Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer Advice: Cooper Kupp, Rico Dowdle and More

Give me a movie with a comeback or redemption story arc any day of the week.

The opening sequences all have the same vibe. Something tragic occurs, and we find the protagonist down and out. Some person or group proclaims that our hero will never get back to where they were. But then the unthinkable happens. Like in Shawshank Redemption, where Tim Robbins plans out his escape down to the smallest detail. Of course, a dash of movie magic brings everything together in the end, but at its core, a return-to-glory plotline starts with something harder than what follows: a shift in mindset.

Trading players can seem like a last resort to improving your team. Instead, some fantasy managers prefer to make small tweaks through the waiver wire or wait out bad situations. But take a look at who’s available after Tuesday night. Kimani Vidal or Hassan Haskins aren’t going to save your season. And if you want to keep fighting for a playoff spot, negotiating for better starters and depth should be your approach heading into Week 6.

Analyzing Potential Trade Targets For Week 6

I’ve heard the cliché that everybody has a price. So, sure. Go talk to the person with Jonathan Taylor or Emeka Egbuka (who's skyrocketing up the rest-of-season fantasy football rankings) on their roster. After offering half of your roster (and a family member or two), hopefully, they stop laughing. Then you can start talking about a deal that could benefit both squads. To help, I’ve got some other names to consider after the latest set of games.

Buy Lows

Troy Franklin – only other DEN WR with an air yard share over 20.0% in two straight games; highest target rate on play-action concepts
Cooper Kupp – increased target rate over the last three weeks (11% to 25%); two consecutive weeks over 20% target rate
TreVeyon Henderson – double-digit target share in three of five games; projected boost in role after Antonio Gibson's injury

I’ll tack on George Kittle to this list, too. He won’t be back until Week 7 at best, so checking in on whoever has him to test the market has some merit. Regardless, the rest of these guys have some intrigue. They might be on someone else’s bench. But they could lift your team’s floor depending on the deal.

Take Cooper Kupp, for example. As I mentioned, the former Triple Crown winner has seen more involvement in Seattle’s passing game each week. From just two targets in Week 3, Kupp had five-plus against the Cardinals and Buccaneers. Sam Darnold has been looking downfield more often than where Seattle’s slot man typically operates (8.4 air yards per pass attempt vs 6.8-yard receiving aDOT). However, with Darnold averaging 30 or more dropbacks in three of his five outings, Kupp has the makings of a WR2 for a minimal cost.

Buy Highs

Rico Dowdle – one-game sample, but had a similar usage profile as Chuba Hubbard (79% rushing share, 13% target rate); extended absence a possibility
Stefon Diggs – two weeks in a row with a target rate over 40%; most-targeted receiver in obvious passing situations
Jacory Croskey-Merritt – first game with full control of the WAS backfield (61% rushing share, 9% target rate, and all of the i5 carries)

As I’ve mentioned in the past, there’s an inherent risk with the concept of “buying high.” First, the increased cost that comes with a popular player. Also, there’s a potential for a drop in production from them. Unfortunately, Stefon Diggs checks both boxes.

The former Bill did complete his revenge story against his former team on Sunday night. But the 31-year-old WR is still a part-time player. Even in the tight SNF matchup, Diggs only had a 64% route rate. He’s been at 70% or less in four of five contests. New England won’t play against Carolina or be in a close race with teams Diggs used to play for every week. However, his rapport with Drake Maye should make him a weekly starter moving forward.

Advice On Finding the Right Fantasy Football Trade Value

There are two parts to a trade: an objective and a subjective portion. Our Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer can handle the first piece. It blends our projections and Utilization Report data into a score to show who got the better end of the deal. But check social media, and you know fantasy managers don’t need an algorithm to figure that out. We can look at the names and tell. But even a model can miss situational context. So, even if some of the transactions appear lopsided, I’ll fill in the gaps or find more realistic pieces to make the negotiations look more balanced.

Trade 1

Give: Rome Odunze, Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Receive: Bijan Robinson

In fairness, this type of offer is why I had Croskey-Merritt listed as a “Buy High.” Very few (read nobody) would have accepted this deal a month ago. A similar deal might have been dead on arrival heading into Week 5. However, based on current utilization rates for all the players involved, I’d say this is a fair trade.

I’ll take the “Toss-Up” descriptor as the model’s agreement with my initial reaction. But let’s play this out over the course of the season.

Our projects show the Commanders’ RB1 with a top-20 finish to close out 2025. Even without Jayden Daniels for two games, Washington ranks eighth in offensive scoring and sits at the league average in red-zone plays per game. And looking at the rookie’s Week 5 usage, his single-game workload compares well to the current RB7.

Rushing Rate: 61% (Croskey-Merritt, Week 5), 56% (Robinson, 2025)
Targets per Route Run: 17%, 20%
Short-Yardage Snaps: 60%, 60%

Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols saw fewer snaps in Week 5. Meanwhile, Tyler Allgeier continues to earn goal-line touches ahead of Robinson. While some might scoff at such a trade, the timing couldn’t be better with a player like Croskey-Merritt.

Trade 2

Give: Rico Dowdle, Woody Marks
Receive: Kenneth Walker

Honestly, I’d rather keep the pair of RBs. Sure, Dowdle is coming off his best game, and Chuba Hubbard may come back soon. But, at best, this trade is sacrificing two committee backs with contingent upside for another RB in a timeshare. And it’s not like Walker has the strongest lead on his backfield mate.

I tried some rudimentary math back in Week 3 regarding UR Scores to size up a trade. Simply put, add up the scores and see which side is larger. Nothing scientific, but it gives you a rough idea of which side is getting more work. And, sure, Dowdle may lose touches after Hubbard’s return, but Marks doesn’t have much competition barring injury. Hence, the “Moderate Concern” for acquiring Walker. I’d aim a tier higher and tried switching out the (current) Seahawks’ RB1 for Buffalo’s leading rusher.

At least the tool would sanction this trade. Although in reality, unless the manager with James Cook needed the RB depth, they would likely need more. Tack on a TE (e.g., Mason Taylor) or address one of the other gaps on their roster, and you could see how a trade like this could go through in your league.

Players Mentioned in this Article

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