Eric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments".
At two of the three top fantasy positions, the No. 1 option in our rest-of-season rankings has disappointed the past several weeks. That's not the case at running back, of course, as Christian McCaffrey is running wild. Still, is there concern about Patrick Mahomes and DeAndre Hopkins? Worry a little, if you must, but they remain atop the positional list entering Week 6. What would it take to topple them? Well, we're not there yet. But for myriad other players, there was movement in the latest rankings, by position and overall. Check it out and enjoy a little Stock Watch as well.
QB Stock Up
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: How does he do this every season and still surprise fantasy managers? Wilson was supposed to be among the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks, but even that short-changed his value, somehow. Wilson comes off a four-touchdown effort against the Rams. He still has yet to throw an interception, despite averaging more yards per attempt than ever. The schedule does not matter. Wilson is a weekly play and a mover on the good side.
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons: His team is far from good, mostly on the other side of the football, but that has aided Ryan in a way, as he has topped 300 passing yards in each game and should surpass 30 touchdown passes for the fourth time. The interceptions are a minor concern, but the overall numbers matter, and the Falcons' defense should remain a mess.
Gardner Minshew II, Jacksonville Jaguars: I doubt he ends up in my top 10 anytime soon, but the surprising rookie has thrown two touchdown passes in four of five games, with only one more interception than you and I have. Jacksonville's defense is not dominant, so we welcome the occasional shootout for Minshew and his awesome receiver DJ Chark Jr. There is no end in sight for production.
QB Stock Down
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: We love the guy and appreciate the past decade of statistical wonderment, but he has only one statistical game close to the top 10 this season. This team wants to run and defend, and it's working. Arizona rookie Kyler Murray has barely touched his statistical upside -- and he will -- and is the No. 8 QB so far. We cannot rank with our hearts.
Case Keenum, Washington Redskins: Sometimes a midseason coaching change means good things for an offense, but I have to think this winless mess of a squad goes to rookie Dwayne Haskins right away, and he does have weapons to throw to, assuming he can protect himself just a little.
RB Stock Up
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants: While he is not expected to return this Thursday, he is close. Barkley is terrific, and my only issue was whether he deserved the No. 2 spot after Christian McCaffrey. I can wait a week or so on that one.
Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers: Yep, this is what happens when an offense commits to a running back. The quarterback loses fantasy value. I think we are generally OK with this development. Jones dominated the Dallas game. Just. Stay. Healthy.
Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos: I expected a time-share with Royce Freeman, and that is precisely what we are getting, but Lindsay still shines brighter. He should breeze by his rookie reception total and find the end zone on a few catches too.
RB Stock Down
Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets: I actually believe this offense will surprise people when Sam Darnold gets back on the field (starting this week), but I still have concerns about Bell approaching his ol' Pittsburgh Steelers value. Volume is there -- perhaps a bit too much, actually -- but things are a lot tougher with the mess around him, and that includes the playcalling. That noted, he remains a top-10 running back for me.
LeSean McCoy, Kansas City Chiefs: Getting the same number of rushing attempts as you and I did in the Sunday night game is a bad sign. McCoy is still averaging 5.3 yards per tote and getting goal-line work, but the younger personnel in this backfield has seen more work lately.
Latavius Murray, New Orleans Saints: Perhaps things would be different with Drew Brees playing, but the current Saints offense cannot sustain Alvin Kamara and his backup as fantasy fixtures. Murray has yet to reach 100 rushing yards for the season and he is not catching passes. Move on.
WR Stock Up
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs: As with Barkley, it looks as if this fantasy asset will be returning sooner rather than later, so prep those trade offers quickly. Oh, and Sammy Watkins is clearly not in the way. As expected by some of us, he is barely even a factor.
Will Fuller V, Houston Texans: Well, did we have a choice? This fellow entered Week 5 with 14 catches and then doubled it Sunday with one of the best performances in fantasy history for a wide receiver. No, DeAndre Hopkins investors need not worry. They can coexist, but Fuller moves into WR3 territory for now.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos: He has 10 catches and three touchdowns the past two games, while Emmanuel Sanders has eight catches and nary a score the past three games. Perhaps it is cyclical, but Sutton moves up and becomes the Denver receiver to rely on first.
WR Stock Down
Tyrell Williams, Oakland Raiders: He missed Week 5 with a foot injury, and the bye week comes this week. But even prior to that, his touchdown-per-game routine was unsustainable, and he was not accruing the targets, catches or yards to help when he doesn't score.
Brandin Cooks, Los Angeles Rams: Many of us figured we would rank the three Rams wide receivers similarly, as we did last season, but Cooper Kupp has a far larger share, and Cooks has been far too quiet. He caught one pass in Week 5, and targets have been inconsistent.
TE Stock Up
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams: Nineteen targets the past two weeks with 180 receiving yards and a touchdown was enough to make him a potential fantasy starter. It hardly takes much these days.
TE Stock Down
Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts: One catch on Sunday night gives him nine in five games. Sorry, but I did not think it would be this bad, and it isn't as if Jack Doyle is making up the difference. Jacoby Brissett does not throw to the tight ends. I would move these Colts out of the top 20, but nobody else deserves their spots.
