As we approach Week 6 of the NFL season there are certain fantasy football players who are not performing near to the standards for the high draft pick spent on them.
Some of these players should change courses and start rewarding their owners while others will continue to struggle and perhaps decline further in fantasy value. Here are six players to trade away or trade for in fantasy football.
Buy low: Eddie Lacy, running back, Green Bay Packers
Lacy is off to a sluggish start and has been a major fantasy dud considering he was a No. 1 draft pick for many who own him.
He’s been dinged up, hasn’t crossed the 100-yard mark and appears to have forgotten how to score since his lone touchdown from Week 1. And, his average of 7.67 fantasy points in standard scoring leagues per outing plain isn’t cutting it.
For this, it is time to make a move to buy low on Lacy from an exasperated owner who is ready to deal him away. Lacy started out last season in a similar format, having only a total of 25 fantasy points in the first four weeks. He kicked it in gear in Week 5 and wound up finishing 2014 as a top 10 back.
The Packers’ schedule lightens up over the upcoming months, and when the cold, crummy weather starts kicking in this winter, Lacy will see more carries. He’ll bounce back and start rewarding owners with fantasy numbers we remember from last season.
Sell high: Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver, Denver Broncos
Thomas’ best value comes in PPR leagues, because he currently has the fourth-most catches of all fantasy wide receivers. We can fairly acknowledge that Thomas’ value isn’t anywhere near what it was last season, but he is at least averaging 7.6 catches and 83.2 yards per game.
Because of his decent production in PPR leagues, he could be sold on the higher side to a fellow owner that needs a “top” receiver. It’s time to deal Thomas now, because Peyton Manning isn’t likely to improve once the colder temperatures start setting in and his old throwing arm gets weaker each game.
There’s got to be someone out there thinking Thomas will suddenly breakout and become last year’s version of himself. Deal him before the Broncos take their bye in Week 7.
Buy low: Lamar Miller, running back, Miami Dolphins
Miller has been underutilized in a suffering Miami Dolphins offense, and fantasy owners are disgusted by his lack of touches.
A change in coaching could ignite a change in attack for a losing Dolphins’ team that will feature Miller more than the 8.5 attempts per game that he is currently receiving. It’s been a ridiculous waste to not have incorporated Miller’s talents into the Dolphins’ struggling offense.
Miller was a fantastic fantasy running back last year when he totaled 1,099 rushing yards and eight touchdowns performed at an average of 5.1 yards per carry. The Dolphins must maintain a more balanced offense, and that starts with utilizing Miller as a featured back.
Hit up that fantasy owner who has lost all faith in Miller or is overloaded in the position.
Sell high: Carlos Hyde, running back, San Francisco 49ers
Hyde hasn’t done much to impress his fantasy owners since his big debut in Week 1 when he posted 168 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns.
Although, he did just enough in Week 5 against the New York Giants by rushing for 93 yards and a touchdown to convince people he is worth a high buy. Unfortunately for Hyde’s fantasy value, it is tied to the performance of the 49ers offense, which is led by often struggling quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Last week, the Giants’ 32nd-ranked pass defense allowed Kap to keep the game competitive so that Hyde could have opportunities on the ground. Although, we know this won’t be the case for much of the season, and Kaepernick could have to throw the ball more often than not for the team to keep up, given the secondary problems in San Francisco.
Dangle Hyde out there as trade bait and demand a high reward.
Buy low: Calvin Johnson, wide receiver, Detroit Lions
Detroit’s horrible 0-5 losing streak has been stinking up the value of all of the Lions fantasy football players.
Due to the nasty funk that quarterback Matthew Stafford has been in, Calvin Johnson’s fantasy value has tanked and he’s averaging only 64.4 yards per game with only one lousy touchdown to show for his efforts. The Lions must turn things around because people’s jobs could be on the line. This is why it is time to swoop in and offer to take Johnson off of a frustrated fantasy owner’s hands.
Johnson is too good for the Lions to let his talents go to waste, and the team has some easier competition ahead starting in Week 6 with the Chicago Bears. In Megatron’s last two games against the Bears, he piled up a total of 249 yards and two touchdowns.
The Lions will turn things around in Week 6 against a Bears’ defense that has allowed 11 receiving touchdowns. From there, the Lions and Johnson will get that much-needed boost of confidence to start putting on some better performances.
Sell high: Russell Wilson, quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
There’s got to be somebody out there who still has faith that Wilson will turn his game around and start throwing more to Jimmy Graham, versus let him sit there like a precious shelf decoration.
Wilson has been performing adequately, but he has lost some of the flare that his fantasy owners enjoyed last year. It’s possible that once Marshawn Lynch returns and the Seahawks’ offense gets ticking again that Wilson’s value will increase. This is the selling point that must be pitched if you’re trying to unload Wilson for a fair exchange.
At this time, Wilson undeniably was selected too high in most fantasy drafts. However, he still has potential for a high ceiling of value if the Seahawks can get their offense running more rhythmic. With some quarterbacks injured and others severely under-performing, Wilson still has appeal to be dealt for high stakes.