We are only two weeks into the season, and injuries are already decimating lineups. Right now, managers are in survival mode. Even when you are desperate, you should not be making desperate trades. Utilizing WAR is a great way to make sure that you are keeping your teams competitive and ensure that the trades are building your team up.
Also, WAR is being updated every week on Tuesday mornings. Fantasy Points is the only place where you can track WAR across six different league types AND have access to Flex and Superflex position WAR values.
These trades are straight from questions in the Fantasy Points Discord, which you should be in and contributing to!
Keep in mind these are redraft, not dynasty, trades.
Trade #1: Jaylen Waddle and Jonathan Taylor for Khalil Shakir and Jahmyr Gibbs
If you are worried about the Miami offense with Tua Tagovailoa out for at least the next four weeks, I can understand why you would want to move off of Waddle. This trade is an excellent example of moving off of Waddle and not settling. In a 2-WR PPR leagu, the Waddle and Taylor side is averaging 0.2 WAR each week. The Gibbs, Shakir side is averaging 0.3 WAR. I know it may feel gross to be moving down from Waddle to Shakir, but Shakir has been almost as valuable, and you get a significant value boost in Gibbs.
Trade #2: Ceedee Lamb for Josh Jacobs and Chris Olave
This particular team is dealing with losing Isiah Pacheco. Since this is a send-one-out, get-two-back trade, we will be working with the assumption that his fill-in for Pacheco, who was averaging 0.22 WAR, is any replacement-level RB one can find on the bench or on waivers. Lamb is sitting at 0.16 WAR, so this team was getting 0.38 WAR from its first twp draft picks. Jacobs and Olave are at 0.11 WAR each week. That is too weak to be moving off of Lamb for and is the type of panic move to replace Pacheco’s production we want to avoid. I understand there is upside to Olave’s game, but this is not enough.
In the discord, it was mentioned that Zay Flowers may be another option instead of Olave. This would put the Jacobs/Flowers side at 0.3 WAR. This type of deal can help offset the Pacheco loss and give your team flexibility later on in the season.
Trade #3: Derrick Henry for Brock Bowers
I will be treating this as the healthy team in the league. Just as we all expected, Bowers is the TE1 so far on the season. The TE position in general has been a dumpster fire so far this season, but Bowers has been producing. While Henry has been solid, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of a team that may be dealing with injuries. Bowers is currently the only TE in the top 20 players in WAR and has a dominant 0.13 WAR advantage per game. Take Bowers.
Trade #4: Dallas Goedert for Austin Ekeler
Not feeling like making a big move or just want to make a minor move to try to fill in for Kenneth Walker? This is the trade for you. We are still only talking about adding a player in Ekeler that is at 0.07 WAR per week, but this is the type of move that keeps you afloat and actually adds to your probability of winning your matchup until Walker returns. This will not replace the 0.31 WAR that Walker had in his first game, but there are not any moves at this level that can.
Trade #5: J.K. Dobbins for Jayden Reed
I am cheating a little and pulling in a trade for a 2-WR Half PPR league. Dobbins has been a revelation for a player being drafted close to RB40. If he is an extra value on your team because you started your draft RB heavy, Dobbins presents an opportunity to upgrade your starter at another position. If your WR1 is being impacted because of an injury to him or his QB I can understand moving Dobbins to correct the situation. Dobbins WAR in your Flex position is sitting at 0.37 per game. That is outstanding and currently higher than any other WR’s WAR.
As good as Reed was in Week 1 (0.62 WAR), he was a negative in your lineup in Week 2 (-0.03 WAR), albeir without Jordan Love. I would be looking to turn Dobbins into a more consistent presence in your WR spot since you would probably be more inclined to move Dobbins due to his perceived injury risk. Look for Nico Collins, Justin Jefferson, or Rashee Rice PLUS another positional upgrade. You struck gold, take advantage of it!
Closing Remarks
I know that the injuries so far in 2024 have sucked. It has been a strange and unfortunate two weeks for managers, but all hope is not lost. Taking advantage of WAR to inform your trading gives you a leg up on the competition and helps contextualize what these trades actually mean in terms of the value it provides to your lineup. There are still options for your teams ravaged by injury, you just have to go out and find them.
