8 Pre-Free Agency Dynasty Buys & Sells (2023 Fantasy Football)

With the 2022 season officially in the books for a couple of weeks now, it’s time to start kicking the tires on some speculative dynasty buys or shop around some of your players who could be in a worse situation after free agency. The best trading opportunities always present themselves when things are the least certain. Fortunately, our featured analysts are here to help you take advantage of that uncertainty. Read on below to see their top trade candidates mostly based on who has the best chances of being in a better or worse situation after players are done switching teams.

Dynasty Players to Trade Before Free Agency

Q1. Which player are you trying to buy the most in dynasty leagues before free agency and why?

Cooper Kupp (WR -LAR)
“Cooper Kupp had a productive 2022 season despite the team’s struggles. While he missed eight games, the superstar ended the year as the WR24 in half-point PPR scoring, averaging 18.2 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, Kupp was the highest-scoring wide receiver on a points-per-game basis in 2022. Before getting hurt in the Week 10 matchup, he had scored at least 12.7 fantasy points in all but one of the 25 games over the past two years. Meanwhile, the superstar receiver had 15 games during that span scoring 19 or more fantasy points. Despite turning 30 years old in June, Kupp is a must-buy for contending teams.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

Kenneth Gainwell (RB – PHI)
“It’s not that I think Gainwell is a star-in-waiting, but he plays in a terrific Eagles offense, and I’m optimistic that he’ll have a more clearly defined role with Miles Sanders and Boston Scott about to hit free agency. No doubt the Eagles will add new pieces at running back if they let Sanders and Scott walk, and Gainwell figures to be No. 2 on the depth chart at best. But No. 2 in an explosive offense isn’t bad, and it was encouraging that the Eagles ramped up Gainwell’s usage in the playoffs. Gainwell’s two highest snap counts of the season came in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. He averaged 11 carries and three targets in Philadelphia’s three playoff games, with a season-high 112 rushing yards against the Giants in the divisional round and a season-high 14 carries against the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. Gainwell is a talented young player whose stock is likely to go up when free agency thins out the Eagles’ RB room.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Kareem Hunt (RB – CLE)
“Kareem Hunt’s bizarre lack of usage is what really held him back in 2022, as he played over 50% of the snaps just once all year (Week 1) and averaged just 9.4 touches per game — which ranked outside the top 50 running backs in 2022. In 2021, Hunt averaged nearly three more touches per game. The 2023 free-agent rusher was also not particularly efficient with a career-low 3.8 yards per carry. His days in Cleveland are most certainly over which opens the door for him to return to fantasy RB1 status as a new team’s bellcow. I’d buy low on the 28-year-old running back who was a top-10 running back in PPR before an injury in 2021.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Mike Gesicki (TE – MIA)
“One player I am looking to buy low before free agency gets underway is Mike Gesicki. Gesicki was a top-12 fantasy tight end in PPR leagues for three consecutive seasons before 2022. With the Dolphins acquiring Tyreek Hill and employing Mike McDaniel’s offensive scheme, Gesicki became an afterthought. He caught just 10 passes over Miami’s final eight games and finished the year as the overall TE24. I think Gesicki can bounce back in 2023 in the right offense. To me, this is a situation that could be reminiscent of Evan Engram‘s from a year ago. Engram’s value had plummeted towards the end of his Giants’ tenure, and he ended up signing a one-year, $9 million contract with Jacksonville. Engram set new career highs in receptions and yardage, ending the year as the overall TE5 in PPR leagues. I can see Gesicki having a similar renaissance in 2023 and beyond under the right conditions. ”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

Expert Consensus 2023 Dynasty Superflex Rookie Draft Rankings: Top-50

Q2. Which player are you trying to sell the most in dynasty leagues before free agency and why?

Alvin Kamara (RB – NO)
“After averaging five yards per rushing attempt over the first four years of his career, Alvin Kamara has averaged only 3.9 yards per attempt over the past two seasons. More importantly, he had a career-low 10.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game in 2022. Meanwhile, the veteran turns 28 years old in July and is facing a lengthy suspension this upcoming season. Furthermore, the Saints are way over the salary cap limit and could release Kamara in a salary cap-saving move. At this point, I’d be ecstatic to get a late 2024 first-round pick for the veteran running back.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

Darnell Mooney (WR – CHI)
“He’s a talented receiver, but Mooney is stuck on the run-heaviest team in the league — Chicago ran the ball on 56.2% of its offensive snaps last year — and the Bears are destined to pump a lot of resources into their talent-starved WR corps. They have ample resources to do it. With nearly $100 million is salary cap room, the Bears are poised to be big players in free agency. There isn’t a great deal of free-agent talent at wide receiver, but the Bears are going to sign a receiver or two, and they’re probably going attack the WR position in the early rounds of the NFL Draft as well. With increased target competition in a run-heavy offense, Mooney is a sell in dynasty leagues.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

George Pickens (WR – PIT)
“Love the man, but he is primed to be traded at peak value for maximum ROI. Steelers second-year WR George Pickens is being valued higher than teammate Diontae Johnson, despite the latter’s superior target share in 2022 (16% vs. 27%). Pickens’ role can’t increase after he ran a route on 91% of dropbacks in 2022 and his target rate per route run of 14% tied last with Parris Campbell and Tyler Boyd among WRs who ran a route on 80% or more of dropbacks. Pickens is being over-hyped based on his age and highlight-reel catches — No.1 in FiveThirtyEight’s catch rate metric — but repeating inside the top-3 receptions on 20-plus air yard targets is easier said than done. ”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Najee Harris (RB – PIT)
“It may sound crazy to sell a running back who has yet to turn 25, but I am looking to sell Najee Harris in Dynasty leagues. I know that volume is king in fantasy football, but I don’t know how much longer Harris will see elite volume given his struggles. It is apparent the receiving volume Harris enjoyed in 2021 was a result of Ben Roethlisberger’s declining skills. Harris had just 41 catches for 229 yards last year. That is roughly where I would expect his receiving totals to land moving forward, assuming he is a lead back. This is the part I struggle with. Harris was one of the most inefficient and ineffective running backs in the NFL last season. He finished outside the top-50 in true yards per carry, yards per touch, and breakaway run rate, per Player Profiler. Harris also finished 154th in EPA (expected points added). Considering the depth of both the free agent class and incoming draft class of running backs, I would be shocked if Pittsburgh did not add a suitable complement to (and potential replacement for) Harris in the coming months. Without elite volume, I just do not see Harris continuing to be a starting-caliber fantasy running back. ”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

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Dynasty Featured Pros NFL Cooper Kupp Kenneth Gainwell Miles Sanders Boston Scott Kareem Hunt Mike Gesicki Tyreek Hill Evan Engram Alvin Kamara Darnell Mooney George Pickens Diontae Johnson Parris Campbell Tyler Boyd Najee Harris