Eric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments".
Time is running out if you want to make any trades in ESPN standard leagues!
In fact, the trade deadline arrives on Wednesday, Dec. 1, at noon ET. Do not wait that long to try to improve your teams, whether your fantasy football team is sailing to a playoff spot or you need every win just to get into the tournament. There's no room for complacency!
Anyway, we hope the latest edition of the end-of-season rankings and trade index, discussing the latest trends with injuries and player value, will help. Good luck!
Quarterback
Rankings changes: Well, that was the Patrick Mahomes we all love so much! Five touchdowns and 406 passing yards! Yay! The Chiefs QB moves back into the top three, passing Tom Brady, Justin Herbert and a hurting Kyler Murray. We go week-to-week in these rankings! Murray, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford slide a bit, for different reasons, though each remains in the top 10. There is a new/old quarterback in Carolina, and Cam Newton enters the top 100, warranting QB1 attention in deeper formats.
Trade for: Kirk Cousins/Ryan Tannehill still feels like the reasonable QB1 dividing line on trading for someone at this crucial position in single-QB formats. Newton lies just ahead of that cutoff. Mac Jones looked good on Sunday, but it's tough to rely on a rookie in a run-first offense.
Be cautious trading for: Everyone from the Colts' Carson Wentz on down. Wentz scored just 7.1 fantasy points on Sunday. Brian Hoyer scored more in just three passes. Wilson should be fine, based on skills and history, but wow that last outing was ugly. The Seattle quarterback belongs in this section for now.
Running back
Rankings changes: There certainly have been a few changes in the Packers backfield! Aaron Jones (knee) probably will miss two games, which a fantasy manager can overcome, and AJ Dillon moves way up. Still, Jones is the better bet for the rest of the season. Watch the Patriots next, as the enticing Rhamondre Stevenson starred in Week 10 and must be rostered in case he pushes Damien Harris aside. It also seems hard to believe the Chiefs will push Darrel Williams aside for a recovering Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Plus, how can the Eagles give Miles Sanders a big role when Jordan Howard and Boston Scott run wild? So many questions!
Trade for: Atlanta's Cordarrelle Patterson seems like the dividing line for safe running backs -- and you can make the argument for him being on either side of the line! Chase Edmonds heads to IR, so things look solid for Arizona's James Conner. Is any running back more valuable than Jonathan Taylor is at this point?
Be cautious trading for: Christian McCaffrey looked great Sunday in the first half. Then he got hurt again, though perhaps he could have gritted it out in a closer game. Sorry, but it is tough to trust his health. It is tough to trade for any Packers back at this point, as well as any option from the Chiefs, Eagles or Patriots.
Wide receiver
Rankings changes: Arizona's DeAndre Hopkins missed another game, and we worry about whether this hamstring injury will linger. The Chargers' Mike Williams sure looks hurt. He has just 10 catches in his past four games! Do not simply play receivers who thrived in September. The Raiders' Hunter Renfrow, Eagles' DeVonta Smith and Broncos' Jerry Jeudy are more deserving of our attention. All Rams not named Cooper Kupp -- be they new or old -- move up in the wake of the Robert Woods (knee) loss.
Trade for: The Packers' Davante Adams was safe all along. Hopkins might be the dividing line for safety at this position -- and he is on the wrong side of it today. There is depth, but some WR3 options scare us. How do you feel about Tyler Lockett and Jakobi Meyers now?
Be cautious trading for: All Rams not named Kupp, especially the former Giant/Brown who came in with all the fanfare and caught all of two passes in his debut. Be wary of all rookies, even Philadelphia's Smith, who has an easy schedule after Week 11. Alas, he remains a rookie. Not one of Hopkins, Mike Williams or Antonio Brown is healthy.
Tight end
Rankings changes: There remains a tier of one, namely the incomparable Travis Kelce of the Chiefs, although the Ravens' Mark Andrews, Patriots' Hunter Henry and Vikings' Tyler Conklin had big weeks and move up as well. The Lions' T.J. Hockenson and Dolphins' Mike Gesicki scored goose eggs on Sunday, but you should keep them around. We are all on a Dan Arnold TD watch!
