The NFL regular season has ended, and we’ve been in it all year. 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 in player value can help guide your management decisions as you shape your Dynasty roster for the long haul.
Week 18 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: Joe Milton, New England Patriots
About: Sometimes the end of the season gives players a chance to play and show what they’ve got. Milton was an interesting pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but his play remained a mystery. After one series, he took over for Drake Maye and led the Patriots to a win over the Bills. He also had 241 passing yards and a touchdown, rushing for a touchdown. He made his case to be a viable quarterback option in the future and feels like a player worth a stash.
Stock Down: Tyler Huntley, Miami Dolphins
About: With a potential playoff berth on the line, Huntley had a chance to show he still has something left in the tank. Instead, he went in the tank. He was terrible, throwing two interceptions as the Jets took a commanding lead over the Dolphins. Huntley added a fourth-quarter touchdown to improve his stats, but this game showed he won’t be on anyone’s shortlist as a bridge starter.
Running Backs
Stock Up: Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
About: Pierce was a hot commodity as a rookie. In year two, he floundered in a new offensive system, which led the Texans to grab Joe Mixon this off-season. That left Pierce as mostly a non-factor in 2024. But he had a chance Sunday to show if he’d learned anything on the bench. Turns out, he did. Pierce had 176 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He looks to have some life left, making him worth a stash this off-season.
Stock Down: Brian Robinson, Jr., Washington Commanders
About: The Commanders made the playoffs, and Robinson had a solid season. But he’s been in a bit of a funk of late, which creates some long-term questions. Sunday, in a game where the starters played the first half, he had just ten yards on five carries. He hasn’t had more than 65 yards rushing in any of his last four games, with three of those games seeing him with a 3.1 YPC average or worse. It’s a concerning trend for a player taken by the previous regime nearing the end of his rookie deal.
Wide Receivers
Stock Up: Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots
About: Changes are coming to New England. The team has already parted ways with their head coach, Jerrod Mayo, and will likely target weapons for Drake Maye. But they might have found one in Boutte. He finished a strong season with seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. He looks like a player that should be part of the Patriots’ receiver rotation moving forward.
Stock Down: George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers
About: Six targets, one reception, zero yards. That was Pickens’ stat line on Saturday. During one of the biggest games of the season for the Steelers, Pickens came up small. He had three big drops in the game, and the Steelers lost by two points. Now, they will have to travel to battle the Ravens.
Tight Ends
Stock Up: Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
About: While Pickens was hanging his team out to dry, Freiermuth looked like the best pass catcher in a Steelers’ uniform. He caught eight passes for 85 yards and a touchdown, making a number of big plays. He’s had a great season in Arthur Smith’s offense and looks like a solid building block moving forward.
Stock Down: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
About: The Falcons scored 38 points Sunday in a must-win game. Bijan Robinson went for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Drake London had 10 receptions and 187 yards receiving. Michael Penix, Jr., in his third start, went for more than 300 yards. Pitts had two receptions for 15 yards. The end of his fourth season was more dud than stud, leaving questions about whether we’re ever going to see Pitts develop into the player we thought we were getting when the Falcons drafted him No. 8 overall.
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.
