Trader's Alley: Buy Low, Sell High


Pros and Cons to Consider Before Closing the Deal

This column is designed to quickly unearth some not so obvious things to help you... buy low and sell high.

Further, we suggest you only make a trade if you receive plenty of value in return and the deal results in an improved roster for your squad. In short, obtain players that will outperform their current perceived value while trading overrated talent. Do that and you'll be on your way to improving your roster. The perfect trade!

Owners considering trades should also consult our Rest-of-Season Rankings and Player Trade Evaluator.


The Playoffs are Coming!

With the playoffs just around the corner, we have heard from many of you that you already have a playoff spot locked up and are beginning to look ahead towards the playoffs. I'm pleased to announce, we have rolled out a brand new report for subscribers designed to help you start planning your playoff matchups. We leverage our signature Strength of Schedule metric, Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed by position (aFPA), to rank all relevant fantasy players based solely on playoff strength of schedule.

>> The Playoff aFPA Matchup Planner


Trade for DeMarco Murray

Why trade for him now?

1) Schedule gets much easier.

2) Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

3) Has a soft game this week.



Possible trade bait to land him:

(Clearly we'll need to put a nice package together to land Murray. But now that BYE weeks are mostly over, it is time to attempt to consolidate talent and upgrade our starters.)

Marshawn Lynch+

Andre Ellington+

Josh Gordon+

Trade for Odell Beckham

Why trade for him now?

1) Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

2) Young, learning with huge upside talent.

3) Coming off of a mediocre performance.



Possible trade bait to land him:

Terrance West

Charles Sims

Reggie Bush

Trade for Mark Sanchez

Why trade for him now?

1) Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.

2) Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.



Possible trade bait to land him:

Mychal Rivera

Cam Newton

Andre Johnson

Trade away Ryan Mathews

Why trade him away now?

1) Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

2) Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

3) RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.



Possible reach target players to land in trading him away:

C.J. Anderson

Odell Beckham

DeSean Jackson

Trade away Marshawn Lynch

Why trade him away now?

1) Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

2) Faces a very difficult opponent this week.



Possible reach target players to land in trading him away:

DeMarco Murray

Calvin Johnson

Dez Bryant

Trade away Michael Floyd

Why trade him away now?

1) Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

2) Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

3) Still cannot be relied upon as a starter.



Possible reach target players to land in trading him away:

Mark Sanchez

Isaiah Crowell

Brandon LaFell

Trade Pros and Cons: Full Breakdown

C.J. Anderson

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Odell Beckham

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Joique Bell

RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Kelvin Benjamin

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Giovani Bernard

RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Anquan Boldin

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Blake Bortles

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Tom Brady

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Drew Brees

Schedule gets much easier.
Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Kenny Britt

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

John Brown

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Dez Bryant

Schedule gets much easier.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Martavis Bryant

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.

Reggie Bush

RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Randall Cobb

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Brandin Cooks

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Michael Crabtree

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Isaiah Crowell

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has a soft game this week.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Jay Cutler

Has a soft game this week.

Eric Decker

Has a soft game this week.

Larry Donnell

Has a soft game this week.

Eric Ebron

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Julian Edelman

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Mike Evans

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Larry Fitzgerald

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Coby Fleener

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Malcom Floyd

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Michael Floyd

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Justin Forsett

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Arian Foster

Has a soft game this week.

Antonio Gates

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Josh Gordon

Has a soft game this week.

Frank Gore

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Jimmy Graham

Schedule gets much easier.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Jonas Gray

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

A.J. Green

Has a soft game this week.

Percy Harvin

Has a soft game this week.

Andrew Hawkins

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Jeremy Hill

Young, learning with huge upside talent.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

T.Y. Hilton

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.

DeAndre Hopkins

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Carlos Hyde

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Mark Ingram

Schedule gets much easier.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Chris Ivory

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Fred Jackson

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Steven Jackson

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Vincent Jackson

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Alshon Jeffery

Has a soft game this week.

Rashad Jennings

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Andre Johnson

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Calvin Johnson

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Colin Kaepernick

Has a soft game this week.

Eddie Lacy

Has a soft game this week.

Brandon LaFell

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Marshawn Lynch

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Eli Manning

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Peyton Manning

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Brandon Marshall

Has a soft game this week.

Ryan Mathews

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Jordan Matthews

Young, learning with huge upside talent.
Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Josh McCown

Has a soft game this week.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

LeSean McCoy

Has a soft game this week.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Darren McFadden

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Alfred Morris

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

DeMarco Murray

Schedule gets much easier.
Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has a soft game this week.

Latavius Murray

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Jordy Nelson

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Branden Oliver

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Rueben Randle

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Trent Richardson

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.

Mychal Rivera

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Philip Rivers

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.

Denard Robinson

Has a soft game this week.

Aaron Rodgers

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Tony Romo

Schedule gets much easier.
Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Mark Sanchez

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Emmanuel Sanders

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Bishop Sankey

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Mohamed Sanu

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has a soft game this week.

Steve L Smith

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Torrey Smith

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Darren Sproles

Has a soft game this week.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Matthew Stafford

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.

Ben Tate

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has a soft game this week.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Golden Tate

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Demaryius Thomas

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Julius Thomas

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Shane Vereen

RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Delanie Walker

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Nate Washington

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Sammy Watkins

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Reggie Wayne

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Terrance West

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has a soft game this week.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Roddy White

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Terrance Williams

Schedule gets much easier.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Russell Wilson

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Jason Witten

Schedule gets much easier.
Has a soft game this week.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Segmenting Players by Category

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued:

Jonas Gray

Nate Washington

Kenny Britt

Andrew Hawkins

Michael Crabtree

Michael Floyd

Jordan Matthews

Coby Fleener





Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now:

Mark Sanchez

Philip Rivers

Matthew Stafford

Trent Richardson

Martavis Bryant

Mohamed Sanu

T.Y. Hilton

Julius Thomas





Schedule gets much harder:





Schedule gets much easier:

Tony Romo

Drew Brees

Mark Ingram

DeMarco Murray

Terrance Williams

Dez Bryant

Jason Witten

Jimmy Graham





RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team:

Ben Tate

Darren McFadden

Latavius Murray

Reggie Bush

Darren Sproles

Branden Oliver

Terrance West

Jonas Gray

Ryan Mathews

Isaiah Crowell

Shane Vereen

Joique Bell

Jeremy Hill

Giovani Bernard

LeSean McCoy





Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16:

Eli Manning

Mark Sanchez

Tony Romo

Drew Brees

Ben Tate

Terrance West

Chris Ivory

Isaiah Crowell

C.J. Anderson

Alfred Morris

Justin Forsett

DeMarco Murray

Rueben Randle

Vincent Jackson

Steve L Smith

Torrey Smith

Odell Beckham

Mike Evans

Randall Cobb

Jordy Nelson

Delanie Walker





Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16:

Russell Wilson

Darren McFadden

Latavius Murray

Branden Oliver

Ryan Mathews

Rashad Jennings

Marshawn Lynch

Mychal Rivera





Faces a very difficult opponent this week:

Tom Brady

Peyton Manning

Aaron Rodgers

Branden Oliver

Fred Jackson

Chris Ivory

Ryan Mathews

Alfred Morris

Mark Ingram

Marshawn Lynch

Larry Fitzgerald

Michael Floyd

John Brown

Terrance Williams

Andre Johnson

Julian Edelman

Brandon LaFell

DeAndre Hopkins

Golden Tate

Emmanuel Sanders

Dez Bryant

Calvin Johnson

Demaryius Thomas

Delanie Walker

Julius Thomas

Jimmy Graham





Has a soft game this week:

Josh McCown

Jay Cutler

Colin Kaepernick

Ben Tate

Darren Sproles

Terrance West

Isaiah Crowell

LeSean McCoy

Denard Robinson

Eddie Lacy

Arian Foster

DeMarco Murray

Eric Decker

Percy Harvin

Mohamed Sanu

Alshon Jeffery

Josh Gordon

Brandon Marshall

A.J. Green

Jason Witten

Larry Donnell





History shows older players wear down more during the season:

Josh McCown

Tony Romo

Tom Brady

Drew Brees

Darren Sproles

Steven Jackson

Fred Jackson

Frank Gore

Malcom Floyd

Andre Johnson

Anquan Boldin

Reggie Wayne

Steve L Smith

Roddy White

Jason Witten

Antonio Gates





Young, learning with huge upside talent:

Sammy Watkins

Mike Evans

Eric Ebron

Odell Beckham

Brandin Cooks

Jordan Matthews

Blake Bortles

Kelvin Benjamin

Bishop Sankey

Carlos Hyde

Jeremy Hill





Could be rested if team clinches a top playoff seed:


Filed Under: 2014, w12