Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Watch: Buy/Sell/Hold Week 12 | PlayerProfiler

It’s crunch time. Dynasty fantasy football trading deadlines have already passed in some leagues, but in most leagues you may still have a week or two to trade. Take a good look at your team and decide if you have a chance to run. If you can’t, it’s time to face the truth and shift your focus to 2026.

In one of my leagues, I was the highest scoring team going into week 11…while sitting at 4-6. Of course I also led the league in points against. I needed a win last week, and guys like Justin Herbert and Khalil Shakir completely broke the bed, causing me to lose by less than three points. Even with Sean Tucker’s monstrous performance, I couldn’t squeak out a W.

So now I’m 4-7, with the second most points scored. Ultimately, I decided to wave the white flag and accept that it was time to start a gentle rebuild. I dealt AJ Brown to the top-ranked manager to get back my 2026 second-round pick along with Brandon Aiyuk and Terrance Ferguson. It seemed like a win for both of us: he’s gearing up for a title run and I’m positioning myself for next season as I’m not going to win that competition yet.

If you’re looking for an edge or advice on the best dynasty fantasy football trades to make before the bulk of Week 12 kicks off, I’ve got you covered. I’ve highlighted some players I think you should play buy, to sellor delay in week 12, depending on your schedule structure. Check them out below – and make some deals.

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Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Advice Week 12

Buy: WR Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears

It took a while for head coach Ben Johnson to come to his senses and see what everyone in the fantasy community could see all along, but he finally did it: He played rookie Luther Burden III more snaps than Olamide Zaccheaus. Look, nothing against Zacchaeus. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but on the field he didn’t help Chicago’s offense. He turned 50 targets into a paltry 248 yards in Week 11.

Last week, Johnson finally saw the light of day. Zaccheaus barely saw the field and didn’t score a single goal against Minnesota. Instead, Burden III took over, playing 32 snaps and running a route on a season-high 61% of Caleb Williams’ dropbacks. Burden III is simply a much more explosive option. It makes more sense to bring your second-round playmaker into the offense than to continue giving snaps to a veteran with no ceiling.

Unfortunately, the production didn’t match the usage — Burden III had just 27 yards on three receptions — but his five targets were a season high. The runway finally makes way for Burden III; better days lie ahead.

Now for the fun stats. Even without heavy volume, Burden III has been insanely effective. At least 100 snaps, he currently scores:

• WR2 in PlayerProfiler’s explosive rating (139.4)
• WR3 in yards per route (2.85)
• WR6 in fantasy points per route run (0.57)

All advanced stats point to a future fantasy stud. He just needs to get the ball more, and maybe last week was the start of making that happen.

I think Burden III is on the “late first-round pick worth” trajectory, but he hasn’t reached that level yet. This is your chance to try and get him while his value is still suppressed. He’s currently worth an early second-round pick, though I’m not sure any smart owner will move him up for that right away. You may still have to sweeten the offer a bit to get him, but as long as you don’t go overboard, I still think it’s underpaid today based on where Burden III’s value is going.

Sale: QB Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons

It’s time for Falcons and dynasty managers to start preparing for life after Michael Penix Jr. I’m sure there are some managers out there who are thinking, “But Wolf, he didn’t look bad this year, and he’s only 25.” To that I say: leave now before the bottom falls away completely.

Penix Jr. recorded a sack in the third quarter of last week’s loss to the Panthers, eliminating him from the game. The hit aggravated a bone bruise and sprain in his left knee, which cost him a game earlier this season. Worse still, there is confirmed damage to his ACL. He is out for the remainder of this season and will require reconstructive surgery, putting the start of the 2026 season in jeopardy.

Look at Penix Jr.’s injury history. – this is longer than a CVS receipt:

• 2018 – Right ACL tear
• 2019 – Broken collarbone
• 2020 – Right ACL tear
• 2021 – Separation of air conditioning on the left
• 2025 – Left knee contusion, sprain and ACL damage

This is a player who has taken more hits than a kick drum. Even aside from the injuries, Penix Jr. just hasn’t been a needle mover – in real life or fantasy. This season he averaged the QB28, with a paltry 13.7 fantasy PPG. We were all promised a rocket-armed sniper. Instead, we got a QB with 12 passing TDs in 12 career starts, with sub-par efficiency and no rush up there to pad his floor.

Here are some of his accuracy metrics this season:

As you can see, it’s not pretty. Going forward, I don’t see many scenarios where Penix Jr. takes a leap after a third ACL repair.

If you’re a rebuilder and want to hold on to him hoping for a rebound, I understand. However, everyone else should try to jump. A drop in value has already occurred, but its stock is about to plummet. Immobile pocket passers don’t retain much value even if they crush them. What do you think will happen if Penix Jr. his fifth season injury since leaving college?

I mentioned Burden III above. He and Penix Jr. are currently close in value. If you have Penix Jr. can flip for the rising rookie, go for it. Otherwise, see if anyone is willing to give a second-rounder and a player like Shedeur Sanders or Tyler Shough if you want a QB in return in Superflex formats. However, your best bet is that you have Penix Jr. is trying to wrap up a dynastic fantasy football trade to upgrade one of your skill positions before its value drops further.

Guard: RB Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders

This isn’t what fantasy managers signed up for when they selected Ashton Jeanty at 1.01 in rookie drafts. After all, this kid was just feet away from breaking Barry Sanders’ NCAA record last season. How bad has it been? Last Monday night against the Cowboys, Jeanty made an 11-yard gain on his second attempt. He somehow finished with just seven rushing yards on six total carries.

The Raiders aren’t doing Jeanty any favors, running too many pass plays with a struggling Geno Smith while giving their first-round pick hardly any work on the ground. And the offensive line? It’s insulting. An abomination: No running back has had more stuffed runs (45) this season than Jeanty.

Still, there are reasons to be optimistic about Jeanty’s future. Despite only averaging 3.7 YPC, he shows a number of traits that made him a top talent:

• RB9 in Evaded Tackles (48)
• RB10 in juke rate (27%)
• RB9 in yards created (649)
• RB13 in yards created per touch (3.65)

The game-breaking ability hasn’t disappeared; it’s just smothered by terrible line-play and baffling play-calling. Jeanty ranks RB16 in PPR scoring, averaging 14.1 PPG. It’s not what you expected, but it doesn’t kill your lineups either.

This is a clear waiting situation. You don’t want to panic and sell a young bell cow that was just selected sixth overall. Unless you get someone in his value range – De’Von Achane, Rashee Rice, Tetairoa McMillan, Tyler Warren or Caleb Williams – sit tight and hope the Raiders address their o-line issues in the offseason.

He has the design capital. He has the talent. The problems around him are solvable. Don’t abandon Jeanty too quickly just because of early year growing pains.

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Wolf Trelles-Heard is a fantasy football contributor for PlayerProfiler. Find him at X on @DynastyFFWolf.