Fantasy football managers looking for an edge down the stretch should pay close attention to shifting player roles and upcoming matchups. Some emerging talents are gaining steady volume and may be undervalued in trade talks.
Others, despite recent strong performances, could see their production dip as team dynamics change. Now is the time to identify the right buy-low and sell-high candidates before the playoff push begins.
Trade Targets to Buy: Theo Johnson, New York Giants
Theo Johnson has caught the eye at times this season, and he is no longer an overlooked piece of the New York Giants’ passing game. The former Penn State standout has averaged 9.2 PPR points per game this season, and 11.3 since Week 4. That makes him the TE13 over that stretch, and his consistent red-zone usage is a big reason for that.
Heading into Sunday, only 12 players had more red-zone targets than Johnson (10) this season, and the tight end had at least twice as many as any of his teammates. However, while many would have expected Johnson to have a better game with Jameis Winston airing it out on Sunday, his four targets were tied for his second-fewest of the year.
Jaxson Dart will hope to be cleared to start again in Week 12, with a daunting matchup with the Lions awaiting the Giants. New York then faces the New England Patriots in Week 13, and there is a strong chance of pass-friendly game scripts in both games.
The Giants then go on bye in Week 14 before facing a miserable Washington Commanders defense. Johnson has been on waivers for much of the year and may even still be there in many leagues. He has five touchdowns in his last seven games with Dart, and could well be a top-10 fantasy tight end for the rest of the season.
Trade Targets to Sell: Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
Like Johnson, Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz has been included in our recent “streamers” articles. The veteran tight end has seen a production bump in recent weeks, most notably when playing with backup quarterback Davis Mills.
Of Mills’ 120 pass attempts this season, Schultz has been targeted 26 times, 21.67%. With Stroud, that number drops to 17.36%, as the third-year quarterback spreads the ball more evenly among his receivers.
Schultz has been targeted 28 times in his last three games, and has averaged 14.4 fantasy points per game in that stretch. With Stroud’s return imminent, the Texans’ offense should be more functional, and their overall control of games should improve.
Mills has won both of his starts since Stroud’s injury, but the Texans have had to come from behind to win both. The team faces some tough opponents in the coming weeks, but should find themselves in less desperate situations.
That, in turn, would mean fewer targets for Schultz. There won’t be a huge market for the tight end, but three consecutive top-10 finishes should fetch you some FAAB at the very least.
