The Case for Trading Dalvin Cook: Fantasy Football Weekly

(Bloomberg) -- Last week, we suggested some players who were good buy-low options. If you took our advice and picked up Tom Brady, Chris Godwin and DeAndre Hopkins, you are already being rewarded.

This week we turn to sell-high candidates.

Let’s start with the most controversial suggestion: Dalvin Cook. He’s one of the top scorers in fantasy, but no one on your roster should be untouchable. I’m not suggesting you trade him, but if an offer comes your way don’t reflexively shoot it down.

Here’s why: the Vikings play the two best defenses against the run -- Tampa Bay and New Orleans -- during the fantasy playoffs. They also get the Bears, who just held Cook to 96 yards rushing on 30 carries. And keep in mind, Cook has been injury prone throughout his career and has already missed one game this season.

The Texans Deshaun Watson is facing some of the toughest defenses in the league around playoff time. He gets the Colts, who are giving up the second fewest passing yards in the league, in weeks 13 and 15. In between those two games, he faces a Bears team that is giving up just 21 points per game.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen is another possible sell-high option. Among the teams the Bills will play down the stretch: the 49ers, Steelers, Broncos and Patriots. Three of those games could be in frigid weather.

Here’s how our week ten picks did:

Bulls

QB: Tom Brady: (Actual 31.8, Proj. 19.1)

Bears

QB: Jared Goff: (Actual 10.5, Proj. 18.7)

RB: James Conner: (Actual 6.8, Proj. 16)

RB: Duke Johnson: (Actual 5.4, Proj. 9.5)

WR: Robert Woods: (Actual 8.6, Proj. 17.3)

WR: Jerry Jeudy: (Actual 10.8, Proj. 14.7)

TE: Dallas Goedert: (Actual 7.3, Proj. 10.2)

TE: Robert Tonyan: (Actual 6.3, Proj. 9.3)

Week 11 Value Plays

QB: Kirk Cousins: The Vikings quarterback has thrown five touchdowns over the past two weeks. This week he gets the Cowboys, who are giving up the most points per game in the NFL. (Projected for 16.2 points)

QB: Cam Newton: Hasn’t done much through the air, but does have nine rushing touchdowns this season. Newton faces the Texans, who are giving up 28 points a game. (19.2 points)

RB: D’Andre Swift: He is now the Lions lead back and gets the Panthers this week. Carolina gave up 200 yards rushing last week. (17.9 points)

RB: Antonio Gibson: Looking for Washington to ground and pound the Bengals. (14 points)

WR: Justin Jefferson: Pairing the Vikings wideout with Kirk Cousins against the weak Cowboys secondary. (15.2 points)

WR: Christian Kirk: Arizona faces the Seahawks, who are giving up the most yards through the air per game. (13.6 points)

TE: Taysom Hill: The Saints player, who is listed as a tight end, may get extra snaps at quarterback with Drew Brees on the sidelines. (2.9 points)

TE: Hayden Hurst: The Falcons will have to do it through the air against the Saints, who are very stingy against the run. (10.2 points)

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.