Dynasty managers constantly evaluate their rosters throughout the season, determining what players to buy and who to trade or cut loose. With this, it’s time for the reaction to Week 1 of buy-and-sell within Dynasty. I’ll be analyzing veteran and rookie profiles to project future values, which is the key to building a successful Dynasty Fantasy Football team.
My buy candidates throughout the year will range from immediate help to long-term upside players who could deliver consistent production for the future. Also, knowing when to trade away players at or near their peak is valuable for always infusing your roster with up-and-coming talent. So, let’s dive right in, and let me help you by suggesting the players that you’d be wise to buy and sell in Dynasty this week.
* Within this article, the statistics were pulled from Sports Reference, KeepTradeCut (KTC), and Sleeper.
Buy
Jaylen Wright
The fourth-round pick and rookie highlight reel waiting to happen had begun the year as the fourth running back on their depth chart, leading to a coach’s decision to be inactive for this past Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. Starter Raheem Mostert and change-of-pace playmaker De’Von Achane entered Week 1 healthy, and Wright couldn’t win a special-teams role out of the preseason, so Jeff Wilson Jr. dressed ahead of him as the number three running back. However, don’t panic yet. Last year, Achane was also a healthy scratch in Week 1 to begin the season.
Many throughout Dynasty Fantasy Football have mentioned Wright is a potential league-winning stash on your team if one of the Dolphins’ top runners gets hurt or underperforms. And after Sunday’s game, both Mostert and Achane got banged up, and they haven’t practiced yet, which isn’t a good sign for the Dolphins, who are on a short week playing the Bills this Thursday night. Additionally, Mostert and Achane didn’t produce much on the ground in Week 1. The Dolphins, who boasted one of the top rushing offenses a year ago, could look for a chance to inject another dynamic runner in Wright into their rushing attack in a few more games if things don’t improve. Also, in 2023, the Dolphins showed they can support two productive running backs within their offense. Wright is currently listed as the RB32 on KeepTradeCut (KTC), which presents a good buy-low opportunity. So buy Wright now and stash him on your team, as once he gets his chance, either from injury or poor performance by one of Miami’s running backs, he can be a determining factor in your Dynasty team’s playoff hopes this year and many more. And that first chance may come this week.
Adonai Mitchell
The 52nd overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft had a very encouraging debut. Even though the rookie wide receiver failed to make an impact in his debut, Mitchell had opportunities to do so, which is a very positive sign. Colts’ quarterback Anthony Richardson overthrew him a few times, and Mitchell finished the day second on the team with five targets compared to Michael Pittman Jr.’s eight targets. While it’s not clear how big of a role he’ll have once Josh Downs returns, one thing is for certain: if he establishes more chemistry with Richardson, Mitchell has the potential to be the Colts’ WR2 based on his talent as he showed he was able to get separation from one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks in Stingley Jr. His final line on the day was one catch for two yards, but he could’ve easily gone for 150+ receiving yards with two touchdowns. He’s currently listed as the WR42 on KeepTradeCut (KTC), which presents an excellent buy-low value. Mitchell showed a lot of promise and a potentially high ceiling for the rest of the season and his career going forward, especially in this Colts’ offense that many have high hopes for. Buy Mitchell now, as once he establishes himself with a few big games, he could be a very solid Dynasty Fantasy Football producer for a long time.
Sell
Christian Kirk
Kirk’s Week 1 performance wasn’t his best, and the entire Jaguars’ offense wasn’t completely at its peak either. He finished the game with one catch for 30 yards on four targets, but he had a huge drop on third down in the early second quarter. In 2023, the Jaguars’ passing offense ran through three players for quarterback Trevor Lawrence: Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley, and Evan Engram.
In 2024, a new pass-catching star, Brian Thomas Jr., replaces Ridley. BTJ played second fiddle to Malik Nabers at LSU but was a touchdown machine, finding the endzone 17 times. Thomas Jr. started his career in Week 1 with a strong performance, hauling four catches for 47 yards and one touchdown, catching all four of his targets. He could’ve also padded his stats more as Lawrence threw him a deep ball into the end zone, but Jalen Ramsey got flagged for pass interference; otherwise, Thomas Jr. would’ve also had a 41-yard touchdown. While this narrative has more to do with the potential quick assent of Brian Thomas Jr. and having the potential to be the new clear-cut WR1 in Jacksonville, now is the time to sell Kirk, who’s historically been Lawrence’s safety net. Most still value him as the top wide receiver on the Jaguars, but this might only be for a few more weeks. Most expect Thomas Jr. to continue his growth, and if he does, he’ll be creating a debate about who the Jaguars’ top wide receiver is. Kirk is currently listed as the WR43 on KeepTradeCut (KTC), but he’s still a decent veteran player for a win-now manager. Look to sell Kirk to another contending Dynasty manager before his value drops.
Javonte Williams
Coming into the season, many had Javonte Williams as a potential sleeper in Year 2, back from his major knee injury. However, he didn’t perform in Week 1 as expected. Williams finished with only eight carries for 23 yards and only one catch for zero yards. The backup to Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, didn’t have a great showing either, but he was used more. McLaughlin had ten carries for 27 yards while adding five catches for one yard on five targets. I don’t want to read too much into just one week, but Williams only had a slight edge in snaps with 52% of the snap share. What worries me about Williams is that with the Broncos rebuilding, there’s a good chance they’re trailing in most of their games with a negative game script, making Williams’ passing game usage concerning and overall weekly ceiling lower.
Across the board, the running game for Denver was abysmal in Week 1 against the Seahawks, and LT Garret Bolles was also injured. For me, this backfield is too murky and rookie Audric Estime even got a few touches with a long run of 12 yards. With Williams still being the Broncos’ top running back, I would use this as a time to sell. Later in the year, Estime could be allowed to take this backfield over as he has shown some juice, which Williams lacks. Additionally, Williams’s lack of passing game work is a red flag, and the upcoming schedule isn’t favorable, so I’m worried that head coach Sean Payton won’t stay patient enough with Williams in tougher matchups and that he won’t remain the starter throughout this season. He’s currently listed as the RB28 on KeepTradeCut (KTC), and while this wouldn’t exactly be a sell high, I would sell him at this time before his value goes down any further. Now presents a great chance to sell Williams to a manager needing running back help.
Conclusion
As the football season quickly moves along, don’t let your league catch you sleeping, as it’ll cost you in the standings. Buy and sell these players now to build your long-lasting championship-caliber Dynasty Fantasy Football roster.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you gained some valuable information. If you have any questions or you’d like additional insight and analysis, please follow me on Twitter/X at @MonicasHubby. #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
