Quarterback

Jay Cutler, Bears

There is no question the Chicago Bears are one of the worst franchises in football this year and a lot of factors come into play. Matt Forte is older, Brandon Marshall is a Jet, Alshon Jeffery has been hurt, and Jay Cutler has dealt with injuries and ineffectiveness.

One thing we know about Cutler is that he’s always been more valuable as a fantasy quarterback than a real life team leader. He racks up yardage and touchdowns, but brings his overall value down with an absurd amount of interceptions. In his first season with the Bears, he threw for over 3,600 yards with 27 touchdowns and a ridiculous 26 interceptions. Only Eli Manning in 2013 has thrown more interceptions (27) in a single season since Cutler’s abomination four years prior.

Still, there is value to be had. As previously mentioned, the Bears stink. They will be playing from behind a lot, which means Cutler will be airing it out for much of the second half. When Alshon Jeffery returns, he will have an actual target to throw the ball to. While it won’t help Chicago win many games, it can help your fantasy team. If you’re in a two-QB league, Cutler will absolutely provide you with strong numbers going forward. Make a play now because he will never be cheaper.

Verdict: BUY. Most people hate Cutler, but you can’t let emotion make decisions for your fantasy team. Playing from behind is helpful when it comes to racking up fantasy points from your quarterback and Cutler is a serviceable No. 2.

Tyrod Taylor, Bills

Everyone loves a good underdog and that’s exactly what Tyrod Taylor is. Prior to being named the starter for Buffalo, Taylor spent the last four years backing up Joe Flacco in Baltimore. Sure, he was playing behind a Super Bowl champion, but the fact remained: he was a backup.

This season, he won the Bills’ quarterback job by default, but has held his own through four weeks. He is ninth in the league with a 104.4 QB rating, sixth in the league with a 71.7 completion percentage, and tied for fourth with eight touchdowns. There is no track record to back up that this type of production will continue, so now is the time to package him with a wide receiver or running back and make a big time upgrade to your fantasy squad.

Verdict: SELL. It’s only a matter of time before Taylor adjusts to the mean. Pairing him with someone like Jeremy Maclin could net you DeAndre Hopkins or Arian Foster.

Running Back

Todd Gurley, Rams

After battling through injuries throughout training camp and the early part of the season, Todd Gurley finally played a full game and had a monster showing. Not only did he rush for 146 yards, but he also broke off four rushes of 20-plus yards. That ties him with Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte and Melvin Gordon, all of whom did it over a four-game span. Given Gurley’s injury history and the tendency for fantasy owners to want to sell unproven players after a big game, I cannot stress enough how quickly you should be buying the rookie running back from Georgia.

Verdict: BUY. Rookie or not, Gurley is a big-time talent and easily the best player in the Rams’ offense. He should see 20 carries per game going forward and has already shown the ability to break off big plays.

T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars

After three lackluster performances to start the season, T.J. Yeldon finally broke the 100-yard mark in Week 4 against the Colts. He carried the ball 22 times for 105 yards, giving him a 4.8-yard per carry average. While Yeldon has plenty of talent and a coveted starting job, the Jaguars just aren’t very good. Jacksonville tends to go down early, which means they have to rely heavily on their passing game. Unless the Jaguars are in a close game, Yeldon’s production will wane as the game goes on. For that reason, use his strong game against Indianapolis as an opportunity to move him.

Verdict: SELL. Jacksonville just won’t be in enough games to have confidence in Yeldon’s ability to produce on a week-to-week basis.

Wide Receiver

Martavis Bryant, Steelers

After missing the first four weeks of the season, Martavis Bryant will make his 2015 debut on Monday night against the Chargers. He should immediately slot in as Pittsburgh’s No. 2 wideout opposite Antonio Brown. Last season, Bryant was a touchdown machine as he totaled eight scores in just ten games. He figures to be Pittsburgh’s main deep threat and should take another step forward this season. Bryant’s value is tied more to standard leagues than the PPR format, but with his touchdown upside, he should be a strong WR3 for the remainder of the year.

Verdict: BUY. Bryant put up big numbers in limited action last season and is another year older. It may take a few weeks to find his groove, but he should be back at the top of his game just in time for Ben Roethlisberger’s return under center.

Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs

With 19 receptions and 289 yards over his last two games, it looks as though Jeremy Maclin is living up to the five-year, $55 million dollar contract he signed with the Chiefs this past offseason. While those numbers are absolutely stellar, there is something missing: touchdowns. During Kansas City’s Week 3 loss to Green Bay, Maclin became the first Chiefs receiver to score a touchdown in almost two years and that is where his current number stands: one TD.

He caught ten touchdown passes for the Eagles last season, bumping his overall fantasy value to the next level. The Chiefs’ offense revolves around Jamaal Charles and a short, safe passing game. There is no question that Maclin is going to led the Chiefs in yardage and receptions, but the lack of touchdowns is going to drag down his value as the season rolls on.

Verdict: SELL. This is a situation where you should not undersell Maclin, but rather acquire a player that’s off to a slow start that has a much better shot to reach the end zone on a weekly basis. Think T.Y. Hilton or Emmanuel Sanders.

Tight End

Travis Kelce, Chiefs

The reason I recommend selling Jeremy Maclin is the same reason I advise buying Travis Kelce. During Week 1, Kelce hauled in six passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Since then, he has been underwhelming and that has opened up another opportunity to add him to your team. Alex Smith is one of the better game managers in the NFL and the Chiefs aren’t built to take down-the field-chances. Kelce is going to see more targets going forward and that should translate into touchdowns.

Verdict: BUY. Kelce is easily a top-five tight end and the numbers should start to back that up very soon.