Fantasy Football 2013: 7 Players Who You Should Sell High Now

Fantasy Football 2013: 7 Players Who You Should Sell High Now

It’s tough to give up a player who has been good to you, but sometimes you have to do what’s best for the team. If the Indianapolis Colts can dump Peyton Manning likes yesterday’s garbage, then you should have no problem doing it with one of your fantasy football starters.

Don’t be one of those people who sleep on trades. They’re a great way to gain a strategic edge in a game in which luck is a huge factor. With all of the uncertainties heading into the NFL season, anybody can have a lucky draft and make good additions from the waiver wire. Trades are not only a good way to put more skill into the equation; they’re also a lot of fun.

They are almost a game of their own. Sometime you win and they lose, sometimes they win and you lose, sometimes it’s a wash, and sometimes you both win. If you have too many good wide receivers, get something for one of them. If you have two great quarterbacks and are hurting at another position, sell one of your QBs. It’s almost always a good idea to take a downgrade in your backups for an upgrade in your starters.

I’ve never understood people who don’t like to trade. Do they have some sort of emotional attachment to their fantasy players? If you have starters who have to sit on your bench, get something useful for them. If you have a player who has started hot and likely won’t keep it up, sell high.

For those who are scared to jump into the trading waters, here are some players who are safe to dump because they will likely cool down from their hot starts. Unless you’re hurting at their respective positions, these are seven players you should sell high now.

Aaron Charles is a Kansas City Chiefs writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on twitter @aaroncharleskc or add him to your network on Google

7. Philip Rivers

Rivers was either drafted for the bench or not at all in almost every league. It’s good to have a decent backup quarterback, but Rivers' stock should be going down soon. He is the fifth-highest scorer in all of fantasy football right now, and there is no way he will keep that up with his lack of receivers. You might be able to get something good from someone hurting at quarterback, but move quick because his true colors are starting to show.

6. Joique Bell

Reggie Bush being back in the lineup is obviously going to put a damper on his numbers, but even with Bush in this season, Bell still put up serviceable fantasy numbers. Bell’s stats are going to take a hit once the Detroit Lions take on some better defenses than the Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings. He is the fourth-highest scoring running back at this point, and now is the time to cash out on him.

5. Eddie Royal

Royal is the fourth-ranked wide receiver right now because of the five TDs he snagged in his first two games. He has already tied a career-high in that category, and he obviously won’t keep that up. The sixth-year wideout’s average of 49 receiving yards per game is inflated from what he's done in recent seasons, and still add up to a dependence on touchdowns for a decent fantasy day. Those TDs will likely be few and far between from this point on.

4. Julius Thomas

If you have Thomas, let me congratulate you for winning the waiver wire sweepstakes after his breakout game in Week 1. If you already had a good tight end, you might as well trade one of them. Thomas has grabbed a TD in every game thus far, but his yards have declined significantly each week. The Denver Broncos are crowded with good pass-catchers, so it’s hard to believe Thomas will be able to keep up consistent fantasy production.

3. DeSean Jackson

I know players from Chip Kelly’s exciting offense were monstrous in Weeks 1 and 2, but the Kansas City Chiefs, the first decent defense they faced, gave them fits in Week 3. Jackson is the no. 1 receiver in fantasy football right now, and there is no way the inconsistent wideout will keep that up. Jackson will probably have a good season, but right now you could probably get someone to overpay for him.

2. Darren McFadden

McFadden is a perennial sell-high candidate as he is 0-for-5 at finishing a season without missing significant time. You’re going to want to ship him out before the injury-prone back goes down again. He’s been consistent this year, posting a double-digit game each time out ─ be sure to mention that when you try to dump him off on people.

1. Michael Vick

Vick is the second-highest scorer in fantasy football, and was also drafted as a backup in most leagues. Even if he is your starter, you can get a better one. Vick has played all 16 games just once in his career, and the inevitable turnovers have already reared their ugly head in Week 3 when he was responsible for three against the Chiefs. Take advantage of his lofty ranking before it drops.