This week's list of "buy low" players to target for fantasy trades and "sell high" options to consider dealing away.
We may only be headed into Week 3 of the NFL season, but it’s never too early to shake up your fantasy team. Often, the best managers are capable of recognizing when to buy low on a struggling player or sell high on an overachiever.
Each week during the season, Sleeper will take a data-driven approach to identifying the best buy-low and sell-high candidates around the NFL while explaining why these players are intriguing options.
Last week, among our recommendations were that you buy Arizona Cardinals rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. after his dud of a debut (and he went off in Week 2) and sell Houston Texans WR Stefon Diggs (who was more of an afterthought following a two-TD Week 1). So which players should you target and offload in Week 3? Let’s take a look.
Buy-Low Targets
WR Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs pulled off an impressive 20-16 upset over the Lions, but Evans finished with just three catches for 42 yards. This was an off game for Evans, who was matched up against his former teammate, Carlton Davis III.
Baker Mayfield targeted Chris Godwin early and often instead, as he finished with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. It’s worth noting, though, that Detroit’s defense dominated the Bucs’ shorthanded offensive line, with Aidan Hutchinson alone accounting for 4.5 sacks. This affects someone like Evans more than Godwin, as his routes are typically deeper and take longer to develop. Also, this was a weird game for Tampa Bay, which ran just 47 plays (to Detroit's 83) and Mayfield went just 12-of-19 for 185 yards (1 TD, 1 INT). There just weren't many opportunities for Evans.
Just one week ago, he posted five catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns, so this blip is nothing to worry about. Even at 31, Evans is one of the most consistent options in fantasy football, as he has topped 1,000 yards in the first 10 seasons of his career (an NFL record), and his 13 touchdown receptions last season tied Tyreek Hill for the league lead. He’s also incredibly durable. If the Evans owner in your league is panicking about his Week 2 performance and Godwin’s hot start, then swoop in and take Mr. Reliable off of their hands.
WR Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
Like Evans, Reed had an outstanding Week 1 but then followed it up with a weak performance in Week 2. In the Packers’ 16-10 win over the Colts, Reed was only targeted twice, finishing with just two receptions for nine yards and two carries for 37 rushing yards. His stats don’t tell the whole story, though.
With quarterback Jordan Love injured, the Packers started Malik Willis, who is primarily a rushing QB. Also, Green Bay absolutely dominated Indy on the ground, rushing for 261 yards. The Packers only had 14 passing attempts in this game, so there are definitely some frustrated owners out there who could be exploited. Reed might have another rough game next week, but his value will skyrocket once Love is back under center. Buy him now while you can.
Sell-High Options
RB Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
The Packers had their way with the Colts in the rushing game, and Jacobs led the way with 32 carries for 151 yards (but with a crushing lost fumble at the goal line). If you believe he’ll continue to produce at this level, by all means you should hold onto him. If you believe that this was a fluky performance against the NFL’s worst run defense, you should capitalize and sell.
Jacobs really struggled last season with the Raiders, posting career lows in rushing yards (805), touchdowns (six), and yards per carry (3.5). While he looked more like himself this past week and is averaging 4.9 yards per carry through two games, sustaining that production is a tall order.
It is worth noting that third-round rookie RB MarShawn Lloyd was placed on IR after making his debut against the Colts, so the threat of him stealing a chunk of Jacobs’ workload has been deferred for the time being – and that’s something that could be pitched to a potential suitor if you have a deal on the table.
RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Kamara was unstoppable on Sunday, rushing 20 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns while adding two catches for 65 yards and another TD in the Saints’ 44-19 win over the Cowboys.
New Orleans is the biggest surprise of the season thus far, outscoring opponents 91-29 through two weeks. There’s no denying that the Saints look outstanding, but if you have any doubts about Kamara, this is the perfect time to sell. Kamara is 29, so if someone wants to overpay for an older back based on this monster performance, let them!
It’s worth noting that Kamara played just 51.5% of New Orleans' snaps in Week 1 and 62.7% in Week 2. Kamara and the Saints offense as a whole have been ridiculously efficient, but it feels like some regression could be coming. And like Jacobs, Kamara could have more competition as the year goes on. In addition to veteran Jamaal Williams factoring in, 2023 third-rounder Kendre Miller (hamstring) will come off IR and likely play a role in a few weeks.
See also: Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups
Hit the Trade Market
Trade values can change rapidly, so pounce on these opportunities while you can. Proactive dealing can often make the difference for your squad, and the window to acquire these players may close if you wait too long.
Check back each week for our buy-low and sell-high targets, so you can continue to improve your roster throughout the season. And for more fantasy tips, trade tools and community discussions, be sure to play around on the Sleeper app.
Get more breakdowns like this sent directly to your inbox with the Sleeper Newsletter. Sign up below for timely updates, fantasy insights and exclusive analysis using Sleeper proprietary data.
