With the NFL Draft only a couple of weeks away, this is a good time to look at some potential moves in dynasty fantasy football leagues. The idea, much like the stock market, is to buy low and sell high. With that said, we will try to identify players that fit these criteria to get you a jump on your 2021 dynasty fantasy football league championship run.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Quarterbacks Buy Low/Sell High
Buy: Deshaun Watson, Texans
This move is not for the faint of heart nor those who prefer players without legal issues, but if you do have a high risk tolerance and a solid contingency plan, this is the ultimate buy low opportunity. With his looming lawsuit, likely new team and possible NFL suspension looming, there is a very real chance that Deshaun Watson does not play all 17 games this season. When he plays, Watson has produced as a top-five QB each year he has been in the league, so this is a great time to float a lowball offer out there to possibly take advantage of a panicked owner looking to unload him for pennies on the dollar. Just make sure you have a suitable backup QB in the probable event he misses some time this year.
Sell: Matt Ryan, Falcons
This offseason, the Falcons restructured Matt Ryan’s contract. And with the fourth pick in the NFL Draft, they very likely will draft his replacement. After finishing as the QB12 in 2020 and passing for over 4,000 yards for the 10th straight season, “Matty Ice” has a reputation as a solid fantasy QB. However, each of the last two seasons, he has failed to finish as a QB1 in exactly half of his games. With his increasing age (35), immobility and inconsistency, as well as the abundance of young QB options available in the draft this year, this is a great time to sell high on his reputation and find your QB of the future.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Running Backs Buy Low/Sell High
Buy: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs
Last season, Clyde Edwards-Helaire failed to live up to the hype that came with being the de facto RB in an Andy Reid-coached, Patrick Mahomes-led offense. Throughout a roller coaster season, he flashed potential at times to be an RB1, but in other games he disappeared. Last season, over the first six weeks, CEH averaged 17.8 carries per game. After Le’Veon Bell joined the team, he averaged only 10.6 for the rest of the season. This season, with Bell and Damien Williams both gone, look for CEH to get a significant boost in his workload in one of the most explosive offenses in the league. CEH was the first RB selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, and the Chiefs will give him every opportunity to succeed, making him a great buy low option.
Sell: James Robinson, Jaguars
Last season, James Robinson came out of nowhere as an UDFA to finish as the RB7, right behind fellow rookie Jonathan Taylor. Under Doug Marrone, Robinson carried the ball on 85% of the Jaguars running plays, a rate that was only behind David Montgomery and Derrick Henry for the season. His workload was elite, as he averaged over 17 carries per game. He performed well, averaging 4.5 yards per carry for the worst team in the league. Under Urban Meyer, he is far from assured a similar role. There also is a high probability the Jaguars will add another RB in the draft. With this uncertainty, try shopping him for a high first rounder in your dynasty fantasy football draft to see if you can land one of the top rookies in this draft class.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Wide Receivers Buy Low/Sell High
Buy: CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys
Last season, in his first five games as a rookie, CeeDee Lamb was the WR11 with two 100-yard games and a two-touchdown game to his credit. After Dak Prescott went down in Week 5, he was only the WR35. The Cowboys’ offensive struggles over the second half of the season presented a buy-low window that is about to slam shut. With Dak back healthy and inked to a long-term deal, Lamb is primed to continue his ascent to WR1 status. He’s worth inquiring about to see if he can still be had at a discount. There are a number of high level WR prospects in this year’s draft class, but we have already seen what Lamb can do, so see if you can trade a late first rounder for him.
Sell: Adam Thielen, Vikings
Having been supplanted as the number one WR in Minnesota by Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen was still able to finish the year as the WR10. He was able to do so on the strength of 14 TDs, of which 11 were inside the 10-yard line, which was a career-high and first time he has hit double-digits. This season, Thielen will be 31 years old. As the second receiving option in a run-first offense, he is highly unlikely to finish next season as a WR1. He is much more likely to finish the year as a TD-dependent WR2. This makes for an opportune time to shop him in your league, prior to his inevitable regression.
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