Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart Week 6: Running Backs

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, these values will be altered to reflect the player’s value for the rest of the season. Changes made to player’s value will be based on FantasyPros Rest of Season ECR, results from the season thus 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 positional group.

For more information on how to make successful deals, check out our strategies for negotiating trades.

Be sure to tune back each week throughout the season. We’ll be adjusting the chart, discussing risers & fallers, and pinpointing trade targets.

The trade value chart for each position is linked below.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Trade Value Chart: Running Backs

Running Back Riser

During the offseason, it seemed that the path to Derrick Henry paying off in fantasy was through absurd touchdown numbers. Well, it seems like he’s a candidate to hit 20 touchdowns while also being the most effective running back in the NFL.

Through five weeks, here’s where Derrick Henry ranks among running backs in a few key stats:

• Rushing Yards: 1st
• Total Touchdowns: t-1st
• Yards per Carry: 3rd
• Rush Yards Over Expected per Attempt: 2nd
• Explosive Rush Rate: 9th

The “old man” still has juice and he’s running behind an offensive line that’s allowed him to rush for 3.29 yards before contact per attempt. Given the Ravens’ overall offensive environment and the fact that Henry hasn’t lost a step, he’s setting up to be an absolute smash this season.

Running Back Faller

After failing to put together a top-12 performance for a 5th straight week, Bijan Robinson continues to slip down our rankings. It’s hard to push him down too far considering the Atlanta offense is ascending and he’ll see a steady dose of touches within that offense, but he’s deserving of a slip.

The question becomes, what’s wrong with Bijan? The two key factors that seem to be plaguing Robinson’s fantasy output seem to be workload and touchdown production.

You may have heard that volume is king at running back. In fact, weighted opportunities per game is the largest indicator of fantasy success at the position.

Well, Robinson ranks 22nd in this metric and will have a very hard time producing as a high-end RB1 if he’s seeing fewer weighted opportunities per game than Kareem Hunt.

In terms of the touchdowns, there’s not a whole lot to say. Atlanta has scored 79 points in the last three weeks and Robinson has just one touchdown. This also happens to be his only score of the year. The only positive here is that he still has a monopoly on the goal line work, so touchdowns should come soon.

Running Back Trade Target

While he may be a faller, Bijan Robinson can also be a trade target. Don’t plan to pay top-dollar for him like you may have earlier this year, but if the Bijan manager in your league is completely panicked, you may be able to scoop him up on the cheap.

The big concern we highlighted above is workload. He’s averaging just 13.9 weighted opportunities per game. If you squint, there’s reason to believe that this will trend upwards in the coming weeks. Heading into Week 4, Robinson was on the injury report with a shoulder issue that may have led to Atlanta limiting his touches. Prior to Week 5, a short week with a TNF game, Robinson was once again on the injury report with a hamstring injury. This is all pure speculation, but the mini-bye will allow Robinson to get healthy which could lead to a greater workload in the coming weeks.

The bigger piece here is buying into Atlanta’s offense. It appears that Kirk Cousins is “back” and can lead a high-powered offense in Atlanta. As long as he is sustaining drives and putting Atlanta in a position to score points, the touchdowns will come for Robinson.

We’re also in a position to buy Robinson before he has his bounce-back week and his price shoots up. The Carolina Panthers rank 31st in fantasy points allowed to RBs this season. After a strong outing against Carolina, it will likely be impossible to acquire Robinson for his current price.

Tier 1: The Elites

Tier 2: RB1 Options

Tier 3: RB2 Options

Tier 4: Matchup-Based Starters

Tier 5: Bench Assets and Handcuffs