Posted on by

Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer: Why now is the time to acquire these injured RBs

Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer: Why now is the time to acquire these injured RBs

Take advantage of the fantasy football trade market in your leagues with these players to target or trade away before Week 7.

Jones is coming off his bye week dealing with a hip injury. He has been considered week-to-week since leaving his Week 5 contest against the Jets. Whether he plays in Week 7 or not, it will be a tough game against the Lions. This is an interesting place to shop cheaply at Jones.

Don’t let his injury obscure the fact that Jones has averaged 18.6 fantasy points and 20 touches per game in his four games completed. He’s also seen strong reception usage with his four catches per contest completed. Jones is averaging 5.9 yards per reception this season and should continue to be in a favorable position to win for several reasons.

First, he is in a good offense behind a solid offensive line. Second, defenses need to focus their attention on Justin Jefferson, which leaves Jones with softer boxes to face. Trade for Jones before his soft schedule arrives in Weeks 8-10. He will take on the poor run defense of the Rams, Colts and Jaguars.

If possible, try to trade someone like Zay Flowers or Tony Pollard for Jones.

I think it’s time we remember the name Isiah Pacheco.

His original timetable for return from injury was between Weeks 9 and 12. We’re now in Week 7, which means we’re close to the return of the Chiefs’ starting running back. At the moment, Kareem Hunt is on the rise. He passed for over 100 yards in Week 5 before the Chiefs’ bye week. But that probably won’t stay that way once Pacheco is back.

Pacheco enjoys the trust of coach Andy Reid in all situations. Early downs, pass protection and the red zone are all areas where Pacheco sees playing time. Remember: In Week 1, Pacheco played 80% of the snaps and completed 88% of the Chiefs’ backfield carries. Given his original projected 6-8 week schedule, he could be nearing a return soon, and that makes him a potential league-winning running back in the fantasy playoffs. Trade someone like Tyrone Tracy Jr. for Pacheco if you can.

Higgins has been great since returning from a hamstring injury in Week 3. Over the last four games, Higgins led the Bengals in scoring percentage at 28%, averaging 8.8 goals per game during that time. According to Player Profiler, Higgins now ranks fourth in expected fantasy points per game this season. That’s how good his role was in this Bengals offense.

Because of his strong play, you can’t buy Higgins cheaply, but you should still send in an offer even if it costs you more than it would have a few weeks ago. Higgins’ upcoming schedule is strong. He will face teams like the Browns, Eagles and Ravens, all of whom rank in the top 12 in passing yards allowed per play, according to NFL Pro.

One more thing: Joe Burrow has looked great over the last four weeks. During that time, he ranks third in PFF’s quarterback class and has completed 74% of his passes. Trade someone like Josh Jacobs or JK Dobbins for Higgins if you can.

It won’t cost you much to complete, but I’m intrigued by Hopkins’ current use. Hopkins started this season with a knee injury that limited him to just 27% of the Titans’ snaps in Week 1. But since that game, his stakes have increased every week. Hopkins started his Week 5 bye after back-to-back games in which he led the Titans in scoring ahead of Calvin Ridley.

The bye week was much needed for Hopkins. It seems to have helped him recover, as in Week 6 we saw a full-time role for Hopkins for the first time this season. In Week 6, Hopkins completed a season-high 70% of the Titans’ routes and led the team in target percentage for the third straight year. Hopkins is trending in the right direction and probably won’t cost you much in a trade. Try passing someone like Tucker Kraft or Tyler Lockett on him.

Odunze goes into the bye week with a weak game. In a game in which the Bears scored 35 points, he had just two catches for 40 yards. Not great. But the talented first-round rookie is entering his bye week, and that’s key. We often see newcomers expand their roles when they come off the bye. Odunze has been on the field often for the Bears, but perhaps we’ll see a change in his usage when he returns from his bye in Week 8.

So far this season, Odunze has averaged a depth of target of 15.2 yards. This means that he sees a large part of his effort offside. This will lead to big successes, but it can also lead to boom or bust performances like we’ve seen in recent weeks.

However, we saw a change in Odunze’s usage in Week 5. He saw more goals in close range and use in midfield. The goal would be to see more plays like this on the bye week, mixed in with his downfield targets.

Overall, Caleb Williams has looked great, so you want pieces from this Bears offense. If possible, look to trade Najee Harris or Bucky Irving for Odunze.