The beauty of daily fantasy football is that you don’t need to get too attached to specific players. This is a good thing because even the biggest stars rise and fall in the blink of an eye.
Even the best options from a week ago might not be useful on your team this time around. At the same time, you always have to keep your eyes open for a breakout star.
Here is a look at the latest stock report from those moving up and down around the league.
Stock Up
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($7,300)
He was inconsistent at the beginning of the year and still has a bit of a problem with drops, but Mike Evans remains an elite fantasy option as the only real receiving target on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The second-year player has at least eight catches for 120 yards in three of his last four games, averaging 14.7 targets in those contests. With Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reporting Vincent Jackson will miss another game, Evans will once again be heavily targeted by Jameis Winston.
His opportunity could lead to some huge numbers against the Philadelphia Eagles, a team allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing receivers on DraftKings. While the price is relatively high, it is perfectly reasonable for someone who could legitimately be the top scorer of the week.
Jeremy Langford, RB, Chicago Bears ($5,600)
Not only has Jeremy Langford adequately filled in for Matt Forte, he has been an even bigger part of the offense than the veteran was when healthy, according to Alex Gelhar of NFL.com:
This led to 25.2 fantasy points on DraftKings in Week 9, followed by an incredible 40.2 points against a tough St. Louis Rams defense. He is making big-time plays as both a runner and receiver, and it is leading to a lot of production.
Considering what Charcandrick West did against the Denver Broncos defense Sunday (161 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns), this isn’t as intimidating a matchup as originally thought. Matt Forte is questionable to play Sunday, but head coach John Fox wasn’t even committal the Pro Bowl running back would have his full-time job when healthy.
“This is all tricky,” Fox said of the running back rotation going forward, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. “I don’t like speculating. I know we’re doing everything we can here to create competition amongst our team and learn to enjoy it. So we’ll cross that bridge when it happens.”
It seems no matter what happens, Langford is a good bet for a lot of production.
Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers ($4,400)
Although he isn’t much of a receiving threat, few running backs have gotten as much consistent work this season as Jonathan Stewart. The 28-year-old veteran has rushed the ball at least 20 times in five games in a row, a rare streak for today’s NFL.
Even though carries don’t translate immediately to fantasy points, Stewart has taken advantage with an average of 88.4 rushing yards per game with four touchdowns. Opposing defenses are often so scared of Cam Newton it creates open lanes for Stewart.
There could especially be a lot of room to run Sunday against the Washington Redskins, a defense allowing the third-most rushing yards per game and the most rushing yards per play in the NFL. It’s tough to guarantee touchdowns, but Stewart will at least pick up a lot of yards and is a relatively safe bet for a cheap cost.
Stock Down
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers ($7,500)
There is little doubt Aaron Rodgers will play Sunday, but he has apparently been limited by an injury, per Brian Carriveau of 247Sports:
The reality is that regardless of an injury, Rodgers has struggled lately. The Packers have lost three in a row, and the quarterback has failed to post a rating above 100 in any of those games. Considering he still has a 103.4 quarterback rating on the season, the recent slide is noteworthy.
Meanwhile, the upcoming matchup against the Minnesota Vikings is a tough one. While many have been overlooking this team so far, the defense has allowed the second-fewest points per game in the NFL. It covers well and makes few mistakes that could create big gains.
Although blaming Olivia Munn for Rodgers’ struggles is borderline insane, spending big money on Rodgers for your fantasy team would also be a mistake.
T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts ($6,200)
A foot injury didn’t limit T.Y. Hilton before the Week 10 bye, and the extra rest likely got him closer to full strength. The problem is he still hasn’t put up the numbers many expected of him this season, only topping 100 yards in a game once.
With Matt Hasselbeck starting in place of the injured Andrew Luck, it is tough to imagine much of an improvement.
Of course, the biggest issue in this one is the matchup against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant, who has quietly been one of the top cornerbacks in football this season, per Pro Football Focus:
Trufant will likely shadow the Colts’ No. 1 receiver, limiting Hilton to a quiet game.
Justin Forsett, RB, Baltimore Ravens ($5,800)
The last month has been quiet for Justin Forsett. After a pair of big games in Weeks 4 and 5, the Ravens running back has seen limited touches recently, with no more than 17 carries in a single game. Over the last three games, he has only managed 60.7 yards from scrimmage.
This has less to do with Forsett‘s effectiveness and more to do with Baltimore struggling on both sides of the ball, but that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
Against a tough St. Louis Rams defensive front, Forsett could struggle to find running room and once again find himself limited. As one of the more expensive running backs on the board, this is not worth the risk.
Note: All prices and fantasy score info courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.
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