The 2022 season is officially in the rearview mirror. Now dynasty players turn their attention to the offseason and look to make some moves. No one should ever be off limits, but there are definitely some players I’m not trying to move, at least not yet. Here are some players on my “do no trade” list as we head into draft season in dynasty.
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Dynasty Do Not Trade List (2023 Fantasy Football)
Quarterback
Jackson finished the fantasy season on most people’s benches. Not ideal. He finished as QB14 in total points with 236.08 on the season, a 19.7 PPG average (QB6). Whether or not the Ravens win in the postseason, there’s a very real chance that Jackson isn’t on the team in 2023. Wherever he lands, you’re going to want him on your team, so don’t trade him now. Personally, I’m waiting until he signs with a new team or signs with the Ravens before even checking for a price. No reason at all to shop him before that though. Just continue to hold.
Unlike Jackson, Fields finished the year on fire. He finished as QB6 on the year with a whopping 295.98 points on the year. His rushing ability was on full display down the stretch, making a case for him to be among the top 10 QBs in dynasty. If you held him this long you’re not trading him away now unless you get a haul in return. The Bears are slated to pick first overall in April, and depending on who they select or who they trade with, Fields could see his value change drastically. No matter what happens, Fields is becoming a stud, and you hold players like that.
Running Back
Depending on how you look at it, Etienne either dominated this year or greatly underperformed. His dynasty ADP in August was 15th overall (RB5) in 1QB. He finished 2022 as RB17 in PPR, obviously below that, but in dynasty, a player’s value is more than his single-season outputs. Etienne showed that he could play and play well. He played in 17 games this year for a team heading to the playoffs. The Jaguars leaned on him and he responded. If you have Etienne, you’re probably not exactly happy with him, but you have to hold on. He’s still young and finding his footing in this league, and I seriously think he’ll be a top-10 RB for dynasty before next year begins. Unless you’re getting that value for him, just hang in there.
What hasn’t been said about Breece Hall? His rookie season was cut short due to injury, but fantasy managers saw enough to rocket him up their draft boards. Hall was RB3 (8th overall) in December ADP and rightfully so. He’s only behind Jonathan Taylor and Kenneth Walker. With Bijan Robinson set to enter the league in April, Hall could fall another spot, but I think he rises. The further away the season gets, the more people will want Hall. Now that no one’s scoring points, Hall will be back in that RB1 conversation. No reason to move him for pennies before that happens. Stick it out.
The Cowboys signed veteran RB Ezekiel Elliott to a long contract and promptly transitioned to Pollard in 2022 anyway. Their hands were tied. Pollard is just that good. He finished as RB8 on the year in PPR scoring and RB9 in points per game. Aside from missing a few games, Pollard was about as reliable as you can expect in fantasy. If he’s on your roster, odds are good you’ve fielded offers for him all year. Might as well hold out a little longer as his value rises, right? There’s nothing I can see that makes his value go down, so just hang on and plan on starting him for your title run in 2023.
Wide Receiver
Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ)/Chris Olave (WR – NO)
I lumped these two rookies together because the reasoning behind holding them is very similar. Both are going into their second year with question marks at the QB position. Both had amazing rookie seasons and produced at or above expectations. Both are likely at the beginning of long and productive careers. So why on earth would you trade either of them away? If anything, I’m trying to acquire these two wherever I can. Olave finished as WR24 and Wilson finished as WR26. While that’s pretty awesome, both are likely top-10 WRs heading into 2023. Hold, hold, hold.
Smith surprised me, I’m not gonna lie. His WR8 finish was not something I expected. He finished as WR14 in points per game, making him a clearcut every week starter. Don’t get me wrong, I thought he’d do well, but I didn’t think he’d do this well. That entire Eagles offense is firing on all cylinders, and no one expects that to stop. As long as the team is largely the same next season, Smith should be a WR1 in dynasty in almost every format. That means I’m holding on until I see a reason to move him, which may not come until 2024. Unless someone’s willing to overpay, he’s staying on my roster.
Another young receiver I’m happily holding is the Steelers rookie. Pickens had a very up-and-down year, without a doubt, and his WR47 finish on the season backs that up. He only had 729 yards on 49 catches though, so I think this is his floor. The Steelers also had a lot of issues at QB as Kenny Pickett got up to speed at the pro level. I don’t see the Steelers giving up on him just yet, so I’m not giving up on Pickens either. As both grow together, I fully expect Pickens to make a case for a top-20 WR in this league. He showed flashes of his superior talent, now he just needs the volume to go with it. I’m on board because I think he sees that in 2023 and beyond.
Tight End
Much like I said about Smith, Goedert surprised me this year just because of how good he ended up being. In a position with so many streamable options, I really want someone I can put in my lineup and not have to worry about. Goedert became a TE like that this year. He missed some time due to injury, but his TE5 finish in points per game tells me everything I need to know. Goedert has the potential to be in that top tier of TEs, so I’m holding on until he does that, or until he proves me wrong. With all of the turnover at the position, Goedert is an easy hold. I’m not sending offers to move him, and I’m probably declining almost every offer that comes my way. He’s just that good.
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Andrew Hall is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, follow him @AndrewHallFF.
