Stock Market Friday: NFL Week 10

Stock Up

Beanie Wells: Beanie looks as though he will be taking part in a Cardinals two-back system along with Tim Hightower.  The Cardinals got back to basics Week 9 against Chicago as they ran 28 times for 149 yards.  This kind of effort benefited Kurt Warner as he threw for a season-high five touchdowns.  With the success that Arizona enjoyed against Chicago, it’s no secret that they will stick with this strategy because it has been an ongoing struggle to find their identity this season.  A playoff push is imminent and Wells will be a central to their success.  Take a chance on Wells; you will be pleased with the outcome.  Check out how we think Wells will fair in the playoffs here.

Ray Rice: Baltimore’s new feature back has taken the league by storm in 2009.  While Willis McGahee’s production has fallen off considerably, Rice has picked up his slack and is running at an all-pro level.  Rice has been a monster rushing and receiving all year and should be a starter on your fantasy team from here-forward.  Consider him an overall top-10 option for the rest of the season with the progression that he continues to make on a weekly basis.  If you have quality options in other skill positions on your team, make a move to trade for Rice as other owners might be apt to trade him because they may expect a drop off in production.  Besides two games against the #1 rush defense in Pittsburgh, Rice has very favorable matchups for the rest of the season.  Rice has established himself as one of the best backs in football, do whatever is necessary to get him into your lineup.

Robert Meachem: Coming off Meachem’s best game of the season (5 catches, 98 yards, TD), Meachem should be a hot-commodity for owners looking to make late season additions for a potential playoff run.  Week 9 against Carolina was his first standout game of the season, so don’t get too high on Meachem just yet but consider this:  Meachem is playing in the high-octane Saints offense, so a breakout game is always possible.  Make sure you get him on your team and if the right matchup presents itself, start him.

Stock Down

Calvin Johnson: It seems obvious that Johnson and Matthew Stafford are not on the same page at this point in time.  Johnson displayed no ill-effects in his return coming off the knee injury, so the belief is that the struggles are more Stafford’s fault.  Stafford has not posted a passer rating above 46.0 since returning from injury.  This being the case, Johnson’s numbers will not improve as long as Stafford is under center.  If you have a more practical #2 receiving option, then make the change.  While it’s tough to bench a star like Johnson, fantasy football and the NFL in general is a show-me-now league.  If Johnson isn’t cutting it, then you must make the necessary adjustments to make your team better.

Torry Holt: After a Week 6 performance in which Holt caught five balls for 101 yards, his stock went up significantly because of the consistency that he displayed prior to that breakout game.  However, in the past two games, Holt has come back to reality catching only six balls for 54 yards.  The reality is that Holt is a 33 year-old wide-out who lost his wheels two years ago.  Fantasy owners seem to get caught up in a former star’s big name from time-to-time; don’t let this happen to you, keep Holt on the waiver-wire unless Holt’s begins to show signs of improvement.