Each week we’ll take a look at the top trade targets for each position. Trade targets can be any player at any time throughout the season. The objective (when possible) is to “buy low” and “sell high,” acquiring and getting rid of players as they are hitting their peak or before they lose their value. This article will become extra handy once bye-weeks kick off next month. Week 10 trade targets week 10 trade targets week 10 trade targets week 10 trade targets.
Did I miss a key trade target for this week? Comment below.Â
Buy “Low”
Quarterback: Dak Prescott (DAL) – Prescott has only played in three games this season, and I don’t feel he’s on fantasy managers’ radars right now. In Week 1, he got hurt. Week 7 was his first game back. In Week 8, he was QB4. He had a bye last week and now gets a Packers team that has been underachieving in the secondary. GB D/ST ranks D/ST19 on the season and ranks outside the top 20 secondaries, according to SportsNaut.com. Dalton Schultz is finally healthy, and Michael Gallup is also back to full strength. Scoop Dak on discount before he has a “Dak’s back!” game.Â
Running Back: Cordarrelle Patterson (ATL) – In the five games he’s played, Patterson has finished as a top seven RB in three of five. In one of those games, he got hurt midway through. He may not feel like a typical running back, but the Falcons feature him, and that’s all that matters. He’s seen at least 14 touches in all games he’s finished. He’s got five TDs in five games and still has four weeks until his bye in Week 14. C-Patt is only RB33 in PPR but RB13 in PPR fantasy points per game. At minimum, Patterson should be a viable bye-week replacement and RB2 regardless, heading into fantasy playoffs. He’s only played one game since missing Weeks 5-8. Fantasy managers haven’t been relying on him, so he may be cheaper than he should be right now. Grab Patterson to pad your roster depth over the next month.Â
Wide Receiver: JuJu Smith-Schuster (KC) – Just a few weeks ago, I had JuJu as a “Sell High” when he was WR50 with 9.1 PPR fantasy points per game after five games. Perhaps his brand and perceived value in this Chiefs offense would allow you to move him. Well, if you did, I still trust my thought process back then. However, if you didn’t, you’re better off. Over the last three weeks, JJSS has been the WR6(!) with 22.2 PPRFPPG, which includes finishes as WR7, WR4 and WR8 in PPR. After exactly eight targets in five of the first seven games, he saw a season-high 12 targets for 10 receptions in an overtime win on Monday Night Football vs. the Titans. JuJu isn’t the downhill threat we expect in Kansas City, but with volume and upside in one of the league’s most explosive offenses, he belongs on your roster. Capitalize on his WR20 listing. He should be a high-end WR2 at minimum for the rest of the season, with WR1 upside weekly. Bonus: the Chiefs have already had their bye week.Â
Tight End: David Njoku (CLE) – Njoku was catching his stride before injuring his ankle in Week 7 against the Ravens. Even in that game, he was seven for seven for 71 yards and TE5 on the week in PPR. He’s 10th among tight ends in targets, with more than 6.5 on average since Week 2. Without playing the last two weeks due to injury and bye week, managers have him stashed on their IR slots. Go get him for cheap, as he gets a Dolphins D/ST that is 29th against tight ends this season. BUF and TB in Weeks 11 and 12 aren’t amazing, but Deshaun Watson is set to return in Week 13 just in time for fantasy playoffs. Njoku is a high-level streamer, at least. I think he’s more than that on a weekly basis, with major upside at a thin position. Flip Fant for Njoku before your opponent knows what’s happening.Â
Sell “High”
Quarterback: Tom Brady (TB) – The GOAT has been a harmless lamb lately. He’s thrown for multiple touchdowns just ONCE this season. He’s thrown either one or zero touchdowns in each game in the last five weeks. He’s been a QB1 just twice this season and not since Week 5. His QB16, QB21, QB19 and QB16 finishes over the last four weeks how not been startable performances for single-quarterback leagues. He has all of his weapons healthy and has been throwing for at least 40 pass attempts every week since Week 2. However, he’s still QB23 in fantasy points per game. Joe Flacco, Taylor Heinicke, Andy Dalton and Carson Wentz are just a few of the names ahead of Brady this season. He’s got a bye week coming up in Week 11, and the offensive line is leading him to the slaughter weekly. Move him on the name-brand “wait until Chris Godwin starts to score” hype.Â
Running Back: Joe Mixon (CIN) – Look, I love a 50-point performance as much as the next manager, but let’s be honest with ourselves. This is by far the best Mixon has been this season, and he’s on bye this week. Now, selling on bye weeks is tough, but Mixon is not only coming off a monster game with 211 total yards and FIVE touchdowns, but he’s also been a Top 15 RB in five out of nine games this season. The issue is he’s also been RB19, RB42, RB28 and RB24 in those other games. If you’re a 5-4, 4-5 or 3-6 (or worse) team with Mixon, I would sell right now for a shipment of playable pieces that can help you fill numerous roles and cover bye weeks. You also lose Mixon’s bye week. Obviously, don’t cut bait just to do so, but if you can flip Mixon for Patterson + a WR1 or Mark Andrews + WR1/RB1, I would do that right away.Â
Wide Receiver: Michael Pittman Jr. (IND) – It might be too late, but try to move Pittman at all costs. Since Matt Ryan was benched, Pittman has finished WR41, WR33 and WR46 in PPR. A selling point would be, “he’s still getting his targets.” He is. He’s seen 9, 9 and 6 over the last three weeks, but he has caught just 16 of those 24 targets for 133 total yards and hasn’t scored since Week 1. His next four matchups before his bye in Week 14 are LV, PHI, PIT and DAL, who are 16th, 3rd, 32nd and 5th, respectively, against out wide receivers according to our Slot vs. Wide tool available on RazzBall.com. Hope he still has name value and “he’s a number one” cred. He doesn’t.Â
Tight End: Noah Fant (SEA) – Fant was TE7 last week. Great, get rid of him, LOL. His two best performances this season have been against the Cardinals, who are horrendous against the Tight End position. Fanta had 96 yards which is wonderful, but 51 of those came on one play. I’m not a “without that play, though…” kinda guy, but sometimes, that does factor in. Until this week, the top TE in SEA has been Will Dissly. Fant is the better athlete and should be the far-and-away TE1 for the Seahawks, but it’s the NFL. They play matchups. It’s Dissly who has three touchdowns to Fant’s one on just eight fewer targets. The only thing worse than a running back by committee situation in fantasy is a tight end by committee. Fant is a streamable option at best. I’d move for a reliable piece like Greg Dulcich, Gerald Everett or David Njoku if you can afford to wait out his injury recovery.
