Some of the players below are on the rise, some are on the decline. Some are in between, as there is still both a lot of risk and a lot of upside attached to their name(s). Let’s dig into some of the bigger name players that might be on your “should I jump ship?” list heading into Week 5!
Let’s get to it!
- Doug Martin – RB TB
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Doug Martin – RB TB
Doug Martin is currently doubted left and right. The question is, should fantasy owners be worried, or are the worried fantasy owners overreacting? Martin rushed for 65 yards and 1TD in Week 1, and he had 144 yards rushing in Week 2. His 88 yards rushing in Week 3 was a bit of a letdown, but it was still decent. It wasn’t awful. Let’s be honest, Martin wasn’t off to the worst start ever. There was still room for improvement, hell he was a top 4 overall pick for a lot of fantasy owners out there. Still, though, his only awful outing was in Week 4, where he rushed the ball 27 times for 45 yards. The bottom line is this… buy-low. This guy is still a top 5RB if you ask me, and he still has upside for being a top 2-4 overall runner moving forward. I’ve seen him recently valued as a late second-round talent. Steal!
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- Trent Richardson – RB IND
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Trent Richardson – RB IND
As I have continued to say for weeks now, if you can’t wait on Trent Richardson to learn that Colts’ offense and get his feet wet, I don’t blame you for making trades. However, for those just flat-out giving up on Richardson, I caution you to rethink selling low. Again, I don’t care what anyone says, I think the guy is going to eventually shine. I have stood by him from the start and haven’t moved an inch, and it’s not because I’m being stubborn, or sticking to my guns, just to follow through. I am always one to promote “changing gears” and I always advise fantasy owners “observe, adapt and react” as much as possible. Look, I could debate the doubters all day long regarding his low yards-per-carry average, or that he is running with hesitation. I’ve addressed the low YPC and the hesitation, and I’m done wasting my time continuing to answer those questions. Not that anyone ever bugs me about it, but I’d rather focus on providing other updates. Once Richardson gets his feet wet, and gets past this week’s Week 5 match-up against Seattle, I think that we will start seeing the Trent Richardson that we all expected to emerge right from the start. Will it be too late for some? It might, at least in redraft, and that’s why it’s understandable that redraft leaguers sent him packing heading into last week, or this week. But, if you are in a dynasty league, you have to ask yourself if it’s going to be even harder to have gone through this “T-Rich waiting game” if you sell-low and he does end up exploding. I still think the guy is elite, again something I’m not going to continue to debate over and over again. I think the guy is in a great situation, which again is not something I’m going to continue to defend just because he has started a bit slow. He has scored in each of his first two games with his new team, and he hasn’t even been thrown fully into the mix. That’s pretty encouraging if you ask me. So, while I suggest that all T-Rich believers curb expectations for one more week, as the runner faces a brutal SEA defense this week, don’t be shocked if he has a nice outing. If he doesn’t, though, nothing changes heading into Week 6, and the doubters will grow (no question).
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- Giovani Bernard – RB CIN
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Giovani Bernard – RB CIN
As I said in the start bench advice article this week, Gio Bernard is climbing out of a RBBC, he isn’t falling into one. There is a HUGE, HUGE difference. After one bad week, I’ve seen many already shopping Gio in some sort of “can I get something before he becomes non-existent” state of panic. Take advantage.
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- More Players
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Chris Givens, Jared Cook & Eddie Lacy
All three were listed in this week’s start bench advice article as good buy-low candidates. That advice still stands for those reasons listed in that article.
Our Week 5 Player Projections are sortable, so that you can list only running backs, quarterbacks, wide receivers or tight ends individually. Or, you can list all positions at once. We also have a PPR and non-PPR sorting option. Your line-up decisions just got a whole lot easier!
View Week 5 Projections
I paid alot ie Cobb in redraft to get him the day if his real trade …. I was laughed at and still am, but my team was so weak at rb that it was logical to me and still is to ride t rich ….. After this week if he disappoints with 15 pts a game so be it , it was/is worth the risk ….
It’s all about risk vs. reward when trading, especially at this point when people are trading for TRich on the cheap. I can’t land them all, and I certainly can’t predict coaching decisions, injury, etc, but we can do our best to anticipate them. I don’t anticipate the Colts not running the wheels off TRich down the stretch. I just can’t control how fast they work him in. With Bradshaw out again, TRich should get plenty of carries in Week 5, but luck would have him playing the Seahawks.
Hello Smitty, I sent T.Richardson off in a straight trade. No keeper value here so I thought it was reasonable. I offered him for D.Martin and the trade went through. I feel strongly my team will be as strong or could get stronger down the stretch with D.Martin. I heard you say go with gut and that’s the only way I want to play out my first year in FF. Plus this has become a great, enjoyable hobby. Thank you for your time you put in and the community created known as DC Nation! “) P.S. I still want word on your book when it’s completed. God Bless. Shmily
I love TRich, but Doug Martin is a top 2-5RB to me moving forward. Masterful work! Thanks for the compliments, and I’ll keep you posted on the novel. I put it on hold because I didn’t want it to take away from the content I’m cranking out during the season. Hopefully in the off-season!
Smitty speaking of knee-jerk reactions, my league went drop happy with top handcuff rbs this week. Could you rank these rbs in order to own for ROS? 12 team non-ppr redraft league: Bernard Pierce, Montee Ball, Bryce Brown, Bryce Brown, Christine Michael. Thanks!!
If you need this player to help now: Bryce Brown, Montee Ball, Bernard Pierce, Christine Michael.
If you are talking long-term, even in redraft, Pierce might be the best grab but the order might be the same due to Brown’s ability to score now if you need him to. Ball may or may not ever get his shot, that’s tough to say, but he could be huge if he does.
Sorry said bryce brown twice….roy helu as well.
Helu is at the back. Still valuable, but tough to move in front of those guys.
Dynasty. Ppr
Just offered t rich and. Randle for my
Forte and lattimore
i think not what say u smitty??
Randle the WR? Forte is a to 2-5RB right now, not sure I trade Forte. This is not buying low at all! Richardson has bargain value right now, this is paying way too much.
Agree just threw it out as food for thought and sorry it was rb Dallas randle …
Hey, you’re thinking ahead and trying to always trade into some future, that’s good, but yeah, keep Forte or sell him for Doug Martin and some, or AJGreen on the cheap.. That’s how you move a playing-awesome Forte! Keep at it!
I have aj in that dynasty lol
My only other viable rb is vereen
I’m not looking to trade him but if I could you would trade him for Martin ? Now
Vereen? Sure, but depends whom you’d have to send with him. Martin and AJG are studs, people are overracting. Same thing with TRich IMO.
Im right with you on trich smitty. great read sir. Also im not giving up on miller or hilton either. Miller ran really well on monday night and daniel thomas is god awful. Miller is the superior blocker as well. Hilton did this last year and really came on strong as the season went on. Hes already passed dhb on the depth chart the way I see it and once this colts offense gels its gonna put up points possibly reminescent of the old peyton wayne harrison james days in time
Yep and yep!
I like Cook but don’t trust Bradford. But he was on WW so I picked him up on your advice. Thanks Smitty. Riojad
Anything can happen, but I still see huge upside. No risk since he was on waivers lol.
I was offered RG3 for T Richardson or D Martin in a PPR Dynasty league. I’m using Bradford, Flacco and Tannenhill at QB. My RB’s are Martin, Richardson, Moreno, Bell, Hunter and Turbin. We start 2 RB’s. Is this a fair deal or am I just frustrated with my QB situation and desperate? Thanks.
Martin? No way, you’d be giving a top 4-8RB up! No way on both, but especially no on Martin! RG3 doesn’t even have newt that kind of trade value. Is Pryor available? If rostered, buy low on Pryor, like real low. Bradford could still do well.
TRich just looks slow hitting the hole now….