The Wolf on Fantasy Football Wall Street is back with his Week 9 edition of Sell High, Buy Low.
By Ryan Reynolds
This past week, the league saw injuries to Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (torn Achilles), San Diego wide receiver Keenan Allen (back spasms), Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell (torn MCL), Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte (bruised knee), and San Fransisco 49ers running back Reggie Bush and New Orleans Saints running back Khiry Robinson suffered injuries so bad they were carted off the field.
When there are injuries, there are also holes needed to be filled in fantasy lineups, which makes this week’s edition of Sell High & Buy Low a critical one…so pay attention. Also, I introduce a brand new section called the Waiver Wire Spotlight.
Let’s get on with the good stuff:
Sell High
Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Andrew Luck
I never thought I’d see the day when I would say “trade Andrew Luck in fantasy, and trade him now.” The Colts are suffering through a great state of turmoil at the moment. Luck is being careless with the football, posting an interception to touchdown ratio of 12:13. That ratio alone warrants low quality fantasy material.
As for fantasy stats, Luck is averaging 13 points per game which ranks him 21st among starting quarterbacks. Want The Wolf’s suggestion? Find a good landing spot for him, maybe someone far out of the playoff race, and try and trade for quality assets that would benefit your team in the long run.
Sell High
San Diego Chargers Tight End Antonio Gates
Two words: “injury prone.” The veteran tight end for the Chargers is known for being shelved due to injury, but he also found himself suspended the first four games of the regular season for the use of PEDs. Gates then returned Week 5 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and exploded for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
Since then? Well, yeah you guessed it…he’s been sidelined due to an MCL injury. Why do I have him as a Sell High option then? Well here’s the Wolf’s pitch: Gates will return this season, and when active, he will get receptions, and he will score points. Trade Gates for productive pieces and avoid the suspense of the injury report in case this MCL injury does nag him for the rest of the season.
Sell High
New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver Brandin Cooks
Cooks is my money pick in the Sell High category for Week 9.
Coming off two productive games, Cooks makes for a perfect Sell High candidate. In Week 8 Cooks caught six passes for 88 yards and found the endzone twice, producing his best game this season.
Quarterback Drew Brees said before the season that he “loved the kid [Cooks],” and having a good quarterback to receiver chemistry is huge for production. With the Saints starting to find their rhythm, being the winners of three straight, Cooks is starting to look more appealing to fantasy owners. The Wolf suggests that owners should take advantage of the Saints momentum now before the hype dies down.
Buy Low
As mentioned in the beginning, Week 8 added a number of quality fantasy players to the NFL’s injury report. With most of those players being running backs and wide receivers, try to acquire these sleepers in order to fill any vacancies you may have.
Jacksonville Jaguars Running Back T.J. Yeldon
The rookie from Alabama is making his presence felt down in Jacksonville. Yeldon is the workhorse in the Jaguars backfield averaging around 20 carries per game, which is always a plus for fantasy production. He is also a quality receiving back which is beneficial to PPR leagues. Versatile backs that can both run and catch the football make for great fantasy production. Although Yeldon has only scored one rushing touchdown this season, according to the Florida Times-Union, he is expected to get more carries around the goalline due to his struggling counterpart, running back Toby Gerhart.
Through eight weeks of play, the rookie has managed to post two 100+ yard rushing games and is currently averaging 8 points per game. Yeldon is owned in 91.9 percent of fantasy leagues so trading for him will most likely be the only way of acquiring him, but he makes for a solid replacement if your team is ailing from the loss of either Le’Veon Bell or Matt Forte.
Buy Low
Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receiver Allen Hurns
Hurns is the definition of a true fantasy sleeper. He is owned in 76.1 percent of leagues and is averaging 11 points per game. Hurns has found the endzone in an eye popping five straight games and is one of the biggest factors for the Jaguars passing success this season. Quarterback Blake Bortles is having a phenomenal sophomore campaign which only makes Hurns’ fantasy ceiling higher. Wide receiver Allen Robinson is viewed as the No. 1 wideout in Jacksonville, which makes Hurns the favorable option against teams with a good defense. If I was in need of a receiver, and saw that Hurns was available, I would immediately add him to my team.
Buy Low
New Orleans Saints Tight End Benjamin Watson
It is a known fact that Saints quarterback Drew Brees loves throwing to his tight ends. He did it with now Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham, and since his departure, Brees has a new-found love and that is Benjamin Watson. Last week, Watson reeled in 9 passes, tallied a total of 147 yards, and scored a touchdown. Over the Saints three game winning streak, Watson has combined for a total of 23 receptions, 333 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Maybe the winning formula for the Saints is getting Watson the football? If that is the case, and the Saints keep on winning, you can expect Watson’s fantasy production to keep consistent with a high ceiling. He is currently owned in 52.4 percent of fantasy leagues making Watson an ideal Buy Low candidate.
Waiver Wire Spotlight
Denver Broncos Tight End Vernon Davis
After spending ten seasons in San Fransisco, Davis was traded to Denver on Nov. 2. In return for Davis, the 49ers received sixth-round draft picks in both 2016 and 2017. Davis is known for being a vertical threat in the passing game, but has been off the map this season due to the struggles of his former quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Davis should adjust well with future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who will for sure be able to utilize Davis’ pass catching abilities. Perhaps he will play the role of former Broncos tight end Julius Thomas? It is a very intriguing thought and is worth the risk since he is only owned in 15.2 percent of fantasy leagues. I would pick him up now before anyone else gets the same idea.
That wraps up this week’s edition of Sell High and Buy Low. The Wolf wishes everyone a good luck in Week 9.