Fantasy football trade advice, Week 5: Buy-low, sell-high quarterback trade candidates

Now a quarter of the way through the 2016 NFL regular season, the top fantasy performers are starting come into focus. What affordable quarterbacks have the most fantasy potential for the remainder of the season and what signal callers should fantasy owners use to acquire more consistent production on their rosters?

Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills

A week after having his best fantasy performance of the year on Sept. 15 against the New York Jets (297 yards, three touchdowns), Taylor’s Buffalo Bills decided to get rid of the team’s offensive coordinator.

Since the switch, an emphasis on utilizing Taylor’s abilities as a runner seems to have been more integrated into the Bills’ offensive strategy (seven carries in first two games, 14 carries in last two). Fantasy owners should be able to swap a player from their bench for the Buffalo quarterback and Taylor’s legs could end up having him become a top fantasy performer when the season comes to an end.

Current standard fantasy average: 15.7 points

Yahoo! fantasy ownership: 65 percent

Next four games: at LA, SF, at MIA, NE

Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

If he already is not available in their league’s waiver wire (available in over 70 percent of Yahoo! leagues), a fairly cheap offer should be all that is needed for a fantasy owner to trade for Smith.

Through four games this year, Smith’s average passing yards per game (268.3) is the highest it has ever been in his career. For fantasy owners looking for a spark in their lineup, the Chiefs quarterback has a very favorable upcoming schedule and he has a chance to have some very good games.

Current standard fantasy average: 15.6 points

Yahoo! fantasy ownership: 23 percent

Next four games: Bye, at OAK, NO, at IND

Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

Coming off a season where he threw for 35 touchdowns, big things were thought to be in store for the Jaguars’ 24-year-old quarterback in 2016.

But this season has not exactly gone as planned for Bortles and Jacksonville. While he is still averaging just under two touchdowns per game, he is also on pace to throw a total of 24 interceptions this year.

Even though his potential for a big game is pretty intriguing for each week, the high amount of turnovers may just be too much for fantasy owners to risk keeping him in their lineups.

Current standard fantasy average: 17.8

Yahoo! fantasy ownership: 89 percent

Next four games: Bye, OAK, at TEN, at KC

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

So why would a fantasy owner even think of trading a quarterback who has already had two games this season in which he threw for three touchdowns and at least 340 passing yards?

Well despite the fact that Stafford is off to a pretty decent start to 2016, it is his upcoming schedule that should have his owners worried. Over the next four games, the Lions quarterback will be facing off against the two defenses that are allowing the least fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season in the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans.

His fantasy owners may be satisfied with his performance right now, but a mid-season slump could be in order for Stafford.

Current standard fantasy average: 19.1 points

Yahoo! fantasy ownership: 93 percent

Next four games: PHI, LA, WAS, at HOU