This past week in the NFL can only be summed up by one word: CHAOS! There were surprising results all over the place on Sunday, from outright upsets to top fantasy football contributions from some unexpected players. It’s very easy to get down and develop the mindset of a defeatist following the topsy-turvy week that was. However, when it comes to fantasy football trades, sometimes surprising results can be your best friend as a manager. While some owners might fall victim to the deadly overreaction, you can remain level-headed and look to capitalize on the chaos with some fantasy football buy low, sell high trade targets ahead of Week 10.
Read on for this week’s fantasy football buy low, sell high candidates, including Darrel Henderson, Tee Higgins, Melvin Gordon and Kyle Pitts. The following breakdowns and analyses can be used to help guide your trade discussions and weigh fantasy football player values heading into Week 10.
Fantasy Football Buy Low Players | Week 10
Darrell Henderson | RB, Los Angeles Rams
For managers looking to bolster their rosters by acquiring a top-tier running back, Darrell Henderson might just be the perfect buy-low option ahead of Week 10. The entire Rams team forgot to show up against the Derrick Henry-less Tennesse Titans on Sunday. The fact that the ugly performance came in primetime could further benefit trade discussions. When healthy, Henderson is the clear lead back in the Rams’ offense. Health was a concern for him as he briefly exited L.A.’s Week 9 debacle with an ankle injury. He managed to return to the game but only finished with 8.8 fantasy points.
While the fantasy production was limited, Henderson likely didn’t cost many owners their matchups by himself. He did so despite playing only 60% of the team’s offensive snaps due to the mid-game injury absence. Henderson averaged five yards per carry and pumped up his PPR fantasy line with a trio of receptions. At the ever-changing RB position, finding consistent weekly volume cannot be taken for granted. Henderson is a player who will continue to provide that during the second half of the season so long as he remains healthy. You just might be able to snag him at a discount after this past week’s RB37 showing.
Brandon Aiyuk | San Francisco 49ers
The buy-low window on Brandon Aiyuk is rapidly closing, but there still might be an opportunity to trade for him at a discount from an unsuspecting owner heading into Week 10. After overcoming a preseason injury, Aiyuk has now also earned back the trust of Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers’ coaching staff. One need not look any further than his percentage of snaps played in the past two games for proof. Week 9 saw Aiyuk on the field for 93% of San Francisco’s offensive plays run. He made good on the increased role for the second straight week, catching six of eight targets for 89 yards. He also added 34 yards rushing to finish with a season-high 17.7 PPR fantasy points.
With defenses keying in on Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, it’s reasonable to expect Aiyuk to get a fair share of targets on a weekly basis moving forward. While the 49ers would prefer his production come in victorious efforts, fantasy football managers will take it any way they can. Talent is not a concern for the former first-round draft pick. Opportunity and playing time have been the only things holding him back this season, With favorable matchups looming, this could very well be the last week to acquire Aiyuk on the cheap.
Tee Higgins | WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Second-year Bengals wideout Tee Higgins has been overshadowed through the first half of the season by his rookie teammate, Ja’Marr Chase. That hasn’t stopped the former Clemson standout from quietly being one of the most consistent WR2-WR3 options in fantasy football. Higgins has seen a minimum of five targets come his way in every game he has played this season. Since returning to the lineup after missing Weeks 3-4 with an injury, he has been targeted six times in every game. This past week saw him haul in six of eight passes thrown his way for 78 yards. He finished with 13.8 PPR fantasy points, his sixth double-digit fantasy point outing in seven games played.
As defenses continue to hone in on Chase, this figures to benefit other Cincinnati pass-catchers. While Tyler Boyd is also a factor, Higgins has been far more consistent. He clearly has a rapport with and the trust of QB Joe Burrow. The lack of a true eye-popping game to date leaves the door open for managers to trade for him at less than his true fantasy value.
Fantasy Football Sell High Players | Week 10
Melvin Gordon | RB, Denver Broncos
Veteran running back Melvin Gordon continues to defy his low snap count and provide consistent fantasy football contributions for his owners. He piled up 80 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in the Broncos’ stunning Week 9 blowout of the Dallas Cowboys. Gordon also added a pair of receptions to finish as the RB7 this past week with 17.8 PPR fantasy points. He is now the RB15 overall on the season. Incredibly, Gordon is achieving this production despite working in a near-dead-even timeshare with rookie RB Javonte Williams. The fact that the RB15 on the season has not played more than 60% of offensive snaps in any game this season defies and all traditional fantasy logic.
So long as he remains healthy, it’s quite conceivable that Gordon will continue to operate as the Broncos’ lead back by a slim margin. Perhaps even more incredulous than Gordon’s production is the fact that Javonte Williams is the RB24 on the year through nine weeks despite playing over 50% of the team’s snaps just once. It should be noted that one critical element of Gordon’s success has been his ability to score a touchdown in nearly every game. He has failed to score double-digit fantasy points in three of the four weeks where he did not find the end zone. That’s about as TD-dependent as it gets. With Denver on bye in Week 11, owners who need to win now should not hesitate to shop the sixth-year RB around.
Marquise Brown | WR, Baltimore Ravens
In a season filled with ups and downs for Marquise Brown, Week 9 turned out to be a major peak. With the Ravens falling behind big, they were forced to air it out more than usual as they attempted to come from behind against the Minnesota Vikings. ‘Hollywood’ Brown proved to be a big part of that eventual overtime win. He caught nine of 12 targets on the afternoon and finished with 116 yards receiving. As a result, Brown was able to turn in his third-highest PPR point total of the season (20.6) despite never scoring a touchdown.
While desperate fantasy football managers might be willing to pay up for Brown following this performance, the production doesn’t appear to be sustainable based on his numbers from the Ravens’ first seven games. Prior to Baltimore’s Week 8 bye, there was a perfect correlation between Brown finding the end zone and him achieving double-digit fantasy points. This past week marked the first time he broke 10 fantasy points in a game where he didn’t score at least one TD. The Ravens aren’t likely to be trailing in many games the way they were on Sunday. This will allow them to lean on the run game, which is what they would prefer to do anyways. In addition, the continued emergence of rookie wideout Rashod Bateman and the eventual return of the injured veteran Sammy Watkins could cut into Brown’s target share.
Kyle Pitts | TE, Atlanta Falcons
The initial reaction for many fantasy football managers to Calvin Ridley stepping away from the sport was to pump up the value of rookie tight end Kyle Pitts. Well, after two weeks without Ridley, it is clear that this was a mistake. Pitts has all the talent in the world, but he is still a rookie. He is also now a rookie who is easily the most dangerous pass-catcher in the Falcons’ offense. As a result, defenses are keying in on the former Florida Gators star. Pitts will likely be great one day, but it’s a tall ask for him to beat defensive coverage schemes specifically designed to take him away in his first season.
We have seen the scenario outlined above play out to a tee in each of the last two weeks. Pitts has caught just five of 13 targets and failed to crack double-digit PPR fantasy points in either game. However, he still has the high snap count and target share to aid you in trade efforts to sell him high.
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