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".
Things sure change quickly in fantasy football. A week ago, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff was a reasonable starter for many in the fantasy world, though his play had been a trifle inconsistent and disappointing. New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold hadn't played in a month and was, um, a Jet. Now? Well, Goff somehow managed to throw for a pathetic 78 yards against the powerful San Francisco 49ers defense -- in a full game -- while Darnold threw a 92-yard touchdown pass while beating the Dallas Cowboys. Things change fast.
As we head into Week 7, there is a clear top tier of fantasy quarterbacks -- the top five -- with a rookie and relatively stable veterans filling out the rest of the top 10, and then a big fat mess. Neither Goff nor Darnold seems worthy of such inclusion. It hardly means that will not change soon. After all, this week Darnold, who other than the scoring play to Robby Anderson hardly had dominant fantasy numbers, hosts a New England Patriots defense that is stout. (Or is it?) Goff travels to Atlanta to face a defense so miserable it falls behind every week and permits quarterback Matt Ryan -- a top-five option in fantasy -- to amass 300 passing yards and multiple touchdowns consistently.
Anyway, here are the latest rest-of-season rankings. Check them out and enjoy a little Stock Watch as well.
QB Stock Up
Sam Darnold, New York Jets: Perhaps you couldn't tell from the above paragraphs. Anyway, I have touted Darnold for a few weeks, thinking we see several second-year quarterbacks take that next step to fantasy relevance, and perhaps Darnold will. It was simply one game against an overrated defense that had played terrible offenses, but Monday night will be a truer test. I think Darnold has the people around him to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback, but not yet. For now, knowing what is ahead in Week 7, Goff remains one spot above Darnold, but it is all subject to change soon.
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions: Stafford used to throw for well over 4,000 yards every season, but then, in 2018, he did not. Of course, he hardly just got old. These are people. Stuff happens, just like with us, in their personal lives. Stafford's personal life is better now that his wife is healthy, and while he hardly shone in a statistical sense Monday night in Green Bay, hey, it beats five interceptions. Stafford has two interceptions this season. Baker Mayfield and Jameis Winston took turns throwing them while you read this. Alex Smith, before the crazy 2017 season, flirted with top-10 QB status as a Chief because he was efficient, ran a bit and did not turn the ball over. Stafford does not run, but he is the No. 10 QB in ESPN scoring because he protects the football. That matters too.
QB Stock Down
Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams: Well, c'mon, that was hideous. Prior to Week 6, Goff just looked different from last season, often keying on his fave Cooper Kupp and lacking a consistent running game. Goff fooled many with his 517-yard performance against Winston's Buccaneers, but he hardly looked proficient in that game. He was a mess, throwing three interceptions, fumbling yet again and looking haggard inside the 20-yard line. I am not saying Goff cannot be a top-10 fantasy QB, and Sunday was but one game, but this is not the 2018 version. Yes, Josh Allen, Gardner Minshew II and Jacoby Brissett are better options today. I cannot make a case for Mayfield or Winston.
Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers: Let us just pick on the City of Angels, eh? Rivers got his 320 passing yards in an embarrassing home loss to the Steelers Sunday night, but again, the way he played is more predictive. He was bad. Rivers has averaged 18.9 fantasy points the past fortnight and has a tough schedule upcoming. Move on.
RB Stock Up
James Conner and Benny Snell Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers: The rushing yards were not there yet again, but Conner finally started running over defenders and, for the second time in three contests, was an important factor in the receiving game. He has scored four touchdowns in three weeks, and perhaps the team's QB play is no longer an issue. Snell deserves attention too. While Conner moves up into borderline RB1 status, the rookie Snell assumes backup duties with Jaylen Samuels out a while after knee surgery.
Tevin Coleman, San Francisco 49ers: Give credit where due. Coleman missed a few games but now has 34 rushing attempts in two weeks. The 49ers are winning with ball control and defense. Coleman appears to be their ball control, capable of catching passes, and he is the beneficiary near the goal line, not Matt Breida.
Carlos Hyde, Houston Texans: OK, so perhaps he is not a great player, but it's all about the offense, like how Damien Williams went from obscurity to relevant because of the Chiefs around him (well, last season). Hyde skewered the K.C. defense, and he is 10th in the NFL in rushing yards.
Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams: It was neither a ton of touches nor yards, but the Memphis rookie has game. We all can see it, and we think the Rams will keep him relevant at least as a passing option, regardless of the health of Todd Gurley II. Get Henderson in case he explodes.
RB Stock Down
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans: Blame it all on Marcus Mariota, if you'd like, but defenses can handle Henry thanks to little downfield threat in the passing game. Speaking of, Henry has five catches for 27 yards since his long scoring jaunt in Week 1. He is no factor in the passing game, and the "R" in PPR is important. Atlanta's Devonta Freeman has struggled -- until Week 6, at least -- but the receptions are the reason he has more fantasy points than Henry.
Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers: Perhaps all will be well in time, but Gordon looks pretty bad, and as with Rivers, the schedule is a problem. Keep Gordon rostered, but he might be only a flex choice for another month.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals: Speaking of flex options, I refuse to keep ranking Mixon as an RB2 when the numbers support him as less than this. OK, he is good. Keep him as a flex choice, but 3.4 yards per rush and one touchdown on the season is representative of the mess around him. It all matters.
WR Stock Up
Terry McLaurin, Washington Redskins: The No. 6 PPR wide receiver for the season does not seem to mind the team's quarterback play or the coaching change, or anything at all. The Ohio State rookie has seven or more targets in each game he has played and has scored a touchdown in four of them.
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings: That was quite a performance against the college secondary of the Eagles, though Week 7 against Detroit's Darius Slay should be a re-awakening for fantasy managers trusting him and his QB. Still, he is a flex option.
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers: Who? Well, Aaron Rodgers apparently loves him, and really, that is all that seems to matter. The Packers are missing Davante Adams (still), and Lazard should work his way into relevant work.
WR Stock Down
Josh Gordon, New England Patriots: At some point, and we are probably past it, we need to see numbers. Fantasy numbers. Gordon, despite a cake schedule, last scored a touchdown in Week 1. He saw one target against the Giants and left with an injury. He has 20 catches in six games. What are we doing here?
Demarcus Robinson, Kansas City Chiefs:Tyreek Hill returned to the lineup and saw 10 of the 18 targets to wide receivers. Robinson saw nary a one. This is troubling if you roster Robinson.
TE Stock Up
Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers: Here is some good news for the Chargers. Henry debuted after a knee fracture and caught a pair of touchdowns. We know this fellow is good, but staying healthy has been an issue. Still, it did not take much for him to jump into the top 10.
TE Stock Down
Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals: He warranted attention and a decent ranking just for being healthy -- it is tight end, and the position is not strong -- but it's Week 7, and Eifert averages fewer than three catches per game, has yet to reach 30 receiving yards in a game and has scored one touchdown. Yawn.
