It’s never too early to start building for the future. Especially in dynasty fantasy football leagues, this is a great time to capitalize on the players who finished the season strong. Although these players are easy to glamorize heading into the offseason, they are also the ones who need to be asked the tough questions. Is their breakout season or late-season surge sustainable? I’m no Buzz Lightyear, but in dynasty we always have to look (to infinity) and beyond.
One of the most predictive fantasy correlations is past production leading to future production. However, in the offseason, there is another variable: Change. Whether this is players in free agency or teams with new coaches, these are X-factor variables that increase the risk of predicting fantasy production. As a result, here are four players who had great seasons that may be worth trading away this offseason.
- Fantasy Football Research & Advice
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Dynasty Fantasy Football Players to Sell
Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)
I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I’d have the gumption to pull this move off. However, I think there is a compelling case that Puka Nacua is a perfect sell this season. One of my favourite parts of dynasty is the theoretical component that every player has a price. Nacua is one of the league’s best receivers and is coming off a WR1 overall season, so why would you consider selling him?
If you asked me this last offseason, my answer may have been completely different. However, another year of information and here we are. The entire argument to move on from Nacua is beyond him as a player. There is a slight chance that his physical style of play and injury history could be used as a reason to sell; however, it’s really about the situation surrounding him. Not only is Nacua coming off his best season yet, but so is Matthew Stafford. The MVP favorite led the league in passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46). In fact, the second-most passing touchdowns came from Jared Goff with 34. It has really been a remarkable season from the veteran signal-caller, especially when you consider how worried we all were about his back injury going into the season — don’t forget about that.
“But, Ellis, some players are quarterback-proof,” I can hear it already. That’s where this last season has been a very valuable data point. Justin Jefferson has single-handedly disproved that statement. Despite a great head coach and a well-rounded offensive environment, Jefferson finished as the WR25 on the season. This should have Nacua managers asking if they believe Stafford retires after this season or next. Even if he returns next season, to sustain both Davante Adams and Nacua as WR1s for fantasy, Stafford would need to have another MVP-worthy season. You could cash out for an absolute haul of draft picks or players now, while Nacua is coming off a season where he was the WR1 overall and ripping up the playoffs.
I believe a reasonable trade that could be completed in most leagues is moving Nacua for Ja’Marr Chase and likely a little extra (for example, a second-round pick). Chase is only 14 months older than Nacua and is locked into Joe Burrow as his quarterback for the foreseeable future. Even if you buy into the noise around Joe Burrow calling it a career early, he will be around for multiple seasons, at least. It will always be hard to stomach moving a piece like Nacua, but if you are receiving a star in return and potentially more, you should be able to sleep well.
Kyle Pitts (TE – FA)
Kyle Pitts finally flashed the ability that fantasy managers had been waiting for. Finishing the season as the TE2, it was a second half of the season to remember for the dynamic tight end. Unfortunately, there are a lot of uncertain variables as we head into the 2026 season. As a result, he makes this list as a sell candidate for this offseason.
First, Pitts’ increased role corresponded directly with the absence of Drake London. Before London’s injury in Week 12, Pitts was averaging 6.9 fantasy points per game. In the four games London missed, that number spiked to 16.8 points per game. Over that stretch was Pitts’ incredible performance against the Buccaneers, where he had 11 catches for 166 yards and three scores, which accounted for 24% of his season’s fantasy points. Thankfully, we may not need to worry about next year, as Pitts is currently a free agent. Even if he returns to the Falcons, they will have a new head coach, further muddying the waters.
Second, free agent tight ends who switch teams do not have a great track record for fantasy. Since 2018, there have been 10 fantasy tight ends I deemed notable for fantasy. This list includes Eric Ebron (2018), Austin Hooper and Jonnu Smith (2020), Zach Ertz and Hunter Henry (2021), Darren Waller and Evan Engram (2022), Dalton Schultz, Noah Fant and Mike Gesicki (2024). Of that list, only four had a better season after switching teams — Ebron, Smith, Henry and Engram. Smith’s best season came on his fourth NFL team, which was with the Dolphins in 2024. Meanwhile, Ebron’s 13 touchdowns in 2018 and Engram’s 114 receptions in 2023 were two seasons that neither player came close to repeating. Henry has been the one name that has shown some consistency with his new home in New England.
All in all, Pitts may still carry enough name value and recent production to net a decent haul in most leagues. There is still upside, since he is only 25 years old and could end up in an appealing situation for fantasy. However, his lack of blocking ability and the limited sample of fantasy production make any path to upside a tall task. If you want to bank on the stars aligning, he could still work out. However, I think the path is very unlikely, with substantial downside if things don’t work out. I would cash out before he disappoints fantasy managers once again.
Josh Jacobs (RB – GB)
As a general statement, trading away running backs who will be 28 years old to start the coming season is a decent dynasty philosophy. Although these players can still produce RB1 numbers for multiple seasons (for example, Derrick Henry), their shine quickly fades. Each year past 27, the dynasty value of running backs seemingly halves. How much more does Josh Jacobs have in the tank?
Technically, Jacobs has two more years on his contract with the Packers. However, there is an out for the team after the 2026 season. Jacobs has been outstanding for the Packers. Finishing as the RB5 and RB12, respectively, in his two seasons, the Packers have been a perfect spot for the veteran back. Unfortunately, we saw Jacobs deal with a few injuries this season, opening the door for more of a backfield split with Emanuel Wilson. The 2023 undrafted free agent (UDFA) has flashed explosive runs when given the opportunity. He was the only back on the Packers to rush for 100 yards in a game last season. To help keep Jacobs healthy for next season, we could see more of a split in 2026.
The other argument for selling Jacobs is his unsustainable touchdown rate. Thankfully, the Packers are one of the best-run organizations and should continue to have plenty of offensive success each season. That said, Jacobs has scored at least one touchdown in 21 of his 33 games with the Packers (including playoffs). In those 21 games, he has 31 touchdowns. In total, he has averaged 0.94 touchdowns per game with the Packers. Although this rate has been sustainable for two seasons, it’s hard for anyone to maintain that pace.
As a lead back on a great offense, surely he doesn’t have to score touchdowns to maintain his RB1 status. Right? Let’s check the stats. Over his 12 scoreless games as a Packer, Jacobs has averaged 7.7 fantasy points per game. For comparison, 7.7 fantasy points per game was the RB41 last season. Unlike most No. 1 RBs, Jacobs is shockingly reliant on touchdowns for is production. This rate could continue, and we could see another RB1 season for the veteran back. But we can’t ignore that with Father Time looming and injuries stacking up, Jacobs is on thin ice for fantasy purposes.
Rashee Rice (WR – KC)
Unfortunately, domestic violence and assault cases are not uncommon in the NFL. Some high-profile examples are Adrian Peterson, who had multiple allegations of child abuse. Deshaun Watson, who had 20 claims of sexual misconduct. And Tyreek Hill, who has multiple accusations of domestic assaults and pleaded guilty to one in 2015.
In April 2024, Rashee Rice was caught for street racing, causing a six-car collision that injured multiple individuals and fleeing the scene. This led to a six-game suspension to open the 2025 season. Recently, the mother of two of his children took to social media with an alarming post alluding to Rice assaulting her. This post included an image of her injuries and a description of what happened. After the post went viral, the Chiefs released a statement that they are aware of the accusations and are looking into them. The post has since been removed.
The conversation of players’ off-field legal issues and fantasy football is often overlooked. Regardless of whether you take issue with rostering these players for fantasy or not, Rice is a dynasty sell candidate.
The NFL is notoriously harsh on repeat offenders. Whether the offense is drug, automobile or assault related, the disciplinary actions only get more severe. Whether these allegations lead to any legal proceedings, it is likely the NFL will conduct its own investigation and could potentially suspend Rice for the second time in two years. These allegations also indicate a trend in Rice’s behaviour, increasing the risk of future disciplinary actions. Add in his impending contract season, and Rice becomes a hard player to trust for fantasy in the long term.
As for his fantasy production, Rice was the clear lead receiver once returning from suspension. With seven or more targets in each of his eight games this season, he had five top-10 finishes at the position. In his other three games, he failed to finish within the top 36 at the position. He may not have been the most consistent receiver, but the top target for Patrick Mahomes is always appealing. That said, this team desperately needs more receiving weapons for Mahomes, and has been suspected to look at receivers in this year’s draft.
Rice may be a talented receiver, but his skillset is fairly limited, and the team could benefit from drafting a more typical No. 1 WR. If you are trying to move Rice, managers may be optimistic that Kelce’s potential retirement could open up more targets. However, when Rice returned last season, Kelce’s role did not change. In fact, Kelce was more productive for fantasy with Rice in the lineup (10.9 points per game) compared to without Rice (9.7 points per game).
All in all, it may not be selling “high” on Rice right now, but his value could plummet if character issues continue to arise as he enters a contract year. With his skill set, Andy Reid is the perfect head coach. However, if the Chiefs decide to move on after his rookie contract, I don’t like his fantasy outlook. I have Rice as a sell candidate. Even with everything going on, you should be able to get 80% of his value. That’s high enough that I’d cash out and let someone else deal with the headache.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS | YouTube
