The waiver wire can only help your fantasy football team so much when your superstars fall by the waste side.

Aaron Rodgers’ broken collarbone, Odell Beckham’s fractured ankle and Dalvin Cook’s torn ACL have given fantasy owners several reasons to reach for the antacids this year. So while the hits keep coming to fantasy rosters, owners need to keep trying to trade off the players on their squads who have exceeded expectations and may start faltering soon while acquiring players whose best outings are yet to come.

Without further ado, here are the buy-low and sell-high candidates for Week 7 of the 2017 NFL season.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings (redraft)
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings
• 2025 NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings

Fantasy Football Buy-Low Candidates

Michael Thomas (WR, NO)

How disappointed were fantasy owners when New Orleans hung 52 points on the Detroit Lions this past weekend and top target Thomas only had three meager catches for 11 trivial yards? It probably rivaled how disappointed Democrats were when Donald Trump snatched the Presidency right out of Hillary Clinton’s fingertips. Thomas has been routinely double-teamed or covered by defenses’ top cover corners since Brandin Cooks is no longer on the other side of the field, and Thomas has subsequently struggled. Thomas, Drew Brees and Saints head honcho Sean Payton will figure out how to involve him in the offense more often, though. Throwing out a trade offer to the Thomas owner in your league to see if he/she is restless and looking to move Thomas after going five straight contests without a 100-yard-game cannot hurt.

Ben Roethlisberger (QB, PIT)

Big Ben’s better days are in his rear-view mirror. His throws do not seem to have the same zip on them, nor are they as accurate as they have been in the past. Roethlisberger has also been hinting about retirement since the offseason. Before we place him out to pasture, remember that he still is throwing to the best receiver in football (Antonio Brown) and also has one of the top-5 running backs at his disposal as well (Le’Veon Bell). Also remember that the quarterbacking in the NFL seems like it’s at an all-time low, and Roethlisberger can be spot-started by fantasy teams in Weeks 8,10 and 11 when he faces three below-average pass defenses in a row (Detroit, Indianapolis and Tennessee). Roethlisberger’s fantasy price tag has never been lower (while he’s healthy) so offering something smallish for him could pay huge dividends if you land him.

Patrick Mahomes (QB, KC)

The first-round rookie has gotten more acquainted with the bench and the clipboard than he has with Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill this season. Alex Smith is playing the best football of his career and has led the Chiefs to a 5-1 record and the second-best offense in the NFL, so Mahomes is stuck at No. 2 on the depth chart and there are no signs that he will throw a pass in 2017. This is why trading for Mahomes in keeper and dynasty leagues is a great (and cheap) way to build for the future. Mahomes could be the starting signal caller in 2018 depending on Smith’s status, and the kid has more tools than a Home Depot aisle. Trading for Mahomes now while he is nailed to the bench next to Andy Reid insures the price tag will be as low as it can go. 

Fantasy Football Sell-High Candidates

Carson Palmer (QB, ARI)

Palmer is second in the NFL with 1,856 passing yards and coming off his first three-TD game of the season. That’s why this is the perfect time to pat him on the back, thank him for his service and ship him to somebody else in your league. Palmer is 37 years old, and it’s an old 37. His body has been beaten up worse than a cage fighter who has had 50 career bouts. Palmer’s brittle body is not exactly being helped or protected by his offensive line, either (sacked 21 times, second-most in NFL). If you can deal Palmer now while fantasy owners are stuck using the likes of Jacoby Brissett, Kevin Hogan and Brett Hundley in their lineups, you should get a bevy of talent in return while Palmer’s stock is at its highest.

Evan Engram (TE. NYG)

The secret is out! Engram will be Eli Manning’s main man to throw to from this point on since the Giants have lost 400 receivers to injuries. Engram caught five passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in Sunday night’s shocking road victory over the Denver Broncos. Opposing defenses will not allow Engram to rack up these types of numbers forever, however. The Giants do not have enough weapons to keep defenses from keying on Engram down the stretch, even when Sterling Shepard returns. Trading Engram now before secondaries lock him up, even though it sounds hard to swallow, is likely a prudent strategy.

Keenan Allen (WR, SDG)

Work with me here. I know Philip Rivers has been targeting Allen more often than 50 Cent used to target Ja Rule. Allen has been aimed at 60 times in six games and has the fourth-most targets in the league. But between first-rounder Mike Williams (back from his preseason injury), fellow receivers Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin, tight ends Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates, and running back Melvin Gordon, Rivers might have the deepest corps of pass catchers to throw to. Allen might be his favorite receiver, but Allen’s target total might be ready to slide. Allen has also had his past two seasons cut short due to major injuries, so that just adds to why trading Allen now is shrewd.

More Week 7 Lineup Prep