RADIO
Fantasy football trade candidates to buy or sell for Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season. Martin Grisko lists overvalued and undervalued players to target or trade away.
Week 15 marks the official start of the fantasy football playoffs for many leagues, and the pressure is on. Every decision now has the potential to make or break your postseason run. As we head into the most critical part of the fantasy season, it’s essential to fine-tune your roster for a deep playoff push. Understanding players' upcoming matchups is key in your quest for a championship.
Although most fantasy trade deadlines have passed, your team can still improve. Now is the time to zero in on players who can help you advance deep into the playoffs. In this article, we'll focus on buy-low players who may have been inconsistent or dealing with injuries but are primed to benefit from a softer schedule during the fantasy playoffs.
On the flip side, we’ll also highlight sell-high candidates: players who have been performing at a high level but are about to face a brutal stretch of defenses. While they may have been reliable contributors up until now, their upcoming matchups could be a serious challenge. If you have solid alternatives on your roster, now might be the time to cash in on their peak value.
Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!
Fantasy Football Buy-Low Trade Targets
QB Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix has a favorable playoff schedule that positions him for success during the most critical weeks of the fantasy season. Starting in Week 15, Nix faces the Indianapolis Colts, followed by matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals.
These three defenses have shown vulnerability to the passing game, making Nix an intriguing option for fantasy managers looking for a reliable quarterback in the fantasy playoffs.
Broncos QB Bo Nix is in a favorable spot coming out of the bye week.
Facing a Colts defense that gives up the 7th most passing yards per game,
Nix has been consistent, scoring 17+ fantasy points in 4 of his last 6. He and Courtland Sutton are set for a big day. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RgoQzJnNum
— Moody (@EricNMoody) December 14, 2024
The Colts and Bengals are obvious defenses to target, but the Chargers have also looked softer lately. Looking specifically at the Chargers defense, they’ve struggled to contain opposing quarterbacks recently, allowing multiple touchdowns in most of their recent matchups.
Kirk Cousins is the only quarterback in their last six games who didn’t throw for at least one touchdown, with many other signal-callers finding success through the air. Given the Broncos’ need to keep pace in high-scoring games and Nix’s ability to capitalize on these softer matchups, he could be a sneaky play for fantasy managers needing QB depth during the stretch run.
With potent weapons and a well-rested team from Denver, Nix has the potential to deliver consistent production and outperform expectations.
TE T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
No tight end has a better playoff schedule than T.J. Hockenson. Over the next three weeks, Hockenson faces a series of defenses that have struggled to contain tight ends, making him a prime candidate to explode in the fantasy playoffs.
The Vikings tight end will go up against the Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, and Green Bay Packers, all of whom rank near the bottom of the league in defending the tight-end position.
TJ Hockenson has been pretty efficient in his return (22% TPRR, 2.01 YPRR), and has now been a full time player the last 3 weeks (above 72% route share) after running less than 50% of routes in his first 3 games back.
He also gets a nice matchup this week, seeing a Bears pass…
— Dataroma (@ffdataroma) December 12, 2024
These matchups are as favorable as they come for a fantasy tight end, especially when considering Hockenson’s significant role in Minnesota’s passing attack. The Bears, Seahawks, and Packers have all allowed success to multiple tight ends this season and rank in the bottom half of the league in fantasy points allowed to the position.
With Sam Darnold looking to rely on his big target over the middle, Hockenson is poised to take full advantage of these soft defenses. Hockenson’s upcoming schedule could make him a potential league winner down the stretch for fantasy managers looking for a difference-maker at tight end.
TE Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Tucker Kraft has been a roller coaster for fantasy managers this season, with inconsistent performances making it difficult to trust him in your starting lineup every week. However, with the fantasy playoffs fast approaching, Kraft's schedule presents a strong opportunity to get him involved.
Over the next few weeks, he faces the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, and Minnesota Vikings -- three defenses that have struggled to contain tight ends.
The Seahawks and Vikings rank near the bottom of the league in fantasy points allowed to the tight-end position, while the Saints have also been vulnerable to big plays from tight ends. As the Packers passing attack continues to evolve, Kraft is becoming a more significant part of the offense, and these matchups give him a great chance to capitalize on his emerging role.
If you're looking for a tight end with an upside for the fantasy playoffs, Kraft's favorable schedule makes him worth a gamble. While he may not be a top-tier TE1 just yet, these matchups make him a worthy streaming option or potential flex play as the Packers look to find more ways to involve him in the red zone.
Fantasy Football Sell-High Trade Targets
RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers face one of the most strenuous running back playoff schedules imaginable, making him a prime sell-high candidate heading into Week 15.
Over the next three weeks, Harris will square off against some of the league's most formidable defenses: the Philadelphia Eagles (Week 15), Baltimore Ravens (Week 16), and the Kansas City Chiefs (Week 17), all of whom have stifled opposing rushing attacks this season.
The Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs have all been among the most formidable teams against the run, with none allowing more than one rushing touchdown to an RB in a game this year.
Additionally, only one running back has surpassed 100 yards against any of these defenses. While Harris remains the Steelers short-yardage back and could still see goal-line opportunities, the likelihood of finding the end zone or racking up significant yardage in these matchups is slim.
This brutal stretch also reminds Jaylen Warren's owners to be cautious, as Warren should not be started with these rough matchups. If you have Harris on your roster, it may be a good time to move on from him for a more favorable option, as his production could significantly dip in the coming weeks.
WR DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
DK Metcalf’s fantasy playoff schedule is one of the toughest among top wide receivers, making him a potential sell-high candidate. The Seahawks face a brutal stretch against NFC North defenses, beginning with the Green Bay Packers in Week 15, followed by the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16, and a tough road matchup against the Chicago Bears in Week 17.
These three teams have been stout against wide receivers, limiting big plays and controlling passing production.
Wide Receivers
Best: Jakobi Meyers & co. - remaining schedule is worth a +4.3 boost to their FPG average
Worst: Amon-Ra St. Brown & co. - remaining schedule is worth a -3.6 knock to their FPG average pic.twitter.com/OsuKU5uHOW
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) December 10, 2024
On top of the tough matchups, Metcalf is dealing with shoulder and knee injuries, further complicating his value during the fantasy playoffs. His production has already been inconsistent this season, and with injuries limiting his upside, it’s hard to trust him in high-stakes matchups.
Additionally, fellow wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has stepped up as a key target for Seattle, especially in Metcalf’s absence, which has further diluted the target share.
It may be smart if you capitalize on Metcalf’s name value and move him to a more reliable option with a better playoff schedule. His injuries, tough matchups, and the emergence of Smith-Njigba make him a risky option heading into the fantasy postseason.
TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce is undeniably one of the best tight ends in fantasy football, but his schedule poses significant challenges heading into the fantasy playoffs. It isn’t easy to find a viable replacement for him, but if you're willing to explore your options, Kelce’s upcoming matchups make it worth considering.
Over the next three weeks, Kelce will face two of the most formidable defenses for tight ends: the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Texans, followed by a Week 17 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tight Ends
2nd-Best: David Njoku & co. - remaining schedule is worth a +2.2 boost to their FPG average
Worst: Hunter Henry & co. - remaining schedule is worth a -2.6 knock to their FPG average pic.twitter.com/E8gfyDBixW
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) December 10, 2024
The Browns and Texans are both in the top 10 for the fewest fantasy points allowed to tight ends this season, making it hard to envision Kelce posting his usual monster numbers. The Steelers are no slouches, either, with a defense that consistently shuts down opposing stars, further complicating Kelce’s outlook in Week 17.
While Kelce is still a high-end option, these tough matchups could hinder his ability to dominate as he usually does. It would be wise if you could move him for a similarly talented tight end with a more manageable playoff schedule or trade for a high-impact player in another position.
His name value will still carry weight in trade talks, and you could capitalize on that while his matchups remain daunting. If your trade deadline has passed, take a look at the waiver wire to see if any of our buy-low tight ends are still available.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
More Fantasy Football Analysis
