Dynasty Trade Targets: Four Players to Buy and Four to Move Before It’s Too Late

How to Turn Shifting Narratives Into Dynasty Profit

Dynasty fantasy football revolves around value.

With the 2025 season over, now can be the best time to capitalize on the value assumptions from the season.

Take advantage of your league not thinking enough about the future and capitalize before its too late.

We highlight veteran WRs you can grab before their situations improve next year, along with RBs who could emerge as starters.

We also break down disappointing WRs to sell and two RBs who could lose value early next season.

Four Dynasty Buys Before the Window Closes

DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Matt made a great case in our Expert Moves series to target Smith in dynasty. I completely agree.

This was a volatile season for Smith. He had just three top-12 PPR performances; none since Week 7. He ranked WR21 in total PPR points but WR29 in points per game (12.4). That marks his lowest per-game output since his rookie season in 2021.

Smith fell behind A.J. Brown in both fantasy production and targets since the Week 9 bye. Add in the Eagles offense declining this season, and it’s easy to see why Smith’s production has dipped.

That volatility makes this the perfect time to buy.

A.J. Brown’s Role Faces Real Questions

The biggest roadblock for Smith remains Brown holding the No. 1 WR role. That didn’t stop Smith from outperforming Brown early in the season. Over the first eight weeks, Smith averaged 14.4 PPR fantasy points per game to Brown’s 12.4.

Since the Week 9 bye, though:

Brown is also a year older and has undergone multiple knee surgeries. He might already be in physical decline.

There’s also a chance Brown is no longer on the roster next year.

He has been publicly critical of the Eagles offense and has even hinted at issues involving QB Jalen Hurts. That type of distraction could push the organization to move on this offseason.

We saw another heated conversation between Brown and HC Nick Sirianni during the Eagles’ playoff loss, as well as multiple bad drops by the receiver.

A Better Offense Is Coming

Even if Brown returns, the Eagles' offense should rebound. The team removed OC Kevin Patullo from his position. That should lead to a better offense in 2026.

They averaged 22.9 points per game. That’s easily the lowest mark of HC Nick Sirianni’s tenure:

If the team retools the offensive line, the unit should bounce back after its worst season of the past five years.

Smith does not turn 27 until next November, placing him squarely in his prime. We have already seen a top-10 fantasy season from him, and the upside still outweighs the cost.

At worst, you are buying a WR2 who should remain a fantasy starter for several seasons.

If you have a mid-to-late 2026 first-round pick, it’s worth offering for Smith if his current manager is worn down by the volatility.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 44
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 42 
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 32
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 29 

Similar Values

• Christian McCaffrey
• Colston Loveland
• Brian Thomas Jr.

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins

Waddle feels like an eternal dynasty buy. He was the sixth overall pick in 2021 and has produced since his rookie season. Waddle’s three-year, $84.75M extension with the Miami Dolphins keeps him under contract through 2028.

In a down year for the offense, Waddle finished at WR29 in PPR points per game, with five top-15 finishes. He just finished his age-27 season (turning 28 next Nov. 25), which puts him amid his peak scoring years based on our aging-curve research.

The situation is also about to change for Waddle, hopefully for the better.

Mike McDaniel’s firing means a new head coach and offensive system. With Waddle and De’Von Achane as the offensive centerpieces, the Dolphins should tailor the system to those skill sets.

QB Uncertainty Is Your Opening

The Dolphins benched Tua Tagovailoa for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers in December. Ewers played OK, but he sports a subpar arm and lengthy injury history.

The poor Dolphins’ offense to end the season damaged Waddle’s value. The uncertainty at QB only adds to the tenuousness of his dynasty price.

Along with a new head coach, the Dolphins also seem likely to invest in a new QB. Tagovailoa’s contract complicates that path, but even a short-term veteran upgrade would stabilize the offense.

Take advantage of the uncertainty and offer a mid-to-late 2026 first-round pick to try to secure Waddle.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 38
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 39 
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 29
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 28 

Similar Values

• Jameson Williams
• Kyren Williams
• Chase Brown

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Tuten has been a Draft Sharks favorite since before the draft. He spent two years starting at Virginia Tech and posted double-digit rushing TDs in each season.

At the Combine, he led all RBs in:

• 40-yard dash: 4.32 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.49 seconds
• Vertical: 40.5 inches

GM James Gladstone even named Tuten a priority Day 3 target during his GM interviews. Jacksonville took Tuten in Round 4 despite already rostering Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby.

Tuten’s rookie-draft ADP settled at 2.09, capped by fears he’d be blocked on the depth chart. Those fears were misplaced. After Week 1, Jacksonville traded Bigsby to Philadelphia, elevating Tuten to the No. 2 RB role.

Tuten has been locked into that role ever since.

Jaguars Losing Creates a Buy Opportunity

Tuten suffered a finger injury toward the end of the season, requiring surgery. He still returned and excelled on limited touches in the Wild Card loss to the Bills. Tuten went 4-51-0 on the ground with a long rush of 20 yards. But, the Jaguars season is now over.

Tuten’s value could rise as soon as the offseason hits, though, as fantasy managers recognize that Etienne will likely leave in free agency.

Grabbing Liam Coen’s potential next starting RB for a late 2026 first in a weak draft class presents immediate fantasy upside.

Use our Trade Navigator to find the right deal for Tuten and secure upside for next year and beyond.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 21
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 20 
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 16
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 14 

Similar Values

• Courtland Sutton
• Travis Etienne
• Javonte Williams

Kenneth Walker, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Walker disappointed in 2025. He ended at RB31 in PPR points per game and played only 49.5% of snaps for the regular season, just ahead of Zach Charbonnet (45.8%).

Walker’s down season creates a buy opportunity for the talented runner. Fantasy managers were likely counting on him but spent most of the year unable to comfortably start him. That’s why you should reach out before the start of free agency.

The Seahawks haven’t shown much interest in bringing Walker back, but a lead-back role on a new team would boost his value immediately.

Walker finished as RB22 in PPR points per game in 2024 and RB12 in 2023. This season has created a clear buy-low window. Acquiring Walker for a 2026 second-round pick or a younger player sets you up for a value gain and possibly top-15 RB production if he lands in the right spot.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 32
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 31
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 24
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 172

Similar Values

• 2026 late 1st (1QB)
• RJ Harvey
• Marvin Harrison Jr.

Cash Out Now on These Dynasty Sells

Michael Wilson, WR, Arizona Cardinals

The most surprising development of this fantasy season may have been Wilson emerging as a late-season league winner.

Through the first 10 weeks, Wilson ranked WR87 in PPR points per game (5.7). Then Marvin Harrison Jr. underwent an appendectomy.

For the final five weeks,, Wilson ranked second at 21.5 PPR points per game.

A major driver of that production was Arizona’s reliance on the pass. Jacoby Brissett averaged 41.1 attempts per game from Week 11 on. Wilson has benefited alongside TE Trey McBride, with the Cardinals missing key offensive players Harrison, James Conner, and Trey Benson.

A Career Season, Not a New Normal

Wilson’s role expanded with Harrison sidelined by the appendix and then a heel injury. The loss of the team’s top two RBs also pushed the offense further toward the pass. The Cardinals’ struggling defense played a role as well.

Wilson’s not likely to see this level of target volume again.

HC Jonathan Gannon was fired, prompting an entirely new offensive system coming to town.. That creates uncertainty for the system that has fueled Wilson’s production.

Wilson also is not doing anything special on film. He runs standard curls and slants off Brissett’s timing throws. Soft defensive coverage in positive game scripts helped create volume opportunities.

He didn’t play poorly, but Wilson is not a dynamic long-term receiving weapon.

Arizona may also add a WR through free agency or the draft, which would further cap Wilson’s upside next season.

Wilson profiles as a clear sell-high.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 19
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 20 
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 14
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 14 

Similar Values

• Trey Benson
• 2026 Early 2nd (1QB)
• Zach Charbonnet

Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers

Golden was selected 23rd overall by the Packers in 2025. His profile combined a strong College Football Playoff run with 4.29 speed, which pushed him into the first round.

The highlights were impressive, but Golden's full-season college production revealed a more modest impact:

-16.1% target share (39th among 49 Combine WRs)

-19.5% of Texas’ receptions (34th)

-27.0% of the receiving yards (28th)

-26.5% of the receiving TDs (26th)

-Tied for 28th in PFF receiving grade

-Tied for 31st in yards per route

We haven’t seen many highlights in Golden’s NFL career so far. He ended at WR82 in PPR points per game, with a season-best WR22 finish in Week 6 against the Bengals. He has finished outside the top 40 in six of nine games.

He did catch a TD pass in the Packers’ playoff loss. If that success lingers in managers' minds, it may help draw some interest.

Romeo Doubs is the only Packers WR set to hit free agency after this season. Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams all remain under contract. At best, Golden emerges as the top option in a crowded group. At worst, he spends another year buried on the depth chart, in an offense that has favored spreading targets around since Davante Adams left.

He still holds that first-round shine that makes him an attractive option for rebuilding teams despite the low production as a rookie.

Move him for at least a high second-round rookie pick before the market realizes he was overrated. Golden’s value could continue falling through the offseason, and a slow start to his second year would send it plummeting.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 19
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 20
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 14
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 14 

Similar Values

• 2026 Late 1st (1QB)
• Wan'Dale Robinson
• Travis Etienne

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

If you have McCaffrey on your dynasty roster, he likely propelled your team into contender status as the RB1 overall this fantasy season. He finished 13 of his 17 games as a top-10 PPR scorer at RB.

That production also creates a strong opportunity to sell McCaffrey to a manager focused solely on the box score.

Entering 2025, McCaffrey’s injury concerns raised questions about his future. After he missed 13 games in 2024 with Achilles’ tendinitis and a PCL sprain, there was real doubt about whether he could handle a full season.

McCaffrey played all of 2025 and racked up 413 regular-season touches, with even more in the playoffs. That workload boosted his 2025 numbers, but it also raises concerns about his long-term health.

McCaffrey has topped 400 regular-season touches twice before: in 2019 and 2023. Following the 2019 season, McCaffrey missed 14 games in 2020. Following the 2023 season, McCaffrey missed 13 times in 2024.

He will turn 30 before the 2026 campaign. Increased usage and an aging body point toward at least some decline, with added risk of missed games. Based on our aging-curve research, RBs with McCaffrey’s pedigree historically produce about 75% of their peak output at age 30.

If a manager is willing to pay based on recent production, sell. If not, you can hold. You may even be able to land a 2027 first-round rookie pick off this year’s numbers.

Maybe pushing the value that far out doesn’t make sense for your contending roster. But even in that case, you could move McCaffrey for a young, productive WR such as Jameson Williams and benefit your dynasty roster over the long term.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 43
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 42 
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 33
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 30 

Similar Values

• Ladd McConkey
• Tee Higgins
• Chase Brown

Woody Marks, RB, Houston Texans

The Texans valued Marks enough to give up a 2026 third-round pick to grab him in Round 4.

Joe Mixon’s season-long absence helped Marks earn playing time and eventually secure the lead role. He led the team in carries, finishing with 196-703-2 on the ground.

Marks entered the NFL with 261 receptions and nearly 1,400 receiving yards. Surprisingly, he didn’t get much use in the passing game, posting a 24-208-3 line on just 36 targets.

Despite the positives from 2025, Marks is still a fourth-round rookie who entered the league with a mediocre profile.

Among 31 Combine RBs, he ranked:

• 27th in yards after contact per attempt
• 29th in missed tackles forced per attempt 

He also turned 25 in July, making him one of the oldest rookie RBs in the league.

Marks benefited from Mixon’s absence and Nick Chubb being the next-best RB on the roster. Expect Houston to address the position this offseason – either through free agency or the draft – especially if Mixon doesn’t return.

Marks could follow a Tyrone Tracy path. An older Day 3 RB who flashed as a rookie but remained upgradeable. The Giants drafted Cam Skattebo, and Tracy slid into a timeshare. Marks could face a similar outcome in 2026.

Injury concerns also surfaced throughout the season. Marks never missed a game outside of Week 18, but it became routine for him to exit games with various ailments. He appeared on the injury report often and was listed as questionable multiple times in 2025.

Marks likely boosted his market value price even more after a 100-yard rushing performance against the Steelers in the playoffs. An upside WR like Jayden Higgins or an early second-round rookie pick would be a reasonable return.

Trade Value Chart Check

• 1-QB, 1-PPR: 25
• 1-QB, Half-PPR: 22
• Superflex, 1-PPR: 19
• Superflex, Half-PPR: 16 

Similar Values

• Terry McLaurin
• Xavier Worthy
• Derrick Henry

Continue Building a Dynasty with these Tools

The Trade Navigator with the Dynasty Trade Calculator is just one of the tools available to help you build and maintain your perennial contender. Learn more on how to dominate your dynasty leagues and improve your value with the video below:

Next Up

2026 Dynasty Rookie Rankings: The Wild Card Class That Has Scouts Guessing (Updated Jan. 19)

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Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format, including redraft, dynasty, devy, C2C, IDP, CFF, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and a King's Classic Champion. Shane utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance. He led the industry in 2024 preseason Kicker Rankings and ranked second in preseason QB Rankings. He also ranked eighth in preseason IDP rankings.