Most fantasy football leagues’ trade deadline is set within the next few weeks, leaving most owners wondering who they should make a final push for or get rid of. There’s no more time to wait if you’re not one of the few lucky fantasy owners, that’s 8-3 or higher. Take the chance and set up a trade before your starting lineup is set in stone.
Having Ashton Jeanty as the player a fantasy owner should trade away might come as a surprise to some. After a solid rookie season through the first 11 weeks, with over 500 rushing yards and six games over 12 fantasy points, owners believe the best is yet to come. They are wrong. With numerous problems within the organization and a tough schedule ahead, the best yet to come will happen in 2026, not the final six weeks of fantasy football.
Starting with the obvious, the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive line has been terrible, ranking second-worst in the NFL this season. No matter how great a player Jeanty is, it’s nearly impossible to stay consistent in fantasy with a terrible O-line, and his stat line shows. If you take a look past his six great fantasy weeks, scoring 12+ with a high of 33.5, he has had four under 10 points and some terrible statistics. Having nearly an even split of good or bad fantasy games doesn’t give owners the best chance when it comes time for the playoffs.
Not only does the O-line play poorly against every defense in the league, but in the last six weeks of fantasy, they and Jeanty have a challenging schedule ahead. In the last three weeks of the regular season, the Raiders will face off against the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos. Of those three teams, the best chance for Jeanty to have one good fantasy game would be against the Los Angeles. The Chargers’ 19th-ranked rush defense gives hope, but the Browns, ranked 14th, and the Broncos, ranked 4th, don’t offer the best chance for a good stretch before the playoffs begin.
In the fantasy playoffs, it doesn’t get much better. In week 15, the first round of the playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles will play the Raiders. Philadelphia ranking 19th in rush defense might not scare fantasy owners since it’s middle of the pack, but if they reach the second round, this is where Jeanty will become irrelevant.
In the second round, the Raiders will face the Houston Texans, who rank third in rush defense, and they will demolish the Las Vegas O-line. This will leave Jeanty with no room to run, resulting in a horrendous fantasy game. If owners somehow make it past all of that and reach the championship, the Texans play the New York Giants, and it will be their best matchup in six weeks. Don’t rely on one good matchup in six weeks and trade him before he ruins your 2025 championship chance.
The best player to target before the trade deadline is Ricky Pearsall. After a great first four weeks when Pearsall was dominating secondaries with two games above 14 fantasy points, he went down with an injury and was sidelined for six weeks. During those six weeks, most current fantasy owners put him on the injured reserve, hoping that when he got back, he would be an instant plug-and-play scoring quality points. They were mistaken. When he returned in week 11, he scored one fantasy point with one catch for zero yards.
Pearsall scoring only one fantasy point in his return may scare most owners and make them want to stay away in a trade, but they should think again. Scoring only one point puts his current owners in the hot seat, unsure whether to bench him or trust him again. Take advantage of their confusion and secure Pearsall in a trade before he has another great game, making him more expensive and fantasy-relevant.
In week 12, Pearsall sits at a 10.2 fantasy projection against the 15th-ranked Carolina Panthers pass defense, where he has a huge chance at another big game. If he has a great game, his fantasy projection moving forward will be closer to 14 points, making current owners want at least a starting flex in a trade. Right now, he is available for a low-end flex or a backup, creating the perfect opportunity to secure him with little risk.
After week 12, the San Francisco 49ers and Pearsall have one of the best schedules leading up to and in the fantasy championship. The toughest of all their matchups happens immediately in week 13 when they play the number one-ranked Browns pass defense. This is the one game where, if you acquire Pearsall, you might want to keep him on the bench, but after week 13, the opportunity for breakout games is endless.
San Francisco has a bye week 14, but once fully rested, it begins the fantasy playoffs against the 18th-ranked Titans pass defense, which has given up 15 passing touchdowns. If this doesn’t entice an owner enough after facing the Titans in week 15, the 49ers play the Indianapolis Colts, who rank 25th in pass defense. If all of that still doesn’t win an owner over in the championship, San Francisco plays against the 23rd-ranked Chicago Bears pass defense, which has given up 21 passing touchdowns.
Trading for Pearsall after a very poor week 11 might sound risky, but upon deeper examination, it could pay off tremendously and possibly save an owner’s season. Every matchup he has in the fantasy playoffs gives him the chance to have a dominant game, scoring 15+ fantasy points. Don’t be afraid of his bad week 11 performance and take the chance on trading for Pearsall before time runs out.
With the trade deadline less than a few weeks away, now is the time to take a chance on a trade and shake up the roster. If you’re one of the few owners who’s 8-3 or higher, you might not take this advice, but anyone below that mark could always make an upgrade. There will be a few streamers who float around after the trade deadline in free agency, but any quality player will be rostered and untouchable.
If your roster is in need of a flex player, the best player to target is Pearsall. With his current owners nervous about his future fantasy value after a poor game back from injury, combined with his skill and the team’s schedule moving forward, it’s a no-brainer. He will have numerous games with 15+ fantasy points and be a key player for whoever starts him during fantasy playoffs. The best player to move on from is Jeanty. With a horrendous offensive line and a tough schedule ahead, let another owner stress about whether he will be valuable down the stretch.
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