Buy Low
Robert Griffin III III, QB, WAS (Redraft/Dynasty) - Save for the Broncos game, Griffin is on a clear trend of playing better and moving the offense more effectively as the season goes on. Last week, his owners were snakebit by Washington scoring all four touchdowns on the ground. Between his schedule and dual threat skillset, Griffin will be a QB1 with elite upside for the rest of the season. This might be the best chance you’ll have in a long time to acquire him in dynasty leagues.
Eli Manning, QB, NYG (Dynasty) - I’m not a big fan of Manning, and starting him in any given week always makes me a bit queasy, but his dynasty value has bottomed out. You might get him as an insignificant throw-in as part of a larger deal. He’ll at least be a good bye/injury/emergency QB for the next 2-3 years, with a chance to return to a low QB1 level of production if the Giants can get it together.
Nick Foles, QB, PHI (Redraft/Dynasty) - There’s a tendency to chalk up results we didn’t expect to being a fluke, but Foles is too efficient against weaker defenses to assume that he can’t continue to at least be a good QBBC option this year, and possibly into the long-term future. The Eagles schedule in the fantasy playoffs is full of creampuff pass defenses, so don’t be shocked if the QB1 numbers keep coming.
Case Keenum, QB, HOU (Redraft) - Matt Waldman correctly points out that it takes the league four weeks to catch up in most cases every time we talk about Keenum, but a playoff schedule @JAX, @IND, DEN might still be very good to Keenum’s owners even if defenses are making life harder for him by the time the fantasy playoffs roll around. Don’t let him sit on the waiver wire, if only to keep him out of your opponent’s hands in the playoffs.
Christine Michael, RB, SEA (Dynasty) - It has been long enough since the preseason now that Michael’s dynasty owner might not remember how potentially dominant he looked when he was on the field. You might be able to get him in a trade from a distressed owner making a title run. It never hurts to ask…
Dennis Pitta, TE, BAL (Redraft/Dynasty) - We all kind of left Pitta for dead after his gnarly hip injury, but it sounds like he’ll be back this year - maybe even in enough time help redraft teams that are hurting during the fantasy playoffs. In the name of being comprehensive, make sure that Pitta is not on your waiver in dynasty leagues and continue to track his recovery in redraft leagues.
Marquise Goodwin, WR, BUF (Redraft/Dynasty) - Underestimate Goodwin at your own risk. He has been making big plays in just about every game on very limited snaps, and he could easily become Mike Wallace light in short order. Goodwin is one of the three or five fastest players in the league, and he plays on a very offensive-minded team. Don’t sleep on him.
Chris Ogbonnaya, RB, CLE (Redraft) - I’ll cop to overlooking Ogbonnaya in this week’s waiver report and give some props to Cecil for reminding me of him. He has been effective (noted by Matt Waldman), he is involved in the red zone, he is involved a lot as a receiver (PPR special), and now there is talk about getting him more touches overall. He is sneaky waiver wire add in deep leagues while he is on his bye week.
CJ Anderson, RB, DEN (Dynasty) - Anderson finally got on the field, and he looked better than Montee Ball. If the Broncos don’t pick up an option on Knowshon Moreno’s deal that comes in at about five million or sign him to an extension, Anderson might be the best incumbent back on this next year. He is an ideal “stash for next year to see what happens” back in deep dynasty. He’s getting touches now, so he could flash in any game and slam shut the chance to get for cheap on the waiver wire.
Mike Brown, WR, JAX (Redraft) - Another reminder to not underestimate Brown just because he wasn’t on our radar at the beginning of the season. He is performing at every opportunity, and garbage time has been good to Jaguars receivers for over a year now.
Justin Blackmon, WR, JAX (Dynasty) - Obviously Blackmon comes with a ton of risk of never getting himself together, but redemption stories are out there, and he was breaking through to a new level physically before getting suspended. If you want to own Blackmon in dynasty, there has never been a better time to acquire him.
Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC (Redraft/Dynasty) - Bowe’s owners have been disgusted with him all year, but the Chiefs will have to score more points to stay in games in the second half of the year, and Bowe will likely get a lot more targets going forward. His problem has seemed to be disinterest more than an erosion of skills, so more targets could perk up his game and his fantasy scores.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE (Redraft) - No Gronkowski owner in his or her right mind should trade him, but if they are 3-6 or 4-5 and need help for Gronk’s bye week, they just might deal him. Be willing to go the extra mile if you get a tug on the line when you go fishing for Gronkowski.
Philip Rivers, QB, SD (Redraft) - Rivers is another example of a player who is still being undervalued because we didn’t expect this from him before the season. He is a very strong QB1 option with the chance for an elite second half because of his schedule. If you are feeling insecure at quarterback, he is the best trade target.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB (Redraft) - It is a move that comes with risk that Rodgers doesn’t return in time for the fantasy playoffs, but if you have two low QB1-level plays, it can’t hurt to offer one to the Rodgers owner for him straight up to have a potential upgrade as early as week 12 or 13.
Riley Cooper, WR, PHI (Redraft/Dynasty) - Cooper did little to nothing until about a month ago, but don’t let that cause you to dismiss his outburst as a fluke. He is a supreme athletic specimen at 6’3” 220 running in the low 4.5s with agility numbers that compare to smaller receivers from his class like Emmanuel Sanders and Andre Roberts. He has been money in each of his three games with Nick Foles, and the Eagles have a very easy schedule aaginst the pass from here on out.
Andre Brown, RB, NYG (Redraft) - Other than a terrible injury history and large injury risk, there are only things to love about Brown’s fantasy stock going forward. He is a three-down back who has great hands out of the backfield and he is a big enough back to keep Brandon Jacobs off of the field in short yardage. The Giants RB1 role was producing great numbers with much lesser players over the last three games. Brown could be a savior for your backfield, and he might be on your waiver wire.
Sell High
Peyton Manning, QB, DEN (Redraft) - Another reminder that Manning is likely to regress to merely elite numbers instead of rewriting the record book level production. If you can swap him for a Brees/Stafford/Rivers and get a major upgrade elsewhere in the process, don’t hesitate to do it.
Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN (Redraft) - Bernard was spectacular on Thursday night, but he is a little banged up, and the Bengals are likely to keep limiting his touches to 15 or so a game at the most, which adds too much variance for anything more than a flex or low RB2 play. If he isn’t one of your top 2-3 RBs, cash him in off of the big game.
Mike James, RB, TB (Redraft/Dynasty) - James has been hypercompetent, running hard and getting downhill in a hurry. He is going to be a solid RB2 for likely the rest of the season. If you need the depth for a title run, hold onto him, but if you are flush with RB depth or out of the playoff hunt, make sure you redeem his temporary value.
Rashad Jennings, RB, OAK (Redraft/Dynasty) - Jennings has played very well in short stints this year, and I have no doubt that he can be a low RB2/solid flex for as long as Darren McFadden is out, but his numbers are inflated by garbage time last week. Unless you desperately need the running back depth, it is best to sell Jennings to the highest bidder.
Jordan Reed, TE, WAS (Dynasty) - I’ll admit to underestimating Reed and putting him in the Rob Housler category pre-draft, but I also think that some are too quick to put him in the Aaron Hernandez category now. He is a long-term answer at tight end, but if you happen to have him pair with a Graham or Gronk, you might be able to turn Reed into a WR1/RB1 in dynasty leagues.
Kansas City D/ST (Redraft) - The run of third string quarterbacks is over, and the Chiefs will be facing a much tougher schedule out of the bye. Don’t fear streaming D/STs from here on out. Trade the Chiefs for anything that improves your starting lineup.
