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Welcome fantasy friends and foes to the Top Trade Targets and Avoids for Week 13.
Here's hoping that your league's trade deadline is still upon us and you have the luxury of improving your roster. Regardless of your record or place in the standings, fantasy managers need to continue to be aggressive in their relentless pursuit of the fantasy title.
I identified five players that should be on your trade radar. Find which players to target and who to trade away as we kick off Week 13.
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Players to Target in Trades for Fantasy Football Week 13
Mac Jones, QB, New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have found their franchise quarterback in their 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones. Jones was inserted in the ideal situation among his fellow first-rounders and continues to stake his claim for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Jones has completed 70 percent of his passes and has thrown 16 touchdown passes with eight interceptions, six of those interceptions came in the first six games.
Jones continues to impress and no one can fathom this type of success. He has the calmness of a ten-year veteran and has earned the trust of his teammates, but more importantly, his coaching staff.
The rookie signal-caller has led the Patriots to an 8-4 record and will be a difficult out the NFL playoffs.
Antonio Gibson, RB, The Washington Football Team
Admittedly, I was highly concerned with the status of a shin injury throughout this season of Washington's running back, Antonio Gibson. The injury was hampering the explosiveness that made Gibson a fantasy breakout candidate this season.
Gibson has powered through the injury, but we have seen an increase in his effectiveness after his Week 9 bye. Since Week 10, Gibson ranks as the RB7 in fantasy points scored 48.4 points. In Week 12, Gibson set a career-high with 29 carries and 146 all-purpose yards. He finished with 111 rushing yards and added seven receptions for 35 yards.
I foresee Gibson continuing his workload increase and proving why he was regarded as an RB1 for the remainder of the 2021 season.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle is emerging as the WR1 that the Miami Dolphins were hoping for when they drafted him sixth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. The reunion with his Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continues to showcase the explosive connection that resulted in Waddle's best game of the season in Week 12.
Waddle caught nine of his ten targets for 137 yards with a score and had his longest catch of the season for 57 yards. His performance allowed Waddle to finish as the Week 12 No. 1 receiver in fantasy points. He is currently on pace to break the rookie receptions record of 101 while sitting fifth in receptions with 77 and seventh in targets with 103.
The emergence of the rookie wideout coincides with the return of Tua back behind center in Week 6. Waddle ranks fourth with 101.9 fantasy points scored. Look for his fantasy to continue to skyrocket with his current usage.
Players to Trade Away for Fantasy Football Week 13
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
With Christian McCaffrey lost for the remainder of the season, rookie Chuba Hubbard steps back into the lead role in the Carolina Panthers backfield. Hubbard produced as the RB20 in fantasy points when he was the main back for the Panthers.
Fantasy managers desperate for a running back maybe look into paying up for a RB1, and I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. In fact, I would encourage the move.
Hubbard hasn't proven to be much of a fantasy factor. His highest RB finish is in Week 5 when he finished as the RB16. He finished with 101 rushing yards against the Philadelphia Eagles, his only instance of cracking the 100-yard rushing mark.
His metrics don't stand out including averaging 4.1 yards per touch, which ranks #52, and an uninspiring 7.7 fantasy points per game which places Hubbard #46. Neither of those contributions screams fantasy success.
The prudent approach is to sell Hubbard now as the newest lead back in Carolina. However, to a fantasy manager rostering Hubbard, that is not really encouraging. The Panthers offense is struggling and who knows who will be behind center this week between Cam Newton or Philip Walker?
Even the ghost of Ameer Abdullah made an appearance and contributed last week. There are too many questions for me, so I am selling Hubbard at his peak value with his increasing touches on the horizon.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions
Hockenson is currently the TE5 on the season in scoring but remains a weekly risky play. Now is the time to sell the former first-round pick. Hockenson is coming off a Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears where he scored his first touchdown since Week 2.
Fantasy managers should capitalize on that score and sell that we could see that type of fantasy production continue. The fact that Hockenson has only three scores on the season but still ranks as the TE5 screams to the mediocrity of the position.
Hockenson had disappeared from the Lions' passing game, which is difficult to imagine considering the Lions' pass on 60.89% of their offensive plays this season. Still desperately seeking their first win of the season, the Lions are inevitably forever in negative game scripts.
The passing game continues to struggle which makes Hockenson an undesirable fantasy asset. He hasn't reached double-digit fantasy points since Weeks 1 & 2. I don't want to depend my fantasy playoff life on any Lions player, even a top tight end. Trade Hockenson for another valuable fantasy commodity while he still has value.
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