Fantasy playoffs are right around the corner for most leagues. For those with trade deadlines approaching, you’re probably looking to make a move to set yourself up for a deep postseason run. If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some players you should look to buy and sell heading into Week 12.
Quarterback
Buy — Tom Brady
Brady has produced two duds in his last three games, leading many to worry about his playoff prospects. Looking ahead to his matchups in Weeks 14-16, Brady’s primed to face Minnesota, Atlanta, and Detroit. All three of those teams have bottom-eight pass defenses, which should relieve concerned Brady owners. If you’re looking for a cheaper QB upgrade with significant upside, the 43-year-old GOAT is the perfect prospect.
Sell — Ben Roethlisberger
Unlike Brady, Big Ben has been stellar in his last three games, scoring 25+ points in two of them. Looking ahead to his playoff schedule, Weeks 14 and 15 aren’t the issue. However, he’s facing a top four Colts pass defense in Week 16, which should absolutely concern Roethlisberger owners. The Steelers will also likely turn to their rushing game more as the season progresses, given their playoff spot is all but guaranteed at this point and they want to protect their quarterback. Big Ben has put together an impressive bounce-back campaign, but you should test the waters on his value heading into Week 12.
Running Back
Buy — James White
After Rex Burkhead went down during last week’s game, White became much more involved in the offense, racking up six receptions for 64 yards out of the backfield. Now that Burkhead is officially done for the year with a knee injury, White will presumably handle all future pass-catching duties out of the backfield for New England. Sony Michel is nearing his return, but he’ll only cut into Damien Harris’ role as a traditional workhorse back. White is a lock for 4+ catches per game moving forward, and will likely have rest-of-season Flex value.
Sell — Melvin Gordon
Gordon produced his best fantasy output in weeks against the Dolphins, racking up 18.4 PPR points. However, he was actually out-touched by backfield mate Phillip Lindsay 16-15, which is concerning for future matchups. You can’t count on Gordon to score twice in every game, so if he’s truly splitting touches with Lindsay, it severely caps his upside.
Wide Receiver
Buy — Jamison Crowder
Crowder was quiet last game, which is exactly what you look for in a buy-low candidate. Sam Darnold will likely be returning over the next few weeks, which bodes well for Crowder’s fantasy prospects. With Darnold under center, the veteran receiver has scored 17+ PPR points in 3/4 games. Look for the two to pick up where they left off, so explore the possibility of acquiring Crowder this week.
Sell — Tyler Boyd
Boyd has put together the best year of his career so far, but his consistent production is in jeopardy after Joe Burrow suffered a gruesome season-ending knee injury last week against Washington. Burrow’s replacement is not as promising for Boyd’s rest-of-season prospects, to put it lightly. Test the waters on Boyd’s value while you can.
Tight End
Buy — Hayden Hurst
Heading into Week 11, Hurst had scored 10+ PPR points in four straight games. Unfortunately, just when it seemed he was becoming a consistent option in the Falcons’ offense, he put up a goose egg. However, this lackluster performance will likely be an outlier. Hurst has developed a great rapport with Matt Ryan, and we all know how much Ryan loves to utilize his tight ends in the passing game. Buy Hurst with the expectation that he’ll bounce back this week.
Sell — Robert Tonyan
Tonyan is pretty much the exact opposite case from Hurst. Heading into the Packers’ matchup against Indianapolis, he hadn’t been a consistent producer for weeks. However, Tonyan broke that cold streak, catching five balls for 44 yards and a touchdown. Tight end has been such a frustrating position from a fantasy perspective this year, so people are probably desperate to acquire a player like Tonyan, who has boom potential every week. Gauge his trade value ahead of Sunday’s game to see if you can sell high.
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