Curtis Patrick provides strategic framework and specific dynasty trade ideas at the quarter pole of the season.
Dynasty Command Center 2023: Week 5 – Let The Trades Begin
After four weeks, nearly a third of the dynasty fantasy football regular season is in the books. There’s more road ahead than behind, but for some squads the range of outcomes writing is already on the wall. The air reeks of intermingling swirls of optimism and doubt. The dynasty trade window has flown back open.
In sales, there’s an age-old saying of A-B-C (Always Be Closing). In dynasty fantasy football, it’s A-B-T (Always Be Trading).
I believe all dynasty managers should always be looking to trade during the season. At minimum, it’s important to react to incoming trade offers with some feedback (at minimum), or ideally a counter offer. More aggressive or engaged managers should go on the offensive, seeking to meet the needs of other squads in the league while simultaneously addressing gaps on their teams, too.
While all managers should be looking to trade, there are team scenarios right now where managers must look to trade, and there’s a strategic rationale for why.
- 4-0 teams
- stay ahead by improving your weakest starting lineup position or adding high-end flexes to protect against injuries
- 3-1 teams that have scored considerably more than league-average points
- these squads are basically in the same position as the 4-0 teams
- 2-2 or 1-3 teams fall into two categories
- young squads on the rise should remain patient as their players emerge
- old 2-2 or 1-3 teams should seek to move a veteran to hedge against continued win-loss struggles in the coming month
- 0-4 squads
- you’re done, liquidate name-brand aging veterans for draft capital, acquire draft picks and young players
A front-runner (my direct competitor) and a low-end performer in one of my RotoViz TriFlex best ball dynasty leagues pulled off a trade last night that made a lot of sense for both teams. Let’s review it as an example.
Tiger King is currently sitting in first place and only two managers are within 100 points of his squad. I’m in second place and he knows I could get Austin Ekeler and Jonathan Taylor back soon, so if he wants to preserve his title chances, adding firepower was a must.
- Travis Kelce and Derrick Henry both seem to have taken steps back this year, but most would agree that Kelce is still the favorite to finish as the overall TE1 in points per game by the end of the season. Henry usually takes a while to heat up and is sitting at RB15 after the first month. He could provide major pop at the end of the year.
- In buying both of these players in one move, Tiger King added enough upside to realistically challenge my team even after Ekeler and Taylor return.
- He also prevented me and the team in third place from buying either player.
- Buying both players also helped further justify the cost. Buying only one may not have been enough to ensure this team would stay in the money hunt, but buying both almost guarantees a third place cash in this high stakes league, at worst.
Fantasybishop is in the bottom half in points and while the team has some solid younger players, the ceiling is capped for this team due to Zach Wilson and Daniel Jones representing the quarterback room on this superflex team.
- Even vintage, elite production by Kelce and Henry wouldn’t be enough for Fantasybishop to cash in this league in 2023. Selling (and selling now) was the right move.
- This timing will weaken performance to the maximum possible level the rest of the year and improve the value of his draft picks.
- In acquiring Kyler Murray and a 2024 first-round pick, Fantasybishop bought two assets that should increase in value over the course of the season.
- He also (probably) addressed the QB1 void on his roster.
This was really an ideal dynasty trade in a high stakes league. It was mutually beneficial and signaled a clear path for each team the rest of the season. Use this deal as a framework for your front-running squads or struggling teams.
Before we get into trade target lists for different team types, be sure to check out some macro-view pieces from Shawn Siegele and Mat Irby that translate well to dynasty strategy and potential trade targets, too.
Zero RB Universe: Week 5 – Controversial Backfield Stashes
5 Things That Matter From Week 4, and 5 Things That (Probably) Don’t
Quarterpole Dynasty Trade Targets – 3 Players That Should Be Changing Hands in Most Dynasty Leagues This Month
I’m not going to highlight every possible trade target, because anyone who has listened to my on the Dynasty Command Center Podcast over the years knows that most players have a desirable buying price. Those types of lists can also easily turn into dynasty rankings rundowns. Sure, go try to buy Justin Jefferson right now and let me know how that goes for you.
Instead, I’ll feature players that should be realistic to trade for in the eyes of buyers and sellers, as well as a few fallback options. We already discussed Kelce and Henry above, and they would both certainly qualify as players that should be traded plenty in October.
The exact prices I provide may or may not close a deal, but they should be strong enough opening offers (coming from either the buyer or the seller) to lead to good conversation and counters.
