Dynasty Buy-Low & Sell-High (Week 5)

Welcome to Dynasty Buy-Low & Sell-High (Week 5). This is where we discuss some players who have gained and lost the most value in dynasty leagues over the past week. If you want to see our full Fantasy Football Universe rankings, check out our FFU Rankings Page. Here are the players we are looking to buy low or sell high heading into Week 5 of the 2024 NFL regular season. Some are veterans approaching the age cliff, while others are players that we think are about to break out and skyrocket in value.

Dynasty Buy-Low Targets

Rashee Rice, Chiefs

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Last week, I talked about Puka Nacua as a target buy low, and the same mindset applies to Rashee Rice, with the payoff coming in 2025 opposed to 2024. Rashee Rice looked like a true league winner and was set to be the breakout player in fantasy football. Rice averaged 21.6 PPR ppg, making him the 10th-highest scorer among all positions. I understand you will not get any production for the rest of the year, but if you can wait until 2025, you are getting a player who took over Travis Kelce’s job and made him irrelevant. We do not get better at buying lows in dynasty for rebuilding teams investing in injured players, so the time to strike is now as managers with Rice are looking to find ways to replace his production.

On rebuilding squads, Rice is a must-target player for me. I would offer players in the value of Garrett Wilson, Jonathon Taylor, Chris Olave to snag Rashee Rice and play for 2025. The critical aspect for tanking teams is he gives you no production similar to a draft pick, so you trade for the player and do not worry about him for almost a year.

Jonathon Brooks, Panthers

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I am sure you heard the news that Jonathon Brooks is not yet practicing for the Carolina Panthers, and I am here to quote a future Hall of Fame quarterback, “R-E-L-A-X”. Brooks was always a second half of the season play for fantasy football, and while it is not ideal that Nick Chubb has been cleared to practice before him, we are seeing what an Andy Dalton-led offense is doing for the likes of Chuba Hubbard in 2024. Take the Hubbard role and supercharge it with Brooks as teams push toward the playoffs, and you have a bellcow RB1 helping you make the push for a championship.

Brooks was the one true running back in the 2024 class that gives you a potential hammer running back to provide you with a leg up on the competition. Brooks is valued around a late future 1, and on contending teams, I would happily pay that price because it will have been too late by the time Brooks steps onto the field. This week is one of the last weeks before we see the value in dynasty start to take off. I would also tier down from Jonathon Taylor fo Brooks + future 2, or trade a Tee Higgins straight up for him.

Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars

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The breakout is happening, folks. Brian Thomas Jr. is the lone bright spot for the Jaguars’ offense. He is currently the WR20 in PPR, and among rookies trailing only Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison Jr. When you watch Thomas on tape it is a different experience from every other jaguars player. He has the talent to unlock a higher ceiling for the Jaguars offense as a whole. Now I know Trevor Lawrence has struggled so far in 2024, but BTJ has already taken control of the WR1 chair, and there will be no going back. He is a similar player to Geoge Pickens, except one I view as having a higher ceiling for fantasy football.

Brain Thomas Jr. is by no means cheap, but I would be ok moving the likes of Dalton Kincaid, Ken Walker, or Jaylen Waddle to get a BTJ share. What may seem like an overpay now, is going to be an underpay in the future.

Dynasty Sell-High Options

Travis Etienne, Jaguars

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Travis Etienne, similar to J.K. Dobbins, who my RB sell last week, is valued at a place in dynasty that currently makes no sense. While Etienne has seen his dynasty value take a hit, as he is down to RB13 in dynasty, the dynasty market is holding onto that first-round draft capital instead of judging the player based on his production or lack thereof. Etienne has one of the better roles in the NFL, as evidenced by his snap share and opportunity share north of 69% in 2024, but he has not lived up to it. The line play has been mediocre for Etienne, as his 3.0 Yards Before Contact is 25th in the NFL. The bigger problem for Etienne is the offense as a whole and his inconsistency as a rusher for fantasy football. Etienne has a 13% Juke Rate, which ranks 49th amongst running backs. Etienne also ranks 30th in yards created, further highlighting Etienne’s inability to raise the level of his offensive line.

I would pay up from Travis Etienne into the Jonathon Brooks, George Pickens, and Xavier Worthy tier, or I would trade Travie Etienne for a productive old player such as Chris Godwin, Alvin Kamara, Deebo Samuel, Derrick Henry range of players on a contending team.

Bijan Robinson, Falcons

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Let me clarify that I think Bijan Robinson is one of the better running backs in the NFL; my issue is twofold. His price in dynasty is steep, as Bijan is the 12th overall player in drafts. My second issue is the Falcons offense as a whole and where it is limiting Bijan. Bijan’s overall role is good for fantasy football, considering only a handful of running backs are more involved in their team’s offense than Bijan Robinson. The problem is lack of touchdowns. When you have multiple factors working against you and carry the name cache that a Bijan Robinson does, the community will start to turn against a player when they fall short of expectations. With Ashton Jeanty coming in 2025, and players such as Breece Hall, De’Von Achane, Jahmyr Gibbs, and productive old backs such as Saquon Barkley, what separates Bijan Robinson from the top-tier of running backs for you as a dynasty manager? The cherry on top is Kirk Cousins’s inability to carry the Falcons offense to another level.

Given Bijan’s dynasty cache, I would target the elite wide receivers and quarterbacks to pivot off of Bijan Robinson. My secondary option would be to sell Bijan to a team loaded with picks for a haul in dynasty, with a veteran producer attached, such as Brian Robinson, who you will not lose production tiering down from Bijan to Brian Robinson, considering the Commanders running back is currently outscoring the Falcons running back.

Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs

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There is no bigger try hard running back in the NFL than Isiah Pacheco. When he runs it looks like his feet are mad and want to fight the ground. Clearly Pacheco is a valuable piece for the Chiefs for this season. My concern is that being a day 3 running back, there is no draft capital, or contract supporting Pacheco for the long run. The injury with Pacheco is costing us the majority of the fantasy football season. Given the problems we have seen from players such as Tony Pollard in 2023 and Mark Andrews in 2024 coming back from tightrope surgery, I wonder how efficient Pacheco will be when he returns. On top of that with the vaunted 2025 running back class coming in, Kansas City will likely bring in some viable competition for Pacheco next year. If that were to happen it, could crater the production and value of Isiah Pacheco.

Valued similarly to Travis Etienne in dynasty, I have a similar mindset for both players moving forward: selling to the highest bidder and moving into an asset that can help me. Any future first-round pick would do, or in the short term (Sam Darnold, Chris Godwin, T.J. Hockenson) or long term ( J.J. McCarthy, Tank Dell, Xavier Worthy).