Fantasy Football Stock Up/Stock Down: Week 3 Update

Fantasy football values are always evolving. Roles change, and new opportunities arise.

It's vital to keep tabs on new trends and usage in order to make optimal fantasy football decisions.

With two weeks in the books, we're really starting to see trends emerge for teams and players.

While I'm letting the data do the talking, there's naturally a lot of subjectivity here based on how I perceived players before (and after) this week's usage and news.

With that out of the way, let's dig into each team after Week 2 and look at recent usage trends to see whose stock is trending up -- and whose is trending down from rest-of-season expectations.

Effectively, whose value am I higher on, lower on, or about the same on after what I saw in Week 2?

Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers

Arizona Cardinals

Stock Up:

• Marvin Harrison: Harrison's breakout performance (4 catches, 130 yards, 2 touchdowns) came on 8 targets (38.1%) and 154 air yards (69.6%). After a slow Week 1 but a lot of routes, targets went Harrison Jr.'s way, and he displayed his true fantasy football upside.
• James Conner: The stock is still high for Conner. He had a 62.1% first-half snap rate, via NextGenStats, and he totaled 124 scrimmage yards on 22 opportunities.
• Kyler Murray: Murray has run for 57 and 59 yards through two games, and he's displaying career-best EPA per play and success rate numbers.

Stock Steady:

• Trey McBride: McBride had 6 targets for 67 yards and leads the team in target share (28.8%) through two games.
• Trey Benson: Benson's stock may be up after he out-snapped Emari Demercado in Week 2, but he still had a 34.5% first-half snap rate and ran fewer routes (6) than Conner (11). He's still in wait-and-see territory.

Stock Down:

• None

Atlanta Falcons

Stock Up:

• Bijan Robinson: Robinson was the focal point of the offense again in Week 2 and is in the conversation as the top fantasy asset in the league. Even a snap rate decrease (90.0% to 74.1%) shouldn't bother us.

Stock Steady:

• Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud: The only WRs to run routes for Atlanta in Week 2 all had at least a 93.5% route rate.
  • Drake London: London scored the go-ahead TD in Week 2 and saw 7 targets (24.1%), but the downfield looks went elsewhere -- again this week.
  • Darnell Mooney: Six of his seven targets this week were 10-plus yards downfield for a 17.3-yard aDOT, and he scored.
  • Ray-Ray McCloud: McCloud’s usage has been solid, and he leads the team in target share (23.1%) with an 11.0-yard aDOT.
• Kyle Pitts: Pitts’ route rate dipped in Week 2 (71.0% from 96.4%), and he’s yet to have a target share better than 13.8% in a game (or worse than 13.0%).
• Kirk Cousins: Cousins' efficiency spiked in Week 2, but he remains a streaming-only target.

Stock Down:

• None

Baltimore Ravens

Stock Up:

• Zay Flowers: Flowers' 11 targets led to 91 yards and a 35.5% target share. He's the clear WR1 here without question.
• Mark Andrews: Andrews' stock is up -- to me -- after Isaiah Likely's Week 1 breakout. Andrews ran more routes (24) than Likely (17), and he had 2 downfield (10-plus air yards) targets for a double-digit aDOT (average depth of target; 11.8 yards).

Stock Steady:

• Derrick Henry: Henry's stock remains steady after what we learned in Week 1. He again ran behind Justice Hill. Henry had a 38.2% first-half snap rate in Week 2 but turned 18 carries into 84 yards and a touchdown. He saw all three red zone carries and was in on all four red zone snaps. There's potential -- just a very limited ceiling.
• Justice Hill: Hill has played a 56.2% snap rate for the Ravens and owns a 37.4% target rate. He's a viable PPR play if needed, similar to what we learned last week.
• Isaiah Likely: Likely's route rate was 43.6% in Week 2 (after being 42.6% in Week 1), only he didn't see a target on half his routes this game. He was targeted 3 times on 17 routes. He's a high-end TE2.
• Lamar Jackson: Jackson ran only 5 times in Week 2 (3 scrambles, 2 designed) and didn't get any of the 3 red zone carries after seeing 3 of 5 last week -- but his 7.3 yards per attempt and positive adjusted efficiency in Week 2 as a passer were nice to see.

Stock Down:

• Rashod Bateman: Bateman now has a 75.8% route rate but just 9 targets (a 13.0% target-per-route rate). Until he earns more targets, the stock is down.

Buffalo Bills

Stock Up:

• Khalil Shakir: Shakir did quietly see a role boost in Week 2. His first-half snap rate spiked to 96.0% from 63.2% in Week 1, and he was in on all four red zone snaps. Shakir led in targets (5, 27.8%).

Stock Steady:

• James Cook: Cook's touchdown regression hit in Week 2. He scored 3 times on just 12 touches. However, I'm not saying the stock has definitively changed. He played a 52.0% first-half snap rate in Week 2 after a 52.6% rate in Week 1.
• Josh Allen: There's no need to panic after Allen's down game in Week 2. He threw just 19 passes and ran twice for 2 yards, but the team's pass rate over expectation (-2.2%) was up from a -7.1% mark in Week 1.
• Keon Coleman: Coleman saw just 1 target in Week 2 but had a team-high 85.0% route rate.

Stock Down:

• Dalton Kincaid: I think the arrow is mostly down on Kincaid's fantasy value. He has an aDOT of -0.3 on a 14.6% target share and has been targeted on only 5.6% of the team's red zone plays thus far. That reduces odds of big downfield plays and touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers

Stock Up:

• None

Stock Steady:

• Everyone:
  • No pass-catcher is averaging more than 34.5 yards per game through two contests, and the backfield is split 60/40 in favor of Chuba Hubbard over Miles Sanders on an offense with 13 points through two games.
  • However, the team will be starting Andy Dalton in Week 3, so we can reconvene next week.

Stock Down:

• None

Chicago Bears

Stock Up:

• Rome Oduzne: Odunze was the clear WR3 with Keenan Allen active in Week 1, but his role improved a lot without Allen. Odunze had 5 total targets with 3 downfield, 1 in the red zone, and 1 in the end zone. He also led the team in routes (87.5%).

Stock Steady:

• DJ Moore: Moore was targeted on 29.4% of the Bears' attempts in Week 2 without Keenan Allen, up marginally from a 27.6% target share in Week 1 even with Allen's 37.9% market share vacated.

Stock Down:

• D'Andre Swift: Swift has cleared a 66.0% snap rate in each game but has bottom-tier rushing and receiving efficiency to go along with a moderate workload (9.1 expected FanDuel points per game, per my model).
• Caleb Williams: Williams now has a 14.6% sack rate, which is killing drives and EPA numbers for the whole offense, to go with a sub-5.0 yards per attempt mark (4.7).

Cincinnati Bengals

Stock Up:

• Zack Moss: Moss distanced himself over Chase Brown in Week 2 by seeing more snaps (50 to 11) and routes (20 to 5). Not many RBs will log an 82.0% snap rate in a game all season, which is what he had in Week 2.
• Mike Gesicki: Gesicki posted a team-best 26.5% target share (9 targets) in Week 2 with great efficiency (4.33 yards per route run).
• Trenton Irwin: Irwin was credited with 6 targets, 3 downfield targets, 5 red zone targets, and 4 end zone targets on 21 routes (51.2% route participation).

Stock Steady:

• Ja'Marr Chase: Chase easily led in route rate (92.7%) in Week 2 but has a subpar (for him) 17.5% target share.
• Andrei Iosivas: Iosivas scored twice on four targets. Most notably, he had a 78.0% route rate. He's a viable start until Tee Higgins returns in most cases.
• Joe Burrow: Burrow bounced back with average efficiency in Week 2.

Stock Down:

• Chase Brown: Brown had just a 21.2% first-half snap rate and 18.0% overall snap rate in a big game.

Cleveland Browns

Stock Up:

• None

Stock Steady:

• Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore: All three have solid workloads but need more efficiency from Deshaun Watson.
  • Cooper again had volume (8 targets) without much to show for it (11 yards). He now has 243 air yards (3rd-most in the league) but 27 receiving yards (tied for 148th).
  • Jeudy has had 8 and 6 targets to start the year for an 18.4% target share with good downfield leverage.
  • Moore has been around the 80% mark for routes in each week and has as many targets (14) as Jeudy.

Stock Down:

• Jerome Ford: Ford's first-half snap rate was just 38.2% in Week 2, as D'Onta Foreman elevated from 1 snap in Week 1 to 25 in Week 2. Pierre Strong left with a hamstring injury, but Ford seems destined to split work for now.

Dallas Cowboys

Stock Up:

• CeeDee Lamb: Lamb still got his work in a blowout and saw a 22.7% first-half target share.
• Brandin Cooks: Cooks has had a 92.3% red zone snap rate this season and has as many downfield targets (7) and red zone targets (1) as Lamb. I'm relatively high on Cooks.

Stock Steady:

• Dak Prescott: Dak's unadjusted efficiency isn't great, but accounting for opponents, he's been fine (+0.03 EPA over expectation per play).

Stock Down:

• Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott: Snaps were split 43.9% to 39.4%, respectively, here, similar to last week's numbers and the first-half numbers. Dowdle did start, for what it's worth, but Zeke has the better red zone role (76.9% red zone snap rate through two games).

Denver Broncos

Stock Up:

• Javonte Williams: It's a hesitant stock up situation here given the offense, but Williams had a 53.8% route rate and 15.2% target share while also pacing the backfield in carries (11 of 15).

Stock Steady:

• Courtland Sutton: Suton played all 8 red zone snaps and ran 89.7% of the team's routes but saw just 4 targets for 26 yards. He now has a yards-per-route-rate number of just 0.83. He does have all four end zone targets this season, though.
• Josh Reynolds: Reynolds had a 15.2% target share without Devaughn Vele for 93 yards on 5 targets.
• Greg Dulcich: It's hard to gloss over 8 targets at the TE position, but Dulcich caught just 3 for 16 yards, though 3 were downfield targets. He's still in the low-60% range in terms of routes.

Stock Down:

• None

Detroit Lions

Stock Up:

• Jahmyr Gibbs: Gibbs separated from David Montgomery in Week 2 (62.2% snap rate to 36.6%) after barely leading in Week 1 (50.8% to 49.2%). Gibbs saw 13 of 24 carries between the two but 7 of the 11 targets and was in on 13 of 19 red zone plays (68.4%).
• Amon-Ra St. Brown: I don't want to react solely to a 19-target game here, but knowing Jameson Williams broke out in Week 1 and was a full go for Week 2 despite limited practice means the arrow is up for St. Brown. He had a 36.5% target share and 48.9% air yards share in Week 2, proving he is still the top option.

Stock Steady:

• Jameson Williams: Williams followed up a breakout Week 1 with 11 targets for 79 yards (a 21.2% target share). Of those 11 looks, 6 were downfield targets (good for a 35.7% air yards share), 4 were in the red zone (a 33.3% red zone share), and 2 were in the end zone (a 100.0% share).
• David Montgomery: Montgomery is still in the role I figured he'd have in the preseason: roughly half the carries and some receiving work while running behind Gibbs. Montgomery had a 44.4% first-half snap rate in Week 2.

Stock Down:

• Sam LaPorta: I think the stock is clearly down on LaPorta. Despite a 77.3% route rate, he's seen 8 total targets for 58 yards with just a 6.3-yard aDOT.

Green Bay Packers

Stock Up:

• Josh Jacobs: The Packers had -- by far -- a league-low pass rate over expected in Week 2, and that led to 32 carries for 151 yards for Jacobs. Malik Willis' passing efficiency was enough to keep Jacobs a volume-based start.

Stock Steady:

• None

Stock Down:

• Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Christian Watson: Route rates in Week 2 were, respectively, 72.2%, 61.1%, 44.%, and 44.4% -- but the totals were 13, 11, 8, and 8 in an extremely run-heavy script.
• Tucker Kraft: Kraft had a 55.6% route rate but just 2 targets.
• Malik Wilils: The Packers ran the ball 53 times and threw it 14 times. Willis' 5.6-yard aDOT means explosive plays are unlikely, too.

Houston Texans

Stock Up:

• Nico Collins: Collins is undeniably the big dog in the offense. He had a 29.4% target share and 43.5% air yards share in Week 2 with as many or more downfield targets (6) as any other WR had total targets (Stefon Diggs had 6). Collins owns a 27.7% target share and 47.9% air yards share through two games.

Stock Steady:

• Joe Mixon: Mixon's dominant Week 1 didn't carry over to Week 2, and an ankle injury limited his second-half snaps. He still saw an elite 48.3% opportunity-per-snap rate, so he likely has a great role if healthy.
• Stefon Diggs: Diggs’ two-TD game in Week 1 masked solid-but-unspectacular usage. In Week 2, he drew a 17.6% target share with 6 total targets and 3 downfield targets.
• Tank Dell: Dell dropped a potential big play on Sunday night. Three of his four targets were downfield. He saw 3 carries for 16 yards. It’s a pretty good role -- but will lead to up-and-down performance.
• CJ Stroud: Stroud's adjusted efficiency is a big plus, but the success rate is low, and the sack rate is a bit high (9.1%).

Stock Down:

• Dalton Schultz: Schultz played through a sprained ankle for a 66.7% route rate and just 3 targets (8.8%). He has a 9.2% target share on the year and is ceding some snaps to Brevin Jordan and Cade Stover. Schultz still was on the field for 70.5% of Houston’s Week 2 snaps, though.

Indianapolis Colts

Stock Up:

• Alec Pierce: Pierce exploded in Week 1 but got more involved in Week 2 with a 22.6% target share, tied with Michael Pittman Jr. for the team lead. Of his 7 targets, 6 were at least 10 yards downfield, and he has a 22.2-yard aDOT through two games.

Stock Steady:

• Michael Pittman Jr.: Pittman Jr. has a 30.0% target share through two games but just 7.5 targets and 26.5 yards per game. He’s played every red zone snap so far, but the main issue here is passing volume. The Colts are bottom-10 in pass rate over expectation.

Stock Down:

• Jonathan Taylor: Taylor had 12 of 14 RB carries in Week 2 and had an 80.0% first-half snap rate. However, he finished the game with a 49.1% snap rate, and head coach Shane Steichen said it was purposeful to get Trey Sermon on the field in comeback mode.
• Anthony Richardson: Richardson had a lot of hype (myself included). He’s played to expectation in terms of EPA per play but has averaged 5.0 carries (2.5 designed runs) per game. Better days are ahead -- once the play volume increases.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Stock Up:

• Brenton Strange: Strange saw a 69.1% snap rate and 61.1% route rate without Evan Engram. Strange drew 6 targets for 65 yards, a 22.2% target share.

Stock Steady:

• Travis Etienne: After a worrisome Week 1 with a costly fumble, Etienne ended up with a 70.9% snap rate in Week 2 -- up from 68.0%. But Tank Bigsby left early with a shoulder injury. That should help Etienne in the short term, though D’Ernest Johnson ended up with a 29.1% snap rate in Week 2.
• Gabe Davis: Through two weeks, Davis is the only Jaguars WR with better than a 20% target share; he’s at 21.7%. Davis also leads in route rate (86.9%).
• Brian Thomas Jr.: Thomas Jr. generated 94 receiving yards on 4 targets but ran fewer routes (27) than Davis (31) and Christian Kirk (30).

Stock Down:

• Trevor Lawrence: Lawrence has slightly below average EPA per play numbers and an 11.5% sack rate.
• Christian Kirk: Kirk saw 3 targets for -1 yards in a game without Engram, though it’s worth noting he accrued 70.3 air yards, per NGS.

Kansas City Chiefs

Stock Up:

• Carson Steele and Samaje Perine: With news that Isiah Pacheco is headed to IR and miss six to eight weeks, opportunity is there for the Chiefs’ backs. In two games without Pacheco last season (excluding Week 18), they split snaps between Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon, so it’s unlikely that they lean on a featured back. The team also is bringing in Kareem Hunt. So, while the arrow is up, the chances that we get any back matching Pacheco’s output seem unlikely.

Stock Steady:

• Travis Kelce: Kelce has just 7 targets and 39 yards through two games but has an 80.3% route rate. He’s one of two TEs with at least an 80.0% route rate. The arrow was adjusted in Week 1, and I’m not changing it much after Week 2.
• Rashee Rice: Rice leads the team with a 31.3% target share with 89.0 yards per game.
• Xavier Worthy: Though Worthy’s route rate scaled back in Week 2 (76.7% to 61.3%), he saw an 18.2% target share in a low-volume game.
• Patrick Mahomes: I still think the arrow is angled down on Mahomes until he increases his 4.6-yard aDOT, but the Pacheco injury should lead to more volume. Last regular season, in two games with Mahomes but no Pacheco, the team had a +9.8% pass rate over expectation, up from +7.0% in other regular season games.

Stock Down:

• None

Las Vegas Raiders

Stock Up:

• Brock Bowers: Bowers ranks third among TEs in target share (25.0%) and first in yards per game (78.0) through two weeks. Arrow is up.

Stock Steady:

• Davante Adams: Adams’ target share spiked from 18.8% to 33.3% this week, and he caught 9 of those 12 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown. With 4 downfield targets, 3 red zone targets, and an 11.9-yard aDOT, we can still feel good with Adams.

Stock Down:

• Zamir White and Alexander Mattison: Mattison had the better data in Week 1, and it flipped to White in Week 2. White finished with a 65.0% snap rate and 9 of 15 RB carries, but it was Mattison who was on the field for 7 of 9 red zone snaps. They cap each other’s ceilings.
• Jakobi Meyers: Meyers has had single-game target shares of 9.4% and 13.9%. He is the odd man out with Adams and Bowers the focal points of the offense.

Los Angeles Chargers

Stock Up:

• Quentin Johnston: Johnston’s two-touchdown game was great results-wise, but the underlying data supports feeling optimistic on him. Johnson led all WRs in routes (82.6%) and market share (31.6%). Johnston now has single-game target shares of 20.0% and 31.6%. Only 22 players have a 20.0% rate in each game so far.

Stock Steady:

• JK Dobbins: Dobbins out-snapped Gus Edwards in the first half (63.6% to 39.4%) and was again more productive (131 scrimmage yards to 59) on 18 touches apiece. Until he takes over as a more featured back, my perception will stay similar.
• Gus Edwards: Edwards didn’t get relegated after Dobbins’ big Week 1, and he still saw 18 carries and out-snapped Dobbins 3-2 in the red zone this week.
• Ladd McConkey: McConkey has had single-game target shares of 28.0% and 21.1%, joining Johnston on a pretty interesting list. Volume is low in the offense, however.

Stock Down:

• Justin Herbert: Los Angeles is bottom-three in pass rate over expectation, keeping Herbert’s fantasy prospects low.

Los Angeles Rams

Stock Up:

• Kyren Williams: Williams is second in snap rate (85.7%) among all RBs, and now the Rams are without Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.
• Colby Parkinson: Parkinson has a 78.3% route rate, fifth-best among all TEs, and target volume is opened without Kupp and Nacua.
• Demarcus Robinson: Robinson was already established with a good role before the WR injuries for the Rams, so he could be the WR1 here, and he has averaged 2.0 downfield targets and 1.0 red zone targets per game with a 31.3% air yards share.
• Tyler Johnson: Johnson had a 78.1% route rate in Week 2 with an 11.1% target share.

Stock Steady:

• Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington: The arrow is technically up here, sure, but route trends and volume suggests that Atwell or Whittington will operate as the WR3 at best, so it’s probably best to wait and see who emerges before deploying them into starting lineups.

Stock Down:

• Matthew Stafford: The arrow is up for the tertiary pieces here, but stock is down for Stafford, whose passing efficiency should take a big hit without Nacua and Kupp.

Miami Dolphins

Stock Up:

• None

Stock Steady:

• De’Von Achane: Achane can probably outlast a QB downgrade to Skylar Thompson due to his workload: 22 carries and 7 targets on Thursday Night Football while playing with an ankle injury. Achane saw 4 of 14 targets from Thompson in Week 2. However, if Raheem Mostert returns and we have a true committee, Achane will see a notable downgrade.

Stock Down:

• Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle: You (and me) are still starting Tyreek and (very likely) Jaylen Waddle, but the arrow is down for them in an offense led by Skylar Thompson. They have a bottom-eight implied team total for Week 3.

Minnesota Vikings

Stock Up:

• Jalen Nailor: Nailor benefitted (87.5% route rate, 4 targets, 54 yards) from the absence of Jordan Addison and had a healthy 15.6-yard aDOT this week.

Stock Steady:

• Aaron Jones: No change for me with Jones after a 61.1% snap rate and 43.8% route rate in Week 2. Ty Chandler looked good (82 yards on 10 carries), but Jones had a 76.9% first-half snap rate.
• Justin Jefferson: Jefferson had a 97-yard TD in Week 2 but also sustained a quad contusion. He’d have to be downgraded if he’s limited, but a 28.9% target-per-route rate keeps him in the elite tier of fantasy WRs.
• Brandon Powell: Powell ran behind Nailor and Jefferson. He saw 2 targets on 23 routes (71.9%). Missed time from Jefferson and/or Addison would keep him relevant; otherwise, he’ll likely be squeezed out like we saw in Week 1.

Stock Down:

• None

New England Patriots

Stock Up:

• Rhamondre Stevenson: Stevenson followed up a 25-carry, 120-yard, 1-TD ground game with 21 for 81 and a score in Week 2 with a 71.2% snap rate (it was 79.7%) in Week 1. He also saw 5 targets. The arrow is still up here.
• Hunter Henry: Henry had a strong Week 1 role but just 3 targets (13.0%); in Week 2, he was targeted 12 times on 28 routes and now owns a 31.9% target share for the season.

Stock Steady:

• None

Stock Down:

• Ja'Lynn Polk and KJ Osborn: New England is so run heavy that the WRs are not relevant right now.
• Antonio Gibson: Gibson had 11 carries for 96 yards but played just a 24.2% snap rate, and the team seems committed to Stevenson. Stock is still low.

New Orleans Saints

Stock Up:

• Alvin Kamara: Kamara made good on a great role in Week 2, scoring four times. Kamara leads all RBs in scrimmage yards per game (145.0) and is one of two RBs with a 20.0% target share or better (he's at 20.5%).

Stock Steady:

• Chris Olave: Olave had 81 yards on 6 targets (a 40.0% target share and 57.2% air yards share). He’s the top option here, even though it’s been Rashid Shaheed with the big plays.
• Rashid Shaheed: Shaheed had a 94.1% route rate in Week 2’s low-volume game and caught all 4 targets (a 26.7% target share) for 96 yards and a touchdown. In closer games, he should see more volume and provide more safety.
• Taysom Hill: Hill had 3 carries and a target in Week 2 and has played on 50.0% of the team’s red zone snaps through two games. That’s pretty much the expectation for Hill.

Stock Down:

• Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau: Each scored in Week 1 but had sub-40% route rates in Week 2, though Moreau was on the field for 88.5% of the team’s first-half snaps.

New York Giants

Stock Up:

• Malik Nabers: Nabers was peppered in Week 2: 18 targets for 127 yards and a touchdown. He accounted for 69.2% of the team’s targets and 78.6% of the air yards. His stock skyrocketed with an outlier performance like that.
• Devin Singletary: Singletary’s Week 2 snap rate (80.0%) led to 16 carries and a target for 96 scrimmage yards. His 74.6% snap rate on the year is eighth among all RBs.

Stock Steady:

• None

Stock Down:

• Wan’Dale Robinson: Robinson’s 12-target game in Week 1 didn’t last, as he ended up with 4 looks in Week 2 (10.2% target share) despite a similar route rate (71.4% in Week 1 and 69.0% in Week 2).

New York Jets

Stock Up:

• Braelon Allen: Allen made the most of his 7 carries and 4 targets for 56 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns (1 rushing and 1 receiving). He also saw a 50.0% first-half snap rate after playing only 8 total snaps in Week 1.

Stock Steady:

• Breece Hall: I won’t downgrade Hall because of Allen’s breakout, though it’s worth noting that Hall’s first-half snap rate was 62.5%, down from 95.7% in Week 2. Hall still saw 8 targets and 14 carries for 114 yards.
• Garrett Wilson: Wilson remains the clear WR1 by route rate (95.3%) and target share (29.3%).

Stock Down:

• Allen Lazard: Lazard’s two-TD Week 1 didn’t transfer to opportunities in Week 2: he had a 13.8% target share for 4 targets and 11 yards.
• Mike Williams: Williams had a 69.7% route rate but just one target.

Philadelphia Eagles

Stock Up:

• Saquon Barkley: Barkley leads all RBs with an 85.9% snap rate and is averaging 124.0 scrimmage yards per game.
• DeVonta Smith: Smith can be a true WR1 without AJ Brown, and we saw that in Week 2 when he had 10 targets for 7 catches, 120 yards, and a touchdown. Smith accounted for 34.5% of the Eagles’ targets and 62.5% of their air yards.
• Jalen Hurts: Hurts is averaging 13.0 carries and 59.0 rushing yards per game with positive passing efficiency.

Stock Steady:

• Dallas Goedert: Goedert had an 85.7% route rate but just 4 targets for 38 yards in a game without AJ Brown. He’s still got one of the better roles among all TEs.

Stock Down:

• None

Pittsburgh Steelers

Stock Up:

• Jaylen Warren: Warren's snap rate climbed from 28.8% to 44.8% in Week 2, and he out-snapped Najee Harris (53.1% to 46.9%) in the first half. He drew 9 carries and 2 targets and saw more red zone snaps (4) than Najee Harris (2).

Stock Steady:

• George Pickens: Pickens ran just 17 of 28 routes (60.7%) in Week 2 but saw 4 targets (tied for a team high and a 22.2% target share) in a tough individual matchup. I think low volume but high-leverage games are still the expectation for Pickens.

Stock Down:

• Najee Harris: While Harris saw 17 carries and 2 targets for 74 scrimmage yards this week, his snap rate fell to 48.3% from 57.6%.
• Justin Fields: While Fields is averaging 42.0 rushing yards per game, the passing volume (136.5 yards per game) isn’t enough to vault him into the elite fantasy territory he’s had at various times in his career.
• Pat Freiermuth: Freiermuth has seen 4 targets in each game and has a 20.0% full-season target share yet has 33.0 yards per game to show for it in this run-heavy offense.

San Francisco 49ers

Stock Up:

• George Kittle: With injuries to Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, stock is up for a lot of the skill players in San Francisco. Kittle is coming off an 8-target, 76-yard, 1-touchdown game with an 87.9% first-half snap rate.
• Brandon Aiyuk: Aiyuk led the Niners in route rate (88.6%) in Week 2 and drew an okay target share (13.9%; 5 targets) for 43 yards. Of his 5 targets, 3 were at least 10 yards downfield, and 2 were in the red zone. His target-per-route rate (15.6%) is subpar, but that’ll only go up with the injuries to the offense.
• Jordan Mason: Mason had an 80.6% snap rate for 20 carries and a target in Week 2. He is averaging 128.0 scrimmage yards through two games.

Stock Steady:

• None

Stock Down:

• Brock Purdy: Purdy's path to fantasy relevance just gets harder without McCaffrey and Samuel.

Seattle Seahawks

Stock Up:

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba: JSN had a breakout performance in Week 2 with a team-best 16 targets (a 37.2% target share) with a 10.3-yard aDOT (and a 47.4% air yards share). He had more downfield targets (6) than anyone, too.
• Zach Charbonnet: Charbonnet had a 95.5% snap rate without Kenneth Walker III but had just 69 yards. Still, you're not passing up that snap rate.

Stock Steady:

• DK Metcalf: Metcalf was in great shape after Week 1 and remains there with a 32.6% target share in Week 2 (14 targets for 129 yards and a touchdown).
• Geno Smith: Smith has QB9 numbers through two games and has had a solid blend of passing efficiency with some rushing upside (38 yards on the ground).
• Noah Fant: Fant is actually 12th in route rate (72.4%) among all TEs and has averaged 3.5 targets (tied for 17th).

Stock Down:

• Tyler Lockett: Lockett was injured leading into Week 2 and while he played on 53 snaps and ran 40 routes, he had just 2 targets for 15 yards. His role could come back once his health improves, but JSN showed what he could do, so it’s hard not to view this as a downgrade for Lockett.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stock Up:

• Baker Mayfield: Mayfield has top-tier EPA per play numbers and is playing above opponent-adjusted expectation.

Stock Steady:

• Chris Godwin and Mike Evans: I’m viewing these two the same, which is very positive.
  • It’s easy to be high on both Evans and Godwin, who have 24.5% and 32.7% target shares, respectively, through two games.
  • Godwin’s aDOT is only 6.8 yards, but he’s averaging 2.0 downfield targets per game.
  • Evans is at 3.0 downfield targets, 1.5 red zone targets, and 1.5 end zone targets per game.
• Rachaad White: White has played on 69.4% of the Bucs’ snaps through two games but has only 64.5 scrimmage yards per game to show for it. It’s hard to dislike the snap rate, though.
• Jalen McMillan: McMillan has a 74.2% route rate through two games but just 2.5 targets per game and a 10.2% target share.
• Cade Otton: Otton has a 79.0% route rate, which is third-best among all TEs. However, he has just 2.0 targets per game (8.2% target share) to show for it.

Stock Down:

• None

Tennessee Titans

Stock Up:

• Tony Pollard: Pollard had a 68.3% snap rate in Week 2, up from 62.3% in Week 1. He had 17 of 23 RB carries and 6 of 8 RB targets this week.

Stock Steady:

• Calvin Ridley: Ridley is the WR1 in a low-volume offense; he has had single-game target shares of 25.9% and 22.2%, making him one of 22 players with a 20.0% target share in each game so far.
• Tyler Boyd: Boyd has had an 18.5% target share in each game this season, and he’s cleared an 80.0% route rate in each contests, too. It’s a pretty good role – just the offense isn’t one to get overly excited about.

Stock Down:

• DeAndre Hopkins: Hopkins’ route rate climbed, but he had just 2 targets on 16 routes for a forgettable 12.5% target-per-route rate.
• Chig Okonkwo: Okonkwo’s route rate was 37.1% in Week 2, down from 47.4% in Week 1.
• Tyjae Spears: Spears’ snap rate went from 44.3% to 31.7% in Week 2, and he’s averaging only 31.5 scrimmage yards per game.

Washington Commanders

Stock Up:

• Jayden Daniels: Daniels’ elite efficiency from college seems to be transferring over to the NFL, and he’s running a lot: 13.0 carries and 66.0 yards per game. He’s the QB6.

Stock Steady:

• Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler: There was again roughly a 60/40 snap split in favor of Robinson Jr. this week.
  • Robinson Jr.’s route rate climbed from 20.6% to 47.2% this week. We can be skeptical that lasts and keep stock similar.
  • Plus, Ekeler was on the field for 9 of 19 red zone snaps (47.4%) with Robinson Jr. in on 10 (52.6%).
  • I could understand the case for bumping up Robinson Jr. but won’t just yet.
• Zach Ertz: Ertz saw a 14.8% target share and 69.4% route rate in Week 2 and is actually 7th among TEs in yards per game (45.0).
• Terry McLaurin: McLaurin’s target share was up from 16.7% to 25.9% in Week 2, yet he had only 17 yards and a low 4.0-yard aDOT after a boom-or-bust 19.6-yard aDOT in Week 1.

Stock Down:

• None

Gear up for NFL season! Customers who bet $5 will get a free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube & YouTube TV! This promo expires September 22nd. See here for full terms and conditions.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.