Fantasy: Trading Post - Frank Gore's best game is behind him
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Fantasy football owners that were able to survive Week 4's nasty slate of byes have a chance to gain further ground in the coming weeks if they're willing to exploit the other owners in their leagues.
Here's a look at players worth targeting in trades this week, and others who might be worth selling off:
Cam Newton
Week 4 line: 14-of-25, 197 yards, TD, 7 rushing yards
Newton has been limited by an ankle injury thus far, not to mention his injured ribs.
Understandably, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has placed some restrictions on his injured quarterback in an effort to keep him upright, and that's meant making Newton into a pocket-passer.
The majority of Newton's value certainly comes from his ability to pick up yards (and touchdowns) with his feet, something he hasn't done much of this season, and owners have paid the price.
The positive is that he's been effective throwing the football. The Panthers front office overhauled the team's receiving corps, bringing in a bigger group of pass-catchers for Newton to work with as he has a tendency to miss high on throws. There's been instant chemistry, particularly with first round pick Kelvin Benjamin, who looks destined to become an elite receiving option.
At some point, the former Auburn star is going to be unleashed. Better to buy-in before that time comes. VERDICT: BUY
Philip Rivers
Week 4 line: 29-of-39, 377 yards, 3 TDs
Just about everything has come up aces for Rivers thus far this season. The Chargers leaned very heavily on their running game down the stretch a year ago, which severely limited Rivers' fantasy value in the second half of the season, but the shackles have been taken off in 2014.
That's largely due to circumstance, as the Chargers have found themselves trailing on more than one occasion against teams with poor secondaries, as was the case Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Chargers are going to get Ryan Mathews back well before the fantasy playoffs, and Rivers' fantasy value figures to drop dramatically when that time comes. Now's the time to sell high. VERDICT: SELL
LeSean McCoy
Week 4 line: 10 carries, 17 yards
The top pick in the majority of drafts, McCoy has been a major disappointment for owners thus far, and they're surely scrambling at the moment.
Running the ball effectively has been what Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has hung his hat on, even dating back to his time at Oregon, so this is an issue he surely wants fixed just as much as fantasy owners.
The team's offensive line has been a big part of the program, but that group gets Lane Johnson back this week, and Jason Peters was able to avoid serious injury this past weekend. McCoy presents a great buy low opportunity for owners. VERDICT: BUY
Frank Gore
Week 4 line: 24 carries, 119 yards, 1 reception, 55 yards, TD
It's difficult to imagine Gore replicating Sunday's 174-yard performance this season, particularly given Carlos Hyde's increased usage.
Gore deserves a ton of credit for being as good as he has been for as long as he's been. The 49ers have been active in bringing in backs through the draft to push Gore and eventually take his spot atop the depth chart, but time after time they've all fallen by the wayside.
That's not going to be the case with Hyde, who saw 10 carries in a competitive game this past Sunday. A week after giving owners just a single fantasy point, now's the time to get out. VERDICT: SELL
Demaryius Thomas
Week 4 line: BYE
Thomas certainly didn't do enough to justify his early-round selection in the majority of drafts through the first three weeks of the season, and owners had a week to stew over it as the Broncos went through their bye week.
Few players on the team needed that bye as much as the Georgia Tech product, who has been limited by foot problems thus far.
The extra week of rest should help Thomas round back into form, while Peyton Manning and company surely spent the bye figuring out ways of getting Thomas more involved in the offense. He'll face a stern test Sunday in Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, but it's smooth sailing after that. VERDICT: BUY
Emmanuel Sanders
Week 4 line: BYE
Thomas' teammate in Denver figures to take a hit going forward as the wide receiving picture gets clearer on the other side of the bye.
Sanders has been a favorite of Peyton Manning in the early going this season, with Thomas dealing with a foot injury and Wes Welker suspended for the first two weeks.
Now Sanders falls to No. 3 on the Broncos' receiving hierarchy, and that doesn't factor in the presence of tight end Julius Thomas. Sanders has certainly earned himself some additional looks moving forward, but his usage figures to take a hit the rest of the way. VERDICT: SELL
Larry Donnell
Week 4 line: 7 receptions, 54 yards, 3 TDs, 8 targets
It's not often that there will be value in acquiring a player coming off a three-touchdown game, but this situation looks like a rare exception.
Once again, Week 4's slate of byes was rough, and it included two of the top tight ends in fantasy - Julius Thomas of the Denver Broncos and Jordan Cameron of the Cleveland Browns.
That meant owners were forced to dig deep into the waiver wire in search of hidden gems, and many struck gold with Donnell. As there is only one spot available for tight ends in most leagues, each of those owners is looking to sell off Donnell, rather than the tight end they brought in with a high draft pick.
Donnell's performance wasn't a fluke - he's getting targeted like a TE1, particularly in the red zone. Most importantly, he and Eli Manning have quickly developed a chemistry that bodes well for his chances of continued success moving forward. VERDICT: BUY
Martellus Bennett
Week 4 line: 9 receptions, 134 yards, 11 targets
Entering this season, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was a popular sleeper pick in fantasy drafts. A big reason for that was the presence of two of the top receiving options in football - Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.
While those two have been limited due to injury, Bennett has flourished, ranking second among tight ends in receptions, fourth in receiving yardage, and second in touchdowns.
His usage figures to take a major dip as those top two receivers get healthy, though. Bennett received double-digit targets only once last season - something that's already happened twice this year.
Coming off a performance in which he set career-highs in catches and receiving yards, there's no better time to sell high. VERDICT: SELL