IDP Stock Market Week 14

Can you feel that? The electricity of the matchups in your league has intensified! These weeks mean more than ever! For most, this is the week before the playoffs! Which in some cases creates a pseudo-playoff game depending on how well you've played your team this season. Do you need a waiver wire Hail Mary? Or maybe just some reassurance that your guy is still a rising stock? Well, you have come to the right place at just the right time! Here it is, your pre-playoff stock market! Make sure you take some notes! You'll need to know when to high-five me (or curse my name). Ring the bell!

The Fortune 5

EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel, Dolphins: This may be hyperbole, but have we ever seen Lawrence Taylor and Van Ginkel in the same room… Ok, maybe he isn't that good, but when Jaelen Phillips is down with an injury, he has emerged as a must-start and is creeping into the league-winner territory. He had another monster game without Phillips, compiling five total tackles and two defended passes, including a pick-six! In five games Phillips has missed this season, Van Ginkel has 22 tackles, four sacks, and four defended passes. He has a chance to still be on your waiver wire! But get him while you can; he won't be there long. That long flowing blonde hair isn't the only resemblance of the Mighty Thor, he is playing with the strength of the God of Thunder as well.

S Antoine Winfield Jr, Buccaneers: Winfield has been a good player for most of his young career, but this year he has finally become a great player. His career highs going into this season were 94 tackles (he has 89 currently), two sacks (he has three currently), and six defended passes (he has 11 currently). He can no longer be denied a spot atop the list of dynasty league safeties, and he is likely a major contributor to your team's successes (or losses if you're facing him). He has had 8+ tackles in three straight games and has some juicy matchups upcoming with the Falcons, Packers, and Jaguars in his next three games. Look for Winfield to continue shattering his career highs well into the fantasy playoffs.

EDGE Samson Ebukam, Colts: The Indianapolis Colts pass rush at times feels like a hodge podge of players all contributing, but it is difficult to figure out which person will consistently contribute to your fantasy team. We have seen one player emerge off the edge over the others. Ebukam has put together the finest season of his career thus far, achieving career highs in sacks, solo tackles, and forced fumbles. He is also pacing to achieve total tackle career highs, and if these last couple of weeks are any indication, he will undoubtedly be a player you should start on your playoff journey. He has had multiple sacks in his last two games, and even in the games he fails to record a sack, he is tackling the ball carrier enough to have a stable floor, with the big play upside that can win a matchup.

S Derwin James Jr., Chargers: This has been a somewhat stable year for James's managers, and if you are a long-term holder of James, you understand exactly what that means. To start, he is the type of player who, when he is on the field, is likely one of the top players in the entire game, let alone his position. Unfortunately, though, we have had to endure the trying times he sometimes brings with him in this management process. Not this year. He has been the exact player you need for the entire season, and he has been hitting his stride here the last few weeks. He has had 6+ tackles in the last five games but can truly go off any given Sunday. In that five-game span, he has had games with 10 and 13 tackles as well as last week's nine tackle and a sack performance. Don't sweat James down the stretch. He appears to be on his way to his first truly healthy season, and we could be seeing the peak performance of an exciting player in his prime.

LB Eric Kendricks, Chargers: At times, Eric Kendricks is a frustrating player to have to manage, but when he is on, it is a beautiful sight to behold. We are currently in that window of enjoyment. Kendricks was given a fresh start in Los Angeles this past season and has been anything but reliable. Whether it was injury or inconsistent performance, he was likely a player that hindered you more than helped you early on. Since Week 5, however, Kendricks has hit his stride. Last week was his best game all season, a 10-tackle and one-sack performance that is likely one of the crowning games of his career. He will fall well short of his production from last season, but for this playoff run, he appears to be as safe of a bet as ever to give you the safe floor with boom upside. Kendricks needs to be a starter for you moving forward if he isn't already.

The Falling 4

LB Jordyn Brooks, Seahawks: Say it ain't so! Brooks goes down a second straight season at the most important time of the year. This time, it isn't as serious as the ACL, but ankle injuries tend to linger, and for a player as explosive as Brooks is, this could be a bigger deal for production than his playing time. Brooks, when he's healthy, is in the top 5 dynasty linebackers, but this season, he has tended to disappear from matchups. Now that he's hurt again, this could derail a season for managers. This felt like a bonus season, though, since he miraculously came back and played in Week 1, but his league-winning potential likely ends here with the ankle injury.

S DeShon Elliott, Dolphins: Elliott was a player who burst onto the scene immediately for his new team this season but appears to have peaked in Week 1. He started the year with a thirteen-tackle performance, but since then hasn't had a game with more than six. Since the Dolphins' Week 10 bye, he has had five total tackles and two defended passes. If you haven't already given up on him, it's time to cut the cord. He isn't worthy of a roster spot on your team, let alone a start, even in the deepest of leagues.

EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Lions: These are the types of writeups that get me nervous but must be done. Hutchinson has been very streaky in his career. The reason he falls here is not because he is a bad player; we all know he is talented. The falling stock designation is due to his inconsistency, and this time of year, you must know what you are getting from your players. If we get Week 3-7 Hutchinson, you likely win your Super Bowl. If we get Week 8-13 Hutchinson, you're going to be upsetti spaghetti. Dumb analogies aside, when he is on, there are not many players like him. In the peak weeks mentioned, he had 4.5 sacks and 16 tackles. Since then, he has had one sack and 21 tackles. The worst news? He is pacing to underperform from his rookie season in total tackles and sacks. I can't condone not starting him, but I understand if managers feel they have an edge elsewhere (pun intended, of course).

LB De'Vondre Campbell, Packers: Campbell is the player who most fits the bill of a "Player whose name carries more weight than his production." This season feels like a lost one for the perennially top-10 linebacker. The downfall must be due to injury. He has been banged up all year, even missing Weeks 4-7, but when he returned in Week 8, he had an astounding 14 tackles. Unfortunately, since then, he has had just 20 total tackles and has missed a game. He is one of those guys who almost holds you hostage as a player who will perform if you sit him but let you down when you start him. It all goes back to consistency, and right now, we don't even know how healthy Campbell is. Look elsewhere for production, but understand if he's just too notable to bench.

Premiere Pennies

DT Denico Autry, Titans: We have a player here who is turning back the clock! Autry is having arguably his best season as a pro, and he is 33! Maybe he isn't the typical dynasty team hold, but he is worthy of a short-term playoff stint for your team. The production has been there on many fronts, whether it is sacks (he is at his career high with nine currently) or tackles (also a career-high with 38 on the season). He is having a great end-of-the-season run to boot! He has had four sacks in his last six games. The best part about Autry? He is getting tackle production even without the sacks, giving him a safe ceiling in your lineups to play him if you choose. Maybe he's risky because he's old, but there are way worse options here than Autry to finish the year.

LB Mykal Walker, Steelers: Dare we say there is another cog in the Steelers linebacker machine? Welcome back to the NFL, Mykal Walker! Walker, when he was a starter, was a premiere IDP asset, and down the stretch, he could be this same gem. When he was manning the middle of the Atlanta Falcons defense, he had 101 tackles in just 12 games (he fell out of favor in Week 15 of 2022, and his production took a devastating hit). The reality is that Walker wasn't on a roster most of the season for a reason, but when he is allowed to play, he contributes to that stat sheet like a top-10 linebacker. Pair this with a Steelers unit that is desperate for healthy bodies, and you have games like last week, a 10-tackle performance while playing 96% of snaps.

LB J.J. Russell, Buccaneers: Here is your Hail Mary play of the week, but he's like throwing a screen pass. You know, a short, quick throw that likely gains a few yards minimally, but now and again, it makes the team highlight reel when it goes all the way (or the dreaded blow-up in the backfield, but I refuse to think negatively). That is J.J. Russell. He is currently the beneficiary of injuries, but in his lone playing time of the season, he contributed in a big way. His seven tackles and a sack for the 25-year-old matched a career-high for both numbers in a season. This is a deep pool, but at least one of you remembers the Donald Payne league-winning efforts of yesteryear. Sometimes, these guys come in, win leagues, and leave. Russell could be that guy!

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