RADIO
Who should fantasy football owners be targeting as a buy or sell candidate entering Week 2 of the 2018 season? Martin Konstantinov examines players whose fantasy value are rising or falling.
One of the toughest parts of fantasy football to navigate is trading with league-mates. As a result of the unique characteristics of every person in a fantasy football league, it is often difficult to find a strategy for trading players that works for everyone in any situation.
Nevertheless, highlighting the performances of certain players helps to create a starting point for fantasy owners. By knowing who to trade or trade for, fantasy owners are able to have a starting point for any trade negotiations that they have.
Each week, the trade values of certain players rise and fall according to their performances on the field. Let's take a look at some players that fantasy owners may want to consider offloading or trading for after Week 1 of the NFL season.
Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.
Buy Low
Le'Veon Bell (RB, PIT)
With the news that Le'Veon Bell will likely remain out of the Steelers team for at least the next few weeks, Bell owners in fantasy leagues will surely be panicking at the thought of losing their star player. Make no mistake, however; if Le'Veon Bell returns to the team, he will be used as the workhorse that he always has been. Despite the impressive performances of James Conner, Bell is truly the best back in the league. Frankly, the Steelers want to win games, and Bell, despite his antics, gives them the best chance of doing so. Therefore, although the price may be steep, having a locked-in RB1 for the back half of the fantasy season is too good to pass up on if you lack depth in your team. If fantasy owners can ride the wave of their starting running backs until Bell comes back, giving up a second wide receiver for Bell is definitely something to consider.
Leonard Fournette (RB, JAX)
Making a move for Fournette may be a bit of a risk this early in the season, especially considering the premium that fantasy owners will have to pay to acquire his services, but it could be worth it for those who need a stud running back. Yes, Fournette comes with significant injury concerns, including a strained hamstring that kept him out of the majority of the team's first game against the Giants. However, this is precisely why he may be able to be acquired by savvy fantasy owners who recognize the upside that Fournette has on a run-first offense where he is the team's workhorse. Fantasy owners will have to pay a hefty price for the young running back, but it could pay off greatly if Fournette is able to put his injury concerns behind him and continue to play how he was playing before he sustained the injury that kept him out of over half of last week's game.
Sell High
Isaiah Crowell (RB, NYJ)
With ten rushes for 102 yards and two touchdowns, Isaiah Crowell looks like a great value running back on a team that will give him the ball near the end zone. However, the narrative that the Jets can compete in the majority of their games this season given how they played against the Lions may not be entirely realistic. The team still looks to struggle in the majority of their games this year, limiting the potential for Crowell to enter the end zone. Additionally, Crowell was out-snapped and received two less carries than teammate Bilal Powell, who is known as a traditional three-down back with receiving ability. Powell will push Crowell for touches the entire season, and considering that over 60 yards came on one carry, Crowell may not have the huge rushing total that he had in Week 1 every single week. Therefore, it may be time to ship Crowell off for a good WR2 or a player who did not perform the best in Week 1 but is known as a reliable option at their position.
Randall Cobb (WR, GB)
Randall Cobb played a huge role in the team's miraculous comeback win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, with nine receptions for 142 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Cobb's touchdown came on a 75-yard play that truly sealed the game for the Packers after they completed an incredible comeback on the back of a fantastic Aaron Rodgers performance (despite playing much of the game injured). However, the injury sustained by Rodgers may hinder his production over the next few weeks. Additionally, Cobb still has to compete for targets from Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison as well as star tight end Jimmy Graham. This will likely be Cobb's best performance of the season; therefore, his trade value is most likely currently at its peak. If fantasy owners are able to acquire a starting RB/WR in a trade for Randall Cobb, they should be pleased with the outcome as Cobb projects flex value at best for the rest of the season due to the many options for the team in the passing game and Cobb's performances over the last few seasons since 2014.
