Dynasty Trades to Make Ahead of Super Bowl LVII (2023 Fantasy Football)
AJ Dillon may be in line for RB1 duties in 2023.
The 2022 NFL season is almost over, as Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles is the last game of the year. After that, all 32 NFL teams will shift their focus to the offseason. However, fantasy football players turned their attention to the offseason a few weeks ago.
While there are still seven months until the 2023 NFL season, now is the best time to make trades in your dynasty leagues. With the Super Bowl less than two weeks away, fantasy players need to trade for and trade away these 10 players.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles >>
Players To Trade For
The Packers head into the offseason with a massive decision to make with Aaron Rodgers. If Green Bay trades away the future Hall of Famer, expect Aaron Jones to have played his final down for the team. The Packers can save up to $16 million in salary cap space by releasing the veteran running back. More importantly, it will give Dillon the opportunity for a featured role. Despite playing only 48.9% of the snaps this year, Dillon was the RB25 in half-point PPR scoring, averaging nine fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he averaged 0.73 fantasy points per opportunity this season on 214 touches. If he had even a 22% increase in touches, Dillon would have averaged 11.2 fantasy points per game in 2022, making him the RB15.
We can all agree that Akers is a fantasy star in the making. Just kidding, the Los Angeles running back might be the most polarizing player in fantasy football. After the failed trade request and the release of Darnell Henderson, Akers finished the year strong. Over the final six weeks of the year, the former Florida State star was the RB4 in half-point PPR scoring, averaging 16.8 fantasy points per game. By comparison, Tony Pollard averaged 14.3 fantasy points per game in 2022. While he took advantage of some appealing matchups, Akers should have at least a lead role, if not a featured role, for next season. Furthermore, he is entering the final year of his rookie deal and will be motivated to have a career year.
There is a new No. 1 wide receiver in San Francisco. While Deebo Samuel missed time with injuries this year, he still averaged 0.3 fewer half-point PPR fantasy points per game than Aiyuk. Furthermore, he averaged 1.7 fantasy points per target, while Samuel averaged 1.1 fantasy points per target. More importantly, the 49ers could trade Aiyuk in the offseason to a team like the Chicago Bears or New York Giants, who desperately need a No. 1 wide receiver. San Francisco can’t keep everyone and must work out a long-term deal with Nick Bosa as he is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Regardless of where he plays next year, Aiyuk is a star in the making.
Kupp was excellent for fantasy players despite Los Angeles’ struggles this season. While he missed eight games, the superstar ended the year as the WR24 in half-point PPR scoring, averaging 18.2 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, Kupp was the highest-scoring wide receiver on a points-per-game basis in 2022. Before getting hurt in the Week 10 matchup, the superstar receiver had scored at least 12.7 fantasy points in all but one of the 25 games over the past two years. By comparison, Kupp had 15 games during that span scoring 19 or more fantasy points. While he will turn 30 years old in June, Kupp has multiple elite years left in his career.
While Dotson ended the year the WR50, averaging 9.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, the former Penn State receiver was a star when healthy. Removing the first three games back from a nagging hamstring injury, Dotson averaged 12.1 fantasy points per game in 2022. He would have been a top-12 wide receiver over a 17-game pace with that fantasy average. More importantly, Dotson led all rookies in receiving touchdowns (seven) while finishing 15th in the NFL in only 12 games. Furthermore, he would have totaled 10 receiving touchdowns over a 17-game pace, the sixth-most in the league. With Curtis Samuel possibly getting cut this offseason, Dotson will be the clear-cut No. 2 wide receiver moving forward in Washington.
Players To Trade Away
Some will hate this pick, but there are some concerns with Allgeier. The Falcons will have the second-most cap space this offseason with several talented free-agent running backs on the open market. As a rookie, Allgeier averaged only 9.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game and 0.67 fantasy points per opportunity. More importantly, Arthur Smith had the former BYU star splitting work all season. The rookie didn’t play more than 62% of the snaps in any game until Week 18. Furthermore, Allgeier played fewer than 50% of the snaps in nearly half of the games this season. Fantasy players should take advantage of his solid finish to end the year and trade away the rookie.
The writing is on the wall for Kamara. Over the first four years of his career, the star running back averaged five yards per rushing attempt. By comparison, Kamara has averaged 3.9 yards per rushing attempt over the past two years. Meanwhile, the former Tennessee star had four lost fumbles in 2022, when he had two entering the season. More importantly, Kamara had a career-low 10.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game in 2022. The running back turns 28 years old in July and isn’t the same explosive runner he was a few seasons ago. Furthermore, the Saints are way over the salary cap limit. They could move on from Kamara this offseason in a salary cap-saving move.
In his first year in Jacksonville, Jones had a career year with 82 receptions on 121 targets for 823 receiving yards, making him the WR26 in half-point PPR scoring. Furthermore, he averaged 9.8 fantasy points per game, more than twice his season average in 2021. However, 47.2% of his fantasy points and 80% of his touchdowns came during a hot four-game stretch. Outside of that hot streak, Jones averaged only 6.9 fantasy points per game this season, which would have made him the WR62 for the year. Meanwhile, Calvin Ridley should make his Jaguars debut next season, pushing Jones down on the depth chart.
By no means is St. Brown a must-sell candidate. However, fantasy players should consider active trade offers for the second-year receiver. St. Brown averaged 1.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per target in the contests with under 10 targets this season. By comparison, the former USC star averaged 1.7 fantasy points per target in the matchups with double-digit targets. Even as a rookie, he averaged 0.8 fewer fantasy points per target in the games with under 10 targets than in the contests with double-digit targets. The Lions will likely add another receiver in free agency or early in the draft. Combine that with Jameson Williams‘ limited rookie season, and St. Brown’s target volume will likely decline next year.
What passes for a tight end nowadays? Apparently, 21 receptions over the past three years is all you need to be a tight end like Hill. The gadget player has averaged 9.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game over the past three years after averaging 84.3 rushing attempts and 6.7 rushing touchdowns per season. Hill had a career-high 96 rushing attempts, scoring 141.3 fantasy points this year. However, 24.1% of his fantasy points came in the matchup against an awful Seattle Seahawks run defense. He had three rushing touchdowns and a passing score in that game. Outside of that one contest, the veteran averaged 7.2 fantasy points per game, making him the TE14 on a points-per-game basis.
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
