Our Week 5 Trade Targets are here, helping you identify the best buy-low and sell-high players in fantasy football after four games of the 2025 season.
Players to Trade For
Derrick Henry (RB, Ravens)
It’s been a strange start for Derrick Henry and the Ravens. After his explosive Week 1 (18 carries, 169 yards), he’s been capped at 12 or fewer carries and 50 or fewer rushing yards in three straight games. That’s not something we’re used to seeing from Henry — the last time he had a stretch like that was all the way back in 2018, before he became the perennial Pro Bowler we know now.
The inconsistency isn’t tied directly to wins and losses either: Henry had limited touches in both a blowout win and a close loss, which suggests this is more about game planning and rhythm than ability. Baltimore’s offense has looked disjointed, and their defense has put them in odd game scripts. But this isn’t the type of team — or coaching staff — that stays stuck for long.
The key point: Henry still looks like Henry. He’s averaging 5.8 yards per carry, showing he hasn’t lost the burst or power. Once the Ravens stabilize and start leaning on him again, the volume will follow. If anything, this stretch is creating the first real buy-low window on Derrick Henry in years.
If you can trade for him now — while frustrated managers are staring at those capped touch totals — you’re getting a league-winning RB1 at a temporary discount.
Nico Collins (WR, Texans)
Collins’ first month has been a rollercoaster: a dud in Week 1, a touchdown save in Week 2, a monster performance in Week 3, and then another quiet showing in Week 4. Some of that inconsistency has less to do with Collins and more to do with Houston’s shaky pass protection — C.J. Stroud has been pressured constantly, forcing quick throws and disrupting the deep game.
But the underlying usage is exactly what you want to see from a buy-low WR1: 27.2% target share, 42.3% air yards share, and 14.4 yards per reception. The efficiency dip comes from a 58% catch rate, which is actually below expectation considering Stroud is completing passes at a career-high clip. That gap is the definition of a market inefficiency — the production should catch up to the usage.
Fantasy managers frustrated with his uneven start are missing the bigger picture: Collins is still the Texans’ best outside weapon, and the volume is there. He’s sitting around WR20 on the season, but everything about his role screams “buy before he rips off another top-5 week.” If you can get him at a WR2 price, don’t hesitate — and if you’re selling a hot name on inflated value, a one-for-one swap for Collins might be the steal of your season.
Drake Maye (QB, Patriots)
Would you have guessed that Drake Maye is the QB5 in fantasy through four weeks? The rookie has been a revelation, completing 74% of his passes with a 7:2 TD-to-INT ratio and a 109.4 passer rating. He’s also shown a rushing floor, logging 30+ yards and/or a rushing touchdown in three straight games. His “worst” outing came back in Week 1, when he still put up 16 fantasy points — since then, he’s scored 20+ every week.
What makes Maye especially appealing is that his supporting cast is starting to click. Stefon Diggs finally broke out in Week 4, giving him a true WR1, and Hunter Henry has been a red-zone weapon, scoring three touchdowns over the last two weeks. Maye is producing like a top fantasy quarterback without elite weapons, which makes his ceiling even scarier if this offense continues to improve.
Given where he was drafted, there’s still a chance his manager in your league views him as a borderline QB1 rather than a locked-in top-five option. That creates a rare buying window at quarterback. Don’t be afraid to pay a fair price — or even slightly over market — if you need QB help. Outside of Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and a healthy Jayden Daniels, Maye looks like a strong contender to stay in the top tier of fantasy QBs for the rest of 2025.
A.J. Brown (WR, Eagles)
Brown hasn’t looked like the top-5 fantasy wideout we’ve come to expect, but context matters. Over his three seasons in Philadelphia, he’s finished as the WR12, WR11, and WR7 in half-PPR on a points-per-game basis. The Eagles’ passing game, however, has been ice cold to start 2025 — they currently rank last in the NFL in passing yards per game (152.3). Even modest improvement back toward last year’s rate (206.9 yards per game, which still ranked just 30th) would make a noticeable difference for Brown’s weekly output.
His role is still elite. Brown’s target share has dipped slightly from 34.4% in 2024 to 29.5% in 2025, but that still puts him top-6 in the league. Add in the fact that he missed time in the preseason with a hamstring injury, and it’s fair to assume he’s still ramping up to full strength.
This is a classic buy window on a superstar. Brown’s usage and track record scream WR1, but early-season struggles and Philadelphia’s offensive slump have created a price dip. I’d value him as a fringe WR1/WR2 going forward, and I’d be willing to pay up now before the Eagles’ passing attack inevitably levels out.
Ladd McConkey (WR, Chargers)
McConkey’s 2025 season hasn’t gotten off the ground yet, and Week 4 was his worst outing so far (just 1 catch for 11 yards). It’s easy for frustrated managers to forget that he followed a similar trajectory in 2024: McConkey didn’t crack top-15 WR status until Week 8, but from Weeks 11–18 (with a Week 14 bye), he went on a heater that made him one of the most valuable wideouts in fantasy down the stretch.
There’s no reason to believe he can’t repeat that late-season surge in 2025. In fact, with Quentin Johnston fading after an early-season spike in 2024, history might be setting up for the exact opposite scenario with McConkey this year — a quiet start that flips into consistent WR2/WR1 weeks when it matters most.
Because he was drafted highly (around 26th overall), McConkey’s managers are likely annoyed by his early struggles. That creates a perfect buy-low opportunity: offer your RB2 or an over-performing WR3 and take advantage of the frustration. McConkey is the type of player who could help win leagues again in the second half of the season.
Jerry Jeudy (WR, Browns)
Jeudy is clearly Cleveland’s most talented wideout, but the Browns’ offense has sputtered badly to start 2025. They haven’t topped 20 points in any of their first four games, and while Joe Flacco peppered Jeudy with targets, it didn’t translate into production — fewer than half of those looks have been completed.
The results have been underwhelming: Jeudy hasn’t cleared 10 fantasy points in any game and still hasn’t scored a touchdown. His best outing came in Week 1 (5 catches, 66 yards), which is a fine line but not the spike week fantasy managers were hoping for.
That said, this is exactly where value is made in trades. Flacco has been benched, and the Browns are turning to rookie Dillon Gabriel at quarterback. Gabriel is unproven, but it’s hard to imagine the offense being less efficient than what we’ve seen. Any lift in scoring should directly benefit Jeudy, who is still the clear WR1 in this passing game.
Right now, you can likely acquire him at the bottom of his value range. That makes Jeudy a strong buy-low target — the kind of player who can settle in as a weekly WR2 once the Browns’ offense finds a pulse.
Players to Trade Away
Isaiah Pacheco (RB, Chiefs)
Pacheco finally gave fantasy managers something to smile about with his first double-digit game of the year in Week 4 (11.8 points). But if there’s ever a moment to sell him, it’s right now. Through four games, Kansas City’s “top back” has only narrowly out-snapped Kareem Hunt, and he actually trails Hunt in carries (36 to 32). His season highs — 11 touches, 48 scrimmage yards, and 11.8 fantasy points — are underwhelming for a player some drafted as a potential RB2. Even Sunday’s decent line was propped up by a rare receiving touchdown, not the bruising runs we normally expect from him.
The truth is Pacheco just isn’t a focal point of this 2025 Chiefs offense. His role is capped, and he’s being outproduced by names like Kenneth Gainwell, Zach Charbonnet, and Tyler Allgeier — all of whom have stronger handcuff upside than Pacheco himself.
This is the time to move him. If you can flip Pacheco for a younger back with rising usage like Trey Benson, TreVeyon Henderson, or Jaylen Warren, or even package him for a steadier option like David Montgomery, you’re coming out ahead. Don’t wait around for the “breakout game” that may never come.
Justin Jefferson (WR, Vikings)
This one feels risky — Jefferson is still one of the most talented wideouts in football — but fantasy is about opportunity, not just talent. Through four weeks, Jefferson is averaging 12.5 fantasy points per game, making him only the WR16 on the season. Yes, he’s coming off his best game of the year (17.6 points), but it came with Carson Wentz at quarterback, who attempted 30 passes in that outing. That level of passing volume has not been the norm in Minnesota.
When rookie J.J. McCarthy returns (likely after the Week 6 bye), the passing ceiling almost certainly dips again. The Vikings have averaged about 110 fewer passing yards per game with McCarthy under center compared to games without him. That’s a massive shift in team environment, and it limits Jefferson’s ceiling no matter how strong his individual efficiency looks.
The market is still pricing Jefferson as a top-three wideout, but right now he’s closer to a mid-tier WR1 — and there are multiple receivers (Puka Nacua, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, even Nico Collins) who may offer more consistent weekly production the rest of the way.
Don’t sell him cheap — his name value plus a big Week 4 performance gives you leverage. But if you can turn Jefferson into another elite WR plus an upgrade at RB or TE, this is the right time to explore it.
Jordan Love (QB, Packers)
This isn’t about hating Jordan Love — in fact, he’s played well overall — but Sunday night’s 26.3-point shootout vs. Dallas is the perfect time to sell. Through the first three weeks, he averaged just 16.3 fantasy points, with two games under 16. The Packers have also been transparent about their offensive philosophy: establish the run, lean on defense, and only open things up when game script forces it.
Love is currently the QB9, but that ranking is inflated by one big overtime game. With an early bye week looming, he profiles more as a mid-range QB2 the rest of the way than a true top-10 option. His value is at a short-term peak.
I wouldn’t dump him at a discount, but if you can flip Love into a more stable asset — think Dak Prescott or Justin Herbert — without adding much, that’s a sharp move. In some leagues, you might even get a straight-up swap for Caleb Williams or Patrick Mahomes, which would be a clear upgrade for the stretch run.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR, Cardinals)
Harrison finally showed flashes in Week 4, salvaging his day with a strong second half against Seattle that pushed him to a WR14 finish. But as tempting as it is to view that as the start of a breakout, it’s hard to ignore the first three weeks of the season. Arizona still ranks 28th in passing yards, and the offense has looked disjointed at best.
That environment limits Harrison’s weekly ceiling, no matter how talented he is. The rookie can win on individual routes, but until the Cardinals’ offense finds consistency, his fantasy value will continue to swing wildly.
That makes this the perfect moment to sell high. Coming off a top-15 week, his name recognition and draft pedigree will carry weight in trade talks. If you can flip Harrison for a more reliable producer like Rashee Rice, or package him to land a proven WR such as Jaylen Waddle or even Quentin Johnston, it’s worth exploring. You’re not selling because Harrison lacks upside — you’re selling because the offense around him doesn’t give him a stable path to reach it in 2025.
DK Metcalf (WR, Steelers)
Metcalf reminded everyone of his ceiling in Week 4 with a 5-catch, 126-yard, 1-TD performance — but that’s exactly why now is the time to sell. On the season, he’s averaging just 5.5 targets per game, and Seattle heads into a Week 5 bye. That combination of a spike week and a schedule lull makes him the definition of a sell-high candidate.
The bigger concern is usage. Metcalf ranks outside the top 35 in targets yet sits as the WR16 thanks to unsustainably high efficiency and touchdowns (3 scores in 4 games). He’s averaging fewer than 4 receptions per game, and while his explosiveness can mask the volume gap in the short term, that kind of production is fragile over a full season.
Metcalf will still deliver splash weeks, but his current fantasy rank doesn’t match his role. This is the window to cash in for a more reliable volume-based wideout. If you can flip him into a Chris Olave type or buy low on an injured star like CeeDee Lamb or Mike Evans, you’re locking in a better long-term bet.
Jaxson Dart (QB, Giants)
Dart couldn’t have asked for a better debut: a win, a passing touchdown, and a rushing touchdown. It’s the kind of start that gets fantasy managers buzzing about an instant-impact rookie QB. But as we’ve seen many times before, NFL defenses adjust quickly to young quarterbacks. Dart is no exception.
The loss of Malik Nabers for the season makes things even tougher. Without his dynamic WR1, Dart will have to lean on a much thinner supporting cast while also learning the league’s defensive tendencies on the fly. Rookie QBs can pop in their first start (just ask Will Levis, who threw four touchdowns in his debut) but sustaining that success week to week is a different story.
Dart has long-term appeal in dynasty formats, but in redraft, this is the perfect time to sell after the hype of his breakout debut. If you can flip him for a more proven option like Matthew Stafford, Michael Penix, or Brock Purdy, possibly with another asset attached, you’ll be much safer for the rest of 2025.
Final Thoughts: Week 5 Trade Targets
Week 5 is all about exploiting perception.
- Buy: Derrick Henry, Nico Collins, Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, Ladd McConkey, Jerry Jeudy.
- Sell: Isaiah Pacheco, Justin Jefferson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jordan Love, Jaxon Dart, DK Metcalf.
Use the panic and overreaction windows to your advantage. Secure players with strong usage trends and cash out on names that won’t sustain their current value.