I am a massive fan of veterans in Dynasty Fantasy Football, thanks to their discounted price. A glance through my previous writing will reveal this. One downside of these players is that they are nearing a drop in value, and you may not be able to get a return on your initial investment. If we look at Dynasty as purely a stock market game, this is a complete disaster. However, Dynasty fantasy football is not a stock market despite having some elements of a stock market within it. The way you win in your Dynasty league is ultimately by scoring more points than your opponents. Players hold value based on their potential to score fantasy points for us in the future. But after those points are scored, a player will often not return to their previous value. When should we ignore conventional stock market strategy and hold on to an asset even if we know it will depreciate? What players should we take the loss on?
If you are not a contender, you likely have to get what you can for these players. You do not want any assets that are depreciating. Unfortunately, your league mates also recognize these pieces are declining in value and will likely not give you what they are truly worth. This is why I’m okay holding onto these assets for all my contending teams. While you can go out and buy these players as well, you are taking on some risk in doing so unless you are buying them off a team heading into a rebuild. One of the best ways to buy these guys is if someone takes over an orphan and wants to blow it up right away. They care more about moving the pieces for something rather than getting maximum value. Always send offers to the new owners in any league. Now, let’s look at some veteran players I’d prefer to hold onto rather than trade, given their age discount.
Aaron Rodgers (QB-NYJ)
Rodgers is currently going as QB24 in Sleeper ADP despite being only a year off of back-to-back MVP seasons. Before last season, Aaron Rodgers had finished as a QB1 in every season in which he played double-digit games. While last season was a bit of a drop-off, Rodgers still finished the year as QB13 overall with his number one pass catcher from years past (we will get to him later) in Las Vegas. He now goes to a place with a true elite alpha number one wide receiver, Garrett Wilson. The offensive line is a bit suspect, but perhaps Mekhi Becton can stay healthy and help solidify the blind side there. Reports on Breece Hall have been positive, and perhaps a fresh new environment is exactly what he needs. If I have Aaron Rodgers, I’m riding it out.
Austin Ekeler (RB-LAC)
While Ekeler maintains a decent ADP of RB7 on Sleeper, his value in the trade market has diminished considerably. People seem worried about the potential of him not being a Charger much longer. In the meantime, he is going near the top of the board in all redraft leagues. Hey may lose a ton of value in one fatal swoop, but in the meantime, I will take the elite fantasy upside he carries with him.
Derrick Henry (RB-TEN)
To a certain extent, most running backs could fall in this camp, so I am sticking with the ones that have true top-5 RB upside. While I have been a fan of selling Derrick Henry for a while, his current ADP of RB15 on Sleeper is not where I want to sell him. He may not have elite receiving game upside, but the Titans have shown they are willing to keep him on the field on passing downs recently, and Ryan Tannehill has shown a willingness to check the ball down to the big fella. If he catches three passes a game to go with the insane volume he receives running the ball, he could be looking at another top fantasy finish to his career. That said, he is a free agent after this next season, and his value will likely plummet. You will probably have to swallow this one going forward, but it is hard to get this kind of volume at RB15ish in value.
Cooper Kupp (WR-LAR)
After the 2021 season was the time to sell Kupp if you were ever going to. He was off to another incredible start in 2022 but suffered an injury in Week 10 that sidelined him for the remainder of the year. There is some reason to believe he may have been able to come back had the Rams been even remotely competitive last season. The Rams will likely be awful again this year, and that should mean a bunch of garbage time for Matt Stafford’s favorite target. On the trade market, you probably won’t get a return you are happy with. Hold onto Cooper Kupp and win a championship.
Davante Adams (WR-LV)
Another savvy veteran route-running wide receiver joins the list here. While the Raiders did add Jakobi Myers, Adams will still get his targets. The man is a route-running savant. A few years ago, he was the consensus WR1 in Dynasty. Not much has changed except his age, and his game is not predicated on elite athleticism. You may still have several years of elite production left with Adams. What he can provide in production is something only a short list of guys in this league are capable of.
DeAndre Hopkins (WR-FA)
This one is a bit trickier since Hopkins may be on a roster by the time you read this. Perhaps the right roster could give him a massive boost, but it feels like the community as a whole is down on “Nuk” Hopkins after a season where he missed the beginning due to a suspension and the end due to injury. In the games he played, though, he performed like his old self. Like Davante Adams, he has been to multiple locations and has been a target hog wherever he goes. I cannot imagine a landing spot where that wouldn’t be the case. Even if he signs with the Bills or Chiefs and gets a big uptick in value, I am still not selling. I will happily take the insane upside offered by a guy currently going as WR36 on Sleeper.
Travis Kelce (TE-KC)
When brainstorming this article, Travis Kelce was the first player I thought of. Every single year he is such a massive difference-maker. His current age has caused a slight drop in value, though. If you are selling Travis Kelce, it better be because you are completely done competing for a long time. I have continued to beat the drum that Kelce may be the single most valuable asset in fantasy football, given the massive edge he gives you every week. Most weeks, you are looking at a 10-20 point edge over your opponent. That is like getting to start another whole player in the flex. I will not be selling any of my Kelce shares unless I decide I am blowing the whole thing up. He is far too much of a difference-maker.
Darren Waller (TE-NYG)
This one is less exciting than Kelce, but he is also very inexpensive. There is an unknown factor here with him going to a new team, but it is a team in desperate need of pass catchers, particularly in the red zone. Even if he has a fantastic season this year, his age will likely prevent him from returning to his prior value. Unlike everyone else in the set of tight ends, not including Kelce, he has shown he can have that elite league-winning upside. It has been a few years since he posted those monster numbers, but we know the ability is there, and he does not have much competition in New York. If you have stuck with him this long, I would hold on to Darren Waller.
Thanks so much for reading. If you want to discuss more, reach out to me on Twitter @DougHarrelson. Thanks also for your membership to DFF! For those signed up for an annual membership, you can always reach the rest of the DFF team and me on our Discord server! Exclusively for annual memberships only. Sign up today!
