For many of us, fantasy football is a 12-month hobby (okay, obsession), and you may be sending and fielding trade offers all year long (I got one today). Some players are easy to evaluate, whether they’re dead to you or you’ve named your dog(s) after them (when I’m done writing this, I’m going to take Aaron Rodgers for a walk). There are also players in that grey area that are vital to your team’s future success, and you can assume your rivals are plotting to pluck them from your roster. In this article, I’m going to focus on the trade targets on your team that you should hang onto.
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Quarterback
Kyler Murray (ARI)
Protecting a quarterback is typically dependent upon the makeup of your league, specifically the number of players you protect at the end of the year. In Superflex leagues, holding onto Murray is a no-brainer, but I’ll make a case for him in standard formats as well. During a year when Lamar Jackson exploded onto the scene, Murray quietly produced a top seven season in his rookie year. He came in second in rushing to Jackson with 544 yards, and he threw for almost 600 more yards than the sophomore. I’m not saying he’ll be an MVP candidate next year, but this guy looks like a star.
Running Back
David Montgomery (CHI)
I’m not touting Montgomery as a breakout player next year, but when the mob is down on a player, you are unlikely to get anything of value in a trade for him. Montgomery was a pretty huge disappointment this year, as was Chicago’s offense in general. I still believe in Nagy, however, and whether they roll with Trubisky next year (or try to pull a Tannehill), this offense can still be dynamic. Montgomery posted five games with 13 or more points and displayed some impressive open-field running at times. Unless you have a lot of other options at running back, I’d give him another year to improve his value.
Leonard Fournette (JAC)
The narrative about Fournette still seems to be overly negative when you look at the stats. In half PPR leagues, he was a top-10 back, but he still appears to be perceived as a one-dimensional underachiever. His 4.3 yards per carry average (behind a substandard offensive line) is solid, and it’s higher than media darling Austin Ekeler, for instance. His 76 catches were the fifth-most among running backs and should dispel his two down reputation, and he is still only 24 years of age. When you realize the number of crowded backfields in the NFL, Fournette’s value is even more apparent.
Wide Receiver
Curtis Samuel (CAR)
This is a potential keeper in deep leagues only, as he came in 36th this year in half PPR scoring. That said, this kid can play and has a couple of things to look forward to next year. Whether it’s Cam Newton or not, it would appear to be a foregone conclusion that Samuel will have a different (read: better) quarterback to throw him open next year. He also has a pair of shiny new coaches in Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady. It’s always speculation when college coaches enter the NFL, but when someone is as talented as Samuel, I tend to view change positively.
A.J. Green (CIN)
Green has missed a lot of time over his nine-year career, and he is a potential free agent going into the 2020 season. Although his value rests at an all-time low, his talent is still upper echelon, and his fantasy situation is almost guaranteed to improve immensely next year. Whether it’s Joe Burrow throwing to him in Cincinnati or Green taking his talents elsewhere, he is a solid comeback player of the year candidate if he can just stay healthy (he does have five seasons of 15 or more games played). You may only get two more great seasons out of him, but that could still net you top-15 production.
Tight End
Evan Engram (NYG)
Also a deep league option only, Engram is another uber-talented but often injured question mark heading into next season. He’s missed 13 games the past two years after a dynamic rookie year where he pushed toward top-four status. With 4.42 speed at 240 pounds, he’s a rare specimen and could break into the elite club next year with Daniel Jones locking into him as his first read. Other owners will grind you over his injuries, so the best play is to give him another year to see if he can shake the injury bug and give you an edge at tight end almost every week.
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Sheldon Curtis is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Sheldon, check out his archive and follow him @sheldon_curtis.
