With five weeks in the books, it's time to take a hard look at how you can improve your rosters. Our Dave Richard identifies one specific running back whose value couldn't possibly get any higher.
By Dave Richard
• 6 min read
Our Trade Value Chart is designed to assist you in making fair trades in your standard-scoring league. The values assigned to the players below are strictly a measurement of their Fantasy value heading into the current week. This list should also provide a glimpse into how we feel about a player for the remainder of the season.
After five weeks and four favorable matchups, the value on Redskins' rookie running back Alfred Morris is sky high. And when it comes to trades in Fantasy, timing is everything.
There's no reason to doubt that Morris could finish the season with over 1,000 rush yards and nine touchdowns, but if that's the case then he's almost halfway there already with 491 yards and four scores through five games. It would be stunning if he kept up that pace for the next 11 games, especially considering who he'll play.
Morris is looking down the barrel at a schedule that still has matchups against the Steelers and Ravens and two each against the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants. And before he can get to any of those games, he takes on the Vikings this week. In fact, only three of his final 11 games come against defenses in the bottom half of the league in run defense. Compare that to the Redskins' first five opponents -- four are currently in that bottom half of run defenses and the fifth is the Bucs, who are technically a Top 5 run D but are the only team among the Top 16 that's allowed four rushing touchdowns (in only four games).
Reality is such that defensive coaches are starting to get a beat on Morris, and that could make it harder for him to deliver big rushing numbers from week to week, especially once the competition gets tougher. Those same coaches are also finding ways to drop the hammer on Robert Griffin III, Morris' quarterback. It's no secret that part of Morris' success is thanks to the passing and running threat RG3 provides. Griffin's abilities earn him the eyeballs of most defenders while Morris can take advantage of light coverage. Though it wasn't much of a glimpse, we saw what life would be like without Griffin on the field for Morris this past week when he ran for 6 yards on three handoffs from Kirk Cousins. Griffin is expected to be fine after a concussion knocked him out of Week 5, but if he were to miss any time, the focus of the Redskins' opponents would shift from quarterback to running back.
But forget about that sad scenario and focus on what Morris represents now: A big trade chip. Most everyone either drafted Morris with a late-round pick or got him off waivers. That means he wasn't taken as a starter -- he's just played like one. Whether you need to or want to, dealing Morris for a good starter or two is something that can be done now. In fact, if you have good depth at running back but are thin elsewhere, flipping Morris might save your season. Here are some deals that have gone down for Morris:
Week | Opponent | Rank vs. run |
6 | vs. MIN | 6th |
7 | at NYG | 16th |
8 | at PIT | 11th |
9 | vs. CAR | 23rd |
10 | bye | -- |
11 | vs. PHI | 12th |
12 | at DAL | 15th |
13 | vs. NYG | 16th |
14 | vs. BAL | 20th |
15 | at CLE | 26th |
16 | at PHI | 12th |
17 | vs. DAL | 15th |
Alfred Morris for Vincent Jackson and Jordy Nelson: A deal like this works for the Morris owner who is loaded at running back and needs help at wide receiver. Jackson and Nelson haven't exactly come close to expectations this year -- Nelson is basically getting unloaded in this deal -- but the value both receivers should give makes this a big win for the team getting them.
Alfred Morris for Reggie Wayne: Sometimes you can only get one stud receiver instead of two good ones. In this case, the trade is even based on current trade values. But again, if the Morris owner needed receiver help, this trade is on the money.
Alfred Morris for Cam Newton: We'll discuss Cam Newton's struggles and plummeting value later this week, but as far as this trade is concerned, it's even. Like the Wayne trade, the Morris owner probably wanted to lock up an upgrade at quarterback while dishing depth from his running back corps.
Alfred Morris and Malcom Floyd for Ryan Mathews: I thought this was an interesting deal. Mathews' value is sky-high after he shined against the Saints on Sunday. Not that Morris' value isn't -- but the "sweetener" of Floyd makes the deal work. If anything, Floyd is too good of a receiver to throw in, but given Mathews' reputation compared to the uncertainty Morris' future holds, the deal isn't a horrible one.
Player | Value | Player | Value | Player | Value |
Arian Foster, RB, HOU | 35 | Doug Martin, RB, TB | 13 | Scott Chandler, TE, BUF | 6 |
Ray Rice, RB, BAL | 34 | DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI | 13 | Owen Daniels, TE, HOU | 6 |
LeSean McCoy, RB, PHI | 30 | Michael Vick, QB, PHI | 12 | Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL | 6 |
Drew Brees, QB, NO | 25 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, CIN | 12 | Andy Dalton, QB, CIN | 5 |
Matt Ryan, QB, ATL | 25 | Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC | 12 | DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR | 5 |
Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA | 25 | Torrey Smith, WR, BAL | 12 | Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR | 5 |
Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB | 24 | Steven Jackson, RB, STL | 11 | Dennis Pitta, TE, BAL | 5 |
Tom Brady, QB, NE | 24 | Darren Sproles, RB, NO | 11 | Greg Olsen, TE, CAR | 5 |
Calvin Johnson, WR, DET | 24 | Vernon Davis, TE, SF | 11 | Kenny Britt, WR, TEN | 5 |
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAC | 23 | Aaron Hernandez, TE, NE | 11 | Nate Washington, WR, TEN | 5 |
Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN | 23 | Greg Jennings, WR, GB | 11 | Lance Moore, WR, NO | 5 |
Jamaal Charles, RB, KC | 23 | Vincent Jackson, WR, TB | 11 | Justin Blackmon, WR, JAC | 5 |
A.J. Green, WR, CIN | 23 | Eric Decker, WR, DEN | 11 | James Jones, WR, GB | 5 |
Julio Jones, WR, ATL | 23 | Tony Romo, QB, DAL | 10 | Ben Tate, RB, HOU | 4 |
Ryan Mathews, RB, SD | 22 | Steve Smith, WR, CAR | 10 | Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ | 4 |
Trent Richardson, RB, CLE | 20 | Michael Turner, RB, ATL | 10 | Alex Green, RB, GB | 4 |
Jimmy Graham, TE, NO | 20 | Tony Gonzalez, TE, ATL | 10 | Fred Davis, TE, WAS | 4 |
Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE | 20 | Steve Johnson, WR, BUF | 10 | Heath Miller, TE, PIT | 4 |
Eli Manning, QB, NYG | 18 | Chris Johnson, RB, TEN | 9 | Kendall Wright, WR, TEN | 4 |
Darren McFadden, RB, OAK | 18 | Brandon Lloyd, WR, NE | 9 | Michael Crabtree, WR, SF | 4 |
Frank Gore, RB, SF | 18 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT | 9 | Texans/49ers/Bears DST | 3 |
Stevan Ridley, RB, NE | 18 | Philip Rivers, QB, SD | 9 | Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, BUF | 3 |
Percy Harvin, WR, MIN | 18 | Andrew Luck, QB, IND | 9 | Jay Cutler, QB, CHI | 3 |
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI | 18 | Mikel Leshoure, RB, DET | 9 | Michael Bush, RB, CHI | 3 |
Victor Cruz, WR, NYG | 18 | Jordy Nelson, WR, GB | 9 | Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, ATL | 3 |
Robert Griffin III, QB, WAS | 17 | Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG | 9 | Mark Ingram, RB, NO | 3 |
Matthew Stafford, QB, DET | 17 | Dez Bryant, WR, DAL | 9 | Brandon Bolden, RB, NE | 3 |
Cam Newton, QB, CAR | 17 | Joe Flacco, QB, BAL | 8 | Jacob Tamme, TE, DEN | 3 |
Reggie Bush, RB, MIA | 17 | Fred Jackson, RB, BUF | 8 | Andre Roberts, WR, ARI | 3 |
Alfred Morris, RB, WAS | 17 | Pierre Garcon, WR, WAS | 8 | Randall Cobb, WR, GB | 3 |
Andre Johnson, WR, HOU | 17 | Antonio Brown, WR, PIT | 8 | Sidney Rice, WR, SEA | 3 |
Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN | 17 | Jeremy Maclin, WR, PHI | 8 | Christian Ponder, QB, MIN | 2 |
Roddy White, WR, ATL | 17 | Denarius Moore, WR, OAK | 8 | Carson Palmer, QB, OAK | 2 |
Brandon Marshall, WR, CHI | 17 | Malcom Floyd, WR, SD | 8 | William Powell, RB, ARI | 2 |
Reggie Wayne, WR, IND | 17 | C.J. Spiller, RB, BUF | 7 | LeGarrette Blount, RB, TB | 2 |
Matt Forte, RB, CHI | 16 | Antonio Gates, TE, SD | 7 | Jackie Battle, RB, SD | 2 |
DeMarco Murray, RB, DAL | 16 | Kyle Rudolph, TE, MIN | 7 | David Wilson, RB, NYG | 2 |
Wes Welker, WR, NE | 16 | Jason Witten, TE, DAL | 7 | Beanie Wells, RB, ARI | 2 |
Peyton Manning, QB, DEN | 15 | Brian Hartline, WR, MIA | 7 | Kendall Hunter, RB, SF | 2 |
Willis McGahee, RB, DEN | 15 | Matt Schaub, QB, HOU | 6 | Bilal Powell, RB, NYJ | 2 |
Mike Wallace, WR, PIT | 15 | Donald Brown, RB, IND | 6 | Pierre Thomas, RB, NO | 2 |
Marques Colston, WR, NO | 15 | Martellus Bennett, TE, NYG | 6 | Donnie Avery, WR, IND | 2 |
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT | 14 | Jermichael Finley, TE, GB | 6 | Jeremy Kerley, WR, NYJ | 2 |
Miles Austin, WR, DAL | 14 | Brandon Pettigrew, TE, DET | 6 | Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, OAK | 2 |
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, NYG | 14 | Brent Celek, TE, PHI | 6 | Josh Gordon, WR, CLE | 2 |
Stay in touch with the most passionate Fantasy staff in the business by following us via Twitter @CBSFantasyFB . You can also follow Dave at @daverichard and on Facebook .
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