Optimize your lineups for the rest of the season with these fantasy football trade objectives before Week 8.
Buy low on Jordan Mason
Mason is coming off his third straight game with fewer than 10 fantasy points. But this needs more context. In Week 6, Mason totaled over 70 yards in the first half before leaving with a shoulder injury. But heading into Week 7, Mason was not on the final injury report, suggesting he would see his normal workload, and he did.
Mason played a season-high 86% of snaps in Week 7 and earned 14 of 15 RB carries. He failed to find the end zone, but the usage was great. The elephant in the room now is the impending return of Christian McCaffrey. Let’s break this down.
It has been reported that McCaffrey could return in Week 10 after parting ways with the 49er. This isn’t a guarantee, however, and even if McCaffrey returns, it’s unlikely he’ll see his full workload right away. Achilles tendonitis is associated with a high rate of re-injury, notes Harvard-trained sports surgeon Deepak Chona. It’s likely the 49ers will bring him back in, which means there’s also a good chance Mason is still involved in this offense even if McCaffrey returns. Trade someone like Najee Harris for Mason if you can.
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Send a trade for Rico Dowdle
Coming off his bye week, Dowdle will face the 49ers. But before the bye, coach Mike McCarthy suggested Dowdle definitely needs to touch the ball more. This is just coaching speak, but McCarthy said something similar about Dowdle before the Cowboys Week 4 game against the Cowboys. In that game, Dowdle saw season highs in snaps, touches and fantasy points.
Dowdle has been a solid FLEX option over the past month. He’s finished as a top-25 RB in three straight games and has totaled at least 55 yards in five straight games. Dowdle is a talented player who you can currently buy for cheap in fantasy leagues. His end-of-season schedule is also strong, as he will face the Bengals, Panthers and Bucs – each ranked in the bottom 10 in rushing EPA per play allowed according to NFL Pro. Try to trade someone like Romeo Doubs or Alexander Mattison for Dowdle if you can.
Trade for Chase Brown
Brown continues to see promising use in the Bengals offense. In Week 7, Brown earned a team-high 58% of snaps and commanded 71% of the backfield carries. This was Brown’s best usage of the season alongside Zack Moss. Unfortunately, it only translated into 54 scoreless yards on 17 touches – not a great fantasy day, but this opens a buy-low window for Brown.
According to PFF, Brown took charge of the majority of early down snaps in Week 7, while Zack Moss remained the third-down back. This is likely because the Bengals coaches currently trust Moss more in pass protection. But this is something that could change as the season progresses, especially considering how explosive Brown has been on the field this season. According to PlayerProfiler, Brown ranks in the top 10 in both explosive run rate and yards per carry this season. He has some strong games coming up against the Eagles and Raiders, now it’s time to get a deal done. Trade someone like Nick Chubb or Kareem Hunt for him if you can.
Buy low on DeVonta Smith
Smith earned just one goal in Week 7. This was his first poor performance of the season, but Smith’s usage was still strong. He ran a route on 91% of the Eagles’ passing plays and continued to see usage in both the slot and wide. The real problem was that the Eagles got up early against the Giants and led by several scores throughout the game.
This resulted in Jalen Hurts attempting just 14 passes, a season low by far. Before this game, Smith had earned at least 11 fantasy points in every matchup and was a top-25 receiver in all of them. According to PlayerProfiler, Smith currently ranks 12th in WR efficiency this season. Right now is the time to buy low on his fantasy value because his schedule is great moving forward. According to PFF rankings, he will face seven bottom-half second-rounders in the next seven games. Trade someone like Brian Thomas Jr. or Brian Robinson Jr. for Smith if you can.
Submit an offer for Diontae Johnson
Johnson entered Week 7 with a hamstring, ankle and rib injury. Despite being less than 100%, he adjusted and made plays, but he clearly wasn’t himself as he ran a route on just 73% of the Panthers’ dropbacks. This was his lowest in a game since Week 1, when he left early with an injury. Johnson finished Week 7 with just one catch for 17 yards.
Johnson has not performed in recent weeks due to his own health and the poor play of Andy Dalton. We will now see Bryce Young back at QB for the Panthers in Week 8, which likely won’t benefit Johnson. But there’s a chance Johnson is traded before the NFL trade deadline. A team like the Bucs could use a veteran receiver due to the slew of injuries, which would be a huge upgrade to Johnson’s fantasy value if the Panthers are willing to trade within the division.
Trading for Johnson comes with some risks, the biggest being that Young doesn’t improve as a pitcher, but for the right price these risks could be worth it. Try to move someone like Kareem Hunt or Tank Bigsby for him if you can.
