The trade deadline is creeping closer across the fantasy universe. If you can still make deals, this is a perfect week to do so. With six teams on BYE, there are holes in almost everyone's lineup. You can exploit owners who are desperate for wins or need to fill a roster requirement. This isn’t the time to play nice. It’s time to attack and make your team better.
Let’s look around the NFL and find players that you can buy low or sell high on. It’s the Week 12 edition of Drake’s Deals.
If you need help wondering if a trade works for you, use the Sportskeeda trade calculator
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
Fantasy Football players to trade for before the deadline
1 - Nico Collins (WR, HOU)
The Texans' stud receiver shot back onto the scene Monday night with a 70-yard touchdown catch on the game's first play. The only problem, it didn’t count. An illegal man downfield penalty wiped away what would’ve been a monster play. The Houston pass game wasn’t needed the rest of the night as Joe Mixon scored three rushing touchdowns. Buy low on Collins as his owner may need help during Houston’s Week 14 BYE. A fantasy championship week matchup against Baltimore has me envisioning Collins as a league winner.
2 - Amari Cooper (WR, BUF)
Still recovering from a wrist injury, we saw how special Cooper was versus the Chiefs last Sunday. His role will continue to grow as Buffalo marches toward the playoffs. Make an offer for Cooper, as the Bills are on BYE this week. If you can move assets to acquire the Bills top target, it’s a smart one. Cooper has potential shootouts with San Francisco, the L.A. Rams, and Detroit on the horizon.
3 - Jauan Jennings (WR, SF)
I bet the Niners have some buyer's remorse with Brandon Aiyuk. They spent $120 million on Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings is out here doing the same work (maybe more) for a fraction of the cost. Jennings is the WR 1 for the 49ers. His 22 targets over the last two weeks lead the team. There’s real chemistry between Jennings and Brock Purdy. Per FantasyPointsData, Jennings has a first-read target share of 41.3% in his last two games. That’s nearly double the share of Deebo Samuel.
4 - Bucky Irving (RB, TB)
This is simple. Buy the schedule. Coming off their Week 11 BYE, the Bucs have a glorious set of games ahead. From Week 12 through the fantasy playoffs, they’ll run against the NY Giants, Carolina, Las Vegas, LA Chargers, Dallas, and Carolina again. My goodness, that’s a running back dream. Irving is sharing a backfield with Rachaad White. So it’s not like you’re buying a bell cow back. You are getting a guy who will get 10-15 touches a week on an offense that needs playmakers. He’s a great flex play for the stretch run.
Fantasy Football players to trade away before the deadline
1 - D’Andre Swift (RB, CHI)
A great time to sell is coming off a big game. Week 11 saw Swift do next to nothing in the first half, only to finish with 71 rushing yards and 16.4 PPR points. The Bears offense is a mess, though. To add insult to injury, Roschon Johnson is gaining steam in the Chicago backfield. Johnson saw ten carries under new OC Thomas Brown. The upcoming Chicago schedule is a nightmare. They’ll face the Vikings and Lions both twice in the next five weeks.
2 - Audric Estime (RB, DEN)
Remember when Estime was the waiver wire darling just a week ago? That’s done with. Sean Payton is playing the hot hand at running back and told us as much in his post-game comments. Estime barely played in the first half and only saw six carries on the day. There is no chance that Estime will take over as the only back to see meaningful touches in Denver. Sell him for whatever you can get to an RB-needy owner.
3- Malik Nabers (WR, NYG)
Two words: Tommy DeVito. It’s over for the Giants, who are in full tank mode after benching Daniel Jones. DeVito is a sack waiting to happen. Last year, he took a sack on 15.6% of his dropbacks. He’s got happy feet in the pocket and doesn’t see the field well enough. Honestly, the Giants don’t want to win. They aren’t going to draw up big plays for Nabers, the one weapon they have on the outside. Sell Nabers before other owners realize how dead this offense is. Nabers hasn’t topped 11 fantasy points since Week 4. How bad is that? He’s seen 34 targets in the last three weeks combined. That’s pathetic.
4 - Jameis Winston (QB, CLE)
While so many people love Jameis and need a QB to fill in for a week or two, Jameis has a brutal schedule upcoming. I know he just threw food 395 yards, but his next three games are against Pittsburgh, Denver, and Pittsburgh again. Those are two of the best pass defenses in the NFL. No thanks.
Cleveland Browns Nation! Check out the latest Cleveland Browns Schedule and dive into the Browns Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.