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Another week of football is in the books and with that comes another opportunity to make some dynasty trades. With the fantasy playoffs kicking off next week in many leagues, this could be your final chance to add the missing piece to a contending team or acquire draft capital for productive assets on a tanking squad.
As you begin to prepare some offers, remember that it is sometimes okay to lose a trade in terms of value. Overpaying for a player who is consistently putting up points is nothing to be ashamed of if you have your sights set on a championship. Likewise, giving up an aging or volatile player for a slightly light return could make sense when you're trying to get points off your roster.
Below I will be naming two players to target in trades and two players to trade away, keeping in mind that dynasty value can differ drastically between two managers with opposite strategies. Additionally, be sure to bookmark our free fantasy football trade analyzer and calculator tool which is a great resource too.
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Players to Target in Trades for Dynasty Fantasy Football
Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
Trades don't always need to be blockbusters. There are plenty of undervalued players out there that can be acquired without giving up a haul. Jakobi Meyers isn't on the fantasy radar of most managers, whether they are competing or rebuilding. I think this could be a mistake.
Meyers' first season in Las Vegas got off to an excellent start as he scored as the WR13 in fantasy points per game through the first seven weeks of the campaign. Perhaps even more surprisingly, Meyers earned just 0.8 fewer targets per contest than Davante Adams during that span. The duo essentially operated as 1A and 1B options for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with Meyers actually out-producing his esteemed teammate.
Since the Raiders benched Garoppolo in Week 8, Meyers has been unreliable, becoming a touchdown-dependent fantasy option. In Aidan O'Connell's five starts this season, Adams has received 60 targets while Meyers has seen just 24. With O'Connell expected to remain under center for the rest of the year, Meyers can't be trusted in starting lineups, but his long-term value is being overlooked.
Las Vegas is 5-7 and currently holds a top-12 NFL Draft pick. This is a team that should look to rebuild this upcoming offseason and could absolutely get involved in the trade market. Although the Raiders were unwilling to part ways with the 30-year-old Adams at this year's deadline, he was pursued by at least one team that is likely to go after him again in the summer.
Jets tried to trade for Davante Adams prior to Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, per @AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/EvXXeK25wL
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 4, 2023
Adams has not been shy about expressing his frustrations on the sideline this season, so it would not be shocking at all if the three-time All-Pro tries to facilitate a move. This would leave Meyers as the undisputed WR1 in Las Vegas.
He's not exactly a young player but at 27 years old, his career is far from over. The Raiders signed him to a three-year, $33 million contract with $21 million guaranteed this past offseason, and although the team could get out of this contract relatively easily next year, this shouldn't be in consideration given how well Meyers has performed.
Meyers was a quality wideout during his time in New England, as well, so his output in 2023 can't be viewed as an aberration. If Las Vegas secures a franchise quarterback before the start of next season, Meyers will turn out to be a steal if you trade for him now. He should be seen as a quality target for rebuilding teams and contenders with draft capital to spare.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Given how well he has played, Dak Prescott is most likely on a playoff team in your league. If that's the case, he may be difficult to trade for in superflex formats as the overall QB1 since Week 6. Difficult doesn't mean impossible, however.
Prescott has dealt with a few injuries throughout his career and has repeatedly been criticized for his playoff performances. Because of this, he has never truly been valued as a franchise-level quarterback. He is changing the narrative right now. The Cowboys are 9-3 with Prescott leading the NFL in touchdown passes and trailing only Brock Purdy in QBR and passer rating.
Even if Dallas disappoints in the playoffs again, Prescott's incredible play this season will almost definitely be rewarded.
The full explanation on why Dak Prescott is likely to get a contract extension this offseason: https://t.co/nw9xfPxoxp https://t.co/4JZT2dfryX
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 3, 2023
Prescott is 30 years old, but with a contract extension in place, fantasy managers should feel secure in knowing that he'll be the signal-caller in Dallas for years to come. Still in his prime, he is just over two years older than Patrick Mahomes. I'm not insinuating that Prescott should be valued as highly as Mahomes, but perhaps the gap shouldn't be as wide as it is made out to be.
To pry him away from a fellow contender, you may need to include an elite, younger quarterback in a deal. You may not be happy to do so, but it is probably the wise move to make if you want to make a run at a title. Prescott has a juicy remaining schedule, facing Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Miami before a meeting with Detroit in Week 17. The Eagles, Lions, and Bills have all been destroyed by fantasy quarterbacks over the past month while the Dolphins will be able to match the Cowboys' firepower in a potential shootout.
If you can obtain a first-round rookie pick or other assets to tier down to Prescott from a top dynasty quarterback, you'll put yourself in a great position to have your cake and eat it, too.
Players to Trade Away for Dynasty Fantasy Football
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Some players are the inverse of Dak Prescott in dynasty, carrying name value that greatly exceeds the value of their production. I am a big fan of Jaylen Waddle and his potential, but he unfortunately fits this description.
Waddle is just the WR27 in half-PPR scoring through 11 games this season. He has finished with fewer than 10 fantasy points six times and has only scored as a fantasy WR1 once. We all know that Waddle is immensely talented as he set the rookie record for receptions in a season after being selected as the sixth overall pick in 2021. He even improved upon his rookie campaign in 2022 but is living in the shadow of Tyreek Hill this year.
Tyreek Hill is 519 receiving yards away from 2000 yards with 5 games left to play 🤯
Best WR in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/OgrIut19M6
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 3, 2023
The Dolphins are aware of Hill's goal to reach 2,000 yards which somewhat explains Waddle's lack of output this season. Although Hill has hinted at retiring in the next few years, he is playing better than ever at age 29 so it's very possible he changes his mind. Waddle should become Miami's primary weapon eventually but he could continue to be frustrating for fantasy so long as Hill is dominating the league.
Even when Waddle finished as a top-10 fantasy receiver last season, he wasn't particularly consistent. He scored outside of the top 36 wideouts in as many weeks as he scored inside the top 24. Only five of those top 24 showings were inside the top 12.
Still, Waddle is commonly considered a top-30 dynasty asset with only a handful of receivers selected ahead of him in startup drafts. He is still young, but at age 25, he is the same age or older than many of the players drafted in a similar range.
To make matters worse, Waddle is unlikely to have an end-of-season surge. Not only is Hill gunning for the receiving record, but Waddle will be challenged with a brutal schedule in the fantasy playoffs. The Dolphins will take on the Jets, Cowboys, and Ravens from Weeks 15 through 17. All three of these teams have shut down opposing receivers this year, surrendering fewer than 25 total fantasy points per contest to the position.
Dynasty managers who find themselves in a playoff spot despite Waddle's underwhelming numbers would be wise to flip him to a rebuilding team for a player who is producing now. For instance, I would consider trading away Waddle for Brandon Aiyuk, Puka Nacua, Stefon Diggs, or Michael Pittman Jr.
Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos
In 2021, Javonte Williams made a lot of noise as an efficient rookie running back and deservedly skyrocketed up dynasty rankings. He only appeared in four games last season before suffering a knee injury and he unfortunately hasn't looked like the same player since.
The Broncos were clearly playing it safe with their former second-round pick to open 2023, but Williams started to receive an increased snap share in Week 7. In that particular week, Williams managed 5.47 yards per carry against a vulnerable Green Bay run defense. Since then, he has failed to eclipse four yards per tote in a game.
12 RBs under four yards per carry with 100+ carries this season:
Joe Mixon 3.9
Javonte Williams 3.8
Chuba Hubbard 3.8
Alvin Kamara 3.8
Austin Ekeler 3.8
Alexander Mattison 3.8
Travis Etienne 3.7
Rachaad White 3.6
Josh Jacobs 3.5
Tyler Allgeier 3.5
AJ Dillon 3.4
Dameon Pierce 3— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 30, 2023
Although Williams is the lead back in Denver, the team gives occasional opportunities to Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine. The rookie McLaughlin looks explosive and has gained nearly six yards per attempt. It doesn't seem that Williams is in danger of losing his job yet, but it's fair to label his play this season as underwhelming.
The 23-year-old has failed to find the end zone on his 153 rushing attempts. He has scored twice through the air as his utilization as a pass-catcher is the only thing keeping him afloat in PPR fantasy leagues. Even with this involvement, though, Williams is just the RB21 in both full-and-half-PPR formats since his bump in playing time in Week 7.
A healthy running back seeing the majority of snaps is never a useless asset for fantasy, but Williams is rarely helping teams win matchups. Maybe this changes eventually but the running back position is far too volatile to hold a player in hopes of a brighter future. Contenders should look to trade Williams for a package including an older, more productive back while teams staring down a rebuild would be better off with draft capital or an ascending receiver.
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