Fantasy Football 2017: Stock Up/Stock Down after Preseason Week 2

With Week 2 of the NFL preseason in the books, which players improved their fantasy football stocks and which players are trending down?

As you know, the way we view NFL players in fantasy football is constantly changing. One week you can be the GOAT Tom Brady style and the next you can be the GOAT Bill Buckner style.

With fantasy football drafts underway for some and coming shortly for others, what players should you target and avoid?

Stock Up

DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins new quarterback Jay Cutler only threw six passes in Week 2, but he targeted Parker on three of them. That’s not including their 31-yard hookup which was negated by a penalty. Cutler has a history of force-feeding big wide receivers and Parker fits the bill.

Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets – Matt Forte is nowhere to be seen and Powell is a three-down back. In garbage time, the Jets garbage quarterback (whoever it is) will surely check it down to Powell a bunch. A solid PPR season is in the works for Powell.

Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings – There used to be an old phrase that went, “You can’t lose your job to injury”. Well, that’s a bunch of bull**** because you can. Cook has looked great running with the Vikings first-team offense and he’s clearly separated himself from, you know, that guy who played for the Raiders last year. What was his name again?

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Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs – Hunt played a good amount with the starters and looked solid during the process. The Chiefs traded up for Hunt in this April’s NFL Draft and they didn’t do it so he could sit on the sidelines.

Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams – Quarterback Jared Goff looked great in Week 2 (you read that right) and it’s no coincidence Gurley had a great game as well. With Goff improving and Sammy Watkins on the outside, look for the lanes to open up for Gurley.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans – The former Heisman winner looked great in Week 2 and unless he gets injured, I can’t envision a scenario where he isn’t at top-seven fantasy football quarterback. Unlike the guy drafted before him in the 2015 NFL Draft (Jameis Winston), Mariota is careful with the football. That’s why he’s the superior pick in fantasy football drafts this year and it’s not even close.

Zay Jones, WR, Buffalo Bills – So the Bills traded away Sammy Watkins and now Anquan Boldin retired? Jones is about to be a target monster.

Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys – The dual-threat quarterback was 7-of-8 for 106 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. With the offense missing Ezekiel Elliott for multiple games and the defense set to regress, look for Prescott to get a lot more opportunities to throw and run the ball.

Stock Down

Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins – Jay Cutler and Ryan Tannehill are almost polar opposites when it comes to playing the quarterback position. That’s not good for Landry who has averaged 102 receptions over the last two seasons.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo Bills – The organization traded away Sammy Watkins and Anquan Boldin retired. That’s what we call, “not good” for the guy slinging the ball for Buffalo.