Fantasy Football

The fantasy football trade deadlines are rapidly approaching. Regardless of whether you're fighting for a bye, a playoff spot or to fend off a last-place punishment, you should consider all avenues to improve your team. You should also assess your current roster and decide whether the collection of talent will get you over the top when push comes to shove.

With that in mind, here's a look at a pair of Cleveland Browns running backs, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and some thoughts on them moving forward.

Chubb has been nothing short of sensational for the Browns, who selected the ex-Georgia star with the No. 35 overall selection in the 2018 NFL draft.

The fourth-year pro rushed 228 times for 1,259 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021 alongside 20 receptions, 174 receiving yards and one more score.

He's followed that up with 149 carries for 841 yards and 10 scores (5.6 YPC) in 2022 alongside 10 catches and 70 receiving yards. Chubb has amassed over 1,100 total yards in each of his first four seasons and is well on his way to doing that again in year number five.

If you have Chubb, you're keeping him for the end of the season and into the playoffs, plain and simple. He's one of the top 10 most valuable fantasy players and a rock-solid asset going forward. If a fantasy team is looking to offload Chubb for whatever reason (which they shouldn't, but you never know), it's worth making a Godfather offer to land him. He's simply one of the most consistent and best running backs in real and fantasy football.

The better question is regarding second-string running back Kareem Hunt, who is productive in his own right (422 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on 96 touches over eight games).

Ultimately, he's been capped at 12 touches per game, so he doesn't have a great ceiling.

But that could change if the Browns take a big step forward when quarterback Deshaun Watson makes his season debut in Week 13 versus the Houston Texans. Perhaps adding the three-time Pro Bowler gives the Browns more scoring opportunities and therefore more chances for Hunt to make his mark.

However, that's a speculative notion at best. Hunt's best opportunity would be him becoming the unquestioned RB1 if Chubb is ever forced to sit, but in the meantime, trading for him is a gamble. He's a solid bench option at running back at best.

At the same time, he provides good depth in case you run into a bind at the position, so it's best to hang onto him unless someone else is offering you a good deal for him.

Fantasy football trade deadlines are looming, and the regular-season stretch run is upon us as well. With that in mind, here's a look at Detroit Lions running backs D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams and whether you should consider dealing or acquiring either talent.

Swift entered this year as a hot fantasy prospect, but shoulder and ankle injuries have sidelined him for much of this season. He's played in just five of eight games, amassing 391 total yards and three touchdowns on 50 touches.

The former Georgia star hasn't had more than 10 touches in any of his last four games, but he showed what he's capable of in Week 1 with 175 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles.

At his best, Swift is a productive back and an incredible fantasy asset. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered his potential, and he's sparingly been used since Week 1.

Head coach Dan Campbell did tell reporters he wants Swift to get more work against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

#Lions coach Dan Campbell says there wasn't any setbacks with RB D'Andre Swift yesterday. "We're hopeful we can give him a little bit more this week," Campbell said.

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) November 7, 2022

The problem is a "little bit more" than the five touches he got last Sunday probably won't amount to all that much against Chicago.

As good as Swift is, it's best to keep him on benches and take a "wait-and-see" approach in hopes that he takes hold of the backfield near the end of the season. If teams are looking to offload Swift, consider a deal there, but it's not worth going all out to acquire him in hopes that he returns to his Week 1 form.

Williams, a former BYU star in his sixth NFL season, has carried the load at running back for the Lions this year. He has rushed 126 times for 545 yards (4.3 YPC) and amassed nine receptions for 57 more yards. He's scored eight total touchdowns.

With Swift limited, the ex-Green Bay Packer notably had 13 touches for 60 yards in Week 2 versus the Washington Commanders in Week 2 before going off for 107 total yards and two touchdowns on 22 touches in Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Swift was then ruled out for the Lions' Week 4 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 2 with the same ailments that bothered him the previous week. Williams took over the backfield and dominated with 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

While Williams hasn't been utilized as a pass-catching threat, he's clearly the team's lead back right now and the go-to option at the goal line. There's no reason to look to trade him given his status.

If he's made available by other teams, look into a trade, as Williams is a clear RB1 right now given his litany of opportunities to tote the rock and score in goal-line situations.

With the fantasy trade deadline approaching, let's take a look at how you should value some of the skill-position players from the Buffalo Bills.

We'll start with Stefon Diggs, who is a top-five wideout and arguably a top-10 player in all of fantasy. To trade for him, you're going to need to be prepared to offer a massive haul. To depart with him, you better be getting back the kitchen sink.

Here's a piece of advice—don't trade him. Surely if you have a logjam at wideout you could trade one of your less productive players.

Now that we've settled that, we'll move over to Gabe Davis, who the Bills were clearly hoping would take a big leap in year three. He was solid in his first two campaigns, catching 70 passes for 1,148 yards and 13 touchdowns across 32 games.

On Buffalo's high-flying offense last year, however, players like Diggs, Dawson Knox, Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders often took precedent over Davis. With Beasley and Sanders gone, the table was set for Davis to emerge as the true WR2 in this offense.

He's offered mixed results. Davis has struggled to be a worthwhile starter in weeks when he hasn't scored a touchdown, making him an all-or-nothing proposition. In trade talks, he's a player worth valuing as an inconsistent flex option, and nothing more.

That means you might be able to get him for below market value at this point. If you're the seller, don't expect to get back much.

We move to tight end Knox, who had become a favorite of Josh Allen's last season but has struggled to have a similar impact this year. Knox isn't a receptions machine and he hasn't been a huge red-zone threat this year, leaving him with very little value.

At this point, he's nothing more than a TE2 consideration, which means his trade value is extremely low. If you think a bounce-back might be on the horizon, he's a good buy-low candidate.

We'll close with Isaiah McKenzie who, like Davis, has struggled to make a major fantasy splash in weeks when he doesn't find the end zone. He's made even less of an impact than Davis, however, which should tell you all you need to know about his trade value.

We're officially starting the stretch run of the 2022 fantasy football regular season.

Only five more weeks remain until most leagues start their playoffs, and with trade deadlines looming, it's more important than ever to make the right call in your starting lineup.

Here's a look some names to start—and to sit—as Week 10 approaches.

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Quarterback

Start: Russell Wilson (at Tennessee Titans)

If Russell Wilson is going to turn around his 2022 season, this is the week it starts. The Broncos are coming off a bye, having ample time to retool their moribund offense, and are facing off against a shaky Tennessee secondary.

Only the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons are surrendering more passing yards per game than the Titans, who have given up 15 touchdown passes in eight games.

Denver added a solid pass-catching option out of the backfield in Chase Edmonds at the deadline and have gotten stellar work from rookie tight end Greg Dulcich since he made his debut last month.

It's now or never for Russ.

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Sit: Geno Smith (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

This season's most surprising breakout fantasy star has quietly been mediocre of late. Smith has fallen outside the top 12 in quarterbacks in three of the last four weeks, and he's set to face off against a Buccaneers secondary that's fifth in passing yards allowed per game.

Opposing quarterbacks are averaging only 6.3 yards per attempt and have been sacked 29 times by Tampa. This is an excellent defense that has propped up a terrible Bucs offense all season.

Consensus rankings have Smith ranked as QB7, but it'd be shocking if he finished as player worth starting in 12-team leagues.

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Running Back

Start: Najee Harris (vs. New Orleans Saints)

We're going to use the same post-bye logic as we did with Wilson. Harris has been dealing with a foot injury all season, and it's clearly hampered his explosiveness despite him putting on a brave public face.

The second-year back has been arguably the worst high-usage player in football this season, averaging 3.3 yards per carry and performing like a low-end flex play after being taken in the first round of fantasy drafts.

With a week off to finally rest his foot and a matchup against a Saints defense that's given up 120.9 rushing yards per game, it's past time for Harris to step up and flash his first-round talent.

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Sit: D'Andre Swift (at Chicago Bears)

Swift played 10 snaps last week. He's impossible to trust from a health standpoint, and the Lions seem satisfied with giving Jamaal Williams the bulk of the workload—and more importantly the overwhelming lion's share of the goal-line work.

Swift is an if-you're-desperate flex play this week, because there is still a chance he winds up playing and going bananas against a Bears defense that's been friendly to fantasy running backs all season.

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Wide Receiver

Start: DJ Moore (vs. Atlanta Falcons)

Moore managers are just going to have to be comfortable living in a high-variance world. Despite what's been by all accounts a wildly disappointing season, Moore has five double-digit outings and was a top-10 option in Weeks 7 and 8.

PJ Walker put together one of the worst performances you'll ever see from a quarterback in last week's loss to the Bengals, and he'll get the start Thursday night against Atlanta. It's possible we see another complete dud from Walker, with Moore's performance suffering as a result.

That said, Moore put up a season-high 152 yards when these teams met two weeks ago. He's a bonafide top-20 option this week.

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Sit: Michael Pittman Jr. (at Las Vegas Raiders)

Until Sam Ehlinger shows any capability to pass like an NFL quarterback, Pittman is a flex play at best. This is a franchise with a third-stringer starting under center and a coach who has zero experience running the show this week.

Dump every ounce of Colts stock (if you had any) before it's too late.

While fantasy football managers have received little return on Skyy Moore or Kadarius Toney this season, the Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers could be undervalued assets in dynasty leagues.

The Chiefs selected Moore in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft in part to help replace Tyreek Hill. The 22-year-old has caught just six passes for 100 yards on 13 targets through eight games.

Toney joined the team in October following his trade from the New York Giants. He made his Kansas City debut in a 20-17 Week 9 win over the Tennessee Titans, hauling in two passes for 12 yards.

Of the two, Moore is probably the more attractive asset in dynasty formats.

The Chiefs' investment in him is slightly higher than Toney, who cost a compensatory third-round pick and a sixth-rounder. Toney is more of a wild card as well given how poorly his New York Giants tenure went.

Even though a different regime is in charge in New York, you generally don't see a team trade a player who was selected in the first round one year earlier.

Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster are free agents in the offseason, and Marquez Valdez-Scantling's three-year, $30 million contract doesn't make it difficult for the Chiefs to move on in 2023 or 2024.

As much as Moore is a peripheral figure now, he could have a significantly bigger role in the passing game next year. The same goes for Toney, though it's tougher right now to see where he fits into Kansas City's long-term plans.

Trading for Moore or Toney could be a worthwhile gambit. Their values are slightly higher in dynasty leagues, but neither should command a high price tag.

Of course, their relatively meager production so far offers a compelling reason to stand pat if you have either on your roster. Unless a rival manager is willing to go above and beyond, betting on Moore or Toney's long-term upside is the smarter play.

Relying solely on the waiver wire to address your team needs is a lot like hiring a guy to serve as your head coach even though he doesn't have any experience performing the role at either the professional or collegiate levels: It might work out OK, but is it really a risk worth taking?

No, it isn't. Don't be the Indianapolis Colts of your fantasy league.

But if you need help best getting the best value in a fantasy trade, we're here to help with the weekly trade value chart.

Below, you'll find a general idea of how to value fantasy's best players, though obviously your unique league rules and formats should be taken into consideration (these rankings were made with points-per-reception scoring in mind).

As always, players not listed below have a value of one. May the fantasy points be with you!

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Trade Value: 15

1. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

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Trade Value: 14

2. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

3. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

4. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

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Trade Value: 13

5. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

6. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

7. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

8. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

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Trade Value: 12

9. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

10. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

11. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

12. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

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Trade Value: 11

13. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

14. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

15. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

16. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots

17. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

18. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

19. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals

20. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins

21. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers

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Trade Value: 10

22. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

23. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

24. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

25. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

26. Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans

27. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

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Trade Value: 9

28. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

29. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

30. Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns

31. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

32. Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

33. Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

34. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

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Trade Value: 8

35. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

36. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

37. Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals

38. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

39. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

40. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions

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Trade Value: 7

41. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

42. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

43. Allen Lazard, WR, Green Bay Packers

44. Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots

45. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

46. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

47. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

48. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions

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Trade Value: 6

49. Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

50. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

51. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

52. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

53. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders

54. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

55. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Trade Value: 5

56. Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions

57. James Robinson, RB, New York Jets

58. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

59. Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders

60. D'Onta Foreman, RB, Carolina Panthers

61. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals

62. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

63. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

64. Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears

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Trade Value: 4

65. Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders

66. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

67. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

68. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

69. DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

70. DJ Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers

71. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals

72. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys

73. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

74. Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills

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Trade Value: 3

75. David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

76. Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

77. Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Chargers

78. Hayden Hurst, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

79. Gabe Davis, WR, Buffalo Bills

80. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

81. Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

82. Rondale Moore, WR, Arizona Cardinals

83. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos

84. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

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Trade Value: 2

85. Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears

86. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

87. Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, Miami Dolphins

88. Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens

89. Kenyan Drake, RB, Baltimore Ravens

90. Latavius Murray, RB, Denver Broncos

91. Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns

92. Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks

93. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

94. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

95. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

96. Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

97. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

98. Darrell Henderson Jr., RB, Los Angeles Rams

99. Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans

100. Chase Claypool, WR, Chicago Bears

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So, what exactly is Justin Fields' trade value after his enormous Week 9?

Well, that's up for debate, but what isn't is that the Chicago Bears quarterback has emerged as a weekly must-start option unless you have a top-five player at the position already on your roster.

Fields now has five straight weeks with 17 or more points in standard leagues and has notched a whopping 92 points in the past three weeks.

Over the past four weeks, Bears QB Justin Fields has a total of 110.52 fantasy points.

That's more than any other player in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/5txDQu5BFo

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 9, 2022

Not that there aren't concerns.

The 23-year-old has only thrown for 200 or more yards once this season. He only has three weeks this season with multiple touchdown passes, though he has thrown for five scores in the past two weeks alone.

An enormous chunk of his fantasy value is coming from his rushing ability.

Bears QB Justin Fields in the red zone...

Weeks 1-7: 4-of-11 passing for 27 yards, 2 TDs

Weeks 8-9: 9-of-10 passing for 71 yards, 5 TDs pic.twitter.com/kofoNuZ6qm

— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) November 8, 2022

Justin Fields is QB7 in fantasy

he does not have a wide receiver in the top 40 lol

— Jeremy (@JeromeyR0me) November 8, 2022

The positive side is that the Bears, finally, seem to be embracing this part of Fields' skill set, so it's very possible his rushing impact will be able to shoulder the load for his fantasy value the rest of the year.

Justin Fields deserves his flowers and @Realrclark25 wants his own too 😂👏

"On @GetUpESPN, [I] said 'Right after Lamar, Justin Fields was the most explosive open field runner from the QB position.' And nobody believed me." pic.twitter.com/tVdpZaIB78

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 9, 2022

Justin Fields had 3 of the top 10 fastest ball carrier stats on @NextGenStats from week 9 🤯🤯🤯

This guy is a QB. #DaBears #Bears #BearsNation pic.twitter.com/xNhoTUKvJM

— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) November 8, 2022

The @bears stopped trying to make Justin Fields “play quarterback”, started letting him “play football” and the results have been SPECTACULAR. Allowing him to use his legs, his arm and his creativity. Justin Fields is having fun again.

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) November 6, 2022

Crazy how good Justin Fields looks when you play to his strengths and put pressure on the defense to defend all 11

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) November 6, 2022

NFL rushing leaders, last 4 weeks:

1. Travis Etienne, 465
2. Derrick Henry, 462 (in 3 games)
3. Kenneth Walker III, 425
4. CHICAGO BEARS QB JUSTIN FIELDS, 408 😮 🐻
5. Joe Mixon, 283

— Andy Behrens (@andybehrens) November 7, 2022

Unfortunately, your days of buying low on him in a trade are probably over. And unless you already have another top quarterback option, there's little reason to trade him.

You are probably a week late if you were hoping to pull the trigger on a Fields deal, but it can't hurt to try.

Not remotely a hot take, Justin Fields is a borderline top-five fantasy QB ROS. Pure brilliance on designed and opportunistic runs. Regardless of aerial numbers, he owns a strong floor via ground contributions.

Duality rules in fantasy. His rise is beautiful to see.

— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) November 8, 2022

If you are looking for a player who might be had for cheaper than his actual value, though, consider Allen Lazard.

The difference between his ranking in overall points in standard PPR leagues (27th) and his ranking in fantasy points per week played (16th) is fairly significant, especially when you consider that two of the players above him in the latter ranking are on injured reserve (Marquise Brown, Michael Thomas) and two more (Ja'Marr Chase, Mike Williams) are out several weeks with injuries.

So, on a weekly basis among healthy players, you can make the argument that Lazard is the 12th-most valuable wideout.

Considering the 26-year-old hasn't dipped below nine points in any game he's played this year, has hit the double-digit mark six times, is averaging 7.2 targets per game and is finding the end zone with solid consistency (five scores), he is very quietly an excellent WR2.

But you might be able to nab him for low-end flex prices. It's a move you should strongly consider. The Green Bay Packers may be a mess, but Aaron Rodgers trusts Lazard and he's the one wideout consistently producing for him.

Fantasy football trade deadlines are rapidly approaching, and a trio of Atlanta Falcons should be talked about in that vein.

Tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London have underperformed, begging the question as to whether they are good buy-low candidates.

On the other hand, running back Cordarrelle Patterson returned to the lineup Sunday after missing a month with a knee injury.

The Falcons didn't hold him back against the Los Angeles Chargers, and he finished with 18.3 point-per-reception points after scoring a pair of touchdowns to go with 53 yards on 14 touches.

Should enterprising teams look to offload Patterson while his fantasy stock is high? Alternatively, is it worth it for fantasy players to try to add Patterson even if the price is high?

Here's a breakdown on all of the above.

The Falcons have been an anomaly this year.

On the surface, they appear to have two pass-catching stars in Pitts and London, who were selected fourth and eighth in the past two NFL drafts.

But neither player has been featured this year. Pitts has 23 catches on 46 targets for 285 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. London has 33 receptions on 56 targets for 369 yards and two scores in nine matchups.

Pitts has been feast or famine, too. He had five catches for 87 yards against the Seattle Seahawks and five receptions for 80 yards and a score versus the Carolina Panthers. Otherwise, he has just 13 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. He has not amassed more than three catches or 27 yards in any of those contests.

London was good over the first three weeks (16 catches, 214 yards, two touchdowns). In the six games since, though, he has just 17 catches for 155 yards and zero touchdowns. He's averaged just 5.2 targets during that span.

Before the season, FantasyPros ranked Pitts as the 32nd player and the No. 3 tight end in PPR leagues. London was a borderline flex player at No. 94 overall and No. 39 among wideouts.

However, per FantasyData, Pitts is just 17th among tight ends in PPR leagues, making him a backup tight end at best. London is the No. 52 wide receiver, so he's at best a bench option, if he's not on the waiver wire.

The talent is unquestionably there for both players.

The 6'6", 246-pound Pitts, who amassed 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Florida Gators in 2020, was amazing as a rookie with 68 catches for 1,026 yards and one touchdown.

London, the former USC star, snagged 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven scores in eight games for the Trojans last year before suffering a fractured right ankle.

The primary issue is that the Falcons run the ball 60.1 percent of the time, the second-highest mark in the NFL, per Fantasy Football Today. Their 22 pass attempts per game are the second-fewest in football.

For context, the Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers throw the ball twice as often, leading the league.

The Falcons start dual-threat quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has rushed 60 times for 304 yards and three touchdowns. They tailor the offense around his strengths, and that means a run-first offense that's featured Patterson, Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley.

When Mariota was with the Tennessee Titans, they found success with a similar offense featuring Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray.

It would be hard to trust Pitts or London in any capacity moving forward for the sole reason that opportunities just haven't been there.

On the flip side, Patterson is a player to hang on to or try to trade for.

The jack of all trades had 1,166 total yards and 11 scores last year (153 rushes, 52 catches). He was the No. 1 runner and No. 3 receiver on the team.

The Falcons' 2021 MVP has done well this year too thanks to 421 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in just five games. He's the No. 14 running back in fantasy points per game.

Given the Falcons' propensity to run the ball, Patterson should be heavily featured moving forward, making him a borderline RB1 in fantasy. Hold on to him for the stretch run if he's on your team. And if Patterson is available in your league, see if you can orchestrate a deal.

There's no chance the Minnesota Vikings would voluntarily trade star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. It might be a different story in the fantasy football realm.

Jefferson was widely considered one of the best players on the board coming into the season. Aside from a disappointing Week 3, he has delivered.

Through eight games, the two-time Pro Bowler has caught 59 passes for 867 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a three-yard touchdown run in a Week 4 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Jefferson has eclipsed the century mark in yardage in four of his last five games, though only hauling in one touchdown during that span has dragged his overall fantasy scoring down.

In standard leagues, you need to get a massive haul to consider trading him.

You are unlikely to get a wideout of equal value, so a straight-up swap makes little sense unless one of Stefon Diggs, Cooper Kupp or Tyreek Hill is coming the other way.

Jefferson could be leveraged to address other areas of your squad. Assuming you don't want to deplete your receiving corps, holding out for a lesser WR and a low-end RB1 is reasonable.

In super-flex formats, trading Jefferson would be a great way to upgrade at quarterback since it's doubtful the waiver wire will offer much help at that position the rest of the way.

If you have the 23-year-old in your squad, then it's a buyer's market. Maybe you can put together a trade that sacrifices some points at quarterback but leaves you better off overall. Absent that, keep Jefferson and watch the receptions and yards continue to pile up in the second half.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave represents a high-upside target ahead of the fantasy football trade deadline.

The Saints' pecking order in the passing game is shifting with longtime No. 1 receiver Michael Thomas expected to miss the remainder of the season after being placed on injured reserve last week because of a toe injury, and Olave is in position to benefit.

Let's analyze the top options in the New Orleans aerial attack, explore what their fantasy value could be moving forward and debate whether it's time to make a trade offer for the rookie from Ohio State.

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Chris Olave

New Orleans used the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 draft on Olave, so he's the receiver who's generating the most buzz in Thomas' absence. His big-play ability is intriguing, and the more consistent targets figure to bolster his value.

If you want to trade for him, now might be the last chance to land him at a reasonable price.

He's coming off a modest performance against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night—six catches for 71 yards and no touchdowns—but the more important factor is his targets (nine) nearly doubled his closest competition, Marquez Callaway with five.

That gap may close a bit when Jarvis Landry returns from injury, but it shows Olave is in position to lead the Saints' receiving group for the rest of 2022.

Making a fair offer now while he's the No. 15-ranked receiver in PPR leagues and coming off a mediocre game is probably the best chance for interested fantasy managers to land him because his value could explode during the season's second half.

Most managers will likely opt to keep him, however, and it's reasonable to believe he could be a league-winning asset down the stretch.

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Jarvis Landry

The biggest question in a Thomas-less Saints offense is whether Olave is the clear top target or if the ball is going to get spread around pretty evenly when the roster is healthy. In turn, Landry could possess some sneaky value once back from an ankle injury.

He's spent time as a No. 1 receiver at both of his previous stops with the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns, and his strong route-running makes him a reliable option on short and intermediate routes.

It's still hard to imagine Landry getting 10-plus targets on a regular basis if Thomas is unavailable, though. So it's important to keep expectations within reason.

That said, the 29-year-old LSU product will likely warrant some occasional spot starts against weaker secondaries, especially in potentially high-scoring games.

If he does return and shine with Thomas is out, he could also create some nice fantasy trade value for himself over the next few weeks.

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Marquez Callaway

Callaway operated as the Saints' No. 1 target last year after Thomas' injury, but he didn't turn that opportunity into fantasy stardom. He finished as the 43rd-ranked receiver in PPR leagues despite playing in all 17 games.

So it's hard to have a ton of optimism about his production given what will likely be a crowded battle for targets. He should be more involved, but his scoring figures to remain heavily dependent on touchdowns, which are difficult to predict.

He could emerge as a consistent flex option if further injuries arise at the position, but that's about the extent of his upside until proved otherwise.

Callaway may still be worth a flier for those seeking a little wideout depth, though.