In the first regular season edition of The Tuesday Trader, let’s look
at guys who should be targeted in trades—and players on your team who might
have peaked. For example, in my league I’ve
made trade offers for the following players:
-- Jarvis Landry: Miami’s clear #1 WR.
Any team can look bad on the road vs. the Seahawks. Landry is a top 20 WR who might be gettable
as a WR2/3.
-- DeVante Parker: It might take a few weeks, but Parker is talented
enough to return to every-week fantasy starter status. As a throw-in player in a 2-for-2 or 3-for-3
trade, Parker is a potential WR3 with WR4/5 value.
-- Mark Ingram: I checked Twitter during Sunday’s Saints game to find
out why Ingram hadn’t touched the ball in what seemed like an hour. Was he hurt?
Did he tick off Sean Payton? No, it
was simply game flow, as New Orleans found itself in a 69-point shootout. 14 touches isn’t representative of what
Ingram can do. He’s an RB1 who might be
obtainable as an RB2.
-- Jerick McKinnon: His value has dropped not because he’s dropped on
the depth chart, but because he’s hurt.
I went for a backup QB (Derek Carr) in my draft when I could have landed
McKinnon. It was a mistake I regret, and
which I’m trying to rectify.
So who’s peaked, or nearly peaked?
Which guys need to be pawned off to unsuspecting opponents? To narrow things a bit, let’s focus on RBs:
-- Spencer Ware leads this group.
Some might find it surprising that a guy I pushed so hard this preseason—someone
who exceeded my high expectations—is now on my “get rid of him” list. Because it’s not sustainable. Yes, it’s that simple. Jamaal Charles will return to the field at
some point, and it won’t be to cheer from the bench. Best-case scenario for Ware: he splits
carries with Charles by midseason (or likely earlier)—about 12-14 touches apiece. Kansas City isn’t built for shootouts. San Diego and its weak D are an
exception. Their next three games are
against the Texans, Jets, and Steelers.
Cash out for a high-end RB2 or WR2 and breathe a sign of relief.
-- Jeremy Langford: This might seem surprising. I actually drafted Langford as the best
player on the board, but I’m ready to cash out if the right offer comes
along. His career 3.6 YPC in 165 carries
is concerning, though certainly correctable.
The bigger issue is a poor offensive line that will limit his
upside. And of course, if he doesn’t run
more efficiently by midseason, he could see serious competition from Jordan
Howard.
-- Theo Riddick: If you were lucky enough to draft him, congrats on
landing a Week 1 steal. Now hand him off
to an RB-hungry opponent. I have no
doubt Riddick will remain a startable RB in PPR leagues. But his 2-TD performance Sunday makes him
appear far more productive than should be expected. Ameer Abdullah, Golden Tate, Marvin Jones,
Anquan Boldin, Eric Ebron, and even Zach Zenner and/or Dwayne Washington will be
involved throughout the season. And
Detroit probably won’t score five TDs again this season. Riddick will average about 50-60 total yards
a game with the occasional score.