NFL Week Four had a ton of players that popped off for big weeks, as well as some significant injuries, which makes the buy or sell segment crucial heading into Week Four. Doors are opening and closing faster than we can even send trades, so let’s get out there and make some moves.
Week 5 Buys
Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Waddle was on my sell list last week, as his season looked to be yet again disappointing and sad, but that is how quickly things can change in the NFL. For the first time since Tyreek Hill got to Miami, he will be the Wide Receiver one in that offense. Tyreek suffered a gruesome knee injury against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football and will not be back this season.
This opens the door for Waddle to finally be back in that WR1 role that we have long desired. Tua Tagovailoa did not target him a lot after Hill went out, but that is partly because of the lack of scheming in that role for Waddle this season. Tua has looked much better the last couple of weeks offensively. This Miami team has climbed its way out of the sadness that was the first two weeks of the season, and I think they could be a fringey offensive ecosystem with Waddle as their primary receiver the rest of the way. As long as your leaguemates are not Waddle truthers, you should be able to get a deal done for him. Players like Jacory Croskey-Merritt, J.K. Dobbins, and DeVonta Smith are all players who could get the job done for Waddle.
Confidence: 6/10
Wan’Dale Robinson
Wan’Dale Robinson was one of my sneaky targets to start the year in draft season. He ranked within the top 10 in targets last season in the NFL. That is extremely hard to do when you’re a player who does not even get drafted in some places in fantasy football. Malik Nabers, unfortunately, tore his ACL in Sunday’s win vs. the Los Angeles Chargers. It was a bittersweet day as the new starting QB, and rookie, Jaxson Dart, led the team to an upset, but had to part ways with an injured Nabers.
I do not believe Wan’Dale Robinson is extremely talented, but at the end of the day, he gets targets. It has been up and down for the fourth-year WR to this point, but Robinson is set to take shape in that WR1 role (target-wise) for the rest of the year with Jaxson Dart at quarterback. It is not a glimmering trade target, but one that could pay dividends and help on the margins for the rest of the year. Players like Keon Coleman, Stefon Diggs, and Rhamondre Stevenson could get the job done,
Confidence: 7/10
Ricky Pearsall
Ricky Pearsall has been having a breakout year that has bled into last season and this season. He is the WR1 in San Francisco. After starting slow, due to a terrible unforeseen circumstance at the start of last year, he is showing why he was drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. Pearsall has been “up and down” this season and has not caught a touchdown pass from Brock Purdy or Mac Jones yet this season. This makes me believe that he will have positive touchdown regression later this year. As frustrating as the San Francisco 49ers are to watch, they do score points. Deebo Samuel is gone, and Brandon Aiyuk may never be the same after his injury last season.
Pearsall is primed to be a top-24 wide receiver this season, and no one is charging that amount for him. Go get Pearsall before it is too late. I would trade players like Tee Higgins, Chase Brown, and Tony Pollard for Pearsall. I think he is that good.
Confidence: 8/10
Week 5 Sells
Nico Collins
Nico Collins is a player that I was not in on this season. I know that everyone thought he was similar to the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown and others within that range, but he has proved that he is not a first-round guy once again this season. Nico Collins’ upside is all projectible. Some players we have to project, but I do not like it when players are projected into the first round, and he was just like Marvin Harrison Jr. last year. I would consider them both a bust to this point in fantasy football.
It is not that I dislike Collins on my team, but at this rate, he is not living up to the value that he was taken for. The Collins hate for me is more because of the offensive ecosystem in which he resides. The Houston Texans did not take a snap in the red zone until the end of the third quarter on Sunday, against the TENNESSEE TITANS! That team’s own quarterback thinks they are a bad football team; he just said it more colorfully. Trade Nico Collins and get back a haul for him. Your Fantasy team will be better off.
Target a package of Trey Benson/Rashee Rice + Davante Adams, Courtland Sutton, A.J. Brown.
OR
Straight up for a player like Jaxon Smith-Njigba (If you can), CeeDee Lamb (Out for another two weeks), and Derrick Henry (off a rough couple of weeks). I like your team much more if you can flip Collins for something like this.
Confidence: 10/10
Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty had his welcome to the NFL game on Sunday against the Bears. The Las Vegas Raiders stil lost, but ultimately they won because Jeanty finally looked like the player they hoped he would be. That means it’s time to sell him. Now, I do not believe that having Ashton Jeanty on your team will be a bad thing rest of the season, but ultimately his value will probably not be higher than this. So target the college football guy in your league chat screaming, “I told you so!” and shake him down for every last dime. This is just good practice within the market more than anything.
I do not think he will get close to Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, or Jonathan Taylor rest of the season. So while his value is close to it, sell him like he is Jonathan Taylor. Trade him for Josh Jacobs or Bucky Irving. Their team’s offensive ecosystem is simply better than Jeanty’s. OR you can target a receiver like Drake London or JSN. It is very needs-dependent.
Confidence: 6/10
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has appeared on this list a few times now. I am not a huge fan of his work. He is coming off a game where he was targeted 10 times (tied for third most in his career) and scored a touchdown. Although the connection between the two looked better last Thursday, it seems that he and Kyler Murray have a more difficult time getting on the same page than not. I would move off this spike week for Harrison Jr. and just get out while you still can. Target running backs like Chuba Hubbard or Alvin Kamara. This will pay off better week-to-week.
