The trade deadline has come and gone in the NFL. What was supposed to be a huge player swapping event turned into a big dud. Now that the smoke has cleared, we are able to see the landscape of the NFL and how it will turn out over the next couple of weeks. We can see who in the fantasy world will be able to help our teams come playoff time, and we can try to acquire them before the fantasy trade deadline. Let us take a look at some options to keep on our teams, and some that can be let go in our hunt for that elusive title.
STAY
Mark Walton, RB, Dolphins
Mark Walton has seen his carries increase for several weeks now, and the trade deadline was kind to him. The Dolphins shipped off Kenyan Drake to Arizona, making Walton the starter in Miami. While the offense is absolute garbage, the volume is there. He had 11 carries to Kalen Ballage‘s three last week, and that should bode well for his prospects in the future.
Check out Mark Walton on PlayerProfiler’s Updated Weekly Rankings and Projections:
Walton sports a 73.5 (No. 21 among qualified running backs) Run Blocking Efficiency rating. His 4.1 (No. 25) True Yards Per Carry shows that he is able to run out tough yards, even behind the Dolphins offensive line. He’s flashed enough talent to suggest he will hold on to this job going forward. Walton was able to consume a Snap Share above 90.0-percent in Week 8, putting him in feature back territory going forward. The Jets have been weak against opposing ground games this year, so we should be able to start Walton with confidence in Week 9.
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Titans
Ryan Tannehill has been a major upgrade to the Titans passing attack since taking over for an ineffective Marcus Mariota. His +4.04 (No. 14) Supporting Cast Efficiency Rating means he has good pieces to work with. Corey Davis and A.J. Brown have seen season highs in both targets and yardage over the past couple of weeks, and Tannehill will only improve with more playing time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUSVS0kCWUI
Tannehill has posted over 19 points in back to back weeks, and we should expect that trend to continue. He is completing better than 70-percent of his passes, boasting a 5:1 TD: INT ratio in two games as the starter. His 8.9 yards per pass attempt is over a full yard better than Mariota’s.
Josh Reynolds, WR, Rams
Josh Reynolds has shown in recent years that he can step up and be a fantasy contributor when called upon. His College Dominator Rating is in the 80th-percentile, so it’s simply a case of having good players in front of him. Brandin Cooks suffered his second concussion of the 2019 season in Week 8, which opened the door for Reynolds to again show what he can do.
Josh Reynolds Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
Reynolds found the end zone on a 33-yard touchdown catch, and will be in line for more work if Cooks is out for an extended time. He knows how to make big plays, evidenced by his 21.4 (No. 1) Yards Per Reception. The Rams use three wide receivers more than anyone, and Reynolds will be a solid flex start if given the opportunity.
GO
Delanie Walker, TE, Titans
Delanie Walker is a case of age finally catching up to a certain player. He has been injured for a few weeks now, and didn’t even suit up for last week’s contest. His injury is not a good one, being related to the broken ankle he suffered last year that led to him being shut down for the season. The problem is that the Titans seem to have someone waiting in the wings to take over for him in Jonnu Smith. Given how well Smith has played recently, the Titans won’t need to rush Walker back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ytHvmjUtQ
Even if Walker does return, there is no reason to believe he automatically gets his job back. His injury is expected to keep him sidelined for an extended period considering it was a re-aggravation. He has been productive with his 18.8-percent (No. 8) Target Share, but the move to Ryan Tannehill as the starter means the offense will open up. Leave him alone.
Chase Edmonds, RB, Cardinals
Chase Edmonds is nursing a hamstring injury that may sideline him for multiple weeks, so the Cardinals made a trade deadline move for Kenyan Drake. The addition of Drake and the upcoming return to health of David Johnson spells trouble for Edmonds. Even without all that crummy news, he hasn’t exactly been the most efficient back when given opportunities. It’s true that he has had solid games in the wake of the injury to Johnson, but overall he hasn’t been great.
Chase Edmonds Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
Edmonds has three drops on 19 targets, contributing to a 63.2-percent (No. 34) Catch Rate. He has done a decent job running the ball, especially with the state of the Arizona offensive line, but certainly not enough to wrest the job from Drake if he were to return before Johnson is healthy. The time for Edmonds’ fantasy usefulness is at an end.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Packers
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has had a hot and cold couple of weeks. In three of the last four games, he has recorded less than 10 PPR fantasy points. He hit rock bottom last week with only one catch for four yards. It was a huge letdown after MVS went for 133 yards and a score against the Raiders. Week 8 makes four weeks in a row that he has caught two balls or less, which is awful considering the injury to Davante Adams. It is an alarming trend, and Valdes-Scantling is fast becoming a true boom-or-bust receiver in this offense.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
The prevailing theory was that Valdes-Scantling was expected to take over top receiving duties while Adams has been hurt, but that has not come to pass. His 15.0-percent (No. 69) Target Share and 55.0-percent (No. 77) Catch Rate are abysmal. Even if Adams misses another game, the Chargers have been lights out against the pass, and MVS should suffer because of it. Simply look for better options elsewhere.
