With free agency still ongoing and the NFL Draft upcoming, there’s still a lot of change coming to the fantasy football landscape. The key to winning dynasty deals is to trade for someone when their value is relatively low and send them away when their value is near or at its apex. With the league’s roster situation still in flux, you have the added dynamic of making speculative moves based on what you think might happen, which adds another fun layer of complexity. That said, it can be tough to decide who you’re targeting and selling considering the generally uncertain state of each team and player’s situation right now. Fortunately, our featured analysts have come to offer their suggestions on which trade candidates you’d be wise to buy or sell in dynasty. We also have some interesting conflicting takes on one notable NFC East wideout who recently got a new signal-caller.
For more dynasty trade advice, check out our Dynasty Trade Value Chart 
Q1. Which player are you buying now in dynasty leagues and why? Also, what are you willing to give up to get him?
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR – KC)
I had originally picked JuJu Smith-Schuster before the Tyreek Hill trade, and now he is a definite BUY in dynasty leagues. Unfortunately, the price probably just went up. It would have been better to buy low on Smith-Schuster before he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, and it definitely would have been better to buy before the Hill trade. I’m still buying, though. Smith-Schuster played in just five games last season, catching 15 of his 28 targets for 129 yards. But he’s just one year removed from a 2020 season that saw him catch 97 of his 128 targets for 831 yards and nine touchdowns, and he did that with a very limited version of Ben Roethlisberger throwing him the ball. Consider this, in both 2020 and 2021, Smith-Schuster’s yards per reception number was 8.6. From 2017-2019, that number was 15.8, 12.8, and 13.1, respectively. We could see the best version of the young wide receiver in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes. The most recent FantasyPros Dynasty Trade Value Chart has Smith-Schuster as a 23, which puts his trade value right around a second-round pick. I’d see if I could get him for a third or fourth if I tossed in a wide receiver like Russell Gage or Kenny Golladay. Even with the post-Hill trade tax, that might be enough to get it done.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
“It may be too late, but thanks to an abundance of ‘The Chiefs don’t target their No. 2 wide receiver’ talk, you still may be able to secure a 25-year-old wide receiver, two years removed from a 97-catch season, in a Patrick Mahomes-led offense for relatively cheap. A mid-second may be able to get a share of JuJu Smith-Schuster before the hype starts to build. While no longer viewed as a throw-in, he could potentially be had as an auxiliary piece in a package deal. With Kelce aging, and Smith-Schuster fully healthy, I am aggressively buying across all my leagues.
– Matthew Hill (DataForce Fantasy Football)
A.J. Dillon (RB – GB)
“Dillon has been a favorite offseason target, and that was even before Davante Adams left Green Bay. Dillon has really cut into Aaron Jones‘ workload. In the last eight regular-season games in which they were both active, Dillon out-carried Jones 110-82 and out-touched him 127-108. With Adams gone, the Packers figure to run the ball at a higher percentage than they did last season, and Aaron Rodgers figures to distribute a higher percentage of targets to his RBs. Dillon is a punishing runner and a surprisingly competent pass catcher (34-313-2 on 37 targets last season), and the best years of his career lay ahead as he enters his age-24 season. I’d give up Mike Evans or Mike Williams for Dillon, and I’d also consider parting with a rookie draft pick in the 1.11 to 2.02 range in superflex.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Elijah Mitchell (RB – SF)
“Mitchell has been a player I have been targeting all offseason. As soon as Mostert went down in Week 1, Mitchell had a stranglehold on the backfield through the 2021 season. Averaging 19 carries a game; he quickly became the bell cow on one of the NFL’s top rushing offenses. Mostert is out of the picture, and there is little to no threat to take Mitchell’s work. He will continue to lead the offense on the ground. He is currently my RB16, and I am happily moving a late 2022 first-round pick to acquire him. I’d also trade Ezekiel Elliot, Miles Sanders or Travis Etienne straight up for Mitchell.”
– Tyler Orginski (JWB Fantasy Football)
Trey Lance (QB – SF)
“I will be buying Lance whenever I can right now because it looks like his price is going to drop pretty hard as there is no trade market for Jimmy Garoppolo. Lance has the running upside of a QB like Jalen Hurts and even if he sits for a portion of this year if the Niners can’t move Garoppolo, I expect Lance to be the starter at the end of the season. I’d be willing to give up a position of strength on my team (if I’m deep at RB or WR then I’d trade my third best) or a first-round pick if I’m below the top six picks to get him. As discussed on the FantasyPros Dynasty Football Podcast with myself and Pat Fitzmaurice, the QBs get murky for future value after the top eight, so having Lance in your pocket could be beneficial and the price should be low right now.”
– Scott Bogman (FantasyPros)
Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)
“McLaurin comes to mind here. While he has suffered from nearly sub-par quarterback play over the course of his career, there is untapped talent lurking there. Make no mistake, Carson Wentz is far removed from his 2017 season. However, one could argue that he is the best quarterback McLaurin has had thus far. From a pick standpoint, he seems to fall in the late first-round or early second-round range. I’d rather try to bundle a player and a later pick to acquire him.”
– John Hesterman (Dynasty League Football)
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Q2. Which player are you selling now in dynasty leagues and why? Also, what kind of return are you looking for?
Saquon Barkley (RB – NYG)
“While Barkley’s stock has been trending down for a couple of years now, the arrival of Brian Daboll in New Jersey has given his name some juice. The Giants’ offense has been a train wreck across the board. Their offensive line has been one of the worst in the NFL, and their quarterback play has been equally bad. Oh, and Barkley has dealt with some significant injuries and just hasn’t looked like himself at times. But he’s still just 25 years old, and one of two things should happen ahead of the 2022 season: the Giants’ offense will improve at least incrementally, or Barkley could be traded and land in a better offense. Dynasty managers know this, and some are willing to buy a Barkley bounceback. This is great because I’m willing to sell the Barkley bounceback and, depending on the league format, think I can get a high draft pick.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Ja’Marr Chase (WR – CIN)
“This one might come as a surprise, but I am a fan of playing the market. For that reason, Chase is a sell. Don’t get me wrong, the guy put on a prolific rookie performance, and there is no reason he should slow down, but there is no better time to sell than when the value is sky-high. This isn’t about Chase as a player. It’s more about what you can get in return for the WR1 overall. I’ve personally seen him go for at least three first-round picks and I would not hesitate to move him for that haul. Alternatively, you can get equal production out of players like Tyreek Hill and Cooper Kupp and also add a 2023 first and a role player in exchange. If someone is buying Chase for these prices, I’m selling. ”
– Tyler Orginski (JWB Fantasy Football)
Dalvin Cook (RB – MIN)
“The cliff is coming. While the fantasy community collectively freaks out about Christian McCaffery’s recent injuries, not enough people are talking about Cook’s lengthy injury history. Cook has missed multiple games in each of his five seasons, will turn 27 before the start of the season and has to contend with Minnesota having one of the league’s top backup running backs. Despite this, he remains a consensus top 10 dynasty running back, often appearing near the top six in some analysts’ rankings. The reality is that Cook should remain a valuable weekly starter in the short term, but if you are not a realistic contender, you should have no trouble selling Cook for a 2023 first or more.”
– Matthew Hill (DataForce Fantasy Football)
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)
“St. Brown might be at peak value right now, so while I love him as a player, I might strike while the iron is hot. The Lions just added D.J. Chark as a free agent and I expect them to use a draft pick on another WR in this deep class. Couple those points with the fact that DeAndre Swift will get more work in the passing game and the Lions probably developing a QB, and I think St. Brown might have more value now than he has a few years down the road. If I can get a top-six pick in this year’s rookie draft, I would jump at it as it would probably get me a top-four WR and I would take six WRs in this class over St. Brown, regardless of landing spot.”
– Scott Bogman (FantasyPros)
Leonard Fournette (RB – TB)
“Trying to cash in after a career-best kind of finish is the smart move. At age 27 and with his value taking a bit of a bump up after re-signing with the Bucs, I’m all in on moving him now as opposed to waiting. Honestly, he could easily put up another fantastic season with Tom Brady back in town, which is why it is best to sell now while the value is still there. Try to bundle him for a player and a pick while his value remains high.”
– John Hesterman (Dynasty League Football)
Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)
“Hi. Frustrated Terry McLaurin stakeholder here. I keep waiting for Washington to solve its QB problem and fully unlock McLaurin’s talents, but the Ryan Fitzpatrick Band-Aid quickly fell off last season, and the recently acquired Carson Wentz is an unsatisfactory solution. Even though it feels like selling low, I’m looking to get out of the McLaurin business. I’d take either Travis Etienne or Mark Andrews for him straight up.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Thanks to the experts for sharing their advice! For more of their insight, be sure to follow each pundit on Twitter (click their names above) and visit their respective sites.
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