Dynasty Trade Advice: Aaron Jones, Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams (2024 Fantasy Football)

To paraphrase the great Lewis Black, we are a nation of buyers and sellers. This month, your fantasy league mates are either setting up shop or opening up the checkbook as they prepare to start the 2024 season. Are you a buyer or a seller? Or are you a wheeler and dealer who shuffles their cards in the pursuit of value? Below are five dynasty trade targets. There’s something to have for both contending buyers and persistent value-chasers alike.

5 Dynasty Trade Targets

Aaron Jones (RB – MIN)

Aaron Jones wasn’t healthy for a big part of 2023. He missed six games and played fewer than 50% of snaps in five others. This was from a lingering hamstring injury and a separate MCL sprain. The dynasty community is quick to turn on veterans when they start showing signs of injury — for good reason. A once-automatic starter can turn to dust in an instant. Dalvin Cook and Austin Ekeler just vanished.

Jones, however, ended last year looking healthy and explosive. He rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs against Dallas and San Francisco. He also ended the regular season with three straight 130+ yard games. In his final six games (including playoffs) he ran for 5.5 yards per carry on a substantial 115 carries. That tops Christian McCaffrey’s league-leading season average of 5.4. Minnesota desperately needs a competent running back after spending 2023 feeding Alexander Mattison. Jones figures to have a prominent role in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

Before last year, Jones finished as a top-10 PPR running back in four straight seasons and played in 62 out of 66 regular season games. His injuries in 2023 weren’t major and he ended the year with high production on heavy volume. He’s still an explosive player. I’m willing to bet on him returning to his usual good health. The perceived risk is baked into his current value as RB34 on the dynasty trade value chart. That’s pretty low for a guy who can give you a top-10 season.

Matthew Stafford (QB – LAR)

Super Bowl quarterback Matthew Stafford ended 2023 on a rip. After missing a game due to a thumb ligament injury, Stafford recorded 20.5 fantasy points per game (PPG) in Weeks 11-17. This includes an outlier nine-point performance in his first week back from injury. Over 17 games, that equates to 348 fantasy points, which would have been good for QB4 in front of Lamar Jackson. Stafford continued his momentum into the playoffs, throwing for 367 yards and two touchdowns in a first-round loss.

Stafford still has an elite-level arm and he’s a gunslinger at heart. He’s a wide receiver’s best friend, as he’s helped Calvin Johnson, Kenny Golladay, Cooper Kupp, and now Puka Nacua on their way to top-10 seasons. The Rams look nice heading into 2024. They invested in their offensive line and have three elite weapons at their skill positions. There’s also Sean McVay. As long as he’s around I’m buying shares of this Rams offense.

The Stafford discussion is similar to what I said about Aaron Jones—health concerns with high upside. Stafford got off to a slow start in 2023 that you can partially attribute to his coming back from an elbow injury. Cooper Kupp’s health issues didn’t help. The Rams as a whole took a while to find their groove, starting the season with a 3-6 record. Stafford turning this around into a playoff berth and being a very productive fantasy player in the process shows he still has enough left in the tank to finish as a QB1.

Kyren Williams (RB – LAR)

This one feels silly. I feel silly. Of course, any dynasty team would like to have Kyren Williams. In past years, a young, highly productive running back would fetch multiple firsts on the market. Just ask managers who invested in the 2020 class of J.K. Dobbins, Antonio Gibson, and D’Andre Swift. Alright, so maybe you should practice caution, but pay attention to when the market overcorrects.

Williams ranks as the RB13 in the dynasty trade value chart. This is one spot above James Cook and two spots above Joe Mixon. It’s below Isiah Pacheco, Rachaad White, and Kenneth Walker. Williams’ injury history and the draft investment in Blake Corum have depressed Williams’ value significantly. Can you remember a time you could buy low on a 23-year-old who averaged 18.6 fantasy points per game?

Williams missed five games last year due to an ankle injury. His heavy workload and his 5-foot-9, 202-pound stature make for considerable risk. It’s understandable to look at the games played and back off for a more reliable starter, but in Williams’ case, the upside is worth the risk. Consider what he achieved in 12 games compared to what others did with a full season.

Williams finished as a top-10 running back in 75% of his games last year. When he plays, there’s a good chance you’re going to win. He finished third in rushing yards (1,144), third in total touchdowns (15), and second in fantasy points per game. Corum enters the league with his injury history and he’s the same age as Williams. He’s a valuable handcuff, but McVay historically prefers a bell cow. Even if his workload is diminished, Williams is efficient (5.0 yards per carry, 1.25 touchdowns per game). That’s enough production to remain a top running back.