Week 6 trade value chart (2024)

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Other helpful resources:

• Jake Ciely's Week 6 rankings and sleepers
• Dalvin Cook, Brandin Cooks and other places you should feel comfortable dropping
• Next week's waiver wire, now: Who to add before the Week 7 rush

If you recall in past fantasy football seasons here at The Athletic, the rest-of-season Big Board rankings and trade value chart were separate entities. Well, we’re doing something different this year, combining Brandon Funston’s rankings with Austin Mock’s trade value chart, essentially killing two birds with one stone. And we added a downloadable version of the chart.

This chart (board?) is meant to be used as a general player valuation guide for the basis of fantasy football trade negotiations in 1QB, half-PPR formats. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and certainly readers will find disagreements with some of the valuations here. That’s fine — again, this is just another tool at your disposal as you try to determine a deal that might work for you in your league.

See the full chart here.

Most everyone’s clamoring to fill the target void in Minnesota’s WR room by adding K.J. Osborn or making trades for Jordan Addison, and justifiably so. That said, I haven’t heard a single talking head or pundit anywhere mention my dark horse pick for a fantasy breakout, Brandon Powell. Don’t close your browser tabs, give me a chance to explain.

For starters, after Justin Jefferson left last week’s game with an injury, Powell’s sixteen routes (89% route participation) were right behind Osborn and Addison’s twenty. Working both out wide and from the slot, he then proceeded to lead the team in targets (5), target/route (31.3%), receptions (3), receiving yards (42), yards/route (2.63), and air yards (70). If Rashee Rice is rostered (say that three times fast), I’m exiting stage left as the masses run right and rolling with Brandon Powell.

First things first. Make sure the most popular waiver-wire running back adds like the Cardinals' Emari Demercado, Panthers' Chuba Hubbard, and Steelers' Jaylen Warren are unavailable before rolling any further into the deep. The current fog of fantasy war is about as thick as pea soup. If you happen to be desperate for RB fantasy points right now, you’ll need your luckiest charm because the situation’s supremely challenging. If you weren’t fortunate enough to grab Bears RB Roschon Johnson weeks ago (when I told you!) on our first recommendation, don’t lose hope. I know things seem bleak but night is darkest before the dawn.

In more standard/shallow leagues your top running back stash has to be Titans RB Tyjae Spears. Tennessee’s third-round rookie from Tulane already has a secure grasp on the pass-catching role. He’s third on the team in total receptions, commanding +13% of the team’s target share, and he’s dominating work in long down-and-distance, hurry-up, and two-minute sets. Don’t look now, but considering the Titans’ team dynamic, he’s also making a bid for a legitimate chunk of the starting job. Tennessee’s defense continues to act as a pass funnel, so if and when they ever fall behind, you can kiss King Henry’s snaps goodbye. Through only five games into the 2023 season, Spears has outsnapped Henry three times and even outscored him twice. The Titans severely lack explosives on offense and Spears could be that provider going forward.

To the deeper leaguers scoffing at the idea of Spears being available, Dallas’ Rico Dowdle is a great target. The Cowboys’ game scripts have been incredibly wonky but I believe he’s locked up the backup role and sits on the doorstep of a premiere role in a good offense (but we’ve mentioned him before).

I know I highlighted him last week and although he didn’t take a real step forward in utilization (5-15-0; 2-3-0), I’m sticking with Cam Akers one more time. The Vikings are 1-4 and in need of a change behind one of the worst running games in the NFL (32nd in rush%, total rushes, and zero +20-yard rushes). Minnesota just lost the engine of their offense in Justin Jefferson and has shown us hints that Akers can and will overtake the pass work (42.4% touch/snap, 30.8% target/route). Alexander Mattison’s -0.10 EPA/Rush is well below average, ripe for replacement.

Q: De'Von Achane — they say “knee” — is it MCL, meniscus, broken kneecap? – James P.

MCL is the answer here, but the good news is that it is reportedly a non-surgical injury (likely meaning a Grade 2 sprain). Basically, this means that once his time on IR is up, he should be good to go. Additionally, Miami’s bye is Week 10, so he’ll get an extra week of rest.

When it comes to knee injuries, there isn’t really a “best” outcome, but in relative terms, MCL injuries are generally better than injuries to the PCL or ACL. This is because the MCL sits on the inner side of the knee rather than within the joint capsule. Sprains (what Achane is likely dealing with) tend to heal within 1-6 weeks, with the first half of that window being Grade 1 and the second half of that window being Grade 2.

We’re categorizing this as a Grade 2, which comes with a High Injury Risk that will remain in that range in the immediate week(s) after his return, and a Below Average Health Performance Factor that should get back into Above Average territory before his stint on IR is up. Our predicted Optimal Recovery Time is 38 days from injury, meaning he should reach ORT just before Miami’s Week 11 matchup against Las Vegas.

I think trading him would be an understandable move. There is a chance he returns after four weeks, but his Optimal Recovery Time is closer to five or six weeks. Additionally, there is some uncertainty at quarterback with Kirk Cousins’ name popping up in trade rumors.

This is the first hamstring injury we’ve cataloged for Jefferson, meaning a very conservative approach would be best for his long-term health. When a player suffers their first hamstring strain, there’s this sort of natural urge to get them back on the field quickly, especially when the player is young like Jefferson, but I’ll explain the other side of it and why slow and steady is the best option here.

When muscles heal from strains, scar tissue is a normal part of the process, but remember it can be problematic. Excessive scar tissue can and will limit muscle flexibility and function. Slower recovery times and more intensive rehab ensures healthier healing, meaning less scarring.

One aspect of rehab that often gets overlooked is the option for a player to get out on the other side feeling better than before. What I mean is, rehab isn’t always about healing. With a slower rehab, Jefferson can build muscle strength, flexibility, and address any potential imbalances that might’ve led to the original strain.

Additionally, slower rehab can target some of that scar tissue to break it down and improve flexibility and eliminate discomfort. This is where we think Jefferson would benefit the most. For long-term health he needs to target that scar tissue.

Welcome to another Sunday morning fantasy football Q&A! We're here to solve your start-or-sit conundrums until the 1 p.m. ET games kick off.

Answers to your questions below. But first, some other helpful resources …

• Jake Ciely's Week 6 rankings and sleepers
• Dalvin Cook, Brandin Cooks and other places you should feel comfortable dropping
• Next week's waiver wire, now: Who to add before the Week 7 rush