RELATED: See Lower-Priced Players to Trade For here
RELATED: See Bargain Sleepers to Pick Up here

There's no offseason when it comes to playing dynasty. In this week's roundtable series, Footballguys staffers will discuss dynasty trade value and break down strategies and insights to help guide you through the complexities of player acquisitions.

Today's Question: Name a player who will be expensive but is still someone you'd like to trade for in dynasty. What's a fair price for this player?

Running Back Targets

RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

Joey Wright: The price tag, nor the position, concerns me when it comes to buying Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs. I’d give up any combination of a 2025 first-round pick and second-round pick — even if they’re the first picks in both rounds. There is no one from the 2025 rookie draft class I prefer over him, even with ideal landing spots for rookie backs Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton. On a per-game basis, Gibbs ranked second among running backs in PPR points last season, and because he played all 17 games, he actually outscored Saquon Barkley. It might take a lot of draft capital, but there isn't much I am willing to hold onto if it means locking Gibbs into my dynasty rosters for years to come.

RB Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers

Jeff Haseley: Coach Jim Harbaugh has long been a proponent of a run-heavy style of offense. Last year, the Chargers were able to piece together a decent rushing offense, mainly thanks to J.K. Dobbins, who outperformed expectations. Dobbins is an unrestricted free agent and likely will not return to the team. Los Angeles did sign veteran Najee Harris, who has quietly produced over 1,000 yards in each of his first four years in the league. Harris is expected to occupy the main rushing role in Harbaugh's offense. He was hand-picked to be the preferred back in the Chargers backfield, bringing four years of experience, production, and durability to the team. Harris has not missed a game as a pro.

Last year, several running backs made a gigantic impact on their new teams. Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, and Joe Mixon were all valuable, productive newcomers to their respective teams. The Chargers are hoping Harris will fill the void as the team's workhorse in Justin Herbert's offense. Harris shouldered the load for 250+ carries in all four of his years in Pittsburgh, averaging 45 receptions per season in his tenure there, despite sharing a backfield with Jaylen Warren in the last two seasons. Now he gets a chance to be the primary back in an offense seeking that type of player.

The Chargers specifically targeted Harris for his experience, durability, and productivity. If everything goes as planned, he might be more valuable than they anticipated.  

Tight End Targets

TE, Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Jeff Blaylock: Buying expensive players is rarely part of my team-building philosophy. However, when I’m in win-now mode, I’ll open the wallet to acquire that crucial missing piece for my lineup. Trey McBride is such a player. He was the TE2 last season despite catching only two touchdown passes, the same number as bench riders Will Dissly, Johnny Mundt, Chig Okonkwo, and Tommy Tremble. We can attribute this to bad luck. McBride’s 12 targets inside the 10-yard line were the highest of any tight end and twice the combined targets of Dissly, Mundt, Okonkwo, and Tremble. McBride will convert more of those targets into touchdowns, making him a consistent threat to be the TE1 for several seasons. Draft picks are my main currency as a win-now buyer. For a consistent performer like McBride, I’d be willing to offer a late 2025 first-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick. If my trade partner requires one of my tight ends to finalize this trade, I’ll seek a third-round pick in addition to McBride.

TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders or Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

Andy Hicks: The hardest position to replenish at an elite level is at tight end. I may get arguments on that, but the list of sure-fire elite long-term dynasty prospects is shorter there than at any other position. Jeff already mentioned Trey McBride, but I would open an approach to target Brock Bowers and Sam LaPorta as well. If I do not have any of these three guys, I must rely on older tight ends or less certain prospects. All three players will be the number one or two option in their team's passing game and are set-and-forget players for the rest of the decade. If other managers have these on their rosters, it will be hard to pry away just one guy. Opening up an approach allows me to see if I can attract a reasonable offer rather than a desperate one. I would be happy to use a late first-round pick, but other players may be needed to sweeten the deal. 

Wide Receiver Targets

WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans

Mike Kashuba: If I’m going to pay up for a premium player in dynasty, I want to make sure they’re a safe bet. One of the safest bets is Nico Collins, a clear WR1 tied to a solid, young, pocket-passing quarterback. Despite how exciting Ashton Jeanty is, teams that earned the 1.01 should try to pivot to a receiver like Collins and get a second-round pick back. Other teams looking to add a difference-making wide receiver can try to send a middle and late first, or a first in 2025 and one in 2026, to make a title push. 

WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers

Hutchinson Brown: Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey is a player that is worth his expensive price. He had an incredible rookie season, and I think the Chargers see that he has the capabilities necessary to be a true WR1.

He had a phenomenal rookie season, finishing as the WR12 in PPR fantasy leagues. His last seven games put him on a 17-game pace of 1,596 yards. He then followed that up with a great performance in the playoffs.

McConkey did play a lot in the slot, but he took nearly 30% of his snaps out wide and had great numbers on the outside. He’s a dominator in every area of the field, getting separation at one of the best rates in football. The Los Angeles Chargers seem to love him, and it is unlikely that they will add anyone to threaten McConkey’s number-one status. They saw progression from their 2023 first round pick in Quentin Johnston to be a piece in their offense, they have many needs to fill in the draft besides wideout, and only added Mike Williams in free agency despite having many opportunities to add an impactful player.

In terms of price, I would be willing to send away a top-three rookie pick for McConkey, but given how some view him, you could probably get away with sending a package or a piece with slightly less value.

WR Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears

Jason Wood: Odunze finished seventh among rookie receivers last year, far below expectations for the former Washington Husky when the Bears selected him in the first round of the 2024 draft. Yet, despite the subpar rookie season, he's still a consensus top-50 overall dynasty asset and sits comfortably in the top 25 receivers on most boards. Many may advocate treading carefully after last year's showing, but I would happily scoop him up at his current value because he's still likely to develop into an every-week fantasy starter in 2025 or 2026.

Last year's Bears situation was untenable, as the offensive staff was incapable of tailoring an offense to offset interior offensive line issues and a rookie quarterback. New head coach and play-caller Ben Johnson will take care of the scheme issues, while the front office has prioritized the offensive line in free agency.

Looking at some dynasty trade value calculators, Odunze's current value equates to a late first-round 2025 rookie draft pick. I'd make that swap every day, as I think Odunze is far more likely to be a fantasy star than the receivers you're targeting at the end of the first round.

WR Drake London, Atlanta Falcons

Corey Spala: I would happily pay a premium to acquire Drake London. He is an ascending talent heading into his fourth season, yet he is turning 24 years old in July. He has over 100 targets each season and has averaged 12.6 yards per reception. In 2024, he had the third-most targets and second-most yards before catch, amounting to the fourth-most yards in the NFL. I would happily include any 2025 first-round selection that is not the 1.01 in a package. We only hope a first-round selection will amount to London.

A proven young asset is better than lottery tickets in rookie draft selections. I would happily move a volatile asset like Jalen Coker or Tyrone Tracy Jr. to help smooth over the deal with rookie draft selections. Below is an example of an offer I would send:

• Give: 1.04, Jalen Coker, 2026 second round
• Receive: Drake London, 2026 third round 

Quarterback Targets

QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Rachel Tootsiepop: Drafted second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders, Jayden Daniels hit the ground running entering his NFL career. Even though pun not intended, Daniels had the second-most rushing yards for a quarterback, with 891 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns. Additionally, Daniels finished as the fifth-best overall quarterback, with 3,568 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns. Daniels took the Commanders to the NFC Championship game, where they ended up losing to the soon-to-be Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles. 

With Daniels at the helm, star receiver Terry McLaurin saw a resurgence in his productivity. McLaurin went from finishing as the 28th-best receiver in 2023 to the top seven in 2024. Outside of McLaurin, though, the receiver room in Washington needed depth. In recent weeks, the Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel Sr. and signed Michael Gallup out of retirement. With more weapons in his arsenal, Daniels, who has been touted for maintaining poise in high-pressure situations, is worth paying up for. 

To land Daniels, you'll need to pay a pretty penny like giving up a mid-tier quarterback plus a mid-tier position player or giving both 2025 mid-1st and mid-2nd round picks. Even then, your trade partner may want more, especially if it's a 1QB league. The cost is steep, but Daniels is worth it. For what he accomplished in his first year, the sky's the limit for his unmatched talent. 

QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Zareh Kantzabedian: Paying a high price for players means that I’m paying for touchdowns in bulk, and folks, Jalen Hurts is the king of touchdowns at the quarterback position.

Hurts led all quarterbacks in rush attempts and touchdowns from inside the opponent's five-yard line in 2024. Even with Saquon Barkley being on the Eagles, Hurts was the primary goal-line option. Hurts finished the year with 19 attempts for 11 touchdowns from inside the five, while Saquon finished with 17 attempts for four touchdowns.

Hurts was active in Week 1 through Week 16 last season. During that time, he finished 22nd in pass attempts, 20th in passing yards, and 16th in passing touchdowns. Despite that, his role as the Eagle's primary goal-line rusher allowed him to finish at the QB5 in points per game. 

In 2023, Hurts led quarterbacks in rush attempts and touchdowns inside the five and finished as the QB2. In 2022, he led all quarterbacks again and finished as the QB1.

Pay at least two first-round picks for Hurts. Give a bit more if you have to. Overpaying for players like him is completely acceptable. Get your guy and bring home the trophy.