If your trade deadline hasn’t already passed, then it’s likely your absolute last chance to make a move that can push you to the playoffs or further solidify your championship chances. This is when the best fantasy owners examine each NFL team’s remaining strength of schedule while taking into account which players have the most upside and the best situations to help them identify their top trade targets. The inverse is also true when looking for who to pawn off. With that being said, identifying which athletes to buy or sell can be tricky, and the consequences for being on the wrong side of a deadline deal are dire. Fortunately, our featured pundits have put their research and expertise to the test and have shared their favorite trade candidates to aid you in creating that last-minute, season-winning deal.

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

Pick Recap

 
Q1. With trade deadlines ahead, who is your top buy target and what would you give up to get him?

David Johnson (RB – ARI) 
“The buy-low window on Johnson disappeared with the long-awaited ouster of Mike McCoy, but I think plenty of upside remains, even at his current price. Since Byron Leftwich has taken over as OC, he is averaging 6.5 targets, 5.5 receptions, and 63 yards — all up markedly over the season’s first seven weeks. He’ll face the second-easiest schedule for fantasy RBs the rest of the way, and has been the 11th-best back over that three-week stretch. I’d consider giving Joe Mixon or other borderline RB1s if the price was right.”
– Jon Collins (Fantasy Sports LR)

Mitch Trubisky (QB – CHI) 
“We consider Cam Newton an elite fantasy quarterback, right? At what point do we realize that Trubisky is a very similar option. While they don’t offer consistency in the passing game from week-to-week, their legs can carry them through. Look at their numbers side-by-side. Trubisky has 2,304 yards and 19 passing touchdowns. Newton has 2,086 yards and 17 passing touchdowns. Trubisky has 320 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Newton has 352 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. You may want to wait until after this week to buy him if able, as he’ll play the Vikings’ extremely tough defense, but he won’t have another brutal matchup for the remainder of the season. I’d give up Tom Brady for him.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Aaron Jones (RB – GB) 
“Finally free! After several weeks of stubbornness from Mike McCarthy, he finally decided to use Jones properly. In Week 10 he played in 74% of the snaps and had 83% of the carries and 100% of RB targets. he also has a favorable rest of the season schedule. In Weeks 13 to 16 his only tough matchup will be against the Bears. I would give up players like Alex Collins, Lamar Miller, Kerryon Johnson, Matt Breida, Jarvis Landry, Josh Gordon, or John Brown.”
– Mauricio Gutierrez (Estadio Fantasy)

Amari Cooper (WR – DAL)
“I don’t love the Cowboys’ offense, but they sure are getting a nice schedule, and the addition of Cooper should boost up the whole offense. I’m interested in Dak Prescott but you could possibly get him off waivers. If I’m going after a trade, I’d lean toward Cooper, who has already taken over as the uncontested No. 1 receiver and will get matchups at Atlanta, Washington, New Orleans, Philadelphia, at Indianapolis, and Tampa Bay. Four of his last five games will be at home against weak pass defenses and strong enough offenses, for the most part, to push Dallas to throw more than they want. I could see giving up Adrian Peterson due to a tough schedule and limited receiving work.”
– Chet Gresham (WalterFootball)

Alex Collins (RB – BAL) 
“Collins is coming off his most difficult stretch of the season, which included four straight matchups with teams ranked inside the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to running backs. Fortunately, his schedule is about to flip completely following the Ravens’ bye, setting him up with five of the most generous run defenses in the NFL. And if dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson gets under center, that’ll provide an even bigger boost to Baltimore’s rushing attack. Collins will be a solid RB2 the rest of the way, more valuable than stars like Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson.”
– Justin Boone (theScore)

Q2. Who are you trying to unload now and what would you accept in return?

Adrian Peterson (RB – WAS)
“Gift season is beginning, so wrap Peterson and offer him to someone immediately. Yes, he has had an amazing and surprising season but his numbers are in free fall recently. His remaining schedule is brutal with five very tough matchups against top-20 defenses. The tougher matchups will be in the fantasy playoffs (Weeks 15 & 16) versus the Jaguars (seventh-best defense against RBs) and the Titans second best). Offer him without hesitation in return for players like Dalvin Cook, Mark Ingram, Leonard Fournette, or Aaron Jones.”
– Mauricio Gutierrez (Estadio Fantasy)

“Peterson gets a murderer’s row of matchups, with Houston, at Dallas, at Philadelphia, N.Y. Giants, at Jacksonville, and at Tennessee. Four road games and the Giants as the only good matchup is not the recipe for big fantasy points. Peterson’s value wildly fluctuates between standard and PPR scoring, so in standard, I’d want more in return. Someone like Alex Collins, who has a great rest of season schedule, would be my first choice.”
– Chet Gresham (WalterFootball)

Andrew Luck (QB – IND) 
“It’s hard not to be impressed with Luck’s strong run over the last month of the season. But if I’m in a shallow league where I can get something for the brand name and find a suitable replacement on the wire or any situation where I am already holding one on my bench, I’d see what the brand name would net in return at this point. The Colts are on an amazing run of not allowing their QB to be sacked in any of his last four games, but the sledding is going to get much tougher from here. Starting this week with Tennessee, four of their remaining six opponents (they get the Titans twice, closing with them in Week 17) rank in the top 10 in scoring defense. I’d unload him off a high now before what could be a regression game this weekend. Return price is all relative here, but I’d trade him for a seemingly lesser QB and a WR3 in return, or try to get a serviceable back (say a Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay, or Tarik Cohen type) out of a league mate with some depth at the position.”
– Jon Collins (Fantasy Sports LR)

A.J. Green (WR – CIN) 
“Whenever you hear that a pass catcher has a foot injury, run the other way. When we posted Green as a sell last week, there were plenty of fantasy owners who came to his defense, saying that it was maybe a one-to-two week injury. It’s those owners you want to sell Green to. The report was that he’d be out one-to-two weeks, and then they’d re-visit where he’s at. This Bengals team is going nowhere in a hurry and will likely be out of the playoff race sooner rather than later, giving Green little reason to return. If you can get someone like Amari Cooper or Allen Robinson for him, you should.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Eric Ebron (TE – IND) 
“In a year where consistent tight end production has been incredibly elusive, Ebron’s 10 touchdowns have given his fantasy owners a massive advantage. With Ebron’s three-score day fresh in everyone’s mind, you need to sell him as fast as possible before people notice his snaps and targets have both declined considerably since Jack Doyle returned to the lineup. That may not have impacted Ebron’s production yet, but his reduced usage in the Colts’ offense will soon be felt in the box score. Float a few offers out to tight end-needy owners, with your target being a WR3 in return.”
– Justin Boone (theScore)

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.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS