RADIO
We are halfway through the fantasy football regular season, and now is the time to position yourself for the playoffs. If you are under .500 and need to pick up wins, you should trade for players who can help you win now. Vice versa, if you are 5-2 or 6-1, buy low on some big-time names to help push your team over the top.
Last week, Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane made my buy-low list. He's a player I'm still looking to target if your record is above .500. He has league winner written all over him. With his return expected in Week 11, he can give your team an added boost for the playoffs.
Heading into Week 8, two more players made my buy-low list that you should target in trade negotiations. This list will also feature two players you should sell high on before their value decreases.
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Fantasy Football Buy-Low Trade Targets
RB Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
Fantasy managers might be panicking on Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler. The back not only missed three weeks with a high ankle sprain, but he has also struggled to produce much upon his return.
In two games back from injury, Ekeler has finished as the RB26 and RB39 in half-PPR formats while scoring under 10 fantasy points in both contests. His inefficiency has been a large reason for that, as the veteran back is averaging just 2.57 yards per carry in his return (28 carries for 72 yards). He is also coming off a game where he only caught one pass for one yard.
Despite the lack of production in recent weeks, this is a player you should be buying in fantasy football right now. Like any injury, it usually takes time for players to regain strength and full speed on the football. Ekeler surely falls under that category and should be close to 100% now.
Don't forget, Ekeler finished as the RB2 in 2021 and the RB1 last year. He also finished as the RB2 in PPR formats in Week 1 this season behind an impressive 20 touches for 164 yards and one touchdown. The opportunities will be there for the 28-year-old in the coming weeks, and with a matchup against the Chicago Bears looming, buy him before he has a big game.
WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Like Ekeler, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has dealt with an injury this season and hasn't produced much in fantasy. Higgins has a zero-point game, a WR79 finish, and two WR83 finishes in half-PPR formats. In two of those three games, though, the wideout left the game with an injury (Week 4) or was limited (Week 6).
Ultimately, the health of quarterback Joe Burrow (calf) has hurt Higgins' production in the early going. But better days are certainly ahead for the wideout and the Bengals offense.
Higgins has been battling a broken rib since Week 4 and has been limited in the following weeks because of it. However, after the team's bye in Week 7, the 24-year-old wideout appears to be in a better spot with his injury. Heading into a Week 8 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, he is a solid start.
The 24-year-old is a talented receiver in the NFL, and he should see more chances in the coming weeks with Burrow also nearing full health with his calf issue. Cincinnati's offense will take a jump in the second half of the season with everyone healthy. So now is the time to buy a WR2 in fantasy at such a small price.
Fantasy Football Sell-High Trade Targets
RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
The sell-high list this week won't feature some of the biggest fantasy names -- like it has in recent weeks. But after his Week 7 performance, you should be selling Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris every chance you get.
Harris is coming off his best fantasy performance of the season, finishing as the RB12 in half-PPR formats against the Los Angeles Rams. The 25-year-old back rushed 14 times for 53 yards and one touchdown while catching three passes for 15 yards. He also played a season-high 58% of the team's offensive snaps.
Trading Harris for a better running back straight up might not work. But if you can package him with a bench wide receiver to upgrade your running back position, you should definitely do it.
Harris continues to be in a split backfield with Jaylen Warren, and that won't change this season. The former is averaging just a mere 3.9 yards per carry in 2023 and is hardly used in the passing game. The 25-year-old back has just eight catches for 52 yards this year compared to Warren's 22 catches for 165 yards.
This is the second time Harris has gone over 10 half-PPR fantasy points over the past three games. So maybe other fantasy managers will be more willing to take the Steelers running back than most people think. If you have him, though, you should sell. He has a low ceiling and is in a 50/50 split backfield.
RB Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams running back Darrell Henderson has once again become fantasy-relevant. After being released by the team toward the end of last season, the Rams signed him back on the practice squad following the injury to Kyren Williams (ankle).
Not even one full week later, Henderson already leads the Rams backfield. In Week 7, he leapfrogged Royce Freeman and Zach Evans on the depth chart and took over RB1 duties against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran rushed 18 times for 61 yards and one touchdown while also catching one pass for five yards.
Henderson was a hot pickup in fantasy this week following his RB15 finish in half-PPR formats. But you should be looking to sell him immediately. He'll likely be the starting running back for the Rams until Williams comes back in Week 12, though; selling him when his value is this high is likely the smart move.
Like Harris, if you can package Henderson and a wide receiver to upgrade your running back position, that could be a league-winning move. Maybe the fantasy manager who is 2-5 or 3-4 needs a running back this week and has Achane in his IR slot.
Giving up Henderson for the Dolphins running back could be the league-winning move that gets your team over the top once everyone is healthy. The Rams running back will probably only be the team's starter for three more games. So if you're in a good spot in your fantasy league, try to look toward the playoffs.
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