Buy Low, Sell High - Week 8 Fantasy Football Trade Values and Avoids

October 28, 2026

Fantasy football buy sell trade advice for Week 8 of 2026. Jorden's buy low, sell high Week 8 fantasy trade targets include Justin Jefferson, Saquon Barkley, and more.

Through seven weeks of the 2026 season, the Minnesota Vikings are the only undefeated team, the New York Giants are first in the NFC East, and the Cleveland Browns are first in the AFC North. The NFL never ceases to be entertaining or unpredictable, making fantasy football a constant roller-coaster ride.

I couldn't have predicted most of what happened in Week 7, but I did correctly predict a bounce-back from Kyren Williams and highlighted him as a trade target alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. and Dak Prescott. Harrison found the end zone and should become more integrated into Houston's offense after its Week 8 bye, while Prescott posted his second-best fantasy numbers of the year. I also suggested trading away Brock Bowers, J.K. Dobbins, and Michael Wilson. Dobbins scored a touchdown but saw his role take a major hit with Jonah Coleman back in the lineup, and Bowers and Wilson were outproduced by other pass-catchers on their respective teams.

Let's keep the positive momentum going into Week 8 as we inch closer to fantasy trade deadlines. Numerous players are likely to see significant changes in value before then, so making the right moves over the next few weeks will be crucial to preparing your roster for a successful playoff run. As always, we'll start with three players to pursue in trade negotiations.

Buy-Low Targets for Fantasy Football Trades

WR: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

As I already mentioned, the Vikings were the only undefeated team to come out of Week 7 unscathed. Minnesota's defense has easily been the best unit in the NFL, but its offense has been historically bad for a 6-0 team.

Fewest points scored by a 6-0 team through 6 games since 2000

2026 Vikings 125
2009 Broncos 133
2015 Broncos 139
2024 Chiefs 146
2004 Patriots 148 https://t.co/IawgTEZNMr

— PFF (@PFF) October 26, 2026

The player most negatively affected by this has, of course, been the Vikings' most highly drafted fantasy asset, Justin Jefferson. Jefferson had a rough 2025 season with J.J. McCarthy under center for 10 games, and this season hasn't been much better, especially with Kyler Murray at quarterback.

That said, Jefferson has played just two full games with Murray. Both players have missed a game, and each has also exited another early due to injury.

Minnesota is a good team, and I'm not going to discredit its accomplishments through six games. What I will say, however, is that only one of the Vikings' opponents has managed to score 20 points against them: the Green Bay Packers in Week 1. In that game, Jefferson racked up eight receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

Jefferson hasn't had a fantasy performance of that magnitude since, largely because he hasn't needed to. Minnesota's defense has easily handled the Chicago Bears in the rain, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, and Indianapolis Colts. Will it fare just as well against some of the league's top offenses? We're about to find out.

Over the next six weeks, the Vikings will face just one team that doesn't rank among the top 10 in scoring offense: the Packers, who, as we already discussed, found some success against Minnesota in the season opener. In addition to Green Bay, the Vikings will take on the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers between Weeks 8 and 13.

None of these games will be easy wins, so Jefferson will need to be involved throughout this span if Minnesota hopes to stay atop the NFC. This should be especially true over the next two weeks against the Lions and Bills.

Not only are these the two highest-scoring offenses in football, but both defenses have also struggled to contain opposing wideouts. Detroit allows the fourth-most fantasy points per contest to receivers, while Buffalo gives up the most.

While fantasy managers shouldn't expect to acquire Jefferson easily, he shouldn't require a return anywhere near the value of his late-first-round ADP heading into the season.

RB: Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers running back Rico Dowdle may be available on waiver wires in some shallow fantasy formats, but assuming he is rostered in most leagues, the 28-year-old is a great trade target as part of a package deal.

Jaylen Warren has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy football this season, ranking as the RB11 through Week 7. Warren has played incredibly well, but he's also benefited from having Pittsburgh's backfield to himself for three of seven games. With Dowdle in the lineup, Warren is still getting enough volume to offer RB2 value, but Dowdle is carving out a role for himself as well.

#Steelers Week 7 RB Usage

- Jaylen Warren: 62% snaps, 18 carries, 15 routes, 4 targets (137 yds)
- Rico Dowdle: 44% snaps, 9 carries, 18 routes, 6 targets (86 yds)

Warren has averaged 141 yards per game over his last 5

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) October 25, 2026

It should be safe to expect Dowdle's workload to remain consistent, if not increase, going forward. And although Warren has been extremely effective as a pass-catcher, Dowdle's utilization as a receiver can't be ignored. In fact, Warren has just 18 targets to Dowdle's 17 across their four games together.

This usage should persist for both players, especially with Pittsburgh's wide receiver corps decimated by injuries. While Michael Pittman Jr. and Ben Skowronek could return after the Steelers' Week 9 bye, Roman Wilson will be out until at least Week 11.

Warren will still be the preferred fantasy option in the near term, but Dowdle could provide flex appeal as early as Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are surrendering the fourth-most yards per carry to opposing running backs and just let Tony Pollard run wild for 129 yards and three touchdowns en route to a fantasy RB1 finish last week.

A lot can change between now and the fantasy playoffs, but because Dowdle is probably viewed as a depth piece by most fantasy managers right now, it's worth glancing at his schedule down the stretch to project his upside. In Weeks 16 and 17, Dowdle will take on the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans, respectively.

The Panthers are giving up the second-most fantasy points per contest to running backs, while the Titans are allowing the sixth-most rushing yards. Even with a healthy Warren ahead of him, Dowdle could be a worthwhile start in these matchups. If anything were to happen to Warren, Dowdle could become a league-winner.

RB: Travis Etienne Jr., New Orleans Saints

If your fantasy team is fighting to stay in the playoff race or lacks quality running backs to start this week, Travis Etienne Jr. is not the trade target for you. But if your team has been winning and can afford to give up some depth for future production, read on.

Etienne will be eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 9, following New Orleans' Week 8 bye. He wasn't necessarily great in his first three games with the Saints, but the team would love to get 78 scrimmage yards on 16 touches from one of its running backs right now. That's what Etienne managed in Week 1.

Since then, a Saints running back has eclipsed 70 total yards just once. This was Kendre Miller in Week 6, and it took him 22 opportunities to get there.

What was already a struggling rushing attack somehow bottomed out in Paris against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.

42-year old Aaron Rodgers has more rushing yards today than any #Saints player:

- Rodgers: 8 yards
- Tyler Shough: 7 yards
- Kendre Miller: 6 yards
- Alvin Kamra: 5 yards

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 25, 2026

New Orleans totaled just 18 rushing yards in its Week 7 loss. Alvin Kamara is clearly not the same explosive athlete he was in his prime, and Miller is averaging fewer than three yards per carry on the season. Undrafted rookie CJ Donaldson has surprisingly been the most efficient of the three, but he is now dealing with a shoulder injury.

It's safe to assume Etienne will reclaim RB1 duties as soon as he is healthy enough to play, which could happen next week at home against the Cleveland Browns. I've already discussed why Cleveland is a plus matchup for running backs, but it's worth noting that the Browns' run defense has especially struggled on the road, where it gives up 134.5 rushing yards per game.

In Week 10, Etienne will get another home matchup, this time against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have given up the most yards per carry and the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs. The Panthers are also one of only three teams to have allowed nine or more rushing touchdowns to the position, despite playing just six games.

Given all the injuries fantasy managers are dealing with, Etienne should be relatively easy to acquire, especially heading into a bye week.

Sell-High Candidates for Fantasy Football Trades

RB: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

After missing Weeks 5 and 6 with a hamstring injury, Saquon Barkley returned to action on Monday night and delivered his best fantasy outing of the year despite playing just nine snaps. Barkley made an immediate impact, recording three touches, 49 total yards, and a touchdown on Philadelphia's first possession against the Cowboys.

It's no secret that Barkley reaggravated his hamstring injury and picked up a back ailment in Week 7. However, he told reporters that he plans to play through the back injury and that his hamstring "came out great" following the loss.

Hopefully, Barkley can battle through these issues and stay healthy, but fantasy managers simply can't rely on him right now. The Eagles' season is all but lost at this point. They're sitting at 2-5, with quarterback Jalen Hurts done for the year and wide receiver DeVonta Smith also trending toward missing additional time.

Philadelphia has no real reason to feed Barkley a heavy workload, especially if he's not at 100%. And despite his talent, Barkley can't be expected to continue putting up more than 14 fantasy points on limited snaps.

He was able to do so against the Cowboys because Dallas hasn't been able to stop much of anything. Through seven weeks, the Cowboys are allowing the second-most rushing yards and the 10th-most points per game.

Over the next four weeks, Barkley will play the Washington Commanders and the New York Giants before a bye, followed by a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Washington, New York, and Pittsburgh all rank in the top half of the league against fantasy running backs, with Washington and Pittsburgh both surrendering fewer than four yards per carry to the position.

There is, of course, the possibility that Barkley gets traded, but that might not be as likely as you'd think. The Eagles would have to take on more than $26 million in dead cap next year if they traded Barkley, so it would take significant draft capital to convince them to move on. With Barkley currently banged up and turning 30 in February, there may not be any teams willing to meet Philadelphia's asking price.

Selling high on Barkley after his best statistical output of the year — and avoiding the massive risk associated with rostering him going forward — is sound logic.

RB: Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Full transparency: I was extremely close to calling out Tony Pollard as a player to trade away heading into Week 7. At that point, he couldn't even be considered a "sell-high" candidate, but as a clear lead back with at least 15 opportunities in five of six games, he still had some value.

Ultimately, I chose to go in a different direction, mainly because Pollard's Week 7 matchup against the Browns was relatively favorable. Although they had allowed just one rushing touchdown through the first six weeks, the Browns were giving up the fifth-most yards per carry to running backs.

Still, I never would have expected Pollard to finish as the RB1 of the week with 35 half-PPR points, the most he's scored in any game of his eight-year career. This was the first time Pollard had eclipsed 30 fantasy points in a contest since Week 8 of the 2022 campaign.

🚨 Tony Pollard, per @NextGenStats 🚨

🏈 Forced a season-high eight missed tackles.
🏈 Generated a season-high 120 yards after contact.
🏈 Netted 4.8 yards after contact per carry, the tenth-most by a running back this season (min. 15 carries) https://t.co/XExksBuyaL

— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) October 25, 2026

Despite this sensational performance, fantasy managers should not suddenly trust Pollard as a must-start every week. Tyjae Spears, who has been dealing with a knee injury and was inactive last week, should be expected to return sooner rather than later.

Although Spears hasn't done much on the ground this year, he's shown he can contribute through the air and take a meaningful number of snaps away from Pollard.

Furthermore, the Titans' upcoming schedule is grueling, especially for Pollard. In Week 8, Pollard will take on the Cincinnati Bengals, who just held Derrick Henry to 2.6 yards per carry and rank top five against fantasy running backs this season.

Pollard has a Week 9 bye. Between Weeks 10 and 14, he'll face the Jacksonville Jaguars twice, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Commanders, and the Detroit Lions. While the Dallas matchup is favorable, Jacksonville allows the second-fewest fantasy points per contest to opposing backs, and Washington and Detroit both rank in the top 12 against the position.

In other words, you can confidently start Pollard just once over the next seven weeks. If he were part of a more efficient offense, he'd likely be a fine fantasy asset, but Cam Ward has given us very little reason to believe the Titans offense can take a significant leap in the second half of the season.

QB: Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

While the recommendation of trading away Bryce Young would have made for better content a week ago, the fourth-year quarterback remains a top-12 fantasy option even after a miserable showing against Tampa Bay in Week 7. It was the first time this season that Young had thrown two interceptions in a game, and it was also the first time he had failed to score double-digit fantasy points.

In four of his other five starts, Young was excellent, posting a 10:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and averaging more than 24 fantasy points per game. His only other subpar performance came in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns.

Although it's fair to say Young has improved drastically since last season, a closer look at the matchups in which he's excelled also gives us reason to be skeptical.

Young's four top-10 finishes came against the Bears, Falcons, Lions, and Eagles, all of whom rank in the bottom half of the league in pass defense. Detroit allows the most passing yards per game, Atlanta allows the fourth most, and Philadelphia allows the seventh most.

Cleveland and Tampa Bay have both been stout against fantasy QBs, but unfortunately for Young, even tougher matchups lie ahead.

The Panthers have the toughest remaining schedule of opposing defenses, based on this season so far.

The Jaguars have the easiest. https://t.co/ttmCXMPvot

— Gridiron Stats and Info (@GridironInfo_) October 14, 2026

On Thursday night, Carolina will take on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers are giving up just over 18 points per game at home this season and held the Dallas Cowboys to 13 points in Green Bay two weeks ago. Dak Prescott finished that game with 258 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

In Week 9, the Panthers will host the Denver Broncos. Denver's defense has once again been strong this season and is likely to have two-time first-team All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II available after missing Weeks 5 through 7 with an ankle injury.

Later this season, Young will face the Buccaneers again on the road, along with road bouts against the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. Both the Vikings and Steelers rank among the top-4 defenses against fantasy quarterbacks.

In Week 17, when fantasy managers are competing for championships, Young will take on the Seattle Seahawks at home. Seattle allows the second-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.

Young may not have much standalone value in single-quarterback formats, but he should still be worth something in a package deal. In superflex or 2QB leagues, he should yield a great return. Capitalizing on his hot start could save your season if he continues to struggle against good defenses.

Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer Tool

Want more fantasy football trade advice? Be sure to also bookmark our free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer tool to assist with your trade offers. The Trade Analyzer tool allows you to add up to three players on each side of a trade and calculate whether it is fair or not for fantasy football. You instantly get a recommendation on which side of the trade is a better deal.

The Trade Analyzer tool will display various information side by side for you to compare the players involved in any trade and help you make better decisions. Compare projections and stats, read the latest fantasy football news, and see upcoming schedules.

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