Don’t look now, but the fantasy playoffs for the majority of leagues start in just two weeks! For those of us with a refined palate, our two-week playoffs have already begun. We have also had trade deadlines begin to come and go, so these trades will not be possible for some of us. For those who can, these trades can make or break a championship run. Be careful of the overpay, as eliminated owners may try to rob you on these deals. Be willing to negotiate but also willing to walk away.
Quarterback:
Dak Prescott (QB – DAL)
If you lost Joe Burrow and need a legitimate QB1 to give your team the necessary upside to win a championship, Dak is your guy. There is no better top-tier quarterback from a Dynasty price versus projected points perspective. Dak has been on an absolute frenzy lately, putting up 25 or more fantasy points in five of the last six games and facing a favorable schedule down the stretch. Dak is having a career year and could be the very piece you need to win a championship in 2023.
Joshua Dobbs (QB – MIN)
This is more for filling out a QB2/3 spot in a Superflex league. We have the Vet Values you need regardless of budget. We have a buy-low spot after a poor performance on national TV after back-to-back losses. Some managers may be trying to get out while they still can, with the rumors of Minnesota potentially exploring other options at the quarterback position. There aren’t a lot of other professional quarterbacks available at this point in the post-trade deadline world. While Dobbs will likely be a backup in the 2024 season, the cost is low enough that if it can get me through a pinch and help me win a championship, I would consider that worth the investment.
Running Back:
D’Andre Swift (RB – PHI)
You might even wait one more week on this, with a tough matchup against San Francisco this week likely not to increase his market value. With this exception of last week and the first week of the season where he was Kenneth Gainwell’s backup, Swift has been a top 25 back every week with three top 10 finishes as well. This floor is nice in playoff weeks when things can get nutty in a single-game sample size.
Derrick Henry (RB – TEN)
I put running backs in here every week, but I rarely buy running backs in season. Their price is so inflated with current production. The Dynasty community as a whole has picked up on the fact that Derrick Henry may lose most of his value as soon as the season is over. The volume has taken a hit this season, and the once 25-plus touch running back is now in the 10-25 range for most weeks. The two-touchdown game is a bit of poor timing if you are trying to buy Henry, but perhaps the Henry manager will happily use this as a good time to get out from their investment.
D’Ernest Johnson (RB – JAX)
As much of a Tanks Bigsby truther as I am, he has not been in the number two role lately. It’s been D’Ernest Johnson. If anything happens to Travis Etienne Jr, Johnson would become a must-start. We saw a run of success for Johnson a couple of years back as a member of the Cleveland Browns, so we know he is capable of at least some level of production. I will stick with the kid-tested and mother-approved method of acquisition for Johnson: make him a throw-in on a bigger deal. I would happily deal a 3rd for him, but that negotiation always results in the other manager wanting to get a 2nd instead and nothing getting done. Make him the final piece on one of these bigger deals. I especially love this move for anyone rostering Etienne, but I’m fine grabbing all the off-handcuffs I can get.
Wide Receiver:
Davante Adams (WR – LV)
Adams’ value has dropped recently with the Raiders turning to Aidan O’Connell, but in the past three weeks, Adams has had double-digit fantasy production each week. He is no longer the old Davante, posting top 5 WR performances every week, but his price has dropped enough that he may be acquired for multiple 2nds or even a younger player if the seller is eliminated from contention. Always check teams that just recently got eliminated for some veterans. They will be willing to sell from a game theory perspective but also may be rushing to do so due to a trade deadline or a bit of tilt.
Keenan Allen (WR – LAC)
His price tag has gone way up from his offseason price tag, but the juice is still worth the squeeze. Allen has finished as a top 12 WR each of the last four weeks and has three WR1 finishes. Allen has also scored double-digit points in every single game this season, giving him one of the highest floor/ceiling combinations of anyone at the position. The narrative around Keenan Allen has been that he has been like 30 for the past decade, so people might still be willing to trade him. The difficult part of a deal like this is that most people that roster Allen are contenders and will have zero interest in selling unless it’s an overpay.
Calvin Ridley (WR – JAX)
Calvin Ridley has had an up-and-down season, but there could be some relationship between Zay Jones and Calvin Ridley on how it affects coverage. When Zay Jones has played, Ridley has averaged 20.6 FPPG, but when Zay Jones has been out, Ridley has averaged 7.7 FPPG. Whether this is a sample size issue or how teams can defend against the Jaguars, we have seen Ridley put up some huge games this season and some poor ones. Perhaps a Ridley manager is eliminated or wants off the roller coaster, and you can get in for a good value.
Tight End:
Cole Kmet (TE – CHI)
The tight end position may have some hope for the future with promising young stars and Brock Bowers coming out of Georgia next year. If you need a quick fix, Cole Kmet has shown a bit of a ceiling and has a decent target share, especially with Fields at QB. Chances are you are only making this move if you do not have a decent option already. Kmet has finished as a top-12 tight end in four of the past five games and has a TE1 and TE2 finish on the season.
Conclusion:
As I said in the intro, be smart about what leagues you buy these guys in and how much you are willing to pay for them. I would come into negotiations with an idea of the most I would pay for these guys and start below that by whatever is reasonable. Don’t let fear force you into overpaying for these guys. That defeats the whole purpose of the Vet Value.
Thanks so much for reading. If you want to discuss more, reach out to me on Twitter. Find me @DougHarrelson on there. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our Dynasty Football Factory Membership to get all things Dynasty, DFS, Sports Betting, and Devy. Annual subscribers also get access to our Discord server, where you can access all of our staff!
