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.
Did I miss a key trade target for this week? Comment below.
Buy “Low”
Quarterback: Dak Prescott (DAL) – Prescott is coming off a five-week absence due to a thumb injury. The Cowboys get the Lions and Bears at home before their bye in Week 9. The Lions are 28th against fantasy QBs. Dak might be rusty after not playing for a month, but these are perfect matches to get right quickly. The Cowboys get a general uptick all around. We might even see our ol’ pal Dalton Schultz reemerge. Get him before he blows up and becomes unattainable. I expect DAL to return to form sooner than later with Dak back.
Running Back: Joe Mixon (CIN) – He won’t be cheap, but try. Mixon and Leonard Fournette are tied for the most “high value” touches this season – goal line, redzone, short yardage, receptions in space, etc. The Bengals caught their groove last week. Mixon has seen plenty of work, he just isn’t scoring. Once CIN picks it up Mixon could thrive. That should start this week and next when the Bengals face the Falcons and Browns who are both bottom 10 against fantasy running backs.
Wide Receiver: Brandon Aiyuk (SF) – Aiyuk saw his best game of the season last week going for 8 receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns on 11 targets finishing as WR4. He has a 23% target share. As the number two (maybe three with George Kittle, or now FOUR with Christian McCaffery getting traded to the 49ers Thursday), Aiyuk rarely sees top coverage and exploits weak coverage. The next two games are against the Chiefs and Rams. Both teams should put up points on the 49ers’ beat-up defense. Aiyuk should see consistent work before their bye in Week 9.
Tight End: Robert Tonyan (GB) – Tonyan had a throwback game last week seeing 12 targets and catching 10 for 90 yards. Aaron Rodgers wants and needs his young receivers to step up, but they haven’t been able to on a consistent basis. The Packers lost Randall Cobb for multiple weeks and the run game isn’t what we thought it would be. I expect Tonyan to once again become a regular target for #12. Green Bay plays WAS, BUF, DET and DAL over the next four weeks. Each team has been decent/good against tight ends, but better against WRs. If Rodgers senses he can’t win out wide, he should be bringing it into Big Bobby T. The Packers don’t have a bye until Week 14, so if this manifests you could have a solid streaming option to cover bye weeks for the next two months.
Sell “High”
Quarterback: Matt Ryan (IND) – I like Matt Ryan. He’s a decent streamable QB from week to week. He posted his best game as a Colt last week going 42/58 for 389 and three touchdowns. That could continue this week vs. TEN who gives up the 3rd most fantasy points out wide (Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce). However, perhaps the Titans try to “take the air out of the ball” and run King Henry with fresh legs off the bye all game minimizing Ryan’s chances to chuck it. Jonathan Taylor is getting healthy and we know the Colts want to run the offense through him when possible. Ryan has plus matchups ahead which would be nice selling points – @TEN, WAS, @NE, @LVR. Assuming he’s not your only option at QB, I’d look to move when he’s got the hype and excitement off of last week. If you can’t you’ll be fine, but I’d try to upgrade to Prescott, Derek Carr, Geno Smith or even Marcus Mariota who should have more consistent weeks.
Running Back: Aaron Jones (GB) – Name value is your only chance here, but I’m exhausted hoping for him to return value. I love Aaron Jones. There’s no reason not to… other than the fact that Matt LaFleur refuses to use him as a top-end back. AJ Dillon has been less than expected so far, but nonetheless he and Jones are about 50/50 on workload. I thought Jones would be the “slot” receiver this year with Dillon taking more true RB touches, but both getting to eat. Nah. Jones has seen an embarrassing three receptions in every game this season except one, when he saw just two. Jones is seeing less than 15 touches per game and less than 90 total yards per game. The Packers aren’t “The Packers” right now. Jones is suffering because of it. Hope your local Cheese-Head wants a share and swap him out for a usable piece.
Wide Receiver: Courtland Sutton (DEN) – I was a super Sutton supporter this off-season. However, I have no confidence in Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense. Wilson has thrown for 250+ yards just twice this season and multiple touchdowns once. He’s got a hamstring injury and is PFF’s 34th-graded quarterback so far this season. That’s horrendous. Many things are wrong with the Broncos. Sutton himself isn’t one of them, but he’s an unfortunate byproduct of the current disaster. Sutton’s best fantasy finish in PPR so far is WR15 back in Week 2. He’s PFF’s 41st-graded receiver; also horrendous. The Broncos have a bye coming up in two weeks as well. If he still has value in your league, move on if you can.
Tight End: Darren Waller (LVR) – Yikes. This one stings. He’s one of my favorite players to root for as a human being. This is about fake football production though. So many positive storylines coming into the season for Waller and the Raiders at large, but of course, they are the Raiders… Waller is hurt (hamstring). I should cut him some slack. I would, but it’s been a month and he’s been terrible when on the field. He had exactly three catches for 23 yards on five targets in Week 3 and Week 4 before missing Week 5 and having a bye last week. You haven’t been able to use him in a month. Just cut bait. Hope he has name value and trade him to a team willing to wait out his injury. If you drafted him in the 4th Round this summer, you’re probably hurting right now. Grab a usable asset and hope it doesn’t burn you later. We have to play fantasy one week at a time. Waller can’t help you right now. Plus, he’s got HOU and NO next who are both Top 10 against TEs this season. Bail.
