Tiering Down Without Tearing Up with Mike "NerdBoi" Lamoureux

Written By Jeff Blaylock
Tiering Down Without Tearing Up With Mike Nerdboi Lamoureux title card

Jeff Blaylock sits down with Dynasty Degens' Mike Lamoureux, the Fantasy NerdBoi himself, to unpack tiering down, a framework for trading top-tier dynasty producers for rising assets plus draft capital while their value peaks. The two build out the strategy from first principles, then apply it position by position with specific 2026 targets.

“You have to bite the bullet and just say, ‘They're never going to get me what I'm gonna get for them right now.’”

Your best player might be your best trade chip.

In Episode 46 of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock sits down with Dynasty Degens' Mike "NerdBoi" Lamoureux to make the case for trading away your best dynasty assets, right when they look the least tradeable. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Trey McBride, and De'Von Achane are all locked in as first-round picks poised to finish as the top producer at their position in 2026, and Mike argues that's exactly the moment to consider moving them.

The two build out tiering down from first principles: trading a top-tier producer for a lower-tier or rising asset, plus extra value on top, in what Mike calls an insulated trade. He walks through how contract timelines signal peak value; why a player's second contract often marks the start of a decline in tradeable value; and how team context, coaching changes, and succession plans can tip a manager off before the broader market catches on.

Jeff frames the strategy through the show's own compass metaphor, distinguishing it from win-now moves and positioning tiering down as a true North play for perennial contenders looking to extend their window rather than just for rebuilders starting over. Mike also shares the lessons he's learned from his own missed sell windows, including a self-described weakness for mobile quarterbacks that cost him more than one trade.

From there, the conversation turns fully tactical, with Mike naming specific tier-down targets at wide receiver, running back, tight end, and quarterback heading into the 2026 season, from Emeka Egbuka and Zay Flowers to Tyler Warren and Kenyon Sadiq.

Key Takeaways

  • Tiering down means trading a top-tier producer for a slightly lower-tier asset plus extra value.

  • These draft picks or additional players on top of a lateral swap "insulate" the trade, reducing the risk that it doesn't work out.

  • Selling a player right after his best season feels like giving up value, but that fear fades once you focus on what you're getting back rather than what you're giving up.

  • Contract timelines are a key signal, since a player's second contract can mark the start of a decline in tradeable value.

  • Wide receiver is the easiest position to tier down from, since production is more linear than at running back.

  • A tiering-down strategy fits perennial contenders looking to extend their window, not just rebuilders trying to start over.

  • Timing matters more than the asset itself, since waiting too long to sell can cost more value than the framework can recover.

  • Specific 2026 targets span every position, from Emeka Egbuka and Zay Flowers at receiver to Tyler Warren and Kenyon Sadiq at tight end.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

02:03 – What Is Tiering Down?

09:13 – Positional vs. Cross-Positional Trades

13:47 – Overcoming the Fear of Selling High

18:26 – Reading the Contract Clock

22:50 – A Strategy for Contenders, Not Just Rebuilders

29:55 – Timing Your Window and Learning From Misses

35:30 – Wide Receiver Targets

41:48 – Running Back Targets

48:52 – Tight End Targets

54:13 – Quarterback Targets

58:06 – Final Advice and Where to Find Mike

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