Dynasty Fantasy Football: 2-for-1 Trade Strategy

Trading is one of the most impactful elements of dynasty fantasy football, especially when you consider the long-term commitment required in these leagues. This time around we want to dive into the idea of 2-for-1 trades. Whether you’re looking to upgrade a certain position or trying to free up space before your rookie draft, a good 2-for-1 trade can strengthen your team.
Jake and Sam are here with a series of 2-for-1 trade examples to get you started. Let us know what you think!

Dynasty Fantasy Football 2-For-1 Trade Strategy

Alec Pierce and Bhayshul Tuten FOR Tyler Warren (non-TEP)

Jake: The whirlwind of free agency has drastically increased the bank accounts of some players and the projected touch counts of others. In this trade, we have one from each category. Alec Pierce’s record-setting free agent WR contract is pretty insane when you consider he’s never topped 47 catches in a season during his four years with the Colts. And while I usually like to follow the money in dynasty, there are times when NFL owners clearly want different things out of their players than fantasy managers do. This, I believe, is one of those times.

Meanwhile, with Travis Etienne officially out of the picture in Jacksonville, we’ve been presented with a pretty glorious sell-high window for Bhayshul Tuten. Don’t get me wrong, I like Tuten, but I have zero expectations of him as a high-volume lead back. Just because none of the big-name free agents landed with the Jags doesn’t mean Tuten will escape the NFL Draft unscathed. In fact, I expect him to be quite scathed come April. He’s probably worth a first-round pick by himself right now.

Pairing these two “free agency winners” together with a second-round rookie pick to grab a young, ascending tight end is the move. This is all about positional scarcity. Tyler Warren fizzled out at the end of his rookie season, putting up just 200 yards across the final seven games. But we saw the spark early and we know his potential is massive. Plus, Warren is probably the biggest beneficiary of Michael Pittman’s trade to Pittsburgh.

This one probably won’t fly in Tight End Premium leagues, so tiering down to Tucker Kraft, whose manager could be worried about the recent injury, is a more feasible option there.

Mike Evans and Davante Adams FOR Devonta Smith

Jake: First, let’s just acknowledge how weird it’s going to be seeing Mike Evans in a 49ers uniform. It’ll be like watching Julio Jones play with the Titans logo on his helmet. Or seeing photos of your uncle Bill at Comic-Con cosplaying as Pikachu. There’s nothing wrong with any of these things, mind you, it’s just going to take some getting used to.

San Francisco could be a great landing spot for Evans, with Ian Hartitz comparing his situation to that of Davante Adams. Both around the time of Radiohead’s debut album, both have WR2 level upside and both are highly volatile assets at this stage in the game. A jaw-dropping 44% of Adams’ fantasy output last season came from touchdowns! That seems pretty unsustainable! And at what point do the injuries catch up to Evans, especially now that he’s in the Injury Capital of the NFL?

If you’re rebuilding or even just tentative about your situation, see if you can land DeVonta Smith from a contending team. Do it while the A.J. Brown trade rumors have stalled. I’m still projecting Brown elsewhere in 2026, but regardless, Smith is a high-upside player with room for more consistency if the depth chart thins out. And at just 27 years old, he’s practically a toddler compared to the old f**ks you’re sending away.

Just be ready to throw in some sweeteners to make the age gap a little easier to swallow.

Chris Olave and Kenneth Walker FOR Malik Nabers

Sam: If you are looking to significantly upgrade your receiver room, a name you should consider looking into is Malik Nabers. As a rookie, he posted 109 receptions (170 targets) for 1,204 receiving yards and 7 TDs. His sophomore campaign was cut short after just four games due to a torn ACL and meniscus.

Even in a shortened season, Nabers was already soaking up a huge volume of targets. He posted 32 targets in three full games before going down early in Week 4.

The risk with Nabers is how quickly he'll return to form this season. We've seen wideouts struggle a bit their first year back from an ACL tear, but then really take off once they are two years removed. If there's a manager who is unwilling to wait for Nabers to get back to full strength, that could open a window of opportunity for you.

The reason I highlight both Kenneth Walker and Chris Olave is simple. First, both players are squarely in their prime and you won't insult the Nabers manager by offering aging vets. Walker is going to dominate touches for the Chiefs next season. Olave is coming off a season with 100 receptions, 1,163 receiving yards and 9 TDs, and should have even more consistent QB play in 2026 with Tyler Shough in his second year in the Kellen Moore offense.

If you are looking to parlay two of your players into one elite asset, you have to be willing to pay a slight premium. Essentially, upgrading from Olave to Nabers will "cost" you Walker. That's a prime RB piece who could push for 275+ opportunities next year.

Being patient with Nabers could unlock a massive ceiling for your dynasty fantasy football team moving forward.

Malik Nabers and Travis Etienne FOR Puka Nacua

Sam: I'm intentionally including another Nabers trade example because I think his whole situation could afford some unique trade opportunities.

No one is doubting his talent and ability. We already discussed his injury outlook moving forward and it sounds like he'll be ready for Week 1. A lot also comes down to how you feel about Jaxson Dart and this offense as a whole.

I'm pairing Nabers with Travis Etienne because, similar to the aforementioned Walker in my previous trade example, Etienne is a talented RB who is firmly in his prime. He was one of the most coveted free agents at the position and ultimately signed a lucrative extension with the New Orleans Saints. Offering an elite blend of both rushing and pass-catching ability, he's going to be the focal point for the Saints in 2026.

A shortage of high-volume RBs could lead dynasty managers to be willing to make roster adjustments this offseason and Etienne (and Walker) fit that bill nicely.

It might seem crazy for a dynasty manager to even consider moving off of someone like Puka Nacua, but that's exactly what makes this trade suggestion so unique. It remains to be seen how long Matthew Stafford will play, although it appears he's be back for at least this season. In the short-term, Nacua still offers elite upside and could be worth giving up a young, top-end talent in Nabers to go after a championship this season.

Players Mentioned in this Article

Dynasty Fantasy Football: 2-for-1 Trade Strategy