ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp to Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: Which big name will be traded in the next couple of weeks, and what will the fantasy impact be?
JAKE CIELY
I'm leaning to no one being traded, as we're talking about big names here (Hakeem Nicks, Ben Tate, etc.), and trades rarely happen in-season, let alone with names like these. Now, if I had to pick one, I think Nicks is the most likely to move and provide improved fantasy value. The Giants season is over, and with Nicks commanding Mike Wallace-type money this offseason, the team will likely let him walk with Rueben Randle stepping up. With a trade, Nicks' value should improve slightly given the rumored destinations. While Nicks won't jump up to WR1 status, his value certainly won't decrease no matter where he goes. The only way I see Nicks' value rocketing is if he lands in New England with Tom Brady. However, that would mean the Patriots traded away draft picks... and well, that's just as likely as our getting a straight answer from Bill Belichick.
Ciely oversees the fantasy football staff for Football.com and assists with social media, including Twitter and Facebook. He is an award-nominated fantasy writer with over 15 years of experience. He started his fantasy sports career with his own blog and eventually became the Managing Editor at RotoExperts.com. He’s also a poker enthusiast, which is why you see many poker references, including his nickname “All In Kid.” Jake has also introduced new metrics to fantasy football analysis.
SAM HENDRICKS
I do not like trades midseason. It takes half a season to really get comfortable (build timing) with a new QB throwing to a WR or TE or for a RB to learn the plays/pass protection. So I tend to shy away from players who are traded in the middle of the season and downgrade their potential synergy until next year.
Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Basics, all available at ExtraPointPress.com, at all major bookstores, and at Amazon and BN.com. He is a 20-plus year fantasy football veteran who regularly participates in the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall (out of 228 competitors) in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC). Follow him at his web site, www.ffguidebook.com.
CORY BONINI
Despite what recent reports say, I still feel like Giants wideout Hakeem Nicks finds his way to the Atlanta Falcons and has a strong year. However, common sense points me toward WR Kenny Britt being shipped out of Tennessee, yet I still cannot endorse him as being a valuable fantasy commodity. Should Britt end up in Atlanta, I suppose there is a reasonable chance that he could turn around his season, but his apparent lack of mental fortitude suggests that is highly unlikely.
Since 1996, KFFL.com has been combining its award-winning news service with fantasy analysis. KFFL.com offers services including daily news, draft guides and in-season advice. Completely free, KFFL.com is your destination for fantasy baseball, football and NASCAR cheat sheets, tips, sleepers and much more. KFFL.com has won more than a dozen expert championships and was listed as "One of the 10 essential sports-related online destinations for fans, athletes and fantasy owners" by Time.com. KFFL.com is property of USA TODAY Sports Media Group.
BOB HENRY
I'll go with no substantial deals taking place before the deadline. Most of the general managers cling onto their draft picks and I don't see any of them bandying those about for players with as much risk involved as Kenny Britt or Josh Gordon. The only player that would make sense is Tony Gonzalez with the Falcons record, but I don't see them making that move. Who really saw the Trent Richardson deal coming, so anything can happen, but I'd love to see a player like Gordon go to a team like the Lions or Falcons, though.
Henry is a senior writer/analyst for Footballguys.com since 2004 and an industry veteran of 17+ years. His responsibilities at Footballguys include leading the annual training camp reports, providing detailed preseason and year-forward projections during the season that help drive the Footballguys suite of mobile, web and desktop draft and in-season management tools, along with managing the depth charts and his popular weekly Sleepers column during the season.
ERIC CATURIA
Numerous clubs are in need of a wideout due to injuries sustained to this point in the season, namely Atlanta, Detroit, Green Bay, and Philadelphia. All but the Falcons seemingly hold a realistic shot of making the playoffs, leaving organizations with assets such as Josh Gordon (Browns), Hakeem Nicks (Giants), and Kenny Britt (Titans) holding an ace up their sleeves. It's rare for a deal to cause significant ripples in terms of fantasy, but the preceding players, as well as a handful unmentioned, could turn around their prospects with a change of scenery. Gordon may be unmovable, while Nicks has been linked in a number of whispered trades, but Britt is the most intriguing in terms of fantasy due to his lack of a competent QB with which to connect. As for a landing spot, the Lions and Packers are the likely candidates, but the latter's situation is more pressing due to the hammering their corps took in Week 6, losing Randall Cobb until Week 15 at the earliest and James Jones for perhaps a game or two. The 6-3, 223 Britt would supply a big-play ability gone with the absence of Cobb, as he's averaged 15.8 yards on his 153 career catches, and if a pleasing rapport was built on the fly with all-world signal caller Aaron Rodgers, the results could be quite fruitful.
Caturia is a writer/editor of NFL, MLB, and NBA content for RotoWire. He can be found on Twitter @etcat30.
SCOTT SACHS
Although the Cleveland "brain trust" denies they're shopping him, Flash Gordon would look pretty sweet in the Black-and-red of Atlanta. Or how about in Green Bay green-and-yellow? Speaking of green, how about the Eagles? Philly looks poised to steal that division, especially if it's Foles in command. All these guys are one quality WR away from gaining a significant edge. Still plenty of time left in the season. The Browns are looking to next year and are looking for more draft picks.
Sachs runs Perfect Season Fantasy Football, offering LIVE Talk/Text/Email consulting & advice. Winner of Fantasy Football Index's 2012 Experts Poll & 2011 Mock Auction League, Scott can be found at http://perfectseasonffb.com/.
ANDY RICHARDSON
I know the Falcons aren't going to throw in the towel on the season (though perhaps they should), so I will not be surprised if they trade for a wide receiver -- Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt, most likely. The cost of Josh Gordon is too high, and they really need a guy for 2013, not a long-term option. I am not sure Britt is the explosive player he once was, but getting into a pass-first offense with a quarterback like Matt Ryan would seem to yield good numbers for him the rest of the way. He's worth a bench spot just in case.
Richardson has been a columnist and contributor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and web site for 12 years. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual draft and auction leagues since their inception. He previews all the NFL games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays during the NFL season.