We are now through five weeks of the NFL season, and we can finally start getting a clearer picture of what exactly our rosters need. With the bye weeks looming, depth will become essential, and with the string of injuries we have seen this year, you’ll need to make moves down the stretch. Week 6 will be pivotal in your dynasty leagues to start making moves to get you ready for a playoff run.
For this weekly column, I hope to provide you with actionable takeaways on players. Making the right moves early in the season can give you a chance to win your league and help you have a better long-term outlook in dynasty leagues. The worst thing you can be as a fantasy manager is a middle-of-the-pack team that just sits stagnant. Making moves is essential for your rosters. So let’s dive into some buys, sells, and holds so far this season.
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A.J. Brown (WR – TEN)
To say that AJ Brown has been a disappointment this season is an understatement. He sits at WR78, having caught only 10 passes this season for 130 yards and 1 TD. In fact, A.J. Brown has caught none of his six targets over 15 yards downfield, which is the lowest rate for all players with five or more targets. Brown has just not been efficient this season while also dealing with a hamstring injury. Many thought Sunday’s game against the Jaguars would be Brown’s breakout game, but after his first two receptions in the 1st quarter, he had only one more catch the rest of the game.
Even with the slow start, Brown’s a must-buy for me right now in dynasty leagues. Most managers ranked Brown as a top-five dynasty asset, and he is nowhere near that right now. I also think the market is willing to give up on his price, and this is a great time to acquire him for your roster. Even though his numbers haven’t been great, he still has a 29% target share which is elite, and Julio Jones is still out with a hamstring injury. Brown is a great buy candidate right now and is someone that everyone should be targeting in their deals. In one league, he was recently traded for Stefon Diggs, and the original Diggs owner got a 3rd round pick added. That’s where Brown’s value is, and you may be able to get him for cheaper.
Verdict – Buy
Taylor Heinicke (QB – WAS)
If you are playing in a Superflex Dynasty league and have Taylor Heinicke on your roster, you need to think about moving him. While he has been a steady asset on your rosters, scoring at least twenty fantasy points in three out of five games this year, it could be time to move him. He had a rough outing against New Orleans, and his schedule doesn’t get any easier. Washington plays Kansas City, Green Bay, Denver, Tampa Bay, and Carolina in their next five games. Realistically, they could lose all five of those, and Heinicke could struggle in each. He also is not the long-term solution for Washington. The right move is to capitalize on his value and search for teams that may need a quarterback. With Russell Wilson‘s injury, now could be an excellent time to go and offer Heinicke to that manager. The quarterback position has been fairly volatile, so there could be managers out there looking for a cheaper option to fill a spot.
The real question is, what are you willing to sell him for? Right now, his value is a second-round pick plus an asset thrown in. Some assets that I have seen paired with a second are Dawson Knox, Jamaal Williams, Kenneth Gainwell, Hunter Henry, and Brandin Cooks. While none of those assets are big value targets, they could provide your team with much-needed depth pieces, and getting a draft pick back is ideal as well. There could also be an outside chance that a QB needy team would be willing to give up a late first. That’s where I would start negotiations.
Verdict – Sell
James Conner (RB – ARI)
To be clear, I can’t believe that in 2021 that I’m writing about James Conner as a buy-now asset, yet here we are. He has quietly put up Low-End RB2 numbers this season for the Arizona Cardinals. He has scored five touchdowns in three weeks, and while he doesn’t always put up the best rushing numbers, if he can find a way into the endzone, that doesn’t matter. He finds himself as a touchdown-dependent asset, but with the way the Cardinals are playing, it’s safe to say that gamescripts will be in his favor for the rest of the season. He gets the goal line work while Chase Edmonds will get the receiving work. Edmonds has also been dealing with a shoulder injury, so we could see Conner get an increased workload if Edmonds is forced to miss any time.
The real value of Conner is just how cheap he is going in dynasty right now. Runningbacks are hard to find, and if you can add him as a depth piece moving forward to the stretch run, you should at least try to send some offers. He’s essentially being moved for late 2nds and early 3rds in dynasty leagues. Most managers have been looking for a perfect sell window for Conner, and you should use that to your advantage. Even though they may think it’s a great opportunity to sell, don’t pay up. They are probably just looking for a reason to unload him from their rosters. You could quickly move him for a third and a lesser asset. Conner has also been moved straight up for other assets like Jakobi Meyers, Jalen Reagor, and Cole Beasley. With how scarce the runningback position can be, Conner could be a sneaky pick-up now if you are a contender.
Verdict – Buy
Terrace Marshall Jr. (WR – CAR)
Terrace Marshall Jr. is the type of asset I love trying to acquire around Week 6. Coming into the draft process, he was my WR3, and I still stand behind that ranking. While he has talent, the young rookie has severely underperformed in fantasy this season. He has yet to record more than four catches in a game or score at least 10 fantasy points, but you can see that he has talent. He is third on the team in targets with 20 on the season, and Robby Anderson has been a no-show, giving Marshall hope. Marshall also has a 65% catch rate on the year, and if he gets more targets, I can see him being more efficient.
Marshall is the type of player you can get added to deals as a throw-in since he hasn’t performed this year. Believe it or not, most dynasty managers are impatient. Some are looking to get out of their rookies for proven talent to make a run at a championship by Week 6. Take advantage of that with Marshall. He’s the type of player who could help you compete this year later in the season and help your dynasty rosters for years to come.
Verdict – Buy
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Kevin Coleman is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kevin, check out his archive and follow him @Daboys_22.
