The 2023 NFL trade deadline is right around the corner, and there are numerous skill-position players who are rumored to be on the move within the next couple of days.
Who are some of the players being discussed, and what are some of the ideal spots for them to land from a fantasy football standpoint? Let’s discuss.
Fantasy Impact of Potential NFL Trade Deadline Moves
Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
It has been a bit of a down year for Derrick Henry this season in Tennessee. The overall state of the offense plays a massive role in his lackluster production — along with the emergence of rookie RB Tyjae Spears in this backfield — but Henry has not been a top-tier fantasy option in 2023 like he has been in previous seasons.
The calling card for Henry in previous seasons has been his significant volume, but this year, the Titans have only given Henry 20+ touches in a single game twice. With all that being said, Henry has still shown the ability to shoulder a big workload, and he could be a key piece for an RB-needy team that’s looking to make a playoff push.
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The most ideal landing spot for Henry from a fantasy standpoint is the Baltimore Ravens. This team looks poised to make a deep postseason push, but they’ve been trying to piece their backfield together with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill after J.K. Dobbins went down with his devastating injury.
If Henry were to be traded to Baltimore, he would instantly move back up the rankings to a mid-range/low-end RB1 that would present incredible scoring upside every single week.
There are reports that Henry won’t be moved right now, but it seems highly unlikely that the Titans wouldn’t trade away the veteran RB in the final year of his contract with the team.
Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Marquise Brown is a talented WR that has the ability to be an elite deep threat for an offense. Unfortunately, it hasn’t all clicked for the veteran WR in Arizona, and he’s now being discussed as a potential trade candidate in the final year of his contract with the Cardinals.
While the QB carousel over the past year and a half hasn’t done Brown any favors, his production — or lack thereof — won’t make him an expensive acquisition at the trade deadline.
Arizona doesn’t figure to be competing this year, even with Kyler Murray potentially close to returning, and they could easily consider moving Brown if they don’t plan on re-signing him.
It’s difficult to find a landing spot for Brown where he would be able to see the same amount of targets as he has here in Arizona, but the Carolina Panthers make sense as they’re looking to build around Bryce Young.
Adam Thielen is dominating the target share for the Panthers, but he hasn’t been the most durable WR over the course of his lengthy NFL career. Carolina needs other reliable options, and Brown’s speed could help open up the offense and give Young someone who can create separation.
Rondale Moore, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Rondale Moore hasn’t done a ton up to this point of his NFL career. However, he was a highly anticipated prospect coming out of Purdue, and he has the potential to fill a valuable role as a slot WR for another NFL team.
Unfortunately, Moore’s unlikely to command much back in a trade due to his lack of production, which would mean that he’s unlikely to be guaranteed a key role for whatever team does acquire him.
The ideal landing spot, though, would be the Miami Dolphins, as they’ve been hunting around for a clear WR3 option. With Moore’s speed and athleticism, he would be an ideal fit for Miami’s offense to help bolster their depth.
D’Onta Foreman, RB, Chicago Bears
D’Onta Foreman was a healthy scratch for the first several games of the 2023 NFL season, but he’s emerged as a reliable RB for the Chicago Bears offense since Khalil Herbert landed on injured reserve.
Foreman’s on a minimal contract with the Bears, and he could be a solid rotational RB for a team that’s looking to bolster their depth heading toward the NFL playoffs. An ideal landing spot for him would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as they’re looking for any sort of spark from their running game.
MORE: 3 Moves the Buccaneers Could Make Ahead of the Trade Deadline
If Foreman were to be moved to Tampa Bay, he’d be in consideration weekly as a Flex play that could turn into more if he takes over the backfield completely from Rachaad White.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
One of the biggest names in the NFL trade deadline rumors is Jerry Jeudy, as things simply have not worked out in Denver. While he still possesses an incredible ability to separate and make big plays, he’s been held back routinely by poor offenses and questionable QB play.
Jeudy’s production hasn’t been substantial enough to view him as a guaranteed WR1 for whichever team would trade for him, so he’ll need to land in an open WR room to receive a significant bump up the fantasy rankings.
While Carolina makes the most sense for Jeudy due to their WR room, Detroit is an interesting destination to monitor. They have a legitimate shot to make a deep postseason run with the state of their roster, but their WR depth outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown has been tested already this season.
With Jameson Williams still a massive question mark moving forward, a trade to acquire Jeudy to help Jared Goff as the Lions look to make some noise in the playoffs would be a smart move.
Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
There’s plenty of smoke surrounding this Denver situation to indicate that the Broncos intend to trade away at least one of their wide receivers as they look to recoup some draft capital after the Russell Wilson and Sean Payton trades.
Whether that’s Jeudy or Courtland Sutton — or potentially both — remains to be seen, but Sutton’s trade value is higher this year than it has been previously with his production. He’s been one of the lone bright spots on offense for Denver this year, and he could be a valuable addition to a contending roster.
Keep an eye on the team that Denver faced in Week 8, the Kansas City Chiefs. Rashee Rice has emerged as a solid option that shows immense potential, but the Chiefs want to make a deep postseason run yet again.
A rental option like Sutton could be worth exploring. He would instantly vault back up the fantasy rankings to a low-end WR2 with upside.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Tennessee Titans
DeAndre Hopkins signed with Tennessee this offseason in hopes that he would be able to get back to being viewed as an alpha WR for a powerful offense. Unfortunately, the Titans’ offense has faltered this season, and Hopkins has been more boom than bust.
With Will Levis at QB in Week 8, though, Hopkins has proven that his lack of production in 2023 has more to do with the QB play than a significant drop-off in his abilities. There’s a strong possibility that Hopkins is moved here within the next couple of days, and plenty of teams will have interest.
MORE: Fantasy Football WR Week 8 Trade Targets
Aside from the obvious answer of Kansas City — rumored to be a landing spot for Hopkins in the offseason — the Buffalo Bills should be considered as a possible landing spot. They’ve seen solid production from their other options outside of Stefon Diggs this year, but they need to load up to try to get past Kansas City in the AFC.
Hopkins would obviously move slightly up the rankings, but he could emerge as a very viable option if something were to happen to Diggs, Gabe Davis, or Dalton Kincaid.
Zack Moss, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Zack Moss had a mediocre start to his career in Buffalo, but he has emerged and looked like a completely different player this year in Indianapolis running behind that offensive line.
Moss filled in admirably for Jonathan Taylor to begin the season, but the Colts are sure to get JT more and more involved as the season progresses, which limits their need for Moss.
If Moss were to be moved, several NFL teams would be interested based on the way that he’s played this year. A darkhorse team to keep an eye on that could be very lucrative for fantasy football would be Baltimore, given all of their injuries to the position. Another intriguing landing spot would be the Cowboys.
Outside of Tony Pollard, Dallas has very little proven depth to lean on. Having another option alongside Pollard for a postseason run would be a smart move to make, and Moss has proven that he could fill the vacated Ezekiel Elliott role nicely.
If this move were to happen, Moss could easily move up into the top 24 RBs weekly as he would likely inherit the majority of the goal-line work.
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!