If you’re in an active dynasty fantasy football league, the grind never stops. The next major value-shifting event will be free agency in March. After that, we have the NFL Draft at the end of April. The key to a successful dynasty trade is acquiring a player just before his value spikes. Here are a few dynasty WR trade targets managers should try to get on their rosters.
Top Dynasty WR Trade Targets for the 2024 NFL Offseason
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
I’ve seen some discourse in the fantasy world where some people aren’t fully sold on Puka Nacua. Perhaps most notably, fellow PFN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe provided his case for why Nacua will be overvalued in 2024.
I’ve never met anyone who can find and analyze stats and metrics quite like Soppe. He provides a very compelling argument backed by data and hard evidence. I have nothing but respect for him. I also couldn’t be more on the other side of the fence.
If Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Jordan Addison did what Nacua just did, they would be viewed as no-doubt top-five dynasty wide receivers. The reason Nacua is not is because he essentially came out of nowhere.
There were savvy analysts out there who pinpointed Nacua as a late-round guy to throw a dart at. But it’s safe to say not a soul on the planet, including Nacua’s own parents, expected him to post the single greatest rookie wide receiver season of all time.
The Nacua manager in your league may be firmly on my side. If that’s the case, you won’t be able to get him. But if the Nacua manager in your league sides with Soppe, even only slightly, then Nacua can be had for a bargain.
MORE: Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart
Nacua will be 23 years old. He caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie, averaging 17.6 fantasy points per game. I am not concerned at all about Cooper Kupp being healthy in 2024. Kupp or no Kupp, Nacua is Matthew Stafford’s top target. He’s the WR1 now.
If you can turn Drake London, DeVonta Smith, DK Metcalf, or even the aforementioned Addison and JSN into Nacua for not much more, do it.
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
Speaking of London, I just can’t quit on the guy. While I’ve already established that I prefer Nacua to London, that’s not exactly meant to be a knock on London. The man is supremely talented and has been held back entirely due to his situation.
London’s first two seasons have been immensely disappointing. After averaging 10.5 fantasy points per game as a rookie, London failed to take a step forward as a sophomore, averaging just 0.4 more points per game.
On the Atlanta Falcons’ extremely run-heavy offense, London’s 23.3% target share netted him just 109 targets — and those were Desmond Ridder/Taylor Heinicke targets.
This is one of those situations where the stats and box score don’t tell the true story about a player. Nothing about a statistical analysis of London’s 2023 season will excite anyone. But man, watch the guy play.
I know it’s only one game, but London’s 10-catch, 172-yard outing in Week 14 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a performance for the ages. That’s the type of ceiling London possesses. Imagine if he had a quarterback and a real offense.
Well, London is still just 23 years old this season. There are going to be rookies first entering the league this year older than him. Is there a chance he languishes in poor offensive situations with bad quarterback play his entire career? Of course. Is it likely? Nope.
If London switched places with CeeDee Lamb, Rashee Rice, or even Nico Collins, imagine how we’d value him. He’s still being valued well ahead of how he’s produced over his first two seasons, but it’s also below what I believe he’s capable of if his situation improves.
With a new coaching staff and new quarterback coming in 2024, there’s a genuine chance that happens. If the Falcons trade for Justin Fields or sign Kirk Cousins in March, London’s dynasty value will spike. Now is the best time to target London in a trade.
Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns
In most cases, you want to trade for a player because you anticipate his value increasing, and you want to get out in front of it. Sometimes, the reason to trade for a player is as simple as you seeing something others may not. That’s how I feel about Amari Cooper.
Since dynasty rankings heavily weigh age, a 30-year-old Cooper isn’t considered particularly valuable. It’s not that fantasy managers think he’s done. Instead, it’s the fact that we know his career will be ending much sooner than guys who are 25 or under. Not every dynasty trade has to be you going after young guys. There’s value in veterans.
Although he will be 30 this season, Cooper has not shown any signs of decline. I see no reason he can’t produce at least a WR2 level for another 2-3 years. More importantly, there’s a legitimate chance 2024 could be the best year of Cooper’s career.
The biggest lesson I learned in 2023 was the importance of quality coaching and offensive game plans. The Cleveland Browns hired Ken Dorsey to be their offensive coordinator. While in Buffalo, Dorsey hyper-targeted Stefon Diggs, the Buffalo Bills’ clear WR1.
The setup of the Browns offense isn’t that different. Cooper is the clear WR1, and there is no established WR2. The rest of the receivers are role players, with no one in particular commanding targets.
Unless Dorsey surprisingly changes his offensive philosophy, which was very effective in Buffalo, we could see a hefty target share for Amari Cooper.
The performance of Deshaun Watson will matter. Cooper would be much better off with Joe Flacco returning as the starter, but given what the Browns gave up to acquire and extend Watson, that’s not going to happen.
KEEP READING: Dynasty Consensus Rankings
Regardless, though, volume is king. Cooper is undoubtedly still very talented. He’s been remarkably consistent throughout his career, averaging between 13.3 and 15.4 fantasy points per game every year except for a down 2017 season.
There’s plenty of room for Cooper’s target share to grow from the 23.6% he saw last season. If the Dorsey effect pushes that more toward the 27-28% range, we could be looking at WR1 Amari Cooper in 2024 and perhaps even 2025.
With the fantasy football season behind us, why not start preparing for your rookie drafts with our dynasty rookie rankings? Additionally, as you look to improve your team heading into 2024, our dynasty trade calculator can help you find the perfect deal to boost your championship chances.