RADIO
Welcome to our Week 7 buy low / sell high, where we look to provide fantasy football trade advice. With Week 6 now in the books, the half-way point of most fantasy football seasons has officially been reached. For some teams, those imminent playoffs can't come soon enough. For others, even Week 7 is a must-win.
There is no time in the fantasy football season more crucial than the second half, and with that pressure comes an increase in trading as teams fight to make that final push. Some teams will make it, some won't.
In order to help you finish among the former of those two groups, here are a few players worth buying this coming week, and a few worth selling.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Buys
Ronnie Hillman (RB, DEN)
Coming off a rough outing in Week 5, Hillman led the Broncos in carries by a wide margin against the Browns in Week 6 and finished with 111 rushing yards.
Part of that success can be attributed to a dream match-up pitting the outside-running Hillman against a Browns team that simply can't stop the outside run, but there are still signs of future success here. First off, Hillman looked much better than C.J. Anderson on Sunday and took the lion's share of carries. Second, Peyton Manning can barely throw the football, which should encourage the undefeated Broncos to lean on the running game more and more.
With the best defense in the NFL helping as well, Hillman could quietly emerge as a solid RB2 through the remainder of the season, especially if he keeps getting 20 totes a game. He's worth buying if the price is right.
John Brown (WR, ARI)
A poor man's Antonio Brown, the Cardinals' Brown was electric on Sunday, posting 196 yards on 10 catches in an upset loss to the Steelers.
It was the Cardinals' first loss of the season and the offense looked drastically out of sync the whole time, but Brown didn't. The young receiver put up his best game of the season, an outing that could have been even better had he found the end zone. The lack of touchdowns is a bit concerning, as Brown only has two on the season, but the young wideout's lowest point total of the season currently rests at 4.5 points in Week 2. Julio Jones worst week this season? 3.8 points.
His stock is likely the highest it has been this entire year, but still remains lower than it probably should be. The second option on a very good passing attack, Brown has WR2 appeal.
Carlos Hyde (RB, SF)
Hampered by a foot injury, Hyde only managed 60 total yards despite boasting 20+ touches last Sunday against the Ravens, his fifth straight game without surpassing 100 yards on the ground.
In fact, Hyde has only scored once since his powerful opening week, and has eclipsed 10 fantasy points only once since then as well. Part of that is due to the 49ers playing from behind often, something that isn't likely to change, but a brutal schedule has played a factor as well. Hyde is one of only a few backs in the league who is a good bet for 20+ touches each week, and that volume alone has him in the RB2 conversation. He should improve once he gets healthier, and a pair of Week 13 and Week 14 match-ups against Chicago and Cleveland could make him an RB1 when it matters most - in the playoffs.
It's for that reason that he's a player to buy. The production may not be stellar as long as the schedule stays difficult and Hyde's foot stays troublesome, but fantasy players with their eyes set on the long term could find a great value in Hyde.
Week 7 Fantasy Football Sells
A.J. Green (WR, CIN)
Four catches for 36 yards wasn't quite what fantasy owners were expecting last Sunday, and marks the third straight week in which Green has seen his yardage decline.
Green dropped 30+ points on the Ravens in Week 3, and that explosion still has him near the top in scoring, but quite frankly--who hasn't? The Ravens are arguably the worst secondary in the league, and Green's trend ever since is alarming. Had he posted a pedestrian 10 points that week, or even a strong 20, he would fall to the high teens in the rankings. That's not to say he isn't a WR1 caliber player, because he certainly is, but there are a lot of mouths to feed in Cincinnati and that fact alone could keep Green from finishing as a top-5 or even top-10 wideout.
That said, if you can get top-5 or top-10 value for him now it may not be a bad idea. His stock isn't terribly high, but his name and his ranking could have him return more than he's worth.
Martavis Bryant (WR, PIT)
Finally making his 2015 debut in Week 6, Bryant dropped 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns on an above-average Cardinals secondary, flashing the big-play ability we all know he has.
It's that big-play ability that has Bryant's potential through the roof right now, but that same big-play ability makes him a great trade chip as well. Inconsistency is bound to happen, especially with a player so dependent on touchdowns and huge gains, and a poor outing this coming week could lead to a free-fall in his stock. Bryant belongs in the WR2 conversation, though, and will have games like last week where he simply lights it up, but the very real and ever-looming threat of a dud keeps him out of that WR1 slot.
Before one of those duds comes and strikes a blow to Bryant's trade stock, see what you can get for him. If last Sunday helps you get WR1 value, it may be hard to pass up.
Justin Forsett (RB, BAL)
Forsett put up double-digit fantasy points for the third straight week with 101 total yards on Sunday, and also broke 20+ touches for the third straight week as well.
The first of those strong starts (a 150-yard outing against the Steelers) was impressive, but great match-ups played a role in the other two against the Browns and 49ers. The volume has Forsett well in the RB2 conversation, but a look at the coming schedule should make fantasy owners wary. The Ravens are set to face the Cardinals, Jaguars, and Rams over the next five weeks, with the Dolphins and Seahawks on the docket for the fantasy playoffs, and a tilt with the Chargers thrown in may be problematic.
Forsett is a solid back, and should continue to see great volume as the season progresses, but an already sub-par YPC could stay that way given the Ravens' upcoming schedule. If recent success and bye weeks mean you can get RB1 or even high RB2 value for him, go for it.
