Stock Performers 2019 week 17

Welcome to the stock report Week 16 edition. Even though there are many great performances and several mediocre performances, the player's stock usually remains the same. Patrick Mahomes is always going to be in the top echelon while Mitchell Trubisky is going to trend toward the bottom. What will be discussed in this and future articles are those players that are rapidly moving up or down based on the athlete's weekly performance.
 

STOCK UP

Drew Brees-QB-NO

Drew Brees has been outstanding since his clunker against Atlanta in Week 13 (184-1). In a shootout against the 49ers, he threw five touchdown passes and 349 yards. Brees added another on the ground. He then followed that up in dismantling Indianapolis with 307 yards and four touchdowns and last week, in the victory over the Tennessee Titans, Brees continued his wrecking ball of statistical performances with a three score and 279-yard game. He has six contests of three or more touchdowns and five matchups where he has thrown for more than 300 yards. Don't forget Brees also missed five games due to injury.

Carson Wentz-QB-PHI

Carson Wentz has managed to stay healthy. Unfortunately, most of his crew have struggled to do the same. However, that hasn't stopped Wentz from throwing for 300+ yards in three of the last four games while compiling two or more scores in those contests as well. The negative side is he has been successful against defenses such as the Dolphins, Giants and Redskins. Last week he did manage to eclipse the 300- yard marker but only tossed in one score.

Kenyan Drake-RB-ARI

It will be interesting to see what Kenyan Drake's future will be. He is an Unrestricted Free Agent this year, but I am sure the Cardinals would like to have him back. However, Arizona has David Johnson under contract and they owe him a boatload of money. In the last two contests, Drake has two 100+ yard games (137, 166) against Cleveland and Seattle and six total touchdowns. He put up a four-spot against the Browns and got in the end zone twice while facing the Seahawks.

Saquon Barkley-RB-NYG

Overall the season has been disappointing for the stud running back. Saquon Barkley seems to have turned things around in the last two games. Against the Dolphins, Barkley ran for 112-2 while catching four passes and 31 yards. Last week in the overtime victory over the Redskins, he busted loose for 189 yards and one touchdown. Barkley caught an additional four balls for 90 yards and a score. The question after so much futility is, is he back or just killing horrid defenses?

Steven Sims-WR-WAS

This wide receiver is most likely only available in half the dynasty leagues by now, but Steven Sims has made a name for himself in the last few weeks. After having no more than just four targets in the first 13 Weeks, Sims has had 7, 10, and 11 in the previous three contests. Against the Packers (4-40), the Eagles (5-45-1), and last week versus the Giants (6-64-2). That's culminated in 15-149-3 on 28 targets in just three games.

Breshad Perriman-WR-TB

It's incredible what a Tampa Bay offense led by Bruce Arians can do for a career. Breshad Perriman was the kick the tire guy for many teams landing on four of them in five seasons (Baltimore, Washington, Cleveland, Tampa Bay). While being the only wide receiver left standing as both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are down with injuries, Perriman has exploded with 20 receptions for 372 yards and four touchdowns in the last four weeks. He now has back-to-back 100+ games against Detroit and Houston and has a tasty matchup versus Atlanta in the season finale.

Julio Jones-WR-ATL

Julio Jones has been struggling to be himself. The future Hall of Fame wide receiver is 30-years old, but there isn't much of a decline while comparing him to other wide receivers. Its when you look at Jones' stats that may make you think he isn't falling off the cliff yet, but he seems to be approaching the edge. However, his last two-game tells a different story. Facing off against the 49ers, Matt Ryan targeted him 20 times and Jones brought in 13-134 and two touchdowns. His final score was the game-winner. Last week versus the Jaguars, Jones again was peppered with targets (15) as he corralled 10 of them for 166 yards. Jones continues to be a leader in catches (92) which is seventh, his yards (1316) place him third, and his touchdowns (6) place him 23rd. At this point, it is a 21 reception decrease from 2018, and his lowest yardage output since 2013. The touchdowns were never a big part of Jones' game, only catching double-digit scores once in 2012.

STOCK DOWN

Tom Brady-QB-NE

The New England Patriots surprisingly haven't turned away from Tom Brady. Even though they are winning, Brady has been inefficient in the last six games completing just 55 percent of his passes for a total of 1,300 yards (216 yards per game). When you toss in only eight scores in that span, it isn't pretty. Brady's touchdown to interception ratio is the only bright spot 8:2 but as long as New England keeps winning, it won't matter much.
 

Leonard Fournette-RB-JAX

Do you know when the last time Leonard Fournette hit the century mark in rushing yards? Week 7. Do you know when Fournette had his previous touchdown? Week 12 in Tennessee. Since that two-touchdown game against the Titans, he has had games of 38, 50, 42, and 71 yards. Its fortunate Fournette has been active in the passing game because he would be putting up a near goose-egg if he didn't. On the season, he has 1152-3 on 265 carries while catching 76 passes for 522 yards.
 

-RB-NYJ

Gut punching stats for this season. He has not rushed for a hundred yards in any of the 15 games he has played. 87 is the most he has had this year, and 72 is his second-highest output. Interestingly those have come in the last two weeks in back-to-back games. Is he now just turning the corner in Week 17? Over the previous four games, he has not scored a touchdown on the ground or in the air. The last time he has crossed the goal line was in Week 11 against the Redskins, when he rushed for 59 yards. Overall, Bell has 748 rushing yards with three touchdowns while catching 61 passes for 425 and crossing the goal line just once.
 

Julian Edelman-WR-NE

With the struggling Brady comes the struggling Julian Edelman. The top-ten wide receiver is having a terrific season overall (97-1091-6), but in the last four weeks, there is an apparent decline. Is it Brady? Maybe, Edelman being 33-years old? Perhaps, it's both? Over the course of the month, he has seen his yards go from 106, 95, 9, and back up to 72. His receptions have fluctuated 8, 6, 8, 2, and 5. These are not bad, and he has two of his six touchdowns during this time, it's just not Edelman in the last two contests (7-81). He does have Miami next week; it should lift him.
 

Tyler Lockett-WR-SEA

I was all set to put up him on the Stock Up group after his eight catches for 120 yards and a score performance against the Panthers two weeks ago, but last week another downer performance; this time against the Cardinals. On eight targets, he caught just one pass for 12 yards while facing one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. For the fifth time in six contests, Lockett has been a disappointment to fantasy owners, and on the biggest day (championship) for 95% of leagues. Outside of blistering Carolina, he has not had more than 43 yards and has a total of 119 yards on nine catches with zero touchdowns. Lockett's stock has reached the bottom.