Stock Watch: Russell Wilson Up, Devonta Freeman Down

Knowing which players are gaining or losing value can help you not just with your lineup, but on the trade market.
Stock Watch: Russell Wilson Up, Devonta Freeman Down
Stock Watch: Russell Wilson Up, Devonta Freeman Down /

Russell-Wilson-Throws-Football-Seahawks

With five weeks of the regular season complete, we have a better idea on many players. It doesn't mean things can't change, and determining what is legit and what isn't is key in making trades and improving teams. Here is the Week 6 stock watch.

STOCK UP

QB Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

While many of the top quarterbacks have failed to deliver on their draft day price, Wilson was one of the better bargains. In some leagues, he was drafted as a backup quarterback. Part of the reason is Wilson doesn't even come close to the volume of pass attempts that other quarterbacks get, yet he's consistently near the top in scoring. Even with the few pass attempts, he finds a way to produce due to his high efficiency. Last week is a perfect example against the Rams. He went 17-of-23 for 268 yards and threw for four touchdowns. Wilson is on pace for 499 pass attempts. Last year, he had 427 pass attempts and passed for 35 touchdowns. He has a passer rating of 126.3 to lead the NFL and has 12 touchdowns with no interceptions with 120 rushing yards and two scores.

WR Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears

Robinson looks like one of the better receivers in the NFL and hardly anyone talks about him. The Bears are on a bye in Week 6, but if you have depth and can afford to acquire a receiver that can't play this week, make an offer. Robinson has proved throughout his career he can produce no matter who the quarterback is. Robinson has at least seven targets in every game and reached at least 12 points in PPR formats in four of five games. He has 31 receptions for 377 yards with two touchdowns and been one of the most consistent receivers despite below average quarterback play.

QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons aren't a good team, but it's a good thing for fantasy if you are invested in the passing game. The Falcons' defense has been a sieve and it results in them chasing points, playing from behind and throwing a lot. Ryan has passed for at least 304 yards in every game and has at least 43 pass attempts in four of five games. He has multiple touchdowns in four of five games and after throwing five interceptions in the first two games, Ryan has two in the last three games.

WR DJ Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars

Chark has been one of the best waiver wire pickups of the season and if you drafted him in the final rounds, props to you. For those with wide receiver depth, Chark might have been on the bench in some weeks and it's time to find a way to start him. He is the fifth wide receiver in PPR scoring and leads the NFL with 13.1 yards per target. The Panthers have shut down a lot of passing games this season and Chark had one of his best games against them and the coaches did a good job moving him to the slot more to get him favorable matchups. Chark caught eight of his 11 targets for 164 yards and two touchdowns. He has reached double-digit points in PPR formats in every game and has 27 catches for 485 yards and five touchdowns. He's the preferred target of quarterback Gardner Minshew.

TE Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks

Dissly has saved many teams hurting at tight end. After a 12-yard catch in Week 1, Dissly has reached double-digit points in PPR formats in the four games since. He has 24 targets over the last four games and Russell Wilson looks for Dissly in the red zone. Nick Vannett was traded to the Steelers and Dissly is playing more snaps. He played 89 percent in Week 5 and 79 percent in Week 4. Dissly has six career touchdowns in nine games. Tight end is a volatile position and Dissly is displaying consistency.

STOCK DOWN

RB Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

Anyone hoping for a Freeman bounce back has been disappointed. Freeman has been in more of a timeshare with Ito Smith than anticipated. Freeman played 54 percent of the snaps in Week 5, while Smith was at 47 percent. Freeman had 11 carries for 30 yards and caught five passes for 40 yards with a touchdown. The good news is Freeman has 13 receptions the last two games after nine the first three games. The running game can't get going as Freeman has been held to 30 rushing yards or fewer in four of five games. Freeman has 58 carries for 187 yards (3.2 average). The Falcons are constantly playing from behind due to a bad offense and if someone is buying after Freeman scored last week, sell him.

QB Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Even if you weren't buying into the off-season Browns hype, no one could have seen it being this bad. The Browns had another inept offensive performance Monday night in a 31-3 loss to the 49ers. Mayfield doesn't have one game with multiple touchdown passes. The offensive line is a mess and Mayfield is making a lot of mistakes. He went 8-of-22 for 100 yards with two interceptions and took four sacks against the 49ers. He has two games of less than 200 passing yards. In five games, he has a 55.9 percent completion percentage, 1,247 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions. If he's on the roster, he belongs on the bench.

RB Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Gurley is being saved by his five touchdowns. The volume, as expected. is down and the offensive line hasn't opened up many holes. Gurley looks fine running north-south, but running laterally he looks different and isn't showing explosiveness. In the first five games last season, Gurley had 101 carries and 25 targets. This season through five games, Gurley has 64 carries and 22 targets. Gurley has averaged 3.9 yards per carry or fewer in four of five games and has three receptions or fewer in four of five games.

WR Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings

Diggs is a skilled receiver, but he's not seeing the football enough. He's clearly unhappy and was fined $200,000 last week reportedly for unexcused absences from practices and meetings. Instead of getting him the football in a great matchup against the Giants last week, it was Adam Thielen who went off instead with 130 yards and two touchdowns. Diggs got four targets and caught three passes for 44 yards. Diggs only has 23 targets in five games, catching 16 passes for 253 yards with a touchdown.

TE O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Howard has been one of the biggest busts of the season. He was drafted as a Top 5 tight end in most drafts and has seen just 8.8 percent of the target share. In the last game, Howard had a target on the first drive of the game and didn't see another pass until the final minute of the game when he made his only reception. Howard said he's a little bit surprised by the lack of targets, while fantasy owners are alarmed. He hasn't reached double-digit points in PPR formats in any game this season and has one game with a zero. In five games, Howard has caught 11 of 14 targets for 141 yards and no touchdowns.


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