Another wild week of NFL action is in the books, and teams everywhere are looking to make moves. Whether you’re 2-0 or 0-2, don’t sleep on your roster. See where you’re struggling and try to make a trade to benefit your chances next week.
The season is far from over, so let’s get into my Week 3 risers and fallers:
Fantasy Football Week 3 Trade Values
Trade Value Risers
After Daniel Jones put up a huge dud in Week 1, I marked him as a trade value faller, but apparently, he saw that at halftime of Week 2 and took it personally. Jones threw 37 times, completing 26 passes for two touchdowns. He also added another touchdown on the ground. Jones finished as QB1 on the week. It’s hard to bank on him week to week, but whatever value he lost last week, he more than gained it back in Week 2. If you roster him, it might be a good time to try to sell high, though, as this kind of rollercoaster could happen all season long.
There were multiple backup running backs I could have put on this list, like Jerome Ford or Matt Breida, who should see a solid spike due to injury, but Kyren Williams is different. Teammate Cam Akers was a healthy scratch for the Rams this week, putting Williams firmly on the radar in all formats. The team chose to take the ball out of Akers’ hands and give it to Williams. That speaks volumes to me. He was likely a waiver add and now could be an every-week starter in your league. If you can get someone more consistent, go for it, but don’t panic sell yet. This could be the beginning of a wild run for Williams in 2023.
Nico Collins felt like he was sitting atop a bad depth chart in Houston heading into the season, but through two weeks, he’s been nothing short of stellar for fantasy. He finished with 11 targets and 80 yards in Week 1 and put up a whopping 146 yards on nine targets in Week 2, along with a touchdown. It sure feels like he’s the best option for C.J. Stroud at the moment, but can we trust it? I’m likely trading him if the offer is right, largely because that entire Houston offense feels flimsy to me. If you can’t get a good price, then don’t force it. Just put him in your lineup again and see how Week 3 pans out.
I would highly doubt anyone drafted Kylen Granson in fantasy, including Granson himself. He wasn’t supposed to be the focal point of this offense and was third on the TE depth chart. However, with the flukiness that is TE for fantasy, all it takes is a touchdown to rocket your value, and that’s what Granson caught in Week 2. He caught three of his four targets for only 16 yards, but since one of those ended for a score, he finished as TE9 on the week. Given how crazy the TE position is lately, it’s possible that someone out there just saw his Week finish and is willing to accept a trade for him. Since you likely got him for free, that’s pure profit. If he’s still on waivers, however, I doubt I’m running to the FAAB bank to make a bid. I just don’t know if I can trust him yet myself.
Trade Value Fallers
We all know of his high ceiling, but I think a lot of us forgot about Justin Fields’ low floor. Watching him play is just infuriating. He can’t seem to make a decision or read the defense at all. His legs are a non-factor this season for some unknown reason, too. All that leaves us with are hopes that the Chicago coaching staff can help him figure it out. Fields’ QB21 finish in Week 2 is not good and is worse than his QB16 finish in Week 1. This is not good news for a QB who was likely taken in the top 10 at the position. I’m probably holding him until we get a good game, but his trade value has plummeted in just two weeks. Brutal.
In a week that saw a number of injuries to running backs, some of which could be career-ending, I decided not to pick an injured running back for this spot. That’s just too obvious to me. Instead, I went with Miles Sanders, who finished Week 2 as RB31 with a meager 7.7 PPR points. This is after he put up only 11.8 PPR points last week. He’s getting the ball plenty, but his efficiency just isn’t there, and he hasn’t seen the endzone at all yet. Sanders was also benched in favor of Chuba Hubbard in hurry-up plays, thus lowering his floor even further. If someone in your league is a Sanders truther, and it’s not you, I would be fine sending him away in a trade if the price is right. I just don’t see much upside on this bad Panthers offense at the moment.
Everyone knows that TE Mark Andrews is the top target in Baltimore, but heading into the season, there was debate about who the WR1 was. The rookie Zay Flowers, the veteran Odell Beckham Jr. and the incumbent Rashod Bateman were all options. With Andrews out in Week 1, Bateman didn’t do much. With Andrews back in Week 2, Bateman once again didn’t do much. Even with Beckham Jr. getting hurt, I think it’s pretty clear that Bateman isn’t the WR1 on his own team and should probably be benched in fantasy leagues until we see a spark. His WR83 finish in Week 2 isn’t going to impress anyone, but if someone out there still believes, who are you to argue? Send him to a new home that is willing to wait it out.
What a difference a year or two makes, huh? The Steelers of old aren’t even close to the Steelers we’re seeing in 2023. Kenny Pickett might be getting better, but the days of RB Najee Harris and TE Pat Freiermuth being the focal point might be long gone. Freiermuth finished with 1.2 PPR points after their Monday night win, good for TE50 on the week.
His touchdown saved his stat line in Week 1, but through two weeks, Freiermuth has five targets for five yards. What on earth is up with that? If you’re not getting volume and you’re not getting yards, I don’t want you on my roster. It’s either trade him or bench him, depending on your format. Either way, I don’t want anything to do with Freiermuth until we see something substantial from his output, which may never come at this rate.
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Andrew Hall is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, check out his profile and follow him @AndrewHallFF.
