look to pivot away from him when Smith returns from injury.
In steps Wilson, who at 6 foot 7, has one of the unique frames in the league. If he can earn a more significant role moving forward, he could have some boom/bust touchdown relevancy, given there are not many corners that will be able to contest jump balls to him.
- Superflex Dynasty Rankings Explained: Rich Cooling - January 31, 2025
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades - January 2, 2025
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades - December 26, 2024
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 – Bryce Young, QB CAR
This off-season, I was a big proponent of buying Young. I felt that his value had fallen too far and that, given his pedigree and draft capital, the community had gone too far out on a player who could end up with a Jared Goff-like career. After the first two games of the season and the subsequent benching, I didn’t feel great about that take! However, since he has re-entered the lineup, Young has been a completely different player. He now looks like the prospect who was drafted first overall.
Dave Canales is playing into his strengths, allowing him to make quick, decisive reads while also moving him around and moving the pocket to create easier throwing lanes rather than making him sit like a statue in the pocket. Young has played well enough over the last three games that, combined with that and the weak 2025 quarterback class, I am now very confident that Young will be a starting quarterback in 2025, presumably on the Panthers, but if not, there will be a team willing to give him a shot as the starter.
A season and a half of starting quarterback play in a superflex league has significant value, and there is an upside world where he could turn into much more than that and pay off handsomely on the acquisition cost. The trade analyzer has him currently worth an early 2025 third-round pick, which feels very low. I would happily pay a second-round pick to take the flyer on an elite prospect who had a tough rookie season in a horrendous situation and two bad games to start his second season.
Sell – Rico Dowdle, RB DAL
I have very little time for players like Dowdle in fantasy. He is an average player who holds the starting position on his current team because of the poor alternatives rather than his elite talent. The upside is minimal, and the downside is massive. He is the lead back in his current situation, handling 20/23 running back rushes this past week. However, he is losing out on the high-value touches because he isn’t playing on obvious passing downs. He ran only 14 routes and didn’t play at all during third down or two-minute offensive plays. That is just this season.
Looking ahead to 2025, you can almost guarantee that the Cowboys will bring in competition, like a rookie from a very talented crop this season. If that happens, Dowdle will end up being nothing more than a handcuff roster clogger. I would rather be proactive and move on from a player whose ceiling is low-end RB2 and who is probably better turned into a liquid asset like a draft pick. I would accept any second-round pick you can get for him, but given the thirst for running backs, you may be able to acquire even more in a trade for him right now.
Buy – Justin Jefferson, WR MIN
Jefferson is on a three-game stretch of not breaking 20 fantasy points. He is on a five-game stretch of not scoring a touchdown. He is on an 11-game stretch of not breaking 24 fantasy points. Some people may be panicking and wondering if he is still the WR1 in fantasy and a true untouchable superstar who can carry you to a title. The answer to that question is unequivocally yes! He is still a fantasy superstar and is just going through a quieter stretch.
On Sunday, the Bears devoted significant resources to stopping Jefferson, and even then, he had a 50+ yard touchdown called back. Had he scored and added those 12 points to his fantasy total, not many people would have complained about a 19.7 fantasy point performance. If anyone is panicking and looking to sell Jefferson for anything less than the WR1’s overall value, you have to jump at the chance because there will likely never be a buy window again over the next three to five years.
Sell – Courtland Sutton, WR DEN
One of the best stories in the entire NFL is how well the Broncos offense is playing. Yes, a massive part of that is Sean Payton and Bo Nix, but Sutton is also playing his part. Having had to put up with some woeful quarterbacks throughout his career, Sutton has been playing phenomenally with Nix under center. Sutton is the overall WR9 in PPR leagues and the WR2 over the past five weeks.
If all of that is true, why should you sell him? For two reasons: one, he is 29 years old, approaching his age-30 season, and secondly, he will likely never see a value this high ever again. As soon as the season ticks over into the off-season, people will start being concerned about age, and Sutton’s value will plummet. If you can sell off the fact that he is a win-now piece as a potential WR1 for the rest of the season, you could receive a significant haul. Maybe even a first-round pick! If you’re not contending and rostering Sutton, it’s malpractice not to proactively move him to a contender right now!
One to Watch – Johnny Wilson, WR PHI
The Eagles are one of the more consolidated offenses in the entire league. Outside AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Dallas Goedert, there isn’t a massive amount of production to go around. However, in deeper formats, Wilson could force his way into the party. The Eagles have moved Smith into the slot more often this season, which opens up a void on the outside. So far this season, Jahan Dotson has played the third most snaps. However, he has largely underwhelmed, and there is a chance the Eagles could look to pivot away from him when Smith returns from injury.
In steps Wilson, who at 6 foot 7, has one of the unique frames in the league. If he can earn a more significant role moving forward, he could have some boom/bust touchdown relevancy, given there are not many corners that will be able to contest jump balls to him.
- Superflex Dynasty Rankings Explained: Rich Cooling - January 31, 2025
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades - January 2, 2025
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Trades - December 26, 2024
