Sell Low
Jordan Love (QB-GB) – There is a way that the Tucker Kraft injury could help Love’s value. Kraft, like George Kittle, probably contributes more as a blocker than he does as a receiver, even keeping in mind that he has added as much value as a receiver as any tight end in the league before his injury. The Packers may have to pass more with a running game that stalls out more often without Kraft, especially without the threat of him becoming a receiver after throwing a block. It is probably more likely that the whole offense shrinks without Kraft. Love’s fantasy value has been kept afloat by games against Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Washington’s poor pass defenses. He might not have a good fantasy game for the rest of the season with Kraft gone and the creampuffs behind him on the calendar.
Buy Low
Baker Mayfield (QB-TB) – Mayfield was nursing multiple injuries going into the bye. They were probably affecting more than we knew in his poor Week 7 and 8 fantasy showings. He is healthier, he should be getting his right tackle, RB1, and slot receiver back soon, and Mayfield faces the NFC South and Miami from Weeks 14-17. The best is yet to come for this offense and Mayfield’s fantasy value.
Christian Watson (WR-GB) – If there is a way for Jordan Love to be the savior of the Packers offense, it will probably involve a lot of Christian Watson. His deep speed is intact after his ACL tear, and he should only get better as plays more after a year layoff. Love and Watson were hooking up for big plays with regularity before both of the receiver’s season-ending injuries, so as long as he can stay healthy, Watson should be posting bigger fantasy games soon.
Ken Walker III, Zach Charbonnet (RB-SEA) – This is another reminder to try to get a share or even the entire Seahawks running game while it is in a slump. The addition of Rashid Shaheed and high level of play from Sam Darnold almost insures that there will more light boxes and defenses focused on taking away the deep ball. Walker is the preferred target as he got the majority of the snaps and all three red zone opportunities in the laugher against Washington coming out of the bye. Charbonnet is still a good pickup simply for his Walker injury upside because Walker isn’t known for sense of self-preservation as a runner.
Isaiah Likely (TE-BAL), Derrick Henry (RB-BAL) – Lamar Jackson’s return should lift all of the boats in the Ravens offense eventually, but Likely and Henry are two to try to get in now before their prices go up. Likely caught three balls for 60 yards on four targets and clearly has chunk play chemistry with Jackson. The Ravens tight ends caught three scores last week, and Likely didn’t get any of them. That will change as Likely had six scores last year. If Mark Andrews goes down, Likely becomes a top five tight end. Next year, he’ll be the starter. Overpay in dynasty leagues if you have to. Henry still has two more games left against Cincinnati in Weeks 13 and 15. With the possible week winning scores there along with the increased chances of breakaway runs for the rest of the season as long as Jackson is out there, Henry is being vastly underestimated because of the ho hum games leading into and during Jackson’s absence.
Geno Smith (QB-LV) – Maybe it’s just as simple as this: Smith is a viable high ceiling streamer/QB2/Superflex when a healthy Brock Bowers is out. He has been in two out of two games when that was true this season. We’ll know for sure after he and the Raiders go to Denver on Thursday. Smith is probably dirt cheap in dynasty superflex leagues even though he was one of the best fantasy quarterbacks of Week 9.
Buy High
Sam Darnold (QB-SEA) – Darnold was already flying high without Rashid Shaheed. Now with the addition of Shaheed – who offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak knows from their time together in New Orleans when it looked like the Saints might have one of the best offenses in the league for two weeks – Darnold and this offense can take their success to another level. He is probably undervalued as it is because of how long it took for him to hit his ceiling.
Jameson Williams (WR-DET) – Williams has had two good weeks in the last three, but he is probably still undervalued because of how disappointing he was in the first half of the season. The Lions will play all of their games from Weeks 12-17 indoors.
Sell High
Caleb Williams (QB-CHI) – Williams had an afternoon to remember in Cincinnati. He caught a score and threw a game-winning 58-yard touchdown in the waning seconds. But it was Cincinnati – which has both a terrible defense and a high-flying pass offense with Joe Flacco at the helm. The Bears want to be a run-first low pass volume team, as they were in Week 6 and 7 wins, when Williams completed 32 passes for 424 yards, one touchdown and one interception – across both games. He did also have a rushing touchdown, but it is the only one he has had in the last seven games. This wasn’t a breakout game for Williams, but you might be able to sell him to someone who thinks it was.
Josh Jacobs (RB-GB) – It’s hard to say how much losing Tucker Kraft will hurt the running game, but it won’t be trivial. Jacobs is yet to top 100 rushing yards in a game. Ten rushing touchdowns – including three straight games with two – are more responsible for more of his value this season than his 141 carries that have only amassed 534 yards. What happens if those touchdowns dry up? Jacobs is more likely to be an RB2 than an RB1 going forward.
Joe Flacco (QB-CIN) – Listen to Joe Goodberry, who knows the Bengals tendencies as well as anyone. Three road games in four after the bye will bring Flacco and this offense back down to earth. If Flacco is your QB2 in 1QB league or one of multiple QB2/Superflex options behind your QB1, cash him in during his bye. Eventually he turns back into a pumpkin.
Sell High?
Daniel Jones (QB-IND), Jonathan Taylor (RB-IND) – How worried are you about Daniel Jones rough Week 9? Our own Matt Waldman thinks that the Steelers showed the rest of the league a blueprint for exposing him in this offense. Jones will face the Falcons in Week 10. They can pressure the quarterback and force turnovers like Pittsburgh did, and make Taylor much less important in the game flow and fantasy matchups. It’s also possible that the Steelers had an inspired performance that won’t be reproduced by Atlanta or any other defense this season. If you have Jones, but have had a nagging feeling that this stretch of good play wouldn’t last forever, it might be time to get out. Similarity if you can make a lateral move from Taylor to someone like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs in a redraft league, it might be time to do it. Trust your gut.
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