Buy Low
Chad Kelly, QB, DEN - The Broncos don’t have a quarterback they trust right now. Maybe Kelly never gets a real chance to compete to start, but if he does, he showed he could more than compete in the SEC, while making NFL throws with NFL toughness and athleticism. He scored 15 rushing touchdowns and had over 800 rushing yards in two years at Ole Miss, which helps his chances of being fantasy relevant if he ever gets on the field. He should be rostered in all deep dynasty leagues.
Ryan Switzer, WR, DAL - Switzer can offer the Cowboys offense everything Cole Beasley can plus a vertical and playmaking element that Beasley can’t. They need it more than ever with Ezekiel Elliott out for six games. Beasley’s concussion might open the door for Switzer. There’s probably not redraft relevance here, but the opportunity to flash for dynasty leagues is there this week if Beasley can’t get on the field, so check to see if Switzer is out there and you can afford the roster spot in dynasty leagues.
Rod Smith, RB, DAL - Smith is a redraft and dynasty pickup this week. He’s the most physically talented of the backups with Darren McFadden in late career form, and he should get enough touches to show the Cowboys that he’s their best option with Ezekiel Elliott suspended. He flashed in the preseason and some Cowboys players think he is their most underrated player. Nothing may come of this, but having Smith on your roster while we’re not sure is worthwhile.
Michael Roberts, TE, DET - Eric Ebron wasn’t traded this week, but it was still made clear that his future with the Lions is limited. Roberts is a good two-way tight end who will have an opening to become this team’s starting tight end in 2018 as long Ebron is allowed to walk. Deep dynasty and tight end premium dynasty league waiver wires should be checked for Roberts’ presence.
Devontae Booker, RB, DEN - During the Monday night telecast, it was revealed that Booker was the team’s choice to lead the backfield before he got hurt, and his use is trending up. He has been the team’s best receiving back, too. The Eagles matchup this week is brutal, but a high volume of touches could still make him coveted on the waiver wire next week. Try to make room for him in redraft if you desperately need help at running back and make sure he’s not on the wire in dynasty leagues.
Dede Westbrook, WR, JAX - Westbrook is back and Marqise Lee is banged up again. Blake Bortles can throw a good deep ball, and we know Westbrook can run under them. He was a preseason all-pro in dominating fashion, and Westbrook could seize a big role right away. He shouldn’t be on the waiver wire in dynasty leagues, and redraft league players in deep leagues or in leagues with bonuses for big plays should add him.
Andrew Luck, QB, IND - Luck may never be the same, but he can reinvent himself as a very good quarterback, and he won’t have lost any of his athleticism as a runner or negotiating the pocket. He won’t be elite again if his shoulder is forever limited, but he can still be very useful in fantasy leagues. The despair of Luck being in a very uncertain spot could make a dynasty owner do something rash and trade him for less than a package including first-round picks and/or top-end producers/prospects.
Alex Collins, Danny Woodhead, RB, Javorius Allen BAL - Woodhead returned to practice and should be ready after the Baltimore bye in Week 11. Collins has asserted himself as the top back in this backfield between the tackles. Woodhead had three catches and was hurt on an end zone target in the first drive of the season. Allen will take a backseat to Woodhead, but we know Woodhead’s injury history. Don’t cut him in deep leagues. Baltimore has fed their backs at least 35 touches in every win this year and they face Cleveland and Indianapolis in Weeks 15 and 16. Ravens backs can help you win titles this year.
Tyrod Taylor, QB, BUF - The addition of Kelvin Benjamin can’t hurt, and Taylor has already been playing the best football of his career. The schedule and momentum of the team are both strong, with a reminder that Taylor plays New England twice, Miami, and Indianapolis in Weeks 13-16.
Josh Gordon, WR, CLE, Calvin Johnson, WR, FA - There’s no reason this duo should be on any dynasty waiver wire. Johnson is only 32 and there has been enough smoke to think that this could turn into a fire that gets him back in the game next year. Gordon will be back on the field this year and might even be worth an addition in redraft leagues with his potential instant ceiling in a ragtag group of Browns wideouts.
T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND - Hilton has been frustrating in fantasy leagues and the news that Andrew Luck is out for the year is just heaping pessimism on the situation. The team has said they want to get him more involved this week and the Texans pass defense is very vulnerable deep, not to mention the team could be demoralized after losing Deshaun Watson. Hilton is too good to be held down for long. He should be a trade target, especially in redraft leagues.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI - The bottom appears to drop out of the Cardinals pass offense with Drew Stanton (or Blaine Gabbert) at quarterback but Fitzgerald has produced through trash quarterback play for long stretches of his career in Arizona. He also had two scores in Stanton’s one start last year. He can help dynasty teams in the second half of the season and rebuilding teams might be willing to deal him for a very late pick with retirement possible and his outlook this year dimmed considerably.
Buy High
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, PIT - His Week 8 stat line obviously makes him a commodity in redraft leagues, but questions I am getting this week about trades make me think that he is still undervalued. He is likely to be an everyweek starter in a Steelers pass offense that is at home in four of the next six weeks and facing the Colts and Texans pass defenses on the road in Weeks 11 and 16. He’s a top 20-25 receiver going forward and worth that cost in a trade.
Sell High
Alfred Morris, RB, DAL - Morris is pedestrian at this point, and the Cowboys running game might not be the road grading crew it was in 2015-16 with some turnover this year. Morris is already in a committee and he might not be atop that group by the end of the week. Sell him for whatever you can to the Ezekiel Elliott owner.
Damien Williams, Kenyan Drake, RB, MIA - There’s nothing to see here. Drake has physical talent that is not married to football skills, and Williams is a classic third-string adequate at everything adds value in no aspect of the game back. If Jay Ajayi couldn’t get it done, the Dolphins running game is going to stay up on blocks for the rest of the year.
Mark Ingram, RB, NO - Ingram fumbled twice in the fourth quarter last week but still produced an elite RB1 statline in PPR leagues. He has been a top 10 back since Adrian Peterson was traded, and if you can get that back in return for him, it might be a good idea. Between fumbles and the potential for injury, cashing in Ingram while he can still draw that value is a great idea for dynasty rebuilding teams and redraft teams that have two other strong backs because Ingram was available outside of the top 4-5 rounds in many drafts.
