We're almost at the halfway point of the fantasy football season, and there are managers who need to make some moves to stay in the race. And I'm one of them, because that tight end spot in my lineup isn't getting it done. Nope. For others, it's time to add that one final piece to make a run at the fantasy playoffs.
So, let's pinpoint some options to upgrade your lineups.
Sure, there are players in here who will have a higher asking price. We know that. But there are also wide receivers, running backs and tight ends you can buy low on at this point of the season. And you just have to find the right trade partner in your league to make it happen.
Here are my 11 favorite trade targets, broken into two different categories.
Chase the upside
Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Managers might have to pay up for Higgins, but I see him as one of the most underrated (and steady) receivers in fantasy football. Higgins is averaging 16.2 points, and we know he is capable of producing breakout weeks (29.3 points in Week 5). Plus, his route deployment in Cincinnati leads to target volume at multiple levels of the field.
Yes, working opposite Ja'Marr Chase does limit Higgins' ceiling. However, in a Bengals offense led by quarterback Joe Burrow, Higgins is still averaging 8.8 targets per game. Want to land a WR2 who is locked into your lineup? Go make the offer for Higgins.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders
When targeting running backs, I look to the offenses that can move the ball with consistency and score points. So Robinson fits here in a Washington offense averaging 30.1 points (third most in the NFL). Sure, Robinson's lack of usage as a receiver (only 1.8 targets per game) makes him more of a touchdown-dependent back. However, Robinson has scored at least one touchdown in five of his six games played this season.
And, really, I just like the player a lot given how he is used in the Washington run game. Robinson is averaging 14.2 carries per game, and he plays on a north/south track with the ability to drop the hammer on contact. Robinson is averaging 2.42 yards after first contact, and he can handle heavy volume when asked to close out games. At the RB2 spot, I want to know what I'm getting on a weekly basis, and Robinson's role is very defined in one of the league's most explosive offenses.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Let's find a frustrated Taylor manager who is worried about the ankle injury or has concerns about his overall injury history. Taylor has already missed three straight games, and he hasn't played a full season since 2021. But when he is on the field, as he was from Weeks 1 through 4, Taylor is a high-volume RB1 who averages 18.1 points.
Now, you have to be ready to take on the injury risks with Taylor. But if I'm a manager who is lacking upside at the running back spot, I'm ready to take a swing here. And if you find the right trade partner, then you just landed a game changer in Taylor.
George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
I was on Pickens all summer. And why not? He has the physical traits to be a star in this league. But with Justin Fields at quarterback, Pickens averaged just 9.9 points from Weeks 1 to 6. So, did the Steelers move to Russell Wilson unlock Pickens' potential? Let's call it a preview of the upside Pickens can bring to the lineup.
In Week 7 against the Jets, Pickens scored 17.3 points and saw three end zone targets, both season highs. Yes, the deep ball was in play, as Pickens caught a 44-yard throw from Wilson. He also won an isolation matchup in the red zone on a fade ball for six. Those are touch and location throws, which we are used to seeing from Wilson. With no immediate competition for targets on the perimeter in Pittsburgh, I expect Pickens to be a much more consistent WR2 who can produce breakout weeks.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
Pitts' past three games (13.1 PPG) might force you to offer more in return, and we know it's tough to find quality tight ends in fantasy football. But I think we're at the point where we can buy into Pitts' deployment in the Falcons offense.
Pitts has caught 17 of 22 targets over this three-game stretch, and the Falcons are using his alignment versatility to attack coverage voids. Now, Pitts' lack of touchdown production (only one this season) could create some concern. And I get that. But with Pitts' increasing role in an offense that has attempted 244 passes through Week 7 (sixth most in the league), I'm going to bet on the talent.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
This is a longer-term play with the anticipation that McCaffrey returns at some point after the 49ers' Week 9 bye. And maybe you can still get McCaffrey at somewhat of a discount given he has yet to play this season, plus the snap limitations he could see as he works his way back into game shape.
However, if you have a team that is primed to make a run, just think of what your roster would look like with a healthy and fresh McCaffrey for the fantasy playoffs. You would add the top dual-threat back in the NFL, one who averaged a league-high 24.5 points last season in a 49ers offense that maximizes his skill set. Is it worth the uncertainty that we'll see the same level of play and production from McCaffrey this season? If you can find a manager who is ready to listen to an offer, I'd take a shot here -- because McCaffrey could win you a fantasy championship.
Buy-low targets
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown was held to just 2.9 yards per carry in the Bengals' Week 7 win over the Browns, and he failed to post double-digit fantasy numbers (7.3 points) for the first time since Week 3. However, both the numbers and the game tape tell us Brown is the running back to roster in Cincinnati.
Brown out-touched Zack Moss 17 to 9 in that Week 7 game, and he has logged at least 12 touches in four straight. Plus, he's simply playing with more speed, with the ability to surge as a downhill runner. Yes, I would like to see Brown's pass-game usage increase, as he has only seven receptions over the past three games. With the total volume, however, this is a good spot to add an RB2 in a Bengals offense that has the tools to be explosive.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
Harrison's three-game slump suddenly makes him a buy-low candidate, as he has caught just 5 of 15 targets over that stretch without a touchdown. Sure, he didn't finish the Week 6 game at Green Bay (concussion), but this is still a steep drop from his numbers in Weeks 2-4, when he averaged 20.6 points and logged at least one touchdown catch in each. And with a tough upcoming schedule over the next three weeks (@MIA, CHI, NYJ), Harrison managers could be willing to move him.
Would I throw an offer out there, with the hope that Harrison and Kyler Murray can get on the same page? Absolutely. There have been missed opportunities on the game tape, and the talent level -- his route running, coverage awareness, body control and ball skills -- is just too high with Harrison. I'd be willing to roll with those traits through this tough part of the schedule.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
The anticipated return of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa changes things in Miami, so I would ask for Tyreek Hill first, and maybe you can find a manager who is willing to give him up. While that's probably a stretch, making an offer for Waddle isn't.
In the one full game with Tagovailoa as the Dolphins' starter, back in Week 1 versus the Jaguars, Waddle scored 16.2 points, as he caught all five of his targets for 109 yards. Sure, that Jacksonville defense is subpar, but if we look at the 14 games Waddle played last season, he averaged 14.4 points, with 41.5% of his receiving yardage coming after the catch. And that's how this Miami pass game works with Tagovailoa. He's a timing-and-rhythm thrower who delivers the ball with location. It's catch and go, which fits Waddle's profile.
So, let's go find a team in your league, one that preferably has a steady group of wide receivers, with Waddle still sitting on the bench, and make that offer. He can elevate your lineup in the WR2 spot when Tagovailoa is under center.
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
I roster Nacua, but with a record of 3-4 in my league, you're not getting him. Sorry. I'm going to wait it out so I can get back in this thing. However, if you can find a Nacua manager who is, let's say 6-1 or 5-2, and set at wide receiver, maybe you can get in here at a lower price.
Nacua hasn't been removed from injured reserve (knee) yet, but we don't really need to sell his skills at this point, as Nacua averaged 17.4 points last season (with three games of 30 or more), finishing as WR4. Maybe you have to wait a few more weeks for Nacua to be cleared, so this is really a longer-term move. And with trade rumors out there on Copper Kupp, landing Nacua would give you a WR1 for the stretch run of the fantasy season -- in one of the NFL's most heavily schemed pass games.
Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers
Given the volatility of fantasy scoring with tight ends, let's take a look at Kraft. You will probably need to find a manager who rosters multiple tight ends, with one being Kraft. Maybe it's a team that also has Brock Bowers or George Kittle, for example, with Kraft as the No. 2. Now we can make that move (at a lower rate) for an emerging tight end in Matt LaFleur's offense.
Over his past four games, which includes a 3.5-point dud versus the Cardinals in Week 6, Kraft is averaging 14.5 points, and he has scored at least one touchdown in three of the four. His route usage is up from the start of the season (31.3 routes run per game during this stretch), and I see an easy mover on the tape who can be rugged with the ball in his hands. Kraft has the makeup of a TE1, and now is the time to get him.