Wicked Dynasty Buys – Quarterback

In the ever-evolving landscape of dynasty fantasy football, managers constantly seek the next breakout star to fortify their rosters for sustained success. While the spotlight often shines on elite names like Justin Jefferson, there’s an art to uncovering hidden treasures that can elevate your team to dynasty greatness.

In this exploration, we journey beyond the obvious choices, steering away from the well-trodden path of pursuing household names (Yes you should be trading for Chase, you don’t need me to tell you that). Instead, we will focus on those less obvious trade targets that possess the potential to become cornerstone assets or key flex contributors for your dynasty team.

So, fasten your seatbelts, dynasty managers, as we navigate the trade market in search of unsung heroes, players whose potential can redefine the destiny of your fantasy franchise. It’s time to go beyond the obvious and unlock the hidden value that could shape the future of your dynasty team. Let the pursuit of dynasty greatness begin!

1. Justin Herbert

First and foremost, we will be viewing this list through the framework of a Superflex league, where the value of QBs is quite high. Justin Herbert grabbed the QB2 spot in his sophomore outing, sending ripples of excitement through fantasy circles. But lately, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Herbert and the Chargers.

Health woes plagued Herbert in 2023, leading to a lackluster season that left fantasy managers scratching their heads. With the Chargers undergoing some serious shake-ups—new coaches, potential roster changes, and key players like Ekeler and Williams possibly out of the picture—there’s plenty of uncertainty in the air.

But here’s the silver lining: all this chaos could spell opportunity for Herbert. The Chargers have a prime chance to beef up their receiving game in the upcoming draft, potentially giving Herbert the boost he needs. Despite recent struggles, Herbert’s got serious talent. He’s the kind of guy who can light up the scoreboard, both in real life and in your fantasy lineup.

His stock might’ve taken a hit after 2023, but don’t expect him to come cheap. But if you’re hurting for a quarterback in your Superflex squad, it’s worth checking in with the current manager to see how he’s valuing Herbert. He’s unlikely to have the same price tag as the big-name QBs, but he’s got the potential to crack the top 5 and you should definitely be putting an offer in to see what it’ll take to get him on your squad.

To sum it up, Justin Herbert’s had his ups and downs, but he’s still a solid bet for fantasy managers on the hunt for quarterback stability in Superflex leagues. With his talent and upside, Herbert could be the missing piece your roster’s been waiting for.

Pros

• Elite talent that can and will make every throw.
• Has shown elite fantasy production.
• Likely to see the talent around him improve this offseason
• Likely to get a small discount and trade after a couple down seasons.

Cons

• The receiving options outside of an aging Keenan Allen are bleak if Chargers choose not to acquire players this offseason.
• New coaching staff and scheme can negatively impact production, especially the first season.
• Concerns that the back-to-back mediocre years are not a fluke and he already peaked as a fantasy asset

2. Kirk Cousins

Kirk has been one of the more undervalued fantasy assets within the fantasy community in my opinion. Despite being a pretty consistent QB1 finisher since becoming a starter he is routinely traded at a discount. Now at age 35, coming of an injury, and currently a free agent I’m going to give you some advice that sounds crazy: BUY HIM.

I will caveat this by saying I only recommend buying him if you are a contender and need to solidify your QB2 slot, but if that’s you then Kirk is the perfect option. Win now teams don’t need to concern themselves with the age, eliminating one of the biggest negatives of trading for him. I’m also not concerned the injury is going to impact much, if at all. As for being a free agent, that’s not going to last long. The two most viable options I see for Kirk ( staying with the Vikings or signing with the Falcons ) are both great situations for him.

Kirk has shown he can be a dependable starter both on the field and in your lineups, especially when given talent to throw to. Both of the frontrunner landing spots give that to him. He’s not going to be a guy that takes over your matchups, but in that QB2 role you just need him to be steady, and he can certainly provide that.

Trading for Kirk has always been easy and its just going to be easier now considering the knocks on him that I just laid out. For a contender that needs a QB2 upgrade without compromising itself elsewhere trading valuable assets, Cousins is a great target. You should be able to get a deal done relatively easily without breaking the bank, especially if the current manager is building for the future.

Pros

• Steady, consistent performer.
• Proven over a very large sample size that he can be successful if given the supporting cast.
• Two most likely landing spots have elite weapons to throw the ball to.

Cons

• Aging asset
• While I don’t believe the injury will affect his ability, it is possible we see regression.
• Could end up with a team like Denver that doesn’t provide him as good of a situation.

3. Kyler Murray

I had Kyler as buy last off- season as well and hopefully you felt the same. There was a ton of uncertainty surrounding Kyler last year dealing with injury. Would he even play? Would the cards tank for Caleb? Would Kyler get traded? It was all nonsense as Kyler returned in week 10 and crushed it. But all the talking points drastically tanked Kyler’s value going into the 2023 season and it has yet to fully recover.

The Cardinals are in prime position to add an elite playmaker at wide receiver in this years draft, and I have to imagine they are not going to squander that opportunity. Kyler showed he is still a dynamic runner last season, and if he can get a truly dominate receiver such as Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison Jr to throw to he could be in for a career year.

While the value for Kyler has definitely risen since last season he is still not back to full price in most leagues. I expect his stock to make another jump after Arizona brings him some receiving weapons in the draft/ free agency. What may look like an expensive deal today is likely to be a value come August. With high end QB1 potential I would definitely be talking with the current Kyler manager to see where the price is and don’t be afraid to pull the trigger on a deal, even if it seems a little overpriced right now.

Pros

• Proven dual threat QB that can put up BIG numbers.
• Rushing upside gives him a safe floor.
• Likely to get an elite receiver to throw to this offseason.
• Value still suppressed after due to last years offseason situation.

Cons

• His play style and size make him an injury risk.
• Acquiring him may be expensive, even though is value is likely to continue to rise.

4. Will Levis

What an interesting start to Will Levis’ career. After being invited to attend round 1 of the NFL draft poor Levis had to endure a few long hours in the back room, ultimately not hearing his name called until day 2 of the draft. Fortunately Levis landed with a team in need of fresh blood at the QB position.

Levis came into the lineup in week 8 and had an up and down 8 week run before being sidelined by a foot injury. His brand of football is reckless at times, but boy is it fun to watch. With an offensive minded coach taking over the reigns in Tennessee, Levis has an opportunity to take a leap in year 2.

I hope to see the Titans use some of their mountain of cash to surround Levis with talent and make life a little easier on him. He is still very raw and needs development, but I think with some good coaching and roster construction Levis could be a viable QB2 with upside. His current trade price is reasonable across most leagues and he’s definitely worth taking a shot on. This is a trade I would be looking to make prior to Free agency. With the amount of money Tennessee has to bring in free agents we could see Levis’ value shoot up if they take some big swings on offense.

Pros

• Showed playmaking ability in a small sample size in 2023
• Price is reasonable considering the upside.
• Likely to see upgrades around him this offseason that will help his situation.

Cons

• Raw talent, needs development.
• Wasn’t able to secure the first round draft capital that typically gives QBs some insurance should their career start slowly.
• Needs weapons.

5. Trevor Lawrence

Trevor was being hyped as the best QB ever before he even took a snap in the NFL, and that likely factors heavily into his current value. After dealing with the complete train wreck that was the 2021 Jaguars Lawrence had a good sophomore season, finishing as QB8. But in 2023 we saw him regress out of the QB1 conversation as the Jaguars absolutely imploded, losing 5 of their final 7 games and missing the playoffs.

The pre – draft shine that Trevor has carried with him through the good and the bad is starting to wear off as managers aren’t getting what they paid for. And that means we have a great buy opportunity. Despite how fantasy managers may feel Trevor is an excellent quarterback that I don’t believe has even come close to his peak yet. The jaguars as a whole I feel are going to continue to improve as well, which bodes well for Trevor’s fantasy production.

I would like to seem them add one more dynamic pass catcher to the mix to really unlock his full potential, and we may see that in a draft cycle absolutely loaded with talented wideouts. If they choose not to draft a wide receiver with a top 100 pick I would like to see them bring back Calvin Ridley to at least provide a safe floor for the receiving group.

While I don’t think Lawrence is going to be a cheap buy, I expect he will be a worthwhile one. His best seasons are still ahead of him and so is his peak value. You may be hesitant to lay down a strong offer considering his fantasy finishes to start his career, but I am very much in the bet on talent camp. And Trevor has miles of talent. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a dominant season from Lawrence in 2024 that skyrockets his value and makes whatever you buy him for now look like robbery.

Pros

• Incredibly talented QB
• Likely to see value increase
• Draft capital and talent make him a safe, stable asset.

Cons

• Hasn’t been able to put a dominate season together despite his top tier talent.
• Could be a situation of better real life QB than Fantasy QB.

Written by Dillon Carson (@WickedDynasty), 03/07/24

Reviewed and edited: J. Clark, 03/08/24