Dynasty Football / Featured / NFL

4 Players to Sell in Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

- by Dave Ventresca

4-Player-to-Sell-High-in-Dynasty-Fantasy-Football-Leagues

In dynasty fantasy football leagues, we all know there is no off-season. Whether you’re an expert in dynasty leagues or brand new to them, buying low and selling high on players is crucial. In the end, correctly determining when to buy or sell on a player can make or break your dynasty teams.

Diehard dynasty football players are already looking ahead to 2024. Specifically, the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. With that, it’s never too early to get a jump on things and get ahead of the market. Keep in mind, that these aren’t always players you’re selling “high” on. Rather, some might be either selling high or simply selling before their value tanks. With that, here are four players that you should consider selling before the start of the 2024 NFL season.

Dynasty Fantasy Football – Sell Candidates

Tank Dell WR Houston Texans

Tank Dell burst onto the scene as a rookie posting a 47-709-7 statline in just eleven games. With his crisp route running, Dell did his part to dispel the notion small players cannot succeed in the NFL.  Ultimately, he posted impressive advanced metrics with a 25% target per route run (TPRR) and a 2.40 yards per route run (YPRR).

Despite these impressive numbers, there are two reasons why I have Dell listed as a sell-high candidate.

1.) Can he stay healthy and hold up in the NFL?

Yes, Dell proved he can play at his size. However, one of the knocks on Dell was his durability given his stature.  He did not help matters in this regard in 2023.

Dell sustained a concussion early in the year and then unfortunately suffered a fractured fibula which ended his season. I try not to hold injuries against a player after only one year. This could easily be a case of bad injury luck. But I have questions if Dell can hold up at his size.

I want to reiterate that his talent is not in question. But availability is just as important as ability when it comes to fantasy football.

2.) The Texans could bring in another receiving option to further boost their passing game.

Houston has the second most cap space ($74 million) this offseason. They could certainly make a run at a free-agent acquisition like Tee Higgins or Michael Pittman Jr. Added competition would put a cap on Dell’s fantasy ceiling.

There’s also Nico Collins’ continued emergence as a true number-one receiver in Dell’s absence. Collins fits a more prototypical WR1 build and could emerge as the preferred option even when both are on the field.

Dell is a good player and is still viewed highly in the dynasty community. I just have some lingering questions. This could be an opportunity for players to sell high. Players like Zay Flowers, Michael Pittman Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are ranked similarly to Dell on KeepTradeCut. I’d prefer all of them to Dell.

Christian Watson WR Green Bay Packers

How quickly things can change in dynasty leagues. A popular breakout pick before the start of 2023, Christian Watson struggled to stay on the field once again. Nagging hamstring injuries limited Watson to just nine games. As a result, his popularity has waned amongst dynasty gamers.

During Watson’s absence, many of Green Bay’s other young weapons stepped up to fill the void. There’s now an issue of where he will fall in the pecking order with the emergence of Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft. It’s debatable if he’s even the best receiving option on the roster.

If Green Bay’s first playoff game was any indication, then Watson is heading for trouble in 2024. He saw a total of one target in his first game back from injury. In fairness, he only played 41% of offensive snaps. Perhaps they were easing him back into things. Nevertheless, I am slightly concerned it was not more of an emphasis to feed him targets when he was on the field.

Watson appears to be, at best, a boom/bust wide receiver option moving forward. He still needs to further develop his route-running acumen if he ever hopes to emerge as a true number-one receiver.

Watson can still be a useful dynasty asset, particularly in best ball formats. However, the hope he develops into a true fantasy difference-maker is fading. He has just not proven he can consistently remain on the field to do so.

Some players ranked similarly to him according to KeepTradeCut are Josh Downs, Chris Godwin, Christian Kirk, and Diontae Johnson. Personally, I would easily swap Watson for any of these players in a potential trade.

Travis Kelce TE Kansas City Chiefs

Arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history, 2023 was Travis Kelce’s worst statistical season since 2015. He failed to eclipse one thousand yards and averaged a career-low 10.6 yards per reception. It would appear we have started to see the inevitable decline of a fantasy football stalwart.

Kelce is now entering his age thirty-five season. He is still a very useful fantasy option, especially at a notoriously thin position. However, given the influx of youth at the tight end position we saw this past year, it would probably be wise to consider moving on.

The explanation for Kelce’s place on this list is fairly easy. Age is the enemy when it comes to dynasty football. It’s always better to get out a year early than to stay a year late.

Managers missed the optimal sell window on Kelce after the 2022 season. However, they can still fetch a nice return. Despite the down year, Kelce still finished as the TE3 in 2023. It’s important to remember that he still plays with Patrick Mahomes. Kelce can still rack up receptions and challenge for one thousand yards any given year. It might just be time to accept that the elite of elite seasons are in the rearview mirror.

I only have a handful of Kelce shares left. Ideally, I will be hoping to land a young tight end in a trade. Players like Michael Mayer, Luke Musgrave, or Pat Freiermuth are all intriguing names I would be interested in acquiring with any Kelce trade. You should look to do the same.

Russell Wilson QB Denver Broncos

Generally speaking, there are two types of dynasty sell-high players. There are sell-high players for value, and then, there are “Get this guy off my roster ASAP!” sell-highs. Unfortunately, Russell Wilson is the latter.

I expressed some concerns I had for Wilson in my 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook piece. Unfortunately, these came to fruition. With the Broncos benching him down the stretch, he is now most likely looking for a new home in 2024. Statistically, you could say Wilson had a bounce-back year scoring 29 total touchdowns in 15 games. Additionally, he ranked fourth overall in our Consistency Score among quarterbacks. From a fantasy football perspective, Wilson had a fine 2024. All things considered.

Despite having a good fantasy season, Wilson ranked just 21st in Pro Football Focus passing grade. Finishing behind the likes of Jake Browning, Derek Carr, and Tyrod Taylor. His inability to play on script and penchant for scrambling proved to be his undoing. As a result, Sean Payton promptly sent him to the bench.

Furthermore, while Wilson can still produce for fantasy football purposes, problems arise for Wilson when we examine him from a real-life NFL standpoint. Notably, he was largely seen as a broken player coming into the 2023 season. Sean Payton, one of the best offensive coaches in the league, has decided that Wilson cannot be fixed. It now appears Payton and the Broncos are willing to eat $85 million in dead cap space to move on from Wilson this offseason. If Payton could not fix him, is there a coach out there who can?

Moreover, his inability to evolve has proven to be a major problem for Wilson as he has aged and his athleticism has weaned. The only way he will remain fantasy-viable is if he lands with a team looking for a veteran quarterback. Even if that happens, it’s unlikely Wilson can change his ways. Realistically, one more blown starting opportunity from being out of the league for good. 2024 may be his last season.

You won’t be able to move Wilson right now as things stand. Should he land as a starter somewhere else, find a willing dance partner, and bail immediately. Overall, he is a ticking time bomb in dynasty football leagues. When the right time comes, get him off your roster and let the bomb detonate on someone else.

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About Dave Ventresca

If you like what you read follow me on Twitter @FF_Stallion.

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