Week 9 is in the books! Cooterdoodle is back to walk us through the fantasy landscape from a buy, sell, hold perspective…
As we move into the second half of the season, fantasy managers are putting a lot of weight into their win-loss records, as they should!
Check your leagues. Notice which teams have talented players but very few wins. Not only are those managers more likely to be open to trading away a key player because they're blinded by panic and in desperate need of a win this week.
We've reached the point in the fantasy season when managers are prone to trade mistakes. They get tunnel vision and want to pull themselves out of a losing hole so badly that they just might sell elite players for a lower price.
Study your league standings and capitalize on those teams who need to scratch and claw their way to making the playoffs. On the other hand, if you're one of those teams, don’t fall victim to panic trading just because you're on a losing streak.
Let’s get into this week’s players to buy, sell, or hold.
Players to buy
Patterns are emerging! It’s time to get out your pocketbook and think about buying:
Ja'Marr Chase, WR - Bengals
Speaking as a completely objective third-party observer with absolutely no interest in the matter, I have to imagine that fantasy managers with losing records are feeling unwell with Ja’Marr Chase on their rosters.
Through nine weeks, Chase has fewer receiving yards than D.J. Moore. Chase has also caught fewer TDs than Cole Kmet, Courtland Sutton, and Romeo Doubs. Those are not great stats considering the fact that Chase was a top-three overall pick in the vast majority of leagues.
P-A-I-N.
Nov 5, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) attempts to catch a pass against Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
And speaking of pain, Chase sustained a back injury during his Week 9 matchup against the Bills. Monitor his health, but after his single-digit performance last week and this injury news, it’s possible even the fantasy managers who held Chase during Joe Burrow's calf injury might be willing to sell at a slight discount.
While the Bengals had a rough start to the season, Burrow is finally looking like his old self again, so this could be a small window to buy low on his WR1.
Keep an eye on how Chase’s back is progressing this week, but it doesn't seem to be a big concern as of now. With frustrations bubbling, it could be time to strike on Chase.
Takeaway: Buy low on the guy who's open 24/7.
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Travis Kelce, TE - Chiefs
Travis Kelce’s target share dipped to a season-low of 12% in Week 9 against the Dolphins, and he hasn’t seen any end-zone targets since Week 5. On top of that, Kelce and the Chiefs are on bye this week.
It’s feeling a bit bleak, right?
But if we look at Kelce’s production from last week, do we really think that he'll keep producing the lowest fantasy scores he's had since 2018?
What’s more likely?
- A. Kelce continues to see a sub-15% target share and isn't used near the goal line.
- B. Mahomes finds ways to feed his TE and safety blanket after their bye, especially in the end zone.
I’m going with Option B here. Plus, Kansas City will face Philadelphia in their next game in Week 11, and like Matthew Berry has said, “start your TEs against the Eagles.” It'll be tough to pry Kelce away from his fantasy manager, but it's worth a try if that team desperately needs a win this week with Kelce on bye.
Takeaway: Trust in Kelce's talent and connection with Taylor Swift Mahomes.
Player to sell
Sometimes there’s bad writing on the wall even when a player has been performing. It’s time to think about selling.
Rachaad White, RB - Buccaneers
Rachaad White is a conditional sell.
The sophomore RB has been to date, especially when many RBs have been struggling to produce this season.
However, Tampa Bay has some tougher matchups on the horizon that might hinder White’s production. Given that his two TDs against the Texans in Week 9 accounted for two-thirds of his total TDs through nine weeks, it’s possible that we just saw the best fantasy week White will have all year.
Nov 5, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) is tackled by Houston Texans linebacker Blake Cashman (53) in the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
So as I said, White is a conditional sell. The conditions are as follows:
- If you're in a non-PPR league where White’s three to seven receptions per game aren’t benefiting you: sell White.
- If you're weak at any other positions and can capitalize on his monster game: sell high on White.
- And finally, if by some chance you have plenty of RB depth and don't need White: sell high on him if possible.
Takeaway: Odds are that we won't see another multi-TD game from White, so sell high after his big Week 9 performance if you can.
Players to hold
Here are some “They did so great, I bet I could get some value for them right now" players that we are not letting go of, no matter what.
Remember, we’re not chasing the next big thing if we already have it.
Joshua Dobbs, QB - Cardinals Vikings
Listen, the 2023 QB landscape is bleak. Injuries and bye weeks have left fantasy managers with slim pickings at QB, even in standard 1QB leagues.
Rookie Jaren Hall was the starter against the Falcons after the Vikings lost Kirk Cousins to a torn Achilles, but Hall promptly left that game with a concussion. That left Josh Dobbs as their only option even though he'd been with the team for just five days after having been traded to Minnesota only last Monday.
But in the midst of that chaos, Dobbs somehow managed three TDs and 224 total yards. Absolutely incredible. Oh, and after the game, he introduced himself to Vikings fans.
We saw Dobbs do this in Arizona earlier in the season, and he's now continuing to produce in Minnesota despite some initial hurdles. What’s that saying? When someone shows you who they are, listen?
I’m listening, Dobbs.
Takeaway: With all the injuries and inconsistent production from QBs this year, not to mention the byes, Dobbs should be a welcome addition to any roster.
Tank Dell, WR - Texans
While it might seem like a great time to sell Tank Dell after his 6-114-2 performance against the Buccaneers last week, the Texans have several great WR matchups coming up with the Cardinals, Jaguars, and Titans up next.
We could easily see more big games from Dell in the coming weeks However, it's at least worth noting how inconsistent Dell's production has been this season from week to week:
Still, both Dell and fellow rookie C.J. Stroud seem to be finding their stride.
Given the fact that you didn’t have to spend much to get Dell on your team (many of you probably just added him off waivers), he’s likely to put up double-digit league-winning numbers a few more times this year.
And because of that, I’m not willing to get rid of him unless a team in your league is willing to break the bank.
Takeaway: I'm willing to overlook Dell's week-to-week volatility as long as he keeps producing big games in juicy matchups.
Other players to target in trades or on waivers
Dalton Kincaid, TE - Bills
Jake Ferguson, TE - Cowboys
