Daily Fantasy Football October 20: DFS Stock Up, Stock Down

It's amazing how much can change in a few weeks. 

Think back to a month ago, when Devonta Freeman was fighting for playing time and nobody had heard of Gary Barnidge. The fantasy football landscape receives a fresh coat of paint with each passing week, forcing daily players to study the altered strokes.

On Sunday, a popular breakout pick returned to relevancy after yawning through a light workload. Meanwhile, two wide receivers who didn’t play in September are now names to highlight while assembling Week 7 DraftKings lineups. Here’s the latest look at risers and fallers.

Stock Up

Lamar Miller, RB, Miami Dolphins ($4,600)

James Kenney/Associated Press

Operation "Free Lamar Miller" proved a rousing success during the Miami Dolphins' first game since firing head coach Joe Philbin. 

It didn't take interim coach Dan Campbell long to figure out giving the star running back touches works. Miller, who amassed 37 carries over the first four games, received 19 handoffs in Sunday's victory over the Tennessee Titans, more than doubling his previous season high of rushing yards (53) with 113.

He also scored his first touchdown of the year. Again, giving a top talent the football works. Remember when Miller averaged 5.1 yards per carry last season? Philbin didn't.

Last year's efficiency made him a breakout candidate, but limited opportunities quickly stifled any hype. Under the new regime, he should at least salvage value as a No. 2 running back. The Houston Texans have held foes to a tame 3.8 yards per run, but they've also surrendered 109 rushing yards per game alongside six touchdowns.

If Miami can again beat a below-average team, Miller will again get enough touches to shine.

Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers ($4,700)

How bloated would Martavis Bryant's DraftKings price be by now if he started 2015 with everyone else?

Beginning his season in Week 6, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver quickly made his presence felt. The 23-year-old registered six catches for 137 yards and two scores, giving him 11 touchdowns through 12 career games, including the playoffs.

Antonio Brown, arguably fantasy football's most valuable commodity with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, fell into obscurity without the star passer. Bryant, on the other hand, made his own success with an 88-yard touchdown to cement an upset over the Arizona Cardinals.

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Bryant also matched Brown's eight targets, a promising sign for someone who averaged 5.8 looks during his rookie campaign. A big-play weapon should become a more balanced player as Pittsburgh's No. 2 wideout, especially when Roethlisberger returns.

According to Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the injured quarterback hopes to practice this week before determining if he can play on Sunday. If he comes back this weekend, go all in on Bryant (and Brown) against the Kansas City Chiefs, who have yielded the most DraftKings points to receivers. If not, Bryant is still cheap and skilled enough to use as a high-upside matchup play.

Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings ($4,200)

Let's try this one more time. The overcrowded Cordarrelle Patterson breakout brigade stalled, and Charles Johnson let down several backers this year. Stefon Diggs is the latest exciting Minnesota Vikings wideout worthy of everyone's attention.

Will it end as poorly as the others? Who knows, but their shortcomings don't diminish his odds of succeeding. The 21-year-old rookie has only played two games, but he's made them count, collecting 13 catches for 216 yards.

Teammate Mike Wallace praised the newcomer to Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Wallace, a former Steelers starter, said Diggs gave him flashbacks of playing with Brown.

"

You can tell from Day One who can play football or not. They have some exceptions where guys get better drastically over time. But for the most part, you can tell from Day One, can he play or can he not play? And I always felt like he could from Day One. … Just the skill set, the way he runs his routes, the energy that he has. It reminds me of [Brown].

"

Don't worry, Michael Vick isn't playing quarterback for the Vikings. After gaining 505 passing yards over Minnesota's first three contests, Teddy Bridgewater has compiled 518 yards through two games with Diggs. 

The speedy receiver plays perfectly into DraftKings' points-per-reception (PPR) scoring, but he remains attainable for $4,200 this weekend. He's a great Week 7 value against the Detroit Lions, who rank last in opposing completion percentage (73.7) and passing yards per attempt (9.1).

Stock Down

Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans ($5,400)

James Kenney/Associated Press

Let's go back to Week 1, when Marcus Mariota left his NFL debut with four touchdowns and a perfect passing rating. Nothing but clear skies and smooth sailing for 2015's No. 2 pick.

If only football were that easy. The rookie is beginning to look like a rookie, coughing up five interceptions and two fumbles over the Tennessee Titans' last three games. Pegged as a dual-threat point producer, he has compiled 72 rushing yards this season.

Setting the bar high creates unsustainable expectations. After briefly teasing top-12 quarterback potential, he yanked the curtain back, revealing a No. 2 quarterback, which does no good with only one starting slot. 

He also suffered a low hit during Sunday's 38-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, eventually prompting the Titans to play Zach Mettenberger. The team revealed the early diagnosis on Monday:

The Titans are 1-4, so risking further injury of their franchise player would be awfully silly. Even if he suits up, the slumping Mariota isn't likely to deliver much at less than 100 percent. 

Alfred Morris, RB, Washington ($3,300)

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Sunday was Alfred Morris' chance to take back the spotlight. Matt Jones missed Week 6 with a toe injury, giving Washington's incumbent starting running back an opportunity to once again shoulder a heavier burden.

He got 11 carries, which he turned into 21 yards. Granted, the New York Jets sport a top-five rushing defense, but Morris is now averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per run. 

Nobody should be stunned to witness his decline. Pundits predicted a falloff due to Jones' preseason emergence and Robert Griffin III losing the quarterback gig to interception machine Kirk Cousins. It's still harrowing, however, to watch an annual 1,000-yard runner fall this low.

GP	Rush	Rush YDs	YPC	TD	REC.	REC. YD	DK PPG*
6	85	297	3.5	0	5	27	6.7

Before bailing completely, Week 7 offers an intriguing matchup. Morris has received 35 carries in Washington's two victories, and they don't come more winnable than a home tilt with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Jones sits, Morris could get 15-20 touches.

But the 26-year-old has produced 131 yards in the last four games. There's danger in trusting someone who needs a perfectly penned game script to return value. 

Dwayne Allen, TE, Indianapolis Colts ($2,700)

AJ Mast/Associated Press

When touchdown-dependent players don't score touchdowns, the results are ugly.

Dwayne Allen only caught 29 passes last season, but he finished eight of them in the end zone. Even for a big tight end in a prolific Indianapolis Colts pass offense, regression loomed unless he carved out a bigger role throughout the field.

Seven receptions, 61 yards and a score represents a nice outing from a tight end. Unfortunately, those are Allen's numbers through four games this season. His 23 yards on Sunday night set a new 2015 high.

Along with the team dedicating to the run game behind Frank Gore, Donte Moncrief is eating up targets devoted to Allen and Coby Fleener last season. Allen only delivers a semblance of fantasy value if he stumbles upon a touchdown. Such volatility won't fly in a PPR format.

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