In dynasty fantasy football, trades must be viewed through a long-term lens. If you’re looking to contend, loading up on assets guaranteed to finish the year strong is a smart move at the deadline. If you’re firmly out of the playoff race, trading older, productive players for draft capital and younger, more developmental players is the way to go.
If you’re somewhere in between, take a long, hard look at your team and make a decision to either contend or to build for the future. This list should provide you with a few names to watch as the trade deadline approaches in dynasty leagues. Keep in mind that these players are to be traded for out of long-term interest. Their value lies within their ability to improve over the next few seasons. That being said, it’s fair to say that this list is more geared towards those who are building for the future.
Kyler Murray (QB, ARI)
If your team is in need of a reliable fantasy quarterback who may be slightly under the radar, Kyler Murray is a great player to trade for. First, his rushing ability presents obvious upside. Murray’s rushing ability has continued to provide an avenue to fantasy relevance for Arizona’s starter. He is on pace to have the second-highest rushing yards total in a single season in his career after starting off the 2024 season with 350 rushing yards through nine games.
Another strong point to consider regarding Murray’s outlook is the weapons that surround him in the passing game. Arizona selected wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Harrison has had a solid start to his rookie season and is tied to the team for the foreseeable future. Tight end Trey McBride is having a fantastic year. His presence provides Murray with one of the league’s top options at tight end. At this point, it would be a shocker if McBride isn’t extended by Arizona after breaking out in 2023 and continuing his success into this season.
On top of this, Murray is also projected to post similar numbers to when he first entered the league, providing dynasty managers with a sign of assurance that he’s fully recovered from the ACL tear he suffered late in the 2022 NFL season. Murray is an underrated option at quarterback in dynasty and is set up for success over the next few years.
Tee Higgins (WR, CIN)
Trade rumors surrounding wide receiver Tee Higgins have grown over the last few offseasons, and the reason for this is clear. First, Higgins and Cincinnati have been unable to agree to a long-term contract over the last few years, leading the team to offer Higgins the franchise tag this offseason, making him a free agent after this year. The Bengals will also have to spend a significant amount of money to give superstar wideout Ja’Marr Chase a new contract this offseason, an issue that dominated most of the summer.
When on the field, Higgins has been productive this season, posting 341 receiving yards and five touchdowns through five active games in 2024. The potential with Tee Higgins involves a potential move to a team in need of a top receiving option this offseason. Any team looking to invest in their young, promising quarterback will be looking to sign Tee Higgins to provide a boost to their offense. He has a history of production and is only 25 years old.
Higgins provides a high ceiling in dynasty as an impending free agent and shouldn’t be too difficult to trade for since injuries have gotten in the way of his usual statistical dominance over the last few years.
DeMario Douglas (WR, NE)
The hype train surrounding wide receiver DeMario Douglas began to pick up steam in Week 6, when Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye made his first career start, leading to a strong performance from the receiver. Unfortunately, the train fell off the tracks after a disappointing Week 8 game in which Maye exited with a concussion.
Nonetheless, the statistics prove that when Maye and Douglas are both on the field for a full game, the latter will produce in fantasy football. In the two games in which the pair have been healthy, Douglas has averaged nine targets, 6.5 receptions, and 63.5 receiving yards.
It’s undeniable that this duo leads to fantasy production, so buying the dip on DeMario Douglas could result in your dynasty team adding a young, productive slot receiver who just so happens to be the favorite target of a rookie quarterback with an extremely high ceiling. Douglas could end up breaking out alongside Maye, who has showered the receiver in targets when they are on the field together. Douglas has a high ceiling as he continues to develop along with his team’s franchise quarterback.
Trey Benson (RB, ARI)
There is no doubt that Arizona running back James Conner is having one of the best years of his career. However, rookie running back Trey Benson must not be forgotten by dynasty managers. Benson was one of the top running back prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he was selected by Arizona in the third round.
Benson, who scored his first career touchdown in Week 9, figures to be Conner’s replacement since the veteran running back is scheduled to be a free agent this offseason and is nearly 30 years old. Benson is a talented running back with a true three-down skillset, potentially allowing him to seamlessly transition into a bell-cow role in Arizona next season.
After Conner’s resurgence, many fantasy managers may be beginning to question Benson’s lack of production this season. Rookie running backs are expected to produce early, but if you have more patience than your league mates, trading for Benson could allow you to add a future starting running back to your dynasty squad. These opportunities don’t come often, so if you have the chance to grab Benson from a contending team in need of more firepower, now is the chance to make a move.