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Here are all the players we’re trading this week. And below let’s take a closer look at a few players to buy this week.
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Fantasy Football Trade Advice
Players to Buy
No Bengals bounce back, but a rebound performance for Tee Higgins. 8 for 89 yards and two TDs on a team-high 12 targets (31% target share). That’s why we chase the air yards, folks. Another quiet day for Ja’Marr Chase as the Bengals offense continues to underwhelm. Considering where Chase went in fantasy drafts, managers might be getting irritated. Buy LOW. Higgins’ big Week 2 game shows this offense can still create big weeks for WRs. And it could have easily been Chase with the monster game, considering he saw 4 red-zone targets but came up short of finding the end zone. His lulls are not out of the ordinary, so I’d be aggressive trying to acquire him.
If Joe Burrow is healthy – aggravated his calf strain – the next stretch of games is SALIVATING. Rams, Titans, Cardinals and Seahawks. Buy the Bengals.
Travis Etienne showcased his versatility with 23 touches, 18 carries for 77 yards, one 26-yard rushing TD, and five receptions for 27 yards. Bell-cow status with an 80% snap share. Beyond elite route participation – 85%. Ran a route on 30 of 35 Trevor Lawrence dropbacks with no JaMycal Hasty in Week 1. Week 2 was not as great. The ground game was poor as Etienne went for just 40 yards on 12 carries. Also was dealing with cramps during the game. But Tank Bigsby had zero carries and played just 19% of the snaps. ETN also had three targets. 62% route participation. 72% snap share. Still, a workhorse out touching all other RBs 14 to 2. And the Texans are the ideal bounce-back matchup in Week 3.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith saw six and five targets, respectively, but Smith came away with the two TDs. AJB ran bad again, having one of his TDs called back due to a Penny holding penalty. Two weeks in, Brown leads the Eagles with a 30% target share, followed by Smith at 28%. But because Smith has the long completions and two TDs, he has been the Eagles fantasy WR1. But he’s not. AJB still ranks 1st on the team in expected fantasy points per game (15.4) through two games. Buy low if anybody is souring on him after a quiet Thursday night game.
Rhamondre Stevenson played 73% of the snaps finishing with 18 touches for the second straight week. Even with Ezekiel Elliott making occasional cameos here and there, Stevenson remains the Patriots RB1. He scored a red-zone TD on Sunday Night Football, while catching three balls for 10 yards. But the biggest win was Zeke’s lack of targets. After seeing 7 in Week 1, Elliott was held to just five carries and zero targets in Week 2.
If Joe Burrow is healthy – aggravated his calf strain – the next stretch of games is SALIVATING. Rams, Titans, Cardinals and Seahawks. Buy the Bengals.
Joe Mixon continued to see bell-cow work in Week 2 with a 78% snap rate, 17 overall touches and 5 targets. Other Bengals RBs combined for three touches. Another buy for those looking for running back health. His snaps increased from Week 1. He also saw 5 red zone carries but didn’t find the end zone. He greatly benefits from the easy schedule upcoming – aside from the Titans matchup – starting with a LA in Week 3.
Jaylen Waddle is in the concussion protocol, which would open targets up for others behind Tyreek Hill. Tight end Durham Smythe and WR Braxton Berrios would be the primary beneficiaries. Smythe played almost every snap for the second straight game and Berrios has averaged four targets to start the year.
Assuming everything checks out with Waddle’s health, he’s a buy-low target for me. He’s been overshadowed by Hill to start the year but is coming off an 86-yard performance on just four catches Sunday night. He only has four catches in each of the first two games but has averaged over 80 receiving yards per game. Averaging over 20 yards per reception. Just needs some TD luck, that could easily come in a BIG WAY if Patrick Surtain matches up with Hill versus Denver in Week 3.
If I were to buy-low on any Jets player, it would be Breece Hall. The hope is the Jets just pound the ground game to protect Zach Wilson, with Hall leading the charge. The Patriots defense didn’t look great versus the run in Week 2, and I don’t think the Jets have any choice but to go full blown operation ground-and-pound to compliment their elite defense.
It was a quiet game for Brandon Aiyuk (6 targets) but he took some shots and might have been playing through some pain. He only played 53% of the snaps. I’d buy low. He still was the leader in air yards (63%) and still ran a route on 77% of dropbacks. Doubled George Kittle‘s targets. Kittle remains a bust candidate as the clear-cut third option in the pecking order. 6 catches through two games.
And through two games in 2023, Aiyuk owns a 28% target share and is the leader in air yards. Samuel leads the team with a 31% target share.
Kenneth Walker had great receiving usage in Week 1…not so much in Week 2. 1 catch for 11 yards on 2 targets. Zach Charbonnet also saw two targets and added four carries for 16 yards. One of which came inside the 5-yard line in the 4th quarter. Wouldn’t overly read into this considering Walker scored twice and totaled 7 carries in the red zone. Also maintained his Week 1 snap rate and touch load versus the other backs (18 to 7). Charbonnet didn’t play more but got more work running a route on 22% of dropbacks (24% in Week 1). Walker’s routes dropped from 55% to 40%. There’s going to be a give-and-take with Walker when it comes to his receiving, but if the trade off is the red-zone usage; it’s a net positive. Solid schedule coming up for the Hawks with Carolina, New York, Cincy and Arizona on deck. I would be a buyer of Walker.
As for Charbonnet, he’s just a handcuff at this point with little to no standalone value. If you need to make a cut for instant production, he’d be droppable in my eyes in shallower formats. 4.5 touches per game through two weeks. He first entered the game during the team’s second drive. Noteworthy that he was the preferred back in the two-minute drill. So, I’d do my best to hold him because he is built with a three down workload that could be MASSIVE if Walker were to get hurt. All in all, keep em stashed.
Romeo Doubs led the team in routes run (79%), followed by Jayden Reed (65%) in Week 2. Again, we saw Jordan Love spread the target wealth. But through two games, Reed owns a team-high 25% target share and 30% air yards share. His weighted opportunity is the same as DK Metcalf. The talented rookie is a massive buy for me. Some might be concerned about Chrisitan Watson’s return, but Reed’s role in the slot will remain the same with Watson back in the lineup. Watson will impact the other Packers WRs like Doubs. And speaking of Watson…he’s also a major trade for target. Again, his concern entering the year was tied to Jordan Love being good. I think through two weeks where Love has tossed 6 TDs, we should be confident he can support Watson – who was viewed as the clear frontrunner in the Packers WR room. I know he is coming off an injury, but he’s young and returned to success after injuries last season. Reed and Watson are guys I will be targeting in draft before Week 3.
Especially given the Packers’ knack for dialing up some large passing plays that have not been able to connect on. But that’s Watson’s bread and butter, so I’d expect he steps right into seeing those high-value downfield looks. Many of those went to Wicks in Week 2, but he didn’t capitalize enough.
Isiah Pacheco carried the ball 12 times for 70 yards, but just 2 targets. Not Ideal receiving usage, but all other KC RBs combined for two carries. And his snap rate (51%) and route participation were encouraging compared to Week 1. I’d be a buyer of Pacheco ahead of a matchup versus the lowly Chicago Bears. It’s the perfect spot for Pacheco.
Keenan Allen (8-111-2), Mike Williams (8-83-0) both dominated in Week 2.
Most surprising is that Allen scored the TDs…while Williams saw the most targets (13, 33% target share). Williams hasn’t had the true BOOM game, but the Vikings defense might be the perfect cure he needs to EXPLODE.
It was another underwhelming performance. 8 carries for 28 yards and one lost fumble. Just 11 yards on 3 catches (6 targets) most of which came in pure garbage time. However, he still played 76% of the snaps to Ty Chandler‘s 12%. Chandler had one carry for zero yards but looked explosive on his catch and run. He caught two passes for nine yards. Mattison out-touched Chandler 11 to 3.
Still zero indication that Chandler is a threat to Mattison’s workload through two games. And the first two matchups – that I tried to hit home as a reason to not draft Mattison – have been brutal as advertised. Injuries across the OL have not helped. But if you have Mattison, you can’t sell. The window is gone. But luckily, the matchups improve dramatically for the Vikings with the Chargers, Panthers, Chiefs and Bears in their next four games. If you are really hurting at RB, I actually think Mattison is super sharp buy low target to get you through the next few weeks.
Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – IND)
Minshew heavily targeted Michael Pittman Jr. Nine targets from Minshew, after seeing three from Anthony Richardson. Caught 8 for 56 yards on a total of 12 targets. Even if Richardson misses time, I’d view Pittman as a buy-low with the QBs force-feeding him targets. The first two plays were targets to Pittman after he saw one target in the first half last week. Minshew, a veteran, is not as bad for Pittman as many might automatically think for the WR’s fantasy value.
So although he was listed as a sell last week, I am changing my tune after Pittman was slightly less productive in Week 2 with new question marks about his quarterback’s availability. The guy ranks fourth in target share (33%) over the first two games.
Nico Collins baby. 7 for 146 and 1 with nine targets in Week 2. 25% target rate per route this season. 5th in receiving yards (226). 5th in total air yards. A monster after the catch looking to dish out punishment. Looks like he is on the cusp of a true breakout.
Jerry Jeudy returned and was second in targets (5, 19% target share), going 3 for 25. After it was reported he would not be on a “pitch count” he only played 68% of the snaps, running a route on 85% of dropbacks. Not totally full-time, but pretty close.
Sutton led all receivers in targets (7) and did 5 for 66. They also went to him for the failed two-point conversion after the Hail Mary to Brandon Johnson. Johnson caught one TD earlier.
Backfield was more of a committee again. Perine was slightly more involved as a receiver, where Javonte Williams saw the bulk of rushing work – 12 for 44 yards. Perine out-snapped Williams (50% vs. 45%).
And Denver just HAD to get rookie Jaleel McLaughlin the TD on his lone carry.
Two weeks in, consider me not a fan of the Denver offense. What a mess.
At least Adam Trautman played a full-time role. 82% snap share. But just 69% route participation. Mid usage for a tight end with virtually no targets.
Denver’s got the Dolphins and Bears the next two weeks, so there’s a chance we could see an uptick in offensive production. At this point, I’d still be a buyer of Jeudy. He’s presumably healthy and that was the only reason I shied away from him at the end of the draft season.
Sam LaPorta strung together another solid outing – 5 for 63 yards on six targets. Runs ALL the routes. Solid weekly floor. 84% route participation was better than in Week 1.
Joshua Kelley started but was inefficient versus a top-tier elite run defense. 13 for 39 rushing. Zero pass game usage (1 target) despite a massive workload (79% snap share). He’s a bell cow if Austin Ekeler misses another game, ahead of a juicy matchup versus the Minnesota Vikings who were destroyed versus the running game on Thursday night football.
Hunter Henry scored again as Jones’ favorite red-zone target, while seeing elite usage. Ran a route on 91% of dropbacks. Henry is entering weekly starting territory at tight end.
QB Gardner Minshew entered the game and basically did a lot of handing the ball off to Zack Moss. Moss finished with 18 carries for 88 yards and 1 TD while adding four grabs for 19 yards on 4 targets. Moss was a full-blown bell cow, playing all but one snap on offense (98%). Deon Jackson zero touches. The way it should be.
Moss is a fantasy RB2 over the next two weeks with Jonathan Taylor out of the way till at least Week 5.
Cade Otton played 97% of the snaps for the second straight game. And this time, it came with more targets. With the Eagles’ secondary extremely weak towards the middle of the field, expect Otton to be peppered with targets from Baker Mayfield. Caught all 6 of his targets for 41 yards in Week 2, while running a route on 78% of dropbacks. That led the Buccaneers pass-catchers.
Tight end Jake Ferguson caught the first TD, and Dak Prescott missed him later in the third quarter in the back of the end zone. Ended with three catches for 11 yards and four targets. His snaps remain low (60%) as does his route participation (49%). But Prescott continues to hyper-target him whenever he is on the field especially in the red zone. Leads ALL players in red-zone targets (7) through two games.
Ferguson is firmly on the streaming radar in more competitive games. Great matchup in Week 3 versus the tight end funnel Arizona Cardinals.
Nico Collins didn’t lead the Texans in targets – that was rookie WR Tank Dell. 7 for 72 on 10 targets. With Noah Brown on IR, Dell got to see an expanded role. 81% route participation was higher than Collins (72% same as Week 1). I love Collins, but the fact that Dell was so productive in Week 2 is eye-opening. He and Collins both scored, but Tank also had another TD wiped off the board due to a penalty.
I want to get the point across again like last week. This Texans passing offense is fun. C.J. Stroud is fearless behind a horrible OL but continues to make throw after throw. If I rostered him in dynasty, I’d feel great. As soon as the OL gets healthy…watch out. Think he can make some noise as a streamer in Week 3 versus the Jaguars.
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