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.
Before going over player values, let’s take a look at the biggest changes to the trade value chart and some potential trade targets.
RISERS
Injecting some youth into the Tennessee offense worked wonders for DeAndre Hopkins. The veteran receiver quickly developed a connection with rookie QB Will Levis. The duo connected four times on Sunday, resulting in three touchdowns for the Titans.
Everyone can recognize that these kinds of games will not regularly happen for Hopkins. However, it appears that Levis provides Hopkins with a much brighter fantasy outlook than Ryan Tannehill. Hopkins finished as the top WR on the week and finished as a WR2 or better for just the second time this season.
Hopkins has some solid matchups in the coming weeks, including games with Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis.
Week 9 in Pittsburgh will give us more information on the extent of the Levis-Hopkins connection. I wouldn’t get too excited about Hopkins until we see a few more games, but the QB change seems to be in Hopkins’ favor.
A return that I have personally been waiting for, Diontae Johnson is back. Well, he may have been “back” in Week 7, but Week 8 proved that he’s back.
One of the league’s biggest target hogs is back and doing what he does best, being a PPR machine.
The Pittsburgh offensive environment is the key factor preventing Johnson from exploding. Pittsburgh has had significant trouble both moving the ball down the field and scoring. This has left Johnson without a touchdown in 653 days.
Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett will prevent Johnson from being an elite fantasy option. However, his ability to earn targets will keep him in the flex/WR2 range in PPR leagues.
FALLER
Is DK Metcalf truly the monster that we expected? Sure, he’s always good for a few explosive games and some highlight reel plays. But is he an elite fantasy option?
Dating back to the start of last season, Metcalf has just three games as a WR1 and has zero in 2023. I would like to attribute his struggles in 2023 to Jaxon Simith-Njigba but the rookie has yet to crack 70 yards in a game and has more than four catches just once this year.
Metcalf is clearly a phenomenal player who can do things that few people on Earth can do. But it’s time that we look at the results. Metcalf is producing as a WR2 with touchdown upside, nothing more.
TRADE TARGETS
Michael Pittman Jr. has developed a relatively under the radar connection with Gardner Minshew II. Pittman has scored at least 16.3 points in each of the last three games and has 13+ targets twice in the last three games. Pittman is now the WR12 in 2023.
I don’t expect things to change with Pittman and Minshew. The Colts’ new QB has made it clear who his favorite option is. I also expect the Colts to be throwing the ball at a high rate due to poor defense, leading to plenty of Pittman targets. The Colts have given up 37, 39, and 38 points in their last three games. With a defense like this, Minshew will be slinging the ball all over the field.
A great way to identify trade targets is through expected fantasy points. Identifying players who score less than they are expected can tell you who could start to produce more in the coming weeks. Chris Olave fits this mold perfectly. Olave ranks 12th in expected fantasy points per game but 34th in actual fantasy points per game. This is primarily caused by Olave having a low catch rate on deep targets.
Although it is difficult to convert on big plays, Olave’s season could easily turn around if he can connect with Derek Carr. Carr and Olave are bound to have an explosive day, grab him before this happens.
