Time is ticking to make a league-altering fantasy trade before the playoffs get started.
The NFL’s ridiculous non-guaranteed contracts and salary cap have made player-for-player trades fairly rare over the years, but it’s a market that can be exploited in fantasy football by focusing on both potential mistakes in popular public opinion and seasonlong trends.
Let’s break down some of this week’s top fantasy football trade targets, as well as players you should consider selling sooner rather than later.
Top Fantasy Football Trade Targets for Week 10
Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay, WRs, Detroit Lions
The Lions’ decision to trade Golden Tate was indicative of their confidence in Jones and Golladay. Still, the pair of outside receivers combined to covert 12 targets into only 112 scoreless-yards in their Week 9 loss to the Vikings.
But we shouldn’t expect either receiver to stay out of the end zone for much longer considering this past Sunday marked the first time in 16 games that Matthew Stafford failed to throw at least one touchdown.
Theo Riddick saw an enhanced slot role in the offense’s first game without Tate, but it would behoove Stafford to feed the most-efficient targets of his career:
Matthew Stafford has easily been at his best when targeting Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones during his career (min. 50 targets) pic.twitter.com/Ot5wY3O3Ss
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 6, 2018
Both receivers have received more than 25% of the Lions’ air yard market share this season and possess the type of big-play abilities that can single-handily swing fantasy matchups. They’ve somehow combined for five games with fewer than five targets over the past four weeks, but we shouldn’t expect this trend to stick as the offense continues to acclimate itself to life post-Tate.
Go get Jones and Golladay before their re-emergence in the offense leads to week-winning fantasy performances.
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans was shut down by Panthers’ No. 1 cornerback James Bradberry last week, ultimately catching just 1-of-10 targets for 16 scoreless-yards against the 6-foot-1 and 211-pound corner.
The performance marked just the fourth time in 69 career games that Evans was held to fewer than 20 yards.
Still, don’t let one bad week distract you from what has otherwise been one of the league’s most-productive receivers this season.
- 18.45 PPR points per game (10th among all WRs)
- 147.6 total PPR points (12th)
- 786 receiving yards (5th)
- 1,118 air yards (4th)
- 4 TDs (T15th)
Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Mike Evans
Overall, Evans has already racked up four games with more than 100 receiving yards, and he has double-digit targets in five of his eight games. His future outlook is also boosted with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center:
- Evans per-game averages with Winston since 2017: 9 targets, 5 receptions, 71 yards, 0.3 TDs
- With FitzMagic: 10 targets, 5.4 receptions, 93 yards, 0.6 TDs
Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
Jones leads all running backs (min. 100 carries) with an average of 5.74 yards per carry since the beginning of last season. The NFL’s No. 9 running back in average yards after contact per rush (3.19) has continuously made something out of nothing throughout his career.
The only problem has been the Packers’ unwillingness to feature Jones as their featured back. His suspension in Weeks 1 and 2 certainly didn’t help get things started on the right foot, but the Packers have been increasingly willing to cast aside Jamaal Williams since their Week 7 bye.
Packers backfield is finally the Aaron Jones show
Per-game in Weeks 3-6
Jones: 8 rushes, 1.5 targets, 25.3 snaps
Jamaal Williams: 7 rushes, 2.5 targets, 31 snaps<Packers Week 7 bye>
Weeks 8-9
Jones: 13 rushes, 3 targets, 39.5 snaps
Williams: 5.5 rushes, 1.5 targets, 26 snaps— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 6, 2018
Helping matters for Jones’ future fantasy owners is a timely Week 14 matchup against the nirvana of running back defenses: The Atlanta Falcons.
Fantasy Football Players to Sell in Week 7
Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
The Texans are sitting pretty in first place entering their Week 10 bye and are winners of six straight. Their franchise quarterback has thrown for seven touchdowns over the past two weeks and has largely looked like the same Michael Jordan of fantasy football from last season.
The only problem has been Watson’s troubling usage since he suffered rib and lung injuries during the Texans’ Week 5 win over the Cowboys.
- Watson per-game averages in Weeks 1-5: 38.4 pass attempts, 6.8 rush attempts
- Weeks 6-9: 23.3 pass attempts, 4 rush attempts
Watson has failed to throw for 250 passing yards in four consecutive games after surpassing that threshold in eight of his first 11 starts.
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Deshaun Watson
Overall, Watson worked as the league’s overall fantasy QB6 in Weeks 1-5 compared to the QB22 in Weeks 6-9. He might be healthier after the bye, but we shouldn’t assume that he’ll be more efficient considering Watson has averaged 9.04 yards per attempt with Will Fuller on the field compared to 6.56 yards per attempt without the ace field-stretcher.
The Texans have wisely attempted to protect their quarterback behind the team’s shoddy offensive line in recent weeks by emphasizing the running game. This has yielded effective real-life results, so Watson’s voluminous fantasy-friendly role could be a thing of the past as we enter the fantasy playoffs.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Washington Redskins
All Day has already achieved more than even his most-devoted fans likely expected entering this season, racking up 771 total yards and five touchdowns through eight games. He’s averaged an efficient 4.4 yards per rush and is one of 17 running backs averaging more than three yards after contact among 57 qualified players.
There’s little to complain about in regards to Peterson’s body of work to this point, but it’s going to be tough for the 33-year-old to survive behind the Redskins’ injury-riddled offensive line.
Washington Redskins offensive line …
LT Trent Williams (thumb) expected to miss one month
LG Shawn Lauvao (torn ACL) on IR
C Chase Roullier is PFF's No. 24 center out of 35 qualified players
RG Brandon Scherff (torn pec) on IR
RT Morgan Moses (knee) questionable for Sunday— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) November 6, 2018
Adding to Peterson’s problems is the eventual return of Chris Thompson (ribs).
Even if Thompson remains out, Kapri Bibbs has emerged as a viable pass-down complement and was narrowly out-snapped 21 to 32 by Peterson with the offense in catch-up mode against the Falcons in Week 9.
The Redskins’ troubles at the line of scrimmage might be able to survive Week 10’s matchup against the Bucs, but consider shipping Peterson elsewhere before he’s forced to take on the Texans, Cowboys and Eagles and their challenging front-sevens in Weeks 11-13.
Pictured: Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones
Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
