RSJ’s Jackson Barrett created a value-based drafting Excel tool to create the preseason values for this Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart. The tool uses the FantasyPros consensus projections to assign values based on a 12-team, full PPR league.
Each week throughout the season, I will alter these values to reflect the player’s value for the rest of the season. I have made changes based on the FantasyPros ECR, results from the season so far, and The Wolf’s Rest of Season Rankings. But for the most part, the below values should generally reflect consensus rankings. The values provided also allow for comparing player values across positions, not just within one position group.
For more information on how to make successful deals, check out our strategies for negotiating trades.
RISER
The clear TE winner of Week 5 was Sam LaPorta. Detroit’s rookie TE has exploded in the first quarter of this season and is now the TE1 through five games. At a position with very few elite fantasy players, LaPorta has broken into the elite tier in just a handful of games.
Things shouldn’t change for LaPorta either. The rookie has full control of the TE1 role in Detroit and won’t be losing it. Detroit is also a very valuable offense for fantasy production. Even with their top weapon in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit still had a field day against Carolina in Week 5, scoring 42 points.
LaPorta holds a consistent role in a potent offense. At the most scarce position in fantasy, LaPorta provides tremendous value.
FALLER
Early in the season, the outlook for Dalton Kincaid was very bright. Kincaid was on the field, running plenty of routes, and seeing target from the jump this season. However, initial optimism has faded recently, as Kincaid has seen just three targets per game over the last three weeks.
Kincaid also fell behind fellow TE Dawson Knox in Week 5. Kincaid had fewer snaps, routes, and targets than Knox on Sunday.
Kincaid is still worth a roster spot (for now) in most leagues. Unfortunately, Kincaid should be kept out of lineups unless his usage improves,
TRADE TARGET
On top of being one of the biggest risers of the week, Logan Thomas is also a great trade target.
As I already mentioned, the TE pool is quite thin. Outside of the top eight guys, there really isn’t much. So if you don’t have a “set it and forget it” starter, solid options are hard to come by.
When I’m picking at straws at TE, I tend to look for one thing: volume. Especially in PPR leagues, volume can turn a mediocre TE into a starter. This is the case with Thomas. In four games, Thomas is averaging 6.25 targets, 8th among TEs.
Thomas appears to be Sam Howell’s safety blanket, leading to easy, catchable targets. Thomas has also been used in the red zone this season, very valuable usage.
There isn’t much when it comes to Thomas. But then again, there isn’t much with most TEs. Thomas sees good volume and some red zone targets, making him a matchup-based starter moving forward.
