The market goes by way of its product. In this case, we have quite the selection of talented defensive playmakers. As you may notice, this isn’t a market that forgets the ones who contribute the most. Quite the contrary. It is important to recognize that in these style fantasy leagues, certain guys can win you the game outright with their performance. Others, though can do just the opposite. Like a company that is going bankrupt, depreciating players can cause a serious impact on your team’s goals. Whether you’re in dynasty rebuild mode after four frustrating weeks or looking for that shining star to put you over the edge, one thing is always the same in stock market cases. Buy low and try to sell high! So, who do we have on tap this week as the performers to buy into or sell out of? Ring the bell!
High Dollar Stocks Trending Up
S Minkah Fitzpatrick: Maybe you’re noticing that Fitzpatrick has been a mainstay of this article, but he is seriously turning football on its head this year. He sits as IDP1 currently. There are rarely players who, regardless of opponent or circumstance, can truly bust open both a football game and fantasy matchup, but Fitzpatrick is one of those guys ala Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu. 32 tackles, four defended passes, three picks, and a touchdown on the year is crazy. What may be crazier than that is he came four yards away from a second touchdown this past weekend. If Fitzpatrick is on the field, he’s in contention for the best player on the field regardless of position. Some guys are just better than others. All hail Minkah Fitzpatrick, the current king of IDP fantasy football.
LB Devin Lloyd: Lloyd is no stranger to the praise of this article, but it’s still important to note that through his first four career games, he currently sits at LB1 and is the fifth highest scoring defensive player in the league. Chances are, if you play IDP dynasty you’re in a league that is both offense and defense. If so, Lloyd likely went a little later meaning he went to a better team if determined by the rank of your team determining draft position. If both statements are true, then there is a strong possibility Lloyd is singlehandedly putting teams into the upper echelon of leagues. Getting a top-10 linebacker, let alone LB1 is a huge addition to any squad so he has to be a top stock.
LB Roquan Smith: Same big numbers, different week. If it weren’t for the wonder rookie above him, he’d likely be the top linebacker in this market currently. He’s still only 25 years old and is now playing for a contract, so you know the motivation for continual improvement is there. He’s the lone bright spot on this defense and arguably of the team. He currently sits as the third-highest-rated linebacker in terms of point production and is showing no signs of slowing down. He has 46 tackles already on the year and is pacing for over 140 total tackles. The man is a stud and needs to be recognized as such. We have a battle for this year’s LB1.
DE Maxx Crosby: Crosby is having an absolute gem of a year. Currently slated as DE1, he has 27 tackles and four sacks through the first four weeks. In a year with a less-than-stellar pool at the defensive end position, he is ahead of DE2 by 13 total points. He is 25 years old and seemingly is an ironman when it comes to being able to suit up most weeks. He is pacing currently to have career highs in both tackles and sacks. He may be worthy of trading for at this position if the manager is crazy enough to part with him. If you have him, he’s gold, especially in dynasty. He could be a rare defensive lineman worthy of a first- or second-round pick for teams in contention, in which case is seemingly fair for both sides. Have a year, Crosby!
LB Jordan Hicks: This is the first mention of a player in the top tier who started in middle-of-the-pack. Hicks is simply too good to ignore at this point and currently sits at LB2. It’s worth noting though he’s coming off his worst performance of the young season with seven total tackles. That being said, if seven tackles are the benchmark of a “bad” game, you’re doing just fine here. Admittedly this wasn’t something easily anticipated, and his value may never be higher this year. He’s a 30-year-old linebacker who may garner more capital than he’s worth, although he’s a gem right now. Managers should look at his trade value and try to capitalize on his insane start to this year. Turn Hicks into picks!
High Dollar Stocks Trending Down
DT Jeffery Simmons: Normally a consistent contributor in IDP fantasy, Simmons has collapsed since a dominating six-tackle, two-sack performance in Week 1. Since then, he has had six total tackles and two defended passes. It’s still too early to panic sell Simmons, but it is worth noting that he went from DT1 to DT15 in a matter of three weeks. Let’s slow down on the fear-mongering here, but admittedly this isn’t good news for the 25-year-old stud defensive tackle. We need a rebound or he could be here again next week. Could it be that the Titans aren’t a viable fantasy team this year?
LB Isaiah Simmons: A top ten pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Simmons saw his career-best year last year with over 100 total tackles finishing as the 26th best linebacker in only his second year in the league. This year, he will be lucky to eclipse 50 total tackles at his current rate and it’s extremely concerning. He likely went high in rookie drafts in dynasty a few years back and in redraft went as a top 10-15 linebacker depending on your scoring and overall hype. He’s currently the 326th-ranked defensive player and showing no signs of picking it up. This is my highest panic stock to date. Ugly times for Simmons managers.
S Kyle Dugger: This is one of the more surprising downward spirals we have seen all year. Dugger last year finished as S13 even though he missed two games. Had he played with his averages, he would have finished as S3. He’s currently pacing at S78. For a guy who was one of the dark horse players to pop this year, he has regressed heavily and is barely rosterable in most leagues. It may still be too early to go man overboard here, but it’s important to keep an eye on his next few games. He could just be another flash-in-the-pan player who had one decent year and then fell to the wayside as most NFL guys do.
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LB Shaquille Leonard: It’s low-hanging fruit to pick on the guy who has been hurt, but Leonard finally returned to the field this past week and was concussed and has since been ruled out Thursday night against the Broncos. This is an absolutely devastating blow to managers who roster the stud linebacker and were hoping for the return to the top spot at the position. It seems we may be going into unfamiliar territory here with Leonard, who has since not been near as good as when he was Darius Leonard was at linebacker. Maybe that was a cheap shot, but this has been sad to watch one of the NFL’s premier players continue to be unhealthy. Hold Leonard, but how long until the value drops?
DE Chandler Jones: Father time is undefeated and seems to have claimed another victim in Chandler Jones. The 32-year-old pass rushing specialist has yet to record a sack through the first four weeks and is pacing for career lows outside of an injury-plagued 2020 season. It’s sad to see the end for once great NFL players, and Jones is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Jones was once a high-risk, high-reward play, he now appears to just be all risk, no reward. If you can get anything out of him, do it, but he may just be a guy you dump and move forward regardless of the rest of the year’s results.
Middle of the Pack Trending Up
S Eddie Jackson: To continue the tradition of the market's “We love safeties” stance, Eddie Jackson had yet another great outing for the Bears and put his season totals at 30 tackles and three picks. He’s a little older than the premier players at the position, and he seems to be peaking right now, so he would be a dynamite candidate to sell high. The issue is, safeties don’t garner as much unless they’re the big names like Derwin James or Minkah. That being said, why not try to pick up double-digit points a week for a mid-round pick? Jackson isn’t in a spot where he potentially loses his job and is likely going to play into his mid-thirties barring injury so both sides can win a trade here. Either way, Jackson is having a great year and needs to be recognized.
LB T.J. Edwards: Edwards may have been a late bloomer in IDP fantasy, but he has all the makings of a perennial star. Thirty-three tackles, two sacks, and two defended passes show he has the ability to fill a stat sheet, and at 26 years old, he is in the prime of his athletic career. With no competition yet from rookie stud Nakobe Dean and a team that is seemingly always playing with a lead, he gets the additional benefit of being in pass coverage and can garner more of those stats than other linebackers. Easier said than done, but Edwards is a guy who could easily be a high-dollar stock if he continues this run.
S Talanoa Hufanga: Who doesn’t love a little flair with some cool hair? In what appears to be a Polamalu likeness with the hair, Hufanga also appears to have a little bit of that playmaking ability as well. At just 23 years old and with his first real shot at playing time, Hufanga has definitely made the most of his opportunity to the tune of 25 tackles, two picks, and a touchdown. He used to be a penny stock, but it appears he is here to stay for the long haul, and if you can get ahold of him now, you should do so. Dynasty is all about those guys you see before anyone else, well after his performance Monday Night, it’s only a matter of time before others know who he is.
LB Malcolm Rodriguez: Anytime a late-round rookie begins to pop, normally you would consider him a penny stock, but if you watched HBO’s Hard Knocks, you likely saw this coming from a mile away. He has been a solid contributor and each week has increased his point total from the last. A rookie who has 33 tackles in his first four games ever is something to watch. He’s just unknown enough that you may be able to take him off someone’s hands before his peak value which could be coming soon if the trend continues. Rodrigo is a fan favorite in Detroit and to all dynasty owners who took a late-round flyer on him.
LB Rashan Gary: Edge rushers are boom or bust; any IDP manager knows this. If you have the right one, though, the risk is minimal, and the reward is way higher than average. This can be said of Gary. He has yet to record a game without a sack, and his low point total is 6.5. Given his high total of 22.5, this is far worth the low if you can achieve the high. Rarely do we get edge-rushing linebackers that are must starts. T.J. Watt may be the only true one we have when healthy, but it may be time to start thinking of Gary this way. At 24 years old, he’s only going to get better, and the boom/bust may have his value low but potential high. A perfect trade candidate for those who like a bit of risk.
Penny Stocks with a Chance
LB Josey Jewell: He’s clearly the man in Denver, and we need to take notice. He was probably acquired for less than most starting linebackers because of the muddied waters of Alex Singleton and Jonas Griffith on his heels. He’s asserted himself and is now their top linebacker after two weeks in terms of IDP fantasy. Another week like the last two, and he won’t be a penny stock. He could be a high dollar come December if he keeps this pace going. Don’t be indecisive about Jewell and his role here. He’s playing and producing, which is exactly what you want from someone in this tier.
LB Alex Highsmith: Watt is still not back, and he’s still producing great numbers. When Watt returns, he will likely garner the attention, and with that could be an opportunity for Highsmith to get 1-on-1s which he has proven to date that he has the ability to win. 5.5 sacks in four games is not easy, and he has 24 tackles to go with it. The production is there, the only question is can he sustain this since we haven’t seen it before? Steelers fans sure think so!
LB Jacob Phillips: With the unfortunate news of Anthony Walker missing the remainder of the season, Philips has the first crack at making an impact on the field. He has had 14 tackles, one sack, and a defended pass since the injury two weeks ago which is dynamite production. The best part? He’s 23 years old and was drafted in the third round of the 2020 draft, meaning this is the first impression he will really have with significant playing time. His career-high tackles are 27. He’s almost assuredly having a career year and could be a long-term guy to watch if Walker isn’t the same upon his return.
CB Chidobie Awuzie: Corners aren’t usually talked about in fantasy circles mostly because there are so many of them that they don’t really separate from the field. It’s easy to look at the top performers at safety and think, why Awuzie? He’s consistently getting tackles. He’s currently pacing for 80 solo tackles and will have defended passes and picks to boot. The corner scores are diluted with big plays more than consistent production, but Awuzie is worth stashing if you’re deep enough of a league to play corners. Corners are football players too!
LB Zaire Franklin: The injury woes of Shaquille Leonard have all IDP managers worried, but in the immediate response, Franklin has answered the call and then some! Until we see that Leonard kills his playing time, you have to start Franklin. He could even be a darling trade piece since there are rumblings in Indianapolis of him taking time away from Okereke and E.J. Speed. He’s popping on the field and people are taking notice. You never know; he could garner himself some playing time even when Leonard returns!
Are you feeling like this was the board you expected, or is the market making you mad? We have to evaluate the overall product even if it does leave us with different opinions than before we researched. Don’t be the one who was too scared for a little risk, but also don’t sit your studs! We all know that the market opens up every day, and there’s always something or someone ready to make a move… Follow me on Twitter @steakspeare for kore IDP and NFL content!