In the fantasy football offseason, dynasty leagues come to life. Whether this involves the annual rookie draft, blockbuster trades, or teams shifting their focus from rebuilding to contending.
During these times, it’s important to know when to trade a player. This can include selling high on a player who has reached their peak in terms of fantasy production and is in a position to regress significantly or trading for a player who has been written off by most managers who you believe has been put in a strong position to succeed.
Whether you’re rebuilding or contending, trading is one of the most important parts of dynasty fantasy football leagues. Knowing when to move off of a player can be paramount to success. Here’s a list of players who should be on the move this offseason in dynasty leagues.
Trade FOR
Chuba Hubbard - CAR
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has had a powerful breakout season. He’s achieved 100+ yards on the ground on several occasions, scored nine touchdowns through 13 games, and received a strong amount of volume throughout the entirety of the season. Carolina rewarded Hubbard’s efforts with a four-year, $33.2M contract extension, linking him to the team long-term. This was a telling move for a number of reasons.
Firstly, this reinforces the belief that Hubbard will be an offensive centerpiece for Carolina over the next few seasons. This also dispels any concern about Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks, who has dealt with his fair share of injury woes and is completely taking over Hubbard’s workload at any point. At most, this will be an electric two-back system.
Carolina has no reason to move away from Hubbard. Sure, Brooks was a higher draft selection, but Hubbard’s elite play and production is undeniable. Many fantasy managers have been skeptical of Hubbard since Brooks’ return to action this season since the latter was considered one of the best prospects at his position in the entire 2024 NFL Draft. Brooks is a good player, but he won’t be fully taking over this backfield any time soon.
Taking advantage of this apprehension and trading for Hubbard, who has received a ridiculous amount of volume in 2024, is a strong move for any dynasty squad looking to contend over the next few seasons.
Kenneth Walker - SEA
Kenneth Walker started off the 2024 NFL season on a strong note, scoring seven total touchdowns in his first five healthy games. He was viewed as an elite option in fantasy football. Unfortunately, this has changed dramatically as the season has gone on.
Walker’s efficiency as a runner has plummeted in 2024, driving his average yards per carry down to 3.74 through Week 13, the lowest mark of his career. This is due to the extremely poor play of the Seattle offensive line, setting Walker up for failure. PFF’s Premium Stats has graded Seattle’s offensive line as the sixth-worst run-blocking unit in the NFL so far this season.
This weakness in Seattle, and the fact that Walker has missed time with injury this year, has hurt his fantasy value in the eyes of many dynasty managers. However, there are a few reasons why Walker is set to bounce back in 2025.
Firstly, Seattle has used Walker in the passing game a lot this season. The third-year back has already posted career-high marks in targets, receptions, and receiving yards through ten active games in 2024. This is a huge bonus for Walker’s outlook in PPR leagues.
Secondly, Walker has shown great efficiency in the past, so if Seattle is able to upgrade their offensive line, Kenneth Walker’s production should return to a relatively normal state. Kenneth Walker III is a strong progression candidate heading into 2025, making him a great buy-low target in dynasty leagues.
Isiah Pacheco - KC
Isiah Pacheco returned in Week 14 against Las Vegas and put together a pretty solid performance, logging seven carries for 44 yards in his first game back from injury. Even if his volume doesn’t return immediately, this was an encouraging sight for dynasty managers.
Pacheco has been one of the most consistent running backs in the league over the last few seasons, and his presence on a fantasy roster provides stability to any running back room. If given a chance to be the unquestioned lead back in 2025, which would mean the departure of running back Kareem Hunt, Pacheco should be able to explode in fantasy value, just as he would have this season if he hadn’t been injured.
The Chiefs have an elite interior offensive line starring the likes of center Creed Humphrey, who has earned the fourth-highest run-blocking grade in the NFL in PFF’s Blocking Grades. This sets up Isiah Pacheco for immediate success going into next season. Trading for Pacheco after an injury-riddled 2024 season could allow your dynasty team to achieve new heights. He should receive plenty of volume in 2025.
Trade AWAY
J.K. Dobbins - LAC
It’s fair to say that J.K. Dobbins has emerged as one of the top breakout players of the 2024 NFL season, firmly establishing himself as a candidate in the Comeback Player of the Year race. He began 2024 with a pair of 130+ rushing-yard performances, scoring two touchdowns in the first two weeks. Dobbins continued his elite production as one of the most productive running backs in the NFL for the next several weeks. However, all good things must come to an end it seems.
Dobbins saw his carries decrease after fellow Chargers running back Gus Edwards returned from injury. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who worked with both running backs in Baltimore, chose to deploy the pair into a two-back committee, frustrating Dobbins’ fantasy managers. Even worse, Dobbins landed on injured reserve with a knee injury that he sustained in Week 12, knocking him out for a large majority of the rest of the fantasy football season.
Dobbins now goes into 2025 without the security of being the team’s top option in the running game and with returning injury concerns. Dynasty managers should expect regression from Dobbins next season if Los Angeles is confident in their committee system, which they seem to be.
D’Andre Swift - CHI
Chicago running back D’Andre Swift has had a rollercoaster of a season in 2024. He’s received a fluctuating amount of volume this season. Swift has seen his carries dwindle, especially on the goal line, since Chicago’s coaching changes began a few weeks ago. Swift has also posted a career-low in yards per carry in 2024, only averaging 3.93 yards per carry through Week 13.
Swift isn’t an extremely dependable option in dynasty leagues heading into 2025, especially with a strong running back class in the 2025 NFL Draft. Chicago could look to deploy a committee-based rushing attack next season. Swift’s inefficiency has him ranked outside the top 20 in Fantasy Trading Room’s Week 14 Running Back Rankings. Trading him away in dynasty could prove to be a profitable move.
Rico Dowdle - DAL
Rico Dowdle has been Dallas’ only efficient option at running back in 2024. He’s put up some really strong performances and should continue to do so for the remainder of this season. Dowdle was even ranked within the top 20 running backs in Fantasy Trading Room’s Week 14 Running Back Rankings.
My concern for his dynasty value does not stem from any aspect of his ability on the field but rather from the prospect of Dallas selecting a top running back prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, which is absolutely loaded at the position. Rico Dowdle has performed well in his role, but Dallas could look elsewhere at the running back position in 2025.
In that case, Dowdle would lose a lot of value in dynasty fantasy football. Trading him away in anticipation of this isn’t a bad move, as Dallas has one of the worst rushing attacks in the league and will look to improve it by any means necessary this offseason.
