Fantasy Football Trade Advice: Buy, Sell or Hold (Week 3)

Just like that, over 10% of the fantasy football season is over. While it’s still important not to overreact to what is an undeniably small sample, we also shouldn’t underreact to the countless meaningful trends already developing around the league. With that in mind, here are players to buy, sell and hold in this week’s fantasy football trade advice.

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Fantasy Football Trade Advice: Week 3

Fantasy Football Players to Buy

Josh Downs (WR – IND)

I recommended buying Josh Downs last week because his subpar production masked an 85% Week 1 route rate well above his career norms. He ran it back in Week 2, with another participation rate of 85%.

And this time, Downs’ long history of per-route efficiency showed as he racked up seven catches on nine targets for 72 yards. It might be harder now that Alec Pierce is injured, but I still recommend buying high on Downs.

Zay Flowers (WR – BAL)

Zay Flowers didn’t suit up in Week 2 with a hamstring injury, but he could be back as soon as Week 3. Given the blistering pace he was on prior to suffering that injury in Week 1 (and the fact that I loved him as a breakout candidate heading into the season), I am once again going to recommend taking advantage of this injury as a buying window on a potentially league-winning player.

Bucky Irving (RB – TB)

The results have been just OK, but Bucky Irving’s usage has been incredibly exciting so far this season. He has played 71% of Tampa Bay’s snaps, handled 78% of their running back carries and seen an 18% target share on a 57% route participation rate.

Kenneth Gainwell is barely relevant, and Sean Tucker didn’t play a single snap in his season debut on Sunday. With this usage and his talent, Irving should be a high-end RB2 for the rest of the season, and I bet he can be acquired for less than that in plenty of leagues.

Jameson Williams (WR – DET)

I listed Jameson Williams as a hold after his Week 1 dud. So why have I upgraded him after another stinker in Week 2? Because Williams’ back-to-back disappointing games have lowered his stock enough — at least in some circles — to create a rare genuine buy-low opportunity.

You don’t have to look hard to find fantasy enthusiasts who, using these two weeks and some splits from last season, argue that Williams is straight-up useless with Sam LaPorta healthy. But Williams’ usage — 92% route rate, 16% target share, 31% air yards share — is still excellent, especially given the Lions’ overall offensive efficiency. He’s scored just 10.8 half-PPR points on 26.8 expected points, per the Fantasy Points Data Suite. The big games are coming.

Rome Odunze (WR – CHI)

In Week 1, the Bears’ offense looked set to make good on Ben Johnson’s goal of breaking the NFL scoring record. In Week 2, they scored three points and lost their starting quarterback. Thankfully, Caleb Williams appears to have avoided a season-ending injury. In the meantime, his departure and the terrible weather overshadowed an important development: Another week removed from a preseason calf strain, Rome Odunze was the Bears’ clear No. 1 WR against the Vikings.

Odunze’s 81% route share was 10% higher than that of the next-highest player, Kalif Raymond. Neither the targets (four) nor the production (9.5 half-PPR points) has been there for Odunze just yet. But someone will score points in this Chicago offense, even if it doesn’t set the scoring record. I’d rather bet on Odunze than journeyman Raymond, the apparently average Colston Loveland or part-time player Luther Burden III, especially since he should be cheap.

Bryce Young (QB – CAR)

Two weeks into the season, only Josh Allen and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have scored more fantasy points than Bryce Young. That won’t continue, but there are reasons to be genuinely optimistic about Young’s fantasy outlook for the rest of the season.

The Panthers’ offense ranks second in pass rate over expected (PROE) at 9.4%. Young himself ranks third in fantasy points per dropback. He has two genuinely talented young wide receivers in Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, and Dave Canales is letting him cook. If you are one of the many managers suddenly looking for quarterback help, Young is one of the top names to consider off the waiver wire or in a bargain-bin trade.

Jeremiyah Love (RB – ARI)

Two games into his NFL career, Jeremiyah Love’s usage has been absolutely nothing to write home about. He has been out-carried by Tyler Allgeier 22 to 20. That’s not too surprising, but what is borderline shocking is that the boring veteran has run more routes than the dynamic rookie, 32 to 23.

Over the long run, however, Love’s talent (not to mention draft capital) will win out. Especially given that the Cardinals’ offense has been roughly functional so far this season, I like the idea of reaching out to see whether Love’s manager is disappointed with his relatively underwhelming start.

Matthew Golden (WR – GB)

Matthew Golden has been totally solid to start his sophomore season, averaging a respectable 10.1 half-PPR points per game. But that number could be so much higher. He ranks 14th in the league with 187 air yards, and he’d be higher if he didn’t keep earning defensive pass interference (DPI) penalties on deep shots (61 yards on Sunday).

Despite the gap in production, Golden should be valued as highly as, or even higher than, teammate Christian Watson.

Antonio Williams (WR – WSH)

I had Antonio Williams listed as a buy last week, after he scored 14.4 points in his NFL debut. He didn’t follow up with an encore, recording 24 scoreless yards against the Cowboys. However, he did nearly double his route participation rate, from 29% in Week 1 to 55% in Week 2.

With this expanded usage, over half of Williams’ routes came from outside, a good sign for his long-term ability to grow into an even bigger role. I still want to buy in on the rookie, even if Jayden Daniels‘ injury is a real bump in his path to genuine fantasy startability.

Oronde Gadsden (TE – LAC)

Oronde Gadsden II is officially the last tight end left standing in Los Angeles, as the Chargers placed both David Njoku (knee) and Charlie Kolar (forearm) on injured reserve (IR). Gadsden showed as a rookie that he is capable of making plays as long as he is on the field. With Njoku and Kolar out of the picture, he should now be a full-time player. Even with the Chargers’ offensive woes, he should be a priority target for anyone seeking upside at tight end.

Fantasy Football Players to Sell

Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – NO)

I listed Travis Etienne Jr. as a sell after his shocking part-time role in Week 1. Somehow, his usage got even worse with Alvin Kamara‘s return against the Ravens. Kamara actually out-carried Etienne, nine to eight. The 31-year-old also saw six targets to Etienne’s two. It’s selling low, but I don’t care: Move Etienne for pennies on the dollar if you have to.

Denzel Boston (WR – CLE)

Normally, I want to buy in on rookies flashing upside, which is absolutely what Denzel Boston has done two games into his NFL career. But it’s hard to overlook the extent to which Boston’s hot start has been completely carried by two long touchdowns.

More importantly, Boston is on the Browns, who have one of the league’s worst quarterback rooms, and Cleveland has multiple talented young playmakers in Harold Fannin Jr. and KC Concepcion. I don’t see Boston separating enough from his teammates to be a consistent fantasy asset, so I’d shop him around in case another manager does.

Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)

It may be too late to move Colston Loveland’s for anywhere near his draft-day value. But I’ve seen enough fantasy analysts holding out hope for the second-year tight end that there’s probably at least one manager in every league who still believes he’s a top-half TE1.

I was always skeptical that Loveland would reach his elite ceiling, and he certainly hasn’t done anything to change that impression. If you can move him for a top-half TE1 price tag, do it.

Stefon Diggs (WR – WSH)

On a per-route basis, Stefon Diggs is still one of the better receivers in the league. But it’s clear that the 32-year-old is not going to be a full-time player at this stage of his career. He had a 58% route participation rate for the Patriots last season despite being the team’s only above-average receiver.

Through two weeks in Washington, Diggs has posted route rates of 66% and 52%. That low route share eventually caught up with Diggs in New England, as he scored fewer than six half-PPR points in four of his last six regular-season games. With that in mind, I’d move him now, as three touchdowns on nine catches make him an elite fantasy producer.

Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)

Two weeks in, it doesn’t look like Emeka Egbuka will take a huge step forward in his second season. His 18% target share and 31% air yards share are both fine, but they aren’t the numbers that managers betting on a breakout were hoping for. Especially given that Tampa Bay’s offense is struggling, I’d move Egbuka while his WR2 average draft position (ADP) is still fresh enough to do the heavy lifting.

Jonah Coleman (RB – DEN)

With both RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins dealing with hamstring issues, Jonah Coleman led the Broncos’ backfield in snaps on Sunday. He looked solid, too, turning 10 carries and three targets into 13.3 points thanks to a goal-line score.

The issue is that both Dobbins and Harvey should be back sooner rather than later. In terms of profile, Coleman isn’t the type of rookie who will completely blow away his competition when given a chance. He’s more of a consolidator. He’s a great player to have, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the hype outruns his realistic rest-of-season (ROS) projection over the next few days.

Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF)

Speaking of hype outrunning ROS projections, we have Dalton Kincaid. I recommended buying the Bills tight end last week, as he finally ran a solid complement of routes. But then Kincaid exploded on primetime, and now the hype has gone too far.

Even in his new role, Kincaid still ranks 15th among tight ends in both snap share and route share. His per-route efficiency will allow him to outpace his raw route totals, but he’s not going to maintain the absurd 4.89 yards per route he’s posted so far. If someone is willing to pay for Kincaid’s numbers so far, as if they’re sustainable, take that deal.

David Montgomery (RB – HOU)

Don’t look now, but David Montgomery might not be the Texans’ No. 1 RB. He saw six fewer opportunities than Woody Marks on Sunday (8 to 14). On the bright side, Montgomery does still have all four of the Texans’ carries inside the 10-yard line.

But goal-line work alone is a recipe for an inconsistent FLEX play, not a viable RB2. The whole thesis behind Montgomery this season was his workhorse volume, and it hasn’t been there through two weeks (he’s also been fairly inefficient, for what it’s worth). I’d rather get out too early than too late on an aging, volume-dependent running back on a non-elite offense.

Rashee Rice (WR – KC)

Rashee Rice was never as talented as his fantasy production would indicate. He racked up points over the last few years thanks to the Chiefs’ half-functional offense. Now that Kansas City has a real running game, Rice’s PPR scam days seem over. His first-read target rate has plummeted to 14%, down from above 30% in each of the last two years. If it’s not too late already, get out while you still can.

Josh Allen (QB – BUF)

Don’t get me wrong, Josh Allen is still easily my QB1 for the rest of the season. But Allen has always had the ability to deliver an unparalleled ceiling week to week. He scored 36+ points three times last season. We shouldn’t overreact just because two of those ceiling games came in the first two weeks. If you can flip Allen’s hot start into another elite fantasy quarterback and another valuable asset, I’d do it.

Fantasy Football Players to Hold

Makai Lemon (WR – PHI)

This is a downgrade for Makai Lemon, whom I listed as a player to buy last week. I’m still more excited than not about the first-round rookie posting borderline starter-level route shares in his first two weeks. But it’s not great that his average depth of target (aDOT) is a running-back-esque 2.60, or that he has a disgustingly low 0.15 yards per route run.

So far, Lemon’s collegiate profile isn’t translating into earning targets downfield at the NFL level. But it’s definitely good enough to justify holding him until we get deeper into the season, even if I’m not actively buying unless it’s at a big discount.

Drake London (WR – ATL)

It’s essentially impossible to overstate how terrible Cooper Rush played over the last two weeks. To put it in one stat, Rush’s overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade this season is 28.5. The next-lowest qualified quarterback is at 52.0.

Thankfully, Michael Penix Jr. has been announced as the Falcons’ Week 3 starter. Drake London’s historical splits with Penix under center are excellent, so don’t give up on him now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAX)

Two weeks into the season, Trevor Lawrence ranks among the top 10 quarterbacks in both expected points added (EPA) per play and fantasy points per dropback. The issue is that he ranks 28th in total dropbacks, dead last among signal-callers to have played all of their team’s two games. That volume should trend upward, and Lawrence’s fantasy scoring will follow.

Terrance Ferguson (TE – LAR)

With Puka Nacua sidelined, second-year tight end Terrance Ferguson was genuinely the Rams’ second receiving option on Monday night. He ranked behind only Davante Adams in route rate (67%), target share (29%) and air yards share (18%).

As long as Nacua remains sidelined, Ferguson is a TE1. Even when Nacua returns, there’s a chance Ferguson has earned himself a more consistent role. The chance he fades back to dust keeps me from recommending him as a buy, but he’s definitely a must-hold at this point.

Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC)

Ladd McConkey is the only part of the Chargers’ new-look offense that has worked. In fact, the whole offense goes from terrible to good when the third-year wideout is on the field. He hasn’t played a full game yet thanks to the rib injury he suffered in Week 1, but his outlook going forward is bright.

De’Von Achane (RB – MIA)

De’Von Achane’s role has been unimpeachable. He ranks second among running backs in snap share (83%), first in route rate (74%), second in target share (22%) and fifth in rush share (76%). But a team-wide lack of volume has left him ranked just 15th in expected half-PPR points.

Combine that with Achane not breaking any of his signature big plays, and he is just the RB22 in points per game. That should change for the better as the season goes on.

Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR)

Tetairoa McMillan has been a little overshadowed by Jalen Coker in the Panthers’ offense so far. But the second-year wideout has seen only one fewer target than his third-year compatriot (18 to 17), and he easily leads in air yards (253 to 179).

Bryce Young has looked like a new quarterback so far this season, and Carolina’s offense ranks near the top of the league in PROE. If these trends continue, McMillan will have his fair share of big days this season.

Adonai Mitchell (WR – NYJ)

Adonai Mitchell’s 59% air yards share in the Jets’ offense leads the entire NFL. His 15 targets rank 19th in the league, tied with Justin Jefferson. The only reason I don’t have Mitchell listed as a player to target is that trading for the Jets’ tertiary weapon isn’t particularly appealing. But if you’ve already got him, I’d hold Mitchell, who has always had very intriguing talent-based upside.

Bhayshul Tuten (RB – JAX)

Two weeks into the season, Bhayshul Tuten is clearly the Jaguars’ No. 1 RB. He easily bests Chris Rodriguez Jr. in snap share (49% to 21%), carries (28 to 12), routes (19 to 11) and targets (three to zero).

Tuten even handled the team’s only goal-line carry on Sunday. With his athleticism and Jacksonville’s overall talent level, this clear No. 1 RB usage should translate into legit production for Tuten sooner rather than later.

Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)

It’s a bit underwhelming to be a Lamar Jackson manager right now. His 40.8 fantasy points aren’t bad, but they rank just 10th among quarterbacks — and Josh Allen, his closest counterpart in ADP, scored that many in Week 2 alone.

But Jackson has looked far more like his electric self at the start of this season than he did in 2025. By the end of the season, he should be right up next to (OK, maybe behind) Allen as a top-tier fantasy quarterback.

Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasyPros.com. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.