Part 1 of this article focused on Win Now teams looking to make a deep playoff push in 2021, and recommended players to trade for that have great fantasy playoff schedules. After Week 8, hopefully, you listened and made some of those moves before it was too late. And hopefully, you didn’t trade for Michael Thomas in hopes he would be back this season (yikes).
However, dynasty is a game measured by years and if you traded for him like I suggested, you got him at a discounted value. The football landscape changes by the minute and now in Week 9 you may have finally come to the realization that this is a rebuilding year. It’s time to fill the Iron Bank as @Chalk discusses in his Art of Dynasty (Chapter 5). Here are some veteran players that hold good trade value to allow you to stockpile picks for the next few years.
Part 2: Rebuilding Teams
Tom Brady (QB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Brady is currently the QB1 and the overall #2 player in PPR fantasy leagues. Despite what anyone says, NO ONE, had Tom Brady ranked this high coming into 2021. In certain formats like the Scott Fish Bowl, Brady was ranked very high by some analysts like Addison Hayes for DLF, but that scoring takes into account incompletions and 1st downs. Brady has proven he’s the GOAT and according to him, will be playing into his 50’s.
While Brady’s future even this last off-season was up in the air, no one is questioning that Brady has at least a couple more high-quality years left. His value has skyrocketed in 2021 and for teams that held on to him but aren’t winning, it may be time to move on from the GOAT.
Offer: You will want to target a QB needy team in a SuperFlex league that is towards the top of the standings. Look for the team that was finding ways to win with Jameis Winston or Kirk Cousins as their QB2. Look to get at least 1 future 1st round pick and a young player like Joe Burrow or Mac Jones, or a combination of picks that includes 2023 1st.
Carson Wentz (QB – Philadelphia Eagles)
Wentz has had a bit of a rocky start to 2021 but is currently sitting at the QB12 in fantasy thanks to 5 straight weeks of multiple TD performances. He’s got a couple more really good matchups on his schedule that could continue to increase his value. Week 10 against Jacksonville and Week 13 against Houston are target weeks to sell high off a strong performance.
Also, if you’re not winning this year there’s a good chance it’s because Carson Wentz isn’t offering you enough high outputs to get you in the winning column. Despite a weekly floor in the low 20’s, he’s had one week hit 30 points when guys like Brady have six weeks at 30+ points. It’s probably the right time to cut ties and improve at the QB position through the draft.
Offer: Like Brady, your trade partner will be the QB needy team that is looking to win now for the right price. Wentz has lost his flash, but in a season wrought with injuries, Covid, and all sorts of off the field issues, a steady performer like Wentz would be beneficial to the right team. Look for a future late 1st round pick; or two 2nd round picks and a player with future potential like Zach Wilson or Trevor Lawrence.
Stefon Diggs (WR – Buffalo Bills)
Stefon Diggs is already not living up to his WR3 ADP as he’s currently the WR22 (WR19 in PPG). However, he’s still on a fantastic offense and has great name value. His pace has dropped off from last season’s stellar performance, almost 2 fewer receptions per game, but Allen is also spreading the targets around more. Teammates Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders are not far behind Diggs in fantasy production, sitting at WR34 and WR35, respectively. His drop in production this season may also be contributing to your team struggling to get wins this year.
If you can afford to move Diggs and replace him with another WR2 type I would make a move now to get a good return on his value. He will be 28 by the end of this month and should be hitting the WR cliff next year. Diggs also has 2 years left on his contract with a potential out in 2022. The Bills will most likely pick up that option but by the time his contract is over in 2023, he will be a 31 year old unrestricted free agent come the 2024 season.
Offer: The lowest package deal I would trade Stefon Diggs for right now is a 2022 1st round pick, a 2023 2nd round pick, and a player like Tee Higgins. Although a couple of 1st round picks would easily get the job done.
Cooper Kupp (WR – Los Angeles Rams)
Cooper Kupp is currently the WR1 in all formats of fantasy football. He has an almost 40 point lead on the WR2 Tyreek Hill. Like Tom Brady, NO ONE, had Cooper Kupp ranked this high for 2021. Shout out though to Laquan Jones (@RealDealFantasy) for being all-in on Kupp when most were doubting him. Laquan wouldn’t like that Kupp is in this trade article, but if you’re in the situation where you need to rebuild because you’re losing AND you have Cooper Kupp, it’s time to trade at peak value.
I wouldn’t normally advocate trading away the best WR in football, but you could potentially get a haul for Kupp right now. Kupp has a couple of things working for and against him that make this timing perfect for a trade. The good: he has 2 years left on his contract with a potential out in 2023 so trade partners can expect to get a couple of years out of him. The bad: he’s 28 and statistically hitting the WR cliff after this season, making it the right time to trade him away.
Offer: Trade partners are always important, for the right Win Now team you could probably get two 1st round picks for Kupp and a player like Jaylen Waddle. It would be ideal to acquire 1st round picks in 2022 and 2023.
Chris Godwin (WR – Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Chris Godwin is currently the WR7 in PPR leagues and is neck and neck in the standings with teammate Mike Evans. It certainly helps that they both have Tom Brady throwing the ball almost 43 times per game. Godwin is currently on pace to match his Pro Bowl season in 2019 but on more targets and fewer yards per game. This is partially due to Brady spreading targets around and having a lower aDot than Godwin had with Winston.
Also, Godwin is on a 1-year deal to come back to the Bucs and make another run at the Lombardi Trophy. His future is completely up in the air and this unknown coupled with a high production 2021, makes him a good trading block candidate for rebuilding teams. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Bucs looked to work another deal with Godwin, but the soon to be 26 year old will be looking to sign his next/potential retirement deal.
Offer: Look to trade with a Godwin and/or Buccaneers fan to get maximum value from Godwin. Otherwise, it may be tough to pry away multiple 1st round picks right now, especially if one of those picks is in 2023. Still, starting with an offer of two future 1st round picks is not a bad place to start the conversation.
Antonio Gibson (RB – Washington Football Team)
Antonio Gibson, like Stefon Diggs, has been somewhat of a disappointment this season based on expectations. With an ADP of RB12, his current performance as the PPR RB18 isn’t that much of a drop-off. However, his weekly performance is at RB27 on a PPG basis. His dip in production this season is partly due to unforeseen QB changes, nagging injuries, and J.D. McKissic eating into his workload.
While Gibson hasn’t missed games he hasn’t been as dominant as his rookie year and has been playing less than 50% of the offensive snaps since Week 6. I’m not saying Gibson is borderline washed, but this experiment as a converted WR may be running its course if he can’t stay healthy. And while I am a big fan of Antonio as a player, it may be the right time to jump off his ship before it’s too late. He’s still a good enough player however that he still holds value worthy of a quality trade for rebuilding teams.
Offer: A future 1st round pick and a 2nd round pick (especially in 2023) would be a fair value for Antonio Gibson right now. Two future picks would be great value in return for a player that was a 2020 sleeper in fantasy, drafted around the 13th round of dynasty startups, and free on waivers in most redraft leagues.
Leonard Fournette (RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Playoff Lenny has seen a resurgence in fantasy production since the 2020 fantasy playoffs. However, that season started out rocky as the Jags waived Fournette weeks before the season started and dynasty players were in limbo not knowing what to do. That patience to stick with Fournette despite the uncertainty has paid off for dynasty players as well as redraft players that drafted him as RB32.
Fournette is currently the RB12 in PPR leagues and is RB16 in PPG. He’s being used properly in this potent Bucs offense that finally figured out in Week 4 to just give the ball to Fournette instead of RoJo. His numbers are on pace with his excellent 2019 season, especially in the passing game. He won’t hit 100 targets like he did that year, but his receptions are almost at last year’s level halfway through this season. Leonard is also on a 1-year contract and at 26 will be looking for something a little more long-term. With his future uncertain this may be the right time to get the highest value you can in return.
Offer: A single 1st round pick would be a good return for Leonard Fournette. I would even trade him away for a future 2023 1st round pick, which would be exceptional value and might be more palatable for trade partners in Win Now mode. The lowest I would trade away Fournette for is two second round picks but one of those picks has to be in 2023.
As always, reach out to The Undroppables on Twitter if you need help with any specific trades. We discuss trades and player value daily on our Discord channel for Patreon members. Join today to get direct instant access to the 20+ Undroppables team to help you win…because, it Sucks to Suck.
