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The waiver wire isn't the only place to change the course of your team. The right trade can make or break your season.
The key is to buy low on cold players and sell overachieving players whose values have skyrocketed. While this is a well-known method, some owners still tend to overreact when a play over- or underachieves, so it's important to take advantage of those opportunities.
With the halfway point of the fantasy football regular season behind us, it's time to start making those moves that can help you in your playoff push.
Fantasy Football Buy Low Candidates
Todd Gurley (RB, STL)
It seems strange to have the hottest running back in football on this list, but it's true. Gurley just turned in a 128-yard, two-touchdown game in Week 7-- this third consecutive showing with at least 120 yards on the ground.
Since Gurley is still just a rookie, a lot of fantasy owners might be tempted to view him as a sell-high candidate, assuming he cannot maintain his current pace. To some degree, they're right--no one can put up 30 fantasy points every week. But Gurley is the real deal, and he's not going anywhere. One of the more talented backs to enter the NFL in years, Gurley has the potential to be a mainstay in the elite running back conversation for years to come.
You're not buying low on him, but you're buying a player whose long-term value still might be under-appreciated. Do anything you can to get your hands on Gurley-- especially in a keeper league.
Davante Adams (WR, GB)
The hype surrounding Adams was off the charts from the second Jordy Nelson went down with an ACL tear. However, when Adams himself suffered an ankle injury early in the season, that hype slowly disappeared. Now, Adams is set to return in Week 8, providing Aaron Rodgers with some much-needed receiver depth against a stout Broncos defense.
Rodgers has been known to spread the ball around with the best of them, so Adams should have no trouble working back into the offense. Even as the second or third option through the air, the second-year wideout will get his share of targets. Adams showed strong signs of promise in his rookie season, collecting over 100 yards against both the Patriots and the Cowboys. Assuming he is fully healthy, Adams should be as appealing as he was on draft day. If another owner doesn't understand that and is willing to trade the 22-year-old, take advantage of that opportunity.
Demaryius Thomas (WR, DEN)
The fact that I am writing this is insane. This is a guy who has finished in the top four in receiving yards in each of the last three years. Thomas currently sits 16th in receiving yards, with 90+ yards in four of his six games played. He has received double-digit targets in five of those six games-- only three players have more targets to date. Thomas's six drops are third in the NFL, but there are 61 players with a higher drop percentage than Thomas. So there is really nothing concerning about his play through the first seven weeks of 2015.
Frustration among fantasy owners must be coming from Thomas' lone touchdown catch back in Week 3. Don't fall for the idea that a player is struggling because he isn't finding the end zone. Peyton Manning may not be the quarterback he used to be, but the touchdowns will come. When they do, Thomas' value will return to its highest form. By all means, add Demaryius Thomas to your squad if you can.
Fantasy Football Sell High Candidates
Lamar Miller (RB, MIA)
Miller has erupted over the last two weeks, totaling almost 300 yards on the ground alone over that span. However, it is hard to believe this is a new Lamar Miller, ready to secure a seat in the elite tier of running backs. Miller had just 131 yards on 37 carries over the first four weeks of the 2015 campaign, and he looked mortal again this week against the Patriots on Thursday night.
In 2014, Miller broke the 1,000-yard threshold for the first time in his young career, largely as a result of a 178-yard showing in Week 17. That was only his second 100-yard game of the season and the third of his career. A fourth-year player who collected at least 115 rushing yards for just the second time last week is not someone to be counted on routinely. Miller's big-play ability makes him enticing, but not as a RB1. Now is the ideal time to sell high on the former University of Miami running back.
Danny Amendola (WR, NE)
Amendola is being added in a ton of leagues-- and for good reason. He is coming off of two very productive games in a row, totaling 191 yards and a touchdown since the role upgrade. When healthy, Amendola has been a reliable slot receiver for many years, but injuries have kept him from taking the leap to primary target. Still, he has the occasional chunk of games in which he re-emerges as a big-time wideout, and he has clearly earned Tom Brady's respect.
However, Brandon LaFell is back and healthy, and should steal a chunk of targets from the rest of the receiving corps in New England. While Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman shouldn't see their respective stock changed in any way, Amendola could see his role decreased once again. If a fantasy owner is interested in the Patriots' fourth receiving option, don't hesitate to ship him off.
Kirk Cousins/Brian Hoyer (QB, WAS/HOU)
Both of these quarterbacks have had up-and-down careers, but have landed in opportunistic situations. Cousins has benefited from the outstanding failures of Robert Griffin III, and Hoyer's starting job was all but locked up even before Ryan Mallett was cut by the Texans. Both Cousins and Hoyer have played well as of late, putting the two previously-unowned signal callers on fantasy radars.
This is strictly directed towards owners in very deep leagues, as Cousins and Hoyer are likely not owned in any league with fewer than 12 teams. However, in a 12- or 14-team league, you may be able to find a team still looking to stream quarterbacks until Tony Romo makes his return. It's a stretch, but it's worth a shot.
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