Noah Kenny | Mon, Aug 5th 2024, 7:08am EDT

5 Dynasty Trade Targets (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

David Njoku (TE – CLE)

David Njoku broke out in his seventh NFL season, scoring 40 more fantasy points than his previous 2018 career-high. Njoku has spent most of his career as an underutilized pass-catcher and his value was largely tied to his athleticism and potential. It finally came together in 2023. Njoku placed fifth among tight ends in receptions (81), third in targets (123), second in touchdowns (six), and sixth in yards (882). He also had seven receptions of 30+ yards, behind only George Kittle (eight). Njoku and Kittle tied in yards after the catch per reception with 7.4. No other tight end with a comparable sample size came close to them. Njoku is a featured, explosive element to the Cleveland offense.

The main concern with Njoku is that the bulk of his production came with Joe Flacco. That’s the main concern for the entire team. However, Njoku and Deshaun Watson started connecting in Weeks 8 and 9, totaling 14 targets, eight receptions, 103 yards and two touchdowns. Watson didn’t play again. Meanwhile, Njoku maintained his featured role, averaging 9.75 targets over the next eight games.

I’m not buying into the Watson reclamation project. I don’t expect Njoku to string together 100+ yard, multi-touchdown games like he did at the end of 2023. Yet, the two began showing signs of a connection before Watson was out for the season. If Watson has another freak injury, Jameis Winston has a long history of maintaining fantasy-relevant players. Njoku’s 20+% target share should remain intact with the signing of Jerry Jeudy. He’s also the Browns’ best red zone option (17 targets). Even if he doesn’t live up to last year’s heights, his TE14 position on the dynasty trade value chart leaves room for a positive return on investment.

Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA)

Target every Mike McDaniel running back. This has been good advice since his time as the run game coordinator in San Francisco. The Dolphins traded a 2025 third-round pick to move up for Jaylen Wright in the fourth round. This significant investment shows the team has a plan for him. If McDaniel has a plan, Wright should ascend from his RB37 spot on the dynasty trade value chart.

Wright possesses a dominating blend of size and athleticism. At the 2024 combine he registered a 4.38-second 40-yard dash, an 11’2” broad jump, and a 38” vertical. These explosive traits come in a muscular 210-pound, 5-foot-10 build. He also has good vision and runs with enough toughness and elusiveness to make full use of his traits. In 2023, he ran for 1,013 yards on 7.4 yards per carry. While he enjoyed Tennessee’s light boxes, he showed solo playmaking ability with an average of 4.35 yards after contact and a total of 43 missed tackles.

Wright projects to have a spot in Miami’s backfield rotation. Raheem Mostert should cede carries in his ninth NFL season and De’Von Achane lacks the durability to withstand a bell-cow role. A 26% explosive run rate tells me Wright can make the most of limited opportunities. The great thing about this backfield is that none of the three need 20 carries to be relevant. Wright is a great pickup at his current value. The massive potential is even worth an overpay. Detroit has already shown us that a team can finish with two top-20 running backs. Wright’s combination of size and speed complements Achane well. It also could make him the goal-line back moving forward. That’s a valuable spot on a team that had 27 rushing touchdowns last year.

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.

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5 Dynasty Trade Targets (2024 Fantasy Football)