5 knee-jerk trades to pursue after Week 3 fantasy football feat. Justin Fields and De'Von Achane

Each week of the fantasy football season creates new opportunities for managers to make major changes to their overall roster construction. One of the best ways to do so is by exploring the trade market. While a fantasy player's total production is important in assessing their trade value, the best managers seek trades based on where they project the player is going, not where they've already been.

Essentially, if a manager expects one of their star fantasy football players to underperform for the remainder of the season, it may be a good time to try to trade that player to another manager who is more positive about that player's fantasy outlook.

Alternatively, when a manager spots a target that they believe will be more valuable later than they are right now, they would be wise to invest in that player before their stock goes too far up.

Assigning proper trade values for fantasy football players can sometimes be tricky. Managers don't ever want to overpay for any asset they are looking to acquire. They also want to make sure to recover the proper return package when they send a player away. One way to make sure that a manager is getting the most out of every move is to use the fantasy football trade analyzer before finalizing any deal.

Fantasy football trade candidates after Week 3

The trade analyzer helped to generate the proper value of several legitimate trade candidates following Week 3 of the 2023 fantasy football season.

This list features some fantasy players to sell as their outlook appears to be tanking. It also has some examples of targets on the rise who should be acquired now before their price gets too high.

1] Sell Derrick Henry

It legitimately seems as though the time has finally come that Derrick Henry is no longer indestructible. His workload over the past several years has been unmatched by any other running back and has almost seemed impossible to sustain. While he lasted much longer at his insane usage than anyone could have predicted, he just doesn't look like the same workhorse in 2023.

At his peak which lasted five years, Henry averaged an insane 25 touches per game. He has also always dominated all of the backfield touches for the Tennessee Titans, until this year.

They drafted Tyjae Spears in 2023 and seem to be transitioning to at least a two-back offense. The fact that Henry is playing out the final year of his contract further suggests that the Titans could be developing their future starting running back.

Also Read: Derrick Henry fantasy outlook

Henry has recorded just 51 carries across his first three games as Spears has been rotating in, especially in passing situations. Now may be the time to sell Henry before his stock gets any lower as Spears continues to build a larger role.

The trade analyzer suggested a trade for a player such as Kyren Williams, who is now the featured back for the Los Angeles Rams. He played 95 percent of their snaps in Week 2, so flipping a declining asset for a rising one is a fantasy football move that makes sense right now.

2] Buy Tank Dell

The Houston Texans are in need of legitimate playmakers to step up in their offense to support new rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Three games into the 2023 NFL season, Tank Dell appears to be their most promising weapon. Paired with Nico Collins, who has also been a reliable target for Stroud, Dell has shown the big-play ability to develop into a potential superstar.

He has posted a solid 15 receptions in his first three games but turned them into a massive 251 yards and two touchdowns. His chemistry with Stroud is apparent, especially on important deep balls down the field. Considering they are both still rookies, it's reasonable to believe that their connection will grow as the year goes on.

The Optimizer suggested a swap for Kadarius Toney, who continues to struggle with injuries during his young career. While he has upside as the possible WR1 in the Kansas City Chiefs' high-powered offense, he is extremely unreliable. Some managers may still have faith that Toney can reach his ceiling, but Dell seems like the better fantasy football option going forward.

Before plugging Tank Dell into fantasy football lineups, make sure to consult the Start/Sit Optimizer first.

3] Sell Justin Fields

Justin Fields was one of the most popular quarterback targets in fantasy football drafts ahead of the 2023 NFL season. His historic 2022 campaign included the second-most rushing yards by any quarterback in a single season, trailing only Lamar Jackson. This made him a desirable fantasy asset, especially with the belief that his passing numbers would inevitably take a step forward.

Many believed that Fields would progress as a passer regardless, but when the Chicago Bears acquired DJ Moore, his fantasy ceiling skyrocketed. If he could run the ball close to the way he did the year before, even a slight improvement in passing statistics could easily lock him in as a top five quarterback with QB1 upside in fantasy football.

Managers who spent a high draft pick on Fields have been majorly disappointed with his production in 2023.

His passing has failed to improve, averaging just 175 yards per game, and his elite rushing numbers have basically vanished with just 109 total yards. He appears to be on his way to being a major bust, so managers with him on their roster may want to trade him before it's too late to get anything in return.

The trade analyzer suggested rookie Anthony Richardson as a potential target. He owns a similar rushing upside to Fields, if not more, and also has a questionable arm. Now may be the best time to get Richardson at his lowest possible value, considering he missed Week 3 with an injury. His value is likely to only go up, while Justin Fields may just be a complete bust at this point.

4] Buy De'Von Achane

De'Von Achane generated some fantasy football buzz during the 2023 NFL offseason due to his blazing-fast speed. The rookie also joined a team in the Miami Dolphins that doesn't have a true workhorse back in Raheem Mostert or Jeff Wilson. Achane could theoretically emerge as their RB1, an interesting scenario considering their high-scoring offense.

Achane missed the first week of the season with an injury and was extremely disappointing in his return in Week 2, recording just two touches for nine total yards. He then exploded in Week 3 for an insane RB1 finish, including 233 total yards and four touchdowns. While Mostert also turned in a dominant performance with four touchdowns, the rookie surely earned himself more playing time.

Achane is likely to remain as a part of a running back committee, but he demonstrated how his fantasy football upside can still shine despite sharing touches. His elite speed makes him a big-play threat every time he touches the football, so he may not need many touches to turn in big production.

The trade analyzer suggested a package deal for the electrifying rookie, combining Antonio Gibson and Cam Akers. Both veterans are also in a timeshare situation at running back with their teams but have a much lower ceiling than Achane.

Sending two players the other way may also help convince the other fantasy football manager to let go of Achane, possibly feeling they are getting more value in a two-for-one swap of committee backs.

5] Sell Garrett Wilson

Garrett Wilson was one of the most exciting fantasy football wide receivers ahead of the 2023 NFL season. After an impressive Offensive Rookie of the Year season last year, he was expected to take another step forward. His value further increased when the New York Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers, giving him an elite quarterback for the first time.

Unfortunately for Wilson, Rodgers isn't coming back this year after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1. Making things worse, it seems like the Jets are committed to sticking with Zach Wilson, one of the worst statistical quarterbacks in the entire NFL. This destroys the wide receiver's previously sky-high ceiling.

While Garrett Wilson has salvaged his fantasy football output with two touchdowns in three weeks, it doesn't seem sustainable for him to remain a top fantasy football wide receiver option in such a bad offense. There is a strong chance that his value will continue to plummet as 2023 plays out, and then go back up again if Rodgers returns next year. In redraft leagues, it may be worth getting something in return for him before it's too late to cash in.

The trade analyzer suggested a return package including George Pickens and Sam LaPorta. This replaces Wilson with a high-upside wide receiver on the rise and a rookie tight end who has already established himself as a reliable option for fantasy lineups. The hope is that another manager still values Wilson the same way, or close to it, as they did at the start of the year. That's no longer the case with the disastrous quarterback situation.

Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein