Fantasy Football Sell High Candidates - Players To Trade Away Include Chuba Hubbard, D'Andre Swift, Josh Downs, Gabe Davis, Cole Kmet, more

October 16, 2024

Who are some sell-high candidates in fantasy football? Mike Fanelli breaks down what to do with players like Chuba Hubbard, Darius Slayton, and Cole Kmet.

The 2024 fantasy football season is one-third of the way over. Six weeks are in the books, and fantasy players can start to see if their team is a contender or an injury-plagued disaster. Hopefully, the injury bug will disappear, but that doesn’t seem likely given how 2024 has gone thus far.

Meanwhile, the NFL trade deadline is only a few weeks away. More importantly, fantasy football trade deadlines will quickly sneak up on fantasy players. Therefore, it’s time to explore the market and make deals for that upcoming playoff push.

Let’s look at seven candidates that fantasy players should sell high on following the first six weeks this season.

Justin Fields, QB - Pittsburgh Steelers

Fields is the QB5, averaging 18.9 fantasy points per game. After back-to-back performances with 11.9 or fewer fantasy points to start the year, the former Ohio State star has averaged 22.5 fantasy points per game over the past month, totaling 15.9 or more in every contest. However, his passing production hasn’t improved, totaling under 160 yards in 66.7% of the games, including 145 or less in back-to-back weeks.

Fields is succeeding on the ground, averaging nine rushing attempts for 47 yards and 1.3 touchdowns over the past three contests. While that is great for fantasy players, the Steelers might become frustrated with the lack of passing production. Russell Wilson is healthy and could take the starting job if Fields has an awful performance as early as next week against the New York Jets.

4th down. Justin Fields gets the touchdown.

📺: #PITvsLV on CBS/Paramount+
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— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024

Chuba Hubbard, RB - Carolina Panthers

While the Panthers have a 1-5 record, their offense has played better after the switch to Andy Dalton. Hubbard is the RB7, averaging 14.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he averaged 4.9 yards per rushing attempt and 5.5 fantasy points per game with Bryce Young. By comparison, the veteran running back has averaged 5.8 yards per rushing attempt and 18.5 fantasy points per game with Dalton under center.

However, Hubbard has scored fewer fantasy points than the week before in four consecutive games. More importantly, rookie Jonathon Brooks will start practicing this week and could play Sunday against the Commanders. Carolina is playing for the future, meaning the rookie should get the volume over the veteran once healthy. Unless he gets moved before the deadline, Hubbard’s fantasy value is trending in the wrong direction.

D'Andre Swift, RB - Chicago Bears

Swift has been outstanding lately after an awful start to the season. He was the RB42 over the first three weeks, totaling 16.4 half-point PPR fantasy points, scoring 6.2 or less in every contest. By comparison, the veteran has been the RB2 over the past three weeks, totaling one touchdown and 19 or more fantasy points in every matchup. However, Swift has faced three consecutive awful run defenses.

Swift work.

📺: #JAXvsCHI on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/OXdHvXcf3q

— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024

Meanwhile, Chicago’s offense is clicking, with Caleb Williams having outstanding back-to-back fantasy performances. The Bears are on a bye in Week 7 and face an improving Washington Commanders defense after the bye. More importantly, Swift faces the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings elite run defenses four times over the final six games of the fantasy football season.

Josh Downs, WR - Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have won two of their past three games with Joe Flacco under center. More importantly, the veteran quarterback has been outstanding for the team’s wide receiver fantasy value. Downs has been the WR6 over the past three weeks, averaging eight receptions on 10 targets for 72.3 receiving yards and 15.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, totaling two touchdowns.

Unfortunately, Anthony Richardson should return to the lineup in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins after missing two games with an oblique injury. The entire Indianapolis receiving core’s fantasy value falls off a cliff with the second-year quarterback under center. While Downs won’t become waiver wire fodder, fantasy players should explore trading him for a wide receiver with more long-term appeal.

Gabe Davis, WR - Jacksonville Jaguars

Hopefully, Davis isn’t on any of your fantasy football rosters. The veteran wide receiver has been awful despite tight end Evan Engram missing four games with a hamstring injury and Christian Kirk struggling. Davis was the WR79 over the first five weeks, averaging five targets and four half-point PPR fantasy points per game, totaling 7.7 or fewer in every contest, scoring zero touchdowns despite a 15.2% target share.

If, by some chance, Davis is on your roster, now is the time to trade him away. The veteran scored 19 fantasy points in Week 6 after totaling five receptions on eight targets for 45 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It was his first touchdown since late last season. The Jaguars passing attack will continue to flow through Engram and Brian Thomas Jr., making Davis a one-week wonder.

Trevor steps up in the pocket and finds Gabe Davis in the end zone 🔥

📺: #JAXvsCHI on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/LogTwgV3FG

— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024

Darius Slayton, WR - New York Giants

Slayton was the WR75 over the first month of the 2024 season, averaging 3.8 targets and 4.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. The veteran wide receiver had fewer than six targets and under 7.2 fantasy points in every contest. However, he has been fantasy-relevant the past two weeks with rookie star wideout Malik Nabers out of the lineup due to a concussion.

The veteran has had 14 receptions on 22 targets for 179 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 30.9 fantasy points over the past two weeks without Nabers. Slayton earned 11 targets in both games. However, he only scored 8.7 fantasy points in Week 6 after 22.2 in Week 5. With Nabers likely returning this week, fantasy players need to take the best offer for Slayton and move on.

Cole Kmet, TE - Chicago Bears

While Chicago’s offense is starting to click, it’s time for fantasy players to sell high on Kmet. The veteran tight end is the TE3 for the year, averaging 10 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. However, he scored 70.5% of his fantasy points for the season in two games, including a 21.5-point performance in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars after totaling two receiving touchdowns.

.@CALEBcsw with the double fake and finds @ColeKmet for the touchdown in London ‼️

📺: #JAXvsCHI on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9Vky68cIuB

— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024

Furthermore, Kmet has only one game with more than five targets this season. He has averaged 7.8 fantasy points per game in the five contests with five or fewer targets, scoring 7.2 or more in all but the Week 6 win. The veteran tight end lucked out last week, totaling two touchdowns on five targets. By comparison, Kmet had one touchdown on 24 targets over the first five weeks. The Bears pass-catching corps is a crowded one with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and D'Andre Swift.

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