I Traded for a Running Back

A.J. Brown was just put on the practice report as limited with an ankle and a knee injury; the knee injury is new and has not been previously reported, requiring continued monitoring for potential missed or limited time.

Alec Pierce cannot easily increase value going into the offseason based on his age profile, making him a hold rather than a sell candidate for rebuilders. Zach Charbonnet groups Pierce with other young receivers (Ricky Pearsall, Tyler Wooten) who lack the trajectory to gain significant value before the offseason.

Amari Cooper is selected as the wide receiver start over Keenan Allen in this week's lineup. However, Charbonnet notes that no contender will buy Cooper in trades; rebuilders are better off holding and hoping that things change going into 2027 for the offense. Cooper is also acquired in a trade for Zay Flowers and London, but does not solve the receiver room weakness created by trading away Flowers.

Start recommendation as one of two primary receiver options; Zach Charbonnet identifies St. Brown as a core starter alongside Rashee Rice. In trade analysis, Charbonnet prefers the Amon-Ra St. Brown and Chase Brown side over Bijan Robinson in shallow league formats (two WR, one flex, 10-team) because the extra starter depth is not needed; believes in both long-term but recommends keeping the best player in the deal.

Zach Charbonnet recommends cutting Antonio Williams to make room for higher-ceiling waiver wire pickups like Jaderien Price, Romeo Doubs, or Rico Dowdle.

In a trade proposal where Swift and Christian Watson are sent for Jonathan Taylor and Ekeler, Zach Charbonnet prefers Watson over Ekeler, indicating Ekeler is the weaker asset in this deal.

Zach Charbonnet recommends cutting Bam Knight to make room for higher-ceiling waiver wire pickups like Jaderien Price, Romeo Doubs, or Rico Dowdle.

Bijan Robinson is the best player in a proposed eight-team league deal trading him and A.J. Brown for Jonathan Taylor, Justin Jefferson, and D.J. Moore; while Jefferson is an upgrade over Brown, Taylor is a significant downgrade from Robinson, and Moore adds minimal value in an eight-team format, making Robinson the player to keep. Zach Charbonnet also suggests packaging Breece Hall and Malik Nabers together to trade up to Bijan Robinson as one of the true elite running backs would be a clear win.

Bo Nix has a good chance to increase his value as the season progresses, making him a hold for rebuilders rather than a sell candidate. Zach Charbonnet positions Nix as a player whose value trajectory is positive, unlike older prospects with limited upside.

Breece Hall's return from injury creates backfield-splitting risk with Gintey; when returning for his first week, there is a small possibility of backfield split, making safer running back options preferable over Jets players. Zach Charbonnet notes that a team falling to 2-4 should have sold Hall rather than holding an injured player when wins are critical; at 1-4 or worse, holding Hall through injury was a mistake—injured players should have been a priority to move off the roster. Hall is recommended as a trade piece to package with other assets (like Malik Nabers or Jaylen Waddle) to acquire top-tier running backs like Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, or Kenneth Walker.

Breshad Perriman is identified as a compelling acquisition target for a 2-5 team in win-now mode. Zach Charbonnet suggests trading Jaylen Waddle and Quentin Judkins to acquire Perriman as part of a consolidation strategy for immediate production.

Brock Purdy is on bye and requires a quarterback pickup; Bryce Young is recommended as a replacement option. If you have dual quarterback depth with Purdy and Maye, Zach Charbonnet recommends trading one of them for an upgrade at running back, saying 'nine times out of 10' you should make this trade.

Bucky Irving is flagged as a very compelling acquisition target for a 2-5 team. Zach Charbonnet suggests trading Jaylen Waddle and Quentin Judkins to acquire Irving as part of a consolidation strategy for immediate production. In a separate trade proposal (Irving for Garrett Wilson), Charbonnet prefers Irving in a vacuum at this point, citing the Omar Cooper breakout and Adonai Mitchell's return to the Buccaneers offense as supporting factors for Irving's value.

Traded away along with Omar Cooper for Jeremiah Love; Zach Charbonnet strongly endorses the trade, saying 'it is not even remotely close' in favor of acquiring Jeremiah Love, indicating Stroud was overvalued in the deal.

Caleb Douglas is identified as a waiver wire pickup worth rostering in a 12-team start-8 league; Zach Charbonnet highlights Douglas as one of several available players that can be acquired for free. He is a value add that opens up roster spots after consolidation trades.

Presented as a potential trade acquisition target; the speaker suggests exploring a tight end trade to acquire Cornell Tate, implying he is viewed as a valuable receiving option worth pursuing.

Carnell Tate is mentioned as a wide receiver option but is not recommended as a starter this week.

Zach Charbonnet says he would do a trade literally just for CeeDee Lamb, with Jaylen Waddle and Tyler Warren as bonuses. Lamb is the primary target and centerpiece of the deal.

Chase Brown is explicitly protected from trade consideration on a 2-5 team; Zach Charbonnet states he does not want to trade Chase Brown specifically, suggesting he should be held rather than moved in consolidation deals. In a separate trade proposal (Brown and Purdy for James Cook), Charbonnet generally advises against selling Brown right now because in the vast majority of instances you won't get enough in return; however, acknowledges this particular deal seems like a very fair price point. Charbonnet expresses conviction that Brown will bounce back significantly, though notes he's been wrong about this for weeks. He also believes Brown will turn it around despite recent poor performance, but acknowledges that a trade of Chase Brown for Breece Hall and Josh Jacobs was a phenomenal deal because both Hall and Jacobs individually could be better than Brown.

Christian McCaffrey is a phenomenal RB1 on a team with Kenneth Walker as RB2; most teams would kill for this running back duo. McCaffrey is also part of a strong running back trio alongside Kenneth Walker and Jahmyr Gibbs; having all three on the same team is worth pursuing despite other roster weaknesses.

Watson is listed as an auto-start at wide receiver; Zach Charbonnet also prefers Watson over Austin Ekeler in a trade proposal involving Swift and Watson for Jonathan Taylor and Ekeler.

Chuba Hubbard is recommended as a must-play in flex or running back slot for this week's lineup. Charbonnet views the move from D'Andre Swift to Chuba Hubbard as an upgrade given the setup with Khalil Herbert's return to the team. Hubbard is listed as an auto-start running back option in the flex alongside Javonte Williams and D'Andre Swift.

Cole Kmet is out for the rest of the season, which solidifies Colston Loveland's role as a weekly starter.

Colston Loveland is startable every single week based on his target volume over the past month; with Cole Kmet out for the rest of the season, Loveland's role is solidified and he does not need to be replaced by Terrance Ferguson. Loveland and LaPorta provide roster flexibility, allowing the team to flex one tight end while trading the other.

D.J. Moore adds minimal value in an eight-team league format, even in a start-nine configuration, making him unlikely to move the needle in a trade package.

Moore is expected to return from injury this week and is recommended as a starting wide receiver option; he is in a much better game environment than Luther Burden and should be considered for flex if practicing in full with solid reports out of Buffalo.

Swift is viewed as a downgrade compared to Chuba Hubbard in a trade, primarily due to Khalil Herbert's return to the team, which diminishes Swift's role and value.

In a trade proposal where Swift and Christian Watson are sent for Jonathan Taylor and Austin Ekeler, Zach Charbonnet prefers Swift over Jonathan Taylor, citing significant risk concerns with trading for Taylor right now. He states: 'You're taking on a lot of risk with trading for Jonathan Taylor right now' and notes he needs to move Taylor down in his rankings due to injury concerns. However, Swift is also noted as an auto-start who should be benched for Josh Jacobs if Kalen Ballage plays, indicating a tough upcoming matchup.

Davante Adams has an injury that creates opportunity for Terrance Ferguson to become a strong start if Adams misses time.

Devon Achane is cited as an example of an injured player whose value is almost guaranteed to increase going into the offseason, making him a buy candidate for contenders in rebuilding trades. Zach Charbonnet identifies injured players like Achane as pieces that will be worth more come April, May, and June, making them ideal targets for contenders to acquire from rebuilders right now.

Zach Charbonnet recommends leaving Denzel Boston on the bench. Boston was traded for Jaylen Waddle, which would be considered an upgrade if Waddle were healthy, but Waddle's injury status makes the evaluation difficult to assess.

Smith is assumed to not play this week; there is a chance he could be shut down for the season after injuring his hamstring three times, and the team has nothing to play for, making it tough to project him with any certainty.

London is the team's WR2 and is described as super strong. He is recommended as a wide receiver start in league scenarios.

In a trade proposal asking whether to trade Brock Purdy or Drake Maye for an upgrade at running back, Zach Charbonnet says nine times out of 10, if you have both quarterbacks, you should make this trade to upgrade at running back. Regarding Maye specifically, he notes: 'If you have Drake Maye, there's no harm in doing it,' indicating Maye is expendable if you have dual quarterback depth.

In a trade proposal where Bucky Irving is sent for Garrett Wilson, Zach Charbonnet prefers Irving in a vacuum at this point. He cites the Omar Cooper breakout and Adonai Mitchell's return to the Buccaneers offense as supporting factors for Irving's value. Regarding Wilson, Charbonnet notes: 'I do think that Garrett Wilson does have a little bit of target competition that he used to not,' indicating Wilson's value has diminished due to increased competition for targets.

Hurst is an easy tight end play this week; if A.J. Brown misses or is limited due to ankle and knee injuries, Hurst becomes a definitely viable play with increased target opportunity.

Acquired in trade for minimal cost (T.J. Hockenson waiver pickup plus $100 FAB received). Speaker views Price as a low-cost lottery ticket with upside if Zach Charbonnet struggles post-ACL recovery; most likely outcome is committee role or fantasy irrelevance, but non-zero percent chance he becomes the starter if Charbonnet lacks explosiveness. Also available on waiver wire for free as a pivot after consolidation trades.

Part of the number one running back room in the league alongside Kyren Williams and Jeremiah Love returning; in a trade acquiring Gibbs alongside Kenneth Walker and Christian McCaffrey on the same team, the value is easily justified despite receiver room concerns. Conditional start/sit: if Gibbs plays, pivot to Ladd McConkey in flex; if Gibbs misses, Braelon Allen becomes the recommended play.

Jalen Hurts is identified as a player no contender would buy in a trade, making him a hold for rebuilders rather than a sell candidate. Zach Charbonnet notes there is no reason for contenders to acquire Hurts, limiting trade options for rebuilding teams.

In a trade proposal where Chase Brown and Brock Purdy are sent for James Cook, Zach Charbonnet evaluates this as a very fair price point and fair trade. He states: 'that does seem like a very fair price point to make that move' and 'That does seem like a very fair um trade,' suggesting it's a reasonable deal if the team has dual quarterback depth.

Jameson Williams is viewed as a massive downgrade compared to Nico Collins in a trade. Zach Charbonnet personally owns Jameson Williams on his fantasy team but does not view him anywhere close to Nico's level.

Javonte Williams is the subject of a trade proposal (Neighbors for Javonte Williams and Lamar Jackson). Zach Charbonnet evaluates it as a fine deal but questions the need given existing quarterback depth (Mahomes and Jayden Daniels already rostered); notes the running back value could be useful but overall neutral on the trade. Williams is also listed as an auto-start running back option alongside D'Andre Swift and Chuba Hubbard.

Jayden Daniels is rostered alongside Jared Goff with the strategy of playing matchups going forward. Zach Charbonnet states: 'Completely fine rostering both these guys and playing the matchups going into the future,' indicating both are acceptable streaming options. He also notes Daniels is part of existing quarterback depth (alongside Mahomes) that makes adding another elite quarterback like Lamar Jackson redundant.

Waddle is dealing with a chest injury that complicates his value assessment. Zach Charbonnet notes that if Waddle were healthy, trading for him would be an upgrade, but the injury makes it difficult to assess favorably. Additionally, Waddle faces an unfavorable matchup against Kansas City if he plays. For a 2-5 team needing immediate wins, Charbonnet suggests Waddle is a candidate to sell off despite recent production, recommending trading Waddle and Judkins together to acquire a higher-tier running back like Josh Jacobs rather than holding for long-term value. However, when acquired as a bonus in a trade centered on CeeDee Lamb, the overall deal becomes more attractive.

Auto-start recommendation at running back; Zach Charbonnet expresses strong conviction to start Warren without hesitation.

Jeremiah Love is expected to return this week with a phenomenal matchup against the Dallas Cowboys; early reports indicate he should play. Charbonnet plans on starting Love with confidence. Love is returning to the number one running back room in the league alongside Jahmyr Gibbs and Kyren Williams; the team's 3-4 record means they desperately need Love to return. In a 16-team trade, Charbonnet strongly endorses acquiring Love for C.J. Stroud and Omar Cooper, stating 'it is not even remotely close' in favor of getting Love. However, there is a caveat: Love may be slow-rolled coming off an ankle injury given his previous usage patterns, making him a secondary option despite the favorable matchup. For a 2-5 team, Charbonnet views Love as a long-term asset and avoids recommending him as a trade target, preferring to hold him for long-term value rather than immediate production.

Mingo is recommended as a starting wide receiver option and is preferred over Rashid Shaheed for the flex position this week when DeVonta Smith is out.

Rostered with handcuff strategy (Seth Magaowen) to hedge worst-case shutdown scenario if injured, while maintaining upside if traded to Minnesota Vikings. In trade contexts, represents a big-time downgrade compared to Bijan Robinson in eight-team leagues. Speaker notes significant risk with trading for Taylor right now and emphasizes need to move him down in rankings due to injury concerns; prefers Swift over Taylor in recent trade proposals.

Available on waivers in a league where roster spots are valuable, making him a compelling waiver wire target.

Expected to return from injured reserve in week 9; speaker is rostering him on bench as a long-term upside stash targeting players who could see value spike over the next three to four weeks.

Josh Jacobs is recommended as a running back start against Carolina on Thursday night, positioned as the safer play over potential backfield-splitting concerns with other options. Charbonnet identifies Jacobs as a compelling acquisition target for a 2-5 team in win-now mode, recommending trading Waddle and Judkins to acquire Jacobs as a higher-tier running back option in a similar price range. Jacobs was acquired in a trade for Chase Brown and is positioned as one of two running backs that individually could be better than Chase Brown, making the trade a phenomenal deal for the receiving team. If Kalen Ballage plays, Jacobs should be played over D'Andre Swift.

Jefferson is the team's WR1 and will be much better going forward; he has an incredible schedule ahead. Earlier-season injury has been overcome, and speaker views him as a big-time upgrade over A.J. Brown in trade contexts, though the overall deal value depends on other pieces involved.

Most likely outcome is that Kendre Miller and Jadarrian Price are in a committee in Seattle; speaker expects Miller to be fantasy irrelevant in the most probable scenario, though acknowledges non-zero upside if Zach Charbonnet underperforms post-ACL. Expected to come off injured reserve this week or next week.

Kenneth Walker is an elite running back and a strong trade target. Zach Charbonnet recommends packaging Breece Hall and Malik Nabers together to trade up to Walker as one of the true elite running backs; Walker is already through his bye week, providing an extra week of value compared to players still facing their bye. Charbonnet expresses strong conviction: 'Do anything you can to get Kenneth Walker. This is a very easy spot for you to take the Walker side.'

Murray is an interesting streamer this week given his matchup against the Detroit Lions. However, quarterback is a weakness for the team going forward, and the team should trade for an elite QB rather than continue streaming. Zach Charbonnet recommends packaging Murray along with Stefon Diggs to acquire elite quarterbacks like Drake May, Brock Purdy, or Lamar Jackson.

Kyren Williams is part of the number one running back room in the league, with elite RB depth alongside Jahmyr Gibbs and Jeremiah Love returning. This represents a significant strength for the team.

Conditional start recommendation if Jahmyr Gibbs plays; becomes primary flex recommendation in Gibbs-healthy scenario.

In a trade proposal where a team with Mahomes and Jayden Daniels at quarterback would acquire Lamar Jackson alongside Javonte Williams for Neighbors, Zach Charbonnet questions the necessity of adding another elite quarterback given existing depth. He states: 'I don't know if you need Lamar' and 'I just again don't know if you're in a spot where you need to be trading for a quarterback if you have Mahomes and Jayden Daniels.' The underlying logic is that Mahomes and Jayden Daniels will be better going forward, making the Lamar acquisition redundant.

Burden is recommended as the flex start over DJ Moore and Jeremy Bernard, though it's early to say definitively; however, he faces a horrible matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Zach Charbonnet also recommends packaging Burden with Jonathan Coleman in a two-for-one deal to acquire a starting-caliber wide receiver.

Zach Charbonnet recommends offloading Malik Nabers despite acknowledging he is incredible, citing that he has to go through his bye week this week. For a 2-5 team that cannot afford to fall to 2-6, the bye week timing makes him a candidate to package in a trade. Charbonnet suggests combining Nabers with Breece Hall to trade up to elite running backs like Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, or Kenneth Walker who are already through their bye weeks.

May receive additional usage coming out of the bye week, suggesting increased opportunity and role expansion in the offense.

Mike Evans' injury is frustrating in the context of a roster that requires starting three wide receivers every week in a single-flex format, making the injury a roster concern.

Collins is viewed as significantly more valuable than Jameson Williams in a trade comparison; Zach Charbonnet personally owns Williams but does not view him anywhere close to Collins's level.

Traded away along with C.J. Stroud for Jeremiah Love; Zach Charbonnet strongly endorses the trade in favor of Jeremiah Love, indicating both Stroud and Cooper were overvalued in the deal. However, Cooper may look startable right now as bench depth in shallow league formats.

Acquired in trade for Jamar Judkins; identified as a clear upgrade in the deal, suggesting improved fantasy value compared to Judkins.

Already rostered by the team considering the Javonte Williams and Lamar Jackson trade; part of existing quarterback depth that makes adding another elite quarterback redundant.

Starting wide receiver in a two-receiver, one-flex format league; part of a roster with multiple valuable bench players that could be converted into starter value through trades.

Quez Watkins is identified as a sell candidate due to a recent production spike. Zach Charbonnet recommends moving off pieces like Watkins that have seen a big spike in value.

Rachaad White is recommended as a flex start with confidence against the Washington Commanders, who are 5.5-point favorites over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Commanders have a good chance to run the ball consistently in this game. White played 69% of snaps last week with Jacory Cross and Merritt on IR, positioning him for consistent run-game volume. Without Jacory Cross, White is expected to see about 70% of the snaps.

Expected to return from injury this week; back at practice and looks compelling, suggesting positive progression. Early Wednesday practice participation indicates he is likely to play this weekend, making him a viable starting option despite some uncertainty about exact availability. Recommended as one of two primary receiver options alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Shaheed is recommended as a starting wide receiver option this week; he is considered a viable starter in the receiver rotation when DeVonta Smith is out.

Ricky Pearsall cannot easily increase value going into the offseason based on his age profile, making him a hold rather than a sell candidate for rebuilders. Zach Charbonnet groups Pearsall with other young receivers (Alec Pierce, Tyler Wooten) who lack the trajectory to gain significant value before the offseason.

Sam LaPorta is similar in rest-of-season value to Colston Loveland but is coming off a garbage performance, making Loveland the preferred player to trade if selling a tight end. LaPorta could be packaged in a trade to address flex depth weakness, but expect to receive less in return than Loveland given his recent poor output.

Saquon Barkley is viewed as a long-term asset and not recommended for trade on a 2-5 team. Zach Charbonnet explicitly avoids recommending Barkley as a trade target because he prefers to hold him for long-term value rather than immediate production.

Acquired off waiver wire for 15 FAB dollars and used in trade to acquire Jadarrian Price; has a strong matchup this week against Detroit Lions and projects well. Speaker profited approximately $85 FAB on the transaction by trading him to another team, demonstrating strong value arbitrage.

Zach Charbonnet advises holding Higgins rather than selling, citing that he's already through his bye week, which provides an extra week of value compared to other names still facing their bye. This is particularly important for a 2-5 team that needs every win. Higgins was recently acquired via trade and is viewed as a valuable addition.

Terrace Marshall has shown no production this year and is not recommended to start against Kansas City Chiefs despite some early-game involvement. The offense has no startable pieces until proven otherwise.

Terrance Ferguson is worth stashing on IR as a speculative play; if Davante Adams' injury worsens or Adams misses time, Ferguson has a non-zero percent chance of becoming a very strong start.

Tony Pollard is a prime sell candidate for rebuilding teams. At 29 years old and drafted in the same year as DK Metcalf and A.J. Brown, his value is unlikely to increase going into the 2027 offseason, making him a good trade-block candidate. In 16-team leagues, Pollard alone is insufficient to acquire a first-round pick, but packaging him with Tucker Kraft could yield a late first-rounder (e.g., 1.15), which is equivalent to an early second in 12-team format and justifiable for a running-back-needy contender. His value will likely decrease this offseason, making now the time to sell.

Expected to return from injured reserve in week 9; speaker is rostering him on bench as a long-term upside stash targeting players who could see value spike over the next three to four weeks.

Henderson is available on waivers and represents a compelling handcuff option; even if viewed as a straight-up backup in New England, he's still a very valuable handcuff available for free on the waiver wire.

On a rebuilding team, Tucker Kraft should be packaged with Tony Pollard to extract maximum value in a trade for a first-round pick; his value will likely decrease this offseason, making the current window optimal for selling. Zach Charbonnet suggests packaging him with Pollard could yield a late first-rounder (e.g., 1.15), which is equivalent to an early second in 12-team format.

Conditional start recommendation at tight end if he plays; Zach Charbonnet notes Colts have no urgency to rush him back from injury, creating uncertainty around availability. Acquired as a bonus in a trade centered on CeeDee Lamb, making the overall deal more attractive.

Returning from torn ACL injury and expected to play this week; Seattle Seahawks confirmed he will be back in action after IR stint and will practice. Speaker acquired him in trade targeting long-term upside, viewing him as a potential starting running back with flex-worthy value in deeper formats if he maintains the role. Key contingency: non-zero percent chance he may lack explosiveness post-ACL, which could open opportunity for Jadarrian Price.

In a trade of Chuba Hubbard and DeVonta Smith for Zay Flowers, Zach Charbonnet prefers Flowers over Hubbard; Flowers is the better value piece in this deal given Smith's injury uncertainty and potential season shutdown.