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Buy Low
Andrew Luck, QB, IND (Dynasty) - While I’m no fan of spending to upgrade at quarterback, the reality is that Luck owners might be up the creek without a reliable quarterback right now and willing to trade him in dynasty leagues. His price might never get lower, amidst an injury-riddled disappointment of a season marred by dissention in his organization. There’s plenty of time left for Luck to hit new highs in future years even though we might not see him again during the fantasy season. If his owner is in a bad way at quarterback, toss a lowball offer with a Derek Carr or Blake Bortles in it their way. You never know.
Torrey Smith, WR, SF (Dynasty) - Did you know Torrey Smith is still only 26 years old? He has a lot of good football ahead even if his team might have to hit rock bottom before we get there. The 49ers offense should hopefully rise from the ashes of this year’s debacle to resemble something functional, ideally built around Carlos Hyde on a healthy foot in 2016. Smith has deep speed to take the top off of a defense, but he’s an underrated route runner, and he’ll be a foundational piece of the offense at his price. He’s a forgotten talent in dynasty leagues who could come for a song.
Brian Quick, WR, STL (Dynasty) - Don’t go and trade anything of value for Quick, but if he was left for dead on the waiver wire in your dynasty league, he’s worth an add. Quick led the wide receivers in targets last week just in time for gunslinger Case Keenum to get installed and hopefully revive the Rams passing game. Quick’s game really came on above the rim last year before his serious shoulder injury, and whatever it was that kept Quick on the inactive list earlier this year appears to be behind Quick.
Mark Sanchez, QB, PHI (Redraft/Dynasty) - Sanchez could go back to the best after a week or two of Sam Bradford being out, but he could also pilot the Eagles pass offense in a way that makes Chip Kelly rethink his starter for the remainder of the season. We know that Sanchez is functional in this offense. Unlike Bradford, Sanchez is under contract next year, and he was working with his teammates in the offseason as if he was the starter and leader of the offense. It’s very possible that he’ll be even better than he was last year, when he was good enough to be a low QB1 in fantasy leagues. Sanchez is also the best of the replacement starting quarterbacks on the waiver wire this week to plug right into your lineup because of the home matchup against Tampa.
Andre Ellington, RB, ARI (Redraft/Dynasty) - Just a remider that Ellington’s talent is coming back to the surface and the Cardinals should continue to give him more chances to show it. At some point, Bruce Arians is going to realize that Ellington is adding a lot more value to his touches than Chris Johnson and adjust accordingly.
Rod Smith, RB, DAL (Redraft/Dynasty) - Robert Turbin’s status still pending, Smith appears to be the backup to Darren McFadden entering Week 11, and just in time for McFadden to show up on the injury report. Smith is also reportedly held in high esteem by the team. He could remain the #2 behind McFadden, who is under contract next year, and we all know McFadden’s propensity for missing time. He seems to have put it behind him for now, but at anytime, Smith could inherit a big role in a running game that should improve with the return of Tony ROmo.
Sell High
Davante Adams, WR, GB (Dynasty) - Adams appears to be coming alive in fantasy leagues, but that’s only because he got 32 targets in the last two weeks. Markus Wheaton, Josh Huff, Chris Hogan, Justin Hunter, Quinton Patton, and Harry Douglas have all done more with 32 or fewer targets this year than Adams has done in the last two weeks. If you can still get most of the “young wide receiver on the rise with a top quarterback” price Adams was fetching before the season, take it and assume that the highly inefficient Adams has shown up who he really is.
Chris Johnson, RB, ARI (Redraft) - Johnson had a 60-yard run against Baltimore when he sat down on a defender who had him wrapped, paused for a second, heard no whistle, and got up to run through a defense that had stopped playing. Take away that run, and he is averaging just a little over 3.1 yards per carry over the last four games. Even with that carry he isn’t over four yards per carry over that span. He’s not scoring touchdowns or getting involved in the passing game. Johnson is one of the least valuable starting running backs in the league despite playing in a great offense, and Andre Ellington is looming to get more involved.
David Cobb, RB, TEN (Dynasty) - Cobb is finally active and there’s probably someone in your league who believes in him. Cobb might become Pierre Thomas plus in fantasy leagues, but he is mired in an organization that is going to do a complete rebuild this offseason, and he’s not the kind of talent that would make a new regime think “we’ve got this position taken care of now”. If you can turn him into a second round pick or coveted prospect, it’s worth doing.
Philip Rivers, QB, SD (Redraft) - If you aren’t relying on Rivers in redraft and you can sell him to a quarterback needy team, it still looks like a good move. Antonio Gates, Stevie Johnson, and Danny Woodhead might not be enough to sustain this passing game with a banged up offensive line and no running game to speak of. Three matchups left against Kansas City and Denver also won’t help things.
Allen Hurns, WR, JAX (Redraft) - Hurns is playing this week and appears to have no concerns heading out of his meeting with renowned hernia specialist Dr. William Meyers. Still, Hurns has shown up on the injury report for multiple reasons this year, and you have to wonder if he’s going to last much longer. If you can make a lateral move to another WR2 with Hurns coming into Week 11 on a seven-game scoring streak, it is worth a look.