Looking ahead: Three buy-low RB targets in fantasy football

Based on your league settings, you probably can't get a trade processed in time ahead of Sunday's slate of games and "Monday Night Football." However, there are a few potential trade targets already worth circling for next week. 

Here are three running backs to consider trading for after Week 4. 

Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

The growing consensus seems to be that the two-time NFL rushing champion has finally started his inevitable decline in performance. Henry has rushed for 163 yards and one touchdown through three games while averaging a mere 3.2 yards per carry, which would be a career-worst should he maintain this pace for the rest of the season. 

Although Henry's struggles might persist on Sunday against the Bengals defense that has allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs this season (12.8), buying the dip could pay massive dividends come playoff time. During Weeks 15 and 17, the Titans will face the Houston Texans, a team that Henry has rushed for 1,018 yards and scored 10 touchdowns against over their last five meetings.

Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

There's no denying that Gibbs, who has only scored double-digit PPR points once this season, has been frustrating from a fantasy perspective. The rookie tailback hasn't and likely won't live up to the third-round price tag he went for in fantasy drafts, but his actual talent is undeniable, making him an ideal trade target.

While running back David Montgomery will continue to dominate the early-down and goal-line work as long as he's healthy, Gibbs should continue to get more involved in the pass-catching game as the season progresses. Chances are your league mates who drafted Gibbs are already chalking him up as a bust and ready to cut their losses. Gibbs wouldn't cost much to acquire and should be a high-end FLEX option if Detroit gets him more involved as it promises.

"We’re not panicking here," Lions HC Dan Campbell said of Gibbs' slow start via Sports Illustrated's John Maakaron. "We’re going to continue to do some things to try to get him the football here." 

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots 

Stevenson, last season's RB7 in PPR scoring formats, has been underwhelming to start 2023, racking up 211 all-purpose yards with one touchdown and averaging 12.4 fantasy points per game. Those aren't results that'll make your league mate panic sell Stevenson, though, after this week's matchup with Dallas, which allows the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs (29.1), it could soon be a possibility.

Despite the fact that Ezekiel Elliott tallied more rushing yards in New England's Week 3 win over the Jets, Stevenson is still being utilized as an elite running back. As per Roto Street Journal, Stevenson is one of five running backs that ranked inside the top 10 at the position in touches but not in fantasy points entering Week 4. Stevenson's turning point will come, hopefully in Week 5.