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
D.J. Moore (WR – CAR)
The 24-year-old is fully breaking out in 2021. Through four games he has an absurd 30.7% target share. The next closest WR on Carolina is Robby Anderson at 15.7%. Moore is being utilized as a true alpha entering Week 5. Fresh off an 8-113-2 line against Dallas, Moore is a firm WR1 moving forward.
Deebo Samuel (WR – SF)
The 25-year-old had another monstrous game in Week 4, hauling in 8-of-12 targets for 156 yards and two touchdowns. He’s one of just two wide receivers to have a 25% target share in all four games this season (alongside Cooper Kupp). That consistency is fantastic and Brandon Aiyuk saw just three targets against Seattle. Samuel is a WR1 moving forward. The hot start appears to be legit.
CeeDee Lamb (WR – DAL)
Lamb has seen a combined eight targets over Dallas’ past two games, which isn’t what fantasy managers had in mind after Michael Gallup‘s injury seemingly opened the door for more opportunities. The reason for his decreased number of looks isn’t due to anything other than the Cowboys reverting to a run-heavy offense as of late. The second-year receiver is one of the most talented offensive skill players in football. The looks will come. Buy low on Lamb.
Darrell Henderson (RB – LAR)
Fantasy managers didn’t know what to expect from Henderson in his return to the lineup in Sunday’s Week 4 game against the Cardinals. However, he continues to be utilized as a legit workhorse. In his two full games this year, Henderson has played 110-of-120 snaps while seeing 30-of-34 RB carries. He has also seen 100% of the RB targets AND 100% of the RB touches inside both the 10 and the 5-yard lines. That’s RB1 usage.
Mike Gesicki (TE – MIA)
Through four games, Gesicki has played 159 snaps on offense. He has been in-line on just nine of them. This is encouraging usage for a tight end. Historically volatile, he has now seen 20.2% of Miami’s targets since Jacoby Brissett took over. He’ll be a low-end TE1 for the foreseeable future.
Dawson Knox (TE – BUF)
Over his past three games, Knox has a 15.7% target share with a team-high six red-zone targets. He has also ran a route on 79.4% of Josh Allen‘s dropbacks. He’s a low-end TE1 until further notice.
Players to Sell
Robert Woods (WR – LAR)
Woods’ target share continues to inch closer to Van Jefferson‘s than it does to Cooper Kupp‘s. The veteran receiver was highly productive in garbage time in Week 4, totaling 30 yards and a score on the Rams’ final drive of the game (while trailing 37-13). Before that, he had seen just three targets. Part of the diminished usage might be due to the Rams’ offense struggling as a whole, but Woods has yet to fully reap the benefits of LA’s new-look aerial attack. There’s still a buy-low case to be made, but the late score in Week 4 could also create a selling opportunity.
Mike Davis (RB – ATL)
Davis scored a receiving touchdown in Week 4, but he remained inefficient on the ground, rushing 13 times for just 14 yards. It’s the fourth straight game in which he has been held to 50 rushing yards or fewer. Cordarrelle Patterson continues to shine as a playmaker out of the backfield, which has kept Davis’ floor and ceiling in check. Additionally, Wayne Gallman was active this past Sunday and stole 10 snaps, six carries, and one target. Davis’ workload is a concern moving forward.
Ty’Son Williams (RB – BAL)
This is a sell/drop. Williams’ playing time has decreased every game and he was inactive in Week 4. Baltimore’s backfield is a legitimate four-way RBBC when you factor in how many designed rushing attempts Lamar Jackson sees. Williams is borderline unrosterable, and he would be difficult to start even if he played in Week 5.
Player to Hold
Chase Edmonds (RB – ARI)
Edmonds has seen higher than a 17% target share in two straight games. His season-long target share ranks third among running backs, which is excellent for his PPR floor. The ultimate fantasy ceiling is limited by the presence of James Conner, who is clearly the preferred goal-line option. Continue to view Edmonds as a rock-solid RB2 in PPR formats.
Chuba Hubbard (RB – CAR)
Hubbard was a workhorse on early downs in Week 4, as expected. Unfortunately, he didn’t see Christian McCaffrey‘s level of usage through the air. This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, but it’s a noteworthy data point that caps Hubbard’s ceiling. CMC averaged a 22.2% target share in Weeks 1 and 2. In Week 4, Hubbard checked in at 5.1%. Nonetheless, the rookie fourth-rounder will remain a usage-based RB2 in Week 5 against the Eagles.
Latavius Murray (RB – BAL)
Murray was given over 78% of Baltimore’s rushing attempts in Week 4 against Denver, which is the highest mark any Ravens RB has seen this season. Ty’Son Williams was a healthy scratch on Sunday, which makes Murray a worthwhile bench stash moving forward. Murray isn’t a full “buy” until we see this usage sustain, however.
Cordarrelle Patterson (RB – ATL)
On the one hand, Patterson was electric on Sunday, scoring three times as Atlanta continues to make featuring him a point of emphasis. However, he played just 23-of-76 snaps in Week 4, which isn’t the type of usage we typically want to bank on. Those concerns are mitigated by how often the Falcons draw up plays for him, but it’s something to monitor. Entering Week 5 it’s still tough to start C-Patt in a standard fantasy league. Still, he has our attention.
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Brendan Tuma is a featured writer at FantasyPros. To read more from Brendan, check out his archive and follow him @toomuchtuma.