We saw some interesting performances and some misfires this Sunday in the NFL. In dynasty, we’re in it for the long haul. That doesn’t mean we can ignore the day-to-day fluctuations. That’s what the Stock Watch is all about. Each week I look at one player whose stock is on the rise and one whose stock is on the decline at each of the key fantasy positions. Let’s look at some of the big swings from Week 15.
Quarterbacks
Stock Up: Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
About: Browning was thrust into a starting position when Joe Burrow was lost for the season. A journeyman backup, he’s stepped up in a big way. The Bengals have won the last three games to leap back into the playoff race. Browning has had 275 yards or more in each game, including two games with 300-plus yards. And he’s led the team to two come-from-behind wins in overtime. Burrow is the guy in Cincinnati, but with the state of the quarterback position and Browning’s play, it’s fair to wonder if he could parlay this into an opportunity somewhere. At the very least, he’s a great option in a brutal landscape to end the fantasy playoffs.
Stock Down: Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
About: In the last two weeks, the Falcons have come up small. They entered Week 14 at 6-6, in first place in the NFC South. Now, they sit at 6-8 and are quickly slipping out of the playoff picture. Ridder had a decent day in the air in Week 14, but in Week 15 against a poor Carolina Panthers squad, he mustered just 152 yards as the Falcons scored just seven points. And that’s with a team that boasts Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London among its starting players. This could be the end of the road for Arthur Smith, but it’s certainly looking like Ridder’s job security will be little, if any, heading into 2024.
Running Backs
Stock Up: Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
About: Heading into the season, it seemed as if Miles Sanders would be the guy in the Panthers’ backfield. But as Sanders never fully seemed to latch on to the job, it opened opportunities for second-year back Hubbard. Of late, he’s seized on those opportunities. Hubbard now has 644 yards on the season, with 85 or more yards in each of the past three games. Hubbard is developing into a solid back for the Panthers and for fantasy, a great sign moving into 2024.
Stock Down: Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
About: It wasn’t just Matt Canada. While the former Offensive Coordinator probably didn’t help matters for the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the games since his departure, the team has continued to struggle offensively. That’s the case for Harris, a former First Round pick who just isn’t producing at a high level. On Saturday, in a crucial game in the standings, Harris managed just 33 yards. He hasn’t cracked 100 yards in a game all season, and he’s slipped into a timeshare with undrafted player Jaylen Warren. For those hoping for a set-it-and-forget-it starter in the backfield, Harris is looking like a sunk cost.
Wide Receivers
Stock Up: Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
About: As I mentioned above, the Steelers’ offense hasn’t been great. All that is true. But one player who is on a heater is Johnson. While he struggled at times in 2022, especially with touchdowns, and to start 2023, he’s been hot of late. Johnson has touchdown receptions in each of the last three weeks and is starting to look like the No. 1 option fantasy players hoped he’d be this season. That’s an encouraging sign moving forward.
Stock Down: Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs
About: Toney’s penalty cost the Chiefs big in Week 14. The team said they aren’t giving up on him yet, but it’s not looking good, either. Toney was a former first-round pick that the Chiefs acquired for cheap last season. He figured to make an impact in 2023. It hasn’t happened. He has just 25 receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown this season. He’s barely roster-worthy at this point.
Tight Ends
Stock Up: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
About: LaPorta just continues to shine. He caught three more touchdowns on Saturday as the Lions improved to 10-4 on the season. He now has nine on the season, the most ever for a Lions’ rookie pass catcher. LaPorta isn’t just doing well; he’s thriving and looking like a top-three option at the position moving forward. For those who snagged him in the Second or Third Round of a rookie draft, you’ve found gold.
Stock Down: Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
About: The Saints scored 24 points on Sunday, and two different tight ends caught touchdowns. Neither of them was Hill. He can be a powerful weapon, as we’ve seen. He gets carries, makes throws, and sees targets. But it’s not always consistent. In the fantasy playoffs, during a stretch where you’ve most needed production, he’s come up short. Hill missed last week with an injury and was barely involved Sunday. There’s tremendous boom potential, but the bust potential is becoming too much to overlook.
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.
