Five I’m Buying, Five I’m Selling: August Edition

Bradley Ylitalo Posted On August 11, 2018

The preseason hype is starting to overflow. There is an unblemished hope for every team, and as long as you’re not a Chargers fan, you haven’t been too ravaged by injuries thus far. Whether you’re a contender who’s looking for one last piece to complete your roster, or a rebuilder looking to add to your young core, right now is the perfect time to make some final changes before the season gets underway.

So let’s do this! Here’s Five I’m Buying, Five I’m Selling: August Edition.

Buys

Matthew Stafford, QB DET | Dynasty Ranking: 101 | Age: 30

I meant no disrespect when I left Matthew Stafford off of my top ten dynasty quarterback rankings. Truth be told, I really am a fan of the Lions all-time leading passer. We’re talking about someone who since 2011, hasn’t missed a game, and has averaged over 4,500 yards 28 touchdowns per season. The numbers show that Stafford is just about as reliable as they come. If you’ve been looking for stability at the quarterback position, he’s the man to target.

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D’Onta Foreman, RB HOU | Dynasty Ranking: 127 | Age: 22

It still might be a few years away, but I think there’s a day coming where D’Onta Foreman is the starting running back for the Texans. That alone is reason enough for me to be lining up to buy him. That Houston offense is going to be one of the best this league has to offer, and if there’s a potential starter available for cheap, count me in. Foreman was more or less impressive in his ten games as a rookie. If he’s fully recovered from his Achilles injury, which is admittedly scary, he should take a nice step forward in year two.

Devin Funchess, WR CAR | Dynasty Ranking: 75 | Age: 24

Devin Funchess has all the ingredients needed to be a long-time producer. A stable quarterback position, a solidified starting job, youth, and proven ability. I just don’t see a reason to not like him. The 6’5 former second-rounder took a giant leap in his third year, finishing with career highs in receptions, catch percentage, touchdowns, and yards. I’d absolutely love to have Funchess as my WR3 of the future. At the price he’s currently at, he’s an easy buy.

Robby Anderson, WR NYJ | Dynasty Ranking: 145 | Age: 25

This is highway robbery in my opinion. Robby Anderson is the clear number one receiver on the Jets roster, and at the age of 25, still has a lot of potential for growth. When we turn to the statistics for Anderson, there’s only more reason to believe. His 941 yards and seven touchdowns in 2017 we’re good enough to rank as a mid-level WR2. Forget WR2 numbers, if he’s even a strong WR4 over the next handful of years, he’s well worth going after.

Delanie Walker, TE TEN | Dynasty Ranking: 135 | Age: 33

Guess which tight end is the only one in the NFL with three consecutive seasons as a top-five finisher (2015-2017)? It’s not Rob Gronkowski, and it’s not Travis Kelce. It’s this man right here. Delanie Walker is perpetually underrated, and it’s time we take advantage of it. At 33 years old, there’s obviously not many years left to work with. But with no talks of retiring anytime soon, I think it’s safe to think we can get at least a couple more out of the three-time Pro Bowler. If that’s the case, and I’m a contending team, I’m doing everything I can to get him on my roster.

Sells

Marcus Mariota, QB TEN | Dynasty Ranking: 71 | Age: 24

This isn’t supposed to be a knock on Marcus Mariota. This is strictly about the price he’s being pegged at. It would be different if the fourth-year pro was coming off a fantastic year, but it’s quite the opposite. Mariota was marginal at best in 2017. He had his career worst in touchdown percentage, interception percentage, yards per game, yards per attempt, quarterback rating, and yards per carry. It’s safe to say that he needs a bounce-back year. Mariota will almost assuredly improve upon last years numbers, but nevertheless, he’s a hard sell for me.

Ty Montgomery, RB GB | Dynasty Ranking: 110 | Age: 25

Aaron Jones or Jamaal Williams could have just as easily filled this spot. The truth is, I don’t necessarily believe in any of the Green Bay backs. There’s obviously a lot of immediate value for whoever wins the starting job. But looking long term, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if the Packers RB of the future isn’t even on the current roster.

Whether it’s through the draft or free agency, it would be wise of Brian Gutekunst to get a tailback capable of taking some of the load off of Aaron Rodgers aging shoulders. All three of these young players have shown flashes of good play. But none of them have convinced me they’re the difference maker Green Bay will be looking for.

A.J. Green, WR CIN | Dynasty Ranking: 16 | Age: 30

Whoa. This is probably the first and only shocker. How can we be selling a receiver who has been nothing short of dominant since the day he entered the league? I love A.J. Green, I think we all do. But if I can potentially flip him for a Davante Adams, Dalvin Cook, Leonard Fournette, or Christian McCaffrey, I’m doing that every day of the week. Green is clearly one of the more valuable 2018 assets in the league. But at age 30, I’m fine moving him before he begins to decline.

Dez Bryant, WR FA | Dynasty Ranking: 89 | Age: 29

This isn’t because Dez Bryant still remains unsigned. This is about a player who yes, was once an absolute force, but lately, has been a disappointment. Even if Bryant were to have signed with say, the Browns, I feel extremely comfortable selling the former Cowboy superstar. Bryant will turn 30 in November and hasn’t had a 1,000 yard or 70 reception season since 2014. He’s just not who he used to be. There’s a bevy of young talent in our game, and I think it’s time to trade in Bryant in for a fresh face.

Michael Crabtree, WR BAL | Dynasty Ranking: 87 | Age: 30

Michael Crabtree finishes a string of aging receivers. The former top ten pick has found a new home in Baltimore after spending his first nine years on the west coast. Crabtree is still one of our games elite red-zone threats, but I’m not exactly giddy about his prospects as a Raven. Joe Flacco has never been a high-end touchdown thrower, as he’s yet to top 27 in his 10-year career. Even if it’s Lamar Jackson taking over a year from now, we’re not going to be able to count on him to be an elite thrower right away either. Crabtree is the undoubted number one in the Ravens offense. But unless he can continue to hover around .5 touchdowns per game, his value should only drop off.

Have a question about your team, a player, or a potential trade? Please leave a comment below. I’m always glad to interact with readers. If you have a more specific and in-depth question that you want to talk more about, just shoot me an email at [email protected] . I Hope you enjoyed the article!

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