Opinions are mixed on whether having deadlines in dynasty leagues is a good idea. On the one hand, no deadline opens up a longer window for managers to make trades and improve either their short-term goals or for rebuilding teams to help their long-term goals. Those in favor of the deadline tend to believe that it can bring about a rush of activity with similar benefits. This article will aim to help those facing a deadline with decisions that will help their rosters.
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Dynasty Fantasy Football Players to Buy, Sell & Hold
Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)
Joe Burrow is one of the most interesting assets in dynasty leagues right now. If you’re a contender you likely need to sell Burrow to maximize your championship window and you’ve likely already received some low-ball offers. Burrow’s value should be firmly still in the three first-round picks area, but you’ll more likely be looking for a quarterback as well as picks. To sell a genuine cornerstone asset like Burrow you need to make sure you receive a locked-in long-term starter as part of the deal. If you’re in a rebuild then giving up assets to acquire an elite quarterback should be a no-brainer.
Deshaun Watson (QB – CLE)
Getting fair value for Deshaun Watson will be harder than Burrow, with “fair value” being a very ambiguous term right now. Watson has had perhaps two good games in the past three years and while he was once a top-five quarterback, the days of him being priced there in dynasty are truly over. If you’re a contender then selling Watson for a first plus any currently starting quarterback would make sense. And if you’re a rebuilder and want to embrace some volatility in the name of seeing a potential increase in value, then Watson should be attainable for two firsts, or similar value.
Austin Ekeler (RB – LAC)
By now you’ve probably seen the tape of Austin Ekeler looking rather slow against the Green Bay Packers. And it adds to a worrying trend for Ekeler who is averaging 3.2 yards per carry since Week 6. With questions looming over Brandon Staley’s future as well as Ekeler entering the final year of his contract at age 28 (when running backs often hit the wall) it’s all looking rather alarming. Whether you’re a contender or rebuilder, you should be looking to trade away Ekeler sooner rather than later. His value could plummet in the offseason.
Devin Singletary (RB – HOU)
Dameon Pierce has struggled mightily this season: He’s dealt with injuries, poor offensive line play early on in the year and failed to pick up the new playbook. None of these issues have prevented Devin Singletary from having an excellent streak, though. Singletary has scored the ninth-most points at the position in the past three games. Singletary is a sneaky buy-low. The manager who currently rosters him might believe Singletary’s value is low because Pierce could be back soon. If you can pivot from Austin Ekeler down to Singletary and some picks, that could look very good if Singletary holds onto the job. If you’re a rebuilder, now is the time to cash in before Singletary’s value plummets once more in the offseason.
Dameon Pierce (RB – HOU)
Meanwhile, Pierce is a player that you’ll struggle to move right now with his value no higher than a mid-second-round pick at best. The grim reality is that now might not be the best time to try and sell Pierce. Opt to hold onto him and hope next year he bounces back. If you’re contending and believe Pierce takes the job back, it would be a very risky trade to make. There are probably better options out there, too.
Joe Mixon (RB – CIN)
The Bengals fantasy production will take a massive hit without Burrow on the field for the rest of the season, and it could go one of two ways for Joe Mixon. First, he could be the security blanket for Jake Browning and see an uptick in passing work, as well as being relied on by the Bengals to take some pressure off of Browning. Or, the opposing defenses will sell out to stop the run and force Browning to take them on through the air. Without Samaje Perine the Bengals have been content to lean on Mixon, but he’s struggled to run the ball consistently and now would be a good time to trade him away if possible. If you can pivot to receivers Chris Godwin or Courtland Sutton directly, they may have more value in a year’s time.
Ty Chandler (RB – MIN)
Alexander Mattison has been woeful all year and the Vikings seem to realize it after they’ve increasingly given other backs opportunities to shine. Ty Chandler could cost you as little as two third-round picks and potentially be the lead back in Minnesota within a few weeks. Chandler is worth paying for now to bolster a contending room. If you’re considering selling, ask yourself whether you think Chandler will ever see a better value than right now. It’s more likely the Vikings look to replenish this running back room in the offseason, so it might make the most sense to get what you can for Chandler.
Zach Charbonnet (RB – SEA)
With Kenneth Walker III dealing with an oblique injury, it’s prudent to consider selling high on Zach Charbonnet. The rookie has yet to really impress despite a bunch of opportunities and while Walker’s injury may cause him to miss some time, in 2024 we’re incredibly likely to be back in a timeshare once again. If you can gain value upon what you paid for Walker in 2023, it’s worth doing if you’re not contending.
Brian Robinson (RB – WAS)
We all knew that Robinson could work between the tackles but his pass-catching upside has been very pleasant for fantasy football managers. Robinson is having a nice season, but it seems likely that the Commanders move on from Ron Rivera when the season is over. Unless offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy steps into the big chair (finally), then a new head coach might have their own feel for the running back room. Robinson’s value is equivalent to an early second-round pick and some sugar on top. He’s a great buy for contenders and an obvious sell for everyone else.
Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)
The value of the Chargers first-round rookie dropped as badly as the pigskin did on Sunday night. Ultimately you’ll struggle to get value back on the late-first or early-second round pick you paid for Johnston in 2023. Right now managers just have to hold the line and hope for an increase in Johnston’s value next year. There will likely be a sell window open up in the offseason if the Chargers move on from one or both of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
Last year feels an awfully long time away for Jaylen Waddle managers, but here we are with Waddle significantly behind Tyreek Hill in the pecking order. The Miami Dolphins offense has regressed since the early part of the season and their schedule is about to get much harder for the fantasy playoffs, which might just force them into pass-heavy scripts a little more often. If you believe that’s good news for Waddle then he might be cheaper than he’ll be for a while. Rebuilders can look to pivot to rookie picks instead and keep churning the value.
Marquise Brown (WR – ARI)
The return of quarterback Kyler Murray was supposed to help Marquise Brown but instead, he’s seen his points per game drop from 12.5 to 3.5 and struggled to have an impact in the two games Murray has played. Brown is in the final year of his contract in the offseason and doesn’t seem like a candidate for the franchise tag, so if you’re buying him you’re taking on a large amount of risk. If however, you can leverage that risk against an owner to buy low, perhaps a mid-second and a mid-third, then it’s absolutely worth doing.
Drake London (WR – ATL)
The Falcons simply cannot come into the 2024 season with Desmond Ridder as their quarterback. One could make the argument that virtually any quarterback will be an upgrade, particularly if Arthur Smith is also gone. London has balled out in patches, but not consistently. And if you’re a rebuilding team then London is a clear asset that could increase in value in the next six months, making him a solid buy candidate at around a mid-first round pick cost.
George Pickens (WR – PIT)
The Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada, who has been much maligned by fans and there is the potential for this offense to take a significant step forward, if not now then at least next year. Due to the cult of George Pickens, he can be hard to acquire but an early-second-round pick combined with a couple of thirds would be fair, and we know the ceiling abilities Pickens possesses.
Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL)
A risky win-now move would be to acquire Rashod Bateman on the cheap now that the Ravens are missing star tight end Mark Andrews. Bateman has played well in recent weeks: He’s rediscovered his speed and soft hands, but he’s lacked volume which shouldn’t be a problem any longer. Bateman’s value is currently a late second, which could be a bargain not just now, but also in 2024 if Odell Beckham leaves the Ravens after his one-year contract expires.
Keenan Allen (WR – LAC)
Another win-now move, albeit a pricier one, would be to trade for Keenan Allen. He’s been balling out with great consistency and is available for a late first-round pick. If you’re not contending it’s probably worth moving on with Allen getting older and facing free new leadership in L.A.
Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)
It hurts, but if you’re a contender you have to choose between holding to an elite asset or moving on for guaranteed points. While that’s not a bad thing to do, it’s worth remembering how difficult it is to find a solution at tight end in dynasty. Don’t sell cheaply though as Andrews is still worth at least a mid-first-round pick in 2024.
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