We are now entering the middle portion of the fantasy football season. Player values are solidifying, and draft day cost matters even less when valuing players. Unraveling all that we saw in Week 4 and translating it into Week 5 RB trade targets is where fantasy managers can differentiate themselves. To help you get your head around it all, here are our thoughts on some running backs to buy low or sell high entering Week 5.
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Which RBs Should You Trade for in Fantasy Football?
Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
After a two-week absence, Aaron Jones returned on Thursday night. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.
Playing on a pitch count per HC Matt LaFleur, Jones had one of the worst games of his career. He carried the ball five times for 18 yards and caught one pass for -4 yards. He played just 35% of the snaps.
MORE: Week 5 Trade Targets — QB | TE
Fantasy managers have now essentially gone three weeks without Jones. If managers with him are frustrated or perhaps concerned that AJ Dillon is a threat to Jones’ workload — he’s not because he’s not good — it’s worthwhile to explore a trade. Better days are ahead for the lead Packers back.
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Of the elite running backs in the league, few are performing up to par, and the rookie’s role is only getting better. Still, Bijan Robinson’s last two weeks may appear lackluster, with 10- and 18.7-fantasy point performances.
The thing with Robinson is that he hasn’t scored since Week 1. Yet, he’s still averaging 16.3 fantasy points over his last three scoreless games.
The touchdowns are coming. Right now, San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is the only running back I’d rather have over Robinson. Buy high on him if you can.
Which RBs Should You Trade Away in Fantasy Football?
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
I hate to pick on the Chicago Bears, but they just had the game of their season. Khalil Herbert carried the ball 18 times for 103 yards and added four receptions for 19 yards and a touchdown. Herbert’s 22.2 fantasy points were more than his first three games combined.
The Roschon Johnson takeover hasn’t happened yet, and it may not. But there’s a decent chance Herbert just had his best game of the season. Now is the time to get out of Herbert and the entire Bears offense.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
This was supposed to be the week. The Steelers got a plum rushing matchup against the Texans.
Najee Harris did run well, carrying the ball 14 times for 71 yards. Unfortunately, Harris’ passing game role is all but gone. He saw just two targets, compared to six for RB Jaylen Warren, who managed to outscore Harris anyway.
I’m not sure what you can get for Harris, but he’s nothing more than an RB3 whose role is only going to decrease as the season progresses. Sell him now if you can.
Trending RB Fantasy Football Trades
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Should You Trade Derrick Henry for Aaron Jones?
This is a really interesting question. We don’t have as much of a sample size on Jones as we do on Derrick Henry. Jones has played in two games, and one of them was last Thursday night when he was on a snap count.
For Henry, we’ve seen four games, and it’s pretty clear he’s not the dominant RB1 he’s been for the past half decade. While 14.7 fantasy points per game isn’t terrible, it falls short of RB1 numbers. Jones posted elite RB1 numbers in Week 1, but one week does not make a season.
Going forward, I have more confidence in the Packers’ offense than the Titans’. Henry also has a talented rookie in Tyjae Spears behind him. Spears has carved out a role handling 3-5 carries a week, plus passing-down work. Meanwhile, Jones’ primary competition, Dillon, has regressed considerably.
In early September, I would’ve drafted Henry ahead of Jones. After four weeks, my feelings have changed. It’s still very close, but I lean ever so slightly on the Jones side.
Should You Trade Khalil Herbert for Dameon Pierce?
After talks of Johnson taking over the Bears’ backfield, Herbert made a statement in Week 4 that he’s not going anywhere just yet. He played a season-high 78% of the snaps, totaled 122 yards, and scored his first touchdown of the season.
Dameon Pierce also saw a season high in usage, carrying the ball 24 times for 81 yards. However, through four weeks, he’s been a disappointment.
The primary issue with Pierce is the lack of touchdowns. He’s scored once through four games, while C.J. Stroud has thrown seven of them. The Texans are not going to continue scoring 87% of their touchdowns through the air.
Ceiling games are coming for Pierce, especially with Stroud turning the Texans into a far better offense than we expected. If you can package Herbert with a throw-in to upgrade to Pierce, that is a move worth making.