Fantasy Football Trade Outlook: Chris Carson and Other Buy Low and Sell High Candidates for Week 9

Wow, we are now officially halfway done with the NFL season! Heading into Week 9, that also means we are quickly approaching the fantasy league trade deadlines, so you need to make the necessary moves to bolster your rosters, while you still can.

Buy-low:

Chris Carson (RB, Seattle Seahawks)

Carson is the clear-cut RB1 on a team dedicated to running the football. Seattle leads the league in rushing attempts per game, at 31.7. This is a big jump from 25.6 per game last year. Their much maligned OL has shown improvement this season, paving the way for them to run it more. Also, being a workhorse in today’s NFL is rare in itself due to most teams putting out two-headed monsters. Carson is averaging an insane 23.8 touches per game right now, so it is time to ride him while he is hot. Rashaad Penny got zero touches last week, so you know the volume is going to be there for Carson down the home stretch.

Corey Davis (WR, Tennessee Titans)

Davis’ numbers aren’t great, but he has also faced some great defenses and cover guys. That is all going to change after he gets through this week against the Cowboys. After Monday, the Titans face a soft schedule featuring the Patriots, Colts, Texans and Jets. Digging into the stats, he has a 28.4% target share in the offense, and leads the team in targets, receptions, and yards. He is a huge part of this offense and is going to have a big run down the stretch, now is the time to buy him on the cheap.

John Brown (WR, Baltimore Ravens)

Brown was one of my sleeper picks before the season began, and he has not disappointed. He leads the Ravens in total yards, yards per game, touchdowns, and is second in targets. Brown has also put up five double-digit scoring games so far this season. Despite all of that, he is still underrated in most circles. The time to buy is now due to their favorable schedule coming up. The Ravens will face the Steelers, Bengals, Falcons, and Bucs (Fantasy Super Bowl) to finish off the year. Brown vs. the Bucs secondary during Super Bowl week could be the difference between you taking home the trophy or coming in second place.

Sell-high:

Golden Tate (WR, Detroit Lions):

While Tate is a great football acquisition for the Eagles, I don’t see him blowing up fantasy-wise. Targets will be spread across Tate, Alshon Jeffery, and Zach Ertz, causing a lot of variance on a weekly basis. Tate also likes to do a lot of his damage in the middle of the field, but that is Ertz’s bread and butter. Sell him to someone excited about the trade, or an Eagles fan.

Tyler Lockett (WR, Seattle Seahawks)

Lockett has been a fun fantasy player this year, as he scored in 6-of-7 games. But, if you dig a little deeper, you will see that he has gotten just six targets combined over the last two games and has totaled a meager 47 yards. Not taking away anything from his output so far, but a touchdown regression is coming. Seattle is also now dedicated to the run.

Eric Ebron (TE, Indianapolis Colts)

I hate to list Ebron here, as I’ve been riding his touchdown streak in all of my leagues. But, unfortunately for him and his owners, a touchdown regression is coming. More importantly, Jack Doyle, the team’s TE1, is back. Doyle made his presence felt right away last game out, as Ebron played just 17 snaps compared to Doyle’s 57. Since TE is such a top-heavy position, you should be able to get some value for Ebron.