Week 8 of the fantasy football season continued to bring us more ups and downs and head-scratching moments. Savvy fantasy managers will be able to take advantage of these ebbs and flows to improve their teams. Here are a handful of players entering Week 9 of the fantasy football season that presents an optimal opportunity to buy low or sell high on.
Who Are Some Fantasy Football Week 9 Trade Targets To Buy Low?
Since expectations vary across fantasy managers, there could be a window for you to acquire some of these players at a value. All of these candidates are in a position to exceed expectations for the rest of this season.
Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins
Let’s all take a deep breath and relax. Yes, it was supposed to be a smash day for Raheem Mostert against the Lions, and it didn’t happen. But it’s all good. Everything still says to keep trying to buy low on Mostert for fantasy football.
Sometimes, it’s just not your day, and Sunday was one of those. Despite rushing for a team-high 14 times and 64 yards, Mostert watched his would-be touchdown go to Alec Ingold as he finished with just 7.7 PPR. With Miami playing in a track meet, it further led to Mostert’s down game.
However, through Weeks 4 through 7, when it took control of this backfield, Mostert has averaged 19.1 opportunities and 90 yards per game which has a pace of over 1,500 yards and 300 touches. He still dominated the snaps and RB touches and, in Week 9, gets the Chicago Bears, who came into the week 24th in points allowed to RBs. They also have one of the easier RB schedules still to come. Buy low on Mostert and trust him as an RB2 moving forward.
Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
I was on the wrong side of this game all around. I thought the recent form of Las Vegas would come in and take down the Saints. As I said, I was wrong. Caught in the crossfire was Davante Adams, who had one of his worst games as a professional.
Adams saw just five targets on Sunday, catching one pass for three yards. He was third amongst Raiders receivers in snaps (46) and routes (28) and ended with a sub-optimal 17.8 target per route run rate.
MORE: Week 9 Waiver Wire Targets Include Garrett Wilson, Latavius Murray
But that doesn’t paint the entire picture. New Orleans ran away quickly from Las Vegas, forcing Josh McDaniels hand to pull starters in the fourth quarter, hence the lower snap rate and routes. Adams entered Week 8 with three straight games of 90 yards or more as the WR7 in PPR/game scoring (19.7).
If a manager is feeling the wheels are about to come off once Darren Waller is back in the lineup, shoot them an offer and try to buy low on Adams ahead of their Week 9 game against the Jaguars.
Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Oh hey, remember him? I feel like it’s been months since we talked about Keenan Allen. That’s not all that far off, either. Allen has appeared in just two games in 2022, most recently in Week 7 as a pseudo decoy as he played on only 23 snaps.
Drafted to be a WR1 with 1,000 yards and 100 receptions almost a given, injuries have relegated Allen to the bench and labeled him as one of the biggest busts of the year. I was surprised they even played him in Week 7, as they had a bye in Week 8 and it seemed like an unnecessary risk.
With Mike Williams out for roughly four weeks due to a right high-ankle sprain, Allen will be hyper-targeted by Justin Herbert as the Chargers try to keep pace with the red-hot Chiefs. This is a pure upside play for me as most managers who have held on to Allen are struggling with bench depth during bye weeks and especially in Week 9, where six teams are sitting on their couches.
Allen can be had for a fraction of the price he was on draft day, and if you want that final boost for the playoff push, it’s hard to beat the upside of Allen.
Who Are Some Fantasy Football Week 9 Candidates To Sell High?
Actual value vs. perceived value is also something fantasy managers need to have the pulse on. It cannot only tell you when to buy low but also when to sell high before the floor crashes out. Here are three players that could be worth selling before their value drops.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
With Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings out, Brandon Aiyuk led the receivers with six receptions (six targets) for 81 yards and a score on Sunday against the Rams. At the same time, it’s a bit deceiving as 34 of those yards, and his score, came off a trick play where Christian McCaffrey threw the pass.
He came into the week as the WR21 on the season with back-to-back games of double-digit fantasy points, but once the 49ers figure out that balance with Samuel, George Kittle, and McCaffrey, it’s more likely Aiyuk’s scoring regresses when the TDs don’t follow. I would consider selling high on what is now the fourth option in the red zone for San Francisco.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
Alright, here you go. If you want out, now is your time. Arthur Smith finally made Kyle Pitts a focal point of the offense. Pitts caught five passes for 80 yards and a touchdown on seven targets with an 87% route participation.
But here is the question. Which is reality? His breakout game, or Pitts going back to into the shadows? Believe me, I hope this is the start of Pitts going nuclear but I simply can’t trust Smith not to want to establish the run like his life was depending on it.
MORE: Week 9 PPR Fantasy Football Rankings
The looming return of Cordarrelle Patterson also throws another likely wrench into the equation. I can’t give you a guarantee on what will happen, but I am simply saying the door is open if you want to sell high on Pitts.
Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
The fantasy community is about as divided as it gets, but if there is one thing we can all come together on, it is that Tony Pollard needs to be the starting RB for the Dallas Cowboys. We saw why once again on Sunday against the Bears, rushing 14 times for 131 yards with three touchdowns while adding 16 yards on one reception.
But guess what? It doesn’t matter because Jerry Jones has already said this offense will “go as Zeke goes.” Basically, Pollard could win the Nobel Peace Prize and it wouldn’t matter. It’s not like by scoring three touchdowns in a single game that Pollard did something Elliott has never done in his career or anything.
Ideally, this would lead to more playing time, but there is no use in hoping for what is not likely to take place. Pollard will be an RB1 in 2023, assuming Elliott is gone, but until then, he is only going to further annoy fantasy managers.