With Week 12 of the college football season in the books, our weekly devy stock report takes a look at which CFB players were impacted heading into Week 13.
Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Denzel Mims have raised their value this season, while quarterback Brian Lewerke has seen his stock plummet. Pooka Williams Jr.’s devy stock has been a roller-coaster ride throughout his career, but his three-game streak of sub-70 rushing yards has him joining Lewerke on the stock down list.
Without further ado, I give you my weekly devy stock report. Be sure to check back later in the week for my preview of the best fantasy football matchups to watch in Week 13.
Stock Up
Standout players that saw their devy stock increase from the previous week include:
Ja’Marr Chase
Quarterback Joe Burrow isn’t the only beneficiary of LSU’s offensive resurgence in Baton Rouge. Sophomore wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has also seen his game reach new heights in 2019 with over 1,000 receiving yards and 13 touchdown receptions so far this season.
That’s quite the step up for the wide receiver that finished his freshman season with a forgettable 220 total receiving yards and two touchdowns a season ago. Chase already has two games with over 220 receiving yards in 2019, including 227 yards and three touchdown receptions in LSU’s 58-37 victory over Ole Miss in Week 12.
Chase has the size and skill set to be an early-draftee in the 2021 NFL Draft, so you should look to do the same in devy football drafts. While I’ve adored Rondale Moore and Justyn Ross for a couple of years now, you can’t let past biases impact your future draft decisions. You absolutely have to consider Chase as a wide receiver in the same class (or even higher) as those two after his breakout sophomore season. Chase is flying up 2021 NFL Draft boards, and he should be doing the same in devy fantasy football drafts.
Denzel Mims
Baylor’s Week 12 contest against Big 12-rival Oklahoma was one of the greatest games of the 2019 college football season. In a contest featuring tremendous swings of momentum, Baylor exploded out of the gates en route to a 31-10 halftime lead before Oklahoma stormed back, scoring the final 24 points of the contest to secure the 34-31 victory.
In the first half, Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims showed why he has become one of the biggest threats in college football. Mims feasted on Oklahoma’s secondary with the senior catching two touchdown passes in the Bears’ outstanding first half. Mims finished the contest with 92 receiving yards and the two touchdowns, as mentioned above on six receptions.
While other receivers in the class get the majority of attention, Mims is one of the best senior wide receiver prospects in college football. Mims might have even played himself into the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft with a terrific senior season in Waco. Mims has the size (6’3″) to be an outside receiver in the National Football League, so look to grab him at a discount now while you still can.
Stock Down
Disappointing players that saw their devy stock decrease in the previous week:
Brian Lewerke
Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke has seen his 2020 NFL Draft stock plummet after another disappointing season in East Lansing. After showing promise as a sophomore starting quarterback in the Big Ten, Lewerke never quite took the next step in the progression of a successful quarterback.
Lewerke never improved from his sophomore campaign, and honestly, he might have even regressed. After throwing for 2,793 yards with a 20-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio as a sophomore, Lewerke has a combined 21-20 TD-INT ratio in the two seasons since.
Lewerke is a dull, game-managing quarterback that hasn’t completed over 60% of his passes in a single season over his career. With Lewerke highly unlikely to make an impact in the National Football League, he’s a full-avoid in dynasty leagues. You can do a lot better than a career backup at best.
Pooka Williams Jr.
After consecutive 100-yard rushing games against Big 12 powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas, Kansas running back Pooka Williams Jr. was expected to set the conference on fire down the stretch of the season. Since being highlighted in my Week 8 stock report, Williams has mostly disappointed with less than 70 rushing yards in three straight contests.
Williams. Jr’s struggles reached new lows in the Jayhawks 31-13 defeat to Oklahoma State in Week 12. Williams Jr. only rushed for 26 yards on 12 carries to drop his yards-per-carry average to 4.9 on the season. While 4.9 YPC is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s quite the step down from Williams Jr.’s seven yards per carry as a freshman.
While I still consider Williams Jr. one of the most exciting backs in the country, the team around him in Lawrence, Kansas doesn’t do him many favors. Kansas’ overwhelmed offensive line often leaves Williams Jr. fighting for his life in the backfield. Williams Jr. is still a devy prospect worth drafting, but the team around him makes it difficult to scout, and the off-field concerns make him a risky draft pick in the early rounds.