Pre Season Stock Watch: Risers and Fallers

[ninotoreS]

Just to mention a few in particular I'm either not seeing mentioned much or I feel deserve further elaboration...

Stock Up

- Virgil Green. He played well ahead of the much hyped Heuerman in the first preseason game (Heuerman didn't appear until the third-quarter), and caught four touchdowns in one scrimmage last week. Denver's passing-O will probably be terrible, but Kubiak's starting TE is always worth rostering, just in case. And if anyone's forgotten what a freak Virgil is: http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/ds ... &genpos=TE.

- Cody Latimer. Fowler's injured and Latimer had a good preseason game. He had a good one last year too so maybe it doesn't mean much, we'll see.

- Jakeem Grant. I don't know how he can make fantasy noise on that depth-chart, but that little guy can play. (he's still bigger than me)

- Eli Rogers. The notion of three starting sub-6'0" wide-receivers is worrisome, but with the grim Green rumors, Bell's suspension, and Coates' bad week, both Rogers and Wheaton are becoming sleepers in Pittsburgh.

- C-Mike. lol. Just... lol.


Stock Down

- Alex Collins. C-Mike appearing more and more likely to be Rawls' handcuff. Hawks will probably keep four RBs, but Collins is shaping up as a gameday inactive this year.

- DeAndre Smelter. It was never realistic to expect a 2016 fantasy breakout. He's effectively a rookie transitioning from a triple-option college offense, and one that only played two years of collegiate ball at that. 2017 is the year to circle with him. Owners need to hope he just makes the active gameday roster this year. If he manages to beat out Patton for the starting split-end job, that's pure bonus, and he still probably wouldn't get more than 30-40 catches for the year. edit: now that I've mentioned him here in this category he'll probably put up stats today and make me look stupid

- Jay Ajayi. Owners wanted to see a better game than that, to say the least. He was either doghoused for that batted pass, or Miami never actually planned to use him much in the first preseason week. The latter is probably a naive hope.

- Josh Ferguson. Indy's O-line didn't do him any favors, but he just doesn't look like he's capable of being more than a space-back. Indy's rushing-offense is in trouble if 33-year-old Gore misses any time.

- Sammie Coates. Still has the same stone hands and absent ball-skills he had at Auburn.

- Jordan Howard. Could be a rush to judgment following just one preseason game and one beat-reporter's opinion, but it's clear now he has much more depth-chart climbing to do than most people assumed a month ago.

[Zebrahead07]

Factor in Goff suffered two drops and was hit while throwing the interception and his stat line changes drastically with a little better luck.

After he took that huge hit there was a BEAUTIFUL strike to pharaoh coopers hands that he couldn't hold on to which would've put them on the 5. I wish they would've worked on the 2 minute drill, as they were taking there time coming out of the huddle and calling plays. Hopefully he gets a lot more work next week. I think fisher had some flashbacks of Bradford as Goff landed on his shoulder.

[dm1129]

He has already been metioned earlier in this thread, but it is worth repeating...Dez Bryant. He honestly looked better to me than before he was injured and was moving quicker than I can ever remember him doing so before. I think some fantasy owners may be overlooking him to a degree, he could have the best year of his career this season.

[ajmyk]

DGB going down for not being able to compete for a starting spot with 5th round rookie and a former udfa

[FiremanEd]

DGB going down for not being able to compete for a starting spot with 5th round rookie and a former udfa

Careful. A_yeti will be all over your bleep for saying that stuff.

[jimjim90]

DGB going down for not being able to compete for a starting spot with 5th round rookie and a former udfa

Careful. A_yeti will be all over your bleep for saying that stuff.

[FantasyFreak]

Mike Davis stock up. He cut weight in the off-season, and it shows. Continuously getting more than is blocked for him. A couple catches, and a nice spin move after the catch to beat a player after the catch.

[TB3falcons]

Down- Jaelin Strong. Started with the 2nd stringers behind Fuller & Miller

Up- Vance McDonald. Made some plays, should be the primary passing TE.

[Never Veto1]

Factor in Goff suffered two drops and was hit while throwing the interception and his stat line changes drastically with a little better luck.

You can't just take out plays to improve a stat line. The plays happened.

[FiremanEd]

Can't remove them but can take them into context...

[FantasyFreak]

Cody Latimer up. Jordan Howard down. NinotoreS explanation is enough.

[jaykay22]

Unless I missed it, I haven't seen much about him on here just yet:

Nelson Spruce! Came into the Rams as an UDFA. Caught 6/8 for 51 yards and a TD against the Cowboys, leading the team as the best WR, easily. Heading into the draft, all those who had coached him and seen him play had one common statement: "He just catches the ball". His college drops were like 3 on 288 catches or something out of this world.

I know I'm a huge fanboy/truther of his and I admit it, but I think we're looking at the Rams eventual WR3 once the regular season rolls around. I know it probably might not mean much fantasy wise for 2016, but outside of Cooper, for 2017, I truly think Spruce could have the way paved to be a WR2 or WR3 on his team.

[M-Dub]

Unless I missed it, I haven't seen much about him on here just yet:

Nelson Spruce! Came into the Rams as an UDFA. Caught 6/8 for 51 yards and a TD against the Cowboys, leading the team as the best WR, easily. Heading into the draft, all those who had coached him and seen him play had one common statement: "He just catches the ball". His college drops were like 3 on 288 catches or something out of this world.

I know I'm a huge fanboy/truther of his and I admit it, but I think we're looking at the Rams eventual WR3 once the regular season rolls around. I know it probably might not mean much fantasy wise for 2016, but outside of Cooper, for 2017, I truly think Spruce could have the way paved to be a WR2 or WR3 on his team.

Fellow fanboy here. As a CU fan, I've watched damn-near every game he's played in his college career. It's true. He just catches the ball. He's not the fastest, tallest or strongest guy on the field, but when it's a crucial 3rd & 7, guess who always seems to be open on an 8-yard out?

Loved how Gruden immediately started talking him up right when he checked into the game, and he just flat-out delivered. I'm looking for any excuse to keep him on my final 17-man roster, so I hope he keeps it up.

[clarion contrarion]

I cannot see how he can be on any 17 man roster short of a 20+ team league but the kid was damned impressive even against the dallas scrubs . He caught the ball and looked like a 10 year vet in terms of negotiating space /coverage ; with a quality qb he would immediately become a security blanket. I will be keeping close tabs on him going forward.

[BuckeyeNation]

I cannot see how he can be on any 17 man roster short of a 20+ team league but the kid was damned impressive even against the dallas scrubs . He caught the ball and looked like a 10 year vet in terms of negotiating space /coverage ; with a quality qb he would immediately become a security blanket. I will be keeping close tabs on him going forward.

This year's Allen Hurns perhaps? Of course, just like with Hurns I'll probably completely miss out on him as I paid very little attention to what a UDFA rookie WR on a bad offensive team was doing during the preseason. I'm at least paying closer attention to Spruce right now than I did to Hurns two years ago.