Well, we have one week in the books for the 2022 NFL Season; how do you feel about your fantasy teams? Yeah, me too. If you play Dynasty, you’re in it for the long haul. Still, it’s a weekly game, and you have to ride the ebbs-and-flows and see what it can mean for the trajectory of a player. That’s what the Stock Watch is all about. We watch the games, process the information, and try to forecast where players are headed. After all, getting ahead of the curve is the way to succeed. So, below you’ll find one player that improved their position and one that’s going the wrong way from each position. Use this as a guide as you’re trying to make moves and evaluate your team this week!
Quarterbacks
Stock Up: Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
About: Wentz wasn’t as bad as you thought in 2021. He finished as QB14, but the Colts’ collapse against the Jaguars in Week 18 seemed to obscure that. Even for the team itself, which quickly sent Wentz off to Washington after one year despite not even having a clear replacement. On the first Sunday of the season, while the Colts and shiny new QB Matt Ryan could merely muster a tie, Wentz was slinging it for Washington. Wentz tossed four touchdown passes against those same Jaguars that ended his season in 2021 as his team won. He looked solid and finished as QB3, right behind Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. This might be a great time to move Wentz if you can find a league mate who is panicked about their quarterback situation.
Stock Down: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
About: This isn’t about me kicking a man when he’s down (a right thumb). It’s about a player who struggled on the field, appears to be part of an offense with some issues, and now will miss six to eight weeks, returning with plates and screws in his throwing hand. So, yeah, if you’re relying on Dak in 2022, it’s time to panic. But what about the long-term? There were questions coming into the season, and this start didn’t help. Dak played plenty of game before the injury, putting up 134 yards and an interception, going 14-for-29. He also isn’t the rushing threat he once was, meaning we could be on the cusp of the end of thinking about Dak as a lock to finish Top 10, even when available.
Running Backs
Stock Up: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs
About: It was trendy to be out on CEH coming into the season. In fact, we heard a lot about rookie Isaih Pacheco. We’ll likely hear more after Pacheco got a shot in garbage time, taking 12 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. HOWEVER, it wasn’t Pacheco that got the team to garbage time, and it was CEH. He only had seven carries for 42 yards, which doesn’t pop off the page, but he also caught three passes for 32 yards and two touchdowns. In a game where the Chiefs’ offense was popping, and Mahomes was spreading it around, CEH got ten meaningful touches, producing 74 yards and two touchdowns. That has to be a boost to his profile and shows that he’s still the main cog in the backfield. Ronald Jones, who?
Stock Down: Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams
About: If you sat on your couch all weekend and watched football, you rushed for as many yards as Akers. He had three carries for zero yards. Yes, zero. Worse yet, he was woefully behind Darrell Henderson, Jr. in the snap count and was caught on film missing some blocks badly and getting Matthew Stafford killed. Combine that with the fact he’s only a year removed from an Achilles injury, and it seems like a decent time to start being concerned. That upside that many expected for Akers, given his draft position and location, isn’t materializing. He’s behind Henderson, and the way things are going doesn’t look to change. If you can still find a true believer, I’m moving Akers.
Wide Receivers
Stock Up: Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens
About: What will the Ravens’ passing game look like? How are they going to move the ball with no receivers? These were the questions we had all off-season, and I wasn’t immune. But as training camp ended, I started stashing players, and one of the players I most frequently stashed was Duvernay. The opportunity was there, but could he capitalize? In a Week 1 game where it was the passing game and not the rushing game that carried the day, Duvernay was a big piece of the Ravens’ success. He saw four targets, catching them all for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Now, let’s not overreact. He’s still behind Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman (who had his own 55-yard touchdown pass) in the pecking order. But if you stashed Duvernay, he’s finally looking like an asset that will pay off. He might also be a guy that can fetch a nice return from those who only scour the box scores.
Stock Down: Robert Woods, Tennessee Titans
About: Woods was the biggest name in the Titans’ receiving corps, and it seemed like he was the best bet for production. It turns out that was a false assumption. Instead, Woods saw two targets, catching one pass for 13 yards. Meanwhile, rookie Kyle Phillips saw nine targets, rookie Treylon Burks saw five targets, and Geoff Swaim and Dontrell Hillard saw four targets. Woods, while with the Rams, was a near lock for high-end WR2 production. Those days appear to be over. He’ll have better games, but in a low-volume pass offense with other options, it’s not looking good for those hoping he’d be a confident weekly start.
Tight Ends
Stock Up: O.J. Howard, Houston Texans
About: Sometimes, you just need to find the right spot. Howard was likely an afterthought heading into the season. He couldn’t make an impact in Tampa Bay, which let him go after his rookie deal expired. Howard then failed to catch on with the Buffalo Bills, which released him during roster cuts. But Howard landed with the Texans, a team seemingly starved for targets. To the dismay of those holding out hope for Brevin Jordan, Howard made a splash in Week 1 and seemed to be a good fit for Davis Mills and the offense. He caught two passes for 38 yards and two touchdowns. It wasn’t a huge impact, but for those that kept Howard on the roster, it’s time to find a TE-needy squad and make a move. Howard’s stock has never been higher.
Stock Down: Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
About: Henry was one of the bright spots in the Patriots’ offense in 2021. After signing a big free agent deal in the off-season, he seemed to be Mac Jones’ go-to target. He did a lot of his damage with great efficiency and touchdowns. But all off-season, we heard about the Patriots’ other free agent tight end, Jonnu Smith. Week 1 of the NFL Season continued the trend. Henry saw just three targets, catching two for 20 yards. Four other receivers—including Smith—saw more targets. That’s not a hopeful sign for those that took Henry hoping for another Top 12 season.
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.
