Trading is a key part of dynasty fantasy football. Making dynasty trades can improve your team and your championship equity. Each week, we will look at real dynasty trades made in dynasty leagues and what they tell us about player value, roster construction, and team building. (NOTE: All these trades are Superflex Dynasty trades unless otherwise indicated. Where relevant, any other important scoring notes will be in parenthesis.)
Darren Waller is gettable in trades
There has been a lot of volume in Darren Waller in the past two weeks. Waller has not participated in training camp in August as he is at a contractual impasse. Additionally, his place in the Raiders’ pecking order is uncertain.
There may be more opportunities to trade for Waller at a discount if his contract status keeps him out of training camp in the coming weeks. Below are recent trades involving Waller with the
- Darren Waller for Darnell Mooney (TEP: 2PPR)
- Rookie 1.11 and 3.10 for Russell Gage and Darren Waller
- Damien Harris, Kene Nwangwu, Trey McBride, 2023 3rd-round rookie pick for Darren Waller
- Desmond Ridder, Christian Watson, 2023 1st-round rookie pick for Dalvin Cook and Darren Waller (TEP: 2PPR)
The trades for Waller, surrounded around later first-round picks or small low-end contributors like Damien Harris, offer difference-making upside. The involvement of future assets (Desmond Ridder, Christian Watson, and the 2023 1st-round rookie pick) may seem rich, but Waller blends well with Cook to increase the team's championship odds.
Deshaun Watson’s Cost is Anchored
Whatever inefficiencies existed in dynasty marketplaces over the past 18 months surrounding the Deshaun Watson legal case have been eliminated from the dynasty trade market.
In reaction to the six-game suspension and subsequent NFL appeal announcement, there was little movement in the trades. If a GM in your league was going to sell Watson, they already did. If a GM in your league was going to buy Watson, they already did.
The six-game suspension landed within our range of expectations and did not change Watson’s cost.
In Superflex leagues, there were two notable trades since the announcement:
- Deshaun Watson for three 2023 1st-Round Rookie Pick
- Deshaun Watson for D'Andre Swift and a 2023 2nd-Round Rookie Pick
Watson’s next news of note will be his appeal. This could open an additional buying window, but at this point, that seems unlikely.
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