Each week, I’ll break down the players I think you should buy low, sell high, or hold onto as the fantasy season unfolds. Whether you’re chasing a playoff spot or trying to keep your roster steady, these moves can give you the edge you need to stay ahead of the competition.
BUY – Ja’Marr Chase
The 2025 season hasn’t exactly been kind to the consensus No. 1 fantasy pick. I drafted Ja’Marr Chase myself, and despite the rough start, I’m not hitting the panic button, and neither should you.
Yes, Joe Burrow is sidelined for the next three months, and that’s a gut punch. If Zac Taylor wants to keep his job past Thanksgiving, he has no choice but to make Chase more of the centerpiece of this offense and also get the run game going. Backup quarterback Jake Browning looked flat-out terrible in Week 3 against Minnesota; you could’ve rolled out Chris Browning, and the stat line would have looked the same.
The Bengals have to find their offensive rhythm again heading into a brutal Monday night matchup in Denver. If they’re going to have any shot at pulling off the upset, Chase needs to be moved all over the formation to avoid Surtain and peppered with double-digit targets.
Here’s the good news: even with the QB carousel, Chase has seen 27 targets through three games, hauling in 21 of them. That ranks 11th in the league in receptions and 5th in both total yards and yards per game.
Better days are coming for Chase and this offense. Yes, it’s going to take steadier quarterback play to unlock his full ceiling, but if you drafted him, hold the line. The storm will pass, and when it does, Chase is going to remind everyone why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the first place.
BUY – Bucky Irving
If you’re looking for a buy-low running back who could flip your fantasy season, Bucky Irving is screaming value right now. Drafted inside the top 25 in August, Irving hasn’t exactly lit up the box score yet, but the volume, situation, and upside all point in the right direction.
Through three weeks, Irving is averaging 18.6 carries per game, top-tier workhorse usage on a Buccaneers offense that’s still trying to find its rhythm in the run game. Tampa Bay has been without superstar left tackle Tristan Wirfs and is paper-thin at wide receiver, with rookie Emeka Egbuka being the only healthy option. Once the Bucs’ starting pieces return, this offense should open up, creating far more space for Irving to operate.
His situation feels eerily similar to Travis Etienne in 2023, another early draft pick who stumbled out of the gate before erupting for 1,484 total yards and 12 touchdowns. Irving has that same dual-threat skill set and could absolutely follow that path once things click.
Yes, the 3.1 yards per carry isn’t sexy, and he hasn’t found the end zone on the ground yet. But he’s already 4th in the league in rushing attempts (56), and that kind of volume doesn’t stay quiet for long.
SELL – David Montgomery
Wow. That’s really all you can say about David Montgomery’s Monday night explosion in Baltimore. The Lions ground game absolutely bulldozed the Ravens, and if you started Montgomery, there’s a good chance you walked away with a Week 3 win.
But here’s the part you don’t want to hear: now is the time to sell him.
Heading into Week 3, Montgomery had just 82 rushing yards on 22 carries, hardly RB1 material. Even more concerning, he’s seen only 30% of the touches this year compared to the 50% workload he averaged the past two seasons under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. That’s a major dip in usage, and it’s not the type of trend you want to bet on long term.
Yes, Montgomery will pop off for spike weeks like this throughout the season. But consistency? That’s going to be tough to come by with his usage decrease. That’s why I’m banging the table for fantasy managers to sell high now and flip him for someone with a rising workload, think Bucky Irving or even Chase Brown, both of whom could be league-winners by season’s end.
It’s easy to fall in love with the big game you just saw, but savvy managers know when to cash out. Montgomery’s value might never be higher, so move him now before reality catches up.
SELL – Chuba Hubbard
I’ll admit it, I was all-in on Chuba Hubbard heading into 2025. After a breakout 2024 campaign with 1,350+ total yards and 11 touchdowns, he looked like a locked-in RB2 with upside. Welp, three weeks into the new season, things aren’t going as planned in Carolina.
Inconsistent quarterback play and two key offensive linemen landing on IR have derailed what was supposed to be a much-improved Panthers offense. Hubbard is still seeing 14.3 carries per game, and his work in the passing game has been the main reason he’s stayed fantasy-relevant so far.
But here’s the red flag: Rico Dowdle’s usage is climbing fast. He logged 3 carries in Week 1, 6 in Week 2, and 10 in Week 3. That’s not a coincidence. Head coach Dave Canales loves to run the ball, and this offense is starting to look more like a committee with each passing week.
Hubbard remains the lead back, but the big question is how much longer he’ll hold a dominant share of the workload. The trend points toward a more balanced backfield, and if you needed another reason to raise an eyebrow, it was Dowdle who punched in the goal-line touchdown in Week 3, with that being the only rushing touchdown either back has this season.
Chuba isn’t in danger of disappearing from fantasy relevance, but his grip on low-end RB1 volume is starting to loosen. Savvy managers should keep a close eye on this backfield because if Dowdle’s touches keep climbing, this could turn into a frustrating timeshare by midseason. Food for thought: I just traded away Chuba for Bucky Irving.
HOLD – Ashton Jeanty
From the moment Ashton Jeanty was drafted sixth overall by the Raiders, the pressure was on and rightfully so. The guy was a wrecking ball in college, putting up video-game numbers that had fantasy managers (myself included) convinced his dominance would translate immediately to Sundays.
Three games in, the stat line might not blow you away, and plenty of people are already pumping the brakes. I’m not one of them. In fact, I think Jeanty is exactly where he should be.
He’s currently tied for 10th in rushing yards with Bijan Robinson (47) and ranks 24th in yards per game. Not eye-popping, sure, but context matters. Jeanty is still a rookie, just three games into his NFL career, on a Raiders offense that’s committed to running the football, something Pete Carroll has always built his teams around. And here’s the stat that really matters: 144 of Jeanty’s total rushing yards have come after first contact. That’s elite stuff and proof that his physical style and next-level talent are already translating.
The production spike is coming. The Raiders will keep leaning on the ground game, and Jeanty’s role isn’t going anywhere. Hopefully, he will be more involved in the passing game moving forward. If you can trade for him now, do it before the breakout arrives. If he’s already on your roster, this is a “set it and forget it” situation.
HOLD – Brock Bowers
I’ll be the first to admit it: Brock Bowers was my guy last year. I scooped him up in the 11th round everywhere I could, and he delivered big time. But heading into 2025? That price tag got way too rich for me. I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger on a tight end inside the top 20 picks, and I get why most managers did, as they were banking on last year’s production rolling right into this season.
But here’s the thing: new head coach, new offensive coordinator, & new system, those changes always shake things up. And while Bowers is still a freak of nature and without question a top-three tight end in the league, expecting a carbon copy of 2024 was always a stretch.
Now, the start hasn’t been great, but there’s plenty of reason to keep the faith. Bowers is still averaging seven targets per game, already has a 100-yard performance under his belt, and currently ranks fourth among tight ends in receiving yards. That’s impressive considering he’s been playing through a knee injury that’s not yet 100%.
Here’s the reality: Bowers does face a tougher schedule this year against tight ends and has more competition for targets. The flip side? That added offensive balance means defenses can’t key in on him like they did before, and he’s playing with a much-improved quarterback leading the offense.
So, will he live up to that aggressive draft capital? That’s the real question. Bowers is going to be fine, probably even great, but expecting him to smash that top-20 ADP might be asking too much.