Take advantage of the fantasy football trade market in your league by targeting or trading these players ahead of Week 7.
buy aaron jones cheap
Jones is returning from his bye week and is dealing with a hip injury. He is expected to play every week since missing Week 5’s game against the Jets. Regardless of whether he plays in Week 7, it will be a tough matchup against the Lions. This would be an interesting spot to buy Jones cheaply.
Don’t forget that Jones is averaging 18.6 fantasy points and 20 touches per game in four complete games due to injuries. He also saw usage of a strong receiving game with four catches per contest completed. Jones is averaging 5.9 yards per touch this season and should continue to be favored to win for several reasons.
First, he has a quality offense behind a solid offensive line. Second, the defense needs to focus its attention on Justin Jefferson, which leaves a softbox for Jones to play against. Trade Jones before the soft schedule begins in Weeks 8-10. He will take on poor run defenses from the Rams, Colts, and Jaguars.
If possible, try trading Jones for a player like Zay Flowers or Tony Pollard.
Trade for Isaiah Pacheco
I think it’s time to start remembering Isaiah Pacheco’s name.
The original schedule for his return from injury was between 9 and 12 weeks. We’re now in Week 7, which means the Chiefs’ starting running back is getting closer to returning. Kareem Hunt is on the rise right now. He had over 100 yards in Week 5 before the bye week against the Chiefs. However, this likely won’t last long if Pacheco returns.
Pacheco has been trusted by coach Andy Reid in every situation. Early downs, pass protection and the red zone are all areas Pacheco is considering playing time. Remember: In Week 1, Pacheco played 80% of the snaps and handled 88% of the Chiefs’ backfield carries. Given the originally planned six-to-eight week schedule, he could be close to returning quickly, which would mean he could potentially win the league via fantasy playoffs. If possible, trade a player like Tyrone Tracy Jr. for Pacheco.
Submit an offer to Tee Higgins
Higgins has been great since returning from a hamstring injury in Week 3. Over the past four games, Higgins has led the Bengals with a 28 percent completion rate, averaging 8.8 goals per game during that span. According to Player Profiler, Higgins ranks fourth in expected fantasy points per game this season. That’s how good his role is in the Bengals’ offense this time around.
Because of his strong play, you probably won’t be able to buy Higgins cheap, but you should still make an offer, even if it’s more expensive than it was a few weeks ago. Higgins’ upcoming schedule is strong. He will play against the Browns, Eagles and Ravens, teams that rank in the top 12 in passing yards per play, according to NFL Pros.
One more thing: Joe Burrow has looked great the last four weeks. During this time, he ranked third in PFF quarterback performance, completing 74% of his passes. If possible, trade a player like Josh Jacobs or JK Dobbins for Higgins.
Buy DeAndre Hopkins cheap
It doesn’t cost much to accomplish this, but I’m intrigued by Hopkins’ current usage. Hopkins started this season with a knee injury and was limited to just 27% of the snaps for the Titans in Week 1. However, his participation rate has increased every week since this game. Hopkins enters Week 5 with a bye in back-to-back games that led the Titans to target him ahead of Calvin Ridley.
The bye-bye week was much needed for Hopkins. That likely helped his recovery process, as Week 6 saw Hopkins in a full-time role for the first time this season. In Week 6, Hopkins ran a season-high 70% of the Titans’ routes and led the team in target share for the third consecutive week. Hopkins is trending in the right direction and wouldn’t cost much in a trade. Try dealing with guys like Tucker Kraft and Tyler Lockett.
Trade with Roma Odunze
Odunze enters his bye week after a disappointing game. He gained 40 yards and had just two catches in a game in which the Bears scored 35 points. I can’t say it’s great. But the talented first-round rookie is entering his bye week, which will be key. I often see rookies feel like their role has expanded when they come off a bye. Odunze has already been on the field frequently for the Bears, but perhaps we’ll see a change in how he’s used once he returns from his Week 8 bye.
So far this season, Odunze has averaged a target depth of 15.2 yards. This means he gets a lot of usage downfield. This would lead to big plays, but it could also lead to up-and-down performances like we’ve seen over the past few weeks.
However, in Week 5 we started to see a change in Odunze’s usage. He saw more short-area targeting and middle-of-the-field usage. The goal is to see more usage like this combined with downfield targeting after the bye week.
Overall, Caleb Williams looked great and needs to be a part of this Bears offense. If possible, try trading Najee Harris or Bucky Irving for Odunze.
