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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 6 of the NFL season.
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Buy Low
Alvin Kamara (RB, NO)
Through the first four weeks of the season, Saints running back Alvin Kamara put up absolutely ridiculous numbers. The second-year pro has six total touchdowns, 299 rushing yards, and 351 receiving yards (on 38 receptions). It's clear that Kamara is a special talent and an elite player at his position. Most fantasy owners would be reluctant to trade away such a desirable talent, but there might be an opportunity now to acquire the young player for your lineups.
Kamara had a pedestrian Week 5 showing against the Washington Redskins, with only 39 total yards on offense. Kamara was relegated to a backup role with the return of a healthy and energized Mark Ingram (who had two touchdowns on the night). However, this was likely because of the game-script against a weak Redskins side and the fact that Kamara had a huge workload for the first four weeks. Now that the team has had its bye, both Ingram and Kamara are fantastic options in an elite offense. If you are willing to give up some talent to have Kamara in your teams, now is the time to do it.
Marlon Mack (RB, IND)
There may be a new workhorse in the NFL following Week 6, and his name is Marlon Mack. Mack has been injured for the last three weeks, and spent all of 2017 in a backup role to veteran Frank Gore. However, now that he is healthy, it looks like the second-year tailback will be the primary ballcarrier for a Colts team that wants to emphasize their running game.
Mack had 12 carries last week for 89 yards (and a reception for an additional four); if the Colts are able to have positive game-scripts, we could see heavy involvement from the former USF running back. It is clear that Mack is the most talented running back on the Colts roster, and his status as a workhorse should be confirmed in a favorable matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Get Mack in your team before then, and ride the hype train to a playoff berth.
Sell High
Michael Crabtree (WR, BAL)
Despite being listed as the Ravens No. 1 receiver, veteran wideout Michael Crabtree has largely underwhelmed in his first year with his new team. Modest yard totals and two touchdowns through the first six weeks of the season, as well as the presence of deep threat John Brown, have mitigated his fantasy output to a decent flex option at best. However, in Week 6 Crabtree put together his best stat-line of the season, with 93 yards and a touchdown in the team's victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Crabtree will likely have a few more of these performances over the course of the rest of the 2018 season, but now is the time to package him with another player for a solid RB2/WR2 who can be a weekly starter for your team. Otherwise, fantasy owners may be forced to start Crabtree in the coming weeks as he faces some tough pass defenses and negative game-scripts.
Tyler Boyd (WR, CIN)
Tyler Boyd has been absolutely electric over the first six weeks of the 2018 season. After two mediocre seasons, the former 2nd round pick has turned on the jets in 2018, with 37 receptions for 455 yards and four touchdowns so far this year. Boyd has been a god in PPR formats and is currently a borderline WR1. At this point, Boyd should be viewed as a great option for fantasy owners who picked him up off waivers. However, his real value may lie in his trade potential. Boyd's form is unsustainable in the long-term, as the Bengals are using running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver A.J. Green as their two main options on offense.
Therefore, now may be the best time to trade Boyd away for an underperforming player like Cardinals running back David Johnson or package him for an elite talent at any skill position group. Although Boyd may end up playing at the same level for the rest of the season, his upside and trade value is high enough to warrant moving him on for a truly elite weekly option.
