Fantasy football: Seven sell-high running backs to trade away in Week 7

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Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) is among my top sell-high fantasy football trade candidates. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, Oct. 17 (UPI) — Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook and Darrell Henderson are among my seven running backs to include in sell-high trades going into Week 7 of the 2022 fantasy football season. Sell-high candidates are players who are performing well, but are unlikely to sustain their current level of productions. Advertisement
I typically include injury history, strength of upcoming schedule, bye weeks and competition for work as the factors to consider when thinking about who to trade away at a high value.
Take a look at the rosters for every team in your league and find a struggling team that is on the borderline of contender status. You also should look for teams that are weak at the running back position or for teams that have underperforming players at that spot, who you think can rebound.
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Send that owner some messages to gauge their interest in one of your players, if you roster one of my sell-high options. Try to get a player or two back who can help your team finish strong. You are in an even better position to do this if your team started the season with a 6-0, 5-1 or 4-2 record, as you can afford to take more risk.
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Trading away McCaffrey or Cook likely will net you the most value in a return, due to their name value and recent production.
Christian McCaffrey
McCaffrey was likely a Top 3 pick in your draft and provided elite RB1 production through the first six weeks of the season. I think now is the perfect time to trade the Carolina Panthers star, who hasn’t played more than seven games in a season since 2019.
McCaffrey, who is the subject of recent trade rumors, also will get a tough matchup in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to running backs through six weeks. The Panthers will get a decent matchup with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, but then face another tough opponent in Week 9 when they meet the Cincinnati Bengals.
McCaffrey’s inability to stay healthy in past seasons, a tough upcoming schedule and the Panthers’ Week 13 bye make him a prime sell-high candidate. I would target two fantasy football starters in any trade involving the Panthers star.
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Dalvin Cook
Like McCaffrey, Cook missed large chunks of time over his past few seasons due to injuries. He ranks 12th with 75 rushing yards per game so far this season. He also scored four touchdowns through his first six games.
Cook struggled in Week 6, despite his box score line showing 13 carries for 77 yards and a score. He salvaged a lackluster effort with a 53-yard rushing score, but averaged just 2 yards per carry if you take that run out of the equation.
Cook and the Vikings are on bye in Week 7. They will face the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons in their next two games, which are decent matchups. The Vikings then will get tough matchups against the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys in consecutive weeks.
Cook’s injury history, potential competition for work with fellow Vikings running back Alexander Mattison and his upcoming bye week and two tough matchups in the span of five weeks make him an ideal sell-high option.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
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Edwards-Helaire scored five touchdowns through the Kansas City Chiefs’ first six games, which inflated his fantasy football value. The Chiefs running back ranks outside the Top 40 in rushing yards per game.
Edwards-Helaire also will get a very tough matchup in Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers before a Week 8 bye. The 49ers allowed the fewest fantasy points per game and second-fewest rushing yards to running backs through six games.
Sell Edwards-Helaire before his value plummets. You likely can target an underperforming running back or wide receiver and get a decent return for the Chiefs running back.
Jamaal Williams
Williams was on bye in Week 6. The Detroit Lions will travel for a tough road matchup in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys. Williams might be a tough sell-high due to his underwhelming Week 5 performance, but opposing fantasy team owners might just look at his point totals and touchdowns and see an attractive asset.
The Lions’ upcoming matchup against the Cowboys might result in another poor outing. The Cowboys tied for allowing the second-fewest touchdowns to running backs through six games. Lions starting running back D’Andre Swift missed Week 4 and Week 5 due to injury, but also is expected to return soon, which will hurt Williams’ value and eat into his workload.
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Try to sell Williams in exchange for a low-end RB2 or WR3, if possible. He still will have touchdown-or-bust value down the stretch, but I wouldn’t want to count on him as an RB2 in any format.
Devin Singletary
Singletary ran for a season-high 85 yards and logged 22 receiving yards in the Buffalo Bills’ Week 7 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills running back didn’t eclipse 49 rushing yards or score a rushing touchdown through his first five games of the season.
Singletary is on pace for more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage, but his lack of touchdowns, quarterback Josh Allen’s rushing ability, potential competition from other Bills running backs and a Week 7 bye make him a decent sell-high candidate. I wouldn’t expect much in return for just Singletary, but you could pair the Bills running back with a hot wide receiver and get back a decent buy-low running back if you have depth at the position.
Allen Lazard, Amari Cooper, Adam Thielen, Michael Pittman Jr. and Brandon Aiyuk are among the wide receivers I would sell-high and pair in a trade with Singletary.
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Darrell Henderson
Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers was inactive in Week 6 amid trade rumors and due to what NFL Network reported as football-related differences with coach Sean McVay.
Darrell Henderson again received the most work among Rams running backs in their win Sunday over the Carolina Panthers. He logged 14 touches for 52 yards and a score in the victory. Henderson did not eclipse 50 rushing yards in any of his sic games this season. He also scored just twice.
The Rams will get a Week 7 bye. They then will face the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the two best rush defenses in the league.
Rams running back Kyren Williams, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, also is expected to return from injured reserve at some point this season. I expect the Rams to work in Williams and other running backs down the stretch. Capitalize on the optimism of Henderson’s immediate future as the lead ball carrier and try to sell him now in a trade for a buy-low candidate.
Williams also can be added to your bench if you are in a league with at least 14 teams. He is a great option for your IR slot.
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Rhamondre Stevenson
Stevenson performed like a high-end fantasy football RB1 over his last two games. He totaled 161 yards on 25 carries in Week 5 and scored twice in Week 6.
The New England Patriots will get a good matchup against the Chicago Bears in Week 7, but I don’t think Stevenson can hold RB1 value down the stretch due to the eventual return of fellow running back Damien Harris. He also will bye on bye in Week 10 and has a tough matchup in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills.
Look to shop Stevenson and try to target a buy-low running back and WR3 in a trade package. I would mention his easy Week 7 matchup in trade negotiations.
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