Tuesday Transactions: Week 14
The last regular season week of many fantasy playoffs has come and gone. Hopefully, the moves prior to this week got your team far enough to play for some titles in the next three weeks. Whether or not you are in the playoffs, any trade and acquisition for the rest of the season is entirely focused on next year. I will also throw a bone to those leagues without a trade deadline. Here are five transactions to consider before week 14.
Kirk Cousins, QB MIN- Buy
The season could not have started worse for the Minnesota signal-caller. After two weeks, Cousins had only 20 standard fantasy points and at the time, 28 quarterbacks had already posted a single game higher than his total. The rumblings about the future in Minnesota and the potential of looking at a rookie in the 2021 draft began.
After an 0-3 start, the Vikings have won six of their last nine games and are in the thick of the NFC playoff race. Cousins is the QB11 on the season and with another top 15 finish, he would finish in that slot or higher for the sixth straight season. After signing a two-year extension with the Vikings through 2022 and boasting the best efficiency numbers in the league over the past season and a half, his dynasty value is at a ripe point for buying.
The Move – In a superflex leagues, many dislike Cousins. They perceive him as having a low ceiling despite the consistent top 15 finishes. At age 32, he presents a solid buy with job security for a few seasons and could possibly help you win down the stretch with a great schedule. After the top ten quarterbacks, job security gets suspect and at his current state, I would pay a late first-round pick for Cousins.
Will Fuller, WR HOU – Sell
After a dominating week 12 performance, the shocking news of a six-game suspension took Fuller out of commission for the rest of 2020 and one game next year. With trade deadline rumblings of the Texans moving him elsewhere, it is fair to wonder what the future may bring. Injury history aside, Fuller is likely to finish as a WR1 in points per game for the season and came through with numerous week-winning performances.
He is an unrestricted free agent next spring and there are very few landing spots that could increase his value. At WR41 in dynasty, moving Fuller in a lateral move for another wide receiver or a draft pick is the smart side of a bet with many possible losing scenarios.
The Move – Shop Fuller when the season ends for a wide receiver with the potential to rise in value. Henry Ruggs, Parris Campbell, or Bryan Edwards come to mind. Any top 18 pick in a superflex league is fair game as that range will likely nab you another high-pedigree pass-catcher. If you hold Fuller, you are doing so with hopes he maintains or improves his landing spot and might net a higher return after that happens. He is a sell candidate either way.
Derrick Henry, RB TEN – Buy (pre-deadline/no deadline)
Henry disappointed many owners in week 13 and may have cost teams a playoff berth. If you were lucky enough to sneak in and can still make trades, nobody has a better schedule over the next three weeks and if you believe in regression, the Titans and Henry will look to avenge an embarrassing showing against Cleveland with a strong finish.
Purchasing Henry on your roster is doing so with a very narrow-sighted mentality. Very few sixth-year running backs will gain value at this stage in their career and you are likely re-signing to keeping him on your roster forever or at a future value loss. Regardless, a late start to his career and a peak physical athlete like Henry may have a few more years before he breaks down.
The Move – There is no guarantee of rest of season success or lasting power, but the odds you can buy Henry from a team who is not contending or obsessed with value is high. Consider moving Joe Mixon plus, Miles Sanders or Antonio Gibson in a deal for Henry and if you can secure him for a non-top five pick in a superflex league, consider making the move.
Eric Ebron, TE PIT – Sell
This one hurts. You will not find a bigger Ebron supporter and defender than myself and after finishing with a strong game in week 13, he sits at the TE6 on the year to date. He has produced on an offense with many competitors for targets and still, Ebron has posted 11 or more PPR points six times this season and has done so with only four touchdowns.
Although the numbers are encouraging and more sustainable compared to his outlier 2018 year with the Colts, we have seen enough from Ebron to know two things. One, his dynasty value is likely never going to explode. Two, he will never be one of the top three options on his own team. There is enough demand for a reliable tight end and enough question marks about his future (quarterback, contract) that I am okay cashing out.
The Move – If you are not competing and can deal him to a team for the stretch run, any second-round pick in a superflex and tight end premium league is fair. In other formats, moving up in the rookie draft or exchanging him for a position of need is likely a better bet. At age 28, I may buy back into Ebron if he has a bad 2021 but as we head to the spring, he is on the sell list.
Mike Boone, RB MIN – Add
It was not long ago that Boone was all the talk of the fantasy football community. After Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison missed the end of last year with injury, Boone got multiple starts as the lead back for the Vikings and it was met with mixed reviews. After reverting to third-string and losing some work to Ameer Abdullah, the third-year pro from Cincinnati has been off the radar. With Mattison out indefinitely and Cook one play from leaving at any time, make sure Boone is not on your waiver wire headed into the off-season.
The Move – Boone is likely on a roster in leagues with more than 30 roster spots but take a minute to check again. In shallower leagues, consider adding him before week fourteen as a long “next man up” and drop any low-end receivers. We do not know what the backfield will look like next year but with Cook signed long-term and Mattison still on a rookie deal, Boone may be a hold into the off-season. Get him now before it is too late.
CONCLUSION
If your team is still looking to make moves and the trade deadline has not passed, continue down your path and go for broke. The time is here to focus on upcoming matchups and the price of a possible title goes up. Do not play scared.
If the deadline has passed, start combing over your roster and identifying players who will fall in value and maximize the efficiency of those roster spots. I said this last week and will say it again; do not be stuck with dead weight on your bench headed into the off-season and focus on players with upward market trajectory or potential movement in their opportunity (pending free agent or free agent departing on the depth chart).
- Four Tight Ends to Buy, Sell, or Hold in Dynasty Leagues - August 23, 2023
- Four Wide Receivers to Buy, Sell, or Hold in Dynasty Leagues - August 16, 2023
- Four Running Backs to Buy, Sell, or Hold in Dynasty Leagues - August 9, 2023
