The NFL Season is here, but we’ve been in it all year long. As Dynasty players, the season never really ends. But keeping up with the fluctuations week-to-week can help you gain an advantage. That’s the point of the stock watch—to process what we see on the field and apply it to players whose value is rising and whose value is taking a hit. Those fluctuations can help guide your management decisions as you shape your Dynasty roster for the long haul.
Week 15 is in the books; let’s look at what we learned. We’ll look at one player at QB, RB, WR, and TE whose value improved and one whose value took a hit. Let’s dive in.
Quarterbacks
Stock Up: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
About: Jackson and the Ravens have had an up-and-down season at times. He was an early MVP candidate, and the Ravens have been viewed as a Super Bowl contender. But coming off their bye, the Ravens were sitting at just 8-5 and two games back in their division. Jackson and the Ravens reminded people not to write them off too quickly Sunday as he tossed five touchdowns in a huge win in New York. That sets the stage for a big pair of games over the next ten days that could leave the Ravens back in the hunt for a division title.
Stock Down: Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
About: If this season was the audition for Levis as a full-time franchise quarterback, the past two weeks have been a massive setback. Last week, Levis lost to a two-win Jaguars team with Mac Jones at home. On Sunday, he tossed three interceptions and found himself benched in favor of Mason Rudolph as the Bengals dominated the Titans again at home. Levis doesn’t look like a franchise player or the future for the Titans or your fantasy team.
Running Backs
Stock Up: Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
About: It’s been a frustrating season if your roster Spears. He’s been injured, and even when he is available, he hasn’t done much on the field. Yet, we saw some signs of life for the second-year running back. Spears found the end zone twice, and while he didn’t have much success on the ground, he saw seven targets, catching six passes for 87 yards. It’s a glimmer of hope for those who roster Spears that he can find a role in this offense—once they find a quarterback.
Stock Down: Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
About: Pacheco is still the best back on the Chiefs’ roster, but he hasn’t looked the same since returning from a broken leg suffered earlier this season. That might indicate that he’s not a good bet for the rest of this season, but it also creates a question for his long-term future. Over the past two games, he has had 27 carries for just 87 yards, averaging less than 3.5 yards per carry. He’s never been much of a receiving threat, which severely limits his fantasy upside. He’s a player whose name value might make him a better sell than a hold.
Wide Receivers
Stock Up: Davante Adams, New York Jets
About: It hasn’t been the season Adams hoped for, but lately, he’s caught fire for the New York Jets. That continued on Sunday as he caught nine passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. It’s his second straight 100-yard game and third game with a touchdown. All that shows him peaking at the right time for fantasy players.
Stock Down: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
About: It’s been a tough season for the 49ers and a tough season for Samuel. Though he’s been in the lineup, he’s been outplayed by those around him and, at times, let his attitude get away from him. He’s got just 14 receptions for 101 yards in his last five games, not earning more than 22 yards in any of those games. And that’s with the 49ers’ backs against the wall. Samuel hasn’t been a reliable play in fantasy and could be a trade candidate for the 49ers this off-season. That leaves him with a shaky future, at best, as a long-term asset on your fantasy team.
Tight Ends
Stock Up: Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
About: With Evan Engram on IR to end the season, Strange got a chance to shine again on Sunday. And as he has all season when Engram has been out, Strange stepped up. He saw 12 targets, catching 11 passes for 73 yards. The second-year tight end is a good young prospect and a great stash for a team that could see a major overhaul this off-season.
Stock Down: Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
About: The frustrating season for Johnson continues. Even with the Saints down on receivers and Taysom Hill on IR, Johnson was outperformed again by another tight end on his roster. This time, it was Foster Moreau with more receptions, yards, and a touchdown. Johnson is an aging player with an inconsistent season for a team facing an off-season overhaul. If you can move him, I would.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network
