Fantasy Football fans have adjusted with the times when it comes to understanding most metrics and statistics. In the late ’90s, we all marveled at stats like yards per carry, thinking we had unlocked the key to understanding football. Eventually, PlayerProfiler came along and brought with it a whole new world of metrics, including Lifetime Value that can give you a leg-up in trade analysis.
Lifetime Value (LTV) approximates a player’s fantasy point-scoring potential above replacement for the remainder of their entire career. The calculated value is a delicate balance of fantasy point production merged with expected career seasons left. Consequently, an aging veteran player may have a lower lifetime value even if they have a strong history of production.
Let’s look at some examples of trades that are even to help you get an understanding of this metric and hopefully provide you with some information that can help you swing for the fences in your next dynasty trade.
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Ever Wanted a Crystal Ball?
Jahmyr Gibbs | RB, Detroit Lions
The No. 1 overall player based on PlayerProfiler’s Lifetime Value Metric is Jahmyr Gibbs with a value of 392.9. In case you were wondering, Bijan Robinson is second with 373.30.
According to the Trade Analyzer tool, what is an appropriate cost for the best player in dynasty? Jeremiyah Love (ARI) and a future 2027 1st for Gibbs comes out to a fair price in the current market. Malik Nabers, CeeDee Lamb, and Justin Jefferson all have similar LTV scores in the same range as Love’s. So, one of those and a future 2027 Round 1 rookie selection in that hyped class comes out to a fair trade.
I’d see those as a win-win for both squads, especially the trade involving Love and the future 1st for Gibbs. If you have an average roster with Gibbs, it would be worthwhile to see what you could get for the superstar running back. Love isn’t on an offense that projects to put up massive numbers that can compete with Gibbs in 2026, so you continue to build into a future with a solid RB and strong draft capital. Meanwhile, a contender gets a massive piece on their push for a championship.
The only caveat to these analyses is that you often have to overspend to pry a superstar away from their owner. This is especially true for wide receivers and tight ends because of the sizable tier breaks, but it hands you the actual value on a silver platter.
Mike Evans | WR, San Francisco 49ers
I really wanted to showcase the Lifetime Value Rating with a veteran that still has some left in the tank, and Mike Evans fits that mold perfectly. Evans has already compiled enough statistics to warrant a Hall of Fame career, finishing with over 1,000 yards in 11 of his 12 seasons. Now in San Francisco, some see him as the “new Davante Adams” in 2026. A veteran, two-time second-team All-Pro wide receiver going to a fantasy-rich environment.
The 49ers are hoping Mike Evans can give their offense something it has rarely had under Kyle Shanahan, a proven No. 1 wide receiver.
For years, San Francisco has built one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses without relying on a dominant outside receiver, instead leaning on… pic.twitter.com/sAacCWbmcB
— Green 19 Football (@Green19Football) July 21, 2026
Evans has an LTV that puts him near fellow receivers Parker Washington, Chris Godwin, or Jayden Reed. Other skill-position players with a similar LTV include fellow veteran Derrick Henry and Sam LaPorta.
The reason for the low value isn’t only from his age, but also his injury history. Evans still has some production left in the tank; the question is, how much? Will it be two games before a nasty hamstring tear knocks him out for 2026, leaving him without a role in 2027? Or could it be 15 solid games of production as the clear alpha in a Shanahan offense?
Joe Burrow | QB, Cincinnati Bengals
With the rise of superflex leagues, it was essential to hit on quarterbacks when talking about LTV. And, fun fact, I mentioned earlier that Gibbs is the top player in this metric. When you adjust to Superflex, however, he’s third behind Drake Maye and Josh Allen.
Of the top-10 quarterbacks based on LTV, Burrow is the one quarterback with little to no rushing upside, making him the quarterback I would want to trade away. The approximate value would be Burrow for Trevor Lawrence and a 2027 mid-2nd round pick. Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson are two quarterbacks with similar LTV scores to Lawrence so that you could use one of them in this instance.
Burrow has had far more success than Lawrence; however, the latter may finally be unlocked with Liam Coen. It seems that all summer long, every Jaguars player has had hype at one point or another except Lawrence, the engine that powers the whole offense.
Kyle Pitts | TE, Atlanta Falcons
There’s an old saying people use when buying a home: “Buy the cheapest house in the nicest neighborhood.” This can also be used to find value in fantasy football. In best ball or redraft, you often hear about drafters making lists with tiers and grabbing a player out of a specific one before it’s gone. The LTV metric gives us a clear view of how it sees the tight end landscape in fantasy football right now.
I want to focus on the tight ends outside of the top five, specifically: Kyle Pitts, Tucker Kraft, and LaPorta. These guys have an LTV comparable to Jaylen Waddle, Marvin Harrison Jr., Christian Watson, Javonte Williams, and Bucky Irving. I know that some of those names seem like they should go for more, but these specific values indicate tight end premium scoring.
-Elite Athleticism
-Entering prime- age 25
-Locked to on 3 year contract
-Coming off an 88 catch, 928 yard season
-No new target competition
-Enter Check Down TuaMy favorite TE Riser of 26′ : pic.twitter.com/NuJIUYhi3I
— FantasyNerdBoi (@NerdBoiTakes) July 21, 2026
Pitts, who finished as the second-highest scoring tight end in 2025, is often still grouped outside of the top four of his position. I’d advocate asking about his availability. That same process applies to Kraft or LaPorta. These are talented players that are primed to make that next jump.
Luther Burden III | WR, Chicago Bears
I mentioned Parker Washington earlier when talking about Evans, so I wanted to talk about another blossoming star that the fantasy community seems to love — Luther Burden III. Like most fantasy football enthusiasts, count me among the stans. I am a fan of Burden’s game. I think he is great, but the LTV absolutely loves Burden.
The PlayerProfiler Lifetime Value Rating has the Mizzou product right inside the top 20 wide receivers, sandwiched in between Nico Collins and teammate Rome Odunze. Burden was slowly brought along last season, never hitting a 50% snap share until Week 12. While Burden did flash, it was very late in the campaign, and he finished as a top-30 wide receiver only four times during the season.
If you aren’t a believer in Burden, or think the time to sell is now, a great target would be Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. Higgins is right behind Burden in LTV, and if Burden were to match Higgins in scoring, well, I’d say that would be a successful season. If you are interested in buying Burden, I played around with the trade analyzer and made this gem:
Check out the Trade Analyzer tool on PlayerProfiler, and you’ll be amazed at what you can cook up.
Now, get to sending out those offers!
