When addressing your dynasty problem spots, your solution should be proportionate to the size of your problem. At the wide receiver position, there can be three levels of solutions: small measures, half measures, and full measures.
Small Measures
If you have a wide receiver problem on your dynasty team, ask yourself if you actually need to address the position. Our running back article discussed converting wide receiver depth to running back functionality to address both your running back and your flex positions.
If you feel you need a cheap improvement at the wide receiver position, stop and ask yourself if you actually do. Specifically, ask yourself how the roster move will improve the wide receivers in your lineup. If you cannot improve your lineup by multiple points per game by adding a wide receiver, your additional wide receiver is just creating more roster fodder.
As a result, small measures should be cautious at the wide receiver position. Since the hit rate is low on cheap wide receivers, using the waiver wire or taking a specific bet on a specific wide receiver in a trade-down during the rookie draft season is the best option.
If you must take a small measure, your best bet is to try and stream the position during the season.
Medium Measures
If you are looking to make a fix at the wide receiver position, aim to increase your projected targets in your lineup. Too often, dynasty GMs with wide receiver needs aim to fix the position by targeting higher-value wide receivers who do not actually improve their lineup.
Fixing the wide receiver position is doable on the cheap if you are focused on increasing the number of targets in your lineup and not worried about the future market valuation of the players. Veterans with good target shares or roles in the offense are great examples.
There can be a sliding scale for these wide receivers. Good targets include wide receivers who project to outproduce their value over the next two years. Wide receivers on the cheap scale include Mike Evans, Tyler Lockett, Keenan Allen, and Diontae Johnson are all current examples of wide receivers with more than six targets per game in 2022 who are available outside the top 30 wide receivers in startup drafts.
Recent Trades for Veterans
To get a sense of the market, here are some recent actual trades from MyFantasyLeague.com leagues so you can get a sense of the market. Every league is different of course, but these trades in existing real leagues can give you a pretty good feel for the cost and type of trade package it might take to acquire him.
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In a Superflex league
- Trade Away: Rachaad White and Myles Gaskin
- Trade For: Tyler Lockett, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and a 2024 2nd-rounder
In a Superflex league
- Trade Away: K.J. Osborn, Roschon Johnson, and Rashee Rice
- Trade For: Mike Evans and Mike Williams
In a Superflex league
- Trade Away: Isiah Pacheco
- Trade For: Keenan Allen
In a Superflex league
- Trade Away: Jimmy Garoppolo
- Trade For: Diontae Johnson
Full Measures
Trading for elite wide receivers has two benefits: longevity and higher odds of production. Where you need to be careful in trading for elite young wide receivers is paying to upgrade from very good young wide receivers. When you do so, you are paying to subject yourself to the whims of variance.
Instead, use these trades to consolidate your resources on your roster. Trade for elite wide receivers should be the goal of the team with quarterback depth in Superflex and tight end in premium leagues solved with elite options.
In other words, solving elite wide receivers is a move rich teams should make.
When making these trades, understand that the odds of success are much better for wide receivers with a top 24 seasonal finish than those without a top 24 seasonal finish.
Recent Trade Examples
To get a sense of the market, here are some recent actual trades from MyFantasyLeague.com leagues so you can get a sense of the market. Every league is different of course, but these trades in existing real leagues can give you a pretty good feel for the cost and type of trade package it might take to acquire him.
In a Superflex league:
- Trade Away: Amari Cooper, Treylon Burks, and 2023 rookie pick 1.03
- Trade For: Ja’Marr Chase, AJ Dillon, 2023 rookie pick 1.09
In a Superflex league
- Trade Away: Anthony Richardson, Elijah Moore, Elijah Mitchell, 2024 1st-round rookie pick
- Trade For: Justin Jefferson, 2024 2nd round rookie pick
Takeaways
There is nothing more attractive on a dynasty Twitter poll than a team with a roster filled with young wide receivers. Yet these wide receivers can be more expensive than they improve your roster. Make sure any major upgrade at the position is not done before you have fixed the rest of your premium positions on your roster.