RADIO
Craig Rondinone analyzes the players in fantasy football that are the best buy-low and sell-high candidates heading into Week 11 of the NFL regular season.
Time is running out on fantasy football owners looking to make that big blockbuster deal that turns their .500 team into a playoff contender or their second-place squad into a division champ.
If the trade deadline in your fantasy league has not passed yet, it is fast approaching. You probably only have two-to-three weeks before your playoffs begin. Trading players whose fantasy values have peaked for players whose best weeks are due to come down the stretch could be the playoff propeller your fantasy team needs to win you some serious cash and hardware.
Without further ado, here are the buy-low and sell-high candidates for Week 11 of the 2017 NFL season.
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Fantasy Football Buy-Low Candidates
Ben Roethlisberger (QB, PIT)
“Big Ben” has yet to have a three-touchdown game even though we are more than halfway through the season, but he does have a five-interception game on this year’s resume. Roethlisberger has talked retirement, has not shared the same chemistry with top target Antonio Brown as he has in years past, has had a disengaged and an unhappy Martavis Bryant, and just does not seem to have the same zip on his passes. Five of his seven remaining games are against teams that rank in the lower half of the league in pass defense, though, and with this possibly being his swan song and with Pittsburgh poised to make another Super Bowl run, Roethlisberger is primed to save his best ball for the end of the season.
Carlos Hyde (RB, SF)
San Francisco’s franchise back has not scored a touchdown in his last four games, only has one 100-yard rushing game to his credit and has been losing time and touches to backup Matt Breida, so he could be very tradeable in the eyes of his owner in your league. Hyde’s upcoming schedule has several sturdy run defenses on it, too, with Seattle, Houston and Tennessee all ranked in the top 10. Hyde has done the best that he can considering the lack of talented teammates around him on offense, however. He is ninth in the NFL with 592 rushing yards and has easily eclipsed his previous career high in receiving yards with 274 already in 10 games when he only had 284 receiving yards over his first three seasons combined. With Breida keeping him fresh and with the possibility of newly-acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo taking over shortly and keeping defenses from stacking the box, Hyde could be a super buy-low get if he can be had for the perfect price.
Dez Bryant (WR, DAL)
Bryant is currently sixth in the NFL in targets, yet he is tied for 20th in receptions and 35th in receiving yards because he and Dak Prescott have only connected on 50 percent of their targets this season, the worst percentage among pass catchers in the top 10 in targets. Now that workhorse tailback Ezekiel Elliott has FINALLY put an end to his suspension soap opera by withdrawing his appeal, Bryant should be targeted more than he has all year. Prescott and Bryant can only get better with their hookups from here on out. Put an offer in for Bryant while his stats and stock are low.
Fantasy Football Sell-High Candidates
DeAndre Hopkins (WR, HOU)
Hopkins has been soldering on valiantly without Deshaun Watson, catching 13 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown in the past two games where quarterback Tom Savage has been savaging Houston’s offense and playoff hopes. Hopkins proved last season that he can only do so much when his quarterback is subpar, though, so without Watson around for the remainder of the season, chance are that Hopkins’ numbers are eventually in for a decline. Just see how Green Bay’s Brett Hundley has ruined the fantasy value of Jordy Nelson in recent weeks. Touchdown-loving Will Fuller will also miss at least one game with a rib injury, so Hopkins should see more double teams than he has in recent weeks. Trade Hopkins now that he has had a couple great games without Watson --- and before he has a couple three-catch, 40-yard stinkers with Savage or whomever else ends up throwing to him.
Robert Woods (WR, LAR)
If you thought Woods would become Jared Goff’s favorite receiver instead of Sammy Watkins and predicted he would have more receiving yards at this juncture than Denver’s Demaryius Thomas, San Diego’s Keenan Allen and Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, then you should sell your own crystal balls on Black Friday. Woods has done most of his fantasy damage over the past two weeks as he racked up 241 yards and four touchdowns. He feasted on two teams, Houston and the New York Giants, that have seemingly given up on defense, though. Before that he went seven games without a TD and only had one 100-yard outing. No way Woods keeps this phenomenal pace going from here on out. He is no Torry Holt. He is just a decent receiver who has had two stupendous weeks against two disastrous defenses.
Case Keenum (QB, MIN)
What a success story! Keenum has been 100 times better than fantasy owners thought he would be after taking over for the perpetually-injured Sam Bradford, throwing for 1,914 yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games. Of course, many mediocre quarterbacks could look above-average with Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen as their wideouts. While Keenum has been an underrated fantasy performer, especially in two-QB leagues, he is one terrible game away from losing his starting spot to Teddy Bridgewater. That bad game could come as early as this weekend against the L.A. Rams’ ninth-ranked pass defense. In fact, four of Keenum’s next five games are against top-10 pass defenses, so even if he keeps his job he might not be as effective as he has been. Trade him now after his recent four-TD game to a QB-hungry fantasy owner who needs a signal caller as badly as the Cleveland Browns need a win.
