Quarterback

Joe Flacco, Ravens

It has been a rough year for Ravens fans. The team has suffered debilitating injuries on their defense, lost several close games, and now Steve Smith Sr. is done for the season and possibly his career. Everything is a mess, but behind a 2-6 record is a pretty decent football team. Sadly, from a fantasy perspective, there isn’t a whole lot of light shining on the situation.

With the loss of Smith, the Ravens have lost their greatest weapon. Even at age 36, defenses had no choice but to respect Smith and his ability. That key factor made the offense better as a whole. Now, Kamar Aiken will step into the WR1 role for Baltimore while Marlon Brown and Chris Givens should see increased targets.

So where does this leave Joe Flacco? Well, not in a good spot to say the least. Aside from Justin Forsett, he has no real weapons at his disposal. Flacco ranks sixth in the NFL with 2,176 yards, but also has an average 82.8 QB rating. If you have been squeaking by with Flacco as your starter, it’s time to make a move. You need to have a very good quarterback when the playoffs come around and Flacco isn’t going to cut it going forward.

Verdict: SELL. Poor Joe. Injuries have killed the Ravens this season and the loss of Smith only makes matters worse. It won’t be easy to move Flacco, so pair him with a running back or wide receiver and make an upgrade at quarterback.

Derek Carr, Raiders

Prior to Week 4, I recommended Derek Carr in this very article. Since that glowing endorsement, Carr has thrown for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. In fact, the sophomore quarterback has just three interceptions on the year! For starting quarterbacks, only Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have thrown fewer interceptions this season.

With a strong finish to the season, Carr could leapfrog into a top-10 QB next season. From what he’s shown over the first eight weeks, owning him while he continues to elevate his game would be a very wise move.

Verdict: BUY. This is my second recommendation for Carr and it’s even stronger this time around. The average fantasy owner that plays casually may not have a clue how well Carr is actually doing this season. If you’re struggling at the position, make him a part of your team.

Running Back

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks

The defending NFC Champions have looked pretty average this season and much of that has to do with the lack of production from Lynch. After rushing for 1,306 yards with a 4.7 YPC and 13 touchdowns last season, Lynch is averaging just 3.6 YPC this year.

Lynch has been better in recent weeks, even reaching 100 yards rushing against San Francisco two weeks ago. It’s possible that we are looking at the beginning of the end from Lynch, but with the talent and track record, he’s worth a shot down the stretch. Let’s face it: if the Seahawks want to get back to the Super Bowl this year, they need Lynch to bring his A-game.

Verdict: BUY. Lynch’s days as an elite running back may be over, but I recommend paying to find out, especially with a cheaper price tag at this stage in the game.

Wide Receiver

Mike Evans, Buccaneers

At times in the NFL there are situations that arise that are so obvious for excellent production that it seems too good to be true. In a Week 8 matchup against the Falcons, Mike Evans looked primed to meet or exceed his breakout game from the previous week. At the end of the day, he finished with three receptions for 48 yards.

With Vincent Jackson likely to miss this week at a minimum, the targets should be plentiful once again for Evans. The second-year wideout was on the field for 52 snaps last week and it could have been several more had he not gotten injured on two separate occasions. Evans has enormous upside, but he’s been mired in an up and down season. With that said, a breakout is on the horizon. Be sure to buy in.

Verdict: BUY. We haven’t seen a ton of consistency from Evans, but it’s coming. He’s a great player to add for the second half.

Kamar Aiken, Ravens

As mentioned earlier in this article, the Ravens are just having a bad year. With Steve Smith Sr. now out for the season, Kamar Aiken is stepping into the WR1 role for the team. This gives fantasy owners a great window to try and move him.

Sure, he is labeled as the first wideout on Baltimore’s depth chart, but he’s no better than a WR4 if all things were equal. I recommended moving Joe Flacco and now I’m doing the same for his “top” option.

Verdict: SELL. You know your team is in trouble when you’re relying on Kamar Aiken. A fellow owner may look at Aiken and see opportunity. Be sure to prey on that weak point of view.

Tight End

Jordan Reed, Redskins

If you were to use one word to describe Jordan Reed, it would be "fragile" – especially when you’re talking about his head and hamstrings. When the third-year tight end is on the field, he has done quite well this season. He has caught at least five passes in each of the five games that he has played, he’s second on the team in targets with 47, and he’s scored all three of his touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line.

Still, fantasy owners shy away from Reed due to his fragility. That’s an obvious risk with him, but it is one worth taking. Reed will be targeted heavily this week, as Washington will be playing from behind against New England and will be forced to air it out. The Redskins just had a bye week, so Reed should be fresher than he’s been at any point this year. While Reed can be a liability, his upside cannot be denied.

Verdict: BUY. Reed has an injury history, but he’s also been extremely productive on the field. There’s plenty of upside that needs to be tapped into.