6 Dynasty Moves to Make Before the NFL Draft

Photo: Aaron Doster, USA Today Sports

Trade up to #2 in your rookie draft

Jahmyr Gibbs could sneak into the first round, and the era of backs that are “only” 200 pounds being second class for fantasy football would be over. Gibbs has game-breaking speed and will provide a ton of value in the passing game. It’s possible that he’ll have more fantasy value than Bijan Robinson, especially if Robinson lands in a poor offense and he lands in a good one.

This advice could have included “plant the seeds to trade up to #1”, but chances are the holder of that pick will be dug in deep to hold it, as they should be. We won’t get too many more chances to take an instant three-down back in our fantasy leagues. The last #1 pick in rookie drafts to have this high of a floor was Ezekiel Elliott in 2016.

Trade Away Dalvin Cook and Joe Mixon

What looks like a “sell low” right now will become a “sell high” once Cook and Mixon’s values recalibrate after the draft, assuming they are not traded. There are some good outcomes in the range of possibilities for now - Mixon could just be kept at a reduced salary while Cook could be released and scooped up by the Dolphins - but that’s exactly why you can still get some blood from these stones. If they aren’t traded during the draft, their value is going to drop because they aren’t going to get traded after the draft. Both showed signs of decline in their efficiency last year, and even if you miss out on fantasy contributions this year, you’ll avoid holding the bag when they become useless. If you're worried about Cook landing in Miami, consider adding a condition to the trade that increases your compensation if Cook rushes for 1,000 yards as a Dolphin this year. Why don't we use conditional upgrades of compensation more in fantasy trades?

Trade Away Rachaad White

Tampa could be the floor for Bijan Robinson at #19 - they are one of only two teams to have him in for an official visit (Philadelphia is the other). White has a path to a lead-back role right now, albeit in what should be a poor, unimaginative offense, but only the Bengals appear to be more likely to take a running back in the first 4-5 rounds of the draft. Todd Bowles has also indicated that he wants to run more after the team was abysmal at moving the ball on the ground last year. Having White handle most of the work in the backfield after he was part of their unsuccessful run game last year seems unwise with that in mind.