The 2024 NFL Trade Deadline is coming…
November 5th, 2024. Massive change awaits us in just four days.
No, I’m not talking about Election Day (although go vote!). Far more importantly, it’s the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline.
Already this year, we’ve seen massive fireworks. Davante Adams to the Jets. DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs. Amari Cooper to the Bills. Most recently, Diontae Johnson to the Ravens.
These moves have already shaken up the 2024 Fantasy Football landscape, both for the value of these players, for the teammates they now join, and for those they leave behind, too.
Given the early action this year, the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline may be more explosive than any other before it. Savvy fantasy football managers can get ahead by predicting future moves, and stashing potential 2024 NFL Trade Candidates.
Below, find three potential 2024 NFL Trade Deadline candidates who could come into massive fantasy football value boosts if they land in the right spots. All of them are available in over 70% of leagues, but could become the poster boys of Week 10 Waiver Wire articles if they’re moved. Thus, get in now before you have to blow extra FAAB or waiver picks to scoop them next week.
Khalil Herbert = 2024 NFL Trade Deadline Fantasy Football Stash #1
Ideal Fantasy Trade Destination: Dallas Cowboys
Khalil Herbert is a damn talented runner of the football, and I won’t hear otherwise!
According to PFF, Herbert has been graded as the 15th (2021) 35th (2022), and 14th (2023) best RB. Last season, he ranked 12th in explosive run rate and 9th in missed tackles forced per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data).
Like most backs, Herbert seems to thrive when fed. In the eight games he played at least 43% of the snaps last season, he averaged 14 touches and 77.8 total yards!
In 13 career games with 11+ carries, Herbert has been a fringe fantasy RB1. Per RotoViz’s Game Splits tool:
Even just this preseason, Herbert took 18 carries for 97 yards, good for over 5.4 YPC. He has a career YPC over 4.8 as well.
Based on the tape and the data, Herbert has inarguably been an efficient, if not explosive, running back when fed.
Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears don’t seem to agree. Herbert has not touched the football since Week 3 this year, falling clearly behind D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson in the rotation.
Given his recent “healthy inactive” statuses, Herbert feels perhaps the most likely RB to get traded in 2024. Given his sneaky talent and explosiveness, Herbert could become a true stretch-run difference maker on the right squad.
The Dallas Cowboys make the most sense 100%. They’ve struggled all year running the football, ranking DEAD LAST in rush yards per game (74.1). Ezekiel Elliott has not forced a single missed tackle this year, and Rico Dowdle has proven to be a JAG.
Herbert could rise to RB2 status in Dallas. The Bengals, Raiders, and Chargers also could use a back of Herbert’s ability. He’s my favorite RB to stash in fantasy football ahead of the 2024 trade deadline.
Adam Thielen = 2024 NFL Trade Deadline Fantasy Football Stash #2
Ideal Fantasy Trade Destination: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Shockingly, Adam Thielen finished 2023 as the WR17 in FPs. He weathered the Bryce Young sh–t storm and emerged as a true target hog and dependable chain mover.
While impressive, Thielen’s start to last season was ungodly.
After a Week 1 dud, Thielen went on to rip off five straight MONSTER days: 20.4, 31.5, 15.2, 27.7, and 28.5 FPs. Thielen was the WR1 in total PPR FPs over this span, with 123 and 24.7 FPPG.
This is partly why I love stashing Thielen right now. In the worst case, he doesn’t get moved, but he’s back with the Panthers in a situation in which he previously thrived. Sure, he now faces off with more talent like Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, but Thielen’s established rapport and veteran savvy could easily help him pace this team in targets and fantasy points to close out 2024.
Yet, the upside is MASSIVE should Thielen get moved to the right spot.
The Tampa Bucs rank fourth in the NFL in points per game (29). They’ve topped 30+ in five of eight games and have dipped below 26 just twice. Under Liam Coen, this is a high-flying offense.
In particular, Coen crafted a beautiful slot role for Chris Godwin, who was on pace for a career-year prior to his season-ending ankle injury. Godwin was second in PPR FPs (137.8, 19.7 per game), largely due to a Cooper Kupp-inspired slot role featuring oodles of screens and quick-hit “lay-up” targets:
While Jalen McMillan has some upside to fill this role, the team was hesitant to hand it to him in Week 8. Sterling Shepard logged 60% of the slot snaps, yet he just suffered a hamstring injury that could shelve him for the foreseeable future. Shepard also… isn’t good anymore.
As a proven slot-maven, Thielen could walk right into one of the juiciest fantasy roles. He would be a perfect fit in Tampa Bay, yet could also provide some real value to the Chargers, Lions, or Cowboys too.
The tanking Panthers seem like locks to move him, and Thielen could provide a dependable chain-mover and proven TD-scoring upside to any team. In fact, his 61 career TDs rank 7th among all active NFL players. Worst case, Thielen stays in Carolina, with a QB he’s previously produced with at a Top-24 level (and Top-3 level for stretches).
Darius Slayton = 2024 NFL Trade Deadline Fantasy Football Stash #3
Ideal Trade Location: Los Angeles Chargers
With the Giants staring at a lost 2024, Darius Slayton is rumored to be on the NFL Trade Block.
Slayton is unlikely to become some Top-15 WR in any new home. Still, at 6’1″ with 4.39 forty speed (95th percentile), Slayton absolutely can bring a size-speed element to any needy offense.
Slayton is also better after that catch than he’s given credit for, and is more than just a one-trick pony. This was highly evident in Week 5 this season, when Slayton became the main vein of the Giants passing attack in Malik Nabers’ absence. Slayton notched 11 targets, 8 receptions 122 yards and 1 TD, finishing as the WR7 on the week with 262 FPs.
He wasn’t nearly as effective in Week 6 on a similar voluminous workload (11 targets), but Slayton still showed he could work every layer of the field.
Really, he’s often impressed when given a true shot. To close out 2023, Slayton tallied 18.0, 20.6, and 17.5 fantasy points from Weeks 16-18. He was the WR8 over the fantasy playoffs, averaging 18.6 FPPG (just ahead of Tyreek Hill).
Slayton could have a similar stretch-run to 2024 in a new home. The Dallas Cowboys, lacking any semblance of a secondary-threat right now, make sense. Slayton could provide a real spark and field stretcher.
Yet, the Los Angeles Chargers might be the most intriguing option here. Ladd McConkey is emerging as the true go-to guy, but the Chargers desperately need someone reliable next to him — especially one that can unlock Justin Herbert‘s cannon-arm and open up the field. This is a staple of Greg Roman and Jim Harbaugh‘s attack, but they’ve leaked anyone steady in the role. Slayton could stabilize that.
But Wolf, you may counter, all the Chargers do is run. True, they are Top-5 in run-rate. Yet, the past three weeks they’ve begun opening it up far more often. In fact, the Chargers have been in the top-half of the league in pass-rate over expected the past three weeks, throwing at a 5% higher clip.
Anything positive is a great sign, especially in a historically run-heavy offense. Herbert has seen his pass attempts per game spike from 23 per game (Weeks 1-5) to 35 PAs over his last 3 games. The team came out of the Bye Week slinging, and Herbert is starting to cook. He’s posted his three highest scoring weeks in a row, going 16, 18.2, and then 26.9 over his past three:
Slayton would be a welcome addition as a field-stretcher over Quentin Johnston or DJ Chark.
Given all the WR injuries across the league, many teams could use a dependable speedster like Slayton. It’s hard to see his value going down anywhere new, so add him now ahead of Tuesday’s NFL Trade Deadline to see if Slayton gets a value spike.
Mike Williams = NFL Trade Deadline Honorable Mention
Normally, I’d have Mike Williams No. 2 on this list. He seems incredibly likely to be traded, and the Chargers are rumored to be interested in re-acquiring him. Getting that pre-established rapport back with Justin Herbert would be huge.
Prior to going down, Mike Williams was the WR15 in fantasy last season. He was coming off 13 and 8 target days, playing a target-hog role we had never seen before.
The only reason he’s not higher is that Williams already played on Thursday, and you likely can’t add him at this point. However, if you followed me on Twitter, you may have already tossed Williams on the bench:
Have any questions regarding stashes ahead of the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline? Be sure to catch The Wolf’s Week 9 Sit / Start Show, LIVE @ 8am ET! He’ll also be live Tuesday at 7pm ET to break down all the trade action and Top Week 10 Waiver Wire claims:
