As fantasy football trade deadlines approach we have just a few weeks left to improve our teams via trade to make that final push to a fantasy football title. One tip to leverage for those fringe playoff teams is to try and “buy” an extra week in your fantasy football trades, ideally against a stronger opponent. This means to trade for a player who has already had their bye week in exchange for a player who hasn’t.
If done to perfection (or through luck), the player that you’re trading away will also have their bye week when you’re playing the person that you traded with, thus giving you an extra player and subtracting a stud from your opponent’s lineup. That’s just a tip to keep in mind when looking for fantasy football trades, although it shouldn’t be the root cause of the trade. We always want to focus on improving our team, but if it comes to the detriment of our opponent, it is even better. Let’s take a look at who to buy and sell ahead of Week 10.
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Fantasy Football Week 10 Buy Trade Targets
Cedric Tillman (WR, CLE)
Tillman has been on a tear since the Browns traded Amari Cooper away. Over the last three weeks, he has been the number-one wide receiver in all of fantasy, averaging over 22 points per game. He has posted a 24-percent target share and earned 32 targets over this span, the most of any wide receiver. This isn’t a fluke either, Tillman is consistently getting open and making spectacular catches. Now is the perfect time to buy Tillman as the Browns head to their bye and managers may not be sure he’s the real deal. Everything we’re seeing says that he is a star in the making, and he’s in the perfect situation with Jameis Winston airing it out for the Browns.
James Conner (RB, ARI)
Conner has been impossible to take down this season, with a league-leading 47 missed tackles forced. Najee Harris is in second, and he has 11 less at 36! Conner has seen workhorse usage, and this offense runs through him. He’s averaging just over 19 opportunities (rushes + targets) per game, and what is particularly exciting is his receiving utilization. Conner has seen at least three targets in five straight games. His solid fantasy performance in Week 9 could have been so much greater if he wasn’t vultured on two touchdowns. Tight end Trey McBride scored a two-yard rushing touchdown, and rookie running back Trey Benson scored a one-yard rushing touchdown. Missing out on two scores that we would usually see Conner for has opened up a buy window for the veteran running back.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB, NYG)
Tracy has taken over this Giants backfield as the primary running back, and he’s not giving the job up. He saw 70-percent of the running back carries and 100-percent of the running back targets in Week 9. It led to just 69 scrimmage yards, but we’ve seen how explosive he can be, with 100+ scrimmage yards in three of his five starts. The Giants have the fifth-easiest strength of schedule for running backs for the rest of the season, and now is the time to buy Tracy off of a down week.
Fantasy Football Week 10 Sell Trade Targets
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB, NE)
Stevenson has been incredibly inefficient on the ground since returning from injury in Week 7. According to Pro Football Focus, his 2.2 yards per carry in this span rank dead last among 54 qualified running backs. Rhamondre has scored a touchdown in each of the last two weeks despite accumulating just 65 and 54 yards in those two outings. The Patriots are averaging just 15.7 points per game (third worst), so it’s hard to rely on that type of scoring production without the yardage to back it up.
D.J. Moore (WR, CHI)
Moore has been a massive disappointment through nine weeks of the football season. He’s surpassed 12 points in full PPR just twice on the season despite seeing a 25-percent target share in this Bears offense. His targets have been declining in recent weeks, with just 18 over his previous three games. It doesn’t seem to matter whether he gets targets or not, as he’s only accumulated 35 or more receiving yards once in his last five games. It may be hard to sell after three duds in a row, but they’ve come in all relatively good to great matchups. Now is the time to cut your losses while you can with his name value.
Kareem Hunt (RB, KC)
Hunt has been an absolute workhorse in Isiah Pacheco‘s absence. However, he has zero breakaway runs and is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and 3.9 yards per touch. With Pacheco’s return looming, now is the time to cash in on Hunt. He’ll likely continue to see work as Pacheco is eased back into the offense, but the lack of efficiency will kill his fantasy value when his volume is greatly reduced. He’s also benefitted from an incredibly favorable schedule, facing off against three of the bottom ten defenses against running backs.
Remember not to be too reactionary when trading and look at the bigger picture. There is so much nuance to trading in fantasy football, but as a reminder, here are some things to pay attention to: usage, efficiency regression (positive or negative), strength of schedule, bye weeks, roster construction, and desperation. Always try to look at the bigger picture and figure out a way to make it into the playoffs if you’re a fringe team. Don’t allow yourself to get too caught up in “winning” a trade. If your team improves, then it’s a win! Happy trading.
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