Whether you’re buying or selling, here’s a list of players to consider making a move on before it’s too late.
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Players to Buy
Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC)
This might be your position to pounce on Mahomes. Sure, he threw three touchdowns, but those who rostered him would’ve been expecting more against a weak Texans defense. There’s a real possibility that Mahomes breaks the touchdown record in 2020, especially knowing that Clyde Edwards-Helaire will force defenses to remain honest.
D.J. Chark (WR – JAC)
How many games do you think the Jaguars are going to win this year? I figured it was a low number. Take advantage of the fact that the Jaguars just won a game and threw the ball just 20 times. I’m going to go out on a limb and say they don’t attempt less than 30 passes the remainder of the season. Don’t let Chark’s three-target game scare you off him. Buy while his cost is suppressed.
David Montgomery (RB – CHI)
We didn’t know if he’d be available for the Bears in Week 1, but after watching him continually create yards after contact, you should be buying him as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3. The Bears offense isn’t going to be a high-powered one, but Montgomery should be locked into 15-plus touches per week, which has plenty of value. Knowing he was likely limited in his first game, this is your chance to buy him cheaper than what he’s worth.
Darren Waller (TE – LV)
He didn’t have a massive Week 1, but the one thing we were worried about (targets) was perfectly fine. He saw a massive eight targets in a game Derek Carr threw the ball just 30 times for a 26.7 percent target share. That’s a better target share than most WR1s. At the tight end position, you chase targets, and Waller is going to get more than most. He should be considered a top-five tight end.
Zack Moss (RB – BUF)
Moss didn’t have a very productive game on the ground in Week 1, so you may be able to buy him on the cheap. Sure, he scored a touchdown, but that’s not why you’re buying him. In his first NFL game, he totaled 12 touches compared to 14 touches for Devin Singletary. Knowing that Moss is expected to get goal-line carries, he might actually carry more value than Singletary.
Chris Herndon (TE – NYJ)
It wasn’t an exciting stat line for Herndon when he caught six balls for 37 yards against the stingy Bills defense, but the fact that he got seven targets says a lot about how he’ll be used in this offense. Now that Le’Veon Bell is dealing with a hamstring injury, we’re going to see Herndon peppered with even more targets, in much better matchups. I’m buying him as a legitimate low-end TE1.
Parris Campbell (WR – IND)
We knew Campbell would be taking on a bigger role in this offense, and it was clear in the first game that he’s a favorite of new quarterback Philip Rivers. Many forget that Campbell was a second-round pick just one year ago by this staff, but was held back due to injuries his rookie season. You should be buying based on the fact that he had nine targets in his first game, which tied T.Y. Hilton for the most on the team.
Philip Rivers (QB – IND)
There were times Rivers dropped back last week and had a good five seconds to throw the ball. He’s never had that during his career. The results were a mixed bag, but overall, he posted solid fantasy numbers. The Colts defense (secondary in particular) is going to allow some points, which should keep the Colts running a balanced attack. Rivers should be a rock-solid QB2 for those in Superflex/2QB leagues.
Players to Sell
Chris Carson (RB – SEA)
Carson looked fantastic in Week 1. That didn’t matter all that much considering Carlos Hyde out-carried him, and scored the lone rushing touchdown for the Seahawks. Russell Wilson has never been one to target his running backs a ton, so Week 1 was likely a fluke when it comes to Carson’s massive production through the air. He’s still likely to be a solid RB2 but someone may be willing to pay last year’s prices.
Josh Allen (QB – BUF)
We’ve seen Allen’s big performances before. But truth be told, he posted QB1-type numbers in just 43.8 percent of his games last year. He does present a solid floor each week due to his mobility, but someone is surely going to value his big Week 1 performance and be willing to overpay.
Jamison Crowder (WR – NYJ)
I was in on Crowder last week. Not many realized that he had two of his biggest games against the Bills last year. With that being said, he’s not going to get double-digit targets every game and he’s lacking upside. There will be many who say he’s all they have and that they’ll continually target him. That was the case last year, too, so don’t forget there was a reason he was falling into the late rounds in fantasy drafts this year. If you can get someone like Tyler Boyd for him in a trade, you’re cashing in at the right time.
Sammy Watkins (WR – KC)
We’ve been here before, right? Watkins crushed Week 1 last year but then failed to hit 70 yards the remainder of the fantasy season. Is it possible he was playing through an injury last year? Yeah, but even going back to 2018, he was inconsistent, even with Patrick Mahomes under center. There are simply too many weapons on this offense for him to be consistent.
Players to Hold
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB – KC)
I’d talked up Edwards-Helaire all offseason, so it was good to see him produce on national television. Some drafted their teams after that game and he was going as a top-five pick in those drafts. Considering that’s his price, I wouldn’t consider him a buy because you’re paying top-dollar, and to be fair, that was a cake matchup. I wouldn’t sell, though, as we didn’t even see one of his best attributes – his ability to catch passes out of the backfield.
Hayden Hurst (TE – ATL)
Did you see the Falcons box score from Week 1 by any chance? Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Russell Gage each saw 12 targets, caught nine balls, and finished with at least 114 yards. Hurst saw five targets, which isn’t horrible, but you’re buying based on the fact that Gage won’t see close to that target share moving forward. Those targets over the middle will be a bit more evenly spread as Matt Ryan and Hurst develop chemistry.
Carson Wentz (QB – PHI)
It was a weird week for the Eagles offense that dealt with many injuries throughout the week; ones that likely changed the entire gameplan. The Washington front seven brought the pressure and Wentz paid the price. He’s still going to be a sturdy QB1 this season.
Nyheim Hines (RB – IND)
It seemed very unlikely that Hines would be heavily involved in the gameplan, especially in a matchup against the Jaguars, but the rumors about him being more involved appear to be true. Now adding in an injury to Marlon Mack, and you should have yourself a Tarik Cohen/James White-type running back who might even get some goal-line work.
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.