Trading is the quickest way to take your team from sitting on the bubble of a playoff berth to a championship contender, or vice-versa if you make the wrong deal, which is why it is so important to make sure you are targeting (and selling) the right players at the right time.
And yes - every player has a price. It doesn't matter whether they are the best player in fantasy football or a dwindling kicker - every player has a price that they should be traded away for or should have something given up to get.
For people in leagues that are more active in trading, this is for you. These are my favorite players to target and my favorite players to shop as their current value and future value don't necessarily align due to easy matchups, surrounding injuries, improving/changing scenarios, etc.
Top Trade Targets This Week:
Kyler Murray (QB - Arizona Cardinals)
I've been beating the Kyler Murray drum all offseason and I think it's coming out in full force really early on in 2024. He does draw a rough matchup on paper in Week 1 against the Bills (5th-fewest PPG to QBs in 2023) but I'm anticipating a higher-scoring, Murray-friendly opener. Outside that, he's got a favorable schedule for the majority of the season, including the 2nd-easiest schedule to open up the first month of the season.
It's the best receiving corps he's seen, possibly in his career, with Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson (who I am high on), and Trey McBride. I truly think Murray will be in MVP talks later in the year and even if he isn't, he should be an excellent fantasy QB as usual. After he returned from injury last year, he was the QB8 in points (on pace for a season-long QB6 finish) even with a reduced rushing role.
Terry McLaurin (WR - Washington Commanders)
I'm trying to pair McLaurin and Daniels in as many drafts as I can and in leagues where I can't grab McLaurin as my WR3/FLEX, I'm trying hard to get him via trade before the season starts. On paper (a heavy emphasis on that), the match is made in heaven - a WR in McLaurin who profiles as an elite deep threat paired with a QB in Daniels who is one of the best QB prospects in the modern era when it comes to the deep ball. The question is how early will it click for Daniels.
Without any significant target competition (Dyami Brown, Zach Ertz, Austin Ekeler) thanks to the trade of Jahan Dotson to Philadelphia, I'm very high on McLaurin above his likely draft (and trade) cost right now.
Diontae Johnson (WR - Carolina Panthers)
Yes, you will cringe at seeing Diontae Johnson in this section and on your team. He is not the sexy draft pick or player in your lineup, but he is one of the players who will undoubtedly help your team (in PPR formats).
Carolina's defense is far from ideal, to put it bluntly, which means playing from behind, which means a pass-heavy offense. This is exactly what led Adam Thielen to be the WR8 in points, the WR7 in PPG, and the WR7 in receptions through the first half of the season.
Johnson is a far more talented WR than Thielen and with Bryce Young likely to have progressed this offseason, I'm targeting Johnson as a WR3 who can be plugged into lineups at ease based on volume alone.
Low-Cost Targets/Stashes:
T.J. Hockenson (TE - Minnesota Vikings)
I'm a big fan of acquiring and stashing Hockenson as a TE2 (or a very low-end TE1) in leagues where you have an IR/Reserve slot. At the time he was injured, Hockenson was the TE1 in fantasy with 9.5 points or more in all but one game.
If you're looking for a cost-effective way to get a top-5 TE for at least half a season, Hockenson is a very appealing draft/trade target. I'd be pretty confident giving up a bench RB or WR for him as having a high-end TE, especially in the back half of the season, can be such a difference-maker in games.
Ladd McConkey (WR - Los Angeles Chargers)
I was always a Keenan Allen guy - pretty much every season I'd walk away with Allen as my WR1 without question and be happy with the weekly 12+ points and yearly top-12 finish floor I'd get.
I'm not expecting it, but I would not be surprised to see McConkey almost immediately step into a similar role. The Chargers are obviously leaning into a more run-heavy scheme, but there's no chance they limit Herbert from keeping them in games. And who would Herbert be going to beyond Josh Palmer? Quentin Johnston? DJ Chark? Will Dissly? I love McConkey as a low-risk/high-upside bench guy in PPR scoring.
Top Trade Bait This Week:
Jaylen Warren (RB - Pittsburgh Steelers)
Warren was fantastic in 2023 and while he's expected back to play in the season opener, I'm putting out some feelers for him in leagues that I have him. It's a combination of the hamstring injury (possibility of re-aggravation) and the nightmare of Arthur Smith's offensive shuffle at RB.
I don't mind him as an RB3 but I have cooled off him quite a bit as of late. I do think he sees a slow start to the season as he is eased back from the hamstring injury, so I'm not sure if there'll be a point in 2024 where he holds the same trade value that he does now.
Deebo Samuel (WR - San Francisco 49ers)
I am not confident in Deebo Samuel (and a majority of the 49ers' offense at their respective prices) for this season in large part due to Brock Purdy's likely regression between the unsustainable 7% TD rate and offseason struggles.
However, that's not the lone reason I'm avoiding/selling Deebo - the schedule is rough and the consistency is flat-out not there for Deebo (0.640 CR) with as many weapons as they have in this offense. I'd probably try to see if you can ship him out at a reasonable value off of his name value before Ricky Pearsall is brought back from the NFI List.
Puka Nacua (WR - Los Angeles Rams)
Puka is somehow going as a borderline 1st rounder this year, something I don't understand. Yes, the rookie season was historic, but it was heavily inflated in the games where Cooper Kupp was inactive and/or playing limited. In games with both healthy, Puka just narrowly out-targeted Cooper Kupp 95 to 94 in 11 games.
Am I saying Puka is going to be bad? No, but I don't foresee him returning a value on his current draft price or what likely would be a trade market for him. I personally don't have him in any leagues (due to the draft price), but if I did, I would look to try and ship him out for a reasonable return, especially with rumors of the Rams' offense being more Kupp-centric this season as he's back to full health.