Many will say that fantasy football is a weekly game. Sure, the goal is to win our matchups every week, but fantasy football is really a daily game. Your season can change on a dime for all sorts of reasons. For instance, I had mentioned last week that Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert were both buy-low candidates ahead of Week 6 with a potential trade looming. Well, Ertz went to bed an Eagle Thursday night after facing off against the Buccaneers. He then woke up an Arizona Cardinal after Philadelphia sent him to the desert in a trade last Friday.
So, you may have cashed in on Ertz’ 12.9 fantasy points last week as an Eagle. Now, you get the only undefeated team left, the Cardinals’, starting tight end with Kyler Murray throwing him the ball. If you have Goedert, you too had an overnight boost in value to your tight end position. He will command all the targets at tight end in Philly.
That quickly things can change in fantasy football. Which brings us to Week 7. The week some are calling “Bye-mageddon” with the Bills, Chargers, Cowboys, Jaguars, Steelers, and Vikings all on a bye. That’s in addition to a more than ideal amount of injuries across the league. If it hasn’t already, I imagine your league trade talk will grow louder and louder as Sunday approaches and managers start to sweat looking at their lineups. This is prime time to sell high and buy low to start positioning yourself for a playoff push.
Each week, Justin Dunbar and I nominate potential trade candidates at running back, wide receiver, and tight end to sell high and buy low on. Let this be a guide on which players to consider acquiring or moving any given week.
For any specific scenarios or further elaboration on the ideas surrounding the inclusion of these players in your trades, find Justin and me on Twitter at @TalkMVP and @Colin_McT!
What!? Your league isn’t hosted on Fantrax!? Once you see how Fantrax stacks up to the competition, we think you’ll be singing a different tune next season.
Players to Consider in Sell High or Buy Low Trades Ahead of Week 7
SELL HIGH
James Conner; Running Back, Arizona Cardinals
Dunbar: As the lone undefeated team in the NFL thus far, the Cardinals have been arguably the most pleasant surprise in 2021. As the 23rd-ranked running back this season, with 13.8 PPR points per game over his past four games, James Conner has been a surprise, as well. However, it’s unlikely this will continue.
For starters, it’s not like the 26-year-old has been efficient with his carries, only averaging 3.4 rushing yards/attempt this season. Rather, it’s been touchdowns that have been his saving grace. He’s scored five in his past four games. Conner’s role is mainly upgraded right now due to an injury to Chase Edmonds, but as Edmonds gets healthier, it’s clear the latter is the preferred back.
Meanwhile, Arizona’s opportunities in the red zone have been boosted by having the second-best turnover margin, which also is unlikely to stick. Colin mentioned Conner as a sell-high last week, and there’s no reason not to while he’s benefitting from so many different factors. If someone in your league needs a running back this week, I would sell as high as you can on Conner. He has a great Week 7 matchup which should be a focal point in your sales pitch.
Damien Harris; Running Back, New England Patriots
McTamany: Damien Harris has a fantastic matchup in Week 7 against the New York Jets. In Week 2, the Patriots defense completely shut down Jets’ rookie quarterback, Zach Wilson. This paved the way for a 16/62/1 rushing line for Harris as the Patriots spent most of the game killing the clock.
Even better, next week, the Pats take on the Los Angeles Chargers who are allowing the most rushing yards per game to opposing offenses. If you don’t plan to plug Harris into your lineup this week, especially with the byes, then I would sell high. Someone out there could use a running back and his short-term schedule is enticing. Not to mention he’s coming off of a 101-yard effort against the Cowboys, a game where he also found the end zone.
Harris seemingly exits every game with some sort of injury, however small. His durability is something fantasy managers are probably accustomed to, but certainly not comfortable with. On top of that, Harris isn’t involved enough as a pass-catcher for me to rely on in PPR formats. Rookie running back, Rhamondre Stevenson, looks like he could continue to work into the rotation, especially catching passes. Sell high on Harris before he becomes a running back, not the running back, in New England.
Cortland Sutton; Wide Receiver, Denver Broncos
Dunbar: This is nothing against Sutton, who has had a fantastic season thus far. Especially considering that he is coming back from a torn ACL, Sutton appears to have put the injury behind him. However, with back-to-back top-10 finishes, now is the time to sell high.
By all accounts, Jerry Jeudy is trending towards playing in Week 8, which obviously changes Sutton’s outlook. All of a sudden, his 24.76% target share will decrease notably, as there will be more mouths to feed in an inefficient passing attack. While he’s valued as a high-end WR2, look to trade him for someone more likely to give you that type of production for the rest of the season.
Adam Theilen; Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings
McTamany: Adam Theilen and the Vikings are on a bye this week. That could make a sell-high opportunity difficult, especially if the buyer needs a player for their Week 7 matchup. However, Theilen’s star power and 29.8 points in Week 6 are hard to overlook.
Theilen carries a 30.0 point ceiling almost every week. He hit 30.2 points in Week 1 and nearly did so in Week 6. However, his floor is just unstable enough that I would test the waters for a player that’s more reliable week to week. Prior to his Week 6 outburst of 126 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions, Theilen recorded 50 yards or less in the four games prior.
Theilen does carry a 21.8% target share and is averaging slightly more targets this year than last. The Vikings are certainly passing more, but that could be in part to running back Dalvin Cook’s early ankle injury. This week’s rest during the bye should do him some good. I expect the Vikings to run more often, especially with a friendly run schedule the first few games after the bye. Theilen is a fine piece to any fantasy football team, but see if you can upgrade your roster in other areas by selling high.
Zach Ertz; Tight End, Arizona Cardinals
Dunbar: After being traded to the Cardinals, there is notable hype about Ertz in terms of his fantasy outlook. Rather than sharing a tight end room with Dallas Goedert in Philadelphia, he’s now the sole tight end in one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NFL! Well, it may not be as wonderful as it appears.
Per Sharp Football Stats, Arizona runs the most four-receiver sets in the NFL. Plus, even when he’s on the field, he’ll be competing for targets with DeAndre Hopkins, AJ Green, Christian Kirk, and rookie, Rondale Moore. These are players Kyler Murray has felt the most comfortable targeting this season. In other words, his outlook isn’t much different than it was in Philadelphia. If someone wants to buy in on the post-trade hype, look for a safer tight end for the rest of the season and sell high on Ertz.
Hunter Henry; Tight End, New England Patriots
McTamany: If you have Hunter Henry on your roster, then you know he’s on a three-game touchdown streak. I have to imagine, too, that you did not enter this fantasy football season with Henry as your only tight end. If he’s one of two on your roster, then do yourself a favor and sell high.
Depending on who your other tight end, or tight end options are, it’s a good time to dangle Henry’s scoring streak out in front of your league. In Week 7, notable tight ends such as Daulton Schultz, Dawson Knox, Jared Cook, and even Tyler Conklin are all on a bye. Whoever is looking to fill a one week hole in their lineup will likely look to bet on Henry’s touchdown potential this week versus the New York Jets.
If this is a scenario you find yourself in in your league, then see what sort of players at position of need you can acquire for Henry. He ranks third in team targets and has only three more than New England’s other tight end, Jonnu Smith. Without the touchdowns, he’s just as risky of a play as most other tight ends out there.
*Check out our other Week 7 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | D/ST | PPR | Flex
BUY LOW
Miles Sanders; Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles
Dunbar: Over the past two weeks, Miles Sanders has scored just 7.6 PPR points in each of those games. To most, that would appear to be a sign to trade him away. That’s the exact type of sentiment you need to take advantage of. Even in a trailing game script, Sanders played 43 of the 52 offensive snaps against the Bucs on Thursday Night Football last week. He has become the team’s clear-cut lead back the last two weeks with Kenneth Gainwell fading out of the rotation.
Miles Sanders is also starting to get featured more in the passing game. Given that the Eagles may not play from behind as much with a favorable schedule on the horizon, perhaps Philadelphia will become a more run-heavy offense. Regardless, he’s eclipsed double-digit PFF expected fantasy points in back-to-back games, doesn’t have his bye week until Week 14. He is a perfect option to buy low on while you manage various bye weeks and injuries. I’ve got him as an RB2 play in my Week 7 running back rankings.
McTamany: I’ll continue to pound the table for acquiring Philadelphia Eagles players for fantasy football purposes. To double-down on Dunbar’s take, now is the best time to buy low on Miles Sanders. Earlier this week, the Eagles’ offensive coordinator Shane Steichen claimed he wants to get Sanders “going” more. I expect this coaching staff to get him going, especially in the next three games. The Eagles face the Las Vegas Raiders, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Chargers. The three defenses rank 8th, 7th, and 1st in rushing yards allowed per game, respectively.
Robby Anderson; Wide Receiver, Carolina Panthers
Dunbar: How a wide receiver can only have 11 receiving yards on 10 targets is something I cannot explain. Yet, that’s exactly what happened with Robby Anderson this past week. After a poor start to the season, Anderson has gotten more involved with the Panthers’ offense as of late. He’s averaged over 9 targets per game the last three weeks, seeing double-digit targets in both Week 4 and 6.
Sadly, a 21.1% drop rate has plagued Anderson this season. The good news? That sort of drop rate is likely to regress positively to the mean. Considering how inefficient he’s been with his targets, the cost for him right now will be minimal making him a top buy-low option at the position. Anderson can at least be a FLEX starter for you once the drop rate improves. He’s definitely worth taking a flyer on.
Chris Godwin; Wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McTamany: It’s conceivable that whoever drafted Chris Godwin doesn’t feel good about their return on investment. It’s possible he’s the highest-drafted Buccaneer wide receiver in your league, ahead of Mike Evans, and especially ahead of Antonio Brown. So, his 14.3 fantasy points per game, compared to Brown’s 19.1 and Evans’ 15.7 points per game, may seem underwhelming through six games.
If that is the case, see what sort of return the Godwin manager may be looking for and buy low. While he may rank last amongst Bucs wideouts in average fantasy points, he’s keeping pace or dominating in specific usage stats that bode well for the rest of the season.
For example, Godwin is seeing 19% of the target share, the same as Evans and just 1% less than Brown. More importantly, Godwin has 12 red-zone targets this season which is far more than Evans (5) or Brown (3).
Godwin is only averaging 10.3 points per game in the last three weeks. Don’t complicate this, though. Tom Brady is having an MVP caliber season and Godwin is seeing his fair share of work. Buy low now and reap the rewards for the remainder of the season.
Darren Waller; Tight End, Las Vegas Raiders
Dunbar: Coming into the season, the hype for Darren Waller was extensive. He was the consensus number two ranked tight end and was often drafted in the third round. Yet, fantasy managers may not be pleased with his recent performance.
Since Week 1, Waller has averaged just nine PPR points per game and has only finished as a top-10 tight end once. Despite this, I would maintain faith in him and try to buy low. Per Pro Football Focus, he’s received four end-zone targets this season, but only has two touchdowns to show for it. Furthermore, he’s playing nearly 90% of the team’s snaps and still leads in target share (24.4%).
There is a reason Waller was drafted as high as he was. If you can find a disgruntled fantasy manager, jump on that opportunity and buy low.
Dallas Goedert; Tight End, Philadelphia Eagles
McTamany: Dallas Goedert’s value is no longer suppressed by the presence of Zach Ertz. The longtime trade rumor of Zach Ertz getting an opportunity with another team has finally been fulfilled with the Arizona Cardinals. That means Goedert’s opportunity at achieving top-eight, or higher, fantasy tight end value is back in play.
With Ertz on the field this season, Goedert only ran a route on 59% of Jalen Hurts’ dropbacks. In four games without Ertz in 2020, Goedert ran a route on 89% of the Philadelphia quarterback’s dropbacks. I know the coach and scheme are different this season. However, last week, with Goedert on the Covid-19/Reserve List, Zach Ertz, in his final game as an Eagle, played 88% of the snaps and ran a route on 79% of Hurts’ dropbacks.
Goedert missed a game, so he’s currently sitting at TE16 on the season, just behind Ertz. Furthermore, he’s only averaging 9.7 points per game. Especially since he’s been sitting on the Covid-19/Reserve List, it’s likely the manager with Goedert has found another option at tight end. If so, and they view Goedert as disappointing depth, swoop in and buy low. This is likely the last opportunity to do so.
More fantasy football fun for Week 7: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Buy-Low, Sell-High Trade Targets | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | QB Streamers | D/ST Streamers |
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