As we pass the quarter mark in the 2025 NFL season, roles are crystallizing — and drafters are getting itchy to make moves. You want to trade into ascending roles and trade out players with fading value or limited opportunity. Based on how things have played out, here are my bold calls heading toward Week 6.
Players to Trade For (Buy Low, Upside Plays)
Jordan Mason (RB, Vikings)
Anytime a borderline RB2 faces the Browns’ defense, I’m ready to circle them as a buy-low target — and that’s exactly where Jordan Mason finds himself this week. He salvaged his London outing with a goal-line touchdown but finished with only 56 scrimmage yards and a fumble against one of the toughest fronts in football. That’s now back-to-back modest games following his breakout start after Aaron Jones’ injury, which means his managers might finally be feeling uneasy.
Here’s the thing: the underlying usage is rock solid. In Mason’s three games as the starter, he hasn’t seen fewer than 16 total opportunities and is averaging 5.0 yards per carry with three touchdowns in that span. On the season, his career 5.2 YPC ranks sixth-best among all running backs with 300+ carries since 1990 — elite efficiency territory that’s being overlooked because of a tough stretch of matchups.
Despite those matchups, Mason currently sits as the RB13 in fantasy scoring — ahead of names like De’Von Achane, Saquon Barkley, and Breece Hall. He’s now heading into an early Week 6 bye, which gives you a perfect timing window to buy. Managers frustrated by his recent box scores may see the bye as another reason to move him, but this is your chance to strike.
Mason checks every box for a trade target: stable workload, proven efficiency, and touchdown equity in an offense that’s starting to run through him. Buy him during or right after the bye and you’ll have a rock-solid RB2 for the rest of the season.
Angle: Managers see the fumble and bye week, not the underlying usage. He’s averaged 16+ opportunities and 5.0 YPC since taking over for Aaron Jones. Offer a WR3 or bench RB while his manager is frustrated.
TreVeyon Henderson (RB, Patriots)
Henderson feels like one of those classic rookie ticking time bombs — quiet for now, but one spark away from detonating in fantasy lineups. The Patriots are still clinging to Rhamondre Stevenson as their lead back despite his repeated ball-security issues. Henderson, meanwhile, has done everything right with limited touches: he’s explosive, disciplined, and hasn’t lost a fumble in hundreds of collegiate and professional touches combined.
Patience is key here. New England is notorious for easing rookies in slowly, and Henderson’s early-season numbers don’t yet reflect his upside. But the coaching staff knows what it has. With Antonio Gibson leaving Week 5 with a knee injury, the backfield suddenly looks thinner, and the door is opening for Henderson to claim meaningful work.
The upcoming matchups against the Saints and Titans could be exactly what he needs — both defenses have been vulnerable to cutback lanes and passing-down runs, the areas where Henderson thrives. If he flashes in either game, he may never give the job back.
This is the definition of a buy-before-the-breakout move. The talent, opportunity, and timing are aligning — and managers who wait until the box score catches up will have already missed their chance.
Angle: Henderson’s value is low enough that you can slip him in as a throw-in piece in a bigger trade. Stevenson’s fumbling issues and Gibson’s knee injury are quietly opening the door for the rookie. Grab him before he’s starting and his price doubles.
Derrick Henry (RB, Ravens)
If you read last week’s column, you know I had Derrick Henry as a buy on the assumption that John Harbaugh and this offense would figure things out sooner rather than later. After another frustrating performance — 33 yards on 15 carries with a lucky goal-line touchdown saving his day — it’s fair to question the “sooner” part. Henry has now rushed for 50 yards or fewer in four straight games, something he hasn’t done since the first four games of his rookie season.
He’s been inefficient in some brutal matchups — 2.1 yards per carry vs Cleveland and 2.2 vs Houston — and his scoring pace has cratered, finding the end zone just twice over the past month after averaging more than one touchdown per game last season. Add in Lamar Jackson’s absence and Baltimore’s defensive collapse, and it’s been a messy month for “The King.”
But let’s zoom out. Henry is still a top-20 running back on the year despite the slump. The volume remains there, and history tells us betting against Henry’s bounce-back is rarely wise. The Ravens’ offense has been disjointed, but Jackson’s pending return should stabilize game scripts and restore Henry’s efficiency. The post-bye schedule lines up perfectly too — a rough Week 6 date with the Rams’ front and a Week 7 bye are followed by two soft matchups against the Bears and Dolphins, where he could easily explode.
The stigma around being “stuck holding the bag” with Henry shows up every year when he starts slow. That’s your window. His current manager likely drafted him late in Round 1 or early Round 2 and may be panicking. Offer an exciting younger RB2 or a flex-level wideout to test the waters.
This is still Derrick Henry — a player who, once hot, can single-handedly swing playoff runs. The talent, workload, and touchdown equity haven’t vanished; they’ve just been buried under a bad stretch of team football. Buy now while his value is at its lowest point in years.
Angle: Four straight sub-50-yard games make him look cooked, but Lamar’s return and two soft post-bye matchups (Bears + Dolphins) scream rebound. Flip an overperforming RB2 plus depth to buy the coming bounce-back.
Chase Brown (RB, Bengals)
Like Derrick Henry, Chase Brown has been one of the bigger fantasy disappointments of the young season — though much of that blame falls on the state of Cincinnati’s offense. Ever since Joe Burrow’s Week 2 injury, this unit has struggled to find rhythm, and backup Jake Browning has done little to keep defenses honest. The Bengals have now dropped three straight and sit in danger of falling out of playoff contention if things don’t turn around soon.
Despite the chaos, Brown remains an intriguing buy-low. He’s flashed explosiveness every time he’s gotten space and still profiles as the most dynamic back on the roster. The Bengals invested heavily in offensive weapons this offseason, and they can’t afford to let their running game vanish. When the offense eventually finds balance again — whether through improved quarterback play or simply by necessity — Brown’s workload could spike in a hurry.
The game script in Week 5 against Detroit made his box score look empty, but that second half was mostly garbage time as Cincinnati was playing from behind. Don’t read too much into that. Instead, look at opportunity trends: his snaps and touches have quietly been climbing even amid poor efficiency.
If you can acquire Brown at mid-to-low-end RB2 pricing, the upside is worth the gamble. He’s talented enough to take over the backfield once this offense wakes up, and that’s the kind of midseason swing that can pay off huge in fantasy playoffs.
Angle: Cincy’s offense looks broken without Burrow, hiding Brown’s gradual workload climb. Trade a mid-tier flex or TE for him while he’s valued as bench filler—before touches translate into production.
Jameson Williams (WR, Lions)
If you’re looking for a dirt-cheap upside stash, Jameson Williams might be the best buy-low of Week 6. He’s been quiet to start the year — inconsistent usage, low target volume, and a few frustrating near-misses — but that’s exactly why now is the time to strike. Williams’ speed is still unmatched on Detroit’s roster, and it only takes one deep connection to flip a fantasy matchup.
The best part? His next two matchups line up perfectly with his play style. Detroit faces secondaries that have struggled to contain vertical routes and double moves — the exact kind of looks Williams thrives on. Those games could easily produce the long touchdown or 100-yard performance that vaults his trade value overnight.
Right now, he’s cheap enough that you can acquire him as a throw-in or a swap for a bench-level flex. Then, if he hits on one of those upcoming big plays, you can sell high right after. That’s the sweet spot of fantasy trading: buy low, cash out after the breakout.
Williams is still developing chemistry with Jared Goff, but the underlying talent hasn’t changed — and the schedule finally gives him the chance to remind everyone of it.
Angle: Managers are done waiting on the breakout. His next two opponents are vulnerable to vertical plays—exactly his specialty. Acquire him as a throw-in; sell high after the inevitable long-TD week.
Players to Trade Away (Sell High / Move Before Value Falls)
Sam LaPorta (TE, Lions)
If you drafted Sam LaPorta expecting a locked-in top-tier tight end, Week 5 finally gave you the glimpse you’ve been waiting for — 92 yards and a touchdown, good for 17.7 fantasy points. The problem? That single game nearly doubled his production from the previous three weeks combined (14.8 points).
Yes, it looked great on paper, but context matters. That breakout came against a Bengals defense that’s been gashed by tight ends all season. His only other double-digit outing was versus the Packers, another defense notorious for soft coverage against the position. When facing more disciplined schemes, LaPorta has been nearly invisible — just 10 catches for 98 yards across three games.
His Week 5 touchdown was also his first of the year, and that’s concerning for a player whose fantasy value relies heavily on scoring. The inconsistency that burned managers down the stretch in 2024 is still showing up in 2025 — and it’s unlikely to disappear with Detroit’s offense spreading the ball more evenly between Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and the running backs.
This is the perfect sell-high window. Use the recency bias from his big week to move him for a steadier option. If you can flip LaPorta for Dalton Kincaid, Jake Ferguson, or even package him with a flex for an RB upgrade, do it. Tight ends are volatile by nature — take the profit before his next three-catch, 30-yard game brings his value back to Earth.
Angle: Week 5’s 92-yard, 1-TD outburst came against a TE-friendly defense. Use that stat line to pitch “return to form.” Move him for Kincaid, Ferguson, or package him for RB depth before the next 3-catch dud.
Ja’Marr Chase (WR, Bengals)
On paper, Ja’Marr Chase’s 26-point Week 5 explosion looks like a “he’s back” moment — 10 targets, 110 yards, and two touchdowns. But if you actually watched that game, you know how deceiving the final box score was. Through three quarters, Chase had just four catches for 31 yards and no scores before salvaging his day with two late breakaway touchdowns. Credit his talent, sure — Chase can turn nothing into something in an instant — but this version of Cincinnati’s offense is far from stable.
Without Joe Burrow, the Bengals have been inconsistent at best and dysfunctional at worst. Chase has finished with under seven fantasy points in three of five games and 50 or fewer yards in all of those. His two massive outings (Weeks 2 and 5) are doing all the heavy lifting for his current top-10 ranking at the position. The floor, however, is alarmingly low.
And the quarterback situation doesn’t help. Joe Flacco — now under center — ranks dead last among qualified QBs in yards per attempt and passer rating, and near the bottom in completion percentage and touchdown rate. None of his Cleveland receivers averaged more than 7.3 fantasy points per game with him last year. That’s the kind of environment that limits even elite wideouts.
Angle: His 26-point explosion was two late bombs masking three quiet quarters. The QB downgrade to Joe Flacco caps consistency. Sell the “WR1 is back” narrative for a steadier elite like Nacua, Amon-Ra, or Bijan.
Calvin Ridley (WR, Titans)
Calvin Ridley signed a big contract with Tennessee, but the 2025 season has been underwhelming so far. Through four games, he’s logged 10 receptions for 141 yards and zero touchdowns on 24 targets — a modest line considering his expectations.
Week 5 was a “flash” game — 5 catches, 131 yards in a tight comeback win. The deep catches were eye-catching, especially in an offense that’s otherwise ranked last in passing yards through Week 4. But that game may be more smoke than fire. Ridley’s snap count was limited in Weeks 3 and 4, and injuries (knee, elbow) have already slowed him in practice.
Furthermore, Tennessee’s passing game is weak overall, especially under rookie Cam Ward, which limits Ridley’s weekly ceiling. Ridley is working through injuries and hasn’t been efficient enough to trust as more than a volatile flex/or WR3.
Angle: Week 5’s 130-yard game is a mirage in a low-volume, rookie-QB offense. His name still carries WR2 cachet—package him with a flex to land a true weekly starter before efficiency regresses.
Alvin Kamara (RB, Saints)
If you want to move Alvin Kamara at a decent price, you’ll likely need to find a buyer relying more on name value than recent production. After a pair of strong outings to start the season, Kamara has now posted three straight single-digit fantasy performances, and his carry count has dropped every week since Week 2.
The passing work that once made him elite is keeping his floor barely afloat — he’s caught at least four passes in three games — but he hasn’t topped 30 receiving yards all year. On the ground, the writing’s on the wall: Kendre Miller is earning a bigger share of early-down work. In Week 5, Miller actually outgained Kamara on the ground (by 14 yards) and trailed him in snaps by just seven (33 to 26). The shift is subtle but steady, signaling a move toward a committee with Miller handling the heavier touches.
The Saints appear to be transitioning toward the future, and that future isn’t built around a 29-year-old back with heavy mileage. Kamara still hasn’t logged fewer than 14 total opportunities in a game, so you don’t want to give him away — but his ceiling now looks more like a pass-catching RB3 than the RB1 he once was.
If you can package him off his early-season box scores or season-long volume totals, this is the right time. Flip him for an ascending back like J.K. Dobbins or Jordan Mason (see above), or move him as part of a 2-for-1 deal for a more stable weekly starter. Kamara’s name still carries weight — use it before his snap share and trade value sink further.
Angle: The touches look fine, but Kendre Miller’s snap share is climbing and Kamara hasn’t topped 30 receiving yards. Use early-season stats and brand recognition to trade him for rising backs like Dobbins or Mason.
Final Thoughts
The smartest trades happen not when a player is exploding—but when you can foresee the breakout before it’s obvious.
- Buy: Mason, Henderson, Henry, Brown, Williams
- Sell: LaPorta, Chase, Ridley, Kamara
Push your trades now. Positioning matters more than chasing box score buzz.