Fantasy Football Trade Targets Ahead of Week 4: Deebo Samuel, Trey Benson, and More

Week 3 was another fun one, with several high-scoring games and plenty of big fantasy performances. Unfortunately, there were also a few significant injuries that will alter the fantasy landscape for the rest of the season. 

As crazy as it sounds, for fantasy leagues with a 14-game regular season, we are already 20% of the way to the playoffs. That means that it is time to be proactive with roster moves to set your team up for success. Beyond waiver moves, the next 3-4 weeks are peak trade time where no one is totally out of it yet, but teams that are 0-3 or 1-2 are starting to feel the heat.

Week 4 Fantasy Football Trade Targets

As usual, I'm looking for players who are either positive regression candidates or breakout candidates. These are players I believe are undervalued relative to their rest-of-season outlook. Of course, the hardest part of these trade target articles is recommending what to give up to acquire the player. I'll do my best to outline the player archetypes that I want to trade away and give examples of trades I think are good value, but ultimately, you can only trade the players who are on your roster. To help with crafting your trade offer, I recommend using our Rest-of-Season rankings and Trade Analyzer to come up with a deal that is reasonable, but still a win for your team. 

Trey Benson - RB, Cardinals

I wrote about Trey Benson as a dynasty trade target before Week 2. He stood out to me as a player who had standalone value to go along with massive contingent upside and a high likelihood to be more valuable at the end of the season. The thesis for that recommendation played out faster than expected, with James Conner suffering a severe ankle injury. I hate to say it, but at 30 years old, this is likely to be a career-altering injury for Conner.

Benson will now step into a featured back role. He's looked good this season, averaging 6.0 YPC and putting up 56 scrimmage yards per game in a backup role. He hasn't really popped in the box score because he hasn't found the end zone yet. 

Benson profiles as a high-level RB2 for the rest of the season. It may be difficult to trade for him if the manager who rosters him is aware of what they have, but if you think they won't value Benson properly until they see the production, now is the time to make a move.

I would love to trade away a veteran like Travis Etienne or J.K. Dobbins, who has been productive so far, but has younger competition that is likely to take away more work as the season progresses.

Deebo Samuel - WR, Commanders

The Commanders scored 41 points but didn't have to do much through the air as their rushing attack and special teams carried the day. The big question this week was how the RB touches would shake out in the wake of Austin Ekeler's injury. At least for the short-term, it looks like a full-blown committee situation with Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt all involved. One of those guys may emerge over the course of the season, but the lack of a clear lead back makes me think the coaching staff doesn't fully trust any of them. 

In that context, what stood out to me were the three rush attempts for Deebo Samuel. I expect this type of usage to continue, with Deebo seeing 2-5 rush attempts per week to go along with his receiving role. Through two games with Jayden Daniels, Deebo had 17 targets and a 22% target share. He only had three targets with Marcus Mariota this week, but that was only one off the team high as Mariota attempted just 21 passes and spread the ball around.

When Daniels returns to the lineup, this offense is likely to be a bit more pass-heavy. If Deebo maintains a 20+% target share, his role could be among the most valuable at the WR position because of the added rushing work. I want to get ahead of this usage by trading for Deebo now. Selling high on an older WR who is off to a hot start (i.e., Keenan Allen) to add Deebo to my team is a move I would be happy to make.

Ladd McConkey - WR, Chargers

Buying low on Ladd McConkey could be a league-winning move. This Chargers offense is legit and has embraced a more pass-heavy philosophy in 2025. That looks unlikely to change in the wake of the Najee Harris injury. 

Through three games, Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston have stolen the show and been the most valuable pass catchers. However, we know McConkey is extremely talented after he posted 2.38 YPRR as a rookie. He is going to have big games over the course of the season. Opposing defenses will have to adjust and start accounting for the other receivers, which should open up opportunities for McConkey as the season progresses.

This is an offense I want pieces of, and McConkey has been the biggest underperformer so far, which makes him the most attractive trade target. He's still a strong WR2 in my opinion, but many fantasy managers are panicked about his lack of production rather than excited about the offensive environment. I would try to trade away an inconsistent WR who has had good TD luck so far this season (i.e., DK Metcalf or Courtland Sutton) to buy low on McConkey and upgrade my roster.

Quinshon Judkins - RB, Browns

It didn't take long, but Quinshon Judkins has locked up the rushing work in Cleveland. In Week 3, he handled 18 of 19 running back rush attempts and got two targets to boot. Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford will remain involved in the passing game, but the rushing attack is going to be the Judkins show. 

Despite spending most of the offseason away from the team, Judkins looks fantastic on the field. The Cleveland offense looks set to run through him for as long as they can. Judkins was a strong prospect who dominated the NFL Combine, and I think there would be more excitement about his fantasy outlook if it weren't for his offseason situation. It's time to make some trade offers before his perceived value matches his actual value.

There are really just two risks to be aware of for fantasy managers. The first is suspension risk, as there is still a decent chance Judkins is suspended at some point in the 2025 season. However, this should also make it easier to keep his price down in trade talks, as you can point to this risk as a reason. 

The other risk to his fantasy outlook is that he could be game-scripted out of some matchups if Cleveland falls behind early. The good news is that the Browns' defense appears to be among the best in the NFL, which should keep them competitive in most games and allow Judkins to have around 20 opportunities per game.

For managers looking to sell high on Jordan Mason before Aaron Jones returns, I think Judkins is a great target to send an offer for. 

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