Fantasy Football Buy Low Sell High trade targets before Week 13 deadline feat. Joe Burrow, Christian McCaffrey
This is the final week I’ll write up trade for candidates as deadlines to make moves are mostly past. But I know some leagues are still allowing you to buy low and sell high, so we’re going to list players I want you to target. Fantasy football success is often found by those who simply pay attention. Holidays disrupt the NFL season, and our fantasy football opponents often take their eyes off the ball. Not you. That’s why you’re going to strike this week and secure players that will lead you to the fantasy playoffs.
Buy These Players:
1 - Joe Burrow (QB, CIN)
The Bengals playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread. While that’s the case, Burrow is throwing the ball a ton. He has 50 or more pass attempts in back-to-back weeks. That’s led to seven touchdowns and over 700 passing yards. We also love that he’s tied to two elite receivers on the outside in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. His upcoming schedule is so-so, but It’s all games where the Bengals are going to have to lean on his arm to win. If I’m not in love with my quarterback, I’m looking to acquire Burrow and ride his volume to the playoffs.
2 - Brian Thomas Jr. (WR, JAX)
It seems like forever since we’ve had anything good to say about the rookie receiver in Jacksonville. Thomas started the year on fire with three 20+ PPR performances in Weeks 4-7. But when quarterback Trevor Lawrence went down, so did Thomas’s production. Good news: Lawrence is set to return this Sunday. That means there is a buying opportunity for Thomas, who was peppered with targets in games with Lawrence under center. Buy Thomas now before matchups with Houston, Tennessee, and New York (AFC). I’m all about acquiring this high-end talent on the cheap before the fantasy playoffs.
3 - Rico Dowdle (RB, DAL)
“Uncle” Rico, as I call him, has what all fantasy running backs need: volume. The Cowboys finally realized that feeding Dowdle and cutting Ezekiel Elliott's touches was a good idea. Week 12 saw Dowdle handle 22 opportunities for Dallas. He turned that into just 10.8 fantasy points, but the fact remains that he’s getting the ball. Dallas plays the Giants, Bengals, and Panthers over their next three games. Rico should be in line for 10 points a week. This isn’t a move that is going to win you the league; it’s more of a depth play to ensure you’ve got viable options for your flex or bench in case of emergency.
4 - David Njoku (TE, CLE)
I love this one. Cleveland has one of the easiest remaining schedules for tight ends, and Njoku is coming off a down game. Those are screaming buy-now signals. After Week 12’s “snow globe” game, where he caught just one pass, his owners could be down on Njoku. Let their misplaced anger fuel your trade talks. Njoku also dropped a sure touchdown, which would have completely changed his fantasy outlook. Just one week prior, he collected all nine of his targets from Jameis Winston. Acquire elite talent on teams who have to throw the ball. Simply put, trade for Njoku today as his playoff schedule includes games against Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Miami.
5 - Kyren Williams (RB, LAR)
It’s been four weeks since Williams scored 12 or more fantasy points. That is partly due to a difficult run schedule, but it also speaks to his reliance on touchdowns. Williams has just one score since Week 8. That could all change with his upcoming schedule, which includes three consecutive games against teams that rank in the top 10 in points allowed to running backs. Volume isn’t a question here. The Rams RB is still seeing 15 touches per game over the last three weeks. He just hasn’t found the end zone. Let him find his way to your bench for that sweet playoff run.
Sell These Players:
1 - Christian McCaffrey (RB, SF)
Now here’s a big name you didn’t expect to see on the list. CMC is coming off an Achilles injury that looks to have zapped some of his juice. His 2.8 yards per carry behind a beat-up 49ers offensive line was hard to watch. The story here is that San Francisco could be packing it in before too long. They have injuries across their roster, and their chances of making the playoffs grow bleaker by the week. It wouldn’t shock me if CMC was shut down once the 49ers are eliminated from playoff contention to save wear and tear his body. If that were to happen, he’d be a dead asset on your fantasy rosters. Sell now and get the maximum for a player others still see as a top-5 player.
2 - Dalton Kincaid (TE, BUF)
If you’re still holding Kincaid, let me ask you a question: Why? Battling a knee injury and a brutal upcoming schedule, I want out of the Kincaid business. Three of Buffalo’s next five opponents rank in the bottom five of points allowed to tight ends. Add in the fact that the team traded for Amari Cooper, and there just isn’t enough volume here to sustain Kincaid. I’d package him in a deal or simply drop him.
3 - Nick Chubb (RB, CLE)
Another player who doesn’t really need to be rostered on competitive fantasy teams. Here’s your perfect chance to sell Chubb after a 19-point performance against Pittsburgh on national television. Chubb doesn’t look all the way back from his knee injury. He’s averaging 3.0 yards per carry and could only muster 59 yards on 20 carries in Week 12. Sell high before brutal matchups against Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and Cincinnati in the fantasy playoffs.