Week 11 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 12 of the fantasy football season that presents an optimal opportunity to buy low or sell high on.
Who Are Some Fantasy Football Week 12 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.
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
Rhamondre Stevenson has been one of the biggest midseason risers of 2022 thanks to a style of play but also due in part to the injury of Damien Harris.
Since Week 3, Stevenson came into Week 11 as the RB6 in fantasy while averaging 19.8 PPR per game. But on Sunday, a healthy Damien Harris returned to start and rushed eight times for 55 yards while adding 28 yards on two of two receiving. Stevenson, on the other hand, took a backseat on the ground, rushing 15 times for an extremely inefficient 1.7 yards per carry (26). His saving grace was his receiving work, catching all six of his targets for 56 yards in the Patriots’ 10-3 win.
There are certainly going to be some concerns as Harris ate into a decent chunk of Stevenson’s role on the early downs, but it was Stevenson who dominated everywhere else. In fact, he played on all 16 short-yardage snaps, third downs, and 48 total snaps compared to Harris at 14.
Given how much Bill Belichick has trusted Harris in the past, some managers will be wondering if Stevenson’s time in the sun is beyond him. I do not believe so and would use the short time until the trade deadline trying to acquire Stevenson as a buy-low for your fantasy team in Week 12.
And with Underdog Fantasy’s Pick’ems, you can choose Rhamondre Stevenson’s higher or lower on his rushing or receiving projections for each of his remaining games and walk away with up to 20x in the process. Sign up today and get an instant 100% deposit match up to $100 with your first deposit.
Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears
There’s a decent chance you might not even need to buy low on Khalil Herbert, as he might be on your waiver wire right now. Herbert was placed on the IR with a hip injury and won’t return until Week 16.
So why mention him? Well, it’s worth noting Herbert was looking like the more explosive back between himself and David Montgomery, and Herbert was the more valuable player with the team’s willingness to ride the hot hand.
MORE: Week 12 Waiver Wire Targets
Also, when he returns, Herbert will get the Detroit Lions in Week 17. That will be one of the single best individual matchups for championship weekend.
I would only consider this if you were dead sure you were going to make the playoffs and could afford the risk, as there is a chance Herbert gives you nothing. But at this point in the fantasy calendar, I’m willing to take a shot on a home run and risk the strikeout.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns
Donovan Peoples-Jones delivered again on Sunday for fantasy managers. Although Amari Cooper certainly had the performance of the day (eight of 12 for 113 and 2 TDs), Peoples-Jones scored 17.1 PPR thanks to five receptions on six targets for 61 yards and a touchdown in Week 11.
Peoples-Jones came into Week 11 the WR31 in per-game scoring since Week 4 and 10th in receiving yards and had 70+ yards in six of his last seven games. There is just one more game until Deshaun Watson is under center and when Peoples-Jones could hit another level. Is it out of the question to think he can be the new Will Fuller 2.0 for Watson?
Who Are Some Fantasy Football Week 12 Candidates To Sell High?
Actual value vs. perceived value is also something fantasy managers need to have their 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.
Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
It might’ve taken three-quarters of the season, but Najee Harris finally had a game fantasy managers expected when they called his name in the first round.
After rushing for 99 yards the week before, Harris rushed 20 times against the Cincinnati Bengals for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Critically, Harris was involved in the receiving game, catching four of six targets for 26 yards. His 27.6 PPR points were the most he’s scored all season, and his six targets tied a season-high.
MORE: Week 12 PPR Fantasy Football Rankings
Harris has put up double-digit points in eight of his ten games, but this was the first time he had eclipsed 15 PPR points. The rest of season schedule is alright, but you could certainly use this opportunity to sell high on Harris in favor of someone more stable floor with a higher upside for the playoffs.
Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
It does not matter what we want. It never has. The only thing that matters are the opinions of those at The Star. And what Jerry Jones wants, Jerry is going to get. And as he has reiterated multiple times, the Dallas Cowboys will go as far as Ezekiel Elliott will take them. Even though everyone else wants Tony Pollard, I don’t think we will be getting that during the season.
After missing the last three weeks due to a knee injury, Elliott split the rushing volume with Pollard at 15 each, and despite Pollard leading him 80 to 42 in yards, Elliott recorded the critical goal-to-go carries and found the end zone twice.
Where Elliott couldn’t touch Pollard, though, was in the receiving game. With CeeDee Lamb drawing only five targets, Pollard led the team across the board with six receptions on six targets for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including one of 68 yards.
Pollard had over 31 PPR points, so by no means did he disappoint. However, as a receiver, days like this are few and extremely far between. Pollard came into the game averaging just 3.2 PPR points through the air, making this a massive outlier.
Of course, the league-winning upside is there in case anything happens to Elliott, but there is a significant concern Dallas won’t let this happen. Not with a chance to get out of his contract at the end of this year. Additionally, Dallas faces the Eagles in Week 16 and the Titans in Week 17. Neither of those are a great matchup for running backs. You could likely get quite a bit out of Pollard if you sold high on him ahead of Week 12.