It’s that time of year again. Dynasty trade season. It’s time to assess your team. Where are your weaknesses, what assets do you have, and are there any that could depreciate in value by the start of the 2022 season? These are all questions every dynasty owner needs to answer at the start of every offseason in their never-ending pursuit of a championship.
The GoingFor2 team, as well as some friends of other fantasy sites, are here to give you a few “Dynasty players you need to trade now.” It could be an aging star that still has value, it can be a player coming off a big 2021 season and you want to capitalize on a spike in value, or it can be a player you simply don’t like going forward.
I made sure to tag all the writers so you could tweet at them and tell them why they are wrong…or right. Enjoy…
WR DJ Moore (CAR)
DJ Moore has been a favorite of mine ever since he entered the league, but it’s time to move on. His name alone should be able to net you a decent return, maybe a pick and a WR2 with upside. There’s a huge question mark at QB for the Panthers and I don’t think I can go another year relying on Sam Darnold and PJ Walker to consistently feed my WR2. The QB of the future is not on this roster and who knows if HC Matt Ruhle is around beyond this year. I love the player but I hate the situation so sell Moore now while you can! Jerry Wilke @JerryWilkeFM
WR DK Metcalf (SEA)
DK Metcalf holds still great value at a young age, however, there’s still Tyler Lockett in town, and with the big uncertainty at QB, I think you can safely shop him around or at least put him on your trade block and see if you get a solid offer. Jared Good @TheYetiExpressÂ
RB Leonard Fournette (TB)
Leonard Fournette was a huge value in 2021, and it really shouldn’t have been surprising. A former first-round talent coming off an impressive playoff run should have been much higher in ADP or at least on every analyst’s list of sleepers. Alas, the fantasy world was distracted by Ronald Jones and Giovanni Bernard.
In the end, “Playoff Lenny” turned into “Regular Season Lenny”. Fournette became Tom Brady’s most trusted running back on his way to finishing 4th in average fantasy points per game for running backs. In total, Fournette racked up over 1200 all-purpose yards, 10 touchdowns, and had a remarkable 69 receptions.
So, why is Fournette a sell? First, this is almost certainly the high mark for Fournette’s value going forward. Second, Fournette enters 2022 as a free agent. Fournette has earned a contract, but where will he sign? I like Fournette’s fantasy outlook much more in Tampa. He benefited significantly from Tampa’s potent offense as well as Brady’s willingness to involve him in the passing game.
Another variable is Brady’s status. While I expect Brady to return next season, it’s not a guarantee. Third, Fournette is 27 and not without his share of injuries. Even this year, his season was cut short by a hamstring injury in Week 15. Overall, I’d prefer to cash out on Fournette at peak value now over gambling on sustained success. Jay Christensen @JayC_DFF
Embed from Getty ImagesWR Marquise Brown (BAL)
Don’t get me wrong, he’s been a deep threat target who finished with over 1000 yards receiving this season and he’s looked like Lamar’s main guy, but it’s time to trade. Lamar will come back stronger, and in my opinion, I feel like Bateman will emerge as WR1. Granted Bateman finished the season 3rd on the team behind Brown and Andrews, but he’ll be 1st next season. So shop Hollywood around now. Search out the Lamar owner and offer him a stack! Courtney Burrows @luvtractor3
WR/RB Cordarelle Patterson (ATL)
Patterson burst onto the Fantasy scene in 2021 and found himself in the right place at the right time. The Falcons were a team in need of playmakers, and thus Patterson was thrust into a prominent role. Patterson certainly showed out, with over 1100 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns. He’ll be a free agent in the offseason and may command a contract larger than the Falcons can afford. I doubt there are too many teams who would use Patterson in the same way. That, combined with the fact that he is reaching his age 31 season, makes him a player you should shop around now and maximize value. Charles Vakassian @chuckster7777 from FantasySixPack.net
RB Dalvin Cook (MIN)
This one might hit a nerve, but it’s time to let go of Cook. Cook demands the ball when he is on the field. Cook has 3851 yards and 35 touchdowns over the last three years. But this is the time you will get the most for him. He could net you a 1st round pick and 1 or two players you can put in your lineup. There is also a lot of uncertainty on the team right now.
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We don’t know who the Minnesota Vikings head coach is going to be yet, so the run-heavy offense Cook is used to might be changing. He also has a lot of mileage on his body over the last three years with 814 rush attempts and 131 receptions. So trade Cook now and get the most for him while you still can. Jesse Baum @jessebaum5 from FantasySixPack.net
Embed from Getty ImagesRB Ezekiel Elliott (DAL)
Elliott has been a stud for so long, you might not have noticed the slow and gradual decline. Much of Zeke’s success has been because of the high volume of carries he gets, but that number has declined each of the last four years down to a career-low 237 carries this year. And remember, that’s with 17 games. He got fewer carries this year than he did even in 2017 when he played just ten games. But it’s not just the volume.
His rushing yards per game have declined each and every one of his last six seasons. This season he fell to less than 60 yards per game! Even if we add his receiving yards to that total, that too is career-low at under 17 yards. The good news is he’s still scoring TDs. So you might be able to trade him still, but even the 12 TDs puts him outside the Top 5.
If there wasn’t another talented back in Dallas, Zeke might be able to give you one more really good season. But it is easy to see that Tony Pollard is clearly more explosive than Elliott is now. Doubt what our eyes are telling us? Running behind obviously the same offensive line, Pollard averaged 5.5 YPC to Zeke’s 4.2. Pollard is going to be the primary RB in Dallas soon, it’s just a question of how soon. Still being ranked as a top-25 option, sell him now while you still can. Mark Strausberg @MarkStrausberg from FantasySixPack.net
DB Jabrill Peppers (NYG)
First off let it be said I’m not a fan. So this may be a bit of a recap now that he is an unrestricted free agent. But I’m avoiding Peppers everywhere. At least to the point, I’ll rely on him to start every week for me. And quite frankly his biggest IDP flaw is his NFL ability. He’s just not all that good and has benefited from playing for the Giants for the last few years. Sure, he’s been a solid IDP play, but on the field, he’s all over the field in grading out on paper.
There are plenty of other options to put stock in this coming season. Assuming we’re looking at last year’s ADP. It’s highly unlikely he signs with the Giants again. Xavier McKinney has made Peppers expendable. And even if he does resign he had already given way to McKinney before getting injured. And he’d need to land at a perfect spot otherwise to garner any attention. I’m just suggesting the risk versus the reward likely isn’t worth it long term. Simple, the odds are he won’t land a gig like he has had with so much opportunity he had in New York. Gary VanDyke @TheIDPTipster from GridironRatings.com
WR Julio Jones (TEN)
While beloved by many, it’s time to move on from Jones. He’s dealt with a hamstring issue for the past two seasons and has been inconsistent. He recorded a low of four touchdowns over the past two seasons and is not someone to rely on in the clutch. Although Jones has been one of the top receivers since entering in 2011, it seems as other receivers are topping him off.
While sharing receiver slots with teammate A.J. Brown, Jones seems to be the sidekick. While Brown has made more appearances in 2021, Brown doubled Jones in receiving yards this season and seems to be the favorite to Ryan Tannehill. Jones still has some pop in his game however I would shop him around for a higher-class receiver. Rephael Negnewitzky @RephaelN613 from Primetimesportstalk.com
Embed from Getty ImagesRB Christian McCaffrey (CAR)
In 2019, McCaffrey was the RB1 with 471.2 PPR fantasy points. He had arguably the best fantasy season ever that year, averaging 8.5 more fantasy points per game than any other running back. McCaffrey averaged 25.2 touches per game in 2019. However, McCaffrey has missed 23 of the 33 games since the 2019 season because of numerous nagging injuries. McCaffrey has 1,138 touches in 58 career NFL games, averaging 19.6 touches per game. During his three-year career at Stanford, McCaffrey had 731 touches, with 672 coming over the final two years. With 1,869 touches in his college and NFL career, the wear and tear have impacted McCaffrey’s body.
McCaffrey will turn 26 in July, the typical age where running backs begin their decline. The soonest the Carolina Panthers can get out of McCaffrey’s deal is after the 2022 season. However, doing so will create less than $5 million in cap space and leave nearly $13 million in dead money. The more likely outcome is the Panthers holding onto McCaffrey until after the 2023 season, where they can open up over $10 million in cap space by releasing him.
The best-case scenario for fantasy owners is the Panthers add a running back to lighten McCaffrey’s workload. Assuming he stays healthy, McCaffrey will remain productive despite fewer touches. However, McCaffrey is a ticking bomb for fantasy owners. Now is the time to trade him away based on his name recognition. Mike Fanelli @Mike_NFL2 from Primetimesportstalk.com
RB Derrick Herny (TEN)
No doubt I am in violation of a royal decree by suggesting that you move on from the King, but this might be your last opportunity in dynasty. At 28 years old he may be a tough sell, but a win-now manager banking on one more strong season from Henry will likely be willing to provide a fair return.
To be fair, I do expect Henry to have a strong 2022 campaign as of now. However, going into his seventh season on the wrong side of the age cliff, off of extremely heavy usage, and now with proof that he is, in fact, mortal, he’ll almost certainly be immovable after 2022. History has not been kind to players in such a position. It’s time for you to find yourself a new king. Kris McConkie @FF_Tycoon from ffkollectiv.com
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