The leaves are changing, the air is growing colder. We are a dramatic symphony song away from every football fan’s nostalgic memories of the game highlights of yesteryear. Week 7. Your teams are likely in one of these three scenarios: Dominating, In the hunt, or trying not to be last! So these decisions are as important as they’ve been this year, and admittedly, they’re becoming harder to make. That’s why we’ve compiled the data for you, to help facilitate these decisions and make them as simple as trending up or down. So, now that all the intros are out of the way, here are 19 more players, some familiar others not so much, that will impact your team moving forward. RING. THE. BELL.
High Dollar Stocks Trending Up
DT DeForest Buckner: Coming in at number one this week, a name most football fans can agree is one of the most dominating players at this position. After what was a slow start of 22 points through three games, he followed this up with 39.5 in his last two outings. This included 13 tackles, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble. This has been enough to catapult him to DT4, and if it weren’t for some statistical anomalies this week from the Top 2, he would have been DT2. All this being said, he was a trending-down candidate to start the year but is coming into his own awfully nice here of late, and managers should feel better than they did last week. He built on an incredible performance from the prior week showing us that this wasn’t a fluke. He’s liable to go off any game, and we need to take notice.
LB Cole Holcomb: Are we able to admit when we are wrong anymore? Holcomb was on the first edition of this weekly article and was hammered for being overvalued. That was an inaccurate statement looking back now. He has been a consistent IDP contributor in terms of tackling. He started slow, but since his five-tackle performance in Week 1, has compiled 8+ in each game since. Managers shouldn’t worry about Jamin Davis just yet, considering the numbers Holcomb has through this point of the year. He has consistently led this team in tackles and will continue to do so moving forward. Holcomb may be UNDER valued to this point and managers should look to see if he’s a trade target to improve your linebacker depth.
DE Myles Garrett: Hopefully, you didn’t sell your shares post-car accident. If you did, shame on you. If you have diamond hands, it has and will continue to pay off. Now, we need to recognize that there was a three-week period of less-than-ideal performance paired with missing a start. He had five tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble on the week. His next two starts are against a running quarterback in Lamar Jackson and a Bengals offensive line known to give up sacks, so managers should take note of the opportunity in front of you. We’ll leave you with this, even with his lackluster three-week stretch, he is still DE7 and trending way up.
S Eddie Jackson: We have another tier-jumper! Welcome to the club, Mr. Jackson. He’s been a really good safety all year, and last week was no different. His 9.75 standard scoring performance was enough to catapult him to S1 for the first time this year. Now, this may not last long once we get a healthy Minkah in Pittsburgh, but it is a pretty good achievement for anyone. Jackson has always had boom potential but it seems this year he’s been able to produce more than boom/bust stats, and for that, he deserves the praise of top-5 this week. He’s producing in all facets of the game and is likely helping teams win weeks.
LB Pete Werner: In a dynasty league, what more could you want than a stud linebacker that garners most of his team’s tackles and is rarely hurt? May I interest you in a 23-year-old to boot?! The Ohio State product is making a name for himself quickly in IDP circles and needs to be spotlighted as a high-dollar dynast asset. He has all the makings of a perennial stud with 12-13 years left in his career if he can remain healthy. He’s LB11, and we can’t really even say he’s in his “prime” yet. Managers, don’t move off him if you have him. He’s going to be a PROBLEM for years to come, as he’s already proving to us. 53 tackles with two forced fumbles on the young season, with much more to go, has everyone in the IDP community wondering what his ceiling looks like and if he’s hitting it early or if this is a stepping stone to something greater.
High Dollar Stocks Trending Down
S Minkah Fitzpatrick: A favorite here in the market, Fitzpatrick is dealing with an injury that has all but halted the insane trajectory he was on to start the year as the IDP1. After a nominal one-assist performance, he missed last week’s game and hasn’t yet been cleared to play this week. Luckily for managers, he’s 25 and has no real history of injury, but the team’s performances may slow his healing process down a bit, so he could be a regular here for the time being. Hopefully, this is a nothing story, and he needed a week to recuperate, but it still hurts to see such a drastic change due to injury. Get well soon!
DE Brian Burns: After an impressive 31 points in the first two weeks, Burns has just one game of double-digit point production, the same amount of zero-point games he has in the same time frame. No one is a fan of zero-point production, and you never know if he may have fought through an injury or what, but the immediate fall-off he’s had is concerning. Had it not been saved by a sack, he would have failed to eclipse five points in back-to-back weeks. Right now, his team’s volatility and his own personal statistical volatility need to be noted and prepared for. He’s currently a wait-and-see product, and if you have more consistent options, you should start them in place of Burns for a bit.
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S Jessie Bates: Whether you want to blame the Bengals' first-round draft pick for being a versatile member of the secondary or the muddy contract situation, one thing can be surmised of Bates. He just doesn’t feel like he’s the same fantasy player. Through six games played, he has just over 40 points in standard-scoring leagues. Could he be demotivated because of the aforementioned facts regarding his teammate and organizational pressure? I’m afraid that unless the Bengals work out a contract with him long-term or he leaves, Bates is nothing more than a bye-week filler or low-end starter. Honestly, though, you need to find better options at this position if you want a chance to win.
S Tyrann Mathieu: Professional football successes don’t always equate to points scored in fantasy football. Exhibit A of the all-time court case for this point would be Mathieu. Name recognition alone would give you a logical thought that Mathieu must be a top-performing player at his position, and every year we see managers overdraft or overplay Mathieu. Now, it’s fair to say that some weeks he is flat-out the best player on the field at times and his stats in singular games can WOW you. If you look over the course of the season, though, he’s really an average to below-average scorer and should be treated on your team as such. Remember, though, Honey Badger don’t care!
DE Gregory Rousseau: The first three games had the IDP community in a frenzy, trying to figure out how to acquire the entirety of the Bills’ defensive line. Rousseau being the youngest was immediately a favorite for people, but his numbers have fallen off a cliff, and it’s beginning to become concerning. He does have four sacks in just six games, but they make up 25% of all his tackles, quantifying him as a true boom or bust. The issue with that is he’s been a bust more recently than he’s boomed. Now, with Von Miller finally playing well again we should see an uptick in his production, but it’s still worth watching. Keep in mind, though, he’s only 22 years old and was a first-round pick just last year.
Middle of the Pack Trending Up
LB Dre Greenlaw: Greenlaw doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves for how consistent he is in IDP. He has scored 5+ tackles in every game this season, but it is easy for him to get lost when he’s playing alongside the likes of Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and the new fan-favorite Talanoa Hufanga. The big names, everyone knows, and I imagine you don’t read these articles to reassure the fact that they’re the ones who are the best. We as managers are searching for difference-makers with great value, and Greenlaw is perfect for both the manager looking to sell and the manager looking to buy. He’s a guy who may not win the week, but he’s definitely not going to lose it, and that’s almost as important. If you have him, you love him, and if you don’t, you probably don’t follow what he does. Look him up and thank us later!
LB David Long: Long is a must-start candidate if Cunningham misses, but even if he does play, Long is the linebacker to have long-term for Tennessee. Someone with that much conviction can no longer be considered a penny stock, so he needs to be a watchlist guy. At 24 years old, he’s also the younger of the two and could be a buy-now candidate for dynasty managers. It will be interesting to note what his production does when Cunningham is back, but when he’s gone, Long has proven to be a very valuable asset to IDP managers.
LB Christian Kirksey: Another solid performance for Kirksey has him trending up. He goes into the bye week with 35 total tackles and a few other stats making him a very solid LB2 for your team. At age 30, he strikes me as a sell-now candidate for a team with depth. Especially if he is just sitting on your bench, he’s a solid starter who isn’t likely to knock the doors off the wall but can ensure you get production from the LB spot. He’s definitely less risky than an edge rusher, and for that, he needs to be rostered. Your strategy could determine the long-term viability of his play, which is why he’s a good trade asset.
DE Dorance Armstrong: Another week, another sack. He is in the wonderful spot of third-best pass rusher on the team, so he doesn’t often get doubled. This is immediately helping him, and he has five sacks through Week 6. He is extremely sack dependent, though, but if he’s on the waiver wire in your league, he’s at least worthy enough for depth acquisition. At the end of the day, he’s producing, and when you’re trying to carve your own path away from Demarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons, an easy way to get noticed is to produce sacks, and he’s doing just that. Keep an eye on him.
S Kyle Dugger: After an ABYSMAL start to the year, Dugger has put up back-to-back huge weeks. 13 tackles, a forced fumble, and recovery, as well as a pick and a touchdown, Dugger has laid claim to third- and second-best safety in back-to-back weeks. If it weren’t for the awful start, he would probably be considered high dollar, but for now, he’s at least back in the good graces of IDP articles across the league, including this one. We will see if he can continue this crazy run of games he’s put together. My money is on yes.
Penny Stocks with a Chance
S Ryan Neal: Neal has won the starting job in Seattle this year due to the injury to Jamal Adams and immediately contributed in a huge way. Fourteen total tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble last week are just the beginning. We have seen safeties become stars in this defensive style, and Neal is the next man up. While he may be a one-year wonder, he’s worth having on your roster if you’re a win-now candidate. He has as much upside as anyone right now in the “zero to hero” role.
LB Quincy Williams: Maybe he’s fringe as a penny stock, but he is definitely not respected as much as she should be. When healthy, he flat-out produces for teams, and that is exactly what you need in IDP. It’s not always sexy, but Williams hasn’t had a game where he’s had less than six tackles. His issue is staying healthy and on the field, which has been a challenge so far this year. Still, even missing two games, he has 32 tackles and a sack, and that is an impressive average in four games played. Don’t let your fear of sharing with C.J. Mosley distract you from the stats.
CB Taron Johnson: Corners don’t move the needle, blah blah blah. Look, this guy is one of the captains in Buffalo, and they likely will always be playing with a lead forcing teams to throw more. More throws mean more opportunity for corners to score, and Johnson has proven to be the guy to have in this position for them. It shouldn’t be shocking to realize that the entirety of the Buffalo secondary scores more on average than most in the league, especially with the likes of Jordan Poyer and newly awoken rookie corner Kaiir Elam. Johnson is a great diamond in the rough, especially in leagues that start corners.
DE Efe Obada: Another likely candidate for one-year wonder, the 30-year-old pass rusher is seeing more snaps here due to the injury to stud Chase Young. That being said, take advantage of the points here and start him a game or two. He has double-digit points in half his games, including back-to-back weeks, and this likely doesn’t last long. If you need a guy for a week, why not? Waiver wire darling who probably isn’t worth rostering but could be a spot starter for a team in need.