Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode: Players To Target In Trades || Fantasy Football 2025
Date: October 15, 2025
Hosts: Alfredo Brown & Dave Kluge

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the optimal trade targets for fantasy football leading into Week 7 of the 2025 season. With a landscape marred by injuries, underperforming stars, and shifting team situations, Alfredo Brown and Dave Kluge present eight actionable trade recommendations—ranging from high-profile buy-low and buy-high candidates to overlooked contributors. They dissect usage trends, upcoming schedules, and real-world “vibes” to inform your trading moves, wrapping with strategic advice on evaluating discomfort in trade ideas as a sign of value.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The State of the Fantasy Landscape (05:00–06:45)

• Injury Woes & Bye Weeks: Teams are feeling the depth crunch more than usual. Successful trading is seen as the best path to improving rosters or climbing out of an injury-plagued hole.

  "Trades seem to be sort of the best way to make any sort of movement here in fantasy football right now." — Alfredo Brown (05:08)

• Don’t Give Up: Even with suboptimal records (2–4, 1–5), managers are encouraged to get active on the trade market instead of giving up.

  "If you're in your league right now and you're what, 2 and 4, 1 and 5...there's still hope." — Alfredo Brown (06:29)

Top Trade Targets: Detailed Breakdown

1. Breece Hall – NYJ RB (07:00–10:22)

• Why Buy: Highly efficient, lots of opportunities but little TD luck. RB22 in points but 12th in touches and 8th in weighted opportunities.
• Narrative: Even in a bad Jets offense, Hall is showing “pre-ACL” form. Could improve if traded.

  "What I'm looking for when I'm trying to buy players right now are guys who are getting more touches than they are fantasy points." — Dave Kluge (07:52)

• Caveat: Fears around Jets’ offense and possibility that Hall is mostly a play for a potential trade.
• Stats: "Right now he's got 11 breakaway runs that leads the league...he just isn't scoring touchdowns." (07:10–08:02)
• Timestamps: 07:03–10:22

2. Quinshon Judkins – CLE RB (11:12–15:38)

• Why Buy: Usage “blip” in a pass-happy Browns match last week is misleading; he’s a volume outlier for a rookie, with optimal upcoming schedule (second easiest from Weeks 11–17).

  "The volume he's getting is pretty unprecedented. So I wouldn't look at this last week and say this is going to be who he is now..." — Alfredo Brown (12:46)

• Comparison: Top three in touches through first five career games among Day 2 RBs in a decade.
• Values: Market may be nervous off low snap share week. Check price but don’t overpay; volume and situation support a potential explosion.
• Timestamps: 11:12–15:38

3. AJ Brown – PHI WR (16:17–20:16)

• Why Buy: Week 1 panic lingers, but usage since is top-10. Just one TD this year; TD regression likely.

  "We see this all the time. Like these week one biases hold through the entire year..." — Dave Kluge (16:17)

• Metrics: "He's pulling a lot of targets...only guys averaging more than him: Adams, JSN, Garrett Wilson, Jamar Chase, Drake London, Olave, Puka Nacua.” (17:08)
• Narrative: Philly “vibes” are down, but underlying numbers are strong.
• Timestamps: 16:17–20:16

4. Jacory Croskey-Merritt – WAS RB (21:01–26:10)

• Why Buy: Negative spotlight from two high-profile fumbles obscures growing role. Commanders’ schedule is superb for RBs (especially fantasy playoffs: Dallas twice).
• Faith: Coaching staff kept him in after fumbles, indicating trust and job security.

  “I love that Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been fumbling...that tells me he has cleared this backfield.” — Dave Kluge (24:05)

• Timestamps: 21:01–26:10

5. Stefon Diggs – NE WR (26:46–31:15)

• Why Buy: On-field efficiency is elite—pulling targets on 33% of routes (second only to JSN, Puka Nacua), but limited by snap share (65.5%). Touchdown luck has been abysmal (none yet).

  “He's just a little bit older. He's coming off a season ending injury and I think he's warming up.” — Dave Kluge (30:05)

• Narrative: Growing confidence that route share increases as health returns. Trade opportunities exist due to moderate vibes.
• Valuation: Accept a risk and uncomfortable feeling—could be ideal buy-low.
• Timestamps: 26:46–31:15

6. Jalen Waddle – MIA WR (33:43–38:08)

• Why Buy: “Buy-low & buy-high” candidate. Recent big games overlooked due to Dolphins’ bad vibes and media focus elsewhere; thriving as WR5 over last two weeks.

  “This defense is atrocious in Miami. They have to be pass heavy...over eight targets and 100 yards per game over the last two weeks.” — Alfredo Brown (35:57)

• Situation: Tyreek Hill out, Dolphins forced to air it out. Upcoming matchups favorable; after one more big game, price goes up.
• Timestamps: 33:43–38:08

7. Alvin Kamara – NO RB (40:33–44:56)

• Why Buy: Usage is on par with history (RB26 overall, 9th in weighted opportunities), but TD drought and age create a squeamish manager. Decent chance of mid-season trade improving his situation.

  "We have seen Alvin Kamara overcome bad situations multiple times throughout his career. This guy who just consist consistently year after year, churns out top 12 seasons…” — Dave Kluge (41:08)

• Outlook: Even if he stays, volume supports a return to RB1/2 production.
• Timestamps: 40:33–44:56

8. Aaron Jones – MIN RB (45:57–50:05)

• Why Buy: Forgotten asset due to IR stint and odd vibes in Minnesota. Likely to reclaim passing-down role (Alvin Kamara lite) in a split backfield upon return.

  “Xavier Scott...he's just keeping the seat warm for Aaron Jones. I completely with you. I love buying Aaron Jones here.” — Dave Kluge (48:49)

• Target for: Winning teams with roster wiggle room. Should be pursued as a throw-in piece rather than centerpiece of a deal.
• Strategic Note: Best acquired as part of a 2-for-1 or “bench consolidation” deal.
• Timestamps: 45:57–50:05

Bonus Throw-In

Isaiah Likely (BAL TE):

• Only 18% rostered; schedule is easy; rumors swirl about Mark Andrews being traded.

  “Just wanted to throw his name in there...his schedule is one of the easiest for tight ends going forward.” — Alfredo Brown (50:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On discomfort as a sign of a good trade:

  "If you're comfortable while making that trade, I don't know, look in the mirror, maybe you're the one that got fleeced here." — Alfredo Brown (32:40)

• On “vibes” versus stats:

  "Again, you know, on brand, bad vibes, bad offense, a guy who's not scoring any touchdowns. I'm trying to buy Alvin Kamara right now." — Dave Kluge (40:33)

• Ted Lasso reference applied to trades:

  "Success is a lot like riding a horse. If you're comfortable while doing it, you're probably not doing it right...it's the same thing with like a trade." — Alfredo Brown (32:48)

• Mike McDaniel's capris derails football talk:

  "Everyone is worried about him wearing capris and...you cannot get respect from a locker room with your pants rolled up. Like, if we can see your ankle..." — Alfredo Brown (35:27)

Strategic Takeaways

• Look for Discomfort: Trades that don’t feel “easy” are often where value lies; market psychology can create discounts on still-elite players following down weeks.
• Schedule Matters: Many targets are justified based on upcoming easy stretches or soft playoff matchups.
• Narrative Leverage: “Vibes”/public perception play into trade value—managers may underrate assets stuck in bad offenses or coming off a rough week.
• Diversify Moves: Consider both “buy-low” and buying high on surging players where usage signals further upside.

Important Segment Timestamps

• Fantast/trade context and market discussion: 05:00–06:45
• Breece Hall deep dive: 07:03–10:22
• Quinshon Judkins rationale: 11:12–15:38
• AJ Brown analysis: 16:17–20:16
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt path to RB1: 21:01–26:10
• Stefon Diggs buy-low logic: 26:46–31:15
• Jalen Waddle ceiling & market inefficiency: 33:43–38:08
• Alvin Kamara trust in volume: 40:33–44:56
• Aaron Jones as the ultimate throw-in: 45:57–50:05

Conclusion

This episode arms fantasy managers with sharp, actionable trade targets and a framework for evaluating risk and unease in potential deals. Whether chasing RB upside with Judkins or Kamara, doubling down on post-injury WRs like Diggs and Waddle, or sneaking Aaron Jones into a package deal, the advice leans hard into volume, schedule, and trading against fear.

Hosts will return tomorrow with Week 7 tiers, rankings and start/sit decisions. For the latest adjustable rankings and projections, visit Footballguys.com.

[End of summary – Footballguys Fantasy Football Show | October 15, 2025 | “Players to Target in Trades”]