B/R's Week 7 2020 Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer

As the NFL inches toward the Nov. 3 trade deadline, we can expect some notable real-world deals. In the world of fantasy football, trades have been a big part of the 2020 experience.

Trades always play a noteworthy role in fantasy, but they're more pivotal than ever this season. Players like Saquon Barkley, Nick Chubb, Dak Prescott, Michael Thomas and Christian McCaffrey have all missed significant time or are out for the season.

We're also now deep into bye-week season with the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins off in Week 7.

Managers have had to turn to the waiver wire and the trade market to solidify their rosters. The trick with trades is to go beyond filling holes and negotiate deals that are favorable to you.

Each week, Bleacher Report will analyze some of our readers' toughest trade proposals. Some of the analysis will be roster-specific, but we'll try to provide information that is useful to all fantasy fans.

What's the Outlook for Amari Cooper?

From the Bleacher Report App

Let's kick things off with a proposed trade that touches on both injuries and the NFL trade deadline (at least theoretically).

In this trade, Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson would be dealt for Dallas Cowboys wideout Amari Cooper. Obviously, roster makeup has to be a factor, but in a vacuum, there are two reasons why I wouldn't do this deal.

The first is that Robinson is a weekly must-start in point-per-reception (PPR) formats. He's caught at least four passes in each of the last four games and has 569 scrimmage yards on the year. Cooper has been a fairly reliable WR2, but his outlook is a little cloudier with Dak Prescott out of the lineup.

Yes, Cooper caught seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown from Andy Dalton last week. However, he also caught just two for 23 yards in Week 5. Dalton is likely to look to the hot hand as he continues to adapt to the starter's role. With CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz on the roster, that won't always be Cooper.

Additionally, there is a chance the Cowboys look to move Cooper before the trade deadline. There has been no talk of such a move, but it's logical. Dallas is in a tough financial situation moving forward—specifically in relation to a potential long-term contract for Prescott—and Cooper is a luxury, not a necessity.

There is no pegging Cooper's fantasy value if traded. That's true for all players who might be dealt, so be sure to consider the trade deadline when weighing trade offers.

What's the Outlook for Miles Sanders?

From the Bleacher Report App

Here's another proposed deal that touches on the 2020 injury bug. In this case, the duo of Mike Evans and Melvin Gordon III would be dealt for Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders.

I would go for the side that receives Evans and Gordon. While Gordon is only a piece of the Denver Broncos backfield, Evans is a No. 1 option for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—at the very least, a 1A alongside Chris Godwin.

Evans is averaging about four catches, 47 yards and a touchdown per game.

Sanders, meanwhile, has not had the breakout season many expected. He's a viable RB1, averaging over 100 scrimmage yards per game, but he's only caught 12 passes and scored three times. He's split a fair amount of time with Boston Scott. While filling in for Sanders on Thursday, the dual-threat back showed how valuable he can be. Don't be surprised if Scott sees more of the workload moving forward.

This potential deal comes down to two things: roster makeup and format. I like Sanders more in standard than in PPR, and I'd only consider this deal in standard. In PPR, I'd prefer the scoring upside of Evans.

How Valuable Is Michael Thomas?

From the Bleacher Report App

Fantasy managers have only seen New Orleans Saints wideout Michael Thomas for one game, three catches and 17 yards. However, he is one of fantasy football's top PPR options when healthy. The question is this: How valuable is a half-season of Thomas likely to be?

He is out again in Week 7 with a hamstring injury.

Given Thomas' issues, I'm not sure I'd value him above Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Yes, adding Mark Andrews would help offset the loss of Kelce, but the two are in very different fantasy tiers.

Kelce is an elite PPR option, comparable to a healthy Thomas. He's caught at least five passes in all but one game and is averaging roughly six catches, 78 yards and a touchdown.

While I'm not as high on Christian McCaffrey's pending return as some—I believe the Carolina Panthers will split time between him and Mike Davis—he does have value. If all players were healthy, I'd much rather have McCaffrey and Kelce than Thomas and Andrews.

Don't Expect a Significant Drop-Off from Alvin Kamara

From the Bleacher Report App

With Thomas (hopefully) returning in the not-too-distant future, managers may be concerned bout the long-term prospects of Saints running back Alvin Kamara. He is one of the preeminent receiving backs in football, and Thomas' return could cut into his target load.

Kamara has seen 45 targets and has 38 receptions, 676 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in five games.

Don't expect a massive drop in production once Thomas returns. Yes, Kamara is likely to see slightly fewer receptions per game, but his yardage and touchdown production shouldn't take a big hit.

"I told him before the season that I still had that record, 31 touchdowns [in 2006], and he can go and break it whenever he'd like," Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson said of Kamara, per ESPN's Mike Triplett. "... If anyone can do it, he can."

There are few scenarios in which I'd consider dealing Kamara. This proposed trade is not one of them. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the only elite player on the other end of the deal, and he does not tower over the quarterback field as Kamara does with running backs.

Roster makeup is a factor in any potential trade, but in terms of overall value, this trade is heavily unbalanced.

Ryan Tannehill Is a Quality Starter

From the Bleacher Report App

The centerpiece of this trade involves Cleveland Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and quarterback Matthew Stafford. Given the presence of Ryan Tannehill on the roster, I really like the move—Tannehill is becoming a reliable weekly starter.

The Tennessee Titans quarterback has passed for more than 200 yards and/or multiple touchdowns in four of his five outings. He has seven touchdown passes over the last two weeks and has three or more touchdowns in three of five games.

Tannehill has also scrambled for 77 yards and a touchdown while throwing just two interceptions.

I would start Tannehill over Stafford, so snagging Beckham in the deal is tremendous value. I'm not sure adding Matt Ryan was necessary, but given the depth at tight end, a backup isn't going to hurt.

Managers who may have added Tannehill to provide depth on draft day could consider leveraging their other quarterbacks for trade value.

Stay the Course with Josh Jacobs

From the Bleacher Report App

There were several questions this week about Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and the team's COVID-19 situation. The Raiders placed multiple starting offensive linemen on the reserve/COVID-19 list. All five are currently on the list and could miss this week's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, the Raiders have not had any new positive tests, according to Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk, meaning they are likely to play Sunday. Just don't expect Jacobs to be his usual must-start self.

This is how I viewed Jacobs coming into the game anyway. He isn't the sort of player who warrants a matchup benching, but this is not a favorable one for him. The Buccaneers rank first in run defense and have allowed just 3.0 yards per carry to opposing ball-carriers. Leaning on Jacobs and the ground game won't be a realistic option for Las Vegas.

Moving forward, though, Jacobs' value should be just fine. While the unfortunate nature of the 2020 season means positive tests can alter fantasy plans at any time, the Raiders' current issue shouldn't be one that will linger.

Jacobs is averaging roughly 97 yards, three receptions and a touchdown per game. He's a high-end RB2 in all formats, and he shouldn't be dealt because of one questionable week. In this proposed trade, I'd value Will Fuller V higher than Marquise Brown, but I would not trade the consistency of Jacobs for the potential of Jonathan Taylor.

How Valuable Will Le'Veon Bell Be in Kansas City?

From the Bleacher Report App

As much as I like the occasional flashes I've seen from Cam Newton in the New England Patriots offense, I'd still prefer to trust Deshaun Watson at quarterback. Tyler Boyd and Robert Woods are roughly even in PPR value, so the real conundrum here is how Leonard Fournette and Le'Veon Bell stack up.

This is a hard one to answer because Fournette hasn't been healthy and isn't likely to be an every-down back with Ronald Jones II also on the Bucs roster. However, he did recently return to practice (ankle) and should have moderate flex value in a split backfield.

The biggest question—and why I singled out this proposal—is this: What sort of value will Bell have with the Kansas City Chiefs? Given Clyde Edwards-Helaire's struggles near the goal line (just one touchdown this season), Bell will have more value than some realize.

Last season, LeSean McCoy averaged roughly 50 yards and two receptions in a complementary role, and Bell should have a bit more value than that.

Don't anticipate 15-plus touches for Bell most weeks, but he should see 3-4 receptions, a half-dozen carries and a fair amount of the red-zone work. Therefore, he should be a viable flex option in PPR formats with the upside of being a potential touchdown vulture.

In the context of this proposal, I'd view Bell as slightly more valuable than Fournette, making this a fairly even trade package.

Allen Robinson II Could Be Elite WR1

From the Bleacher Report App

We've touched on both Jonathan Taylor and Miles Sanders, and both are high-end RB2s when healthy. This proposal provides an opportunity to discuss Chicago Bears wideout Allen Robinson II.

I'll admit that I wasn't a fan of Robinson in Matt Nagy's offense before this season, but the volume he's seen in Chicago has made him a low-end WR1. Robinson has been targeted a whopping 66 times and has 40 receptions, 474 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Robinson is a fine PPR value but could be even more productive if more of his 11 weekly targets become catches—and if Nick Foles and the passing offense continue to grow.

"If we create some more explosive plays, I think you'll see a totally different offense," Robinson said, per Nathan Smith of the team's official website.

If Chicago can put together explosive plays with more regularity, Robinson will likely be the biggest fantasy benefactor. In such a scenario, he could become a truly elite WR1.

As much as I like A.J. Brown in the Titans offense, there is a much higher floor and higher ceiling with Robinson. I wouldn't even consider this deal with Sanders injured.

Quick Hits

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Let's cap off this week's edition with a few quick hits.

KingMufasaV asks: [J.D.] McKissic and [Keelan] Cole for Chris Carson?

I wanted to briefly discuss Washington Football Team running back J.D. McKissic. He's being woefully undervalued in PPR leagues and is a mid-level at flex in such formats. He's caught at least six passes in each of the last three games and is coming off an 84-yard outing against the New York Giants.

Obviously, roster makeup is a factor, and Chris Carson is a reliable fantasy back when healthy. However, Carson—who is averaging roughly four receptions and 85 scrimmage yards—isn't massively more valuable than McKissic.

In a straight-up deal, I'd prefer Carson, but if losing the added value of Keelan Cole is a problem, I wouldn't pull the trigger.

rjones266 asks: Kyler Murray and Devin Singletary for Kareem Hunt?

I also wanted to touch on the long-term outlook for Kareem Hunt. The Cleveland Browns running back is a weekly must-start for as long as Nick Chubb remains sidelined, and he should be a solid flex play upon his return. He is also a back I would love to have over the next few games—against the Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders and Houston Texans.

Even in a committee backfield, Hunt is a far superior fantasy play to Devin Singletary, so this deal comes down to quarterback depth.

Kyler Murray is an elite fantasy QB because of his dual-threat ability. However, this season has provided several surprisingly valuable signal-callers—Tannehill, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, to name a few—and if you have solid quarterback depth, I'd pull the trigger.

rme_3 asks: Ronald Jones II and [Will] Fuller for [DeAndre] Hopkins and Singletary?

As you may have inferred, I don't view Singletary as a high-end running back. Between him and Ronald Jones II, I'd very much prefer to have Jones. However, the inclusion of DeAndre Hopkins in this potential deal is impossible to ignore.

Hopkins is one of the most target-heavy WR1s you're going to find in fantasy. He's been targeted 61 times in six games and has 47 catches for 601 yards and two touchdowns. He's going to be the centerpiece of the Arizona passing attack moving forward and should continue to average about eight receptions and 100 yards per game.

Hopkins has been out of practice with an ankle injury, but I wouldn't view it as a serious or a lingering issue. If you can get Hopkins at a fair price like this one, do it.