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".
While half of the NFL season is completed, we know in the fantasy football world we are past that point, because playoffs for some commence in early December. Trading season is down to a few weeks left as well. Time's a-wasting!
Here at End-of-Season Rankings Central we waste no time adjusting for all the things that affect value in fantasy football, from injuries to depth chart machinations to positive and negative performance, and more. As we enter Week 10, enjoy the latest, with the usual Stock Watch thrown in there!
QB Stock Up
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals: The new No. 1 fantasy scorer in average PPR points per game (Christian McCaffrey is a bit ahead, but has played only three games), Murray continues his assault on the record books, as colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft reports his 233.5 PPR points are the most by any quarterback at a season's midway point ever. Not bad. Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson remain awesome but they cannot compete with Murray, on pace for not only 4,260 passing yards and 32 touchdowns, but also 1,086 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns there! Wowzers!
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: We really should not be so surprised at how great Rodgers is playing, since he was a top-5 fantasy quarterback last season as well, and the last time he finished outside the top 10 in a full season was way back in, well, never. Rodgers has eclipsed 22 ESPN fantasy points in six of eight games. He has four games with four touchdown passes and both of his season interceptions came in one rough outing at Tampa Bay. Let the good times roll.
Alex Smith, Washington Football Team: First of all, can we just admit how amazing it is that Smith is even playing football at all? The awesome Stephania Bell chronicled the unusual and historic recovery and now, thanks to fill-in starter Kyle Allen suffering a season-ending injury, Smith is slated to start in Week 10 at Detroit. It is also possible the franchise could go back to Dwayne Haskins Jr. at some point, and he moves up in these rankings as well, but kudos to Smith. His rather tepid fantasy ranking hardly reflects his remarkable journey.
QB Stock Down
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: Not a newcomer to this section, we really have to stop living in the 2019 past. To be clear, Jackson is obviously still worthy of starting in a fantasy league, but then again, he enters Week 10 merely in borderline starter range for 10-team formats. Can both narratives be true? They can, but we should not presume Jackson, who has fallen short of 20 fantasy points in five of eight games, starts playing better. With the Patriots, Titans and Steelers still to come this month, we might have to wait until December.
Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts: Honestly, are the Colts willing to waste this once-promising season on a 38-year-old quarterback they employ for, most likely, only one season? Rivers played reasonably well in Weeks 6 and 8, but the Ravens' defense toyed with him Sunday, literally running over him on one memorable play. Perhaps we never do see backup and 2019 starter Jacoby Brissett, but Rivers should not be in any fantasy lineups. Go with Smith first, Denver's Drew Lock or even new Jaguars rookie Jake Luton!
RB Stock Up
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns: Out with a torn knee ligament since Week 4, Chubb seems likely to return to active duty this week and while we might generally preach patience in situations like these, not knowing a player's likely workload, running back is underperforming to such a level Chubb instantly returns to RB1 status. Two running backs scored more than 18 PPR points in Week 9. Two! As noted here, Chubb and Kareem Hunt can coexist in any league.
Mike Davis, Carolina Panthers: Beloved Christian McCaffrey was one of the high-scoring running backs in Week 9 as he made a mighty triumphant return from his injury, and handled a heavy workload. Then he got hurt again, this time a shoulder. Perhaps McCaffrey plays this week, but it is time to reunite Davis with fantasy rosters -- even if it is a bench spot -- in case he cannot.
J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team: The No. 3 PPR RB in Week 9 has actually been helping fantasy managers for more than a month, despite rare chances to run the football and nary a touchdown. McKissic boasts six or more receptions in four of five games, and if PPR is your thing, that is enough to warrant bye week flex attention.
RB Stock Down
Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins: A knee injury few seemed to know about has him out for three or more weeks, and normally that would signal a precipitous drop in these rankings. Well, you might want to keep him rostered because it is darn tough to find 25 running backs remotely worthy of the top 25.
Le'Veon Bell, Kansas City Chiefs: It remains possible the Chiefs were simply waiting for their bye week -- it is here -- to properly incorporate this former fantasy standout, and perhaps starting in Week 11 Bell will produce at past levels. It seems unlikely, though. Yes, Bell is splitting snaps and, in some cases, touches relatively evenly with rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but then again, the Chiefs could simply let Patrick Mahomes throw the football 45 times per game the rest of the way. Point is Bell looks nothing like a flex option.
Devonta Freeman, New York Giants: Another player whose best days seem well in the past, it made sense when the Giants signed him after the Saquon Barkley injury, but Wayne Gallman has scored touchdowns in three consecutive games and Alfred Morris looks spry, so why exactly do the Giants still need Freeman?
WR Stock Up
Will Fuller V, Houston Texans: As noted in this sunny video by this occasionally sunny writer who rarely ranks Fuller well, half the season is over and except for one game, this player has remained healthy, perhaps overcoming his brittle label. Fuller also has scored touchdowns in six consecutive contests. We hope we do not jinx him on health or performance.
Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals: Perhaps many have not noticed, and judging by the fact he remains available in nearly half of ESPN's standard leagues, many have not, but Kirk has surpassed 20 PPR points in three consecutive games, and he still has another matchup with defense-deficient Seattle and two NFC East games left to go! Yep, this is now a WR2.
Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos: If the 24 targets over two games is not enough, how about the 198 receiving yards on merely 11 catches. He might be a bit boom or bust the second half of the season, but so are plenty of other top-40 wide receivers, and the booms will be worth it.
WR Stock Down
Mike Evans/Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: This is not about one blowout loss on Sunday to the New Orleans Saints. Evans actually had 64 receiving yards there, his third-best outing of the season. Nor is it about Antonio Brown joining up and crowding things more. The fact is most of us have been over-ranking Evans all season, as he is has been way too dependent on touchdowns, and showing few signs of surpassing 60 catches and 800 yards. Godwin keeps getting hurt. Tom Brady and the Bucs will bounce back in the general sense, but are any of the big-name wide receivers safe flex options anymore? These rankings say no.
Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders: Not every highly touted rookie dominates right away. Ruggs saw three targets Sunday and caught none of them. He has 10 catches all season. Things could change quickly, but it is not as if he has Aaron Rodgers throwing to him, either.
TE Stock Up
Evan Engram, New York Giants: Wait, do our eyes deceive us or was that an actual receiving touchdown from a player so many thought would dominate in this league? Indeed, it was a touchdown! Engram still drops the occasional pass or three, but the targets are way up the past three weeks and so is the production. In this meager position environment, it is enough to return him to TE1 status.
TE Stock Down
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: Perhaps this is not his fault, and all blame goes to erratic Lamar Jackson, but the bottom line in fantasy is production and Andrews, as with his quarterback, has only three decent fantasy efforts all season. Andrews moves way down in the top 100, though only one spot at his position because his position barely produces fantasy numbers. Keep Andrews active because there are few others to recommend and hope for the best.
