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 Playoff Push: Just like that the fantasy playoffs are only six or seven weeks away. If you're sitting in good playoff position with a deep roster, now is a good time to consider consolidating talent with 2-for-1 trades (send two, get one better player), or targeting players who are currently hurting but can offer big value down the stretch.

If you find your team atop the standings and in good shape, consider inquiring on players like Calvin Johnson, Jimmy Graham, Josh Gordon and A.J. Green (in roughly that order of preference). They may be available at a discount, and if you can get by without them for a couple of weeks, could provide huge dividends down the stretch.

Now on to this week's regularly schedule programming...

Trade for Ben Tate

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.

3) Has a soft game this week.

4) Has BYE week out of the way.



Possible trade bait to land him:

Randall Cobb

Reggie Bush

Frank Gore

Trade for Lamar Miller

Why trade for him now?

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

2) Has BYE week out of the way.

3) Seeing good volume with Moreno shelved for the season.



Possible trade bait to land him:

Rashad Jennings

Randall Cobb

Roddy White

Trade for Michael Floyd

Why trade for him now?

1) Has a soft game this week.

2) Has BYE week out of the way.

3) Prospects looking up with Palmer back.



Possible trade bait to land him:

Bryce Brown

Roddy White

Tre Mason

Trade for Kelvin Benjamin

Why trade for him now?

1) Schedule gets much easier.

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

3) Young, learning with huge upside talent.



Possible trade bait to land him:

Russell Wilson

Jeremy Hill

DeSean Jackson

Trade for Doug Martin

Why trade for him now?

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

2) Has a soft game this week.

3) Has BYE week out of the way.

4) Risky trade given Martin's lack of production, but may be available incredibly cheaply due to poor start.



Possible trade bait to land him:

Denard Robinson

Jordan Cameron

Bishop Sankey

Trade away Branden Oliver

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:

Andre Ellington

Justin Forsett

Kelvin Benjamin

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:

Kelvin Benjamin

A.J. Green

Greg Olsen

Trade away Roddy White

Why trade him away now?

1) Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

2) History shows older players wear down more during the season.

3) Coming off a nice game.



Possible reach target players to land in trading him away:

Michael Floyd

Emmanuel Sanders

Lamar Miller

Trade away Andre Williams

Why trade him away now?

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

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

3) Rashad Jennings due back soon.





Possible reach target players to land in trading him away:

Eric Decker

Jordan Reed

Cam Newton

Trade Pros and Cons: Full Breakdown

Dwayne Allen

Has a soft game this week.
Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Doug Baldwin

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Odell Beckham

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Young, learning with huge upside talent.
Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Joique Bell

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

Kelvin Benjamin

Schedule gets much easier.
Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Young, learning with huge upside talent.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Giovani Bernard

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has BYE week out of the way.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Blake Bortles

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Ahmad Bradshaw

RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Tom Brady

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Drew Brees

Has BYE week out of the way.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Antonio Brown

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Bryce Brown

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

Dez Bryant

Has a soft game this week.

Reggie Bush

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has a soft game this week.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Jordan Cameron

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Jamaal Charles

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has BYE week out of the way.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Charles Clay

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Randall Cobb

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

Marques Colston

Has BYE week out of the way.

Jared Cook

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Brandin Cooks

Young, learning with huge upside talent.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Isaiah Crowell

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

Jay Cutler

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

Andy Dalton

Has BYE week out of the way.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Owen Daniels

Has a soft game this week.
Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Knile Davis

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has BYE week out of the way.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Eric Decker

Has a soft game this week.

Eric Ebron

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Andre Ellington

Has BYE week out of the way.

Zach Ertz

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Mike Evans

Young, learning with huge upside talent.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Michael Floyd

Has a soft game this week.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Nick Foles

Has BYE week out of the way.

Matt Forte

Has a soft game this week.

Pierre Garcon

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

Antonio Gates

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Josh Gordon

Has BYE week out of the way.

Frank Gore

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Jimmy Graham

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has BYE week out of the way.

A.J. Green

Has BYE week out of the way.

Robert Griffin III

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Rob Gronkowski

Has a soft game this week.

Percy Harvin

Has a soft game this week.

Jeremy Hill

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Young, learning with huge upside talent.
Has BYE week out of the way.
Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Ronnie Hillman

Schedule gets much easier.
Has BYE week out of the way.
Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

T.Y. Hilton

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Andre Holmes

Has BYE week out of the way.

Carlos Hyde

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Mark Ingram

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

Chris Ivory

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

DeSean Jackson

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Fred Jackson

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
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 BYE week out of the way.

Alshon Jeffery

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

Rashad Jennings

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

Andre Johnson

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Stevie Johnson

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

James Jones

Has BYE week out of the way.

Julio Jones

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Travis Kelce

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Marshawn Lynch

Has a soft game this week.
Has BYE week out of the way.
Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Jeremy Maclin

Has BYE week out of the way.

Peyton Manning

Schedule gets much easier.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Doug Martin

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has a soft game this week.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Tre Mason

Has BYE week out of the way.

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.

LeSean McCoy

Has BYE week out of the way.
Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Darren McFadden

Has a soft game this week.
Has BYE week out of the way.
Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Lamar Miller

Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Alfred Morris

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

DeMarco Murray

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Jordy Nelson

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

Cam Newton

Schedule gets much easier.
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.

Greg Olsen

Schedule gets much easier.
Has a soft game this week.

Carson Palmer

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

Rueben Randle

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

Jordan Reed

Has a soft game this week.

Trent Richardson

RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Denard Robinson

Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.

Aaron Rodgers

Has a soft game this week.

Tony Romo

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

Matt Ryan

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

Emmanuel Sanders

Schedule gets much easier.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Bishop Sankey

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Mohamed Sanu

Has BYE week out of the way.

Alex Smith

Has a soft game this week.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Steve L Smith

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

Torrey Smith

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

Darren Sproles

Has BYE week out of the way.
Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Kenny Stills

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Ryan Tannehill

Has BYE week out of the way.
Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Ben Tate

Because of last weeks modest effort, may be undervalued now.
Has a nice schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16.
Has a soft game this week.
Has BYE week out of the way.
RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team.

Demaryius Thomas

Schedule gets much easier.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Julius Thomas

Schedule gets much easier.
Has BYE week out of the way.

Shane Vereen

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued.

Delanie Walker

Faces a very difficult opponent this week.

Mike Wallace

Has BYE week out of the way.

Sammy Watkins

Young, learning with huge upside talent.

Roddy White

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

Andre Williams

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

Terrance Williams

Has a soft game this week.

Russell Wilson

Has BYE week out of the way.

Jason Witten

History shows older players wear down more during the season.

Segmenting Players by Category

Due to excellent showing last week, may be overvalued:

Ryan Tannehill

Ronnie Hillman

Shane Vereen

Stevie Johnson

Kenny Stills

Torrey Smith

Odell Beckham

Pierre Garcon

Charles Clay

Owen Daniels

Dwayne Allen





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

Matt Ryan

Jay Cutler

Knile Davis

Jeremy Hill

Frank Gore

Reggie Bush

Mark Ingram

Alfred Morris

Ben Tate

Giovani Bernard

Alshon Jeffery

Jordan Cameron

Jimmy Graham





Schedule gets much harder:





Schedule gets much easier:

Cam Newton

Peyton Manning

Ronnie Hillman

Emmanuel Sanders

Kelvin Benjamin

Demaryius Thomas

Greg Olsen

Julius Thomas





RBBC factor - has another RB with talent on team:

Andre Williams

Isaiah Crowell

Ryan Mathews

Trent Richardson

Reggie Bush

Joique Bell

Rashad Jennings

Branden Oliver

Ben Tate

Ahmad Bradshaw





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

Cam Newton

Fred Jackson

Isaiah Crowell

Bryce Brown

Knile Davis

Doug Martin

Mark Ingram

Alfred Morris

Ben Tate

Lamar Miller

Jamaal Charles

Doug Baldwin

Odell Beckham

Rueben Randle

Kelvin Benjamin

Randall Cobb

Jordy Nelson

Jared Cook

Zach Ertz

Travis Kelce





Hard schedule during FF Playoff weeks 15 and 16:

Darren Sproles

Andre Williams

Denard Robinson

Darren McFadden

Ryan Mathews

Rashad Jennings

Branden Oliver

LeSean McCoy

Marshawn Lynch





Faces a very difficult opponent this week:

Andy Dalton

Robert Griffin III

Matt Ryan

Knile Davis

Jeremy Hill

Ryan Mathews

Chris Ivory

Branden Oliver

Giovani Bernard

Jamaal Charles

Torrey Smith

Pierre Garcon

Roddy White

DeSean Jackson

T.Y. Hilton

Kelvin Benjamin

Steve L Smith

Julio Jones

Antonio Brown

Delanie Walker

DeMarco Murray





Has a soft game this week:

Alex Smith

Carson Palmer

Tony Romo

Aaron Rodgers

Isaiah Crowell

Darren McFadden

Doug Martin

Reggie Bush

Joique Bell

Ben Tate

Marshawn Lynch

Matt Forte

Percy Harvin

Terrance Williams

Eric Decker

Michael Floyd

Randall Cobb

Dez Bryant

Jordy Nelson

Owen Daniels

Dwayne Allen

Jordan Reed

Greg Olsen

Rob Gronkowski





History shows older players wear down more during the season:

Tom Brady

Carson Palmer

Tony Romo

Drew Brees

Fred Jackson

Steven Jackson

Darren Sproles

Frank Gore

Andre Johnson

Roddy White

Steve L Smith

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:





Has BYE week out of the way:

Andy Dalton

Alex Smith

Ryan Tannehill

Nick Foles

Carson Palmer

Russell Wilson

Drew Brees

Peyton Manning

Darren Sproles

Isaiah Crowell

Darren McFadden

Tre Mason

Knile Davis

Jeremy Hill

Doug Martin

Mark Ingram

Ronnie Hillman

Ben Tate

Lamar Miller

Giovani Bernard

Andre Ellington

LeSean McCoy

Marshawn Lynch

Jamaal Charles

Mike Evans

Marques Colston

James Jones

Andre Holmes

Doug Baldwin

Brandin Cooks

Mohamed Sanu

Vincent Jackson

Josh Gordon

Michael Floyd

Emmanuel Sanders

Mike Wallace

Jeremy Maclin

A.J. Green

Demaryius Thomas

Jared Cook

Zach Ertz

Travis Kelce

Jordan Cameron

Jimmy Graham

Julius Thomas


Filed Under: 2014, w8