Fantasy Football Week 4 Trade Advice: Buy/Sell

Another week early in the season gave everyone another opportunity to overreact—which gives fantasy owners a chance to make trades to improve their team. Entering Week 4, these are the players that you should buy, sell, or hold.

 

Matt Ryan

Two straight monster performances might have some owners wanting to sell Matt Ryan, potentially in a trade package for a high-end starter like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. But while Ryan isn’t going to score 25-40 fantasy points every week, there’s reason to believe he’ll remain a high-end fantasy quarterback all season. He just did it two years ago, and the offense is very difficult to defend with the emergence of rookie receiver Calvin Ridley. Just keep him going in fantasy lineups as long as he remains hot.

 

Verdict: Hold

 

 

Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck has point totals of 18, 11, and 13 through three games, but two of those games came on the road against two tough defenses in Washington and Philadelphia. In the opener at home, Luck threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns (with an interception), and it was his first game since 2016. Some owners might be panicking if they drafted Luck expecting him to remain a solid QB1 with top-three upside, but it’s a long season. If he’s been dropped in your league, he’s certainly worth a pick up.

 

Verdict: Buy/Pick up

 

 

Carlos Hyde

There is no question Cleveland’s offense is going to be more aggressive with No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield under-center, and it might lead to more scoring opportunities for Carlos Hyde. However, Hyde already has four touchdowns this season, so it’s hard to see the scoring pace increasing. Instead, Mayfield might operate more of a high-octane passing attack in which he puts the ball in the end zone himself to weapons like Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, and David Njoku. Also, Duke Johnson Jr. is in the backfield mix, and rookie Nick Chubb looms in the background. Hyde’s value might not be higher than it is, so you should explore dealing him for another running back you’re confident will be in the top ten this season.

 

Verdict: Sell for another starter

 

 

Chris Carson

There’s a chance the use of the running backs by Seattle remains maddening this season, but it was a positive sign to see Chris Carson get 34 touches in the team’s first win of the season. After inconsistent usage the first two games of the year, the Seahawks might be ready to commit to Carson as a true workhorse back (which there aren’t many of in the NFL). Some might want to sell Carson and get rid of a potential usage headache, but he has the talent that makes him worth holding and hoping he keeps getting the ball.

 

Verdict: Hold

 

 

Alfred Morris

Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury is a crushing blow to the Niners offense, but it might mean the team leans on veteran running back Alfred Morris more moving forward. Matt Breida is also a buy, but his value might be too high right now. Meanwhile, Morris could be had for cheap, and there’s a chance he’s leaned on for around 18-20 carries per game if the Niners go more run-heavy. The team might not want to give Breida too many touches on the ground despite being the NFL’s leading rusher, so Morris is worth a shot in trade.

 

Verdict: Buy for a bench player

 

 

Nelson Agholor

The first game with Carson Wentz wasn’t a great one on the stat sheet for Nelson Agholor, who had four receptions for 24 yards against the Colts. Also, Alshon Jeffery is nearing a return, which would take Agholor from clear No. 1 wide receiver status. This could be the recipe for a perfect buy-low opportunity from a worried owner. Agholor has a ton of playmaking ability, and he should be a spot-starter at the very least moving forward—and he offers solid WR2 upside if Wentz looks his way like Nick Foles did.

 

Verdict: Buy if the price is right

 

 

Sony Michel

Back-to-back plays where Sony Michel did not make a play as a receiver, appearing to draw the ire of Tom Brady, is a concern; but the Patriots clearly want to give their first-round rookie running back a chance to immediately take over as the clear leader in the backfield. There hasn’t been much room to run for Michel, but he’s gone from ten carries in his NFL debut to 14 carries in Week 3 against the Lions. He has the look of a potential 20-carry back in an offense that is going to be better than it was the last two weeks.

 

Verdict: Buy