Trading in fantasy football is an important way to make your team better. However, it is also the only controllable way to make other teams worse. In theory, great fantasy football trades optimize the rosters of both teams involved, leaving non-trading teams behind. This series will help to provide some useful tips on players to “buy” and “sell” in trades. It will also provide the proper context to determine when trading for or trading away a specific player makes sense for your squad. For a player to be involved in a trade, there needs to be a market for that player. Unlike your typical “trade for” and “trade away” articles that are geared toward taking advantage of less-informed league mates, this series will consider team context to determine whether you should buy or sell a popular player in the trade market.
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Week 10 Fantasy Football Trade Advice
On the block: TE Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers
Reason to Buy: Consistent TE1 Production
Since Week 6, the first week in which Oronde Gadsden saw a 75% Snap Share, the precocious rookie tight end has scored at least 11.8 fantasy points each week. He’s averaged 17.9 fantasy points per game during this time period, making him the TE3 points per game. He has also failed to see fewer than five targets in the last four weeks. He is a locked-in TE1 for the rest of the season. If you need help at the position, he is a priority target on the trade block who can likely be acquired for a wide receiver with more name recognition, like Courtland Sutton, to help fill a hole at the tight end position.
Reason to Sell: Too Many Mouths To Feed
While Gadsden’s rookie season has been on fire, we have seen that not everyone can eat every week in this Chargers offense. Ladd McConkey scored 2.0 fantasy points in Week 4, Quentin Johnston posted the dreaded doughnut in Week 8, and Keenan Allen has failed to crest double-digit fantasy points in his last two games. While Gadsden is running hot right now, there likely will be weeks when he is not a large part of LA’s passing game. This type of boom-bust scoring is tolerable when it’s coming from the tight end position in your starting lineup; it’s less tolerable if you need flex production. If you are already set at TE, I would look to sell high on Gadsden and get a more reliable receiver option in the flex. Try trading Gadsden one for one, or combining him in a deal to tier up at the receiver position.
On the block: RB Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
Reason to Buy: The Clear-Cut RB1
Concerns that Travis Etienne would lose opportunities in the Jaguars’ backfield post bye week did not come to fruition. Etienne saw a whopping 27 opportunities in Week 9, compared to 10 opportunities for rookie teammate Bhayshul Tuten. Barring injury, this should be Etienne’s backfield for the rest of the season. Etienne should provide consistent RB2 production as he is 19th among qualified running backs with 92.7 Weighted Opportunities. He makes for a good trade acquisition for managers who have been hit with the injury bug at RB and are looking to lock in some baseline points.
Reason to Sell: Efficiency Concerns
Selling Etienne to a leaguemate in need of running back help may be the best course of action. The veteran running back hasn’t flashed any upside this season. Last week, he finished as the RB12 in fantasy points. But that was the first time he was a weekly top 12 running back since Week 1. Etienne is on a mid offense and posting mid efficiency numbers with 3.79 Yards Created per Touch (15th among qualified running backs), and 26 Evaded Tackles (20th among qualified running backs). Hopefully you can pair him with another player to get back a higher upside play at the running back position from a team on the playoff bubble.
On the block: WR Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
Reason to Buy: Air Yards Buy Low
Rome Odunze posted scored zero fantasy points last week in a game where the Bears scored over 40 points. If now is not the time to buy low, I’m not sure what is! Outside of last week, Odunze has seen at least 79 air yards a game since Week 2. He is tenth among all receivers with 791 air yards on the season. While him doing nothing from a fantasy standpoint last week is discouraging, his opportunity indicates there are lots of good spike weeks to come. Look to pry Odunze away from a manager looking for more consistency in their lineup.
Reason to Sell: The Rookies Are Coming
Rome Odunze has only one top 12 weekly finish in the past four weeks. While he is seeing air yards, he has seen more than five targets in only two out of those four weeks. Rookies Luther Burden and Colston Loveland will likely get more integrated into the Bears’ offense as the season progresses, making Odunze a boom-bust player. If you need more consistency for a playoff push, consider dealing away Odunze.
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