A processing system including at least one processor may collect a first set of time series features relating to requests for a content item at a content distribution node in a communication network, generate a first prediction model based upon the first set of time series features to predict levels of demand for the content item at the content distribution node at future time periods, identify, via the first prediction model, a first time period of the future time periods when a predicted level of demand for the content item exceeds a threshold level of demand, identify a second time period of the future time periods when a predicted level of utilization of the communication network is below a threshold level of utilization, the second time period being prior to the first time period, and transfer the content item to the content distribution node in the second time period.