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Who should fantasy football owners be targeting as a buy or sell candidate entering Week 4 of the 2018 season? Martin Konstantinov examines players whose fantasy value are rising or falling.
One of the toughest parts of fantasy football to navigate is trading with league-mates. As a result of the unique characteristics of every person in a fantasy football league, it is often difficult to find a strategy for trading players that works for everyone in any situation.
Nevertheless, highlighting the performances of certain players helps to create a starting point for fantasy owners. By knowing who to trade or trade for, fantasy owners are able to have a starting point for any trade negotiations that they have.
Each week, the trade values of certain players rise and fall according to their performances on the field. Let's take a look at some players that fantasy owners may want to consider offloading or trading for after Week 3 of the NFL season.
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Buy Low
Odell Beckham Jr. (WR, NYG)
When he is at his peak performance, there is perhaps no better wide receiver in fantasy football than Odell Beckham Jr. With the number of yards and touchdowns that OBJ has been able to generate week-in and week-out for the past four seasons, it is no surprise that the elite wide receiver is always so high on draft boards. However, the 2018 season has started out rather average for the wide receiver given his lofty expectations. OBJ has had two 100 yard games and has 24 catches for 271 yards on the season, which are more than decent numbers for most NFL wide receivers.
However, this is Odell we are talking about. Yes, there are other options on the offense like running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, and tight end Evan Engram. Additionally, veteran quarterback Eli Manning seems to be on his last legs. However, Beckham has shown that he is a special athlete who can thrive in any situation. His target share so far this season demonstrates that the team is still more than happy to throw the ball to him early and often in games. With an expected reversion to the mean in the touchdown department, Beckham could end up being a top-3 wide receiver with a ridiculous floor and ceiling when all is said and done. Therefore, consider buying Odell no matter the cost - investing in the talented wideout will most likely pay off for your team this season.
Dalvin Cook (RB, MIN)
With an injury to his hamstring keeping him out of the team's shock defeat to the Buffalo Bills, running back Dalvin Cook has definitely been disappointing so far this season. Averaging three yards-per-carry, the shifty running back has been given no favors by his offensive line and has had to rely on his own ability to craft out yards each week. With 26 carries generating 78 yards so far this season, Cook is having a far different beginning this year when compared to his rookie season in 2017.
Although he does already have nine receptions for 107 yards, fantasy owners should still expect more from the shifty back given his impact last year and the fact that the Vikings are not expected to struggle like they did last week each game. Therefore, trading for the young running back may be a good idea if fantasy owners are lacking stud running backs and want one at their absolute floor. Fantasy owners may have to pay a little extra since it is still early in the season and Cook's upside is so high, but he will be worth it if the Vikings are able to use him properly and get him more touches around the end-zone.
Sell High
Robert Woods (WR, LAR)
Robert Woods went off last week, with 10 receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the team's hometown victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. Woods has started the season well, with 19 receptions for 222 yards through the first three weeks. This is to be expected given the rapport between the wide receiver and young quarterback Jared Goff that developed last season. Additionally, with the Rams expected to comfortably win their division and be Super Bowl contenders, the entire offense seems like a good choice for fantasy owners this year.
However, the fact that they have so many weapons makes it hard to count on huge games from players like Robert Woods, who get consistent yardage totals thanks to their chain-moving ability. With deep threat Brandin Cooks, red-zone and slot weapon Cooper Kupp, and running back Todd Gurley, there are a lot of mouths to feed on the Rams offense. Therefore, it may be time to trade Woods for someone who wants a piece of the action so that fantasy owners can acquire a high-end RB2 or an elite tight end.
Carlos Hyde (RB, CLE)
It's safe to say that Carlos Hyde is the Browns workhorse. With 61 carries through three games (that's just about 20 a game), Hyde has been the team's leading rusher so far this season. Although he is only averaging 3.3 yards per carry, Hyde does have 203 yards on the ground so far this season as well as four touchdowns. In last week's victory against the Jets, the veteran running back was able to carry the ball 23 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns, demonstrating his ability to be the workhorse back when called upon.
Although Hyde will continue to get consistent touches, it is difficult to predict what kind of offense the team will be with Baker Mayfield as the new starting quarterback. Nevertheless, you may want to wait another week to see how Hyde performs, but it may be time to package the running back at his perceived peak value for a low-end WR1 if you have the chance.
