We are now in the back half of the fantasy football season. Player values have mostly crystalized. Draft-day cost has given way to in-season performance as we now have a larger sample size of what these players have done.
Unraveling all that we saw in Week 8 and translating it into Week 9 WR trade targets is where fantasy managers can differentiate themselves. To help you get your head around it all, here are our thoughts on some WRs to buy low or sell high entering Week 9.
Which WRs Should You Trade for in Fantasy Football?
Katz’s Other Week 9 Trade Targets: TE | QB | RB
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
Admittedly, it’s getting difficult to keep calling Chris Olave a buy-low option. The peripherals remain excellent, but if he doesn’t start producing soon, he’s not a buy at all.
Still, I have to go by what I see. Olave saw another nine targets this week. Once again, at least one long touchdown was missed by Derek Carr’s inaccuracy.
Olave has just one touchdown on the season. He’s been a solid floor guy, but the ceiling hasn’t been there just yet. I still think it’s coming, but his managers have to be growing frustrated by now. If they are, see if you can poach the talented sophomore WR for cheap.
DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
I’m not quite sure fantasy managers appreciate how solid DK Metcalf has been all season. He’s scored double-digit fantasy points in every game. They might look at this week’s 5-67 line and be disappointed. However, Metcalf still saw a whopping 14 targets. The volume is there. He’s now seen 23 targets in his last two games.
The issue with Metcalf is he’s only scored twice, and in the games in which he did score, he failed to reach 50 receiving yards, so the games weren’t mega smashes. Those games are coming. Metcalf is still on the WR1/2 borderline. If you can buy him as a low WR2 or worse, do it.
Which WRs Should You Trade Away in Fantasy Football?
Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
It pains me to call an ascending, talented rookie WR a sell-high target, but here we are. Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles and is done for the season. While Addison has produced like a WR1 since Justin Jefferson went down, it’s difficult to envision that continuing with Jaren Hall under center.
With that said, it’s not as if Hall just isn’t going to complete any passes. Don’t give Addison away. But if someone is willing to pay for him as if the QB downgrade isn’t going to matter, it’s worth exploring.
Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Apparently, this week was the random Calvin Ridley actually shows up week. He now has three games with 83, 101, and 122 yards. In his other games, he’s failed to top 40 yards.
Ridley is still a name that carries weight. Whenever he has a big game, the presumption is that he’s back to being an elite WR1. I don’t think he is.
The Jaguars are on bye next week. Trevor Lawrence is not the prince that was promised — he’s just an average NFL starter. The Jaguars’ rest-of-season schedule is less than ideal. If you can sell Ridley off this performance, go for it.
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Should You Trade DeVonta Smith for Chris Olave?
Here, we have two underperforming but incredibly talented wide receivers. In different offensive environments, both could be WR1s. DeVonta Smith’s issue is that the guy opposite him, A.J. Brown, is such an alpha. Olave’s issue is his quarterback.
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So far, Smith has shown the higher ceiling. He’s posted three WR1 weeks. Of course, mixed in were four games with single-digit fantasy points.
Olave’s floor has been much higher. He’s scored at least 9.2 fantasy points in all but one game this season. He’s also posted three WR1 weeks, but he’s yet to hit 20 points in a game, largely due to him having just one touchdown on the season.
Olave easily could have multiple long touchdowns if Carr were able to connect with him on any deep balls. Carr’s inaccuracy and tendency to check it down to Alvin Kamara almost immediately has really hindered Olave’s production.
Given my confidence in Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense and my lack of confidence in Carr, I would prefer Smith to Olave going forward.
Should You Trade Calvin Ridley for Chris Godwin?
Every few weeks, Calvin Ridley likes to pop for a big game. After fantasy managers have decided to bench Ridley, they now feel confident enough to put him back into lineups. Inevitably, he flops. It’s going to happen again.
Meanwhile, Chris Godwin just keeps on trucking along. Godwin has hit double-digit fantasy points in all but one game this season. He’s caught at least five passes in all but one game. Last week, he finally scored, posting his first WR1 performance of the season. That’s all it takes — the touchdown variance to start going his way.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Godwin is the more talented receiver. One would think his offensive situation is worse, but is it? Baker Mayfield has been fine. Is Trevor Lawrence that much better? The numbers certainly don’t think so.
If you can move Ridley in some sort of deal to get Godwin, that is absolutely worth doing. Godwin is the better player and will remain the better fantasy asset.
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