Fantasy Football Trade Targets: The Best WR & TE Buys and Sells for Week 3 (Ep. 2211)
Ryan Wormeli and Andrew Erickson break down wide receiver and tight end trade buys and sells ahead of Week 3, highlighting Josh Downs, Garrett Wilson, and Chicago's pass catchers as buys while flagging George Pickens and Jake Ferguson as sells. They close with rapid-fire buy/sell/hold rounds on several WR and TE trios.
This episode of the FantasyPros trade show splits pass-catchers into buys and sells for Week 3, with Ryan Heath and Andrew Erickson working through wide receivers and tight ends after already covering RBs/QBs in a separate episode. The throughline: buy talented players stuck in bad situations or muddled offenses before the market catches up, and sell touchdown-inflated or crowded-target-share players while their value is still propped up by early hype.
The arguments
Josh Downs is a legitimate WR3 buy now that Indianapolis has made him a full-time receiver. Heath pointed to Downs leading the Colts with a 27.3% target share and an 83% snap rate in Week 2, arguing Keenan Allen looked "cooked" against Kansas City and is no threat to Downs' role. Both hosts agreed the addition of Darius Slayton as a field-stretcher could actually funnel more underneath and vertical work to Downs, and Erickson called him simply "a good player" who's finally getting favorable usage; both preferred Downs over Diggs and DK Metcalf in trade talks.
Garrett Wilson is a ceiling play disguised as a floor play. Heath carried over his running-back-episode logic on the Jets' offensive line and schedule, noting Wilson is WR18 in rest-of-season consensus but is playing like a low-end WR1 with a soft slate (Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Miami twice) running into Week 13. Both hosts flagged the Jets' history of burning fantasy managers but agreed the receiving room lacks competition, with Erickson suggesting Wilson could be won in a trade for Rashee Rice.
Rashee Rice is a viable buy-low despite a slow start. Erickson argued Kenneth Walker's workload is unsustainable and Patrick Mahomes looks fully healthy again, making Rice's WR24 rest-of-season ranking too low; Heath was more skeptical, calling him a "PPR scam merchant" dependent on role rather than talent, though he ultimately conceded the ranking felt low too.
Bears pass-catchers (Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden) are buy-lows after an unwatchable Week 2. Erickson dismissed the near-shutout against Brian Flores' blitz-heavy defense in the rain as a non-predictive outlier, still calling Loveland an elite talent and noting Tyson Bagent may actually fit Ben Johnson's system as a traditional dropback passer. Heath agreed not to overreact to one game and pointed to a favorable stretch (Jets, Packers, Falcons) plus two matchups against Detroit as reasons for optimism.
George Pickens is a sell despite his WR8 consensus ranking. Heath argued CeeDee Lamb, now healthy, is reclaiming the clear WR1 role, and Pickens' ADP (WR10) barely justifies his current ranking given his actual production (WR66, then WR41 through two weeks). Erickson agreed fully, naming DeVonta Smith, Drake London, and Parker Washington as players he'd take straight up over Pickens, and both floated packaging Pickens with a small piece for Garrett Wilson.
Jake Ferguson is an obvious touchdown-dependent sell. Erickson highlighted Ferguson's rock-bottom target share (9.2%), route participation, and snap rate compared to his touchdown-driven output, plus competition from Jalen Tolbert and a tough upcoming Kyle Hamilton matchup. Both hosts agreed this is close to a layup trade, floating Terrance Ferguson or Rondale Moore-in-Gadsden-type upgrades as return targets.
Parker Washington and Drake London are buys; Jalen Waddle is the sell among that trio. Erickson said he'd pay "through the moon" for Washington, ranking him ahead of London in his personal top-10 WRs, while Heath emphasized London's massive per-game averages with Michael Penix Jr. now reinstalled as starter. Both agreed Waddle is the moving piece given Sean Payton's boom-bust tendencies.
What it means for your roster
- Buy/claim Josh Downs now as a WR3-with-upside; sell high on Stefon Diggs to acquire him if possible.
- Trade for Garrett Wilson while his market value sits at WR18; both hosts believe he's playing like a low-end WR1 the rest of the way.
- Target Rashee Rice as a buy-low, especially if his current WR24 ranking looks depressed relative to Mahomes' recent play.
- Acquire Bears pass-catchers cheaply, particularly Loveland; don't overpay given the depressed market, but both hosts want them on their rosters.
- Sell George Pickens now, targeting DeVonta Smith, Drake London, or Parker Washington as realistic swaps; consider Pickens-plus-throw-in for Garrett Wilson.
- Move Jake Ferguson immediately for any tight end in a healthier offense (e.g., Terrance Ferguson, Rondale Gadsden types); this was called one of the easiest sells of the show.
- Buy Parker Washington and hold/buy Drake London; sell Jalen Waddle into his boom weeks given Sean Payton's volatility.
“He looked all of 33 years old, 34 years old.” — Andrew Erickson
Players in this episode
↑ Viewed as the clear WR1 in Dallas now that he's healthy, expected to outproduce Pickens rest of season.
↑ Expected to surge with Michael Penix Jr. reinstalled as starter; averages nearly 20 PPR points per game with Penix, creating a short buy window before his stock rises.
↓ Ranked WR8 rest-of-season but hosts believe CeeDee Lamb will dominate the offense; recommend selling high given tough matchups and target competition.
↑ Referenced as a similar buy-low case to Garrett Wilson from the earlier RB episode, both benefiting from the Jets' schedule.
↑ Seen as a good buy-low given expected red-zone role and eventual reduction in Kenneth Walker's workload; ranked too low (WR24) per hosts.
↑ Coming off a big game with Dallas Goedert out for a month; hosts view him as a rising WR1 and someone they'd trade George Pickens for straight up.
↑ Production has been nearly nonexistent (outproduced by Greg Dulcich) but hosts still view him as an elite talent and a buy-low.
↑ Called a top buy given a favorable schedule and clear WR1 role in a functional Jets offense; hosts view him as a ceiling play disguised as a floor play.
↑ Included among Bears pass catchers to buy low despite a quiet Week 2 (3 catches, 32 yards) in bad weather against a blitz-heavy defense.
↓ Seen as the sell of the London/Waddle/Washington trio due to boom-bust profile under Sean Payton's offense.
↓ Hosts debated selling him given his name value is higher than production, facing target competition from Deebo Samuel and a rookie, and Jayden Daniels' injury status.
→ Part of the Bears buy-low group despite poor start; hosts less sold on his talent/profile than Loveland but still like the value.
↑ Hosts are extremely high on him, calling his WR14 ranking too low and saying he should be a top-8 WR; excited about his matchup vs. Christian Gonzalez.
↓ Looking great early in the season, but both hosts agree he's a sell-high candidate given his value is unlikely to stay this elevated.
→ Dealing with a heel injury and prior ankle surgery; expected to miss significant time, opening more opportunity for Downs.
↑ Suggested as a buy-low target to flip for Jake Ferguson given team situation and upside.
↓ Scored twice in Week 2 but only had 4 targets/64% route rate; hosts call him touchdown-dependent and an obvious sell-high given low target share (9.2%).
→ Solid, consistent producer with good chemistry with Tyler Shough; hosts recommend holding him as the Saints offense opens up.
↑ Was the team's target leader before Jackson Dart's injury; hosts view him as a buy-low given continued involvement expected.
↑ Full-time role has emerged (27.3% target share, 83% snaps in Week 2); hosts view him as a WR3 with top-24 rest-of-season upside, especially with Alec Pierce out.
→ Hosts lean toward holding him, unconcerned about Tucker Kraft's return since he, Christian Watson, and Golden form the core of Green Bay's passing attack.
→ Dominating Panthers targets alongside McLaurin, but hosts lean toward selling him after two big games against weak defenses (Bears, Falcons).
↓ Looked like he's lost a step against Kansas City and isn't seen as a real threat to Josh Downs' target share.
→ Expected to step in for Caleb Williams; some believe he may fit Ben Johnson's system as a more traditional dropback passer, limiting downside for pass catchers.