We have officially passed Week 7 of both the NFL and College Football season. With all of this new information flooding in, let’s take a look at some buy-low candidates for the fantasy season, on top of looking into a couple of sell-high players, trade targets, and waiver wire additions you should make!
Buy Low Candidates
NFL:
Anthony Richardson – Quarterback
Anthony Richardson did not have a good game this weekend. He looked inaccurate, visibly shaken up, and brought the fantasy value down of literally every other player around him. However, this makes for a perfect buy-low option, as he still retains his value on the ground. Once Richardson fully heals up and improves upon his accuracy, he should be a force.
- Chase Brown – Running Back
Chase Brown had under 10 fantasy points this weekend and was out-snapped by Zack Moss for the second straight week. However, there resides a ton of fantasy value for Brown in this Cincinnati Bengals offense, both as a player and a handcuff.
- Tyreek Hill – Wide Receiver
This is probably the last week that Tyreek Hill will be a buy-low option in fantasy. He is expected to get his quarterback on the field again this week, with Tua Tagovailoa returning to practice with the hopes of playing. With Tua on the field, Hill’s fantasy value skyrockets. Without him, he doesn’t do much of anything.
- TJ Hockenson – Tight End
Perhaps you’ve been keeping a close eye on TJ Hockenson, and you noticed that he is expected to return to the active roster this upcoming week. For some managers, they might not be fully caught up and hoping to move on from the veteran tight end. When Hockenson returns, expect a ton of points on a Minnesota Vikings offense that is surprisingly efficient.
College:
Dillon Gabriel – Quarterback
Dillon Gabriel had his lowest point total of the season, with just 18 last weekend against Purdue in a blowout win. He’s been solid all season long, though this is the only opportunity for a buy-low offer, especially considering that he’s turned the ball over quite a bit lately, throwing four interceptions in the last four weeks.
- Donovan Edwards – Running Back
Donovan Edwards had just three points for the second time this season. He had seven rushes for 37 scoreless yards, no involvement in the passing game, and lost a fumble. He’s stuck in the middle of a committee, and fumbles will likely cost him. There is still immense talent here though, and his value is likely significantly lower to the point a trade might be beneficial even if he doesn’t pan out.
- De’Zhaun Stribling – Wide Receiver
De’Zhaun Stribling, for the first time in his career, was held without a reception this weekend. He had three targets without a tally. It is such a shock that he is a perfect buy-low candidate now. The wideout had seen at least seven targets in every other contest in 2024 so far, and he’s surpassed 50 receiving yards in all of those contests. Not to mention that he’s scored four touchdowns in four games, not counting the most recent outing.
- Brant Kuithe – Tight End
Brant Kuithe can be deceiving. On the surface, it might seem like he’s not scoring a lot. What you might miss is that he’s yet to have a game under five fantasy points, and at tight end, that’s consistency that people look for. He’s receiving over eight targets in all but one contest as well. Couple all of this with a 5.5-point showing last weekend in a loss, and Kuithe could be up for grabs.
Sell High Candidates
NFL:
- Baker Mayfield – Quarterback
Baker Mayfield ends up on this list for interesting circumstances. He’s a great quarterback, the best in fantasy football right now, but he lost both of his top weapons. For the remainder of the season, we’ll have to keep an eye out for him to be the same guy he was before he lost Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Perhaps you shouldn’t ship him off just yet, but just keep an eye out for this moving forward.
- Chuba Hubbard – Running Back
It feels like the Chuba Hubbard show has passed. Hubbard and the Carolina Panthers offense overall has regressed now that defenses have gotten a hold of what Andy Dalton wants to do. What is even worse about Hubbard’s future production is that rookie Jonathan Brooks is expected to come back soon, taking even more value away from Hubbard.
- Diontae Johnson – Wide Receiver
It isn’t surprising to see two Panthers on this sell list. The offense looks miserable again and doesn’t appear to have any answers to fix it. Even if Bryce Young comes back into play, Johnson’s fantasy value doesn’t look good, with him scoring just eight PPR points per game under Young. Either way, it looks like bad games are on the horizon.
- Hunter Henry – Tight End
I’d like to have faith in Hunter Henry now that Drake Maye is the starter in New England, but it is just difficult. Henry just put up eight receptions for 92 yards this weekend. His second-best game of the season, with the first seeing him have eight receptions for 109 yards. However, outside of those two matchups, he’s failed to catch more than three passes in a game and hasn’t received over 41 yards. This could just be a sell-high game.
College:
- Ethan Garbers – Quarterback
Ethan Garbers just dropped 42 fantasy points and five total touchdowns last weekend against Rutgers, making him a very viable sell-high candidate. Aside from this performance, Garbers has surpassed 10 fantasy points just twice, with both of those being 14 and 15-point games respectively.
- Desmond Claiborne – Running Back
I don’t know what to feel about Desmond Claiborne. He just had 24 rushes for 60 yards, just 2.5 yards per carry, though he scored two touchdowns to salvage the day. Claiborne just doesn’t run effectively very consistently; he’s had three different games where he’s received at least 11 rush attempts and averaged less than three yards per carry. I think this might be more of a sell-high game, but he’s a total wildcard.
- Josh Cameron – Wide Receiver
Josh Cameron is heavily touchdown dependent. He’s scored a touchdown in three straight games, scoring six in that span. However, his yardage is far too hot and cold for my liking. This weekend, he had 75 yards, and last week, he had 10. The first week of the season, he had 63 yards, the week after, he had six. That inconsistency makes him a sell-high candidate.
- Blake Bosma – Tight End
Blake Bosma was great this weekend, bringing in six receptions for 85 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, it was the first time that he had surpassed 60 receiving yards in a game all season, and he had just two touchdowns in four games before this standout showing. He’s a scoring threat, but the consistency is questionable. He Could be worth holding onto for a bit longer, or you could sell him high now.
Strategic Insights
The best way that you can identify buy-low opportunities is to look for players that other managers seem to be bullish on. Players that might be on a cold stretch, or have gotten injured recently, look at their potential down the line. As for sell-high opportunities, if you foresee a player potentially dropping in production soon, then take advantage of their current value and ship them off for a great return rather than waiting and getting nothing when they drop off.
An example of a buy-low strategy would have been last season. Let’s say you see Puka Nacua get drafted and you had high hopes for him in the NFL, but the manager that owned him didn’t feel that way. You could aggressively try and trade for him because you see past his draft position and look at his potential. Then, Nacua has his breakout season, and you got him for almost nothing. The same goes the other way, if you have Tyreek Hill who says that he’s going to retire around 31, and you know he’s getting up there despite being a top player at his position, you can trade him away at peak value before he retires and get a great return.
Trade Targets
NFL:
- Jared Goff – Quarterback
Jared Goff is always thought to be a solid fantasy quarterback, but not great. Lately, he’s thrown multiple touchdowns in multiple games, while simultaneously completing almost every pass that he attempts. The run game is still strong in Detroit, but Goff is proving that he’s worth a start.
- Brian Robinson Jr. – Running Back
Brian Robinson is just a great fantasy player to have on your squad. It feels like he’s always getting the ball near the red zone, scoring touchdowns, and getting a ton of carries, while also hammering away at defenses to exhaust them late. Plus, with the Washington Commanders offense being good again, his value is even greater.
- Davante Adams – Wide Receiver
Davante Adams didn’t have a great debut on the New York Jets, but this won’t last long. Both he and Aaron Rodgers are too competitive to just let this become the norm. I fully expect Adams to get more integrated into the offense as the season progresses, and that the Jets offense as a whole should score more points sooner rather than later.
- Brock Bowers – Tight End
Brock Bowers is on a generational type of pace for the tight end position right now. He’s seeing a ton of targets, receptions, and yards in this Las Vegas Raiders passing attack that doesn’t have many weapons. He’s a hard piece to pry away from someone, but there is no reason why he shouldn’t be a trade candidate for your squad right now.
College:
- Hajj-Malik Williams – Quarterback
Hajj-Malik Williams is proving himself to be consistent in terms of fantasy production. His passing numbers haven’t been great lately, though he’s scoring touchdowns. Last weekend, he didn’t go great through the air but salvaged the day with 65 rushing yards and two scores on top of his passing numbers. He’s had four straight games over 27 fantasy points, and he isn’t started much. He could be a productive trade target.
- Tawee Walker – Running Back
Tawee Walker will stay in this spot for a second straight week because this might be the last chance to go after him before he becomes untouchable. He has scored eight touchdowns in just five games, taken over as the official number one back, and has rushed over 20 times in each of the last two games (both games going for over 100 yards). Yet somehow, he’s rostered in only 60 percent of leagues and started in just 40. If he’s on someone’s bench, try to pry him away.
- Jerjuan Newton – Wide Receiver
If you’re looking for touchdowns, Jerjuan Newton is your guy. He’s going to be tough to trade for, but some managers might not know what they have with him. He’s scored six touchdowns in just five games this season and has seen at least seven targets in all but one game. He receives passing volume and is always a threat to score.
- Joe Royer – Tight End
Joe Royer is having a quiet but consistent season in Cincinnati. He’s seen at least four targets in each game this season, only having one game under six as well. He’s also scored a touchdown and has yet to have held under 27 receiving yards, surpassing 40 on three different occasions. For a position that doesn’t always have consistency, Royer is providing exactly that.
Strategic Insights:
The best advice that I can give regarding trades is to be respectful to the other managers. Don’t horrendously lowball somebody for a player, and don’t insult them to make trades. Be nice and respectful and understand the value that you’re going for. Your first offer should be just thrown out there to see what happens, but both you and the other manager should just slowly throw offers out to see what works for each of you.
Waiver Wire Watch
NFL:
- Jameis Winston – Quarterback
Deshaun Watson will miss the remainder of the season, and the Cleveland Browns could turn to Jameis Winston if Dorian Thompson-Robinson doesn’t show up ready to play. Winston is a veteran who can throw four touchdowns and four interceptions in the same game if you give him the green light. For fantasy purposes, he’s nice to have stashed away.
- Jaylen Warren – Running Back
Slowly but surely, Jaylen Warren is stealing snaps away from Najee Harris. The snap share was close to 50/50 last week, and Warren is seemingly getting his legs back under him after missing action due to an injury. Over time, Warren likely becomes the beneficiary of any missteps from Najee.
- Jauan Jennings – Wide Receiver
If Jauan Jennings is still available in your league, grab him right now. Brandon Aiyuk is done for the season after a brutal knee injury and Deebo Samuel was recently hospitalized with fluid in his lungs. Both should miss time and that opens the door for Jennings to become the top dog in the receiving room again.
- Cade Otton – Tight End
Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are likely sidelined for an extended period of time in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense that loves to throw the ball down the field. This leaves Cade Otton as the sole guy Baker Mayfield trusts early on, and we should see that quickly this weekend.
College:
- Sawyer Robertson – Quarterback
Sawyer Robertson has been unbelievable in the past month, averaging 36 fantasy points per game in that span. He’s thrown for over 1,000 yards, thrown 13 touchdowns, and rushed for 151 yards with two additional scores under his belt. At this point, he deserves to be picked up.
- AJ Turner – Running Back
AJ Turner helped Marshall win their third game in their last four matchups. He’s turned 50 carries into 463 yards and four touchdowns in the last four games, and Marshall overall is scoring over 34 points per game at the moment. Turner, just last weekend, had 207 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. He’s worth a look if Marshall keeps exploding on offense.
- Tru Edwards – Wide Receiver
Tru Edwards is coming off his first career multi-touchdown game, bringing in nine receptions for 110 yards as well. In just a five-game span, he has put together 32 catches for 445 yards and four touchdowns. He’s a speedy playmaker that always seems to find the ball, I like his odds to keep on performing.
- Dorian Fleming – Tight End
Dorian Fleming had nine targets last weekend, bringing in seven of them for 66 yards. It was the second time this season that he had surpassed 58 receiving yards, and the third time he’s seen at least nine targets. Rostered in just 25 percent of leagues, his high target share makes him worth a pickup.
Strategic Insights
The easiest way to prioritize waiver wire claims is to simply rank the players you want before going after them. Take them one at a time and understand that you’re not going to get all of them. Waiver wire claims usually go based on the order you place them in, so target your top guys first.
At the end of the day, it is very important to keep up with things every week, otherwise, key players can slip through your fingers. Be sure to consistently search for buy-low, and sell-high opportunities, relentlessly look through the waiver wire markets, and don’t be afraid to shoot out a couple of trade offers if you’re interested. Use all of the above information to keep yourself at the top of the standings.