Devy fantasy football leagues are a unique and strategic twist on dynasty fantasy football. In these leagues, managers can roster College Football players before they’re even drafted into the NFL, which adds depth, long-term projection and a whole lot of upside (and risk) to the game.
But Devy leagues also require a different mindset when it comes to trading. What works in dynasty doesn’t always apply in Devy. Making smart trades in devy involves balancing emotion, scouting, risk and opportunity in ways that traditional fantasy formats don’t require.
This guide breaks down:
- How Devy Fantasy Football Differs From Dynasty
- Why Devy Players Are Worth Less in Trades
- When To Buy & Sell Devy Picks
- How To Tier Your Devy Assets
- And How To Still Have Fun While Making Sharp Decisions
How To Trade Effectively in Devy Fantasy Football Leagues
Devy vs. Dynasty: What’s the Core Difference?
In a dynasty league, you manage a full roster of NFL players year after year with no redraft. In a Devy fantasy football league, a portion of your roster (or separate Devy slots) is filled with college players who haven’t entered the NFL yet.
The core difference? Dynasty is the NFL value now. In Devy, it is the projected future NFL value. This completely changes how you approach team-building, roster value and especially trades.
Why Devy Players Are Worth Less Than NFL Players in Trades
This is one of the most important concepts to grasp – and one that trips up newer Devy managers. Even elite Devy fantasy football prospects are usually worth less than solid NFL players. Here’s why:
1. Devy Players Don’t Score Points
No matter how exciting a college player is, they can’t help your fantasy team this year. A productive NFL player, even a WR3 or RB2, gives you real value weekly. Fantasy football is still about points, and points only come from NFL players.
2. Projection Carries More Risk Than Production
The transition from College Football to the NFL is brutal. Devy players are all about potential, but NFL players have already proven something. College dominance doesn’t guarantee NFL success, and many Devy darlings flame out due to injury, bad draft capital or scheme fit.
3. Landing Spots Can Kill Value
Before the NFL Draft, a Devy player can be anything. Once they’re drafted, reality hits. A poor landing spot or day three draft capital can sink their value overnight. A perfect example is former LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, who was once a top-tier Devy receiver. By draft time, he was a sixth-round pick with minimal dynasty value.
4. Roster Spots Have Opportunity Cost
In some leagues, holding Devy players means tying up a roster spot in a non-scoring asset. Every year you stash a college player is a year you sacrifice depth and flexibility.
5. The Clock Is Always Ticking
Devy players lose value fast if they don’t continue to develop or get hurt. Their trade value often peaks before they declare for the NFL Draft, long before they ever help your team.
When Are the Best Times To Trade Devy Picks?
Unlike traditional dynasty leagues, where rookie picks skyrocket near the NFL Draft, Devy fantasy football leagues operate differently. Most of the top incoming rookies are already rostered, so the hype cycle doesn’t apply in the same way.
Sell Picks Right Before Supplemental Devy Fantasy Football Drafts
This is the real “draft season” for Devy. Managers tend to get impatient and want to be involved, even if the player pool is thin.
Take advantage of the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). If someone’s desperate to land “their guy” in the supplemental draft, you can sell a pick for above market value – especially to a rebuilding team or someone trying to stockpile future assets.
Sell Picks
- After a breakout college game: Big Saturday performance? Perfect sell-high moment.
- Mid-season as a contender: Trade speculative picks for usable depth to help you win now.
- After a freshman year breakout: The upside and mystery are at their peak. Sell before the next season introduces risk.
Buy Picks
Remember, everybody’s window is different. If you’re thinking about rebuilding, you should consider buying picks or players.
- During the NFL season, Everyone’s focused on scoring. Devy picks become “dead weight” for some managers.
- From impatient managers: Some don’t want to wait on development timelines. Use that to your advantage.
- Post-declare, pre-NFL Draft: Once a player declares, their value briefly dips before landing spot buzz kicks in. This is a small but exploitable window.
Devy Is About Scouting – That’s Part of the Fun
Here’s a truth Devy fantasy football managers know: We play Devy because we love projecting.
There’s real joy in:
- Watching film of high school prospects
- Following breakout freshmen
- Finding “your guy” before the masses do
That makes it emotionally harder to trade picks and players – especially when you’ve done the legwork and planted your flag. And that’s OK. Just be honest with yourself: “Am I holding this player because I think it’s smart, or because I want to be right?”
Sometimes holding a Devy pick is just part of the fun. But when your team needs help, don’t be afraid to move them, even if you’ve hyped them up all offseason.
Tiering Devy Fantasy Football Assets: Who To Keep & Who To Trade
One of the best things you can do in Devy is tier your assets and make decisions based on risk tolerance and team direction.
Who To Keep: Tier-1 High-Upside Devy Studs
These are your potential franchise players. They’re rare and hard to acquire. You should only move them if the return is massive.
Examples:
- Jeremiah Smith (WR, Ohio State) — WR1 in waiting.
- Ryan Williams (WR, Alabama)/ Cam Coleman (WR, Auburn) — elite traits and early breakout signs.
- Arch Manning (QB, Texas) — long runway, high ceiling, pedigree upside.
These players may take time, but if they hit, they are cornerstone dynasty assets.
Who To Trade: Tier 2-3 Players Others Like More Than You
These are players who:
- Are producing in college but lacks elite traits
- Have questionable draft profiles or physical limitations
- Could be overvalued by a manager chasing breakout metrics
These players are perfect trade chips, especially when included as sweeteners in deals or moved for win-now NFL talent.
Examples:
- A G5 (Group of 5) wide receiver with gaudy stats but no NFL draft buzz
- A college running back with high usage but limited burst or receiving work
- A mid-tier Devy quarterback who may never beat out competition or go Day 1
Use perception to your advantage. If someone else sees a breakout and you see a capped ceiling, move the player before the market shifts. When these players perform well on Saturdays mid-season, this is the time to trust your instincts and make the sale, no matter how counterproductive it may feel.
Final Takeaways: How To Master Devy Fantasy Football Trading
- Devy value is speculative; trade accordingly.
- NFL players are more valuable Devy players in most formats.
- Use tiering to guide who to hold and who to flip.
- Supplemental drafts and mid-season trades are your best leverage windows.
- Enjoy the process, but separate your emotions from execution when needed.
In short, Devy fantasy football is about projection and patience, but Devy trading is about timing, discipline and maximizing value before it disappears.
Related: How To Scout Rookies: An Introduction to Watching Tape
Get attached to your film work, not your roster. And when the window opens to flip a future, maybe for a present guarantee? Take it.
Thanks for reading my article on “How To Trade Effectively in Devy Fantasy Football Leagues.” For more Devy and College Fantasy Football content, follow me on Twitter/X @PoshplaysFF.
*Photo Credit: Scott Wachter – USA TODAY Sports*
