More high-profile players went down with significant injuries in Week 5, leaving owners shuffling to fill the voids left on their roster. At this point of the season, trading can be the most effective way to do so. Whether you’re buying or selling, here’s a list of players to consider making a move on before it’s too late.
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Players to Buy
Michael Thomas (WR – NO)
When putting together my rest-of-season rankings, it was difficult not to put Thomas up at No. 5 over Julio Jones. I just don’t think anyone realizes how good Thomas has been since finding his way into the starting lineup. Before Week 5, Thomas sat there as the No. 7 fantasy wide receiver despite playing against Xavier Rhodes of the Vikings, Stephon Gilmore of the Patriots, and James Bradberry of the Panthers. Thomas is the undisputed No. 1 wide receiver for Drew Brees and already has his bye out of the way. He’s got first-round value.
Carlos Hyde (RB – SF)
It was a very unproductive game for Hyde against the Colts, and while some will say that his hip injury was the reason, I disagree. It was performance-based, as he was simply having a bad game, so they went with Matt Breida for more snaps than usual. On our podcast last week I mentioned that the Colts have surprised with a solid run defense through four weeks and it continued in Week 5. You may want to check the pulse of Hyde owners.
Alshon Jeffery (WR – PHI)
After matching up against Josh Norman, Marcus Peters, Janoris Jenkins, Casey Hayward, and Patrick Peterson, Jeffery still somehow sits inside the top 30 wide receivers in 2017. His schedule is going to lighten up over the next few weeks, as he’ll play the Panthers, Redskins (likely without Norman), and 49ers. The fact that he’s been targeted 38 times through five games with those cornerbacks on him bodes well for his future target projection.
Mike Gillislee (RB – NE)
It’s now been three games in a row where Gillislee hasn’t scored. BUY, BUY, BUY. Anytime you can get the goal-line running back for the Patriots, it’s wise to do so, especially when you can likely get him for nothing. He’s now seen at least 12 carries in every game, showing that no matter the game script, he’s going to be involved. With the Patriots defense taking a step forward, it’s extremely likely that it will allow Gillislee to get more attempts. It starts this week against the Jets.
Ameer Abdullah (RB – DET)
It’s hard to find running backs who are locked into 15-plus touches per game and that’s precisely what you’re getting with Abdullah. Week 5 featured his lowest total (11 touches), which presents a great buying opportunity. His games this year have included the Cardinals, Giants, Falcons, Vikings, and Panthers. That schedule would be tough on anyone, so it’s not shocking to see Abdullah have some up and downs. Buy him on the cheap – you’ll be happy you did.
Drew Brees (QB – NO)
It’s not going to be an easy task when targeting Brees in a trade because most who drafted him high are likely not willing to part with their expensive investment. With that being said, they may be desperate for a running back or wide receiver because they passed on those positions when selecting Brees. His bye is out of the way and he’s got a killer playoff schedule where he’ll play the Falcons twice. It’s worth checking in with his owner to see what he’d cost.
Pierre Garcon (WR – SF)
Garcon was in the ‘buy’ column last week, too, as I don’t think many people realize just how consistent he is and will continue to be over the next few weeks. He’s seen at least eight targets in four of five games this year and will now play the Redskins (without Josh Norman) in a revenge game, then the Cowboys and Eagles in phenomenal matchups. Once those matchups are done, he’ll hit a rough spot in his schedule, but we live in the now. Buy him for the next couple weeks.
Amari Cooper (WR – OAK)
This one needs to remain in context, because it all depends on what he costs to acquire. I’ve received questions on whether or not one of my followers should trade Alvin Kamara for Cooper. The answer to that is “yes.” Cooper has issues to work through right now, but acquiring him for WR4 cost is a no-brainer, as there aren’t 25 wide receivers I’d rather have for the rest of the season. He’ll get it together.
Mark Ingram (RB – NO)
Coming off their bye week, the Saints likely had time to regroup and figure out how they’re going to handle their three-headed backfield going forward. Most don’t realize that Ingram is actually playing more snaps than he did last year (46 percent to 53 percent), though the results haven’t quite landed. Unless you think Alvin Kamara is going to lead this team in touchdowns, Ingram is due for some positive regression very soon. He’s also got his bye week out of the way.
Matt Ryan (QB – ATL)
It’s been a disappointing start to the season for last year’s MVP, but it’s not all bad. The 8.2 yards per attempt is the second-highest mark of his career, while his touchdown rate is one of the lowest of his career at 3.7 percent. Last year that number stood at 7.1 percent, which was unlikely to repeat, but the true number likely sits somewhere in the middle. Things will even out before long and you can get him for much cheaper now than you were able to on draft day.
Andrew Luck (QB – IND)
Have you seen the quarterback performances around the league this year? I mean, there aren’t many quarterbacks that you insert into your lineup very confidently. Luck is a player who was playing at less than 100 percent in 2016, yet was able to post top-12 numbers 67 percent of the time, which ranked fifth in the NFL behind only Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Dak Prescott. His offensive line is getting healthy and his schedule is light. If you can find someone willing to bail on the top-five quarterback (once he takes the field), go for it.
Players to Sell
DeVante Parker (WR – MIA)
On top of the fact that he’s now nicked up, it seems as if the quarterback who favors him is about to get benched. We have seen inconsistencies in target share while Ryan Tannehill and Matt Moore were under center, which would more than likely be the case should Jay Cutler get benched. He’s got WR2 value in a trade right now, so maybe take the exit ramp and just play it safe.
DeMarco Murray (RB – TEN)
Despite Derrick Henry not getting many carries the last two weeks, Murray hasn’t been able to get anything going. On the season, he’s averaged 5.1 yards per carry, but if you were to remove just one of his carries (that went for a 75-yard touchdown), he’d be averaging just 3.4 yards per carry on the season with zero touchdowns. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes a full-blown timeshare.
Larry Fitzgerald (WR – ARI)
The overall numbers for Fitzgerald look solid, but you need to know that when there have only been five games played, they can be incredibly skewed by one performance. Despite having phenomenal matchups through the first five weeks, Fitzgerald has scored double-digit fantasy points just once. In fact, there have been just two games with more than seven fantasy points and one of them came against the 49ers where he didn’t score even two points in regulation but scored a touchdown in overtime. The Cardinals wide receivers are getting healthy and Fitzgerald is aging – it’s time to sell your shares.
Terrelle Pryor (WR – WAS)
Most will think that Pryor got back on track last week against the Chiefs, but truth be told, it was more of the same. Take away his one 44-yard touchdown, and Pryor ended with just two catches for 26 scoreless yards. In fact, after seeing 11 targets in Week 1, Pryor has seen just 13 targets in the three games since. The bye week should have helped Josh Doctson and Jamison Crowder heal up, making Pryor more of a big-play guy than the high-volume receiver most thought they were getting when they drafted him.
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
