Week 5 is typically when you see trade talks start to heat up in your league. The teams that stumbled out of the gate are now frantically trying to improve their roster. In contrast, the squads that have excelled may have a surplus of talent at a position and might try selling the excess to further improve their roster. Whether you’re in need of a buy-low option who can give your team a much-needed jolt, or you’ve got some extra fat you can trim to strengthen your team elsewhere, our trusty featured experts have got you covered. They’ll give you the lowdown on which disappointing players make great trade targets and shine light on high performers you can jettison before their production inevitably declines.

More Trade Advice:
Trade Analyzer | Trade Value Chart | ROS Rankings

Pick Recap

Q1. Who is your favorite buy-low trade candidate at this point in the season?

Rob Gronkowski (TE – NE) 
“Julian Edelman’s return and the potential emergence of Josh Gordon should ease the pressure off of Gronkowski and help him return to elite status. Gronk is still a top-10 scorer, but he has faced constant double- and triple-team coverages. That won’t happen now, and Gronk will return to his old self and be a huge difference maker for a tight end position that’s been as volatile as ever.”
– Jody Smith (FantasyPros)

“If someone is willing to sell Gronkowski after a slow start, you should be there to take advantage. In seasons where he’s played at least 13 games, he’s never finished outside the top-three at tight end. With Julian Edelman coming back, it should help Gronkowski avoid the double- and triple-coverage he’s been seeing. If you can acquire Gronkowski for someone like Dalvin Cook or Golden Tate, you should.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Dalvin Cook (RB – MIN) 
“I’m targeting Cook wherever I can in light of his performance last week against the Rams. Yes, he may still be battling the hamstring injury, but given that the coaching staff felt comfortable enough to start him, I’m willing to bet that it won’t bug him all season. The Vikings offense is excellent, and with the struggles with the offensive line, Cook should be heavily involved in the passing game. I’d try to sell high on a Carlos Hyde– or a Calvin Ridley-type player for him. Wait until he struggles this week against an incredibly tough Eagles defense this weekend and then pounce.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

Kenyan Drake (RB – MIA) 
“Drake isn’t my favorite target because I think he’s a lock to deliver. It’s because he has let owners down so much over the past two weeks that he’ll be much easier to acquire than he should be. HC Adam Gase has admitted since that he needs to do a better job of getting his RBs “consistent” carries, and Drake’s the guy he wanted to get onto the field after trading Jay Ajayi last season. Drake probably has owners out there wondering whether they should drop him for Nyheim Hines. I’d give Hines, Tarik Cohen, or Austin Ekeler for Drake, though I’d rather build a package that included WR help. The Dolphins losing G Josh Sitton and C Daniel Kilgore make me want to hedge a bit on the Drake bet.”
– Matt Schauf (Draft Sharks)

Mark Ingram (RB – NO) 
“This is the best time to buy Ingram because the price is never going to be this low for him. I have felt some concerns about Ingram because of Kamara’s usage as a workhorse during his absence. But it is safe to assume that the Saints are going to give him a similar role to the one he had last year. He is a solid RB2 going forward. l’d offer RBs like Alex Collins, Lamar Miller, James White, or Tevin Coleman to acquire Ingram.”
– Mauricio Gutierrez (Estadio Fantasy)

Q2. Who is your favorite sell-high candidate at this point in the season?

Calvin Ridley (WR – ATL) 
“Matchups with Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay over the next two weeks make it tempting to cling to Ridley for a little longer, but wait too long, and his bubble will burst. The guy has caught 60% of Atlanta’s passing TDs to go with just 14.5% of the targets, 15.2% of the receptions, and 20.1% of the receiving yardage (even with the 75-yarder mixed in). Ridley sits third among Falcons WRs in snaps (53 behind #2 Julio Jones) and played his smallest share so far last week. He’s getting red zone looks, but the role isn’t growing, and Atlanta’s cool with spreading the ball around. I’d move him for a more reliable target source, such as Emmanuel Sanders or Jarvis Landry, or aim for RB help in the form of Alex Collins or Jordan Howard.”
– Matt Schauf (Draft Sharks)

“Sell high on Calvin Ridley and sell him immediately. Negative regression is coming and I think it is easy to know why. From Weeks 2-4, he had only played in 57% of the Falcons’s snaps and had seen just 19% of the team targets. Massive touchdown production is unsustainable with this volume. You can ask for WRs like Corey Davis, John Brown, or even Kenny Golladay.”
– Mauricio Gutierrez (Estadio Fantasy)

Golden Tate (WR – DET) 
“It’s clear that Tate has taken full advantage of his easy early-season schedule, though it’s time to capitalize on your asset. Tate has been with the Lions for the last four seasons and has never finished better than the WR13. In fact, he’s finished as a top-22 wide receiver just twice. Seeing that he’s a top-10 receiver should make you confident when selling high. Knowing that Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones will get theirs, he’s not finishing in the top 12 this year. When looking to sell Tate, the idea is to sell high, not for “just” his actual worth. Because of that, I’d shoot for someone like Rob Gronkowski, Brandin Cooks, or Stefon Diggs.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

DeSean Jackson (WR – TB) 
“Seems like a good time to part with Jackson while he is a top-20 fantasy wideout – an unsustainable ranking for a player who is splitting snaps and is reliant on deep passes. Jackson surpassed 100 receiving yards in three out of four games with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Jackson hit the century mark only once in his last 12 games with Jameis Winston. Now that Winston is Tampa’s starter again, Jackson will see fewer targets and scoring opportunities.”
– Jody Smith (FantasyPros)

James White (RB – NE) 
“After last week’s game, I’m looking to deal White. Sony Michel looks like he is ready to be the featured back and Julian Edelman’s return, as well as Josh Gordon’s increased familiarity with the offense, should mean less of a need for White’s heavy involvement in the passing game. Plus, we’ve seen these huge games before from White followed by mediocre production. I’d look to target someone like Cooper Kupp or Alshon Jeffery.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)

Thank you to the experts for naming their trade candidates. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice.

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