Week 8 officially kicks off the second half of the fantasy football regular season. At this point, the likelihood of finding a season-saving option on your league’s waiver wire is far slimmer than it was back in September. Some of you are vigorously working the trade block to bolster your team after having a rough start to the year. Others are on cruise control and are already looking to the playoffs while doing what they can to maximize the value of their roster come Week 14. The importance of understanding each player’s trade value and having a sense of whose stock is primed to either recede or rise is reaching its apex with the fantasy trade deadline closing in for most leagues. That’s why our featured pundits have to come to aid you with their advice on which less productive players are great buy-low options and which overachievers are superb sell-high candidates.

More Trade Advice:
Trade Analyzer | Trade Value Chart | ROS Rankings

Pick Recap

Q1. Who is your favorite buy-low trade candidate at this point in the season and who are you willing to give up for him?

Keenan Allen (WR – LAC) 
“Allen hasn’t been bad, but he’s currently on the back-end of WR2 territory, which is underwhelming for his expectations. Similarly to last season, he has started off “slow,” but with him on a bye in Week 8 and a nice schedule ahead, now is a good time to get him on your team. Coming off his bye week last season (Week 9), Allen was the #1 fantasy wide receiver the rest of way. A package of an RB2 (i.e., Tevin Coleman/Adrian Peterson) and a WR2/3 (Golden Tate, Calvin Ridley, Devin Funchess) should be good enough to get a deal done.”
– Rich Piazza (Fantasy Shed)

David Johnson (RB – ARI) 
“This is definitely the lowest that you can buy DJ. The Broncos game was a rough game script for him with the two pick-sixes, so the Cardinals were behind the eight-ball early. In each of the three games before that, Johnson had at least 20 touches and a score. Most importantly, in Weeks 14 and 15 (the first two weeks of the fantasy playoffs) the Cardinals play the Lions and Falcons who are giving up the sixth- and third-most points respectively to running backs. Fro Johnson, I would trade away James Conner or Christian McCaffrey.”
– Michael Tomlin (SoCalledFanEx)

Doug Baldwin (WR – SEA) 
“With an early season marred by injury maintenance and poor pass-blocking for Russell Wilson, Baldwin has some built-up tarnish on his regular WR1 status. Therefore, some owners of Baldwin may sense an opportunity to move on from Baldwin after posting 91 yards just before the Seahawks’ bye week. The team patched the offensive line to a reasonable form and Baldwin had an extra week of rest. You could possibly start your negotiating with one of the Detroit receivers or other players of like value.”
– Richard Savill (Fantasy Six Pack)

Aaron Rodgers (QB – GB) 
“Rodgers is a player that could prove to be a huge difference-maker down the stretch. After suffering a knee injury in Week 1, he hobbled through the first month of the season. But he’s getting healthier each week, and in case you haven’t noticed, he’s scored 30-plus fantasy points in back-to-back games before his Week 7 bye. Buy low now before it’s too late. Packaging another QB1-type player with an RB or WR off your bench might just get the deal done.”
– Dan Clasgens (Pro Football Focus)

Ronald Jones (RB – TB) 
“Some will shrug off Jones’ 13-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Bucs as nothing, but it was noteworthy that he got the goal-line carry and scored the first rushing touchdown of the Bucs season. Similar to Marlon Mack in Indianapolis, Jones isn’t someone who’s going to consistently get three or four yards. Instead, he’s someone who’s willing to bounce a run outside if it gives him a chance to break one. He’s the better-suited running back for this offense. If you can land him for someone like Ito Smith or T.J. Yeldon, I’d take the upside of Jones.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Stefon Diggs (WR – MIN) 
“I am happy the football world (fantasy and reality) have realized the awesomeness of Adam Thielen. My models have had Thielen>Diggs since early last year and I have plenty of Thielen shares this year. Diggs has done nothing wrong. I still have him as WR8 rest of season – ahead of Odell Beckham Jr. and Keenan Allen among others. I can see swapping one of them or even Antonio Brown for Diggs as part of a multi-player trade.”
– Rudy Gamble (Razzball)

Tyler Lockett (WR – SEA) 
“I would buy Lockett. The Seahawks cannot rely on Doug Baldwin to stay healthy right now, and Lockett is their most dependable playmaker in the passing game. Lockett has been scoring consistently and finally reaching his potential as a WR. If you need WR help and have decent RB depth, an RB3/flex type should be able to net him. Think Doug Martin before he flames out, or see if the other owner still has some faith in Jordan Howard.”
– Scott Engel (RotoExperts)

Q2. Who is your favorite sell-high candidate at this point in the season and what would you try to get in return?

Marlon Mack (RB – IND) 
“Don’t wait too long before you sell Mack. He’s coming off a monster performance and finally is near 100 percent. However, I’m not sold his body can handle large workloads and it’s hard to imagine the Colts playing with the type of lead they enjoyed in Week 7 versus Buffalo. You can likely get a similar range RB plus some additional depth by moving him right now. Perhaps you even wait until after this week’s matchup with Oakland and hope that another big day drives his price tag up even further.”
– Dan Clasgens (Pro Football Focus)

“I was never high on Mack to begin with, and now that he has put together two consecutive good games, it is time to move him. I not only do not trust he can stay healthy, but I also don’t trust the Colts running game and usage of their backs either. They have a decent matchup against Oakland before their bye week, but after that the schedule gets tougher. With running backs more valuable than other positions, you could look for a high-end WR2 with upside (Stefon Diggs, Tyler Boyd, or John Brown).”
– Rich Piazza (Fantasy Shed)

“After productive outings in two straight games, Mack is reaching a point where his fantasy value is ripe for a good trade. Another selling point is the upcoming games between the Dolphins and Raiders — both of which are generous to running backs for fantasy points over the past four weeks. However, Mack remains an injury prone risk. I think one could possibly pry Tarik Cohen or better within a reasonable package.”
– Richard Savill (Fantasy Six Pack)

Christian McCaffrey (RB – CAR) 
“Remember Week 3 when McCaffrey totaled 184 yards on 28 carries and everyone thought he was a new workhorse who was guaranteed 20-plus touches per game? Yeah, that seems like so long ago. He’s totaled just 15 carries over the last two weeks combined and has still yet to score a rushing touchdown this year. With D.J. Moore becoming more involved in the offense and Greg Olsen returning, he’s not going to have as much receiving upside either. There’s many out there who view him as an every-week RB1 based on name value alone, but sans that game against the Bengals where they were down to practically zero defensive linemen, he’s been consistently mediocre. McCaffrey offers a solid floor, but at this point, I’d rather have James White or Mark Ingram.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC) 
“Look, I’m the biggest Mahomer there is as a former Red Raider, but his production is unsustainable. He is on pace to throw for more than 50 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards. That would be the second-best season in the history of football. Regression is coming for him and he has the toughest fantasy playoffs schedule, which includes the Ravens and a trip to Seattle, the two defenses giving up the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. For Mahomes, I would try and get Golden Tate or Keenan Allen.”
– Michael Tomlin (SoCalledFanEx)

Allen Robinson (WR – CHI) 
“He has been valued as a top 15-25 WR all season and it is all based on a great 2015 season. He’s been about WR50 this year and I do not see that changing materially rest of season. Find an owner who still buys the hype + the Trubiskaissance and swap him for a better WR.”
– Rudy Gamble (Razzball)

Tevin Coleman (RB – ATL)
“I would sell on Coleman. There is a widespread perception that he will continue to be a productive lead RB on a high-scoring offense. But the yardage numbers have not been there overall since Devonta Freeman went down, and he will continue to lose touches to Ito Smith. You may able to land a mid- to low-range WR2 for Coleman. You could target a Jarvis Landry type or set your sights a bit lower for a Kenny Golladay.”
– Scott Engel (RotoExperts)

Thank you to the experts for naming their trade candidates. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice.

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