With the first game of Week 9 behind us, lets’ take a look at the fantasy football trade analyzer to see which players could have intriguing trade value this week. Should fantasy managers consider trading for or selling the likes of Miles Sanders and DeVonta Smith after their contrasting performances last night?
Additionally, should fantasy managers look at Jonathan Taylor, D’Onta Foreman, and Tony Pollard as buy-low or sell-high options ahead of Week 9?
Week 9 Trade Analyzer | Players To Trade For Include DeVonta Smith
While this article is largely used to identify trade targets, it also has connotations for Best Ball leagues or in DFS contests on Underdog Fantasy. The players listed below are ones that fantasy managers could target in midseason Best Ball leagues or at a value in DFS leagues.
Additionally, check out our Week 9 fantasy football rest-of-season rankings to see how Senior Fantasy Analyst Tommy Garrett values the various options around the league.
DeVonta Smith, WR | PHI
What a strange year it’s been for Smith. He started with a four-target for zero receiving yards performance in Week 1. Then, he went on a two-week run where he had 269 receiving yards and a touchdown. But since then, it’s been much harder sledding.
Just twice in the past six games has Smith scored double-digit fantasy points. His value reached a new nadir coming out of Week 9, with just two targets for 22 yards against the Houston Texans. He was tied for the third-most targeted option on the offense, behind Dallas Goedert and A.J. Brown, while being tied with Quez Watkins and Jack Stoll.
Even though this year has been a roller coaster, the output looks eerily similar to his rookie season. Smith has 6.63 targets (6.12 last year), 55.3 yards (53.9), and 0.25 touchdowns (0.29) per game. The biggest difference has come in his efficiency, with Smith catching 75.5% of his targets for five receptions per game (compared to 61.5% for 3.76 receptions last year). That increase in efficiency is important to note in terms of Smith’s potential value.
MORE: Fantasy Football Cut List Week 9
It has been intriguing to see how the Eagles have used Smith. His average depth of target has dropped from 13.9 to 8.2, which is likely a big reason his catch percentage has improved so dramatically in his second year. He’s averaging just 6.4 yards before the catch per reception but is up at 4.7 yards per reception after the catch.
The way things have gone recently, it may seem weird to buy Smith now. If you’re desperately looking for a Week 10 starter, then Smith would be a risky addition. However, if you can play the long game here, he’s an intriguing addition. We’ve seen the boom weeks he can have, and if something were to happen to Brown, then Smith would be the likely No. 1 WR option in the offense.
Jonathan Taylor, RB | IND
After not participating in practice through the first two sessions of Week 9, Taylor is trending towards missing his third game in the last five weeks. Therefore, if the fantasy manager who took Taylor in their draft is panicking, now could be the time to pounce.
While Taylor has struggled outside of the injury this year, he’s been much more efficient in the last two weeks. He has 133 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards across 26 attempts and nine targets in the past two weeks. In terms of his production when healthy, there is not a lot to worry about.
The biggest concern for Taylor is that, with the Colts’ ceiling teetering at 3-4-1, he could be at risk of being shut down. However, if panic has set in with Taylor’s fantasy manager, then you may be able to get at a low enough price by offering a useable fantasy asset for this week to make it worthwhile.
If the Colts do give Taylor a couple of weeks’ rest, he could be a very valuable fantasy asset down the stretch and into the fantasy playoffs.
Diontae Johnson, WR | PIT
Things have not been going well for Diontae Johnson this year. He’s averaging just 46.5 receiving yards per game and has yet to find the end zone this season. Things have been a real struggle since Week 4. During that time, Johnson has 176 receiving yards on 22 receptions. That averages out at just 35.2 receiving yards and 4.4 receptions per game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is likely to see a shift going forward after their bye week. They traded away WR Chase Claypool, who has averaged 6.25 targets per game this season. With those targets now up for grabs, we could see Johnson climb above 10 targets per game, having sat at 9.5 through the first eight weeks.
MORE: Fantasy Football Impact of Chase Claypool Trade
Johnson’s fantasy value may never be lower than it is right now. That makes it the ideal time to buy him, and he might even present a better value in dynasty leagues. It’s hard to imagine the Steelers’ offense looking worse than it does right now in the future. They rank 32nd in the league in points scored, 31st in net yards per attempt, and 30th in passing touchdowns.
Things should only go up from here, whether that be with the Steelers, or with Johnson moving on to another team in 2023.
Players To Consider Selling Include Miles Sanders and D’Onta Foreman
Miles Sanders, RB | PHI
If you drafted Sanders, then so far, you’ve received everything you could have dreamed of. His usage in the run game is up by an average of five rushing attempts per game from last year. While his targets per game are down 1.2, his overall touches are up 4.2.
The beauty of it all is that Sanders has continued to be nearly as efficient as he was on fewer touches. He’s averaging five yards per rush this year, compared to 5.3 and 5.5, respectively, in the past two years. Additionally, with the increased output from the Eagles’ offense in 2022, Sanders is averaging a career-high 0.75 touchdowns per game.
Sanders’ advanced stats are intriguing. His 3.5 yards before contact per attempt is the fifth-highest number among qualified RBs this season. It is also a career high for him, having averaged three and 3.4 yards before contact per attempt in the past two years. However, his 1.5 yards after contact per attempt is the lowest of his career. That number is tied for the seventh-lowest this season.
The reason to highlight those numbers is that if the Eagles’ offensive line deals with injuries and cannot open such big holes for Sanders, it could have a huge impact on his efficiency.
Additionally, Sanders has now already played eight games this year. He’s previously struggled to play a full season, having managed just 12 games per season over the last two years. Combine those health concerns with the increased workload, and there’s reason to question whether an injury could derail Sanders’ season.
You certainly are not giving Sanders away for less than good value. Right now, he’s among the group of backs that are considered weekly must-starts. Therefore, unless a fantasy manager is willing to pay over the odds for Sanders, keep riding the wave and hope it doesn’t break anytime soon.
Tony Pollard, RB | DAL
Tony Pollard made the most of Ezekiel Elliott’s absence in Week 8, with 147 yards and three touchdowns on 14 rushing attempts and a target. Over the past three weeks, he has averaged 12.33 rushing attempts and two targets per game. The last two of those weeks have come with Elliott either absent or somewhat limited.
Earlier in the season, we saw Pollard’s usage be inconsistent, to say the least. In the first five weeks, he had between six and 13 rushing attempts per game, with a range between zero and seven targets. The output was inconsistent, to say the least.
MORE: Week 9 RB Fantasy Football Rankings
Therefore, coming off his outstanding performance last week, there’s a window to potentially sell high on Pollard. Elliott should be back after the bye, and based on the statements from Jerry Jones, he is still likely to be a huge part of the offense. Pollard will likely be reduced back to the complementary piece, which will make him hard to trust.
D’Onta Foreman, RB | CAR
Another player who shined last week is D’Onta Foreman, with three touchdowns and 118 yards. While it’s obvious to say that the three touchdowns likely won’t be repeated, it’s the 26 rushing attempts that also raise question marks.
Since Christian McCaffrey was traded, Foreman has 236 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. However, Chuba Hubbard is on track to return next week, which could spoil the party.
Prior to his ankle injury in Week 7, Hubbard appeared to be the one leading the Carolina Panthers’ backfield. He had the first seven rushing attempts in the first half of that game before making way for Foreman in the two-minute drill. Hubbard then slightly edged touches to open the second half, with Foreman mixing in and breaking off a 60-yard run.
After Hubbard was injured, Foreman had 10 of his 15 rushing attempts in closing out the game. While Foreman has made a great case that he should be the lead back, we don’t know if that will be the case. If Hubbard is again the lead back, then Foreman’s value will nose-dive beyond just the regression from the three touchdowns.
