Get Ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline with These Sneaky IDP Dynasty Moves
Which players are likely to get traded in the weeks ahead? And how will that affect our favorite IDPs? Jason King pulls out the crystal ball for dynasty leagues.
Fantasy regular seasons are essentially halfway in the books, and for most dynasty managers, that means removing the rose-colored glasses from an offseason of roster building and coming to grips with the reality that some of our rosters need either a kick in the shorts or an old-fashioned overhaul.
NFL franchises are realizing the same. Tennessee has already given Brian Callahan the boot, and if recent seasons provide a guide, we’ll see two more head coaches head home to spend their Autumn and holiday months with familial loved ones. And, the NFL trade deadline approacheth.
By November 4, a handful of defensive stars will swap jerseys, thereby opening snaps for current backups and crushing value for some current IDP starters.
Notably, over the past three seasons, we’ve seen:
In 2022, we saw Roquan Smith move from Chicago to Baltimore. Jack Sanborn was the beneficiary of the opening in the Bears’ linebacker corps, while Josh Bynes and Malik Harrison rightfully turned to dust in Baltimore. Bradley Chubb was also shipped to Miami at the deadline as Denver wanted longer looks at young ‘uns Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning.
In 2023, Washington jettisoned both Montez Sweat (to Chicago for a second-round pick) and Chase Young (to San Francisco for a third). The Commanders didn’t necessarily have good replacements, but were instead just looking for draft capital in lieu of paying the pass rushers in the offseason. Seattle picked up Leonard Williams from the Giants in a move that would pay big dividends in 2024, and Tennessee sent franchise stalwart Kevin Byard packing to Philly.
And last season, Seattle again made a big move by picking up Ernest Jones from Tennessee (for Jerome Baker and a fourth-rounder, of all things).
That said, keep in mind you’ll easily be able to count trade deadline deals involving defenders with the fingers on your two hands. And the majority of these deals will involve a vet without a lot of existing value changing places for the price of a late-round pick. Think Preston Smith for a seventh, or Josh Uche for a sixth (two trades from last year). Another two or three will involve corners; we’ve already seen one, with Cleveland and Jacksonville swapping Greg Newsome and Tyson Campbell.
While we’re likely to be disappointed with trade volume over the next two-and-a-half weeks, I’m fairly certain we’ll see movement for one or two highly valued IDPs. We’re already hearing a-plenty about obvious trade candidates from the national talking heads: Trey Hendrickson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Chubb (again), and teammate Jaelan Phillips. Who stands to benefit IDP-wise from those moves? What other IDPs could see value boosts or hits? Here’s my best guess on teams that will be active prior to the trade deadline, and how we, as IDP managers, should react.
Tennessee will be selling.
Dynasty move to make now: Buy safety Kevin Winston Jr. at a low cost.
The Titans have made trade deadline deals in each of the past two seasons, and I expect the same this year. Granted, it was Ran Carthon making those in-season deals in 2023 (sending away Byard) and 2024 (Ernest Jones) and not new General Manager Mike Borgonzi. Tennessee has, of course, already moved on from Brian Callahan, and the focus of the franchise and its next head coach should and will be building the support system for Cam Ward. I’d expect much of the team’s available cap room and prime draft capital to go toward offensive linemen and receivers. There’s also a big need for a No. 1 edge rusher, but that’s a move for free agency or the draft.
In the immediate, Arden Key seems as sure a bet as any edge rusher to be traded. Key’s contract voids after this season, and though he’s on the light side and only fit for wide alignments, he’s a respectable rotational edge with good all-around abilities. I’m sure Dre’Mont Jones—also on a one-year contract—could also easily be had, and has the size to be more versatile in his alignments. Other than rookie second-rounder Oluwafemi Oladejo, there’s no real edge with even dynasty value, so if either Key or Jones is dealt, you’d need to be in rough shape in your edge room to consider stashing replacements. And I doubt Key or Jones would suddenly become IDP game changers wearing a different uniform.
The safety room is one to keep an eye on, as Kevin Winston Jr. is patiently waiting for a chance behind veterans Amani Hooker, Xavier Woods, and Quandre Diggs. Given Hooker just signed an extension a little more than a month ago, Woods, who signed a two-year deal in free agency, is the better bet to be traded. That would open up a big window for year two snaps for Winston. In larger leagues, Winston would be a target if you can get him for a team needing a low-value dynasty asset for bye week purposes.
Dallas will add an edge rusher of note.
Dynasty move to make after the trade is made: Buy Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Cowboys ownership loves having the media in orbit over Jerry’s World, seemingly for whatever the reason. In the aftermath of the Micah Parsons trade, both Jerry and son Stephen foreshadowed an in-season trade when discussing the two first-round picks acquired from the Packers. “Nothing says we can’t use some of those picks right now to go get somebody right now. Don’t rule that out,” Jerry Jones said hours after the Parsons trade became official. Stephen Jones again brought up the idea a little later in the same press conference: “Nothing says we can’t use one of those (picks) to improve the team this year, which we wouldn’t rule out this year.”
Dallas actually has talent and depth in the edge room with rookie Donavan Ezeiruaku, sophomore Marshawn Kneeland, third-year pro Sam Williams, the ultra-efficient James Houston, and veterans Dante Fowler Jr. and Jadeveon Clowney. But I don’t think Jones will be able to stand a slow fade from the playoff picture, knowing he had a big hand in the deterioration of the team’s relations with Parsons. Regardless of who Dallas adds, the move should create a buying opportunity for Ezeiruaku. The second-round pick has long-term potential for DE1 or DE2 production, and any name added to the room (Chubb seems like a decent possibility) should drive his price down.
San Francisco will add an edge rusher of note and maybe a linebacker (possibly from the Jets).
Dynasty moves to make now: Non-contenders should sell high on Tatum Bethune.
Window-specific moves to make: Buy Francisco Mauigoa and Marcelino McCrary-Ball.
The 49ers under John Lynch haven’t been shy about addressing needs via in-season trading. In 2022, Lynch nabbed Christian McCaffrey from Carolina. And just two seasons ago, Lynch took a low-cost flyer on Randy Gregory before swinging the aforementioned trade for Chase Young.
San Francisco has an obvious need at EDGE with Nick Bosa out for the season with a torn ACL, and at least prior to Fred Warner’s season-ending ankle injury, was vocal about its interest in pass rush help. As long as the 49ers are staying aggressive—and given McCaffrey’s age and the hopeful returns of all their offensive skill starters, I’m not sure why they wouldn’t think they could contend for the division—I could see San Francisco being the team to pull off a seismic move or two.
Part of what is fueling my optimism for a big trade involving the 49ers is Robert Saleh’s connection to the defensive core of the 0-6 Jets. Either Jermaine Johnson or Will McDonald would fit the bill as a potential needle-mover at EDGE. Both have two years remaining on their contracts, with Johnson having had his fifth-year option picked up. If, for whatever reason, Aaron Glenn doesn’t see one (or either) buying into the new culture he is trying to establish, a trade seems to make sense, and San Fran makes sense as the trade partner.
Part of the return could be 2023 draft pick Ji’Ayir Brown, who was drafted when Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks held the same role for the 49ers. Brown had fallen out of favor with the Niners, only to surprisingly get a start and see 53 snaps in week six. He’s seemingly expendable with Malik Mustapha back in the picture, rookie Marques Sigle playing a lot of snaps, and Jason Pinnock around for depth and big nickel looks.
I’m not seeing a big buy or sell opportunity for 49ers edges or Jets backup edges. In San Francisco, Mykel Williams remains a dynasty hold. Bryce Huff would still have value as a pass-rush specialist. Sam Okuayinonu would take a hit, but who cares? Neither of New York’s top backup edges, Michael Clemons and Braiden McGregor, should merit fantasy consideration even if they progress up the pecking order.
The IDP trade deadline wildcard, to me, is how Glenn views linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who excelled in coverage last season under Saleh. Sherwood has seemingly had several coverage busts this year, though, and if Glenn sees him as a bad schematic fit, the Niners offer a perfect landing spot. Granted, the chances of a Sherwood trade seem relatively remote given the void it would create in the off-ball room in New York, and the contract that the team just signed him to before the season, but I wouldn’t totally rule it out.
There’s no real opportunity to buy or sell Sherwood off of this speculation, as his value is already pretty high, and if traded, he’d still be playing a full-time role. So to me, the speculative sell is Tatum Bethune—a move that makes even more sense for non-contenders given Warner should be ready to reclaim his job in 2026. And given Bethune was likely the top priority on waivers after week six, there’s a decent chance he now resides on the roster of a non-contender.
On the off chance that Sherwood is moved, Francisco Mauigoa and Marcelino McCrary-Ball would see a spike in value. A low-cost buying window for Mauigoa could open before a Sherwood trade but after Quincy Williams and/or McCrary-Ball return from injured reserve. The earliest that can happen is October 26. Since a Sherwood trade is so speculative, I would only seek to buy either backup at a dirt-cheap rate, and that window is going to be tight.
Miami fires Mike McDaniel and/or sells one or both of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb.
Dynasty move to make now: Buy Chop Robinson.
I’m not going into much detail on this one since I already wrote about reasons to buy Chop Robinson in last month’s Opportunity Buys for Dynasty article. Suffice to say, Robinson needs more snaps than he’s been getting in 2025. He’s too explosive and showed too much promise as a rookie to see a less than 40 percent snap share in his age 22 season.
Despite his recent insistence that he does not want to leave Miami, Phillips is the more likely of he and Chubb to be traded. Phillips is in a walk year, and Chubb is high-priced and under contract through 2027.
Cincinnati will stand pat.
Dynasty moves to make now: Buy Shemar Stewart cheaply, and add Logan Wilson if dropped.
Maybe Trey Hendrickson does get traded, and I’m sure the Bengals would do so if offered a king’s ransom. But that has seemed like a remote possibility since the team held its ground on his demand for a long-term contract extension during the preseason. Whether Hendrickson stays or goes, Cincinnati needs to get first-round rookie pick Shemar Stewart on the field. After missing Weeks 3-6 with an ankle injury, Stewart played 22 snaps on Thursday night against Pittsburgh. With both Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai set to reach free agency next offseason, the Bengals need to hasten Stewart’s development curve.
Adding Logan Wilson right now seems like wasted effort, given he’s 29, looks nearly washed, and the Bengals seem committed to rookies Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. Wilson could have some appeal to a linebacker-needy team like the Cowboys, especially if DeMarvion Overshown’s recovery hits a snag. Or, Lou Anarumo could come calling to round out the reunion with Germaine Pratt.
Wilson, for sure, looks like he has one foot out of the league from a speed and explosion perspective, but just having an awareness of what is happening and being able to make tackles should keep Wilson in the NFL for a couple of seasons. I don’t expect much, but I don’t expect nothing, either.
Arizona stays the course with Gannon.
Dynasty moves to make: Buy Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, cheaply.
Jonathan Gannon has been the subject of a speculative dismissal, especially after Cardinals ownership fined him $100,000 for losing his composure with Emari Demercado. But while one bad decision (Demercado’s premature release of the ball en route to a score) begat another bad decision (Gannon giving visibility to the Bobby Knight within) begat another bad decision (Michael Bidwell taking Gannon’s gas money), I don’t think Arizona makes an in-season coaching change given Monti Ossenfort hired Gannon shortly after taking over as general manager in 2023.
And what happens in the desert actually does have IDP implications. For better or for worse, the defensive personnel that the Cardinals have brought in were done so to fit Gannon’s schematic solutions to today’s passing games, and his philosophy. Moving on from Gannon would be a pretty big setback for the franchise.
If there’s a move to make for IDP, I think it’s still to add Dadrion Taylor-Demerson in big leagues where you need some safety depth. Taylor-Demerson seems primed to assume Jalen Thompson’s role should the Cardinals allow the veteran safety to walk as a free agent prior to 2026. I wrote about that in the previously mentioned Opportunity Buys for Dynasty article.
Eagles thoughts and closing advice
I know I didn’t address the Eagles in this article, and it seems silly to do so given that Howie Roseman is not one to sit on his hands. It stands to reason that Philadelphia will explore an EDGE addition. I’m just not sure it will result in an IDP to-do. More than anything for the Eagles, I’d like to see Nolan Smith return from injured reserve.
If they do deal for pass rush help, it could come in the form of Leonard Floyd (now with Atlanta, if you hadn’t noticed), Indianapolis’ Samson Ebukam, or Las Vegas’ Malcolm Koonce. All three are playing on expiring contracts, and all three of those teams have replacement options.
I’m also thinking Nakobe Dean could get dealt, given the presence of Jihaad Campbell and Dean’s expiring contract. Tampa Bay would be fun, but I don’t see Roseman trading Dean to an NFC contender. I’m grasping at straws for AFC fits.
Big picture, the best thing about the NFL trade deadline is, it makes fantasy managers think about trading. I see this all the time in leagues I’m in. Two teams make a trade, and it immediately sparks trade offers, message board posts, chat activity, and updated trade bait.
So, as usual, take advantage of leaguemates yearning for a trade partner. Injuries and bye weeks create selling windows, even for IDPs with little or no dynasty value. As always, aggressively look to improve your lineup for now and for next season.
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