At this key juncture in the season, it is imperative to decipher which players are for real, and which players’ stocks will take a tumble in the second half of the year. As was the case during your draft before the season, value is key. It may be the most difficult task as a fantasy football owner to unload a current stud for a struggling player, but if the value is there, pulling the trigger could turn your .500 team into a surefire playoff squad.

In this Mideseason Buy Low/Sell High Report, I will analyze an overachieving and underperforming player at each position, using statistics, schedule analysis, and film study to show you how to properly equip your team for the vital playoff push.

QB Buy Low: David Garrard
Garrard isn’t a guy who is going to solely take you to a fantasy football championship, but he is a great quarterback to buy low, particularly in leagues that start two QB’s or can start a QB at flex. Garrard is currently only 18th in points among all signal-callers and is coming off a horrific game in Tennessee. However, he is averaging 13.4 points per game, just 1.2 points less than Eli Manning, the #10 overall quarterback. Garrard’s running ability also limits his downside, making him one of the most consistent quarterbacks in fantasy football and a particularly good buy low for teams with talented, yet fluky supporting casts (I’m looking at you Jay Cutler).

Analysis of Garrard’s schedule also supports this decision. The Jags already had their bye, and Garrard should be able to put up respectable numbers against remaining opponents Kansas City, Buffalo, Houston, Miami, and Cleveland (for those who still play in Week 17). Ultimately, consider Garrard a solid QB2 or flex play moving forward that can currently be had for very little.

Other Buy Low QB’s: Donovan McNabb

QB Sell High: Brett Favre
There’s no doubting that Favre has been outstanding at the helm for Minnesota this season. He is currently the #6 overall quarterback in fantasy football, ahead of guys like Romo and Rivers.

Don’t expect this pace to continue. Despite all of the hype and the pervading notion that Favre is a borderline superhero, he is still a 40-year-old man. Disregarding the fact that he could get injured, it is highly unlikely that the old guy will finish the season among the top six quarterbacks.

Furthermore, the Vikings figure to ride All Day Peterson, particularly in the upcoming weeks. Neither of them will aid your team in Week 9, as Minnesota is on bye, and the Vikings draw Detroit and Seattle after that. Expect the score in those games to limit Favre’s numbers.

Lastly, in Week 16, the typical Championship week for most leagues, the Vikings will be in Chicago for a cold, windy Monday-nighter. It is always hard to let go of a player who has excelled for you, but consider trading Favre now for a QB such as Ben Roethlisberger. If you can pull off that deal, you will not regret the results come playoff time.

Other Sell High QB’s: Eli Manning

RB Buy Low: Kevin Smith
After a sizzling start to his ‘09 campaign, Lions’ second-year man Kevin Smith has seen his stock plummet in the last few weeks. Smith was slightly banged up last week, leading to Maurice Morris getting all second half carries. There were even rumors of Smith being replaced by Morris, or at least being placed in a more prominent RBBC (running back by committee) role. Couple this with the fact that Smith hasn’t rushed for more than 61 yards since Week 3, and you can see why some owners may be cautious in obtaining him.

Don’t be one of those owners. Coach Schwartz came out in support of Smith earlier in the week, stating that “Kevin is our workhorse. I don’t think anything has changed. Maurice is our complementary running back.” And Smith truly has been a workhorse all year, receiving at least 15 carries in every game of the season. The injuries that plagued Smith last week have, at the very least, become manageable, as he was back at practice on Thursday.

Further, an important aspect of Smith’s game that often goes overlooked is his production in the pass game. He is on pace for 55 receptions and nearly 500 yards receiving, making him an exceptional buy low candidate in PPR leagues. Despite currently being ranked only 15th among RB’s even in PPR leagues, expect the Lions, led by an improving rookie QB, to create enough opportunities for their young stud back to crack top 8 running back status by season’s end.

Other Buy Low RB’s: Matt Forte, Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch

Sell High: DeAngelo Williams
I will admit that I was too low on Williams in the preseason, not even ranking him as a top-12 back. While he does figure to crack that barrier this season, don’t expect him to maintain his current #5 ranking among all RB’s.

Williams is coming off an enormous three game stretch where he averaged 133 yards rushing and a TD per game. These games, however, were against Tampa Bay, Buffalo, and Arizona. Williams also cracked 23 carries in two of these games, a feat he is unlikely to repeat more than once or twice again all year, particularly with the resurgence of Jonathan Stewart (17 carries twice in the last three games, including three TD’s during that span).

On top of that, Carolina’s remaining schedule is absolutely brutal. They will be large underdogs against the Saints (twice), Patriots, Vikings, and Giants, all four of which make up the Panthers’ final four games of the season: a time when you cannot afford for your running backs to have sub-par performances.

Other Sell High RB’s: Thomas Jones, TIm Hightower, Joseph Addai

WR Buy Low: Calvin Johnson
You don’t get the moniker “Megatron” for no reason. CJ is a beast, and ultimately his numbers will flourish no matter his situation. Coming off of an injury and ranked an astonishing 45th among receivers, now is the perfect time to trade for Calvin.

Although Johnson will probably be a game-time decision on Sunday, expect him to start, as he got the bulk of first-team reps on Wednesday and practiced in full on Thursday. He should be able to take advantage of a struggling Seahawks’ secondary, particularly with the strong-armed Matthew Stafford back at QB.

Johnson is a top three NFL talent at his position, so if you can get him for Roddy White or Wes Welker, take advantage of the situation.

Other Buy Low WR’s: Greg Jennings, Dwayne Bowe

Sell High: Sidney Rice
Rice is a solid player, and this advice does not apply in a keeper league, but it is time to unload him if you are attempting a midseason resurgence. He is currently 14th in points among all WR’s, ahead of such players as Greg Jennings, Brandon Marshall, and teammate Percy Harvin.

Despite his early success, Rice is too up-and-down to be counted on as a #1 or #2 WR down the stretch. Nearly half of his receptions and over half of his yards have come in two games this season, both of which were recent. Despite his playmaking ability, Minnesota just has too many options, i.e. Peterson, Harvin, Berrian, Shiancoe, for him to be counted on for consistent production.

The decrease in productivity for Favre and Rice go hand-in-hand. Again, Favre’s age and the Vikings’ probable shift in run/pass ratio in upcoming games make it hard to justify declining an offer for a player who figures to see more opportunities to make plays.

Other Sell High WR’s: Nate Burleson, Hines Ward

TE Buy Low: Jason Witten
Witten was the consensus #1 preseason tight end, but things can change quickly in fantasy football. Witten isn’t having a horrible season, but he is just 10th among TE’s in fantasy points and is looking up to players such as Kellen Winslow and Brent Celek.

Witten’s struggles can probably most be attributed to an increase in defensive attention. Defenses have been frequently doubling the stud tight end, having no real reason to fear Cowboys’ WR Roy Williams. The emergence of Miles Austin, however, could very well alter the coverages Witten sees moving forward. Opposing defensive coordinators will have no choice but to try to contain Austin’s speed, which should begin to open things up for Witten.

Look for Witten to take advantage of this opportunity and finish the season top five among tight ends.

Other Buy Low TE’s: Dustin Keller, Greg Olsen

Sell High: Vernon Davis
It is so difficult to trade a player who has produced as significantly and consistently as Vernon Davis has in ‘09. There are few players for which Davis should be traded, but, if you can obtain one of them (Witten or Gates, for example), you should pull the trigger. Davis isn’t as strong of a sell high candidate as the other players mentioned, however, so if you cannot get a stud in return, don’t force the issue.

Trading Davis now would almost certainly guarantee you are unleashing him at his peak. Since Alex Smith took over at QB for the 49ers, Davis has scored four TD’s in just six quarters. Shocking numbers, but ones that just cannot be maintained.Again, trade Vernon only if you can get a stud TE in a redraft league in return.

Other Sell High TE’s: None

Final Thoughts:
Ultimately, the ability to trade a player at his peak is an incredibly difficult thing to do. We all fall in love with the guys who perform well for us, but the key to becoming a fantasy football champ is to overcome these emotions to obtain a more vivid sense of how each player will produce in the future, then have the courage to follow through on a deal that may leave others scratching their heads. If you can properly utilize and implement a combination of statistics and gut feelings to aid in executing this task, the other owners’ head-scratching will transform into praise by Week 16 when you are named league champ.

Let’s take a look at a few guys who should be pretty useful the rest of the way.”

SOURCE: TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL

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It’s another night game for Tony Romo. Good news – it’s the last scheduled night game. Bad news – the Cowboys are sure to be flexed into another night game or two. Here is every regular season game Tony Romo has played in at 8pm or later.

SOURCE: KEEPER LEAGUE GM

SOURCE: FANTASY BROTHERS

SOURCE: FANTASY BROTHERS

SOURCE: FANTASY BROTHERS

SOURCE: FANTASY BROTHERS

SOURCE: PROFOOTBALLTALK.COM

The bye week hits for owners of Pittsburgh’s Heath Miller, and would have for Washington’s Chris Cooley if he hadn’t broken his foot on Monday night. The injury presents a headache for Cooley owners because Fred Davis would be the logical drop/add, but the Redskins are off this week.”

SOURCE: TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL

SOURCE: TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL