Bye weeks always throw a wrinkle into things. That combined with a swell of injuries has led to some interesting starting lineups on my teams, and probably yours as well. But that’s all part of the challenge of managing your fantasy team. 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: Daniel Jones, New York Giants
About: Jones isn’t lighting the world on fire. He sits as QB15 on the season. But his Giants are 5-1. There have been a lot of questions about Jones and his future. The Giants declined his fifth-year option, putting more pressure on his 2022 campaign. With new coach Brian Daboll, Jones is doing what the Giants need to succeed. He has thrown for 1,021 yards and five touchdowns with only two interceptions. He’s also completing a career-best 67.3 percent of his passes. Again, not incredible but steady. Daboll worked with Josh Allen in Buffalo, helping him develop from a raw prospect into one of the best quarterbacks in football. Jones hasn’t always had strong support—or a great supporting cast—during his time with the Giants. Daboll has brought stability and Jones seems to be thriving. All those points to positive signs for those hoping he might hold long-term value in dynasty.
Stock Down: Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
About: Wentz was once the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. He seemed to be developing into a franchise quarterback for a time in Philadelphia. He even did a lion’s share of the heavy lifting during the season the Eagles won the Super Bowl. But his time there seemed to spiral down quickly. Wentz was shipped to the Colts in 2021, to be reunited with former Offensive Coordinator Frank Reich. There was much fanfare but, by the end of the season, the shine was off the reunion. Instead, Wentz was shipped off again, this time to the Commanders. He started the season strong and still has decent numbers for the year. But Wentz and now-Coach Ron Rivera traded verbal barbs last week and then Wentz turned in one of his worst performances of the season Thursday night. He’s just QB22 the past three weeks and now he’s dealing with an injury that could land him on IR. That’s setting up to make the calls to see Sam Howell even louder. This is another downward turn for a player that went from Franchise Quarterback to journeyman in a big hurry.
Running Backs
Stock Up: Darrell Henderson, Jr., Los Angeles Rams
About: Opportunity is everything. Henderson has been a player of interest in the Rams’ backfield since he was drafted. We’ve seen flashes but never enough to feel rock solid. While that might still be the case, fantasy football is also about opportunity. Henderson seems to be thriving in that aspect, especially as fellow backfield mate Cam Akers’ future is anything but certain. Henderson has already been involved in the Rams’ backfield and now he’s the primary focus as the team seems ready to move on from Akers (more below). That means those that hung on to Henderson or took him as part of a zero RB approach are about to reap the rewards…as long as he can stay healthy.
Stock Down: Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams
About: Akers was taken in the Second Round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Since then, many have hoped to see him deliver as an RB1 for fantasy. It hasn’t happened. Akers worked his way in as part of a committee as a rookie then lost his second year due to an Achilles injury. This season, Akers has gotten a shot at times but it’s been difficult to determine his role. Akers has just 151 yards and a touchdown on 51 carries. He’s RB62 on the season. And this week, his story took a stranger turn. Akers was held out of practice and Sunday’s game due to personal reasons. It’s believed that his time with the Rams is near an end, either meaning a trade, a release, or possibly just being a scratch each week. All that is a grim sign for a player whose production and future already seemed on unstable ground.
Wide Receivers
Stock Up: Tyquan Thornton, New England Patriots
About: When the Patriots drafted this off-season, many were left scratching their heads. The Patriots need a playmaker at receiver, but when the team spent a Second-Round pick on Thornton, it didn’t make sense. And yet, by now, we should all know better than to second-guess the Patriots. Thornton finally made his debut in Week 5 and really showed off in Week 6. In a 38-15 win over the Browns, Thornton caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown, rushing three times for 16 yards and another touchdown. For a team starved for offensive weapons, this seems like a positive development. Those that took a late-round chance on Thornton in rookie drafts look to be in a position to reap the rewards as well.
Stock Down: Robbie Anderson, Arizona Cardinals
About: Yes, you read that correctly, Anderson is now a Cardinal. After being removed from the game by Interim Head Coach Steve Wilks yesterday for the Panthers, it’s hardly a surprise Anderson was moved. But his landing spot does little to bolster his value. The Cardinals have Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Zach Ertz, and Greg Dortch, and they’re getting DeAndre Hopkins back from suspension this week. Now they’ve added Anderson to the mix. And the team hasn’t exactly been high-volume in the pass department. Anderson has just 13 receptions for 206 yards and a touchdown in six games. He’s now no better than the fourth option, probably worse, for the Cardinals. This can’t be good for those holding out hope Anderson would be a worthwhile start in fantasy.
Tight Ends
Stock Up: Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers
About: Tight End is a tough position. You’ve probably seen me say this before, and you’ve probably experienced it. This season has been more challenging than most as we’ve only seen two bankable options week-to-week. So, we have to look for opportunities. The Green Bay Packers’ pass offense has struggled but Tonyan is starting to have a more defined role. He’s had at least six points in the past three games, peaking with 12 targets and 10 receptions on Sunday. Through six games, he’s already got more receptions and yardage than he had in eight games in 2021. All that seems like a hopeful sign at a position where you’re looking for opportunity.
Stock Down: Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
About: Fantasy gives and fantasy takes away. To start this season, Conklin looked like a gift. He saw 24 targets in the first three weeks, averaging eight per game. That made him not only a viable streaming option but one of the finds of the early part of the fantasy season. Since Zach Wilson returned, Conklin has seen just eight targets total over the past three games. The last two weeks he’s seen three total targets combined, catching just one pass for 16 yards. The Jets have a lot of weapons and, though they’ve been winning, haven’t had the highest volume pass offense. All that bodes poorly for Conklin returning to his Joe Flacco glory days.
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.
