B/R's Week 9 2020 Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer

Between injuries, bye weeks and COVID-19 protocols, many fantasy football managers have found themselves scrambling to piece together functional rosters in the middle of the 2020 NFL season.

San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle, for example, is out for an extended period with a fractured foot. Teammates Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk spent Thursday's game against the Green Bay Packers on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

As managers gear up for the fantasy postseason, trades are a valuable tool for remaking rosters. Of course, not every deal is beneficial, and managers cannot afford to help potential playoff opponents more than themselves.

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. Let's dig into some of the top trade questions for Week 9.

Don't Trade Michael Thomas Now

From the Bleacher Report app

Let's start things off with a question involving New Orleans Saints wideout Michael Thomas. The perennial fantasy league-winner hasn't played since Week 1, but he has been back at practice and should be set to return in Week 9.

If you've held on to Thomas this long, there's no reason to trade him now. At 100 percent, Thomas should again be one of the most reliable points-per-reception (PPR) wide receiver options.

Obviously, roster makeup plays a role. However, the Buffalo Bills' Devin Singletary is not a high-end running back, and I do not like the outlook for Marquise Brown.

The Baltimore Ravens wideout has not been a significant piece of the offensive game plan, though that could change.

"I want to get him the ball, the easiest way and fastest way we can," Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said Wednesday, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "I have to do a better job of getting it to him."

Even if Brown becomes more involved, he's a boom-or-bust wideout in an offense that leans primarily on tight ends and the ground game. Stick with Thomas, and examine RB options on the waiver wire.

DeAndre Hopkins Remains a Top Trade Target

From the Bleacher Report app

When healthy, Green Bay Packers back Aaron Jones is one of the most reliable RB1s in fantasy. However, Arizona Cardinals wideout DeAndre Hopkins is arguably the PPR receiver to roster—perhaps even over Thomas.

Hopkins already has a league-leading 57 receptions for 704 yards and three touchdowns. What's scary is that he could just be getting started.

Hopkins has been targeted a whopping 73 times this season. While his catch rate of 78.1 percent is solid, he could be even more productive over the second half of the year if he and Kyler Murray continue to build chemistry.

While Mike Williams is a serviceable WR2 or flex option, he's not in the same tier as Hopkins by a long shot. This deal comes down almost exclusively to your depth at RB and WR. If you have quality depth at running back, I'd make the deal and leave Hopkins in the starting lineup over the final nine weeks.

What's the Outlook for James Robinson?

From the Bleacher Report app

When at or close to 100 percent, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones remains one of the most reliable options in fantasy. However, the Packers tend to force-feed Davante Adams the football, and he has just a bit more value than Jones.

The question here is whether James Robinson has enough upside to warrant a slight downgrade at WR. The Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back started the season strong, has been a wonderful surprise and remains a consistent PPR producer. He's had at least four catches in every game except in Weeks 1 and 2.

However, Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II is dealing with a thumb injury, and rookie Jake Luton will replace him this week against the Houston Texans. This could hurt Robinson's PPR value, though it could lead to more emphasis on the ground game.

With Robinson on pace for more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns, he should remain a  viable RB1 even after the quarterback change. If you need running back help, I'd pull the trigger here.

How Valuable Is Tee Higgins?

From the Bleacher Report app

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry remains arguably the best pure runner in the NFL. He's on pace for nearly 1,800 rushing yards, making him a must-start in all formats even though he only has 10 receptions on the year.

Pittsburgh Steelers back James Conner is a bit more of a PPR value with 18 receptions, but he is on pace for just 1,424 yards from scrimmage. Conner would be a downgrade from Henry. This deal comes down to how badly you need wide receiver help and the outlook for Cincinnati Bengals rookie Tee Higgins.

He should be a high-end WR2 moving forward. He has caught at least four passes in each of the last six games and has averaged roughly 83 yards over his last five. He should top 1,000 yards in his inaugural campaign and has continued to earn the trust of quarterback Joe Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor.

"[Higgins] is a great player," Burrow said, per ESPN's Ben Baby. "We've had a couple months now to really understand each other."

Higgins is a solid trade target, and this is a fair deal if you're hurting for WR help.

Is DeeJay Dallas a Reliable Handcuff?

From the Bleacher Report app

Like Higgins, Bengals wideout Tyler Boyd should be a fine WR2 for the remainder of the season. He's on pace for nearly 1,200 receiving yards and 108 receptions. I would value him a bit higher than New York Giants receiver Sterling Shepard, who is averaging 5.5 receptions and 52.3 yards per game.

The big question is whether Seattle Seahawks running back DeeJay Dallas is a reliable long-term option in the wake of injuries to Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde. The short answer? I don't believe so.

Dallas wasn't particularly impressive last week against the San Francisco 49ers, averaging 2.3 yards per carry. He'll also likely be splitting time with Travis Homer against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

According to ESPN's Brady Henderson, Homer is expected to play despite his knee injury.

If Dallas were on the waiver wire, I'd grab him. However, he isn't a must-have trade target, and I would not swap Boyd for Shepard. While Shepard would give you a bye week option, the trade would offer a poor long-term value.

Is Justin Herbert Worth a Keeper Slot?

From the Bleacher Report app

I wanted to address this deal because we're reaching the point where it's wise to start thinking about keepers. This is especially true for managers unlikely to make the postseason, as trading for a quality player can set things up for next season.

While Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has been magnificent, averaging roughly 303 yards and three touchdowns per game, I'm not sure I'd use a keeper spot on him. This depends, of course, on how many keeper slots you have, but in most leagues, quarterbacks are not worth holding on to. The reason? Players like Herbert, Kyler Murray and Joe Burrow regularly emerge to become quality starters.

Using a first- or second-round pick on a QB is rarely worth it.

Baker Mayfield isn't worth keeping, and while an extra third-round pick would be valuable, I'd rather have Philadelphia Eagles wideout Travis Fulgham. He's averaging 5.8 receptions, 87 yards and nearly a touchdown per game.

Things would be a bit different in a dynasty league, however, where Herbert could be one of your best bets to land a quality 10-year starter.

Is Josh Allen Worth a Dynasty Slot?

From the Bleacher Report app

Early in the season, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen would have seemed like a tremendous quarterback for dynasty leagues. Over the first month, he threw 12 touchdowns and just one interception while averaging 331.5 passing yards per game. However, he has fallen back to earth, and I don't view him as someone worth building around in dynasty.

The biggest unknown is whether Derrick Henry or Davante Adams has the larger window of greatness.

For Henry, the question is whether a hefty running workload will lead to a short career. For Adams, it's whether Aaron Rodgers will stick around in Green Bay long enough to justify his dynasty spot. It'd anticipate a two- to three-year window for both, so this largely comes down to the makeup of your roster.

As we've already discussed, I'm not high on the long-term outlook for Marquise Brown. You'll have to ask yourself whether you'd rather have a dominant receiver or a dominant running back for the next few seasons.

Don't Overvalue Joe Mixon

From the Bleacher Report app

Though Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wideout Chase Claypool is a boom-or-bust flex option, I like his upside. However, you said that you don't need WR help. Therefore, this isn't a deal I would do.

We've discussed the outlook for James Robinson, a back I expect to continue to deliver. Bengals running back Joe Mixon, on the other hand, has been dealing with a foot injury and has been largely inefficient outside of Week 4, during which he racked up 181 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.

That game wildly skews his numbers. If you don't account for that performance, he has averaged just 77 yards from scrimmage per game and has one other touchdown in 2020.

While Mixon could return to the lineup after Cincinnati's Week 9 bye, he is likely to remain inconsistent. I'd prefer to stick with Robinson, especially since Claypool isn't a relevant potential addition for you.

Quick Hits

David Richard/Associated Press

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

Prime0021 asks: Josh Jacobs for Robbie Anderson and [D'Andre] Swift?

As is almost always the case, this one comes down to roster makeup. While Josh Jacobs is more valuable in standard formats than in PPR, I'd prefer to have him over D'Andre Swift by a wide margin. The question is whether you have depth at RB and need at receiver.

Robby Anderson has been one of the most pleasant surprises in fantasy this season. The Panthers wideout already has 51 receptions for 688 yards and a touchdown. He's a tremendous PPR option and a solid trade target if you have the required RB depth.

jeremiahdavison asks: Trade away [Will] Fuller and [Kareem] Hunt for [Michael] Thomas?

As previously discussed, I believe that Thomas will return in the near future. I also believe he will have significant value down the stretch.

Kareem Hunt, on the other hand, is likely to lose value if fellow Cleveland Browns back Nick Chubb is able to return from his MCL sprain after the Week 9 bye. According to Camryn Justice of WEWS, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Chubb has "continue[d] to progress."

It will be a mild surprise if Chubb isn't back for Week 10. Hunt will still be serviceable, as will wideout Will Fuller V. However, Thomas is a weekly must-start, and I'd deal for him here.

EthanMachado says: Getting A.J. Brown and CEH for James Conner and Justin Jefferson in PPR.

This is a tougher call than it might appear to be at first glance. A.J. Brown has been reliable and productive, with at least four receptions in every game, while Justin Jefferson had had his fair share of ups and downs. However, Jefferson is on pace for more than 1,200 receiving yards and appears to have the higher upside.

I'd give James Conner a slight edge over Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who has struggled to find the end zone and is now splitting time with Le'Veon Bell. I wouldn't make the deal, but it depends on whether you value PPR consistency or upside at WR.

*Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.