The NBA is back. Fans have seen some surprising results early on. The Pacers, Pelicans, and Kings have yet to win a game. The Warriors were dominated in two of their first three. None of those teams are panicking. You should do the same with your fantasy roster. It is too early to panic. Three or four games is not enough of a sample.
That does not mean you should not try to take advantage of another owner’s panic. Here are five players that should be moved in fantasy leagues.
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Buy
A look at three players that fantasy managers should acquire for the remainder of the year.
Mike Conley (UTA – PG)
Conley had a consensus ADP of 54 this season. He is coming off a season where he finished 30th on the FantasyPros Player Rater.
Conley moved to Utah this offseason, and he is still settling in. The 32-year-old guard has produced four poor shooting performances in a row to start the year. That places him 253rd on the Player Rater.
The veteran point guard will finish inside the top 50 this season. He will get acclimated and be the same Conley fans remember. Some managers will be concerned given his age and new situation. You should take advantage of that.
Eric Bledsoe (MIL – PG/SG)
Bledsoe surprisingly played on opening night. He suffered a rib injury during a preseason game and was expected to miss the first week of the season. Instead, Bledsoe played and the results were not spectacular. He also played just 25.3 minutes per game after missing a couple of weeks of action.
Bledsoe finished 36th on the Player Rater last season. There is no reason to expect that he will not return to the form. Some managers will be panicked because of the limited playing time. Use that to your advantage and acquire the Bucks’ guard.
D’Angelo Russell (GSW – PG/SG)
Perhaps no team had more roster shuffling this offseason than the Golden State Warriors. Kevin Durant headlined the departures, but the Dubs entire championship bench is gone. They added All-Star D’Angelo Russell to fill the void.
It has been a rough start. Russell ranks 178th on the FantasyPros Player Rater so far. He has struggled with his shot and acclimating to the Warriors’ system.
Golden State needs someone to score other than Steph Curry. Russell has proven he can fill that void. He finished 28th on the Player Rater last season. The 23-year-old could take another step in Golden State too. Trade for Russell with confidence.
Sell
Here are two players fantasy managers should trade away while their value is at its peak.
Malcolm Brogdon (IND – PG/SG)
Brogdon left Milwaukee to join the Pacers this offseason. The results are spectacular after four games. Brogdon is averaging 22.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.7 blocks in 35.0 minutes per game. That places him 16th on the Player Rater so far.
Brogdon had an ADP of 66 for a reason. The steals, blocks, and assists production is unsustainable. The 26-year-old guard has been limited to 64 and 48 games in the last two seasons as well. Trading Brogdon for Mike Conley would be a season-changing move for your fantasy squad.
Brandon Ingram (NOP – SG/SF)
The trade to the Pelicans has worked fantastically for Ingram so far. Through four games, he is averaging 27.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 34.0 minutes per game. That stellar stat line places him fourth on the Player Rater after four games.
Ingram had an ADP of 101, though. He has taken a massive jump in every category so far. There is no reason to think he finishes as a top-50 player at season’s end. Zion Williamson’s return will significantly eat into his scoring chances for one. He cannot keep up the rebounding, steals, or blocks either.
Sell to opposing managers that the 22-year-old is set for a massive breakout season. Try to acquire a top-50 talent in return, but settle for someone in the top 70.
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The sample size is still so small for all these players. I will be back every week helping you buy and sell, so stay tuned. Getting a bit more data will only improve your chances of making a league-winning trade.
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Tyler Watts is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @tylerpwatts.