Buy Low
J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, RB, BAL - No disrespect to Mark Ingram, but the Ravens are leaving value on the sidelines when they give touches to Ingram over Dobbins and Edwards. Dobbins puts you on the edge of your seat with every touch and Edwards is the bull in the china shop that is an opposing defense stretched thin to account for the Ravens' speed in the passing game and perpetual 11-on-11 running threat at quarterback. They will run through the Washington and Cincinnati defenses like a hot knife through butter.
Marquise Brown, WR, Mark Andrews, TE, BAL - Both of these young players had uncharacteristic drops against the Chiefs, and fantasy twists of fate that can’t be held against them. Lamar Jackson had a rare misfire when he threw a flat deep ball to Brown who was going to streak to the end zone only to see the pass harmlessly deflected away. Andrews saw the short score to the tight end go to Nick Boyle instead of him. Better days are coming against Washington and Cincinnati the next two weeks.
Dawson Knox, TE, BUF - Everything Josh Allen touches turns to gold this year. Last week he threw three scores to tight ends with Knox, who is one of the most athletically gifted tight ends in the league, on the sidelined nursing a concussion. Knox had a sure touchdown that Allen missed on in Week 1 and he could easily become relevant at a rough as ever tight end position in fantasy leagues.
Kenyan Drake, RB, ARI - Every running game and lead running back has feasted against the Panthers this year. Josh Jacobs, Leonard Fournette, and Austin Ekeler all posted their best games by a large margin against Carolina. This week is Drake’s turn. The Patriots backfield accounting for three scores last week is also a good reminder that heavy quarterback rushing score shares do correct themselves over time to give some love to the running backs.
Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, WR, HOU - Will Fuller’s hamstring lurks like a slasher in the closet of a horror movie, waiting to murder the lineups of unsuspecting players who are staring at the ceiling instead of hearing the footsteps on the floor. Deshaun Watson is out of the rough stretch to open his schedule and gets the Vikings, Jaguars, and Titans secondaries the next three weeks. Cooks and Cobb could be taking off in fantasy leagues, and keep an eye on Jordan Akins if you’re hurting at tight end.
Damien Harris, RB, NE - Harris is probably free on your waiver wire in redraft leagues and available for pennies in dynasty leagues. He is the best all-around back in a Patriots backfield that all of the sudden has a much higher weekly ceiling with Cam Newton taking snaps. Last week they accounted for well over 200 total yards and three scores. Since Harris can stay on the field in any situation and not tip off the offense’s intentions, he could lead this backfield in snaps in short order after having a banner summer.
Don’t Drop
Mo Alie-Cox, TE, IND - He was productive last week on eight routes. While he wasn’t as big a priority as Jack Doyle in doling out routes (Doyle had 16), Alie-Cox had three targets on those eight routes. He has turned 11 targets into 10 catches, 181 yards, and a score. Rational coaching dictates that a player creating this kind of efficiency is screaming out for more targets and playing time.
Sell High
Mike Davis, RB, CAR - Maybe it’s wiser to keep Davis with the injury frequency and looming coronavirus chaos even if you are flush at running back, but there are probably teams in greater need that will give up a better long term asset for Davis’s short term help right now.
James Robinson, RB, JAX - Don’t get me wrong, I believe in Robinson’s ability and the Jacksonville offense to remain viable, but his high visibility massive game in Week 3 probably spiked his value beyond its true ceiling in the minds of fantasy players. Don’t deal him just because, but if he can be used to get a Drake or Mixon or as a stepping stone to a top running back, consider it.
Buy High
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, KC - He’s going to go bonkers to the tune of 200 total yards and/or multiple scores any game now. The Chiefs offense is just too good for him not to with the legit burst and contact balance he has along with refined receiving skills. Patrick Mahomes II is unconscious and he’s going to elevate Edwards-Helaire sooner or later. A lateral move to Edwards-Helaire from another top back (in redraft, he’s untouchable in dynasty) might be in your best interests.
Cedrick Wilson, WR, DAL - Wilson is obviously viable on an NFL field even if it was mismatches that helped create his big Week 3. He will see mismatches any time he is on the field in four-wide sets, and he also has big injury upside with three paths to value. He was available for just a unit or two on my dynasty waiver wires this week and not picked up across all of my redraft leagues, which tells me the fantasy community is underestimating his potential impact. Think of him as that high-value injury hedge running back, but at wide receiver.
Robert Tonyan Jr, TE, GB - Tonyan has come on and while his Week 3 was a product of Davante Adams being out, it is also a product of great chemistry with Aaron Rodgers, who is playing as well as he has in years. Now it’s Allen Lazard on the injury report with a core muscle injury and Marquez Valdes-Scantling has never been in the Rodgers circle of trust for long. Tonyan is a former wide receiver and has the skillset and athleticism we look for in a tight end.
Sell Low
Josh Jacobs, RB, LV - Jacobs continues to take a lot of hits, but since he hasn’t faced the Panthers, there hasn’t been as much fantasy value yield out of punishing his workload. With Buffalo, Kansas City, a bye, and Tampa up next, he isn’t going to take off and could break down any week now.