Dynasty Trades That Explain the Week: February 3

Photo: Bob Donnan, USA Today Sports

These are real dynasty trades from real leagues we can learn valuable strategic and value questions. These trades are Superflex dynasty trades unless otherwise noted.

Jamaal Williams for 2024 2nd

Jamaal Williams led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2022 with 17, en route to an RB13 overall finish for a surprisingly strong Detroit Lions offense. Williams led the team in carries (262) ahead of D'Andre Swift (99). Williams is an unrestricted free agent, heading into his 28-year-old season, but is unlikely to draw a big contract in free agency. Currently, Williams is RB35 at KeepTradeCut.com (KTC). The problem with this trade is the timing: why do this in February?

Williams is a reserve running back heading into free agency, and there is no guarantee he will be in a useful fantasy role in 2023. Even if he is, Williams is unlikely to cost more than this. The problem with this deal is if he does not himself in a favorable position, the team tied up future flexibility they could use to fill your need later in the offseason or during the 2023 season. When making a deal, one of the ways to avoid a mistake is to ask yourself if this is the right time to make this deal. This is almost certainly the wrong time to do this deal.

Trey Lance, Terrace Marshall Jr, Calvin Ridley, 2023 1st and 2023 2nd for Justin Herbert and Dawson Knox (2TE with 1.75PPR scoring for TE)

You have to evaluate this deal without the benefit of the exact place of this pick, but considering the valuation, it is unlikely to matter. Quarterbacks with multiple top-12 seasonal finishes while still on their rookie deal are the gold standard for dynasty Superflex quarterbacks. These quarterbacks have a higher expectation of productivity than quarterbacks with similar costs who do not have multiple hits on their resumes.

This makes Herbert an elite quarterback profile. A near consensus top-three pick in Superflex drafts in 2022, Herbert has slid to QB5 in recent KTC valuations but is still a mid-first-round startup pick in the format. At present, Trey Lance is QB14, falling between Daniel Jones and Kenny Pickett in KTC valuations. This is an enormous upgrade, and outside of the pick being 1.01, it would still be cheap for Herbert alone. However, in the 2TE format with premium scoring, Knox gets a strong boost. This trade accomplishes a solution at both premium positions, a good deal for the team acquiring Herbert.