Part One of the Trades I Have Made in the FFPC was an excellent process for me – Dynasty Trades I Have Made in 2023 – PlayerProfiler. It allowed me to explain the rationale and reasoning behind the deals I completed in the context of my team builds. It also made me want to trade more. Trading players and draft picks to reshape your roster is one of the most exciting aspects of Dynasty.
“I smarten up, open the market up.” – Jay Z, U Don’t Know
As the calendar moves towards spring, the trades ramp up frequently in FFPC Dynasty leagues. The steady drumbeats of the combine AND NFL Free Agency seem to wake certain managers out of post-season hibernation. The combine clarifies which draft picks you really need, and free agency creates continual dynasty value gains and losses in the value of certain players. This time of year is a perfect storm for making deals.
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Unique Challenges of the FFPC
You also have the unique challenge of FFPC roster cuts, with teams needing to trim to 16 total players (including a kicker and a defense). The term consolidation is thrown out in Dynasty, but in the FFPC, frequently, roster consolidation is a necessary part of the trading process. You cannot be on the opposite end of too many 3-1 type deals, and on the flip side, you sometimes have to overpay to ensure you are maximizing the 14 spots on your roster not allotted to kicker defense.
In my previous article, I wrote about some teams that had won titles in 2022. This article features some teams that were rebuilds or soft rebuilds that are now on the verge of finishing in the money in 2023.
As a reminder, my general philosophy is that certain players can be bought and sold simultaneously based on team needs and structure. Here are a few trades that I have made.
(All leagues listed are TE Premium, scoring- 1.5 points per reception for a TE)
Trade No. 1
Entry Fee $750
20 Man Roster
Start QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, 2 Flex
PPR Non-SF
Team finish in 2022: Rebuild, entirely out of the money
Sent: Kyle Pitts
Received: Justin Fields, 1.06, 2.06
Kyle Pitts was a difficult player to move on from. I had purchased this team as an orphan, and Pitts was one of its main draws. He was one of 2022’s biggest disappointments in Dynasty and Redraft, as he struggled to be fantasy relevant in Arthur Smith’s antiquated run-first system. Am I giving up on him in Dynasty? Definitely not, but another non-top 5 TE finish would make his trade equity move even lower. Pivoting off of Pitts in certain spots was the move to make. This team is not quite there yet, but it has great potential. I already had picks 1.03 and 1.04 to go along with 2.03 and 2.04. Now I added another mid-1st and mid-2nd rounder into the mix. I will have six of the first 18 selections in the draft.
Trade Rationale
I was in an unexciting place at the QB position with Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers. I have a difference-maker at the position with Fields and a potential long-term answer at QB. While none have the value of Kyle Pitts, this team still has Chig Okonkwo, Cole Kmet, and Trey McBride. This trio has a good shot at producing a top-15 season or two. I also now have the pick flexibility to add a TE in the second round of the rookie draft.
Trade No. 2
Entry Fee $750
20 Man Roster
Start QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 2 Flex
PPR Non-SF
Team finish in 2022: third in the regular season, third in the postseason, in the money
Sent: 2.10, 2024 2nd
Received: Evan Engram, 2024 3rd
This team has been frustrating, with back-to-back seasons of just missing the big first-place prize. Two seasons ago, I finished second in both the regular and post-season. This past year was even more frustrating—two years in the money but not in the BIG money.
With players like Christian McCaffrey, Tony Pollard, Cooper Kupp, DeAndre Hopkins, and Tyreek Hill, I have a great deal of firepower, but several players are getting older and older. I also have had a glaring need for a TE.
Trade rationale
The chance to add Engram was one I could not pass up. The other manager is a sharp and experienced FFPC player with a rebuilding team. Our team contexts matched up very well for a move like this. I gave up a late second and also what should be a late second in 2024 for a TE that has top 6 potential. Even if Engram disappoints, he should be a solid TE1. Trading for Engram is probably the least exciting trade I am writing about in this article, but a very important one for me.
Trade No. 3
Entry Fee $500
20 Man Roster
Start QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 2 Flex
PPR Non-SF
Team Finish in 2022:: Made playoffs, out of the money
Sent: Ken Walker, D.K. Metcalf, Trey Lance, and the 3.05
Received: DeAndre Hopkins and the 1.01
This team was the same team I wrote about in the previous article, where I moved 1.07 and Rachaad White for 1.02. Well, I will be picking at the 1.01 as well.
A move like this is an aggressive one, and I am sure there will be some readers who hate it and those who LOVE it. Both managers certainly walked away satisfied with this one. The starting point for this trade was Ken Walker plus for the 1.01. There were a lot of discussions and the exchange escalated to Ken Walker and Metcalf plus for the 1.01 and a WR.
Trade Rationale
Trey Lance was a potential cut candidate, and throwing him in was easy for me. (This team has Kyler Murray and Daniel Jones). On the other end, I initially wanted Chris Godwin and included a second-rounder (2.07) as part of the offer. When this manager countered back with Hopkins, I switched to a third-rounder instead and explained that age and a lack of team clarity for Hopkins were the reason for the pick downgrade. There were multiple counters in this one. It was a VERY satisfying deal to complete.
Moving from Metcalf to Hopkins was difficult, but there are scenarios where Hopkins is the higher fantasy producer in 2023. Walker is a player who I have a great deal of in FFPC formats with (redacted for IRS reasons) dollars exposure to him. I like Walker, but he could be at the peak level of his dynasty value. The chance to pivot to Bijan Robinson was a chance I could not pass up.
These two trades were massive wins for roster consolidation. I turned four players and two draft picks for the 1.01, the 1.02, and DeAndre Hopkins. I will be disappointed if this team does not finish in the money this year. It is also a team that is set up to win for years to come.
Trade No. 4
Entry Fee $500
20 Man Roster
Start QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, 2 Flex
Team Finish in 2022: Made Playoffs, Missed money
Sent: Kadarius Toney, 1.07
Received: Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, 3.10
This team was a fun one last year. I took over an orphan for a reduced price and was aggressive with my rebuild, moving players for long-term assets and draft picks. I accumulated three 2023 first-rounders (moved one in an enormous deal for Justin Jefferson). The expectation was a poor season, but the team did well despite an unbalanced roster. I am happy that I did not push the chips in for a run at the overall title. The decision would have been short-sighted, as I am now in a window where I can compete for the title for the next few seasons.
Trade Rationale
This team entered the postseason loaded at WR with Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Garrett Wilson, Jerry Jeudy, Treylon Burks, Jahan Dotson, Kadarius Toney, and George Pickens. I also entered the offseason with two first-round picks- the 1.07 and the 1.12. Between the WRs and the draft picks, I had the perfect combination to make a move.
With Josh Allen and Daniel Jones, QB is in a great place. My TE spot needs some help. Like many FFPC leagues, quality TEs are challenging to attain, and multiple TEs are rostered by almost every team in the league. Running back was thin. Ken Walker, James Cook, and Jamaal Williams were the only quality RBs I had on the roster that would survive cuts. Adding an RB or three had to become the focus of my off-season moves.
Trading the 1.07 and Toney for Chubb and Hunt (with the third rounder on top) made total sense, and the price was fair. Chubb should provide top-12 RB value for me all season long, barring injury. He turns 28 this season but is coming off a career-high in rushing yardage. If I can get two more starting seasons of him, then this trade should be a win. Hunt was an exciting piece to add as well. He still has not signed and is available on the open market as a free agent. I hope he lands well and has a path to RB2/3 value this season.
With a starting lineup featuring Allen, Walker, and Chubb, and the firepower I have at WR, this team will compete for the overall title in 2023. There could be a few more moves to come with this team.
Trades No. 5 and No. 6
Entry Fee $250
20 Man Roster
Start QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, 2 Flex
Team Finish in 2022: Total Rebuild
Sent: Tyler Allgeier, 2.07, 4.01
Received: David Montgomery
Sent Pat Freiermuth, Trey McBride, 1.08
Received: T.J. Hockenson
This team was a total rebuild in 2022. I loaded the roster with future first-round picks to go along with QB Joe Burrow and another substantial WR room with players like D.K. Metcalf, Garrett Wilson, Drake London, and Jameson Williams. TE was in decent shape with Freiermuth, Tyler Higbee, and McBride. RB was a total disaster, with a Bijan Robinson-sized light at the end of the tunnel.
The rebuilding plan worked to perfection as this team entered the offseason with the 1.01, 1.03, 1.07, 1.08, 2.01, 2.07, and 2.11. This was a perfect opportunity to capitalize on my team depth and draft pick equity.
Trade Rationale
I identified a few RB targets that I believe will gain value as the offseason moves along, and David Montgomery was one of them. The manager I traded with needed draft picks and younger players, so the chance to pivot to Allgeier and the second-round rookie pick was appealing to them. I am happy with this trade. I expect Montgomery to slot right next to Robinson in a fun backfield.
The 1.03 could turn into another strong RB or Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Making this trade allows me to take the best player available there and not feel pressured to fill a positional need.
The second trade was another example of upgrading my roster and consolidating it. Hockenson is a tremendous addition. He is a long-term answer for me at TE and an upgrade from Freiermuth. The 1.08 is a valuable pick, but the fact that I had the 1.07 made it a lot easier to part with.
Between Hockenson, Montgomery, Bijan Robinson, and whoever I select at the 1.03, 1.07, and 2.01, this team is ready to compete for the league title in 2023.
