Fantasy Football Week 3 Trade Advice: Best RBs & QBs to Buy, Sell & Hold (Ep. 2209)
Ryan Wormeli and Andrew Erickson break down Week 3 running back and quarterback trade targets, weighing early-season injuries and small samples against schedule and role changes. They debate buying Breece Hall and Quinshon Judkins, selling Omarion Hampton and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and buying low on Drake Maye, plus run through several buy/sell/hold trios at RB and QB.
# PLAY ACTION Deep Dive: FantasyPros Week 3 Trade Advice — RBs & QBs (Ep. 2209)
This episode is the running back and quarterback half of FantasyPros' weekly trade show, with Ryan Warmly and Andrew Erickson each bringing buy and sell candidates plus rapid-fire buy/sell/hold trios. The throughline: injuries have wrecked rosters faster than usual through two weeks, creating unusually good trade leverage for healthier managers, while several early-season struggles (Judkins, Drake Maye, Hampton) are being priced by panic rather than by what the schedule and role actually project going forward.
The arguments
Terrence Ferguson is a legitimate streaming tight end whenever Puka Nakua or Devonte Adams sits. Warmly and Erickson agreed that with Nakua out Monday night, Ferguson drew 9 targets (Adams had 10, nobody else had more than 2), confirming the breakout profile they projected in the offseason despite some drops. Erickson put him top-10 among tight ends in those spot weeks; Warmly settled at a "fringe TE1" floor, both preferring his talent over compilers like Dalton Schultz.
Quinchon Judkins is a buy-low despite two brutal games because the workload and matchup are turning. Erickson argued his rough JAX/TB matchups masked a real bell-cow role — target share jumped from 8.7% to 16.7% week two, and Dylan Sampson's IR stint removes his receiving competition. He's now facing Carolina at home, a defense that Chicago just gashed. Warmly agreed on the profile but wanted to establish Judkins-for-Alvin/Tre'Quan Etienne-Chan type value; he'd personally lean Etienne-Chan given team context, but signed off on Judkins as a fair, gettable RB2 for anyone at RB24-25 in consensus.
Breece Hall is the best running back buy on the show because of the Jets' schedule and his receiving floor. Warmly built the case around upcoming matchups (Detroit, Chicago, then a manageable stretch through week 8) and Hall's three-down role — he was RB12-13 despite a poor rushing week because of five catches on five targets. Both hosts preferred Hall over similarly-ranked names like Jeremiah Love, David Montgomery, and Cam Skattebo, with Erickson only debating Bucky Irving as a real toss-up.
Omarion Hampton is trending from buy to sell despite a strong box score, because of usage and schedule red flags. Erickson flagged back-to-back fumbles, a brutal offensive-line and tight-end injury situation (Biotis, Kolar, Njoku all out), and minimal receiving work — 40th among backs in routes run through two weeks. Warmly agreed the profile is worse than the 94-yard, one-touchdown line suggests, especially given a schedule (Seattle, Denver, KC, Rams, Houston, Baltimore) that offers few positive game scripts; both landed on "sell now or hold reluctantly," not "buy."
Jacory Croskey-Merritt is a sell with Jayden Daniels out and Marcus Mariota under center. Erickson used the FantasyPros With-or-Without-You tool to show Brandon Aubrey — no, specifically Washington's backfield — fell off by more than 5 half-PPR points per game with Mariota starting last year, and Rashad White out-targeted Croskey-Merritt last week. Combined with a brutal remaining schedule (Seattle, then a rough finish including Minnesota/Jacksonville), both hosts want him moved now, before this week's Seattle game further tanks his value.
Drake Maye is a buy-low quarterback whose talent hasn't disappeared, just his supporting cast and schedule difficulty. Erickson pointed to a softening schedule (Bills, Jaguars, two Dolphins games, Jets) and the eventual return of AJ Brown as reasons to buy in after two quarterback-outside-top-22 weeks. Both hosts floated packaging Jared Goff or Tyler Shough plus a sweetener to acquire him, expecting Maye to trend back toward his preseason QB4 range.
What it means for your roster
- Trade for Judkins now if you're an RB2 hurting for volume — his ADP-adjusted price is bottomed out and the Carolina matchup is a get-right spot; a Judkins-for-Etienne-Chan swap was floated as fair value.
- Buy Breece Hall aggressively — Erickson and Warmly both rank him ahead of similarly-priced names like David Montgomery, Cam Skattebo, and Jeremiah Love given the Jets' schedule and his receiving floor.
- Shop Omarion Hampton immediately, ideally before this week's Buffalo game sours further — sell into the name value while the box score still looks decent; both hosts have him ranked behind Devon Achane, Jaylen Warren, and Kyren Williams-tier backs already.
- Sell or bench-stash Jacory Croskey-Merritt — his value craters against Seattle this week, and Washington's backup-QB offense projects poorly into the playoff stretch (SF, Minnesota, Jacksonville).
- Buy low on Drake Maye — target managers frustrated after two poor weeks; a Jared Goff-plus-piece or Tyler Shough-plus-piece offer for Maye is reasonable given his easier upcoming schedule and AJ Brown's eventual return.
- In three-way buy/sell/hold calls: buy Devon Achane and Cam Skattebo, sell Jayden Reed-less Jordan Love and David Montgomery, and hold Kyren Williams and Justin Herbert (Herbert's value is too depressed to move, but the Buffalo matchup could bump it back up).
“Dude, chicken nugget fans... just kidding — 'Blake shot out of a Coram.'” — Andrew Erickson
Players in this episode
→ Downgraded to out for the Giants game late in the week; his absence boosted Adams and Ferguson, and hosts expect it to not be long-term.
↑ Called a buy as a true bell-cow catching passes even with Tua/backup QB questions, leading the team in targets over the last two weeks (11 total, though only 7 catches).
↑ Buy-low target despite ranking outside top-22 QBs through two weeks; hosts cite a favorable remaining schedule and eventual return of A.J. Brown as reasons for a rebound to QB4-level production.
↓ Coming off a strong Week 2 box score, but hosts flag concerning lack of receiving usage, offensive line injuries, and a brutal rest-of-season schedule; downgraded from buy to hold/lean sell.
→ Rushed for 85 yards and a TD alongside Blake Corum's strong game; hosts view him as a hold given a crowded, productive backfield split.
↓ Suffered an arm/shoulder injury on Monday night and was seen in visible pain on the sideline; injury status unclear.
↑ Hosts view Hall as a strong buy given a soft upcoming schedule (Detroit, Chicago) and his receiving floor even when rushing struggles; ranked ahead of similarly-priced backs like Kyron Williams and Jeremiah Love.
→ Labeled a sell despite Cowboys' strong offense because rushing production has been poor (24 carries, 71 yards) against soft matchups, though passing-game usage (9 targets, a TD) makes him tradeable for value.
→ Called a hold rather than sell since his trade value has cratered too much to move, despite a favorable matchup vs. Buffalo that could force him to carry the offense.
↑ Labeled a 'keep'/buy given his talent and potential for expanded Wildcat-style usage if Jaxson Dart misses more time.
↑ Called a hold/buy candidate after scoring a TD right after a Rhamondre Stevenson fumble, suggesting a possible shift in touches toward Henderson.
↓ Called a sell given offensive line issues and Nico Collins' absence hurting the Texans' offense, with hosts regretting not selling him sooner.
↓ Left Monday night's game with a sprained MCL after a first-quarter hit; not considered season-ending but a concerning injury given his rushing profile.
↑ Faded during draft season, but now seen as a cheap buy-low after tough early matchups; workhorse role solidified with Dylan Sampson on IR and rising target share (16.7% in Week 2).
↑ Smashed with 8 catches, 195 yards, 2 TDs filling the WR1 role with Puka Nacua out; considered a top-3-5 fantasy WR when Nacua is sidelined.
↑ Expected to see concentrated targets with Jaden Reed injured, forming a strong duo with Matthew Golden in the Packers passing game.
→ Explosive with 79 yards on 12 carries, splitting work with Kyren Williams; hosts consider both backs droppable into the sell/hold range depending on trade context.
↓ Labeled a sell due to Jaden Reed's injury, a weak offensive line, lack of pass rush, and a short week against Atlanta.
↑ Hosts argue he's a top-8-18 rest-of-season WR given a 35% target share through two weeks, urging managers not to sell high despite consensus ranking him lower (14th).
↑ Called a buy due to a favorable rest-of-season schedule and strong play since the second half of the Lions game.
↓ Labeled a sell with Jaden Daniels out and Marcus Mariota starting; historical splits show his production drops over 5 half-PPR points/game with Mariota, plus a brutal upcoming schedule including Seattle.
↑ Broke out with 9 targets, 6 catches, 54 yards and a TD when Puka Nacua was out; hosts project him as a top-10-15 fantasy TE in any week Nacua or Devante Adams misses time.
↓ Looked nothing like his 'YOLO ball' self filling in for Dart, going 11-of-27 for 111 yards and an interception in a game the Giants couldn't punch in a touchdown.