Fantasy Football Buy/Sell & Trade Candidates For Week 10

November 8, 2014

Joe Gallina analyzes the top buy/sell and trade candidates for Week 10 of the fantasy football season. These undervalued sleepers or overrated potential busts should be targeted or avoided.

It’s time to go shopping for NFL fantasy talent again, but whom should we buy? I would love to tell you to buy a Browns running back to take advantage of their favorable schedule in the upcoming weeks, and I was going to suggest getting your hands on Terrance West, but you never know who is going to get the bulk of the carries in that backfield. Three rushing touchdowns this Thursday night against the Bengals coming from three different running backs? Doesn’t Mike Pettine know that we have fantasy rosters to fill?

As the fantasy football playoff season quickly approaches, you really need to work the waiver wire in order to find value. You never know who will be dropped in a week where fantasy football owners are struggling to find live bodies to fill their lineup. With six teams on bye, fantasy owners made Mark Sanchez one of the top waiver wire pickups of the week. I like his upcoming matchup against Carolina, but other than that, he's nothing more than a week-to-week matchup play. In Sanchez’s defense, he has never had as talented a receiver to throw to as a Jeremy Maclin in his career, but remember, he is still the author of the butt fumble. How many points does a fantasy player lose for a butt fumble, anyway? I guess it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that you’ve got a league to conquer, and I’ve found another four fantasy football players who can help your team for this week and beyond, as well as two players who should be jettisoned from your team before they wreck your fantasy season. Good luck in Week 10! Share your thoughts with me. Let me know what you think about this article; follow me on Twitter @joegallina.

Week 10 Fantasy Football Buys

Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Bucs

Owned in 68% of Fleaflicker leagues

Mike Evans joins the growing number of rookie wide receivers who deserve a spot on your fantasy football roster. Evans has had four straight weeks of double-digit fantasy points (in PPR leagues), punctuated by a great line in Week 9 of 7-for-124 for two scores. Evans has averaged over seven targets per game, and at just 21 years of age, he has quickly adjusted to life in the NFL. During his college career, Evans helped Johnny Manziel gain national notoriety while at Texas A&M by catching every ball that “Johnny Football” threw his way. He can do the same for your fantasy team and whoever emerges as the future long-term quarterback in Tampa Bay. At 6'5'' and 231 pounds, Evans is an imposing presence on the football field who has all of the natural gifts that a wide receiver needs. His height and leaping ability allow him to grab balls that are over the heads of opposing corners, and his quickness allows him to separate from defenders and makes him a deep-ball threat who can score at any time and from anywhere on the field. He can do it all. Evans can find the weak spot in a defense, run a great routes and add yards after the catch. He should be considered a must-start in all fantasy football leagues. Trade for him if you can. He is especially valuable in dynasty leagues.

Rashad Jennings, RB, New York Giants

Owned in 84% of Fleaflicker leagues

Through the first four games of 2014, Rashad Jennings was on pace for a stellar season, his first as a premier back of an NFL team. He was averaging 4.4 yards per carry and was effective in catching passes out of the backfield. He was the one shining light in a struggling Giant offense that was having trouble learning the West Coast offense. Jennings was sidelined by a knee injury, and rookie Andre Williams has had a hard time replacing him ever since. The good news is that Jennings will be back in Week 11, and with so many teams using the running-back-by-committee approach lately, having a running back on your roster who will get the majority of reps out of the backfield at this point in your fantasy season is very valuable. Jennings doesn't fumble and he catches the ball out of the backfield. You may have to slightly overpay for him, but with your fantasy playoff hopes hanging in the balance, it may be worth it.

Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego Chargers

Owned in 76% of Fleaflicker leagues

Let’s face it: Ryan Mathews has been injury-prone throughout his NFL career. I was amazed when he played all 16 games last season, but to his credit he was an effective back, accumulating 1225 rushing yards and six touchdowns. I can’t say that I was surprised when after two lackluster games this season Mathews went down with a knee injury that kept him out of action for several weeks. The Chargers eventually discovered Branden Oliver, who initially played like a house on fire, though he's cooled off considerably in recent weeks.  There is no question that come Week 11, Mathews will get his starting job back. If you can pluck Mathews away from his disgruntled fantasy owner, what you’ll get is a back with fresh legs who has averaged 4.4 yards per carry over his career. I know there are injury concerns, but you only need him to remain healthy for about six weeks, just long enough for you to make your playoff run. Running backs are at a premium right now, but with Mathews’s reputation as a brittle back, you may be able to trade for him at a discount.

Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears

Owned in 98% of Fleaflicker leagues

What if I told you that through his first eight games, there was a wide receiver who had 58 receptions, 490 yards receiving and three touchdown passes. Would you be interested in adding him to your lineup? How about if I found a running back who after eight games has 562 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Pretty good numbers right? What if I told you that I was describing the combined statistics of one NFL player and his name is Matt Forte? Everyone knew Matt Forte was good, but did we really expect him to be this good? He is two players wrapped up in one. He was a top-five overall pick in most preseason fantasy drafts, but when you look at what you got back from your investments in LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson and Eddie Lacy, Forte has given you everything that you expected, and then some. I don’t usually like to tell you to buy someone like Forte, because it’s too obvious. Who wouldn’t want to own shares in Matt Forte? With both Bears wideouts Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall underperforming this season, just think about where the Bears would be without Forte. Better yet, just think about what heights your fantasy team can hit if you were savvy enough to pull off a trade for him. Offer a Forte owner a two-for-one deal. It would only be right, since he is a premiere running back and wide receiver all rolled into one.

Week 10 Fantasy Football Sells

Eric Decker, WR, NY Jets

Owned in 84% of Fleaflicker leagues

If you drafted Eric Decker this season, you were hoping that Geno Smith would improve upon his disappointing rookie season, and that as the number one receiver for the Jets, Decker’s statistics would remain at the level that we’ve become accustomed to. Unfortunately, none of that happened. The Jets are a mess, Smith’s performance this season has been so horrible that the Jets had to reluctantly bench him, and so far Michael Vick hasn’t been that much better. Decker surely misses Peyton Manning and has been nursing a sore hamstring all season. Despite his best efforts to get on the field every Sunday, his fantasy production has taken a beating. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like it is going to get much better for Decker or the Jets. His fantasy trade value is way down, but with a big game against the Chiefs in Week 9 and six teams on a bye, this might be the week where you can get the most value for him. Put him out there, let your league know he is available. You never know what kind of offers might come your way.

Montee Ball, RB, Denver Broncos

Owned in 75% of Fleaflicker leagues

When a player who has missed several games due to an injury announces that the guy who replaced him is so good that he should keep the starting job, it is time for you to sell this “feeling sorry for myself” kind of guy as soon as you can. The only reason that you should be holding onto Montee Ball at this point is if you own Ronnie Hillman and are looking for some insurance. Ball was a late-first to middle-second-round pick in 12-team leagues (believe me, I know) and whether it was the lingering effects of a preseason appendectomy or whether there were other forces at work, he has been a big bust. You aren’t going to find any takers in the trade market for him. Cut him and use your precious bench spot for someone with some fantasy value.