Dynasty fantasy football is a blast because it never really stops, and player values are always subjective. That’s why the best managers are the ones who can identify buy-low and sell-high windows before the rest of the league catches on. Following, I break down four dynasty trade candidates in 2026 for fantasy managers looking to maximize value before a market shift.
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Buy Low
Javonte Williams | RB, Dallas Cowboys
Stop me when you hear a legit running back: Malik Davis… Jaydon Blue… Phil Mafah. I didn’t think so.
That’s the group behind Javonte Williams right now. Dallas didn’t address the position in the draft, leaving Williams as the clear-cut RB1. After a career-high 1,201 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in his first season with the Cowboys, the team rewarded Williams with a three-year, $24-million contract this offseason.
With a long-term deal in place and little behind him to threaten his workload, you’d think Williams would be ranked much higher in dynasty, especially after finishing as the RB11 in fantasy points per game (15.2) a season ago. But he’s not; he’s currently ranked RB20 on both FantasyPros’ Expert Consensus Rankings and KeepTradeCut.
Javonte Williams’ Advanced Metrics
No one is going to mistake Williams for being electric and efficient. Yes, he had 13 runs of 15-plus yards (RB9), but otherwise, he was mostly average. His 4.7 yards per touch ranked 32nd among tailbacks. His 22% juke rate was good for RB33. And his -21.5 Expected Points Added was, frankly, hideous.
But we all know volume is king in fantasy football, and Williams had plenty of it. A sizable role is what propelled Williams to his best season yet. He finished fifth in red zone touches (62), eighth in snap share (68.8%), tenth in carries (252), and 11th in routes run (286).
That heavy workload is likely to return for Williams in 2026, and likely beyond. Get him while other managers are still treating him like a back-end RB2. As long as he continues to dominate touches as Dallas’ lead back, we know he’s worth more than that.
Courtland Sutton | WR, Denver Broncos
Speaking to contenders only here: while everyone else is excited about Jaylen Waddle‘s arrival and telling you to sell Courtland Sutton, he’s actually a savvy buy at the moment.
Sean Payton has been searching for a difference-maker Z/slot receiver ever since he got to Denver. He’s tried Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Devaughn Vele, and Pat Bryant. All of those guys had brief flashes, but they didn’t have staying power. That’s why Payton went out and got Waddle via trade this offseason.
The X position is still Sutton’s job, though, and he’s been dependable in the role. Last year, he was fourth in routes run (589), finishing 11th in total targets (124), including fifth in red zone targets (19). He played 86.6% of the snaps, and it was that combination of playing time and volume that helped him finish as the WR13 in total fantasy points. Sutton averaged 12.9 FPPG, good for WR18.
😮 WHAT. A. CATCH.
Courtland Sutton 🙌#CLEvsDEN
(via @NFL)
— PFF (@PFF) November 3, 2019
I don’t think Sutton’s route participation or target share will change much, even with Waddle in town. They can co-exist since their skill sets don’t overlap at all. And honestly, how confident are we that Waddle can hold up for 17 games? He’s only missed six games over the past three seasons, but he seems to pay monthly rent to the blue tent with how often he ends up in it. He’s a good bet to get nicked up and miss some time over the course of the season.
Still, people are excited about the former Dolphins wideout. He’s the new toy, like Buzz Lightyear. Sutton is now the old toy, like Woody, and fantasy managers don’t want to play with him anymore. That gives you a solid buy-low window right now while points aren’t being scored.
If you’re aiming for a championship this season, Sutton is a trusty option you can confidently plug into your flex spot. He ain’t sexy, but who cares. Points are all that matter, and Sutton can still provide those for you in an offense that had the fourth-most pass attempts in the NFL last season.
RELATED: Updated Dynasty WR Rankings 2026 | The Elite Tier, Sleepers & Busts
Sell High
Trey McBride | TE, Arizona Cardinals
Before you hit me with the Brad Pitt “Shoot that guy” meme on me, please remember: this is a sell-high article.
The value for Trey McBride — fresh off a historic season — can’t get much higher than what it is right now. He was sensational last year, finishing as the TE1 in fantasy scoring while also leading the position in several key metrics. He saw 169 targets and turned those into an NFL tight end record 126 receptions for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns. Numbers comparable to what peak-Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce were putting up; that’s how absurdly good McBride was.
Trey McBride’s 2025 Explosive Play Rating
So why even consider selling? After all, McBride is only 26 years old and in his prime. He has contract insulation and is signed through the 2029 season. He’s productive, too, with back-to-back top-two fantasy finishes at his position. Just hold and enjoy those sweet fantasy points, right?
Well, things could be tough this year in Arizona… again. For one, they have one of the most difficult schedules and are the only team not favored in a single game this coming season. In my best Yoda voice, “Ideal, that is not.”
Second, Jacoby Brissett is slated to be the starter, but he’s currently staying away from the team in an attempt to get more guaranteed money in 2026. Brissett is just a bridge quarterback, and at 33 years old, this might be his last chance to get a decent payday. The longer that drags out, the more likely it is that Arizona will move forward with veteran Gardner Minshew or rookie Carson Beck as the starter. Neither of which is good for McBride’s fantasy ceiling.
Lastly, there is bound to be some regression. Like Thanos, it’s inevitable. McBride won’t break the catch record again; he probably won’t come close. His touchdowns will likely come down, as well. That’s only natural after his 11 scores last season were nearly double what he had in his first three seasons combined (six).
Dynasty is sometimes about extracting as much value as possible, and right now, you can get a massive return in exchange for McBride if you decide you want to trade him. It’s at least worth looking into.
Luther Burden | WR, Chicago Bears
Look, I’m a big Luther Burden fan. He was No. 1 on my Top 10 Dynasty Breakout Candidates article I wrote here on May 19. I think the future is bright for him, and I’m expecting a productive Year 2. That said, the excitement around him feels like it’s reached a fever pitch, with some managers already valuing him as a borderline WR1. If you have someone in your league trying to pay you those prices for Burden right now, it might be time to cash out.
A leaguemate recently hit me up about Chris Olave in a trade. They offered two ho-hum players I’m not excited about: Jordan Addison and RJ Harvey. I countered and told him to swap Burden for Addison, and I’ll consider it. Their response was, “Burden and Olave are the same.”
Excuse me?
Olave is in his prime and just finished as the WR6 in total points and WR7 in fantasy points per game with 16.8. Yes, the Saints drafted Jordyn Tyson No. 8 overall in the NFL Draft, but Olave is still the WR1 in that offense and has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. Burden is not at that level yet.
Luther Burden’s 2025 Efficiency Metrics
All of the efficiency metrics point to a monster-in-the-making with the “Chosen 1.” Among all receivers, he finished second in target separation (2.63) and third in yards per route run (2.79). Additionally, seventh in yards per target (10.9), and 12th in first downs per route run (0.115). He did all that as a rookie. Right now, however, it’s all just theoretical and positive thinking that Burden takes a massive leap in his second season.
If you can capitalize on hype and extract that type of value out of Burden to land a top-12 receiver or running back in return, then you may want to consider taking the production now.
Wolf Trelles-Heard is a fantasy football analyst for PlayerProfiler.
Follow @DynastyFFWolf
