Welcome to NFL Week 13 Buy or Sell! This is it! The last possible week to trade in most formats. A lot of folks’ trade deadlines have passed over the past two weeks, but some of the hardcore trade leagues hold steady until week 13. This week is also interesting for trades, as there are four games before the deadlines. It is Thanksgiving week, so that means three on Thanksgiving and one Black Friday game. This is a big deal because a lot of outstanding players are playing before Sunday’s slate. Let’s do it!
Week 13 Buys
Chase Brown
Chase Brown is entering Thanksgiving week on a high. After the first four weeks of the season, he has reached the best he can be with no Joe Burrow, but it looks like Joe Burrow may play this week against the Baltimore Ravens. If that is the case, Brown will enter quickly as an RB1 rest of the season. Brown was drafted in the second round preseason because of his upside with Joe Burrow. This will surely be the case as he has been a high-end RB2 with Joe Flacco at QB. Brown could be a league winner this year if Burrow comes back, which it seems like he will. Brown has failed to finish outside the top-20 in running backs since week 6, and his receiving workload is thriving. Buy Chase Brown before the season is over. Trade these similarly ranked players for Chase Brown: Tee Higgins, Jaylen Waddle, Rico Dowdle, and Tetairoa McMillan.
Omarion Hampton
Omarion Hampton has become a forgotten entity in fantasy football this season. Being out the last two months with an ankle injury may have helped the young back as he is poised to rejoin the team for a successful fantasy playoffs run. Hampton looked great in weeks 3 and 4 as the premier back in Los Angeles before getting hurt in week five. While Hampton does not have a great offensive line around him because of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater being out, he is a very good running back with amazing pass-catching upside as well. Before he went down with an injury, he had 18 targets through 3 weeks and did not catch one of them.
Although backup Kimani Vidal has been serviceable in the absence of Hampton, the Chargers are lacking the explosiveness that Hampton could bring to the backfield. I would trade for Hampton, as h,e too could be a league winner. Trade these similarly ranked players for Hampton: Kenneth Walker III, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylen Warren, and Travis Etienne Jr.
DeVonta Smith
DeVonta Smith is quietly having a great year. The 5th year wide receiver has 55 receptions for 754 yards and three touchdowns. He is on pace to have one of his best years to date. The current WR17. It is well documented that the Philadelphia Eagles have struggled to get A.J. Brown the ball, but over the last couple of weeks Brown has been running hot with targets., While I do think the concerted effort to give Brown the ball will continue, it has allowed for more flexibility for Smith. He has been getting open at a much higher rate than he was before. When you have to pay attention to Brown, it allows Smith to run wild and stay down the field. Trade for DeVonta Smith, you will not regret it.
Week 13 Sells
Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson, in most years that he plays football, is one of, if not the best, fantasy football assets. Jefferson has one thing this year that he just cannot shake, and that is J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is no slouch and one of the best QB gurus in the NFL. McCarthy’s talent may not be as great as we have anticipated. O’Connell has more than proved himself in working with QBs, so if he cannot get it to work with McCarthy, then you cannot blame him. It could be McCarthy’s injuries that have stunted his growth, or he is just not very good, but I will tell you one thing. We all hope Carson Wentz gets another crack at it. Justin Jefferson is not a WR1 with him at QB. Jefferson’s best and only two 20+ point games came at a time when Wentz was at quarterback. The Vikings may lose the locker room if something doesn’t change because the veteran stud is getting tired of McCarthy.
Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty is a very good football player, but unfortunately for him, the Las Vegas Raiders are not a very good football team. The Raiders’ offense was trying something different the last two weeks, with Chip Kelly in danger of losing his job, which he did. They threw the ball almost every play. Jeanty had 6 rush attempts just two weeks ago and had 6 catches on 8 targets. With similar numbers though the air, but 17 rushes this week. That type of usage was really exciting because it allowed Jeanty to have a heavier upside than in the past, but with Chip Kelly now out as OC, there is no telling what might happen this week against the Los Angeles Chargers. I want to get out of the Jeanty business due to the uncertainty that is there with the Raiders’ offense.
Zay Flowers
Zay Flowers has been an extremely average wide receiver this year; his targets, receptions, and yards are almost equal to those of DeVonta Smith’s, but the recent usage is much more concerning. In the first month of the season, Zay Flowers looked to be taking that next step, but unfortunately for him, Lamar Jackson got injured, and it has been a slow downturn since then. Flowers should be in the market for more touchdowns and receptions, but the Ravens’ offense has looked bleak the last three weeks of the year, and no real signs of change coming. I unfortunately want to get out of the Zay Flowers business, as he has not finished as a wide receiver 20 or better since week one, when he was the WR1 overall.Â
