How to Win Your League’s Trade Deadline
In the majority of Fantasy Football leagues, this week is the last when trades are permitted. Whether you’re in a tight playoff race or in contention for your fantasy championship, it’s essential to make some trades to set your roster up for success in the postseason. Here are some guys that I would absolutely suggest sending an offer for in your league:
Quarterbacks:
Hurts is about as safe as it gets with fantasy quarterbacks, but he has been a little bit disappointing this year. He sits as the QB8 and is coming off a rough performance against Green Bay. I think his value is at its lowest right now, and it will be all season. Hurts gets a lot of his fantasy upside from his rushing touchdowns, but he only has one in the last six weeks. I see that changing very soon, and his easy remaining schedule, including games against Dallas, Chicago, and Washington, makes him all the more enticing. If you need a quarterback, I’d say he is the best option to trade for right now.
This is one that definitely depends on your league settings. Brock Purdy has the latest bye week possible: Week 14. If your league’s playoffs commence that week, do not trade for Purdy. However, if you have a week 15/16 or week 16/17 playoff, Purdy is a great buy-low option. By now, his owners are brewing with rage over his weekly “questionable” designation that seems to never lead to him playing. They might even forget that when healthy, Purdy is one of the best quarterbacks in fantasy football. He faces the Titans, Colts, and Bears in the playoffs, making him a valuable asset to have on your roster.
Running Backs:
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Kamara is old, washed, and put up less than a point just two weeks ago. Forget all that, and look at his schedule moving forward. Five of his remaining seven games are against bottom-ten rush defenses, and he has barely any competition for rushes. The 30-year-old just had 22 carries last week, and still has lots of receiving upside. If you need to fill a flex spot, I’m sure you could trade a borderline-startable receiver for him right now.
Similar to Brock Purdy’s situation, Bucky Irving owners are sick and tired of waiting for him to return. The scary part about him is that he still has no timetable for when he’ll be back on the field, but I’m willing to bet that it’ll be before the fantasy playoffs start. If you’re in a position to play for the playoffs, I think Bucky has the easiest schedule of all running backs, playing the Saints, Falcons, Panthers, and Dolphins weeks 14-17. Take advantage of your leaguemate’s temporary displeasure and grab a top fantasy rushing option, who averaged 18 points per game when healthy, while you can.
Wide Receivers:
Vikings Receivers
Both Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison have suffered from J.J. McCarthy syndrome over the last couple of weeks. But I can’t see that trend continuing against the joke of a schedule they’ll face come playoff time. Each of their matchups from week 14 to week 17 is against a bottom-8 defense against receivers. Addison and Jefferson are one of the most talented duos in the league, and there are plenty of targets to go around. As McCarthy adjusts ever more to the NFL system, I can see both out-wide options going nuclear to end the year.
Now here’s a guy you could get for a bag of chips. Nobody wants to have Jayden Reed on their roster right now, but they absolutely should. He is on track to return just in time for the fantasy playoffs, and faces the Bears twice and Ravens once in the playoff stretch. People forget that when Reed is healthy, there’s no question who leads the Packers’ receiving corps. He is an excellent value stash for playoff success.
Tight Ends:
The tight end position has been extremely volatile in fantasy this season. With big names like Tucker Kraft and Brock Bowers out for an extended time, your roster may lack a starting-caliber guy. If this is you, trade for Mark Andrews right now. His schedule could not be better for the rest of the season. He plays the Bengals, who allow a whopping 20 points per game to tight ends, twice. He plays the Patriots and Steelers, two strong defenses that just cannot cover tight ends, in the playoff window. As the Ravens make a playoff push, Lamar Jackson will feed targets to his most reliable option, and Andrews will feast against weak defenses.