The opening week of the NFL season presented the first data points in months. Dynasty GMs are left with a variety of avenues to navigate player value including:
- What was a trend and what was an outlier from Week 1?
- The fertile ground of early-season waiver wire players
- Are trades needed for the dynasty roster?
- Finally, setting the Week 2 lineup
The highest leverage aspects of the Dynasty GM's action plan this week are how they will assess potential roster weaknesses and navigating the trade market of sell-high or buy-low players.
THE SELL LIST
The easier list and action plan involves players to sell as the marketplace is the rest of the league, where buying a player is a market of you (the buyer) working a deal with one specific GM about a specific player. For each player recently executed market trades are included for ideas. Assume 12-team PPR formats unless otherwise notated.
Garoppolo continues to build his profile of being a middling fantasy quarterback. However, he plays on a quality team and has some sense of name cache. Garoppolo has (at a minimum) a physically compromised George Kittle, Deebo Samuel out a few more games, Brandon Aiyuk still working back, and a collection of baseline players in their stead. Garoppolo still pulls a decent return in the dynasty trade market, however, despite being a ho-hum QB2 with occasional QB1 moments.
- Garoppolo, Zack Moss for Dak Prescott, Tony Pollard
- Garoppolo for DeAndre Hopkins (16tm, superflex)
Carson had a narrow snap edge over Carlos Hyde and Travis Homer played meaningful snaps as well for Seattle in Week 1, a game they had a positive game script against Atlanta. Carson's 45% snap share is not congruent with the clear starters and the upper crust of the running back hierarchy. Fantasy-wise Carson survived on his 12 touches due to six catches and an aberrational two receiving touchdowns. Carson has only three touchdowns through the air over the previous three seasons combined as a comparison. With Rashad Penny likely to return by midseason and especially Carlos Hyde a timeshare threat in the meantime, Carson has a window to cash out on his name cache.
- Carson for Cooper Kupp
- Carson for Robert Woods
- Carson for Evan Engram, 21 3rd, 21 3rd (superflex)
Mark Ingram
Ingram was out-snapped by J.K. Dobbins in Week 1 and Gus Edwards also played a meaningful role in the crowded Baltimore backfield. Ingram had limited receiving involvement most weeks last season, relying on an uncommon five receiving scores (15 overall) on just 26 receptions to boost his fantasy stat line. With J.K. Dobbins a significant part of the committee, at a minimum, Ingram already shifts to a flex lineup consideration more than an auto-start player. AT 30 years old, Ingram has minimal wiggle room production-wise before he is a roster clogger.
- Ingram for LeVeon Bell
- Ingram for Zach Ertz
- Ingram for T.Y. Hilton
As of mid-week publication, Brown is the most traded player on myfantasyleague.com this week. Brown was the clear RB1 for the Rams in snaps and hit 110 total yards and two scores. What is not to like? Well, Cam Akers saw a robust 15 touches as the RB2 and his Day 2 pedigree and elite prospect profile point to an expanded opportunity in the coming weeks. Brown has already been a successful UDFA considering how long he has stuck in the NFL and with the Rams. This window offers a cash-out opportunity as Brown was/is likely low enough on a dynasty roster pecking order where he is not in lineup consideration in the short term.
- Brown, 21 4th for 21 2nd
- Brown for 21 2nd (superflex)
- Brown for Tyler Boyd
Sternberger was a breakout candidate in 2020 after a near-redshirt rookie season as a Day 2 rookie last year. However, Sternberger was the TE4 for Green Bay in snaps Week 1 and Robert Tonyan Jr was easily the TE1. Production did notfind the position overall as the wide receivers dominated against Minnesota. The snap gap for Sternberger to close for relevance, let alone streaming potential, is vast and only a 2TE format is a discussion for possibly holding Sternberger.
- Sternberger for 21 3rd, 21 3rd
THE BUY LIST
Backup Running Backs
Dynasty GMs chase opportunity in-season and No.2 running backs can be the best investments for future weeks. They are an injury away from a prominent role for a fraction of the cost of their team's starter in many/most cases. The most affordable No.2 backs who stand to inherit a strong workload with a single injury include:
- Damien Harris
- Rashaad Penny
- Kerryon Johnson
- Devin Singletary
- LeVeon Bell
- Harris, 21 3rd for James Robinson
- Penny, 21 3rd for Mitchell Trubisky (superflex)
- Johnson for 21 3rd
- Singletary for Lamical Perine, James Robinson
- Bell for Benny Snell
- Cooks for 21 2nd, 21 3rd
- Cooks, Joshua Kelley for Sterling Shepard
- Hurst for Tevin Coleman
- Hurst for James Robinson
- Hurst, 23 3rd for 23 2nd