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Many fantasy football dynasty players in the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) who don’t have a roster that looks like a championship contender are eagerly awaiting their upcoming rookie/free agent drafts. Some have been trading for several draft picks in an all-out effort to build for the future.
Yet you can do a lot more than just focusing on rookies in the quest to get back into the winning mix over the next few years. Trading for players who may be in “buy low on their fantasy value” windows is a very good way to push your roster back into the league’s elite by as soon as the 2023 season. You don’t have to wait four or five years to feel like a winner again.
Your FFPC rebuild target range should be two to three seasons. By attempting to make deals for any of these 12 players who could be headed for breakout or rebound campaigns in the next two years, you are taking educated chances on positive returns. These types of performers could deliver significantly more than currently expected and elevate your overall team outlook over the next two years.
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FFPC Dynasty Rebuild: Get These Guys Now
Michael Carter, RB, New York Jets: The New York offense has not really taken off yet, and the team struck out frequently in the offseason when they tried to bring in some more notable playmakers around Zach Wilson. Carter missed some time as a rookie and didn’t get as many touches as hoped, with just 193 total from scrimmage. He is a potentially explosive dual threat who should start to see more work in his second season.
Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have a potential out in Ezekiel Elliott’s contract after this season, and if they find a way to move on from him, maybe Pollard will finally get his chance to start for Dallas. Or maybe not. Pollard is going to be an unrestricted free agent after this season and could choose to start somewhere else. It seems Pollard is headed for a larger role in 2023 whether he stays in Dallas or not. Pollard has averaged 5.5 yards per carry so far in his career while averaging just 105 carries in his first three seasons. He might be headed for a true breakout campaign one season from now.
Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings: Any savvy fantasy dynasty player will have Mattison on their roster as a backup to Dalvin Cook. However, with the right trade offer you may be able to pry him away now before his value really rises after the 2022 season. Mattison is set to be a free agent after the upcoming campaign and should get an opportunity to start elsewhere in 2023. Mattison is regarded as arguably the best backup running back in the NFL, and you should take the shot to see if you can acquire him for a lower price now.
Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants: This is an opportunity to acquire Barkley when his fantasy appeal is much lower than it may be in the future. Barkley is set to possibly play his final season with the Giants, and those who currently roster him may be feeling very uncertain about him helping them win in 2022. This is an ideal dynasty rebuild trade, where if you can offer an impact player that helps another team win in the shorter term, Barkley could be acquired before he possibly re-emerges as an elite performer, possibly in 2023 with a new team. You also don’t have to make this trade now, either. If Barkley gets off to a slow start during the regular season, swoop in and deal for him with an eye on a potential fresh start after the upcoming campaign.
Kadarius Toney with Brian Daboll is going to be fun pic.twitter.com/bsGj5N4sEx
— Adam Pfeifer (@APfeifer24) April 4, 2022
Kadarius Toney, WR, New York Giants: Toney does remind me of Percy Harvin, as a multi-dimensional talent who may have trouble staying healthy. Injuries ruined much of Toney’s rookie campaign, but he flashed a lot of promise with his 189-yard outing against the Cowboys in Week 5. Now is the time to try and snag Toney because he could start to deliver more high-level performances during the upcoming season. He is a risky performer for sure, but the rewards could also be significant when he is available.
Chase Claypool, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: After just two seasons in the NFL, Claypool does not have a positive outlook heading into the 2022 season. According to playerprofiler.com, Claypool had a catch rate of 55.4 percent and a true catch rate of 74.7, and neither number ranked in the top 90 of the league in 2021. Working with Ben Roethlisberger in his final season did not help much, but Marcus Mariota is not expected to help Claypool re-emerge in a big way. The Steelers may have a better and different quarterback as soon as next year, so you might be able to deal for Claypool now with an eye on a better future after the 2021 season.
K.J. Osborn, WR, Minnesota Vikings: Adam Thielen restructured his contract and could be around for another two years, but he will be 32 years old when the 2022 season starts and by 2023 he could start falling behind Osborn as a preferred target. Osborn had seven TD catches as a rookie, and learning from Thielen and working with Justin Jefferson means a lot of big-play techniques are going to be absorbed. By the 2024 season, Osborn may be regarded as a regular fantasy starter.
Jim Donovan & Donovan Peoples-Jones ? combo! pic.twitter.com/anMt5Jes2W
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 9, 2021
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Cleveland, Browns: Cleveland may go after a rookie wideout in the draft, but the Browns do not have a first-round pick, and this could be the calm before the breakout for Peoples-Jones. He averaged 17.6 yards per catch as a rookie while displaying some big-play potential. Working with Deshaun Watson could lead to Peoples-Jones becoming one of the most talked-about breakout performers of the next two seasons if he is not bumped down on the depth chart by any other newcomer.
Noah Fant, TE, Seattle Seahawks: You should try to acquire Fant before the NFL Draft if you can, because right now the perception is that he is heading into the Seattle portion of his career with the same QB that often held him back in Denver. You can bet that even if the Seahawks let Lock compete for a starting job in 2022 as currently expected, they won’t stick with him for too long if he does not get the job done. At some point over the next calendar year, the Seahawks will want the QB position stabilized, and when that happens, Fant can finally become a true fantasy TE1. Banking on his eventually improved output is a smart move in a premium TE scoring format such as the FFPC.
Kylen Granson, TE, Indianapolis Colts: You didn’t hear much from Granson as a rookie, but Jack Doyle retired and Mo Alie-Cox is very unreliable. The Colts may draft more TE depth, but 2022 was a learning campaign for Granson, who could begin to make some statistical noise in 2022.
Trevor Lawrence, QB Jacksonville Jaguars: His rookie season was such a mess that FFPC players did not even want to start him in Superflex formats. Look for the Jaguars to continue to build around him, with more playmakers possibly being brought in to improve his supporting cast and the return of Travis Etienne. There is still a good amount of potential for an eventually successful fantasy dynasty career, so see if you can nab Lawrence during what may eventually be recalled as the dark early days of his NFL run.
Drew Lock, QB, Seattle Seahawks: It is an old cliché, but sometimes a change of scenery can reboot a career. Lock does not get any fantasy respect and has not earned it yet. It won’t take much to acquire him, and the Seahawks will give him a realistic chance to battle for the starting job. Pete Carroll and John Schneider were Lock supporters when he came into the pros, and intend to give him an opportunity to start over on a positive path in Seattle. In FFPC Superflex leagues, it’s worth the shot to see if Lock can put a disappointing beginning to his pro career behind him. Lock may not get an extended window to prove himself again, but it’s also worth a shot to find out if he can still be a viable fantasy QB2 where you may need one.
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