Dynasty Fantasy Football: Assessing Rosters for Week 13
If you can still make trades in your dynasty fantasy football leagues, this is the series for you! This article will discuss trade targets for contenders chasing the championship and rebuilding teams trying to build from the ground up. It’s evident that contending teams are looking for production, and rebuilding teams are looking for youth and picks.
We will dive into market values using KeepTradeCut’s dynasty rankings to further look into the best buy candidates for both sides. Each league will be different, so KeepTradeCut is more of a guide than anything else. Still, it is an excellent tool for understanding how the market reflects players’ values and gives you an idea of where to start in trade negotiations.
Trade Targets for Contenders
Zack Moss
If you are a contending team, Zack Moss is nearing must-buy territory now that Jonathan Taylor could miss 2-to-3 weeks or more with a thumb injury. Moss has thrived in Taylor’s absence and gets the Titans, Bengals, and Steelers over the next three weeks. The Colts may not need to rush their star running back to the field again since Moss has been solid. I have seen Moss go for a mid-to-late 2024 3rd round pick. His value will be near that, so I would throw a 3rd out there if you need immediate RB help to secure a playoff spot or have depth during the playoffs. If Taylor is shut down longer, trading for Moss will pay off even more.
Derrick Henry
While Derrick Henry‘s season has been disappointing, with questions about whether he can be his old self again, I think he is worth a shot for contenders to trade for. He gets Houston, Seattle, and then Houston again in the fantasy playoffs. The Texans and Seahawks are both near the top of the NFL in rushing touchdowns allowed, so Henry has the potential to break out once again during the most crucial time of the season. Typically, dynasty is viewed in 2-to-3-year windows, and Henry may only be viable for this season and next, but that is reflected in his market price. Henry will be 30 years old soon and is currently the RB27 in the dynasty market. Henry is currently valued around a mid-to-late 2024 2nd round pick. If you want to take a shot at Henry, I think he could be worth that price for help in the playoffs to try to secure a dynasty championship.
Travis Kelce
Yes, this is probably an obvious trade target for contenders, but I wanted to discuss Travis Kelce anyway. Kelce is currently the TE5 in the dynasty market due to his age (he turned 34 a couple of months ago). If the Kelce manager in your league isn’t contending, and you are, you need to reach out and see what it may cost to acquire him. Yes, he is old, but he is still one of the best positional advantages in fantasy football. He also happens to have the best fantasy football playoff schedule for tight ends, per Scott Barrett.
Best to Worst Strength of Schedule in the Fantasy Playoffs (Weeks 15-17)
e.g. Travis Kelce has the best playoff schedule of any TE. Based on matchup alone, we should expect a +27% boost to his fantasy point per game matchup. pic.twitter.com/l5QY5DmAyx
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) November 29, 2023
You are likely getting Kelce for a playoff run this year and at least one more solid season next year. Kelce’s current trade value looks like two second-round picks, so you may reach out and see if you can get that done if you are chasing that championship!
Trade Targets for Rebuilding Teams
The Bengals Trio
While Ja’Marr Chase is still currently valued as the WR2 overall in the dynasty market, there is a chance to acquire him in trades now that Joe Burrow is out for the year. I have seen multiple contenders move off of Chase for other assets that can help them win a championship. While still costly, it’s worth it for managers in a rebuild if they can get a discount on Chase while unloading assets that could depreciate over the off-season.
Tee Higgins is now the WR21, his lowest valuation in two years when he became a top-12 dynasty wide receiver in 2021 and remained there until this season. Higgins does have some question marks because he may not be back with the Bengals next season, but he is well worth the risk at WR21 overall prices. He could still end up in a good situation or re-sign with the Bengals, which would raise his value significantly over the off-season.
I’m also throwing Joe Burrow in here as a trade target because managers could be scrambling to find help at the quarterback position since Burrow’s injury, especially in superflex leagues. I would love to send a lower-valued quarterback such as Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, or even Dak Prescott for Burrow if I can. You may have to add something to some of the quarterbacks listed, but it could be worth something small. I sent Kyler Murray for Joe Burrow in one league to score fewer points this season to try to secure a higher pick and have Burrow ready to go for me next season.
Mark Andrews
Unfortunately, Mark Andrews‘ season was cut short with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 11. If Mark Andrews is on a contending team, you should target him and send off any assets that could help them fill the gap that Andrews leaves or any other potential pieces that could help them win. Mark Andrews is still only 28 years old, so he has plenty of time to come back strong and get back to being his dominant self. He is a difference-maker at the tight-end position. He is tied to a good offense for the foreseeable future, so he is a must-target for rebuilding teams looking for assets to help them avoid scoring this year but provide significant upside in the future. Andrews is still valued as the TE4 in dynasty, which makes sense considering the tight-end landscape, but you could potentially get a good deal for him from a desperate manager trying to win. Andrews will only gain value this off-season when he is fully healthy.
Jonathan Taylor
Here, we are targeting another injured star player, this time at the running back position, which is a position that is rarely recommended as a buy option for rebuilding teams. Jonathan Taylor is a good buy-low candidate because he is injured but is still young enough to warrant attempting to buy a running back. With his new contract, he will be a significant contributor to the Colts’ offense for years, and with Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ offense should be good for a long time. Taylor is currently valued as the RB6 in dynasty, which makes sense, considering it wasn’t long ago that he was the consensus dynasty RB1. Taylor was the RB11 in points per game this season and should remain a highly valued dynasty asset next season that you could potentially sell and get more valued than you paid for because of the injury discount.