The dynasty trade market heats up in the middle of the season as owners point towards a contending or building mindset according to their 2019 results thus far. With sample size growing for the current season, owners are more comfortable projecting roles, usage, and performance than entering Week 1 or in the early weeks. As a result, becoming more active with bolstering a playoff-caliber roster or shifting to 2019 viable options is critical. This week's edition will look at contending rosters for 2019.
CONTENDING ROSTER TRADE IDEAS
The general idea behind trading as a contending dynasty team is two-fold - acquiring production for the current year but also making dynasty trades which look at multiple seasons to aid a team, not a redraft-centric approach of buying a month or two of impact. The natural win-win trade for contending teams is targeting the non-contenders by offering rookie picks and/or hopeful producers and young players for 2020 and beyond.
*All listed trades have been executed in dynasty trades in the past week and are the type of construction recommended to contending dynasty teams*
QUARTERBACKS
Seeking older players from a non-contending team is a tried and true trade strategy for target production. With the NFL rules shift, dynasty GMs should be less concerned with age at quarterback than ever before. Brady is QB7 in terms of aWORP/G (Adjusted Wins Over Replacement Player) through Week 5 with three high impact performances. Ryan is QB5 and Rivers at QB12. Here are some recent trades involving these targets:
- Brady for 21 2nd
- Brady for 20 3rd
- Brady for Josh Oliver, 20 3rd
- Brady, 20 1st for Deshaun Watson
- Ryan for Drew Lock, 20 2nd
- Ryan for Kenny Golladay, 20 2nd (Superflex)
- Ryan for 20 2nd
- Ryan, LeVeon Bell for Cam Newton, Melvin Gordon
- Rivers for Josh Rosen
- Rivers for 21 2nd
- Rivers for 20 3rd
- Rivers, Preston Williams for Will Dissly, Joe Flacco
RUNNING BACKS
Gurley has been a hand-wringing asset for dynasty GMs this season, but he is healthy and RB14 in True Impact (aWORP/G) with two elite performances and two other strong ones. Ekeler should come at a discount from the pre-Melvin Gordon reporting date period but Ekeler is still a sturdy RB2 with the elite upside already exhibited if Gordon were to miss any time the rest of the season. White is perpetually underrated due to his pass-centric role. However, White was RB9 in aWORP/G last season and RB21 to-date in 2019 and offers quality RB2/Flex depth in PPR leagues.
- Gurley, Russell Wilson for Sam Darnold, N'Keal Harry, 20 2nd
- Gurley, 20 2nd for Courtland Sutton, 21 1st
- Gurley for 21 1st, 21 2nd
- Gurley, Sammy Watkins for JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Ekeler, Auden Tate for Derrius Guice
- Ekeler, 21 1st for Adam Thielen
- Ekeler for 20 2nd, 20 3rd
- White for Chris Herndon
- White for Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Graham
- White for 20 2nd
- White for 20 3rd
WIDE RECEIVERS
Jones, Fitzgerald, and Edelman all have declining values where they will continue a downward slide going forward regardless of their near-term production. However, Jones is WR6 in aWORP/G despite a relatively sluggish start (for him) and the same goes for Hopkins (WR13). Edelman is WR15 in aWORP/G and Antonio Brown not working out and Rob Gronkowski unlikely to return this season are net positives for Edelman's rest-of-season projection.
- Jones for Calvin Ridley
- Jones for Josh Gordon, Adam Thielen
- Jones for Mike Williams, DJ Chark, 20 2nd
- Hopkins for Miles Sanders, Mike Williams
- Hopkins, Hayden Hurst for Devin Smith, Zach Ertz (2TE format)
- Hopkins, AJ Green for JuJu Smith-Schuster, 20 1st, 20 3rd
- Fitzgerald for Mecole Hardman
- Fitzgerald for 20 3rd, 20 4th
- Fitzgerald for Dante Pettis
- Edelman for 21 2nd
- Edelman, 20 3rd for Jakobi Meyers, 20 2nd
- Edelman, Alexander Mattison for Mike Williams
TIGHT ENDS
Dissly is younger than everyone else on this list but strongly undervalued by the dynasty community. Dissly is TE8 in aWORP and Olsen-Walker are both just inside the TE12 line in the True Impact metric.
- Dissly for 20 2nd
- Dissly, Raheem Mostert for Jordan Howard, Cameron Brate
- Dissly for Carlos Hyde, 20 3rd
- Dissly for Bryce Love, Jonnu Smith, 20 3rd
- Olsen for 20 3rd
- Olsen, Ian Thomas for 20 2nd, 20 3rd
- Walker, Keenan Allen for Tyreek Hill, DeVante Parker
- Walker for Mohamed Sanu
- Walker, 20 2nd for Sam Darnold
- Walker for Cole Beasley