Trade Targets / Playoff Planning - Week 10

This will be the final installment of Trade Targets because most leagues have their trade deadlines this week (if they haven't already passed). The thought process though heading into playoffs will also apply to add / drop decisions. This is mostly geared toward people who have a decent shot at the playoffs, and if you've been reading this blog all season, that should include you. Throughout the season, we've focused on having depth, bye week plug ins, and high upside guys who have the potential to break out if there's an injury ahead of him. But those concerns are increasingly meaningless as we head into the final few games before playoffs.


Instead, you want to think about whether a high upside guy is realistically going to live up to his potential in the immediate future. You can drop the Jacoby Jones's of the world now for a a defense that compliments your defense's schedule in the next 6 weeks. I like James Jones a lot as a pickup, but realistically, I'm not going to start him over Brandon Lloyd, Roddy White, and Terrell Owens in the next few weeks, so I could cut him for an insurance #2 QB. Throughout most of the season, I've gone with about 5 WRs and 5 RBs on each roster, but now it's time to reshape the roster so that I have just one more of each position than I would need to start. That means I'm looking for 4 WRs, 4 RBs, 2 QBs, 2 TEs, and maybe 2 Defenses. And I'm focusing on playoff schedule - I don't mind that a guy has a brutal week 11 matchup if he has a soft slate of matchups in weeks 14, 15, and 16. With that in mind, let's look at some potential targets with nice playoff schedules.

The QB 2s
If you have Mike Vick, there's no chance you're starting anyone over him (save for maybe Peyton, Rodgers, and Rivers), so what's the point of a backup QB? If, God forbid, Vick re-injures himself in week 14, you don't want to be left high and dry for your semi-final matchup. So consider one of these 3 QBs as pickups or trade targets:

Vince Young (TEN QB)
Young has the #1 most favorable trio of playoff matchups. It looks like Kerry Collins is out, and Vince Young has returned to practice to work on his timing with Randy Moss. Although Moss has been a fantasy disappointment this year, he can only help Young's fantasy value, whether Young is throwing to Moss or the many receivers who are open as a result of extra coverage on Moss.

Jon Kitna (DAL QB)
Kitna has produced big numbers in each of his games this year except the one tough matchup against Green Bay's defense. But Kitna can exploit soft matchups, and he has plenty of those in the playoffs, hitting Philly, Washington, and Arizona.

Josh Freeman (TB QB)
Freeman has not been incredible lately, but has been consistently good. He will be a top play against Washington, Detroit, and Seattle in the playoffs.


The underrated flex RBs
These 2 don't have big names or a consistent streak of big games to speak of. But they are the feature backs on good offenses with even better fantasy playoff schedules.


LeGarrette Blount (TB RB)
Blount has been up and down, but has really seized the featured back job. Getting 15+ touches against Washington, Detroit, and Seattle will be plenty in the playoffs.

Felix Jones (DAL RB)
After the coaches announced that Felix would get more carries as the featured back (though Barber always gets the first carry of the game so he's technically the "starter"), Felix has delivered some disappointing performances. His owner probably didn't even start him in his big game against the Giants this past weekend. But with the 3rd most favorable playoff schedule for an RB, Jones could surprise you by winning your league for you.

Possible WR Studs
All 3 of these guys did little to impress in week ten, but could be must-starts in the playoffs.

Santana Moss (WAS WR)
Moss and McNabb have developed some chemistry that has led Moss to some relatively consistent fantasy success (except for the most recent slaughtering vs. the Eagles.) Moss has the number one most favorable playoff schedule for a WR, and will be hard to sit when it matters most.

Mike Williams (TB WR)
This rookie has put together an extremely impressive campaign to go from lottery ticket, to serviceable flex option, to must-start WR2 status.  He has the second most favorable trio of matchups for a WR and, you guessed it, coincidentally faces the same 3 easy teams that Josh Freeman and LeGarrette Blount face in the playoffs!
 
Louis Murphy and Jacoby Ford (OAK WRs)
These guys aren't so much trade targets as waiver adds. I talked up Murphy a few weeks ago, but it was too soon because he immediately went and bruised his lung. Anyway, with Chaz Schillens and DHB still not healthy, welcome Louis Murphy and Jacoby Ford as the unlikely pair to step up. Of course, you want no part of these 2 this week against Pittsburgh. But in the playoffs, they'll face Jacksonville, Denver, and Indy. If you have room for an emergency WR for the playoffs, grab Murphy 1st, and Ford 2nd.

-By Brett Hammon