Each week Ray Flowers will give his thoughts on a serious of fantasy football players. Should you hold on to the guy? Should you be moving on from the player? Is his recent run of success sustainable? Why does he stink so bad – will he rebound? Ray will break it all down before rendering his verdict on the player in our Week 7 edition of the NFL Trade Show.
 

QUARTERBACK 

Philip Rivers, Chargers
Rivers has been magnificent this season. He's posted a QB Rating over 120 in each of the last five games and has a 117.6 mark for the season. Some perspective on that. There have only been two seasons of 120 in football history (Aaron Rodgers at 122.5 in 2011 and Peyton Manning at 121.1 in 2004). There have only been four seasons of 117 in league annals (Nick Foles at 119.2 last year and Tom Brady at 117.2 in 2007). Hell, even Peyton Manning's stupendous season last year was just115.1. Rivers posted a 69.5 percent completion percentage last year, the 6th best mark ever. He's at 69.3 percent this year. Is he really going to have the best completion percentage in football history over a 2-year span? He has thrown 13 interceptions over his last 22 games. He threw 15 picks in 2012. He's been stupendous and everyone knows it.
Verdict: SELL. There's no way that Rivers has one of the five best passing seasons in football history, is there? Sell him before he slows. 

Matt Ryan, Falcons
Received a ton of inquiries this week about dealing away Ryan. Why? Since when did 4,900 yards and 32 scores equate to a commodity no one wants? Sure the offensive line is a concern, can't argue there, but do you know how many seasons of 4,900 and 32 Peyton Manning has in his illustrious career? Try one. 
Verdict: BUY. Ryan is a QB1, period. Could finish the year in the top-5 with a little luck. 

RUNNING BACK

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks
If I'm driving a Corvette and I go 25 miles around town I'm wasting the Corvette. We can agree on that, right? Fact of the matter - if you own a Vette you're taking that thing out and blasting around, mashing the pedal to the floor, burning copious amounts of rubber and flipping the bird to that young kid who is driving that Mustang his parents bought him for his 18th birthday. So why is it that coaches in the NFL want to cruise around town in first gear in their Vette? Example 7,629 is Seahawks offensive co-coordinator Darrel Bevell who inexplicably gave one of the best runners in football, Mr. Lynch, all of 10 carries in a game when Russell Wilson couldn't get anything going. Here's what Bevell said after the game. "... I do care about us winning the game. And Marshawn is a huge key for us winning the game. And we do — and I — have to do a better job of giving him the ball.” Seriously? IDIOT - you're the one who calls the plays. It's totally on you if Lynch didn't get the ball. Oh yeah, Lynch averaged 6.1 YPC in Week 6 by the way so it wasn't like he was failing to perform. Over their last 45 games the Seahawks have failed to run for 100-yards just eight times. It's happened twice this season and they've lost both games.
Verdict: BUY. Lynch is an aging player with a ton of miles, and those back spasms are starting to grow a bit worrisome. Still, if the lame ass coaches in Seattle remember how they have success Lynch should have no problem being a RB1 for the rest of the year.

C.J. Spiller, Bills
The numbers stink (he's on pace for 624 rushing yards thanks to a mere 3.4 YPC). He was on the field for less than 20 percent of the Bills plays last week. He's currently a desperation flex option. Has Spiller lost faith in a coaching staff that simply doesn't know how to utilize his talents? "I know [RB] Coach Tyrone Wheatley trusts me, and I’m not saying the other coaches don’t, but if they’re on the sideline shaking when I’m in the game, then we have a bigger problem." Spiller is still a dynamic talent who is capable of taking any touch to the house. Talent like this doesn't grow on trees.
Verdict: BUY. Let's hope he's dealt before the October 28th trade deadline. If that doesn't occur there's always a chance that Jackson is hurt, he's had issues staying healthy of late, and that would force the Bills to utilize Spiller more.

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers
J-Stew (knee) should play this weekend as he's practiced both Wednesday and Thursday. D-Will will not play. The other option the Panthers have are either hurt as well or underwhelming talents. Stewart should lead the backfield in touches against a pathetic Packers run defense that has allowed seven rushing scores, the second highest total in football, and an NFL worst 154.5 yards per game on the ground.
Verdict: BUY. Hope he has a good game against the Packer and then trade him is option #1. Option #2 would be to hold him as your RB 4/5, in which case he has a chance to fulfill expectations. 

Ben Tate, Browns
Always hurt, Tate has returned to the tune of 202 yards and two rushing scores in his last two games. However, the idiotic Browns have also had him touch the football 48 times in those two games. For a player who has missed an average of three game a season the past three years, and one who missed time to start this season, does that make any sense at all to you? Isaiah Crowell continues to run viciously and impress as the second option in the backfield. He could stand to take a few of those Tate looks if he can hold on to the football. There's also the loss of Alex Mack for the season with a busted up leg. You don't lose one of the top-5 centers in football and not have there be concerns.
Verdict: SELL. Injuries, strong play by Crowell, and the loss off their best o-lineman are all enough to consider dealing Tate after he steamrolls the Jaguars. 

 

New to the daily game space? Don't worry, it's pretty simple. Sign up to get entry into a free $2 contest with Draft Kings and start your journey.



 

WIDE RECEIVER 

Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers
Currently in the NFL's concussion protocol, Benjamin has suffered two concussions within the past 11 months. That's concerning. It's also concerning that Benjamin was allowed to re-enter game action in Week 6 after sitting out just two plays. Two. Way to worry about a guys health guys. Benjamin has also suffered four official drops, though you could easily add another 3-4 to that list. He's been extremely productive and on pace for 83 receptions, 1,110 yards and 11 scores. That would be an other worldly rookie season. Odds are he will fail to reach all those levels even if he plays 16 games. With the concussions mounting it's now an open question about whether or not he can even reach 16 contests.
Verdict: SELL. Youth, injuries and a pace that seems unsustainable makes it logical to see what you can get if you offer him up. Don't bail, but if someone offers you full price it would be wise to seriously consider accepting the offer. 

Anquan Boldin, Niners
In four of six games this season he's caught five passes. He's also gone for 70-yards in each of of his last two games. However, issues. (1) The Niners rank 29th in passing attempts per game. They don't throw the ball that much. (2) Boldin has one score this season. He's only scored as many as five time in one of the last three seasons. (3) He's currently on pace for 85 receptions, 1,060 yards and three scores. That's low level WR3 stuff. 
Verdict: SELL. Try to use the last two weeks to convince someone that Boldin is going to make a strong push in the second half. 

Andre Johnson, Texans
Never a big TD guy, Johnson has one score in six games. He's averaging 69.8 yards a game which would be his lowest mark since 2005. His 12.3 yards per catch would be his lowest mark since 2006. Part of the thanks goes to pop-gun armed Ryan Fitzpatrick. There's also the play of DeAndre Hopkins which has rendered Johnson as the 1A to Hopkins 1B in the Texans offense instead of the scenario we've seen for years where A.J. just dominated looks. 
Verdict: BUY. Wait, what? You want to buy Johnson because of the perception that he's no longer a viable, top shelf pass catcher. All of the above concerns are valid, and you can bet Johnson’s current owner shares them. That being the case, you might be able to add Andre at below market level cost.

Brian Tyms, Patriots
No one has stepped up out wide behind Julian Edelman. Danny Amendola might as well be inactive on game days. Aaron Dobson has been inactive on game days. Kenbrell Thompkins is now with the Raiders. That means Tyms, a preseason star, is likely to get some run. He only caught one pass last week though it was a 43-yard TD score. 
Verdict: BUY. Tom Brady and the offense appear to be back on track, and there is obviously a need in the offense for someone to stretch the field out wide. Tyms is in prime position to take on the role. 

TIGHT END

Josh Hill / Benjamin Watson, Saints
Jimmy Graham could miss a few weeks with a shoulder injury. The Saints will still throw the football. However, does that mean that either Hill or Watson step up in Graham's absence or do we just see a whole more of Kenny Still, Brandon Cooks and Marques Colston? "Listen, that's Ben Watson, that's Josh Hill, the tight ends as a whole," Drew Brees said. "And those guys are certainly capable and will do a great job, I've got so much confidence in them. But as a receiver corps, you just know throughout the course of a game those balls are getting spread out … you don't know how things are going to shake out. Watson is 33 years old and hasn't been relevant since 2010. Hill is a pretty solid athlete for a guy his size, his measurables are good, but it's an open question whether he's capable of being a prime time player in his second season. 
Verdict: SELL. Better yet, don't even waste your time buying. Graham will be back soon enough. 

Larry Donnell, Giants
People have soured on Larry after he's gone for one reception and six yards over two weeks. Pull back from that for a moment. How about we look at his effort like this. Donnell has scored three times the last three games. Or how about he is on pace for 69 receptions. That's not a great number, but with Victor Cruz done for the year Donnell could see a return to the target totals he saw the first four weeks when he averaged 7.8 passes chucked his way.
Verdict: BUY. He's not an elite player, and had no shot to be a top-5 tight end, but he could still be a TE1 option and people are about ready to cast that to the waiver-wire in some instances which shows a good deal of short-term thinking. 


Make sure you tune in to the Drive at 7 PM EDT, Monday through Friday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius210, XM87), to hear Ray Flowers pontificate about the world of sports.