Fantasy Football Week 8 Buy Low Sell High trade candidates: Cash in on Derrick Henry, invest in Tony Pollard, and more

Fantasy football values for each player can drastically change each week of the NFL season based on various factors. Injuries and changes in offensive roles are among the most important of the variables involved in this. As player values fluctuate, it creates opportunities for fantasy managers to capitalize on the situation through the trade market.

The most beneficial strategy when exploring trades in fantasy football is to buy players at a lower perceived value than what they could be worth later on, and sell players that have potentially already reached their highest value. Generally, wise managers will base their trade targets on where they believe a specific player is heading, rather than where they have already been.

One of the best ways to ensure each trade returns the proper maximum value is by using the fantasy football trade analyzer before finalizing any deal. This tool assigns a numerical trade value to all the pieces involved in a potential deal so that managers can make a more informed decision before finalizing a swap. It was used to help generate the following list of players to buy and others to sell in Week 8 of the 2023 fantasy football season.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sell High Trade Candidates

Mattison trade

#1. Alexander Mattison

Alexander Mattison has been relatively solid in fantasy football during his first season as the starting running back for the Minnesota Vikings. While he has failed to live up to his massive preseason expectations, he has still recorded five weekly finishes among the top 25 running backs. This issue is that he has failed to record a 100-yard rushing game this year and his ranking has dropped in three consecutive weeks.

Another challenge Mattison could face for the rest of the 2023 fantasy football season is hanging onto the featured back role. Cam Akers has increased his usage in each of the past two weeks and could potentially overtake Mattison at some point. It may be wise to sell him before that happens because he would become droppable at that point.

---

---

#2. Derrick Henry

The Tennessee Titans appear to have officially entered a rebuilding stage ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline. They recently sent veteran All-Pro safety Kevin Byard to the Philadelphia Eagles and they are rumored to have several other players on the trade block. Derrick Henry is allegedly one of them.

If the Titans do in fact trade Henry, it's unclear where he will land, but it will certainly affect his value in fantasy football. He could end up in more of a committee than the workhorse role he has served in Tennessee. Even if he remains with the Titans, he has already been losing touches to rookie Tyjae Spears, further making him a sell candidate in fantasy leagues.

#3. Adam Thielen

Adam Thielen has been one of the biggest surprises of 2023 fantasy football as his shocking volume in his first year with the Carolina Panthers has made him a WR1 on many fantasy rosters. He has finished among the top six wide receivers in three of his past four games, including in each of his two most recent performances.

While Thielen hasn't really shown any signs of slowing down, it's hard to imagine that his fantasy value will ever get any higher than it is right now. The Panthers are a rebuilding team, so it would make sense if they begin to focus more on their younger targets in the second half of the 2023 NFL season. It may be time to cash in on his excellent year before his usage potentially drops.

---

Before plugging any of these targets into fantasy football lineups, make sure to consult the Start/Sit Optimizer first.

---

Fantasy Football Week 8 Buy Low Trade Candidates

Waddle trade

#1. Jaylen Waddle

The Miami Dolphins have heavily featured Tyreek Hill and Raheem Mostert in their offensive design this year, leaving Jaylen Waddle well below his usual production level. After ranking among the top 15 wide receivers in fantasy points per game across the past two years, he has only recorded one top-15 finish through his first six games this season.

Waddle is simply too talented to continue this way for the remainder of the year, especially playing within the most explosive offense in the NFL. He's worth taking a shot on as a buy low option due to his disappointing start to the season, as acquiring him could pay off in a massive way.

#2. Tony Pollard

When the Dallas Cowboys moved on from Ezekiel Elliot during the offseason, Tony Pollard instantly became one of the most popular targets in fantasy football. He thrived as the team's RB2 last season, so the increased workload gave him incredible upside, especially in an offense expected to consistently stick with running ball behind an elite offensive line.

The transition hasn't turned Pollard into a fantasy stud, at least not yet. Coming out of their bye week and into Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season, it's entirely possible the Cowboys adjusted their game plan to get back to leaning on the ground attack. Now that Pollard is presumably adjusted to his new role, he makes sense as a fantasy trade candidate at a much lower price than before the season started.

---

---

#3. Diontae Johnson

Diontae Johnson has been the leading receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the past three years entering the 2023 NFL season. He suffered an injury in his first game this year and was only able to make his return last week. He turned in a solid performance in his first game back, totaling five receptions on six targets for 79 yards.

Johnson's value is likely to only go up from here as history has shown that he commands a ton of targets in the Steelers' passing game. Considering all the time he missed this year, he can be traded for a reasonable price. He's the type of acquisition that can potentially elevate a fantasy football lineup in the back half of the season when the playoffs come around.