If you’re playing in a proper dynasty league, it should be deep enough that building through the waiver wire is near impossible. Because of that, trading is the most important tool in team building. And using the best trade in dynasty can definitely help.

Many fantasy managers are attracted to the idea of getting the top players. Sure they help your team, but usually, there are players slightly below them who maybe only average 1-2 fewer fantasy points per game. Of course, these stud pieces help your team, but a team consists of more than one player. To increase your odds at winning a championship, your whole team needs to be good. As we’ve seen from this year, health is volatile, and having starter and bench depth is very important. So unless your team and bench are loaded with the best players, here is a recommendation for my idea of the best trade in dyansty.

Trading Down

Many fantasy managers overvalue the best players. If you can find managers like that in your league, you can target them with this trade. The idea is to find players with slightly less value (or perceived value) and offer your player for that player and a high-value pick or prospect. However, make sure the player you trade down for has upside. There are two reasons for this. The first is obviously to get more depth, but the second is that player volatility from year-to-year is so large, the player you ‘downgrade’ to may end up not actually being a downgrade.

Here are some examples of some ‘downgrades’ that could give you a good return:

• Josh Allen to Kyler Murray
• Najee Harris to D’Andre Swift
• Ja’Marr Chase to DK Metcalf
• Mark Andrews to TJ Hockenson

Here are some examples of add-ons I’d ask for in return for the downgrade:

• A first round rookie pick
• A young QB with upside that others are down on like Zach Wilson or Tua Tagovailoa
• An RB with potential to jump up the depth chart like AJ Dillon or one returning from injury like Travis Etienne
• A WR primed for a second or third year breakout like Elijah Moore or Darnell Mooney
• A TE with a solid role like Noah Fant or Dallas Goedert

As a disclaimer, I know people will have huge disparities in the names I have mentioned. The thing with dynasty is that the valuations of players are all over the place. These are just examples, feel free to use this as a guide to plug in your own names.

Wrap-Up

Many will hate the idea of giving up their best assets, but my view is that many studs don’t stay studs for long and are regularly surpassed by others. Increasing depth gives you more shots at getting studs. Obviously, don’t do this until your team is all depth and no skill, but this is a move to consider using to improve your team.

This is my idea of the best trade in dyansty, especially when I often use it to acquire first-rounders. I currently have 17 first-round picks over the next two years in my two dynasty leagues. And no, my starting roster isn’t garbage either. Both teams as-is will compete for the championship this year. Many of these firsts were acquired using the trade-down move a year in advance. The further out the draft pick, the easier they are to acquire. You just need to be patient.

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