The light at the end of the tunnel is near. The 2026 NFL regular season kicks off on Wednesday, September 9th. Time is running out to make dynasty trades, but I’ve identified 5 players you should target as the season approaches.
Most dynasty rosters are set, and managers have a good sense of whether they will be contending for the title or rebuilding for the future. Pulling off a title-tilting trade gets more difficult as the days go by.
If you’re looking to upgrade your roster for this season and beyond, start by looking at the fringes of the other rosters in your league. Try to identify a distressed asset that could jump in value as the season goes along.
What!? Your fantasy football league wasn’t hosted on Fantrax last season!? Once you see how Fantrax stacks up to the competition, we think you’ll be singing a different tune next season.
5 Targets to Trade for Right Now in Dynasty Leagues
1.) Woody Marks, Texans RB
Marks is criminally underrated in the dynasty community right now.
In his 232 touches as a rookie, he racked up 911 yards and 5 TDs.
If another rookie did that, dynasty managers would be salivating to acquire them. I say that because another rookie put up similar numbers and he’s viewed much differently. We’ll call him Player B for now.
In his 256 touches as a rookie, Player B accumulated 998 yards and 7 TDs. Player B is currently RB11 on KeepTradeCut.com. Marks is RB43.
Player B is Quinshon Judkins. You might say, “Well, he had a bad offensive line last year.” You’d be right. The Browns finished 24th in ESPN’s Run Block Win Rate metric. Guess where the Texans ranked? 32nd.
Not only did Houston revamp its offensive line in the offseason (again), but they also added RB David Montgomery. The Montgomery addition has made Marks a distressed asset, but it’s gone too far.
The time to trade for Marks is now.
The 29-year-old David Montgomery is not going to be a workhorse RB. Monty hasn’t been that since his days with the Bears (and Khalil Herbert got 10+ touches per game in ’22 and ’23). This backfield is going to be close to a 50-50 split, and Marks will surely get the better of the passing-down work.
Go get Woody Marks before he shines in the regular season as he did in Houston’s 2nd preseason game (5 touches for 43 yards and a TD on the opening drive).
2.) DK Metcalf, Steelers WR
Metcalf’s first season in Pittsburgh was a disappointment. He failed to reach 100 targets and 900 receiving yards for the first time in his career. The Aaron Rodgers dink-and-dunk offense surely had plenty to do with that (Rodgers finished 33rd out of 33 qualified QBs in air yards per attempt). And, yes, Rodgers is still there, which makes Metcalf a distressed asset you should target in dynasty right now.
The Steelers offense will benefit from the wisdom of new head coach Mike McCarthy. The WR1 on Mike McCarthy-coached teams has had 1000+ receiving yards or 10+ TDs in the last 8 seasons he’s been a head coach.
I’m betting on a solid bounce-back for Metcalf, who has never been cheaper. There’s a world where he finishes as a WR2 and puts your FLEX over the top. Contenders should strongly consider shelling out a 2027 2nd (if you’re truly a contender, it will be a late 2nd) to get him.
3.) Keaton Mitchell, Chargers RB
One of the core tenets in fantasy football is to draft/acquire players on good offenses. The Chargers are expected to take a major leap offensively in 2026 with Mike McDaniel calling the plays. Ergo, you should be trying to get as many Chargers as you can.
Before free agency, McDaniel printed out a wanted sign with Mitchell’s picture on it and posted it in GM Joe Ortiz’ office. I think it’s safe to say that Mitchell will have a sizeable role in LA’s offense.
Second-year back Omarion Hampton will get the lion’s share of the touches, but McDaniel is no stranger to having two backs end up in the Top 25 at their position in the same season. In 2023, Raheem Mostert finished as the RB3. Rookie De’Von Achane had nearly 1000 scrimmage yards, 11 TDs, and finished as RB24 in just 11 games.
Mitchell is not De’Von Achane. He’s like the off-brand version. If Achane (5’9, 191 pounds, 4.32 in the 40) is Coca-Cola, then Mitchell (5’8, 191, 4.37 in the 40) is Kirkland Cola.
Mitchell has missed a few practices this week with an unknown malady, which should provide even more of a buy window.
4.) Pat Bryant, Broncos WR
Bryant was a great draft and stash dynasty pick last season. It might be tricky to pry him away, especially after Broncos coach Sean Payton heaped praise on the 2nd-year wideout earlier this week, saying he’s “having a heck of a camp.”
Bryant is an ascending player, and that is what makes him a dynasty target you need to trade for right now. The WR2 role in the Broncos offense could be his by the middle of the season. Newly acquired Jaylen Waddle should be the WR1, but Bryant is coming for Courtland Sutton’s role as the WR2. Sutton turns 31 in October.
The Pat Bryant breakout is coming.
Just read this full quote from Payton: “He has really strong hands. I’ve said this before, if you watch tape and you’re looking at it, rarely does he have to leave his feet to make a clean catch. Even if you just skip to catch it, at that moment, everyone’s moving and you’re kind of frozen, and rarely does he do that. So his yards-after-catch are noticeably different because his feet are on the ground as he runs through a ball. He’s smart, he’s sudden, he’s big. He’s having a heck of a camp. You guys have seen it, and it’s been consistent. He’s super-intelligent. It’s really important to him, and I like his size.”
That is glowing praise. Target Bryant in dynasty right now and go get him.
5.) Sam LaPorta, Lions TE
The Lions’ 4th-year TE is dealing with a hip injury that may linger into the regular season, which means he’s a distressed asset. The time to target LaPorta is right now.
In the last 5 games LaPorta played last season (he missed the final 8 games with a herniated disc), he averaged 4.8 catches, 62.4 yards, and 0.6 TDs per game. Those rates project out to a season total of 82 catches, 1060 yards, and 10 TDs.
That projected season total looks a lot like what LaPorta did as a rookie in 2023, when he led all tight ends in fantasy points: 86 catches, 889 yards, 10 TDs.
LaPorta is 25 years old. He is a TE1 when healthy. Buy the dip.
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