Why should NFL general managers have all the fun?
While the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, fantasy football managers have a bit more freedom to work toward making some big deals of their own since most fantasy leagues don’t have their trade deadlines for another couple weeks.
So if your team is looking to make a move to bolster a deep playoff run, it’s time to take a look at which players could help you get there — and which players may be worth sending somewhere else.
WEEK 10 BYES: Cincinnati, Dallas, Kansas City, Tennessee
Here are some of this week’s best trade candidates:
Fantasy football players to buy for Week 10
QB Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
This doesn’t feel logical, but just hear me out. Dart generally isn’t among the top 15 QBs in the weekly rankings. Yet he’s managed to finish as the QB5 (pending Monday’s game), QB13, QB2 and QB3 over the past four weeks. He has a rushing TD in each of those games and has turned the ball over a total of one time during that span. This week, Dart faces a Bears defense that just gave up 470 passing yards and four TDs to Joe Flacco.
WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
You’re likely buying high on Higgins after his fabulous 121-yard, two-touchdown effort against Chicago. But the Bengals are on bye this week, and another fantasy team that’s struggling to stay in playoff contention just may be willing to mortgage part of the future to get an immediate starter who’s just a bit of a downgrade. The Bengals have one of the best schedules for wideouts down the stretch (Steelers, Patriots, Bills, Ravens twice), so even if you’re unlikely to land Ja’Marr Chase, at least make an offer for Higgins.
RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
Judkins played only 18 snaps in Week 8 before exiting with a shoulder injury. We don’t really have an update since the Browns were on bye in Week 9, but coach Kevin Stefanski did say last week that Judkins’ status was ‘day-to-day.’ That’s still a good sign if he’ll have nearly two weeks to recover by the time they play the Jets. Judkins has been a workhorse back ever since taking over the starting role and with the weather turning colder along Lake Erie, the Browns will figure to lean on him even more.
RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving has already missed four games with a foot injury and we won’t know his status for this week until the Bucs hit the practice field on Tuesday. However, he did have the benefit of a Week 9 bye, so he won’t have to worry about an off week once he returns. Tampa Bay has made do with Rachaad White and Sean Tucker in the backfield, but Irving has so much more upside. If Irving is close to 100% by the fantasy playoffs, he could be the missing piece to put your team over the top.
TE Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
After all Warren has accomplished in his rookie season, good luck getting his fantasy manager to part with him. But if you can get a foot in the door after his season-low 26 receiving yards in Week 9, you can highlight this week’s matchup against a Falcons defense that’s been the NFL’s stingiest against tight ends … followed by a bye in Week 11. Take the short-term hit now and reap the benefits later with matchups against Jacksonville in Weeks 14 and 17 and Seattle in Week 15.
Fantasy football players to sell for Week 10
TE Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Ferguson could be a prime sell-high candidate, especially if he has a good game against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. He leads all tight ends in receptions and PPR fantasy points on the season, even before he steps on the field Monday night. But he reached those heights largely while star WR CeeDee Lamb was out for four weeks with an ankle injury. (With Lamb back as the top target, Ferguson didn’t have a catch last week vs. Denver.) He has also feasted on defenses that have trouble covering the tight end. After tonight, that won’t be the case again until Week 14 with a bye week followed by games against the Raiders (look it up!), Eagles and Chiefs.
RB Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
Starting in place of veteran D’Andre Swift, Monangai ran wild for 198 total yards to slot in as the RB3 for the week. He’s obviously earned more playing time when Swift returns, but coach Ben Johnson remains loyal to his former/current player. Let someone else be mesermized by the rookie’s performance against the Bengals ‘defense.’ He scored double-digit fantasy points only once while sharing time with Swift. Maybe you hold Monangai for this week’s game against the Giants, but Chicago has a brutal schedule in the fantasy playoffs.
RB Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Williams totaled a season highs in carries (25) and rushing yards (114) while plowing for a touchdown against the Saints. But not every game script is going to fall so perfectly in place for Williams. Rams QB Matthew Stafford leads the NFL with 21 TD passes and he’s going to stick with what’s been working so well. Kyren has seen his rushing touchdown totals regress from 14 last season to just three so far. And backup Blake Corum is seeing consistent work in relief.
WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans
WR Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
The up-and-down season for Williams just hit another peak thanks to a 37-yard, highlight-reel touchdown catch. But don’t mistake his four catches for 66 yards as an indication that the squeaky wheel from Week 7’s goose egg is getting greased. The Lions already have WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and TE Sam LaPorta as their top targets in the passing game — and they need to get RB Jahmyr Gibbs back on track much more than they need to keep feeding Jamo. Not even a matchup with Washington this week can make him a must-start.