The 2023 fantasy football season is now firmly in the second half. Fantasy managers now have their eyes set on the playoffs. With the fantasy trade deadline near, the time is running low for fantasy managers to improve their rosters. Here are a handful of players to explore trades for and buy low or sell high on.
Fantasy Football Week 10 Buy-Low Trade Targets
Here are a few players fantasy managers should be looking to acquire at a low price, if possible.
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff is coming off two dismal fantasy outings, with just 10.36 and 13.68 fantasy points. He’s thrown a single touchdown in his last two games. This week, he was on his bye week. That means it’s been a month since Goff was a startable fantasy QB.
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Goff’s fantasy managers may be growing a bit frustrated. Perhaps they’ve searched for — and found — an alternative. Either way, now is not the time to give up on Goff. Instead, you should be buying him.
The Detroit Lions have a nice slate of pass defenses coming up. Plus, they play five of their next six games in a dome. As the weather gets worse, it won’t impact Goff at all. He is looking like a fantasy QB1 going forward.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
This feels like a good time to kick the tires on Isiah Pacheco. After scoring at least 13.4 fantasy points in five straight games, Pacheco has now failed to reach 7.0 in two straight games, with the bye week coming up.
Pacheco’s role is still excellent. He played nearly 70% of the snaps this week and handled 16 carries, which he turned into 66 yards. This was the first time in four weeks that he didn’t catch at least three passes. Better days are ahead for the clear RB1 on the Kansas City Chiefs. Invest in him if you can.
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
With each passing week, Jerome Ford gets healthier and healthier. Despite Kareem Hunt’s capable performance, Ford remains this team’s RB1. He played more than double the snaps of Hunt this week, carrying the ball 20 times for 44 yards while adding five catches for 33 yards.
It wasn’t the most efficient performance, but Ford’s volume is elite. And it’s clear that if both he and Hunt are healthy, Ford is the preferred option. He’s an every-week RB2. Buy if you can.
DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
It was another disappointing effort for the Seattle Seahawks’ WR1. Geno Smith couldn’t get anything going against the Baltimore Ravens. As a result, DK Metcalf was limited to just one catch for 50 yards. He still has just one WR1 finish on the season.
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Better days are ahead of Metcalf, though. Six of the Seahawks’ final eight games are against bottom seven pass defenses, including all three in the fantasy playoffs.
Given how long Metcalf has underwhelmed, there’s a very real chance you can buy him at a WR2,\ or perhaps even a WR3 price. He is one of the best buy-lows around right now.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Tennessee Titans
Two weeks ago, I was calling DeAndre Hopkins a sell. It’s funny how things change.
After watching Hopkins play a full game on Thursday night, I’m convinced he is still 80-90% of prime DHop. Most importantly, I am encouraged by the quarterback upgrade Will Levis provides.
Hopkins only caught four passes for 60 yards in the Tennessee Titans’ loss to the Steelers, but I am encouraged by what I see. Levis targeted Hopkins 11 times. And I have more faith in Levis to actually get the ball to Hopkins in the future.
The Titans have favorable pass-defense matchups in four of their next five. Hopkins might be valued as a WR3 right now. That is where I’d be forced to rank him. But he could put up WR2 numbers.
Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Is it possible to buy low on Travis Kelce? Probably not. But buying at par value is just fine, too.
Kelce has disappointed fantasy managers for two straight weeks now. This past game was one of the worst of his career. It appears Kelce really does need Taylor Swift at games. This is the hard-hitting analysis you come here for. I know.
On a more serious note, Kelce’s last two games have been 11.8 and 4.4 fantasy points. Now, he’s on his bye. Perhaps his manager needs a win and can’t afford to lose Kelce for this week. Now is the time to see if you can poach Kelce for the stretch run.
Fantasy Football Week 10 Sell-High Trade Options
Here are a few players fantasy managers should be looking to sell at a high price, if possible.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
To be clear, I do not think C.J. Stroud is necessarily someone you should sell. This is purely in the scenario in which someone is overzealous about buying Stroud from you.
Stroud is legit. He’s very talented. He’s probably going to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. We also likely saw the single-best performance of his entire career.
Stroud threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns. He’s the overall QB1 this week, by far. Given the state of quarterback in the NFL and fantasy, Stroud is definitely a rest-of-season QB1. If someone wants to pay elite QB1 prices, it’s at least worth exploring.
Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins
That’s now three straight underwhelming outings for Raheem Mostert. It appears the Raheem Dream is over. After scoring at least 13 fantasy points in five of his first six games, his best effort in his last three was just this past week with 14.5.
The thing with Mostert is he’s surviving entirely on touchdowns. His passing game role has completely vanished. He had 18 catches from Weekes 1-6. Since then, he’s caught just one. He saw just one target in his past two games, which he did not catch.
The Miami Dolphins are on bye next week. Then De’Von Achane is expected to return. It’s difficult to see Mostert as a trustworthy option down the stretch.
It’s probably too late to get anything of value for Mostert, but if anyone is willing to pay RB2 value, it’s a wise move to make.
Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings
It was a nice bounce-back week for Alexander Mattison, scoring 17.3 fantasy points. But it was a complete mirage.
Mattison carried the ball 16 times for a paltry 44 yards. He also caught two passes for a very flukey 49 yards and a touchdown. Mattison’s 17.3 fantasy points are his second most this season.
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The Minnesota Vikings have a brutal matchup next week against the New Orleans Saints. They do have plum matchups in three of their next five, but their bye is also mixed in. Of course, Mattison hasn’t exactly shown an ability to beat those matchups anyway.
Don’t just give Mattison away, especially with Cam Akers done for the season. But if you can package Mattison with a WR2 for an upgrade, that’s a move worth making.
Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
I’m not exactly sure what to make of Amari Cooper. He’s now posted really good games in three of his last four. But his quarterback is still Deshaun Watson. And Cooper was only targeted five times against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cleveland Browns have a pretty challenging remaining schedule in terms of pass defenses, and Cooper has shown a penchant for vanishing just as often as he smashes.
Cooper is not a screaming sell. If you can’t find the right deal, feel free to hang onto him. But if you can get WR1 value, it’s a move worth exploring.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
There weren’t that many strong performances at WR this week, which is understandable given the abundance of backup and third-string QBs making starts. Jakobi Meyers had one of the better outings, scoring 13.5 fantasy points. However, he only caught two passes for 38 yards. If not for a 17-yard rushing score, it would’ve been quite the poor outing for the Las Vegas Raiders’ WR2.
Meyers is a very good player. But he’s not as good as his production indicates. His name in this section is purely if you can sell him as a mid-to-high WR2. If not, just hang onto him. But if you can, you would likely be better off with a WR on a better offense.
Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears
Over the past two weeks, Cole Kmet has scored 17.9 and 23.5 fantasy points. Anyone who started him probably thinks they have an every-week TE1. How quickly we forget the previous two weeks, when Kmet scored 2.9 and 0.0 fantasy points.
Kmet remains a volatile option. I wouldn’t expect anyone to pay a premium to acquire him, but perhaps there is someone out there in your league who is desperate for a tight end.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!