Buy Low
Chase Edmonds, RB, ARI - The Cardinals are in dire straits at wide receiver and it just makes too much sense for them to use former wide receiver David Johnson at wide receiver more frequently and hand the running back position to Edmonds. Frankly, Edmonds looks more eager to run the ball between the tackles than Johnson does anyway. This offense is still evolving and Edmonds is going to get a chance to prove that he’s one of their four best offensive weapons and should be on the field in base packages.
Ryquell Armstead, RB, JAX - Gardner Minshew has revived the Jaguars offense to fantasy viability and raised Leonard Fournette’s weekly ceiling and floor in the process. Armstead would inherit that situation if Fournette goes down, and we all know Fournette’s injury history is not a positive. Armstead is effective enough to sustain that value and could be a difference maker in fantasy leagues this year.
Russell Wilson, QB, SEA - Last week’s bye against the Cardinals didn’t really ask Wilson to do much with the passing game, so the heat from his garbage time week winner in Week 3 has dissipated a bit. The schedule coming up after the Rams this week is Cleveland, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay. If you don’t love your quarterback option, inquire about Wilson’s availability.
Chris Herndon, TE, NYJ - His suspension is over next week and Sam Darnold is likely to be back. If you are needy at tight end and Herndon’s team already has a #1, he might be available for less than you think.
Dante Pettis, WR, SF - Another reminder that if you covet Pettis in a dynasty league, his price may never be lower. The next big game will tighten his team’s grip on him.
Kenyan Drake, RB, MIA - He’s good at football. His dynasty value is at a bottom since the December 2017 peak. Drake is only 25 and his best football is ahead of him. Relevance in fantasy leagues this year could even be in his grasp if Kalen Ballage is kicked to the curb and the Dolphins get incrementally more competitive.
Robby Anderson, WR, NYJ - He looked like a budding bad ass #1 receiver with Sam Darnold in December last year. Since Darnold has been out folks might not be remembering just how impressive the connection was and how high up the arrow was pointing. He’s worth a probe offer in dynasty and redraft alike.
Phillip Dorsett, WR, NE - The whole Patriots offense was a failure last week, but Dorsett led wide receivers in targets and is much more central in the pass offense than his perceived value has reflected. He could get free deep against Washington and remind everyone of his potential value.
Zach Pascal, WR, IND - The unheralded Pascal is outplaying Deon Cain and Parris Campbell and may get himself into a solid pass offense role if this trend continues, deep dynasty leaguers take note.
Juwann Winfree, WR, DEN - Winfree had a great summer and got high praise from none other than Chris Harris. If Emmanuel Sanders is traded, he’ll have a chance to develop quickly.
Auden Tate, WR, CIN - His draft pedigree and speed are still scaring people away but he is tough to beat at the catch point and he looks fast enough to hang. He could be starting next year for good when AJ Green is gone, and who knows when Green will return.
Buy High
Lamar Jackson, QB, BAL, Patrick Mahomes II, QB, KC - Someone who drafted Jackson has him paired with another quarterback they are ok with as their starter. Someone who drafted Mahomes landed Jackson, or Prescott, or another QB1 as a backup through due diligence in their draft. Maybe the “wait on quarterback” drone of draft season has influenced fantasy players to the extent that they see advantages at quarterback as the easiest to replace and best to trade. No matter how we arrive there it is possible that one or both of these quarterbacks can be had in a trade. Check the price of two players who should provide an unfair weekly advantage.
Will Dissly, TE, SEA - Dissly has been an unlikely producer but at some point you stop arguing with it and embrace that he’s probably here to stay. If you need a tight end, he’s likely cheaper than his production to date would dictate with a good schedule coming up.
Jaylen Samuels, RB, PIT - Samuels is clearly an advanced receiving back, he is continuing to make strides as a runner, and James Conner is banged up. This could become a two-back attack without notice and I’m not sure Conner is the better overall back.
Jordan Howard, RB, PHI - Howard is an effective running back and this is not lost on Doug Pederson, who wants to win games. While Week 4 will be his high water mark on the season, it should also influence Pederson to keep Howard in the game plan every week. He could present more value than expected if Miles Sanders gets dinged or has a fumble outbreak, and he still has some staying power in dynasty leagues no matter where he ends up next year even though Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace didn’t value him.
Austin Ekeler, RB, LAC - Melvin Gordon can get his old role back and Ekeler can still be a very prominent player in this offense, especially while Hunter Henry is out and the team has one healthy NFL quality receiver. The dip coming in his value may be more shallow than expected.
Dawson Knox, TE, BUF - Knox is ultraathletic and he has made a big splash already only one month into his career. It’s clear that his lack of production in college was a function of playing with AJ Brown and DK Metcalf. He could be Kittle light if not more if Josh Allen develops as a passer.
Sell High
Daniel Jones, QB, NYG - Jones is going to look very much like a rookie against the Vikings and Patriots the next two weeks. If he’s a luxury on your roster, see if you can cash him while there’s still some residual buzz from his debut. He’ll be a fine prospect going forward, but his immediate value and usage will look a lot more questionable in a few weeks.
Robert Woods, WR, LAR - Is the Rams offense going to approach what it did last year? I’ll have my doubts if they don’t move the ball with ease and look crisp against the Seahawks. If this pie is shrinking, the slices will get smaller and it can’t feed as many mouths. Woods looks like the first to fall past the threshold of relevance if this offense stagnates.
Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL - It’s a brief and modest peak but at least Freeman was relevant for a week. Neither he nor the Falcons offense appears to be able to sustain the running game this year and he is getting consistently getting pulled for Ito Smith at the goal line. Brian Hill might be the best runner on the Falcons roster right now.
Sell Low
James Conner, PIT - Going into the season, Conner was seen as a clear lead back in a fruitful offense. Now he’s banged up, Jaylen Samuels was part of the offense’s revival, and Conner might be turning into Royce Freeman from a fantasy perspective. The slide might not be that steep, but the reality is that Samuels won’t be put back in that bottle. He might not be anywhere near the first round pick he cost but he still has some trailing value on the perception that he was worth it a month ago. Things are very different now.
Opportunity Knocks
Additional players who could see their value grow this week
Stanley Morgan Jr, WR, CIN
Antonio Callaway, WR, CLE
Keke Coutee, WR, HOU
Jordan Wilkins, Nyheim Hines, RB, IND
Deon Cain, Chester Rogers, WR, IND
Geremy Davis, Andre Patton, WR, Stephen Anderson, TE, LAC
Mark Walton, RB, MIA
Keelan Doss, Trevor Davis, Hunter Renfrow, WR, OAK
Keesean Johnson, Trent Sherfield, Andy Isabella, WR, Maxx Williams, TE ARI
Anthony Miller, Javon Wims, WR, CHI
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Geronimo Allison, Jake Kumerow, WR, GB
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, NO
Kyle Allen, QB, CAR
Wayne Gallman, Jon Hilliman, RB, NYG
Mack Hollins, WR, PHI
