Week 9 Fantasy Football Trades: Stock Up, Stock Down

Just when we thought DeAndre Hopkins was at his lowest, a rookie quarterback making his NFL debut helped him become fantasy relevant again.

Here’s a look at some of the fantasy players who had the best and worst performances of the weekend. These players are already on fantasy rosters in most leagues, so take this information into potential trade talks as you try to sell high or buy low.

Stock Up

Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys

Don’t look now, but Prescott is on a two-game hot streak in the stat sheets. After an embarrassing, 4.3-point performance against the 49ers in Week 5, he’s thrown for a combined five touchdowns and has averaged 26.5 points in his last two games. With a plus matchup against a bad Eagles pass defense next, not to mention quarterback injuries and four teams on a bye, Prescott will be a nice option in Week 9.

Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals

Burrow entered this week with just one really good stat line, as his injured calf seemed to hinder his ability to push the ball downfield. But after the bye, he looked like the Burrow we all know and love, and he did it against the 49ers. The talented quarterback threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns, finishing with 27.7 points in a huge road win. For now, it seems we can start Joey B with confidence again.

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Titans

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Hopkins was a sit ’em in my column this past week, as he was playing with a rookie quarterback in Will Levis making his first NFL start. Plus, Atlanta had been good against perimeter receivers. So much for “the process!” Hopkins had his best game of the season, scoring three touchdowns and 34.8 PPR points. I might be looking to sell high on Nuk, but maybe Levis could resurrect him back to prominence.

Jordan Addison, WR, Vikings

First, the good news … Addison has scored three touchdowns and a combined 52.7 fantasy points in his last two games. Those are Justin Jefferson level totals. The bad news, however, is that the Vikings have lost Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury. That is a major loss for any Minnesota pass catcher, and it will make it tough to sell high on the rookie. Addison has a matchup against the Falcons next on the slate.

George Kittle, TE, 49ers

The Niners lost to the Bengals and have now dropped three straight games, but that hasn’t hurt Kittle’s numbers. In fact, he’s scored 13 or more points in each of his last two games including 23.9 against Cincinnati. Kittle is a great sell high candidate, however, as his target share will decline when Deebo Samuel returns from injury. At what is a thin position, Kittle should garner some serious interest in leagues.

Stock Down

Trevor Lawrence, QB Jaguars

It might be time to put away the hopes that Lawrence will become an elite fantasy quarterback this season. He scored just 14.7 points in a win over the Steelers, and he’s now failed to score more than 16 points in five of his last seven games. What’s more, he’s surpassed 18 points just once (and he rushed for 59 yards that week). The Jags have a bye in Week 9, so it’ll be tough to deal him in traditional formats.

Tony Pollard, RB, Cowboys

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A first-round pick in most fantasy drafts, Pollard has hit the skids in the stat sheets. After starting with 15-plus points in each of his first three games, the veteran has scored single digits in three of his last four, including just 6.5 points in a blowout win over the Rams. The Cowboys have boat raced several teams, creating more reason to run in the second half, but Pollard’s totals have been tough to take lately.

Miles Sanders, RB, Panthers

I said it in the preseason and I’ll say it again … Sanders isn’t a good fantasy back, and he’s dangerously close to being droppable. He has lost the top spot on the depth chart to Chuba Hubbard, and he saw just two touches in a win over Houston. Sanders has now scored fewer than eight PPR points in four of his last five games, making him nearly impossible to trade. Sanders is bench fodder, at best.

Alexander Mattison, RB, Vikings

Mattison wasn’t putting up great totals, but he was at last scoring in the low double digits in the first six games. Over the last two contests, he’s scored a combined 10.5 points and he’s losing work to Cam Akers. Minnesota’s offense is going to be a total mess without Cousins, but I’d still try to deal Mattison now if at all possible. He’ll be tough to trust against the Falcons next week with Jaren Hall under center.

Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams

Kupp, on the stock down list? What is this bizarro fantasy world? Yeah, it’s weird, but it’s true. In his last two games, Kupp has seen a combined 17 targets but has scored just 13 combined PPR points. He’s also caught just six passes in those two contests after hauling in at least seven in each of his first two games. With Matthew Stafford ailing, it’ll be tough to sell on Kupp. I’d hold him and cross your fingers.

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