As we cross the halfway point of the fantasy football regular season, most owners know what type of team they have. Even if you've been dealing with injuries to your first-round pick (Michael Thomas, Christian McCaffrey), there are undoubtedly some potential problem areas and positions you need to upgrade, especially when looking ahead to bye weeks and fantasy playoff schedules. Now's the time to consolidate your depth and improve your team by finding the right buy-low, sell-high targets. Fantasy Pros' Mike Tagliere is here to help with trade advice in his Week 7 Stock Watch that includes James Robinson, DJ Chark, D'Andre Swift, Kareem Hunt, and more.
Unfortunately, trades aren't as easy as waiver pickups. It takes two willing parties to make a deal happen -- and both parties always want to "win" the trade. That makes it tough to negotiate, as simply "improving your team" often isn't enough for some owners. That just means you have to work harder to find the right deal, which could possibly mean taking on a little more risk on your side of the transaction. If you trust your ability to make the right pickups and pick the right starters, you should be able to handle a little extra risk (within reason). That could mean targeting someone who's due back from injury soon or trading away a guy who's seemingly at the top of his game.
MORE FROM FANTASY PROS: Trade analyzer
Remember, values can change quickly in fantasy football, so don't get too locked in on a certain trade target. Change your thinking as the trends change, but don't be afraid to strike if you have a good offer on the table. -- Matt Lutovsky
MORE WEEK 7: Full waiver list | FAAB budget planner
Week 7 Fantasy Football Stock Watch: Buy-low candidates
Kareem Hunt (RB – CLE)
After the disappointing performance in Week 6, you might be able to get Hunt cheaper than you should. Look, he’s not going to come cheap, but remember you’d be buying what might be the No. 1 fantasy running back over the next two weeks when Hunt plays the Bengals and the Raiders, two teams that have been obliterated on the ground. There will be no “buy-low” window for him after Week 7.
Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)
These are the moments you have to capitalize on as a fantasy owner. Many were expecting a smash performance out of Andrews considering the matchup with the Eagles, who had been extremely generous to tight ends coming into that game. Andrews has been extremely hit-or-miss, and that can be frustrating to some fantasy managers. Try to take advantage of that because if you’ve been trying to stream tight ends, you know just how hard this year has been for the non-elite guys. With Andrews, at least you get top-three potential every week.
DJ Chark (WR – JAC)
I promise there are some fantasy owners out there who are contemplating dropping Chark. You need to find out if one of them is in your league. Chark has dealt with a few injuries over the first quarter of the season, but after seeing 14 targets against the Lions, we can feel good about his health. He’s still the No. 1 option for a team that’s going to be playing from behind in 90 percent of their games.For more buy-low targets from Fantasy Pros, click here.
WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Week 7 Fantasy Football Stock Watch: Sell-high candidates
James Robinson (RB – JAC)
We may have passed that period where Robinson appeared to be much better than average. Over the past two weeks in two phenomenal matchups against the Texans and Lions, he’s turned 25 carries into just 77 yards. Fortunately, he caught a touchdown last week to salvage his fantasy day and maybe provide you with an opportunity to sell. You shouldn’t give him away considering how hard it is to find a running back who’s guaranteed 15-plus touches per game, but maybe include him in a package to upgrade at the position.D’Andre Swift (RB – DET)
There will be a lot of people who think, “Hey, the Lions finally realized what they have in Swift during their bye week!” I said that would be a possibility last week, but I’m using this as an opportunity to sell high. Do you know how many touches the Lions running backs had last week? Answer: 38. Swift saw 17 of them, or 44.7 percent. Do you know how many touches this Lions backfield averaged coming into this game? Answer: 26.5. Applying Week 6’s touch share, Swift would project for 11.9 touches per game, which isn’t a whole lot. He’s fine as an RB3/flex option, but if you can find someone to buy him off his big game for RB2 value, you should consider it.Darius Slayton (WR – NYG)
He’s coming off two solid performances, but this is your time to sell, as Sterling Shepard (toe) will return to the lineup soon. That’s going to lower the target floor that Slayton has enjoyed over the last month, which has made him playable in fantasy. He’ll have some big performances here and there, but predicting when they will happen will be a nightmare.For more sell-high targets from Fantasy Pros, click here.
WEEK 7 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Week 7 Fantasy Football Stock Watch: Player to hold
Ronald Jones (RB – TB)
Some might be thinking, “It’s time to sell Jones before he screws up and gets benched again.” WIth the way he’s played over the last month, he’s earned himself a much longer leash going forward. Meanwhile, the best attribute a running back can have is availability, which is something Leonard Fournette has not offered. With the lack of true workhorses in the NFL right now, Jones should be considered a somewhat stable RB2.