Fantasy Football: Players You Need To Trade Right Now

How can somebody drafted in the first round be playing over their heads? Well, they can’t really. If you drafted McCaffrey, you knew the risks at the time. You boldly took the plunge when others were afraid to, and it’s paying off nicely. The funny thing about fantasy football managers is that they all have short memories. Most managers don’t even remember why they passed on McCaffrey, and they’re kicking themselves for missing out.

Here is a chance for you to take advantage. Remember, we’re selling high, so we want two impactful players back. You may be able to flip CMC along with a bench piece receiver like Romeo Doubs or Keenan Allen and get back a combo like Josh Jacobs or Ashton Jeanty along with Emeka Egbuka or Garrett Wilson. Football is a violent game, and any of these players can get hurt at any time, but a 30-year-old running back with McCaffrey’s injury history is a ticking time bomb. He can get hurt on any play, and the 49ers are just running him into the ground right now. We aren’t giving him away, but if we can get two players who will go right into our lineups and make our team better overall, we’re doing it.

2) Daniel Jones, Colts, QB

Players we pick up off waivers are a little trickier to sell high. Most owners know what he cost you, and while that shouldn’t matter, it does tend to govern how much you can expect back in return. Jones makes sense to flip to an owner who has lost Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson, but he most likely will have to be a throw-in to a larger trade offer. If you happen to have Jones and any of the other names on this list, get creative and couple them together in an offer for somebody who hasn’t broken out quite yet. Jones sits as a top-8 QB in fantasy right now, and that’s probably much higher than he is going to finish when all is said and done. I would rather have Jared Goff, Drake Maye, Kyler Murray or Caleb Williams than Danny Dimes.

3) Davante Adams, WR, Rams

Adams has been great so far this season. Preseason concerns over Matthew Stafford’s back were enough to slightly suppress the draft cost of both Davante and his teammate Puka Nacua. Nacua is lighting the league on fire and would be tough to trade right now as he may be the WR1 overall when all is said and done. Adams still has enough name recognition to fetch a nice return, and at his age, it might be the prudent move to do so sooner rather than later. Remember, you’d rather make the move a week early rather than a week late. If Adams grabs the back of his leg and leaves his next game, you aren’t going to be able to trade him for much of anything at all. What would you trade right now for Mike Evans? If you can get back a couple of young players who haven’t exploded yet, I would consider it. Tet McMillan is a name I would target as I think he’ll be on more championship rosters than Adams when all is said and done.

4) Quentin Johnston, WR, Chargers

Much like Jones, it will be a little tougher to get a large return for QJ than for some others, as you likely picked him up off waivers. The key selling points on him are his age, his real-life draft stock, and his QB. Add in the fact that the team just lost their second running back and may lean more heavily on the passing game, and you have a downright attractive piece to sell here. Why would you trade him? It’s pretty simple; he can’t catch. He is super-fast, and he can get separation, but the idea of sticking his hands out and catching a football is completely foreign to him. He’s able to make catches when the ball hits him in the stomach, and he can catch an over-the-shoulder ball (sometimes) just as long as there isn’t a defender within two steps of him. We have seen guys like this come and go, and while it’s possible he’s having his one good season, I’m selling high if I can. I would target a young running back like Treyveon Henderson if it isn’t too late, or a disappointing WR option like Brian Thomas Jr. or Terry McLaurin.

5) Javonte Williams, RB, Cowboys

Williams didn’t cost a heck of a lot in your fantasy draft, but he’s been amazing so far. The Cowboys have been up and down, but they have been able to score a decent amount, and Williams has been leading the backfield the whole way. I would consider trading him away now while his value is at its peak. There is a very good chance that his knee injuries aren’t completely behind him, and while he has been able to pile up yards and scores, he hasn’t exactly looked explosive while doing it. He’s leading the league right now in rushing yards over expected. And while that is a testament to how hard he has run, it also portends some regression. If you can deal with him and add a solid veteran WR like DK Metcalf or his teammate George Pickens, I would consider it.

6) J.K. Dobbins, RB, Denver

Dobbins has been amazing thus far this season. Coming into the year, we all heard how Sean Payton loves to use a committee backfield and how Dobbins would work in early in the game while RJ Harvey would be sprinkled in as well. In fact, Harcey was the one drafted in the 5-6th round, while you were able to get Dobbins much later in your draft. As it turns out, Dobbins has been used as a feature back while Harvey has remained his backup. Trading Dobbins now makes a lot of sense as he’s actually fully healthy for the first time in years, and he’s just never been able to stay that way. You’ll have to work with an owner over a weeklong period by acting as if you would never consider trading such an impactful player. Before this week’s matchup against the Jets, brag about how much you love watching Dobbins play and how you stole a top 10 back in the 11th round. After he shreds the Jets in London, allow somebody to pry him off your roster. You’ll be thanking me in Week 13 when the Broncos are returning from their bye week with RJ Harvey as their every-down featured back.

Also, make sure to check out our top recommended streaming options for Week 6 of fantasy football!

7) Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville

This list is rich with running backs that have far outproduced their draft positions, so I realize it’s hard to trade away these guys when they’re flying high. The Jaguars, in general, have been flying high, and I just can’t see it continuing all season long. This is a .500 team when all is said and done. I just can’t see them winning more than nine games. If they finish 9-8, that means they are going to be 5-7 the rest of the way. While Etienne has averaged an amazing 5.8 yards per carry this season, it feels like he’s been playing over his head, and regression is coming. Once he cools off a bit, we expect him to split carries with Bhayshul Tuten as the season grinds on. If you can get a decent haul back, you should definitely consider moving him. I would target Chase Brown and a stud at another position, like Tyler Warren or Brock Bowers.

8) Cam Skattebo, RB, Giants

The party is almost over in New Jersey. Trade this guy before the wheels fall off. He’s fun to watch, I can’t argue with that, but he’s just not ever going to be the fantasy player that his cult following believes he’ll be. You don’t get points in fantasy for “hard runs” or for pancake blocks. Tyrone Tracy will be back as soon as this week, and that backfield will be a full-blown committee again. Add in the fact that the Giants stink and will be playing from behind every game, and it’s not a great recipe for success for running backs. It’s far more likely that Skat will fall victim to an injury from all of this hard contact than it is that he’ll be a top 24 fantasy back. There’s somebody in your league that has an unnatural attraction to this dude (aside from you) and the right move here is to trade him and make your team better.

9) Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans

It might be too late, but he still does have some name recognition. An owner may think he’s actually buying low on the running back after he’s put up single-digit fantasy days in three straight weeks. Kendre Miller is getting more and more touches alongside Kamara, and there are rumors that the Saints may be looking to trade their veteran running back. If you can get anything back for Kamara, you may as well pull the trigger, as he may end up being a backup sooner rather than later. Look for a team that is hurting with injuries and pair Kamara up with a short-term filler like Rico Dowdle or Michael Carter and try to get yourself an every-week starter like a dinged-up Bucky Irving or D’Andre Swift.

10) Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington

This one might be a bit of a gamble. Bill has been on a roller coaster ride for the past six weeks. He went from a late-round camp sensation, to a hot draft commodity, to a potential bust in a crowded backfield, to a hot commodity again. It’s making me dizzy. Maybe your patience will pay off, and you have an every-week starter from here on out. I’d rather capitalize on his huge performance last week and move him to another team. If you can move him and get back somebody who you know will lead his backfield when healthy, like Bucky Irving or Omarian Hampton, it might make sense to flip him.