Week 8 Trade Targets
Here are five stars whose slow starts or bad breaks have opened a buying window, and why you should pounce before it closes.
Yo! Real quick, before we get to the picks →
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Now, on to the picks…
QB: Patrick Mahomes (KC)
Two straight quiet weeks have some managers wondering if Mahomes is fading, but a quick look at the full season tells a different story.
Finished 2nd among QBs in fantasy points per game last season before tearing his ACL
Threw multiple touchdowns in each of his first three starts, including a 382-yard, three-score shootout against the Colts
Was averaging 8.3 yards per attempt under Eric Bieniemy through Week 3, up from 7.1 a year ago
The 20-3 loss in Seattle was ugly, and Denver has been one of the tougher defenses against QBs, so one more slow week could make him even cheaper. Those big early games show the upside is still there, so make your offer now, if you’re stuck streaming the position at this point.
RB: Derrick Henry (BAL)
The Big Dog has gone two weeks without a touchdown, and his manager might just be losing patience.
Scored in each of his first five games, with eight touchdowns over that stretch
The slump came with Tyler Huntley at QB and a banged-up offensive line, and Henry got only six carries inside the 10-yard line across Huntley’s three starts
Lamar Jackson is expected back for Week 8 against Buffalo, one of the weaker run defenses in the NFL
Henry hasn’t missed a game in four straight seasons, and he won leagues last year with a 45.6-point explosion in Week 17. Buy him now, while his manager is focused on the last two weeks instead of the last month of the season.
RB: Chase Brown (CIN)
This is the third straight week Brown has made this list, and the box score is hiding what changed on Sunday.
His snap rate climbed back to 75% against Baltimore, while Samaje Perine had just four touches
He out-snapped Perine 7-to-3 in the red zone, but Perine took the one-yard touchdown
Cincinnati scored 35 straight points in the second half, a sign this offense is waking up and operating at full efficiency
One touchdown and a season-high of 82 scrimmage yards have his manager ready to give up on him. Brown was the RB7 in points per game last year in a Burrow-led offense, and you can buy him at a discount now.
Our top target is coming off the ugliest stat line of his recent career, and it’s the main reason he’s #1. Keep scrolling.
WR: DeVonta Smith (PHI)
The hamstring has kept Smith off the field, but when he plays, he gets as much volume as almost any receiver in the league.
In four healthy starts, he’s averaging 17.2 PPR points (WR9), 9.5 targets per game (WR6) and a 29% target share (WR4)
Tanner McKee threw 45 passes in his first start, while Jalen Hurts never topped 40 attempts in his last 22 games
In his only game with McKee, Smith had 14 targets (six more than any teammate) and a touchdown
With Hurts out for the season, Philly will likely be in a lot of throwing situations, and the tush push is no longer taking touchdowns away from the receivers. If your roster can absorb another missed week or two, Smith could pay off big down the stretch.
WR: Nico Collins (HOU)
Six yards on Sunday has his manager furious, and that’s your chance.
Week 7 was one of only four games in his career where he was targeted and failed to reach 13 yards
His role hasn’t changed: he played 89% of snaps in 11 personnel and every snap in 12 personnel
Three weeks ago, he had 7 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns against Dallas, after three straight 1,000-yard seasons coming in
Houston has a crowded receiver room, but Collins is still the one who almost never leaves the field. With a Week 8 bye making him even easier to pry loose, he’s the best buy-low on the board for your stretch run.
That’s the list. Making a play for any of these players could change your whole season.
-Joe
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