Fantasy Football Trade Value Risers & Fallers: Week 6 (2023)

Week 5 has come and gone, and with it comes another wave of players who saw their values change. Obviously, not everyone can rise, but not everyone will fall either. Here are some players I’m likely moving on from and players I’m trying to acquire in return.

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Fantasy Football Trade Value Risers & Fallers

Trade Value Risers

Brock Purdy (QB – SF)

Believe it or not, Purdy is QB5 on the season through five weeks. I’ll be honest, while I didn’t expect that, I also didn’t expect him to throw nine touchdowns with no interceptions on 136 attempts. He’s averaged 19.8 points per game which is tied with Patrick Mahomes. If you drafted Purdy, or more likely, picked him up on waivers, you’re sitting pretty right now. If you don’t have him already, his price has gone up every single week. Now might be a tough time to acquire him. That being said, if you’re desperate, he’s probably the cheapest rising asset at the QB position to aim for.

Jaleel McLaughlin (RB – DEN)

McLaughlin finished Week 5 as RB8 and looked electric in the process. The Broncos as a whole have looked pretty lethargic, but McLaughlin has been a very bright spot in a very dark situation. Everyone expected Javonte Williams or Samaje Perine to be the Denver back to own, but no one expected it to be McLaughlin. Given how he’s looked, and how bad Williams has looked in his return from injury, I’m not sure I’d be trading McLaughlin just yet. If someone offers me a king’s ransom, sure, but that’s not likely to happen either. If he’s still on waivers then drop all your FAAB to get him, but again, that’s also not likely in most leagues at this point.

George Pickens (WR – PIT)

The Steelers were basically given that game against the Ravens on Sunday. The Ravens’ receivers just couldn’t catch the ball. But Pickens definitely could. His WR4 finish on the week is likely a sign of things to come. With Pickens on a bye, you might be able to pry him off of his current roster. Depending on their record, they might need a win now and could give up Pickens and his future points in exchange for something more immediate. This might be the last time you can “buy low” on Pickens so I highly recommend at least giving it a try in your own league.

Logan Thomas (TE – WAS)

Thursday night was a big night for Thomas and the Commanders. Even though they lost, Thomas had a great game, finishing with nine catches on 11 targets for 77 yards and a touchdown. His 20.7 PPR points were enough to finish as TE4 on the week. At a position like tight end that is so dependent on touchdowns, Thomas stands out due to the volume he received. Not every tight end can command 11 targets these days. If you’re desperate, or a Kyle Pitts manager, maybe you can sneak a deal through while the other manager isn’t focusing on the trend that’s about to come. They might feel like they’re selling high when in reality you might be buying low.

Trade Value Fallers

Mac Jones (QB – NE)

After Week 1 I listed Jones as a trade value riser, but boy have things changed since then. After Week 5, Jones is QB29 on the year, averaging 10.1 points per game. His negative points in Week 5 should be the nail in his coffin. Depending on your league and your team, he might be worth dropping. In deeper superflex leagues he might be worth acquiring if the price is cheap enough, and honestly, it should be next to nothing. Jones still has upside but it’s hidden deep beneath his current downside. As long as he keeps starting for the Patriots he’ll have some fantasy value, but even that isn’t a sure thing any longer.

Dalvin Cook (RB – NYJ)

Cook’s best week of the year so far was Week 1 when he saw 13 carries for 33 yards and caught all three of his targets for another 26 yards. Since then he’s only gotten worse, which seems hard to do given how meager that Week 1 output even was. With Breece Hall taking over as the true RB1 in New York, Cook is being thrown to the wayside. If you roster him, you’re almost certainly benching him now, even with only two teams on bye. If you’re feeling crazy you can try to add him, but I’m not sure there are many players I’m dropping to do so. It just feels like he’s past his prime and is officially done for fantasy. That’s a shame, but it happens to every player at some point, right?

Jameson Williams (WR – DET)

Almost everyone, myself included, expected a slow start for Williams as he returned from suspension. I don’t know if anyone expected two catches for two yards though. With teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown out due to injury, I expected Williams to be more involved. Turns out the Lions decided to ramp up TE Sam LaPorta instead. I’m probably moving on from Williams entirely unless he does something this week, so if you can get something in return for him now you should consider it. If you’re looking for a win you can’t really wait much longer for points, but maybe another manager in your league is willing to be more patient.

Tyler Higbee (TE – LAR)

After two consecutive top-10 TE finishes, Higbee came crashing back to reality in Week 5 finishing as TE29. He has been seeing a lot of volume with teammate Cooper Kupp on IR, but with Kupp back in the lineup, Higbee was relegated to junk duty again. I hope you have a better option to start going forward, or maybe you can find something on waivers. I just don’t think Higbee sees another top-10 finish this season with his current outlook. Of course, a touchdown would change that, but he hasn’t gotten one all season so far. I’m just out on him wherever I have him and am pivoting to other players with more upside.

Andrew Hall is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, check out his profile and follow him @AndrewHallFF.