While losing isn’t fun, especially in fantasy football, I would advise taking a different view of your team. Once you change your perspective, rebuilding can then be the real goal rather than winning week in and week out. Actually losing in your tanking efforts is now the mission. I am going to go over a few moves we can make at this point through the season while our teams cement themselves at the bottom of the league standings. 

If you are at the bottom of your rankings in your leagues, find the staples of your team, the players you can absolutely count on if healthy. If they are a decent age for their position and have multiple years left of being able to play football I would hold those players. Everyone else is available for trade. Target the teams that look strong record-wise, and need injury fill-ins or bye week help, and start the fire sale for future picks or young players. This is where you can shape your team how you want it, and don’t be afraid to refresh your roster. Below are three guys  I would trade for, and three guys I’d trade away.

Trade For

J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens RB 

The Baltimore RB is a target for me in any rebuild. You’re already aiming to lose and find yourself in a “next year will be different” mentality, Dobbins can actually make that mentality a reality. His surgery was successful, and yes he will be out for the year, but he has the full year to rehab and repair before next season starts. The Ravens have not replaced him long-term and the signing of Freeman, Bell, and Murray indicates that J.K is still a part of the future plan. A first-rounder would’ve been laughed at for Dobbins before the knee injury, and now a 1st plus something small will get the deal done. Then you just have to be patient and imagine your team with Dobbins in the lineup next year.

As a rookie second-round pick, Dobbins ran for over 800 yards and 9 TDs. That stat line is with Mark Ingram and Lamar Jackson being featured ahead of him. When healthy, Dobbins is a sure-fire RB1 with a long career ahead of him. This may be the best window to get him on your dynasty squad.

Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals WR

A few years ago any team with A.J. Green and DeAndre Hopkins on it would sound like a fantasy football lineup. However, this year has brought us many great wide receiver groupings that seemingly have stunted the growth or dulled the shine from young upcoming players. Moore is slated behind Kirk as well in this offense, but this move is for the future where Rondale will be featured as a large offensive cog in Kingsbury and Kyler’s high-powered offense. The list of free agents is long for the Cardinals and the 2nd round rookie will be asked to step it up after this season with Kirk and Green both listed as 2022 free agents.

Currently, Moore is an exciting gadget player to watch operate in this offense. He has had a few mishaps which will allow you to buy low before he becomes a household name next year. Only putting up 29 catches for 327 Yds and 1 TD will make impatient owners, who are watching Ja’Marr Chase light it up as a rookie, trade Moore too early.

Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers WR

Trading for people with potential while at their low point early on in their career can reap massive rewards in dynasty. Aiyuk represents exactly that during his sophomore season in the NFL. Through the first half of the season, he has been excluded from the team’s offense despite injuries to the running backs and George Kittle, and it seems as though Shanahan was teaching a lesson to Aiyuk. Early in the season, Shanahan’s statements on Aiyuk, after a low snap percentage to open the year, were that if he wanted to play more he had to be better than the backup behind him (Trent Sherfield). Last week the viewpoint of the coach towards Aiyuk changed and the window of opportunity may be closing to buy low on the first-rounder from last year.

Even though the stat sheet didn’t necessarily explode, Shanahan was happy with Aiyuk’s willingness to block and the snap percentage was at an all-time high. The twenty-three-year-old has a lot of games ahead of him with a young QB in Trey Lance, and I expect the Niners to turn his usage up in a lackluster offense that needs to prove they didn’t waste a first on him in 2020.

Trade Away

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers WR

It has been a great career for Keenan Allen thus far. I am not calling for an end of production from the man who signed a contract recently keeping him in L.A. until 2025 unless the Chargers opt-out after this year. However, I am saying that on a rebuilding roster you may as well get value for Allen as we watch the offense morph and change because Herbert is an absolute distributor of the football. Allen is no longer hyper-targeted and Mike Williams has seemingly stepped up and out of the background to deplete the fantasy production that once was. The days of Rivers dinking the ball off to Allen over and over are done. His age is creeping up, and it is time for you to ship him off to a contender. If you are a playoff team, hold onto him of course.

Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns RB

It pains me to put Chubb on the sell list, but allow me to explain yet again that only on a rebuild roster would I prompt you to sell off a high-valued RB. Odds are that you haven’t gotten much production out of your RB1, if it’s Chubb, due to injury and Hunt/Johnson stealing some thunder. Thus, putting you at the bottom of the league standings. If you don’t think you’ll be able to squeak into the playoffs now that Chubb has returned from injury, I believe it’s time to capitalize on the aging RB’s value while it is still high. Try to turn him into Dobbins plus something else if you have a fear of depleting your RB position.

The Browns show no sign of allowing him to be the bell cow, and they will more than likely split his carries through the peak of his career with Hunt or whoever else they have on the roster. His contract keeps him there for the next few years, and Kareem will be there for the next two as well. I’d try to find someone pushing for a championship and make out with some value while you can.

Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR

It was quite the comeback after a tumultuous couple of seasons dealing with off-the-field issues, the Raiders, and then playing one game with the Patriots before Tom Brady took Brown in and got him refocused on the game. Brown being 33 years old, however, leaves him little room left to keep up with the flood of incoming players who seemingly get better and better each year. When healthy, Brown has averaged over eight targets per game and scored four TDs through five games. This should give him some appeal to teams pushing into the playoffs looking for an edge at the WR3 or Flex position.

Brown has signed a one-year contract, and will not be around for very much longer. Gain some value for the future while you can, especially since he has been injured and you haven’t gotten much production out of him this year anyway.

Most of the names on the sell list are exciting and, unfortunately, the rebuild buys aren’t too exciting. However, it’s all about future upside and capitalizing on the value while you can in dynasty. Play the long-term game and you’ll be much happier with your team in a few seasons. It’s all about consistently building and growing, making a few moves, and seeing what you can do to your team for next year right now. Ask me any questions @DFF_MattBull and #AlwaysBeBuilding with the @DFF_Dynasty.