The 2023 fantasy football season is firmly underway. Early in the season, values are constantly changing as we figure out the fantasy landscape. As always, fantasy managers should be looking to improve their rosters. Here are a handful of players to explore trades for, either to buy low on those who are undervalued or sell high on ones that are overvalued.
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Fantasy Football Week 2 Buy-Low Trade Targets
Here are a few players fantasy managers should be looking to acquire at a low price, if possible. If you need more advice, check out our free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and Calculator.
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Before you make a virtual face at me, I know it is unlikely that the Joe Burrow manager is going to sell him after one bad week. This is more to remind everyone that Burrow is going to be fine.
Burrow had a Week 1 to forget, throwing for just 82 scoreless yards. It was also on the road, in bad weather, and he hadn’t really played football for a month. Burrow didn’t just suddenly become bad. I still fully expect him to be a top-six fantasy QB this season. In the unlikely event that you can buy him low, do it.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
I know, it’s easier said than done to buy a hyped rookie coming off one seemingly bad performance. If you watched the game and saw what I saw, odds are so did the manager in your league who currently rosters Jahmyr Gibbs.
With that said, I don’t know how anyone could have watched the Thursday night opener and not come away incredibly encouraged by Gibbs as a talent. He’s obviously not the pass-blocker David Montgomery is, but Gibbs is infinitely faster and more explosive.
MORE: Early Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups
Head coach Dan Campbell said that Gibbs’ minimal usage was by design and they plan to cut him loose going forward. I believe him. It’s only a matter of time before Gibbs is handling 12-14 touches a game.
If you can buy Gibbs for anything less than what he cost in fantasy drafts, do it. He’s coming. And once he arrives, the price then won’t be the price now.
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
It wasn’t a stellar return for Javonte Williams, but he showed enough to make me believe he’s actually healthy. Williams carried the ball 13 times for 52 yards while adding four catches for five yards on six targets.
Fantasy managers just looking at the fantasy points will be disappointed in Williams. However, he looked good on the field, and his usage was extremely encouraging. He touched the ball 18 times.
It may take a few weeks, but Williams is going to completely take over this backfield. He could be a league winner down the stretch.
Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders
With Terry McLaurin back, Jahan Dotson reverted to his WR2 role. However, he actually ran the most routes on the team, including four more than McLaurin. He also out-targeted McLaurin 7-to-5.
It would not surprise me at all if Dotson wound up being the most valuable Washington Commander receiver. If his fantasy manager is frustrated due to a lackluster Week 1, try and buy low.
Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
In Week 1, Davante Adams had the Jakobi Meyers game, and Jakobi Meyers had the Davante Adams game. Meyers also got hurt in the fourth quarter and looks poised to miss time.
If you have Adams, don’t fret. He still saw nine targets. If you don’t have Adams, now might be a good time to kick the tires on his manager. Adams is over 30 and playing on arguably the worst offense of his career. I think he will be fine. Buy.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
In his first career NFL game, Sam LaPorta played over 80% of the offensive snaps. He caught all five of his targets for 39 yards. You really can’t ask for a better debut for a rookie TE.
As the season progresses, LaPorta is only going to get better. The Detroit Lions are in desperate need of a reliable second option in the passing game behind Amon-Ra St. Brown. LaPorta could be an every-week TE1 by October.
Fantasy Football Week 2 Sell-High Trade Options
Here are a few players fantasy managers should be looking to sell at a high price, if possible.
Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns
I started fading Deshaun Watson hard after seeing how unimpressive he looked in the preseason. His Week 1 QB1 performance looks good on paper. But Watson did not look fast running the ball and threw for just 154 yards. His outing wasn’t nearly as good as it looked on paper. If someone is willing to pay near vintage Watson value for him, sell.
Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones entered Sunday Night Football as the overall RB1 on the week with 26.7 PPR fantasy points. He also only touched the ball 11 times.
Jones’ performance was buoyed by a rare goal-line plunge for a touchdown and a lengthy receiving score. The Green Bay Packers are unlikely to be as prolific on offense regularly, and Jones is going to not score more weeks than he does. If someone is willing to pay RB1 value, a trade is worth exploring. But don’t give him away.
Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I am including Rachaad White here for a second consecutive week because I cannot implore you enough to sell him for whatever you can get. White is not an NFL-caliber starting running back.
Last season, White was one of the least efficient running backs in the NFL. In Week 1, that inefficiency was on full display once again. He carried the ball 17 times for a whopping 40 yards. Known for his pass-catching chops, White also caught just two balls for 10 yards.
Currently, White’s role is secure because the Bucs simply don’t have anyone else. But if he keeps performing as expected (read: poorly), that will inevitably change. If you can get anything of value for him, you should take it.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
Relative to where he was drafted, Michael Pittman Jr. is not exactly someone you need to be looking to get rid of. In Week 1, he displayed the skills that made him a third-round pick in 2022 fantasy drafts.
With that said, Pittman may very well have just had his best game of the season. He caught eight of 11 targets for 97 yards and a touchdown. Anthony Richardson looked good enough to believe he could sustain Pittman’s fantasy value. However, it is unlikely to be that of a WR1.
I still think Pittman settles in more as a fantasy WR3. If you can sell him for WR2 value, it’s not the worst idea.
Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers
I was heavily critical of Romeo Doubs’ talent in my preseason evaluations. He definitely made me look foolish in Week 1 — at least on the surface.
The thing is, Doubs only saw five targets in a game where Christian Watson didn’t play. He caught four passes for 26 yards, two of them just happened to be in the end zone. If anyone out there is excited about Doubs’ long-term outlook, you should look to sell high on him.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
It’s really tough to find a tight end to sell high on. None of them are highly valued. T.J. Hockenson is the best I can do, as he’s still likely valued as a top-five TE.
Hockenson did see an impressive nine targets in Week 1. However, he only managed 35 yards on eight receptions. Hockenson was primarily used as a checkdown option, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison seeing more downfield targets.
Hockenson is still firmly a TE1, but he’s likely closer to a random streamer than to Travis Kelce. If someone is willing to pay a top-five price, you can sell him.