The dynasty trade market heats up in the middle of the season as owners point towards a contending for building mindset according to their 2017 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 the in the early weeks. As a result, becoming more active with bolstering a playoff-caliber roster or shifting to 2018 viable options is critical. This week's edition will look at rosters building towards 2018, with next week covering contending trades.
Building Roster Trade Ideas
The general idea behind trading as a non-contending dynasty team is two-fold - shift production from the current year to the following (or future) season and in the process aid rookie draft position. For the record, I am not an advocate (nor is any dynasty league) of 'tanking' which is purposefully setting sub-optimal lineups and the like to improve draft position. As a result, I advocate using potential points instead of raw win-loss and/or points scored to order non-playoff teams for the annual rookie draft. Potential points use the optimized lineup each week a la best ball scoring to better gauge the strength of a dynasty team.
Injured Players
One of the easiest ways to shift production into the future is by acquiring injured players and selling current producers in the deal. Here is a list of notable injured (for the rest of the season or chunk of the season-to-date) players, who may be available from contenders looking to swap for rest-of-season production:
*All listed trades have been executed in dynasty trades in the past week and are the type of construction I would recommend to non-contending dynasty teams*
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
David Johnson and Dalvin Cook are the high-leverage names here. After a strong start, Cook is trading for palatable prices in the trade market including:
- Cook for Ameer Abdullah, Devin Funchess
- Cook for Travis Kelce
- Cook, 1st for Michael Thomas
- Cook for Jarvis Landry, C.J. Anderson
- Johnson, John Ross for Dak Prescott, Jordan Howard
- Johnson for Michael Thomas, Kyle Rudolph
- Johnson for Derek Carr, Christian McCaffrey
- Johnson for Carson Wentz, James Conner, Sterling Shepard
Wide Receivers
- Odell Beckham Jr/li>
- Allen Robinson
- Corey Davis
- Corey Coleman
- John Ross
- Julian Edelman
- Kevin White
- Cameron Meredith
- Brandon Marshall
Odell Beckham Jr Allen Robinson, and Corey Davis are the highest leverage plays for 2018. Davis is working his way back on the field for 2017 but qualifies for the list considering he has not played much to-date.
Odell Beckham Jrtrade ideas:
- Beckham for T.Y. Hilton, 1st
- Beckham, Alvin Kamara, 1st for Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman
- Beckham for Julio Jones, Frank Gore
- Beckham for Keenan Allen, Sterling Shepard
- Beckham for Ajayi
Allen Robinson trade ideas:
- Robinson, 1st for Brandin Cooks
- Robinson, 1st for Jordan Howard, Adrian Peterson, Devin Funchess
- Robinson, 2nd for Mark Ingram
Corey Davis trade ideas:
- Davis, Corey Coleman, 1st for Deshaun Watson, Sterling Shepard, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd
- Davis, 2nd for Jordan Howard
- Davis for Marlon Mack, 1st
Tight Ends
- Olsen, Alshon Jeffery for Corey Clement, 1st, 2nd
- Olsen, Matt Breida for Doug Martin
- Olsen for Seth DeValve, Vince Williams (IDP), 3rd
Flip Short-Term Producers
The other low-hanging fruit to explore for non-contending teams in the trade market is dealing away short-term producers. The situationally-boosted running back is the most obvious category. Here are qualifying running backs, ordered by 2017 PPR PPG:
- Ty Montgomery (Concerns over long-term viability, but committee or better role at present)
- C.J. Anderson (Getting by on name value, but heavy rotation of three backs in Denver)
- Javorius Allen (Injuries have shifted Baltimore backfield this season, Allen RB2-worthy in PPR...for now)
- Jerick McKinnon (Dalvin Cook will be back in 2018, McKinnon an upcoming free agent)
- Frank Gore (Old faithful in his mid-30s. Limited appeal outside of contenders looking for depth)
- LeGarrette Blount (Limited appeal)
- Marshawn Lynch (More name value than production punch this season)
- Orleans Darkwa (Giants depth chart up in the air, Darkwa with most recent - and best - game of the season for team)
- Adrian Peterson (Quality debut for Arizona in Week 6, but game-script dependent and unlikely use in passing game)
Here are my favorite trades found of late involving each player:
- Montgomery for Juju Smith-Schuster
- Anderson, 3rd for 1st
- Anderson for 2nd
- Allen for Josh Doctson
- Allen, Jamison Crowder for Will Fuller, Mike Gillislee
- McKinnon, Jameis Winston for Aaron Rodgers, Matt Breida, David Njoku, Danielle Hunter (IDP)
- McKinnon for 2nd, 2nd
- Gore, Julio Jones for Odell Beckham Jr/li>
- Blount for Cooper Kupp
- Blount, DeMarco Murray for Keenan Allen
- Lynch for 2nd
- Darkwa for Corey Coleman
- Darkwa for 2nd
- Peterson, Marvin Jones, Jacoby Brissett (Superflex) for Davante Adams
- Peterson, Jordan Howard, Devin Funchess for Allen Robinson, 1st
- Peterson, Michael Thomas for Mike Evans