Fantasy football managers are constantly searching for that perfect trade that could transform their season. Week 3 has created some intriguing opportunities in the trade market, with several players experiencing fluctuating values that savvy managers can exploit.
The key to successful trading lies in identifying players whose recent performances don’t accurately reflect their true potential or upcoming challenges. Smart fantasy football players know that timing is everything when it comes to buying low on undervalued assets or selling high on players who may have peaked.
Trade Targets to Buy: Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots
Third-year receiver Kayshon Boutte followed up a stellar Week 1 with one catch for 16 yards in Week 2, but was saved by the fact that his one catch came in the end zone. Having been picked up on waivers in many leagues after the season opener, he’ll potentially have been dropped again following Week 3.
Boutte caught two of his three targets for 28 yards, but the stats won’t show that he was again targeted in the end zone and missed out on another catch because of a penalty. The receiver has emerged as a key target for Drake Maye and is worth a shot at what should be a very reasonable price.
Marvin Mims, Denver Broncos
Marvin Mims has had a quiet start to the season, but his four targets in Week 3 should have yielded far better results. Mims was overthrown by his quarterback on multiple occasions, denying him a massive yards total and at least one touchdown.
The electric receiver is never more than one play away from fantasy gold, and the team made a significant effort to utilize his speed against the Chargers. Broncos receivers can be volatile in fantasy, with Sean Payton regularly mixing things up, but Mims has remained a trusted weapon in Denver.
The third-year receiver isn’t a plug-and-play option, but he’ll be pretty cheap in deeper leagues and may even be on waivers in others. He carries immense upside and could easily become a weekly must-start this season if the Broncos’ offense improves.
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Things couldn’t have gotten much worse for the Bengals’ offense in Week 3. The team floundered against a top Minnesota Vikings defense and scored just 10 points, including a garbage-time touchdown for tight end Drew Sample.
Fantasy managers who had held Ja’Marr Chase after Joe Burrow’s injury may now be regretting that decision, after the star receiver scored just 8.9 points in Week 3. The 2024 triple-crown winner will still cost significant compensation in a trade, but no player at the position carries more upside if the Bengals can sort things out.
At the very least, Chase is worth an enquiry, with Cincinnati unlikely to accept that level of quarterback play moving forward. A trade for Cousins or Winston, or even middling quarterback play from Jake Browning, would make both of Cincinnati’s star receivers elite fantasy options again.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
It’s the same situation with Tee Higgins, who had an awful fantasy week against the Vikings, catching one of his two targets for 15 yards. That will undoubtedly have Higgins owners open to moving on, and managers with depth at receiver should be looking to pounce.
Higgins was the WR6 overall in fantasy points per game in 2024 (18.5) last season and could be available for a low-end WR2 right now, if that. Betting on good players is rarely a bad move in fantasy, and there aren’t too many better than Higgins.
Trade Targets to Sell: George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
The news surrounding CeeDee Lamb’s injury will affect George Pickens’s trade value, but the player is coming off a strong performance regardless. Many expected the former Steeler to flourish in Dallas, and he has indeed flashed, catching five of nine targets for 63 yards and a score in Week 3.
READ MORE: How Long Will CeeDee Lamb Be Out? NFL Insider Provides Concerning Update on Cowboys Star
The receiver is currently the 19th-best receiver in PPR and could be traded for more than that if it were announced that Lamb would miss multiple weeks.
But Pickens’s increased targets won’t count for much if he is being double-covered every week and shadowed by some of the NFL’s best corners. There’s no rush to trade Pickens, but it’s worth testing the waters to see what your league mates are willing to offer.
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
After the New Orleans Saints’ humbling 44-13 defeat against the Seahawks, Chris Olave’s inclusion on this list feels odd. However, Olave was the WR16 overall in Week 3 with 15.7 fantasy points, while his 14 targets were second only to Puka Nacua (15).
Olave is a star receiver on a team with an atrocious defense, and that’s usually a recipe for fantasy gold. However, the Saints shouldn’t often play three full quarters of garbage time like they did on Sunday, and Olave’s targets should, therefore, settle.
Olave also has Rashid Shaheed to compete with for targets, while there’s no guarantee that rookie quarterback Tyler Shough won’t take over at some point. Olave’s Week 3 targets are encouraging, but the Saints’ offense is best left alone if possible.
