Fantasy football managers drafted Alexander Mattison with the hope and expectation that he would be a rock-solid RB2 for their fantasy lineups this season. In the past, when he’s gotten the opportunity when Dalvin Cook missed time, Mattison’s been a fantastic asset for fantasy football due to the volume he gets.
However, through two games of the 2023 NFL season, things haven’t played out that way for the veteran RB. Should fantasy managers look to trade him away now — or potentially cut him altogether — to avoid dealing with a frustrating situation all year long?
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Should Fantasy Football Managers Trade Alexander Mattison?
Aside from needing to keep Mattison on your roster due to the possible Hamilton-inspired fantasy football team names, he isn’t someone that you should be looking to trade away after Week 2.
Yes, it’s okay to be frustrated that he’s done next to nothing for your fantasy lineup up to this point, but context is important to keep in mind. Mattison has gone up against two very stout run defenses here to start the 2023 season.
Tampa Bay features some absolute behemoths on the interior of their defensive line, but they even pale in comparison to what Philadelphia has to offer. On Thursday night, the interior of Minnesota’s offensive line didn’t stand a chance against Jordan Davis, Fletcher Cox, Jalen Carter, and the waves of EDGE rushers that the Eagles were sending their way.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell simply abandoned the run game altogether as the night went along because he knew it was futile to attempt to send Mattison up the middle of that defensive front and expect positive yardage.
Yes, the offensive line will be a problem for Mattison the rest of the year. However, Minnesota is not going to face defenses like these two every single week. For example, the Vikings get the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3, which is a prime bounce-back spot for Mattison.
There’s absolutely no reason to move Mattison now while his value is at rock bottom. I have him on several of my fantasy rosters this year, so I know that it’s been frustrating, but it’s not wise to trade a player in fantasy when value is this low.
Hold onto Mattison through Week 3, let him have a solid performance in a matchup against the Chargers defense that will feature plenty of points on the board, and then sell him if you’re concerned about his long-term outlook. No one else is going to steal touches away from Mattison in this backfield, which means he’ll see volume again in better matchups.
Better days are ahead for the veteran RB. You should actually consider going out and buying Mattison if he’s available in your league. Don’t count him as a fantasy football bust just yet.
What Should Fantasy Managers Look To Acquire When Trading Mattison?
As mentioned above, do not consider trading Mattison in your league right now. You spent a top-60 selection or so in your draft to acquire him, and fantasy managers in your league are not going to give you anywhere close to that type of value in trade compensation.
Instead, look to send away a bench player on your roster that has a solid performance here this week to go acquire Mattison. It’s difficult to prognosticate who exactly that player will be as we don’t know the results of Week 2 Sunday yet, but that’s the beauty of the PFN Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer!
Our free Trade Analyzer is updated daily to include the latest news and information to give you the edge you need in trade talks in your league. Find out what Mattison could go for in your fantasy football league, and send out some trade offers! You never know what may happen.